Candle Junkie

Mothers Day Tribute

2009-05-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

A little about my Mommy.

Yes even at 33 years of age I still call my Mom Mommy sometimes{giggle}. There is no better feeling than hearing your Mom's voice when your feeling down, or need that little nudge when you feel like giving up. My Mom amazes me everyday. She suffers daily from MS and never have I heard a complaint.Even with her daily battles she works from morning to dark and still has a cheery note in her voice.My mom lives so far away and I miss her so much everyday. I hope I can beeven half the women my Mom is. Mommy I love you so much.

Always & Forever

If you have made a Post about your Mommy Use our Mr. Linky

This post is part of a world wide blogging tribute to Moms led by TheBlogFrog

The lost but Found Soccer Ball

2009-05-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

My 12 year old son is an avid Soccer Player and his soccer ball is his friend{giggle}. And yesterday he spent almost 2 hours rescuing the soccer ball while I was on our deck taking pictures and praying he didn't fall in .

The Beginning of our adventure lol
And the best part of the day WAS

Networking your Blog Part #2

2009-05-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

Part #2 Of Networking your Blog

As you can see I have added a Networking tool on my Sidebar. And I would love to have you follow me in my adventures.{However quirky they may be giggle}

The Blog Frog is a great tool to Socially Network your Blog.

How it works:
To join your community, your readers add a link on their blog to your blog
When they click the button on the widget, TheBlogFrog verifies the link
When your reader clicks on their link to your blog, they appear at the top of your widget!
Your readers click "Visit the community" to interact even more with other readers

When you register with Blog Frog it will scan your blog and looks at your link list or blog roll and these people now become your Blog Friends..

Your link will Get Seen every time someone Visits your Blog from Our Blog leading to more viewers, readers and followers and Hopefully New Lifelong Blog friends.

Link Love can only help us all. Hope you enjoy this Networking Idea and I hope to see you there.

It is so fun to use The Frog Blog
Its Scans your Blog and finds your Friends...How Convenient{giggle}

People You may Know
You and BW's Stitches and Things share 2 links
You and An Indiana Mom! share 2 links
You and Stitching For a Cure share 2 links
You and Five Bucks share 2 links

My castle Nightmare...Turned Fun

2009-05-01T16:24:00.000-07:00

If you have school age children at the grades of Projects you can empathize with me today{giggle}.

Last night I sit down to relax,dishes are done house is at peace and I am exhausted. My 9 year old Son comes up to me and says Mommy How much do you love me? I look at him and smile and tell him to infinity and beyond(our little thing together lol). He says oh good because I have to build a castle by Morning for school.{Yikes} I know what your thinking that is his problem let him deal with the consequences. But I have no power against my children's eyes{giggle}

So yes I broke the rules and built the castle..hehe.

Here is my 2 hour rush castle Job. Please let me know what you think...and please be nice i am so not good at this kind of stuff.

Skateboard Cake Directions...Grad Cake

2009-04-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

If your child is anything like mine he/she is not into to fancy plain bought at the store cakes. So for my sons Grad I have Chosen this Skateboard cake. My 13 year old boy is Skateboard crazy. He eats breathes and Sleeps its and is really good if I do say so myself.

These are general instructions. I want to substitute the colors and maybe some other things to make it realistic. once I make mine I will for sure post the pictures here..{giggle}we can hope for the best.

So here is the Cake and DIY Instructions You Will Need:

9-inch round cake
9- by 13-inch cake
Yellow and red food coloring
3 16-ounce tubs of white frosting
Wooden toothpick
4 small chocolate-coated doughnuts
2 Pirouette cookies
4 peppermint candies
Pastry bag and tip

1. Cut the round cake in half. Trim the long edges of the rectangular cake so that they are contoured like the sides of a skateboard, then arrange the cakes as shown.

2. Tint 2 tubs of frosting yellow and 1 tub red. Then spread a thin base layer of yellow icing over the entire cake.

3. Create a pattern for the design by using a toothpick to etch a swirl and stripes in the frosting. Use a pastry bag fitted with a wide, round tip to pipe frosting peaks on the entire cake: red on the swirl and stripes, yellow on the remainder. If the icing is too soft to hold its shape during piping, simply chill it right in the bag for a few minutes.

4. Finally, for each set of wheels, use dabs of frosting to stick a doughnut to each end of a Pirouette cookie (you may need to make the doughnut holes a bit bigger first). Stick the peppermint candies to the outer centers of the doughnuts. Let the frosting harden a bit and then set the wheels in place atop the skateboard.

Mister Linky-Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T05:36:00.000-07:00

Do you Particpate in Wordless Wednesday?
Use Mister Linky..

Q's and A's of a Candle Business

2009-04-28T11:13:00.000-07:00

In the last week I have spent countless hours working on My Candle Shoppe Makeover. And so many questions came up for myself about product placement and when to offer some products and when not too.

These are just a Few Questions I have come up with.

Q. Should I offer Holiday Shaped and Holiday Scented soy tarts all year long?

A. When I first took my Candle Business online I would only offer things like Christmas tree Tarts and Christmas Scents from October to Jan. Then I would pull them from the site assuming that no one would purchase them during other months.{WOW was I wrong} This strategy was wrong. I was amazing to find out how many people want the Christmas Scents all year and Easter Bunny Tarts all year. So while I am making over my Candle Shoppe Site I will be adding all the shapes to the product list.

Q. Does every customer want their Soy Tarts dyed to match the scent?

A.No..And if you have visited the Candle Shoppe our Soy candle Tarts colors match your scent choice. Well that is about to change. I am finding that many customers want a Total Eco-Friendly Soy tart. So when the make over is done customers can choose to have any of my products Dye free.

Q. Is offering Soy Candles and tarts in Bulk Worth it?

A.Oh my goodness YES! 90% of my Soy tart orders are for Bulk tarts. So I will be adding way bulk options for all my tart products. Offering tarts in bulk has helped me make some wonder full customers. So many Office girls place orders together of Bulk tarts and SAVE huge..
Our Bulk prices always amaze our customers. 100 Full Size Soy Candle tarts for only $50.00

Compared to many National brands that sell 1 Tart for over $1.00{ouch}

Q. Strongest Scented Tarts Ever?

A. I pride my business on offering the Strongest and Longest lasting tarts. And many customers email me saying I love your tarts!! But I have also had some customers contact me and say I like only lightly scented tarts and candles. I realized I was cutting out a large number of customers by not offering Scent power options to my customers. So along with the make over I am going to begin offering Tarts and Candles that a Lightly scented as well.

This post is getting a bit long so I will leave it here for now. But as I do my Make over I will be posting Q's and A's about running your Own candle Business.

Graduation Gift Done{Yippie}

2009-04-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Well I have made my Graduation Gift purchase for my 13 year old Son. And here it is...

1024MB DDR2 SDRAM
160GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
10.1" WSVGA high-brightness Acer CrystalBrite TFT LCD, 1024 x 600 pixel resolution
10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet
High-definition audio support
Two built-in stereo speakers
Built in Microphone
Ports: 5-in-1 card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, external display (VGA) port, headphone/speaker/line-out jack, microphone-in jack, ethernet (RJ-45) port, DC-in jack for AC adapter
Windows XP® Home English or French operating system
Software included: Acer eRecovery Management, Acer Launch Manager, Adobe® Reader, McAfee® Internet Security Suite (60 day trial), Microsoft office 2007 (60 day trial)
10.2"(W) x 7.28"(D) x 1.31"(H)
1.18 kg
1-year limited warranty.

And the Best part only $432.00.....Thank goodness my boys dont read my Blog{hehe}

It is the perfect laptop for a student....I am so excited, I just hope I cant keep my mouth shut until Grad...

Introduction to the Mum Junkie

2009-04-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

Okay here it goes. I finally have got my other blog up and running and I am having soooo much fun{hehe}I know I am such a kid when it comes to this blogging craze.

My other Blog is The Mum Junkie

My goal for The Mum Junkie is too scout out the best Mom resources, Blogs, Sites and anything Mom related.This is really just a fun project for me,but hopefully it will help others get their blogs out there. 3 Mom Blogs will be featured Monthly and Daily I will post about the amazing Mom Blogs and Sites I have sniffed out in my adventures.

Do you have a Mom blog and know of one that deserves a Kudos from the Mum Junkie?

Lets us know..we will gladly do an entire post about the Special Mom Site

Graduation Gift Top 10 List

2009-04-16T09:18:00.000-07:00

A Graduation gift is very important to the Graduate as it highlights their achievements. So put a lot of Thought into it.

