~GONE TO SOON - Remembering You In Love~

BERTIE MAE BAIN-MARTIN
1944
December 26, 1916 - November 29, 2008

To My Beloved Grandmother...

My thoughts on this first anniversary of your passing are simple, Grams.

MY GRANDPARENTS - 1965

I pray every single day to be for my grandchildren all you were to me during my life.

I miss you more than words can say.

GRAMMA & ME - June 2008

Thank you for standing in the gap.

Thank you, for everything.

Love, Becky

GONE TOO SOON

Like a comet
Blazing 'cross the evening sky
Gone too soon

Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon

Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night

Like the loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon

Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon

Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon

Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night

Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of the moon
Gone too soon
Gone too soon

Grossman/Kohan

Blessings to you as you miss those who have gone too soon...Rebecca

~MEMORIES and MOMENTS to SAVOR~

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
TO SAVOR

When I was a bitty girl I remember well my mother telling me the story of The Three Trees. I don’t recall how old I was when she first shared with me the spirit-warming tale, or even if there was a picture book to go along with her softly spoken words. My heart tells me there wasn’t. I only know I listened carefully, quietly to all she had to say. Each and every time she told the story, and even though I knew the ending, I was always filled with a sense of awe by it’s meaning. Somehow I knew even then that God had a wonderful plan for my life.

As I decorated the Christmas Tree in my family room yesterday I couldn’t help reflect upon the words my Mother lovingly shared during my story telling time. Even after all these years it’s message rings loud and clear. All that I’ve dreamed of for my life can’t even come close to what God has planned for me. His hopes and dreams for my future have always been so much better, so much sweeter than mine.

If you aren’t familiar with “The Tale of Three Trees” I encourage you to find a copy (available Online and at Barnes & Noble) and read it aloud to those you love. It’s heartwarming, inspiring and full of amazing love and grace.

JUST ONE OF SEVERAL BOOKS

Blessings to you as you honor the MIRACLE of Christmas…Rebecca

~Oops...HAPPY THANKSGIVING from Miss K~

~HAPPY THANKSGIVING~

From Sweet Miss K

Sometimes I really think I'm losing it...

I PROMISED my Miss K that I would show you pictures of her dressed up in her Pilgrim Costume...

The one above is my favorite! Soooo Angelic...

:)

And just in CASE you think she is PERFECT all of the time and allows me do whatever I want with her...

Just look at the one below...

HYSTERICAL!

Be Blessed...I am!

Love Again~ Rebecca

~HAPPY THANKSGIVING - Blessed Be~

~HAPPY THANKSGIVING~

Before I step away from my Blog for a few days I want to stop for a moment and wish you all a very BLESSED Thanksgiving Holiday! I pray your day is filled with great food and fun and memories that will forever bind your hearts with those you love. May we all remember that it isn't about what's ON our table that's most important, but the people who surround it.

I'll be back this weekend to show you some pictures of our CHRISTMAS TREE and other things that glitter.

With a grateful heart I wish for you good things. Only good things.

Love and Blessings,

Rebecca (and my Mr. AGPMan)

~STANDING THE TEST OF TIME - Happy Anniversary To My Parents~

~MY BEAUTIFUL PARENTS~

NOVEMBER 23, 1955

Dear Mom & Daddy...

It is with a grateful heart I wish the two of you a Happy Anniversary. I love you more than words can say.

Great Grandmother~Grandmother~
Mother~Father~ Grandfather

You gave me a firm foundation on which to build my life...

Thank you for the years of loving instruction and for planting deep seeds of faith within my soul.

As a result I have strong roots and soaring wings.

~THE BEGINNING~
(My Favorite Picture)

I know your journey together is winding down. Your path is headed towards the home stretch...making it's last important turn before reaching your rewards.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Your loving daughter, Rebecca Suzanne

~CHRISTMAS Give-A-Way - Something SPECIAL Just For You~

~CHRISTMAS GIVE-A-WAY~
ENTER BY December 6, 2009 at 5:00 PM
(CENTRAL TIME)
WINNER ANNOUNCED - December 7, 2009

It doesn't seem possible that Christmas 2009 is right around the corner! As we usher in the joy and excitement of the Holiday Season I anxiously await the day when I celebrate the birth of my Savior.

