Celebrating my Blogiversary {with a Book Giveaway for You}

It’s my blogiversary!!!

One year today since I published my very first post here at The Inspired Notebook.

It’s a bit exciting. (If my kids have any say in it, we may even celebrate with cake!)

For me, this milestone is a little bit like New Year’s Eve: an ideal time to reflect on all that the past year of blogging has meant to me.

And it’s a bit like getting an Oscar or a Gold Logie! A great time to say thankyou to my readers, as well as to my beautiful husband and kids and the friends who’ve supported and encouraged me since the beginnings of this blog.

Without getting overly dramatic about it – if it’s not too late! – here are a few thoughts:

So what have I achieved here in the past year?

  • Not as much as I’d have liked to – I still have so many blog post ideas in my head, and pages of my notebooks filled with ideas. And I have a dream of being able to write two, or even three, blog posts each week. But that wasn’t my reality in the last year. Still, I’m hopeful that before too long it will be!
  • More than I’d ever imagined! – Firstly, I did it, I took action and got started on something that I really wanted to do. That, in itself, was a big achievement! And if nothing else went the way I’d hoped in 2011, my blog (and everything to do with it) really was an awesome adventure. I had such a fun time doing my first giveaway post in September, then another in November. I met some amazing people on Twitter. I met many wonderful bloggers at the Problogger Event. And I’ve met so many lovely readers, commenters and other bloggers here throughout the year. I’ve loved every minute of it!

My own favourite posts of the past year:

What will the year ahead bring here at The Inspired Notebook?

  • Hopefully, many more posts! (At least, a whole lot more than the average of one per month that I managed to write during this past year.)
  • Some great book giveaways, as well as reviews of some of my favourite books and awesome discoveries throughout the year.
  • Monthly creativity challenges and decluttering challenges. A renewed focus on creating a life we love, starting with creating a home we love.
  • More inspiration for you to pursue your passions and make your unique contribution to the lives of others.
  • Interviews with inspiring women and authors.
  • If everything goes to plan (and I overcome my nervous procrastination!) an exciting and inspirational ebook.
  • A project to help raise funds for women suffering from obstetric fistula.

To celebrate, I’m giving 2 readers a chance to win one of these three books:

Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley (aka Flylady)

I often think that if I hadn’t found Flylady’s website several years back, I’d never have got to where I am now.

If you haven’t already gathered, being organized doesn’t come naturally at all to me. Being cluttered and untidy? That unfortunately does!

If I hadn’t discovered Flylady, there’s a good chance that my days would still be spent sitting on the couch, feeling completely overwhelmed by all that I ‘should’ be doing, and having absolutely no idea where to start.

If clutter is really getting the better of you, and you spend your days living in CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome), this book will show you a way out.

Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher

I love Barbara Sher’s books! And of all of them, Refuse to Choose is my most favourite.

This is the book that helped me to understand my ‘Scanner’ personality. And to realize that it’s OK not to know exactly ‘what I want to be when I grow up’!

If, like me, you have so many interests and passions that you’d like to pursue, and can’t seem to ‘settle down’ to just one thing, you’ll love this book.

As well as being extremely reassuring, Barabara gives you heaps of ideas here on how to find time for all of those things you’d love to do!

Cake Pops by Bakerella

I am so inspired by Bakerella!

I love to see the new and exciting creations that she continues to share with readers of her website and books, and to be inspired by the success that pursuing her passion has brought her.

This book is gorgeous!

I love it. You’ll love it. Promise!

To enter for your chance to win the book of your choice:

  • Leave a comment here sharing one or more of the things you’re most passionate about. What is it that you’d most like to take action on in the coming year?   1 entry

If you’d like a couple of extra chances to win:

  • Subscribe to The Inspired Notebook and leave a separate comment letting me know when you’ve done that. (If you’re already subscribed, just let me know in the comments that you’d like another chance to enter!)  1 bonus entry
  • Share this post using the Facebook or Twitter buttons below, and/or “Like” The Inspired Notebook on Facebook. Again, make sure you come back and leave separate comments here letting me know that you’ve done this for your extra chance/s to win(and if you already “Like” The Inspired Notebook on Facebook, you can leave a seperate comment letting me know that for your extra chance to win). Don’t forget to let me know your Twitter or Facebook username in your comment too. Up to 3 bonus entries

Important details:

  • There is no geographic limitation on this giveaway!
  • The maximum entries available per person is 5. Comments not adhering to the above instructions may be removed.
  • The deadline to enter is midnight Tuesday 31st January Melbourne time.
  • Two winners will be chosen at random from the comments and announced the following day, Wednesday 1st February. Winners will be notified via the contact email provided on their comment form.
  • If winners do not respond within 7 days with their shipping address, another winner will be chosen.
  • The winners’ choice of book will be posted within 3 days of them having provided a shipping address.

