CLOSED FOR ENTRIES...

[admin]

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL PAGE OF THE $16,000 ULTIMATE BACKYARD MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY HOSTED BY BACKYARD GIVEAWAY AND SPONSORED WQ|MAG.SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Please Read The Rules And The Sponsors On This Page.
You must be a WQ|mag Member to Enter. Not A Member? Join By Clicking Here It's Free To Join!

Hosted by Backyard Getaway www.backyardgetaway.net

The Backyard Getaway is a family owned and operated service and retail pond & water garden business that grew from a hobby into a passion. Let us add the peace and tranquility of flowing water to your backyard and enhance your landscape with a unique water feature. Whether you prefer a Koi pond, a water garden with beautiful lilies, pondless waterfall or even a pet friendly pond for your dog, we will create your perfect getaway in your own backyard. We offer pond installation, maintenance & restoration services.
Do-it-yourselfers order your pond equipment & supplies online or call us for local delivery in Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Koi & Aquatic plants are available for viewing by appointment. We carry a full line of pond & water garden products from Liner & Pumps to Filters & UVs. We also carry water treatments, lighting, water lilies, aquatic plants, live Koi & koi food. Our customers are our number one priority & we will be happy to walk you through & show you step by step how to install your water feature.

Ask about our free garden clinics,hands on pond build classes, our annual parade of ponds water garden tour & our Backyard Friends Club. If you would like to see one of our water garden creations contact us & we will be happy to give you an address to visit. Call today for your pond consultation.

Backyard Getaway
Your Complete Pond Source & More..
(941) 752-POND (7663)
www.backyardgetaway.net
[e-mail]
Donating: Water Garden.




Other Sponsors and Contributors:


Your Green Home Resource
[phone]
www.steffm.weebly.com
[e-mail]

Your Green Home Resource educates and coaches families as to what steps they can take and supports them as they begin the journey to reducing their carbon footprint. We do not force anyone into a choice they are not comfortable with, and we do not judge if a family decides they are not ready to take a particular step at this time. It is a learning process, and one action leads to another.
Donating: Complete home consultation


All Phases Welding
2415 10th St. Ct. E.
Ellenton, FL 34222
941-723-6800
www.AllPhasesWeld.com
[e-mail]

All Phases Welding & Fabrication Inc. is a local business based out of Ellenton, FL. in Manatee County. We are a residential and commercial welding company that has over 15 years of experience in all aspects of welding. Our quality workmanship is currently building our reputation as one of Manatee Counties premiere welding contractors and we hope to expand that throughout the state. We specialize in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. We are portable as well and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency needs.
Donation: two one of a kind solar lamp posts



D & T Handy Girlz
Home Preservation Specialist
941-713-1387
[e-mail]

15 years experience with commercial & residential properties Securing, cleaning & maintaining foreclosed properties. For prompt, dependable & courteous service
call Doris or Terry.
Donating: Landscaping & landscape plantings



HYDRO-STACKER LLC
941-322-9602
www.hydrostacker.com
[e-mail]

HYDRO-STACKER LLC is the original patented inventor and holder of the vertical hydroponic growing system. The HYDRO-STACKER system is water saving (as much as 400 percent over tradidtional growing methods & does not use traditional insecticides or fungicides because of the growing medium that is used. The HYDRO-STACKER system only uses three quarts of water for twenty plants in fourteen square inches of growing area. Production for food can increase over normal growing to 4 to 5 times more food. The HYDRO-STACKER system has a Lifetime Warranty.
Donating: two installed stack automatic feed systems



Premier Video Productions, Inc.
(800)-716-5692
(941)-753-1910
[e-mail]
www.pvvideo.com
Established in 1989 by LaJuana Pruitt, offers full service video production from the conception of your project to finished delivery. We videotape in digital and HD, serving both local & national cliental ranging from the legal & medical communities to fine arts & entertainment.
Donating: video of makeover



Ryland's Rustics
[phone]
[e-mail]
Pat Gormley, Artist
Creating one of a kind wall & garden art using 100% recycled materials
Donating: One of a kind garden art


Historic Sheds
[phone]
www.historicshed.com
[e-mail]
Historic Shed was founded by the historic preservation professionals at to meet the needs of historic-home owners for affordable and attractive additional space that complements and enhances their historic property. We also offer hard to find accessory products for your historic building, including window screens, wood screen, doors, foundation lattice and gates.
Donating: Garden shed



NDC Carpentry
[phone]
[e-mail]
General contractors specializing in custom interiors. Kitchens, Baths, Windows, Doors, Custom trim, Arbors & Decks.
Donating: arbor



Eco Essentials
[phone]
Jodi John
[e-mail]

Offering rain barrels, earth boxes, worm farming & organic Shitake Mushroom buying club.A 1” rainfall generates about half gallon of water per square foot of roof area.
Donating: rain barrel




