Holiday Cards with Vista Print

It's time to starting thinking about sending out those Christmas cards again. Usually we buy the fairly inexpensive boxes of cards but this year I want something different. We have a lot family members on both sides spread out all over the country. I was thinking that this year we'd send out photo cards. I ran across Vista Print while shopping around online pricing different services. Vista Print really stood out because of their reasonable pricing and you can request a free sample of their product, which I did this morning. I've heard a lot of positive reviews about them so I think I'll give it a shot. Another thing that's pretty awesome is that they not only print photo cards but invitations, notepads, stationary, and even t shirts. I actually got gift ideas for some hard-to-shop-for family members while looking around their site. Go check 'em out, seriously, there's a lot to peruse and they even offer some things for free as long as you pay the shipping and handling which is also reasonably priced.

Traditional vs. Modern

Martha Stewart I am not and that is pretty evident by the current decor of my rented house. I like to use the excuse that I'd rather not spend the money or the time to decorate a house that 1) I can't paint or 2) doesn't really belong to me. It's not that I completely lack imagination, I just have a hard time deciding how to marry several different styles seamlessly. I love the traditional look and feel of a farmhouse, as well as the boldness and elegance found in modern pieces and decor. For me "farmhouse" decor, means traditional, nothing too frilly or fancy, organic, and simple. As for "modern" decor, I picture bold colors, either straight or flowing crisp lines, graphic, and very minimalistic. On the outside both styles seem like polar opposites, but when you get down to basics they're pretty similar. They're both simplistic.

In my future dream house I see traditional furniture made from real wood (not sawdust glued together) with modern accents and paint. In my head it looks good, not really sure how it would turn out, but that's my plan of attack for the moment. Let's take a kitchen for example. I think simple, traditional cabinets painted a dark color and a light colored farmhouse sink would look great paired with a bright red metal workbench that would serve as an island. (Exactly like the one pictured below!)

I fell in love with this table while searching for metal cabinets over at Car Guy Garage.com. I love the color, the fact that it's made from metal, and that it has 3 drawers for storage. This would be a great place to store knives and because the drawers can be locked it would keep little hands away from dangerous kitchen tools...or nosy cooks away from your secret recipes! It would be easy to care for and you wouldn't have to worry about placing hot dishes on the top. Also because it's made to be a workbench it's the perfect height for preparing food. And can't you just imagine a stool at either end? They also have an 8' butcher block workbench as well that has a solid hardwood maple top that sits on steel legs. This would be another great option for a kitchen that brings in the traditional elements of farmhouse decor with the wood and modern elements with the steel legs. Again, since it's meant to be a workbench the height is great, the wood could stand up to chopping, and hot dishes wouldn't harm the surface. Plus these things were built to take a beating, so I'm sure they could take whatever my family could dish out. I think perhaps I'm on to something here. There's a lot to pick from, all metal workbenches or ones made completely from wood. Decisions, decisions!

Day Tripper

Some days when I get lost in my thoughts I like to daydream about how I will decorate my future home. A home that Nathaniel and I own. Today's daydreaming orgasmathon took shape with the help of some online decorating porn I ran across. I focused on lighting fixtures today mainly bathroom lighting because I detest what's in the house we rent now. Did you know that some people put mini chandeliers in their bathrooms? Anyhoo, I really liked this site because they had a little bit of everything style-wise, price-wise, and energy consciousness-wise. The site is also pretty easy to navigate. You can search by finish, style, brand, price range, and number of blubs. They've also got everything from froufrou to farmhouse. I tend to lean more in the farmhouse direction. They even had lighting fixtures that look like ladybugs on a vine...too cute! I could literally spend days looking at this stuff. I definitely bookmarked this site for another day. I read some customer reviews and they all had one thing in common and that was how quickly their purchases arrived. Go check them out...you can thank me later.

Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite!

Growing up I'd always heard the phrase, "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!" I'm sure we've all heard it, but I never realized that they weren't mythical creatures! Nasty buggars! This past summer we had yet another flea infestation thanks to my mother-in-law's cats. She watched our cat and kid for us while Nathaniel and I were out on the road and both of them came home with fleas. Great. Anyway in my search for remedies I ran across numerous sites that also discussed bed bugs and how to get rid of them. One in particular is totally devoted to the killing of bed bugs. Apparently they can live in almost any little crack or crevice and even the seams on mattresses. Unfortunately the only way to rid a house that has been infested is to hand things over to the professionals. Talk about a pain! As much as I've complained about the flea problem we've had the last 2 years I'd take them over bed bugs any day!

Pop Quiz!

Bored? Why not take a quiz or add your two cents to a silly poll? Quibblo.com is the latest user-generated quiz, survey and poll site. I'll admit that I have been known to spend more time than I should on sites like Quibblo, I'm partial to the online quizzes. I just did one called, "Are you smarter than Paris Hilton?" Fortunately I passed...can you?

Are you Smarter Than Paris Hilton?

