I consider this blog a testimony of just one more way the Lord has supplied some of our needs as a family and how he has blessed our lives. I thank God for his many blessings as he loadeth me with benefits daily.
Please follow me and enter the contests that I have posted and let me know if you win anything!
About Me
visit my website at http://www.marykay.com/rebeccaestep/default.aspx, Somewhere over the rainbow, United States
Hey, I just entered this contest on Cozi.com to win free groceries for a year. All you have to do is put in your email address.
Even if you don’t enter, please click the link to help me win. (I get an extra entry for telling you.) Thanks!
Welcome to the third Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.
Here's how YOU can join the celebration:
* Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add to one blog linky.
* Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots. We will follow you back.
* Follow as many blogs as you like
* Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
* Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow
The Blog Hop is the same at each of our three hosts blogs so you do not have to add your blog at each site. Just one - but you can follow each host blog. Here is the great part, we will follow you back.
** Please note that a link to co-host Tami @ Hearts Make Families is not included on this week's linky because she is having technical difficulties with her site. Tami should be back in full swing next week. Thanks for understanding.
Friday Follow Blog Hop #3 Hosted by Rita @ One 2 Try Tami @ Hearts Make Families and Lynn @ Midday Escapades . Join us every Friday as we celebrate followers! Link up your blog name and URL below to follow and be followed! Want to be a part of this Blog Hop?Click here for instructions and code...
Let's make this year the best ever for blog followers! Spread the word about Friday Follow by grabbing our button for your blog and come celebrate again every Friday. Feel free to also send out a tweet, blog, stumble or share the news in your own special way!
Many thanks to Mary "Rock"wood-Crabtree of Blog Rock for designing the cool Friday Follow button. Doesn't it rock?
Four more giveaways end this weekend....hurry, hurry, hurry and enter!!
(I will keep adding to this list as each giveaway goes live. Makes it easier to use as your reference base OR you can use the lists on the right, in the margin.) And more giveaways
Hop around the Blogosphere through the Linky below and enter some more great contests but before you hop off, would you help show your appreciation by casting a vote for Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports in the Web's Top Giveaway Blog contest? Thanks so much! If you're entering any of the giveaways on this blog, remember to put in an additional entry letting me know that you voted. (This holds good for all giveaways live till March 2 2010.)
Giveaway, Contests and Prizes Blog Hop Starts 4am Friday morning - central time. These links may not be active or lead to a real post until then.If you want to have a link in the MckLinky Giveway, Contest and Prizes Blog Hop go here for more information...Sponsor the next blog hop and have hundreds of blog owners see your link or ad‚ more information here.
Decorate your home with beautiful and affordable vinyl lettering wall phrases and quotes. It is the newest home decor trend. It's easy to apply and makes a room look elegant.
Our vinyl lettering will arrive in 1-2 pieces for easy application. You don't have to put each letter on individually. Applying our vinyl is like putting a large sticker on your wall and having it look like stenciling, without the work. Our vinyl lettering is removable but not reusable.
Navigate through each environment to browse our pre-designed words for walls or choose “My Custom Wall Phrase” and we will customize your favorite phrase to your satisfaction!
We have exceptional prices and even better customer service. Enjoy your stay with us!
******Our ANNUAL NEW YEAR'S DECORATING SALE is going on now!!
Don't miss the great savings! www.StickyWords.net
OH, I am so excited about this review and giveaway. I have entered several of their contests on different blogs and I love this idea of decorating. I approached Sticky Words and asked them if I could do a review for them and they graciously agreed to allowed me to do so. It was not long that I had the wall unit that I picked out in my hands.
I chose this one because of the year of trials we have had. It has been rough but I do not know how many times throughout the year through preaching and my Bible reading this verse was brought to our attention. It means so much to me.
I am excited about getting this put on a plaque. I personally would not like to put it on my walls because we rent and we will be moving and I want to be able to take it with me. So what I am going to do with my Sticky Wall Vinyl Lettering is have a plaque made and attach it to the plaque so that I can move it with me as I move and it will be forever with me.
Mandatory Entry (First entry)
~You must follow me publicly on Google friends.
Go and visit Sticky Words Vinyl Lettering and leavea comment telling me which Sticky Word you would choose.
Additional optional entries:Eligible only after completing mandatory entry above: You can do any or all of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.
~Follow me on Twitter. Current followers are eligible too, just leave a comment saying that you are a twitter follower.
~Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (Can tweet once daily). Make sure you add @mommieschildren in your post so that I can verify your post.
~Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.
