And The Winner Is.........

Hey Y'all!!

Woo-hoo!!! I hope this post finds y'all doing well. For those of you in the warmer climates, I am so jealous of you right now! And, for those of you that are freezing to death, I say boo......hiss to the weather and hope you are warm! I am so ready for Spring!

We have a winner in the Design A Valentine's Day Line contest with Chic Shopper Chick!! Drum roll please............

The winner is Andreah, a wife, mother and blogger who loves to review products and host giveaways on her blog. You can follow Andreah on Twitter at simplyandreah



A big thanks goes out to Erika with Chic Shopper Chick for partnering with Cactus & Ivy to bring this contest to life! The amount of feedback the contest generated is greatly appreciated and I have already made a few changes to the website. Thanks so much for posting your comments about the Cactus & Ivy website and/or blog. Feedback ROCKS and so do y'all!!

Andreah has chosen the ingredients that will be incorporated into the Body Scrub, Body Melt & Bath Grains. The aroma Andreah chose just happens to be my favorite between the selections. You ROCK Andreah!!

On Monday, January 19th, I will reveal the Valentine's Day Line, so stay tuned! In the meantime, don't fry anything naked!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a fabulous day!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Creator-Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Feedback Indeed!

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you having a spectacular day! Normally, my posts are delivered before now, however, I was hoping to get word on the winner of the Design a Valentine's Day Line contest over at Chic Shopper Chick.

This contest has really been an eye opener for me. As I've stated in numerous posts, I love feedback. All types - good, bad or indifferent. Part of the contest was to leave comments on Chic Shopper Chick as to what you would change about the Cactus & Ivy site or The Southern Accent Blog.

WOW, and comment y'all did! I am blown away at the amount of feedback that came in over the course of a week! Woo-hoo!! Ask and you shall receive!

I have already made a few changes to the Cactus & Ivy site. Many posted comments that the products page needed thumbnail pictures. I totally agree and now it does! There were a great number of posts indicating customer testimonials or feedback. We have always had a page dedicated to our customer feedback. The page is Raves & Reviews. Now I see the problem is that it was located in the wrong area of the home page, especially if it wasn't noticed.

It will take some time, however, there will be numerous changes coming to the Cactus & Ivy site, and it's thanks to all the valuable comments. 299 to be exact. Well, not all were directly related to changes or improvements, but hey.....what a response!!

As soon as I know who the lucky winner is, I will post their name. Thanks again to y'all for stepping up to the plate and providing me with the one of the most important areas of Cactus & Ivy! That would be feedback! Love it, love it, love it!!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a fabulous day!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

It's A Conspiracy!

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds you doing well. This post was inspired by an email I received from a friend. It's a conspiracy!

"This is happening right here in our own country! We must put a stop to this immediately! Have you noticed that stairs are getting steeper? Groceries are heavier? And, everything is farther away?


Yesterday, I walked to the corner and I was dumbfounded to discover how long our street had become! And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones. They speak in whispers all the time! If you ask them to speak up, they just jeep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face! What do they think I am, a lip reader?

I also think they are much younger than I was at the same age. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I ran into an old friend the other day and she has aged so much that she didn't even recognize me!

I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning, and in doing so, I glanced at my own reflection. Well, REALLY NOW......even mirrors are not made the way they used to!

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days. You're risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them. All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days. Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20? Do they think no one notices? The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank. Do they think I actually "believe" the number I see on that dial? Hah!! I would never let myself weigh that much. Just who do these people think they are fooling?

I'd like to call up someone in authority to report what's going on, but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too! They've printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in there!

All I can do is pass along this warning.........We're under attack!! Unless something drastic happens, pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these awful indignities.

P.S. I am writing this in a large font size, because something has happened to my computer's fonts. They are smaller than they once were".

Ahhh......I needed a little laughter today. The sad thing is, I can relate to a few of the above mentioned items. Ugh!!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter the Design a Valentine's Day line contest at Chic Shopper Chick. You have until 11:59pm CST tonight to get your entry in!

Have a fabulous day and good luck!!!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Creator-Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

What Our Customers Are Saying!

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well and having a fabulous Monday. The mini vacation over the holiday has left me rested and ready to face the New Year head on!

Just a reminder, the Design a Valentine's Line contest ends tomorrow, January 6th at 11:59PM CST. Go to Chic Shopper Chick for the rules and entry.


I am taking this opportunity to celebrate some of the comments from our customers. Feedback is so important to me. Good, bad or indifferent, they all play a role in how I create products for Cactus & Ivy.

When I teamed with Erika, Chic Shopper Chick, to do a contest, one of the things I asked for was feedback on the Cactus & Ivy website as well as The Southern Accent Blog. I am still overwhelmed at the amount of feedback received. One of the comments that appears frequently is they would like to read reviews/testimonials from customers. Now, I thought it was a good idea to post comments/feedback from our customers, so I dedicated a page to them. However, the link is in the wrong location on the site if it is not getting noticed. Duly noted!


Read Raves & Reviews from our customers! Here are just a couple that can be found on the page:

Lisa - "I seriously, truly love the Cactus Nail Balm. My hands are a mess from soapmaking and in just one day, noticeable difference. I can't stop using it, I love the concept, it's so clever, it smells amazing, and my hands feel so much better. I would heartily recommend your stuff to anybody."

Michelle G.
Cleveland Heights, OH
____________________

Hi Lisa, I picked up my package from the post office this morning; everything I tried was great. I especially like the new packaging for the Nail Balm. This is the first time I've ordered from Cactus & Ivy and I have to say based on the products I've tried and the customer service, which has been truly great, I will definitely be back to order again.

Sincerely,
Sharon
Miami, FL
____________________

Also, to read reviews we've received from beauty blogs and sites, visit our Press page. Feedback is awesome so feel free to leave me a comment here!

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Creator-Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Design Your Valentine's Day Line

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds y'all doing well! Woo-hoo!! I am so stoked about this opportunity that I can barely stand myself! I am actually beside myself with so much enthusiasm that I wish I could bottle it up!

Cactus & Ivy has teamed up with Chic Shopper Chick for an awesome contest, if I do say so myself! We are offering one lucky Chic Shopper Chick reader the chance to work with me to create and design our Valentine’s Day Line. Not only will you get the chance to take home some of your fab new products but you'll also have bragging rights. What? That's right!

You have to visit Chic Shopper Chic for the official rules for entering this contest, which ends at 11:59pm CST on January 6, 2009! Good Luck!!!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a fabulous day!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Creator-Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy