GIVEAWAY!! Lemon Drop Massage Lotion Bar...

This little beauty boasts a combination of Jasmine, Lemongrass and Grapefruit essential oils creating a bright lemony scent that lingers. Most folks say they'd like to eat it. I wouldn't recommend it but it does smell THAT good. It's made with organic and fairly traded Shea butter, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, vitamin e oil and raw northwest beeswax. It's perfect for dry winter skin and you won't be disappointed.

So enter for a chance to win! ...or you could give it away. It would make a great stocking stuffer :)

**This giveaway will be open until December 4th at midnight so hurry!


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Unexpected Delight

Getting out of bed this morning was a full on war.

6:28 am: The alarm goes off and I say, "just one more snooze"
7:08 am and several snoozes later, I'm up. Fine. Work is so greedy.

My face is puffy.
My eyes are swollen.
My nose has accomplished the impossible by being completely congested while still running like a faucet.
I'm sneezing. Intense loud body-rocking type sneezes.
I am SO tired.
Allergies, I hate you.

I did NOT want to get out of bed. My husband called me a grump. Meh. I'll take it.

I shower, clothe myself, grab leftover pizza for lunch and a new carton of soy milk to replenish my stash at work as I never have time to eat breakfast at home and head out the door.

8:02 am: I start the car. I NEED coffee this morning.

I stop by Broadway Commons for some serious Stumptown coffee. Why is that stuff so much stronger than the rest? Maybe it's just me. Whatevs. I happen to see a friendly face. Mr Elvicious. Haven't seen him in awhile. *insert hug here* I briefly complain. He listens. Nice dude.

8:06 am: I'm already 6 minutes late to work but I have priorities and NEED that coffee. I wander on over to the register and get in line. I decided I'd be ready when my turn to order came so I proceed to open my wallet only to watch my business cards fall all over the floor. UGH. I gather up my precious cards and am clumsily stuffing them back in when the lady that's ordering stops mid sentence and asks if she can have one. I'm confused. I stare at her before it registers and I of course oblige. I give her one. She tells me her name is Barbara.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Aileen."
Then another gentleman in line asks if he can have one too. Woah. This is awesome. They don't even know what they're asking for. I like that. Surprises. Yay.

8:11 am: I have my coffee and Barbara tells me to have a great day. Yes ma'am!

8:16 am: I get to work 16 minutes late but in a much better mood than when I left home.

In short, a little bit of unexpected interest and kindness can make a big difference in a strangers day.

Oh! And I love that I had business cards to fall out of my wallet :)

I am a small business owner. Oh dear.

"Hello. My name is Aileen and I am a small business owner."

WHAAAT?! Yeah. That's a trip. This has been a long time coming. I opened an Etsy seller account back in January of 2009 but couldn't quite muster up the courage to actually list anything. So the idea lumbered in the back of my mind waiting for a surge of inspiration. Bummer.

You see, unfortunately I'm not much of a planner. In the mind of me, things usually go one of three ways:
Exhibit A: "Woah!! This is awesome! Such a great idea! Yeah. I'm totally doing this."
Explanation A: I'm impulsive, see every reason why I can do this and it will work, and I pounce on it with insane energy and commitment.
Exhibit B: "Yeah, it IS pretty awesome. Yeah, it IS something I've been wanting to do. Hmmm, I'll just hang on to it a little longer and see what goes down."
Explanation B: I'm passive and frankly, kind of lazy. I'd like to learn and master something by downloading it into my brain in order to bypass the hours of planning, practicing and honing. Maybe someday?
Exhibit C: "Nah. No way. I'll just smother that idea before it even gets a chance to breathe."
Explanation C: I'm insecure and scared of the failure OR (here's the weird part) the success that could come from pursuing the idea. My solution? Just avoid it altogether.

That being said, the development of my Etsy shop was Exhibit B followed by a rather sudden Exhibit A. Though I opened my account years ago, I didn't actually use it until December 2011. I was sitting at a training for work innocently using my homemade lip balm when my neighbor leaned over, said it smelled good and asked what it was. I casually responded, "oh, just lip balm." No big deal, right?
"What kind?" She asked. Oh my goodness. She wants to know more.
"Creamy Coconut Vanilla..." pause, "and it's homemade!"
"Oh wow! Do you sell it?"

Before I answered her question I went through a silent debate of pros and cons in my head... let's just say that was the moment "Urth Tones" was finally open for business.

I went home and filled my orders happy as a goose in a pond. That was a couple of months ago. Now my business is officially registered in Oregon, I've made several sales, I'm researching and cramming my brain with business information, developing a vision, setting goals and, best of all, having SO MUCH FUN!!

I am so excited to see where this journey takes me and feel so blessed for all of the support I've received from those around me and some whom I don't even know!

Funny how when you finally commit to something and really believe in it the universe/God (whatever language makes sense to you) conspires to make it happen.

I am grateful.