Love Letters Brooklyn + a Giveaway

My friend Ellen recently started Love Letters Brooklyn, an amazing small business that specializes in handmade calligraphy products. Her Etsy shop is full of beautiful personalized items including place cards, thank you notes, and event menus.

Because I frequently send mail to my friends and family, I instantly fell in love with the hand calligraphed return address labels. Ellen designs each custom order with care and listens to all stylistic and design requests along the way. After creating your personalized stamp she sends you a copy of your design to review and approve. I am so excited to use my personalized address label this year on all of my holiday cards and I know it will make my snail mail even more special year-round.

Ellen is offering one New York State of Mind reader a personalized return address label of her choice! Please check out the Rafflecopter giveaway below for your chances to win. The giveaway will run through Friday, October 24th. One winner will randomly be selected on October 25th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bringing Instagram to life + a giveaway from Printstagram.

Over the past few years, Instagram has become one of my favorite ways to share moments with my friends and family around the world. I love always having my iPhone with me to capture all of the little (and big) things that bring joy and excitement to my life. But the danger with using social media and your phone as your main photo source is that your  amazing photos are less likely to get printed. That's where Printstagram comes in. 

Printstagram, part of Social Print Studio, started printing Instagrams in 2011 and has grown into a phenomenal company. What I appreciate about Social Print Studio is that it remains an independent company, free of outside investors. They are authentic, responsive to their customers (their customer service is phenomenal), and able to produce a variety of amazing products. I recently ordered a photobook capturing some of my favorite shots from our New York City. The photobooks are offered in several sizes and layouts. I chose the largest photobook in the classic layout. This style includes 38 photos with optional captions. After selecting your product and signing into your Instagram account, selecting photos for your book is a breeze. 

After your photos are selected, you are able to choose your nine cover images, arrange the order of your photos, and add dates taken, hashtags, and captions. I opted to not include captions and let the photos do the talking. 

I absolutely love how my photobook turned out and can't wait to order more soon! They are the perfect way to capture travels, summer adventures, and family gatherings. Printstagram is offering one lucky New York State of Mind reader a gift code for a photobook of his or her own! Please follow the directions in the Rafflecopter giveaway below for your chance to win. One winner will be selected on Friday, June 13th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Printstagram provided me with a photobook to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Stella & Dot Giveaway!

Phoenix pendant necklace. 

Have you guys heard of Stella & Dot? It has quickly become one of my favorite places to find amazing accessories! Stella & Dot designs jewelry and fashion accessories that can be purchased exclusively at trunk show parties or online through a personal stylist. Lucky for me, my good friend Jen is a stylist! She helped me host my first trunk show last fall and we had a blast hanging out with girlfriends while shopping the latest collection. After everyone made their purchases, I earned enough hostess points to purchase almost $300 worth of accessories! How incredible is that?! I also got several 50% off coupons, which I took full advantage of when purchasing a few investment pieces, like the Phoenix pendant pictured above. 

I love Stella & Dot for several reasons. First and foremost, their products rock! The accessories are trendy, well made, and easy to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe. I am a big fan of statement necklaces and purchased several last fall that I wear often. Also, a lot of the necklaces can be worn several different ways. For example, my Phoenix pendant can be worn two different lengths. I also have the Sutton necklace, which can be worn FIVE different ways! It is one of my most versatile accessories. 

Shopping Stella & Dot is a breeze online. If you have any questions or problems, your stylist is there to help! Jen has helped me with several purchases and is incredibly knowledgeable about their products. I also love that half of their line is under $50- perfect for my teacher budget! 

Camilla ring. 

Renegade cluster bracelet and gilded arrow bangle. 

So, here is where the giveaway comes in. Jen is offering two lucky winners a 50% off coupon to use on one Stella & Dot accessory if her choice. If I won, I would most likely use my coupon on the Elodie necklace or the Norah pendant. Both items are currently on my Stella & Dot wishlist, which I am always adding to through my online account! You have four chances to enter through the Rafflecopter giveaway below. I highly recommend following Jen's Stella & Dot Facebook page. She posts new products, deals, and promotions often and I always love seeing her updates! Two winners will be randomly selected on Monday, March 3rd.

Also, if you would like to host a trunk show with Jen in the New York/New Jersey area, please contact her through her Stella & Dot page. She is currently offering a free pair of stud earrings to hostesses! I loved hosting my trunk show brunch and bling event with Jen. She is a phenomenal stylist!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and happy shopping! 

Life is Good + a giveaway!

I discovered the Life is Good company several years ago during my first trip to Boston. Brian and I were shopping along Newbury Street and popped into their flagship store to see what it was all about. I quickly fell in love with their t-shirts and optimistic messages. The company, started by Bert and John Jacobs in the early nineties, is all about spreading good vibes. You can't help but smile when you see their positive messages printed across t-shirts, sweatshirts, backpacks, phone covers, mugs, and just about any other product you can think of! In addition to creating apparel and products that feature positive messages and emphasize simplicity, humor, and humility, Life is Good also spreads good vibes by donating 10% of their net proceeds to children in need. How amazing is that?!

