Personalized Pens Giveaway!!!

Recently, it struck me how very rarely I write anything by hand these days. (Sometimes it seems that the only time I pick up a pen is to sign a check!) I used to be a big letter-writer back in the day (remember "pen pals?" ;), but as the years went by and I got busier and busier, old fashioned correspondence fell by the wayside, something I still regret.

One of my newest "resolutions" has been to take more time to write hand-written notes. It can be tricky to find the time... when email, Facebook, or texting is just so much quicker (and for the record, I don't even do much of those :P) - but so worth it.

Is this true for you, as well? How would you like to get inspired with some personalized pens, just to make your "snail mail" correspondence a little bit sweeter?

You came to the right place, because Amsterdam Printing is letting me give away 50 of their personalized Inspire pens!!! You could win these beauties, worth $149.95, personalize them pretty much anyway you want, and use them for your business, organization, personal correspondence and more. How awesome is that??? :D

How to Enter:

• Comment on this post and tell me how you would use these pens if you win! You must leave an email address or some other way to contact you in the event that you are the winner. This 1st entry is mandatory.

For additional entries, you can...

• Follow AmandaBeth through Blogger/Google/other feed, AmandaBFly on Twitter (I follow back!), Amanda Flynn on Pinterest, or become a fan of AmandaBeth on Facebook - 1 entry for each
• Post about the giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, et cetera. (You must include the link to your post in your comment!) - 2 entries for each

The giveaway will run until midnight (EST) on October 12, 2011. The winner will be chosen through Random.org, announced the next day and contacted via email. Only U.S. residents are eligible for the giveaway, due to legal restrictions.

Be sure to check out Amsterdamprinting.com - to whom I owe this fun giveaway! Besides promotional pens, they offer lots of other goodies. :)

Have a good night! I'll be posting birthday-ish things over the next few days. Stay tuned... ;)

-Amanda

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Watch me turn into a pumpkin

Yay! It's FALL! :) (I've always liked the word "fall." Maybe it's because, every year without fail, I fall in love with this season. And the leaves also fall off the trees. ;) The only thing I don't like about this time of year is how quickly it flies by. I feel like each season is over before I am able to fully drink it in. (Except for maybe winter. This is New England.) Before you know it, Christmas will be upon us.

In the meantime, I love the fact that one of my favorite colors - a yummy, burnt orange - becomes suddenly vogue, and I get an instant seasonal boost just from wearing it. This outfit came about when I found (well, my sis Lydia really deserves the credit) this amazing skirt at Savers (during that crazy, annoying 50% off sale that comes like three times a year). It's in very dancer-ish, and so flow-y and drape-y and perfect. :)

The awesome thing about this skirt is its versatility. It has an nice stretchy waistband that can be folded down, unrolled so that it stands up and makes the shirt/skirt combo look more like a dress (see 1st pic), or paired with a belt (see 2nd pic, above). I can't wait to try it out with different blouses and come up with even more options.

What I'm Wearing

• Top by IZ Byer California - Kohl's
• Skirt by Lapis - thrifted
• Heels by Mootsies Tootsies Collection - thrifted
• Belt - Kohl's
• Sunglasses by Candies - Kohl's
• Earrings by Touchstone Crystal - gift
• Necklace - made by me
• Bracelet - hand-me-down

The sad news is, the bottom heel of one of my shoes broke off (and was lost) at a wedding I attended last weekend. (Fortunately, it was at the end of the day, although I walked around Whole Foods afterwards with a limp. ;) The good news is that summer is over and the shoes wouldn't be worn much more this year. And now that I am working part time as a supernanny ("Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!") I'll have more pennies to save, and can search for an awesome replacement pair next spring. :) 

Anyway, I hope everyone is falling for fall. I've got just one more week to be twenty-two before the clock strikes midnight and I turn into a pumpkin. (Who would have guessed that that's what happens to you on your twenty-third birthday?)

Have a lovely weekend...

-Amanda xo

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The Way We Were

Memories
Like the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories
Of the way we were


Scattered pictures
Of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were







There's less than a week left to summer, and already I'm feeling nostalgic. What was the best thing about your summer, or your favorite memory?

I'm off to a wedding tomorrow, but I'll be around with a more substantial post next week. I hope everyone is happy and feeling blessed.

-Amanda

P.S. Listen to Barbra croon this gorgeous song.

Image: Dustjacket Attic

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Hello September,

It's that time of year, when you start to think of yummy things like sweaters, silk scarves, and chai lattes. When you want just want to get outside and walk, soaking up the last of the summer sunshine. When you feel like doing something to become better educated, just from watching the college students dusting off their books, and the kids boarding the school bus down the street.

Mmm... I love fall, and especially September. The leaves start to turn color, and late afternoon drives with the sun shifting through the trees always reminds me of coming home from ballet class when I was little, sitting up on the front seat next to my my mom or dad, wearing a leotard. And then, there's my birthday, at the end of the month, which always used to take forever to arrive, and now comes upon me before I'm ready to accept it.

The change of seasons always brings about a heightened interest in fashion, and I find myself wanting to try new styles, go shopping, and experiment with color. This year is no exception, and though I've recently started up a part-time nanny/Mary Poppins job, I'm trying to keep a tight rein on my spending. So I just browse, get ideas, hit a thrift store, and then go home and makeover some of what I've got... cut old skirts up into scarves, alter tops, and shorten or embellish skirts and pants, depending on my fancy.

Dresses remain a new love of mine, starting (as I've mentioned before) with the inspiration that Kate Middleton has given us all. The two above are sweet, with mid-weight, muted fabrics so well suited to this "in-between" season. They can be worn alone, or warmed up with a sweater, jacket, or tights.

Speaking of tights, they go just lovely with heels, flats, or boots, and are especially pretty when patterned or striped. The two ensembles above, complete with dog, are pretty nearly perfect. Sweaters and skirts are a must (and so retro chic - did anyone else fall for the clothing in The Help? :), and what's more lovely than a double-breasted autumn coat? And hats, whether wide brimmed and confident, or small and demure, are a key accessory for any season, but doubly so as the days get chilly...

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What are some of your favorite things about fall, and what looks are you hoping to incorporate into your wardrobe? Please, share your favorites. :)

-Amanda

Images: Dustjacket Attic

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