Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Lotions - Body, Face Hand and Foot

I started out to research the differences in lotions. I found many articles, considered all of the opinions and the general consensus is that you should use a face lotion/cream for your face. The reason for this is that other lotions/creams may contain ingredients that will clog your pores and cause a pimple outbreak. This does make sense to me as the face tends to not be as dry as the hands or feet so it would not require a heavy product that leaves a lasting residue. Face lotions/creams are specially formulated for use on the face. They are thinner than other lotions and creams, although the textures may be similar, the amount of ingredients are different. Face lotion has ingredients that aids in not clogging pores and has properties that tighten the skin as well as moisturize.

Body, hand and foot lotions/creams are thicker and usually leave a lasting residue to continue being absorbed into the dry skin that may be on your hands or other areas. These lotions are formulated to cling to the skin, protecting and nourishing these often overworked, neglected or dry areas. Many of these lotions contain shea butter and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter works well on dry skin, but will clog pores on the face.

Hand lotions are generally thicker and richer than body lotions so you may not want to use it on our back if you have a problem with breakouts in that area. You may want to use a lighter body lotion in that area. Foot and hand lotions are similar but many people prefer to use a lotion labeled for feet. Some foot lotions do have ingredients that you may not want to use on the hands as a matter of preference. Many have a mint ingredient to help eliminate foot order. Foot lotion tends to be thicker than hand lotion, as the feet have thicker skin and tend to be dryer. Many people have calluses, or cracked, dry feet and need the thicker lotion with an exfoliating property.

After my research, I basically found that selecting a lotion or cream is a matter of personal opinion. Some people choose one lotion/cream and use it for all areas as a matter of convenience. Other people believe in having a cream/lotion for each particular area and think that each one is the best in the area it was formulated to be used on.

There are many great lotions and creams available through our e-tailers. If you have a lotion or cream question, I’m sure they are more qualified to answer it than I am. The e-tailers are listed on the side bar, this will take you directly to their websites where you may email your questions to them.

I do not make lotions or creams so this article is just my opinion, so please consider it as such.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Winners of the January Drawings Announced!

Drum roll, please.....The winner of the mystery prize donated by Delightfully Wed is Shana of Florida. Congratulations, Shana! Your prize will ship out Feb. 17.

Allison of Nebraska is the lucky winner of a Snowberry Creek Sample Box. Congratulations, Allison! Your free box will ship on February 25. I know you will love all of the samples/full-sized products the e-tailers have sent in for this box.

Thanks ladies, for choosing Snowberry Creek and our wonderful e-tailers!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

How to Be an E-tailer in Snowberry Creek Sample Boxes

So, you want to be an e-tailer in our sample boxes and don’t know where to start. I’ll see if I can answer some of the most asked questions.

Does it cost anything? No, there is not cost to you ever other than the cost of your samples.
Is there a minimum amount? Yes, we have a minimum of 10 samples/or full-sized items for any month you wish to participate. However, we have no maximum so if you wish to send in a large amount and spread it out over a couple of months – that’s fine with us. Just specify how you want it.

When are the samples due? Samples are due by the 15th of any month you wish to participate.

What kind of samples should I send? Send whatever you wish for the consumer to see. Send the product you like the best, what you think is your best item or a new item you wish to promote. Remember to package your item attractively to present it in the most positive light. Sometimes, first impressions are all that you get. You want to catch the consumer’s eye – ensuring they don’t forget about you. Your items should be correctly labeled and prominently display your website and company name. We want the consumer to be able to easily find you.

Can I send full-sized items? Certainly! Everyone loves receiving full-sized items. But, this is not required. You may send in any size sample that you want. Just remember that the consumer will judge your products by your sample. Make sure it is an ample enough size for them to be able to determine if they like the product.

Can I send in business cards, brochures, post cards? Yes, if you send in samples you may send in literature on your products and company. We do not accept just business cards, etc. without samples as no one wants to purchase business cards.

Should I offer a discount coupon with my product? That is entirely up to each individual. Some do, some don’t. We do not require that you do.

Do I need a banner? No. If you have one, we will proudly display it on the website and forum. If you do not, we can make you one for $10 and you can use it in any manner you want. It will be yours. However, if you don’t have one and don’t want one, that’s fine with us.

Do I need to send in some information about my items? Yes. Please send a brief description of your products/and or company. This will be displayed on the website.

