March is Etsy-versay Month!

On March 20th, we will be celebrating our one year Etsy-versary! All month long, anyone who purchases from our shop will have their name entered to win $25.00 worth of products from our shop! From butter bars and lip balm to full size and guest size soaps! Not to mention we will be including some fabulous freebies with every purchase!

We will be having weekend specials so check our shop on fridays for our special
Esty-Versary Celebrations!

We have had a great year with Etsy! Over 200 sales in eleven months, joined some fabulous street teams, parcipated in promos and giveaways, and of course have made some wonderful selfless kindhearted friends across the world wide web! To all our Etsy customers, thank you for your support! Our success this year has everything to do with you - Thank you!

CYA/Safe Team Valentine's Giveaway!

Pop on over to our team blog, post a little something about Valentine's Day and you'll be entered for a chance to win one of two baskets filled with lovely bath and body goodies donated by the CYA/Safe Team!

http://cyateam.blogspot.com/

Talkin' Pennsylvanian!

This was sent to me by my niece via e-mail! My fellow "Pee-ay-ers" will be snickering and nodding their heads... The rest of "youze guys", I hope you get a laugh!

For those who think we 'talk funny' or use 'big words', here's why ... Talking Pennsylvanian!

Once a Pennsylvanian, ALWAYS a Pennsylvanian! About Pennsylvanians: You've never referred to Philadelphia as anything but 'Philly' and New Jersey has always been ' Jersey .'

We don't go to the beach, we go 'down the shore.'

You refer to Pennsylvania as 'PA' (pronounced Pee-Ay). How many other states do that??

'You guys' (or even 'youze guys', in some places) is a perfectly acceptable reference to a group of men and women.

You know how to respond to the question 'Djeetyet?' (Did you eat yet?)

You learned to pronounce Bryn Mawr, Wilkes-Barre , Schuylkill , the Pocono's, Tamaqua, Tunkahannock, Bala Cynwyd, Duquesne and Monongahela. And we know Lancaster is pronounced Lank-ister, not Lan-kaster.

You know what a 'Mummer' is, and are disappointed if you can't catch at least highlights of the parade.

You know what ' Punxsutawney Phil' is, and what it means if he sees his shadow.

The first day of buck and the first day of doe season are school holidays.

At least five people on your block have electric 'candles' in all or most of their windows all year long.

You know what a 'State Store' is, and your out-of-state friends find it incredulous that you can't purchase liquor at the mini-mart.

Words like 'hoagie,' 'crick,' 'chipped ham,' 'dippy eggs', 'sticky buns,' 'shoo-fly pie,' 'lemon sponge pie', 'pierogies' and 'pocketbook' actually mean something to you. ( By the way, that last one's PA slang for a purse!)

You can eat cold pizza (even for breakfast!) and know others who do the same. Those from NY find this 'barbaric.'

You not only have heard of Birch Beer, but you know it comes in several colors.

You know the difference between a cheese steak and a pizza steak sandwich, and you know that you also can't get a really good one anywhere outside of the Philly area. (Except maybe in Atlantic City on the boardwalk.)

You live for summer, when street and county fairs signal the beginning of funnel cake season.

You know that Blue Ball, Intercourse, Paradise, Climax, Bird-in-Hand, Beaver, Moon, Virginville, Mars, Bethlehem, Hershey, Indiana, Sinking Spring, Jersey Shore, State College, Washington Crossing, Jim Thorpe, King of Prussia, Wind Gap, and Slippery Rock are all PA towns ... and the first three were consecutive stops on the old Reading RR! (PS - That's pronounced Redd-ing.)

You know what a township, borough, and commonwealth are.

You can identify drivers from New York , New Jersey , Maryland or other neighboring states by their unique and irritating driving habits.

A traffic jam is 10 cars waiting to pass a horse-drawn carriage on the highway in Lancaster County . (And remember ... that's Lank-ister!)

You know several people who have hit deer more than once.

You carry jumper cables in your car and your female passengers know how to use them.

Driving is always better in winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

As a kid you built snow forts and leaf piles that were taller than you were.

You know beer doesn't grow in a garden, but you know where to find a beer garden.

You also know someone who lives 'down the lane'.

You actually understand all this and send it on to other Pennsylvanians or former Pennsylvanians! YEAH! THAT'S GOOD OL' 'PA' AND WE LOVE IT! And send it to people that never lived in PA and confuse them, because nice matters

Happy Holidays!

Here's a little post to help guide you during the endless holiday parties, feasts and functions! It is not my writing but from a fellow Etsy-ian, Swan Mountain Soaps, who decided to share an e-mail! My personal favorite - Tip number 2!

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who put carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving fudge.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think.

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. Ask for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Black Friday - Cyber Monday

Ok, yes, I'll admit it. I will be contributing to the crazy chaos that seems to have been elevated to almost National Holiday status.

I won't be in the stores shopping. Any of my family will tell you, I am not a morning person. I have participated in the shopping frenzy the friday after Thanksgiving and I don't get it. Maybe because I am not a morning person. I will pay a little more for my gifts just to avoid the crowds, craziness and shoppers blinded by the thought of saving five bucks on the last "hot holiday toy" perched on the shelf at Toys R Us. I don't usually go for trendy gifts anyway.

So, as the times dictate, I will be having special prices in my etsy shop from November 28 through December 2. Check my store announcement for the special pricing for shipping, discounts and a special offer for international buyers. Why should they be left out? Us crazy American's with our national shopping holiday!....

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Now its time to find those comfortable jogging pants, add the new laces to the tennis shoes and pull that debit card out of moth balls! Now don't forget, add these last two reminders to your shopping list - wearing deoderant is necessary but carrying a purse is a waste of space! You can carry another bag with that hand!

Congratulations to the Winner!

The Filigree Garden was the first person to sign up to follow my blog! Congratulations! Her and her dear hubby made their soap selection from my etsy shop - they chose Tonic! A great green herbal fragrance. Refreshing! Good choice you two! Enjoy!

So now that I have a "groupie" following me around, I'll have to keep up with the blog, make the reading interesting and light! No pressure, right?

If you have the opportunity, stop by The Filigree Garden's etsy shoppe and check out her beautiful creations! I'm sure there's someone on your holiday shopping list that would love to be spoiled by her unique hand crafted goodies!

TheFiligreeGarden.etsy.com

Thank you Filigree for participating in my little give-away! I hope you enjoy the blog - and the soap! =)

Giving away a free bar to my first "groupie"!

First person to sign up and follow my blog will win a free bar from my Platinum Collection!

You can check out the fragrance descriptions at my etsy boutique! www.Bathartisansoaps.etsy.com or click through on my etsy mini!------>