bella casa news

Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters "Snack Pack" Prize Pack: Winner Announced!

2009-10-21T09:27:00.002-04:00

And the winner is....

Patti from Pandora's Box!

who said, "I love the aroma of "apple picking" in Central NY, apple pie and gingerbread baking in the kitchen, and the sound of walking thru crispy, dried leaves."

Congratulations, Patti! And thanks to everyone who entered!

Giveaway: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters "Snack Pack" Prize Pack

2009-09-25T08:17:00.006-04:00

It's giveaway time again and this one is a really nice one. As a member of Blogspark, I was sent all of the wonderful items seen below:

These Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters are delicious, nutritious and a definite 'hit' in our household. The prize pack will also include a backpack, flashlight, binoculars and my personal favorite, the stainless steel water bottle...it's soo cute and purple, too!

To enter to win, just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite part of Autumn is...that's it!

Prize: Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters "Snack Pack" prize pack that includes all four (4) varieties of the Granola Nut Clusters along with a sling backpack, stainless steel water bottle, flashlight and binoculars!

Open to US Residents, age 18 and up.

I will choose a winner on October 2nd! Good Luck!!!

Winner Announced!

2009-09-14T09:13:00.002-04:00

And the winner is:

cookiert , who posted, "...I love plum chicken!"

Congratulations, Cookiert, I will be emailing you soon.

And thanks to all of you who entered!

Have a great week!

Wanchai Ferry Frozen Entrees - Giveaway

2009-08-28T09:45:00.008-04:00

Wanchai Ferry frozen entrees are so delicious and tastes so fresh, too. They were nice enough to send me an actual sample (packed in dry ice), to my house to try. And all I can say is I am definitely a new fan! The only complaint I have is that I wish there were MORE servings in the package, because we really need 2 packages for our family.

If you would like to give them a try, enter to win, by submitting a comment. Tell me what your favorite Asian food is, that's it.

(1) Prize: Wanchai Ferry "Stay-At-Home" prize pack that includes 2 FREE ITEM coupons as well as some great Asian inspired rice bowls, chopsticks and bamboo place mats.

*This giveaway is provided by MyBlogSparkTM.

If you can't wait to see if you are the winner, you can download a $1.50 coupon here: www.wanchaiferry.com!

I will pick the lucky winner on Tuesday, September 1st.

Good Luck!

Better World Books - 20% Off All Used Books on Earth Day - Free Shipping, too

2009-04-22T08:32:00.005-04:00

Shop online at Better World Books today, Earth Day 2009 and receive 20% off all Used Books with coupon code: EARTHDAY09

And as always, shipping is FREE when you select the Eco-Shipping option.

Happy Earth Day!

Free Coffee at Starbucks on Earth Day 2009 (Canada & possibly USA, too)

2009-04-21T09:08:00.006-04:00

This offer is for Starbucks in Canada, however, I have read on the Net that some people are getting free coffee (all week!) at their US Starbucks...so, you might want to call ahead and see if your local Starbucks if participating. Hopefully it is!

Remember, too, that today is Tuesday so that means free coffee at McDonald's!

Bring a travel mug into your neighborhood Starbucks this Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2009 and we’ll fill it with complimentary freshly brewed Pike Place Roast. We’ll also take 10 cents off your drink every time you use your travel mug.

How to Advertise for Pennies a Day with Project Wonderful

2009-04-16T08:08:00.008-04:00

Project Wonderful is a really innovative way to advertise on blogs and websites for literally pennies a day.

The concept of Project Wonderful is pretty simple. You bid for ad space on available blogs and websites. If your bid is the highest, than your ad will be placed on that site, until it is outbid or expires.

It is a great way to advertise and get exposure for your website, blog, Etsy Shop or any kind of business that you operate at a very low cost.

Here's how to get started with Project Wonderful:

$5 Gets You Started at Project Wonderful First - You will need to register your business with Project Wonderful. Once you sign up, you will be directed to PayPal, where you will have to deposit $5 to get started.

Next, you will need to have an Ad box for your business. The most popular size is 125 x 125. (You can see my 125 x 125 ad box in my sidebar, as well as the ad box for my other blog, Bella Casa - Decorating on a Budget. If you already have an ad, you can just adjust the size with photo editing software or you can download the Pix Resizer program. If you need to make an ad box or have one made professionally for about $10, visit Blogging With Success.

