How to Enter Contests to WIN!

Do you enter contests? I do sometimes, I have periods where I am super active and periods where I get too caught up in home life to bother. 

BUT...you know the saying, You have to be in it to win it! 

If you have any contests you are currently entered in, 
feel free to add the link to vote !

Here are also a few tips to help you get started when entering contests:

1. Choose a contest that focuses on one of your strengths. Don't enter cooking or recipe contests if you call the smoke alarm your timer (haha). I am not a great seamstress (aka, I cannot sew!) as a result, you will never see me enter one of those contests. I stick to the things I am good at, to improve my chances of winning. 

Example: 
I have 4 years of culinary school under my belt, so I feel comfortable submitting recipes to contests. This was my entry in the Classic Pastry Arts Contest. 

2.Make sure your pictures stand out. Don't get too "artsy-fartsy" with it, as that can hurt your chances almost as much as a crummy shot. Just make sure you have good lighting, nice color contrast, and a unique perspective.  I have won several online contests in the past several years for my original recipes, but quite often, the judges loved the visual impact. 

Example:
The colorful fish stew, topped with fresh herbs, gives a nice color contrast. The camera focuses on the food, the bowl fading in the back. 

This won first prize in the Nordic Naturals Essential Fish Dish Contest!

3. Wording Counts. Be clever, make sure you spell everything correctly, and make sure you have filled out the forms properly. There is nothing worse than having people point out your spelling errors on a contest entry!

4. Show your creative side! Don't be afraid to break the mold when entering a contest. Check out the other entries, and figure out how you can make yours stand out a little. 

5. Enter as many contests as you qualify for! I have entered cooking, baking, Pet and family photo contests...even  DIY contests on Instructables! If you can take step by step pictures and write clear instructions, this is a great site to join. 
2 years ago I won second place in a Spring Clean Contest, this year I was runner up for 3 seperate cooking and DIY contests!

6. Follow the Directions. Make sure you qualify, make sure you cross your 'T's and dot those 'I's...it is a horrible thing to have one of your entries chosen, only to be disqualified! 

7. Don't let haters stop you from being awesome. I personally have had some recent experience with jealous adults acting like bratty kids because they weren't getting votes, and I was attacked (verbally) online. 

Just ignore them, know that whatever you did, it was great enough to make them try to take action against you. Sure, you might occasionally not win something due to one of these people, but in the long run, as long as YOU do not fall down to THEIR level, you will be fine. Judges DO take harassment into account, if you make it known (if it is severe enough - in my case it required legal action).  

Do you have any contests that you are currently entered in, and need votes? Add your link to the comments below! Make sure to tell us if it is a daily or one time vote! 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Axe Deodorant Giveaway!

Because I love my readers, and because we now have quite a few guy fans on our Facebook page now, I am giving away a FULL SIZE Axe Excite Deodorant! Enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Enter to Win Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home Guide & Lavender Dish Soap

Enter our 100 Facebook Fan Celebration Giveaway! 

My goal was to reach 100 fans, and now we are up to 190! Wow! That is in 2 days! To celebrate 100 Facebook Fans, I am giving away a Brand New copy of 'Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home Guide' & a FULL SIZE bottle of Meyer's Lavender Dish Soap! 

That is a $30 value! 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

The details:

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 
Little Mom on the Prairie, a blog about crafting, cooking, children and a beginners story in couponing. Follow along as we start our stockpile, learn how to use coupons with our COUPON 101 section, and figure out what the heck a "match-up" is! We are adding international deals soon, so stay tuned!

THE PRIZES: 
Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Lavender Dish Soap is rich, thick and makes grease disappear like nobody's business. You will win a full size bottle.

In 'Mrs. Meyer's Clean Home', Mrs. Thelma A. Meyer brings you no-nonsense advice that will inspire you to clean like the dickens. Contains many useful shortcuts and tips for cleaning. You will win a brand new copy of this book.

NOTE: 
You will be disqualified if you are a coupon, deal or freebie blogger. This is for fans only. To find out about our upcoming blogger only giveaway, please email J.Rae of Little Mom on the Prairie via the fan page. Thank you.

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

FATHER'S DAY FREEBIES

Here is a huge list of Father's Day Freebies for you all, courtesy of Little Mom Saves Money!

Free Sample Father's Day Gift Ideas

Put together 'Goodie Bags' for the dads in your life, using stuff from your stash of freebies!

Free Father's Day Printables & Downloads

Cards, poems, printable coupon books, coloring pages, crafts, & more!

FREE Software & Music Downloads for the Geeky Dad

Help your dad protect his PC for FREE!

Last Minute Father's Day Freebies

Tons of free food offers for this weekend, plus fun activities like museums or the zoo at little or NO cost to you! 

Here are a few NEW offers for you! 

7 Day Free Gym Membership Pass for 24Hour Fitness

Sign up with Delta Sonic for a FREE Super Kiss Car Wash! PLEASE NOTE: Valid only in NY, PA & IL. Fill in the registration form & you'll receive your coupon via email for a FREE Super Kiss car wash from Delta Sonic.

