CSN Stores Gift Credit Giveaway

If you’ve been hiding under a rock without internet for the last year, then you might not have heard of CSN stores. They sell everything from swing sets to bar stools to shoes to desks to art supplies. Like, a certain major chain store that starts with Wal is probably a little embarrassed about how little variety they have in comparison. Especially since the prices can be quite competitive, last year I reviewed a change table from them that was on sale for about $70, and I recently looked up the price at some store called Toys R Somethingorother, and it was at least twice that for the same dang thing.

If you are interested in winning a $35 gift credit for CSN Stores – it can be used for any of their bazillion or so products, but doesn’t cover shipping or duties if you’re a Canuck like myself – just leave a comment below. I’m not going to make this complicated with a bazillion ways to enter, HOWEVER… I will be giving an automatic entry to everyone who ‘likes’ me on facebook. If you comment and you already like me, you have two entries. If you comment and you like me before I draw names, you also have two entries. If you like me already and you don’t comment and you never even read this post, you still get an entry, just because I like my like-ers. Ha.

I’m not a spamtastic person to ‘like’, but my ‘like’ers get a note in their feed when I add a new post and the first bit of the first paragraph. I think that’s nifty.

 

the ‘fine print’: international entries welcome, you have to pay your own shipping, duties show up up front when you pay for shipping so no unpleasant surprises, CONTEST CLOSES FEBRUARY 4 2010, just so maybe you can order your sweetie something for Valentine’s Day.

Another CSN Stores Opportunity and a Giant Squirrel.

So, first of all, I’m excited to share that I’ve been invited to work with CSN Stores again! I’ll be doing a review of one of their products again this time. (My last review is up on their website but I’ll post another one here once I share nursery pictures.) What I am most definitely NOT excited to share is how long I spent this afternoon looking around their stores. As in, not telling. I’ll give you a hint, more than fifteen minutes. Significantly more. But listen, they have everything from coffee tables to nursery art to shoes to lamps to soap. It’s mind-boggling. It makes wally mart look insignificant. Let me tell you. Want a fun suggestion on how to waste time browse their store for pretties? Type a color into the search, and then use the sidebar on the left to narrow down your search into types of things and price range. Like, I typed in aqua and narrowed it to a price range. And then I spent, uhhh… let’s say, ‘some’ time browsing. Art and clothes and shoes and FUN STUFF I TELL YOU.

Now, onto the squirrel issue. There is this gigantic grey squirrel in our neighbourhood. Chris and I like to joke about it, like that it’d take Chris out if he messed with it and stuff. The thing is the size of a small cat. It’s a monster, and despite the fact that Chris hates all the little squirrels in the neighbourhood, he has a strong admiration for this beast.

 
Early this afternoon, I went to grab the mail and when I opened the screen door I was surprised to find Gigantic Grey Squirrel sitting on my front step. He was about a foot away from me, and I held the screen door open a few inches as we stared at each other. I was admiring the fact that he didn’t seem to be scared of me, while trying to call Nicole over to come look without scaring him off. Next thing you know, he makes a move to try and jump in the house! I gave an undignified squawk and blocked him with my leg, hoping he wouldn’t call my bluff and actually jump at me. He hopped back and regarded me again, while Nicole ran over to see what the fuss was about. The two of us stared at the beast and I excitedly told her he’d tried to jump in the house. Suddenly he went for it again! I couldn’t believe the ballsy little guy! Two of us standing in the doorway, and he invites himself right in! I blocked him again and pulled the screen door closed, then got an idea. I instructed Nicole to keep the door closed so he stayed outside, then grabbed a cracker. I hucked the cracker onto the lawn, and he leapt for it. I grabbed the mail and closed the screen door again. Nicole was so delighted that he liked her crackers that she grabbed one and went outside to feed it to him, so he decided to take off. (I’m not sure why people are apparently scarier on a lawn then in a doorway, but there you go.)

Considering we’re an urban family, we have a remarkably high number of Insane Animal Incidents.

CSN Stores $70 Gift Card Giveaway

So I’ve worked with CSN Stores a few times now. I’m in the process of reviewing a change table from them right now, actually. (Have to assemble it yet… yikes!) You might have seen them a few other places all over the web, too. They’re that internet-mega-mall that sells everything from platform beds to lighting to kitchenware to kids toys to shoes. I won’t even try to tell you how many stores they have because it’s just kindof ridiculous to think that I could put that all in one sentence. It’s hundreds, people. Hundreds of stores. And how would you like to win a $70 gift card good for any product on any of those stores?

“Why yes, Laura, yes I would like to win a $70 gift card!” That’s what I imagine you’re saying. “But how can I enter?”

Why, I’m glad you asked! All you have to do is click on that link up there and

A) either tell me what you’d buy in that particular store, or

B) click on the upper left corner of that page to see all of their stores and tell me which one you’d like to blow that gift certificate at!

Giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the United States of America who have valid shipping addresses. (so no ‘under a bridge’, y’all.)

Contest is closed July 23 2010! comments will be closed at that time.

note: Nope, if you win you won’t have to wait around for a gift card to come in the mail. A CSN Stores rep will email you with your own special promo code!

