Giveaway Time: The Zipadee-Zip!

You know how much I love doing giveaways here at An Inch of Gray, and I'm super excited about this latest one!

When Andrew was born, we couldn't believe how much better sleep solutions were for babies than 15 years ago. We had user-friendly swaddles that he couldn't break out of, and he slept right next to our bed in a Rock and Play Sleeper. Total game-changers that meant more sleep for baby, Mom, and Dad!

As Andrew hit the 5 month mark, Tim and I got really nervous. We knew that it was just a matter of time before he would start to roll over in his sleep, and we'd have to discontinue the swaddles and the Rock and Play.

We were seriously stressed about how to move him to a crib, because we just didn't have the energy for an ugly, protracted transition.

I started researching on-line and found something called a Zipadee-Zip. You may remember when I mentioned it in an earlier post about how I love As Seen On TV products. Yes, Sleeping Baby, the company that makes the Zipadee-Zip was featured on one of my favorite shows, Shark Tank.

Here's the video from their episode!

Zipadee-Zip is a sleep sack that allows babies to roll onto their tummies and back again because their arms aren't constrained. It does, however, give them much more of a confined feeling than pj's  or other sleep sacks, and this resistance helps keep them asleep longer. It was invented specifically as a solution for the swaddle to no-swaddle transition. 

Tim and I are grateful that the Zipadee-Zip helped Andrew make the change to his crib. We were expecting him to FREAK OUT for at least a week, but he got used to his crib in just a couple of days. Almost 6 months later, he still wears the Zipadee-Zip every night and during his (infrequent) naps. They help him feel secure, signal that it's time to sleep, and help keep him warm since babies aren't allowed to have blankets in the crib. Another way I use the Zipadee-Zip is as a cover-up in the doctor's office or other public places where I don't want him to get too germy, and as an extra non-bulky layer in the car seat or stroller.

Here he is taking a snooze in his at the DMV while big sister got her learner's permit.

He has one with a seashell print, and a fleece one with foxes on it. So cute!

When Andrew no longer needs a Zippadee Zip, I plan on getting him The Flying Squirrel, fun pj's with a similar shape and feel that fit kids well into elementary school, but I'm not in a rush. A lot of parents keep using the Zipadee-Zip up until 2 years old or when transitioning out of the crib.

You can use it with just a diaper or a onesie underneath, but since it's winter, we put it over Andrew's pj's. Doesn't he look so happy to have just woken up?

Sleeping Baby has offered to give a free Zipadee-Zip to one of my readers. If you do not have a child or grandchild in the infant to toddler range, please share this giveaway with those people in your lives who do!

I want as many people as possible to hear about this product that helped me so much!

Entries limited to the Continental U.S.

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Thank you, Sleeping Baby, for sponsoring this giveaway!

Custom Jewelry Giveaway

I am loving my custom Jack handwriting necklace so much! Andrew loves to grab it, too.

I asked Christine, of No Way Out Make My Day if we could do another giveaway for An Inch of Gray readers and she said SURE!

That means the winner can pick ANY item from her site, and she will customize it with your loved one's handwriting.

This is the one I have:

And here is one she made for a dear friend of  mine:

There are also options that combine inspirational quotes with handwriting. What a great gift for any daughter:

There are many more possibilities in her store.

Here's how to enter: 

Make sure you like Christine's page on Facebook 

For an extra entry, please share the giveaway on FB, twitter, or instagram.

That's it! 

Oh, and Christine is offering my readers 20% off any piece from her collection for the duration of the giveaway (one week)-- perfect for early Christmas shopping.

Just use the code ANINCHOFGRAY during check out in her etsy shop for 20% off.

Thanks, Christine, and THANK YOU for reading!

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Beautiful Jewelry Giveaway!

A special piece of jewelry is one way to celebrate a loved one's memory or commemorate an important milestone. For instance, I wear a necklace almost every day that has Jack's favorite Bible verse on it.

Recently I came across the lovely Christine of No Way Out Jewelry, and she generously offered to have a giveaway here at An Inch of Gray.

Here are a few of my favorite pieces:

 I would love to have this necklace made with Jack's signature on it and a cross.

Isn't it neat how this necklace has a private message of hope tucked inside?

Aren't these bracelets great? Love.

Christine also has family tree items, baby items that feature the actual footprint of your baby, and more.

If you are looking for a special piece of jewelry for yourself or to give to a friend, No Way Out Jewelry has over 200 options!

