Valentine's Day Flowers: From You Flowers Review

I was so excited about these flowers when they came!  My mom actually wondered who sent me flowers, and I was happy to report that I didn't have any secret admirers (always the over-protective mom).  As you can see, my daughter claimed the teddy bean, and we thoroughly enjoyed the bouquet!

This Rose & Lily celebration bouquet came from FromYouFlowers, and I was very pleased to see the quality of it.  It has been a very long time since I have received any bouquets of flowers, and this was a perfect time to receive something like this.  I would highly suggest you check out their entire line of Valentine's Day flowers.

I just had to show you how beautiful the bouquet was even a few days after it arrived.  Yes, the roses have expired since this picture, but that is normal after a week.  But the lilies are still going strong.  And just in time for Valentine's Day, you can save 15% by clicking the following link:
http://www.fromyouflowers.com/occasion/valentines-day-flowers-gifts?&refcode=blog

If that doesn't work, just enter "blog" at checkout.

One last thing to celebrate this wonderful time of year, be sure to follow the link to the Hint.  You can enter to win $100 from FromYouFlowers!  Imagine what you would do with that!!

You can also follow them via social media:
https://www.facebook.com/fromyouflowers
https://twitter.com/fromyouflowers
https://plus.google.com/101977487830572787400/posts


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.

It's Your Love Giveaway Hop (Ends 2/16) U.S./Canada

Welcome to the It’s Your Love Event hosted by Andersons Angels and Joy of Momma Joyner. This Event features a little bit of everything to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day with the one you Love! Each blog has gathered up a unique Prize Package of $25 or more so be sure to visit each blog from the linky below and enter for your chance to win some really amazing prizes! This event will end on February 16th at 11:59pm EST.

Back during Christmastime, I had the opportunity to review Pear Tree Greetings,  Directly from their website, t is an online greeting card company offering unique designs printed on premium, 100 lb. card stock made from 100% post consumer recycled paper for any budget. Check out their new 2013 Valentine’s Day greetings collection! For family, friends, or classmates, Pear Tree has something fun and different definitely worth a look – you may especially enjoy our personalized photo cards or Valentine’s stickers.

Pear Tree Greetings has been nice enough to offer one of my U.S./Canadian readers a $25 gift code to their site that will expire at the end of the month.  I will be able to immediately send the code to the winner as soon as the giveaway ends! 

Just enter the rafflecopter below, and be sure to hop on to the other blogs for even more chances to win prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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From Our Hearts to You (Ends 2/14) U.S.

Welcome to the 2nd annual From Our Hearts to Yours Valentine’s Day Giveaway Hop hosted by Life With Two Boys and With Our Best. Each blog participating has a prize of at least $25 worth of Valentine-related items so after you have entered my giveaway, I encourage you to hop along and see what the other bloggers are giving away too!

I have two wonderful products to give away (in addition to a few surprises).  I want to thank both of my wonderful sponsors.  Please read about the product reviews below.

This product has to be one of the most exciting products I have ever gotten to try in the shower!  Let me introduce you to Spongelle® heart-shaped sponge with shower gel.  I love sponges of any kind for use in the shower, and there is nothing better than an exfoliating sponge.  When I  first looked at this product, I thought there was no way I would like it.  After all, how could a sponge like this have long-lasting shower gel in it?  And how would it hold up?  It said 10+ washes (and I have used two thus far), but I was skeptical.  The smell was nice, however.  It is an original "Comme Moi" scent that has been exclusively created for the company.  It is infused with bergamot, lemongrass, sea kelp extracts, and olive oil.

Upon my first use, I thought the exfoliating side was too harsh.  That is until I got more water on it.  It is best to use the sponge side first, and then use the exfoliating side.  Having the extra water softens it so it is not too harsh.  I tend to have dry skin, and sometimes exfoliation irritates it.  Not so with this!  It is gentle, and it prepares my legs perfectly for shaving.  I had forgotten how much I loved exfoliating my skin in the shower!  This is definitely a keeper, and it would be the perfect gift for any lady on Valentine's Day (or any time!).

If you are interested, please check out the social media links and newsletter sign-up below:

 http://twitter.com/#%21/Spongeables

https://www.facebook.com/SpongeablesLLC

https://www.facebook.com/SpongeablesLLC

 http://spongeables.com/web/surprise.php

Are these not the most beautiful studs you have ever seen?  These are 2 Carat White Topaz Stud Earrings with Sterling Silver Backs from Shadora.  I was absolutely enraptured with these from the beginning, and my mom thought they looked great, too.  They fit well, and they go with anything.  They are no irritating, and you will probably forget you even have them on.  They are classy, and I think they are the perfect gift for any lady any time!

