Shop 'Til You Drop at Evy's Gifts

By Rachel H

If you've got an itch to shop, now is the perfect time to drop by Evy's Gifts! Not only is everything in the store 20% off, but in addition, Evy's will feature one collection each week at 40% off! Sign up to be a Facebook Fan here by clicking "like" on the Evy's Gifts page, and you will receive a post each week stating the new 40% off category sale!

The best part of having Evy's as one of our Smarty Sponsors is that they have two convenient locations for all our shoppers in the Triad. One store is on Main Street in Kernersville, which is an easy drive from High Point, and only fifteen minutes from downtown Winston-Salem. Their second location is on Battleground Avenue in Greensboro, so it is a quick stop for all our Burlington and Greensboro friends.

I stopped in Evy's this past week and could not help but take advantage of the 20% off storewide sale. I bought a few gifts, as well as some items for myself! I also chose a handful of items to highlight on Triad Smarty Pants today. I thought these items were very unique and would be great gift items for so many women!


Shown above is just one style of the Two's Company Reusable bags sold at Evy's. These are only $7.50 regularly, which is already a great deal, but even better if you stop in during the 20% sale! I thought these were affordable enough to buy for yourself or as a small gift item for a friend.


Are these button rings not the cutest things you have ever seen? I snatched one of these up as part of a gift for a special teen. There were so many bright colors and designs from which to choose. These are made by Refashioned - Renewed, Recycled, Remade Vintage & Recycled Buttons. Are you ready for the best part? The regular price of one of these rings is only $4.50! Can you say, "Give me ten?" Earrings and bracelets are also available.


The plates shown above are just a small sample of the beautiful Maggie Weldon Collection. Maggie is a local potter who calls her collection "Lace Pottery." Photos do not do justice to her pieces. The design and color on each piece is gorgeous. I thought her pottery would be beautiful on the walls, as serving pieces, candle dishes, etc. Her prices vary, but are very affordable.



The photos above are bags that are handmade out of candy wrappers and newspapers. The brand name is Nahui Ollin, and I thought these were a perfect gift idea for the woman who already has it all! I bought one of these as a gift for a teen as well. They range in price from $25-$55, but again, you can save 20% on these right now!




Last, but not least, I spotted this jewelry under the counter at Evy's and thought it was all so much fun! The leather flower bracelets are made by Two's Company and retail for only $18.75. The silver bracelets not only make a bold statement, but most of the ones shown above are only $11.25. How fun would it be to throw one of these on to jazz up a summer sundress?

Keep your eyes open for more fabulous finds from our Smarty Sponsor, Evy's Gifts. Be sure to stop by soon to take advantage of the 20% off storewide sale! When you checkout, you will receive a fun reusable Evy's Gifts bag as well!

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Five Fab Finds

By Rachel H and Katie M

So many great finds to report and not enough days in the week to post them! The TSP Team is always scoping out new and exciting things that we think moms would like to know about! Be sure to check under our Smarty Finds category or Smarty Alert category (found on the left side of the website) every so often to make sure you don't miss anything!

Here are FIVE FAB FINDS for this week that we thought you'd find interesting, helpful, and fun ...

Take Them A Meal
How often do you have a friend who is in need of meals? We all like to support our friends by taking them a meal when they have a baby, suffer a loss, or are ill. TakeThemAMeal.com is a free online tool designed to coordinate the delivery of meals with a group of people. A meal coordinator is able to create a sign-up sheet online that makes it easy for friends and family to sign up for an available time slot and bring meals. The website can include phone numbers, driving directions, food allergies, and any other helpful details that need to be communicated to everyone involved. Thanks to loyal reader, Jayna, for this submission! ... Rachel

Hooked on Houses
Friends of mine know that I LOVE anything to do with houses, decorating, or real estate. I am always surfing listingbook, although we have no intentions of moving, and if there is a home for sale in the area, I can probably tell you details about it! So when I came across this blog I had that moment of realizing I am not a complete freak! There are millions of people out there just like me, and there is a blog for people just like us called Hooked on Houses! The woman behind the blog, Julia, has super-fun posts that range anywhere from bad real estate listings (hilarious!) to inside peeks of celeb's homes to decorating ideas. I love it, love it, love it! ... Rachel

Monkey Toe Designs
Turn up the volume on your computer, click on the link above and prepare for a huge smile to spread across your face! Again, this is another blog I happened upon one day and am now addicted to checking out what new things she adds to her product line! Melissa creates custom, hand-knit goodies for your little ones that are the cutest things you have EVER seen! She creates props for photography sessions as well, which is perfect for anyone booking a session after checking out our Favorite Photographers Button! I can't wait to order something from this website for my next friend who has a baby! ... Rachel


Beauty4Moms.com
"Helping moms find beauty in themselves and their surroundings" is the site's claim, and it sure lives up to it. Started by North Carolinian blogger, Ashley, Beauty4Moms is jam packed with info on making money, time-saving tips, recipes, sales match-ups by store, printable coupons, e-coupons, freebies, samples, giveaways - and of course - beauty advice. For any mom living frugally and simply (and who isn't these days), this is your one-stop shop for all things beautiful! Plus right now, Beauty4Moms is running an amazing gift card giveaway to many stores you use everyday. Four winners will be chosen and the gift cards will be distributed by random choosing. All cards were donated by Ashley herself, who wants us all to be sure to redeem the winning gift cards online through Ebates to earn cash back! Hurry up and register because this contest ends 5/31! ...Katie


TheGoodStuffGuide.com
Speaking of living simply, organized, and creating a fun, happy home, TheGoodStuffGuide.com does all that and more! I stumbled across this site after reading plugs about it on loyal TSP reader RLR's Facebook status - not just once, but several times! Started by a a true down-to-earth frugal mom named Heidi (who happens, ironically, to live in very well-to-do Northeast suburb), the site features cool "frugalista" stuff for moms, kids, the home, along with just random fun "things." And if you like giveaways (and we know you do!) then you'll really like this site because Heidi runs giveaways ALL THE TIME. Plus just recently, she ran a post about Greensboro Children's Museum's new Edible Schoolyard despite the nearly 600 miles that separate her from GSO. See, I told you she's in-the-know on all things cool. Check it out for yourself, and I bet you too will be chanting the Happy Heidi Formula: Best products + Best price = Happy Family! ...Katie

TODAY is the last day to register for our fabulous Mother's Day giveaway! Simply click here to register! This giveaway will end today at Noon. We will then choose our four lucky winners at random and will contact them to claim their prize. Good luck!

Got a kid who loves soccer? Register here to win a $100 gift certificate to Triad Elite Soccer Club! Giveaway ends on Friday, May 21st.

Let us know if you check out our Fab Finds today. And if you have other Fab Finds to share, email us at triadsmartypants@gmail.com!

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Smarty Find: momAgenda.com

If you're looking for a unique Mother's Day gift, or a hint to offer your husband, be sure to check out this recent Smarty Find by TSP loyal reader Ryan Leigh Runyon:

I’m a pen-and-paper girl when it comes to my calendar. I’ve spent many years calendar-hopping, rarely using any type of calendar more than once. I been using a momAgenda for nine months now, and I’m ready to order my next one for 2010-2011. I have the Desktop style, a 17-month calendar that runs August-December, and I’ve added a momAgenda pocket inside the front cover to hold tickets, invitations, blank note cards, and stamps. It has plenty of room for all of my “to-dos” and appointments, the details of my kids’ school events and activities, and my husband’s work and on-call schedule – without looking cluttered. Just one more of the many reasons I love my momAgenda - it still looks nearly as good as the day I bought it! There are no bent corners, no stains from spilled drinks, and no torn-out pages. It’s sturdy, functional, and wrapped in a pretty package. I think I’ll get turquoise next! - RLR

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Rachel’s Random Show and Tell

By Rachel H

When I try to come up with blog ideas, I always have so many random things that I want to share! (like this, or this) So today I took my latest sporadic list of ideas and put them all into one blog I am calling this my “show and tell.” These are just things that I like and thought other moms should know about!

My first show and tell is the one, the only … Airborne! I don’t know how I made it through life without it. I am telling you all – this stuff is incredible! When you start feeling like you might have a cold coming on, drop one of these bad boys into a glass of water, let it do its thing, and drink. Then about four hours later you do it again. I keep taking this for a day or so until the sickness that was supposed to come never comes. Moms, we can’t afford to be sick, and this is the way to sidestep any colds that come our way. There have been many evenings when my throat has started getting sore, body started to ache and I just KNEW I’d be out of commission the next day lying in bed with a cold. But, I drank my Airborne and woke up the next day feeling like a million bucks. I am no doctor, so I have no idea of long term affects from this stuff or whether or not it is good for the environment of your body. All I know is that it works! AND you can also buy it in generic brands at places like Walgreens.

Psssssst – that’s the name of my next show and tell! When one of my girlfriends first told me about this greasy hair remedy I thought, “Ew gross! If your hair is that greasy, just wash it!” But I have actually seen its benefits on mornings when I am headed to the Y, but of course do not want to wash my hair before I work out. My hair is not the kind that can be washed once every three days like some of you lucky ducks and it starts looking greasy fairly quickly. So, on those mornings where I am headed to the Y, but the hair is looking a little on the greasy side, I spray this Psssssst on it and viola – looks all pretty and new. You can find this at most drugstores.

I have a book for show and tell today, too. There are very few books that you remember for months and years after you read them, but this is one that really touched my heart and soul. Same Kind of Different As Me was incredible. I laughed out loud a few times and also had tears streaming down my face as I read in bed one night. This is the kind of book that makes you want to be a better person. I won’t give too much away, but you can read more about it here.

I haven’t had a child in a carseat carrier for over four years, so maybe I am just totally out of the loop, but when I saw these, I thought “ingenious”!!!!!!!! It is called the Padalily, and is a carseat handle pad that keeps your poor arms and hands from hurting while toting around your bundle of joy. They are so stylish, too! You can check them out on the website here. They are also sold all over the Triad in boutique shops like Hip Chics, Gazoodles, Polliwogs, Splurges, and Taji Baby. I think this is a fabulous baby shower gift idea as well!

I had to include these sweet, sweet gift ideas in my blog today. I have always loved to buy tea towels as gifts, and when I saw these I just fell in love! I saw them at Francesca’s. (There is one in Greensboro and one in Winston-Salem. You can read more about it on my Best Kept Secrets blog.) The first one (shown at the top of the blog) I spotted and told my friend how much I loved it. She snuck back in the store to buy it for me and surprised me with it at Christmas. The second one I thought would be a perfect Mothers’ Day gift for my mom, but I just couldn’t wait that long so I gave it to her for Valentine’s Day! They have a bunch of other cute towels as well, but these two were my favorites.

Last, but not least, I have to share my favorite video of 2009. Yes, I know it is 2010, but I thought this song was so fun and it never made it as big as I had hoped! I know you have all heard it, and now I wanted to show the fun little video that goes along with it. The longer you watch it, the more it makes you smile. The group is All Rebel Rockers, and the song is “Say Hey” or as some people call it “I love you.” This is one of those feel good songs that the whole family will love. We had many dance parties to this song over the past year. You can watch it on youtube here. Go download it today and give yourself a good dose of dance party fun!

Show and Tell is over for Rachel now, but if anyone else has some show and tell today, please comment below and tell us about your great finds!

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Smarty Find: Johnnie b

By Rachel H

When I want to treat my family to fun, unique clothes, I love mini Boden for my kids, and Boden for myself. It is quality clothing that truly lasts. It is high-end, so do not plan on getting a bargain, but definitely plan on a garment you will love ...

If you have ordered from mini Boden or Boden before, you will be excited to know that your teens can now enjoy these clothes, too! Boden has just released a new collection for teens called Johnnie b. Check it out here!

Good news is that the entire Boden collection is on sale right now "Buy 4 items and get the lowest priced one for $1.00." Plus, you can always find great deals in their SALE section online. (Truth be told - I don't think I have ever paid full-price for this clothing because I always wait for the item to go on sale!)

Gotta cool Smarty Find we can feature on TSP? Email us any time at triadsmartypants@gmail.com!

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Smarty Find: All Modern Baby.com

By Guest Blogger Barbie P

A few months ago, www.AllModernBaby.com contacted Triad Smarty Pants and asked if we could do a review of some of their products. Since most of their products are geared towards infants and toddlers (and our children are older than that), we asked loyal reader Barbie P (mother to a three-year-old and a seven-month-old) to seek out some fun items, try them out with her daughters, and write about her experiences here on TSP. Here's what she had to say! - KM

Thanks to TSP and AllModernBaby.com for allowing me to sample some modern products for my children! This site is definitely worth checking out. They have a huge selection of contemporary furniture, baby gear, and toys. There’s bound to be something for everyone! And they offer hassle-free returns, free shipping, and guaranteed delivery by Dec. 24 on items marked with snowflakes.

For my budget, it was suggested that I shop the Mealtime Accessories and Eco-Friendly Toys areas of the site. The Palette Plate Set by Skip Hop ($27.98 - price varies with options) grabbed my attention quickly since it was featured at the top of the page and the tiny bowls are perfect for my seven-month-old's sample-sized eating.

This set is very well-constructed and cute as can be! There is also a larger area in the middle where I can easily mix foods from the smaller bowls. The set works well for my toddler too. It comes with a fork and spoon and also has a slip resistant area for her cup. Although it was a little pricey ($28), overall I am very pleased with this very useful item.

In the Eco-Friendly toys section, I found myself curiously drawn to the Play Shell by Bilibo ($25.20). It was a little weird, but it was all over the website in a multitude of colors, so I decided to try it.

My thought was to let my three-year-old use her imagination, decide what it is and how to play with it. According to the web site, there are a variety of uses for the playshell:
- Toddlers can move them around, fill them with objects (like sand or water) and empty them again
- The shells can be aligned or stacked in many ways, like three-dimensional puzzle pieces two shells are joined to form a sphere; a friendly face with a broad smile
- Rocking and spinning are great fun on the Bilibo and help develop motor skills and a child's sense of balance
- Bilibo shines as a wonderful accesory and is swifly turned into a cradle for puppets, a turtle shell, a drum, a cooking pot, a ship, or a hill with caves giving shelter for toy animals.

Well, initially she did not show a lot of interest in this Play Shell, but we have had fun trying to play with it using the scenarios above.

All Modern Baby and its sister site, Toys and Games Online, also has a great selection of other online toys and gifts.

Thanks, Barbie for agreeing to do this product review!

Let us know what you think, and if you've ever shopped at AllModernBaby.com!

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Smarty Find: New Jimmy John's Location Open

By Katie M

Attention holiday shoppers: A new Jimmy John's opened today across from Thruway Shopping Center in Winston-Salem! What a great place to stop for lunch today on your way home with all your goods!

Jimmy John's is one of Best Kept Secrets of the Triad, and if you missed our write-up on them, visit it here!

Now go on over and support our favorite sandwich shop! Happy lunchin'!

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Smarty Find: Free Coffee and Lattes at Brew Nerds

By Katie M

Winston-Salem-based Brew Nerds is wishing holiday shoppers a Merry Christmas with free drinks (excluding smoothies and bottled drinks) from 6 am to 10 am every day from now until December 21at its Hanes Mall Blvd store at 1620 Fox Trot Ct. (In Shoppes on Little Creek of Hanes Mall Blvd., across from Target) (P) 336-768-1640. Limit one per customer.

Additionally, shoppers and workers in downtown Winston-Salem can enjoy free medium drinks on December 22 from 7 am to 10 am. They are located at 305 W. 4th Street (Downtown, on the North side of 4th St., between Cherry and Marshall, across from Mellow Mushroom) (P) 336-724-0707. Limit one per customer.

Mark your calendars, and be sure to tell them Triad Smarty Pants sent you!

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Smarty Find: lit'l desi9s

By Guest Blogger, Carolyn Flaherty

I am proud to introduce to you an amazing mom who has created a quality product and a quickly growing company, Debby Yennaco. In 2007, Debby Yennaco's 5 year old son, Aidan asked her how to spell the word "Bug". Quickly she created a design to show her son how to spell in a unique and creative manner. Shortly thereafter, Debby created her first Namimal creation by turning Aidan's name into a dinosaur. Debby loved her creation and Aidan LOVED it even more!