Have you ever made a sex tape?

	Yes
	No

Question 1 out of 8

Personality Test by Quibblo

Christmas

Have you checked your calendars lately? The Christmas season is fast approaching and in order to beat the crowds, it's time to start planning your attack! I'd always heard the term "Black Friday" referring to the day after Thanksgiving and that it is the kick start to the Christmas shopping extravaganza. Last year I discovered Black Friday websites that listed all the deals to be had and the sales papers before they went public. That way I was able to plan way in advance which stores I wanted to visit to get the deals I wanted. I saved a lot of time and a lot of money.

This year I found www.black-friday.net. They have the option to join their mailing list to get the heads up whenever new Black Friday deals are added! They even have discount codes for tons of online stores so I can start shopping now. I saw on there today that Chefs has a great deal on shipping. I bought a few things from them last year for Nathaniel and he was very pleased with the quality...while I was pleased with the service and price. This year I've been searching for toys for Geof. He getting older and his toy preferences are getting more expensive. I want to get him something he'll actually play with and that will serve as a learning tool. I've been checking out the deals at the Discovery Channel Store. I could spend a fortune on just stuff for myself there! I could really get used to this shopping in my pajamas thing!

Just Say No

With the latest trend in Hollywood including going to rehab, I can't help but wonder what sort of problems "regular" folks are having. I've never personally struggled with addiction (except for cigarettes) but there have been a couple people in my life who have. Fortunately, they never needed an intervention or even a trip to rehab. I was watching some entertainment "news" program the other night and they described the facility that Lindsay Lohan had entered. I was appalled! It sounded more like a spa than a rehabilitation facility! I'm sure it doesn't come cheap either. How does the average person pay for rehab? Does insurance cover it at all? How do you find a rehab center that's right for the individual?

I found out about a site that offers free referral service for finding long or short term drug rehab centers through PayPerPost. I hope to never have to rely on such a service, but it is nice to know that something like this exists. 1800nodrugs.com, the name is pretty easy to remember and it doubles as the phone number. I really like the fact that it is a free, non-profit site that offers service 24/7. They also offer an online drug rehab assessment which helps to find the best program and treatment options that best suit the person's needs. Need help paying for it? They can provide you with all the information you need to help finance the treatment.

I feel like a commercial, my tone a little too chipper. Drugs are scary and what they can do to a person is even more frightening. The social drugs that were floating around when I was a teenager were no where near as potent or addictive as the stuff that is around now. The county I grew up in is completely depressed economically. The major employers shut down, and the unemployment rate rose and so did the number of meth labs. Meth is one drug that really makes me feel uneasy. It's easily mass produced, highly addictive, and to some it's a party drug. As a parent I've already begun to teach Geof right from wrong, but that stuff will always be out there, and I will always worry. I just hope that should I ever need to find help for Geof or anyone I care about there will be places to turn to like 1800nodrugs.com.

Getting Paid To Post

I took the plunge the other day and signed up with Pay Per Post, a blog marketing company. It's a lot like blogsvertise.com but you have more choices on topics to write about, plus the range in compensation is much more. The least amount I've seen has been $5 and the highest is in the hundreds. This is the first post I've made with them and the pay out is $10! I think the best feature is the choices you have. I've posted a few things for blogsvertise.com in the past, but assignments come in maybe once a month and while I can choose to accept or decline them, they all..well..suck. With Pay Per Post there is a decent-sized list of different topics on which to post. Another great feature is the fact that you can post your honest opinions. Granted, some advertisers want mostly positive feedback, but not all. Some businesses wanting bloggers to write about them are just looking for buzz for their new product or services, something to get the word out, and others simply ask for a review. The best part is that it's a lot easier and faster for me to write about my personal feelings towards a product or service rather than making up bullshit about something that I don't really care about thus making it much more fun.

The only thing I don't like about Pay Per Post is the fact that some advertisers don't allow certain domains. This means, for example, that some opportunities aren't available to me because my blog's web address has "blogspot.com" at the end. I can understand why some companies do this, perhaps they're looking for more "legitimate" outlets or outlets that might generate more cash flow on their end or reach a broader audience. That's fine with me. There seems to be only a few of those with plenty of other opportunities for me.

So I jumped on the bandwagon, call me a sellout. I am a stay-at-home mom and I contribute nothing financially to my family. This, while I don't have the patience to turn it into an uber profitable venture, still allows me at least to not be so dependent which I can appreciate. I may not make a fortune but at least I can buy yarn a little less guilt free!

If anyone out there would like to join just click the Pay Per Post button <---- over there on the left, or the button at the bottom of this post that says "Review My Post". I've had nothing but good experiences so far. Just thought I'd share my latest find and to warn you that I'll probably be posting with more frequency now so beware!



edited to add......
...after submitting this post to Pay Per Past I learned that you can choose to save or donate your your fee to American Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity...how cool is that?!

Crossing The Big Pond

Who doesn't love Europe? I guess it's because it's so much different from the US, but I have always had a fascination with the land and the people over there on the other side of the big pond. The foreign language teachers in my high school would organize trips to Europe every year. I really wish now that I had taken advantage of that. I've been mentally planning my dream vacation, not that I plan on going any time soon, but it's nice to see what's out there.

I found a site the other day called Easy To Book. It has listings for hotels in Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Rome. Listings for London and Prague are in the works as well. The site is a lot like any other hotel price comparison site. It provides information about amenities, location and also people who have stayed there can provide their honest feedback which is really nice. The site also lists and maps local attractions, restaurants, shopping, and transportation plus the hotels that are close by. All that on one website...sweet!

The deals seem to be pretty reasonable. There are options to stay in dormitory style rooms, which cost less and are be for the more adventurous person, or you can stay in a 5 star room with all the bells and whistles you can afford. If I were traveling alone or with friends I might do the dormitory style room. Here's a cute little hostel called the Heart of Amsterdam. It's in the Red Light District (oh my!) and kids aren't allowed but I bet it would be a nice adult getaway. In the mood for something a little more modern? Check out the pictures from the Abitart Hotel in Rome. A little too modern for me. I think this is more my pace..the Princesa Apartments Hotel in Barcelona.

Isn't daydreaming fun? I was surprised by how reasonable most of the hotels seemed to be. The reviews by past guests were sometimes fun to read. The Brits seem to get real uptight about their tea and not having tea making facilities! They were also helpful. A lot of the negatives I saw across the board were discrepancies between what was listed online and what was actually provided. Nothing seemed to be too dramatic, but I'm sure were a bit inconvenient for the travelers. All in all I think I'll keep this site in mind if..or when I get to plan a trip abroad, until then I'll use it to plan my mental vacation!

Vacation With A Conscience

To vacation or not to vacation, that seems to be the question lately. Most of us were born with a sense of wonder and adventure and a desire to see what's beyond our own backyards. Today we're able to travel to distant and exotic places but at what cost? I'm speaking not only of monetary expenses but also environmental. To travel any distance we must use fossil fuels, and we all know what that has done to our planet thanks to Al Gore. With all the talk about the impact of our carbon footprints I know I for one feel guilty when planning a vacation that's going to involve traveling hundreds of miles from home. Is there a solution? Yes, ecotourism!

Ecotourism is defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. Ecotourism is about connecting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. Sounds like a bunch of political/hippie crap right? It's not and it's out there and it's not that hard to participate. I ran across a site today called Hawaiian Beach Rentals which makes it easy to experience paradise with a clear conscience. Makes sense for the Hawaiian locals to protect their natural areas, right? After all that's the main reason people visit.

This website helps you to plan an unforgettable vacation with stays in Maui beach front vacation homes. You can stay in an out-of-the-way oasis where you can enjoy the beauty and awe of nature first-hand instead of through the window of a big hotel. You can live like a native! The best part is that through Maui Beach Rentals you can customize your vacation. If you're looking for a romantic getaway for two or for a fun family vacation it's all there. The accommodations are beautiful, the views exquisite, and the price...affordable! Maui Beach Rentals specialize in alternative vacations to Hawaii and help you to plan the details of your personal dream vacation. The best part is that you can do this all without feeling guilty. You can leave with a new respect for nature and take comfort in the knowledge that you've helped the local people take steps towards conserving their land. Since Maui's economy is tourism-based, practicing ecotourism protects valuable environmental assets while luring savvy travelers to experience the raw beauty of a Pacific Island, that is how your tourism dollars work.

So what are you waiting for? Go plan your next vacation and take advantage of technology to plan the most unique, socially-conscious trip of a lifetime!


EDITED 8-10-13...I was asked to remove the links within this post and have complied.  I apologize for any confusion.

Love Is In The Air

When I got married almost 5 years ago all of the wedding planning was done my yours truly. Usually, just like for first-time parents, opinions and offerings for help flow freely. Not so in my case. It was my own fault though, I knew what I wanted and didn't want to bother anyone. I married young, none of my friend were married then, and I had never been involved with planning a wedding. I was clueless! Now there's a new wedding to attend about every 6 months.

A friend of mine sent me the link to Wedding Needs. I'm amazed at what's out there! I had never heard of "save the date" and now they make the coolest magnets reminding guests to keep that date free. They also have a wedding budget tool. I'm pretty good at keeping up with expenses...and we all know how out-of-hand wedding planning can get...but it would have been nice to have a tool like this.

Hopefully I won't be planning any weddings any time soon (if I do, this is the invitation that will be sent out!), but I can look forward to anniversary milestones and celebrations. My parents celebrated their 25^th anniversary a couple years ago, and my grandparents celebrated their 50^th!! With the divorce rates as they are these days, I'm very lucky to have such great role models. If we live long enough, maybe Nathaniel and I will see our 75^th...hey, it could happen!