Shadora is a great site for buying jewelry that will not break the bank.  Ladies, send your husbands to that site, and they can find the perfect jewelry item for you.  Everything from rings to necklaces to earrings and more.  Certainly worth checking out!

One U.S. reader will receive both of the items above and a couple Valentine's Day surprises.  Just enter the rafflecopter by 9 P.M. Pacific time on February 14.  And don't forget to hop on for the chance to win even more chances to win awesome prizes!

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. 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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Treat Your Sweetheart Giveaway (Ends 2/2) U.S.

 

Asha Butterflys & Charisma Media Giveaway Treat Your Sweetheart
Asha met her now sweetheart seven years ago, the only thing is that they never would have known that they would be together. Every since she have found my sweetheart, She loves being around him. While he is not the most romantic person in the world, he finds special ways to make to make her happy.

With them being total opposite of each other Asha being a romantic person at times showing her feelings. Like last year for Valentines Day she found a super cute card for him and he loved it. This year will be be no different Asha looked at many different cards for her darling man and she found the card above thinking it is super cute for for them.

This is the perfect thing for Valentine's Day, so enter today!

Now Treat has given me a chance to do a Giveaway For 5 Treat Cards
US only Sorry ::
Enter using the Rafflecopter below :
:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

:: If you have never heard of Treat here is a little bit about them::

Treat.com - Welcome to Treat, your online home for making, sending and putting some real love and personality back into greeting cards. Treat is all about customizing, personalizing and making your cards one-of-a-kind creations that could only come from you. We're talking about adding your own words and pictures so your cards stand out from the crowd and the person who receives them will be totally psyched—blown away actually.

These aren't your typical boring greeting cards from the drugstore—these ones actually have thought behind them. Picture it now. Word will get out about the thoughtful card that you sent. Soon enough your friends, friends of friends and even their friends will start making these awesomely personal greeting cards too. Everyone will start connecting in a more meaningful way. And whom will we have to thank? You! Plus, the card itself is only just the beginning. Our reminder service will make sure you never miss a birthday, anniversary or important milestone.

At a loss for exactly the right words? Our Message Library will help inspire you. Need a gift on the fly? We got you covered with integrated gift cards printed right inside the card you create. So, what we're trying to say here is that we have your back. We do the heavy lifting and all you and your recipient do is feel awesome.

Treat is fun and easy to use, but more importantly, helps connect you and all the people in your life in a more personal and caring way. So what do you say? You ready to do this? Let's go make a card amazing.

FTC:: I was not compensated for this post. Asha Butterflys is not responsible for the credit of the cards.

 

Three Key Facts About Valentine’s Day

Enough about Christmas for a minute please; I want to interject with some interesting tidbits right now, a tidbit otherwise known as Valentine’s Day. has been celebrated across much of the western hemisphere for centuries as a day of romantic love.

Interflora has valentines days gifts for her in abundance which goes some way towards showing how entrenched this festival is in our culture. The origins of this day are somewhat vague as there are several theories as to how and why the tradition began.

The Christian version

In the time of the Roman Empire, it is rumoured that Emperor Claudius II decided to outlaw marriage for young men in the belief that this would make them better soldiers. A priest named Valentine carried on secretly performing weddings for young couples in love. When Claudius discovered this, he had Valentine put to death on February 14^th.

The Pagan origins

Almost every festival we celebrate today has some link to an earlier pagan ritual and Valentine’s Day is no exception. The Ides of February (the 15^th) were associated with fertility and the festival of Lupercalia was held on this day. A blood sacrifice, usually a goat, was performed and the hide used to touch all the women and the crops of the village. It was believed that this ceremony increased fertility for the coming year. After this all the young women would put their names in a hat and the bachelors would draw for a partner for the coming year.

How they come together

Christianity has throughout history systematically adapted many Pagan rituals for themselves. Outlawing the often sexual festivals of Pagans and transforming them into something more palatable to conservative minds has happened more times than can be counted. Lupercalia becomes Valentine’s Day just as Yule becomes Christmas, Samhain becomes Halloween and Beltane becomes the May Day holiday. Over the years the Christians have taken the stories of St Valentine and superimposed them over the Pagan ritual to create a version of the celebration that is more about romantic gestures than young maidens being impregnated!

Swagbucks Valentine's Collector's Bills!

Swagbucks is releasing a new set of Collector's Bills just in time for Valentine's Day - 5 romantic reminders worth different amounts of reward points. Collect them all and get 14 Bonus Swag Bucks to use towards your free stuff! The bills come out at midnight PT on Monday and will be available only through Search until 11:59pm PT on Valentine's Day. Good luck!

