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Archive for September, 2011 | |||||
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Today we introduce the final sponsor for our Navratri Giveaway: Taara Jewelry. Taara comes from the Sanskrit word for “star’ – a befitting name for a sparkling jewelry collection! Started by Megha Jain in Hong Kong, Taara Jewelry has been featured in international fashion shows, InStyle Magazine and all over the world from Japan to New York City. Modelled after opulent Mughal jewelry, each piece is designed to be worn as a statement piece. The stones are sourced from the bejewelled cities of Jaipur and Udaipur and set in silver with an antique finish. Taara will be giving away a a handpicked Princess Necklace + Earrings Set so ENTER HERE for your chance to win. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?)
WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Thursday, October 6th – so make sure to enter before then! More from Taara: Red carnelian necklace:
Gold bracelet with rubies, peridot and amethyst:
Crystal ring with garnet stone:
A collection of rings:
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Books are gold and Barefoot Books is one our favorite publishers of children’s books. Their books are conscientious, cultural, fun and simply beautiful additions to any library. That’s why we were extremely pleased when they agreed to be one of our sponsors for our Navratri Giveaway. Browsing through their site will leave you wanting to add every title to your shopping cart. But alas! Understood - this is not financially possible. To get started on your Barefoot Books journey, ENTER HERE to win 3 books: 2 books handpicked by us (Elephant Dance and The Seven Wise Princesses) and 1 book completely of your choice. Make sure to join their Facebook Page. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Monday, October 3rd – so make sure to enter before then! Here are some of our Barefoot Books favorites – all of which we’ve personally read: 1. Indian Tales: A Barefoot Collection: A superb collection of stories for the over-4 set – features tales from different parts of India (Hanuman’s Adventures from Kerala, Bopuluchi from Punjab, Drummer Boy from Gujarat…) and also a 1-page summary about that state. Folksy illustrations and a fun, educational presentation.
2. Elephant Dance: A Journey to India: Ravi and Anjali welcome their Indian Grandfather – who describes India through poetic analogies: the tiger sun, a rainbow of silk sarees, Himalaya mountains capped with ice-cream snow and streets and festivals teeming with flowers and fanfare. A true gem for any Indian family.
3. The Seven Wise Princeses: A Medieval Persian Epic: Sufi poetry for kids! Though recommended for Grades 4 and up, this book is so well written, parents can paraphrase and present in small parts to younger children. Based on on 12th-century Persian poet Nizami’s epic poem Haft Paykar, 7 princesses tell their tales to a Shah, through which we learn about 7 virtues: truth, patience, perseverance, forgiveness, humility, wisdom, and love.
4. The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales: Earth stories from around the world. Folk tales from Bali, Australia, India, Nigeria, the American Southwest, Wales and Kazakhstan relate eco-consciousness and encourage children to respect Planet Earth. This book even goes a step further and includes a craft idea for each story.
5. The Story of Divaali: Not so much about Diwali – but it is a colorful and well-illustrated version of The Ramayana. Suitable for 1st-graders and up. And yes, there is a happy ending!
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Be the best mom on the block this Halloween: treat your tricksters to wholesome, yummy candy. Natural Candy Store offers the largest selection of natural and organic candy (and vegetarian – check out their gelatin-free selection!) available anywhere. Their tag line is “All the fun stuff without the funny stuff.” As in candy without any artificial colors, dyes, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives – only the natural good stuff. Natural Candy Store will be giving away a $50 Gift Certificate as part of our Navratri Giveaway. A great way to get started for Diwali and Halloween. ENTER HERE for your chance to win. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Friday, September 30th – so make sure to enter before then! Overwhelmed by all the sweetness? Check out some of our favorite picks:
2. Watermelon Butterfly Lollipops
3. Bug Bites Organic Milk Chocolate Squares (each square comes with an educational insect trading card – great for Halloween!)
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Want to give your kids a global advantace? Homa Sabet Tavanger has ideas for you. She’s been interviewed on BBC World Service and on NBC News Education Nation on the important topic of instilling a global perspective in children. Her book Growing Up Global Whether at home, the grocery store or at a playdate, Homa presents, simple ideas and exercises to expose your children to cultures around the world – without having to hop on a plane. Growing Up Global is an essential book for parents who seek to broaden their kids’ perspective and to increase their tolerance of others. Growing Up Global is giving away a copy of the book, personally signed by the author, as part of our Navratri Giveaway. Winner will also receive the World Sings Goodnight (Volume 1) CD – a wonderful collection of lullabies from all over the world, sung in native languages (see our World Lullabies Blog Post). ENTER HERE for your chance to win. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Thursday, September 29th – so make sure to enter before then! | |||||
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They’ve been featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s uber-stylish GOOP Newsletter and on NBC News. Featuring simple, beautiful hand-sewn dresses and garments, Chakra Design Studio uses 100% cotton fabrics colored with fabric dyes derived from plants and minerals. And these are clothes with a purpose: fabrics are hand block printed following traditional techniques of Kalamkari. Historically, these ancient Kalamkari textiles were used as currency in the Spice Trade, and were treated as luxury items in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. (You can learn more about this ancient technique here). Chakra’s aim is to revive this ancient art and to support local artisans who practice this craft. Chakra will be giving away one of their gorgeous Nissa Dresses (from their soon-to-be-unveiled Fall 2001 Collection) as part of our Navratri Giveaway.
ENTER HERE for your chance to win. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Sunday, October 2nd – so make sure to enter before then! And here are a few of our favorites from their Spring/Summer 2011 Collection.
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Ordered your Diwali cards yet? Maybe you send cute pictures of your family and kids every year to your near and dear. Or if you don’t – start a new tradition this year: mailing (and receiving!) cards the old fashioned way adds to the festive holiday excitement! Tiny Prints is giving away a fabulous package of 100 Diwali Cards PLUS 100 Address Labels as part of our Navratri Giveaway – over$200 in value! ENTER HERE for your chance to win. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Tuesday, October 4th – so make sure to enter before then! Here is a sampling of cards from their Diwali Collection. They have many more fun and modern styles – check them out here. You can also see their Address Label Collection here.
Tiny Prints also carries additional holiday cards of course. So if you’re planning ahead, you can see their cards here. | |||||
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Click, Print and Party! If you vie to put on a perfectly-coordinated party, but don’t have the budget to hire a personal party planner, then check-out Bird’s Party – our next Sponsor of our Navratri Giveaway. Bird’s Party offers print-it-yourself party supplies – where you can print everything from invitations, cupcake toppers and wrappers, bunting, napkin rings, buffet labels, signs and anything else you can think of – right on your home computer and as many times as you want! Browse their inspiration gallery, peruse the themes in the shoppe and read about the Bird’s Party Magazine. Bird also runs a blog and features DIY party and craft tutorials. Bird’s designs have appeared in homes all around the world! ENTER HERE to win a $50 Gift Certificate. This Giveaway is open to fans worldwide. AND make sure to join their Facebook Page. (or if you don’t have a Facebook account, Email us at blog{at}gnaana{dot}com and tell us: Who is your female role model?) WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Saturday, October 1st – so make sure to enter before then! Here are few of our favorite themes – can you imagine putting on a party without printable fun? Bollywood Bling (and more pictures here) – perfect for Diwali:
Tweet Baby Shower (and more pictures here):
Nautical Party (and more pictures here):
Honey Bee (and more pictures here):
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Blackberry Mascara? Shimmery White Peach Lip Gloss? Sound yummy? What if these cosmetics are made with fruit pigments from actual blackberries and organic peaches? Even better – ya? Oh, AND what if you knew these items are made with 100% all natural ingredients – as in NO synthetic chemicals, preservatives or fragrances – only food grade ingredients teeming with antioxidants? Today we introduce to you the second of our Navratri Giveaway Sponsors: 100% Pure – developers of 100% natural, 100% vegetarian skin care, hair care and cosmetics. Developed based on research that up to 60% of topical skincare products are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, their aim was to eliminate the toxic chemicals in mainstream cosmetic products – that have been proven to cause cancer, tumors, irritation and skin disorders. They carry the first and only cosmetics colored with antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetable pigments (patent pending). After sifting through the products on their website – and reading the list of ingredients for each product – you will most likely want to trash your current skincare inventory. In case you do, we list below 9 of our favorite 100% Pure picks. 100% Pure is giving away a package of 2 products from their Fruit Pigmented Line: Blackberry Mascara and Tahiti Satin Eye Shadow. So ENTER for your chance to win. 1. Fruit Pigmented Blackberry Mascara (WIN this product: ENTER our Navratri Giveaway)!
How often do you get excited about what’s in a mascara tube? This one contains Organic Green Tea, Honey Beeswax, Wheat Protein, Seaweed Powder, Rice Powdr and of course pigments of Blackberry. Water and smudge resistant. 2. Fruit Pigmented Tahiti Satin Eye Shadow (WIN this product: ENTER our Navratri Giveaway)!
An island-inspired creamy shadow to make your eyes sparkle – leaves your eyelids soft, moistured and nourished with vitamins and antioxidants. Made with Avocado Butter, Pigments of Peach, Apricot, and extracts of Goji Berry, Acai Berry, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Lavender, Tahitian Noni, and Japanese Honeysuckle. 3. Kids Yummy Ice Cream Strawberry Gift Set
Bath-Time combined with Dessert-Time! Certified organic 2-in-1 Body Wash and Shampoo, Bubble Bath and Body Cream. 100% yummy! 4. Honey Almond Milk Shower Gel More than a pretty bottle – packed with skin nourishing honey, vitamins, antioxidants and skin brightening fruits. Contains Organic Almond Milk, and Organic White Tea, Calendula and Jasmine. 5. Organic Pomegranate Nourishing Body Cream Something you leave on your skin all day SHOULD be 100% natural. Contains Organic Aloe Juice, Organic Avocado Butter, Organic Shea Butter, Organic White Tea and Organic Lavender, Pomegranate Seed Oil and Japanese Honeysuckle Extract. 6. Skin Brightening Facial Cleanser
This 100% Pure formula gets its brightening effect from all natural, gentle ingredients like Bearberry, Kojic Acid, Sake, Fruit Acids, Licorice, Vitamin C, Lemon Juice and Strawberries. Washes away makeup, hydrates and soothes. 7. Super Fruits Reparative Cream
Think about all those vitamins for your skin! This is a highly nourishing facial cream with high doses of vitamins, antioxidants and skin beneficial nutrients that reduce fine lines and wrinkles and increase skin firmness and glow. 8. Shimmery White Peach Lip Gloss
Lip gloss you can actually eat! 100% natural, vegetarian and gluten-free – this gloss is made with 83% Vitamin E from organic rice bran and fruit pigments that moisten and deeply soften.
Who couldn’t use a good tinted moisturizer? This one is made with pigments of Peach, Apricot, Cocoa Bean and Goji Berry and also contains Oregano, Thyme and Japanese Honeysuckle. Comes in 7 shades and the SPF 20 protects your skin against UVA and UVB rays. ENTER HERE WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Wednesday, September 28th – so make sure to enter before then! | |||||
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First things first: You need something to wear, right? Today we introduce to you our first Navratri Giveaway Sponser: Borrow It Bindaas!
Their tagline is “Like – Borrow – Return” and they offer a curated selection of stunning designer sarees, suits, jewelry and accessories that you can either buy or borrow. If you covet a show-stopping outfit for every party, festival or wedding on your agenda – but you don’t want to plunk down serious cash each time – Borrow It Bindaas gives you a great solution!
Each saree rental comes with everything you need - 2 blouses (so you can pick and choose), petticoat and even matching bindis and safety pins. You can also add-on coordinating jewelry. After you’re finished, you simply place everything in their pre-paid mailer. For more information see their How It Works page.
Borrow It Bindaas is offering a $100 Gift Certificate towards a purchase or rental in their boutique – so here’s your chance to try them out! ENTER HERE WINNER for this prize will be announced at midnight EST on Wednesday, October 5th – so make sure to enter before then!
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Getting in a festive mood? We are! And we want you to join in the fun with us! Celebrate Womanhood! Navratri is perhaps the world’s biggest and grandest celebration of womanhood. For 9 nights, Hindus around the world pay tribute to the stength, success and intelligence of womankind. This year, Navratri starts next Wednesday, September 28th and runs for 9 nights – ending with Vijaydasami on October 6th. Join us for a very special Blog Festival. Over the next week, we’ll be introducing each of our 9 sponsors – each with a fantastic prize. Then, starting on September 28th, we’ll be announcing a winner each midnight EST through October 6th. 9 nights – 9 fabulous prizes! From clothing and jewelry to stationery, party supplies, candy and makeup – we have something for every woman (and girl) in your life! Some sponsors are willing to ship worldwide – so wherever you live – make sure to enter! Here’s how to ENTER: I. Enter on Gnaana’s Facebook Page OR: May the odds be with you – Let the Festival Season BEGIN!!! Contest runs from now until midnight EST on October 6th. Winners will be selected via a random drawing of all entrants for each of the 9 prizes. Some contests restricted to US residents. |
has received rave reviews from newspapers across the country, was named “Best New Parenting Book” by Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine and was chosen as one of the “20 Best Education Books of the Decade” by Jacksonville Public Education Examiner.
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