Hookin Up with HoH #45
*PLEASE READ!!! My rules have changed. Please read them carefully before posting.*
My newest rule: you must link back to my blog to post your links. Inlinkz now has a function to track this, so if my blog address is not listed in your post OR ON YOUR BLOG somewhere, your link will not post to my party. I know this is annoying. Hell, I fought against it for almost a year now. But the reality is that this party is A LOT of work for me. I host my party to give YOU exposure. But I need a little exposure in return. This can’t be a one-way street anymore. It doesn’t have to be a big button or anything, just mention that you are linking to me somewhere on your blog – in your post, on the sidebar, on a separate page, wherever is fine.
Please read all the rules at the bottom of this post as many have recently changed. Thx.
Last weeks link party, Hookin Up party #44, had 433 totally amazing ideas! Go get inspiration if you missed them last week.
I love featuring YOU! Your blog rocks, you are creative, you deserve to shine! Link up your projects so others can discover YOU too! {In return I like my blog to be discovered as well, so if you can add my button or link to your blog I’d be oh so happy!}
Here are a few highlights from last weeks par-tay:
Check out this pretty playroom makeover by Fingerprints on the Fridge.
What a cool retro looking DIY bookshelf over at Girl in Air.
The V Spot made this awesome cork artwork.
I love this sign Just Sew Sassy made. Now I need to make one for my hairdresser sister (who is in Austin if you need a fab hair stylist!)
Pretty ruffle purse from Atelier Caroline.
Southern Lovely made this delicious yellow dresser. Mmmmm, yellow.
Shabby Remix made her own DIY headboard.
Decor and the Dog also made her own West Elm knock-off headboard.
Check out this festive Easter wreath by A Vision to Remember.
Jessa Jill painted her own chevron table runner.
Pretty and edible to boot! Check out this Rice Crispy Treat topiary by Cute as a Fox.
Ah-mazzzzing Ballard knock off mirrors over at Thrifty and Chic.
Full of great ideas did a beautiful job framing out her mirror.
Sisters of the Wild West painted this bookshelf. I’m loving the chevron!
If you’ve been featured grab a button and tell everyone!
Post about anything you’ve worked on recently!
* Please link back to my blog. Buttons can be found HERE or you can just do a written text link.
* Link directly to your specific post, not your blog.
* Please only post links that you haven’t previously posted at one of my parties. We want fresh new content each week!
A few DON’TS:
* Don’t link up your LINK PARTY **unless it’s a craft or tutorial of your own** {It’s just rude to advertise your link party at my link party).
Add your link party HERE if you want free advertising.
* Don’t link up your SHOP, STORE, OR ETSY to my party. This is also rude. Don’t try to sell your stuff at my party.
* Don’t link up your GIVEAWAY to my party. Again, this party is to promote other bloggers and their crafts and projects, not to promote your giveaway.
{Someday Crafts has a great party each Thursday for this!}
Thanks for being understanding of my new rules. I love scratching you back each week and letting you shine. Please be respectful in return.
Ready. Set. Post!
This party will be open until Sunday, April 24th, 2011 at 10am CST.
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Sometimes I participate in these parties: The DIY Showoff, Skip To My Lou, Thrifty Decor Chick, C.R.A.F.T., Tip Junkie, Today's Creative Blog, Blue Cricket Design, Home Stories A to Z, Someday Crafts, House of Hepworths, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Miss Mustard Seed, One Project Closer, Under The Table and Dreaming, Positively Splendid
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Welcome to House of Hepworths! HoH is primarily a Home Blog that specializes in DIY projects and renovations, crafts, and decorating. My name is Allison. My family and I live in Austin, Texas. I'm married to Ben and have two children, a 10 year old son and an almost-8 year old daughter. To find out more or to contact me click 
Thanks for hosting another fun party! I’ve included a link to your blog in my post and hope that you will stop by to check out my tutorial for making a no-sew shopping cart cover.
Your blog is my favorite! I’m happy to have your link in my page and so thankful that you host parties like these. :O)
Don’t you even think about apologizing for requesting a link back!!! You are doing a wonderful thing by hosting the party, and linking back is simply common courtesy. Thank you so much for hosting girlfriend!
Thank you, thank you! I am so happy that you featured my little dresser! You definitely made my night!
Love your blog, by the way! You have such great ideas! It is one of my most favorites!
Hey Allison, those are some great features, I love those mirrors and that playroom, the green grass is so cute.
I like the new rules, and wish people would follow some at my place too, lol. It’s tough, but hopefully if it works, I might switch over to inlinkz, that sounds so cool, they do the nasty work for you, so wether we like it or not, unless they link back their post won’t show, sounds fair to me. I do know what you mean though about fighting it, I was never regular with linking IN MY POST, I just directed everyone to my link directory, oooops.
Hope you are doing well girl!!
I linked up my Garage Remodel PART 2 .
Hope you can stop by to say HI.
Hugs,
Bella
Thanks for hosting, Allison. And I can imagine why you’d want a link back, so please don’t apologize! I did not know that inlinkz could add that feature… pretty clever!
Thanks again.
Thank you for hosting! I respect your decision to have and enforce some rules for your party, and you presented it all very nicely.