This is a Top Ten List of Gifts your graduate will love:

1.Laptop

2.Stocks

3.Cell Phone with Complete Plan

4.Clothing gift Card{for at Least $300.00}

5.Digital Camera

6.Ipod

7.New Wallet{with Money in it Mom}hehe

8.Engraved Jewellery

9.Stereo System

10.Personalized Graduation Item

If you have a Post or great Tip about Graduation party's, Gifts, please let us know we will Link the information back to you.

Graduation Gift Ideas

2009-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Scrapbook for the Graduate. And this wonderful Idea can be done quite cost effective because we all know graduation can be pricey.

This free Scrapbook page is from The Garden of My Life it is the one I have chosen to use for my Sons graduation Scrapbook.{I am so excited to start}

{if your children have facebook-remember to check their pictures,usually their Friends will have pictures of your child posted you don't even know about.And they are usually the best lol. I have gotten 20 pictures of my son doing that. And those are the memories they will remember being with their Friends at school.}

Previous Graduation Tips & Ideas posted here on Candle Junkie

Drea_Dear Birthday Post

2009-04-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DREA_DEAR

I was reading all the Blogs I follow this morning with my morning coffee, and came upon a Birthday . Andrea of Drea's Designs and Drea_Dear Blogs is celebrating her Birthday.

So as Candle Junkie's Birthday gift to her we are Posting to her Birthday{giggle}

Andrea Creates the most beautiful works of Art. You must check out her Blog Gallery for gift ideas. Everyone loves something handmade.

Examples of Drea's Designs

A must visit is her Etsy Shop .

So ladies please take the time to Show Some birthday Comment love and check out her Blogs and Leave her a quick comment and a Birthday Wish.

What does every Blogger wish for on their Birthday? Followers & Readers.

Mom's-Comment and Win 8oz Soy Candle

2009-04-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to All,
Who is the most worked on Easter? The Easter Bunny?{Giggle} No way the Most Worked would be Mom.
Mom does the cooking, the Hiding, the Cleaning,and oh so many more things to make sure her family enjoys every second of Easter.

I want to Reward one Mom with 8oz Eco Friendly Soy Scented Candle from Tarts~by~Mom.

Here is how to win this Triple Scented Soy Candle with the Scent of your Choice.

Post a Comment about how you made your Easter Weekend Special for your Kids or family.That's it!!

The best will be chosen by Myself{The Candle Junkie} and my 3 Wonderful Boys.
So start Posting your Easter Weekend Moments.

The Winner will be Chosen on Friday April 17Th at 12:00 noon.

Good Luck Ladies- My Triple Scented 8oz Soy Candles are the longest Lasting Soy Candle's you will ever Burn. Safe for your child too. Never gets hot enough to burn small fingers. Spills are Mom Approved as the soy washes out with Soap and Water.
Don't Forget to Grab your Candle Junkie Button and Show some Linky Love

Network your Blog

2009-04-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hi ladies,

I been scoutin around online while working on the face of my blog, and found some great treats and tricks for making your Blog an unforgettable one, and I think we all are aiming for that. And since it's Saturday I am super busy so this post will be Short but well worth it.

Network and Support other Women's Blogs and build a wonderful blogging community.

So here is a List of Place's you Must visit:

1. The Secre t is in the Sauce

{A must Visit}

2.Facebook Networked Blogs -Social media is the perfect way to promote your blog. And Facebook is definitely the way to do that.

3.The Mom Blogs

4. All Blog Tools

5. Technorati

Okay here are sites I have found that help with the actual Face lift of your Blog.

Cutest Blog on the Block- Freebies for your Blog as well as gorgeous Packages to purchase

Html Color Codes Generator for Blogger-Super useful for fine tuning your blog.

Hope these Help. Mondays blog will be longer I promise.

Happy Easter!

Bloggin-Tips & Tricks

2009-04-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

As I am sure you can see I have been re-arranging and finalizing my Blog. And I am definitely enjoying every second of it. I wanted to share some Tips and Tricks I have found while doing my Blog.

Blogging Tips and Tricks:

How the heck do you make a Grab my Button?
(every blog should have one to share link love)

Host your button image on a free site such as Photobucket

Or ImageShack

This is the html code you need :

*UPDATE

How to add my own Signature to my Blog posts?

I am in love with this Free Signature creator and it couldn't be easier to use. MyLiveSignature

Important: There are 2 ways to add it to the end of your blog posts.
1st way is to add your signature to a post:

Click "Edit HTML" in the editor window
Insert the HTML code of the signature
Click "Edit HTML" and continue editing

Or Save yourself the time and have it automatically added to your posts

Once in Blogger go to settings Tab then
Formatting tab

At the Very bottom of that page In {Post Template} table

add the code :

*remember to replace this code with your image Url

___________________________________________________________
Here is the Most Important Tip especially for craft blogger who put so much enjoy and effort into their work, that it should be protected.

Get a Creative Commons Licence on your Blog. Click Participate and then Licensing page.

Copy your code and add it to your Blog.

There is a difference between liking an others blog and copy catting another blogger.

Protect your pictures and Blog with this licence.
I hope these tips help and watch for more tips coming soon. Any questions please ask.

If you have a Tip you would like to share Submit it and I will link it to your Blog post.

Oh La La- A Wonderful Award.

2009-04-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in life you come across people who are real, and down to earth. And that Sometimes is very rare. And I feel like a very Lucky lady to have made the Acquaintance and Blog friendship with DivineChoice. And today she showed what a wonderful person she is again and Gave me this Award!!!{Yay Candle Junkie}. I want to thank her a million for thinking of me.

Received Award on April 1st, 2009. From a Lady who has more creativity in her pinkie finger than I do in my whole body.{giggle}

DivineChoice Creations- Beautiful Cards created with Care-and she means it you Must check out her breathe taking creations.

Here is an example of DivineChoice's Creations-Check out all her amazing creations Here (picture is property of DivineChoice)

Now on to the Best part of receiving an award. Sharing the Wealth. And it was not hard at all to Come up with my list. These blogs,and women and the true spice of life

Here are the Rules:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate your favorite blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.

Winners of the Makes my Heart Award!

Rosidah of Music of my Life-Love her weekly comments and well wishes

Andrea of Drea_Dear-I have so much fun following her Blog.
Kat of Candles Crafts and Whatnot- I love how her blog is full of Life
Laurie of Candlemamma- Laurie is down to earth and just truly a sweet person

Congratulations to all these wonderful Lady Bloggers. Pass it along with love.

Love Angie xo

Graduation Tips Ideas and Gifts

2009-04-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

As June nears so does my eldest son's Grade 8 Grad. Oh my I'm so excited . As is he(giggle)

So here is the dilemma... What to get him as a Gift and How to make sure our memories of this day are amazing. So here is the spot to help other Mom's facing the looming Grad days.

Things to Buy was in advance of Grad.
Tuxedo-Shirt-Tie
New Dress shoes
Corsage for date(omg he is not a baby anymore)
And the Gift(???)
Party Favors that are Memorable

So my research will start now. I will be posting graduation tips, tricks and Gift ideas.

I encourage you to post suggestions or if you sell or make gifts that are rockin for a Grad please let us all know.

Do you have a Blog Post about graduations , let me know and I will link to it.

This Top ten list I found on Mind Bites is very cool

Top Ten tips for planning a Graduation Party

I fell in love with this idea from http://www.shindigz.com/ (they have so many cool and fun ideas for party's)

Personalized Yard Photo Sign

Winner Announcment and Updates

2009-04-04T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the Delay in Posting the Winner of our Comment Contest.

I am super Giddy about Naddez winning the $25.00 worth of Scented Soy Candle Tarts from tarts~by~mom.

Take the time to Visit Naddez's Wonderfull Blog http://naddezsgoodycorner.blogspot.com/

Congrats Naddez !!

Important updates about the Candle Shop

This week Buy 4 Dozen Soy Smiles and Get 1 Dozen free.

That is 5 Dozen Smiles for only $10.99

Also is you are a Twitter Follower and Place an order at the Candle Shop you will Recieve 1 Huge free Soy Tart with order.

Sisterhood Award

2009-03-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Wow my day started out gloomy and then I received a wonderful award from my sister in Crafts DivineChoice.

DivineChoice makes the most Beautiful Handmade cards you have ever seen.
The rules are:

1. Nominate women who show great attitude.

2. Link to them.

3. Leave them a comment so they pick up their award.

Here are my nominations.
http://andreaholme.blogspot.com
http://candlemammascandlecreations.blogspot.com/
http://www.stepfordlife.com/
http://skittles101373.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Ladies you Deserve it.

