SparklePaw Pocket Mirror Giveaway

I love etsy for gifts, particulary gifts for pet people. I can always find something perfect, handmade, unique and affordable. That is if I can keep from shoping for myself for more than 2 minutes.

One of my recenty etsy discoveries is the shop SparklePaw, appropriatley billed as "all things adorable". Adorable indeed. The shop features greeting cards, pocket mirrors and recipe cards with loveable, original animal artwork. Case in point, this dog card:

and the beaver card:

The above cards are available at the SparklePaw etsy store for just $3.50 each, or a pack of any 6 for just $18. Cuter AND cheaper than any old thing you will find at the drug store.

I also adore these recipe cards. I would love to get a stack of these filled with someone's personal best recipes (plenty of time till September kids, hint hint).

Leslie of SparklePaw has graciously agreed to give one of my readers this "you're such a hoot!" owl pocket mirror. The mirror would make a sweet little gift or a nice addition to your handbag.

Here is how you can win-

Main Entry (U.S. only please)
Visit the etsy SparklePaw shop and tell me which product or design is your favorite. This must be completed in order to receive extra entries.

Extra Entries

• Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway (2 entries per day, post link please)
• Follow SparklePaw on twitter (1 entry, leave your twitter ID name)
• Add SparklePaw as one of your favorite sellers on etsy (2 entries- leave your etsy name)
• Feature SparklePaw in an etsy treasury (TEN, count em 10 entries, leave a link)
• Follow this blog (1 entry)

Good luck everyone! I will randomly select a winner on May 27th, you can enter till May 27th at 11:59 PM.

Endangered Species Day

stock_xchng - Wolves (stock photo by GMDee) [id 1139851]

Did you know that May 15^th is Endangered Species Day? Started in 2006 the day is celebrated the 3^rd Friday in May as part of an effort to educate individuals about America's disappearing wildlife. Some endangered species facts to ponder:

• Scientists believe there are as many as 6,500 endangered species in the U.S., although only 1,200 species are legally protected as such.
  
• The whooping crane, gray wolf, Pacific salmon and spotted owls are just a few of the species in the U.S. that are at risk of becoming extinct.
  

The Endangered Species Coalition website has a host of ways you can help the cause including participating in local events, getting educated, taking simple actions at home, having your children send in their artwork , or electronically signing the Endangered Species Act Legacy Pledge.

Another wonderful way to educate kids about endangered species is to visit the Kiss My Face website for kids. The site includes free games, videos and coloring pages- a super fun FREE way to teach your kids about the importance of a diverse wildlife population. Kiss My Face also has a fantastic organic collection just for kids, featuring endangered animals on its packaging.

Stay tuned for a special Kiss My Face kids giveaway in the next few weeks!

Skinny Cow Ice Cream

I love ice cream.

I'm not even sure if love is an adequate word. I have been asked by my partner "do you love me more than ice cream?". Of course I answered "yes darling", but she heard the hesitation in my voice. It was a close call.

In my own defense ice cream was love to me when I was a child. When I was seven my mom's friend came from Colorado to visit in Wisconsin, step son in tow. My sister and I convinced said step son it would be great fun to have a contest to see who could jump off a swing the farthest. He won- the jumping contest and a broken arm. At the emergency room my sister and I were given ice cream cones while we waited. I have had a certain odd fondness for emergency rooms since then. Ice cream erased any hint of trauma for me. It still does sometimes. There is no broken heart that cannot be at least temporarily numbed with a bowl of ice cream. All of this explains the girth of my bottom, I suppose.

I am wholly convinced that there will be ice cream in whatever exists for us after this life. There will be pools of frosty, calorie free, delicious ice cream that will never cause a belly ache from its overconsumption. Until I reach those glacial ice cream gates, however, there is Skinny Cow ice cream.

I am a girl who has tried every low-fat/sugar free/fakey low-cal ice cream out there. More than a few of those low calorie concoctions have assaulted my jaded taste buds on more than one occasion, but not my dear sweet Skinny Cow.

Skinny Cow is no cardboard low-cal wanna be ice cream. It IS ice cream. Tasty, satisfying ice cream like the 150 calorie vanilla/caramel ice cream cone, which even has that tasty chocolate reward at the bottom the more fattening cones have. I also love the 80 calorie Skinny Dippers and the new 100 calorie Truffle bars.

