Youtube video Marketing

I have been procrastinating about making a video/slideshow for Youtube . I'm fairly computer illiterate and was worried that it would be too difficult for me to do. Well, last night after all day shopping with my daughter, I finally took the plunge. And lo and behold, it was NOT as horribly difficult as I thought it would be-actually it was pretty easy and fun. I used http:www.onetruemedia.com. I found Onetruemedia to be very user friendly, it is free to sign up and make a video or you can purchase a subscribtion and get more goodies. The most difficult part for me was deciding which photos I wanted to upload. My advice to those who are worried about doing a video for marketing is -take the plunge!!
Here is a link to my Youtube video if you would like to see it...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Oc2WvrM_I

Christmas Shopping with ETSY Part III

There is soooo many wonderful things on etsy for women that I had a hard time narrowing it down to just a few. Any woman would LOVE to get these as a Christmas Gift.

Bad Cat Jewelry's Say Anything, the Necklace is made with Sterling Silver and milky swirled lampwork beads is the perfect necklace for any occasion.

A Long Cardigan is one of my favorite articles of apparel and the Royal Rattlesnake Long Cardigan by Ahpeele is gorgeous!

Look at this beautiful All About Green Bracelet from Mom Potter. I love it.

Anyone would be proud to have Spice of Life's Chaste Tree stering silver, aquamarine and pearl dangle earring.
Keep her warm and in style with this Green With Envy Clonch from Ohio Crochet Lady. I would be green with envy of anyone wearing it.

She will be thrilled to open this stunning necklace and earring set in a beautiful mix of swarovski cream pearls, copper findings and a deep olivine swarovski pearl for BGK Designs



And she would be tickled pink find this Kelsey Reverible Tote from A Stone's Throw under the tree on Christmas Day!

Christmas Shopping with Etsy Part II

Look at these great Christmas gifts for Boys...

After watching my 18 year old nephew and my 10 year old son have a blast playing with a similar item I had to include this in my gift finds....

Pom-Pom/Marshmallow Pistol Style Shooter by boys toys would be great fun for boys of any age.

Got a sports lover in the family? Hockey Puck Soap from Daisy Cakes Soaps would make an awesome gift or stocking stuffer.

Little boy love to play with cars? ?The Merryville Playmat for Monsterbug Blankets is a the perfect mat to drive his cars around on- it has an airport, a school with playground, a pond, a motel, and more for hours of driving fun.

How about this t-shirt for your little Cars fan. Peanuts Boutique has the cutest Tow Mater embroidered T-shirt.

On those chilly days when your little man wants to play outside-keep his head warm with this adorable Keep on Truckin' Hat by Moose Threads.

Christmas Shopping with ETSY Part II

Christmas Shopping with Etsy Part I

I have never been the type of person who loves the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. I'd much rather sit at home in my pjs and enjoy the twinkling lights on my Christmas tree and stay nice and toasty warm in front of the fireplace and SHOP!! So I thought I would show y'all some wonderful Christmas gift ideas from some of my team members on ETSY.

I will list some new and wonderful gift ideas every few days- so be such and check back to see what wonderful items we've found.

Some great gifts for girls ....

Tote-ally Cute Butterfly Bag from Recycled Jeans Co. is the perfect present for any teen or tween girl in the family.



I just love seeing little girls all dressed up to have their picture taken with Santa and this beautiful dress from

MaddieandMe would be absolutely the perfect Christmas dress.



This cute http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_list_12&listing_id=14707682for NYPapercrafter would be fabulous for the girl who likes to journal.



Have a dancer in the family? Magenta Pink Bear with Rosebud Ballet Tutu from Camillam is adorable for your little dancer.


This sweet Snow White and Light Pink Beanie from Two SeaSide Babes would be just adorable to take baby girl out to visit family on cold winter days.


Stay tuned for Christmas Shopping with Etsy Part II

Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale

Don't want to get up in the middle of the night or face the long lines or pushy crowds why not juststay in your pj's and come by to shop with Smokey Mountain Scents online. We are having a Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale!! $1.00 off each item purchased.


Clove Soap



French Vanilla Whipped Cream Soap



Strawberry Shortcake Cracklin' Wick Palm Wax Candle

The winner is....

Emily for EllaBearBowtique!!!!Congratulations my son choose your name out of our basket as the winner of Kristie's beautiful Cascasding Pearl Earrings!!!

Featured Seller & Giveaway

At KristieGK you can find beautiful jewelry, cards, scrap booking items and cute primitive salt dough ornaments. Kristie is a very talented craftswoman who is also a fellow home schooler and East Tennessean

Kristie is generously sponsoring a giveaway of a pair of her lovely Cascading Pearl Earrings. These earrings would be perfect for all your holiday dress occasions. To enter the giveaway simply go to Kristie's shop http://www.kristiegk.etsy.com and then leave a comment on this blog (please don't forget to leave contact info) to tell me what your favorite item in her shop is. The contest begins November 6 and will end November 16. I will have one of my lovely kiddos choose the lucky winner.



I've had the pleasure of chatting with Kristie and had the opportunity to ask her a few questions.

What inspires your designs ?
Anything and everything! I can see a color, smell a fragrance, feel a texture, or think of someone, and the next thing I know I am elbow deep in another project. It can be a curse and a blessing at times. Mostly a blessing though.

Tell us what one of your products we shouldn't be without and why. A simple yet sophisticated pair of pearl earrings. The classic white or ivory pearl is versatile for so many occasions. They can compliment jeans and a nice blouse, business casual, and certainly formal attire as well. Also, If white isn't your "thing" and you want more variety you now have so many color options available.
Lastly, they are great for passing down from generation to generation. There is something timeless about pearls that will never go out of style.


What is unique/sets you apart from the rest about your products, materials, process?
Quality materials, genuine hands on creativity, and fair prices.
I like to have products available for all budget levels. Whether you have a six figure income or are just looking to spend $5 you won't get cheap, shoddy products!
For me, Etsy is a venue that allows me- as a stay at home mom- to turn my creativity into a little extra "me" money. Which is why I can operate my shop with a bit more flexibility price wise. I know that a lot of sellers cringe at me for even saying that, but I choose to look at my business as a place where friendships are made as well as money. Never forget that there is a real person on the other end of the transactions and treat them with respect and fairness.

What is your favorite item from your shop
If I were to choose just one it would be my salt dough candy cane ornaments right now.I enjoy the entire process from mixing the dough to the right consistency, rolling it between my hands and forming the canes. I love the smell as they are baking, then painting them, sanding them, and dipping them in the wax. I am very much a fan of primitive decorating in general because it just makes me feel like life doesn't always have to be so rushed and so corporate. I hope to convey that peaceful feeling through my prim goodies to others as well.


What do you do when you aren't making jewelry and paper crafts?Actually I am a brain surgeon in my spare time. I wish! Nope! Actually I am just a typical happy housewife doing things like washing this, cooking that, raising my two teenage boys and loving every precious, and rare minute I get to spend with my husband Chris.
Oh, and spending insane amounts of money shopping on Etsy! Shhh... ;)

Halloween in Historic Dandridge

Our tiny town has been hosting a Halloween in Downtown for several years now and my family and I always go there for trick or treating, to just people watch and to see the cool displays that our merchants put up each year. This year I took several photos and wanted to share them with you. Enjoythe show!

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Get your own

Halloween in Historic Dandridge

Our small town in has been doing an annual Halloween in Downtown for the kids for several years now. The merchants will all dress up in costume, decorate their shops and hand out candy to all the kids.

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Halloween in Historic Dandridge

Two New Product Lines

I introduced two new product lines in my etsy shop tonight. Luxurious Cocoa Butter Body Lotion and Lip Balm.

Candy Apple is the first scent to come out in my Luxurious Cocoa Butter Body Lotion. It is a moisturizing handmade lotion for daily use on hands and body. Packed with moisturizing natural ingredients Cocoa Butter, Almond Oil and Vitamin E , our Luxurious Lotion is non-greasy & absorbs fast - leaving your skin feeling soft & smooth! More wonderful scents coming soon!

The first in my lip balm series is Pumpkin Pie. I thought that would be perfect for the holidays. These smooth conditioning lip balms protect your lips from the harsh elements and leave a silky sheen on your lips.

