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

CPSIA Awareness Giveaway - $5 For Kids Books

GIVEAWAY CLOSED - CONGRATS Liza767

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.