Pepsi Refresh Project

Pepsi is having a contest called Pepsi Refresh Project – for those who are attending SXSW (South by Southwest).   I entered just Saturday after I learned I was going to be able to go to SXSW. I found out on Monday that I am one of 3 finalist for the grand prize. It is $50,000 to be used to take my idea and make it happen. If I would win I would be in charge of that happening.

My idea is to Educate people that instead of giving cans of food for a food drive…they need to give cash.  Why?  Because $1 in cash the Pantry can use to purchase 24 cans of food! So that $1 you just spent on that can of vegetables could have been used to buy 24 cans of vegetables.

How? Because the food pantries buy from the food banks. So they are able to offer deep discounts.

Inspiration

Here is a video that my friend referred me to Cash Feeds More You need to listen to his “rap”. It explains why in simple and funny terms. My friend Debbie has a mission and a passion. She is why I even had this idea.  She works in a Food pantry herself and has been the one to educate me in what Food Pantries REALLY need.  She is working herself to develop a site called Set Another Place .org. (which should be up and running by the end of March). But her mission is to go out to churches, schools and promote her program idea. In her idea you would literally set another place at your family dinner table (once a week, once a month etc) and take the money you would spend on that person to donate to a food pantry.

I entered on  Consumer Queen and she will there as my campaign manager (LOL) and to help me.  There will be 2 other finalist  Pepsi Refresh Project. We will be presenting our ideas at a flash panel on Saturday with Pepsi and then people who are attending SXSW will be able to vote for one of us.  There will be 60 hours that we can try to obtain votes.

I have changed a few things from my video. I had thought there was going to be a contest. My focus rather than a State to State contest where there is a prize at the end…this will be a site that any one who wants to put on a food drive can use.

Say your school or business wants to have a food drive to help a local pantry. They can do that. They will plug in their information and those who want to give will have a code or drop down box to enter what group they are with.   Then they will be able to put in their donation and virtually “shop” . The food they put in their cart is not what will “actually” go to the pantry. It will just be a representation of how much food that donation is actually buying for other people.

Here is my entry video.

The line of mirra products

I was asked if I could do a review on the new line of skin and beauty  products from  Kroger called mirra . Kroger has come out with an exclusive line of beauty products that are made with natural ingredients. How does olive oil, aloe leaf juice, bamboo, honey, cranberry, chicory root extracts sound?
Of course I said sure!! (This skin can use all the help someone can give it.) I have actually been very concerned lately about the aging of my skin. I will be 50 this month (yipes!) and when I have my reading glasses on I can actually see all the fine lines and not so fine lines around my eyes, and mouth. So I have been actually searching and asking people about products.

Here is the package of products I received.

I think they sent different packages of products to different bloggers. I got the skin care one (thank goodness!!…help on the way) and was asked to use it for 2 weeks.

I got  a body care mirra renew body lotion, body wash, day face cream, night face cream and eye cream.

Review:

I had no adverse reaction to these products so that is a big plus of course. They smelled nice and not too strong or perfumey.  I think the face cream reminded me a little of the smell of ponds that my mom used to use. It is probably no where close, but that is what surfaced in my memory when I would use it.

Nice and thick work for me. Day cream on left and night on right

The day and night creams were very nice. They were pretty thick and for me they were great.  I would think that someone who has oily skin might have some issue with them.  I also would have liked to have seen the ingredients on the packages of the creams. They might have been on the boxes, but I pitched those when I first opened them.  I have to say that in 2 weeks there was really not enough time to say that my fine lines were transformed.  My face has been soft and does not seem dry though…that I can say. The other thing that I can say is that I AM going to keep using these products even after the 2 weeks is up. (If I didn’t like them….I wouldn’t use them …but I do) I also like that they have olive oil in them as I have been working with a naturopathic Doctor and the topic of olive oil in products for the face came up (before this campaign) I thought that sounded terrible for the skin …(picturing oil clogging pores), but he said it was very good to use on the skin. I will be thrilled if these products can help my lines.

The body wash was fine. It bubbled up very nice and had great suds.  The face wash scrub I used just a few times. I don’t use those every day…but it seemed like it did a good job.

To Purchase Your Own:

Go to Kroger.com and print off the $5 coupon  - good when you buy 2 products.  Then check out your local Kroger store to purchase.

To Win:

To win a body care mirra renew gift pack like I received with the body lotion, body wash, face scrub, day, night and eye creams

Go to Kroger mirra page and tell me what other products that mirra offers. **Be sure to come back here and leave me a comment. Your e-mail needs to be either on your comment or easily accessible in your profile.

