Welcome to Erma Bombeck's Kitchen.....

(Previously on Survivor), in Cassia's Kitchen: MULTI TASKING IS A MISNOMER; aka shop vacs are wonderful in I discussed conceding in the area of multitasking. Today, I throw in the towel. Not the Towel, mind you, just my Multi Tasking Towel!!!!! it is over rated, you know!

Here are two, count 'em, (2) devices which we had on hand in case of imminent demise. Post danger, I found out that they needed to be examined and re-activated, or re-compressend or, re-charged periodically. On a yearly basis. They are sitting by my front door, reminding me to actually stop and go and have them recharged.



Here is a picture of my computer technician guy, Tim: Is he, in this picture, fixing my fried computers, either one of them? No, he is putting out a fire, in Cassia's Kitchen. Thank God he was there!





Here is a picture of your all purposes household item. In a 5 pound bag size. Notice the little blue letters: HUNDREDS OF USES!!!! I keep this on hand for my fabulous bath bomb cupcakes. But today, I used it to put out a fire in Cassia's Kitchen.


Here's how it went down: We had been having tremendous technical difficulties in our business office for unknown reasons. I have had to call Tim out on more than one occasion when the IP address had been thrown offline and there were network conflicts which my ISP service could not figure it out, even when the trouble calls were escalated to Level 2 Technical Support.


On this particular day, Tim finally could make it out to our office where we had already 1) had my business laptop burn up last month, 2) our HP Photosmart all in one ceased to print, scan, copy and fax, and now 3) we had lost connectivity with the beloved world wide web.


We had already purchased a new Epson work force machine (me begging my husband to purchase me a laser printer for labeling purposes) (he saying, no, we are losing business by the day due to no FAXing capabilities, and laser printers had to be ordered online) and me conceding, heavy sighs all the way.


Our ISP announced to us that there was nothing more that they could do and we needed to go to Best Buy and get a new network adapter. This, however failed, so trusty Tim came to our rescue.


I was in the kitchen, just happily making my wholesale order #1; just a cookin', and a cuttin', and a singin' and having a generally joyous time! I had just put a small batch of soap base in the microwave and pressed 33... OR SO I THOUGHT........


(Do you ever do that? At the checkout counter when swiping your card? Do you ever so lightly push those 4 digit numbers and they don't take right away so you push again and then the clerk has to clear the transaction and you start all over? Riiiiiight.....that was just what happened. )


I must have pushed 3:33 as I sometimes do, and did not notice. Tim comes in to the kitchen, and announces he is ready to give me stats on the fix........ I go into the office and sit here while he draws charts and graphs, and IP addresses and DUNS gateway addresses, and start/run/cmd/ipscan/........ad infinitum.


It must have been approximately 3.3something minutes later when my daughter and her best friend Gabriela run soaking wet into the kitchen through the back door. Screaming bloody, I Mean Bloody Curdling Friday the 13th Murder!!!!!!!!! Tim and I run into the kitchen, in an alert phase adrenal reaction ready to fight off a:



water mocassin in my kitchen, or one of my puppies inside the mouth of one or something like that. Instead, no word could come out of their mouths as they pointed at my beautiful Kenmore deluxe microwave that was now ON FIRE. Smoke alarm, still sleeping right next door and no silence until we opened the door, grabbed the dysfunctional fire extinguishers and began throwing handfuls of Baking Soda into the flaming device. Luckily Tim had the presence of mind, due to the flaming plastic which would not be satisfied . The ceiling of the microwave fell into the flaming Pyrex dish of soap base. He grabbed a towel and threw the Pyrex into my sink.

Tim, like a champ, stayed there well past the call of duty, after having disconnecting the vented microwave from the power source, pulling off the facing and opening the adjoining upper cabinet to make sure that no wood was burning or no plastic pieces still smoldering. THANKS TIM! You are a peach of a guy!

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Number one, I was under pressure to get my order done and so I was hurrying. Number Two: I had over committed myself to taking my daughter's friend home and had hastily said I would get her home by noon that day. So the multi tasking factor along with the time pressure and the other extenuating circumstances caused me to make rash promises that were not easily fulfilled. Number 3: My attention to details and safety were deplorable, and that needs to be a factor in all future manufacturing processes. Number 4: Do not be disgruntled with the results when you trust communication with a child's best friends' parent to child's best friend to daughter's phone conversation when you are too lazy or preoccupied to take the call yourself to state your own terms for return of said child back to her domicile of record. But that is another story for another day.

But the silver lining is this: (thanks, Anne-Marie!) (you are a Peach!) at the time I was suffering this loss, and it was a financial loss that I have yet to sit down and tally up....perhaps I am afraid to do so? The silver lining is this: I am becoming a stronger person. Who said this: that which does not kill us makes us stronger? My usual Modus Apparendi is to somehow emotionally cave when I have done something dumb, stupid, inane or ridiculous. This time I, yes I, katw0man! I laughed in the face of adversity. I laughed with all the joy and peace in my heart that was already resounding. I laughed in that I will not back down. I laughed in that
all was well in my soul. After all, the house could have burned down. Or someone hurt. But I laughed in the face of fear, and that, my friend, was a victory, even though costly.

