L’Occitane creams and soaps are the best I’ve ever used.  They’ve extended some special offers to my readers:

L’OCCITANE Free Gift! Get a Hair Care Discovery Set with any $55 purchase. (Restrictions apply. Offer expires June 13, 2010)

Limited Time! FREE Standard Shipping on $40 or more.

L’OCCITANE Peony Makeup Duos. Mix & Match your favorite shades. (offer expires July 6, 2010)

Now is precisely the time we need to be aware of our credit scores.  Lenders have tightened the purse strings on everything, especially mortgages.  Even a few points can make a big difference in the rates you are quoted for insurance, too.  I’ve used Suze’s kit and can recommend it without reservation.  Right now, get it for 20% off through this promotion:

20% off Suze Orman FICO Kit; use promo: SUZEFKP

Very cool…inexpensive, and you get your very own font of your own handwriting:

http://www.yourfonts.com/fontgenerator/472436.html

I noticed a few flakes. So, I’m thinking, I trust Neutrogena.  I got myself a bottle of the T/Gel Therapeutic Shampoo.  Read the directions.  Put it in the shower.  Got myself ready.

The thing I forgot to do was smell the sumbitch before slapping it all over my head.  I thought I was going to pass out.  But, I was committed.  So, I followed the instructions.  Then tried washing out the stench with a different shampoo.  Tea Tree–that should work, it’s pretty strong, I think to myself.  Eight shampoos later, my head still smells like creosote and evil.  The Devil may wear Prada, but even he won’t go near this stuff.

Seems the active ingredient is coal tar.  It’s not cheap, either.  I think it’s because it’s only made one day per year, December 26th.  That’s the day the elves take the coal dust from the bottom of the “naughty” sack and distill it down into a big vat of pure Essence of Santa’s Hatred.

I am going to a fancy tea room for High Tea tomorrow.  I smell like I sleep in a shipyard.

Neutrogena, I trusted you.  I feel violated.  And, for the record, I still have flakes.

For the truly adventurous, (or the criminally insane), you can get it at Drugstore.com.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I sometimes use this site as a platform to talk about things other than handbags.  This is one of those times.

I’m not just crazy about handbags.  I’m also crazy about art.  And, after today, I’m crazy about Blick Art Materials.  I’ve ordered from them several times before, and I have always been very satisfied with their selection and prices.

Long story short, I voiced a complaint via their web interface about a problem I was having with their checkout system.  Turns out, the problem was ME.  I was the one at fault, for not grasping the concept of price changes between the day I placed something in the cart and the day I actually tried to purchase the item. 

The thing is, Lisa, the Order Department Lead, bent over backwards to make me happy, even though it was entirely my fault.  Not only did she explain what had happened in language that didn’t make me feel like an ignoramus, she offered to allow me to complete the order using the (now expired) coupon discount and pricing.  Their webmaster was able to pull the information about which items had been in my (ever-changing) cart at the time.  Lisa even phoned me this morning so that I could complete the order over the phone with a minimum of hassle, and even expedited it so it would go out today.  I was nonplussed! 

I’ve rarely experienced this level of customer service with a retailer, and it’s important that I let other people know, even though this isn’t the best forum.  I know some of you who read my blog are “crafty,” so I thought you might be able to find some goodies on their site.  I swear, they have the largest selection of art and craft supplies I’ve ever seen.  And, their prices are extremely competitive–no need to clip that weekly coupon for “one single item at 40% off” (you know which coupon I mean).  I decided to become an affiliate (which, like all the retail links on this site, merely means that if you shop by clicking through the links here, it supports the site by kicking back a small percentage of the sale) but did not receive any compensation from Blick for reviewing my experience.  Blick was just well worthy of a mention, and I’m happy to do it. 

FREE SHIPPING on orders totaling $200 or more

Follow them on Twitter at @Blick_Art for notice of new sales, happening all the time!