~Blog about this giveaway and come back and leave me the link to your post.
~Join swagbucks here and you get 3 extra entries.
Giveaway ends on Monday March 1st, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes. Winner(s) will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. To be fair to everyone, comments not meeting requirements will be deleted.
I am thrilled to be doing a review for Proactiv, to be honest my daughter has used this product in the past and I was amazed at the results that she received after using this product. It is hard to be a teenager but then you add skin issues and that just makes life a little harder. I was thrilled to pay the low price of the kit to have the confidence that it helped give my daughter. I would recommend this product with full assurance that it will help with breakouts. I am thrilled to have been sent this product to use, I will say because my daughter used the product I gave it to a friends daughter to try out for me, she has been wanting to try it but was hesitant to spend the money because she has tried so many other things. I will post her true opinion on the product as she gives it a try for the next few weeks.
In the mean time the very generous folks at Guthy-Renker and Proactiv have offered to sponsor a giveaway.
* Refining Mask
* Travel-size Green Tea Moisturizer
* The Doctors' Secret to a Lifetime of Clear Skin
* ActivMember™ Benefits
Before Proactiv this is my daughter on the right, you can see that S has bad acne across her cheeks, it kinda looks like freckles but it is not. S before pics.
This is S today and you can see that her face is clear and has no more acne. Her face has healed so nicely and I am so thankful we trusted this product.
Mandatory Entry (First entry)
~You must follow me publicly on Google friends.~
Leave a comment telling me why you need to win this Proactiv Giveaway.
Additional optional entries:Eligible only after completing mandatory entry above: You can do any or all of the following for one entry each. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.
~Follow me on Twitter. Current followers are eligible too, just leave a comment saying that you are a twitter follower.
~Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (Can tweet once daily). Make sure you add @mommieschildren in your post so that I can verify your post.
~Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.
~Blog about this giveaway and come back and leave me the link to your post.
~Join swagbucks here and you get 3 extra entries.
Giveaway ends on Monday March 1st, 2010 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes. Winner(s) will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. To be fair to everyone, comments not meeting requirements will be deleted.
Proactiv(R) Introduces New Micro-Crystal Technology and Unprecedented Customer Access to Expert Acne Treatment Advice
New Proactiv® is Designed to Penetrate Pores Fast to Gently and Effectively Treat Acne; Customer Experience Becomes a Virtual Visit to the Dermatologist
PALM DESERT, Calif., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Proactiv®, the trusted leader in acne treatment for 15 years, today introduced new Proactiv®, the same effective formula that revolutionized the treatment of acne now enhanced with exclusive micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide. This innovation of the active acne-fighting ingredient designed to penetrate even clogged pores quickly is the first change to the original Proactiv since its launch. Current Proactiv customers report faster and gentler results with new Proactiv.
New Proactiv will be available on January 18, launching on television with a cast of all new Proactiv celebrities and exclusive enhancements to the Proactiv customer experience. Customers will receive unmatched access to round-the-clock guidance and support from trained Skin Care Advisors, as well as new online tools including Proactiv® Day One – a comprehensive online support system to help customers get the best possible treatment experience literally from Day One.
"It has been estimated that 85 percent of the 40-50 million Americans suffering with acne attempt to self-treat their condition," said Dr. Katie Rodan, dermatologist and co-developer of Proactiv. "We created Proactiv to help people effectively manage this chronic and often devastating problem. From the beginning, Proactiv offered education about acne through our infomercial and now, we're expanding that education with innovative online support and trained Skin Care Advisors available 24/7. We want our customers to know we care about them and are dedicated to their success."
Dr. Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, dermatologist and Proactiv co-developer, traveled the country together to personally train Proactiv Skin Care Advisors. Now, this highly skilled group of experts is available to help customers in a whole new way – acting as acne-treatment coaches helping people reach their goal of a consistently clear complexion.
"Not everyone can get access to a dermatologist or insurance to cover an office visit," said Dr. Kathy Fields. "As doctors, we've been dedicated to treating acne since we began practicing medicine, and we wanted to do everything we could to extend our knowledge and expertise to benefit as many people as possible."
In addition to ongoing training of Proactiv Skin Care Advisors, Drs. Rodan and Fields will be available to personally respond to email questions, giving Proactiv customers access to the expertise of world-renowned dermatologists – without the expense or hassle of an office visit.
About Proactiv®
Proactiv® Solution, the world's best selling acne system, is a leader in acne prevention and treatment formulated to offer consumers the opportunity for a lifetime of smooth, clear, healthy-looking skin. Now with new micro-crystal benzoyl peroxide, Proactiv utilizes Combination Therapy® to directly target the root causes of acne – bacteria, oil production, and dead skin cell build up – and heal and soothe acne prone skin. Proactiv clears existing blemishes, soothes inflammation and redness, and helps to prevent new breakouts from occurring. Proactiv Solution has a complete line of products, beyond the 3-Step System, including moisturizers, sunscreens, spot treatments and body washes formulated specifically for acne prone skin.
Proactiv, developed by Drs. Rodan and Fields, celebrates its 15-year anniversary in June 2010. It has been used successfully by millions of women, men and teens around the world. The iconic 3-Step System, along with other products in Proactiv's extensive skin care line, have been recognized with 27 coveted awards and honors from the beauty and health industry.
Proactiv Solution is distributed by Guthy-Renker and can be purchased by calling (888) 819-2019 or online at www.newproactiv.com.
About Guthy-Renker
Guthy-Renker is one of the largest and most respected direct marketing companies in the world, with distribution in 61 countries. Since 1988, Guthy-Renker has discovered and developed dozens of well-loved, high quality consumer products in the beauty, skincare, entertainment and wellness categories. Known for moving, award-winning productions and marketing campaigns featuring some of today's biggest stars, Guthy-Renker has been credited with transforming the broadcast direct marketing industry.
Co-Founders and Co-Chairmen Bill Guthy and Greg Renker have set industry standards for trust, integrity and best practices and have been invited to testify before regulators to help shape industry governing policies. Greg Renker, a founding member of the Electronic Retailing Association, was elected the first chairman of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the organization, for which he now serves as Chairman Emeritus.
Nearly 15 years ago, Guthy-Renker introduced Proactiv leveraging its unique style of marketing to bring a revolutionary new approach to acne treatment direct to consumers. Proactiv has become a best selling acne treatment all over the world, helping millions achieve the goal of clear skin.
Guthy-Renker has a superior track record of customer satisfaction for more than 20 years. Its direct to consumer model allows consumers to purchase products at a guaranteed low monthly price with generous extended return policies.
Guthy-Renker is headquartered in Palm Desert, CA; and has offices in Santa Monica, CA; San Francisco, CA; London; Beijing; Tokyo; New Zealand; and Sydney, Australia. For more information, visit http://www.guthy-renker.com/.
How many of you are spending time on twitter entering tweets for contests and giveaways? You are actually advertising for other's blogs and the company they are hosting a giveaway for, all for a chance you might win something. Pretty smart idea for companies to get cheap advertising. I am not saying this is bad, actually I am all for it, it has paid off for me. Trust me I twitter everyday. I have recently joined Sponsored Tweets and now I am getting paid to send tweets. I have been involved for awhile with them but it has recently taken off for me and I am hoping to get more sponsors to tweet for.
Why not give it a try and join Start gettting paid for tweeting. It is just a few more tweets to add to your daily tweets.
Leave your name below that you a new follower and I will be glad to come visit you and follow you. Thanks and Have a Blessed Friday Follow!
Welcome to the second Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.
Here's how YOU can join the celebration:
* Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add to one blog linky.
* Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
* Follow as many blogs as you like
* Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow
* Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow
The Blog Hop is the same at each of our three host blogs so you do not have to add yours at each site linky. Just one - but you can follow each host blog.
Friday Follow Blog Hop #2 Hosted by Rita @ One 2 Try Tami @ Hearts Make Families and Lynn @ Midday Escapades . Join us every Friday as we celebrate followers! Link up your name and blog name below to follow and be followed! Want to be a part of this Blog Hop?Click here for instructions and code...
I have seen so many questions floating around the blogs seeking information on what needs to be claimed on our taxes, and what does not need to be claimed.
I found an awesome article on Barefoot mommies that answered so many of my questions. Here are some questions that were answered by Tax Girl in an interview article.
1) Do I have to claim prizes won in contests even if I don’t receive a 1099? (we get this one a lot!)
2) Do I have to claim advertising revenue I made from Google Adwords/site advertising?
3) If I’m a stay at home mom and the only revenue I’ve generated all year was $300 in advertising from my site, do I have to claim it?
4) If I’m claiming revenue generated on my blog, can I deduct expenses?
These are some great questions. Please go HERE to read her answers and to enter the contest that is going right now with Instant Tax Service She did a great job in clearing some questions up for me.
Thanks to Barefoot mommies for inviting Instant Tax Gal with Instant Tax Service to her blog to answer these issues.
