Happy New Year!

As another year comes to a close (wow, that was fast!) I can look back fondly on 2011, and look forward to the year ahead like a gift waiting to be unwrapped or, just like last year, another ream of blank pages stacked in front of me. 

I am always tempted to make resolutions which we all know can be counterproductive.  This year, however, I can tell you without reservation that I plan to do a few things that absolutely scare the bejeezus out of me.  The list isn't too long or complicated.  I will share one of them, the scariest of them all here with you tomorrow (gulp).  The resolve I am feeling for what is sure to be a very exciting new year can be summed up in one word.  The word is:  Focus.

The time has come for me to get a firm grasp on the ol' boot straps and pull!  I find myself surrounded by and in awe of folks who have done so and are succeeding - making their own success.  I am so passionate about promoting my fellow entrepreneurs that I often forget about my own *tongue-firmly-in-cheek* "hopes, dreams and aspirations".

Thanks to several very encouraging, supportive friends, the voices of doubt are dissapating and I'm ready to dive into two new personal projects this year.  One is a book of poetry and the other is a fictional novel based on the life of my grandfather...  Yes, I am aware that everyone is writing The Next Great American Novel.  I go into this with a realistic attitude knowing that there are so many books in the world, and that just because I write one doesn't mean it will ever be read.  It would though, be a huge personal accomplishment and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream...  And, anyone who knew my Gramps knows this will be one helluva story!

By sharing some of this information with you, my tens of readers, I feel accountable in a way that I think will help me reach my goals!  So, thank you in advance for being there on the other side of the screen.

Wishing all of you the very best that 2012 has to offer and, as always, thank you so much for taking the time to read.

Peace and Love xo

Dog's Gone Wild for Rotations Pet Food!

This is Cinnamon.  She may look demure in her pink feather boa channeling her inner "I believe in pink..." Audrey Hepburn, but don't be fooled.  Beneath the surface of that sweet Maltese face lies the fiery Scottish temper of a terrier (Cairn) bitch.  Anyone who owns a Cairn knows how they drive us mad by being so irresistibly cute, yet so aloof... If you've ever accidentally brushed an arm across the hind end of one sleeping on the back of the couch, you know what I'm talking about.

Cinnamon had the opportunity recently to sample Rotations Pet Food.  I will admit I didn't know much about holistic or all natural dog foods before now, and she seemed to be doing okay with the dry kibble from our local pet store.  She gets 1/2 a cup of food in the morning and 1/2 a cup in the evening.  Typically, it will stay in her dish for the better part of the morning and she'll just take a few pieces here and there to nibble on. 

When our rotational pack arrived (3 5lb. bags, 1 of each variety: Chicken and Brown Rice, New Zealand Lamb and Potato, and Wild Salmon with Peas and Carrots) I opened the Wild Salmon first and mixed several pieces of the kibble into what was still left in her dish from earlier in the day.  I kid you not- she took one sniff and immediately started rooting through the food picking out the Rotations kibble!  I liken it (not proudly) to the first time I let my kid eat a (NOT at all holistic) chicken nugget from McDonald's -she was instantly hooked.

By the third day I could say to Cinnamon "Where's your food?" 

By the end of the first week she had easily transitioned over to Rotations and now sits (and often lies) by her dish when she thinks it's time to eat!  There is no more grazing - the food disappears in short order. And check out that shiny coat!

A couple of things I noticed within the first three weeks of feeding Rotations were that her coat became (and still is) very soft and shiny, and she has definitely "filled out" a bit.  I actually feed her just a tad less than a cup a day so that she doesn't plump up like a ballpark frank!  We have also stopped buying expensive "treats" like bacon strips, etc. and now, when she's done something to deserve one (i.e., her business outside when it's 20 degrees), she gets a couple of pieces of kibble instead.

In light of recent dog food recalls, one by Proctor & Gamble, maker of big name IAMS and another by Advanced Animal Nutrition, maker of Dog Power dry dog food it seemed like the right time for a change.  I had no idea that many dog food manufacturers use rancid, or almost rancid meat in their food! What?!

I am happy to report that Rotations is one of the ONLY U.S. based manufacturers that peroxide value tests ALL meat used before it goes into their recipes to ensure with 100% certainty that it has not even begun to go bad.  This has to be one of the top reasons ROTATIONS® dog food feeds better and is liked by more dogs than most other meat-first all natural pet foods!

One of the coolest things about Rotations is that once your dog has transitioned over, you can feed them one or all of the three varieties at any time with no digestive upset.  It really is remarkable.  There's no rocket science involved, but if you follow these guidelines for transitioning you can't go wrong:

Day 1 & 2 - 25% ROTATIONS, 75% existing food

Day 2 & 3 - 50% ROTATIONS, 50% existing food

Day 4 & 5 - 75% ROTATIONS, 25% existing food

Day 6 - 100% ROTATIONS

Money Saving Note:  When you buy the Rotational Pack, you're getting 3 bags for the price of 2!

Why Rotate?  Here's a partial excerpt: 

"Once you have selected a quality dog food, that’s all you need to feed, right? Despite what many dog food companies tell you, the answer is NO!

Dogs weren’t intended to get all of their nutrients from a single food. Just like all mammals, dogs are meant to thrive on a range of different foods obtaining the unique nutritional benefits from each. They are not intended to eat "only chicken" or "only lamb" or any other food item for most of their life. Changing a pets food provides the nutritional variety they need in order to thrive."

Find additional information and all of your questions answered here: http://www.rotationspetfood.com/
We've switched completely to Rotations and won't ever go back!

And now, a GIFT for you! Please DO use this special Coupon Code - CINNAMON - during your checkout process to recieve 15 lbs. of Rotations FREE! This offer is also good for the 3 bag "Rotational Pack" (You pay shipping only).

This generous offer is limited to ONE per household and is valid until 12/31/2011.

Have a furbulicious day and thanks for reading!

XO

SassaB ~ Fun Fab Stocking Swag!

Christmas is around the corner and I'm always trying to find fun stocking stuffers at the last moment.  It's a double bonus when I can support a fellow small business owner and get a quality product. 

I love these new, fun, linkable charms from SassaB!  I recently interviewed Tracy Sanders, Owner and Creator of SassaB LLC about the upcoming launch of her very first product, and I couldn't be happier for her!  A little history - Tracy and I attended the same casting call for what would become Kelly Ripa's Homemade Millionaire during the Summer of 2009 in Chicago.  We didn't meet at the audition, but connected subsequently through her ProductX Blog.  There have been a lot of ups and downs for us both since then and she has never given up on her dream of bringing a product to market.  Well done T!

How fun are these charms?  I have spent many a dollar in the past on other charms found in novelty stores, etc., that either broke or fell apart within the first few days.  They say the devil is in the details, and the first thing I noticed is that the lobster clasp on SassaB is much better quality than those "other" charms.  They are easily linked together with connector rings on both sides of the charms. 

The girls were so excited to wear them to school and now they are finding all sorts of fun things to do with them! 

Make a necklace...

Add pizzazz to a zipper...

"Create your own style!"

Looking forward to collecting them all and spreading the word about these FUNtastic new charms!

You can also find SassaB on Facebook.

As always, thank you for taking a few moments out of your busy day to read.

XO Jen