Instantly, Debby knew she had a HUGE IDEA! lit'l desi9s has created over 3,000 names into a whole collection of inspired designs…Debby artfully arranges the letters of a child’s first or last name (even dog names) to create absolutely adorable animals, fairies, princesses, and automobile designs. In doing so, she captures the imagination and sparks the creativity of children and parents alike.

Debby's design background lends itself to a remarkable product. Before starting lit'l desi9s, Debby was one of the most coveted advertising art directors in the business. And, as the mom of three cReATive children, she has an opportunity to blend her unmistakable visual style with her fantastic parenting style every day. She says, "With all my designing experience in the advertising industry, I have never created something that is more self rewarding!” Debby’s designs encourage children to look at language and the world around them in a new way; to create outside of the box.

The lit'l desi9s line consists of over 40 of the highest quality products which include tee shirts, zippered hoodies, onesies, bibs, baby blankets, canvas bags, stationery products, hooded towels, dog tees, wall art, bamboo pillowcases (which are among my personal favorites)… and much more! The line is printed with earth-friendly inks and offered on 100% organic cotton and bamboo and recycled paper.

In the beginning, Debby was selling her creations printed on tee shirts out of the back of her car at her son's preschool, craft fairs, and a local library while Gal, Debby's husband (who by-the-way now works for her full time), printed the shirts in their basement. Word about Debby's adorable creations quickly spread locally. Within a few weeks, Debby had an order of 450 names. By January 2008, lit'l desi9s was featured on Dailycandy.com and within 24 hours lit'l desi9s had over 1,000 hits to their website from people in 25 countries! lit'l desi9s opened their first cart store in early 2008 in Boston. In just five quick months, lit'l desi9s sold their first Licensing Agreement. In a little over 1 1/2 years, lit'l desi9s has shipped their Unique One-Of-A-Kind products to customers in over 35 countries and has been featured in Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine as well as on Boston Chronicle.

I met Debby after I took a business card from her cart store in Boston. For over a month I placed weekly calls to order birthday gifts for various parties my four children were attending, and as baby gifts for friends. The reaction to the gifts was tremendous and so I continued to buy. When Debby called me early this fall to announce that she was launching a direct marketing, home show based venture and asked if I would host a show, I immediately agreed. Debby put on a fantastic show and my friends were as impressed with her products as I was. I was already in love with Debby’s products and quickly grew the same fondness for Debby. I found that lit'l desi9s was on my mind constantly and I wanted to help Debby launch her business in any way I could. Debby is inspiring and her excitement is contagious. Therefore, although I have four children and a career as a CPA, I have recently signed on as one of Debby’s first consultants and am so proud and excited to market her company.

I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.litldesi9s.com/ and contemplate joining the growing organization. Web based shows can be arranged in territories where consultants are not yet available and I would love to facilitate one for you! To place an order, host a show or if you are interested in becoming a consultant, (You can be the first consultant in your area!) please contact me, Carolyn Flaherty, cflahertylitldesi9s@yahoo.com or 508 384-6624.

Lit'l Desi9s special creation gifts are guaranteed to be the talk of the baby shower, birthday, or holiday party!

Cheers to the brilliance of amazing mothers!

UPDATE! We now have a lit'l desi9s representative right here in the Triad! Contact Carrie Pope at 336-656-7983 to place an order or to host a party of your own!

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Smarty Find: Crazy 8

By Rachel H

If you haven’t been to Friendly Center in the past few months, here is another reason to go! A friend of mine told me about this store, Crazy 8, and I stopped by last week to check it out. I absolutely love it! This children’s clothing store is part of the Gymboree Corporation. If you like Gymboree’s style of clothing, you will also like Crazy 8, but the best part is that it is a little less expensive. I purchased three shirts for my son, two for my daughter, and an awesome pair of skater shoes for my son all totaling less than $50...

I have included a few photos below so you can get an idea of the type of clothing they carry. Both boys and girls sizes run from 3 months up to size 14. You can also shop online at www.crazy8.com.

