Scrapbooking Hobby Ode

50 Ideas to Get Organized and Enjoy Your Scrapbooking Hobby

Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby! Besides being relaxing and fun, it also allows you to be creative and to spend quality time with your family and friends. Plus, it results in a storybook of lifelong memories.

One very important element of scrapbooking is getting it all organized. This includes, but is not limited to:
- storing all of your supplies in an organized fashion so they can be found instantly when you need them.
- remembering what supplies to pick up at the store, and eliminating duplicate purchases.
- finding time to research new and creative ways to spruce up your scrapbooks.
- finding enough time to enjoy the art of scrapbooking in your busy life.

1. TELL A STORY.
Plan your photos, before you shoot. Instead of taking random shots of someone standing here, or someone else sitting there, tell a story. For example, let's say it's Halloween. You may plan on taking four photos of your child:
on the hayride taking him/her to the pumpkin field.
looking for a pumpkin.
finding a pumpkin.
with the carved pumpkin later.

2. GREAT PHOTOS.
Photos for your scrapbooks can be extra nice if you take a little bit of time to learn some basic photography. Visit www.kodak.com for a quick photography tutorial. Getting organized has a lot to do with preparation and this site is filled with helpful tips and ideas.

3. WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN.
Organized documentation is important for the serious scrapbooker. The main goal is to eliminate future questions such as "Who or what is that?", "Where and when was this photo taken?", and so on. Document photos as you're taking them, so you'll know exactly what is on each roll of film. That way you'll be prepared when you're ready to organize the photos in your scrapbooks.

4. TAKE CARE OF THAT UNDEVELOPED FILM.
If you find rolls of film around your house that are ready to go to the developer, bring them today. You may consider mailing all of your film to a supplier such as www.mysticcolorlab.com so you don't have to spend time dropping off film or picking up photos. Simply mail your film out, and you'll get your photos back in the mail a week later. From now on, always get your film developed as soon as you take the used rolls out of your camera.

5. STORING PHOTOGRAPHS.
Once your photos are developed, you need a place to store them until you're ready to put them in your scrapbook. Keep them separated by year or event, in Ziplock bags. Label each bag with a number, and put a corresponding number on your Documentation Form. Then, store them in a photo box. Keep the box in a dry, cool place to protect your photos until you're ready to put the photos into your scrapbook.

6. ORGANIZING BOXES OF PHOTOS.
If you have boxes of photos that span from the beginning of the 1900's to now, it's time to start getting them organized. Schedule a day and time to begin sorting through them and stick with your appointment when the day rolls around. Get your kids, or friends, to help out. Begin by making piles, categorized by event or year. If you don't know the exact year, at least sort them by decade. This may take a little while, but once everything is separated, scrapbooking your photos will be much easier and more pleasant. Once they're all sorted, store your photographs as mentioned above.

7. WORK BACKWARDS.
If you're planning to scrapbook lots of photos from way back, start with the most recent photos you have, and work backwards. Chances are, you have a journal describing recent photos, and even if you don't, you can probably recall the details more easily. Older photos--the ones that you don't have a journal for--will take a little more thinking.

8. BABY STEPS.
If your scrapbooking hobby seems like a colossal job to you, it's not going to be fun. Don't feel like you have to put ALL of your photos into scrapbooks. You can always put the majority of your photos in acid-free photo albums or photo boxes where they will be safe. Choose a small set of photos to begin scrapbooking. Once you're done with this small set, you can then decide whether you want to dig into your photo albums or photo boxes and continue scrapbooking them, or leave those photos where they are, and simply scrapbook any new photos in the future.

9. DOUBLE PRINTS.
Double prints will do you no good if they're just sitting in your photo box taking up space. Do something with them. Perhaps send them to someone who is in the photograph. It's a great way to keep in touch. Or, pass the doubles onto your young children who may like to create their own scrapbooks. It's a great way for them to learn your beloved hobby and decide if they would like it to be a hobby of their own.

10. RELATED STUFF.
Sometimes, for the purpose of creatively decorating your scrapbook, you may wish to keep tickets, brochures, maps, postcards, and so on, that are related to a particular trip or event. Use manila file folders or catalog envelopes for this purpose. Label the folder/envelope so that you know which photos/Documentation Form it corresponds to. File these until they're ready to be used.

11. KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER.
Already have a pretty good idea of stickers, diecuts, etc. that you're planning to use with a particular set of photographs? Keep them in the same Ziplock bag with the photos until you're ready to put them into your scrapbook. This way, everything will be in one place and ready to use.

12. STICKERS AND SHAPES.
Stickers and punched shapes can be kept in acid-free sheet protectors, plastic baseball card sheets, business card sheets, or even Ziplock bags that are 3-hole punched. Each sheet should be categorized and labeled by theme: birthday, Christmas, Halloween, wedding, springtime, etc. Insert these sheets into a 3-ring binder. If you have a large number of stickers and shapes, you may want to use index dividers labeled with general categories. For example, a general HOLIDAY category, may hold Easter, Christmas/Hanukkah, Halloween, etc., a general SEASONS category, may hold Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring, and so on.

13. TINY STUFF.
For very tiny diecuts and other small items, consider storing then in empty film canisters. The clear ones are best, but if you only have opaque ones, simply stick a label--or the actual diecut attached with a piece of tape-- on the canister indicating what is inside. Baby food jars serve the same purpose well.

14. PAPER.
Where do you keep all of that cool paper until you're ready to use it? You can get a plastic, portable filing container--research its composition to assure archival safety--that holds hanging file folders. Label the hanging files by theme or color. You may want to place a manila file folder into each hanging file folder, to keep your papers from curling. Or, you may buy file folder pockets or sheet protectors that fit into a 3-ring binder and store your papers inside each pocket, categorized and labeled. By the way, be very careful not to store acid-free paper with other paper.

15. STORAGE CONTAINERS.
Do a little bit of research and purchase a scrapbooking organizer, which will hold papers, supplies, etc. There are many products on the market that can help you keep it all together. Many office supply stores carry six-drawer organization stations. They're vertical and have 6 see-through drawers of equal size. Each drawer can be designated for a different purpose--papers, templates/diecuts, stickers, etc. Plus, they have wheels, which makes them very easy to transport from one room to another. Or, if you often bring your scrapbooking supplies outside of your home, such as to a friend's house, use a portable system that isn't too heavy or cumbersome, and comes with a handle.

16. STENCILS.
Put your stencils/templates into sheet protectors that can be purchased at any office supplies store. Then insert them into a 3-ring binder for easy access. By the way, you can store two templates in one sheet protector with a piece of paper in between each--white or colored depending on the color of your template. This will make it easier to see the designs and eliminate them from catching onto each other.

17. SUPPLY CADDY.
If you always scrapbook at home, use a kitchen utensil caddy with a number of divided compartments, like those you normally keep tall kitchen spoons, ladles, and spatulas in. The ones that spin will keep everything you need at your fingertips.

18. HANG IT UP.
If you're lucky enough to have a room specifically designated for your scrapbooking hobby, hang a large pegboard above your work area. You can then attach scissors, templates, crimpers, rulers, stencils and more, all within easy sight and reach. In addition, you might hang a small ledge or shelf nearby, to store all of your corner rounders, photo corners, and so on. If you prefer everything out in the open, this system will work like a charm.

19. RUBBER STAMPS.
Store rubber stamps in shallow, plastic containers, a rubber stamping organizer, or a plastic organizer with shallow drawers. Don't stack stamps. They should be stored in a single layer, so that you can always see the top of the stamp showing the design.

20. OTHER STORAGE IDEAS.
Fishing tackle boxes--with compartments and levels that expand and collapse--are wonderful for storing scrapbooking supplies and tools. Plastic tool boxes, with many see-through drawers are also great for this purpose.

21. SCRAPBOOKING MAGAZINES.
Is your closet full of scrapbooking magazines? There are a few things to do about this dilemma. 1) You can go through your magazines, find the articles you wish to keep and organize them into file folders by category. In other words, keep the article, toss the magazine. 2) Or you can keep the magazines in cardboard magazine boxes. If you do this, you should always keep a list of the title/issue of the magazine, the pages that interest you, and a few words describing why they interested you. This way, you can just scan your list, instead of going through the entire magazine to find what you're looking for. You can even use your computer and create the list in a word processing file. Then using the Find feature, you can simply search for key words in your document.

22. HOLD THAT THOUGHT.
Rather than keeping all those great scrapbooking ideas and tips in your head--you know, the ones you pick up from magazines, web sites, etc.-- keep a 3-ring binder with some notepaper inside for all your thoughts and ideas. Plus, when you see something in a magazine, you can simply tear the page out of the magazine, 3-hold punch it, and place it in your binder. The same goes if you see something on a web site that you wish to refer to later; just print it out and insert it into your binder. You can even separate the binder into a few different sections, such as page layout ideas, organizing ideas, neat tools/supplies, etc.

23. CHOOSE A DESIGNATED WORK AREA.
Scrapbooking is more fun and less of a chore, when everything is in one place and in close, accessible proximity to your working area. Designate a room, or a portion of a room, in your home for this activity. You should be able to retrieve your supplies, photos, etc. in seconds, without having to walk into another room, or rummage through a closet.

24. SHOPPING.
Use an organized shopping system so you remember what you want to pick up for your hobby --scissors, crimpers, papers, etc. This will also eliminate purchasing items that you already have. When you think of something you need, immediately put it on a SCRAPBOOKING PICK UP list, and bring this list with you when you go shopping. Using 3 inch x 5 inch index cards, make examples of your cuts and punches on them. Label and keep them in your day timer, or a tiny 3-ring binder. Bring these cards with you when shopping for scrapbooking items, and you'll never buy duplicates. This also works great for remembering what color pens/pencils you have. Just draw a line on your index cards and label them.