Place your bid - Now that your account is set up and you have an ad box, it is time to place bids on blogs and websites. Try to find sites that would have demographics that are similar to your business. After you bid, you will know if you are the high bidder or not either right away or after the site's owner has approved your bid. Don't be discouraged if your bid did not win, it may still end up in the top spot if the other bid expires before your bid does. Or, you can rebid at a higher amount to see what happens.

Monitor your stats at Project Wonderful - Monitor your stats at the Project Wonderful website. They have a very user friendly system and best of all, no false clicks will be registered, either, so you know that every click on your business site is unique. If you find an ad is not working for you, you can cancel the bid at any time and try a new site to bid on. Or if you find a site that you think is a very good fit for your advertising business, you can add them as a "Friend."

Advertising for pennies a day with Project Wonderful may be just the right fit for your blog or business. Give them a try.

How to Make a Really Good Cup of Coffee on a Budget

2009-04-15T10:46:00.011-04:00

I don't know about you, but I have to have my coffee in the morning. And it has to taste really good, too. And even though our family is on a tighter budget than ever before, I am still, thankfully, able to have a great cup of joe every morning!

Here's how:

I'm very picky about my coffee. No weak beans or burnt tasting java for me. I like it smooth and hot with just a touch of flavor to it. The perfect coffee at a great price are both, the Folgers Flavored Coffee...

...and the Maxwell House Flavored Coffees. I like French Vanilla the best, for both brands.

Stock Up When The Coffee is Half Off!

The original price of both of these coffees is approximately $4.99 at all of my area grocery stores. But every 4-6 weeks, one brand is on sale for HALF PRICE at Meijer Grocery Store. So, whenever I see that it is on sale, I buy about 5-6 containers of it to stock up. This way, I usually have enough on hand to last until the next sale. Meijer is located in the Midwest, but I am sure that if they have this sale, that other stores in other parts of the country must run this sale, too. So, keep a look out for it.

I take cream in my coffee, but to save on that, I buy the NJoy Cream in bulk from Costco. It's actually a pretty good creamer. I recommend it.

Coffee-mate Flavored Cream At Christmas time, I do like to indulge in the flavored creamers from Coffee-mate. I really liked their Tiramisu flavor of all things! They usually are on sale around all big holidays and you can usually find a coupon in your local paper for more savings. The hard part? Weaning myself off of the flavored creamers after the holidays are over!

So, this is how I have a great cup of coffee on a budget. I hope some of these tips help you, too! Life is too short for weak or burnt coffee, I say!

Problogger: 31 Days to a Better Blog

2009-03-30T06:08:00.006-04:00

On April 1st, Darren Rowse of Problogger.net will start his, "31 Days to a Better Blog" series. It will run from April 1st - May 1st.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for bloggers to learn new blogging and marketing skills.

Darren is asking that all participants register this year and participate in the forums at Problogger, too.

Hope to see you there!

Work At Home Opportunity: Independent Ad Sales Consultant

2009-03-20T10:57:00.006-04:00

Independent Ad Sales Consultant-Nationwide

Location: Carmel, All States
Salary Range: Compensation is Pay-for-performance based
Benefits: Not eligible for benefits.
Type: Part Time
Territory: Other

Description:

ChaCha Search, Inc. a fast-paced, high growth company located in Carmel, Indiana, is looking for professional, highly motivated independent advertising consultants to register businesses for click-to-call, click-to-web, or response code advertising.

Duties:

Position is as an independent contractor, make your own hours, and compensation is pay for performance based.

Effectively communicate service and mobile advertising advantages to clients.

Reps earn a flat fee for registration and recurring monthly commission up to 12 months per registration.

Qualifications:

Some negotiation and sales experience preferred.

Self driven, motivated and challenged by opportunity.

Fill Out Application

Free Subscription to Lucky Magazine or Details Magazine with $25 Apparel or Shoe Purchase at Amazon.com

2009-03-19T09:54:00.008-04:00

Now through April 3, purchase $25 or more on apparel or shoes at Amazon.com and receive your choice of a free magazine subscription to Lucky Magazine or Details Magazine. As always, if you spend $25 or more with select merchants at Amazon.com you receive FREE Shipping as well.

