Disgraced Shopping

02 September 2010

Birthday Wanty Things

Epiphanie camera bag (ginger), $164.95. I was already in love with these bags and wanted one. Then I went to BlogHer and saw all of the different incarnations in REAL LIFE. Now I want one MORE.

The new Kindle (with 3G & WiFi), $189. I want it. That is all.

Joe's Provocateur Jeans, SUPER EXPENSIVE (but also awesome). I bought them on sale at Macy's for $60, which *I* felt was spendy for jeans. But now that I own them? They are magic, and $150-$175 for a second pair is sounding more and more reasonable.

Other things: Money (obvs), fluffy books (that are also good), the repair of my sewing machine, pretty earrings that don't hurt my delicate little metal-sensitive earlobes, an éclair, one of those connecty cords that will make my iPod talk to my car stereo (accidentally left mine in my old car when I got the new car), an extra usb cord for my phone (htc incredible) because having only one is a pain in the ass, cute underwear, coffee, fun eyeshadow, knitting supplies, a beachy vacation, absolution of debt, scoring over 700 on the GMAT, a television that doesn't have a weird divot on the screen exactly where faces always seem to be, daily naps, or, whatever.
Cupcakes?

20 August 2010

BurnOut Sunscreen

Dearest Friends, Relations and Delicately Complected Googlers,

I would like to regale you with tales of wonder and beauty.
Gather round, for stories of the best sunscreen in all the land.

Y'all.
Just.
Y'all.
I have crazy sensitive skin and sunscreen makes me break out like nobody's business.
I'm also ghastly pale, porcelain, if you will, and thinking too hard about sunshine makes me burn.
And finally, after 27 years of suffering, I found a solution:

BurnOut Eco-Sensitive Zinc Oxide Sunscreen SPF 32

I bought this stuff from my local health food store in May and you guys? I have not been burned A SINGLE TIME that I have used this stuff.
Seriously.
(I have gotten burns on days when I forgot to apply, but c'mon, no one's perfect).

Sunblock that works, that doesn't make me break out or itch or feel greasy.
UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection.
Very water resistant (I've been swimming with it).
Goes on clear even though it's zinc oxide sunblock.
Paraben-free, petroleum-free, paba-free.
Biodegradeable, ocean-safe, eco-sensitive.

What I'm trying to tell you is that this stuff is awesome, and you should buy it.
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Link is the affiliate kind, but I'd be just as pleased if you bought it locally.
This was an unsolicited post, just wanted y'all to know that I found a sunscreen that I love, having searched high and low.

23 July 2010

blue duckling giveaway winners!

Random.org chose comment number 27 (Jodifur) for the $20 prize, and comments 66 (Julie) and 61 (Jamie) for the $10 prizes.

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!

Don't forget the code MDG020 is good for 20% off any order at blueducklingproducts.com now through August 31st.

Winners, I'll be emailing you with your unique, non-expiring gift certificate codes.

Take care!

14 July 2010

blue duckling - review and giveaway

So!
Hi!
A very good friend of mine started up a rockingly fabulous bath and body product line, and I'm partnering with her to do some promotional work for the company. It's a fabulous company. You oughtta know that I don't fling myself into bed with just anyone, and it should go without say that I wouldn't be writing this post if I didn't love the company and the product.
Can I tell you about it? Let me tell you about it, because then I'll give you some discounts and the opportunity to win some stuff and everything will be coming up Awesome.

blue duckling is a line of lusciously pure, handmade bath and body products. The products are made in Colorado, by hand, and in small batches. They use only the finest ingredients, including fair-trade shea butter and marula oil, beeswax, sweet almond oil, organic sunflower oil, olive oil, Dead Sea salts, and essential oils. All products are made without parabens, petroleum products, phthalates, unnecessary preservatives, sulfates, or animal products. This is the real thing y'all: lusciously pure.
The current product line includes two varieties of lip balm (peppermint and tea tree, both with a shea butter, beeswax, and organic sunflower oil base), signature solid lotion bars, four fragrances of solid perfume, bath salts, sea salt scrubs, cuticle cream, foot care, and liquid soaps.
blue duckling is committed to providing top-quality products at reasonable prices, striving to use recycled and recyclable packaging, they are as “green” as can be in production, and have kept prices at or below $20 on each and every product.

