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The MomDot Moms picked these as our top five favorite blog makeover ideas. We are going to let Random.org pick the winner out of these five. THere were LOTS of wonderful entries…we do have atleast two more blog makeover giveaways this month and you may reenter your same idea if you want when those come up.

In no particular order, the winner will be pulled from one of these ideas sometime today! Keep checking back!

1)Ashley // Jul 28, 2008 at 2:48 pm

I’m wanting my site, http://www.bosssanders.com redesigned. I’ve acquired the nickname Boss and countless jokes regarding breaking the knees and such, and I think it’d be fun to have a slightly mob-ish yet, very fun and flirty and classy design. Can you even mix those? I do have a photo that I want the design to somehow go around: http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/bosssanders/Bosssanders.jpg
I like the color raspberry pink (you know, deep dark pink) and I like the way my entries are set up now with the pretty flower divider. I need some better organization, and a really cool header and footer, and a little clean up with my badges and such. I like both 2 and 3 column, depending on the header of course. That’s mostly what I have so far. Thanks for the opportunity to win! PS – I LOVE COLORS, so I’m not stuck with black and pink…just thinking

2) simply anonyMOM // Jul 28, 2008 at 1:14 pm

OK here goes nothing…My “dream” blog design would be possibly 3 columns. It would be bright primary colors red yellow and blue. The header would be very reminescent of Pop Art of the 80’s. It would be almost comic bookish. The main icon on the header would be a mom dressed like she is straight from the 50’s (June Cleaver-ish) holding the hands of 2 young kids but the kids have the black bar over their eyes to remain anonymous. The title would have “simply” written very elegantly almost cursive and at an angle over AnonyMOM in a bold worn out font or possibly coming from a “Ka-Pow” like shape from a comic book. That is my first instinct.

3)  melody is slurping life // Jul 28, 2008 at 5:09 pm

It would have to incorporate the rough and tumble nature of a home of all boys ranging in age from twenties down to tweens…energy…fun…and throw an aging, exhausted mom who loves chocolate, wine and working out (yes, in that order) but still looks pretty good. Colors would be boyish with a girly twinge tossed in. I’m all about the fun. And it must display photos well. Let’s review…boyish bit girlish, rough but sweet, all liquored-up but family-friendly, full of chocolate but fit-looking, teenish yet mature, and shows photos well. It would be great if it could write posts for me. I’ll hush now and say, give me anything.

4)  Kristinia-Loving Heart Mommy // Jul 29, 2008 at 6:43 am

OOOh! I’ve been wanting to win something like this! My sis’ believe it or not is a web designer and she won’t even make me one..

Loving Heart Mommy would look like: 3 columns Shades of violet/royal purple/light blue. Side Buttons with Hearts due to me being Loving Heart Mommy. A header with a Mommy either holding a heart in her hands that has 3 mini hearts inside (due to my 3 angels maybe they could have their photos in the hearts?) or the heart is on her shirt , I’d prefer the Mommy have Auburn hair (like moi) and be wearing a cute dress. A pretty font yet readible! Banners and badges to match. Is that descriptive enough I could go on more! phillipsonlygirl at gmail dot com

5)  Erin // Jul 28, 2008 at 6:24 pm

I don’t know how creative it will be – but here goes…I picture a 3 column blog with a deep blue/almost starry blue background. In the middle would be the Eiffel Towel and around it will be postcards of Paris and France in general. I see it as more of a sleekly polished blog but a little cartoony at the same time. For the sidebars I would love French type designs like a croissant or bagguette, maybe cheese (I’m totally hungry right now!) to go with the various sidebar titles. I want a winterish feeling to it to contrast the beach blog I have right now. Oh man, in my mind it looks WAY better than what it is coming out in words, lol…See, not so creative but totally my dream blog come true!

In honor of Breastfeeding week (August 1st-7th), I would like to blog about breastfeeding, why I am such a supporter of it and the reasons why I prefer it over formula.

It’s an age old debate between moms as to who is better off breast-feeders or formula feeders. We have breastfeeding nazi’s who snub those that formula feed their children and at the other end of the spectrum those moms who throw looks of disgust at women who breastfeed in public. While yes, I am a hard core advocate of breastfeeding, I think you have to do what is right for you and your family. I do, however, think that every mom should at least try breastfeeding…. I mean how do you know it isn’t for you if you don’t give it a chance, right? I would like to share the short version of my choice to breastfeed, some of the benefits of breastfeeding, informative links to answer questions, and some supercool helpful items that breastfeeding newbies and pros alike can use.

I knew from the minute I found out I was pregnant with my first child that I was going to breastfeed him and others that would follow. I wanted to give the gift of the most natural food available to my child and not worry about what additives were put into him/her. I wanted to know that during the time my child was nursing he or she would depend on me to give them the food that was perfectly portioned and nutritioned to their needs, even if only for a short time (it actually turned into 2 or more years with each child, so short it was not LOL). I nursed exclusively for the first year of each of my children’s lives, meaning they got nothing but breast-milk until they could eat table food (well my second and third did have a taste of formula from a syringe in the hospital because of low blood sugar but other than that it was only breast-milk). I loved the moments when my children wanted to nurse, whether it was because they were hungry, hurt or just wanted my undivided attention for a few moments. It is the most beautiful experience I have ever had in my life. Yes, there were hard times with things like plugged ducts and mastitis, but the good times trump those few hard times by a mile.

Some points of interests and benefits about breastfeeding are:
-Bonding is a big thing and to me one of the best ways to bond with your child is to breastfeeding, there is nothing more intimate, in my opinion, than when a child nurses at a mothers breast.

-The first feeding you give your child consists of colostrum a.k.a liquid gold, it is low in fat, and high in carbohydrates, protein, and antibodies to help keep your baby healthy. Colostrumis extremely easy to digest, and is therefore the perfect first food for your baby. It is low in volume (measurable in teaspoons rather than ounces), but high in concentrated nutrition for the newborn. Colostrum has a laxative effect on the baby, helping him pass his early stools, which aids in the excretion of excess bilirubin and helps prevent jaundice. This is not something you can get with formula. Go to colostrum to learn more amazing facts about this first milk.

-Next, no matter what time of day or night breast-milk is always ready and the perfect temperature so it’s there at the very moment your child needs it, no waiting while formula is mixed and warmed.

-Breast-milk is also always perfectly loaded with the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs. Human milk contains just the right amount of fatty acids, lactose, water, and amino acids for human digestion, brain development, and growth. No matter how hard formula makers try they have not been able to match breast-milk because the exact chemical makeup of breast-milk is still unknown, it is very complex and scientists are still trying to unravel and understand why it is such a good source of nutrition for rapidly growing and developing infants.

-A breast-fed baby’s digestive tract contains large amounts of Lactobacillus bifidus, beneficial bacteria that prevent the growth of harmful organisms. Human milk straight from the breast is always sterile, never contaminated by polluted water or dirty bottles, which can also lead to diarrhea in the infant.

-Human milk contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. No babies are allergic to their mother’s milk, although they may have a reaction to something the mother eats. If she eliminates it from her diet, the problem resolves itself.

-Sucking at the breast promotes good jaw development as well. It’s harder work to get milk out of a breast than a bottle, and the exercise strengthens the jaws and encourages the growth of straight, healthy teeth. The baby at the breast also can control the flow of milk by sucking and stopping. With a bottle, the baby must constantly suck or react to the pressure of the nipple placed in the mouth.The list of benefits just goes on and on. Breastfeeding is supported by many health professions and groups out there.

Breastfeeding moms have questions and may need some support during the time in which they breastfeed. A few websites that are wonderful for breastfeeding moms are
KellyMom
La Leche League
Women’s Health.
They are very informative, have answers to most questions you may have, answers to problems that may arise while breastfeeding and even have lists of medications you can take while nursing.

Some items that may be of interest to a new or experienced breast-feeder:
-The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is an absolute God send for any breastfeeding mom. I got this with my second child and it was a wonderful piece of “breastfeeding equipment” for both my second and third child. It covers so many areas, questions and concerns. It really is the bible of breastfeeding books.
-Cushie Pie breast support pillow. It is a pillow designed to help you gain the correct breast position for easier breastfeeding. This breastfeeding pillow pushes your breast upward in order to allow easy latching by your nursing baby, while maintaining correct positioning throughout the feeding.. It comes in an array of colors and patterns.
-Bosom buddies. Bosom Buddy eases discomfort in breastfeeding due to engorgement, tenderness, blocked milk ducts, mastitis, thrush and weaning, by providing both cooling and warming therapy.
-Breastfeeding Support Kit. The Breastfeeding Support Kit is a perfect gift to nourish a new mama’s breasts, so she can nourish her angel baby — naturally.
-Reason My Mom Breastfeeds Me Shirt for infants toddlers. Mamas Leavin Weanin up to me shirt for those who are nursing older infants and toddlers. And for the mom Breastfeeding Goddessshirt. Thousands of other probreastfeeding shirts available at Cafe Press.

What I have a hard time understanding is why is it that breastfeeding moms always get “the look” -you know the one of disgust from people everywhere when you nurse in public. Really, is feeding a child that gross to people, I mean after all it is just feeding. Yes, the food does come from a body part, but you know what, it’s what they are there for. Long ago before formula was ever invented that was what was used…breast-milk and it wasn’t *gasp* “offensive”. So why now, in today’s society, when we are pushing accepting so many other things to be accepted, can we not accept something as simple as feeding a child from a breast?

Breastfeeding is a wonderful gift you can give to yourself because you get to get your body back quicker from burning the extra calories have moments with your child that no one else can experience and it is the most natural food you will ever be able to give your child. Try not to count breastfeeding out but rather think of all the benefits it can have for you and your child and who knows you may just find it is all it’s cracked up to be!

*Disclaimer: Though I did include reasons why breastfeeding is preferred for baby for me (which I got from sites I went to), I by no means think mothers who formula feed are parenting wrong. As stated in the beginning I do think you have to do what is right for you and your child. Also these are my views solely and do not reflect the views of the other bloggers on MomDot.

~TONI~

Facts listed above came from
FDA
KellyMom
La Leche Leage
Women’s Health.

As always, please join our forum and go to our Contest Winners page to claim your prize!

For the MJ Graphic Design for a Mom to get her boutique redone or create a new one, the winner is

Trisha:

Oh me me me!!! I need this. I’ve been trying to tweak here and there and do my best with what my host gives me but I desperately need something just for my site. I make home made bath bombs with 2 kids, 2 and under, from home in addition to also WAH on the phone so I am super busy and just can’t find a pre-made one that I’d be happy with. I need a bath, relaxing, rejuvanating, spa type atmosphere and can only seem to find store kiddie pink boutique ones…which just don’t fit the feel I’m trying to go for. Would LOVE LOVE LOVE this giveaway!!!
Thanks for the chance.

(btw, this isnt ME trisha. LOL! And for those that didnt win, we have ANOTHER BOUTIQUE TEMPLATE GIVEAWAY COMING UP!! Your chance is NOT over)

Plum Pear Apple SuperHero Cape: The first person that won did NOT leave any contact info, she she forfiets the prize…again, please leave us info!

Channah: 

Also, I follow you on Twitter now!

Tara R: No one ever died from sleeping in an unmade bed. I have known mothers who remake the bed after their children do it because there’s a wrinkle in the spread or the blanket is on crooked. This is sick. -Erma Bombeck

We wanted to point out that two of the three winners here did EXTRA ENTRIES other then the first one..so it does pay to do those!

Trisha

I have to be honest. I would have rather did a review on  LaDeeDaHart then a giveaway, because I LOVE her stuff. I am so jealous of someone with the creativity and forethought to paint something so beautiful, it leaves me salivating at the mouth. The closest I can come is coloring the Spongebob Squarepants picture that we took from the Walmart eye area for a contest…competing against 5 year olds, and I would STILL lose. But, if I did a review, I wouldn’t give y’all a chance to win something as lovely as I would want, and how would that be fair? So here is your contest!! And you can enter on behalf of me..its cool. I wont stop you. *he he*

A bit about LaDeeDaHart: Hello, my name is Dawn Newbern.  I am excited to be able to offer some of my creations to you through  La Dee Dah Art.  I have loved to doodle and create for as long as I can remember, and at times dreamed of being an interior designer or decorator of some sort.  However, instead I ventured  into the dental field and became a Dental Hygienist and have had a wonderful career.  I have been painting now for about nine years-wow how time flies!My first paint job was for Aunt Suzy.  I painted a big green wine bottle with some (now really funny looking fruit on it) for her and she took it to her favorite gift shoppe and the rest is history!

