Trade Secrets

I recently participated in Tip Junkie's "Trade Secrets Swap". In this swap, you share your "trade secrets"; best recipes, favorite party favor/decoration, cleaning tips, good books, etc.

Here are some of my "Trade Secrets":

-File folders; hours of fun for kids, hours of quiet for mom (hopefully).

-Martha Stewart's balloon flower instructions. One of my favorite party decorations, as you well know.

-Quick and easy chicken dinner recipes and a few of my favorite dessert recipes.

-"Parenting with Love and Logic" by Jim Fay and Foster Cline. I call this the "Parenting Bible". I can't say I do everything consistently, but have gained a lot of insight and believe in their philosophy.

-Disney Cars party supplies for her little boy. You know how I LOVE to throw a party!

-"I'm Bored" jar. I found this on-line. When kids say, "I'm bored", they get to draw a slip of paper out of the jar and have to do what it says. It could be something fun like bake cookies OR it could be something else like organize a closet or clean a dirty window. The kids risk saying "I'm bored". :)

- I also listed some of my favorite cleaning, organizing, relationship books. Books that have changed my life or at least have influenced the way I do things; "Clutter's Last Stand" by Don Aslett, "Organizing from the Inside Out" by Julie Morgenstern and "5 Love Languages" by Gary Chapman.

-I also included a cute corner bookmark. I like how quick and easy they are to make and that they are different from a normal bookmark. She'll need one for all the books I suggested to read. :)

Here's the "Funny Faces" file folder. My swap partner is a single mom, to a cute little boy, so I used a mom and little boy for the faces. I printed, colored, cut and contact papered lots of face parts. As I was getting ready to send the package, Abree asked if she could play with it. I agreed to having her "test" it for me. She said it worked great.

---Abree tested, mother approved!---

Here's what I received:
-Holiday Craft magazine

-Better Homes and Gardens magazine

-"Mark" catalog (my swap partner sells and uses these products)

-Lemon sugar scent mist by "Mark"

-Flip-for-It make-up compact by "Mark"

-Juice Gems lip gloss by "Mark"

-Splenda coffee flavors (Since I don't drink coffee, I wonder what else these would be good in? )

-Crystal Light packets

I enjoy swapping. It's always fun to get mail and "meet" new people.

Thanks Hollie!!!