What's on your winning wish list?
Oh, I know, as compers we all dream of
winning the big, exciting prizes. Cars, cash, holidays, money can't buy
experiences. I've had my fair share of those and I hope I will have more to
come. And we love the useful things too..... Shopping vouchers, food and drink
prizes, toiletries, nappies if you are a new Mum, bunches of flowers to
brighten a dull day. Even the tiniest prize can be a real morale booster.
But of those smaller prizes, which are the ones that mean the most to
YOU personally? I am always thrilled to receive a new book, yet a DVD or CD of
the same value wouldn't excite me at all. Fragrance, skincare, jewellery and
handcare products are favourite treats too. It's lovely to spoil yourself! And
now I'm a granny, children's clothes and toys make very welcome prizes too
because spoiling the grandchildren is even better than spoiling
ypurself.
On top of that, there are some things I'm really making a
determined effort to win this year. They include
A set of Downton Abbey
DVDs. I know I've just said I'm not excited about winning DVDs, but one of my
daughters lives in France and has missed several episodes so she's put in a
"Mummy win it" request.
A decent camera. I know I'll never be as good a
photographer as my husband, but now I have my food and craft blog I'd love to be
able to take decent photos. At the moment the only good photos are taken for me
by him!
Tickets to the Make It Show in Farnborough on March 1st to 3rd.
I've never NOT won tickets before so it would be a real shock to have to pay
for them.
Craft supplies. Regular readers of Onions and Paper will know
that I have banned myself from buying new craft supplies, apart from replacing
basics. I simply have Too Much Stuff. But prizes don't count as breaking a shopping ban,
do they?
A new bathroom. Well, maybe that doesn't actually count as a
small prize. But I would love to win one and eliminate not only the cost but the
hassle of shopping around and getting estimates. So the hassle part of the prize is the small-but-special thing.
So what are the little things that would mean a lot to YOU? What's on your winning wish list? Do let me know- maybe we can help each other to find suitable competitions to enter.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Sunday, 27 January 2013
Buy a bra - win a Bracelet
Win this Links of
London Sweetie Charm Bracelet and Bumble Bee Charm!
How to enter: Buy a Bra from Michelle BlueBella East
Devon between 24 Jan and 24 Feb 2013
Winner to be drawn and announced on 3rd March
2013 on the BlueBella East Devon Facebook page.
‘Like’
Bluebella East Devon facebook page or twitter to see ‘Bra of the Day’
this will be discounted by 10%!
To book a party, request a catalogue or place an order
contact;
Michelle – 07515471470
www.bluebella.com/eastdevon (catalogue can be viewed here)
Saturday, 26 January 2013
Some tips for using Tweet Deck part 2
Continuing with the question-and-answer session. If by the end of this, YOU still have questions about Tweet Deck, leave them as a comment or tweet them to me, @janesgrapevine
If I load @ messages on my iPad I don't see them on my laptop
This is one of the negative features of Tweet Deck - you used to be able to set it so that it didn't happen but now once it reckons you've seen your @ messages it hides them. So when you open it up on another device, they aren't there. If it feels like it. Like all techie things, it has moods and sometimes might show you the whole blooming lot even after you've cleared the column. But there is one way to guarantee that you'll see them when you switch gadgets, and that is to favourite all the tweets you want to see again. That way you can open a column of favourites and they will be there, however many times you change devices, until you no longer want to see them and unfavourite them. (Having said that, Tweet Deck has just thrown a hissy fit and cleared all my favourites. Nothing's perfect!)
Is there an easy way to add people to a list or do you need to do it one by one?
Removing people from a list on Tweet Deck is very simple - use the "Edit list" feature then simply click on the subtract button at the side of the names you don't want on the list any more. But to add them, just as with normal Twitter, you need to add them one at a time by either visiting their profile or using the "three dot" menu below one of their tweets.
There used to be an app called Formulists that would help you to make lists, but it has closed down now and the only one I could find is Twitlist which I think would be pretty slow if you have a lot of lists and follow a lot of people.
Is there a difference between Twitter and Tweet Deck? If I'm using Tweet Deck can I still use Twitter?
Tweet Deck is simply an application to help you to use Twitter, so although they look a lot different they are just different ways of looking at the same thing. You can still use the Twitter web page, in fact you can use it at the same time as Tweet Deck if you want to. I find that useful to do on those annoying occasions when just as I'm clearing a Tweet Deck column a new tweet I would have liked to read comes in. I can just pop over to Twitter and read it there.
Can you quickly access tweets from some time ago, eg several hours earlier, without having to scroll through all the tweets?
No, just as with normal Twitter, you need to scroll back. However the sliding scroll bar at the side of each column makes it a little faster than using Twitter, and if you are looking for a particular tweet you can use the search box in the Edit section at the top of the column to help you find it.
What does "Embed this tweet" mean?
This appears in the three dot menu of Tweet Deck on the web but not on the app version. If you click on it, you will be given a piece of code which you can copy into the HTML of a blog or website which will actually embed that tweet into the site. I did it with the Tweet you can find here and now I've embedded it in the blog it looks like this:
There are two ways: the first is to click on the time of the tweet at the top right. This will open up a Twitter web page with just that tweet on it and you can copy the URL. The second is to use that three dot menu again and select "link to this tweet". It will open up a tweet for you with the link in it, preceded by the word RE. For instance for the tweet above, it says
RE https://twitter.com/janesgrapevine/status/295146773146652672
Ignore the RE bit, copy URL and paste it where you need it.
What do "details" and "conversation" at the bottom of a Tweet mean?
If a tweet is part of a conversation, it will say so and clicking on it will show you the tweets it is a reply to and those in reply to it, which can help you to pick up chat with friends if you log in and think you've missed something.
A tweet that isn't part of a conversation will say details instead, and clicking on that will show you the exact date and time it was posted and will tell you whether it was posted from the Twitter web page, an app like Tweet Deck or Hoot Suite, the Tweet Button of a website or one of the many apps that will post a tweet for you when, for instance, you enter certain competitions or share a news item on a web page.
If I load @ messages on my iPad I don't see them on my laptop
This is one of the negative features of Tweet Deck - you used to be able to set it so that it didn't happen but now once it reckons you've seen your @ messages it hides them. So when you open it up on another device, they aren't there. If it feels like it. Like all techie things, it has moods and sometimes might show you the whole blooming lot even after you've cleared the column. But there is one way to guarantee that you'll see them when you switch gadgets, and that is to favourite all the tweets you want to see again. That way you can open a column of favourites and they will be there, however many times you change devices, until you no longer want to see them and unfavourite them. (Having said that, Tweet Deck has just thrown a hissy fit and cleared all my favourites. Nothing's perfect!)
Is there an easy way to add people to a list or do you need to do it one by one?
Removing people from a list on Tweet Deck is very simple - use the "Edit list" feature then simply click on the subtract button at the side of the names you don't want on the list any more. But to add them, just as with normal Twitter, you need to add them one at a time by either visiting their profile or using the "three dot" menu below one of their tweets.
There used to be an app called Formulists that would help you to make lists, but it has closed down now and the only one I could find is Twitlist which I think would be pretty slow if you have a lot of lists and follow a lot of people.
Is there a difference between Twitter and Tweet Deck? If I'm using Tweet Deck can I still use Twitter?
Tweet Deck is simply an application to help you to use Twitter, so although they look a lot different they are just different ways of looking at the same thing. You can still use the Twitter web page, in fact you can use it at the same time as Tweet Deck if you want to. I find that useful to do on those annoying occasions when just as I'm clearing a Tweet Deck column a new tweet I would have liked to read comes in. I can just pop over to Twitter and read it there.
Can you quickly access tweets from some time ago, eg several hours earlier, without having to scroll through all the tweets?
No, just as with normal Twitter, you need to scroll back. However the sliding scroll bar at the side of each column makes it a little faster than using Twitter, and if you are looking for a particular tweet you can use the search box in the Edit section at the top of the column to help you find it.
What does "Embed this tweet" mean?
This appears in the three dot menu of Tweet Deck on the web but not on the app version. If you click on it, you will be given a piece of code which you can copy into the HTML of a blog or website which will actually embed that tweet into the site. I did it with the Tweet you can find here and now I've embedded it in the blog it looks like this:
I've started answering your questions about Tweet Deck - lots of answers and tips here competitiongrapevine.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/some-t… more to follow later or tomorrowHow do I give the URL of a tweet when I'm using Tweet Deck?
— Jane Willis (@janesgrapevine) January 26, 2013
There are two ways: the first is to click on the time of the tweet at the top right. This will open up a Twitter web page with just that tweet on it and you can copy the URL. The second is to use that three dot menu again and select "link to this tweet". It will open up a tweet for you with the link in it, preceded by the word RE. For instance for the tweet above, it says
RE https://twitter.com/janesgrapevine/status/295146773146652672
Ignore the RE bit, copy URL and paste it where you need it.
What do "details" and "conversation" at the bottom of a Tweet mean?
If a tweet is part of a conversation, it will say so and clicking on it will show you the tweets it is a reply to and those in reply to it, which can help you to pick up chat with friends if you log in and think you've missed something.
