Camp Candid Carrie

Bling Ba Da Bling

2009-06-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

Help celebrate the two year anniversary of Dana Rebecca Designs!

Designer, Dana Levy, will hold a giveaway with one of her most popular styles, the Julianne Himiko Star Earrings in turquoise ($750 value). In order to enter, all participates must do is visit www.danarebeccadesigns.com and provide their contact information.

If you are the winner of these beautiful earrings I will gladly let you give them to me and we can work out some kind of a sixty-forty split. Like I'll get the earrings one hundred percent of the time and then I will wear the earrings sixty percent of the time and when I am not wearing them I will let you wear them supervised in my home for forty percent of the time!

All visitors who sign up through June 18th will automatically be entered to win. One winner will be chosen at random on the morning of June 19th and I am hoping that winner will be me. Or maybe that winner can be you and you will give the earrings to me because I was the one that told you to go and enter.

Now here is the tricky part, next is a picture of me and underneath it is a picture of the earrings. See, if you scroll up and down really fast with your mouse you can get an idea how great I would look if I was wearing those wonderful earrings.

Or if you have a giant screen for your computer you can just put me and the earrings on the screen at the same time and cross your eyes just a little bit and see how good they look on me, too!

Go right now, www.danarebeccadesigns.com is waiting for you to win and share it with me.

Candid Carrie's Month Of A Hundred Posts

2009-05-05T10:03:00.000-05:00

One hundred bucks available! You determine how much you win!

No pushing, no shoving, keep your arms inside the link at all times!

Field Trip Within My Own Zip Code!

2009-04-29T07:04:00.003-05:00

Go. Look. Enter.

But let me win.

No pushing no shoving and keep your arms inside the link at all times!

P.S. Those two boys she talks about? I've seen 'em. They're real.

More Candid Comments

2009-04-22T16:04:00.000-05:00

Communion Dress Mom

Christie, Pretty Paper Blog

Jules, Me And My Crew

Adrian's Crazy Life

Robyn, And Then There Were Six

Candid Comments

2009-04-21T16:40:00.003-05:00

Stacey, Willowjakmom

Pseudonymous High School Teacher

Mrs. Blue, Adventures in Blue

Melissa B., Scholastic Scribe

Tiffany McCallen, McCallen Musings

Clint Eastwood Said It Best ...

2009-03-29T09:17:00.002-05:00

“You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?”

If I don't win this $50 Target gift certificate, maybe you will win it. No pushing, no shoving, and keep your arms inside the link at all times!

Be A Part Of On-Line History!

2009-03-18T11:56:00.004-05:00

http://marcywrites.com

Hello! I need your help!!! BADLY.

Okay so here is the plan for Proposal 2.0.

1. On March 24th (surprise! New date. Moved it up) please write a post about wedding/marriage/love and add it to Mr. Linky on my site. (if you have already a perfect post in your archives that is great too). (note: Mr. Linky will be up March 23rd at 8pm)

2. After you leave your link, I will contact you at 3 PM PST via email. I will give you the actual Proposal 2.0 blog address. (I can't tell you now because the bride-to-be? Is actually a big time BLOGGER. Shhhhh. Secret. Can you keep it?). I will also add the link to my post so that the bride-to-be can click her way over to her ENGAGEMENT! (she will be instructed to walk out to her mail box for the ring!!!)

3. Then run over and visit the proposal site. Leave a comment there with a link back to your original post.

I am working on getting media coverage for this Blog Proposal (hint, hint you media peeps), so hopefully your blogs will get lots of hits out of this!!!

All of your original posts will be compiled and printed to be given as a book to the bride on her wedding day.
And hey if you know a publisher- maybe they would like an instant book on wedding advice from the blogosphere!

And importantly- please help to promote this. I would love hundred of links on Mr. Linky that day!

Media contact: 714-579-7839
Posts:
http://marcywrites.com/2009/03/18/proposal-20-the-plot-thickens/

visit today! www.marcywrites.com

Camping With Candid Carrie's Followers, Part 2

2009-02-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

No pushing, no shoving, keep your arms inside the link at all times! Have fun visiting the people that follow Candid Carrie!

The Nut House

Ronda's Rants

Susie's Homemade

Girl, Outnumbered

Deadlines and Diapers: Musings Of A Media Mom

Welcome To The Nut House

Angie's Spot

Nest Half Empty

Heaven Sent

Camping With Candid Carrie's Followers, Part 1

2009-02-24T12:42:00.021-06:00

No pushing, no shoving, keep your arms inside the link at all times! Have fun visiting the people that follow Candid Carrie!

The Wilson House

Literal Dan

McCallen Musings

The Land Of Ren

scargosun

Lynn The Piggy Bank Painter

Tabi Rambles On

The "NO" Mom's Blog

Half-Past Kissing Time

Yabba Dabba Discount

2009-02-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

Betty? Hi, it's Wilma. I just got a call from my BFF Candid Carrie and wanted me to be the first to know about Lands’ End 20 percent off promotion this Sunday and Monday.

Why would Candid Carrie call you first? I thought I was in her top five favorites on facebook and you don't even have facebook. I am positive I am pretty high on her facebook page. How cool is she? I love Candid Carrie. Love her, love her, love her.

Get over yourself, Betty. I know for a fact that Barney isn't working right now and I thought you'd appreciate hearing about the big sale at Lands' End.

Did Candid Carrie actually call you on your land line telephone or was this an instant message conversation. Because I am always instant messaging with her. She really likes me.

Betty, stop. For two days only, Lands’ End will offer 20 percent off all merchandise. That's regular merchandise Betty, not the overstocks and you still have to pay the shipping and services. Twenty percent, Betty! You can use a break like that, we all can.

Was this on twitter, because Candid Carrie doesn't have twitter so if you say you heard it on twitter than I know it isn't true.

Betty, I don't know why I even bother. Focus, Betty. Barney will be home from bowling soon so you need to write this down. I am going to give you the the promotion code and pin number and you use that when you checkout and you will get twenty percent off your entire order.

The promotion code is AMERICA, the pin number is 6289, and the sale starts at 12:01 am Sunday, Feb 15th and ends 11:59 pm Monday, Feb 16th.

Thanks Wilma. I know I get carried away. With Barney out of work and Bam Bam in rehab I only have my friends on the Internet. And you know how much I enjoy American Idol. Sometimes I pretend that Barney is Danny Gokey. Barney doesn't know it, of course. But a girl can dream.

I understand, Betty. More than you will ever know. At least Barney stays active while he is unemployed. All Fred does is lay in that hammock. It's just work, eat, and sleep. Work, eat, and sleep. He won't go bowling. He doesn't even go to the Water Buffalo meetings anymore. And our love life? There's nothing left. But at least we have each other, Betty. That's more than a lot of other women have.

Wilma? I've got to go. I just figured out how to send a text message to Candid Carrie.

First of all, I apologize to any place that I may or may not have stolen those pictures of Betty and Wilma, I am not sure.

Second, giant thanks to Katie, at Fleishman-Hillard. These people just keep sending me stuff and they let me go wicked crazy with my ideas.

Third, be sure to check out the great sale at Lands' End. It's a rock solid twenty percent off!

Hurry Up Because I Want To Win

2009-01-11T08:38:00.002-06:00

Go figure this one out and then come and tell me the answer so I can be the winner.

Don't push or shove because that makes Rhonda grumpy.

It Is A Doodle-icious Give Away

2009-01-01T11:40:00.002-06:00

Got Art?

Need Art?

Meet Rick.

Rick knows Art.

Rick knows Art so well that Rick is giving Art away.

Go, get your own Art from Rick, now.

And if you don't win Art, you can buy Art.

Now you can own Art for less.

You know what to do, no pushing no shoving and keep your arms inside the link at all times. Rick will be there to greet you. He can introduce you to Art.

While The Lights Were Out . . .

2008-12-30T08:41:00.000-06:00

For most of our children, a day without electricity means an adventure while staying wrapped up with blankets. You can bet the dust is blown off the antiquated board games. No one in the house remembers the rules that go with Scrabble. And it is hard to resist a good round of flashlight tag even though you are supposed to be "saving" the batteries.

