BANG!, POP, WHIZ!! Winner!!

Well it has been a great year.  I and all of my family members are still vertical.  Missing a few parts but still breathing.

Christmas will exit our house tomorrow.  We have made the annual let's get our christmas ornaments for next year at 50% off pilgrimage.

But more importantly I have made some really nice pen-pals.  Had some fun with my blog and hopefully you guys did as well.

You find out how well you are doing when you send out  over 158 postcards for one giveaway (globally) and see what kind of response you get.  All in all not bad.

As of this writing I am at 12934 views on my little corner of the internet.

Now down to business.  I had 20 entrants in the "Derrick Dun Lost It" giveaway.  I had to reject one or more due to not replying/entering within the rules. (I had to make it fair to those who read the instructions)

The rules read as follows:

"All entries MUST be received by Dec 24th (edit - I have extended this until Jan 1st, due to interest from new folks) .  This "should" be more than enough time to put something in the mail.  You MUST reference the giveaway "Derrick Dun Lost It" see, it's that whole reading thingy and you must be following the site.  Did they just enter or did they actually read the instructions."

All entries were numbered as they were received. 

So with that the winner is..

So, what did Laura receive?

Tell em what she's won Don Pardo. 

Well Laura, You've won a NEW CAR  (yea right!).  A Trip to the South of L.A. (nope)

Ok, O.J. You've won.. Get ready for it... PAPER!!  That's right you've won stuff to write on and send out to unsuspecting recipients.  But really what you've won is some REALLY nice stationery.

First you get this nice box of Original Crown Mill Laid paper (Cream)

Containing 50 envelopes and 100 sheets of paper.

In addition you will receive some beautiful ARPA handmade paper in our choice of color.  Either Salmon or Pink (yea the photos upside down and I got lazy)

So with that folks, I bid you a Happy New year and look forward to writing/receiving more great mail and such in the future.  I am already working on the next "themed" run in April.  This coincides with 2 dates in history taking place on the 26th.  Bonus item to anyone who knows.

If ANYONE has ideas or suggestions on types of giveaway items or content please let me know.  

Derrick

When your loved one is taken down..

Got ya with that one huh.

No I haven't had Kim bumped off.  She recently had some surgery that has put her in suspend mode for a bit.  She is not supposed to lift anything (and if she does I'm gonna rat her out to her doctor).  She is supposed to be walking as much as possible and resting when not.  

So here we have some interesting turns.  We have her set up in our room with everything you could need.  Our electric kettle (tea/coffee) every vitamin know to man it seems as well as her mobile pharmacy and my MacBook.  According to her "this is a little slice of heaven"  (as I hear her now chomping on sunflower seeds).

I am off work for another couple of weeks making sure she doesn't do anything to set her back and end up BACK in surgery to fix something she shouldn't have been doing.  You know.  That little voice in your head telling you "hey, it'll be fine.  It's only a load of laundry"  Next thing you know, your screaming could you please take me to the ER.

Now the BIGGEST challenge is convincing Kaylee to let mama be.  You need to watch mommies tummy.  NO you can't jump on the bed.  Yes, you need to let her sleep.  I think your coughing, here have some Nyquil (JUST KIDDING).  She did get some alone time tonight when Kim's mom came and kidnapped her to the movies.  Good relaxing time.  

So while Kim catches up on every single Lifetime/Hallmark movie available on Netflix, I have managed to almost get caught up on my letters.  So all in all a productive time off.  I however am having fits forcing myself to NOT answer emails from work.  I've been pretty good so far.  Still had to drive to the office to check my incoming mail and check tapes (yes I'm compulsive that way). 

It's funny though.  I write to Limner probably the most and with Kim down and laid out.  I have these visions of limner stuck in bed writing and have this visual of all the crap I have Kim surrounded in :) (Sorry Limner, couldn't resist).

Derrick

A request.. from a fellow blogger

I received a request from LadyKayy, actually very close to me (goegraphically anyway) that she is in the middle of a little project and is in the hunt for some participants.

I am always one to be in for helping spread the word to something that has merit.

So with that, please check out her Deep Letters Correspondence Project

Not to be confused with Deep Thoughts.. by Jack Handy..

Derrick

Movie Time winner (oops)

Sorry folks, with stuff going on at the house holidays and all.  Kim had surgery on the 19th so lost in the shuffle.

Anyway - only 2 entrants (hmm)

Caddi (1)  and Katie (2)

So there you have it.

