Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Free PR, Making Reading Fun for Children, art by contributors, other Zazzle Artists

Hi Hope you had a lovely month

Free PR for Children’s book and ebook writers, free pr for G rated Zazzle, etsy, shop owners. Just put a write a comment about your book or art in the comment section. You can promote as many as 30 Stores or 30 books. No referral numbers, or Zazzle stars please.

Newest art "I will be putting up more"

Making Reading Fun for Children

Valerie http://www.zazzle.com/abundancelovetrip

I have been working mostly with my own children to encourage reading. My children’s school has been vital for teaching my children to read but I feel that primarily parents need to be the ones encouraging children to read versus our schools.
Having a book that is fiction or non-fiction to write a report about or receive a pop quiz from may teach valuable study ethics but it will not teach a love of reading.

When I was a teen, I wasn’t fond of the soapy YA fiction books that were recommended by my school. I read them anyway for extra credit, but I would have preferred reading other books.
Don’t assume just because of its genre that a book is not fine literature. Some people make this mistake and forego some very thoughtful books. In addition, non-fiction books can be both creative and pleasurable. Effective pairing of non-fiction books with fiction books on the same subject can make them even more so.

Some signs of real success with your child’s love of books are that they would rather use their allowance to purchase books than toys and you catch them sneaking and reading their books when they are supposed to be sleeping. It doesn’t matter if they are perfect readers or not. Obviously, they are falling in love with books!


Here are some suggestions to help encourage your little ones to fall in love with books.

1. Make popcorn and read to your kids. Having ‘Popcorn and Book Night’ versus ‘Movies and Popcorn’ can be more meaningful to your child when getting to spend time with mom or dad.

2. Have your own book fair for your kids. This one was a huge hit at my house. Sometimes kids might want the same book so keep that in mind if you have more than one child that will be attending. Buy the books without the kids along and you have better control of the price.

3. Make a healthy snack based on a book.

4. ‘Book Cooks’ is a good book with story based recipes for parents and teachers that want to involve kindergarten age children in cooking. The book design is with a classroom in mind and most recipes do not need a heat source. It also includes several reading based activities that are fun for kids.

5. Here is a blog that has many cool activities based on books. http://shannonsbooknook.com/

6. Take your kids to the school book fair and give them a little spending money to make their own purchases.

7. Host a small book party that is for family members only or let your little ones invite a few special friends. Your book party can be part of a birthday celebration or celebrating when a new book in a series is available.

8. Buy a book for a child just because.

9. Ask a child to read to you. You can even play school with the child being the teacher.

10. Create your own summer reading program. This went very well last year! I chose prizes that were age appropriate and cost effective. Tip - Check out the Dollar store for great prizes.

11. Give books for Christmas along with toys and clothes. Give books just because you love them.

12. Create puppets together based on a book.

13. Make your own book award for your blog or have a favorite children’s book and promote it. I used to do this when I had a newsletter.

14. Create art based on your favorite books together.

15. Trips to the library are free and many have summer reading programs for kids.

16. Buy books from local authors. There is nothing like a signed book. Also, check to see if there are any local writing groups.

17. A school can encourage reading even with a limited budget. Many schools will have the school principal do a funny stunt in exchange for returned reading logs. The key is making sure the parents know about the stunt by sending a flyer home with the children and putting it on the school’s website. Not all children have the verbal or communication skills to inform parents.

18. Create your own e-books for your children using photos and text. It’s a really fun way to get children involved with reading.

19. If you have a Kindle or iPad, you can read Kindle e-books to your child. Many independent electronic books are from .99¢ to $4.99. It’s affordable and you save on gas. There are also many FREE electronic books on Amazon and other sites which of course costs nothing but your time.

20. You can read a novel to a child a chapter at a time.

21. If a child has a favorite movie or TV show, many times there are similar books. If your child has a specific episode they like that deals with camping or dinosaurs, you can also find children’s books on camping or dinosaurs.

22. Book related gift baskets could be a fun gift for an older child. Consider filling it with related toys and snacks.

23. The website http://starfall.com can be useful for teaching early reading skills. The basic version is free but there is a fee for the extended version of Starfall.com.

24. Read a short book as your kids get ready for school. This reading time could be during breakfast or a few minutes before leaving for school. It’s not just reading time; it’s bonding time as well.

25. The band ‘They Might Be Giants’ DVD, and CD ‘Here Comes the ABCs’ that teach kids their ABCs and other reading concepts along with fun music. They also have math and science music.

26. Flash cards can be effective but make sure they are also fun. Some children love flash cards and others hate them. I taped up a box with duct tape and put a slit in it and we fed the box the flash cards. Duct tape comes in many colors and patterns now and that makes it more fun. You could also tape paper and draw a silly face on the box.

27. For school - Have a used book drive at school. Books can then be re-sold at school carnivals or a Christmas store. Books should be from .25¢ to $2.00.

28. Help children safely bake a cake or make pudding and practice reading the instructions on the boxes. Boxed cake mixes often have visual pictures to help as well.

29. Practice by helping them read the menu while going out to eat.

30. Some fun phonic book sets come with eight to twelve small books in a set and are perfect for early readers. You can easily purchase them on Amazon.com.

31. Give books as rewards for good behavior.

32. Grocery ads are a great way to teach recognition. Remember to remove the toy ads first.

33. Play ‘Which Hand Holds the Letter’. Then children can also guess the letter.

34. Play ‘Living Flash Cards’. This is for preschool age children. I learned this from a friend who used to work in a Montessori school. Though this isn’t a strictly Montessori activity, since it can done with objects around the house. Gather toys and objects that all start with the same letter and practice the sounds. Let them touch and feel the objects. Letter ‘B’ could be boat, ball, bear, book, and bread. Letter ‘D’ could be Doll, dish, and dinosaur.

35. Play ‘Secret Agent’. Write backwards using a mirror so when they hold the finished message they can read it by holding it to the mirror.

36. Adapt word games for children 5 and over so there is less competition.

37. Create a pirate map and the children use it to search for the treasure that is a chest full of books and a few stickers and treats. You don’t even have to use new books. Older books they used to love but haven’t read in a while will work. I used older books and gifts I already had on hand.

38. Get a sheet of computer paper and fold it like a booklet. Now glue the creases with a glue stick or lightly with regular school glue. Let the children make up their own book. Besides the drying time with some glue, this is a super-fast activity to set up.

39. Find Joy in everyday Reading. Reading can lead to learning but also enchantment and wonder.

Art by me

Art by AsksazombieHouseWife Contributors

Eiffel Tower, 1889 Photo Cutouts
Eiffel Tower, 1889 Photo Cutouts by loudesigns
View more Eiffel tower Photo Sculptures at zazzle.com
Beautiful Red Rose Jigsaw Puzzles
Beautiful Red Rose Jigsaw Puzzles by loudesigns
Check out Flower Puzzles online at zazzle

Other zazzle Artists

Princess OmNom iPhone 5 Covers
Princess OmNom iPhone 5 Covers by NekoCreations
Browse more Zombie Casemate Cases at Zazzle

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

The Best You and Me, free ad Day, more art

Neat news This mouse pad of mine on sale at zazzle was picked to be shown on Amazon The Best Me

I was looking at the baking blog bakerella I realized I never going to be bakerella

I will bake simple cupcakes with my kids, frosting on the side

I will never be Martha Stewart with all her loveliness I will never be Itaya with her magical trees

I will never be my sisters who I love

I will be the best me I can be

I am the abstract artist, the one who does kawaii

The one who makes ugly educational crafts for kids

The one who loves her family

I am me and I must be the best me I can be

I am the woman who always wants to learn things

I want a house covered in domestic fairy dust

I want to be kind and thoughtful

What’s the best you

____________________

Free Ad

If you have a G rated Zazzle or Etsy shop

Please post your ad in my blog

No codes or stars please

Just place it in the comment section

More art by me

Itaya and Lou's art
I Will Endure Decor Canvas Print From Original Art
I Will Endure Decor Canvas Print From Original Art by Itayasdesigns
Check out more Paintings Canvas Prints at Zazzle

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Incase you didn’t realize it 3 people work on this blog now and I hope to add a fourth within the year. I did this because I felt this would lead to a better blog with more interesting creative points of view. I never wanted this to be the typical art and abundance blog.

Updates about me Valentine’s has come and went and my kids had a happy day full of candy and cards.

