Solstice Sunglasses Giveaway--Three $100 Winners!

Welcome to the Solstice Giveaway, presented by CouponTrade.com, Solsticesunglasses.com and Moms with Voices Media! 3 lucky winners will receive a $100 eGift Certificate for Solstice Sunglasses       CouponTrade.com is the newest location to save, because they offer both coupons AND discounted gift cards. Whats more? You can SELL your gift cards there too!   Solstice offers so many great styles and brands of sunglasses, you will have a hard time choosing how to spend your prize! Best of all, free shipping and returns!   Entry is simple, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!There are lots of chances to enter, so take your time and come back later if you want to. Contest ends 4/20/2012.

Free blogger sign-ups for Housewarming Dyson giveaway!

Mom to Bed by 8 is excited to present the Housewarming Dyson Event from June 1 to June 15. This is a free blogger event and accepting signups now.

Join the Housewarming Dyson Giveaway event today, grow your readership and offer one fantastic cleaning tool giveaway!

I know I would like one of these!

Dumbarton Oaks Part 2: A Tulip and Pansy Party and the Cloud Terrace

These colors are so vibrant and exciting! I love how the formal lines of the wall and fountain are contrasted by the party that's going on in the beds.

Next we all wondered, "What is that thing?" According to this Harvard publication,"Cloud Terrace, a new temporary installation by landscape artists Andy Cao (LF '11) and Xavier Perrot, recently opened at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. Clouds sculpted from chicken wire dangle 10,000 loaned Swarovski crystals creating the effect of gathered raindrops over the property's Arbor Terrace."

Chicken wire and Swarovsky crystals! Artists are so cool.

CouponTrade.com and The Ultimate Baby Shower present The Rainy Day Facebook Frenzy!

Fortunately we have had a few rainy days lately--its been a dry Spring! So what do I do when its too chilly and wet to be out gardening and and I'm done with avoiding Spring cleaning? Giveaways, of course!

You have literally HUNDREDS of chances to win $200 Paypal cash from CouponTrade.com and The Ultimate Baby Shower!   CouponTrade.com is the newest and the hottest way to save because now you can combine coupon savings with discounted gift cards for the same stores, plus sell all those unused gift cards and redeem whats yours, all in one place!!!   The Ultimate Baby Shower will offer MONTHLY diaper and Formula giveaways, as well as a seasonal NURSERY giveaway! That’s right- you can win the entire nursery, furniture, bedding, and all the baby gear you could need!  For this $200 prize, entry is so simple, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below! a Rafflecopter giveaway

When I Go Sightseeing...I Go See Gardens! Dumbarton Oaks in D.C. Part 1: Wisteria

My Husband's sister and her family generously hosted bbC and I in Washington D.C. last week. And they asked me where I wanted to go. Normally when such a decision has to be made I defer to, well, anyone else, so that I am not possibly responsible for people having a miserable time. But there was no one else to make a decision, it was all me! So I nervously suggested the things that I would most like to do--see gardens and the great outdoors! Don't get me wrong, the monuments are monumental and the museums of the Smithsonian Institute are outstanding, but they don't feed my soul like the beauty of a garden. I pointed out a few options from a guide book and my intrepid Navigator/Sister-In-Law planned our routes and transportation. I'm going to share pictures in installments because that way I can post more pictures without overwhelming anyone's daily garden-photo-quota (unless your quota is 0-3)

Dumbarton Oaks is a private historic garden located in Georgetown. Admission was $8 for adults and $5 for children. There was actually a group of about 15 people waiting for it to open, which made me feel confident that we were about to see a very fine garden, and it was indeed. Here are a few highlights--Part 1

Wisteria
 It climbed and draped flowers all over the place. Wisteria has a nice scent that in large quantities can be overpowering, like walking down the detergent isle. While it is very beautiful, do your research before planting. It is high maintenance!