August 31, 2009

Visit Razzberry Fizz this weekend in Clemson and get 10% off!

Have you heard about Clemson’s newest store, Razzberry Fizz? When I heard about this fun gift shop and saw these photos, it was love at first site. Located just off of College Avenue on Keith St., behind the Hallmark, this cute new store sells all kinds of unique gifts you won’t find anywhere else – including a bunch of fun Clemson items. The store’s motto is "gifts that motivate, celebrate and encourage".

Owner Kathryn Tompkins is a lifelong Clemson local who has owned an interior decorating business with her mother, Judy Hebert, for the past 11 years. She always had a dream of opening a store in downtown Clemson that catered to the students and the Clemson community. On August 1st of this year her dream came true with the grand opening of Razzberry Fizz (what a cute name!) which she co-owns with her mother. They wanted a feel good store - so as you can see in the pictures below, they decorated with lots of bright, fun colors. Razzberry Fizz even has a coffee bar so you can get your coffee and shop at the same time. What a neat idea! (Click the images to see a larger view)


Razzberry Fizz offers some great unique gifts, home accessories, and monogrammed items. Check out these leather driving mocs that can be personalized any way you like and are interchangeable – I haven’t seen these anywhere else. They look super comfortable for wearing around the house, for shopping, or even gamedays. These shoes also look super cute with these interchangeable cuffs for your jeans (I like the orange ones!).



You can also get some great kitchen accessories, like wire wrapped platters, wine glasses, etc. that have orange, purple and white stones on them. These would be great for your tailgate, or great tailgate gifts for the host of your tailgate. My best friends’ parents have been my tailgate hosts for the past five years, and I get them a gift every year as a ‘thank you for feeding me’ gift. I am definitely getting their gift from Razzberry Fizz this year. I think one of those colorful aprons would be perfect!

If you’re from South Carolina, especially the low country, then you’re familiar with Pluff Mudd. Check out these original Pluff Mudd t-shirts – they are dipped in the black Pluff Mudd along the banks of the low country creeks, and the mudd dyes the shirts a taupe color. The shirt design is available in navy, orange, or pink.

And of course Razzberry Fizz offers tons of Clemson gifts and specialty items – like platters, picture frames, ice buckets, etc. You can get a beautiful Clemson door print that is customized with your last name to hang above your door. All great gifts for Clemson fans, Clemson graduates, Clemson students, sorority gifts… pretty much any occasion. You can also turn any item in Razzberry Fizz into a Clemson gift – they will customize with Clemson embroidery or Clemson vinyl stickers.

Check out these cute, personalized belt buckles. You can get them monogrammed with your initials, Clemson paw, sorority letters, South Carolina’s palm tree and crescent moon, or anything you’d like personalized on the buckle. You can then choose from a variety of belt colors to match your buckle. How cute is this belt around a t-shirt? Or as a perfect way to give yourself a defined waist with any of your Clemson dresses or tunic tops for gameday.


I think Razzberry Fizz will be a great success in Clemson – with such cute stuff, how could it not be? And the store is just a hop away from downtown’s main road and has its own parking lot (rare!) – located at 104 Keith St. - so make sure you pop in and see Kathryn while you’re in town this weekend. If you have any questions about the store or items, visit their Web site or give them a call at 864-654-7722. You can also stay up to date on the latest and greatest new items by becoming a fan of their Facebook page.

Visit Razzberry Fizz and mention you heard about them on ClemsonGirl.com and get 10% off your purchase! Whoo hoo! Treat yourself this weekend… you deserve it!

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August 28, 2009

Caroline's Tiger Pause: Clemson's 2009 Offense


I think most experts will agree that Clemson will be carried by our defense this year. There is a lot of offensive talent on Clemson's roster but there is also a great deal of inexperience at key positions. Last week I high-lighted the Quarterbacks and this week we will focus on the rest of the offense. This year I see the three biggest question marks being the receiving corp, the o-line, and the kicking game. If their play is better than expectations-it could be a special year. But with a new coach, a new offensive coordinator (though I could still dance in the streets over Spence being let go), a new offensive philosophy, and a new quarterback it is hard to forecast where this season will go.

