Around The Mulberry Bush: October 2008

Shop-a-Thon

To All My New TipJunkie Friends!

For any of you who don't know about TipJunkie.
You'll have to go check it out!
It is just FULL (and I mean FULL) of great ideas!

AND.
While You're There.
Be sure to check out the Mom-preneur Shop-a-Thon!

Your friends and family will LOVE all the amazing and thoughtful gifts you'll find there.
Plus, you'll be supporting other moms & bloggers.
Isn't that GREAT!!

And, seriously. Isn't it always more fun to buy from other women?
(Especially when they love the same things we do!)

So, a Big Fat Thank You! goes out to Laurie at TipJunkie
for listing my Blogoversary Giveaway on her website.

I am already meeting new friends and LOVE your comments!
(Isn't it fun to think back and remember your best gifts?)
(It's like getting them all over again!)

So Best of Luck Girlfriends!
My fingers are crossed for all of you!

Hugs!

It's My Blogoversary!

Happy Blogoversary to me!

Happy Blogoversary to Me! Happy Blogoversary...

{All Together Now...}

To Me-e-e-ee!

Yippee!!

Today's my First Blogoversary!

Can You Believe It?!? Oh please...no presents {giggle}

Really...you shouldn't have.

(Absolutely-- Horn-Blowing & Loud Clapping is TOTALLY allowed!)

Actually, you know I Love A Party!

So, to celebrate, I'm having a 'Blogoversary Party Giveaway' and

You are TOTALLY invited!

"Wait...Did she say Giveaway?"

Yep! I said Giveaway!

(Don'tcha just love presents?!?)

"Oooh! Where do I go?"

"What do I need to do?"

"Oh No! What should I wear?", you're asking.

Well...if you've been enjoying all the fascinating...informative...rivetting posts from the past year.

And have just been dying to comment!

But for whatever reason...just didn't.

Don't beat yourself up! You gotta start somewhere right?
(And you can't win if you don't play)
So, jump on the Bandwagon and let's hear from ya!

So curl up in your comfiest pj's and fuzzy bunny slippers
(or feel free to throw on that prom dress
you've been dying to see if you could still get into {envious grin})
Okay...Comfy?!?

Then Let's Play!
Just press the "Enjoyed This" at the bottom of this post

and tell me aout the BEST PRESENT you EVER Received!
That's It! You're Entered!

Of course your comment will enter you in the drawing.

But wait!...it gets better!

You can ALSO earn additional entries by doing any, or all, of the following:

1) subscribe to my Blog

(located at the top right hand corner of this page)

2) add me to your blogroll

(copy and paste the code located to the left of this post onto your blog sidebar)

3) announce my contest on your blog

4) become a Gal Pal Follower

(located on the top left hand corner of this page)

(Just comment or email me to let me know that you are eligible for extra entries.)

WHEW! Glad that's all out of the way!

"So How Do I Win?" you ask.

On Thursday, November 6th, all the entries will be gathered up and winners will be drawn!

Oooooh! I just Can't WAIT!! {giddy}

Oh! And the prizes will be SO FUN!!
Here They Are!...

Behind Door #1...

...you'll be the envy of every Holiday Hostess when you're wearing
your very own Christmas Apronality Apron.

Behind Door #2...

...will be a To-Die-For White Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Cheeseball
AND
an adorable silver serving tray with matching spreader
so you can serve your cheeseball with elegance!

And Behind Door #3!...

...will be THE MOST scrumptious-smelling

square votive candle (called Sleeping In Snow)
AND
a matching glass holder
(I'm telling you, these candles smell so good
you won't even have to burn them! YUM!).

So there you go!

My party has officially started!

I Hope You Have a Great Time!

Oh! And Good Luck!

Hugs! Hugs! Hugs!

We've Been Bzzzzy Little Bees!

My Friend Nancy (that's what I call her...)
(My girls tease me because they know exactly who Nancy is.
Like they'd need any clarification.
And yet, I still refer to her as "My Friend Nancy") {giggle}

What?
Oh.
I'm rambling.
Sorry.
Let's try again.

So, My Friend Nancy and I worked on booths in the store yesterday.
Oh! It was SO MUCH FUN!!!
I just LOVE creating with Nancy!
(Doesn't that sound like a TV show? Creating With Nancy {snicker})
Cheryl! Stay focussed!
Anyway...we think so much alike that once we get rolling
WE'RE dang AMAZING!!!

Yep!!
We hinged doors together, moved merchandise,
waited on customers, freshened up spaces,
and emptied a ~~HUGE,~~ okay tiny, area of my storage room.

And here are some pics of the new Apronality display.

Did I mention it was SO MUCH FUN?!?!?
I just wish there were more hours in the day!
And that My Friend Nancy didn't already have
a full time job so she could come hang out with me every day.

Oh, the things we could do...

Hugs!

New Friends!

Well, another month has come and gone in Canton
and I have to tell ya'(again)...

...I just LOVE it there!

I get to meet the neatest people!
(It always amazes me when folks come into the store
and tell me they drove in from small towns just a few miles from Clinton--that's a 6 hr drive!)

Anyway...
I digress...

So, this month was busy, busy, busy! {YAY!!}
And the hours were long, long, LONG! {SIGH...}

But the highlight of my weekend
happened on Saturday night.

Just before we closed, the most ADORABLE young girl walked in the store
and was SO, SO, SO excited about buying one of my aprons!

She said she'd been thinking about it all day while she was working
in her booth in The Arbors on the Main Grounds.

So when her brother brought her up to The Mountain she just
couldn't wait to come pick out her favorite apron.
(Now how exciting is THAT?!?--For BOTH of us!)

I just cannot tell you how much I enjoyed visiting with my new friend Joni,
her brother Keith, and Keith's friend Trey.

They have such a fascinating story that I just HAD to share it with you.

It seems that Joni and Keith have been in business together for the past 7 years.

"Well", you say.
"That's not all that impressive", you say.

Oh Yeah! What if I told you that Joni is 20 and Keith is 21!?!
See!
THAT IS impressive!

So, I'd like you to meet my new friends...

They are SIMPLY FABULOUS!

And here is their website.
(I linked you directly to their gallery so you can
take a look at their STUNNING work!)

And be sure to read their whole "About Me" section.
They're not only amazing; they're inspirational!

We talked about how to grow our businesses,
how I should introduce my aprons at Market.
And on, and on, and on...

Visiting with them just fired me up!
Joni's enthusiasm was CONTAGIOUS!

And I just can't wait to see them again!