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smart touch for the holidays {giveaway}

By Nicole · Comments (55)

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

The winner of this giveaway is number #12, Sylvia!

It’s the last week of October and as we ~~speak~~ I type, it’s a cool 91 degrees here in the Old Pueblo. I’m so ready for the temperature to finally turn and the sun to release it’s furry.

But that’s part of life in the desert, I guess. Sometimes it’s late November before we can pull out our flannel sheets and sweaters and gloves.

You may remember last year when I shared with you about Isotoner’s® smarTouch gloves, specifically designed for use with touch screen devices. No more pulling off your right ( or left as the case may be…) to text or make a phone call.

Designed with Isotoner® stretch fabrics for proper fingertip fit, these gloves use a conductive thread embroidered on the index fingers and thumbs that sends an electrical impulse to touchscreen devices – allowing uninterrupted typing and texting in the cold.

I love mine. When I get to use them…ahem.

Well this year, Isotoner® has added new fabrics, sizes and colors to the smarTouch line.

Because proper fit is so important, Isotoner® has launched the Ultimate Misfit Gift contest. Submit a misfit gift you’ve received in the past, whether it’s an ugly sweater in the wrong size or a CD of a band you despise, and you could win big prizes, including gloves, iPads and a $5,000 holiday shopping spree. Simply upload a photo of your ultimate misfit gift and ask your friends to vote between now and December 5, 2011.

SmarTouch gloves retail from $14 to $42 and make a great gift for the holidays.

WIN IT! You can also enter here to win your own pair of smarTouch gloves, just in time for winter. Enter below by doing any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each):

Leave a comment telling me what device(s) you would use the smarTouch gloves for?
Enter the Ultimate Misfit Gift Contest and post your link in a comment
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Like Isotoner® on Facebook
Follow Isotoner® on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #totesisotoner up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “Don’t leave your touchscreen device in the cold! Enter to win SmartTouch Gloves by @totesisotoner http://is.gd/wkG2bY #totesisotoner”

Giveaway ends November 9 at 11:59 pm PST.

Comments (55)

disney on ice presents disney•pixar’s toy story 3 {giveaway}

By Nicole · Comments (37)

Monday, September 26th, 2011

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway was randomly selected using Random.org. Congratulations #7, Nicki!

When Toy Story 3 came out last Summer, I took my boys to see it in 3D (much to my chagrin as you may remember…). But as I mentioned in my review, I really liked the movie. In fact, being what seems to be mere moments away from potentially sending our oldest off to college, I think it was more touching to me than the other two movies in the series.

That’s why when offered the opportunity to attend Disney On Ice presents Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3, I jumped at the chance. Though, I hesitated for a split second before I jumped, given that my kids are a little older now and I didn’t know if they were too “cool” to go see a Disney production. But guess who was the most excited? (Yep, the oldest of the three, who has deemed Toy Story 3 his most favorite movie eva…) I guess you never grow out of Disney.

I was also super excited because living in Tucson, AZ, we miss out on the big shows and concerts a lot of the time. Phoenix is only a few hours north and most productions opt for the bigger city. This will actually be the first time I’ve every been to a Disney On Ice production and I cant wait to experience it!

And want to know what? If you live in or around Tucson you have a chance to win a family four pack of tickets to the show! See more detail on entering below. But first, here’s more information on the show…

Dates:
October 13 – 16 at the Tucson Convention Center

Showtimes:
Thu, Oct 13 2011 7:00PM
Fri, Oct 14 2011 7:00PM
Sat, Oct 15 2011 11:00AM, 3:00PM and 7:00PM
Sun, Oct 16 2011 1:00PM and 5:00PM

Ticket Prices:
$15, $20, $35 (VIP) and $50 (Front Row)

Tickets:
Available at Ticketmaster.com
or at The TCC Box Office
Use promo code MOM11 at checkout for $5 off the $15 or $20 seats (promo code not available for opening night tickets)

There are a few other Tucson bloggers offering this giveaway. Increase your odds of winning by entering them all!

Chica Ramblings

Eclectic Momsense

Our Crazy Boys

WIN IT! Here’s your chance to win a family four pack of ticket for any showing. Enter below by doing any or all of the following:

Leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever been to a Disney On Ice show…if so, which one?
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Like Disney On Ice onFacebook
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “Live in Tucson? Its a #DisneyOnIce giveaway! Enter here…http://is.gd/0FV8fw #thepixelboutique”

Hurry, giveaway ends Thursday, October 6th at 11:59 p.m. PST.

