For The Summer-Lover in your Circle

 

Yesterday’s Post was dedicated to the Sweet-Tooth in your group.  Today’s post is dedicated to the person/persons you know who are sun-worshipping, fresh fruit-eating, farmer’s market-shopping, warm weather lovers! 

We have a huge selection of gourmet candles in fragrances that are sure to keep the fresh smells of summer going all year round.  This includes our brand-new line of Orchard Candles.  These gorgeous candles were unveiled this spring and have been a phenomenal success! 

In addition to the Fresh Peach, pictured here, the Orchard Line also features Crisp Apple, Honeydew Melon, and Juicy Pear.

Regardless which you choose, you will be amazed at the fragrance!  Each smells exactly like the real thing!

 

Some other top sellers of Summer-Time are listed below.  To view the actual product, as well as the description, hold your “CTRL” Key and Right Click.  A new window will open.

• Summer
• Sweet Orange & Chili Pepper
• Sex On The Beach
• Angel Wings
• Chili Vanilli
• French Vanilla
• Honey Bee Vanilla
• Sweet Pea
• Fresh Laundry
• Lilac
• Fresh Linen
• Cucumber Melon
• Japanese Pear
• Harvest Time

Regardless which fragrance you choose, for yourself or someone else, you will be delighted at the beautiful scent that lasts from the first light to the last flicker.  You can also rest assured that you are burning (or giving) a candle made from natural ingredients, that will leave the air in your home clean, safe, and clear.

Happy Burning!

Until Next Time, Dream Large…

Calorie-Free Indulgences....For You or Someone Else

 

When choosing a candle for someone else, it is not always easy to know what fragrance they will enjoy.  Of course, it is easy to ask what type of scents they like, but you can use what you know about them to make an educated guess. 

For example, if  they are the office “baker” who is always bringing in baked goods from home, it is probably safe to assume they will like a candle that provides that fresh-baked smell long after the cookies are gone.  This is also true of the person/persons who is the first one to dig into those treats!  A few scrumptious calorie-free choices might be:

 ALMOND BISCOTTIBring home this Italian specialty and enjoy the scent of sweet almonds and vanilla as you imagine dunking them in your favorite after-dinner coffee!

BLUEBERRY MUFFIN

Freshly baked blueberry muffins hot out of the oven sure to get your taste buds going!

 

PASTRY SHOPPE

An incredible aroma that will have you thinking your home has been transformed into a pastry shoppe!

Of course, with over 90 unique, true-to-life scents, this is just a sample of the selection of sweet smells in our gourmet candle lines.  For the full listing of all our products, please visit my online store at http://Everyday-Candles.com.

Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to some more of my favs!

Until Next Time, Dream Large

Selling Yourself

Why did I become involved with Scent-Sations?  The first reason is because I love home fragrance, followed quickly by my (completely innocent) fascination with fire.  So, when I ran across the creator of the "highest performing candles on the market" who also happened to offer one of the best compensation plans I had ever seen, I knew it was worth checking out. 

I have never been in the sales industry and certainly never in any type of direct sales, so I wasn't sure I could cut it.  After really thinking about it, however, I came to realize that I have been "selling" all my life--just not in the traditional sense of the word.  Truth be told, there isn't much that is traditional about me anyway, so when I started thinking outside the box, I decided that I am, in fact, a great salesperson!

Every job I have ever had, I got because of my ability to "sell" myself to the company.  Sure there were people more qualified than I was, but I sold my unique skills--the ones that made me stand out from the pack.  More often than not, that is the main reason I was hired.  Sure, I have the college education and the experience to be able to get an interview, but it was how I handled myself at the interview that landed me the position.  (The fact that I was a single mom with 2 kids who counted on me to "bring home the bacon" was an added incentive!)

As a mother, I have to "sell" ideas to the kids all the time.  I have to take an activity that they would not normally go for, and twist it around enough to make it sound enticing to them. 

