Hit The Link, Hit The Road!

Wow! YOU know how to share Love! Readers in Germany, Denmark and Slovenia dug into SML this week - for a current total of nine countries!

It's all because you shared with friends, and they shared with friends...

You deserve a getaway to SEE your precious people, we say! Aren't you overdue for some R&R and an inky-fabulous stamp on your passport? There are beaches and mountains to embrace! New friends and chocolate, fruity drinks and sunsets with YOUR name on them. You betcha.

It's time for a Love Giveaway.

When SML reaches 20 countries and 200 fans on Facebook, a lucky ducky will win a $1000 gift card from American Express - randomly picked from among Super Much Love followers.

How do we reach 20 and 200 as fast as possible? Share SML while you pack your suitcase!

Just hit the "Suggest to Friends" link on SML's Facebook page - it's in the left column. You can also 'share' and 'like' each entry. Every time you do so, you help Super Much Love grow, and its heart go pitter-patter.

Thank you SO much for sharing Super Much Love with your friends and family, and best wishes in the Love Giveaway!

Love,

-Melinda

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Dessert, Thy Name is YES

Heading into the holidays, your to-do list is longest just as days are growing shorter. Grrrr!

Following is a dessert recipe that will assure your sanity whether entertaining two or twenty - chocolate cake that is RIDICULOUSLY delicious, moist like crazy and a cinch to make…

Tastes absolutely homemade, yet incorporates a cake mix (gasp! time saver!) in the recipe. So, if you're hosting a dinner or party…or need to deliver a gift (gorgeous! scrumptious! easy!) - here you go!

Grandmama's Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cake

- 1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Cake (per my grandmother, do not substitute with any other brand!)

- 4 eggs

- 1 small container sour cream (the real kind; do not use the light version)

- 1 package Jell-O instant chocolate pudding

- 3/4 cup canola oil

- 3/4 cup water

- 1 small package semi-sweet Nestle chocolate chips (use big package o' chips if the cake is to be used for 'wooing')

- Pam cooking spray

- Bundt pan

- Handheld mixer or ample biceps

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees

- Mix all ingredients (except chocolate chips) together with either strong arms or good little handheld mixer. Kill clumps 'til smooth.

- Gently fold in the chocolate chips, like the precious things they are.

- Spray bundt pan lightly with Pam. Pour mixture into pan, place in oven, cook at 350 degrees for approx 35 minutes.

- Test with toothpick/fork/knife

- Cake will likely need another 10 minutes, depending on the oven/phase of the moon

Remove from oven and let cool for several hours.

Note: the cooling is very important! If you try to flip the cake out of the pan too quickly, the results will make you cry - broken cake. The taste, however, is in no way impaired by breakage (should you happen to be dining alone and aesthetics are a non-issue).

Going for extra fancy? Fill the center of the cake (the opening left by the bundt pan) with fresh berries, and sprinkle powdered sugar over the cake just before serving.

Going for extra-rich? Frost with Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. Note: this step is not necessary at all - the cake is amazing as-is! The frosting is just for when you have an extra five minutes and want to bless folks with even more chocolatey goodness.

Here's to your tastiest, easiest-ever next soiree!

Love,

Melinda

P.S. To get your regular dose of Super Much Love, just "like" us on the Super Much Love Facebook Fan Page! You'll receive an update whenever there's something new to Super Much Love.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Your Best Bootie Ever

I love shoes. I do.

And I require a little more from them than I did 10 years ago. Any shoe that finds a 'keeper' spot in my closet needs to not only look great, but also feel pretty terrific - and for much longer than 15 minutes in the car.

Booties are hot for fall. This is GREAT for girls like me with muscular calves, and for whom tall boots can be an exercise in...strangulation. Booties also allow you to show your style with fun hosiery, socks and the like.

My fall bootie experiment started this past week with the 'Vonda,' from Born. Running errands and taking my dog for a LONG walk, I put these booties to the test the very day they arrived.

I'm an avid fan of Born shoes, but was open to non-love for this bootie. This is not a cushy flat, after all. Vonda is a heel, which can sometimes mean trouble for my tender feet.

The booties received lots of compliments, and the biggest one from me - I'm in LOVE with their comfort! A 2.5 inch heel height, when wonderfully balanced as these are, feels like just one inch.

The Vonda is funky enough to wear with jeans, yet polished-perfect with trousers and skirts. That kind of versatility factor makes life (and packing a suitcase!) so much easier! And did you see that killer cuff and sassy lace-up tie on the back? Yow!

