In my area it's getting harder and harder to find any local vendor events that accept direct sales companies. These are focusing more on locally made crafts or other products. While this is a wonderful thing for local crafters, it can make things very difficult for a direct sales representative. 

So what is a representative to do so they can get into these types of events? Think outside the box of course! Look at the products that your company offers and think of ways that you can incorporate them into different craft, or handmade items. 

I'm with Country Scents Candles  and we offer an amazing line of products are that can easily be used in different craft items. For example, look at those cute little mini-purses in the picture above. Each one holds just about 2 teaspoons of aroma beads. These only take about 10 mins a piece to make. Add a keychain and you've got a super cute little gift. I'll sell these for $5 each at vendor events. 

Another idea is making little coasters. These can be knitted, crocheted or sewn, then spray them with some of our wonderful room sprays. This is great way to add a little scent to your room or they can be used in your closet, dresser, anywhere that you can think off. 

Other options include bundling your gifts in little gift packages. For example, take some cute coffee mugs fill then with a package of hot chocolate, a small package of mini-marsh mellows, and add a pack of our melted chocolate tarts and you've got a delicious gift box.

If you're planning on doing something like remember that the main product you're selling is the crafted item, not your direct sales product. You also want to make sure that you have plenty of the crafted items to sell so that you're not just left with your direct sales products. You don't want to get the "not welcomed back" stamp from the organizers. If you have any doubts that they will allow you or your crafted items, try to get talk to the organizers beforehand so that they can approve your participation. 

Black cats are often associated with good or bad luck and there are many articles written that refer to the superstitions and folklore that surrounds them. Less well known and interesting characteristics of black cats are often overlooked and below are five things that you may not have known about them.

Golden Eye Factor
A black cat's eyes are typically golden, or yellow, in colour and this is because the over-production of melanin that makes their fur so black often causes the cat's irises to reflect this melanism and produce the pigment that gives this golden or yellow colouring.

Gene Factor
To be a true black cat both of the parents need to carry the black colour gene. Though this sounds a fairly simple equation, what you may not know is that the dominant cat fur gene is actually tabby and it is only the added presence of a recessive gene known as a non-agouti that suppresses these tabby markings. In a cat where this gene is not fully suppressed you may notice that close up, or more especially in bright sunlight, you can make out the faint tabby stripes on the animal's tail or legs and also perhaps see the M marking on the cat's head that is more often characteristic of a tabby cat. There are said to be around twenty breeds of cat that can produce a black offspring but the only breed of cat that is all black is the Bombay cat and they are often referred to as miniature panthers.

Appearing To Rust
A high degree of exposure to sunlight can lead to a black cat's fur to temporarily take on a rusty reddish- brown appearance. This rusty appearance can also be seen when the cat has an absence of an enzyme called tyrosine.

Interesting Immune System Quirk
Early studies have indicated that black cats may very likely be more resistant to certain diseases such as Feline HIV and that their genetic makeup may well be of benefit to their immune system.

Worldwide Appreciation
There is a growing appreciation of black cats around the globe and this is shown in the fact that there are days designated to the celebration of the dark furred feline. What may be less known is that some of the better-known celebration days actually have different dates and this has caused some confusion on social media amongst the black cat loving fraternity.

Stress is a constant part of our daily lives. It doesn't matter if your a corporate executive or a stay a home mom, we all lead busy lives and are always on the go. It's fine to be busy all the time, but you can't forget to take some time for yourself. A chance to unwind and relax at the end of the day will help you to rejuvenate so that you can start fresh in the morning. 

Taking just 30 minutes to relax in a nice bath will do your body and mind wonders! Many people don't think they have the spare time to do this, but it's essential to find the time to relax to the at your best. You'll definitely thank yourself later! 

Today there is a wide range of products available that allow you to pamper yourself at home without breaking the bank. You can choose from scented bath salts, bubbles, bath bombs, or soaps. Pick your favorite products, light a few candles, turn down the lights and simply let the stress disappear. Getting a bath pillow or using a rolled up towel will help you to relax even more. Just be careful that don't get so relaxed that you fall asleep :) 

Everyone wants to go away for a day and go to the spa, but not everyone has the time or can afford do to something like that. Luckily, you can have a do-it-yourself spa session at home! Here are a few reasons why and at home spa day can be the right choice for you.

1. No Appointment Necessary! You can set up your special bath time whenever you want. You don't have to schedule anything and can fit into your schedule however it works best for you! 
2. You can relax i the comfort of your own home. If you have children you don't have to worry about getting a babysitter. Simply, wait for them to go to bed, or if they are old enough let them know where are and that you're taking some time for yourself. 
3. It's affordable! Going to a day spa can be expensive and not something that everyone can do on a regular basis. By enjoying a relaxing evening at home you can keep your stress levels low and pamper yourself for a lot less. 
4. Don't like to take a bath? Turn shower into a "relaxation station". A nice, high quality shower massage head can do wonders for sore neck and should muscles. You can also use items such as shower bombs to help give you shower a relaxing scent. 

You can easily add any facial masks, creams, or other beauty regiments that you have to your at-home spa day. Taking just a little time for yourself will increase your productivity, reduce your stress and just make you feel better. It's an easy and essential way to improve your life.

Host a Country Suds party with me to get your favorite bath products for free! Just email  me to book your party today :)

 

Most people don't know how the cookie chocolate chip creation first began. This is in fact one of the few cookie flavours that originated from the United States. A lot of the other cookies eaten today were at the outset created in other countries, over seas and have been modified to American tastes. Including these cookie chip chunks of chocolate in the mix really do make them delicious and they appeal to nearly everyone. These are very well-liked cookies among kids.

Chocolate chip cookies originally were made with white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and semi-sweet chips of chocolate. A lot of chocolate chip cookies now have only white sugar, margarine instead of butter, white chocolate or dark chocolate chips, and some variations even toss in a little oatmeal or a quantity of nuts to the mix. For the most part individuals have their own ways that they favour, but the pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough in the stores is commonly created in the traditional method.

Like the most well-liked inventions, this type of cookie was an accident. It was developed in 1933 by the proprietor of an inn in Massachusetts. She in addition had a restaurant at the time that was very well known. One of the perks provided by the restaurant was homemade cookies for dessert. In 1936, she published a recipe book including the recipe for the chocolate chip cookie she had made and many of her other creations were also listed in it.

Many different versions exist as to how the cookie chocolate chip creation originated. One was from a chef who worked at the inn at that time. According to him, some chocolate bars were dislodged by the mixer that was making up a batch of cookie dough; the chocolate bars were above the mixer on a shelf. As the bars fell into the dough, they were smashed into little chunks. By the time the proprietor realized what had happened it was too late but she baked them all anyway as she didn't want to waste the dough. The common account tells of how the proprietor of the inn was making cookies and ran out of bakers' chocolate so she substituted semi-sweet chocolate.

During WWII, GI'ss that were from Massachusetts shared their cookies with other soldiers. The other soldiers wrote to the owner of the inn requesting her recipe.

The soldiers wanted to know the recipe so that they could pass it on to their friends and family. Their relations would then be able to create the same cookies and mail them to the soldiers.

These cookies are still extremely popular today regardless of how they originated. The majority of cookbooks supply at least one variation of the chocolate cookie mix and from time to time there are many variations in the same book.

This cookie chocolate chip with chunks of chocolate stirred into it was honored by Massachusetts. Massachusetts made it the Official State Cookie. These cookie chip chunk creations will carry on to have alterations made all through the years, but the majority of individuals have a tendency to fall back on the earliest chocolate chip cookie that all began with a kitchen accident in a Massachusetts' inn.