Valentine’s Day Decorations Kids Can Make

January 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Decorating for the holidays is half the fun, and if your kids are anything like mine – they look for ANY excuse to decorate. Valentine’s Day decorating doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and your children can help with their own ideas as well! Here are a few fun, simple ideas to decoration the main rooms of your home this Valentine’s Day.

1. Purchase inexpensive ribbon in red, white and/or pink and let your kids at it. They may want to ties bows around vases, drape above doorways, or uses scissors to great curly bows by running the scissors the length of the ribbon bow ends to create curls.

2. Constructions paper hearts are another inexpensive way to add a festive touch to cabinets and doors. The kids can stick them all over – wherever they can find a good spot. If you sit still long enough, there may be a few attached to you. Bigger hearts can be cut out and displayed on the walls. If you are afraid that tape will strip the paint off of the walls, use a hole punch to create holes in the hearts. Make a loop through the hole with a piece of string and hang over a push pin or a small nail.

3. Remember those paper chains we all made in school every Christmas? Instead of streamers, try a Valentine’s Day paper chain in alternating colors. Cut several pieces of construction paper into one inch wide strips. Interlock the paper and create a link chain. When the chain is long enough hang it up in the kitchen or family room as a banner to remind the entire family that it is Valentine’s Day.

4. Popsicle stick coasters can be both a fun craft project and a decoration as well. Kids can glue Popsicle sticks together to make coasters. Watercolor paints can be used to decorate the finished coaster with hearts and arrows. You can even add words like, Happy Valentine’s Day, Love, etc. to the coasters. The same Popsicle sticks can be used to make a poster or a mobile that says I Love You. The sticks are shaped and then painted bright red or pink. Once dry, mount them on poster board or attached to a heart-shaped hanger by pieces of yarn. These coasters also make great gifts for grandparents.

5. A cloth furniture cover can transform your living room into a Valentine’s Day celebration room. Measure the length of the couch or chair so that the cover will fit. Spread it out on the floor and let the kids get started on the decorations. They can glue felt words and shapes to the cover along with the names of each family member. Every year at Valentine’s Day you can bring out their handiwork and decorate the room.

Oriental Trading Company, Inc.Decorations are the perfect way to set the mood for Valentine’s Day. Making and displaying decorations with your kids is a great way to start off the holidays and create fond memories and keepsakes. They don’t have to be for just one season. Store them in airtight containers so they stay clean and intact for next year and years to come. For more Valentine’s Day ideas, including dozens of easy, affordable craft kits that your kids will love, check out the Oriental Trading Co.!

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Filed Under: Valentine's Day

Planning A Valentine’s Party for Kids

January 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

For those who don’t already know – I have three children. They are each born 2 years apart with their birthdays all within a week of each other! When they were younger, we had one large party for all three but now that they are older we’ve spread them out over the year. Our youngest is five this year and while have her first school friends party this February. Naturally, the theme will be Valentine’s.

Valentine’s Day parties with friends and families can be so much fun. The key is to plan ahead. Here are a few tips to help you pull of a fabulous Valentine’s Day party with your kids.

SHOP TOGETHER: To avoid a rush, gather all of the party supplies a week in advance. Let everyone brainstorm ideas until the big shopping day arrives. With list in hand, find games and items for everyone.

DRESS CODE: Yes, a dress code for a kids party – but this one is FUN! Dress each guest to celebrate at the party. For the girls, give them a candy necklace. Once the party is over, she can nibble at her necklace for a sweet treat. For the boys, try candy whistles. It’ll be the most delicious sound they’ve ever made.

PLAY GAMES: Start with some games. How about a game of hearts for the card players in the group? Go online and Google card games to find a simple version of the game for kids and adults to play at parties. You can also get some Fun Printable Valentines Games at Printable Games A to Z.

Word games are fun at a party. Using the words, Happy Valentine’s Day, give kids two or three minutes to write down as many words as they can using those letters. The one with the most words wins a prize.

