Oprah's Favorite Things 2009-2010 Well Actually Michelle's Favorite Things

Well every year Oprah does a special show on her favorite things for the previous year. She shares her list with her worldwide viewing audience and the lucky few who are in the studio actually receive all of her favs.  Some things are very extravagant: Sony Vio Notebook computers, Blackberrys, and washer/dryer combos, while some are not: melted chocolate cake batter, cookbooks, and key lime cakes.  But all of the items she gives away have something in common-she likes and has used/tried  them all.  I decided to compile a list of my favorite things for 2009.  Unlike Oprah, none of my things are extravagant, most are very very simple and inexpensive, but just like Oprah I really do like the things on my list and use them every chance I get.  I've included links to sites where you can purchase some of my favs if you find yourself so inclined. 

One of my favorite places to get some of my favorite things is the Secret Garden Candle Company. The SGCC's main store is located in beautiful downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The store carries a wide variety of items including: candles in a variety of sizes, fragrance diffusers, room sprays, fragrance beads, gift baskets, candle accessories, and household decorative items. The cost of their items is very competitive and they even have a special clearance area in the back where you can get huge discounts on seasonal items. Some of the scents they offer are: poundcake, sugar cookie, grandma's kitchen, kahula beach, timber, scrumptious, escape, mother's love, and many many more.  My current favorite scents are: fall festival ( a mix of pumpkin and other spices), cappuccino, blackberry apple, and escape.  Everyone in my family has been won over by the secret garden-my husband and son included.  My son has a bag filled with their fragrance beads hanging in his truck, and my husband is always lighting the candles whenever he comes home from a hard day at the firestation.  They make awesome gifts and the salespeople will  gift wrap them for you.  The store also offers a frequent purchaser card, for every 20 dollars you spend you get a stamp-after 10 stamps you get 20 dollars in free candles-A heck of a deal.  You can visit the secret garden candle company at

 Would you like to write for Hubpages? It simple to sign up just click this link.

Oh My Goodness-Have you tried Nutella? It is the most awesome desserty type spreadable nut butter on the market. Nutella is made from a combination of hazelnuts, skim milk, and cocoa. The best way to describe the taste is to say that it tastes just like a piece of Ferrero Rocher chocolate. You are supposed to use this delightful spread on breads, but I much prefer to use my finger. My husband loves to use this on top of a banana or melted over pancakes. The product was originally invented in Italy in the 1940 and came in the form of a loaf. Moms back then would put a slab of the nutbutter between two pieces of bread for their kids but soon found their children were throwing away the bread and just eating the nutella. When the inventor Pietro Ferrero discovered this he altered the recipe to make nutella more spreadable. It was first imported into the US in the 1980's in the northeastern part of the country but can be found all over the United States now.

This "favorite" is the most expensive thing on my list. If you want a good purse that is going to last you for years then take my advice and invest in a Dooney Bourke. I still have and use purses that I purchased 10 years ago. They look great, are extremely easy to clean, and I still get complements on them. The purses range in price from $100-$650, but trust me it is worth the investment. The purses are a classic and never go out of style. There are tons of different styles to choose from and the purses come in a variety of materials ranging from leathers to fabrics to canvas. You can purchase them at stores like Macy's and Dillards, or order them online at www.dooney.com. You can also get them at Dooney Bourke outlet stores, on QVC the home shopping network, and even on ebay. There are other websites that sell the purses, but beware-some of them are knock-off copies. To be sure you are getting a genuine Dooney Bourke look for the serial number on the inside of each bag. When you get a genuine bag you also receive a registration card-if you don't get the card you need to question the authenticity of the bag.

All Irish Creams are not equal. Most are made with Irish whiskey, cream, and Irish spirits. What makes Carolans special is an extra ingredient: honey. The honey makes the liquor absolutely delicious and is the reason that I prefer Carolans over Baileys Irish Cream. The Irish Cream itself is a thick liquid that many people drink straight or on the rocks. I prefer to drink mine mixed with milk (Carolans and Cream) and occasionally with milk and Frangelico hazelnut liquor (A Nutty Irishman). Carolans is also delicious when mixed with hot chocolate (Carolans BomBon). You can find lots of Irish Cream recipes on the Carolans website. If you currently drink Baileys or another brand of Irish cream-I encourage you to try Carolans-drink it once and you will never go back to another brand.

If you've gone to a movie recently chances are you have seen the little shakers of Kernel Seasons Popcorn Seasonings for sale.  The product is designed to add different flavors to your movie popcorn.  I bought some recently and now I am HOOKED.  I purchased the white cheddar and I must say-Delicious!  It really does add a good flavor to your popcorn.  I saw the nacho cheese flavor at our local walmart, purchased it, and once again-Delicious.  You just sprinkle it on top of your popcorn and get prepared for a flavor treat.  Now I have to say it doesn't stick to the popcorn very well so it's best if you sprinkle it as you eat it-but when I went to the website I saw that they sell popcorn "spritzer" which is supposed to help the flavorings adhere to the popcorn. Call me crazy but it looks like Pam cooking spray to me!  The website also has flavors that I didn't even know were available: jalapeno, ranch, chocolate marshmallow, caramel,Cajun, barbecue, apple cinnamon, chili lime, salt and vinegar, and sour cream and onion.  I plan to order a pack of the different flavors as soon as I finish this hub!  For around 3 bucks a shaker you really can't beat it.  Try it, I guarantee you will love it.

 Well there they are-my top favorite things for 2009.  I hope you enjoyed this hub and I hope you go and try at least one of my "favorites"- if you do I guarantee you won't be disappointed.