New Years Resolutions for Bloggers

If you're a blogger trying to make money online, then I'm sure you have some New Year's resolutions of your own. Perhaps you'd like to double your traffic in the next 6 months, get 1,000 visitors a day, or even make $20 a day from your blog. Whatever your resolution is, you have to make a plan to stick to your resolutions.

The first thing you can do is to make a commitment to post to your blog several times a week. This is the hardest part for me, I think! One thing that may help is if you come up with a certain type of post to do each day of the week. Obviously, this will depend on your niche. Let's say you have a photography blog; perhaps on Monday you could do a camera tips entry. Then, on Tuesday, do a "share photos" entry, inviting people to trackback to your post and share their favorite photos. These are just ideas, do some brainstorming to see what may work well for you in your niche.

Another New Year's resolution for bloggers is to build a set number of links to your site every day. Pick a number, whether it's 5, 10, 20 or even 100 per week, and get your site out there! This is how you'll increase your traffic and therefore your earnings. There are so many varieties of link building techniques, just find a few that work for you.

Participate in social networking within your niche; doing so will not only get your name (or your site's name) out there and known, it will also give you plenty of topics to write about. Let's face it, we all face writer's block at some point! Finding topics to write about can be the hardest job as a blogger.

Participate in your own community; even if you have nothing but a blog on your site, you may have your own little community going on. If a person comments on your posts, comment back. Let the people know that you are a real person, and you're there! With all of the automated content, people like knowing that a real live person is behind all of the valuable information on your site.

And last but not least, keep up to date with news in your niche. No matter what your niche is, if you want to be viewed as an authority source, you will need to keep up to date on new developments, equipment, news and people that are related to your claimed area of expertise. You want your site to be the first place people look to when they want to know about something!

All in all, keep your eye on the goal, whether it's to get more traffic or to replace your current income from a 9-5 job. The Internet is a wealth of information, and if you put yourself out there, you can turn that information into your own personal wealth gold mine!

Setting Up Your Home Office

Setting up your home office when you work from home is very important. It will help you stay organized, keep you on track, and generally make you more productive. When I first started working from home, I kept everything in a collection of notebooks, and worked in my easy chair. While it's comfortable to be able to do so, it's advisable to have either an area of a room or an entirely separate room that is designated as your work space.

So what do you need in your work area? Obviously, this will depend on the type of work that you do. Some work at home moms may have need of special office equipment, while others will be able to make due with just a phone and computer. Generally speaking, though, there are a number of items that every home office should have.

First of all, you'll need a desk of some kind. If you don't have an actual computer desk, just use a table or some available counter space. This should be where you actually sit while you're working. Be sure you have room for you to write, store your records, and that you have a healthy supply of paper and pens or pencils.

Secondly, make sure you have a calendar handy. This can be a wall calendar, a desk version, or a handy datebook. I actually use both a wall calendar and a datebook, so I can keep track of all my appointments even if I'm not at my desk. Of course, you also have to make sure you're actually using your calendar...there have been a number of times that I have forgotten to write down a due date or appointment, and that can cause a lot of problems!

The third thing your home office should have is a telephone with an answering machine. If you're going to be talking to clients or customers on a regular basis, this is an absolute must. It's a good idea to get a second line if you plan to be doing a lot of business calls. That way you won't miss a call, either on your personal home line or your business line. Be sure you have a professional greeting recorded on your answering machine.

You should also have room for a task list in your home office area. I know this may sound like a no-brainer, but seriously...each morning before you begin work, create your task list for the day. You'll be surprised at how much this will help your productivity! I started doing this, and was able to get much more done in less time!

A fax machine is a definite must. This is useful for faxing contracts, tax forms, and other types of communications that require signatures or timely information. It's a great time saver if you ever find yourself needing to fax a document; you won't need to interrupt your work day to run to Office Max!

I know what you're thinking...this all sounds like common sense, right? In a traditional office, you would find all of this stuff and more. But, many people (myself included) think of working at home, and instantly think that it's much more relaxed, and you can even work in your pajamas. Well, yes and no. You can work in your pajamas, for sure, (although I have found that my productivity level is best when I get dressed & ready for the day prior to beginning work) but you still have to maintain a certain level of professionalism. Without that professionalism, you will never succeed at working at home.

