AVON Product Review: The AVON Virtual Makeover!

Welcome to the cheap way of getting a makeover!  Upload a pic of yourself and try out different hairstyles!  Explore AVON's makeup line on yourself.  Think of it as a virtual try and buy.  I think it's the coolest thing AVON's come out with yet!

If you're already registered at my AVON store, just sign in and have at it.  If you're not registered, you can use the "select a model" feature and use someone else's face to try out the products.  Personally, I'd go with registering.  It's free and you get access to the premium features.  Also!  If you register you'll receive a weekly email from AVON letting you know the latest hot deals where you can save lots of money.

Click here to start your own virtual makeover!



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AVON Product Review: Naturals Vanilla Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap

There's a lot of benefits to being able to order from AVON online, especially with H1N1 going around.  You don't have to run to the store and hope you remember not to rub your eyes, nose or put your hands anywhere near your mouth, which is especially important if you have little ones in tow and they do all the above.  And, you don't have an AVON rep coming to your house, who might have a child at home with H1N1.

AVON's antibacterial soap is a fantastic buy.  I find it doesn't dry my hands out like some of the other antibacterial soaps I've used.  It lathers up great and is concentrated so a little goes a long way.  The bottle is compact and attractive so you can keep one at your kitchen sink as well. 

There's also a matching hand lotion that goes along with each of the scents, which comes in: vanilla and cucumber melon.  If you're someone whose hands dry just looking at them, this is the perfect companion to AVON's  antibacterial hand soap.  I keep both by my kitchen sink.  The hand lotion isn't greasy, absorbs quickly and lasts a long time.

AVON's antibacterial soaps have been selling like hotcakes, so head over now and order yours.  Buy some for your home and your office! 

Click here to order AVON's antibacterial liquid hand soap.

Click here to order AVON's vanilla hand and body lotion.

 




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More Halloween Ideas! Two free downloads!

Hey everyone!  Here's two more helpful Halloween pdf's for your enjoyment!  I've put together some costume ideas and craft and game ideas. 

In the costume ideas pdf, you'll find 13 pages of costume ideas.  There's everything from 80's punk rocker to costume ideas for mom and dad!  Click the scrawny witch to download now!

Need some Halloween craft and game ideas?  The craft and game idea pdf has 5 pages of ideas.  Learn how to make spooky spiders!  Have a pumpkin see spitting contest!  Homemade Halloween card ideas!  There's game ideas for both older and younger kids.  Click the scrawny witch to download now.

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Halloween Recipes!

Hey everyone! I wanted to pass off some cool pdf's to help you get ready this week for Halloween. First off, I've put together an awesome 11 page Halloween recipe book that has both gross, normal and fun recipes. You'll find everything from terrifying tortilla chips to pumpkin and goblins punch! As for gross - we've got snot cubes, a bowl of brains and lots more. Click the scrawny witch to download.

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AVON Product Review: Cozy Bootie Slipper

My new favourite slipper! I ordered the cozy bootie slipper because they look like a mini-version of my mukluks, except my muks aren't lined. 

Anyway, I got these last Thursday and immediately fell in love with them.  The faux-fur lining is so soft and warm on my cold little feet. The cushioned footbed is awesome and I like it that you can wear them rolled down or leave them up.  I leave mine up because I have a very cold cottage. 

It's advertised as having an indoor/outdoor sole, of which it does, but take a look at the trim along the bottom.  White faux-fur.  If you don't mind it getting dirty mamash quick, go for it.

Definitely order one size up from what you normally wear.  I wear a size 7, but ordered an 8 and it fits great. 

So if you have cold floors like my cottage has, these are a must have.  They're soft, warm and keep your feet nice and toasty.

Click here to pick up a pair for yourself!



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Easy Halloween Face Painting Designs

With Halloween quickly approaching, face painting season is kicking into high gear. Try these easy, but immensely child-pleasing Halloween "cheek art" designs at class parties, fall festivals and homecoming carnivals.

TOOLS

Begin with good quality, water-based face paints. You can find them online or in some theatrical stores. A palette of six, good-quality face paints is priced around $12.00 and includes enough paint for 70 or more cheek art designs. Water-based face paints apply as easily as watercolors and remove cleanly with a paper towel and water.

For a small gathering of children, two or three small to medium sized paint brushes will be sufficient. A bowl of water to rinse the brushes and a roll of paper towels conclude the list of basic supplies.

GHOST

In my opinion, the simplest design to paint is that of a ghost. The basic shape of the ghost is that of a triangle. With a brush loaded with white paint, paint a loose triangle by creating a wavy line to outline the ghost. Fill in with more white paint, dot on black eyes and a smile and the ghost is complete.

CANDY CORN

Nothing is "sweeter" than a face dotted with painted candy corn.  The basic shape is a pyramid, with yellow on the bottom third, orange  on the middle third and white at the peak. You can create a candy corn crown by painting the candies in succession along the forehead.

