I am sick of lunchbags...those canvas covered plastic lined impossible to clean contraptions I thought were so cool before my child actually had one. And now it's the middle of the year and his bag is torn and gross and THERE ARE NO PLASTIC LUNCH BOXES in any of the local stores I try. Nope, only more bags, which I refuse to buy.
Which is why I'm really hoping to win the Go Green Lunch Box that is being given away at Helping Mommys Win. It has the plastic lined cover which is not unlike my child's current bag, but the beauty of it is that's not where the food goes. It goes in a plastic, dishwasher safe container! YAHOO! I just might have to buy one of these if I don't win it.
December 2, 2009
November 28, 2009
Tea & Mug Giveaway
At Yvonne's Tea Time this month she giving away a mug and peppermint tea to one of her followers. There's only a couple days left and so far she only has four followers, so you have a good chance of winning if you follow! Plus it's worthwhile to follow anyways because she often posts freebies and sales there!
November 2, 2009
Fun Holiday Fanfare at She Scribes
Over at She Scribes she's put on the Holiday cheer recipes, ideas and giveaways including a Beer Bread Recipe of mine. See a sampling of what you can find below...
August 26, 2009
Easy to Win Giveaways
Here's some giveaways on other sites I found with not many entries yet, ending soon! May be easy to win!
My Tramponline CD by Peter Himmelman (pretty cool kids CD that adults won't mind listening to also!) - Only 3 entries so far - Ends Sept 2nd
$31 in Target Baby Coupons Giveaway - Only 9 comments - Ends Aug 28
Rosemary Mint Shampoo - 8 comments - Ends September 8
Find more giveaways with under 50 entries at
Helping Mommys Win
My Tramponline CD by Peter Himmelman (pretty cool kids CD that adults won't mind listening to also!) - Only 3 entries so far - Ends Sept 2nd
$31 in Target Baby Coupons Giveaway - Only 9 comments - Ends Aug 28
Rosemary Mint Shampoo - 8 comments - Ends September 8
Find more giveaways with under 50 entries at
Helping Mommys Win
July 15, 2009
Rosetta Stone Giveaway Reveals a Family Mystery
I have a lot of fun entering blog giveaways, and learn a lot about a lot of cool products in the process, but today I learned something I never expected to learn on a giveaway: the correct Spanish for my son's first phrase!
See, my oldest son's first phrase was in Spanish (not his first word, but the first combination of words he put together). It was something he picked up in Day Care when he was one. He would say "No de ha!" when I would do something he didn't like...I'd take away something he was playing with or take him somewhere he didn't want to go, and he'd say "No de ha! No de ha!" One time he even slapped my hand when he said it. So I sort of knew what it meant but I had no idea what words he was actually trying to so.
When I mentioned it to one of the ladies who took care of him at day care she laughed and told me it was Spanish for "Stay away from that." She told me how to say it in Spanish (he had mispronounced it, but it was close enough that we were sure that what it was) but by the time I had gotten home I had forgotten the real way to say it...so "No de ha" and it's meaning was what went in the baby book.
Since then I've asked several Spanish speakers now to say "stay away from that" but nothing has sounded close.
And then, tonight, I was reading a Rosetta Stone Giveaway Post over at Mom's Most Wanted...and she listed several Spanish phrases she used a lot with her kids. And there it was: “Eso no se hace” (That is not ok to do).
I think I remember that my son had some trouble with the "s" sound back then, and of course he would shorten hace to "ha" because he didn't say many two syllable words yet. So there it was!
It doesn't matter if I win the giveaway (thought that would be awesome)...I've already won tonight!
See, my oldest son's first phrase was in Spanish (not his first word, but the first combination of words he put together). It was something he picked up in Day Care when he was one. He would say "No de ha!" when I would do something he didn't like...I'd take away something he was playing with or take him somewhere he didn't want to go, and he'd say "No de ha! No de ha!" One time he even slapped my hand when he said it. So I sort of knew what it meant but I had no idea what words he was actually trying to so.
When I mentioned it to one of the ladies who took care of him at day care she laughed and told me it was Spanish for "Stay away from that." She told me how to say it in Spanish (he had mispronounced it, but it was close enough that we were sure that what it was) but by the time I had gotten home I had forgotten the real way to say it...so "No de ha" and it's meaning was what went in the baby book.
Since then I've asked several Spanish speakers now to say "stay away from that" but nothing has sounded close.
And then, tonight, I was reading a Rosetta Stone Giveaway Post over at Mom's Most Wanted...and she listed several Spanish phrases she used a lot with her kids. And there it was: “Eso no se hace” (That is not ok to do).
I think I remember that my son had some trouble with the "s" sound back then, and of course he would shorten hace to "ha" because he didn't say many two syllable words yet. So there it was!
It doesn't matter if I win the giveaway (thought that would be awesome)...I've already won tonight!
