Homeschool Supplies - 6 Essential Items That Every Homeschool Should Have

Whether you are just starting out with getting homeschool supplies or continuing to add to your resources, these are some items that I think no homeschool should be without.

1. Paper and lots of it. There are so many different kinds of paper. Get a nice variety for your child to use. I suggest colored paper, lined paper, big and small paper and any variety of paper you can think of. You don't necessarily have to pay retail for all of it either. Sometimes businesses have extra paper from their computer printer that they don't use. Keep your eyes open for different sources of free paper and then buy what you weren't able to get for free.

2. Pens, pencils, markers or any other kind of interesting writing utensil. There are so many unique pens and markers available made mostly by Crayola. Here again, you don't have to spend a lot of money. Many businesses give out pens and pencils at fairs and meetings. Children enjoy getting a new set of markers or pens for birthdays or back to school presents.

3. Books and resources. Whether you use a packaged curriculum or make up your own list of books and resources to use, your house will have a collection of books. If you're just starting out, don't feel like you have to buy everything for all 12 years at one time. Sometimes it's good to buy enough for just a few months at a time. Free books are available too at the library or borrowed from fellow homeschoolers or friends. Remember less is better. If you get too many books, it's easy to get overwhelmed.

4. Arts and Crafts. Any time you can use hands-on resources, your child will probably learn more and remember it better. Let your children paint, draw or create something from nothing. It can be about what you just read about or some area of life that they are interested in. You can find lots of arts and crafts supplies at thrift stores and garage sales. Many craft stores offer great coupons where you can get the supplies you need for less.

5. Math manipulatives. Children learn math first by playing with objects. You can purchase a fancy set of math manipulatives or you can use M&Ms, raisins, coins, or anything else you can think of to help your child learn math concepts.

6. Puzzles and Games. Children learn so much from playing games. They learn math skills, social skills, and facts about the world around them. Whether you play one game a day or play games one day a week, make sure you don't leave games out of your weekly plan for homeschooling. Puzzles can help the brain develop for later math skills. You can also use puzzles to reinforce geography skills. We use United States and world map puzzles and then race each other to see who can get the puzzle done the fastest.

Ten Great Resources to Market Your Arts and Crafts Online

Selling your arts or crafts used to mean going to street fairs, bazaars, festivals, etc. Of course you still can do that, but maybe you do not have many of those opportunities where your live, or your circumstances do not allow you to do that, or you simply want to increase your market reach. In that case, the following online resources can help.

Online Marketplaces

1. eBay - The largest auction site, with a huge customer base. Be aware, though, that the competition can be fierce and that many people are looking for ultra-low prices. Furthermore, keep a close eye on the various fees eBay charges for listings, upgrades and sales. Go on the eBay discussion boards or buy an book such as "Starting an eBay Business for Dummies" to avoid newbie mistakes.

2. Etsy - An online marketplace limited to handcrafted articles and supplies for these. Lower fees than eBay, nice, uncluttered interface, but also a lot of competition.

3. RubyLane - An online marketplace offering "independent shops showcasing quality Antiques, Collectibles, Fine Art and Jewelry items from around the world." Charges various fees for listing, maintenance and advertising.

4. ArtbyUs - An auction site offering various media, but focusing on painting.

Discussion Boards

5. Bead and Button: Ideas for marketing your work. The community forum on the beadandbutton.com site is a great resource for beginners. Just reading through past postings will answer many of your questions, and the community is very supportive of newcomers.

6. Reasonable Insanity - Don't be put off by the strange title. These forums at reasonableinsanity.net offer advice about many artistic techniques and media, as well as on selling your creations.

Collections of Articles, Tips, etc.

7. Home Jewelry Business Success Tips - Rena Klingenberg's website home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com is an incredible storehouse of advice about selling your handcrafted jewelry.

8. About.com Arts and Crafts Business - The about.com website is huge, and the Arts and Crafts Business section not only contains useful articles, but also a lively discussion forum. Just make sure you have a pop-up ad blocker activated.

9. Craft Business - the craftbusinesshome.com website offers a wide array of tips and articles on making money with your crafts.

10. The Artful Crafter - This website also offers numerous tips on crafting techniques and on marketing your products.

There you have it. These resources should help you get started selling your beautiful creations online.