Where to Get Products for My Store

OK, so you may have already seen my article on starting an online store. Now you are wondering what to sell. If you are selling your own creations (scrapbooks, woodwork, crochet, etc, etc...) then you probably won't be interested in this article.

If you don't know what you want to sell, or aren't sure what you should sell, then you are in the right spot!

The best thing you can do is to buy U.S. Wholesale directory and drop shipping Guide. This is a great book, with lots of resources for getting products to sell in your online store.

The book has products listed in categories, so you can pick and choose which category and which company to order your products from.

So What is Dropshipping, and How Can it Help Me?

Just in case you have no idea what dropshipping is, I figured I'd give you a definition. Dropshipping simply means you don't keep any product on hand; when you receive an order from your customer, you order it from your dropshipper, who will then ship it directly to your customer. Usually, the packaging is free of all branding, and some dropshippers even provide labeling with your company name.

Dropshipping makes you money, and saves you the hassle of carrying an inventory. This means you don't have to come up with the initial investment for stock, nor do you have to find room (or pay for room!) to store inventory that may or may not sell.

How & Where to Locate the Merchandise to Sell on eBay: Insider Information You Need to Know from the Experts Who Do It Every Day is another book that will help you find dropshipper information.

The bonus about this book is not only does it tell you where to find dropshippers and wholesalers, but also other places you can find stuff to sell! The book is geared towards E-Bay, mostly because that's the hot topic...but with the sources listed in the book, you can find a dropshipper for whatever products you want to sell.

8 Resources for Starting an Online Store

Do you want to start an online store, but don't know where to start? Here I will list several resources to help you start an online store.

Books About Starting an Online Store

There are many, many books available to help you start an online business. Here I list a few of my favorite books on how to start an online store.

	This book tells you step-by-step how to start an online store. The author, Jeremy Shepherd, provides real life examples, making his lessons on how to start an online store easy to follow and understand. Shepherd starts at the beginning (choosing what to sell in your online store), through advertising and making sure your online store stays in the green.
This is one of the popular "For Dummies" series...so far, every "For Dummies" book I have read to date has been awesome, and Web Stores Do It Yourself For Dummies is no exception. I recommend this book if you want to learn how to start an online store.
	Last but not least, I recommend Starting A Yahoo! Business For Dummies. I told you I like these "For Dummies" books! Anyway, this book will teach you how to start, manage, advertise and market your Yahoo! online store. This book tells you step by step how to create a Yahoo online store, then includes how to advertise and how to use the best images to sell more products in your online store.

Online Resources on How To Start An Online Store

I have compiled a list of websites that have valuable information on starting an online store. Here's some great websites to help you on your journey of opening your own online store:

• Here is a very helpful article on How to Start an Online Business from Small Business Computing.


• Another informative article on How to Set Up an Online Store.


• Information on How To Setup A Yahoo! Online Store


• How to Start Your Own Online Ebay Store

Here is a video from E-how on how to create an online store:

How to Start an Online Store -- powered by eHow.com

Want to Make Money from Home?

It's the latest American dream: make money from home. But is it really possible to make money from home? Of course it is! There are tons of people doing it. If you, too, want to make money from home, you need to determine what exactly you want to do...do you want to start your own business? Do you want to get into retail? Or provide services?

Speaking generically, there are three ways to make money at home:

1. Writing on various platforms;


2. Start a home business;


3. Join various money-making web sites.

Make Money From Home by Writing

The first way to make money from home is to write for various websites. There are many sites offering a chance to write articles and get paid for them. Most do not offer much money per article, but you can make money from home by writing for these sites. Associated Content, Helium and E-How are examples of sites that give you the chance to make money from home by writing articles. Constant Content is a site that allows you to sell your articles and set your own price.

These sites are free to join, and consist of an active writing community.

But, I do urge caution...if you want to make money from home, but aren't good at writing...this may not be the best way for you to make money from home. If you hate writing, I definitely wouldn't advise writing to make money from home!

On the flip side, you can also make money from home with your own blog or website. Have a passion? Start a blog or aa website, display ads and market yourself. This requires a huge time commitment, and takes a lot of work, but many people are making great money from home with their own blogs or websites!