Labels:
offsite giveaways,
personal ramblings
May 15, 2009
A Virtual Baby Shower for Mommie Daze
Mommie Daze is one of my favorite blogs to read when I need a good dose of mommy humor. Her post are both funny and insightful, and almost always leave me thinking "Yeah...amen to that!" And now and then she posts some really fun give-aways, too.
Well, she just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy (who came 5 weeks early!). I was thinking about telling everyone to go subscribe to her feed, so you'ld be able to catch her new posts when she has time to blog again--but she's blogging already...FROM THE HOSPITAL! If you've ever given birth you GOTTA read her hilarious 10 Things About the Hospital" post! And after you've browsed her blog and have a few laughs, you'll want to stop over at Comfort and Joy Blog for the virtual baby shower going on for her there. There's lots of fun virtual shower games with prizes! One of my favorites is the Baby Mad Libs Game. Wanna play? I'll give you a head start. First, copy paste the following into a notepad or something and fill in the blanks:
Exclamation!:
time of day:
sequence number (like 1st, 3rd, 100th):
adverb:
household chore (ending in ing):
hobby:
adjective:
adjective:
sequence number:
food:
piece of furniture:
tv show:
adverb:
OK...now head on over the the Baby Mad Libs Game and plunk your answers into their lib. You'll need to post it on your blog with a link to enter (or e-mail her if you don't have a blog)...and there's some other rules too so make sure to read the whole post. Anyways, lots of fun! Can't wait to hear what everyone put. Here's mine (don't peek if you haven't filled out your words yet!)...
"Yowzer!" gasped New Daddy. It was 11:59 pm and baby was awake for the 21st time today. New Mommy had been slothfully sweeping, but rushed to check on New Baby. "No, no," said New Daddy, who had been relaxing by calligraphy. "I'm always non-perishable to help with the baby. I'll go." New Mommy was stamp collecting, since this was only the 1st time that New Daddy had offered to help. In fact, New Daddy was more inclined to snack on mandarine orange chicken, while sitting on the bunk beds, watching Battlestar Galactica. New Mommy knew that she should studiously accept, because New Daddy might not offer again!
Well, she just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy (who came 5 weeks early!). I was thinking about telling everyone to go subscribe to her feed, so you'ld be able to catch her new posts when she has time to blog again--but she's blogging already...FROM THE HOSPITAL! If you've ever given birth you GOTTA read her hilarious 10 Things About the Hospital" post! And after you've browsed her blog and have a few laughs, you'll want to stop over at Comfort and Joy Blog for the virtual baby shower going on for her there. There's lots of fun virtual shower games with prizes! One of my favorites is the Baby Mad Libs Game. Wanna play? I'll give you a head start. First, copy paste the following into a notepad or something and fill in the blanks:
Exclamation!:
time of day:
sequence number (like 1st, 3rd, 100th):
adverb:
household chore (ending in ing):
hobby:
adjective:
adjective:
sequence number:
food:
piece of furniture:
tv show:
adverb:
OK...now head on over the the Baby Mad Libs Game and plunk your answers into their lib. You'll need to post it on your blog with a link to enter (or e-mail her if you don't have a blog)...and there's some other rules too so make sure to read the whole post. Anyways, lots of fun! Can't wait to hear what everyone put. Here's mine (don't peek if you haven't filled out your words yet!)...
"Yowzer!" gasped New Daddy. It was 11:59 pm and baby was awake for the 21st time today. New Mommy had been slothfully sweeping, but rushed to check on New Baby. "No, no," said New Daddy, who had been relaxing by calligraphy. "I'm always non-perishable to help with the baby. I'll go." New Mommy was stamp collecting, since this was only the 1st time that New Daddy had offered to help. In fact, New Daddy was more inclined to snack on mandarine orange chicken, while sitting on the bunk beds, watching Battlestar Galactica. New Mommy knew that she should studiously accept, because New Daddy might not offer again!
May 2, 2009
Easy to Give
On May 9, 2009 you can join Stamp Out Hunger in providing food for needy families by leaving non-perishable food donations in a bag next to your mailbox for your letter carrier. What could be easier than that?
On a related note, did you know that canned food expires? YEP, that's right. So do many boxed products. I like to go through my cabinets once or twice a year, toss the stuff that's past the expiration date, and donate items that I might not get a chance to use before they expire.
April 28, 2009
Sleep Deprived Parent Giveaway
Lisa, Elaine, and Anonymous Won
In honor of Mother's Day, and as part of the Ultimate Blog Carnival on LiveGiveaways.com and the Springtime Giveaway Carnival over at Heavenly Homemakers I'm giving a free Sleep Deprived Parent magnet or button to up to three people (SIDE NOTE: I'm so glad that some other blogs are stepping up to do what the Bloggy Giveaways used to do with their carnival--I was sad to see that go!). Anyways...details of my giveaway are below...but if you would like some virtual flair too, feel free to grab the following button graphic for your website or blog!
125 x 125 version
(for those who want one a little smaller)
If you grab my button graphic and don't use the HTML provided, please include a link to either www.scribbleprints.com, www.galesgiggles.com, www.zazzle.com/scribbleprints*, or a link to this post (if you're an affiliate of CafePress or Zazzle, and affiliate link to my shop is fine too).
Check out my shops below for lots of other fun stuff with my designs:
Scribbleprints - Zazzle
Gale's Giggles
Scribbleprints.com
HOW TO ENTER
REQUIRED: To enter, visit any one of my shops listed above and make a comment telling me your favorite design! Make sure to leave a way to contact me.
EXTRA ENTRIES
Please leave a separate comment for each of the following you do. Each is good for one extra entry. Extra entries so also gives you a chance to win extra buttons/magnets. If I choose more than one of your comments in the random draw you can choose another button or magnet from my shop.
1. Blog about this giveaway or about any of my shops or products and leave a comment with the URL to the blog post where you did.
2. Add the free Sleep Deprived Parent button graphic to your website or blog, then comment with the URL.
3. Tell me (in a separate comment) how you found this blog.
4. Add the Such Fun to Give button to your website or blog (it's on the top left) then comment with the URL you put it on.
5. Follow me!.
6. Stumble, delicious, share on facebook, or twitter about this blog, this giveaway OR any of my shops. Then comment telling me you did.
Entries will be accepted until midnight May 10th. The winner for the button/magnet will be chosen May 11th (the day after Mother's Day) by the random number generator at Random.org. If I can't reach you within 5 days, you forfeit your prize (if you leave no way for me to contact you you forfeit it immediatly...sorry, I can't give it to you if I can't find you). If you are concerned about privacy please read my Privacy Policy here.
April 22, 2009
Earth Day - Fun to Give Back
Here's some fun free things you can do to help our environment.
If you have a website or blog, you can head over to Brighter Planet, grab one of their buttons (like the one below), fill out their form to let them know, and they will offset 350 pounds of carbon in your name. That's like flicking off 100 lightbulbs for a day, or going two full weeks without your car!
No blog? No problem. Here are 15 places you can go where they will make a small donation (a few cents) for ever person who clicks on a certain link on their site:
Care 2 - Stop Global Warming
Care 2 - Save the Rainforest, Marine Wetland, and American Prairie
Care 2 - Save Baby Seals
Care 2 - Save Our Oceans
Care 2 - Save the Big Cats
Care 2 - Save the Primates
The Rainforest Site
Red Jelly Fish
The Ecology Fund
Race for the Rainforest
Land Care Niagara
The Environment Site
Oaks of the World
Save Forest (not in English)
Die Waldseite (not in English)
How it works is advertisers pay a few cents every time their ad is viewed, and these sites donate that money to environmental charities. There are also sites like this for other types of charity. Click Here to Learn More
Now, I'm not personally giving away anything on this post (like usual). This is more about giving back. But there is a nice giveaway going on at Madsen for a free bike (and biking in stead of driving is another good way to help the environment)! If you have a blog (or website or myspace or twitter or whatever) you can enter to win by putting up a link or button like the one below. (Click it to learn more)
Or if you don't have a blog, website, etc...you can also enter to win one over at Focus Organic ...and they have a a lot of other great green giveaways going on right now, too.
Happy Earth Day Everyone!
If you have a website or blog, you can head over to Brighter Planet, grab one of their buttons (like the one below), fill out their form to let them know, and they will offset 350 pounds of carbon in your name. That's like flicking off 100 lightbulbs for a day, or going two full weeks without your car!
No blog? No problem. Here are 15 places you can go where they will make a small donation (a few cents) for ever person who clicks on a certain link on their site:
Care 2 - Stop Global Warming
Care 2 - Save the Rainforest, Marine Wetland, and American Prairie
Care 2 - Save Baby Seals
Care 2 - Save Our Oceans
Care 2 - Save the Big Cats
Care 2 - Save the Primates
The Rainforest Site
Red Jelly Fish
The Ecology Fund
Race for the Rainforest
Land Care Niagara
The Environment Site
Oaks of the World
Save Forest (not in English)
Die Waldseite (not in English)
How it works is advertisers pay a few cents every time their ad is viewed, and these sites donate that money to environmental charities. There are also sites like this for other types of charity. Click Here to Learn More
Now, I'm not personally giving away anything on this post (like usual). This is more about giving back. But there is a nice giveaway going on at Madsen for a free bike (and biking in stead of driving is another good way to help the environment)! If you have a blog (or website or myspace or twitter or whatever) you can enter to win by putting up a link or button like the one below. (Click it to learn more)
Or if you don't have a blog, website, etc...you can also enter to win one over at Focus Organic ...and they have a a lot of other great green giveaways going on right now, too.