Here is a Lucky Magazine "Fringe Pick" from Amazon.com, very sassy...and at $16.99, these fringe sandals are very affordable!

Have fun shopping!

Free McCafe' Latte, Mocha or Cappuccino at McDonald's on Tuesdays

2009-03-18T19:47:00.005-04:00

Free McDonald's small McCafe' Latte, Mocha or Cappuccino Coffee.

Visit your neighborhood McDonald's Tuesdays from open - 2pm for free small McCafe' Latte, Mocha or Cappuccino.

Free True Delights Granola Bar Sample from Quaker Oats

2009-03-17T10:43:00.005-04:00

These new True Delights granola bars from Quaker Oats look pretty good and you can get one free to try!

Enjoy!

26% Off at Shoebuy.com + Free Shipping + $5

2009-03-16T10:03:00.010-04:00

This looks like a pretty good deal.

You get 15% off at Shoebuy.com with coupon code: ENTSHOE15 (expires 12/31/09)

You also get Free Shipping , even on returns, which is awesome!

They also accept PayPal and BillMeLater.com for payment, which is great for those who don't have (or no longer want to use) a credit card.

Then, if you have an Ebates account and link through them to Shoebuy.com, you will get 11% cash back with them.

If you do not have an Ebates account, just sign up and you will automatically earn $5 just for registering with them...so, that's 26% off of your shoe purchase, plus an additional $5!

I have been using Ebates for a few years now and have already earned over $100, just for linking through their website for my online purchases. I love Ebates!

OK, I'm going shopping now, I hope they have UGG boots...

Friday Freebies

2009-03-13T07:08:00.011-04:00

Lots of nice freebies today!

Free Kelly Clarkson Song Download from Walmart
Code: DOVE
Choose second option so that you don't have to download anything but the song

Free sample of Aveda Black Malva Pure Plant Shampoo

Free subscription to Metropolitan Home Magazine

Free tomato plant seeds from Campbell's Soup

Code 1: P8039

Code 2: U6

Free Sample of Betty Crocker's Warm Delights (expired)

Have a wonderful weekend!

PS: Not free, but what a deal! One year of Glamour Magazine for $1.50!

It automatically renews, but you can cancel at any time.

New Blog Widget: LinkWithin

2009-03-11T09:44:00.007-04:00

I was reading blogs this morning and came across a new (to me) Widget that you can add to your blog. It is called LinkWithin. If you look at the bottom of this post (or any of my posts), you will see a widget with 3 blog posts from the past. You can click on any of them to read them. Pretty cool!

It is very easy to set up LinkWithin. Just visit their page. Fill in your email address, blog website and then click which type of blog you have. (If you have Blogspot, pick Blogger). Then it will take you right to your blog and add it in for you. Very easy!!!

Hope this helps!

Free Stuff Monday

2009-03-09T07:04:00.012-04:00

There are lots of great freebies today, something for everyone! Enjoy!

Receive a free complimentary one-year subscription to Diabetes Self-Management Magazine

Free Guide to Controlling Diabetes

Diabetics on Medicare: We Connect You to Care and Savings - ClickOnHealth Click Here

Get a free sample of Sun Crystal All Natural Sweetener with natural cane sugar and Stevia

Free subscription to Forbes Magazine

Free Tote Bag from DeLallo Foods - Sign up to be a De Lallo web member and receive a FREE reusable "go green" grocery-size tote bag.

For free baby magazines, formula samples, diaper coupons, health information and more. Click Here

Free samples from Walmart

Free Subscription to Tennis Magazine

2009-03-04T11:57:00.003-05:00

Free Subscription to Tennis Magazine from Mercury Magazines

TENNIS is your complete guide to the game of tennis - one that Instructs, Informs, and Inspires. It is for active players of any level and age. Every issue of TENNIS includes lessons in print featuring world-famous pros, courtwise tips on play and strategy and tactics from USPTA pros. Plus, you'll get interviews with top players, reports on new equipment, tennis schools, resorts and much, much more.

Free Subscription to Car and Driver Magazine

2009-02-26T13:43:00.002-05:00

Free subscription to Car and Driver Magazine. Hurry, these don't last long!

