{Made With Bliss} Handmade with Bliss in Indonesia & Around the World

Homemade Buttermilk Substitute

2010-09-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Milk (just under one cup)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Place a Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.
2. Add enough milk to bring the liquid up to the one-cup line.
3. Let stand for five minute. Then, use as much as your recipe calls for.

Very Email Address & Check IP

2010-09-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

Want to validate email addresses easily? Our free email verifier is exactly what you need. With our "verify email address" tool, you can easily verify an email address and confirm if it is valid, properly formatted and really exists, please check out: http://www.verifyemailaddress.org/

If you continuously receive spam comments or inappropriate comments from a particular commenter, you can block an entire IP address from your blog. You can check their IP by using this one: http://tools.whois.net/whoisbyip/

Homemade Brown Sugar

2010-09-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

What You Need:

Sugar
Molasses

Here's How:

Measure one cup of granulated sugar and one tablespoon of molasses into a mixing bowl.
Stir with a fork until completely mixed. Your brown sugar is now ready for use!

Tips:

To make dark brown sugar, increase the molasses to two tablespoons.

Homemade Heavy Cream

2010-09-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup butter

Preparation:

1. Melt the butter.
2. Pour it into the milk, and stir.
3. Use in place of one cup of heavy cream.

Note: This substitute while not whip.

Tip: If you use low-fat milk, add a tablespoon of flour to the mixture to thicken.

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

2010-09-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

What you need:

3 Cups Bread Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Sachet Activated Dry Yeast (7 grams)
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil (Extra Virgin is best)
2 - 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water

What to do:

1. Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and give a good dry mix to blend ingredients.

2. Add the oil and water. Hold some of the water in reserve and add later if needed. You are aiming for a very soft sticky dough. Mix for about 10 minutes if mixing by hand, 5 minutes is plenty if using a mixer.

3. Place the dough in a large plastic container with a lid. Any container that will hold the dough is fine, you can cover with cling wrap instead of a lid if needed. Just make sure the dough has room to double in size. Dust the container very well with lots of flour. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Simply pour/scrape the dough, placing half in each side of your container. Dust the dough and shape into a rectangular form. This will help with folding later.

4. Cover the dough and let it stand (prove) for about an hour, or until it doubles in size.

5. Now uncover and dust the dough pieces. Make sure you have some flour on your hands as well for the next step. Fold the top and bottom of the dough piece into the middle. Now fold each side into the middle. Gently flatten the dough and shape into rectangular form again. Do the same for both dough pieces. Now cover, and let stand until the dough doubles in size again, about 1 hour.

6. Repeat the folding again for each dough piece, remember to use plenty of flour. Flatten, cover and let it prove one more time, until again it doubles in size.

7. Pre-heat your oven to 450 F. Grease a large baking tray. Now lift each dough piece and stretch to the length of the baking tray. Place the dough on the tray.

8. Bake in your hot oven for around 30 minutes or until golden brown and crusty.

Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup

2010-09-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup

5 lbs ripe red tomatoes, quartered
3 medium red onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 T black peppercorns
1 T mustard seeds
1 T allspice berries
1 tsp whole cloves
2 tsp celery seeds
1 thin slice fresh ginger
½ cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
½ c packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp sweet paprika
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp coarse salt
Large pinch cayenne

Quarter tomatoes the evening before, place in strainer and allow to drain over night to release excess water.
Place tomatoes, onions, bell pepper and garlic in a large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft about 30 minutes. Pass through a food mill 2 or 3 times starting with a course blade and working to the finest blade until you have a very smooth puree. Alternatively, puree in a blender until smooth and pass through a fine strainer into a large bowl.

Place peppercorns through bay leaves on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it up to form a bag. Add to tomato mixture along with brown sugar, paprika, vinegar, salt and cayenne. Simmer slowly stirring frequently until ketchup is very thick, at least 2 hours. Remove cheesecloth bag.

Store in refrigerator at all times. Lasted up to 6 months, but you can always make it in a smaller batch.

Homemade Natural Mold Buster

2010-09-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Tea Tree Spray:

2 teaspoons of tea tree oil
2 cups of water

Shake the solution together in a spray bottle and spritz on moldy areas. Let it sit without rinsing.

Grapefruit Seed Spray:

20 drops of grapefruit seed extract
2 cups of water

Like the Tea Tree Treasure, shake the solution together in a spray bottle and spritz on problem areas. Again, let it sit without rinsing to let it work its magic.

Vinegar Spray:

Pour white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle without diluting with water. Spritz offending spots and let it sit without rinsing. It’ll smell strong but will dissipate in a few hours time—along with the mold!

Homemade Sourdough Bread

2010-09-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Starter:

1 c. milk
1 c. flour

Place in glass jar or crock pot and let stand for 24 hours at room temperature. Stir in 1 cup flour. Leave mixture uncovered in warm place for 3 days or until bubbly and sour. Remember: If you want to continue to bake sourdough bread with the starter mixture, replace every cup of starter used with 1 cup of flour. Let stand until sour. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

Quick Sourdough Bread:

1/2 c. warm water
1 c. starter
5 - 6 c. Unbleach all purpose flour/nut flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 tsp. sugar/honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt

What to do:

Mix warm water and yeast in large bowl. Add starter, 4 cups flour, salt and sugar. Stir for 3 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Combine baking soda and 1 cup flour and add to the dough mixture. Turn onto floured board and knead (adding remaining flour to prevent stickiness) until shiny, about 8 to 10 minutes. Dough should not be able to absorb any more flour.

Shape into 2 loaves. Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and place in a warm place to rise until nearly doubled (1 to 1 1/2 hours). Before baking, brush outside with water and slash across top with a sharp knife. Put a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom shelf of oven. Bake in a hot oven at 400 F until the crust is medium dark brown (45 minutes).

Homemade Vegetarian Margarine

2010-09-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

What to do:

Place 1/2 cup plain soy milk/ rice milk into blender and begin to process on highest setting. While processing, through the hole in the lid, pour in the cup of oil slowly. Continue blending until the hole in the center fills in. Turn off blender and add a tiny bit of turmeric for color, a few drops of lemon juice for freshness, salt to taste (we used about 1/2 tsp of salt). Blend briefly on low to combine. Pour into airtight container and store in fridge.

Enjoy your new margarine :)

High Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

2010-09-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

Just published in the Environmental Health journal is a science commentary reporting that mercury was found in 9 of 20 samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a common sweetener of foods and beverages.

Mercury is a potent brain toxin that we know accumulates in fish and seafood, although diet is not the only route by which we are exposed. When babies are exposed to elevated mercury in the womb, their brains may develop abnormally, impairing learning abilities and reducing IQ. For these youngest children, the science increasingly suggests there may be no “safe” level of exposure to mercury.

And yet for decades an increasingly common ingredient in processed foods, HFCS, has been made using mercury-grade caustic soda. The lead author of the Environmental Health study found mercury contamination in some commercial HFCS, which can be made from mercury-grade caustic soda.

Through this public scientist’s initiative, the FDA learned that commercial HFCS was contaminated with mercury. The agency has apparently done nothing to inform consumers of this fact, however, or to help change industry practice.

Mercury was found at levels several times higher than the lowest detectable limits in some snack bars, barbecue sauce, sloppy joe mix, yogurt and chocolate syrup. Although closer to the detection limit, elevated mercury levels were also found in some soda pop, strawberry jelly, catsup and chocolate milk. The top mercury detections are summarized in the table below.

Product Name	Total Mercury ppt (parts per trillion)
Quaker Oatmeal to Go	350
Jack Daniel’s Barbecue Sauce (Heinz)	300
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup	257
Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce	200
Nutri-Grain Strawberry Cereal Bars	180
Manwich Bold Sloppy Joe	150
Market Pantry Grape Jelly	130
Smucker’s Strawberry Jelly	100
Pop-Tarts Frosted Blueberry	100
Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup	87
Wish-Bone Western Sweet & Smooth Dressing	72
Coca-Cola Classic	62
Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt	60
Minute Maid Berry Punch	40
Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink	30
Nesquik Chocolate Milk	30
Kemps Fat Free Chocolate Milk	30

References:
1. David Wallinga, M.D., Janelle Sorensen, Pooja Mottl, Brian Yablon, M.D. Not So Sweet: Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Homemade Natural Bug & Pest Repellents

2010-09-16T15:10:00.001-07:00

#1 Pepper Spray

This works great for ants and other small pests.

Boil 2 or 3 cups of water.
Add about ½ to 2/3 cup of chopped hot pepper. Let marinate for a few minutes.
Run the mixture thru a sieve to remove the peppers.
Put the liquid in a squirt bottle and use when necessary.
Be careful not to spray directly on foliage.

#2 Minty Soap Spray

This is great for ants.

Mix 2 tbsp of Dr. Bonners mint soap with a gallon of water.
Spray directly on ants.

This will also work to ward off other pests on foliage however be care when you spray it directly on your plants. It has been known to burn some plants if too much is applied.

#3 Pure Vanilla Extract

Dab a little on you wrists, neck and behind the ears. Many insects don’t like the smell.

#4 Chem-Free Bug Off Mist

Mix witch hazel with a few drops of tea tree oil, lavender oil, or peppermint oil in a squirt bottle.
Lightly mist your body.

You can also add one of these essential oils to an unscented organic lotion for a bug repelling moisturizer.

#5 Lavender Works Mosquito Miracles

Stop the bites!

Rub a lavender flower behind your ears, wrists and neck.
Not only will you smell great but mosquitoes will leave you alone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are many methods of organic pest control, such as; neem oil, orange oil and rotenone.

Orange Oil is produced by the inner glands in the rind of the fruit. Limonene is the main component in the oil and is not only used in organic pesticides but is one of the most widely used ingredients in organic pesticides.

100% Neem can protect against insects, mites and other fungus. It also acts as an anti-feedant, which will deter insects from feeding on the greenery without harming the insects. It is determined beneficial for use on flowers, gardens, ornamental in the garden, orchards or field crops. It meant to be used every two to four weeks, diluted with water and sprayed. It is non toxic to mammals, birds and other beneficial insects.

Rotenone is a well known organic pesticide that has proven to be very strong, but not very quick acting. It kills aphids, thrips, sawflies, beetles and mites. It breaks down rapidly, often within days.

Natural Repellents for Cockroaches

2010-09-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

This animals really like hot humid weather such as in Indonesia. I hope this will help to resolve the problem in more natural & safe way..:)

Fill a spray bottle about half full and add a couple tsp. of peppermint oil. Spray around the outside of your doorways and windows. You can also spray this on kitchen counter tops and inside cabinets.

Bay leaves will repel roaches. Place them all around your kitchen and in the cabinets. Just a side note if you place a bay leaf in your bag of flour, you won’t get weevils.

Roaches don’t like the smell of cedar. You can pick up essential cedar oil and mix it with some rubbing alcohol in a squirt bottle. Spray around all your doorways and windows. You can also place cedar chips around your home to deter roaches from entering.

How to Make Sprouted Grain Bread

2010-09-16T14:59:00.001-07:00

How to Make Sprouted Grain Bread -- powered by eHow.com

How to sprout & dry grain for flour: http://www.ehow.com/how_5858262_sprout-dry-grain-flour.html

Homemade One Ingredient Ice Cream

2010-09-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Banana Ice Cream:

Take 2-3 bananas and cut into small piece

Place the pieces onto a plate and place in the freeze for 2-4 hours.

Remove the banana from the freezer and place into a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy.

Note: you can substitute bananas with alvocados. For extra flavors, you can add carob or chocolate powder, honey, cinnamon powder, vanilla powder, peanut butter, etc.

Enjoy your ice cream :)

Mothering Natural Family Living - September/October 2010 Issue

2010-09-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

September/October 2010

Homemade Mayonnaise

2010-08-21T00:34:00.000-07:00

Mix in saucepan: 1/3 C flour, 1 Tsp sugar, 1 Tsp salt, 1 Tsp dry mustard

Add gradually: 3/4 C water, 1/4 C mild vinegar or lemon juice

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Pour into bowl. Beat in with rotary beater 4 egg yolks (2 whole eggs). Continue beating, adding 1 C salad/vegetable oil a little at a time.

Enjoy your new homemade Mayonnaise :)

Homemade French Dressing

2010-08-18T00:33:00.000-07:00

Beat together with rotary beater or shake well in tightly covered jar:
1 C olive oil/vegetable oil
1/2 C vinegar
1/4 C lemon juice
1 Tsp salt
1/2 Tsp dry mustard
1/2 Tsp paprika

Keep in covered jar in refrigerator. Make 1 1/2 C dressing.

Variations
Herbs: to 1/2 C French Dressing add 2 Tsp mince parsley, 1/2 Tsp powdered thyme, 1/2 Tsp oregano
Curry: to 1/2 C French Dressing add 1/2 Tsp curry powder

Enjoy your new salad dressing :)

The Story of Cosmetics

2010-08-01T15:39:00.001-07:00

What can you do? Please visit here to learn more about this cause.

Tiny House

2010-07-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm fascinating right now with tiny houses since I watched about it on local Public TV channel. Less is more isn't it? Anyway, I just want to share one of the house plan that I found recently:

Formula Companies Expensive Claims Can Discourage Breastfeeding

2010-07-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

It simply isn't right to take advantage of new parents when they're vulnerable.

But baby formula companies are doing just that. And this is especially wrong because empty infant formula advertising claims undermine evidence-based messages like "breastfeeding is best for babies." This has got to be fixed, and we have a chance right now to change the way these infant formula companies and other food manufacturers do business so that parents get the facts, and not just empty hype on labels.

Tell your Senator that the Child Nutrition Act should include independent scientific reviews of formula and other foods so parents can make the best choices for their infants.

http://action.momsrising.org/go/WIC/282?akid=2222.198352.bcA0rM&t=4

“All parents want what's best for their babies, and we want them to feel empowered to make an informed feeding decision at one of the most vulnerable and precious times of their lives—the birth of a new baby,” explains Megan Renner, Executive Director of the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC). "The marketing of infant formula has been shown to undermine breastfeeding intention and success. Independent review of ‘functional ingredients’ will go a long way towards providing parents with the information they have a right to receive.”

What’s happening right now?

Congress is debating the renewal of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) through the Child Nutrition Act. As the re-authorization of the Child Nutrition Act moves through the Senate, we're urging Senators to also include a review of the “functional ingredients” in baby formula and other foods WIC offers. Functional ingredients are things like prebiotics, nucleotides, and others ingredients that are marketed as improving a baby’s health. Companies add these “functional ingredients” as a way to command higher prices and make catchy health claims. Initial independent studies have shown very mixed results as to whether so-called “functional ingredients” actually do anything for the health of our kids.[1]

Our federal government carries enormous weight in this formula fiasco because half of all U.S. infants participate in the WIC program.[2] WIC’s mission is to provide healthy foods, breastfeeding support and nutrition counseling to low-income pregnant women, infants, and young kids. To that end, WIC gives vouchers for specific foods that qualifying families can use in their local grocery stores.

The government has estimated that these “functional ingredients” cost WIC $91 million annually.[3] Meanwhile, front-line WIC providers, who work hard to promote and support breastfeeding, are very concerned that moms are increasingly asking WIC for the formula “that’s just like breastmilk.”[4] And that’s why it’s so important for USDA to get expert advice based on an independent, systematic review of the research, which will be published for all consumers to see. An independent review of "functional ingredients" could save the taxpayers and the average new parent a lot of money.

Making baby formula labels crystal clear is critical because new parents need to be able to read baby formula labels and make the best selection for their children. Yet the current system isn't working. Here’s how MomsRising member Roberta describes her moment of new-parent-formula-selection-paralysis:

“The few times I had to buy formula for my son, I was paralyzed by the wall of options in the grocery store. Each brand made a different claim about what their formula would do for my son’s health, and the more claims there were, the more expensive the can. Even my son’s pediatrician couldn’t recommend a choice.”

It’s no wonder Roberta and her pediatrician couldn’t figure out which infant formula was best for her son. If companies want to say their formula makes your baby smarter, stronger, and cuter, no one in our government makes sure their claim is true.[5]

Unfortunately, we’re up against the formula companies in this fight, and as you can imagine they’re pretty powerful. That’s why as parents we need to be even louder!

*Don't forget to send a note to your Senator today:

http://action.momsrising.org/go/WIC/282?akid=2222.198352.bcA0rM&t=6

Please let your friends and family know about this campaign too by forwarding this email right now. Together we can stand up for all the sleep-deprived moms and for the health of our children!

Together we’re a powerful voice for women and families,

--Sarah, Kristin, Donna, Joan, Mary and the whole MomsRising.org team

P.S. To read more about WIC and the formula fight go here: "Foods with New Functional Ingredients Should Be Provided Only If They Deliver Health or Nutritional Benefits," Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

P.P.S. A big thank you to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities for all they do on this issue.

[1] For an example see Karen Simmer, Sanjay Patole, and Shripada C. Rao, “Longchain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation in Infants Born at Term,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2008, Issue 4.

[2] "About half of the infants in the United States participate and benefit from the WIC program.” See page 6 of Secretary Vilsack’s testimony.

[3] Marcus, Ruth, July 14, 2010 “Lobbying fight over infant formula highlights budget gridlock” Washington Post

[4] Check out what the California WIC Association is doing to improve breastfeeding policies.

[5] Neuberger, Zoe, June 4, 2010 "WIC Food Package Should Be Based on Science: Foods with New Functional Ingredients Should Be Provided Only If They Deliver Health or Nutritional Benefits" Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

Visit Indonesia 2010 Video

2010-07-13T16:19:00.001-07:00

Toxic Chemical Lobby: Exclusive Leaked Footage

2010-07-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

A Note from Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition

Bisphenol A in baby bottles, water bottles, and food cans. Formaldehyde in furniture. Phthalates in air fresheners, soft plastics, and fragrances.

Scientists once thought these chemicals stayed put in their products, but now we know they leach out of their containers and into our bodies. These common chemicals have not been tested for safety, yet they are found in products we use every day — under your kitchen sink, in your bathrooms and bedrooms.

We need Congress to act now, to make sure the products we reach for, sleep on, and eat from every day aren’t loaded with toxic chemicals. You can help Congress stay strong in the face of chemical industry pushback but only if you speak out.

Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families believes that effective and comprehensive reform of TSCA will not only protect public health; it will also help American companies by spurring innovation and job creation dedicated to making the next generation of safer chemicals and products.

This is our time to make toxic chemicals history! Let’s tell Congress to strengthen and reform the law so that the most dangerous chemicals are taken off the market and that chemicals are safe for use before being added to products.

Chemicals aren’t sitting still – and neither should you! Click HERE to send a message to your Members of Congress now!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2010-07-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

What you need:

* 1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
* 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
* 1 t baking soda
* 1/4 t baking powder
* 1/4 t salt
* 1 C sugar
* 1/2 C plus 2 T butter, room temperature
* 1 large egg

What to do:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar.
2. Beat in the butter and the egg. Continue mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. (I found that while the dough wasn't sticky enough to roll, I could press it flat with my hands like the recipe said and then use cookie cutters to cut perfect circles. If you just care about the taste, then there is no need for the cookie cutters. Also, remember this is a chance to get creative and use all kinds of cookie cutters.)
4. Bake for 9 minutes at 375 F. Set on a rack to cool.

Filling:

* 1/4 cup room-temperature, unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (butter)
* 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla powder (add a little water to make it into paste)

What to do:

1. Place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla.
2. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
3. To make a cookie, pipe teaspoon-sized blobs of cream into the center of a cookie using a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch round tip. (If you don't have a pastry bag, you could easily just spread the filling with a knife or use a Ziplock with the corner cut off as a pastry bag. I had a pastry bag, but I only had a star tip. The tip doesn't matter much.)
4. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

2010-07-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

We love chocolate. And one of them is chocolate syrup. We normally use Organic Chocolate Syrup by Santa Cruz which by the way currently offering 75 cents off coupon on their website.

Since we're gonna move to Indonesia, I need to find alternative way to replace them, so here is a homemade chocolate syrup recipe.

This recipe makes 2 cups

What you need:

1 C Cocoa Powder
1.5 C Brown Sugar
1 dash Salt (optional)
1.5 C Water (or Milk)
1 Tsp. Vanilla Powder
1 Tsp. Corn Flour
1 Tsp. Butter (optional)

What to do:

Stir together the ingredients, except Vanilla Powder. Boil for 4 minutes (medium high flame). Add the Vanilla Powder and stir for 1 minute. Stir frequently until the sauce is thicken. Allow to cool. Store in refrigerator.

Homemade Vegetarian Corn Dog in Stick

2010-07-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

Dough:
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup warm water
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, about
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl and brushing on crusts
1 tablespoon agave nectar or brown sugar
3/4 cup cool water

Filling:
1 batch homemade seitan sausages (either the Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausage recipe from Everyday Dish or the Smoky Sausage Links from the Membership area of Everyday Dish) or
1 package store-bought vegan/vegetarian hotdogs

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water; stir in the sugar and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Mix the agave with the salt, olive oil and cool water and set aside.
3. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, slowly pour the agave-oil mixture in through the feed tube. Then pour in the dissolved yeast. Process until the dough forms a ball on the blade. If it is too sticky, sprinkle on a little more flour. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Transfer to an oiled bowl, and let rest 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
4. Roll out the dough into fairly thin pieces. Wrap up sausages or hot dogs with the dough. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the corn dogs seam side down on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake the corn dogs in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, and insert a popsicle stick or skewer into the bottom of each corn dog. Enjoy!

Copyright © 2010 Julie Hasson

Julie Hasson is the author of 5 cookbooks. She is very passionate about food. You can visit her at: www.juliehasson.com

The Story Behind Cosmetics

2010-07-08T12:03:00.001-07:00

A-Wake Up Story

2010-07-08T09:33:00.001-07:00

Vegetarian Marsmallow Recipe

2010-07-06T17:55:00.000-07:00

Makes about 3 cups of marshmallow fluff or one 8" pan of marshmallows

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutes

What You Need:

1 2/3 cups sugar
½ cup water
2 Tbs. agar-agar flakes
2 large egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
3 Tbs. Egg Replacer
Egg to Liquid Egg Substitute Conversion:
1 egg = 1/4 cup egg substitute
2 eggs = 1/2 cup egg substitute
4 eggs = 1 cup egg substitute
8 eggs = 1 pint carton egg substitute

What to do:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, water and agar flakes, stirring well to dissolve. Stirring constantly, bring the liquid to a boil and then turn down the heat to low. Let the liquid simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture is the consistency of a thick syrup. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs whites and the cream of tartar at a medium-high speed setting until the whites are fluffy and hold stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Gently fold in 1 T. of the Egg Replacer.

3. Carefully and in three additions, pour the warm syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the egg whites, mixing well between each addition with the hand mixer at a medium speed setting. Add the remaining 2 T. Egg Replacer and continue to mix at a medium speed until the mixture is glossy and stiff, about 2 more minutes.

4. Spread the mixture into a non-stick 8” cake pan, or, alternatively, an 8” cake pan lined with parchment. Place pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. The mixture can now be used in place of marshmallow fluff in recipes or used to make vegetarian marshmallows.

To make toasted marshmallows:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Place the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until marshmallows have puffed slightly and begin to brown but are not hard on the outside.

Egg Replacer Recipe:
1 Tbs. ground Flax seeds
2 - 3 Tbs. water
Directions: Simmer flax seeds and water in a saucepan for about 5 minutes (or less or more time depending on the amount you are making) or until thick, egg-like consistency has been reached.
Let cool before using in a recipe. This recipe makes 1 eggs worth, but it can be easily made into a larger quantity using the 1:3 ratio- for example, 1 cup ground flax seeds and 3 cups water (that would make 16 eggs worth) and will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. Use about 1/4 cup (which is equal to 4Tbs) egg substitute for every egg.

10 Indoor Plants That Can Eat Insects

2010-07-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for indoor plants that mosquito will hate to be around and came accross this article called "10 Indoor Plants That Can Eat Insects. Here's one of them. It's called Sundews. Quite interesting plants I would say..

Enjoy the rest of the plants here.

Homemade Seitan/Wheat Meat

2010-07-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

Homemade Corn Tortilas Wraps

2010-07-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

Raw Corn Tortilla Wrap from Everyday Dish TV on Vimeo.

Corn Tortillas/Wraps

3/4 cup dry golden flax seeds ground into meal (blend dry seeds first before getting your blender wet)
1 cup soaked raw almonds (2/3 cups before soaking) soaked 4-8 hours
1 cup raw hemp seeds
1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
2 Tbs raw honey, maple syrup or agave
1 tsp high mineral salt
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp turmeric for color
Optional: add 1 minced jalapeÒo for extra spice

Step 1: Put almonds and hemp seeds in the blender with enough water to cover, and blend until creamy. Use a celery stalk as your spatula to keep things moving in the blender.
Alternate Step 1: Put 1 1/2 cups almond meal (leftover from making almond milk) in a large mixing bowl with 1/4 cup melted coconut butter or olive oil add hemp seeds and enough water to cover and blend smooth.

Step 2: Blend pine nuts, corn and sweetener in the blender until creamy. You may need to add a little water to blend.

Step 3: Put all ingredients together in the bowl and mix well. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.

Step 4: Spread the batter onto 1 and 1/2 16 x 16 dehydrator trays covered with a teflex sheet. Make the wrap as thin or as thick as you like about ºî thick is great for the Enchilada Spirals.

Dry at 105 degrees for about 4 hours. Flip the wrap and take the teflex off.
Dry for another 3 hours or until bread is still very moist and is easy to lift up.
At this point you can layer on a filling and roll it up then slice it, or cut it into squares and use as tortillas.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

The very thick wrap is great for making a roll or spiral. Make the wraps thinner if you want to use them for taco shells or tortillas.

Homemade Laundry Liquid

2010-07-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Note: I want to share with this recipe how to make your own laundry liquid. For photos & video, you can check out this website.

Mix in a pot on the stove top:

1.5 L (50 oz.) water or floral water (Lavender or Rose)
1 C grated, unscented soap bar

Stir until dissolved and add:

1/2 C Washing Soda
1/2 C Borax

Stir until thickened and remove from heat. In a separate container, add:

1 L (34 oz.) Hot water
add soap mixture from stove top that you make earlier

Stir then set aside for 24 hours to thicken.

Direction: Use 1/2 C mixture per wash load

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages

2010-06-30T15:33:00.001-07:00

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages
Makes 8 links

2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp Bills Best Chik’Nish Seasoning (if using another brand which is salty, or saltier than Bill’s Best, you’ll want to greatly reduce the amount you use)
2 tbsp granulated onion
1 to 2 tbsp fennel seed, optional
2 tsp coarsely ground pepper, preferably freshly ground
2 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
1 tsp ground smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
2 1/4 cups cool water*
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk together the water, garlic, olive oil and soy sauce and using a fork, gently stir into the dry ingredients. Stir just until ingredients are mixed. If dough mixture is too dry, you can add another tablespoon of water or as needed.
2. Scoop 1/2 cup dough mixture at a time and shape into logs. Place logs on piece of aluminum foil and roll up, twisting ends. Place sausages in steamer and steam for 30 minutes. Once sausages have cooled, remove from foil and refrigerate until ready to eat. After cooling, the sausages may feel a bit dry on the outside. Don’t worry, as they will soften and firm up considerably after chilling.

Variation: You can shape the dough into little patties instead of links. If you don’t want to use aluminum foil, you can wrap the links in damp muslin or tea towel and tie ends with cotton twine.

Copyright © 2008 Julie Hasson

Julie Hasson is the author of 5 cookbooks. She is very passionate about food. You can visit her at: www.juliehasson.com

Homemade Butter

2010-06-29T23:25:00.001-07:00

Homemade Alcohol Free Hand Sanitizer Gel

2010-06-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Alcohol Free Hand Sanitizer Gel

* 1 cup pure aloe vera gel
* 1-2 teaspoons of witch hazel (add until the desired consistency is reached)
* 8 drops of essential oils

Cedarwood, lavender, lemon, lemon grass, myrrh, neroli, patchouli, peppermint, rose, sandalwood, tea tree, thyme and ylang-ylang essential oils all have antiseptic properties.

Clove, niaouli and pine oils have both disinfectant and antiseptic properties.

Tea tree oil is the most powerful of these essential oils and has antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties–making it the recommended essential oil to use in the following recipes. But it should not be used on infants or pregnant /nursing women.

Wooly Pockets For Your School

2010-06-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

I came this product called Woolly Pockets on Martha Stewart Show. I really this idea a lot. If you are a teacher or know any schools that might be interested to have vertical garden (has limited space), you can sign up to have Woolly Pockets installed in your school.

I personally like the Wally pockets which you can use for indoor and outdoor. It's a great concept, but a bit expensive for my pocket right now.

Ideas for Montessori Infant/Toddler Room Setting

2010-06-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

There are lots of ideas to be gleaned for setting up a comfortable, beautiful, purposeful, and fun learning environment for your infant or toddler at home:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35832724@N02/show/

Mosquito-Free Naturally

2010-06-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have to prepare (again) for this one before we go to Indonesia soon. I normally use this Anti Bug Balm by Badger on my children. I think it works fine, but the sweat kinda "wash it off" from the skin, so I have to think some new alternatives or at least something that doesn't need to be apply on the skin.

I think I'm gonna try crushing some Lemon Grass leaves and create a flower bucket of Lavender plants or perhaps just hang those crushed Lemon Grass leaves all around the house. I also want try vitamin B-6 supplement & get Dr.Bronner's Eucalyptus soap (we normally use Peppermint one).

Anyway, I just came across this article talking about the danger of DEET & the readers have some great ideas:

Even U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) toxicologist Michael Watson noted an instance “where exposure to DEET caused six cases of brain damage in girls aged one through six–and three of them died.”

So what do you do if you wish to avoid the potentially dangerous effects of DEET while still keeping the mosquitoes at bay? While Mother Nature offers dozens of different options, here are some of my top natural mosquito repellents:

New Study Shows Profound Impact of Anger on Your Health

2010-06-23T14:34:00.000-07:00

When you get angry, your heart rate, arterial tension and testosterone production increases, cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases, and the left hemisphere of your brain becomes more stimulated.

Researchers induced anger in 30 men "Anger Induction" (AI), which consists of 50 phrases in first person that reflect daily situations that provoke anger.

Before and immediately after the inducement of anger, the researchers measured heart rate and arterial tension, levels of testosterone and cortisol, and the asymmetric activation of the brain...

Read more.

Flowers Are Booming Everywhere!

2010-06-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

These flowers are actually rings. I'm working on some new crochet designs with the artisan that I work with. And recently, we're working on rings & earrings designs.

Are You A Mother & Looking For Activities Ideas To Do With Your Children?

2010-06-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this list of 100 websites that you and your children can do together:
http://raisingplayfultots.com/rptindex/raising-playful-tots-index0

I hope this will be useful for you...

PVC-Free Foldable Baby Bath Tub

2010-06-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

This FlexiBath Travel Folding Baby Bath Tub are is free from PVC, phthalates, heavy metals and other harmful or hazardous materials. Flexibath is a safe, clean and environmentally responsible product.

This is very cool product. I like the fact that it's foldable, make it convenient to bring in our suitcase or car when we visited family/relatives/friends or even when we're camping somewhere.They're available in pink, blue, red, and white.

To find out more about the danger of PVC, please visit here.

Chemicals in Food & Early Puberty in Girls

2010-06-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

New research from Denmark shows that girls are reaching puberty earlier than ever before, at age 9. While some fear this will lead to increased sexual activity at a younger age, others are more concerned about what’s causing girls to develop breasts and have their periods so soon. Scientists point to chemicals in the food chain along with obesity and a high meat diet for the change.

The study of 1,000 girls found that on average breast development started at 9 years and 10 months, while a similar look at puberty in 1991 showed it occurred a year later.
The onset of puberty has been lowering at a steady rate for decades. It occurred around age 15 in girls during the 19th century and at age 12 1/2 in the 1960s.

“We were very surprised that there had been such a change in a period of just 15 years,” Anders Juul, head of the Department of Growth and Reproduction at the University hospital in Copenhagen told The Sunday Times. “It’s a clear sign that something is affecting our children, whether it’s junk food, environmental chemicals or lack of physical activity.”

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the chemicals most often blamed for interferring with hormones and sexual development. BPA can start building up in girls when they’re merely a fetus, and the chemical is found in common places such as canned foods and plastic baby bottles. The Danish scientists are continuing their research to look for a direct link between puberty and BPA.

Diet is likely also to blame. Brighton University researchers found a link between high meat consumption and early puberty in girls. The study of 3,000 12-year-old girls, which was published in the journal Public Health Nutrition earlier this month, found that 49% of girls who ate meat 12 times a week at age 7 started their periods by age 12 1/2, while only 35% of girls who ate meat 4 times a week or less reached puberty by age 12 1/2.

Research has shown that those who reach puberty earlier are at greater risk for breast cancer and heart disease. Further studies are needed to nail down the cause of the early puberty phenomenon, but at this point, sticking to a healthy diet and avoiding BPA couldn’t hurt.

All About Kefir

2010-06-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you're interested to find out more about Kefir, you might want to check this website. Since I'm interested to try making one for myself, I just contact a person in Bali who's willing to share her Kefir Grains for free & hopefully she will get back to me soon.

You can also make Coconut Milk Kefir too. You can visit this website for more information.

Enjoy your new Keffir :)

Save Orangutan in Kalimantan

2010-06-15T00:09:00.000-07:00

Orangutan Baby Card by Rebecca_Reeder
Create a note card with zazzle

How to Make Soy Crayons

2010-06-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

This Soy Crayons are made from 85% soybean oil and other natural ingredients, unlike most crayons which are made from petroleum product, paraffin. Soy crayons are biodegradable and made from renewable resources. They don't contain hazardous or toxic materials.

What you need:
~ Hot Plate
~ Muffin tin or candy mold
~ 1 quart pan
~ 1.5 cups fully hydrogenated soybean oil (soyflakes)
~ 4 tsp. color pigment

What to do:
~ Fill the pan with hydrogenated soybean oil
~ Place pan on the hot plate on the low setting
~ Stir occasionally and allow the solid oil to liquified
~ Add 4 tsp color pigment after the oil liquified, stirl evenly.
~ Remove the pan from the heat
~ Pour into muffin tin or candy mold
~ Cool for 30 minutes
~ Remove the crayons from the tin/mold

Enjoy your new crayons!

how to make ribbon bracelet

2010-06-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Practical Advice for Teachers

2010-06-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Before the opening of the first Waldorf school, Rudolf Steiner met with the group of teachers who were preaparing themselves for their new task. For fourteen days, from August 20 to September 5, 1919, he gave these teachers lectures called "Practical Advice for Teachers"

Spring Poster

2010-06-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

Spring Poster by orangesodapress
Browse the other artwork on zazzle

Fruit Fly/Gnat Trap

2010-06-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

What you need:
~ 3-4 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
~ 1-2 drops liquid dish wash
~ plastic saran wrap
~ pencil or tooth pick to make holes

What to do:
~ Pour apple cider vinegar and drop of dish soap into glass or jar
~ Cover the glass or jar with plastic saran wrap and rubber banded tight covering the top of glass or jar
~ Poke the plastic using pencil or tooth pick to make holes in it
~ Every day or two, switch out the vinegar. You'll see when it stops being as potent, the flies/gnats will stop going in

Spiral Paper Rose Tutorial

2010-06-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

In Memory of Sherry Hunt: Beach Shell Stamps

2010-06-09T23:56:00.000-07:00

Zazzle just lost one of their great artist, Sherry Holder Hunt, who passed away recently. Below is one of her artwork.

Beach Shells Painting by SherryHolderHunt
Browse other Beach Postage

Homemade Fabric Softener

2010-06-09T23:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is great especially if you have allergy to commercial Fabric Softener.

What you need:
~ 1 cup baking soda
~ 6 cups distilled white vinegar
~ 8 cups water
~ 10-15 drops of essential oils such as orange or lemon (optional)
~ A bucket to mix the recipe
~ 1 gallon container to store it
~ wooden/bamboo stick to stir

What to do:
~ Add baking soda to the bucket
~ Add 1 cup water (to start with)
~ Add the vinegar slowly and stir as you add it, then after stirring real good
~ Add the rest of the water swirling around & cover venting the top a few times
~ Add the essential oils (optional)
~ Use a funnel and pour it into a gallon container
~ Add 1 cup in your final rinse cycle for each load but give the bottle a good shake to stir up the essential oil if using

fabric paper rosette tutorial

2010-06-09T15:14:00.000-07:00

Colorfull Fun Kids Keds Shoes

2010-06-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Colorfull:. kidsSize by Sarito
Get custom made shoes at zazzle.com

Greeners Magz

2010-06-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Just found this Green Indonesian magazine called Greeners. It's in Indonesian, but you can always use Google Translate.

Homemade Organic Finger Paints

2010-06-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

What you need:

1 cup of cornstarch
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of grated soap (choose your favorite plain organic bar soap)

What to do:

Melt grated soap flakes into a half cup of boiling water.
Add cornstarch.
Blend well and put aside. Allow mixture to thicken.
Divide into small containers and add coloring.

Natural colorings can be derived from the juice of frozen berries, beet juice, tea, onion skins (boiled) or other natural sources. Mix colors to create new ones and have fun with this part of the mixing process. Now you have a safe paint for your children to play with that is also very budget-friendly! Store this paint in the refrigerator. It should last about a week.

Permanent Marker Remover

2010-06-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

What you need:

Tooth paste
Damp cloth

What to do:

~ Cover marked area(s) with tooth paste
~ Let it set for two-three minutes
~ Wipe off with a clean damp cloth
~ Scrub & repeat until completely remove

Customizable Floral Business Cards

2010-06-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

Floral Business Card 8 by ellyliyana
Buy your business cards on Zazzle

FSC and LEI announce collaboration to advance responsible forest management in Indonesia

2010-06-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

What a great day to start my morning today when I visited FSC website and read this news. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Lembaga Ekolabel Indonesia (LEI) have announced the launch of an 18‐month collaboration to explore potential areas of cooperation regarding responsible forest management and forest certification in Indonesia. The agreement marks an important measure in the global efforts to facilitate responsible forest management in the tropics, and builds upon previous collaborative initiatives to advance forest certification in Indonesia.

This is a great news & I think even countries surrounding Indonesia need to support this effort. I can't wait to see the results from their collaboration to to started take effect. Because I think I'm gonna explore in starting a small business making handmade non-toxic & earth friendly wooden toys. It's okay to have a dream right? :)

For more info, please visit here.

Dancing Poppies Poster

2010-06-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

Dancing Poppies Deux by yesterdaysgirl
See other Mindy sommers Posters

E-Book finds

2010-06-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

I just want to share with you some e-book finds that I found :) Yes, it's gonna be different topics all the time, and it's gonna be under the Label called "E-Book Finds"

For today, I want to share with you Fast and Healthy Recipes for Busy Moms by The Urban Homemaker. They've been homeschooling their children for more than 16 years and want to share our streamlined menu planning methods and recipes.

Enjoy the e-book here.

paris window shopping postcards

2010-06-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

PARIS WINDOW SHOPPING by susanpaynetrutna
Browse more Paris window shopping postcards Postcards

great finds

2010-06-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled over this lovely online shop called Praireland Herbs which is a mother daughter team who have almost 2 acres of land filled with beautiful organic flowers & herbs. They create, bottle, label, package and ship your orders entirely by hand, themselves. All our herbal products are made in small batches, using fresh, natural, food-grade ingredients (except the fragrance oils).

Their kitchen is filled with bags of herbs, bottles of oils, jars of honey, buckets of oatmeal, salts, sugars, and much more - simple raw ingredients that are recognizable and understandable - no scary synthetics, preservatives, or petroleum by-products.When you place an order with them, chances are they will make up your product on the very day they ship it. Freshness, quality, and customer service are what sets them apart from the rest.

They also generously share great recipes, such as herbal syrups, body & bath recipes, even making your own laundry detergent.

Flowers Mousepad

2010-05-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Floral Mousepad by ShouShou
View other Floral Mousepads

Salazar Packaging

2010-05-31T04:22:00.000-07:00

Salazar Packaging, Inc. specializes in flexible packaging products as well as sustainable packaging and equipment solutions for industry. We believe this relatively narrow and dedicated focus has enabled us to attract the best vendors the packaging industry has to offer and quite frankly, utilize them to your benefit, better than any other company in the distribution industry.

I normally don't subscribe or at least don't really enjoy reading one's company blog, but this one is exceptional. I actually read the stuffs that they send out to my inbox. If you're into Earth Friendly stuffs, you should check out or even subscribe their blog: http://blog.salazarpackaging.com/ They also have links to many great websites/blogs.

Save Our Earth Stamp

2010-05-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

I would like to post & share with you talented artisan works that I found on Zazzle.

And for today, I would like to featured this adorable stamp made by Polkadot Inks

Save Our Earth Stamps by polkadotinks
Shop for custom postage at zazzle.com

martha stewart

2010-05-30T03:46:00.000-07:00

I really like the way Martha Stewart's website setup, especially the Craft department. If you haven't check out her website recently, I just want to share the link called Craft of the Day: http://www.marthastewart.com/craft-of-the-day

My other favorite is her Home Decorating department.And there, I really like Organizing Tips of the Day.

Reinvent your stuff: 20 home diy projects

2010-05-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

It's always fun to reusing and reinventing things you already have around the house. Here's one of my favorite from Sunset Magazine.

Driftwood becomes a coat hanger

Calendar images become wall art

Iron-On transfer with Lotta Jonsdotter

2010-05-29T06:47:00.000-07:00

Lotta Jonsdotter is a very talented person. Her book called Lotta Prints: How to print anything from potatoes to linoleum is one of my buying book lists. I just want to share with you two of her craft videos. Enjoy!

Simple Printing w/ Lotta Jansdotter from Rowenta USA on Vimeo.

Iron-On Transfers w/ Lotta Jansdotter from Rowenta USA on Vimeo.

Sustainable Eats

2010-05-29T05:38:00.000-07:00

I actually don't really like to cook, but I love to experiment with new recipes. Now I get myself confused :) Well, I guess what I meant to say is that I prefer to cook when I'm in a good mood to cook, not because "I have to cook today". But because I mostly "have to" cook almost daily, I feel like "I don't really like to cook". Hmm..I hope that's make sense to you ;)

Anyway, lately I've been wanting to experiment making my own cheese. But I probably have to wait until we actually move to Indonesia. So, basically, one of my "Stuffs to bring to Indonesia lists" believe me or not is "vegetable Rennet". By the way, we're thinking to move to Indonesia. We're hoping that we can move this year or early next year the latest.

It's been really slow process toward getting us to move there. Not because we're not excited, it's the opposite, but we're just so busy with our daily life already at the moment :(

Anyway, I just found a very interesting site called Sustainable Eats. It has so many wonderful stuffs to read & experiment with. This include making your own Soy Sauce!

Be a stylist with Stella & dot

2010-05-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here is one modern, stylish, fun and legitimate work at home opportunity for you to explore. They provide beautiful marketing collateral and more importantly, quality jewelry at a great price.

Click here to to learn more about becoming a stylist! They also put together a very fun video to watch here.

Painted Switch Light Cover

2010-05-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blog called Skipped to My Lou, has a very cute idea that you can do together with your kids, painting a light switch cover. I really like this idea especially for kids room.

How to delete posting in blogspot/blogger

2010-05-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

I wish I can just hit that "delete" button. But no, in Blogger/Blogspot, if you just did that step, it doesn't really delete your posting. Blogger/Blogspot still "keep" that posting for about 3 months just in case you change your mind (?).

But don't worry, I will share you how to "really delete" a posting in Blogger/Blogspot. Once you're at Edit Posts, you select the posting that you wish to delete. Then, you delete: the tittle, the messages & the label(s). Once you delete all of them, you click "Publish Post". I know, it seems weird, but it really works!

I've learn the hard way (on this blog) and I'm happy that I can share this tutorial with you today.

Sneak peak on nursing covers line

2010-05-11T22:22:00.000-07:00

Beside loving handmade accessories & home decor, I also interested in selling "Mommy & Baby" related items. We just finish two prototype of our nursing covers. It's reversible & the back side has a small pocket to put cloth wipes or something else.

We use Indonesian Batik from Garut below. I really like Batik from Garut because of their bright colors.

On picture below, we use combination of Batik and polka dot cotton fabric.

Interview with the author of the handmade marketplace

2010-05-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blog that subscribed, called Artful Parent, had an interview with Kari Chapin, the author of The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Locally, Globally, and Online. It's one of my favorite craft business book that I've read.

It's a really interesting interview to read. She's now starting to teach e-courses to help people started crafty business. To learn more about it, you can visit: www.karichapin.com.

Free "Bring Your Own Bag" Static Window Clings

2010-05-09T21:10:00.000-07:00

So, you know you want to use reusable bags, but how often do you find yourself at the check out and remember that your reusable bags are in the car, or at home or in the garage? This static cling is the perfect solution for remembering your bags. It's not a sticker and can be easily placed on the driver's side window so that it's always in your line of sight when you are getting out of the car!

This static cling is the perfect solution for remembering your bags. It’s not a sticker and can be easily placed on the driver’s side window so that it’s always in your line of sight when you are getting out of the car!

I just ordered one for my husband and one for myself. It should be arrive within 4-6 weeks.

You get your own for free by visiting Conserving Now website.

1 Year Free Digital Subscription Mothering Magazine

2010-05-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

I used to subscribed to Mothering magazine for years. But since we moved a lot, I stopped subscribed it. They now offer digital version which I found it very practical especially for those who moves a lot, leave outside USA, plus it's better for the environment too. With new iPad, Sony Reader, Kindle and other e-book readers, it's make it easy now days to read the digital version.

They also have a very supportive Forum. The members are very nice & helpful.

Anyway, right now they're offering 1 year free New Digital subscription. Just enter the code: CDIGM

I really recommended this magazine to anyone who prefer natural/holistic/attachment parenting approach.

Dine for change

2010-05-07T20:39:00.000-07:00

You don't need extra money to support your community. Everyone dines out once in a while for work or pleasure. Now, you can help support meaningful causes by doing what you already do. DineForChange offers dining deals where you can actually save money dining out, and at the same time generate a donation of $5-10 dollars per person paid by the restaurant to a nonprofit that needs it.

This is a very good project, participating restaurants have agreed to donate 25-40% of their day's proceeds.

To find out more about this program, please visit: Dine For Change.

take a peek of my new collections

2010-05-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my new crochet collections for the past few weeks. I work with a very talented and awesome woman who lives in West Java. She's very sweet, fast & professional to work with. I'm very happy to work with her.

Here's some of my new crochet collections:

Unschooling?

2010-04-30T16:13:00.000-07:00

Some people maybe unfamiliar with the term of Unschooling. But did you know that at least 100,000 kids in the US are considered “unschooled?”

An excellent book on the ideas behind unschooling is Learning All The Time by John Holt. In it he says, “Children are born passionately eager to make as much sense as they can of things around them. If we attempt to control, manipulate, or divert this process…the independent scientist in the child disappears.”

If you're interested to find out more about Unschooling, you might want to read this interview with Peter who is now almost 21 and attends University of Chicago here.

Featured Artisan: Jenny Mattheson (an Illustrator from USA)

2010-04-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to my first posting of a real interview with an artisan named Jenny Mattheson. She's a very sweet person & always wonderful to be around with.

Artist: (Jenny Mattheson), (www.jennymattheson.com)
Craft: (Children’s Book Illustration)

How long have you been in business?

I’ve been illustrating children’s books for 10 years (since 2000).

How did you get your start and how did you prepare yourself to start a business?

I got my BFA in Illustration from The Art Institute of Boston. After I got out of school, I knew I wanted to be a Children’s Book Illustrator. I did a lot of networking, and sent out samples of my artwork to all the major publishers. After about a year of doing this, an editor from Little, Brown & Co showed interest in my work. She hired me to illustrate my first book, “The Mouse, the Cat and Grandmother’s Hat.” Things have continued from there, and I’ve done about 8 kid’s books.

How did you finance your business?

I worked part-time jobs and lived at home with my parents while I was getting started. I used my earnings to buy supplies and to make promotional packets to send to publishers.

When you first started, what types of products were you selling? If you are still selling the same products, would you like to try selling different type of products?

My products are my illustrations, and they’ve definitely changed over the years. I used to work in oils and take a very long time to create artwork. But I started working more quickly and eventually switched to acrylic paint which dries faster. I’ve just started working digitally in Adobe Photoshop, which is even quicker. My goal over these years has been to work more efficiently, without sacrificing quality.

Do you have formal training?

I got a degree in Illustration at The Art Institute of Boston.

Where do you normally get your inspirations?

I get most of my inspiration from my memories of my childhood. I grew up in Pennsylvania, and was the oldest of 3 kids. I don’t think I do it on purpose, but so much of my work ends up being a reflection of those times.

Do you think you've "made it?" Does it support you financially?

When I was in art school, my teacher told me that you do children’s book illustration because you love it, not because it makes money. At the time, I thought she was just being pessimistic. But she’s absolutely right. This business is financially unpredictable; you don’t know when or if you’ll get projects. I would advise anyone interested in this field to do work on the side.

If not, what is your day job?

Since I’ve been illustrating, my side jobs have been in administrative work. That’s actually incredibly handy, because you gain skills that are useful to promoting yourself and keeping organized on the business end.

What's the best part of having your own business and is there an accomplishment you’re most proud of?

I think the best part about having my own business is that, for the most part, I get to work at home. I’m a real homebody, so that’s a perfect fit for me. The accomplishment I’m most proud of is the number of books I’ve illustrated (10, I think). I can’t believe I’ve been in business long enough to do all that. And I’m proud of all the hard work and focus it took to achieve it.

Advice for someone trying to build their own business (in any field):

Absolutely do your research - especially if you’re investing money into the business. Make sure you know what the risk is, and make a backup plan in the event that things don’t work out. It’s tough out there, so you need to be realistic about the odds of your success. For illustrators, I’d advise to have a secondary source of income.

Do you participate in craft fairs or trade shows? If yes, how was your first experience? Any tips for beginners?

No, the closest I got was joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, but that was about 10 years ago when I was just starting out.

How and where do you advertise your business?

My advertising consists of my website and my blog. And every few months I e-mail new artwork to my publishing contacts.

What’s next for you?

Right now I’m focusing on smaller illustration jobs. Those are my favorite, since they don’t take half a year to finish, like children’s books do. I’m also learning the Adobe Creative Suite programs and sharpening my graphic design and digital illustration skills.

School Fundraising Program from Living Crafts Magazine

2010-04-23T00:40:00.000-07:00

Living Crafts is a great magazine. I'm so excited they're offering a school fundraising program.

Here's how it works:
Buy a subscription and contribute to your school's fundraising program! Living Crafts pays your school $6 for each 1-year and $9 for each 2-year subscription. Each family participating will collect as many subscriptions as possible and will mail us the completed subscription form downloaded from our website along with payment check(s) to Living Crafts. Within four weeks of receipt, we will send a donation check to your school.

I wish I know a local school who's doing this so that I can subscribe through them..

(Indonesian Artisans): Batik Dua Sisi by Hermawan Lim

2010-04-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

Batik Dua Sisi means Batik Duplex. It is a breakthrough in textile printing which is brought by Hermawan Lim, who had researched and experimentaed for years in creating the perfcect textile printing device. Finally in 2006 he succeeded in printing batik designs on the two sides of the cloth with the first dulex textile printing device of his won creation. "Batiks" using 5 colors could be economically produced in larger quantities and in a realitely short time (days). Cotton, rayon and polyester fabrics may be used with printing technique.

His "Batik Duplex" creations are borne from Hermawan Lim's admiration and love of the traditional batik, and to motivate the development of Indonesian batik.

Batik Dua Sisi offers unique batik style clothes for men and women, the fabrics itself & jewelry line.

Zulily: Daily deals for moms, babies & kids

2010-04-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

Zulily is a private-sale store for stylish, useful and unique products for moms, babies and kids. If you sign up with them, you will gain acces to tdaily sales on best-loved and up-and-coming brands, at savings of up to 7% off retail prices.

Currently Zulily has Kate Quinn Women and Kate Quinn Maternity on sale for 50% off! And they have some really cute looking organic clothes:)

STRAF10 will get you $10/$30 purchase and you can get a $10 credit if you invite your friends and they make a purchase! Shipping is around $5.59

Too much, too young? Retailers still selling over-sexualised clothing to kids

2010-04-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/apr/16/children-clothing-survey-bikini-heels

Retailers came under increased pressure today to take sexualised clothing for young girls off their shelves, after it emerged that shoes for eight-year-olds with three-inch heels were being sold on the high street.

A survey by the Guardian found an array of items available in major chains, from a T-shirt for a three-year-old bearing the slogan "Future WAG" to a top for a toddler with a pink bikini appliqued on the front.

New Look sells a range of high heels starting at size one – about the shoe size of an average eight-year-old – including a pair of £16 dark blue platforms with a 3.5 inch heel, pointed toe and four straps.

Justine Roberts, of the parenting website Mumsnet, called for the shoes to be withdrawn from sale, describing them as horrific. "They're totally inappropriate for an eight-year-old," she said.

"Aside from the issues of young girls dressing to look like sexually available women, heels as high as this are all wrong for growing feet."

Mumsnet recently launched its Let Girls Be Girls campaign, calling on retailers to sign up to a pledge not to sell products that sexualise children. Roberts also objected to a pair of glittery silver shoes with a 1.5-inch heel sold by Next in a size 12, apparently aimed at six or seven-year-olds. "They look pretty adult or sexual," she said. "Why a 1.5-inch heel for a six-year-old? It just seems unnecessary."

Mumsnet members have criticised the "Future WAG" T-shirt available in Primark. "Personally, I know I want my daughter to aspire to something more than being a WAG – basically, someone who usually relies on her looks to get a rich man and then spends years of her life trying to keep that man happy," one wrote online. Others described the top as "tragic". Anna van Heeswijk, of Object, which campaigns against the sexual objectification of women, said: "What does it say about how our society values women and girls, if we are grooming three- to four-year-olds to aspire to be a footballer's wife?"

