Have you?

Bold the ones you have done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (Paris Las Vegas LOL)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen pyramids of an ancient civilization
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Visited the Caribbean
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Been to a World Series game
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten sushi
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (published a poem)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

My best seller

My boyfriend James said something to me once, "find what your niche is and that will lead to your riches"
He said this in regard to my etsy shop and my products.
Well little did I know that a fart would be my niche. This button ABOVE was my best seller this Christmas holiday. People loved it, and it really surprised me. Not only did I sell my stock I had to print the images and make a whole new batch.
While it didn't lead to my riches per say it did pad my paypal account and helped pay for James/family Christmas Presents from etsy. It also helped me get to (almost 100) sales.

So enjoy your fart buttons people! And ... you can always come back for more farts!

Fudgey Goodness

I made this today and I was suspecting it wouldn't set up but it looks like it is going to turn out. HURRAY for fattening up for the holidays, I mean fattening myself up more than I already am... sigh

I LIKE SOAP

Etsy soap is so my vice, Like really I am a collector and user of etsy soaps, and I got a ton of soaps for James for Christmas too.
SO SpottedCowSoaps on etsy is someone I think you should check out!
She has a lot more than soaps too, Loofahs, Bath fizzles, lotions, Massage oils, and scrubbies for shower fun!

• All soaps are manufactured with Fragrance & Essential Oils that are phthalate free.
• have been formulating and selling homemade natural soaps for over 8 years.
• Spotted Cow Soaps also creates hand crochet bath accessories, gifty items and more. All lovingly created in rural Vermont home!
  

Christmas Traditions

As I sit here at work during the biggest blizzard of the year I decided to blog my carnival for December.
Traditions, every family has them, some are better than others!
TRADITIONS

.	1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.

2.	something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.

3.	a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.

4.	a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

5.	a customary or characteristic method or manner: The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.

Well we have a lot of traditions, see if you share any:

• Mom and I bake cookies, puppychow, fudge, and many other things of the food nature. Usually I end up eatting a lot of sugar cookie dough and making a dough ball.
• Put up the tree with all the ornaments we have collected over the years, and all our knick knacks, mom's barbie ornaments
  
• Candy Canes everywhere, on the tree in hot chocolate, YUM
• James and I Christmas Eve Anniversary (five years this year) trying to find a restaurant that is open later than 6pm!
• Kurt and I always making small snow hills and sledding down them
• Princess having to have a path shoveled in the yard for her because she was teeny tiny
• Playing moms old Christmas records

Traditions, some last and some fade, some change and some stay the same forever.

Do you like goodies for Christmas?

It is Christmas time again. MY MOST FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR. Over the past few months I have collected goodies from lots of ETSY sellers and have made a lot too! Well I want to give you a nice Christmas gift. This is a lot of gifts and samples and stocking stuffers that you can keep for yourself or give for extra Christmas gifts!

ALL you have to do is purchase something from my store between now and DEC 15th. On Dec 16th I will have a name drawn and the gift(s) will be sent out to be received in time for Christmas.

This includes a bunch of everything soaps, magnets, journals, cards, buttons, ATCs... etc
JUST A LOT

Soap for your teeth

I am not one to buy the same thing twice on etsy. I will buy from the same people but I like to try different products. This all changed one night in chat.
Someone said I just ordered some Soap For Your Teeth, Soap For Your Teeth what is that I said? And thus began my research into this wonderful product.The maker is BeautifulSoaps on etsy. She has created a product that is pretty amazing. She offers sample sizes which I RECOMMEND because I was skeptical and now I am a believer. Samples are a way to try the product without committing to a large size.
So I got my sample size. Hmm I thought as a try it, it does have a different taste. The one thing I noticed right away was the feeling on my teeth. It feel shiny and smooth. It takes a lot longer for plaque to build up (or teeth fuzzes).
I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS FOR THE SOAP MAKER:

So what really made you start thinking hmmm I can make soap for teeth?
I probably would have never even have given it a thought if it hadn’t been for a custom special request. My first thought was ‘how weird’ but then as I researched it I realized the information I was finding really made sense. I have already been trying to get rid of using chemicals to clean with and wash my hair and body with so this seemed natural to me. I had already done some reading on the negative effects of fluoride so I didn’t have to be sold on that aspect.

