Handmade Halloween Costume Ideas

Halloween is coming soon, and it's time to dress up, and go candy hunting! :) Well-for the little ones that is... With the economy still shaky, and most of us on really tight budgets, it could be more affordable to create a Halloween costume with items from home. Handmade costumes are also more unique and end up being original too!...  -Not to mention-environmentally friendly!

If you can find old clothes from home, buttons, big boxes, glasses, wigs, and your personal make-up collection-there is a costume waiting to be created right at home....

If you need some ideas for Halloween costumes-check out this fun Halloween article that gives you some tips on making your own costume.  

Some of the ideas include a rock star or a ghost...Click below for inspiration...


"Fun Halloween Costumes You Can Make At Home..."

Article Publishing/Payment Update

Here are some of my article earnings update from doing some part time writing with a couple of websites. By November, I hope to go part time at my current full time job, and do some writing maybe 2-3 days a week full time...I will keep you updated as that position progresses.  Looks like I will be working full time at my current position till the end of October.... 
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Demand Studios:                                                                                            

I had another set of articles published and paid for on Tuesday from Demand Studios....

• Top 5 Baby Nursery Ideas for Girls, $15.00
• Tips on Selecting a Computer Chair, $15.00
• Top 5 Baby Nursery Ideas for a Boy, $15.00
• Skin Care for Kids, $15.00
• How to Keep Rabbits Out of Flower Beds, $15.00

Total of $75.00 for Demand Studios 

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For Associated Content, I have gotten 2 offers on 2 articles....

• A Shopping Guide for Newborn Gift ($5.14 Offer) 
• Activites for Children to Do on Fathers Day at Church ($5.00)
• Page view earnings so far: $18.12
  

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Ehow.com

• Waiting to be paid for September page view earnings: $31.11

• Page-view earnings so far as of October 6th, 2009: $9.23
  

Shopping for a Newborn?... Here are some Ideas...

One of my new articles that I wrote recently is about shopping for gifts for a newborn.  Everyone likes to look at baby clothes, toys, and all of the little tiny items that you can adorn for a baby. Although, sometimes it is hard to find something unique, but purchasing the essentials are always a plus too.  When you do go shopping for a baby shower gift, keep the parents in mind, and perhaps what kinds items can make bringing home the new member of the family less stressful, and perhaps decrease reasons for them to make trips outside the home for the first few days. 

It's always a special occasion when a newborn arrives into a family... So if you need some ideas to shower a gift to celebrate the gift of life, check out this article: "A Shopping Guide for Newborn Gifts."

Need Heating Assistance this Winter? How to Sign up for LIHEAP

LIHEAP stands for "Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program." It is a useful program for those needing help with their utility bills. LIHEAP is offered mostly in the winter months, but is also sometimes available in the summer for cooling-although it depends on the funding for the season.

Read an informative article on how you can apply for the LIHEAP Program Illinois. It could pay towards your winter heating bills... This would be extremely helpful for those that are low-income, currently out of work, or on social security benefits...

Published Content Update...

I have gotten word and payment so far for some of the articles published at Demand Studios... 
 I just wanted to share with you some of the articles that I have been paid for and those that were published. Most of these were from my 3 day writing trial run test....

Articles that were published ( i hope to have links up soon!)

• Definition of Human Papillomavirus: $7.50
• Earache Symptoms: $7.50
• New Baby Gift Checklist: $15
• How to Keep Cats Away From Houseplants: $15
• Romantic Gift Ideas: $15
• Types of Composting Methods: $15
• Fun Family Vacations With Small Children: $15

Total of $90.00 from these articles

I also sold an article on Constant Content, and got $5.20 for that one as well. It was titled:
"How to Purchase Beads While the Cash Flow is Low." It was not for full rights though. It was just usage rights. I still own the article-the person who purchased it will just place it on a website somewhere.

I still have another 6 articles in que at Demand Studios that need published and paid for. I will get information on those by Tuesday hopefully. Demand Studios is now paying their writers twice a week: On Tuesdays and Fridays...In my 3 days of writing, I wrote about 18 articles, but 3 did get rejected :(  So, those were submitted to Associated Content. Next week, I hopefully should find out if I get offers there.

On Associated Content, I have four articles waiting to be reviewed, as well as I am up to $15.27 in page-views there. At Edubook.com, I still have four articles that need to be written, and that will be another $20.00.

I am pretty happy with the outcome of my work from article writing this week, and I am sure when I go part time, I will have more completed work. For those who want to stay updated, just come back to my blog to read more :) ....

The Last Day of Writing Test Drive

(sigh)... Today was my last day of the test.

With it being the last day--and not to mention the last day of my 3 day break, I decided to take it a bit easy today. After two successful days, I do know that I can making my goals of writing at home a success. I rewarded myself with some lunch with friends, and had an easy dinner from Subway with my husband. Not to mention-I got one last afternoon nap in-it was quite nice!

The weather here was so rainy and so dreary today-it was just one of those days you wanted to stay in. While I did take it easy, I did get some writing done. I had an error to fix in one article, and then wrote three more today. I was checking my pageview earnings at Ehow, and I had earned $31.11 in just page-views for the month of September (which accounts for about two $15 articles anyway), and I had submitted those extra two articles to Associated Content yesterday. So I believe I deserved a bit of a break today.

I have to admit, it will be hard going back to the office tomorrow-but at least it is a Friday!... I do know that I can easily get used to being at home. My daughter isn't really looking forward to going to daycare ,and I know Miss Kitty will miss me as well. She has followed me around the house relentlessly for all of the 3 days I have been home. My cat has been quite the companion...

I really don't want to rush time-but I really want to know what the future holds... I guess after being spoiled for 3 days-I want an answer now...lol. But in reality-I know that isn't possible. After October-perhaps I can begin going to work 2 days a week, or begin writing full time.


For those who are interested...Here is what I wrote today:

• Skin Care for Kids
• How to Keep Rabbits out of Flower Beds
• The Benefits of Organic Fertilizer

 Yesterday I submitted these two articles to Associated Content:

• Birth Control Options for Teens
• Activities for Children to do on Fathers Day at Church

My article earning the highest pageviews at Ehow.com currently is:

• How to Sign up for Liheap in Illinois  (It earned $11.61 in page-views for Sept)
• Monthly page-view earnings: $31.11

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I believe I have had a pretty successful trial run, and know that I could make all of this a possibility. Now I just have to play the waiting game, and continue to write in the evenings, or on the weekends until October is over. Thanks for all of those who tuned in to my trial run-and I will continue to keep sharing current articles that I am writing on :) --and also thanks for all the best wishes and good luck too! )

( *I will share the total earned in the 3 days once all of the articles have been published)

Day 2 of my Writing Test Drive

So, day two has come and gone, and it has been a somewhat successful day. I made most of my goal even with some tummy problems. My IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) seemed to be acting up today, and wasn't too much fun, but it did let me have some time to think.. (ha, ha)...

I began my morning with a nap that lasted longer than it should have. I didn't really feel too well. When I logged into my account, I did find some rewrites which needed to be completed from yesterday. They were minor errors-mostly making proper corrections to image copyrights. There were some changes made, and I needed to give them proper credit. So that put me behind somewhat.

In the end, I completed five $15 articles today, and submitted two articles to Associated Content.

*Family Fun Vacations with Children
*Tips on Selecting a Computer Chair
*Best Baby Gifts for a Newborn
*Top 5 Nursery Ideas for a Girl
*Top 5 Nursery Ideas for a Boy
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• My expected income from those are $75
• I hope to get at least a $4 or $5 offer from the two that I submitted to Associated Content. I may not know about those until next week though. 

So I again, I met my $75 goal....(plus a hopeful extra nine or ten bucks at Associated Content)


Tomorrow is the last day of my test, and I must admit, I have enjoyed my time at home.  It has been nice to have some peace, no television, and have some time to just think, and let my mind do the writing. It would be lovely to be able to do this during the majority of my week, but that decision will not be made until the end of October. So on Friday-it will be back to the office... But..I am hoping for a 4 day weekend soon!---My daughter has the 9th off, and our office is closed the 12th.--I'm gonna see if I can take October 9th off...

I just pray for strength to make it through the end of October, and hope that I can go part time at the office, so that I can do more writing...My daughter has also enjoyed coming home from school, and I think even my kitty cat has enjoyed my company....  I seem to have found more peace within myself---- It has been nice...