I am now officially accepting guest posts here at Homegrown Mom. Specifically, I am looking for posts of 700 words or less on Family Traditions, Holiday Crafts, Family Time Ideas, and the like. I prefer ready to use ideas and how to’s, but if you have something out of that category, feel free to pitch your idea. If you have high-quality photos, please send those, too. (No more than 600 pixels wide)

Posts need to be original content, not published elsewhere. All rights remain yours, but I will ask that you do not repost the content on your blog, or at least rework it a little

Please email meyour submissions with “Guest Post” in the subject line. Please allow two weeks for me to get back to you. If I decide to use your post, it will include a short bio, head shot, and link back to your blog at the end. Other than that, no compensation is available for guest posts at this time.

If you don’t have a blog, you’re still welcome to submit a post!

In case you didn’t notice… my blog has been fixed. All is right with the world again.

It actually wasn’t in the ugly-phase for long, thanks to Darcy, for both helping me pinpoint the problem, and for introducing me to Daisy, web-developer extraordinaire.

All of you bloggers will appreciate this next part… My blog was previously using the Thesis theme. I am now off Thesis because my index.html file was hacked and replaced, and I am safely on Genesis. Genesis is a much more secure theme, and if you’re not on it yet, I suggest reading about it so your blog never gets ugly-fied. Or, as normal people would say, hacked.

Now, if you’re not a blogger — or if you’re the kind of blogger I am and know just about nothing about what goes on behind the scenes — then you can take your hands off your eyes and stop screaming. The techy part is done. Not that I had my hands over my eyes screaming trying to figure this all out. That’s what I had Daisy for. She went above and beyond, adding my troubles to her already-full workload so that I could get out of the fetal position and breathe.

And while I was having tea time with my daughters, a movie night with my hubby, taking a hot bath and recovering from the horror of having to try to comprehend words like server and ftp. … Daisy was working behind the scenes to move my blog safely over to the Genesis theme. She did it so seamlessly, you can’t even tell the difference, which was a big deal to me.

You can visit Daisy here:

And Darcy here:

They are busy ladies, both of their queues are full, but again, Worth The Wait!

They are both incredibly smart and talented, and very sweet. Neither of them even once called me an idiot and asked just who I thought I was, having a blog and knowing nothing about how it works. Instead, they communicated with each other and even got into my server to figure stuff out since I was clueless.

In short, Darcy and Daisy rock. In fact, I’m wondering why my mom didn’t name me something with a D—y. Because clearly, women with D—y names know all there is to know about computers. Oh well.

If you’re reading this on a reader, then be sure to visit my beautiful blog and be in awe of the beauty that has been restored.

Isn’t it pretty?

Thank you to all who entered! I have lots of new blogs to visit! Giveaway week was so fun, wasn’t it? I’m already planning the next one, for a few months from now.

The Winners!

The winner of a $20 Garnish gift card is: # 47, Love from Moments with Love!

The Winner of a $30 Gussy store Credit is: #12, Brooke, from A Life in Need of Change!

The winner of a $30 credit from The Rusted Chain is #59, Samantha from All Sam’s Idea!

The winner of the Blogger’s Prize Pack is: # 74, Leslie from Words of Me Project

I used Random.Org to choose the winners:

Welcome to Giveaway Week! The Rusted Chain and Blogger’s Prize Pack will be closing soon!

Today I am giving away an Every Mom Needs a Break prize pack to one subscriber! I feel so overwhelmed when I think of anyone other than my mom and husband reading this blog, and I want to thank those of you that keep up with me by subscribing!

Here is what the winner will get:

Subscription to one of these magazines: You choose which one! Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Prevention, or Lucky

$20 Bath and Body Works gift card for your next bubble bath or pedicure! I love their hand soaps, too.

$10 Starbucks gift card… have a date with your hubby, your bff, or your favorite book!

photo by Starbucks Guy

Busy Mom’s Bible
Too busy to read? This Bible has — no kidding– one minute devotions. I received it from Zondervan to review. Even though I love the pink and brown cover, I have so many Bibles around my home that I wanted to pass this one on. It’s only been thumbed through briefly by me and is still in brand-new shape.

How to Enter

To enter, leave a comment telling me which of the above prizes you’d be looking forward to the most!

Note: This contest is for subscribers only! You can subscribe for free via RSS or email. I’ll announce the winner in my feed only on Monday, and you can email me your mailing address and choice of magazine. If you get this in your inbox, it’ll be at the bottom of Monday morning’s post

Giveaway will close Sunday night. Winner to be chosen by Random.org
*Please note that the Amazon links are affiliate links.

Welcome to Giveaway Week at Homegrown Mom! If you’re new here, you might want to subscribe to my RSS feed or by email!

Have you entered the Gussy and The Rusted Chain giveaways? They’re ending soon!

Today’s giveaway is for bloggers! If you have a blog, you are going to L-O-V-E this! You have a chance to win all of this:

1. A Complete Design from Flibby Pie!

Flibby Pie designed the website for the Relevant 2010 conference.

Isn’t it pretty? She does Blogger and WordPress, and generously offered to give one of you a complete design! Head over to her website to see some more of her work. Here’s what one client had to say about her:

“Katie of Flibby Pie was awesome to work with, was able to make exactly what I had work in WordPress and happily worked out all the other little changes that I requested. And when I accidently somehow made it all disappear, she was a genius and fixed it again. I am doing a little {happy dance} this morning. If you are looking for a whole new look, a transition or just a little something like a new header or a button, Katie is your girl!!”

