Book Review: Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher; Harvard Common Press

In today's fast-paced society, TV dinners and fast food can easily take the place of good home cooking. But with the help of one of the most underused appliances in most people's kitchen -- the freezer -- anyone can make and preserve about two weeks' worth of delicious home-cooked meals in a matter of hours. Jessica Fisher' s Not Your Mother provides the key to doing so. Fisher outlines 200 recipes for delectable breakfasts, lunches, and dinners through the method of batch cooking that saves both time and money.

This cookbook puts a modern spin on the age-old idea of freezing meals for later, and appeals to today's diverse tastes, providing recipes for not only chicken, beef, and pork, but also fish, shellfish, and vegetarian main courses. Fisher also details how to go about using the freezer to its full potential, giving information on the best freezer bags and, most importantly, how to thaw food safely after it has been frozen.

 

Supper time! The sound of those two words can conjure up memories of your family sitting down to dinner together and enjoying themselves. Lively conversations that make your heart squeeze, and everybody loving your handmade meal!

BUT at the same time those same two words can also bring to mind being so tired that you feel dead on your feet. While you are trying to conjure up something actually edible that doesn’t take forever to cook; the kids are fighting, the dog is running rampant, and your phone just won’t SHUT UP!

So, take out food clearly runs through your mind. Maybe a can of soup or something microwavable? This is clearly the easy way out but definitely not the healthy way! All those extra calories and added sodium is a big no-no!

When I asked to review the book Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher , I thought it was going to be a book of nothing but recipes. I was pretty sure there would be some recipes that I couldn’t ever possibly make because of the extensive and expensive list of ingredients. NOT so! There are no weird ingredients and nothing in this book is expensive or hard to find!

This book definitely exceeded my expectations because it has how-to and tips for freezing the recipes! What can and can’t be frozen, freezing techniques, packaging to freeze, and so much more! The recipes aren’t just a bunch of weird high priced ingredients thrown together, they all look very delicious! The instructions are very detailed and easy to understand as well!

There are cooking plans that consist of breakfasts, beef, meatless.. etc. then gives the grocery lists to go with the plans, which makes it easier for a busy mom! Then she goes even further into detail with packaging guidelines for freezing, prep lists, appliances/gadgets needed, and the complete detailed cooking plan.

There is so much information on the first 64 pages that truly helped me out and came in handy. It’s like Jessica (the author) is holding your hand throughout the process and explaining. She does all the hard work for us, all we have to do is shop for the ingredients, cook the food, and then freeze it.

She even explains how to successfully organize and plan  a few hours a week or every other week into making and freezing! These recipes are definitely healthier than take our or high calorie, high sodium microwave dinners! Something you can just come home and pop in the oven!

This book has definitely changed my outlook on life (no kidding). I’ve never owned a recipe book that influenced my life in such a manner that makes those long days bearable! No more tired, dragging, standing over a hot stove cooking! I can now just come home and take something from the freezer if I have had a long day and don’t feel like cooking!

The expectations and advice about buying and freezing by the bulk is amazing. Not only will your sanity be saved but it definitely helps save money in the long run! Buying the ingredients in bulk when they are on sale and then making a ton of recipes that include those ingredients. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be buying a deep freezer here soon.

There are a variety of recipes too, which is another plus for the book. Usually make ahead and freeze books contain a TON of casserole recipes, but this one has plenty of everything. It has stews, casseroles, soups, and even pizza kits and taco kits.. etc.

Calzones, burritos, meatballs are ready for you to make and freeze. Your family will definitely thank you if you get this book! They will love that they can take the burritos and calzones and pop them in the microwave if you have a late day or early meeting. You’ll definitely love that a couple dedicated hours a week will save you so much time throughout the week, and you’ll actually be able to enjoy dinner with your family!

This is definitely a book to buy in bulk and give as Christmas gifts to all your family and friends. They won’t EVER forget what you got them by next Christmas. They won’t lose it and it definitely won’t go unused! This is definitely something for anybody no matter how old, what gender, or how many kids they have!

Get yours: Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook (NYM Series) $12.14

 

About the Author

Jessica Fisher is a busy mom of six young children, aged toddler to teen. Homeschool mom by day, freelance writer and blogger by night, she writes two popular blogs, LifeasMom.com and GoodCheapEats.com and contributes to both SimpleHomeschool.net and Food.YourWay.net. She also writes for various parenting publications in the U.S. and Canada. She lives with her husband and children in San Diego, California and is an avid home cook. Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead and Freeze is her first book.

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: Fake It: More Than 100 Shortcuts Every Woman Needs to Know by Jennifer Byrne; Adams Media

No one is perfect—but everyone can fake it

Let's get real. At one point or another, every woman has had to fake it—how else would we get everything done in a mere twenty-four hours? Fake It makes all those time-sucking tasks—such as doing the laundry, baking a homemade dessert for a school fundraiser, and maintaining a socially acceptable level of personal hygiene—seem effortless. With more than 100 shortcuts and wonderfully constructed white lies, you'll be able to fake it all, including:

• An immaculate bathroom when the in-laws visit
• Flawless skin for that big night out
• Liking a crappy dinner at a friend's house
• A tidy car on carpool day
• Knowing the answer to your client's question
• And yes, of course, faking an orgasm

So whether you're asked for your opinion about a stomach-turning outfit, really not feeling it in bed, or just too tired to clean the house, Fake It will give you the foolproof advice you need to get through all of life's situations.

Let’s be straight and honest with each other here. NO woman OR man is perfect. No matter how much they seem to THINK they are, act like they are, or STRIVE to be. People have imperfections and that’s OK—REALLY! I’m full of them,  

There is absolutely no way on earth that we would get everything done on our to-do lists some days if we couldn’t pull of a little fakey fakey every once in awhile. This fabulously amazing book Fake It: More Than 100 Shortcuts Every Woman Needs to Know shows us women how to fake it perfectly!

Fake It takes those FOREVER THERE, energy draining thoughts or tasks and reveals insider secrets on how to accomplish it without feeling so tired you could fall into a coma after. You know what I’m talking about! Those days when your schedule is so full you might even have to eat your lunch standing up while writing that last memo to your boss! Ahh.. the life of a woman.. what a JOY! LOL

This isn’t your average LIFE HACK book that might show you how to create your own soap at home! NO- this isn’t THAT kind of faking it book. No, this book is HILARIOUS and just what every woman needs! This has some off the wall stuff that hits you like a ton of bricks! Like “WHAT?!!” “I can do that? Holy CRAP!” It’s THAT amazing!

Like for instance did you know that you can get a free birthday cake at restaurants even if it isn’t YOUR birthday? WOW! Or that you CAN get away with faking that O that’s never gonna happen tonight?

How about multi-tasking while talking on the phone? Fixing eyebrows when they are having a midlife crisis and want to go bald? Depuffing those HUGE black circles under your eyes that make you look like a zombie?

I love all the beauty and hair tips! They are spot-on and there are so many RIGHT there! You aren’t spending an hour or so googling ways to make your skin look flawless without looking like you’ve caked a million pounds of makeup on!

You KNOW those days when the texture of your skin just looks blah, you’ve gotten a zit at the very last moment before you have to give a huge presentation, or you have uneven skin you need to cover.. It’s all there!

What about faking your resume? When you really really want that certain position yet you don’t exactly qualify for it? OR if you already have a job and want a lazy day while looking like you just had the most productive day EVER!!

What about when unexpected guests show you to your house and you want to look like you’re an immaculate housekeeper. You don’t want them to know that you have bills spilling off and spitting out of your kitchen table! So, get this book and found out how to do ALL these amazing things!

I’ve had a blast reading this book! I love the extras that are in it.. like how to fake talking to a celebrity, fake an incoming call when a date goes south, and how to fake a homemade meal when you haven’t been home all day!!

Get it: Fake It: More Than 100 Shortcuts Every Woman Needs to Know $10.85

It would make the PERFECT gift for Christmas! Remember that!

For other humorous books, Crime book, cook books and more visit the Adams Media Book Store!

About the Author

Jennifer Byrne is a freelance writer whose work has appeared online at various humor websites, including McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Mental Floss, and The Rumpus' "Funny Women" column. She currently lives in Glassboro, New Jersey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review & Giveaway: Crochet For Dolls; 25 Fun, Fabulous Outfits for 18-inch Dolls by Nicky Epstein; Nicky Epstein Books

Who better than design superstar Nicky Epstein to create an adorable collection of crochet patterns for today's wildly popular 18-inch dolls? Epstein's 25 playful, fashion-forward garments—from hats, coats, and jackets to dresses, skirts, tops, and pants—range from classic to chic to trendy, and she gives all the basics on measuring, getting a great fit, and choosing the right yarn and needles. Nicky's outfits make up a stylish complete doll wardrobe—perfect for a special little girl's special friend!

My daughter Adisyn turned 4 this year and so she got her first 18’ doll. I thought she was finally mature enough to care for one without losing it, breaking it, or stripping it naked and losing all it’s clothes.

Just like any normal girl, her “dolls” can never have enough clothes or accessories. What’s better as a mom then to be able to handcraft her those clothes and accessories? Something she can play with for years and years? Something she will love and cherish for a long time!Something she might want to keep to put in her memory box after she is through playing with them!

The uniqueness and originality of the designs is just absolutely stunning! I can’t say that there is ONE design in the book that I don’t want to make at some point in the future. There are a huge variety of patterns to make to suit any girls vivid imagination of where her doll will be going in that particular outfit!

My best friends daughter also collects dolls. She has almost the entire collection of American Girl Dolls, so making her a couple outfits would be the perfect Christmas gift for her! She would absolutely adore it, I’m sure!

Summer, Spring, Winter, and Fall. An outfit for all seasons. There’s an outfit for so many amazing things, to keep your “girl” interested in her doll, keep her imagination moving, and keep her playing for HOURS!

Let her cast her imagination into the world of a Royal Princess with this beautiful dress. A gown and a crown are all a girl needs to feel like a princess. It comes with dainty rosebuds dot on the skirt and a beautiful matching purse.

Let her be a wildflower. This beautiful hat, scarf, and mitten set is composed of colorful petals looks like it was picked from a flowerbed.

Give it a Whirl with this airy dress that has a pretty pinwheel on the bodice. It becomes an anytime ensemble with a matching jacket & purse.

Dressed up in Daises- A cozy turtleneck tunic embroidered with scarlet blossoms is pretty as a picture.

Pretty as a Picture- A loop-stitch skirt, a top with dainty buttons and ruffles, and a matching circle purse are a true work of art.

There are also funky, hip, unique styled clothing like the Fit for a Fiesta dress! There are so many different textures of fabric, made of different stitches. Some are simple stitches yet look so elegant while some are made of more complicated stitches!

There are also a variety of accessories which makes it SO much more amazing! Hats and purses galore! It even shows how to make little doll jewelry in the back! There are also recipes to accompany these little “imaginative” places your daughter is going to visit!

This would make an amazing Christmas present for someone who loves to crochet!

Biography

Nicky Epstein is one of today's most prolific and versatile knitwear designers, authors and teachers. She has gained worldwide recognition for her artistic, distinctive and innovative work, whimsical sense of style and informative workshops. Her designs continue to be featured in many knitting magazines and publications, on television, and in museums.

Buy IT: Crochet for Dolls by Nicky Epstein $19.95 from Sterling Books

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Jessica Renee

HTML5 & CSS3 For The Real World by Estelle Weyl; O’Reilly Media

HTML5 and CSS3 for the Real World is ideal for any web designer or developer who wants to start using the latest generation of web technologies in their everyday work.

This book will teach you how to:

• understand the new semantic markup available in HTML5
• use CSS3 to make sites beautiful without sacrificing clean markup or resorting to complex workarounds
• employ native HTML5 video and audio in your pages
• use web fonts to enrich a site's typography
• make web applications accessible using WAI-ARIA
• make the most of the new HTML form elements.

This easy-to-follow guide is illustrated with lots of examples, and leads readers through the process of creating great websites from start to finish using HTML5 and CSS3.

It also features:

• details on all the new HTML5 and CSS3 elements and features
• information on the current level of browser support
• advice for creating great experiences for all users thanks to progressive enhancement.

 

My Review

 

Are you a website designer or developer? Learning how to write and tweak HTML and CSS is the first step. After you know how to do that, you’ll need to update your knowledge as technology updates. HTML5 and CSS3 are the updates to the originals, and HTML & CSS For The Real World is an amazing teacher if you’re ready to make those first steps to learn!

The book is easy to read, follow along, and understand. If you’re itching to learn or brush up on HTML5 and CSS3 which includes HTML Markup, Styling, or scripting- this book will definitely lead you to where you want to be!

HTML and CSS (if you don’t already know) are the languages of the web. As we all know- all languages improve as time goes on. Hence the 5 (HTML5) and 3 (CSS3). They both contain new features that the old HTML and CSS do not have.

Learning any skill can prove difficult at times, but if you’re willing to get the right resources (books) and put the time, passion, and patience into learning you can definitely do it. I’ve not only taught myself HTML and CSS but graphic design, sewing, and crocheting (as well as other stuff). It’s having the books that clearly explain in a way that can be understood (and shows the examples and has detail).

This book is more than just a step-by-step tutorial, it’s a hands on, practical guide to using HTML5 and CSS3 in the “real world.” Every obstacle that you might face when designing and building websites are explained and you are walked through them with this book.

If you aren’t understanding why web language is constantly evolving this book helps you along the way to fully comprehending that! There are cool little icons placed throughout the book that will let you know of any tips, notes, warnings, or something that clearly needs MORE attention. When working with something new, this is always a good thing.

This book isn’t for beginners. If you know nothing about HTML and CSS, then you should definitely start at the beginning and work your way through to this book. You’ll need to start out with a book that clearly defines HTML, not HTML5. This is strictly for those that already understand how to write HTML and CSS. HTML5 and CSS3 are just updating the originals, not making something new.

So, if you can look at what’s below and are completely lost and don’t know what it means, you need to start out with HTML.

<!doctype html>

     <html lang= “en”>

          <head">

         <meta charset= “utf-8’>

<title> The HTML Herald </title>

<meta name= “description” content=”The HTML Herald”>

When you build and manage a website or several, you can’t keep them the same forever. You can’t spend all that time designing and building just to never go back and edit and update it. That isn’t how it works. That’s like a homeowner building a brand new house and never cleaning or fixing it. You have to continually keep an eye on it and update it as technology changes.

Learning HTML5 and CSS3 is the next step to learning how to keep up with the ever-changing technological times. You are definitely taking a gigantic leap in your website and web development improvements by willing to take that extra step and learn.

This is an awesome starting point at learning HTML5 and CSS3 because it has a good overview and insight of both. The only thing is that it left me wanting more at some points throughout the book. Although it had a wide coverage, the coverage at times was brief.

I wish it had more detail to the more complex and harder to understand features such as the canvas. This isn’t something that is easy to learn, yet it’s only explained briefly, within the same chapter as the drag-and-drop, which is also hard to learn. They should both have been covered a little more in my opinion.

I like getting the hang of stuff. I like seeing it in action, using it a couple times, and getting a feel for something before I feel comfortable with it. I felt that it should have been a little more in depth with these two things, so that we could definitely feel more comfortable using something so complex to what we’re used to as web designers.

I’d also liked if there were a cheatsheet inside. Something that covered a shortlist of HTML tags. That way if we were coding and writing, we could just flip to that page and find what we’re looking for. I like to be able to quickly reference back to something, so I think it would have made it 10x easier on us if it had had that cheatsheet inside.

Other than that- this book is amazing. It covers a variety of different HTML5 and CSS3 markups.

• Autoplay Attribute, loop Attribute, preload Attribute
• Linear Gradients
• Text Shadow
• Rounded Corners: border-radius
• Transitions
• Animations
• and so much more.. >

Get the Book: HTML & CSS For The Real World  $39.95 (Print)

Ebook ($29)  Ebook AND Print ($43.49)

 

 

Jessica Renee

 

Book Review: After the Crash by Martin Spinelli; Mainstream Publishing

A deeply moving true story of how a father and son used tragedy to transform their relationship

A young couple, Martin and Sasha, fall in love in a remote corner of the Italian Alps. They marry, have glittering careers and a charming, precocious son named Lio. Then, one beautifully clear Thursday morning as Sasha was driving to work with Lio on his way to nursery school in the back seat, a truck driver who had been on the road for sixteen hours without a break fell asleep at the wheel and hit them from behind. Sasha was killed instantly and Lio suffered multiple skull fractures and a shattered and mutilated left leg. After the Crash follows Lio’s recovery from brain damage so severe he wasn’t expected to walk, talk or even breathe unaided ever again. It tells how this incredibly strong and tenacious four-year-old pulled himself back from the edge of death and the loss of his mother to create for himself not just a “normal” childhood but an exceptional one. With remarkable power and honesty, the book puts us in the room with them as they battle dire prognoses, negative expectations, monstrous insurance companies, and profound grief all in an effort to heal his little boy—a boy that only Martin seemed to know had not lost his boundless potential.

Here is the story of four-year-old Lio's incredible recovery, and how his father Martin and he rebuilt their lives. Much more than a moving personal story, the book is a guide for not just surviving disaster, but mastering it and using it to transform one's life for the better.

My Review*

This is a very down to earth, heart-wrenching story of a man who lost his wife and just about lost his son in the same day. He shows us his life before and during his wife. He shows us who they are, their life, and the amazing journeys they took together.

Once you get to know the people inside the book, it’s hard not to feel so much empathy for him and his son. Losing a wife and mother and trying to rebuild their lives after a fatal car accident takes her too soon.

It shows us how confident thinking and taking OUR lives into our own hands can change our future. All the head doctors weren’t seeing much improvement for Lio (the son) after he was fatally wounded in the car accident with his mother. They thought the BEST that he might be able to accomplish was a mentally handicap school.

His faith in his son’s ability, his love, and his ability to “DO” right by his son. Sometimes professionals may think they know the diagnosis and what is “best” for the patient, but they may not know HOW to best go about that.

Martin, seeing that the loud music as stimulation wasn’t helping his son wake from the coma. At that point he realized that he had to take a stand to show the professionals that quiet time, holding his son was what was right!

I really enjoyed this book. I could never imagine going through the emotional pain that Martin has to face. A world without his wife, a broken shell of his former son, and doing it all by himself. It’s a tragic story that turns into a marvelous outcome. It’s one of praise, self will, and lets you know that the little things in life ARE what mean the most!

About the Author

Martin Spinelli is a media, film, and music professor. In his twenties, as a reporter, anchor, and producer in Buffalo, New York, he produced award-winning news features for NPR as well as the acclaimed literary series LINEbreak. Both his benchmark radio art series Radio Radio and LINEbreak are included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Television and Radio in New York while all of his radio work and writing are archived in the Martin Spinelli Collection at the University at Buffalo Library. He was the founder of the Academic Radio Program at the City University of New York at Brooklyn College where he produced the AIDS-informational soap Welcome to America broadcast on Radio Africa International. His many essays about media art and history have been published in anthologies as well as journals, such as Postmodern Culture, Convergence, and Object.

Get the Book: After the Crash by Martin Spinelli paperback $7.99

 

Jessica Renee

Book Review: Psych101= Psych 101: Psychology Facts, Basics, Statistics, Tests, and More! by Paul Kleinman; Adams Media

Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy theories, principles, and experiments of psychology into tedious discourse that even Freud would want to repress. Psych 101 cuts out the boring details and statistics, and instead, gives you a lesson in psychology that keeps you engaged - and your synapses firing.

From personality quizzes and the Rorschach Blot Test to B.F. Skinner and the stages of development, this primer for human behavior is packed with hundreds of entertaining psychology basics and quizzes you can't get anywhere else.

So whether you're looking to unravel the intricacies of the mind, or just want to find out what makes your friends tick, Psych 101 has all the answers - even the ones you didn't know you were looking for.

Psychology has always been something I devoured! When I was in high school, I have always been intrigued by the brain, behavior, and how it all plays out. I don’t mind reading the textbook versions of psychology, but it would help if they made it more interesting for the students/readers.

That’s what Psych101: A Crash Course in the Science of the Mind does. It breaks down all the Psychologists that have made the theories and/or tests that have proven and made Psychology what it is today.

Although Sigmund Freud is probably the most well known psychologist to date, there are tons more. Without these people we wouldn’t know about dreams, reactions, or mental illnesses. I have written extensive notes on all of these psychologists- yet never comprehended as much as I did just reading this book.

As humans, we tend to learn more when it’s in the form of entertainment or lightly written. Textbooks have very small letters, which make it hard to concentrate and read more than a few chapters at a time. They are hard to curl up with and get cozy. This book is very small, fits in my hands and is an amazing read.

It’s more an interesting “here’s this and this is how and why it came along.” He gets straight to the point. I think for most people the reason textbook writing is so hard to comprehend is because they beat around the bush. They make the chapters with less detail, yet more “factual” which is harder to understand for normal readers.

It doesn’t start from the discovery and Psychology and go from there. It jumps around without any significant reason, but that’s what makes it interesting and so fun to read. It doesn’t overwhelm you with just the facts.

It feels like talking to a friend in a way. It’s put in a “perspective” that if someone were telling you firsthand about the tests, psychologists, and hypothesis of behavior. If you’re interested in why people do the things they do, you’ll love this book!

Excerpt from the book: Oral Stage (birth-18 months) "In this stage, a child focuses on oral pleasure like sucking because they create a sense of comfort and trust. If there is too little or too much gratification in this stage, the child will develop an oral personality or oral fixation and become preoccupied with oral behaviors. According to Freud, people with this type of personality are more likely to bite their nails, smoke, drink, or overeat, and will be gullible, depend on other people, and will always be followers”

Facts like this interest me, so naturally I love the entire book. There is cool facts like this throughout the entire book. There is a wide range of topics, and I’m sure that even someone who wouldn’t otherwise be interested—would love this book.
Here are some random topics that the book covers:

• Dreams
• Hypnosis
• Leadership theories
• Theories of Intelligence
• Memory
• Bystander effect
• Conformity
• Left and Right Brained

The book is completely thorough on it’s biographies of the Psychologists. I love learning about the history of people and what drove them into their chosen careers. This book would be awesome for someone taking a psychology class, or just anybody willing and loves to learn.
It breaks down all the tests, why they were given, who they were given to, and how it helped us look into the human behavior, mind, and emotions.