Caddi, please send me an email so I can send you the codes for the downloads.

Thanks all.  Have a great new year.

Derrick

Twas the night before the night before Christmas..

One of Kaylee's favorite books.  We have bee reading it nightly for the past few weeks and OH how it hits home.

Now onto the Santa letter I had done by Sarah Hanna.  This was one of the best $25 purchases I have made.

Kaylee will be getting this little gem in the morning.

Yes there is another she will have waiting for her later in the day/evening when I can hide it from her or  Kim can get her out of the house.  As many of you know, those of you who have been reading for awhile.  Kaylee has a bit of an issue with animals stuffed or otherwise. Her favorites are the squishy bugs/lizards/dragons you can find in the $1.00 area at walmart or CVS type places.

What I like about Sarah's letters is you have free reign of the letter (there is a word count limit, I really, you're not going to get a 4 page letter in here).  I have 2 versions for Kaylee. This one and the normal "Hi Kaylee, I'm going to be in your neck of the woods" type of letter.  The gold seal was a winner for me as well.  No sticky seal here.  Pure waxy like substance on a nice watermarked linen paper.

So for those of you who might want to prod your kid into cleaning out the closet (not trapped in the closet), give one of these a shot.  Heck you might want to have some laying around throughout the year for a little attitude cleaning adjustment.  Get em while you can with what you can :)

Derrick

A Case for Cool Whip

Alright, you may be wondering "huh?"  Cool Whip? Que??

Now that we are in the Holiday seasons (well almost to the end of them at this point) we had an incident at the house yesterday that made me rethink the case for Cool Whip.

Flavors and other..

COOL WHIP Regular
COOL WHIP Extra Creamy
COOL WHIP Lite
COOL WHIP Free
COOL WHIP Sugar Free
COOL WHIP Season’s Delight Creamy Chocolate
COOL WHIP Season’s Delight French Vanilla
COOL WHIP Season’s Delight Sweet Cinnamon
COOL WHIP Frosting Vanilla
COOL WHIP Frosting Chocolate
COOL WHIP Frosting Cream Cheese

Sugar free could be a good one for our daughter as we are trying to cut down on Kaylee's sugar intake.  Bad enough handing her a piece of pie or a scoop of ice cream and topping it off with another helping of diabetes to boot.

Now wen I was a kid I would put Cool Whip in between 2 Graham Crackers and that would be just fine.  

And when you can make neat stuff like this for Thanksgiving.

Mmm.. Chocolatyish  More sugar please.   See you bring these to the relatives house and pass them out to the kids there BEFORE dinner.  Helps with the crash on the way home.  and HEY  they aren't at your house.

Now what lead to this case for Cool Whip. Back to the "incident" yesterday and the Whip Cream CAN OF DEATH!!

Kim and Kaylee were making some hot chocolate yesterday morning.  All was well with the world.  A calm Sunday morning, women type folk in the kitchen, daddy still attempting to wake up when a blood curdling scream comes from the kitchen.  So what happened?  While holding the can of whipped cream and taking off the cap, the can slipped and landed on Kaylee's foot.

After calming her down, Kim decided they should take a bath.  In hind site this was not a good idea as the hot water raises your blood pressure and makes the problem worse by putting more pressure on the blood clot under the nail making it look like this (see parental handbook on what not to do).

This was taken at the urgent care.  Why? Because Kim wanted to go that's why.  Luckily Kaylee knows what's going on.

See, she points to mommy and said "you did this to me!" (OK not really, but it looks incriminating doesn't it.)

Now the reason for the "Case for Cool Whip"  IF we had been using Cool Whip instead of the can of cream, the tub of cool whip would have bounced off of her foot leaving lots of goodness for the 2 dogs that worship every move she makes.  Yes having dogs in the house make for the ultimate clean up crew.

That's all for now.  Off to procure stock in Cool Whip.

Derrick

KA, KA, KA.. Hairball!!

I just received my order from Catslife Press.  Rubber Stamp producers extraordinaire. Noo, really I love their stuff. 

Here is some of the stamps I have procured for your enjoyment.

OK, not the ones at the bottom cause they kind of freak me out.  Especially the baby face. (shiver). And not the a Note from your mother.  Cause I'm not one (that's not nice to talk about me that way) and that would be just wrong.

Now "some" of you that have been reading this blog for awhile (I KNOW YOUR OUT THERE.. I CAN HEAR YOU BREATHING!) saw the post on envelope and embellishments.  I mentioned I would be giving one of these stamps away.  I "will" be, I have received another of the snail mail stamps for that purpose.

I need to figure out something cool for this one and frankly I have 2 giveaways going on right now I need to get finished up with first.  This is one prize that is definitively mail related and usable by everyone (stamp pad not included).  Need to think snail related, slug like, hmm something will come to me.  Anyway be looking for this one coming to a theater near you.  Will think of something neat to pair with it.  Escargot??

Derrick

Free from Poppin

Poppin.  Those Work Happy folks are giving away a free notebook with your order of $10 or more.



Now I don't know about you folks but I could blow $10 in ANY online store with a single click.

Poppin has some very reasonably priced items that come in a lovely color range. I bought quite a few of these notebooks last year intending to do a review.  That will be happening in the next 2 weeks as I will be home tending to Kim while recovering from surgery.

Some possible gift ideas:

The index binders
The Design a Desk collection
The Red Metal Pen
The Pink Wine + Beer Opener (always a hit around the office this time of year)

Give them a shot if you haven't been by there before.  Kim has of the large pink notebooks and really likes it.  More so than the Moleskine I bought her.

Derrick

MOVIE TIME!!

Just in time for Christmas viewing.  I have 2 (two) movies available for a digital giveaway.

Simple enough.

1. Follow the site.
2. Leave a comment

Now comes the part where you have to read.  Come on you didn't really think it would be that easy.  You folks have read this site enough to know it could never be that easy.  So somewhere in this diatribe you will find some kind of phrase to put in the comment area like "squirty tushy thing"  or maybe " no not the reindeer poo, I've been good".

I am truly hoping to get my Santa letters today so I can post them for you all to see.  Remember there is still time to have Sarah Hanna make them and still have them received before the day of doom with your little ones.

Don't forget the stationery giveaway I'm hosting for hitting my first year on the air.  You have until January 1st to get entered.  Make sure to READ the instructions.  I had to sent in that missed the instructions.  Can't say who they were, but I have to play fair.  So up for grabs a box of Original Crown Mill (50 envelopes and 100 sheets of Laid paper in Cream)

"The crisp laid finish paper, known as the Original Crown Mill, replicates a 17th century handmade writing sheet, commissioned by Charles II and made by the monks of La Hulpe Monastery in Belgium. Since 1870, the venerable Belgian company, Pelletier, has replicated this sheet in a classic line of cards, sheets, and lined envelopes. While remaining faithful to their classic stationery line, Pelletier has recently introduced several innovative, contemporary lines. They are made with the same quality, elegance, and attention to packaging detail that has made Original Crown Mill stationery the staple of every fine paper department in Europe and beyond."
 
and as a second prize a package of Arpa handmade paper (4.25" x 6.5" larger note size in either salmon or pink).

"What is unique to Arpa papermaking is a commitment to producing a consistent, quality handmade paper of beauty in reliable stocking quantities. Special attention has been taken to ensure the reliability of the lovely natural colors, surface texture and archival purity of the papers from one batch to the next.

Arpa handmade papers are made of pure cotton and linen. The labor intensive process of preparing, pressing and drying the pulp to make the papers is done with the same traditional tools that papermakers have used in Spain for hundreds of years. "

Now back to that phrase to put into the comments thing go with the second one.  Where you paying attention?  

Up for grabs, the digital downloads for TED, and The Bourne Legacy.

Thanks for playing.  Winner selected on Friday the 21st. So watch for the announcement next Friday when I will announce and request your email address so I can send you the codes to download from the Universal site.

Derrick 

 

FN Colors (Heroic)

Here is their post

As always, this is a note to let our email subscribers know about a new product before we offer it up for sale to everyone else.

For our seventeenth seasonal release, we've created a memo book that will hold up to extreme conditions: wind, rain, sleet and abuse of all kinds. For the winter of 2012, we're proud to present THE EXPEDITION EDITION.

"Antarctic Log, Day 67: It's flippin' freezing here."

Heroic

The EXPEDITION EDITION sports a hi-visibility "Antarctic Survey Orange" front cover and "Polar Night Black" back cover, with a subtle varnish effect featuring a topographic map of Antarctica. The body pages feature our always popular 'dot grid' graph paper, printed in light gray.

