Wednesday Wow: Mama’s, Let’s Make Some Bread At Home

If you recall, last week, I began telling you about opportunities to really make money while being a stay at home and work from home mom. This week I’m actually giving you links and other resources to help you stress less, bring something to the table and build your self esteem. These suggestions do not work for everyone. They all require real work and are free to begin.I am personally knowledgeable of each point below. So please click on the links. Also note that because I do, it doesn’t mean I’m a member of each of them. ( Personally I would never sign up for a program that charge me anyway)

Check out Cassie Sweetz

• Belly Cast

 You may as well have fun with your lil one now. Why wait? Pick a design and let’s have some fun. Our artist can paint…

Posted by Doulancharlotte on Friday, July 17, 2015

• Amazon’s Affiliate Program– (Every baby needs diapers)
  

  Doula N Charlotte

• Become an Tutor
• Make and Sell Baked Goods
• Fiverr
• Have a Lemonade -Food Stand
• Have a Garage Sale
• Mom’s Mornings Out Services/Club
• Baby Sitting
• Answer Questions Online
• Sell Items on Etsy
• Start Your Own Business
• Other goodies-

 Lista         LiveOps

Private, CPR certified, mobile sitter and small event planner in Charlotte, NC.

Now a wave of smartphone apps, including Checkout 51, Ibotta and Snap by Groupon, allow you to take a photo of your receipt from the grocery store to earn cash back on certain items without clipping coupons. Another app, ReceiptHog, rewards users for uploading their receipts rather than rewarding them for purchasing specific products.

More GREAT RESOURCES

This list is loaded with leads and in-depth instructions! 

7 INSPIRING HOME BUSINESS IDEAS FOR STAY-AT-HOME MOMS

Work-from-home ideas for stay-at-home moms

10 Best Jobs You Can Do From Home

This list can be used by anyone- like consignment shop, diaper cake maker…… you know normal easy stuff!

15 Surprising Work-from-Home Jobs

This site shows you HOW to get these jobs! 

This list is the realist! Good Money making ideas!

She’s has a nice list too! 

Okay, this should get you off to a great start, Thank me by sharing,liking or even better adding your tips! There are so many moms looking for real- legal money answers!  Now let’s make some MONEY!!!

J, QC Supermom

Friday Four: Hosting a Summer Sit in Movie!

Nothing says “summer” like outdoor entertaining.There’s just something about a classic movie and a warm, summer evening that go together so darn well. With summer breezing in, now’s the perfect time to start planning a movie night party for a few friends. Throwing an outdoor movie night doesn’t have to require a lot of stuff or be expensive, but it does need a little planning ahead to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.
We’ve got the ideas and tips to make yours go off without a hitch:

1) Pick the right spot You’ll want to find a spot—could be a backyard, patio, porch, garage—where you can control the amount of light at night (in other words, don’t plan one in your backyard if there’s a bright streetlight that could ruin the fun). Not everyone has a backyard, so get creative with your space!

2) Provide the right equipment Your basic essentials are a movie player (like a DVD player or computer), a screen, side of a house, a projector, and a sound system. Don’t let that sound too complicated; it’s easier to set up than you think. And don’t let the price or technology scare you away; you can easily have an intimate movie night with a television set or computer brought outside, too. Once the projector is secured, make sure to do a dry run to ensure you’ve got all the right cables and connective equipment. There’s nothing more embarrassing or frustrating than an equipment malfunction, am I right? Don’t forget the speakers!

3) Make sure you’ve got a good movie Consider the crowd that will be coming and choose accordingly. It could be a classic, a family-friendly one or a great comedy.  We are showing Cafeteria Man.  It’s based on ———————————————————————

4) Accommodate with comfortable seating You don’t have to go out and buy fancy outdoor seating,blankets on the ground can be the perfect thing for a movie night, but plenty of affordable outdoor seating options can be found.

BONUS TIPS:

5) De-bug the area Consider spraying before guests arrive and have plenty of bug spray for guests. You don’t have to douse yourself in harsh chemicals; they have lots of more natural options to repel bugs.

6) Utilize soft lights like candles You want it dark enough to see the movie, but you also want a little light for function and ambiance.

