Since I’m just about annoying everyone to pieces on the Frugal Femina Facebook page asking for votes each day, I thought I’d send out a little update on my grant application with Mom Central. c-:

5 bloggers will each receive a $2,000 grant to help further their brand in some way! That is exciting stuff. I am hoping to expand beyond Frugal Femina with a new site called Preserve Your Food–all about my personal experiences with canning food, organic gardening, beekeeping, and other fun projects I dabble in here at the farm. I wasn’t planning on sharing the site with everyone until it was more concrete, but then this grant opportunity came along, and I just couldn’t pass it up. I can’t win if I don’t try!

~ Why do you need a new site?

Food prices are rising, and I get lots of questions any time I mention that I just canned something. So I started thinking about ways to incorporate more of my personal projects/tips at Frugal Femina. I wrote out a very detailed plan of the kinds of things I wanted to share, and it just screamed at me to have its own space. I think it would be a great resource to refer back to as needed. I know it seems like it came out of nowhere, but this site was inspired by you!

~ Why do you need a grant to start a new site?

It takes some money to keep a website up and running. I have already saved up 30% of the cost for the new site but could certainly start a lot faster if I had this grant.

~ Will you leave me alone if I vote for you?!

Probably not until after April 15th, when the public voting ends. c-; I need you to vote once a day to keep me in the running!

~ Will you answer canning questions even if you don’t win the grant?

I suppose…

Just kidding! c-; I’m happy to share what I’ve learned, although I think it would be a lot more user-friendly with its own space.

~ Can you actually win?

I have to stay in the top 15 to move on to the next round of judging. Mom Central just released a list of the sites with the most votes, and I’m at #13. I would love it if you could vote each day and help bump me up a little higher on the list. It’s going to get tighter as we get closer to the end, and I will need every single vote.

~ Where do I vote?

You can vote here each day with your Facebook account. Once in a 24-hour period, to be exact. It just takes a click on the green Vote Now button. I surely do appreciate it!

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I have been hoping to expand Frugal Femina and launch a new site that shares some more of the personal projects I’m working on here at the farm, and I would be so grateful if you all helped make that a reality! I applied for a blogging grant through Mom Central that could get it started. Mom Central is holding public voting through April 15th. It just takes a quick click each day. You can take a look at my application and vote here. Thanks very much!

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We live in the boonies, and our friends are not real handy-like. So I’m thankful I can rev up the ol’ laptop and check in with some like-minded folks who encourage and uplift me every day. They give me ideas, pray for me, make me laugh {and cry!}, sympathize with me, motivate me, and love me.

I’m planning on meeting some of these ladies in person very soon, but I’m glad to already know them online. I think they’re SUPER DUPER and wanted to share them with you. c-:

• Heidi from The Frugal Girls makes me feel like a smart cookie and is always upbeat and genuinely friendly.
• Myra from My Blessed Life is my prayer warrior.
• Sarah Mae from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee reminds me of what’s important.
• Cherie from Queen of Free helps me keep it real.
• Katie from goodLife {eats} feeds my tummy and shoots some crazy good photos.
• Amy from The Finer Things in Life reminds me that the simple life is a-ok and to count my blessings.
• Lisa from Stop and Smell the Chocolates makes me laugh.
• Melissa at The Inspired Room makes me want to make things pretty.
• Amy from Amy Loves It! makes me feel like we’ve been best friends our whole lives.

There are lots of other folks I’m thankful for online and in real life, but these are the ones I’m especially grateful for today. Hope you get to know them!

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If you’re going to the Relevant Conference with me, you might want to check out these cute business card holders from Megan at Half-Pint House. She’s selling them for $8 each in her shop in order to pay her way to Relevant. But if you’re among the first 25 to link up a post about her, she’s going to give you a free holder at the conference!

I think it’s a great way to support one of our fellow bloggers. Can’t wait to see you there!

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As many of you know, Frugal Femina is on Facebook. I often share quick deals on the Frugal Femina Facebook page that I don’t have time to do a full post about on the blog. I love talking with the folks over there. We encourage each other, share recipes, advice, and the great deals we’ve found.