JACK-O-LANTERN

To paint a jack-o-lantern, begin with a circle or oval of orange paint. When the orange paint dries, add small triangles in black paint for the eyes and nose and paint a toothy smile in black as well. Add a green stem and your jack-o-lantern is complete.


IN SUMMARY

The most important thing to remember when face painting is to have fun and keep it simple! Children aren't expecting a Picasso to be painted on their face. They simply love to celebrate the occasion and face painting is the perfect way to light up the face of any child.

Author Resource -
JoAnne Westcott is the author of Easy Face Painting: How You Can Get
Professional Results Even If You've Never Picked Up A Paintbrush. You can learn more about face painting and how to acquire the simple skills to get started by visiting ezfacepainting.


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Halloween Recipe of the Day!

Monster Party Mix  

Ingredients:

* Be warned this mixture is very rich and contains quite a bit of sugar… serve in small amounts or better still, reduce the amount of sugar added.
 
1(11 ounce) package of small pretzels
1 (10 ounce) package miniature peanut butter filled crackers
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 (10 ounce) package M&M's
1 (18 ounce) package candy corn

Directions:

In a large bowl combiner pretzels and peanut butter crackers and set aside.  In a large saucepan combine sugar, butter and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.  Pour over pretzel mixture and stir until coated.  Transfer mixture to a greased baking pan. 

Bake at 250F for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and break apart while warm then allow to cool completely.  Transfer to large bowl and toss with candy corn and M&M's.  Store in an airtight container.



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Create a Haunted House in Your Own Backyard

Haunted houses can be a fun part of Halloween, but many times they are too expensive or too scary for younger children.  A simple haunted house in the backyard can provide all the thrills while still having that comfort zone of home.  A few simple decorations and a bit of imagination can provide an evening of fun.  By making it large enough that kids and grownups can go through it together you’ll also help the younger ones feel a bit braver.

Some cardboard boxes, sheets and clothesline can become a maze for the kids to go through.  Bales of hay can also make a nice touch as tunnels to crawl through. If you live near a farm, you may be able to borrow a few bales and return them after the party.  The maze doesn’t have to be intricate.  Even a few twists and turns will allow for surprises around each corner.

Enlist the kids help to decorate the cardboard and sheets with glow-in-the-dark paint to help create the walls.  Position a few black lights to make them visible to your guests. The kids will love painting designs and pictures with the bright colors.  Have them come up with scary phrases, like “Beware All Who Enter Here” or “Ghosts and Goblins Only” to decorate the walls of the backyard haunted house.

Lighting is an important part of a haunted house. You want enough light that people can see where to walk safely, but not so much that they see what’s awaiting them ahead.   There are many theme lights such as ghosts and pumpkins available, but Christmas tree lights work just as well.  Strobe lights can also add to the spooky atmosphere as can a fog machine.  Jack-o-lanterns are also a nice touch, but use battery-operated lights in them for safety.   

Hanging rubber bats, ghosts and other creepy crawlers around on different length strings, long enough that people will bump into, may make a few people jump. Have a few volunteers dress up in spooky costumes and hide behind trees and around corners of the maze to add to the scare factor.  If you think a younger child might be too scared by them, let them see the people getting in their costumes before hiding. This way, they’ll know it’s really people they know in costumes and not real monsters.

Invite the neighborhood trick-or-treaters to venture through your haunted house, having the treats passed out by the various monsters hiding through the maze.  It makes it a little more exciting for the kids.  It’s sure to make your home a favorite stop of all the little ghosts and goblins.

As you plan your haunted house layout, keep safety in mind. Remove any sticks that may cause someone to trip.  Avoid tree roots that may be sticking up out of the ground.  Look for rocks, too.  As long as you are creative, have fun, and keep safety in mind, it’s sure to be the hit of the neighborhood.

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A Little Help From AVON!

The light-up halloween witch stop sign is a cool item you might want to add to your haunted house!  You can either hang it on a wall, use the base or stake it into the ground.



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Halloween Pet Safety #3

Candy and Pets Don’t Mix

If you have children who will be trick-or-treating, you’ll have to pay careful attention to your pets once you return home for the night with the kids’ treats. While sorting and eating the goodies from the evening, make certain that all candy, especially chocolate, is out of the cat or dog’s reach. Chocolate, even in the tiniest amounts, can be deadly to animals. Refrain from letting your little ones dump their trick-or-treat bags and buckets on the floor to sort their candy. Instead, head to the dining room table or a counter to pick through the yummy treats.

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HALLOWEEN MINI-COLOURING PAGE!
(Right click, save and print!)





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Halloween Pet Safety Tip #2

While many animals will freak out from all the holiday hoopla, there are some who love it just as much, if not more than you do. Here are some tips to allow your people loving, socialite pet to get involved in the festivities in a safe way.

Let them enjoy your visitors – from a distance.

