Product Review: BurPees & Bows Boutique

I recently purchased, as my daughter's birthday gift, a placemat and Boo-Boo pillow from BurPees & Bows Boutique, the business run by a work at home mother, Samantha Todd McCall. At that time she asked me to also review her newest item, the Therapy Pillows. How could I say no?! I, of course, ordered the Therapy pillow and Boo Boo pillow in lavender, as that is my favorite smell.

BurPees & Bows Boutique has loads and loads of fabric choices. As my newest obsession is owls, that is what I chose. Look how adorable this is? The colors are so bright and cheerful your little one could easily forget their boo-boo. The smell of the pillows is DIVINE! When I opened the package the smell wafted out and immediately I brought it to my nose and breathed in deep. So heady and yet relaxing. I hid them in my bedroom, from my daughter's prying eyes, and the whole room now smells amazing.

The stitching is very well done. I know that the inside material won't be falling out. 

The USES of therapy pillows:

* Use as eye pillow for light pressure and lavender scent for relaxation & reduction of headache/sinus tension. 

* Place in drawers or closets for fresh lavender scented under garmets. 

* Warm OR cool for sore muscle/joint aches and pains - including cramps & headaches:)  Warm use for neck, shoulders, back, tummy, eyes, etc. 

* Keep them at work for stressful days for a quick relaxing break --- beats the water cooler gossip or chocolate!

Boo Boo pillows are $5 and Therapy Pillows are $10. The scents for both are:
 lavender
 peppermint
 grapefruit tangerine
 lemon ginger
 peppermint lavender 
 All of the pillows are always same day shipping. 

The next item from BurPees & Bows Boutique is this beautiful and sturdy placemat. Yes, I chose an owl. My daughter is as in love with them as I am. The seal on the placemat is all around, even a little over on the edging so I don't have to worry that water will seep in during washing and ruin the picture.

The trim also carries over to the back, it isn't left plain. Some people cut corners, but not Samantha.
Placemats are $12 each -- custom designs are always welcomed and encouraged. A proof is sent to the purchaser before the final product is made.


There is so many items available at BurPees & Bows Boutique, it would take me all day to list! Here is a brief list though:
*Coffee Cozies
*Carseat Canopies
*Reusable Snack Bags
*Personalized Melamine Plates
*Crayon Rolls

Be sure to head on over to BurPees & Bows and check out the extensive items she has available. Support WAHM and be proud that you have! Have an amazing day :)

Product Review: Chumper Bumper's

I was so very lucky enough to be able to review Chumper Bumpers, a local Connecticut WAHM. If you're not local to CT, it's ok! Thanks to a good postal service she can ship to you. I was so excited just to open the package and see all the pretty tissue paper!
I was even more excited to see what was inside. Look at how beautiful! I told Andrea, the owner of Chumper Bumpers, that my daughter Amelia's birthday was on Christmas, so Andrea made her something super special.

The bows are high class quality, so very worth the low price! I used to make, and sell, bows so I know how much work goes into them. She even lined the alligator clip, so if your daughter has fine hair it will still stay in place! A must have for any little girl.

Look at the quality! The colors are vibrant, there is no mistakes (ie glue or mismatched pieces). A great work of art from a crafter! Now, onto the gorgeous outfit!

This is the beautiful skirt, perfect for my little girl because it ties on the side with ribbon that Andrea stitched into the top of the skirt making it, in essence, adjustable. So it will definitely fit her for awhile!

Look at the quality in the stitching! That's how you know it's a great seamstress! Most would hide an "ugly" stitch on the inside, but instead it's as smooth and perfect as all visible seams. The outfit, which usually sells for around $, also included a shirt.

This is the shirt which, obviously, matches the skirt. The best part, I feel, about the shirt is that the A is stitched on. In the days of appliques and iron-ons this is a great high point! Now I know that the A won't be coming off in the wash, as the appliques and iron-ons tend to do.

As I said before, her items are very affordable!

