Editor’s Note: This is the story created by women in our Facebook group. Enjoy reading!

Two days before Christmas, though the morning was chilly, Fanny went out to pick up her mail as she usually did. A single card was placed in her mailbox, with a golden ribbon tied on top.

Fanny picked up the card, both intrigued and careful. The front was a generic Christmas greeting though she did recognize the neighborhood office stamp in one corner. On the back side was a note, handwritten in a curly script. It read:

“Dear neighbor, we have set up a Christmas treasure hunt for all residents in our community. The game begins today, so gather your family ready for a walk and mask up. The first clue will be by a big red sign in the neighborhood!” (Mary Lee Olson)

Fanny went back inside to find her son Leo and her sister Emily gathering supplies to bake Christmas cookies. Emily had moved in with Fanny and Leo after Fanny’s husband passed away unexpectedly last year in a tragic car crash. (Helen Loretta)

Fanny enjoyed having Emily stay with them. Loosing Frank had changed everything, and the comforting presence that her sister brought for her and Leo was heartwarming. (Vinette Marie)

Fanny was excited about the neighborhood Christmas treasure hunt and asked her sister and son to join her! Since it was December and cold outside, she went to search for her warm soft gloves, hat, and favorite cozy coat. (Debbie Willis Saxe)

Ashes of Roses was not a color found in your typical crayon box, but it was Fanny’s favorite shade. Whenever Frank found something that resembled this lovely hue, he knew it was for Fanny. (Vinette Marie)

Emily and Leo were anxiously waiting for her on the front porch, so she quickly donned her favorite coat. Pocketing her hat and gloves, Fanny headed towards the front door. She would have to reminisce at another time. (Vinette Marie)

As the three of them walked down towards the street, Leo told the ladies that when he got off the school bus yesterday afternoon, he saw a red sign a couple blocks away in Mr. and Mrs. Snyder’s side yard, but he didn’t read it. They quickly strolled in that direction in hopes that that was where their adventure would start. (Carla Pelfrey)

The brisk cool air quickly brought a chill around them as they quickly rounded the corner of their street. They could see a young mother and her three young children, along with Fanny’s next door neighbors, Dennis and Judy, standing at the red sign. You could hear them all talking and pointing in different directions, which indicated that they were definitely headed to the start of this game. (Carla Pelfrey)

Gathered in huddle formation, a strategy was underway to begin the Christmas Treasure Hunt. Twelve red signs with twelve clues. “Just like the song; The Twelve Days of Christmas!” Judy piped. (Vinette Marie)

Where to begin? With this thought, Fanny noted a card fastened with a gold ribbon much like the one she had found in her mailbox. She reached behind the red sign, and retrieved their very first clue. With anticipation, Fanny loosened the ribbon of gold, and began to read the curly script. “Ornaments of glass are so pretty to see. Your next clue is a partridge perched on a pine tree.” (Vinette Marie)

The little group of three looked at each other as if the other would know which way to go. Emily gave a chuckle and told the others she was sure she saw some bird ornaments attached to the branches of the little tree down the street in front of Ruby’s Hair Salon. And just maybe, that would be where they would find their next clue. (Carla Pelfrey)

Looking down the street towards Ruby’s Hair Salon, there were many bright blue and red lights bouncing from several police cars, an ambulance and a fire truck. A crowd was standing around a large circle of crime scene tape as a police officer was yelling for everyone to stand back so they could conduct their investigation. (Carla Pelfrey)

Feeling a bit unsettled, Fanny, Emily and Leo exchanged glances as they continued their trek closer to the salon. “Can you see anything?” Fanny inquired. (Vinette Marie)

As the crowd slowly dispersed, Leo noted that the barricade tape was a brightly colored pattern of yellow and black which indicated caution or danger as he remembered his Detective Dad had explained. (Vinette Marie)

Emily caught the officer’s eye, and for a moment, she felt her cheeks flush as the gaze was returned. “What happened?” She queried. The officer responded. “Two turtle doves adorning Ruby’s salon, created a spark, and now they are gone.” (Vinette Marie)

“But hold on!” The officer chimed. There appears to be a note amongst the ashes. It was somewhat singed, but the red ribbon remained intact. Officer Bailey, aware of the Christmas Treasure Hunt, began to interpret the smoky lettering. Three French Hens, a symbol of faith, hope, and charity will soon provide some clarity. (Vinette Marie)

Once the fire had been safely extinguished, and all the smoky debris removed, witnesses realized the popular salon would remain closed for a time. “Well.” Uttered Officer Bailey. “Shall we walk on over to the soup kitchen?” Offering an extended arm to Emily, as Fanny and Leo trailed behind. (Vinette Marie)

“You go on,” Fanny said as she stopped to look back at the burned out bird clues. “I’ll find you later.” She turned and walked quickly back to the hair salon and found just what she had suspected: those ornaments didn’t spark any fire because they were plastic. Someone was deliberately destroying the Christmas Clues! (Annette St Dennis Aleshire)

“But why would someone want to ruin the fun for everyone?”, Fanny muttered. “If there is a mystery, keep asking questions”, she had heard her husband say when he was working on a case. Fanny dug her reading glasses out of her purse along with the original invitation. Maybe it would say what the prize was. Would someone be that desperate to win it? (Annette St Dennis Aleshire)

As Fanny scanned the invitation to see if a prize was mentioned, Fire Chief Mullen had returned to the scene in search of his keys. “Oh, hi there!” Uttered Fanny. “You should not be here, Miss.” The Chief exclaimed. Fanny replied, “Just looking for clues to a possible motive.” As the chief spotted his keys, he turned to Fanny and said, “An investigation is underway, but it appears to have been a kink in the wire.” (Vinette Marie)

It was getting late, and there had already been enough excitement. Feeling the day had taken an unforeseen turn, Fanny thought it best to head home taking the longer route just past the soup kitchen. As she approached, she detected a familiar looking envelope, tied with a red bow tucked just behind the door knocker. In curly script, the face of the envelope read: “Four Calling Birds…” (Vinette Marie)

Fanny used her fancy pearl-handled nail file to expertly slit the envelope. The cursive script read: Some rings make your heart skip a beat/ Other rings are good to eat. She couldn’t help laughing at the thought that the next clue might be at the Jelly Belly Donut Shop! (Annette St Dennis Aleshire)

“Mom! Mom!” Fanny looked up and saw Leo and Emily waving from a group of neighbors who were all happily singing The Twelve Days of Christmas. Emily was waving an envelope. “Come on, Mom, we’re way ahead of you. We’ve already found the ‘drummers drumming’”! (Annette St Dennis Aleshire)

Fanny linked arms with her sister and Leo and was swept along with the merry crowd. “Where are we going?”, she asked. Emily just raised her eyebrows and answered, “ Who knows? But isn’t this the most fun we’ve had in years, Fanny?” (Anette St Dennis Aleshire)

The first stars were just beginning to twinkle when Fanny saw a large crowd gathering in the park. There were tables set up with trays of Christmas cookies and several large canisters of hot chocolate and coffee. Near a giant Christmas tree, a fire pit was burning and some of the children were already toasting marshmallows. Suddenly the lights of the Christmas tree came on making the park magical.

“Friends and Neighbors, you have come to the end of your treasure hunt,” a voice boomed over a loudspeaker. “You will be the ‘Ladies Dancing’ and the ‘Lords A’Leaping’! For your enjoyment, here are the Celtic Rovers.”

Loud applause broke out as the band took their place in front of the tree and began to play a lively reel. (Anette St Dennis Aleshire)

Twice a year, Bath & Body Works pulls out all the stops and discounts holiday and everyday favorites up to 75 percent off, which new discounts throughout the week. The Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual sale for holiday 2020 is no different—actually, it might be even better. We’ve got the details on all the goods so you can game-plan your shopping trip.

Of course, deals will be online as well as in-store so if you feel safer shopping from your couch, you can still stock up on Bath & Body Works favorites. Now’s the chance to score the beloved holiday fragrances before they’re gone (until next year), as well as throwbacks including Secret Wonderland, Honeysuckle and Sensual Amber brought back just for this sale. Christmas body care will be just $4.95 and select Christmas 3-Wick Candles will be $11.95.

Source: Instagram

For the best of the best deals, you’ll want to dig for those 75 percent off products. These include body care, candles, hand soaps and tons of non-holiday items you’ll want to use all-year round. You’ll even be able to find some best-selling fall body scare scents and ones you haven’t smelled for months. It’s basically like a rummage sale where you never know exactly what you’ll find.

The sale begins Saturday, December 26. If you’re shopping in store, don’t forget your face mask and hand sanitizer and maybe even consider going on off hours to avoid the crowds. Or, there’s always delivery! As much as we want to shop and treat ourselves this year (we deserve it), we also have to stay safe too. Set your iCal and get ready to get your haul on. Then, have big New Year zoom with friends to share exactly what you got.

Tayshia Adams’ Pink Lip Gloss on The Bachelorette

The Bachelorette Season 16 Episode 13 Beauty

While Tayshia Adams’ gave her final rose to ______ (don’t worry, we won’t spoil it here for those of you who haven’t yet watched) on last night’s finale of on The Bachelorette, we’re giving our final post of the season to her shimmering pink lip gloss. Because when it comes to this something this pretty and pink, we definitely say “yes” a thousand times.

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Hourglass Lipgloss in Many Shades (Hers is “Cosmic”)

Click Here For Additional Stock

*Sidenote: BBH’s Lauren swears by Hourglass for their lipgloss, foundation and powder!

Click Here For Additional Info on Her Makeup

Dress By Randi Rahm

Originally posted at: Tayshia Adams’ Pink Lip Gloss

No matter how much we take care of our responsibilities, nurture our relationships and work hard to develop a number of Plan Bs, we still occasionally find ourselves in the midst of a difficult time.

Whatever the form of that struggle, it is rarely pleasant. Even a disruption of our normal schedule or a bout with a common cold can make us feel out of control and out of sorts.

Although there is often no way to escape the problem completely, there are things we can do to ease our discomfort and even learn from the situation. Most trials we face hold a lesson for us.

Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi saw the value in learning to meet our challenges head-on. “Adversity,” he said, “is the mother of progress.” So, instead of falling apart or obsessing non-stop, there are several positive ways we can cope with our struggles.

Do or Say What You Can

Although you probably can’t eliminate the problem entirely, there are usually at least a couple of things you can do or say.

If it’s a problem in your family, you can talk to the people involved, offer help, and provide some support. If it’s a health difficulty, you can follow the advice of your doctor, ask for a second opinion, and be sure you’re taking care of yourself as much as possible.

Whether the situation calls for a hard conversation or a change in habits, do what is possible and don’t put it off. Take care of what you can, and then you have to do the hardest thing imaginable: let go of the rest.

Move on and Don’t Allow It to Take Over Your Life

Not obsessing over a difficult problem is one of our toughest challenges. If we’re worried about something, it seems natural to just keep rolling it around in our heads until we come up with a solution.

However, taking that approach can be as frustrating and difficult as trying to untangle a knot of delicate chains. If you’re concerned about something that is outside of your control, a better option is to practice letting it go.

This doesn’t mean ignoring it the issue or being rash about taking care of yourself. It means consciously reminding yourself to keep moving forward.

Do Something for Someone Else

One way to move past our own challenges is to focus on someone else. If I’m having a tough day, as much as I want to wallow in it, I feel much better if I give a friend a hand with a project or run an errand for someone who can’t do it herself.

It gets your mind off of your own worries and it helps someone else in the process.

Anything that changes our perspective can also change our thought pattern. So, before we know it, we’re no longer thinking of the same old topic. If we have a tendency to get stuck on our challenges, being prepared ahead of time can also help.

Make a List of Healthy Distractions

If I’m having a bad day, it’s often hard to come up with ways to make myself feel better and move on to something more positive.

Still, I’ve found that if I keep a ‘Distraction List’ handy, it makes the transition easier and more natural. Maybe I’ll jot down some movies I want to see, books I want to read, art exhibits I want to visit, whatever.

I’ve even occasionally kept a ‘Fun Box’ filled with little pieces of paper that remind me of things that I know will distract me. “Go for a walk,” “play with the dogs,” “make that recipe you’ve been putting off,” are all good reminders for me and serve as perfect distractions.

Even though this may not always work, it can be a big motivator in getting me outside of myself and my worries. Usually, once I’ve stopped racing down the path of destructive thoughts, I feel better about whatever had me upset in the first place. It all has to do with where we stand.

Keep Things in Perspective

Sometimes, if my thoughts go unchecked, I can make them into much bigger and more serious dilemmas than they really are.

This doesn’t mean that I’m just being dramatic about everything I’m worried about, but many concerns seem much larger and more intense if I keep reviewing them in the same unhelpful way.

The amount of energy and time we give to things we can’t control is up to us. It’s probably impossible to imagine that the next time you face a difficulty you can just let it go and move on, but it’s worth a try with many of our mind’s meanderings.

We don’t have to dwell for days on things that cause us pain and anxiety. We can develop some techniques to help us move on to a healthier and more productive state of mind.

As statesman Winston Churchill once said, “If you are going through hell, keep going.” Not a bad idea, even if the war we’re trying to win is inside ourselves.

What are some of your best distractions when you want to change your perspective? Can you do anything to help someone else when you need to get your mind off your own troubles? What are your secrets for letting things go when you need to? Please share your thoughts and insights below!

Turning a favorite hobby into a business venture sounds like a good idea, right? After all, you have been involved in your hobby for several years. Everyone thinks your work is wonderful and would love to have one of your inspiring creations.

Selling to friends and family is great, but you will quickly run out of sales when your closest people complete their gift list.

The Research Begins

It is time to do some research about your product. Thank goodness for the Internet as it makes this task a whole lot easier.

First things first, take a look at your competition. Who is selling your product or something similar? What do they charge for their products? Looking up online stores will be very helpful to you.

The number one store for home created products is Etsy, and it displays exactly how many items each vendor sells. Look into pricing and make sure you can handle orders of different sizes.

To some people it’s important thing to be in the profit zone. If this is not true for you and you just want to sell a few things here and there, that’s perfectly okay.

Once you’ve looked up your competition, take some time to research the demand for your product. If the demand is high, how much time do you want to spend creating your product if you should become very busy? Can you get others to help you?

Budget

You probably know how much money you can spend to start your business. You will need supplies to make samples. Will you invest in marketing? Do you have enough time to spend budgeting each day? There are also many hidden expenses and decisions that you will need to make on a daily basis.

This business set-up is an entire different story than making up a few items and giving them away. Make enquiries with as many as a dozen (or more) online suppliers to get the best prices for your materials.

Begin Going Down This List

• Do a feasibility study of your product by tirelessly researching online, talking to people and checking with your local market.
• Get active on the social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest), or pay someone to help you build a solid list of followers.
• You will need a sales tax license and possibly a local business license.
• Check all wholesale suppliers for best and least expensive materials you may use.
• Business cards, brochures and other marketing materials are also important.
• A pretty website with a blog section will also help you gain visibility.
• Make sure you are set up with easy ways for people to purchase your products.
• You can set up a store on Etsy Zazzle or Shopify to name a few. Pick the best option for your product and your budget.
• Many cities have Small Business Development Centers, and you can get free support and help from their experts on an ongoing basis.

Very often, when you have a much admired product that has been just a hobby, you may tend to think the money will just roll in.

Unfortunately, it is not that simple. Starting a business requires a great deal of homework, patience and finding your market niche. Make sure you do not cut corners with anything, but find the best and easiest way to proceed.

It is a good strategy to start very slowly with your venture, and get all the ducks in a row before getting the word out.

Product Safety

A very important issue to address is the safety of your product. That is an area you may have never thought about, but it is crucial. Perhaps you have stones glued on fabric or buttons sewn. Make sure they are permanently secure so that a little kid cannot pull them off.

You have to be pedantic when considering safety. Look at all aspects of your product before selling on a regular basis.

For example, I hand paint tote bags and use nontoxic paint. I sometimes decorate the bags with glued stones, too. Even though I’m extremely careful though, it has happened that a stone would come off. So, you may think I am being over careful, but this is for everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

Insurance

Check into insurance – especially if you are putting together a culinary product. You need to use a commercial kitchen in order to sell to the public and have the proper insurance.

Setting Up Space to Work

You must have a designated work space. No matter how small the space, make sure you have places to store your supplies and file important papers you will need to run the business.

It is a really good idea to have everything very organized or you will spend a lot of time searching for what you need. Organizing is something I do on a daily basis.

The next article in this series, turning a hobby into a business, will be all about the marketing and placement of your products. Today, with the Internet being the resource everyone turns to, it is a whole new world of business. In some ways, it is easier, and in others it is much more challenging.

Have you considered turning a hobby into a business? What is your favorite hobby? Do you think you could start a business with your hobby? Please share your thoughts below.