Hopping for Your Honey Giveaway Hop (ends 2/14) U.S./Canada (Closed)

Couponing and Reviewing in Texas, If Only Life Could Be That Simple , Going Crazy, Wanna Go?, and Whirlwind of Surprises is hosting their first ever “Hopping for your Honey” giveaway blog hop!  There are AWESOME prizes that will be given to 1 winner.  Make sure you drop by each host’s blog to enter to win!

After entering the grand prize drawing, make sure to hop around the other participants blogs and enter their amazing giveaways!  You are sure to get everything you could want for you or your honey on Valentine’s Day.

 

To enter and win the grand prize, you must be at least 18 years of age or older and live in either U.S. or Canada.  Complete the Rafflecopter form here for entries into the Grand Prize giveaway.  Comments are loved, however they cannot be counted as entries unless requested by the Rafflecopter form.

Good Luck and thanks for hopping by!

Not only can you win the grand prize, but there are several blogs who are offering special prizes on their own blogs, and I am one of them!  So read on for my giveaway prize.

Okay, my giveaway will consist of some surprises that I will tell you about in a minute.  The main part of my giveaway is something that your loved ones will need so they can give you the best Valentine's Day ever.  Note, this is not for Mom to use for herself!

I was privileged to try the following product from Tropical Traditions:

I have blogged about Tropical Traditions in the past, and you know that I have always liked their products.  This is their glass and surface cleaner, and I couldn't be happier with it!  I like that it has no ammonia nor any harsh chemicals in it.  You don't need to do any rinsing, and there is no fragrance added.  It cleans really well.  While I have not tried it on my computer screen yet, but it is supposed to work for that really well.  I plan to try it when I get a chance.  My mom also used it, and it cleaned well without streaking.  I highly recommend it.

So your loved ones will get a chance to use this around the house as a fantastic Valentine's Day present for you!  (okay, so I'm dreaming, I know--you will probably be the one using it!)  Not to worry, in addition to this product, I will be adding in all sorts of prizes for you.  I can tell you that there will be an Eden Fantasys gift certificate (not sure of the amount yet), stuffed animals, candy, and even essential items for your intimate times with your husband (yes, I have a large container of ONE you-know-what that I won and have not used, and I figured I would pass them on to someone who could use them).

This prize package should be worth about $50 if all goes well.  One person in U.S. or Canada will win it all!  Just enter the rafflecopter form below by 9 P.M. February 14, and don't forget to hop on to the other blogs!

UPDATE:  EDEN FANTASYS gift card will be worth $50!  So the package is worth around $75!

Sponsored Post--Valentine's Day Facts Infographic (lots of great info!)

Source:Psychology Degree Online

Valentine's Day Swap Sign Up (Sign up by February 4)

All right, the results of the poll are at last in.  There were a total of 19 votes.
Here are the results:

Kid's Swap     0%
Secret Swap   5%
Book Swap    32%
Craft Swap     11%
I don't care      5%
Not at all         47%


So before our time gets away from us, we need to get this swap going.  This is totally optional, and I can only hope that if you sign up, you will make it a point to actually follow through.  Here are the rules.

1.  Send me your name and address to my e-mail (ruthaw_1974@yahoo.com) by February 4 9 P.M. Pacific time.  I just need your name and mailing address.  At this point, I am making this only open to the U.S.  If things go well with this, we may open it up internationally.


2.  In your e-mail, please list some of your interests.  If you are interested in books or music or crafts or anything else, please list that.  If you have kids, you might want to list that too.  I will let you list what you want to about yourself.  If you have a blog, please leave the link to your blog in the post. 


3.  By sending the e-mail to me, you are agreeing to spend no less than 10 dollars and no more than 15 dollars on a Valentine's Day gift for another person.  You are agreeing to send this off by February 10 if at all possible so it might arrive by Valentine's Day.  I know this swap is happening a little later than I wanted to do it, but I am still learning about all this.  So as long as this arrives by the end of the month of February to the person, we will call it good.  I will be sending your information to the person that I select.  It should work out that you will have a partner with whom you will exchange gift via mail.  


4.  Lastly, please follow through with what you say you will do.  Do not sign up if you feel you cannot do it.  I participated in 2 of these at Christmastime.  One came through wonderfully well,  The other person forgot an is supposedly sending it to me now.  It really makes it hard when people sign up and don't follow through.  I recommend some kind of delivery confirmation.  You might order it online (that's what I do!!), and delivery confirmation and/or insurance comes with the order. 

I plan to have a wrap-up post where you can post thank-yous and/or pictures to your person.  That will come probably around the end of February.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them here or e-mail me.  Thanks!