Like many of you I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I love it not only for what it represents to me personally, but I love the decorations, the food, the singing and caroling, the overdue visits with friends and neighbors as well as the gathering together of my ever growing family... I absolutely love it all~ I am very blessed indeed!

For my very first Christmas Give-A-Way I chose a pretty pink Cottage Pillow showcasing a hand cross stitched sentiment that simply says, "Merry Christmas". ONE very special person will win this lovely Pillow*... It's going to be fun! (*No Purchase Necessary - *No Cash Value).

Now...the rules are fairly simple, but a bit different than for my past Give-A-Ways. You will have up to four chances to win...

Here goes:

1. FOLLOW MY BLOG you will be entered ONE TIME.

2. POST about THIS CHRISTMAS Give-A-Way on YOUR BLOG and LINK BACK TO MY BLOG you will be entered a SECOND TIME (you must let me know you have done this!).

3. POST a Comment on THIS POST or ANY OTHER POST up until the cutoff date above and I'll enter you a THIRD TIME.

4. Add my PINK ROSE BUTTON to your SIDE BAR and I'll enter you a FOURTH TIME (you must let me now you have done this!).

Easy as that!

Again, the Cut-Off date for entering the Drawing is December 6th at 5:00 PM (Central Time). Any comments and/or links made after that time will not be included. The Winner will be announced in a POST on December 7th, 2009.

Thank you for playing along. May the best and most deserving Blogger WIN!

Blessings and Love~Rebecca

~ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOR LEADS ME~

I'm quite sure that most of you don't know that up until August of this year my Mr. AGPMan was Worship Leader at our local Church here in Oklahoma. My guy has an amazing baritone voice and one of my greatest earthly loves has been to sing along side of him as he's ministered to different congregations. He knows music inside and out and I've been blessed over and over by his God-given talent.

For more years than I can say I've heard my hubby share many of the amazing stories that are often hidden behind some of the most beloved hymns written for the church. Not long before he resigned his position he shared with our local church the story behind the song "All The Way My Savior Leads Me".

Given the struggles and conflicts this week in my own personal life I decided to focus again on my faith. For when the road gets too rough (and it oftentimes does) and the path before me narrows, it is my faith in Jesus Christ that always leads me out of the darkness...

The beautiful Hymn“All The Way My Savior Leads Me” was written by one of the most pro­lif­ic songwriters in history. Miss Fanny Crosby was born in 1820 and went on to write literally thousands of Christian hymns even though she was blinded shortly after she was born. She once said,

“ If per­fect earth­ly sight were of­fered me to­mor­row I would not ac­­cept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been dis­tract­ed by the beau­ti­ful and in­ter­est­ing things about me.”

This beloved hymn came to Miss Fanny as a result of a prayer. She was struggling financially (haven't we all?) and she desperately needed some money. And so, as was her usual custom, she began to pray. A few minutes later, a gentleman offered her five dollars, the exact amount she needed. Later recalling the incident, she said,

“I have no way of accounting for this except to believe that God put it into the heart of this good man to bring the money.”

The poem she wrote afterward became “All The Way My Savior Leads Me.” As both a songwriter and a woman of incredible faith, Fanny Crosby serves as an example to all.

Here are the words below for you to read for yourself this lovely Sunday morning...

"All The Way My Savior Leads Me"

All the way my Savior leads me;
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread;
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me
O the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages—
Jesus led me all the way.

Blessings as you rest and abide in Him...Rebecca

~And The BLESSINGS Flow - A Present From Sweet Sherry~

It never ceases to amaze me very talented women out there in Blogland!

A few days ago I was blessed with this amazing handmade gift from one of the sweetest girls I've ever NOT had the pleasure of meeting...

