Another Excalibur Giveaway!

Stephanie at Keeper of the Home is also giving away an Excalibur dehydrator. Go here to enter!

And, just in case you missed it, Katie at Kitchen Stewardship is giving one away, too. That post is here.

Giveaway Winners

Congratulations to the winners of my giveaways:

Emily is the winner of the What are all those funny things in food...and should I eat them? CD by Jane Hersey AND the packet of interesting stuff from the Feingold Association of the US.

Joanna is the winner of the second copy of the What are all those funny things in food...and should I eat them? CD by Jane Hersey.

aaaand, the winner of the Frontier Logs from CNS Stores is Heather!

Emily and Joanna, I'll be contacting you for your mailing address, and Heather, I already have yours, so I'll get that forwarded to the appropriate people and hopefully it'll arrive by the time baby #2 does! :>)

Thanks for playing, everybody!

Happy Blogiversary to Me! Giveaway Time!

EDIT - Giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Heather!

Through the kindness of the people at CSN Stores, I'm having my very first sponsored giveaway! They have many, many different sites will all kinds of neat stuff available. I had the choice of doing a review, where *I'd* get to keep the thing, and a giveaway, where YOU get something. I'm all about my readers, though, so I chose the giveaway.

It was tough to narrow down what to do - they have everything from kids beds to outdoor toys and everything in between. Thankfully, they gave me a price limit to keep me in check! I did a little bit of wiggling, though, and chose Tinker Toy 114 Piece Frontier Logs and Tinker Toy 75 Piece Frontier Logs. Both will go to one lucky winner. (Believe me, I spent a LOT of time looking at their Melissa and Doug Arts and Crafts section...)

So, it seems I was too busy recovering from writing my two enormous posts on food additives to properly celebrate my one year blog anniversary. Take a quick walk down memory lane with me -

My very first post - Welcome to Nettacow! The only things that have really changed are that Goose is now potty-trained (can you believe I MISS the cloth diapers?!?) and she's also weaned. :>)

Have you ever wondered Why Nettacow? Check that post out to hear the story.

I was almost afraid to look for this next post - my Inaugural Garden Update. My hard-working, corn-planting Hubs hasn't even had time to till our garden yet. That's OK, I think we're still ahead of the game with regards to frost. Our lows have been in the low 40s, which isn't exactly plant growing weather.

So, if you'd like to win this super fun giveaway, here's how:
1) Leave a comment on this post. Make sure I have a way to contact you if you win! You can leave a cryptic myemail at domain dot com if you prefer.

2) Subscribe to my blog in a reader or by e-mail, or "follow" me. Make sure you leave a comment that you do! [And if you want to enter the giveaway for the What are all those funny things in food...and should I eat them? by Jane Hersey from the Feingold Association of the US, please make sure to leave me a comment over there that you subscribe or follow. Depending on how you sign up, I don't know who you are! Not that I *need* to know in any creepy way, of course...just if you want to sign up for the giveaway. Moving on...]

3, 4, 5) Share this giveaway in a blog post, on facebook, or on twitter. Please leave a separate comment for each that you do.

This giveaway will end next Sunday, the 9th, at 9 PM central time. I'll use random.org to pick a winner. Remember, you don't have to have kids of your own to enter - you can give it to nieces or nephews, grandkids, next-door-neighbors, a lovely family at your church, donate it at Christmastime - it's up to you! Good luck!

[Disclaimer - CSN Stores is providing the items for this giveaway free of charge. I was not compensated in any way for this giveaway. If there's any other legal mumbo jumbo that I ought to include, please consider it inserted here. Thank you.]

Toy Giveaway - Bonus for Big Families!

Raising Olives is having a neat toy giveaway from Pioneer Pastimes, you can go here to enter. The fun kicker is that if you have less than 5 children, you get to choose one. If you have 5-9 kids, you get to choose two. And for the mamas blessed with 10 or more, they get to choose three! Isn't that neat?

Biokleen Giveaway

Katie at Kitchen Stewardship is hosting a giveaway from Biokleen! Click on over for your chance to win!