For Extra chances to Win:

**Each of these HAS to have a separate comment written please. (I know its a pain, but other wise you won’t have as many chances if you don’t) You can find all the links in my right hand sidebar.

1. Subscribe to my Organize with Sandy blog with the feeder or by e-mail.  5 extra chances
2. Subscribe to my NEW Blog Chat with Sandy for 5 extra chances

3) Follow me on Twitter

4) Follow me on Linked In

5) Tweet out this giveaway up to 3 times per day. Write a comment for each time you do with the link.

6) Add any of my 3 buttons (Organize with Sandy, Reviews, Chat with Sandy) to your sidebar and come back to let me know. Separate entry for each one you add.

See….lots of ways to enter to win!

This contest will run until 11:59pm est on Monday March 22, 2010

This is open to US mailing addresses only. One person per mailing address only. Winner will be chosen by Random.org

You will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail if you win to be eligible. If I don’t hear back then I will go to the next winner.

Disclosure policy - I was given the body care mirra gift pack that I showed in the picture to review and keep.

Check Out my Other Giveaways Going on Now:

Organize with Sandy Reviews – Rubbermaid Drawer Organizer (ends March 15th)

The Franklin County Conservatory

The flowers were amazing!

This was the first time I had ever been to the Franklin County Conservatory. Ok..that is no big deal right? But this is in the same town that I live in ….and have lived in almost all my life. I had no idea it was so big. I had no idea it was so beautiful. The kids weren’t excited to go at all when we told them there were flowers to see. LOL No wonder!!
But once we got there, they were like kids in a candy store! They loved it.
Check out my whrrl story. Just click on the picture to see all my pictures!

We love to have fun!!

Bunco

So how many of you have heard of Bunco? Or you can also see it spelled Bunko. I’m not sure which is actually correct…do you?  I had  played it one time as a sub once years ago with a neighbor.  But when I moved to the small town I live in now, I had the opportunity to play Bunco with a group of ladies and I was thrilled.  We have been going strong (some weeks stronger than others) for going on 3 years now.

Fun

It is a mindless dice game. No pressure because you can’t control how you roll the dice.  We can talk and goof around and eat while we play..since there is no heavy concentrating going on.  It is just a time to get out of the house, visit with friends, meet other woman in town and be goofy. Yes, we have a tiara if you get a Bunco….we have had a cell phone with “Edward’s” picture on it to play the ghost. (When one of our players was not able to come).

You just never know.   I guess one of the players husband used to call it Drunko Bunco when they played. We might occasionally have a drink or two, but we don’t get drunk. We don’t need it…we can laugh plenty anyway.

My house

Bunco this week is at my house. I am going to have a “Spring” theme. I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow, but I’ll have all day on Thursday to get ready for my 11 guests to come over.

My Birthday cake from last year.

March – In like a Lion and Out like a lamb?

Let me tell you what this month….this year …feels like to me.  It feels like March – In like a Lion and out like an Old Lady!  Yes….I turn 50 this month! This number is hitting me hard, real hard.  I remember when my parents were 50, like yesterday.  My mom was only 55 when she got her melanoma. She didn’t realize it until 8 years later when they realized they misdiagnosed the mole they took off her arm. She died after 3 brain tumors, chemo and no complaining at age 69.

Fifty scares me. It makes me feel like I am on the downhill swing. Like my melanoma is going to come soon. (I am SO much like my mom in every way….I have had at least a dozen dysplastic nevus (precancerous) moles removed and at least 8 wide sections done. (so I am full of scars)

What I need is an attitude adjustment. I am working on it. I have to change my thoughts from negative to positive. Positive because I still have much time to change my life. To exercise and eat right and feel healthier. I have had my dermatologist take off any mole that even looks suspicious (which my mom never did), in hopes that I can get what might have turned into a melanoma off me before it ever develops. Plus I go to the dermatologist about every 6 months to be checked.

I have been hooked up with Genesis Today (superjuices) and I think that might not just be luck. God can steer me in ways that I don’t know when HE wants to.

What I need to do:

Think positive. (that is hard for me. I tend to be a realist and think of all the negative  ”what ifs” in life instead of the positive ones.

Exercise and like it. (lol….when I get into it, I do like it…it is just a matter of sticking to it.)

Eat right. Cut out all the sugars that I am addicted to. Lose my weight (again) and work out and get in shape.

I don’t see myself as “in shape” and someone who could ever run miles (I never have) or have good abs. But why not? I just have to do it.

Dave wanted to give me a party for my birthday this month. But I told him that I just want the 2 of us to go away on a trip. So that is what we are going to do. We still aren’t sure where, somewhere fun but affordable. I’m so lucky to have him. I plan to rocking in a chair with him when we are 90 on the front porch of our home by a lake where it is warm. (how is that for positive thinking!)

