Oh, I'm bloggin' my life away....

I have a new blog for those who like to read beauty tips, craft ideas, and find out more about cool B&B items I locate online. Its also a way to keep up with my current crafting classes and Scent Shoppe party kits.

You can visit it at: http://whimsylanecreations.blogspot.com/

My goal is to use this blog more for homeschooling/family/product reviews and put more of my Whimsy Lane Creations stuff on the other blog.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Lynn

My son is a teenager!!!!

I am old...I feel like Jamie Lee Curtis in Freaky Friday, "I'm like the Crypt keeper!!!" My baby boy is now thirteen.

He had a great party...lots of Rockband..."Club Nick" (our transformed garage)....a few guys to sleep over...and 6 pizzas, 5 cokes, 1 cake, and a tub of ice cream all gone in less than one evening. ;) Did someone tell me teen boys have big appetites?

Guests were the Ware family, the Boyds, the Fosters, and the Steiners. Some of the adults tried out Rockband. Our drum skills were way lacking. But it was loads of fun.

Club Nick had guitars, a keyboard, an amp, a disco light, some black lights, loud music, and room to skate. It worked out great with the addition of a kerosene heater.

Happy Birthday Nick!

Lynn

Back in the soap kitchen! and upcoming workshops

Ahhh...my car smells like autumn...my house smells like autumn...my clothes smell like the sweet smell of glorious fall days.

I have been back in the soap kitchen again, making some easy soy milk soaps in fall scent trios.

The leaf soaps are layered with Autumn Eve, Candy Corn, and topped with caramel apple.

The pumpkins have a base of pumpkin pie topped with pecan streusel and rich butter cream.

I have also made a few "Sleighbells" scented snowflake soaps and some sweet little Gingerbread Cake mini-bundt soaps, all soy milk based. Nourishing...that is what soy milk soaps feel like. My two favorite glycerin soap bases so far have to be soy and goat's milk because my skin feels moisturized after use.

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I had two soap/spa classes last week, one for an FCE club and another for a girl's youth night. At the FCE class we focused only on making glycerin soaps; for the girl's night we made sugar scrub, after-bath splash, lip balms, lotion, and hand-soap, all custom-scented and custom-colored. I found out recently that what I have been doing with kids and clubs is actually called "Blending Bar Parties" and makes big money in larger towns. It is nothing to go to a studio and pay $20 for one hour of learning to make soap or pay $20 per head to do what we did at our youth night. So keep me in mind for your activities, and I can promise to be much cheaper than that! I will be updating and revising www.whimsylanecreations.com soon to include more info. on party options.

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I am getting ready to set dates for two glycerin soap-making classes as well as my 3rd Annual Little Elves Workshop, so watch your email for details. The soap classes will be for adults and children alike. The Little Elves workshop is a great time of fun and crafting for kids while Moms and dads get two hours free to shop, read, clean, or JUST RELAX! All children will come home with 5 homemade items, suitable for gift-giving.

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I bought some foaming bath butter whip. I intend to use it to whip up some foaming sugar scrubs. These types of scrubs are supposed to be less greasy and easier to wash off while being nourishing to the skin. They whip up nicely and look lovely layered in colored swirls in wide-mouth jars. Until I get mine done, check out a few of the whipped items at my Simply Tempted site:

http://www.simplytempted.com/reps/duranfan.php

Sweet and creative Karen at Simply Tempted has intro'd these new body parfaits with a scent description:

yummy Whipped Shea Butter Body Parfaits...

Pistachio Cream Cake:A decadent layer of soft yellow cake, creamy pistachio custard, topped off with luscious vanilla crème.

White Tea & Ginger:A delightful warm and comforting smell. With top notes of Bergamot, Lemon Peels and Green Daylilies, this fragrance is brought back to its roots with a base of Ginger, Nutmeg and Warm Musk.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake:Pumpkin Pie, Spices, Marshmallow Fluff, Toffee, Caramel, Hints of vanilla cake, sticky icing and streusel.

And don't forget their new fall soap, Pumpkin Crunch.

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**I'll be reviewing a new book called The Little Man in the Map (elementary level geography) so check back in a few days. I am done with the book so it is available for homeschool friends to borrow. ;)
Lynn

Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing party

Today, a portion of our home school group met and packed up 20 OCC shoe boxes to be sent to underprivileged children worldwide, via the Samaritan's Purse Ministry of Franklin Graham.
We were fortunate to have a large gym in which to meet and set up our empty shoe boxes assembly-line style. The kids not only helped pack the boxes but were able to write letters to go in them. They were read aloud a book from OCC called Miracle in a Shoebox, which helped them to better understand why we pack boxes and where they go afterwards. Of course, all this "work" was followed by plenty of free play and holiday snacks.