The width is spot-on, with room for your tootsies to move around, but not slip. There's a side zipper for easy on-off and marvelously cushioned, supportive sole.

The Vonda is $185, and is from Born's Crown Series. Although a bit more expensive than Born's standard line, Crown Series offers incredible craftsmanship, including hand-sewn leathers and fabulous cushioning that really holds up. Based on my experience, you should expect any shoe from Born Crown Series to last several years.

Personally, I'd rather buy a great pair of shoes that I enjoy keeping and have them re-soled once every so often, rather than cheap shoes that hurt my feet and are throw-aways at end of season. You save money in the long run and your feet are happier in better quality shoes, every time!

I found my Vonda's at Zappos.com, where they're available in both brown and black. If you haven't yet tried Zappos, it is THE best online source for shoes on the planet, period.

Zappos provides free, unlimited shipping (this includes returns!), a fabulous selection of brands, styles, sizes, widths, colors, and legendary customer service.

Time to get bootie fabulous, sweetie!

Love,

Melinda

P.S. To get your regular dose of Super Much Love, please "friend" ("like") us on the Super Much Love Facebook Fan Page! You'll receive an update whenever there's something new to Super Much Love.

To share Super Much Love with friends, please hit "Suggest to Friends" on that page (in the left-hand column).

Thanks so much!

Photo Credit: Zappos

Modern Love

Early in my 30's, time began to noticeably accelerate. Things were changing before - and around! - my eyes in a way I didn't quite recognize or appreciate.

I couldn't get away with not wearing makeup as easily as I once had. "Fresh-faced" no longer translated to 'rosy and glowing' in my bathroom mirror. Instead, I just looked a little tired. Something had to be done, ASAP.

I wanted my 'glow' back, yet wasn't interested in something that required medical release forms, would generate a sudden breakout or cause me to peel for days.

A few years prior, a savvy friend had converted me to Origins skincare products for daily cleansing and moisturizing. Origins had cleared my combination skin and kept it breakout-free and healthy. Liking their track record, I decided to start there in my search for restored glowy goodness.

Origins was launching a new product that caught my eye, called 'Modern Friction.' Their ads spoke directly to my needs, and so, off I went to the Origins store.

Described as, "nature's gentle dermabrasion," Modern Friction is thick, creamy, and scrub-like in its consistency. It lathers up like nothing I've ever seen - a little bit goes a long way. It's also very affordable - just $37.50 for 4.2 oz. tube.

The results were an immediate WOW - my skin felt amazing after the first try, and I was hooked.

Modern Friction doesn't leave you burned, scratched, parched or flaking - rather, your skin looks - and feels - NEW - soft and radiant. I liked it so much, I wrote a letter to Origins, thanking them for sending me - hopping and skipping - back to my 20's. They responded with a very nice phone call and a bucket of wonderful samples in the mail. Sweet!

And here's the big deal in my book - I'm now 39, and Modern Friction has continued to work brilliantly. I keep a tube in the shower, so I can use it when my pores are open and breathing in the steam. It smells like peppermint - a nice way to wake up!

I'm also a fan of Modern Friction's good buddy, 'Modern Fusion.'

Modern Fusion - billed as a "skin transforming catalyst" - is a light lotion you apply just before your moisturizer. Provides a little daily boost of the Modern magic, and is $39.50. The bottle features a neat built-in pump AND a 'safety switch' that keeps it from leaking/spilling when you travel. Love it!

Modern Friction and Modern Fusion are available in-store and online at Origins.com.

If you love stats, the following is from the Origins website:

Origins tested Modern Friction™ on a panel of 54 women. After just one try, of those who had undergone clinical micro-dermabrasion, 94% said they would now consider using Modern Friction™ instead.

Wahoo! Perk up your skin without breaking the bank! At just $77 for both Modern products, you'll have cash-ola left over for a great pair of booties for fall. (More on that in the next SML post!)

I found the following deals online (and tested them, yes, just for you!):

- Use online coupon code FALL10 for free shipping on purchases over $30 and a free sample of Perfect World Moisturizer (code good through 10/21)

- Origins has long offered free shipping on all orders over $75. No coupon code needed. Bonus: choose a free sample from three popular products at online check-out.

Super Scoop!! This Friday, Saturday and Sunday (10/22 - 24):

Get a FREE mini-facial, make-up application and sample of facial cleanser!

Takes just about 30 minutes total. Note: You can walk-in, but the Origins representative I spoke with advises you call your local Origins store for an appt. For Origins store locations, click here.

Love,

Melinda

P.S. Want to get your regular dose of Super Much Love, and share it with friends?

