Sponsor Highlight: Wallpaper For Windows

You guys, I have to tell you my personal story about Wallpaper For Windows, our newest sponsor.  I am pretty sure that several of you will be able to relate to the problem I had.  (I say had because Wallpaper For Windows saved the day and solved an argument I had with my husband.)

My Hubs and I had been butting heads over our garage.  Not only about whose mess/clutter was on whose side of the garage, and who had more crap than the other, etc.  but also about the windows in our garage.  I hated that you could pull up into our driveway and see what is inside, right up against the door.  (A filing cabinet, gardening supplies, sports equipment, etc.)

If there is a way to photograph glass without a reflection, I would love to hear about it...

I also hated (Hated!) that as you were walking up to our front door you could see the entire messy contents of Hub's workbench/crap filled horizontal surface.  (This is also something my mother commented on.  Often.  "Your house looks so cute until you see the crap in the garage window....")

I had wanted to hang up curtain panels, or spray the glass with frosting spray, anything actually, to block out the mess.  Hubs claimed he needed to be able to see out onto the lawn, needed light, etc.  He wanted to put up blinds (which I strongly suspected wouldn't happen).  So for a few years we'd been talking about it, arguing about it, but not doing anything about it.  (We're supah-motivated like that...)

Wallpaper For Windows to the rescue.   They contacted me about trying out some of their removable covers/clings for glass.  They have a huge selection on their website.  I couldn't decide.  I couldn't think of a creative project.  I knew I wanted to do something fun.

Then it dawned on me: The Garage!

I only measured the glass panes on the garage door  because I assumed the panes over the workbench were the same size.  Then I counted up the total of panes and sent in my request.  (Tip of the Day: NEVER assume that all of your windows are the same, exact size.)

Hubs was NOT on board with the idea.  He thought it would be too dark in the garage.  He thought it would look bad from the outside.  Wrong on all counts. (And he admitted it! Dontcha love when that happens?!)

Wallpaper For Windows cuts the pieces to your specifications and sends them on a roll of peel and stick backing, along with the super easy instructions for installation.  It turned out that the window panes over the bench were slightly larger that the panes on the door.  (I didn't measure them because they were too hard to get to.  oops.)

The funny part?  My measuring mistake was the perfect husband and wife compromise.

We ended up taking the slightly undersized frosted squares and centering them on the glass. This is very easy to do.  Clean the glass, then spray it with water that has just a few drops of liquid soap in it.  Peel the Wallpaper and "float" it into place.  Then you just take a credit card (or something similar) and squeegee it into place.  Ta Da!

Even though I mis-measured the panes, centering the frosted squares worked for both of us.  Hubs can still see out and doesn't feel like it is too dark.  I am happy because you can't see the crap as you walk up to the front door.  Winning!

Much better!  The garage door looks better too.

These are the panes that I measured correctly...

Wallpaper For Windows has all sorts of decorative options, not just the privacy film.  Check this out:

or how cool is this?

...or a smaller project...?

If you think about it, it's a pretty cool solution to a very common problem.  We're so glad they're participating int The SoCal Social!

You can also visit Wallpaper For Windows on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

SoCal Social Ticket Giveaway - Sponsored by SNAP Conference!

We are so excited to be holding our last giveaway for a SoCal Social Ticket - being brought to you by the fabulous Tauni from the Snap Conference!

Tauni is one of our favorite people - she is sweet and supportive and she is the genius behind the SNAP Conference!

Viv and I both attended Snap last year and one of our favorite things about it was the sense of community we felt there.

The blogging community is just that... a community!  We get to know other bloggers... to care about them, and to feel like we know them... Which is exactly why we wanted to have the SoCal Social - to give bloggers a chance to get to know each other and build and develop friendships! We are thrilled that Tauni is supporting the SoCal Social by offering a giveaway for a 2 Day Ticket!  That's right!  The SNAP Conference is sending someone to both days of the SoCal Social!

One lucky winner will get to attend both the Swag Walk & dinner on October 20 and the fab Spa Day on October 21!  (If you win and you have already purchased one or both days - we will refund you your original ticket cost!)

The 2013 Snap Conference will be held April 18 - 20 in Utah! Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, Sept. 18 (our phones, laptops, and ipads have reminders set!)  They will sell out early - so make sure you buy your tickets as soon as they go on sale! (Plus the first 50 tickets will get a $50 discount. Woohooo!)

