Do you have a budding artist? Or are you just looking for a fun activity for your MOPS group? Head over to your local Gymboree and pick up a form for the company's Design-a-Bag Contest. Have your little artist color a special holiday-themed place, scene, memory or anything that inspires them about the holiday season. This contest is open to kids up to 12 years old The winner will receive a $500 Gymboree gift card and have their artwork turned into a Holiday shopping bag! Artwork must be turned in 6/16/12. You can also visit the Gymboree web site for contest rules and information at:

http://www.gymboree.com/media/GYM/html/promotions/12gym_6683_DesignABag_template_web.pdf?Port=Email&ad=052012_DAB_Teaser

If you're like a lot of moms these days, including me, you're working from home. You may be a home-based business, a mom who telecommutes from a large corporation, or you are involved-maybe it's the PTA, church, or your Homeowner's Association. Maybe you coordinate the neighborhood yard sale. Whatever you're involved in, we can help.

Secret Print Source is a website, www.secretprintsource.com, where you can order full color printed products at a HUGE discount.

Dedicated moms give of their time and talent everywhere-to their families, on the job, and serving on the committee. We moms use fliers, yard signs, banners, punch cards, door hangers and save-the-date magnets. We're smart moms, and we appreciate a good deal. We're always looking for ways to save money while at the same time, making the biggest splash possible while promoting our efforts. One of the easiest ways to do this is to cut printing costs.

Printing 101

Printing for less can be tricky, and something that most people really do not understand. There are several kinds of printing, and whether or not you know it, you've been exposed to most of them.

Digital-This means "direct from your computer to the machine that prints." Think inkjet printers, color laser prints, or color copies. It can be done at home, through a copy shop, or even at a commercial printer. This is nearly always the most expensive way to do things, per piece. Digital printing is best for very small quantities or under very tight deadlines.

Offset-This is traditional, commercial printing. A pressman puts either mixed inks (Pantone or spot color inks) or process colors that make up the majority of most printed colors-cyan, magenta, yellow and black. With offset printing, the printer cuts your paper, loads it on the press, and prints your project. Occasionally, the printer might combine your projects on one press run to save you money. Combining projects is the key to saving money.

Web-Not the internet, but web printing. This is how your newspaper is printed, along with many catalogs and magazines. MOM Magazine is printed on a web press. This is the most cost-effective way of printing a multipage document in large quantities.

Gang Printing-This is offset printing, as described above, but with one giant difference. Where some printers will combine YOUR projects, gang printers-like Secret Print Source-combine your project with many others. Think of it as selling small sections of a sheet of paper, a little like selling advertising. The more of the sheet you buy, the more it costs. If you buy the whole sheet, it costs a lot more. This is how our customers save money.

Not only are there amazing cost savings with gang-printing, but we print almost exclusively in full color. That means that for typically less than you can purchase a one sided flyer in black and white, you can get the same flyer printed in full color on both sides. Color SELLS. It attracts attention. Color is important.

Since you are already a creative multi-tasking mom, we know you can think of lots of uses for this amazing technology. Posters for school events, punch cards for a fundraiser (think "1,000 business cards  = $38"); or trading cards for the Little League team.

Secret Print Source is owned by a Tri-Cities multi-tasking mom. Like many of you, I volunteer for my childrens' schools, church, Scout activities and find myself juggling the demands of way too many committees. I use Secret Print Source to help those organizations pay less for printing, and I print client work there too.

Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SecretPrintSource and "Like" us to hear about monthly specials and Facebook offers. Post questions, leave a comment, or brainstorm ideas for your next event. I'd love to help you.

I got to check off an item from my bucket list this week- Cirque du Soleil had been something I long-dreamed of seeing, and the surprises it held reached farther than the stage under the big top.

Ovo, a show that channels color, energy and strength to beautifully convey a story about love and life from the perspective of insects, will take you on a ride you'll never forget. From the beautiful rope duet of the butterflies, to the quirky juggling ants, to (my favorite) the crickets' trampoline act, don't be surprised if you catch yourself sitting on the edge of your seat, grinning like an idiot and wondering if it's too late to join the circus yourself.

In addition to the show, we had some time beforehand to talk with Sebastien Savard, who transforms into a violin-playing cockroach at show time. Sebastien's wife and two children travel with him for the 300 shows per year he performs all over the world. I was surprised and impressed to learn what an amazing life Cirque du Soleil offers families (and again pondered whether there was any way I could master a trick that would land me a gig). With about 25 children on tour, they do all of their schooling on the road. Sebastien's seven-year-old daughter was born in New Zealand; his four-year-old in Portugal, and although the constant change in location may seem hectic, he and his wife ensure a tight routine is kept for the kids. And best of all, he is able to spend more hours a week with his kids than most full-time working dads. Pretty cool, and knowing what a solid operation Cirque du Soleil is behind the scenes made the show that much more wonderful.

Ovo is deemed "the most kid-friendly" Cirque du Soleil show, and I would encourage you all to take your families to see it before it leaves Portland for Australia on May 20^th - you won't regret it!