Merry Christmas!

Thank you so much for a year of great interaction and feedback!
You make blogging fun!

Merry Christmas!

-April

Big old fashioned stocking-stuffer sale!

Keep yourself and everyone on your list glowing and beautiful this holiday!
Super-Sale now thru Dec 23rd!
All Satin Hands Set, Miracle Set, and Ultimate Miracle Set skin care are 25% off retail plus a free gift, so stock up now! SH includes fresh peach, vanilla sugar, and fragrance free)

HUGE !!! Stocking Stuffer Sale... pre-wrapped & delivered free of charge!

check out the colors here: lip gloss and btc shades included

NouriShine Lip Glosses (silver cap) and Beauty That Counts lip color shades: $7 tax included through Dec 24th. Lip and eyeliners shown on the link above are $5.50, tax included. All LESS than half price... *while supplies last!

Choose from:
starry (clear shimmer) cream and sugar (creamy platinum)
beach bronze (shimmer) gold rush
bronze bliss (chocolately) coral rose (warm-pink)
melon sorbet (peachy) pink diamonds (sheer, cool pink)
fancy nancy (neutral pink) berry sparkle (berry+deep pink= yum!)
sweet raisin (warm caramel) sugarberry (orchid+plum, semi-sheer)

all beauty that counts shades are included, the shades that include a charitable donation!
gingerbread (coppery)
pink passion (playful and fun!)
confidence (deep burgundy plum)
compassion (plummy)
inspiration (soft, sheer pink)
give hope (soft reddish pink)
give joy (vibrant coral-pink)
give dreams (coppery-pink)
….supplies limited, get ‘em now!

All shades and formulas backed 100% for satisfaction PLUS a $1 contribution is made to Mary Kay Ask Charitable Foundation for every shade purchased. Curious about how our foundation uses those funds? Check us out below!

Mary Kay Foundation Website

Thank you for your incredible support of me and my family this year! You are truly the best!

new york, new you!

Today, in honor of the LAST day to do the NEW YORK makeover contest entries, I am posting lite and hitting the send button, as I still have a couple dozen people's photos to get into the contest from this past few days!

My personal favorite makeover from last week was the beautiful Tammy R.
While her day-smokey burgundy/platinum eyes and pink pout are soft and tough to see in this bright-light pic, the thing I most want to highlight is the difference in her skin! Tammy has two SMALL boys. Tammy has heavy sun damage and melasma staining on her skin. Not much longer, though! She has been taking care of her skin with our miracle set, microdermabrasion set, and even complexion duo... and her skin is so bright and even now! The foundation in the after pic is SHEER, folks!
Please enjoy the beautiful Tammy R.

a great day for...

Today is my buffer day. This is the day each week that I use to get all of my little stuff done. Work through my "f" list... you know, the list of things that would be distractions if not done...so I am playing catch up!
My to-do list is long today. Which makes for a GREAT day!

My family is planning for all the fun things we want to do together this holiday season.
I'm finishing the makeover contest in a few days.... and launching into a fun holiday program!
Hydration, custom fragrances, softened hands, I LOVE this time of year!
I have a team contest promoting friendly competition. 

And my fantastic customers... I am having so much fun catching up with each of these ladies and finding out what is happening in her world!

All on the heels of an amazing weekend with some of my favorite entrepreneurs on this planet! Mentoring, sister-girl friendship, just FUN and FOCUSED time with other women who juggle the many roles we rock as women: wife, mom, teacher, taxi, spiritual being, banker, home manager, and business owner. It is so energizing to spend time with women who are learning to live life on-purpose!
And so much fun to interact as new women join us each year and become our newest friends!

Well, time to get back to the list... :)

Status: stopping for a QUICK breather

I am running full-out to the finish line this business quarter. I am still trying to get all of those great before and after photos uploaded to the contest site... I have several to do tonight! Thank you to all of my beautiful participants.

