How to Access Employee Needs to Tailor Effective Rewards

There are many ways to access employee needs to tailor effective rewards, but the most powerful means is listening. Listening to employees will allow you to get to know employees and understand where they are coming from. To tailor effective rewards for employees you must know what it is they actually want or need, and communication is a tool that will provide you with these answers.

Many employees enjoy expressing their opinions, and it can make employees feel valued and part of a team. Managers must talk to employees regularly if they want to understand their needs. Asking employees what they feel would be an appropriate reward is a good start. This method is also effective because it allows employees to participate in the creation of incentives. This will increase enthusiasm because employees like to be involved, and it will increase the value of the reward.

Allowing employees to contribute their ideas is a reward in itself, because employees will feel a sense of value and satisfaction from providing their input. If you want to tailor effective rewards to the needs of employees you need to talk to them. Employees will tell you what they want if you ask them. This method is direct and consumes less time than other options.

Some managers may feel like they are unable to communicate well with employees, but there are methods of communicating needs and ideas with employees that will make this easy. Surveys, suggestion boxes, meetings, and reviews are all positive ways to communicate with employees. These methods will help you access their needs and tailor effective rewards based on their needs.

Surveys and suggestion boxes are effective because they are anonymous, and employees have no need to answer in a way that is not true to their feelings. This can be effective in matters of criticism against a company because employees can be honest. Surveys and suggestion boxes are inexpensive and helpful when trying to access information about a company from the perspective of its employees.

Meetings and reviews are a good way to discuss improvements, measure progress, and get on the same page as employees. Meetings and reviews are also a positive forum for accessing needs on a whole. This arena will provide employees with a forum for discussing needs with other employees as well.

Accessing the needs of your employees is necessary if you would like to tailor effective rewards. Allowing employees to participate in this process through communication is the only way to be truly effective at this task.

How Did the Nobel Prize Originate?

 

Everyone has heard of the Nobel Peace Prize at some point or other in their lives, but not many people realize that there are more Nobel Prizes than just the prize for wok on peace. The Noble Prizes are known as the highest award one can receive in literature, medicine, physics, chemistry, and peace. These awards are huge compliments to those who win them, but many people do not know how they originated. This article will give you some background information on the Nobel Prizes.

Alfred Noble is the man who started the prizes; he was "born in Stockholm and lived from 1833 to 1896," and he invented many powerful things such as "dynamite, blasting gelatin, and a new kind of detonator for explosives" (Leokum, 1986, p.139). It is interesting to think the man that invented a prize for peace also created methods of destruction, but there is more to Nobel than you realize. Nobel was a scientist, but he was also a "poet," and he "thought that literature and science were the most important factors in human progress" (Leokum, 1986, p.138). Although the inventor of these prizes created dynamite; he also wanted to end war and hoped this prize would help to end it.

The Noble Prizes started after Alfred Noble passed away. He left a "fund of $9,000,000" to support these prizes and be presented as awards, and the "prizes averaged about $ 40,000 each". This was a lot of money when these prizes started. The first Nobel prizes were awarded on the anniversary of Nobel's death which was "December 10, 1901" (Leokum, 1986, p.139). Nobel was a great man who sacrificed some of his wealth to help the world in many ways.

Since Alfred Nobel grew up in Sweden "the Nobel Foundation of Sweden distributed the awards," and many of the institutes that judged these awards were located in Stockholm. Many famous people have won these awards such as "Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, Marie Curie, Rudyard Kipling, Ernest Hemingway, and Ralph Bunche" (Leokum, 1986, p.139).

These prizes have been awarded for many decades, and each winner is awarded the prize money, a diploma, and a coin. I think this prize is a beautiful thing, and I think Alfred has definitely left his mark on society and the world by starting these awards.

Reference:
Leokum, A. (1986). The Big book of tell me why. New York, NY: Grosset and Dunlap.

Fun Kid Crafts with Sticks

Many people do not realize it but if you are creative you can create great crafts using thing you find right in your backyard. I love nature crafts, and I try to use things I find in nature for my craft projects constantly. Lately I have been creating a lot of craft projects using sticks, branches, and twigs, and this article will teach you how to use the old sticks you find around your house for more than just making a fire.

Magic wands are an awesome and easy craft project that you can create using sticks found around your home. Many kids love to pretend they are magicians or wizards, and creating a magic wand will be fun for them and provide them with hours of play in the future.

All you need for this project is a good stick, some leather or twine, beads, feathers, scissors, glue, and whatever other magical items your child likes. Simply wrap one end of the stick with the twine and tie feathers to the end. You may want to glue the twine in place to make sure it doesn't move. Add the beads and other trinkets. You can even paint the stick for a more personal touch. After everything has dried your wand is ready for play!

A stick vase is a simple and great project that can be kept to help a kid organize his own belongings or it can be given away as a present to a teacher or a grandparent. These vases are made using recycled materials and items found around the home, and do not take long to make.

To make this twig vase find an old soup can, but make sure the edges are not sharp. If the are you can sand them down or glue ribbon to the inside rim. Then gather enough twigs to fit around the can if stoop up vertically, and break or cut them to the right height. Next glue these twigs to the can and tie it with ribbon or twine. After the glue is dry you can use the can to store pens and pencils or whatever you like.

Another fun project is the stick letter sign, and this sign can read anything your child likes. Feel free to get creative! The only items you will need for this is a piece of wood, glue, and twigs, but you can add some paint if you like. Simply cut or break the twigs to spell out the phrase you are writing and glue the pieces onto the base. You can add pine cones and acorns as nice details as well.

A twig easel is a great way to display picture or other artwork, and it is easy to make. All you will need for this project is three long sticks of the same length, a fourth stick that is as wide as the picture you will be displaying, glue, and twine. Remember to check the size of the picture against the sticks you will be using. You don't want to make an easel that doesn't fit your picture.

Next glue and tie 2 of the long sticks together so they make an upside down V shape. Next glue and tie the stick that was not equal to the first to the lower part of the V. This will create an A shape. Finally glue and tie the last stick to the point of the A, but remember to slide it in between the first 2 sticks because it will bend out to support the easel. This project is a simple and unique way to show off your child's artwork, and it is something they can create themselves.

Nature is a treasure that many people overlook, but I hope these four great craft projects have inspired you to go in your backyard and collect some sticks!

Fun Kids Crafts: How to Make Your Own Ugly Monster Dolls

Ugly dolls are a lot of fun; they are cute, cuddly, and their ugliness makes them adorable. I started making dolls using socks that I couldn't find matches for, but over time I have started using all sorts of scrap materials, and here is an article that will describe how you can make your own ugly monster doll.

Ugly monster dolls can be any shape, size, color, or style, and that is part of the fun part of these making these dolls. You can use anything as a base for them. If you have some old socks that works great, but if not a weirdly cut piece of fabric can work great so feel free to experiment. So pick a shape for the body; if you are unsure of what type of shape start with a rectangle with one rounded edge, and make sure you cut 2 of these pieces so the doll has a front and a back side.. Next cut a slit in the square side opposite of the rounded side; this part will be your legs.

Now pick the side that is going to be the front, and start to make your doll a face. I like to use different colored buttons that are also different sizes. I will then stitch some eyelashes onto the doll or I will use sequins to add details. Finally I will stitch the mouth using embroidery floss. I will also add any other special touches to the doll at this point such as pockets or a bow. If you are going to give your doll a necktie or a necklace you should wait until the doll is stuffed.

Now turn the doll inside out and sow around all of the seams except the inside slit for the legs. Turn the doll right side out, and fill it with stuffing. Continue filling until you have reached the legs, and sewing one at a time continue to fill with stuffing.

Now that your doll is stuffed you can add hair and clothes to it. You can also add necklaces and funny charms. I specifically like to add facial expression to my doll after it is stuffed. You c an also add the nose t this point, and to achieve these affects you simply need to pinch the part of the face between the eyes and sew through the doll. Pulling the string tighter o looser will give the face different expressions. Feel free to experiment.

Some materials that you can use when making these dolls are pipe cleaners, felt, rhinestones, sequins, pom-poms, and foam. Monster dolls are a lot of fun to make, and kids of many different ages will enjoy this project.

Fun Kid Crafts with Seashells

If you are like me you collect shells when you go to the beach. If you are also like me you always end up wondering what am I going to do with all of these shells. Seashells are awesome materials for craft projects, and here I will describe four fun projects that you can complete inexpensively using shells.

Seashell candles are great uses for seashells and you can reuse old candles to make them. Simply buy wicks from your local craft store, gather old pieces of candle wax, and deep shells that can fit on upside down without wobbling. Now glue the wick to the inside of the shell and melt the candle wax. After the wax is melted but not too hot you can add some fragranced oils to make the candles smell nice. Fill the shell with wax and let the candle cool. Trim the wick and your seashell candle is ready.

A sea shell organizer is fun and a great addition to any desk. You will need a block of wood or something suitable for a base. Next glue 2 scallop shells to the base standing up with enough room in between to fit papers and mail. Now add some sand and other shells to the base for decoration and you will have a great seashell organizer.

A seashell herb garden is beautiful and an awesome way to reuse shells you have collected. You will need deep shells that can stand up without wobbling, potting soil, and herb seeds. Make sure the shells are clean and dry and add potting soil to the insides. Add some water to the soil so it is moist, and sprinkle the seeds lightly over the dirt. Set your shells in a sunny spot on a windowsill and water frequently but not excessively. The seeds will sprout quickly and you will have a lovely little seashell garden.

Another fun seashell craft is the sea shell butterfly magnet. It can be created using only glue, a pipe cleaner, pompom, magnet, and four shells. Make sure that each set of two wings are similar to create a symmetrical looking butterfly. You can paint the insides of the shells if you like, but I have found many of the shells are already so pretty on the inside I do not want to paint them. Now twist the pipe cleaner to serve as the long cylindrical body of a butterfly and glue the pompom on for the head. Next glue the shells together to simulate wings and glue the body and head onto the shells. Glue the magnet to the back, and your beautiful butterfly is done!

There are many crafts you can create using seashells, and I hope this article has inspired you to use the seashells you collected at the beach this summer!

Flower Fairies: A Pretty and Easy Project

The first time I saw a flower fairy was at a Christmas craft show. They were displayed as Christmas tree ornaments, and they were the cutest, most precious thing I had ever seen. I loved them on instinct, and apparently so did everybody else because when I came back later to get a second look at them they were all sold out. These fairies are beautiful and playful, and I will explain exactly how to make them.

For this unique project you will need a fake flower. The bigger the better, and it doesn't matter what type of flower; you can make many different flower fairies to decorate your home. You will also need a wooden bead about the size of a nickel in diameter, paint, glue, ribbon, and a few pipe cleaners. You can also add beads and glitter to these dolls for added detail.

The first step is taking apart the flower. You will need to pull the tiny green plastic off of the bottom of the flower. You can also separate the petals and stamen or centerpiece of the flower. Remember to keep all off these pieces because you will use all of them.

Next paint a face on the wooden bead. You can start by painting 2 white dots for eyes. Next add a little blue dot to the center of the eyes, and paint a red heart shape for the mouth. After these colors have dried, paint an upturned nose by making a small half circle, and add eyelashes to the eyes and a black dot for the pupil. If you have some pink blush you can dab a little on the cheeks for a folk art effect.

To join the head to the body simply pull a pipe cleaner up through the face bead and attach the green part of the bottom of the flower to the top of the pipe cleaner like a hat. You can also stick a flower petal in between the head and the hat. Now twist the top of the pipe cleaner so that the bead is secure.

To make arms, legs, and a torso take another pipe cleaner and fold it in half twice. Wrap it around the top of the other pipe cleaner below the head. Slip the flower petals upside down onto the base of the pipe cleaner. Now take a third pipe cleaner and fold it in half and attach it to the part of the pipe cleaner underneath the flower.

Once you have all the basic pieces of your doll assembled there are still some finishing touches. In order to make the doll more stable and attractive, pull a few of the flower petals up and over the arms. Pinch these petals in the middle to create a waist and secure with ribbon and glue. Finally add leaves from the flower stems for wings and your fairy is done!

This is the basic technique for making these beautiful dolls, but you should feel free to expand on the idea.

Fun Crafts for Kids: Three Nature Crafts with Stones

Stones are a great material for crafting, and many people take them for granted. They are everywhere and they are all different shapes and sizes. Stones are a great medium for kids crafts, and here are three nature craft projects that use stones.

Lady bug stones are a lot of fun to make, and they are very simple as well. All you will need for this project is red, white, and black paint, acrylic sealer, and oval shaped stones. Now paint the front section black to create a head and the back section red. Remember you want more off the stone red because the body of a lady bug is red. Next paint white eyes and black spots and seal the stone with the acrylic spray. Use these ladybugs around the house for decoration in your garden.

Stone garden markers are another fun project that kids can make for gifts or for their own gardens. Simply find several smaller stones or one large stone and paint it with the word and pictures you want. Now spray them will acrylic sealer and you can use these stones in your garden for years to come. You can also paint names on these stones and give them as presents. This is a nice way to mark a kids room, and they can personalize it in any way they like.

Poetry pebbles are a great stone craft project for kids of all ages. All you need for this project is paint or paint markers, many different stones of varying shapes and sizes, and acrylic spray sealer. Depending on the age of the children you are crafting with you will want to write different things on the stones. Children that are just learning to spell should make stones with a single letter on them. Children of older ages can make stones with words. For children in between start with some letter stones, but also use stones that have simple words that can be altered with letters such as can, be, is, the, on, in, and hat. After the stones are painted spray them so that the paint does not wash off.

Stones can be found everywhere, and there is no reason why they should not be used as a craft material. Kids like to collect stones, and this part of the project is only the beginning of the fun. So go outside and find some rocks!

Five Quick, Natural and Easy Beauty Tips for the Face

 

Nowadays there are so many products on the market that promise to make you more beautiful in an instant, but I am here to tell you that you don't need all of these products. All you need is these five quick and easy beauty tips for the face, and you will be feeling beautiful in no time.

Eyebrows are an important part of what makes your eyes stand out. It is important to have a natural proportion between your eyes and your eyebrows. A simple and easy method of keeping your eyebrows natural and lovely simply requires a pair of scissors and a comb. All you need to do to avoid tweezing is use this easy method. Use your comb to brush your eyebrows up. I know this will look a little funny, but it is the correct procedure. Now use your scissors to trim the hair in a straight line along the natural line of the eyebrow. Brush the hairs back down, and your eyebrow will be preen and clean looking.

You may have heard of people using cucumber to relax and restore tired eyes, but there are other methods that work just as well. Using tea bags works well for tired eyes; just make sure they are cool and the majority of the water has been drained out of them. Cotton balls dipped in milk also help to moisturize and replenish tired eyes. So sit back and relax with these eye rejuvenating remedies.

There are many different methods of making your skin soft and glowing, but my favorite is a simple honey mask. Rest a warmed washcloth on your face for about five minutes. This will open your pores and soften our skin which is opportune when applying a facial mask. Next you must simply apply a thin layer of honey all over your face, and let it set for about 15 minutes. Wash the honey off in lukewarm water and splash face with cold water when all the honey is gone. This will replenish your skin, and it will give you a healthy glow.

Mint juice is a natural way to get rosy lips. Simple grind some mint leaves and rub them on your lips. They will give your lips a natural pink color, and the juice of the mint leaves will make your skin soft and smooth.

For really rough lips there is a quick and easy solution that can be applied while in the shower or brushing your teeth. Simply wet your toothbrush a little bit, and rub your lips with the bristles in a circular motion. This is a super simple way to exfoliate your lips.

These tips will save you time and money, and they will help you have a natural beautiful face!

Crafty Ways to Create Fun Sculptures Out of Trash

I love to make stuff out of recycled materials, and I am always looking for inspiration in everything. If you are like me you love art, and you hate to waste stuff. If you are like me you will love these projects because they are some crafty ways to use your garbage for good.

A great sculpture project that can you can make using stuff found around the house is a book sculpture. All you will need for this project is an old book, a pen knife, some markers, some paint, a piece of newspaper, and random fun stuff found around your home. All you will need to do stand the book up and open it so that some of the pages are grouped together. Now take the paint and spread it thickly over the book. I like to use paint that you would paint the walls in your house with. I find that this paint is thick enough to hold the pages together in the position you like. After the book has dried you can use your pen knife to cut holes or windows into the book. You can also use the markers to draw on the book or add fun details and patterns. Now glue the found items and you have a fun book sculpture that can be personalized with pictures and other memorabilia.

Another fun project is making a junk mobile. This is a lot of fun, and you can utilize all different things found around the house. The base of this mobile can be made using hanger or similar object that can be bent into a ring. Shape the hanger into a ring after you undo the twist in it. Next find some wire or fishing line. Dental floss also works very well for this project. Next find some fun things to hang from your mobile. I like to use old silverware, screws, bolts, and any other nice charms that will sound nice banging together. Remember to add beads if you like, and you can also bend the utensils into interesting shapes. This mobile is totally customizable, and it makes use of junk that is lying around the house.

A great sculpture project that uses found items is the dish shelf, and this project requires several different dishes such as cups, bowls, and plates, glue, paint pens, and different found items. I like to use different color dishes that have different patterns and designs. All you need to do with this project is stack the dishes on top of each other. Remember to start with the largest plate at the bottom. Next add a cup or a bowl to create height, and add another plate or bowl to create another level. You can stack these dishes as high or as wide as you like, but remember to glue them well, and make sure the shelf is sturdy. Once your shelf is created you can add details to it using found items and paint pens. Remember you can also incorporate tin cans and other interesting items found around your home to create levels of your shelf, and remember the more personal the better.

Creating sculptures are a lot of fun, and creating sculptures that are personal are even better. Remember it is better to make something awesome and useful instead of just throwing away your trash so think creatively not wastefully.

Compassionate Communication

Compassionate communication is a beautiful and amazing way to express yourself, and many more people should try it. It has amazing powers of accomplishing what you need and what the other person needs in a positive, loving way that leaves both parties happy and satisfied.

There are five basic components of compassionate communication, and it is important to speak to others in this way in order to achieve a common goal of happiness and satisfaction. This method of communication is really very beneficial, and I urge everyone to try it.

Okay to the basics, observing with judging simply means observing the situation, how it makes you feel, what particularly made you feel this way, what could stop these feelings, and why these actions are occurring.
Distinguishing between feelings and non feelings are important many people speak in description and not feelings. You are likely to say your boss sucks, but not my boss makes me upset when he acts a certain way. It is important to speak in terms of actual feelings, and if more people did so the world would be a better place.

Taking responsibility for your feelings is extremely important, and this means recognizing why an action makes you feel a certain way. People act the way they do, but everyone has certain beliefs that cause them to feel certain ways towards other people's actions. Taking responsibility for your feelings means accepting that it is your beliefs that cause these feelings.

Requesting what we need simply means asking for what you need in order to feel good.

Receiving empathetically means receiving in a way that gives respect to the feelings of others and is thankful and understanding of the sacrifices others are making to fulfill your needs.

When trying to resolve a conflict you must employ all of these factors; you must state what is bothering you, how you feel, what about you makes you feel that way, what you need to feel better, and your understanding of what this request means to the person you are asking it of. For example, if you were having a conflict at work you instead of saying your boss sucks, you could say when your boss yells it makes you feel intimidated, and since you need to feel secure it would be helpful to you if your boss could try not to yell even though you realize that your boss is stressed out.

I am not saying this is always going to work, and I know I can't expect other people to try to communicate this way, but I can listen for how they are feeling and use that to try to communicate in a way that utilizes compassion. If someone approaches you in a manner that is not compassionate ask yourself how does this person feel, and why do they feel this way before you reply. This will allow you to reply in a matter that addresses what it is that they need to feel okay.

This type of communicating is a life long practice that I have been trying to employ, and I have found that it can really help in my personal and business relationships. It has also helped me moderate many conflicts. It is not easy, but acting with love is not always easy; it is usually hard.

Caterpillar Crafts: Fun Summer Art Projects for Kids

Summer is the time when there are all sorts of bugs creeping around, and you can turn those creepy crawlies into great ideas for summer crafts that your kids will love. These caterpillar crafts are easy to create, and they do not cost a lot of money; in fact most of these ideas can be completed using things found around your home. Here are some fun, crafty ways to create caterpillars that your kids will enjoy!

Caterpillars can be made easy from old paper towel rolls. Simple gather a bunch of toilet paper rolls and cut them into three tubes. Next paint them green or whatever color you would like your caterpillar to be, and poke holes in both sides of each tube. Using thread or yarn tie the tubes together in a long chain, and paint the first one with a face. You can also use wiggly eyes if they are available. Add some cardboard or pipe cleaners to the head for antenna and your caterpillar is complete!

Paper chain caterpillars are great and they can be made using left over pieces of junk mail and magazines. Simply paint the paper you are going to use and cut it into strips that are 2 inches wide and 5 inches long. Next make a circle with the first strip and glue it together. Using the next strip loop it through the first and make another circle. Continue until you have a long chain. Next glue wiggly eyes onto the last circle and curled pieces of paper or pipe cleaners, and you will have an awesome caterpillar to hang around your house.

Egg cartons also make great caterpillars and this is a perfect way to recycle the egg carton instead of throwing it away. To make this caterpillar just cut a straight strip off of your egg carton and paint it green. Add a face on one end and some pipe cleaners for antennas and your caterpillar is ready for fun.

Pompoms make great fuzzy caterpillars and these caterpillars can be attached to barrettes or key chains. All you need is some green pompoms, but you can also use other colors if you like. Wiggly eyes and some round sequins are nice for this project, and some pipe cleaners are perfect for legs. Glue the pompoms together in a chain so that they form a body, and cut tiny pieces of pipe cleaners for legs. Bend the legs into L shapes so they have feet and attach them to the body of the caterpillar. Next glue the sequins to the head and the eyes on to so that the sequins looks like eye lashes. Add antennas and this fuzzy friend can be attached to all sorts of things.

