April 28, 2008 | Product Talk, Contests

It’s nearly Mother’s Day, folks. Mama wants a camcorder that fits in her purse.

You can buy the Flip Ultra Series 60-minute Camcorder from Amazon right now for $139.99, which—trust me—is a pretty great price for this tiny little powerhouse, but why would you do that when you could win one from me, instead?

Because you can. Win one, that is. I’m giving away a Flip to one lucky Want Not reader this week. Then you can give it to your mother or keep it for yourself if you’re a mother, or just do whatever you want with it regardless of your parenting status because, dude, it’ll be all yours.

Check out the Official Flip Site for more info, as well as this great blog entry comparing the Flip to a much fancier camcorder (hint: sometimes spending more money doesn’t make sense). And then come enter for your chance to win what is possibly the coolest prize I’ve ever given away here.

For your shot at winning the Flip Video Ultra (60-minute model) which I have sitting right here on my desk, leave a comment on this entry before 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008. One comment per person, please! Winner to be determined by random drawing and the pitch of my husband’s wails as he protests that it’s not fair that I’m giving away a 60-minute Flip when the one we own is but a 30-minute Flip. (Okay, I may have to take time out from selecting the winner to play my teeny, tiny violin for him. Just sayin’.)

Go!

April 24, 2008 | Contests

Nearly 300 of you were vying for the book set in our latest contest, but I can only give the prize to one of you (despite the enormous drifts of pixie dust that seem to be scattered around in here now…).

My trusty random number generator was up the task, and it spit out… number 134, Christina! Congratulations, Christina, and please look for and respond to my email. (I’m generous but I’m not psychic, and I need your mailing address.)

Many thanks to all who played, and very special thanks to the folks at Sourcebooks for donating the prize. If you still want to check out the Fairy Chronicles—and I encourage you to do so—you can order them directly from Sourcebooks or at Amazon (the price is the same both places, but you can get the free Super Saver Shipping from Amazon if you order enough). It really is a charming little series.

Coming up on Monday is a very special Mother’s Day contest which I predict will be Want Not’s most popular thus far (and that’s saying something—there were over 680 entries in the Lands’ End contest). You won’t want to miss it, trust me!

April 23, 2008 | Contests

Don’t forget that you have until 11:59 tonight to enter the contest for a set of Fairy Chronicles books! If you haven’t entered yet, what are you waiting for?

April 21, 2008 | Contests

Despite my deep love of things like chocolate and bacon and a really awesome pair of shoes, those of you who know me well know I have one love which surpasses all others. And despite the fact that this particular affection is something good for you, it still remains my number 1 vice; the thing I’m most likely to turn to for relaxation or entertainment or when I really should be working.

No, not that. Sheesh.

I’m referring, of course, to reading a good book. If the story is a bit magical… well, so much the better.

If you’re a girl at heart or have a female bibliophile in your life between the ages of 5-9, listen up: The Fairy Chronicles are a series from Sourcebooks about regular girls who also just happen to be fairies, and their associated adventures. The stories are darling and—perhaps best of all—they don’t involve subject matter best left to an older age group (something that is, sadly, becoming harder and harder to find for our young girls). These books are ideal for reading together or for her to read under the covers with a flashlight.

So far, there are seven different books in the Fairy Chronicles series. Each book retails for $6.99. I have a set of those seven books to give away to one lucky Want Not reader! The retail value is close to $49, but can you really put a value on nurturing a child’s love of reading? No, you cannot.

For a chance to win the book set, leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008. One comment per person, please! Winner to be determined by random drawing and (what else?) pixie dust. Obviously.

Good luck!

Contests

It wasn’t too bad for a quickie weekend contest, I think—162 professed your love for the sponge under the sea, but unfortunately I only have 1 DVD to give away.

The random number generator has spoken, and it selected commenter 137: Julie Waldron! Congratulations Julie, and may all your days be filled with crabby patties. Or, you know, something. Check your email and send me your mailing address, please.

Many thanks to Special Ops Media for the DVD, and thanks to everyone for playing. Do we have a new contest coming up later today? But of course.