Visit the SML Facebook Fan Page and "friend" us - just click the "like" button at the top of the page. You'll receive a link whenever a new SML entry is posted.

Thanks for your support!

Photo Credit: Origins

Sweet(est) Dreams are Made of These

In a recent SML post, we strolled together down the road of hosting during the holidays. I shared with you my theory that a great guest room and bath are all about relaxation, anticipating needs, and a bit of spoiling. I happily confessed my obsession with beautiful guest bath towels, and profiled four different brands that I've thoroughly tested for 100% gleeful responses. (see 'Company's Coming,' posted 10/2/10)

I believe an affection for hosting to be a most handy, and, I do declare - winsome excuse for anyone to also become a Stalker of Superior Sheets and Such.

Really soft, beautiful bedding is the big "ahhhhh" of a guest room. After all, the bed is where your guests will spend most of their time. Tucked into your thoughtful thread count, they'll find sweet REM sleep after hours of travel. Make sure your friends and family are comfy!

If you're interested in reinventing your guest bed with linens that are completely wonderful and readily available, then read on, Heavenly Host!

Should you find yourself on the fence about whether or not your guest bed needs a re-do, remember: the bed takes up the most real estate in a guest room. A style and quality tune-up for your bedding achieves more design points and user benefit than buckets of messy paint and pricey new carpet. Think about it - has a hotel stay ever really inspired you to re-paint a bedroom of your home, or lay down a new rug? Probably not. If you slept like a baby and checked out of that place feeling hip-happy, you most likely were interested in replicating that sumptuous BED.

Witness: The Ritz-Carlton, Westin and W Hotels all now make their bedding set-ups (from mattresses to everything required to dress them), available for sale to their guests. Folks really do want to sleep like a baby in linens worth dreaming about.

I have suggestions for you in bedding at three price-points. And I've tested each one:

"Deal of the Century"

Vintage Modern Collection at Target. Yes, I said Target. And I LOVE luxury. So what's up?

Target has courted another yet super designer to unleash stylish, well-made goodness at a great price. And this time, it's amazing interior designer Thomas O'Brien, and in the bedding department. EVERYTHING in his Vintage Modern line for Target is greatness (hellooo, his coffee mugs are in my cabinet!) but when I saw his bedding on aisle 35, I about passed out. This stuff is greatness.

I loaded my guest bed with Vintage Modern. Gorgeous. Soft. Washes perfectly. And folks think I spent a bajillion dollars. It's the first time I've been asked about my linens...as in, "Where did you find these luscious things? I want some!" You will, too. Especially at these fab prices!

Note: The photos available online at Target.com just don't do justice to this bedding line. See it in person if it's geographically convenient, or just trust me and order online - you're gonna love Vintage Modern!

"Super Price for What You're Getting"

Macy's Hotel Collection - This has been my go-to bedding for several years now. I have never, ever bought something from this line that wasn't soft, beautifully designed and made for the long haul! Their styles do lean contemporary (think W Hotel-style), so if you're prefer a more traditional look, the full gamut of Hotel Collection may not be your cup of tea. Stick with the sheets, perhaps. Simple, well-made, fabulous. If you crave modern design, however, knock yourself out! Note: Mixing and matching their styles/patterns is a kick, and pretty much goof-proof from my experience, so have fun!

I checked online and found the following Macy's sales/deals:

- 10% off on bedding and bath purchases over $200, and 15% off purchases over $300.

Note: no discount code needed - discounts are automatically calculated at check-out. Discount applies to clearance and sale items, as well as full-priced merchandise! Note: expires TODAY 10/15!

- Use code "SAVEON75" for free shipping on orders over $75 (when big boxes of poofy wonderful bedding arrive at your doorstep, free shipping will have saved you quite a penny, love!).

"Only Buy These On Sale...Unless You are Soothing a Broken Heart with a Fat Wallet"

Sferra.

Just say the word out loud. It's inherently smooth and me-owwww. Sferra sheets are sexy in their softness and luxurious to the hilt. And you can pass them down to your children, if you decide against using them to line your coffin when you are 100. These linens last near forever.

Available in the Dallas area at fabulous stores like The Linen Gallery and Peacock Alley, or online at Sferra's site or Horchow. I love that Horchow's site provides a great Q&A with Sferra's CEO, bedding care tips and a super selection of Sferra goods.

Tip: To get a Sferra fix on a budget, check your local Tuesday Morning store - I've had great luck in sourcing Sferra there, and at wonderfully ouch-less prices!

In the coming days of autumn, we'll discuss other essential items for hosting at home with light-hearted love, comfort and a healthy dose of ooomph in the style department.

