Wickless In Seattle... and now, Salt Lake City

Scentsy Christmas Giveaway Winner

2011-12-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

Good Day to everyone! Our Scentsy Christmas Giveaway has drawn to a close and after randomly selecting a name late last night...we have a winner! Before revealing our lucky recipient however, we just want to sincerely Thank everyone who participated and for being a part of our blog. We do hope you continue to visit us every once in a while. So, without further delay, the winner of the Plum Garland Scentsy Warmer & Wax Bar is Kim @ Chubby Cheeks Thinks! Congratulations Kim! In order to claim your gift please respond by email to Addicted 2 Scents @ gmail . com by Monday 12/12/2011. If no response we will select another winner. Again, our thanks to everyone and Happy Holidays to all!

It's time for a Scentsy Christmas Giveaway!

2011-11-25T14:44:00.000-08:00

Well, after a day of Thanksgiving fun and good times with family, my thoughts are now about Christmas and what I enjoy most about Christmas is giving! It's not too shabby to receive something nice as well. So in this spirit, I would like to give something away! Let's see... why not something I am already passionate about, Scentsy! So, how about a beautiful Garland Scentsy Warmer and a fragrant Scentsy Bar to go with it. Yes, that's it. So, now all I need is someone to give this away to and a way to do it. I think the best way is a drawing.

To be entered in the drawing I just need a few simple things from you...

1. "Like" my page on Facebook, Click Here.
2. Post this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter or your blog, with a link. (One entry and comment for each)
3. Subscribe to my monthly Scentsy E-Newsletter, Click Here.
4. Visit my website www.Addicted2scents.com and leave a comment letting me know your favorite Scentsy product.
5. Follow my blog.

On December 5, 2011, one lucky name will be randomly selected to receive the beautiful Garland Scentsy Warmer and Scentsy Bar.

The winner will have one week to e-mail me or another winner will be chosen. So make sure to bookmark the page and come back for a visit to see if you are the lucky winner.

Now for the fine print... only open in the US and Canada and no Scentsy Consultants please.

Looking forward to 'meeting' you and hearing your comments.  Best Wishes and Best of Luck!

...well not exactly Seattle....

2011-11-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

....even though today in Salt Lake City it is very much like Seattle, weather wise that is. Up until Monday when the temp was still in the 80's and we were dining outdoors, summer just refused to give up but, two days later, Autumn finally took the reins and ushered in the appropriate weather associated with the first week in October in the high desert... cool and rainy. Oh. My apologies! Why am I writing about the weather in SLC being similar to Seattle? Well, alot has changed for the Jones' of Mukilteo since June 2011. In short we have returned to Utah and our previous life as the Jones' of SLC! You see, my husband,daughter and I relocated to the Great Pacific Northwest in late 2008 from the High Desert of Utah where our home and family is based. Once settled into our home in charming Mukilteo and operation of my Scentsy Wickless Candle business resumed, I couldn't resist trying to use 'Wickless in Seattle' somehow (you know....the movie 'Sleepless...in Seattle'?)... sorry, of course you do! Anyway, making a short story long, my new blog now had a name. Well, living in the northwest in Mukilteo with it's proximity to Seattle, Whidbey Island, the San Juans, Edmonds ,etc,etc was (is) wonderful but sometimes there's just no place like home which is why, after two years we decided to return to our home and family in Salt Lake City! Of course we still have a strong connection to Washington and where we once called home. Our daughter attended a wonderful school where she made many friends and through modern technology still keeps in touch with on an almost daily basis! My husband established strong, solid relationships in that short period as well. As for me, I met and became dear friends with many wonderful people who I am still happy to be in touch with regularly! Overall it was a refreshing experience and adventure. There are of course things we miss (having a sandwich at The Red Cup while watching naval ships sail by in Possession Sound!) but with our attachments there we have lots of reasons for a return engagement! You haven't seen the last of the Jones'! Until next time......

A Day in The Life of a Mom

2011-05-08T23:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day a sweet friend, Sally Brigg, shared the following video. I couldn't think of a better way to describe "A Day in the Life of a Mom." Plus its a good laugh. Enjoy!!

What is Real Beauty?

2011-04-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my husbands big 5-Oh this past week. (He was a real good sport letting me take this picture of him with his new glasses.)   This new decade has caused us both to reflect on where we've been and where we're going. Doing so we have decided to make some big changes.

Up until now we have both felt invincible and that the end of our days wasn't even on the radar. I still have 5 1/2 years to go until I reach this milestone, but being a woman in your 40's still makes you reflect on similar emotions. One particular emotion that I have been struggling with, as I assume most women in their 40's do, is how your appearance starts changing.  Keeping that youthful look takes a lot more work and despite all your efforts, your skin and waistline have something different in mind. In fact it made me start recognizing that almost Mom you see on television no matter the age, except for Roseanne, has a very nice figure.  On the flip side, you'll notice that most Dad's on these shows can't say the same. Makes we wonder why it is okay for the men to show their years, especially in the middle section and not women.  Think about it, even Marge on the Simpson's has a smokin hot body while Homer... well that's a different story.  What's up with that? I guess that's another topic for another post.

Tonight I stopped by the blog Naked Girl in a Dress which put these concerns in perspective for me. She shared a quote from Audrey Hepburn which really hit home.  I'm already a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, but I think this quote below makes me adore her even more. I now have a new outlook on the meaning of true beauty:

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows.
The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.

All those concerns and pressures of trying to keep up with those unrealistic looks you see plastered all over magazines and the media now seem much more insignificant.

Thank you Audrey!

What To Do on a Beautiful Day in Seattle

2011-04-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

What to do, what to do? It’s Friday morning, early Friday morning mind you because my daughter has orchestra rehearsal before school so there is no sleeping in (which comes quite naturally on these rainy, gray Northwest Spring mornings). I also remember this is the Friday that the wonderful Caprice of Cinderelli Cleaning is coming to magically transform our house into a sparkling clean haven once again so we are back to the original question: what to do, what to do? Well, the obvious choice is… Seattle Urban Fix! My husband and I love the city, any city, so it’s in the MINI and off to discover something new just 20 or so miles from our little suburb by the sound.

We decide on Capitol Hill. We had been through this area a time or two but never in discovery mode so we didn't know what to expect. Not really having any expectations we just drove up or down whatever street looked interesting and by this method we ended up on 15th Avenue. Keep in mind it's the morning and of course that dictates the need for breakfast so now our carefree plans of exploring and making new discoveries have suddenly become not so carefree. You see there are many delightful eateries along 15th Avenue so now that we have to make a choice of which one! We eventually give the nod to The Coastal Kitchen at 429 15th Ave. which turns out to be an excellent gastrononmic decision!

Charming décor, terrific service topped off by superb food! Good call! Well needless to say we were back in the land of carefree! Being back in our original mode, the obvious after breakfast activity would be simple; a stroll through one of the most architecturally pleasing neighborhoods in the city (or country for that matter!). We begin our trek but don't get very far when we are greeted by Mr. Alex Soto who is just stepping out of Flowers on 15^th at 515 15th Avenue (That’s a lot of 5’s). The serendipity continues as Alex invites us into his amazing shop of floral delight and introduces us to Carolyn who is busy creating beautiful arrangements and a warm, homey atmosphere.

We had the most engaging conversation with Alex and Carolyn who not only have a thriving business but an admirable care and concern for the neighborhood and community! Along with flowers and arrangements they allow other artisans to display and market their wares and encourage local participation! They even kindly offered to help my promote my Scentsy business by proudly displaying a Scentsy warmer along with my business cards in their delightful shop. I highly recommend stopping in. It was a completely unexpected discovery for me (which I usually find is the best kind!) and meeting Alex and Carolyn was a blessing and joy!

Hope you get downtown to meet them soon!

I'm a Belieber... "Never Say Never"

2011-02-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

After reluctantly taking two 10 year olds to see the new Justin Beiber movie "Never say Never" I walked out a Belieber and the two 10 year olds walked out with a new found inspiration. Needless to say we enjoyed the movie and yes, I would see it again.

After watching how an average yet talented kid could get discovered on You Tube, they came home inspired to make their own You Tube video show casing their own musical talents. I know I'm the biased Mom, but I also watched my daughter grow up intrigued by music. She is always in perfect key, rhythm and beat, just like Justin Bieber. I enrolled her in piano lessons and after 3 lessons she is playing "Clocks" by Cold Play perfectly, however her instrument of choice is violin. She quickly learned how to read notes and started writing her own songs at the age of 8. We often play duets, with me on the piano and her on the violin. Currently we are practicing Canon in D by Pachelbel. Well, we'll see if her talent has the same luck and destiny of Justin Bieber.

I present to you.... Grenade by Bruno Mars performed by Talent Extraodinaire....

February Snow in Seattle?

2011-02-22T12:29:00.000-08:00

It is the end of February and Spring Break in Seattle and here is a picture looking out our living room window. It has only been snowing for the past 3 hours and has no signs of slowing down. I can't imagine how the snow is going to look by the end of the day. Perhaps we'll have 2 feet of snow like the picture below.

Snow is a rare thing here, especially this time of year and it looks like a good 'ole winter storm in the Wasatch Mountains. Seattle isn't equipped for snow removal, so I am glad it is spring break and we don't have to drive. I learned the hard way about driving in the Seattle snow, the first year we moved here. Seattle was experiencing their biggest snow storm in over 25 years. The entire city was paralyzed and people were sliding down the hills on couches. If you didn't need emergency care or garbage removal it was kind of fun. That year I quickly learned that we weren't driving in Utah snow anymore. It's slick and icy, much different than driving in a good 'ole Wasatch Mountain snow storm. I was getting in my car and my neighbors were yelling at me saying" thanks for bringing your Utah snow with you." I didn't understand their concern. It was November and snow was a regular gift from Mother Nature. I decided to run some errands and as I was leaving my driveway one of my neighbors begged me not to drive in the snow. I thought, wow, these Seattle people are wimps. I'll show them how to drive. I was quickly humbled as a headed down the hill and realized I was completely at the mercy of Mother Nature. I was grateful that not many other drivers were on the roads as I slid right through stop signs and main roads. If I wasn't worried about ending up off the side of the road in a ditch it could have been a better ride than anything they have at Disneyland.

Needless to say our plans of enjoying this week off of school and taking Ferry rides to unexplored destinations are quickly turning to stay at home activities. That's okay, sometimes those are the best memories.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-16T11:21:00.000-08:00

Since my husband is retired from the airlines, we try to travel as much as time allows, but we haven't experienced a "pat down" yet. Nevertheless, I thought this cartoon was still worth a good a laugh, even though it's not wordless. Happy Wednesday!

Scentsy Expanding into The United Kingdom and Germany!

2011-01-12T17:34:00.000-08:00

Big Scentsy News Today!

Scentsy just announced they will open their doors in Europe this Spring!

October 2009 Scentsy opened their doors internationally for the first time in Canada. Now I am so excited to announce that key executives will be going to Europe, specifically the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) and Germany (Deutschland) in March to meet with existing Scentsy Consultants on military bases and with any other interested prospects who want to learn about Scentsy.

This is big news for Scentsy, and those of us within Scentsy, who have already had the opportunity to be on the ground floor of this incredible Home Based business opportunity. Scentsy is only 6 years old and is already the fastest growing party plan company in history. In these six years Scentsy has grown to over 144,000 Scentsy Consultants in the US, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico. Compare these numbers to Avon who has over 5 million representatives globally. So you can see for yourself, what an incredible ground floor opportunity this really is.

Scentsy has given a lot of consultants here in the U.S and Canada the opportunity to earn six figure incomes in this short time. The Scentsy compensation plan is competing with Doctors, Lawyers and Executive salaries all while Scentsy Consultants, have fun, work from home, have a flexible schedule and get to be their own boss. Now this incredible ground floor home based business opportunity will start all over again in Europe.

Scentsy is working on catalogs, Starter Kits, enrollment documents, and all of the other Scentsy candles, products and tools needed to successfully launch this international venture in the United Kingdom and Germany. Scentsy will allow existing Scentsy Consultants to sponsor in these new markets, but will not allow cross-border sales. Scentsy's hope is to grow their European base organically and virally, just as Scentsy, Inc. has grown in the U.S. and Canada.

I can’t wait for Scentsy Consultants to share Scentsy in Europe and look forward to learning all we can in the UK and Germany so Scentsy can use that knowledge to launch in other countries throughout the world.

Watch out World... here we come!

MP Office and House Cleaning Services

2011-01-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

With everyone's busy schedules, who doesn't dream about having a house cleaner? Here is your chance to make that dream a reality.

MP Cleaning Services

Monika Purpura – Owner - Licensed

(360) 941-0503

Residential And Small Office Cleaning

Bi-Weekly / Weekly / Bi-Monthly / Monthly

Gift Certificates For Special Occasions

Referral Program

Refer a New Client Program

If new client uses my service three times you will receive a free house cleaning

(one time only per new customer – excludes Gift Certificates)

Gift Certificates

Great for New Moms, Parents, Birthdays and special Holidays

Call now and receive 10% off your first house cleaning!

Residential Cleaning

Hourly Rate: $19

First thorough Cleaning $150-$200 depending on size of house

Package Deal:

$80 for 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath

Additional bedrooms and Baths $10-$25 each depending on size

Service includes dusting, moping, vacuuming, furniture polish (excludes Sofas and anything of that nature), Kitchen Counter(s) and sink(s), Bathroom(s) including Toilet(s) and bathtub/shower

$25 for Refrigerator

$25 for Kitchen Oven

$25-$40 for Kitchen Cabinets depending on size of kitchen

Small Office

$50 per visit, includes emptying trash, restroom and vacuuming

$10-$25 for rest room tile wall cleaning depending on size

Feel free to give Monika a Call Today -

(360) 941-0503

www.MPCleaningservice.com

Vicki Derks Photography - Seattle

2010-12-07T12:40:00.000-08:00

Being an Independent Business owner, I have had the pleasure of meeting some incredibly talented business women. So, for my next few posts I would like recognize them and show off their artistic gifts.

To get started, I would like to introduce an extraordinary photographer, Vicki Derks from Vicki Derks Photography. Vicki is well renowned here in the greater Seattle area having shared her beautiful photography with the community for many years.  I met Vicki at Red Cup Coffee, where my husband and I will occassionally visit before getting started on the more serious matters of the day.  While waiting in line one day Vicki and I started chatting and as I usually do, I was talking with my hands. While doing so, one of my Scentsy business cards flew out of my pocket and landed at Vicki's feet. So, if you are looking for a great way to meet new people, I highly recommend "accidentally" throwing your business cards around coffee shops. You meet the greatest people. :)  LOL

Vicki immediately started inquiring about Scentsy products and next thing I know her photography studio is enriched with the wonderful fragrances of Scentsy.  Vicki said she had heard that photgraphers use Scentsy fragrances to help "set the mood" during photo shoots, so she wanted to try for herself.  Vicki chose a few of the Fall/Winter Holiday Scentsy scents to help set the mood, such as Sugar Cookie, Rustic Lodge, Vanilla Walnut, just to name a few.

I picked out a few of her photographs, to share with you. I would like to think that Vicki's new Scentsy Scents helped in creating these beautiful holiday photo's.

Beautiful work Vicki!

This Old House - Mommy Madness Friday Blog Hop

2010-11-12T16:57:00.000-08:00

Our theme of the week is:

Show Off Your House

It can be a picture of your house, a room or just a decoration you really like.

If you don't have a picture then just share a story.

(As a general rule, please follow everyone back that follows you)

Want to join in on the fun this week?

To Join Us -

1. Become a follower of the 3 hosts (first three listed) - Life with the Lebedas, Call Me Laura Jane and Mommy Moment and if you like, I would love it if you followed me as well.

**We all follow back - just leave a comment so we know your following from the hop**

2. Grab our Mommy Madness button and add it to a blog post with your picture or story.

3. Link up to your blog and Start hoppin'!

(Blog link only - no giveaways or others, those will be deleted)

______________________________

I'm really excited about this weeks theme. I have a strong passion for old houses and remodeling. I watch "This Old House" and "HGTV" like a a soap addict. In fact I have my daughter hooked. We watch HGTV and boo and hiss the bad remodels and applaud the jobs well done. The pictures below are of a home we spent over 5 years restoring back to its original luster. This house contains a lot of our blood, sweat and tears. Before we came along, it had been horribly neglected. It had been through some frightening remodels, especially in the 60's and 70's. It had been turned into a boarding house and had 10 bedrooms when we purchased it. It sat on the market for years. No one dared take on this project. Call it vision or stupidity, but we saw the potential of this 1909 victorian. Due to its neglect, almost everything is new, inside and out, but we did our best to keep the original charm. During the remodels we found a lot of old newspapers in the walls. We left a few and added our own time capsules before the finishing touches. We have since sold this home, and moved on to another old house remodel, which I am also quite proud of. The itch is starting again, so we'lll see what is in store for us next.

~ Katie

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Scentsy Giveaways

2010-11-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

As you gear up for the Holiday shopping season , why not participate in FREE Giveaways?  They are not only a lot of fun, but a great way to complete your shopping list. You can't do much better than a price tag that reads FREE.

Even better is when you can win FREE Scentsy.  Scentsy products are so wonderful you may not want to give them away, but everyone does love the gift of Scentsy.

Right now, you have the chance to win a FREE Scentsy Warmer and Scentsy Wax Bar of your choice or a popular new Scentsy Buddy.  They are so cute and a big hit amongst the kids this year.

Whether you decide to keep your winnings for yourself or give it to that special someone, here are a few Scentsy Giveaways going on right now:

An Island Life Scentsy Giveaway - Ends November 22nd

Praying for Parker Scentsy Raffle - Ends November 15th

Momma Drama Scentsy Buddy Giveaway - Ends November 20th

Have Fun and Good Luck!

~ Katie

Receive a FREE Scentsy Gift when you help Raise Awareness for Parker's Raffle!

2010-11-06T00:59:00.000-07:00

Calling All Blogger, Facebook and Twitter Friends!

Please help us in raising awareness for Parker's Scentsy Raffle and I will personally send you a FREE Scentsy Scent Circle! All proceeds from this Scentsy Raffle are being donated directly to Parker's Medical Fund.

Parker is only 6 years old and his medical bills have already totalled more than a lot of people make in a lifetime. Just to keep Parker alive, his monthly medical bills total over $2,000. When you are raising a family, especially one with special needs, this can bankrupt a lot of people.

You know the theory of "Paying it Forward?" You help 3 people and they help 3 people... well if you Tweet, Share this on Facebook or create a Post on your Blog, think of all the people we could reach.

So, any help you could provide by Re-Tweeting, Sharing the following link on Facebook, or creating a Post on your Blog, would be greatly appreciated. (Make sure you leave a comment, so I can send you a FREE Scentsy gift and a big THANK YOU!)

Here is the link to share:

http://www.prayingforparker.com/addicted2scents-a-november-raffle-for-parkers-medical-fund/

Thank you in advance for helping raise awareness for such a great cause and here's hoping the good Karma will come right back at ya!

It's Time for Another Friday Blog Hop!

2010-11-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

I love Blog Hops! It's feels like a big party! What a fun way to meet and help promote one another's site.

Our theme of the week is

Show Off Your Children.

That means you can show a picture or tell a story - anything about your children!

Want to join in on the fun this week?

To Join Us -

1. Become a follower of the 3 hosts (first three listed) - Life with the Lebedas, Call Me Laura Jane and Mommy Moment and it would be appreciate if you follow my blog too, Wickless in Seattle.

**We follow back - just leave a comment so we know your following from the hop**

2. Grab our Mommy Madness button and add it to a blog post with your showoff picture or story.

3. Link up to your blog and Start hoppin'!

(Blog link only - no giveaways or others, those will be deleted)

4. As a general rule, please follow everyone back that follows you.

Leave a comment on their blog.

Have Fun!

_____________________________________________

The picture below was taken a few years ago as I attempted take a picture showing off my kids in a nice Christmas card. Ater 45 minutes of frustration amongst all of us, this was the only picure where they all had their eyes open at the same time. Oh, how I wish I knew more about photo shop. I think we need a professional photographer next time, but they still look cute.

A Visit from the Kids...

2010-11-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Enjoying a day at Pike's Place Market

I have enjoyed our move to Seattle and the opportunity for a new adventure. Previously my husband worked for the airlines, so we had the luxury of traveling a lot, but we had never been to the Pacific Northwest. I'm sure Seattle being at the northeastern tip on the map had something to do with it, but I was always curious about this part of the country. Having moved from the desert country of Salt Lake City, it has been a fun change living within walking distance to a lighthouse, ferries, a lot of marine life, especially the seals and whales, although I do miss the Utah snow, at times. Almost every time we visit the beach it involves a seal sighting. As much as I am enjoying Seattle, the hardest part of the move has been leaving my older kids and family behind. My older kids are in college with extremely busy schedules, so it probably doesn't affect them as much, but I miss them terribly. So, when I had a chance to have both of them out recently for a visit, needless to say I was in heaven and savored every minute of it.

Could spend hours watching the ships pass through the Lochs

No Seattle Trip is complete without a visit to see the Troll

Every family needs a bike like this!

Love to wave and watch the cruise ships embark

Seattle's City Line - Beautiful, especially at night

This band was really good. Hope they get discovered soon.

Thankful for good brakes on the Ferry rides

A taste of our Danish Heritage in Poulsbo

Making their MaMa Proud

Looking forward to our next visit!

It's Another Giveaway - Just in Time for the Holidays!

2010-10-22T20:17:00.000-07:00

While participating in a Blog Hop, I made a friend over at Super Mommy To the Rescue.

After sending her some Scentsy goodies, we partnered up and she offered a review and a Scentsy Giveaway on her blog. If you are interested in winning the beautiful "Give Thanks" Scentsy Warmer and a Scentsy Bar of your choice, head on over to Super Mommy to the Rescue.

Also, feel free to leave a comment and "Like" my Facebook page. I would be happy to repay the favor.

Don't wait too long, a winner will be picked on November 1st.

Good Luck!

It's Another Blog Hop - Have Fun!

2010-10-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to help promote the 2 different Blog Hops below!

1. To particpate in Aloha Friday click the button above and it will take you the host which is An Island Life. It’s really easy to join in. You create a blog post with a question and you go to her page and link up. Then you start visiting other participants.

Question - What will you be for Halloween?

(Leave a comment below with your answer)

2. Now back to the Blog Hop below. Here are the rules:

a. Become a follower of the 3 hosts (first three listed) – Life with the Lebedas, Call Me Laura Jane and Crunchy Cupcakes. They all follow back – just leave them a comment so they know your following from the hop**

b. Grab my Button and link it to your blog to help spread the word and leave a comment.

c. Link up to your blog and Start hoppin’! (Blog link only – no giveaways or others, those will be deleted)

d. As a general rule, please follow everyone back that follows you. Leave a comment on their blog so they know that you have stopped by and are following now.

A Scentsy Raffle for Parker's Medical Fund!

2010-09-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

Parker

A little over a year ago I was introduced to a heroic Mom enduring a challenge, most of us can only imagine. Her pride and joy, Parker, was born 6 weeks early with pulmonary hypertension, chronic lung disease, a tethered spinal cord, an imperforate anus (he wore a colostomy bag until 2 years ago) and has had to undergo many many surgeries and procedures in his short (almost) 6 years, with another OR date scheduled the first week of October.

Parker is traced, is fed via a g-tube and requires oxygen 24/7 as well as a vent to breathe when he sleeps. He also requires several medications many times during the day. Parker also proudly carries an extra chromosome, which is better known as Down syndrome. That has never mattered, nor will it ever be an issue for his family. They just want to keep their Brave Hero alive. While Parker does have private insurance, his private insurance company can’t wait to throw their Brave Hero off their rolls. Many on the state legislature not only want to refuse any and all federal funding of Medicaid and Medicaid waivers, but last year’s budget cuts resulted in throwing trached kids off the Travis C. Waiver……for the first time ever.

Budget cuts in the state of Utah are affecting his coverage that already doesn't pay for many of Parker's needs such as his $2,000 dollar a month drug for pulmonary hypertension. Parker's family is terrified as to what the future will bring regarding their ability to provide Parker with the medical care he needs. Also, the appointments with many specialists is over an hour each way to meet with each specialist and attend testing procedures.

If the emotional challenge wasn't enough, it breaks my heart, and angers me at the same time, that any family would have to endure such financial challenges just to get the basic medical attention their child needs to stay alive.

Last year we had a Fundaiser that helped make a small dent in Parkers Medical Fund. Since everyone loves Scentsy, why not use this wonderful product to help make a difference again this holiday season.

So, you ask... "How Can I Help?"

You can help in one of two ways:

Win the Popular Jack O Lantern Warmer

1. Visit www.PrayingforParker.com and make at least a $5.00 donation to Parker's Tip Jar. For each $5.00 you contribute, you will be entered into the drawing to win the popular Scentsy Jack O Lantern Warmer, just in time for Halloween. For example, if you contribute $10.00 your name will be entered twice.

2. Buy Scentsy Products via my online Praying for Parker Fundraiser and I will personally contribute my commission, from this fundraising event, to Parkers Medical Fund. Simply visit www.Addicted2scents.com and click on the Praying for Parker Fundraising link and then start shopping. Its that simple. (Make sure you visit the "Praying for Parker Fundraising" link, which is a separate event specifically set up for the event.) Your Scentsy order will be delivered to your specified address within 10 business days. Why not contribute to a great cause while giving the gift of Scentsy? Everyone loves the gift of Scentsy!

3. Also, starting October 15th, there will be another special FREE Scentsy offer. Stay tuned for more exciting information coming soon.

Thank you for your generosity!

~ Katie Jones

It's a Blog Hop - Have Fun!

2010-09-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

What I Learned from Sally Brigg and Vemma - Network Marketing

2010-07-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

I have met a few people by visiting other blogs, but one in particular person, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting has been Sally Brigg. Her positive attitude and outlook on life, instantly grabbed my attention.

Although Sally lives in Australia, our similar interests and passion for the the two different companies we represent, has kept us in touch.  As you know, I am a SuperStar Director for Scentsy and Sally is a top leader with a company called Vemma which claims to be the world's most powerful liquid antioxidant.

Sally was kind enough to send me a month supply of Vemma.  I have only been taking Vemma for a few days, so I don't have a lot to tell about the product yet, except that I love the way it tastes. But what I wanted to share with you is what I have learned from her, thus far.

Along with the Vemma product, Sally enclosed a CD by Rich Dad Poor Dad author, Robert Kiyosaki.  Robert started the CD by talking about the new business of the 21st Century, so I wanted to hear more.   This is what I learned, (in his words)...

He is looking forward to these tough times. He claims that it is in tough times that people succeed.

One of the reasons he believes we are in the biggest financial crisis in the history of the world, even more so than the great depression, is because we are now competing for jobs with people all over the world, such as India, China, Eastern Europe, etc. This is also coupled with technology replacing a lot of jobs.  This means that people with great educations, can no longer make $80 an hour.  People are not just being downsized, they are being let go.  Why would someone pay an accountant $100 per hour when they can hire someone in India or another country, who is familiar with the US laws, for $25 an hour.  As far as technology, why would you hire someone to do a job that a computer can do?   The idea of a safe secure job for life, is an obsolete idea.

He then went on to talk about people's different mind sets:

E = Employee
S = Small Business, Specialist or Solo employee. (Doctors, Lawyers, etc.) Usually people with good educations and do very well in school. Not everyone does well in school.
B = Big Business Owner (very few people make this quadrant)
I = Investors, (not everyone has money to invest) may make a lot of money, but pay high taxes, inflation, etc. May make money during inflation, such as investing in oil, etc.

He believes that 80-95% of people have the E and S side of thinking.  To get out of this rut, you will need to shift your mind set.  Most people think that big business and investors are born, not made. One type of business that stood out to him, was a business opportunity that required little money upfront, little overhead and can be worked part time so you can make the money to transition out of your full time job.  This great business opportunity is called Network Marketing.

The unique thing about entrepreneurs is that they make things happen, take control of their lives and don't let other people's small minds stop them. The beauty of a network business is to be supported by an organization to go through your fears, to change your friends and not care what others say or think about you. If you can do this, if you can handle what others say about you, you will grow up to be a great entrepeneur and you will go far.  If you are more concerned about what others think if you, you will not only not do well in Network Marketing, you won't do well at anything. It's up to you to gain the confidence, mindset, skillset, guts and determination to not care what others say about you. If you can do this, you will do very well in all aspects of your life, especially in network marketing.

A few reasons Network Marketing is the new recommended business of the 21st century.  It is about developing people and building them up, not pushing them down. Build them up so they can take better control of their lives without worrrying about being fired or downsized.  Network marketing is about turning people from employees to big business and entrepneuers. It is a fabulous way to grow personally and help others to grow and realize their full potential in life.

So, what is network marketing?  It is the best form of marketing which is word of mouth, instead of paying big ad agencies. It is not so much about selling it is about building a network of people which builds an asset for you and your family.

Direct Marketing requires a change in mindset.  It is exactly opposite of what most people are conditioned to believe. Once you see you don't need a steady paycheck and you don't need to work hard for yourself, your mind starts to shift. Then it requires learning new skills. It is not necessarily easy and can be difficult for some people to make this change with their mindset.  You have to learn how to have money and have people work for you, instead of working and making money for other people.  You need to learn how to become a leader. It is also called business education. Direct Sales is a great way to get real life business education.

When deciding on the right direct sales company for you, go to a meeting. Pay attention and see if the leaders are really interested in you and your welfare.  Most of the time you will find the answer to be yes, especially in Scentsy and Vemma. You will find this to be the exact opposite of most corporations. They aren't interested in you, they are usualy more interested in making money for the shareholders, not you.

The beauty of network marketing is that the leaders cannot be successful unless you are successful.  Which is the exact opposite of corporate America.

The beauty of Direct Marketing is that they want to pull you up. If you are willing to show up and go through their training programs, they will work with you, they won't fire you. They will give you time to develop into the person you are. After you are successful, your job will be to assist others do to the same. It is a humane way of doing business. It is heart to heart and people helping people.

Not everyone succeeds from the start. But each time you fail, you learn how to rebuild your business and become bigger than your problem. You become smarter with each failure you encounter.

This helps create personal development, which is becoming bigger than the problem. Most people give into their problems and let them swallow you and that is when life stops for you.

Direct Marketing is a personal development program. It won't allow you to become rich next week. You need to give it at least 5 year commitment. (However, I have personally witnessed many Scentsy Consultants makes 6 figure incomes in 2 years or less).   Quitters never win. Most people, when they going get toughs or their problems seem insurmountable they quit. That is why they will never be successful in life.  That is network marketing is a support group for those who want the best for you. But you have to give your best also.

To be successful in Direct Marketing, you have to be a great leader.  Our world lacks great leaders. Direct marketing will help you develop leadership skills.  You need to learn how to be a role model and good example.  If you lack courage, people won't follow you.

There are 4 basic types of people:

1. People who must be right.
2. Those who must be comfortable.
3. Person who must be liked. (If your survival is based upon people liking you, you won't succeed.)
4. People who must win.  (These are the type of people who do well in Direct Marketing.  Winners set big goals.)

Difference between wealth and money, wealth is measured in time. For example if I have $1,000 in savings and my expenses are $1,000 in one month, my wealth is one month. If I have $12,000 in savings and expenses are $1,000 a month my wealth is 12 months. By building a network marketing business, that wealth becomes infinite. Especially if it is well built, you can earn money for the rest of your life. That is real wealth.

A big mistake people make when looking at a Directing Marketing business is the product. Of course, the product is important but you need look at who your leaders are. How good is the training program, do they have your best interest at heart. Will they assist you in coming out of your shell, not being afraid of rejection and assist you to become a great leader. Once you find your great leader and the company, see if the leaders are going to assist you. Look at the leaders and the training.

It doesn't take a higher education. You don't have to be great in sales. Your company will train you. You don't need to quit your job, you can work part time. However, it does require coming out of your comfort zone, willing to learn, study, perservere and most importantly, having a great attitude.

It is not a get rich quick businesss, it is about buidling an assett.  It takes time. It takes at least 10,000 hours to become successful at anything.  Also, don't think, act.  The people who act, succeed.

Network Marketing is the business model of the future. It is the new era, after the industrial age.  Network Marketing businesses are going to explode as unemployment increases, and wages come down.  Direct Marketing is set up for everyone to win.   It is a path to success and bringing out financial freedom.

Network marketing is an equal opportunity business. It is not about education, race, gender.  If you have determination, drive more discipline, you win over people who don't.   Network marketing is set up to help everyone succeed.  It is a path to personal success. It is about bringing out the greatness that lies inside you and about personal development, creating financial freedom and more.   ~

I am so impressed by what I have just learned.  Thank you Sally! If Vemma has already brought so much insight into my life, in such a short amount of time, I can't wait to see what the product itself has in store for me.

To be continued....

Charlie the Unicorn - The Banana King

2010-07-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

Each week this summer my daughter is choosing a different video for your enjoyment. This week I hope you enjoy this very "unique" video, for lack of a better word. Her siblings introduced her to Charlie the Unicorn and now they all have me singing "put a banana in your ear, watch all your troubles disappear." If it were only that easy. Although I was a bit reluctant to watch this video in its entirety at first, its starting to grow on me. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. You'll have to let me know what you think. Until next week!

The Mukilteo Farmer's Market is Here!

2010-06-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

Now that we are finally seeing sunlight again, combined with the Farmer's Market season, it is offically my favorite time of the year.   It signifies that summer is here to stay and it helps feeds my passion for gardening. Also, being an Independent Business person myself for Scentsy Products, I like to support our local vendors and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The weather couldn't have been any better for the Mukilteo's Farmer Market yesterday. After only seeing the sun a handful of times the past few months, the weather was heavenly.  One of the good thing about living in the Pacific Northwest, it makes you appreciate those sunny days. After a long hiatus from the sun, you head to the beach and join the masses. When the Farmer's Market is going on, it makes it even better.

We arrived at the Farmer's Market very hungry yesterday, so the first booths we visted was the food vendors. Last year our two most visited food vendors were Mr. Mobley's and Pioneer Farms. Mr. Mobely's Tahini dressing always left me craving more, but unfortunately he wasn't there this year. So, I had to contact him directly and find out how to purchase his amazing Tahini Dressing locally.  His yummy Tahini Dressing goes with many dishes, but my personal favorite is brown rice, cabbage or broccoli slaw.  He contacted me today and told me of a local store who is now carrying his dressing, so I feel a little more relieved but I missed visiting with him.

Our other favorite food vendor is Pioneer Farms. We love to get a good old fashioned organic hamburger with grass fed beef. I had the pleasure of chatting with the owner of the farm, Judy Pedersen. Being Danish myself, I instantly recognized her Danish name. What also fascinated me about Judy was the dilemna she faced 20 years ago. She had the tough decision of quiting her teaching position or taking over the family farm, which has been around since 1889. If she didn't take over the family farm it was going to be sold, so as you guessed, she chose to keep the family business going. She now farms over 500 acres and is one of the very few women farmers in America. Very impressive woman.

To feed my passion for gardening I always have to take a stroll by the beautiful flowers. I am still amazed at the minimal cost of fresh cut flowers in this area. It must be all the wonderful rain. :)

After thinking of all the beef, chips and lemonade I consumed, I had to make my way over to the fruit and vegetable vendors to rid myself of the guilt.

My first vegetable stop was more like dessert. The Sugar Snap Peas were so good, they didn't even make it home.

I had to start getting a little more serious about my vegetable intake so I found myself at Millingwood Organics. The owners were a delight to chat with and I loved the Kale I had in my morning vegetable juice. What made it even better was knowing it was locally grown and organic. My husband also enjoyed the organic mixed greens with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Since the mixed greens weren't your ordinary mixed greens, they suggested I try the mixed greens in a stir fry, so that will be next. Their mixed greens consists of a combination of broccoli leaves, callard greens, kale, mustard greens, just to name a few. If you can't find your suggested vegetable intake in this combination, it doesn't exist.

Another delight of the Farmers Market is the view. Not many places you get a dinner view like this.

Until next week!

Featured Video of the Week

2010-06-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

My Daughter and I were talking how it would be fun during the summer months to have her bring to you, her featured video of the week. After finding Salmon heads on the beach the other day, she would like to bring you, "Fish Heads, Fish Heads, Rolly Polly Fish Heads." This should give you some insight to our families sense of humor. How many of you remember this one?

Washington Tulip Festival

2010-04-15T02:46:00.000-07:00

Now That's Tulip Passion!

After a cold rainy winter it was candy to the eyes to witness the Tulip Festival here in Washington. I have always admired pictures from Holland with fields of color and beauty. I have always had a passion for gardening, so this was a good day for the soul. The only thing missing was my gardening buddy, Tina Edwards and her daughter Ashley Edwards.

After leaving the festival , I passed by the 4 die hard Tulip Festival goers, above. I chuckled and admired their devotion and kept walking. I was thinking about how I couldn't wait to tell everyone, but then I stopped. I thought how I could try and explain this, but how a picture would be worth a thousand words. So I politely asked for a picture, which they were happy to oblige. They said I was one of many requesting a picture so they wondered if there picture would end up on the internet. Well, here it is! I didn't get any names so I hope they are able to find this. If you are one of the die hard tulip goers above, please leave a comment, we would love to hear from you.

Enjoy Mother Nature's beauty!

Now that's one cute kid!

For more information about the Skagit County Tulip Festival visit www.Tulips.com

Sunshine Award - My first Award!

2010-03-07T01:28:00.000-08:00

Wow! I'm speechless. I was just nominated for my first blog award. I feel like I'm at the Oscars. :)

Many thanks to Skirts and Wellies for this lovely Sunshine Award.

I would like to pay it forward by nominating:

1. Groovy Inclinations

2. Terina's Picture's

3. Sally Brigg

4. Mom's Best Bets

5. Praying for Parker

6. Vintage Girl at Heart

7. Muddling Along Mommy

8. The Roark Family

9. Brandy Deming

10. Andersen Activities

11. Scentsy

If you're link is above enjoy your Sunshine Award! Copy the pic and post some of your favourites for a Sunshine award. Don't forget to let them know they've been nominated. Have a great day.

Seattle's Music Scene

2010-02-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

Now that we live in Seattle we decided to combine my daughters musical talent with the Seattle music scene. She often sits at the piano playing songs by ear, and plays the violin in her school orchestra. She is too good to let this musical talent go to waste.

She is now playing keyboards for a Seattle band. Much to my pleasure her band is helping me relive my 90's era by learning the song Teen Spirit by Nirvana. Little did I know when I was listening to this song over and over again 15 years ago, I would be living in the city where it all began. Even better, I get to watch my daughter relive this part of Seattle's music history.

My Scentaholic Team

2010-02-07T23:16:00.000-08:00

Little did I know when I joined Scentsy a little over 2 years ago, how my life would be changing for the better, both financially and personally. What started as my fun hobby has turned into a successful business. I had the honor of being being one of the first 19 Scentsy Consultants to be a Founding Member.  Each year I have earned annual sales and mentor awards and monthly recognition awards. I have also had the pleasure of winning incentive trips to Hawaii, Banff Canada, The Broadmoor, and an Alaskan Cruise.  On these trips I have met the most amazing people that have inspired me in so many ways.

Among the people who have inspired me the most, is my Scentsy team.  I could not be where I'm at today without the wonderful help of my downline "The Scentaholics" and their amazing motivation and inspiration.  I have the best people on my team and I feel so blessed to rub shoulders with them.  I learn so much from them and they lift me and inspire me to be better. It has been such a joy to watch them use their unique talents to create their own flourishing Scentsy businesses and watch their lives change for the better too.

In today's economy with people losing their jobs and homes I am watching my teams businesses thrive.  While most people are taking pay freezes and paycuts I watch my teams income grow far more than working for someone else. It is so much fun.

Our Scentaholic Team has grown to over 300 + members in almost every region where Scentsy is available, including Puerto Rico, Guam and Canada.

Thank you everyone on our Scentaholic Team for making us all shine a little brighter.

Seattle's own Geoffrey Castle & Eric Robert

2010-01-22T02:04:00.000-08:00

After picking my daughter up from school today, she got in the car and sat back in her seat and sighed, and told me she had the best day at school, ever. Quite curious of her day, she said they had a guest musician play during an assembly at school and he was soooooo good she couldn't speak, move, blink and her face went pale while he played his electric violin.

He was going to be performing a concert at her school later that evening, but due to other plans we were not planning on attending. After seeing the passion in her eyes and wanting to encourage her musical talent we quickly changed our plans to attend. I'm not sure who was more mesmerized by his music, me or her. I had never seen such talent delivered in a captivating way. Geoffrey Castle's music sent chills down my spine.

After being able to divert my attention to my daughter I noticed she had the same transfixed expression I had.

Not only was his music amazing, his cause for the concert equally impressed me. Geoffrey and keyboardist, Eric Robert, are using their musical gifts to raise awareness of the decline of music in our schools. With cutbacks happening everywhere, unfortunately the music programs in our schools is the first to go. I shutter to think what our next generation will be like without music in their lives. How many budding musicians will miss their opportunity?

Thank you Geoffrey for a great evening of music, inspiring my daughter and raising awareness of a very important cause.

Boeing 787

2010-01-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

787 Landing Cleaned Up 1/9/2010 from Liz Matzelle on Vimeo

The main reason for our relocation to Seattle was Boeing and the new 787 Dreamliner. It was quite a sight, watching history in the making, while this new composite airplane took flight for the first time.

My husband came across this video this morning, while surfing the net, and I liked it so much I wanted to share it with all of you. I really like the shot of Mt. Rainer in the background. I hope you enjoy it too.

Scentsy February Warmer of the Month - Paws

2010-01-12T01:23:00.000-08:00

Each month, Scentsy reveals a Scent and Warmer offered at a 10% discount. For the month of February, Scentsy will be revealing the new Scentsy Warmer, Paws.

I am really excited for this warmer. I know a lot of animal lovers who would either like this warmer for either their own home or as a gift for their animal loving friend.

Animal lovers can now express their affection for their furry friends and add beautiful Scentsy fragrance to their homes at the same time. Designed in an alternating barn red, cream, taupe and black checkerboard pattern with playful debossed black paw prints and embossed “I my pet” sentiments, Paws is adorable! Add a high-gloss black lid surrounded by debossed paw prints and you have a playfully designed warmer perfect for a family room, child’s room, powder room or anywhere you want to showcase your love for your pets.

For more information, visit my website, www.Addicted2scents.com.

The New Improved Fun FREE Giveaways is Here!

2010-01-06T01:58:00.000-08:00

This past Scentsy holiday shopping season was one of the busiest times of my Scentsy career. At the same time my income far exceeded anything I thought possible. Thank you Scentaholic Team!!!

At the same time I watched many of our team members reach goals and sales figures they didn't expect to accomplish either. What pleasant surprises for all of us.

Being that the holiday season was so busy, I haven't had the chance to focus my efforts on this blog or my other sites and blogs. I have been wanting to change my site, http://addicted2scents.blogspot.com/, formerly known as Fun FREE Giveaways to it's proper url address, http://funfreegiveaways.blogspot.com/.

I'm excited to announce that Fun FREE Giveaways is officially here. I started this site a few months ago after attending a Meet Up Group for women here in Seattle. This meet-up group is intended to help independent business owners promote one anothers business. Since the internet has been a big help in promoting my Scentsy business I was thinking of how I could use the internet to help them, in addition to other independent business owners. After a member of our Scentsy Team, Shawn Robinson, who is quite knowledgeable with the internet, introduced me to a blog that discussed how giveaways were a great way to promote your online business, a light bulb went off and I created Fun FREE Giveaways.

My Scentsy career keeps me quite busy so I don't have as much time as I like to dedicate to Fun FREE Giveaways, but if I am able to help a few business owners improve their business, my mission will be accomplished.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Skirts & Wellies

2009-12-27T02:43:00.000-08:00

One of my long time, extremely talented, good friends, Sandi moved to the United Kingdom just outside of England a few years back to start her marrriage and family. After visiting and taking in the sites in Europe, such as Scotland, Ireland, Germany and more, She met her husband after visiting the UK to obtain her Masters Degree. When she returned back to the states, it was apparent that her heart was still in the England with her soon to be husband. Shortly thereafter, she relocated to England and started her family.

Although we here in the US miss her, she still shares her talents and creativity on her latest blog "Skirts and Wellies."

It is great way for all us friends who miss her to still experience her talents and creativity.

If you want to be a believer of her talents too, I would highly recommend visiting, http://skirtsandwellies.blogspot.com/

You won't regret it.

Help Mend Maureens Heart

2009-12-17T00:05:00.000-08:00

One of the many enjoyments I receive in my Scentsy journey is the incredible people I meet.

There have been many amazing people I have had the pleasure of coming in contact with, but one in particular has been Carlos Pundik from Tampa Florida.

I was fortunate enough to have Carlos join our Scentsy Scentaholic team in September 2009. Carlos is extremely talented, charismatic and his willingness to share his creative talents and expertise with the rest of our team has made him invaluable.

A few weeks ago I learned that the mother of Carlos children, Maureen, was rushed to Broward General Medical Center CVICU due to a sudden, unidentified infection which has severely weakened her heart. She is in critical, yet stable condition with only 10% of her heart working on it's own. The doctors tell us they are limited and it may be in her best interest to be transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital for a heart transplant. However, issues with(out) insurance are making things complicated and slow.

The family is asking for as much support as possible. Although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Maureen, yet, I am hoping that my small donation and a link to her website, http://www.helpmendaheart.com/ will help make a small difference.

If you can, please help Carlos and his family, help Maureen.

Thank you!

Our Scentsy Team is now in New Hampshire

2009-12-10T07:34:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to welcome my teams first Scentsy Consultant in the state of New Hampshire.

There are only 47 Scentsy Consultants in the entire state of New Hampshire, including our new teammate Shannon Dawson. Welcome aboard Shannon!!

This is an exciting opportunity for Shannon to be the leader of Scentsy in Dover, New Hampshire. It isn't everyday that an opportunity comes along to join one of the most successful, fast growing companies as the leader in your area.

I can't wait to see where this exciting opportunity is going to take her.

Stay Tuned...

Our Scentsy Team brings new Directors to Texas, Alaska & Washington

2009-12-10T02:20:00.000-08:00

The month of November ended with my Scentsy team amazing me once again. In addition to our records sales, I am so happy to welcome 3 new Directors to our Scentsy team.

Norma and Chris Boushey, Washington

Nikki Adams, Amarillo Texas

Martha Cooper, Alaska

They join our teams 4 other Directors

Shawn and Wendy Robinson, Washington

Jamie Tyner, Colorado

Shannon Schmidt, Texas

Kristin De Los Santos, Texas

If you would have told me 2 years ago that I would have a team of over 300 members, 7 Directors along with records sales in the six figures, I would have laughed. Little did I know of the opportunity that was in front of me. Even better, I think this is just the beginning of many great things to come, not just for me and my family, but for everyone in our team, especially our new Scentsy Directors.

They each have their own unique talents and creativity that has helped them reach their Scentsy goals in such a short period of time. I am so impressed with their talents and how they have successfully led their own teams. Their team members are very lucky to have them for an example and guidance with their Scentsy journey.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone on my team. It is such a honor to be associated with such a talented group of people.

Back Links

2009-11-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

I was online looking for back links and came across this site, http://linkbacklink.blogspot.com. What a great kind idea, the author of this site had. It is simply a site to provide back links for all of us, helping everyone. It doesn't cost a think and everyone wins.

So, to repay the favor, for them allowing me a back link, I am providing them a few back links as well.

Thank you for the kind public service.

Scentsy is Exceeding all my Expectations!

2009-11-21T04:23:00.000-08:00

Little did I know when I decided to join Scentsy two year ago, what my Scentsy future would hold. The past few months have far exceeded my expectations and much to my amazement it still keeps growing in record numbers each day.

Two months ago, my Scentsy business consisted of a little over 200 people, including two Directors, Shannon Schmit and Kristin De Los Santos, from Amarillo Texas. They had both promoted to Director in just 3 short months. Also, after my team expanded into Puerto Rico, my team was expanding internationally for the first time into Canada. Also, much to my amazement, my Group Wholsale Volume was well over $50,000.

The following month I had two other talented members of my team, Shawn Robinson and Jamie Tyner promote to Director. Wow! Because of their promotion, this promoted me to Star Director, a title and promotion I'm honored to hold. Also, along with this accomplishment came a nice pay raise. While other people and families are strugglig with the poor economy, lay offs and pay cuts, I am watching not only my checks increase on a monthly basis but my team members as well.

Now jump forward two months later to mid November. My Scentsy team member and sales have almost doubled and a few more people who will most likely achieve the title of Scentsy Director this month too. This may possibly promote me to SuperStar Director, which is the highest title a Scentsy Consultant holds. WOW!! I am still pinching myself to see if this is all real.

The fact that we still have over one more month left of the Christmas Holiday shopping season, I can't wait to see what my incredible team will surpise me with next. Also, the beautiful Holiday Scentsy products that Scentsy has introduced has helped. These Holiday Warmers and Holiday Scentsy scents are selling at records rates.

I am so honored to be the leader of not only a company that allows me this kind of opportunity, but the talented group of people who have the vision and talent to make these promotions possible.

If my team has been able to accomplish these kind of strides in just 2 short years, I can't wait to see what the future holds.

To be continued...

Holiday Scentsy Warmers, Parker & FUN FREE Giveaways

2009-10-03T00:48:00.000-07:00

When I first moved to Seattle, from Salt Lake City, Utah, I joined a Meet Up Group for women. I thought this group would be a fun way to meet other local independent business owners while at the same time sharing my Scentsy business. The purpose of this meet-up group is to promote one another businesses while sharing friendships. Because the internet has been a big help to promote my Scentsy business, I thought how I could use the internet to help these other women as well. Next came the birth of FUN FREE Giveaways.

Recently my sister-in-law, in Salt Lake City, was telling me a story about a boy born with many health difficulties. His health problems have caused huge medical expenses for his family. After learning that their medical insurance would soon be capping out, with many more medical procedures in need, I thought how I could use FUN FREE Giveaways to help him as well.

Each month I giveaway Scentsy products and pick one lucky winner from the comments left on the blog. I thought why not use FUN FREE Giveaways to help Parker while at the same time improving someone's home for the Holidays with a Beautiful Christmas Scentsy Warmer. Click Here to see the beautiful line of Christmas Scentsy Warmers debuting November 1st.

So, for the month of October I will be giving away 2 of the popular Scentsy Holiday Warmers to 2 lucky winners who contribute $5 or more to Parkers cause. No family, especially one in such need, should have to go without medical insurance.

Although I know much more is needed, I hope this event will help make a small difference.

To learn more, visit FUN FREE Giveaways and http://www.prayingforparker.com/

My Teams first Scentsy Consultants in Canada

2009-10-02T03:05:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day in Scentsy history today. I have been anxiously waiting for this day, ever since Scentsy announced at the convention, it would be opening its doors in Canada.

I have been speculating what an incredible opportunity it would be to have the very first Scentsy Consultant in Canada join my Team. For the wise person in Canada who is smart enough to have the Scentsy vision, they now have the opportunity to have 50,000 Scentsy Consultants on their Scentsy team just like Scentsy has done in 5 short years. Scentsy has been able to accomplish this amazing feat breaking all kinds of records in the direct selling and party plan industry. Now that Scentsy is in Canada it gets to start all over again.

When our new Scentsy websites were launched internationally for the first time today I had the pleasure of watching our Scentsy Team cross the U.S. border into Canada, for the very first time.

I would like to give a big welcome to my teams first two Canadian Scentsy Consultants, Roxanne Tash Reis and Shelley Murchison.

I can't wait to see where this incredible opportunity is going to take them.

It is a pleasure to have the two of your represent our Scentaholic Scentsy team in Canada!

