I have been having a blast with all of these Old Navy/Crowdtap shopping sprees!  They are always a great excuse for me to get together with my sisters, who live an hour away from me.  Are you a member of Crowdtap yet?  If not, you should definitely check it out.  So far, I have received free winter jackets for myself and a friend, a free pair of pants, sweater and winter accessory for myself and 3 friends, a free best tee and tank for myself and a friend, and most recently, a free pair of shorts for myself and a friend!  Who doesn’t love free clothes??  And from Old Navy, no less!  Old Navy has always been one of my favorite stores, so I am definitely loving all of these free shopping sprees!

Not only do you have the chance to get free shopping sprees with Crowdtap, they also offer chances to host parties in your home, view new movies in the theater, and more.  As a member of Crowdtap, I also have a lot of opportunities to connect with different brands and let them know what I think about their products, which helps them to learn what us consumers really want in a product.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone.  Every action you complete in Crowdtap gives you points, which can be redeemed for some great prizes, including Amazon.com gift cards.  I have cashed out quite a few of these myself.  Those always come in pretty handy!

Last weekend my sister, Amber, and I headed out to Old Navy.  My other sister, Angela, who usually comes with us on these shopping trips (I just can’t leave one of them out!), had to work, so she went to Old Navy ahead of time to pick out a pair of shorts for herself and let us know which ones she wanted, so that we could pick them up for her.  I did have coupons for only 2 pairs of free shorts, but like I said, I just can’t leave one of my sisters out, and because I’m such a nice older sister, I offered to buy a third set of shorts for Angela.  :)

Upon entering the store, Amber and I immediately went one of the many sections of the store where there were shorts displayed.  We certainly had fun looking through all of these shorts!

I really liked this Army green color.

Amber is like me and goes for the longer sized shorts.

She debates which color she wants.

We found a couple of pairs to try on!  They were also the ones we ended up purchasing.  I decided to go with black, because well, they are slimming!

There were so many displays of shorts throughout the store.  Take a look at these hot patterns!  I really love those brown floral ones.

I love the signs above the shorts that tell you the length.  That made things a lot easier for me.  I’m no Spring chicken, so 3.5″ shorts are not for me anymore!  Notice that display sign on the bottom left??

Take a closer look…  that’s right, FREE flip-flops, plus ave 10%, when you open an Old Navy card!

I was in love with this wall of flip-flops!!  I kind of have a weakness for them.

Here are some more.  Sorry this picture came out a bit blurry.

More shorts hanging up high.

Here are some denim shorts shown with really cute tops!

Bikini season is almost here.  Take a look at these fun & bright colors!

And some more…

Here’s another shorts display.

These Old Navy tote bags are super cute and would be perfect for the beach!

I really liked this display of striped tanks with matching flip-flops hung above them.

There was a great selection of 4th of July wear!

And last, but not least, I think this was probably my favorite display in the store.  I fell in love with that blue and white checked button up shirt and white demin skirt.  I think I just might have to go back for a purchase!

Amber and I had a really fun time shopping together for shorts.  We wish Angela could have been with us, but maybe next time!

Sign up for an account with Crowdtap today, and you too could get the chance to go on an Old Navy/Crowdtap shopping spree!

Connect with Old Navy and Crowdtap on Facebook.

If you’re in the market for a new digital camera, here’s a GREAT deal for you!  TODAY ONLY, snag a Kodak EasyShare 14MP Compact Digital Camera w/ 29-87mm Wide Lens, 2.7″ LCD Screen & 720p HD Video for only $39.99, plus FREE SHIPPING at 1SaleADay!  That is a savings of $40.00!  Hurry, this offer ENDS TODAY!

Once you get to the site, simply click on the black FLASH tab on the right, and scroll down to the fourth row of products to view this deal.

Sadly, Donna Summer, the “Queen of Disco” has passed away at the age of 63 from a battle with cancer.  She was a very sweet and talented woman, and will definitely be missed.  Who doesn’t remember her fun, high energy songs like “Hot Stuff”, “Last Dance”, and “She Works Hard for the Money”?  Donna Summer may be gone, but her songs will live on forever.  Get her hit album “The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer” today for only $9.99.

I love my Fiesta plates and bowls.  They are such great quality and last forever, and the colors are so bright and pretty.  These little beauties can be very pricey though, so I only buy them on occasion.

Today, I was very happy to see that One Kings Lane has lots of Fiesta tableware and dinnerware for sale at some really great prices.  If you are a NEW member to One Kings Lane, sign up through my link, and you’ll get a $15.00 credit off your first purchase of $30 or more!  Then, you can take your credit, and get yourself some lovely new Fiesta pieces!

Right now, One Kings Lane has a set of 4 24-ounce Fiesta Gusto Bowls, for only $35.00!  Use your $15.00 credit, and pay only $20.00!  This is a really great price.  The cheapest I found these items online at other stores for was $9.99 per bowl, so you’re saving about $20.00!

