1-I forgot to get a picture of the first step.  Choose lot of almost full or new crayons.  We have so many crayons in this house, I was thrilled I could get rid of some.  Line them up on a canvas board.  I bought mine from the dollar store for $1.25.  Line them anyway you would like.  I tried to guide Lauren to do it in color order but she had her own idea.  Than you glue them on with a hot glue gun.

2-Get a blow dryer and use the hottest setting until the crayons start to melt, which only takes a few minutes.

3-Add some flowers to the top of your stems and presto, DYI project is done!

 Doesn’t that look good?  Super easy fun project that would make a great gift for Grandma!  I crayons are a but crooked for an authentic look, right Lauren?  Happy crayon melting!

Selling on eBay

When you are ready to sell on eBay the first thing you must decide is what you are going to sell in your eBay auctions.  The trick is to know what to sell on eBay to make money.   I began with eBay auctions selling things I had around the house – things that I would normally sell at a garage sale.  I listed one or two things at a time and then worked my way up to more items at one time.  You don’t want to list too many items the first time because once the eBay auctions end you will be overwhelmed.  You must keep track of who won which auction, shipping costs, payments for the auctions and shipment of the auctions.  It is a lot to do so don’t take on too much at first.

Once you have decided what to sell on eBay you must write up a description of the item.  can’t stress enough the importance of being honest.  If the item you are selling has a defect of any kind – mention it.  You must be very upfront with the buyer and accurately describe what you are selling.  

Unless you are going to only sell products from vendors that can supply pictures, I highly recommend making the investment in a digital camera.  Check out our tips on using a digital camera for your eBay auctions click here.  Most eBay auctions show pictures.  If I am choosing between the auction that has a picture versus one that does not have a picture I will always choose the picture auction to bid on.  This is simply because I want to see what I am buying.  EBay buyers have a much higher comfort level with buying something when they know what to expect than buying sight unseen.

To list your item for sale on eBay you just need to follow the sell link at the top of the page.  It will guide you step-by-step through the process.  

Drop Shipping and eBay Auctions

Drop Shipping - If you are serious about selling on eBay you really need to consider drop shipping.  A real “Drop Shipper” is a legitimate Wholesale Supplier who will send products directly to your Internet customer for you, one product at a time, from their warehouse. They pack and ship the products for you. You pay the drop shipper the Wholesale Price for the products, and charge your customer your Retail Price. The difference between those prices is your profit. You never have to touch the product, or spend money to fill your garage up with products that you might not sell.

With Drop Shippers, you don’t pay up front to stock products. You don’t warehouse anything, or ship anything. You simply place product information (images and descriptions) on your auction, take orders, and email those orders to your Drop Shipper. THEY ship the product to your customer’s door. You never have to touch it. YOU set your Retail Price, and pay the Supplier the Wholesale Price, making a profit every time.

The hard part is finding legitimate drop shippers for your eBay auctions.  When I first looked into this idea I put the search term “drop shipping” into Google and came up with lots of hits.  After a lot of research, what I discovered was that the drop shippers I was finding were not actually drop shippers but were the middle men! I even purchased on eBay a drop shipper list.  I found out though that the list was junk.  I only paid $3.00 for it but it was my $3.00!  You get what you pay for! 

Those people pad their lists with worthless information on middlemen, resellers and closeout liquidators that charge you overblown prices, false account setup fees and order minimums. They take the easy way out, and sell you junk information, instead of doing the work it takes to really do the research. What you need is a good, reliable source.

What solution did I finally find?  

I became a member of Worldwide Brands.  If you are serious about making money online through drop shipping, this is THE way to go.  It is highly recommended by Frugal Mom.

So what is Worldwide Brands? 

Worldwide Brands is a membership site that will give you everything you need to get your business started.  Here are just some of the top-of-the-line benefits of membership:

• INSTANT access to over 8 million wholesale products.

• Immediate access to research on the best products to sell online.

• Resources for setting up your business and getting a Sales Tax ID in your state.

And talk about a place to learn about the drop shipping business!  Look at what the included Whole $ale Ebiz Education (a value of $399.00) gives you:

• 19 videos to jump start your e-biz

• 19 comprehensive workbooks that EXPAND on each video course

• Interactive Self-testing modules that show you what you’ve learned, and what you need to review to insure your success.

• Real-world Exercises that teach you in understandable terms what each Course means and how it applies to your business.

• Specifically targeted Resources for each course that tell you how to expand your knowledge even further, and find the TRUSTED places to go when you need information on other subjects.