Exciting Things This Way Come

Okay so I have been totally off my game for a few months now. In fact, for about… a trimester, would you say? Sounds about right. I was showing my husband my sad little photo files from the last few months. April has a grand total of six photos, none of which are anything resembling exciting. SAD. I think I’ve done as many blog posts in the last few months. SAD. You know what’s not sad? Giveaways. OPPOSITE OF SAD. Remember a few months ago how I did a giveaway for CSN Stores? That chain of online stores that sell everything from toys to cookware to shoes to sofas? (Shipping on items from $69 and up is free, by the way, and I was doing some peeking  at a few of their many stores and I’m seeing items priced comparably or cheaper than at walmart and target but CSN SHIPS TO CANADA PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE STATES. I know. I’m getting all excited too.)

So, remember that? Yes? No? Irrelevant. I am doing a review with them!  AWESOME. And you’re wondering what that has to do with you, aren’t you. Because I did say giveaway, didn’t I. Well, the generosity of CSN Stores has gotten me all hot and bothered and I’m just so totally psyched that I’m going to have a giveaway for you guys. THAT’S RIGHT KIDS. Give. A. Way.

I get something awesome from them. You get something awesome from me. Everyone’s a winner. Okay, just me and one other person. But you’re all winners in my book. Participation ribbon, anyone? High-fives all around.*

But I didn’t say exciting thing. I said exciting things. What else is in the planner? (I don’t have a planner. I have a giant desktop calendar with magnets glued all over the back to hold it to my fridge. Go big or go home.)

Here’s a few things:

-homemade pizza pops. (recipe + step by step tutorial.)
-shirring. Lots of shirring. I’ve done some already, but there’s more to come.
-my basement will be finished in the next month or so, and there will be big reveal pictures of my finished upstairs and downstairs and in my lady’s chamber. And before November, both my babies chambers as well.

-I am going to attempt to hack this Anthro bedding set, from the comforter down to the ruffled pillowcases and sheets. And if… no, WHEN I am successful, I will do a tutorial. The queen comforter is $238 CAD, and the sheets $89.95. I think I might be able to pull off the whole thing for around the cost of just the sheet set. And I’m going to make the bed itself out of pipe cleaners.

Just kidding about that last part.

So… STAY TUNED!

And I just know you’re curious what I’m reviewing, soooo……TADAAA!

 

*No actual participation ribbons or high fives will be given out, but you’re all welcome to print out this sad little awesome participation ribbon picture.

Giveaway with CSN Stores

How would you like to win a Fridge Phonics Fridge Talk Magnetic Wordplay Recorder by LeapFrog? www.CSNStores.com contacted me with the opportunity to host a giveaway for you guys! What is CSN Stores, you ask? Well, I did too, I hadn’t heard of them before. I don’t know why not, though… they have more than 200 stores with a gazillion things to buy! Need a mailbox? They have an entire store dedicated to mailboxes. How about baby gear? Perhaps some dining room furniture? Maybe you have a hankering for some new pots and pans for your kitchen? Just go and click on ‘see all of our stores’ on the top left and choose what you’re looking for! Man oh man… they don’t just sell almost anything you might need, they actually have whole STORES for it, just full of eyecandy items! (Seriously, have you ever seen an entire store devoted to mailboxes before? I have not. And I went and showed my mailbox the website and now it’s embarrassed and won’t make eye contact with anyone anymore. And it keeps checking my history because it’s pretty sure I’m looking for a younger, hotter mailbox. Which maybe I am, okay?!)I spent literally hours combing through just a few of the CSN stores. Pots and pans… pillows… toys… art supplies… storage… it’s like ebay, but without some anonymous person yanking your find out from underneath you last second. Jerk. What? Nothing. Anyways, the giveaway. This is the Fridge Phonics Fridge Talk Magnetic Wordplay Recorder. What a mouthful! Here’s a breakdown from the website:

Show the words you know by recording and playing back big words, opposites, rhyming words and more

For ages 3 to 6 years

With three learning modes of play including over 15 word questions, 3 playful learning songs and silly free play

Recorder attaches securely to any magnetic surface

Gained learning skills like: vocabulary, language and listening skills

Now, Nicole is two and a half, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t too advanced for her. And even if she spend the first six months just recording herself screeching and playing it back, somehow I have this funny feeling that she will be just tickled pink about that. You know what this will do? This will be a little more time she spends playing independently instead of asking to watch TV when it’s too nasty outside to go outdoors and play. And the three modes of learning play means it will take her a long time to outgrow, and that when my nephews and nieces come over and play they’ll probably all stand around my fridge and screech happily at themselves, too.

So, would you like to have an opportunity to play with this when your kids are in bed win this for your darling children? (Provided you are from Canada or the USA… this is shipping from a store, so it’s not available internationally, sorry!)

Enter ONE TIME by commenting on this post!

Enter TWO TIMES by doing the above and also linking to this giveaway on your blog, then commenting again to let me know! (Don’t forget to link to this post in particular so your readers know where to look!)

Don’t forget I will need to be able to contact you to let you know if you won! Old hats at this blogging thing will know if that happens automatically, but if you’re unsure, leave your email address in your comment!

Contest ends January 20 at noon, Manitoba time! GOOD LUCK! Winner will be randomly selected.