I'm a cosmetics snob, and these are very reasonable prices. Most blue duckling products are about $10, and this company? You guys they are seriously able to respond to customers’ comments, needs, and desires.
You guys?
You guys!
I received the lip balm, lotion bar, solid perfume, cuticle cream, and salt scrub for review.
You guys!
This stuff smells like heaven and it works, I don't really know what to tell you beyond that. I'm a freak for keeping additives and junk out of the stuff I put in or on my body, and these products have a comfortingly short list of ingredients, they do their jobs, and they smell lovely. My favorites are the lotion bar and the solid perfume (which is perfect for throwing in my purse). Probably the thing of least use to me was the bath salt, but that's just because I don't do bath salts too often. When I used I came out smelling clean, and with soft skin.
Considering the cost, I would definitely and without hesitation pay real cash money. For serious.
--
Guess what!
No seriously, guess what!
I have two awesome things to share with you. First, I have a discount code, which is good through August 31st for 20% off your purchase! Just use the code MDG020 at checkout.
Awesome no?
But guess what else?
I also have some giveaways for you.
I have one first place $20 gift certificate, and two runner-up $10 gift certificates.
Something awesome is that because they are certificate codes, you can use them however you like.

How to enter: Visit blue duckling, then come back here, and comment on this post telling me about one product you would like to try. You must do this in order to be entered into the giveaway.

Additional entries:
-Follow @blueducklingelf on twitter, leave an additional comment here with your twitter handle.
-Tweet about this giveaway, linking back to this post, leave an additional comment here with a link to your tweet (pro tip - if you click on the time stamp on your tweet, it will give you a static url, took me MONTHS to figure that out).
-'Like' blue duckling on facebook, leave an additional comment here letting me know that you did so.

There are a total of four possible entries, I will close the contest next Thursday, July 22nd, at midnight or sometime thereabouts. I'll pick three winners using random.org, so make sure you leave a way to get in touch with you.
If you have trouble with my commenting form, you can reach me at grace @ missdisgrace.com, and I will still count your entry (although please don't go this route unless you really can't comment).

I will be at BlogHer in NYC with samples and additional discount codes, so please seek me out if you are interested in these wonderful products.

Don't forget about discount code MDG020, good for 20% off any order you place now through 8/31/10!

Thanks for reading, and good luck!
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blue duckling is always available at www.blueducklingproducts.com, and can be reached anytime at blueducklingproducts@gmail.com, or by phone at (303) 666-6084.
International buyers please contact blue duckling via phone or email to place your order directly with a company representative.
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Disclosure info: blue duckling provided me with products for review, as well as financial sponsorship for my trip to the BlogHer Annual Conference in New York City, where I will be representing the company's interests.
My opinions are my own, and not for sale.

15 June 2010

Ritz Crackerfuls

My snack needs are twofold: I have my own work related afternoon-energy-drop snacking, and I have my four-year-old son's emergency snack stash that I keep in my purse. Of course sometimes I break into his snacks when my own snack drawer at work has run dry. Or when his snacks just seem tastier (I try to keep healthy snacks, like unsweetened dried fruit, or raw nuts, at work).

Nabisco's Ritz Crackerfuls come in Garlic Herb, Four Cheese, Classic Cheddar and the newest Cheddar Cheese and Bacon. I got to try the Cheddar Cheese and Bacon flavor as well as the Classic Cheddar. Gabriel is crazy for these, although his preference is for the more straight-forward Classic Cheddar. I like both flavors for a salty afternoon pick-me-up. The cheddar and bacon has a smokey touch to it, which I quite enjoyed, although I can certainly see how a 4-year-old might not allow it through the pickiness radar.

These are reminiscent of those mini Ritz cheese sandwiches, although it is one large, individually wrapped cracker sandwich, as opposed to a handful of loose ones crumbling in the bag. The cheese filling was a creamy consistency, and it was the right amount for the amount of cracker. Gabriel tended to make a mess by accidentally crumbling the crackers apart when he took bites, so they might be a bit large for kids, but I didn't have that problem.

It's great that they are individually wrapped, because I can throw one in my purse, a couple in my car, and one in my desk drawer at work, to cover all of my emergency hunger pain needs.
These crackers are filling. They are also 130 calories, which isn't nearly as guilt inducing as a bag of chips, but I do feel a little better feeding them to my calorie-deficient child as opposed to wolfing them all down myself (which is something I'm certainly capable of doing).

Each Ritz Crackerful is made with 6 grams of whole grains and real cheese, and they really ARE quite tasty.

If you'd like to try Ritz Crackerfuls Cheddar Cheese and Bacon, a coupon for $1 off can be downloaded from the Ritz Crackerfuls Facebook Fan Page. The coupon is good through 8/31/10. Get the coupon by clicking here (http://bit.ly/RitzFacebookCoupon)

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Disclosure and Whatnot - I received two boxes of Ritz Crackerfuls for the purpose of review, and the writing of this post makes me eligible for a gift card via random drawing by One2One Network.