The fabric bows go for $10.00 for the set or $5.00 for one. The large stacked bow goes for $8.00 and the polka dot pinwheel goes for $2.75. The skirt and shirt set $20.00 to $30.00, depending on size and fabric. She usually offers the fabric bows in with the cost of complete set or you can pick whatever you choose to match with the outfit! She also recently started making her own labels, so you'll know it's an original Chumper Bumper's item. What is most amazing to me is that Andrea went above and beyond! Not only was she sick with the flu, I had asked rather last minute for the outfit during the holiday season. On top of that she has young children of her own and she priority mailed it so Amelia would have it for her birthday! What a go-to woman to have in your corner. Please, go check her out and tell her Melissa sent you.                                                                                                                                                      

Elegant Elephant Boutique

We all want what's best for our children. We go to extremes to buy clothes for our cute little ones. Sometimes big name clothes, such as Burberry, Dior and Armani, is just a dream (ok for most of us who don't have millionaire status or a membership to the actors guild) but one mommy of 2, soon to be 3, decided she wasn't going to let that stop her.

Angela, owner and creator of the Elegant Elephant Boutique, is a wife and mother of 2 girls, ages 5 and 17 months, with one more on the way. Suffice to say this momma has her hands full! When her first daughter came along she realized her obsession with couture clothing, such as Deux par Deux, was draining her account so she started searching consignment shops. Angela found this mentally, and physically, draining since for every 3 stores she'd go to she'd be lucky to find one designer name outfit. That's when the lightbulb went on! Literally, her husband turned on the lights :)) Just kidding. An idea of great proportions was created.

Elegant Elephant not only carries plenty of designer names, or only couture names I should say, but also does consignment. So you could purchase a clothing item with a name like Catimini for your child, or consign your childs Eliane et Lena outfit. Here's how the consignment works:

• Clothing must be in excellent condition with little signs of wear and from a smoke free home. We only consign high end brands (no gap, gymboree etc)
• We offer two options for consignment: 

1. You determine selling price, you get 45% of the final selling price. This option normally works well with lower 
2. You determine selling price, we charge a flat fee for each item. If the item does not sell, we do not take a commission

      

Here are the fee's:
Top $5
Dress $8
Coat $16
Hat $3
Pants $6
Shoes $10
Other: to be negotiated
**So for example, if you wanted to sell a coat for $100, and it sold, you would get $84 and we would get $16

• Once you have determined which option best suits you, contact us through email, to set up an appointment. We meet clients in the GTA all through London.

          ***If you are outside these areas, you can ship your items to us. Please send pictures prior to shipping as we need to approve what we sell.          We are now offering a discount on fee's when you ship your clothing to us for consignment ($1 off commission per item!!!)

          

Elegant Elephant is currently having a referral contest, which will run through October 15th. All you have to do is refer your friends/family to http://www.facebook.com/ElegantElephantBoutique and have them post on the wall "Hi! New fan! {Insert name here} sent me!" The person who refers the most new fans receives a $25 gift certificate to Elegant Elephant. Here's a few examples of the type of item stocked at Elegant Elephant:

 Happy shopping! :)) Enjoy your day -Melissa

Product Review for Beeutiful Creations

I was given the opportunity to review some items from Beeutiful Creations, a maker of hair accessories for girls. I have been blessed with two boys, so I had to enlist the help of a friend! Her little girls were so excited to help! It could not have gone any better- one loved the dainty little ribbon bows, while the other wanted the flower clips! They were even kind enough to model them for me! :)

The bows consisted of a ribbon-lined alligator clip. This ensured a no slip grip, as well as kept it from snagging or pulling hair!
The best part is that they are only $1 each or two for $1.50! Yes, you read that right!!

            
The custom hair flowers are equally spectacular! At only $4 each, they have so many possibilities! While they were originally created as hair accessories, my model wanted to try it out as a bag accessory! They could also be clipped to a dress, a back pack, or anything else you can think of! They are even large enough for adults to wear. This would be a great addition to a mother/daughter outfit!

Other available items include korker bows, smaller flowers, and seasonal specialties!Custom work is also available to coordinate any event! head over to Beeutiful Creations today and design yours! Make sure to let her know who sent you!

Page Review for The Gray Deer

Girly nostalgia. Sophisticated flare. Arthritic stitches of love...

These are some of the words shop owner, Liz, uses to describe the items in her Etsy store. I could not agree more. Each of the seven pages of the online store is filled with items just begging to be purchased! Little girls will love the handmade pose-able dolls or the matching pig tail bows for their hair.

Moms will love the unique figurines made from spools to the one of a kind jewelry pieces. There is even a sale section full of items all at 30% off! If you are looking for a gift for a special little girl, you don't need to look any further. Head over to The Gray Deer and start your shopping. Don't forget to include a hand painted gift bag to gift your item in!

 Liz is currently a happily married stay-at-home mother of two. She is a Midwest girl through and through, born and raised in Chicago, and now living in Northwest Missouri. You can also join her blog at http://thegraydeer.blogspot.com/ to see all the stories behind each collection! Leave her a message and let her know Little Bee Buzz sent you!

Blessings Unlimited Page Review

Do you like direct sales parties? I, myself, do. I love going to the parties and seeing the product. I love receiving a catalog in the mail and going through to make my “wish list.” I have found a new company to love. It is called Blessings Unlimited. The company was founded in 2006 and continues to inspire lives every day. When you visit Tamara Carroll’s personal page at: http://www.myblessingsunlimited.net/tammycarroll/, you are greeted with a serene layout and all the information you need to know about the company. There is a slide show where you can easily navigate to view the new catalog, preview an exclusive collection, as well as check out the business starter kit. When you are done viewing all the amazing products, you can read the story about the company, join the team, or contact Tamara directly to host your own party and receive great hostess rewards! There is truly something for everyone on this site. From jewelry, home décor, stationery, and even fun things for the little ones, there is a “blessing” for everyone!  That is, if you can decide on just one item! I am in love with all things related to the kitchen, so I have included a photo of one of my favorite things. 

Not an easy decision, by the way. There are so many amazing items to choose from! So, if you are looking for great gift ideas (the holidays are JUST around the corner) go visit Tamara and let her know Little Bee Buzz sent you!! -Keli 

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.
Oscar Wilde

Scentsy Product Review for Kimberly Gibson

Scentsy Product Review

So I was recently lucky enough, and boy do I mean lucky enough, to do a product review of a Scentsy warmer and bar thanks to Kimberly Gibson. I had never tried one before. I was very interested in them, because not only was everyone raving about them but you have to admit they are SERIOUSLY cute!! I mean, come on, look at this beautiful warmer:

The warmer alone makes me smile, let alone the fact that it runs via lightbulb, not fire, which is a great thing when you have a curious toddler who can now reach up on counters! I'm a pretty down to earth, clean scent girl, so I chose the Just Breathe Scentsy bar. 

I totally did not make the wrong choice! What an amazing smell. The warmer is plugged in in my kitchen (probably one of the smelliest rooms in the house, after my teenage sons of course), after running the warmer with just one bar from the brick, within approx. 20 minutes, my whole house smells amazing! If this scent, or this warmer, is not to your liking fret not. With almost 100 warmers or scents to choose from they've got you covered. On a budget? There's the closeout section where you can get a deal! 

Kimberly is a single mother of two young boys, ages 2 and 4. She has a full-time job, that she loves, as a school bus driver. About 2 years ago the same thing happened to her that (she caused lol) happened to me. She purchased a warmer and bar and fell in L.O.V.E.! So in January of this year she decided to sell the product to spread the word on how amazing the product is. When asked why she thinks the product is so good she replied, "I love Scentsy because the warmers are safe to have around animals and children. The warmers, and wax, do not get so hot that if you touched them you would be burned. There is no flame so there is none of the toxins of a flame burning being put into your air. Also, the have a warmer to match any color scheme and 80+ long lasting scents!"

Well I think Kimberly summed that up pretty well! I'm a firm believer that if you don't use the product you sell it's obviously one you can't stand by. This just goes to show how much she believes in her product. Plus, you're doing your good deed by helping out a single mother trying hard to improve her life. Pop on over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Gibson-Florida-Independent-Scentsy-Consultant/102604519839641 to visit her Facebook page or https://kimgibson.scentsy.us/home to go directly to her Scentsy website. Be sure to tell her Melissa said "HI!". She truly is a sweet person and will help you in any way she can.

"Don't worry, be happy!"

It Works! with Melissa Fauser

It Works! with Melissa Fauser

By Kay

I know we have already done a review for the body wraps, but did you know about all the other great products that It Works! offers! I never knew until Melissa filled me in. She sent me two different products to help keep your body looking its best.

The Defining Body Gel is the same gel that is on the body wrap, but it is not as concentrated so that you can feel free to use it daily. I received my bottle a few days after I had done my body wrap and I had started to notice that my skin was starting to not feel as soft. This gel will help keep your skin feeling soft in between body wraps and will help with your over all inch loss! The Gel is also safe to use the same day as your body wrap. Like always, it is best to use when your skin is clean and product free. Also, it is best to stick to just your targeted area so pick your tummy, arms or legs first and then work the other parts later.

The other product is Stretch Mark and Anti-Aging. I have a few stretch marks on my hips and everyday they are starting to get smaller more faint. I think I might be sending a bottle of one on off to my friend, who have just had a baby. The lotion has a nice soft smell and feels so silky while massaging it in. It even stays nice and silky all day long.

Again the reason why this company is called It Works! is because, well, it really does work. Check out Melissa’s website! Don’t wait if you have a question, just send her a message and she will do everything she can to help you out. Take some time to get to know Melissa. We have became good friends since she has sent these to me. She has also given me some great advice for my own personal life that has nothing to do with It Works! She is there not only to help you look the way you want, but to also feel amazing!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaFauser

Website: http://www.melissaf.itworks.net

Jellyfish Wishes

Once upon a time there was a little girl, 5 years old to be precise. This particular little girl had a birth defect that, sadly, was missed for years. This caused her to, once the problem was found, have serious problems which required many surgeries. Five years old is far too young to have a lifetime of dealing with medical issues. Fear not though friends! This special little girl had a fairy mommy who wanted to take a positive stand for herself and her little daughter. So this fairy mommy collected numerous cards for the latest surgery in February, knowing that these tokens of affection would make the special little girl smile after surgery and the 2 weeks it would take her to recover. There would be no crying and worrying for this little girl and her fairy mommy. They even collected over 500 cards! That's a lot! The special little girls favorite card was a jellyfish. 


Together, the special little girl and her fairy mommy, decided they would carry on the "card" tradition. They now do this for other children, and their mommies (or daddies), who needed extra comfort through encouraging words, prayers, pictures, or whatever may help. They call the children that they collect the cards for their "jellyfish". Along with the cards they have collected a stuffed or knitted jellyfish is included.

By now, if you're a follower of my blog, you know I love warm hearted stories. This story, and that's how I am telling it by referring to the owner and creator of Jellyfish Wishes as a fairy mommy, is super sweet and touching. No parent wants to think of their child sick or needing surgery. When you are in that situation, either as parent or the child, think of how helpful it would be to know people are thinking of you!

Right now Jellyfish Wishes is collecting for a little girl named Gwendolyn. Here's the shameless FB link plug: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jellyfish-Wishes/140763696004828. For more information you can go to their page and check out the notes section on how to send cards. There is even a few pictures of some of the people lucky enough to have received a Jellyfish Wish package.


Since the Jellyfish idea went "viral" they have been OVERWHELMED with people who need a wish. At this time they are in need of, and accepting,

• Knitted or Stuffed Jellyfish
• Handmade cards or pictures drawn by children
• Small donations to help with shipping
• Extra envelopes
• Extra stamps

The special little girl and her fairy mommy are about to hold a card making at their local church in which other children will be able to help create "wishes" for the ten children in need. Jellyfish Wishes would also welcome:

• Stickers
• Glue
• Crayons
• Markers
• Glitter

If you have it in your ability to help make a wish come true, please do. If you can't, but would like to help, please spread the word about Jellyfish Wishes. And head over to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jellyfish-Wishes/140763696004828 and let the special fairy mommy know what a truly inspiring job she is doing.

If it captures one persons attention, then it was worth it right?

