August 25, 2008 | Contests
Hello, my pretties! We’re going to do something a little bit different for this week’s contest.
First, I’d like you to go take a look at the most gorgeous coffee-table book I’ve ever seen—it’s called America at Home and it’s a monster of a tome. This was a collaborative project put together by photographer Rick Smolan (a renowned photographer), and the end result is a stunning collection of day-in-the-life photos from all around the country. It was created during a seven day-period last September by not only 100 professional photographers but by tens of thousands of amateurs as well.
The book itself is beautiful and impressive, but they’re doing something really cool in addition to just producing the book. They’re also selling them with custom covers, which means that you can go online and upload your favorite photo to turn it into the book jacket! Personally, I think this is all kinds of brilliant.
This book sells for $39.95 + shipping and handling, but three lucky Want Not readers are going to win copies of “America at Home” and get to make their own custom covers to go with ‘em.
Here’s what’s different: This contest will not be determined by random drawing. I will be hand-selecting three winners based on your cover photos. Here’s what you do:
1) Go use their custom cover creator to make yourself a cover, featuring your favorite photo.
2) When you get to the final (billing) step, instead of purchasing, click on the “Email my cover to a friend” button and send it to yourself. You will get an email with a link to your cover.
3) Come back to this post and leave the link to your cover in the comments. That constitutes your contest entry.
(Here’s an example of a cover I made and mailed to myself just to give you an idea.)
One entry per person, valid email address required. I will take entries until 3:00 p.m. Eastern (noon Pacific) on Sunday, August 31st, 2008. (That’s a whole week, so plenty of time.) Winners to be determined based on the ones that tickle my fancy. So, um, get to ticklin’.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=388
August 25th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=38a
August 25th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
This is so cool! Here’s mine:
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=38b
August 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Great idea!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=38d
August 25th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=38c
August 25th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=38e
I really need to take more pictures. This is the best I could do.
P.S. This is my lucky number.
August 25th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=391
August 25th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Hi Mir, I hope my cover cutie tickles your fancy!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=396
August 25th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Just one of those funny pics you get when the kids think you’re not looking…BTW, the shoes from your picture look REALLY familiar! ha ha
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=392
August 25th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
LOVE it! Here’s my cover with my silly guys. http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=393
August 25th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=399
August 25th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=39a
August 25th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
This is a GREAT idea! I used a picture of me smelling my daughter’s feet– what baby doesn’t love to be told they have stinky feet?
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=39b
August 25th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
mine is of the loves of my life, my hubby and son.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a1
August 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Here’s my baby girl!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a3
August 25th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a5
If this doesn’t make you think of home, not sure what will! I love this pic.
August 25th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a6
August 25th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a8
August 25th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Here’s mine.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3a7
The photo that I really wanted to use was landscape and didn’t fit well. Bummer!
August 25th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
What an awesome idea. Thanks for the great contest!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ab
August 25th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
What an awesome idea. Thanks for a great contest. http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ab
August 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ac
August 25th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ad
I love this idea…
August 25th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
A new one we really like. Taken at the Georgia Aquarium.
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ae
August 25th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3af
August 25th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=39f
August 25th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I used a picture of my “babies” coming home last week -
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3b0
August 25th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Here’s my cover…
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3b3
August 25th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Great idea!…
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3b6
August 25th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3b8
August 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
This picture if of my husband at fire training. I call this one “Where’s the fire?”
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3b9
August 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
What a cool idea.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ba
August 25th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3bb
August 25th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Mir, not entering this one myself, but just had to comment and say, good luck choosing. There are some awesome entries here.
August 25th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3bc
everyone has such great pics!
August 25th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3bc
everyone has such great pics!
August 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3bc
August 25th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3b2
August 25th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Holy cow- I don’t envy your judging on this contest! There are some awesome covers here already!!
Anyway- here’s mine…thanks for the chance!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3bd
August 25th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Here’s mine:
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3be
August 25th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
To me, home is all about family, and family is all about love. I captured this tender moment between my 5 & 2 yr old recently that for me, expresses as much love that could be between two sisters.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3c0
my email: jvplunkett@sbcglobal.net
August 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3c1
August 25th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3c6
What great photos people are submitting!
August 25th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3c6
August 25th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3c5
August 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3c9
August 25th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
wow! That’s some tough competition! I do NOT envy you having to narrow these down!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ca
August 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3c7
August 25th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3cc
Thanks for the great website!!!
August 25th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3cd
August 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3cf
Here’s my daughter and my best friend’s son from a few years ago, I’ve always loved this photo!
August 25th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
This is fun! Good luck - there are so great shots!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d0
August 25th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Okay, Carrie’s fire picture made me snort in my coffee. I’m not sure I can beat that one.
But what’s more “America at Home” than this little girl?
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3d1
August 25th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ce
August 25th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
I thought about this for a while. I definitely would want a photo of my kids and, of course, something that they often did together at home. I have great memories from when they were younger. My son, 5 years older than his sister, loved to teach his sister and she, in turn, totally adored him (ok, they still do but they’re 10 and 5 now so it doesn’t happen to such a big degree anymore
The photo I chose is one in which my son (then 7) taught his sister (2) to catch the frogs that tried to swim in our pool (thus saving the frogs and making our swims more enjoyable!). He was a great teacher and she loved doing it.
Here’s my cover:
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d3
August 25th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d4
thanks! how cool.
August 25th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d5
August 25th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d7 The Best of My World
August 25th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
So much fun!!!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d8
August 25th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
My proud husband at my son’s first hair cut.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3d9
August 25th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
This just cracks me up every time I look at it
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3da
August 25th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
And may I just add good luck with this, all the covers are amazing.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
So much fun!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3de
August 25th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Ok, here’s my entry. I’m assuming should I win, I’d be able to use a photo without my son’s face blurred, but I’m weird about photos of my son.
