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Mary Kay
Dove® Chocolate direct sales may owe its popularity to the attitude (especially this time of year), “liquid, solid – just get it to my veins…STAT!” The direct sales division, Dove Chocolate Discoveries™, enables people who already have a passion for chocolate to see what else is new – both in the world of chocolate and in each other’s lives. Such was the case for Susan Maddux of Canyon Country, who hosted a DCD party, with chocolatier Angela Freeland of Saugus.
“I was so impressed at how many recipes Angela comes up with,” said Maddux. “She tells you what you need for the recipes you love the most. I am hosting the holiday family get together this year at our home and plan on serving chocolate fondue, a cream puff wreath with chocolate leaves, nuts and berries – and of course chocolate martinis. She also made a hot drink with their Chai drink mix, which was delicious; I think I will serve that too! I think the kids will enjoy that.”
On the night of Maddux’s party, 25-year Canyon Country resident Angela Feather booked a future party date. “The products are flavorful, and none of my friends and family have ever attended one,” said Feather, whose favorite product was the Chocolatini. “I love home parties since it’s a chance to have family and friends over. Most of the time when you sample something at a home party it sells itself and you just sit back and enjoy the company! Who doesn’t like chocolate?!”
Freeland’s top selling product is the Chocolate Martini Mix, which a person can drink with alcohol or not. “I add milk and ice to it,” said Freeland. Add vodka for the chocolate martini. Or use the mix for other purposes. “We even have a balsamic vinaigrette dressing recipe,” she said. Email Angela Freeland at chocolatemartinis4me@gmail.com.
Hearty Fare
And speaking of recipes, Pampered Chef has been hosting “cooking shows” in homes for almost 30 years now, and the dip in the economy may have given the company increased relevance. “More and more people are cooking from home, making my business a necessity, versus a luxury,” said Brandi Round of Canyon Country, a Pampered Chef consultant for more than seven years.
“The reason I started was because I loved the products, and shortly after I was married, my husband ‘totaled’ our car. We needed another car, so I decided to give the minimal commitment with Pampered Chef a try,” Round explained. “I fell in love with the paychecks.”
At Pampered Chef’s parties the guests observe while consultants use the kitchen tools to make food for the group. Right now they are learning about budget-friendly meals that cost $2 per serving, gaining new recipes at the demonstrations.
“My favorite product is hard to choose,” said Round. “There are so many! The ones I use everyday are the food chopper and prep bowls.” Contact Brandi Round at brandiround@dslextreme.com.
A Different Kind of Pampering
Certified massage therapist Marlana Szoke is often a featured guest at “girl’s night out” gatherings. “The hostess gets six people there and everyone gets a 25-minute massage for a dollar a minute, which is $25. The hostess gets hers free,” explained Szoke.
If the party is larger, she will just reduce the length of the massages to accommodate all the guests. A member of the American Massage Therapy Association, Szoke brings a portable massage table and sets it up in a nearby room. “When people want to just hang out and socialize, maybe have wine or something, they call me in for additional pampering,” Szoke said. “When I’m there I offer a discounted rate if they schedule (a massage) that night (for a later date).”
For information contact Marlana at 661-250-8077 or email Marlana@optimum.net.
Familiar Names Get Facelifts
“It’s not your grandmother’s Mary Kay,” said Independent Beauty Consultant April Piroumian.
Though almost 50 years old, Mary Kay, Inc. is constantly updating, according to Piroumian. “The whole line has been completely revamped,” she said. “They put top scientific care in the product – it’s important to them. No money goes to renting counter space. Money goes to research. They research all the trends, look at the fashion world.”
Piroumian’s favorite home parties involve makeup and skincare, but she also does a variety of themes. She has “Martini and Minerals,” where she serves up mineral makeup along with martinis, of course. And she has “Spa Parties” poolside, where guests get foot, hand and lip treatment. When there is a “Party with a Purpose” some of the proceeds go to a charity.
Her passion for the products took Piroumian from a career as a makeup artist for film, videos and celebrities to her current position. “The colors are spectacular and so light you don’t realize you have it on. It’s very, very good for sensitive skin,” she said. “It’s definitely ‘powerhouse skin care.’”
April Piroumian can be reached at (661) 212-2072 or visit www.marykay.com/makemebeautiful.
Increased Wares
Princess House might be a name some of us haven’t heard in awhile, but what the company is serving up may surprise you. “We are no longer limited to crystal,” said representative Sally Javan of Canyon Country. “Now we have cookware and food items. We do cooking shows.”
Javan has a signature dish she usually cooks at the parties, called “Miracle Chicken,” which utilizes the Princess House 2-quart casserole, which has become a popular purchase. “The Magic Chicken dish shows versatility – you can just put it in the microwave and forget about it,” Javan explained. “It has a cover and it cooks the chicken.”
While the name “Princess House” evokes images of the daintiest crystal, it is actually skillets that sell best, according to Javan. And it stems from the company’s response to recent data regarding the potential health threat from Teflon® coating. This “Excalibur” system is used with stainless steel to create a surface with minimal possibilities for wear and abrasions.
Having majored in hotel and restaurant management, Javan began selling Princess House in 1995 earning money for her wedding. She returned to the job because she likes the product – her whole set of dinnerware is Princess House.
“I also like the social part of it; I like meeting people,” said Javan. “I love the cooking part. I’m doing my Rachael Ray thing.” Sally Javan can be contacted at (661) 607-1955 or visit http://princesshouse.com/sjavan.
The Gold Standard
At a time when people are panicked, seeing their wallets empty and their bank accounts diminish, a home party can be a hard-sell. Except this one – its purpose is to let you cash in, not cash out.
The Gold Refinery has representatives in Santa Clarita who will set up at a home party and pay cash to guests for any gold, silver or platinum they bring.
“We pay 70-75 percent of market value,” said Ashley Counts, of The Gold Refinery. “Bring anything, even if you don’t know if it’s gold – coins, silver flatware, keys, anything gold, platinum and silver.”
According to Counts, a woman brought a large cocktail ring to a party recently, and received $300 for it. The owner of the ring said she had only purchased it for $50.
“I have people saying to me, ‘I didn’t know how I was going to pay for Christmas this year, but now I can.’ Especially around the holidays, it’s really helping,” said Counts. “I don’t know any other party where you can walk out with cash.”
The most unusual item Counts saw exchanged at a gold party was teeth. “It was a dentist who had his own practice for 30 years and he had gold teeth, some of them with the porcelain still attached,” she said. “It was over $6,000 in gold teeth.”
The company uses several different methods for testing and measuring the value. “Anything that sticks to a magnet is not gold,” she said. “We have an ultrasound machine, so we can tell if it’s 18-, 10-, 14-karat. We have an acid test too. If the acid does nothing, then it’s gold.”
To bring The Gold Refinery to a home party, call Ashley Counts at (310) 497-6773.
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