This darling handcrafted pendant came from my generous, loving friend, Sherry, at Country Wings in Phoenix.


Do you know Sherry? She is soooo gifted and has a heart of GOLD!

If you've never visited Sherry then I hope you'll pop over to her delightfully sweet Blog Site and say a quick HELLO.

Sherry made me this pretty necklace using a plain old domino! Can you believe it? Not ONLY have I already worn it I am also going to give it a place of honor and tie it onto my Christmas Tree this year...


Thank you so much, Sherry!

You've have blessed me and I feel so honored to have something made by YOU!

Love to you girlfriend...

Rebecca

~JUST A NOTE - December Give-A-Way Starts Tomorrow~

CHRISTMAS GIVE-A-WAY STARTS
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd

Just a quick note to let you know that on Sunday, November 22nd I will post about my December 2009 Giveaway. I am very excited about this one and hope you'll stop back by to see just what I have in store for all of you!!!!

Thanks for the quick visit. More soon!

Blessings to you this beautiful Saturday...Rebecca

~LOVE IS...and Other Things That Matter~

~LOVE IS... HELPING HER WITH
THE THANKSGIVING DINNER~

My hubby and I married in 1978 when I was not quite 20 years old. If the truth be told I was in many respects still just a girl. If not for the kindness and maturity of my Mr. AGPMan I'm not sure I'd have learned HOW to cook a Turkey (or anything else for that matter!).

Still...it isn't the Thanksgiving Bird that brings back the funniest of memories during our long, happy marriage. Oh...I have some of those stories (like when I didn't KNOW there was a neck cavity filled up with all those "things" I still think are GROSS and baked it inside, paper wrappings and all), but I'll save those thoughts for a later time...

~PIE~
A Thanksgiving MUST HAVE

What comes to my mind EVERY YEAR is ONE "pie-making" event that to a young bride of only eight weeks was devastating...

Our first Thanksgiving together was spent in my Baber's Hometown of Gothenburg, Nebraska. I had made a gorgeous looking strawberry pie from scratch and I was quite proud of it and couldn't wait to show it off to my new in-laws. A couple of hours before we left for their home I decided to "check" to see if the pie had "set-up" right...plus I wanted to add the whip cream on the top, too! I carefully pulled it out from the fridge and to my dismay it was still very runny. I began tilting the pie from side to side while LAMENTING to my hubby that SOMETHING wasn't right. I was so upset! New Bride. First Thanksgiving. You get it.

~Wishing You the Cream of Happiness
This Thanksgiving~

I continued to tilt the pie back and forth, back and forth. But, just before returning it to the refrigerator it slipped out of my hands. Being the kitchen-helper that he is, My Mr. AGPMan tried to help me catch it before it hit the floor. The pie ended up SPINNING out of control and slammed right into the wall of our very tiny apartment. Strawberry pie filling and soggy crust was slung EVERYWHERE. It was in the crevices of the vinyl chairs, all over the tile, the ceiling, the cabinets, etc. That partially jelled RED STUFF was all over everything. I was heartbroken. I promised to bring the dessert and now there wouldn't be one! Living in a SMALL TOWN in 1978 I can promise you EVERYTHING was closed!

~My FAVORITE Berry~

Anyway, we were both too shocked to say word. We just stood there staring at our scrumptious dessert in silence.

:....(

Since that day I've learned a few things about making homemade strawberry pie when TRYING to impress your hard to please MOTHER IN LAW...

1. Skip the pie!

2. Bring a tossed salad!

Blessings to you as you share a carefree, spin-less Thanksgiving Day with those you love...Rebecca

~MORE SWEET GRAPHICS TO SHARE - Some Of My Favorites!~

VINTAGE SANTA
And His Chimney Sweeps
(Dressed in PINK, of Course!)

Have I ever told you I love vintage graphics? They are the rage these days (especially if they include children!) and I'm so thankful I started my COLLECTION many years ago. Today I'm sharing with you (because I'm soooo very nice!) three more of my favorites! You KNOW that if I can get my hands on aging ephemera that includes PINK in the mix I'm hooked, right?

ONE OF MY FAVORITES EVER
(This One Makes a Darling Candle)

I know the artwork on the print above was done by Miss Frances Brundage. The one below is, too! The one at the top (with the Santa) I'm not sure about but I THINK it is also work done by her hand. Brundage and Clapsaddle are my FAVORITE artists...and guess what? They are WOMEN!!!! Whoo Hoo!

PERFECT FOR HANG TAGS

I have the original Postcard of the little pink princess you see above. Even so, the one I have is NOT very clear! I thought you might me able to use it anyway in some of your designs! You can always crop her face away from the holly...this little beauty will make DARLING TAGS!

Blessings to you as you count down the days to good eats...Rebecca

~CHRISTMAS GRAPHICS TO SHARE - Sweet Christmas Girls~

~VINTAGE IMAGE FOR YOU~

Happy Monday Morning to you all!

I've had a crazy-busy weekend! How about you? Since we are not hosting Thanksgiving this year my Mr. AGPMan and I have been pulling out Christmas from both the attic and our outbuilding while the weather is still being polite. :) Our garage looks like a mini Flea Market with so many things scattered about. Truthfully~that much STUFF makes me nervous!

I mean...where did it all come from?

It's exciting to unpack everything...but it can still be overwhelming!

~AND ANOTHER ONE~

In going through some of my Christmas Graphics over the weekend I found these charming vintage images of little girls and I just had to share them with you. Perfect for Pillows, Candle Labels, Hand Tags, etc. Hope you love them!

Blessings to you as you create beautiful gifts with your talented little hands...Rebecca

~HAPPY BIRTHDAY To My Miss K - Turning 7 is GREAT~

Our Miss K at 4 Months Old
(And Her VERY blond Nana!) :)

On November 13, 2002 I became a Nana. I couldn't possibly have known it then, but the bald headed little beauty you see in my arms was destined to change my life. Our sweet Miss K was only a few months old when this picture was taken back in early 2003. Today this beautiful little girl celebrated turning SEVEN! Where have the years gone???

Since Miss K has remained our only grandchild (at least for now!), I'm sure you can imagine how much attention she gets!!! She reminds me soooo much of her daddy (my son, Brandon) when he was her age...

Miss K and Nana Tonight

Her Papa, my Mr. AGPMan, snapped this picture of her and I tonight at her party at CiCi's Pizza. Don't you LOVE her crown?

A real princess.

"To My Miss K: Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! I sooo hope I live to be 92 years old like my Grammy did~ That way I'll get to see your first grandchild be born. Then and only then will I be ready to go to heaven! I Love You~ Nana"

Blessings to you as you celebrate life with those you love...Rebecca

~TRUST Rebecca...Just Trust!~

There are times in my life when I've come to a crossroad of sorts and have struggled with choosing which path in front of me was the best one to take.

Do I go right?

Left?

Does it even matter?

Ever face the complexity of just being fearful of being fearful? Ever been so afraid of turning the wrong way that your energy becomes stifled and you're only able to sit and stare at the wall for hours on end?

Yesterday I struggled with such an issue even though I had literally tons to do. I have found it is in times like this that I miss the wise counsel of my father most. More often than not he would welcome me into his 'office' and would then say this:

"Tell me about it, Becky Sue! What's troubling you, honey? Tell Dad about it!"

And..as I would usually do, I would begin to spill out from within me a very long list of all that seemed to be 'wrong' in my life. All my fears. All my hesitations. All my mistakes...

Being the kind and loving father my dad has always tried to be, it was during one especially memorable visit that he handed me a tattered piece of paper with the following poem penned on one side.

"I found this little poem and saved it back for you!" he said

"You can ALWAYS trust God with your dreams...." he continued...

~BROKEN TOYS~

As children bring their broken toys,
With tears for us to mend;
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help, with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried
"How could you be so slow?"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go..."

Author Unknown

While searching for an important paper today, to my surprise I came across the poem once again.