Text to Receive a Free One Night Redbox Game Rental. Text message:SCREEN to 727272 on your cell phone to get a code valid for a free one night Redbox Video Game Rental. This offer expires July 16th.

Sears Outlet Stores are offering One free Piece of Apparel Every Tuesday through the end of the year to their Shop Your Way Rewards Members that have a valid email address! They need so many likes on their post and then they'll release the free apparel coupon. This offer is only valid at Sears Outlet Stores. 

Sears Portrait Studios have released a coupon valid for a free 10x13 Wall Portrait with Fresh Effects - $44.97 value! Print the coupon on the linked page and redeem in-store. This offer ends on 8/31/12.

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Donate To LIVESTRONG And Get A Free Beading Or Jewelry Making Book

LIVESTRONG is the nonprofit organization founded by Lance Armstrong that helps anyone diagnosed with cancer get through diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. It provides free, confidential support to cancer patients and family and friends of cancer patients, including helping navigate treatment decisions, dealing with insurance, staying emotionally strong, and getting well.

Chris from beadjewelry.net plans to cycle 65 miles (!) in support of LIVESTRONG and in honor of everyone who's been affected by cancer. But in order to do this, Chris needs to raise at least $250 in donations for the LIVESTRONG organization.

Here's how it works:

1. If you make a tax-deductible donation of at least $10.00 through this LIVESTRONG donation page, you'll receive a personal thank you note and a surprise free gift! Your gift may be a goody bag of interesting beads, a piece of handmade jewelry, or even a craft book from one of the talented authors of Lark Crafts or Interweave Press.

2. If your donation is between $15.00 and $24.00, you'll receive a thank you note, a surprise gift, and your choice of a free signed copy of  Wire Jewelry VISUAL Quick Tips or Beading VISUAL Quick Tips, while supplies last (there are currently 3 copies of each book available)*.

3. If your donation is $25.00 or more, you'll receive a thank you note, surprise gift, and your choice of a free signed copy of Teach Yourself VISUALLY More Jewelry Making or Teach Yourself VISUALLY Beadwork, while supplies last (there are 4 copies of each available)*.

How to Make a Donation to Chris

To make your tax deductible donation to LIVESTRONG and reserve your free gifts from me:

->Visit Chris's donation page and click on "Donate to Chris!"

->On the donation form, select your donation amount from the list or type in your custom amount.

->Check the circle next to "One-time gift."

->Optional: In the Dedication Message box, type your name, "code name" (e.g., "Toogles"), or a message of support or memorial to someone you know who's been affected by cancer.

->Required for your free gift(s): In the Personal Note box, type in your name, mailing address*, and optionally your email address. If you're selecting a book under #2 or #3 above, also type in the title of the book that you'd most like to receive. 

->Click "Next" and enter your credit card information on the secure payment page.

->After submitting your payment, print out the receipt for your tax records.

*Please note that currently Chris can only mail books to addresses in the U.S., Canada, and U.K.

Please note that the free gifts are coming from beadjewelry.net and are not affiliated with the LIVESTRONG organization. The offer of free gifts for this year's event is good through June 23, 2012.

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

6 FREE Schick Hydro Silk Razors Giveaway ~ First Come First Serve

Schick is giving me 6FREE RAZORS for my readers.. SO GO GET YOURS!  Hurry First Come First Served Basis!

Click HERE to get one of the 6 free razors!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Mother's Day Giveaway Winner!

(Giveaway took place on Little Mom Saves Money) Our first big giveaway was pretty successful, I think, for a small blog just starting out! We had 101 entries! Rafflecopter, the program we used to run our giveaway, randomly chooses a winner. Just a refresher of what we are giving away...

This awesome 'I Love Coupons' tote bag full of coupons, freebies and samples, plus a set of coasters from our sponsor, Beadful Things!

And...*drumroll please*

The winner is 

CONGRATULATIONS, ROE! Thank you everyone for entering our Mother's Day Giveaway! Don't be sad if you didn't win...on Monday, May 7 I will be giving away an envelope of coupons on our Facebook page, and ALSO setting up a big COFFEE giveaway. We are sponsoring a contest for June...PLUS in June we have another huge Rafflecopter event, for Father's Day! I LOVE freebies and coupons, don't you? And I LOVE to give them away! 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Fried Green Apron Custom Apron Raffle for Breast Cancer ~ Read Jaymie's Journey

One of my favorite little family-run businesses, Fried Green Aprons, is raffling off a CUSTOM APRON! Any fabric she has in stock, any style you like, anything you want! 
...here is the "fine print". The apron is being raffled off, to help their dear friend, Jaymie, in her fight against Inflammatory Breast Cancer. You can read all about Jaymie's Journey through her diagnosis, what they almost missed, and how she is fighting to save her life and the life of others through spreading awareness. 

Each raffle ticket costs $1.00 and the raffle ends Monday June 11th. To buy a raffle ticket, or make a donation, her Paypal address is jaymiescause@gmail.com.  Please make sure you check it in as a gift for Jaymie!  :)

Sounds funny, but even dads can use aprons! Since you can customize your apron, you can get your Grill Master something unique for Father's Day!


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.