Free Subscription to Elle Magazine and a Giveaway

2009-02-25T06:56:00.003-05:00

Get your free subscription to Elle Magazine from Mercury Magazines.

Also, be sure to enter my giveaway on Bella Casa - Decorating on a Budget (Darnit!) blog. There will be 3 winners!!! The prize? A prize package from the new General Mills Honey Kix cereal.

Free Subscription to Women's Health Magazine

2009-02-21T08:20:00.003-05:00

Free Subscription to Women's Health Magazine

Free Sample of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee

2009-02-19T10:11:00.001-05:00

America Runs On Dunkin'!

Free Subscription to Forbes Investor's Guide

2009-02-17T11:39:00.003-05:00

Get a Free Subscription to Forbes Investor's Guide from Mercury Magazines

Free 2009 Consumer Action Handbook

2009-02-12T09:56:00.004-05:00

Free 2009 Consumer Action Handbook

Order the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook. This everyday guide to being a smart shopper is hot off the press and chocked full of helpful tips about preventing identity theft, understanding credit, filing a consumer complaint, and much more. In the 2009 edition, you'll find updated information about filing for bankruptcy, finding a lawyer, and planning a funeral, along with many other useful topics.

Pre-order your Free 2009 Consumer Action Handbook

Feeling the economic crunch? Are you trying to find ways to stretch your dollars? Look no farther- the new 2009 Consumer Action Handbook is here. This edition features expanded information on preventing foreclosure, managing your credit, and so much more. So what are you waiting for? Pre-order your 2009 Consumer Action Handbook now. The books will be available in mid March.

Or download the e-book here.

Save Up to 35% on Turbo Tax 2008

2009-02-11T13:33:00.008-05:00

Hooray, I saved with Turbo Tax!

I have been doing my own tax returns for about 5 years now. At first I was kind of scared to try it on my own, but actually it is fairly easy to do and much more inexpensive than paying someone to do them for you. And even though it is cheaper than paying privately, I am always looking for ways to save even more money. Here are a few ways to purchase Turbo Tax 2008 at a discount.

For more information & links to the discount codes on Turbo Tax, read my article at eHow.com

Thanks!

Writing Articles For eHow.com

2009-02-09T09:22:00.003-05:00

I just started writing for eHow.com yesterday and already, I'm hooked! I've written 3 articles so far:

How To Make a Phone Charging Station

How To Buy Your First Home

How To Drive Traffic To Your Blog

eHow works by paying you a percentage of the profits that they make from the ad revenue from your article(s). I haven't made a dime yet, or a penny for that matter...but I have been doing my research and it looks like a promising venture. Heck, if I make $20 a month with it, I will be happy!

Do you write for eHow? What are your thoughts and tips?

Thanks!

Sears Midnight Madness Sale Online Tonight, 6PM-6AM

2009-02-08T12:36:00.006-05:00

Who doesn't love a Midnight Madness Sale???

Tonight Only: Extra 10-25% OFF Online, 6PM-6AM!

And to save another 2%, make sure to go thru Ebates. Ebates is very cool, you go through their site, to shop online and your earn a % back of your purchase. You receive your rebates 4 times per year, as long as your balance is $5 or more. I have been a member for a few years now and so far have earned $108.17 for purchases I would have made anyway!

If you are not a member of Ebates yet, consider joining with me as your referrer and we both will get $5, thanks!

Go Red For Women Freebies & Promotions

2009-02-06T07:31:00.010-05:00

Today is Go Red Day For Women for The American Heart Association.

Here are some fun promotions that you can participate in for Go Red for women!

Play the Heart Smarts Challenge Game to Win an American Heart Association "Light & Easy" Healthy Recipes Cookbook. Play the Heart Smarts Challenge. Earn 250 points and win an American Heart Association healthy recipes cookbook!

Macy’s has teamed up with the American Heart Association to promote the National Wear Red Day. Wear red to Macy’s, this weekend, and you will receive 20% off your purchase. Don’t have anything red to wear? That’s ok. Purchase a Go Red for Women Red Dress pin for $2, and you will be eligible for the discount. All the proceeds from the pin will go to American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement.

Drive in to Jiffy Lube today to help drive out heart disease!
Donate $3 to Go Red For Women® and receive over $100 in savings from Jiffy Lube and other great retailers!

