A personal update from "Aunt" Mae

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINAL NUMBERS!!!

As of this evening, April 16th I have gotten 55 orders for over 300 bars of soap not including the back ordered soaps.
April 8 ~ 20 orders
April 9 ~ 10 orders with 3 still unpaid
April 10 ~ 4 orders
April 11 ~ 4 orders with 1 still unpaid
April 12 ~ 7 orders
April 13 ~ 4 orders with 1 still unpaid
April 14 ~ I'm closed
April 15 & 16 ~ 10 orders with 8 still unpaid
(I had a show on Monday and didn't get a chance to process any orders)

The orders from the 8th & 9th were shipped out on the 9th. The 10th & 11th's orders were shipped out on the 11th. The 12th, 13th & 14th's orders were shipped out on the 15th. One order from today included a pair of my earrings.

Out of the 13 scents available I have sold completely out of 6 of them. The Oatmeal, Milk & Honey scent sold out in two days and I have 6 - 8 back orders already.

There were a total of 26 donations between April 8 - 15th not including the generous donations from you sweet ladies prior to the blogging giveaway and the generosity of the sweet lady who paid for the giveaway items and shipping costs.

I have received offers of free website design from 2 people (one was before the giveaway went live and she is working on it already), an offer to take product pictures by a photographer, numerous offers for free advertising, one lady said she was passing my information on to all her friends, one person interested in becoming a Young Living distributor, 1 Lilla Rose hair clip order and lots of love and prayers.

14 people signed up for my Aunt Mae's newsletter.
145 signed up for my blog newsletter (Honey From Flinty Rocks).
3 signed up for my Lilla Rose hair clip newsletter.

My son made (to my specifications) a rack to hold my tissue paper to make packing orders for shipping easier and less back straining. I organized the shelves where I keep my soaps so I can store more in the same space and have room for my other products.

Ladies, I thank you for all your efforts to help me by getting the word out about my financial situation after my beloved's death and to promote my soaps. The world will know you are Christians by the tremendous outpouring of love you have shown to me.

I love you and will be praying for you each by name over the next few weeks. ♥

Now, for a more personal update: 

Mae added a few more soaps to the line up a few days ago.  I was too sick to bother posting, but here they are now! 

1) Beach Breezes
2) Bordeaux Blend
3) Black Amber & Lavender
4) Champagne
5) Winter Grapefruit

Do you need the link again?  Sure! I have it right here:  Aunt Mae's

To those who prayed, entered, bought soap, or donated, I want to say thank you.  Mae is a dear friend and Lilla Rose Consultant, and it is only a blessing to be able to help her as she tries to get on her feet while still freshly grieving. 

Stacy

P.S.  The winners of the drawings have been chosen but are being verified yet as of the scheduling of this post!  Stay tuned!  There were thousands of entries among the various blogs!

Don't forget! Party and Giveaway going on!

Today is the Apologia facebook party with Mosaic Reviews!

If you aren't familiar with what this one is all about, go back and read my review of the planning system, you won't be sorry you checked this one out!

Click on the picture for the direct link to the party!



While I am set out to remind you of all the great things I have been lucky enough to be involved with these past few weeks, don't forget Mae's soap giveaway!  You have 2 days left!  Mae has been blessed with more than 30 orders and several donations so far. 

This is just one of many varieties of soap that Mae makes, it may or may not be available at this time, but there are several great options to choose from at any time!

A very special Review and Giveaway

I have teamed up with some amazing ladies (see the list at the bottom!) to help out our dear friend and fellow Lilla Rose consultant, Mae (look down past the Rafflecopter widget to see Mae's story and understand what this is all about!).  As a blogger, I was given a bar of Mae's hand made soap to review and participate in this project.  I have not been compensated in any other way for my time.  My goal is to help Mae build her business and support herself and her son.

My friend Paula, over at Whole Intentions (link at the bottom in the list of fellow bloggers) shared this great intro to Mae's soaps as she coordinated this giveaway: 

Have you read about all the harmful ingredients in store-bought soap yet the thought of making your own is too intimidating? Would you like to wash with a gentle lather safe enough for a baby's skin? Then let me introduce you to Mae’s Handcrafted Natural Soaps.



These natural soaps made with real tallow will delight your senses! Mae lovingly makes all her soaps in small batches to ensure the highest quality. She uses the best of the best ingredients: real tallow is gentle on your skin while at the same time is used for the bar's hardness, which means it doesn't get mushy in the shower. Olive oil is added for further gentleness along with a touch of coconut oil for a fluffy lather.



Only high quality soap scents or essential oils are used, and even then they are added with a light hand. Mae's bars give you an absolutely delicious scent you can enjoy in the shower, without becoming obtrusive during the day. Even her coloring agents are of a natural origin. These unique combinations make long-lasting, gentle bars that your whole family will love.

The fragrance that I received was Winter Grapefruit (not currently in stock on her website).  The various selections are quite unique, and I have to admit, I am a lover of hand made soaps and have not seen any of these combinations available before anywhere else.  I am absolutely thrilled with the quality of the soap, the fragrance was not overpowering or under-done.  Although some in my house would disagree about this particular fragrance being pleasing, *I* loved it!  The color of the soap was gentle and subtle.  The packaging was simple, yet elegant in design.  I really appreciate that Mae has taken the time to include a batch number on the label, so that she is able to keep track of any variations and concerns.  Mae's pricing is very competitive with what I have seen both locally and on the internet, at $4.95 for a 4 ounce bar.  These bars are hand cut, so there may be some variation in the exact weight of each bar.  Shipping costs are at the mercy of the postal service current rates, but Mae does what she can to get you the most for your money.  This makes a great opportunity to do a co-op and order with friends or plan some hand made gift giving.  ~Stacy~

You Can Win Natural Handcrafted Soap!

Would you like to win some of Mae's Natural Handcrafted Soap for yourself? Well, here's your chance! Enter below and be one of SIX winners for a $25 credit that you can use to chose your favorite soaps from Mae's delicious selections. Please note:  you must be 18 or older, and this is only valid for U.S. residents... take a brief moment to read the rest of the rules before entering, please.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

This review and giveaway is on behalf of a dear friend and sister in Christ who unexpectedly lost her beloved husband in February of this year. He left Mae and a young son behind, reeling from their loss.



Mae’s husband had been out of work for a year, living off of a small military pension. The family, understandably, had to cut back on expenses - one of which was their life insurance policies. His sudden death now leaves Mae and their son with very little income (less than a couple hundred dollars a month). Because of different personal situations, she is currently ineligible for benefits like Social Security. Mae homeschools their son, and thanks to The Home School Foundation, she will receive a grant to cover homeschooling supplies and curriculum. She is asking the Lord to provide for her son and herself through her small businesses, one of which is making soaps and other body products.



As you can see, the situation is dire for this sweet widow and her son, but we know that God is able to do more than we could ever think, or ask (Eph. 3:20), and we hope that you will consider joining up with us to help our dear friend by supporting her business.



We're asking you, dear readers, to seriously consider the call of James 1:27—to care for widows and orphans and consider Mae's Handcrafted Natural Soaps for your next soap purchase.

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1: 27

Anyone who knows Mae is touched by her. She is an incredibly godly woman, who acts as a Titus 2 mentor to those who know her. She is loved so dearly and we want to do all we can to support her during this incredibly difficult time! Please pass this on by sharing this giveaway on Facebook and Twitter.

If you'd like to give a donation, you can send via Paypal to RaymondBenevolentFund@gmail.com. Please remember to choose "Personal" giving so the Raymond family doesn't incur fees with your donation. If you need more details on how to do this, please contact sarahevan5@aol.com and she'd be happy to send you directions.

A big thank you to all the bloggers participating:

Ann @ DuctTapeandDenim.com

Anne @ Authentic Simplicity

Tara @ Everyday Ramblings of My Life

Jill @ Jill's Home Remedies

Sara Elizabeth @ A Mama's Story

Gail @ The Imperfect Housewife

Renee @ I Am The Clay

Del @ Devote & Seek

Jill @ Blessed Beyond a Doubt

Rebecca @ Rebecca's Ramblings

Hilary @ Accidentally Green

Marci @ Amazing Graze Farm

Susan @ Learning and Yearning

Erin @ The Humbled Homemaker

Justyn @ Creative Christian Mama

Chelsea Rebecca @ For Unmarried Christian Women

Chelsea Rebecca @ Hearts for Home

Paula @ Whole Intentions

Amy @ A Heart Surrendered Blog

Bambi @ In the Nursery of the Nation

Dana @ Clan Chris Dean

Kristen @ Smithspirations

Caroline @ The Modest Mom Blog

Alicia @ Walking In Faith

Stephani @ The Cheapskate Cook

Amber @ Homemaker by Choice

Marci @ Thankful Homemaker

Katie Sullivan @ Brighton Park Blog

Anjanette @ Raising the Barrs

Pam @ Mom Does Reviews

Kristy @ Little Natural Cottage

Stacy @ Something Whimsical

Natalie @ Visionary Womanhood

Paula @ Beautiful Life of Joy

Rachel @ Of Love and Beauty

Reagan @ The Arsenal

Kelly @ Generation Cedar

Kelly @ Practical Savings

Stacy Karen @ A Delightful Home

Kristen @ Five in Tow

Diana @ A Little Bit of Spain

Elizabeth @ Yes They Are All Ours

Jacque @ Deep Roots at Home

Karrilee @ Abiding Love, Abounding Grace

Karrilee@ Blessed Memories Scrapbooks by Karrilee

Shawnee @ The Apronista

Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

Janine @ True Aim Education

Kathryn @ Singing Through the Rain

Alicia @ Fun Reviews and Giveaways

Deborah @ A Delightful Glow

Stephanie @ The King's Bookworm

Christy @ The Simple Homemaker

June @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home

Shadedlily @ With Them

Joy @ Artful Homemaking