Thank you, Skinny Cow, for being so delicious and light. Thank you from the bottom of my getting-less-plump bottom.

Care4hire.com Giveaway

Finding the perfect pet caretaker is a wonderful thing. Knowing that your pet is safe, well-cared for and even getting extra loving can make a world of difference whether you are away for a few hours or a few days.

Selecting the perfect caretaker for your pet, your child or an elderly relative can be a daunting task. Hiring the wrong person can be downright terrifying. So how do you go about choosing who you will trust to take care of your pet, family or household?

I took a slightly unusual route when it came to picking out care for Davey. I had left him at a daycare I was less than happy with while working part time. Since I was working part time for peanuts and paying for my crazy, high-energy puggle youngster to be entertained while I was at work I decided to kill two birds with one stone and seek a part time job in the pet care industry. I managed to find great work at local franchise of a company I really believe in, Camp Bow Wow.

Camp Bow Wow is still our first choice for dog care- I know the policies, the routine and I trust the workers because I know them. Plus they know I am a crazy pet mom, which is half the battle. Here is a picture of Dave at Camp, getting some friendly kisses from his puggle friend Roxie (pre-wedding, I swear Ruby):

If I had to choose a new sitter today I would consider using a site like Care4Hire.com. Care4Hire is a service that helps you quickly find a quality caretaker in your neighborhood.

Candi Wingate, the president of Care4Hire, started this easy to use database as a way to connect people to quality caretakers. The database contains pet care specialists, babysitters, elder caretakers, housecleaners and more. The site also provides guidance and resources such as access to online references and background checks.

You can experience a free preview of the caretakers in your area simply by entering your zip code on the site. Caretaker's information is provided immediately upon payment of $81 for a year or a onetime payment of $39 followed by a $9.99 /month fee. Service can be cancelled at any time without a penalty.

Care4Hire has graciously offered to give one of my readers a 1 month membership- a 2$9.99 value! This membership is for US AND Canadian users and will give someone plenty of time to try out the service and see how they like it.

How to Win

Tell me what type of caretaker you would look for if you win the 1 month membership (1 entry, must be done)

Extra Entries

• Enter your zip code on the Care4Hire website and tell me how many caretakers you found in your area (1 entry)
• Follow me on twitter and tweet about the giveaway (leave a link to your tweet, can be done 2 times/day!)
• Follow my blog (link on the right, 1 entry)
• Fav me on technorati (2 entries, link on the right)
• Blog about the giveaway and post the link (5 entries)
  

Entries will be accepted until 12 AM CST Sunday May 24^th at which time a winner will be chosen randomly.

Prudence the Puggle needs a home

You may have kinda figured out that I love my puggle. Davey is loving, comical, loyal and absolutely lovable. Every puggle I have met just oozes personality, a characteristic that comes with a host of challenges and a boat-load of rewards.

If I didn't already have a dog that sleeps in my bed, sits on my lap and smothers me with kisses like Prudence does I would be driving to Ohio to get her:

Prudence is looking for a new home. So if you or anyone you know in the Ohio area is looking for a great companion please find out more about this sweet girl.

I have noticed there are always plenty of every type of dog on Petfinder.com, including puggles right here in Illinois like Sapphire and Molly and puggle puppies like Cassidy. Be sure to check out Petfinder before you head to the pet store for a new puppy, you really can find anything your heart desires in a shelter.

Things Remembered Winner!

Judy from Lainey's Pawtique was the big winner in our Things Remembered giveaway! Thanks everyone for entering, and congrats Judy!!

Sometimes the randomizer does pick the first entry!

Lots of Winners

The randomizer has done its random thing and chosen some winners! Here they are

• Lara from Cutepea's Freebies one the Eco Chic Handbag
• Proving that sometimes those first entries DO win comment number 2, from 3Carnations, won the Joey totes
• Cat nip filled toys from Colorado Catnip Toys will be going out to Janet from Grammy Janet's Place and cdziuba
  

The winners have all been notified by e-mail. Please let me know if you haven't received your notice (pestkaj@yahoo(dot)com)

Congrats everyone!