Have you heard of any other great promotions for Go Red For Women Day?

PS: You are wearing red, right? ;)

Free Subscription to Woman's Day Magazine

2009-02-05T16:58:00.003-05:00

Woman's Day gives inspirational tips on topics of interest to all women, including family, career, money and relationships.

For your free subscription, click here.

(Yes, these free magazine subscriptions do come!)

And The Winner of the Apron, Chocolate & More is...

2009-02-03T10:10:00.008-05:00

Wow, thanks for such a great response to my giveaway!!! I guess aprons are popular...or was it the chocolate???

And the lucky winner is...

Darlene from Darlene's Days!!!

"Hi Bella,I would love to see money saving tips. Please enter me for this fabulous giveaway...thanks!"

Thanks, Darlene! I love money saving tips, too!

I want to thank everyone for your suggestions! They help me to make this blog even better and tailored to what you are looking for.

I hope to bring you more giveaways soon!

Thanks again everyone and I will be contacting you soon, Darlene!!!

Giveaway: Valentine's Day Cute Red Apron, Chocolate & More!

2009-01-26T07:27:00.015-05:00

Thanks for stopping by bella casa news! This blog brings you blogging tips, freebies, giveaways, product reviews, work at home news and more...but not crafts;)

Today, I bring you all of this CUTENESS and it all can be yours, how fun!

Apron from danica

Red Spatula for Non-Stick Pans

Cinnamon Jelly Hearts from Maggie Lyon Chocolatiers

And last but not least...a chocolate heart 'lollipop' from Splendid Chocolates

Would you like to win all of this fun Valentine loot? Great!

Just leave me a comment telling me what you want to see more of on bella casa news (except crafts! lol I don't do crafts on this blog). That's it!

For extra entries, one entry for each:

Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and comment with the link to your tweet

Blog about this giveaway and comment with the link to your blog post

Subscribe to my blog, via email

Subscribe to my blog, via RSS or Google Reader, etc

Follow my blog

Make sure to enter each entry in a separate comment, thanks!

Also, make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner....if your email address is not accessible via your Blogspot profile, then I have no way to contact you, so leave your email address in your comment if your email is private. Thanks!

For more fun giveaways, make sure to visit the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival all this week!

And make sure to stop by Bella Casa - Beautiful Home - Decorating on a Budget (Darnit!), where I am having an Etsy Blog Party all week! You can browse through everyone's Etsy shops and enter to win 18 fabulous giveaways!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Good Luck!

The Next Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival is January 26-30!

2009-01-23T07:42:00.005-05:00

The next Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival is January 26-30!

What is a Bloggy Giveaway Carnival?

First off, it is a website that giveaways that are happening all around Blog Land.

But more importantly, this is your opportunity as a Blogger to attract new readers & retain current ones, by holding a fun giveaway on your blog! It would not be unheard of to have 300+ entries for your giveaway during a Bloggy Carnival!

So, what do you do? Well, first off, you need a giveaway. It can be anything, really, use your imagination! Just remember that you also will be shipping your prize, so if this is a hassle for you, you might want to offer an Amazon.com gift certificate or something online like that.

What else should you do?

Make sure to post (or repost) some of your best work this weekend, you want your blog to shine when all of these new visitors come to see your blog.

Have your Subscription Options for your blog placed prominently on your blog. Do you have an email subscription option for your blog? If not, go to Feedburner to set one up, it's so easy to do! And yes, people do still use email for blog subscriptions! I know I do!

For comment entries, consider asking your readers to tell you what post of yours was their favorite, that way, they are digging deeper into your blog, getting to know you better.

Or how about asking them to tell you a joke. Believe me, after reading a couple of hundred entries, you will be wishing you had some funny material to read!

Offer extra entries to people who subscribe to your blog, or post about your giveaway on their blog, or for 'tweeting' about your giveaway on twitter. You are on twitter, right?

And most of all, have fun with it!!!

Starting Monday, you can go to the Bloggy Carnival page and enter your blog giveaway link to their Mr. Linky. By doing so, you agree to have their Bloggy Carnival button on your giveaway post, that links back to their Carnival page. You can read all about it here.

Make sure to come back on Monday for my giveaway here on bella casa news.