I have purchased many things from One Kings Lane, and they are always very high quality.  They have also thrown in a free scented candle with every order I have placed!

Head on over today and snag some great deals on Fiesta tableware and dinnerware before they’re all gone.  These sales don’t stick around for very long, so all the good stuff is usually bought up pretty quickly!

I am a huge fan of paninis, and yesterday I was craving one all day.  I love paninis because they are so versatile and easy to make.  They may just be a glammed up sandwich, but they sure are filling!  I usually stuff mine with deli meat, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese, but I was in the mood to experiment, and had an idea to make a pizza panini, or as I like to call, a pizzanini.

I started off with a round loaf of focaccia bread from the bakery department of my grocery store.  The particular bread I selected had rosemary and sea salt baked into it, which I thought would be a nice addition.  I sliced the loaf of focaccia bread through the center to cut it into two round halves.

I spread my favorite italian style pizza sauce on the bottom half, then covered it entirely with pepperoni and slices of mozzarella cheese.  I chopped up about 10 leaves of fresh basil, using the Chiffonade method, and spread it evenly over the mozzarella cheese.  Don’t you just love the smell of fresh basil?  It has such a spicy fragrance to it.  Mmmm!  I then placed the top part of the focaccia loaf back on top, making a huge focaccia sandwich.

I warmed up my panini pan with some extra virgin olive oil, sliced the focaccia sandwich into 6 triangular shaped pieces and grilled the paninis two at a time on the panini pan.

Just a few minutes later, they were done, and oh, so delicious!  The mozzarella cheese was perfectly melted and was such a great compliment to the pizza sauce and pepperoni, and the fresh basil gave it a little peppery bite of flavor.  The rosemary/sea salt focaccia bread was a great choice to hold all of these ingredients as well.

The thing I love most about this recipe, is that you can put just about any ingredients you want in there.  I think it would be really great with some ham, sausage or bacon.  Have fun experimenting and include whatever ingredients your family usually loves on their pizza.  If everyone doesn’t want the same ingredients, you could slice the focaccia sandwich into 6 individual paninis after you have covered it in sauce and cheese, and then put different ingredients on each one before you grill it up.  That way everyone gets exactly what they want!

Enjoy! 

Pizzaninis

Ingredients:

1 round loaf of focaccia bread

Pepperoni slices

1 jar of your favorite pizza sauce

Mozzarella cheese slices

About 10 leaves of fresh basil, chopped

Any other ingredients you would like to add!

Instructions:

Slice focaccia loaf through the center to cut it into two round halves.  Spread pizza sauce on bottom half.  Top with pepperoni slices, mozzarella cheese, basil, and any other ingredients you would like to add.  Place top half of focaccia bread back on top, creating a focaccia sandwich.  Heat up panini pan with extra virgin olive oil.  Slice the focaccia sandwich into 6 slices and grill them individually on panini pan until golden brown, and cheese has melted.

PLUS, now through June 15th, you can enter a contest on the Sunday Coupon Preview website to enter to win a FREE year’s worth of coupon inserts!  4 winners will each receive $125.00 in Paypal cash to cover the cost of 52 weeks of coupon inserts.  How awesome would that be??

Click the banner below to head on over to preview all of the great coupons you’ll see this weekend, and to enter that exciting contest!

Is your boyfriend or hubby a video game fanatic like mine?  If so, then here’s a new game coming out in November that he’s sure to LOVE!  Pre-Order Call of Duty Black Ops II right now, and include the receipt in his Father’s Day card for a special surprise!  No, it’s not something that he’ll be able to use right away, but I can assure you, just knowing that you thought to buy him something that he’s definitely going to want and get a lot of use out of, will bring a huge smile to his face.  He’ll talk you up to all of his guy friends, for sure.

This would also make an excellent birthday gift, or get your Christmas shopping out of the way early!  Use up those extra amazon.com gift cards you have laying around, and make a purchase you can feel great about!

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Call of Duty Black Ops II for XBox 360

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Welcome to the 2012 Savory Summer blog-hopping giveaway event!  I have teamed up with Measuring Flower, Graphoniac, and a bunch of other incredible bloggers to bring you a foodie’s dream come true–just in time for picnics and pool parties!  The Savory Summer event features all things food and food-related.  Each participating blog is offering a tasteful prize worth at least $25.  So, after you enter my prize, be sure to enter the other prizes, too.  You can find them in the linky list towards the end of the post.

Also, please join me in giving a warm welcome to the event’s grand prize sponsors–Nostalgia Electrics and Ella’s Kitchen! Check out the awesome prizes–one for the grown-ups and one for the little kids–that they are giving away.