The real innovation here is the paper. It's maybe not even fair to call it paper. The whole book is printed on Yupo Synthetic, a water- and tear-proof, high-tech paper manufactured in Chesapeake, Virginia. Each 3-Pack is belly-banded in gray and shrink-wrapped, and ready for pretty much whatever you throw at it. For reference, check the films of a series of extreme tests we performed on the EXPEDITION EDITION at F.N. Labs recently.

Click to see the EXPEDITION EDITION

These indestructible memo books are the perfect place to plan a winter sojourn, record a dream from a long, dark, cold night, or most anything else you have planned for the season:

Snowmobile Trails Marked
Black Diamond Runs Made
Life List : 46 Adirondack High Peaks
Last Will & Testament
Real New Year Resolutions
Ice Shanty Euchre Scores
Diary of Your Slow Descent Into Madness
Small Mammal Paw Print Reference
Pond Hockey Scores
How Much Dad Owes You for Shoveling
Harnessed-Pair Sled Dog Combinations

The winter edition is priced the same as all of our 3-Packs, at just $9.95 each. They're on sale now and starting with COLORS subscriptions, they're shipping today. Order this week to make sure you have them for Christmas.

Limit 3 per household please.

Now my take.

These were developed for the Antarctic trip coming up next October by Ben Saunders  He and his team are going to WALK to the south pole and back.  I don't know if he was just bored one day and thought "hey I know..."  The last time someone tried this, it didn't turn out to well.  But then again they didn't have wag bags back then either.

Now this time I "actually" have uses for these.  Do I collect them? DUH! I have a compulsion to grab these when available and do use them on a daily basis.  Carry one on my person at all times.  Especially during work when I can barely remember where I'm going let alone that router I logged into 9 months ago and need to reconfigure.

You need to check out the "ballistics" test, careful kid you'll shoot your eye out.  Didn't pass the Flame Resistance test though (who would have guessed)

Alright, so in my OCD kind of way I have ordered 6 sets of these books.  I will be parting out 2 of them to my readers.  Leave a comment below with what you would do with the EPIC/Heroic version of this edition of the Field Notes Colors.  You must mention FNC in the comment (see that whole following directions/I paid attention in school thingy).  You Must be a follower of the blog (yes I verify all of them).

Now if you read the list above you'll find I will probably have to write down in one of these item #4 if Kim finds out I keep buying these things.  So help me get rid of a few :)

And GO!

Derrick

  

Should I Eat or.. Naaa, I'll buy this instead

So I'm sitting here surfing for "stuff". Because that's what I do on my down time while I wait to pass out after wrestling with my daughter who stayed up WAY to late because we went to a movie (which was really good by the way) and all she ate was "theater fair" (bad daddy).

So after shooting her full of elephant tranquilizers (ok, Kim's in there laying in bed with her), I'm searching for stuff. I come upon this little gem.

I know, whoppdy doo. It's a pencil Derrick. Who gives a flying reindeer pellet. OOOO But wait. This is no ordinary pencil. It's the Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil (big type for effect). The Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil can leap tall buildings in a single bound, rescue kittens from burning buildings, cure global warming, replace that warm water tushy squirty thing (on my bucket list).


But Derrick, how is this all possible. How can the Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil do all these wondrous things. It can't. Sheesh. It's a FREAKING PENCIL. However the folks that are trying to sell this 8th wonder of the world are trying to get YOU to part with $260 bucks.

Here is their schpiel, schtick, con.

"The culmination of the history of the pencil is the "Perfect Pencil" from Graf von Faber-Castell. Enjoyment in writing and sketching with the classic pencil means that it should always be sharp. But where to keep the sharpener? The best place, of course, is there where you need it - on the pencil, integrated in the extender, which protects it while making it suitable to keep in your pocket. The pencil extender with integrated sharpener occupies a special position in our collection. Together with the replaceable eraser under the pencil's cap, everything is always quickly accessible within the smallest space - for writing, correcting and sharping. A premium pencil in precious Californian cedar with fine fluting and replaceable eraser. Extender with integrated sharpener and multi-part spring-clip. Finished in silver, platinum or Sterling silver plating. Pencils also available in black-dyed cedar wood. The "perfect" pencil = the Perfect Pencil. From Faber Castell."

Now it may be the bee's knees for someone. Someone who has more money than common sense. I looked this little tidbit up.

Good old Ticonderoga #2 - 96 Pencils/box - $15 (amazon) - that's 17.33 Boxes or 1664 pencils. Now I don't think in my lifetime I could go through 1664 pencils. I would be luck to go through 1 box in what, 10 years.