Make Money From Home with Your Own Home Business

Another way to make money from home is by starting your own business. Companies such as Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef or Discovery Toys give moms the chance to make money at home by running their own business. These types of companies require an initial investment, but ultimately offer great freedom of schedule and income opportunities.

If you have marketable skills, you can open your own home business to make money at home. What skills? Well, almost anything...do you make crafts, such as woodworking, crocheting, knitting or scrapbooking? Start selling your crafts online, or at craft shows! Have great office skills? Consider starting a business as a virtual personal assistant...all from the comfort of your own home! Know how to design websites, or program applications? Consider freelancing as a web designer or a developer.

There are many different skills that can be converted into a business that will help you make money from home. If you choose this route, make a list of skills, talents and hobbies that you have. I'm sure you have something that you can market!

Make Money From Home Using Various Money-Making Websites

The final category of ways to make money at home is to sign up for websites that pay you for various activities. Some websites claim to pay you for reading emails; others for signing up for offers, and still others for participating in their community. Do any of these websites really pay? I honestly don't know...I've signed up for Inbox Dollars, but haven't reached the payout threshold yet, so I can't vouch for if they pay or not...

So do you want to make money from home? First you must decide what type of "job" you want. Once you figure out which category you want to be in, you can conduct research to decide the best option for you to make money from home.

I welcome comments, please leave thoughts or comments! :-)

Start A Typing Business From Home

Can you type? If you have great typing skills, and want to work at home typing, then this entry is for you!

Choosing What Home Typing Jobs to Offer

First, you may want to choose what you want to type. Typing at home offers you great flexibility, but you will need to narrow down what you want to type. The software programs you have available may have a bearing on what you offer in your typing at home services. For example, if you have Microsoft Office, you can type letters, term papers, spreadsheets, or even create presentations.

When choosing what services to offer in your typing at home business, ask yourself what you WANT to type. Remember that typing at home is not only supposed to be making you money, but you should also enjoy what you are doing. If you absolutely HATE to type, or can't type faster than 30 WPM, then a home typist job probably isn't for you.

Advertising Your Home Typing Business

Now that you have decided what to offer in your home typing work, how do you get your business? It's not as difficult as it may sound, but don't expect an outpouring of typing jobs in your first day! Put an ad in your local paper for typing at home services. Put advertisements on bulletin boards in grocery stores, laundry mats (a lot of college kids go to the laundry mats, and they need a lot of typing!) or anywhere else there are bulletin boards. Make business cards, and pass them out to anyone you meet when you're out and about. Tell all of your family and friends about your new home typing business, and let them know you are available for home typing jobs.

What Do I Charge For Home Typing Jobs?

This can be a difficult decision...knowing how much is too much for typing at home. Obviously, if your home typing jobs are priced too high, then potential clients will look elsewhere, and if your home typing jobs are priced too low, you will be cheating yourself. If your home typing rates are too low, potential customers can also worry about the quality of work you will be providing.

So how can you choose good rates for your home typing business? First, do a Google search for typing rates. Check out what other companies are charging for typing work. Then, do a local search to find out what typists rates are in your area. Some home typists charge by the hour, some by the page, and I've seen a few home typists that charge by the word.

Your First Home Typing Job

When you get your first home typing job, there are a few things you need to remember. First, make it clear at the beginning how much it will cost, and exactly what is covered in the price. This will help you avoid clients that want to constantly add more content and expect the same price!

Get clear expectations on when this home typing job should be completed. If your client requires the work to be done in 2 hours, and you know it will take 4, let them know that! Don't guarantee a deadline on typing work that you know will be impossible to meet. Remember that if a client is unhappy with your typing services, that client will tell EVERYONE they know, which can cut down on your future home typing jobs!

Other Home Typing Job Options

If you want to branch your home typing business out, consider starting a web site; this will allow you to get typing jobs from a broader area and greatly increases your client base.

You can also offer other services in addition to your typing work. Consider doing greeting cards, photo touch-ups, fax services...there's an array of items you can add. Just remember that you need to stick with what you are familiar with, and comfortable with.

If you run your own home typing business, I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment and let me know any other tips you would like to offer.

Where to Sell Your Crafts Online

So you have a bunch of crafts you've made, and now want to sell them. There are several ways to sell your crafts; you can go to craft fairs, vendor fairs, or flea markets. Some may even open their own store. However, one of the most convenient ways to sell your crafts is to sell them online.