The Clemson wide receiving corp will most likely be a true work in progress this year. After losing stand-outs Tyler Grisham and ACC reception and yardage leader Aaron Kelly the Tigers return a unit high in talent but low in experience. This young unit is lead by veteran speedster Jacoby Ford. Jacoby is deservedly a pre-season All-ACC selection and is arguably the fastest player in the nation. The fastest 40 run in the NFL combines was 4.3 this year and Jacoby has been clocked at a sub 4.1. Jacoby owns the ACC record in the 60 yard dash beating former Tiger Shawn Crawford's time. Shawn later went on to win the Olympic gold medal in the 200. Jacoby was the ACC and National Champion in the 60 this year, and was also the ACC champion in the 100, unfortunately he injured his hamstring during the race at Nationals this year. This will really be Jacoby's time to shine as he will be the go-to guy on game days this year. Jacoby has been an exemplary student athlete while at Clemson. He is a high character guy and a great leader for our young wide-outs. He and CJ Spiller combine to be the most intimidating return tandem in the country and just like Spiller, he is a home run threat every time he touches the ball-Jacoby has 6 Touchdowns for 50 yards or longer, 3rd in school history. Let us just hope his hamstring is healing and that he will be 100% September 5th.

Joining Jacoby will be a talented group of young men. Terrence Ashe is the other veteran on this young corp. He has been a great leader and a hard worker. He is not a flashy player but he is consistent and he is a very hard worker-he came to Clemson as a preferred walk on and earned a scholarship and a starting role on the team. Xavier Dye has been a terrific blocking receiver for 2 years and looks now to really up his reception production. Brandon Clear has been a terrific member of the scout team and after a very solid spring and summer looks to be headed for a break out year. He also has a twin brother, Byron Clear, who is a back up defensive end. Many of you may remember their father leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance from Iraq two seasons ago.

Marquan Jones has often drawn comparisons to Chansi Stuckey and we can only hope that is true. He is poised to become a real star and is also another speedy receiver. Jaron Brown has been the receiver stepping up and lighting up camp. He is capable of making truly spectacular catches and should see a lot of playing time because the staff has groomed him at both its “X” and “Y” positions. He could really challenge Ashe, in particular, for the starting role as the season goes on. Jaron will always hold a special place in my heart for sticking it to Carolina on signing day and choosing to become a Tiger at the last minute. Brandon Ford will also be a factor this year-he was 3rd in the nation his senior year in high school in receiving yards with 1722 yards and just has a way of coming down with the ball. The most interesting position battle of the year will be between Dye, Clear, and Brandon Ford to see who ends the season as the starter and star of this group.

Our receiving corp is a talented group of young men, but with the exception of Jacoby Ford they really lack experience. Be prepared for inconsistency particularly the first half of the season. I think you will see a spectacular catch followed by a dropped ball. This is a young unit and because of that there will definitely be growing pains. I do think this unit will start to mature and improve significantly as the year goes on. Jacoby Ford's senior season is going to be a real treat for all of us though. We will never have a faster receiver so enjoy every second of it. Because of the lack of experience this year I also think you will see more balls thrown to the running backs and tight ends than ever before.

The offensive line has been an obvious weakness the last few football seasons, and nothing is more pivotal to our success than a strong line. Clemson's starting five appears to be solid, however depth is still a real issue at offensive line. There is not an intact 2nd 5 and there in lies the problem. However, the line should definitely be an improvement over last year's and by all accounts new Tight End and Offensive Tackles coach Danny Pearman is a tough, hard-nosed, intense, enthusiastic coach who has quickly brought a lot of change and improvement to the line.

Thomas Austin is the senior leader of this still young group. Austin is projected by Mel Kiper Jr. as one of the top prospects at center in the 2010 NFL draft even though he currently plays left guard. He moved from center the second half of last season to increase the Tigers interior strength and size. Last year Austin was ACC lineman of the week 3 times (tied for the league high). He brings much needed leadership and experience to the line. It could be argued that Chris Hairston is the most valuable player on the line for two reasons-one reason is his play, he was the second-best lineman on the team last year, only behind Thomas Austin. The second reason is the depth at his position. There is a big drop-off between him and the second teamer and it is critical that he stays healthy this year. Also starting on the line will be Mason Cloy at Center who was a first team freshman All-American by collegefootballnew.com. He has been in a position battle all summer with Dalton Freeman-a talented center who plays with a mean streak. While Cloy will be the starter, Freeman will log significant reps throughout the season. Another big battle all summer has been for the starting right tackle position. Red-shirt senior Cory Lambert is the starter, for now. But Landon Walker is fighting him hard and the competition looks to be making them both better. Walker started 10 games last season and will be a huge factor on the line all year. Antoine McClain is the starter for right guard and he is the most talented and heralded lineman that Clemson has signed in some time. It is also extremely rare to get a top 100 player out of the state of Alabama, but luckily he chose to become a Clemson Tiger instead of sticking with the in-state schools. It is rare for a true freshman offensive lineman to be ready to play significant snaps, but he logged 149 last year and played in every game.

The o-line will be an improvement over last year, but this is still a young bunch of guys. If the defense can carry us through the first half of the season this group should really start to gel. Napier has been increasing the tempo and pace of practice to tire the line out, creating situations in the summer so the line can learn to push through the pain. Although there is some inexperience on the line to be sure, I think this will be a touch bunch of guys in the fall. But we definitely cannot afford any injuries to our starting 5.

Because of the lack of depth and experience at receiver this year the Tight End and Full Back positions become all the more important. I believe we will throw to the Tight Ends significantly more this year and how lucky we are to have such a talented group of guys. Both positions are a real strength for our team.

Michael Palmer is a senior leader of the '09 Tigers. He is a hard worker and incredibly tough (he played the '08 Virginia game with the use of only one arm because of injury). He also has a great enthusiasm for the game as evidenced during the Maryland game when he accidentally knocked then Tight End coach Billy Napier flat on his behind during a chest bump after a TD. He is one of the leaders of the team and looks to have a breakout all-ACC type season. He is able to contribute in both the passing and running games and is a terrific blocker.

The most talented Tight End on the squad is also the youngest. Red shirt freshman Dwayne Allen has all of the intangibles to leave Clemson as the top tight end in school history. He came to Clemson as the number 3 Tight End in the country. He won best hands in the Under Armour All-American skill challenge, a competition against some of the best receivers, tight ends, and defensive backs in the country. He also spurned Georgia on signing day much to my delight. He just moved over Durrel Barry in the depth chart to claim second string, so plan on seeing a lot of #89 this year. He is physically gifted and a dual-threat player-expect to see quite a few balls thrown his way. Because of how Clemson utilizes the Tight End position you will still see a great deal of Durrell Barry this year as well. He has soft hands and is quick and agile and gives us talented depth at this position.

Rendrick Taylor and Chad Diehl will line up at Full Back, H-Back, and possibly some Tight End this year. These two guys are very tough versatile athletes that will be used in a variety of ways. Rendrick will be a jack-of-all trades this year. You will see him catching the ball, blocking like crazy, and running in short yardage situations. I think his single biggest impact this year will come in short yardage situations. Good luck bringing him down on 3rd and 1. He will be used as a fullback, tailback, and flex tight end. He is huge-incredibly strong and surprisingly agile. If he can stay injury free watching his final year as a Tiger should be a real pleasure.

Diehl is a punishing blocker, some have even argued the best on the team. In the SC game we used Diehl as the lead fullback in the I-formation to great success-he opened up holes for Davis and Spiller all day. Diehl also will likely log snaps as a linebacker this year showing what a unique and versatile player he is-it is rare to have a guy play both sides of the ball in college.

Tight Ends and Fullbacks are a great strength on the offense this year. But the position that is unquestionably our strongest and most talented-what all our hopes are hung on-is the running back position. I can honestly say I would not trade backfields with anyone. I wrote a long article on Spiller already-this is his team and as he goes the season goes. I can't think of anyone's shoulders I would rather lay that burden on. Spiller is the most dynamic running back in the college game this year. And because of the lack of experience at receiver this year, count on watching Spiller catching more balls than ever before. Joining CJ are two more amazing running backs. Jamie Harper, like Spiller, was the #1 running back in the state of Florida his senior year. He is a power back, big and strong, but he is also surprisingly quick and nimble for a player his size. Last year his biggest impact was on special teams-I am sure all of you remember his blocked punt against the gamecocks that lead to a field goal:) ESPN considered Harper to be the #12 prospect in the nation regardless of position and the #3 running back his senior year. He is going to be a big impact player for the Tigers and both he and Ellington are future stars at Clemson.

