Best Horror Novel 2011

My husband's novel, Shining in Crimson has been nominated for Best Print/Electronic Horror Novel of 2011!!! I'm so very excited and so very proud! If you have read it, it would be awesome for you to go vote!

Voting here: Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll Voting Page

Voting is open currently and closes on January 10th, 2012.

Whooosh!

That, my dear readers, is the sound of 2011 racing right by us to an end! I find it hard to believe that tomorrow will be the last day of 2011. I am hoping that 2012 will bring about many good things (for myself & for you as well)! I am also hoping that people who are caught up in the 2012 hoax will not go too far overboard and do things that endanger others or themselves... will be hoping and praying that that is the case!

I am working on a "Books I read in 2011" wrap-up post that I *hope* to have up tomorrow, but since it includes covers and links, it is taking me a little while to get finished up! Hope that you will be interested in taking a look at it and I would love to hear any feedback you might have (by way of if you've read the book, what you thought of it; if you want to read the book; suggestions of books I should read; or anything, really!)

Until then, hope you have a wonderful day/evening, hope 2011 ends well for you, and I hope that 2012 is your best year yet!!

A Handy Tool for Couponers: The Slice Safety Cutter!

I was fortunate enough to be sent a free trial of slice™ Safety Cutter - Great for couponers from Tomoson. I have just recently started making a concerted effort to start "couponing". Over the years, I've definitely kept an eye out for coupons that I thought were a good deal, but as most of them seemed to be either for products that I don't use or low money for large amount of items purchased, I didn't put much time into it.

Well, that recently changed. I started associating with quite a few awesome people on FB who not only coupon, but give out coupons as prizes for various games on FB. This has been a lot of fun and not only have I gotten some great coupons, but I've been able to pass along some great coupons that I couldn't make use of to others.

But I digress.. Anyway, the slice™ Safety Cutter is a handy little device that makes quick work of cutting coupons, much handier than scissors, in my opinion. It is an interesting and easy to use shape. I like the fact that it has a magnet. So, I've stuck it to my fridge, for easy access -- no having to wonder where I put it -- it's right on the fridge!

The blade is ceramic, and while it is sharp enough to easily cut out your coupons, it is safe and will not result in injuries, with proper use. I wouldn't let young children have access to it unsupervised, but I feel confident that my kids could use it safely, at 10 and 15.

Overall, I'm really happy and see this as a handy tool to save time with couponing. It does take a little bit to get used to how to use it the best way, but really only a few minutes and you're "clipping" coupons with ease. As a note, be sure to cut on a surface that you're not worried about, as it is strong enough to not just stop at the thickness of one piece of paper. I cut mine on a cardboard box to make sure my table didn't get scratched up.

At a very reasonable $5.99, I think this would make any couponer's life just a little bit easier!!





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

White Christmas???

Here in TN, it's not looking good for a white Christmas here.... too bad, but not surprising with the 60 degree weather earlier in the week... will still keep my fingers crossed.. It did snow in AL on Christmas last year =) (i'm completely fine with it snowing right around Christmas... get a good snowball fight in/snow angels/snowman... and then it can warm up & melt... lol) What are your thoughts/feelings, dear readers, on snow around Christmas or in general?

Don't forget -- there are still many lovely pieces for sale over at MosaickedPhotography If you're looking to purchase one of these unique works of art, be sure to use code roundcorner to receive 20% off! (per Etsy rules, cannot be combined with any other discount code).

$100 Amazon Gift Card Entry Form

And here it is! Your chance to win $100 Amazon Gift Card sponsored by Amee from Madame Deals and Jen from all her blogs (Kobiso, Makobi Scribe, Sason and Pobi, etc)

Good Luck Everybody! And be sure to visit the sponsor's blogs to show your appreciation!

$100 Amazon Gift Card!

How would you like to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card?  One of you, my dear readers, will be able to do just that!!!  How exciting!  This giveaway will run from Dec 15 11:59 PM EST to Jan 1 12:01 EST!  Be sure to come back and enter (and I'll be sure to keep you posted)!!


This prize is being generously sponsored by Amee from Madame Deals and Jen from all her blogs (Kobiso, Makobi Scribe, Sason and Pobi, etc)

You, too can take part! Just click on the button for more information!

MosaickedPhotography: Beautiful & Unique Works of Art (with a discount for you!)

Hello, my dear readers! Are you all done with your Christmas/holiday shopping? Yeah, me either! For those who are, I bet that's a relief! But for those who are not, I wanted to feature an amazing Etsy shop called: MosaickedPhotography , which is run by a fantastically creative lady, Kashena, and her sister, Cathy. Not only is Kashena wildy talented, she's also a super nice person and someone I feel privileged to call a friend!

The shop's bio reads:
"Two sisters who love to create unique art! Kashena creates original hand-cut mosaics, while Cathy examines the unseen universe looking for that amazing shot that you'd love to hang on your wall."

Which is incredibly apprapos! You should absolutely go take a look and consider making a purchase for that special someone in your life, the person who's hard to buy for, or heck, treat yourself! These one of a kind pieces are stunning and would fit will with any decor!

