Beauty Beyond Measure

NEW Opportunity!!

2012-01-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! I wanted to let you know that I am currently building a team of 10 women who are looking for extra money, friends, and the best self esteem builder ever! I am looking for 10 women who want MORE out of life, who know that there IS more to life and who are willing to do the work to get it! Please watch the following video and then email me with your questions at: summerwillard@inbox.com

You may not have ever considered doing something like this, and that is OKAY. I never did either. But in order to make an informed decision, you need the facts! And that is my job...to give you those facts. And if you get the facts and decide that this isn't for you, that is totally fine. All I ask is that you take the time to find out. :)

Click on video to watch and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you and have a blessed day! :)

Happy New Year!

2012-01-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! What a busy and fantastic holiday season! I spent a lot of time with my family and time gathering sponsors for my Adopt A Grandparent program. My kids helped me put all of the gifts together and wrap them so we could take them to the nursing home on Christmas Eve. What a blessing it was to carry in 36 wrapped gifts for those who otherwise would not have had anything. And it's all because of the sweet sponsors who took the time to donate $15 to bless someone else for Christmas. The nurses at the nursing home were so grateful....one of them even fought back tears. Included in the gift was a MK Mint Bliss Foot Lotion and they said that they integrate massage into their therapy and could now use these lotions to do that! How awesome! I didn't even know that when I put all of them together....I love how God works!

I am so thankful for a new year! Aren't you?! I love that it is a time of new beginnings....a fresh start. Usually New Years resolutions are made and then forgotten by the end of Feb. So this year I decided to only make one new commitment. And that is, to follow through with my commitments. How often do you say that you will do something and then when it becomes a challenge, you shrug it off and don't follow through? I speak from experience here....not from a judgmental heart. I have often made commitments, but then fell short of completing them. And I always thought it was okay because my heart is always in the right place. Meaning, I never intended to not follow through...and end up hurting someone over it.

What do you think happens when you commit something to someone and they believe that you will do it? Whether it's to your kids, your spouse, your friends, your church, etc. Whoever it is, whatever the commitment, someone is counting on you. And when you don't follow through, you ultimately end up disappointing someone. And when you develop a history of doing so....you end up hurting others because you break their trust. How often do you say, "We will do that tomorrow"...and then tomorrow comes and you don't do it.

I have had many people in my life break commitments to me. People who were very close to me and that I trusted to follow through. I have also made many commitments that I haven't followed through with. It's not so much the "thing" that you didn't do that is important. It's the history that you develop with those around you. Do you want a reputation of being that person who doesn't follow through? That when things get tough, you back out? I know I don't....it's not a great place to be.

So this year the change that I have decided to make is to follow through on all of my commitments. Whether it's to make cookies with my 4 yr. old, volunteer at church, or achieve a big business goal, I plan on following through. Now does this mean that everything will always be perfect? Nope. Does this mean that life won't happen and sometimes prevent me from following through with something? Nope. But what it does mean is that I am going to be more conscious of what I am committing to and will do everything in my power to follow through with it.

So what changes are you making for the new year? I would love to hear them! I hope you all had a GREAT 2011 and I pray that you have an even BETTER 2012!!

Adopt A Grandparent

2011-12-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

If you are reading this it means that I believe that you are a giving person and might like to participate in what I am doing for Christmas. I am running a program called "Adopt a Grandparent". My goal is to donate at least 200 mugs of Mary Kay’s "Cocoa & Cream" to a local Nursing Home here in the Chattanooga area this Christmas. I will purchase a Christmas mug and in it I will put a MK Mint Bliss Foot Cream, Hot Cocoa Mix, and a peppermint stick. I will be wrapping them beautifully & writing them each a hand written note from YOU! For some of the residents, this small gesture may be the ONLY Christmas gift they receive. You can participate by donating $15 per gift... You can send a check to me or I also take credit & debit cards. If you have questions, would like to participate, or KNOW someone that can participate, please email me. If you are a business owner or know a business owner, it is a GREAT way to give back into the community as well as spread the word about your business. I need to get everything ordered on the 15th so I can get it here & put together before Christmas. If you would be a sponsor, I would greatly appreciate it and PLEASE pass this on to your friends and family!

*If you are not local to me and want to do something for a nursing home that is local to you, please let me know. If you are local to me and would like to go with me to distribute the gifts, you are more than welcome to!*

Thank you, IN ADVANCE and God Bless your giving hearts!!

Help For The Holidays

2011-11-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

My heart is heavy this morning because I have been sitting here thinking about how many people need help this time of year. Then I thought, well people need help whether it's holiday time or not. But I think this time of year makes it especially painful for those who are struggling. Whether it's financially, emotionally, physically, or all 3. I always want to help everyone who I hear about, but I can't help everyone by myself. God can.....He can help through people like YOU and me. So I'm writing this morning to encourage you to help someone this holiday season. If you are unsure of who to help or where to look, I can gladly point you in the direction of some people who really need help.

I am personally doing fundraisers for several people right now, so if you would like to contribute, please email me. Right now I am focusing on helping the homeless so they can have food, hats, blankets, coats, & toiletry items. I am also doing several specific fundraisers for some people who truly need our help. One is for a great guy in CA. who works full time, but has had a run of bad luck and is now living in his car. Another is for a sweet widow who has cancer and her insurance is not going to pay for all of her chemo treatments. Both of these great people would be especially grateful for any help that anyone could offer. I don't know them personally and they don't even know that I am doing this for them....and I don't care if they know. I don't do this for a "pat on the back", I do it because my heart is to help. I do it because I feel that I have been called to do more with this business other than just earn money for my family.

My goal is to sell 300 lipsticks per fundraiser...I'm trying to keep it simple because I know how easy is to get overwhelmed with what product to buy. I also know that most people who will read this probably can afford a $13 lipstick, but might not be able to afford to give several hundred dollars to a fundraiser. So if you would please pass this along to all of your friends & family, I would greatly appreciate it! I am offering a $50 gift certificate to the person who brings in the most orders.....bringing in 10 to be entered into the drawing. Once you have your 10, you will be entered and then whoever brings in the most after that, WINS!

I take debit & credit cards on my website, so it's super easy for you to order. Also.....I would highly suggest that you order one of the 3 Limited Edition Beauty That Counts Lipsticks! Not only will the profit go to help someone, BUT Mary Kay will donate $1 for every lipstick purchased to the MK Foundation for cancer research....how awesome is that?!?! They are appropriately named Give Dreams, Give Hope, and Give Joy.

If you would like to help give to any of these projects that I am currently working on, but you aren't interested in purchasing MK products, please email me. I'm happy to send you info. on how you can directly help these lovely people without purchasing products through me. After all, this is about helping people....however we can do that!

Small Business Saturday

2011-11-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family! We had a great time at my parents house and of course, ate too much. Ha! I made a ham, homemade macaroni & cheese, and mashed potatoes. My oldest made a homemade French chocolate mousse cake, and my 11 yr. old made homemade truffles! They were both YUMMO! We arrived and brought in all of our goodies and helped my parents with last minute preparing.....okay, I helped. Hubby and kids watched TV. Then we feasted, but not before we prayed and thanked God for all of our many blessings. We had so much food, it was UNREAL. Turkey, ham, GIANT turkey legs, stuffing, squash casserole, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole (2 kinds!), beans, fried corn, broccoli slaw, and MORE! Seriously, I didn't know what we would do with it all. It was so nice to sit around with my family and just enjoy each other. No rushing, no agenda, just ENJOY each other. Love it!

So what did all of you do for Thanksgiving? I would love to hear your stories! Did you guys know that today is Small Business Saturday?! Did you know that I can supply you with A LOT of your Christmas gift needs?! Well, I can! I have gift sets for moms, dads, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, friends, co-workers, etc. If you have someone you need to buy a gift for, I can help you! I have gift sets starting at $12! I have GREAT stocking stuffers too.....and who else do you know that will gift wrap & ship/deliver your gifts for FREE?!! No one! So please support local today, support small business's who are truly trying to make a difference in this world.

I gift wrap & deliver for FREE.....support local & shop with me! www.marykay.com/summerwillard

All of my gift sets are custom, so you won't see what I can do on my website. It's just to give you and idea of what products I use. If you would like pictures of my custom work, please email me and I'm happy to send you some! Happy shopping friends! And know that you are helping to support a business that helps others!

Thankful

2011-11-22T04:05:00.000-08:00

For the month of November, I have been posting on facebook everyday, something that I am thankful for. Honestly, I think we should take the time to be thankful everyday, ALL year long. It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day and not focus on being grateful. So I wanted to take the time to post here some of the things I have posted on facebook that I am grateful for. Feel free to comment here or email me with what YOU are grateful for!

- I am thankful for a husband who loves me no matter what and will ALWAYS stand by me. I am always his # 1 priority after the Lord and that is something to truly be thankful for!!

- I am SO grateful that my husband and I BOTH get to have our own business and work from home!!! The flexibility is amazing and there isn't that stress that you normally find with a job outside of the home. It is truly a gift from God and I don't ever want to take it for granted!! :)

- I am thankful for choices....that know matter what your circumstances are, we all have the choice to change them. With the Lord and being willing to choose wisely, we can overcome any situation that we choose! :)

- I am thankful for my 4 wonderful children. I start the day everyday in prayer, thanking God for all the many blessings that He has blessed me with and continues to bless me with. And my 4 kiddos I am truly, truly thankful for! I continue to be amazed at how awesome my children are, I am so very proud of all of them. It is a huge privilege and honor to be their mom!! :)

- I am thankful for our wonderful church Covenant Life Worship Center! Lead by such wonderful pastors who truly care and don't judge. They welcome you with open arms right away and truly want to KNOW you. It is such a refreshing experience and I am thankful for them every, single, day!!! :)

- I am thankful that the Lord has a plan for my life....that I don't have to wonder who I should be or what I should do. I just have to trust in Him and let Him lead me to do the things that He has for me.

- I am thankful for the positive influences in my life! For those of you who speak positive and stay positive.....thank you! It makes such a difference to surround yourself with people who ENCOURAGE and don't discourage with the words that come out of their mouth. :)

- I am thankful for Karen Hieb Bandel! She has been one of the best friends and mentors ever! She encourages me and gives me the best example of how to operate your business by the Golden Rule....I am truly blessed that the Lord brought her into my life! :)

- I am thankful for the Lord's promises!! He is so full of love, grace, and mercy for all of us....I am truly humbled by the goodness of the Lord. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

- I am thankful for my wonderful friends! I have friends who are genuine and real....who truly care. That is something that is rare these days, so I don't take it for granted....very thankful!! :)

-I am thankful for Mary Kay Ash. She allowed the Lord to lead her in starting a company that would truly end up being a ministry to women everywhere! She worked hard and didn't give up, even when negative people around her told her not to start this company. And now, almost 50 years later, MK Cosmetics is a debt free, privately owned company that helps MILLIONS of people world wide! And I get to be a part of it.....so grateful!! :)

- I am thankful for God's word. It is the key to everything in life and any problem or issue can be solved with it. I am so very grateful for the word of the Lord! This morning I was reading Proverbs 3 and even though I have read it many times before, it was so encouraging! If you haven't ever read it or haven't read it in awhile, take a look a Proverbs 3 today. :)

I am thankful for the Lord's forgiveness, grace, mercy, and healing. I have made a lot of bad choices in my life, but the Lord always forgives and covers me in His grace & mercy. He always brings healing for whatever I need, whether it's physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. AND....He teaches me to make GOOD choices so I don't end up where I was before!!