I miss my microwave and all it 's time saving, ventilating, exhaust fan, instantaneous and fun things which you can do with this fabulous invention. Humbly, I am heating up all things microwaveable the old fashioned way. It will cost approximately $500 or more to replace with another Kenmore appliance.

I hope I have learned my lesson. And I hope that my countenance will reflect light as we continue in the fires of trial and proving the metal which is in our souls. Perseverence is won through adversity. And hope triumphs by love over fear, doubt and insecurity.

Chronicling all these fun, dumb, silly, trying, triumphant things is good for the soul. We all have these stories, and one day we will tell them to our children and their children. We will be wiser and more careful. And we will be better, stronger, and able to encourage the next generation. Let us not give up our hope which has a great reward!

Ultimately, I finished my first wholesale order. It turned out beautifully, and I cannot wait to create more things that will bring fragrance, and luminous beauty to friends, family and future customers from far and near! Be encouraged, dear reader!

For a great article on fear, dealing with or succombing or even acknowledging it, please refer to:http://soap-queen.blogspot.com/2009/05/putting-fear-in-its-place.html

They are Here! Bath Trio Sets......

There's just something about this weather that has turned me suddenly

"Whimsical" as they say! At about 94 degrees in the shade and about that much

percentage in humidity, a gal just has to get clean, you know!

I have been working on this idea for awhile now,

and my daughter's graduation from 5th grade seemed

just the occasion to "make it happen, No. 1! "

So, in an effort to make up "sets" of products that will go together in

a seamless way for today's gal who is on the go and

wants things easy....Here they are

The amazing Bath Trio Sets.

This set includes an 8 oz. soy candle

a 4.5 oz. glycerin soap

and a 4 oz. room/linen/body or even pet spray!

I have plans to do my pump lotion, but am looking for a basket that will fit all items neatly and still look great! Always on the prowl for packaging, I am still searching.

I do not even have a price for this product yet, but as soon as I find the "formula" I will post it for sale on my website. Each of my 185 different fragrances will have a matching color

for any bathroom and any taste. Pictured here is Peach Mango Salsa

but it could just as easily be my Papaya Mango, Caribbean Dreams, Papaya Basil Lime,

or Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice.

Also I made this lovely green basket in Lime Basil:

but it could just as easily have been any other "green" fragrance that I have in my arsenal!
This product will be sold as a trio and will be packaged and wrapped and all ready for gift giving or hostess gifts. Get one today!

I am totally excited because one of my daughter's teachers, Miss Tammy, has a mom who has a gift shop in Louisiana. Miss Tammy said her mom loved my basket, and now she is inquiring if I have a wholesale price list for her shop! So, I better move it, because I need to get one together and email it by tomorrow! I am so thankful!

Tomorrow I am back to working on the citrus project! Stay tuned for more!

My Mother

A picture of our surviving family members after my mom passed away.
Memorial service for my mom was held on Memorial Day Weekend, 2004. Venue, Quincy California, the home of my mom's eldest brother, Bud Green.

I know we had digital photos before my beloved mother passed...but where are they?

That was two computers ago, and a house relocation ago, and 5 years ago.

I want to write about my mom even though I have not seen her or talked to her since March 25, 2004 when she passed into eternity.

She was the one in our house who appreciated beauty. She was the one who always decorated. It was her dream to always beautify her surroundings and she finally did it before leaving this world to her new life beyond.

I am proud of my mom. She was brave, strong, soft, industrious, kind hearted, hard working, thrifty and emotional. Passion drove her every day of her 77 years on earth. Life was not easy for her and marriage not always rewarding; she saw two of her children die in early childhood and she fought cancer twice. She saw the Great Depression and World War II. She was the third of 7 children, and her single mother and had to raise 7 children on her own after her husband left her for another woman. My mother helped raise her other siblings and never complained.

What I remember about my mom was her sacrificial love. Her selfless devotion and her undying passion for her children. She was a zealous Catholic and went to church almost every single day. She slept little and worked much.

When my mom finally got her wish and remodeled her home after my father passed away, she was in earnest in preparing a legacy for her children. Remodeling helped her deal with the grief and abandonment of the death of a spouse. It took her over 2 years and she did much of the labor herself. When she finally was through, we children will never forget her new set of house rules: "Put your surgical booties on before entering my house." We hated that rule but obeyed nonetheless.

One of the things I remember about her "new" house was the big kitchen window and she had yellow orchids and yellow daffodils gracing and beautifying the view of the backyard. Outside was a statue of St. Francis with an open hand, and in this hand a little indentation for bird seed.

While my mother was dying, I used to go outside and look at her small garden and her statue and her orchids. One day, while looking upward through this window, I spied out a tiny hummingbird inside her miniscule nest. Watching, looking, ever vigilant, protective. That, my friend, was my mother.

When she died, I know she rested at the feet of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Tears streamed down her face and her grateful heart leapt as He welcomed her into His eternal abode.

I know.....I saw her there.