In order to enter the giveaway, please visit Christine's etsy shop and see what she has to offer. Then, leave a comment here on this post letting me know what you would choose if you won! Also, please visit Christine's No Way Out Facebook Page. A "like" is not required, but is GREATLY appreciated.

(Contest starts at 12:01 am, June 29)

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Happy Birthday to Me and A Gift for YOU!

In honor of my birthday, my friend Christy Casimiro has generously offered to give away an amazing makeup collection to one of my readers! I am absolutely IN LOVE with Younique makeup. The fiber mascara takes my lashes from nonexistent to va-va-voom.

You can win the Cloud Nine Collection which retails for $145!

To enter the contest, all you have to do is visit Christy's website and choose which eyeshadow pigment name sounds most like ME.

Angelic? Sassy? Confident?

Don't worry, there is no wrong answer!

Then head to my Facebook Page to leave your answer. That will count as your entry.

Good luck!

HUGE Summer Reading Giveaway!

Need some summer reading material?

My friend Kim is hosting a HUGE book giveaway on her blog. We're talking DOZENS of books to lucky winners!

I will be giving away copies of Rare Bird and Sunshine After the Storm.

Here's the contest!

Listen to Your Mother and a Giveaway!

I love thinking about the words of wisdom from my mother: "Don't be afraid to leave a man at the altar" and, "Anna, quit trying so hard." Each mom imparts something different to her kids, and in different ways. I don't know of any other mothers who gave angry, quarreling kids good china bowls, sent them out into the yard and wouldn't let them back in until the bowls were broken, and of course, the fight had morphed into laughter. My mom was pretty creative.

Eight months after Jack's death I was honored to take part in a spoken word event in Washington, DC called Listen to your Mother. I shared a piece I'd written about how very DIFFERENT I felt from others as a bereaved mother. You can watch the video here.



I was grateful for the chance to share my story, and I was blessed by the stories the other participants shared, either of mothering, or having been mothered. Each year since then, I have gone to the show and been inspired, usually though laughter and tears. This May the show will be in 39 cities and it is a wonderful way to celebrate motherhood.

And there's more exciting LTYM news! Today, a beautiful book containing essays from various Listen to Your Mother shows launches into the world.

Listen to Your Mother: What She Said Then, What We're Saying Now edited by Ann Imig plumbs the depths of motherhood.

I will treasure my copy, and I have another copy to give away to one of my readers! Enter to win here:

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The reviews are coming in and they are excellent. You can check the book out here:



I love hearing women's stories. Thank you for being part of mine!

Everyone Has a Story: Listen To Your Mother Ticket Giveaway

I just bought my ticket for Listen to Your Mother's DC show on May 4.

If you are not familiar with the LTYM movement, it is a spoken-word show started by Ann Imig that will be in 32 cities this year in the days surrounding Mother's Day. 

Writers around the country audition to read short pieces related to some aspect of motherhood. Twelve to fifteen are selected to take part in each city's show. On show day, performances range from hilarious to gripping to poignant, just like motherhood. You will love the honesty and vulnerability of the performances.

I was honored to be part of LTYM DC just seven months after we lost Jack. This year there will be a show in Baltimore as well. If you love to hear women's stories, the LTYM experience is for you!

To see if there is a LTYM show near you this spring, check out the website.

I'd really love to see you at the DC show at 2pm on May 4 in Crystal City, and today I'm giving away a set of two tickets! Wouldn't that be a wonderful way to spend a spring afternoon with a friend, your mother, your Mother-in-law, and...me????

Just enter the giveaway using the entry form below and I'll announce the winner of the tickets on Friday.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/81fd631/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


To give you a taste of what to expect, here is a video of my reading at LTYM in 2012. Note: I think most of the performers will actually make eye contact with the audience. :)

All things Vintage and a Fabulous Novel Giveaway

(NOTE: Giveaway is now closed! Congrats to Rachel S. from Richmond, VA!)

I love vintage things.

My house is full of old furniture that I've given mini-makeovers, and fun vintage accessories, like my jewelry box collection. My clothes tend to be more of the used, not vintage, variety, as it's my habit to do a lot of shopping at my local thrift store.

The only truly vintage articles of clothing I have are a beaded sweater that was my grandma's in the 40's, my mother's brown suede jacket from the 70's (which at size 14 barely fits over my arms and shows how much sizes have changed over the years) and a navy silk suit from the 50's. I got that one when I was still teaching school and one of my colleagues said to me, "I know an old lady from my synagogue who just died; she was about your size. Want to take a look at her clothes?" Well, I said what any career gal in her mid twenties would say.... "Of course!"

