There are things you expect to deal with when you become a property manager. Budgets. Contractors. Landscaping. Complaints. Meetings. Lots and lots of meetings. And then there are geese. And bullfrogs. Apparently, somewhere along the way, wildlife management became part of my job description. Let’s Start with My Nemesis: Geese I have learned more about geese during my 42 years in property management than I would really like to admit. Many of the associations I manage have dra

February 5–7, 2027 | Hilton Garden Inn, East Syracuse, NY It’s happening again! 💙 There’s something pretty special about getting away for a weekend with your crafty friends. No laundry calling your name. No errands that need to be run. No feeling guilty because you’ve spent the entire afternoon working on one project. Just time to create, laugh, relax and enjoy being together. And for 2027, we’re making things even cozier because we’re adding a PAJAMA theme! 🩷❄️ Pack your f

One thing you’re going to notice as I share these Property Scoop stories is that I’m going to wander back and forth between the past and the present. After 42 years in property management, there are just too many stories to tell them in order! And boy, has technology changed during those years. I can actually remember when the question came up in our office: Should we buy a fax machine? My response? “Why in the heck would we need a fax machine?” If I only knew what was coming

Boo Bundle By Tastefully Simple Here’s an idea— don’t make all this Halloween yum by yourself! 🎃 Grab a Boo Bundle, invite a few of your favorite ghoul-friends over, and turn it into a Halloween kitchen night! Pick a few of the exclusive recipes, have everyone help make something, and then sit down together to sample your spooky creations. You could even ask each friend to bring something to go along with the recipes—crackers, veggies, bread, drinks, or a Halloween sweet tre

One of the many life lessons I learned from owning my own business was this: NEVER assume ANYTHING. And when I say anything, I mean anything. There were times over the years when an employee would leave and we couldn’t find a replacement right away. When that happened, we would sometimes turn to a temporary agency. One position we absolutely had to keep covered was our front desk. We needed someone there to greet people as they came into the office and, of course, answer the

Tastefully Simple describes Oh My! Chai® Drink Mix as a smooth and creamy blend of black tea, cinnamon and warm spices. And one of my favorite things about it? Just add water. No collecting five different spices from the cupboard. No complicated recipe. Just mix up a warm mug and enjoy. For September 2026, Oh My! Chai® Drink Mix is available as a Bonus Buy for $9.99 with any order of $59 or more. But Don't Stop at a Mug of Chai... This is where I think things get fun. Of cour

Have you ever opened your freezer and thought, “There is absolutely no room in here!”…and then headed to the grocery store to buy more food? 😂 That was us. Scott and I had a freezer that was jam-packed and a cupboard that was practically bursting at the seams. Every time we brought home groceries, the new stuff went in front, on top, or wherever we could squeeze it in. And the stuff in the back? Well…some of it stayed there a little too long. I finally decided enough was eno

If fall had a snack bowl, I’m pretty sure this would be it. 🍁 Cinnamon, chocolate, buttery pretzels and crunchy cereal all tossed together into one ridiculously easy munch mix. Even better? It takes only about 5 minutes of hands-on time to get it into the oven. As a Tastefully Simple Ambassador, I’m always finding recipes that make me think, Okay, I need to try that one. Their Cinnamon Roll Munch Mix definitely made the list—and with fall officially arriving, this seemed lik

Wait… Stampin’ Up! has a product you can get for just $5?! 🙌 Yep—and it’s not clearance or some random little add-on. Each month, Stampin’ Up! releases an exclusive Product of the Month that you can purchase for only $5 with a qualifying order. September’s is gorgeous—and if you love pretty paper, you’re going to want to see this one. 👀 I LOVE this program! Of course, there are a few things you need to know, so instead of making you dig through all the fine print, I’m brea

You probably wouldn't expect to find Post-it Super Sticky Notes on my list of favorite stamping supplies—but I keep them in my craft room for one very specific reason: Stamp masking! Masking is one of my favorite little tricks when I want stamped images to overlap and look like they're sitting naturally in front of or behind one another. I simply stamp the image I want to mask onto a Post-it Note, cut around it, and place it over the stamped image on my project. Then I can st

Every craft room needs that pair of scissors you reach for when your regular paper scissors just aren't going to cut it—literally. These ALLEX Heavy Duty Japanese Stainless Steel Scissors are small, but they're designed for tougher, more detailed cutting jobs. They have stainless-steel blades, comfortable handles and slightly curved blade tips that make them especially handy when you're working with small pieces or trying to maneuver around details. They're marketed for cutti