Don't Show Your Cards

You Only Have The Upper Hand UNTIL Your Cards Are Shown,

Then The Battle Lines Are Drawn!

Trying to Help Schools One BoxTop at a Time- YOU Can Help Too!

Buy Candles with Box Tops

You can buy any item of ValerieEssentials from NanasNikNaks or  from my shop, ANY VALERIEESSENTIALS items. Your choice on which set, color and scent!

If you don't know what Box Tops are look at this LINK and it will tell you all the foods you can get the Box Tops off of.

Another way you can help the schools is: Link your Vic Card (Card from Harris Teeter) to school 5354 and 4 other schools! You can link your Vic Card up to 5 schools! You can enter them on line of just tell your cashier at Harris Teeter.

You can also Save the Harris Teeter milk caps... Yes Milk tops from your Harris Teeter Milk!

Thank so much in advance for supporting our school system. With all the cuts this year they need all the breaks they can get. And with my little one in school now it means a lot to me that you will help. Thanks again to you!

Schools need our help and every little bit helps. Our school (EndHaven- 5354) didn't have smart boards until the beginning of this year. However the school could only get 3. They are striving to get more this year. My daughters 1st grade doesn't even have school books!


When a school is new, for the first 5 years (I think) they get help from the state. BUT after that they are on their own (pretty much) with the exception of donations, fund raisers (Fun Run, Book Sale...) and help from Box Tops and the Harris Teeter milk caps.


Schools end up getting cuts many times a years. We are losing great teachers and money for the schools. How is our Country suppose to strive when they are making it so difficult to raise bright children to run our country for the future?


I will be collecting these for at least another 12 years...


**A Special Thank You To Supporters so far: Please Take A Special Look In These Shops**

http://NanasNikNaks.etsy.com (This & That)

http://McCoyToys.etsy.com/ (Great Wooden Toys)

http://WhatsHerName.etsy.com (Everything you want)

Colors:

Bayberry, Black, Brown, Burgundy, Green, Gold, Ivory, Jade, Orange, Pink, Royal Blue, Rust, Scarlet, Turquoise, Violet, Wedgwood Blue, Yellow

Scents:

Apple & Maple Bourbon, Baby Magic, Bahama Breeze, Beer, Bird Of Paradise, Birthday Cake, Black Cherry, Blackberry Marmalade, Blueberry Pie, Christmas Essence, Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning, Christmas Tree, Cinn/Spice, Clean Cotton, Cucumber Melon, Gardenia, Hawaiian Paradise, Hawaiian Rain, Heaven, Honeysuckle, Hot Cocoa, Island Breeze, Jack Daniels, Jack Frost, Juniper Breeze, Lavender Vanilla, Leather, Love Spell, Mango & Papaya, Margarita, Maui Pineapple, Melon, Moon Lake Mist, Mountain Laurel, Muscatine, Orange, Orange Cream, Pineapple Paradise, Popcorn, Rain, Red Hot Cinn, Sandalwood, Sea Breeze, Smoke & Odor Eliminator, Spiced Wassail, Spring Rain, Strawberry Shortcake, Sugar Cookie, Sunwashed Linen, Sweet Pea, Tropical Paradise, Tutti Fruitty, Very Vanilla

Orange you glad I shared?

Orange Finds from CIC

Orange is a power color. It is one of the healing colors. 

Orange is said to increase the craving for food. When you or someone you know is having a sluggish kind of day, you can turn the day around by buying this creative & playful Fruit & Veggie Greeting Card from LindaButterfly. This Autumnal greetings is so cheerful. The wonderful color of these unusual raspberries look splendid arranged next to a stunning orange-red pumpkin. (Description From LindaButterfly's Shop) 

Orange also stimulates enthusiasm and creativity. Much like these stunning Carnelian & Gold Vermeil Earrings by ElektraJewelry. Stunning carnelian stones and gold vermeil balls and discs adorn long graduated chains on this pair of earrings. The ear wires and chain are 14k gold filled and tiny faceted carnelian stones add the wonderful sparkle. This are great for everyday or with a dress for evening. (Description From ElektraJewelry Shop)

 I have been told that if a change of any kind is need in life, just burn an Orange candle for 7 nights. And this Gel Halloween Pumpkin Candle should do the trick by ValerieEssentials. This 100% Prenco Gel Wax Candle is Clear but with a Great Cinnamon Spice Holiday Scent. The Little Hat Really Makes It. (Description From ValerieEssentials Shop)

Also people who like orange are usually thoughtful and sincere, much like the creators of these beautiful, enticing, stimulating and fun items.

Enjoy and see more in out Collaborators Etsy Shop.

You can also follow us at: 

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Top CIC picks by LindaButterfly

Choices from my team

This is really an amazing deal!

You get a box (10.5 inches x 7.5 inches x 5 inches)

filled with a bunch of different things from different

 people in my Etsy Team, Collaborators in Cahoots.

You will get things like:
- candles
- soap
- jewelry
- prints
- and much much more!
Check out the Mystery box 

These pastel mini thank you notes are ideal 

for popping into your customer's Etsy order.
They are decorated inside & out and there is 

room for you to write your own thank you

 to your customer.

Embedded glass fish & seaweed with sea shells 

Custom handmade betta fish gel candle for sale. 

in clear gel placed in a ivy glass bowl with all the

 makings of home: sand, wick, & a few shells.

