As we head towards Memorial Day and the beginning of summer, the Nestlé Solutions Center on Walmart.com is transforming into a summer celebrations hub, featuring new products for all your summer meal solutions, new coupons to get the best value on Nestlé products at Walmart, and fun tips for all types of events that happen during the summer.

Check out Nestlé on Pinterest to find fun and helpful tips on how to throw the best summer events, from Memorial Day and 4th of July, to block parties and Father’s Day. See all the boards at http://bit.ly/nestle_pinterest and start pinning all of your favorite summer celebration inspirations!

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This post is sponsored by Lunchbox. Thoughts are my own. Read Mom Spark’s full disclosure here.

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• Rules: Open worldwide and ends on June 5, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST

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As far as craft materials go, Mod Podge is one of the easier, more accessible mediums to work with as a beginner or an expert. It’s truly amazing how many different things can be done with one little jar of stuff.

I’ve challenged myself to start making more things with Mod Podge and I’ve been neck deep in the stuff this past weekend and have a made 8 different tutorials with the stuff! This lamp is my absolute favorite which is why I’m sharing it here at Mom Spark!

The whole thing started a long, long time ago. I found this basic white lamp for just shy of $7 at Target and snapped up two. The first I painted teal with really stiff bristled brush so that it’s really textured with lines running horizontally and it’s pretty awesome. The other lamp stayed plain Jane and sat in the corner of my office lighting things up if being a bit boring at the same time.

Flash forward to this last week when I happened to see this awesome, and I do mean awesome tissue paper in the gift wrap section. I snapped it up and ran and replenished my Mod Podge stash while I was at it. First off, I was worried that the tissue paper was going to be too thin to work well in this project and figured it might wind up being a craft fail but I was willing to give it a go.

In the end, I think that the thin paper worked out incredibly well and I’d highly recommend it or thin gift wrap over the thicker gift wrapping papers. Another option would be fabric and since there is no shortage of cute prints available you might find something to match your decor a bit more easily.

For this project you will need:

• Lamp base (give it a good clean and spray paint it if necessary e.g. a black lamp wouldn’t have worked with my paper)
• Tissue paper (or fabric or gift wrap)
• Mod Podge
• Small and smooth bristled brush
• Mod Podge Squeegee
• X-acto or utility knife
• Mod Podge hard coat formula

The key to success with this project is working in small areas at a time. I worked from the top to the bottom of the front side in 2 inch increments. Another key is to put a very light coat of the Mod Podge onto your lamp base. You may want to go on with a heavy hand but it will A. cause more wrinkles and B. give your tissue an easier time of tearing.

Lightly press the tissue paper onto the base while the Mod Podge is still wet.

Use your squeegee to help push out any bubbles or wrinkles. It’s kind of hard to tell in the pic but the top half I’ve already squeegeed and the bottom half I’m just getting to. Can you tell the difference?

Also a word about the squeegee. I have spent ages and I do mean AGES being a total tightwad refusing to even consider purchasing the Mod Podge tool set with this squeegee and brayer (it looks like a little rolling pin/paint roller thingumabob). But since I was doing so many projects this past weekend I decided to go ahead and splurge on it (and by splurge I mean spend $4.75 on the set with my 40% off coupon). The only thing I can say is that I wish I would have gotten this silly thing sooner. Getting wrinkles out is SO MUCH EASIER and definitely worth even $8 at full price.

Oh holy heck. If you get the occasional rip or tear, don’t freak. We’ll take care of it a little bit later on.

When you get your front finished up, you’ll start working on your sides and the back. If your paper is patterned like mine it might get kind of hinky toward the back but since mine will be in a corner it’s no biggie. Just keep that in mind if your back will be visible.

Continue working in the small sections bringing one side to the center. Bring the next over and cut a neat line in the paper to make a fairly straight and neat seam going up the back. Allow to fully dry before continuing.

Now you’ll need to trim up the top and the bottom. Figure out how will look the best with your lamp. I decided to leave the top portion uncovered since I wouldn’t be able to match up the pattern there well. Use your x-acto or sharp utility knife to get a nice clean cut and go over it again if you need to. Take a small amount of Mod Podge on your soft brush and glue the edges down completely smooth.

Do the same for the bottom. Allow to dry before continuing.

Ack! See that tear? It’s inevitable and not the end of the world. Cut out a piece of your paper as similar to the area that’s messed up as possible.

Glue it on and go over the seams with some Mod Podge to make the patch nice and flush. It looks pretty obvious here with the paper being wet and all, but when dry you’re hard pressed to locate it! Oh, and say hi to my cat max in the background there.