I will also be hosting an Etsy Blog Party all next week on Bella Casa Decorating on a Budget (Darnit!). There will be several awesome giveaways on that blog from some very talented people...and if you have an Etsy Shop, make sure to stop by and add your link to the party!

See you then!

Free Sample of Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix

2009-01-22T10:52:00.003-05:00

Free Sample of Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix!

This stuff is so yummy, get your free sample here:

FREE Tall Brewed Coffee from Starbucks Coffee on January 21-25 by Pledging to Volunteer!

2009-01-19T15:17:00.004-05:00

From January 21, 2009 through January 25, 2009, when you pledge 5 hours of volunteer time, Starbucks will salute you with a free Tall brewed cup of coffee in participating U.S. Starbucks stores. Not valid at airports or Barnes & Noble locations.

YOU IN?

Visit Starbucks to learn more.

Free Box of FRYIN' MAGIC or BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mix From Little Crow Foods

2009-01-16T10:16:00.006-05:00

Free Box of FRYIN' MAGIC or BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mix From Little Crow Foods

Happy New Year! To start this year off with a bang, we want to give you a free package of either FRYIN' MAGIC or BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mix.

How about that for a nice surprise?

It doesn't matter whether you bake or fry, your family will love the taste….and you will love the value and many uses of FRYIN' MAGIC and BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mixes. Each has a delicious blend of herbs and spices that perfectly compliment chicken, fish, pork, and even vegetables. Just click on the product links to learn more.

But, here's an even better value….we want you to try it free. Just click on the COUPONS link at littlecrowfoods.com, completely fill in all the boxes on the form, and then you must type FREE COUPON in the Additional Comments section. We will immediately mail to you a coupon that can be redeemed at your store for a free box of either FRYIN' MAGIC or BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mix! It's just that easy!!

Why not tell your best friends about this fantastic offer? We will send out free coupons until our current supply of free coupons is exhausted. Please note that we will send only one free coupon per household, and our offer to send the free coupons expires 1/31/09.

We know that you, your family, and your friends will love FRYIN' MAGIC and BAKIN' MIRACLE Seasoned Coating Mixes. So, give it a try....free!!

Sincerely,

Little Crow Foods

Free Bottle of Suave - January 14th Only!

2009-01-14T06:58:00.003-05:00

On January 14th, Suave is giving every woman in America a free bottle of Suave.

Sign up here:

F R E E S U A V E

You actually will receive a coupon, and it expires on February 28th, so remember to use it!

Free $10 FedEx Digital Photo Printing Card

2009-01-13T12:15:00.004-05:00

Receive one $10 FedEx Office Digital Photo Printing Gift Card by mail following registration at:

FREE GIFT CARD

Gift card is only valid for digital print purchases on the Sony PictureStation kiosk at participating FedEx Office store locations.

Only the first 19,000 registrants will receive this offer, so HURRY!

Type-A Mom is Hiring Mom Editors

2009-01-10T12:59:00.006-05:00

Type-A Mom is hiring Mom Editors for her website type-a mom.net .

She is looking for Moms for the following areas of interest:

Birth

Stages

Breastfeeding

Dieting

Potty Training

Blended Families

Conservative Moms

Job Working Moms

Single Moms

Suburban Moms

Teen Moms

30-Something Moms

40-Something Moms

type-a Mom Editors are paid half of the Google Adsense revenue that is generated for their articles, plus they get added benefits such as shared revenue from others' articles in their editorial category and a picture and link to their site, too, plus several more.

For more information and to find out how to apply, visit type-a moms.net

Good luck!

Free Jan Brett Children's Calendar

2009-01-10T07:02:00.007-05:00

Oh my gosh, I love Jan Brett's children's books, don't you?

My oldest son even won an autographed copy of her book, "The Hat" for his elementary school, that was so exciting!

You can download 12 beautiful pages for a 2009 calendar for your child, or for yourself (why not?) HERE.

Here's January, her animal illustrations are just so gorgeous!

And here is August...ah...sand, water & sunshine, where art thou? Oh yeah, you're in August! ;)

Her website is full of fun activities for you and your kids to do together, too, check it out!

What websites do you and your children like to visit?

Suze Orman's Free Book Download

2009-01-08T20:05:00.004-05:00

Get your copy of Suze Orman's latest book, Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan, for free!

Download Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan in English.

Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. CT on Thursday, January 15! So make sure to download it by then, you can always read it later.

Thrifty Thursday - Dryer Sheets - Kicking it up a Notch!

2009-01-08T08:03:00.005-05:00

Cara at The Household Helper blog is hosting Thrifty Thursday, what a great idea!

My tip for Thrifty Thursday is a little twist on something that you have probably heard before.

We have all heard about cutting our dryer sheets in half to save money. But I took it up a notch, first I tried cutting them in thirds and I didn't notice a difference at all. So, then I tried quarters and guess what? Still saw no difference! So, for the price of one box of dryer sheets, I get 4 times the use. I think that's a pretty good deal.

Hey, one day when I am feeling sassy, I might try cutting them into fifths! Yeah, I'm daring like that ;)

Do you want to learn my thrifty tips or do you have one to share? Then make sure to visit The Household Helper for more ways to save money!

Have a great day!

PS: I just found out that Thrifty Jinxy is also hosting a Thrifty Thursday Party...so make sure to stop by her blog, too for even more thrifty tips!

2009-01-06T23:07:00.001-05:00

Twitter Moms: The Influential Moms Network

Free 1 Year Subscription to American Photo Magazine

2009-01-06T20:13:00.004-05:00

Free 1-Year Subscription to American Photo Magazine

"American Photo magazine highlights equipment, developments and industry news.The premier showcase for outstanding photography. A reflection of contemporary culture through the camera's lens, it inspires professionals and sophisticated amateurs alike with its coverage of art, fashion, journalism, celebrity, sports, politics and advertising."

Networked Blogs Application at facebook

2009-01-04T06:41:00.006-05:00

Have a blog? facebook? Then you will love the Networked Blogs application at facebook.

Essentially it is another way to promote your blog, in a friendly way to your facebook friends and to the whole facebook community, too.

First, you have to add the application by visiting this page.

You will need to temporarily add an html code to your blog to 'claim your blog.' It's very easy and only takes a minute or two. You could ask 10 friends to help you claim your blog, but this could take awhile, so the the HTML code feature is best in my opinion.

Next, invite your friends on facebook to join your Blog Network. I have found that most friends I invite do join, so that is really nice.

Here is the best part...once you have 11 Readers, your blog posts will automatically post to your profile! I love that! I usually manually post my blog posts to my facebook, so having it automatically post just makes my life that much easier.

You can also add a widget to your blog, so that your readers can easily find you on facebook. You find this by clicking on "Promote Your Blog."

You can join my blog network here. And my Bella Casa Decorating on a Budget blog here. Thanks!

And if you have your blog on facebook, or decide to add it, please let me know so that I can add you, too!

75% Off Christmas Items at Walgreens

2009-01-02T11:09:00.002-05:00

Hurry! My store still had quite a bit left, but at 75% off, it won't last long!

If you want to see the cute Christmas Tree votive holders that I bought, just visit my Bella Casa blog.

ttfn!

Free Granola Bar & Gold Bond Lotion

2008-12-31T20:59:00.002-05:00

FREE Cascadian Farm Chocolate Chip Granola Bar

Gold Bond Ultimate® Soothing Skin Therapy Lotion

Happy New Year!

Promoting Your Business Using Social Media

2008-12-30T11:54:00.006-05:00

Many of you 'met' me on my Bella Casa - Decorating on a Budget blog. And I am so glad that you have joined the other 5 people to read what I am up to over here at bella casa news ;)

I notice that many of my blogging friends have etsy shops or other online shops, but are only advertising them on their main blog. There are so many other outlets to get the word out about what you are selling, such as:

Twitter - a social media avenue to help promote your blog and business in 140 characters or less. I love twitter, you have real time conversations with people all over the world, you may even make a few friends, too. You can follow me here.

Entrecard - a place to meet other bloggers by visiting their sites and 'dropping' your card on their site. There are many etsy folks on Entrecard, so it is probably a great place to network with other creative minds. Actually, if I were selling something, I would make up a brand new blog just for my shop and then use that blog for EntreCard & all business inquiries. You can find me here and Bella Casa here.

