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What say you to a mug of marvelously different joe?  What if we call it Henley instead?  Henley Von Roastingburg coffee is as unique as its name, and I’ve had quite a taste for it lately.  A micro-batch coffee roasting company, Henley Von Roastingburg offers a selection of beans that are roasted right before shipment.  My bag of Costa Rican SHB Villalobos came straight from roasting; it was evident as soon as I opened the delivery box.  That wonderful aroma snagged me by the nostrils like a bull by its nose ring and I knew I’d had it – nothing could be done but to have a coffee fix right away.  

And a fix it is!  I love unique coffees with multiple layers of flavors and aromas.  I don’t review boring coffee.  In fact, I prefer to ruin boring coffee forever for every guest entering my house.  Preparing a labor-intensive cappuccino with the Villalobos beans and serving it to overnight guests as part of their breakfast was so much fun because I knew they’d arrive home to a plastic bucket of coffee that was roasted and ground months before it even hit the store shelves.  The Villalobos bean we enjoyed has a caramelly, spicey flavor that tastes and smells exotic.  If you allow it to linger on the palate, you’ll find much more there to love.  I enjoyed watching my guests’ eyes roll back in their heads.  They loved it, burying their noses in their mugs, smacking, swirling – we looked like an early morning group of professional wine tasters.  

I had my mug of Henley Von Roastingburg this morning; if you’d like to try some, I’m sorry to say I won’t be inviting you to breakfast at my house.  But you can enter here to win your own bag.  Then when I’m out, I’ll be visiting you for a cup of Henley!

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just visit this most creative Henley Von Roastingburg website and tell me what about their site most makes you want your own bag.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, April 13, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for More Giveaways

What could be better than making your morning brighter?  How about making the world brighter too? If you  need a cup of joe befitting of starting your day with a smile,  Higher Grounds Trading Company provides not only quality organic coffees for true coffee lovers, but they also provide a host of benefits for the farmers and communities responsible for the beans.

I’m learning that there’s nothing better than shade grown organic coffee.  Higher Grounds receives their beans from small shady coffee plantations around the globe; each location is assured a fair wage.  In return, the plantations produce amazing shade grown organic beans which are sent to Higher Grounds and roasted to order in small batches.  My pound of Justice Blend arrived on my doorstep a mere two days after its roasting.  What a difference this makes!  The Justice Blend is a light roast that produces a full bodied coffee.  Opening the bag for the first time was a delightful experience my nose will not soon forget.  A blend of Colombian and Ethiopian beans, Justice Blend produced a marvelous cup of coffee that offered much more flavor than I had even expected.  I was surprised to note the soft floral notes mentioned on the bag do indeed exist, making for a very enjoyable breakfast coffee.  Full of flavor, roasted to order, and serving a good cause, Higher Grounds gives the serious coffee drinker something to crow about – even in the wee hours of morning.

Want to try Higher Grounds for yourself?  They’re giving away a pound of their fresh roasted beans to one carp(e) libris readers.  

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just visit the Higher Grounds Trading Company website and tell me what you liked or learned there.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, March 19, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for More Giveaways

A journal must be inspiring in many ways.  If you have an old notebook, it won’t beckon, can never become a proper muse.  But with a proper journal sitting within sight, you feel compelled to write.  The more you write, the better you become – not only as a writer but as a person.  Figments Studio has a way of inspiring the writer within.  I have had the pleasure of getting to know a handcrafted journal from Figments Studio, and I can tell we’ll be longtime friends.

This particular journal is from their Large Frame collection.  As with all the journals, it is crafted to appear like an old leather book, timeworn and cherished.  Designer Jill Marie Crvich has been inspired by medieval books and Grimm’s Fairy Tales.  Each design was originally hand sculpted, then resin cast.  The covers have been hand painted and the pages are a wonderful natural tan acid-free recycled paper; the pages are gilded, the care in each detail apparent.  

I was immediately impressed with the detail that went into the packaging.  If you’re looking for a grad gift or something really special to give someone, you must take a moment to visit Figments Studio.  The box in which the journal is presented is one you’ll definitely keep.  Beautiful tissue, wax seals, ribbons – the works.  Even the address label on my package was in calligraphy.  It’s an inspiring journal from start to finish.

Hark! I believe a giveaway approacheth!  Dare I think it?  Yes, so it is – a Once Upon a Time Journal Gift Set ($99.95 retail) from the land of Figments Studio.  And what doth it contain?  One journal in a beautiful gift box, a pen box, an inkwell penholder, a classic feather pen, and even some vintage photo corners.  Woudst thou care to winneth it?  Perchance to dream….  (Flourish a sword here if you have one.)

Multiple Options for Entry:

1.) Just visit Figments Studio and tell me what item strikes your fancy.  (You may enter once a day.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for More Giveaways

This Giveaway is Closed – Thank You!