Ellington and Harper are regarded by many to be Thunder and Lightning II. Ellington has already drawn numerous comparisons to Spiller. Ellington is fast, elusive, and shifty-and like Spiller he is a great receiver. He was tied for the most receptions in the spring game with 5. ESPN ranked Ellington the #44 player in the nation regardless of position and the #6 RB in the country his senior season. All of this incredible talent at the running back position has offensive coordinator Billy Napier wanting to keep it on the ground this season. We could even see formations that get all 3 of these dynamic players on the field at the same time. These backs all have an incredible amount of talent, power, athleticism, and speed. All 3 of them are great receivers, and they are going to be a ton of fun to watch. This is the unquestioned strength of our offense and if the line can open up some holes-watch out.

The Clemson offense is going to be a work in progress all season. There is a great deal of inexperience at some very key positions. But there is also a great deal of talent. Luckily we have a defense this year that can keep us in any game and one of the best running back units in the country. It is going to be interesting to see what the offense does this year at Clemson and how much they improve as the season progresses. There are also some depth issues, particularly on the line. There are some key positions that we simply cannot afford an injury in. If the offense stays healthy I think it will be among the better offenses in the ACC by the end of the season. It will certainly be interesting to see how it all comes together.

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August 27, 2009

Don’t forget to visit the Game Day Divas at the Upstate Women’s Show

The Upstate Women’s Show, a three-day event of shopping, education and entertainment for women, starts at noon today and runs through this Saturday until 7 pm. You can experience fashion shows, cooking demonstrations from popular chefs, speakers on clipping coupons and other money saving ideas. Visit the official Web site for more details on times and admission.

We wanted to remind you that the Game Day Divas will have a booth (#549) at the event and are offering all Clemson Girls the opportunity to get 20% off of any of their items by using this special coupon. Tommi and Lynn emailed me yesterday and mentioned that they’ve gotten even MORE Clemson items in stock and will have them for purchase at their booth. (Click the coupon below to see a larger, printable version)

In last week’s post about the Upstate Women’s Show, we featured some of Game Day Divas Diva Jewels – the adorable charms you can use to create your own unique Clemson jewelry. Game Day Divas has gotten some great new Diva Jewels in stock, including Dabo Swinney’s saying “All In”. You can also proudly display your crown of “Tailgate Queen” or use the newest mini initial bubbles and create your monogram. They’ve also got a new Tiger bubble charm that has hooks on both sides so you can link it in a bracelet, and I like the fun, 3D glitter boxes in orange and purple.

The Game Day Divas have also received a new shipment of flat wallets. The new, thicker style is great if you’re looking to carry more on game days. And the mini-wallet/mobile phone carrying all is perfect for Clemson Girls who want to carry just the basics on game day: your phone, credit cards, license, and cash.

So if you’re in the upstate area, you should definitely make it out for the Upstate Women’s Show – and don’t forget to visit the Game Day Divas (booth #549) and check out some of their great new items! Don’t pass up the opportunity to get 20% off!

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August 26, 2009

Tailgate Recipe: Clemson Sweet Mix Snack

This yummy and easy recipe will make you the queen of the tailgate - especially with the little Tiger fans. Easy to snack on at the tailgate and in the car on the ride home.

3/4 cup of brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
4 cups of Corn Chex
4 cups of Rice Chex
  • Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper
  • Microwave the sugar, corn syrup and butter in a large bowl for about two minutes (or until butter melts)
  • Stir in baking soda until it dissolves
  • Stir in cereals
  • Microwave for 3 minutes, stirring at least once
  • Spread the mixture on wax paper and let cool
  • Break into pieces once cooled and store in a Ziploc bag or container
Enjoy! Just be warned - once you start snacking on this tasty mix, it's hard to stop!

Try this recipe and send in your pictures for us to post to this blog. Or if you have a tailgate recipe you'd like to share, email it to us and we'll post it to the blog and credit you.

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August 25, 2009

Caroline's Tiger Pause: Don't forget basketball season!

Even though football season is here basketball season is just around the corner and it should be an exciting year for the Clemson Tigers. ESPN believes so as well because they have just announced that Clemson will be hosting College Game Day for the first time for basketball! ESPN will invade Clemson January 23, 2010 and will broadcast live from Little John at 11:00 am and 8:00pm with the Clemson-Duke basketball game following at 9:00 pm. I think this can be ESPN's loudest telecast yet--let's show them how we Rock the John! Now if we can only whip Duke like last year too :)

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August 24, 2009

Herff Jones: Clemson Class Ring Repairs

Erin Mercer (Cottrill), a 2002 Special Ed major Clemson alum, sent me an e-mail and wanted to share her story about how she easily had her Clemson Ring repaired by Herff Jones in Greenville:
"I wanted to tell you about my class ring. More than 3/4 of the black stone had chipped away and fallen out of my Clemson class ring. It has been in disrepair for over two years, and I knew that Herff Jones could repair it, but I kept putting it off. Well, I finally located the Herff Jones office in Greenville a few weeks ago, and it took me 5 minutes to fill out a form and drop it off. I just received it from Herff Jones today via UPS. It looks like brand new! Not only did they fix the stone, but they polished it up and even re-engraved my maiden name inside :-) And the best part? It was free! I am so happy to have it shiny and ready to go for football season!
I just wanted to share this with you because I suspect there are lots of Clemson Girls out there who might need to have their rings repaired. I want everyone to know how easy it was!"
She even included a picture of her newly repaired ring for us to see:

Thanks Erin for sharing your experience so other Clemson Girls know how to get their rings fixed up. I'm sure mine could use some TLC - I wear it every day.

Do you have a Clemson-related story or experience you'd like to share with all of the Clemson Girls? E-mail it to us!

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August 21, 2009

Quick Poll: Would you wear this orange, ruffle collar, sleeveless shirt to a Clemson football game?




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August 20, 2009

Visit the Game Day Divas at the Greenville Upstate Women’s Show

If you live in the Greenville area, or close enough to commute, you must attend this year’s Upstate Women’s Show. The Upstate Women’s Show is basically a three day event of shopping, education and entertainment for women, including but not limited to: fashion shows, cooking demonstrations from popular chefs, speakers on clipping coupons and other money saving ideas. The event will be held next week, starting Thursday, August 27th and running through Saturday, August 29th. Sounds like a lot of fun! Visit the event’s official Web site for more info on admission ($8 at the most!), times, and the different exhibitions.

Of the 150+ vendors at the show, our good friends, Game Day Divas, will be a participating at this year’s event on all three days (find them in booth #549) – featuring all of their new products that have just come in… new handbags, sorority gifts, t-shirts and dresses, etc. Game Day Divas would like Clemson Girl readers to come out to the event and see their new products first hand and let them know what you think. Game Day Divas would like to give all Clemson Girls 20% off of any one item of your choice! Print out this special Clemson Girl coupon and take it to the event to redeem (note: only redeemable at the Upstate Women’s Show event at the Game Day Divas booth).

Here’s a sneak preview of some of Game Day Divas newest products you’ll have a chance to snag for 20% less than the listed price (click the images for a larger view):

Diva Jewels - Game Day Diva’s ‘Diva Jewels’ are a great way to express your personality. Like a charm bracelet, you can buy different jewel designs and types, mix and match them, add colored beads, and build your own custom necklaces and bracelets. You can also get Greek letter Diva Jewels – which would be great for unique sorority gifts you can’t find anywhere else.



NEW Clemson T-shirts – Check out these new, funky t-shirts available from Game Day Divas! If you like the Ed Hardy, tattoo look, then you’ll definitely want one of these t-shirts. These would be great all year round with jean skirts and flip flops in September, and over a long sleeve white t-shirt and jeans later in the football season.

Lettuce Edge Dresses – This dress is super cute and would flatter any body type. The orange dress actually sold out in only 30 minutes at the Dabo’s Ladies Clinic… but Game Day Divas has just gotten more in stock...including the purple version! So if you like this dress, hurry up and get it before it sells out again! And I love how they paired it up with the Diva Jewels – a complete Clemson gameday outfit!

NEW Handbags and Purses – You’ll also want to take a look at these new handbags Game Day Divas has just gotten in. There are so many to choose from. These are all so fun, and would be a perfect addition to your gameday outfit! I think my favorite is the orange purse covered in the silver studs – I tend to like the funkier, punk purses. Which one is your favorite?


So have you gotten your tickets to the Upstate Women’s Show yet? It’s only a week away! Game Day Divas will have all of these products for you to see in person if you attend – and don’t forget the 20% coupon! You’ll find Tommi and Lynn at booth #549 – don’t forget to tell them that you found them on Clemson Girl!


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August 19, 2009

blake & brady – Unique and classy gameday apparel

When I was a student at Clemson, my girlfriends and I had to load up in one of our cars and trek to Greenville for decent shopping. Since then, Anderson has really grown over the years, and the downtown is experiencing a rebirth with new restaurants and stores – including an up and coming boutique, blake & brady.

Blake & brady opened its doors in historic downtown Anderson in 2007 by owners Chris and Sissa Sullivan. Their dream was to offer a relaxed and pleasant, yet vibrant and energetic, boutique atmosphere selling the latest trends at reasonable prices. Products include everything from fabulous apparel, stylish shoes, formal wear, trendy jewelry, purses, belts, and other accessories (Nu-Bra and fashion tape)… and for your Clemson Boy, men’s denim! They also carry many popular fashion lines such as Ella Moss, Laundry, T-Bags, Muse, and Jenny Han. They even carry Justin Timberlake’s clothing line Willam Rast (swoon!).

One of the great things about shopping boutiques like blake & brady for your gameday apparel is that you’re guaranteed to find unique outfits and accessories, and lessen the chance you’ll run into your ‘twin’ on gameday. Plus, you get really high quality clothes at blake & brady for very reasonable prices.

Take a look at some of the fashionable outfits, plus accessories, you can get at blake & brady that would be perfect for Clemson gamedays (Click on the images to see a larger view):

Dresses – blake & brady have a large selection of really cute dresses that would definitely set you apart from the crowd on gameday. I’m obsessively in love with the one shoulder, orange dress, and definitely need … not want… need that purple dress with the amazing detailed back. The funky print dress is cute because you get just the right hint of orange and purple to wear it to an October football game – paired with a jean jacket and brown knee high boots. All of these dresses would be cute, comfortable, and cool for the September gamedays.




Tops - Check out these cute and funky tops blake & brady sell. This versatile purple top could be worn to a Clemson sports event, paired with jeans…or out on the town with black pants. And I really like the ruffle, orange tube top (no tan lines!) because you could wear it with the white pants pictured, or jeans, or a jean skirt… pretty much anything.

Accessories – blake & brady also offer really unique handbags and jewelry. I love the purple and orange jewelry pictured below. The basket-weave bangles are so cute, and that beaded necklace would be so perfect for any Clemson event. It would make a great graduation gift too – I would have totally worn that necklace with my cap and gown on graduation day. :)

So are you as in love with these outfits as I am? Visit blake & brady for yourself, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., located at 140 N. Main St. in downtown Anderson. The boutique prides itself on their product knowledge and will offer you advice and assistance while you shop for the perfect gameday outfit – it’s like having your very own stylist! Blake & brady also offers additional services like personal shopping, gift wrapping, and special orders.

You can also schedule private parties at blake & brady. If you like to shop as much as I do, wine and shopping with your girls sounds like the best birthday party you could ask for. Plus, as an added bonus, as the host of the party you receive $10 in free apparel for every $100 your guests spend.

Visit blake & brady on Facebook to see more pictures of their products and to be inspired by the fan submitted photos. If you live close to blake & brady, be sure to stop by and check it out. Out of towner? Swing by on your way into Clemson on football weekends. For more information on ordering or pricing of the above products, contact blake & brady by e-mail at info@blakeandbrady.com or by phone: 864-965-9120.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR CLEMSON GIRL READERS: Guess what? Blake & brady will take 10% off of your first order if you mention you found them through Clemson Girl! Don’t miss out on this great opportunity! Thanks blake & brady!

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