RedGage Did Maintenance, I Did WORK

Earlier this evening, RedGage was doing maintenence on the site, so that meant I couldn't run up and down the tutorial halls. Bummer! Because at that time, I didn't have my research finished for my next lense.... so......

What did I do?

I worked!

And I do mean w-o-r-k. So much so, that instead of staying up till my normal 4 am... I'm going to bed at 1!

I. dug. potatoes.

Or actually, as I really say it.. I dug taters!

Seriously! Went out to the garden and got on my hands and knees and dug potatoes!!! I started out using a garden rake, which broke on the fifth mound, (there were at least 50 of em) which did considerable amounts of pain to my back.

No, I don't have back problems, I just don't do a lot of bending over and picking things up off the ground after I dig 'em up! My day consists of 12 hours on the computer, 1 hour eating, spaced out between 3 meals, and 7 hours sleeping!

RedGage really messed up my routine!!!

I diligently dug though. Because there is NO way I'm going to do two days of that! Oh, did I mention this is only the FIRST time in my life I ever dug taters? GEEZ LOUISE!

My cousin had to dig taters one time and she told me that she got so hot that she got sick. So, I knew right then tater digging was not for me!

So, I think RedGage should quadruple my earnings for all of the physical work I had to do today! LOL

But I'm fine now. They are back up and running. Too bad I'm too tired to run the halls!

So, (unless I am too sore to sit) tomorrow I will have a new lense up and running! I'll make sure to blog it right after I eat some tater soup!

See ya!

RedGage vs Squidoo

Now that I'm off my reading binge (yes I finished Sons of the Fathers.. you can read about it here. So I don't have the reading to blame for my lack of blogging anymore. BUT. I do have Squidoo and RedGage to blame!

I make a lense and run over to RedGage.

OR

I run down the tutorial halls of RedGage learning and looking. I can't figure out which site is the most addictive. I click on a link on one and before I know it hours have passed by and I end up going to bed. Just to wake up and do it again the next day!

But seriously. They are both some great sites you should check out! Especially if you want to show the world your stuff!

RedGage even pays you when people click on your links! How great is that? I really like being able to have a central location to put all of my web stuff. Between my photos, videos, lenses and web pages, I have my own world wide web storage room in one spot! It's a great way to promote your stuff.

And the people are GREAT!! Very friendly. Hope to see ya there!

So, click either of the pics and you can join me on them!

Reading

So I disappear for a few days and then post. What's up with that?

Nine times out of ten it is because I'm over there on Squidoo making lenses. To me, that's better than a blog because I can add stuff! The other one of the ten I'm either reading a book or asleep.

I just finished two books by James Scott Bell called "Presumed Guilty" and "Breach of Promise." I loved them both! I'm reading "Sins of the Fathers" now. Go read my lense on them.

If you read the books, you won't be disappointed!

Anyways, I'm off to finish that book so that I can complete my lense totally. Then I'm more than likely off to make another video!

Ciao!

Fundraising The Easy Way

As a parent, an aunt, and a great-aunt (and soon to be grandma) I've had a total of 27 years experience of being on the buying end of fundraisers. Believe me when I say I don't enjoy it!

I've bought everything from candy bars that were thrown out because I'm used to Hershey's Kisses kind of chocolate and nothing else compares, to some very high priced trinkets, like wind chimes, jewelry boxes, and wrapping paper, which the wind chime rusted in two (bought it 2 years ago.. it hangs IN my house), the jewelry box lid broke off the first time I opened it (trashed) and the wrapping paper became useful at Christmas. Looking back now, I wish that I'd had an opportunity to run across the fundraiser that I am on the promoting end of now.

I don't promote it as a means to make money on it. I promote it, because as a buyer of fundraising knick knacks, I would much rather have something useful as a candle, that I can use any time, than I had something that would either wind up in the trash, goodwill donation box, or sitting in the back of the closet in hopes it will get used one day. You know what I mean?

And it's not a candle that is going to burn down and leave you with a big glob of wax or one that will smell good the first time you burn it and then not have a trace of scent later. I'm talking about a candle that even through the glass containers and the plastic wrap on the votives, you can smell them! I am not, by any means, a candle freak. Until I started selling these candles, I could count on one hand how many candles I'd ever bought in my life.

But now, I have a candle in every room of my house! I have simply opened the lid on them. Have yet to burn them. The aroma from the candle can be smelled in every corner of the room. And they aren't even burning!!!

I think the best part of the whole candle though, is the fact that if you do decide to burn it, and you want to keep the jar or the votive holder, it just pops right out and you wash it up with warm soapy water! No wax! Just think of all the soot you don't have to smell!

Not only do I sell them, I'm able to offer them as fundraiser programs too! And you can bet your bottom dollar that I'm working my tail end off promoting them too! Because just like me, I know there are other folks out there that are tired of the candy and the popcorn and the wrapping paper and the car washes and the trinkets and the... well.. you get my point!

So if you run across anyone (group or individual) that needs to have a fundraiser, then tell them to visit me here and I will sure get them set up!

The Family That Preys Together

Ever had one of those days? One that no matter how fast you go, you can't get caught up? Thank goodness that wasn't one of mine today!