With love, Melissa <3

Random Acts of Kindness

I believe that what you put out there comes back to you times two. I am also a big softie. I cry at the animal cruelty/Sarah Mclachlan "Angel" commercial (who doesn't?!), sponsor a child commercials, I donate outside of stores, etc. I might take it a step too far by crying at Pampers commercials, but that's neither here nor there. That being said, when I saw that a fellow FB business page was doing something called Random Acts of Kindness, I wanted to know more and share with you to hopefully warm your heart and let you know that there are still people out there, like me, who practice random acts of kindness in hopes of cheering up someones day! This is what first grabbed by attention:

When I saw this picture, being the curious person I am, I had to know more. So I asked her (Shauna) to please email me information on what she is doing. This is the response I got:

Thank you for being so sweet and wanting to hear the story of Lemon Kissed's Random Acts of Kindness Project! I really really appreciate it - it truly warms my heart. The whole concept behind me leaving the earrings around town was simply that I wanted people to stumble upon them and for it to brighten their day. By nature, I love to help people and make people happy, and this is just another fun way to do just that! Attached to each pair of earrings that I leave behind somewhere for someone to find is a plain white card that reads "Random Acts of Kindness" on the front. Inside I wrote the word "enjoy" and my Lemon Kissed url is stamped on the very back.

My hope is that when my earrings are found, it brightens a day. I also hope that at least a few of these people pass on a good deed themselves. Being nice feels nice. You don't have to do huge, grand gestures - just simple, random acts of kindness can make a huge difference, and I'm hoping that this project can get others thinking the same thing!  I am DELIGHTED knowing that I may be making someone's day, or at least giving them a smile.

I have spread earrings throughout Portland Oregon, and Hillsboro Oregon (a suburb of Portland). I have sent packages to Lemon Kissed "correspondents" or friends in Eugene, Oregon, in Florida and in Mill Valley, California so more earrings can be spread around so we can reach more people. The next batch of earrings will be going to friends in Washington, Los Angeles California, Philadelphia and more! I'm grateful to friends who want to help me out - I hope they are having as much fun as I am having, and I hope to hear from at least one person who finds the earrings, I'd love to hear how it made them feel!

Seriously, how freakin' awesome is that?! It would make my week, not just my day, to find a pair of these adorable earrings and know that someone, somewhere, hoped that I would enjoy them. All without a selfish thought, just in hopes that someone else will, somehow, pay it forward.

So please, when you're at your lowest, and you doubt humanity and you feel there is no hope, remember that a small act of random kindness will not only make you feel better, but it will touch someone, somewhere. The ripple effect is amazing. Shauna, girl, you are destined for something special and if you need help spreading your random acts in CT, I'm your girl!!

Take the time to make someones day just a little better! <3 Melissa
http://www.facebook.com/lemonkissed

Product Review of Carousel Creations Soaps and Sundries

As a business owner, you come across many other businesses. Whether to "check out" the competition or to place an order of your own. Every once in awhile you run across a business that you fall in love with. You know you're not supposed to have favorites, just like with your children, but it happens. For me it happened with Judy and her business Carousel Creations Soaps and Sundries. I had asked my fans, on my business page, for input on whom I could go to for a good, all-natural face soap. They pointed me in her direction. I asked her a few questions to help point me in the direction of what I was looking for. She suggested the carrot soap, so I ordered it. I am pretty hard to please LOL, so when I received it in the mail I was a little put off by the presentation  since it just arrived in the envelope not wrapped up like a present with a pretty bow :) But I used it and am ever so thankful I did! It put any doubts I had to rest. I am thirty something and still tend to get breakouts, how embarrassing at this age. The soap cleared it up!! So I ordered it for my teenage son. Two weeks later his face is on the way to recovery from teenage acne too.

So I suggested to her (actually begged and pleaded :)) to do a product review. She sent me a few ends of her current stock of soap, along with a drying clay soap she suggested my son use once a week to hasten along the treatment (see I told you, she's AMAZING). In the package was:

• Raspberry Vanilla 
• Pomegranate Punch 
• Fruit Smoothie 
• Cherry Almond  
• Oatmeal Milk & Honey 
• A tube of lavender raw sugar scrub 

When I got the package I quickly opened it, like a child at Christmas lol. The smell was HEAVENLY! I did suggest other packaging to her, but she let me know that due to the way the soaps are made wrapping them in plastic to "pretty them up" locks moisture in to the soap, which is no good for it. Then she reminded me, gently, not to judge a book by it's cover. Good thing too, because once again in testing the product, I was not disappointed! I set the soap out on the counter for a day to dry, like this,

and my daughter and husfriend thought it was cookies! We all had a great time using it. It really smells so good. It is good quality soap. Aside from the smell it does also get amazing "soapability".

Look at all those bubbles! Ok, so I think I've raved enough about the product. The woman behind it is just as awesome. She's a nice, sweet woman, who will be more than happy to work with you. No, I don't know her personally, she didn't pay me to write nice things. I am just a regular, happy customer.
So head on over to www.facebook.com/carouselcreationsonline and tell one of my top 3 favorite stores Melissa sent you to say "Hi!"
Have an amazing day! "Don't worry, be happy!"

A little Facebook information for your business page

There's been a lot of confusion, and even anger, with all the changes and repercussions to Facebooks new rules. I thought I would create easy access to everything I have learned in one spot. If I learn more, you can rest assured you'll be the first to know! 

Marching or Silent Tagging:

I, and a few other FB businesses, can confirm 100% that FB is blocking pages from doing marching or silent tagging.

If you're unsure what marching or silent tagging are then, well you probably shouldn't be worried :) but if you're now curious, basically these are tagging games where you like all of the pages that have tagged themselves in the comments, which you can quickly do by hovering over their name, clicking to go to their page and then clicking like.

When you get blocked by FB you get a pop up that tells you that you are being "spammy" (with all their money and rules you'd think they would have a better word!), forces you to agree that you understand FB terms & conditions and then BLOCKS YOU from posting on pages for 15 long, painful days. It blocks you from posting from your business page, as well as your personal profile! You can still post on your own pages, but it makes doing anything on Facebook uber difficult!

Therefore, liking a heap of pages in a row, as you do with silent tagging, is a flag to FB. It seems to boil down to the amount, the repetition and the timing of your posts.


Other things that cause you to be blocked:


I discovered the hard way that posting a similar comment on a number of pages repeatedly will also get you blocked. I was posting on business pages to let them know I was new to their page and that I do product review. I had copied one post and pasted it on a few pages, just tagging my business page in each one. That's when I got the SPAM death post from FB. So, obviously, repeatedly copy and pasting is a "spam" red flag to FB.  


I have heard, via FB conversations, of people having been blocked for tagging multiple pages in short succession, for embedding images, continuously, in a single comment thread or for doing a similar comment on a number of posts on their page wall. Sadly, I cannot find any specific information from FB about what will get you blocked but it seems to boil down to this:


If you are tagging/commenting/posting/sharing/embedding in quick succession, or in a repetitive fashion, then FB might decide you are spamming.  Remember: there is an algorithm that determines spammy posting. FB has an idea of what "normal behavior by real people" is, and anything outside of that gets flagged as spam. 

Of course posting, tagging etc. is completely acceptable on FB. Just remember, slow and steady wins the race! Be slow, and not impatient, about it to appear "real". Spread out your tags and posts, write original comments do not copy and paste and do not be repetitive (we should all be original anyways :)).

The FB statement of rights and responsibilities include these statements:

• You will not send or otherwise post unauthorized commercial communications (such as spam) on Facebook.

• You will not tag users or send email invitations to non-users without their consent.

Contests and Giveaways:

FB also appears to be cracking down on people who are running promotions and giveaways, which are against the rules, which does not surprise me as we've all known this for awhile. Remember, a promotion either involves a prize of money or gift.

If you hold a promotion on FB you must use a 3rd party application. You can hold a promotion off of FB (i.e. on your blog) and post about it on FB but be absolutely sure that whatever promotion you hold does not require anybody to take any action on FB, i.e., no tagging, liking, commenting, sharing, posting, messaging et cetera. It is not allowed and take the chance of getting your page shut down. 

Auctions:

I have not been able to confirm, nor find, any concrete information about FB shutting down or blocking pages due to auctions. FB does not have guidelines for people SELLING GOODS. You are allowed to sell stuff on your page, but you should be aware of the guidelines that are there, just to be sure, for example if you are advertising a sale.

As far as i can tell a true auction, which results in the highest bidder making a purchase, should be allowed. (If an auction is for charity be sure you follow the rules of your state/country as FB will not be happy if you break legal, local laws.

It is also possible that a page would be be shut down if an auction involves requiring people to like/tag/post etc. as that looks a bit like a promo which is against the rules. Also, if people are suddenly tagging/liking/commenting et cetera in that repeated unusual pattern, that was mentioned above, then it would possibly get you blocked for spamming.

So the bottom line about auctions is that we are hoping that FB is not shutting pages down for holding them, as they have not made it clear if it is an unacceptable practice. If I hear or find anything concrete about auctions I will update this post and share any information I find.

In the mean time, if you are having an auction, or any kind of sale for that matter, make sure you are truly selling your goods. Do not use words like winner and prize, and do not ask people to do things like tag, like, or comment. This could be construed as spammy or in violation of promotion rules.

In conclusion, a friendly reminder. Do not rely solely on FB as your business. You have no ownership of FB. Therefore you are merely a "squatter" on their land, at the mercy of their ever changing rules, and yes even their constant glitches. Use FB to interact with people, but set up your own site to run your business. Remember to be aware of how your actions as a page owner can be perceived by others and how it will reflect on you.

I hope this information helps everyone with a business page on FB. Have an amazing day! "Don't worry, be happy" :))

MCN Designs Product Review

By: Melissa Ringsted:

I was lucky enough to be chosen to do a product review for Melissa, the owner of MCN Designs. I am not completely computer dumb, but on certain things I do have a difficult time. This is where someone as talented as Melissa comes in! First off, I contacted her about the product review. She was very quick in responding to me and asking me what she could do for me. I let her know I was looking for a new logo, created specifically for me, and also a welcome page for my business page. She asked me what I was looking for. Unfortunately for Melissa I am a very indecisive person. I gave her a vague idea of what I like and she returned, quickly, with a mock-up of a logo for me. I liked it, but didn't love it. So I asked her to add an owl. I ended up with a logo I am in LOVE with.

From there she created a welcome page for me. She worked off of the vague design I had tried, unsuccessfully, to create on my own. Of course, with as amazing as she was helping me do the logo I KNOW she could help you create an equally amazing Welcome page from scratch, if you don't already have one.

Melissa was patient, and more than willing to help me walk through all the little snags I ran across due to my lack of computer knowledge! Be sure to head on over to http://www.facebook.com/mcndesigns. Believe me when I tell you, you WILL NOT be disappointed in the customer service, product and pricing of this business. Remember, your logo is the first thing people will see! It speaks volumes about you and your company. You want something to attract people, aside from just your amazing product, and Melissa's job is to help you create that and walk with you thru the whole process, as she did me. As Melissa so nicely signs all her emails - "The purpose of life is a life of purpose"

A little background on Melissa:

Melissa is a 2005 graduate of SUNY Purchase College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, concentrating in graphic design. She received the Seniors Recognition Award for Graphic Design at Purchase and was honored with the Leadership Award for her senior project by the Westchester Funds for Woman & Girls.

Her career began at DDR Public Relations in Thornwood, NY, as the Visual Communications Manager, specializing in designing promotional materials for clients and the firm, corporate identity, and the firm's web site. Melissa also takes photographs for clients of their special events or scheduled photo sessions for media uses, and for collateral designs and marketing materials.

Melissa has also worked for design studio, Design Monsters in Stamford, CT with focuses on logo identities, postcards, brochures, CD packaging and web for clients including John Mellencamp, Stamford Center for the Arts, Divabetic and Katreese Barnes (Saturday Night Live Music Director).

Currently Melissa is working as an in-house Graphic Designer for gourmet gift shop, Holbrook Cottage, in Briarcliff Manor, NY. She designs and creates the gift shop's weekly emails, postcards, newsletters and signage, as well as photographing merchandise.

