Win Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo x2 at Cool Photo Ideas

Cool Photo Ideas has a giveaway for Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2. After trying to play a little with some photos recently, I could sure use a photo program. This one sounds like it's pretty easy to use. Ends 2/9/09.

Garth

I've talked about Garth in a couple of posts, thought I'd upload a couple pictures of my boy. He is such a good companion and protector. Isn't he handsome?




I saw him at the local pound and after he chose me, we adopted each other in April 2002. He was estimated to be between 6 months and a year old at the time.

He's the only dog I know who doesn't like riding in a car, and when he does go for a ride, he definitely prefers the back seat. He's been a lot better though since I got a harness for him. He gets buckled up in the back seat. To be honest, I think he was dumped from a car. The pound found him in a field and said you could tell he'd been on his own for a while.

I really need to learn how to edit dogs eyes to get rid of the glare, not very good at it for sure.

Win $200 from Choyster Cash

Part of the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival, Choyster Cash is giving away a very generous prize of $200, cash or check. Drawing to be held 2/5/09.

Win a Seagate FreeAgent Go at the Play Library

Who couldn't use extra portable storage? Win a red or pink Seagate FreeAgent Go at the Play Library. Two winners. Ends 2/2/09.

Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card from Unexpected Bliss Reviews

Unexpected Bliss Reviews has a $50 Amazon Gift Card giveaway going. Ends 2/4/09.

Win a $100 Visa Gift Card from Unexpected Bliss

Unexpected Bliss has a giveaway for a $100 Visa Gift Card. A great prize, who couldn't use a versatile gift card. Ends 2/3/09. I like her site, it's nice.

Win a Gel Pro Chef’s Mat from My Wooden Spoon

My Wooden Spoon is giving away a great prize of a Gel Pro Chef’s Mat . This would be so cool, it would definitely ease back and foot pain from standing at the sink. I'd love to try it.

When Junie, my roommate, gets up and about again, I'm sure it would help her bad legs. She's normally in the kitchen more than me.

Ends 2/1/09

Junie Update

Well, Junie's been up a few hours a day in the wheelchair, not as much as last week though. Still enough to wheel in my room and and enter a giveaway or two. The rest of the time she's in bed with foot elevated, watching movies or working puzzles. She's starting to go a little stir crazy and won't get a walking boot till Feb 9.

What makes things hard for her is the operation was on her "good" side, her right side. Her left shoulder and knee have both been reconstructed so they can't carry much weight. The wheelchair is safer than a walker and crutches are definitely out of the question.

We have a step down between the dining area and living room, so the living room isn't accessible for the time being.

Garth, our dog is still a kick, still guards her room, he's not only better than a bell, he's also started barking to get my attention when the phone rings now too, doesn't want her to move to get it.

But, when he wants to go outside and she's at the table, it's OK for her to wheel over and let him out (and back in). A friend of ours says it a "man" thing.

Giveaways at Everything up Close

I'm entering two giveaways at Everything Up Close:

1. Honey Dipp (Bath & Beauty Products) gift basket valued at $100. This would make an awesome gift for a friend of mine. The link: Honey Dipp Review and Giveaway. Ends 2/2/09.
2. From Mette Vangso choose an eye, neck or body Pleasure Pillow, the pillows are natural hot/cold aroma therapy pillows. Check out Mette Vangso Neck Hugger Review & Giveaway to enter. Ends 2/11/09.
   

Other items reviewed and sometimes a giveaway offered include makeup and jewelry.

Win a $50 Home Depot "Dream" Card From Consumer Queen

Another chance to win a $50 Home Depot "Dream" Card. This one is hosted by Consumer Queen and ends 2/3/09.

Win a $50 Home Depot Card From Home Construction Improvement

Sponsored by Home Depot, Home Construction Improvement is hosting a giveaway for a $50 Home Depot "Dream" Gift Card.

I'd like to use the card for things for the yard. As I am still temporarily among the unemployed, it sure would come in handy.

Ends 1/31/09

Win a Digital Foci Photo Viewer From Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls has a giveaway going for a Digital Foci Pocket Viewer, a neat 1.5" keychain digital photo viewer. Ends 1/28/09.

Win a Gift Card From GiveawayADay.com

GiveawayADay.com has a daily prize of various $20-$25 gift cards. The prizes offered include:

• $25 Amazon.com Gift Cards
• $25 Best Buy Gift Cards
• $25 Target Gift Cards
• $25 Walmart Gift Cards
• $20 Blockbuster Gift Cards

Easy entry, once registered on the site, all you have to do is log in daily and view an ad.

I have won from this site.

Posts On How To Enter Blog Giveaways

It's likely that I have won a blog hosted giveaway in the past and never knew. Unfortunately for the longest time, I did not realize my email was not visible in my Blogger profile. Robyn's Online World post Why Don't You Answer Me, explains how to check to make sure your email is available when using blogger.

