Review: Basa Body Products

I had the privilege of reviewing some Basa Body Products originated from the coast of Kenya. What I love most about these products, not only did they feel good when I used the Natural Coconut Oil Lotion, Basa Body Stick and the Mint Truffle Soap, they are made up organic virgin coconut oil, meaning there aren't unnecessary chemicals that are harsh to your skin.

The Natural Coconut Oil (100%) Lotion soothes the skin once it is applied. I felt the lotion absorbed into my skin. It also smells great. Not only to smooth skin, the Natural Coconut Oil fights aging with natural antioxidants.

Basa Body Stick is more of a balm instead of a lotion -- not for the lips, but for elbows, knuckles and hands. I tested it by rubbing some on my hands. I felt as if they were being massaged by the Basa Body Stick. My hands felt relaxed and soothed.

Imagine my surprise when I smelled a scent of chocolate as I opened the Basa Body products. What I saw was a Mint Truffle Soap! Being a chocoholic, I thought this was one of the most unique products I have ever seen. Not only does the soap moisturize the skin, your senses get stimulated. Very refreshing.

More information, visit: http://www.basabody.com.

Two important and exciting things you need to know:

1. Anyone that purchases any Basa Body or Coast Coconut Farms product
by May 12 will automatically be entered into our giveaway and will
have the chance to win one of three prizes: 1) a $250 Disney Gift
Card, 2) a $150 amazon.com gift card, and 3) a $100 Target gift card.
(You will also be entered if they make a cash donation of $20 or
more.)

2. Between now and May 12, when you use the promotion code
"momitforward," you will receive an additional 10% off Kiss Me pack
purchases. This is a great Mother's Day item for now less than $30!

Limited time offer by Carumba Network!

10 listeners of http://www.blogtalkradio.com/connectingwomen to sign up for program discount on the class and private coaching session, www.carumbanetworking.com code word: cwfaten

Essay Contest: Earth Day Every Day

Walmart's holding an Earth Day Every Day Challenge essay contest, with the chance for your child's school to compete for a $20,000 grant! The contest ends soon, so check it out:

http://www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com/

Quotes of the Week

I asked my Twitter followers (known as Tweeps) what were their favorite quotes on "Dreams".

I got some awesome responses. Enjoy!

* “"When I dream, I am ageless."- Elizabeth Coatsworth. (submitted by @ElleAndraWarner)
* " Those whom the Gods seek to destroy, first they make angry"- Unknown (submitted by @bayouqueen) (My mom's response to me whenever I lost my temper as a child.)
* "Some men see things as they are and say, "Why?" I dream of things that never were and say, "Why not?"- George Bernard Shaw. (submitted by @MomsofAmerica).

Enjoy these quotes! You can also click on the bold names to go to their Twitter page.

Deal: Zahra's Free Service and Gift

Zahras is offering our readers a "Free Calligraphic Rendering of any name or phrase that the customer likes with all orders received. This is a normal cost of $20 and will be offered free with each confirmed order."

In addition, each order will receive a free Arabic gift.

Further information is available here: http://calligraphy.zahras.com

Giveaway: Fax Services FREE for One Year

Have you always wished you could receive faxes to your home office, but you can’t afford a fax machine? Maybe you have a fax machine, but it’s seen better days. Or maybe you’re just looking for a green solution to all of those faxes you’ve been receiving!

Packetel’s Online Fax Service allows you to receive unlimited incoming faxes in your e-mail inbox for only $3.95 a month.

Packetel’s Online Fax Service sends faxes to multiple e-mail addresses, alerts you via text message when you have a new fax, and allows you to view your fax in PDF format. This service is perfect for small, at home businesses as it eliminates the need to buy and maintain a fax machine and eliminates the need to file away large amounts of paper.

How would you like to try this service for FREE for one year? Two lucky readers will win just that! Here’s how you can win:

1. Blog It!

a. Blog about Packetel’s Online Fax Service and link the text “online fax service” to http://packetel.com/fax/faxservicemain.asp

b. Fill out this entry form.