Next time you are on the hunt for new clothes for your kiddos, stop by Crazy 8!
Location:
803A Friendly Center Road Greensboro, NC 27408.
Hours: Mon-Fri 10-9, Sat 10-6, Sun 1-6
Phone: 336-851-0332

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Smarty Find: Seek the Triad

By Rachel H

We are excited to share a great find with all of you today! Seek The Triad was born out of a unique and exciting friendship between two Triad women. They are just two regular gals who love to talk, share, laugh, cook, eat, pray, protect their families, score deals, and give back to their community. Trish and Mary Jean were constantly finding themselves excited about things they encountered in their daily lives. It seemed their friends were always asking them about where to find all these “things” and “places” they had discovered. They had a crazy idea one day to start a blog about their local finds and a few months later started Seek the Triad. It is an informative, colorful, and fun blog about everything and anything you want to know about in the area.

Triad Smarty Pants is excited to share their upcoming giveaway with you. Seek will be hosting a Seek the Local Season “24 days of local Christmas shopping”. They are going to make it super fun for you, too! Beginning on Tuesday, December 1st, they will feature one of their “Seek the {Local} Season” sponsors and give you a chance to win FREE merchandise from that business! There are over $1,000 in treats to be given away (including tons of gift certificates). All you have to do is become a subscriber of “Seek the Triad” to qualify for the daily drawing.

The ladies behind Seek the Triad are just as fun as their blog. Meet these amazing Mompreneurs!


Trish…
A native Greensboro girl, Trish has been enjoying the Triad for “several” years. Trish attended school, worked and played here, and loves that she is raising her family here as well. Trish married her husband, Shane, 11 years ago. She left the work force to raise a family after giving birth to her first son Grant (7), then following suit with the whole “boy” theme had her second son Drake (4). After her second son Drake was born with special needs, her passion for helping other was ignited. She is currently serving on the board of the Greensboro Cerebral Palsy Association and spearheads a huge fundraiser every year to benefit Gateway Education Center and the GCP. Trish also has a personal blog, www.lifetotheT.com.


MJ…
Mary Jean, also known as MJ…just don’t call her Mary…made the Triad her permanent residence when she became a SAHM in 2002. She is a wife to Darrin and great mom to boys Ethan, age 7, and Grayson, age 5. While she loves Target just as much as any girl, MJ is passionate about supporting her local merchants. She loves to be out and about in the Triad and learning new things the community has to offer. Whether it is finding a deal, latest events, or just volunteering at her children’s school, MJ gets involved with everyone in her life. MJ’s favorite things are spending time with her family, working out, cooking, decorating, bargain hunting, 70% cocoa dark chocolate (for real!), reading decorating magazines, and of course blogging! Visit MJ’s personal blog at www.onenuttygirl.com.

Take a peek and check out Seek! You'll love it!

Photos were done by Rebecca Hutcheson Photography, photographer from NYC.

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Smarty Find: "Screw Cancer, Eat Cake!"

By Rachel H

Former Smarty mom, Jennifer Fussell, has taken on a new adventure along with her sister, Leslie, launching back into business and starting their own company!! These women were extremely affected by their mother’s second diagnosis with Fallopian Tube Cancer earlier this year. They chose to honor their mom, and any other women fighting this horrible disease, by developing a T-shirt simply saying “Screw Cancer, Eat Cake!” One T-shirt turned into 5, then 10...

Unfortunately, this hits home all too well for me, as my own mom is currently undergoing her fourth round of chemo in 10 years for ovarian cancer. As soon as I found out that Jennifer had started this, I logged on to her blog and ordered the cutest T-shirt for my mom. There are also adorable totes and ballcaps that will let anyone fighting cancer know you are thinking of them.

Since launching SCEC, Jennifer and Leslie have realized that we are all touched by cancer in some way. As sad as it is to admit, almost all of us have a relative or friend who has battled this terrible disease. For this reason, I wanted to make all of you aware of Jennifer’s Mompreneurship! She and her sister will launch their official website in 2010, but until then you can visit their blog here or contact them at screwcancerinfo@gmail.com. I hope you will check out their blog and show your Smarty Support!

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