Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Friday, January 13, 2012
January 13, 2012
Here's your only clue to today's Promotional Frenzy Team Leader Tribute - Mary Tyler Moore was a young, Exuberant, "girl-about-town". Always available to perk up your day, even when hers wasn't going so well, Mary was the epitome of young career women during the 70's. So now forty years later, we have our very own "It Girl", a fashion icon in the making, our very own Magda of MagdaMagdaFashion!
In her own words, "Being a self-taught designer from Romania, I enjoy and try to make the most of my uniquely novel experience in India where I live, love and create at the moment! I love the creative process, to sink deep and go far and get to a surprise destination can bring so much inner satisfaction - so that's my favorite game!
I inherited sewing genes from my grandmothers, so it was just a matter of time till I started sewing. One of my grandmothers taught me how to knit by the age of 4 and that’s also when i started to fervently fill notebooks with dress designs. In primary school I was filling my spare time with a bit of everything – fashion sketches, knitting with brushes (coz my mother used to hide the knitting needles from me – yes, I was the ultimate threat to useful thread, and yes I was that determined!). Also curtains were transformed into skirts, skirts into tops thanks to my voracious and obsessive talent:. I love that I dared work on bags and accessories also and added new flavor and glamor to projects that included recycled materials. It’s hard to pick a favorite out of my blouse designs, its a different experience that leads to each one of them and I’m always looking forward to my next one."
Here's some of the exciting items you can find in Magda's shop
Magda is our team's Information Station - need to know about something, need some pointers on how to get a task accomplished, not sure what that darn button does over there - Check with Magda! A seemingly tireless, plethora of information, she's always willing to lend a helping hand when she can, even when it's the middle of the night in her part of the world!
Here's to a wonderful woman. Don't forget to tell all your friends, "we knew her when...." Thanks, Magda for all you do for the team and your teammies!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
December 14, 2011
Anything Can Happen Wednesday
My children get out of school for the holiday break this coming Friday, December 16th. Two weeks ago, I was feeling a tad bit overwhelmed and more than ready for them to be home (three less “things” to have to prepare every day), but now that it’s almost time….AAAGGGGGHHHHH!
It’s actually more planning to have them home during the school hours than at school. I totally forgot about preparing lunches and planning activities (no way are they vegging in front of the tv with video games for two weeks) and sharing my daily routine with theirs. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE spending time with my boys (my daughter can’t come home for the holidays, she just got a new job), I just have to have a game plan that will hold the interests of a 15-, 13- and 6 year old boy.
Lunch Plans
My sons love hanging out in the kitchen, sometimes with me, sometimes not. Lunch plans look like this:
| Sat, Dec 17 – Homemade Burgers and Fresh Cut Fries | Sun, Dec 18 – Mom & Son Day – Mom’s Ramen Noodles | Mon, Dec 19 – Sub Sandwiches | Tues, Dec 20 – Mom & Son Day Tuna Salad |
| Wed, Dec 21 – Middle Son’s Birthday – Meatloaf/Mashed Potato “Cupcakes” | Thurs, Dec 22 – Spaghetti-Os and Mondo Salad | Fri, Dec 23 – Mom & Son Day – Mug o’ Tomato & Grilled Cheese Soup | Sat, Dec 24 – Brunch: Pancakes, Bacon, Sausage & Eggs |
| Sun, Dec 25 – Leftovers All Day | Mon, Dec 26 –International Week – Sushi, Tempura Shrimp, Rice Noodles | Tues, Dec 27 – International Week – Grape Leaves, Hummus & Chicken Shwarma | Wed, Dec 28 – International Week – Bratwurst & Sauerkraut, Potato Pancakes |
| Thurs, Dec 29 – International Week – Polynesian Chicken Skewers | Fri, Dec 30 – Boys’ Day In The Kitchen – Make Your Own Pizzas | Sat, Dec 31 – Ramen Noodles (Eating feast with family tonight) | Sun, Jan 1 – Day At The Movies – Hot Dogs, Potato Chips & Milk Shakes |
| Mon, Jan 2 – Fish and Chips | BACK TO SCHOOL!!! | | |
Activities
| Sat, Dec 17 | Put up Christmas Tree, decorate the house (tree, lights, bulbs and garland inside & out) |
| Mon, Dec 19 | Mom’s Date with Son #1 – Window Shopping at the mall (Must check out the new high school fashions while allowing him to flirt with girls as if I don’t notice ^_^) |
| Tues, Dec 20 | Gift making day – (Make presents, bake goodies, wrap it all up for gifting) |
| Wed, Dec 21 | Middle Son Birthday Celebration/Kick’s TaeKwonDo Holiday Party (older boys are Black Belts) |
| Thur, Dec 22 | Mom’s Date with Son #2 – Lunch Date @ Buffalo Wild Wings (who can eat the hottest wing sauce challenge – he usually wins) |
