One of the ways that we can support and help our families, is through saving and/or earning money. This can take on a variety of different forms … whether it be using coupons, finding recipes for certain commercially-produced items, or taking advantage of special internet deals and prices. I hope to share a few ideas on ways to be thrifty and do-it-yourself. We welcome thoughts, ideas and recommendations.

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to let you all know about a website that I am liking more and more :)  I heard about Vitacost through another website several months back and decided to sign up. They have this great promotion that anyone who signs up will receive a $10 coupon! If you’re wondering what items Vitacost has to offer, the answer is simply “What items do they not offer?!”

Vitacost carries over 30,000 different products, with a large selection of organic foods and snacks, bath and body products, natural household supplies, baby care essentials, discount vitamins, minerals, herbs, sports nutrition supplements and other formulas for nutritional needs. They have great prices on a number of items … cheaper than what we can get at our local health food store.

So if you want to check out Vitacost and take advantage of some of their great deals, you can sign up through this link: http://www.vitacost.com/Referee?wlsrc=rsReferral&ReferralCode=30398356 … which means that I get a referral reward for telling you about it :)

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I just wanted to give you a little update on the most recent prayer need that I sent out last week. We received the necessary finances for publishing this issue and the printer has been working fabulously … except that we ran out of toner after printing about 125 copies :) The new toner has been ordered and should be here next week and I’ll finish and mail the remaining issues. I put most of the printed copies in the mail today, so some of you will be getting yours within the next couple days and some will have to wait until later next week. There is not really a rhyme or reason to whose copies were mailed today or not … it was just a matter of whose names were on the labels my younger siblings used :) And on that note, my younger siblings did a great job today – we were really rushing to try to get some of these magazines out before the weekend and they worked very hard and fast … I couldn’t have done it without them!

I look forward to your thoughts on the newest issue. I am so thrilled with it … both the quality and the content!! YHWH has been so good to us. Thank you all for your encouragement and support!

On a very sad note, I want to ask for your prayers for the Logan Family of Arboles, Co. Jason and his 10 children (ages 15 to 18 months old) lost his precious wife and their mother to cancer 2/12/12. Tatum was a wonderful wife, mother and friend. We are heartbroken at her passing. Below is a family picture.

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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.

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Our next giveaway will begin February 8th – we will be featuring more home businesses. I am making a couple changes with the giveaways: first, I’ve decided to use random.org for drawing a name, as that means less work trying to keep paper slips straight! Second, beginning in January 2012, if you have won a book that was reviewed within the past four months, you are not allowed to enter a book giveaway – but you are allowed to enter the home business giveaways. Similarly, if you have won an item from the FHB giveaway within the past four months (beginning January 12th), you are not allowed to enter another giveaway, but are allowed to enter for a book.

I just want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to win and we don’t have the same people winning multiple items! Thank you all for understanding and please check back in February for our next giveaway!

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Although I’ve read several “emotional purity handbooks”, this is one that I can whole-heartedly recommend to girls of all ages. As one mother wrote; “It did not compromise one’s purity while reading about purity”. The author (Sarah Mally) discusses a number of topics, including the dangers of the modern dating system, setting standards and sticking to them, how to control your thoughts and guard your heart, having right relationships with young men, surrendering dreams and desires to the much bigger and better plan of the Almighty and living a joy-filled, contented lifestyle while “waiting”.

Interwoven throughout the book is a story of a princess in a castle and her struggles with these issues that we girls face. There are testimonies from other young women as well as suggested assignments at the end of each chapter. This book was an enjoyable read that offered wonderful advice and encouragement … and I heartily recommend it for all unmarried young ladies! It would also be a great book for a mother and daughter to read together.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of “Before You Meet Prince Charming”, here is what you do!

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 then 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 entry):

• 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 January 22nd.

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I would like to let you know about a special purchase that Shining Stars Magazine made this week …

Left to right: Samuel (11 yesterday!), Abigail (12), Ruthie (17), Lydia (8), Tommy (19), Sarah (15 tomorrow!) and myself (21).

On Wednesday, my brother Tommy and I made the 12 hour round trip to northern Kentucky/almost-Cincinatti to pick up a printer that I had purchased on eBay. This HP 5550DN prints in color (and black and white), on 11×17 paper and it connects to my computer! :)

When we children gathered around to take a picture this evening, someone suggested that we all wear sunglasses … because it was only through sunglasses that the past issues looked okay!

Can y'all tell that we have a lot of fun around here? :)

While we are so thankful for the 400+ pound Toshiba FC22i that has faithfully copied the past fifteen issues of SSM, we are hoping and praying that the blurry covers, discolored and fuzzy pictures and streaked text will be a thing of the past and that this new printer will serve us well from now ’til kingdom come :) I don’t know how many times I looked at the copied covers and groaned – wishing that you all could see the original. I printed a couple pages today and the quality was EXCELLENT! Now I just need to figure out how to print on 11×17 paper – double sided :)

Thank you for your prayers and support … we’ve been praying for this printer to come for a long time and I am so happy that it is finally here!

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Thank you all for participating! There will be a book review and giveaway beginning on January 8th and another FHB review and giveaway on February 8th.

Volume5 Number1 is coming together nicely – I still have some more layout/design work to do and a little more space to fill … there are a couple of things I am looking for :)  I decided to add a few regular columns – at least, that is the plan for now. We’ll see how it works out! The columns consist of:

• A Peek Into My Hope Chest
• Being Beautifiers
• Heroines In History
• Out Of The Mouth Of Babes
• Recommended Reading
• Serving Our Families

I have also thought about adding one that focuses on nutrition and healthy living. Any thoughts? At this point, I do not have entries for Being Beautifiers, Out Of The Mouths Of Babes and Serving Our Families.

Being Beautifiers ought to contain topics like “What are some ways that you make your home a pleasant and welcoming haven?” and “How do you combine modesty and femininity to present a beautiful outward appearance?”

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes will contain short stories about young children – these can be thought-provoking, inspirational and humorous.

Serving Our Families will contain ideas on practical ways that you serve and bless your family.

If any of you have anything to share that could fit into one of these columns, please let me know as soon as possible! We do not have the cover photos picked out yet, so there is still time to submit photos if you have some that you would like to share.

Thank you all so much for making this possible. This is not my magazine … Shining Stars provides a way for each of you to encourage many others with the insights and thoughts that the Father has given you. I am honored to be a part of this and join with all of you in blessing your sisters in Messiah!

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Featured Home Business is a fairly new project on the SSM website. In an effort to support various entrepreneurial endeavors, we 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.

Welcome back for another home business review and giveaway! Like last time, we will be featuring two cottage industries today. Let me introduce you to Melody, owner of Day by Day Creations.

Greetings! My name is Melody Grubb and I’m 21. I live with six of my seven siblings and our dear parents on some land in north Texas, where we have some hogs, chickens, a couple of guard dogs, rabbits that I raise, two ducks and many cats. Our family forms a bluegrass-gospel band (www.thefullquiver.com) and we play at churches, nursing homes, festivals and other events locally and in the surrounding states; it is something that we do to the glory of God and pray He uses it for His purposes. When we are not playing somewhere, I enjoy working on various business ventures, caring for the animals, reading history and true stories, being a nanny three days a week, posting on my blog once in a while (www.melodygrubb.com) and teaching piano lessons. I pray that God is glorified through my life!

A few years ago I started purchasing loose tea from the Bulk Herb Store. I loved their all-natural, heavenly-tasting Jasmine Green, Pomegranate Green and flavored black teas so much that I wanted to share them with others and also make an income on the side. So a few months ago I bought some of their empty tea bags and two different flavors of their tea and, using a clothing iron, filled and pressed the bags. I am still perfecting the process, but am learning how to quickly (but efficiently) produce tea bags for those who enjoy a fresh cup of tea. Many times the bags are made when ordered so that they are even fresher.

I love the smell of Jasmine green tea! The Pomegranate-flavored green tea also has a strikingly-sweet scent which permeates the room as I fill the bags. That is my favorite part in making the tea bags —  enjoying that sweet smell and knowing it’s an all-natural smell!