I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to this show. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Comments (37)

a girl’s guide to photoshop elements: intro – video 3 {plus a photos.com giveaway!}

By Nicole · Comments (40)

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Update: The winner of this giveaway is #37, Diana!

Today’s video comes with a nice little extra. The folks at photos.com have generously offered one reader a 50-image pack (a $134.99 value)! Perfect for any blogger looking to spice up their blog posts with professional, royalty free stock photos.

Photos.com offers 2.6 million royalty-free, professional images and illustrations. You can purchase image packs starting from 1 image to 50 images. Or, you can save a bundle by purchasing a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription.

Photos.com is a division of Getty Images, the world’s leading creator and distributor of still imagery, footage and multimedia products.

Here’s a sampling of what you’ll find on Photos.com…

and I love the fact that they offer background patterns and illustrations…

Think of the cool graphics you could come up with for your blog. Since you’re becoming a Photoshop Elements guru and all…

Read to enter? See the instructions below the video.

Now on to the video for this week…take a look at the 3rd installation of the introduction series. If you’ve missed the two previous videos, the links are listed directly below the video.

Miss the first few videos? Check out Intro 1 and Intro 2!

WIN IT! To earn an entry for this great giveaway, do any or all of the following:

Leave a comment telling me how you would use your photo pack if you won...your blog? crafting projects, scrapbooking?
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Like Photos.com on Facebook
Follow Photos.com on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “What would you do with 50 free images? http://is.gd/7t5QVL @photosdotcom #thepixelboutique”

Giveaway ends Thursday, September 1st at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Comments (40)

for the fathers {giveaway}

By Nicole

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is #2, Angie!

I was blessed enough to have a father who made me feel valuable.

He was there when I needed him (still is), was a living example of honesty, kindness, godliness and working hard. Not that he is without his flaws, but then again, I’ve never heard him claim perfection.

This is what he should be receiving in the mail any day now…

Isn’t it pretty? Its a photo of some of the grandkids (he’s got 9 all together) at my niece’s graduation last month. I created an 8×10 wooden panel in Snapfish’s Father’s Day store.

Its just a small token of what he has meant to the generations he has influenced.

So in honor of Father’s Day and all the truly wonderful fathers, Im hosting a little giveaway that you can use for the special father in your life or for capturing the memories made celebrating him this Sunday. Check out all the cool personalized photo gifts offered this year.

Its not too late to make Father’s Day memorable for dad, at a great price too. From now until June 19, enjoy 25% off Father’s Day gifts by entering the coupon code THATSDAD at checkout.

Need a last minute card or gift idea? Create photo books and pick them up at Walmart while you’re running your errands.

Or if you really hurry, you can order a photo greeting card designed by yours truly from my Snapfish shop…

Win It! One reader will be randomly chosen to receive $50 to spend at Snapfish! Giveaway ends Tuesday, June 28th at 11:59 p.m. PST. (Please note: This giveaway will end AFTER Father’s Day)

To earn an entry do any or all of the following:

Leave a comment answering one of the following questions:
- What is your favorite memory of Dad and what was special about it?
- What do you like most about your Dad?
- What is your favorite photo memory that you’ve captured of Dad or with Dad?
- What is your funniest moment with Dad?
- What would you get Dad from Snapfish?
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Like Snapfish on Facebook
Follow Snapfish on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “For the Fathers…Enter to win $50 to Snapfish in honor of dear ol’ dad… http://is.gd/YAwiPL #thepixelboutique”

hanes pink {giveaway}

By Nicole · Comments (3)

Monday, June 13th, 2011

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is #1, Kari!

Here’s a fun way to help support the National Breast Cancer Foundation and stretch your creative muscle at the same time. Oh, and to get a chance to win some prizes, too.

Check out Hanes Pink Design-A-Tee. There you can design a t-shirt to show your support for breast cancer awareness, as well as your creativity. With their simple to use design tools, you can create as many t-shirts as you’d like, share your creations with your friends and family, and get them to vote for your design. Contest ends Wednesday, July 6th.

Want to see mine?

The first prize winner will receive a $2,500 Visa Award Card and 5 t-shirts with their winning design! You can even buy your t-shirt for you and all of your friends to show your support and 10% of the retail price will go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

And just for my lovely readers, Hanes is offering a little giveaway right here on The Pixel Boutique. One reader will be randomly selected to receive an item from the Hanes Pink Collection. See all the details below…

Win It! One reader will be randomly chosen to receive one item from the Hanes Pink Collection (item will be determined by availability and winner’s size). Giveaway ends Wednesday, July 6th at 11:59 p.m. PST.

To earn an entry do any or all of the following:

Include a link to your design in a comment (no limit…leave one comment per design)
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Follow Hanes on Twitter
Follow the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “Show your support! Enter your t-shirt design with the @Hanescomfort and @NBCF contest for a chance to win! http://is.gd/Ocweko”

Comments (3)

the magic that is CSS {giveaway}

By Nicole

Friday, June 10th, 2011

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is #9, Jenn!

Long, long ago in 2001, I had a 4 year old, a 2 year old, a newborn, and a barely budding web design business. Having graduated from design school in 1995, when web design was barely even heard of, I never “formally” learned web design.

There were many books, forums, trials and errors (I mean many…trials and errors), late nights, coffee, and bald spots from pulling out clumps of hair. I’m here to tell you that if you really want to teach yourself how to do something, you can…and in the world of web design and graphics, it’s easier now than it’s ever been.

Leaning HTML, PHP, CSS and the like really is like learning a foreign language. At first it’s, well, foreign. But when you really immerse yourself and use it in everyday situations, you start to become more and more fluent in that language.

One of the “languages” I use on a daily basis in my work is CSS, which stands for Cascading Style Sheets (that name clears it right up, doesn’t it?). In a plain-English nut-shell explanation, its what makes a website pretty.

Because programming languages are like everything else in technology, there is new stuff to learn every time there’s an update. So I guess you can say that I’m always learning.

A great resource I discovered recently is Peter Gasston’s book, The Book of CSS3, published by No Starch Press. For being so robust and full of valuable information, Gasston approaches this often dry, uninteresting topic in a no nonsense, easy to grasp way. Because the world of browser compatibility changes seemingly daily, there is a companion website to give up to the minute examples and information. If you’re in the market for a good old fashion book to delve into the latest version of CSS, I’d definitely recommend checking out Gasston’s book.

Win It! Would you like the chance to win a copy of The Book of CSS3 for yourself? One lucky reader will be randomly chosen to receive a copy of this great resource. Giveaway ends Friday, June 24 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

To earn an entry, do any or all of the following:

Comment on this post telling me why you’d like to win this book. Just starting out? Expanding your CSS knowledge?
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Follow @nostarch on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “I can do it! (learn CSS, that is). Enter to win “The Book of CSS3″ http://is.gd/uX3aFb”

I received a free copy of this book for review. Opinions, as always, are my own.

prinly: business cards and more {a giveaway}

By Nicole · Comments (72)

Saturday, May 28th, 2011

Update: The winners of this giveaway are #14 (Nikki) and #70, Julie!You know I’m always talking about the need for good business cards. Even if you’re a stay at home mom or a casual blogger, a business card always comes in so handy.

I recently learned about a new company called Prinly that offers printing services for letterheads, envelopes, business cards and post cards. They offer many options like thick, 16pt card stock, glossy or matte finish, rounded corners and double sided printing. You can choose from several thousand premade designs or upload your own. Ordering is very simple on their online ordering system.

Prinly also offers back a full, 100% satisfaction garauntee, no questions asked. I always like a company that stands behind their product like that.

I ordered custom cards using my own design in about 15 minutes and received them really quickly…within just a few days. The quality of the paper and printing is good and the pricing in reasonable at about $35 for 500 cards.

Prinly is offering a nice giveaway opportunity below, but you can also take advantage of 50% (yes! 50%!) off of your business card order using the coupon code “?contest565?”. How cool is that?

Win It! Would you like the chance to win business cards for yourself? Two lucky readers (open to US and Canada) will be randomly chosen to receive 500 free business cards, plus free shipping! Giveaway ends Saturday, June 11 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

To earn an entry, do any or all of the following:

Comment on this post telling me what you would use your business cards for…your blog, your business, your mommyhood profession?
Post about this giveaway on your Facebook page
Like The Pixel Boutique on Facebook
Follow @Prinly on Twitter
Tweet about this giveaway using the hash tag #thepixelboutique up to once a day
Need a suggestion? Tweet this: “Everyone needs a business card or two…or 500. Enter to win some from @prinly and #thepixelboutique http://is.gd/hkexKc”