The Internet offers a wide variety of venues to sell your crafts online. You can list your crafts in online auctions, open a hosted store or start your own website.

Online Auctions

E-Bay is perhaps the biggest online auction site. It could be a challenge to sell your crafts online with E-Bay, only because people sell manufactured products at such low prices. Competition gets very fierce on E-bay. There are sites that offer online auctions for crafts, and only crafts.

Etsy Online Craft Auctions

Etsy offers online craft auctions. There is a free storefront, and it is free to join. Etsy charges a low listing fee for each listing; twenty cents for a four month period. There is also a 3.5% transaction fee when your craft item sells.

What can you sell on Etsy? They allow listings that fall into three categories: Handmade, Supplies and Vintage. If something does not fall into one of these three categories, it cannot be sold on Etsy.

Online Stores

Having a store online is another way to sell your crafts online. How is this different than auctions? Well, with auctions, your craft items are found by a search, either by keyword or by category. When you have your own store, potential customers can visit your store specifically to find what you have for sale.

Etsy also offers storefronts; the prices for a store on Etsy are the same as listed above. Other sites offer personalizable store fronts that lend a professional appearance to your crafts business.

The Craft Mall

The online Craft Mall is a place that offers you a "store" in an online mall. It's a nice way to sell your crafts online! The Craft Mall offers you a crafter's admin area, several different tracking options and your craft items are fully searchable from anywhere in the mall.

The good thing about the Craft Mall is there are no "per item" listing fees and no transaction fees when you sell a craft item. Instead, their fees are based on a monthly fee which varies depending on how many items you have in your store. The fees vary from $14.95 a month to $54.95 a month.

Lilly's Craft Stores Mall

Lilly's Craft Stores Mall is another alternative to online craft auctions. On this site, you can open a store to sell your crafts online without any listing fees or selling fees. When you open an online store with them, you get your own web address, site statistics, a Contact Page, Featured Items page, New Products page, About Us page and unlimited categories.

There is a one-time set-up fee of $30, and the monthly fee is $10 a month if you pay monthly, or you can pay for an entire year up-front for $80 and they waive the set-up fee.

GLC Mall

Another site that allows you to open an online store to sell your crafts is the GLC Mall. A store with the GLC Mall will be quick and easy to set up. You will have your own address and their is no set-up fee and no transaction fees.

Prices listed on their website are listed in Canadian dollars. The only fee that they have is a $12.00 per month fee.

Start Your Own Website

The biggest obstacle to starting your own website store to sell your crafts online is that it's an unknown entity. You have to market your website, manage your search engine optimization, and advertise to get customers to your website.

You will also need a domain name; GoDaddy is a great place to get a domain name. Then, you will need hosting. There are so many different hosting companies out there; all you need to do is do a Google search.

If you have web design knowledge, you can design your own site to sell your crafts online. If not, you can find a web designer to do it for you.

To accept online payments, you will need a payment processor such as Paypal or Authorize.

If you are a crafter, and you need to earn some extra money, there are several ways to sell your crafts online. Selling your crafts online isn't that difficult when you know where to start. The websites I've shared with you today can help you tremendously in your endeavors!

Do you sell your crafts online? If so, I'd love to hear about it, what method you use, and if it's successful for you.

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• Making Money With Your Hobbies

A Must Have Resource for Home Party Businesses!

If you run your own party based business, you have to check out this resource! It's called The Booster. The Booster offers buttons, games for home party businesses, motivational tools, customer care items, gift cards, raffle items, training and more!

Use buttons to wear when you're in public to let people know what home party business you're with, and what you can offer! When you are asked about your button, offer a business card or a catalog, and you just may gain a new customer!

The Booster offers stickers that you can add to your catalogs to entice people to buy, encourage party bookings, and informing customers of benefits of hosting their own party.

Perhaps the best thing you can buy from The Booster is their "Get Started" pack. It includes motivational guest folders, training 3-ring binder dividers, and 6 sheets of stickers to use on your postcard correspondence & catalogs.