Dehydrator Giveaway!

Remember how I was just being wistful about getting a dehydrator? Well, Keeper of the Home is giving away an Excalibur dehydrator! That's like the Cadillac of dehydrators! Click here to go sign up - and if you win, can I borrow it? :>)

Huge thanks to Katie at Kitchen Stewardship for the head up on the giveaway!

(And yes, I think three posts during one naptime is an all-time record for me . . .)

Real Food Book Giveaway

Lots of posts swirling in my head, but I've not made time to sit down and bang them out. Story of my life. I did want to pop in and tell you about a wonderful giveaway - Katie at Kitchen Stewardship is giving away Nina Planck's books Real Food: What to Eat and Why, and Real Food for Mother and Baby.

I smiled to myself when Katie noted that Real Food is easier to read than Nourishing Traditions because I'm still on the intro of that book. And it's been like a year since I started. I've learned quite a bit from what I've read, it's just really heavy stuff.

So, if you'd like to learn more about simple, healthy eating, click through and sign up to win!

PS - Confidential to Amy, if I don't win, and I ever end up needing to read it, can I borrow your copy? :>) Praying for you to need it first, though!

Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone for participating in the Fall Blog Giveaway Carnival at Heavenly Homemakers! Winners here were:

500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything - Rachel
Dressing Up the Home in Wartime (vintage) - Wesdelchic07
Christmas Baby Legwarmers - LeeAnn
How to Clean Practically Anything - Elaine R
Favorite Recipes from House and Garden - Heather

I have e-mailed or posted a comment for each of you; once I get your mailing info, I'll get these sent out.

Who's ready for spring to get here so we can do this again?!? :>)

Fall Blog Giveaway Carnival!

Giveaway is now closed!

Those of you who have been with me for a while may remember that my fourth post was participating in her Spring Giveaway Carnival. I enjoyed it so much that when I hit my 100th post, I really went crazy with a giveaway!

And now it's time for the Fall Giveaway Carnival. Whooo! I actually had such a stash of things squirreled away from my 100th post giveaway, I'll be able to just coast on that for a while. So, here's what's up for grabs this time!

A pair of any Christmas baby leg warmers. You can see all the styles that I have available here and the Christmas ones start on page 4. (Why yes, they ARE available for purchase! You can e-mail me at nettacow at gmail dot com - remove spaces - for info. They are $8 per pair, with discounts for multiple pairs, plus exact shipping. You can also visit my post on how to make homemade baby leg warmers.


How to Clean Practically Anything, from the Editors of Consumer Reports. On the back: "This completely revised fourth edition of How to Clean Practically Anything tells you the most efficient, cost-effective, and practical ways to clean all kinds of household and personal items. Covering cleaning appliances and products from dishwashers, washing machines, and vacuums to household cleansers, paper towels, paint removers, upholstery cleaners, and laundry detergents, it includes:

* buying advice and recommendations * stain removal chart * advice on personal care products * tips for eliminating germs and grime * guidance on how to handle, store, and safely dispose of cleaning products.


500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything by Sheree Bykofsky. On the back: This book will tell you how to:

* Eliminate mismatched socks and gloves forever * use your answering machine as a private secretary * create a home or office filing system that really works * find and use wasted space in your bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen * make the most of your computer * create simple strategies to manage your paperwork.

Caveat - I read through this book and some of the tips are a bit dated since it was written in 1992. I raised my eyebrows that there are several companies and specific products mentioned, but the author notes in the acknowledgements that nobody paid to be included nor were they promised mention or endorsement. So take it for what it's worth.

Have I mentioned that I'm a sucker for cookbooks? It's kind of embarassing, really, because I have a lot, and I've just scratched the surface in trying the recipes in them. So, I thought I'd share . . . but if you win this, you need to let me know what you try and like! :>)

Favorite Recipes from House and Garden, copyright 1958. There is a lot of good info in here, too!

And, of interesting to probably no one else but me, on the very first page - even before the title page - is a small drawing of The Sower, which is the statue on top of the Nebraska State Capitol.

Perhaps that is to provide a transition to my final offering - a pamphlet from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Extension Service called Dressing Up the Home in Wartime. This sweet old girl was published in February of 1945 as part of the Home Demonstration program. The ideas ore intended to be carried out with materials already on hand and at little cost.

OK, so your choices are Christmas legwarmers, the cleaning book, the organizing book, the cookbook, or the vintage decorating book.

So, how do you win??? First, please have a US or Canadian shipping address. Then check out the categories in my sidebar and tell me which of them is your favorite or that you'd like to see more posts in. It's that easy! To make things a bit more complicated, though, I'll let you CHOOSE what you'd like to win - put your first and second choices in your comment. I'll number your comments and use Random.org to pick numbers. The first number will get their first choice. The second number will get their first choice if it's still available; if not, they'll get their second choice - and so on.

Want more entries? Do one of the following and leave an additional comment or comments:

* blog about this giveaway (please include the link)
* tweet it if you're on Twitter (please include the link)
* share this on Facebook (honor system since I wouldn't be able to see it)
* subscribe to me in a reader or via e-mail or follow me from your blogger profile. If you already do one of these things, then leave a comment telling me that you do.

It's your choice as to whether you list the same thing(s) that you want or change them up in subsequent entries . . . but what you have listed in the comment number comes up is what I'll go by to award the goodies.

The giveaway will end Friday, October 9 at midnight central time. Winners will be notified via e-mail and I'll post it, too, so you can see who the lucky people are.

Please PLEASE make sure there is a way for me to contact you, either via your blog, or leave an e-mail address (you can use the cryptic form of yourname at domain dot com if you wish), and please indicate what you want - up to two things, and leave separate comments for the additional entries. If you have a question about something that I've made too complicated or would like a bit more info on any of the prizes, please feel free to e-mail me at the address in my sidebar. If a winner doesn't claim their prize within three days, I'll award the prize to someone else.

Thanks for participating - and head over to Laura's to see what everyone else is giving away starting Monday morning!

Fun Giveaway and More

Frugal Family Fun Blog is hosting a fun giveaway sponsored by AllChildrensFurniture.com, who features more than just furniture (with items from kids chairs to toys and games). Giveaway ends Saturday, September 26th!

Speaking of giveaways . . . one of my very first posts was a giveaway, participating in Laura at Heavenly Homemaker's spring giveaway carnival. She's doing it again! The fall giveaway carnival will start October 5. I'm already re-compiling stuff that I didn't manage to give away in my something for everyone 100th post giveaway. If you'd like to participate by giving OR by trying to get, stay tuned! :>)

Speaking of Laura, she has compiled a free ebook on Activities for Preschoolers. She included a link to my post on keeping toddlers occupied in the car! Please note that when you click the link, you'll actually go through her shop . . . and you'll have to register (can't remember what information you must enter). You don't have to pay, though - when it says they aren't accepting payments from your region, that's because it's free! I haven't browsed mine too much yet, but I think it'll be well worth the tiny hassle to get it. And a huge thanks to Laura for compiling it!

Giveaway Winners!

Zoiks, how could I go through my entire day - proofreading at my day job, lunch at my MIL's, mowing the lawn, making meatloaf for supper on the grill - and not announce the giveaway winners?!? Let's get down to it! Winners are:

Sarah! She chose a pair of baby leg warmers, and she'll get the Patchwork book, too.

Vanessa! She will get the taggie blanket.

Amy! She'll get the bathtub fishing game.

Shaye! She's getting the crochet book AND a pair of leg warmers.

FrugalFarmFamily! She didn't pick anything :>) so she's going to get the holiday and Christmas books and the Heloise book. (It'll save me on postage!)

Hélène! (who also food blogs here - yum!) She'll get the giraffe baby leg warmers.

Rachel! She gets the tins.

Valerie! She gets the fairy wings.

Zimms Zoo! She chose sock monkey baby leg warmers.

Connie! She chose a pair of Christmas baby leg warmers.

Heather! She'll get the Breastfeeding book and a pair of baby leg warmers.

Angela! She gets a pair of pig baby leg warmers.

You may notice a theme . . . I'm looking at the enormous pile of baby leg warmers I have and I'd rather they be on some chubby little legs than waiting in boxes. So, I went with a nice even dozen winners. I e-mailed or contacted through your blog each of you (I think!) so please get back to me with your shipping address and I'll get your loot sent out.

Thanks to all for participating, and as I said, I have several fun things set aside for giveaways, so I'll have to do a few more . . . just let me save my nickles for postage!

100th Post Giveaway - Something for Everyone!

Edit: I'll leave it open until midnight central time tonight!!

I am celebrating some small successes here today. (To see more mom successes, visit Faith & Family Live). (and I've re-arranged the post a bit.)

1) I've been quietly collecting stuff to give away in celebration of my 100th post. Because I don't want blogging to take up too much of my time, let alone my money, most of it is thrifted (cough*used*cough) or homemade. (Please note that I've dinked around with the formatting for way too long . . . and this post will look different on the page versus in a reader versus in e-mail anyway, so I'm waving the white flag! Please excuse any extra white space and/or other wonky formatting!)

Without further ado, here is the list of goodies:



A pair of my homemade baby & toddler leg warmers. Go here and tell me which pair you like best, and chances are good that I'll be able to accomodate you. (Guide: it goes Animals, Girly-Girl, Solids, Plaids, Stripes, Argyles, Boyish, Christmas, Misc.)






A homemade taggie blanket - as you can see, it's pretty gender neutral. It is seafoam green minky fabric and ivory fleece. There is one pink ribbon and one blue ribbon, with the rest neutral.







A homemade bathtub fishing game - directions on how to make your own will be in an upcoming Frugal Friday post! The foam sticks to the tub and floats so your little fisherman or fisherwoman can catch them with the included homemade net (with no handle, so no one will be in danger of losing an eye). Goose tried hers out last night and had a pretty good time.







The fairy wings still aren't quite done. I have redone them, but I still can't quite figure out how to put them together. No worries, I'll enlist my MIL's help on them if I don't come up with something and they'll rock your socks. You'll have to stitch them on something your fairy already has. I'll update again when I do get them finished. And, if you happen to not care for my flowers, they're SUPER easy to re-do - I'll let the winner know how.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Sixth Revised Edition. There is a 7th edition out, but this one still contains TONS of great information. (Happy World Breastfeeding Week to any nursing mamas!)



Better Homes & Gardens Patchwork Projects - 15 Full Size Patterns, including ones for each season. The quilt pictured is the only one included, I think, so lots of other stuff!












The Woman's Day Book of Granny Squares and Other Carry-Along Crochet - with 31 projects, a section "all about granny squares" and 50 ideas for using granny squares. Whoof!












Avon's Beautiful Holiday Ideas (apparently collaborated with Better Homes and Gardens on this one!) - with chapters on Deck the Halls, Share the Fun, Open Your House, Enjoy Tradition, Wrap it up, and Celebrate the Day (recipes). Use the make-up tips from 1980 at your own risk! :>)









Better Homes and Gardens Homespun Christmas Crafts - includes stuffed fabric small animal ornaments, fabric mantel bells and a garland, weaving straw, embroidered stockings, wreaths with natural items, quick and easy wreaths, a VERY CUTE storybook pillow, and painted fabric ABC blocks.












Selected Tips from Heloise - chapters are Creative Cleaning, Sprucing Up Your Home, Tackling Laundry Days, In The Kitchen, At Your Leisure, On The Road - And Off, and Personal Best.









A set of repurposed tins - I picked these up at the thrift shop and covered them with scrapbook paper (from this reading the whole internet post) Disclaimer - to get the lids to come off and go on easily, I had to trim a bit of the paper, so some of the old design shows near the top when the lids are off.




So, how do you win??? First, please have a US shipping address - it doesn't even have to be YOU . . . but I don't have the budget for international postage, sorry! (Unless you want to paypal me the shipping charges, I guess . . . ) Then check out the categories in my sidebar and tell me which of them is your favorite or that you'd like to see more posts in. It's that easy! To make things a bit more complicated, though, I'll let you CHOOSE what you'd like to win - up to three things. I'll number your comments and use Random.org to pick numbers. The first number will get their first choice. The second number will get their first choice if it's still available; if not, they'll get their second choice - and so on.

