Win a Pendant from Squares of Flair!

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit squaresofflair.etsy.com.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite item.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, June 13, 2009.

 

Tell us a little about you . . .

My name is Emily and I am 38. I am a busy mom to boy/girl twins who are in the second grade and a son who is 5. I have been happily married to my college sweetheart for almost 14 years now. We moved to a small suburb of Boise, Idaho 4 years ago, but are originally from Portland, Oregon. I used to work for a dot.com and then my twins came along and I’ve been home with them ever since.

What is your business and where can we find it?

I am the owner of Squares of Flair. I make Scrabble tile pendants, bookmarks, key chains, rings and hair clips that are personalized, affordable, stylish and fun!

Last year I wanted to make a photo pendant of my children so I researched Scrabble tile jewelry online and learned how to make one. My friends loved it and told me that I should sell them. So in October I started Squares of Flair on Etsy (squareofflair.etsy.com) and it has been a lot of fun!

Is it mom-owned, invented, created . . .?

Yes, it is 100% mom-owned, invented and created! I do all of the work out of my home in between taking care of my family and running the household.

A little about your entrepreneur journey so far?

It is a lot more work than I ever expected it to be! It is wonderful to be working from home so I have the flexibility to put work time in when it fits my schedule, but also, there is that feeling that there is always something that needs to be done. It just never goes away and it makes it difficult to relax. It is important to set a schedule and keep to it and make time for family (and myself) as well. But I love that it is something I have complete control over and I can make it into whatever I want it to be. I am looking forward to branching out into local craft fairs this summer and getting my products out into the community.

Where else can people find you?

I’m on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/squaresofflairetsycom/44499147447

And I love to offer discounts to fans!

I’m also on Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/squaresofflair

And on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/squaresofflair

Anything else you’d like to share?

I love to do custom orders for clients as well as fundraisers. Recently I did a fundraiser for the YMCA Strong Kids program in which I created a tile with the definition of the word “strong.”

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_1&listing_id=22906297&ga_search_query=strong&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_6349293

I’ve also done a fundraiser for a school and the MAGIC Foundation. Send me an email if you want to develop something for your organization. They have been very popular!

You can see some of my custom orders on Flickr. You can put just about anything onto a Scrabble tile!

Win a Sylvan Learning Workbook!

We’ll be picking 5 winners!  Workbook of your choice!

 

Sylvan has introduced their new learning workbooks and we’d love for you to try them.  Whether your child needs a little extra practice, you want to keep them sharp over the summer, or you want to get them ready for the next grade, these workbooks will help you accomplish that goal!  Take a look and enter the giveaway below for your chance to win!  You might want to bookmark the Sylvan site, just in case you’re not one of our winners.

 

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit http://www.randomhouse.com/sylvanlearningbookstore/.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us what workbook you would choose.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, June 13, 2009.

Win the Entire Series of ProActive Parenting Seminars!

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit www.proactiveparenting.net and check out what it’s all about.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us you visited the site.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday, June 4, 2009.

Meet Sharon of ProActive Parenting

Tell us a little about you . . .

I’ve been married to the same wonderful man for the last 30 years. We have 2 grown sons, tall and taller. My sons are very different people and yet eerily similar. I believe I was given two children who represent two different ends of the spectrums so I could learn. One was very, very shy as a young child. It was so intense that he earned the nickname “my little cling – on.” He has now out grown that and is very out going. The other child was an extrovert as a child and has become a bit more introspective now that he’s older.

What is your business and where can we find it?

My business is called ProActive Parenting, and can be found at www.proactiveparenting.net. (notice dot net)

This is a site offering downloadable seminars helping you lovingly teach and correct behavior in toddlers and preschoolers as you deal with everyday behavior. Our seminars show you how to achieve the kind of family you’ve always dreamed of and shows you how to do it without frustration, anger, yelling and punishment; we use discipline instead – which is teaching.

We focus on the early years due to the foundational learning that occurs during that time.

A child’s brain grows 3 times its size during the first two years of life and is hardwired by the age of five. So how parents correct behavior, teach the family rules and teach how to interact with friends becomes the foundation a child will use for years to come.