| Fri, Dec 23 | Great American Wii Decathalon! (Just Dance, Wii Sports, Wii Games – May the best mom win – hee hee) |
| Sat, Dec 24 | Christmas Eve at the Grandparents House (A family tradition!) |
| Sun, Dec 25 | Boys visit with Dads (my time to recover from the late Xmas eve celebration) |
| Mon, Dec 26 | Veg out in front of the TV all day – Movie Marathons |
| Tues, Dec 27 | Prep Day for Back to School (Laundry, School Work, Clean Back Packs, etc) |
| Thur, Dec 29 | Shopping for Pizza fixings |
| Fri, Dec 30 | Mom’s Date with Son #3 – Play Date @ Arcade (bells and whistles for 6 year olds) |
| Sat, Dec 31 | Prep for Mondo Dinner with Family for New Year’s Eve Celebrations |
| Sun, Jan 1 | Let’s Go To The Movies (Boys watch the games, Gals go to the movies) |
Friday, November 25, 2011
Holiday Time, November 2011
So here I was, on a blogging roll when this fabulous 10 day show popped up on my calendar of events. Ten days?!?! Low booth fees?!?! How could I not be there? Aahhhh, but how do I communicate this information to my local customers at the last minute? How do I tell my online customers that I'm having a sale to commemorate this awesome event? I could try phone calls or individual emails, but where does that fit into the production schedule?
Let me let you in on a secret, I recently discovered to handle this. Okay, not so recently discovered, at least not in the big scheme of things. I know you've seen those signs everywhere saying "TEXT _______ to _______ and receive ________". I know I have. I get text coupons from Cold Stone Creamery and Payless Shoe Source just for sending a code text to some random code. Great for big business, but what about us little guys (and gals) who want to do the same thing? Enter the WWW (world wide web, for you non computer geeks)!
I started researching services and found some serious information out there. Customer service runs the full gamut from basic "you-run-the-whole-thing" to ultra supreme "just-tell-us-and-we'll-make-it-happen-for-you". One of the companies I checked out is Textingly. Textingly is a online based text message software. It's like having instant messenger with all your customers at one time. Customers can respond to you and you get real feedback in real time. You manage the messages from your computer. Better yet, you can try the service for free....yes, that what I said, FREE.
Soooo, now you've seen the video, your interest is peaked and you're wondering what to do next...it's easy. Try it out, click the link on my sidebar or the one right here and see for yourself how you can utilize the service. Me? I'm trying it out for my holiday specials, so if you want to find out what they are, email/convo me your cell phone number and you can get a second hand look at how it works. Don't worry, you can always opt out and never hear from me again, but what fun would that be (tee hee)?
Okay, so that's it for today's Fun with Music and Video. I know it's not Monday, but I promise I'll be back in full swing on Tuesday!
Happy Holidays and remember, we can celebrate Thanksgiving everyday of our lives by appreciating all the people and things we have around us.
Let me let you in on a secret, I recently discovered to handle this. Okay, not so recently discovered, at least not in the big scheme of things. I know you've seen those signs everywhere saying "TEXT _______ to _______ and receive ________". I know I have. I get text coupons from Cold Stone Creamery and Payless Shoe Source just for sending a code text to some random code. Great for big business, but what about us little guys (and gals) who want to do the same thing? Enter the WWW (world wide web, for you non computer geeks)!
I started researching services and found some serious information out there. Customer service runs the full gamut from basic "you-run-the-whole-thing" to ultra supreme "just-tell-us-and-we'll-make-it-happen-for-you". One of the companies I checked out is Textingly. Textingly is a online based text message software. It's like having instant messenger with all your customers at one time. Customers can respond to you and you get real feedback in real time. You manage the messages from your computer. Better yet, you can try the service for free....yes, that what I said, FREE.
Soooo, now you've seen the video, your interest is peaked and you're wondering what to do next...it's easy. Try it out, click the link on my sidebar or the one right here and see for yourself how you can utilize the service. Me? I'm trying it out for my holiday specials, so if you want to find out what they are, email/convo me your cell phone number and you can get a second hand look at how it works. Don't worry, you can always opt out and never hear from me again, but what fun would that be (tee hee)?
Okay, so that's it for today's Fun with Music and Video. I know it's not Monday, but I promise I'll be back in full swing on Tuesday!
