Tuesday TICKLES

August 29, 2010 - 5 Years After THE Storm...

Five years ago New Orleans, and the rest of the Gulf Coast, was devastated by the ever powerful Hurricane Katrina. This was the biggest disaster in the State's history. People scrambled to get out of town, but some were not able to leave. So many lost their homes, lost their businesses, lost their ways of life. Today, New Orleans has rebuilt and become a stronger city. God Bless Louisiana and the people who live here.

I made an Etsy Treasury of some items handmade in Louisiana....would love for you to click on the picture which will take you to this collection... please leave a comment! I'll choose someone by random (using random.com) and the "winner" will receive a $10 Coupon for my Etsy shop! Also, I'm only 8 away from 500 and the 500th sale will receive a pair of earrings (my choice)!
Thanks and Enjoy, and Good Luck!

~Amanda~

~~MONDAY MOTIVATION~~

Fabulous Friday Finds and Favorites!!!

Time to show off my Fabulous Friday Finds...and personal favorites!


I purchased this North Face over-body sling bag while on vacation in Colorado!
It has a lot of pockets and compartments...perfect for hikes to carry your camera, snacks and a bottle of water. Also perfect as an every day purse!


I found this lip balm while looking for a special favor for a Bridal Luncheon I helped host for my cousin who just recently got married in Colorado (reason for my vacation in Colorado!) I wanted to find a yummy lip balm with an SPF for the intense Colorado sun (though lower temperatures and humidity, the higher altitude makes the sun more intense and we tend to ignore that fact!) I actually purchased the Sangria SPF lip balm...but for my Fabulous Friday Finds, I am showcasing another type found in her shop...
I am totally in love with this Pomegranate Lip Glacé.From Petite Threla's listing on Etsy: "Our Lip Glacés combine the emollient, protective properties of our lip balms with a tad more color and a softer texture. Their raison d'être is to add a pretty glaze (hence "Lip Glacé") while protecting and conditioning your lips.
The flavor is a sweet pomegranate. The color is a berry red."
See Petite Threla's Etsy shop for other lip balms and body products!And last but CERTAINLY not least I want to show off my Hubby and I's favorite coffee of all time; also with a Colorado story! A few years ago, we finished up our Colorado vacation (see the trend here? This is a frequent family vacation spot every couple of years) with a visit to the Grand Lake Lodge (for more information on the Lodge, see this Blog Post: http://chloeboutique.blogspot.com/2010/08/featured-on-etsy-storque-blog.html ) We found this coffee on clearance and figured we'd try it! We got back home, brewed some fresh coffee and decided it was our favorite coffee, ever. Our parents were still up in Grand Lake and we called them, asking them if they could pick up more. To our dismay, it had sold out. Because the Lodge had closed (see previously mentioned blog post) we were not able to get this coffee for about 4 years!! This is why this coffee is a Fabulous Friday Find and Favorite!
Enjoy!

~Amanda~

Dinner Solution Thursday!

Need something quick and easy for dinner tonight??
Have an easy and VERY tasty one for you! Hubby and I had this Tuesday night!

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizza

Ingredients

For the Taco Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher and freshly ground black pepper

For the Pizza:

• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 16-ounce tube pizza dough
  
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:
Make the taco seasoning: Mix all of the ingredients with 1 tablespoon each salt and black pepper in a bowl.

Prepare the pizza: Mix 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning and the canola oil in a shallow bowl. Pound the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Add the chicken to the bowl, turning to coat, and marinate 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium high. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll out each on a floured surface into an 8-inch round. Brush with canola oil, sprinkle with taco seasoning and grill until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove from the grill.

Mix the cheeses in a bowl, then sprinkle on the crusts and top with the chicken. Return the pizzas to the grill, and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the avocado, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Top the pizzas with the avocado mixture, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Oh, and for you vegetarians out there, I'm sure it would be just as tasty minus the chicken...just add more veggies!

(Taken from the latest issue of Food Network Magazine)

~~Amanda~~

Getting You Through Hump Day!

