This piece is written to give us the part two of the “Earth Day Celebration at our own kitchens”. Earth Day is widely publicized nowadays, thanks to the media. Earth Day is a day wherein we dedicate our hands into caring for our environment and keeping it safe. At Iowa craft fairs, they provide free lessons and tutorials into how to celebrate Earth Day right into our own homes and backyards. Here are some of the tips I got from those which I would like to share with you today:

Place potted plants right in your kitchen windows. Potted plants serve as very good air filters and carbon dioxide reducers to your homes. They are also great in trapping the “food smells” and in giving your kitchens a fresh air. Aside from all of these listed benefits, potted plants are also great as decorations and improving the aesthetic appeal of your kitchens.

Tip number 2: when you are in the midst of remodeling your kitchen cabinets, just try to strip off the paint and place your new desired color paying particular attention to paint products that are low in VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds). This method is relatively easier, more cost-efficient and is more beneficial to the environment as your trash bin will not pile up with old cabinet junk.

Tip number three: avoid buying a new set of furniture pieces; rather opt for your old ones by giving it a fresh updated look. If you are in need of an extra china cabinet in your kitchen to store your precious plates and utensils, try to place an old bookshelf into the wall. Your old bookshelf will have a new, creative reuse as a kitchen china cabinet. Loving our planet means conserving our resources and doing everything to clear the air of its toxins- one at a time.

If visiting in Iowa, try to attend the craft fairs and sign up for the free Earth Day lessons. Be informed of the ways on how you can save our dear Mother Earth from terrible danger.

It’s springtime once more and I can observe that at this time people seem to be more jovial and cheerful, thanks to the Spring spirit that never fails to put a cheer on everyone’s face. Spring is definitely the start of a new season, the start of yet another fun-filled and great adventures for all of us. Spring festivals are great venues to celebrate the onset of Spring and at these places, Cook-offs are very much in demand.

Treat your tastebuds to a whirlwind of tour as a Spring Cook-off in your neighborhood gives you delectable and mouth watering treats. At Spring Cook-offs people try to contribute their best tasting treat every now and then. We can see chefs and restaurant owners at the top of their game who are showing off their culinary prowess to the public.

There are usual recipes at Cook-offs and these are barbecue, seafood, lamb and other grilled or smoked culinary treats. This is so because the activity of grilling and the smoke that emanates from a grill further enrich the experience of being in Craft fairs or Spring fairs. The most famous cook-off by the way in the country is the Arizona Chili cook-off, wherein a juried shows is created to judge the best tasting and spiciest barbecue recipe in the fair. This cook-off is annually done to promote public awareness on the historical and cultural significance of chili and to further the drive to make Chili as the National Vegetable of America.

Juried cook-offs are attended by a panel of judges that individually taste and rank the food based on the available criteria. The winning entry usually wins a cash prize and a special recognition for his/her outstanding recipe. Cook-offs are great places to have a full and satisfied stomach.

Are you aware that your happiness is directly proportional to your stomach? When you have a full stomach, you will have fun at the Spring Fair!

A film festival is shown in Illinois every onset of Spring or during the month of April which is called the Eberfest. The name came from the founder of this festival who is Roger Ebert. The festival is also formerly called as “The Overlooked Film Festival”. It features films that are “overlooked” by viewers but are very meaningful and great films to watch. These mostly comprises of indie films or international short films. Ebert is the one who personally handpicks the movies for showing.

On a quick history, Ebertfest was formerly called as Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival. It is organized by the College of Communication in the University of Illinois. It will be held at the nostalgic and famous Virginia Theatre of Champaign. Every year, 12 to 14 films are being shown at the festival. Ebert really makes it a point to offer the public very good and quality “overlooked” films through his prestigious festival. It is deemed to be a place where one can see “unheard of” quality films.

Each year, the festival shows one silent film together with a live orchestral accompaniment. An example of a silent film that the festival has shown is the famous horror flick: “Nosferatu”. Musical films are also shown once in a while at the festival because Ebert feels that it is also overlooked. The Ebertfest really gave the “overlooked” films much exposure and mileage.

Before the start of the film festival, Ebert is known to give speeches and introductory remarks about each film. He enthusiastically gives everyone a preview and slight synopsis of each story without going into the full details to still contain the mystery and curiousness of the audience. It is safe to say that Roger Ebert is a film aficionado himself for having to come up with this kind of festival each year.

If you are visiting from Illinois, never forget to experience one of Illinois’ finest by attending the Ebertfest this year.

Choosing the safest car seat for your baby will be one of the most important decisions you should make. An infant car seat is a must-have for all new parents. You can’t leave the hospital without one. You’ll also need one to bring your baby for every car trip thereafter, even your baby can sleep there. Infant car seats, toddler car seats, convertible car seats and child booster seats are manufactured many companies. The most popular of these companies are Britax, Peg Perego, Graco and Evenflo.

All car seats (except most second hand seats) come with printed directions. If after reading the directions you still are not sure how to properly install it. You can call or email the manufacturer. Some police stations and hospitals have assistance programsas well.

Car seat covers are available in a wide range of styles and fabrics, from warm and woolly to cool and comfy. Styles are available for bucket seats, as well as the back seat of your car or SUV. It is not difficult to find car seat covers which will suit all of your needs.