Then you've got the "we're are without electricity" dining dilemma. You're family is down to the last loaf of Wonder Bread (pictured, baby not included), a fresh container of peanut butter, two jars of applesauce, and a handful of stale marshmallows.

I talked to our seven year old friend Rickie via his mom's cellphone shortly after the power went out and he said it was going to be awesome.

His mom, Carey Sue confided that she was worried about Rickie's cystic fibrosis. Manual chest percussions weren't nearly as effective as the treatments he received while wearing his vest.

By the time the power was returned to the 2,300 customers in Grosse Pointe, Rickie had missed three treatments that required electricity. During my last phone call with Rickie before the energy was restored, his voice was barely recognizable. Thick with mucous and deep from chest congestion, seven year old Rickie, bragged about everything he played with that wasn't electric.

"Mostly I'm playing with Star Wars guys and Matchbox cars. Then when I get bored I line up the Star Wars guys and use the Matchbox cars and play bowling 'til they are all knocked over. Oh, I've got a Hulk guy too but he doesn't stand very good. I need guys that stand good so I can bowl 'em over."

Long story short, my people, is once the power was restored and roads were cleared Rickie was in the doctor's office and the decision was made not to admit him to the hospital but to send him home with medication that included a minimum of four weeks on two antibiotics, and treatments are now four times a day instead of two.

Remember this plea? Well, we are at that point in time. Are you interested in making a huge difference? Have you got an envelope and a stamp? Can you spare five minutes to jot a quick message? Seven year old Rickie would love to hear from you!
Many of you have already responded and Rickie's mom has a small stash left of your mail to share with him during the long treatments. If you thought about responding during the first request and it slipped your mind ... well here is one more opportunity.

The unfortunate thing about cystic fibrosis is even when Rickie's come through this bout of congestion, you will have yet another chance to send him mail the NEXT time he gets ill.

And why do I feel so passionate about helping? I'll tell you why right now. On January 6 of 1996 I lost my chronically ill daughter, Madeleine. She was the same age as Rickie, seven. She had an undiagnosed degenerative neuromuscular disorder, but she died from complications with pneumonia.

Life's come full circle for me and through foster care, David and I are looking forward to adopting our two youngest children (a boy age seven and a girl age five) that we've been calling our own for the past two years.

I look at my healthy happy seven year old and know that he has two perfect lungs. I see his pink cheeks on his flushed face. I remember back thirteen years to a point where I watched another child of mine struggle for oxygen and never quite get enough no matter how much work we did on those lungs, no matter how hard we tried to get all the gunk removed ... well it was never quite enough to make a difference.

I won't continue, but this isn't about me. This is about making a difference for Rickie and right now, while his lungs are out of commission he still has an active mind and a busy body. Make a difference, send him a card and tell him someone in another section of our great land is thinking about him.

Contact me, Candid Carrie at carriestuckmann at gmail dot com and I will get his address to you right away. Be sure to put Rickie in the subject line. Thanks.

SmartShopper Give Away

2008-12-15T08:00:00.002-06:00

The SmartShopper™ Electronic Grocery List Organizer is an automated grocery / errand organizer that allows you to add items to your shopping list by simply speaking into the device.

What The Advertisement Indicates:

You can edit and customize your SmartShopper using the easy-to-read LED display and SmartShopper will automatically sort your items alphabetically. Then, when you’re ready to go to the store, the SmartShopper prints your list, organized by categories such as “Fresh Produce”, “Dairy” or “Errands”.

What I Need To Point Out: We had a few glitches to overcome but now I in love with the SmartShopper!

Several products we use are not on the list of hundreds and hundreds of preprogrammed items.

Diet Coke, YES! Diet Mountain Dew, no! It is very simple to add products to your list by typing them in (Aveeno Lotion, Aveeno Body Wash) and then you record the additional products in your own voice. Ta Da!

Some words that sound alike (not to me, but to the SmartShopper) give you a couple of options from which to choose. For example I say Potato and I was asked if it was Potato, Bagel, or Candle. And of course, my husband had a little bit of fun by saying the word Rectal and was given the option of Rectal Medicine, Rock Salt, or Bread Dough.

When I say Peanut Butter, I pronounced every single "t" and the SmartShoppter had no clue what I was talking about but when David said Peanut Budder ... well, immediately the SmartShopper was in business!

Those tiny glitches are so easy to fix by re-recording the item in your own voice.

And an added plus is that it has built in magnets so it can hang on your refrigerator. Too much artwork on your refrigerator? No problem because it also comes with wall mount accessories!

Interested in winning one for yourself? Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy (not on the list, but I could add it to my list if I wanted it there!

Have I got a deal for you!

One: Start to follow Camp Candid Carrie and leave a comment that indicates you are a follower.

Two: Want another entry? Add Camp Candid Carrie to your reader and leave a comment that you are a subscriber.

Three: I'll give you two extra entries if you favorite Camp Candid Carrie in Technorati!

From this point forward, all give aways are going to be run through Camp Candid Carrie so you may want to do options one and two above!

Interested in purchasing a SmartShopper? Use the exclusive KS91435 until December 31 to receive $5 off their order. Also, all orders placed between now and December 31 will receive free ground shipping (although be sure to order before December 18, if you want the SmartShopper by Christmas).

This contest will be held open until Thursday at noon with the winner announced on Friday morning!

Phun Photofiddle Give Away from Candid Carrie

2008-12-13T13:31:00.005-06:00

Check this out. This is my twenty-seven year old son and his eighteen month old baby. Yup, in case you missed the newsflash somewhere I am a grandmother. It is so seldom that I get a picture of my son looking directly at the camera because most of the time he is looking at his baby.

Anyway, when I was approached by Photofiddle to do a product review, I knew exactly what photograph I wanted them to fiddle. Photofiddle has been featured on the Today Show, The New York Times, Oprah's O list and more.

"Photofiddle.com instantly online transforms any photo into artwork in minutes. They are the only website that gives the user an instant preview of their design before ordering. If the user is not happy with the design the art department will create a custom design with no additional fee. This is a great way to decorate the home and create personalized gifts with your own personal photos."

The entire experience was photo-phun-licious from beginning to end! I mailed in a decent variety of pictures for the artists to fiddle with and the "proofs" were returned to me. It was amazing! Yes, many of the things that were fiddled could be done with a photoshop program, but the most appealing feature with photofiddle is that the end result is sent to you on stretched canvas. The first proof of this was a full size rectangle and I asked to have it made into a square and remove some of the unnecessary sweatshirt and jammie bottoms.

What I received was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I chose the oil painting option and I literally had tears when I opened the box. The first picture has the photofiddle result sitting on the piano (yes, the piano finally made it over here).

This second picture is my attempt at a close up to capture details. My fourteen year old daughter saw the picture and asked "how did the artist get them to stand still that long" ... it looks exactly like an original oil painting. I can't stress the difference it makes to have a photograph applied on to the stretched canvas ... this is the closest I'll get to my own museum.

What I have for a giveaway today is a $50 gift certificate for your own piece of fiddled art. Just as a price reference, the 18" x 18" Stretched Canvas on a frame has a photofiddle value of $94.95.

Their website is easy to navigate, check out the options available. Pop art, modern art, pastels, well actually there are over fifty styles from which to choose.

If you are interested in winning a $50 gift certificate, just let me know in the comment section. If you want to tell me that my son is handsome, you can tell me that, too. And the baby is adorable, I don't mind talking about that either.

I will leave this contest open until Saturday at noon. That is noon in my land, you'll have to adjust it to your own time zone!

Closed: Congratulations One Crazy Chick!

Looking for another opportunity to enter? My friend Linda has a Photofiddle giveaway running, too!

I Am Not An Athlete Moved From Candid Carrie

2008-12-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

... I just smell like one.

In a world full of blogging joggers, blogging runners, and blogging yoga demons ... well I am not one.

I am a mom. Just a mom who is trying to get in better shape for the health of it. Let's not forget I've got this upcoming gig as a mother-to-a-groom and I would like to be able to do the entire "chicken-dance" without collapsing.