Hashbrown Casserole

My sister-in-law gave me this recipe a few years ago and its been one of our favorite side dishes.

Ingredients:

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 can condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 pkg (2 lbs) frozen hashbrown potaotes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided in half

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine soup, sour cream and garlic salt. Stir together.

Add potatoes & 1 cup cheddar cheese, mix well .

Pour into an greased 13x9x2" baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees 55-60 minutes.

Fresh and hot from the oven.

And the Winner is....

MamaShai!! Congratulations . My daughter picked your name out of the basket today for the Candy Corn Soap Giveaway!

Halloween Soap Giveaway

My first official giveaway will be one of my Candy Corn Soaps. These soaps are wonderful as a Halloween treat for yourself or to give as a gift. To enter all you have to do is post a comment on YOUR best Halloween costume (or one you would like to do, but like me can't get up the nerve to do it) and leave an email where I can reach you if you win. I've always been a huge 40's "pin-up" girl fan and would love to dress up like that, but to be honest -I'm too big of a chicken.

The contest starts tonight and will end Sunday October 26 at 12:00pm EST. Your prize will be mailed on Monday and should arrive in time for Halloween. All names will go into a basket at the end of the drawing and one of my wonderful children will do the honors and choose the winner.

Banana Muffins

These banana muffins were my mom's favorites. She loved banana bread and muffins! You can adapt these by adding nuts or chocolate chips (for the kids).

Ingredients:

1-3/4 Cups all-purpose flour (I cheated and used self-rising because I was out of all-purpose. If you use self-rising-omit the baking soda, baking powder and salt)

3/4 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Milk or plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium sized)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, oil, milk and vanilla.

Stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fold in mashed bananas and (nuts or chocolate chips, if desired)

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before moving from baking pan.

Note: The top 6 muffins have streusel: to make streusel you need

1/4 brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon cold butter or margarine

1/4 cup finely ground nuts (I like walnuts with these)

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on over batter and bake.

Treasury

Smokey Mountain Scents has been featured in two wonderful treasuries on ETSY. The one on the left was posted by lassiegirl and was appropriately titled Marshmallow Out. It featured my Toasted Marshmallow Candle. Doesn't this treasury just make your mouth water for all those yummy treats?MMM.

Cranberry Welcome is to the right and was posted by Nancy Wallis Designs. Nancy describes this as inviting rich reds with hints of orange zest. She has featured my Cranberry Cracklin' Wick Candle.

You can check out Nancy Wallis Designs here www.nancywallisdesigns.etsy.com and LassieGirl here www.lassiegirl.etsy.com for wonderful handmade jewelry and adorable children's clothes. And I would love you to check out my shop at www.smokeymountainscents.etsy.com.

Welcome to Smokey Mountain Scents

Welcome to our blog. I hope you will come in, grab a cup of coffee (tea, wine...) and stay and visit for a while. We can chat about all kinds of wonderful things - like - being a work at home Mom , homeschooling (the good, the bad and the ugly) new and yummy recipes and of course handmade goodies.

I would like to introduce you to Smokey Mountain Scents. We are a home-based business that specializes in hand poured Cracklin' Wick Candles, handcrafted soaps and an array of scrumptious skin loving bath and body products.

Cracklin' Wick Candles will remind you of of sitting in front of your fireplace or around the campfire. you will hear the soothing crackling sound as your candle burns and emits a wonderful scent throughout your room.Our candles are made with 100% soy wax and a natural wooden wick. They are available in an assortment different delicious scents , come in the cutest square mason jars in two sizes 8 oz. and 16 oz. and are heavily scented.

Here are a few benefits of a wood wick candle:

First is the soothing sound of a crackling fire.

Second is the scent. The two layer wood wick that disperses the scent quicker than traditional cotton wicks.

Another benefit of wood wick candles is their long life. Wood wick candles can last 100 hours or more, depending on the size of the candle.

I hope you will drop by and visit our shop at:

http://www.smokeymountainscents.etsy.com/

http://hyenacart.com/AmericasHandmadeHomefront/