For a limited time, these benefits are also included:

• Selling on Amazon Bonus – 1st 2 Months Free (a $79.98 value)

• Yahoo! Stores Bonus – 1st 6 Months Free (a $779.70 value)

• Free Copy of QuickBooks with Merchant Account Setup (a $199.95 value)

All of that, and MORE is included with your membership to Worldwide Brands.  If you are serious about drop shipping I can’t think of a better route to take.  I know you’re probably wondering about the cost.  Right now, the one time price, which gives you lifetime membership, is $299.00.  That may sound steep, especially if you are a frugal mom like me.  But I can tell you, the value, quality, and education that you will receive from Worldwide Brands is unsurpassed by anything I have seen.  I have been a member for several years now, and it just keeps getting better and better.  It is worth every penny, and so much more.  Truly. 

Buying Wholesale and Selling on eBay….read more

Step by step instructions on how to start a blog and then go on to make a full time income online.

Please Bookmark this page so you can refer to it often.

If you want to create a free blog, these instructions are not for you. Please go to Blogger.com, but keep in mind that a free blog can get deleted at any time, so if you intend to blog for money follow the instructions below.

1. Get your Domain name

I highly recommend using Dynadot. It is free to create your registrar account and is extremely user-friendly.

Go to ==> Dynadot.com then click on Create an Account (in the account sign in box top right)

After that fill in all your basic information. Make sure you choose a username and password that you will remember!

Now register your domain name.

Choose a name that fits the subject of your blog i.e training dogs – dogtrainingmethods.com or keep fit – keepfitforever.com

If your blog is going to be about many subjects, use a generic name such as reviewsforall.com or simpletips.com

When you log into your Dynadot account you will have a section near the top of the page that says “Search for a Domain”.

Here type in the name you want your blog to be called.

Once you have chosen your domain name, simply click on the box next to the domain name to select it and then click on the Add to Cart button down below.

You do NOT need to add domain privacy.

After you click on the Add to Cart button it will show you your shopping cart. Simply click on the Checkout button.

You can pay with a credit card or with PayPal.

2. Sign up for Web Hosting

I highly recommend you go with HostGator, I have many websites and blogs hosted with them and have never had any problems.

First of all, click here then go to ‘View Web Hosting Plans’.

I recommend you go with the Baby option so you can have unlimited domains on your account. So even if you decide to have lots of different blogs you will still only have to pay $7.95 a month and by using coupon code ‘hostgatorbaby’ you will only pay 1p for the first month.

When you click on the Order Now button you will be asked to select a domain option.

Choose “I will use My Existing Domain and update My Nameservers only.”

After that simply click on Next, then it will give you a review of what you are about to order. You should have the domain name that you registered on Dynadot. Your package should be Baby. You can then choose a Billing Cycle depending on your finances.

Once you have all this completed click on Calculate Totals.

Once you have gone through the HostGator sign up process just wait to receive your Hostgator email.

3. Change your Nameservers…read more here

By LeadFrog

All over the Internet, you’ll find lists like these and some are just basic, mindless collections of the same old ideas re-written to look new. While a lot of what you’d find on these lists are very obvious ways to increase traffic to your site, there are smaller details that you may not have thought about.

One such list I recently found was over at Espreson.com. I was reading through it and even though I was already employing about 9 of the ideas, I noticed that there were at least 15 new things I learned. How is that possible? For one, there were new angles on old games. So, what I’m doing here is I’m going to reiterate the same list, but add a few of the things I thought were missing. In effect, I’m updating it slightly since the original post was published back in 2007.

Top 10 Tips

10. Write some pillar articles. Your blog will mostly contain small to medium-sized posts about a variety of related topics, but pillar article is a big one. These articles should generally be larger content pages aimed at providing a wealth of information to your visitors. They are also not news-based articles as news posts have a short shelf life. Pillar articles will round out the content on your site and provide clearer focus to your overall agenda.

I recently became acquainted with a site called AssociatedContent.com that allows you become a freelance writer for their site. The biggest draw for me what getting my content in front of many readers all while pointing them back to my own site.

9. New content everyday. First off, let me say that you blog frequency should be decided up front and you should stick to it often. This doesn’t meant that you can’t start off at 3 posts per day and then drop to 1 per day and the change to 2 per day, but it does mean that you shouldn’t go 6 months at one post per day and then go 2 weeks without a post and then the next week is 2 posts per day and then nothing for a month and a half! Your posting frequency will never be perfect–I’m sure you have a real life!

The goal here is to allow your users to reasonably expect new content at various intervals. This is especially true if your blog contains of lot of project posts like you’re doing a 3 month test on Google AdWords and your posting your daily updates.

8. Get a domain name. There are countless blogs out there that a just sub-domains of Blogspot or WordPress and a lot of them are doing very well. However, getting people in the real world to see your site might be more of a chore than a pleasure. Having a great sounding domain name or at least one they can remember will ultimately increase the odds that it will be remembered. For example, I’ve noticed my domain kind of sticks with people because as soon as I say ‘ledfrog‘ to them, the first question is always “What does that mean?”. Once I tell them, they usually remember the definition and therefore the domain name. If all else fails, I have plenty of “backup” domains that I use as forwarders so depending on the person, I can give out the easiest to remember.

If you’re thinking of making it as a semi-pro or pro blogger, you may want to consider getting “YourFullName.com” so that way people who meet you and remember your name will inherently remember your blog. For me, I a trackback and a comment on the original blog for this very reason. A trackback tells the other blog that you wrote about them or linked to a post on their site and most of the time will create a comment-link post that mentions this. Once again, this helps you because it creates a link back to your site!

Just keep in mind that blogs are supposed to be connected. We’re all a community here and no one site can provide you with everything you need to know. Help others out and they will help you.

5. Submit your site to directories.

Read more ways to increase your traffic here…. ]]> http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/17/10-ways-to-increase-traffic-to-your-blog/feed/ 1 http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/16/how-to-make-money-selling-crafts/ http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/16/how-to-make-money-selling-crafts/#comments Sun, 16 Jan 2011 19:23:10 +0000 GGS Mom's http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/?p=633

 From promoting your work at local garage sales and flea markets, to listing your wares at online directories, the potential for selling your crafts never looked better. Even if you don’t need to pay the rent with your craft sales, a little savvy self-promotion and a cagey selection of goods to sell can at least help defray the cost of your supplies. Let’s take a look at how to start.

Etsy Handmade Goods

This website has made selling crafts, supplies, and vintage items online easy. All you have to do is register and pay a small fee to list an item. The current rate is $.20 for a four-month listing. When your item sells, you pay a 3.5% fee to the site. There is no programming involved, and the process can be fun. You become part of an active community of buyers and sellers, and being a seller on Etsy can help establish your street creds too. From sculpture to handmade jewelry, you’ll find a niche at Etsy.

Garage Sales, Flea Markets and other Local Outlets

If you don’t have the money or time to rent a booth at a major craft venue, you can still find a paying outlet for your goods. Check the papers for garage sales near you. Early on the morning of the sale, visit the location and ask to display your goods. Offer a finder’s fee for anything that’s sold. You’ll make friends and sell merchandise. To increase your exposure, donate some of your pieces to popular charities in your area. Many charities hold auctions and promotions to make money. Having your pieces on display helps to spread the word about you and your work.

Don’t forget local schools, libraries, and other public locations. Donating a quilt, painting, sculpture, basket or other craft for display helps to get you free publicity and a reputation for contributing to the local community. Many of these locations are crying out for a little creative decoration, and harried public servants are grateful for an easy way to make their spaces less impersonal.

Read more at Suite101: How to Sell Crafts: Creative Ways to Make Money Crafting http://www.suite101.com/content/crafting-for-dollars-a125025#ixzz1BEB0SLxm ]]> http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/16/how-to-make-money-selling-crafts/feed/ 0 http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/16/top-10-ways-to-make-money-at-a-garage-sale/ http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/16/top-10-ways-to-make-money-at-a-garage-sale/#comments Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:36:21 +0000 GGS Mom's http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/?p=627 Spring cleaning fever has hit, and you know what that means: Garage sale time! Don’t let those boxes stacked in the corner overwhelm you. Garage sales don’t have to be a hassle. Before you decide to display your wares in the driveway however, ask yourself why you’re having the sale. Do you just want to get rid of the clutter? If so, donating to the Salvation Army or a local church Is probably best. If your goal is to make some extra cash while finally getting a chance to meet the neighbors that you’ve lived next door to for five years, then maybe a garage sale is your best bet.

Here are 10 simple ways to make your garage sale a hassle-free success.

1. Advertise and they will come.
Most small community newspapers offer free garage sale notices, so take advantage of that. If possible, organize a multi-family sale and list a few of the items that will be available. If deed restrictions in your neighborhood allow it, handwritten “bandit” signs posted in the area will attract more people. Please remember to keep the neighborhood beautiful by removing the signs when your sale is over!

2. The more, the merrier.
People are more likely to shop at your sale if there is a crowd gathered. This is another reason multi- family sales work so well. If you’re hosting your own sale, ask friends and family to stop by and help out. Their presence will spark interest for the passers-by and their help will come in handy when the “real” crowd shows up.

3. Cha ching!
Be reasonable about pricing. As proud as you and your mother are of the still-life bowl of fruit you painted in the eighth grade, no one will give you $200 for it. If you can’t bear to see it sold for less, then keep it in the house.