Hello there lovely ladies! Delighted to have you here! In fact...I'm just tickled totalllllly pink! Tickled to announce that I am throwing a pink party! And guess who's invited? Why YOU...of course! You...are the guest of honor! I can't wait to show you just how much I adore you!
My very first winner to my very first giveaway! I know it is old school to draw from a basket, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
CONGRATS goes out to:
Cindi @ Moomette's Magnificents Sending an email now. 48 hours to contact us.
Thank you to all of you that participated in my giveaway and be sure and stay with us to see the giveaways that are coming up. Thank you J for drawing.
DO not forget if you sign up for Swagbucks you get three extra entries, just leave me a comment letting me know you joined from my site. Make sure you get your last tweets and entries in before midnight tonight.
I am so excited about all of the new followers I have from the Blog hop. Thanks to all of you for joining me.
I have three new Reviews and Giveaways coming up. Please stay tuned, I am very excited to get these products so that I may review them and let you know how I feel about them.
Wen Hair Products. Sticky Words Vinyl Lettering, and Proactiv.
I am so sad that I missed out on the Friday Follow. I went ahead and added myself to the Mr. Linky, So hopefully I will get a few followers. Leave your comment here if you joined my blog from the blog hop. Thanks so much
Join now and earn 3 extra entries to my giveaways. Ok, Ok, I am jumping on the bandwagon. I have been a member of Swagbucks for awhile now, I just have not really considered the benefit of its services. I have used the tool bars for searches occasionally, I have tried to enter on twitter the #swagbucks hashtag, here and there, but this week I have dove in and tried to work at it a little harder and just in a couple of days I am up to 17 swagbucks. But when you consider that 45 SB equals a $5 Amazon.com e-Gift Card
I know that is not a whole lot, but I am on my way.
It doesn't take long to add up especially if you shop online. I have not done any shopping online (only because I have no money), but why not earn points while you shop? I am using the search engine and even my children are using it also, they are just playing and looking up things to see if they can get a swagbuck or two. Another way to earn swag bucks is by referring others to join. I am not only encouraging you to join for my benefit, but with every one that joins through my site I will give you 3 extra entries to my giveaways besides the fact that Swagbucks will give you 3 swagbucks just for joining.Leave me a comment telling me that you have joined swagbucks through my site.
Tutorial on Twitter Parties. It doesn't take long to hang out on twitter before you begin to see comments with tags such as # proceeded by a word of some sort. What I have found is that in order for people to follow certain contests and entries they request what is called a hashtag. Some just do it to keep track of their entries to their twitter and blog contests, others do it to host a twitter party. I have come across several twitter parties. I have found at times the twitter parties can be overwhelming as they do move fast. I have used several ways to join into the parties.
#1 Creating a list on my own home page of my twitter account. @mommieschildren/live-twitter-parties This is not the best way to follow a twitter party, as you have to manually put in the hashtag each time, but I have created a list on my twitter account and added only those that are involved in the twitter parties and it allows me to watch those tweets only. This was my way before I found out about the other tools listed below. I would not suggest this way of following a twitter party, but it is a very good way to keep up with updates about twitter parties. If you have found a fellow twitterer that frequents twitter parties or hosts twitter parties add them to your list and you will be able to check up on their tweets and see when the next party is and what the rules are to be involved. Check very carefully, as some do require an RSVP to be involved and you may be wasting your time if you have not followed all of the rules. I remember in my 6th grade year of school, my class was given a test and we were told to read all of the instructions before writing anything on our test. DID I LISTEN? NO! All of the sudden my classmates began to get up and leave their test on the teachers desk and they left the room. Before long I was one of the few still left sitting, not realizing on the last page the instructions read, Do not write on this test! Take this test and put it on the teachers desk and go outside for an extended recess. Oh My! Did I learn a valuable lesson that day! So please read all the rules very carefully before entering any contests or any twitter parties.
# 2 Tweetchat @TweetChat/twitter.com This tool allows you to type in the #hashtag and each of your posts will have the hashtag automatically added so you will not have to enter it each time. You can determine how fast the updates come. Tweetchat blocks out the other tweets from your followers list so that you can focus just on the conversation related to your #hashtag. The front page of tweetchat is very self explanitory and easy to understand. I do like tweetchat because it does allow you to see your posts also. With the little experience that I have, it seems that tweetchat does only allow the #hashtag to be entered and that is the only thing you can follow. I think I prefer this over the tweetgrid, it is less confusing and nerve-racking.