7) Don’t forget to get your neighbors involved An outdoor movie event could potentially be disturbing to the homes around yours, so let your neighbors know ahead of time your plans and maybe even invite them to the fun!

What will you eat? May I suggest this—> 

Besides the traditional buttered and salted popcorn, try these:

• Curry popcorn: 1/2 cup popcorn kernels popped in vegetable oil tossed with 1 tablespoon curry powder (4 servings)

• Bacon popcorn: 1/2 cup popcorn kernels popped in 1 tablespoon bacon fat; drizzle with 1/4 stick of melted butter and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup; toss. Sprinkle two strips of crispy turkey bacon, crumbled, on top of popcorn. (4 servings) –Sheknows

Do all of that, or just drop in to one in your area. If near Charlotte, NC, click —–>HERE! <—–

Eat this*at the movie night!

Healthier snacks and screens info*!

Yay! Pinterest Board* for Movie Night!

Movie Nights for EVERYONE!!!!! EVERY where*!

3 Lies Outdoor Movie Equipment Providers Will Tell You

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK ALL THE PICTURE LINKS!!!!! 🙂

See you at the movies!

Kelle,  QC Supermom

Get Paid to Test Products

Before you buy it…. try it! Get PAID to be a Product Tester. I clare you’ll love it AND the people you share your opinions with will appreciate the heads up!

Dove has been one of my favorite companies ever to review for.

 Did you know that you can become a product tester for Top Brand Companies and get paid to review their products and try their services?  Yep, you can and all for free!

I’ve been testing products and attending events for the past 7 years and love doing it!  I get the first exclusive look at up and coming products and services! With 6 of my 9 children in the house, I get to enjoy products and services that not only save us money, but also solves our many need.  Then we get to talk about it!!!!

The reason for testing is that Top Brands would like to know what consumers think about new products they’re developing to be sent to stores and communities Or to get a boost in last minutes sales in a particular community. It saves them time, and money.

Wonder How Product Testing Works and How You Can Become a Product Tester?

First, you’ll need to sign up with a company that offers product testing at home.  Once you do this the company will send you emails to fill out screeners to see if you’ll qualify for their up and coming product testing.  Once you fill out their screener survey, they’ll let you know at the end if you qualify or not.  For example, let say the company is looking for people to test out their beauty product, if you don’t use a certain beauty product they want you to test then you won’t qualify.

Once you get the approval to test, the company will ask for your address to send you the product to test for a week or two.  Then they’ll follow up with you with an email asking questions about the product you’ve tested.  Once you’re done, you get paid!

How Much Can You Make Being a Product Tester? 

Some reviews require a blog post. This is how I complete most of them as a breast feeding mom.

About 98% of the times you get to keep the product you’ve tested which is great!!!  How much you get paid varies.  I’ve been paid anywhere from $5-$100. No it’s not vacation pay, but if you do enough, you should be able to cover gas, a utility payment or even sports classes for your kids!

Because I am a bit cautious about what I use in our bodies, finding food & personal care items can be nerve wrecking but once I find those brands I really get excited about my profession! Lately the boys have been getting a ton of compliments so I maybe looking for more kids brands to add to my service.

Next Monday, I’ll give you a list of companies to sign up  with for product reviews!

Bert Bees hooked me onto some amazing clean products.

Take Care!

Kelle, QC Supermom

Here’s the vegan hip-hop playlist you never knew you needed

Think veganism is just for weirdos? Honey you betta think again!

Smash Cakes: Because your Baby is the King/Queen Of All Babies!

Nine babies and I only had 2 smash cakes! What was I thinking of? They are so cute, fun, and just plain smart!

I know a great vegan baker in Charlotte NC. See Cassie Sweetz

Who wants a cake a lil hand all over their cake? REALLY??? Lil Mikey can be the cutest thing since Kermit the Frog, but uuugh, I’ll pass on the booger laced slime delight.

A smash cake is typically given to the birthday child at the first birthday celebration and is to be smashed, smeared, enjoyed and eaten by the birthday boy or birthday girl (remember to take lots of photos for the album!). Increasingly, people are making two cakes for the 1st birthday party: a smash cake and the main decorated birthday cake. The birthday guest of honor gets to have fun with the smash cake while the main birthday cake can be enjoyed by the guests, untouched by little hands.