2. Facebook or MySpace

a. Write about Packetel’s Online Fax Service on your Facebook or MySpace page and link the text “online fax service” to http://packetel.com/fax/faxservicemain.asp

b. Fill out this entry form.

3. Flickr Group: Show us your cluttered office, your broken fax machine, or even just the space where you wish you had a fax!

a. Join the Flickr Packetel contest group and upload a picture: www.flickr.com/groups/packetel

b. Fill out this entry form.



4. YouTube: Do you remember that scene in Office Space where the employees destroy their fax machine? Here’s a refresher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzGWvZAd228

a. Make your own video of how much you hate your broken fax/printer and upload it to YouTube with a link back to http://packetel.com/fax/faxservicemain.asp

b. Fill out this entry form.

Want a Bonus Entry? Become a Packetel Facebook Fan here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Packetel-Online-Fax-Service/77071701974?ref=s Then fill out this form.

Contest is open to all U.S. residents. The contest runs from Sunday, April 12th to Friday, May 1st. Two winners will be chosen by random number generator.

Disclaimer:This content has been provided by Momfluence.

Lecture with Anna Baltzer

Who: Anna Baltzer, Jewish-American granddaughter of Holocaust refugees and volunteer for the International Women’s Peace Service; Human rights worker & supporter of Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to Occupation.

What: Her slides, stories, & book Witness in Palestine, recounting first-hand experiences with the conflict while living with Palestinians in the West Bank.

Why: To share information difficult to obtain through US mainstream media sources, and to encourage dialogue towards taking action for peace with justice.

When/Where: Friday, April 24, 2009 7:00 to 9:00 PM

Katie’s Cup

502 7th St.

Rockford, IL 61104

Free and open to the public. No children please.

Space is limited—reservations requested.

RSVP by Tuesday, April 21 to diablh@gmail.com (preferred)
Or call 815-505-1030

Or call 815-505-1030

Quotes of the Week

I asked my Twitter followers (known as Tweeps) what were their favorite quotes on "Empowerment".

I got some awesome responses. Enjoy!

* “To accomplish great things we must first dream, then visualize, then plan... believe... act!” –Alfred A. Montapert. (submitted by @MargalitWard).
* "Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not" -Pablo Picasso. (submitted by @bright_side).
* "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will" Gandhi. (submitted by @bright_side).
* "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal" Henry Ford. (submitted by @ArmySpouse).

Enjoy these quotes! You can also click on the bold names to go to their Twitter page.

Girl Scounts and NYSE

What do Girl Scouts and NYSE have to do with each other?

Girl Scouts will ring the opening bell of NYSE at 9:30a.m. on Monday, April 13! view live at http://tinyurl.com/gsnyse

Raise Money for Women in Kenya

Mom It Forward (http://mommygossip-gno.blogspot.com/2009/03/gno-live-meet-up-with-other-gno-gals-in.html), in partnership with 12 for 12K (http://12for12k.org), is kicking off 6-weeks of fundraising for moms and by moms (Tuesday, March 31 through Tuesday May 13) and we need your help!

On Saturday, April 18, Mom It Forward and 12 for 12K events will be taking place all over the US, in Canada, and in Australia (see list of locations below) to raise funds and awareness for Yehu Microfinance (http://yehu.org), BasaBody (http://basabody.com), and Coast Coconut Farms (http://coastcoconutfarms.com). The goal? To combat poverty by empowering poor rural entrepreneurs in Kenya to help lift themselves out of poverty through enhanced accessibility to sustainable financial services, business opportunities, and skills training.

If you are interested in attending an event in your area, planning/holding an event in your area, volunteering, sponsoring an event by providing a product or service (venue, food, drink, prizes, etc.), or making a donation, please contact Mom It Forward at momitforward@gmail.com.