- I am so thankful for my flexible schedule....I don't know how else I would be able to stay at home with my kids and really be there for them. Or be able to move things around if I need to when something comes up.....all without sacrificing my paycheck! Love it!! :)

-I am thankful for those people who have integrity and common courtesy. It has become very rare in today's world for people to have integrity and courtesy is not so common anymore.....so I am more and more grateful for those people who have these qualities! It is very encouraging when you don't see it very often. :)

- I am thankful for my mom. She carried me in her womb for 9 months; She felt sick for months with nausea, then she watched her feet swell & her skin stretch & tear; she struggled to climb stairs, she got breathless quickly; she suffered many sleepless nights. Then went through excruciating pain to bring me into this world. She became my nurse, my chef, my maid, my chauffeur, my biggest fan, my teacher, & my best friend. She's struggled for me, cried over me, hoped for the best for me, & prayed for me. Thank you mom! I love you!

- I am thankful for God's surprises!! God has GREAT things in store for all of us and you never know when He will surprise you with something wonderful!!! :)

- I am thankful for Saturday mornings with my kiddos. No getting up early, and watching movies in your pajamas until noon....while eating Oreos. Simple, but oh so wonderful!!! :)

- I am so thankful for where God is taking our family. We are in a wonderful place and headed for things even more wonderful.....I am truly, truly grateful & humbled!!

- I am thankful for those people in this world who have taken the time to help me with so many things. God has really blessed me over the years with compassionate, kind, WILLING people who have truly made a difference in my life. So much so that I can't even name them all on here.....something to really be thankful for!!

- I am SO thankful that the inside of our house is going to be painted very soon!! I am so, so grateful for this!!!! :)

-I am grateful for this blog! I really feel like God is going to use this blog for wonderful things!!

Funding for Missions

2011-10-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

Well hello there! Yesterday I posted about missions and how my heart is to truly help others through my business. I wanted to take the time to share with you about another fundraiser that I started so that you can all have the opportunity to participate if you would like to. I obviously can't do this without the support of others, we all have to work together to make a difference.

Right now I am still supporting the Albania cause that I told you all about before. I will be doing that through the end of the year. I've also just started another fundraiser for a couple here local to me. They will be traveling on a missions trip in Jan. 2012 and need help raising the funds to do so. I just read about it yesterday and it truly touched my heart because they are so humble and kind. They truly want to help others through this trip and the main thing they have asked for is PRAYER, not MONEY. How often do you hear that?!?! But obviously they can't go without money, so that is where I come in. I'm going to share with all of you what I read about their request.....they are okay with me doing so. I feel it will better communicate what their hearts are. It is my honor & privilege to be starting an online fundraiser for them today. If you would like to participate, please email me so I can add you to the invite. If you would just simply like to donate without purchasing Mary Kay products, you are more than welcome to do that too. All of my profit does go to them, so it's really a win win if you do purchase product. I have some great holiday gift sets on sale right now, so you could do your Christmas shopping and help raise money for missions in the process! Thank you all so much and I pray you enjoy reading their letter:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Abby and I are pleased to share with you an opportunity that God has given us to be part of a mission team to Uganda, Africa January 5th-15th, 2012. We will be partnering with our church on this trip and feel humbled that God would even allow us the opportunity to be part of this trip. The purpose for the trip will be to assist in a pastors’ conference through University Baptist Church, conduct home, hospital and clinic work with ill patients, minister to orphans and widows and care for refugees in the Nakivale Refugee Camp.

Abby and I are both scared and not completely sure why God would choose to use us or how he will use us in Uganda; however, we do both feel compelled to go. For most of my life I have not wanted anything to do with missions. I have thought missions was something that was for super Christians who woke up one morning and had “go to Africa” written on their bedroom wall. Being part of our church has pushed us to think globally and not just locally. Through active and intentional exposure to The Word of God, we feel led to be part of this trip.

Our hope is that you will partner with us on this trip. You can help us the most by praying. Please pray that:

God will be glorified - Philippians 2:11
God will provide - Philippians 4:19
We will put down our selfish desires - Mark 8:34
We will share the Gospel boldly - Romans 1:16
We will be diligent in prayer - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
We will be diligent in study - 2 Timothy 2:15

You can also help us by supporting through giving. Please do not feel obligated in any way to give. Please only give if you can joyfully and responsibly support this mission financially. The trip will cost $5,000 for Abby and myself. Also, we just found out yesterday that we will have to pay $3,618 by next Monday (October 31st) simply for airfare. We thought we would have much longer to raise the needed funds, but there has been some difficulty in arranging the airfare for the team and the only way to secure travel is to purchase the tickets early. We still have a need of $2,818 for the airfare. The current total need is $4,200 and we are trusting that God will provide this.

We would like to know who gives so we can respond with our thanks. If you would like to contribute financially, please direct message Abby for our mailing address. If you would rather us not know how much is given, please simply write “Confidential” on the outside of the envelope.

We are so thankful for your support. Thanks for the prayers you have offered up for Abby and myself already. Thank you in advance for the prayers you will pray for us. We love you and we hope and pray God will use you and will use us to share his most amazing mercy and grace with everyone we come in contact with.

Love and blessings,
Corey and Abby

Missions Trips & Baseball

2011-10-26T05:01:00.001-07:00

Yes, the title to my post is Missions Trips & Baseball....I think it's catchy, don't you?! I hope you all have been doing well in the past month or so. We have been fighting sickness in the Willard household.....still are. However, I think we are all over the hump and will be good as new within the next week! Yay! Since we have 6 of us in our family, it's easy for one person to get sick and then pass it to someone else a week or two later. Resulting in someone being sick constantly for weeks! Totally drives me crazy and I'm looking for immune boosting things online that I can order for my whole family to take. So if you know of anything that works great, please pass on that info. to me.

Baseball, baseball, baseball......I love baseball! Okay, I don't LOVE it. But my kids do and because they do, I do. You know?! My 12 yr. old has been playing "Fall Ball" and we just had our last game last night. I'm actually sad that it's over! I really do enjoy watching him play and have such a good time. I think sports is such a great way for kids to learn AND have fun at the same time. As long as it's about fun being the primary. I'm not one of those parents who screams at the top of my lungs at my son for making a mistake or not doing something "just right" or "the way it should be".......I HATE it when parents do that. I just tell him to practice, do the best he can, never give up, and have FUN. And he does have so much fun and I love every, single minute of it.

I am going to admit that I have never personally been on a missions trip. I know that one day I will, probably sooner rather than later. My hubby has a huge heart for going on missions trips. Not that I don't, it's just that he is really passionate about it. But I have always done my best to help support anyone I know who is going on one. Whether it's for 2 weeks or 2 years.....they all need support to be able to go and help others. I am very passionate about helping others whenever I can and I'm so grateful for my business because it allows me to do that all the time. It is my vehicle to help others....whether it is by doing a fundraiser for them, helping them feel better about themselves by correcting skin problems, or helping them build their own business to do with what they would like. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity on a daily basis and I never want to take it for granted.

I will be posting later about a specific missions trip that I am supporting right now and I pray that you will choose to participate. Thank you all so much for your support in what I do, it truly means the world to me!!

Praying for Direction

2011-09-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

This morning I am praying for the Lord to direct me exactly where He wants me to go. I am so passionate about helping others....that is the main reason I started my business. To help my family, to help needy families, to make a DIFFERENCE in this world that we live in. I really try to make it my focus because that really is what matters most. And funny enough, that is also where the true blessings are....through blessing others, you are also blessed more than you could ever imagine.

I tend to get overwhelmed with all that there is to do in life. Husband, 4 kids, business, church, friends, etc. My heart is to give 110% to EVERYONE. But a lot of the time, I can't do that. I so struggle with that...my heart wants to do so much, but my body doesn't line up with that a lot of the time. So this morning, I am asking that the Lord direct my steps to where He wants me to be at the exact time that He wants me to be there. In that I believe I will find my true hearts desires....to make a difference for others. I just have to learn to trust the Lord that He knows what He is doing better than I do. It's easy to get caught up in your own thoughts and the way you think things should go. When all along, the Lord is patiently waiting to show you the way.

So even though I can't see it sometimes, I know that the Lord has purpose in all of this. In all that I am passionate about. Because I believe that the Lord places the desires of our heart there for a reason. And He doesn't give you a dream in your heart if He isn't going to take you there. You just have to be willing to let Him in HIS plan and not your own.

When is a lipstick more than a lipstick?

2011-09-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well I have done better this time. It's only been 2 months since I posted and not a year. I really do love to blog....a lot. I have a hard time balancing between hubby, 4 kids, running my business, church, etc. And taking time to blog, well it does just that, takes time. BUT....I do love it. So I really am going to try and be better about it. Do you believe me yet?! ;)

So here is what I have been up to. My recent fundraiser (still going on) is to help raise money for the wonderful people of Albania. I have a friend who is sponsoring them and has developed a deep passion for everyone in Albania. She visited there and came back with all sorts of stories that, of course, broke my heart. One of which is that domestic violence is extremely high there. But at this point, they have absolutely NO shelters at all. I can't imagine being in a domestic violence situation, much less not even having the choice to go somewhere safe. So I set a goal to sell 200 lipsticks for Albania. I know, I know.....sounds weird. But hey, most women like lipstick (or Lip Gloss if you prefer) and they are only $13. So it won't break the bank for most people. It's not nearly enough to build a shelter, but it is a start. And who doesn't like a really good lipstick?! Guys, don't answer. ;)

Lipstick really can be more than a lipstick. This video says it all:

It Really Has Been Over a Year

2011-07-15T13:48:00.001-07:00

Wow! I can't believe how long it's been since I have posted on here. Things have been off the wall crazy. My health took a turn for the worst and honestly, I just didn't have the energy to blog. I'm thinking that I will try to be more consistent with it from now on. But it still won't be all the time,
just being reasonable. So how are all of you? I hope well! I would love to hear from all of you
again.....I have missed connecting with you!