I could go on and on....but you get the idea.  The fact is, we are all salespeople, when we choose to be.  We use our passion and our powers of persuasion to get others to follow our lead.

For me, the passion is the most important factor in any type of "sales" whether it be personal or professional.  If you do not truly believe in what you are selling, no one else will either. 

No matter who you are, where you come from, or where you want to go, find your passion.  Believe in yourself and your abilities.  Look in the mirror and figure out what it is that makes you unique.  What can you offer that others don't have? 

Today, I am working hard to build not only my business, but helping others do the same.  Every one of us has the ability to go out and create our dream life.  It can be difficult to get past the obstacles we have placed in our way, but every challenge presents a chance to grow and to learn.  All we can do is keep putting one foot in front of the other....and if we are persistent in our pursuit, we will get there.

What is holding you back from achieving your dreams?

"You want to do WHAT?!" Letting Our Children Grow Up...

When my daughter, Taylor, (18 next month) was in kindergarten, it was already clear that she was going to be one of those kids who would create her own path in this world.  Her kindergarten teacher called me to a meeting and said, "I have been teaching 5-year-old kids for more than 20 years, and I have never seen anyone do...."  Yes, that is when I knew Taylor would be her own person No Matter What!!

Being an artistic, creative, outgoing, outspoken girl, she has gone through a complete cycle of career ideas--all if which she would be perfect for:  

• When she was going through her pink, blue, purple hair stage, she wanted to be a Hairstylist.

• When she was going through her Raccoon Eye make-up days, she thought a Makeup Artist might be "it."

• Then she discovered the joy of photography, and with her artistic eye, she would have been good at it.  But then she realized she might have to take pictures of something other than herself! 

• When she went through her experimenting with drugs phase (yes, it happens.....) and went through a rehab program, she thought perhaps that was her calling (although truth be told, 8 years of college might have been a little more than she could swallow!) 

• She took a culinary class in high school and set about immediately looking into culinary schools.  At this phase, she actually applied and was accepted into a fantastic culinary arts school!

• And then, she realized that she didn't really like cooking--she liked baking and designing, so we looked into pastry arts schools, which, again, is a great fit for her!

Flash Forward to Present Day!!!

Taylor comes home last week, and being frustrated with her current job where she is not getting enough hours to support her shopping habit, she announces to me:

"MOM, I AM GOING TO BE A PIERCER!!"

Okay, so I have to tell you....while this may not be the career path I would have chosen for my little 5-year old girl, I told her to look into what she needed to do to make it happen!  The amazing thing??  She did it!  She went online to research, she made phone calls, she talked to shop owners--she actually did the work!  Now, this says a lot about her dedication to this line of work. So....

We went together to a new tattoo shop that opened less than a mile away, and talked to the owner.  We'd been in his shop several times and he is a nice guy.  You might not guess that by looking at him, but he is.  He does not do drugs, he does not drink, he has never smoked a cigarette, and he is the father of a teenage daughter.  He understands my concerns and I trust that he will take care of her....and that says a lot!

She started working there last week, and she loves it!  She has an outlet for her creative side and she is learning--not just about piercing, but about business and customer service and health issues.  Kevin (the owner) is preparing her for her future.  He insists that she learn the business inside-out--not just how to poke holes in people!!  haha

She gets up in the morning, gets her chores done, and is excited to go to work!!  She has a plan...she wants to finish this apprenticeship and then work part-time while she goes back to college for pastry arts.  This career choice will allow her to earn enough money to pay for college and possibly, one day, move out of my house!  

Yes, I always knew my daughter was not cut out for the traditional career path, but I could not be more proud of her!  She has found her passion and is now doing what it takes to Achieve Her Dreams!

As Moms, we always say "we just want our kids to be happy!"  Well, what I see is a happy little girl morphing into a happy young lady!

And that is enough for me!!

Now my son is another story all together.....

Until Next Time...