Happy Holidays and remember, we can celebrate Thanksgiving everyday of our lives by appreciating all the people and things we have around us.
Friday, November 18, 2011
November 18, 2011
Friday is Talent Round-Up Day!
So let me introduce you to one of the men inside one of my favorite Etsy teams - the Promotional Frenzy Team. I first came across Martin while looking for balloon pictures for a treasury and I found this:
So I was pleasantly surprised when a few weeks later, I saw that Martin was a new member of the PFTeam.
Martin's shop is called GraphMagics. A cool shop full of acrylic and metal necklaces, brooches, pins and earrings in funky shapes, many of which evoke memories from my growing up years.
As a graphic design student Martin started experimenting design with different tools and materials. But he's not a limited artist. Not only does he play the guitar (music is one of his passions), he has been learning contact juggling and uses it to relax in his free time.
Hailing from the beautiful Buenos Aires, Martin has also been learning how to work with epoxy resin and polyester resin in many different ways. According to him, "This became more than a hobby, almost an obsession with shapes, colors, light, perfect roundness of my resin pieces. I dedicated a lot of time to it. I love spending all the afternoon paper-sanding and polishing pieces if they look perfect at night. Currently I am working on metal most of my time in my home studio."
Martin wants to share his creations and hopes people like it and get inspired by them. So I was inspired to put Martin to the ABC test. I asked him to choose several random letters from the alphabet and use them to describe himself (yes, a short version of the The ABCs of Me). Here's what he came up with (in random order):
M - Musician, J - Juggler, I - Independent, G - Graphic Designer, S - Skater,
G - Guitarrist, R - Resin Crafter, A - Artistic, D - Drummer, T - Twenty Three Years Old,
D - Dog Lover, S - Shower Singer, M - Metal Crafter
He forgot one...F - Fantastic!!
Take a moment and drop by GraphMagics. I think you'll like (read LOVE) what you find there!
Have a great weekend!
So let me introduce you to one of the men inside one of my favorite Etsy teams - the Promotional Frenzy Team. I first came across Martin while looking for balloon pictures for a treasury and I found this:
Martin's shop is called GraphMagics. A cool shop full of acrylic and metal necklaces, brooches, pins and earrings in funky shapes, many of which evoke memories from my growing up years.
As a graphic design student Martin started experimenting design with different tools and materials. But he's not a limited artist. Not only does he play the guitar (music is one of his passions), he has been learning contact juggling and uses it to relax in his free time.
Hailing from the beautiful Buenos Aires, Martin has also been learning how to work with epoxy resin and polyester resin in many different ways. According to him, "This became more than a hobby, almost an obsession with shapes, colors, light, perfect roundness of my resin pieces. I dedicated a lot of time to it. I love spending all the afternoon paper-sanding and polishing pieces if they look perfect at night. Currently I am working on metal most of my time in my home studio."
Martin wants to share his creations and hopes people like it and get inspired by them. So I was inspired to put Martin to the ABC test. I asked him to choose several random letters from the alphabet and use them to describe himself (yes, a short version of the The ABCs of Me). Here's what he came up with (in random order):
M - Musician, J - Juggler, I - Independent, G - Graphic Designer, S - Skater,
G - Guitarrist, R - Resin Crafter, A - Artistic, D - Drummer, T - Twenty Three Years Old,
D - Dog Lover, S - Shower Singer, M - Metal Crafter
He forgot one...F - Fantastic!!
Take a moment and drop by GraphMagics. I think you'll like (read LOVE) what you find there!
Have a great weekend!
Friday, November 11, 2011
November 11, 2011
reprinted from www.mlive.com
Motown and mistletoe: New festival seeks to re-create Detroit Christmas past
Published: Sunday, October 30, 2011, 3:31 AM Updated: Monday, October 31, 2011, 11:13 AM
From the time he was 7 or 8 years old, Loeb, 51, remembers where Christmas magic happened — and it was not the North Pole for his Ann Arbor-based family. It was downtown Detroit. As for many families at the time, the holiday tradition was an excursion to Hudson’s Department store, the Christmas mecca of its day.
“It was a completely overwhelming feeling, the lights everywhere, moving mechanical figures, trains running around,” Loeb said. “Everywhere you looked, there was motion and lights and everybody was having a good time.”
He hopes the new festival becomes part of Detroit Christmas future for each family that visits today.
“I want people to feel astounded, even people in their 50s to feel 7 again,” he said.
The new festival spans the period between the ceremonial lighting of the city’s Christmas tree in Campus Martius Park, and America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade weekend. The main feature will be the European-style Christmas markets featuring gifts from around the globe.