25. USE WHAT YOU HAVE FIRST.
Resist the urge to buy a million new papers, punches, and so on, until you've used some of the craft supplies you already have. Unless you're planning on opening a scrapbooking warehouse, it's best to be choosy before emptying your wallet on new items, when you already have items you could use in your current supply.

26. SHOP ONLINE.
You'll save a lot of time running back and forth to the store, if you commit instead to making your purchases online.

27. TRADE.
If you have something that you haven't used in a year or more, such as craft scissors, stickers, etc., swap them with a friend. Who knows? Perhaps your friend will find immediate use for this item, and you will get something you can use right now in return.

28. GOALS.
Always set goals for your scrapbooking hobby, perhaps one to two pages a week. This is especially necessary if you're creating a scrapbook for an upcoming special occasion.

29. PLAN.
Before you start working on your pages, plan ahead. Arrange your photos in chronological order and gather stickers, diecuts, etc. that correspond with your photos. Think about your layout and how you plan to document each photo. This will ensure you're going to be happy with the final results, and will reduce the need to redo things.

30. DO THE TWO STEP.
Step One: Assemble your pages with your photos, documentation and critical diecuts.
Step Two: Decorate with stickers, stamps, etc. The two-step process will help you get the critical part (step one) done faster, and then you can continue with the second step (less important) later on.

31. KEEP YOUR PAGES SIMPLE.
Although you may really feel the need for creating a work of art on occasion, if your goal is to get a scrapbook done as quickly as possible, keep it simple. Getting photos and documentation in the album is the main goal. Save your really creative moments for extra special scrapbooking projects. And remember, too much stuff on any one page, takes away from the photos.

32. QUICK COLOR SCHEMES.
Quickly, organize your scrapbooks with colors that compliment each other, by referencing a good color harmony book. You can pick one up at your local bookstore. They include hundreds of color combination examples. Color Harmony, by Hideaki Chijiiwa, is an excellent book for this purpose.

33. MULTI-TASKING.
Looking for a few minutes here or there to catch up on your scrapbooking? Take and make all your phone calls in the same room as your designated scrapbooking work area. Then, while you're on the phone with your friends or family, you can crop, frame or mount at the same time. Or, instead of making punches when you need them, make a bunch of punches at once while you're watching television, or are on the telephone, or when you're waiting for a pot of water to boil. This will save time later because your punches will be ready when you need them.

34. GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED.
Many people like to get their kids involved with the actual project, such as arranging stickers, applying diecuts, etc. If you would rather your kids were not involved with the actual project, give them a project of their own. You can always find a few photos that you're not going to use in your scrapbook, some inexpensive paper, kid scissors, etc. Then have each child make their very own scrapbook. Either way, the kids will be occupied, which will give you time to enjoy your hobby.

35. ELIMINATE BICKERING.
If you have more than one child that is involved with a scrapbooking activity, get them each their own plastic storage box and/or accordion files to keep their own supplies in. This way, when they want to work on their scrapbook, all of their supplies will already be separated. You may even color code their supplies, plastic boxes, etc. so they always know which stuff belongs to them. For example, blue container, blue scissors and markers labeled in blue for Billy, and all pink for Sally.

36. FAMILY TIME.
Scrapbooking is a great way to spend some time with your family. Get the whole family involved and around the table at the same time. It's a great time to share ideas and dreams with each other. Can't seem to get the male family members involved? Perhaps they can sit at the table while the females are scrapbooking, and they could do something they enjoy at the same time. At least everyone will be together and having fun.

37. TEAM UP.
Scrapbooking is a great way to spend time with your friends and catch up with each other. Start a scrapbooking club and meet at each other's homes one day every few weeks. Make a party of it!

38. IDENTIFY.
The next time you get together with friends, or a scrapbooking club, put a little piece of colored tape on your scissors' handles, the sides of your punch tools, pens, etc. Then, everyone could share, but you'll be sure to get your tools back when it's time to go home.

39. DON'T TAKE THE KITCHEN SINK.
If you're going to be scrapbooking at a friend's home, take a few minutes to plan what you want to work on. By doing this, you will only have to carry those supplies you're going to use. In other words, if you're going to be working on a wedding theme, there's no reason to be carrying all of your holiday items with you.

40. CLEAR THE WAY.
If you are spending too much time looking for supplies, background papers, photos, frames, that great rubber stamp and so on, then, it's time to organize your work station. Declutter and toss out or trade those items you don't need, you don't like, etc. Organize your supplies into binders and storage containers. You should always be working on a clear surface, with only the current project in front of you.

41. CLEAN UP THE SCRAPS.
If there is a wastepaper basket right near your work station, all of the scraps that you're not planning on using can be tossed immediately. Don't leave trash on your work surface. If you visit a friend's home, you may want to carry along an empty tissue box so that all scraps can be discarded immediately, and make clean-up for your host quick and easy.

42. PUT IT AWAY.
Always have a home for your supplies, and when you're finished using them, take a few moments to put everything away. You should be able to start fresh with a clear mind and a clear surface.

43. BIG ITEM/SMALL ITEM.
Never place a big item over a smaller item, because if you do, it will be out of sight, and difficult to find quickly.

44. ERGONOMICS.
Organize your work area for increased productivity. Make sure it's well lit. Have a comfortable chair to sit on. Your supplies and tools should be within arms reach.

45. SAFETY.
Organize your scrapbooking with safety in mind. Use a protective covering for your table. Craft mats are great for cutting on. Scissors and other sharp tools should be face down in a holder, and out of a young child's reach.

46. MAKE IT EASY.
Different personality styles require different organization systems. Make sure you use an organization system you can live with--one that works with your style and that allows you to find things without delay. If you find things easier when they're alphabetized, then use that type of system. Perhaps you're better at finding things by color. Then use that system. Your organization system must work in harmony with your personality.

47. DON'T DO SO MUCH.
Finding the time for your scrapbooking and/or rubberstamping hobby can be difficult if you have too many things going on in your life. Reduce or eliminate the activities you don't truly enjoy. Reduce the activities of your children. Get on an organized cleaning schedule, so you're not wasting the entire weekend cleaning up. Make easier dinners that are healthy, but take half the time to prepare. Get your family to help out with household chores and obligations.

48. SPARE TIME.
Those spare minutes that we all have can be put to good use. Have to wait at the doctor's office for your appointment? Sketch out a quick layout idea. Waiting for the wash cycle to finish? Sort out some photos, or gather supplies for tomorrow's scrapbooking project.

49. WRITE IT DOWN.
Don't ever leave your home without a small notebook in hand. You're bound to come up with a thought, or a cute caption, for your scrapbook. If you don't write it down right away, you may forget about it. You may also want to keep a small pad and a pen right near your bedside, in case you have a bright idea in the middle of the night.

50. ENJOY!
Plan, organize and schedule some time to enjoy your creations with family and friends. Scrapbooking is all about fun, laughter, memories, and touching moments!

Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office and your life at the Get Organized Now: http://www.getorganizednow.com.

Organizing Kids Artwork Poem

7 Easy Ideas for Organizing Kids Artwork

In school, kids are encouraged to create, draw, color, paint and build. These activities can certainly stimulate children, and help them grow.

Very often, these masterpieces that your children create are brought home and proudly displayed. But what do you do when all of the artwork begins to take over your home? Here are 7 great ideas:

1. FIND THE DIAMONDS. Rather than keeping every single piece of artwork your child creates, sit down with your child on a regular basis and ask him to choose the one or two he likes best. By the end of the year, you should have no more than 5 pieces of artwork that your child believes to be his "best" pieces. This will help keep the artwork under control, and will still give you an opportunity to save his creations for future memories.

2. A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. Take photos of the artwork that your child creates and keep these photos in a scrapbook. This way, even if the artwork is discarded for space purposes, you'll still have the memory!

3. KIDS FILE STORAGE BOX. Office supply stores carry portable file boxes that hold hanging file folders. These generally have a cover and a handle for easy portability. Help your child create her very own filing system. Perhaps one file folder for 2nd grade artwork, one for 3rd grade artwork, and so on. Now, all the drawings, and any type of artwork that lays flat, will be kept safe and organized. You'll even be teaching your child filing skills! It's never too early!

4. KEEP IT CONTAINED. For other artwork that does not lay flat, the perfect container may be a large, plastic container with a lid. Your child will have a space for shadowboxes, and other artwork that won't fit into a file folder. Again, be choosy. If you keep every single piece of artwork your child brings home for the next 15 years, your house is going to be overflowing with it.

5. HANG IT. Get your child his very own artwork bulletin board so he can display his favorite artwork in his bedroom. When organized on a nice cork board, this really adds a nice touch to a child's room. Plus, your child can very easily switch one piece of art, with another.

6. SUPPLY MANIA. If your child produces a lot of artwork at home, she probably has tons of crayons, markers and other art supplies. Keep it all in a portable box, light enough for your child to be able to transport it from one room into the next. In addition, separate and organize the supplies into separate Zip-lock baggies before putting them in the box. This will keep everything organized and easily accessible.

7. THE PERFECT GIFT. Kids artwork makes the perfect gift for grandma, grandpa, sister Jane, Aunt Sue, Uncle Jim, and so on. Rather than buying gifts for your child to give to family members, encourage them to give their creations away as special gifts to special people.

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now! http://www.getorganizednow.com.

Home Based Business Focus Serenade

Hocus Pocus? It's Just Focus!

How many times have you wondered what magic formula the top Net earners were using?

There really isn't any magic involved. No magic wand or success secret that only a select few know about.

Making money on the Net boils down to one thing, and one thing only.

FOCUS

Easier said then done. Right? Do the following statements sound familiar?

*All these emails in my in box I just HAVE to read because they just MIGHT contain a few that aren't spam.*
*I'll just check out those couple of websites and I promise not to let myself get carried away with following link after link.*
*Wow, this new, hot, just launching program looks GREAT. Signing up for one more Affiliate program can't hurt.*
* Goals? What goals? I don't have time to write down goals.*

Chances are you've caught yourself saying most of these statements. Haven't you?

Focusing will insure you don't say them ever again. So what do I mean when I say *FOCUS*?

I mean CHANNELING your actions like this....
1. Don't spread yourself too thin. Market ONE program successfully before you add a second program.
2. The majority of those who write down their goals and create a goal schedule actually succeed.
3. Be strict with yourself and schedule your time for answering emails, promotion activities and surfing the net.
4. Start using an email program to manage your incoming and outgoing emails. Make sure you choose one that allows you to set up filters so you can send known spam straight to the trash can.

Eudora Pro or Pegasus have great filtering capabilities. And you can get both for FREE.

Download Eudora from http://www.eudora.com/

Download Pegasus from http://www.pmail.com/

Taking the time to follow the above 4 channeling activities will result in less time spent on unproductive activities and ultimately produce a larger online income.

And wasn't that the reason why you started your online home based business? To supplement your income? Or get away from the rat race? Give yourself the chance to succeed. Focus.

Focusing is a skill. A skill anyone can develop. Your future success depends on it.

Remember this simple formula....

FOCUS + EFFORT = SUCCESS

Write it down, tape it to the top of your monitor and read it everyday.

And while you're at it....throw that magic wand in the trash. (Whoever would have thought you could buy one on eBay?)

Evonne Llewellyn - Publisher, Webmaster and successful Home Based Business Owner. Subscribe to Success Solutions Globalzine published since 1998 and get the solutions and resources You need for Your success at http://www.successsolutions.com.

Filmmaking Skills Opus

Filmmaking - Five Good Producer Skills

You may believe a thorough knowledge of filmmaking and the entertainment industry is enough to make you a good movie producer. While it certainly helps to know the nuts and bolts of movie production, and even the details of financing and marketing a movie, that knowledge is not enough to create a good producer. It might make for a good studio executive, or other job out of the fray, but you need to develop specific skills, to help you make an independent film.

The first and most important skill you need is organization. If you were the kid who kept the minutes of the club meetings, edited the yearbook, or organized the prop-closet by era, you already have this skill. It is something that is hard to teach, but you can certainly learn it, to become more organized.

If you are the person who can’t find his keys and has no idea how much is in your checking account, you need help. Get organized. There is simply no substitute for it.

Buy a book about getting organized. I recommend “How to Get Organized When You Don’t Have The Time,” by Stephanie Culp. http://snurl.com/gqg5

Or take a Franklin - Covey course. Do whatever you have to do, but get organized.

Second, you need to be able to make decisions quickly. Despite the best planning, things change moment-to-moment during production. You will have to decide right now whether to set up the next shot despite the looming storm clouds, or to move on to another location, completely disrupting the schedule.

The best way to develop this skill is to completely bury your doubt. Know that you are in charge, any mistakes to be made are yours to make and you will suffer the consequences of bad decisions. If you act decisively, and accept blame when necessary, your cast and crew will accept your decisions unquestioningly.

Third, you must be a good negotiator. You will have to make deals for every single thing on the set - the equipment, the sets, the crew, the film stock, everything. Even if you’re borrowing your mom’s station wagon, you will have to convince her you will take good care of it, and return it washed, and with a full tank of gas. Everything will have to be negotiated.

When negotiating rates, know the maximum you can pay for any one line item on your budget and try to shave 20 or 30 percent off of it. If they negotiate up, you may still save 15 percent or so off what you expected to pay.

There is one thing you need to know when negotiating: You can always say no. If you can’t get the deal you want, just say no. Practice it. No. There is no need to be a jerk, just make it clear that you will take your business or offer elsewhere. If a crew member doesn’t want to accept your day rate, he doesn’t have to. You will find someone else (assuming you set your rate at a reasonable low-budget level).

Fourth, a producer also needs diplomacy. It’s surprising how often a film shoot devolves into a third-grade playground. In just a few short weeks, cliques form, rumors start and friendships are formed and ruined. Crew members and actors will, believe it or not, come tattle to you. Sometimes you will have to intercede in petty squabbles and personality conflicts. The trick is to smooth ruffled feathers while not making one combatant feel like you’ve taken another’s side. That will only set factions against you, and that’s the last thing you want on your set.

And fifth, of course, you will need energy. Lots and lots of energy. Caffeine helps to get you started after only a few hours sleep, but it is no substitute for real, healthy human energy. One of the things you must do during pre-production is get yourself in shape for the rigorous weeks of shooting. You’re in training, not for a sprint, but for a marathon.

Working on lower budgets, independent films often have a much tighter schedule, making for longer days and fewer days off. Take it seriously beforehand, and train like a champion. Exercise, eat healthy, and take vitamins and supplements to build your energy stores, so you can get through it.

After you have these five basic producer skills down, you will be ready to develop your knowledge of the filmmaking process and the entertainment industry, by producing a successful independent film.

Angela Taylor is a Hollywood producer, and a seven-time Telly Award winner. She teaches Independent Producing at http://hollywoodseminars.com.

Attracting Sexy Women Verse

When attracting Sexy Women, Remember... Time And Circumstance Change Everything

Many guys are just too intimidated and full of anxiety around sexy women to be successful at attracting women. I've even seen guys who turn women's heads walking into a room who have this issue. Let me help some of you who may have this "between the ears" handicap.

I have a good friend of mine who teaches people how to become millionaires by investing in real estate. He's bought and sold over 1,500 houses in his real estate career. The guy is a real doer, not a talker (he’s pretty good at attracting women, too)… and one of the most successful guys I know. I asked him what he considered to be the most important key to being a successful Real Estate investor. He looked me right in the eye and said this: "Time and circumstance change everything." How does this apply to attracting desirable and sexy women?

See, in Real Estate investing you have to deal with a "motivated seller" so you can get the house at the right price and make a nice profit when you "cash out." You have to deal with those who need to sell, not want to sell. What my friend told me was this: some of the best deals he ever put together came from dealing with people who told him no month after month after month… and then they finally said yes (much like sexy women will). What happened? Time and circumstance changed. They went from wanting to sell, to needing to sell, and when they needed to sell he was still there. If he'd been like most real estate investors and forgotten about the deal as soon as he heard "no" he would never have been as successful as he is today. The same thing applies to attracting women.

Here's the truth about how people, including sexy women, think: No decision, however firm in the moment, is ever final. Ever. Decisions are always being made, and re-made based on time and circumstance. An unmotivated seller today may be very motivated tomorrow.

The same thing applies when it comes to attracting women. I hear guy after guy say, "She rejected me, I have no chance with sexy women like her." Or, "She left me for another guy. She's gone forever." All that's malarkey… just send all those women over to the King and eventually I'll allow them to spend time with me, no matter what they say in the beginning.

Why? Because time and circumstance change everything, whether you’re selling real estate, or meeting intimidating, sexy women. A few years ago I had a truly amazing once in a lifetime experience with a woman, Christine R. (she's one of my female testimonials at www.womenapproachyou.com/enter.htm) from Seattle. She saw an article about me, contacted me and we wound up meeting in Reno, sharing an experience that is really indescribable. It felt like we lived a lifetime together in three days—an amazing example of what can happen when you master the art of attracting women.

However, due to distance and other factors we both knew a long term committed relationship was out of the question, although we continued to meet as "adventure partners." But I knew she'd eventually meet a guy for a long term relationship because family was very important to her. And she did. And it was painful for me. HOWEVER… I didn't get mad or place her in the "ex's" category or the "friends category" (like many men do when “dumped” by sexy women). Nope, instead I left our relationship open to endless possibilities, although at the time she assured me she had met "the one," and that she and I would never be intimate again. (I, being the King, said it was not "the one," simply the "next one.")

But time and circumstance change everything, especially when attracting women. And I did see her again in an intimate way. And she is in my life today, in a totally different way than I ever expected-in a way where we can both be truly happy for each other no matter if the other is in a relationship or not. That never would have happened had we become "just friends" or "ex's." And it rarely happens with men who date sexy women.

What can you learn from this? No matter what a woman tells you at the time, all decisions are subject to change. I have been told three times in my life by women I cared deeply for that our time together was over. But it wasn't. If I'd reacted like the typical guy and considered these sexy women "evil bitches" who were out to get me, our "future time" never ever would have happened. But I simply gave them my genuine understanding, told them how much our time together meant, and let them know I would be in their lives in whatever capacity they needed, without judgment, without ulterior motive, without ever saying, "I told you so." And all three came back to me, and our relationships to this day are stronger than they ever were before. Why? Because I understand this when it comes to attracting women: time and circumstance change everything.

John Alanis, "The King of Let 'em Come to You", is author of the "Women Approach You" system at http://www.womenapproachyou.com. His blog is at http://www.johnalanis.com.

Lifetime Marketing Success Ode

Building Trust For Lifetime Success

Trust.

One word.

One very powerful word that can increase both first time and repeat sales to an unlimited degree.

Trust.

What is it? Why is it so important? How do you get it?

Confidence in you from your cutomers, builds relationships and as a result, more sales, and through excellent customer service.

That's the short and sweet of it.

Now, how about a little more meat to it.

What is trust and why is it so important?

Definition: confidence in a person or thing because of the qualities one perceives or seems to perceive in him or it. (Webster's)

The confidence that any visitor or potential customer has about your business, service or product is the foundation of present and future success.

Before any potential customer even enters your site for the first time, there's this underlying feeling of distrust. It's automatic.

Either they're new to the Internet, received a poor product or service from a competitor or have already been scammed a few times.

Your first contact is either in some ad you placed in an ezine, classified, message board, banner, search engine description or some other form of advertising. Was it full of hype or were you honest in what your product or service delivers?

Once that customer enters your site and they don't see what was stated in your ad...........

goodbye, you just lost a sale and probably a lifetime customer.

If you can't be honest in your ad, then you're pobably not going to be with your product or service. So, why should that visitor stick around only to be disappointed or scammed again? Would you?

Do you know what happens when that visitor leaves your site? They email an ezine editor, friend, or leave a nasty little post on a message board about their not so wonderful experience with you, and you're credibility is gone.

How do you build that trust?

Believe it or not, it's not that hard. It does take effort and it's an ongoing process, not something you do once and forget about it.

Be Honest.

The importance of building trust really shows through here. Honesty should be at the front of your mind when you write up your ads and web site copy. Especially when that advertisement includes something free. Don't use free just to get visitors, your trust and credibility takes a hard nose dive when the "freebie" is junk.

Only write exactly what your product or service delivers and leave the hype and exageration out.

Don't Hype

I always skip over the ads that actually promise truckloads of money with little or no effort. Come on.

BIG BOLD HEADLINES are a sure sign of hype to nth degree. Promises that are impossible, like the truckloads of cash, are always a big giveaway. If your product doesn't have it or do it, then don't promise it.

Follow Up

If you've done everything right so far and you are making sales, don't forget about the customer. Follow up with a thank you letter. Add a special bonus that they didn't know about. Ask them if they like your product or service. Ask if there is anything else you can help them with.

Bottom line is, build a relationship without trying to always sell them something. Talk to them, not at them or down to them. Be their friend and actually help them out when they need it, if you can.

Use Testimonials on your site.

When you followed up with your customers and asked if they liked your product, then ask if you can use their comments on your site. Of course, you'll also include their name, email and website address.

Testimonials build enormous instant credibility. If a visitor to your site sees that there are already satisified customers, then you deliver what you say you will and you've kept in touch with that customer. Plus the name and email also keeps the visitor comfortable as they know that they can get in touch with that person to verify what they had to say was, in fact, true.

As you can see, building trust isn't all that hard.

Just be sincere. Be personable. Be available.

If you follow these few rules to help you gain trust and credibility among both your site's visitors and your peers, then you'll gain both lifetime customers of your product and lifetime relationships with some really good people.

Randy Lever is the owner of the "Complete Internet Marketing Package", Marketing Profit. Learn the ins and outs of a successful ad campaign: http://www.glimmersmarketing.com/marketingprofit.

Tax Advises Poem

Tax Strategist Advises IRS Extensions Due to National Tragedy

Taxpayers and companies whose deadline for tax returns was September 17th or in coming weeks, are being granted extensions by the IRS due to the national tragedy which disrupted lives as well as flight delivery and mail services.

According to CPA and tax strategist Diane Kennedy of TaxCents, a tax education company that helps people make informed tax-advantaged financial decisions from a position of power and knowledge, "With heavy hearts, as we proceed to get back to business as usual, it's important for taxpayers to be aware of the IRS's granting of filing extensions for three categories of people affected by the terrorist attack and the tax filing relief for each." Specific updated information can be found at www.legaltaxloopholes.com. IRS categories are:

Special extensions for (1) victims of the crash, (2) all workers assisting in the relief, and (3) taxpayers who are working within the disaster area:
1. Individual returns on extensions past September 10, 2001 are extended to February 12, 2002.
2. All other returns extended 120 days.
3. Estimated taxes originally due after September 11, 2001 extended to January 15, 2002.

Taxpayers experiencing difficulties because of disruptions in delivery systems in these areas will receive the following extensions:
1. Tax returns due now are extended to November 15, 2001.
2. Payments for these tax returns are due by October 31, 2001.
3. Estimated tax payments have been extended to November 15, 2001.

The third category of affected taxpayers is the broadest and defined as "taxpayers who, regardless of their location, are continuing to experience difficulties in meeting their filing and tax payment requirements on account of events related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack."
1.All tax returns and payment of estimated taxes due September 10, 2001 thru September 24, 2001 has been extended to September 24, 2001.

Diane Kennedy, CPA and tax strategist, is co-owner of TaxCents, a tax education company designed to encourage individuals to make informed tax-advantaged financial decisions from a position of power and knowledge. At www.legaltaxloopholes.com TaxCents offers books, tapes, seminars and the latest in what's hot in tax loopholes. Kennedy is author of "Loopholes of the Rich: How The Rich Legally Make More Money & Pay Less Tax." TaxCents can be reached at (866) TAXCENTS.

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com.

Get A Bike Helmet Serenade

Got Wheels? Get A Helmet!

Bikes, in-line skates, scooters and skateboards are popular with Canadian kids. These activities are great ways to keep fit, but it's important to remember the risks that come hand-in-hand with kids on wheels.

In Canada, thousands of children and teens are injured every year doing wheeled activities. For that reason, Safe Kids Canada, a national child safety program, has launched the "Got Wheels - Get a Helmet!" campaign this spring. Safe Kids Canada urges parents and caregivers to follow these three tips to keep their children safe:

1. Make sure your child wears a helmet whenever he or she is on wheels. Head injuries from wheeled activities can be devastating and even fatal. A properly fitting and correctly worn helmet cuts the risk of serious head or brain injury by up to 88 per cent.
2. Make sure your child wears the helmet correctly. A helmet needs to be worn correctly to protect the head. It should cover the top of the child's forehead and sit level on the head. Each side strap should meet in a "V" shape around your child's ears. The chin strap should be snug around the chin, but still comfortable. The helmet should not move when your child nods or shakes his or her head.
3. Supervise your child until at least age 8. Most injuries happen when children lose control of their equipment and fall. The ability to prevent falls requires practice as well as coordination and judgment, which develop with age. Supervise your child to ensure he or she knows all the safety rules and can use equipment properly. Keep your child away from cars and other vehicles.

For more information about safety on wheels, call Safe Kids Canada at 1 888 SAFE TIPS or visit www.safekidscanada.ca. The "Got Wheels - Get a Helmet!" campaign, held during Safe Kids Week, runs from June 3 to June 9 and is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. J&J is providing an additional $100,000 to buy helmets for children from low-income families across Canada. During Safe Kids Week, a portion of each purchase of participating J&J and McNeil products will be donated to the program.

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

Wallpaper Master of Illusion Opus

Become a Master of Illusion with Wallpaper (Decorating with wallpaper)

Trompe l'oeil, or "deceive the eye," is a time-honored decorative effect for adding architectural details, textures and even furnishings or whole scenes where they do not really exist. Today, thanks to sophisticated printing techniques, trompe l'oeil images once achieved only by master painters are available on wallpaper.

So realistic looking is the stone wallpaper in the First Class Male collection by S.A. Maxwell Co., that, without touching it, most people would never detect that it's actually a pattern printed on washable, durable, matte-finish wallpaper.

A great tool for creating or enhancing popular lodge and mountain cabin looks, this wallpaper can turn a simple fireplace into the focal point of a room. Install it on both sides of the fireplace or use it to create a faux stone chimney. Add a rustic wood beam mantel and hang your favorite catch above it. You can hang art or objects on this stone wall without a heavy-duty drill bit. And unlike the real thing, the stone on this fireplace can be wiped clean with just a damp cloth.

To add the drama of stone pillars to your mountain retreat, measure the width and height of the wall. Then determine a sequence of alternating stone pillars with open space between them. Cut around the edges of the stone shapes on strips of wallpaper the height of your ceiling and hang each strip vertically the full height of the wall, allowing equal space between each strip. For a different variation on the rustic theme, use the stone pattern along the lower portion of the wall to create a chair rail. Or add a touch of country to your kitchen with a stone soffit above the cabinets.

City or country, this faux stone wallpaper makes a great fortress in a child's room. Install it 36 inches up from the floor, trim the top edge to outline the stone shapes, and put cloud wallpaper above it.

An entirely different feel is achieved with the trompe l'oeil bookshelf in Maxwell's First Class Male collection. It brings warmth and tradition to any room and when used at the end of a hall or stair landing, actually seems to extend the space.

The same pattern can define different areas within a large room. On the far wall of a master bedroom it can signal a separation between the sleeping area and the entry to the master bath. Use it to warm up the living area of a great room in which the kitchen, dining and family room are all open to each other.

The ultimate English library can be achieved with the addition of faux bookshelves on either side of a fireplace or up to chair-rail height along the bottom of the walls. As a finishing touch, install a subtle textured or striped wallpaper above it. Set the right tone for your home office by installing a faux bookcase or two on the wall behind your desk. And in any room, disguise a door by turning it into a bookcase.

To locate a retailer that carries First Class Male and other wallpaper collections from S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com.

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.aracontent.com.