Organization--Not my Strongest Suit!!

Organization is a nasty little 12-letter word in my mind!!  I so envy those people who get up in the morning and just "know" what they need to get done, and the most time-efficient way of accomplishing it all.  You know the ones I'm talking about, and maybe you are even one of them.  They are always put together and are rarely seen scrambling around for misplaced keys, shoes, or brain!  They just grab their list, or calendar, or whatever it is that they use, and off they go!!! 

Okay, so this is maybe aiming a little high,

but what are we without dreams???

If I sound bitter, well, I am.  I have always wanted to be one of  those people.  I really am more of a "get out of bed, stumble downstairs, suck down a pot of coffee, sit down to check my email...."and somehow after that, it's a blackout until about noon!  Mind you, I'm up at 5:00 am most mornings, so that's a significant amount of unaccounted-time out of my day!  Don't get me wrong--I have great intentions!  Sometimes I even remember what they were!  But rarely do I accomplish even half of what is on my to-do list.  Rarely.  

This is my Starting Point...

Okay, so it's not this bad...but that's probably only because most of my work is "paperless!"

Because I am someone who doesn't like to complain without some sort of solution, I have formulated --okay, I'm still formulating--a plan to get myself organized!!  I want people like me to look at me and think, "I wish I was more like her!"  

Now, I don't know about all of you, but when I need clues on how to do something better-in this case, getting my day organized--I head to the one place that seems to have all the answers:  GOOGLE!!!  And here's what I learned.

Apparently getting organized is simple!  In fact, according to more than one site, they have over 1,000 ideas to simplify my life!!!  Wow, Really??  1,000???  Okay, clearly that site is not for me.  On to the next one.

Yes, this is better:  TEN WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR TIME!!

Sometimes baby-steps are best.  I understand, especially now that I am running my own business, that my time needs to be used more effectively.  Duh.  I meant to write a post for my blog this morning...and here it is, 9:30 pm and I am finally getting to it!  

One of  the things I love about working from home is my ability to manage my day--HAHAHAHA!  That is not happening right now.  But it needs to.  And it can (at least according to Google!)

So, tonight's homework for myself:  Read ALL 10 ways to organize my time--not just the ones I like....and then formulate a plan to start implementing these strategies into my day.  Check back tomorrow to see what I have figured out!!  Maybe you'll find a tip you can use in your life...or if you have a tip for me, please share!!  I won't hate you just because you're organized!

Until then....

New Blog is Ready to Kick Off "Featured Business Friday!!!"

When Lindsay (who runs Happy Housewife Designs) was putting together my blog--no easy feat, I am sure--she asked me to come up with the titles for my pages.

Because I am a woman of many words, I wanted to be able to create a blog where people could come and easily find the information they were looking for--whether it be to laugh at my crazy family life, commiserate with being a mother of a teenager, check out pics of my zoo, learn a biz tip or two, read about the Featured Businesses I support, learn about my favorite designer discount sites & links I love, or perhaps find out more about my home business.

I am one of those impatient ADD kinda people who, if I cannot quickly find what I am looking for, will either give up, or, more likely, get distracted by another feature of the blog, and forget why I was there in the first place!!  I figured there might be more people out  there like me, so I am trying to keep it as simple as possible.

Like my Tagline suggests, this blog, which started out for my home business, has quickly evolved into a place for me to write about "Life and The In-between!"  If there is ever a subject you would like me to research and blog about, let me know!!  I am always open for ideas!!

Also, I would like to remind you all about Featured Business Friday!!!  It will kick off this coming Friday with the Lovely Lindsay, who designed this blog...and then will feature one, possibly two, small businesses per week (largely depending on the response from my readers!!)

If you would like to have your business featured on my blog, here's the scoop!!

Leave me a comment with your name, your blog name and url, a sentence or two about what your business offers, and another sentence or two about why you believe supporting small business is so important, and what you do in your life to promote that, either in your community or online.