Thrifty Jinxy has a post How To Enter Blog Contests & Giveaways-Step-By-Step Instructions worth a read also.

Check out Suburb Sanity

If you want a good laugh check out Suburb Sanity. I love her style. I wish I had the talent to write that way. I'll have to check some of her older posts.

One of the few that I'll follow, not for tips or news articles, not for giveaways but just because.

Win Soap Nuts at My Sentiment ExactLee

Win a 100 g bag of Soap Nuts, an eco friendly alternate to laundry soap at My Sentiment ExactLee
Ends 1/20/09

Sugared Jalapenos on Cream Cheese

When I was at my Dad's for Thanksgiving, my stepmother tried this for the first time. It's great!

At home, we made up a few batches over Christmas and New Years. If you decide you like it, you may find it cheaper to make it in bulk.

Sugared Jalapeños on Cream Cheese

1 - 12oz jar pickled jalapeño slices
3/4 cup sugar
1 heaping tsp lime zest
1 - 8oz package cream cheese
tortilla chips

Drain jalapeño slices, discarding liquid
Add the sugar and lime zest to the jalapeños and mix well. Put back in jar.
Store in refrigerator for a couple of days, shaking everyday, to mix.
Drain liquid from jalapeños and put the peppers over the block of cream cheese.
Serve with tortilla chips.

I also chop the drained peppers and put them directly into softened, beaten cream cheese, mixing it in well and it turned out really good. I think we actually like it better that way. It's great for bagels made this way too. For sure it makes the peppers stretch further, because you can use peppers (to taste) to flavor a block of cream cheese.

To make in bulk:
Following the instructions above, use a #10 can of jalapeño rings, 6 cups sugar and the zest of 6-8 limes. Use about 1/2 cup per block of cream cheese.

Win Pillsbury's Holiday Gift Package from SAHM Reviews

SAHM has a Pillsbury Holiday Gift Basket giveaway going.

The prize package includes 2 - 9" glass pie pans, a set of pie-top cut-outs, a pastry server, a basket and a Pillsbury CD. The winner will be drawn 1/20/09

Two Wins Today

I won the honestech VHS to DVD Deluxe 3.0 from The Dirty Shirt , looking forward to trying out the software. Also won 24 Coupons for Fast Fixin’ or Fast Classics from Consumer Queen.com. Got some good eating ahead!

Thank you to the sponsors and the blogs hosting the giveaways.

I wish I had a video camera

When Junie got home from the hospital last week, we were kidding around and I told her I drew the line at a bell, no bell. Well, she doesn't need one, we have Garth.

If I'm in my room, garage or wherever and she calls me, if I don't acknowledge and start towards her room, Garth comes to find me and starts barking.

We had a friend stop by yesterday and she got to show Garth in action. Hard to believe what that dog comes up with sometimes. He takes is job as protector VERY seriously.

Win a 100 gram bag of Soap Nuts

Feisty, Frugal and Fabulous is hosting a giveaway for Soap Nuts, an eco-friendly natural form of soap. Five winners will each receive a 100 gram bag of Soap Nuts and a muslin bag.

I would really like to try these, I've heard of Soap Nuts before, in the context of a laundry soap (it's supposed to be great, especially for those with sensitive skin and allergies), but I never realized that they could also be boiled down and used as a body wash or shampoo. Made this way you would need to remember it has no preservatives and I have no idea the shelf life, so it would be best to make small batches. Definitely worth a try for someone who has 50+ changing skin, fragrance sensitivities and is having a hard time with hair products.

The sponsoring company, BuySoapNuts.com has some of the best prices I've seen online, but I wish the site was a bit better designed and more user friendly.

The giveaway ends January 17,2009

Pie Kit Giveaway From Sherbet Blossom

Sherbet Blossom has a nice Pillsbury pie kit giveaway going.

Included in the prize package are glass pie pans, a set of pie-top cut-outs, a pastry server, a basket and a Pillsbury CD.You have through 1/18/09 to enter.

Win a Dove Beauty Package at SAHM Reviews

SAHM Reviews has a review of some Dove products and is hosting a giveaway for a Dove Beauty Package. The package consists of 4 beauty bars and a Dove branded white robe. Giveaway runs through 1/26/09.

I use regular Dove beauty bar, but, if they came up with an unscented version of their pro age line, I would love to try it. I've tried a friend's pro-age body wash and lotion and really like the feel, but I can't handle the fragrance. I have 50+ sensitive skin and I'm somewhat fragrance sensitive.

My sweeping

I enter a lot of sweeps and giveaways, but compared to some, my list is tiny. I'm actually pretty particular. I enter for things I would like to have or those that would make good gifts. For the larger items, I only enter the ones I'm willing to pay taxes on. I don't enter for trips. I normally don't enter contests.

I find a lot of sweeps for movies for Junie to enter and sometimes if I mention I would really like something (small stuff only) and she doesn't think it'll disqualify me, she'll throw in an entry too. She doesn't enter for anything over $500.