Making caterpillars with your kids is a fun way to keep them occupied during the summer, and it will make them familiar with nature's wonders.

Butterfly Pendants: Polymer Clay Crafts

Polymer clay is an awesome medium for making all sorts of things. Polymer clay can be used to make jewelry, pins, sculptures, and beads. I love to use polymer clay in all my projects. You can make many animals, insects out of polymer clay using simple shapes and easy instructions. This article will teach you how to make a pretty polymer clay butterfly pendant.

First you will need a large ball of purple colored clay and a medium ball of brown clay; you will also need a pin, a toothpick, a paintbrush, and some acrylic paint. You do not need to use purple clay; you can use any other color you like, but I like to use purple.

To make the wings of this butterfly break the purple clay into four pieces; two of the pieces should be larger than the other two. Roll these pieces into balls and flatten them out to look like disks. Next pinch the side of each of the wings so that they can attach evenly to the body.

Next use the brown clay to create the body. Roll a small ball of this clay to form a head, and long cylinder to form a body. Attach the head to the body, and taper the end of the body without the head to a point. After the head and body is attached use the pin to poke eyes into the head; you can also add a smile using the pin.

You will need to use the toothpick to create a hole to hang the pendant from. Put the body in the refrigerator for a few minutes so it can get hard. Stick the toothpick through the head after it is cold enough to keep its shape.

Next attach the wings to the body by pressing the wings against the body. Bake the butterfly for 15 minutes in the oven at the suggested temperature on the package. After it has cooled you can remove the toothpick.

When the butterfly has cooled you can add details using the acrylic paint. Start by painting a circle in the top corner of the top butterfly wings. Next make two smaller circles below the big circle, and do the same thing to the bottom wing. Remember that no matter what you do to one wing you must paint a symmetrical pattern on the other wing to match the first one.

After the paint has dried you can add some glitter if you like, but either way all you will need to do is string it on some ribbon and wear it!

Problems, Solutions, and Responsibility: How to Live in a Positive Manner

"Life is difficult," and I have found this to be my mantra in the past few months (Peck, 1978, p.1). This statement at first seems very intimidating, but when you look further into it, it is what makes us human. I believe that "what makes life difficult is the process of confronting and solving problems is a painful one" (Peck, 1978, p.16). This statement implies that life will always be painful because there will always be problems that need to be solved, but we should not be afraid of this because problems can bring out the good in people. "Problems call fourth our courage and our wisdom; indeed; they create our courage and our wisdom", and problems are what allow us to "grow mentally and spiritually" (Peck, 1978, p.16). Without problems we can not evolve, and once again I am reminded that problems should be welcomed instead of avoided.

Many people do not like to talk about their feelings. They feel that talking about their problems will only lead to conflict, but conflict is not bad. It presents opportunity to learn. Avoidance is useless, and it only leads to more conflicts. Avoiding problems is unhealthy because you can only learn from conflicts by dealing with them. When conflicts have been dealt with and appropriate courses of action have been determined conflicts fail to exist become they are no longer something you are struggling against.

Responsibility is a huge part of problem solving. "We must accept responsibility for a problem before we can solve it", and many people believe that their problems are caused by society or another person. This belief allows people to avoid their problems because they think that they are someone else's responsibility to fix. In order to solve problems you must realize they are yours first. This has led me to question myself because I always want to help others solve their problems. I feel like this is robbing them of the opportunity to find wisdom and courage inside themselves, but at the same time I do not want to see them hurt or fail. I feel this situation is rough for me because I do not want to not help someone I love because I want them to be okay, but I guess I should let them take responsibility for themselves.

Life may seem trying at times, but if we deal with our problems the tough times get easier. Remember practice makes perfect especially in this situation. Responsibility is the first step to learning to deal with problems in a positive manner. I hope these theories have helped you learn to deal with your problems in a positive and productive way. Compassionate and honest living is the only answer to becoming a better person and creating a better world.

References:

Peck, M.S. (1978). The Road less traveled: a new psychology of love, traditional values, and spiritual growth. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Popular Holiday Themed Bulletin Boards for May

May has a lot of great holidays, and these bulletin board ideas are perfect for popular May holidays. This article will discuss how to create popular holiday themed bulletin boards for the month of May.

May Day

On May 1^st we celebrate May Day; this holiday marks the beginning of spring, and it is great for creating bulletin boards. For this idea you will need green butcher paper, blue butcher paper, spring themed coloring pages, crayons, scissors, glue, and yellow construction paper.

Provide students with the coloring pages, crayons, and scissors. Let the students color the popular spring themed sheets. While they are doing their part, you should get the bulletin board ready. Do this by covering the top half with blue butcher paper and the bottom with green butcher paper.

Then cut a large circle out of yellow construction paper. Also cut out several long narrow triangles. Glue the triangles to the circle and add the sun to your bulletin board. After the students have cut out the spring inspired images add them to the bulletin board in celebration of May Day and spring.

Cinco de Mayo

May 5^th is Cinco de Mayo, and this holiday allows for festive bulletin boards. For this bulletin board idea you will need butcher paper tissue paper, glue, scissors, crayons, glitter, and sombrero themed coloring pages. Provide students with the coloring pages and let them color the sombrero however they like. Then help them write their name with glue along the band or the brim of the sombrero. Cover the glue with glitter and allow to dry.

While the hats dry, create flowers using the tissue paper. Start by helping the kids cut out several circles from the tissue paper. Then place the circles on top of each other and glue the layers together. When the flowers and hats are dried attach them to the bulletin board. The flowers make a lovely border but they can also be placed anywhere on the board for a pretty look.

These popular holidays provide you with bulletin boards that will really standout. Students enjoy creating these May themed ideas, and it is good way to teach students about popular holidays in the Month of May.

Paper Beads: Cheap, Easy, Eco-Friendly Crafts

Nowadays there are so many people looking for ways to recycle and reuse their waste. I think this is great, and I completely support it, and I have been practicing this habit for a long time now. I love to find awesome ways to reuse things that are lying around my home, and there are many fun craft projects that use things we would normally throw out.

If you are like me, magazines, junk mail and other assorted random papers start pile up around your house quicker than you realize. This article will discuss how to make several different beads out of paper. These projects are fun and easy for both children and adults, and they are inexpensive as well.

Paper beads come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I will first discuss the easiest way to make paper beads, and the tools for all of these beads. For these awesome projects you will only need paper, scissors, glue and a knitting needle or strong piece of wire. Gather together all of these items, and make sure to find all sorts of recyclable papers such as magazines, old mail, newspapers and papers from packaging.

The easiest bead to make is a cylindrical bead, and all you will need to do for this bead is cut a long rectangular strip from your favorite paper. Next spread a thing layer of glue along the length of one side of the paper. Now take your wire and wrap one end of the paper tightly around the wire. Simply wrap the paper until it is completely wound in a tight coil. Hold for a few seconds so the glue can dry, and you have created your first paper bead!

Another pretty bead you can make is the cone shaped bead. This is created by using the same shaped piece of paper as before, but this time you must trim the rectangle from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. This angle will give you a cone shaped bead. Just glue and wrap the paper tightly around and it will make a pretty cone shape. When creating this bead remember to start wrapping from the larger side.

An oval shaped bead is a lot of fun to make as well, and it requires a similar process as the last bead. For this bead you will trim the paper from the top left corner of the rectangle to the middle of the right side. You will repeat the same on the bottom of the rectangle. This will leave you with a point in the middle. Starting with the wider side of the rectangle, wrap the paper and glue it; remember to make sure the point ends up in the middle of the bead.

These beads are cheap, easy and fun to make; they save on waste, and they are a lovely addition to anyone's jewelry collection.

Ocean and Underwater Inspired Crafts for Kids

Many kids are thrilled with the idea of ocean life, underwater sea creatures, and beaches. There are a lot of fun projects for kids that can be created with an underwater theme. Here are some fun and exciting kid's crafts with the ocean theme in mind.

Coffee filter jelly fish are fun and easy to make, and they can be kept and hung around a child's room for years to come. First you will need a couple coffee filters, a paper cup, string, watercolors, scissors, and glue. First wet the coffee filters, and have the children paint them in various colors. After they are dry glue one coffee filter to the paper cup and thread a string through the center of the cup and through the coffee filter; this string will make the jelly fish able to hang.

Next rip the other filters into strips and glue them to the open end of the cup. They will hang down like the tentacles of the jellyfish. This project is fun and easy, and it is a guaranteed winner for any child who is interested in ocean life.

Paper plate port holes are awesome and eye catching projects. You will need left over paper plates, silver paint, fish shaped crackers, circular cereal pieces, sand or dirt, some paper, glue, and blue cellophane.

First cut a circle out of the majority of the middle of the paper plate, and glue the cereal pieces around the outside of the circle while it is upside down. Paint the plate silver because it will be the porthole. Remember to make the hole big enough to view your picture.

Next glue some dirt onto the bottom of a piece of paper. Cut and glue some leaves out of paper and onto the picture as well to create an under water scene. If you have some shells lying around feel free to use these as well. Next add your fish to the scene and let this dry. After the sea life picture has dried shake off the excess dirt.

Now cut the cellophane so it is a bigger circle than the one that is cut out of your plate. Glue this cellophane to the plate and let dry. Finally glue the plate to your ocean scene and trim off the excess. This porthole is an awesome project that you can display around the house.

Another simple and fun craft project can be made using an old sock, wiggly eyes or buttons, glue, and some cotton balls or stuffing. This sock octopus is adorable and easy to make. Simply cut the bottom half of a sock into strips, and stuff the top with cotton. Now tie two of the opposing strips together into a knot; continue working in a circle until all of the strips are knotted. Now glue or sew on eyes and a mouth, and you have an awesome sock octopus.

Under water and ocean crafts are a lot of fun and inspire a lot of imagination. They can be created using things found around the home, and your kids will have a blast!

No Fuss Vegetarian Black Bean Burger

Burgers are delicious, and I can't imagine being vegetarian without being able to eat a burger. I have eaten a lot of vegetarian burgers, but I have to say this recipe makes the best veggie burger I have ever eaten. This recipe is not only delicious, but it is also quick and easy to make.

The first and most important part of the recipe is the ingredients. You will need 1 can of black beans, half of a cup of mushrooms, 1 egg, and a fourth of a cup of flour. You can also include assorted vegetables, and these vegetables can be frozen and thawed, or they can come from a can. I like to use mixed vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, green beans, and peas. Corn is also a delicious addition to this recipe. If you use vegetable add an extra egg to the mixture, and if you use canned vegetables remember to press all of the water out of them.

Now that you have all of your ingredients ready pour the black beans into a bowl. Make sure to mash them up a little. This will add a smooth and creamy texture, and will provide something to help stick the beans together. Do not mash the beans all of the way because the lumps will keep a contrasting texture to the burger that is delicious. Dice the mushrooms and add them to the beans. Next mix the vegetables in and the eggs. Lightly mix until just combined, lastly add the flour. Sprinkle the flour in, and slowly mix until just combined.

