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When you think of Couture there are some names that need no explanation and epitomize the height of fashion. Coco Chanel is one of these names. When you think of the Chanel brand today , you think of the suit, the perfume, Paris, Grace Kelly, Jacky O. The name conjures images of the beautiful women who have adorned the front covers of the world’s magazines wearing designs and accessories from the famous Coco Chanel over nearly a century.

For it was in a modest milliners shop in Paris in 1910 that the designer, christened Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel began her career. Her first dress shop followed shortly afterwards in 1914. Her trademark suit launched in 1923 of short knee length skirt and box jacket was one of many trends set by Chanel in the 20’s. She was accredited with ‘the little black dress’ whose necessity in the closet of every women goes without saying. Hairstyles and handbag styles were also set by designer in pre-war Paris.

In 1939 she closed her shop and it re-opened after the war in 1954. It was not long before she was once again influencing the world of fashion. In 1955 she launched the quilted shoulder bag that took the world by storm. It still remains one of the ‘classic’ handbags to own. Through the late fifties and sixties Hollywood endorsed her and stars such as Grace Kelly and First Lady Jacky Kennedy would often be seen wearing Chanel.

By her death in 1971 the house of Chanel was firmly established as the hallmark of Parisian couture and the diminutive ‘Coco’ would be revered for all time as one of the greatest influences in culture and fashion of the twentieth century.

One of the major influences that Coco Chanel made to the fashion world was the introduction of highlighting the importance of accessories. Handbags, Perfumes and jewelery all became part of the overall couture experience. This rise led to other fashion houses of long standing such as Hermes rising to new heights.

Hermes was a family owned business for nearly two hundreds years founded by Thierry Hermes in 1836. Originally a saddlery company Hermes fame grew in the first half of the twentieth century on the back of accessories such as its silk scarves and handbags such as the Constance bag and the Kelly.

The Kelly Bag was, in fact first produced in the 1930’s but got its nickname much later in 1956 when the actress come wife of the monarch of Monaco was pictured wearing the bag on the cover of Life magazine. The nickname stuck and the Kelly bag was born.

Of all its bags though, the Birkin has probably retained its popularity and fame the most. Originally designed by a collaboration between the then head of Hermes, John Louis Dumas and , of course, Jane Birkin, the off the shoulder bag is still sported today by the rich and famous such as Sharon Stone, Martha Stewart and most recently Lindsay Lohan. With such a diverse spectrum of admirers the bag cannot fail to continue as one of the most sold accessory items in the world today.

Replica-handbags-shop is a retail supplier of high quality replica handbags Handbag replicas of Chanel, Luis Vuitton, Hermes and many other brands can be found and purchased at our online store. Read more Business Articles at OMDN

In our quest to make it on one income, in a two income world, stay at home moms have been bombarded with various work-at-home opportunities and thinly veiled scams. It can get quite frustrating trying to weed out the real opportunities from the ones that will cost you much time and even more money.

Most legitimate work at home opportunities revolve around the direct selling or MLM industries. While both of these opportunities can be excellent sources of income, not every stay at home parent is a sales person. Some parents do not feel comfortable speaking in front of a group, or asking family and friends for sales, or to join their program.

Working from home does not mean having to join a Direct Sales or Network Marketing company.

But, most stay at home moms need, or could use, a little supplemental income. So what kinds of opportunities are there out there for non-selling people?

The first thing you need to do is figure out how much income you need. Are you looking to replace an income? Or maybe you’re looking for a little extra money for lunch out with your friends. Whatever your specific income needs are, there are opportunities out there for you.

Pocket Change
If you are just looking for a little extra pocket change, you may find yourself interested in supplemental income ideas like:
–Donating Plasma
–Mystery Shopping
–Pet Sitting or Walking
–Occasional Babysitting
–Focus Groups
–Online and Offline Surveys

Most of these pocket change ideas require little physical or mental effort, and are great for those who are short on time. The payment averages as low as $5-10 for a survey or mystery shop, to as much as $250 for an in-depth focus group participant.

Substantial Supplemental Income
If your supplemental income needs are greater, and you would like to replace an income, or maybe use the extra money for savings or to pay off bills, then the following ideas may be of interest to you.
–Home Daycare
–Selling on eBay
–Freelance Writing or Photography
–Creating a Content Website
–Tutoring
–Professional Services like Massage Therapist, Personal Trainer, Travel Agent or Childbirth Doula
–Becoming a Surrogate Mother

To earn substantial supplemental income, you would need to invest time, effort, and energy into creating a long-lasting income source. Like Direct Sales and Network Marketing, most of these supplemental income ideas require perseverance and dedication, and will not begin to produce income the day that you start working. But, if you work hard on any of these ideas, they can easily fill your supplemental income needs.

It is also important to note that most of these opportunities will require you to invest some money to get started. Whether this money is simply on supplies for your personal use, or its on education, software, or other various programs, it’s hard to find the proverbial “free lunch” nowadays. Be prepared to outlay at least a small amount of money on even the legitimate opportunities. Of course, those out to take advantage of you and trick you out of your hard earned money will also go this route. Fully investigate each opportunity before you invest in it.

There are ways for us to exist on one income in this country! We just need to think outside the box, and most importantly, we need to find the supplemental income idea that fits us best.

Rayven Perkins is an expert at saving money at home. She has spent 7 years finding and implementing unique cost-cutting tips that allow her family to live comfortably as a one-income family. Her site http://www.stay-a-stay-at-home-mom.com examines resources and tips on Reducing Expenses, Stretching Your Dollar, and Supplementing Income in order to stay a SAHM

Many parents dream of working from home so that they do not need to send their children to daycare. When a mother is able to work from home, she can spend more time with her children. When a child becomes sick or feeling slightly under the weather you are right there for them, to help them mend and feeling better. You do not need to venture out in bad weather to pick them up from your local daycare center, relatives or from your babysitter. When a child is eager to learn new things and develop new skills you are there for them, sharing in their excitement of discovering new things. The benefits of becoming a work at home mom are endless.

It takes careful planning, organization and motivation to successfully work from home with children. There are many challenges when working from home while taking care of young children. If your children are not school age, they will be home with you all day while you work. Children often do not understand when mommy is working. They want attention and frequently are not willing to play quietly while you work. You will have distractions all day when working at home with young children.

As a work at home mom, you need to evaluate your children’s daily schedule. This can help you pinpoint the best time of day for you to work. If you are not able to complete your work at times of the day and week when your spouse is home, you will need to plan a general schedule for work. Of course, with children at home you cannot adhere to this schedule completely. You do need a generic schedule to help you stay on track.

You might find that you are up in the morning before your children. This might be the best time to begin your work. If your children nap at similar times each day, you can plan to do more work at those times. There might be times of the day when your children are quiet and content to play with some of their toys in your office area while you work.

Time management is key when you are a mom who works from home. You will need to use your time wisely. Make a list of everything you need to accomplish for work each day. Decide the order in which you will complete your work. Planning your time will help you to be successful even if you must work in one or two hour increments throughout the course of the day.

In some cases, you might be able to work in the evenings. You can plan some of your work for the end of the day after your children go to bed. Depending on your spouses work schedule, they might be able to watch the children while you work for a few hours in the evening and on the weekends. This will help you to have times when you can work uninterrupted.

Have a well-organized office. You will need to find everything you need quickly. If you work from home you should have a designated office space. Your youngest children will need to be in the room with you while you work. Have an area of the room where they can play with their toys. Make certain that they learn that they cannot touch your desk, computer or paperwork.

Working from home has many benefits. More mothers are working from home than ever before. You can be successful as a work at home mom by carefully planning and staying organized.

Craig Jones is an Internet Marketing Consultant and Marketing Warrior who specializes in providing essential, hands-on advice for anyone who’s serious about winning the game of online marketing and cash flow leveraging.
http://www.OvernightWealthKit.com

If traditional marketing plans work so well how come more woman business owners don’t make them?

Because they’re boring, that’s why.

I mean, really, creating a traditional marketing plan is about as exciting as picking lint off of a sweater. Hardly the stuff to feed and nourish inspiration!

Plus, for the soul-inspired woman entrepreneur, a traditional marketing plan fails to capture the heart and spirit of our dreams and ambitions.

So I’ve created an alternative marketing plan that skillfully weaves together marketing must-haves with what matters most to furthering our Soul’s Divine Mission.

Here are five key elements you can use to create your own Marketing Soul Plan for 2008 and make this year, your year!

Marketing Soul Plan Element #1: Clarity

Who are you most attracted to working with who will pay for what you offer? There is no virtue in trying to help women entrepreneurs who don’t value what you do. Instead, choose a tribe of women entrepreneurs who are hungry and eager to have their problem solved and are generous in paying for that help.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #2: Money

Who else wants to be a Spiritual Millionaire? I do, and I am well on my way to achieving that goal with my woman owned business. If you’re one of those woman business owners who have been holding back from allowing money to flow abundantly into your business (and hence, your life) then it’s time to do some soul-searching to clear out your old money stories.