In the past few weeks I’ve been building myself up spiritually and creatively. I am doing that change up that I talk so much on this blog. I am being the change.

I’ve been working on a huge article for the blog on encouraging children to read since January. It’s been basically what I have been doing for the past 7 or 8 years. I read a lot articles on the subject and they all basically said the same things so I decided to share what I have learned. It’s taking longer than what I thought. I'm working on some new art as well.

My art

Dare to Think 5.544 iPhone 5 Case
Dare to Think 5.544 iPhone 5 Case by AbundanceLoveTrip
Find other Modern Casemate Cases at zazzle.com
Lou and Itaya's Art Art by others

Monday, February 11, 2013

Valentine's Day Crafts, Valentine's Day Art, Create Your Own Tutorials

Valentine's Day is almost here and I've been inspired with a few tutorials and videos that I'd like to share with you.

The first tutorial comes from Grow Creative and is a Watercolor Resist Valentine's Card Tutorial.


This would be an awesome and easy project to do with your little ones or to experiment with yourself. You simply use a white crayon to draw and write your Valentine's Card and then fill in with watercolors for a really neat effect.

This video has more cute homemade Valentine's Day card ideas! Watch and be inspired to create your own version of these cute cards.




Next we have some Art Designs for this week's features. I thought I would stay with the Romance and Hearts theme.  :) 





Reckless Heart Original Painting Pins
Reckless Heart Original Painting Pins by Itayasdesigns
Create one-of-a-kind customs buttons online at Zazzle.




Half an Apple Pin
Half an Apple Pin by AbundanceLoveTrip
Check out Half Buttons online at zazzle






Love Heart Field Pins
Love Heart Field Pins by inspirationzstore
View more Heart Buttons at zazzle.com

I hope you are in a very Valentiny mood now. Do you plan to make your own Valentine's Day cards and gifts this year? Please share your creative ventures with us!  :)

Sending You Lots of Creative Love,
Itaya

*New* - See my artwork on Personal Checks and More! - Check Advantage
Visit my Art Blog



Saturday, February 9, 2013

The Generosity Experiment, Valentines, free PR day

Today is a great Family day and I love the time I am getting to spend with them. I wrote some of this post last night so I could have more time with family. I was going to post it Monday but realized there was a short window to post today.

Change up Your Life: The Generosity Experiment

Valerie http://www.zazzle.com/abundancelovetrip

As part of my quest to be more thankful and feel more gratitude I thought I’d work on generosity. I don’t believe the science of getting Rich has it right when the author thinks charity is unimportant. What would you add to the list? Some of these things might be different.

1. Be generous with my smile. More people aren’t smiled at enough.

2. Be generous with reading to my children

3. Be generous with promoting other zazzlers and not just promoting myself. Great artists need to know that they are worth promoting.

4. Be generous with my gifts of books to my little ones. Give the gift of reading.

5. Be generous to myself with the amounts of water I give it. I need to learn to drink more water.

6. Be generous to the school donate more by donating school supplies and treasure box gifts to the class.

7. Be generous with fun.

If you have a G rated Zazzle, shop, G rated ebook, kids book, g cookbook, or Etsy shop, you can promote your stuff right in your comments. Promote as many as 15 shops. No stars or referral numbers please as to not to mess up the contributors referrals.

My Valentines Valentines This are my new valentines they can be customized with names and even turned into belated valentines incase you forgot about the day

Love coupon: I will make you candy
Love coupon: I will make you candy by AbundanceLoveTrip
See other Love coupn Postcards at zazzle
Love Postcards
Love Postcards by AbundanceLoveTrip
Find more Romance Postcards at Zazzle

More Valentines by the other artists who post on this Blog

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Amazon Prime and How I Got Free Movies