Whether you’re a book lover, a music lover, or both, chances are you like to indulge in your appreciation of either with a hot cup of your favorite coffee or tea by your side.  I prefer having a favorite mug to fill; something that’s mine and mine alone.  For years now I’ve used the same old tired yellow mug that sports a faded cartoon of the Chicago skyline.  I overpaid for it in the Hancock Tower gift shop, and although it represents a very pleasant day, it was time to replace it with something not so worn.  Mug Heaven has such a large selection of handmade ceramic mugs that choosing one to replace my old standby was an enjoyably difficult task.  Animal mugs, personalized mugs, beautifully glazed pottery pieces that looked more like art – and that’s where I stopped.

See the photo above?  It’s the mug I chose, my new sidekick while I blog, read, listen to music.  It’s sitting next to me right now, filled with my favorite cappuccino.  A beautiful piece which came wrapped with extreme care, so it looked simply brilliant when I received it.  There’s something about a good mug that makes drinking coffee and tea seem more satisfying, like a little indulgence in the midst of my usually busy day.  If you’ve ever used a good pottery mug, you probably noticed its tendency to hold onto the heat a little more than the average mass-produced, thin walled piece.  That and, darn, cappuccino just looks better surrounded by a mug called “Golden Toffee and Raspberry“.  

This is where it gets fun:  Mug Heaven is giving away a mug to one carp(e) libris reviews reader.  The winner gets to select the perfect mug to fit their personality; up to a $20 selection! 

Rules for Entry:

1.) Just visit Mug Heaven and tell me what mug fits your personality and why.  (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Monday, March 2, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for Giveaways & Coupon Codes

Numi Teas have quickly become one of my favorites.  Organic and smooth, fair trade and fresh.  The varieties are endless, and one of their new additions to the Numi Tea family is Puerh tea.  Puerh has a unique history behind it, one that adds to the enjoyment of drinking in its smooth flavor.  Numi tells the story of Puerh:

 

Puerh’s ancient history, filled with secrecy and mystery, dates back before the Han Dynasty to over 2000 years ago. During that time, tea was transported by mule and horse caravans along five main routes known as the ‘Tea Horse Roads’. The first and most traveled road started in the village of Pu Erh (pronounced ‘pu-err’), in the high mountains of the Yunnan Province, China’s most Southwest region near the border of Laos and Vietnam.

Merchants on the trading roads compressed tea for easier travel and to maximize their load. These long journeys from western to eastern China (the size of the U.S.) led to a mysterious but extraordinary process. To the tea traders’ surprise, the tea tasted better at journey’s end then the beginning and yielded additional health benefits. It is said the Last Emperor’s mother, known as the ‘Beautiful Countenance’, was cured of her gout from drinking this amazing tea named Puerh.

The secrets of processing Puerh have been guarded for generations and still remain a treasured tradition. Although all teas come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, Puerh is made from a different variety that grows on wild, old, tea trees or bushes, known as ‘broad leaf’, found in the cool, crisp, pristine Yunnan Mountains. Numi obtains its Puerh tea leaves from rare 200-500 year-old wild-harvested tea tree varieties, not the pruned bushes that are 40-50 years.

 

Although Numi’s Puerh tea won’t travel to you via mule mail, they do provide wonderful Puerh teas in a few different flavors:  Emperor’s Puerh (black tea); Mint Puerh; Chocolate Puerh; and today’s giveaway, Magnolia Puerh.  The Magnolia Puerh is an organic green tea blend with a hint of magnolia.  Between my husband and myself, we managed to drink a box in a matter of a few weeks!  It’s mellow and smooth, no bitterness as I’ve found the case to be with Numi, and wonderfully uplifting without the jitters.  This quickly became a preferred green tea here at the house.

Now it’s time to enter to win your own box.  Numi is giving away one box of Magnolia Puerh tea to a carp(e) libris reviews reader.  Enjoy!

Rules for Entry:

1.) Just visit the Numi Tea site and tell me what you liked or learned there.  (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for Giveaways & Coupon Codes

Katharina, it’s time to start journaling again – you won! Look for the winning email and respond right away to claim your prize.

Journaling has been an important part of my daily life for many years, and while I have written in less-than-impressive journals, tablets, and even hotel notepads when in a pinch, there is nothing like being able to write my thoughts in a journal that inspires me to write every time I look at it.  As my writing becomes more important to me, so does my choice of journal.  I have recently started keeping my everyday writings in an Italian Leather Travel Journal from JournalShelf, and I’ve found writing in it to be completely enjoyable.

This JournalShelf journal is actually designed for travel with its belted cover and practical 4 x 5.5-inch size, but I’ve found it’s also perfect for everyday use.  I have never really taken to using the large desk sized journals because I so rarely write while sitting at a desk or table.  Most times it’s a lap thing.  A big bulky tome just won’t do.  Add to the convenient size the fine Italian leather craftsmanship with hand tooling, the warm scent of smooth quality leather, and 240 wonderful hand-cut Amalfi paper pages in an easy-on-the-eyes cream color, and the journal is a writer’s dream.  This would make a fantastic gift for the writer or writer-to-be.  Mine came wrapped beautifully in fine paper making the experience one of quality from the get-go.

