A big thank you and an update

Today, we hit 200 followers. A massive thank you to everyone! To everyone who stopped by, wondering what a Brown Couch had to do with an event, and what was an online event anyway? To everyone who entered one of our giveaways, or read a review, or clicked an ad. Boy, we just love you guys. I'm getting emotional about it all.

We're convinced that this online event thing has potential, and we plan on riding that potential like a colt that needs to be broken in. And we want you to come along for the ride. Win prizes, interact with people, win more prizes, play the games we put up. We're thrilled to have you and we hope you'll stop by.

Now, we need to update you all on the Chaotic Kristy Baby Shower: you probably haven't seen too many posts to do with the baby shower, aside perhaps from our awesome Radio Flyer giveaway and a couple others. And, there's a good reason for that...and when someone finds out what it is could they please let us know? No, I'm just kidding.

The thing is, because we had to extend the Back to School Thingy (it proved to be more popular than we thought) everything else, meaning the baby shower, got backed up. So, YES the Chaotic Kristy Baby Shower is still on - but it's being extended. We'll let you know when the new end date is.

And lastly, we are overhauling the site. We're trashing this design and going with something better - something slick and purposeful and functional. If you have any ideas for the site - anything you hate that you wish were there/not there, anything you can think of to make this a more enjoyable experience for you, then leave a comment or, e-mail us.

Because after all, this is your site too.

Winners

Weeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllll then.

Brown Couch Events has just drawn 16 winners for the Back to School thingy. And, with about 30,000 more to come we look a bit like this ->>>>>>

Or, we will soon.

But it's what we do and we love it. Give, give, give, that's our motto. Well, maybe it's not, but it could be.

There are still loads of current giveaways for the Back to School Thingy and more coming. And, now that the Chaotic Kristy Baby Shower has arrived, there's yet more to win!

Stop by daily and enter! And, if you have any questions or remarks, e-mail us. We're super friendly!

A quick word about the links above...

With the Back to School Thingy not only in full swing, but also extended, we've gained some valuable experience from running this whole blog thing.

One thing we have discovered is that it's a crud load of work quite difficult to maintain the landing page the way we have been doing it for the Back to School Thingy.

In fact, while I (Mr Couch) initially thought the idea of the landing page was pretty cool, it in fact doubled our workload.

So instead of maintaining a landing page for the Chaotic Kristy Baby Shower, we've stuck those links up there, giving you all quick and easy access to the stuff happening in the baby shower. We hope this is easy for you guys (one fewer click) and helps you enjoy the event a whole lot more!

Please be aware though, the "win stuff" "reviews" and "discount" links direct to the main page, since the event hassn't begun yet!

Please feel free to leave a comment or contact us, to let us know what you think. We love hearing from you!

Good To Be You Discount

Liliputians Discount

You're looking for cute, fun, unique, happy, interesting, different clothes for your little ones...of course you are!

Try Liliputians... makers of little girls' and boys' clothes - designs you won't find anywhere else!

And, until September 30 2009, use code BTST09 for 15% off!

Andrea's Beau Discount

Please note: discount is valid until 27 September, 2009. Don't forget to check out the Andrea's Beau giveaway!

Kaskey Kids' Discount

Put your child at the ten yard line this back to school season!

Kaskey Kids, with their amazing collection of fun, imagination-inspiring toys for boys and girls, are helping us to make sending your kids back to school, just a little bit easier.

Kaskey Kids produce a range of life-like miniature sports figures: from actual College football teams, to soccer, baseball and even hockey figures! Their collections come with playing surfaces and goals!

Take advantage of these neat toys for your child today by using code GoGuys for a 10% discount, until September 27!

Boxy Design Giveaway!

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Congratulations to the Thrifty Divas and Laurie C for winning!

Boxy Design recently sent us some of their product to review, and I was astonished at the quality.

As a man who was once a boy, who used to use and abuse his lunch boxes on a daily basis at school, I was thoroughly unprepared and even a little intimidated by the product. I'm actually not sure these lunch boxes, drink bottles and backpacks could be damaged, let alone destroyed.

I mean, it's always a good sign when your kids can sit on the same thing they store their lunch in and still bring it home in one piece.