I have been thinking a lot about what women order most this time of year, and so I have decided to have a thank you sale to coincide with my findings--  This month, many women double-up on color products... so I am promoting that idea with a Buy 2, save $2 sale.  For every two color products (single mineral powder eyecolors excluded), you will receive a $2 discount. For mineral eye colors, save $1 on each 2 or $2 on three and I will BONUS you a set of applicators.

Pretty cool, huh?

Back to work for me... makeovers galore!!! :)

in the meantime...

While I am taking a break from creating new content for the bloggy-world, I thought this was a fun read... great tips for looking great on "lousy" days:

cosmo article


I'll be back soon, with all of those great before and after pix uploaded and the NYC contest in full swing!

a VERY cool idea!

lessons from the 'FREE' fashion industry!

http://www.ted.com/talks/johanna_blakley_lessons_from_fashion_s_free_culture.html

Stumbled on this today... LOVED it! Enjoy...

A brilliant thought! for all my parental-type friends and educators out there...

Refresh yourself

This week's specials are VERY limited supply! This special will end Aug 28 or when they are gone!

With any purchase, add a sweet gift for just $8!
A yummy three piece set in tropical pineapple (the sugar scrub is AMAZING)!

Get one as a quick gift, or snag one and treat yourself! Comes in a cute little zipper case.

OR my cool Cucumber Lime set adds a tangy finish to your summer... just $13 with ANY purchase!

Can't decide? Get both sets- SIX pieces plus cute matching clutch bags for $16!
Both make great shower, birthday, or executive gifts.

Message me while supplies last!

What a difference!

I am ALWAYS amazed at how the tiniest changes can make such a difference.  This past week, I decided to branch out, call up some of my all-time favorite models and do REALLY different color combos on them for this NYC fashion shoot and trip giveaway. No boring brown, no plain jane pink.

Serious beauty-prod heaven for girls like me! Playtime!

If that weren't enough, Mandy Shoptaw as in www.mandyshoptaw.com LR pro-photographer extraordinaire set up last night and gave me the opportunity to see how differently colors "pop" or fade through the lens... FANTASTIC stuff! I had been leery of reproducing some amazing looks I had snagged from magazines and you tube because I wasn't sure how they would come across for the after-pics. I've been using my trusty little point and shoot (and not that well) on really gorgeous ladies, but this was a treat of a different caliber for everyone!  Mandy came in, set up, and made all of us look amazing! Mandy has a gift, and if you haven't scheduled time with her, you are missing out!!!  Holy crow, and she's so affordable it is silly (not that I mind a great deal ;)! www.mandyshoptaw.com ---go check it!  Our before and afters coming post-haste.

As many of you know, I am transitioning back to full-time in my work with skin care, spa, and color. That said, I am almost HALFWAY to my goal of 100 faces entered into this New York, New You contest! I am so determined to see people I know win that all-expenses paid trip, fashion styling and photo shoot, goodies galore... can you tell I am EXCITED? So, will you be one of my models? You do not need to make a purchase, just have a fun makeover with me (and friends are a fun addition, too.) I bring everything. Easy-peasy! By the way, for my out of state blog-stalkers, I do SKYPE sessions, too!

Message me for details, or text "book me" to my cell and I will get you in it to win it!

...is a virtue

It is so tough to wait sometimes: Those last days of pregnancy, late and stuck in gridlock, waiting to bring about that phenomenal new idea you've been given that is SUCH a life-giver and energizer for you...

or being 5 and wondering why other people break the rules and you can't. Seems like such a simple thing, to make a decision. But what about those who see you break the rules and wonder why you are "above" them...? When you are 5 every moment you have to wait seems endless.

Tonight I am listening to a situation unfold with a neighbor. Generally a nice girl. But she is the second in a row to decide that the rules don't apply to her, and my daughter wonders why we can't break the rules as well.

Tonight my little girl cried real little girl tears over a beloved pet we lost a few months ago to cancer. She cried because she finally fell in love with a new potential pet this week at an adoption site we passed by on an errand run. A pet we cannot (according to our lease) even bring onto the property.  And I (again) explained that as soon as we find our next home we can have exactly the pet we want.