But I had an experience this evening that is just as bad as one of those days. I rented Tyler Perry's movie The Family That Preys Together

Now, anyone who has ever rented a movie from Redbox knows you have to have them back at 9:00 p.m. Right? Yeah, well, I decided to start watching this particular dvd at 7:00, thinking Oh sure. I have plenty of time.

Wrong. I made it all the way to Chapter 21 (there's only 24 of them) when I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 8:50!!!!!!

That gives me 5 minutes to get to the store to return them (which I made, even after almost rear-ending a cop that was parked in the street after I rounded a corner) BUT...

Lo and behold one of the machines was broken and there were 9 people in line (yes I counted).

I threw myself on the mercy of the man in the front of the line and he let me return my movies. I came home to check my receipt to find out that I got all three movies in at 8:57, 8:58 and 8:59.

WHEW!

That was a blessing.

But it sure is a bummer to know I still don't know how the movie ended!!!!!!

Now I have to wait 'till next movie night to find out! I left poor Kathy Bates trying to figure out how to reload the camera.

Oh well.

It's a good movie! But I am partial to Tyler Perry's work. I absolutely LOVE his movies!

Madea is one lady I would love to hang out with!

Off to Squidoo.. you should visit there sometimes! There are some really great lenses there!

Will be back in touch soon.

Natural Wax Candles

Do you love candles? Click on the logo above to read my squidoo lense on our gourmet products!
Basket of Candles will be at the Farmers Market in Lufkin Texas tomorrow (5-08-09)
Will post more later in the weekend as I'm still packing up for the show!

Ever Left A Candle In The Sun?

You've seen what happens when you leave candles in the heat haven't you? The big glob of what once was a pretty good looking candle is all you have left.

What would you think if you could find a candle that didn't have wax in it and wouldn't turn into a glob on you? Would you buy it?

The jar on the left is holding the remnants of one of those candles. Notice there's nothing on the sides of the jar? No, it's not trick photography and noone cleaned the jar before the picture was taken.

This is how our gourmet candles burn. Cleanly, evenly, and with the same quality of scent at the end as when you first opened the lid. Notice there's hardly any soot? Another good side of our product. No wax means no petroleum products, which means cleaner air for you and virtually no soot on your walls and furnishings! The small bit of soot that is there is the result of the oils which we use to scent the candles. No candle which burns with a wick is soot free, but ours is one of the closest to being soot free as you can get! Less soot means less exposure to carcinogens. That's always a plus.

I'd like to tell you how I got into this business. My sister was (still is) a distributor for this company and had opened a shop with her line of candles. She had errands one day and asked me if I would mind watching the shop for her. "Just a couple of hours" is what she said. I hesitated because (1) I know how her clock runs (1 hr = 3-5 hrs) and I have sinus trouble (my inheritance from my Dad ).

Anyway, I hesitated and eventually felt bad for not saying yes, so I went to her shop. I walked in the door and the smells from the candles hit me and I thought..'Oh no. I'm going to have a full blown sneeze attack...I'll pay for this good deed.' I walked into the main room where the candles actually were...still no reaction from my nose. I was surprised to say the least. So was my sister!

I can't even walk into a store with dried flowers without having to get out before I sneeze my head off! I stayed at that shop for 6 hours (told ya how her clock runs) and I never had one reaction from the candles.

What I forgot to mention, too, is all of the candles were in glass jars WITH lids and the votives were all in small plastic zipbags. That was something that dawned on me after I had sat there for a while. I was able to smell them strongly and they weren't even open! So I ended up taking one home with me (for payment). And I fell in love with the candles. I started working with her on different shows and setting up fundraisers and such. She called me up one day and told me "You ought to just sign up and earn money too!" Voila. Here I am a year and a half later, with the only other job I've had in my life that I can truly say I love. The other job was flipping hamburgers in a mom and pop cafe where everyone was like family. I never missed a days work there. I looked forward to going to work! Just like I do with my candle shop!

Life is too short to be bogged down with worries and pressures. I'd rather have a job that makes me want to go everyday, that is fun, where I get to meet new people daily, and where I can just take off when I want to, rather than be tied to a desk or cash register or any other job you can think of!

If you think you might be interested in being your own boss (and you won't fire yourself) or if you know of someone who might be, please don't hesitate to contact me. I even offer a pre-sign up training course (it's free) so that you can study up and see if it's even right for you, BEFORE you decide to sign up and start selling! There's two different levels to sell. Independant and Associate Distributors. One you pay each month for a Candle of The Month Club (which gives you products to sell AND your own company website so you can take retail orders online) and as an Associate, you pay nothing and you get nothing (haha)..seriously though, you don't get the COTM or the website, but you do get your candles at a lower price than paying full price!

If you are interested in learning more then give my site a visit at BasketOfCandles. There you will find more on joining our company and the training audios. If you are interested in having the training in Ebook form, then contact me at Lori@basketofcandles and let me know that you are interested in the training Ebook. I will email it to you.

I'll be working on a lense on Squidoo for the same overview of the Ebook so that it'll be easier to access.

I'm off to get some things ready as I have a few vendor shows coming up in the next couple of weeks. Hopefully I will get back on here soon and blog some more. If not, look for me (and add me!) on Facebook, Twitter or Squidoo!

Scentserily,

Lori Lee Ray

www.basketofcandles.com

Win a candle on my site!