Where will I be listed on the internet: You will be listed on the Snowberry Creek E-tailers in the Box page on the website, you will be listed on the past e-tailers page (when you are a past e-tailer) on the website, the Snowberry Creek forum, Snowberry Creek blog, and our myspace page. These are the places that you will have direct links posted to your website. We will advertise Snowberry Creek Sample Boxes in other places and you will benefit from this, also.
If you choose to be in the “e-tailer spotlight” or the “product showcase” on our blog, this will promote your website and products by additional links for the search engines to find. There is no charge for this service. It will be promoted on many forums. You can offer an item for a drawing to get people to visit your website and then leave a comment on the blog about one of your products. This is not required, but does help generate traffic to your site.

Who donates the mystery prize for the month? Any e-tailer that wishes to be the mystery prize donor for the month should let us know. You will be listed as the mystery prize donor – listed on the website as such and promoted on the blog and forum. You should send your “full-sized” item for the mystery prize drawing in at the same time you send your samples. We will pay for the shipping to the winner of the prize. We will announce the winner along with the donor on our forum, blog and myspace, this will add more links for the search engines.

Can I have a page on your website? Yes. We do offer sponsor pages. You may have a sponsor page for $10 per month in additional to sending in a minimum of 50 samples for the month. Business cards do not count as samples.

What can I put on my sponsor page? This is your own personal webpage. You may display anything you want on your page such as: ads, sales, pictures, promotions, etc. You may have up to 5 pictures on your page. This is a way to promote your products and website in any way you wish. The page will remain active for the month you are a sponsor. There can be more than one sponsor per month, as each sponsor will have their own page for promotion showcasing their products and website. No one has to “share” the spotlight on their page with anyone else.

We enclose a flyer asking the consumer to please visit the e-tailer’s website to see all of the products they offer. We ask them to leave feedback about the products they have received so the e-tailers know if they are pleased with the items. They may leave feedback on the forum, myspace, our blog or directly email the e-tailer.

It has never been easier to be an e-tailer. Get your products and website in the spotlight and into the hands of the consumer. We believe that the independent business owner has superior products, excellent customer service and is the backbone of America. We look forward to working with you to promote, advertise and raise the ranking of your website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at snowberrycreek@hotmail.com, leave a post on our blog or visit our website http://www.snowberrycreek.com/. We love hearing from you!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Low Cost Ways to Start an Online Business

Everyone has heard the dreaded words - economic downturn…recession. The prices of goods are escalating at a rapid pace. Much more rapid than our checks can absorb. People all over are losing their houses and/or jobs. These are trying times for everyone. No one is safe, no job is stable. With all of the gloom and doom on the news each day, it’s enough to make you feel hopeless. But, have faith….take action.

What can we do to supplement our incomes? Maybe you as a mother have stayed home to raise the children and now you find you really need some extra income. If you’ve been laid off and have plenty of time on your hands, and no job opportunities available. Take action! With the internet available we have many options. Have you dreamed of having a boutique, a craft store or do you love to do a certain craft? There are people in the world who have money to spend. They are looking for products each and every day. Okay, so you don’t know where to start. First, think of an idea that would sell – maybe you sew; make baskets, handcrafted soap, candles, or jewelry. Perhaps, you are a writer of children’s books or short stories. Research the area you are interested in. Pick something you are good at, that you enjoy doing – find a niche and dig in. Select a catchy name and get ready to promote yourself.

Join some social forums. There are many forums available such as: ning forums, myspace, facebook, yahoo groups, wahm groups and many others. Search for social forums on the internet and you will find many. There are forums for a wide array of subjects. All the forums I’ve dealt with have had very friendly, helpful people with a wealth of valuable information. You will make many friends and acquaintances that will be willing to exchange links and you will probably find some customers along the way. Be active on the forums – post blogs, make friends, join groups and get into discussions. There are many sample box companies around. If you have an item that you want to get out to consumers, you may want to consider this option. Most of them are free except for the cost of your samples or products. Check around, they may offer different options to their e-tailers and you will want to pick the one best suited to you and your business.

You’ve decided what to sell, you’ve joined some forums and now you’ve realized that you don’t really have the funds to start a website. There are some DIY website builders around, but if you don’t know what you’re doing maybe you should consider opening a store. There are many places on the internet that offer free stores – you only pay when you sell an item (www.madeitmyself.com) , some stores have a low cost listing fee and you pay another small fee when you sell an item (www.etsy.com), you pay a low cost annual fee, no listing fees, a small fee when you sell at item at www.fuzzb.com, or you can opt to list on an auction site. Many auction sites offer stores for a monthly fee, plus a listing fee and a fee when you see your item. If you aren’t selling, you can run up listing fees fairly quickly with auction sites. All of these are good ways to start out. There are other stores around that I’ve not mentioned as I’ve not dealt with them.