Scentsy Review

Scentsy

By: Gina Lindel

I have never had the pleasure of going to a Scentsy party, but if you ever do go you won’t regret it! No parties coming up? Then contact Gina! Her website is: https://ginalindell.scentsy.us/Home

No worries about their catalog photos, they really do look like the product that comes to your door. I now have a beautiful wax warmer. I chose the Nantucket Mid-Size, which works well with the beach house theme I have going on. If beach theme is not your décor, no problem they have many different styles and colors to choose from. For the month of August most items are on sale for 10% off. Go check out the website!

Do you enjoy arts and crafts? Scentsy offers a warmer in different basic colors. Then you can purchase theme packs so you can change your Scentsy warmer when you re-design your space, move, or are just bored you can change things up!

I normally have issues with scented candles but Scentsy has no flames. All the heat comes from a light bulb, which means less chance of a fire. This also means that there is no air pollutions from the wick, so you get a nice clean melt of just wax, no soot. This makes the scents so much more fragrant, you can really smell the clean.

I strongly suggest the sweet pea and vanilla, it was my favorite! The cherry lemonade is also very nice. If you like more plain scents, you can never go wrong with vanilla!

Place your order with Gina here: https://ginalindell.scentsy.us/Home

Also, friend Gina’s facebook page to stay up to date on new scents: http://www.facebook.com/ScentsMadeSafe

Thanks for reading! Enjoy your day :))

Revised by Melissa

Do Likes=Sales?

You have been hard at work on your facebook business page, doing silent ladders, shop hops, and "liking" every page that asks for help but have your sales gone up?! We asked this question on our Little Bee Buzz facebook page and wanted to share the information with all of you, in hopes of helping our friends out.

The general consensus is that Likes = Exposure, but not necessarily sales. Our advice to you is: do NOT give up on the marches, parades, and parties! Getting your business name out there is important! Work hard on your logo, color, and the over all theme of your business page so that you can use this exposure as your branding. Branding is something all businesses, big or small, should do. Think of some big name businesses and I am sure a logo or theme comes to mind. When you have an annoying jingle stuck in your head, that is branding. You can use your facebook page, and blog, to further your branding for next to nothing. We'd like to give our thanks to Kristi over at JSK Studio (http://www.facebook.com/JSK.StudiobyKristiShepler) for all the information on branding!

A benefit to going to all these pages is you get to see what other businesses are doing. How they photograph their products, what "tabs" they might have available to the consumers or how they interact with others. You might even be inspired by their logo and recreate it to fit your business. You could possibly find a new service that could be offered on your page. Just because you are "liking" a page that is a competitor in your field doesn't mean you can't also benefit! The old saying of keep your friends close but your enemies closer comes to mind. Thanks goes to Shannon from Frogjunkiee’s Creative Creations (http://www.facebook.com/FrogsPotpourri) for an interesting twist on visiting other pages.

The higher fan numbers will make visitors more likely to order from you versus other lower number pages. The thought process of the consumer being the higher amount of likes the higher creditability this business has. Who would you trust more - someone that has made the product and done the service several times or a newbie in the field? Our thanks goes out to Paper Trail Gallery for your input! (www.facebook.com/papertrailgallery)

Now that you have all these new "likes" on your page you find yourself asking, "Now what?!" You hit refresh on your web browser in hopes of a sale but nothing. Work on turning those new likes into fans. The best way to start is right when you "like" a new page. Leave an interesting comment that will start a conversation with that page owner. On your own page keep updating your statuses and showcasing photos of your wonderful products! Lots of pages play games, do giveaways, and hold auctions which all are great ways to get those "likers" back on your page. Remember, not everyone is in the market at this VERY moment for your product, but they might be in a week or they may even have a friend who is interested and they will remember you and send them your way.

If you enjoyed this article and you would like your business featured in an upcoming blog please check out the discussions tab on our Little Bee Buzz facebook page. Feel free to leave a comment about a topic you would like us to blog about or ask us a question about this blog. We would love to hear from you! Thanks for reading and enjoy your day :))