#3 TweetGrid I like tweetgrid for the fact that you can put in all those involved in the party. For instance, like with VivaSwag, you have several that you need to be following (before the party begins) in order to qualify, if you want to follow each of these while the party is going on you can add their twitter name in and see their posts also, sometimes following to many people at once on a tweetgrid can be confusing and very nerve-racking. *Tweetgrid does not seem to show your own personal tweets so it is hard to know if you are being seen or not, but I have been assured that my tweets are seen when posted.
Each of these tools are free and are very accessible, so you will have to decide for yourself which one works best for you.
I know that it is a scary thing the first time you dive into something new, but twitter parties are designed for the most part to enlighten people, whether it be for a new products,or a new company, or to give insight on the issues at hand about raising children, or organization tips, etc. There are so many different reasons why people have twitter parties, but the one thing I do know is that a party cannot be successful without the involvement of people. My husband took a training class at work and the results to one of the experiments they conducted was that most issues were resolved more quickly when people worked together as a team and pulled their ideas together rather than one person taking control and making a decision. "Two heads are better than one" Sound familiar? I know that I have learned some new things at these twitter parties that I had never known before and maybe I have posted something that someone else didn't know before. (just maybe) Anywho, you may be sitting on a piece of information that may just be what someone is looking for.
Go ahead and dive in and put your two cents in.
I have sent out some questions to fellow bloggers/twitter party hosts and I am waiting to get their feedback. If you have any information on twitter parties that you would like to add, Please by all means contact me at mommiesgotfivechildren@hotmail.com. If you have hosted twitter parties and would like to give your insight or answer my Q & A survey pls contact me and I will send you the questions and I may highlight you and your blog on my next post.
Thank you to all of those who have encouraged me in writing tutorials. I am enjoying this very much.
I have this obsession and I really do not know where it comes from. I love to get mail!
It doesn't have to be anything special, I do not even mind the bill statements, just as long as I get something. It is a huge disappointment to me, when the mailman drives right on by. So I have found a remedy, I have been entering these contests and registering for freebies and I am getting things in the mail almost daily now.
My obsession is so bad that I have passed it onto my daughter, in the summer time, we race to the mailbox. In the winter time, I send her to the mailbox. lol.
The other day the mailman had to pull into the driveway and come to my door to give me the mail because it wouldn't all fit in the mailbox! OH, THAT IS THE BEST! Hubby just said, "This is not helping your obsession." I said, "I know, it is feeding it."
So as I continue on feeding my obsession, Please feel free to help me not starve and send me something to review! Go ahead and make my day! Just contact me through my email (that too is an obsession) and I will be glad to get back with you. mommiesgotfivechildren at hotmail dot com
I have been trying to win this lotion on every website that is giving this stuff away. Today I finally won some, but I just could not pass this up without entering to win some more along with this added bonus gift basket. The gift basket is valued at $100. You can enter this giveaway here Thanks to Skin MD for this awesome giveaway!
Valentine's Day Giveaway
A Bottle Skin MD Natural shielding lotion
A Bottle Skin MD Natural + SPF 15 shielding lotion
One pound of See's dark assorted chocolates
12 Starbucks VIA Ready brew coffee pouches
A "Kiss Me" mug
A Cuddly teddy bear
Lollipop Bouquet
All in a lined wicker basket
Contest closes February 7. The winner will be chosen randomly Feb 8 and the winner has 24 hours to reply so shipment will arrive by Feb 13th.
The reason I would like to win this TV is not for me, but for my Son, He is getting ready to get married and it is so hard to start off in life without a little help. I would love to be able to give them the gift of HIGH DEF as a wedding gift or a house warming gift. What an awesome Mother in law I would be! What a way to start off on a good foot! Please help me to be a blessing to my children! Pick me, Pick me!
This is a pay it forward giveaway! You go and enter my info and then you get others to enter your info and build your entries. Please go and enter for me even if you do not want to post it on your blog, it still counts as entries for you in the contest.
Rebecca @Buttons and Bows sent you. mommiesgotfivechildren at hotmail dot com.
