Encouraging Ladies of All Ages In Femininity And Biblical Womanhood

In an effort to support various entrepreneurial endeavors, Shining Stars will be featuring home businesses every other month. This includes hosting a giveaway of one or more items, sharing information about the business and products as well as contact info for those who would like to purchase items, and a listing on our Cottage Industries page. If you have a home (family-run) business and would like to have it featured on this website, please contact me for details at shiningstarsmagazine[at]gmail[dot]com.

I’m sorry about the delay in getting this posted – thank you all for your patience! Today we will be featuring two home business and offering products to two winners! Let’s first hear from Captain Bret at E6-4 …

We are Bret and Jacqueline Smith. We have been married for 31 years. We have 12 children, all of whom have always been homeschooled. Our four oldest children all experienced a Biblical betrothal and are now married. We have 11 grandchildren and 2 more on the way. We established The Homeschool Advantage as a ministry to homeschooling families in the year 1997. We enjoy boating and lived aboard a 40 foot boat for 9 months in 2002 while we cruised the Caribbean. We have produced a radio talk show and a nationally networked television show, even though we have never owned a television! We raise sheep and chickens. Eight of our twelve children are adopted, 2 from Kazakhstan, 5 from Latvia and one from the US.

Our primary ministry now is producing a computerized curriculum for homeschools, Christian schools and family worship. We began producing videos targeted at helping fathers become strong spiritual leaders in their homes shortly after returning from our cruise in 2002. We used video footage from the cruise to create a series called “The Voyage of Your Life with Captain Bret,” since I am a USCG licensed sea captain. From there we continued to get involved in film making and hosted the first Georgia Christian Film Festival in 2004. After 18 months of television production, we came to believe that a better use of our time and resources was to develop a video based, computerized curriculum. We began programming the E6-4 software in 2009 and today it is being used by families, churches and schools around the world to provide students and families instruction from a strong Biblical worldview.

Although we do create many lesson ourselves, one aspect of our mission is to compile the work of teachers and families around the world into one seamless computerized curriculum. The most rewarding aspect of this is meeting and working with these great people, like Israel Wayne of Wisdom’s Gate, Joshua Christansen of M Power Learning, Michael Smith of HSLDA, Kevin Swanson of Generations Radio, Michael Morton of Calathora Farms and dozens of other really cool families who contribute to the E6-4 curriculum.

Although we have tried to make E6-4 as easy to use as possible, it is still a huge program. The software currently consists of over 35gb of files! It is very helpful for a parent to have someone help them get started using E6-4 and to demonstrate the dozens of cool features and how to use them. This provides us with an opportunity to help families who have a heart to serve others earn some income working from their home. We have a very attractive distributorship program where someone can reap financial rewards through promoting and training others in their church, homeschool group, or blog audience.

Captain Bret is offering the E6-4 Family Worship Collection to one winner. This DVD contains the E6-4 software and a collection of lessons specifically designed for family worship. You can see the other products that E6-4 offers in their online store.

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We also want to let you know about another home business … JaJa’s Candle Scents. This is operated by a young lady here in Tennessee.

My name is Rebekah Wilson – I am 13 (almost 14). I love to sing and dance to the Lord! I enjoy playing and interacting with my sisters and learning new things (like how to make candles and run a business) in our home school! I am the 5th child of a 9 member family (Dad, Mom, Mike, Samantha, Hannah, Rachel, Rebekah, Talyah and Hadassah). We live on a small farm that has a milk cow and her calf, chickens, a milk goat and we raise designer puppies (giant schnoodles, which is a giant schnauzer and standard poodle mix, and Shih-Poos which is Shih Tzu and toy poodle). We have a very busy family!

My business is making candles. It is called JaJa’s Candle Scents. I make delicious smelling soy candles with lead-free wicks. I really enjoy creating the new scents and colors of my candles! It makes our whole house smell yummy!! I just started a website so I can sell online. I used to just go to businesses in our area selling door to door. I have been making candles for almost a year. It has been a big learning experience having to make a business plan, inventory, projected sales, and of course planning new scents and candles!

My favorite part of my business is smelling the wonderful scents! My new website is JaJa’s Candles.

Rebekah is giving away a candle to one winner who gets to pick the scent they would like to try! You can view the available scents on the website. These candles come in a pint jar and are made with soy wax and lead-free wicks.

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So do you want a chance to win one of these products?!

Giveaway Rules:

You must be a subscriber to the Shining-Stars-Magazine-quarterly-publication-that-comes-to-your-mailbox, in order to enter this giveaway! If you are not currently a subscriber and would like to be, please leave a comment on this post to join the giveaway and include your snail-mail address. I will then add you to the subscription list and remove your address before I publish the comment. There is no set subscription fee; we send the magazine free of charge to anyone who requests it and just ask that readers prayerfully consider donating to help cover publication costs.

All Shining Stars subscribers are allowed one entry, in which you must tell me which item you would prefer to win! Multiple family members are welcome to enter also.

For additional entries (leave one comment for each additional entry):

• Visit E6-4 and tell me which product you are most interested in.

• Visit JaJa’s Candle Scents and tell me which scent is your favorite.

• Follow Shining Stars through your Blogger Dashboard.

• Add the Shining Stars link to your website or blogroll.

• Post about this giveaway on your own blog (make sure to leave the link to the post).

This giveaway ends on April 22nd.