A tweet that isn't part of a conversation will say details instead, and clicking on that will show you the exact date and time it was posted and will tell you whether it was posted from the Twitter web page, an app like Tweet Deck or Hoot Suite, the Tweet Button of a website or one of the many apps that will post a tweet for you when, for instance, you enter certain competitions or share a news item on a web page.
Some tips for using Tweet Deck part 1
Following on from my post about using Tweet Deck to filter what you see I've had several questions about Tweet Deck. So today's post is a question-and-answer session.
What are the advantages of using Tweet Deck?
One major one is that you can view everything at the same time. With columns across the page, you can see your @mentions, direct messages, any lists you follow and any searches you are running without having to move away from your main Twitter feed.
Another advantage for compers is the ease of retweeting by the "old" or "new" methods. Because of my findings when I ran a competition of my own recently, I am experimenting with NOT using RT button retweets. I'll report back on the results when I've had time to give it a proper trial, but in the meantime I am very grateful for the fact that when you click on a Tweet Deck retweet button, you are given a choice of "Edit and RT" or "Retweet". While Retweet does a RT button style retweet, Edit and RT gives you a copy and paste style one. Not only does this save you having to copy and paste (and forget to add in the RT @.... bit - how often have you done that?) but it also means it is possible to enter competitions where you have been asked to "Retweet with your answer" or "Retweet and tag a friend" , neither of which is possible with the Twitter web page although it may be with some phone apps.
Another feature I find useful is being able to clear the tweets in a column when you have read them - it helps me to keep track of where I am up to. To do this, hover the cursor over the icon on the top tight of a column until you see the word "Edit", click on it and select "Clear" (not "Delete" which removes the column completeley)
The ability to schedule Tweets can be useful, either to catch a competition closing time or to make sure you wish a friend happy birthday on the right day! You can read more about scheduling Tweets here.
And finally, being able to filter out the stuff you aren't interested in - see the link in the introductory paragraph for more details.
How do I use Tweet Deck?
Tweet Deck uses the same icons as Twitter so you will soon get used to what each one means. The blue quill-and-paper icon on the top right opens up a box to write your tweet in, and the camera icon at the bottom of the box allows you to add a photo. The next icon is a clock, which allows you to schedule the tweet, and the envelope turns your tweet into a direct message - click on it and an "egg" space at the top is where you write the Twitter name (without an @) of the person you want to DM. To send a tweet or DM, write in the box just as you would on Twitter's own web page then press the Tweet button.
To reply to or retweet a message, hover the cursor over the bottom of the message. Reply, Retweet and Favourite icons will open up along with a row of three dots, which contains a drop down menu with lots of options - you can use it to create a DM to the sender, email the tweet to somebody or even report the sender as a spammer. Have a play with it - but don't go blocking your best friend just to see how it works! Clicking on the sender's avatar brings up a quick profile of them - useful if you get a tweet from someone you don't recognise.
The cog wheel on the top right will take you to the Settings area where you can change the appearance of the screen, add in your Facebook account and filter things out.
Moving left, the next box is the Search box and then we come to Columns. This is a drop down menu of all the columns you have open, so that if you have more than will fit across the screen you can go directly to the one you want to see.
Further left still. the Add Column feature lest you add new columns - everything from your lists to Twitter's trending topics. Then the Lists button lets you create, edit and delete lists.
Finally if you are using the Tweet Deck app rather than the Tweet Deck website you have a button that will change the appearance from dark (white text on a black background) to light (black text on a white background). If you are using the web version, this option is in the Settings menu.
At the top of each column, the Edit button in the right hand icon lets you clear the tweets from it or delete it completely, move it from left to right, search only within that column and, if it is a list, edit the list. And it also allows you to choose whether to get notifications of new tweets in the column, either as "pings" or, if you are using the app version, as pop-ups. If you get a lot of tweets, it's best to choose not to have them as they can get very annoying!
Since Tweet Deck comes as an app or a website, does either have any advantage?
To all intents and purposes they are identical. I like to use the app as the icon appears on my taskbar at the bottom of the screen so I can go straight to it without having to move between browser windows, but it does use up a lot of memory and can slow your computer down. |It's just a matter of personal preference and what you are used to.
My "All friends" feed moves so fast it's making me seasick! What can I do to stop it?
If you are highly organised and have every single person you follow on a list you don't need to even look at it! Make it your far left hand column and move it off the edge of your screen. I don't advise deleting it completely as you might miss out on chat between friends, which doesn't always show up on lists.