Our tips and methods are easy and practical to apply and preserve the parent child relationship.

Is it mom-owned, invented, created . . .?

This is a mom-owned business and has been for the last 18 years. We are strictly word of mouth because we all know when one mom finds something that works really well she tells everyone else. That’s what happened to us, we have an astounding 98% approval rate. Moms love the ease of the methods, the clarity and step-by-step nature of the instructions.

A little about your entrepreneur journey so far?

I have always been an entrepreneur; it’s what works in my life. The economy has been very tough on us lately but we believe that since people are still having children and are still looking for ways not to be angry and frustrated when they’re dealing with their children that we will rebound soon.

Where else can people find you?

Facebook address is:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1253721817&ref=sharonsilver 

Twitter address is: twitter.com/sharonsilver13  I’m planning on doing something a bit different on twitter. I will be posting questions so parents can have discussions 5 days a week. That may morph into longer discussion on my website, who knows.

The best way to be part of this now is to join our mailing list. When you join the mailing list you get the monthly newsletter and a free gift for signing up.

Our newsletter is a bit different than most newsletters. I send out cool things I find that help families and an article each month addressing a different aspect of parenting. There are still many families that have been with us since the very beginning of the newsletter because the tips work so well and can easily be applied to older children too.

To join the newsletter go to www.proactiveparenting.net and look on the right side of the home page.

Anything else you’d like to share?

We are always open to hearing from you. If you have a topic that you don’t see addressed send me an email. If I write an article or seminar based on your suggestion then I’ll send you the first copy!

Win a Kid Bundle from Buttoned Up!

 

Win a Kid Bundle- A Babysitter.pad, a Chore.pad, and School.files

 

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit http://www.getbuttonedup.com/ and click “shop.”
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite item.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, June 10, 2009.

Tips from Buttoned Up . . .  How to Organize a Child’s Birthday Party.

 

The key to organizing a great birthday party for a child — with your sanity intact — is keeping it simple and remembering that the most important thing to your child is having fun.

If you aim for the perfect party, odds are you’ll only stress yourself. Stress is the opposite of relaxed and enjoyable, which is what every good party needs to be. So. Don’t over-plan, overwork or over-worry. Keep the focus on fun.

Alicia on “Fun being a State of Mind”:

Forget perfect. Of course you want everyone to have a good time. But remember that these are kids and what seemed like a crisis minutes ago will be forgotten as soon as the next fun thing begins. Think back to your own childhood parties. Do you remember every detail? Or just the fact that you had parties? The long-lasting memories you are creating are more about positive feelings than whether the clown showed up on time.

No matter what happens, just go with the flow.

Sarah on “The Kids’ Section”:

When planning the party, break it up into sections. Start with a timetable. Once you’ve mapped out the basic plan, write tasks on a to-do list. I love using the Do&Delegate.list notebook from Buttoned Up for my lists because it makes it easier to enlist the help of my child and husband in tackling to-dos. When children help with the planning, they become an important part of the process and get a sense of ownership.

A few tips:

#1. 2Fers
Make one activity with a take-home component the focus of the party, saving time and money (thus a 2fer). For instance, go to the local dollar store and pick up flip-flops, glitter, cloth ribbon, stickers, neon fabric paint and anything else you think kids would like to decorate with.

Then open the party with the shoe decoration and everyone will have 1: personalized shoes; and 2: a party favor they can take home and re-use — a reminder of a great party.

Make sure all the flip-flops are the same color — for one main reason: “I want blue!” “No, you take red!” Other great 2Fers include a candy-filled pinata; homemade cupcakes that the kids decorate; and Polaroid pictures with Popsicle-stick frames.

Parents, let us know of any other ideas you might think of.

#2. E-vites
Save time and money by sending electronic invitations. More and more parents are using e-mail, but even if there are some out there who are a bit e-shy, we guarantee their kids are not. Save a tree; use a computer.

#3. E-tiquette
It is important to teach our little ones good manners, and that includes letting everyone know how grateful your child is that friends came and brought gifts.