And a HUGE thank you to DivineChoice for Choosing me for this award.
Also Check out her Store DivineChoice Creations

Your Nose Can Help You Lose Weight

2009-03-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Creamy Scent of Vanilla can Melt your Pounds Away

Did you know that your nose can actually help you lose weight? As I look at it, any ideas on how I can find to lose weight are worth trying.
Alan Hirsch M.D. and author of Sensational weight loss (as published in the January 11, 2005 issue of Woman's World magazine), certain odor's head straight to our brain and trick our body into thinking we've already eaten. That is just what I need.{giggle}
We can also trick ourselves into feeling full by taking three deep inhalations of foods such as buffalo wings and onion soup. One study showed that if you inhaled the aroma of your appetizers before dinner you can actually lose weight.
So next time a plate of treats are passed before you inhale deeply.
Fruity scents are wonderful to sniff just before eating.
According to one study, simply taking a whiff of such strongly scented candies will help curb your appetite thereby causing you to consume less. Some people found it worked so well that they were able to lose close to 20 lbs in
six months.

There is actually a Group About Vanilla to share stories. I Like the Smell of Vanilla

Weekend Candle Sale

2009-03-06T07:14:00.000-08:00

As you all know I offer a Mega Soy Candle Tart Sale on one of our Products every weekend for the weekend only.
Sale Begins Friday 10:00 am and Ends Sunday 9:00 pm.

This Weekends Sale is: 4 Dozen Soy Strawberry's for Only $12.99

Dont forget to Visit Our Candle Shoppe you will be a Customer for Life

Enter to Win $25.00 Worth of Soy Candle Tarts

2009-03-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

It is Time for another Giveaway at Candle Junkie. Want to win $25.00 worth of Assorted Soy Candle Tarts?Different Shapes Scents and Sizes.

How to Win?

Simple: Grab the I want to Win Button and Make a Post with this Button and Then Come Back to Candle Junkie, and Post a Comment with a Link to the Post. The Best Post will be Chosen as the Winner. In your Post add Why you should Win this Fabulous Prize.

At the Contest end feel free to remove the I want to Win Tarts Button, but it must remain until End of Contest.

Contest begins Today Thursday March 5,2009 and Ends Sunday March 29Th 2009. Lots of time to enter to win.

I wish the Best of Luck to All my Bloggin Women.

I am Giddy with Strawberry's

2009-03-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

Well I finally get to sit down and update my Blog and add new products to the Candle Shoppe.

Last week my 9 year old Son Chris had Chicken pox and this week my 12 and 13 year old sons have them.(Sorry they are too embarrassed to let me write their names) hehe

But in between all the chaos I am having a Blast. The UPS Man whom I love so dearly came today with New Molds . And I am adding 3 New Scents to the Soy candle Shoppe.

Lets start with the new Shapes for Soy Candle tarts I will be offering.

Strawberry Soy Candle Tarts

These strawberry's are my New Fav and are scented Strawberry Jam..mmmmmmm

Mini Soy Tart Blocks

These adorable Tart Blocks are perfect for putting a handfull in a sachet and hanging in your closest or in dresser drawers. They are so sweet looking.

Pumpkin Tarts

These are just too cute. I have put them all over my home in different small glass dishes, and boy do they smell yummy..

Now the New Scents I have added are

Strawberry Jam,Refreshing lime, Sage & Blackberry

I will try to Post these new Tarts to the Shop tonight but Mommy Duties may call, so if not tonight Tomorrow for Sure.

Tip Junkie Mom-preneur Shops & Giveaway

2009-03-02T15:35:00.001-08:00

Tip Junkie Mom-preneur Shops & Giveaway

Posted using ShareThis

Winners of the Comment contest

2009-03-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Yay Contest Winner Time

The contest of the Best Commenters is now Over and we have 3 Lucky Winners.

The First Winner is:

Andrea Holme of http://andreaholme.blogspot.com/

Prize is 1 Dozen Triple Scented Soy Candle Tarts

The Second winner is:

Mrs.Alspaugh of http://skittles101373.blogspot.com/

Prize is 1 Dozen Eco Friendly Soy Candle Tarts

3rd Prize Winner is:

Sandra Wilson

Prize is 1/2 Dozen soy Candle Tarts

Thanks to those who voted on the price of 100 Soy Tartlets.

The price has been Voted and Will be listed at the Candle Shoppe .

100 Soy Tartlets for $18.99.