Just curious, I wonder how much the refills are??

Remember that Forrest Gump line "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get". Buy a freakin box of Whitman Samplers, they come with a map! Just like this pencil. It's a pencil. Go buy a REALLY nice fountain pen instead. Hell, you can even change the color of the ink if you like.


Derrick

Santa Clause is coming to...

OK, I want one.  For Kaylee.  and I'm going to order one today.

So what am I talking about.  SANTA LETTERS.

This one however comes from the very adept hand of Sarah Hanna of Winter Park (see Christmasyy -ish) Florida.

So what is so special about Sarah's letters.  Well for one, while they may not carry the "north pole" postmark they carry something much more to me than that.  They carry CRAFTSMANSHIP.

All of her letters are a one off, all personalized and HAND DONE.

Not sure about you folks, but last year we ordered one for Kaylee and I was really disappointed in the "churned out" pre-typed, on standard letterhead I could have picked up at the local Michael's.

Sure I could have "added" some reindeer poo, or a hoof stamp (I have one of those).  Pretty sure I could even come up with my own North Pole meter stamp if I looked.

What I would rather have sitting in the tree is this lovely letter in the RED envelope she couldn't possibly miss on Christmas morning.

So.. What do you get?  Glad you asked.

Contact Sarah.  Click -> Here <-  She will send you out 2 PDF files with the order form and some "suggestions" for the CRS/SMH (stole that last one from Limner) old folks who may need some creative inspiration. She Charges $20 + $5 for shipping.  I would have paid more than that for the Crap Fest I received last year..  Ooo  But it came with a on the "Nice List" certificate.

She will also send you some photos of the possibles.

Allow for some custom tweaks

Place the Seal of Happiness

And package it for you to stash until your spawn is passed out from the sugar high she has been on all Christmas Eve pounding hot chocolate and whip cream like some junkie that's going to be cut off before going to jail only to wake up in the morning feeling like crap and finding out the Governor has granted a pardon and find this hanging in the tree.

So for the parents that want a touch of elegance and something you will WANT to keep in the family Christmas scrapbook.  Check out Sarah's site.  You won't be disappointed.

Derrick

A Season of Giveaways (iHanna)

So this came third party.  Another blog I ready A Penchant for Paper told me of someone else doing a giveaway for a book.  Market Yourself (A Marketing System for Smart and Creative Business Owners).

The folks over at iHanna are giving away a copy for December (a season of giving:)

Give em a look see..  And don't forget my giveaway on the 25th.. Only 18 more days to enter

When the kids start writing..

Kaylee is now in kindergarten.  5yrs old and now that she has started to spell, write and draw everything she can think of, I am trying to find some ways of not only encouraging this behavior (monkey see monkey do) I am trying to find some great pencils pens that will promote good penmanship.

I thought about a Lamy student fountain pen and might be getting her a few next year (hey it's less than a month away and mommy and daddy have already blown their wad on Santa).  I have been looking for some good pencils.  She has a heavy hand and the regular #2s are snapping like dry twigs.

She is a perfectionist in that she gets frustrated when she sees my handwriting (No comments from the peanut gallery) and wants it to be like mine (PRINTING!!  not the scribble I send you folks :).

Numbers are getting better the 5s still tend to look like S's. and the 3's look like E's  b and d get confused.  But over all she's doing great.  Papa couldn't be prouder.  Letters/Cards written by her are starting to go out.  Some may have already received a few.

So, here is my question to you folks.  Do you have little ones (preferably under 8)? Do THEY like getting mail, small trinkets?  Are they interested in letters?  How/Do you encourage their stories/writing?

She is now writing books with stories/drawings, so I have been assembling a few pages and stapling them together, a cover and 3-4 interior pages.  She is getting a sketch book and some colored pencils for Christmas.  The crayons are just not holding up, and she wants to use what I'm using.

On the other end, I have Kims nephews who have taken an interest in letter writing.  What did "they" want for Christmas?  STATIONERY!!

So I went online to one of my accounts and let them both pick what they wanted.  They chose this.

With matching envelopes. and what would stationery be without something to write with??

What can I saw they want what I use.  This was my first fountain pen and I now have a few of these loaded with different inks.  This is a habit this Uncle will happily support.

With that, don't forget the giveaway I'm doing for December.  A Very nice box of Original Crown Mill and Arpa Handmade letter set.  Only 19 days left to enter!!

Till next time..

Derrick