October is traditionally an exciting month for b5media’s Lifestyles Channel and our readers. Summer is over and the Holidays have not yet begun, so it is the perfect time for us to thank our readers for their continued loyalty!
To do this, we’ve joined forces with hundreds of sponsors to create a two week extravaganza of giveaways, jump-starting the holiday season and allowing our readers to win gifts, both for themselves and for giving. This year’s Blogtoberfest is better than ever before. We have simplified the process and the sponsors have been extremely generous in the gifts that they are …read more

The b5media Lifestyles Channel is excited to announce our Second Annual Channel Wide Blogtoberfest!
Blogtoberfest will run an entire two weeks throughout our channel beginning Monday, October 6th and wrapping up Friday, October 17th.
Here’s how it will work:
Each day select blogs within the channel will post as usual, the only difference is, they’ll post our beautiful Blogtoberfest button (shown above) and a special note letting you know that it is a sponsored post. That particular post will have a secret prize assigned to it from our list of awesome prizes that will be announced prior to opening day.
All you have to …read more

We’re in the last throes of summer, when even the most enthusiastic fans of the season begin to wish for things start cooling down soon. For this last official month of summer, the Lifestyles channel decided to introduce you to what makes our dog days a little more bearable!
Here at The Food Bowl, I’ve got a frosty treat to help your dog beat the heat with a home-made, doggy-approved ice cream recipe, and I want to know how you calm your upset pet when it comes time for travel and vacation. You can also meet my menagerie here.
Linette at Mother …read more

This month, the Lifestyles channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes – a picnic!
Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking
Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe
Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle
Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes
Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood
Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies
Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.
Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ …read more

While the writers here at the Lifestyles Channel reside all across the globe, one thing that remains constant are the celebrations of fireworks. Whether it’s here in the U.S. with the Fourth of July or on the other side of the world in New Zealand we all know a summer celebration isn’t the same without fireworks and the memories that go with them.
Chloe of Tangled Thread shares a few festive fireworks and needlework patterns.
Kerri and Cory at Marriage Actually talk about why having a shared past is one of the best parts about being married.
Heather …read more

This month, the writers around the Lifestyles channel were asked to show everyone the views from our windows. Some took a creative approach and painted a portrait with words and others share actual images of what we see on a day-to-day basis:
Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book shares a view from her window that entertains and delights her grandchildren. She also tells us how she was influenced by her mothers view from a kitchen window, as well as suggesting views for quilters.
Also at One Book Two Book, Karen shares the sweetest view of her kids playing on the …read more

The theme for this month’s Lifestyles day is “The View From My Window.” I decided to take a shot out of the window that the cats like to sit in the most. It’s located in the living room and looks out onto the patio in the backyard. You can see the kids’ aqua shoes lined up on the table (they played in the sprinklers yesterday and though we clean up after the dogs I still like the girls to have something on their feet!).
This window gets a lot of late afternoon sun and the cats love laying in it. …read more

Below is a roundup of contests currently running around the b5media Lifestyles Channel. Entering to win is easier and cheaper then playing the lottery! What have you go to lose?
Visit each link provided, leave a comment and you may just end up the lucky winner!
Last chance to enter at Inside Motherhood – Contests end tonight (May 30)! Hop over and register to win one of 10 great prizes!
Mary Emma Allen has a random drawing at Quilting and Patchwork for a quilting booklet, How to Make a Quilt – 25 Easy Lessons for Beginners by Bonnie Leman, founder …read more

The Lifestyles Channel recently submitted links to entries that say “summertime” to each of us. Our fearless Gayla compiled the list, and if you’ve got a minute check out all the great ideas below, and have a safe Memorial Day weekend!
Mary Emma Allen at One Book Two Book reminds you to check out your local library for their summer reading programs, which can be great fun for youngsters, parents and grandparents.
Be gone foul wasp! Noreen Crone-Findlay at Hankering for Yarn has designed a crocheted fake wasp nest to trick the wasps and yellow jackets into staying away from her home. …read more

Last week the Lifestyles Channel shared the spot(s) they write from but I was still out of state and didn’t get a chance to participate, though I wanted to!
So here’s my desk. It’s located in the corner of our family room and is connected to my husband’s desk which is right behind me and faces the wall on the right (he custom-made it). We desperately need an office and hopefully that’ll be happening sooner than rather later!
The dogs’ crates are located on the floor just to the left of the desk.

As of my birthday last year (my husband got …read more