4. Pennies belong in the piggybank. Don’t give items small price amounts such as a nickel or quarter because it’s too much change to deal with. Instead, group low-priced items together such as paperback books 4 for $1, or silverware 4 for $1.

Check out the next 6 tips here…..

I get asked how much money my blogging makes me on a regular basis. These days I don’t go into specifics about it – all I will say is that it continues to be well over six figures per year (but less than seven figures). What you’ll find below are my top income streams – ranked from highest earnings to lowest.

Keep in mind that this is a summary of all of my blogs (not just ProBlogger). It does not include any income that I earn from b5media where I’m paid a salary as VP Training.

I hope you find it useful to see the mix and variety of ways that I earn a living from blogging.

1. AdSense

Despite not using it here at ProBlogger any more I continue to use AdSense with real effect on my other blogs. While I do use AdSense Referrals and their search feature it is their normal ads that work best for me. I have them all set to show image and text based ads and find that 250×300 pixel ads work best (usually with a blended design).

2. Chitika

Last time I did this sort of summary Chitika ranked #1. This time around it has been overtaken by AdSense – not because Chitika slipped in how much it earned but because AdSense went up and because I also replaced a few Chitika ad units with WidgetBucks ones. Chitika offers a range of ad units that I experiment with. I find their eMiniMalls work best and that Related Product Units are also good. Their Shoplincs product isn’t performing as well as it once did for me – mainly because I’ve been promoting it less and have driven less traffic to it. Over the time I’ve been using Chitika they’ve now earned me over a quarter of a million dollars!

3. Amazon Associates

This has been one of my big movers in the last 12 months. I used to make a few odd dollars from it – however in recent times it has become a significant earner for me (as I’ve shared previously). This quarter it overtook TLA as my third biggest earner – largely on the back of me directing traffic to Amazon from my product related sites – mainly digital cameras. While the commission on cameras is only 4% this adds up when those that you refer buy higher ticket items.

Read all of the way Problogger makes money here….

Joyce House knows how to use a coupon! She can shrink a grocery bill to almost nothing using only coupons, and she shared some of her tips with Ellen on the ellen show.

Joyce also suggests the following ways to help you save money:

1. Clip before your trip
2. Use your club card
3. Know your store’s policies for maximum savings
4. Never impulse shop

Watch Video here: ]]> http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2011/01/15/the-coupon-diva-shares-her-tips/feed/ 0 http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2010/03/16/attention-all-soccer-moms/ http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/2010/03/16/attention-all-soccer-moms/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:35:09 +0000 GGS Mom's http://mommy.girlgetstrong.com/?p=531 As all sports moms and moms-alike do on a daily basis….keeping the family team organized while balancing a hectic schedule is no small feat.  The organizational skills required to chauffeur everyone around and to get to events on time, while being the loudest cheerleader on the sidelines doesn’t leave a ton of time for making dinner or other important chores around the household.

So, here are some tips to keep you on top of things, the family on track and everyone having fun.

Planning: Keep them Organized

It’s easy to keep yourself organized….but, keeping the little munchkins organized as well is a tough gig.  Therefore, the best way to keep everyone communicating and up-to-date on plans is to centralize a “calendar of events” in one easy to see, central location around your house, such as on the fridge door…..all kids love to eat, right?.  Along with the sports practice and game schedule, be sure to include play-dates and school projects.

Transportation:  Getting them there on time!

Beside the list on the fridge, put another list of all the items you need for the day (include sports equipment, school supplies and food).  This way if everyone knows what items they are responsible for bringing they might be less likely to forget something.

Snacks: Keep them Energized

Pre-game snacks that are high in protein provide long-lasting energy.  Keep a cooler in the car that can hold pre-game munchies like veggies, yogurt, cheese slices and fruit.  Remember to bring drinks for hydration….a hydrated child is a happy child J

Pep Talks:  Keep them Positive

Rushing from one event to another can leave a child drained and negative.  Make sure you keep up an up-beat attitude and it will rub off on your kids.

Dinner:  Keep Them Growing

A warm meal is a great opportunity to regroup and discuss the day with your whole family….and their friends.  You never know who will show up for dinner.  Use easy recipes (try a slowcooker) that make enough food for leftovers or for unexpected guests.  Use your imagination….and try to keep dinner fun.

Sports Moms should never forget that the most important “tool” they have is their family.  From helping  to set the table to slicing cheese for snacks or organizing equipment in the back of the minivan (or SUV), when everyone chips in, there is less stress, more fun and a more cheerful Sports Mom!!!!

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (4 ounces) thick slice or chunk of cooked ham, cut into 1/4-inch diced pieces
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Additional parsley for garnish

Preparation: