Female Forum

How Online Freelancers Can Expand and Find Work Locally

2013-05-15T19:43:32+00:00

As an online freelancer, many of your clients probably do not live in close proximity to you. In fact, many of the people in your area may not even be aware of what you do and the products and services you offer. This can be a bad thing as people in your own area may have projects for you that can lead to consistent work. Finding ‘local jobs’ requires a different approach than when looking for work online. Here are some tips to help you land some freelancing work in your area.

Business Cards

Surprisingly, many people who work primarily online do not have business cards. They simply are not needed or thought about. However, to tap into your local market, you need to have business cards printed up and you should keep some with you at all times. The cards should have all of your information on it – name, contact information, website address and so on.

Printing up business cards is just good business when interacting with people who may not run their businesses online. Many times an online freelancer will be talking to someone who runs a brick and mortar company in their area. When asked about work, the freelancer will generally them to visit a website address or a LinkedIn profile url. This confuses some people. They want something concrete they can hold, look at, and use at a later time.

Who Do You Know?

Freelancers who work online understand the importance of social networking. Drumming up business in your physical location is no different, except you do it in person instead of sitting behind your computer.

If you want to land work and/or contracts in your area, you have to get yourself out there amongst the people. Join groups, volunteer your time, and do various other things in your community that will enable you to come in contact with people that may be in need of your products or services. As the old saying goes, ‘it’s who you know’. This is very true online and in the real-world. Someone you may talk to while at a conference may not need your work, but they may know someone who is in dire need of your services. So, get yourself out there and start rubbing elbows with people.

Know Reality and Start Small

People in your online business circle may know exactly who you are and what you do. They know who you are whenever your name is mentioned to them and you may be the ‘go-to’ person for particular types of products and services. This isn’t always the case in your local area. Your reputation may not precede you!

Sometimes it is hard to get local business simply because the individuals you are talking to work in a brick and mortar building day in and day out and they don’t surf the Internet or search for employees via the Web. In these instances, approach the individual or business as you would if you were applying for a job. Tell them what you do, what you can offer them, and request to take on a very small job. Many local businesses often feel they are stepping out on faith when they hire a ‘freelancer’ for a project as they are used to having someone in-house do the work. However, if you can convince them to let you take on a small job and you do it well, you can begin to build a local reputation.

Free Stuff

Another way that someone who primarily freelances online can get local business is to do a project for ‘home folk’ free of charge. It can be volunteering to set up a website for a local non-profit, writing up a holiday newsletter for a business, or creating an advertisement for a children’s organization. Whatever it is, be sure your name and contact information is clearly listed. These free deeds of service can go a long way in getting you noticed in your community.

Freelancing can be feast or famine. By opening up your network to your local markets, you are adding more eggs to your basket and expanding your business. Your work can also go a long way in solidifying your place in your community.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on expanding your business, take a look at the following books:

Growing a Business
Growing Your Business!
A Woman’s No-nonsense Guide to Growing Your Small Business

More in Work & Careers: Freelance & Self Employment

Finding the Right Work at Home Business

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Knowing When (and How) to Break Up with Your Pregnancy Care Provider

2013-05-15T19:14:56+00:00

When you’re pregnant, it is even more important to get quality health care to make sure that you and your developing baby are as healthy as possible. Ongoing prenatal care can help you ensure that everything is going well for your developing baby and you, helping you to diagnose any issues early for quick treatment and helping you to take the necessary steps to care for your health and have the best possible outcomes for your pregnancy.

It is essential that you working with a pregnancy care provider that you trust in order to get the care that you need. Unfortunately, you may have to find out the hard way that a health care provider is not working out for you. When that happens, it’s time to call it quits and break up with your provider so that you can move on to find the right person to give you the care that you need.

Here are a few signs that it might be time to break up with your pregnancy care provider, as well as a few tips on how to do it:

When It’s Time to Leave…

Your Doctor Dismisses Your Concerns

Yes, maybe pregnancy brain is the only reason that you call your doctor in a panic because you are worried that your baby is going to develop a parasitic twin that requires a life-threatening surgery to remove them at the kidney and you want to get another ultrasound to check for growths right NOW. However, no matter how silly your concerns, your doctor should always be willing to listen to you and to give you quality information.

If you find that your provider is dismissing your concerns by not listening to you, mocking you, or telling you “not to worry about it” or some similar sentiment, it may be time to break up with him.

Your Doctor is Not Available or Willing to Answer Your Questions

You have a lot of questions—especially if it’s your first pregnancy. How much fish can you eat? How big is the baby’s head right now? Is it OK to fly in your second trimester? Your doctor should always be available to answer your questions—and he should always show a willingness to answer them.

If your doctor rushes through your appointment so that you don’t have the chance to ask questions, or if your doctor seems annoyed or hasty when answering your questions, it’s probably time to look for another provider.

You Feel Judged

Maybe that call about the parasitic twin was over the top, but you shouldn’t be made to feel like a neurotic idiot because of it. Likewise, you should not be made to feel judged if you are gaining more weight than you “should” during your pregnancy or you aren’t taking your prenatal vitamins regularly.

Of course, your doctor should give you information and try to help you understand why you need to be making healthy choices during your pregnancy. However, she should not be making you feel judged, as that will only make you uncomfortable and will undermine the doctor-patient relationship.

If you are being treated by Dr. McJudgerson, it may be time to leave and find a doctor who can show you compassion, patience and guidance.

Your Doctor Takes Control of Your Birth Plan

Some doctors work with you to create the birth experience that you want, honoring your choices and making you an active participant in the process (as you should be). Other doctors talk a lot about what they will “let” you do—such as that they won’t “let” you go past 40 weeks or they won’t “let” you labor past a certain amount of time before giving you a caesarian section.

You should be in control of your own birth process—assuming there are no complications or other emergencies. If you are seeing a doctor who is taking control of your birth plan instead of working with you, it’s time to look for another health care provider.

Your Doctor Has a Poor Bedside Manner

You want a doctor who is competent and can care for you and your baby, especially if things go wrong or if there’s an emergency. However, this is a big experience in your life, and you also want a doctor who is going to make you feel comfortable throughout the process. If your doctor is gruff, rude, impersonal or otherwise off-putting, you may need to look for another provider. If you are uncomfortable with your doctor at all, that is going to add to your stress levels during delivery, and that could complicate your outcomes.

How to Do It…

Unlike breaking up with a partner or a spouse, breaking up with your doctor is actually pretty easy to do. The reason is that you don’t really have to have “the talk” and have a big breakup scene. You can opt for the just-don’t-call approach—which would be bad for a romantic relationship but is totally acceptable here.

All you need to do is make an appointment with another provider. Once you have interviewed the person and decided that you feel comfortable with making the change, you can cancel any appointments you had with your previous doctor and can request that copies of your medical records be transferred. You can even request a copy of your files on your way out of the office at your last appointment.

Don’t be shy about breaking up with a provider who isn’t giving you the kind of care that you need. When you are pregnant, your health and the health of your baby should be your most important priority. If you see any of these warning signs, it may be time to dump your pregnancy care provider and start shopping for a new one. You’ll feel better about the care you’re getting, which will help you to have a more positive pregnancy experience and to ensure your overall health and well-being.

This article was written by Kelly Opferman. Kelly is a seasoned writer who at this time focuses on her auto loan calculator site. Her educational background includes finance, teaching, and economics.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on pregnancy, take a look at the following books:

The Pregnant Body Book
Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide
A Totally Honest Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, and Becoming a Parent

More in Pregnancy & Parenting: Planning & Pregnancy

The Physical Changes of Pregnancy

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Your Marriage: Buckle Down or Bail Out?

2013-04-23T18:21:22+00:00

The stigma that was once associated with divorce has largely been forgotten, but there are still plenty of people living in miserable marriages. There are a number of reasons why that might be, but primarily, when you get married you mean it.

People take their wedding vows seriously, and the decision to walk away is a difficult one to make. It means admitting that a relationship that was good and felt strong has become ugly and broken.

All marriages go through tough times, and every couple has to be willing to put in some serious labor if they’re going to continue to make each other happy.

Knowing when to buckle down and do the work and when to jump ship and swim for happier shores is a tricky thing, but these warning signs can help you to understand whether or not you’re fighting for a lost cause.

• Compromise is one of the most important elements of a healthy relationship. In an unhealthy relationship, it is one of the first things to go. The thing about compromise is that by definition, both parties get something they want, and both parties sacrifice something they want for the sake of peace. If you feel like you are the only one willing to make any sacrifices, or instead of middle ground there seems to be a wide, deep chasm between you, and speaking to your spouse about what you need has not helped, you may be in trouble.

• Every couple fights, every relationship has flaws, and we all find ourselves occasionally irritated by the ones we love. This is normal and healthy, and working through these times can make your bond stronger and your respect for each other grow. On the other hand, if you have to work to resolve problems constantly, and moments of harmony are rare, it may be time to consider ending the marriage.

• Early on in a relationship it is common to discover things about your partner that you find irritating, or even obnoxious. For a little while after moving in together there may be a laugh, a snore, bathroom habits, or bad table manners that make you consider throwing in the towel and ending it before it’s even had a chance. As time goes on, you find those things become a part of the sound of your home, and when your husband or wife goes out of town for a few nights you find yourself unable to sleep without the sound of that chainsaw in the bed next to you. It’s a common story, but when a relationship is going bad, the opposite begins to happen. If the things that you once found cute, quirky, or interesting about your spouse become unbearable, it’s likely time to say goodbye.

• Everyone needs and deserves a little ‘alone time,’ and being permanently attached to your spouse’s hip is a great way to start the irritating process described above, but if you find yourself looking for excuses to avoid your partner or wishing that they weren’t invited to events you’ll be attending, you may need to consider seriously getting back out on your own.

• Mutual respect is another necessary factor for a healthy and happy relationship. Without respect it becomes difficult to like or even just be friendly to your partner, much less love them. If you find that you have lost respect for your spouse, or you feel that they no longer treat you with respect, the marriage has hit a point from which there is probably no return.

• Seeking the help of a couple’s counselor is a great idea for anyone who wants to preserve their marriage, and very often a professional can teach communication tools and mediate conversations about important issues in order to effectively improve and even save the relationship. On the other hand, once a counselor has been engaged and his or her advice has been followed, if things haven’t improved it is likely that no amount of communication will solve the problem.

• One of the most reliable signs of a strong and healthy relationship is the sort of team dynamic that arises. ‘Our money,’ ‘our problems,’ and ‘our good times…’ that’s what marriage is about. If you no longer feel like your goals are aligned with your spouse’s goals, if you aren’t collaborating on the decisions that impact you both, then it may be time to strike out on your own anyway. When two smart, motivated people are working together toward the same end, encouraging and supporting one another, they can do amazing things. When two people are trying to move in different directions, but each feels tied down to the other against their will, no one thrives.

• Anger is not an uncommon emotion to encounter in a marriage, even a happy one. Living in close quarters and sharing each other’s burdens can combine with the usual frustrations and disappointments in life to create outbursts meanness or thoughtlessness. Anger is a normal and healthy emotion, but when it isn’t address, when it is allowed to fester in silence, it becomes something much more dangerous: resentment. Resentment can manifest in petty, spiteful acts, and is usually the reason that long forgotten mistakes get dug back up years later. The inability to address your anger with your spouse over time is a very bad sign for the marriage.

• Sometimes the things that keep us locked in unhappy marriages are ideas that we haven’t really allowed ourselves to consider, but once recognized they have to be addressed. One of the more foolish of these is the idea that being unhappy in a familiar situation is somehow preferable to being unhappy someplace new. The obvious flaw in this logic is that there is no guarantee that you will be unhappy once you’ve left. This is a simple fear of the unknown, which we all struggle with and which we must all overcome in order to lead full lives.

• Another argument that often keeps unhappy couples together is the idea that somehow the children are better off that way. Even very young kids are able to pick up on signals of anger and depression, and having two happy households will be much more beneficial to your children than one home unified by a shared misery.

• Of course, the most obvious reason to leave a marriage is for mistreatment or abuse. Victims of physical, sexual, or verbal abuse should please, please look for support in trying to leave what is an increasingly dangerous situation. The wonderful counselors at the National Domestic Violence Hotline are available 24/7 to assist you in whatever way they can. Abuse is never the fault of the victim, no matter what the abuser says. All relationships are difficult, but healthy couples are able to make mistakes and move past them without hurting each other, and even unhappy couples don’t usually resort to violence.

Marriage is supposed to be a bond between partners who mutually support, respect, and care about each other, not a constant battle for power, and not an exchange of hurt and guilt. If your relationship has become a burden and not a boon in your life, it’s time to genuinely consider whether or not you would be better off on your own.

This article was written by Alan Brady. Alan is a writer who uses personal experience as inspiration to write about family, the environment, and business practices. He currently writes for Attorneys.com, which locates local child custody lawyers.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on relationship and marriage counseling, take a look at the following books:

The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
How to Improve Your Marriage Without Talking About It
Marriage Rules: A Manual for the Married and the Coupled Up

More in Love & Relationships: Relationships & Marriage

Jealousy: Keeping the Green Eyed Monster from Ruining Your Marriage

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Screening Before Your Next Play Date

2013-02-05T19:15:33+00:00

I hate to say it, but we had some very strange neighbors living by us once. I didn’t know them too well as they were renting my neighbor’s cottage. Apparently, they had met back east and decided shortly after to make a move across the country. The family consisted of an odd trio; a single mom, her charming three-year-old daughter and a very ‘interesting’ boyfriend. My wife and I went over to say ‘hello’ one night and had a little barbeque, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was a little off about them.

Well, wouldn’t you know the next week the boyfriend decided to climb out onto their rental roof and threatened to kill himself. Hearing all the screams and commotion, my terrified wife called ‘911’ but not before she witnessed the man’s suicidal leap to the ground below. The good news is that his attempt wasn’t successful, it was merely painful, as in broken ribs and other internal injuries, but it did get me thinking about the people I choose to share my life with.

Fast forwarded a good decade later, where I find myself still happily married but now we’ve added two children to our lives and has also brought on a whole new level of safety concerns and awareness. The truth is, we can’t choose our neighbors, but we can limit our time and interactions around them. And the one lesson I learned from this incident is that you can never be too careful about the people you and especially, your children, are around.

If you, too are a feeling a little leery about your child’s next play date, then listen to your gut and follow these key tips:

Meet the Parents: This is of course, obvious. Most play dates are arranged through the parents and certainly most would agree that a parent would obviously have some concern about the family that their child is choosing to spend time with. Generally, before a scheduled play date I will either call the child’s parent or talk with them near the parking lot after school is out. You can generally get a good feeling about who they are and have an opportunity to ask those subtle questions which can glean a valuable amount of information, but in a conversational way, questions like: How long have they lived there? What do they or their spouse do for a living? What activities/clubs are they are involved in? And one thing that gives me a little additional comfort is whether or not they have family that lives in town. Knowing that they have their own safety net helps me feel comfortable about their stability as well. People who have a strong support system are less likely to be spinning out of control.

Background Check: Let’s say after you met with the parents, you are still feeling a little antsy (remember my gut feeling about my former neighbor). There is no need to explain away these feelings, you can simply be proactive and do a little investigative work on your own. Your local sheriff’s department is required by law to post a sex-offender registry online, there is no reason you shouldn’t know exactly who lives on the play date’s street, after all, knowledge is power. Who knows, maybe they didn’t even know that someone down the street is listed under the registry. Another way to check is to log online and do a quick background check on someone, this can give you their history as well as any information that might raise a red flag. In my mind, someone who has moved three times in the last year, seems a little excessive and perhaps might warrant a closer look before you send your child to their house.

Neutral Territory: One of the best ways I’ve found that takes the burden out of the whole play date issue is meeting at a place that is generally in a public setting, like the zoo, a local park or a movie theater. This is a great way to break the ice, for the parents anyway, and after getting comfortable with their temperament and parenting style can say a lot about what might go on inside the privacy of their own home. Once your comfort levels are set, then you can start giving in to play date time. I’ve also found that alternating houses is helpful as well, it gives the other a parent a break and you can also get to know their child as well.

At the end of the day, as parents it is part of our jobs to know who our children are spending time with. We can’t keep them in a bubble, of course, but we can use good common sense techniques and give them the tools to stand up for themselves if they do feel uncomfortable. My son informed me that one of his playmate’s mothers slapped her son right in front of him. Needless to say, this was a bit upsetting for him and from that point on, play dates were relegated to parks or our house. Like I said, we all have different parenting styles, but if your child is expressing some concern, please heed their message. Be smart and above all, trust your gut. It has saved me and my family on more than one occasion.

This article was written by Colter Brian. Colter is a former private investigator/photographer and now a freelance writer. When he writes, he contributes to sites such as Online Searches. Some of Colter’s hobbies include spending time in the outdoors and perfecting his pasta recipes for his toughest critics; namely his two children.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on child safety, take a look at the following books:

365 Ways to Keep Kids Safe: How to Make Your Child’s World Safer
The Safe Child Book: A Commonsense Approach to Protecting Children
Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)

More in Pregnancy & Parenting: Children & Teenagers

Keep Kids Learning: Educational Summer Holiday Opportunities

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How to Improve Your Green Thumb

2013-02-05T18:07:21+00:00

Some people have such a green thumb when it comes to gardening that it can almost be irritating to observe. Gardening seems to come so naturally to them and it’s as though everything they touch has a huge growth spurt and produces the biggest blooms. This can be frustrating if you have always considered your thumb to be some shade of brown. The good news is that it’s not hard to green up your thumb with a few easy tips!

Being that I have been gardening since I was six, I have acquired and tested out hundreds of tips and tricks that are supposed to help your garden in some way or another. While I don’t claim to know everything there is to know about gardening, I have learned quite a bit through trial and error; and trust me when I say that there have been a lot of errors. Listing out everything I have learned over the years about gardening would take ages (plus it could end up being boring to read!) so instead of a long list that will take forever to get through, here are six of my favorite gardening tips that any gardener could use regardless of experience.

1) Mulch, mulch, mulch! I’m a mulch fanatic! Not only does using mulch help cut back on weeds, it helps protect your plants from extreme temperatures. When using mulch, remember to leave a space a couple of inches surrounding the stem or trunk of the plant to prevent the chances of water logging or suffocation. I prefer to garden as organically as possible so I like to use grass clippings from my lawn as mulch. The cool thing about using grass clippings is that it’s free and it cuts back on waste in your garbage can. If you decide to use grass clippings in your garden, make sure that you lawn wasn’t treated with synthetic fertilizers because they will just transfer to your garden.

2) Instead of throwing your leftover coffee and tea grounds in the garbage can, use them in your garden to help acidify the soil. You can either add them to your compost or sprinkle some around the base of your plants. This tip is especially helpful when you are growing plants that require a more acidic pH level, such as gardenias.

3) Sprinkle crushed up eggshells in your garden to ward off slugs and snails. The idea behind this is that the eggshells create barriers to your plants that the slugs and snails will not crawl over. There are products on the market that you can use to deter slugs and snails from entering your garden but many of them or not organic and they can be costly.

4) Kick the pesticides, herbicides and synthetic fertilizers. While you may see results in your garden by using these, you won’t see much else. Anything that ends with “cide” and synthetic fertilizers discourage beneficial insects from coming into your garden. Pesticides also keep birds and butterflies from visiting which are great natural forms of pest control. Keep in mind that whatever you use to aid in the growth of your plants with be present in the plants themselves. I’m guessing you don’t want to eat poisons that have been put on your vegetables so discontinuing their use will benefit you and your garden more in the long run.

5) Don’t let yourself go dormant in the winter! Stay busy by researching and planning your garden for the next year. Take that time to get creative with your landscaping or learning about new plants that could thrive in your area. Speaking of research, get to know what certain plants need in terms of water, sunlight, temperature, etc. before you plant them. Successful gardens don’t happen by accident so take the winter months to get ahead of the curve. By doing this, you will be ready to hit the ground running once it starts to thaw!

6) Keep up on weeds. OK, so this isn’t really one of my favorite tips but that doesn’t diminish the importance of it. Keeping your garden weed free is a constant battle and if you don’t keep up on it, catching up becomes increasingly difficult. If you keep your garden clean and relatively weed free then you will be more likely to want to spend time either working in it or just sitting back and enjoying the ambiance. Besides, pulling weeds can be quite the workout and is a good substitute for hitting the gym.

This article was written by Mackenzie Kupfer. Mackenzie has been a lover of all things green since the age of six when she began gardening with her Nana. She is currently an online publisher for the decorative plant stands site avantgardendecor.com. In her free time, Mackenzie enjoys attending garden shows, hiking, and collecting ceramic tea sets.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on gardening, take a look at the following books:

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible
You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening
All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space

Making Yourself at Home: Decorating a Rental Home

Read article or view all Home articles

Arts and Crafts Projects for Elderly Seniors

2013-01-10T18:09:18+00:00

Keeping elderly seniors active and engaged with hobbies can help their overall health. Hobbies can help keep the mind active, fight off depression, and help seniors sleep better. While health limitations can inhibit or limit certain activities, arts and crafts is one area where limitations can be worked around and tailored to fit each individual. In addition, arts and crafts can cater to many areas of interest.

Mosaics

Mosaics are much like puzzles where different pieces of tile are arranged to create a picture or design. Creating mosaics is a fun process and seniors at different levels of mobility can do them. Depending on the mobility of the seniors you are working with, they can do each step of the process themselves, or just the steps they are able to do. For instance, you may want to break the tile and/or apply the grout for a senior who may not have the strength to do so.

Items Needed:

* Mosaic Surface
* Tile
* Hammer
* Adhesive
* Grout
* Scraper
* Damp Cloth

Directions:

Each person should choose a surface to mosaic. Options include flat pieces of wood, flower pots, picture frames, small boxes, plates, mirrors, or other items of interest. Mosaics can be created on almost any surface – large or small.

Place pieces of tile into a pillowcase. You can use one color of tile, or many different colors. Next, use a hammer to break the tile into smaller pieces. Remove the small tile pieces from the pillow case and place it into a container.

Use the scraper and apply adhesive to the chosen surface piece.

Next, place pieces of tile onto the surface to create any pattern or design that you wish.

After the designs have been created, allow the project to sit overnight so the adhesive can set-in.

The following day, spread grout in-between the tiles. This can be done by hand or with the scraper. It is fine if grout gets on the tiles. Allow the grout to sit for five minutes, then wipe and clean the surface with a damp cloth.

Let the project sit and dry overnight.

Jigsaw Puzzle Piece Wreath Ornaments

Making ornaments out of jigsaw puzzle pieces is a fun craft for seniors to do around the holidays. They can be made and given as gifts, or used to decorate a personal home tree or a community tree in an assisted living center or nursing home.

Items Needed:

* Jigsaw puzzle
* Green spray paint
* Red paint
* White paint
* Pencil
* Small brush such as an eyeliner brush
* Red ribbon
* Glue

Directions:

Take an old jigsaw puzzle and lay all of the pieces out on a flat surface.

Spray paint the puzzle pieces with a holiday green color. Let the paint dry.

Draw a 3 to 4 inch circle on a piece of paper with a black marker. Place a sheet of wax paper over the paper.

Lay puzzles pieces around the circle so they barely touch each other.

Use glue to add a second layer of puzzle pieces on top of the first layer of puzzle pieces. This second layer of puzzle pieces should extend past the first layer to make the circle larger. Allow the pieces to dry.

After the puzzle pieces have dried, dip the eraser end of a pencil into bright red paint. Dab the paint onto the green puzzle pieces to create clusters of holly berries. Allow the red paint to dry.

Next, use a very small brush and dab tiny white dots on each holly berry. Allow the white dots to dry.

Lastly, run a red ribbon through the center of your ornament. Make the loop large enough at the top so that it can be hung on a holiday tree.

Glitter Domes

Making glitter domes is a fun project that many seniors will enjoy. Glitter domes can be made for personal keepsakes, or they can be made and given as gifts on special occasions.

Items Needed:

* Jar (Any size jar will do from baby food jars on up)
* Glitter
* Plastic figure of choice that will fit inside the jar.
* Small shells, rocks, or other small items
* Ribbon
* Superglue
* Water

Directions:

Place the jar lid flat side on a table or other workable surface. Glue the plastic figure of choice to the underside of the jar lid. Set it aside to dry.

Next, fill the jar with glitter and small shells or rocks. Use roughly one teaspoon of glitter for every inch of jar.

Fill the jar with water leaving ½ inch of space at the top of the jar.

After the plastic piece that was glued to the jar lid has dried completely, place superglue around the rim of the jar. Screw on the jar lid.

Tie a ribbon around the rim of the jar lid.

Turn the jar upside-down and it is complete.

Keep it Fun

These are just three arts and crafts projects that seniors will enjoy. Any project that you think would be fun, the chances are high that elderly seniors will too. If you want to take it a step further, ask the seniors what types of projects they’d like to do. Whether it’s working with flowers to wood, there are projects to suit almost any interest.

Recommended Reading

For more craft project information, advice and ideas, take a look at the following books:

The Big-Ass Book of Crafts
Craft-a-Day: 365 Simple Handmade Projects
GIANT Encyclopedia of Arts & Craft Activities

More in Hobbies & Leisure: Arts & Crafts

Soap Making: Good, Clean Fun For Everyone

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3 Ways to Beat Emotional Overeating

2013-01-10T17:47:17+00:00

Most of us have a very complex relationship with food. We celebrate with cupcakes, and commiserate with carbs. We dip into the doughnuts when we’re home alone or else gather the family around roast dinners with all the trimmings. Seldom do we find a sustainable balance between food for fuel, and food for emotional comfort.

From a very young age we begin to associate food with reward or punishment, and we continue these patterns for the rest of our lives. Most of us will remember being given pick of the sweet cupboard after doing well at school, or being sent to bed without any dinner after an incident of bad behavior. Eating is psychological, and that is a difficult association to break.

Use these 3 tips as guidance on how to navigate the path towards beating emotional overeating, and re-define your attitude to food.

Identify the triggers of emotional overeating

One of the most devastating parts of emotional eating is that often we create more problems: by chomping down on excess food in times of emotion we can gain weight, suffer from guilt, and negatively affect our health and wellbeing. This causes us to compensate by reaching for even more food, and the cycle not only perpetuates itself but deepens.

The only solution is to nip this behavior in the bud.

We need to figure out what causes us to reach comfort in the fridge in the first place. Keep a food journal to see if patterns emerge. If we consistently pluck for ice cream and beer on a Friday night, what does that tell us about our attitude to the working week? Are we punishing our bodies because we dislike our job? Do we think we deserve a pint of Raspberry Ripple because we’ve worked overly hard? Ask the difficult questions and we might be surprised what we learn about ourselves.

The way we consume food is habit, too. It’s easy to fall into the routine of always whipping up pancakes for Sunday brunch, even if actually, we’re not that hungry. Every time we flip on the oven we have to ask ourselves, Do I really want this…?

Adopt a mentality of incentive not penalty

If after every time we decide to indulge we mentally beat ourselves up, we end up back in the reward/punishment mentality for food. It’s normal and healthy and encouraged to treat ourselves sometimes- but that’s the key. Sometimes.

Changing our attitude to food means choosing salad over fast food because we know it will make us feel better from the inside out, and when we do have a bar of chocolate we know it’s okay because everything else we’ve eaten that day, or week, or lifetime, has been good for us.

Instead of berating ourselves when we have something ‘naughty’, how about we celebrate every time we choose something healthy, instead?

Eat more, eat better

We need to remove the word diet from our lexicon. None of our pursuit in overcoming emotional eating triggers is about becoming the next supermodel. It’s about treating our bodies as the delicate and important machines they are, and dealing with the psychological issues our relationship with food reveals.

The most important thing to remember is that we can actually consume more food if we choose things that are better for us. A huge warm salad with legumes, beans, potatoes and fish will not only make our insides happy, but also fuel us for much longer than a cheap cereal bar or packet of crisps. The better the food is for our bodies, the more we can eat, and will want to eat, too.

The most common reason for emotional overeating is stress, so one top tip for surmounting pressure and strain is to carefully choose foods that naturally soothe mounting pressure in our bodies.

Eating a handful of pistachios a day can counter extra strain we out on our hearts when we get hot under the collar, and walnuts lower blood pressure at rest and under stress, so by adding them to salads and puds we could be doing ourselves a huge favour in leveling-out stress in our bodies. Find out what causes your emotional overeating and research foods that can combat it.

There are many things we can’t alter in our lives, but one thing is for certain: only we can take responsibility for the way we consume food, and we can start right now.

This article was written by Court House Clinics, a U.K.-based cosmetic treatment chain specialising in non-invasive procedures to make you look and feel more confident.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on overeating, take a look at the following books:

Breaking Free from Emotional Eating
50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food
141 Ways to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time

Diet Success: Avoid These Five Diet Mistakes

Read article or view all Food & Dieting articles

What You Need to Know about Working Out During Pregnancy

2012-12-11T23:23:12+00:00

Working out during your pregnancy is important for you and your baby. Not only does working out support a healthy pregnancy, but it also helps women to have a faster, easier labor and to recover from delivery more quickly. Some of the benefits of exercising during pregnancy may include:

* Improved mood
* Improved sleep
* Reduced morning sickness
* Increased energy
* Fewer aches and pains
* Less unnecessary weight gain
* Faster labor
* Faster recovery

In addition, some studies suggest that women who exercise during their pregnancy give birth to healthier babies who are less prone to obesity and other health problems later in life.

Here’s what you need to know about working out during pregnancy for your health and the health of your baby:

Start Slow

Even if you have never worked out before, you can still start an exercise program when you become pregnant. The key to success is to start slowly. Even if you were not pregnant, you would need to start slowly to give your body time to adjust to the new demands of exercise. Pregnancy puts additional demands on your body, so it is especially important that you don’t push yourself too hard too fast.

Start out with a 10 to 15 minute walk around your neighborhood a few times a week. Once that starts to feel routine, you can add more minutes or more times per week. Always give your body time to adjust before you add more to your routine.

Modify Your Previous Routine

If you were used to working out before you became pregnant, you may be able to continue your previous routine with some modifications. For example, if you were a runner before, you may have to run more slowly, or you may have to cut back on your miles. If you do yoga, you may have to choose different poses or shorten your workout.

Strenuous, extended periods of exercise may not be recommended for all women or for all periods of pregnancy. The key is to listen to your body and to cut back where necessary. If you become very tired, out of breath, or if something just doesn’t feel right, stop or slow down.

Avoid Becoming Overheated

Overheating is one of the biggest risks to pregnant women when exercising. Overheating can post many dangers to the baby, including increasing the risks of miscarriage or of birth defects. For this reason, you should not exercise in hot weather or in overheated rooms (such as during hot yoga). It is also important to stay well-hydrated during workouts and to keep your heart rate lower than you usually would during a workout.

Choose low-impact workouts and drink plenty of water, and you should keep your body temperature at a manageable level.

Avoid Certain Exercises

Not all exercises are safe for women during pregnancy. For example, abdominal exercises should be avoided after the first trimester. Here are a few other activities or exercises that you should avoid during pregnancy:

* Contact sports
* Activities in which you may fall, such as cycling or horseback riding
* Activities that require a lot of skipping or bouncing
* Deep bends
* Jarring movements

If you are ever unsure about the safety of an exercise, always check with your doctor first. Again, it’s always best to stop an exercise if something doesn’t feel right. Listen to your body and stop when you need to stop.

Know the Warning Signs

Every woman is different, and what may be an acceptable exercise for one pregnant woman may be dangerous for another. It is important to learn the warning signs so you know when something isn’t right for your body. Here are some of the warning signs:

* Shortness of breath
* Abdominal or pelvic pain
* Chest pain
* Faintness or dizziness
* Nausea
* Weakness
* Rapid or irregular heartbeat
* Difficulty walking
* Vaginal bleeding
* Feeling cold or clammy

Whether you experience these signs or you have other symptoms that just don’t feel “right,” you should stop exercising and check in with your doctor. When it comes to the health of your baby, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Exercising during pregnancy can improve your health and the health of your baby. However, it is important to know what is safe and what requires more discussion with your doctor. Before starting an exercise program during pregnancy, it is always recommended to discuss your plans with your doctor to make sure your routine will be right for you and your baby.

This article was written by Bridget Sandorford. Bridget is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org, where recently she’s been researching chef jobs outlook. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on exercising during pregnancy, take a look at the following books:

How to Exercise When You’re Expecting
Mommy Fabulous: Complete Pregnancy Fitness and Nutrition Guide
Super Fit Mama: Stay Fit During Pregnancy and Get Your Body Back after Baby

More in Pregnancy & Parenting: Planning & Pregnancy

Knowing When (and How) to Break Up with Your Pregnancy Care Provider

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Solutions for a Sexless Marriage

2012-12-05T21:02:34+00:00

Are you not getting the sex in your relationship you would like to have? Perhaps your partner isn’t interested or is suffering from low libido? Sex deprivation is a big problem in a surprising number of marriages and relationships. In fact, surveys have shown that as much as 30% of all couples have sex no more than ten times a year.

So if this applies to you take heart - you’re certainly not alone. Better still, you can do something about it! You could try (and perhaps you have) medication and/or counseling to try to resolve the issue of low libido. Both of these can prove reasonably effective in some instances. However the reality is that for many couples the problem goes much deeper, and in many cases the partner with the ‘problem’ of a lack of interest in sex is not willing to do something about it, or even recognize that there is a problem in the first place.

If you are in that situation, the first thing to realize is that a lack of sex is actually a symptom of other things going on in the relationship. Essentially, your spouse or partner has somehow had their ‘sex switch’ turned off. By this I mean that they have lost contact with their essential sexual nature. It’s up to you to learn how to turn it back on.

As a relationship matures over time, what tends to happen is that the behaviors of the two people towards each other gradually change. In the early, lustful days, everything is new and exciting. You are caught up with learning about each other and experiencing the thrill of a new partner. However, if you think carefully, you will begin to see that there were things that you did then that helped the sexual attraction process that you are probably no longer doing! These included:

* Making your relationship the highest priority in your life. This means going out of your way to spend time together; planning events around being together; putting your partner ahead of anyone else in your life;

* Putting in an effort to be attractive to your partner;

* Continually trying new things together;

* Being more of a sexual giver than a taker (putting your partner’s sexual pleasure ahead of yours).

Isn’t it interesting that the decline of sex in a relationship usually coincides with a decline in these things happening as well?

So the key lesson here is to find ways to do all of these things again. If you do, you will very likely find that the sexual element will come back into your relationship quite naturally. Incidentally, these things are what couples in long term, sexually satisfying relationships tend to do and have never stopped doing.

So to get more sex happening in your marriage try doing some of the following:

* Show your partner that your relationship is the most important thing to you in the world. Put him and the time you spend together ahead of anything else. Plan some fun things to do together, put off that work or social engagement and have a night out together instead. Don’t allow the children (or your mother!) and their activities to come before your spouse.

* Imagine you and your partner are going on your third date. How would you like to look? Start looking that way for him again! Plan intentionally to look attractive for him whenever he is around, not just when you are going out for the evening. Put on some makeup every day, keep your hair stylish and if you need to get your body back in shape, put some effort into doing it.

* Suggest you and your partner try new things together, both in and out of the bedroom. If we do the same thing over and over we all know it will get boring eventually. Why do we somehow think sex is an exception? Plan some new and interesting things to do. If your partner is ‘busy’ then start with small things, but get some variety and fun into your relationship.

* Start being very attentive and considerate to your partner without expecting anything back.

When you start to put your partner and your relationship first, interesting things start to happen. Your relationship begins to get some of its life back (the life that has been sapped by pressures and distractions of children, career, finances and ‘living’ in general) and it really isn’t too long before the sexual spark returns. You not only will get the sex back, but your relationship will give you the fulfillment and joy you always wanted.

This article was written by Michael Andrews. For a free report by Michael, “How to Reignite the Sexual Passion in Your Relationship” visit www.moreandbettersex.com

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice about sexless marriages, take a look at the following books:

Kiss Me Again: Restoring Lost Intimacy in Marriage
Rekindling Desire: A Step by Step Program to Help Low-Sex and No-Sex Marriages
Why Men Stop Having Sex: Men, the Phenomenon of Sexless Relationships, and What You Can Do About It

Getting What You Want in Bed

Read article or view all Sex articles

Wrap up for a Winter Wedding

2012-12-05T20:43:07+00:00

Although spring and summer are traditional wedding seasons, some brides may choose to opt for a romantic Christmas-time affair, with snow and ice making a stunning backdrop. Stuck with the decision of what to wear for those nippy winter nuptials? The bride will look ravishing in layers of silk and satin and glamorous fur, but it’s not so simple for the guests.

The invitation may leave you quaking in your cosy boots, but don’t panic! You can look stylish whilst avoiding frost bite/ a bright red nose on those all-important wedding portraits with our handy what to wear guide.

Which Fabric?

This season you’re in luck; luxurious fabrics like brocade, velvet, wool and tweed were all over the catwalk, and are perfect choices to keep you warm and looking stylish. The leather-heavy, gothic-inspired trend that is so big this season is obviously best avoided however!

The Coat

A winter wedding will of course necessitate a coat, and this will perhaps be the most important part of your outfit. Throwing on the nearest warm coat as you leave the house just won’t do – it will make or break your look.

It is important to pick a coat that is longer than your dress or skirt, as a hem line hanging below the length will ruin your look. If you are able to afford a smart new coat for the occasion then brilliant; opt for a neat and simple tailored coat in one of Autumn/Winter’s key colours, or try an elegant cape design.

If a new dress and shoes are in order and a coat is out of budget, make sure you buy a dress that is shorter than the coat you will wear. Get your smartest coat dry cleaned, and perhaps consider cinching it in with a stylish waist belt – a favourite trick of regular wedding attendee Kate Middleton, and perfect to show off a slim waist.

Choosing your Colour

Black may be a more acceptable choice for winter weddings than summer ones, but is still probably best kept for the evening. Try oxblood, which was all over the catwalk and a perfect choice for a warm yet chic coat or stunning dress.

The biggest colour of the season is purple, which, with a shade to suit every skin tone, and being fairly conservative without being dull, is a great choice for a wedding.

The Mulberry catwalk was awash with warm and festive orange and cinnamon tones, which will be particularly striking if you have the skin tone to pull them off. A flash of the colour may work best – perhaps in a clutch bag or gloves.

Jewelry

The bad weather can’t stop you having fun with your jewelry choices. You can lift and brighten your look with some stunning sparkling pieces.

Dramatic chandelier earrings are a great option for AW12, and will help make your look stand out. If you prefer a more subtle style, try pretty sparkling studs to dress up your look. Cubic zirconia and diamonds are a brilliant choice to catch the light during the evening celebrations.

The resurgence of Art Deco style, inspired in no small way by the lavish, stunning looks on display in upcoming film ‘The Great Gatsby’, will be a big look over winter and beyond. Jersey Pearl have crafted a stunning range of flapper-inspired jewelry. The pretty and feminine pieces are perfect for a wedding, yet versatile enough for parties and even day-wear over the Christmas season and beyond.

Shoes

Your shoe choice depends on whether the wedding is held indoors or outside – if you will be walking over muddy or uneven terrain avoid delicate heels in pale colours. An elegant pair of shoe boots is probably the wisest choice. Have some fun with velvet finishes and jewel or stud embellishment.

Accessorize in Style

A big woolly scarf and gloves may keep you warm, but are not chic enough choices for a wedding. Try opting for an elegant pair of leather gloves and delicate silk, chiffon, or a fine- knit scarf. Warmer yet, a faux-fur stole will keep you snuggly. So have some fun wrapping up in pretty layers and enjoy the special day.

This article was written by Emily Bradbury. Emily is a blogger and fashion lover at The Jewel Hut, home to over 40 big-name jewelry brands, and now available in the US.

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Choosing A Flattering Sundress

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The Risks and Benefits of Multiple Births Due to In-Vitro Fertilization

2012-11-29T00:14:22+00:00

When my sister and her husband found out they were going to have a baby, they were of course, ecstatic, but when they found out that all four of their embryos had survived implantation and the ultrasound technician pointed out each blinking heartbeat, well, once they picked their jaws up off the floor, they were still excited, but admittedly terrified as well.

Yes, they were going to have that big family they always dreamed of, but instead of in years, they would get theirs in one big instant. I could picture my brother-in-law (a bit of a spendthrift) calculating in his mind the cost of a bigger car, a bigger house and having to pay for everything in quadruplicate for the rest of his life.

The good news? Though they were incredibly tiny; all four of them were healthy: Rose, Grace, Lilly and Cuthbert Maximilian Carrington, III or as we call him, ‘Max’. The quads have had their share of certain multiple-type health issues especially those related to premature birth. They were born at 29 weeks, which for multiples is actually very good, and though they weighed in less than three pounds each, they have since hit all their milestones, albeit a bit later than their full-term peers, but still are making wonderful and consistent progress. The four of them wear glasses and Max is a good four inches shorter than this shortest school mate, yet they’ve done surprisingly well. Though family gatherings can sometimes get a little hectic with the four of them running around, we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Fortunately, for my sister and her brood, things have been in the best case scenario as we have both heard of other families not faring so well. Knowing now what they have experienced, I’d like to share that knowledge with other expectant mothers of multiples.

• Get the facts: Multiples, two or more embryos, are still considered rare. By looking at fraternal twins by natural conception one can see the overall numbers keep these percentages low. Asia 6 (twins)/1,000 (live births), US/Europe 10-20/1,000, Africa 40/1,000. Of course, in vitro fertilization has completely changed the numbers game. Back in the 80s/90s multiples of 2, 3, or more seemed to skyrocket as doctors were implanting women with any number of embryos. With better ethical standards and weighing health/benefits risks, we have seen these numbers consistently fall. Of course, there is always the exception, certainly news reports of super-multiples are great tabloid fodder as seen in the universally maligned ‘Octomom’ and her meteoric rise into uber celebrity deploradom.

• Growing risks: Carrying more than one fetus will add to the risks that any mother has when pregnant. For example, the risk of developing gestational diabetes is increased with each additional baby; these extra hormones that the mother’s body produces interferes with how her body processes insulin, hence extra babies = extra hormones. There is also an increase of higher blood pressure due to the rising blood volume during pregnancy which can ultimately raise the level of cardiac output. Preterm birth is a huge issue with multiples, as a matter of fact; it is exceedingly rare for a mother of true multiples to carry their babies full term. With prematurity comes risk of pre-eclampsia and cesarean section delivery.

• Twos and Threes: Of course, multiple births are far more successful than they were some fifty years ago, due to medical intervention and earlier diagnosis. The mother-to-be is consistently monitored with ultrasound to keep a watchful eye for such multiples issues as in placenta previa (when the placenta has attached itself low on the uterine wall, blocking the cervix) or placenta abrupta (when the placenta is pulled off the uterus causing a medical emergency for not only the unborn, but also the mother). Also, because things start to get a little overcrowded, ultrasounds can also reveal whether there are any problems with cord blood flow, or in the case of indenticals, twin-to-twin transfer, an unequal exchange of blood flow, where one fetus basically becomes the other one’s ‘donor’.

The best medicine for an expectant mother of multiples? Follow all your doctor’s orders, including lots and lots of bed rest, keeping up with your vitamins and maintaining a healthy diet. Call immediately with any unusual symptoms, i.e. lack of movement, excessive cramping, bleeding, vomiting or general ill-health. Above all, try to relax, as I’ve seen with my sister, once those babies are born, you’ll likely never get the chance to rest again.

