a twitteriffic giveaway!
Since we specialize in making days brighter, we've started tweeting uplifting quotes and sharing our latest & greatest finds on Twitter. And if you don't follow that blue birdie yet, we also just added a catchingfireflies.com FAN Page on Facebook where we dole out loads of fun firefly facts such as… Did you know that you can't hum with your nose plugged? And can you believe a humming bird weighs less than a penny? So if you're looking for a little inspiration or enjoy quirky bits of knowledge that make you smile, come follow and fan us!
Mr. Twitter Bird is so cute, we put together a super tweet giveaway package that's ready to take flight featuring… a pendulum clock, birdie neckace, flip notes and bird clips. ($95.80 value!)
So how can you get these twitterific goodies for free?
There are 4 ways to enter – you can do 1,2,3 or all 4 to better your chances.
1. Become a FAN of catchingfireflies.com on Facebook (this is different than our friend page)
3. Comment at
the bottom of this post and tell us something that makes your day brighter. (no registration or sign-up required)
4. Spread the word about our giveaway on your Facebook page by clicking the Share on Facebook link below then send us a message via Facebook saying that you did.
We'll draw the lucky firefly fan's name on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 and post it on the blog.
Have fun, good luck and thanks for playing!
Don't want to miss out on future fantastic firefly giveaways? Be sure to stay in the loop by signing up here and we'll email our fun-filled blog posts to your inbox!
another successful mega march!
The sun may not have been shining, but our day was still filled with smiles because we raised over $1,300 for the Michigan Humane Society and had a grand time dog-watching (and walking) along the 2 mile loop in downtown Detroit. Thanks so-so much for all your donations. We hope you enjoy this virtual tour of the morning's events…
And we're off… sniffing & walking, sniffing & pulling, sniffing & sniffing
The small ones are always the most stylish…
However, the big ones still hold their own. These two handsome fellas were pooped out about a quarter mile into the jaunt so they just took a break and enjoyed the flood of oooohs & ahhhhhs from fellow dog lovers.
This year the route took us on the river walk and even though it was a bit breezy, it was still tempting to walk through the gurgling fountains.
After enjoying some tasty scraps from our lunch at Slo's BBQ, Gus settled in for a cozy afternoon nap.
Thanks again to everyone who walked and donated to the cause. Because of you, many well deserving dogs & cats will find loving homes and families.
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tour of artprize
Steve & I spent Saturday afternoon touring the wonderful world of ArtPrize in downtown Grand Rapids and highly recommend you make the trip to this fantastic temporary – truly public art museum.
There is something for everybody – from a pink room spackled in frosting, a sweet dream sequence video short, oodles of doodles and even giant photographs of painted ladies…
If memory serves me right, I believe that ribbon tree was from Grand Rapid Public Schools and each ribbon has names of students/teachers on it.
That balloon sculpture is in the top 10 and the artist, Jason Hackenwerth is from New York…Check out how they made it right on site and take a look at his awesome wearable creations in action.
Loved this concept and am tempted to create my own shelf of scent memories.
The blue bridge was full of lovely large works of art… including a giant table & chair set painted by the wonderful furniture company, Sticks.
I thought this wonder woman photo series was quite amusing and our friend's little girl, Sylvia favorite piece of art was this t-shirt tunnel. As you can tell by her blurriness – she loved running laps through it.
I'm really drawn to the imagery of the figures on the window.
I think it's funny how the monkey is in charge of the bronze colored live street performer statue.
This installation blew me away. As you can see, this block has been damaged by some curious hands – but it shows how fragile it is. I don't know how he transferred such a clear image entirely made out of powder… amazing. He should have landed in the top 10.
The top portrait is of Michael Jordan's mom – made entirely out of Michael's classic Air Jordan silhouette. And the one below it is made entirely from push pins! That one get's my vote for the top 10. I really admire how one can take such an ordinary object and create an amazing portrait. (you can see the model talking about the piece)
We ended the night with watching this…
And wish we were to there witness this…
So glad we got to be a part of this very first ArtPrize experience!
Like seeing some of my weekend adventures? Then sign up to receive these 'about town' blog posts in your email inbox HERE!
a dog’s unending loyalty
…just one of the many qualities I love about our four-legged friends. This story from CBS Sunday Morning will melt your heart.
off to artprize this saturday
It's pretty sweet such an interesting art competition is just 2 hours away in my home town of Grand Rapids.
Here is just a smattering of the 1,262 displays of art all around the city. That image of a gal above is made entirely out of wine corks. And yes, that is a giant table & chair set on top of a city bridge!
Here's a little bit about ArtPrize:
At ArtPrize, any artist—from established to emerging—has the chance
to show work. Any visitor can vote. The vote will determine who wins
the largest art prize in the world. We also took the unusual step to
allow people in the city to open a venue and choose the artists to show
in their space. There is not one official curator or jury for the
competition.
The number of venues is fluid, so the number of competing artists is fluid. The possibilities are wide open.
We can't predict what will happen, but it should be a lot of fun finding out.
Come and see.
