Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

I can almost taste it –  the start of school! Three weeks from yesterday for us and I am ready! I LOVE the rhythm of the school week, just sort of makes everything feel more “in sync” for me.  But it also makes me feel a little stressed. Life is so busy these days. Activities, play dates, appointments. I thought some of you might be feeling the same way, so I wanted to share some amazingly CUTE, personalized Erin Condren calendars to help you get organized as we head into Fall.  And I have a $50 gift card to Erin Condren to give away to one lucky reader too!! Make sure to read the last paragraph below on how to enter.

Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t live without my iPhone and it’s calendar, but to me, I just FEEL more organized when I can look at things I have hand-written on a calendar.  It’s weird, because when I write it down {old-school in my very own handwriting} it’s almost like my brain remembers it better!

Right now I am typing this and looking at my Erin Condren Jumbo Calendar that hangs on my wall. My favorite. Big, cute graphics, and says our family name at the top.   My favorite wall calendar ever!   Order now you and you will get the rest of 2010 and all of 2011.   This is a necessity in my home office. Look how cute…

Erin has created a calendar/planner for just about everyone!

Her Daily Life Planners are the perfect planner to throw in your purse or diaper bag. Featuring one week that spans two pages, you can easily flip through to see your week-at-glance and keep your to-dos, appointments and goals easily managed.  And you can put the cute mugs of your kiddos on the cover!!  Love it.  Again, order now and get the rest of 2010 and all of 2011.

So I already have the life planner & jumbo, but it looks like this one is going to be a necessity as well!   Her Weekly Schedule Pad desk calendar allows you to organize week-by-week, then you can tear off the sheet and hang for the entire family to see. Love this idea too!  Going to pick one up for my desk.

So, now is the time to GET ORGANIZED!!!  Daily, weekly, monthly or one of each!  One thing is for sure, with an Erin Condren calendar, she will make your planning HAPPY with her fun, bright, personalized designs.

Click here to start your shopping!

Hooray!  It’s a Tiny Giveaway!!

One lucky reader will win a $50 gift card to use on www.erincondren.com.  Contest runs through August 31, 2010 at 5pm PST.  I will post the winner on my Facebook page on 9/1.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry & leave your email address too so I can contact you if you win.  Entry options are:

1. Click here, browse the calendars and tell me: Which would be your choice? – 1 ENTRY

2. {Like} Erin Condren on Facebook – 1 ENTRY

3. Follow @ErinCondren on Twitter – 1 ENTRY

4. {Like} Tiny Oranges on Facebook – 1 ENTRY

5. Follow @TinyOrangesOC on Twitter - 1 ENTRY

6. Subscribe to Tiny Oranges Email Updates – 1 ENTRY

{Disclosure: Tiny Oranges is an Erin Condren affiliate…but my love affair with her products started long before!}

I thought this was a fun contest as who doesn’t love a day at the beach!?

Newport Beach is calling all moms and families to share their special memories with the world by submitting a photo that highlights a day full of family fun, relaxation or adventure along with a short story to the “Snap and Share It” photo contest sponsored by Visit Newport Beach.

All entrants will receive a $50 discount code on Travelocity.com and a weekly winner will be announced and gifted with prize packages {like trips on the Hornblower Cruise and gift certificates to Fashion Island} through October 5, 2010.

The grand prize winner will receive two roundtrip Southwest tickets to Newport Beach, two nights at the Hyatt Regency, $100 gift card to Fashion Island, a dinner cruise for two onboard the Hornblower and two rounds of golf at the OCC Gold Coast Coyote Hills.

Winners are based on public votes so entrants are encouraged to spread the word to rack up votes for their story.

To submit photos click HERE.   The contest is also live on the Visit Newport Beach Facebook Fan Page.

So I took Emma last weekend into Lakeshore Learning Store in Fountain Valley and the place is so awesome I had to write about it.   In Orange County, Lakeshore Learning also has a store in Laguna Niguel.  Have you guys been there before??  I was looking to buy her a little writing board and dry erase markers like they have at Whiz Kids and let me tell you, that was the place to go!  Lots of items (including the board I was looking for) were 20% off since they were having a Back to School sale now through Sept. 5th. Score!

I seriously could have spent 3 hours going through the place.  As a mega teacher’s supply store, there are toys, games, and activities for all ages and just the coolest finds.

I ended up with more than a writing board however!

We found a cute little birdhouse she can paint herself to put in our backyard, a Design-Your-Own Calendar to write in the dates that can be decorated, and stocked up on construction paper and paint.  You know, things to keep us busy at home for the next 6 weeks until preschool starts up again.

Definitely worth the drive to check out this store in person.  Great place for birthday gifts too. Tons of unique items you don’t see in the regular stores, and lots of fun educational stuff.

But take it from me,  budget extra time for browsing!

One of my readers recently sent me the info on Screamin Coupons and ironically I was contacted by the company as well that same week about becoming one of their brand ambassadors.   Since I am sort of picky about things like this, I signed myself up personally to see if there were deals I thought worth sharing.  After receiving the daily deals for a few weeks now, I have to SCREAM, yes, there are great deals AND money goes back to the local schools, so it is really a win-win all around!

It’s easy to sign-up, totally free, and there is no obligation.  You can unsubscribe anytime you want.

Click HERE to sign-up. You will enter your email address and then pick the local school or charity that you want to support. Total disclosure here, by signing up and when you purchase a coupon, you also support Tiny Oranges too. So it is more like a “win-win-win!”

You will then get an email in the AM with the day’s SCREAMIN deal, which is usually 50 – 90% off some local business. For example, you can purchase a coupon for $70 worth of food for $35 at a local restaurant. Or, pay $50 for a $115 spa package at a local day spa.  Things like that!

In the email, there is a link to purchase the coupon if you like the Screamin Deal! Best part is, for each coupon purchased, 5 – 10% will go back to the local schools!!

You can also refer friends too with a special link, and you can earn money if they purchase coupons.  This makes it a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN!

Today’s Screamin Deals!

$50 for Private Surf Instruction Lesson; Includes all Equipment & Ocean Academy Baseball Cap ($100 Value)

and

$8 for $16 worth of Bowling Fun at Irvine Lanes (2 Games and 1 Pair of Shoes)

Both great activities for the summer so I wanted to share!  So, check it out, sign-up and enjoy opening the Screamin Deals each morning!

I found ZaZa Gallery awhile back when I started following them on Twitter (@PhotoCanvas).  Recently they tweeted a special coupon for 20% off until the end of the month using promo code “JUNE” so I wanted to share!  To me, photos turned into canvas art for your walls, is just about the coolest way to personalize your living space.

I recently did a ZaZa Gallery canvas of this beautiful photo, one of my ALL TIME favorites by Kristin Eldridge, taken when Morgan was about 4 weeks old.   It is one of my most treasured pieces of decor.

There is nothing I would rather look at on my wall than the faces of my children!

The quality is absolutely fabulous, crisp and clear, and I was just thoroughly impressed with the product, especially for the price.  8 x 10′s start at $25, click HERE for their pricing.  And, it is so easy, you just upload your file online. Love the idea of making your family into pieces of art!

www.zazagallery.com

{Disclosure: I received my canvas for free in a special Twitter promotion for bloggers, but this is in no way a compensated post. I was honestly, thoroughly impressed with the quality, I know you will be too!}