From wall hangings, to clothing, to painted hair bow holders (see, I can even promote someone who does the same thing i do!), growth charts, and holiday items, her painting skillsare evident in all her creations. And as a plus, her site is super cute and eye catchingly friendly!

What you can win: A $50 Gift Card to her Site! Pick what YOU want!!

How you can win: Tell us what you would spend it on!

How you can gain a 2nd Entry:Comment on A feature blogger interview on MomDot and let us know that you did in a separate comment on this contest

When the contest Ends:Thursday, August 7th

For the record, I would spend mine on one of these for Charlotte:

Dont forget, please remember these moms when it comes time for a gift or a Christmas present! They support everyone here, lets support them.

I KNOW~ Your waiting on the contests. I have been rearranging the forum. LOL! So now that its all spruced up pretty…Ill add two contests.. One for the 8am hour, one for the 9am hour:

1) Contest #1: GirlyPartyTutusare adorable tutus for your little girl to whirl and twirl have fun in. We love that they specialize in them, because anyone who specializes in something, becomes very good at it. From newborn tutus (can you imagine how CUTE this would be) to ‘black tie’ tutus and even ribbon tied organza tutus, they have so much to choose from. My daughter LOVES tutus. I am not as talented as these ladies, but I have definitely taken my hand to making some tutus in the past and had a blast with it. I wouldn’t want to do it for a living though, because its just about as time consuming as bow holders! Hahaha! Lucky for you, and your little girl, (no, doesn’t come in ADULT SIZE for you), Girly Party Tutus is offering one lucky little princess a Scrumptious Sorbet Sundae Single Puff Tutu in your choice of length ($24-$27). Even the name sounds tasty!

To win: Head on over to GirlyPartyTutus and let us know your favorite tutu on her page!

To gain a second entry: Make sure you comment on our feature blogger today!

Contest ends: Tuesday the 5th

Important Details: if you are not a blogger, please please leave us an email address or we will have to pick another winner if your name is pulled. Also, leave all extra entries into a second comment.

  2) Contest #2: Strappys!:  We love this concept because we think bra straps are about as tacky as they come. We are not saying we don’t have ours slip…they do. Actually, I don’t even need a bra because i have no boobs, but these Strappys make wearing a bra smart, sexy, and ok to show the bra straps! Strappys have provided us with a gorgeous set of thier most popular straps!

 How do I wear the straps? Do I need a strapless bra?

You will need a strapless or convertible bra that has fabric loops. These bras can be found at stores such as Victoria’s Secret, Target, Torrid and all department stores. The bandeau bras that Strappy’s offers are very comfortable and work well withour straps.Once you’ve found the right bra, just hook the straps through the loops, adjust to fit and off you go…

Strappys also comes in Beaded, Fabric, and other Jeweled designs. Don’t throw out your BRA, throw out the straps and get some trendy, gorgeous new ones!

What you can win:The most popular pair of Circle Bra straps Strappy’s carries. Adjustable jewelry bra strap is 13 inches of linked silver circles plus a 7 inch adjustable silver-link chain. Total length is 20 inches.

How to win: Head on over to Strappys and let us know YOUR favorite strap look in the comments.

To gain a 2nd Entry: check our our feature blogger interview today and leave  a comment!

Contest Ends: Wednesday August 6th

 Please note that because this post has TWO contests, you must note in your comments, which contest your entry is for for that comment. We will pull a winner for each separately.

We are very excited about our next Feature Blogger, Mom Generations! This blog is written by sisters Audrey and Jane along with their Mom, Sharon.  Please help me welcome Audrey to the MomDot Stage!
 
1. Congrats on being a MomDot Feature Blogger!  Why don’t you start by
introducing yourself to our readers!

I’m Audrey McClelland, a mother of 4 boys under the age of 4 – William, Alexander, Benjamin and Henry. I graduated from Brown University, where I met my husband. We moved to New York City after I graduated, and I fulfilled my dream of working in the fashion industry by working for Donna Karan International. After our second son was born in NYC, my husband and I decided to move near family, so we moved to my home state of RI, where I grew up and my whole family lives. This is when I started working with my mom and my sister on Pinks & Blues, which is now called Mom Generations.
 