But it's not just the durability of Boxy Design's products that should have you clicking their link with the speed of an ant under a magnifying glass on a sunny day. Boxy Design has specifically designed their products to be efficient: have a look at the image below.

Boxy Design's backpack has loads of compartments, including one at the bottom (pictured) which is insulated. Boxy Design sells a high quality freezer Gel Pack which slides in underneath, ingeniously keeping your son or daughter's food cool.

Their lunch box also is compartmentalised using smaller containers, making it possible for you to keep their various snacks separate and in some kind of discernible order. Together with Boxy Design's sturdy and stylish drink bottle, you're entirely covered when it comes to equipping your child for a healthy, nutritious school day!



Boxy Design is so confident in the quality of their product, that they're giving away two AUD$50 gift certificates!



All you have to do, is tell us what you would pack for lunch for yourself. The first person commenting must choose something beginning with A, the second person must choose something starting with B, and so on. So, look at the comments, and see which letter is next!

The craziest two comments win! If you want an idea how crazy, we left the first comment to give you an idea...

If there are more than twenty six comments, just go back to A again!

• Open worldwide
• Competition closes September 27, 2009
• One entry per person, please!

Visit Boxy design's website!

I mean, if you have to go back to school..........

Seventh.Ink Discount

So, you've seen our Seventh.Ink giveaway. Now, marvel in wonder and delight...feel the awesomeness and tremble at the benevolent nerve of Seventh.Ink to offer a 10% discount on their tragically cool men's and women's apparel and accessories: just use code BackToSchool10.

BuiltNY Review

Chic, urban, with class. That just about sums up BuiltNY's product line. Totes for someone looking for substance to go with the style, BuiltNY makes product with flair, to carry just about anything you need carried. Let's find out what Katie thought of the Tasty Lunch Tote...

I liked the Tasty Lunch Tote by BUILT very much, especially the fun colors and prints. It is very unique in it's design in that it is made out of wetsuit material, or Neoprene. Because of this, the lunch tote is lightweight, almost indestructible, and extremely easy to clean.

I was a little disappointed in that it did not keep my lunch as cold as I thought it would. I had to add a couple more ice packs to achieve my desired coldness (which was not a big deal) but that limited the space I had to pack a lunch. I did not try it with hot foods, so maybe that would work better?

One thing that I wish the lunch tote came with is a removable shoulder strap. I had seen on the BUILT website that they do carry a lunch tote with a strap, but I think they would benefit if they put a removable shoulder strap on all of their lunch totes. It just makes it easier to carry, especially for kids who already have a backpack to carry (and for Mom's who don't want their kids stuffing and squishing the lunch in their backpack).

Overall, it is a funky and hip lunch tote. Love the bright colors and designs. It would work great as a kids lunch tote because of it's durability and how easy it cleans up!

isABelt Giveaway

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Congratulations to Mtlgrl4evr, Sarah and Jennifer for winning!

So, you want to keep those jeans/pants/shorts up, without using a big ol' clunky belt? So, you want something fun, stylish and subtle?

Of course you do. You know you do!

It's a good thing isABelt is here to help you out, because no girl (or woman!) can really afford to be without one of these little gems. Available in sizes to suit all women, iaABelt is the perfect fashion accessory for your daughter as she goes back to school, or even for yourself!

Have a look-see at the video above, to find out how easy IsABelt is to adjust, and wear. Simply expand or constrict by pulling, test, and slip through!

And, isABelt has a range to suit everyone. Whether it's a unisex isABelt wide for added support, isABelt+ for plus size women or even isAStrips, to keep your isABelt in place when you have no belt loops, these guys have got you covered. Literally.

Now, isABelt are a generous bunch. They know their product is functional, stylish and indispensable (unless you like your jeans hanging off your butt like one of those girls in a 50 Cent music video), and so, they're going to help you out. Or rather, help you help your daughter out.



isABelt is giving away one of all four styles of their isABeltJR, an isABelt just for girls! They fit girls size 6x-14 or womens size 0-8. Check out the image above, to see what the styles look like. There's "Delicious", "Fruity", "Peace" and "Skull" styles!



Check out the 4Square game below. You need to create as many words as you can, of any length, from those letters. But, the letters have to touch each other, either horizontally, diagonally or vertically. So, in the example below, we could put L-A-M-P together because they touch.