One of my favorite products offered by The Booster is the Preferred Customer Program. You can buy cards for your customers to fill out; this includes a "punch card", similar to the ones you get at coffee shops (buy x cups of coffee, get 1 free). You can set it up however you want, say a punch for each $20 in merchandise purchased, or 2 punches for hosting a show...or 1 punch for having at least 15 guests at a show. The possibilities are endless!

In the meantime, you have a contact card for each customer that you can send a newsletter to, send out new catalogs as they become available, etc.

I can't say enough good things about this company. The Booster offers so many tools that will help you in your home party business, and all I can say is you should go check them out! These products will help you build your customer base, stay organized, give great customer service, recruit new team members and more! So check them out today!

I am interested to know if any of you have any experiences with The Booster! Let me know if the tools offered helped you grow your business!

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• Votre Vu


• Party Plan Divas

Votre Vu

Votre Vu offers a great business opportunity! Are you looking for something different? Votre Vu offers French-made cosmetics and skin care products that have, until now, only been available in European salons. And now you can become a consultant for Votre Vu, and offer these wonderful products to your customers!

I recently interviewed Arlene Lizarraga, a mom who runs her own business as a Votre Vu Consultant. She loves her job, has a lot of fun, and makes great money doing it!

• Is there a start-up cost involved?


• $99 gives you the Start Up Pak, which consists of 5 full sized products and business supplies, such as catalogs, order forms, postcards, brochures, etc. The website is optional at $79 a year with the first month free. Being active allows you to benefit from team cycle bonuses. This 50BV (each product has a BV amount) ships every 4 weeks.


• How much time should be invested by a mom to be successful in this business venture?


• I am very successful with this company and I have only had one soiree, which was my launch party. The rest has been outside orders, done on-line by the customer. Since the product ships directly to one's doorstep, little time is necessary, although if you do more parties, you earn more. I have won several challenges and incentives, giving me $1800 in free product and supplies! Again, this is from outside orders! People love these French beauty treats. Most of the time I spend is looking at orders coming in!


• What type of work is involved (i.e. promotion, selling, etc)?


• You can have a soiree at your home, hostess' home, a wine bar, cafe, restaurant, etc. I simply share my website to everyone I know and that has given me tremendous business.


• As a Mom, what appeals to you the most about this business?


• I love how flexible it is to be with Votre Vu. I get to be with my kids all day and love to see the email confirmations that orders have been placed on my website.


• What is a realistic view of income a mom can expect?


• You certainly can replace a full time job with Votre Vu as some people have. I do this so I can work part-time. One day I know this will allow me to stay home full time. I love how my profit has purchased a flight to Chicago (I'm from California) and a stay at the Westin, a $200 bootcamp workout, and I still have about 1K to spend! Again, this is all from one party and all outside orders on my website. Look out for the Vu Bar, the company's air streamer going coast to coast at major events! Also, Votre Vu has appeared on several television and news shows!


• What would you most want another mom to know about this business?


• Skincare from Paris, France is fabulous! These naturally and botanically based products are spa quality, sold in French salons, spas, and boutiques and now available to your doorstep. Votre Vu launched in January of this year and I am excited to see this company grow. I'm thrilled thinking about what this means for me and my family.

Still have questions about the business opportunity with Votre Vu? Contact Arlene through her website. She will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

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• A Must Have Resource for Home Party Businesses!

It Works! Home Business Opportunity

How old does this man look? ...Keep reading and I'll let you know...I didn't get it right, and I don't think you will either!

If you're looking for a business opportunity that offers products to help you stay healthy, and look healthier, It Works may be a great choice for you! They offer body slimming products, skin care, supplements, value packages and FIT Works. If you check out the website, you'll find their product listings, as well as some customer testimonials.

The It Works! Business

The It Works! business is network marketing, and commission is paid based on referrals, and product sales you make. You get 15% commission on your first level, and a $100 bonus for distributors you sign up who sell to 2 customers in their first 30 days.

It Works! Start Up Packages

It Works! has several start up packages available for those who want to start their own home business. The best value is $199; the following items are included in this package:

• 8 Ultimate Applicators;


• Free E-Office;


• 1 free month of the website ($10 a month after free month);


• Free training academy, available 24/7;


• Padfolio containing business tools such as:
  
  • DVD loop
  
  
  • Applications
  
  
  • Flyers

From an It Works Distributor

I spoke to Tara Todd, an It Works! Distributor. She loves what she does! She told me about her favorite product:

"...[It Works!'] signature product is the ultimate body applicator.... it is a natural botanical non woven cloth.. it simply looks like an oversized maxi pad with wings.. simple to use and works awesome!! i have lost 11 inches and 2 pant sizes, reduced my stretch marks and scars on my belly from the product..."