Project Wonderful - this is a way for you to advertise for pennies on other people's blogs. If you set up an ad on your site, you can also make money from ads being placed on your blog. The most used ads are the 125 x 125 size. My Bella Casa ad was designed by Kim at JA Blog Graphics for $5. This was a really great price and you can use it on all of your sites to promote your business, truly a bargain price!

Well, these are just a few ideas that I have. I am sure there are even more things that you can do to promote your business on the web. Facebook and MySpace also come to mind as well as any Message Boards that you participate on, etc.

How do you promote your business on the web (and elsewhere)?

Free Sample of Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal

2008-12-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

Total® cereal has 100% of the Daily Value of at least 11 vitamins and minerals in every bowl.

Sign up to get a FREE sample of Total® Cranberry Crunch cereal and get your 100%!

Sounds yummy!

And The Winner Is...

2008-12-15T10:26:00.003-05:00

December 15th, 2008

The winner of the $50 gift certificate for Photofiddle.com is:

Research Randomizer Results 1 Set of 1 Unique Numbers Per Set

Range: From 1 to 61 — Unsorted Job Status:

Set #1: 5

And the 5th person to post an entry was:

Mary from Everyday Babsteps

Congratulations, Mary!!!

Please contact me as soon as you can so I can get you in touch with Ira from Photofiddle.com.

Thanks everyone for participating, and I hope to be bringing you more giveaways soon.

If you would like to order a gorgeous photo canvas from Photofiddle.com, remember to use coupon code: bella15 to save 15% on your order! I love my fiddled photo canvas and know I will be ordering from them in the future.

Thanks again!

Welcome To My New Blog…How About A Giveaway???

2008-12-09T08:10:00.010-05:00

December 9th, 2008

Hi Friends!

Welcome to my new blog, Bella Casa News. I'm so glad you popped on over to visit me! I still need to make it pretty over here, but for now, the new digs will just have that minimalistic look ;)

I will still be over at Bella Casa blog, I just wanted to start a new blog where I will post money saving tips, blogging tips and product reviews, as well as giveaways.

My first giveaway on Bella Casa News is a GREAT one, too….just take a look…

Here is my youngest son, Robert when he was about 2 years old…it is one of my favorite pictures of him, I just want to squeeze his sweet rosy cheeks whenever I see it!

Now, take a look at this, isn't is gorgeous???

It's an 18 x 18 color canvas of my sweet little Robert! I couldn't love it anymore if I tried…it really, truly is a work of art!

I received this beautiful canvas of Robert from Ira at PhotoFiddle. Have you ever heard of them? They have been featured on Oprah's O List, The New York Times and The Today Show.

All you do, is visit their site, upload a photo, pick your size and cost…it's so simple! And to save 15%, just enter coupon code: bella15 . There are many sizes and styles to choose from, too. Such as charcoal, oil canvas and many other fun styles. I chose Color Pencil Sketch for Robert's picture.

Would you like a chance to win a $50 PhotoFiddle.com gift certificate? Then, please, visit their site and comment here on what style you would pick and what picture you would pick to be fiddled!

For extra entries:

Mention this giveaway on Twitter.

Blog about this giveaway on your blog.

Stumble this blog post.

Leave a separate entry for each of your extra entries.

Make sure to leave a link if you post about this, or your twitter or Stumble account name if you earn an entry that way.

I will pick a winner next Monday, December 15th.

Good Luck and thanks again for visiting my new blog, I hope you'll visit me again soon!

PS: If you can't wait to find out if you are the winner, you can place an order here and use coupon code: bella15 to save 15% !!!

More info on PhotoFiddle.com:

The Photofiddle.com site went online in June 2004 and not to long after the launch we received a bit of press from the Washington Post, USA Today, PC Magazine & more. The Washington Post called us "buzz worthy", USA Today reviewed our photo on canvas and picked us as the best, and PC Mag rated us 4 out of 5 stars. What really put Photofiddle.com on the map was when Oprah put us on the O list in 2006. Since then we have become one of the top sites on the Internet. Our current Alexa traffic rating is 182,995. More recently, the Today Show picked Photofiddle.com as a great DIY decorating idea, the CBS Early Show featured us as a best Mother's Day gift idea, and the New York Times editor wrote a great article including Photofiddle.com. Photofiddle.com was recently voted by the viewers of the CNBC show "The Next Big Idea" as a million dollar idea.