When dry, give your lamp two or three coats of hard coat Mod Podge. Since lamps tend to be frequently touched this formula will extend the beauty of your lamp considerably. Keep your squeegee on hand and work slowly in the event that more bubbles try to  pop up on you. And use a smooth, soft brush to prevent any unsightly brush strokes on the surface.

And there she is. Set it up with a matching lampshade and ooh and aah at what a unique and interesting lamp you now have! In the end with my lamp, tissue paper and shade, this sucker cost me just a hair over $15. Not bad, not bad at all! Happy Tuesday and I’ll see you next week.

I have lived in Oklahoma my entire life, so tornadoes are not foreign to me. I have hid in many bathtubs, interior closets and storm shelters over the years, and remember the May 3, 1999 tornado devastation very, very clearly.

This still didn’t prepare me for what I experienced today.

My family is safe, but our hearts are breaking.

I was in my son’s school pickup line, listening to the radio. I knew that there was some rotation and concern for a tornado in the Newcastle and Moore area, which is roughly 20 miles south of us.

After I buckled my son into his car seat I heard that a tornado had touched down and rapidly grew in size. A deadly tornado.

I heard there was a school leveled in Moore. Make that two schools, maybe more. And there were other buildings and homes demolished, too. The damage was not only worse than that of May 3, 1999, but the worst in tornado history.

My heart sank. I couldn’t process the thoughts and information being thrown at me, especially while in a car driving home. I called my husband, who was watching live coverage on the television. He could see the schools flattened. I just wanted to be home.

photo credit: KFOR.com

Once I returned home, I was glued to the television the rest of the afternoon and evening. It was hard to look away, but also extremely emotional to watch. Child trapped in elementary schools. People walking around, not knowing where to go because their homes were completely leveled. Newscasters crying on the air from the overwhelming scenes they were witnessing. There wasn’t a dry eye between my husband and I.

As of 9:45 p.m. CST tonight, the medical examiner’s office has confirmed 51 confirmed deaths and 233 confirmed injuries. This number is expected to grow. Some of these deaths include the children from one of the destroyed elementary schools.

I still haven’t processed what has happened today. It was so close to home. My heart breaks for the families affected by this disaster, especially with those parents who lost children. My head, heart and stomach is ill.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out with their concerns and love for me and my family. We are safe. I am thankful that our house is still standing, and our children are safe and sound.

How you can help.

Oklahoma can use your help right now. My friend Kelly Kinkaid posted a list of ways you can:

1. Donate at Redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999
2. The Salvation Army USA has mobilized a number of emergency relief services in Oklahoma, including Moore, to dispense food, hydration and emotional support to first responders and survivors. Donate online or text STORM to 80888 to contribute $10 to the Salvation Army’s relief efforts or make a donation via phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
3. Disaster Relief of Oklahoma: Donate here: http://www.okdisasterhelp.com/2013/05/disaster-relief-how-to-help/
4. For pets of loved ones donate to the Central Oklahoma Humane Society: http://www.okhumane.org/
5. Donate to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma : http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/ or text FOOD to 32333

 Please continue to send your thoughts, prayers and love to Oklahoma.

Here are a few ideas I’d like to try!

Boon keeps things simple… and that’s why we love them! Check out their MUNCH container!

Mew! What a cute way to start your meal! I found this adorable lunch bag via Little Lark.

Just for a giggle! Just looking at that sandwich is enough to put me off my lunch! Pick them up at the. and pop them into your kid’s lunch! Will they be grossed out… or fascinated??

Stainless steel and stackable! I love anything that takes up less space in my kitchen cupboards! Lots of colours available via Kids Konserve.

I love the idea of reusable sandwich bags! These have a washable PUL lining so they can be tossed in the laundry, or just wiped out if the mess isn’t too sticky! Visit Green Leaf Baby for more.

How do you pack your kiddos lunch? Do you pack at night or in the morning? What age did they start packing their OWN lunch?

Earlier this week, icon Angelina Jolie shared news that shocked her fans worldwide.

The 37-year-old actress, who lost her mother to cancer in 2007, underwent three months of procedures in order to have a preventative double mastectomy. In an op-ed piece published The Times, the mother of six explained that after being told by doctors she had “an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer” she knew she had to take control and learn her options to reduce this risk.

In her piece she goes on to share some very powerful words:

I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.

She also notes that she does “not feel any less of a woman” after her double mastectomy.

I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.

