Announcing The Winner of the Ultimate Holiday Giveaway!

By Katie M

The ultimate congratulations goes to loyal TSP reader Gayle Swayne of Winston-Salem! Yes, Gayle is the lucky smarty who won $1,000 in gift cards to 10 fabulous businesses around the Triad (see list below). She and her husband, David, and their two children, Katie (5) and Bradley (2.5) sure have a lot of shopping and pampering to do!

To learn more about Gayle and the winner of the circus tickets, read on!

Gayle has been a loyal Triad Smarty Pants reader from the beginning. What are your favorite things about TSP?
I love TSP (not just because I won the big giveaway)!! I have been reading the website since the beginning and read almost every post. I always check the Wed post to see that is happening in the area on the weekends. I always enjoy reading about other mom's experiences with their kids, seeing how amazingly creative people are in their crafts, cooking, and parenting, and learning more about the area in which we live. I have lived in Winston for 12 years and I am constantly amazed at all the places, shops, and activities I have never visited. I learn more from TSP about community happenings than anywhere else. I also especially like to read what other people post after an article.

How are you planning on using your cards? For the holidays, or throughout the year?
I plan on using the gift cards mainly after the holidays. I am a planner so I will use them throughout the year to hopefully bless my family and friends at special times. It will be a treat to be able to go to the businesses and use the gift cards. Thank you to all the businesses who helped participate! It is very exciting to win the Big Giveaway! Thank you!!

You're welcome, Gayle, and Happy Holidays to you and your family. Enjoy your gift cards!

As for the circus tickets, a big congrats goes to another loyal TSP reader: Christine Byrd of Greensboro! Since Gayle was not referred to the Ultimate Holiday Giveaway by anyone in particular (she reads TSP daily)we decided to give the circus tickets to the one reader who referred the most friends to our Ultimate Holiday Giveaway and that was Christine! Thanks, Christine, for spreading our word - and please email or call us so we can get these tickets to you!

Thanks to the several hundreds of you who participated in TSP's Ultimate Holiday Giveaway. If you didn't win this time, take note: We have another FANTABULOUS giveaway coming in January so stay tuned!

And MANY, MANY thanks to all 10 Triad businesses who generously offered $100 gift cards to their businesses. We LOVE our Smarty Sponsors!

Brixx Pizza in Winston-Salem – This new location off Hanes Mall Blvd. is not only kid-friendly, but delicious. Add Brixx to your list of restaurants to visit for a family lunch or dinner where everyone can get a meal they enjoy. Choose from salads, wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, and my favorites – the starters and desserts! I can tell you that the Spinach and Artichoke Dip is incredible! Brixx has a Kids’ Menu that is budget friendly and fun for the kids. They can even make their own pizzas! Another bonus - Brixx also caters. Call at 837-0664 or visit at 1295 Creekshire Way W-S, NC 27103.

Buttons Boutique – located in Winston-Salem, this children’s boutique is one not to miss. I have purchased many a baby gift here as well as adorable and unique clothing for both my son and daughter. Buttons carries clothing for girls sizes newborn-12 and boys sizes newborn-7. A few of my favorite brands available at Buttons are Flap Happy, E.Land, Molly & Millie, Mulberry St., and Robeez, just to name a few. If you are expecting, you are in luck because Buttons even offers a Baby Registry! There are plenty of accessories here as well such as bows, hats, frames, holiday items, etc. Stop in at 5075 Country Club Road or call 774-9188. You will not be disappointed!

The Gilded Lily by Patra - Located at 1104 N Main Street in High Point. If the The Gilded Lily by Patra does not get you in the holiday spirit, nothing will! I cannot help but smile when entering this quaint gift shop. The employees welcome you with plenty of smiles and are willing to help you with anything you desire, but also give you freedom to roam and soak up the thousands of items available. With at least six different themed rooms in this historic home, you will be amazed at all they have to offer. Some of my favorites were the line of Kameleon jewelry, the Vera Bradley room, the personalized and monogrammed gifts, the holiday home décor, Ugly Dolls, picture frames, stationary, and handbags. It is such a fun place to spend some “mommy time” shopping, and a great place to bring out-of-town guests as well. Call 336-887-4290 for more info.

The Greensboro Children’s Museum – The Greensboro Children’s Museum is giving our winner a family membership for one year! Imagine being able to drop into this fabulous spot at anytime and just flash your membership card. The museum has room after room of adventurous and educational themed exhibits. One of our favorites is the theater, where children are invited to dress up and perform on stage. My daughter loves Nonie’s house, which is a huge playhouse where a little girl could easily spend hours. My son is always drawn to the rock climbing wall in the “Get out and Play” room. We all love the sunny days when we can walk through the learning garden outside. Other fun-filled rooms include trains, a sandbox, a transportation gallery, a media room, creation station, construction zone, and of course the Tot Spot. As you can see, the museum caters to all ages of children. Be sure to visit when your children are out of school over the holidays!

