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Best Gifts For Dad He Really Will Use

Fathers are often the after-thought every Christmas. People buy their dads or husbands generic “dad” gifts but not stuff their guy or dad really want.

This year, I curated a list of gifts for every type of guy that they will

handsfree dog leash

Dog Dad Who Runs

Sparkly Pets

If your partner, husband or dad is the one who walks the dog and uses that time to get in a good run or catch up on his fave audio book, then he would love SparklyPets hands-free leash. He can attach it to his waist belt and then have his hands free to scroll his phone, eat, or jog.

$21.95


Shaker and Spoon  ad

Dad Who Loves a Good Cocktail

Shaker and Spoon

Gift dad the joy in creating his own concotions and libatiosn with a monthly cocktail box delivering original recipes plus all the ingredients need to make them!

Each month, he’ll get 3 unique recipes by top bartenders + everything you need to make 12 drinks (4 from each recipe) other than the liquor—syrups, bitters, mixers, garnishes & more.

Dad will be exposed to new flavors & combos, and look at your liquor cabinet in a whole new way.

$40.00 per month


Viewsonic projector

Dad who Loves Movies

Viewsonic

If dad was a fan of going to the movies before the pandemic, he will enjoy getting the opportunty to have backyard movie nights.

Those who have reviewed this projector say it produces crisp picture quality indoors and out.

$379.99 per month


A couple of Tiles

Dad Whose Always Losing His Keys

Tile

Tile is great for that dad who is always losing his phone, keys, walled or gym bag. He attaches these tiny trackers to the frequently misplaced item, register it and the device will emit a small sound when triggered.

 If the Tile is within the 300 feet Bluetooth range, it will play a loud tune until you find it.

$21.95


Cozy Feet under dest warker

Dad Who Has Cold Feet

Cozy Products



  • If your husband or dad has cold feet, literally, not figuratively, he may love this ergonomically designed toe warmer to keep under his desk at work or home office.
  • This device provides direct heat, warms cold feet and legs most efficiently with its 2-heat setting, choose between two different heat levels for optimal comfort

$41.19


Kiehl's age defender

Dad Who Wants to Stay Young

Kiehl’s



  • From the product page: Age Defender Eye Repair is a lifting, anti-wrinkle, dark circle-reducing eye cream for men, visibly correcting aging skin around the eyes to firm sagging and visibly resurface crow’s-feet for a smoother, more youthful appearance.
  • The multi-action formula contains rye seed extract, which helps visibly strengthen skin for a recharged look, leaving the eye area with a more lifted appearance.

$32.00


After Shokz Biker

For the Biker Dad

After Shokz



  • A guy who loves to ride his bike and safely listen to his fave tunes while doing so will love to receive  Air Wireless Bone Conduction Open-Ear Headphones by After Shoks. They are super light weight and comfortable.
  • If you have a Sam’s Club membership, you can get it for $40 off this year.

$112.00


germaphone

Germaphobe Dad

Phone Soap



  • As seen on Shark’s Tank, Good Morning America and other shows, Phonesoap is the first UV-C Sanitize and charger. It houses two scientifically proven germicidal UV-C bulbs that completely sanitize your entire phone, killing 99.99% of all bacteria and germs.
  • In addition, the unit offers one USB port and one USB-C port for charging.

$55.90


aberfedly drink

Dad Who Enjoys A Smooth and Stiff Drink

Aberfedly



  • Yum! From the product page:
  • “Laid to rest for 16 years in handmade oak casks, this enriched offering is finished in first fill Oloroso sherry casks to impart a subtle fruitful nature and a roundness to the whisky. Soft notes of honey, freshened with citrus, which gives way to spiced pears, studded with cloves, and drizzled with caramel. On the palate this well balanced dram is at first sweet and rich like fruit cake, but ends satisfyingly with a hint of dark chocolate.”

$100.00


sweatpants

Dad Who Hasn’t Been to Work Since March

Outdoor Voices



  • Outdoor Voices makes the “All Day Sweatpants” which it touts to be the softest sweats you’ll ever wear. It’s just the perfect amount of slouch and slim for dad.
  • It has great reviews for being comfortable and truly wearable all day for weeks on end!

$88.00


sony headphones

Booming System

Sony



  • Experience an immersive acoustic performance with these Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones. The noise-isolating fit mutes ambient noises, while the lithium-ion battery offers up to 30 hours of playtime, keeping you entertained during long-distance travels.
  • These Sony XB Extra Bass wireless headphones have a touch sensor for convenient control. These wireless headphones are an outstanding option for a comfortable listening experience at home, traveling or in a noisy office, one reviewer said.

$123.00


golf putting range

Dad Who Loves to Golf

Par 3



  • In the winter when there are less opportunities for a Golfer dad to hit the links, or get to a driving range, there is this putting green.
  • Par 3 makes a three whole green to help dad practice his putting during off season so he is in tip top shape come Spring.

$34.93


binoculars

Dad Whose Always Looking to the Stars

Nikon



  • A dad who is a fan of astroloy, Super Moon or birds would appreciate a pair of binoculars.
  • From the product page: Pairing a relatively low magnification with large objectives, Nikon’s black 7×50 Aculon A211 Binoculars are outfitted with enhanced light-gathering capabilities, a large exit pupil, and long eye relief, which work together to produce an optic that is optimized for use in challenging light conditions.

$105.00


Dad doormat

For the Boating Dad

Wicked Good Doormats



  • From the product page: Long-lasting, all-weather doormats handwoven in Maine using some of the toughest nautical rope around. Designed to withstand the extreme conditions of the ocean, these polypropylene doormats are water-resistant, mold-resistant, and mildew-resistant. Because water runs through them they’ll never harbor odors. Added UV protection against fading.
  • This is one hard-to-beat, long-lasting doormat. Great for boats and campers, too. Only use on non-skid surfaces. Handwoven in Maine using imported nautical rop.

$69.95


Cuisinart cook

Dad Who Likes To Cook Simply

Cuisinart



  • The best thing about Cuisinart’s compact Air Fryer is the window that lets you see its specially engineered motor fan and heater deliver powerful airflow and high heat for perfectly fried food.
  • Dad will love to join this new kitchen gadget food trend.

$99.00


anker

Dad Who Is Always Out of Power

Anker



  • Dad can forever stay in the loop with a fully charged phone via anker’s wireless air charger.
  • This power bank charges iPhone SE, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, Xs Max, XR, XS, X, Galaxy S20 S10 S9 S8, Note 10 Note 9 and Note 8.

$39.99


Sonos music

Dad Who Loves Music

Sonos



  • The compact Sonos speaker system delivers superior premium sound from any room in the house and is compatible with Apple Air Play and other devices.
  • It connects from any room using the home’s wifi.

$179.00


Ember mug

Dad Who Loves Hot Coffee

Ember



  • The miracle of the Ember mug’s tech is that it keeps hot drinks the perfect warm temperature for up to 1.5 hours. Designed for home or office, the new Ember Mug² does is the perfect smart mug.

$99.00


Paul Smith wallet

Dad Who Really Does Need a New Wallet

SSense

For all the jokes about dads being always given wallets for Father’s day, their birthday and all other holidays, some dads really need a new wallet.



  • The Paul Smith buffed hide wallet is sleekly designed and simple yet exquisite and would make a great traditional dad gift with its style and sophistication.

$88.00








What Student Athletes Want {Gift Guide}

student athlete
roller ball image

Because the pandemic has limited opportunities for student athletes to train and compete this year, they have to find in or near home creative ways to stay active and fit and maintain their skills.

These are gifts that your student athlete would love to receive this year for the holiday gift-buying season.


Finish underwater music

UNDERWATER PLAYER

The swimmer in your life will appreciate the Finis SwiMP3 player which uses bone conduction to deliver sound from your cheekbones to your inner ear. The player delivers a surprisingly crisp sound and can enhance the enjoyment of any workout, whether you are listening to music or podcasts. It supports MP3 and wma audio formats compatible iTunes; listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts and more.

Users recommend getting an add on to the manufacturer warranty as they stop working after a year or so. but you can get new ones with the warranty!

FINIS

$79.99


TRXSuspension system

TRX Suspension System

The TRX suspension system are the best for training specific muscle groups and isolating areas to target for strength training.

The system itself was created by a former Navy SEAL that uses your own body weight to get a full-body workout. The kit comes with instructions for doing hundreds of different routines that can challenge everyone from beginners to extreme athletes.

It’s pretty hardcore but intermediate users can benefit from included workouts.

TRX

$99.99


massage ball

MASSAGE BALL

The TriggerPoint MB Vibe massage ball is a must-have for athletes who want to perform at their optimal level day in and day out. Combined with the spherical design for multi-directional rolling, the roller’s vibrations penetrate deep into muscles to target tense muscles with precision.

Ideal for use before a workout, the vibrating massage ball loosens and lengthens muscles to increase flexibility.

TripperPoint

$79.99


thermal sleeve

THERMAL ARM SLEEVE

Cyclists, runners, hikers, and climbers will appreciate a pair of Pearl Izumi Thermal Arm Warmers when embarking on an early-morning or cold weather workout. The anatomical design ensures a comfortable fit, while the four-layer thermal construction generates enough heat to be toasty but not overly hot.

Pearl Izumi

$16.99


marsheepy charcoal odor eater

GYM BAG & SHOES ODOR ELIMINATOR

This is more of a stocking stuffer than a gift, but Marsheepy’s charcoal bags naturally absorb moisture and smells from shoes and stinky gym bags. Putting them on your shoe closet overnight will remove the shoe smell all while leaving no scent of its own. They also can be used for other applications as a dehumidifier on small enclosed places, or musty basements. Get a kit of 12.

Marsheepy

$24.95


sony noise cancelling headphones

NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONE

First, for all athletes, these headphones are great for tuning out the distractions and noise, getting laser focused before performance and helping work out time pass quickly or getting them them get in the right mind set to compete.

Now these headphones can get pretty pricey so I would only recommend getting the higher end on the list for the very responsible kid who isn’t going to leave it around carelessly, on the floor by the pool where it can get wet or damaged or forget it out in the open on the field in a public park.

It is on par with Bose’s, the gold standard in home audio equipment.

SONY

$99.95


under armour back pack

WORK OUT BACK PACK

Student athletes got a lot of gear, uniform and sport-related equipment they have to lug to school, to practice and to games, meets, tournaments and competitions.  They need a back with a lot of compartments internal and external so they can organize all their stuff.

The UA Hustle 4.0 Backpack is the ultimate back pack for any student athlete. It has a front pocket for shoes and lots of interior pockets to separate all the gear and keep the soiled stuff separate from the clean.

The side pockets can hold large 24 ounce bottles of water or recyclable water bottles. It’s light weight and sturdy for a sports bag only.

Under Armour

$99.95


agility ladder

AGILITY LADDER

You’d think every student basketball player athlete would want an official Spalding NBA Basketball and a portable backboard to practice at home with. Yes, those too, but the serious ones are thinking ahead.

Per the experts, an agility ladder like the SKLZ ladder is a great tool for ambitious basketball players who want to improve their footwork and coordination.

SKLZ

$26.99


portable gym beam

PORTABLE GYM BEAM

For your gymnast, there is still time to get an FBSPORT floorbeam from Amazon in time for Christmas. This adjustable and foldable portable beam has a 5-inch to which is the same width as those used in competitions but has a 6 inch base to stabilize it so it won’t topple over. 

It’s made of high density EVA foam, and its padded beam is covered in suede-like material with a nonslip rubber bottom for a soft sturdy practice surface that won’t flatten over time.

FBSPOR

$63.95


tennis sweatshirt

HIGH PERFORMANCE SWEATSHIRT

A lovely high performing sweathshirt is a great gift.

Nike’s Court line has these popular hoodies for after play tennis. It’s made of French Terry cloth and has a boxy shape which makes it unisex although Nike sells a female and male version of the hoodie!

It comes in other colors than the traditional Tennis white and you can still get it in time for Christmas!

NIKE

$70.00


lacrosse rebounder

LACROSSE REBOUNDER

 To help your lacrosse player hone his or her passing and catching skills, a lacrosse rebounder is a great gift for a goalie, offensive player or for team practice drills to increase your kid’s reaction skills.

FBSPOR

$149.95

under armour shoe

ATHLETIC SHOES

 For running, there are many brands that offer superior quality shoes.  My two sons’ high school is sponsored by Under Armour and we have had success for three years in the HOVR Infinite  which lasts an entire season of training runs and meets. Don’t just take my word for it. The HOVR won Runner’s World Magazine’s recommended running shoe recognition this year!

The best tech in the shoe is the  ‘zero gravity feel’ to maintain energy return that helps eliminate impact step after step. It’s a good shoe overall and has great reviews.

Under Armour

$109.90


happy holidays shopping!

48+ BLACK-OWNED CANDLE COMPANIES TO PATRONIZE {Gift Guide}

black owned candle companies

The Bath and Body Works Annual Sale reminds us of another opportunity to support black-owned candle and bath essentials companies

If you were near a Bath and Body Works this weekend, you might have seen the super long lines with holiday shoppers taking advantage of its amazing annual Holiday sale featuring $10 candles that normally sell for close to $30.

Actually, you might have been in that line.

According to reports, the beauty, skin and body essentials company sold out of its online offerings forcing customers to have to visit the retail stores to get the deal.

Because we are still in the year of the death of George Floyd which triggered a renewed interest in elevating, promoting and recognizing, finally, black-owned businesses, the sold out situation presents an excellent opportuntiy to once again consider candle brands and companies that are among the group of biz owners that are traditionally undercapitalized, under appreciated, under represented.

As such, I compiled a list of over 48 black-owned candle makers for you to consider patronizing this year.

Some of these brands overlap with companies that Harper’s Bazaar, Allure, Cosmo, NY Mag, The Zoe Report, 21 Ninety and Elle magazines put in their profiles of Black-Owned Candle makers this Summer and Early Fall back when it was quite fashionable and en vogue to spotlight Black makers in the US, Canada, the UK and globally.

Let’s keep up the energy.

About the Candle Makers

I did take a cursory review of many of the companies. I only shared an image from their Instagram page for convenience and to quickly put this post together.

However, you can access a link to their websites to purchase and you will see who makes their candles in their homes in small batches, who actually delivers locally, who sells at upcoming craft fairs, virtual and in person, and who delivers beyond their country’s borders.

Some, like the ones featured in the major fashion magazines this past Summer and Fall, have appeared on Oprah’s annual Favorite things list.

More Reasons to Support

And don’t think because they are small that the candles will be expensive. Some start at just $5 and others are luxury priced but worth it.

Also, for people who are mindful of essential oils that can be toxic to burn, and allergies to materials in many candles, quite a few of these brands are careful about using toxic dyes, perfumes and other allergenic materials.

They hand pour.

They test.

They scale.

Here is a compilation of Black-owned candle makers in the US and Canada for you to consider patronizing this year.

They come recommended by some of the 38K members of Arsha Jones’ Build, Brand and Launch Facebook group.

I’ll add more as I discover them and I will update this post with local cities where this makers are currently located.

The companies are listed in random order and not by order of rank and I have reviewed none personally yet but did not want that to stop this list from getting out there especially this weekend.