I have had some fun with doing the review for Covergirl Smoky Eyes kit. I was sent a gift card that would cover the cost of the kit and purchased it online. I checked several of my local Walmarts and couldn’t find it. (It is only at select Walmarts) but you can find it online anytime.

Covergirl SmokyEye kit Review:
I was very pleased with the kit. I thought the instructions were very easy and simple to follow. I didn’t realize that you wanted the light color up high and into the inner portion of your eyes. I was thrilled with that tip.
Eye Shadow
I usually use powder eyeshadow, so the stick was a change. In the video I did I actually had the darker blue part broke off. Like if you undo a lipstick too far. I have also had a couple other people say the same thing happened to them. So that is a negative, but I will just be a little more careful when I use it.
Liquid eyeliner
I was scared to death of this. I tend to have trouble seeing without my reading glasses on, and thought I would have a liquid mess. But I was wrong. It is a fine brush tip end and goes on very smooth and even.
Mascara
I have a new mascara! I have tried several in the last year and haven’t found one that I knew I would be rebuying. But…I have now found one that WILL be reusing! I love this one. It doesn’t clump, doesn’t flake and the brush is really good at lifting and separating (no…not a bra) my eyelashes.
So…even if I can’t find the kits at my store or when they stop making the kits…the 2 things I will rebuy for sure is the liquid eyeliner and mascara.

To Purchase a CoverGirl Smoky Eyes kit

Check your Walmart store or go to the CoverGirl SmokyEyes kit online and purchase.

To Win one of 4 kits being given away!!:

Go to Covergirl Smokyeyes kit on the Walmart site and tell me what the 3 kits are called. **Be sure to come back here and leave me a comment.
Your e-mail needs to be either on your comment or easily accessible in your profile.

For Extra chances to Win:

**Each of these HAS to have a separate comment written please. (I know its a pain, but other wise you won’t have as many chances if you don’t) You can find all the links in my right hand sidebar.

1)Subscribe to my Organizing blog with the feeder or by e-mail. (use feedburner button or go to www.organizewithsandy.com 5 extra chances.

2)Subscribe to my NEW Blog Chat with Sandy for 5 chances.

3) Follow me on Twitter
4) Follow me on Linked In
5) Tweet out this giveaway up to 3 times per day. Write a comment for
each time you do with the link.
6) Add any of my 3 buttons (Organize with Sandy, Reviews, Chat with Sandy) to your sidebar and come back to let me know. Separate
entry for each one you add.

See….lots of ways to enter to win!

This contest will run until 11:59pm est on Monday March 8, 2010 THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. ANY COMMENTS THAT COME IN AFTER THE TIME WILL NOT COUNT.
This is open to US mailing addresses only. One person per mailing address only. Winner will be chosen by Random.org

Disclosure: I was given a gift card that covered the cost of the Smoky Eye Kit I ordered from Walmart. They also offered to let me have 4 kits to giveaway to you my readers if I did a video. (so that was a no brainer….because I was thrilled that I could give away kits to you!)

Twirly Hanger - Ends March 4th

FUMI pursehook - Ends March 4th

Genesis Today is launching a new promotion on Monday Feb. 22, 2010 for 6 weeks.  Go to your local Walmart or Sam’s club and pick up some Genesis Today Dark Chocolate Cocao pudding or Dark Chocolate Acai pudding OR one of the 3 yogurts OR the Kiwi Cleanse (this is at Sam’s only, not Walmart yet).

Then….try it AND take a picture of yourself or your family member actually eating it.  I am happy to say that I got to taste the pudding while I was in Texas at the Genesis Today Blogger Immersion and loved it! I have been waiting for it to come out. Tweet it with the hashtag #GenesisToday.  The first 100 people to do so with each product category (pudding, yogurt & kiwi cleanse) will get a $10 Visa Gift card.  (Limit 1 per family) Here are the Genesis Today rules for the promotion.

click on the picture to see the slide show.

Disclosure: I will receive a gift card for doing the shop for the pudding. I was not asked to do this blog post…I did that to let you know about the promotion so that you would have a chance to get one of the 300 gift cards!

FUMI pursehook can be worn as a bracelet

FUMI Pursehook Review

This is the second review and giveaway I have done on the FUMI pursehook. That should tell you something right there. I have been using my FUMI pursehook consistency since last year when I got it. I did get a new one (and it has bling!) and asked if I could do another review for them.

This pursehook looks like a bracelet and can be worn as one. I don’t usually wear it as a bracelet to use it..instead I simply keep it hooked to the handle of my purse all the time. I can’t tell you how many times I use it. There are very few tables that it won’t fit on (another I have found a couple) because it opens so wide that it fits most all tables.

Hang your purse on a bathroom door with the FUMI

I also love it when I walk into a bathroom stall and there is no hook. It just hooks right up to the door or sidewall and your set. No “ewwies” on the bottom of your purse from sitting on the floor.

FUMI pursehook in action. This is a thick table too!

The FUMI pursehook is made from recycled materials and has a 100% recycled rubber grip to hold it on the table. It can hold up to 250# …and I don’t think your purse weights that much!

I keep my FUMI hooked to the outside of my purse.

They come in several different colors, some with charms. Check them out!

To Purchase:

Go to FUMI pursehook and purchase one for $24.95

To Win:

Go to FUMI pursehook and tell me which one you would like to have if you won. **Be sure to come back here and leave me a comment. Your e-mail needs to be either on your comment or easily accessible in your profile.

For Extra chances to Win:

**Each of these HAS to have a separate comment written please. (I know its a pain, but other wise you won’t have as many chances if you don’t)

You can find all the links in my right hand sidebar.

1. Subscribe to my Organizing blog with the feeder or by e-mail. For 5 extra chances to win
2. Subscribe to my NEW Blog Chat with Sandy for 5 extra chances to win

3) Follow me on Twitter

4) Follow me on Linked In

5) Tweet out this giveaway up to 3 times per day. Write a comment for

each time you do with the link.

6) Add any of my 3 buttons (Organize with Sandy, Reviews, Chat with Sandy) to your sidebar and come back to let me know. Separate entry for each one you add.

See….lots of ways to enter to win!

This contest will run until 11:59pm est on March 4th, 2010 *THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. ANY COMMENTS LEFT AFTER THE GIVEN TIME WILL BE DELETED*

This is open to US mailing addresses only. One person per mailing address only. Winner will be chosen by Random.org

You will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail if you win to be eligible. If I don’t hear back then I will go to the next winner.

Disclosure: I was given this FUMI pursehook to review.  I am also an affiliate of FUMI pursehook because I love the product.

Check Out my Other Giveaways Going on Now:

Twirly Hanger - Ends 3/4/10

Mabel's Labels Combo pack ends 2/22/10

She doesn't want people to spend money on flowers....so here are some for her.

Flowers for my Dear Friend

I have one of my dearest friends in the hospital. I found out yesterday from her sister that her accident happened on Monday. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard before Monday (but later found out she wasn’t out of surgery until really late Monday night.)
She is a teacher and even though it was Presidents Day and there was no school, she decided to stop by her classroom and pick up some papers to work on. She fell on the ice. Then to top it off another teacher came out to help her (man who weighs at least 250 lbs) and he fell too. He slid into her leg and hip that was already broken. I guess she says the pain was unbelievable.

She broke her femur and hip in 4 places. I guess a couple of the femur breaks were up so high on the femur (thigh bone) that it is actually considered a broken hip. The surgery was difficult and included 2 rods and pins. Her hemoglobin has been decreasing and she needed a transfusion with 2 pints of blood yesterday.  They don’t want any visitor’s right now because she is in such pain and is so weak. Her husband didn’t leave her side for 3 days, until last night. His grown daughter made him go home and try to get a little sleep because he was exhausted.

They have already told her she won’t be driving for 4 months and will be using a walker. She will probably also need to go to a rehab facility for at least a week.

This is a woman who is younger than I am. She has some painful therapy coming up. Her name is Deb and she could use any and all of your prayers.

UPDATE: I have been able to see Deb 2 times. I saw her first on Thursday and she was under the very good care of narcotics to keep her semi comfortable. She was quite funny actually. She would wake up briefly with random comments and would fall back to sleep which would send her husband, daughter and I into laughter.
She was discharged to a rehab facility that has an excellent PT program. That was late Saturday night. I saw her yesterday and she looked great. She was smiling and she was “Deb” again. But she was still in severe pain. She is such a trooper, she did ask for some stronger pain medication. She had decreased it when she got there because she wanted to be lucid, but pain was getting the best of her with OT, PT, ultrasounds of her leg checking for clots ( you talk about painful….she had to push on her incision and around it to see if the blood vessel would collapse or not…checking for a clot. Then she told Deb to hold still because if she tensed up it might not work. Ok…YOU try and hold still after surgery with rods and terrible swelling, bruising, drainage….while they push on it! That was terrible!)
It just felt so much better to see her smiling again.
Please continue prayers for those of you who have been praying. She still could have complications of clots, infection and then of course she will have pain.
Thanks!!