Yes, it’s okay to be spiritual and rich… so how much do you want to make in 2008? Choose a number to include in your Marketing Plan that is both a stretch and realistic. Write it down, and then decide how much you want to create every 90 days and write those numbers down too. Stay focused on your Marketing Plan numbers as you decide how you spend your time each day.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #3: Boundaries

The road to success isn’t paved with good intentions (or affirmations); it’s lined with great boundaries that honor you and your Soul’s Divine Mission. What are five boundaries that you’ve been soft on? Those are costing you big time in lost focus, lost income and a lost sense of your own personal power. List them out in your Marketing Plan along with one small action you, as a woman entrepreneur, are a commitment to taking to clean up each of them.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #4: Perfectionism

Perfectionism is fear in disguise. It’s simply a smoke-screen that women entrepreneurs’ egos create to keep them playing small or hiding out. Include in your Marketing Plan this statement: “I agree, commit and promise to take action before I feel ready, before I feel that I know enough and before I know how it’s all going to turn out!” Then do it and see how much you leapfrog ahead of where you are now.

Marketing Soul Plan Element #5: Receiving

There’s no point in practicing gratitude and attraction principles if you aren’t also practicing receiving. If you believe that the universe wants to give to your woman owned business then you must be skilled at receiving. So where to practice? How about starting by raising your fees, asking for a referral or even just accepting a compliment with a gracious “Thank you?”

My vision for you is that 2008 is truly your year. Use these simple guidelines to create your own Marketing Soul Plan and it will be!

Business coach Kendall SummerHawk, the “Horse Whisperer for Business” delivers savvy ways for entrepreneurs to turn hectic businesses into 6-figure successes. Get her “7 Quick and Simple Tips to Brand, Package and Price for More Money, Time and Freedom” at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

More and more moms are starting their own businesses at home and loving it. Today’s technology makes it so easy to start a business, share ideas, and market/advertise a small business than ever dreamed possible just 20 years ago. We call these innovative women “mompreneurs” because they are moms working for themselves, and doing a darn good job at it.

Why are moms choosing to work from home? Kids are the biggest factor. Working from home gives mompreneurs a chance to use their working skills while taking care of their own children. Some moms just want to escape the rat race of the job world, or want to earn extra income so they have petty cash of their own. It may seem like the perfect win-win situation for any mom who wants to work from home, but it can be a challenge to balance work life with home life, even when your office is in your living room. Take a look at some business-balancing tips for moms who work from home.

Avoid Unrealistic Expectations

When you begin a business at home your mind is undoubtedly racing with thoughts and ideas that get you so excited that you can’t sleep at night. It happens to us all. While you need these ideas to help you generate a more successful business, try not to put too much pressure on yourself to achieve too much at once. Building an at-home business takes time. If you go slowly and jot your ideas down as you get them, you will find that some of your ideas need to be tossed to the wind, while others need your immediate attention. Trying to act on all of your expectations at once will only make you feel overstressed and hopeless. Working from home is a real option, if you go about it with the right frame of mind.

Working Hours Defined

A lot of mompreneurs find themselves working unthinkable hours. You might do paperwork from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., and then make calls to clients in the afternoon hours. Sometimes you just have to fit in your work where time allows. It is also so easy to put in way more hours when working at home than you would allow yourself to work in the job marketplace. The important key here is to have a plan. You can schedule yourself just as you would if you were working out of the home. Your hours may be strange, but once your body is used to a routine, no matter what it is, you will be more focused on what tasks you are going to complete and when they are to get done. Definitely schedule in family time and important family dates as well, so those do not get kicked to the curb.

No Procrastination Allowed

If you want a successful business, you have to work at it, especially if you are depending on this business as a necessary second income for the family. Filling your days up with playgroups and luncheons won’t make your business grow. In fact, it won’t make your wallet grow either. Yes, spending time with your children is important, and you do not want to neglect their needs, but some moms do find themselves in a situation of procrastinating with their business to play more than they should. Keep a tight focus on why you want to work at home. Post your business goals in front of your workspace to remind you of why you started an at-home business.

Financial freedoms, extra income, second income, are all reasons why mompreneurs are popping up all over the world. Whatever your goals for having your own business and working from home are, it is a real option, and the opportunities are boundless. The key is not so much what business you are going to start, as it is how you will run your business and keep your wits about you at the same time. With the help of the tips presented here, may you have a prosperous and enjoyable work at home experience.

Christa Louw helps moms to balance their stay-at-home lifestyle with the Perfect Business for moms. To find out more today, visit http://www.ThePerfectBusiness.co.za/mom/