Monday, September 22, 2014

How to Install Sidebar Titles and Social Media Icons

 

Since I have designed some cute free social icons and sidebar titles lately I thought I would give you a little tutorial on how to install them.

How to Install Social Media Icons


First we will start with social icons you can grab mine here or download your favourites and save them to your computer.

Once saved upload them to photobucket (create a free account if you haven't already) other photo sharing sites will work but I am not familiar with them, sorry.

Now go to Layout and Click "Add a Gadget"  and choose HTML

Copy the below code and edit:

<a href="linktoyouraccount"><img src="photosharingaddresseofimagehere" width="70" height="70" /></a>

 It should look something like this...

<a href="https://twitter.com/101thingstodo1"><img src="http://i890.photobucket.com/albums/ac106/kristensblog1/pinkhearttwitter_zps02504f44.png" width="70" height="70" /></a>

You can change the width and height if you wanted, I simply chose 70 by 70.

In Photobucket chick on Direct under SHARE LINKS and it should automatically copy and insert this where it says photosharingaddresseofimagehere.




I had problems copying the link in Internet Explorer so used Motzilla instead.

And that's basically it, save all your icons under the same gadget and move it wherever you wanted it to show on your page.



And here is the tutorial on how to add a sidebar image in Blogger...


Go to Layout and Click "Add a Gadget" on the Sidebar



Then Choose the Image Gadget. And Upload the image from a saved file on your computer.

Now go to template (found on the left hand side) Click on 'customize' Then under the 'advanced' option  click on gadgets - and change the font size to 0px




If you don't understand anything please ask. I don't know if this is the best way to insert sidebar titles but it sure is the simplest, although it seems to get rid of the post date titles not that I particularly mind. If you had a better way I would love to hear it...

Friday, September 19, 2014

Freebie Friday - More Sidebars with coordinating social media buttons



I was kind of having fun designing free blog elements lately so I decided I would make it a series and will try to offer a new freebie or collection of freebies every Friday. This week I have a new design and font.

I call the shape arrow style and the font is Special Elite (in all cap locks). Here are the Sidebar Titles in Mint...

I also thought I would offer social media icons in coordinating colors. If the below image looks darker its just because the background image is white instead of transparent. The actual images should be identical. Mint Social Media Icons Download.


And I also offered it in Bubblegum Pink as well.


With coordinating pink heart social media icons.


Let me know what you think, and please just leave a comment if you wanted it in any other colours, or if you have any trouble downloading them. Thanks, and hope you like them!

And you can find the previously free sidebar titles here


Monday, September 15, 2014

What to Buy an Expecting Mother


 

 

I think it's always fun buying baby gifts. Baby clothes and shoes are just so tiny and adorable! But it's also nice to buy expecting mothers (or baby shower gifts) that are also practical. So here are my recommendations for buying the perfect baby gift...

 Try to skip the adorable dresses, outfits and tiny dress shoes in newborn and 3 month sizes - they will barely get worn if at all because they will get so many outfits and most baby's grow so quickly at this age.
 
If you can`t resist that outfit because, I know it`s difficult they are just so freakin cute! Opt for 9 month size. Why 9 months because lots of people might think the same way and buy 6 months sizes but no one ever buys 9 months sizes and they will need clothes in this in between size. Just try to keep in mind the season it will be when they will fit in to it.
 
Skip the cute onsies in cute designer brands or with fun sayings on them. Instead buy pairs of those comfy cotton pants you could pull over all those cute onsies they are bound to get, they will get a lot more use out of them.
 
Opt for sleepers in various sizes, they seem to go through several a day in their first few weeks and laundry isn`t always a new mothers first priority.

I recommend buying crib sheets instead of receiving blankets. An extra pair of sheets comes in handy especially when you have a boy.

And don't buy baby soap, a bottle of Johnson's & Johnson's will last them a year instead you can get a cute baby toiletry set with brush, toothbrush, nail clippers and digital thermometer like this 25 piece one from Safety 1st I purchased for a baby shower last month - which is bound to come in handy. Thermometers are great for the over worried first time moms who think their babies are running a fever every third day. Ehh hem because I never thought that myself...
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0074N9F8Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0074N9F8Y&linkCode=as2&tag=musofanavem00-20&linkId=CHDBEEM7ZYJ4JP4X

They will probably get several stuffed animals as gifts, so for a first toy I like those little soft plush rattles with Velcro straps which go around their wrists and ankles - it's suppose to help them find their hands and feet quicker.
 

Now a days lots of people register which makes it way easier,  I usually try to pick a practical item because they never seem to get bought with one fun one a sleeper or set of socks.
 
And lots of people are buying baby books and signing them instead of cards, it's a nice keepsake. You can either buy a classic like Goodnight Moon, a touch and feel book, or a book of first words.
 
Did you have any tips for that perfect baby shower gift??? 
 

 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Free Sidebar Titles




In How to Make your Blog Look Better for Free I mentioned one effective and easy way was to add sidebar titles (instead of simple text) to your posts. So I tried my hand at designing again and here are the free sidebar titles I came up with....

Currently there are five colours in two different shape options. But I am currently taking colour requests as I would like to offer a few more options. Purple Option....


Or Light Yellow Option (with grey font)



I'm slightly bad with colours so I simply called the colour below BlueGreen



Light Orange Option


And here is a 'cut' version in grey.




For now the design and font style will remain the same I am only offering colour changes, and I will also take requests if there was a specific sidebar title you wanted although I did offer a blank option which you can customize yourself - I used the Tall Dark and Handsome Font.