Those booths will be supplemented by live music, food and a “Motor City Market,” featuring Detroit-centric gifts. A giant Ferris wheel will dwarf Campus Martius park, home to the city’s official Christmas tree and an ice skating rink. A carousel and a “magic” elevator will transport children straight to the North Pole with special effects.
Magic for adults will come in the form of a traditional German beer garden where brews will be served in traditional boot-shaped mugs. There also will be mulled wine and roasted chestnuts. A Michigan twist on the European traditions will be the addition of a giant heated tent, Loeb said.
“In Christmas markets all over the world, the event is outdoors and people stay outdoors,” he said. “In Michigan, I’m not feeling the love for that yet.”
Organizers are working with the International Institute of Detroit to spotlight many countries with Christmas booths, food and gifts and to weave traditions of those countries in with the holiday traditions of the United States and the Midwest. While keeping “Christmas” in the name might be somewhat controversial, Loeb said, organizers wanted to establish a link to some 800 years of Christmas markets in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.
The establishment of such markets as a way to help spark a renaissance of downtown shopping was part of the plan when Campus Martius Park was created nearly a decade ago, Loeb said, but other improvements kept taking precedence. This seemed to be the year to make it happen, partly because several prominent businesses moved back to downtown, bringing back 200 stores spread across many buildings throughout downtown. This also seems to be the year of Detroit, Loeb believes, thanks in part to the feel-good Chrysler commercial that aired during the Super Bowl and the winning seasons of the city's sports teams.
Those who want to identify with Detroit will have their chance through the festival and available gifts. The Motor City Marketplace will give people a chance to “really show their colors,” Loeb said, through merchandise provided by a variety of city institutions, including the Henry Ford museum, Motown Museum, Pewabic Pottery, the Charles W. Wright Museum of African American History and the Detroit Historical Museum.
“For years, Detroit events were about bringing people downtown to show them they might want to come back,” Loeb said. “Now that they’re willing to go downtown, let’s get them exploring a little more, making them Detroiters again.”
The commercial and sports aren’t the only reasons for the downtown renaissance, said Renee Monforton, communications director of the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau. There’s been a transformation of the riverfront with a new five-mile pedestrian walkway and, over the past few years, the addition of 2,000 new hotel rooms, three casinos and several new restaurants.
She’s excited about the timing of this festival, she said, because she, too, remembers the magic of Christmas in Detroit. As a young girl, she would get dressed up to go to Hudson’s with her family, then to Sanders for a hot fudge cream puff.
It’s great to kick the event off with the lighting of a tree she thinks will come to rival the one in Rockefeller Center and go through the America’s Thanksgiving Parade, this year themed “So Much to Believe In.”
“I think there’ll be a lot of people who remember how great it was to be here,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Email Kim Schneider: kimschneider@chartermi.net
Thursday, November 10, 2011
November 10, 2011
51 Stops on a Treasure Map – Can you find all 51 Treasure Icons?
3. CalliopeAZCreations – www.calliopeazcreations.etsy.com
Handmade Jewelry, Medicine Stones, Decorated Feathers
Handmade Jewelry, Medicine Stones, Decorated Feathers
4. jQ jewelry designs – www.jQjewelrydesigns.etsy.com
Gemstone Jewelry that is Classic … with an Edge
Gemstone Jewelry that is Classic … with an Edge
5. KrystalsJewelry – www.krystalsjewelry.etsy.com
Intricate Handmade Jewelry of all styles for all tastes
Intricate Handmade Jewelry of all styles for all tastes
8. Peelirohini – Peelirohini.etsy.com
Colorful and Unique Sterling silver , Gold fill Jewelry with Genuine Gemstones and/or Polymer Clay
Colorful and Unique Sterling silver , Gold fill Jewelry with Genuine Gemstones and/or Polymer Clay
9. Sunny Crystals - www.etsy.com/shop/SunnyCrystals
Crystal Tumblestones, Natural Gemtone Jewellery & Decoupage Cards plus a bit of Vintage Jewellery
Crystal Tumblestones, Natural Gemtone Jewellery & Decoupage Cards plus a bit of Vintage Jewellery
10. Symbolic Imports – www.SymbolicImports.etsy.com
Handmade Bath & Body – Lip balms, Sugar Scrubs, Handmade Soaps, Perfumes & more!
Handmade Bath & Body – Lip balms, Sugar Scrubs, Handmade Soaps, Perfumes & more!