Readers: please fill me in on your favorite lines of home scents - from candles to diffusers and sprays, let me know what products make your home smell wonderful and welcoming.

I.e., "My favorite candle line/company is ____ and the particular candle fragrance they make that I'm crazy about is called ____."

Just use the "comment" section below this post to share your thoughts with me, or email me directly: melinda.jones@me.com.

Thanks ever so much!

Love,

Melinda

P.S. Please take a moment and click on one or two of the kind advertisers' ads to the right and below this post, and have a look-see at what they are eager to share with you. : )

Want to get your regular dose of Super Much Love?

Visit the SML Facebook site and "friend" us - just click the "like" button at the top of the page!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Super-Much-Love/117036741687065?ref=sgm

Photo Credit: Getty Images

In Tulle, You Kinda Rule

Oh, honey. Let's admit it. We all need to own something that makes us feel special. It might be a big-ticket item, like a splurge coat that keeps us warm when the cold winds blow...and feeling chic even on a bad hair day. Perhaps it's that beautiful bling on your finger…for which your sweet husband sold his motorcycle and basketball season tickets in order to propose that you become Mrs. Lucky Ducky I Do.

Or it could be something that costs little to nothing, yet still means everything - like the soft-as-silk quilt your great-grandmother made in celebration of your birth. The one you save for long naps, good cries and supreme snuggling.

For me, one of those special items is a sweet little 1950's low-slung chair…my dad and I spotted it at a roadside estate sale in Arkansas one sun-shiny day about 20 years ago. The chair cost just $25, but the memory - that Daddy would stop the car simply because I pointed out the window at something of interest - well, it reminds me what a precious father I was blessed with. I recently (finally!) had the chair refinished, lacquer painted and reupholstered, and things seem more right in my world as a result.

Fun-special-thoughtful seems to me a magic brew, and I recently encountered it in an amazing item of clothing when I visited a friend's home. Amy answered the door with her gorgeous little one-year-old girl, Kenley, in her arms. I was instantly agog. Kenley wore the very definition of fun-special-thoughtful - it was a custom-made tutu, in brilliant colors, fashioned in tulle and ribbons aplenty. Her mom had dressed her in a fabulous cotton striped top and leggings to match. Once I regained sensible speech, I quizzed the heck out of Amy. Who made this tutu? Is it comfy for Kenley to wear? Where can I get one?? I don't have children of my own just yet, but my two-year-old godchild, Annie, has been ready to rock the runway since she could crawl.

Amy told me last week that she's ordered up a tutu in yellow and black for Halloween, as part of Kenley's bumblebee costume. The whole family is hitting the town this year as a honey bunch of bees. What could be cuter??

Best news ever: the tutus are comfortable and affordable (newborn-2T are $20, 3T-5T are $25, and, get ready for this...ADULT tutus are only $30!). They can be ordered in your (custom) choice of colors at no additional cost, and are made to the wearer's exact measurements (so if your little lovebug is leggy, or short-waisted, or sporting extra rolls of goodness, she'll have perfect coverage). You can even have special embellishments added at a mere $3 per (i.e., sparkle gems, jingle bells, flowers, fancy buttons...).

The ribbons are thoughtfully placed in the front, so it's easy to discern the front-from-the-back of the skirt. The tutus are also durable - which means they're just as fun and wonderful to wear playing all day as they are for a stop at the grocery store, a trip to Grandma's, or the family photo shoot! Much like diamond stud earrings, this skirt can go anywhere, do anything, and add just the right amount of delightful 'wow.'

The tutus are lovingly hand-made in the U.S.A by Sandra Kelly. I asked Sandra about the genesis of her company, and she shared with me the following:

"I was a labor and delivery nurse for 10 years. After I got pregnant with my first baby, I knew I wanted to stay home and put all my energy into raising a family. I have a four-year-old, Cole, who is autistic, and Quinn, who is almost two. Juggling time between therapies and being a homemaker is not always as easy as it seems. I needed a creative outlet to help center me amidst all the frustrations and mayhem that go with that. Making tutus was the answer. I started making them last year right before Christmas. I wanted moms to be able to afford a pretty tutu or two without having to break the bank."

Do you love her? I love her.

And I'm all about immediate gratification, so I was thrilled to learn that Sandra can have your tutu made and shipped out in a week or less (only $5-$8 for standard shipping), or even faster for a rush charge. (She understands that fashion is sometimes urgent, and said she's been able to make one in just a few hours, when needed.) I also confirmed that Halloween orders can be placed up until October 23 to be received by October 31.