You know what else?!  We have some amazing news about one of our giveaways at the Social this year too -  Tauni has generously offered a ticket to the 2013 SNAP Conference for a SoCal Social attendee! Is that awesome or what?!
(Giveaway will cover admission to SNAP - not hotel or transportation or incidentals - also if you are the winner and have already purchased a SNAP ticket, you will receive a refund!! We just love Tauni. :)

So are you ready enter to win a Two Day Ticket to the SoCal Social?

We are running the Giveaway through Rafflecopter - click here if you need instructions to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway.

The Giveaway will close on Friday, September 14 - Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sponsor Highlight: The Duck Brand

It's been said that there are only two "tools" a home ever really needs:  Duct tape and WD40.
If it moves and it shouldn't...? Duct tape!
If it's stuck and it should be moving...?  WD40.

Well, we don't know if there is any cute WD40 out there, but The Duck Brand has created tape that is so fun and creative that it's taken duct tape out of the garage and into crafty supply closets everywhere!

Perhaps you've heard that kids have been making wallets out of Duck Tape?  It's a very fun project for kids and grown-ups, alike.

Here's a great example from Kim at Seven Thirty Three. Her nephew specifically requested a duct tape wallet for his birthday.

How about jazzing up some plain black boots with The Duck Brand's cheetah print?

That's exactly what Kaysi from Keeping It Simple did!

Jewelry?  Yep!

Check out this Anthropologie knock -off using Duck Tape and paper clips from Sugar Derby.

Or this fun, colorful bracelet...

From Heather at Dollar Store Crafts.


Let's move on to the home decor possibilities, shall we?

Connie from Measured By The Heart added some oomph to a plain lampshade.

You will have to see this Hello Kitty Cat Feeder from Plucking Daisies in order to believe it...

Don't forget the holidays!
Plenty of designs to cover your pumpkins with.

Funky Zebra Stripe pumpkin from The V Spot.

Valentine's Day?  Christmas?

Lots of possibilities for this wreath from Poppies At Play.

Want a whole bunch of Duck Tape ideas?

Check out this round up of projects from Saved By Love Creations.

We are so excited that The Duck Brand is working with the SoCal Social!  Here's a little sneak peek of what they've got up their sleeves for our attendees...

You can visit The Duck Brand at their website, like them on Facebook, and follow them on both Twitter and Instagram.

SoCal Social Ticket Giveaway!!

We are so excited to announce that we are having a giveaway for one Registration/Ticket to the SoCal Social!

The winner of this giveaway will receive Registration for both days of the SoCal Social - a $100 value!

And if you've already registered for the Social - go ahead and enter - we will refund your registration if you win! Is that nice of us or what?

You don't want to miss out on all the fun - we have the fabulous Swag Walk, dinner at Avila's El Ranchito, all the swag and giveaways and of course Mark Montano on Saturday -

And Sunday we have the amazing Spa Day at Complexions Day Spa! Yummy food, relaxing pool time, massages, pedicures, and more!

We have such amazing sponsors for this years event already! The giveaway entries will give you the chance to check out their social media links and find out who they are!

We will be doing this giveaway with Rafflecopter - click here if you need instructions on how it works.  You have more than 32 chances to enter available to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will close at midnight (EST) on August 23 and we'll announce the winner on Friday August 24 - good luck!!

Sponsor highlight: Fish Foam

We are so excited to welcome our newest sponsor, Fish Foam Glass & Window Cleaner!

No one likes to wash windows, right?  So you certainly want to make sure that they are clean the first time!

When I first heard about Fish Foam, I thought it was kind of a funny name for a glass cleaner.  I will tell you something: This stuff could be made out of fish parts, for all I care.  (It's not... but even if it was, I wouldn't care.)  It's made with alcohol, not ammonia.   I have never seen a product that cleans glass so quickly and easily.  It's a foam, so it doesn't drip.  It cuts through grease (so I have even used it on my granite counter tops) and it doesn't leave behind any streaks.

You know what else?  The Fish Foam people are so nice!  They were sponsors at the Haven Conference back in June.  They gave out full size samples of Fish Foam and were giving out little yo-yo's just for fun.  Having 4 boys, some of my blogger friends donated their yo-yo's to my cause.
You know what happened?  The Atlanta TSA opened my luggage for inspection and they stole some of the yo-yo's!!!  Crazy right?  I blogged about the theft.  You know what Fish Foam did?  They mailed 4 replacement yo-yo's along with the sample of Fish Foam directly to my home!