And so, through the quiet early dawn hours of a regular Thursday morning, I again heard my father's loving heart speak to me from beyond the thundering sounds silence...

"Trust...just trust!"

Blessings to you as you cast your cares upon Him...Rebecca

~BLESSINGS and THANKS To Our VETERANS~

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

THANKS TO ALL OUR VETERANS, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY SERVED OUR GREAT NATION!

I PRAY THAT SOMEDAY YOU WILL BE FULLY COMPENSATED BY OUR COUNTRY FOR ALL YOU'VE GIVEN AND SACRIFICED IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM.

May God continue to Bless America...Rebecca

"LOVE IS..." and Other Things That Matter

"LOVE IS...
Going On a Diet if He Prefers You Slim
(I Don't THINK SO!!!!)

Time again for my Wednesday "LOVE IS..." Post! Gosh...hump-day continues to get around rather quickly, doesn't it?

Now...I'm sitting here NOT believing my guy had the NERVE in the late 70's to send me such a clipping! Can you? My have things changed since then!!! If he EVEN attempted to send me such a thing today I would smack him up-side the head.

I would.

Trust me!

I WOULD!

I like this version much better, don't you?

"LOVE IS...Going on a diet if he wants you healthy!?"

Yes! Much, much better!

I really do believe that some of our thinkin' back then was a bit ridiculous! I mean, seriously! That is "PIG-MAN" mentality! And no, I did not mean "Big-Man"~ I MEANT "PIG-MAN!" I truly don't think I could live with a man who EVER said anything to me about wanting me SLIM!

ERR...

This little clippy MUST have just slipped by unnoticed by my 18 year old self!

Now...with all that off my chest~

About the DIE-IT I've been on for the past few weeks (very fitting for this Post, don'tcha think?)...

I'm going to be a total braggart and tell you I'm down 13.5 pounds! I've decided that Weight Watchers is the ONLY way to go! I'm FINALLY starting to recognize my face again (gosh...I've been missing her for soooo long now)! I hope my HEART <3 appreciates that I'm trying to take better care of her! Feeling good! Feeling fine! A bit scared I'll fall off the Catering Truck during the Holidays, but...I've decided I CAN do this! I can!! I can!!! I will!!!! Blessings to you as make good choices for your life...Rebecca

~HOW TO TURN SIMPLE CANDLES INTO BEAUTIFUL GIFTS - Candle Tutorial PART 2~

BEGIN WITH INEXPENSIVE CANDLES

OK Peeps! Yesterday I shared with you how out of necessity I transformed simple, but fragrant Candles into lovely, but inexpensive gifts. If you are looking for ways this year to stretch your dollar, then read on... I don't know a lady who doesn't LOVE LOVE LOVE Candles! Do you? Follow these simple guidelines and you, too, can produce lovely gifts for a fraction of their retail cost!

Are you ready?

Good!

Begin with Candles purchased at discount places like Ross, T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, Tuesday Morning, etc. And if you are REALLY on a budget and needing to spend as little as possible, then check out the Dollar Tree in your area.

BAMBOO TRIMMED CANDLE FOR $4.99

I found the lot of amazing Candles above at several of these stores. The ones I purchased are all Vanilla based Candles and I found them in many styles! Don't forget to check out the sale racks in these stores because a couple of those I snagged (like the pink one below) I picked up for only $2.00!

THREE INCH-ER FOR ONLY $2.49!

After you've purchased the Candles you are wanting to transform you will need to assemble your embellishments and decorative finds.

You will need:

1. Bridal Tulle (not the kind on rolls - available at most fabric stores). I use off-white!

2. Flowers, vines, berries, greenery, etc. Anything you wish for accents.

3. Small charms, old jewelry, buttons, old keys, etc.

4. Ribbon in several widths and lengths.

5. Hot glue

6. Printer (optional)

7. Vintage Graphics (optional)

ESTATE SALE FIND - .25 Per Roll

(I know! I nearly fainted!)