You can fine her on Twitter, too. Thanks, Katie!

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2. 31 Days to Build a Better Blog by Problogger

If you don’t know who Darren Rowse is, then you’re probably just reading this post because you know me in real life and think it’s so cute that kooky little Ang has that ‘blog thing.’ The rest of you will understand why I have the biggest crush on his blog, and it has nothing to do with his Australian accent.

A while back, ProBlogger asked his readers what they liked about the 31 DBBB work book and I of course commented. When you go to check out the book, scroll on down and see whose awkward little picture and embarrassing comment is there. Yep. It’s me.

I’m not ashamed to tell you I was giddy when I saw that. Anyway, people email me all the time to ask me about the book and I tell them just why I loved it. They inevitably ask me if I am an affiliate, and no I am not. I just seriously enjoyed the 31 tasks and all the info I learned as a new blogger reading this book.

So, I am giving away a copy of the workbook to the winner. I guess I could have started with that.

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3. $25 Amazon gift card, donated by CKY Books.




CKY Books is a fantastic site that pays to sell used books Check out their website. You enter the ISBN of the book you wish to sell and they make you an instant offer. Easier than Ebay! You can also find CKY books on Twitter. That’s where I met them.

I went to their site and entered in a few ISBN’s I had lying around, just to try it out. In less than thirty seconds, there was an offer on almost all of them. My eleven year old Grisham novel wasn’t being sought after, go figure. When I get ready to go curriculum shopping soon, I will definitely be stopping by CKY books first to boost my budget!

I’m so excited CKY books is donating an Amazon gift card. What would you get with your Amazon card? A blogging book? Pens? A laptop pad? Slippers? Or is that just me? Thanks, CKY Books!

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4. A pound of Jarbee Coffee from Daily Shot of Coffee



Funny story, I found Mike Crimmins’ site through the original 31 days to Build a Better Blog challenge. He had me at coffee. What blogger doesn’t inhale coffee? Jarbee has the yummiest sounding flavors! I never knew I wanted peanut butter chocolate coffee but now I must have it!

Over at Daily Shot of Coffee, if you sign up for his newsletter, you’ll get a free ebook full of Starbucks recipes. I got it a while back and we make caramel apple cider every fall! Mike was happy to give a pound of coffee to winner, who may or may not be sleep-deprived! Thanks, Mike!

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5. For the Write Reason, donated by Becky Doughty

Becky Doughty is my real life friend and I’m going to start bragging about that now because she’s going to be a famous writer. Very soon. You’ll want to follow her blog, so you can brag, too.

Becky has a book coming out that I’ve had the pleasure of hearing snippets of in our Bible studies, and let me tell you… her writing will transport you. She’s been traveling the Christian Publishing path and thought my bloggy friends might like this book as much as she does.

Because Becky is a fabulous friend–the kind who wouldn’t tell anyone she caught me and Eric fighting at a marriage conference–she is giving a copy of For the Write Reason: 31 Writers, Agents and Editors Share Their Experiences with Christian Publishing to the winner. You can find her on Twitter, too! Thanks, Becky!

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To Enter

Leave a comment! That’s it.

For Extra entries

Subscribe to my blog and leave me a comment telling me you did, or if you are already a subscriber.

Promote this giveaway, and show some of those who’ve donated prizes some love! Leave a comment for each thing you do and let me know what you did.

This giveaway will close Sunday evening. Winner to be chosen by Random.org.

*Please note that the Amazon links are affiliate.

Welcome to Giveaway Week at Homegrown Mom! If you’re new here, you might want to subscribe to my RSS feed or by email!

Today is the first giveaway this week that doesn’t start with a “G.” I might be starting a trend. The Garnish and Gussy giveaways are still open, so go enter if you haven’t yet!

You, my readers should feel very special today! The Rusted Chain is giving away a $30 gift certificate. With $30 you can get just about anything she offers.

Beki Hastings, jewelry designer extraordinaire, is a wife, mom, and self-proclaimed caffeine addict. She also donates all the ad revenue from her blog to Compassion International, toward unsponsored children. She’s raised $3,000 so far. How can you not love her?

Wouldn’t you love to win this to give your mama on Mother’s Day? Or maybe you’ll keep it for yourself… I’m not here to judge.

I want this one. And my anniversary is next week. And my honey reads this blog. Ahem.

Oh, this Ohana one is oh-so-pretty… Ohana means family in case you’ve never seen Lilo and Stitch.

She also makes earrings. I adore these elegant, rustic little green drops. They’re called happy day earrings, which makes me want them even more.

How to Enter

Visit the Rusted Chain and leave a comment telling me what you like from her shop.

Extra Entries:

Please leave each entry in a separate comment. Current subscribers and followers, these are extra entries for you, too!

Subscribe to Homegrown Mom via RSS or Email

Subscribe to Pampering Beki

Follow @homegrown_mom on Twitter

Follow @TheRustedChain on Twitter

Subscribe to my Monthly Newsletter

Link to this post on Facebook

Tweet this: Giveaway from the @TheRustedChain on @homegrown_mom http://ow.ly/1sM9J

This giveaway will close Friday night. Winner to be chosen by Random.org