Score!

Okay, I know I'm not supposed to buy anything more, and I really mean to stick to that, but these are beautiful, and I bought them all for me, and I can't wait till they get here to string on some light tan greek leather and make a pretty spring/summer necklace all for me! :)



Plus - and here's the insanely cool part - they were cheap!!! Only $14 plus shipping, which was nothing, considering they're coming from Australia, and the whole bunch was still just under $20. ::happy, happy sigh of contentment::

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. I put in many, many long hours at the day job and am tonight working on the documentary. If all goes well - which is horrible to say, because I really do need to work, but I don't want to - I will have most of tomorrow and all of Tuesday off, to work on the documentary, and perhaps also most of Wednesday. So maybe I can wrap up the documentary and get that monkey off my back, one less thing to worry about and be responsible for. Woohoo! And all the samples are finally launched and outta here, and some of the fun ones I got have already gone out. :)

I'm very excitedly waiting for the galleries to go up on Nesting With Style and for Lizzy Wishes to launch...2006 looks fun from here. :)

ciao!
Jenie

Thank You, Too

I should also extend my thanks and appreciation to Laurie and Zuzu, both of whom are wonderful and supportive and totally rock. :) So thank you ladies, too.

Jenie

Thank You

You know, when you've had a year off to basically pursue your own stuff and do what you like doing, a day job is just that much more onerous when you return to the daily grind. I so very much hate it and long for the day when Nicole and I have our little shop or Dragonfly Design Group makes enough money to be 100% self-sustaining and supporting.

I am thankful for the people in my life who are helping me make that happen. In particular, I would like to thank Nicole, KJ, Amy, Lauren, and Jeaneen.

Happy Thanksgiving, ladies. You rock.

Jenie

I want my mommy. And chicken soup.

It's been bound to happen, what with all I have to get done and the stress that that and a lack of funds has been creating, but I have really gotten smacked right upside the head with a virus, and it's clobbering me. My throat hurts, it's all hot and scratchy, and I just want to lie down and pull a serious Rip Van Winkle.

So of course it goes without saying, I can't.

The last of the Christmas samples showed up today; little travel mirrors from Bags With Style, and they're very cute, fun, and feminine. I love them. :)

I just got paid and have already clipped thru $300 and have at *least* another $210 to spend on bills. My money is gone. :( This of course precipitated a discussion in which the significant other felt compelled to lecture me on spending all my money the second I get it. I pointed out that $100 of it was stuff for the house: toothpaste, detergent(s), tissue paper, etc. The rest of it was stuff like gas, office supplies, some jewelry supplies that unfurtunately have to be purchased because I have to have them in stock in order to fill orders and create new designs (ie. headpins), but which do not result in immediate income; postage, and food. I have to pony up some new designs and update the website too, so while I have money, I had to buy stuff to do that with. And yes, I have other things on-hand, but a lot of them are summer/spring components and not really appropriate for winter/fall fashion. Seriously though, I can not buy another thing I do not absolutely need until waaaaaay after the holidays.

And now I'm completely freaking out, because I am an impulse/remorse buyer, who constantly thinks "Hey, I have $5 - oh look, that totally cool thing is only $5, I must buy it; oh no, what was I thinking - why did I buy that thing? I needed this money for gas. I suck. Life sucks. What am I going to do now?"

Seriously, I need someone to follow me around and approve all my purchases while keeping me on a strict allowance. Because I have no head for money or budgeting at all. :( If I ever have money, I am hiring a personal assistant to keep me on schedule and tell me "no; put that down," and an accountant to manage my money. Namely, my mom, because Mom is the strictest person with money I've ever known. She's a shrewd financial cookie, my mom. I wish I'd learned more from her as a kid instead of rebelling and going the other direction. I firmly think the reason money burns a hole in my pocket now is because my mother would never let me spend it when I was younger. It's feast or famine, baby.

Feast or Famine.

Gotta go. I have trades to make. And if the stupid USC football game ever ends, a documentary to work on. It's the neverending story, that thing.

Peace out,
Jenie

Happy Birthday, Nicole!

:) Today is my friend Nicole's birthday, and she loooooves her Freshly Baked Samples box from Wickedly Chic. :) See how sneaky I was, to say they were all sold out while leaving out that I had gotten the last one?! :) I would also like to thank Amy, because I told her it was for Nicole's birthday, and she made sure it was an extra special box and wrote a birthday card for Nicole and everything, so thank you, Amy!!!

