i don't follow...

My family laughs at me because I talk about my blog a lot. But I just love it! I think it's such a fun way to share things that are going on in my life with those that I love. (Or any random person on the internet...) One of the things I talk about most (to the amusement of all) is how few people are following my blog. Now, I realize that many more people actually read my blog than those that are just listed under "blog stalkers" (a number that has been inflated as of late through my own coercion of my family to sign up as followers), so I now extend an invitation to all of my readers to become blog stalkers. It's easy! And, to help increase your motivation to follow, if you sign up by midnight Central Time (that's the time zone Iowa is in, folks) on September 4th then you will be eligible to win a FREE BOOK made by yours truly! (You can choose from any item at my etsy store that is $10 or under. Just let me know your preference.)

Already following my blog? Just comment on this or any blog post until September 4th to be entered to win. You can comment as many times as you'd like (though be reasonable about it) to increase your chances of winning, as each post will give you an additional entry into the raffle. At the end of the week all the names will be put on a list, with multiple entries for people that commented multiple times, and a name will be selected at random using the number generator at Random.org. The winner will be announced the morning of September 6th.

NOTE: You must be registered as a blog follower to have your comments counted as entries into the contest.

So! Now that you are motivated to follow my blog, all you have to do is the following:

1. Find the section entitled "blog stalkers" on the far right column on my blog. 
2. Click on the button that says "follow." Here is a picture of what you are looking for: (Don't click on this though because doing that will only make it bigger, not send you on to the next step.)
   
   
   
   
3. Now this window will pop up asking you to sign in:
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Choose which ever account is applicable to you. If none of them work you can easily create a gmail account that you won't have to use ever again if you don't want to (though personally I prefer it to every other type of mail server, but that's just me).
5. Every type of account has a slightly different protocol from here, screens having you verify your account, things like that. Just follow those instructions until you get to the screen pictured in step 6.
6. Now it will ask you if you want to follow publicly or privately. Make sure the bubble selecting "follow publicly" is filled in and click "follow this blog."
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. I believe it's at this point that you can then play with your new blogger profile, adding a picture or changing the name that appears with your account, things of that nature. Though you don't have to, you can just remain a mystery face if you would like.
   
   
   
   

And there you have it! Pretty easy, yeah? Now get to it! The clock is ticking!