And the winner of the giveaway is ..........

Announcing the winner of the recent giveaway brought to you by Shabby Apple.

I used random.org to draw a winner and here it is. The lucky winner of the cardboard $50 Shabby Apple gift card is

Melancholy Smile.

Congratulations to Melancholy Smile! I will contact you soon. Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway. There will be more fabulous giveaways coming your way, so don't forget to check back regularly! Have a fantastic day, everyone!

Guest post- 10 Inexpensive Ways To Update And Renew Your Decor!

This article is brought to you by Sam Peters.

Having moved into a new home, I have been looking for a few great ways to update the décor and give my new home a contemporary look without breaking the bank. After some casual research, here are some ideas I would like to share.

1. Copycat furniture

Look through several of the leading décor magazines and cut out pictures of favorite furniture or room design. Paste the pictures to the wall in front of your desk and make your weekends into a garage sale hunting spree. Look for items that can give you that decorated look you want for a fraction of the price of regular designer furnishings.

2 . Rearrange furniture

Get the new look you want by rearranging your existing furniture. This is a free alternative to buying new accessories and furniture.

3 . Paint to get the look you want 

A coat of paint is the real inexpensive way of getting the new look you want. Take the photo of the room you like and have the paint shop identify the color you want.

4. Add new cabinet knobs and pulls to the bathroom, laundry room and kitchen. 

5 . Sew up some fun pillows to get the luxurious modern look you want.

6. Add a few floor and table lamps to small focal points in the room.

7. Add candles to tables, nooks and table and chair focal points. 

8. Add baskets to a coffee table to place all those remotes in. Add dried flowers and fragrances to these and place in the bathroom and other areas. 

9. Pick fresh flowers from the garden and bring them into any room. Flowering tree branches also make nice greenery additions. 

10. Look for those put-away vases and accessories to add that beautiful touch to your new home. You might have the perfect item in a storage area or put away in the back of a closet.

These are just a few ways of updating your home décor, giving it that fresh modern look you have always dreamed of. You just need to be patient, shop around and find individual pieces on different shopping excursions. As long as you are diligent and always learn ways to refine your financial management, staying under any budget would not be a problem. Make it into a type of scavenger hunt and you will be very pleased with the outcome.

Giveaway- $50 Shabby Apple gift card!

Hope you had a great weekend! I knew I did. I spent the weekend at the premium outlet with an out of town guest (a high school friend that I haven't met for almost 15 years). We had so much fun. Anyway, today, I have another fabulous giveaway for you! One of you will have a chance to win a $50 gift card from Shabby Apple.

Shabby Apple is a lovely online boutique that offers an amazing selection of modest, feminine, fashionable and vintage/ retro inspired outfits that cater to women of all sizes. Below are some of my favorites! 

Aren't these outfits pretty? Currently, Shabby Apple is offering 10% off your total purchase. Simply mention coupon code: mixandchic10off during check out.

It's easy to win a $50 gift card from Shabby Apple! All it takes is just 3 simple steps!

To enter:

Must be a resident of the United States.

1. Be a follower of Mix And Chic via Google Friend Connect.

2. 'Like' Shabby Apple on Facebook.

3. Leave a comment below letting me know you have done both.

For additional entries (an extra entry for each of the following) (optional) :

'Like' Mix And Chic on Facebook and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

'Follow' Mix And Chic on Twitter and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

 'Follow' Mix And Chic on Pinterest and leave a separate comment. (If you are already following, please leave a separate comment to let me know as well.)

Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status (include a link back to this post and leave a separate comment.)

Tweet about this giveaway (include a link back to this post and leave a separate comment.)

Bonus question: Please specify which Shabby Apple dress or item is your favorite.

The last day for entries is November 7, 2012. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on Thursday, November 8, 2012. Good luck, ladies! 

And the winner of the giveaway is ..........

It's time to announce the winner of the recent giveaway brought to you by Twovet. 

The lucky winner of the King/ Queen Twovet Couple  Comforter is Jill D.

Congratulations, Jill. I will contact you soon. Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway. There will be more wonderful giveaways coming your way, so don't forget to check back regularly! Have a lovely day, everyone!

Sponsored guest post- How To Have An Easy International Move!

This sponsored article is brought to you by Grace Bailey.