Okay, so what am I working on right now? Right now I am working on supporting 2 different
ministries. One is a ministry located in Arizona and the other is one here local to me. The one
local to me is to raise money for the people who live in Albania....that will be going on all year.
The other is more of a short term goal, I'm just trying to help out another ministry because I
simply love how passionate they are about helping others. If you want to be a part of helping,
please contact me and I will let you know what you can do.

On another note, I started some new things in my business! I'm doing skin care consultations
and facials over the phone now. How do you do a facial over the phone you say? Well, it's
really simple. I just put together everything you need and mail it to you! Then we do your
skin care consultation over the phone and I walk you through everything to explain what it is
that you are using and what it will do for you. Pretty fun, huh?!?!! And SO simple for those who
are busy, but want to try something new or address specific skin care concerns.

I'm also doing bridal makeup which is SO much fun for me! I love putting makeup on people,
whether it's a super simple look or a high glamour look. Either way, I love it! And working with
brides and their bridal party is fun because I get to be there for all the happy, giddy, emotional
times. I love it!!

So, that is a small update on me and what has been going on over here at Beauty Beyond Measure. If you would like to help out these ministries, please email me at: summerwillard@inbox.com and I will let you know different ways that you can help out. Thanks so much and have a wonderful day!

MckMama and String Of Pearls

2010-05-27T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hello to all you fellow MckMama readers!! Each of you will get a FREE gift for participating today and ONE person will receive additional FREE products!! Stick with me, this is going to be good! I am SO excited to share with you what we are doing today!! First, I will introduce myself so you know a little bit about me and what I do. I am 32 (almost 33!) and I'm a stay at home mom to 4 boys! About 7 months ago I was presented with the opportunity to start my own business with Mary Kay Inc. I was VERY skeptical and I told God that if this was something that He wanted me to do, He would have to give me a VERY BIG sign. (Don't you love how WE tell GOD what to do?!) Anyway, I asked my husband to pray about it and we did for 2 weeks. One morning on my way home, I prayed again and I said, "Ok God, I need to make a decision. So if this is You, I need that sign. Like, sky write it in the sky sign." I pulled into my driveway right as I said that and looked in my rear view mirror to see a brand new Mary Kay PINK CADILLAC parked right across from me. Ummm.....Ok. That is a pretty clear sign, especially since I have never seen it since that day. So, I called my hubby and he said, "Go for it."

That brings me to now and why YOU are here. I decided when I started this business that I wanted it to be about more than just making money for my family, I wanted to help others.

Today we are raising money for String Of Pearls which I'm sure all of you have heard of before through MckMama's blog. If you haven't, please visit their website to learn more about who they are and what they do. It's FANTASTIC and I really want to bless them today. Actually, I want to completely BLOW them away with our donation. I will be updating MckMama throughout the day on where we are with our sales. Here is how it works:

ALL day today we need YOUR help. I will donate 20% out of the total net sales to String Of Pearls. Place your order on my website using the secure online payment option. I take all debit AND credit cards and it is completely secure. I am offering free shipping on all orders $100 or more. Today only, for orders less than $100 I will charge ONLY $5 in shipping. (Shipping and tax is added when I process your order.) Please put MckMama in the comments section of your order.

In return for your support, I will include a special gift with each order. AND… when we reach $2500 in sales ONE blessed customer will get their order FREE! If you place an order of at least $40 with me, your name will be entered into the drawing. For every $10 spent AFTER that, you will have your name entered an additional time. For example: $50 in product would enter your name 2 times, $100 would enter you 7 times and so on. When we reach our goal, I will draw the winning name and that person will receive their order FREE!

We have some FANTASTIC products. You will at some point need or want SOMETHING that we have and why not have your purchase of those products HELP OTHERS?!! We have men's products too.....FATHER'S DAY!!! I have a lot of customers who purchase for people as gifts. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, etc. I even work with brides! If you would like to know more about our products or our company, email me and I'm glad to share with you or help you in any way I can.

Check carefully for our newest offerings. If you are local to me, I would be happy to spend some time with you one-on-one or share an hour with you and two or three friends to select a new look for you or try some GREAT skin care.

I am SO EXCITED about this and I want ALL of you to jump on board! There IS a product that I have that you will love....trust me! Please feel free to pass this offer on to your friends and family to help us REALLY make a difference today!! After you place your order, you can leave a comment here about your order and follow my blog to receive extra entries towards the FREE order!!! I will tweet to update MckMama on our progress throughout the day so she can stay in the loop. Alright everyone, LET'S DO THIS!!!!!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

She's Alive!

2010-05-24T16:00:00.001-07:00

Oh. My. Goodness. Has it been FOREVER since I have been on here,or what?! I have been building my business like crazy to accomplish some HUGE goals in a very short amount of time. I don't know how all of you are, but I like to get things done as quickly as I can! I have always been like that, if there is a way to make something go faster....I will find it! Ha ha. I am so glad to be posting again and so glad to share with all of you some great things that have been going on with me. So, sit back and get comfortable!

Since I last shared with you I've been working very diligently to grow my business to not only benefit my family and I, but others as well. I truly believe that you should give back and help others, no matter what that looks like for you. When I started this business, I very much wanted it to be a vehicle that I could use to accomplish some big dreams that God placed in my heart many years ago. And it is so wonderful to be able to say that it is ACTUALLY happening. And I can SEE it now. It is such a wonderful feeling!!

I have been working with several ministries local to me to help grow different parts of their programs and I have to say that I LOVE it! I love building relationships in my business, teaching women about how to take care of their skin, and help to make them feel better about themselves in the process. And to do all of this and be able to help different ministries and charities?! Somebody pinch me!!

I am so excited to see what all God is going to do through all of this. Do I get to sit back and do nothing while He does all the work? Nope. Do I work really hard? Yep. Is it totally worth it? OH YES IT IS. It is more worth it than I could have ever imagined.....and then some. Everything that I have been through in the past few months have been, literally, some of the BEST times in my life. I am so grateful for where I am and the experiences that I am going through. I am truly humbled and quite grateful.

What's next you say? Well, I'm glad you asked! I will be moving into leadership VERY soon with Mary Kay. I will be greatly expanding my involvement with different organizations. And I could not be more THRILLED. And.....VERY soon, I will be doing a fundraiser for whatever charity a certain someone chooses. Who, you ask? Well it is someone that a lot of you probably know and love. Someone who I know and love and am so glad to be doing this for. I am SO excited to be raising money for a charity of her choice. Her you say? Her who? Ha! I will keep you in suspense for now. ;)

I'm glad to be back and so glad to be sharing with all of you again! I look forward to the future and all that it holds. You WILL here from again SOON!

Wholesale Prices!!

2010-02-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a quick post, because I have a date with my hubby! Yay! But I want to let all of you know that I am offering wholesale prices on my current inventory. I have NEW inventory coming in, so I want to get rid of ALL of my current inventory fast! And what better way to do that, but to offer it at wholesale prices! That's right....everything I have in stock right now is 50% off!! If you are interested, just contact me and I will give you a detailed list of what I have available. Some of the items include:

3 Miracle Sets

2 Microdermabrasion Sets

TimeWise Even Complexion Mask

TimeWise 3 in 1 Cleanser for Combination/Oily Skin

TimeWise Moisturizer for Combination/Oily Skin

1 each of the new Mineral Eye Color Bundles

And quite a few other items! Including lipsticks, lip glosses, foundations, and mascaras! Contact me if you are interested. I will only charge wholesale prices, plus tax!! This is a GREAT time to get some FABULOUS products!!! You can go to my website to read more about each of these items.

Poll Results

2010-02-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

So, I found out some results from my National Sales Director on Tues. night. We have a conference call every Tues. and this past call she revealed some much needed information! MK has recently been doing polls to find out from our customers what their main concerns are in terms of their skin as well as how they feel about our products and customer service. First off, let me tell you that these results are straight from the horses mouth, I have not changed them in any way. And the reason that I'm sharing them with you is to get YOUR feedback. I want to know what your thoughts are and if you fall into agreement with these results, or if you don't.

Ok, here we go. 9 out of 10 customers are satisfied with MK. I think that is awesome. I would think that it would be more awesome if it were 10 out of 10, but hey, I will take 9 out of 10 any day!! Also, 94% of our customers would recommend our products to others. That is incredible! I mean, I don't know about you, but those numbers are great! There is always room for improvement, but I was so happy to find out that so many of our customers are that happy! And knowing this can help us make changes so we can get to 100%!

As far as the poll results on skin care concerns, it was shared with me the top 3 concerns. They are:

1) Concerns about under eye circles and bags

2) Concerns about age spots and sun spots

3) Concerns about diminished skin elasticity

I am here to tell you that we have product that addresses all of those issues! It kind of made me excited when I found out what the concerns were, because I know we can do something to help! And now I also know that as a Rep. of Mary Kay, I need to make sure that I'm telling women about all of our products as best I can. So now, when women ask me about our skin care, I can be more specific about products that can help them. Obviously, the Miracle Set is something that all women should invest in. Not only does it help diminish fine lines and wrinkles, it prevents new ones from forming. That is a must! But we also have skin care product that you can use along with this set that will give you awesome results!

If you have any of those 3 issues and would like to do something about it, here are the products for you:

1) TimeWise Targeted Action Eye Revitalizer - gets rid of under eye circles and puffiness! And I have a customer who orders this from me consistently and she said that it works so well that she won't EVER use anything else.

2) TimeWise Even Complexion Essence - Clinically proven to restore skin's natural, even tone by reducing visible dark spots and skin discoloration. I use this MYSELF and I can tell you that it really does work! I developed brown age spots and they are almost completely GONE. I've only been using it for a couple of months, and it keeps getting better! I also have Rosacea and you wouldn't believe how much of a difference it's made with that. And to make it even better, we now have the TimeWise Even Complexion Mask that you can add to that. Brilliant!!

3) TimeWise Replenishing Serum+C - I could go on and on about this stuff. It is incredible. I use it, I have customers who use it, and I have NEVER had anyone say anything negative about it. It is an antioxidant rich serum formulated with ingredients that enhance the production of new collagen AND help keep existing collagen from breaking down. It also contains ingredients that support elastin, a protein that gives skin it's elasticity or it's "spring". I seriously would recommend this to every person I know....women AND men.

There you have it! Real poll results from real MK polls. What are your thoughts? Are you concerned with any of these things? Are you concerned with other things about your skin? Please share! Feedback is important in my business....plus, I just like hearing from all you wonderful people!

Click here for fantastic products that meet all of YOUR needs!!!!

Morning Thoughts and Change......