Good luck with your entries. I look forward to announcing the winners next Wednesday.

And thanks so much for being here to help me to celebrate my blogiversary. The kids and I will be thinking of you as we make our celebratory cupcakes!!

Brigid

 

Image Credit:  Sugar Daze on flickr

60 thoughts on “Celebrating my Blogiversary {with a Book Giveaway for You}”

  1. Congrats on your blogiversary!! and many more?
    I am passionate about getting more exercise, i will do for a couple of weeks and then it wanes off!! this am going to stick with it ?

  10. Hi Brigid,

    I’m already a subscriber. I’ve just put Sink Reflections on hold at my library – just because this is a book I need to read, whether I win or not!

    Melissa

  11. Passionate about my kids (aren’t we all?)
    Most like to take action about ……my unorganised household.
    Have liked on fb 🙂
    Am subscribed 🙂
    Congrats on your one year anniversary blog 🙂

  13. I’d love love love to donate more this year.I raise money for cancer research but I want to do MORE!

  14. I am passionate about my job. I work for two wonderful ladies, who inspire me everyday to be a better person.
    I would love to take action on those Cake Pops. something I have always wanted to try. Perfect surprise for my boss and her little boys.

  17. Congrats on your blogiversary! What an exciting day!

    I am passionate about raising awareness of eating disorders and I am even more passionate about helping those who are suffering from any form of this illness.

  19. Congrats Brigid on your Blogiversary!! So glad I’ve found you here.

    I love food, yes you could say it’s a passion, I love having friends around and cooking for them or just for me and hubby. So after a home reno last year that has given me an amazing kitchen I’m going to cook my way around the world this year, all without leaving home.
    Have a tablet for my recipe collection, current scanning my fav magazine pages I’ve collect over the years and I’m going to have people around and cook all the amazing things I’ve read and never tried before. Think I’ll start close with Asia.

    As the wall art in my kitchen says “May our home be warm and our friends be many”
    cheers

  20. I’m passionate about organisation! If only I was to achieve a total household storage makeover this year…then it would be a great year!

  22. The cake pops book is making my mouth water just looking at the cover! I certainly need the inspiration to create a home that I love – well one that is at least liveable! I need to get organised for a start and declutter….

  24. Congratulations on your blogiversary! What a huge achievement!
    I am passionate about my family and nature!
    I have set happy, health & wealth goals to achieve this year so would like to see myself take small action steps daily towards each of those!

  30. Trying to think what I am passionate about.

    Craft – yet I never seem to do enough of it.
    Family – there is nothing better than being able to spend time with them
    Friends – ”
    Chocolate ( need I say any more)

  32. I would love to take action on my Mum Tum. I just want my clothes to fit and sit right! I really, really want this! Plus I have had that Cake Pops book in my Amazon cart for such a long time it would be wonderful for it to become a reality!

  36. I’m passionate about having a place for everything!,I have started a household overhaul trying to clean out the clutter and create more storage as we live in a very small house and the lack of space and storage drives me nuts!

    Edited to add:

    Whoops -although you can proberly figure it out by my comment the book I’d choose is
    Sink reflections!

  39. I am passionate about feeding my baby boy (10 months) healthy food- much of which has been grown at home. Hence, keeping on top of my gardening is an area I want to take action in.

  41. This year I want to achieve the goal of following my dreams! I love to blog, travel and spend quality time with our family. I want more of all three 🙂
    Great giveaway!
    Cheers
    Lisa

  49. I am passionate about three things: making cake pops, cupcakes, and icecream!!! It is so fun to produce something that is both cute and delicuous I hope to have more time to do those things this year 🙂

  52. Hi I’m passionate about baking cakes and decorating them I started about 6months ago and fallen I love with it. It’s my me time

  53. I’m passionate about keeping my family healthy, serving them yummy food but also sweet treats when it’s a special occasion

  60. Pingback: Blogiversary Giveaway Winners!

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