Carol's Back to Basics

The Clutter-Busting Handbook

2011-05-07T10:31:00.000-05:00

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Quotes for May

All quotes from The Clutter-Busting Handbook: Clean It Up,

Clear It Out, And Keep Your Life Clutter-free by Rita Emmett

We all have stuff that we love --- for a while --- and then one day,

instead of looking wonderful, it looks like clutter.

It will get messier before it gets de-cluttered. You will need to

pull everything out and go through it – whether working with

a closet, a wallet or a desk drawer.

If you don’t find a place for something, then you’ve got clutter.

If you haven’t used it in a year, it can’t be too vital to your lifestyle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This slim but thorough book helps readers tackle problem areas like closets and garages, and also includes tips on emptying e-mail accounts and clearing out ordinary paper clutter. Emmett lists 50 ways to get rid of and limit unwanted items, naming various charities and online auctions and making suggestions such as share magazine subscriptions with friends. Throughout, she includes helpful "clutter quizzes" that identify bad habits and gives readers practical tips on how to remain focused. With its sound advice and upbeat, encouraging tone, this book will motivate readers to get a jump on their spring cleaning.

Rita Emmett

Author of Procrastinators Handbook Mastering the Art Of Doing It Now,

The Clutter-Busting Handbook and

Manage Your Time to Reduce Your Stress: A Handbook for the Overworked, Overscheduled, and Overwhelmed

www.ritaemmett.com

REmmett412@aol.com

2331 Eastview

Des Plaines, IL 60018

847-699-9950

Wabi Sabi

2011-04-03T05:37:00.000-05:00

Wabi sabi is a system of thought and belief that refers to works of art, everyday objects, events and metaphysics. It is an attitude, a state of mind, a way of life.

"Wabi" is the kind of perfect beauty that is seemingly-paradoxically caused by just the right kind of imperfection, such as an asymmetry in a ceramic bowl which reflects the handmade craftsmanship, as opposed to another bowl which is perfect, but soul-less and machine-made.

"Sabi" is the kind of beauty that can come only with age, such as the patina on a very old bronze statue. Sabi is most often applied to physical artistic objects, not writing.

It is the cracks in the bark of trees that lets us know it is a mature and healthy tree, harboring an ecosystem while protecting itself from many of the denizens of the ecosystem.

It is the lines in a persons face that lets us know how much they have laughed, considered carefully, grimaced in their lifetime.

Krishnamurti speaks of our souls each being of the same paper but that which makes us unique is the creases left in the paper from all the folding and unfolding of experience.

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There's a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in. ~ Leonard Koren

Also found in Little Zen Companion

Baking Soda Countless Uses for Under $1

2010-11-30T15:10:00.000-06:00

Baking Soda can be used for a lot more things than homemade cookies and breads. Here's a list I've compiled of all the uses of Baking Soda as a substitute for many personal care, cleaning, and deodorizing products. It is inexpensive, free of toxic chemicals, versatile, and effective.

Wash produce with baking soda.

Instead of toxic cleaners, use baking soda on the sink, counter and everything in the kitchen - and it deodorizes, too! Just sprinkle a little on your cleaning cloth or sponge and wipe away.

Mix a little sea salt with the baking soda and place in an empty salt shaker for an easy application. Shake some on what you want to clean or onto your cloth or sponge - and keep a container of salt and baking soda in the bathroom to use to brush your teeth!

How Does Baking Soda (aka sodium bicarbonate) Work?

Baking Soda works 2 ways. First, its natural effect is to neutralize the pH level of a substance and regulate it from being too acidic or too alkaline. Second, by an action called "buffering", baking soda retards further changes in the pH balance. So as soon as baking soda comes in contact with a substance, it's pH level is neutralized and stays that way. An easy example is how it neutralizes odors (makes them less acidic) and less "smelly"; and how it neutralizes the minerals in hard water (makes it less alkaline) to help boost the cleaning power of your detergent.

OK - Now back to its many uses!

Basically, baking soda helps any cleaning product clean better.

The Ultimate DIY Scratchless Scrub for non-toxic cleaning and deodorizing of any surface is easy to make - just mix a paste with baking soda, coarse salt and liquid dish soap.

Kitchen and Bathroom tiles and fiberglass tubs - Use a small amount sprinkled on a cloth or sponge, or for extra cleaning power, use the DIY scrub (see Ultimate DIY Scratchless Scrub, above).

Hand-wash dishes and pots and pans -Add 2 heaping tablespoons baking soda to the dish water along with your regular amount of dish soap. For baked on food, let them soak with the baking soda and dish soap first, then use your DIY scrub for a bright, shiny finish!

Microwave Oven - Wipe out oven with cloth or sponge sprinkled with a small amount of baking soda and rinse thoroughly.

Polish silver flatware - Use a baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water, rub with soft cloth and dry thoroughly.

Clean coffee/tea pots - wash coffee makers with 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. For stubborn stains, try soaking overnight in the baking soda solution and dish soap, or scrubbing with baking soda on a clean damp sponge.

Tricks to Eating Less

2010-11-29T14:49:00.000-06:00

If you want to eat less, use chopsticks.
In The Chopsticks Diet: Japanese-inspired Recipes for Easy Weight-Loss
by Kimiko Barber, she says that part of the reason for their elegant figures is their practice of using chopsticks.

According to Barber, "Eating with chopsticks slows you down, and so you eat less." Gobbling food makes us overeat because it takes our brain 20 minutes to register what our stomach contains.

Japanese recipes are naturally lower in fat and served in smaller portions, but using chopsticks should work with Western food too.

Depression Era Recipes

2010-11-28T04:43:00.000-06:00

I bought this book several years ago because it contains vintage ads from the 1930's. There are over 450 recipes from the Depression Era, and I did not find one recipe that sounded that tasty, although it does contain a recipe for rendering lard. Also included are recipes for homemade creams and cosmetics. Interesting book.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c305/cslinkerkc/bACK%20TO%20bASICS/DepressionEraRecipesAd_opt.jpg

Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make.

2010-11-27T14:26:00.000-06:00

Kids as young as 5 can learn to create using fabric and thread with the help of Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make.

The book, by kindergarten teacher Amie Plumley and journalist Andria Lisle, grew out of the Sewing School day camp they run each summer. The book is written at a second-grade comprehension level and designed so kids can follow the instructions with minimal help from adults.

Most of Sewing School is devoted to projects with kid appeal, such as simple stuffed creatures, tote bags, and a few basic articles of clothing.

Sewing School is published by Storey Publishing it normally sells for $16.95, but you can get it on Amazon by clicking here http://bit.ly/hZvnFn

Quick and healthy potato salad

2010-10-05T00:26:00.000-05:00

Quick and healthy potato salad

• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes

• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

• 1/3 cup minced red onion

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery

• 1/4 cup minced dill pickles, plus 1 tablespoon juice from jar

• 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground pepper to taste

• Chopped fresh parsley

Place whole potatoes (do not poke) into microwave-safe dish. Cover dish. (If covering dish with plastic wrap, poke small hole in plastic.) Microwave on HIGH for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on strength of microwave. Use oven mitts to remove dish from microwave; carefully remove cover from dish due to steam buildup and let cool. Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl with remaining ingredients; stir well to mix.

• Makes 4 servings.

Variations:

Greek Potato Salad

Omit celery, pickles, pickle juice and mustard. Replace plain yogurt with Greek yogurt. Stir in 1/4 cup Kalamata olive wedges, 1/4 cup peeled, chopped cucumber and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh oregano, if desired.

Garden Veggie Potato Salad

Omit pickles, pickle juice and mustard. Stir in 3/4 cup coarsely chopped and lightly packed fresh spinach, 1/4 cup diced bell pepper, 3 tablespoons shredded carrots, 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil and 1/2 of a 6.5-ounce jar coarsely chopped marinated artichoke hearts (including liquid).

Basil Garlic Balsamic Vinegar

2010-08-28T12:37:00.000-05:00

: Image via Wikipedia

I've been harvesting basil today. Getting it all washed and ready for the freezer. No matter how many days we eat fresh tomato and basil salad, we can never eat all the basil my 3 plants produce.

Today I made this great vinegar. We enjoy it all year, and especially at Thanksgiving with roasted root vegetables. Make sure you have a good quality balsamic vinegar that retains its body and flavor.

I'll be posting more basil recipes and tips on freezing.

Basil Garlic Balsamic Vinegar

Makes about 2-1/2 Cups

3 Cups Balsamic Vinegar

3 Cups fresh Basil Leaves, rinsed and patted dry

2 Heads peeled Garlic

1. In a food processor or blender, combine vinegar with basil and garlic and process until well blended. Pour into jar with lid and let rest in a cool dry place for one week.

2. After 7 days, strain vinegar through a fine sieve lined with rinsed cheesecloth into another jar, squeezing cheesecloth well.

3. Store in a cool, dry place.

Use vinegar in vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, and as a glaze for roasted meats and vegetables.

Tres Leches Cake

2010-08-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

: Image via Wikipedia

Tres Leches Cake

"Three milk cake" is a sponge cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. When butter is not used, the tres leches is a very light cake, with many air bubbles. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk.

The cake is very popular in many parts of Central America and Mexico.

To make the Cake:

Ingredients -

1-cup sugar, divided
5 large eggs, separated
1/3-cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1-cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Milk Syrup

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk.
1 cup each: sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream
1-tablespoon vanilla extract
1-tablespoon light rum

Whipped Cream Topping

2 cups whipping cream
1-tablespoon sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish. Beat ¾ cup sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks, adding cream of tartar after 20 seconds. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar, and continue beating until whites are glossy and firm but not dry. Gently fold whites into yolk mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until it feels firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool completely on a wire rack. Unmold cake onto a deep, large platter. Pierce cake all over with a fork. Pour Milk Syrup over cake. Spoon the overflow back on top until all is absorbed. Whipped Cream Topping - Chill cream, bowl and beaters thoroughly. Beat cream with electric mixer until it begins to thicken. Gradually add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Cover top and sides of cake with whipped cream with a spatula or knife. Cut cake and serve. Or cut the cake in squares and top with whipped cream when it is served.It is best to refrigerate the cake covered at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Banana Split Pie

2010-08-14T19:31:00.000-05:00

I just posted the Chocolate Banana Split Pie because I am hungry for it, but even the stove top cooking turned me off. So I picked another recipe I found that looks even cooler at Better Recipes website.

This recipe adds the flavors of pineapple and strawberries to the banana and cherries for an even more refreshing frozen dessert. The nuts give this banana split pie recipe crunch.

Number of Servings: 12-14

Ingredients

1 can Eagle Brand Condensed Milk

12 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained well

1 lg jar Maraschino cherries, drained 4 bananas, sliced and dipped in lemon-lime soda (to deter browning)

6-8 strawberries, sliced

Chopped nuts (optional)

2 graham cracker pie shells

Method

Fold Eagle brand milk and Cool Whip together until smooth and creamy. Fold in other ingredients until well blended and fruit is mixed throughout. Place mixture into pie shells and place in freezer until set. (Will take about 1 1/2 hours to freeze firm.) Slice and serve. Makes 2 pies. Can also be made into individual tarts.

Banana Split Pie

2010-08-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

This recipe is cool and creamy and Definitely NOT South Beach, but delicious, anyway. I found this recipe years ago in a Hershey's cookbook.

It is also good with ready made graham cracker crust, then you don't have to turn on the oven at all!

Banana Split Pie

1-1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

2-1/2 cups milk

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 medium bananas, sliced

Crumb-Nut Crust (see below)

Whipped Topping

Chopped Peanuts

Additional Banana Slices

Maraschino Cherries

Crumb-Nut Crust

Chicken Egg Foo Yung with Mushrooms and Green Onions

2010-08-07T17:27:00.000-05:00

Makes 2-4 servings, Recipe adapted slightly from Fine Cooking.

1 boneless-skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips (about 8 oz)
1 T + 1 tsp. soy sauce
1 T Asian sesame oil, divided
1 T Oyster Sauce
1 tsp. white vinegar
6 eggs, beaten
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 green onions, cut on diagonal and dark green and white/light green parts kept separate
1/4 C peanut oil or canola oil, divided
4-6 oz. sliced mushrooms

Cut chicken into thin crosswise strips, not more than 1/4 inch wide. Put chicken in small bowl and add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 tsp. sesame oil.

Whisk together the Oyster Sauce, white vinegar, 1 T soy sauce and 1 tsp. sesame oil, and set aside. In a large bowl beat the eggs with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. sesame oil.

Slice green onions. Keep the dark green and white/light green parts separate. Wash mushrooms and cut into slices about 3/8 inch

In frying pan, heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked but not browned. Transfer chicken to a plate to cool slightly before you add it to the egg.

Heat another T oil, then add white/light green pieces of green onion and cook about 1 minute. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times, until mushrooms are softened. Transfer cooked vegetables and chicken to egg mixture and stir to combine.

Wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel, then heat the remaining 2 T oil over high heat until the oil is shimmering, then add the egg mixture. The sides will puff up; immediately lower heat to medium. Continue to cook eggs on medium heat, using the turner to gently stir and lift the center part of the egg mixture so the uncooked egg can run under and get cooked. Cook like this about 4-5 minutes, or until eggs are starting to look firm. Then turn heat to low, use the turner to press down on the mixture so it's relatively flat, and cook 2-3 minutes more. (The center will still look slightly wet, similar to how scrambled eggs look when you take then off the heat.)

When eggs are cooked, remove the pan from the heat, put a dinner plate over the top of the pan, and turn it over so Egg Foo Yung is centered on the plate. Pour the sauce mixture over the egg pancake, sprinkle with dark green parts of the green onion.

Tarragon Mayonnaise

2010-06-27T06:27:00.000-05:00

Tarragon Mayonnaise

: Image by FotoosVanRobin via Flickr

Makes 1-1/2 cups

1 cup mayonnaise (regular or low-fat)

1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (not vanilla flavored)

4 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon drained small capers

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish

I like this recipe becuse I can eat it on the South Beach diet, and it's just plain yummy. Use fresh tarragon from your garden or the Farmers' Market. Great on Grilled Salmon.

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

2010-05-22T08:24:00.000-05:00

Don't Just Dream
About a Clean House!

Are you having trouble managing it all?
You're not alone.
Get the secrets you've been craving.
Keep that house clean in half the time.
If you LOVE a Really Clean Home,
but HATE Cleaning it, This is for You!

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak
ebook - instant delivery
Get it here

This Is NOT a Bunch of House Cleaning Tips -
This is a Whole System

A Valentine's Alphabet

2010-02-15T17:31:00.000-06:00

A Valentine's Alphabet:

Abandon doubt;

Be adventurous;

Call;

Dance;

Eat cake;

Forgive easily;

Give joy;

Hope;

Initiate romance;

Just say yes;

Kiss discriminately;

Love passionately;

Make out more;

No boundaries;

Open your heart;

Play;

Quench desire;

Reciprocate;

Satisfy;

Touch;

Upset convention;

Vary technique, ...

Wear little;

X-rate often;

Yearn;

Zip.

~ Unknown

Happy Presidents' Day!

2010-02-15T15:09:00.000-06:00

: Image by wallyg via Flickr

"I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man."

~ George Washington

Happy Presidents' Day

Restaurant Favorites - Romantic Dinner

2010-02-06T08:37:00.000-06:00

Dinner for Two! Practice making these great recipes this weekend and you'll be all ready for your great romantic dinner on the 14th. It's on Sunday, this year, so we have Saturday to start getting ready! These recipes serve approximately 4, so you have to reduce some of the ingredients to make 2 servings. This is also a great menu for entertaining friends.

Applebee’s French Onion Soup

When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven safe bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the soup and serve. Repeat for the remaining bowls.

3 Tbs vegetable oil
6 medium white onions, sliced
8 cups good quality beef broth
1 cup water
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
5 hamburger buns
10 slices provolone cheese
10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot or saucepan over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start to become translucent. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer
for 45 minutes.

To make the croutons, separate the bottoms from tops of the hamburger buns. Set aside the bottoms, and cut the crown of the tops to make them the same size and shape as the bottoms. This gives you 10 big croutons. Preheat oven to 325F. Place the bread in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown and crispy. Set aside.

Sbarro Chicken Francese

5 boneless 5 oz. chicken breasts
5 eggs
3 oz. Romano cheese
1 tsp dried parsley
1 cup flour
Pinch of white pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 pound butter
Juice from 2 lemons
1 1/2 cups oil (10% olive oil, 90% vegetable oil)
Lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Pound chicken breasts flat and cut in half. Set aside.

Scramble eggs in mixing bowl. Add Romano cheese, parsley, and white pepper. Blend and set aside. Put flour in a large shallow bowl.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Check temperature by dipping a corner of a chicken piece in oil. If it boils slowly, oil is ready.

Coat both sides of a piece of chicken with flour. Dip chicken in egg mixture, making sure all flour is covered with egg. Let excess egg drip off, then place chicken in hot oil. Repeat with 4 more pieces. Fry each side of chicken until a light blond color. Remove from oil to a serving plate − keep warm. Repeat with other chicken pieces.

Bring chicken stock to a light boil. Add butter, stirring continuously, until melted. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with lemon slices and chopped fresh parsley.

The Cheesecake Factory’s White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2 oz of shaved white chocolate. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

For crust:
1½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

For filling:
½ cup raspberry preserves
¼ cup water
4 x 8 oz pkgs cream cheese
1¼ cups granulated sugar
½ cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 oz white chocolate, chopped into chunks

For garnish:
2 oz white chocolate, shaved
Whipped cream
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet filled with about ½” of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.
Combine the raspberry preserves with ¼ cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1½ minutes on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss ‘em out), then let the strained preserves sit to cool, then put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

Measure 1½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs, or crush 20 Oreo cookie wafers (with the filling scraped out) into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9″ spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Using the bottom of a drinking glass or similar, press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 oz of white chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don’t want to blend the raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes at 475°F, then turn the oven down to 350°F and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Kitty Cat Snacks - Fishy Biscuits

2010-01-17T09:19:00.000-06:00

Kitty's skin gets dry in the winter, just like ours!
This healthy snack will keep your cat's coat shining and bring some relief to their dry sensitive skin!

Kitty Cat's Fishy Biscuits

1/2 can tuna in oil (reserve 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dry, powdered milk
1 tablespoon cod liver oil (or cat coat supplement such as Grizzly Salmon Oil All-Natural Cat Food Supplement)
1 egg, beaten
1 small jar chicken baby food (without onion powder).

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a large bowl, mash the tuna, add the flour and powdered milk. Mix thoroughly.

Stir in the coat supplement or cod liver oil, egg and baby food, and blend in enough of the reserved tuna oil to make the dough easier to handle.

Flour your hands well and form the dough into small, flattened biscuits.

Place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping the biscuits halfway through.

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to a week, or freeze for 4 weeks (defrost before offering to kitty, however).

Makes about 8 dozen biscuits, so you can share with your kitty-loving friends.

Recipe is from the beautiful coffee table book, A Cat Book.

A Cat Book - Collection of Stories, Poetry, Recipes, Care, Training, Games & Humor

Auction Profit Streams - eBay Guide

2010-01-02T08:55:00.000-06:00

Auction Profit Streams by John Thornhill

Auction Profit Streams by John Thornhill

Who is John Thornhill?

John Thornhill is one of the world's largest ebay eBook sellers and is the creator of numerous eBay selling tips eBooks including "The 10k Auction", "The eBook Process", "Auction Traffic Explosion" and the one I am going to talk about today, Auction Profit Streams

Inside Auction Profit Streams you will be greeted with the statement "Many Streams Make a River". Upon reading this eBook, I found this to be 100% completely true. It is not about making a large profit from selling your eBooks, but making many small profits on auto pilot which will make you a river of revenue for years to come. John shows you how to achieve this with some very simple techniques and changes.

Some of the topics covered inside Auction Profit Streams are:

*How to create your very own eBook and sell it on eBay
*How to take care of your assets
*Building a list of subscribers which will serve you for years to come
*The good and bad point of resale rights eBooks
*The importance of multiple income streams
*Your eBook title and subject lines
*Making money from other peoples' products
*Selling your eBay eBooks successfully
*Private label content profits

The one thing about this eBook which I found different from all other eBooks of this type is that John provides you with his eBay ID (eBay ID=planetsms). Now this is rare, as most marketers do not. This allows you to track John's progress. Most so called "eBay gurus" do not reveal their ID's, so this a great plus for John here!

The next important thing John talks about in his eBook is the importance of a mailing list. Now, if you know anything about marketing you know that mailing lists are very, very important indeed. In fact most marketers would not earn half as much as they do if they never had a subscriber list. John explains all this in detail and provides a good description of how to build your mailing list and use it to your advantage.

In the following chapters, John explains

*The importance of eBay feedback,
*Why information products sell so well, and
*What are the best topics to write about.

John also talks about writing and compiling your own eBook, which is a very important aspect of eBook creation and getting your product right. It is not simply a case of writing any old trash, you need to do this right, and John provides this information for you in great detail.

Overall, I found Auction Profit Streams to be a very informative eBook with a massive array of ideas from which even the most experienced eBook sellers can lean. So whether you're a seasoned eBook seller or a beginner looking for a new venture, I would most certainly give Auction Profit Streams a try.

Click here to read more about John and his great book, Auction Profit Streams

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

2010-01-01T18:25:00.000-06:00

I've found that most people really don't know how to clean

house the right way. As incredible as that sounds, it's

true. So quit beating yourself up, and grab a copy of

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak. Learn how busy

people manage to keep their homes so clean- (Like that

lady down the street that you love to hate.)

You can have a really clean home, and I mean really clean-in about a half hour a day- weekdays only.

Quit living with all that stress. Get you home under control,

and keep it that way. It's easy once you know the secrets.

Get your copy today- Instant download so you can start

right away! Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

2009-06-06T10:36:00.003-05:00

DINNER TONIGHT - Busy Saturday
Crock Pot Beef Casserole
Salad & Fresh Fruit from this morning's visit to the Farmers' Market

What a busy day! Lots of errands, a little house cleaning and visiting friends. I just put all these ingredients in the slow cooker for tonight's dinner.
Do you love your slow cooker as much as I do? My "BFF", I use it at least 3 days a week for workday and busy weekend dinners. Even less expensive cuts of meat come out tender and delicious cooked slowly in a savory casserole. Wild rice and almonds give this dish a special look and taste.

Crock Pot Beef Casserole

Slow Cooker Dinner Recipe

Serves 12 - This recipe's large enough to take to potlucks and sure to please.

1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cans (4 ounces each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 cups beef stock (or 3 beef bouillon cubes & 3 cups water)
2-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 pounds boneless round steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

Place ingredients in order listed in a slow cooker; do not stir. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until rice is tender. Stir before serving.
Serves 12

2009-05-28T06:47:00.001-05:00

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for
what he's going to get.

~Frank A. Clark

Style - Fashion: Figure Fixer

2009-05-27T19:32:00.009-05:00

Don't Look Bax

Acronyms can be scary.
WMD. GMAT. ASAP.

But the most threatening —and pervasive — of them? Those dreaded under thing related ones.

VBL: visible bra lines.

FBF: false back fat. A condition created by too-tight bras that cause unseemly ripples and lumps.

UBSR: uniboob sports rack. A situation commonly brought on by the sports bra.

Leading the fight against such evils: Sassybax, seamless stretch bras that started out as a pair of control-top pantyhose (go figure). They come in three styles, multiple colors, and provide comfort, support, and, most importantly, a smooth, bulge-free silhouette (even when worn under ludicrously tight Lycra get-ups).

Which means you won't find yourself pulling and shifting all day.

And you won't have to tell anyone to MYOB.

Available online at sassybax.com.

Goose Track Quilts: Free Instructions for T-Shirt Quilt

2009-05-24T13:38:00.005-05:00

Cathy Hooley, owner of Goose Tracks Quilts, offered up this link to her instructions for making your own T-shirt quilt. Cathy is a custom quilter and a member of the Custom in Common e-Guild.

She works at home in New York state and has been in the quilt-making business since 1992. She is primarily a maker of custom quilts - including T-shirt quilts, memorial quilts, childhood memory quilts and various other types of quilts.

With this long weekend (at least here in US), it's a great time to haul out all your old T-shirts (you were already pulling out summer clothes anyway, right?) and see which ones to keep and which ones to turn into a beautiful memory quilt. May is Personal History Month, so this is a great time to get started!

You can read more about Cathy Hooley on her website at Goose Tracks Quilts or contact her directly if you would like a custom quilt.

Have a great holiday!

-Carol

Jazz Cat: When You Need a Break from Keyboard Cat

2009-05-23T00:51:00.003-05:00

Weeknight Dinner: Tuna Noodle Casserole

2009-05-20T19:40:00.004-05:00

Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tossed Green Salad
Steamed Broccoli
Sliced Pears from a can with shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top.

Today's entre is one of my favorites because this was the first dish I ever cooked when I was 8 or 9. I made it at my Grandmother's house, and my Grandpa said it was the best meal he had ever eaten. That was all the encouragement I needed, because I've been cooking ever since! My first tuna casserole had potato chips crumbled on top, and the salad was (picture this) a pineapple ring atop a lettuce leaf with a peeled banana standing up in the center of the pineapple ring. This was my first creative cooking moment. My Grandmother commented that the salad was supposed to be chopped, but my Grandfather said he like it my way much better. I can just imagine how they laughed about that salad later, when I was out of earshot, of course. To me, it was one of my triumphant moments and I remember it like it was yesterday. In fact, I made it for dinner tonight (sans the potato chip topping) and the husband agrees, we should have this more often.

This recipe is totally quick and easy. Tonight I called home from work and asked the husband to set out everything we needed. I got home at 5:20, changed clothes and put the water on to boil for the noodles. I opened a bag of frozen broccoli and put it in my Tupperware microwave steamer. (I wish I had one of those big pots with a steamer basket, so I could cook the noodles and steam the broccoli at the same time, but I have to either heat another pan on the stove, or use the microwave.) I opened a package of pre-made salad and tossed it with a little lemon juice to freshen it up; then, for dessert, I opened the can of sliced pears and fixed us each a bowl with shredded sharp cheddar on top. (I put the rest in a little container for my lunch at work tomorrow). Then I drained the noodles, returned them to the pan, added all the ingredients, put it in the baking dish and put it in the oven to bake. While the casserole was baking, I washed all the pans & utensils I'd used and then went out on the deck and helped Hubby finish watering the garden and all the plants. Then - at 6:30, everything was done and we ate! All in 1 hour!

This quick and easy recipe bakes in a 3-quart baking dish and can serve 6-7 people, or 4 with second helpings. MAKE AHEAD TIP: Divide this recipe into two smaller baking dishes and freeze one for later.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

1 package dry noodles (1 lb.)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cans condensed mushroom soup (can be low salt and low fat)
3 cans flaked tuna
1 can evaporated milk (can be low fat)
1 can peas

Cook noodles per package instructions. Drain noodles, return them to the pot, and toss with butter until coated well. Add mushroom soup, tuna, canned milk and peas and mix well. Put in 1 large 3 quart baking dish and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. (or divide between 2 smaller baking dishes, bake 1 for dinner and freeze 1 for later).

This is the basic, simple recipe. Over the years I have added shredded cheese both in the casserole and as a topping, and I've added all sorts of vegetables. Plan or fancy, nothing really beats this as a cheap, quick and easy weeknight meal.

The Grand and Secret Order of Obituary Cocktail

2009-05-16T11:50:00.017-05:00

Obituary Cocktail: The Great Saloons of New Orleans.

This is my favorite coffee table book. Being from the South, New Orleans was only a short jaunt away, and my friends and I traveled there several times a year for "the weekend". I have been here in the midwest, now, for many years, and this book brings back great memories and a certain nostalgia for the "old days". The book was published in 1998, pre-Katrina, and is a beautiful documentary of the city’s historic watering holes. The photos, combined with the stories, are romantically warm, and the recipes are magical.

Birth of the Cocktail

New Orleans claims to have given birth to the cocktail. Southern Comfort, Ramos Gin Fizz, Sazerac, Herbsaint and Peychaud's Bitters all got their start in the French Quarter. Obituary Cocktail relates these stories and recreates a great history of the vieux carre.

On Royal Street, Antoine Peychaud created his curative bitters in the 1830's. Often mixed with brandy and absinthe and served in an eggcup, the concotion was called a coquettier. Over time, the name became pronounced "cocktail". The ultimate cocktail, The Obituary Cocktail, was created at Lafitte's Blacksmithshop in the French Quarter, with the added splash of absinthe. Here is the recipe adapted from book:
The Obituary Cocktail
• 4 jiggers dry gin
• 1/2 jigger dry vermouth
• 1/2 jigger Pernod (a legal absinthe substitute).
Chill in a shaker and strain.
Ms. Cafferty's book has won two national publishing awards, was named Book of the Year by the New Orleans Gulf South Book Sellers Association, and inspired both the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour and the festival, Tales of The Cocktail.

A group of the book’s fans even established an enduring social club known as The Grande and Secret Order of Obituary Cocktail Drinkers (they call themselves Obers). To commemorate the 10-year anniversary, legendary absinthe master distiller Ted Breaux created a new cocktail — The Obituary Decade, which featured a healthy dose of his own lucid absinthe. Also for the anniversary, Kerri McCaffety created a design for the first official Obituary Cocktail T-shirt featuring a glowing martini glass centered on a transparent fleur de lis with the words Obituary Cocktail, The Spirit of New Orleans. The Grande and Secret Order of Obituary Cocktail gatherings started in 1999 in the New Orleans French Quarter for the purpose of making friends. The only requirement to be a participant in OBIT is to attend a gathering. Do not expect any efficiency, organization, governing boards, structure, by laws, organizational meetings, budget, elections, goals, objectives, required attendance rules or a responsible leader or even a leader, because none of those exist. However, Obit is a great place to make friends who appreciate a fun gathering.

You can visit their site at http://www.obituarycocktail.org/

About the Author: Kerri McCaffety earned a degree at Tulane University, where she concentrated on ethnographic documentary. The Society of American Travel Writers awarded her its coveted gold Lowell Thomas Award. Her writing and photojournalism appear in publications including The Oxford American, Town and Country, Historic Traveler, Colonial Homes, Southern Accents, Travel & Leisure, Metropolitan Home, and The Seattle Times. McCaffety's other books are The Majesty of the French Quarter, Pelican Publishing 1999, and The Majesty of St. Charles Avenue, Pelican Publishing 2001.

What's for Dinner?

2009-05-15T21:42:00.006-05:00

By far, the most asked question, any day of the week is "What can I fix for dinner?" I start thinking about it as soon as the dinner dishes are done. What will we have for dinner tomorrow night? Luckily, Hubby is all over that, too. We cook together most nights and while we are cooking, we are usually thinking about the next night's meal, or what we'll eat on the weekend, when we really have time to fix something special.

Well, starting every Tuesday here on the blog, we'll list a weeknight dinner (quick and easy, I promise), plus a "company" dinner for the weekend. Sure they will be healthy! Don't worry about that. So check back on Tuesday for some great recipes and meal ideas to help make your week a little easier.

And, since it's Friday, here's a great recipe for Confetti Pasta Salad. This is one of my favorites, it tastes great right when it's made, instead of having wait for the flavors to blend. Of course, it does get more flavorful when allowed to chill. Just wait to add the cheese until it's ready to be served.

Confetti Pasta Salad
Makes 4-6 Servings

8 ozs uncooked small pasta shells
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Fresh Lemon Vinaigrette*
1 (4-oz) package feta cheese
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss pasta with tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 8 hours. (Wait to add the feta until ready to serve).
*Lemon Vinaigrette: Whisk together 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/4 cup olive oil; 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, pressed; 1 teaspoon salt; and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Cooking with Herbs

2009-04-30T22:00:00.003-05:00

The use of herbs and herbal supplements can provide many health benefits but those who use them need to educate themselves about the dangers that can be associated with allergic reactions, drug interaction and just plain old human error.

Since ancient times the use of herbs in cooking has been a popular and tasty way of ingesting herbs. Many herbs just plain taste good as well as being healthy. In today’s health conscious world, the use of herbs in cooking has exploded.

When using herbs in cooking remember to be generous....don’t use a pinch when a handful would be better. The Chinese, of course, are the ones who have cooking with herbs down to a science. They even have restaurants in China that are devoted to nothing but herbal dishes....and they are delicious dishes.

On the grocery store shelves in most American cities you will find, in the spice section, many herbs that are commonly used in cooking. These come in little bottle, jars and cans and are already dried and prepared for use. These are easy and convenient to use and do, in fact, supply many of the health benefits associated with them.

Likewise, on the grocery store shelves you will find herbal teas that are sold either in bulk (by the pound) or in single serving tea bags. These prepackaged teas also provide many of the health benefits associated with tea made from fresh herbs.

Here is a list of some common cooking herbs and the health benefits that they provide:

Basil: Rich in potassium, iron and calcium. Aids in digestion. Relives nausea and motion sickness. Treats nose and throat infection.
Cilantro: Rich in iron and magnesium. Helps control blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
Dill: Rich in calcium, iron and magnesium. Protects against free radicals and some known carcinogens.
Garlic: Helps prevent colds and flu, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure.
Nutmeg: Provides relief from upset stomach, toothache and joint inflammation.
Oregano: Anti-bacterial. Lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of colon cancer. Powerful anti-oxidant. A good source of dietary fiber, iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Rosemary: Stimulates the immune system, increases circulation, improves digestion, and improves concentration.
Sage: Proven to enhance memory. Improves metabolism, is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.
Tarragon: Increases appetite, relieves stomach cramps, aid the digestive system. Calms the nerves and fights fatigue.
Thyme: Treats respiratory problems including coughs, bronchitis, and chest congestion.

Many common cooking herbs have healing properties. They are not usually used because of these healing properties but rather because they make the food we eat taste better.

In addition to the above listed cooking herbs, there are many others. Great cooks and those who are interested in the healing properties of cooking herbs will find that these two subjects intersect one another often.

Great medicine AND great taste! What a concept!

2009-04-26T09:13:00.005-05:00

Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not
your intentions. You may have a heart of gold - but so does a hard-boiled egg.
~Author Unknown

Earth Day 1970 Organic T-Shirt

2009-04-22T20:35:00.002-05:00

Get the House Clean! The Easy Way.

2009-04-14T19:32:00.008-05:00

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

How to clean every room in your home, top to bottom, and keep it clean.

How to keep the kitchen clean in minutes a day.
How to clean the bathroom in 10 minutes
(even less once you get good at it).
How to keep your home clean, and not spend precious weekends doing it.
Get your clutter organized.
Storage solutions
Solutions to common house cleaning problems

Spend just 15 - 30 minutes a day
weekdays only.
(For an average 3 bedroom, 2 bath home - with living room,
dining room, family room, and kitchen.)

It's not just a collection of housecleaning tips, it's a whole system with schedules and checklists. And it's exactly how a professional cleaning service would tackle your house - just broken down into easy to fit in little daily tasks.

I'll even tell you the best cleaners to use for each job, and the quickest way to tackle even the worst jobs. I give you every tip, secret and shortcut I can think of.

There is the hard way to do
things (the way most people do them)

- and then there is the easy way.

When you know how to do it the easy way - you'll wonder why no one ever told you. Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak takes the same techniques the pros use, and breaks them down into small manageable tasks that you can do in no time. Your home will be pro-clean, without the pro-price!

You're going to love coming home!

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

E-book version is instantly downloadable.
You can get started right away.

Plus, you'll receive the companion guide -

The Essential Guide to Organizing Your Home
Great tips for organizing every room in your home - fast!

New Bonus Just Added - How to Clean Your Carpets Like a Pro

** Get Your Copy Here **

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

2009-04-07T20:37:00.002-05:00

I keep my end tables full of needlework and quilting
so I don't have to dust them.
~Author Unknown

The Most Expensive EBook in the World

2009-04-04T23:55:00.004-05:00

It’s definitely an irony since I found this item on an April Fool’s day. Anyway, give your eyes a break from reading just for a while and take a look at this screenshot I’ve taken from Lulu.com, listing down perhaps the most expensive book in the world. I’m very sure it’s an error from their side, but it’s funny nevertheless, so do take a look. The ebook titled “Dreamstate: Mad Sparks 5″ apparently costs you $12,499,998.75 for the downloadable PDF version, and $12,500,005.75 for the paperback version. That’s $12.5 million! To add more fun to it, there are 2 reviews at the bottom of the page. Either they bought it when the price was still “normal”, or they just bought the most expensive book in their lives. An April Fool’s joke or an error from their side? You be the judge! Anyway here’s the link to the page:-The Most Expensive Ebook in The World. ---

And just in case if Lulu fixes the page, here is the screenshot …

The text at the top (screenshot 2) that says “Some Lulu products are eligible for discounts when you order 10, 25, or more!” just makes it sound much more interesting.

Why I Love to Sew!

2009-04-04T23:39:00.004-05:00

The only place where housework comes before needlework
is in the dictionary.

Mary Kurtz

Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant

2009-04-04T11:33:00.002-05:00

Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant helps clothing protect skin from harmful UV Rays. The first skin protection for skin that you wash into clothing. Safe for the whole family.

A new study reveals that to be effective, sunscreens with UV blockers need to remain on the skin. Researchers at the University of California at Riverside found that in just One hour the filters seep in the deeper layers of skin, providing little or no protection until more is applied.

The best defense is to look for clothing and coverups that provide sun protection.

Products like Rit Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant - six 1 oz packets adds sun protection to any clothing that's warm-water washable.

Friday Fix: Nighttime Snacking

2009-04-03T22:27:00.004-05:00

Are you battling the urge to snack after dinner? I used to have trouble until a friend told me her trick. She keeps clear nail polish in the kitchen. Whenever she ends up in the kitchen craving a snack, she brushes on a shiny topcoat instead. The task also keeps her mind focused and helps prevent mindless snacking. Plus, her nails always look great!

I tried this the last time I had a "snack attack" and ended up giving myself a whole manicure! By the time I got around to thinking about that cookie, I didn't want to spoil my wet nails.

How do you curb the Snack Monster?

Money Saver: Green Tea Firming Bath

2009-04-03T20:26:00.006-05:00

Cellulite? Saggy Skin? Stretch Marks?

We all fight the battle of the "Skin Woes". For help in toning those problem areas, draw a warm bath, add 5 green tea bags and soak yourself for at least 20 minutes.

How does this work? The tannins in the tea visibly tighten skin, and green tea's polyphenols stimulate blood flow to reach the skin's surface to give your skin a natural glow!

Plus we all know how relaxing a warm bath can be!

Return to Natural Time

2009-04-02T06:50:00.002-05:00

"We've deviated from nature because of following mechanistic time
and an irregular calendar…
We can all return to sanity and return to wholeness by returning
to living in the universal cosmic cycles of nature…
We can reestablish a sane cosmic civilization based on
…cultivation of self-sustaining economies
and non-polluting technologies."

--Jose Arguelles

CommonSenseLiving.com

2009-03-31T20:48:00.000-05:00

Have You Met Carole Yet? Carole is the creator of CommonSenseLiving.com , and the publisher of The Juggling Act. Through her websites, ezine, articles, and e-books, she helps you handle everyday real-life problems and create a balanced and happier life. She helps you conquer housework, get organized, lose weight, eat healthier, and stay motivated. She provides lots of free articles on her site to help you get control of your overly busy life. Subscribers to her ezine - have access to lots of free e-books. Carole will help you get control of your life. Check out her site here - CommonSenseLiving.com

2009-03-29T21:39:00.005-05:00

"Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.” - William James

Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak

2009-03-29T07:02:00.004-05:00

Hi, Look around you, right now.

Does it look like you want it to?

Now close your eyes - imagine how everything looks when
it's clean - you know, mother-in-law clean. Feels relaxed, comfortable?

How would you like your home to be Sunday clean, without
spending Saturday doing it? That would be awesome, wouldn't
it? If only you could discover the secrets - how do those other people do it?

Now you (yes, YOU) will be able to get your house really clean and keep it that way, without killing yourself doing it! That's right, I'm sharing the secrets with you. You have better things to do on Saturday, don't you?

Find the secrets here >>>Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak!

A Clean Car Fast!

2009-03-22T09:02:00.003-05:00

Clean Your Car Like a Pro.

How much time do we spend in our cars? A whopping 32 Days a Year, for most of us, especially those of us with kids' activities to get to and from every day. As well as logging some serious mileage, playing chauffeur takes a toll on your car's interior. Here are some spiffy little tricks I picked up from auto-care pros to help you spring clean the car.

Tough to Reach Nooks: Use a bottle brush, old toothbrush, or other short-bristled brush and liquid fabric softener. In a spray bottle, mix 1 part fabric softener and 4 parts water, then spray the brush with the mixture. The brush's slender bristles reach narrow crevices to dislodge stuck-on grime, while the fabric softener spray helps pick up loose particles instead of just pushing them around. Bonus: The softener leaves behind an anti-static residue that prevents dust and other debris from settling.

Stains: To erase unsightly spots, get a can of WHITE shaving cream. Cover the stains with a palm-size amount of the foam, let sit for 15 minutes then scrub with a damp cloth and wipe clean. Use an old toothbrush for more scrubbing power. The foaming action works like a professional upholstery cleaner to break down the pigment in the stain and lift it from the cloth fibers, and the alcohol in the shaving cream dissolves sugars in the stain preventing it from caramelizing in the heat and darkening time.

Easy Odor Remover: The pro's secret? Coffee grounds. Place a tray of coffee grounds inside your car. Roll up the windows and close the doors. The coffee granules go to work overnight releasing oils that absorb the strongest of odors, plus giving off a pleasant scent, which dissapates in a few days.

Maintaining a Fresh Smell: Recycle a used take out container. Place a few unused charcol briquettes inside a clean, shallow take out container. Make some holes in the lid and stow the box under the seat. The charcoal draws moisture into its pores to keep the car's interior odor-free.

How to Bake the Perfect Fish

2009-03-20T22:51:00.007-05:00

Baking fish is EASY (really).

Here are the basics.

Use high heat - fish bakes best at 400 to 425 degrees.

Use fillets similar in size - The rule is to bake fish 10 minutes per inch (1") of thickness, plus 5 minutes if it is covered with a sauce.

TIP: If your fillets are thinner at the ends, just tuck them under so the entire fillet will be the same thickness for even baking.

Use a sauce or butter to keep the fish moist, as in today's recipe.

Baked fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

The best fish for baking are tilapia, catfish, trout, grouper, halibut and red snapper.

Steak-like fillets such as salmon, tuna & swordfish benefit from even higher temperatures, roasting or grilling.

Simple Baked Fish with Cornbread Crust

Makes 4 Servings.

4 boneless, skinless fish fillets, about 6 ozs each, and 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick, such as tilapia, catfish or trout.
Salt & Pepper to taste.
1/3 cup bottled italian dressing
1 large corn muffin or left over cornbread (I freeze leftover corn muffins or corn bread just for this purpose)
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray oblong glass baking dish with cooking spray. Lightly season each fillet with salt and pepper and place in the dish. (Overlap the thin edges or tuck them under to make sure the fish cooks evenly.) Pour the dressing evenly over the fish.

Crumble the corn muffin or corn bread and sprinkle the crumbs over the fish. Bake uncovered in preheated oven until the dressing bubbles at the edges, the crumbs are lightly browned and the thickest part of the fillets are opaque and flake easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes.

Quarter the lemon, squeeze the juice over the fish and serve immediately.

Lentil and Corn Soup

2009-03-20T16:44:00.008-05:00

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine 2 19-oz cans lentil soup, 1 10-oz pkg frozen corn and 2 teaspoons curry powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 mins or until heated through. Stir in 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. Add a mixed green salad and serve fresh fruit chunks and cookies for dessert

A Grateful Heart

2008-09-28T14:53:00.005-05:00

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

~ Marcel Proust

Reflect upon your present blessings
- of which every man has many -
not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

~ Charles Dickens

Two kinds of gratitude: the sudden kind we feel for what we take, the larger kind we feel for what we give.

~ Edwin Arlington Robinson

Linen Waters

2008-09-21T11:10:00.014-05:00

I love linen water and fragrance sprays. They are so so expensive and sometimes you just want a nice little scent when you enter your kitchen or bedroom.

Here's a great recipe for linen waters from Jennifer Worick's new book

The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life: How to Sew a Sampler Quilt & 49 Other Pioneer Projects for the Modern Girl
by Jennifer Worick

If you’re like me, you have a love/hate relationship with both Febreze and starch. I learned to whip up my own linens spray, perfect for freshening up your clothes, spritzing on your ironing (such as that fabric you prewashed before sewing), or even spraying around your home (on your sheets or curtains, or just around a room that doesn’t feel—or smell—fresh). And—get this—it’s quick, cheap, and makes an ideal gift for those friends and family members who have everything.

You’ll need:

large pot
8-ounce spray bottle
large glass measuring cup
mixing cup
metal spoon
1/2 cup distilled water
3 tablespoons 100-proof vodka
1 tablespoon essential oil of your choice (I like sweet orange, lemongrass, or lavender)

Step 1: Sterilize your tools. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Dip the spray bottle components, measuring cup, mixing cup, and spoon into the boiling water for several seconds. Pull out (tongs often work) and allow to dry.

Step 2: In the large measuring cup, pour distilled water. Set aside. In the mixing cup, add the vodka and essential oils and mix well with the spoon. Before they have time to separate, pour the mixture into the measuring cup with the distilled water. Mix well with the spoon.

Step 3: Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and twist the top on snugly. Shake well before using and store in a dark, cool place in between use. Feel free to spritz on gamey garments, sheets, curtains, ironing, or anything else that needs a boost.

Note: Avoid darker-colored essential oils like patchouli, as the dark hue of the oil might stain whatever you spritz. Stick to lighter scents like lavender, rosemary, peppermint, or lemon verbena.

Enjoy!

Why This List?

2008-09-20T11:02:00.000-05:00

I started this blog to record and classify all the handy little bits of knowledge, tips and tricks that I come across. Of special interest is how it was done "way back then".

Way back then women had to be doctor, nurse, cook, psychologist, seamstress, bookkeeper and gardner, just for the family to survive. Men got to work (granted, then it was back-breaking work) and go "kill things" for dinner.

After this last week of news, the doomsayers have probably been right for the last 12 years, that economic depression is on its way. So as the Governor of Texas told Houston last weekend during Hurricane Ike, we all have "hunker down" and hang on.

Recorded here are

Tips and techniques for making those 100 pennies in a dollar work harder than ever;
New solutions to old problems; and
New ways of doing things to save time, money and energy.

Check in often.

DISHWASHER CARE

2007-09-22T06:17:00.000-05:00

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR DISHWASHER

Clean your dishwasher regularly. Put a cup filled with vinegar or Tang on the top rack. Run the wash and rinse cycles, but not the dry cycle. The acid from the vinegar (or Tang) will remove mineral buildups that can stain dishes and glasses.

There are two basic types of dishwasher detergent. One uses bleach, the other enzymes. Old stained dishes clean better with bleach.

Starting a Home Craft Business: Cashing In On Your Artistic and Creative Skills!

2007-09-08T09:58:00.000-05:00

By Randy Wilson

How can one forget the craft classes at school? You must have enjoyed putting together colorful pieces of paper and varied craft stuffs to give form to dolls, teddy bears, boats, aeroplanes, flowers and so on. Have you ever considered making innovative and attractive crafts could earn you a profitable and stable income? And you could work at home without having to set up any office or shop to sell your craft items.

You can set up a craft workshop at home with you being the boss. If required you can take the help of a few assistants. They could help you out with the various aspects of making craft products.

Does that sound interesting enough? You can surely give it a try! Starting a Home Craft Business is just so simple!

Overall summary of business:

Starting a Craft Business is a perfect idea for a home business. You can create wonderful and visually appealing craft items using your creativity and innovation. So a craft hobby can be converted into a lucrative home-based business. You can freely work in the relaxed environment of your home adjusting the working hours according to your personal preferences.

Now what kind of craft products do you want to sell? Well that depends on your interests and hobbies. What exactly you enjoy making/creating determines the collection of craft items on your sales list.

There are a variety of products you can make such as flower arrangements, jewelry, soft toys, hand embroidered sewn items, clay crafts, wood crafts, paper crafts, stained glass items, scrap craft (craft made out of scraps and thrown away products), leather craft, hand painting, electronic craft, and the list goes on. You can specialize in Japanese craft making styles such as Origami, Ikebana that are just so beautiful and pretty. Your customers will grab them like ‘hot cakes!’

Estimated start-up costs:

The initial start up costs for a Home Crafts Business is extremely nominal. The major investment for a start up is in buying all the necessary equipment and accessories that will be needed to create and make the craft products. You do not have to worry about setting up a separate office for starting the home craft business. Any suitable room of your house can be converted into a craft workshop. And an additional space can be allotted to store the finished products ready to be sold. That’s not a big problem at all! This business does not need a huge amount of capital. Your start up cost can be as little as $50 dollars.

Financing sources:

You can approach banks, financial institutions, moneylenders and trade associations for financing your Home Crafts Business at the initial setting up stages. However, since start-up costs are so low, you may not need financing at all.

Pricing guidelines:

Price you items low enough to make sales, yet high enough to cover the cost of the materials. A general rule of thumb is to charge twice the amount of the cost. For example: Materials cost $4.50, you charge $9.00. If you plan on selling them at wholesale to retail outlets, you should charge $6.75. You split the profit with the retailer.

Advertising and Marketing Methods and Tips:

Attend Craft Fairs

Bring samples to jewelry stores and gift stores

Build a website to promote your products

Local Newspaper ads

Yellow page advertising

Print pamphlets and brochures

Craft Home Parties

Essential Equipment:

The essential equipment needed to start a home crafts business depends on what kind of craft products will be making. In addition to the basic stationery item such as adhesives, tapes, scissors, craft papers, staples and so on you will need a computer to look up information, latest designs and ideas, bookkeeping, website building, etc.

Recommended Training, Experience, or Needed Skills:

To start a home based Crafts Business you do not need any special skills, equipment or formal training. There numerous easy to follow instruction manuals available. Guidelines to make crafts and related items are also available on the Internet. Just use your creativity.

Income Potential:

$20,000 to $80,000 depending on the type of craft items you will be selling.

Target Market:

The target market for home made craft items is diverse. With proper marketing techniques you can target almost all kinds of people who love arts and crafts and indulge in collecting such items for themselves or for their friends and relatives. Crafts and related products are also used for decorating purposes at weddings, birthdays, and shower parties; they also serve as gift items. You can also sell your craft pieces to gift shops and craft stores.

Success Tips:

Research your market, watch TV craft shows, go to craft fairs and check out handcrafts in the marketplace.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has dozens of home based business articles such as Medical Billing Business. You can also sign up for Randy's free newsletter and 8 different FREE e-courses:Profitable Home Business Newsletter.

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Here Are 10 Tips On How To Manage Your Home Based Business

2007-09-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

By Bismark K Ampofo

Now that you have decided to start your own home based business, how are you going to manage your home business or work.

Project management is a very important skill for the home based business entrepreneur. Yet, most if not all home business entrepreneurs are untrained project managers, managing a business. Think about how cool that is.

My advice to you is if you’re managing a home based business, it would be a very good idea to build up your time and project management skills.

Here are some of the many guidelines that you need to follow in order for your home based business to be successful.

You should plan your routine. In order to have a real business you must have a vision and create a strategy to achieve that vision. And if you do this you’ll get better execution of your efforts and see better results.

Stop going around collecting tactics or secrets and only buy products and services that will support your strategy in achieving your vision.

Remember that you're your own boos:

This means the responsibility of ensuring it success rely on you. The very boss in your regular job (who is hated more than often) does a lot of work for you. Be it project management, disciplining or producing the necessary motivation for the required results. Now your run your own business, therefore, you must Study and use project management methodologies to grow your business.

Realize that your time is all you have therefore you need to know its current value and have a plan to increase it.

Always remember to build your home based business around scalability and leverage.

Study and understand how to outsource and build a network of relationships, so you have access to talented freelancers whenever you need them.

Use Process Mapping:

Process mapping is one the best ways to document the way work should be done and how it interrelates to other activities in your work at home business. When you start using process mapping, it'll be really easy to see why your current way of doing an activity is more productive. Process map makes it easier to understand the interactions, flow, sub-process and activities that constraint your performance.

To manage your time working efficiently on your home based business, you have to delegate what hours are for for productive work and non-productive work. Explain to family — especially children — that you aren't choosing work over spending time with them, but that you have to work during work hours.

Productive Time is when you directly work on your bottom line that is generating income. It is time spent creating products, market products or website, improving your marketing process, managing money making projects, and creating scalability in your home based business.

Non-Productive Time is activities that distract you from doing productive work.

Here are some examples of non-productive work: surfing the Internet, checking and reading email, answering your phone, studying and learning time, checking Web site stats, organizing your desk, and cleaning your office. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't spend any time on these activities. You need to spend time learning, and you do need to talk to your friends. I'm just pointing it out so you won't confuse that with earnings. Remember the saying that Knowledge is power, but it has no worth to your home based business unless it’s implemented and acted upon.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to increasing your income while reducing your stress and work hours.

"Much may be done in those little shreds and patches of time which every day
produces, and which most men throw away." - Charles Caleb Colton

Bismark Ampofo is an internet home based business entrepreneur who likes to help newbie and
intermediate online home based business entrepreneurs start and grow their own home based
business.

Knowledge is Power - Learn how to start your internet home based business right!
Visit us today at http://www.free-home-based-business-info.com/

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Easy Sewing Projects

2007-09-08T08:06:00.000-05:00

: Image via Wikipedia

By Kathy Uehling

If you’ve ever played around on a sewing machine, or know someone who sews often, you probably know how many really neat things you can do. There are so many easy sewing projects that even a beginner can do quickly. Here are some of the cool things you can create through sewing.

Gifts and Home Décor:

You can create custom made gifts for your friends, family members and even your co-workers. Everyone loves a hand made gift that has been crafted out of love. I don’t mean some hokey little Kleenex cover that no one will use. I mean real, cherished gifts. You can easily create things like gorgeous roman shades, or even custom tailored clothing that will fit better than any clothing purchased at a department store. Imagine yourself sewing home décor for next to nothing, and the recipients will think you’ve spent hundreds of dollars. It’s fulfilling to see the happiness and surprise that a gift this beautiful will evoke.

Clothing:

You can make custom tailored clothing for yourself or your children very easily. Even a beginner can create couture style clothing that will look like it cost hundreds of dollars. The benefits of clothing that you’ve made yourself are numerous. You can use whatever colors and shades that you want. Don’t you hate when you’re trying to find something in a specific color and it just doesn’t exist? You are creating it specifically tailored, so it will fit so much better than store bought clothing. We don’t all have the exact same body styles, and each of us has our own unique little differences. Custom tailored clothing looks much better when we wear it, as well.

You can save money:

If you were to have your clothing or your children’s clothing custom made, you would spend hundreds if not thousands for a piece of clothing. With easy sewing tips, you can create the exact same articles of clothing for less than you would spend for clothes at a discount store!

These things are all possible, even if don’t have experience sewing. There are so many ‘sewing how to’ guides and sewing online tutorials that will give you the secrets to create these types of things. Of course, you could spend months learning how to sew with complicated sewing tutorials, but why not do it the easy way? We don’t all have months to waste on learning how to sew. There are some really great sewing tutorials and sewing how to guides that will show you how to complete easy sewing projects that just look as if they’ve taken months.

If you’ve always wanted to learn how to sew, don’t fret. Learn how to sew the easy way, with easy projects that make amazing and gorgeous results. Be careful, though. After a few gifts and projects, your entire group of friends and family will be submitting sewing requests! If you’re a practical but creative person who would love to create amazing gifts and do easy sewing projects for yourself, this is the perfect thing for you. Utilize online sewing guides and tutorials to create beautiful clothing and gifts for yourself and the people you love.

I'm a freelance writer who writes about a wide variety of subjects. I like to help people discover ideas, products and services that will benefit their lives.

http://www.squidoo.com/easy-sewing-projects

Purchasing A Sewing Machine - What Do I Need To Be Aware Of?

2007-09-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

By Linda Keaveny

Purchasing a sewing machine can be intimidating if you don’t do your home work. There are several things to consider, most important would be how will you be using the machine. Are you a serious sewer, occasional sewer, just need it for repairs or are you into embroidery, tailoring and decorative finishes.

How much do you want to spend? Do you have a brand preference, are you aware that several brands are actually manufactured by the same company. Are the attachments standard or specialized (which could cost more for accessories).

If purchasing a replacement sewing machine, will all the feet and accessories you currently have fit the machine you want to purchase. Be sure the machine you are considering has all the features you want or need.

Does it have a buttonhole attachment?

Can you drop the feed dogs for free machine stitching?

What type of maintenance is required?

Does it come with a warranty? What does the warranty cover?

What type of support does it come with? Are there classes provided or available for your new machine?

Does the machine have an automatic needle threader? How easy is it to thread?

Where is the bobbin located? Is it easily accessible?

What is the heaviest fabric the machine can handle? Will it handle several thicknesses of denim? How does it sew on lightweight fabrics?

Does it have a free arm for difficult to sew areas?

Take a poll of your friends who sew. Find out what brand machine they use, are they happy with their’s? Find out what they do and don”t like and why. Ask to try their machine.

Do most of your initial legwork on line. Most machine manufacturers have web sites, where you can gain valuable information regarding features and costs. Next, prepare a list of all features you want and start visiting the different sewing machine stores and get a feel for the different machines. Don’t over buy and pay extra for features you will never use.

Choosing the right machine will be easy if you are prepared, it all comes down to requirements and budget. If your budget will not purchase all your needs you might consider a re-manufactured machine, but check for warranties and support.

You could try negotiating a lower price with the dealer, you never know until you try.

To Creative Endeavors

Linda Keaveny

Linda Keaveny operates http://www.sewingquiltingcrafts.com a blog all about sewing. quilting and crafts. She loves giving away free stuff. and is now giving away memberships to her newsletter.
You're not going to believe what you get when you sign up...and it's all free! More information here:http://www.sewingquiltingcrafts.com

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Easy Steps to Have The Best eBay Income

2007-09-08T07:57:00.000-05:00

By Sean R Mize

If you’re a serious online seller with a steady supply of cheap and useful items, getting the best EBay income is easy and enjoyable too. EBay, undoubtedly, is the largest and most lucrative online marketplace in the world today. Getting the best income from this site depends on how you sell your products. Consider the following tips to increase your income from EBay and become one of its power-sellers.

Grab the interest of buyers by being creative in formulating captivating sales pitch. Make sure that your advertising copy can get the attention of buyers and lead them to buy from you. Offer additional items that your buyers can get for free if they buy your primary product. This is a promotional device that will guarantee repeat purchases. Open your online store for retail and wholesale buyers. Some customers are interested only in buying small items while others are bulk buyers looking for a best deal.

In this way, you can cater to the needs of everybody. Create a catalog of all your products; organize them in specific categories so that buyers can easily browse your inventory. Chances are great that your customers will buy additional products if they see other items in your catalog. Do not sell items that are inappropriate for the season. There will be few buyers for winter clothes when it is summer. Concentrate your selling efforts to your fast-moving items. Prioritize it in your advertisement list. Look for wholesalers that have cheaper bulk-pricing, retail it in your online store. Your margin of profit will definitely soar if you will do this.

Getting the best income from EBay is really quite easy. No wonder many people abandoned their day jobs to concentrate on Internet marketing through EBay. Some even earned their first million in EBay and continues to rake profit from their online store.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide‘

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 1574 articles in print and 11 published ebooks.

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Finding Profitable Items to Sell on eBay

2007-09-08T07:55:00.000-05:00

by William Saluto

In order for us to sell on eBay we must find a product that will make us a reasonable profit. This can prove to be the hardest obstacle to overcome in business.

Where To Find Profitable Products To Sell

We must do our research to find out what products are "hot" on eBay. We can do this through eBay's informative website: eBaypulse. Another website that might help us find which products are hot, is the shopping dot com consumer demand guide index. These sites provide us information that shows which items are hot or not. Once we find items that fit our niche (the most popular niche items tend be clothing, consumer electronics, collectibles, it must pass through our profit per sales filter:

Questions We Must Ask to Filter Bad Products:

If I bought the item from a store, or flea market, will I make a profit from it?
Are there a variety of sellers selling this item? Or just a select dominant few?
Is my feedback score high enough for the consumer to put their trust and buy this item?
How long has this item been hot? Do the sells seem to be increasing or decreasing?
Are these items selling "brand-new" or "used"? or both?

Most of the time will be dedicated to the continuous research of products. After the item passes our filter, we must find a place to buy our item from. There are many places where we can get our items including, our own home (the average house holds $100,000 of junk in their house), flea markets, wholesale on eBay, wholesale stores that sell in bulk such as Costco, local liquidators/auctions, and dropshipping networks as well. You can also find great items on Craigslist.org.

All ways are proven methods, but whichever way we choose, it is highly important that we buy an item with 100% certainty that it will sell for profit (even after pay-pal transaction fees and eBay fees) It can be tedious work, but the hard-work will definitely pay off in due time.

William Saluto believes anybody has the capability of owning a successful ecommerce or eBay business:

http://salehoo-reviews.blogspot.com/

Constantly hustling to provide new products for your business can be a tedious task. There are so many sites who promise you the world, only to be discovered as a scam. Take this time to review a specific wholesaler so you know what you’re getting into.

Click to Read a Review of a Legitimate Wholesaler

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eBay Explained: Paypal Coupons

2007-08-31T15:11:00.000-05:00

By Mark Kenny

Paying for your eBay purchases is normally a straight forward process. It's made easy, though eBays checkout feature which is fully intergated with paypal.

This enables you to pay with existing funds which you may have in your paypal account, or via your own credit or debit card that is linked to the account.

However like many online & offline businesses eBay & paypal regularly have new offers to try & tempt new users to signup for their services. One of these methods which they use is via the use of electronic coupons which are sent out via email.

Think of these coupons, like discount coupons which may be issued by your local supermarket - something alone the lines of 20% off when you purchase goods over £20.00.

So if your lucky enough to receive a paypal coupon it's simply a matter of entering the paypal coupon code on the final confirmation page when purchasing goods from eBay sellers. The discount will be applied immediately.

If you haven't yet received any coupons there are two tips that you can use. Firstly, register a new eBay account & never use it.

It shouldn't be long before eBay send you an email inviting you to bid for your first item - along with a paypal coupon to use should you win the item.

Secondly, & a lot easier just google for "paypal coupons". These coupons are issued to all of eBay members at some stage & there are many website which exist purely to share all kinds of these electronic coupons. Just copy & paste the number & hopefully it should work.

Mark Kenny runs an independent eBay forum where you can discuss any aspects of eBay & get rewarded for your contribution to the forum. For any advise or eBay problems, visit the forum at: http://AuctionCUT.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Kenny
http://EzineArticles.com/?eBay-Explained:-Paypal-Coupons&id=121149

Sewing Fabrics - How Do I Chose?

2007-08-31T14:45:00.000-05:00

By Linda Keaveny

Part of the fun with sewing lies in matching fabric to patterns. Spend a little time choosing the right fabric to match your colors, style, and personality.

Always, look at the way the fabric hangs in the picture on the pattern envelope, is it loose and flowing or very crisp and structured ? If the pattern lists more than one type of fabric then your choice would depend on the look and feel you desire. Check the pattern for suggested fabrics, be sure to follow their suggestions as patterns are designed for specific types of fabric, using fabrics not suggested could result in failure of your project.

When a pattern calls for stretch knits only, DO NOT use any other type of fabric, doing so could result in the item not being usable. i.e. you might not be able to get it on without the proper stretch. On knits only patterns there will be a gauge on the pattern envelope, you can hold the fabric you are thinking of purchasing to the unstretched gauge and stretch it to the stretched marks and then let go. Did the fabric stretch the necessary distance and just as important did it return to its original size. If you answer no to either question then it’s not the fabric for that pattern. Return is just as important as stretch.

The object is to make the fabric look good on you, just because it looks good on the bolt, doesn’t mean it will look good on you ! Pay particular attention to textures and patterns as they can emphasize areas that you may want to minimize and visa versa. Fabric stores with mirrors would be great as you could see how colors and texture look against your skin tones. Unfortunately, The fabric stores here do not have mirrors, in which case it would be a good idea to take along someone whose opinion you trust, if you are new to sewing or just unsure.

The final step before purchasing your fabric should be to read the cardboard it will show you the width of the fabric, the price per yard, the fabric content and the care instructions. The most important consideration, is it machine washable, hot or cold water, machine dryable or do you have to hang or lay flat to dry, or will this fabric have to be dry cleaned! VERY IMPORTANT to match your lifestyle.

Spending a little time in choosing your fabric will make your project easier to sew and more likely to turn out correctly.

Linda Keaveny operates http://www.sewingquiltingcrafts.com/ a blog all about sewing. quilting and crafts. She loves giving away free stuff. and is now giving away memberships to her newsletter.

You're not going to believe what you get when you sign up...and it's all free! More information here:

http://www.sewingquiltingcrafts.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Keaveny
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Tracing Sewing Patterns

2007-08-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

by Carol Slinker

Do you have expensive, out of print or vintage patterns you cannot bear to cut? The best way to preserve your patterns is to trace them onto pattern tracing cloth or paper.

Do you have a favorite pattern that you use over and over?

If the pieces are already cut, an easy way to preserve them is to fuse each pattern piece to a lightweight, non-woven interfacing. Just cut a piece of fusible interfacing the size of the pattern piece and place the adhesive side to the wrong side of the pattern on an ironing board. Set your iron on synthetic (no steam) and fuse the interfacing to the pattern in smooth even strokes. Press until the pattern is thoroughly adhered to the interfacing and trim the edges to finish.

If your pattern is not cut, tracing or copying each piece is an excellent way to preserve original expensive, out of print and especially vintage patterns. Tracing a vintage pattern is especially satisfying, as you can cut out, sew and enjoy your vintage-style garment while the fragile pattern remains intact.Most pattern pieces are printed on large pieces of tissue paper, such as the patterns currently available in fabric stores today. Tracing the pattern pieces is a practical way to reuse these patterns which are commonly printed with multiple sizes and views on each pattern piece. By tracing the pattern pieces, other views and different sizes can be cut from the same pattern without destroying the original, and you can always go back and make the same style for someone else.

Some pattern magazines have four or five or more patterns printed in different colors on one sheet, so you have to trace them off to use them at all. Other patterns come as "master patterns", and tracing them off is good if you want to modify the pattern for one garment without losing the original. Examine the fit and try to make as many adjustments as possible while tracing. For example, most of us have standard adjustments to make to a pattern to allow for arm length, waist or hip size, etc. Instead of tracing the pattern exactly and then making the adjustments, either gently fold the original pattern piece or mark the ending point, and then move your tracing paper up or down the correct distance and fill in between.

The materials used to trace patterns are many and varied, from the packaged tracing paper kits available in fabric stores to using kitchen waxed paper, which is easy to see through, sturdy and if a larger piece is needed, just fuse two pieces together with a dry iron set on wool. Other tools required are an iron, a pen, French curve and ruler.

Before tracing the pattern, press each pattern piece lightly with a cool, dry iron (no steam – it could shrink the pattern) to remove any creases. Lay the pattern on a smooth hard surface, position the pattern tracing cloth or paper on top and secure with tape or weights. Use the French curve and ruler to trace the cutting lines and any necessary markings, adjustments, etc. and remember to label each piece with the pattern number and view, etc. Remove the tape, if used, and cut out the new duplicate permanent pattern. The original pattern remains intact and uncut.

If you're looking for quality sewing patterns to make your own stylish aprons, tote bags, hats & accessories or children's wear I hope you'll visit my eBay store. Where Saving Money is Good!

Thank you so much and Enjoy!
Carol's Tag Sale

Chocolate Gift Baskets - Purchased or DIY

2007-08-26T03:21:00.000-05:00

Chocolate Treasures Gourmet Food Gift Basket

Looking for the perfect gift? This fantastic gift basket is a surefire hit! Chocolate Treasures Gourmet Food Gift Basket

or - Do It Yourself!

Chocolate gift baskets are always a great hit! You can even make your own with various gourmet chocolates, cocoas, or chocolate themed items arranged in a unique and appropriate basket, bucket or other container. Choose from dark chocolate, chocolate covered nuts, hot fudge sauce or even seasonal chocolates such as hearts for Valentines Day or bunnies for Easter.

It is said that 99% of women and men love chocolate. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine the “fall in love” chemical; so chocolate is a good Valentine or Anniversary gift. Chocolate also causes the release of dopamine and endorphins, both of which affect the “feel good” portion of the brain. Choosing a chocolate gift basket is definitely going to make someone happy.

There are a lot of good reasons to send a chocolate gift basket. Dark chocolate is proven to be heart healthy, taken in small daily portions, and chocolate can decrease hypertension and improve cardiovascular health.

Most of all, when you send a chocolate gift basket you will feel good, and I can guarantee the recipient will love it!

DIY Wedding Favors

2007-08-25T14:31:00.000-05:00

Homemade wedding favors come from a centuries old tradition of brides and grooms providing small gifts to wedding guests. Every culture across time has treated marriage as a wonderful event with the nuptials celebrated throughout the community. In many cultures the bride and groom are associated with good luck. A common thought among these cultures was, that every thing the couple touched would be charmed. By gifting members of the community, the couple would pass blessings to others for the rest of the year.

Initially all wedding favors were homemade, as the concept of mass produced items had yet to be conceived. Many brides would choose to redistribute their good luck by preparing a small gift of almonds beautifully wrapped in elegant fabric. The custom in the Middle East is for the bride to provide five almonds to represent fertility, longevity, wealth, health and happiness. Today, the candied nut known as Jordan almonds, provides for one of the most common and traditional wedding favors, when they are wrapped in small bundles of delicate fabric.

The gifts a bride might create would be dependent on the culture and materials available. For years European and American women would crochet small bags or stiffen their work to create small boxes that would typically hold fruit, nut or candy treats. Crochet items are still an elegant touch for Victorian or country themed weddings. Today, a bride is only limited to her imagination when it comes to selecting the gifts that will show appreciation from the blessed couple.

The tradition of creating homemade weddings favors has continued as a means for the bride to reduce expenses on the wedding budget. Although today, many quality items can be mass produced for a relatively low cost, brides prefer to create homemade favors as a means of self expression.

Homemade favors allow her opportunities for unique gift giving and personalization that can't be found in retail store. Homemade wedding favors can be labor extensive or have a sense of simple sophistication. Time, talent and imagination are the only limits for the creation of wedding favors. Craft stores offer an extensive variety of materials from which to create a memorable item. Simple glass bud vases and candles can be adorned with paint or glass gems. Ready-to-paint bare wood birdhouses can be adorned to resemble wedding chapels. Something as simple as adding a photo of the couple, to a simple picture frame makes an excellent favor that will outlast the wedding day.

Home computers, desktop publishing software and quality papers make it easy to duplicate products that have only been available from professional printers in the past. Poetry can be added to beautiful backgrounds for unique bookmarks or framed works. Decorative placecards with the guests name in an beautiful script can later serve to replace a boring name placard on their work desk. Software to edit music and video recordings allow for the production of private CD's and DVD's.

Baked goods continue to make excellent wedding favors. Cookie cutters are manufactured in every imaginable shape allowing the bride to present distinctive, frosted and personalized delights. Miniature cakes, petits fours and even chocolates can be recreated in the home kitchen. Plastic molds for forming chocolate and other candies make it easy to produce delicacies that are representative of wedding themes. A fun twist on a common molded candy is to prepare it on a stick to create a lollipop from hard candies or chocolates.

Homemade wedding favors will continue to be a favorite for the bride and her guests. The opportunity to produce an item that genuinely expresses the heartfelt sentiments of the couple, will never go out of style.

Wok this Way! (Part 2 of 5) Selecting a Wok

2007-08-25T14:24:00.000-05:00

Wok this Way! (Part 2 of 5) Selecting a Wok
By Helen Fan

As mentioned in Part 1 of the series, woks come in different sizes ranging from 10 to 32 inches in diameter, but a wok that's 11 to 14 inches in diameter should suffice for use in a household kitchen.

Woks come in 2 different bottoms, the traditional round-bottomed woks, and the “westernized” flat-bottomed woks. Both have their advantages, but the're reasons that the traditional wok lasted thousands of years in Chinese kitchens. The flat-bottomed woks do not heat as evenly. The flattened area creates a little angle around the bottom that makes it harder to manipulate your cooking utensil. Food may get caught in this area, becoming overcooked or even burnt due to the lack of movement. This also could present a problem when you clean it afterwards. That little angle also increases the likelihood that you will accidentally scratch the wok while stir frying. The flat-bottomed woks were designed for better balance on flat American stovetops, especially the electric stove. But there is a simple solution for that. You can purchase a “wok ring” that you put on the stovetop, and sit the wok over it for balance. We will go through that in more detail in Part 5, “Wok accessories”.

A wok is generally made of iron, copper, carbon steel, or aluminum. Carbon steel and aluminum are the better ones because of their superior heat conductivity, but the general consensus is that carbon steel is, by far, the best material for a wok. Carbon steel is the most porous, and when exposed to high heat, the pores open up to absorb the cooking oil, contributing to developing the "patina", and then the elusive "wok hay" (covered in Part 3). If you go around Chinese restaurants and ask their chefs the kind of woks they use, an overwhelming majority will swear by carbon steel woks. The best part is that carbon steel woks are relatively inexpensive to buy. There is an old adage that says “you get what you pay for”. This is definitely not the case for woks.

There are now stainless-steel versions of the wok, although it is generally not recommended. Stainless-steel is not a good heat conductor, which defeats the purpose of Chinese cuisine that relies heavily on quick cooking on high heat. They sure look nice, but would you rather have a nice looking wok, or a taste bud-tickling, mouth-watering gourmet dish? The answer should be obvious. Woks with non-stick coatings are not desirable, either. They all inevitably scratch and food gets stuck to the metal, ruining the taste, smell, presentation of the dishes, not to mention the extra effort needed in cleaning the wok. In addition, the high heat required for Chinese cooking may eventually damage the non-stick coating. A well-seasoned wok will last forever, where as a non-stick wok will inevitably need a replacement over time.

There is an enamel-lined version where there are no reactions between the metal and the food, which makes it a nice alternative. But, if a steel carbon wok is seasoned well (covered in Part 3), it will become virtually non-stick, and will work better than any other versions out there. If you must buy one with a non-stick surface, we recommend purchasing a hard-anodized, or heavy-gauged aluminum wok, but the downside of that is that they are very expensive. Why spend a big wad of money on an expensive wok when you can get one that will do a better job, at a fraction of a price, right?

The bottom line is, if you're serious about cooking Chinese food, and create dishes that taste authentically Chinese, pick a round-bottomed, carbon steel wok, and include a wok ring as an accessory (if necessary) to balance it on the stove.

In Part 3 of Wok this way! we'll cover the all important subject of “Seasoning” a new wok.

Helen Fan grew up in a family that has owned various Asian restaurants all over North America, from Vancouver (Canada), Houston (Texas), Decatur (Illinois), to Chicago (Illinois). She, and the rest of the Fan family are now sharing their decades of knowledge on the art of Chinese cuisine at http://www.chinesehomecooking.com/

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Basic Terms on Chinese Restaurant Menus

2007-08-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

By Shauna Hanus

In today’s modern Chinese restaurants even a more traditional menu will come with English translations for many of the more common Chinese food terms. It is, however, always handy to have knowledge of some to the basic terms just in case you find yourself in need.

Here are eleven definitions that range from vegetables to duck for some of the more common items found in Chinese restaurants.

Choy = vegetable. Vegetables or Choy are found in many Chinese food dishes. This versatile ingredient can be found in stand alone dishes or accompanied by meat.

Dun = egg and is often found in dishes like Egg Foo Young where eggs or Dun are combined with a wide variety of accompaniments like rice, chicken, vegetables and bean sprouts.

Fon = rice and is most familiar in Fried Rice which comes with peas, carrots and pork or in sticky short grained white rice.

Gai = chicken and is a very adaptable ingredient to use in dishes like Cashew Chicken or Moo

Shu Chicken where the chicken is thin sliced and served with vegetables, plum sauce and a thin pancake.

Har = shrimp and can be found in Peking Shrimp which can sometimes still be found by its traditional name of Beijing Far Jue Har.

Mien = noodle and is a soft warm noodle served with chicken or pork and vegetables. The all too common chow mien noodle is a crunchy version of the original.

Moo ghoo = mushroom. Moo Ghoo Gai Pan, which means sliced chicken and mushrooms, is an easily found dish on most Chinese restaurant menus.

Op = duck. Op or duck is not as common as chicken or pork but is a delicacy that is worth tasting.

Pien = sliced, proper slicing is key to Chinese cooking.

Suen = sour

Tiem = sweet. Most often times you will see sweet and sour in the same dish such as Sweet and Sour Pork which contains pork, pineapple and green peppers in a sweet sauce.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats

Club at http://www.gourmayeats.com/

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Shade Gardening

2007-08-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

By Mike Mathews

For most people living in the city, Shade gardening is the reality that they have to deal with every day. For the most part, the formal English and full sun gardens are out of the question. Small back yards with high fences to for privacy, large trees, tall building, and our penchant for large houses all have contributed to a shady urban garden landscape. It is highly probable that you have, at the least, one shady spot in your garden that is in need of help. Below is a list of the types of shade gardens and the plants best suited to them for colour and maintenance.

Deep Shade

Deep shade gardens are areas without much or any light, direct or indirect. These naturally occur under large densely leaved trees and tree groupings, deciduous or coniferous. One way around this problem area would be to thin out the trees, prune the canopy, or in the case of the conifer prune up from the ground several feet, exposing the ground to indirect light. Other areas of deep shade occur beside high fences and wall, practically those facing north.

Plants that can do well in this type of deep shade would be mostly woodland plants, especially those from your zone and area.

Here is a list of deep shade plants:

Aucuba (spotted laurel) Shrub

Cornus (dogwood) shrub

Euonymus (pindle) shrub

Lamium (dead nettle) plant

Milium (millet) grass

Rosa (rose) climber

Schizphrgma climber

Lonicera (honeysuckle) climber

Hydrangea

Dappled Shade

These gardens are generally under loose foliage trees or woody areas. The light received in these garden areas is a mixture of spotted light and shade that tends to stay the same during the day. There are many plants that thrive in this type of setting, mostly woodland varieties, but you may be able to plant some sunloving plants that are able to adapt to lower light conditions.

Here is a list of dappled sunlight plants:

Windflower (Anemone nemorosa)

Primrose (Primula)vulgaris)

Blue bells (Endymion non-scriptus)

Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarsissus)

Wild Foxglove (Digitalis purpruea)

Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica)

Azaleas

Rhododendron

Lily (Lilium)

Solomon’s seal (Polygonamatum) Trilliums

Partial Shade

Partial shade is an ambiguous term used for areas that get some direct sunlight during the day and indirect for the rest. Most sun loving plants will adapt to this type of setting as will dappled shade plants.

With a little forethought and planning, you can beat the shade and have a great garden in these problem areas of your yard.

About the Author - Mike Mathews is a contributing writer and editor for the popular dog breed site: http://www.dog-breed-facts.com . He provides informative, real-world advice and tips on dog breeds, dog health , dog grooming and more. As well be sure to check out his free report on Dog Training.

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Wildlife Gardener

2007-08-25T11:42:00.000-05:00

By Cheryl White

Gardening for wildlife has become quite a passion for me, although I only have a small urban garden I have still managed to fit a fair amount of bird and insect friendly flowers and plants in.

Since reading an article about the decline in popular species of birds such as sparrows, blackbirds and thrushes I decided to do my bit to help my local bird population by purchasing two seed feeders, a nut feeder, a bird table and a small bird bath I was ready and waiting for my new feathered visitors, which up to that point was few and far between.

After a couple of weeks of patiently waiting and watching I was beginning to loose hope, only the odd sparrow turned up every other day, though still I waited. After the fourth week success, it seemed that word had spread and dozens of sparrows flocked to my garden, amongst them birds that I had never seen in my garden such as Blue Tits, Great Tits and Green Finches.

I have found Blackbirds are a lot more common now, along with two grey squirrels which constantly argue over the feeders!

The success inspired my enthusiasm and I browsed on the internet to find some plants and shrubs that I could use in my garden which would be beneficial to wildlife with a little help I started to redesign my garden.

As I only have a small space trees and large shrubs were out of the question, though there seemed plenty of information to help choose the right plant for the right position, which believe me being a complete amateur gardener I needed all the help I could get!

I chose a Conester which is great for attracting butterflies and bees in the summer and supply red berries for the birds in autumn and early winter, Globe thistles which attract Blue Tits and finches when the turn to seed, several sorts of Cranesbill, Tickseed, Rudbeckia and Golden Marguerite which are also good for attracting a variety of insects, Clematis and honeysuckle which provide shelter and nesting sites once matured.

Over the last couple of years I have really begun to enjoy gardening, being able to watch all my efforts come to life and benefit the birds in a small way, which if more and more people put wildlife friendly plants, a birdfeeder or two and perhaps a pond if room permits then this would help to make up for some of their decline and help rebuild their numbers.

Even if you have no garden you could hang a bird feeder on the balcony or attach a feeder to a window, you can always make room for at least one!

Make a difference to your local feathered friends: you can get a lot pleasure watching all types of birds without even leaving your home.

Cheryl White is the author and Owner of http://www.money-4-work.com and http://www.work-n-earn.com Business opportunity websites,

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Antoine's Recipe A Culinary 'Scoop' - Steak Robespierre

2007-08-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

By Lindsey Williams

It's a shame the gourmets of the world don't unite to present an annual award to the Best Restaurant Of The Year.

I felt this shortcoming rather acutely some weeks ago when some of us gourmets - hearty eaters always refer to themselves as gourmets - were sitting around drooling on our bosoms.

The favorite indoor sport of those who enjoy good food is recalling Memorable Meals at famous eateries.

I opined that Antoine's of New Orleans has to be ranked with the leaders because of its Steak Robespierre.

"Steak what?" demanded my incredulous companions, as learned eaters are wont to do. "Who ever heard of that dish? You're putting us on."

Stung to the quick of my taste buds, I asserted stoutly that Antoine's concocted the most delectable steak this side of the Pearly Gates; and, indeed, Robespierre, was its name.

"Pooh," they replied.

Thus it was that I set out on a quest for the recipe of Steak Robespierre.

None of our household cookbooks - already pledged to the Smithsonian Institute upon my death - had a word about Antoine's famous steak.

Likewise the Public Library department of cookery.

Likewise the food editors of three great daily newspapers.

At last, in desperation, a long distance telephone call to Antoine's itself.

Voila!

A conversation with the head chef.

How do mere mortals converse with men on whose shoulders rests the awesome responsibility of preparing Great Meals?

"Please, oh august one, sir, my credentials as a Master Gourmet are in jeopardy because certain neophytes have failed to make your pilgrimage and are, therefore, ignorant of the joys of Steak Robespierre.

"Would'st thou, in this extremity, deign to enlighten the miserable ones in Ohio who doubt my veracity and thy culinary skill?" Long pause at other end of wire.

"Sacre bleu!" the Great One intoned. "Eet ees a secret recipe which I have sworn to give only to my son."

"I am desolate," I replied. "I shall be drummed out of the Gourmet's Club and back to pork and beans every Saturday."

"Weeeeel, in that case, I will tell you the ingredients - but not the quantities. My son - you understand?"

"Yes, Yes, Yes! But please to proceed, my three minutes are nearly up."

Here, then, Friends of the Sauce Pan, are the materials that go into Antoine's unique Steak Robespierre. This is a culinary scoop in the world of food journalism - other papers may copy.

Marinate whole, aged, beef tenderloins in red wine and French dressing up to four hours. Bake to medium rare.

Next, make a small brown gravy from beef stock and arrowroot. Add these ingredients: sauteed, diced bacon; scallions; red wine; tomato juice; chicken livers sautéed in the bacon drippings; sliced green olives; mushroom caps; and finally, chunked veal sweet breads well boiled and cleaned.

Garnish with artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil, wine vinegar and dill.

If this description hasn't started your digestive juices boiling, leave us and turn to the sport page.

For those of you who are now faint with involuntary twitchings of the stomach muscles read on at your own risk.

The proof of the pudding - that is, the steak - is in the eating so the Mother of My Children graciously agreed to prepare the dish for our doubting friends. Our friends, now eager, promised to surround it with the same viands that accompanied our first Steak Robespierre at Antoine's, lo, those many years ago.

Oh, what a dinner it was. It will be a legend to be cherished by my children.

First there was bouillabaisse soup with great chunks of white fish, scallops, and eels. Boiled shrimp with hot tomato sauce. Salad Ponchartrain with sliced tomato marinated in red wine, topped with finely chopped and blanched asparagus tips, potato salad, Thousand Island dressing and black caviar.

Steak Robespierre, cloud light and dripping with that exquisite sauce.

"Dirty" rice steamed in beef consommé. Crackling Rose for the table wine.

For desert, my specialty, Bananas Foster, flambé.

Cafe au lait. Bon bons and mixed roasted nuts. Panatella cigars and Southern Comfort for both ladies and gentlemen.

Well, sir, and Bob, you can imagine the effect this masterpiece had on my doubting friends. Already there is a movement afoot in my gourmet club to give me a Certificate of Appreciation, and maybe make me Grand Guard Of The Skillet.

I hope I can bear the title with modesty.

October 10, 1973

Click here to see this article on Lindsey Williams' website

Lindsey Williams is a Sun columnist who can be contacted at:

LinWms@earthlink.net or LinWms@lindseywilliams.org

Website: http://www.lindseywilliams.org with over a thousand of Lin's Editorial & At Large articles written over 40 years.

Also featured in its entirety is Lin's groundbreaking book "Boldly Onward," that critically analyzes and develops theories about the original Spanish explorers of America.
(fully indexed/searchable)

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Cooking Up A Career - The Culinary Arts

2007-08-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

Cooking Up A Career - The Culinary Arts
By Cecily Kellogg

The clang of metal, the scent of spices, the hiss of flame—you can take the heat and you want in to the kitchen. If you love everything about the art of cooking, a career in the culinary arts might be right for you.

Culinary artists are responsible for skillfully preparing meals that are as pleasing to the palate as to the eye. They work primarily in restaurants, fast food franchises, delicatessens, hospitals and other institutions and corporations. Kitchen conditions vary depending on the type of business or restaurant you work in. But before you start working in the kitchen, you’ll need to get an education in the Culinary Arts.

Most people working in the culinary arts are referred to as chefs. There are many types of chefs (although not every restaurant or facility will use these titles):

• Assistant chef

• Banquet chef

• Chef

• Chef de cuisine

• Chef de partie

• Chef patissier

• Cold foods chef

• Corporate chef

• Entremetier

• Executive chef

• Executive sous-chef

• First sous-chef

• Garde-manger chef

• Head chef

• Head rotisseur

• Master chef

• Meat chef

• Meat, poultry and fish chef

• Pasta chef

• Pastry chef

• Rotisserie chef

• Saucier

• Second chef

• Sous-chef

• Specialist chef

• Specialty foods chef

• Supervising chef

• Working sous-chef

Becoming a Chef

Once you’ve decided to become a chef, you need to choose a culinary school. There are thousands of schools out there—and here are some helpful things to consider while making you decision.

The Numbers

The culinary school you choose should have a proven history of success for its graduates. Be sure to make sure that the school has all of the following:

• High graduation and employment rates

• Alumna with successful careers with attractive salaries

• Large, successful alumni networks

• A widespread reputation providing access to national and international career opportunities

The Educational Experience

While it’s important to study the history of food, you learn more in the kitchen than the classroom. Be sure the school you choose offers:

• A high number of teaching kitchens and in-kitchen instruction

• A variety of first-class restaurants on campus for professional training

• Externships at leading restaurants, hotels, and resorts for real-world experience and industry connections

The Faculty

Who will be teaching you? You want a culinary school with the following faculty:

• Faculty members who are Master Chefs or Master Bakers

• Instructors who are Certified Hospitality Educators

• Diverse faculty representing a variety of cultures and culinary experiences

• “Celebrity” chef faculty members who actually teach

• Student/faculty ratios that provide individual mentoring

• A “published” faculty and college; accomplished educators are often authors of leading culinary texts as well

Degrees

Which degree will suit your career plans the best?

• Associate degree programs will provide fundamental skills, techniques, and cuisine studies to help prepare you for a variety of foodservice jobs

• Bachelor’s degree programs will provide the same foundation plus build operational and management knowledge to prepare you for leadership in and beyond the kitchens and bakeshops

Campus

What makes a good culinary school campus? You should always look for the following:

• A diverse student body and a variety of clubs, special events, and sports

• Attractive campus housing and recreational facilities, and a fun student life experience

• Access to a major city where you can benefit from additional entertainment, cultural learning, and exposure to leading foodservice businesses

Originally published at http://www.collegequest.com/

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Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix

2007-08-25T11:09:00.000-05:00

Xbox 360 3 Red Light Fix
By Jeffery Fairow

Since the Xbox 360 was released in 2005 the video game console has been plagued with general hardware failure issues indicated by the three red lights flashing on the console.

You may have heard of or experienced this problem yourself. I am going to tell you about the main Xbox 360 problems people have been experiencing and how you can solve them.

The most common problem is overheating. The console is designed to utilize heat sinks, vented openings, and fans to aid in dissipation of this heat. If the airflow to the vents become obstructed then this causes reduced system performance and hardware failure indicated by the three red lights . Try placing the xbox 360 console in the open and free any debris that might be blocking the vents.

The Nyko Intercooler has also been reported to have caused a general hardware failure in a number of consoles, as well as scorching of the power AC input. Microsoft stated that intercooler drains too much power from the console and can cause the faults to occur.

Another problem that is also heat related is the GPU (General Processing Unit). When the GPU becomes very hot it causes the motherboard to flex causing the soldering to become loose, because the lead free solder that is used is more brittle than the older tin/lead solder that was used in the past.

Microsoft repaired consoles under the 90 day warranty for free, and charged $140 to repair out-of-warranty consoles. July, 2007 Microsoft extended extended the warranty of all Xbox 360 consoles suffering general hardware failures.

If you have experienced the Xbox 360 three red lights, you could pay to have it shipped to the repair center. Let me forewarn you that due to the number of malfunctioning consoles, you may have to wait three weeks or more. If you are a Xbox 360 addict like me that is just too long to wait!

I have just explained the main reasons why the Xbox 360 shows three red lights. I hope this information was of some use to you.

Jeffery Fairow is an Xbox 360 fanatic who loves to play Halo2 and John Madden.

Before You Pay To Have Your Xbox 360 Shipped Off, Check Out My Step By Step
Guide On How To Fix These Simple Problems Yourself. Click The Link Below:

Xbox 360 3 Red Lights Fix

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A Few Simple Tips for Frugal Living

2007-08-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

A Few Simple Tips for Frugal Living
By Gabriel J. Adams

With gas prices, housing costs, and many other important things on the rise, it is even more important to live frugally. Frugal living is not just something that you can do from time to time; it is a change in the way you live your life. Many people struggle to make ends meet and pay their bills. Many of these people are living an extravagant lifestyle that they can not afford. If they would try to live a more frugal life, then they would probably be able to get their finances under control. Here are a few ways that you can live a frugal life.

I believe that one of the number one reasons people get into debt is they allow themselves to make too many impulse purchases. Make sure that you only buy things that are a necessity. If something is not necessary, then you need to start a fund and save up money to make that purchase. One of the worst things that a person can do is run up large credit card bills, because the interest will get you deeper into debt before you know it.

Another very important thing that people can do to live a frugal life is to not dine out very often. It is much cheaper to cook at home, than it is to eat out at a restaurant. If you do not eat out very often then you can save hundreds of dollars every month. Eating out less often is also better for your health, which can save you money on medical bills in the long run. Also when you do decide to dine out, make sure that you drink water, because any other drink at a restaurant is outrageously overpriced.

The final tip for living a frugal life is to try to save up enough money to buy your car or your house without financing it. You will pay almost double the cost of a new car or a house in interest if you have to finance the cost. It is very hard to save up this type of money, but if you are watching your spending elsewhere, and you work hard to save the money, then it should be an attainable goal.

Visit the Frugal Blog at http://www.zlittle.com/

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Profitable Home Sewing Business

2007-08-25T11:03:00.000-05:00

By Randy Wilson

If you’re interested in home sewing businesses, you’re onto a good thing. Home based sewing businesses have benefited from tremendous improvements in technology in the last few years.

The opportunities for home sewing businesses range from sewing specialty clothing to monogramming to commercial sewing. There are some absolutely fabulous machines and software out there that do everything from intricate embroidery to monogramming shirts, jackets, and caps for all sorts of businesses and sports teams.

So how do you go about starting a sewing business? First you have to decide on the type of home sewing business you want. As mentioned earlier, you can make specialty clothing such as wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses on a machine you likely already own.

You may, however, want to break into the commercial area where you embroider on caps and such for local sports and Little League teams. Before you can have any home based sewing business, you have to know what exactly type of sewing service that business is going to provide.

The next thing you want to do when looking into sewing businesses is to look at the costs involved if you are going to be purchasing equipment. There’s a wide range for you to choose from, and you can likely find exactly what you need at exactly the right price for your budget. Just make sure you deal with reputable companies. This is especially important if you’re going to purchase used equipment for your home sewing business.

Now develop a business plan for your sewing business. It should include a budget and how you’ll use profits to grow your business in the future. You need to consider who the target market is for your home sewing business, and develop a plan for how you’re going to reach it. Also, you’ll want to look at accounting needs, tax requirements, and liability insurance.

You also want to decide whether you want to have a partner or not. Often, it’s a good idea to have a partner, but make sure that person shares your vision of what you’re doing. Also where you want to take your sewing business over time.

Once you have a business plan, follow it. It takes effort and determination to establish and sustain all businesses, whether they’re home sewing businesses or Fortune 500 corporations. There will be bumps in the road, but your business plan will help you manage them when they pop up. Be vigilant, and you can be the owner of a successful home sewing business.

And, please, don’t forget to consider your family when considering home sewing businesses. Talk about how having a home based sewing business will affect them. Make sure everyone understands what it will mean to them. You’ll be home, but you’ll be working.

This can make it hard for family members to know when you can stop and chat or go out for a bite to eat. Having everything out in the open will be a big help in the future when you’re going crazy to meet a deadline and your family wants to go out for ice cream.

Once you’ve considered these aspects of home sewing businesses and have taken the plunge to actually start a home based sewing business, you want to get the word out. How much advertising you do depends on your budget, and you may not be able to do the type and amount you’d like when your first start your home sewing business.

Some simple, inexpensive advertising and marketing materials you should consider are flyers and business cards. You should also look into placing small ads in your local newspaper.

Websites are something else you should look into for advertising and marketing your home sewing business. They aren’t nearly as expensive as you might think—and are well worth the investment for the amount of business one can bring your way.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy has dozens of home based business articles such as Soy Candle Business Opportunity and Spy Products.

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EBay, the First 12 Years

2007-08-25T09:29:00.000-05:00

EBay, the First 12 Years
By Anthony Chambers

You may be surprised to know that eBay was created 12 years ago or just about anyway. As of this writing that is less than a month away. The website, eBay was created by Pierre Omidyar in September 1995. At the time he was living in San Jose, California, USA. It is said that Pierre wrote the code for eBay in one weekend.

eBay was a pioneer in several ways. The original name of the site was actually "AuctionWeb" and was part of a website called Echo Bay. It was not too long after the launch, that people started calling the site eBay anyway. The first item sold on eBay was Omidyar's broken laser pointer. The managed to sell it for a whopping $14.00!

Ebay become immensely popular very quickly. Sellers came on the site to list all sorts of oddities and more remarkably, buyers actually bought them. At first ebay operated on the honor system as sellers and buyers seem to trust each other. This allowed Pierre to let the site almost run itself.

From the outset, ebay was designed to collect a small fee on each sale. This money was used by Omidyar to pay for the expansion of the business. As the fees quickly added up to more than his regular salary, Pierre quit his job to concentrate his efforts full time on his website. In 1996 Pierre installed the feedback system on ebay. This allowed buyers and sellers to rate each other instilling even more confidence in other users of the site.

In 1997, Omidyar changed AuctionWeb's - and his company's - name to 'eBay', which is what users had been calling the site for a long time anyway. Pierre spent a lot of money on advertising, and also redesigned the eBay logo. It was in this year also that ebay sold it's one-millionth item.

In 1998 during the peak of the dotcom boom, eBay became a big business. The money made available to internet investments during this era allowed eBay to bring in senior managers and business strategists, who took the company public. This started to encourage people to sell more than just collectibles, and eBay quickly became a massive website, and a very large business.

To this extent, you you could sell anything, large or small to anyone who could pay for it. Unlike many other websites however, eBay survived the inevitable dot com meltdown, and is still going strong today.

In 1999, ebay expanded worldwide. It launched sites in the UK, Australia and Germany, bought half.com in 2000. Half.com was an online retailer much like Amazon. In 2000 as well, eBay introduced Buy it Now. Ebay also purchased PayPal, an online payment service, in 2002.

Pierre Omidyar has now earned an estimated $3 billion from eBay, and still serves as Chairman of the Board. Interestingly, he keeps a personal weblog at http://pierre.typepad.com. There are now literally millions of items bought and sold on eBay every year. For every $100 spent online worldwide, it is estimated that $14 is spent on eBay This is a huge portion of all online purchases.

Anthony Chambers writes articles that hit at the heart of today's marketers, entrepreneurs, and those trying to break into internet marketing. Visit him at: http://bloss2.blogspot.com/ or get started with your own business at: Click Here

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Should You Start a Home Based Business?

2007-08-25T05:50:00.000-05:00

Should You Start a Home Based Business?
By Hermas Haynes

Across every industry in today's workplace, cutting edge technology is being utilized to improve efficiency, develop new business, create greater customer satisfaction and increase profits, all for a fraction of the cost of human labor.

While this is good news for share holders and cause for corporate boards to celebrate an impressive profit and loss statement, it often comes at the risk of displacing significant numbers of the workforce. Thousands of loyal and dedicated employees will find themselves on the chopping block, having exhausted their usefulness to their employers.

Crossroads

Some of these folks will be fortunate enough to be offered a "thank you" package of benefits and cash before being dumped and left to go on with their lives. Those who still have productive years left will choose between starting over, at worst, or parachuting to a situation that compensates them adequately for their vast experience and expertise at best.

It is often at this juncture that the question of starting a home based business will come up. Of course, not everyone is pressured by circumstances to consider that question. A few do have the luxury of deliberate contemplation.

Regardless of how you may arrive at that question, there are some important aspects to think about that will help you find the answer that's right for you.

1. Why do you want to start a home business anyway?

Work experience alone is not an automatic qualifier. You'll also have to take a deep, honest look into yourself to identify your purpose for wanting to make this leap. What's your motivation? Why is that important to you? How would others benefit from it? Are you sufficiently convinced and passionate about the reason that drives you?

2. Are you cut out to be a home business owner?

Not everyone is a natural for developing and managing a home business. It involves much more than following a job description. For starters it requires vision, creativity, tenacity, discipline, planning, organization, courage and money. It helps if you are a self-starter, and at the end of the day, you get to take credit for any success as well as blame for any failure.

3. What are the advantages?

Apart from tax considerations and the freedom to spend more quality time with friends and family, what other advantages do you see accruing from such a venture? You'll have to make sacrifices, overcome difficulties, and your stress level will jump up a point or two, so what other potential payoffs would make a home business viable to you?

4. Do you have a market in mind?

Determining what and who to sell is probably the trickiest part. You'll have to do some market research to identify a need you could supply at a reasonable price and turn a fair profit. And to improve your chance for success, your choice should involve something you are passionate about. That passion will fuel your drive, boost your optimism and take the drudgery out of the work you do.

5. What skills and experience do you have?

In addition to doing something you love, you'll want to examine your skills, knowledge and experience to see how they could help you advance your ambitions. If you love to cook but are short on patience, it might be better to sell recipes than to teach others how to cook.

6. What is the income potential?

The answer to this will rely in large part on the size of the market you pick and the demand for the product or service you offer. The rest will be up to you and how effectively your promotional strategies are at converting sales. If you have a sound plan and make sensible preparations you could make an extraordinary income.

Other things to consider

Make sure the zoning regulations in your area permit the type of business you are planning.

Select a business structure that best suits your startup.

Craft a business plan that clearly lays out your objectives and financial requirements.

Come up with a name for your business.

As you can see there are several elements to be considered long before you can hang a sign that says: Open for Business. Get ideas, suggestions and guidance form others you know who are running businesses of their own. Pick their brains. They'll be happy to share their experiences, help you weigh the risks and offer encouragement.

In the final analysis though, only you can decide if a home business is right for you.

Hermas Haynes has more than five years of solid online marketing experience and is the webmaster of http://www.ebizinfocenter.com/ - a popular resource for marketing ideas, tools and strategies that will help you advance your Web business.

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Business Plan - Candle Making

2007-08-25T05:44:00.000-05:00

Business Candle Making Plans - What are They?
By Veronica Miller

A business plan for any new business, including a business plan for making candles, is an outline of all the important aspects of the business and how they are going to work over the first year of trading. It is just like any other plan – it provides a detailed map, blueprint or chart for you to plot your course on how to get from zero (no candle business) to the end game - a profitable, functioning candle business that is growing.

Business plans are really useful documents for anyone starting a business for the first time, because they help you plan in thorough detail every aspect of what you are going to do. And a little planning up front can help avoid a whole lot of grief later.

Most people write a business candle making plan to get either grant money or investment. But the best reason for creating a business plan for making candles is for your own benefit. You may think you’ve got it all mapped out, but trust me, as soon as you start trying to write it down gaps will appear. (This is a good thing by the way!)

People tend to be scared of business plans because they have never seen one. This is reasonable! Clearly if you have never seen a business plan of any kind the idea of creating one from scratch might be a bit daunting.

Once you’ve read a few though, you’ll realise they are all pretty similar. They are formal documents that follow a standard layout and content, with just a little variation to account for the differences between individual types of businesses.

The main variation between most business plans is simply how well they are written, NOT the actual content. A business plan is as much about persuading the reader that you know what you are doing as it is about what you are doing.

What does a business plan for making candles cover?

The business plan will look at the product or service you are going to sell. Clearly for a business candle making plan this will be about the candles you will be making. You will be quite specific about the kinds you will make, the materials you will use and the prices.

Your business plan for making candles will look at the overall market for candles: whether it is growing or shrinking, who buys candles, why they buy them and when they buy them. It will also cover any research you have done into the market for your individual candles and if people are likely to buy them.

Your plan will detail how and where you are going to make your candles; how they will be manufactured. It will cover who your suppliers will be. It will go into a lot of detail about how, where and when you are going to sell the candles.

Your plan will cover how you intend to market the business. Sometimes the material for the marketing section will come from a separate and more detailed “Marketing Plan”. This may or may not be included with the business plan if you are submitting an information pack for prospective investors, but you will always summarise the main points in the main business candle making plan.

One of the most important parts of the business plan comes at the end. This is the financial breakdown. You basically produce a full set of accounts, just like you would at the end of your first year of trading. This is a made-up set – it represents your best guess at this stage of what the accounts will look like for real at the end of your first year.

The financial section tends to be of most interest to people reading the plan as the thing they most want to know is how much money the business will make. If you have never seen a business plan you have probably also never seen a set of accounts, so these two or three pages can look very scary. As with all other aspects of a business plan though, you can learn what they mean with a little patience.

Every business candle making plan will include a Management or Executive Summary. This will be a very short summary of the main points covered in the plan. It will be no more than 1-2 pages and although it is always the first thing in the business plan for making candles it is always the last thing you write.

There are a few others things you might find in a typical business candle making plan. You might include a time line for activities showing what will happen when, although this is a less usual inclusion. If you have a lot of products you might include a catalogue of products. If you have developed any marketing materials, e.g. adverts you might include these. This type of material tends to be included as an appendix, because it supports the main body of writing which should always be clear and concise.

And that’s all it is. To sum up - a business candle making plan is a formal document which follows a standard style and layout. There are pre-set sections of information it will include, but each section is written specifically for your own candle making business. The most important sections in the whole plan are the financials section, which shows how much money the business will make in year one and the executive summary, which is just a précis of the whole plan you put at the front.

There are many other types of information which might be included, usually as appendices if they support the main story. The main reasons for creating a business plan for making candles are usually to get grant money or investment. However, it is highly recommended that if you are new to business and new to home based candle businesses you should write a business plan for making candles for yourself, so that you are clear on what you are doing.

If you would like to know more about creating a business plan for making candles, or want to see a fully worked example business candle making plan with step by step guidelines, please visit our site which tells you everything you need to know about starting a candle making business

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How To Live A Simple Life

2007-08-20T18:42:00.000-05:00

By Steven Gillman

In many ways, you probably know how to live a simple life, but do you want to? Many want the complexity and constant drama of their lives. This is something we each have to look at honestly. However, some of us really want simplicity, and some would want it if they knew what it felt like to live more simply and at peace. Here are a few ways to get there.

Just Say No ... Or Say Yes

An important secret to how to live a simple life is to learn to look honestly at how life gets complicated. This may be different for each of us, but there are some common habits we share. One such habit is taking on new responsibilities without fully acknowledging the costs and complexities they add to our lives.

When a man buys a boat, for example, does he usually think about the time he will spend maintaining it and cleaning it? Does he think about the trip to the insurance office for insurance, the necessity to shop for accessories like life-jackets and fire extinguishers? Does he remind himself that boats break down, and he'll have to deal with hauling it someplace to have it repaired? Does he consider the trailer-hitch he'll need, the tarp to cover the boat, the tarp to replace that one when it tears, the bearings in the trailer wheels that will someday fail. Finally, Does he think about the hours he will be committed to working to pay for all this fun?

It isn't about the boat, by the way. There's nothing wrong with owning a boat. With nothing else was going on in his life, all of the above could easily be a part of "the simple life." Hwever, when we don't honestly recognize the role of our own choices in adding complexity to our lives, we take on more than we can possibly handle. As a result, a million exercise devices sit unused in basements while ten million hours are spent working to pay for them. Look honestly at all the costs, and make well-informed choices - this is the first secret of how to live a simple life.

Money Brings Simplicity - Or Complexity

Isn't it simple for a rich man to own a boat? He can just pay someone to take care of it while he plays with his kids. Money can bring simplicity to your life, but it's all in how you use it. This is the second important secret of how to live a simple life.

People use money in ways that overly complicate life, as when they put a down payment on a hot tub that they really don't need. Then they have to work to pay the interest, they have to clean the tub, find a place for it, and have it repaired. Of course, if you are wealthy enough, someone will take care of these things for you. However, if you make $8 per hour, a hot tub will almost certainly overly complicate your life.

If you really want the simple life, the choice then is to make more money, or live a life that is simply supported by your current income. After I paid off the mortgage loan on my first home, and got rid of the car, life became simpler and more relaxing. As I make more money, I can easily add more "things" back into my life, while keeping it simple, as long as I maintain the balance.

Drama Adds Complexity

For a simpler life, have fewer friends. This may sound harsh, but how many friends do you need? Don't get rid of true friends, but don't add people to your life unless there is a real exchange of value between you. We all have acquaintances we call "friends" and yet only tolerate just to "be nice." Do you think it is selfish to say you don't owe anything to these people? Then how selfish is it for them to say you do?

With friends and family, don't get involved in the drama more than you need to. Watch closely, and you'll see that until a person is ready to change, you rarely can help them in any case, neither with words nor with money. Save your efforts for when you truly can help. You weren't born with an obligation to anyone, and it's incredibly selfish for anyone to make such claims on your life. Let the drama swirl around you, but don't get involved in it. This is a crucial lesson on how to live a simple life.

Steve Gillman has been exploring new ideas for decades. Visit his site for invention ideas, business ideas, story ideas, political and economic theories, deep thoughts, and more. Get a free gift too: New Ideas (http://www.999ideas.com/)

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Things to Know Before You Buy a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

2007-08-20T18:11:00.000-05:00

By Keith Londrie

The massively multiplayer online role-playing games are becoming more and more popular with every day that passes. Even if you haven't tried such a game before you will be tempted to try the minute you come across such a game. If you spend some time digging to find what else is available, the addiction can become irresistible.

Indeed, the MMORPGs are one of the best games. They have graphics and game play elements that are just as good as the graphics and the game play elements of the other games you play. Moreover the "real" feel of these games is something a lot of the rest just do not have. Some compare their favorite MMORPG with a real life experience – you live it, you don’t simply play it.

However, as with anything else you are buying or paying for, you need to resist to the initial temptation and check a few things first.

Obviously since we are talking about a computer games you need to check the system requirements of the game you want to buy. Although MMORPGs are played online, they still require a PC with certain characteristics. Check if your processor, Ram and video card will meet the minimum requirements of the game. If not, think carefully – is that game so important for you? If yes, then upgrade your computer. Many massively multiplayer online role-playing games have some trial free period and then a monthly fee so never subscribe first and then do the upgrade.

The next thing to worry about is the internet connection. You have to check if the one you have is good enough for playing online games. Moreover some game servers will require a broadband connection.

Once you have everything in place try the game. As mentioned many games have a free trial. Even though you might like the game at a first glance do not go to the checkout. Many games unfortunately are not that good. On the other hand the game may be excellent but not exactly to your taste.

You can subscribe for the free trials of several games at the same time and see which one will suite you best. Another thing you can do is to read some reviews. The good thing about MMORPGs is that there is a large community and getting opinion is not difficult at all.

The last thing that a MMORPG requires is a lot of free time and dedication. As any other game you will need some time to learn how to play and than enjoy it.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://www.mmorpg-info.info/ A website that specializes in providing information on MMORPG Games that you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://www.mmorpg-info.info/ now!

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Profitable Home Sewing Businesses

2007-08-20T18:01:00.000-05:00

: Image by Matti Mattila via Flickr

By Randy Wilson

If you’re interested in home sewing businesses, you’re onto a good thing. Home based sewing businesses have benefited from tremendous improvements in technology in the last few years.

The opportunities for home sewing businesses range from sewing specialty clothing to monogramming to commercial sewing. There are some absolutely fabulous machines and software out there that do everything from intricate embroidery to monogramming shirts, jackets, and caps for all sorts of businesses and sports teams.

So how do you go about starting a sewing business? First you have to decide on the type of home sewing business you want. As mentioned earlier, you can make specialty clothing such as wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses on a machine you likely already own.

You may, however, want to break into the commercial area where you embroider on caps and such for local sports and Little League teams. Before you can have any home based sewing business, you have to know what exactly type of sewing service that business is going to provide.

The next thing you want to do when looking into sewing businesses is to look at the costs involved if you are going to be purchasing equipment. There’s a wide range for you to choose from, and you can likely find exactly what you need at exactly the right price for your budget. Just make sure you deal with reputable companies. This is especially important if you’re going to purchase used equipment for your home sewing business.

Now develop a business plan for your sewing business. It should include a budget and how you’ll use profits to grow your business in the future. You need to consider who the target market is for your home sewing business, and develop a plan for how you’re going to reach it. Also, you’ll want to look at accounting needs, tax requirements, and liability insurance.

You also want to decide whether you want to have a partner or not. Often, it’s a good idea to have a partner, but make sure that person shares your vision of what you’re doing. Also where you want to take your sewing business over time.

Once you have a business plan, follow it. It takes effort and determination to establish and sustain all businesses, whether they’re home sewing businesses or Fortune 500 corporations. There will be bumps in the road, but your business plan will help you manage them when they pop up. Be vigilant, and you can be the owner of a successful home sewing business.

And, please, don’t forget to consider your family when considering home sewing businesses. Talk about how having a home based sewing business will affect them. Make sure everyone understands what it will mean to them. You’ll be home, but you’ll be working.

This can make it hard for family members to know when you can stop and chat or go out for a bite to eat. Having everything out in the open will be a big help in the future when you’re going crazy to meet a deadline and your family wants to go out for ice cream.

Once you’ve considered these aspects of home sewing businesses and have taken the plunge to actually start a home based sewing business, you want to get the word out. How much advertising you do depends on your budget, and you may not be able to do the type and amount you’d like when your first start your home sewing business.

Some simple, inexpensive advertising and marketing materials you should consider are flyers and business cards. You should also look into placing small ads in your local newspaper.

Websites are something else you should look into for advertising and marketing your home sewing business. They aren’t nearly as expensive as you might think—and are well worth the investment for the amount of business one can bring your way.

Which Version of Xbox 360 Should you Buy?

2007-01-13T07:29:00.000-06:00

By Mohd Fairuz

Many people will want to know what exactly the XBOX 360 is. The Xbox 360 is a next generation video game system that can play both games and DVD movies right out of the package. The XBOX 360 can also play some games from the original XBOX. The biggest feature is the high definition feature of the new system. The HDTV graphics are much more enhanced than other graphics.

There are two different versions and prices of the Xbox 360 system: The XBox 360 Core System and The XBox 360 Premium System.

1. XBOX 360 Core System

The XBOX 360 Core System is basically a bare bones system for people that simply want to play games. For the cost of $300 you get the following:
- XBOX 360 System
- Composite AV cable (the red, white, and yellow cable)
- Wired controller
The Core system does not include a hard drive or memory unit to save your games. It also does not come with the cable to allow you to hook it up to a HDTV. The Core system is ideal for purchasing for a younger child that doesn’t care to do anything but play his or her games.

2. The XBOX 360 Premium System

The XBOX 360 premium system comes with everything you need to get the best use out of your system. With a price of $400 you will get the following:
- XBOX 360 System
- Ethernet cable
- 20GB external hard drive
- Wireless controller
- XBOX live headset
- Component AV cables the hook up both the HDTV and standard TV
You basically get a lot of accessories for only $100 more than the Core System, which is cheaper than purchasing all of the extra components separately. You are getting over $200 worth of extras for around $100. That alone makes the premium bundle worth the extra money.

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Daily Motivation: 7 Methods

2007-01-13T07:24:00.000-06:00

By Steven Gillman

Isn't a lack of daily motivation one of the biggest problems we face when trying to better ourselves? We often know what to do, or at least the first few steps. But we hesitate, something else catches our attention, or we just don't feel like doing what we need to do.

Want some help? Here are seven ways to get motivated - ways that have worked for others. If you find only one or two here that work for you, you'll be on your way.

Seven Methods For Daily Motivation

1. Create desire. See the rewards of your effort clearly. This motivates many to sign up for get-rich-quick plans. A good salesman can have you living in your imagined dream home in minutes, and you'll feel motivated to do anything to make it real. Learn to be your own salesman.

2. Create pain. In Neuro-Linguistic Programming they teach you to link pain with not acting. An imaginary scene of your wife walking out the door with another man, as you sit there silently - that might motivate you to have that talk you've been avoiding.

3. Talk about your plans. By the time I tell my wife about the newsletter I'm going to write, I'm out of my slump and back at the keyboard.

4. Have a true interest. No interest at all might mean you need to do something else, but if it's just a task you dislike, relate it clearly in your mind to the greater goal. I don't like to drive, but when I remember those mountains I'm going to, I get motivated to drive.

5. Have energy. Caffeine will substitute for health for a while, but one way or another, you need some energy to have daily motivation. Exercise, sleep well, and watch out for sugary foods - the "sugar blues" will kill your motivation.

6. Create the proper mental state. It's hard to be depressed and motivated. Resolve some of your negative feelings, or at least do your important work when you are in a better mood.

7. Take a small step. Commit to raking up one bag of leaves, and soon you'll want to finish the yard. Any small step towards your goals feeds your daily motivation.

Now you have seven ways to self-motivation, but you have to actually use them. How do you get motivated to do that? Oh the irony! You'll have to figure that one out yourself. By the way, here's a bonus motivation method: Humor. Laughter often breaks up the feeling of being overwhelmed that sucks away motivation.

Steve Gillman writes on many self help topics including boosting brainpower, losing weight, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, learning gratitude, generating luck and anything related to self improvement.

You'll find more at http://www/. Self Improvement Now.com

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Tony Robbins - 10 Lessons I Learned From Anthony Robbins

2007-01-13T07:13:00.000-06:00

By Chris Knight

Tony Robbins has been an inspiration for millions. Love him and his philosophy or not, it is undeniable that he has had a positive impact on millions of people. He has sold over 30-million motivational tapes, published three best-selling self-help books, more than 2 million people attended his seminars and another 10,000 (including myself) have attended his mastery university in Hawaii. His core products include Get The Edge - Unlimited Power - Date with Destiny - Mastery University and more.

Here are the top 10 lessons that I learned from Tony Robbins:

1) By altering your body's physiology, you can achieve an immediate change of your emotional state. The mind will follow whatever state your physical body is in and not vice-versa.

2) Ask specific questions of yourself (in your self-talk) to direct and control your attention to the various aspects of the human experience. The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of the questions you ask of yourself.

3) Get leverage to create personal change by associating an old behavior with massive pain and the desired new behavior with massive pleasure. Tony is a big believer in the pain/pleasure principles of life and this applies in business as well.

4) When you get stuck, interrupt your limiting pattern by doing something totally unexpected.

5) You can condition your behavior by visualizing it over and over again. This is not exactly unique to Tony Robbins, but he does reinforce this message in all of his products.

6) Goal-setting strategy: Know your end outcome; Take massive intelligent action; Have sensory-acuity to notice if you are getting the results you desire and if not; change your approach; and change *until* you get your end outcome.

7) Create a "Compelling future" by vividly imagining your end result to generate enthusiasm and power within yourself. The past does not equal the future. Find beliefs that support your goals and desires.

8) Youth is Power! This is one of Tony's beliefs. Even if you don't have fancy degrees, your youth can still mean power, flexibility and opportunity for your life.

9) Principles of CANI! CANI stands for Constant And Never-ending Improvement. It's a basic tenet of Tony Robbins.

10) NLP can be useful. NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming and there are many NLP undertones in Tony's basic tenets. He went on to morph NLP into his own technology called "NAC" (Neuro Associative Conditioning).

Need inspiration? Surf on over to: http://InspiresYOU.com/

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Things To Know When You Work From Home

2007-01-13T07:10:00.000-06:00

By Vicki Churchill

If you have made the decision to work from home you are probably experiencing mixed feelings. A feeling of relief that you no longer have to go into the office you hate and a feeling of fear that your business may not succeed.

The first thing when you have decided to work from home is to determine if you will be working for your self or someone else? If you decide to search the internet for work from home jobs, be careful not to fall into a scam.

If you have done a search on "work at home", you may have ran into some of these work at home scams and did not even know it. Most of the people looking for work at home web pages could not even spot a work at home scam. This is most like due to the fact that they really want to work from home and the claims of some scams make them assume it's real.

The first scam I came across seemed so real and you have probably come across it yourself, Envelope Stuffing: Work from home companies usually have an advert that is small and looks real, the company will ask you for a small fee to cover costs of send out the information. What you will then receive is the same add that you will need to send out to draw more people into the scam

What you need to remember is- Mailing houses have equipment that will fold, insert, seal and frank - all in one procedure at a rate of 5,000 an hour! High speed label applicators can put labels onto envelopes at a rate of 12,000 per hour. So why would they pay you to do it? This is one work from home idea you really should not pin your hopes on!

The most profitable work from home business will be based around the internet. You will need to create a website, this can be either done by yourself or you can pay someone to do this for you.

Once your website has been created there are many things you need to consider. Search engine traffic can be the greatest traffic you can get for your work from home business. So if you are running a business from home and have a website you need to do everything possible to increase a Top Search Engine Ranking. One of the easiest ways you can do this is to create a Google Site map.

When decision has been made and you have decided to work from home, you need to work out how you will combine your home life with your work. When you work from home you may find it can cause stress and pressure on both elements if you are not cautious in how you separate your work and your family. If you try to operate from a desk stuffed into the corner one of your rooms and having slapdash working hours will not work for the majority of couples or families.

You need to plan your time carefully so you can fit every thing in. When you work from home it's easy to get caught up doing house work when you should be doing your actual business work.

Set yourself time scales, if you can have an office with-in your home this will help. Treat it as going to work, set the time and do not indulge in anything other than your business work until your set time ends.

Try not to work too much, sometimes working from home can make you feel like you never get away from your work. When your day is done, close the door and do not return until your next set time. This will keep you eager and motivated to return!

Vicki Churchill writes for http://www.internet-logic.com, a site that specializes in The Internet Including Working from home, Affiliates, Internet Business & Optimization.

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Unplug Your Life: Short-Circuit "Infowhelm" and Recharge Your Life Energy

2007-01-13T07:02:00.000-06:00

By Barbara Schiffman

Do you

* spend hours surfing the Web, answering e-mails, instant messaging, or blogging?

* take calls on your cell phone no matter where you are or who you're with?

* listen to tunes or podcasts on your audio player from breakfast to bedtime?

If you answered yes to at least one of these questions but often feel wired, frustrated, exhausted, or overwhelmed, you may be suffering from "infowhelm." I've coined this term to describe being overwhelmed by the abundance of information and stimulation in our constantly busy and plugged-in lives.

It's no surprise that many people feel infowhelmed today. Marketing expert Dave Lakhani reports that we receive more mental and visual stimulation in one day than our great-grandparents in 1900 absorbed in a year. The constant demands on our attention by advertising, music, movies, the Internet, and other people have increased dramatically since the 1950s, while TV has also evolved from a three-channel world to a 200-channel universe.

Time Magazine's 2006 "Mind-Body Issue" (January 16, 2006) notes that e-mail and cell phones may make people more productive, but they also "drive us to distraction." We spend too much time "frazzing" (doing frantic, inefficient multitasking with the delusion that we're getting things done) and "screen sucking" (wasting time online) according to psychiatrist and ADD expert Edward Hallowell, author of CrazyBusy and Driven to Distraction. Many people are also addicted to "infosnacking"-randomly nibbling bytes of news, e-mails, and Web information throughout the day-which was 2005's Word of the Year per Webster's New World College Dictionary.

I realized that I suffer from infowhelm after I avoided checking my e-mail for nearly two weeks. When I finally and reluctantly went online, it took a whole day to wade through them. My experience was recently echoed by law professor Rosa Brooks in her LA Times op-ed essay about her love-hate relationship with e-mail (January 13, 2006). Rosa once thought that e-mail would "bring absent friends closer and enable us all to communicate so much more efficiently, quickly and deeply," but she's now inundated with over 200 e-mails a day, mostly spam and lawyer jokes sent by friends who incorrectly think that she enjoys them.

In addition to answering e-mails only when I feel like it, I try to control the tsunami of information by choosing to keep my cell phone off unless I'm expecting an urgent call. Cell phones are great for emergencies and while traveling, but interaction by computer and cell phone has replaced the art of talking with people face-to-face. Our conversation styles have become fast and furious as people rush around chatting on their cells, but they seem unaware that others don't enjoy listening to their one-sided conversations. This is also true of iPod™ addicts who ignore the people around them while listening to their favorite tunes.

Our attention spans have also diminished due to online chats and the preference for brief e-mails. In Driven to Distraction Hallowell points out that in 1994 Americans were beginning to exhibit ADT, or attention deficit trait. This is similar to ADD but only makes people frantic in certain situations or places-like at the office for stressed-out corporate executives or at home for exhausted stay-at-home moms. Being interrupted by the demands of others or by high-tech devices also drains our adrenaline and locks us into a state of fight or flight.

Our obsession with high-tech toys and tools seems to have unbalanced our lives instead of giving us more freedom and time to enjoy ourselves. By plugging in we've lost touch with the natural world of our slower-paced but less-overwhelmed ancestors. We're now paying the price of choosing "high tech" over "high touch" in deeper levels of anxiety and a continual sense of being off-balance. By listening primarily to loud sounds through our iPods and cell phones we've stopped hearing the natural symphony of wind, birds, and crickets. By focusing on TV, computers, and cell phone screens we've stopped gazing out windows to watch the world around us or the clouds drifting by.
Unfortunately, our sense of infowhelm is likely to increase as commercials are beamed to our iPods and cell phones in the near future. Then, we won't even be able to turn off the flood of unwanted messages . . . unless we unplug!

I don't advocate trashing our computers or tossing our cell phones away forever, but I do urge you to seek the right balance of high tech and high touch for your life before it becomes even harder to stop and smell the roses or gaze at the moon.

The concept of high tech/high touch was originally posed by author and researcher John Naisbitt in his 1982 best seller Megatrends. According to a Publishers' Weekly review, "Naisbitt sees Americans trapped in what he calls a 'Technology Intoxication Zone,' and he urges people to unplug their laptops long enough to rediscover the simplicity of starry nights and snowfalls, and remember what it means to be human." I emphatically agree. As a life balance coach, I invite you to unplug long enough to regain your balance by recharging drained energy at least once a week.

How? Try spending face time with people you care about. If you can't get together in person, at least call them instead of e-mailing-even if you must use your cell phone. Listen to their voices, and let them hear yours. You can also balance infowhelm by tuning in to nature. Walk on the beach, or take a hike in the woods. Notice the moon's phases each month as it evolves from new to full and back again. Treat the new moon as a time of new beginnings; at the full moon, stop and review how far you've come since the last new moon, then reflect on what you want to accomplish before the next one.

Also, tune in to the earth's seasons plus the four elements of earth, air, water, and fire. We forget that the natural energy of the world and our lives flows in cycles and that each natural element helps balance the others. Our energy flow is not just mental or "on" all the time like the Internet. Humans weren't designed to be plugged in to machines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We need regular downtime to rejuvenate, relax, and recharge.

I've found that tuning in to natural energy patterns is especially effective as an antidote for infowhelm. When we unplug for a while, we can remember how to move at a more peaceful pace-to communicate with more emotional depth and to pay attention to what we see and feel. Imagine how energizing, balanced, and peaceful our lives can be if we all consciously tune in to each other and the world around us again!

Barbara Schiffman is a life balance and personal evolution coach in Burbank, California. Her EvoLuminus Coaching tele-classes, workshops, and guided meditation CD Kits include “New Moon. New Beginnings,” “Life Energy Tune-Up,” and “The EnergiFlow Process.” Barbara’s also published in Inspiration to Realization, an anthology of women’s wisdom. For information, call (818) 846–3043 or (800) 306–8290, e-mail fullspectrum@charter.net, or visit http://www.barbaraschiffman.com.

Her article above is one of 101 great chapters that can be found in "101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life." This powerful compilation book with Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, and Denis Waitley contains 101 chapters of proven advice on how to improve your life.

*** If you purchase just one copy of their new book today, you will also receïve $1,500 worth of valuable bonus gifts. To see this special book package, please visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/ezinearticles.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Schiffman
http://EzineArticles.com/?Unplug-Your-Life:-Short-Circuit-Infowhelm-and-Recharge-Your-Life-Energy&id=416522

Work At Home: But Proceed With Caution

2007-01-13T06:58:00.000-06:00

By Kevin D Browne

Looking to work at home? Millions are right there with you.

The idea of dropping the awful commute, of abandoning the cubicle and of refusing to ever answer to anyone ELSE ever again (regarding work), is a delightful thought. And so, with throngs surfing and searching for that elusive work at home gem, I offer here a slight word of caution.

Be wary of the too-amazing promises you are about to receive. Question the only-work-13-minutes-a-day prospects. Dig deep with your thinking over the become-a-millionaire-by-next-Wednesday morning stuff...because you, fine searcher, are about to encounter a literal barrage of 'truth' from a host of people and companies looking to offer you that treasure you seek.

So here's my initial advice if you concentrate your efforts on the internet, GET A NEW FREE EMAIL IMMEDIATELY. Do not, under any circumstances, use your current 'real' email address. Because when your search begins, so too will every inbox in every email account that you give out. As small a beginning as that may sound, it's not!

Step two: prepare for battle and let your intuition guide you.

The internet is laden with 'opportunity' after 'opportunity.' One gets the shooting a fish in a barrel metaphor rather quickly once you begin to OPT-IN to receive more and more information from these opportunities. And it sure seems that way. But you have to remember that most of the better 'opportunities' have sales letters and squeeze pages (where you enter your name and email) written by men and women hitting EVERY SINGLE ONE of your psychological buttons. They know where THE PROOF needs to be in the letters (through trial and error). They know which words to bold and why. They know about the romance of working from home and how tempting it all seems. In effect, they know how to sell ice cubes to the Eskimos...and they do it very, very well. But if you know that going in, you will start your evaluations from a running start!

You must remain SMARTER than their best attempts. Think of Cher slapping Nicholas Cage in the face in MOONSTRUCK screaming "Snap out of it!!!" That is exactly what you'll need to do to and for yourself as your short list of possibilities gets shorter and shorter.

And above all else, make sure that whatever work at home opportunity or program you choose fits you (rather than you having to fit it.) This will save you thousands of hours you simply do not have to waste.

Kevin Browne is a freelance writer who lives in CT with his wife and four sons. And whenever he's asked about REAL work at home, he recommends http://www.become-a-copywriter.com/articlemarketing.html

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_D_Browne http://EzineArticles.com/?Work-At-Home:-But-Proceed-With-Caution&id=415468

Making The Most Of Your Home Based Business

2007-01-13T06:19:00.000-06:00

By Alastair Harris

The home based business movement continues to explode. Thanks to the internet, computers and home offices thousands are seeking to left the rat race and spend more time at home. What do you need to do to make the most of your home based business opportunity?

1) Realize the Global potential of the internet. Why limit your business to just one country. The true power of the internet is it is a world wide market place, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether you're asleep or awake. Choose business opportunities that exploit this world wide market. Better yet, if you can overcome the language barrier, promote programs that have multiple language options.

2) Use as many options as possible to get traffic to your site. Learn the skills of SEO - search engine optimization, article writing, pay per click and other traffic methods to bring visitors to your site. Don't just rely on one source in case the one source fails and your business comes to a crashing halt.

3) Maximize the value per customer. One of the hardest things on the net is getting a customer in the first place. Make sure you give the customer the opportunity to partake in a number of opportunities with different options to give them the power of choice. They will appreciate having an informed decision. People are sick of being burnt by the hard sell. Give them the facts and time to make a decision that they won't regret.

4) Link your sites. No matter how successful one site is, you can still improve results by linking a number of sites together. In many cases on the internet 1+1 does not always equal two. By linking your sites you increase their combined power - strength through unity. Search engines reward sites with multiple links and it makes it easier for the spiders to find you.

5) Work on it daily even if just for a short time each day. It is better to work one hour each day than do two 8 hour days. By keeping tabs on your business you can respond to customers and follow up leads. No one on the internet likes waiting for a response for more than a day. I waited two days for a response from a hosting company - when none was forthcoming I cancelled the sale and went to their competitor. Don't make that mistake - be there for the customer and for your team members.

6) Build teams. Don't get greedy and want all the glory and money for yourself. You will have greater success and results if you work as a team. That's why MLM works so well on the internet, because by working as a team your advertising combines to have a better result. What's more, you'll have others to share your accomplishments with.

7) Don't forget to give back to the internet. Produce some not for profit or charity sites to ensure the internet is more than just a pot of gold. Educate and bring happiness and your long term results will be more than just a better bank balance; but also respect from others and the satisfaction that you have helped others.

This article is the property of Alastair HARRIS and his immediate family. It may be freely republished over the internet but must include original links.

Alastair HARRIS is the main promoter for article-gems.com article directory (visit http://www.article-gems.com) and the getfinancialfreedom4u family of websites, blogs and projects (visit http://getfinancialfreedom4u.ws) specializing in online business opportunities and education, income being generated by affiliate marketing, google, GDI, eBay, ebooks, clip flipping and more. Alastair is rated as an expert author on numerous article directories and is very open to assisting others on the internet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alastair_Harris
http://EzineArticles.com/?Making-The-Most-Of-Your-Home-Based-Business&id=415989

E-bay Auctions: Sell Better, Spend Less Tip #1

2006-11-30T16:52:00.000-06:00

By Joe Regan
Just about everyone alive today has heard of eBay.com, but most people donÂt realize the sheer size and complexity of this Auction beast. Do you have something to sell? Then read on for the single most important tip to Selling better and Spending less.

79 million searches are done on E bay each day. Yes that is a very large number of searches, large enough to contain very valuable selling potential, but there are also around 19 million items on eBay.com alone on any given day. After you have time to take this in please continue reading this article.

How can I sell more effectively? How can I lower the cost of my auctions? These are good questions with many answers, but I will cover in my opinion, the most important and effective e Bay tip of all.

More Pictures!!!

It is a proven fact that the more pictures taken of an item, the better it will sell. Not only will you get more bids, but you will get a higher final price.

The Problem.

You will never list as many pictures as you should because eBay by default charges per picture. This causes you to ask yourself, do I really need another picture? This kind of thinking is bad for business. You should instead be asking yourself, how many different pictures can I take of this item? This brings us to the problem.eBayy charges you for every picture they host. So more pictures = more expensive auction.

The Solution

The single best thing you can do as a seller is to look into paying for an Unlimited Picture Hosting Service. These services will host an unlimited number of pictures for you and some are very easy to use. Let me show you an example. My favorite is FoamTemplates.com.

FoamTemplates.com give you unlimited uploads and they are very easy to use. And even more importantly, they donÂt restrict how many times your picture can be seen! This is very important. It is very annoying to view an auction and see that Bandwidth exceeded message. Foam Premium costs around $8 a month and includes a really nice template maker that allows you to design your whole auction on the FoamTemplateweb pagege. It even gives you the option to thumbnail your pictures if you have very many so your viewers donÂt have to scroll 3 miles down to see your payment information.

If you see any other services that come close to this, please contact me and let me know and I will compare them. Hope this tip will save you as much money as it has me!

Joe Regan is a freelance writer for various websites.

More FOAM Information:

Free ebay.com Auction Image Hosting for your Auction Picture Hosting Needs. FOAMTemplates is compatible with ebay and other online Auctions. Free eBay.com Auction Template Maker allows you to design custom auction templates for auction sites including but not limited to eBay. Any Html auction service will work. We also offer a members only section with enhanced features such as unlimited picture uploading, and auto thumbnailing. Thank you for your interest. - FOAM Team

Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Regan

Successful Marketing for Home Based Businesses

2006-11-29T18:24:00.000-06:00

By Declan O'Reilly

Are you looking for information to build and grow a home-based business? If so, you are in the right place.

'A successful marketing strategy is not based on doing what you like but liking what you do...'

Are you looking for information to build and grow a home-based business? If so, you are in the right place! Here you will find information on implementing a successful marketing campaign and growing your home based business.

The Problem

Many home-based business owners don't know how to best market their businesses. Some ignore marketing altogether, hoping that customers or website visitors will appear out of thin air. Others market in a scattershot way producing untargeted traffic or unqualified prospects. Either approach will keep you from achieving your business potential and reaching your financial goals and possibly even damage your reputation.

The Solution

Whether you've been thinking about starting a home business or you're already a seasoned home-based business owner, the principle remains the same. Your business' survival and success rests on how effectively you market your business or product. Examine some of the following marketing strategies and tools to help you boost your home based business profits.

Home-Based Business Advantage

Low overhead costs, no commute to work and the ability to work around your children are some of the few advantages for home based business owners. Gear your marketing efforts to capitalize on these and other home-based strengths including:

Adaptability - Information Technology has escalated the rate of change in the marketplace. To survive and thrive, you must be prepared to act, and act quickly. As a home-based business owner, you can make adjustments instantly, without having to cut through the red tape of bureaucratic decision-making procedures common in larger businesses.

Technology - Computers, the Internet, PDA's, and other emerging technologies can take home based businesses to a more level playing field with bigger companies, empowering home based business owners to accomplish tasks that used to require hiring staff to perform. Try to keep up-to-speed with technology.

Flexibility. - Unlike traditional businesses that require full-time attention and high overhead costs, home based businesses can be operated part-time, at low cost, and depending on your financial goals can be phased into full-time operations.

Taking Your Business To The Next Level

A common reason home businesses fail is because owners neglect the up-front planning needed to position their ventures. Once you have defined your market position and where you want to take your business in the 12 months you will have moved one step closer to success.

If you already have a business begin by taking inventory of where your business is right now. What specific goods and services do you provide? How do you set yourself apart? What is your business' reputation? How are you perceived by your customers or clients as far as your prices, reliability, and other elements of your products or services?

The next step is to project where you want to take your business in the 12 months. What market position do you want to occupy? Is the niche market you want large enough? How will your benefits out sell those provided by the competition? Do you have the ability, capital, resources and support to make your market position a reality? Your answers will give you the information you need to begin designing or updating your marketing plan.

Planning Ahead

Once you have determined where you want to go, outline the essential steps to get there. Begin by writing a one sentence purpose (mission) statement for your marketing campaign. The rest of your plan should include a brief description of each of the following:

Benefits of your products and services.

Your target market.

What marketing tools will best help you achieve your mission.

Your market niche. What sets you apart in the market place.

Your marketing budget.

Keep your marketing plan brief. The more concise you make your marketing plan, the more effective it will be in evaluating your marketing efforts.

Finding Your Niche

This is often the hardest task for a beginning home-based business owner but also one of the most crucial. In order for your venture to survive in a competitive marketplace, you must distinguish yourself from other businesses and find a niche. What makes your business unique? Why should someone choose to buy from you over a competitor? Prospective clients want to know. If you can give them a compelling answer, you will position yourself as a leader in your industry boosting your profit potential. Research your market thoroughly before jumping in.

Marketing Tools

No matter how you choose to publicize your business, one quality will set you apart from your competitors: The ability to write effective ad copy. You're vying for the attention of consumers bombarded each day with advertisements. It is estimated that the average person is exposed to over 1,200 advertising messages per DAY! Make sure your advertisement stands out from the rest of this 'noise'.

When you have determined your market position and drawn up a marketing plan you are ready to start spreading the word about your products and services. One effective way is using the existing offline media in your area. You have a variety of media choices depending upon your target market and your advertising budget including magazines, newspapers, television, radio, and the internet. Start by evaluating how and where your competitors advertise. What's working for them? Take their best ideas; then design your own winning layout, positioning yourself as having the best offer.

The Importance of Headlines

As the first phrases seen in advertising copy, headlines should arouse enough interest in the reader so that they will want to read or listen on to learn more about your business or product. To get ideas about what headlines will work best for you, scan different types of ad copy, particularly those from your competitors. Create a swipe file of different ads and ideas that you come across from different sources. But remember to be careful of using other peoples copyrighted material.

Capture your customer's interest with a compelling statement of offer

Highlight the most important benefits

Offer extreme value

Make a call strong call to action.

Testing Your Ads

Advertising can be expensive, but for just about any business a mandatory investment. To get the most out of your ads, test them by the following criteria:

What is the quantity of leads or prospects that the ad generates? Compare this amount in terms of a unit cost of advertising (dollars in advertising per leads generated).

How many of these leads convert into sales? Different advertising media due to the audiences they target will vary in the numbers of actual closes.

Continually check the response from your ads, make changes or run a new ad if necessary. Use ad trackers and keep testing, testing testing until you achieve the response required.

Internet Marketing

Imagine! You can have a salesperson working for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week even while you sleep. A web site and effective use of e-mail marketing can turn your small home-based business into a global business putting you on a level playing field with large corporations. With easy and affordable web design tools getting a web site up and running is within reach of everybody.