Stunning natural AAA quality pink coin pearls grace 

this lovely floater type necklace.
The glass beads are Murano and all are strung 

on fine sterling silver coated beading wire giving the

 impression that the beads are floating. A delicate 

magnetic sterling silver class completes this lovely piece.

Read more about the creator behind the wax

This is my candle interview I did with WhoHub:

	How and why did you begin to be creative? I started in aromatherapy. I made soap, candles and oils for different causes, ex.  for headaches & stress, massages, appetite...  I would create baskets for different occasions.  Most of my customers would just give me  the scene that's in their head and I would  go from there. I wanted the customer to be  excited & amazed when they saw the finished  product. I'd always put a little something extra  to make them feel special too. However, the one thing that everyone wanted  were the candles. I would make  custom seascapes with scents that the  customer picked and every time they loved  the candle. Gel wax seemed to be  the new in thing back in 2000. Later I learned to make the customers  idea come to life and it was so cool  seeing a scene come to life. If someone  wanted a lighthouse I would do a light house  overlooking the sea with different color sand  and tiny shells up on the beach with the  tiny dolphins jumping in the sea. Then it  would have a custom scent.
	How do you avoid repeating yourself, or falling  into formula? How do you stay fresh? Some candles are the same but some are different  depending on the customer. Some like the  seascapes, some like candles that are teacher  related or something else. A lot like the drinks  and food. They look so real and when you  add a beer scent to a beer candle or  strawberry shortcake scent to a strawberry  short cake candle you have a conversation piece. The only downfall is the customer doesn't want  to burn the candle, even though I do refills too. I also make soy & palm wax candles but I  enjoy creating with gel wax the best because  you can create scenes you can make a center  piece or burn. The palm wax is popular because it is soot-free  like the soy wax but it is a harder wax and once it  sets the wax has a crystal design in it. I have done  many candles for weddings as well as other  occasions. It is always nice when the customer  wants to have a certain shade to complete their  look, then the scent they choose pulls it all  together and I had a part in doing that.
	Do you have a ritual like retiring to a lonely  place from time to time to cleanse your mind? Not exactly. I have two smaller kids and I do  not like to pour wax when they are around.  Too many accidents can happen even though  you are watching at all times and hot wax is  not a nice feeling. I know from experience.  Also when you have candles setting, the  last thing you want it hard vibrations from  kids playing near your working area. But I will sit at night and visualize what  the customer wants and how to make it  happen. I also think about what I could  do to make it even more special for the  customer to really surprise them. It usually  comes to me. If not I will contact the  customer a number of times and keep  them in the creating process to make  sure we are on the same path. I will  send samples to the customer to make  sure the color and scent is exactly what  they vision. Pictures can sometimes be  hard to tell the true color. Sometimes I may have trouble with the  candle setting properly so  I have done a set of pillars 4 times  before to get them just right. The  customer wasn't as picky but I know  what I would like if I were buying something.  I want it as close to perfect as I can get it. I am hard on myself because the customer  is putting their vision in my hands and I  want it to come through  as close as I can for them.
	When you accept a job, how much  value do you place on each of the  following? Money, creative  liberty, visibility, and to work with  the best. I would like to say that out of each  order I make a little something But  that's not true. However I know  that I am doing my best for my  customer. Sometimes if I have to  re do the candle (sometimes as many  as 4 times) it takes a lot of extra  hours or even days to complete  the candle. I would like to make  money and have my candles become  more than a hobby but I love to make  customers vision come true. I like the  challenge of getting it as close as I  can to what the customer in visioned.  Then to hear about what the customer  thought of my work really makes  those extra hours or days worth it. Since I focus more on the perfect  candle for my customer, I do have  many repeat customers and  new ones from the happy customer.  It makes it worth it to see some  one value your work and  is appreciative of it too.
	You are as good as your last idea.  Wouldn't you like to have a more  secure type of work? The only reason I would like a more  secure type of work is to have a  steady income. But I am lucky  enough to have a husband that works  hard so I can be a stay at home mom  for my two younger ones. I may not  have the money but I have the  time to be a good mom and have a  outlet of making my candles for  custom orders, my etsy shop and  craft shows. My shop can be found here-  http://ValerieEssentials.etsy.com

Two Winners for the Fall Challenge! Did the one you voted for win?

September Fall Monthly Challenge WINNERS

We have two monthly challenge winners this month....
Linda and Donald both received the same number of votes!
It's a tie!! Hooray!!!

With the holiday season approaching, what could be better than buying handmade cards to send to your loved ones, and buying awesome smelling candles to light...well really whenever you wanted.

Here are some selections from Linda:





Aren't these cards just awesome? If I didn't use my Hello Kitty ones I would definitely buy cards from Linda.
Oh, and she has 2 shops:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindabutterfly
and
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindacaterpillar

Now to Donald. This man has awesome candles. I am always ranting and raving about them. I actually have a few (and I currently have one in my artfire shopping cart).





And the link to Donald's shop is:http://www.artfire.com/users/candleguy821
Happy Fall!

What screams FALL to you

Fall is finally here!

I am so excited because it is my favorite season and because of all the cool things

 that you can get in the fall (especially clothes).

Here are the entries for September: 

Go to Our Team Blog to cast your vote!

Have fun voting guys!