I love, love, LOVE Etsy!! If you have never visited Etsy, it's an online market place where artists and individuals sell anything and everything HANDMADE. I have found some of THE CUTEST items on Etsy!! I love it because not only are you supporting individuals in their endeavors to make money for their families, but you're getting one of a kind items that are DIFFERENT at a GREAT price...usually!! They also have an alchemy section where you can post items you want and individuals bid on your request. For example, I had a custom wood sword and shield set made for my son - painted with a fleur-de-lis on the front and personalized with his name for $25!! About a year ago I posted a request for a Super Hero Felt Board Set. I had an individual tell me she would create it with 20 felt pieces - characters, sayings, cars, etc...for $10 shipped!! You really can't go wrong on Etsy. You will LOVE IT! Now for the fun news? Champagne Wisdom will be sponsoring an All Things Etsy Valentine Giveaway Event - yahoo!! The giveaways will begin toward the middle of January and will include children's items, jewelry, soap and more to give away to readers - as well as some discounts to Etsy Shops SPECIFICALLY for Champagne Wisdom readers!! If you've never bought from Etsy, you'll definitely want to be watching for the giveaways to start. And if you already love Etsy, like me, then you KNOW you won't want to miss it!!
What can you do to get ready for the giveaways NOW? Well, I'm glad you asked... ;)
For every new subscriber/follower you send to Champagne Wisdom, you will receive 10, yes 10, additional entries into EACH Etsy Valentine Giveaway. This is how it works...tell your friends and family about Champagne Wisdom and when they subscribe, they need to leave a comment on THIS post telling me if they subscribed via email or as a follower and leave me the user's name and EMAIL ADDRESS of the person who sent them. That could potentially add up to lots of extra entries for you!! And as a bonus for your friends, they'll receive the 10 extra entries as well!! Yay...now...let's get ready to spread the word and celebrate ETSY...
The download I chose was for Windows, so you will have to search their downloads for the
one that best fits your computer.
Once you have downloaded this program you will open it and go to file.
~Choose New
~A window will pop up
~Create a New Image. It will have demensions Width and Height leave them as they are.
Should be Width 640 Length 400 (which is retangle) or you can change them to be
the exact same size on both sides to be a square box. Do choose your preference now.
We will come back to that later.~Press Ok, a box should show up in the middle of your page.
~Go to Your Toolbox (which should have come up when the Gimp page came up in a separate
box. In the box will be several icons, you will want to choose the dotted box at the top.
~ Go back to the new box on your main page and pull the dotted box over the box on your new
box on your main page.
~ Once you have pulled the dotted box over the fixed box, go to the icon on the toolbox that l looks like a bucket with paint dumping out of it, once you have pick that bucket, go to the color box and choose the color you want your back ground. Go to the box and press that box and it will fill with the color you have chosen.
~ Go back to the dotted box or the dotted circle which ever you prefer and choose one.
Make another box inside the first box and repeat previous steps and choose another color
to fill in the new box. You should now have a box with two colors. A border and a fill color.
~Go to Layer and hit New layer, make sure it is a transparent layer.
~Go to add text on toolbar (it will be the letter A) you will pull another layer across the area
you want the lettering to go, Example: I pulled the new area over just the center color.
Then a box will come up and inside the box you will type your lettering. You can adjust the
lettering to the place you want it inside the box by manipulating it in the new tab box while typing your lettering. You can also change the font size and the font style in the toolbox.
after you have finished messing with your font and you have it all centered and in place and the
right size.
~Go to layer and add another layer. (make sure it is transparent)
~Now add your decorations (Ink marks, circles, squares, whatever design you want to add.
I just started messing with the tool bar to see what things are. You can always go to the
Edit at the top of your project page and pull it down and the first thing on the list is
what you just did on your project, if you do not like what you did, just press undo and it will
take away anything you just did. Then try something new. (this is how I learned, trial and
error)
~Once you are done adding what you want to your button and you have it designed, you will
now have to Flatten the image.
~Go to Image (at the top, where the commands are at) and open it and go down to Flatten image, once it is flattened and you can check to see if it worked by going to Edit and see what the undo command is. If the undo command reads unflatten image, that means it worked.
~Next you will have to Scale the image. In order to fit on most blog posts your button
will have to be at the most 170x170, I allowed you to make your button bigger as to be
able to better decorate it the way you wanted it done so that you could see it better.
Go to Image (at the top, where the commands are at) and go down to scale image. When I scaled my image I took it down to the width down to 170 and it will take the length down also at the same time.
~Go to File and Save as, a new window will come up and it will be called Save Image.
You will want to name your image and add .jpg at the end of the name you give it. Make sure
you save it into your pictures file.
example: anotherbutton.jpg press save and other window will come up and it will say save as
JPEG, press Save.
Your image should now be saved as a jpg image.
Now you will have to go to Photobucket.com and add a new account if you do not have one.
If you have one, just upload your new button to photobucket from your pictures.