For most people moving house is quite a dreaded experience. If they can avoid it, most of them would, but sometimes they just have to do it – for their family’s sake and for their job’s sake. We all have dreams and ambitions to succeed in what we do, but sometimes the place we are at, is not there right one for us. Getting the job promotion you’ve been dreaming of for years or relocating in order to grow your own business, is a great opportunity that you shouldn’t miss.

However, this often involves one of the toughest types of relocations – an international move. While moving locally or within the state is manageable and easier to process, moving internationally may seem like mission impossible in the very beginning. It is indeed a draining process, which requires lots of money, months of preparation, proper packing, flight tickets, full insurance for your shipment, all sorts of documents and certificates and if you are moving with your whole family, it’s even tougher. 

The way to do an international move is up to you, but the safest and most efficient option is by hiring an international moving company, which has had years of successful experience with long-distance moves. If you haven’t moved before and your first move is an international one, then it makes sense to trust the professionals with it and let them do the most. 

The biggest task is the transfer of your entire household – ensuring the safety of your belongings is the company’s utmost goal. Once they arrive at your place, let them do their job – packing, wrapping, loading, everything that has to be done is their responsibility. It’s not a very good idea to try and pack for an international move on your own, because it’s much different from any other type of move. It could involve few types of transport which means lots of shifting, carrying, loading and unloading. Depending on the distance, your shipment might have to go through all kinds of transport – ground, water and air. Packing safely for such a long transition is the movers’ task. Moreover, this means that your belongings will be insured from the minute they start packing, which is a big advantage. 

When relocating internationally you need to deal with several issues: arranging the new place, transferring medical records, transferring your children to a new school, etc. Pack your essentials in your suitcases to take with you on the plane. Keep in mind that there might be a minor delay in the transportation of your shipment. If you are not moving to the new place straight away, book your hotel a couple of months earlier. Take your most valuable items in your luggage if you don’t want to take the risk of trusting the international move with them. 

After all, anything happens, so it’s best not to take any chances. The choice of a moving company will define the move – pick a reputable company with plenty of positive references from past clients and all the right licenses for doing an international move. An international move can go damage-free, hassle-free and stress-free, but you need to stay organized, focused and avoid getting frustrated over the smallest obstacles on the way. It’s normal to be a little worried, but with the right company by your side, you are guaranteed an efficient and exact international move.

Guest post- Ways To Make Your Bedroom The Perfect Environment!

This article is brought to you by Eva.

Bedroom is a place of rest, meditation and positive vibrations. Of course, not everyone uses it for these purposes, but they really should. The body recharges each night with sleep, and the better quality of sleep and rest it gets, the better prepared it will be for new challenges of the following day. 

Many factors influence the quality of time you spend in your bedroom:

• Quality of bed, mattress and pillows
• Room decoration
• Room tidiness and hygiene
• Light and sounds
• Presence of TV, computer and other things that do not spell REST

Choose Your Mattress Wisely

Quality and comfort of your bed is probably the most important thing that determines how well you sleep. Chances are, you’re not a princess who’ll be uncomfortable sleeping on a pea underneath her mattress that’s jabbing her spine, but you do need your mattress to be comfortable enough.

Forget about commercial catch words “hypoallergenic” etc. The best way to choose a mattress is to figure out what does NOT work for your spine, neck, head and your whole body, and then look for a mattress that will be your body’s match.
For example, some people need a firmer mattress, because their body sinks into the softer mattress and they wake up with a stiff back. The best solution is probably something in between a soft and firm mattress and visit website of 
memory foam express to choose your mattress wisely.

Pillow is also very important. You know best whether your neck feels comfortable resting on a higher or lower position and whether your pillow needs to be thick or flat, so you should choose accordingly.

How Room Organization Reflects on Your Sleep

Décor and tidiness also influence how we feel in our resting place. If walls are painted some screaming color or have posters of morbid things, gadgets hang from the ceiling to scare us every time we go in a certain direction or if we just unknowingly chose a wall decoration that turned out to be distasteful, we would not happily sleep in such space.

On the other hand, if the walls are decorated with soothing lines, pretty posters/paintings, calming colors and if the room is tidy enough that we feel “clean” in it, chances are, our sleep will be much healthier.