You may find that your pet is not bothered by the costumes at all. Maybe your puppy or kitty likes to go to the door and welcome your guests. If this is the case, make sure he or she does not dart out the door while you’re handing out treats. Try leashing your animal within a safe distance from the door so they can enjoy the guests while remaining safe inside.

This will also help the children who like to see the animals but don’t want to touch them or be close to them. Because animals scare some children while others get very excited and want to run toward them and be the aggressor, a leashed animal will help you stay in control of the situation and allow both the children and your pet to enjoy the experience.

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HALLOWEEN MINI-COLOURING PAGE OF THE DAY!






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Cool Halloween Decorations! Magic Cat!

A Halloween treat for cat lovers from AVON! Magic Cat's head moves back and forth, his tail goes up and down, his eyes light up to music and the pumpkin lights up! Your kids will love it and your cat will be totally annoyed that Magic Cat is getting all the attention.

BTW, Magic Cat isn't a toy. It's a decoration and it only costs $29.99! Check it out at my AVON store.

Halloween Pet Safety Tip #1

Unlike their owners, cats and dogs don’t always enjoy the fun spirit of Halloween. While we humans tend to get excited and go romping out into the neighborhood, frolicking through fallen leaves, ringing doorbells and bringing home the rewards of our labor in the form of sweet treats, many of our animal companions find this time quite stressful. Your pet doesn't realize the costumes and sounds are make-believe and the people behind those getups are just that … people. You may find that your animal will panic when you answer the door for trick-or-treaters or when you dress up in your Halloween costume.

If you’re hosting a party in your home or invite trick-or-treaters to your door, one of the best ways to keep Snuggles or Fido (and those who are visiting) safe is to remove her/him from the situation completely. You can kennel your animal somewhere else for the night or put them in a room that’s off limits to guests. If your cat or dog is normally skittish around people, it’s best to keep them away from all the commotion on Halloween.

Also, if you have a doorbell, it might be best to cover it for the night to keep Fido from barking each time a trick-or-treater comes to your door.

Check back tomorrow for another Halloween Safety Tip for your pet!


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Creating a Memorable First Halloween for Baby

Pictures, albums and home video may be the only way children ever know they even participated in trick or treating as a baby. Who are we kidding? We all know the fun of baby’s first Halloween or two is more for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. Here are some suggestions for saving money on baby’s first trick or treat experience as well as safety tips to make the night as fun as it can be.

Be Frugal with Baby’s First Halloween Costume

The first Halloween costume should be special, but that doesn’t mean it has to break the bank? Before you go crazy spending out of your budget for a Halloween outfit for baby, try networking with other parents. Many parents save their own children’s first costumes. They may be open to swapping costumes with you or willing to sell their little one’s old costume at a minimal cost. If this isn’t an option for you and you find you need to purchase your baby’s costume, there are lots of children’s thrift stores and boutiques that carry precious Halloween outfits in the month of October. Another option for making sure baby’s first costume is cute and inexpensive outfit is to check eBay.

Safety Tips to Keep Baby’s Safe and Sound

• Pass On Inhibiting Costume Items

Babies do not like to wear masks and most will fight and cry in discomfort if you put them in costumes that restrict their movements.

• Avoid Scary Masks and Costumes

Don’t be surprised if older babies are frightened by other people’s masks and costumes as well. This is not a time to instill fear into your baby. Sometimes adults and older children find it funny to show babies “the ropes” without realizing they can inadvertently scare infants.

• Keep Weather Conditions in Mind

When choosing your costume, keep in mind what your weather will most likely be that time of year. In the northern part of the U.S., it is not unusual for children to wear coats over their costumes. The more south you go, you may have children overdressed in 80 degree weather. That adorable fur bear or lion outfit may not be the most comfortable outfit for baby if you live in an area that’s still a bit warm on Halloween. Don’t over or undress baby.

• Give Family & Friends a Call Ahead Before Visiting

You have special people in your life that you’ll want to share baby’s first Halloween with. A phone call ahead to these people to be sure they are going to be home will help ensure that pictures (or videos) of baby with this special someone can be taken. Try and make your plans up to a week ahead. You don’t want to be disappointed later when trying to scrapbook your child’s first trick or treat experience and someone is missing.

Celebrate Baby’s First Halloween Again and Again

Just like every other first for your little one, you’ll want to keep record of his or her first Halloween with pictures, video and other keepsake items. One way you can do this is by creating a scrapbook that will preserve these items for years to come. Get creative in how you layout your album. Don’t be afraid to take pictures with props that symbolize the holiday and the season. Hay bails and pumpkins are just a few ideas; you can also check with your local craft store for other embellishments such as stamps, stencils and more.

Memories are something we all have. With some extra care and planning, Halloween and your baby’s first trick or treat experience can be most memorable for everyone involved. Who knows, that adorable first Halloween costume might find its way into the senior year book later.

No matter what costume you choose or how you remember the day, keep the tips and suggestions above in mind for a safe, happy and fun Halloween.

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