Next shape the mixture into patties. I like to make larger burgers , but the size is up to you. Now you can coat the patties in flour or press them into some breadcrumbs. You do not have to bread the patties in anyway, but if you want a crispier outside add a slight coating. Lightly grease a pan and heat to medium. Fry the pan on each side for about 15 minutes. You can serve these burgers with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise or your can serve it with something more fun like avocado and onion.

These black bean burgers are so good even meat eaters will want to eat them. They are not only tasty, but they have nutritional value, and they are a cinch to make. Next time you are cooking for some vegetarians or feel like enjoying a nice vegetarian meal try these black bean burgers, and you will be glad you did.

Natural Methods of Keeping Groundhogs Out of Your Garden

Groundhogs love to steal, eat, and trample your plants, but there are natural methods of keeping groundhogs out of your garden. These furry pests are a common ailment to many summer gardeners, and building a fence is an expensive means that does not always work. This article will discuss several natural methods of keeping groundhogs out of your garden.

Noise and Motion

Groundhogs can be pretty big and invasive, but they do have their fears. Noise and motion are scary to groundhogs, and if your garden is a scary place it is less likely for a groundhog to visit it for a mid day snack.

Pinwheels

Pinwheels are an inexpensive and whimsical method of keeping groundhogs out of your garden. These small wonders provide natural motion and sound that will scare off groundhogs. You can make your own pinwheel easily using paper and plant stakes and a few other common items. Placing these around your commonly eaten plants is a natural method of keeping groundhogs out of your garden.

Aluminum Pans

Another natural way to instill fear in groundhogs is making it noisy. You can do this by adding aluminum pans to your fence or from trees. You can also hang noisy items from garden stakes in between the rows in your garden. When the items bang together the noise will terrify the groundhogs and the will learn to keep out of your garden.

Smell and Taste

Just like humans groundhogs do not want to eat things that smell and taste badly. This method of keeping groundhogs out of your garden relies on natural items that smell and taste unpleasant to groundhogs.

Pepper Sauce Spray

In a spray bottle mix together about an 1/8th cup of pepper sauce and water. Spray this on all of the plants you want to keep safe from groundhogs. The groundhog will hate the burning taste from the pepper sauce. He will worn his groundhog buddies to keep out of your garden. Make sure to spray the mixture on your plants after heavy rain and watering to keep the strength in tact.

Peppermint Plants

Another natural method of keeping groundhogs out of your garden is with peppermint plants. Planting peppermint near the entrance and around the border of your garden will deter these common inconveniences. Groundhogs do not like peppermint and will stay away from it.

These natural methods of keeping groundhogs out of your garden are easy and inexpensive. Try these methods to keep your groundhogs under control and your garden happy!

5 Unique Ways to Decorate with Christmas Lights

I love Christmas lights, and I love decorating with them. Many people do the same old thing with their Christmas lights, but I say why not do something different this year. This article will describe 5 unique ways to decorate with Christmas lights.

1. A simple and unique way to decorate with Christmas lights is by writing with them; This project only requires tent stakes, and lights; hooks will also work well for this project, but stakes are the best. Now figure out what you want to write with them. Ho, Ho, Ho always works well. Now start at the beginning of your first letter and tie the lights to the stake. Push it into the ground, and pull the string in a straight line to the next stake point. For shorter lines double the lights up, and for circles lay the lights in a circle. This is a unique way to decorate using Christmas lights.

2. Another unique way to decorate for Christmas in lights is by making a 3-d Christmas light tree. To create this you will need several strands of lights, a tall pole that can be put into the ground, and several tent stakes or long nails. Attach all of the ends of the lights that do not have the plug together using a rubber band. Next attach this bunch to the top of the pole. Stand the pole, and pull the strands out to form a cone shape. Attach them to the ground using stakes and string if needed.

3. A unique and stunning way to use Christmas lights to decorate your home is by creating a large Christmas wreath. Start by using heavy wire to make a circular base. When you have a base made wrap many strands of green lights around it, and add a big red bow to the top. Leave this wreath in your yard or hang on the wall of your house for a unique Christmas decoration that uses Christmas lights.

4. Another unique way to decorate with Christmas light is by making a huge star. The star is part of the bible's story about the birth of Christ, and it is a charming and unique way to decorate with Christmas lights. For this decoration you will need a piece of plywood, and a couple of nails. Draw a star on the wood, and hammer the nails in where the points are. Next wrap the lights around the nails so that you can see the outline of the star. Hang this unique decoration somewhere high so that you neighbors can see it this Christmas.

5. For a unique way to use Christmas lights inside your house this holiday try making a centerpiece for your table that uses Christmas lights. Simply fill a glass bowl with lights and ornaments. Mix and layer these lights for a nice effect, and plug in for a unique Christmas decoration using Christmas lights.

There are many unique ways of decorating that uses Christmas lights, and I hope this article will help you decorate your home this Christmas.

3 Fun, Inexpensive, and Easy Dinner Party Invitation Ideas

Dinner parties are a lot of fun; they are a great way to get together with friends and have a good time. In order to add a little style and fun to your dinner parties it is nice to send out dinner party invitations, and this article will describe three different invitation ideas for a dinner party.

A fun and festive dinner party idea is a Hawaiian dinner party, and invitations for this type of party are easy and fun to make. All you will need for this invitation is some bright colored cardstock, some fake flowers, glue,and some nice pens or markers. Simply cut the cardstock to suit the size of the invitations you like. I prefer to make to smaller invitations from one piece of paper. Next glue some fake flowers to the corner, and draw some leaves and vines stretching out from the flowers to create a border. Next write a nice message on the front, and remember to mention luaus, tropical, or Hawaiian party. On the inside state the date, time, and location, and don't forget to tell them to bring their grass skirts because you will be providing the lays.