Sadly, the suit doesn't fit me too well right now, but it hangs in my closet, a hopeful reminder of the times I rocked it, including at a mother-daughter luncheon after which Margaret left me this little goodie:

Recently I was given a copy of new novel that's coming out TODAY, and it combines my loves of READING, WOMEN'S FRIENDSHIPS, and ALL THINGS VINTAGE.

Vintage, by Susan Gloss, is a charming novel set in Madison, Wisconsin. After reading it, I've decided I need to make a road-trip to Madison if anyone wants to go with me! Seriously, by the time I was finished reading, I wanted to hang out with all of the characters and go shopping at the clothing boutique that's at the center of the novel.

I loved the writing, the story-- heck I even loved the cover! The publisher, William Morrow, has offered a free hardcover copy of this brand spanking new novel to one An Inch of Gray reader!

If you are looking for the next great read to add to your nightstand stack, just leave me a comment on this post and I'll enter you in the giveaway. It's not required, but if you want to include in your comment the best score you've ever made at a yard sale, thrift shop, vintage boutique, or antique store, that would be great. Be sure to leave me your email address if it's not clear from your profile, so I'll be able to contact you if you are the winner.

This post is part of a "Vintage" blog book tour for Listen To Your Mother: Madison local sponsor, Author Susan Gloss

Giveaway Holly Lane Designs

Tiffany, of Holly Lane Designs, has given me a beautiful sterling silver Birds of the Air Pendant to give away today as a Thanksgiving Thank You to my wonderful readers. The design is based on Matthew 6:26  ^"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"


I met Tiffany a few years ago and carried her line of beautiful jewelry in the Christian bookstore where I worked until a few months ago. When Jack died, Tiffany was very touched, especially because one of her sons is exactly Jack's age. You probably remember when she designed the Jack's Promise pendant that speaks to his love of puzzles and includes his favorite Bible verse, Luke 1:37. I wear it on a silver chain almost every day.

 

 

 

Here are some other examples of her work.

 

To enter the giveaway, please head over to www.hollylanedesigns.com and sign up for Tiffany's email list. She promises not to share your email with anyone and will only send out emails about  Holly Lane Designs specials.  Leave me a comment here to let me know you have entered.

 

Get an additional entry by liking An Inch of Gray on Facebook and letting me know with an additional comment.

 

For a third entry, like Holly Lane Designs on Facebook and let me know about it.

 

Giveaway closes Friday morning at 10 am.

 

Also, if your name doesn't connect me to an email address, please make sure you leave one so I can let you know if you win! Thanks!

 

Blessings and Love to you this Thanksgiving!



And the Winner is....

vzavala8!

Congrats on winning the Hip-T of your choice. Please email me your full name and snail mail address and I'll pass it along to Hip-T!

Thanks to all who entered!

Hip-T Giveaway!

Remember when I wrote about the hip-T? It's an ingenious stretchy band that covers your "assets" and prevents muffin-top and rear cleavage.

I made my own by cutting up my daughter's tiny tank tops.

Well, I contacted the folks at hip-T and they sent me one to try! And they would love to give a hip-T of your choice to one of An Inch of Gray's readers!

Get ready for fall when you'll be digging out those jeans again. Wouldn't it be great to be able to reach down and tie your child's shoe without giving away all of your womanly secrets?





I have tried the Original hip-T and am very impressed! It is super soft, stays in place, and doesn't shrink when washed. I like how it retains its shape, while my homemade ones get stretched out. It ads length to my long-sleeved tees that have gotten a little too short. When the shirt moves, the hip-T stays in place.

As for sizing, I would say they are true to size, but they are snug! I ordered a small, but I wish I'd ordered a medium. I may have to give my small away to another lucky reader. Please refer to previous posts about Oreo Truffles or summer weight gain for further explanation.

If you would like to win a hip-T, just comment on this post. For fun, could you let me know about your favorite problem-solving product or accessory?

An Inch of Gray followers, leave another comment for an EXTRA chance to win.

Here's the hip-T website to see which hip-T you would like to pick if you win!

Giveaway closes Saturday, 7/16 at noon.

Thank you to hip-T for providing me with a hip-T to review. I was not provided any monetary compensation for this post.

Winner! Mastermind Game

And the winner of the Mastermind game is...

Texan Mama!

Congrats, Texan Mama! Email me your address and the good folks at Pressman Toy will send you your game.