And then our neighbor brought home a kitten and snuck it into our pet-free building. She's the second person to sneak in a pet. And can I just say that said animals have not been sneaky, cooperative, or respectful of quiet hours? Ok, I am being snarky... but isn't it ok for me to be a whole lot miffed that other people could be thoughtless of the rules... and leave me to band-aid my little girl's heart again?
I know the neighbors don't know they hurt her feelings, or why. I'm sure it was completely about what our neighbor wanted and nothing else. But here is a perfect example of why we can't all do whatever we want and "just get along."  Because subjective can be selfish... and completely unaware of the hurt inflicted on a 5-year-old heart.

Sometimes the waiting is the worst.

excuses, excuses

I have a beautiful friend who calls many of my quirks "endearing." She laughs with me, and not at me. She thinks I am funny when I beg the equipment in the gym to go easier on me. She watches me navigate parenting with a calm sense of respect. And she helps me keep my business spinning on all cylinders. Her friendship is a beautiful gift to me and my family.

Recently, she was around when I had to own some of my not so beautiful quirks. A tendency to procrastinate. Forget things. Run hard at crunch time. Those idiosyncracies caused some friction with someone I respect. My beautiful friend was supportive and gracious, as always. But she did encourage me to do the right thing. The RIGHT thing. The honorable thing. The tough thing.

And the person I was at odds with, well, she was very gracious and surprised me with total release from guilt. As hard as I am on myself, I guess I expected that same stringency from someone I had offended.

In a funny way, what started out as an uncomfortable thing turned out to be a beautiful thing, though. I owned a mistake I had made, and there was no lasting effect. But all the while I was working through the process I was making creative avoidance my focus. I imagined that the person might think less of me, not like me, say difficult things. So, I came up with lots of "reasons" not to approach her and make the relationship the focal point. I made excuses.

Have you ever been through a similar situation? A time when you needed to handle something, but instead fear or uncertainty caused you to hold back and focus on ANYTHING but the person you most needed to focus on?

I'd love to hear how things turned out for you.

The "end of the world" and date night

Years ago I used to laugh when people would get so caught up in the frequent predictions of the impending "End of the World". So, in light of the current expiration date we've heard... Let's choose to get out and make the most of our remaining hours. :) Keep reading, because I need ideas for my own free time... see below and you could win a prize to use in your free time.

Hang with family, spend time with friends, finish that project that you've had on your goals list! Go for a leisurely walk with your sweetie. Get up and move that body...

I have been spending time outside as often as possible around the weather and just life. I've been focusing on doing in each moment what that moment is designed for. So, when I take my daughter to walk, we talk about what we see and experience together. When I am with clients, I respect the time and give them 100% of my focus.

My newest challenge, at least as I have become aware, is being focused on date time. As you know, Rodney and I both own our own businesses. We work on a schedule that is not the typical 8-5. We LOVE the flexibility, and we love that we are growing something that blesses our family and others. But the challenge comes when it is time to focus on each other. That dinner date can easily turn into a board meeting.
So, while we work on this, I'd love to hear your ideas on how to keep business out of our date time! I'll be giving away a really cool prize for the winning comment. :)


having fun at the zoo!



Summertime!!!!

I don't know about you, but the season has snuck up on me! I am working on some amazing things... all to be added to the blog this week.

First, Mary Kay's birthday is this week... and MK is giving away compacts, colors, O-awards products! Please go to the MK fan site and become a fan... you could win!

Secomd, well... do the first one and we'll talk! :)

Thirty, flirty, and fun!

In honor of all my third-decade sister-girls... I have some favorite reference spots for your reading pleasure.

Cancio, Colleen. "Fashion Guide for Women in their 30s" 24 June 2010. HowStuffWorks.com. 08 March 2011.

update

So, I woke up this  morning a was immediately surprised and slightly nervous! My five year old woke up early and was bringing me breakfast in bed. Very sweet! But the mom in me was thinking, what did she make, is she going to hurt herself, how big is the mess....?

