Who tips at the Holidays?

I usually struggle, do I tip or not at the holidays. I would like to tip my garbage man….but how do you leave them a tip? Tape it on the garbage can? Will they find it in the dark? Will someone else take it? Will it get thrown away??

What about the mail carrier, is giving them money legal?

I came across this handy guide of who and how you should tip. It suggests the mail carrier to receive a gift, not money, so that makes sense….but it doesn’t tell me how I should leave something for my garbage man….who I think deserves a tip! Any suggestions there?

Here is the guide I found, hopefully someone can find this useful…

Baby sitter………………… One evening's pay, plus a gift from your child
Barber……………………… Cost of one haircut
Beauty salon staff……… Cost of one salon visit
Day care provider……… A gift from you, or $25 to $70, plus a gift from your child
Dog walker………………… Up to one week's pay or a gift
Doorman……………………$15 to $80 or a gift ($15 each for multiple doormen)
Garage attendants……..$10 to $30 or a small gift
Gardeners…………………$20 to $50 each
Handyman…………………$15 to $40
Housekeeper…………….. Up to one week's pay and/or a small gift
Live-in help……………….. One week to one month's pay, plus a gift from you
Mail carrier………………… Gift worth less than $20; no cash, check or gift cards
Massage therapist…….. Up to the cost of one session or a gift
Nanny or au pair……….. One week's pay, plus a gift from your child
Newspaper deliverer…..$10 to $30 or a small gift
Package deliverer……….. Small gift in the $20 range
Personal trainer………….. Up to the cost of one session or a gift
Pet groomer………………… Up to the cost of one session or a gift
Pool cleaner……………….. The cost of one cleaning, to be split among the crew
Superintendent…………….$20 to $80 or a gift
Teachers…………………….. A small gift or note from you, plus a small gift from your child
Trash collectors……………$10 to $30 each

Making my own Christmas cards

So now of course you know I am hooked on Stampin' up and I also am crazy enough to think I have loads of free time in between working a full time job, building my business and making loads of soaps and lotions....so yeah somewhere in there is enough time to MAKE my own Christmas cards....and well while I am at it sure I can get them out in time to arrive BEFORE Christmas 2010!!

So here is my start...I LOVE owls, so I saw this owl punch and it was love at first sight.
I have been punching owls out while watching TV in the evening....even took some to work to do while on my lunch time....



These are my lil guys in process....punch the brown body, then a colored belly, then the 3 layers of eyes. Then from another punch I punched out bird wings to add to some of my owls...I like them both ways.

I have bunches ready....now time to assemble the cards soon....

Some will need a branch to sit on.....

Who is Stampin' Up?

I AM!!!

My newest obsession....it seems I always need a new one every now and again.

I took a card making class in October with my friend....well thats all that took to hook me!! I missed the November class because I had a show the same night as that months card making session so I missed out on that...but my friend organized this class making Christmas tags.

I almost think they are too cute to use!!! We also made the box to keep them in....

Where does the time go??

I cannot believe I have been neglecting my blog for so long. I just dont know how people juggle so much. Maybe that should be my 2011 goal...figure out how to juggle everything properly.



Speaking of goals I just today completed my #1 2010 goal. Well the project itself isnt really complete, the process will take a year, but the ball is set in motion and now the waiting game begins. I have trademarked my company name. The name is so near and dear to my heart, that it would just break if I built it up, to lose it because I didnt do this one step. So my end of the process is now complete and it is officially filed....now I wait for approval. :)



I have been busy making fun goodies and selling at local craft shows. My coal soap is the big hit this year....so if you know someone that has been naughty...




We also have some other great soaps that are Christmas themed.

I have managed to accomplish a nice chunk of my Christmas shopping....so far I think I am in good shape. How is your season coming together so far?

Memorial Wall

I went this week to the memorial wall in Sacramento California for firefighters who died while fighting fire.

We made the trip to see my fathers name, who died while fighting fire in his helicopter on July 23, 2007.


My Father Dennis Luster Davis...

Our escort Jerry.

We did a pencil etching of his name...

The memorial is in the park located at the capital building. It is a beautiful park and a beautiful memorial. We are very glad to have made the trip, to help put closure to our story.

I was sad to see the amount of space left, in anticipation of adding more names on there, because then other family members will be losing their loved ones, but it is a very lovely tribute!

I voted....

…but it sure wasn’t easy. For some odd reason my husband and I have never voted at the same place. Don’t know why…we just show up where told and have just always done this.

This year we go to The Hubs usual voting spot, and they told him no, he doesn’t vote there and gave him a different address. So on the way to that address is my usual voting place…no signs of voting going on there…maybe we for once get to vote at the same place. No.

So at this new place The Hubs gets to vote. I am given a different address of where to go vote…nothing going on at that church they sent me to…so we just drove around and found a church with “vote here” signs outside…Eureka…I vote here.

I have to admit by this point I was pretty irritated, so I was glad we had made a list of how we were voting, because I wasn’t in the mood to read all the props….so my prepared list of how to vote came in very handy!!

So there you have it…I voted…did you?

SFC Wyatt

Our son has been promoted to E-7 SFC…Sergeant First Class.

He has served 14 years in the US Army, going in straight out of high school. He has been deployed to Iraq twice and over the years has received a bronze star and a purple heart.

He is very humble in regards to his military career, but his family is extremely proud of him and his accomplishments!!