May I suggest a tutu in orange-olive-brown for Thanksgiving, and/or a green-red-silver number for Christmas? For a newborn gift, in the colors of the baby's new room? Or perhaps your family's favorite sports team's colors? So much fun!

Best way to contact Sandra is via email: rnsoup99@aol.com

or her Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dont-Mess-With-My-Tutus/136135969745987?ref=ts

Her work is truly something to dance in - and about!

Love,

Melinda

Q&A with X's & O's

Dear Super Much Love Readers, Followers and Friends,

Thank you for the time you spend with the things I write. And for sharing SML with those you like and love.

Because of you, Super Much Love is now being read in India, Japan, the U.K. and Canada, as well as so many wonderful cities and towns in the great U.S.A. And we've only been at this...two weeks!

You have my tremendous gratitude, as well as my desire to answer a few questions that have popped up from readers, strangers I chat with on elevators, and, most recently, my eye doctor and dentist.

I hope you enjoy, and find helpful, the following Q&A. Please feel free to ask me other questions via the 'comment' block at the bottom of today's post, or by emailing me: melinda.jones@me.com.

Answers to frequently asked, thoughtful questions:

Q: Who writes Super Much Love?

Melinda Jones, lover of words, family and friends, unusual rescue dogs and things that work really well.

Early in my career, I enjoyed employment with a few big advertising agencies for whom I was so lucky to work. I then ran marketing for a neat start-up. Ready for something new, I bought, remodeled and sold a number of homes, and subsequently tried my hand at residential real estate as an agent.

It was in the summer of 2010, while recuperating from surgery, that I realized a few critically important things: my favorite task as a real estate agent was writing the descriptions of properties. In advertising, I loved composing client correspondence. When working with the start-up, I delighted most in penning copy for the website. And in remodeling homes, I supremely enjoyed finding and working with the best contractors and vendors in the business, and telling everyone I knew about these talented folks and superior products.

I finally connected the dots, and Super Much Love is the result. I feel blessed to be writing every day, and receive enormous satisfaction in giving exposure to products, services and people that are exceptional and under the radar. These are often small-but-wonderful companies with tiny marketing budgets who burn the midnight oil to make sure your purchase or product experience is something to be proud of.

It's also remarkable to me when larger companies, despite the distractions of growth, success and shareholder priorities, vigilantly focus on and continually invest in their products and people. I enjoy sharing these companies - the special things they do or lovingly produce - with SML's readership.

The possibility of introducing a new client to someone who is busting their buns to do things right, better than anyone else and for the long haul - well, that's positively thrilling to me.

Q: Are you paid to cover certain stuff?

No. Super Much Love content is purely editorial and not pay-for-play.

The products, services and people mentioned in Super Much Love are 100% the selection of the author, and based on my experience with the product/service and the obsession that results. No business or person can pay in order to be featured.

Q: Can I send you stuff/information for consideration?

You are welcome to email me about your product or service. I like learning about new things and talented people, and will have a look-see at what you send, for sure. There is no guarantee, however, that your goods/folks will be covered in Super Much Love.

If you don't receive a response right away, it's not because I don't care. It's just because I have a lot of work to do, a really sweet dog to walk, family I need to hug on, a book club, and, perhaps, a date. I commit to trying very hard to at least letting you know I received your correspondence, because no one likes to wonder if their note is lost in la-la land.

Q: Why are you on blogger.com, and not on your own .com site (i.e., SuperMuchLove.com)?

Because I'm saving my pennies to make that transition. I do own the SuperMuchLove.com domain, and can't wait to use it. So, please click on the ads you see on this page (to the right of and below the latest entry). Your clicks on those ads generates itty-bitty bits of revenue that I'm saving up to launch SuperMuchLove.com. Thanks!

Q: What can I do to help spread the word about Super Much Love?

A few things!

- "Friend" the Super Much Love page on Facebook.

Simply click here. Then just hit the "like" button at the top of the page, under the Super Much Love title.

You can also use/forward this link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Super-Much-Love/117036741687065?ref=sgm

Bonus: "Friending" Super Much Love on Facebook also ensures you receive a link on your news feed whenever a new SML entry is posted. Usually about 3x/week.

- If you or your friends and family aren't on Facebook, please forward to them the following link: www.supermuchlove.blogspot.com

- Become a "follower" of Super Much Love right here on the blog site. Just click the "follow" button on the right side of this page, located just beneath the ads. It requires a google email address - those are free and you can get one lickety-split, should you wish.

Thanks again - lots! - for reading and supporting Super Much Love!

Love,

Melinda

Photo Credit: Getty Images