Want more entries? Do one of the following and leave an additional comment or comments:

* blog about this giveaway (please include the link)
* tweet it if you're on Twitter (please include the link . . . I don't do Twitter but I'd like to see it anyway!)
* share this on Facebook (honor system since I wouldn't be able to see it)
* subscribe to me in a reader or via e-mail (again, honor system . . . and believe me when I tell you it took me ALL of one day's LONG naptime - thank goodness it was long - to get the subscribe by e-mail box here) or follow me from your blogger profile.

It's your choice as to whether you list the same thing(s) that you want or change them up in subsequent entries . . . but what you have listed in the comment number comes up is what I'll go by to award the goodies.

The giveaway will end Thursday, August 20 at noon central time. Winners will be notified via e-mail and I'll post it, too, so you can see who the lucky people are.

Please PLEASE make sure there is a way for me to contact you, either via your blog, or leave an e-mail address (you can use the cryptic form of yourname at domain dot com if you wish), and please indicate what you want - up to three things, and leave separate comments if you help me publicize this as noted. If you have a question about something that I've made too complicated or would like a bit more info on any of the prizes, please feel free to e-mail me at the address in my sidebar.

And seriously, I have a big stack of fun vintage craft books earmarked for giving away but one of my proofreading paychecks is going to be blown on the postage as it is. Maybe I'll give away one a month or some such . . . any suggestions?

You probably have already forgotten, but at the beginning of the post I was mentioning my small successes. The others are:

2) I have managed to stay relatively calm while the toddler insists the ceiling fan (last night) and light (this morning) in her room be OFF! then ON! then OFF! then ON! accompanied by lots of crying and thrashing about. Believe me when I say I'm *thisclose* to yanking the whole thing out of the ceiling.

3) I scored some very fun things at the rummage sale yesterday for a grand total of $7.70. They can be found here.

Giveaway Winner

The winner of Sewing without a pattern is Sharmista! Thank you to everyone for participating, and Sharmista, I'm sending you an e-mail requesting your shipping address.

Springtime Giveaway Carnaval

The giveaway is now closed and the winner is Sharmista! Thank you to everyone for participating.



Since the spring Bloggy Giveaway is apparently no more, my friend Laura picked up the ball and is RUNNING with it. She is holding a Springtime Giveaway Carnival at her site, and I am very excited to participate in it!

I picked up this book at a thrift store and while nothing it in struck my fancy, perhaps it will for you -



The projects in it include dresses, jumpers, skirts, a pinafore, aprons, accessories, and a few baby ideas plus more. In the interest of full disclosure, you can tell from the photo on the front that this book was published in 1971. But with a bit of creativity, I think many of these projects could be easily updated - and if you think a little girl wouldn't look cute in a pinafore today . . . well, I'm not sure what to tell you! Here is a link to the book on Amazon.com: Sewing without a pattern (Little craft book series)


Further disclosure, this book is used, and as such there is some marring on the cover and someone's little one thought the last few pages weren't quite colorful enough and added their own impressions with crayon. The book is still perfectly useable, though - and in great shape for being so vintage (that's a nice way of saying "kinda old").

If you'd like to be entered in this giveaway, please leave a comment. Make sure I have a way to contact you (either e-mail or via your blog), and please note that I am only able to ship to US addresses. You may notice that I am a very new blogger, so if you decide to take a chance and follow me and/or subscribe to my blog via a reader, please leave another comment(s) telling me so for another chance(s) to win!!

And, finally, because I'm a tiny bit worried that no one will sign up, you can get an extra chance to win if you leave another comment giving me a tip you wish you'd known when you started blogging. It can be anything! I'll draw a winner Friday evening.

And make sure to head over to Heavenly Homemakers for not only this carnival, but tons of information on frugal living, healthy eating, homeschooling, and so much more. Thanks for participating!