Concerning light and sounds, all of us have different habits. Some of us can not fall asleep unless there’s soft music playing in the background. Others can’t fall asleep unless the room is completely dark and silent.

Some people have devices that reproduce different “nature” sounds: ocean waves, waterfalls, crickets, etc. General opinion is that complete silence is the healthiest way to sleep, but, again, this is an individual thing.

Things That Do Not Belong In Your Place Of Rest

Many households have several TVs, video and music devices in their house – one set of these usually ends up in the bedroom. People want to be able to watch movies and shows from their bed, so they wouldn’t have to go through all the trouble of getting up, going to the bedroom and getting ready for sleep after the show is over. They just want to close their eyes right away.

However, the presence of TV in one’s bedroom not only affects sleep in a negative way, but it can alsoweaken one’s relationship. TV with its never-ending program enters into a couple’s “alone” time and prevents them from having conversation, expressing their needs, deepening their relationship.

Bedroom should be the most privileged room in the house where peace reigns and troubles are left outside. People who treat it that way have a healthier sleep, body and mind and probably walk through life stronger for it.

Giveaway- Twovet king/ queen comforter (worth over $200)!

Today, I have an amazing giveaway for you! One of you will have a chance to win a king/ queen comforter worth over $200 from Twovet! 

Now, Twovet is not your typical comforter! What sets Twovet apart from the average comforter is Twovet is cleverly designed with a thick (warm) side and a thin (cool) side to satisfy different warmth preferences for couples. 

Individually hand-crafted in the USA guaranteeing superior quality, it was constructed with materials that are free from harmful chemicals. Made with luxurious 100% cotton cambric cover, it is also hypoallergenic/ irritant free fill. The baffle box construction eliminates fill from shifting and provides equal warmth within each side of the comforter.

The genius behind this marvelous product is Tim Doyle. To learn more about Tim, his invention and how he started a business that stems from his own dilemma, check out his inspiring story through the Q and A below:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself:

 My name is Tim Doyle and I currently work full-time in the finance industry. At night, I am taking classes at Suffolk University towards my MBA. I currently live just west of Boston and grew up in New Hampshire. At an early age, I became fascinated with the operations of small businesses. When I have down time, I enjoy golf, snowboarding, traveling and hanging out with friends and family.

2. So you invented a comforter called the Twovet™. Tell us about it:

Over the years, my friends and family have given me a hard time for new product ideas. Similar to most people, I would think of solutions to problems that I currently had. However, none of these ideas came to fruition until the Twovet™.

My fiance and I always fought about the number of comforters needed on our bed. She thought it was too hot in the room and I thought it was too cold. It's slightly embarrassing to admit that I was the colder one. More often than not, the female is the colder of the two. Likewise, my fiance was very picky about the way the bed looked, given she was studying interior design. Apparently, having three extra multi-colored twin comforters on one side of the bed, is not "aesthetically pleasing".

After the disagreements, I figured there must be a solution for this. After searching the internet in some detail for a comforter with two different thicknesses, I came up empty. From that point on, I was determined to create a comforter that provided comfort for couples with different warmth tolerances. The Twovet™ is a down alternative comforter designed with a warm (thick) side and cool (thin) side to satisfy different sleeping preferences. The name Twovet™ is the combination of the words "two" and "duvet".

3. What was your "Ah-ha" moment?

"Ah-ha" #1: After discussing this topic with friends, family and acquaintances, I realized that most couples have different sleeping preferences and there may be a need for a product like this.

"Ah-ha" #2: I made a sale to someone that I didn't know.

“Ah-ha” #3: I presented this idea during an MBA Marketing class and was surprised by the positive feedback.

4. How did you go about making a prototype?

Two hours after deciding that I wanted to move forward with this idea, I drove to my parents house with a bag of materials from Jo-Ann Fabric. Thankfully my mother is skilled with the sewing machine and we had a miniature prototype created by the end of the day.

5. How can readers learn more about the product?

Feel free to check out our website, thetwovet.com. We are also on Facebook.

6. What advice would you give someone in the interior design industry that is looking to bring a product to market?

Many people get caught up with an idea. I would argue that the idea represents only 5% of the process. The other 95% is related to execution.

Create a product that solves a problem that you currently have.

Get as much feedback, as early as you can from people other than friends or family.