I’m happy to be included and to have the opportunity to share my recipe for Honey Almond Apricot Hot-Cross Buns.
Best,
Jenn/Rook No. 17
Oh my! Those features from last week are unbelievable! I could sit in front of my computer screen for days looking at all the stuff people come up with, probably do too much of that already, probably why I don’t ever have much time to post on my blog
Too busy living through everyone else projects.
My first Hookin Up Thursday, I feel a little like my first day of school :/ Thanks for hosting the party and getting all us newbies out there
well crap. I put your link in my post, but it still won’t let me link up.
I’ll try again in a little while. I understand why you do this, I’m frustrated lately when people don’t link back to my blog, either.
I can definitely see your position on linking back to the party that is only curtious. However, I have a page of link ups I link up too, because I enjoy participating in a lot of parties, I choose a few each day to participate in so linking up to every party for each post would be difficult… Anyway I have enjoyed participating in your parties and following your fun blog.
Carlee
I love the new forced rule! That is so awesome that they can do that for you so you don’t have to be the bad guy:)
Thank you so so much for hosting! I can’t wait to see everyone’s projects this week!!!
You are once again awesome as ever! Thank you for the feature and for hosting the best blog party around!!! Woot-woot
Of course I’ll link back. Thank you so much for hosting! I appreciate it!
Thank you so much for the feature! I’m so glad you liked my Rice Krispies Topiary. I will for sure spread the word on my Facebook page.
Thanks!
Ashley
Thanks for hosting! I don’t blame you for changing the rules – I would make people link back to me, too! You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours, right?
I understand why you would want to change the rules.. Ive been seeing this new enforced rule a lot lately. But personally Im bummed by it. Not because I dont want you to get exposure.. you certainly deserve it for hosting such a rockin’ party!
BUT I have a specific page where I have all my linky parties listed, and organized by day of the week. (that page actually gets a lot of views.. it shows up a lot in my stats) I do this because I there are so many linky parties that I join. And if I had to put every single persons button or link in my post.. it would be chaos! I personally am bothered by the cluttered look of blogs who have so many buttons on their blogs AND post that you can hardly tell what is what. So I try to refrain from doing that…but now unfortunately that means there are a few parties I cannot join anymore.
I seriously think this is an awesome new feature for ALL you lovely ladies that post these link parties for us! IF you didn’t we wouldn’t get HALF the traffic we do being able to post on your parties! It’s only fair to y’all right! SO no big deal here!
Thanks for hosting, Allison! 
I think it is awesome that they are creating parties that help the host enforce this! Kudos to Inlinkz for adding that! And thank you much for hosting!!
Thank you so much for the Feature!! I really appreciate it! I am sharing on FB and Twitter!
I’m so sad….I think the new rules means I have to skip this party:(
Its crazy how some e-mail me and beg for me to link to their party and some change the rules and don’t want me anymore:(
I understand your point
Hey Allison, I certainly understand why you’ve changed the rules – this is a big party! I was just wondering if posting the button in my sidebar counts? I’m not sure if it’ll do a linkback or not if it’s on the site but not in the specific post, you know? Sooo I guess I’ll link up and just let me know if it doesn’t show up for ya…
Thanks,
~Chelsea
Thanks for hosting!
I’ve always directed people to my page that shows all the link parties I participate in by day of the week as well as having your button on my sidebar. I didn’t realize that you wanted me to include your link in the actual post as well. It seems posts would look pretty cluttered if every link party was listed in every post??
Thanks for featuring my wine cork art and thanks for hosting the party.
Sadly, I also will have to stop using your link parties. I have had your button up on my side bar even though most of my posts are not about things that I would choose to put on a link party. Those of us who do this on our side bars are giving link hosts a constant shout out on our blogs which seems much more effective than a link within a single blog.
I’ve seen some others turning to this more militant stance on who can link. I guess I understand it to some extent. However as someone who usually comes to the blog to see what others are putting on the link party, I think hosts do benefit from link parties–increased traffic is important to bloggers who advertise–which you do.
Another point: I found you site when Googling for link parties which brought me to someone’s page listing lots of link party sites by the days. I’ve used several people’s blog posts with lists of link parties. That would seem to indicate that those who have been doing these separate posts as a way of giving credit to link party hosts are, in fact, doing you a favor in return.
I think hosts may end up hurting themselves by losing visitors. I know I am removing blogs from my rss feed and buttons from my sidebar when the. I want to visit blogs that are welcoming. Most of us are not out here to make a buck. We just want to share thoughts and ideas. Fortunately there are lots of link party hosts that feel that way, too.
Thanks for featuring me! I’m happy you liked it!!
Linked up! AND, I just purchased three cheese domes! HA! A little overkill
I’ll show ya some love on those too 
Thanks so much for featuring our chevron bookcase!!! You have the best party on Thursday!!! Your blog ROCKS!!!
Thanks so much for featuring my vinyl sign!
I just wanted to let you know that I totally understand why you would do this, besides the fact that it isn’t free to host these anymore, it is a TON of WORK to host and feature each week! My linky party for kids activities gets 40-50 on a good week and that takes time to put up and organize so asking someone to put a link somewhere is the least they could do in my opinion. Just wanted to offer some support =).