Author Biography

Paul Kleinman grew up in White Plains, New York, and currently resides in New York City. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2009 with degrees in Art and Communication Arts: Radio, Television and Film. Out of fear that his author bio is painfully boring, he began making things up. He is an astronaut. He trains cobras. He is very tall and in no way sickly pale. He is also a humor writer. That one is true. Maybe.
Buy it: Psych101: A Crash Course in the Science of the Mind
Connect with Adams Media Online: Facebook and Twitter as well as the Adams Media Website

Book Review: How to Start a Creative Business-The Jargon-Free Guide by Doug Richard; David & Charles Publishing

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For anybody, starting a business can be quite frightening. Where to start? What do I need? What are my goals? Can I do it? All these questions flash through our minds at record speed. Who am I targeting as customers? What kind of relationship do I want with my customers?

Failures among new startup businesses is VERY high, and that is the reason so many ARE scared to venture out by themselves. Especially those wanting to start a creative business. This isn’t just money needed to buy the products they want to resell. This is their ACTUAL work, their time, their dedication being sold and most doubt their abilities.

Starting on a firm foundation of learning business principles is what is needed. Most creative types just aren’t that into business. They don’t understand the legalities of creating their own business, so this book breaks down all of that in terms we CAN understand and put to good use.

Doug Richard knows what he is talking about, because he runs a school in the UK. This school teaches people like us how to start a business and make it profitable, while still being enjoyable. This book is based on what he teaches there!

He covers the ten steps that are needed to start any business, no matter what kind. It takes you through the questions all business owners must answer. What is my product, who are my target customers and how can I best reach them? Is there a need for the product or service you offer?

Are there too many people who do or sell what you are offering? Too little? How hard is it going to be to reach potential customers if there are too many/ too little offering what you do? Who are your competitors and how did they get where they are if they are profitable?

The chapters that are most essential for new business startups are what those who have failed have avoided. If you’re product or service isn’t needed or wanted then you aren’t going to have much success in the business world. Doing the research on the demands of what you’re offering is all in there!

The other mistake failed business owners make is pricing. Most new business owners, especially those going into the creative market try and compete on the prices. They feel like if they offer lower prices that they are going to gain more customers. This isn’t reality. Customers know if they want great, high quality handmade items or services, they have to pay for the item + time. Don’t sell yourself short.

I love that that he takes all the “Business Jargon” and makes it understandable for us “creative types.” Although I have an associates degree in Business Management, this was STILL way more helpful than the 2 years of college I completed.

It shows you how to make a spreadsheet with all your competitors information on it. This isn’t anything new “the spreadsheets” but the information is. He shows you how to look at ALL of their advantages, where their products can be bought, prices, and notes on each competitor. When you know what you’re going up against and the margin prices for the products you’ll be making.. it’s easier to start. You don’t want to open a business blindly and not know where to start or who you’ll be competing against.

I am loving the cute little illustrations throughout the book. It livens up an already awesome book! This book shows us what we must be good at in order to be a great seller of our products. Understanding ourselves, our business, and our promises to our potential customers.

The best thing is that there are random business owners that share their stories. When we see what other “REAL” business owners can and have done, it makes us realize our potential. They share where they started, what channels they used to get where they are today, and their thoughts on making it easier for us.

I would totally recommend this to anyone who just started a creative business or someone thinking about doing so.

 

About the Author

Doug Richard is a UK based Californian serial entrepreneur and angel investor. Richard came to public prominence as a result of the BBC TV programme Dragons' Den, where he appeared as a 'dragon', or investor in the first two series. He subsequently became known for the Richard Report, the Entrepreneur's Manifesto and several other initiatives directed at improving UK support for startups and small businesses. He is regularly invited to appear on business initiatives and economic development pieces with some frequency on the BBC and financial news networks. Doug has received a host of honours and awards during his career and was the first American to receive The Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion. Amongst others, he became a fellow of the RSA and received an Honorary Doctorate of the University of Essex for his contribution to entrepreneurship education. In 2008 Doug started School for Startups through which he has educated nearly 20,000 startups on the skills required to be successful. In 2010 Doug started School for Creative Startups with the sole remit of teaching creative people how to turn their creative hobbies into sustainable lifestyle businesses.

Buy It:  How To Start a Creative Business: The Jargon-free Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs $17.07

Jessica Renee

Book Review: My Baby Compass Two-Four Years by Kathyrn Gruhn, MA, CCC-SLP

I am truly in love with this book. There is NO feeling in the world like teaching your children skills that they will use and continue to develop their entire lives. The book I received was the My Baby Compass, an Easy Program to Help Your Child Think, Speak, Move & Thrive, Two to Four (Volume .

Just flipping through it for the first time, I could definitely tell that Kathryn has 35 years of experience in Child Development. The book is simple to read and put to good use! It’s an amazing book, I seriously feel like this is a how-to guide for 2-4 year olds, lol!

I love that she teaches the value of one-on-one contact with children, and how to easily teach them through this contact. It is a nice step down from our high-tech world that usually revolves around the T.V., Smartphones, and Tablets.

There is NOTHING better than sitting down with your child and playing games while also helping them learn. If you make it fun and engaging, they will definitely love it and want more of that positive interaction.

It is very straight to the point and interactive to both the child and the parent. It makes each parent realize what skills their children should be able to do by what age, and then helps us engage in teaching them those skills with just simple games, demonstrations, and a fold out milestone checklist so we know what skills are yet to show up in our kid so we can focus on those!

This book is broken down into easy to find Chapters:

Ch. 1- “Getting to Know Your Toddler”

Ch. 2- “ “The Communication Process”

Ch. 3- “Tracking Your Child’s Progress: The Baby Compass Checklists”

Ch. 4- “My Child Did Not Meet a Milestone, Now What?”

Ch. 5- “Age-Appropriate Toys and Playtime”

Ch. 6- “Music and Rhymes for Fun and Learning”

Each checklist identifies milestones that your child should be reaching or have already been reached. They are skills, behaviors, physical developments that commonly occur around each age.

*Speech/Language

*Hearing

*Cognitive/Reasoning

*Physical

*Vision

*Social/Emotional

 

I love that the activities in this book are fun, quick ways to stimulate those skills and behaviors. It is something that you’ll both enjoy! Something that can just be added to your daily routine. Not only will your child benefit but you will also. This is special one-on-one time that will help not only learning but helping you connect on another level with them!

Throughout the book, you’ll notice certain symbols. The beginning of the book breaks these symbols down and explains them to you so that you’ll know what it means. I really like this because it tells you what to expect from certain games. Whether your child will gain help in speech, social, vision, physical, or reasoning!

It also helps you understand how to use the My Baby Compass Checklists. There is a color-coded Checklist of milestones in each booklet for these areas:

* Two-Year-old/Three-Year-Old Talks (Speech/Expressive Language) Color Code- Red

* Two-Year-old/Three-Year-Old Hears (Hearing/Receptive Language Color Code: Orange

* Two-Year-old/Three-Year-Old Understands ((Cognitive/Reasoning) Color Code: Yellow

* Two-Year-old/Three-Year-Old Moves (Physical/Motor) Color Code: Green

* Two-Year-old/Three-Year-Old Feels (Social/Emotional) Color Code: Purple

Here are some examples of what is inside the book:

Toys and playtime activities. There are other months, I am just sharing from the 37-42 months section. She is beginning to sort color, size, and shape. You can help her by having her sort all of the same colors, shapes, and sizes, naming them as she plays. Use the words “big”. “bigger”, and “biggest” in addition to “small”, “smaller”, and “smallest”. This teaches that an object can have many different attributes (color, shape, AND size).

I love that it not only shows you how to “teach” your kids, but it lets you know from a teacher/parent point of view of what they will be gaining. That way if your child is behind on a certain skill (such as Motor development) you can just focus more on those activities.

Here is a sample of one of the checklists. I love this! It is definitely amazing just as a journal for your child’s accomplishments. This is a keepsake! You could keep this so when they get older and ask “when did I do this or that?” you’ll have something to show them.

They have a baby version of this as well. I wish I had known about it. I would have gotten one for both my son and daughter. My son was really premature and I had to write all this stuff down in a regular notebook for his checkups and specialist appointments.

This book is hands down AMAZING. Not only would these books be awesome for parents but they could definitely be given to child care providers, teachers, and even relatives such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

 

About the Book:

My Baby Compass, Two to Four Years, is an easy program that has 275 skills with checklists and activities in five developmental areas. It will allow busy parents a quick assessment to see if their child is on target which will provide a history to share with their child's health care providers. There are corresponding simple activities to facilitate these skills, along with appropriate toys, nursery rhymes, finger plays, sign language, music selections and useful resources. This program is recommended by child development specialists. It is great for teachers, health care providers besides parents. Everything you need in one simple book.

Buy it:

My Baby Compass, an Easy Program to Help Your Child Think, Speak, Move & Thrive, Two to Four (Volume  Spiral Bound Book with pull-out checklists $39.94

You can also buy it from the Baby Compass Website

Jessica Renee

 

Book Review: Your Complete Guide to Jello Shots by Aaron Wright; Average Joe Publishing

Disclosure: This book was sent for review purposes only, all opinions are honest.

In case Grandma didn't pass down her Jello Shots recipes this book has you covered. With easy to follow instructions and over 300 recipes, you'll learn how to make kick-ass Jello Shots that will impress your friends and improve your parties. With smooth shooter recipes like "Naked Pretzel", "Smooth-n-Easy", "Panty Dropper" and "Ninja Turtle" you're sure to have a good time. Mix great flavors with the right kind of booze and it only gets better.

Make room for the coolest "cookbook" in the kitchen. In stock and ready to ship. Features: Over 300 Jello Shot recipes, organized by alcohol. 122 pages of helpful tips and hints.

My Review


The fourth of July is right around the corner.. are you ready to surprise your guests? WITH WHAT? With some new recipes to get the party started of course.

This book is amazing. I love how organized it is. It’s separated by alcohol. You can just flip to the part of the book that has whatever alcohol you have on hand, or want to drink that day/night.
It saves so much time by separating it like this, because you aren’t having to flip through each page and read the ingredients- they are already right there for you!

This book isn’t just going to be great for the Fourth of July, but for all year round. Any kind of party; birthdays, anniversaries, house parties… If you’re looking for an amazing variety of jello shots, this book is it! There are over 300 recipes for Jello shots and they are all different!

I love that this book also contains conversation starters, trivia, and truth/dare questions to get the ball rolling and party started. This book is filled with these. Almost every single page has something like this on it!

Dare: Drink something from the belly button of a random player.
Truth: If you were invisible, what is the first thing you would do?
NOW.. onto the shots!



I am in awe at the very beginning of the book. It’s what every shot seeker needs. It begins with the liquid measurement conversion. This way if you would like to make a bigger amount than is called for in the recipe, you know how to do this without messing stuff up!


The shots are categorized by what type of liquor inside the recipe. The recipes are very easy to follow, They are simple, short, and right to the point. They are detailed even though they are short..

On each page there are 3 different recipes, and they are all separated by those little jello shots you see in the picture. The recipes have a great variety of Jello shots.

From simple recipes (Puppy Love) to the more detailed (Long Island Ice Tea Jello Shot). They are all made using standard Jello mixes in various flavors. This book is awesome for a quick jello shot mix!
The names of these jello shots are just so funny, unique, and eye-catching. You’ll have people requesting more and more—just to try them out for themselves.

I love that you can just make whatever jello shot by what alcohol you have on hand. You don’t have to go out and by anything “special” for them. Even if you have to buy any of the ingredients, they aren’t expensive and can be found at your local grocery store!

This would also be a great book to have on hand for girls’ night in, bachelorette parties, and just random get togethers. You’ll have to make the shots in advance, but OH what fun you’ll have!

Some sample recipes out of the book:

Daydream:
3 oz. pkg Pineapple Jello
1 c. boiling water
1/2. c cold water
1/2 Amaretto

Mix Gelatin with hot water until dissolved (approx. 2 minutes). Add cold water, stir. Let sit until steam dissipates (no more than 3 minutes). Add alcohol, stir thoroughly (1-2 minutes). Pour mixture into your chosen Jello Shot containers. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Makes 8-10 2 oz. Jello Shots

Bermuda Triangle:
3 oz. pkg Orange Jello
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. cold water
1/4 cup Spiced Rum
1/4 c. Peach Schnapps

Mix Gelatin with hot water until dissolved (approx. 2 minutes). Add cold water, stir. Let sit until steam dissipates (no more than 3 minutes). Add alcohol, stir thoroughly (1-2 minutes). Pour mixture into your chosen Jello Shot containers. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm. Makes 8-10 2 oz. Jello Shots

The instructions at the bottom- mixing and such are all the same. The only thing that differs in the book is the alcohol that you put in it and how many shots that they make. The more stuff that it includes, the more shots it produces. Some of the recipes produce 18-20 shots.

Have you ever tried a Jello shot? What was it? Did you like it? Would you like to see other NEW Jello shot inventions, like in this book?

Buy it: Your Complete Guide to Jello Shots $15.95