Monday, June 7, 2010

A BIG REVIEW WEEK...starting with Strawesome!

I have some GREAT reviews and contests running this week! I am so excited to introduce you to all the great products I've been asked to review!! Some of the reviews will include a chance to WIN that product!

Come back! A new review and contest EVERYDAY!

Today I am THRILLED to introduce you to Daedra Surowiec, artist and owner of

During the spring I took a leap and went RAW... meaning everything I put in my body was raw... veggies, fruits, etc. NO meat. I have since added cooked foods but remain mostly vegan. So while I was looking for vegan/raw recipes I came across STRAWESOME and since I had been getting much of my nutrients through some amazing smoothie recipes, I contacted Daedra and asked her if she would like to do a contest on my blog!
She mailed me a straw and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!



Why STRAWESOME glass straws?
GREEN...GREEN...GREEN!
~ reduce toxin exposure from plastic
~ imagine every straw you have ever used laying in a landfill


GIFTS...GIFTS...GIFTS!
~ she even personalizes her functional art!
~ need I say more?


HEALTHY...HEALTHY...HEALTHY!
~ serve a bright colored smoothie with one of these straws and WHAM, your kids will be SOLD!
~ add to your water consumption! It's more fun with glass!
Who is Daedra?



Daedra is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy with a bachelor degree in fine arts and architecture and with studies abroad in Italy. Surowiec worked in the corporate world for five years following graduation. It was less fulfilling than she imagined.


Following her first son’s birth and her decision to start a home based business, Surowiec took a class in torch work at the Glass Academy in Dearborn and discovered that she could apply her artistic skills to create functional pieces of art with glass straws and develop a viable business.

Surowiec admits to having a special advantage over other start-up businesses. Her husband Brian Surowiec, owner of Essential IT, is a developer of e-commerce web sites including http://www.strawesome.com/.

I asked Daedra when she finds the time to work her business...
The beauty of this business is that it’s online and whatever is seen in the shop is what I have in stock. I don’t have to hurry up and make straws everyday to complete a order. I usually create straws once a week to keep my stock up. I receive orders throughout the course of the day and then when the kids are in bed I take a few minutes to wrap up all the orders of the day. It’s pretty simple and I enjoy every part of it immensely.



Daedra and I chatted about what our contest would be and we decided on a
KINDNESS CONTEST!
Leave a comment with something KIND you have done recently...Daedra will choose the KINDEST Semblance of Sanity reader and you will win your very own STRAW from STRAWESOME!



So, here's your chance to BRAG! Go!

7 comments:

Felicia said...

Well since you said we could brag.


Today while shopping the woman in front of me had a belt full of groceries and a toddler in the cart and a baby in her arms. She tried to pay with a debt card and it got declined over and over again. She just looked so overwhelmed. She couldn't write a check, it didn't go through and she had twenty dollars so she started picking out stuff. I paid her bill.

My hubby almost had a heart attack, but I told him. What if that was me? We have been in hard times, so helping someone out is the least we could do. I felt bad because she started to cry, but I told her to just pay it forward.

Janet Oberholtzer said...

Felicia - what a kind thing to do!

Love the straws. And I also do lots of smoothies, so I want one :)

As for something kind I did ... I just realized I must not be a kind person because I can't think of anything - guess I need to remedy that today!


btw ... how do you feel since going vegan Michelle?
I've been vegetarian for 6 months and feel great. Better than ever and I've been training for a half-marathon, happening this Sunday - 13 on the 13th :)

Julie said...

Okay, so I can't beat paying a grocery bill, but...

My family and I were visiting the Oklahoma City Zoo last week while on vacation and we spotted a woman with a very fair skinned little girl. The woman commented that her kids were going to all have to go home because their little sister was going to wind up with a sunburn since she didn't have any more sunblock. We handed ours over, because who A) wants a sunburned toddler? and B) wants 3 other kids to miss out on the zoo??

Michelle Kemper Brownlow said...

Janet...did you HEAR me laugh? all the way at your house? YOU..not kind? REALLY?! Love ya!
I LOVE being VEGAN!!! I am not 100% but mostly...only have dairy when soy is not an option...but very little.
We will have to chat more about it!

EVERYONE else...what awesome people you are!!! Keep them coming! Let's celebrate being KIND!!

Felicia said...

Janet-I am so excited for you! How awesome. I will keep you in my thoughts on the 13th!

Julie- That is so great of you. I can't tell you how many times I forget the sunscreen. I finally just bought a small one for every bag!

m&msmommy said...

SOO neat!!!

Can't beat the others, but my most recent "kindess adventure" was committing to teaching 2 and 3 year olds Sunday school at our from June-at least August. They have been teacherless for the last several months at the 11am hour, so I stepped up and offered to do it at least until August. 2 & 3 year olds...yes, it makes for some VERY interesting times! :)

Deb said...

Looking to win an "Awesome Strawsome"

My friend is in Haiti on a mission trip with Visiting Orphans as I type this.

I asked if I could get her a bunch of onesies to take with her as I knew she would be visiting orphanages this week. I know this is one item of clothing that orphanages are in need of. The answer was yes! So.. I hightailed it to our locale STUFF store and picked up over two dozen oneies in various size for .55, .79, $1.29, etc. I picked out the nice as new ones took them home washed, ironed and packed them... delivering them to her in time to take on her trip.

Today somewhere in Haiti there are 24 little boys and girls wearing clothing. They were naked and I clothed them... Even though I did not go on the trip... I know I have touched the lives of many children who keep telling my friend about "the day the earth came alive.” To read more about this story go to:

http://echohillchurch.org/archives/2128

From a hopelessly, hopeful awesomely strawsome sucker.