Again, the Internet may be the perfect vehicle. There is somewhat of a debate about this. Some say the importance of thank-you notes automatically pushes this into the paper realm. If you feel this way, get blank note cards, markers and stamps — once again, at the dollar store — and have some post-party fun with your kids. If your child is just learning to write, consider fill-in-the-blank thank-you cards.

Alicia Rockmore & Sarah Welch are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, Inc., a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed women and moms get themselves organized. They are also co-authors of “Everything (almost) In Its Place” and the website www.getbuttonedup.com We welcome your thoughts!  Please send ideas and questions to us at:  yourlife@getbuttonedup.com. You can also join our online mommy community at http://mybuttonedup.ning.com/.

Win a Gift Certificate to Yummy Spoonfuls Organic Baby Food!

 

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit http://www.yummyspoonfuls.com.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite item.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

End of the Day Whining: Two tips to help

Sharon Silver is the founder and director of ProActive Parenting, www.proactiveparenting.net.  Interested?  We’ll be hosting a giveaway for downloadable seminars next week!

The adult world can leave you exhausted at the end of the day. All you want to do is decompress; yet yourchild wants 100% of your attention, and the evening arguing begins.Mom needs to get dinner ready or bedtime will be late and dad needs to send one more email beforework tomorrow. Your child doesn’t care about that, she doesn’t know anything about the adult world, shelives in the present moment and wants your attention now. And now the whining and yelling begins.

Most children can be whiney at the end of day. They’ve held it together emotionally all day without youand now they’re home where it’s safe and the emotions begin to roll. However parents have been in theadult world all day and have little energy left for any whining.

Here are two tips, one feeds attention and one feeds the tummy, both help change End of the Day Whining.

• Literally feed end of the day whining—don’t starve it.
What if you began by feeding your child ahead of dinner instead of insisting she stop whining now!  We all know mealtime can be the only focused time a family has all day, and I’m not asking you to give that up, I’m suggesting a change in how it goes. Sometimes hunger causes whining and food is the only solution.

• Be proactive create a “dinner box”.
Have a container waiting in the refrigerator so she can have food as soon as she gets home. Stock the box ahead of time with things like cheese, yogurt, lunch meat, tuna, veggies and dip, fruit, cheese and crackers, cheese tortillas, or leftovers. What ever works for your child, as long as it’s healthy.

• Won’t that spoil her dinner?
No, it becomes the bulk of her dinner. It’s simply feeding her the way you used too when she was a baby, before you eat. Now she’s older and can handle eating as she does the next tip and while you continue to make the family meal. Also, your child’s stomach is the size of her fist. Toddlers and preschoolers don’t eat as much as adults do, and most don’t enjoy complex adult food; they’re natural grazers and prefer small portions many times a day of the foods already mentioned.

• What about family time?
Eating together each night is very important, but it’s not the eating of the food that’s so
important, it’s the time spent together. Now that your child has been partially fed invite her to finish dinner with the family or have her join you for desert. This way you get to have a calmer family meal with less whining.

• Feed the need for attention—but on your terms.
This tip will fill both of your needs, she gets attention and you continue making dinner. Consider having a special seat in the kitchen called “time with me seat”? That way your child can be with you—but not under foot. Have your child sit in her “special” seat as she eats from the “dinner box” and let her eat slowly as she tells you about her day. Begin by asking her direct questions to get things started and then let her go on about anything. This exchange fills her up with the attention she’s craving and doesn’t force you stop the flow of family life as you provide one‐on‐one time.

Sharon Silver is the founder and director of ProActive Parenting, www.proactiveparenting.net a site offering downloadable seminars to help parents switch from punishment to discipline as they deal with everyday toddler and preschooler behavior.

Help us Get Ready for Baby Shower Week!

One of my very best friends is having a baby this summer and I’m looking for the best baby shower ideas! 

 

Here’s how you can join us . . .

 

Do you have a product or service that would be great for baby showers?  Have you created a great gift for new moms?  Contact me at info[at]mommysidea[dot]com for more info on how you can be a part of our celebration and get some great publicity!

