Mahogany Made

23 Nov 2009

Featured Blog of the Week – Theta Mom

I discovered Heathers’ blog when I clicked on her banner while visiting another blog. Although I have yet to participate (just haven’t found any free time for myself), her Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday is very popular among fellow bloggers.

Get to know more about Heather and her blog below.

How long have you been blogging?

Since July 2009

What inspired you to start blogging?

I wanted to share my experiences as a Theta Mom because I know so many mothers feel the same way I do. We don’t have this motherhood thing all figured out and we are trying to do the best job we can. I thought blogging would be the best way to support women and mothers through this process!

What is your blog about?

A Theta Mom is the true, authentic [The-T-A] mom. She’s a combination of an Alpha and a Beta mom. She has her act together some days, but on others, she doesn’t. She searches endlessly for the best pre-school in the neighborhood, but also shows up to a birthday party late. Some days she looks smashing and ready to go and on other days, she walks out of the house with a coffee stained t-shirt. Sound familiar? Most definitely, because we are ALL Theta Moms! We are living this reality of motherhood. It’s certainly rewarding, but very hard work. Nobody ever said it was easy, and a Theta Mom will be the first to admit that.

How has blogging changed your life?

I feel like I now have voice. I have a platform to empower women. I really want to revolutionize the way we think about the role of motherhood.

What have you learned about blogging that you would like to share with others?

I have learned the best way to get the support of others is by supporting them as well. I am trying to build a community of Theta Moms, so anyone that comments I my blog, I comment back. If someone follow, I follow back. It’s that simple. Together, as my blog states, “we are redefining the role of motherhood, one mom at a time.”

Name 3 blogs you love to read?

There are too many, I couldn’t choose just three…

It is my hope that each of you will visit Heather and give her a great big shout out courtesy of Mahogany Made, and if you are interested in being featured as “Blog of the Week”, please contact me for further details.

Nov 23rd by admin

21 Nov 2009

Mama’s Holiday Wishlist

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

Laptop (so I can take my work and of course my blog on the road)
Nintendo Wii (great gift for me and the kids)
House (in the works, hopefully no later than January!)
New wardrobe (with all the weight I’m losing I could use some clothes that fit)
iPod Touch (I’m in love with the apps!)

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

A birthday card from my kids (the best gift I’ve ever received)

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

A handbag for my grandmother (this is the year though, I just know it!)

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

A toy house for me and my little sister (that Christmas we didn’t bother opening any of our other gifts)

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

My son loves Transformers and Spiderman. He also wants a motorized scooter.
My daughter loves all things princess related (I’m taking her to see Disney’s Princess and the Frog of course)

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Dressing

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

Baby gifts for friends (wipes cases, bibs and burp cloth sets)

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

A Christmas Story (of course!)

9. Favorite holiday song?

Silent Night (by the Temptations)

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Spending time with my whole family and reminiscing about the past

If you would like to enter this contest, simply answer the questions above, post them on your blog and send the link to info@todaysmama.com. Click here to see what’s on the wishlist, and don’t forget to tell them that Mahogany Made sent you!

Nov 21st by admin

16 Nov 2009

Featured Blog of the Week – Mommy Loves Giveaways

As you may know by now, I am featuring a new blog here each week. I figured this would be a great way to meet new people, discover new blogs, and even get to know more about the bloggers we love to follow. This weeks featured blogger is Heather over at Mommy Loves Giveaways. I discovered Heather’s blog through my favorite free advertising site , and of course who can resist giveaways.

Get to know more about Heather and her blog below.

How long have you been blogging?

-I have had a personal blog on one site or another since 2003. I have had a giveaway blog since August I believe. It’s very new, but growing very quickly.

What inspired you to start blogging?

-I am a very sentimental person with a horrible memory! I was sad that there was so much in my life that I couldn’t remember, so I thought writing it down would be the best way to keep those memories.

What is your blog about?

-Mommy Loves Giveaways started as a blog to share the great giveaways from other sites that I found, with friends and family. They were always asking where I found the giveaways that I was winning. I try to only feature products and businesses that I think moms (and dads) would be interested in.

How has blogging changed your life?

-From my personal blog, I love reading past posts of the little things that I would have otherwise forgotten. Reading from the time of my pregnancy and when my son was first born are precious stories to me. Mommy Loves Giveaways is a lot of work, but I’m having so much fun sharing my experiences and meeting other bloggers.

What have you learned about blogging that you would like to share with others?

-Starting a product review and giveaway blog is a LOT of work, but it’s been a lot of fun too. I had no idea how much work went into doing this every day, and I really look up to a lot of those bloggers out there. I also celebrate each and every new follower and appreciate each of them individually for taking a few minutes to hear what I have to say. It’s a great feeling.

Name 3 blogs you love to read?

-Giveaway Addict
-You Don’t Know….
-Scott Photography

It is my hope that each of you will visit Heather and give her a great big shout out courtesy of Mahogany Made. As well, check out her favorites , you never know who’s lurking on the other side (a friend, future blogging partner, or even your next door neighbor).

If you are interested in being featured as “Blog of the Week”, please contact me for further details.

Nov 16th by admin

15 Nov 2009

The Lesser of Two Evils

Stabler (left) and Benson (right) in the SVU e...

Lately I find myself spending less and less time watching t.v., and more and more time visiting my favorite blogs. I seem to have traded one addiction for the other. It use to be Law & Order SVU marathons, and now its Mommy’s Hangout, Theta Mom, Just Bloggled and so many more.

My warm and comfy bed has been replaced by my not so comfortable computer chair, and my eyes are now glued to the computer screen instead of the big screen.

I can’t seem to get enough, and just when I think I’m all blogged out, I discover 12 new blogs I had no idea existed (thanks to entrecard and blogrolls), and I’m hooked all over again.

I’ve become so consumed with reading the blogs I follow that I seem to have started neglecting some of my other duties. Like washing clothes regularly (just finished washing 9 loads this weekend, just to catch up), putting the kids to bed on time (I’ve convinced myself that they’ll fall asleep when they get tired…yeah right!), and even cleaning (if I wasn’t embarrassed to take a picture of my room, you’d know what I mean…lol!).

It can easily become an overwhelming task, leaving me wondering why I even bother, yet my face is still glued to the computer screen every night, skimming through post after post and wishing there was more time in the day to get through them all.
So my question to everyone is, how do you manage all of the blogs you follow?

Do you subscribe by email, visit them daily, schedule a time just for blog reading, or just skim and move on. I would love to know.

Nov 15th by admin

12 Nov 2009

The Lighter Side of Things

First Michael Jackson (may his soul rest in peace), and now Sammy Sosa.

What’s with skin bleaching?

I just ran across this picture of Sammy Sosa (a former Chicago Cubs baseball player), and I was shocked to see how drastically he had changed his appearance.

I find it hard to believe that a person can simply change the color of their skin without any harmful, or even worse, fatal side affects. And what about the social stigmas? How does something like this affect the way people view him as an individual. Is he shunning away from his roots, or is he more widely accepted now because his skin is lighter?

As a dark complected individual myself, I must say that I would never dream of changing the color of my skin. I absolutely love the way God made me, and I hope to instill that same confidence in my children.

Images courtesy of the Associated Press

Nov 12th by admin

09 Nov 2009

Featured Blog of the Week – Tidy Mom

Blogging has a way of connecting people that under normal circumstances would never cross paths. It’s an exciting new way of communicating, making new friends, sharing experiences and learning valuable lessons.

With the vast number of blogs crawling the internet, and even greater number of new bloggers joining their ranks, it can easily become a daunting task trying to visit them all. Which is why I decided to start featuring a new blogger each week that we all can get to know.

This weeks featured blogger is Cheryl over at Tidy Mom . Get to know more about her and her blog below.

How long have you been blogging? I started my TidyMom blog in August 2008.

What inspired you to start blogging? We had a family business for 15 years, The Country Junction I started a blog for the business in Aug 2007, The Country Junction Blog then we closed our doors in July 2008. I enjoyed blogging so much I knew that I starting my own blog would provide the outlet I needed to share the things I love!

What is your blog about? TidyMom is really a mixed bag of sorts. I’m a wife and mom with a “wee bit” of a tidiness obsession!

I love to bake, create, and dream of becoming a better photographer. You’ll find that one day I’m talking about my favorite laundry products or decorating my new office, and the next day I’m posting a favorite recipe with pictures, or entering a picture on a weekly photography challenge. There are so many great baking and organizing blogs out there, I’m just writing about what I likes and what works for me and my family. I enjoy sharing what I loves. Being TIDY is my obsession, but baking, photography and just being a Mom is my passion!

How has blogging changed your life? That would HAVE to be the friendships I’ve made!! The blogging communtiy is such a GREAT source of friendship, compasion, and support not to mention a GREAT place for inspiration!! I’ve never thought of myself as “creative” but I’ve learned thru blogging and reading other blogs, that I CAN try things I never thought I could do!

What have you learned about blogging that you would like to share with others? One of the BEST ways to grow your blog is to get yourself out there! Comment comment comment!! Leaving comments on other blogs is THE best way to get yourself noticed and start relationships with other bloggers!! Also, social networking – I have found SO much help and have grown friendships with the help of Twitter and Facebook.

Name 3 blogs you love to read? WOW, just 3? I have over 350 in my reader! LOL I’m going to list 3 here that I love to read and have grown amazing friendships with their authors!

Briget of Bake at 350

Cathe of Just Something I Made

Amy of Living Locurto and i Heart Faces

Each of these ladies are AMAZINGLY talented and have incredible blogs, but even more so, they are kind, generous, supportive and ever so helpful!!

Nov 09th by admin

02 Nov 2009

The Last to Leave Home

Okay, I may be a little emotional right now, but it’s understandable since my little girl started private school today. She the youngest of my two (she’ll be 3 Dec. 1st), and probably my last, so not only is this a momentous occasion, but a sad one at the same time.

Not quite 3 years ago, I was holding her in my arms (after giving birth), trying to figure out why she looked more like my dad than either one of us. SInce that time, she’s grown so fast. Unlike her brother, she loves being independent and has been ready to start school since she first learned the word. So for her, this has been a long time coming, especially since she’s had to watch her brother get on and off the school bus for 2 years now.

Now I’m left to ponder how time flies, wishing I had one more day to spend with her and at the same time excited to have uninterrupted time to focus on my business. Of course you know I couldn’t let her leave without snapping a few shots for the album, so here’s what my baby looked like on her first day: