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Solve the Problem of Youth Violence through Living the Virtue-Driven Life

Posted by html404 on April 17, 2011
in Articles, Guest Post

By Erin Brown Conroy

A wave of youth violence continues to crash across our nation. Listen to a few minutes of radio news or view a few minutes of the nightly news, and at least one story of youth aggression blares back. We’re horrified and saddened by behavior once unthinkable, now commonplace. How do we calm relentless

Threats of aggression churning around our families, schools, sports, and society as a whole? The answer to the problem of child violence lies in personal virtue.

What is a virtue-driven life?

By living a virtue-driven life, we change our family at the deepest place; we impact our child in the strongest way possible. Become virtue-filled in your thoughts and actions, and you can’t help but saturate your child’s thoughts and actions with virtue. Living virtue isn’t just volunteering in the

community or going to church on Sunday. True virtue lies in every day actions. True virtue is a verb. Anyone can speak words – few can live them. Living a life of virtue and character isn’t in the saying, it’s in the doing.

How do I know if I’m truly living and modeling positive virtue and character to my child? Here are seven virtues and a specific checklist of questions for parents willing to take the challenge to enter the battle against violence through living an example of life-changing virtue.

1. Honesty: Saying and living the truth.

Am I straightforward and clear in my speech to others, giving information that is complete, to the best of my knowledge?

Am I straightforward and clear in my actions to others, or do I rationalize my behavior as “necessary,” even if it isn’t presenting the truth in its entirety?

Do I shun deception of any kind, including “little white lies” that “bend” reality in order to change the dynamics of the situation or make myself look good?

Do I give all of the information needed, or do I hold some information back in order to gain the upper hand?

Am I the same person with everyone, in all situations, to the best of my ability, or do I change my tone, words, attitude, and actions in different situations to manipulate the outcome?

Do I continually seek to know and show truth?

2. Courage: Standing strong in the face of adversity, uncertainty, and risk.

Am I one to “cave in” when the going gets tough by changing the conversation, changing the situation, or changing my direction of actions, goals, or dreams?

When a situation becomes unclear, do I suddenly give up or begin asking questions of my capabilities and choices?

When my heart says “yes” but the outside circumstances aren’t “100 percent sure,” do I hesitate to the point of losing momentum or, worse yet, losing sight of my goal entirely?

Do I “do the right thing” even when I know the result is hard circumstances?

Do I embrace conscience and conviction to the point of personal discomfort, ro do I waffle and wave, in order to make things easier on myself?

Do I continually seek to know and show courage?

3. Responsibility: Taking care of what needs to be done and doing it well.

Do I follow through a job or task to the very end, or do I pass it off to others or blame others for my lack of responsible follow through?

Do I admit my mistakes, whether big or small, and take responsibility for my choices?

When I wrong someone, do I seek to make the wrong right, with humility embedded in attitude and actions?

Do I set reasonable and attainable goals and follow through on those goals by creating a step-by-step plan of action?

In each task I begin, do I care about finishing with the details in mind?

Do I seek to show responsibility each day in how I use words and act?

4. Perseverance: Sticking with a task and continuing positively even when the outlook is bleak.

Do I keep going – with a positive attitude – through hard situations?

Do I keep working on bettering relationships, not giving up, even when it’s hard?

Do I embrace an attitude of forgiveness towards others who’ve wronged me, while still maintaining autonomy and healthy boundaries, in order to create the best relational outcome possible?

Am I one to brainstorm positive options when negative circumstances or attitudes are the norm?

5. Compassion: Thinking and acting with love and care towards others, even when wronged. 

Do I embrace kindness and gentleness by showing kind and gentle actions to those around me?

Do I think of others’ feelings first, or do I look out for my own self-interests?

Do I seek goodness in others and myself, embracing optimism over pessimism?

Do I show mercy towards others, not smoldering emotionally in revenge or hatred that eventually burns out my soul and inner peace?

Do I try to find situations where I can give physical, emotional, or mental relief to someone overstressed, overworked, or overburdened?

Do I put myself in situations where I see and experience firsthand another’s grief, loss, or crisis, in order to give of myself in some way to help?

6. Self-discipline: Saying no to what doesn’t help and saying yes to what will help, even it it’s hard to do.

Do I choose to turn my back on things I know aren’t good or healthy for me?

Do I actively pursue things I know to be good and healthy?

Am I making daily choices that further positive relationship with my family and child?

Do I put accountability structures in place in order to maintain faithfulness in an activity or pursuit?

Am I willing to make the choice to mentally and physically say “no” when I emotionally or physically want to say “yes”?

Do I keep my eyes, thoughts, and actions on what I know to be the best long term choices for my life, as opposed to giving in to self-gratification that I’ll later regret?

7. Faith: Believing in and acting on the sovereignty and care of a God who plays an active role in my life. 

Have I taken time to investigate the spiritual area of my life, or am I stiff-arming a “still, small voice” existing in the core of who I am?

Am I willing to soul-search the deepest parts of my life, in order to honestly ask God to take an active role in my life?

Do I take time to pray each day and seek God’s input into my life? Do I take time to quietly listen for God’s prompting?

DO I take time to impart faith to my child?

Am I open to God’s intimate and unique involvement in my life, in order for God to grace me with new perspectives, healthy attitudes, and positive skills that make me complete, able to contribute deeply into others’ lives?

Parents, if we purposefully build virtue into our own lives, then we’re able to build that same virtue into our child’s life. In turn, expressed virtue changes actions and loosens the grip of violence on our children and nation’s future.

About Author

Erin Brown Conroy, MA, is a writer specializing in books on relationship connections, curriculum, and web marketing. She is a freelance writer/consultant, the DL Professor of writing courses for Patrick Henry College, and a Master Teacher for the PHC Prep Academy Online. Erin is also the mom of 13 children by birth, marriage, and adoption and has been homeschooling for 27 years. She lives in Ohio with her husband, five children still at home, and three amazingly-smart (and cuddly) Australian Labradoodles. You can read more of Erin’s articles on parenting at www.erinbrownconroy.com.

Used with permission.

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How to Foster a Giving Spirit in a Me-First Culture

Posted by html404 on April 6, 2011
in Encouragement for Moms, Guest Post, Parenting

By Erin Brown Conroy

“ME!” Those two little letters placed side by side form a powerful word that carries a whole lot of attitude! In my neighborhood growing up, we were no exception; my friends and I used to teasingly refer to ourselves as, “Me, myself, and I.” Though we hung out
with each other, we really only looked out for ourselves. We weren’t unusual; we were typical kids.

It’s no secret that children begin life as “the center of the universe.” Unfortunately, many of those childish perspectives cling tightly to us as we grow older. A “giving spirit” doesn’t come naturally; it has to be purposefully cultivated in order to find its way into our
children’s lives.

God’s Design

God creates helpless infants totally dependant on a loving, caring parent to fulfill his or her physical and emotional needs. Depending on what we receive and how we respond to environments, temperaments, and cultural influences, the “self” in all of us can become either “selfless” or “self-centered.”

As we grow, God designed us to mature in our view of ourselves, moving from selfcenteredness to selflessness. Service and giving to others is the central theme of the gospels. Our ultimate example, Jesus, showed the quintessential act of service and selflessness by giving his up his very life. Contrary to the gospel message, our current culture throbs with inward spotlights pulsating their “me-first” message across the nation and world.

Today’s Culture

Especially today, our culture caters to “self.” Born out of the 60s’ “Do your own thing” and “If it feels good, do it,” advertisements, movies, and television shows continue to cater to the immature longings of youth for self-gratification. Our inner child clings to the
immature attitude of “me first!”

Even though we begin life in a self-absorbed state, the desire of God for us is to gain a more mature mindset that takes the focus off self and onto others. If a young child is to move into true maturity, he or she must continually, systematically learn to shift the focus
from self to others – regardless of cultural influence. It’s up to us, as parents, to create words and actions that facilitate the shift.

Here are some tips for parents that will help foster a giving spirit in a “me-first” culture:

Let your child see you purposefully give of yourself to others.

As parents, we’re our child’s clearest example of either selfishness or selflessness. Beginning with simple actions, what we do shouts loudly of our level of selflessness. Do I open doors for others? Do I let others go in line before me, enter the lane of traffic ahead
of me, or take the last item left on the shelf at the store? Do I let others have the last helping at the meal, graciously step back when there’s a crowd of people traveling in the same direction, or let someone speak before I do? Purposefully choosing to embrace and demonstrate the attitude and action of “giving” is the number one way our child will learn to put others first.

At a very early age, set up regular circumstances for your child to practice giving, and give together.

When do we start teaching our child about giving? We begin when our child is born. When my two oldest children were quite small, we’d go once every couple of months to our town’s homeless shelter and pass out apples. When we had four children, we’d all
regularly visit the nearby nursing home to share Valentines or Christmas cookies we’d made. When we had seven children at home and planned to travel to a Russian orphanage, I took some of the children with me to the local stores to ask for clothing and Band-aids donations. Then we filled a suitcase together before the trip. These are just a few of the many circumstances that we can purposefully create to give of ourselves to others. Even little children can save pennies in a jar for a missionary family or walk the
streets with you on a mission trip. When your children see you consistently practicing giving your time and resources to others, they’ll experience first-hand the value – and positive feelings – of giving.

Speak about and then practice sharing.

The way to begin a personal attitude of sharing is to speak words of generosity and giving. “It’s good to share. It’s wonderful to give to others. It’s a great thing to give of ourselves.” Positive words lead to positive actions. Once spoken, we can help our child find ways to give. “It’s good to share. How can we share this bushel of apples that we just picked?” “It’s wonderful to give to others. How can we give of ourselves to the neighbors that just moved in?” Once we’ve verbally affirmed the positives of sharing and spoken with our children about what can be done, we can then go and do it.

Point out and praise the generosity of others.

Giving is all around us. Verbally affirming others’ generosity teaches our children to recognize generosity; it also gives us new ideas of how to share ourselves with others in the future. Read aloud the newspaper article about a generous individual’s impact on the town. Talk to the kids on the corner volunteering at a car wash/fund-raiser to raise money for the youth group’s trip to Haiti. Visit the ministries in your area that directly touch lives, such as shelters, food kitchens, and food pantries. Notice everyday acts of kindness, affirming the generosity with words such as, “Did you see how that young man opened the door for the older couple? Wasn’t that a kind thing to do?” Make it a practice to find and praise the goodness and generosity all around you.

Make it a priority to purposefully teach your child to be generous. With practice, we can foster a giving spirit in our child, no matter what the culture says.

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“Honey, I Blew Up at the Kids” – Admitting Failure

Posted by html404 on April 2, 2011
in Articles, Encouragement for Moms, Family Stuff, Guest Post

by Erin Brown Conroy

“I blew it. I’m sorry.” These words are some of the hardest words in the English language to say.

Mistakes. Failure. Unhealthy responses. Poor behavior. Most of the time, our hearts know what is “right,” and our inmost desire is to respond our child in loving, kind ways. Unfortunately, as parents – and human beings – we’ll never be perfect. Even though we’d
like to act and say all of the wonderful “parent things” that we know are the “best,” we just won’t. We’re prone to fail.

So what happens when we do “blow it”? When we’ve said something unkind, yelled in anger, turned our back and ignored a situation where we should have intervened, or just plain said the hurtful thing – What do we do?

Admit Failure

It takes a “big” person to humbly realize when we’ve failed. It takes a bigger person to change our heart, our inner thoughts, and our feelings, to a place where we are experiencing sorrow and recognizing the need to “make things right.” It means letting go of my “right” to hold anger or pride, dropping self-defenses, and putting myself in a place of vulnerability called “humility.” Humility allows us to see the wrong, admit the error, and then do something about it.

If I admit failure, I’m not saying I’m a “bad parent.” I’m simply recognizing that I’ve done something that – either knowingly or unknowingly – hurt my child. I’m recognizing that I need to take steps, either in my words or my actions, to repair the damage. We then take action to change our attitude and our approach to our child to one of gentleness, humility, and positive kindness.

Change

Anyone can say the words “I’m sorry.” It takes a special something to go beyond the words and feelings to actually changing a behavior. From the time when my children were small, I’ve always told them that “sorry means change.” If we’re truly sorry, it
impacts us deeply on the inside. If we’re impacted deeply on the inside, we’ll make a change in our behavior in the future.

Change is not easy. We’re creatures of habit, pattern, and comfortableness, even if what we’re hanging onto isn’t in the category of healthy behavior. In order to take an old action or habit and create a new one, we need to have a new resource to dig into for raw
material for the change. We need to put a positive in the place of a negative.

New Information

For most of us, that means putting new information into our lives. Through reading, video or audio programs, or conversation with others, we need new material to draw from. We need examples to follow, mentors to watch and learn from, and other families.

to interact with and learn healthy responses from. Change just won’ happen on its own. We need to replace the old with new.

Accountability

Accountability means that someone is there for me to help me make the changes that I need to make. It means someone will talk to me on a regular basis, checking in with how the process of change is going. It means that I know that someone cares enough about my succeeding that they’ll ask hard questions of me, checking regularly with me as to whether or not I’m following my plans for change. Whether it’s a spouse, friend, relative, or professional counselor that holds me accountable for my change doesn’t matter. What matters is that I know someone is there for me to cheer me on when I succeed and help me to take steps forward again when I fail.

“Every Day is a New Day”

I have a good friend who went through some extremely tough times about seven years ago. Left as a single parent of his young son, dealing emotionally with unfaithfulness and abandonment in his crumbled marriage, I could count on the same greeting each and
every time I met up with him. “How are you doing? How’s the day going?” I’d ask. He’d reply with a reflective grin, “Every day is a new day!” What a life lesson in that simple phrase.

Years ago, I heard it put this way: “This is a new now.” Each day, each hour, each minuteis new from the one before it. And with that newness comes new opportunity, a new chance to begin again. A new moment for change.

Admitting failure takes us to a fresh point of a new beginning. It allows us to change, grow, and become the parent we want to be. Admitting failure isn’t the feeling of sitting at the bottom of the well. It’s the feeling of looking up into the clear blue sky above and
climbing out.

About Erin

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Parenting CAN be Easier and More Enjoyable – Through Realistic Expectations

Posted by html404 on March 28, 2011
in Articles, Family Stuff, Guest Post

By Erin Brown Conroy, M.A.

I want life to be easier, don’t you? Sometimes that’s not possible. But many times, easier is possible, and we don’t know it yet. We just need more information, new thoughts, and new strategies that take us to that place.

Often times, making parenting easier depends on the way that we think about our kids—specifically, our expectations about how we think our kids should behave.

We think and act within the framework of our expectations. We measure our thoughts by what we think should happen. But what if what we think should happen is off base? Then what? Then we have unrealistic expectations. An unrealistic expectation with our kids means that we expect our child to do or to be something that they’re not capable of doing or being. Whatever we expect just isn’t going to happen. Period.

Unrealistic expectations are a sure-fire way to stir up stress, frustration, and anger and dump it smack-dab into the middle of our everyday lives. Unrealistic expectations create difficulty and unhappiness all around. In fact, unrealistic expectations will just drive you crazy. The good news is that our kid isn’t really driving us crazy. Most of the time, our kid’s behavior is “normal”—for a kid, that is. It’s our thoughts and expectations that are driving us crazy. Really. It’s true. Here’s an example…

Barbie(TM) Hair in My Brush

I don’t have blonde hair; my hair’s a deep brown color. So why is it that I keep finding blonde synthetic hair in my brush? My six-year-old’s simple answer: Barbie™ needed the brush first.

Never mind that I’ve created a “hands-off” drawer in the bathroom that holds my brush. The brush just seems to disappear into thin air, only to reappear a day or two later back in the drawer, down in the cushions of the couch, or in the car with strands of blonde Barbie™ hair twisted among the bristles. I think we have a transporter from Star Trek hiding somewhere in the house.

It’s funny—the same thing happens with my favorite throw blanket on the couch. And my favorite pen. And the baggie full of colored Sharpie™ markers that no one’s supposed to touch (because they’re full of permanent ink that ravages permanent damage). They all magically disappear and appear randomly. My hair spray travels around the house on its own. My socks, shoes, and scarves slink away. Even my favorite eye shadow pops in and out of existence. Like in the movie Toy Story, are these things coming to life when I’m not looking?

No one claims to use any of these personal items. But I know differently: It’s a conspiracy. When I’m busy upstairs and the kids are downstairs, I know they all race to the living room and gather into a huddle. The designated quarterback (probably the oldest) whispers the plan in concise detail: “OK. You—lift the brush and the blanket. You—take out the markers and pen. You—hock the hair spray. And you—you cover the stairs. When you hear mom coming, give the secret whistle. Break!”

On second thought, I don’t think they could pull off that kind of teamwork without me or my husband. Oh my gosh—maybe he’s in on it too.

There’s always the Black Hole Theory. You know—the one that says that everything eventually falls into the Black Hole when you’re not looking. Like socks in the dryer. Like a worm hole in space (here I am again, back to Star Trek). But that wouldn’t account for the items randomly reappearing. Could there really be Leprechauns?

All the funny stuff aside, when it comes to my things, my kids don’t appear to understand the concept of “owning.” Oh, they “get it” when it has to do with their things: “It’s mine! You can’t touch it!” But when it’s someone else’s stuff to borrow—well, sharing is a wonderful thing. Sharing is a wonderful thing.

But respecting others’ possessions is too. One day they’ll get it. In the meantime, the light hairs you see mixed in with my dark ones aren’t white; they’re blonde. I don’t need to spend money on highlights. Mine are free—from Barbie™.

The Realistic Expectation to Remember

Here it is: “My children will use my personal possessions.” That’s reality. Respect of others’ property is learned. Parents must purposefully teach their children to respect others’ possessions. But realize this: It takes time for children to learn those boundaries. Consistently take time to discuss what is “in bounds” and “out of bounds” in touching possessions.

Talking about boundaries gives our children the ability to determine how to know what to borrow, how to ask others for the use of an item, and when it’s appropriate to do so. When your child “borrows” something without asking, take the time to teach. Sure, you’ll repeat yourself over and over. Expect it. Like the tortoise racing the hare, calm repetition will get you to the end of the race—to win.

About Erin

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What Everybody Ought To Know

Posted by html404 on March 22, 2011
in Guest Post, Health, Health & Garden Tuesday, Health and Nutrition

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. While we appreciate our guest writer’s submissions, this does not constitute endorsement or agreement to the opinions expressed in the articles featured.

What Everybody Ought To Know About How To How To Lower Cholesterol Without Medication To Protect Themselves Against Heart Disease

by Mary Margaret

There is no denying the fact that heart disease is one of the top two killer diseases in the world today. Given high cholesterol is a risk factor for this disease, learning how to lower cholesterol without medication is an excellent way to protect your heart health while giving you some peace of mind.

There are 2 types of cholesterol that warrant attention – LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein), and both play an important role in the body.

The fact is, your body needs cholesterol to survive. Your liver produces around 80% of your body’s cholesterol, with the remaining amount coming from the foods you eat.

What Does Cholesterol Actually Do?

The key tasks performed by cholesterol within the body are as follows:

* building and maintaining cell membranes

* essential hormone production (including testosterone and estrogen)

* Vitamin D production

It is so important to maintain the correct balance of cholesterol within your body to ensure these essential functions are carried out successfully. Learning and implementing how to lower cholesterol without medication is one of the best ways to achieve this.

LDL cholesterol is commonly referred to as the bad cholesterol and the reason for this is because when your LDL cholesterol levels become too high, it will trigger the formation of plaque within the walls and linings of your arteries.

As the level of plaque accumulates over time, clots and blockages in your arteries can begin to appear. If any of the main arteries that supply oxygenated blood and nutrients to your heart or brain become affected, then you run the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

HDL cholesterol is different and is commonly known as the good cholesterol because it works by removing excess amounts of LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream, thus slowing down the production of plaque.

The key to ensuring maximum protection against heart disease is to keep your LDL and HDL cholesterol within the recommended levels.

Why You Should Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Lowering cholesterol naturally is the safest way to achieve optimal cholesterol levels. Prescription medications, called statins, while extremely effective at lowering LDL cholesterol, have little to no impact on HDL levels and are fraught with serious side effects. These include memory loss, cognitive impairment, muscle pain and weakness, kidney and liver damage and possible heart failure.

When you lower cholesterol naturally, you avoid those side effects and you manage the whole of cholesterol – LDL and HDL.

How To Lower Cholesterol Without Medication

There are a number of steps you can take to lower cholesterol without medication and they include making some lifestyle changes as follows:

Change What You Eat

Modify your diet to reduce the amount of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol you consume each day. Switch to foods that are high in soluble fibre and Omega 3 as these have the ability to lower LDL while increasing HDL. Such foods include whole grains, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardine, herring), nuts, seeds, olive oil, fruits and vegetables.

Get Moving

You need to get regular exercise in as often as you can and you should focus on any exercise that will raise your heart rate and keep it raised for a minimum of thirty minutes. This will boost your HDL cholesterol levels while lowering LDL. Recommended exercises include walking, cycling, dancing, and swimming. But the goal should be to choose something you know you will enjoy or can do with a friend or family member, as you will then have a much better chance of sustaining it.

Stop Smoking Or Drinking Alcohol

Not an easy task and if you do not think you can quit completely, then seriously consider reducing the amount you smoke or drink. Smoking and drinking adversely affect your cholesterol levels as well putting you at risk of developing other serious health problems.

While the above changes might seem small, do not underestimate their potential value to your heart health. You can also strengthen your efforts with natural supplements such as fish oil (if you don’t like eating fish itself), or a quality natural cholesterol supplement. But always ensure that any supplement you use has purely natural ingredients, properly sourced, that know how to lower cholesterol without medication or risky side effects.

Mary Ruddy is a former high cholesterol sufferer, from a family with a history of heart disease, and has successfully achieved perfect cholesterol levels, reversing and eliminating the risk of heart disease, and is a strong advocate of natural health care. Mary enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily at: http://www.howtolowercholesterolwithoutmedication.org

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How to Organize Your Coupons

Posted by html404 on March 17, 2011
in Guest Post, Organization, Saving Money

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. While we appreciate our guest writer’s submissions, this does not constitute endorsement or agreement to the opinions expressed in the articles featured.

by Diane Johnson

Taking the time to find and cut out coupons may be a time-consuming process, but it can save you hundreds of dollars each year. However, even when you take the time to cut out the coupons, if you don’t have an effective way to organize and store your coupons, you’ll be more likely to miss out on the savings, simply because you can’t find the coupon you need or the coupon’s expiration date has slipped by you unnoticed. Learn to organize your coupons effectively, so you can take advantage of the savings awaiting you!

1) The first step to evaluate your coupon-clipping habits is to make sure you’re only cutting the coupons that you will actually use. Coupon clutter is a common culprit of coupon disorder. Avoid the clutter by collecting coupons for products you actually buy and for the stores at which you actually shop.

2) After you’ve determined to quit the coupon clutter, the next step to organizing your coupons is to determine how to sort your coupons. There are several ways to sort and categorize coupons, so experiment and find the most effective way for you. One of best ways to sort coupons that many consider to be the most intuitive is to organize by corresponding aisles in the store. Another common way is to divide your coupons up into categories such as “Beauty”, “Produce”, “Cleaning Products”, etc. And, of course, another simple and effective way to sort coupons is to sort by expiration date. The system isn’t important as long as it works for you.

3) The next step in organizing your coupons is to determine how to store your coupons. There are several viable options, so choose the one that works best for you. One viable and easy option is to use a series of sandwich bags or envelopes—one bag or envelope per category. Another simple way to store your coupons is to use an accordion file. These come in many sizes, some as small as a wallet, so you can easily toss it in your bag when it’s time to go to the store. Still another option is to store coupons inside a binder with sleeves or page protectors where you can store all the coupons according to your sorting system. This method of storage allows you to easily see how many of each type of coupon you have.

Once you have determined how to best sort and store your coupons to fit your needs, having an organized system of coupon clipping will lead to tons of savings as you can easy sort, find, and use your coupons. Happy saving!

About the author: Diane Johnson primarily writes about online education and anything else that interests her. She enjoys traveling, shopping, and sports.

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Thrifty Thursday: Create Cards with Melissa from Itty Chic

Posted by html404 on March 10, 2011
in Articles, Guest Post, Thrifty Thursday

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. While we appreciate our guest writer’s submissions, this does not constitute endorsement or agreement to the opinions expressed in the articles featured.

My name is Melissa Correll with Itty Chic! You can create cards, scrapbook pages, and anything else that you set your mind to with things you already have around your house!

Today, we are going to create a simple card out of:

Cardstock

Buttons

Cotton Twine

Glue

A stamp with your favorite saying

Ink in your color of choice

Step one: Take your page of card stock and cut it in half. Then fold your half in half to create a blank card.

Step two: Choose your buttons and cut your twine. I had a bag of random buttons sitting around and I chose my colors out of that. You will need 6 buttons for the petal of each flower and a color for the center. Then you will choose buttons for your leaves. Use cotton twine just like what you use to sew up your turkey on thanksgiving! Cut it long so that it will be easy to handle

Step three: Lay everything out so that you can see how it will turn out. Play with the arrangement till you like how it looks!

Step four: Bring out the glue! Now it is time to make your creation a reality. Start by putting down the centers of your flowers and building the petals around them one at a time. Next, you are going to want to glue down the twine. The easiest way to do this is to either lay a thin line of glue directly on the paper and lay the twine over it, or run your glue down the twine and place the twine down that way. Once your twine is placed, you should still have the ends hanging off the end of the card, leave these until the twine dries! Place your leaves and let the glue dry.

Step five: Time to finish it up! Cut your loose ends and choose your favorite stamp, I chose simply Smile! With a bright lavender ink. Something important to remember when you are stamping, push straight down and pull up, or you will end up with uneven ink, or a double image!

Step six: Bless someone else. Now that your card is finished, all you need to do is find someone to give it too!

More about Melissa and Itty Chic: I started my business in Mid July of 2010 with the sale of cards, and memory boards. I grew up poor and loved turning nothing into something. I started my business because my goal is eventually to quit my day job and be a stay at home mom. I want to raise my future children, not have them raised by a daycare. To see this and more, go to http://ittychic.com and http://ittychic.com/Blog!

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Organic Toothpaste: An Alternative to Chemicals

Posted by html404 on March 8, 2011
in All Natural Products, Guest Post, Organic, Personal Care Products

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post. While we appreciate our guest writer’s submissions, this does not constitute endorsement or agreement to the opinions expressed in the articles featured.

by Sally

Brush your teeth! Mothers are constantly reminder their children to do this. Since the beginning of childhood, the emphasis on good dental hygiene is drilled into most kid’s minds, with the threat that if they do not follow this daily hygienic duty, their teeth will rot, fall out and they will be left toothless. Of course, no one wants that! Therefore, we obey and most people brush regularly, obtain dental insurance and get regular check-ups with the good intentions that they are preventing tooth decay, gum disease and providing a healthy service to their bodies. Moreover, most people never give thought to the fact that some toothpastes contains dangerous, harmful ingredients. After all, this is a product that must go into the mouth so it has to be safe, in all regards. Unfortunately, this is
not the case. Many popular brands of toothpaste contain ingredients that are harmful and carcinogenic.

Potentially Harmful Ingredients in Name Brand Toothpaste

Sodium Fluoride

When examining the ingredients on popular toothpaste labels, many only give one active ingredient, Sodium Fluoride, as an anti-cavity. This ingredient is classified as a toxin when ingested or inhaled in high doses. It is often used in cleaning products, psychiatric medications, anesthetics and in Sarin Nerve Gas. It was regularly added to the water in concentration camps during World War II to help keep the prisoners more compliant. It is also added to our public drinking water supply. Although it does work to help prevent cavities, it also can cause collagen to breakdown in muscles, skin, bones, kidneys and lungs and in lethal doses can affect the circulatory system and the heart.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

This ingredient is used in low doses for toothpaste and in larger doses for cleaning products, degreasers and soaps. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate has been shown to be associated with the development of mouth ulcers. Because of the harshness of this ingredient, it can damage oral tissue lining inside the mouth.

Hydrated Silica

This ingredient is added to many popular brands of toothpaste as a whitener. This ingredient works as an abrasive on the surface of teeth, which can harm the enamel causing a severe wearing down of this protective surface. Those who have receding gums, gum disease, sensitivity and tooth decay should avoid using toothpastes with this additive.

So, what is a person to do? After all, we cannot just stop brushing our teeth, unless we have some good dental insurance and don’t mind the sound of a drill. The best solution to this problem that many people have found is to switch to an organic toothpaste. Organic toothpastes contain safe, natural ingredients such as herbs and essential oils to fight bacteria, protect gums and freshen breath. There are a wide variety of these products to choose from today, which do not contain any harmful ingredients. Many
popular brands include Tom’s and Kiss My Face. Both of these can be purchased at Whole Foods Markets or Amazon. Using these products can provide the necessary tooth and gum hygiene to keep teeth and gums healthy, without the risks of causing harm to the body.

Sally is a dental hygienist and health expert who spends her free time traveling to local elementary schools teaching youngsters how to care for their teeth. After exploring dental insurance options as a new college graduate and as a single mom, she became passionate about preventative care in order to save money. After all, in this economy, it’s better to save now rather than pay later!

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Need to Vent About Gas Prices!

Posted by Brande on March 5, 2011
in Community Issues, Contributing Writers, Money & Finances, Travel

Light comes on and the car dings, ugg…..There’s nothing I dislike more than having to stop for gas! Usually, I just roll in – close my eyes and fill it up. Take my little slip and get on with my day. Today my daughter and I went out. Thankfully I didn’t need gas, but looked at the prices. They went up like $.17 cents in the past few days where I live. That’s insane! Which is what inspired me to check the history of average gas prices. I got this information off of www.thepeoplehistory.com. By the way, this site has some cool information. ANYWAY! Here’s what I came up with:

1986 – $.89

1996 – $1.22

2001 – $1.46

2006 – $3.13

2007 – $3.38

2008 – $3.39

2009 – $2.73

2010 – $2.73

I had forgotten we had these insane prices a few years back.

Whew! That felt better. I’m still not happy, because I know next time I visit the gas station I don’t even want to think about it!

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Cheap Fun With Kids Over Spring Break – Thrifty Thursday

Posted by html404 on March 3, 2011
in Fun Stuff, Guest Post, Thrifty Thursday

Spring Break is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your kids while having fun in a variety of ways. These outings can be expensive, but with some advanced planning, these extra family activities can cost next to nothing.

New and Different Food

Stop by new places, broadening your children’s experiences and respect for food from a variety of cultures. Try sukumi wiki or chapati at an African restaurant, then try out authentic wood-fired gourmet pizza at a place similar to this restaurant in West Linn, Oregon.

Eating in restaurants is a luxury for families with strict budgets. However, there are ways to expose your children to foods from cultures around the world without running out of funds. Use a coupon for the restaurant you’d like to try, or go on a night where kids can eat free with paying adults. Instead of eating at the restaurant itself, get a take-out order of something special and eat it at home with a variety of vegetables, fruit and bread.

Nature-Loving Field Trips

The outdoors offers many opportunities for exploration. Take your children on a simple hike at a local park, using a field guide to identify local flora and fauna. Once this has proven successful, take them on a more strenuous hike, packing a lunch and stopping for a picnic.

If the weather in your part of the world is warm enough, consider taking your children camping for a few days. Hiking can then become a traditional part of your camp-out experience, along with s’mores around the nightly campfire.

Your Inner Artist

Use spare cardboard, paper and other craft items to unleash your inner artist with your kids. Take advantage of the time of year and give these crafts a spring or Easter theme, decorating your home in honor of the season. Experiment with different mediums and techniques, such as oil pastels, watercolors, clay and wire to make truly original works of art.

Neighborhood Play Date

Spring Break is a great opportunity to connect with family, friends and neighbors. Schedule a play date or potluck dinner and invite those who are part of your larger community to share the time with you. Enjoy food and adult conversation while kids play indoors and outdoors. For your kids’ best friends, a play date can turn into a sleepover for some free Spring Break fun!

Rollin’ Along

If you’d like to have more fast-paced family fun, consider a local skating rink. Generally, if there’s a local community center in your area, they charge less to rollerskate or rollerblade, especially during Spring Break. This fun activity can provide your entire family with valuable exercise and wear your kids out at the same time!

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer. For delicious, authentic gourmet Sicilian-style pizza, visit BJ Willy’s, a restaurant in West Linn, Oregon.