We are having events in these cities:

The United States:

Chicago, IL
Dallas/Ft Worth, TX
DC Metro (DC/MD/VA)
Kansas City, MO
Milwaukee, WI
Nashville, TN
New York City, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Raleigh, NC
Salt Lake City, UT
San Diego, CA

Canada: Toronto, Vancouver

Australia: Sydney

Giveaway: WomenHeart’s ALL HEART Family Cookbook

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. Sara Lee Fresh Bakery knows the first step to a healthy heart is maintaining a healthy weight and getting the nutrition women need in order to live a strong life and care for their families.

Sara Lee is partnering with The Heart Truth Campaign to raise awareness of heart disease among women and encourage them to make heart healthy food choices every day. One of the best things a mom can do for her family is to take care of herself!

To support the campaign, Sara Lee Fresh Bakery is offering heart healthy sandwich recipes in the WomenHeart’s ALL HEART Family Cookbook and will contribute one dollar for every cookbook ordered up to $35,000 to the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.

Readers enter to have a chance to win a WomenHeart's ALL HEART Family Cook Book: Sara Lee and WomenHeart's Family Cookbook Giveaway.

Feature Friday: Carla Hannibal

Carla Hannibal has been in the health care industry for 27 years. She started young as a candy striper went on to work as a phlebotomist, claims processing, nursing and then administrative work and never lost her love for helping people. "A couple of years ago I resigned my job as an administrator and decided to work for myself. I started consultant work and contributing and writing for health care magazines. I was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and it helped to be able to continue to work from home," Carla said.

Three years ago, Carla's son was murdered. He was 16 years old. "The grief process was not something I ever thought I would go through," Carla said. "Without the help of other women like me I would not have made it. I have done a lot of volunteer work in my life. It all came back to me I had to give back in spite of the pain I was feeling and still continue to feel."

Carla used to go to the women’s prison as part of a ministry. She also did nursing home and street missions. With her way of dealing with her grief, Carla created a website called http://womenlikeus.wetpaint.com.


Faten: What is the purpose of Women Like Us?

Carla: Remembering how healing it was to have women hear me in my grief and understand and be able to relate was awesome. I wanted to give back but not just for grieving women but for women in general. Women have all kinds of issues to deal with every single day, and we are strong. We carry those issues, but we don’t often have places to vent.

Faten: Why should women join your site?

Carla: Women should join my site because it is a work in progress and that is what women do. We conceive, we incubate , we give birth, and then we nurture life. This site is about life and how we as women handle it. It’s about sharing and helping each other to hold on. It’s about giving all you got to your fellow sister and then receiving some.

Faten: What are some long term goals for your site?

Carla: I would eventually like to see this site as a place where women come to chat, read, do research and find comfort,a place of resources for all that has to do with women. I’ll call it my learning, healing, loving and sharing place.

Faten: Define woman.

Carla: A woman is the part of God that heals nourishes and smiles.

Faten: What can women learn from the world?

Carla: I think a better question is, “What can the world learn from women?" I say that because men rule the world.

Faten: How about from other women?

Carla: We learn from other women what to do and what not to do. We follow our mothers and grandmothers, our aunts and sisters, and our girlfriends and cousins. We are almost tribal in nature. We are the essence of everything that is.

Faten: Any words of wisdom or thoughts before we wrap up the interview?

Carla: I would like to say thank you to all the women who made me what I am today, and all the women who will make me what I will become tomorrow.

Be sure to visit: http://womenlikeus.wetpaint.com/.

Phil Bundy's Golf Clubs

Note: Phil Bundy was interviewed on Connecting Women Radio discussing his quest to play on PGA Tour and tips. Bundy offered some personal reasons for starting his quest. For more information on Bundy, go to PhilBundy.com. Be sure to listen at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/connectingwomen.