But most of us are NOT that organised, so to stop the feed from moving so fast, use the scroll button at the side of a list to scroll down sharply. That will stop the list from moving and you can then scroll slowly up or down to read the things you want to see. When you are ready to go back to the top, you can scroll up, but just clicking on the bar at the top of the column will take you straight to the top. If there have been new tweets in the column while it has been stopped, you will see a tiny blue blob at the top left which will vanish when you get back to the top.
I've retweeted something I shouldn't have - how do I undo it?
To delete one of your own tweets, find that tweet and use the "three dots" menu to get to the delete option. For a retweet, instead of delete you will be offered the chance to undo the retweet. But here is where it gets confusing. If you used the RT button, when look in your own timeline, what you see is the sender's original tweet that has been retweeted by you and not your own retweet.
To get to your own retweet, add, or if you've already added it, a column of your own tweets. In the "Add column" menu this is called Tweets. Now find the same retweeted message. It looks exactly the same but this time it is your own retweet of the sender's message and the undo retweet option is there in the drop down menu.
This post is getting so long you won't want to read all the way through it, so I'm going to publish it now and come back with part two later in the weekend!
What are the advantages of using Tweet Deck?
One major one is that you can view everything at the same time. With columns across the page, you can see your @mentions, direct messages, any lists you follow and any searches you are running without having to move away from your main Twitter feed.
Another advantage for compers is the ease of retweeting by the "old" or "new" methods. Because of my findings when I ran a competition of my own recently, I am experimenting with NOT using RT button retweets. I'll report back on the results when I've had time to give it a proper trial, but in the meantime I am very grateful for the fact that when you click on a Tweet Deck retweet button, you are given a choice of "Edit and RT" or "Retweet". While Retweet does a RT button style retweet, Edit and RT gives you a copy and paste style one. Not only does this save you having to copy and paste (and forget to add in the RT @.... bit - how often have you done that?) but it also means it is possible to enter competitions where you have been asked to "Retweet with your answer" or "Retweet and tag a friend" , neither of which is possible with the Twitter web page although it may be with some phone apps.
Another feature I find useful is being able to clear the tweets in a column when you have read them - it helps me to keep track of where I am up to. To do this, hover the cursor over the icon on the top tight of a column until you see the word "Edit", click on it and select "Clear" (not "Delete" which removes the column completeley)
The ability to schedule Tweets can be useful, either to catch a competition closing time or to make sure you wish a friend happy birthday on the right day! You can read more about scheduling Tweets here.
And finally, being able to filter out the stuff you aren't interested in - see the link in the introductory paragraph for more details.
How do I use Tweet Deck?
Tweet Deck uses the same icons as Twitter so you will soon get used to what each one means. The blue quill-and-paper icon on the top right opens up a box to write your tweet in, and the camera icon at the bottom of the box allows you to add a photo. The next icon is a clock, which allows you to schedule the tweet, and the envelope turns your tweet into a direct message - click on it and an "egg" space at the top is where you write the Twitter name (without an @) of the person you want to DM. To send a tweet or DM, write in the box just as you would on Twitter's own web page then press the Tweet button.
To reply to or retweet a message, hover the cursor over the bottom of the message. Reply, Retweet and Favourite icons will open up along with a row of three dots, which contains a drop down menu with lots of options - you can use it to create a DM to the sender, email the tweet to somebody or even report the sender as a spammer. Have a play with it - but don't go blocking your best friend just to see how it works! Clicking on the sender's avatar brings up a quick profile of them - useful if you get a tweet from someone you don't recognise.
The cog wheel on the top right will take you to the Settings area where you can change the appearance of the screen, add in your Facebook account and filter things out.
Moving left, the next box is the Search box and then we come to Columns. This is a drop down menu of all the columns you have open, so that if you have more than will fit across the screen you can go directly to the one you want to see.
Further left still. the Add Column feature lest you add new columns - everything from your lists to Twitter's trending topics. Then the Lists button lets you create, edit and delete lists.
Finally if you are using the Tweet Deck app rather than the Tweet Deck website you have a button that will change the appearance from dark (white text on a black background) to light (black text on a white background). If you are using the web version, this option is in the Settings menu.
At the top of each column, the Edit button in the right hand icon lets you clear the tweets from it or delete it completely, move it from left to right, search only within that column and, if it is a list, edit the list. And it also allows you to choose whether to get notifications of new tweets in the column, either as "pings" or, if you are using the app version, as pop-ups. If you get a lot of tweets, it's best to choose not to have them as they can get very annoying!
Since Tweet Deck comes as an app or a website, does either have any advantage?
To all intents and purposes they are identical. I like to use the app as the icon appears on my taskbar at the bottom of the screen so I can go straight to it without having to move between browser windows, but it does use up a lot of memory and can slow your computer down. |It's just a matter of personal preference and what you are used to.