Group moms went back and added more soaps, toys, and toothbrushes to the boxes until they had to be double-rubber-banded for fear of explosion!

I never get tired of seeing those rows of bulging boxes! Tonight for scout's homework, my third grader had to tell one reason why America is so special, and he said, very simply, "Because we're rich." I couldn't agree more.
Lynn

The Missing Link: Found book review

My son and I have been reading a paper back novel called The Missing Link: Found as part of our TOS mag review. The book is a mystery, written from a Biblical view, for teens. It contains none of the anti-God messages so often found in written form today, but rather shows the author's belief in God the Creator, and scientific topics from that slant. What's more amazing is the book was written by a 12-year old homeschool student and her mother.

Daughter and writer Christina, and mom Felice Gerwitz know this book may not appeal to the main stream culture but it sure gives Christian parents a reason to rave. Finally, a story line that is mysterious and thought-provoking while being God-honoring. If you have a child who enjoys scientific theories or is studying the topic of Creation vs. Evolution, this book would make a nice go-along tale.

This book from Media Angels, Inc. is the first in a series of mysteries by the Gerwitz family. From an exciting opening FBI boat chase to an excavation site where the theory of evolution appears to be scientifically confirmed, this book will appeal to teens and parents alike. Follow the Murphy family as they go on one adventure after another, in danger and the unknown, all the while with God by their side.

Homeschool mom, Felice, has literature guides available as well.

While you're at Media Angels, Inc., be sure to check out their assortment of other books, homeschool help DVDs, and creation science materials.
http://store.mediaangels.com:82/catalog/

Lynn

TOS review for www.Helpme2teach.com

I had the chance to review a website aimed at educators called www.Helpme2teach.com and am finally getting around to writing a little about it.

Helpme2teach is a website directory, if you will, of online teaching aids and links to educational websites. The websites are organized into groups of links by category, such as topics like "animals" or subjects like "math" or grade levels such as "preschool". When you click on a link, you'll find lots of sites to go to to get more information about your topic.

I can look for educational worksheets for my preschooler, then visit a site on oceans with my third grader who is completing a unit study, and later visit some driver's ed. sites with my eighth grader.

How this site benefits educators is simple: it saves us time! How many times do we need a little review sheet to go with our topic, or some online learning to boost our thematic units? Maybe we want to make a quiz using one of the online test-makers but can't recall the best ones. The Internet is a vast pool of information, but for an already busy teacher or homeschooling mother, finding the time to sift through the endless search results to pull out the good stuff, the really thorough, truly educational sites involves more time and effort than we can sometimes muster.

So if you find yourself needing information on a particular subject, topic, or for a certain age/grade, before you hit Google, sit down with your steaming coffee and try www.Helpme2teach.com to see if you can find what you need there, faster.
Lynn

Mineral Girlz going- out- of -business sale

I am sad to report that only a few months after getting involved with the Mineral Girlz company, they have announced that they are having to go out of business. If you have recently ordered from me, your order is already being processed and should ship soon. If you'd like to get some good B&B products for 50% off, now is the time. I love their mineral makeup! *sigh*
Visit www.mineralgirlz.com
Sale lasts only as long as their stock does. Not that it matters, but they won't be able to afford comissions on these sell items. So if you'd only be buying to help me, don't do it. :)

I will still be selling for Simply Tempted Bath and Body at my affiliate site:
http://www.simplytempted.com/reps/duranfan.php
I love their stuff as well, although they don't sell mineral makeup. They have lots of other items just as good, or better I dare say, than Bath and Body Works. They also carry some very unique gift items you might not find locally. Give them a try this holiday season and Lynn will thank you!

I had too much on my plate anyway with trying to decide this year which companies to stick with and which ones to stock my www.whimsylanecreations.com shelves with, and had been praying about it. Looks like the Lord helped me to weed out a few suppliers, as Savvy Girlz Boutique appears to have also gone out of business this year. No word there, but the website isn't working anymore. SO, if you see these companies listed for a bit longer on my site, just know I am trying to get caught up and they will be removed.
Lynn