When you think you have as many as you can get, post a comment with the number of words you got (yes, we will ask to see your list!) If you later, see that someone else posted a comment with more than you got, you can try again and post a second comment if you come up with more words. You get to post as many attempts as you like!

Winner number one gets their choice of two isABeltJRs! Winner two gets the next choice and winner three the remaining style.

Where there is more than one person with the number of words (ie tied for first or tied for second etc), a random draw will be held.

• Remember, only post the number of words you came up with, don't post your list in the commentst!!
• Open to US and Canadian residents only, please
• Competition closes 27 September, 2009

Have fun!

Seventh.Ink Giveaway!

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! Congratulations to Soy Pea, Xenia, Kathy Pease and Heather22 for winning!

Update: Check out the Seventh.Ink Discount!

Now, I want you to reach back.

Way, way back. Remember going back to school...how much fun it was? Or, wasn't? Let's face it, summer's ending, the sun is sliding into its shadows much earlier and the warmth is escaping degree by puny degree. And you're stuck in a classroom.

Did you ever go back to school with the same clothes in which you so happily said goodbye to your campus, just a couple months ago? Not much fun, huh?

But, you remember how great it was to go back in new clothes, right? Whether it was new kicks, a new pair of pre-ripped jeans ('cos they were cool!) or a new shirt.

This is where Seventh.Ink enters the picture.

Impossibly cool, fringe and fun...honest but with self-evident style that will knock the socks off the other kids, Seventh.Ink's brand of "I don't need to be cool, but I am" t-shirts will leave everyone in awe of your kid's contrails of coolness. You owe it to your kids to check out Seventh.Ink's site!

Remember how much fun going back to school in new clothes was?



Seventh.Ink, in their wonderfully post-modern generosity, is giving 4 lucky readers the chance to win!

• The first winner will receive their choice of a guys' or girls' "Guitar Quadruple Threat" tee and a $5 gift certificate
• The second winner will receive their choice of a guys' or girls' "With Love" tee and a $5 gift certificate
• Winners three and four will each receive a $5 gift certificate

• Simply go to Seventh.Ink's site, and leave a comment back here, telling us which tee says the most about you and why! (Don't forget to leave us some way to contact you.)
• Entries go into a random draw and the giveaway closes September 27th, 2009
• Open to US residents only please!
• to find out how to earn extra entries click here!

Need another reason to visit Seventh.Ink? How 'bout their 10% off discount, until September 27th? Just use the code BackToSchool10.



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Andrea's Beau Giveaway!

UPDATE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! CONGRATULATIONS TO 'TEALECLAN' FOR WINNING!

Don't forget, until September 27th only, Andrea's Beau is offering readers a 20% discount!

"What started out as a mere ribbon romp exploded into an all-out hair decoration obsession..."

So says the about page on the Andrea's Beau website, and it's not hard to see why. A site for beautiful objects for both girls and women, Andrea's Beau dazzled us from the very first glimpse.

From the beautiful women of the mountains of Tibet, the sands of Bora Bora and the forests of Guatemala comes inspiration for designs so exquisite, so pristine, that any girl or woman who wishes to feel pretty and lovely need look no further!

And it's not just us singing the praises of Andrea's Beau. Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom all have carried Andrea's Beau product, from elegant pastel hair accessories to the ornate, stunning gloves which add a crisp finish to any formal outfit. If 500 stores around the world can't be wrong, then nor can you!

What better way to send your little girl back to the educational doldrums of school, than with something gorgeous? And, for that matter, why not something for yourself? With a website fresh, functional and easy to use, amazing prices and customer service devoted to making your experience as pleasant as possible, sending your daughter back to school will be easier than ever before!



And, to help make it even easier, Andrea's Beau is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a US$25.00 gift certificate! Have a closer look at the images on this page...each item you see here can be purchased with this gift certificate (please note, the items grouped together are sold individually).

• All you have to do is go to the Andrea's Beau site then come back here and leave a comment telling us your favourite item! (Don't forget to leave us some way to contact you.)
• Gift certificate does not include shipping.
• Entries go into a random draw and the giveaway closes September 27, 2009.
• To find out how to earn extra entries, click here!

Don't forget, Andrea's Beau is offering a 20% discount to BCE readers until the end of the Back to School Thingy (September 27). Just use the code comfortjoydesigns.