Nostalgia Electrics Stainless Steel Margarator

 3 Month Supply of Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food Pouches

(it’s also the first item on the linky)

MY GIVEAWAY

Thanks to my wonderful sponsors, Devilishly Delicious Dips and Jake’s BBQ Sauce, I have some awesome prizes up for grabs!  Check them out:

First up, Devilishly Delicious Dips is giving away 2 rubs (Benton’s Blackened Rub & Benton’s Sweet Black Pepper Rub), 1 seasoning salt (Benton’s Seasoning Salt), 1 Family Size Savory Dry Dip Mix (Taco, Onion, Bacon, Loaded Baked Tater or Garlic Lovers) and 1 Party Size Sweet Dry Dip Mix (Butterscotch Sprinkle, Lemonade, Chocolate Malt, Pineapple Coconut, or Warm Cinnamon Sugar) to one lucky winner!  This prize package is valued at $27.00, and is open to U.S. residents only.  For more information about the amazing dry dip mixes, dry rubs and seasoning salts available from Devilishly Delicious Dips, read my Sponsor Spotlight Post HERE!

AND A SPECIAL PRIZE PACKAGE FOR WEST COAST RESIDENTS:

Next up, Jake’s BBQ Sauce has THREE great prize packages for 3 lucky winners.  Each prize package will include one 12 oz. jar of BBQ Sauce, and one 5 oz. dry rub (Jake’s BBQ Sauce will choose which flavors to send).  *These prize packages will be open to West Coast residents (must live in a PST time zone) only.  Please see the LAST 2 RAFFLECOPTER ENTRIES FOR WEST COAST RESIDENTS on the Rafflecopter form to enter to win one of these prize packages if you live on the West Coast.  These prize packages are each valued at $13.92!  For more information about the incredible BBQ sauces, dry rubs, marinades and more available from Jake’s BBQ Sauces, read my Sponsor Spotlight HERE!

To enter to win these fabulous prize packages, simply complete as many entries as you wish using the Rafflecopter Application below.  This giveaway is in no way associated with or sponsored by Facebook.  Winner must contact me at moneysavingmindy@gmx.com within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I first heard of Tammy and her home-based company, Devilishly Delicious Dips, through my best friend’s cousin.  I stalked visited Tammy’s website for a while, drooling over all of the different dry dip mixes she has for sale.  My usual dip mix consisted of a container of sour cream and a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix.  That stuff is nice to have every once in a while, but eating it over and over and over again, can get really old!

I was amazed at all of the different flavors of dry dip mixes that Tammy has for sale in her store. Her savory flavors include Onion, Taco, Bacon, Loaded Baked Tater and Garlic Lovers.  Not only does she have these savory flavors, but she also has a great selection of sweet dry dip mixes too! I didn’t even know that you could buy such a thing!  Her sweet dip mixes include Lemonade, Butterscotch Sprinkle, Chocolate Malt, Warm Cinnamon Sugar, Pineapple Coconut, and her newest flavor, Birthday Cake.  Tammy’s store also includes two dry rubs – Benton’s Blackened Rub and Benton’s Sweet Black Pepper Rub, as well as Benton’s Seasoning Salt.

One day, I finally worked up the nerve to ask Tammy if she’d be interested in letting me do a review of some of her dip mixes on my site, and I could not have been happier when she said yes! Tammy is seriously one of the most friendly, easy going people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and her dry dip mixes are fantastic!  I was so impressed with these new dip flavors. Read my first review of Tammy’s dry dip mixes HERE.

I use Tammy’s dry dip mixes quite often.  They are not just for dipping, and can be used in lots of recipes!  Read my second review HERE.

I love Tammy’s dry dip mixes so much, that here I am, with a THIRD review!  This time I used her Loaded Baked Tater dry dip mix.  You will not believe how wonderful it smells.  I am a huge fan of mashed potatoes, and I just knew I had to try mixing this particular dip mix into them.  I whipped up my mashed potatoes as usual, only adding in some of this delicious seasoning, which includes bits of bacon and chives.  Mashed potatoes had never tasted so good!  This dip mix added so much flavor to my otherwise plain & boring potatoes.  They were incredible!  Just look at the little bits of flavor all through those potatoes.  Don’t they look amazing??  I have since tried this dip mix over a baked potato as well, and I don’t think I’ll ever eat a plain baked potato again!

I am about to place another order with Devilishly Delicious Dips.  I just can’t get enough of them! They are so great when you want to add a little something extra to your meal or dessert.  Use the sweet mixes in frosting and cake mixes, kick up those boring mashed potatoes with a little seasoning, mix with cream cheese to make a scrumptious cheese ball or to spread over your morning bagel, sprinkle over popcorn, or into your hot cocoa.  The possibilities are endless!

Having company over?  Treat their tastebuds to something out of this world!  Forget that same old ranch dip mix.  Everybody and their brother serves that to their guests.  Make your guests feel extra special by serving them one of Tammy’s recipes featuring her dry dip mixes.  Your guests will be amazed and your party will be a huge hit!

Connect with Devilishly Delicious Dips on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure:  I received no compensation for this post.  I am just a huge fan of Devilishly Delicious Dips!