So, I've been walking. And just walking our driveway wears me out. I clocked it with my vehicle and twice around the property is a quarter of a mile. For an added physical fitness bonus I walk the property "backwards" so I can go up hill for a majority of the walk. Now, I don't literally walk backwards ... that is just what I call the route.

Alright, got the general idea here? I am out of shape and just trying to do a little something something for my heart's sake.

So earlier this week (before the BIG snow fall) we had a mini snowfall. So rather than walk the property "backwards" I walked the property "forwards" which meant I was going down hill.

I bundled up with a plethora of layers and started my journey. I couldn't have gone more than fifteen yards when my feet slid out from under me. First I landed on my butt and a split second later I cracked the back of my head on the asphalt. No, I didn't see stars or have those tiny bluebirds floating around like I see in my favorite cartoons but it did really hurt.

I was stunned and felt like a moron. I grappled my way over to the snow and managed to stand back upright and started the long trek to my front door. Keep in mind I slid all the way down the hill so I somehow had to get back to my house.

Anyway, on the way to my door my nether regions started getting extremely chilly. Apparently the impact of the crash (my body hitting the ground) caused me to, uh empty my bladder ***. Yup, I was soaked from the waist to the knees of my mom-type jeans.

So not only was I stunned and felt like a moron, I stunk. I didn't even know I had a full bladder *** when I left the house a few minutes earlier.

*** This is my attempt to not use the word P E E because I am already getting way too many google hits from people in Saudi Arabia, India, and Germany that are looking for pictures of Candid P E E and I will not submit to their twisted minds.

Now, on with the story. Entirely true. Pinkie swear. No embellishments. Honest truth.

I was recently solicited to test WIN High Performance Sport Detergent and I attempted to decline their invitation. I explained how I was a firm believer in my current products and with almost three decades of parenting experience I had a my own concoctions and a tremendously keen sniffer.

After a brief explanation of the product I agreed to give it a try and a sample was sent in my direction.

I will admit my saturated stunk-up jeans weren't my first load of wash I did with WIN High performance Sport Detergent. But it was my first choice when I started that particular load of wash.

I had previously re-washed all of our "high tech" laundry.

You know the kind I mean and you don't have to be an athlete to own the garments. David wears layers of "athletic wear" to stay warm in winter and cooler in summer. The purpose of the fabric (like Nike's Dri-Fit, Under Armour, CoolMax, and Adidas' ClimaCool) is to wick the moisture away from you and absorb it into the fabric.

The fabulous thing about Under Armour (David's favorite) is that it really does keep your body dry by "wicking" away the moisture. But the odor gets stuck in the fabric and once you've washed and dried clothes that have body odor, you've just set that stink in the entire life of the garment.

Are you with me so far? Good, because I am a mom and a laundry freak. I never was meant to be giving science lessons so I am doing my best here. If you have an Under Armour garmet that has body odor embedded you can easily mask the odor with a fragrant detergent but as soon as the humidity goes up (like getting sweaty) the odor will resurface even if the person wearing the garment hasn't started stinking yet. Are you following me?

I have no idea how WIN works, but WIN does remove the permanent odor that I had been unable to remove from David's Under Armour and Arianna's Nike tank tops that are made out of a similar fabric. What I mean to say is I understand how to do a load of wash but there is some type of oxygenating magic that removes seriously set in odors.

And if an endorsement from me isn't enough to WIN you over completely, how about the fact that WIN is an Official Licensed Product of the US Olympic Team. Jut like M&Ms. Cool, right?

So, in conclusion by using WIN and eating M&Ms may of us have actually gotten closer to being an athlete than we ever dreamed possible.

Kiss My Face For Half The Usual Rate

2008-12-08T17:19:00.003-06:00

If you can't see the teeny tiny print, click on the picture to make enlarge the ad!

Down Town, Things Are Much Brighter There

2008-12-07T18:45:00.001-06:00

Wanna do something really sah-weet?

Take a trip over here. It's the holidays, no budging.

Go. No pushing, no shoving, and keep your arms inside the sleigh at all times.

Check out her give-away while you are there, too! Sah-weet

Got Dog?

2008-12-06T08:41:00.002-06:00

Need dog gifts?

Yes, I have cats. I know that already.