Can I tell you, the mess was tiny, the cereal and juice perfectly poured and carried, and snuggling with my sweet girl over Mini Wheats and juice... beyond priceless!

Then we went on a marathon of errands together- with no incidents- and now we are home having some much needed family time. This is the nicest Saturday I have had in a long while!

If you haven't rsvp'd for this week's All About Eyes workshop, message me for details! We have a beautiful location and tons of fun to be had in this 90 minute girl-time "playdate!"

And then some...

Would it be OK if I just used this post to give some long-overdue shout-outs? I mean, how often do we really stop to take stock of our blessings? I am looking at a pile of back-logged files that need to be put in order and put away- not more than an hour's work if I dawdle. But I keep picking up a file and discovering little blessings. Like the time a brand new National Sales Director messaged me back and forth for no other reason than to encourage me to keep pushing forward to my win! (Thanks JM)

Or the time I was super-sick at a big amazing training, and people with better things to do stopped to take notice and pamper me with rest and concern. They could have sent me home and checked me off the list, but nooo- (thanks, Mo, Cindy, and Colleen)!

Or the time when my daughter was in the hospital, there was NO cell reception at all, and a team member worked a party and set me up for great follow-up with FANTASTIC details and coaching! You know who you are...

And then there's my man.... who has believed in me when I didn't believe in me.... THAT is a gift, folks!
You rock, babe! (And two entrepreneurs under the same roof is no small thing!)

And my daughter. Who draws pictures of us riding in my pink cadillac and reminds me weekly of how there is joy in work well done, and joy in snuggling together when the work is over! Such a precious girl!

So, so many more... I'll be back later. :) For now, some filing!

office assistant position description- by request

Office Assistant Position Overview (Revised, 2/2011)


Primary responsibilities:

• Restock demo bags and face cases weekly

• Restock prize and handout bag weekly

• Reorder labels on product after shipments arrive

• Data Entry of new customers, sales receipts, and contact cards/prospects

• Prepare envelops and postcards for mailings, 2x monthly

• Monthly newsletter (resumes spring 2011)

• Other duties as assigned

Position Requirements:

• Positive attitude

• Attention to detail

Guidelines:

This task list is a general description for 1 position for 5 hours per week, average. After a probationary period of 14 days, there may be additional hours and assignments available for working. Work dates/times are negotiable, but quick turn-around is imperative! You will be the glue that holds my business together.

Nominations, please...Global Month of Service, and prizes!

I'm soooo excited to be back online with you! In the past few weeks, I've moved, travelled to get in-depth training on the newest foundations and complexion tools, celebrated my daughter's birthday... and have begun shopping for our new home.

Life has been so busy... and yet it has been so much fun working with soooo many talented people in a field I am absolutely wild about! I have seen timid women transform into knockouts before my eyes. I have seen brides and brides' mommas tear up when they catch that first sensational glimpse of each other on the BIG day... I have seen women light up at a compliment from a passerby... so much beauty in this world and I have the privilege of helping so many women find their own beauty.

So, for my newest challenge I need your help... I am linking arms with my sister beauty consultants and sales directors to help reach 1 MILLION hours of service for our month-long initiative to promote International Women's Day and improving the communities in which we live and work.

I would love YOUR ideas for ways my business team and I can plug in and serve. I am going to give a gorgeous gift basket to the contributor of the idea and to the organization that is selected.

YOUR challenge:  Tell me about your favorite non-profit organization and why they need our help, OR nominate a person who needs service (i.e. a widow, shut-in, single parent) and what we could do to serve them best.  To protect the privacy of those nominated, please post YOUR name and name of the organization, or message me on facebook (privately) if there is an individual you would like considered.

I am so excited to see who you nominate! Winners and selected recipients will be contacted by Feb 9.

THANK YOU, and get those suggestions coming!

new post coming today... with photos

Got the technical stuff fixed.... back on the blog later today!

Strategic... Strategize... Stratosphere

A great business plan starts with the end in mind.

As of today, I am gearing up to relaunch into leadership after a short hiatus.  Time to go put that plan together and get going.

April