1. Jadore Candles

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA

2. Well Lit Candles

UPPER MARLBORO, MARYLAND

3. Simply Scents by Shan

HOUSTON, TEXAS

4. Alchemy Bliss

5. Black Girl Candle Company

North Carolina

6. Pure Candle House

Chicago, Illinois

7. Len McCaddy Home Candle and Co

Atlanta, Georgia

8. Common Scents

Savannah, Georgia

9. Amajai Home

Randallstown, Maryland

10. Nautana

Atlanta Georgia

11. Lufrays

Cedar Park, Texas

12. Elixir

13. Wicks And Shit

Gwinnett, Georgia

14. Cozy Wicks

Owings Mills, Maryland

15. South Florida Candle Supply

North Lauderdale, Florida

16. Adesuwu Botanicals

Lithonia, Georgia

17. Sola In the City

Baltimore, Maryland

18. Deese Noire

Buckhead Atlanta, Georgia

19. Gavin Lux

Los Angeles, California

20. Be Speak Candle Co

Sacramento, California

21. Alexandra Winbush

Atlanta, George

22. Chaos Candle Company

23. Lit Unity Candle

24. Wick’d by Nik

25. Camiller Creations

26. Elon Eick Candle Co

27. Breathe Enlight

28. Lit AF Candle Co

29. Forvr Mood

30. 2-10 Candle Company

Oakland Park, Kansas

31. Rooftop Candle Co

32. Quiet Quarters

33. Heavenly Candle Co

34. Posh Candle Co

35. CC Holistic Living

36. So Lit Candle Co

37. Candle Essentials

38. Bonaco Candles

39. Just Candles

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

40. The Jetsetter Candle Co

41. Naughty Naturals World

42. Her by Kashay

43. Simply By Toni

44. Krazy Essentials

45. Liliane’s Glow

Washington, DC

46. Experience of Luxe

47. Diary of Queen Esther

48. Shai Sensual

49. Harlem Candle Company

Harlem, New York

50. MĀKTUB Candles

Los Angeles, California

51. Uplift Candles

Hyattsville, Maryland

52. South FL Candle Supply Company

Broward County, Florida

53. Wicktrovert Candle Co

St. Petersburg, Florida

54. Diamond Life Home

Georgia

55. Willow St. Design Company

Washington, DC

56. Elevated Scentz

Houston, Texas

57. Arrows + Feathers

Mitchellville, Maryland

58. 6ixs Wicks

Toronto, Canada

59. Ivy Mae Blake

Toronto, Canada

60. Bright Black Candle

Durham, North Carolina

61. Peace and Harmony Brands

62. Knits, soy and metal

Baltimore, Maryland

63. Twelve 21 Candle Company

Brooklyn, New York

64. Narii Nicole

Fairburn, Georgia

65. Wix & Wax Fanatic

Orlando, Florida

66. Wyk Candles Zoo

Kalamazoo, Michigan

67. Amor Mas Luxury Scents

Wallingford, Connecticut

68. Lamar Denom

69. B Calm Candles

Brockton, Massachussetts

70. Southern Elegance Candle Company

Raeford, North Carolina

71. Elevation Lifestyle

Camp Springs, Maryland

72. By District 78

Pause Cincinnati, Ohio

73. Tribal Unicorn

East London, UK

74. Frères Branchiaux Candle Co.

White Plains, Maryland

75. Damalia’s Soy Candles and Body Bar

Hartford, Connecticut

What to Get the Woman Who has Everything {Gift Guide}

posh mom gift guide image

It can be difficult to holiday shop for that woman who has everything.

Think the CEO or boss of your small company, a high net worth corporate executive or law partner, the jetset babe or your Chanel Princess bff who also happens to be a trust fund baby.

And because getting a $27,000 Tiffany Yellow diamond or a $371,000 Himalayan Birkin bag may be out of the budget, you have to settle for the next best things.

Lucky for you I’ve curated the below list with the help of some mom lawyer friends of mine I know who are in the know.

jolene

Jo Malone London

Luxury Bauble Collection

The luxe fragrance house sells six decorated baubles that can be reused each year and hidden inside each one is a duo of surprises including Colognes, a Miniature Candle and Bath & Body essentials.

$210.00

Handmade Chocolate

Burdick Critters Collection

Treat her with a collection of exquisite chocolate from New Hampshire-based L.A. Burdick Chocolatiers Burdick Critters Collection. All the critters are made individually by hand, meaning each is unique and no two are alike. Includes wood box of 16 Chocolate Mice, wood box of 9 Chocolate Snowmen, wood box of 6 Chocolate Pigs, wood box of 9 Chocolate Penguins, and 1/4 lb. Everyday Chocolate Assortment.

$198.00

Go up in budget with the Epicurious Collection for $350

joggers

Vuori

Joggers

The performance jogger by Vuori is slim but relaxed fit with a slightly cropped leg, side pockets and a drawstring. Designed with their softest premium stretch fabric, they’re your new go-to. Great for traveling, yoga, training and chilling. It comes in a variety of colors and shades and in sizes XXS to XXL.

$84.00

Barefoot Dreams

SOFT THROW

She will love to be blanketed in the luxurious warmth of a soft chenille throw from the Barefoot Dreams Store and you can practically feel the softness through the screen.

$120.00 +

NEST New York

Grapefruit Candle and Diffuser

If your rich misses is like a lot of women who enjoy fragrant homes, then she will thoroughly enjoy filling her abode in this intoxicating signature scent behind NEST New York’s iconic fragrance which is a blend of pink pomelo grapefruit with watery green notes, lily of the valley and coriander blossom. The Classic Candle is meticulously crafted with a proprietary premium wax formulated to burn cleanly and evenly, while the Reed Diffuser is made with the highest quality oils to release continuous fragrance for 90 days, uninterrupted.

$75.00

Skin Store

Slip Skin Pillowcase

Your receipient will love to lay her head down and protect her crown with a silk pillow covering. It is a brand of silk cases recommended by dermatologists, hairstylists & beauty experts and is made of the highest grade (6A) long fibre mulberry silk, and without the use of dyes.

If you’re seeing this on Cyber Week 2020, get 25% off with the code Cyber at check out.

$110.00

Lululemon

Align Yoga Pants

Get the most breathable, sweat wicking pants, soft, light weight and with added lycra that retains shape after wash and wear.

Normally $98-$118. They’re on sale for the season

$69.00

Drunk Elephant

The Littles

The eco-conscious beauty buyer is wary of essential oils, chemical perfumes, dyes, fragrants and alcohol that are all horrible for the skin and so she is drawn to lines like Drunk Elephant which has combined sample sizes of all its best sellers into one kit it calls The Littles.

$90.00

cavallini calendar

Cavallini & Co. Paper Company

2021 Wall Calendar

Printed on Cavallini Paper Company’s signature Italian paper, this calendar features a unique collection of late 18th century wildflower prints and is perfect for home, kitchen, or office.

Calendars.com is offering free shipping this week.

$21.95

Boden

A Dress

Any dress in any print from Boden could be worn at a variety of events, openings, meetings, formal or informal outings. This Mila Midi Dress with its colorful and attractive stripes would do perfectly!

It’s practically half off down from $198 right now but not sure how long this will last.

$99.00

Yeti

20 ounce Rambler

The Yeti ramblem with the megslider lid is the perfect gift for a coffee or tea drinker or anyone who loves to sip slowly because it keeps hot drinks very hot and cold drinks super cold for long periods of time. It’s a winner that I’ve personally enjoyed and highly recommend.

$29.00

Athleta

Pranayama Wrap

Go from the yoga studio to the coffeee shop and back in this highly coveted and well rated wrap from Gap’s athleisure brand, Athleta. And it has pockets! Yes to this.

$99.00

Good luck and happy shopping and shout out the ladies of the Lawma Facebook Group for giving me all these ideas for this post!

gift guide pinterest graphic

Small Biz Saturday: Family & Side Gig Legal & Marketing Templates

small biz saturday graphic

Today is Small Business Saturday.

In addition to being a lifestyle and business content creator, a Pinterest and Digital Content Marketing Youtuber and one-on-one business coach, I am also a small business owner who sells digital products!

Using my legal and marketing PR firm background, I’ve created legal templates for families and small business owners that I sell on my Etsy Shop.

small biz saturday graphic

I am also incubating an inclusive stock photography company called Picnoi and currently sell downloads of the entire database.

Small Business Offer

For Small Business Saturday, I’m offering a package of my most popular family and business templates for half off.

I normally sell my package of family estate templates for $197.

I recently reduced it to $97 for my loyal email subscribers and am cutting that price in half for a limited quantity of buyers. It’s now just $47.

Nowhere else online will you be able to get a package of legal documents to protect your family for that low a price.

Similarly, for those who have side gigs and rising small businesses but who cannot yet afford to hire an attorney to draft custom documents, my package of legal templates for fleddling startups and hustlpreneurs is also half of half and just $47.00 as well.

Finally, I’m offering limited downloads of the image database at half off, down from $59.99 down to $29.99.

Sale ends December 15th or until the limited downloads run out!

small biz saturday graphic

I’d appreciate it if you could support the work I do here and the information I share freely in various different platform and forums by purchasing one of my products and/or sharing this post with anyone you know who may be in the market for these items.

Thank you!

small biz saturday graphic

Thank you for shopping small.

I describe the products below.

legal templates header

Caveat: There are certain state specific requirement you will need to consider before submitting

Created by an attorney, this template toolkit includes three family estate planning document every parent should have including: 

1) A will is legal document that spells out your wishes regarding care of your children, as well as distribution of your assets after your death. Failure to prepare a will typically leaves decisions about your estate in the hands of judges or state officials, and may also cause family strife.

(Before filling out the will, sit down and fill out the worksheet which can be printed out and is in pdf format)

2) A trust is legal arrangement  in writing that spells out how third party, named the trustee, is to hold, keep track of and distribut assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries, the people who will get the assets in the trust. 

 a) Lifetime access: You may also, for example, set up a revocable trust so that the trust assets remain accessible to you during your lifetime while designating to whom the remaining assets will pass 

b) Control your assets and money: You can determine the terms of the trust, and control when and to whom the distributions may be made. 

c) Protect Your Legacy from Creditors: A properly constructed trust can help protect your estate from your heirs’ creditors or from beneficiaries who are not good at managing money.

d) Keep Your Affairs Private: Unlike Probate whichi is a public record and proces; assets in a trust can pass on to your beneficiaries outside of probate and stay private.

e) Saves Taxes and Fees: Because trusts don’t go through probate, you’ll save  court fees and taxes in the process.

