An Early Christmas Gift from CSN Stores!

Yes, this Christmas gift is for you, my readers! CSN Stores is offering a $35 gift code (to use on any of their sites) to one lucky winner from this blog!


The CSN Stores websites have everything from TV stands for flat screens to those adorable black high heels I reviewed back in November (click HERE to read my review!). There are plenty of products to choose from, and you can have lots of fun shopping without having to leave your home. ;)

This giveaway is open to my U.S. and Canadian readers!

Here are the other rules for the giveaway:

• Leave a comment sharing what one of your favorite gifts you're giving this year is. If you're afraid the person you're giving the gift to might read this post, then feel free to leave a comment sharing about a gift you loved giving in the past.
  

• Please remember to leave your e-mail address in the comment.

• You can gain one extra entry for being a follower of this blog.

• The drawing ends Sunday, December 19th at 9:00 p.m (PST), and a winner will be announced on Monday, December 20th.
  

As for me, I'm not sure which of my family members and friends might stop by and glance at this post, so I want to be careful not to give any surprises away! But let's just say that I'm excited because I have a few little Texas souvenirs (from my trip over Thanksgiving break) to distribute when I get home before Christmas even arrives... ;)

As a side note, I had been thinking about saving this for my 250th post, but I was rather eager to launch this giveaway. Maybe my 250th post can be my celebratory "I'm-done-with-finals" and "I'll-be-home-for-Christmas" post... (Definitely looking forward to that!)

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season so far, and merry (almost) Christmas!

(The picture above is of my grandparents' Christmas tree last year. So festive!)

A Beautiful Gift

I was blessed today by the generous gift of one of my blogging friends, Renee Ann from Doorkeeper. I had left a response to one of her comments on my blog saying that I would appreciate her help in spreading the word about the upcoming "Love Finds You" blog party, since I had failed in my attempt at making a cool blog button to advertise it.

Renee saw my comment (and perhaps read between the lines to see my desperate plea for help!) and made me a beautiful blog button! It would have been so thoughtful of her just to mention the party on her blog or e-mail a few friends, but instead she took the time to create a button that would match my blog and e-mailed me all the codes I would need to put it in the sidebar and let others share it!

I was so touched by her thoughtfulness and so pleased with how wonderful the button looks! (Way, way better than my attempt--believe me!) I'll show it here in the post just so you can see how lovely it is:

Not only did she put it together in such a fun way, but the cover she chose as the background is one that I absolutely love! I bought Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio (the one in the button; see full cover below) a while ago and I plan to read it over Thanksgiving break (which I don't think she knew when she created the button!). It's such a beautiful cover, and the button is just so great!

The link in the button takes readers to the "Love Finds You" Blog Party page, where they can find the details of the party and the schedule. If you have a blog, feel free to take the button (code in the sidebar) and put it in the sidebar. I would really appreciate the help in spreading the word!

Thank you, Renee Ann, for your sweet gift, and thank you to all of you for making blogging so much fun for me! I can't wait to celebrate the "Love Finds You" series with ya'll!