But I had dogs for almost twenty years first. I am and always will be a dog person first, then cats.

I love wandering through the entires over here, I am sure you will, too! Let your Fido or Rover make their own Holiday Wish List!

Shop 'til you drop or their bark makes you stop! No pushing, no shoving, and no smelling each other's butts.

Reader Request From Five Minutes For Mom

2008-11-18T06:02:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone!!

I entered a picture of Hunter on a websites Fun with Food photo contest and it was picked as one of 20 finalists out of nearly 300!!! The winner gets a $500 gift certificate for groceries courtesy of Prego!!! I would really appreciate it if you could all go to this link and vote for us!! He's number 17 its under the name Miss Blondie (which is my blog name)!!

Five Minutes For Mom

Thanks so much!!
Nicole

Now Accepting Orders ...

2008-11-16T07:48:00.003-06:00

Hi Everyone

A friend of mine is selling throws again this year for Christmas. You know what they are, the thingy that you throw over your bed to keep you warm. I only have the one attached sample to show you now. I may have already solicited a few of you so if this is a repeat request, I apologize.

They are $63.00 each ---- I know it sounds expensive, but they are really good quality. I am getting two --- one for my bed and one for my sofa.

Have a look, and let me know if you are interested. Orders are due by this weekend!

P.S. Thanks to my real flesh and blood friend Martha for extending this offer.

You May Already Be A Winner!

2008-11-11T08:36:00.004-06:00

Well, not really ... technically you need to enter and then you will have a chance at being a winner!

First, I'd like to introduce you to a blogging buddy of mine, Linda from Short Pump Virginia. We met awhile ago over in The Mom Blog Forum and have had a love/hate relationship ever since.

Well, there was really never any "hate" it just makes better reading that way. Linda's blog, Short Pump Preppy is a potpourri of all things good. And by good I mean shopping, shoes, humor, etc.

This past week I was instant messaging with Jill Jill Bo Bill and Jill commanded me to head over to Linda's and watch a video montage from The Office. And I did (because Jill scares me). And I couldn't stop laughing. This has nothing to do with Linda's contest but the video had me laughing so hard my sides still hurt three days later.

Anyway, here's a direct link to an opportunity to win an AUTOGRAPHED Paula Deen Cookbook. For many of you, this might be as close as you will get to having an actual celebrity chef in your kitchen!

Alright, you know how this works. No pushing. No shoving. And keep your arms inside the link at all times!

P.S. Because Linda is so cool, she would want me to remind you that this is the last day to enter MY Velveeta-Licious contest. Right, Linda?

Re-Cycle, Re-Use, Re-Gift

2008-11-09T14:18:00.006-06:00

Looking for a great way to re-use tins you have collected over the years? You know the kind I am talking about ... cute little rectangles you just can't toss out but you don't know what you are going to EVER do with them?

Pretty Paper Blog has instructions on how to make personalized gift tins.

So simple, yet so elegant.

And yes, I am going to give this a try!

She Had Me At Swarvorski

2008-11-04T15:58:00.001-06:00

Fabulous Holiday Bracelet Giveaway!

Crest White Strips Hostess For The Holidays Contest

2008-11-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

Hello there,

I wanted to let you know about a fun new contest for your readers.

Think no one can plan a holiday party like you can? The Crest Whitestrips “Hostess for the Holidays” contest is a battle of the hostesses and three finalists will win a trip to New York City to compete for a grand prize of $2000. The final competition, taking place at a public NYC venue in front of judges, will challenge contestants to get ready for the holidays through events like speed gift wrapping and table setting races.

Participants can enter from now until November 19 at www.HostessfortheHolidays.com and submit a photo with a short essay detailing why they’re America’s top host or hostess. Click here to watch Katie Lee Joel (wife of Billy Joel) talk about this contest on Y! Thread.

We would love if you could let your readers know about The Crest Whitestrips “Hostess for the Holidays” contest. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Regards,
Jenn

Jenn Weldon Senior Account Executive DeVries Public Relations Consumer Agency of the Year, Holmes Report 30 East 60th Street, New York, NY o: 212 891 0431 c: 407 256 4732 f: 212 644 0291