I went with the idea of “America At Home” After all, this is pretty much the view of my home:
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3e1
(Face it you wish you had so much fun)
August 25th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I have this photo of my son on my fridge, and everyone who sees it gets *quite* a kick out of it.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3e0
Thanks for the fun contest, Mir!
August 25th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
So much fun and great competition. It was tough to choose a single photo to enter!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3e2
August 26th, 2008 at 12:22 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3e4
August 26th, 2008 at 1:19 am
How fun!!
August 26th, 2008 at 1:53 am
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3e5
August 26th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Great idea. Here’s mine:
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3e8
August 26th, 2008 at 9:35 am
oops I can’t get it to work. Here it is again:
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email\?em=3ea
August 26th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Gosh so hard to decide which one….. had to go with the tongue sticking out.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ee
August 26th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Anyone know why the links aren’t working?
August 26th, 2008 at 10:24 am
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ee
Take 2 - changed the link to .com from .net
August 26th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Changing mine to .com - Kaylee at the pumpkin patch last year
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3c9
August 26th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I love this idea!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3ef
August 26th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Lemme try this again using dot COM
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3f1
August 26th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
What a great contest! You have some serious competition going on here! Great covers!!!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3f2
August 26th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3f4
August 26th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3f5
Under the rainbow! There’s no place like HOME!
August 26th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3f6
August 26th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=3ec
This is my son trying to find his inner child!
August 26th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3f8
August 26th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3f9
August 26th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3fe
August 27th, 2008 at 11:54 am
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=404
August 27th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Fun!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=406
August 27th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
This is a picture of my mother holding my son for the first time. Luckily, my husband was able to capture the moment at the perfect time. Thanks for the great contest.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=408
August 27th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=40a
August 27th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=40c
This is mine, but it’s actually not my favorite picture, my favorite is no longer digital thanks to a computer crash but this is from this past weekend…
August 27th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
It was really hard to decide on a photo, but I’m sure it will be even harder for you to decide which one is the winner. I loved looking through everyone’s selections!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=40b
August 27th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=40d
August 27th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Just today my son was wishing it was winter…
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=40e
August 27th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Thanks for the reminder to check this out!
How cool.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=410
August 27th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=411
August 27th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
This was fun!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=412
August 27th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=413
August 27th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=414
here’s mine…the Navy’s Blue Angels, what a great contest
August 27th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=416
August 27th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=417
August 27th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Love it, Mir! Hope you’re having fun with all of these. I did and agree it was hard to pick
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=418
August 27th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=41c
August 27th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Thanks Mir!!! Here’s mine: http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=41d
August 27th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Thanks Mir!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=41d
August 27th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=41f
August 27th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=3e9
August 27th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=424
August 27th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=427
Little John’s first Christmas at home with family. Real American (and as you can tell..Virginia Tech) Christmas.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
This is a picture of our dog “Nick” sitting on “his” deck overlooking the protected greenspace behind our townhome. He thinks it is his big backyard. He keeps intruders(and sometimes even the birds)away! We love living here, it always feels like we are on vacation in our very own tree house.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
So difficult to choose good shots! But I had a great time making this! Thanks!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=429
August 27th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=42a
I don’t know if it will show the caption, but it’s on Lovell’s Island in Boston Harbor, and it’s from life during WWII . . . thanks for the opportunity to win!
August 27th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
My mother-in-law on her 87th birthday, with one of her 10 grandchildren, and one of her 14 great-grandchildren (soon to be 15, thanks to my son & his wife–due today!).
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=42c
August 28th, 2008 at 12:10 am
This is my daughter about when she was about 7 months old. I just love the expression on her face!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=42d
August 28th, 2008 at 5:29 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=42e
August 28th, 2008 at 10:54 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=431
THe science day that our Brownie troop did.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=432
Our 1 year old on the 4th of July, Brooke Anne.
American Made!
August 28th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I’ve been trying to get a photo of these all summer and finally did today.
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=437
August 29th, 2008 at 2:03 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=43a
Thats mine, what a cool idea!
August 29th, 2008 at 8:51 am
A regular occurance at our house, but so rarely captured on film.
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=43b
August 29th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Neat contest!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=43f
August 29th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Here’s my entry, thanks!
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=43e
August 29th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Love this SO much. This is one of my favorite pics of my husband and kids. . .
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=440
August 30th, 2008 at 7:26 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=394
Yessss! I hope I win….I had to do this at least eight different times and finally had to email it to my Mom and she had to forward it to me to get the link….I was having alot of trouble getting the site to send me the link! But I did it, finally! Yeah!
August 30th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Here you are: http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=442
August 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=445
This was fun!
August 31st, 2008 at 8:52 am
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=446
August 31st, 2008 at 10:59 am
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=400
This is a windchime on my parents’ farm — there’s nothing like the sounds of home!
August 31st, 2008 at 12:17 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=44d
August 31st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Here is mine:
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=44e
August 31st, 2008 at 3:08 pm
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=450
August 31st, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Here’s mine: a joint effort with my daughter. Yes, that’s really our backyard!
http://www.myamericaathome.net/customcover/email?em=451
August 31st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Mir, Thanks for a great contest. This was so much fun!!
This is a picture of my parents on their wedding day in 1965.
http://www.myamericaathome.com/customcover/email?em=453
September 1st, 2008 at 1:05 pm
[...] Wow. Wow wow wow. I am definitely going back to contests that only involve random drawings, because what I learned during this contest is that I have a really, really hard time selecting winners. [...]