As far as the business side of It Works!, Tara had this to say:

"the company is really awesome.. very intouch.. we have team calls, my team is the top team in the company, i do my own weekly team calls where we give out ideas, tips and just share success stories....
I started march 2nd, i now have 96 people enrolled all online.. very little work... all fun and its truly been my life saver..."

If this sounds like an opportunity you would like to try, click here to visit the It Works! website and read more about their work at home business opportunity.

P.S. The man in the photo at the beginning of this post is almost 53 years old!!! Surprised? So was I!

Send Out Cards Opportunity

If you're looking for a great and creative business opportunity, then SendOutCards may be a perfect option. I recently spoke to another mom who is a distributor for SendOutCards, and she loves it!

I'm sure you're asking yourself, "what is SendOutCards?". SendOutCards offers a service allowing you to send personal cards to your friends and family, complete with your personalized message. SendOutCards then prints out your personalized card and mails it to the recipient. It's easy, and takes less than 60 seconds! Even better, it costs less than $1!

Below is the interview I had with the entrepreneurial Mom, Erinn Hannon. At then end of the interview, I have included the links for you to get more information on this wonderful business opportunity.

SendOutCards Home Business Opportunity

1.) Is there a start-up cost involved? If so, what is it?

There are varing levels of start up costs.

2.) How much time should be invested by a mom to be successful in this business venture?

This is different for everyone and based on what your efforts and time alotments allow. Individual results will vary.

3.) What type of work is involved (i.e. promotion, selling, etc)?

Our business model is just fantastic. It is very simple and duplicatable. We focus on reaching out to people with a greeting card and introducing them to our system with a Gift Account Walkthrough. This is a 10 minute process where we walk them through sending out a card. I choose to be involved in some Networking groups and online social networking groups as well. This is a "belly to belly" business. I love that it is a fantastic personal service that everyone needs and also an incredible business tool for small to medium sized businesses. My options are limitless in promoting and talking about my business with people.

4.) As a Mom, what appeals to you the most about this business?

I do not have to do home parties. I like home parties, don't get me wrong. They are fun! But SOC is something that I can literally do from my phone and computer. I did a gift account walkthrough and signed up a new customer the other day while I was waiting for my daughter to get out of swim practice! My business is portable. As long as I have my laptop and/or cell phone....I can do my business anywhere anytime! The other thing that spoke to me was the fact that I did not have to RELY on my warm market (family and friends) to START this business. Who do your reach out to first when starting a traditional Avon, Arbonne, Pampered Chef business....your friends and family. You need that exposure to build on to have more parties. Of course my friends and family know what I am doing, and some of them are my customers, but I have the freedom to branch away from them from the start.

5.) What is a realistic view of income a mom can expect? (I don't need your specifics, just a basic overview...can you replace a full time job? A part time job? etc)

If a mom wants to make a few extra hundred bucks a month or build a business that creates unlimited residual income that helps them achieve financial freedom, the choice and opportunity is there for everyone. So to answer your question: Can you replace a part time or full time job.....YES! Does that take work and time, YES. The Direct Sales industry is a BRILLIANT way to work and build a business, but it is NOT a get rich quick scheme....just as with any legitimate business, it takes time and effort. But you have the power of time leveraging and duplication!

6.) What would you most want another mom to know about this business?

It feels amazing that SOC is based around such a feel good concept! That is what drew me to it. There is NO other company out there that is offering the service that SendOutCards is. There is no real competition. I LOVE that I can do this at home and everytime I send a heartfelt card to someone, it brightens their day. It is all about "Givers Gain" and celebrating the person receiving the card and not promoting the person sending it. Again, personal use or business use...it is priceless. Especially in today's economy, businesses need to embrace relationship marketing even more to hang onto the clients they have by showing their appreciation and personalizing their service so they stand out.

For more information, please contact Erinn Hannon at erinn.hannon@yahoo.com.