My "All friends" feed moves so fast it's making me seasick! What can I do to stop it?
If you are highly organised and have every single person you follow on a list you don't need to even look at it! Make it your far left hand column and move it off the edge of your screen. I don't advise deleting it completely as you might miss out on chat between friends, which doesn't always show up on lists.
But most of us are NOT that organised, so to stop the feed from moving so fast, use the scroll button at the side of a list to scroll down sharply. That will stop the list from moving and you can then scroll slowly up or down to read the things you want to see. When you are ready to go back to the top, you can scroll up, but just clicking on the bar at the top of the column will take you straight to the top. If there have been new tweets in the column while it has been stopped, you will see a tiny blue blob at the top left which will vanish when you get back to the top.
I've retweeted something I shouldn't have - how do I undo it?
To delete one of your own tweets, find that tweet and use the "three dots" menu to get to the delete option. For a retweet, instead of delete you will be offered the chance to undo the retweet. But here is where it gets confusing. If you used the RT button, when look in your own timeline, what you see is the sender's original tweet that has been retweeted by you and not your own retweet.
To get to your own retweet, add, or if you've already added it, a column of your own tweets. In the "Add column" menu this is called Tweets. Now find the same retweeted message. It looks exactly the same but this time it is your own retweet of the sender's message and the undo retweet option is there in the drop down menu.
This post is getting so long you won't want to read all the way through it, so I'm going to publish it now and come back with part two later in the weekend!
Win a wonderful trip to Tasmania!
Just imagine flying in to Hobart then picking up a motor home and spending ten days touring around Tasmanina, visting the spectacular sights, spotting the wonderful wildlife and even having passes to the Devil's Cradle where you may spot a Tasmanian Devil!
Well, if you are the winner of the great new competition from Webury that's exactly what you could be doing. Just pop over to the Webury website and click on the banner at the top of the home page. Oh, and don't forget to browse Webury's great selection of home, outdoor and country items - after all, you might be needing to stock up on walking gear for that prize holiday.
The competition closes on March 31st and you can enter once per household.
Well, if you are the winner of the great new competition from Webury that's exactly what you could be doing. Just pop over to the Webury website and click on the banner at the top of the home page. Oh, and don't forget to browse Webury's great selection of home, outdoor and country items - after all, you might be needing to stock up on walking gear for that prize holiday.
The competition closes on March 31st and you can enter once per household.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Win a Tresor Paris Bracelet
Here is another lovely competiton from My Social Radio with a prize of a Tresor Paris bracelet.
This time you need to enter through their Facebook page. Simply "like" the page and fill in the form. You can get extra entries by inviting friends and sharing on your wall.
The competition closes at mid-day on February 1st.
This time you need to enter through their Facebook page. Simply "like" the page and fill in the form. You can get extra entries by inviting friends and sharing on your wall.
The competition closes at mid-day on February 1st.
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Pin to win $50 of Amazon vouchers
I have to confess, I've let my comping on Pinterest slip recently. Not because of any lack of competitions on Pinterest, or any lack of interest on my own part, but simply because every time I go on to Pinterest I find myself repinning great craft ideas and recipes. So I was delighted to hear about this competition from Recipe Mash that will let me pin recipes and STILL enter a competition!
First of all you will need a Pinterest account, if you haven't already got one. You can read my introduction to Pinterest and Pinterest comping here.
Next, follow Recipe Mash on Pinterest and then pin to your own boards as many recipes from their Pinterest board or website as you wish, making sure you include the hashtag #recipemash in the description - that's the text box that appears under the photo when you pin it, NOT the comment box that is under the photo after it's been pinned. You don't need to create a special board and you don't need to send them a link - as long as the correct hashtag is in the description, they'll find your entry.
You can enter as many times as you like until the closing date of February 28th. The competition is open worldwide and the prize of $50 of Amazon vouchers will be the equivalent in the winner's local currency.
First of all you will need a Pinterest account, if you haven't already got one. You can read my introduction to Pinterest and Pinterest comping here.
Next, follow Recipe Mash on Pinterest and then pin to your own boards as many recipes from their Pinterest board or website as you wish, making sure you include the hashtag #recipemash in the description - that's the text box that appears under the photo when you pin it, NOT the comment box that is under the photo after it's been pinned. You don't need to create a special board and you don't need to send them a link - as long as the correct hashtag is in the description, they'll find your entry.
You can enter as many times as you like until the closing date of February 28th. The competition is open worldwide and the prize of $50 of Amazon vouchers will be the equivalent in the winner's local currency.
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