11. Beautifulswagstore – www.etsy.com/shop/beautifulswagstore
hair accessories, dog toys, baby gift sets, home decor, gift wrapping
hair accessories, dog toys, baby gift sets, home decor, gift wrapping
14. BountyOfBeads – www.etsy.com/shop/bountyofbeads
Handmade Bead Dangle Drop Charm Sets and Trinity Brass Findings
Jewelry Making Supplies
Handmade Bead Dangle Drop Charm Sets and Trinity Brass Findings
Jewelry Making Supplies
15. Fair Lady Boutique – www.etsy.com/shop/fairladyboutique
A Beading Boutique with vintage beads + components, Czech glass, gemstones, and custom made bead mixes
A Beading Boutique with vintage beads + components, Czech glass, gemstones, and custom made bead mixes
16. HollysFollyGlass – www.etsy.com/shop/HollysFollyGlass
Fine and fun Lampwork Glass Beads by artist Holly Dare.
Fine and fun Lampwork Glass Beads by artist Holly Dare.
17. Glitterbird Glass – www.etsy.com/shop/GlitterbirdGlass
Home decor and jewelry made from beautiful fused glass.
Home decor and jewelry made from beautiful fused glass.
18. CrochetedbyCharlene – www.etsy.com/shop/CrochetedbyCharlene
Beautiful crocheted afghans, accessories, and much more.
Beautiful crocheted afghans, accessories, and much more.
21. Crystalphotography – www.etsy.com/shop/crystalphotography
Fine Art Photography Prints and Greeting Cards
Fine Art Photography Prints and Greeting Cards
22. iaFlowerPower – www.etsy.com/shop/iaFlowerPower
Whimsical Crocheted and Knitted Baby Hats and more
Whimsical Crocheted and Knitted Baby Hats and more
23. Gabby’s Quilts – www.etsy.com/shop/GabbysQuilts
Handcrafted Quilts, Tablerunners, Wallhangings and Embroidered Gifts
Handcrafted Quilts, Tablerunners, Wallhangings and Embroidered Gifts
25. LostLemonade – www.etsy.com/shop/LostLemonade
Body Care Products made to cleanse, moisturize and soothe
Body Care Products made to cleanse, moisturize and soothe
26. RomanticThoughts – RomanticThoughts.etsy.com
Handcrafted Jewelry, PreMade Scrapbook Pages, Vintage Items and More
Handcrafted Jewelry, PreMade Scrapbook Pages, Vintage Items and More
28. KatersAcres – katersacres.etsy.com
Polymer Clay Creations, Trinkets, & Treasures with a Whimsical Feel
Polymer Clay Creations, Trinkets, & Treasures with a Whimsical Feel
30. Ugly Duckling Beads – www.etsy.com/shop/uglyducklingbeads
Handmade glass beads, digital collage sheets, tutorials, and jewelry
Handmade glass beads, digital collage sheets, tutorials, and jewelry
33. Greenhouse Glassworks – www.greenhouseglassworks.etsy.com
Fused Glass Jewelry, Stained Glass Home Decor, and Handmade Cards and Tags
Fused Glass Jewelry, Stained Glass Home Decor, and Handmade Cards and Tags
38. Lexilouflowers – www.etsy.com/shop/LexiLouFlowers?ref=si_shop
Hair Accessories, Feather headbands, and Hair ties
Hair Accessories, Feather headbands, and Hair ties
40. LexiekinPrints – www.etsy.com/shop/LexiekinPrints
Personalized, customized and Printable Invitations, tags, cards and more!
Personalized, customized and Printable Invitations, tags, cards and more!
41. Turtlexiii - www.turtlexiii.etsy.com
Sterling Silver Jewelry with Swarovski Crystals and Pearls, Gemstones & more.
Sterling Silver Jewelry with Swarovski Crystals and Pearls, Gemstones & more.
43. AshlynDesign – www.ashlyndesign.etsy.com
Artisan handmade lampwork beads, metal charms, and finished jewelry
Artisan handmade lampwork beads, metal charms, and finished jewelry
46. LindaB – www.lindab142.etsy.com
Artisan crafted beaded and wire wrapped jewelry, Jewish jewelry and accessories, wire beaded kippot
Artisan crafted beaded and wire wrapped jewelry, Jewish jewelry and accessories, wire beaded kippot
47. DellCoveSpices – dellcovespices.etsy.com
hand mixed spices, magnetic spice kits, cocktail sugars & margarita salts, organic popcorn, popcorn toppings & other treats
hand mixed spices, magnetic spice kits, cocktail sugars & margarita salts, organic popcorn, popcorn toppings & other treats
49. craftycreations81 – www.etsy.com/shop/craftycreations81
Peacock feather items, wedding items and items for newborns/children
Peacock feather items, wedding items and items for newborns/children
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