***Deal Breaker:  Because I am doing the Featured Business promotion in order to remind others how important it is to support the small business owner, if you do not tell me why you believe supporting the little guy is important to you, and what you do personally to support the little guy, I cannot feature your business.  I cannot stress how important this is to me, so please don't forget to add that info in your comment!!***

A Brand-New Episode of "To Work or Not To Work (from home)" TODAY'S TOPIC: LEGIT COMPANIES -- WHO ARE THEY & WHERE DO I FIND THEM?

What your pet might think about you working from home!

w

Like the title suggests, today's topic is about how to find those legit companies for those people who are looking for a "telecommute" type of position.  Some companies offer Independent Contractor positions and some are looking for employees.  At least one of these companies even offers health benefits!! 

So before I get too far into this series of "Working From Home," I want to point out a couple important things to know:

1. I am not an expert on the subject of working from home. (WHAT?!)  All my information, links, etc. come from my own personal journey or through talking with friends who work from home.
2. My list of companies I believe to be legit, are simply the ones I have some experience with.  Clearly there are countless reputable work-from-home opportunities, but I will only add links to ones that either I, or someone I know, has researched.
3. Don't take my word--or anyone's word--on any opportunity.  While the people you know have your best interest at heart, no one knows what is right for you--except you.
4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!  Google the company and add "SCAMS", "COMPLAINTS," etc to the search...and read what real people are saying about anyone you are thinking of doing business with.  The things I have learned by that one simple search have stopped me from making what could have been many potentially disastrous mistakes.
5. If you have a company that I have not listed, and many people will, please put it in a comment and I'll do my best to get it in one of my next blogs!!

Okay, Okay, I get the point....On to the Good Stuff!! 

m

my baby, Jax

I just did a Google search for "Work from Home Jobs" and this is what it came back with:  
"About 77,500,000 results"   Can you say "YIKES!"  No wonder so many people just give up the pursuit and stick to their day jobs!!


Now, on to that list!


Sutherland Global Services provides various types of outsourced support for companies.  They offer positions in various fields:  Customer Service (answering phones, taking orders, handling complaints, etc.) for some very well-known companies.  They also have positions for you techies out there, providing tech support for the clients of these companies.  They may have added new positions as well.  They hire employees, rather than Independent Contractors, and even offer health insurance!!  I have a good friend who works for them and loves it!  You will have a set schedule with this company rather than being able to make your own hours.  But, hey!  You can do it in your pajamas!!


FlexJobs has literally thousands of jobs to look through and apply for.  This is what they say about themselves:  "You'll find the best telecommuting and online jobs, from freelance to full-time, in over 50 different job categories. Every job is hand-screened and legitimate. Guaranteed"

I have picked up a couple piece-work jobs off their site and been happy with their service. They even have a "Research Companies" tab right at the top of their page.  This is a perfect site for someone who isn't sure what they might be looking for.  Definitely worth checking out!!!


LiveOps is a call-center outsourcing company.  These jobs will primarily be providing telephone customer-service for their clients.  While I did not work with this company, I did my homework on them and was impressed enough to leave them in my contacts.


LiveWork is also provides outsourcing to their clients via at-home workers.  They offer positions in many different areas, including answering telephones, providing customer service, data entry, etc...


Staffing at Home is also like LiveOps and LiveWork.  Many different types of positions with various companies.  Worth a visit!!

Okay, so as you can clearly see, this is a very small list indeed.  Even I have many more legit sites I used to frequent before I found my dream job...if you would like further info, shoot me an email, or leave me a comment, let me know what you are looking for, and I'll see what I can do!!


However, this list should keep ya busy for awhile and give you an idea of the opportunities available to anyone who is looking to work from home in a virtual office environment.

TUNE-IN TOMORROW FOR MORE ON THE CONTINUING SAGA OF

"TO WORK or NOT TO WORK (from home)

To Work or Not To Work (from home)...is it for you?