As mothers, we all know we would do anything for our children. I believe she acted in a strong and courageous way, and that this will not be a decision she regrets. Knowing she may have given years of mothering time back to her children — now that’s powerful!

What do you think you might do in her shoes? Do you think it’s positive that she has come forward with her personal story?

This recipe is for all the Nutella fans. Today I have a very simple yet packed with flavor recipe for Nutella Cream Cheese Turnovers. It only takes a few ingredients and takes like it could come straight from a bakery. Nutella pairs amazingly well with tangy cream cheese in this delicious treat.

I was inspired to make this recipe when I saw a recipe over at the Country Cleaver. I tweaked the recipe a bit after trying the original.  I changed the filling ratio as well as making the turnovers a bit larger, as I found the first batch to be cut too small and my filling started spilling out when baked.  Many thanks to Country Cleaver for the inspiration for this recipe. Enjoy!

So, What Do You Do?

I cannot count or remember the number times my Grandma has asked me, “Now, what is it that you do again?” She isn’t the only one, either. I experience this question just about every time I (try to) explain my career to a new contact who is not in the social media space. It isn’t an easy task explaining my job, because it is really several jobs running simultaneously. I wear many, many hats.

Hat #1 – WIFE & MOTHER.

First and foremost, I am a stay-at-home/work-at-home wife and mother. I know, you already knew that. Still, I need to say it.

I clean (ahem, with some help), cook (*cough* though not as much as I should), shuttle the kids to and from school, offer countless hugs and boo-boo kisses, take care of the home finances….you get it. Wife and mom stuff. You know, the work that never ends, but the sweetest.

During my 11 years as a stay-at-home mom I have attempted several jobs that I could run from home. Home daycare (never again), selling Avon (man, I sucked at that), selling candles (wut?) and running an eBay business. (buying/reselling and making custom baby shower gifts) Although my eBay business did have some success and helped the family financially, the workload became too massive after having my second child, so I ditched it.

I discovered blogging shortly after.

Hat #2 – BLOGGER.

This, of course, is the most obvious hat that I wear (other than the mom hat), but even the word “blogger” confuses many, so let me elaborate on the definition. My definition, at least.

Basically, I write. I write for this blog, Mom Spark, and for Healthy Perspectives, a blog sponsored by Puritan’s Pride. I occasionally write blog posts for brand websites, too. For example, in a few weeks I’ll be sharing some original recipes on the Duncan Hines website, like the one below.

cake pops post for Duncan Hines

Although I do have three paid writers on Mom Spark, I still have a heavy workload each day with sponsored stories (brand-sponsored articles)/reviews, regular content posts (I have a theme each day of the week via an editorial calendar) and a TON of email correspondence. A. Ton. Of. Email.

While I *could* quickly throw a post together and publish within 10 minutes and have more “free time”, I don’t. Instead, I take the time to craft quality content and images. Each post can take anywhere from an hour to two hours, depending on the amount of images and length of content.

Why do I spend so much time on each post? To stand out and offer my readers quality content. It just so happens that brands like this worth ethic as well.

sponsored story for Silk

sponsored story for Suave Naturals

The better the quality of my images and content is, the more brands and readers there are that want to read and work with Mom Spark. As with any business, quality = cash & growth.

So, as a blogger, I write, photograph, and share and tell stories. That in itself is a full-time job for me, as I typically receive an average of 5-7 sponsored post a week, in addition to regular blog content and countless email correspondence.

Hat #3 – SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST AND COMMUNITY LEADER.

“Strategist” sounds fancy, but really it just means I help brands and PR firms come up with plans and ideas for their social media goals. Mom Spark Media specializes in connecting brands/PR with mom and dad bloggers (blogger outreach) for sponsored stories, brand ambassadorships, reviews, Twitter parties and the like, via a blogger community network of 400+ members that I have put together over the last three years. We also offer the community of bloggers blogging and social media course content, as well as support to enhance their individual career paths in this field.

A normal work week for Mom Spark Media consists of multiple phone call meetings with existing and new clients, writing proposals, signing contracts and reading/writing a TON of email correspondence. Then, there is the actual execution of each campaign, which is a beast, too, and the reason I have a wonderful Project Manager to help facilite it. She assists with daily email correspondence (people, this alone is hours of work), provides our bloggers with instructions and assistance for each campaign, follows up on blog post edits and deadlines, and engages with our members in the community.

Last year, Mom Spark Media paid bloggers and contractors over $50,000 in various work and campaigns, and we continue to grow each year. Some of our most successful campaigns include Lands’ End Quality Coat Challenge, Pop Secret Moms and Crocs Moms.