This article was written by Cynthia Dorsch. Cynthia loves writing about health and wellness. In her free time she can often be found researching and catching up on trending techniques and new innovations in the medical field. She currently writes and blogs for My Egg Bank.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on IVF and fertility, take a look at the following books:

IVF: A Patient’s Guide
The Couple’s Guide to In Vitro Fertilization
Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility

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Is it Better to Live Alone?

2012-11-12T21:49:51+00:00

A lot of the clients who come to my websites asking me for a personal 1 2 1 professional expert session with them are people who are worrying about their relationships or lack of them.

Quite often when I speak to them I find that although they are living with someone (or married to them and living with them too) they are not at all happy. They may then assume it is because their partner is irresponsible, selfish, dishonest, too noisy or whatever.

Yet if you delve into things more than they already have you then see that they have lived with someone before and the same thing happened then. It is not so much that the person they are with is not suitable or perfect enough it is more to do with how they do not make suitable partners due to being better at living alone.

There are a few cases of people who are totally committed to each other, totally faithful, caring about each other and spending a lot of time together without living together. Although one or the other might then get feelings of insecurity or worry that things will go wrong the intelligent mature ones see that living together is no guarantee that their relationship will last longer or be better.

I have spoken to to a lot of people who live alone and assume that if they found a partner and moved in with them then they would be blissfully happy. Again they are often wrong. They have done this before and it has gone wrong. The women sometimes want a man purely for financial reasons (few men are rich and stupid enough to fall for this) and the men sometimes want the woman for housework or sex (how many women are dumb enough to fall for this? and who would want someone that dumb?).

One of the problems is that people tend to be self seeking now and are more likely to be interested in you for reasons other than love. Hence it is normal to see a dumb busty blonde go with an old wrinkly prune and understand that they have a relationship of convenience. He wants her for sex and appearances and she wants him for the dosh. With love comes care hence some relationships have no care at all. If the dumb busty blonde is only with the rich guy for his money she will lose interest if his business deals dry up and he becomes poor or if he becomes ill and needs nursing. But care can and should work two ways. Sometimes one of the partners cares for or loves the other less and then tries to take advantage of the other and hope that they love them so much that they do not care or they let it go.

Every relationship should involve a certain amount of compromise. Without it we have no guarantee that the relationship has been tested and works. If it only works when it is plain sailing and easy for both then how can we know it is a true relationship? Without some disagreements or arguments how do we know that one or both are not simply giving in for peace or to please the other and not having any real thoughts or needs of their own? A weak person may do this for a while, even a long while, but actually resent it, and then one day it all goes wrong. On the other hand if the are allowed to be themselves even at the risk of a row it is more likely that they can sort things out so that both are truly satisfied.

I have met a lot of couples where the woman proudly tells me her husband is always pleasing her yet you can see the poor man is under her thumb and henpecked and very miserable. If he had a chance to escape or do what he really wants he would but he will not break out of the spell. The woman is oblivious to or does not care how miserable he is so each really neither loves the other at all.

We owe it to ourselves and the people we meet in the future to work out if we are suited to living alone or being with someone before we start to look for or get involved in any relationships and only get involved with the ones that fit what we seek and offer.

This article was written by Charlotte Craig. Charlotte is a writer and advisor to women and has worked full time in this field for decades. You can read more of her articles here.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on living alone or with a partner, take a look at the following books:

Living Alone and Loving It: A Guide to Relishing the Solo Life
Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone
Unmarried to Each Other: The Essential Guide to Living Together as an Unmarried Couple

More in Love & Relationships: Relationships & Marriage

Your Marriage: Buckle Down or Bail Out?

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Easy Weekday Breakfast: Apple Pie-Style French Toast

2012-11-12T21:25:50+00:00

Who says it needs to be a holiday to have a decadent, sweet breakfast? Breakfast foods are everyone’s favorites for a reason; French toast, pancakes, and omelets can use so many different flavors and are, in general, undeniably delicious. This recipe for Apple Pie-Style French Toast absolutely falls into the “undeniably delicious” category and is perfect for the cooler fall and winter weather; with cinnamon, apple pie spice and warmed up apples, you’ll feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast.

The best thing about this recipe—other than the fact that it tastes like a fresh apple pie, of course—is that it’s actually a pretty healthy way to start off your morning. If this news is surprising to you, take a minute to think about what goes into French toast. If you have ever ordered French toast at a restaurant, you were probably served an enormous portion of white bread, coated in sugar, butter and syrup and fried up in a multiple-egg batter.

Maybe your meal even came with fried potatoes, fried eggs or bacon or sausage on the side, which would quickly help shoot up the dish’s calories and fat content. But, if you break the ingredients down to the simplest French toast recipe you can think of, all you really have left is bread and eggs—both of which have the potential to be healthy eating options. If you choose whole-grain, wheat or multi-grain bread and an egg substitute or egg whites instead of white bread and shell eggs, you’re left with a French toast recipe that is actually nutritious.

This recipe for Apple Pie French toast is one of those healthy-but delicious breakfast recipes that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. It uses good-for-you ingredients like egg substitute, fat-free half-and-half, wheat bread and apples, making it one of those perfect recipes that tastes amazing without weighing you down for the rest of the day.

The key to nutrition in this dish is in the ingredients: egg substitute allows you to have all of the great egg-y taste you love without all of the fat and calories located in the yolks of shell eggs, while wheat bread provides you with a hearty dose of fiber that is necessary for good digestion and overall health. Fat-free half-and-half cuts out some unnecessary calories without cutting out taste, and apples contribute antioxidants, vitamin-C and potassium that will keep you healthy.

If you’re a fan of apple pie, healthy eating, breakfast, or all of the above, you’ve got to try out this recipe the next time you are craving something slightly heartier and more delicious than your usual bowl of cereal—your stomach and taste buds will definitely thank you.

Apple French Toast

Prep Time: 40 min – Total Time: 40 min – Servings: 4 (2 slices with ¼ cup apples each)

Ingredients

• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and halved
• 3 tablespoons Fleischmann’s® Original-stick, cubed
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, divided
• 1-1/2 cups fat free half-and-half
• 1 cup Egg Beaters® Original (1 cup = 8 oz)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 slices honey wheat bread
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Spray a 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. Cut each apple half into 8 slices and place in a pie plate. Dot apples with Fleischmann’s; sprinkle with brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the apple pie spice

2. Cook apples in the microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Stir and spoon sauce over the apples; cook for 2 more minutes or until the apples are tender.

3. Beat the half-and-half, Egg Beaters, vanilla and remaining apple pie spice in a shallow medium bowl until well blended.

4. Spray a large griddle or skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Dip slices of bread into Egg Beaters mixture, turning to coat both sides. Place bread on the griddle and cook for 3 minutes or until evenly golden brown on each side and cooked through. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining Egg Beaters mixture and bread.

5. Top each serving evenly with apples and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serve immediately.

Tips: For fruitier flavor, try adding 1/2 a teaspoon of freshly grated orange rind to the Egg Beaters mixture or leave the peel on your apples for a more interesting texture.

