The Casual Blogger Magazine

Spring 2012 Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:29:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

This issue is our first issue as the Casual Blogger Magazine, so you'll have to let us know if you like the changes! Instead of focusing most of the attention on specific bloggers, we've widened our scope to cover bloggers PLUS all sorts of blogging topics and the fun of being online.

Changes are Good.

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

You might have noticed that The Barrel kind of....fell off the face of the earth? Turns out that running a magazine is a whole lot of work. And time. And more work. And more time. But never fear, because WE'RE COMING BACK! Except this time with a new name, a new look, and a new team! So, here's the 411:

• The Casual Blogger Magazine will be now be released quarterly (the spring edition to be released in a few weeks).

• The team now consists of:
Melissa from Green Jello with Carrots (and the former Barrel magazine)
Elisa from MMB Community
Caroline from Casual Blogger Community
Veronica from Local Community Hotspots
and
Julie from Leelou Blogs

• We have new advertising opportunities and rates, for anyone interested.

• Michelle is no longer on the magazine team, because she has an awesome new website selling chic baby and child clothing! So make sure and check that out. (Did I mention it's awesome?)

We're all looking forward to getting the new issue out soon, and hopefully everyone likes the new Casual Blogger Magazine as much as they liked The Barrel!

Issue 9: August/September 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 22:18:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

This issue is about school and life and the impending season that is autumn. With recipes from Sugardoodle's Mel, fitness tips from Mun and a spotlight on BooMama you'll want to make sure to read this one cover to cover!

coming soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:47:00 +0000

Michelle just had heart surgery and I'm moving to another state like RIGHT NOW, so the July issue will be coming out later. We don't have a specific timeframe. You'll just have to be satisfied with "later".

Maybe you should grab yourself a smoothie and go swimming while you wait for us to heal/move.

Issue 8: June 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 10:01:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

June means SUMMER! This issue is dedicated to sunny fun, projects, vacations and slip and slides. Learn what your favorite bloggers will be doing this summer and see what (not) Ryan Seacrest's TOP TEN songs of summer are.

Cutest Baby Photo Contest 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 22:45:00 +0000

We're joining forces with Leelou Blogs to bring you the CUTEST BABY PHOTO CONTEST!

Children from 0-3 years old from around the world may be entered to win great prizes. There are gift baskets and prizes galore. You're really going to want to enter (trust me).

AND if you live (or are planning to visit) Utah you can win a FREE photoshoot with Peekaboo Photography (who happens to be AMAZING!). Not only will the grand prize winner receive incredible prizes and the free photoshoot with Peekaboo, but they will also be on the cover of The Barrel of Blogs magazine! (Peekaboo Photography is located in Northern Utah and winners must be willing and able to travel to their studio by August 15th, 2011 to attend the photo shoot.)

A list of all prizes will be announced June 20th when the Leelou Blogs Baby Shower begins.

We are accepting photos from now until June 17, 2011. We will kick off the baby shower June 20th by announcing the top 10 finalists for each contest. You get to vote all week and on June 25th we will announce all winners!

You can enter and read further terms by clicking here!

Issue 7: May 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:15:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

May is a month for flowers, Mother's Day and scrapbooking! Because May 7th is National Scrapbooking Day, we have some great articles about some great blogs that showcase all kinds of scrappin'. We're also featuring Skinny Taste - the blog with healthy recipes that are actually TASTY. And also - we're featuring our first MALE BLOGGER. He's funny, and he blogs, and his wife doesn't even mind that he has a gaggle of women blog followers.

And, one more thing, look below to enter our $25 giftcard giveaway!

the very best way to monetize your blog

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:45:00 +0000

This isn't news specific to The Barrel of Blogs, but it is news of EPIC PROPORTIONS, and must be shared.

Who wants to monetize their blog? (honestly, who doesn't?!)

I, as in Melissa, have been beta testing, for the past few months, a new Brands to Blogger Agency and on average I've made $63 per post (on my personal blog). Three of the bloggers involved in the beta test made $300 for their posts. I've sat in on weekly webinars and spoken to the head of the company multiple times, because I wanted to make sure this was worth sharing. And honestly, this is the best way I've seen to make money using a blog (and I've been blogging for about 4 years, so I've seen a few).

You can sign up for a FREE account and the agency connects brands with bloggers and pays you to blog. The best part is - you can still write what you WANT to write and you don't have to plaster your blog with banner ads.

Or you can sign up for an affiliate account where you pay $40 per month to also take part in their awesome profit sharing benefits and have access to any future learning tools that will be available that will help you have a better, more successful blog.

If this sounds like something you would like to do, then please go to Broadcast Bloggers and use this Sponsor ID: 1068005 (currently, it's running on an "invitation only" basis, so you will need the ID). This is a brand new
company and you are being invited to have an exclusive sneak peek of the program before it's official launch on June 1st.

I'm very excited about Broadcast Bloggers and feel like this is an organized way for bloggers to monetize blogs more efficiently (and with better results).

Remember, go to Broadcast Bloggers to get started and use this sponsor ID# 1068005

You're going to love it.

because $25 looks good just about anywhere

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Mon, 02 May 2011 20:34:00 +0000

*****This giveaway is now closed- a massive THANKS to everyone who entered! The winner, determined by random.org is kolpin 1. Congrats! *****

As seen in the May issue of The Barrel of Blogs, we're giving one of our readers a $25 American Express gift card! We'll be randomly choosing a winner on Monday May 16th, so get in your entries!

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1- For one entry, comment on this post and tell us what you love about the May issue of The Barrel of Blogs.

2- For another entry, write a blog post about The Barrel of Blogs magazine and leave a comment saying "I blogged!" with a link to your post. (Your post must also include a link to this blog - but you knew that, right?)

3- For another entry or two follow our blog and/or "like" us on facebook and leave a comment letting us know that you did (that's TWO entries if you do both, just make sure to leave two comments).

4- And for two more entries, link to this post on facebook or twitter and leave a comment telling us where it's posted (Once again, this is worth TWO entries if you post on both, but will need two comments).

That's a total of SIX entries per person! Just make sure that you leave a comment for each entry and also IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALSO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

Issue 6: April 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:57:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

April is here, the flowers are....well, they're not quite blooming, but SOON, people, SOOOOOON. But it's not like you want to sit there and watch them grow. yawn. While you're waiting for spring to start budding, read our magazine. This month is a good one!! (Ok, fine, they're all good ones, but that doesn't make this one any less good.) We have a new guest article about UPcycling written by Rachel Sue. And we have a brand new section specialist too, maybe you know her, Annie Valentine. (She's practically famous, and also one of my favorite people.) You're gonna love it. And it's way more exciting than watching flowers grow. Trust me.

You're Here! (let's party)

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:02:00 +0000

If you're here it should be obvious that we've relocated to a new -and much more beautiful- site. Not only that, but we've upgraded, added and in general just gotten MORE AWESOME. (And here we thought we were already at the pinnacle of awesomeness.)

Here are some of the fab new things we've got going on:

• You can peruse the magazines RIGHT HERE on our site. If you're looking for a specific page really quickly or you just want to skim a small version of past magazines, go right ahead. It's easy. And all the magazines are fully linked, so you can read a full page version with phenomenal ease.

• Facebook. Yeah, we have an official page now. And you can officially "like" us. (We know you've been holding your breath for this.)

• You want to tweet? We can do that. Michelle is our social media guru and all things tweet-ish. So if you ever have questions, comments or just want to say hi, Michelle will be poised and waiting to reply.

• It's even easier to subscribe. Now you 'll know exactly when we've posted the new issue because you can set up the way you'd like to be notified. Convenient, no?

• Hop into our community on Blog Frog. We'll have amazing forum discussions. For sure.

• Did I mention that this website is prettier? It's always a pain to move, but really, worth it. I like being pretty.

And just you wait until the April issue of The Barrel comes out, because we have a few new things in there too. And that's pretty much awesomeness at it's best.

Issue 5: March 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:07:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More mommy blogger

It’s March! That means spring is soon, right? RIGHT?!! My left eyelid has been twitching for about 2 weeks in anticipation of spring (or because of the dreariness of winter). Spring just better get here soon.

While you’re waiting you can read this month’s issue of The Barrel. We’ve included some great blogs and WE’RE GIVING THINGS AWAY. (I knew that would get your attention.)

Also, we’ve swapped out the Potty Talk story for a comic, so let us know what you think about that. (Honestly, don’t be afraid to leave comments. We don’t bite……if you’re not standing within a 10 foot radius of us anyway.)

Issue 4: February 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:06:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More mommy blogger

Yipppeee, Valentine’s Day is coming! Oh boy. Whoo hoo. BARF. I know some people like this holiday – so for those of you who love it – HERE’S A MAGAZINE FOR YOU. Ok, even those of you who, like me, don’t like it so much – HERE’S A MAGAZINE FOR YOU. Don’t worry, we didn’t get too cheesy, and there’s actually some great ideas in there. Even for one who is as romantically challenged as I. Plus it’s not all about smoochy lovey dovey stuff, so please don’t let the cupid scare you away.

Issue 3: January 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 07:03:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blogs

The new year is here, what better way to celebrate than by reading our latest issue?! I certainly can’t think of anything better to do.

This month’s issue is about blogs, blogging, and a little bit about bloggers. Shocking, I know. But what will really surprise you are the tips, tidbits and….tattles…..um, tel…epahtic……ok, I wanted another t-word but it’s just not happening. How about I just do this: TRUST ME, this magazine is worth reading. (You know I’d never lie to you.)

Issue 2: December 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 07:01:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blog

The Barrel this month is ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS!! (Right down to the “Potty Talk”.) We’ll get back to the regular blog reviews next month, and we hope you enjoy all these crafts, recipes and stories from a handful of fabulous bloggers.

Merry Christmas from The Barrel: Blogging Reviews!

Issue 1: November 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Melissa Bastow) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:56:00 +0000

Open publication - Free publishing - More blogging

Our very first issue!!

We hope you like it – we found some great blogs to review and some funny stuff to share. Please leave a comment and let us know if you enjoyed it. (Unless you hated it, and then you can just keep that to yourself, since we worked hard on this thing, and you should really try to be nicer anyway.)