Sheena's beautifully mosaiced pieces would make any room even more stunning and would be a wonderful conversation piece! Cathy's unique and vibrant pictures would add so much to a room (*note* some of these pictures are adult in nature, but are all tastefully done - if you are offended by the human form, these may not be for you).

In this post, I'd like to feature two pieces that Sheena has created. The first is her Mosaic Black and Pink Tree Uplight Lamp


"Is that the sun sliding behind this outlined and shadowed tree? This interesting lamp appears as a work of art with a subtle light shining behind its beauty. The soft glow is wonderful for keeping a room quiet and comfortable, and the colors come to life when turned on.
Each piece of glass is hand cut and the design is original and one-of-a-kind!

Height: 11 1/2 inches
Diameter at top: 7 inches
Weight: approx 4 lbs.
60 watt bulb (included)
Sealed piece

Handcut stained glass, black grout, sealer.

Will create a card to place with the item for that special someone on request, for free! Let me know who to make the card out to, and for what occasion!"

This is a unique item that really stands out! It will add not only some extra light to any room you place it in, but also add ambiance and spark conversations! The skill with which she crafted the tree is amazing!

This piece normally is priced $100, but with the generous discount Sheena has offered, it will be only $80 plus shipping!


The second piece is entitled "Neptune Blue" and it is a wall hanging. Anyone can have a painting on the wall, not many people go the extra step to have true art in their home!





"If you have the blues, this original mosaic artwork will cheer you up! A unique wall hanging, each piece of glass was hand-cut from 12x12 sheets of stained glass. As you move through the room, the light will catch the various colors and reflective quality of this stunning piece. Simply beatutiful; a must-see!

Real pieces of polished sliced geodes are placed throughout the work.
The art was created on a thick wooden solid board.

Price includes shipping.

Ready to hang, horizonally or vertically, with wall hangers.

Price reduction!! Was $400!!

12 inches x 23 inches"

And with the discount code, this piece becomes only $200 shipped!



These are just two of the phenomenal pieces that are for sale at MosaickedPhotography! You should definitely go take a look and consider purchasing a true one of a kind work of art for your home or as a gift.


*  *  *  *  *  *  *    D I S C O U N T    C O D E    *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Love the look of one or more of these pieces? Sheena has been incredibly generous in offering a coupon code that will only be available for readers of my blog! This code will give you 20% off your entire order! This code cannot be combined with any other offer (per Etsy rules) and unless otherwise stated, shipping charges will still apply (and not be discounted per this code) Imagine being able to own a one of a kind, uniquely beautiful, handcrafted piece of art in your home (or as a gift) now at 20% off!

The code to enter on Etsy is:  roundcorner

At the very least, please go take a look at this wonderful shop, favorite it, and share with anyone you may know! I wish the very best for Sheena and her sister & would love to help be a part of growing their business!

Any questions, please ask and either I will get back with you, or if it is about the pieces, I'll consult with Sheena/Cathy and get back with you!

Thanks for taking the time to support these two talented individuals!

SuperPoints update

12-22-11 update: I've now earned 3 gift cards and I'm less than 100 points away from #4, which I hope to have by Christmas eve!

For anyone who is not yet using SuperPoints (and for those who are not using it to its full potential), this post is for you! I have used A LOT of rewards/points/gift card/prize earning sites in my many, many years on the interwebs... And though I've only been using SuperPoints for a little under three months, I am very, very impressed with it! I have earned more "prizes" from this site in this short amount of time than probably any other site I've used (I hesitate to say I've earned more than using MyPoints, but there's a big differentiator: most points I've earned from MyPoints have been from purchases; whereas, points from SuperPoints have been *free*)



So, I would like all of you, my dear readers, to have the opportunity to earn like I have been earning. Granted, it isn't paying the bills or providing Christmas, but for the time put in, I feel it is well worth it. For 10 - 30 min a day (depending on number of spins on the Super Lucky Button or whether or not I'm trying to get more referrals), I am very happy with what I've been able to amass so far! I'm already working toward gift card number 4! (my third one will be paid out this coming week!).

Make sure, once you sign up, that you validate your email and fill out your profile so that you move from, I believe, five clicks of the Super Lucky Button to 30! Obviously it's random and you'll have good days and bad days, but once it starts racking up, it's worth it -- and fun!

Below you will find seven invite codes (it is invite only -- if any of these codes don't work, try another. If none work, leave me a comment and I'll be happy to get a code directly to you!)

New Invite codes coming soon! Leave me a comment & I can send you one directly through email!

Just earned this one today! Use this code and start off with 25 points!! http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/9hts1t  

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you'll join and be able to start earning prizes, too! =)

Giving items away!

Right now, at this moment, having just had two giveaways end recently and having the fun of people being genuinely excited about winning, I would be hard pressed to tell you which I like more: winning giveaways myself or hosting them! Obviously it is fun to win things but I think it is equally as fun being the one to be able to provide prizes to others! I think today shall be a day of investigating what further giveaways I can get going and how quickly!! =) So, dear reader, if you are one who likes to enter/win giveaways, PLEASE check back soon!! =)

The rest of my day shall be spent working and running errands, neither of which is at the same level of giveaways, but must be done... hehe...