15 Minutes of Fame?

This is a quirky little snapshot of me (center) with Gail Nicklowitz (left) and Carol Kamm (right) at a Women Business Owners of Southeast Michigan meeting earlier this summer. I remember my colleague, Hillary Handwerger, taking this photo but was surprised when it appeared on the WBO website recently. It just goes to show that you never know where you will show up on the web these days.

I was also surprised yesterday while driving by the Photo Generations studio in downtown Dexter. Low and behold there was a big portrait in the window of my two children! Let me know if you are downtown Dexter and see the "boy and his dog photo" in the window. It's our little 15 minutes of fame!

Internet Secretary

Here's a new concept. Or at least new to me. "Sandy" is a internet based free secretary for daily reminders. You e-mail or text Sandy your requests for reminders and she will get back with you at the appropriate time.

On a totally unrelated note, some months ago I mentioned my friend, Laura Jannika, who is a Creative Memories Consultant. Laura has a new blog titled Power of Flower where she showcases her digital scrapbooking and flower photos. It's beautiful!

The photo above is from my garden and was taken by our friend, Michael, who visited us from Germany in early July.

Fancy Soaps

This morning I headed out to the Dexter Daze festival in Dexter, Michigan with my child. We had a great time chatting with the vendors, listening to live Caribbean music (who would have thought here in the Midwest?) and stopping at Bearclaw Coffee for our morning snack.

This year there was a new vendor by the name of Paper Street Soap. The folks from Paper Street out of Dundee, Michigan (famous for Michigan's Cabela's location--this is the Midwest, after all) had beautiful wonderful smelling soaps.


The thing is that I am a pretty frugal person (okay, I did spurge on a cup of joe, but packed our snacks) and $7 seems like a lot to spend on one bar of soap, especially when Ivory serves me just fine at about $1.50 for three bars! I wish the folks at Paper Street success in their new business and hope they find lots of customers who, unlike me, are willing to splurge on soap.

Clutter for Charity

In speaking with a friend of mine today, I learned of a wonderful organization based out of Rochester Hills, Michigan called Project12Baskets. This organization takes the excess (a.k.a. clutter) of donors, donates or auctions the items off on eBay or live and the auction proceeds go to your charity of choice. Businessman, Barry Olson, founded the company leveraging his supply chain management experience to find a new way to raise funds for charity.

The for-profit organization will even take care of entire estates, by coming in with their team, emptying out the home and sending 70% of the proceeds from the items sold to the charity of your choice. Project12Baskets earns their 30% fee only after items are sold. Heirs to an estate need not be bothered with emptying a home and have the satisfaction of knowing loved ones belongings will benefit others. A great solution for busy people.