My Team's New Scentsy Consultants

2009-09-16T21:15:00.000-07:00

Each month I put out a Team Newsletter for our Scentaholic Scentsy Team located throughout the United States, including Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and hopefully soon to be Canada. In addition to our teams accomplishments during the past month and team and company updates, I list each new member of our Scentsy Team, their location and their Scentsy sponsor. For the month of September I am proud to announce our teams newest Scentsy Consultants:

Shellie Kokrda - Scentsy Washington
Doris Cole - Scentsy Virginia
Tracey Osborn - Scentsy Vancouver
Shirley Farrow - Scentsy Washington D.C.
Lindsay Sittler - Scentsy Washington Des Moines Washington
Stacy Cornwell - Scentsy Arkansas
Katherine Mendiola - Scentsy Washington Olympia Washington
Irma Fernandez - Scentsy Texas San Antonio Texas
Casey Jordan - Scentsy Texas Amarillo Texas
Amber Shelton - Scentsy Oklahoma MCalister Oklahoma
Kimber Wingard - Scentsy Colorado LaJunta Colorado
Ryan Robinett - Scentsy Saginaw Texas
Kristin Pinkerton - Scentsy Texas
Carlos Pundik - Scentsy Tampa Florida

I am so excited for our teams newest Scentsy Consultants. Each month I am so amazed at our teams growth and what an incredible job everyone on our Scentsy team is doing. I can't wait to see who will be on this list next month.

Thanks for all you do Team! You Rock!!

Who needs Video Games when you Have Scentsy?

2009-09-13T23:02:00.000-07:00

I never realized that Scentsy could fast becoming the next big thing to Nintendo and Wii. Scentsy is quickly making our home the "Scentsy house instead of the "Kool Aid" house. In fact, instead of the "Kool Aid" Mom," my name is quickly becoming the "Scentsy Lady."

When I pick my daughter up from school, I over hear the other kids tell their friends "that's the Scentsy Lady." Also, I have many kids on a daily basis approach me and tell me how much they love Scentsy.

When the neighbor kids come over, their attention always turns to Scentsy. I see them sitting around the table smelling my Scentsy Testers, putting them into piles of which one's they like, sort of like and don't like. Instead of watching TV I see them sitting on the couch browsing my latest Scentsy catalog and commenting on which Scentsy Warmers they like best. Best of all, I over hear them deciding which warmer and scents they want to give to their friends, family and teachers for Chrismas gifts.

Also, when I am need of a little help with my Scentsy business, such as labeling catalogs or products, I find that bribing the kids with Scentsy products works much better than cash. They can't wait to chip in and go home with a FREE Scentsy Car Candle or Scentsy Bar.

My daughter who is surrounding by Scentsy on a daily basis, just doesn't seem to understand her friends fascination with Scentsy but she eventually joins in on sampling and commenting on her favorite scents too. In fact, she is still struggling with the fact the Strawberry Sweetie has been discontinued.

When they grow up and begin their journey into those high school years, my hopes are that they will consider Scentsy their positive addiction of choice instead of the other negative influences they will be subjected to. I also hope they won't be too cool to continue calling me the "Scentsy Lady" and will still want to hang out at the "Scentsy House." These are titles I consider an honor and hope to carry with me for many years to come.

Scentsy Contribute 2009

2009-09-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am so inspired by Scentsy's new program. Scentsy is giving us the opportunity to help our fellow businesses in our local communities and make a real difference in this slow economy. As Orville & Heidi Thompson (owners of Scentsy) said "We have been blessed with Scentsy and want to give back. We are asking you and anyone else that would like to make a difference to give back too." Your donation can make all the difference.

The business I chose to pledge is the Beehive Tea Room. I have known the owner of the Beehive Tea Room, Lisa Brady for years. I have watched her share her artistic talent with the public through her floral arrangements to designing movie sets. The movie business was quite demanding of her time. So, being a single parent she took a big leap, and paycut, and decided to use her talent to open up her own business. This would allow her to spend more time with her daughter.

Lisa's Tea Room is a like a step back in time. You feel like you have entered a Tea Room in Savannah back in the 40's. It gives locals a classy, yet laid back place to socialize, have a party, or to simply hangout and escape from the day to day grind. Lisa's sacifices, hardwork and touch of class she has brought to Salt Lake, I feel, makes her a well deserved recipient of the Scentsy "Contribute 2009" program. Click on the "Take the Pledge" photo for more information or Click Here to contact me.

Scentsy September Warmer of the Month Jack O'Latern Bringing Out those Non-believers!

2009-09-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

NEW! SCENTSY SEPTEMBER WARMER OF THE MONTH Jack O'Lantern

I'm so excited about this new warmer. Scentsy out did itself this time. What a great way to combine not only the pleasing fragrance of Scentsy, but also to have a wonderful Halloween decoration as well.

Even my skeptical friends are ordering the Jack O'Latern Scentsy Warmer from me. They are my wonderful friends who were quite skeptical when they heard I was beginning a home based business. Having been victims of other Direct Selling businesses, they were quite leary. You know, they avoid you when the topic of Scentsy comes up because they think you are going to try to recruit them and all their friends and family. They are afraid to come over to your home because you might have the chairs in the living room in the shape of a circle. You know those old Amway horror stories.

Although, I couldn't blame them, I was skeptical myself. In fact when my husband first brought home a Scentsy Catalog, I avoided it because it was Multi Level Marketing. However, when I saw the product, I thought it was an innovative idea along with an incredible business opportunity. The more I thought about it I couldn't think of a reason why I shouldn't join. For only $99 I was able to receive everything I needed to start my own Scentsy business. I was so excited I couldn't sleep. I waited until a reasonable hour in the morning to call the name on the catalog. She was the wife of my husbands co-worker, I had briefly met once.

After that it has been a wonderful Scentsy addiction. Hence our team name "Scentaholics." There isn't a day that goes by that I don't ponder ways to seize the opportunity of being one of the pioneers of Scentsy.

With a little bit of time, my friends and family have realized I'm not a pushy person, I am in this Scentsy business because I love the product and strongly believe in the business opportunity. They are seeing my passion in what I do and are starting to come around. In fact of the 200+ members of my team, I haven't had to strong hold one of them. When the Scentsy business opportunity presented itself to them, they were smart enough to see the Scentsy vision. They didn't need any convincing.

Now, my friends and family don't avoid me when I talk about Scentsy. They realize there is more to it than they originally thought. They see this is a business I am not only enjoying, but having a lot of fun with. As one of my friends put it, "I have never seen so you passionate and enjoy your job as much as you do with Scentsy, its nice to see." In fact, my Scentsy business grew so quickly, it has been time consuming at times. I'm very grateful for my friends and family who although may have not understood, were supportive of me building my Scentsy business.

In the beginning, I think most of my acquaintances thought my candle business was a fluke and wouldn't last longer than a couple of months. Now that they have seen my business grow by over 500% this past year and watched my Scentsy team grow to over 200+ Consultants located throughout the United States, Armed Forces, Puerto Rico and soon to be entering an international market including Canada, they aren't as skeptical. They have watched my paychecks gradually increase each month. Also, when they see me take off for exotic, all expense paid vacations to Banff Canada, Alaskan Cruises, the fabulous Broadmoor Hotel and other exotic hotels for spa treatments etc., they are realizing that this is something to be taken a little more seriously. Also, when they saw the $2,000+ check I received at the Scentsy Convention for winning the Annual Sales & Mentor Award, they realize, maybe there is a little more to this Scentsy Business.

Katie Jones

http://www.Addicted2scents.com/

http://www.WicklessinSeattle.net/

http://www.WicklessinSeattle.org/

http://Addicted2scents.blogspot.com/

http://Scentaholic-Team.blogspot.com/

http://WicklessinSeattle.blogspot.com/

Scentsy Business Opportunity coming to Canada

2009-09-04T23:44:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited to announce that the Scentsy business opportunity is coming to Canada October 1st. Available in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario provinces. What does this mean? 5 years ago when Scentsy opened in the United States it has become the fastest growing Home Based Candle Business and has quickly grown to over 40,000 Scentsy Consultants. Now that Scentsy is opening in Canada, it is going to start all over again. The first consultants to Join Scentsy in Canada have the opportunity to be where Scentsy was 5 years ago. What an incredible opportunity to create an amazing Business for yourself. Scentsy is on track to become one of the largest Home Based Candle companies EVER. Who wouldn't want to be part of this rare opportunity to be one of the first Scentsy Consultants in Canada? For more information or to get on our teams waiting list, visit my website http://www.addicted2scents.com/ or e-mail me at Addicted2scents@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you. ~ Katie

My Scentsy Story! - by Katie Jones

2009-08-28T21:23:00.001-07:00

I started my Scentsy career November 2007 and little did I know of the amazing opportunity I was entering upon. My original intent was to simply make a little extra money, while working from home.

My husband was employed by the airlines and after 9-11 and many paycuts later, it was time for me to start bringing a little more money to the table.

Before meeting the love of my life and having our third child, I was single parent for over 10 years and my older kids spent a lot of time in day care, while I worked and put myself through college.  Having missed out on so much during their childhood I didn't want to miss out those once in a lifetime events with my 3rd child.

So, when it was time for me to go back to work, after being very lucky to be a stay at home for a few years, I was very concerned about giving up my flexibility and putting our 3rd child in day care.  I wanted to be the one experiencing her "firsts" in life, not the day care provider.

My husband understood these concerns so when a co worker was telling him about his wife's home based business called Scentsy my husband thought this would be a good opportunity for me. After finding out it was direct sales I told him to forget about it and not to bother bringing home a Scentsy Catalog. I had a very bad taste in my mouth about MLM and didn't want to have anything to do with it.

This is one of those few times I am so glad he didn't listen to me. He did bring home a Scentsy catalog and when I decided to look it, for his sake, it was as though a light bulb went off. I was extremely impressed with what an incredible product Scentsy offered, what a great idea it was to have a flameless, wick free, safe scented candle and how the company was so new I would have the opportunity to get in on a ground floor opportunity. Plus, there was just something different about Scentsy that I had never seen before, especially in direct selling companies.

I guess you could say I immediately had the Scentsy vision and knew this was a product and opportunity I didn't want ot miss out on. I couldn't sleep all night and patiently waited until 10 the next morning to visit the website on the back of the catalog to sign up.

As of today, September 5th, there are almost 45,000 Scentsy consultants. I feel very fortunate to have found this company during it's infancy. I now have a team of over 200+ wonderful consultants through most of the United States, Puerto Rico, Iraq and now that Scentsy is opening it's doors in Canada I look forward to entering this untapped region of the world as well.

I discovered Scentsy while living in Utah, which is where Scentsy was born. Since that time I have moved to Seattle where Scentsy isn't very well known, yet. I predict that Scentsy will become a household name in approximately 3 years throughout most of the nation. My goal is to become the pioneer of Scentsy throughout most of the nation, especially in my new home.  If you would have told me this one year ago, I would have laughed at you. However, seeing the progress my business has made in such a short time, I feel confident this goal is obtainable with the help of my incredible customers and team.

Having joined Scentsy during the Christmas holidays, I guess you could call it a "baptism by fire" experience. No better way to start your business than in the midst of holiday rush. Scentsy was so popular, they were having a difficult time keeping up with the demand, but they did it. However, there were a few instances that the supply didn't meet the demand. In those instances Scentsy included a free Scentsy Warmer with every order. This was a profit breaking time for Scentsy, but to help keep our businesses strong and our Scentsy customers happy, Scentsy cut into their profits to help us consultants.  I was very impressed that this company was more concerned about their consultants and their customers than they were their profits. It was at this time that I was certain I made the right choice with my new career.

That was just one of the growing pains of being with a new, up and coming company. I must admit that I have been very impressed with the progress Scentsy has made in not only keeping up with supply and demand (and there is a lot of demand) but shipping as well. I have watched products that used to take approximately 2-3 weeks for delivery, be delivered within 1 week. Of course, shipping times depends on the season and demand, but I feel safe saying Scentsy products are delivered within 10 business days.

Not only has it been impressive to watch the Scentsy shipping dept. improve by leaps and bounds, but in almost every other aspect as well. When I joined, the only training available was what your sponsor learned through trial and error. There was no training nor training materials available at this time, except what we consultants created and shares.  With my first recruits, I felt like it was more like the blind leading the blind. However, the Scentsy Products were so wonderful and the company was so authentic and genuine, it didn't matter. We all just kept "plugging along" knowing we were part of something that was going to be BIG.

With a lot of work and determination, my Scentsy business started to take on a life of its own.  The company and Scentsy Products are so simple that the Scentsy products, really do sell themselves.  All you need to do is simply show Scentsy to someone and they want it.  But, who wouldn't? Scentsy is affordable, safe, elegant, long lasting and the 80 different scents you have to choose from are MagnifiSCENT!

With a supportive company, incredible products, talented hard working team combined with the work and support from my family and friends, I was able to promote to Scentsy Director in 6 months. With most Direct Selling companies it takes on average of 5- 6 years, so I was quite pleased.

After becoming Director another honor was becoming one of Scentsy's first 17 founding members. There are 50 Scentsy Founding Members in all. The picture above was taken when 9 of us were recognized during the Scentsy Convention in Boise Idaho, 2008.

I was also honored to be able to be one of the top 10 Scentsy Consultants asked to join the owners of Scentsy, Orville and Heidi Thompson, for a quaint dinner at the fabulous Fairmont Hotel in Banff Canada. The picture above was taken during the Scentsy 2009 Incentive trip to Canada. (I just can't seem to avoid the heat wherever I go) LOL

This FREE trip to Canada for both my husband and I was an all expense paid trip. In fact, during the time we were in Canada, it was our 10 year anniversary. We opted out of one of the group events on the day of our anniversary, so we could spend the day together. When Scentsy learned of this, they gave us the cash for what they would have spent on this event. I was so amazed. We spent the day walking into town and enjoyed a nice lunch together. What a great memory for our 10 year anniversary, especially since we couldn't have afforded a trip like this on our own.

I have also had the pleasure of being treated to a week of spa treatments and the Broadmoor Hotel, in Colorado Springs, with 9 of the 50 Founding Members... (see picture below)

a FREE Cruise to Alaska, Spa treaments at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, just to name a few of my elegant incentives. Each time I go on these elegant trips, I feel like royalty. Having never been in a financial position to afford opportunities like this on my own, made it even more AMAZING!! The only downfall to an incredible trip like this is missing all the wonderful friends I made, the wonderful 5 star accomodations and meals having your bedding turned down at night with a chocolate on your pillow and more. In fact, each evening Scentsy had a small, elegant gift waiting for us in our rooms, like bathrobes, photo albums, and more. It's difficult to adjust back to reality after being treated like a queen for a week. LOL

Now on to how I picked my website and team name. When I was promoted to being a Scentsy Director, I was having a difficult time choosing a name for my new team. At 3:00 in the morning, I couldn't sleep. I was awake putting all my Scentsy ideas into motion, which is a usual occurance with me during the wee early morning hours. I am quite a night owl. During this time, one of my new recruits e-mailed me. She said she loved Scentsy so much and was so excited with her new business she couldn't sleep either because she was addicted to Scentsy. That is when the team name "Scentaholics" came to light and also inspired my website address, www.Addicted2scents.com. This is just 2 of the many inspirations I receive from my wonderful team. They inspire me in so many ways and I feel so very fortunate to be involved with such a talented group of people.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Scentsy Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah in July 2009. It was so much fun spending time with a few of my incredible teammates. Most of us are located throughout the nation, so it was nice to be able to spend time together in the same city and what better way than at a Scentsy Convention. What a great experience and memory we shared. The knowledge, friendships and experience we shared is difficult to describe, except the word AMAZING comes to mind. Before the convention we were on one of our team calls trying to come up with a theme for our team on Team Spirit Day during the convention. After a lot of giggling, and silly ideas we came up with the idea "Scentaholics... Don't Dred Our Addicition" and along came the Jamaican theme. Our talented teammate Terina Ballard designed and created our team logo. She also created our team description amongst many other great ideas she has shared with all of us. Below you can see the fun we had with this theme.

At the convention, I had the honor of winning the Annual Mentor and Sales Award. I won the Annual Sales Award for having achieved over $37,000 in sales, and the Annual Mentor Award for having personally sponsored over 60 Scentsy Consultants that year. I received a trophy, plaque and best of all a check over $2,000. That was just one of the many perks and great memories from this convention.

Now back to my first year with Scentsy. Being one of the first 17 Founding Members, Orville and Heidi Thompson invited my husband and I to their beautiful home for dinner. I was in Idaho for the Scentsy Convention with my husband and daughter, but not knowing anyone in Idaho, I was having a difficult time finding child care. Much to my surprise Orville and Heidi graciously invited my child to spend the evening with their babysitter and children. I was so impressed that the owners of this wonderful company, with everything on their plate, would be generous enough to be concerned with my child care needs. I knew then, they really did live up to their motto of being a family oriented company of generosity, value and authenticity.

Almost 2 years later, needless to say, I am able to make the car payment, which was my original goal. If that wasn't wonderful enough, I have the flexibility to be home for my family, school events, etc., love what I do, and love the amazing people I have met along my Scentsy journey.

There have been challenges, just like anything in life, but I knew with time, effort and the ability to overcome these obstacles my Scentsy business had the potential of blossoming into something incredible. It is only the beginning and thanks to my AMAZING team and customers I know it is only the beginning of many great things to come.

Yes, my original plan was to improve my families life. In addition to accomplishing this, I am having the best time being part of watching Scentsy enrich and change my teams lives for the better as well. Although the pay is nice, watching people achieve their Scentsy dreams and change their personal and families lives for the better, is priceless.

I look forward to sharing many more wonderful Scentsy stories and experiences with you on this blog.

Make it a SCENTsational Day!

~ Katie Jones