The Jewel Box – With two locations in the Triad, in The Shops at Friendly Center and Thruway Shopping Center, you can’t afford to miss stopping in the Jewel Box to look for stylish gifts for everyone on your list, even you. The Jewel Box has unique and affordable jewelry that fits many styles. You can find an intricate, delicate piece of jewelry for the daintiest of women, but also a chunky, trendy or contemporary piece for the high-fashion woman. The Jewel Box also has personalized items, handbags, and even children’s items. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, you name it – they’ve got it. The Jewel Box has always been a favorite of mine because their pieces look like a million bucks, but no one has to know you didn’t spend that much! They even have a rewards program so you earn free jewelry while you shop. See why they were picked “Best of the Best” by Charlotte Magazine and voted “Best Jewelry’ by The Charlotte Observer. Friendly Center – 834-0073, Thruway Center – 722-1769.

Let’s Dish – Moms, you are going to be thrilled with this one! Let’s Dish is the easiest way to prepare meals for your family that are fast and healthy. Let’s Dish caters to your budget and your schedule. You have different choices when visiting, so choose the one that works best for you. You can assemble the meals yourself at an in-store session. This is great for some alone time for mom, or even a great time to gather girlfriends together and prepare your meals! You may also choose to Dish & Dash, where Let’s Dish will do the customized assembly for you. One last option is the Ready Made Freezer where you can stop by on your way home and choose meals out of the retail freezer. Appetizers, dinners, side dishes and desserts are all ready for you to take home. Best of all – there is minimal clean up in the kitchen after your family eats dinner! Be sure to stop by Let’s Dish to experience a convenient way to prepare meals. Stop by at 2130-K New Garden Road, Greensboro, or call 540-0222.

Paper Sassy – If you missed our write-up on this incredible business, be sure to check it out here. In the meantime, this is what you need to know – Paper Sassy’s owner Devora can provide you with any color, theme, monogram, or style that your heart desires. When you visit this fabulous shop, you will be overwhelmed with the things she has available, but keep in mind that you can take anything you see and customize it to your liking. Choose from address labels, personal stampers, placemats, water bottles, magnetic boards, stationary, bibs, diaper bags, handbags, ice buckets, napkins, tags, t-shirts, etc. There are too many products to mention, so you need to stop in and take a look yourself! Word to the wise – check out her website at the link above and get some ideas first. Then be prepared because everything is even cuter in person! Located at 113 W. Mountain Street in Kernersville. 497-4730

ScrewCancerEatCake-Founded by two sisters looking for a slice of attitude as their mom battles Fallopian Tube Cancer. We featured one of the founders, Jennifer Fussell, as a Smarty Mom back in April, and shortly thereafter she and her sister launched this incredible and heartwarming business. They offer the softest, cutest tees (for both men and women), ballcaps and totes (with more merchandise rolling out in 2010). SCEC is dedicated to donating a portion of its proceeds to cancer charities and half of the donations
stay here locally being donated to CancerServices and the Simstein Fund at Forsyth Medical Center. Unfortunately most of us know someone who is battling cancer, but thanks to SCEC, you will receive a gift card so that you can shower that person with these adorable products that will be sure to bring a smile to their face. Visit www.screwcancer-eatcake.blogspot.com to see all products and place your order.

Sorella Day Spa – Who doesn’t love to pamper themselves? We are excited to offer our winner a choice of services to do just that. Sorella is a full service day spa that offers a wide variety of services including facials, massages, microdermabrasions, pedicures, manicures, acrylic nails, gel nails, pink and white nails, body treatments, and waxing. They also have a selection of organic and natural services. Sorella is also known to host birthday parties for adults as well as teenagers and younger clients. Sounds like my kind of party! The staff is very friendly, professional, and committed to provide quality services to clients. Visit their website above for a complete listing of spa services and hours of operation. Located at 3373 Battleground Ave, Greensboro. 282-3687

Whistlestop Toy Station - If you haven’t already been to Whistlestop, you may have read about them on our blog about the Best Kept Secrets in the Triad. Not only are the owners fantastic people, but the toys available are unique toys that spark imagination. There are plenty of products to encourage creativity as well as development. Whistlestop carries reputable items from Lego, Melissa & Doug, Thomas & Friends, Webkins, and Playmobil, just to name a few. We recently fell in love with a new toy they are featuring called Crazy Forts. This is just one example of a terrific gift idea for the holidays available here. Whistlestop is located in Mt. Tabor Place Shopping Center in Winston-Salem. If you are unable to stop by, they will ship your order to you! 723-4931.

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 2:00 PM