Hat #4 – EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

Random, I know, but I have been playing the role of Executive Producer (thanks to my blogging/social media income) for the full-feature independent film Army of Frankensteins (directed by my husband) since August 2012.

Other than providing financing for the movie, I also manage the financial records, making sure the production stays within the allowed budget. As of today, we have roughly five days left of production, then it’s on to months of editing and finally releasing to the right film festivals.

This project has, by far, been the most difficult one my husband and I have ever tackled. Saying that, we already have a loyal cult following and truly believe this is a stepping stone for something amazing.

Hat #5 – EVERYTHING ELSE.

So, in addition to blogging, developing social media strategy and handling the finances of a movie, I handle a couple of other websites on the side:

• Mom Made That! – A subscription-based website I created in 2008 that promotes mom businesses. 
• My Party Swap – A subscription-based website where users can sell, buy or swap new or used party supplies.

Also, from time to time, I receive opportunities to shoot a videos for brands or make appearance in magazines. I travel (another passion of mine) occasionally for press events, conferences and business meetings, too.

How Did You Get Started?

This is another question I am asked often and is usually paired with, “How do I get started blogging, too?” There is so much packed into both answers that it is hard to know where to begin.

First, how I got started. As with most bloggers I know, blogging began as a hobby, then slowly (ever slowly…) grew as I started networking. I met brands, PR firms and bloggers at conferences (my first conference being BlogHer ’09) and quickly discovered that the more people I met who were in the same field as me, the more opportunities came my way. The first paid blog post I received was for $15 and I ECSTATIC. Not because it was $15 (’cause I mean, come on, $15) but because I was finally getting PAID. It inspired me to continue to grow my readers, social media followers, network and up the quality of my content. It worked.

at Mom 2.0 Summit 2010

As for the social media strategy side of my job, this came with the blogging territory. The more reps that asked me, “Who do you recommend for this campaign?” the more I realized, “I need to start charging for this.” So I did, and it exploded from there.

How do you get started earning an income blogging?

1. You have to love doing it. Like any small business, if you have the passion and love for it, the business will grow and flourish. The work never feels like work, and because of that, it continues to grow. Money can never be your motivator. You will never make a dime or a smart decision if it is.
2. Network. I cannot stress this enough. Networking, both online and in real life, has been huge for the success of my business. Conferences are a great start. Talk to as many people you can while you are there, too. Know your goals and voice, stick to that, and tell everyone about it. Listen, too. Take advice from those you meet and always surround yourself with positive role models and people who are more successful than you. You will learn a ton if you do. Also, know that networking with bloggers is just as important as with brands, if not more. Bloggers are more likely to recommend you to a brand when they ask.
3. Stand out, but not in a negative way. The best way to do this is to be your own unique self. Go the extra mile when you produce work for your clients. They will notice. Take the time to shoot beautiful photos and thoughtful content. Worry less about what other bloggers are doing and more on how you can improve YOU.

How Much Money Do You Make?

Ahhhh, the million dollar question. The most popular question I receive, by far. I rarely discuss money, unless I am bragging about how much I pay bloggers.

All I will say is that after five years of hard work developing this career, I am earning a healthy full-time income. Last year, I made a little more than my husband, which I thought would never happen with something that was little more than an idea a few years ago. I do not say this to gloat, but to share what is possible for you.

How Do You Manage It All?

I honestly don’t know. Balance doesn’t exist. It just doesn’t. I work in spurts when I get the chance. I squeeze in time while the kids are both in school or at night when my family is sleeping. It’s a challenge. Even with my writers and Project Manager, I still work 50-60 hours a week, sometimes more. This August, both of my children will be in school full-time, so I *think* I will finally be a healthy schedule. Sure, that.

Questions?

So, there it is. Everything. Now you know. Have questions or comments? Let’s hear it.

Here are a few ways to incorporate a bit of this condiment colour into your wardrobe!

Purses are always a fun way to flaunt a new favourite colour! Check out this vintage style bag via Uniquenstyle.

 This stunning yet simple number is made to order by Miz Blaz. I’m in love!

 Frank and Bella bring us these boho chic woodcut earrings. I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more wooden accessories this season — earrings, bracelets, rings & more.

Add a little something sweet to your hand from Lauren Blythe Designs.

 And lastly, this cute leather bracelet from Shop Adore is a great little pop of colour for any outfit!

What about you? How do you feel about mustard yellow? Do you have any pieces in your closet?