Before long you will be selling your products and you’ll have the funds to build a website. Or who knows, with all the information available on the internet you may learn to build your own site. The sky is the limit – go ahead give it a try!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

E-tailers Sales, Promotions & Discounts

Don't miss out! We are listing some of the e-tailers sales. Please visit their sites for more information. If you are one of our e-tailers and would like to have your promotion listed, please let us know. Happy Shopping Everyone!

Tuxedo-Enterprises

B1G1 Sale
Buy one product at full retail, get second product FREE. (equal value) Any questions please email linda@tuxedo-enterprises.com.
Sale runs from Jan. 5 through Feb. 28, 2009.

Candles And Woodcrafts

This site has much to offer. If you are an e-tailer, store owner, or participate in craft shows (fairs), this site is where you need to be. Julie has the most affordable displays around. They are well constructed. Diplays for lip balms & butters, bath salts, lotions, candles, soaps, spices, etc. All sizes and shapes of displays are available – they offer custom displays, too.

Oh, I didn’t mention the soap molds. If you are a soapmaker, you must try one of their molds. They have hinged, pegged, and hinged & pegged combos. Log, loaf, or slab - single, double, triple and quad cell molds. These soap molds are the best value for your money on the market today. They are very well constructed and come with instructions for use.

Candles and Woodcrafts offer a large variety of items. Wooden soap molds, wooden displays, wooden tags, wooden boxes, painted wooden items, handcrafted soaps, soaping oils and herbs, wooden soap dishes, wax imbeds, and many other items.
Candles and Woodcrafts do not have a sale at this time, but may run one sometime soon. Keep a watch.


The Mom Lady’s Beauty Booty

There’s a lot happening at the Mom Lady’s. Venture on over to the pirate lady’s website http://www.themomlady.com/ and check out her new offers.

Visit The Mom Lady’s blog at http://www.themomlady.wordpress.com/ - leave a comment – visit the coupon section for the code to receive 30% off. She’s got a discount coupon code for everyone. What a deal!

Just Right Candle Co.

Sign up for Just Right Candle Co.’s newsletter and enter a monthly drawing for a $25 Just Right Candle gift certificate. Check out the clearance section!

Country Keepsakes

While this may not be new to Country Keepsakes, I want to let everyone know that they sale wholesale and offer an affiliate program.

SBS Teas

Sign up for their newsletter to save 10% off of your next order. Check out their sales section and the newest production section. SBS Teas offers a Deal of the Day – you may find just the item you are searching for – on sale! A nice cup of hot tea on a wintry day sounds divine!


Uniquely Pampered

Check this blog during the month if you are interested in purchasing soap molds. She is clearing out her supply of mold to make room for some new ones. She could have one that you have been looking for.


Candy Wrapup

Join their mailing list and you could have a chance to win free products and gift certificates every month! They draw a name from their mailing list every month! You could be the lucky winner!

Lathered Up

Are you looking for a scent and nothing seems to please you? Be sure and visit Lathered Up where custom scenting is available.

Laura's Lathers

Laura's Lathers is having a "Time For The Winter Blues Sale"!

You receive a FREE bar of soap with every Two you purchase. Now, this is a deal. Laura makes great smelling soaps that have a good lather.

The sale runs from 1/10/2009 to 2/1/2009. Don't miss out!

You receive FREE Shipping on orders over $49.99.

Spa Secrets

Spa Secrets is introducing new products in 2009. You may win a free prize for registering at their store.

Delightfully Wed

Delightfully Wed is offering 10% off orders placed Jan. 24 - Jan. 31, excluding Christmas Ornaments. Use DW10 as the promo code while checking out. If you encounter any problems, just put a note in the comments section and we will adjust your total.

The Mom Lady's Beauty Booty Expands!

The Mom Lady’s Beauty Booty is looking for affiliates! If you’re interested in carrying Made in Alaska bath & body products, please contact The Mom Lady.

Our products are formulated for sensitive skin and infused with healing waters from mineral hot springs in Alaska. Customers report that our products ease the irritation of eczema and psoriasis, and they just keep coming back for more!!

