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Mar 10, 2014

Monetize Your Blog Through Fun Campaigns With Linqia

This post is not sponsored but does contain affiliate links.

When I first started my blog I had no plan, no direction, and no idea what I was getting into. It started as an outlet to share my kid friendly crafts and recipes. As time went on I began to invest more of myself into my writing and started to enjoy sharing my adventures in motherhood. Two years ago I was at a completely different place in my life than I am now. After working since I was 16 years old, I was now a full time stay at home mom with more than enough free time on my hands. Young At Heart Mommy is one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. It gave me re-direction and confidence to continue with my goals, aspirations, and dreams. I also quickly learned that I could actually earn an income by doing something I truly loved, blogging. After realizing that there were so many ways to monetize my blog I began researching and communicating with seasoned bloggers who knew the tricks of the trade.

This is when I stumbled upon Linqia.

What is Linqia? A way for you to get paid writing, sharing, and spreading the word through social media. Linqia provides bloggers with the ability to grow their community and work with brands in sharing their story or message. Based on your blog's content and niche they match you with brands that will interest your readers. You will be offered campaigns and have the opportunity to share a story related to the content they are promoting. These campaigns contain "pay per click" links that track your reader's engagement and interaction. You will also be given a budget that will determine the maximum amount of money you can receive and how much you will make off of each click. Once you exceed this you will not get paid for extra clicks but your budget for future campaigns will be increased. Broken down, interaction and engagement= money, money, money! (It sounds better if you sing it...)

Since I have been a member of the Linqia community I have participated in three campaigns. My latest post, Decorate Your Space With Stylish Styles From Kleenex, being the most recent. There are MANY things I love about being a part of this network. Let's break em' on down..

1. You get paid QUICK. Once the campaign ends Linqia will send your payment through PayPal within 72 hours.

2. Working with brands and companies that interest you. Linqia does a great job of sifting through your content & pairs you with the best possible matches that will engage your readers.

3. Helpful campaign leaders that are well organized and involved. Each campaign has a manager that will correspond with you through email and your Linqia dashboard. They provide you with detailed instructions, suggestions, and help along the way.

4. Promoting through social media channels. The campaigns you participate in are an excellent way to draw new readers to your blog and build your social media platforms. The more you share the more you make.

5. Pay-per-click. This used to scare me because I never thought I could engage my readers to get involved and interact with the links I was posting. I proved myself wrong and discovered something even greater about Linqia. The amount of clicks you obtain in you current campaign will determine your budget for those offered to you in the future. You may make only $80 in your current campaign but have 100 extra clicks through your post. This means the next time around your budget will be raised even higher because you have an engaged audience. There is always room to grow and what blogger doesn't love that?

As you can see I love everything about Linqia and what they have to offer bloggers like myself. Ready to check it out? Linqia is always looking for bloggers who fall in the parenting, garden, and home niche. You must have a minimum of 1,000 followers on Twitter and Facebook and be in North America. Click here and register to be a part of the community. It never hurts to get paid to do something you are passionate about!

Mar 9, 2014

Decorate Your Space With Stylish Styles From Kleenex #KleenexStyle

Thank you to Kleenex for sponsoring this post and keeping my home stylish and practical!

Spring has officially sprung and with the season change comes an abundance of beautiful flowers, fluttering butterflies, and the occasional allergy attack which creeps up ever so gently. This is one of my favorite times of the year because the weather is lovely and it's the ideal opportunity to step outside to enjoy nature at its finest. When Spring arrives it often sets off allergy and cold season in our home. To battle the runny noses you can find a box of Kleenex tissues in every room at any given time. To bring a pop of color to your space Kleenex has new packaging out in stores. The designs are bright, colorful, and modern. It's a refreshing change compared to the classic solid colored tissue boxes you usually find on shelves and hidden under bathroom sinks.

While we use tissues on a daily basis here, I was never one to display them on my counter or for guests to see. It wasn't because the boxes were completely hideous or sore to the eye. I just viewed them as plain and rather boring compared to the decor they were up against. With a new line of vibrant styles I was determined to add a touch of Spring to my home starting with the living room.

