CLOSED...For Valentine's Day: SHMILY Coins Review and Giveaway

I have never been a girl who was impressed by flowers or teddy bears. When it comes to declarations of love, it's the effort and thought that counts in my book. That's why I am so moved by the story that inspired SHMILY coins.

SHMILY stands for See How Much I Love You and is the special message that Laura Hammond's grandparents would write to each other in some uncanny places over the course of their 50-year marriage. Talk about keeping the spark alive!

Scott and Jennifer Ertl were so inspired that they started a business to help couples and families nurture their relationships. They received permission to starting making wooden SHMILY coins so people could start their own fun tradition of hiding these treasured tokens for their loved one to find.

I have certainly enjoyed surprising my loved ones with SHMILY coins. I slipped one in my husband's coat pocket before he left for work. I hid one in his favorite coffee mug. I mailed one to my grandma tucked inside a greeting card.

The great thing about SHMILY coins is that they can be personalized by you and used for so many occasions. The back of the coin has plenty of space to write someone's name, a special date or just doodle. Some fun ways that people have enjoyed using SHMILY coins include:

• Showering newlyweds with SHMILY coins instead of rice, then everyone gets to keep one afterward as a token from the wedding and to keep renewing their love in their relationships.
• Soldiers overseas cherish holding the wooden SHMILY coins while away.
• Children going away to college, camp, and sleep-overs can easily hide the SHMILY in their pocket and touch it when feeling homesick to feel their family member's love.
• Spouses who travel appreciate finding the SHMILY in the suitcase when they arrive to their destination.
• Children enjoy finding places to hide the SHMILY coin to surprise their parents.

Shop: Order your SHMILY coins here for 99 cents each or $7.90 for a 10 pack

Win: One lucky Marlie and Me reader is going to win a 10 pack of SHMILY coins in time for Valentine's Day!

Mandatory first entry: Read the SHMILY Story and leave a comment with one place that Laura's grandparents hid the SHMILY message

All extra entries listed below are worth one (1) additional admission into this giveaway. Please leave a separate comments for each extra entry you complete)

Extra Entries for Supporting the Sponsor:

• Follow SHMILY Coins on Facebook (leave first name, last initial)

Standard Extra Entries:

• Be a current or new follower of Marlie and Me via Google Friend Connect
• Be a current or new subscriber of Marlie and Me via email (subscription must be activated)
• Grab my button (leave the URL in your comment)
• Add Marlie and Me to your blog roll, make sure it's the new domain name (leave your URL in the comment)
• Follow Marlie and Me at Networked Blogs on Facebook (leave your FB initials)
• Follow Marlie and Me on Twitter and tweet this message: #win a set of SHMILY Coins for your #Valentine from @Mommy2Marlie at www.marlieandme.com #giveaway. Can tweet once daily (leave the URL to the tweet in your comment)
• Vote for Marlie and Me at Picket Fence Blogs (click button above Google Friend Connect widget)

The rules:

• This giveaway will end on 2/5/11 at 11:59 pm CST
• Winner will be chosen randomly from all comments posted using a random number generator
• The winner will be notified by email and have 48 hours to respond.
• Please make sure I can contact you either by having an email address visible on your blog profile or leave your email address in your comment(s). In the event the prize is not claimed in the allotted time another winner will be chosen.
• This giveaway is open to US residents only. Must be at least 18 years of age to participate. Void where prohibited.
• By accepting the prize, the winner is granting permission to be identified as such.The winner's mailing address will be forwarded to the sponsor for prize fulfillment.
• The winner has one (1) month from the date of claiming the prize to report any problems (lost shipment, broken product). I will not be responsible for resolving issues after this time.
• Entries that do not follow instructions or are falsified will be disqualified

I was provided the opportunity to participate in this campaign through Business2Blogger.