A quick update for those of you who may have remembered that it is the 8th and are checking to see what goodies we will be offering this month …

Due to a very full week and weekend, I was not able to get everything ready by today so that I could feature two more home businesses, so I am planning to start those review/giveaways on Tuesday (the 10th). Check back then and in the meantime, have a wonderfully blessed day!!

Congratulations to Raechel K who won the set of two Ruffled White Linen Hand Towels from Natural Linens! I also want to thank Carmen for helping to host this giveaway. Make sure you check out her website and see all the lovely products she has to offer!

Our next giveaway will begin on March 8th … check back to enter for a chance to win another inspiring book :)

In an effort to support various entrepreneurial endeavors, Shining Stars will be featuring home businesses every other month. This includes hosting a giveaway of one or more items, sharing information about the business and products as well as contact info for those who would like to purchase items, and a listing on our Featured Home Business page (which is coming soon). If you have a home (family-run) business and would like to have it featured on this website, please contact me for details at shiningstarsmagazine[at]gmail[dot]com.

It’s time for another home business review and giveaway! Today I would like to introduce you to Carmen at Natural Linens …

My name is Carmen Bruno and I’ve been married to  my wonderful husband John for almost 18 years.  We are a Canadian family living in northern Texas.  We have been living here for the past 12 years.  A big change in weather from Canada!  We have been homeschooling our children throughout their entire lives.  I feel blessed as a mama to have been given this privilege.  It has truly been a wonderful journey.  We are coming to a close within the next few years of homeschooling our children and thus my day to day homeschooling responsibilities have been transitioning as the children are maturing and growing up. I enjoy very much sharing in morning Bible studies and our reading times.  We are a Torah observant family that has been striving to continually learn to obey and please our heavenly Father in all of the scriptures in the bible.  Our walk does look so much different than it did just five years ago.  Our love for Elohim grows daily and so does our faith.  I love being able to spend time outdoors with my family.

Natural Linens started in the fall of 2011.  I learned to sew as a young girl and have always enjoyed it.  Sewing came mostly due to the fact that we could not afford to purchase clothes; if I wanted something with a fabric and pattern I preferred, I would have to purchase my own fabric and make my own clothes, which I did.  This led me to expand my creativity.  Now that my homeschooling academic responsibilities are minimized, I now have more time to focus on other things.  Although I do most of the sewing, my family is involved in different aspects of the business.  Currently Leah, my 15 year old daughter takes care of packaging and shipping the products.  Her attention to detail is so important, even in this area. I am also blessed with her help in some of the sewing and completion with the products.  Zachary, our almost 17 year old son, is now in charge of the photography and listing of the products as well as any other product branding that is needed.  His computer skills have been have also been a blessing to our business.  My husband is also a big part of this business, as his many creative ideas have blossomed into wonderful items!  I appreciate being able to discuss new potential products ideas with John, as he is gifted with creativity and problem solving.  So, you see, we are all involved in some way or another.  It takes a team with many gifts to make something work.  This is a great entrepreneurial experience, not only for me but for our children as well.

I really enjoy preparing items for the home–items I know that a home keeper may need.  We are currently focusing on using 100% fabrics such as cotton, linen, wool and jute.  We believe these fabrics are very beneficial.  Currently we offer ruffled hand towels, dish towels, reusable tea bags and coffee filters, cloth napkins, pillow covers, cloth handkerchiefs and table runners, and will soon be adding reusable un-paper towels.  We also hope to offer items with hand print designs in the near future.  I’m looking forward to being involved in this process.

My favorite part in the making of these products, I have to say, is coming up with the ideas. After research, analysis, and discussions with my family, I start down the path to make my products.  I love sewing as well, as this gets the product completed,  but as I tell my children, even though the process of cutting is my least favorite, we can’t make an item unless we cut the fabric.  Cutting for me is a wonderful patience builder.

Hannah, thank you very much for asking me to do this interview, I am honoured that you have asked me.  I am always open to new ideas.  If anyone would like to share ideas for other linen items, please email me at naturallinens@tx.rr.com.  Please remember that we do offer custom orders for any of your needs.  Thank you for taking the time to visit our shop.  Please note that we do close for Shabbat, so please come back and visit when are open.

Carmen will be giving away a set of two Ruffled White Linen Hand Towels. This will make a wonderful addition to a hope chest collection … or for any women who wants to bring some freshness to her home.

Aren’t they beautiful?! This linen hand towel is very versatile and can be used in either your kitchen or bath area. A great look for a country french, cottage, shabby chic or homestead look. This fabric has been prewashed to alleviate any shrinkage. Seams have been overlocked (serged). The fabric is 100% linen … they measure approximately 16.5 X 16 inches (42.5 X 41 cm). Finished Edges: hem stitched, serged, frayed ruffle. Color: white/off white.

Carmen has a number of other beautiful products in her Etsy shop and I heartily recommend that you visit there yourself!

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So do you want a chance to win one of these products?!

Giveaway Rules:

You must be a Shining Stars Magazine subscriber to enter this giveaway. If you are not currently a subscriber and would like to be, please leave a comment on this post to join the giveaway and include your mailing address. I will add you to the subscription list and remove your address before I publish the comment.

All Shining Stars subscribers are allowed one entry!

For an additional entry (leave one comment for each additional entry):

• Visit Natural Linens and tell me which product is your favorite.

• Like Natural Linens on Facebook.

• Follow Shining Stars through Google Connect (on the sidebar).

• Add the Shining Stars link to your website or blogroll.

• Post about this giveaway on your own blog. (Make sure to leave the link to the post).

This giveaway ends on February 22nd.