Under your new photo there will be four icons
You will need to copy and paste the HTML Code.
Go to your blog and Customize your blog and add a new gadget
Copy and paste your Html code into the Html gadget.
Press save and you should have a new button up and running on your blog,
that you yourself designed from scratch.
This is one of my very first attempts at a tutorial, I hope it is clear and understandable.
It is just for a very simple button for your blog. It is not anything spectacular but maybe
you can be more creative than I was and I would love for you to come back and leave
me a link to a button you have designed by yourself from this tutorial.
If you have any information that would be helpful please leave a comment and help me anyway you can, I am open to any help you might have, I am brand new at all of this, I have had to learn by trial and error. If you see a step that I am taking and you know a short cut please fill me in.
Thanks so much, I hope this is a help.
There are so many great sites out there where you can find wonderful button designs and designers that will work hand in hand with you to design blog buttons for you and will design a blog button for a minimal price but currently I am in a situation where I cannot afford any extra spending.
I began to search the web for tutorials on how to design a button. I downloaded Gimp2 and began to experiment with designing my own. It was a trial and error experiment, finally with the help of my son, we finally realized that I needed to flatten the layers on my design before I could turn it into a .jpg image. (which was a very big frustration to work my way through)
Finally I had my simple but matching button designed. With the suggestion from a fellow blogger I went to this web site tutorial and read this step by step easy instructional outline and before I knew it had my button up and running on my webpage.
I know it is not the most professional but I atleast know how to do it now and with practice and eventually investing in Photoshop, maybe one day I too may be able to design buttons for a living? I know, I know, I have a long way to go.... ; 0)
Thank you to Lynn at Midday Escapades for sending me to Mommy's Idea to teach me how to design a button.
The first chance I get, I will do my best to write out a Step by Step instruction tutorial to design a blog button with Gimp2.
GO HERE TO ENTER These products aren't available in stores until next month, but the first 500 Allure readers to sign up at noon EST on the dates below will get one free.
(2) JANUARY 5: Orly Spring Bloom Nail Lacquer. These bold polishes look fresh on short nails. Win one shade.
(3) JANUARY 6: Rimmel London Sun Shimmer Maxi Bronzer. These giant compacts offer color that looks natural, not baked. (You choose your shade.)
(4) JANUARY 7: Aveeno Positively Ageless Complete Starter Regimen. This set has cleanser, eye cream, day cream, and night cream to fight wrinkles-and take the guesswork out of combining products.
(5) JANUARY 8: T3 Perfect Blowout Set. With these brushes and clips, our hair looks like it was styled by a pro.
Kathryn over at Singing in the Rain has come up with a neat idea for a Button Swap. If you add her button she will do the same, the neat thing is that she has a point system set up. If you:
Add her button you will receive 1 point
Blog about her swap 2 points
Refer a friend 2 points
For a total of 5 points. Whichever Blogger has the most points will be tomorrows Featured Post on her Blog.
Please go and visit and tell her Rebecca from Buttons and Bows sent you to enter her Swap.
I think I may have to try this one myself sometime soon.
Thanks and be sure and tell her Rebecca sent you and leave me a comment letting me know you participated.
It's chilly outside, and I have a great way to keep a special little girl warm. Thanks to the great people at St. Eve's Kids and Twittermoms, I have a St. Eve Kids Cozy to giveaway. It's a blanket with sleeves especially for the little ones.
WIN IT! - Ascending Butterfly and our friends at Progresso and My Blog Spark want to help you get more fiber in your diet, the tasty way! One lucky 'Ascending Butterfly' follower will have the chance to win a Progresso High Fiber Soup Prize Pack of their own!
Scarves are a favorite accessory of mine. Mainly because I'm always cold, but also because I love the accent they provide to my wardrobe. They're not only great for wearing outdoors this season, but I also wear one when I'm a little chilly indoors. In the fall when the when the air is just starting to get chilly, I wear only a scarf and no jacket. Somehow they manage to warm me right up without the bulk of a heavy sweater or coat. With Affordable Scarves, I can afford to buy many different styles and colors to fuel my scarf fetish! ENDS 1/31/10
WIN IT! Affordable Scarves has generously offered two readers with the scarf of their choice!
These scarves are so very cute, I picked a purple one to match my purple wool coat. I think it just dresses up a coat when you add a scarf to it. I guess it is a scarf that can be worn with other things besides my coat. I am looking forward to seeing if I win this contest. These scarves sure are pretty.
