Cleaning Day - A Helping Hand

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's easy to become overwhelmed with cleaning the house, preparing the meal, plus the usual day-to-day activities. Don't be afraid to ask for help because there isn't a Thanksgiving Fairy to do the work for you.

Delegate chores; recruit hubby, kids, friends, relatives! Be prepared and have patience as others will bombard you with questions and resist the urge to "do it yourself". Divide the grocery list between kids and turn it into a scavenger hunt. Assign food items to be brought by guests or make the meal more of a pot-luck style.

Take a deep breath to relax and ease tension. Ask someone to rub your shoulders or even take care of the laundry while you soak in a tub! Reflect on "Turkey Days" of your childhood and share the memories with others while you work.

During this season of giving, one often forgets to be willing to receive. After all, receiving is just as important as giving and allow others to help. Remember the reason behind this season and be Thankful.

Ladies Day in Bad Axe

What a fun night on the Painted Soul Book Tour! My friend, Kendra, and I left a little after 2:00pm for Reading & Rhythm in Bad Axe, MI. The two hour drive flew by and we arrived early for the event. All day was Ladies Day in Downtown Bad Axe; specials, sales and events for women were offered everywhere.

Murder/mystery author, Denise Collins, joined me at R&R for book signings. Kendra went Christmas shopping. Heh, heh.


Traffic was better during the day but we still had fun. I strolled around the store carrying a dish of Hersey kisses schmoozing with the customers.

Me: "Wanna kiss?"
Customer smiles at my dish of candies: "Why sure."
Me: "Do you like romance?"
Customer gives another smile.
Me: "Books that is..."
Customer giggles and follows me to my table to "check out my latest romance novel".

Things got a little silly when a discussion turned to the fact that women who read romance books have sex 73% more often than women who don't. Matt, the book shop owner decided to purchase a copy of Painted Soul for his wife.




I love meeting romance readers. The best part is celebrating being women... uh.. I mean... Romance Divas!

Humpday Help - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wednesday is the perfect reason to bake chocolate chip cookies. Hot from the oven will certainly get anyone over the hump of the week. What? You don't have time to bake? Well here are two variations of the easiest cookie recipe in the world.

1 box of yellow cake mix
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2Tbsp water
1 cup of milk chocolate chips
Bake at 350' for 10-12 min. Cool 1 min before removing from sheet.

Another version:
1 box of french vanilla cake mix
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Bake at 375' for 9-11 min. Let cool 1 min before removing from sheet.

This recipe is great when the kids want to bake. It's quick, easy and they'll be done before their attention span wanes.

Cookies left in the air will harden and make excellent dunkers. If you wish to keep them soft, place the heal from a loaf of bread into the cookie jar.

The only thing better than good friends and chocolate chip cookies is sharing the cookies with good friends.

Ahhhh... the sweet life...

Another Stop on the Painted Soul Tour - Bad Axe, MI

It's Ladies Day
at Reading & Rhythm
with Romance Writer
Mary Quast
The author will be signing copies of her latest novel, displaying the original artwork she created for the cover of Painted Soul. Copies of Painted Soul will be available for purchase.



Enter to win a Diva Gift Basket from Mary.

Thursday, Nov. 20
5:00pm
Reading & Rhythm110 E. Huron Ave.
Bad Axe, MI
(989) 269-6300

Cleaning Day - Gotta Love Those Totes!

I'm approaching the end of my little book tour and I'm oh so thankful for the person who invented plastic totes. My faithful bin has been incredibly helpful carrying my books, posters, book stands, easels, and other odd-n-ends to my signing events.

I use these same totes for storing out of season clothes, hunting clothes, sporting goods, camping gear, holiday decorations and rummage sale items. With a label on each bin, searching for an item is easy.I love the clear bins so I can see exactly what's inside. Plus, using these bins helps clear the clutter!

They stack nicely in a closet, on a shelf, or against a wall. Items inside are protected from mice in the attic or a flooding basement. I like to keep cedar bars or fragrant sachets in bins holding clothing. I even have a wafer-like disc that smells like leaves and dirt I put into the bin holding my husband's hunting clothes.

I've taken three small bins and made them into time capsules for my sons. The outfit each boy wore the day he came home from the hospital and the one he wore for his baptismal are in the bins. Early artwork, items from birthday parties, notes from relatives, newspapers from the day each was born... these are all items in their bins.

Several bins hold art supplies for the classes I teach. Having such organized bins makes it easy for me to pack for a lesson outside of my studio.

Uses for totes are endless and you can still use those fun packing peanuts.
What can you fit into a tote?

You know... that bin might get a bit too heavy and you might need a little help carrying it.