2010-02-09T06:25:00.001-08:00

My goodness it's been too long since I have posted here! We have had some sickness in our household the past week and a half. It started with my 2 year old, then went to me, and so on. That is part of having a large family....when one gets sick, we usually end up passing it around. Anyway, I finally started feeling better this past Fri. once I had been on antibiotic for awhile. My oldest woke up this morning sick, yuck! I'm SO over this. I think we need some warm weather and sunshine!

I have had a lot going on with MK, which is awesome. I've been on the lookout for new ways to give back. It's hard for me because I see someone that needs help and I just wish I had all the money in the world so I could help them. Everywhere I look there is need. Seriously. Just in the blogging world alone, you could spend all day going from blog to blog to read about different stories and how they are crying out to God for help. I want to be able to help them all. It breaks my heart. I really run across something new almost every day. And then of course there is the devastation in Haiti. But they were in plenty of need before all of this. As is a lot of this world that we all live in. I really feel like change is coming for my family. An opportunity to step out and do something to really make a difference in people's lives. I really hope that is the case. I have been feeling like that for several months and I hope that this feeling is something that comes to pass.

I met a wonderful lady a few weeks ago who is the president and founder of a fabulous ministry. It's called Angels On Assignment and she started it 15 years ago to help single mothers in need. This hits close to home for me as I used to be a single mother of 3 boys when my ex-husband left us. I know the struggle, the exhaustion that comes with that. She actually gave me her business card when we met and I had no idea what her ministry was about. All the next week, I kept having this thought to call her and ask her to tell me about her ministry. I finally did and we sat and talked for almost an hour. It was and is amazing what this precious lady is doing. I told her that I would love to do an event to help her raise money. So, we are currently in the works with that. There is even a place here local to me that houses single moms and their children and helps them get back on their feet. We are going to schedule a day of pampering for them where I can go in and give them all facials and gifts. I know from experience that as a single mom, you rarely think about yourself. Much less getting a facial and time to relax. I am SO thrilled about this. This is why I wanted to do this business. To help people and bring joy in some way to anyone I can.

Well friends, thank you for reading and being so supportive. I appreciate it more than you know! I also wanted to let you know that from now through Friday (the 12th) I have my Miracle Sets on sale!! I'm offering all of you a $30 gift certificate towards your Miracle Set!! That means you will only pay $60!! WOW! And it will last you 3 months or longer! You can't beat that. Trust me! Anyone who places an order on my website or emails me to place an order, I will adjust the price for you to only $60!! DON'T WAIT! You won't want to miss out on this!!! Click here to place your order now or email me. Have a fabulous day!!

Trend Report 2010

2010-02-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! I wanted to take a moment to share with you our trend report 2010! It talks about fabrics, prints, colors and more! Check it out on my website so you can see the details and contact me on how to get the Mary Kay Spring/Summer 2010 look for you! I'm ready for Spring and Summer! Give me some warm weather and sunshine! Yay!! Here is a preview:

Trend Report 2010

Contact me for the full report! You WON'T want to miss it!!!

I'm offering free facials as well as a $15 gift certificate for YOU to spend at your facial! Also, if you would like to share your facial with 2-3 friends.....I will give YOU a $30 gift certificate to spend when we get together! And for those of you who are not local to me, I'm offering $15 off your purchase and $30 off when you refer 2-3 people to me! I want to make sure that everyone gets in on this! So contact me today to get your gift certificate!!

Random Thoughts

2010-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have so much going on right now and I'm learning to balance it all. I see other women who seem to have it all together and I wonder how they do it. I keep going back and forth with whether or not this blog was a good idea. I mean, I started my own business and then waned to partner with different charities to give back to others. Then I decided to create this blog to share with everyone what I'm doing. But sometimes I wonder if people even want to know what I'm doing. You know? I'm not having a pity party, these are just thoughts that run through my head. I mean, there are SO many blogs out there. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed with as many as there are. So, I wonder, will my blog really reach people the way that I hope that it will? And then I tell myself that there is only one way to find that out. Keep blogging! I really felt led to do this, so I'm doing it. And I guess time will tell where it all goes. If all it does is give me a place to put my thoughts down, that is awesome. It helps me process what is going on in my life and my business when I get on here and share. Whether it be about product that I have available or about a wonderful charity that I feel passionate about. Or, to just get on here like I am today and put my random thoughts out there. I have so much in my heart that I want to do with all of this and I really hope that those are dreams that will come true. Not just for me, but for others who, hopefully, I can help. Or rather, God can help through me. Because it's not me, it's Him. And I really like the idea of being able to connect with others through blogging. I think it is a wonderful thing (if used right!) that can help people grow and be encouraged. And I think that is awesome! I'm hoping that I am able to help encourage some of you as we get to know each other. This morning when I got up, I wondered, is it weird to create a blog about your business and giving back to others?! And to want to connect with people all at the same time?! Sometimes, I wonder! Ha Ha! But I really did feel led to do this, so here I am doing it. Ok, so now that I have share a bunch of random thoughts with you and probably confused you...I'm off to get some work done. I hope you all have a GREAT day!!

Haiti

2010-01-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

I can't begin to express how heavy my heart is for the people in Haiti. It is something that just stays with me throughout my day. The government in Haiti has raised the confirmed death toll to 150,000 people and they expect it to keep rising. I sat on my couch this morning drinking my cup of coffee and thought to myself, "What if it was you?" "What if it was YOUR child that was trapped beneath piles of concrete, unable to get out?" I sat and cried for them. For all the moms, dads, brothers, sisters, and children that have lost their loved ones or are waiting to see if they will find them alive. I know that it seems as if one person can't make a difference. We all think that. We think, well what difference will it make if I give my $10 or my $50, etc? It DOES make a difference. We can help save someones life. Give them food, water, shelter. Something. And even if your donation helps just one person, isn't it worth it to help that one person? My husband and I are donating at least $100 this week. This is money that I have set aside to help grow my business. It's not a lot. It's not a lot for even growing my business. But it will help someone and we want to give it. Please consider doing the same. And I know everyone is not in the place right now to give $100 or more. But $10? $10 is something that most of us can do. And can you imagine if even half of everyone in America were to give at least $10? What that would accomplish? It would make a BIG difference for a lot of people. And no, it won't fix everything. I know that Haiti needs billions of dollars. But they certainly could be better off than where they are now. And we can help get them there. There are plenty of ways that we can all donate. I will list a few sites here for you. One of which I will be donating to myself. You can also Google "help Haiti" and a ton of sites for different organizations will come up for you to donate to. It's easy and quick and it will make a HUGE difference in this horrible situation that the people of Haiti are in right now. Wouldn't you want someone to help you?

Help Haiti

You can go to Compassion's Website to grab a banner to post on your website that will direct people to give online. Or you can make your donation to them online. Or do both.

There is also Operation Compassion - A ministry of blessing. I found this organization through my local church.

If you don't feel led to donate to one of these 2 organizations, please click on the above link for Help Haiti and it will take you to Whitehouse.gov where you can donate online through the Clinton/Bush Haiti Fund. Or research it yourself and find something that you are comfortable with. Just find somewhere you can give to help Haiti in this desperate time that they are in. And my prayer is that as time goes on, we won't forget them. That we will remember them in our prayers and hopefully, donate again. If we all pull together, we can make a HUGE difference in these precious people's lives.

*At this time, all my profit will go to help Haiti. Please know that is where my heart is right now. I have also found another fabulous organization that I'm partnering with here local to me. I will share with you about that soon. But for now, Haiti needs our help. So that is where I will focus.*

Valentine's Day and A FREE Lip Gloss!!!

2010-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

First off, I need to apologize for taking so long to post this. I had said I was going to get it done last week and I didn't. I have REALLY not been feeling well. Long story, but I'm hoping to be better soon. I have also been working hard on building a new team for Mary Kay! As of this month, I joined a program with Mary Kay to be a director by June! WOO HOO! My national sales director is working with my director and myself so that I can meet this goal. I am SO excited! It will keep me busy, but I still get to work from home and still not as many hours as a regular full time job. And that ROCKS! The income potential for a director with the Mary Kay Corp. is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it knocked my socks off. So, I said all that to say that I'm sorry it took me a few days to get to this post.

We have a GREAT new product that is fabulous for Valentine's Day or really, any other day too! Birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Any woman would LOVE this. It's our Limited Edition Romantic Petals Gift Set. It includes: shower gel, body souffle, and a eau de toillete spray with hints of iris, orchid and gardenia. It smells WONDERFUL. A premium netted body sponge is also included and it comes in a very pretty specially designed box. Which makes gift giving SO much easier! Please click here and check out this great set!!

I also need some volunteers for my Director training, who's up for the challenge?! All you have to do is listen to a recording of my National Sales Director for me and do a quick practice interview with my Director and myself. It's quick and easy and it REALLY helps me because I get hands on training to meet my goals that have been set for me! And as a thank you, I'm offering 20% off any product you want OR a FREE lip gloss for your time! You will get the FREE lip gloss either way, but I also want to offer the 20% off for those of you who are interested in ordering. So, if you can help me out, contact me today! Thank you so much and have an awesome day!!

Mineral Powder Foundation

2010-01-13T05:42:00.001-08:00

I have been a fan of mineral powder foundation for quite awhile. It's a fabulous way to get great coverage and still be light and comfortable. And Mary Kay's mineral powder is fantastic! It's weightless and skin-perfecting and also provides buildable coverage. It blends effortlessly for a flawless look and makes lines, wrinkles, and other imperfections seem to disappear. It's also transfer resistant so it won't fade away mid-day. It's for women of all skin types (which is so nice!), even sensitive skin, looking for sheer to full coverage with a matte finish.

And while our mineral powder foundation isn't brand new, we have 6 new shades to add to our collection! Making it even more easy to find your perfect shade!! We now have 12 shades so that you are sure to be able to find something that works for you. Here are our NEW shades:

And we have all shades in between as well! You can go right here to find whatever shade works best for you. And, if you are like me, it's sometimes hard to figure out what shade is best for you. Especially when you are looking online. That is what I'm here for! You can call me whenever you want or send me an email and ask me anything. I'm here to be YOUR consultant. Even if you just want to know more about Mary Kay product, but you're not really interested in buying anything right now. I'm here to share with you!

I hope you are all having a fabulous week and I have some new stuff to share with you for Valentines Day! That is coming either later today or tomorrow. I also have some FREE offers on my website! Check them out! Have an awesome day!!

Beautiful Hands

2010-01-11T10:43:00.000-08:00

Raise your hand if you like the Satin Hands set?! I love, love, love this set. It works wonders for the skin on my hands. It's easy to forget the skin on our hands and often, it's what needs the most attention. With all we do in today's world, the skin on our hands can get pretty dry and flaky. I know that a lot of people love the Satin Hands Set and I'm proud to introduce to you the NEW Fragrance Free Satin Hands Set! And yes, I already have mine and it's wonderful! If you are the type of person who would prefer something fragrance free so you can layer your usual scent, this is for you!

It's suitable for sensitive skin and will keep your hands irresistibly smooth and super soft. It even will last through several hand washings! It also helps to maintain the moisture in your hands, cleanses and exfoliates, and provides instant hydration to condition your skin for hours.

And this one is NOT just for the ladies! This is for all of you guys out there too. Even if you don't admit it, you would love this product. And for just $34! This set will last you a super long time, depending on how often you use it. Even if you use it 3 times a day, it will still last you over a month! WOW! I don't use mine that often, usually just once a day either in the morning or at night.

I'm really excited about this set! I think that a lot of people are really going to like the Fragrance Free option and it will quickly become an addition in your house! So, check it out and if you have any questions, shoot me an email. I'm here to answer all of your questions! I hope you all have an awesome day!

Eye Color....made easy!

2010-01-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

I have more new product! I told you I would give you time to relish....hope it was long enough! Ha Ha. Ok, so I wanted to let you know about our Mineral Eye Color Bundles. Mary Kay make-up experts have put these eye colors together to make it so much easier for you guys to find great quality eye shadows and KNOW it will look good on you! Each bundle comes with step-by-step professional make-up artist application tips and FREE eye applicators. As with all of our mineral eye colors, these eye colors have high impact color that provide long lasting wear. They are each mineral based and contain vitamins A, C, and E to help protect you against wrinkle causing free radicals. Of course, as with all of our make-up, they are suitable for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers (Ophthalmologist tested and clinically tested for skin irritancy and allergies).

So, you are asking, how much is this fabulous product and where can I see it and buy it?! Each bundle is only $19.50 and you can see each of them on my website by clicking here:

I ordered the Brilliant Blue for myself and I love it! I also love that if you want to mix and match these bundles, you can! I'm all about being versatile! I'm so glad that we have these new bundles, people are loving them! And I have to say, I am one of them.

Ok guys....until next time! I still have new product to tell you about, so stay tuned! Hope you all have a fabulous day!!

New Even Complexion Mask!

2010-01-06T11:07:00.000-08:00

I have new products to share with all of you.....yay! I'm going to share them with you in different posts so that you all have time to relish in their greatness. Ha Ha!! Ok, anyway. I love to try new things, so when my TimeWise Even Complexion Mask arrived yesterday, I was thrilled. I incorporated it into my nightly skin care routine and I loved it. My skin felt great and there was a noticeable (in a good way!) difference in my skin. Here is some info. from my website on this fabulous product:

The TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask is formulated with the patent-pending MelaCEP™ Brightening Complex which was developed to fight the environmental elements that can leave skin tone looking uneven and dull while leaving the skin feeling soft and moisturized.

TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask is infused with botanicals and other ingredients that deliver visible benefits. At the heart of the formula is the patent-pending MelaCEP™ Brightening Complex that contains:

· Kakadu Plum extract — Derived from the Kakadu plum, a fruit reported to have one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C. For example, the amount of vitamin C in 3 ½ ounces of Kakadu plum is 3000 mg, while the same amount of orange contains just 50 mg.

· Ferula Foetida extract — Derived from a prized plant native to the Mediterranean and known to contain the antioxidant ferulic acid which is widely used in skin brightening formulas.

· Helianthus Annuus seed extract — A powerful antioxidant derived from sunflowers that helps protect against UV damage. Sunflower seeds are reported to have high levels of vitamins and minerals, and sunflower oil contains high levels of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.

· Lactobacillus ferment — A skin-conditioning ingredient.

Pamper, soften, and brighten in one step?! I'm game! I am loving this. I am looking forward to seeing the benefits that this product offers with continued use. It is recommended that you use this mask 2-3 times a week and even with using it that much, it will last you 2 months! Wow. That is awesome. A 10 day consumer study brought these results:

Women who tried TimeWise® Even Complexion Mask during a consumer study saw a significant improvement in how their skin looked and felt, both immediately and after using the mask three to four times over a 10-day period.^†

90% said their skin immediately looked brighter.
95% said their skin felt soft.
90% said their skin felt moisturized.

Sound good?! Yep. It does to me too. And are you ready for the best part? It's only $20. Yes, you read it right. Only $20. Love, love, love that. Great quality and affordable?! It doesn't get any better. So, that is a bit about one of our great new products. You can use it alone or pair it with our other skin care items, especially our TimeWise Even Complexion Essence. I use that as well and it's awesome.

You can click here to see and read more about this wonderful new product and to order some for yourself! Let me know what you think....I love feedback on my products. Have a wonderful rest of the day!!

Dreams

2010-01-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

My 9 year old son came up to me this morning and said, "Mom, what is your dream?" I asked him to elaborate and he went on to say, "You know, what is your dream for your life?" Astounding. I went on to say that my ultimate dream is to be able to help people on a consistent basis and truly make a difference in this world. There have been various things that I have been interested in during my lifetime. I wanted to be an actress, a lawyer, a business owner. I feel passionately about so many things that when people have asked me what I want to "do" with my life, it is a hard one for me to answer. But for some reason, when my 9 year old asked me that question this morning, it hit me. I want to make a difference. Truly.

When I was a little girl I would play make believe just like every other little girl. Except I would play business owner. I had an old phone of my parents and office supplies and I would go in (almost on a daily basis) and set up my "office". I would then pretend to answer my phone, type letters, and make notes on what I was to do that day in my "office". Even then, I wanted to be doing something. Making a difference. I wanted to be actively pursuing whatever kind of business could change things for the better. Plus, I really liked having my own phone. ;)

I went through various stages in life trying to "find myself". Trying to come to the conclusion of what God would have me to do. What path would He have for me? I became a mother and a wife very young. To be honest, I became a mother first and then a wife. When I was only 19. I was then divorced and then re-married and now have a wonderful husband and 4 wonderful children. Needless to say, I have been very busy over the past 12 (almost 13!) years. Recently I had a stirring within me to do something different. Not to do something instead of being a wife and mother, but to add to that. I have had a stirring to move forward in that dream that was placed in my heart so many years ago. To have my own business and have it be the vehicle to truly make a difference. I just didn't know what it was going to be.

Then, the opportunity to be a Consultant for the Mary Kay Corp. came about. To be honest, I wasn't interested at first. I thought to myself that it would be hokey and most people that do it probably fail. But there was a continued tugging in my heart, so I talked to my husband about it and asked him to pray about it. I did the same and told God that I would have to have (don't you love it when you TELL God what to do?!) a VERY clear answer. I told Him that I wasn't going to invest in this business unless I knew that it was from Him. This went on for weeks. One morning I was driving home and I was praying about it again and I said, "God, I really need to know." I pulled into my driveway and looked in my rear view mirror and saw a brand new Mary Kay car parked right across the street from my house.

I'm sure God was saying, "Is that clear enough for you?!" I then went in and emailed my husband at work, told him what happened and asked him what his thoughts were. He emailed me back and said he thought I should go for it. So I did. So, my dream of having my own business had come true. I was laying awake that night and something came to me out of nowhere (Ok, it was probably God again) and I realized that I could use this as a vehicle to help others. That I could give back out of all of my proceeds to help different organizations and ministries who are also trying to make a difference. My head was swarming. Swarming with so many ideas of how I could do that. That is when I thought to create this blog, to help get the word out about my passion to use my business to help others. And to give all women a place to connect with each other.

So, that is where this blog came from. It came from a dream that God placed in my heart a long time ago. I have my days where I think that I won't succeed. That this was all in my head and I should just give up now. Then I have my days where I think that God can do anything and if He wants me to do this, I'm game. I guess that is how most people feel when they embark on something new. And that is when God asks us to trust Him and move forward. And to be honest, I may fail. But I am moving forward into something that I feel very passionately about. Helping others. And I told my 9 yr. old the same thing. Always be willing to follow what you feel passionately about. Whatever your dream is, it is there for a reason. And my hope is that this business will succeed so that I can make a difference for others.

So, what are your dreams?

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T14:40:00.000-08:00

UPDATED: Congratulations to @aleshamom4 on Twitter! She won my Mary Kay gift set! If you could get me your info. I can send you your prize. And congratulations again!! Giveaways are fun! I can't wait to do another one!!

I am so excited to be a part of a New Year's Eve Twitter giveaway! How fun! I will be giving to one winner a Satin Lips Set and a travel sized Satin Hands Set....who will it be?! Thank you so much to Mommy Bear over at http://www.thebearbunch.com/ for hosting this giveaway!! You rock!! I am looking forward to the New Year and all that it will hold. I am so excited to be able to share with all of you here about all of the product that I have available and most of all to share with you about different ways that we can all give back together. That is my heart and that is the main reason that I created this blog. I want my business to be a vehicle to not only help support my family, but to be able to truly make a difference in other people's lives. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you as this is a place for all of you to share your thoughts. Not just about skin care and make-up routines, but about what we can do to help make this world a better place. I have always wanted to have my own business (since I was like 5!) and I have always wanted to be able to give back to others on a consistent basis. That is why I am so thankful for this opportunity. Thank you for being part of the journey with me! If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to ask. I have new product to share with you in the days ahead that has just been introduced! And I know you will love it! This post is kind of all over the place, sorry about that! I'm not feeling well today, but I still wanted to say Happy New Year to all of you!!

PS: Stay tuned for the Twitter Giveaway winner!!

New Year, New Things!

2009-12-29T13:37:00.000-08:00

I have been working on new things for all of you to see and read about! I'm excited about the New Year and all that it will hold. I have someone working on my blog to give it a much needed face lift! (Thank you Sheila!) And I have some new products to tell you about in the coming days. I'm even going to be part of a New Year's Eve giveaway on Twitter! Yay! So, if you don't already follow me on Twitter, now is a good time to do that so you can link to the giveaway through me. There is a wonderful lady who is a fellow Tennessean who is hosting this giveaway for me (Thanks Beth!!) And it's not just me that is involved, so you can have a chance to win something other than what I will be giving away. There will be 4 winners total, one for each time zone at midnight on New Year's Eve! How fun is that?! So make sure you join us! I have been taking some time off to spend with my family, but after the New Year's holiday I will back to it. So stay tuned for new product, new posts, and more giveaways!!

What Women Want

2009-12-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

I have been sitting here pondering about this post for several days. What do women want? Women are wonderful, they are selfless, they are joyous and would do anything for their loved ones. They will give and give and give. How many times have you, as a woman, continued to push through to meet the needs of everyone around you? But what do we do when we run out of, well, our giving? I can tell you that this week, I have run out. This week has been very stressful for me. My heart is always to give. That is the honest truth. I love giving to my children and my husband, I love giving to my friends and my extended family. I also love giving to someone I don't know. It warms my heart and I honestly believe that we all need to focus more on giving. But if you have run out of your "juice" so to speak, you won't be helping anyone. And I'm going to be totally honest here and tell you that I struggle with this. I struggle with being able to recognize when I need to have some me time. We all need it and we shouldn't feel guilty for taking it. But I do feel guilty. I think that I should be super woman and do it all, of course with a fabulous smile on my face, and never have to take time for myself. I don't even know where this mentality comes from, but I'm admitting here that I do indeed think this a lot. The big problem with that is that it doesn't work. I end up completely draining myself and having a semi-nervous breakdown. And trust me, this helps no one. Especially not my husband!

So, what can we do to take time for ourselves? Even if it's something that doesn't take that long, but it is still something just for yourself. I have to say that is one of the reasons that I feel so passionate about what I do for a living. I encourage women to take time for themselves. I encourage them to use products that are good for their skin, to take care of their skin. I encourage them to use products that will truly make them feel better about themselves. So take time for yourself. Do what I do. Tell your hubby and or your kids, or your friends, or your cell phone, etc. that you are going to take a bath. By yourself. With the door locked. And then actually DO it. I go in and just sit in the hot water, in the quiet. Even if it's just for 15-20 min. It makes me feel so much better. I then treat myself to a facial with all of my Mary Kay products. I come out of the bathroom within 30-40 min. feeling so much more refreshed. I just need to practice doing it MORE often.

I can tell you that the products that I am using have made such a difference in my appearance and my self-confidence. My husband told me the other day, "Honey, your skin really does look so much better." Yay for that! I encourage you to take a look at my products on my website, or just call me! It may sound weird, but it's not. It's my job and I am used to getting calls from people I have never met. And my first statement to ever woman is, "You don't have to buy anything." I am in the business of letting you sit down and have a good time and try all of our products first. I'm not going to chase you to your car with a sales ticket in my hand. I truly want you to take time for yourself and pamper yourself. If we do that and you don't want to buy anything, but you have a fabulous time, then my goal has been accomplished.

So I think that is what women want. They want time for themselves. This may not be the only thing that you want, but I would venture to guess that it's pretty high on your list. And my job is to encourage you to do it. So, that is my challenge to all of you this weekend. Take time for yourself, even if it's just for 30 min. locked in your bathroom. Trust me, you will feel better. And please contact me to find out what kind of skin care and beauty regimen is right for you. And I want to make sure that everyone who wants to have Mary Kay products, gets them. I have ways for you to get your product for free, so don't hesitate to call me. I want you to pamper yourself and feel better!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

Holiday Giving!

2009-12-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it's almost Christmas and people are shopping like crazy. It also happens to be a great time to help others out who aren't as fortunate as you and I. Specifically children who don't even have a home. There are so many children who need your help. Right now I am partnering with RICE ministries to help support 20 children at an orphanage in Pakistan who are in desperate need of food and clothes for Christmas. This is what I want to do, sell you wonderful product so I can give back to RICE to help make this happen for these great kids. You have a win, win here. You get to purchase awesome products that will last A LONG time AND you are assured that your purchase is supporting a wonderful cause. I will contact you personally to let you know how much your purchase is helping these kids...and TRUST ME it does help. You may think, oh how would one little purchase help? It helps a lot! And I'm also offering a FREE GIFT to everyone who spends $40 or more!! So, you get great product and a FREE GIFT for yourself AND you get to help some wonderful children who without you, won't have a Christmas at all. Won't you please join me during this time and truly make a difference for others? You may contact me with ANY questions that you have. I am happy to answer all of them and help however I can to bless these wonderful boys and girls. The above photo is an actual photo from a mission trip with RICE Ministries. If you would like to know more about RICE, please visit their website at www.ricechildren.com

You may contact me through my website today!! The offer for the FREE GIFT is only through the 18th. I need ALL orders in by then to assure shipping in time for Christmas!! Please go to my website today!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

FREE GIFT! Satin Hands Travel Set!!!

Before and After

2009-12-02T05:06:00.000-08:00

Ok, I have thought about this a lot the past few days. Whether or not to post these pictures of me, because truthfully, they are really bad of me. But, my job is to teach you about all of our products and show you what our skin care can do, so here we go. The before picture was obviously before I started using all of the Mary Kay skincare and make-up that I am using now. I will tell you that in the before picture I have on foundation, powder, blush, mascara, and lip gloss. None of which were Mary Kay products. The after photo is after only THREE weeks of using these products. Three weeks!! I am SO excited! I can't wait to see what my skin will look like in a couple of months! In the after picture, I have on foundation (No powder), blush, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, and lipstick. And of course it is all Mary Kay make-up now. So, I do have on more eye make-up than I do in the before shot. But can you see the difference in my skin??!! I know it doesn't look like I had plastic surgery or anything, but it does look so much better. And after only 3 weeks. Praise God and pass the potatoes!! I have to say that I am totally thrilled with these products and I only have more to look forward to. Now, please be gentle in your judging of my pictures. Because seriously, they are really bad of me and I am not one who normally volunteers bad pictures of myself. But to share knowledge with fellow women, I'm taking a leap of faith! My main goal is to share the knowledge that I have been given with all of you wonderful women and give back while doing it. Ok, so what do you think??

The Reviews Are In......

2009-11-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

Product reviews are so important. It helps you, the customer, in your shopping ventures. It also helps me, the business owner, to know what people think of my products. I wanted to share with you some feedback that I have received on some specific products. These happen to be products that I am using myself, so I can give you my review as well. This is a LONG post, so please forgive me, but try to hang in! These happen to be some of our best selling products because, well because people love them!

First we have the Timewise Miracle Set. I've talked about this item before, but wanted to give you feedback. Especially now that I have been using it myself for awhile. I have to tell you that I have tried MANY anti-aging skin care lines and have not been able to use any of them. My skin is very sensitive, so they all have caused a reaction with my skin causing me to have to quit using them. I can't tell you how much anti aging product I have stashed away in my bathroom closet sitting there, unused. Not to say that these products are bad, but I just simply could not use them. Which was SO frustrating for me. I want to be able to have the anti-aging benefits too....especially since I am, ummmm, getting older. I am in love with the Timewise Miracle Set. I use the Normal/Dry set and I can't say enough good things about it. We also have a set for Combination/Oily. I actually have people asking me what I'm doing because my skin looks better. And everyone that I have met that uses this set has nothing negative to say about. In fact, I met a director with Mary Kay who has been using it for years and she told me that she will never use anything else, even if she quits Mary Kay. Awesome. The TimeWise Miracle Set provides incredible age-fighting results to help you maintain younger-looking skin. The set offers 11 age-defying benefits in one skin care regimen: cleanse, exfoliate, freshen, energize, hydrate, smooth, firm, soften, protect, rebuild and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. The Miracle Set includes: TimeWise 3-In-1 Cleanser, TimeWise Age-Fighting Moisturizer, TimeWise Day Solution w/ Sunscreen SPF 25, and the TimeWise Night Solution.

Of course I also use all of the make-up as well. And hands down, it's the best I've ever used. Especially the foundation. I will NEVER use anything else. If for some reason I had to quit my business, I would find someone to order from. That is how much I love this product. And I know your thinking, well you sell it, you have to say that. I know it's just my opinion, you can take it or leave it. But I am being completely honest here. The foundation, mineral powder, blush, eye shadows, eye liner (the BEST eye liner), mascara, lipstick and lip glosses are AWESOME. One of the reasons that I love them so much is that a little goes a long way, therefore lasting longer. I so LOVE that.

Satin Hands. If you know about this product, that is all I need to say. If you don't, then you need to find out! My hands have NEVER been so soft. My husband is even using it because of how soft my hands are! (Shhhh! That is a secret!) The Satin Hands Pampering Set includes Extra Emollient Night Cream, Satin Hands Satin Smoothie Hand Scrub with a convenient pump dispenser and Satin Hands Hand Cream to condition and moisturize for hours. All three come in a pretty peach-colored bag. I tell you, it's one of the best products we have. It will last for SO long. Seriously. It totally rocks...ask anyone who has used it, they will tell you the same thing. I have a friend in Texas who told me that it is her favorite Mary Kay product, hands down. No pun intended! (Ok, maybe!)

And I also wanted to tell you about Satin Lips. Excellent product, for real. You know how your lips can get so dry and cracked? And then you have your lips peeling? Well at least I have that problem. All the time. But not anymore, because of this set that actually buffs away dead skin with the mask. Then it has a very moisturizing balm that keeps your lips VERY soft. I totally love it. And you want to know what else I love?! Timewise Even Complexion Essence. Love, love, love it. It is formulated with our patent-pending Lucentrix complex, TimeWise Even Complexion Essence is clinically shown to restore skin’s natural, even tone by helping reduce both visible dark spots and skin discoloration. And when added to a comprehensive age-fighting program like TimeWise skin care, this concentrated serum can help every woman – from ivory to beige to bronze skin tones – see a more even complexion. You'll see results in as little as four weeks. And with continuous use, the powerful results get even better. Eighty-four percent of panelists experienced a more even skin tone. 84%!!!! That rocks you guys. And I have been using it and I already see a difference after several weeks. I am excited to see what I will look like in several more weeks!

Ok, I know this was a long post. I hope you were able to hang in there with me. I just want to give you feedback on some of our most popular products since you may not know about Mary Kay products. And I SO want you to know about them. They are wonderful and when you purchase through me, you are supporting wonderful causes that truly need your support. So everyone wins! You can go to my website for pricing and place your order today! Tax and shipping will be added to your sub-total when I finalize your order. Or, if you have questions, contact me. That is what I am here for. OR...you could contact me to learn how to earn product that you want for FREE. We have a program just for that! And I don't know anyone who doesn't like getting free stuff. So....what are you waiting for?!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard
PS: Giveaways coming SOON!!

Mary Kay

2009-11-19T11:48:00.001-08:00

By now, most of you know that I have my own business. I am an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay. I wanted to give you guys more of a background on Mary Kay to give you a feel of the business I am in. I'm sure that you have heard of Mary Kay products, but may not know as much about the business side or about Mary Kay herself. And you might find something out that you didn't already know!

Mary Kay Ash faced a situation that may not be so rampant in today's world, but was all too familiar to women in the early '60s. After 25 years of much dedication and hard work for a sales company, Mary Kay Ash resigned a position as a national training director when a man she had trained was promoted above her – at twice her salary. And this was not the first time this had happened. Her response was visionary. At first, she started writing a book that would help women gain the opportunities she had been denied.

She decided to start making a list of all the things that she had learned in her 25 years in sales. She put together the good things and the bad to use as examples in her book as to what would make a good company. Then she realized that she had just put together a marketing plan for a dream company. And then she thought, why don't I just start this company myself?

So, in 1963, she decided to go for it. With her wonderful experience, her awesome marketing plan and $5,000 in savings, Mary Kay, with the help of her youngest son Richard, set out on an adventure and created Beauty by Mary Kay. It was a first – a company dedicated to making life more beautiful for women. It was founded not on the competitive rule, but on the Golden Rule, on encouraging people towards success and on the principle of placing God first, family second and career third. It was a company – as Mary Kay said, "with heart".

Today, Mary Kay's vision to give unlimited opportunity for personal and financial success to women is still going strong. It has been 46 years since the start of this wonderful company and it's never been better.

And can I just say that I have never seen a company truly want you to succeed as much as this one does. The business tools and training are incredibly vast. They truly do give you unlimited opportunity. I am blown away daily by the heart behind this company. I believe that is why it has done so well for all of these years. I am excited to be part of it. And if you would like to know how to be part of it too, just let me know! Are you needing extra money? Would you like to have more flexibility? Would you like the freedom to make your OWN decisions regarding YOUR business?! Get in touch with me and I will get you started on YOUR path to success!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

Adopt A Grandparent

2009-11-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to be sharing this with you. For the holidays my Mary Kay unit is participating in a fundraiser called "Adopt A Grandparent". What we are doing is asking anyone and everyone to, well, adopt a grandparent! And what does this mean? Well, it means that we will be putting together a care package which will contain Satin Hands Lotion, Mint Bliss Foot Lotion, and some extra goodies. The "Grandparents" are residents of a nursing home, who are often times forgotten this time of year. For many of them, this may be the only gift they receive! Grandparents can be adopted for $20 each and this is something that would truly bless them more than you probably know. My unit is actually based out of Dallas, Texas and the nursing home that they are supporting is located in Flower Mound, Texas. Since I am based in Chattanooga, my plan is to support both areas. There is a deadline for this and the reason for that is we are wrapping each care package and delivering them personally a few days before Christmas. The deadline for this fundraiser is December 15th, so please adopt a grandparent today. We will also be attaching a gift tag to each gift saying Happy Holidays! This gift was cheerfully donated by....and then your name. This is a wonderful way to make a difference this time of year for someone who might not have that much to look forward to.

All you have to do is contact me to set up payment to adopt your grandparent today! We can discuss what you want the card to say and you will have made a HUGE difference in someones life this year. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to ask. You can also contact my Director with any questions as well. Just let me know if you would like to do that when you get in touch with me. You can call or email me, my contact info. is on my website. Thank you for partnering with us to make a difference. I look forward to doing it, it makes my heart smile!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

From My Heart To Yours

2009-11-15T15:15:00.000-08:00

So I've been spending the past few weeks telling you about my business and my heart to give back to different organizations and ministries. I hope you had some time to check out the String Of Pearls Website as well as the RICE website. I truly want to give back on a regular basis and my prayer is that my business is going to grow so much that I can really make a difference. I'm giving back now, but I really hope that the Lord blesses this and it explodes! How awesome would that be?! So we have String Of Pearls and RICE so far. There are some other organizations that I would like to mention as well. You all who read MckMama's blog have heard of The Liz Logelin Foundation and Sufficient Grace. In fact, she posted recently about these two charities as well as String Of Pearls. She and her family donated $1 for every comment left on that post and each organization got 1/3 each! How awesome is that?! I had already planned on talking about The Liz Logelin Foundation on here, but after MckMama's post I'm also going to add Sufficient Grace to my list. I am always looking for new ways to give back and I think these charities are doing so much for others, it is my pleasure to give to them however I can. So, I'm going to tell you a little bit about the two that I haven't talked about on here so you can know for yourself who I'm supporting.

The Liz Logelin Foundation is a wonderful organization that a lot of you are probably familiar with. Every time I go to their website it truly touches my heart and I really want to do anything to help them. The following is their mission statement from their website:

The Liz Logelin Foundation was established to assist families who find themselves in the heartbreaking, catastrophic situation of having lost a spouse, life-partner, and parent. The Foundation’s goal is to financially assist these families as they deal with the loss of their loved ones, and struggle to move forward. The Foundation was established in 2009 by Matthew Logelin, who lost his wife Elizabeth in 2008.

You see Matthew and Elizabeth had a beautiful baby girl in 2008 and the next day Elizabeth went home to be with Jesus. He found support from his friends and family and also on his blog. He started this organization to help bring support to others who are experiencing a loss just like he did. I wholeheartedly support this foundation and I hope that you will take the time to go to his website and look around to learn more about them.

Now I have to be honest and say that I just learned about Sufficient Grace the other day on MckMama's blog, but I'm so glad that I did! Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women is a non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization, that was founded in 2004 by Kelly Gerken with the purpose of reaching out to women and families to offer comfort, encouragement and hope. The Dreams of You division of this ministry was created specifically to provide comfort to women and families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Bereaved parents are never asked to pay for any of their materials. They are supported through donations only. They also provides a quarterly newsletter, The Women's Edge, that supports women through biblical truth.

So now you know about these wonderful organizations! Please go to their websites to learn more or make a donation yourself. If we all give back, even just a little, it will make a HUGE difference. And know that I will be supporting these organizations through your purchases! It's a great time to buy Mary Kay with the holidays right around the corner! I also do a "Wish List" for people. This is where you contact me and let me know the products that you are interested in and give me the contact info. of your spouse, boyfriend, mom, sister, etc. THEN I contact them and tell them your Christmas list! It makes it so easy because you get the great products that you want, and they don't have to wonder what to get you! I do this for birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine's Day, etc. People are loving it and I'm happy to do it for you.

So, let's get to shopping! I will post this week about some Mary Kay products that I am using personally and give you the reviews. But don't wait for that, contact me today to make your purchase or ask me any questions. I look forward to being your personal beauty consultant! And as I said before, please check out the websites of the organizations that I have talked about to learn more. Thanks!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

www.thelizlogelinfoundation.org
www.sufficientgrace.net
www.stringofpearlsonline.org
www.ricechildren.com

Beautiful Budgeting

2009-11-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

Ever feel like you really want to buy something but you probably shouldn't because you need to buy milk and bread instead?! Me too. More times than I probably would like to mention. There have been countless times where I put my wants and needs aside because, well because I didn't have a choice. Or at least it seemed like I didn't. I never really took the time to try and figure out how to budget for things that seemed like they didn't really matter. Especially when I was a single mom of 3. And when I met my now husband, he really wanted to show me that things that I wanted were in fact important. That I didn't have to always put them aside for later only to realize that "later" never came. Now, am I saying that if you need to buy groceries that you should go have a facial instead because you worked so hard this week? No. I'm so not saying that. But what I am saying is that it is ok to sit down and budget for what you really want. And this is something that my husband still has to encourage me to do. I tend to feel guilty if I do anything nice for myself. I even used to take birthday money that people would give me for my birthday and spend it on my kids! Anyway, I'm learning. And what I'm learning is that when I take time for myself or do something nice for myself, I end up being a better wife and mother. Because I FEEL better. So, I wanted to talk about some products that I have that won't break the bank and products that you can budget for that are TOTALLY worth it!

Did you know that I have 90 products for $10 or less?! Yep. This is a great way to start investing in things that you would like to have for yourself, but not have to spend your entire savings account to do it. I actually have 28 shades of mineral eye color for $6.50 each! I have concealer, blush, and mascara for $10 each too. I won't list everything I have here, but what I'm saying is that there are ways to budget and afford something nice for yourself. And you won't be disappointed with Mary Kay. But if for some reason you are, we offer 100% guarantee. For instance, if you buy a shade of foundation and you start using it and it's just too light or too dark, you simply give it back to me and I will give you a different shade! When have you ever been able to walk into a department store and buy make-up only to return it a week later because it was just the wrong color for you and they give you ANOTHER ONE?! My guess would be never. But with me, you won't have that problem. We will find product that works for you..... guaranteed.

We also have some excellent items that are a wonderful investment. And I say investment because you are investing in your skin and your appearance. And as I mentioned before, when we look good, we FEEL good. So don't you think that it's worth it? I'm sure you do! Our skin care is fabulous. Truly. And there are so many ways to go with our skin care. We have our Miracle Sets that include 4 of our best products and lasts for 3 whole months! The price for this set is $90 and when you are getting 4 of our BEST selling products that are going to last for 3 months AND make you look younger?! You can't beat that! We have a lot of other skin care options too and I'm here to design a system and a color look that works for YOU. Everyone is different and my job as your personal consultant is to find what is best for you and your life.

I can honestly say from personal experience that Mary Kay is top notch quality. And everyone that I have come in contact with that uses Mary Kay has never been disappointed and raves about their products. And when you know that you can get top quality product that is affordable, it is a win win situation. You will look better, feel better and have a personal consultant who is available to you 7 days a week to meet all of your skin care and make-up needs! It doesn't get any better than that.

So let's go shopping! My website is available to you 24/7 and I also have a Beauty On A Budget section that will take you straight to all sorts of options. Just go to my website and click on "What's New" at the top and that will bring up a side bar for you to go to my Beauty On A Budget section. And I'm available to answer all of your questions and put together a special package just for you! Click on the contact me tab at the top and email or call me today!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

Beauty From The Inside Out

2009-11-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

So I have been doing some thinking. As women we all have the desire to feel beautiful. At least I do, and I think most of you would agree that you do as well. We want to feel beautiful, be accepted and wanted. Even if we don't talk about it, we do. And you know this doesn't just involve skin care and make up. Do those products help us? Yes, they do. I know that when I'm taking care of my skin with my Mary Kay (yes I sell it, I'm going to put in a shameless plug) skincare product, I feel so much better. And I for sure love to use all of their make up. I just FEEL better. When you look better, you feel better. I started getting up every morning and using my Mary Kay skincare and makeup first thing. HUGE difference in how I feel throughout my day. And I mean huge. But is that all there is to feeling beautiful? No. Absolutely not. It's just part of it. We have to treat our inside well too. Let's face it, what we put in is displayed on the outside too. Plain and simple. It's what we eat and drink, the supplements that we may or may not take. These all play a part in how we feel, how we look. As well as taking time for yourself. If your so spent that the thought of washing your face at night before you go to bed is too overwhelming, you need some ME time! And trust me, I've been there. So I would like to talk about some things that we can do as women to feel better AND look better.

Here are some simple tips that I started doing every day about 6 months ago and it has helped me SO much. These aren't new revelations, they are all things that you have heard before. But seeing them listed out all together, sometimes it makes it easier to start doing. Not as overwhelming. At least that is how it is for me. If you give me a list, I can do anything. If you start talking and talking about all the things that I need to do to feel better, I get over whelmed and I won't do it. Anyway, here goes:

-Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day
-Take at least 20 min. of quiet time for yourself every day
-Try your best to eat healthy and balanced foods
-Consider taking a good multi-vitamin and some vitamin C
-Use sunscreen every day (HUGE for your skin in the long run)

These are the things that I started with. When I saw them listed out I was able to put this into perspective and feel like I could do these things. Drinking water has made me feel so much better and a lot of the time if I'm starting to feel yucky during the day, water helps me out. The quiet time has to really be quiet time. In other words, not in front of the TV, computer, kids, or while texting on your cell phone. You do nothing else but sit in quiet for 20 min. That's it. And yes, if you are busy like me it will be hard to find 20 min. of complete quiet. But it can be found. And it has even given me more energy on days when I feel completely wiped. Eating healthy is a hard one for me. I love food. All food. Foods that aren't good for you are my favorite. But I do the best I can to make well rounded choices and I have to say that it does make me feel better. And I can't imagine not taking my vitamins. They are a God send! Seriously. And sunscreen? SO important. In fact, as I began my Mary Kay career and started learning more and more about good quality skin care, that was one of the main focuses. In our training it is highly encouraged to add sunscreen to your daily routine. That is why we have moisturizers with added SPF. And I learned that a good skin care routine is so much more important than I ever knew. Including adding some form of foundation to your daily routine! It acts as a mask to help protect your skin from the environment and free radicals. And it can be a mineral based foundation for those of you who prefer that. We have that too!

Ok, so I'm not a Dr. These are just my opinions and you can take them or leave them. But I can tell you from my personal experience that these things made me feel SO much better. And look better. And yes this does include my Mary Kay product. Let's face it, there is only so much water you can drink and make up is so much more fun! I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with all of you on taking care of every aspect of yourselves in order to feel better and be beautiful. After all, don't we all want to feel and look beautiful? And I know as women we tend to put everyone else first and ourselves last. But we need to take time for ourselves and take care of ourselves. We will feel better and even be able to give more to others as a result.

Ok! I think that's it for now. I'm going to re-visit this topic in the future. I think that there are a lot of things that we as women can do to take better care of ourselves and lead a more balanced life. And what are your thoughts on the matter? I would really like to know what you think. And what is your routine? Do tell! And I wanted to let all of you know that I am giving a FREE gift with every $40 or more purchase right now. It's a good one too! The travel Satin Hands Pampering Set. This is a GREAT time to do some holiday shopping and get a free gift for yourself or for a loved one. Just go to my website to shop or contact me with any questions you may have. I'm here to help! I hope you all have a wonderful day!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard

RICE

2009-11-03T10:25:00.001-08:00

Hello to all of my Internet friends! I'm so sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. I've been putting together some things for my business and getting things rolling! Yay! Ok, so far I have introduced myself to you and told you about my business. I have given you an idea of what I'm about and how I want to make this about giving back to others as well as supporting my family. And then I told you I was going to highlight some organizations that I am supporting so you could learn a little more about who you will be helping when you purchase your skin care, make-up, and perfumes from me! The first one that I talked about was String Of Pearls and I hope that you were able to take some time after reading my post to take a look at their website. Isn't it just incredible what they are doing!?

The next organization that I want to talk to you about is RICE. Rice? What does that mean? I'm so glad that you asked! RICE stands for Reaching India Children Essentially. It is a WONDERFUL ministry that is actually based here locally. I am so excited to be supporting them! To give you an idea of what they are about, I'm going to post a bit from their website:

"Rice Ministry is a Non-Profit Organization that help feed, clothe, house and educate children living in extreme poverty conditions.

Regardless if orphaned, street or neighbor children, our mission is to help relieve the stress of poverty.

Along with our christian foundation and faith we are determined to make a difference in the lives of children."

Wow! How awesome is that?! And let me tell you a little bit about the leader of this ministry. Her name is Angela and she is one of the most kind people I have ever met in my life. Her heart is truly to serve others and make a difference in this world. She actually just began doing this full time almost a year ago so that she could devote herself completely to it. She travels back and forth to head up various projects such as feeding programs, clothing, building projects and Christian Educational Programs. She is also an ordained minister and speaks at various churches. She is a busy lady! But one who has made this world a better place because she is in it. I pray that through my business God can bless what she is doing even more.

One way that I am going to be helping her is by holding a private event with her as the guest of honor! In this event a percentage of all of my sales go straight back to RICE. And I'm also going to be offering the women who attend this event some great things too! I'm so excited that God has given me an opportunity to have my own business and help others! This IS my dream come true.

I also want to mention that I have NOT forgotten about giveaways. I actually have in the works for someone to host a giveaway for me. And as soon as it can be done, you guys won't want to miss it! After my first giveaway, I will then be hosting giveaways myself and with some other women who are wonderful! But I wanted to sort of "introduce" myself with this one first giveaway. I hope I'm making sense. Sometimes I get so excited, I tend to ramble!

Ok! I hope that you all are doing well and I look forward to hearing from all of you. Some things that I will be talking about in the next couple of weeks are:

-Beauty From The Inside Out
-Beauty On A Budget
-Mary Kay 101

Please check out the RICE website to learn more about them. Currently they are updating the website, but it should be done very soon. However, you are still able to go to their website to see more. You can navigate to different things on their website by clicking on the pictures on the main page.

www.ricechildren.com

And feel free to contact me with ANY questions you have. I'm here to be of service to you! There is no question too small or too big. Just ask!

Email: summerwillard@marykay.com
Website: www.marykay.com/summerwillard

String Of Pearls

2009-10-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

Well a couple of days ago I introduced myself to all of you to let you know about my new business venture! I'm so excited to be sharing it with all of you. My next couple of post are going to be highlighting some of the organizations that I am supporting. I want everyone to be familiar with them and why I am passionate about them. And if anyone has any questions about these organizations, or questions for me.....just ask! I'm here to be open and honest with each and every one of you.

The first organization that I would like to talk to you about is String Of Pearls. Some of you may already be familiar with them from reading MckMama's blog. That is where I first heard of them and once I went to their website and learned more about them, I fell in love with what they are doing. The following is their mission statement that is posted on their website:

String of Pearls was created to provide a nurturing and safe place for families as they navigate the path following a fatal prenatal diagnosis that will result in the death of their baby prior to, or shortly after birth. The path between grief and hope is a difficult place to walk; our desire is to provide guidance, compassion and practical suggestions as plans to honor the life of pre-born babies are crafted. Each life has a story worthy of telling and we are here for support as stories are lovingly written.

When I first researched what they were doing I sat and cried. Not because I have ever experienced anything to this magnitude, but because the emotion of possibly experiencing it was overwhelming. I have experienced the loss of a child. And the reason that I am sharing that is that I feel the life of that child, no matter how long he or she was here is important. I miscarried 11 years ago next month. I don't talk about it often, but I still have moments of wondering about them and who they would be if they were still here on this earth. It still makes my heart hurt. So, when reading about stories of precious families who had to deal with a fatal prenatal diagnosis, my heart hurt. My heart hurt for anyone and everyone who had experienced this or were going to. I love children. I love them with all of my heart and I know without a doubt that they are a gift from the Lord in heaven. And no matter how long they are here, their lives are precious and wonderful and have MUCH purpose.

I am truly in awe of this organization. You see, Laura, the founder and president of String of Pearls is not only heading up what I believe to be one of the most precious and awesome organizations, she is doing it from personal experience. I have much respect and admiration for this woman and her husband and I have never even met them. The services that they offer to families is incredible and completely selfless. And they do not charge for their services. At all. They rely on donations to be able to reach out to families in need. I thought about listing their services here on this post, but I think you would learn more about them if you visited their website yourself. So you can truly understand what they are doing and why I feel so passionate about supporting them.

My prayer is to be able to help support them on a regular basis. That God would bless my business so much that I can truly be a financial support for them to help families who need their services so much. I am so excited to be able to share this with you. My business is selling Mary Kay. I love it. I love their products, they are the best! I can say that I have truly tried MANY other products and Mary Kay tops them all. Please go to my website and place your order today! Or, if you have any questions about their products, I'm happy to help you place an order as well. There are products for everyone and every budget! Thank you so much for taking the time to learn more about String Of Pearls. Please go to their website to learn more about them.

http://stringofpearlsonline.org/

http://www.marykay.com/summerwillard

Beauty From The Heart

2009-10-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

As I sit here typing my first post for this blog I just created, my head is spinning with so much that I want to say. So much that I want to share. I recently started selling Mary Kay to earn extra money for my family. I won't lie, we need the extra money. I am a wife and stay at home mom of 4 boys. We are a one income family and in today's world, that makes life more challenging. That is the honest truth. But I have always wanted to be involved with giving back to others. That is truly my heart. Then I started thinking, why can't I do both? Why can't I earn extra money for my family and help others? I got so excited! I have been having trouble sleeping lately because I just lay there thinking of all these ideas of how I can give back and help others. It truly warms my heart. And Mary Kay is the perfect way to go about this. It is a wonderful company that I am so proud to work with. Mary Kay Ash started this company to give women just like you and me the opportunity to succeed and encourage other women to do the same. I want to share with you a blurb from a tribute to Mary Kay from our website because it says it just perfectly: "Mary Kay Ash earned a place in history when she stepped out in a man's world to blaze a new path for women. Recognized today as America's greatest woman entrepreneur, Mary Kay created new opportunities for women around the world. Her revolutionary move led to a multi billion-dollar success. In the process, she earned a place in the hearts of millions for her giving spirit, unwavering values and inspiring belief in the power and potential of women." How awesome is that?!

In the days to come I will be telling you about the different charities and ministries that I will be donating to. I want you to be able to know about them and what they stand for. Some of them you may have already heard of and some may be new to you. I am starting off with a few that I will be donating to on a regular basis and my hope is that as my business grows, so will the charities and ministries that I donate to! And as I donate, I will post on this blog exactly how much I am giving and to who each time. It is my heart to share this experience with you. To give back WITH you.

I also am open to ideas that you may have to help my business grow. I am inviting all of you to be a part of this wonderful experience with me! And if you are interested at all in selling Mary Kay, please let me know. I would be happy to get you signed up. It really is a wonderful way to earn extra money, especially for those of you who may be a stay at home mom, for those of you who are looking to do something different and have more flexibility and it's also a GREAT way to earn extra money for the holidays. The month of October is the perfect time to sign up. They have dropped the sign up fee to just $50 (plus shipping and handling)!! You can't beat that!

So let's all give back to others together and look beautiful doing it! Mary Kay products are TRULY wonderful and they have something for everyone. For the products that are available right now, feel free to go to my website and look around. We have some GREAT offers right now!! Stay tuned for GIVEAWAYS!!

www.marykay.com/summerwillard