So I am new to sharing files and images so I read somewhere someone recommended using DropBox for free downloads so I have saved all the above images to my Dropbox and here is the link:
Musings of an Average Mom DropBox


Please let me know if you have any trouble downloading the files, or if you had a better option for sharing files.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Free Potty Training Chart Round-Up

Since I recently wrote about some Untypical Potty Training tips, I thought it would make sense that this weeks freebie round-up would be potty training charts. SO here are a few cute ones that I have come across...


Find a collection of free potty training charts including Barbie, Smurfs, Garfield, Dora and Boots and more over at RewardCharts4Kids


Here are the free Potty training reward Charts I recently designed in two different styles; Rainbow stars or Unicorn Poop!

free potty training printable


And personally I really like the one from It's Hue I Love, maybe it's the bright colours or the cute design.



Here's another potty chart with Elmo from Hloom, where you can also find a Hello Kitty Reward Chart



Find free Dora the Explorer Potty Charts at Potty Plan. Personally I think Dora repeats herself a little too often for my taste but popular with the kiddos.


Free printable potty training chart from Just Simply Mom



My Potty Plan also has TinkerBell, Winnie the Pooh, and find Thomas the Train and Friends at Potty Training Concepts.


Free printable Potty Training Chart from Alice and Lois



Pull-Ups UK has a Toy Story Potty Chart

Training Chart Toys


Free printable Reward chart from Every Day I'm Motherin'


And you can find this Peter Pan, Woody from Toy Story, SpongeBob Square Pants and more at Potty Training Chart


Free potty training chart and stickers from Bitz and Giggles


Paw Patrol Potting Training Chart from Nickelodeon Parents











Saturday, September 6, 2014

Not your typical potty training advice




- get rid of the pull-ups already - they make you lazy and you won't give it your full effort until your cleaning up little puddles everywhere

- skip the super expensive character underwear until later on - get the econo pack with cute colours and shapes. You will be glad you did when you can just chuck a pair here or there without wasting $4 each. Once when I was out my hubby apparently cut off her panties with scissors and chucked them lol.

- by all means read the how to train your kid in 24 hours articles - but don't be discouraged when it doesn't work

- put them on the potty very first thing in the morning - good to start off the day on a positive note

- put them on every 15 minutes and an hour after they have peed, you can readjust times once you get a sense of how often they go

- if you forget to put them on, or the last time they went you can get a free potty training app or a good old fashioned egg timer

- lots of sites say kids don't like the feeling of being wet or are embarrassed when they pee their pants, this wasn't true for my daughter who barely seemed to care

- after a week if they are still having lots of accidents don't feel discouraged - trudge on it will get better

- kids need to learn to use their bladder muscles because they are used to just going whenever. After about a week and a half she started going as soon as she sat on the pot and tried

- then she learned to hold it for about three seconds. read: mommy get the potty fast!

- so it will get better we went from 50% success rate to 95% In about just over 2 weeks

- don't put on diapers to take them out, it will set you back try to keep trips short and right after they have peed so you should have an hour or so

- if they do have an accident while out just keep an extra pair of underwear and pants in your purse and a plastic bag for the wet ones and call for a clean-up in aisle 8 - If you are super embarrassed well don't be it has happened before - and if you are still embarrassed just tell them you spilt your umm... Apple juice *cough

- did I mention dresses are fantastic when potty training

- if your kids refuses to tell they have to pee it can be frustrating but eventually they will have a tell - an oh? suddenly freezing, a certain look  on their face - something. Put those college day poker skills to good use.

- do not put off potty training because there will be an easier time there rarely will be, I'm too tired because I'm uber pregnant, maybe when younger sibling isn't a newborn , etc. just do it - plus think of the money you'll save on those dang diapers

- oh yeah and don't buy the potty I did (the cute talking frog one) that has a light removable pot that sticks to their bum when they stand up- you will be standing in a puddle despite the success

-what's your potty training advice???

We have not yet mastered the potty - we still have to work on nightimes, graduating to a toilet, and going while out but we will get there -- eventually. Good luck to you and feel free to ask questions from an average mom in the comments


And if you are looking for some free potty training charts be sure to check out my Free Potty Training Chart Round-Up with lots of kids favourite characters including princesses, Cars and Dora.

*image by Juhan Sonin

Monday, September 1, 2014

Free Printable 2015 Calendar Round-Up



It may be a little early but September got me thinking of a new year with the start of a new school year so here is my round-up of free printable 2015 calendars.

One of my personal favourites are the free calendars from Miss Tina which I personally have on my fridge right now.



Although I fell in love with this free planner and calendar from The Handmade Home with full size calendar pages, weekly view in three different options, menu planner, chore chart, inspiration pages and more.


Or you can grab this free 67 pages 2015 Planner with 2015 Goals, monthly and weekly views by signing up for the free weekly newsletter at the BudgetMama.com



I Also like the free full page printables from Blooming Homestead (available in two different color options)



I found another cute option for a free 2015 calendar download from Mad About Pink


And check out this Chalkboard Style Calendar from Botanical PaperWorks which includes all major Canadian and American holidays.


iheartnaptime also has a cute calendar available - free for download



Here is one I just recently found from Delineate your Dwelling



Find four different sizes of this free calendar from Scattered Squirrel


Free Printable 2015 Calendars. 4 different ones to choose from. | ScatteredSquirrel.com

Another option is this one found at Shining Mom

2015 monthly calendar printable

 
And I just published my round-up of free printable 2016 calendars. 
 
http://musingsofanaveragemom.blogspot.ca/2015/08/free-printable-2016-calendar-round-up.html
 







 
 
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