Golfers seem to enjoy learning more about the clubs that I use. “What’s In My Bag?”:

Driver: Bobby Jones by Jesse Ortiz 10.5°
3+ Wood: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Fairway Wood
5 Wood: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Fairway Wood
16.0° Hybrid: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Hybrid
19.0° Hybrid: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Hybrid
22.0° Hybrid: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Hybrid
25.0° Hybrid: Exotics by Tour Edge CB2 Hybrid
Irons: Exotics by Tour Edge EX-1
52.0° Wedge: Tour Edge JMAX Bounce
56.0° Wedge: Tour Edge JMAX Bounce
60.0° Wedge: Tour Edge JMAX Bounce
Putter: SeeMore mFPG

Quotes of the Week

I asked my Twitter followers (known as Tweeps) what were their favorite quotes on "Empowerment".

I got some awesome responses. Enjoy!

• Mental and physical preparedness is empowerment" - Stephanie Behers. (submitted by @MallaryTytel ).
• "If you want to become a 'powerful' person, you must empower others" - @teenbizcoach.
• "A beginning starts today"- Mary Wollenscroft. (submitted by @ElleAndraWarner).
• "Each choice gives you a chance to pave your own road"- Oprah. (submitted by @ElleAndraWarner).
• "The earth's most precious natural resource is truly a rare find. As it changes by the second it is that of our time"- @teenbizcoach.

Enjoy these quotes! You can also click on the bold names to go to their Twitter page.

Avoid These Five Pitfalls For PR Success

All businesses today realize the value of good PR. Especially for a small business, PR (public relations) goes a long way towards establishing credibility, raising awareness of products and services and ultimately increasing sales. But as with anything in life, there is a right and wrong way to go about getting PR. Here are five mistakes that can easily derail your PR efforts:

1) Under Pressure: Reporters follow a different schedule than most of the workforce. 9-to-5 hours? Forget about it. Those in the media have 24/7 jobs with very tight deadlines. Not only knowing this, but respecting it, can go a long way towards making the difference between PR success and failure. Here’s the rule of thumb: Early mornings are for story planning. Late mornings are for gathering facts and quotes for the story. Early afternoons are for writing the story or putting it all together. So when’s the best time to send a press release or call a reporter? Send your release earlier in the week to avoid the weekend news cycle. And when you call a reporter to pitch a story, try for mornings or early afternoons so that you get to them well before late afternoon when they’re rushing to meet their deadline.

2) Just The Facts: A well-written press release or pitch letter goes without saying. But compelling and accurate facts are critical to the success of your written PR communications. Here’s the problem with inaccurate facts in your press release: It doesn’t just make you look bad. If published, those inaccuracies make the reporter look bad as well. If you are unlucky enough to make a reporter look bad, it’s a sure way to ruin your chances of getting another story with that reporter or one of their colleagues.

3) Making Time: Ok so you’ve been able to send out a press release and you’ve now got one or two reporters that want to set up a time to do a story. But here’s the rub, you apparently have more important things to tend to and have made a habit of re-scheduling with the reporter. Guess what, that reporter will not hesitate to make plans with someone else for a different story. Simply put, if a reporter calls to set up an interview, DO IT. They are not on your schedule. You are on theirs. Move your schedule around to accommodate them. It’s as simple as that.

4) Expectations: PR is not advertising. If you think a news reporter is planning on doing a story that will only be about you, not include your competition and spend the entire time talking about how great you are, you will be disappointed. Reporters have a job to do and that is to report the news and deliver stories that are of interest to their readers. Their job is not to put money in your pocket. Understand that there is a lot of give and take when dealing with the media. They are providing you with publicity that you did not have to pay for. But you also don’t have any control as to how they write their story. It is your job to provide them with good and compelling information to help shape the story in a positive light for you.

5) PR Doesn’t Just Happen: PR is more than just sending out a press release. You need to take the time to develop relationships with reporters and discuss interesting story angles with them so that they are compelled to write about you. Reporters receive hundreds of press releases from people like you each day. Yours is just one of the many sitting on their desk. Go beyond simply sending them the press release so that you stand out from the crowd. It’s not unlike making a sale. But instead of selling a product or widget, you’re selling a story.

Editor’s note: John Sternal is co-founder of http://understandingmarketing.com and author of the PR Toolkit for Small Business, a resource to help small business owners do their own PR for media exposure.