Bumble & Co. {Bee good to your skin}

BUZZ on by the SHOP

In the Shenandoah Valley of Northern Virginia lies a hidden gem within the crevices: Bumble and Company artisan skincare. Their products remind me of Spring...how I long for it! Lavender emanates from every product. Calming, soothing, restoration.  I remember the first time I tried the Lavender & Eucalyptus Body Butter...It was in April at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival. You might think I am being silly, but the moment was that memorable. The Bee and I have been best buds ever since.

Bumble & Company is doing super fantastic and busy like a bee expanding their Virginian roots all the way to the heart of Nashville, TN. You can now find their internationally known artisan skincare at the Haute Salon and Spa located in Hillsboro Village! Whether you are in good ol' Tennessee or a local here in Northern Virginia you can be sure the Bee is close by. Trying is BEE-lieving!

BZZZzzzzzzz,



Heather Paulding
Founder of The Virginia Bloggers Club
Writer at Spunky Real Deals

Growing up around a successful family owned business, Founder and CEO Julie Diers' entrepreneurial spirit found a calling in the breathtaking beauty of the Shenandoah Valley in Northern Virginia. Bumble & Co. is an expression of Julie’s passion for nature’s beauty and its ability to renew, rejuvenate, and heal the skin.

In 2009 Bumble products were included in the Emmy Swag Bags. The following year she was invited to attend the Academy Award Gift Suite in Hollywood, the American Music Awards, and the Cannes Film Festival. Bumble was also featured in American Salon, The Piedmont Virginian, Bedrooms & Bathrooms, and Flavor magazines.

Graphic Designs by Natalie Made It

SHOP Natalie Made It<<<>>>BLOG Natalie Made It

Natalie Made It! She did. Take a look around ye'olde blog and you will notice a fresh faced look on the Virginia Bloggers Club! One of our very own Natalie Summers took it upon herself to clean the place up and it looks absolutely stupendous. We were looking a little like the Ringling Bros. around here, but thanks to Natalie we now have a clean modern feel! Natalie toned down those circus colors and made the blog look like the professional club that it is!

I love the red color and the post dividers featuring the state of Virginia. You can see her incredible work before you, but the other tell tell signs that she is a great graphic designer is her work ethic and reliability. I told Natalie what I was looking for and she ran with it. She is quick and efficient. I have worked with many graphic designers and snail pace just doesn't cut it when you are trying to update your bloggy space! Also, on a similar note it is hard to know who you can trust to go into your blog{your baby} and make changes. Natalie is my go-to graphic designer from now on. I give her my full approval. She did a 5 out of 5 stars job!

Natalie Made It has all your graphic design needs! Blogger, wordpress, customs, heck just e-mail her and I bet she can do it!

Thanks for stopping by,


Heather P.
Spunky Real Deals, LLC
Proud Founder of The Virginia Bloggers Club

Congratulations are in order!

Our very own Mimi Green is being featured on FOX5 NEWS! From Mi To You is her amazing hand-blinged shoe business. I was in love at first glare:) Believe me you want to check out her handcrafted wares and tune into FOX5 NEWS to see what all the hubbub is about. Congratulations on the big feature Mimi!

Another Virginia Blogger's Club sky rocketing star is Vidya Sukumaran. She has been scoped out by Apartment Therapy and they are holding a contest for The annual Homies Awards for best blog in Home Projects & DIY as well as Home Designs & Inspiration categories. Vidya's blog is What's Ur Home Story and believe me after one glance you will run over to Apartment Therapy and vote for her. Be warned....her site is addictive:) Congratulations on the amazing exposure Vidya!

Vote for What's Ur Home Story here and here at Apartment Therapy now!

DIY Salt Dough Ornaments

 Basic Salt Dough Recipe from busybeekidscrafts.com
1 cup salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup luke warm water

This is a simple and fantastic Valentine's Day gift idea for all family members! When the weather is freezy it is also a great indoor activity. Combine all the ingredients listed above and bake a 200 F until dry. Let air dry overnight and paint in the AM. I do not like painting my salt dough ornaments with acrylic paint, but rather watercolors. The watercolors allow you to lightly stain the hand print. Staining Vs. Painting brings out all the little details.You do not want to cover up that beautiful hand print with thick acrylic paint! You could also use a bit of food coloring if you want to live on the edge:)  Happy Valentine's Day my little love bugs!

I have an announcement to make! The Cooperative Preschool of Loudoun{CPL} is having an Open House Saturday, February 8, 2014 from 11am to 2pm! "Cooperative" means the parents are directly involved. Each child has a special day in the classroom{at least twice a month} where the parents comes to class with their child to assist the teacher for the day. The parent is responsible for bringing a snack on their child's special day as well. It is really fun to see your child in the classroom and they love showing off their Mom or Dad to the other children.

A cooperative preschool is wonderful for those parents who are looking for an increased level of involvement in their child's early education. After a year at CPL, I can say without reservation that the teachers are top notch. They are utterly invested in giving our children the best possible start to their early education. Next year, I will have both my boys at CPL. The Open House is a great way to see if a cooperative preschool is right for you and your babes.

Applications are available at www.cplkids.org OR call 703-724-0496


Thank you for being here,



Heather Paulding
Spunky Real Deals, LLC
Eco Reviews and Giveaways paired with creative DIY ideas for everyday life.
http://spunkyrealdeal.com

`Twas the day after Christmas

I'm so excited! I've been plugging away on my twelve days of Christmas stories when this one popped out of my head. I just had to share it. I couldn't sit on it until the 14th. I'm much the same way with presents, which is why it's hard for me to shop early. My husband usually gets all his presents before Christmas because I can't wait and then I have to go back out and shop again so he has something to open Christmas morning. So without further ado, my remake of a Christmas classic just in time for Throwback Thursday, 'Twas The Day after Christmas. 

Finding the Community I Never Knew I Wanted {Tiny Steps Mommy}

 Tiny Steps Mommy The Blog <<>> Tiny Steps Mommy on Facebook

I started Tiny Steps Mommy alone in front of my computer, but I discovered that no one can do anything alone and be successful. We all need support. We all need a community. And I am so thrilled to be part of a community of local women who understand, guide, and teach me everyday. I was always a joiner. In high school, I was an over-joiner. I participated in everything from cheerleading and drama to student government and clubs like Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD). In college, I was editor of the student newspaper and I even briefly joined a sorority. Interestingly, once I finished college and became a Mom, I didn’t think about joining anything. I was always too busy managing my day-to-day life. I occasionally volunteer as team mom for my son’s sports teams and I sometimes volunteer in the classroom, but I never participate in my community association and I am basically just a dues paying member of our PTA. I didn’t think I needed or wanted a community outside of my family and small group of friends. 

I realize how wrong I was. It is something I was missing and I didn’t know it. Thanks to some amazing local moms with a shared entrepreneurial spirit, I have discovered a new community. These women, many of whom I met online, are extremely supportive and generous. They understand what it is like to be a mother, but to need an outlet. They understand how to offer advice and share everything they have learned in order to help the newer members of this “club.” They are quick to offer kind words and tell you that “Moms Rock.” They give you the encouragement to keep going or in my case, keep writing. "A human being is a part of the whole, called by us, “Universe,” a part limited in time and space." He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. 

Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security. - Albert Einstein If you are feeling like an island onto yourself, then open yourself up to new possibilities. Trust that little voice in your head and take a chance. You may be surprised to learn that what you never knew you wanted is waiting right around the corner. Do you belong to a community{Like the Virginia Blogger's Club}? Please share your experiences?

Nicole Dash is a writer, blogger and child care business owner who lives in Annandale, VA with her husband and four children. Nicole writes about family, life, parenting, and caring for children on her heartfelt blog Tiny Steps Mommy. She also enjoys connecting with her growing community of friends on the Tiny Steps Mommy Facebook page.

Charm City Shopping & Strangers with Style

We've all stuffed ourselves, and probably emptied out our wallets. But I hope you all have saved some monies for the small businesses in your communities that help keep your local economy alive and kicking!

We have many of those right here in Charm City that provide consumers with unique, one-of-a-kind items.

Check out my post on some local favorites to shop for the holiday season: http://strangerswithstyle.com/2013/11/30/shop-baltimore/

Cheers!

Regards,
Olivia Obineme | strangerswithstyle@gmail.com