Gift Giving

Unique Father's Day Gifts

Peddle to the meddle ---- it’ll be Father’s Day again in less than a year, and you know what that means!!!! Start planning NOW. It’s never a bad time to learn from the good, the bad, and the ugly of this last year’s turnout: Observe the reaction on Dad’s face as he opened his present, and decide whether you can “do better” next year. And, believe it or not, the next couple of months after Father’s Day are the PERFECT time to buy him your gift for NEXT YEAR as this is the time in which all Father’s Day sales items go into “reduced clearance mode” in nearly every physical store, and even online! Betcha didn’t think of that, did ya?

Daily Life, Family Life, Personal Growth

Brain Balance & Beyond: Achieving That Perfect Mental State

It’d be no lie to say that one in every three Americans now fights against the ongoing assault known as mental infirmity, regardless of the form it chooses to take on and manifest itself through; anxiety, OCD, ADHD, depression, suicidal thoughts ---- you get the picture. And it only seems like the solution is further and further away. But what about the cause? How many people have tried to attack the root of the issue and used this as a valid starting point?

Gift Giving

The LOVE LANGUAGES Behind Giving and Receiving....

I MOST recently stumbled across an insightful book that has changed my thought patterns like few others out there can, besides the Bible: It was Gary Chapman’s “The 5 Love Languages ©: The Secret to Love That Lasts.” In this book, Chapman identifies how most people feel, to identify, and ultimately relate to love. He broke into five main categories. He’d first assess that, if we identify our main love language and that of all other relationships we hold in this life, we may thus better communicate our love in a manner that the other person desires for ---- leading to a far more meaningful relationship in the end.

Gift Giving, Personal Growth

Your Undivided Time and Attention

How ‘bout an intangible gift, one that money can’t buy, this time around? How ‘bout something yet as equally precious as money, something so special it should never be wasted? Have you guessed what that might be yet? If you guessed time, then you are halfway correct, for the other precious gift to go along with it is attention. And these two can go hand-in-hand, like melted butter on a warm bagel after a long, foodless fast ----- descriptive, but you get the idea.

Featured Designers, Storyland Ami

3 Signs of a Good Leader

When you research what it takes to be a leader, there are a great many list of traits that have been found within those people. Traits like:

  • Honesty and Integrity

  • Inspire Others

  • Commitment and Passion

  • Good Communicator

  • Decision-Making Capabilities

  • Accountability

  • Delegation and Empowerment

  • Creativity and Innovation

  • Empathy

Some are born with these traits while others can learn, practice and develop these traits within themselves so that they too can become good leaders. After interviewing Holly Salzman, owner of Storyland Ami, I realized that she can inspire so many of us to be better leaders, business owners and entrepreneurs.

Children's Stories

Helping Hands

Once upon a time there lived a Panda named Dave. He was blue, and fluffy, and gave great hugs. Everyone who knew Dave the Panda said that he was a happy panda. He was friendly. He was kind. His laugh rang out like bells. People who knew him would often say, “If I can be half as happy as Dave the Panda, then I’ll be doing great.”

Children's Stories

Spots for Pluto

Pluto the Dalmatian is a sweet and caring soul but he can’t seem to get his siblings to play with him.
Read the adventure of this kind hearted puppy as he searches out a way he can earn more spots. Maybe then he can finally be as important and valuable as his brothers and sisters.
Will he ever earn his way to the top so they will play with him?

Children's Stories

Sadie's Search for Sleep

When Sadie gets sleepy, she gets a little grumpy.
The sun is almost up and she needs a place to sleep fast!
Will Sadie’s grumpy demands help her get some much needed rest or will Sadie learn a valuable lesson on kindness and manners?

Sadie, a tiny skunk, learns a valuable lesson about having an attitude, even if you are a little grumpy!

Daily Life, Gift Giving

How to Make the Absolute MOST of the Season and Keep Your Hairs from Falling Out with Worry: Summer Edition

Summertime is here, as we well know, and it is certainly one of the most beautiful, refreshing seasons of the year, is it not? The freshly sliced watermelon picnics by the lake or beach, the hot summer movies late at night, the beautiful drives to other cities, states or even countries of the world, the ongoing sunshine and mirth behind it all ---- what’s not to like, right? This is the time we’ve waited all winter for ----- there’s a time for everything under the sun, and the time for summer is now upon us!!!!! Got to make the most of it…

Family Life

Christmas Is Broken

Anyone else feel like Christmas has lost all it's magic? That ever since you "grew up" Christmas just feels like one big chore or heartbreak? It's time to take back our Christmas magic as adults.