2.  How did you arrive on the blogosphere?  What got you interested in
blogging?

I started blogging because it was an outlet for me to chat with other women who were going through motherhood with me. My sister had been blogging for a few months, and she was meeting some great people with similar interests. She kept encouraging me to start,a and so I did. I was able to connect with a bunch of other mothers who had children the same age as mine… I was blown away that I felt such a connection to people I had never met in real life. These friendships I started to develop have just kept growing. And today I will go so far as to say that I am good friends with dozens of women I would have never even met had I not started blogging.
 
3.  Can you give the MomDot readers a “sneak peek” into what’s coming up next
for your blog?  Any new events, giveaways, interviews, etc.?

We will be doing a Nursery Decorating feature with Delta Children’s Product. Delta has given me a wonderful crib, and I am going to decorate Henry’s nursery around the crib with the help of my blog readers! Also, I have about 18 morelbs. of baby weight to lose, and just this week I started a “Tweightloss Challenge” on Twitter with about 75 participants and readers of my blog. The response has been so huge that we will be starting a second wave of the challenge for even more participants on August 11th! This coming week, we have an exciting giveaway for stylish and hip hats for babies from Kensington Baby.
 
4.  As a mom of 4 kids under 4, if you had one hour to yourself (obviously this
is a hypothetical question, LOL) what would you do?

If I had an hour to myself (ha!) I would go shopping and – here’s a novel thought – try things on in dressing room rather than just hold them up to me and hope they fit! When I’m shopping, I usually have at least 2 of my kids in tow, and it’s just impossible for me to go into a dressing room and try things on. I’ve tried it – and I’m not doing it again! So while I’d love to say I would do something more luxurious, truth is, I’d head to the dressing rooms!
 
5.  How did you get into reviewing products?  Do you have an all-time Favorite
Find?

I wrote a book with my mom 5 years ago – Preconception Plain and Simple. We met so many amazing women who were trying to get pregnant, and then we continued to keep in touch with them throughout their pregnancies and beyond. By that time I had my own son and was pregnant with my second, and so these women started to ask us about products we recommended for them: strollers, teethers, toys, clothing, etc. We enjoyed researching products and recommending them to the delight of these new moms, and we got such great feedback, that we decided to make it into a product review website for families. We knew that there were other sites out there that reviewed baby products, so we wanted to make ours completely family oriented. That’s why we review products for everyone in the family – mamas-to-be, mamas, babies, kids, dads, grandparents – even pets! 
 
6.  What is the one mistake a new blogger can make when just starting out?

One mistake a new blogger can make is not blogging enough. In order to really connect with readers, and to build an audience and relationships, you need to be consistent with blogging. If there isn’t new content up at least 3 times per week, readers will become disinterested, especially if you’re just starting out and they haven’t had a chance to get to know you. Another mistake, if a blogger is looking to build an audience, is not visiting other blogs and leaving comments. It’s like going to a party and not introducing yourself. It’s fine to be a “lurker” for a while, but after a while it’s important to make connections.
 
7.  Congrats on your new baby boy, Henry!  How do you find time to run a
successful blog with a newborn in tow?

Thank you! My family is a big, big help. I work with my mother and my sister every day, and they help me with Benjamin and Henry, my youngest two, while my husband works with home and stays with our older two. We try to schedule our time as best as we can! I need to accomplish a lot of things throughout the day for our site, so there are nights when I’m up until 1 a.m. finishing up work. It doesn’t bother me at all, though, because I truly love what I do, and it allows me to be with my boys throughout the day.

8.  Can you please list three blog posts that you would like to share with our readers?

1) http://www.momgenerations.com/blogs/pinksandbluesgirls/index.php/2008/05/02/titles-tags-and-labels-stay-away/
2) http://www.momgenerations.com/blogs/audrey/index.php/2008/07/01/mom-jeans-a-big-no-no/
3) http://www.momgenerations.com/blogs/pinksandbluesgirls/index.php/2008/05/22/on-turning-30/ 

 Thanks so much, Audrey, for participating in our Launch Party!  Make sure you stop by Mom Generations and let Audrey know that MomDot sent you! 

Interviewed by Contributing Writer, Bridgette

(Editors note: I ‘met’ Audrey and Jane online running Bambina Ballerina. THey are truly some of my favorite bloggers. THey are down to earth, extremly helpful, and always had time to talk to me. They made me feel warm and fuzzy about working with them and I hope they become one of your favorites as well-Trisha)