Happy Earth Day Everyone!
April 1, 2009
Free Scripture Cards and Graphics
NOTE: The free scripture cards have already been given out, but you can still grab the free graphics. Details at the bottom of this post.
After I started doing shapes with my scribbleprints (in stead of just abstract pieces), a friend suggested I do a cross. It had been something I had considered doing before so I set down pen to paper and after several attempts came up with a cross shaped "scribble" that I liked, and began to fill it in (as I usually do with my scribbleprints).
It wasn't until later, when it was scanned and I was editing it on the computer, that I decided to add the nail-prints. It was easy enough--just select a circle and click the mouse...but what I didn't expect was how it would affect me. Just a click, and there was blood. So like the reality of the cross: just a careless word, a simple decision, easy as a mouse-click, and those little easy sins bring such harm into our world. And for that, to bring us forgiveness, Jesus suffered and bled.
And it came to me once again that I placed those nail-prints there...not just on my scribbled cross but on the real cross where he bled and died.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
For Easter I thought I'd like to give away some scripture cards I've made with this artwork. All the cards for this giveaway (pictured below) have already been given out. If you would like to purchace a 100 pack you can click the image below and it will take you to my shop where I sell these. If you want to use this artwork on your website for free there is info on that below.
If you would like to use my cross artwork on my website or blog grab the code below to get the graphic pictured at the top of this post (if you change the code, please still include a link back to this post or my site here: http://galesgifts.windhavenweb.com/pierced ). And, I'd love it if you'ld leave me a comment to let me know where you used it. Thanks!
You can also order products with this design through my online shops which you can find here. Make sure to also check here for the latest coupons and sales.
March 25, 2009
The Ultimate Blog Party!
The Ultimate Blog Party 2009 at 5 Mintues for Mom is going on through March 27--and we're all invited! Lots of fun and prizes! Here are the three prizes I'm most hoping to win...
— Spanish Language Learning Software from Peanut Butter
Provided by: Life is Sweet (hey, it comes in LINUX too!)
— $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Beginner Baby Blog
— $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Shoot-Me-Now
Yeah...I love Target. And we are moving to a new place soon so I'd love to get some new stuff to organize with! But if I didn't win any of those here's some others I'd also be thrilled to win (in order of preferance) (and since this is a giveaway blog I don't think it's going too overboard to list all these! Hope you win some too!)
21 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Agoosa - Funny Name, Sound Advice
22 — $50 gift certificate to Target Stores
Provided by: Beginner Baby Blog
USC 26 — 10 $50.00 Gift Vouchers to Hatley
40 — Boca Beth Grande Bag
53 – Signing Time Parent Success Kit
26 — $30 gift certificate to Target
68 – $30 gift certificate to Christian Book Distributors
89 — $100 gift card to HomeGoods
52 – $25 gift certificate to Ju Ju Beane Boutique
USC 66 — $50.00 Gift Certificate to the online maternity and baby boutique, Madre Gear.
123 — $20 Gift Card to Kohl’s
77 – Two $25.00 gift certificates to Tiny Tots with Style
USC 56 — 1 (One) $25 Gift Card to Target
91 — $25 gift card to Target
118 — $25.00 Old Navy Gift Card
USC 3 — $25.00 for a Little Green Radicals baby outfit.
4 –T-Shirt from our new spring line
USC 47 — $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com by Shoshana of Just Say these Words
USC 15 — $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com
USC 69 — $25 give certificate to LaLa Baby Boutique
66 – Children’s “I’m An Author” Story Writing Kit
USC 67 — Bib and Burp Cloth set of their choice
INTL 22 – $20 gift certificate to Shutterfly
INTL 56 — Free Sponsorship of MomAudience - a brand new marketplace for moms launching April 1 ($250 value)
INTL 19 — $130 Sponsor spot on Tip Junkie
INTL 20 – $100 Premier Advertising Spot on Tip Junkie Mom-preneur Shops
INTL 57 — Six months of sidebar ads for MomAudience - a brand new marketplace for moms launching April 1 ($125 value)
USC 34 — a box of laugh-friendly company® fun! One copy of Chatterbox: The Bird Who Wore Glasses picture book, one Classic Fire Trucks picture book, and one CutiePatootie WannaBe Baby (we’ll surprise you with either a nurse, tugboat captain, swimmer, or chef)!
1 — $100 gift certificate to either Pedal Cars and Retro or A Rocking Horse
70 – One case of Cinnamon Churros
INTL 3 — $15 gift certificate to Amazon.com
44 – $15 Usborne Books gift certificate
32 — Copy of I Brake for Meltdowns (paperback) dacapopress.com
56 – Surprise Box of Art Supplies
USC 1 — Spanish for Children DVD series.