The living room has the heaviest traffic out of any other in my house. It's the first thing you see when you walk in and it's used as a place to lounge, relax, and chit chat. With the holiday decor packed away I re-decorated the mantel with neutral colors and a touch of sparkle. Using the Kleenex® Style Studio I discovered trendy designs and enjoyed picking those that best matched my style. Kleenex is celebrating their 90th anniversary and bringing you another innovative first: The Kleenex® Style Studio. It’s a fun, inspiring way to discover more of the Kleenex® Brand designs and products you love. And maybe even a few that’ll take you by surprise.

After browsing online and shopping in store I was able to find the most adorable addition to amplify the mantel. This design is called "It's A Hoot" and brings out a bright pop of color when placed next to the silver and golds. One small touch can make the transition from Winter to Spring that much easier. I think it fits in quite nicely! After all, who doesn't love a cute little owl?

The next room that needed a little Spring spruce up was my bedroom. This is where I get ready for the day, put on my makeup, and unwind. Did you know that Kleenex actually started out as a facial tissue for removing makeup? This makes it a perfect addition to my "get glam" area, also known as my dresser!

My favorite thing about the design on this box of Kleenex is the different flowers on each of the four sides. You can rotate it to show your preferred colors to match the space you are displaying it in. I love how bright it looks next to my perfume and it really stands out when you walk into the room.

You can bring the colorful Spring style of Kleenex into every area of your home, including your children's bedroom. With the sudden weather changes here in Florida my daughter has had frequent sniffles and slight allergies. A box of Kleenex is always helpful in keeping her little nose soft and dry. I placed a colorful package of Kleenex in her bedroom for her to find when she returned home from school.

This fun design is called "Paisley Power" and blends perfectly with the bright colors of her walls. I wanted to make the tissues accessible so she doesn't always ask me for mine when she gets a runny nose! I am kind of becoming partial to the oval packaging because it gives the tissues a whole new look. Spring is making its way into every nook and cranny here.

By visiting the Kleenex® Style Studio you can browse through the various styles and designs of packaging. Decorate your home, car, or purse with a look you love. Get inspired and get stylin'! Also, take a look at the Catwalk or Kleenex video below to see if you can tell the difference between runway creations and Kleenex^® Brand designs. Make your predictions and watch to see how other fashionistas did!

Mar 6, 2014

Recipe: Magically Delicious Marshmallow Bars

For over a week I have been gazing at the giant box of family size Lucky Charms cereal that have been sitting on my kitchen counter. Toodie LOVES her Lucky Charms. We buy them frequently, more like weekly, and they are gone quicker than I can keep them in the pantry. When I was younger I remember picking all of the marshmallows out and pouring the plain cereal back in the box for the next poor soul to discover.Sugar makes you do crazy things and many boxes fell victim to my scheme. With this memory in mind I knew that I could turn our favorite cereal into something even more addicting. Yes, it is possible. I created something amazing and incredibly simple to make. They also don't require any baking!

I have yet to find one person in this world that doesn't love the ooey gooey delicious-ness of a Rice Krispie Treat. They're a classic dessert for children and adults. Using that giant box of Lucky Charms that have been eyeballing me I made Magically Delicious Marshmallow Bars. Forget the pot of gold because I doubt any leprechaun can keep their little hands off these!

Magically Delicious Marshmallow Bar Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups of Lucky Charms cereal
1 10 oz. package of regular sized marshmallows
1 cup of mini marshmallows ( for ooey gooey treats!)
4 tablespoons of butter

Directions:

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.

Add in marshmallows. Stir until they are melted and blended with the butter. Remove from heat.
Pour in cereal and fold in the marshmallow mixture. Stir until all of the cereal is coated.
Using cooking spray or butter, coat a 9x13 baking dish.
Press mixture into the coated pan and allow to cool.
Cut into squares or use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.

What kind of treats have you made out of your favorite cereal?

Mar 5, 2014

Dial Premium Deep Cleansing Hand Soap Review + Giveaway #PurexInsider

Having soft hands and healthy skin is something that I always strive to obtain. Since becoming a mom I notice that it is much harder to keep up with. With circumstance and age our skin changes. But this doesn't mean that there aren't solutions. I tend to wash my hands several times a day, probably more than necessary. This causes them to become dry and sometimes cracked because of the lack of moisture. Putting lotion on helps but I don't always have the time to lather up after each wash. At home and work I am very hands on. Whether it's cleaning the bathroom or wiping a runny nose, I make sure that my hands are sanitized after. Germs travel quickly and since we can't see them, we have no idea how many are lingering around at a given time! Having a hand soap that not only cleans but also moisturizes my skin is very important. This is why I was happy to try a new line of moisturizing hand soaps by Dial.