As a special treat for the Frugal Femina Facebook fans, I will be giving away a $50 Amazon gift card when we reach 1,000 fans. So spread the word, and maybe you will get to go shopping with my money! c-:

While you’re clicking, you can also follow Frugal Femina on Twitter. That’s where I share more deals and chat about life.

Catch you later, feminae!

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The folks over at Gather Inspirit are introducing all of the people who are planning on going to the Relevant conference this year, and today is my day!

Although you can read 100 Things About Me, here are a few extra tidbits for you:

• When I’m talking to someone, I automatically assess how easy it would be to put an IV in them. Working in the ER did this to me. I am so ashamed.

• I think blogging and nursing are a great blend of my personality. Did I mention my dad was an English teacher, and my mom is a nurse?

• The sweetest words I have ever heard are, “Mama, I want to snuggle you!”

• As much as Little Britches wants to snuggle me, this does not mean he wants me to rub his hair. Even if I love nothing more than twiddling my fingers through his hair. There will be no rubbing of the hair.

• We consider going to the produce auction down the hill a good time. Yes, we live in Kentucky.

• I would do anything to get Lisa from Stop and Smell the Chocolates to Relevant so I can meet her in real life. I think she would have a rockin’ good time, don’t you?!

So why am I going to Relevant? Well, right when I was trying to decide what blogging conference to go to this year, Sarah Mae from Like a Warm Cup of Coffee announced that she was planning a conference, and it would be a place to connect with and encourage one another in our faith and our blogging goals–all at the same time.

A weekend away with my favorite ladies right in the midst of Amish country and…chocolate?

Um…Yes, please!

So although I am looking for a sponsor {call me!}, I am definitely on the road to Relevant! Check out my bio over at Gather Inspirit.

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Heather, Megan, and Katie

I am friends with several people online through Twitter, Facebook, etc. So it makes me giddy when I get to meet some of those people in real life. About a week ago, I got to attend the got milk? Milk Mustache Mobile Tour in Louisville, Ky. While I was there, I met up with Heather from Just Doing My Best, and Megan, who works with the got milk? campaign. Heather and I had lunch beforehand and then got our milk mustaches on. Thanks for a fun afternoon, girlies!

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I am being spoiled rotten today! Kroger hosted a special event for bloggers to tell us all about a new program they have, which I’ll tell you all about soon. It’s veeery Mamavation-friendly, and I’m super excited to tell you about it! While I was there, I got to meet some bloggy friends in real life. One was Debbie from Fru-Gal Friends. I have gotten her e-mail updates for a while because she’s one of the few bloggers I know who is in Kentucky! I also got to meet Jan from The Travel Authority and Jennie from Sleepy Pendoodle.

Frugal Femina and Sleepy Pendoodle

Jennie and I met over e-mail a few weeks ago. She likes to sew and cook and make cute things like the notebook below that she made especially for me! I thought maybe I wouldn’t be able to write in it because it’s so darn cute, but then I realized you can take off the cover and put a new notebook in. Just how did Jennie know I was thinking about buying a new notebook before I went to Kroger but decided I better not? And my favorite colors are red and yellow. I mean seriously.

So glad to spend the afternoon with these ladies, and y’all know how much I love Kroger anyway. Stay tuned for more details!

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The Federal Trade Commission {FTC} posted some new guidelines on December 1, 2009, for those of us in the blogging world. I wanted to let you know about them so you’re aware that I’m keeping up with the latest standards and doing my best to blog with integrity.

I always let you know in my posts when I receive something from a company for hosting giveaways, etc. I have a disclosure policy so you can read my official position. I am constantly shopping around to find the best deals for my family and yours, and I’m an affiliate for those stores I enjoy. That means I may receive a very small payment if you click through and make a purchase. Any of my posts may contain an affiliate/referral link. If you are not comfortable using my referral link, you can always go straight to the website on your own without going through my link.

So there you have it! Now let’s get back to our regularly-scheduled programming of fun and thrifty talk. Enjoy!

P.S. And nope, this post does NOT contain any affiliate links. Bet you were wondering!

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I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of you who have tuned in to Frugal Femina this year. I have had the best time getting to know you! I have learned so much, laughed so much, and just had a great time. May God bless your family in 2010.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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