OFFER PRIZES: Prizes for games can be as simple as paper hearts that function as coupons. For example, create a coupon that can be traded in for a day with no chores or a five dollar gift from the store. The more prizes a person wins, the more coupons they can cash in. If you have invited people outside the family, have a separate prize basket with small prizes like teddy bears and candy.

CRAFT TIME: Teach a craft. Kids love to make things so give them an opportunity to learn something new. Since spring comes right on the heels of winter, show them how to plant seeds in a flower pot. They can start their own herb garden that will grow indoors. Decorate the pots with hearts so kids will always remember the fun they had on Valentine’s Day. Oriental Trading also offers a wide selection of affordable craft kits that can make craft time even simpler and they also offer free delivery on $59 or more for Valentines day!

If the weather is nice, the kids can take turns whacking a Valentine’s Day piñata. The piñata can be a cupid, a heart, or something else related to Valentine’s Day. Each child gets three chances to bust it open. After that, the older party guests get a crack at it.

Even if it is just the family, a Valentine’s Day party can bring lots of laughs and quality together time. Encourage old and young alike to participate for the most fun.

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Promote your Business using Christian PLR Articles

January 18, 2009 By 3 Comments

P8140301PLR stands for Private Label Rights. PLR articles are ones that are written by someone and sold to others for their use. These articles are not used by the author because they are intended for others to use. Now Christian PLR articles are just that, they are Christian articles written by someone and sold to others. Christian articles may not necessarily be Christian related, but they could be. It’s possible that they are written and/or sold by Christian business owners.

PLR articles are sold to a limited number of people because you don’t want the market flooded with the same article or type of article. Some sites that sell PLR articles sell them to 10 buyers while others may sell them to 25 buyers. That amount is decided by the website owner.

There are many reasons why people purchase Christian PLR article packs. Some may purchase them so they can have more knowledge regarding a certain topic while others may purchase them to use for their business.

Christian PLR articles can be used on your blog, in your newsletter, on your website as content, or in article directories. Content that can be found in Christian PLR article packs is great because you don’t have to do much to the articles if anything at all.

When you use Christian PLR articles on your blog, you can create at least one if not more blog posts from one article. The reason for this is because blog posts are generally 200-300 words where as PLR articles are usually 500 or more words. You can be general when you are writing a blog post and that helps create more posts. Another option you have with this is to be specific but cover one idea from the article.

Using Christian PLR articles as content in your newsletter is great as well because you don’t have to completely write a whole new article. You can take a PLR article and edit it a bit and it’s yours and nobody else has it. Adding a PLR article to your newsletter helps beef it up and give your readers more information regarding the topic you are covering.

Christian PLR articles can also be used as content for your website. You can take bits and pieces of the article and include them on your site. Rewriting these paragraphs makes them original and that is good for page ranking. When you use them as content on your site you can add your own thoughts and opinions and that will give you even more content.

When you use Christian PLR articles in article marketing, you need to rewrite it so it’s not considered someone else’s. Rewriting a PLR article isn’t as bad as it sounds. All you do is rewrite sentences and add your own thoughts and opinions to it. The base of the article and the thoughts behind it are there.

Click Here to learn more about PLR for Christians.com’s PLR articles.

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Filed Under: Moms in Business

How to Use Christian PLR to Beef Up Your Newsletter

January 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Many of us as Christian business owners or ministry leaders have the responsibility of creating a newsletter. This newsletter may be sent out on a quarterly, monthly or weekly basis. No matter how many times per year you send your newsletter, you will need to create content for your newsletter, and as you probably realize, creating high quality content for your newsletter can often be time-consuming and difficult.

A business or organization’s newsletter content can make or break its success. The newsletter is a direct reflection of your business, church or organization, therefore you will want to make it of as high a quality as possible. After all, your reputation is at stake.

For many business owners especially, a newsletter is often times a great sales tool. It gives you the opportunity to recommend to others your specific products and services that would be most beneficial to them.

For ministry leaders it helps you to reach out to those you are hoping to serve giving them information or encouragement that will allow you to connect with them on a different level than you could otherwise.

It also gives you a means by which to communicate with your target audience and helps them to better know, like and trust you, which after all is one of your goals.

All of these things are positives for you as you create a newsletter, however, there are also issues that will arise when creating your newsletter. One of the biggest issues will be where to obtain your content. You may feel that you yourself can author all of your content, but may over time realize that you do not have the ability or maybe you just lack the time necessary to spend doing so. Or, you may decide you want to pay a writer to create your content, but that too can have its drawbacks, and you may determine that it is too pricey.

Another option that is often times the most beneficial for everyone is for you to use PLR articles, or private label rights articles that are only purchased by a set number of people and are full of unique content that you can either leave as is, or re-write to make it even more unique.

Using Private Label Rights articles is a fast, easy and affordable way to truly beef up the content that you provide in your newsletter.

With PLR for Christians.com we provide you with top quality Christian PLR content written from a Biblical world view by Christian writers.

Click here to find out more about PLR for Christians.

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Home Organization Tips for the New Year

January 15, 2009 By 1 Comment


6 (ARA) – “I just need to get organized.” How many times have you heard yourself recite this familiar refrain? With the coming of the New Year, now is a good time to resolve to actually do it. This year, instead of just thinking about ways to get it together, use some simple tips for organizing your home — and your life.

Get in the “Zone.”
Get in the organizing frame of mind by mentally dividing up rooms into various activity zones — this will help you create a basic plan of attack. For example, a kitchen typically has zones for food storage, food preparation and cooking, among others. Identify which zone needs to be organized from scratch, which zone needs an organizational tune-up and which zone, if any, works fine for now. With this information, begin choosing organization solutions.

De-clutter in chunks.
A first solution is to de-clutter the most critical zone. Start with the most visible items first, such as what’s on the countertops. Then go for the contents of that junk drawer, and so on. You’ll get a feeling of instant change and gain motivation to do the next chunk. Stay focused by seeking hidden treasure versus ditching the unwanted.

Divvy it up.
Now that you know what you want to keep and what to toss — at least in one area — consider how to divide it up. Today’s manufacturers are making this task easier by offering a variety of cabinetry products with built-in organization features, such the Diamond (R) Logix (TM) line. For example, if you want easy access cleaning supplies, but don’t want them to share a space with food or dishes, a Utility Cabinet is the perfect solution. At only six inches deep, the cabinet adds storage to an otherwise unused space at the end of a cabinetry run. Its four adjustable shelves allow for storage of cleaners and other small items while the broom holder ensures that brooms and mops stay in place.

Lay out a landing strip.
Designate an official “drop zone” where car keys, cell phones, sunglasses, and more can be placed without creating a pile on the counter. Line up beautiful baskets or colorful pottery to hold these items. Better yet, install a Mini Message Center cabinet. It has a hidden compartment for small items, plus a message board.

Discover drawers.
You’d also be amazed at what you can accomplish with an age-old storage solution that has taken on new organizational dimensions: the drawer. For example, a sink base cabinet is available with tilt down drawers to hold small items like sponges and dish wands; a kitchen/laundry deep drawer cabinet has the ability to hold large bottles upright, including full-sized containers of laundry detergent; and a bathroom vanity cosmetic cabinet is built with a two-tier, segmented drawer to hold makeup and small bathroom essentials. These ingenious drawer configurations can help you keep stored items neat and within easy reach.

Keep business at hand.
A home office, whether it’s a full-sized room or just a corner of a bedroom or den, can quickly disintegrate into a disorganized mess. Organize it with Diamond cabinetry such as solid-wood file drawer, a great help during tax season and throughout the year. For smaller office items, the corner cabinet is a perfect solution. Complete the workspace with a bookshelf to organize journals or photo albums.

Make organization part of your life.
Schedule a time for organizing in your daily routine, such as after the kids get home from school. Just 10 minutes a day can make that disorganized home seem “so last year.”