Sell Benefits Not Features!

Any seasoned business owner knows that it costs five times more to sell to a new prospect than to an existing client. Studies show that each satisfied customer will spread the good word about your business to at least one other person. On the reverse side of the coin a dissatisfied customer will complain to up to five or ten potential customers. Your mission in getting customer referrals to turn passive satisfied customers into actively enthusiastic supporters who will promote your business. The best way to do this is through:

Offering outstanding value to your customers

Delivering your product on time.

Solving customer's problems.

Maintaining regular contact with customers through feedback forms

Following up your customers regularly.

Creating long-term relationships with customers.

personalizing your product or service.

Finally...

Whether you're just launching your home based business or have been building one for years, don't allow lack of information keep you from achieving your financial dreams. Study your marketing options and decide which marketing strategy will best position you for long-term success.

Declan O'Reilly

Anyhoodles was established by Declan O'Reilly in Melbourne, Australia in 2003. Our vision at Anyhoodles is to empower people to become successful entrepreneurs.

Visit http://www.anyhoodles.com for more information and tools for entrepreneurs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Declan_O'Reilly

The Best Work From Home Job is the Job That You Love to Do

2006-11-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

By Tommy Thompson

Look around you and notice any success story. What do you find that these stories have in common? You will find perseverance, and you will find an unflinching belief in oneself. You will find staunch self-confidence in the face of the worst possible opposition. Most importantly, you will find that the person loved the job he or she was doing.

The Key to Success: Passion and a Love for Your Job

Those who coined the saying, "Never mix business with pleasure" could not be more wrong. Actually, the moment you can translate your pleasure into business is when you will never have to work a day in your life again. This is because you would love what you do so much that your job would be a pleasure and not a job or a task anymore. Hence, the best work from home job is the job that involves something you love to do, something that you are totally passionate about.

The method to finding the best work from home job for you will depend upon what you enjoy doing, and would involve looking for something that will make your heart sing when you think of it. If you cannot immediately think of such a thing, ask yourself this question: "If I were a millionaire and never had to work again for my sustenance, what would I like to do for fun?" The answer to that question would lead you to the best work from home job for you.

This best work from home job would have to be something that you are both good at and enjoy doing. It could be a hobby, or it could be a profession that you wanted to pursue but could not, due to some circumstances or another. Whatever it is, the best work from home job would be that job that can bring out the best in you.

Your success would then depend on two things: how marketable is your skill/ product/ service you choose, and how committed you are to turning it into a runaway success. See, the Wright brothers always believed that it is possible for man to fly in an airplane. In spite of people thinking they were mad, they kept at their dream, and they at last succeeded because they believed in themselves.

Hence, you will be need to be creative, perseverant, hard working, and above all willing to succeed and believing it is possible with all your heart. There is no scope for any doubt in the formula for success.

Whether you're looking to make a few extra hundred dollars per month, earn a full time income or you want to start your own online business and quit your dead end job, http://www.progressive-debt-consolidation.com/legitonlinejobs4.html has an opportunity for you. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tommy_Thompson

Download XBOX 360 Wholesale List For Auction Sellers

2006-11-29T18:07:00.000-06:00

By Eng Chin Wah

If you have been following news lately, XBOX 360 MicrosoftÂs next generation console went on sale at midnight on 22nd November. Many people queued up to make sure they can get hold of the console and experience the hype that has been brewing as times goes by before the official launched. Many people too went home empty handed and disappointed as stores were allocated that small amount of consoles. It doesnÂt help that now the XBOX 360 is facing some shortage due to the overwhelming response. Try Amazon, Wal-Mart or Best Buy websites they are listed as sold out or at best limited stock.

In the first few days of sales at auction website EBay, the price even sky rocket to over US$1000 per unit. Key in XBOX 360 and search for it in EBay and you can see that the prices now average for about over US$700, still many times mark-up of the original retail price of US$399. Auction sellers in EBay have been smiling all the way to the bank as they have cashed in on the vacuum that the retail stores have failed to provide.

I have been wondering how those geniuses able to get hold of the consoles and resell it for quick profits. So I was searching and digging the internet for information and finally I was able to come out with a list of company that provides the consoles at wholesale price.

What so great about this, you might think! Well if you look at EBay again, those auction sellers are selling this information at hundred dollars! These are highly sought after information in EBay. Believe it or not, some of these companies are selling the consoles at US$275 in bulk and they are going fast. XBOX 360 is scheduled to be launch in Europe and Japan in early December. Imagine the frenzy is going to start all over again with Christmas season drawing near.

Be it you are a stay at hommomsms or doing home business part time, I believe you donÂt mind getting this extra information that can help you grow your own home business. Mind you they are not only dealing with one product, they do carry other brands like Apple iPod nano, Canon, Sony Playstation2 or Canon digital cameras all you need is to ask.

Anyway I have placed the information in www.monaky.com, it is free for you to download. I spent one whole week just to search and compile it into a list and you are free to pass it to anybody who might be interested.

Also thanks to those who have responded to me about the misspelled auction article previously, I have now incorporated the search program in http://www.monaky.com.

Have fun !!

Admin@monaky.com
http://www.monaky.com

Written By Eng
http://www.monaky.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eng_Chin_Wah

Download XBOX 360 Wholesale List For Auction Sellers

2006-11-29T18:04:00.000-06:00

Written By Eng
http://www.monaky.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eng_Chin_Wah

eBay Auction Seller's Guide to Finding Hot Money Making Products

2006-11-29T16:55:00.000-06:00

By Leroy Chan

Picking the right items to sell on eBay is one of the most important steps to take if you ever hope to make your living from auctions. After you finish reading this article you'll have the information you need to find out exactly what people want and will buy on eBay.

You might be one of the thousands of individuals who open a trading account with eBay and dream about making auction selling a full-time home-based business.

However, before that dream can become a reality, you need to do many important things while running an auction business.

One of these important things to do is to pick the right products to sell. The right products to sell are the ones that people on eBay want or will buy.

eBay tells you what people actually want and what people actually will buy in four areas of its website.

"In Demand"

One of these four areas on eBay's site is the "In Demand" section. There is an "In Demand" link for each of the main categories on eBay. Listed in these areas are the previous month's top ten products that people wanted and the top ten searches for each subcategory. To see the data in these areas follow the link below and when you reach the page, scroll down and click on the link "In Demand" under any of the categories shown.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/sellbycategory.html

"Hot Categories Report"

The next area containing information on finding what to sell on eBay is the "Hot Categories Report." This report lists the "fastest growing" categories on eBay for the previous month. The explanation for what eBay considers "hot" can be hard to understand on your first reading. Nevertheless, the important thing to know is that the categories listed are the ones were buyer demand for the items under those categories are growing faster than the seller supply. This report is a PDF file so you will need Adobe® Reader® to open it. Here is the link:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/hotitems.pdf

"eBay Pulse"

"eBay Pulse" is another area where you can figure out what people are looking for on "The World's Online Marketplace®." It contains a category's daily snapshot of the ten most popular searches and the stores with the most active listings. A subsection on "eBay Pulse," known as "Most Watched Items," reveals the ten auctions that are getting the most attention. Visit this page and select a category to study from the drop-down menu.

http://pulse.ebay.com

"Merchandising Calendar"

The last area with information on what to sell on eBay is the "Merchandising Calendar." Here, eBay shows you the categories they will promote on their homepage each month. This is where eBay "tells" you what to sell. You can ignore their calendar and sell anything you choose, but wouldn't it be easier to make sales if you took advantage of eBay's promotional influence? Look at this page and use the calendar as a guide in planning your inventory and listings.

http://pages.ebay.com/sellercentral/calendar.html

Last Thoughts

Now that you have the links to data that tells you what people will buy on eBay, you can look forward to listing these items and making sales. The next step is finding the wholesale or drop-ship sources that carry those items that are "In Demand." That is when you will be one-step closer to achieving your goal of making a living from eBay.

(c) Leroy Chan - All Rights reserved

Discover the "Insider Tricks" to making money on eBay. Visit Leroy Chan's site, eBay Auction Seller Money Making Reports to receive a free 12-part auction selling course.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leroy_Chan

How to Cook Bok Choy

2006-11-29T16:45:00.000-06:00

By Sarah Sandori

Long familiar to Chinese cooks, and to those who love Chinese food, bok choy is showing up in a wide variety of other types of dishes. You might find it spelled as "bak choi" or even "paak choi". Packing a nutritional wallop, it is also readily available the year around and is easy to prepare and cook. Here are some tips for eating it raw, zapping in the microwave as a side dish, and using it in a delicious stir fry.

Bok choy is a leafy vegetable belonging to the cabbage family. Long familiar to Chinese cooks, and to those who love Chinese food, it is showing up in a wide variety of other types of dishes. In fact, in any recipe in which you would normally use cabbage, you can probably use bok choy.

Nowadays bok choy can be found in most local supermarkets the year around. You might find it spelled as "bak choi" or even "paak choi," but "bok choy" seems to have become the preferred form in North America. Less commonly, it will go under a different name altogether; Chinese mustard cabbage, for example.

Just as with other green leafy vegetables, you should look for plants that are free of brown spots and that have firm stalks. The stalks themselves will be white in color; the leaves a darkish green. Bok choy is wonderfully nutritious. It is low in calories--about a dozen in the usual serving. It is also bursting with vitamins A and C. In fact, you could get nearly all of your recommended daily allowance of the latter in one serving of bok choy, and about a third of your RDA of the former.

Bok choy is an easy plant to prepare. Just give it a good rinsing first and you can munch it raw for a healthy afternoon snack, or chop it up and add it to a salad.

Need a quick side dish to a main meal? French-cut the stems into pieces and place them, with the leaves, in a casserole dish. Add a little water, cover the dish, and zap in the microwave for 2 minutes. Remove just the leaves from the dish and zap the stems for 3 more minutes. Season both the leaves and the stems with butter, salt and pepper and serve it all together.

The most common way to cook bok choy is to stir fry it, in a wok or a regular frying pan. Tear or cut the leaves and stems and place in the pan, add three tablespoons of water, and begin heating (use a medium setting) as you stir. Add some cooking oil into which you have strained some fresh garlic. Remove the leaves at the two-minute mark and continue stir frying the stalks for three additional minutes. After cooking, but before serving, drizzle a little soy sauce or sesame oil over the bok choy.

You can also include bok choy in a more robust stir fry, one that contains shrimp or chicken perhaps, along with bean sprouts, snow peas and other Chinese-restaurant type ingredients.

My main suggestion for bok choy? Experiment! Really, it's hard to go wrong with this versatile vegetable in the kitchen.

Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? Check out Sarah's article where she reveals her secret source for the most mouth-watering restaurant recipes in America: http://www.solid-gold.info/most-wanted-recipes.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Sandori

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a Garden Bonus

2006-11-29T16:08:00.000-06:00

By John Lenaghan

Are you growing pumpkins in your garden? Don't waste one of the best parts of the pumpkins when you harvest them - the seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a tasty and nutritious snack - find out how to prepare them quickly and easily

The reward of gardening is enjoying the fruits and vegetables of your labor. You may be overlooking a delicious and nutritious crop that right under your hoe - roast pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkins have been a popular part of vegetable gardens for centuries. The word comes from the Greek word "pompon," which means large melon. Native Americans ate roasted pumpkin and wove dried strips into mats. Today, we include pumpkins in our vegetable gardening mainly for their decorating and pie value. We often throw the seeds away.

Next time you carve a jack-'o-lantern or cook a pumpkin for pie filling, save those seeds. They make nutty-flavored snacks that are a good source of protein, fiber, iron and phosphorous.

Below is an easy, fun recipe for roasting pumpkin seeds. The whole family will enjoy making and eating this new treat from the garden. Some people like to wash the seeds before roasting. Others leave any pumpkin particles for added flavor and nutrition.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds
1 Quart Water
2 Tablespoons salt
1 Tablespoon Melted Butter or Vegetable Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees

2. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add the seeds and boil for 8 to 10 minutes

3. Drain the seeds in a colander and spread them on a paper towel to dry.

4. Melt the butter. Put the dry seeds and butter in a large bowl and toss until the seeds are evenly coated.

5. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until they reach a light, golden brown color. Stir seeds every 10 minutes during cooking.

7. Cool the seeds completely before eating.

You can remove the hulls from the seeds after roasting or eat the seeds hull and all. Keep roasted seeds in airtight containers.

Gardening Tip: Set a few seeds aside before roasting. These free seeds will start next year’s pumpkin patch.

John Lenaghan writes about vegetable gardening for

http://www.vegetable-gardening-4u.com where he provides valuable tips and advice about seed companies, garden accessories, container gardening and other vegetable gardening topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Lenaghan

Olives & The Oil: Great Gourmet Recipes

2006-11-29T15:56:00.000-06:00

By Sandra Guzzi

How does "Triple Cheese & Olive Muffins" sound?
How about "Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Olives & Herbs"?
Or an olive dipping sauce?

Read on for more...

Triple Cheese & Olive Muffins
1 cup self raising flour
ÃÂ½ tsp bicarb soda
ÃÂ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
ÃÂ¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
1ÃÂ¼ cups milk
3 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots finely chopped
2 tbsp finely grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp finely grated Cheddar cheese
12 Kalamata olives Ã– pitted & sliced.

Preheat oven to 220ÃÂ°C.
Lightly oil 10 hole (1/3 cup) muffin pan.

Combine flour, soda, cayenne pepper & salt in bowl. In separate bowl whisk eggs, oil, milk, shallots & olives. Make a well in the flour and pour in the egg mixture. Stir until just combined. Divide ÃÂ½ the batter among the prepared holes,
top with combined cheeses, then remaining batter.

Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins have risen well and are firm to touch.

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Olives and Herbs
400g Pasta (spaghetti or fettuccini)
80 ml herb olive oil
2 cups oven roasted semi dried tomatoes
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 crushed garlic
1 red chili, finely chopped
2 cups olives
ÃÂ½ cup white wine
ÃÂ¼ cup chopped parsley
ÃÂ¼ cup finely chopped oregano
ÃÂ½ cup fetta cheese
salt & pepper to taste.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Heat olive oil in a heavy based pan to medium heat. Add shallot, red chili and olives. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add wine and increase heat. Cook until wine evaporates.

Drain pasta, return to pan and add tomatoes, olive mixture, herbs and cheese. Toss gently over heat and season to taste.

Dipping sauce
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
ÃÂ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
5 tbsp fish sauce
1 green & 1 red capsicum diced very finely
2 tbsp sliced ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil (prefer Lemon Myrtle variety if available)
2 tbsp corn flour.

Mix all ingredients and store in refrigerator. Ideal for a dipping sauce for prawns, vegetables and chicken pieces.

Sandra Guzzi is the owner of Australian Food Merchants, a retailer of fine gourmet food online. Sandra & her partner are proud to showcase to the world the best of Australian foods, including olive oil.

For more information, visit the website http://www.ausfood.com.au/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sandra_Guzzi

Chocolate Drums Cookie Recipe

2006-11-29T15:50:00.000-06:00

By Griffin Wetzstein

The chocolate drums cookie recipe is a perfect one to make with the children. These little gems will look so great sitting on a serving plate at your next holiday party!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup salted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Decorations:
Vanilla flavored candy coating, melted, slightly cooled
Decorator sugars and candies

Drumsticks:
Red licorice laces
Vanilla flavored candy coating, melted, slightly cooled

Hardware:
Large bowl
Small microwave safe bowl
Cookie sheets
Plastic wrap
Mixer

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy (2-3 minutes).

Step 2: Reduce speed to low and add the flour and cocoa; beat until well mixed.

Step 3: Divide dough into fourths. Shape each fourth into a 7-inch roll about 1-inch in diameter. Wrap each roll with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 5: Cut rolls into 3/4-inch slices with a sharp knife. Place rolls 1 inch apart, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheets.

Step 6: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Let cookies set for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling surface. Cool completely.

Decorating:
Step 1: In a small microwave safe bowl, melt candy coating in microwave according to directions on package.

Step 2: Roll sides of drums in the melted candy coating. Immediately dip or roll in desired decorator sugars or candies. Let stand to harden.

Drumsticks:
Step 1: Cut licorice laces into 1 1/4-inch pieces.

Step 2: Dip one end of each piece into melted candy coating. Crisscross two drumsticks on top of each drum. Let stand to harden

The chocolate drums cookie recipe makes 24 drums.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

For more great Christmas cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/christmas-cookie-recipes.html

For some great tasting oatmeal cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/oatmeal-cookie-recipes.html

For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Griffin_Wetzstein

Thanksgiving and Christmas Are Not An Excuse to Get Fat! Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

2006-11-29T15:48:00.000-06:00

By Matt Adler

It is that time of year again! Time to fill yourself on ham and turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, and don’t forget the pumpkin pie and eggnog!! Each holiday season we tend to make excuses for ourselves, and why it is ok to binge on food and overeat.

When we overeat, we stretch our stomachs until they expand. What this ultimately leads to is a larger stomach which means we need to eat more in order to feel full. This can turn into a vicious cycle as we continually consume more food to keep from feeling hungry. This especially happens during the holidays. There are simple methods to keep from punishing our bodies and gaining weight during the holidays.

Learn to eat slower. The faster we eat, the longer it takes our stomachs to catch up with our mouths. Although your stomach is getting full, it does not signal your brain that it is full until after you have overeaten. This is often the cause of stomach cramps and pain after a heavy meal. When we eat more slowly it gives our body time to realize our intake and tell us to stop eating. The food tastes good, enjoy it slowly.

Drink a glass of water before every meal. This can help us to feel full before we start eating, so we do not overeat. Likewise, wear pants that are tighter than normal which will also help you to feel full.

Keep your portions down to your normal size. If you typically only eat one plate of food, then stop yourself at one plate, and do not continue on to seconds, thirds, etc. Just remember that there are always leftovers you can enjoy later.

Do not go to sleep after eating. You may feel tired after eating which is natural for the body. When our body begins to digest food it releases hormones and chemicals that cause a reaction in the brain that makes us sleepy. When we take a nap after eating we allow our bodies to slow down and less of the calories are burned off and more turn to fat. If you begin to feel tired, take a short walk which will help get your energy back.

Continue to exercise or find alternative ways to get physical activity. During the holiday season we tend to sit around more than usual as we spend time with our friends and family. Find the time to exercise and stick with any of your routines. If you cannot make it to the gym, take a few laps around the house, or walk up and down the stairs a few times. Any activity is better than none, and as little as 15 minutes a day can help you keep from gaining weight during the holidays.

Remember these helpful tips to avoid weight gain during the holidays. Not only will it help you from needing a larger pair of pants, but it will also help keep up your energy level.

For more Health and Fitness Articles visit http://www.physical-fitness-articles.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Adler

The Death of Internet Marketing

2006-11-12T03:24:00.000-06:00

Hi Again...

carol here...

I just got an email about Mike Filsaime's Free Report called

"The Death of Internet Marketing"

I will admit, like you may be feeling now, that I thought it was some
hyped up offer to get me to join for free and get some offer...

...Turns out I was wrong. Way wrong.

The bottom line is, this report really opened my eyes to what really is the death of Internet marketing. The good news is, the report also shows you what you need to know to succeed in the near future.

The times are changing and I it would be a shame for anyone to not read this report and fail like many will.

I read it, and I wanted to share it with you ASAP.

I recommend you take a break from what ever it is you are doing if you can and get access to this report now.

Consider your future success by going here now...

The Death of Internet Marketing

You should take a look at this report. It brings into perspective a lot of interesting facts and also some well thought out speculation regarding the current state and the future of the internet marketing niche.

Thanks,

carol

PS - Mike says it will only be available for a few weeks at most so do not delay...

The Death of Internet Marketing

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If you were to have your clothing or your children’s clothing custom made, you would spend hundreds if not thousands for a piece of clothing. With easy sewing tips, you can create the exact same articles of clothing for less than you would spend for clothes at a discount store!

I'm a freelance writer who writes about a wide variety of subjects. I like to help people discover ideas, products and services that will benefit their lives.

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