Most Evenflo infant car seats come in multiple patterns and colors. When buying a car seat, remember that simpler is better. Look for the car seat that has a five point harness. This is the most secure belt system a seat can have. Avoid car seats that require you to fasten the seatbelt in the rear of the seat. The seatbelt adjustment should be easy to reach.

If you take your pet with you in your car, there are dog car seat covers which protect your car seats from dog-related problems. A shedding pet will change the appearance of your car seats forever, so using seat covers in this situation would be a must.

Universal car seat covers: These come in one standard size to fit most vehicle makes and models. The disadvantage of these is that they do not always provide a perfect fit.

Custom car seat covers: The great thing about custom car seat covers is that they are designed to fit every popular model of car, van or truck. These provide a much better fit, as they are designed specifically for that particular vehicle.

In most cases, the manufacturer will provide you with instructions of what to do if baby car seat is recalled. In some cases they will replace it for free they will have you bring it somewhere to get replacement parts also at no cost to you.

Some often claim that a huge cake, a designer wedding gown, the best shoes and the priciest venue can make the perfect wedding. This is utterly wrong as the success of a wedding could not be measured by how expensive the couple spent on it. There is no perfect wedding as each event has its own flaws from preparation to the ceremony itself. The perfect wedding is one where the couple’s love is truly felt by the ones attending it.

To achieve a less-stress and confusing wedding event a timely preparation and thorough knowledge of your chosen theme should be organized. Some couples resort to wedding organizers and some who are tight in a budget decide to do the planning themselves. This would make the wedding more personalized and the expenses well accounted. Knowing your local wedding suppliers beforehand should leave you with a general view of how much you will be spending.

Bridal Fairs are events where wedding suppliers are all present under one roof. Cake makers, wedding gown designers, shoe manufacturers and retailers, wedding accessories provider, suppliers for invites, venues, photography and media are all present to give a bride details and prices of their services. This is actually a good idea and a time-saving opportunity especially for a bride who has lots of other church activities to attend to.

Wedding fairs have suppliers on booths and exhibits usually shown off with a detailed list and samples of their services. It is advisable to ask a lot of questions and get to know a supplier in a more personal manner to get a more satisfactory and excellent service from them. They are good natured business people who are only too eager to answer your queries.

Even though you’re not a bride, attending wedding fairs will expose your eyes to this romantic event in one’s life. Who knows, you just might find yourself too eager to get married, eh?

There is indeed pleasure in crafting. The art of crafts making is a way to de-stress and bring out the creative side of anyone. Housewives usually do this as a hobby. Some crafters however, decide to take this hobby to the next level and try to set up their own shop and sell their crafts. Crafting as a business is a good idea for it is low in capital but the profits are high.

There are a lot of craft opening a lot of opportunities moms can place their time nowadays that there is a lot of information regarding crafting sitting on the internet. Homemade products are found to be on top of the list as they are quick, economical and easy to prepare. Homemade soaps, toys, baby wear and accessories are popular wants. Moms who are crafters usually make the stuffs that are also meant to be sold to other moms.

The Mom 2 Mom sale in Weiss Elementary, Woodhaven Michigan will be again back on the 14th of March 2009 to vend and showcase crafts and goodies made by moms. It will feature exhibit stalls, booths and kiosks of different kinds such as jewelry, food, flowers, crafts, kids’ toys. Unique and rare stuffs are known to be found here at the sale. Prices are reportedly lowered for the shopper’s indulgence. Piped in music and special performances by elementary students is included to further continue the grand shopping experience.

Craft making as a business is becoming popular nowadays because moms sense the need to help their husbands on the family’s finances. You only need to be really creative and have a good business sense to set-up a successful crafting business. It is not only important to be creative but to also have a good business sense in order to make any business thrive.

All crafty mamas are encouraged to attend this event to showcase their crafts to fellow moms as well.

Everyone wants to be financially free. Financial freedom means not being able to work for money everyday. It is where one is making money work for himself. Financial freedom is being able to relax and enjoy life by not worrying too much about where you will get the money to pay for your basic necessities. Financial freedom is where you can increase your money without doing anything.

Some say that it is wrong to be so obsessed about money. I say the opposite. Be obsessed with money. Eat money, think money and live money. It is through these principles that one will be able to delve more about the topic of money and study more about it. In this way, he/ she will have a full understanding on the subject and in the end look for ways to earn his money column. One should need to be financial literate if he seeks to be financially free someday.

Financial freedom is achieved when your expenses are lower than your income or your income is greater than your expenses. It teaches us to invest our excess money rather than save in banks. In this way, our money will grow through wise investing as oppose to it just being left there in the bank. If one seeks to be financially free, he/she should study more about money and how it works and increase his financial literacy.

Financial freedom teaches us on how to create wise spending habits. After receiving our income we should save or invest first. This is versus the habit of paying our bills first and then saving what was left. I know that it is important to pay our bills but this practice can lead us a disciplined life in terms of investing and saving. Giving tithes or 10% of your monthly income to churches is also a teaching under financial freedom.

There are many ways to learn financial freedom. Check your local listings for other seminars about money and business opportunities.