BRASS CHARMS, OLD RHINESTONES, ETC.

GARAGE SALE FIND
Rose Covered Baskets (also .25 each)

I found these odd little baskets at a Garage Sale this past summer. The roses attached to the outside were wonderful!

The baskets themselves...NOT SO MUCH!

Finding fabulously fabulous treasures like the roses make transforming my Candles both inexpensive and extra FUN!

VINTAGE KEYS
2Die4 Estate Sale Find

I can't pass up vintage keys! I love tying them onto Candles, Pillows, refurbished and vintage Train (Gathering Cases) Cases, etc.

CANDLE COVERED WITH TULLE

I love this Candle! It is very similar to the ones I wrote about yesterday only they had cinnamon sticks around the outside.

Lay out the Tulle on a flat surface and place your Candle in a position where you can pull up enough of the Tulle to cover the Candle and form sort of a "pony tail" or "spout" on top. Tie up with ribbon as pictured above leaving the tails long (this will be tied up into a bow later on!). Trim the Tulle leaving about 3" tall on the top (don't trim too close~you can always do that later!)

BEGIN EMBELLISHING YOUR CANDLE

Beginning with your largest flower, using the tulle "spout" as the center, begin to hot glue (use it sparingly!) your embellishments around the spout. Continue in this manner trying to group your flowers, etc. in groups of three. Once you've made your way around the Candle's "spout" you are ready to add your bows, loops of lace, etc. When adding ribbons leave their tales long enough so you can tie into the mix your charms, keys, etc.

THIS ONE HAS A SWEET METAL SNOWFLAKE

Once you have completed decorating the top of the Candle you'll want to go back and add a hang tag!

I ALMOST ALWAYS ADD HEARTS

When decorating your Candle keep in mind just who it is you are giving it too! I love the pink one above... But, my sweet Daughter would flip out over the French Inspired one below!

FRENCHY CANDLE FOR MY GIRL

LABELS PRINTED
USING PAINT SHOP PRO8

If you are handy with your Home Printer and understand programs like Publisher, Paint Shop Pro (I use 8), etc., then try your hand at using on-line images for labels and custom tags. I did all of the Candles you see below just yesterday. I love how they came out and trust me when I tell you they each cost me only a few dollars in the end!

Wouldn't it be sweet to make a Candle Label with an aging picture of someone in your family?

If you opt to print a label for your Candle, here are some tips for you!

1. Measure your Candle and fashion label according to it's size.

2. Use Tacky Glue to overlap the label in the back to keep in place. No need to permanently adhere the label to the front. If you wrap it tightly it will stay put!

3. If your Candle is the larger style try printing two labels instead one just one. You can always "lace up" the sides by punching holes and threading with ribbon! This is a charming look and you can skip the Fufu on the top!

VINTAGE GRAPHIC W/ MATCHING TAG

Here is another one using a vintage graphic! I just expanded the color around the original image until it was large enough to go around the entire candle. If you opt to do this, don't forget to add the scent of your Candle either on the label or the tag! Adding your name or business to the back side is a good idea, too!

MY PERSONAL FAVORITE
But, I LOVE PINK!

One important thing I choose to do is leave the original paper label found on the bottom in place. This has all the information a consumer will need in case they ever have an issue with their Candle. I only remove the any decorative label or original hang tag.

In addition, if a Candle comes covered with shrink wrap, I often leave this in place as well.

FINISHED BAMBOO CANDLE
Perfect for Gift-Giving

FINAL PRODUCT

When you Candle is completed you will be amazed at the outcome! It's fairly easy to turn a $5.00 gift into one that easily looks to be $30 or more!

BE CREATIVE! If you are already a Crafter then you are sure to have "STUFF" laying around that will be perfect for your own Candle transformation!

If I can help you in any way, please don't hestitate to email me!