Another fun dinner party invitation can be made for a Chinese food themed dinner party. These dinner parties are fun because they take a lot of the work out of the dinner, and you will be able to relax. These dinner party invitations are a lot of fun because they are super easy to make. All you will need is some white colored cardstock or paper and a printer. To make these invitations use a card making application on your writing program on your computer. Next find a picture of a fortune cookie on the internet and copy and paste it onto the invitation. Underneath the cookie write open the card to find your fortune. Inside the card make up a fortune that describes your party; a good idea for this is to write you will have a great time at my party. Remember to include the date, time, and location. The fortune cookie will remind your invites that this is a Chinese themed dinner party, but you can also mention that they will be using chopsticks and sitting barefoot on the floor.

A fun theme for dinner parties is the casino night dinner party, and making dinner party invitations for this party are easy and fun as well. All you need for these dinner party invitations is some paper, a deck of playing cards, glue, and some markers. In order to create these invitations fold the paper in half, and write a message on the front that says roll the dice, or something similar. Next have fun cutting up the playing cards and arranging them on the front of the invitation in a fun pattern or border. Next fill in the inside of the card with a message that invites them to a fun night at your casino. This party will be a hit.

Making invitations are a lot of fun, and they get the people invited excited about coming to your dinner party. I hope these dinner party invitation ideas have helped you plan a fun dinner party!

Tips on Creating Art Card Editions and Originals and Artist Trading Cards

Art card, editions and originals are an easy and inexpensive way to make gifts for people, express yourself, and have a good time. I love making art cards and find it very relaxing. There is only one simple rule to these fun little cards; artist trading cards must measure 2 and a half inches by 3 and a half inches. This size is actually a convenient size because it is the same measurements as the average playing card. ACEOs and ATCs can be composed of whatever materials you enjoy working with, and here are some tips that I find useful when making ATCs and ACEOs.

I like to use a lot of collage work when making ACEOs so I usually do random image searches on the computer to find images that strike some inspiration for me. Once I find a good image I print it out and cut it out. If you do not have a printer you can use magazines or books to find images; you may also feel free to draw your own images.

Once I have a good image I place it on the cards I have precut from cardstock or cardboard, and I glue it down. I like to alter my pictures by adding some oil pastels. Oil pastels are fun because they smudge, and can be wiped away if you only want to add a hint of color to the original image. Acrylic paint is another interesting art tool to use because it can be watered down and used to create blurry effects. I also use paint pens, markers, and pens on occasion to add details that the paint and pastels can not create.

Another fun part of making ATCs is picking a theme. Since these little cards can be used as gifts it is fun to make holiday themed cards, and a handmade card is always more thoughtful than a store bought card. ATCs can be made for Easter by using bunny rabbit cut outs and fake grass. Beads can be used in place of eggs. Christmas themed ATCs are also nice gifts because you can use tinfoil to make angel wings and pine needles to add accents.

A major part of making ACEOs and ATCs is personalizing them. It is important that your art cards have your own personal touch, so make sure to let your artist freedom run wild. Feel free to use things found around your home that do not naturally seem artistic to add your own personal touch. Just remember to have fun when making these cards, and your ATCs will come out better than expected.

Thumbprint Animals and Insects: Fun Summer Crafts for Kids

You would never know it, but you have an incredible craft material right at the tip of your finger. You may be wondering what I am referring to, and I am here to tell you that your thumb and finger prints are a lot of fun, and you can make many different things with them. Here are some ideas on creating thumbprint animals and insects.

A cute rabbit can be created using your thumb and pinky finger print. Stick your thumb in some paint and press it on a piece of paper; next add to ears either straight up or for floppy ears add them to the sides of the bunny's head. Next draw a little nose, some whiskers, buck teeth, and eyes, and you have a great little fingerprint bunny.

Caterpillars can be made with your thumbprints as well. Just dip your thumb in some green paint and make a wiggly looking chain of prints. Next add some feet , eyes, and antennas using a pen, and you will have an awesome caterpillar.

Butterflies are easy enough using finger and thumb prints, and you can make butterflies of different shapes and sizes using different fingers as different wings. Make sure to dip your fingers in more than one color when doing these wings to add a pretty rainbow effect. Press four prints to make the wings and add the bodies, heads, and antennas with a pen or marker.

A finger print turtle is a little more complex, but it looks great when completed. Start buy making a big thumbprint in the middle. Then make two smaller prints on each side of your thumb print. This will create a circular shape. Now make longer fingerprints going around the inside circle of the shell. You should start one at the top and bottom, and have 2 on each side. This will be the turtles shell. Next use your thumb to create the head of the turtle. Use your pointer or middle finger to create hands and feet poking out of the shell. Finally use your pinky to create a tail. You can draw eyes and add details to your tortoise with a pen after the paint has dried.

Another simple thumbprint creature is the bumble bee. Start by making thumbprints with yellow paint. Next add little blue pinky prints to the side of the yellow as wings. After the paint has dried add big round eyes and zigzag patterns to the bee's body. Antennas and a smile are also a good addition to this print.

Thumbprint fish are fun and easy to make. Start by making a big thumbprint for the body. This can be whatever color you like. Next add fins and a tail using your pinky and middle fingers. Finally draw smiles and eyes on your fish when the pain or ink has dried, and be sure to add some bubbles so your fish can breathe.

These crafts are fun and simple. It is less messy to use ink pads when doing these projects, but regular poster paints work just as well. Enjoy creating these animals and see what other creatures you can come up with. You can use these ideas to create greeting cards, add fun details to pictures, and create personalized signs.