I love shopping online and Amazon is my go to place to find good deals on everything from specialty shampoos to popcorn machines at fabulous prices. Amazon Prime means it comes from their warehouse and not a secondary seller. All products come with free shipping if you spend 25 dollars or more on Amazon Prime items, other sellers set their own shipping on many products. Books are a set rate of 3.98, CDs and DVDs are 2.98.
Solitude Doodle Speaker Design From Painting
Solitude Doodle Speaker Design From Painting by Itayasdesigns
Check out Solitude Speakers online at zazzle
Amazon Prime members get adding bonuses, membership is 79 dollars a year, but there are ways to maximize your savings to make the most of your money. Free two day shipping on most Prime items, excluding add-ons. If you are not a Prime member you will not know what these add-ons are. They are smaller cheaper items that can only have free shipping if you pay 25 dollars or more. These are items that would cost more to ship than the actual item. These are normally 2 to 5 dollar items such as shampoos and soaps. What I do is make a wish list of these items that I need and then buy them together or buy them when I am getting a more expensive item.
Happy Christmas "Little red" Rapunzel Plates
Happy Christmas "Little red" Rapunzel Plates by AbundanceLoveTrip
View Little red riding hood Plates online at zazzle
Amazon has free Prime movies for their members. You can watch these movies over your computer, over your internet blu-ray systems or over your Roku box and even on your Kindle fires and over your Kindle fire HD players. You just need to follow the steps and link your account to the player of your choice. If you have or buy a Kindle fire for yourself, you accounts will be automatically linked to your Prime membership. Free Prime books from their extensive lending Library. You can read these on your computer or Kindle products. If you love to read this will be great for you. They have thousands of books in their rotating Library. Most importantly you and can even make a few dollars of your fees back. Over the holiday season I made 26 dollars back in free movie rentals. During the Christmas season they have huge discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, but these deals have to be bought right away, within fifteen minutes of clicking on it and placing it in your cart you have to purchase it or it will go someone else. Many of these were DVDs that were only 1.97 and blu-rays that were as low as 4 dollars. Every time I bought an item like this I'd buy it right away and pick a slower shipping rate. I didn't need these in items in 2 days and since I picked a shipping time of 3-5 days, I'd get 1 dollar and free movie rentals each time. A year ago I couldn't buy any of their deals because after putting it in my cart, I'd have to buy more items to get free shipping and I'd would have spent more money than I was saving, so I missed out on a lot of deals. I got more free rentals by buying electronics that came with free Amazon movie rentals as well. I needed an extra Roku box for myself, buying it gave me 5 more dollars in free movies, plus getting the slower shipping gave me even more movie promotional codes. You don't have to plug in codes either, you can rent them and they money is automatically deducted from your available codes. I don't remember the rental code for our old Roku box, so I rent the movies on our Kindle fire and play it back on our roku. So what did I do with all this digital cash? I bought Napoleon Dynamite the Animated Series for 9.99, digitally buying it was the only option to see it, since it's not available to rent and is not on blu-ray or even DVD. I rented ParaNorman, Hotel Transylvania which I loved, Frankenweenie, Rocket Man, Holes and Men in Black 3. Even through the last of the codes, expired at the end of last month I still haven't seen all of the movies, because when you rent them you have a full month before they expire. When you push play, you only have 24-48 hours to watch it. I had 48 hours on ParaNorman, so I saw it 3 times, Hotel Transylvania I only had for 24 hours so I saw it only twice, but I loved and will some day buy it on blu-ray.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Painting On Paper Bags,Creative Inspiration, Artsy Necklaces

Today I thought I would talk about painting on brown paper bags as I love exploring alternative surfaces to paint on. I'm sharing a video by The Frugal Artist and she shows you how to paint a poppy flower on a paper bag. Easy Peasy!  Feel free to fast forward through the first minute or so as she is telling some jokes at the beginning.  :)


You can visit The Frugal Artist at her site and see that she has all kinds of how-to videos and tutorials to help you create in frugal ways.

Here are a few paintings that I did on brown paper. 



In each of these paintings I applied a few coats of Gesso to the back and allowed to dry before painting the front. It helps to make the brown paper surface sturdier and less likely to bubble from the water in the paint. Gesso is pretty inexpensive and you can get it at Michaels Art stores, JoAnn Stores, and on Amazon as well.

Here are more awesome creative pieces to help motivate you to get out your brown paper bags and paints and start creating!











Solitude Round Necklace From Original Painting
Solitude Round Necklace From Original Painting by Itayasdesigns
View more silver pendant designs at Zazzle.

Take care everyone! I'll be seeing you soon with more creative inspirations.
Be sure and let us know if you try or have tried painting on brown paper bags as we would love to hear about it in the comments section. :)

Itaya