The latest outcry comes after a week in which Primark announced it was to stop selling padded bikini tops for children as young as seven, after criticism. The company, which came under fire from children's charities and politicians over the £4 bikini sets, apologised to customers and said it would donate any profits it had made to child welfare organisations. David Cameron branded the sale of the bikinis "disgraceful", and Gordon Brown backed the campaign to have them removed.

Yesterday Roberts described a T-shirt for a two- to three-year-old sold by the chain showing a bikini as "creepy", but did not call for it to be withdrawn. "It does seem a bit odd," she said. "I'm wearing a picture of my underwear – what's that all about?"

One mother of a four-year-old girl shopping in the chain's Oxford Street branch, who did not want to be named, said it was "too old for a little girl. A bikini is for teenagers or adults. You'd expect a more childish image for a two-year-old."

Van Heeswijk said: "These clothes are a worrying example of how girls are being groomed at younger and younger ages to fit into a sex-object culture, in which women are viewed as a sum of body parts, always sexually available, and whose value lies in how sexy they look to boys and men."

Early sexualisation is damaging to the aspirations of women and girls and affects how boys and men view and treat them, she added, with implications for incidents of sexual harassment and violence. "The early sexualisation of girls is not harmless, and, if we are serious about achieving genuine equality between women and men, it is time to put an end to women and girls being viewed, treated, portrayed and groomed into sexual objects through clothing ranges like these," she said.

Penny Nicholls, of the Children's Society, said: "There is a big distinction between children dressing up for fun and retailers producing items of clothing that target children and encourage premature sexualisation.

"We have to ask what effects some of these products have on children and young people's ideas of body image and what is appropriate for their age. Retailers and adults have a responsibility to ensure children and young people grow up valuing the right things in themselves and other people.

"Unless we question our own behaviour as a society, we risk creating a generation who are left unfulfilled through chasing unattainable and inappropriate lifestyles and values."

Primark said: "The company has stated that it will review all its product lines in the light of recent events."

New Look declined to comment.

Next said it had received no direct complaints about the shoes or suggestions they should be removed from sale.

"But we'll definitely act swiftly if customers tell us they consider it inappropriate," a spokeswoman said. "Everyone at Next is sensitive to issues of age appropriateness within childrenswear."

Household Tips of the Day: Hand Soap

2010-04-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I'd like to share with you how I save on our Hand Soap. I've been doing this for months now & I even saw on a blog somewhere that someone is also doing the same thing, just a little different on the measurement.

Basically, I use the foam bottle from BabyGanics and once it's out, I just refill it with Dr.Bronner's Castile Soap, you can use any scented you like, I normally use Peppermint.

Here's the recipe:

Fill out 1/4 of BabyGanics bottle with Dr.Bronner's Castile Soap
Fill out the rest of the bottle with regular tap water

Enjoy your new Hand Soap!!

New Blog Updates

2010-04-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

Today is time to update this blog. I'm adding new categories on the left side of this blog about: US Craft Fairs, US Trade Shows, Craft Forums and Communities, and Craft Podcasts.

I also just want to say that I had a great time earlier attended an art exhibit of a friend of ours at our friend's lovely house, Sarah. He's a very talented graphic designer & photographer from Sydney, Australia. His name is Peter Gould and his company called Creative Cubed. He has such a sweet lovely wife & a beautiful daughter.

Peter took picture of my daughter & I can't wait to see the result and share with you here. By the way, they're expecting their second child. They're leaving for Australia next week. I'm so happy & glad to get a chance to meet with them.

Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco

2010-04-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

I made it to see Bazaar Bizarre artisans today at Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown. We dropped off the kids with in-law, so that me and my husband can have a date just the two of us :)

The parking was tough. It took us 30 minutes to find one. We haven't visit Japantown in San Francisco for a while and there are a few new stores that we never seen before and we got the chance to visit them and I got some great ideas from it. The artisans from Bazaar Bizarre were gathered in one spot inside the newest store in Japantown, called New People.

New People is a 20,000 square foot contemporary building located in the heart of San Francisco's Japantown dedicated to bringing Japanese pop culture to American fans. NEW PEOPLE offers Japanese cinema in a state of the art theatre, cafe serving Blue Bottle coffee and delica cuisine, fashion retail not available anywhere else in the US. It's a very interesting and unique store.

At the fair, they happened to have Import Cars Show, which made my husband happy. He met his friend there too. We really enjoyed our day today. We off course got the chance to hang out with the in-law for hours until in the evening after that. We had a great day today...

Batik oh batik...

2010-04-11T14:36:00.000-07:00

My eyes just can't stop looking at these bright color of Indonesian batiks for some reason today. I hope these gonna be future goodies in the shop one day...

Why do Finland's schools get the best results?

2010-04-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8601207.stm

Finland's schools score consistently at the top of world rankings, yet the pupils have the fewest number of class hours in the developed world.

By Tom Burridge

BBC World News America, Helsinki

Last year more than 100 foreign delegations and governments visited Helsinki, hoping to learn the secret of their schools' success.

In 2006, Finland's pupils scored the highest average results in science and reading in the whole of the developed world. In the OECD's exams for 15 year-olds, known as PISA, they also came second in maths, beaten only by teenagers in South Korea.

This isn't a one-off: in previous PISA tests Finland also came out top.

The Finnish philosophy with education is that everyone has something to contribute and those who struggle in certain subjects should not be left behind.

A tactic used in virtually every lesson is the provision of an additional teacher who helps those who struggle in a particular subject. But the pupils are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject.

Finland's Education Minister, Henna Virkkunen is proud of her country's record but her next goal is to target the brightest pupils.

''The Finnish system supports very much those pupils who have learning difficulties but we have to pay more attention also to those pupils who are very talented. Now we have started a pilot project about how to support those pupils who are very gifted in certain areas.''

Late learners

According to the OECD, Finnish children spend the fewest number of hours in the classroom in the developed world.

This reflects another important theme of Finnish education.

Primary and secondary schooling is combined, so the pupils don't have to change schools at age 13. They avoid a potentially disruptive transition from one school to another.

Teacher Marjaana Arovaara-Heikkinen believes keeping the same pupils in her classroom for several years also makes her job a lot easier.

''I'm like growing up with my children, I see the problems they have when they are small. And now after five years, I still see and know what has happened in their youth, what are the best things they can do. I tell them I'm like their school mother.''

Children in Finland only start main school at age seven. The idea is that before then they learn best when they're playing and by the time they finally get to school they are keen to start learning.

Less is more

Finnish parents obviously claim some credit for the impressive school results. There is a culture of reading with the kids at home and families have regular contact with their children's teachers.

Teaching is a prestigious career in Finland. Teachers are highly valued and teaching standards are high.
The educational system's success in Finland seems to be part cultural. Pupils study in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.

Finland also has low levels of immigration. So when pupils start school the majority have Finnish as their native language, eliminating an obstacle that other societies often face.

The system's success is built on the idea of less can be more. There is an emphasis on relaxed schools, free from political prescriptions. This combination, they believe, means that no child is left behind.

Bazaar Bizarre Artist Village at Cherry Blossom Festival!

2010-04-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

I couldn't make it to come to Bazaar Bizarre in Japan Town, San Francisco today. Luckily there's still chance to come tomorrow and both weekends next week :)

Check out this Weekend's Bazaar Bizarre Vendors Here!

Update: I couldn't make it again today, because it's raining & cold. Hopefully next weekend gonna be warmer so that me, my husband & the kids can actually come and enjoy the show as well as the weather...

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

2010-04-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

A recipe to my dear sister V. Thank you for your patient, sister. Sorry it took awhile to write down the recipe..

What you need:

1 1/2 cup All Purpose Unbleached flour
2/3 cup Sugar (I use a little less normally & can be substitute with Brown Sugar)
3/4 cup Chocolate chips (I use Guittard choco)
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Banana (I just use 2 small-medium bananas), smashed
1/4 cup Milk
1 Egg
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted (I just melt it a few seconds in microwave)

What to do: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Greased the pan. Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the wet ingredients together, whisk. Pour the wet mix onto the dry mix and pour into the pan. Put in the middle of the oven. Try to bake for 20 minutes & stick a fork to make sure it's done or not. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Green School in Bali, Indonesia

2010-04-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

Talking about Green School, I guess I can't missed mentioning about this Green School in Bali, Indonesia.

Just look how beautiful the architect of the school's buildings below. Make me want to visit the school...

Biogradable Plastic Bags in Indonesia

2010-04-09T23:21:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to find out that now we can find biogradable plastic bags in Indonesia! I'm so happy and can't wait to share this information here on my blog. This company called Free to Decide and the company is owned by three girlfriends that share the same views.

For biobags (they called it Plastic Ecoplas), they offer t-shirt/grocery bags & trash bags. Click here to see the options & here to see the price lists.

Beside biobags, they also sell green maps of Jakarta and rare Honey Forest.

Playtime Is Over

2010-04-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/opinion/27elkind.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

By DAVID ELKIND

Published: March 26, 2010

RECESS is no longer child’s play. Schools around the country, concerned about bullying and arguments over the use of the equipment, are increasingly hiring “recess coaches” to oversee students’ free time. Playworks, a nonprofit training company that has placed coaches at 170 schools from Boston to Los Angeles, is now expanding thanks to an $18 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Critics have suggested that such coaching is yet another example of the over-scheduling and over-programming of our children. And, as someone whose scholarly work has consistently reinforced the idea that young people need unstructured imagination time, I’d probably have been opposed to recess coaches in the past. But childhood has changed so radically in recent years that I think the trend makes sense, at least at some schools and with some students.

Children today are growing up in a world vastly different from the one their parents knew. As the writer Richard Louv has persuasively chronicled, our young people are more aware of threats to the global environment than they are of the natural world in their own backyards.

A Nielsen study last year found that children aged 6 to 11 spent more than 28 hours a week using computers, cellphones, televisions and other electronic devices. A University of Michigan study found that from 1979 to 1999, children on the whole lost 12 hours of free time a week, including eight hours of unstructured play and outdoor activities. One can only assume that the figure has increased over the last decade, as many schools have eliminated recess in favor of more time for academics.

One consequence of these changes is the disappearance of what child-development experts call “the culture of childhood.” This culture, which is to be found all over the world, was best documented in its English-language form by the British folklorists Peter and Iona Opie in the 1950s. They cataloged the songs, riddles, jibes and incantations (“step on a crack, break your mother’s back”) that were passed on by oral tradition. Games like marbles, hopscotch and hide and seek date back hundreds of years. The children of each generation adapted these games to their own circumstances.

Yet this culture has disappeared almost overnight, and not just in America. For example, in the 1970s a Japanese photographer, Keiki Haginoya, undertook what was to be a lifelong project to compile a photo documentary of children’s play on the streets of Tokyo. He gave up the project in 1996, noting that the spontaneous play and laughter that once filled the city’s streets, alleys and vacant lots had utterly vanished.

For children in past eras, participating in the culture of childhood was a socializing process. They learned to settle their own quarrels, to make and break their own rules, and to respect the rights of others. They learned that friends could be mean as well as kind, and that life was not always fair.

Now that most children no longer participate in this free-form experience — play dates arranged by parents are no substitute — their peer socialization has suffered. One tangible result of this lack of socialization is the increase in bullying, teasing and discrimination that we see in all too many of our schools.

Bullying has always been with us, but it did not become prevalent enough to catch the attention of researchers until the 1970s, just as TV and then computers were moving childhood indoors. It is now recognized as a serious problem in all the advanced countries. The National Education Association estimates that in the United States, 160,000 children miss school every day because they fear attacks or intimidation by other students. Massachusetts is considering anti-bullying legislation.

While correlation is not necessarily causation, it seems clear that there is a link among the rise of television and computer games, the decline in peer-to-peer socialization and the increase of bullying in our schools. I am not a Luddite — I think that the way in which computers have made our students much more aware of the everyday lives of children in other countries is wonderful, and that they will revolutionize education as the new, tech-savvy generation of teachers moves into the schools. But we should also recognize what is being lost.

We have to adapt to childhood as it is today, not as we knew it or would like it to be. The question isn’t whether recess coaches are good or bad — they seem to be with us to stay — but whether they help students form the age-old bonds of childhood. To the extent that the coaches focus on play, give children freedom of choice about what they want to do, and stay out of the way as much as possible, they are likely a good influence.

In any case, recess coaching is a vastly better solution than eliminating recess in favor of more academics. Not only does recess aid personal development, but studies have found that children who are most physically fit tend to score highest on tests of reading, math and science.

Friedrich Fröbel, the inventor of kindergarten, said that children need to “learn the language of things” before they learn the language of words. Today we might paraphrase that axiom to say that children need to learn the real social world before they learn the virtual one.

David Elkind is a professor emeritus of child development at Tufts University.

Host a Party and make some money..

2010-04-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

If you have lots of circle of friends and like to host a party, you might be interested to check House Party and make some money on the side.

Founded in 2005, House Party is dedicated to creating and executing successful, high-impact, consumer activation campaigns for a diverse range of industries and Fortune 1000 companies: NBC, Kraft, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Canon, Gerber and Microsoft Xbox among them.

Today House Party stands alone as the most trusted, influential, comprehensive medium for generating in-home marketing results. In today’s economic environment, smart marketers recognize that House Party events represent a particularly effective way to target and activate consumers – to connect with them in an intimate, interactive, fun environment that no other medium can match.

Successful from the beginning, House Party continues to grow and prosper, reflecting the simple yet powerful idea that structured social marketing works, for clients and consumers alike.

Story Time Felts

2010-04-08T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is my first post about Home Biz Opportunities Category. If I found interesting Home Business Opportunities on the internet, especially for moms who need extra income, like myself, I will try to share it here on my blog. Please keep in mind that I don't get pay to refer you to any of these companies that I suggest on my blog.

For today posting, I just found this company called Story Time Felts. They offer home business opportunity especially for moms who have children. If you are interested to learn more, you can check them out here.

Make your blog carbon neutral for free!

2010-04-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

I came across this program called "My blog is carbon neutral”. It is an initiative, originally started in Germany by the “Make it Green” program, that has the goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

They plant a tree for your blog and thereby neutralize your blog’s carbon footprint for the next 50 years! Everyone can make a small contribution to the environment. Every tree counts!

It's so easy to do: you just write a short blog post about our programme “My blog is carbon neutral” and include one of the buttons below on your site (ideally in the sidebar). Send the link to your blog to CO2-neutral@kaufda.de and they will plant a tree for you, neutralizing the carbon dioxide emissions of your blog. The trees will be planted in the spring of 2010 by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Please join this effort by visiting here.

Here's an email sample that you're gonna received once you registered with them:

Hello,

Thank you so much for participating in our initiative and making your blog carbon neutral! Your tree will be planted this month by the Arbor Day Foundation. We thank you for the support!

There are still some trees looking for a sponsor. So if you know some people who have a blog or website, pass it on and we'll make their blogs carbon neutral too!

Danke Dir!
Christin

So much to read, so little time...

2010-04-06T23:20:00.000-07:00

Today, I just received a book called Handmade Market Place. I only got the chance to browse through and read the first few pages, but I can tell that it's gonna be one of my favorite craft business book, just like Craft Inc.

I can't wait to finish reading it, but at the same time I have other books lining up waiting for me to read, which I think are quite informative as well such as The Well-Trained Mind, Positive Discipline A-Z, Raising Our Children Raising Ourselves, and Playful Parenting.

On top of that, I'm waiting another book to arrive called Blogging for Bliss, and I'm sure will learn a lot of things from there as well.

Like I said, so much to read, so little time...

{Made With Bliss} Handmade with Bliss in Indonesia & Around the World

Homemade Buttermilk Substitute

Very Email Address & Check IP

Homemade Brown Sugar

Homemade Heavy Cream

Homemade Ciabatta Bread

Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup

Homemade Fresh Tomato Ketchup

Homemade Natural Mold Buster

Homemade Sourdough Bread

Homemade Vegetarian Margarine

High Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

Homemade Natural Bug & Pest Repellents

#1 Pepper Spray

#2 Minty Soap Spray

#3 Pure Vanilla Extract

#4 Chem-Free Bug Off Mist

#5 Lavender Works Mosquito Miracles

Natural Repellents for Cockroaches

How to Make Sprouted Grain Bread

Homemade One Ingredient Ice Cream

Mothering Natural Family Living - September/October 2010 Issue

Homemade Mayonnaise

Homemade French Dressing

The Story of Cosmetics

Tiny House

Formula Companies Expensive Claims Can Discourage Breastfeeding

Visit Indonesia 2010 Video

Toxic Chemical Lobby: Exclusive Leaked Footage

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Homemade Vegetarian Corn Dog in Stick

The Story Behind Cosmetics

A-Wake Up Story

Vegetarian Marsmallow Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutes

What You Need:

What to do:

10 Indoor Plants That Can Eat Insects

Homemade Seitan/Wheat Meat

Homemade Corn Tortilas Wraps

Homemade Laundry Liquid

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages

Homemade Butter

Homemade Alcohol Free Hand Sanitizer Gel

Wooly Pockets For Your School

Ideas for Montessori Infant/Toddler Room Setting

Mosquito-Free Naturally

New Study Shows Profound Impact of Anger on Your Health

Flowers Are Booming Everywhere!

Are You A Mother & Looking For Activities Ideas To Do With Your Children?

PVC-Free Foldable Baby Bath Tub

Chemicals in Food & Early Puberty in Girls

All About Kefir

Save Orangutan in Kalimantan

How to Make Soy Crayons

how to make ribbon bracelet

Practical Advice for Teachers

Spring Poster

Fruit Fly/Gnat Trap

Spiral Paper Rose Tutorial

In Memory of Sherry Hunt: Beach Shell Stamps

Homemade Fabric Softener

fabric paper rosette tutorial

Colorfull Fun Kids Keds Shoes

Greeners Magz

Homemade Organic Finger Paints

Permanent Marker Remover

Customizable Floral Business Cards

FSC and LEI announce collaboration to advance responsible forest management in Indonesia

Dancing Poppies Poster

E-Book finds

paris window shopping postcards

great finds

Flowers Mousepad

Salazar Packaging

Save Our Earth Stamp

martha stewart

Reinvent your stuff: 20 home diy projects

Iron-On transfer with Lotta Jonsdotter

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: 30 minutes