Free printable Christmas ornaments, decorations, crafts, cards, coloring pages

Need some educational Christmas crafts? How about free printable cut-and-paste and folded-paper holiday decorations? Kids can practice math, measurement and fine motor skills while creating lovely, festive decor. These activities are perfect for elementary and middle school math classes, homeschool and winter vacation fun. With some assistance, these crafts will work with disabled students and preschoolers. Senior citizens will love them, too.Free printable Christmas ornaments, decorations, crafts, cards, coloring pages 

 

Save big holiday bucks on your Thanksgiving turkey with money-saving tips

Thanksgiving dinner isn't cheap to prepare. We feed 10-15 people every year and it costs us about $6-$8 per person. The turkey gobbles up the biggest portion of our grocery dollar. So I save by seeking cheapest prices on Thanksgiving turkeys.  Save big holiday bucks on your Thanksgiving turkey with money-saving tips - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014, Make Some Easy and Cheap

 Are you a trend-follower or trailblazer when it comes to Halloween costumes? If you answered "trendy!" here's the list of top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014. Party City, a one-stop purveyor of all things holiday, lists what's hot and flying off their shelves this year. We'll take it in backwards order, just to keep the suspense.Top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014 - Grand Rapids Holidays | Examiner.com

Free Printable Manga and Anime Coloring Pages

 Manga, a variation of Japanese anime is a crazy popular story and art style among kids. Sakura, Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Bakugan, Fairly Odd Parents, Powerpuff Girls and even Hello Kitty! and A Dog Named Spot are Japanese manga cartoons. Kazuki Takahashi created many of the manga characters that are so well loved now. Do your  kids love anime characters?  Here are free printable manga drawing and coloring pages. Free Printable Manga and Anime Coloring Pages 

Free Printable Postman Pat Coloring Pages for Children

Are you a fan of the cartoon Postman Pat? Perhaps you enjoyed the UK's 3D Postman Pat: the Movie that aired in June, 2014?   Postman Pat is charming story of a friendly neighborhood Royal Mail carrier and his sidekick cat Jess. It's similar to Wallace and Gromit in animation.With all the "adult" cartoons posing as kiddie shows on TV, it's refreshing to see that Postman Pat is genuinely for kids, about child-friendly themes. If you like the show, here areFree Printable Postman Pat Coloring Pages

Free Online Kids' Games Arcade Random, Action and Educational

In technology and online gaming, it's difficult for parents to know which websites have safer options for children. Here is a game website that offers fun, free entertaining games for kids in upper elementary and middle school.

  Agame, at www.agame.com. A favorite descriptor word kids love to use now, is "random"--they'll say their sense of humor and entertainment tastes are random, meaning silly and pointless. Agame certainly fits. From traditional puzzle, action, racing, skill, arcade, board/ card games, shooter and role play games, you can find uber goofy off-the-wall games like Receptionists Revenge and Ghosts Stole My Puppy (?)


  Agame games has fashion and style games SuperSecret and Girls Go Catwalk. Role-play games include Farm Mania and Burger Restaurant and Cake of Fun. Racing games include Uphill Rush 2, Urban Truck, Robotic Emergence and Street Sesh. Action Adventure games include Warfare 1917 and Bomb It 2. Skill/puzzle games include Bejeweled, Mahjong, Bubble Shooter and Zuma.


  I especially like Agame (kids will too) because there are fewer pop-up ads to slow the gaming, Addicting Games is free, but has three major ad slots on the peripheral of the game board. Agame has one short video commecial ad that players must wait through. After that, the ad is covered by the game and there is only one other ad slot. Kids can create a user profile and log in to play or they can play without creating a profile. Agame also has a chat/comment section parents can allow or disallow. For more family-friendly online gaming visit me at www.freesafekidsgames.blogspot.com.

Free Printable 4th of July American Paper Craft Activities

Need  cheap American-themed crafts for 4th of July? How about free? Better, right? Celebrate US Independence Day with these free printable paper crafts and activities. Printable flag coloring pages, crafts, red white and blue crafts, Americana coloring pages and more. Use them to decorate the house for 4th of July. Here are websites with loads of free printable activities for cut and paste, coloring fun. Free Printable 4th of July Cut and Paste Paper Crafts and Activities

100 Plus Free and Dirt Cheap Educational Summer Enrichment Activities for Families

My husband and I homeschooled four children in a single-wide mobile home, living on one income. We are the proverbial minimalists and penny pinchers. Here's our budget list of 100+ free or dirt cheap educational summer field trips  100+ Free (or Dirt Cheap) Educational Summer Field Trips for Families

Play Free at Webkinz Pets Online, No Secret Code or Toy Purchase Required

Remember the Webkinz craze a few years back? Webkinz are stuffed animals, like Ty Beanie Babies, with secret code tags that allow children to play online at the Webkinz website. The child played with an animated version of her pet. The Webkinz fad is mostly over. But that means good news for fans. Now kids can play online at Webkinz free--no need to buy a toy or have a code. Here's how.  Play Free at Webkinz Pets Online, No Code or Toy Purchase Required

Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man 2 Coloring Pages, Crafts, Games

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is here! Marvel's long-awaited superhero sequel is thrilling young and old alike. I'm #TeamDCComics myself but also partial to Marvel's spider mutant man. What's not to love about a hero who needs no fancy gadgets and shoots webs from his hands? If you love Spiderman, how about free printable activities featuring your hero? Are your Spidey senses tingling? Read on for links to Spider-Man coloring pages, clipart, games, puzzles, crafts and lesson plans. Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man 2 Coloring Pages, Crafts, Games

Free Printable Amazing Spider-Man Coloring Pages

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 opened May 2, 2014. It's been long-anticipated by kids and adults. Are you Spider-Man fanboy or girl? I'm more of an Aquaman girl, but I appreciate the Marvel superheroes' contributions. And my Spidey senses alerted me that you'd like free printable Spider-Man coloring pages? Here's a link with 73 black and white images to print and color. Make an entire coloring book!  Free Printable Spider-Man Coloring Pages

Free Printable Mothers Day Cards Children Can Color

 Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Looking for free printable crafts to make with children for Mother's Day? Children feel proud to make crafts for mom. Here are free printable cards that children can color themselves and give to mom. You get double duty with these printables--a child-minder craft plus free homemade, personalized greeting cards! Neat free Mothers Day clipart too! Free Printable Mother's Day Cards to Color 

Free Printable Easter Baskets Tips for Cheap, Homemade Gift Baskets

At Walmart yesterday and I saw the something that saddened me--cheesy little $5 Easter baskets with junk toys and a little candy. They seemed so pathetic and last-

minute. Maybe I'm just missing my own little ones and the holiday festivities. But seriously, if you're going to do Easter baskets, why not take a minute to personalize? You'll spend less money and your child will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Here are tips and free printables to make your own homemade Easter basket. It's just as nice and saves a lot of money. Here's how. Free Printable Easter Baskets and Homemade Gift Baskets

Free Diet Recipe Lowfat, Low Sugar Gingerbread with Cream Cheese Frosting

My vegetarian cooking skills are really getting a workout with my husband and daughter fasting from meat for Lent. I'm dieting (new size 4 pants are looser). I'm used to tweaking recipes with lowfat, sugarfree options anyway. But husband is cutting sweets, dairy and eggs. So I'm expanding the diet repertoire. I'm using some old La Lache League recipes from my "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" cookbook Here's my revamped version of LLL gingerbread with "cream cheese" frosting. One suggestion I would add to this is to use egg whites. Diet Recipe Lowfat, Low Sugar Gingerbread with Cream Cheese Frosting 

 

Free Printable Bridal Shower Games: Bingo, Word Games, Quizzes

I like to share free things with you on this blog. And not just kiddie stuff, though that's my specialty. I write alot about free printables. Right now a super hot search topic is "bridal shower games." So, here are free printable bridal shower games. If you've planned a shower you know how expensive it gets. Why not save time, energy and money printing games? Here are links for printable bridal shower bingo games, word games, puzzles and more.Free Printable Bridal Shower Games: Bingo, Word Games, Quizzes

Blogger Tip, Google Top Heavy Algorithm Penalizes Above the Fold Ads

Google, thy name is hypocrite. You tell us bloggers one thing, then punish us for doing it. I noticed a significant drop in Google Adsense earnings on my blogs. I checked Search Engine Land, my go to site for Google algorithm updates.



Sure enough, on Feb. 6, Google refreshed their "top heavy ad" algorithm. Now Google search indexing punishes sites with too many ads above the fold (the point on a webpage where content isn't visible without scrolling down). So sites with too many ads and too little content in the immediate viewing area got nailed.   Google Top Heavy Algorithm Refresh Penalizes Above the Fold Ads, Hypocrites!

How I Manage 55 Blogs

I wrote how Bubblews earnings pay my grocery bill. I shared that I blog articles I write here and around the web on my 55 blogs. When I say that I run 55 blogs, someone invariably asks "Pray tell how???" Fair question. Freelancing is my job. I write 30-40 articles a week --shorter on sites like Bubblews, longer on paid content sites. Writing for the Web 101 How I Manage 55 Blogs 

 

I Am a Serial Reader and Commenter on Bubblews

I confess, I read and comment too much on Bubblews. Or should I say too long. I can get stuck pondering one article and formulating a response for 10 minutes when serial likers have blown through 20 posts in that time. Okay, to say it's a fault is facetious. Serial liking is a violation.



Serial likers don't take time to leave comments because that slows their juggernaut down. I've read complaints saying they didn't even read the piece. That's not for me to judge. Some people are speed readers.  I Am a Serial Reader and Commenter, You Will Appreciate That at Cashout 

Swagbucks Birthday Bash, Get Extra Points

Today, Feb. 25, 2014 is Swagbucks Birthday Bash. You earn points with Swagbucks search, surveys, offers, watching videos, games, shopping, if you participate. Just type in swagbucks.com. I won't link to it in case my account comes up--that would be a referral link.



Just a reminder, you'll need to register for a team and start collecting your birthday bash points even if you're already a Swagbucks member. Six years they've been around (has it been so long?) So they're giving out lots of point prizes in values of six.   Swagbucks Birthday Bash, Get Extra Points Folks - News - Bubblews

I Got Free Audio Book Download Subscriptions

 Our youngest daughter is a busy sophomore with a full schedule of advanced and AP classes, part-time job, volunteer work and orchestra. She has a mountain of homework, including reading a book for biology.

So I suggested and audio book and was happy to find that   I Got Free Audio Book Download Subscriptions

Make Money Writing Online Generate Multiple Streams of Income

I have written for nearly a dozen sites in my nearly nine-year writing career. Some I still write for, others no longer exist or changed in ways I didn't like. I've earned good enough income to enable me to quit subbing and freelance full-time. So Bubblews isn't my first rodeo, nor will it be my last. It certainly isn't my only income source.  Learn how to Make Money Writing Online, How? Generate Multiple Streams of Income 

10 Posts a Day on Bubblews is Easy and Earns Money

I started writing for a site called Bubblews last summer. You can submit up to 10 posts a day and they can be very short--only 400 character minimum. And you earn money for every page view, like, share and comment. That's a breeze. But the catch is you also have to interact and read other users' post. I have long debated with myself whether writing the maximum 10 posts per day on Bubblews is a good idea. Obviously that's not possible every day, but on those times I can should I? For awhile I cut back and started interacting a lot more. Then I tried waiting out posts and interacting only to get posts bumped to the front page. Read on.  Write 10 Posts a Day? If You Can You Should

Get Free Stuff Writing Reviews

Inspired by an article about extreme couponing wins, I remembered the freebies I've gotten from writing product reviews. You can get free stuff from companies if you review them. Granted they favor positive reviews. I won't write paid advertorials. That isn't genuine. The reviews I write are about products I have tried and liked. I might review a product negatively, to warn people away, but generally I share about good products that have met my rigorous standards.   Did You Know You Can Get Free Stuff Writing Reviews on Bubblews?

New Thoughts on the Dreaded Diet Plateau

I've lost about 90 pounds and want to lose 100 total. I figured, at some point, the weight loss would plateau and it has. I can't seem to get the last 10 off for love nor money. Yes, the holiday wagon jump off didn't help. I did not count a calorie for about 10 days. So what do I do when scale says one thing but I'm feeling and looking skinnier? Read on.The Dreaded Diet Plateau and How I'm Rethinking Weight Loss - News - Bubblews