I can’t help but to get a little emotional when I look back at last three years. I signed my resignation letter and then I signed my lease. It was hard to picture how the 1100sq ft space could ever be transformed into the beautiful retail store & factory it is now. Somehow we pulled it off and it was even better that we could have imagined.  It wasn’t always easy, but it was so worth the risk and we have no regrets!

 Its funny, because one main thing that sticks in my mind, is Tom asking me “Are you sure you’re not going to get sick of making candles??”  I can’t even begin to tell you how many candles I have made in the last 10 years, but I can honestly say “No, I am not sick of making candles!” Surprisingly enough it’s still very enjoyable to me. I love coming up with new scents and have fun doing it.  Talk to me when im 80 and I might have a different story though.. LOL

 Here are some pics of the of the store before we made it beautiful.

Now im off to think about the March window.

ttyl

If you have been receiving a high electric bill month after month, then be alarmed. You might be using your appliances more than  you require.

Normally, a regular American household would consume between $1500 and $2000 on electric bills alone. If you happen to fall between these figures, then you can consider yourself as a regular homeowner that uses electricity that is not really needed. Why? One reason: You don’t need to spend as much as $2000 a year for energy. You see, a regular household that spends at this amount often wastes power and of course money. And with an increased electric rates, the bills will go even higher.

Here are the 5 ways to cut down your home energy consumption:

1.  The thermostat control

When you want your room to be a lot cooler because you are sweating, you simply don’t need to turn the thermostat super low. Remember this: the thermostat will not cool faster at a real low setting. It will run on the same level all throughout until it reaches the temperature you set. So whether you gradually lower your thermostat or set it on its lowest setting, you will receive the same result. The main difference is, you only waste more energy when you think you can get your room to cool quickly if you set your thermostat low.

Also, to further cut down your electric bill, you can set the thermostat several degrees lower when you are out or when you sleep.

2.  Several small consumptions add up

Your iPod charger, cellphone charger, and other chargers that are plugged 24/7 can contribute to raising your electric bill. This also goes for your night-lights that are switched on all day, all night.  The computer monitor that is left on the whole day adds up on your electric bill. All these things contribute to the cost you pay for your electric bill each month.

Imagine this: the things that you think might not contribute could add as much as 5% on to your electric bill.

3.  The cool way

You don’t always need warm water to wash your clothes. You might think that warm water kills germs on your clothes. Not entirely true. Using cold water can save as much as 90% of your washing machine’s electric consumption by not using the water heater. Check you local stores for detergent that is made specifically for cold water washing.

4.  Sealing the leaks

Leaks can come from many places including doors, sills, windows, cracks on the walls, and joints. By making sure any leaks are given proper attention can provide savings in the long run. Make sure that your doors are closed properly. If there are spaces, seal them. This includes all the doors from garage doors, exterior doors even the door to the attic. Windows should also be free from leaks, you can cover them with a plastic coating so that the heat will stay contained inside your home. Cracks on the walls should also be sealed. By keeping the heat contained inside, your heating system would not need to do extra work because of heat loss from any leaks.

5.  Keep them small

If you want to warm up left over’s straight from your fridge, do not use large pots and your oven. Instead, settle for small pots and a microwave. Small pots require less heat and your microwave uses lesser power than an oven. The small burner instead of large burner is more ideal in preparing meals for two reason: one, it consumes less electricity, and two, your air conditioning would not work double time cooling down the room. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, you can save from 30 to 40% on energy cost if you follow these simple tips.

Thats why I knew the minute I saw these life sized snowmen at the store I just had to have them. Im pretty sure I bought 7 of them, but I think 2 ran away or melted. There were only 5 hiding out in storage when I went to get them. Whats up with that?? 

January is a tough window theme because what really does January have? NOTHING! Unless you count the freezing cold temperatures. So lucky for me and my snowman family I was able to create a winter wonderland scene for the January window display. The only thing missing is the snowflakes, which I cant seem to find anywhere. I think its possible that the 2 escapees grabbed them when they headed for the hills. But anyway, I still think it came out nice.

I tried to find some cute snowman song or something but aside from Frosty there isn’t much. I did come across a rather strange but yet interesting snowman video called Once there was a snowman.If you have 3 ½ mins check it out.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfLt0L6OeEg&feature=related

 Pretty soon I will be working on the February window. Not exactly sure how that ones going to come together just yet but I’m running out of time to think about it!

 ttyl