What was your honest to goodness first reaction when you tried it?
Hmm, this isn’t that bad! I love minty fresh bursts of life when I brush my teeth and this didn’t give me that, but what it did give me was VERY clean teeth and a different kind of freshness. I wanted that mint taste so I popped a piece of Trident and my teeth were so clean and uncoated with glycerin that the gum was sticking to my teeth. I guess that’s when I really realized that not only did my teeth not only feel cleaner but they were cleaner.

It seems like all you have gotten is positive feedback, has there been any negative remarks regarding this product that has helped you make this into a better product, or is it the exact same recipe since day one?

Mostly I have gotten positive feedback, which I’m very thankful for. I’ve had some people tell me that they weren’t crazy about the taste at first, but gave it a little more time and ended up really liking it. I know that not everyone is going to like it. I think that’s okay. We’re not robots or clones right? Individuality makes the world go round. I’m not the first one to come up with this concept. There are other Etsy sellers, individuals and companies that have handmade tooth soap available. You can use any basic handmade soap to brush your teeth with and get the same effect. I have put a lot of thought, research and love into the ingredients. I know it isn’t going to taste like commercial toothpaste, but I wanted to give it some sort of flavor advantage too. I’ve pretty much used the same recipe since the beginning, but I have tweaked it a bit and I’ll probably continue to experiment.

Does it do anything extra that toothpaste just doesn't do? What doesn't it do that toothpaste does?

Well, it doesn’t give you that knock-me-out mint rush that I had come to know and love. But it also isn’t poisoning you with fluoride and preventing your teeth from naturally re-enameling themselves, the way nature intended. Sorry if I seem a bit cynical, but I think it’s wrong to strip out the natural good in products and replace them with cheaper alternatives that are harmful. It’s almost as if they just don’t care… but that’s another discussion.

Have you talked to a dentist about this product? If so what did they say?

I haven’t personally talked to a dentist about it yet. My husband and I have only been using this for a little over 4 months now. Well, since I first got the request to make an alternative for toothpaste. I am very anxious to hear what a dentist would have to say though. Very good question and I’ve got it at the top of my to-do list now. There’s a lot of information available about creating your own natural hygiene/cleaning products. My advice is research, research, research! You’ll find something you love and a lot of times it will work better and be more cost effective in the long run.
______________________________________________
The ingredients include:
Saponified Olive Oil
Peppermint EO
Spearmint EO
Cinnamon EO
Anise EO
Orange EO
Lemon EO
HERE IS SOME AWESOME FEEDBACK SHE HAS BEEN GETTING

• This stuff is WONDERFUL! Normally by mid morning I feel like I need to re-brush and I haven't even eaten anything - but with this stuff, I don't feel slimy even by the evening!! It wonderful!
• very nice! I'm a Soap For Your Teeth convert!
• Love it! Love the size and it makes me feel good knowing I'm being better to my teeth. :)
• I really like this!! Thanks for the safe alternative to toothpaste...will be getting more:)
• I waited to review this one until I had a chance to try it a few times. The taste of this one is the best flavor of any Soap for teeth I have tried. Yum! A lip balm in this same flavor would be delish! Can't beat the convenient packaging, too. So far, it's also the only tooth soap that doesn't give me chapped lips. I think you have a winner here! :-)
• I like the way that it makes my teeth feel nice and clean. It seems like it will last me quite awhile. The "soapy" taste takes a little getting used to, but it's not bad at all. I taste the freshness of the oils more than I taste the soap.
• Glad I could try the sample, now I know I want to get a big one soon!

I am actually going to the dentist in two weeks and I cannot wait to hear what he has to say about my clean teeth and this product I found in the handmade world.
I am truly a Soap For Your Teeth convert I love it!

I really suggest you at least try a sample for yourself, after all life is about experiencing something new!