JournalShelf is generously giving away one Italian Leather Travel Journal to a carp(e) libris reviews reader.  

Rules for Entry:

1.) Just visit the JournalShelf site and tell me what other item appeals to you.  (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, February 15, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

Click Here for Giveaways & Coupon Codes

Got a Giveaway?  Add it Here!

What’s better in blustery January than snuggling in with a good book and a favorite throw?  Land’s End sells a wonderfully warm Combed Cotton Cable Knit Throw, perfect for long, luxurious Sunday afternoons with your favorite novel.  I’ve been enjoying a Land’s End throw myself, and I’ve found the knit to be warm, comfortably stretchy, and long enough for coccooning myself with the latest book up for review.  At 6 feet long, there’s plenty of room to wrap up or share, and 100% cotton means durability and easy cleaning.  Very important for me since some of my book time includes a certain not-so-tidy toddler!

In Honor of the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival, Lands’ End is generously giving one of you a Cable Knit Throw in white so you can spend the rest of the winter days warm and toasty! This one is white, so it will easily match anyone’s favorite reading nook.

1.) Just visit Lands’ End and tell me something you liked or learned there. (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four to gain several entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, February 1, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

For us readerly types, tea seems to be the perfect addition to a great book.  Red Leaf Tea recently gave away some of their wonderful African Summer tea here at carp(e) libris reviews, and they enjoyed your response to their teas. Today they’d love to give away some more!  Your input means a lot to them – for that reason, this time there will be two winners.  Red Leaf Tea wants your ideas and suggestions for improving their online store.  As usual, a winner will be selected randomly, but Red Leaf Tea will select the best suggestion as the second winner.  Both winners will receive any tea of their choice, up to a $15 value.

Also for carp(e) libris reviews readers, Red Leaf Tea is offering us all a 20% off coupon code for the first 10 people who use this coupon code: carp(e)libris.  

Ready to enter?

1.) Just visit Red Leaf Tea and come back here to comment on any ideas or suggestions you may have for the Red Leaf Tea people.  They want to hear from you! (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the left. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four, plus enter once a day! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, January 8, 2009, to enter.

Check out all current giveaways for both my blogs here.

It’s been snowing here for days.  For weeks.  Since before Thanksgiving, much of the Northeast has been under a thick blanket of snow that is burying my driveway, making the neighborhood chainlink fences slowly disappear.  The kids on our block are all so bundled up that, when I can see them around the snowdrifts, I can no longer tell who’s who.  And although we’re in the midst of the holiday season, I could use a little warmth and sunshine.  Perhaps an African Summer.  As it turns out, the mug just to my left is filled with a steaming brew of African Summer tea from Red Leaf Tea.  It may taste of summer, brimming with honeybush, lemongrass, and flowers like hibiscus and marigold, but I’m also enjoying a much-needed immune system boost from these very herbs.  Rose hips, safflower, lemon myrtle, and eucalyptus are also in the mix, making this loose leaf tea blend not only pleasing to the palate, but to the eye as well.  

I’ve been enjoying my African Summer tea with honey, a beautiful German linden flower honey, which has been a perfect complement.  And since the tea naturally caffeine free, I’ve been able to curl up in the evenings with a good book and a mug of tea, followed by a good night’s sleep – just the thing when it’s snowing and blowing outside.  If it ever does thaw out, which is hard to imagine right now, African Summer would make a lovely sun tea.  But in the meantime, I’ll be drinking it hot, envisioning the heat of the Sahara Dessert, wondering if Hemmingway ever drank the same.

Enter to win your own 3.2 oz. size African Summer tea:

1.) Just visit Red Leaf Tea.  Then come back here and tell me something you liked or learned there; or perhaps you have a suggestion or idea for the company.  They’d love to hear what you have to say! (You may enter once a day – following entries don’t require you to answer the question.) Remember, leave an interesting comment.  If I cannot contact the winner, you might be chosen instead based on your comment.

2.) Email subscribers get an extra entry for as long as their subscription is active.

     Already a subscriber?  Leave me a separate comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in this giveaway.

     Want to subscribe?  Just enter your email address in the “Subscribe” box on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you do not receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post.  Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post. (If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t worry – I may have to approve it first.  My blog might think it’s spam but gosh darn, I certainly don’t!)

4.) I’m feeling Twittery.  If you Twitter a link to this giveaway, come back and comment here to let me know your Twitter name for another entry! (I’m dkmommy if you want to follow me.)

Feel free to do all four, plus enter once a day, and you can gain up to 10 entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Saturday, December 27, 2008, to enter.