April 19, 2008 | Contests

I tried really, really hard to hate Spongebob Squarepants. I mean, he’s insipid. He’s inane. He lives in a pineapple under the sea!

But it was not to be. I find him hilarious, against all of my better judgment. Alas.

If you (and your kids) do, too, you might be interested to know that I have a copy of the Spongebob’s Pest of the West DVD sitting here, just waiting to go somewhere it’ll be properly appreciated. Could it be to you? Maybe!

For a chance to win this DVD, leave a comment on this post before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 20th, 2008. One comment per person and all that jazz. Winner to be determined by random number generation and electric jellyfish.

Go!

April 17, 2008 | Contests

Six hundred and eighty entries. People. This is amazing. (And I’m doubly excited because I have an even bigger prize coming up in a couple of weeks that I think you’re really going to love, and I wonder if we’ll break this record, then, on account of your deep love for expensive free stuff.) Six hundred and eighty of you clamored “Pick meeeeee!” when it came to the Lands’ End gift card, and unfortunately, only one of you can win.

RuthWells is our lovely winner this morning, having struck it rich with comment number 315! Ruth will be receiving a $100 gift card to Lands’ End to spend on anything she likes! And the admiration of her peers! And a year’s supply of turtle wax! (Except that the turtle wax is imaginary. Details.)

Many, many thanks to Lands’ End for their generous donation, and don’t forget that today is the last day to use code SWIM with PIN 530530530 to get free shipping on your order.

I have a number of smallish giveaways coming up next and then something so totally awesome for Mother’s Day that you will be unable to fully express the extent of my prettiness. Stay tuned!

April 16, 2008 | Contests

There’s just a few hours left to enter the contest to win a $100 Lands’ End gift card, as entries close at midnight tonight.

The number of entries is already staggering, and so it is with great pride and a small tear in my eye that I can proclaim, “Wow, you people are really a bunch of cheapskates!”

You make me proud. Carry on.

April 14, 2008 | Contests

Ahhh, Lands’ End. You know how I love them. You know how I triumphantly brandish every free shipping code they release. And last week, the Lands’ End folks reached out to me and I could barely stop myself from drawing little pink hearts all over my computer screen.

See, Lands’ End is promoting their vast array of women’s swimsuits right now, and they offered to give away a choice of swimsuit to one of my readers. This quickly became complicated, though, because then the winner would have to pick something and relay that choice to me and me relay it to Lands’ End, and we are nothing if not lazy, ’round here.

So instead of your pick of swimsuit, you’ll just have to suffer through with a $100 gift card to Lands’ End, instead. Feel free to buy one of their awesome Slender suits (not because you need it—heavens no!—but because I love mine so much that if I could buy a neck-to-ankle version to wear with, well, everything, I totally would), or some other swimsuit, or anything else you want. If you win and you want $100 worth of socks, well, that’s your business.

For a chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16th, 2008. One comment per person, please! Winner to be determined by random drawing and tensile strength.

(If you need a swimsuit—or something else—right now, well, get free shipping on your order with code SWIM and PIN 530530530 through April 17th, 2008.)

Good luck! Go!

April 10, 2008 | Contests

My pretties, I wish I could give each and every one of you a copy of the new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, I really really do. You deserve it. You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and gosh-darn-it, I like you. Alas—I have but three copies to give away for this contest.

The random number generator has spoken, and it has left me guilt-free because it generated the numbers, not me. It’s swell that way. Without further ado, here are our winners: MomCat (commenter 124; and dude, what in the world is that comment you left??), ballarki (commenter 108), and June (commenter 12). Congratulations to all! (Winners, you have an email from me. Let me know if you don’t get it.)

Many thanks to Deep Focus PR for donating the DVDs, and thanks to everyone who played. You know the drill—another contest is coming up, so don’t despair if you came up empty this time. There’s no shortage of prizes ’round here. (Oh, do I have a doozy for Mother’s Day, too… just a few more weeks before we do that one.)

Stay tuned and who knows, you could be next.