I'm finding blogs to be a great resource for smaller items. Many are SAHM hosted so offer a lot of baby and child items. (I will on occasion enter these if there is something I think would be cool for my great nephew). I wish I could find more that offered more general items or those for 50+.

I've also started keeping an eye on tech blogs, I would love to win some new toys and software. I'd love to win a notebook, external hard drive, digital camera and frame, etc. Haven't really had a chance to play with new stuff for a few years and I kind of miss it.

The only one I'm entering with the intent of selling the prize (not likely to win anyways) is the HGTV Dream House. Most enter with the intent to sell. I normally don't enter that one, but decided why not.

Not Allergy

I've had allergies kick in before and I know they can cause many of the symptoms I had, but this was definitely one hell of a head cold. I've never had one that kicked me in the butt like this one. Did nothing but sleep for two and a half days. Luckily, it's over now, Spent yesterday disinfecting the house.

Win a years supply of Naturally Nora Cake and Frosting Mix and an Olan Mills Photo Package

Livin' With Me is hosting a giveaway for a years supply of Naturally Nora cake and frosting mixes. Included in the giveaway is an Olan Mills Photo package. Ends 1/14/09

Make sure you have JavaScript enabled for the security code. Doesn't use Captcha, Google or Open ID. I have Firefox set kind of tight and couldn't enter, but was able to enter using another browser.

Allergies or cold?

Boy, somethings really hitting here, the doctors office says a lot of people are affected and they are saying allergy, but it's really strange and kicks you in the butt like a head cold. Can't really tell if it's allergy or cold, except everything runs clear. Luckily Junie's hit last week and she was OK for surgery yesterday. Sure glad her son was here yesterday to take her for surgery. I'm the one with it now.

To change the subject a bit, Junie's surgery went well, she has to stay off her foot for 4 weeks, which wouldn't be so bad, except that her other leg is weak from a bad knee.

Although she is using the wheelchair, our place isn't particularly wheelchair friendly and she's not stable enough to go too far using the walker with her bad knee, she can't "hop" up or down a step even with the walker, so we've come up with a lot of workarounds. We're keeping her out of the living room because of a step down, but we figured out how to get her up and down when we have to.

Garth, our dog, has taken guard of her room during waking hours. He revels in the protector role. He's a kick.

Win a 65 Piece Ratcheting Socket & Bit Driver Set from Home Construction Improvement

Home Construction Improvement has a nice little giveaway. A very handy Husky 65 Piece Ratcheting Socket & Bit Driver Set from Home Depot. You have until 1/16 to enter.

Great for all the little jobs around the house.

Win honestech VHS to DVD Deluxe 3.0 at The Dirty Shirt

The Dirty Shirt is offering another great prize, honestech VHS to DVD Deluxe 3.0. Enter through 1/16.
[...]honestech VHS to DVD Deluxe 3.0 is a revolutionary software that allows the easy and simple production of DVD/CD movies. Videotapes can deteriorate over time. Deteriorated videos will have color bleed, white specks, and other distortions. Don’t risk this happening to your home video collection![...]

This would be great to convert not only our VHS, but our cassettes and LPs, yes, I still have my cassettes and LPs.

A Great Backup Prize Package from Cool Photo Ideas

From Cool Photo Ideas [...]Clickfree has been generous enough to allow us to giveaway a 160GB Portable Backup Drive and a 3-pack of their Photo DVD Backup software to one lucky winner - a $129 value.[...] You only have until January 13th to enter.

What great prize package.

Junie has a blog

Junie has a blog, I don't expect it'll be used much though.

She'll be having foot surgery tomorrow and will have to stay off her feet as much as possible for the next few weeks. Wish I had a nice laptop to set her up as a user on, it would be the perfect opportunity to teach her more about computers.

Once she gets it up and going, I'll follow it. She doesn't spend much time at the computer.

Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card from Robyn's Online World

Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card from Robyn's Online World

[...]Another Comment & Win Giveaway! This one goes until February 28 so you have 2 entire months to get in entries[...]

Lots of ways to earn entries. I love shopping Amazon and a gift card is always so handy.

I Feel Blessed

A blog I read recently made me think about my own grandmother, my mom, and other people I've been blessed to have in my life. Although they are no longer with me, I do have some great memories.

It made me think about the people still in my life and how fortunate I am to have had so many truly special people come into my life.

I'm thankful for their love, their friendship, and their belief in me.

Win a Seagate® FreeAgent™ XTreme at The Dirty Shirt

From The Dirty Shirt [...]The AWESOME people over at Seagate have offered me another one of their amazing 1TB External Hard Drives to give to one lucky Dirty Shirt reader. You know you want it, so read below for a recap (same as last post) about this amazing product and enter to win today![...] You have through 1/31/09 to enter.

Awesome prize. I could back up my whole hard drive plus some.