Today, there are orchids sitting in pretty pink pots in my garden window. Every so often when I see them, I remember my dearly beloved mother. Sometimes I even smile, look up, and say to her, "Mommy, see my new house! Mom, do you like my orchids? They remind me of you!"

My mother left a legacy of beauty and motherhood to me. What she is doing in heaven, that place of infinite peace and beauty, I can only imagine. Often I muse that she might even be in on the design team for the coronation robes for the Lord Jesus when He returns to rule the nations. I smile when I think of that. Or, she might be designing alabaster pilasters, capitals, halls and courtyards where the kings of the earth will one day bring Him tribute. I do not know, only I cannot imagine her not busy!

Today, whoever you are that might read this post, honor your mother! Cherish her, and relegate to her all the affection your heart can muster! She will not always be here, but she is right now! Shower the people you love with love!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Cupcake Bath Bomb GIVEAWAY!

Honoring all Moms and Ladies, Big and Small

I am giving away one of these lovelies to one very special, lucky lady

These scrumptious bath bombs look good enough to eat. The fragrance will surround you as you drop it into your hot running bath. With a slight fizz, and so many good-for-you-skin nourishing vitamins, you will be in bath bomb heaven! I have added lots of extras for pampering your skin; shea and mango butters and also a generous serving of sweet almond oil and pure vegetable glycerin.

This Cupcake Bath Bomb smells delicious and is filled with the scent of Hello, Sweet Thang. The crowd-pleasing fragrance is inspired by Hello Sugar! scent by BBW.

Raw Turbinado Sugar, Lemon Zest, Meringue, Whipped Cream and Madagascar Vanilla notes make up this heady concoction. We can't get enough of it! This fragrance is super sweet but the lemon zest notes tone it down to make it a surprisingly refreshing blend.

These go for $4.75 on my website, and on my Etsy shop, a new avenue for selling.

They’re worth every penny!!

Here are few simple rules to qualify for this giveaway:

1. Go to my website and sign up for my newsletter, www.cassiacandlefragrance.com. On the 6th tab on the top to the right it will say newsletter; click on it, fill in your information and VOILA, you are subscribed to my newsletter!! This counts as 2 entries. Yes, I do know that the website is missing many features and is yet incomplete. I am working on it, as soon as I get files from fried laptop....that is another story and another post. Meanwhile...

2. Write a comment on my blog as to why you would like this yummy bath bomb! This counts as 1 entry.

3. Write a comment on my Facebook as to why you would like this yummy bath bomb! This counts as 1 entry.

4. If you post about this giveaway on your blog and paste a link back to my website, blog, and facebook, this will count as 3 entries.

Post a separate comment on my blog for each of these that you do, that way no one’s hard effort gets lost!!

This giveaway will end on Friday May 8th @ 12:01 AM Central Mountain Time. We will post the winner on here Friday afternoon.

JUST IN TIME FOR MOTHERS DAY

Editors Warning:

WARNING! HUSBANDS LOVE THESE BOMBS, AND MIGHT JUST WANT TO GET IN ON THE ACTION! LOCK YOUR BATHROOM DOORS!!

LET'S NOT FORGET DAUGHTERS...THEY WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET ONE OF THESE YUMMY CONFECTIONS TOO!

frosting fiascos.....continued

whimsical cupcakes........ i like these

elegant cupckes...i really like these!!!!!

my cupcakes.....failed frosting......

ok, back to the drawing board and this time

follow the recipe!

This is a preview of my blog giveaway for Mom's only!

but first, a new batch of frosting!

One day, I will tell the hilarious, Erma Bombeck styled story of this,

but time is awastin' and I am determined to produce a bakery quality cupcake today that you would be proud to receive as a Mom on your special day!

Bath cuppie, that is! If you have not tried one of these, you are missing something truly great!

Be sure to check back later for details about this fab give away and your chance to win!

perfecting the confection......continued

well, here is a picture of a perfect cupcake, and this is what i am shooting for. stay tuned for a cool give-a-way later this week. So yummy, so fun, so fragrant. I will give this to the lucky winner. Maybe include a roll on fragrance or a lotion to match! Spouses, siblings, beware! These are positively addictive! Selling for 4.75 each, but free to the lucky winner.

There will be ground rules and random awarding of this delicious confection, so please check in tomorrow!

OK, back to the kitchen! Au revoir mon amis!

Why This and Your Blogs are So Very Important,,,"They" Say!

Six Reasons Why Your Blog Is Your Most Important Social Media Tool
— It’s much more important that those young whippersnappers--Twitter and Facebook We often talk about the need to develop a content marketing mindset. This requires companies to think like publishers. And that sounds an awful lot like social media as Wikipedia defines it:

Social media is information content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies. At its most basic sense, social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. It's a fusion of sociology and technology, transforming monologue (one to many) into dialog (many to many) and is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers.

Your blog is your secret social media weapon
Thanks to free or inexpensive blogging tools, any individual can be on the same technological footing as the New York Times or Business Week. That may seem relatively obvious to many of you. What I think is less obvious is that your blog is every bit as much a social media tool such as Twitter, Facebook or MySpace. In fact, I believe that a blog is the most important social media weapon in your arsenal.