There are several ways to create a first birthday smash cake. A smash cake is usually a mini cake that matches the party theme, however any cake will do. The smash cake can be as simple as a vanilla cupcake (a giant cupcake is perfect) or as complex as a smaller version of the main cake. The possibilities are endless!

Remember to remove any cookie sticks, decorative pix or candles before you serve the smash cake and be sure to spread newspapers under your child’s chair to catch the mess!

Order it from Cassie’s Sweetz or make it your self! Or you can click on the links of each picture for more details.

PRETTY IN PINK CAKE

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s white velvet cake is my go-to cake for birthdays. You can pair it with almost any frosting or filling. Although Beranbaum prefers a non-chocolate frosting on this cake like this one, I think a silky chocolate buttercream frosting works just fine here if it’s not overly chocolate-y.

If you have only two 9-inch pans like I do, follow this recipe to make the first two layers. After they have cooled and you have another pan available, halve the recipe to make a third layer. This will give you three 1 1/8-inch cake layers.

INGREDIENTS:

For The Cake:4 1/2 large egg whites
1 cup milk
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

STEP 1: MAKE THE CAKE

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Grease tops of parchment paper and dust lightly with flour.

Combine ¼ cup milk, the egg whites and the vanilla in a bowl and set aside.

Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low for 30 seconds. Add the butter and remaining ¾ cup milk, and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed (or high if you’re using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 ½ minutes. Scrape down the sides, and add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

Scrape the batter into the pans and smooth the tops with a spatula. The pans should be about ½ full. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. You will want the cake to spring back when pressed lightly.

Cool the cakes for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a knife or spatula. Remove from pans.

STEP 2: MAKE THE FROSTING

Make your favorite frosting. I am partial to an Italian meringue buttercream.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE AND FROST THE CAKE

Using a cake leveler, evenly cut the tops off the cake so the layers are equal height.

Spread an even layer of frosting on top of the first cake layer and stick the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes or until the frosting is set. Add the second cake layer and repeat with frosting and freezer time. Add the third layer and spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cake and around the sides of the cake – this is your crumb coat. Put cake in the freezer for 5 minutes or until frosting is set. Add a final thin layer of frosting to the top and sides of the cake, making sure it has a smooth finish. Place the cake in the freezer, covered, until you’re ready to decorate.

STEP 4: DECORATE THE CAKE

For the final fondant decoration, please see Not Without Salt’s instructions. I used 2 lbs of red buttercream fondant (with some leftover) and 4 lbs of white buttercream fondant (with some leftover). I used “antique white” to cover the cake and “wedding white” to make the strips.

If you’re making a 9-inch cake, you will need another set of hands to help you wrap the fondant around the cake, that is, unless you come up with a better system or technique than I did. If so, please share!

It’s your baby’s first birthday! Let him dig into his first birthday cake toddler-style with an adorable smash cake that’s almost too cute to eat. Almost.

101 More ideas-

Everything Else to Know about Smash Cakes

Just a lot of pretty ideas-

(Be sure to click all of the links in this post for more details)

Friday Four: Age Appropriate Tragic Conversations with Children

“Stop burning these churches and killing each other over race! This crap is scaring my children.”

I am the wife and mother to NINE children. We have a 4 boys under 9, 3 living teen girls under 17 and one college son in his early 20’s ….. and one 11yr old in heaven. When my daughter transitioned, I questioned God. Then my “Salt OF The Earth” mom left shortly after her and I really had questions for my heavenly father. I’ve always been told that there would be questions made clearer as time proceeded. That has to be true.  I wouldn’t want my mom to see this mess of a world we often see today.

When tragedy happen, there are always at least two different discussions to be had with the children. AFTER we have understood the facts our-self, we try to be as timely and transparent as possible with the children.

http://www.twcnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2015/06/26/addressing-the-tragedy-in-charleston-to-kids.html

Parents play a valuable role in reducing violence by raising children in safe and loving homes. Here are suggestions that can help. You may not be able to follow each one exactly, but doing what you can will make a difference in your children’s lives. Here’s four strategies to help you guarantee a strong foundation.

1. Make sure your family have a strong sense of self and self defense skills. A mom asked me in a private message, ”  How can I keep my kids on the straight and narrow when everything around us in living crazy? They see sexuality at school, fighting down the street, their friends are shoplifting…….etc, etc., etc.,”

I suggest Ed, from the Preparedness Consulting Group. 