The new Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap is their latest product that delivers luxury to your hand washing experience. These premium soaps feature vibrant scents, a gentle micro-scrubber formula that smooths and moisturizes skin, and a completely new design that adds personal style to your home.

The three invigorating scents within this line include Yellow Raspberry & Black Sugar, Water Blossoms, and Coconut Lime Verbena. Each scent delivers it's own mixture of sweet notes to leave your hands smelling amazing after each wash. As a Purex Insider I was given the opportunity to try two of these moisturizing hand soaps, Raspberry & Black Sugar and Coconut Lime Verbena. The Water Blossom scent is still on my shopping list. It's crisp floral notes inspired by aquatic botanicals would be the perfect addition to my guest bathroom. For now I will enjoy and indulge in these two!

While these soaps do smell incredible, there are many other benefits that come along with their use. The deep cleansing formula helps to give you clean, healthy hands and skin. Moisturizing formulas with skin conditioners tend to hydrate your skin and visibly improve dryness. The micro-scrubbers within these deep cleansing soaps help to gently remove dirt from hands to leave them feeling smooth and refreshed. Your skin will smell great and feel even greater after!

My favorite part about these soaps is that your skin feels soft immediately after use. I don't feel like I have to lather on three coats of lotion to get my hands back to the silky texture I long for. The scents are pleasant and not overpowering. They linger for quite some time after you wash your hands. They're vibrant, fresh, and do an excellent job of revitalizing your skin.

Do you want the chance to experience Dial Premium Deep Cleansing Hand Soaps for yourself? One lucky reader will get to experience all three scents by winning (3) FREE product coupons for Dial Deep Cleansing Hand Soap. Enter through the rafflecopter form below. These coupons expire at the end of March so please watch your email and respond promptly if you are the winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: The Dial® Brand provided me with a sample of the Dial® Deep Cleansing Hand Soap in exchange for a product review. However, all the opinions expressed here are my own.

Mar 3, 2014

10 Beauty Tips For Busy Mommas

Being a mom is not the most glamorous job in the world. Actually, it's not even close. If it were up to me I would be spending a good 80% of the day in my favorite pajamas, hair in a messy bun, and not an ounce of makeup on. Realistically, this never happens. As moms we are busy. We are needed. We are demanded! We don't always have the time or the energy to walk out of the house looking like movie stars. Five out of seven days of the week I wake up at the butt crack of dawn. This is when I begin my daily mommy duties that were left dormant in the short 5 hours of sleep I managed to get. The last thing I want to do is straighten my hair and draw on intricate winged eye liner.

Whether it's during the week or the weekend I prefer to keep my beauty routine simple and to the point. Isn't it funny how vanity changes when we become moms? I always laugh about it because I remember the days when I would not leave the house without a full face of makeup. Now I find myself finishing in the car or using my iPhone camera to touch up what I attempted to do while I was rushing out of the house. It's true, we may not always have the time to do all that we desire but we can still take minimal steps to feel confident! Here are the things that I do to keep myself feeling beautiful even on the hectic days...

Dry Shampoo: Most busy moms don't always have time to wash, dry, and style their hair every single day. That's where dry shampoo comes in! Dry shampoo freshens up your hair by absorbing all of the oils from your scalp. You spray it onto your roots and work it in with your fingers or a brush. It instantly adds volume and body to your hair and refreshes it.

Embrace The Crazy Hair: If you wake up with a rat's nest or have un-controlable cowlick, embrace it! Have a back up plan for that unruly mane. Tease the roots and toss it in a messy bun or pony tail. As you can see from the opening photo, I do this often! A few bobby pins will work wonders..

Waterproof Makeup: By using waterproof makeup you do not have to worry about touching it up during the day. One application will be sufficient. Waterproof mascara, concealer, and eye liner are the products I would recommend. They are staples in anyone's makeup bag and with those three alone you can walk out the door looking put together.

Bypass The Lipstick: Skip the lipstick and replace it with a gloss or lip tint. These can both be applied easily and quickly with no thought ... and no mirror. You can keep them in your purse if you feel it has worn off during the day and you need a hint of color.

Curl Those Lashes: Even if you do nothing else, curl your lashes. It will open up your eyes and make you look awake ( even if you're not!) Moms don't get much sleep as it is so this step is very helpful is pretending like we have. You will notice a huge difference by taking those extra seconds to curl them.

Keep Your Eyes Minimal: Don't over complicate things. While we all love the smoky eye or to take the extra 10 minutes to get our eyeshadow PERFECT, we don't always have the time! Sometimes less is more. Instead of going for heavy shadows choose something flattering but quick. Use your index finger and sweep your eyelids with a soft champagne neutral color to make them pop.

Exfoliate, Cleanse, and Moisturize: When you take care of your skin it shows. Exfoliating, cleansing, and moisturizing are important in any skincare routine. Keeping your skin moisturized will not only keep it youthful but also give you a natural glow. The better condition your skin is in, the less touching up you have to do in the morning.

Skip The Heavy Foundation: Applying foundation in the morning can be the most time consuming step in our beauty regiment. Most woman wear too much foundation or don't even need it at all. Let your skin breathe! Apply a tinted moisturizer or a loose mineral powder to hide any redness or imperfections.

Prepare The Night Before: Make it a habit to shower and organize the things you will need before you go to bed. This could get you an extra 10 minutes of sleep! Take the time to pick out your outfit, put your go-to beauty items in the bathroom, and pamper yourself a bit. This may be the only time you get to do it before the next night.

Have A "Little Black" Makeup Bag: It's been said that every woman needs a little black dress. Take this concept and create yourself a makeup bag with the essentials. Keep this emergency pouch in your car or desk at work. When you need to freshen up or feel like you're looking a bit drab, this kit will give you a quick pick me up.

What's your beauty tip for busy moms, super moms, or the everyday "coffee is running through my veins" mom?

Recipe: NO BAKE Blueberry Muffin Pudding Push Pops

I love baking. I truly do. If you've been around here long enough then you probably can confirm this. But these days I find myself tired of cake, frosting, sprinkles, the process, the clean up, and the waiting. Sometimes it's just nice to have an easy recipe that you can whip up in a matter of minutes and not have to clean a ton of sticky utensils after. I've had a box of the plastic cake push up pops sitting in my garage for some time now. I didn't want to make the same old boring layered cake concoction so I decided to base my recipe on one of my favorite snacks; mini muffins. No bake, no mess, no problem! You can make and consume these little guys in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

NO BAKE Bluberry Muffin Pudding Push Pops Recipe

Ingredients:

1 box of Entenmann's Little Bites Blueberry Muffins
1 package of blueberries
1 package of Jell-O Instant Vanilla Pudding
whip cream (optional topping)
plastic dessert push pops
Ziploc bag or disposable decorating bag

Directions:

Prepare your instant vanilla pudding and place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or until chilled.
Remove little bite muffins from their packages. You will need 2 per push pop. Push one blueberry muffin into the bottom of each container with your finger. Make sure it is pushed all the way down so you have plenty of room for the other layers.
Fill a Ziploc bag with vanilla pudding and cut off one of the corners. Use this to pipe the pudding layers on top of the muffin.
Add a layer of fresh blueberries on top of the pudding.
Repeat steps until there are two layers of each filling.
Place push pops in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.
Add whip cream or Cool Whip on top for the final touch.

These Blueberry Muffin Pudding Push Pops are a refreshing treat for the Spring & Summer time. If you allow them to sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before eating, the muffin will soak up the pudding and combine all of the flavors together. You can also substitute the pudding for ice cream and stick these in the freezer. Either way these are a yummy alternative to your typical cake pop with frosting!

Mar 1, 2014

Pot O' Gold Giveaway: Win A $75 Target GC!

Have you ever heard the phrase "At the end of every rainbow lies a pot of gold?" Typically spoken by a true Leprechaun, this saying has been around for many years. While it is known to be a far fetched myth, today may be the day that the luck of the Irish proves to be real!

I've teamed up with fellow South Florida mom bloggers to bring you the Pot O' Gold Giveaway. Brought to you by the lovely Carrie over at Huppie Mama, we are giving away a $75 Target GC to one very lucky winner. Use the rafflecopter form below to enter!

Giveaway Organizer:

Carrie at Huppie Mama

Participants:

Felicita at Casa Moncada

Tiffany at Broward Saves

Melissa at Beyond Mommying

Ana at Miami Mommy Savings

Leanette at Teach Me 2 Save

April at Aprilgolightly

Mar at Emy Cooks

Sonia at Bohemian Babushka

Aileen at Newsy Parents