RAINFOREST Necklace Set: 2-Strand necklace and earrings made with two different cuts of blue green turquoise, faceted amethyst rondelles, square jasper squares, Bali silver daisy spacers, and sterling silver.

One of my Jewelry friends made a necklace very similar to this and I fell in love with it!! I wanted to recreate it myself...of course I threw in my own little details!
This necklace totally makes me think of a rainforest!! So crisp, and vibrant! I'm gonna let it sit in my shop for just a little longer and if it doesn't sell, I'm removing it and placing it in my personal jewelry box :)


Available in either of my shops:
Etsy
ArtFire

Thanks for looking!

~Amanda~

I LOVE Fall...

...I know, we still have a couple of months before Fall is officially here, but here is a collection of handmade things I found on Etsy!

Tuesday TICKLES

Tee hee!!! This photo always cracks me up. Poor little Puggie-Dogs!

~~MONDAY MOTIVATION~~

Networking & Mastermind Meeting, #2

Our second "Women Entrepreneurs" meeting was held Wednesday night, August 18th, at Bayou Bistro. We had 4 new women join us; Cindy, Elizabeth, Patty and Terri!

A little introduction for our new ladies!

~~Cindy is an Independent Senior Sales Director for Mary Kay. She was previously a respiratory therapist and decided she wanted out of the "corporate" world and wanted her own business. I would be safe to say that she's been very successful on her own as she's in her 17th year with Mary Kay!
Cindy has earned 6 cars with Mary Kay, but the Pink Cadillac still eludes her, and continues to be one of her biggest goals with the company. Her other goal is to obtain National Sales Director status!
Want to learn more about Mary Kay and how it can work for you? Contact Cindy today:
www.marykay.com/cduplechain
~~Elisabeth is a Certified Health Coach for Take Shape for Life. She works with people who have weight problems. By helping people shed unwanted pounds, she also helps with with diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and other health issues than can be associated with weight problems. She herself has taken part in the program, and has lost over 100 pounds. This program really works and is not one of those "roller-coaster" diets where you lose and gain, lose and gain! Elisabeth has been with the program for over 3 years and is working toward becoming a National Executive Director.
Find out more about this program, and to see the schedule for free informational sessions near you, contact Elizabeth: www.elisabethsteam.tsfl.com
~~Patty and Terri are a Professional Photographer Duo team for Patty Stewart Photography.
Since she was a little girl, Patty had an interest in photography. Her first camera was given to her by her mom when she was in 4th grade. She took endless pictures and just couldn't wait for her mom to develop them so she could show them off to her friends and classmates!
Terri is a Cosmetologist and was approached by Patty several years ago when Patty was looking for these services! Terri joined Patty over 17 years ago and they became a perfect duo for Patty's photography business. Patty Stewart Photography is nationally known! They've even been invited to the White House for photo ops! They love doing weddings, and taking photos for families, children, pets, and even doing aerial photos! And in addition to taking the photos, they also do graphic designing, and will create lasting memories with your photos of your special event!
Contact them today to schedule your special event! www. pattystewartphoto.com - Imaginations at Work!

Image copyright Patty Stewart Photography

Last month during our inaugural meeting, we set some goals to accomplish by the next meeting. For the most part, we've either accomplished these goals, or are on the way to having them accomplished real soon! Mostly our goals consisted of working on our blogs!! We will continue to work on our blogs, and other goals set!

~~Victoria continues to work toward earning money for her Thai Yoga training trip to Thailand in February 2011.

~~Olivia has been working on her wall-paper and painting projects, and will continue to do so!

~~Erin hopes to get her topics for tele/web-seminars lined out, and to sign up on www.freeconferencecall.com to get started! She's also set a goal to meet her Magazine (Panache) release deadline! And lastly, Erin is working on some fund-raising ideas for her charitable organization, Ouachita River Valley Animal League (ORVAL).

~~And, Amanda (me!) has been working very hard on keeping up her blog!! (check out my previous 3 weeks of blog posting!) She also wanted to work on a bridal jewelry portfolio and though not completed, she's gotten her pictures printed and is ready to make a folder!

Our "new" ladies have set some goals of their own and will be working on them over the next month. We can't wait to see how they go at the next meeting (TBA)!

~~Cindy is working on enlarging her network group and creating more leaders to move up in the company...Pink Caddy is in sight! She also wants to incorporate listing to her affirmations for her career, her spirituality and personal goals daily. She's been getting in shape and wants to continue her gym-routine!

~~Elisabeth wants to shed a few more pounds, and wants to bring more people into the program to help them! She also wants to get better organized...and clean off her desk!!

~~Patty wants to get better organized with the constant incoming phone calls and also her open-projects. She gets so many phone calls coming in while working on projects that she tends to have a lot of half-completed projects! She also wants to lose 5 pounds by the next meeting!

~~Terri also wants to get organized at the Studio with the phone calls and open-projects!

Stay tuned to our next Meeting Minutes!
Are you a Woman Entrepreneur? Are you in the Monroe area? If you answered "YES" to both of these questions, you should join our little group! Find out more information by contacting Erin: ErinLove@PanacheByErin.com

~Amanda~

Featured on the Etsy Storque Blog!

Etsy Storque Blog: Etsy Finds-Last Chance for Summer Whites

I LOVE Colorado, and very much welcomed the cooler temperatures and low humidity!

While relaxing and enjoying some much cooler temperatures, and more importantly, sharing in the joyous occasion of our cousin getting married, in the Colorado Mountains, I was featured in a prestigious article on Etsy!
After a long dry spell of having no sales since July 22, I all of a sudden found 8 sales in a single day!

Actually, the story of this is quite entertaining (to me anyway).

The Grand Lake Lodge is a historical site in Grand Lake (located in the southwest corner of the Rocky Mountain National Park), CO. It was also the spot for my bridal luncheon back in August 2004 just before my Hubby and I got married. Having been closed and on the market for sale by the James family for a couple of years, the Lodge has finally reopened, partially. It hasn't sold yet, but so many people expressed their sadness for it being closed that the James family thought it best to open it back up! The Lodge will be fully opened next summer.

View of the town of Grand Lake from Grand Lake Lodge

Anyway, the Lodge has a very nice jewelry counter...full of amazing Native American made jewelry featuring turquoise, coral and silver. I had gone up to the Lodge just to look around since it had reopened (and to look for our most beloved coffee we've ever found...Front Porch Blend, made especially for Grand Lake Lodge) and I found this bracelet I just HAD to have. I don't buy a lot of jewelry since I am a jewelry artisan myself! But, I can't do this kind of work, I'll admit :)
It was a pricey piece. I walked away, thinking I would tell Hubby about the bracelet and hint around for a birthday present (so what that it would be almost 5 months early!) That afternoon while trying to take a cat nap, I couldn't stop thinking about this bracelet!! I finally gave up and decided to check my email. And, then right there, I see I have had 5 sales!!! And, like 15 minutes later, I see I had 3 more sales!! WOW!!! What is going on!!! I realize (or decide this is my best excuse) that the bracelet is meant for me to have!!!! LOL!

My Bracelet!!

One of my friends whom I found on Etsy did some research for me when she saw all of the recent activity in my Etsy shop. I knew it had to be some kind of feature or something! There was no way I had 8 random sales in one day! I've NEVER had more than 3 sales in a single day!!! She finally found that I had been featured in an article on the Etsy Storque entitled: Etsy Finds- Last Chance for Summer Whites Please check out this article and leave a comment!!! Better yet, visit my SHOP to see some great accessories for Summer and Fall!

YAY!!! I even sold the featured earrings: Pink and White Coral Lampwork Glass Earrings


Thanks for reading!

~Amanda~

Fabulous Friday Finds!

Three of my favorite finds!

Cute and colorful pouches to keep your jewelry separated and tangle-free when traveling...handmade by Colette of Bags by Colette! You can find her on Etsy!

I found this yogurt at Whole Foods in Baton Rouge and though it's pricey, I fell in love and buy some every time I go!! It is made by Louisiana Chef John Folse his Bittersweet Plantation Dairy in Gonzales! Tahitian Vanilla is my fave...top with granola or Kashi Go Lean Crisp and it's a perfect and healthy breakfast!

I needed a new hair straightener and found this one by Revlon. I LOVE it!! It's super smooth to use, and even came with a heat-resistant cover!
Enjoy my finds, and have a great weekend!!

~Amanda~

Getting You Through HUMP Day!

Fall is in the Air...

This might be my favorite set to date. I came up with this cute "Fall Charmy" idea two years ago and it's been pretty popular ever since!Rustic Pumpkins Earrings and Necklace are listed separately in my shops, but you can receive a 10% discount when purchasing both pieces as a combo! Contact me for details :)

Chloe Boutique - Etsy
Chloe Boutique - ArtFire

~Amanda~

Tuesday TICKLES!

I LOVE pugs, they have these cute little expressions that often make me giggle..."What? What did I do?"

~~MONDAY MOTIVATION~~

GOD BLESS OUR MEN AND WOMEN...

...who risk their lives EVERY day for our freedom. We don't even realize the sacrifices made...by both the members of our armed forces AND their loved ones.

I apologize that I wasn't able to actually put the video here on my blog...I honestly don't know how to save it to upload it!! I've provided a link. I hope it works!

http://www.facebook.com/amandacarrolldaniel#!/video/video.php?v=455621345922&ref=mf

Please feel free to share this video.

God Bless,
Amanda

Fabulous Friday Finds!!!

Three things I'm loving right now!!!

I found this Kashi Go Lean Crisp with Berry Crumbles....DELISH, and very healthy :)


I am totally in love with Yellow Box sandals...they're sooo comfy and cushy! They essentially form to your feet.

And, this "Two-Faced Glamour Gloss"...it goes on smoothly with a small lip brush rather than a sponge that gets icky!! Also, it has "lip plumper" in it and your lips feel minty and tingly!

Enjoy my finds, and have a great weekend!

~Amanda~

Getting You Through Hump Day!

Well, since it's been ridiculously hot in the south the last couple of months, I thought it most appropriate to showcase a "Fiery" necklace in salute to the Sun's blazing heat :)

Fiery Affair Necklace is full of reds and oranges...Carnelian, red Jasper, orange Freshwater Pearls, Copper beads, orange Coral, red Coral, Fire Crab Agate

Fiery Affair Necklace is available in either of my online jewelry shops: Chloe Boutique on Etsy and Chloe Boutique on ArtFire

Tuesday TICKLES

My friend Erin bought Chloe this fun "Pugs not Drugs" tee...I think she likes it!
This tee, among many others with various sayings, can be found at the Little Green Boutique in Monroe!

~~MONDAY MOTIVATION~~

SMOOTHERING Heat in the South...

Uh, my. It has been beyond HOT the last couple of weeks. Actually, this has been the hottest summer since I've lived in Louisiana...over 7 and a half years! I've never felt anything like this! Sure, we usually have a few weeks of temps topping the triple digits, but not this many days. We have been experiencing extreme heat and drought since mid May and there's no relief in sight.

Here is a map of current temperatures across the US...including the heat index which makes it feel so much hotter, and super muggy!


Oh, how I can't wait until next Wednesday as we jet-set across the country to northern Colorado for a week! Do you see that according to the map, Colorado is feeling around 84 degrees...with the heat index? And, this isn't going to be in Grand Lake, located in the southwest corner of the Rocky Mountain National Park...this is going to be eastern Colorado which is lower elevation.

We are going to be joining in the festivities and joy of our cousin who is about to tie the knot!! I am so ready for some Colorado cool air, and mountains! It will be nice to have a chill in the air and wear a sweater at night!

~~Amanda~~