This article was written by Meredith Kimelblatt. Meredith writes on behalf of Egg Beaters. For French toast, breakfast casserole and other easy breakfast and dessert recipes, visit http://www.eggbeaters.com/

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more delicious breakfast recipes, take a look at the following books:

300 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Dishes Under 300 Calories
Easy Breakfast & Brunch: Simple Recipes for Morning Treats
The Big Book of Breakfast: Serious Comfort Food for Any Time of the Day

3 Ways to Beat Emotional Overeating

Read article or view all Food & Dieting articles

Simple Etiquette for Children’s Birthday Parties

2012-09-04T18:32:40+00:00

Most of us realize the importance of good manners, especially at social gatherings like parties, but reading a textbook on ichthyology may sound more appealing to you than digesting Emily Post’s Guide to Good Manners for Kids. Thankfully, children’s party etiquette doesn’t have to be complex. There are a few simple things you can remember to make sure you and your child show courtesy throughout the party process that will ensure that everyone has a good time.

Etiquette for Children’s Party Invitations

For the Host:

Be sure to be clear in your invitations about when and where the party is, what the activities will be, and when the party will end. Establishing a clear picture of what to expect will save time (and perhaps some embarrassment) later on. For example, informing guests about what activities will be will help guests choose appropriate clothing.

Also, specifying a date by which you would like an RSVP will generally get you more responses than if you don’t provide a date. However, if you haven’t received a response from some guests even after the time specified, it is perfectly acceptable to call and give a friendly reminder of the party date and ask whether or not the guest will be attending so you can get an accurate head count.

As far as determining how many guests to invite, and specifically whether or not to invite your child’s entire class, there are differing opinions on this rather sticky issue. If the invitations will be handed out at school, hurt feelings and jealousy can result if some children are left out. However, inviting the whole class may not be feasible for you because of space constraints, budget, and so on. Some sources say you don’t have to invite the whole class, and that enacting the “age plus one” rule (the number of guests = your child’s age plus one), but if you’re going to invite nearly the whole class, you should invite the whole class. If not everyone in the class will be invited, try to avoid having the invitations handed out at school and teach your child to be discreet and not talk about the party with people who aren’t invited. Taking treats to your child’s class is an easy alternative way to let everyone share in the celebration.

In addition, when determining the length of the guest list consider your child’s temperament. Does your child enjoy being around lots of people? Or does your child do better with only one or two guests? Ultimately the party is about your child, so make sure the party will be an environment that will be comfortable for him or her.

For the Guest:

The advice here is simple: Respond to the invitation as soon as you are able in order to show courtesy to the host, and be sure to arrive on time (no later than 15 minutes after the time indicated on the invitation).

Food Etiquette for Children’s Birthday Parties

For the Host:

Cake and ice cream are standard fare, but depending on when the party is, it might be courteous for you to provide more substantial food as well. If the party takes place for a couple hours in the afternoon right around lunchtime, provide simple fare for little guests such as hot dogs or finger sandwiches. If adults will be staying, it is a good idea to have a little more “grownup” food for them so they don’t have to subsist on their child’s abandoned chicken nuggets all afternoon.

For the Guest:

Explain to your child the importance of eating their share and not taking all the food or demanding more than they’ve been given. If they don’t like what is served, they can try it before leaving the rest. “Please” and “thank you” are always in order, and have your child clear the plate they used after they have finished.

Gift Etiquette at Children’s Birthday Parties

For the Host:

Opening birthday gifts at the party is also a debated issue. If your child’s friends are old enough to sit still and will have taken an active part in the gift choosing, it can be good to open gifts at the party so the guests can see the birthday child’s reaction to their carefully chosen present. If children are too young to care, waiting until after the party might be best to avoid present envy and new toys getting broken or lost.

Regardless of what you choose to do, always send thank-you notes and have your child help. Even very young children can add a personalized scribbly touch.

For the Guest:

When purchasing presents, the number one rule is to choose something the birthday child will enjoy. Expensive gifts aren’t necessary; stay within your budget and have your child help choose a gift for his or her friend. If you are at a loss about what to get, call the birthday child’s parents and ask what some of their child’s interests and hobbies are to give you some ideas.

Parties are supposed to be a cause for celebration, but there are few things that will pop a party’s balloon faster than poor manners on the part of either the children or the parents that are involved. Whether you are the host or the guest, taking a few simple courtesies into consideration will help everyone enjoy the party and make the day truly special.

This article was written by Jenny Franklin. Jenny loves planning children’s parties and making kids’ dreams come true. When she’s not planning parties, she does some blogging and writes for the 1st birthday party party supplier.

Do you want to write an article for us? Submit your article for consideration.

Recommended Reading

For more information and advice on organizing a child’s birthday party, take a look at the following books:

Cool Party, Mom!: The Other Three Words Every Mother Loves to Hear
Great Parties for Lids: Fabulous and Creative Ideas for Children Aged 0-10
Naturally Fun Parties for Kids; Creating Handmade, Earth-Friendly Celebrations

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Choosing the Right Corset - A Buyer’s Guide

2012-09-04T18:11:36+00:00

There are some people who think that corsets are there for the sole purpose of making your waist look like that of a Victorian lady in a TV adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. There is obviously something to be said for this, given that was one of the original uses of a corset back in those days.

Since then however, the corset has come on in leaps and bounds and is now used in many ways, from the Burlesque dancers strutting their stuff on stage, right down to a popular fashion accessory with many women even choosing to wear them around the office.

You may have looked into buying a corset but haven’t had the confidence to push the buy button or take it to the cashier. This is wholly understandable as there are different corsets out there for different people; here are a few pointers to help you make your final choice.

Fashion Corsets

Well, it is all there in the name. This style of corset is perfect for the lady (or gent!) that doesn’t want to go down the road of pulling in their waist to the nth degree and just wants something a little different in their wardrobe for wearing out for a night on the town, or even just to get a few heads turning in the office. Fashion corsets do not have the hard-wearing steel boning that is used in ‘traditional’ corsets, and the fastenings will be more than likely made of acrylic, so although strong, will not have any of the power to adjust the size of your waist. This means that you can wear them for long periods of time and have full use of all of your faculties!

There is a huge choice of fashion corsets out there nowadays (sometimes called bodices for shops not in the know!) and they come in a variety of designs and colours and go up to the largest of plus-sizes.

Steel-boned Corsets

If you are looking to cinch your waist a little but feel a little uncomfortable at the thought of purchasing a real waist training corset, then your best bet is to try a steel-boned corset. This style of corset does not sacrifice comfort in any way but still has the ability to bring in your waist by a good 3-4 inches if worn properly. This isn’t the sort of corset that you can just slip into before heading out on the town, but with enough practice you’ll be able to get it on in a very short time and you’ll see the benefits almost instantly. With this type of corset, you can also choose between overbust and underbust. These descriptions speak for themselves, so you may not want to wear an underbust without wearing a little something underneath.

Waist Training Corsets

Also known as waist cinching corsets, these are the real deal. They require quite a lot of work and time in order to get the desired result, but you will definitely reap the benefits if you have the patience to go through with the regime. Waist training can take anything up to 7 inches off your waist whilst also supporting and accentuating the bust (should you choose an underbust version) and give you the perfect hourglass shape that you’ve always wanted. Despite being safe to use, do make sure that you consult your doctor before heading down this path in case he or she has something to say.

It is also vital that you make sure you take your current measurements down correctly before ordering otherwise it will make you feel very uncomfortable and nobody wants that!

Hopefully this little insight will have shown that there is more to the humble corset than meets the eye and that it has also made you a little more confident as to which form of corset that you are looking for.

This article was written by Ben Gallivan. Ben is a blogger and loves vintage fashion. He writes for Corsets UK who specialise in fashion corsets as well as many other styles.

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