Tampa Bay Landscape Lighting
By Decorating Elves
(866)-445-6202
www.tampabaylandscapelighting.com
www.decoratingelves.com
Decorating Elves was started as a small business venture by Nick Schriver to help homeowners Avoid the Holiday Hassle. With hard work and dedication Decorating Elves has grown to be the premier outdoor lighting & event decorating company specializing in Christmas lighting & holiday decor.
Donating: Standard Landscape Lighting Package with 10 fixtures and 1 transformer



PAVING CREW, INC
2150 17TH ST,
Sarasota, FL 34234
941-360-0203
FAX [phone] [e-mail]
www.pavingcrew.com
Paving Crew specializes in installation of interlocking brick pavers, old Chicago pavers and retaining walls. We are a licensed and insured company, full staffed to meet the specific requirements for residential and commercial projects. We have in house crews that can handle any kind and any size jobs, knowing that customer service is very important, we schedule all repairs for the very next day. We also offer pressure cleaning and sealing of any paver application already in place.
Donation: Paver patio & retaining wall with seating



FL Native plant nursery
[phone]
www.floridanativeplants.com
Florida Native Plants, Inc.was founded as Florida Scrub Growers, and has committed itself to growing native plants since 1982. The plants we grow originate from seeds and cuttings from Florida and therefore include species that are adapted to our heat, humidity, drought, flooding and frosts.
Donating: Plants for alternative lawn choices & butterfly garden basics



Michelle Donner Photography
[phone]
www.michelledonnerphotography.blogspot.com
[e-mail]
I decided in the beginning of 2009 to live my passion... Now, Michelle Donner Photography has been launched. I will photograph and record your small events Now offering portrait sittings. I love what I do, and would love to make you smile.
Donating: publicity shots/portrait



The Hive Creations &
Anna Mariki Tiki
9908 Gulf Dr. Suite C
Anna Maria, Island Fl. 34216
941.778.7432
www.thehivestore.com
The Hive Creations is a unique place to visit on the north end of Anna Maria Island, FL! Established in 2007, it is filled with hand-carved tiki's and tiki-style decor, one-of-a-kind silk screened American Apparel, handcrafted jewelry, organic candles, beautiful wall pieces, and artwork. Everything in the shop is handmade by artists local and regional.
Donating: Two 3' hand carved Tiki



Shade Sails, Inc.
donated a 12'x12' shade sail. (These are very cool for Florida)



The Gulf Coast Plumeria Society
donating a couple of Plumeria Trees





SPECIFIC RULES FOR THIS CONTEST:
* You Must Be A WQ|mag member to Enter. Not a Member? Join Here It is free to Join.

*Entires must live in Sarasota or Manatee County, Florida.

*Must own your home & be 18 years or older to enter.

*If home is in deed restricted community it is owners responsibility to get permission for makeover from homeowners association.

*Family & employees of participating companies not eligible to enter.

*Maximum area for makeover is 1200 sq. ft. (You can still enter if your yard is larger or smaller but the max area to be made over is 1200sf)

*You must send a photo (Size of photo should be 500 pixels wide or less) & 100 words or less of why you want this makeover. (entries will be judged on originality & humor).

*Backyard Getaway & WQ magazine can not be held responsible for any companies or items that may back out of contest

*Only one entry per person.

*NO purchase necessary

*You can nominate someone else, but all above rules apply.

*Top 10 finalist will be chosen by the host & sponsor

*Finalist will be posted on www.wqmag.com where the winner will be chosen by public voting.

*You can vote once daily during voting period.

Dates to remember


*Entry Dates: August 1st- August 31st, 2009

*Top Ten Finalists Announced: September 3, 2009

*Vote for finalists: September 3 - September 18th, 2009

*Winner Announced: September 23rd, 2009

*Makeover scheduled during the month of October

Please read the General Rules which apply to all Contests, Giveaways and Sweepstakes.



ENTER BY SUBMITTING YOUR INFORMATION IN THE REPLY BOX BELOW

[David]

When we bought our house in 2005 and started our DIY remodel, our neighbors thanked us hoping the “worst house on the block” would be transformed. Four years and 2 daughters later (3 ½ and 4 months), we’ve run out of steam and money. Days are packed with meals, messes, diapers, laundry, chores, and errands, with no time or energy left for gardening. We need a place for our children to play without getting covered in weed seeds and sand spurs, a place for friends and family. Help us make the outside of our house reflect the love that’s inside.

