Recently I was contacted by another blogger who was offering an affiliate opportunity. While pitch emails are quite common, this one was unusual. Her claim was that she had developed a “fail-proof” course and anyone who bought it was “guaranteed” to make a full-time income from blogging. That alone is a stretch, but when she promised it could be done in 4 months or less, I nearly fell off my chair!

Folks, let’s be clear: Nobody is making a lot of money in the first 4 months of blogging and I mean nobody! Personally, I didn’t make even a nickel in the first 6 months and months 7-12 were very, very slow. It takes a while for a blog to find an audience and anyone who says otherwise is either misinformed or outright lying.

While there is nothing wrong with being an affiliate, I do think it’s wrong to endorse products you don’t personally like, use, believe in, etc. I also know that readers can tell when someone is using them for a quick buck and they will leave that sort of blog forever.

When I started blogging a few years ago, it was with the intent of writing about things that were on my heart, addressing some of the topics I’m focused on, and creating a forum for Jewish women from all backgrounds and observance levels.  

Within a couple months, I started to have readers and comments. Some of these were negative, but even that type of bad feedback helped me to grow as a blogger—something I am forever grateful for. I started to become more polished and confident. Opportunities to review products, host giveaways, and do sponsored posts followed, allowing me to actually turn my hobby into a micro business that keeps growing.

Blogging has become my passion. No, I don’t make a big income, but maybe I will one day, and even if I don’t, I would keep doing it for free because I truly love it! I’ve met so many wonderful people and had a lot of interesting things present themselves through blogging. I get the chance to write about anything and everything I have ever wanted to. I get the chance to help and inspire others.

That is why blogging matters to me. You, my reader, is what matters. An affiliate fee, no matter how large, does not matter if it compromises my credibility or alienates readers. I don’t claim to be perfect; like everyone else I deal with problems every single day and struggle to balance my work and home responsibilities. I don’t have life all figured out, but I’m willing to talk about it regularly and openly.

Can everyone become a successful blogger? No. But anyone who wants to try it definitely should, with an emphasis on authenticity. Let’s focus on community instead of quick cash. Let’s make our blogs a force for good, for healing, for hope. I know many bloggers are so broke that the idea of turning down even a $5.00 bonus is unthinkable. If that’s you, please don’t think I’m judging. If you have the ability to pick and choose, be selective. In the long run, you’ll be able to make a living without sacrificing your integrity.

This post contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on them

Calling all crafters! Do you ever have trouble coming up with new projects, but long to create something beautiful? Cricut has introduced a new subscription service called Cricut Access that is sure to help. With over 1000 projects, 30,000 images, and 370 fonts to choose from, it is sure to wow.  My personal favorite is the “Nifty Fifties” font that I will be using for a retro-themed party.

Cricut Access is available on a monthly or yearly basis. The monthly option starts at only $7.99 which is quite affordable. Plus, when you order a subscription plan, you receive additional exclusive benefits like 10% off any order on Cricut.com, including their amazing cutting machines (I have literally saved hours of annoying hand-cutting with this machine when making school projects with the kids and helping out with a fundraiser. I think it’s paid for itself many times over just by saving me aggravation and hand cramps!)

If you enjoy paper crafting, the Cricut Access will surely be a big benefit.

As many of you know, I love to craft and create, but my skills are pretty basic (I skip anything overly complicated, long instruction list, obscure tools, etc). These ideas for simple Valentine’s Day crafts are as simple as could be for kids and adults.

Candy Heart:

All you’ll need is construction paper, scissors, glue, and candy. I like to use pink or red paper because it’s more festive, but plain white is ok, too.  Simply layer 2 pieces of paper together, trace a large heart and cut out. Glue one side, fill with any type of individually wrapped chocolate like Hershey’s Kisses, then finish sealing. I let mine dry overnight and put them on the breakfast table for a surprise on V-Day morning.

Paper Wreath:

If you don’t have any candy on hand—or don’t want the extra temptation!—try making a wreath out of hearts. These look nicest when a variety of colors are used. In addition to construction paper, glue, and scissors, you’ll also need a sheet of white poster board.

Start by drawing a large circle on the poster board and small to medium sized hearts on the construction paper. Cut everything out, then glue the hearts onto the poster board, overlapping slightly. Paper wreaths looks so pretty taped to a wall or hanging from the ceiling.

Do you have any super-simple V-Day crafts? I’d love to hear about them.

Art projects have got to be one of our favorite indoor activities. The latest experiment? Homemade play dough! Ok, I know it’s available in the store for only $1.00 a pack, but it also has toxic ingredients and I worry about a little one putting it in their mouth and accidently swallowing some. (Does that sound like a “Nervous Jewish Mother” stereotype? Yep, can’t help it…)

Since making it from scratch is pretty easy, I figured I’d give it a whirl. Here is the basic recipe which takes only 10 minutes to mix and 5 to heat:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 TSP cream of tarter
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil

Because I wanted to jazz it up, I customized, adding these goodies:

In place of water: Steep 2 TBS of rosemary in 8 ounces of boiling water for 20 minutes. This makes a tea-like infusion that smells delicious! Strain before using.

Essential Oil:  Add 1 TSP of Fir oil (pine or rosemary oil would also work). When using oils or extracts, add them at the beginning, before heating the play dough. They can be stirred in at the end, but the dough thickens so quickly, it’s best not to wait. 

Food coloring: Anything you like!

The above picture shows the lovely green color and I can promise the scent is equally heavenly. It has a wintertime/woodsy feel that’s so nice this time of year.

I’m not sure of the exact cost, but the only expensive ingredients are the cream of tarter and essential oil. I buy mine at a bulk food store which is pretty reasonable when used sparingly. (I’ve heard white vinegar can be used as a substitute for cream of tarter, but I’ve not tried it personally. Similarly, a packet of Kool Aid can be used in place of oils.)

When properly sealed, homemade play dough should keep for months. Wide, shallow containers work better than jars because it’s easier to remove. I’d only use a jar if it was being given as a gift.

We had so much fun making homemade play dough, I’m sure we’ll do it again. The only thing I’d do differently is buy more food coloring so we could make different kinds and possibly add some glitter.