Review of Zazzle

Have you ever wanted to make a special gift for someone using a photograph you have taken?  If so, Zazzle is a great way to go!

Sea after Storm Throw Pillow
by mbgphoto

The above pillow was made on Zazzle using a photograph I took in Florida.  There is one photo on one side of the pillow and a second photo on the opposite side of the pillow.  Whether you'd like to make a special gift for someone or whether you'd like to open a store and make a little extra money the information on the rest of this post will help you to get started.  This information was taken from a presentation I gave to my photography club.

What is Zazzle?

Zazzle is a program where you can get paid for doing what you love best, creating photographs and art!  It is free to set up, you don't have to carry any inventory and Zazzle handles all the production and customer service issues.  Zazzle has three ways to make money, as a designer, a maker or an associate.  I work as a designer and will concentrate on that aspect in this post.

Designer Program

1. Upload your photograph or artwork onto products.  Over 250 different products are available.
2. A customer likes your design and buys it.
3. Zazzle processes transactions and handles all customer service.
4. Zazzle prints and ships to customers.
5. Zazzle sends you a payment for a percentage of sales.

Pricing System

1. You choose any royalty rate from 5% to 99%
2. Base price is increased by that amount so you earn your royalty.
3. Base Price +Your Royalty Percentage=Retail Price

My Experience with Zazzle

1. Started my first Zazzle store in 2008
2. Currently have 3 Zazzle stores: mbgphoto, lighthouseenthusiast,and Butterflyblittz.
3. Example of sales on photo from 2007 of Cabo San Lucas.  From that one photo $1607.28 in royalties.  Sold

• 836 mugs
• 333 magnets
• 52 luggage tags
• 23 ornaments
• 16 keychains
• 2 puzzles
• 12 buttons
• 2 postcards
• 
  

Cabo San Lucas Magnet
by mbgphoto
• I currently have over 6800 products in my three stores and I sell something most every day.  Sometimes it is only a postcard and sometimes it is a bigger sale.    Here are some examples of my products.

Scenes from Madison County Iowa Calendar
by mbgphoto

Card

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Ceramic Ornament

by lighthouseenthusiast

Getting Started on Zazzle

1. Go to zazzle.com
2. Click on sell on Zazzle in top left hand area
3. Choose from Designer-Maker-Associate

Steps in Designer Program

1. Create a Zazzle Account
2. Open Free designer store and pick a store name
3. Create design, choose product, upload image, create text if desired, resize image as desired.
4. Post design for sale "Post for Sale"
5. Enter key words so customers can find your product. Good key words are essential.

Enjoy!!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Amazing Swim Fins to Help You Get Fit (A Review)

Did you know that water exercises are some of the best exercises to do, especially if you have issues with mobility?  Let's Review How to make that exercise even better!

Over the years I have found that I am just not as mobile as I once was.  That's no surprise really as many people find that aging can be hard on the body.  One thing that I always enjoyed was swimming and when arthritis came knocking on my door, my doctor recommended water activities to keep my joints in shape.  

I have spoken to many people who are suffering from arthritis in their joints.  Some have gone the route of knee  and hip replacements to ease their pain.  I'm not ready to go that route yet.  So in trying to keep knee replacements at bay, I have taken up swimming again. 

To make my swimming even more of a challenge and a workout, I have been given these Swim Fins to use in the pool. When you put these on, your swimming is more challenging than just swimming with your own feet doing the kicking.  I was amazed at the difference I felt after swimming a few laps of the pool.  Without the fins, I could feel my legs working, but when the fins went on, I could really feel the "burn" happening in the thighs and the muscles around the knee.

The fins add just that little bit of resistance that makes your workout even better.  Gliding through the pool is easier in a way and harder too!  You can cover a greater distance with less effort. The real trick is that with the swim fins on, your muscles are actually working quite a bit harder even though it doesn't feel like it.

 Now if you are just swimming for relaxation these are probably not what you might want, but if you are swimming for fitness, I can tell you without a doubt they are a great asset.  Swim fins for the pool have a much shorter blade on them than the fins used for snorkeling and scuba diving.  These shorter blades make them perfect for a pool.

When you know that these fins make the difference that they do, you are much more likely to try them out yourself.  They are not a "big" investment either.    Water activities are one of the best ways to keep in shape and do something good for yourself and your body.  At public pools, they have waiting lists to join in the Aqua Aerobics classes and it seems that even when they add more of these classes they fill up as quickly as they are started.  The water helps us keep active without adding extra stress to our already sore joints.

Its a win-win situation, you get the exercise you need to stay healthy and at the same time the water and activity makes you feel better about your overall ability to exercise.

I'm not a doctor and you should always consult with your family physician before undertaking a new fitness routine, but I can assure you there would be very few doctors telling you not to go swimming.  It's one of the easiest and best exercises around.  It is also one of the main reasons we moved from a house to a condo that has a swimming pool indoors for my use.  Being an indoor pool, there is no need to stop my activities in the winter months.  As a matter of fact, I kind of like looking out the windows at the snow covered ground while I swim my laps. I may be wet, but I'm also warm!

My fins are coming with me to Jamaica next week and I will give them a work out in the bay as well as the pool.  I'll let you know what I think.  Right now, I am so happy that my Santa saw fit to give me these for Christmas this year.  This is a gift that will be used all through the year and will travel with me too!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Stauber Best Bulb Changer Review

Does a light bulb going out in the ceiling elicit a sigh? Or a groan? Or I can't wait to change the light bulb? High ceilings and burned out light bulbs used to elicit dread at trying to change the light bulb, but the Stauber Best Bulb Changer is a true game changer.

This little gadget will turn sighs and groans into the routine delight of changing light bulbs in ceilings, flood lights in the driveway or any unreachable light socket with a burned out bulb.

Can You Change Me Now?

Absolutely.  I used the Stauber Best Bulb Changer to change a recessed light bulb 10 feet above the dining room table.  The two recessed lights cannot be reached without a ladder and the dining room table cannot be moved so changing the light bulb is a major logistical problem. It usually takes two people, one ladder and gymnastics to change the light bulb.

Usually when one of these lights go out the first decision is to ignore the situation.  Ignoring and tolerating the situation works until inevitably the second light bulb goes out. The thought of dragging out a tall ladder or hopping on the dining room table makes changing the light bulb a most unwelcome task. No more! The Stauber Best Bulb Changer to the rescue.

Safety First

What I absolutely love about the Stauber Best Bulb Changer is the ability to safely change a light bulb in the ceiling without a ladder! Only one person is needed to change the light bulb and I changed two recessed lights in literally minutes which included assembling the light bulb changer and reading the directions.

Tools & Tips

The Stauber Best Bulb Changer does not come with an extension pole. The pole can be bought separately if necessary. However, a broom or mop with a threaded end is all that is needed. I simply unscrewed and removed the bottom of a broom and was ready to attach the bulb changer.

The first tip is to read the directions. The second tip is to thoroughly read the directions. At first glance this little light bulb changer is deceiving and the thought expressed by many consumers is, "How can this little gadget work?" It does and it worked flawlessly. The little white cloth included is important to dust off the dead light bulb so the the suction cup can work properly.

The little white string is also deceiving and many customers wonder, "What the heck is that?" The string is used to disengage the light bulb from the suction cup once the light bulb is removed. This is where reading and following the directions is crucial (Raise your hand if you can't wait to use a new product and ignore the directions!) Do not ignore the white string!

Recommendation

I highly recommend the Stauber Best Bulb Changer. Prior to purchasing I researched light bulb changing gadgets and read many reviews of the top rated light bulb changers; I am most pleased I purchased the Stauber.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Grizzly Man Movie Review

The Grizzly Man: award-winning true story.

Grizzly Man is a heart-wrenching, strange, beautiful, horrifying movie by and about Timmy Treadwell. Who is Timmy Treadwell? Director Werner Herzog attempts to show us who Treadwell was. Yes, was. Past tense.

My family members and I have seen this movie more times than we can count. We make references to it in our daily life and sometimes sing the ending song. Perhaps we are a bit strange for liking a movie this much. I'm not sure. What I am sure of is that I don't believe anyone can see this movie and not have a strong reaction.

Four Reasons to Watch Grizzly Man

It is strange. Who would want to live in the wilderness with dangerous bears for 13 summers? I do mean "with" the bears. Timmy Treadwell would. I'd love to visit and/or live in Alaska, but certainly not “with” the bears. And Timmy's passionate tirades are both moving and disturbing.


It is beautiful. Treadwell filmed the scenery and the wildlife in a way that is breathtaking. His ability to get close-ups of the Alaskan wildlife and document the gorgeous, but rugged, landscape is worth the cost of the movie alone. Grizzly Man was created posthumously - using footage from Treadwell's filming. 

It is Intimate. Treadwell's frequent and long term presence with the bears (and other Alaskan wildlife), allows him to move among them with little notice for the most part. Because of this, we are able to see the animals in a mostly undisturbed state. If you ever wanted to know what bears do naturally, this is a must-see movie. We also get a very intimate look at Treadwell through his story-telling style as well by hearing what others have to say about him.

It is about the difficulties of protecting and conserving. It is a perfect example of a rock and a hard place of conservation. There are always difficulties in the balance of protecting animals and providing for humans. It is a delicate balance that I rarely seem to find being done well. Some animal species go extinct due to human encroachment. Or at the other extreme, humans are at risk while endangered species are being protected. And misguided attempts to conserve wildlife sometimes ends up being detrimental to the very wildlife that is in the process of being protected. 

In my opinion, Treadwell's story is a beautiful and disturbing example of the difficulty of balancing the needs of humans and animals.

You can find this movie on Amazon on DVD/Blu-ray or on Amazon Video.


Warning: Those persons who have nightmares easily might not want to see this movie. I don't consider it to be visually gory. It's more of a psychological twist and the things that can be imagined that brew in your mind for awhile.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Where to Use Yellow in My Home to Promote an Uplifting and Sociable Atmosphere

More Yellow Home Décor Here

In Feng Shui, Yellow is considered a Fire Element.

If you're wondering what the meaning of 'Fire Element' is, it's pretty much what 'Fire' itself evokes; renewal, transformation, expansion and purification.

With the power to destroy, the result of fire is conversely true, the destruction generates an opportunity for re-birth and renewal. Of course Yellow isn't about destruction, it represents uplifting change and in Feng Shui finds it's predominance in the Reputation/Fame and Good Fortune parts of the home.

So How Does a Fire Element Color Like Yellow Uplift a Space?

If you're familiar with Feng Shui basics and the Feng Shui Western Bagua Map used for home decorating, you already know where yellow is predominately suggested to be used. Below you'll notice that red is indicated in the Reputation/Fame quadrant, but since yellow, red and orange are considered fire elements, they can piggy back off each other in their respective areas: Reputation/Fame, Love/Relationships, and Good Fortune. Also notice that 'Gold' is in the Prosperity/Wealth quadrant as well, so go ahead and feature yellow tones in that quadrant of your home.

If you're confused by what the quadrants are and what they include, see the Western Bagua Map below. To learn the basics on how to use the map, you can read more about it here.

Western Bagua Map for Feng Shui by Funkthishouse

Where to Feature Yellow in Your Home

If you're following the principles of Feng Shui, and map your house out using Western Bagua, choose the colors for each room by how the rooms are positioned on the map. By the way, you don't have to go hog-wild with the suggested color; if you're a less-is-more type, simply feature the color in selected pieces and accessories.

As an example, according to this map, if I wanted to feature yellow in my own home, I could choose it as a main color or add it in the form of accessories to our kitchen, family room or foyer.

However, the most powerful use of yellow would be to include it in our Good Fortune area, which happens to be the foyer. Prosperity/Wealth, Reputation/Fame and Love/Relationships lands in our kitchen and family room, so a bit of yellow in these rooms would also work.

So does that mean I shouldn't decorate our family room and kitchen in colors other than fire colors? No of course not. Feng Shui is simply a guideline of how to maximize the power of energy in the form of color, décor and placement. The bottom line is the power of your own energy, your own mood, and what you do to promote positivity in the home and with your family.

Yellow is an Uplifting and Sociable Color

Yellow is a good energy color that stands for clarity, optimism, joy, freshness and intellect. These attributes are key to encouraging conversation and an uplifting environment. So naturally, it makes sense to add yellow in the home to help to achieve these mood goals.

As an example if you would like to enhance communication with your significant other, go ahead and decorate your Master Suite with yellow, or just add a bit of yellow to the room. When he starts unexpectedly becoming chatty, you can smile and blame it on the yellow.

If you're looking for Yellow Home Décor pieces, click each of the boxes below and various furnishings in that category will drop down right on the page: Oh HAPPY DAY:

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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