12 — $20 gift certificate to The Gift Closet
76 – A free place mat, melamine plate or lunchbox of your choice by Lollipop Papers
USC 11 — See Kai Run baby/toddler shoes
USC 45 — Pair of shoes from Eleven Collection Spring/Summer 09′
69 – One case of free mixed product
43 — Two $25 gift certificate to eco Store USA
121 — $10 Gift Card to CVS
39 – Handmade Perpetual Birthday Calendar, Lunch Tin and 10 birthday cards
79 – $30 gift certificate to Cute Clips & Moree
USC 10 — The Big Combo Pack
48 – No-iron no-sew clothing name labels from LabelLighthouse.com
54 – $35 gift certificate to Announcements Galore
50 – 2 $50 gift certificates to Paperlicious
113 — $25 gift certificate to Office Max (two winners)
133 — JJ Cole Tactic Changing Purse
INTL 63 — “Silver Leaves” Earrings from Acorn Accessories
INTL 23 – Blog Makeover BLOGGER platform only
INTL 35 — Blog Designs by Sheila
INTL 36 — Custom Blog Design for Blogger, WordPress or TypePad
INTL 28 — Sassy Frass
INTL 33 — A Blog makeover Provided by: Southern Girl Blog Design
INTL 45 — Kids Princess or Dragon Cape
INTL 64 — $40 gift certificate to Designs by Classic Housewife
INTL 26 — 1 125×125 ad on At Home Mom and a copy of Article Marketing Step by Step
INTL 69 – Advertising at http://www.momkaboodle.com
INTL 46 — 4 separate prizes – 125×125 advertising button on HomemakerBarbi.com
INTL 52 — 125×125 ad on Mom of 2 Boys, Wife of 1 for the month of April
30 — $25 gift certificate to weeBgreen
83 – Prize: $25 Gift Certificate to ecostoreusa.com
73 – 1 Free SNACKER CATCHER- pattern of their choice, along with an extra replacement strap used for this product.
INTL 72 – Lifetime Membership to Mom Masterminds - Value $500
28 — Toddler Apron from LoLo Craft
125 — A neato mommy & toddler gift basket!
INTL 67 – $35 gift certificate to The Soft Landing
134 — A box of 10 Christian books.
INTL 66 – one month free advertising
INTL 42 — (2) Banner Ads Valued at $16 each
126 — A copy of The Secret Trust, by Robert C. Taylor
97 — Set of one scrabble tile pendant and one glass tile pendant
23 — One Baby Dipper bowl and spoon set
USC 12 — Boon baby bath toys and saucer (4 winners)
60 – Pepsi Tote Full Of Loot
59 – Chocolate Touch Book Club kit
62 – $15 Gift Certificate Provided by: OhBaby! Sew Boutique
86 –$25 Gift Certificate to Close To My Heart
INTL 18 – $50 gift certificate to Good for the Kids
USC 6 — $50 gift certificate to iseemyface.com
109 — $30 Stampin’ Up Prize pack
USC 14 — Glass and stone earring and necklace set
114 — $10 Gift Certificate to Wendy’s Hamburgers
72 – $10 gift card to McDonalds
USC 22 — 1 Free Amber Alert GPS child safety unit with one year of service.
USC 50 — signed copy of my book ($15.99 value), Queen of the Castle: 52 Weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker, by Lynn Bowen Walker
USC 62 — Here We Go CD (a $12 value)
USC 57 — Personalized Graphic Button Design, a $20 value from Extravagant Grace Designs
INTL 14 – 4 weeks Shoppes Ad at Boutique Flair
INTL 15 – $75 Gift Certificate to Angela Vinez Designs
57 – Artsy Mamas t-shirt ($15.00 value), button ($2.00 value), and bumper sticker ($2.00 value)
108 — Softcover copy of Mary DeMuth’s “The Daisy Chain”, RV $14.99
INTL 60 — Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak
USC 8 — 3 complimentary 1 year subscriptions to Mom Writers Literary Magazine
2 — Bracelet
INTL 32 — Chore/ Responsibility Chart (Download)
94 — My Blue Heaven Coraling Necklace
92 — 1 bottle of Russillo’s Good Stuff seasoning and a free recipe e-book
84 – Usborne Book: Cats, by Anna Milbourne
March 6, 2009
CPSIA Awareness Giveaway - $5 For Kids Books
Think back to your favorite book from your childhood...the one you asked your parents to read over and over. Do you remember that book? Is that a book you might one day want to pass on to your children?
If that book was printed before 1985 and is out of print it may soon be hard to find because of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). The CPSIA, among other things, set new regulations for the lead content in children's products, including children's books. Some books printed before 1985 use inks, dyes, and paints that contain lead pigments--so unless thrift stores and used booksellers want to test their volumns for lead, they risk hefty fines for offering them for sale. In response, many thrift stores and some libraries are tossing or storing away all books printed before 1985. And, while the law does exempt vintage books sold to collectors, the wording is specific in that these books would be exempt only because no child would be expected to handle them due to their age and value . Thrift stores and used books stores can't logically say that they are selling a collectors item and still sell it for $1 in the children's section. Libraries also can't make that claim.
Now, I'm a mom of three little boys, one still in the book chewing stage. So yes, I am concerned about my children being exposed to lead. But I have yet to read of evidence of even one child being harmed by lead in printing inks in the 23+ years these books have been in print. I think with that in mind the risk is not worth depriving children (espcially those past the book eating age) of the many books published during our childhoods and earlier, nor is it worth robbing our cultural heritage of many beautiful and wonderful children's books published during that time period.
Which brings me to my giveaway (open through Mar 16).
I stumbled on the Book Giveaway Carnival at
Book Room Reviews, and knew right away I wanted to participate. I thought about giving a pre-1985 children's book, but I'm not willing to part any I have right now (especially since my children are still enjoying them). But there are still many thrift stores and used book shops who are either ignorant of or choosing to ignore the law, as well of hundreds of thousands of people who have never heard of it and are right now selling their old kids books in yard sales across America. So I'm giving away $5 to one winner to go rescue some of these while they can still be had. $5 isn't a lot, but at a thrift store or garage sale you might be able to get 5-20 kids books for that amount (I've certainly found kids books for a quarter before).
TO ENTER, leave a comment below telling your favorite childhood book (make sure to include an e-mail to contact you). Scroll down for ways to earn extra entries. Entries will be taken until March 16. The winner will be chosen through a random number generator on March 17 (after Spring Break...sorry, I had to have it later because of that). While the winner won't be required to come back and share what great books they find, I hope they will!
I encourage everyone to write your senators and representatives about the CPSIA, to blog about it, and to e-mail your friends about it.
Here are some of the best articles articles and blogs I've found on this issue:
The New Book Banning
Very complete article on City Journal about this subject -- a good read if you have never heard of the CPSIA before, as it overviews the whole legislation in addition to going over it's affects on children's books.
Librarians fight to get children's books exempted from new lead rules
Very good article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram
CPSIA and Vintage Books
An excellent overview at Overlawyered on how the CPSIA is affecting Children's books in thrift shops and used book store
Overlawyered's Ongoing Blog Entries On CPSIA and Books
This link will show all new blog entries on the topic of the CPSIA and books at Overlawyered
Amend the CPSIA Law and Still Protect Children
A very good article at the blog Let a Woman Learn.
If you like side-bar graphics on your blog/website, you're welcome to use the following button to link to any of the above articles, this post, or your favorite article on the subject (your own included). You may even offer this button on your own site for others to use (but if you do, please don't remote link--save it to your own server please).
Here are some blogging ideas:
*Have some pre-1985 children's books in your house? Take some pictures of them and post them on your blog to show some of the great books that may be lost.
*Visit your local thrift store or library. Are they still selling/distributing pre-1985 books? Blog about what you find!
*Review your pre-1985 favorite children's stories, and share with others how these books may become rare or expensive because of the law.
EXTRA ENTRIES
Please leave a separate comment for each of these you do. Each is good for one extra entry.
1. Blog about the CPSIA or this giveaway and then come back here and share the URL to your blog post in a comment.
2. E-mail your friends about the CPSIA, then come back here and leave a comment telling me you did.
3. Share about the CPSIA on a forum...and come back here and let me know what forum you posted on.
4. Join one of the CPSIA protest/awareness groups on Facebook (a search under CPSIA will bring up several) then comment telling me which one you joined.
5. Add my button to your website or blog (it's on the top left) then comment with the URL you put it on.
6. Follow me!. (I plan to do some random giveaways just for my followers in the future, too.)
7. Stumble, delicious, share on facebook, or twitter about this blog, this giveaway OR any of the articles linked in this post about the CPSIA and books. Then comment telling me you did.
8. Put the Save Children's Books button on your blog, linked here or to another article on this issue OR put another CPSIA awereness button on your blog (such as the one you may notice located on my sidebar).
9. I am considering doing some sort of a Blog Carnival/Blog-In about this issue. If you would be interested in participating (or in just knowing when it happens so you can come and read the blogs) let me know and I will send you an e-mail. This won't sign you up for a mailing list or anything--I'll just use your e-mail to send you the info about the carnival if I decide to do it (and of course to e-mail you if you win).
NOTE: As always, if you don't leave a way to contact me in your post OR I contact you but don't hear back from you for more than a week, you forfeit your prize. The $5 will be given by Pay-pal or Concealed Cash ($5 hidden in an envelope). US entrants only please. I only use you info as defined in my Privacy Policy (NOT to sign you up for mailing lists, unless that's specifically stated in the giveaway), but comments are publicly viewable so keep that in mind.