 

What are your favorite products for new moms?  What is the one essential item you think new moms should have?  Please leave a comment below!

 

Do you have a unique baby shower idea?  From favors to games, tell us your favorites!  Please leave a comment below.

 

Join us in mid-June for Baby Shower Week!

Win a Custom Blog Design or Blog Makeover!

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit http://sweetpeadesignstudio.com.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us why you want to win this giveaway.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open worldwide.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

Meet Christin of Sweet Pea Design Studio

Tell us a little about you . . .

My name is Christin Kreml. I am 25, married with two dogs and a 3 month old (as of April 28^th).

I grew up in Austin, Texas and after finishing my degree in marketing moved to Ft. Collins, Colorado.

My loves are anything involving design, food network, camping, and some good red wine.

What is your business and where can we find it?

I design anything from print work to web sites.

On the web: http://www.sweetpeadesignstudio.com

Is it mom-owned, invented, created . . .?

I am a mom and I do all the designing/paper work/e-mailing/the works!

A little about your entrepreneur journey so far?

I have always wanted to start my own business and when I finished my Marketing degree, I began to design wedding invitations, graduation announcements, and other various print items for friends and family members. In October 2008 I made the decision to start offering web design, and thus Sweet Pea Design Studio was born. Since the start of the web design portion of my business, I have had a tremendous amount of positive response! I try and have a fresh and modern design style and I constantly am learning new tricks of the trade.

Where else can people find you?

Blog: http://www.sweetpeadesignstudio.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=609141924&ref=name

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christinkreml

Win a Pair of Curby's Closet Quilted Baby Shoes!

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit www.curbyscloset.com.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite item.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)
4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to US residents.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Friday, May 15, 2009.

Tell us a little about you . . .

I am a homemaker and mother of two grown boys. I have always been a creative and designing type of person. I am a lover of all things “vintage”. Vintage dolls, quilts, clothing, china, linens, buttons, you name it! I love to decorate my home with many of these sweet items. I like a kind of “shabby cottage style” of decorating and I really enjoy taking unused items and repurposing them in a new and lovely way. I guess I’m kind of a “Trash to Treasure” gal!

What is your business and where can we find it?

“Curby’s Closet” is a very special place filled with lovely vintage baby lothing. These delicate, sweet, precious, one-of -a-kind pieces or complete outfits are from the 1920’s thru the 1980’s. Some are even original designs embellished with vintage hankies, tablecloths and buttons. Each piece captures the feel, style and look of days gone by.

“Curby’s Closet” vintage baby clothing is perfect for gift giving, decorating your nursery, child’s bedroom or any room that needs a feminine touch. We also feature darling OOAK quilted baby shoes. They are adorable, comfortable and Moms tell me they are the only shoes their babies can keep on their feet. How cool is that?

All the treasures found in “Curby’s Closet” make the perfect gift for a Mom to Be, a baby shower gift, or a sweet heirloom to add to your babies wardrobe. Grandmas and Aunts love giving them too.

You can find Curby’s Closet at www.curbyscloset.com

Is it mom-owned, invented, created . . .?

Yes, it is Mom owned, invented and created by me. Curby is my maiden name so that’s where the name and strange spelling came from. And it all began from receiving an 80 year old doll from my cousin, that once belonged to my mother. I wanted the doll to have clothing from that era, so I headed to ebay to see what they had and one thing led to another and here I am selling, cleaning, sewing and repurposing these vintage clothing pieces myself. And I might add “loving every minute of it”.

A little about your entrepreneur journey so far?

I began selling , cleaning and repurposing vintage baby clothes (mostly dresses) and selling them on ebay. Then I added selling on etsy and Lollishops. My son Brett designed a website for me and a blog. I then came up with the idea for the quilted baby shoes,( which are very popular ) and now we are even getting into stories. Sweet little vintage style stories will be coming soon.

Where else can people find you?

They can find me on my blog at www.curbyscloset.com/blog/

Anything else you’d like to share?

I would just like to thank “Mommy’s Idea.com” for featuring me and giving me the opportunity to share my love of vintage baby clothing with you. Best wishes….