3) Power of Attorney is a document that allows a third party to control a person’s assets, access to codes, banks, A durable power of attorney simply means that the document stays in effect if you become incapacitated and unable to handle matters on your own. To cover all of the issues that matter to you, you’ll probably need two separate documents: one that addresses health care issues and another to take care of your finances.

4) A Quit Claim Deed  is a short legal document that transfers the ownership of real property like a home or land to another person. This document can be used when there are no complex aspects or no dispute as to ownership or rights between the person transferring the property and the receiver.

marketing templates header

Small or Micro Biz/Content Creator Legal Start Up Template Kit

Running an ecommerce shop or creating content as a business as a blogger, vlogger, YouTuber, podcaster, Instagrammer or other infuencer part time or full time and earning money from these ventures require you to get a handle of the legal obligations and be able to manage your blog, protect it legally, and promote it. Having legal templates, content management documents and other forms are essential. Use the documents in this kit to keep you organized and growing. Customize them, print them out and keep them in an organized binder. It will be a God send come tax time as well.

Legal Templates

A Sample Work for Hire Agreement

Use this document when contracting work from web site builders to logo developers or anyone helping you build your presence visually where you intent that the final product be owned by you outright

A Sample Joint Venture Agreement

Use this agreement when you decide to partner with another person, business, group or organization on an ongoing basis or for a long term project or partnership.

A Sample Copyright Infringement Cease and Desist Letter

Use this letter to alert someone or an entity you discover is using your content without prior authorization. This letter lets the infringer know you are aware of their violation and your rights and should help get the infringer to remove your intellectual property or start discussions on future possible legal action from you.

A Sample Non Dislosure Agreement

Use this agreement when you are sharing an idea, concept, business plan that you do not want the receiver of the information to share with others or develop on his/her own without your involvement. Note that a lot of companies or orgs that are large and influential may not sign or may have you sign a version prepared by their attorney

A Sample Sponsorship Pitch Letter

Use this the solicit a brand or company to sponsor your blog, YouTube channel, podcast, event or website.

A DMCA/Trademark Violation Take Down Request Letter

Use this letter to request that someoned using your trademark or other digital content online without your approval and/or prior authorizationn to take it down.

ABOUT CREATOR OF THIS TOOL KIT

I am a veteran attorney and I currently manage my own Digital Publishing company and online learning platform called the Digital Publishing Academy where I train transitioning professionals who want to create online content or to launch, grow and scale their new digital ventures, whether a blog, YouTube channel, podcast, eCommerce store and more. I also run several blogs and co-own a stock photography company.



This tooklit helps content creators searching for help and assistance with getting organized and staying on track as they go from hobby to professional content creator.

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Study: Taking Vitamin D While Pregnant Produces Smart Kids

Women with higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy may have children with greater childhood IQ scores, says a recent study.

Vitamin D and its benefits are being discussed across the world, especially during COVID times where our exposure to sun has reduced drastically. Also known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D deficiency is known to impact your bones and be detrimental to your overall health. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that mothers’ vitamin D levels during pregnancy could be linked with their children’s IQ. In other words, women with higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy may have children with greater childhood IQ scores. Another observation the study made was that vitamin D levels among Black pregnant women was significantly lower than White women.

Melissa Melough, the lead author of the study and research scientist in the Department of Child Health, Behavior, and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, says vitamin D deficiency is common among the general population as well as pregnant women, but Black women could be at greater risk.

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Our Low Key Halloween Celebrations 2020 – Pandemic Edition

Like a lot of families who decided to scale down their Halloween celebrations, we too took a different route this year.

Rather than get dressed up in costumes and go door-to-door trick or treating, this year, we stayed in and had a low key celebration.

We painted pumpkins. I purchased light colored pumpkins squash and used glue base and paint to spray paint pumpkins for decorations.

We munched on pizza, chicken bites and drank soft drinks while we worked.

 

Next, we made candy apples, caramel and candy coated ones.

It was a fun time! Here are some more pics:

What did you do?

75+ Best Celebrity Halloween Costumes Over the Years

Over the course of Bellyitch’s 12+ years existence, we’ve featured some of the most creative costumes that celebrities have worn. In my opinion, Beyonce and Jay Z, along with Heidi Klum and Neil Patrick Harris, and his husband David Burtka and family, and Kim Kardashian West have really gone above and beyond each Halloween.

I would throw in Monica Brown in the mix too.

This year, I thought to reshare some of the collages that I’ve posted to accompany past coverage of Halloween in remembrance and homage to a time in history when everything wasn’t so muted as they are these days in this uncertain time during the global coronavirus pandemic.

Enjoy!