 They specialize in Victim Mitigation, Emergency Preparedness Planning, Providing Personal Protection Devices,Pepper Spray, Mace, Stun Guns, Personal Alarms, Security Cameras, Hidden Cameras and Medical Eqpt.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for Everyone! http://www.gbcharlotte.com 704-352-9697

2. Understand when to play poker or walk away. Last year, we had Thea from Gracie Barra Charlotte, to join us a the 5th Total Children’s Wellness Fair to demonstrate various self defense strategies to the children. From Thea and her family based company, the children gained confidence in themselves. While no child should go looking for a fight, I think all children should know some type of self defense.

3. Know what to say to your children and when. You are their first teacher. They are gonna automatically follow your lead. Show them ways to solve problems without violence. In our home, when my  husband and I get frustrated with each other, we will either go to our room away from them or wait until everyone is asleep to continue if it can’t be resolved in front of them.

4. Keep your children aware and secure. In your home, you are the boss. Restrict violence from the tv ( make sure you know what TV shows your children watch) and if necessary outside; may that be neighborhood friends, family (Accompany your children to supervised play activities and watch how they get along with others. Teach your children how to respond appropriately when others use insults or threats or deal with anger by hitting. Explain to your children that these are not appropriate behaviors, and encourage them to avoid other children who behave that way)- and  even the  internet, where any and everything goes. Be sure that they know that they don’t always have to agree to get along.

Be safe & Behave

QC Supermom

Wednesday WoW: BEST DIY Chick Fil A Cow Costumes

Are you ready for Cow Appreciation Day by Chick Fil A? I clare I am.

I  have already began the DIY thrills !

It’s simple, easy and loads of family fun. The more you dress up, the more free food you will receive!  Dress head to hoof in costume and you’ll get a FREE MEAL! Dress in a partial costume and you’ll get a FREE ENTREE! So dress your herd and get to your nearest Chick Fil A !

With four little boys and two teen girls in tow, there’s gonna be a lot of cutting, pasting and measuring. I can’t wait!

Here are some fun ideas to get your creative minds flowing:

1. Start with items that you already have at home — cow-printed accessories stashed in your closet will work perfectly. Hats, vests, scarves, neckties, pants, shoes and pajamas — just about any cow-spotted item will work. Just make sure you’re covered head to toe.
2. Wear white, and then just add spots. Throw on a white T-shirt with white pants (even sweatpants) and stick on your spots using black paper. You can cut spots out of construction paper and tape them to your shirt and pants. If nothing else, you can grab an old white T-shirt and color black spots all over it with a marker – and you’ll still get a FREE entrée.

(Mommies of toddlers –http://lifeanchored.com/easy-no-sew-cow-costume-for-kids/)   

http://asouthernkindoflovin.blogspot.com/2013/07/diy-cow-costume-ideas.html

                                         He insisted on being a red cow!

I LOVE dressing my babies up. I do it every chance I get because I know soon and very soon, they will not want to have this type of fun with me.

The only thing is I always  wait until the last day to make our costumes for EVERYONE, We then end up with the pdf print outs from the official Chick Fil A page, complete with black sweat pants and shirt with white construction sheet dots sporadically placed. Not exactly picturesque, but I’m going for broke this year!  I gotta have something for the children to look back at a feel embarrassed by.

This year I want to get fancy! So I’m putting together my “Cow Ideas” early! If you find yourself lost as I often do, you may want to save this link for your own family prepping needs. Ok, now, be sure to click the highlighted links. You’ll go directly to the sources I placed here on my page. (I’m not reinventing the wheel- there are so many great ideas out there already) Like this one, it includes a cow’s udder!!! So Yes, the sky is the limit! Enjoy & have FUN!!!!

Heads Up friends…what counts as a full costume and a partial costume is up to your manager, so do your best. Watch more here from previous years! Mooooo!  <—–Click to see an online album. Here’s the Tumbler page too!

P.S. I’ll share our pictures on Facebook when we are done so follow me over there! I maybe able to get my daughters to recreate this into a cow costume- complete with more printable templates from Chick Fil A.—— this would be too sweet—>