I am a big fan of vintage and retro style. If you look around my 1960's home, you can see the Donna Reed influence on my tastes. I also appreciate classic modern, but finding a truly nice piece can be pretty tough when everyone's idea of what is "new" is so different. That being said, I have been a fan of Umbra's sleek and modern design for several years now, so when I received the flip hooks, I was more than happy.
The Happy Little Wren is pleased to announce that we have a Partridge Jewelry Tree to give away to one lucky reader!
Welcome to the first giveaway of 2010 on the Handmade Highway! This week's giveaway is all about Valentine's Day. Check out these wonderful handmade products that you could win! This lovely loot retails for $88! GO here to enter. Ends 1/25/10
I hadn't heard of Evora Plus before I was invited to try it for this review, but after reading a lot of the reviews and seeing some of the news clips.. I was looking forward to seeing if it was as good as it claimed to be. This giveaway ends 1/29/10
Two of my readers will each receive a 30-day supply of Evora Plus.
A fat quarter package of 8 pieces from Riley Blake!
Just perfect for 4th of July and any patriotic craft project!
Value is $18.00!
You can further save while shopping the CRAFTY GIRLS WORKSHOP on etsy! They will give you 10% off any purchase made during the time of this giveaway. Just put in code GIVEAWAY when you check out
The giveaway is for a Waechtersback Large Serving Bowl in your color of choice. The bowl comes in cream, turquoise, chocolate, cherry red, orange peel, black, lemon peel, kiwi, blueberry, plum, buttercup, royal blue, white and green apple! There is a color for every kitchen. The serving bowl is made from high-fired ceramic earthenware with a 5 quart capacity. It measures 11.5" in diameter and is dishwasher safe.
Enter Here Ends 1/30/10 In celebration of National Hot Tea Month Copco has been kind enough to give one of my readers this Basket tea Infuser as well. To enter visit the Total Tea products and come back here and leave a comment on which one you like best.
Ends 1/31 I entered this contest at The Penny-Pinching mama , this purse is rather unique, it is very name brandish (is that a word) I have never owned a purse that cost so much. I am not sure if I would feel comfortable carrying a purse with such class. I am sure I will give it a try if I were to win.
WIN IT!Due to the generosity of Parazul, one very lucky reader will win a Beige Classic Bag, which includes a Beige/Black Slim Scarf and Logo Charm, all valued at $250.00. I would not know how to act with a $250.00 purse hanging on my arm. I would hope my nose would not turn to far up in the air.
GO HERE for your chance to enter to win this purse and possibly hang this from your arm.
Sticky Words Vinyl Lettering is offering to giveaway to one lucky reader any one (1) of their Pre-Designed Wall Phrases, your choice! (Custom designing and monogram tiles are not available for the giveaway).
Do you want to win a beautiful vinyl wall quote or phrase for one of the rooms in your home?
I reached 100 Neighbors today! Yeah!! And in appreciation of that I am doing a small giveaway! I know it is not much, but I purchased a $5 Starbucks card and only a Neighbor At the Fence may win it. Past Neighbors or anyone new who signs up to be a Neighbor At the Fence. It is that simple be a Neighbor and leave a comment stating that you already are a Neighbor or have just signed up to be a Neighbor. You must leave a comment to be entered! This will end January 28th at 11:59 pm CST. I will choose the winner through Random.org and notify the winner by email on January 29th. If you are not a Public Neighbor your comment will be deleted. Thank you to everyone who helped me reach this goal.
Are you in for a treat! Swimsuit shopping has always been a dreaded experience - though I always hope and dream I'll find that special, super awesome swimsuit that hits me in all the right places and makes me feel like a million bucks. Before having kids, this was definitely easier - now, there are a few more *places* I need the swimsuit to hit and of course to not hit. And I want it to last - not just for one season.
Ends 1/31 My first giveaway of 2010 starts NOW! Here's how it's going to work. This giveaway will last for the next four weeks, ending at 11:59pm on Saturday, January 30th. Then on Sunday, January 31st, I will announce the winner... on the same day that my buddy Julia launch a month-long giveaway campaign!
The winner will have one of two options; you can either take the free night at the Great Wolf in Concord, North Carolina (with the stipulation that it will not go to waste!) or a $100 gift card to any of Great Wolf's other 10 resort locations across the country. And if you don't live near ANY of these amazing resorts and you're the winner, I'll send you a $50 VISA gift card to help defray the cost of your next family vacation. (Sorry, contest open to U.S. residents only!) GO Here to enter.
Click here to enter your link in this Blog Hop
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