{blog love} rent a textbook, change a life

As the semester winds down, it is becoming that time for me to ship my textbooks back. I have been an avid textbook renter from online websites since I tried to sell back a $130 textbook to my local bookstore at the end of the semester a few years ago. The store clerk looked at me and said, "Um... we aren't buying back that text anymore. The company published a new edition that the professors will be using next semester." 

Nothing worse could be said to a fresh-out-of-finals-week college student with no money to spare.

Needless to say, I decided at the beginning of the next semester that I was going to find a better way to obtain my textbooks for all of my classes. Enter online book rentals. 

One company in particular shines the most to me. CampusBookRentals.com is making strides to bring students cheap textbooks and make a difference in the lives of children at the same time. This company donates to Operation Smile with each textbook rented. If you have never heard of Operation Smile before, it is an organization dedicated to operating on children born with cleft lips, cleft palates, and other facial deformities at no cost to the family of the child suffering. Below is a short YouTube video highlighting the inspiring work Operation Smile does for the children of the world.

I love knowing that I can help to make a small difference for Operation Smile, just by renting textbooks through CampusBookRentals.com. 

Not only can you help out a wonderful cause while renting through Campus Book Rentals, but you also save  up to 40%-90% of your hard earned scholarship cash on each text book rented. In addition, there is free shipping both ways and flexible renting periods. You are also allowed to highlight in the textbooks, something I know my university will not allow if we are renting books from our official bookstore. The shipping is quick and painless. I received textbooks from this company within a few days of ordering.

Have I convinced you to check out this awesome online rental company yet? I hope so because....

one lucky reader is going to win a $50 credit to use during their next textbook purchase!

Now for the rules:

1. Mandatory: You must be following my blog & comment on this post!
2. Mandatory: "Like" Campus Book Rentals on Facebook.
3. Additional Entry: "Like" Operation Smiles on Facebook.
4. Additional Entry: Follow me on Twitter.
5. Additional Entry: Follow Campus Book Rentals on Twitter.
6. Additional Entry: Follow Operation Smiles on Twitter.
7. Additional Entry: Tweet about this giveaway. Make sure to include @xxJenSmith and the link!
8. Additional Entry: Blog about this giveaway. Leave the link to your blog post in a comment.

Leave each entry in a different comment. 

I will pick a winner through a random generator & announce the winner Friday morning at 11:00 AM. 

You have until 10:00 AM Friday morning to enter. 

Good luck!

xo, Jen

Disclaimer: CampusBookRentals.com is providing the $50 textbook credit to one reader. However, all opinions are my own and any compensation offered is the prize for a reader in this giveaway. I used this company on my own to order textbooks before I was approached by a rep to write this blog post.

{blog love} giveaway winner

Hi y'all! I'm sooo excited to announce the winner of my giveaway!!

Congrats Heather. :) I know you'll love it!!!

Email me so I can get your monogram and design preference!

{blog love} my first giveaway :)

So, I am TOTALLY excited that  there are 100 of you out there that liked my blog enough to follow it. Sending lots of love to all of you! I'm even more excited that my 100th follower happened to be a lovely blogger I "met" on Tumblr a while back! She just started her Blogger blog - you should definitely check it out. 

I'm not sure if any of you saw on Twitter, but I had been thinking about hosting a giveway if I were to ever get to that elusive 100 mark. The day has come and I have made up my mind.

It is giveaway time!!! Drum roll please..........

So, since my blog started as a wannabe foodie/cooking blog back in 2010, and has since transformed into more of a lifestyle blog this summer, I thought that these SUPER ADORABLE monogrammed aprons had to be the perfect gift to giveaway to one of you. 

Apron will be purchased from Girly-Twirly.

[1] Monogrammed pink & white stripe Fish apron.

[2] Monogrammed navy & white stripe Lobster apron.

[3] Monogrammed pink & white stripe Shrimp apron.

[4] Monogrammed light blue & white stripe Crab apron.

Click on the numbers to see the pictures in more detail.

Every girl needs an adorable monogrammed apron like this in her kitchen. 

I want one. 

Bad.

If you don't think this apron is for you, still enter! It would be an adorable hostess gift. :)

And now for the not so fun stuff....

Rules for entering: 

(Please read carefully. I will omit your entry if you do not follow.)

You must have a working e-mail in order to win. I will announce the winner on Sunday, August 7th on my blog and it will then be your responsibility to e-mail me at cookingloveandlife [at] gmail [dot] com. I will then ask for your monogram and apron preference!

• To enter, do any of the following. First one is mandatory and the rest are extra entries!
• [1] Follow my blog and let me know which of the aprons is your favorite! [Mandatory]
• [2] Follow me on Twitter. 
• [3] Tweet or blog about this giveaway. Include the link in your comment! Feel free to use the photo in this post on your blog.
• [3] Like Girly-Twirly on Facebook!
• The easiest way for me to figure out the winner is if you leave a comment like this:
• 1. I follow your blog and I adore the crab one.
• 2. I follow you on twitter.
• 3. I tweeted/blogged about your giveaway! Check it out here: xyzURL.
• 4. I liked Girly-Twirly on Facebook.
• ALSO:You must be currently residing in the United States. I am paying for this giveaway myself and it is just not in the funds to ship out of the country currently. Sorry y'all!

The lucky winner will get a personalized apron of their choice with their monogram on it!

See how much I love y'all?

This giveaway will be open until Saturday, August 6th. You have ONE WEEK to enter. 

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with or am being compensated by Girly-Twirly. I am purchasing this apron with my own money and shipping it to the winner on my own time. 

Giveaway!

Enter my sorority sister's giveaway! She just got engaged and is in a contest to win money for her honeymoon. All you have to do is vote for her quickly on Facebook and then you get to be entered into the giveaway for a gift card for an online boutique called Ruche. They have some gorgeous dresses that would look reallll nice in my closet. :) Click HERE for the link to her awesome blog! Here are a few of the dresses that I am dying over right now:

Emma Ruffle Dress

Searching For My Song Embroidered Dress

Show Me Sunshine Paisley Pocket Dress

Purely Pretty White Dress

I know you want to enter now too! :)