[Melissa]

My husband bought our house 5 years ago, which was completely run down. He has been making all the renovations himself, completely redoing everything. He is still working hard on the inside, but has neglected the outside. Our renovations stopped when I got pregnant last year. Since then, we have just been making sure our house is safe for our son. Our son is now 10 months old, and we would love to have a safe yard for him to play and explore. My dream come true: a first birthday party for our son in a brand new backyard!
(Gold Ave, Sarasota 34235)

[Jackie]

Lately I feel overwhelmed; and our yard...OVERGROWN!

It's easy to get there. Sometimes it's final for school or projects a t work or the relentlessness of everyday chores. OVERBOOKED. For me it's 2 jobs, 2 kids and running errands for my Mom...

I fantasize about escaping. I fantasize about a lush sanctuary. I fantasize about bubbling fountains. I fantasize about get lost in my favorite book. I fantasize about hosting moonlit wine dinners and watching films under the sky. I fantasize about a STARLITE OASIS...in my own back yard. That would be the best!

[Liz]

It was hard to sleep that night. As I drifted, visions of a new yard danced in my head. Colorful flower heads peaked over a retaining wall where the weathered, rotting railroad timbers now lay. The walkway was paved and lead to a sparking pond with a cascading waterfall just beyond an iron gate.

Now everything turned dark. A broken bird bath, black spotted roses, and the goldfish at the small pond rim with tears in their eyes and their bags packed, swirled around in my head.

I awoke, remembering only with your help, my dream yard can come true.

[Susan Rosell]

Hello.. My name is Susan Rosell. I am a mother of one son who is a Senior at the University of Maryland. In 2005 We moved to Sarasota after a long and nasty divorce. I had enough money to purchase us a home but not to up grade my yard. I have done what I could over the years. I work 2 jobs and barely make ends meet. As you can see, I really don't have much in my yard but weeds and what few shrubs I do have are very over grown. Please help.. I would love to have a back yard I can be proud of.

[Sue]

I moved to Florida 66 days ago, settling in Sarasota and fulfilling a dream. I purchased a fixer-upper and the interior renovations are almost complete. But improvements on the interior contrast dramatically to the barren backyard just crying to be done. I never owned a single-family home and don't know where to begin! This makeover will complete the cycle and be the continuation of my journey. I cannot upload photos since my computer is not yet connected but I hope my story will suffice. If I'm a finalist by then I will be able to provide the photos.

[Glenn Johnson]

My name is Glenn Johnson, and to begin I’d like to thank all at the WQ | Mag for your daily e-blast. It’s the first thing I open when I get to my computer every weekday!

When I came upon the $16,000.00 Ultimate Backyard Makeover Contest, my first impression was that there must be a typo! My dreams were answered, and I’m truly amazing with the level of generosity from everyone involved.

Please view photos of a place we call “the pit”. The serenity offered by a beautiful water garden would surely make a world of difference to us!

[e-mail]
941.587.1965

[Lisa Mirman]

Here is our updated entry to honor the 100 word limit as requested:

We’re a joyous family of five
With passion to help our earth thrive
Our household runs green and clean
But the outside is not so pristine

When we go outside to work and play
The yard is too barren and hot to stay
An outdoor oasis would be great
So we could play, grow and create

We’d be proud to nurture a garden space
With organic elements and art to embrace
And how we would be so very fond
Of a new fish friendly water pond

We’d be honored to welcome ya’ll to takeover
And do a backyard Florida-friendly makeover!!

Lee, Lisa, Ella (6), Gabriel (4), and Rousseau (our Bernese mountain dog)

[Dominic Florio]

Desperate need!

[Dominic Florio]

Old McDominic's Farm has rescued pugs, cats, peafowl, 70 chickens, ducks, turkeys and more.
I teach mentally disabled children, and even with my visual handicap, I can see the disaster. My responsibilities and income, make parts of the garden scary to jungle animals.
My desire is to have a wildlife friendly, and comfortable environment, where I can not only relax with family and friends, but where I can have my class visit, in order to enhance their learning of nature without getting lost in the weeds.

[Dominic Florio]

Old McDominic's Farm has rescued pugs, cats, peafowl, 70 chickens, ducks, turkeys and more.
I teach mentally disabled children, and even with my visual handicap, I can see the disaster. My responsibilities and income, make parts of the garden scary to jungle animals.
My desire is to have a wildlife friendly, and comfortable environment, where I can not only relax with family and friends, but where I can have my class visit, in order to enhance their learning of nature without getting lost in the weeds.

[Jim]

"Loneliness - an ode to poop." Help me! I am alone in a plain and dull backyard with no comfortable surroundings. There is no shade to keep me cool and from crusting nor is there any water to keep me moist. My two friends are Diesel and Donner who sometimes make new friends for me. I would like beautiful Florida Friendly surroundings to make things beautiful. I am located in Lakewood Ranch which is great exposure for all contributing sponsors and I will host a margarita/beer party for all contestants. Please keep me from being lonely. :)