Free Random Coupons
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED
Would you like to get a free envelope with coupons and other goodies? Just copy-paste the questions below add your answers in a comment on this post. I will pick people from this post at random times throughout the year to send coupons to (Yes...this is a perpetual giveaway. If I stop doing this I'll put a note to say it's closed). You are not guaranteed an envie by entering, but there's a pretty good chance you'll get one.
QUESTIONS
1. What type of coupons do you tend to use the most (Please list a few general categories--like baby, groceries, pet--not your whole wishlist, thanks.)
2. Is there a category of coupon you NEVER use (like maybe you don't use pet or baby coupons?)
3. What magazines and newspapers do you subscribe to?
4. What type of articles do you like to read? (Fashion/Beauty, Parenting, News, Food/Recipes, Health, etc.)
5. Other than coupons, what are some things that fit in an envelope that you might like to get (bookmarks, stickers, tea, etc.)?
And yes, your answers may influence what comes in the envelope (though remember, this is a giveaway, not a grocery list...so you'll probably get some things you mentioned and some things you didn't). Your answers also may influence who gets picked (for instance, if I happen to have a lot of pet coupons I might send to someone who needs pet coupons).
Remember to include your e-mail so I can contact you to get your address. Please DON'T put your snail-mail address in the post...thanks.
Labels:
coupons,
giveaways,
perpetual giveaways
February 19, 2009
Shamrock Button Giveaway
This is a small giveaway...but a timely one: a shamrock button from my shop Scribbleprints.com, just in time for St. Patrick's day.
You can also print out a black and white coloring page with this design on my free printables page (no entry necessary).
Here's a little St. Patty's day shamrock trivia for you: Saint Patrick is said to have used the three leaves of a clover or shamrock to explain the three parts of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as the three separate leaves of the shamrock are part of one leaf, the three persons of the trinity are separate yet one.
This also explains a little bit about how I came to create a shamrock scribbleprint. You see, I don't believe in luck, but I believe in providence...and when I read about how Saint Patrick used the shamrock, it seemed a fitting reminder of the One who directs what can seem like luck or chance to us.
If you would like to see more of my designs visit my plumdrop page for a listing of all the shops I sell through. I'm having a FREE SHIPPING sale through Feb 22 at Scribbleprints.com and you can find more great coupons and sales from my other shops listed here.
To enter the giveaway just leave a comment with a way to contact you (if I can't contact you, you forfeit your prize). Very simple!
You can earn extra entries by doing any of the following (make sure to leave an extra comment for each):
1. Blog about this giveaway and then come back here and share the URL to your blog post in a comment.
2. Twitter about this or share it on Facebook or MySpace, and come back and let me know you did.
3. Add my button to your website or blog (it's on the top left) then comment with the URL.
4. Follow me!. (I plan to do some random giveaways just for my followers in the future, too.)
5. Stumble, Bookmark on Delicious, Share on Facebook or Myspace, or Twitter this giveaway, this blog, or any of my shops listed here (and comment letting me know).
6. Visit one of my shops listed here , then come back and leave a comment here mentioning something you liked (other than the Shamrock button), or give me a specific suggestion on something I can do to improve.
You can enter through Feb 23 - I will pick a winner on Feb 24 through a random number generator. If I do not hear back from the winner within a week of contacting them, they may forfeit their prize.
About Privacy
I wanted to address privacy concerns people may have.
First, I NEVER ever sell any of the information you give me. I wouldn't even know how to do that if I wanted to (and I DON'T want to).
To enter a giveaway I always do ask for an e-mail address (unless you are logged into blogger and your e-mail is listed on your profile). If you win I use your e-mail to contact you and will ask for your mailing address to send your prize. If you win a giveaway which is sponsored by someone else I will send your e-mail to the person who is providing the prize so they can contact you for your address and any other info they need to provide your prize. I also may use your e-mail to respond to something you said in your comment or thank you for entering.
Note, though, that this is a public blog and the comments are public, so I can't guarantee information you post in your comments won't be found here and mis-used by someone else. I suggest formatting your e-mails as follows to avoid having them possibly picked up by a web-crawler:
email at gmail dot com
If you have any questions feel free to contact me at ecarian at yahoo dot com
First, I NEVER ever sell any of the information you give me. I wouldn't even know how to do that if I wanted to (and I DON'T want to).
To enter a giveaway I always do ask for an e-mail address (unless you are logged into blogger and your e-mail is listed on your profile). If you win I use your e-mail to contact you and will ask for your mailing address to send your prize. If you win a giveaway which is sponsored by someone else I will send your e-mail to the person who is providing the prize so they can contact you for your address and any other info they need to provide your prize. I also may use your e-mail to respond to something you said in your comment or thank you for entering.
Note, though, that this is a public blog and the comments are public, so I can't guarantee information you post in your comments won't be found here and mis-used by someone else. I suggest formatting your e-mails as follows to avoid having them possibly picked up by a web-crawler:
email at gmail dot com
If you have any questions feel free to contact me at ecarian at yahoo dot com
January 29, 2009
Giveaways for Good
The following give-aways do some good. They highlight a good cause, give away a product that benefits charity, or do good in some other way (ok...so just about all giveaways do some good to the person who wins them--but these do something a little extra good).
$20 for Charity Challenge - Win Victoria's Secret Lipgloss
The do-goodieness of this is less about the giveaway and more about the blog its on.
A Family Completed - Win Magnets
The prize is from Adopt a Magnet, where 50 cents out of every order goes to an animal charity.
And, of course, there's the Onesie giveaway below on this site to spread awareness about the CPSIA.
Know of another do-gooder-giveaway? Please share it here so I can share it with everyone else. Thanks!
$20 for Charity Challenge - Win Victoria's Secret Lipgloss
The do-goodieness of this is less about the giveaway and more about the blog its on.
A Family Completed - Win Magnets
The prize is from Adopt a Magnet, where 50 cents out of every order goes to an animal charity.
And, of course, there's the Onesie giveaway below on this site to spread awareness about the CPSIA.
Know of another do-gooder-giveaway? Please share it here so I can share it with everyone else. Thanks!
Onesie Giveaway
(Choosen randomly using Random.org)
This giveaway is to raise awareness about the CPSIA. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was an act passed by congress to address the problem of unsafe levels of lead and phthalates in toys. Unfortunately, if it goes forward unchanged it will have the un-intended consequence of putting many small hand-crafters of children's products out of business--not because the crafts they are selling are un-safe, but because the testing required by the law is costly and not designed for people who make one of a kind items.
UPDATE: Good news! The CPSA has offered a stay of enforcement on most testing requirements until next year to give theie staff "more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted." Meanwhile, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) is proposing a bill to amend the CPSIA on the floor of the Senate tomorrow (Feb 3) so it would be a great time to call your senators about this. Legally the CPSA is powerless to make some of the changes necessary to fix this bill without legislation saying that they can--so this is a step in the right direction. You can read more about these recent changes HERE.
Now, here's what I'm giving away.
This cute 0-3 month onesie from the shop Rainbow Swirls is just one example of products you might not be able to find on February 11th if the CPSIA goes forward unchanged. When I asked the shop-owner how this law would affect her she said "I am absolutely devestated by this..not so much for me selling children items because that is not what I specialize in...but not being able to buy. I have a 9 month old and have a serious addiction with buying her handmade. Makes me sad!"
If you would like to win one this onesie, do one the following (remembering to leave a way to contact you in your comments)...
IF this is the first time you've heard about the CPSIA and how it may affect handmade, please read ONE of the following two articles, then come back here and leave a comment:
Handmade Toy Alliance Article
OR if you are already familiar with this issue, just leave a comment below telling what you think about it.
FOR EXTRA ENTRIES do any of the following (please leave a separate comment for each of these you do). :
1. Blog about the CPSIA or this giveaway and then come back here and share the URL to your blog post in a comment.
2. E-mail your friends about the CPSIA, then come back here and leave a comment telling me you did.
3. Share about the CPSIA on a forum...and come back here and let me know what forum you posted on.
4. Join one of the CPSIA protest/awareness groups on Facebook (a search under CPSIA will bring up several) then comment telling me which one you joined.
5. Write your congressman...then make a comment sharing that you did.
6. Visit my CPSIA Squidoo about this subject and do ANY of the following then come back here and comment that you did: Rate it, Lensroll it, Leave a Flickr of a "Soon to be discontinued" item, Share a CPSIA prompted sale, or leave a comment in my Guestbook (at bottom).
7. Comment with a link to any CPSIA related giveaways you know of, so that I can include links to these here.
8. Go visit Rainbow Swirls then come back here and leave a positive comment about her shop. I bought this onsie from her for 20 cents and shipping as a PAY IT FORWARD, so this is one way I'd like to say THANK YOU.
Entries are only availble to US entrants (sorry bout that) because of shipping issues. You can enter through Feb 2nds, and on Feb 3rd I will choose the winner using a random number generator. You forfeit your prize if I can't reach you to get your address before Feb 6.
To find LOTS of other giveaways, visit the Carnival going on right now at the Bloggy Giveaways. Much fun!
January 27, 2009
Welcome!
Well, for several years now I've been having fun entering blog giveaways and even sponsoring a few on other people's blogs or through TEXIFORNIA. I had so much fun at it I decided to start my own blog for giveaways. I have no idea how frequently I'll do these...maybe only every time there;s a Bloggy Giveaway Carnival (that's the site that got me into this...a whole slew of blogs all doing giveaways at the same time. Too fun. REALLY, too fun...it can be a time gobbler if you're not careful.)
I also plan to do some posts about giving...giving in general...giving back.
Anyways...welcome to my blog! More to come soon!
I also plan to do some posts about giving...giving in general...giving back.
Anyways...welcome to my blog! More to come soon!
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