Thank you for letting me share about my little business. I hope the winner will enjoy their gift of tea bags and that others will purchase some for themselves — I know you will enjoy drinking tea that is healthy and pure!

Melody will be giving away ten tea bags to one winner!

These tea bags are handmade, using all natural tea and tea bags. Each bag contains approximately 1.5 teaspoons of fresh loose tea. The winner will receive their choice of the available flavors.

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The second cottage industry that we are featuring today is Happy Heels by Hannah. Some of you may be familiar with this small home business … for those of you who have seen the Teddy Toes blankets and wanted to try one out – here is your chance!

We are five sisters – Hannah (21), Ruthie (17), Sarah (14), Abigail (12) and Lydia (8). We live with our parents and two brothers in rural Tennessee. We enjoy singing and playing music together, cooking, sewing projects, games, talking(!), visiting with friends, helping mothers with young children … and cleaning the bedroom that we share :)

Hannah started Happy Heels by Hannah a couple years ago. We had seen the pattern for Teddy Toes – a blanket specially designed to be used with a car seat … and we decided to start making and selling them. These blankets are made of 100% polyester fleece and come in a variety of colors. They are sized for babies 0-6 months. Ruthie has recently started offering drawstring baby gowns for sale too.

Our favorite part in making these products is … Hannah: “Thinking of cozy warm babies!” … Ruthie: “Cutting the thread on the final snap!” … Sarah: “Knowing that the blankets are being made with lots of love and care!” … Abigail: “Looking over the finished product!” … Lydia: “I haven’t made any blankets yet but I hope to start cutting them out soon!”

While this home business was started with selling baby blankets, we hope to expand in the future – offering other home-sewn items, jewelry and anything else that we start creating!

Happy Heels by Hannah will be giving away one Teddy Toes blanket!

While the Teddy Toes is designed for use with a car seat, it also makes a wonderful blanket to swaddle your baby at any time! Click here for pictorial directions on how to use the Teddy Toes.

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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 then add you to the subscription list and remove your address before I publish the comment.

All Shining Stars subscribers are allowed one entry, in which you must tell me which item you would prefer to win!

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

• Visit Day by Day Creations and tell me which tea flavor you would like best.

• Visit Happy Heels by Hannah and tell me which color blanket is your favorite.

• 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 December 22nd.

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It’s getting to be that time again … time to submit material for the nest issue of Shining Stars!

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The Theme For The Next Issue Is: From Wives And Mothers -

I would like to fill this issue with testimonies, stories and advice from ladies who are married with children and can share some of their experiences with us younger women. I understand that many of you were not raised in the path that you are now walking (i.e. wives, mothers, keepers at home) and I would love to hear some wise advice, some “do?s and don?ts” (voice of experience!) and testimonies of how the Heavenly Father has led you and things that He has taught you.

As usual, I would love to receive testimonies from unmarried young ladies and non-thematic articles as well. Please ask the Father if He has something for you to share with the rest of us …

… and submit all articles by December 15th!

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Feedback Wanted!

Was there a particular article or two that blessed and encouraged you? Do you have concerns about something that was printed? Do you have suggestions about the material that we feature, the layout and design of SSM, or something else? We love to hear from our subscribers and especially want to know what you are thinking about the magazine and the articles that are published. Thank you for your feedback!

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Pen Pal Place!

Would you like a pen pal? Just send us your name, age, address and a little bit about yourself … and we will try to print your request in the next issue!

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The Recipe Theme For The Next Issue Is: International Specialities!

We did this a couple years back, but I think it’s about time we do it again. If you have a special recipe from another country/culture, please submit it by December 15th!

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I also have another request … I am thinking about adding several “permanent” columns to the magazine – columns that feature particular topics in each issue, but authored by different writers. A Peek Into My Hope Chest is the first and was added in the past issue. If you would like to see certain columns – regular topics in each issue, and/or if there is a particular topic that you would be interested in writing about, please let me know!

I hope to hear from you all soon! Abundant Blessings ~ Hannah

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