Life is Good also raises money for children in need through the Life is Good Playmakers. The Life is Good Playmakers, formerly known as Project Joy, is a Boston-based non-profit organization that strives to provide children with joyful play experiences to help them overcome life-threatening challenges, including illness, violence, and poverty. Brian and I have had the privilege of attending the Life is Good Festival for the past four years and together have raised over $4,000 for the Playmakers.  This organization is near and dear to my heart, and I am so grateful that with your support Brian and I are able to contribute year after year to their amazing efforts.

The folks at Life is Good are giving away a $50 gift card to one New York State of Mind reader! I recently received this awesome Be Here Meow t-shirt, which I love for so many reasons:

1. I happily admit I am a crazy cat lady, which we know includes owning and sporting cat apparel. 
2. The cat actually looks like Boo, so I love it even more. 
3. Life is Good's t-shirts are super soft and comfortable. I love the relaxed fit!
4. The message, while cute and clever, also reminds me to be in the moment. A reminder I can always use! 

Since Life is Good is offering one reader a $50 gift card I thought I would share a few things that caught my eye on their website. I especially love...

this Don't Go BACON my Heart t-shirt

this slouchy beanie

and this Love is all you need tote bag. 

They also recently added cards and stationary to their collection of home goods. There are so many adorable cards to choose from!

I obviously would have no problem spending a fifty dollar gift card! For your chance to win the $50 gift card from Life is Good, please enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. There are several ways to enter for your chance to win! With the holidays right around the corner it is the perfect time to receive fifty dollars to spend at Life is Good. One lucky winner will be chosen on Wednesday, November 20th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Life is Good provided me with the Be Here Meow t-shirt to review and the $50 gift card to give to one reader. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I truly adore this company! 

Life according to Instagram, Week 40.

Another week brought to you by Instagram... 

1. A lot of people got hurt in Hurricane Sandy. Some did because of water, some trees, but I know I'm safe. -written by one of my students during our free writing time

We talked a lot about Hurricane Sandy in my second grade class on Monday morning after our week away. I shared my stories from Staten Island, the children talked about their experiences, and many continued to process it all during Writer's Workshop. 

2. Our school started collecting Change for Change to donate to the Red Cross last week. This coming Friday, we will also have a school-wide service day. Each class will be preparing and packaging food to donate, as well as making cards to go in the packages. We will also be gathering supplies for a school that was affected in the Rockaways. They have been relocated to a school in East New York and have nothing left. So many wish lists have been created online for schools just like the one we are gathering supplies for; if you have not donated yet to the relief efforts please check out these shopping wish lists online! I provided a few links in my post here. 

3. & 4. As if the hurricane wasn't enough, we suffered through a Nor'easter on Wednesday. Several inches of heavy, sticky snow fell throughout the evening. It was hard to have any excitement over the first snowfall of the season when so many are still without power throughout New York and New Jersey. 

5. Slopping, slushy snow = lots of soaking wet feet after recess in second grade! 
6. Brooklyn evening sky. 

7. Mansi and I matched in polka dots on Friday! 
8. Pizza date nights in with Brian are some of my favorite nights. 

9. Meow. 
10. Boo was such a trooper on Saturday night playing with Emily. She even let me dress her up in her old Halloween and Christmas costumes! Yes, I am that crazy cat lady... 

Want to follow me on Instagram? My username is Daina_A. 

If you have not entered my November Group Giveaway yet, please check it out! So many chances to win! The giveaway ends on November 14th at 12:01 am. 

And the winner is...

Commenter #13! (winner selected using random.org)

 figwittage said...

I love her headbands and hairbows! I wouldn't mind wearing tees, jeans, saltwater sandals and adding a cute hair accessory to feel feminine!

Congratulations Mary! RobbieLee will email you soon about your Mustard Buds bow gift.

Thank you to all who entered!

Chickiedee Handmade Giveaway!

Speaking of connections... meet RobbieLee of Chickiedee Handmade! I stumbled across RobbieLee's blog awhile ago and fell in love with her adorable handmade accessories. Her blog has a little bit of everything: lists of favorite things, DIY projects, Studio Sunday artist features, and lifestyle posts. It is always fun to read!

RobbieLee is offering one New York State of Mind reader her cute Mustard Buds Bow (photographed below). I absolutely love the colors and pattern on this fabric and can't wait to incorporate the bow into my spring wardrobe. If you'd like to win please enter below! 

To Enter:
(only mandatory entry)

• Please visit Chickiedee Handmade and leave a comment letting me know what you love about her shop. Make sure to leave your email address if it’s not on your profile!

For extra entries: (all represented by separate comments please)

• Like Chickiedee Handmade on Facebook
• Follow Chickiedee Handmade on twitter
• Add Chickiedee Handmade (on Etsy) to your Etsy favorites
• Follow New York State of Mind through GFC
• Like New York State of Mind on Facebook
• Follow New York State of Mind on twitter

That's seven chances to win this adorable Mustard Buds bow! Giveaway winner will be selected Sunday evening.