Many Thanks...

There was a light fluffy layer of snow on the ground when I awoke this morning. I'm officially on holiday until Friday afternoon with my family. I'm finally getting some nice time to sit and enjoy the company of my husband. I'm in a warm house with lots of food in the fridge for tomorrow's feast. My baby girls are tucked up in their sleeping bags side by side, loving each other up as they drift off to sleep. Baby Maya is tickling my tummy with her little movements. My cup is runnith over with all of the many things on my 'thankful list' this year. I hope that your Thanksgiving is as blessed as mine!

The Clock is Ticking...

I am busy, busy, busy making the final preps for the HUGE update tomorrow. I'm very excited but it has been a lot of work. After taking 300+ photos and 3+ hours of editing, I'm now ready to start working on the item descriptions and what-not. Wish me luck! See you tomorrow!

Are You Getting Curious...

...about all the new stuff scheduled for the update???!!! Me too.

Just kidding! Here's a little peek...

After a killer busy week and planning on a killer busy weekend, things are finally starting to take shape. All the products have been made and I'm just putting the final touches and wrappings on. I'm planning to have a big mega photo-shoot tomorrow (first with the girls in cute Christmas garb and then with all the STUFF!). I'm getting very giddy over the whole bit!

I even unloaded my photo card at CVS today. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't had pictures printed out since July! And, yes, if your wondering, it did make me Miss Popularity at CVS choosing my 500 pictures to print out... But now the card is clear, fresh, and ready for the holidays!

Well, the coffee is on (half-caf. and I didn't really have any this AM...thank you prego police) and the plan is to assemble a multitude of gift sets for said update! Wish me luck!

Busy Beavers...

Things have been moving at quite a fast pace here at Madeline Bea headquarters. The holiday season is encroaching rapidly and there is much, much to do to get ready for this...

So, there's been a lot of this...

And that...

There haven't been a whole lot of quite moments like this...

Or this...

But I'm still trying to savor the season and some of the first of these...

(it's snowing a little outside if you can't tell from the picture)

So I hope that amidst the holiday madness that you, also, are trying to find a little peace and quiet so that you can take a few deep breaths as well!

The girls had such a wonderful time making these placemats for Thanksgiving at their aunt & uncle's house this year that I decided to share a little how-to with you! It's my first attempt at any sort of tutorial and it is NOT perfect, but I think you'll get the idea.

I did forget to mention in the "supplies" about the large piece of heavy white card stock. You may make this whatever size you'd like. I used one of our placemats as a template and cut it out of white poster board.

Also, this craft can be adjusted to the skill level of your children: allow them to do whatever they're capable of (e.g. cutting, gluing, drawing...) or whatever they'd like to do.

Have fun and enjoy!

Lip-Balm-A-Palooza...

I've finally gotten a couple good nights of sleep so I've actually been able to be somewhat productive the past couple of days.

Yesterday I spent hours making lip balm so that I could be all stocked up for the holidays. I tend to make my lip balm in huge batches...300 tubes or so at a time. It's an event that I've lovingly/begrudgingly coined "lip-balm-a-palooza" (after the huge lalapalooza mega concerts). I really do enjoy making lip balms but making such mass quantities does become a little tedious. It's a simple, but rather slow and careful process. But...now they are all made, labeled and shrink wrapped...ready for holiday gift sets and such!

I truly haven't been sleeping well lately. No, it's not the baby moving, or being uncomfortable, or the kiddos keeping me up. It's been these...

and these...

and these little sweeties...

...and all of the ideas I have for them! It seems that this little being within me is stirring up all sorts of creative ambitions. I am loving it and only wish there were more hours in the day. Of course, this said creative ambition is coming at my busiest months of the year! Oh well, beggars cannot be choosers and I cannot wait to share some of these creations with you in the coming weeks!

Feels Like A Sunday...

Today, like most Sundays, did not take the direction I had originally planned. After taking the entire day yesterday to head out (all alone!) to go Christmas shopping, I had planned on being super productive with Madeline Bea work today. But after waking at 5am (not really by choice), dealing with two cranky kids who have been bickering non-stop, running into various computer problems which then took hours to overcome...here I am at nearly quarter after four with very few of my to-do list items accomplished. I did however end up doing many random things that, although necessary, were not on my immediate list. So, I guess that all in all I wasn't exactly un-productive...just not in the ways I anticipated. I did, however, get some orders packed up to ship out including all our fab give-aways from last week's daily tips. There are five amazing winners excitedly awaiting their prizes and I'm happy to report that they'll be arriving soon! It was really fun to post every day and receive your comments. Thanks to all who participated!

Day 5: Simple Skin Saving Tips...

Take Good Care Of Your Lips!
For many of us, Lip Balm is not something we’ve been living without. However, the colder weather may have surprised you a bit and you may have forgotten that you should apply and re-apply more often now. I keep a tube of our Softest Lips Lip Balm everywhere that I spend time (in the kitchen, by the computer, in the bathroom, and in my purse) so that it’s nearby whenever I start to feel a little dry. This constant attention helps my lips to stay soft and prevent cracking. However, if you have not been as faithful to your applications, not to fear! Our Brown Sugar Lip Scrub will gently buff away the dead, peeling skin on your lips while nourishing with mango butter and sweet almond oil. Make sure you follow up with some lip balm to seal in the moisture and protect those lips!

*Extra Special Tip:
Try pairing our Brown Sugar Lip Scrub with our Vanilla Pear Softest Lips Lip Balm. Reminiscent of a favorite dessert, it will be a guilt-free, lip-smacking treat!

Friday's Madeline Bea

Give-Away

Set of Four

Softest Lips Lip Tubes

Simply leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win today's gift delivered right to your door!
(free delivery applies to U.S. residents only)

Day 4: Simple Skin-Saving Tips...

We often deep clean, exfoliate, and moisturize our way through the summer and then back off our routines in the winter because we think that it’ll make our skin too dry. However, colder months increase heavy moisturizer and makeup use so proper skin care is even more important. Start your day with a gentle yet effective cleansing with our Juniper Grapefruit Facial Cleanser followed with our Lime Lavender Facial Toner to maintain balance. Moisturizer is a must this time of year even if you have oily skin. You will be amazed at our Blackberry Tea Facial Serum. Made with non-pore-clogging natural oils, this moisturizer will help to maintain your skin’s natural moisture balance while delivering vitamins, minerals, and phyto-nutrients to naturally repair, protect, and improve your skin. I also recommend weekly use of one of our

all- natural Facial Masks.

*Extra Special Tip:
Mix any one of our dry masks formulas with milk or yogurt to exfoliate, soften, and nourish while deep cleaning.

Thursday's Madeline Bea

Give-Away

Clarity Facial Mask

for Normal Skin

Simply leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win today's gift delivered right to your door!

(free delivery applies to U.S. residents only)

Day 3: Simple Skin Saving Tips...

Exfoliate!
This is my favorite step! Once you start exfoliating, you’ll wonder why you have never done it before and you’ll never want to stop! I know that it seems counter-productive to scrub dry skin, especially if you’ve never been a body scrub user. However, regular exfoliation actually improves the condition of your skin by removing dull dry skin cells and encouraging the growth of new healthy skin cells. With just one use, you’ll notice how incredibly soft, smooth, and silky your skin can feel. With more regular use, you’ll notice an improvement in skin tone and texture. Now is the perfect time to try out our moisturizing Body Scrubs. All of our scrubs are made with sugars, salts, and other natural exfoliants coupled with rich, nourishing moisturizers to help seal in moisture and condition your skin.

*Extra Special Tip:
Use our Body Scrubs in the shower after your skin has gotten an opportunity to soften in the warm water. Apply scrub with fingers (or a pair of spa gloves) in a circular motion all over, avoiding the face, and then rinse off. Your skin will be so radiant that you won’t want to put on that big, comfy sweater!

Wednesday's Madeline Bea

Give-Away

Coconut Lemongrass Sand & Sea Mini Body Scrub (4 oz.)

Simply leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win today's gift delivered right to your door!
(free delivery applies to U.S. residents only)

Making History...

Just wanted to say how proud I am to be here, living in this monumental moment and being able to allow my little voice to be heard. There is something so patriotic about voting and this year is so incredibly special.

I'm anxious about tonight's results but so hopeful for the future!

Day 2: Simple Skin Saving Tips...

Moisturize!
Cold weather, heaters, hot showers, and wool mittens are all par for the course this time of year. However, they also steal moisture from our skin leaving us vulnerable for dry, cracked, itchy skin. A good way to help your skin replenish itself is to make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. Internal dehydration cannot be remedied by applying external moisture. For your external skin problems, follow up each hand washing with our Herbal Hand & Body Salve and then apply before bed to heal, nourish and protect your hands. For those cracking heels, our Peppermint Pomegranate Foot Balm can be applied to feet before bed, then cover with cotton socks to trap in moisture. Use our fantastic Body Oils in your bath or shower to help moisturize skin all day and protect against the effects of the cold.

*Extra Special Tip:
Apply a layer of Body Oil at the end of your shower. Lightly rinse off, step out, and pat skin dry with a towel. You’ll be soft, moisturized, and ready to go!

Tuesday's Madeline Bea Give-Away

Peppermint Pomegranate Foot Balm

Simply leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win today's gift delivered right to your door!

(free delivery applies to U.S. residents only)

Day 1: Simple Skin-Saving Tips…

Use detergent, sulfate, phalate and paraben-free cleansers:
This one should be easy but it is amazing how many of us are still using harsh cleansers to clean our delicate skin. Simple soap and warm water will wash away harmful germs without drying out skin or delivering harmful toxins into our system.

Madeline Bea Soap Co. Bath Bars are free of drying, chemical ingredients and will nourish your skin while you cleanse. If you still prefer the convenience of a liquid soap, try out our All-Natural Foaming Hand Cleansers made with gentle castile soap and germ fighting essential oils.

*Extra Special Tip:
While doing your dishes, give your skin a treat by applying a thick layer of our Hand & Body Salve and wearing rubber gloves. Your dishes will get clean while your hands get a great warming, deep conditioning treatment!

Monday's Madeline Bea Give-Away

Sweet Orange All-Natural Foaming Hand Cleanser

Simply leave a comment on this post and you will be entered to win today's gift delivered right to your door! (free delivery applies to U.S. residents only)