Guess what? Molly played 2 games of Mastermind and did not have tantrum! She loved it! Consider that our little autumn miracle.

Game Giveaway

Our next An Inch of Gray giveaway is one of my fave childhood games-- Mastermind! I spent many afternoons in Betsy Arnold's basement playing this game of code-making and code-breaking.

Yes, this is the same basement where we watched the Thriller video for the first time and reviewed key passages of our mothers' Danielle Steel novels. Fun times!

When the folks at Pressman Toy offered me a Mastermind game to review and give away, I jumped at the chance. I sometimes need a kick in the pants to remember to play board games with the kids. And the big game closet in our basement, while attractive, is about as effective as the crisper drawer in my fridge. Things go in, but rarely come out. I left Mastermind right on the kitchen table so we'd remember to play it.

In Mastermind, the Codemaker makes a hidden code out of colored pegs. The Codebreaker has to use problem solving skills to guess the correct colors and sequence in the fewest number of guesses. Players take turns being the Codemaker and the Codebreaker.

The verdict? I am still crazy about this game! It took me about 2.5 seconds to wrap my head around the new jewel-toned colors of the pegs, rather than the primary colors of my youth. But I quickly got into the strategizing. I find that being the Codemaker can be as interesting as the Codebreaker.

Jake loves playing this game with me. Like Tom, he loves logic and can take just a few glances and know which colors have been eliminated. For me, there is much talking to myself, as I decide which guesses to make. "Okay, I've already tried green there..."

Molly? Dislike. She is not a fan of most games, especially ones that use the process of elimination. She is more relational, and would rather make up games to play with friends. When we tried to play Clue, for instance, she became a screaming lunatic when the 3 of us jotted notes down on our little forms.

"Why is everyone writing things down? It's not even your turn! This makes no sense! What's going on? Quit acting so smartical! How do you even know what to write? I hate this game! Waaaah!!!!" Dramatic board toss and sobbing stomp off to her room. Board game buzz kill, for sure.

Mastermind is for ages 8 and up, and there are several variations on the Pressman Toy site. I think it would be great to have on any classroom game shelf, and it's perfect for various ages to play together.

Playing Mastermind was like finding an old friend, and I plan to leave it in the kitchen for pick-up games.

This classic game is celebrating its 40th year as a favorite of teachers, kids and parents alike. And if you ask me, 40 is fabulous!

If you would like to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post. Make sure I have your email if it's not linked to your user name.

If you are a follower of An Inch of Gray, leave a second comment for a second entry.

Giveaway closes Thursday, Sept 23.

Disclosure: I was given this game by Pressman Toy for free to review and I get to keep the game at the end of my review period.

Holly Lane Designs Jewelry Winner!

Hi All! Greetings from the beach. I'll be sure to update you in the next day or so about our beach house, but I'm far too busy worrying about lice and bedbugs right now to give you the full rundown.

Instead, I'd like to congratulate Tracie from "From Tracie" as our Holly Lane Designs earring winner. I know you will enjoy your Story earrings.

A big thank you to all who entered the giveaway!

Remember, all Holly Lane Designs are 20% off until midnight tonight!

Holly Lane Designs Giveaway!

Things are still nutty over here and I'm not exactly rocking things in the Mom department. I really enjoyed discovering that my ELEVEN year old son has been wearing kids' size ONE baseball cleats for the last 3 seasons. He told me his feet have been hurting for years, maybe because he's a size THREE. He almost kissed me on the mouth when I bought him new ones.

And the big school decision? Aargh.

Anyway, since I don't really want to write about my glorious life today, I thought I'd spread a little love to you in the form of an awesome giveaway!

This spring, in the span of one week, I noticed 3 people wearing gorgeous, unique sterling silver jewelry. Each piece was different, but each appealed to me. Turns out they were all from Holly Lane Designs! It felt like when you learn a cool new vocab word and it starts to turn up all over the place.

I contacted the artist, Tiffany Scott, and saw her entire line, each piece inspired by a Bible verse or Christian image. I learned her jewelry often sparks conversations the way it did with me. In fact, Tiffany, a mom of 5 and an awesome artist, creates her jewelry as an opportunity for people to share their lives and their faith with each other.

I bought the dogwood earrings necklace and am in love! They are sterling silver and smoky quartz and, as all HLD pieces do, came with a story card explaining the Christian symbolism that inspired them. As Molly says, "Are you going to wear the same jewelry every single day, Mom?" Yes, I think I will.

Here I am wearing it at BlogHer with Christy:





Tiffany and I would love to offer a pair of Holly Lane Designs earrings to a lucky winner!

I picked the "Story" earrings to give away. Here's what Tiffany has to say about them:

"This particular piece is meant to represent the story God has written for us. In it He has placed characters (i.e.broken homes, small town, big city) and given us a plot unique to each one of us. He has woven our story together with others and has put us on a journey where we can discover Him. He writes with a love for us like no other!"

I love sharing my story with you through An Inch of Gray, and reading your blogs and your comments to learn more about your stories!

I'm sure you'll love these earrings as much as I do!



To enter, just visit Holly Lane Designs, then come back and tell me what your favorite piece is.

For an additional entry, just leave me a second comment if you follow An Inch of Gray!

For a third entry, feel free to blog or tweet about the giveaway.

Contest ends Sunday morning at 10.

And, as an added bonus, Holly Lane Designs is having a 20% off sale on the entire line of jewelry, through August 29th!

And the Winner is...

Deidra, of Jumping Tandem, has won the Land of 1000 Hills Coffee Giveaway!

Deidra is a lovely lady and her blog is one of my must-reads. Enjoy your coffee. I'll mail it to you when we are able to dig our way out of the snow. I hope that will not be in April.

A big thank you to all who entered the giveaway!

Drink Coffee Do Good Giveaway!

I remember getting the phone call from Compassion International in 1994. They wanted to let me know that the little girl I had been sponsoring in Rwanda had disappeared.

Disappeared? It was hard for me to fathom how this could happen, because I couldn't yet conceptualize the brutality and genocide taking place in her country. At that point I could barely find Rwanda on a map, and I had not yet learned of the 100 days of chaos and violence that would pit neighbor against neighbor, proving that ordinary working people, including those who claimed to be people of faith, could take the lives of those around them.

Many months later, Mukanoheri-- the girl I sponsored-- was found and was able to return to her town. I continued sponsoring her until she became an adult.

Today, 16 years later, to say "Rwanda" conjures up images of violence, and if you are like me, you may wonder how people could ever heal from and move past such tragedy.

Personally, I think healing and reconciliation in the face of such despair requires a miracle. The good news is, miracles are happening there every day.

I'd like to share with you one business that is hoping that Coffee and Forgiveness, not Genocide, will be what you think of when you think of Rwanda.

A small Roswell, Georgia-based coffee company has been working in Rwanda to help farmers set up small coffee farms. Former enemies work side by side. Can you imagine a young girl growing coffee right next to the man who killed her family? It's hard to fathom, but it is happening in Rwanda today.

A "better than fair trade" wage is giving hope and a future, but forgiveness, despite impossible odds, is what is healing Rwanda. And if you are like me, you realize that forgiveness is just as important for the one doing the forgiving as the one being forgiven.

I know it's hard to wrap the mind around reconciliation of this magnitude, and I'm glad it's not our place to make miracles, but we can play a small part, and that's where today's giveaway comes in!

We have started carrying Land of 1000 Hills Coffee in the store where I work, and I'd like to give away a 1 lb. bag to you.



Some Facts:

• Every bag purchased provides a rural farmer with a proper Living Wage and the dignity and self respect that comes from providing for oneself.

• In 2004, Land of a Thousand Hills committed to paying at minimum of $1.26 per lb. to the grower for their finest coffee, more than three times the unjust 40 cents often paid by other coffee companies. Currently, the growers are consistently paid an average of $1.86 per lb.

• Land of a Thousand Hills also invests one dollar per 12 oz. bag sold to fund micro-finance programs that help Rwandans start small businesses. Approximately $3 total per 12 oz. bag is invested in the Rwandan economy.

So leave me a comment by Tuesday at midnight and win some great coffee! Let me know whether you would prefer ground or whole bean. I encourage you to check out the website yourself. Land of 1000 Hills delivers the best coffee in the world, right to your door.



Drink Coffee. Do Good.

An Inch of Gray Giveaway

Since I’m going to be busy the next few days figuring out how to make CHICKEN PUDDING, I thought I’d do a quick giveaway instead of a long blog post.

What’s in it for you? A $15 Starbucks card! Feel free to tell your coffee-loving friends. If you would like to link to the giveaway, even better, and you’ll get an extra entry!

Just comment with the words,“I love Chicken Pudding” by Friday at 3 pm. By that time, Colonial Day will be over and we’ll all be coasting toward the weekend.