So let's review:  Super nice, customer service oriented company with an amazing product that works better than anything else that I've ever tried...?  Yep.  Fish Foam fits that bill.

We are so excited to have them on board as a sponsor!

Registration is NOW OPEN!!

Registration for the SoCal Social is now open!!

Head over to the Registration Page to sign up - you will find all the information about pricing and times there.

And after you register, make sure you add your picture to the We're Attending page! We can't wait to visit and get to know you before the event!

Complexions Day Spa... we're adding a second day to the SoCal Social!!

OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!!!
Did we ever just put together something FAB-U-LOUS!!!

After a full day of walking and shopping, what better way to unwind (but keep the party going) than with a SPA DAY!?  That's right, we're adding a Part 2 to this year's SoCal Social!

Complexions Day Spa has been around since 1987 and it's not just a run of the mill “one on every corner” day spa, but a sanctuary where real world services transform lives one spa service at a time.

For more than 25 years, Complexions Day Spa has been the destination of choice for those seeking rejuvenation, relaxation, wellness, and beauty. Now at the Atrium Hotel, Complexions offers products and services designed to pamper, heal, relax and restore weary travelers and vacationers alike. Many of the services at Complexions include the complimentary addition of their own Blend Specifics essential oils. Each blend is designed to match the seasonal changes and is derived from only natural ingredients of the highest quality. There is no additional charge for the aromatic enhancement just the extra benefits you’ll enjoy in each and every service whether it’s a massage, facial or nail service.

Their new location in the Atrium Hotel is Gorgeous!  

You have to check out the Complexions Day Spa website to fully appreciate all of the services they have to offer: The Spa page has a list of services a mile long.  Facials, body treatments, massages, waxing, make-up... you name it, you can have a professional aesthetician take care of you.  They are also a CMA MedSpa, so they offer non-invasive medical treatments like acne treatments, photo rejuvenation and injectables like Botox... all services are performed by the Complexions Medical Aesthetics Team; headed by owner/medical director Richard Mantell MD, board certified physician trained in Internal Mediciane with 23 years experience.


You can also hold special events at Complexions... and that's exactly what we're going to be doing on Sunday, October 21st... the day after the SoCal Social.


The fabulous staff at Complexions has put together a wonderful, relaxing experience for us. We are going to hang out all day by this gorgeous pool...

photo credits

...and we are going to lounge around in these beautiful cabanas, reserved just for us...

... in addition to use of the pool and cabanas, we are going to each have a choice of one of the fabulous Spa` la Carte' services, a yummy, pool-side box lunch prepared by the Atrium hotel's executive chef (with your choice of sandwich or salad and dessert or cocktail)... all for $70.  (Which is a total deal since the Spa` la Carte' services are normally $65 AND we've already included the gratuity in there for you.)
By the way, you are welcome to add on any additional spa services.  You would just make a separate reservation during the same time frame and just pay separately for the additional service and gratuity.
( I, for one, am going to be adding on a facial. )

The Atrium hotel is 10 miles from the Orange Circle.  Those of you who might have a long drive, we recommend staying the night at the hotel Saturday and then just rolling on out to the pool for Spa Day the next morning.  (That's what Bev and I plan to do!)  There will be a thread on the SoCal Social Facebook page for anyone who is looking for someone to share a room with.

We are currently working on getting a group rate and will have that info posted very soon.

SO!  The ticket pricing is as follows:

Saturday, October 20 

The Swag Walk in the Orange Circle 

Amazing Mexican food at Avila's, lots of swag, prizes and hanging out with the fabulous Mark Montano...

$45

Sunday, October 21 

Spa Day at Complexions Day Spa

Lounging pool-side in cabanas, a delish lunch, a Spa` la Carte' spa treatment (a $65 value) with the customary 20% gratuity paid for you...

$70

OR.....

Both days

$100

We will need to cap the registrations for the spa day at 58 for the spa.  We're hopeful that if there are people who are unable to get a ticket for The Swag Walk, that they'll be able to join us for Spa Day.  Tickets go on sale for both days at noon (PST) August 7.  There will be a drop down menu to choose a treatment and a time slot for your Spa' la Carte' service.

We are so, SO excited about Spa Day and we hope you can join us!