Affiliates are entitled to carry any or all products from The Mom Lady’s line and can choose to purchase a stock of inventory or choose a “dropship” option. In either case, affiliates received 25% off the retail price while selling the products to customers at retail.

One more option is to become an Independent Consultant for The Mom Lady’s Beauty Booty. This option gives you a substantial savings on product and allows you the freedom of purchasing in bulk.

Contact us at themomlady@hotmail.com to take advantage of this ground-floor opportunity. As a Consultant, you may recruit others and make even more money to put in your own pocket! The sky’s the limit!!

Monday, January 12, 2009

The Muse’s 100th Blog Post Giveaway

Please go by a certain Muse’s page and help her reach her goal of 200 comments. If she reaches 200 by Tues. (tomorrow), she will donate $1000 to the American Cancer Society. This is an organization that I am deeply supportive of as many members of my family have had cancer. My Dad and my father-in-law are cancer survivors. You never know when this dreaded disease may rear its ugly head and change your family member’s life. I think this is a wonderful way for the Muse to celebrate her 100th post – all we have to do is help her celebrate by posting our comments.

I believe she is giving away other prizes, as well. Be sure to visit her blog at www.adivashammer.blogspot.com and help her out. At the present time the blog you should comment on is the 2nd one down the page and is titled “The Muse 100th Post Reaches For The Stars”.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Nov. & Dec. Drawing Winners Announced

I'm a bit behind in posting the winners of our mystery prize and free sample box drawings.

The lucky winners in November are: Mystery prize donated by Candles and Woodcrafts - Susan of ND. The winner of a free Snowberry Creek Sample Box (shipped in Dec.) - LeAnne of FL.

Amber of IL is the lucky recipient of the mystery prize donated by Delightfully Wed. Anna of OK will receive the free sample box to be shipped out Jan. 25.

We will be drawing again after the boxes are sold in January. All customers will automatically be entered into each drawing when purchasing a Snowberry Creek Sample Box. The boxes will go on sale Jan. 25th. The site will be updated once all of the samples are in for the box.

Congratulations, ladies! Thanks for choosing Snowberry Creek Sample boxes and we want to encourage you to visit the e-tailers websites. Many of them are offering specials, discounts and promotions at this time. You may see a list of e-tailers (past and present) in our sidebar. Hope you enjoy your "goodies"!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Snowberry Creek Offers Ways to Promote Your Business

The new year is off to a great start! If you would like to get your products into the hands of more consumers, please consider Snowberry Creek Sample Boxes. We ship a box out each month that is FULL of wonderful, creative, luscious, aromatic products for our customers' indulgence! We think we have some very talented e-tailers and would love to have you join us. Samples are due by the 15th of each month. The boxes "officially" go on sale on the 25th of each month. There is no cost to you as an e-tailer, other than the cost of your samples.

We do offer some free services to promote your business besides getting your product out to the consumer.I would like to tell you a bit about some of the free services that are available for participating e-tailers. We offer to blog about your business in our "E-tailer Spotlight". All you have to do - is email that you want on the list. We are happy to put a new product or existing product that you would like to get out in the public eye in our "Product Showcase". If you have a sale or promotion you would like for us to help you promote - just ask; we will be happy to help. We are in the business of promoting your business - not just sticking your sample in a box and hoping for the best. We are constantly looking for more ways to promote you.

Please come by our blog and visit - www.snowberrycreek.blogspot.comIf you have any questions please visit our website at www.snowberrycreek.com or email us at snowberrycreek@hotmail.com.

Looking foward to working with you to promote your business and products.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Anticipation of my Indulgence

I looked out on the porch and what should I see,
A box from Snowberry Creek addressed to me.
I’ve waited and watched each day,
Wondering what “goodies” are on their way.
I’m excited, atwitter and full of glee,
As I fall down on bended knee.
Wonderful aromas wafting in the air,
I can’t wait to check out my ware.
Grab the box….into the house in I rush,
Rip it open; call all my friends to gush!
You won’t believe all the loot in this box,
The e-tailers in Snowberry Creek rocks!
Soaps, gels, teas, salts and scrubs….
Many things to use in your tubs.
Candles, tarts, votives and melts,
You house will be the best it has ever smelt.
Perfumes, lip balm, lotions and such,
Keep you longing for so much.
Each month is a surprise,
Never knowing what’s inside.
It’s a great way to start your day,
Finding new products this way.
The e-tailers offer more,
Be sure to stop by their store.