- Top prize: $250,000
- Dates: September 23 – October 10
- Location: Grand Rapids, MI USA
- Winner is determined by public vote
- All attendees of the event can vote
- Top 10 entries will receive a prize
- Multiple artists can collaborate on an entry
- Artists may only submit one entry
- Property owners/renters in downtown Grand Rapids can become a venue
- Number of artists represented is only limited by number of venues that become available
I'll report back after my Saturday adventure!
Like seeing some of my weekend adventures? Then sign up to receive these 'about town' blog posts in your email inbox HERE!
the power of pink
To celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, catching fireflies is partnering with The Pink Fund, a local non-profit who provides financial aid to women & men with breast cancer.
This cause hits close to home since almost everyone on our catching fireflies team knows someone that has or has had breast cancer. We hope to make a difference by donating 20% of the proceeds of all our pink ribbon items to help other women & families in need.
Our catching fireflies team picked their favorite pink ribbon products in honor of women they know who have fought the battle of breast cancer…
My pink ribbon pick is for my friend Stacey. This book reminds us of the people who care for us and the strength needed daily to care for ourselves. It is the support of others and the courage within ourselves that gives us hope. This book is perfect for anyone who in someway has been touched by breast cancer, whether themselves or someone they love.
My pink ribbon pick is for my maternal grandmother. She is a breast cancer survivor.
My pink ribbon pick is for my Aunt Betty who had breast cancer and is a survivor.
My pink ribbon pick is for the breast cancer patients at the University of Michigan Medical Hospital. That is the word
that all Cancer patients hold on to while they try to cope with what
they have been dealt in life. I personally do not know of anyone who
has had breast cancer but I met a smiling, positive nurse on the Oncology floor at the University of Michigan who greeted all the patients while she, also, was receiving chemo. She was such an inspiration and radiated Hope to all.
My pink ribbon pick is in memory of my Mom, Donna.
My pink ribbon pick is for my friend Noelle's mother.
My pink ribbon
pick is in honor of Amy. Amy taught me what hope & positivity
is. She lived every moment of her life with passion, joy and kindness
— even when she was suffering the most. She never gave up hope and
her faith was awe-inspiring. She is remembered by many.
My pink ribbon pick is dedicated to my sister-in-law, Judith.
My pink ribbon pick is for my cousin Jessi who is only a few years older than me and is a survivor. I designed this frame to celebrate the survivors, give hope to those going through it and to remember the ones who will forever inspire us to find a cure.
I'm also proud to be donating over 25 of these frames to the top fund raising team leaders who are walking in the American Cancer Society's – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in Detroit Saturday, October 10, 2009.
We are excited about our partnership with The Pink Fund and working with the American Cancer Society. These are just a few of the ways we hope to make days brighter.
Like to learn about little ways you can make a difference in this world? Then sign up to receive these helpful blog posts in your email inbox… giving does a body good!
a hot sandwich in a second
When I saw this clever product offered by a company in the UK, I immediately inquired to see how we could land some in catching fireflies. I couldn't wait to try it out and it totally works! I kept my sandwich somewhat skinny with a few pieces of shaved turkey and a cheese slice. The toaster didn't completely melt the cheese, however it saved me from cleaning a pan and still delivered a tasty lunch- which is always a good thing in my book.
Another awesome kitchen must-have from the same company is this pizza mesh. I'm not a huge frozen pizza fan, however the sample guy at Costco lured me in to purchasing a Palmaro's thin crust pack and holy cow… after baking it on this – I am hooked! This mesh even makes day-old pizza taste better than it did the first time around. And it also works the same magic on frozen potato products —oh-so-tasty!
Like to see what our UPS man is bringing us every day? Then sign up to receive these colorful blog posts in your email inbox…. window shopping has never been so easy!
boobicon.me!
Since October is breast cancer awareness month, we feel there is no better time to feel you boobies with our oh-so-helpful boob lube! This sudsy liquid soap comes with non-threatening instructions to help a woman get to know her body, and
a checklist calendar to remind her to check every month, Boob Lube is
not only a fragrant soap that leaves skin silky smooth, but also an all
natural fun tool to help women everywhere fight breast cancer on the
home front.
If you want to spread the word, create your own boobican and remind everyone you know!
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yacht rock brought to you by catching fireflies
Even though we have over fifteen 8 hour playlists on our ipod for catching fireflies, our team still asks for fresh selections. So during my last itunes buying blitz, I decided to add a lovely mix of what affectionately has been dubbed ‘yacht rock’. Have yourself a listen and you too may be singing the sweet sounds of the 70’s…
Like re-discovering classic tunes to groove to? Simply subscribe to this blog and we’ll email you our latest and greatest music finds.
dressed up birthday brownies
Thanks to all of you who came out on Saturday to celebrate our 9th birthday! In addition to the sweet sale, we also passed out these sweet treats. Nothing dresses up a Costco brownie better than a squirt of whipped cream and a juicy raspberry – a super simple way to make an everyday snack look oh-so-fancy.
Like to whip up simple treats? We love finding & sharing easy-to-make sweet snacks. Don't miss out on our future finds… simply sign up to receive these blog posts in your email in box.