Kim Kardashian West as the late Aaliyah Houghton

Beyonce and Jay Z as Lil Kim and Biggie Smalls

 Beyonce and her twins Sir and Rumi as Lisa Bonet and daughter Zoe Kravitz

Beyonce , Jay Z and Blue Ivy Carter as Lisa McDowell, Queen Aoleon, and King Jaffe Joffer  

 Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner as Gomez and Morticia Addams complete with Thing on his shoulder!

Kylie Jenner as Barbie 

Heidi Klum as Princess Fiona and Tom Kaulitz as Shrek

Jenna Dewan Tatum and Channing Tatum  as Sally and Jack Skellington From Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Bethenny Frankel as Candy, Marilyn Monroe, a Skater Girl and Hello Kitty

Crazy Rich Asians actor Harry Shum Jr. as Eric Draven from the 1994 film The Crow

Monica Brown s Pennywise, Romelo as Chuckie, LaiYah as Annabell and Rocko as Jason

Fergie  and Josh Duhamel as a child pageant queen, Cleopatra, Dia de los muertos and Elvira

 

Kourtney Kardashian as Ariana Grande

Neil Patrick Harris, David Burtka and family as Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan and The Munsters

Beyonce as Lil Kim’s 90s career in costuming and music video and award show outfits.

 

Alicia Keys as a Ninja Movie Poster

Beyonce  as Toni Braxton cover album for “Another Sad Love Song.

Jaime King  as Joan of Arc

Ciara as  Black Panther heroine Nakia

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend  as Queen Elizabeth the II and Prince Phillip.

Winnie Harlowe as RuPaul

Bella Hadid and the Weeknd dress as Beetlejuice and Lydia

Padma Lakshmi  as The Black Swan

Madison Pettis  as Coachella Beyonce,

Kat Graham as The Mask

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson as Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwazzeneger in “Twins”

Kelly Clarkson as a penguin and Jennifer Hudson as Catwoman

The Kardashian/Jenner as Victoria’s Secret Angels

Bethenny Frankel also as a Victoria Secret Angel

 

The Ladies of The Real TV talk show dressed up as iconic TV talk show hosts. Tamera Mowry-Housley was Tyra Banks. Jeannie Mae went as Ellen Degeneres. Loni Love  as Oprah Winfrey and Adrienne Houghton as Sally Jessy Raphael.

 Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer as Marty McFly and Doc Brown From Back to the Future.

Kelly Ripa as Vicki the Robot From Small Wonder.

Secrest and Ripa as  Jeannie and Major Nelson From I Dream of Jeannie.

Secrest and Ripa as Laverne and Shirley‘s Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney.

Seacrest as Ricky Stratton From Silver Spoons

Kelly Ripa, Ryan Seacrest, and Art More as a modern twist on the Friends Cast.

 Disney Channel stars Jenna Ortega and Asher Angel as Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson.

Monica as Johnny Depp‘s portrayal of the Mad Hatter.

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Harley Quinn.

Gwen Stefani as Sally From Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.

My Go-To Fall Casual Outfit {GET THE LOOK}

I love the Autumn season. The crisp air. The color changing on the leaves. The pumpkin spice everything. Well maybe not that part. But my fave part of the season is Fall Fashion!

I love getting to wear warm sweatshirts and comfy cashmere sweaters and chunky cardigans. Fall is also the start of Boot season.

You can never get enough boots.

[See this post about what boots to wear this fall]

I also love scarves and getting to experiment with the different ways to tie my scarf.

[See this post for over 25 ideas for How to Tie a Scarf]

I also love layering in the fall. In the office, it’s silk shells under caridans and comfy sweaters. For my go-to-casual layers, I usually start with a tee shirt then top that  I’m opting with a red plaid cropped tie shirt. Plaid hopped back into season as a fashion fave for all year a few fashion seasons ago.

It’s timely because wearing plaid is very common and fits into the fall season of Harvest festivals and visits to the orchard to pick berries, apples and other seasonal fruits.

I pair my red boyfriend shirt by American Eagle ($29.99) with my fave denim Mom jeans” ($29.96)  from AE.

Because it is quite crisp out there, I dig out a long ribbed grey duster sweater out of my closet. The length of this cardigan adds an extra layer of style and sophistication to the functionality of keepign me warm in cooler days.

A baseball cap is great to hide a messy bun underneath.

Finally, instead of boots when it’s not too cold out, I opt for my quilt patent leather loafers by Sperry. You can get a similar style from that brand here for about $80 HERE! These shoes last a long time and look very well constructed and are an excellent investment!

I can remix this look by changing what’s underneath and pair the cardigan over top of  a black wrap dress that I wear with black tights and pointy-toed black pumps!

For a total of 4 pieces, I can have a chic and fashion forward weekend! Try this look for yourself and connect with me at @Bellyitch on all the socials and tag me in your fave fall look!

DIY Celestial Themed Teen Purple Room Makeover {REVIEW VIDEO INSIDE}

During the current pandemic, a lot of people are using their extra time cooped up at home to do thorough cleaning of junk stored in their closets, attics, garages and basements and to redecorate and upgrade existing spaces or to expand and enhance their outdoor living spaces.

I am on that bandwagon and recently, I decided to finally upgrade the drab first floor guest room in my home which my daughter has been staying in as her personal bedroom. It lacked design and looked pretty rundown.

I wasn’t going to do it alone. My daughter had to put in some sweat equity into this project. I let her pick out the base color.

[HOW TO UPDATE YOUR DAUGHTER’ BEDROOM ON A BUDGET]

When I was a kid, my favorite color is purple and my daughter also considers that shade one of her faves so she decided that she wanted to have the walls painted purple. Purple is a color or royalty and is associated with celestial beings like the stars and the moon so we gravitated to that theme for the room.

The Budget

The total cost for the remodel: $500! Can you believe that?

My first investment was on good quality paint so  I invested in the PPG Timeless brand which can cost up to $100 per gallon but gets great reviews because you only have to use one coat.

The paint has a primer built in and is supposed to go on even and smoothly so you do not need to apply a second coat at all.  It was a little bit pricier than basic paint but still reasonable at $50, after shipping and tax for the gallon.

Next: Paint essentials!

Home Depot sells a reasonably priced paint kit that comes with a tray, liner, a couple of brushes, rollers and an edge brush for about $15! That’s a steal and while not professional quality, it was perfect for a small DIY job in a home.

Furnishings and Accents

We decided to keep some of the existing furnishings  in that  room or use some of the items I have picked up from Christmas bazaars and thrift stores here and there. Pre-Covid era, I used to like to purchase items that are heirloom quality or top quality when I see them when out and about thrifting or visiting yard sales on the weekends.

For example, I got the lamp and curtains in this photo above from a consignment shop nearby for about $7  each, or $15 total and I purchased the Ikea desk second hand for $20 from a local seller using Facebook Marketplace.  It was in perfect shape!

I had previously purchased a used office chair from the same guy and he offered me the desk though he hadn’t listed it at all. Sweet!

In lieu of just an accent wall, we decided to paint the entire room purple.

The Hiccup

Unfortunately, we discovered when we were done that the deep eggplant color was too overwhelming and too dark. My daughter and I decided to balance the dark wall with white or light colored linen and decorative accents.

I got a bed in the bag at Marshalls for about $60 and it included two accent pillows, a comforter, a flat sheet and fitted sheet, a sham pillow and a pair of pillow cases. We got it in queen size which is the size of the bed in that room. Kohls also sells these bed in bags for twin, full, queen and King sized beds starting about that the price I paid as well.

We diluted an entire wall by purchasing a white tapestry linen in a paisley print to drape that side of the room. It was only about $20 and was a popular brand, Ralph Lauren though Dormify sells plenty starting at just $11 for quality linen!

 

We let the celestial print in the bedding and tapestry drive the the theme and hung accent string lights from the ceiling and framed the wall and artwork framed in white with lights. The lighting also helped soften the dark colored purple walls too.

 

DIY Dresser Update

There was dark furnishings in the room before that we moved them out and to further lighten up the room via furniture, I decided to DIY spray paint a brown dresser in the room white. It was a bit of task because I did not have an electric sander and did not put enough energy sanding it with sand paper.

As you will see if you watch my video documenting the makeover, it was initially, a disaster because the first coat of chalk spray paint I purchased just ran over the sheen of the original paint job. Ugh!

I went to YouTube and found a video of a young lady, Desia Jean,who painted her furniture but who decided to skip the step of sanding it down first. I followed her lead and learned from her mistakes and subsequently, headed back to the store to pick up two more cans of semi gloss and that worked!

I really liked how the final paint job turned out. The paint was distributed evenly and without the blotches and sheer patches that were visible in previous coats. Phew! I had to have patience and trust the process!

I got new drawer pulls at the home design store that had a Victorian look to them for about $2 a knob (or $8 total) to tie in with the purple, mystical, celestial theme I was going for with this room makeover.

Luckily, I had already purchased some framed crafty cloth art work with green and purple in them which tied in well with the color scheme.

I went to Lowe’s and purchased a lamp shade a rustic old lamp we had in the basement for about $30 and we kept a steel grey side table that was in the room before because it blended in better with the new aesthetic than the old wooden chest and side tables that were in  the old version of the room did.

Decorating the Walls

While we were shopping for the linen and accent pieces, we found a large canvas sketch of a woman’s back and I thought it matched perfectly with a framed sketch of a ballerina’s back I had in my first apartment after college.

I fetched my old artwork from the basement and hung it up next to the white canva and framed it with the star string lights. Together, the grouping matched perfectly.

We got three other pieces of white framed artwork that cost about $15 each.

 

 

Finishing Touches

Finally, we picked up a couple of accent area rugs in white with a print and a light gray one at TJ Maxx for about $20 each and found the same brands online for similar price or slighty higher so I felt I got a steal, as usual!

I got wooden letters from the home modeling store and painted it white with the left over spray paint. The cost of the letters were abour $30 and the Command strips ran us about $20 for a few packs to hang up everything.

I got replacement blinds for about $40 for the pair at Home Depot as you can see in the video, the ones in the room in the before images was beat up and a hot mess!

The total output for the entire project is about $450 and maybe a little more. We love how it came out and it is a far cry from how it looked before! You’ll see it in the video of the project below but first a few other photos:

 

WATCH THE OFFICIAL VIDEO

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