Blessings to you as you make lasting gifts of love (while saving a dime or two along the way!)...Rebecca

~IT’S ALL IN THE PACKAGING~ Candle Transformation TUTORIAL PART I~

CANDLE TRANSFORMATION TUTORIAL
Turning a Simple Candle into a Wonderful Gift
Coming Tuesday - November 10th

I’ve shared with you before that in the mid 1990’s I owned a brick and mortar store. Back then I made many trips to Market and I was constantly amazed by the fabulous new offerings I discovered year after year. I learned a great deal about retail marketing during those early days of business and out of necessity learned to pinch my share of pennies along the way.

Because my Shoppe was small I quickly realized some of the wonderful items I longed to carry were impossible for me to afford. In general, if I paid $10.00 for something wholesale, then USUALLY it retailed for approximately $20.00. This wasn’t always the rule mind you, but a 100% mark-up in the retail industry is fairly standard.

One year I purchased from an Importer some fabulous vanilla scented candles which smelled truly divine. They were about 6” tall and the outside shell was decorated with cinnamon sticks. If my mind serves me correctly the wholesale cost of each candle was $4.00. At Market they were displayed with all the bells and whistles and as a promotion the Showroom was giving huge discounts on case-lots. If I purchased 10 cases of 24 (that would be 240 candles) I could get them for $2.00 each. I was on cloud nine and quickly signed the order form on the dotted line. My nearly $500 investment SHOULD parlay into a tidy profit for my tiny business if everything went right…

When my candles came a couple of weeks later I couldn’t wait to tear open that first box! What I found stunned me! I honestly thought there had been a mistake! Inside the boxes were my candles alright, and they still smelled absolutely sinful. But, the packaging was dreadful! Worse than dreadful, even! The cello bags they were housed in were dingy and gray which made the candles look like they’d been on a thrift store shelf for a decade or more. I was terribly disappointed and even a bit afraid. I so needed the profit from those candles. That money alone would pay ALL my Shoppe’s expenses for the month and give me a little cash to reinvest.

Because I’m a very determined, hard-headed kind of gal (ask my Mr. AGPMan~ He calls me HM…that stands for High Maintenance!), I had to figure out SOMETHING to do! So, after thinking for two solid days and after investing $50 in an array of Christmas garlands, decorative berries and holiday paraphernalia, I set my mind in the direction of transforming each and every candle I had purchased. By the end of the week the candles were ready for sale. The transformation was complete and the cash register was beginning to sing!

Not only did I go on to sell every single candle in the lot, but I ended up learning an invaluable lesson about how a product is packaged and then subsequently marketed to the public. I don’t care how wonderful something is, if the box an item comes in is ugly, well then chances are most women (and even some men!) aren’t going to buy it!

On Tuesday I will be giving you a fairly short (and easy!) TUTORIAL on how you can transform even an inexpensive candle into something truly lovely. If your budget is tight this Christmas, then stay tuned!

Blessings as you let you try and avoid burning your candle at both ends while continuing to 'Let Your Little Light Shine'…Rebecca

~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~

~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~

Today I only want to share with you the lyrics of a song that ushered into my life much needed peace when I was a child.

Written in the early 1970's by Flo Price, the meaning of the words are as timely today as they were when they were first penned almost 40 years ago. Thank God that in the midst of angry, fighting men and hatred worldwide, we have something wonderful to look forward to when our time on earth is done.

May God continue to send His peace to the families of those who were injured and slain this week in Texas.

BRIGHT NEW WORLD

Someday a bright new wave
Will Break upon the shore
And there will be no sickness
No More dying, no more war.
And little children never will
Go Hungry anymore~

And there will be a bright
New Morning over there
There will be a bright
New world for us to share

Someday there will be an end
To unkind words and cruel
The man who said there is no God
Will know he is a fool
And peace will be a way of life
With love the only rule~

And there will be a bright
New Morning over there
There will be a bright
New World for us to share

Someday we know not when
When time on earth is done
But those redeemed from every land
Will all become as one
And peace will be a way of life
With God, the Three-In-One

And there will be a bright
New Morning over there
There will be a bright
New World for us to share

Blessings to you this beautiful Sunday...Rebecca