While some of us thrive on the hustle and bustle of the 9 to 5-- including the water-cooler talk, lunch with co-workers (aka:  other adults), commutes, a reason to get up, get dressed and get out of the house....there are more and more people who are looking to work from home.  There is an infinite number of reasons for this shift:  high costs of daycare, downsizing of companies, longer commute times as our cities continue to grow, etc...But regardless of your personal reasons, the big questions remains:

TO WORK or NOT TO WORK (from home)

This is certainly not an easy decision, nor is it one anyone else can make for you. We are all wired differently and what excites and motivates one person may be another person's worst nightmare!  A great book, by one of my favorite motivational speakers, Tamara Lowe, explains Motivational DNA and helps you figure out your own personal Motivational make-up, as well as those of the people around you (kids, husband, co-workers, etc....)  You can find it online anywhere--it's a very informational, yet easy read!

Another thing to consider about working from home--What to do?!  There are so many options, but they boil down to just a couple main categories:

Work for Someone Else (Virtual Assistant, Data Entry, Telemarketer, Transcriptionist, etc....)

OR

Work for Yourself (Independent Distributor for a retail company, Freelance work, or starting your own business (online or brick-&-mortar, in your field--whatever that is...), etc.

How to do you decide which option is best for you?  Where can you get honest information about legitimate opportunities?  How will the current economic instability affect your career choice?  What will be the effects on your family life--good and bad?  What is the first step?  And the second?

There really is a lot to think about...so for those of you looking for online resources to investigate, I will post some of the sites, information, and experience I found most useful as I waded through the world wide web to find what is now my personal Dream Job.

***TUNE IN TOMORROW AS I DIVE FURTHER INTO THE "WORK FROM HOME" TOPIC***

30-Day Blog Challenge---We're Off & Running!!

So, fellow bloggers, bloggettes, and blog-followers, this begins Day 1 of the 30-Day Blog Challenge!!  The timing really could not be better, for me anyway.  I just started my blog last week, and so far, I love it!  This challenge will not only keep me motivated, but will also help me to meet new people and learn new things!
If you are a blogger, or have ever thought of blogging, whether for personal reasons or as part of your marketing plan, check out this awesome opportunity!!


There has been lots of talk on what to blog about, and lucky for me (and hopefully my readers), I never seem to be at a loss for words.  I am one of those people who can strike a conversation with strangers in the grocery store, standing in line at Home Depot, or walking down the street.  The challenge for me, I think, will be to really define my focus, keep in line with my ultimate goals, and stay on track with my message.

I originally started this blog as a way to talk to other people out there who are looking for a way to make money from home.  Whether hoping to make enough money to pay bills, plan a dream vacation, or to earn a full-time salary, now really is a great time to start a home-based business!!  And the great thing is that anyone can do it!  No matter where you are, where you come from, or where you are going, we all have the opportunity to realize our dreams!!  The difficulties often lie in overcoming our doubts and fears.  My hope is to show people through my stories that these obstacles CAN be overcome...and that success IS attainable!  For Everyone!

How do I hope to accomplish this?  By sharing with others who I am, what I stand for, my fears, my hopes, my dreams, and both my failures and my successes.  And showing others how we can climb through the clouds to reach the sky!

So, while I will be talking about my business with Scent-Sations and why I think this is the greatest company, creating the best products, and offering the best compensation plan, for the best home business ever, and how being my own boss benefits not only me, but those around me as well...I will also talk about my life, offer some savvy shopping advice, why networking is important, aromatherapy info, and other topics that catch my eye, touch my heart, or make me laugh!!

See you Tomorrow for Day 2 / 30!!

"IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, 

YOU CAN ACHIEVE IT!"

-Walt Disney

DREAM LARGE!!

Friends take the "Work" out of Working

Starting, building, and running a home-based business--or any business--can be daunting, intimidating, and confusing, to say the least.  There is always some self-doubt, insecurities, and questions about what your ultimate goals are, and how best to achieve them.  This is especially true with all of the information out there on the internet today.  For me, some of the big questions are:
1. Who do I want to talk to?
2. Where will I find these people, or where will they find me?
3. How many hours do I need to work to accomplish my goals?
4. How can I most effectively show others how they can reach their goals doing what I do?

Obviously, this is a very condensed list, but you get the point. 

On my own, fumbling through, trying to figure it all out--what to do, how to set it up, what's working and what's not working--is very inundating.  In fact, I have had several days where it seemed I spent hours online and accomplished nothing but filling up my spam folder in my mailbox.

A big reason I am in business for myself is for the flexibility and freedom of being able to manage my own time and to lifestyle my business in a way that suits me.  Working all day is not my goal...my goal is to work part-time and keep my full-time income.

Last night, my friend and fellow Mompreneur, Ronda, came over for a creativity brainstorming session.  We originally planned on taking a couple hours, sharing our information with each other, trading tips, etc....what we ended up doing is spending all night working together and having a blast!!  I had no idea what time it was until my husband said he was going to bed!!  We sat side-by-side at the dining room table with our laptops and notebooks and just blasting through ideas and sites, coming up with plans that worked for each of us. 

What a great way to keep motivated, share information, and get a lot of work done--all while spending time with a good friend!  It didn't feel like "work" at all!!

So next time you are feeling overwhelmed and it seems like you are doing nothing but chasing your tail, grab your "Ronda" and have a work party!!  Trust me, when you are feeling self-doubt, a friend is always a better person to go to for advice than yourself, because they understand you, your goals, your strengths, and keep you moving in the direction of your dreams!

Thank you, Ronda, for a great night--can't wait til next week!!!

DREAM LARGE!!

www.facebook.com/choosegourmetcandles
www.lesaantone.biz

"They'll Grow Up Before You Know It!!" Words to live by...

I never really imagined what it would feel like when my first child would graduate from high school and move on from childhood to adulthood--until the reality of that hit this week when my daughter walked up to receive her diploma.  It was such a mix of emotions--part excitement, part joy, part sad--but beneath it all is pure pride that my child, the little baby that taught me what true love was, is growing up.

As she moves on with her life, discovering her passions, pursuing her dreams, walking through failure and triumph, I realize how grateful I am for who she is, and who she will become.  As with most 17-year old young adults, she flip-flops between what she wants to do with her life.  What her career path will be and where she will go to college.

Today, I am grateful for so many things.  For my husband, who is not my kids' biological father, but treats them as his own, and supports them in every way he can.  For my younger son, who is still discovering himself and his potential.  For my friends, who keep me moving forward.  For my parents, who have supported me through my own journey through motherhood...and who have laughed with me, and at me, as I struggle through life with teenagers....For God, whose love and guidance in my life, always shows me the way.....

And for the company I work with, who makes it possible for me to have a career that enables me to not only work from home around my own schedule, but to earn an incredible income as well.  With my business, I know I have the financial means to help my daughter get a jump-start on her life.  I can help her pay for college, allow her to work part-time so she can focus on her studies, and provide her with the tools she will need to succeed. 

For much of the kids' life, I was a single mom and worked hard to climb the corporate ladder to support my kids.  They spent time a lot of time in after-school programs while I worked long hours to make ends meet.  If only I had known then what I know now!!  Now, rather than working hard to make other people rich, I work shorter, smarter hours, to make myself "rich."  My "riches" today are not simply monetary.  They are the riches of a happy, fulfilling life.  I work from home, I work with friends, I work with my team, I work with the owners of my company, I work my way! 

Yes, today is a day that I can wake up, look at my almost-grown children, and be proud of my life.  I have taken control of my own financial future and am creating my own journey.  And by doing so, I am showing my children that they too, can reach for the moon and land amongst the stars!