Mini Me--How Did THAT Happen?

I've worked in different types of companies and different positions. Like everyone else, I tend to bring my work home, talk about it over dinner, or just think out loud about problems I'm wrestling with.
When you think your kids aren't listening is when you should pay the most attention to what you're saying. Because later it can come back to haunt you....
My son has picked up on all the bath and body product conversations at home. And now that we are getting a new building, he's into colors and decorating, because that's what I'm talking about. I watch his mannerisms and at first wondered where he got them, and then BAM! I realized he's a little version of me! OMG do I do that with my hands? ...that little cock of the head? YES I DO!
Now I'm paying closer attention to those things he does. Yes, he has my mannerisms when talking about sugar scrubs and perfumes and the wall colors. His facial expressions when he gets passionate about something (like math and spelling) are versions of me. And the worst part is when he says things that make me stop in my tracks because it's something I've actually said and never knew he was listening. And it's usually when we're in a store or other public place with people around.
The funniest thing he did recently was when we took him to our new Heaven and Earth Essentials building to check out how the remodeling was going. He did the "Oh My Gosh!", hands up to the face, reaction that you see on Extreme Makeover-Home Edition every week. It was hilarious!

Telling it Like it is--Whether You Want to Hear it or Not

I spent part of my day today talking with my brother. He has been in sales and marketing all his life (yes, ALL his life--even as a little kid he was always trying to sell something to someone!), and right now he is starting up his own Marketing company (Tru-Market.com). He is also helping Heaven and Earth Essentials with some new marketing programs and new website this year.

There are very few people in my world that tell it like it is...most sugarcoat what they want to say, or try to be diplomatic so as not to hurt my feelings. That's what I like about my brother. He is one of the few people that say exactly what the deal is, and he can get away with it because he isn't malicious about it. He lays it out on the table. Don't like it? Too bad. Get used to it.

Do I like hearing the facts like that? Not always. But sometimes we need that jolt so we make the changes that are necessary to move forward. Sometimes we get so set in our ways that it's hard to make that change, easier to just keep doing what we've always done. My favorite comment of his today was telling me exactly what was holding me back on a particular issue. He said to look in the mirror. Ouch....

So, Doug, I WAS listening, and I DID take notes while we were talking on the phone today. You have a lot of great ideas, and we will implement them as we can...just not all at once. I'm accomplishing one right now as I type this (I can check this one off the list--check!).

Alien Landscape

We got a new camera this year and I just love taking pictures now. I'm whipping it out every chance I get, almost obsessively. The other morning when I was getting Alex ready for school I looked out the front living room window and saw this lake of fog resting on the field, and just the tiniest bit of the neighboring farm's silo peeking up out of it. Then, of course, when I saw the moon hovering over all of it, I just couldn't resist running and getting the camera.

So there I am in my bathrobe and snowboots taking pictures outside in my front yard. Thank goodness I live in the country and the neighbors and passing traffic can't see me!

But I got some beautiful shots. Now the snow is melting everywhere and we have standing water in the yard, driveway, and fields; all is mucky and muddy. There are no pretty pictures out there now! But we hope Spring is on her way, we've got a warm spell this week to help melt even more snow and eventually it will all be dried up.

New Life for Leather

Sewing with leather is not as hard as many people make it out to be. I just finished a fun project, a leather pillow with appliques. We live out in the country, so the horse theme seemed natural.

The black background leather was actually a coat of mine that developed a tear after many good years of use. I decided it needed a new life as home accessories, so I began cutting--at first I was very tentative--I mean, it was my coat! I just kept thinking how pretty it would be as a pillow and kept going. Then on to the scraps of turquoise leather I bought from someone who makes leather coats. I spent a lot of time cutting out the small pieces, I wanted them to be perfect. I experimented with my different types of scissors and a surgical knife until I found the right tool.

I placed the pieces on the background and when I was satisfied, I tacked them down with a little leather glue. Then a very slow process of sewing the intricate pieces on, I didn't want to screw up because the needle does leave a little hole, so no mistakes!

The end product is this beautiful 16" square pillow. The back is zippered to make stuffing easier.

My next project will be another pillow, red on black this time, with a spiral on it for the circle of life. These pillows will look beautiful on my black sofa with Pendleton wool blanket on it.

I love giving new life to something outdated or something you can't use anymore. It's recycling at it's best!

Favorite Recipes

I love food, always have. Food is comforting, whatever mood I'm in. Tired, stressed, happy, depressed, I have favorite foods for all my moods! I also love to create dishes, I seldom follow a recipe without adding my own little touch. Today I thought I would put one of my favorite recipes here.

Now, being from Minnesota (I say that with a Minnesotan accent, of course--long ooooo), you would think I can't make anything spicy. That's the generalization about us. I'm different because I love spicy--not just hot, but flavorful. LOTS of flavor! One of my favorite foods is Guacamole and mine has lots of great flavor. So here goes, and if you try it, make sure you get (or make) really good, fresh tortilla chips to go with it. A cocktail goes well with it too!

Keep in mind that all recipes are just "guides". Do what you want! If you don't like one of the ingredients, don't add it; add something else that you DO like! But make it sing with flavor. Life is too short to eat boring food!

Barbara's Guacamole

2 ripe avocado, mashed with a fork (leave some chunks for great texture)

Tomato, sliced into chunks for about 1/2 cup (I use Roma or grape tomatoes, something with sweet flavor)

Garlic, fresh or pickled (how much is up to you--I put in at least 6 cloves, but then we LOVE garlic! Please, please, please do not use the garlic in water that comes in a jar. There's no flavor in it! Don't waste your money.)

Onion, chopped, about 1/3 cup (use sweet onion, red onion, scallions, or a combination)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon Lea & Perrins Worchestshire sauce (best in the world)

1/2 cup sour cream

Cumin to taste (I add at least 1 Tablespoon)

What else can you add? Try 1/2 cup of sliced black olives, jalapenos, banana peppers, whatever you like.

Mix all ingredients together carefully, you do not want to smash the tomatoes. Then--and this is the hardest part--let it sit a while in the fridge. It gets better the longer you let it sit. The flavors meld together to form the most delicious concoction you've ever tasted. But if you're like me, you're probably opening the fridge every 10 minutes to "just have a taste". Next thing you know, half of it is gone and you're deciding if you should just eat the other half and not tell anyone you even made it. (Make sure you wash the dishes so no evidence is left at the scene of the crime.) Or hey, make another batch!

There you go, this is my secret guacamole recipe! Enjoy! I did yesterday and it was fantastic!

The More I Learn, the More I Realize I Don't Know

Over the past year, I've done a lot of research. I've probably learned more than when I was back in college, but maybe that's just because I have more control over what I'm learning. I'm learning because I want to. And I've definitely learned more than I learned in my previous corporate job (in 7 years), but we aren't going there.


I'm becoming more active in our real-world community, which is also opening up doors to learning new things. For example, who to talk to about what, who to get quotes from on products and services, where to advertise what, and of course who not to talk to and why. I'm learning about all these neat little niche communities and websites and magazines. I've always known there were thousands out there, but then you learn about one or several in your own backyard and wow! I didn't know. (Why didn't I know?)


My real world is expanding and I'm feeling smaller and smaller. I know that's normal, look how big our world is! And it's composed of millions and billions of littler worlds. Wow, it can really be overwhelming. There's times when I just want to draw a hot bath, lock the bathroom door, and keep the world out. I never actually get to do that, of course, but the thought is often present!





Thank goodness for good friends to help keep me sane, or at least put up with me while I lose it! And big thanks to my little dog, Shamus, who is a good listener while I rant and rave. He doesn't repeat anything he hears and seldom complains about my insanity.

I'm going to my first Chamber of Commerce event soon, we'll see how that goes. Who knows, maybe I'll learn something?

Looking Back

It's now the new year and I am very positive and hopeful for a bright one! Maintaining a positive attitude can be difficult at times, especially when the daily news is so full of "bad people" as my 8-year-old son calls them, and how the media seems to concentrate on negative events, crime, and such. I truly enjoy watching shows like CBS Sunday Morning, which posts stories on real people or history or current events in a factual fashion. And I can never get enough of Ben Stein telling it like it is.

For the past few days, everyone is talking about how bad the past decade was. It is what you make of it! I try to think of the positive, find that silver lining in everything. As I look back, every time I hit a rock in the road, the unexpected turn onto that side road led to something so much better. I've lost jobs several times due to corporate downsizing or restructuring, only to find a better one. I married the wrong guy, but then found my soulmate. So we must keep that positive attitude, something better is bound to be around the corner, whether it's finding that job, that mate, or the economy! To the media pyranhas out there, here is my message--please stop accentuating what's bad and start concentrating on the people that are helping to do good in the world. There are many of them out there!

Okay, I'm done now, I just had to get that off my chest. Now I can concentrate on making 2010 the best year ever! And what can you expect from us? We've been researching in our spare time...at some of our customers' requests. So new products are on the horizon. And we hope to make a few small changes to our website, mostly behind the scenes. Everything we do is to make a better experience for everything Heaven and Earth Essentials! And of course, we will continue to take your suggestions. Thank you for everything in the past year, and we hope to continue to work with you in the future!