Search Results for: blog tools of the trade

Tools of the Trade

Each of us has certain items that we rely on day in and day out to keep our home based businesses going. The collection of items that you depend on to help you get the job done will vary depending upon what you do for work. Today, I realized that some of the items that I depend on do not exactly fit the traditional description of essential office equipment. There are plenty of things that I use that are things that one would expect to find in a writer’s workplace or a law office. My laptop and cell phone are … Continue reading →

Having the Right Tools

I’m not the kind of person who likes to spend a lot of money. I think about my purchases very carefully and make sure that I’m not just being wasteful. At the same time, I do enjoy having new things. You can only imagine the internal battles I have with myself. Last night, I bought a new laptop. It’s a 15-inch, and it’s really nice. I haven’t the foggiest idea what all the bells and whistles do, and I imagine it will take me a while to get it all figured out, but it will be a fun process. We … Continue reading →

Cheap Tools of the Trade

If you are a true frugal scrapper, you have looked around your house before and thought, “Could I use that on a scrapbook page?” Well, the answer was probably yes! I have a few ideas for using some household tools that maybe you haven’t thought of before. 1. Getting a distressed edge on a page. There are many ways to do this, but have you ever thought of using your zester? You know, like the one you use for your lemons or oranges when cooking? Try it out! It should give you that perfect distressed look! Just make sure you … Continue reading →

Using Tools Of Your Trade To Teach Your Kids

As a writer, I have developed a way to incorporate the tools of my trade into my role as parent and teacher. One of the best resources I have found is the annual Chase’s Calendar of Events. This guide provides a daily chronicle of what happened during a given year. It’s a great resource as a homework helper and idea generator for reports and projects. It’s an expensive guide, running almost a $100, but you can probably find a coppy at your local library’s reference department. I lucked out and bought an old guide at the library book sale for … Continue reading →

Some Cleaning Tools Of The Trade

Tools and tricks are all around you even if you don’t have a single black hat hidden anywhere in your wardrobe. They come as the magician’s tricks come to him, via the art of improvisation. Decide that you and your weapons will be the victor at the Battle at the OK Dust Corral and not Burt Lancaster and whoever else was in that movie. Consider some of the following ideas, that is, if you are not too stuffed with turkey and its trimmings to even care. Dust Removers: Place a paper or plastic bag over the mop head and secure … Continue reading →

The Beauty of Blogging

Some writers view blogs as amateurish writing, something that anyone with a keyboard can do. Many writers seem to think that “real” writing means only painstakingly researched copy, footnoted facts, or feats of literary genius. In fact, blogs are an important part of internet communication and they are excellent marketing tools. A blog is to the online community what a reality show is to television. The reason both are so popular is that people enjoy looking into other people’s lives and sharing common experiences. Instead of discounting stream of consciousness writing, realize that other types of writing are far less … Continue reading →

Scrapbooking Adventures

I’m not referring to radical layouts or zany embellishments. Rather, have you considered broadening your creative horizons by attending a scrapbooking trade show? I recently received an email listing a number of scrapbook trade shows that will be offered in my neck of the woods this summer. These organized events are incredible places to network, especially for individuals who currently have or are thinking of running a scrapbook business. Interestingly, most scrappers don’t realize that not all trade shows shun the general public. Granted, most require you to be a registered member of the trade organization or have a valid … Continue reading →

Android Apps For Your Home Based Business

A while ago, I thought that I would be getting an iPhone. Everyone always talks about how there is an iPhone app for just about anything, so I researched iPhone apps to see what kinds of apps are out there that can be useful for home based professionals. There are quite a few, and exactly which ones are best depend on what kind of business you have. I still have not gotten around to getting a new phone yet, but it looks like I’m going to be getting an Android instead of an iPhone. Hopefully within the next week or … Continue reading →

Hiring A Parents’ Helper

One way that home – based professional parents can get a little extra help with the kids from time to time is to hire a mother’s (or father’s) helper. A parent’s helper is different than a babysitter in that the parent is usually at home while the helper is helping out with the children and the household tasks. Selecting a parent’s helper is similar to selecting a babysitter, so be sure to choose someone that you know you can trust and who is reliable. As with any child care situation, it is often good to set up a trial run … Continue reading →

It Is Time to Reinstate Some Routines Around Here

Today, I was thinking about how I am trying to find my way back to some form of regular daily and weekly routines. As I thought about that, I remembered how some of the routines that I had been using in the past helped me to get more work done than I am currently doing now. Of course, I’m not naïve enough to think that simply reinstating my favorite routines will restore my productivity to where it was before our new baby arrived. That said, I am optimistic that our days may run more smoothly and I could get more … Continue reading →