6-week course to get your home in shape

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Filed Under: New Year's

6 Smart Ways to Stretch Your Dollars

January 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

(ARA) – For many of us, the New Year will be full of resolutions. Most people resolve to get in shape and eat right, but especially in these times, it’s wise to make financial resolutions and find ways to spend smart and save in the upcoming year.

Jennifer Openshaw, successful author, radio host and financial expert, offers the following smart tips to stretch your dollars in 2009:

Change the Channels
We all have services we no longer need. Do you really watch all your cable channels? Have you got hundreds of unused cell phone minutes you’re still paying for? A second home phone line you never use? Gym membership you don’t want? They all made sense at one time, but what about now? Take inventory. Check your bills and credit card statements. Find the suspects, and then ask yourself, “Do I really need this?”

Make It Last Longer! Clean It. Fix It. Keep It.
Simply put, it pays to make things last longer. Cars, furniture, computers or the deck on the back of your house — a little care can pay big rewards. So dedicate time (and maybe a little money) to really cleaning up that old car. “My friend has saved megabucks by keeping his Ford Explorer in good shape for 17 years. Some folks buy three new cars in that amount of time,” says Openshaw.

Used Doesn’t Mean Abused
Quite often, “used” goods will work just as well as new ones — and cost a fraction of the price. “Used” also includes open box and returned items in stores. “I just bought a lawnmower. New $439, I got it for $129 — used twice maybe — and runs perfect!” says Openshaw. Learning to buy used if you don’t already can also be a great way to save on items you need. By becoming a member of an online shopping portal or community of sellers like eBay or Craigslist, you’ll open up a two-way road of buying and selling — and saving along the way.


Save While You Spend
Use coupons, look for sales or sign up for a savings program like Keep the Change from Bank of America that helps you save money while you spend (BankofAmerica.com). Keep the Change automatically rounds up check card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference from your checking account to your savings account. The savings really help as you kick off the New Year. Plus, with Keep the Change, you’ll get a match.

Do-It-Yourself
By taking over your own gardening, car washing, house cleaning or even a little home improvement, you’ll not only save money, but get some great exercise while expanding your pride of ownership. And it isn’t just grunt work — instead of the weekly trip to a restaurant, try a fancy do-it-yourself meal experience. You can turn DIY into stay-at-home fun, especially if you get the family involved.

Take a Calculated Risk
Have you ever thought about raising deductibles on your property, auto, health or other insurances? That extra few dollars of coverage can really add up. “I have a friend who just raised the out-of-pocket family maximum on a purchased high-deductible policy from $4,800 to $8,000 and saved $2,844 a year in premiums by taking on $3,200 more in risk,” says Openshaw.


Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Filed Under: Frugal Living

Making Money with Christian PLR

January 15, 2009 By 2 Comments

There is nothing quite as rewarding as being able to make an income and share your faith at the same time. Most of us do this in little ways with our business, but when you build a business that showcases your faith, you have an opportunity to ministry to other moms around the world!

Christian PLR is a great way to kick off a profitable ministry-business. PLR, or Private Label Rights, is content that you can take and edit to make your own. This can save you a lot of time when you start your Christian niche site. Of course, when choosing your Christian PLR, you want to take some precautions. Take time to learn a little about the author of the PLR and their beliefs to ensure that their content will reflect your beliefs as well.

Once you’ve picked your Christian PLR, here are a few things you can do to turn your PLR into a profitable niche ministry:

1. Start a Christian Niche Blog.

2. Start a Christian Niche Email Newsletter.

3. Compile that articles into a Christian eBook.

4. Create a Christian Niche eCourse.

5. Create a Membership site for Christian readers, parents, moms, etc.

If you’re looking for Christian PLR for your next niche site, I highly recommend checking out PLR for Christians. Co-founder and writer,  Alyssa Avant is a long time friend. She is the owner of Beauty By Design Ministeries and writes for our Mother-Daughter section here at Moms In A Blog. At PLR for Christians she offers Christian PLR packs that are faith-based, well written and include suggestions on how you can monetize each pack. She even includes a list of recommended affiliate programs you can promote with your content.

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Journaling In The New Year

January 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It is a new year and with a new year many times comes New Year’s Resolutions. Did you resolve to loose weight, eat less sweats, pray more, work less? Whatever the case or even if you didn’t make resolutions but maybe you set some goals then you have some things to keep track of, am I right?

A great way to keep track of things like this is to journal them. Journaling can be quite a rewarding experience helping you to track your progress, relieve some stress, and more. Not sure how to begin journaling? Then you should pick up this free ecourse: 7 Day Journaling eCourse from Beauty by Design Ministries.

Then, there is also a 30 Day Journaling Guide available as well to help make sure that you make journaling a habit. After all it only takes 21 days to make something a habit. With 30 you’re sure to develop a healthy habit of journaling in 2009.

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Filed Under: New Year's

10 Cools Ways You Can Use WordPress

January 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

There’s only a few days left before Blogging Boot Camp launches on January 12, and in anticipation of this fabulous 4 week event, Alice Seba & Lynette Chandler have put together a fabulous new report you’re going to love!

“10 Cools Ways You Can Use WordPress“

This fantastic report gives you a small taste of the type of information you would have access to during the 4 week Blogging Boot Camp and it’s completely free. Click on the link above to download your copy.

Yesterday, Tracy posted about the Blogging Boot Camp because she will be attending this time and she is excited. Alice Seba & Lynette Chandler have put together an intensive 4-week bootcamp to help you clear all the hurdles in having a prosperous blog and I’ll be there soaking in all the information. It’s definitely a must for moms looking to build their blogging businesses and make more effective use of their blogging time in 2009.

You can get more information about the boot camp here. It’s not to late to sign up, and Tracy would LOVE to have you join her!

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Filed Under: Moms in Business

12 Commandments for Parenting

January 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Teaching and educating our children is one of the primary responsibilities that we face as mothers. It’s one of the most important jobs we will ever do and ironically it’s also probably the one that will come with the least training before we begin. Thank goodness for parenting books and wise women who have gone before us! Here are the 12 Commandments for parenting from moms who have “been there, done that”.

1. Do not underestimate your child –He can understand more than you think he does. When you underestimate your child, you teach them to underestimate themselves and this can have negative effects on their development and self esteem.

2. Don’t use threats – A child loves a challenge and once threatened he might probably go on and do what he wasn’t suppose to just to see if he can escape the punishment. A parenting expert once said it is our job to set boundaries, it is the child’s job to test those boundaries. Threats will not stop most young child, they will motivate them to try to get away with it.

3. Do not bribe your child. – If you are trying to get him to learn for money for example, he will fail to understand the importance of learning, all he will get from this is the importance of money.

4. Do not make a small child promise something. – Small children can’t hold promises so don’t force them to lie and then punish them because they break that promise.

5. Do not keep them under a short leash. – To grow up normally children need some space, some freedom. Children must be allowed to make choices within their current age and maturity levels, and must be allowed to face the consequences of those choices in order to learn.

6. Do not use big words or too many words when you are talking to your child. – Keep your ideas simple and concise so he can understand every thing you have to say.

7. Do not expect an immediate and blind obedience. – It is not recommended, the child has to be learned to think for his own not to just follow orders. It is important to teach our children how to questions things they do not understand in a respectful and acceptable manner.

8. Do not indulge him too much. – He can develop compartmental disorders.

9. Do not compromise when it comes to the rules of a game. – The trick for a game to become educative is too have its initial rules respected.

10. Don’t impose rules that don’t go with the age of your child.

11. Do not try to inflict guilt. – Guilt is not an appropriate feeling for children, especially if they are little. Instead, help your child to understand why they should not do what they did while making sure they know they are loved and forgiven.

12. Don’t give your child orders that you don’t take seriously. – Your child will try to please you and giving him an order is drastic, and it becomes cruel if that order is a joke. Asking your child to do something you know they are not capable of without help will undermine their confidence.

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Filed Under: Parenting
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