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Entrepreneurship is something that I am extremely passionate about. If there is one thing that I would like readers to take away from this interview, it is that anything is possible. If you decide that you want to invent the next product X, START TODAY! 

My lovelies, if you have additional questions or would like advice on how to get started with a product of your own, feel free to email Tim directly at tim@thetwovet.com.

Good news, my lovelies! Twovet is now offering a $20 markdown from its original price and FREE SHIPPING on all orders within the USA (except for Alaska and Hawaii).  This will be the perfect cotton anniversary gift for couples celebrating their second anniversary! (hint, hint!)

Please note: Currently, Twovet do not ship internationally. Now back to the giveaway! 

TO ENTER:

You must be a resident of the United States.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to increase your chances of winning by clicking on the extra entries! The last day for entries is October 23, 2012. A winner will be chosen by random and announced on Thursday, October 25, 2012. Good luck!

And the winner of the giveaway is ..........

Announcing the winner of the recent giveaway brought to you by Uncommon Goods.

I used random.org to draw a winner and here it is. The lucky winner of the cardboard animal head is

the lovely Heather Moore Grahling from Vivid Hue Home.

Congratulations, Heather. I will contact you soon. Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway. There will be more great giveaways coming your way, so don't forget to check back regularly! Have a lovely day, everyone!

Sponsored guest post- How To Create A Special Home For Your And Your Family!

This sponsored article is brought to you by Grace Bailey.

After you have already decided that it is time for you to move out, the choice of a place that is going to be your new home is the next thing on the agenda.

Moving into a new house can be an exciting experience or a terrifying one. No matter how you perceive it or find yourself at, you should be always focused on the positive sides of it.
If you are considering a brand new house, where no one has lived before, you should check very carefully if it suits you. The easiest way to do it is by employing different methods, part of the Feng Shui arsenal.

If you are looking at a house owned by other people before you, then things are a little bit more complicated. According to Feng Shui, moving into such a house means to take after the previous owners. So, their habits, way of life and even fate can influence you in one way or another. This influence will be felt for several years because their thoughts, feelings and actions have formed the emotional aura and energy field of the home you are intending to live in.

It is important to get familiar with your new house before moving in. Firstly, go in there alone and walk around the rooms; spend some time in each room with closed eyes and try to sense their energy.

Then, make time for a deep cleaning of the living space, starting by washing all the windows, floors and walls. Make sure that you clean all the corners very thoroughly. You will remove not just the dirt, but also the residual energies of the people who lived there before you by doing that. And it does not matter if the energy is good or bad, but that you have to form your own energy field in that house.

When you are moving into a new home, whether it is an old one or brand new, it is good to sanctify it. It depends on your culture, traditions and personal view on that matter, what methods of sanctification you are going to use. The main point of this ceremony is to spiritually transform the negative energy in the house into positive energy.

It is not recommended to use any furniture that has left from the previous owners, so it is better to throw it away. Try not to sleep in an old bed or on a used mattress.

You can take time and unpack all of your items once you move in. Clean and arrange them by showing love and attention. Let these belongings bring joy, happiness and beauty in your new home.

According to the tradition, kept alive until today, one should throw a big party when moving into a new house. The celebration will help the newcomer in letting the spirit of the house know about his/her coming and about the new rules that are going to be set.

All of the details about the sanctification are not that important as the main purpose is to simply mark the beginning of a new cycle in your life.

And always remember that house removals to new home will be a special and positive one because of your giving and receiving love in it.

Guest posting at My Crafty Home Life!

I am so happy to be invited to do a guest post on Linda's blog, My Crafty Home Life.

Linda's blog is full of fabulous home improvement projects and tutorials which ranges from upholstering furniture to using all kinds of power tools to beautify her home. This lady never ceases to amaze me with her multiple talents. She is also the brainchild for coming up with the popular series The One Room Challenge. So when she asked me to do a guest post on Nantucket style, I picked a home tour. You know me, I am obsessed with touring homes!

Oh, by the way, this home is designed by the talented Victoria Hagan. Now, who doesn't love this wonderful designer and her excellent taste? Here is a sneak peek of my guest post: Nantucket Style...... Mix And Chic 

via

Thanks for having me Linda. Hope to see you there! Enjoy the post!