Seed Offering Update

Thank you, Jim Aubuchon!!! Jim bought a surprise for his wife, Tammy, in support of our Seed Offering and now we have even more items available!!

We have one set available from the $20 range:

• Satin Lips Set - $18
• Velocity Cleanser & Moisturizer Set - $22
• Visibly-Fit Body Lotion - $22
• Age-Fighting Moisturizer - $22

And one set from the $25 to $30 range:

• Vacation Getaway Set - $25 (includes Black Waterproof Mascara, Island Bronze Eyesicles, Travel-sized SPF 30 Sunscreen, Travel-sized After-Sun Replenishing Gel, Mini Beach Bronze Lip Gloss, two refillable travel bottles & a clear, zippered bag to carry it in)
• Eau de Toilette - $25 (your choice of Warm Amber, Sparkling Honeysuckle, Simply Cotton or Exotic Passionfruit scents)
• SPF 30 Sunscreen & After-Sun Replenishing Gel Set - $26
• Day Solution Sunscreen SPF 25 - $30
• Satin Hand Pampering Set - $30

If you'd like to participate, just let me know your purchase is for the Seed Offering and the entire retail amount of the set you purchase will go right into the offering plate.

Seed Offering Update

Whew - God's working already!! Thank you, Joan Carey, for getting us started!! Because of her purchase, we have three more Seed Offering items available:

• Any Eye Color of your choice - $6.50 ea. (visit my website - www.marykay.com/jenniferblom - for shade selection)
• Beauty Blotters Oil-Absorbing Tissues - $5.oo

More items will be available in this price range as soon as more $2.50 items are sold.

I hope I'm not confusing all of you - this is starting to get a little bit complex! =) But VERY exciting!!

Seed Offering

Something really unique happened at church today - our pastor gave a sermon on stewardship and THEY gave US money!! Along with a challenge...

Each person received $1 to be used as a Seed Offering - to see how much we can make it grow in four weeks & then give it all back to God on July 5th.

The best tool I can think of to make the money we received grow is Mary Kay. I'm taking the initial dollars and investing them in either Eye Applicators, a Compact Cheek Brush or Cosmetic Sponges. Once those sell, I'll take the entire amount of the sale to purchase a more expensive item to be sold, etc. etc. - seeing how much we can make our dollars grow and then giving the final amount to God (I will be taking ZERO profit on Seed Offering purchases).

I'll keep my blog updated so that you will know which items are available as Seed Offering purchases. I must charge sales tax but am offering free shipping as an incentive to get out-of-towners involved!!

Will you help?!! If so, please let me know ASAP so we can make our seeds grow as quickly as possible. Here are your current Seed Offering options:

• Eye Applicators (includes eye brush & eye sponge) - $2.50
• Compact Cheek Brush - $2.50
• Cosmetic Sponges - $2.50

I wish you a day filled with beauty & blessings!!

Beauty That Counts' Impact

I thought you might like to know the impact that Mary Kay's Beauty That Counts charitable iniative had...

Your amazing generosity allowed 89 women at the Battered Women & Children's Shelter to receive an Apple Berry Lipstick for Christmas, but it wasn't only the women at San Antonio's shelter that benefited... "Through independent sales force members' global efforts, just under $2 million worldwide from the sale of Mary Kay Creme Lipstick in Apple Berry is being donated to local causes that support women and children."

Mary Kay Inc. also sponsors Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization that advocates for policy and legislative changes that will better protect the rights and promote the health of teens nationwide. Break the Cycle produced an interactive DVD entitled Ending Violence, which informs teens and young adults about how to build and sustain healthier and happier relationships. The video will become available to schools nationwide this year. Any youth, parents or educators interested in the Ending Violence DVD may visit www.breakthecylce.org for more information.

Mary Kay will have another Beauty That Counts promotion this year. Although I do not know what product(s) will be featured yet, I hope that you will join me at Christmas time again and see if we can do something special for the ladies at the shelter again. I'll keep you posted...

Thoughts on color...

I have a confession to make... when it comes to color cosmetics, I'm a bit of a coward. Yep, it's true - the Mary Kay lady prefers the natural look. Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a natural look - at all. I just need to be a little braver trying out some of the bolder colors. It's only makeup, after all!! If I mess up, it washes right off!! And the beauty of Mary Kay's new mineral cheek & eye colors is that any woman with any skin tone can wear ANY of the colors. Even the darker ones!!! It just takes a little bit of practice.

So this year, I'm making a decision to go BOLD!! Well, bold-er. :) And you can, too! Mary Kay is 100% guaranteed - so feel free to try things out! If you don't like a color you've tried, trade it out for another. And because everyone has differently shaped faces, eyes, etc., I can help with application tips, too. That's what I'm here for!!

It's 2009: Be bold - Be beautiful!!!

Happy New Year!!!

It's a brand new year!!! Why not start it off with a brand new look? If you're local, let's set up a time to get together and play makeup! And if you're out of town, visit my website and do the free virtual makeover and play with color, hairstyles, etc. - it's so fun!! You can even download your own picture! www.marykay.com/jenniferblom

I have two very special offers for the first two weeks in January...

First, I am having a huge sale!! Let me know if you're interested and I'll send you a copy.

Second, I am offering a 20% discount for all first-time orders (not including sale items). Or, if you're already my customer, I'd like to offer you $25 in free product for each friend or family member you send my way and becomes a qualified customer.

My business has grown so much in 2008 and I'd like to thank you for all of your support! I appreciate that you are choosing to spend your dollars with a local small business (me!). It is my goal to provide you with the BEST customer service and the most amazing line of skin care and cosmetics on the market.

Beauty that Counts photos

The back end of my Durango was so full I had to remove my carseats so that I could put the 89 Apple Berry Lipsticks in my backseat!! Because the Shelter is in a secret location, I didn't take any pictures while we were there.

If you have anything you're thinking of donating, please consider the Shelter as a recipient - they have a great need and are really grateful for what they receive.

That's it for my Beauty that Counts updates!! Let's do this again next year, shall we?!

Lipstick Delivery!!

Kerry Hackney & I delivered the Apple Berry Lipsticks, along with a truck-load of donated items, to the Battered Women & Children's Shelter in December. That place is amazing!! So organized and clean. There was a large room filled with gifts for the kids - piles & piles of donated games, stuffed animals, etc. I was really happy that we could give something special to the women. The following is a letter from Melissa Schultz, Director of Volunteer Services:

"Dear Jennifer;

On behalf of the staff and residents of the Battered Women and Children's Shelter, a heart-felt thank you for donating gifts on December 15th. Sadly, many of our families will not be able to visit their homes during the holidays. This time of year can be a very lonely time for our women but especially our children who wonder how Santa will find them in a shelter. Your gifts will help brighten the day of those having to stay with us during the holidays.

The Shelter has been caring for women and their children since 1977. As you may already know, our shelter is currently assisting 160 women and children. Up 21% from last year. In addtion, we try to help as many needy homeless and counseling center families that are also unable to provide gifts for their chldren.

We could not do our job, to assist, support and to provide hope, without the support of volunteers like you. We hope that it was a rewarding experience for you and that you will consider volunteering with us again in 2009. Please share our gratitude with all who participated.

Sincerely,
Melissa Schulz
Director of Volunteer Services"


So I guess this means will be doing this again next Christmas!!! :) Thanks again for all of your support!! Your thoughtfulness really touched a lot of lives.

We have 88!!!

The Beauty that Counts goal was 82, but we surpassed it with a grand total of 88!! Isn't that just thrilling?! Thank you to:

Dr. Tina Boylston - 2

I still need to set an appointment for the lipstick deliveries, but I'll keep you posted as to when that will happen. Hopefully I'll get a couple of good pictures to share with you so that you can share in the excitement!!

Yep! There are more "thank you's" to add!

We are pressing on!!! Here are today's beauties:

Sharon Van Essen & Rhonda Wynia - 1 (because you two had a combination of 5, I donated an extra in your names!
Kelly Rea - 2
Linda Peddy - 1

Thank you so much!!!

And Happy Thanksgiving - if I don't blog before then!

WE DID IT!!!!

Wow - oh wowie wow wow!!! We did it! We have achieved our goal of adopting 82 women at the Battered Women & Children's Shelter!! Thank you to the following women who "closed the deal"...

Lorinda Symens - 2
Judy Geelhoed - 2
Betty Oostdam - 4

I also have one generous woman, Carmen, who would like to donate some of her unused makeup. And I think that is such a fabulous idea!! So, if you have unused makeup (samples or whatever!) you'd like to donate, I know they'd be really grateful. I'll deliver any makeup donations when we deliver the lipsticks.

ALSO, if you or your friends would still like to donate lipsticks, please don't feel like you're too late - there are A LOT of women in need - no donation will go to waste.

THANK YOU - all of you - for your generosity & your prayers. You have been such a huge blessing to me! I was so nervous about having such a big goal and now, not only have we achieved the goal, but we are two weeks early!! You're the BEST!!!!

Keep Going!!

Although we're nearing our goal of 82, please don't stop sharing this opportunity to help out these women! I've been in touch with Melissa at the shelter and she said that they have more shelters & new women coming in every day. It breaks my heart thinking about it. Regardless of the number we achieve, there will be a very thankful woman on the receiving end - far beyond 82...

Just in case you're interested...

If you aren't on my customer emailing list, but are checking my blog for Beauty that Counts updates, you're welcome to take advantage of some specials I'm offering...

These specials are available only through Wednesday, November 26th:

• With every purchase of an Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, get a travel-sized Remover for FREE!
• Do you have trouble with dark circles or puffiness under your eyes? Try the Targeted-Action Eye Revitalizer at 50% off!
• Does your skin need some extra moisture with the dryness of winter? Try the Intense Moisturizing Cream (for dry skin) OR the Oil-Free Hydrating Gel (for normal, combination or oily skin) at 50% off!
• Purchase a $25 Gift Certificate and receive $5 in FREE product for yourself! (I offer free shipping for the recipients & it makes a great Christmas present! If you'd like, I can mail the gift certificate, enclosed in a hand-written Christmas card, at no extra charge.)

***Remember, with the weather & indoor heating drying out our skin, you may need to make adjustments in your skin care. Contact me if I can help. Also, you might need a different foundation if your skin is lighter now than during the summer...

Christmas is coming up quickly, too, so if I can help ease your burden of shopping, let me know! I have a lot of great ideas! Or visit my website: www.marykay.com/jenniferblom.

Only 8 more to go!!!

Can you believe that?! Woo hoo!!!! Many, many thanks to:

Alvin & Gladys Blom - 5
Barbara Richardson - 1

Absolutely remarkable...

CHFBC MOPS

Something to add about my MOPS group...

Because my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group is responsible for nearly 20 of the adoptions, I'm going to donate 4 more lipsticks on their behalf. SO! We really only need 14 more - how exciting is that?!

We are SO close!!!

I can't even begin to express how blessed I feel by all of your support for Beauty that Counts. Truly. Today, I am honored to report that seven more women have been adopted and am excited to extend my list of generous donors:

Lloyd & Sharon Van Essen - 2 (Finding your check in the mail was such a wonderful surprise!!)
Rosemary Mathis - 1
Kristin Weathers - 1
Nicole Green - 3 (If you prefer BeautiControl, make sure you talk to Nicole!!)

Only 18 to go!!

Another Update!!

We are getting SO close!!! As of today, we have 57 women adopted!! We only have 25 to go! I am so blown away by the support of my customers, friends & family. Here are the lovely ladies I would like to thank today:

Heather Hays - 1
Jennifer D'Avino - 2
Carrie Williams - 3
Cheryl Summerville - 1
Tara Nerness - 1 (Thank you, Tara, for sharing Beauty that Counts with the ladies at work - I really appreciate you!)

And we have 10 more!!!

I am SO excited!! We didn't just get to the halfway mark (41), we LEAPED over it!!! We now have 49 women adopted!!! Here are today's beauties:

Tammy Bolch - 1
Rachel Peddy - 2
Henry & Diana Jongsma - 2 more (These are their free lipsticks from adopting 10 women earlier!!)
Kerry Hackney - 1 more (Not only did Kerry also donate her free lipstick, she has been helping me with this SO much - thank you, Kerry!! You're the BEST!! I can hardly wait until we get to deliver 82 lipsticks to the shelter!!!)
Rhonda Wynia - 3
Sabrina Maddry - 1

Thanks to all of you - so much!! And I know that many of you are praying for this endeavor to be successful and I truly appreciate it.

We have 39!!!

Guess what!! We are ALMOST halfway to our goal of adopting 82 women at the Battered Women & Children's Shelter!! I am just so excited about this because the idea of bringing a little bit of hope, beauty & happiness into these women's lives is just SO COOL!! Especially since this is probably the very worst time of their lives. I cannot even begin to tell all of you how much I appreciate your support in this endeavor. And with that said, please allow me to lengthen my list of very special women:

Lauren Cecil - 1
Kara Stevener - 1
Marlys Lazar - 1
Sara Gregg - 1
Lisa Montgomery - 1
Sarah Stebbins - 1
Lisa Richardson - 1
Lauren Rasco - 1
Candice Adam - 1

Beauty that Counts Update

Hello!! I'm so excited!! As of last night, we now have 30 women adopted!! Woo hoo!! We still have 52 to go & less than four weeks to do it in, so please keep praying & spreading the word...

My deepest thanks go out to the following special ladies:

Joan Carey - 2
Jeannie Duistermars - 1
Kim Aguado - 1