It's Here!

I got my Wickedly Chic Freshly Baked Samples box Saturday, and it's totally awesome! :) I've never seen so many body products in my entire life, from soaps to bath salts and body butters, moisturizers, lip balms, manicure pens (it files, it cleans, it pushes, it even writes!), pink grapefruit & coconut spray that smells like the beach, a purse mirror, earrings, a coin purse, bracelet, all kinds of stuff. I'm totally set for body products now...thank you, Wickedly Chic!!!

Have I mentioned there are treats?

Today's arrivals were fabulously fun keyfobs from Melanie Sanders of Crandon's (who really needs to get a website or at the very least, a blog!) and cute little credit/business card holders from Nicole of Soleil Rouge.

I mailed out my own samples to other businesses, and now I'm freaking out that everyone is or will be disappointed with the samples they got from me and will feel they got the short end of the stick. Seriously. I'm about to have a nervous breakdown over the deal. :( I asked for small stuff, thinking people would send cute little promos like 1" buttons or fridge magnets, clips, that kind of thing. I really wasn't prepared for people to send *product*. I was raised to make sure you always gift something of equal or greater value, particularly to people you don't know well, and it's really upsetting to me to feel I'm failing in this regard and sending mask samples.

I'm stressed. Big time.

Jenie

Still More Treats!

Christmas goodie box stuffers continue to arrive! :) I have fabulous Sweet Pea scented moisturizer from AYU Bath & Body. It absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy feeling on your hands. :) She also sent me some Coconut Body Butter, and it's heavenly. I love love love it. :) The Creative Cupcake sent notecards in festive and cheery colors and patterns. Crooked Mile Candle Co. sent scented tea lights which for the last 4 days have made me crave sweets like I can't tell you. Bad for the dieter, GREAT for festive holiday cheer or if you're trying to sell a house. And Designed by RJ sent festive holiday and winter zipper pulls. :) I got mail from two other companies whose stuff is on the way, so I really have to get crackin'. Tomorrow I have to go to the post office and get at least 2 interviews transcribed for the documentary, which I have neglected with everything else going on. I have the day off from work and must make hay while the sun shines.

Ciao, B;
Jenie

Tuesday Treasures: Bark & Sparkle

It's not so far a stretch from sparkling bracelet to dazzling dog collar; well-heeled women the world over dip their doggies in rhinestones, wrap them in bespangled bandanas or dress them in sequined ribbons and bows. Some pampered pooches outshine even their well-manicured mistresses, and Bark & Sparkle is the trendy terrier's ticket to tripping the light fantastic, from bark park to beach and back to the water bowl by way of 5th Ave. Just think of it as Tiffany's for dogs.

A combination of designer Laurie Vien's love of dogs and jewelry, Bark & Sparkle got its start when one of Vien's jewelry clients requested a matching collar for her poodle Coco. Vien was only too happy to oblige, and as a result, discriminating dalmations and their owners now have a line of eight sterling silver and Swarovski crystal collars to choose from. And with names like Majesty, Opulence, and Diva, they're sure to make little Lola the talk of the town.

For the "Mommy & Me" petset, Vien has also made each brilliant collar available in a matching necklace or bracelet, and offers advice on how to fit both human and pet alike for perfectly fitting grandeur. They're called "Best Friends," and like all of Bark & Sparkle's collars, they're available in over 20 glittering Swarovski colors.

Vien has done nice job with her online store, too. The website is pretty without being cloying, crisp and clean, easy to navigate, and features beautifully clear, high-resolution product images, so the buyer knows exactly what he or she is getting. But what we really love is that Bark & Sparkle supports animal aid organizations and campaigns against puppy mills, and that wins them a special place in our heart.

If Holly Golightly was right, and you can always tell the kind of girl a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you, then your choice of collar says a lot about the kind of pet you think your dog is. Show your dainty dachshund or hip havanese you think she's royalty with queenly baubles from Bark & Sparkle.

Ah, Moon River, my huckleberry...hound.

More Treats!

Oh, my gosh, Nesting With Style has got all the info pages up now, and it's GORGEOUS, you guys!!! Go take a look! I'm so psyched to be a part of that community!

I also got killer stuff in the mail for my Christmas goodies swap, which is sizing up to be totally awesome. I have scented tea lights, all kinds of magnets, note clips, note cards, handprinted cards, zipper pulls, lightswitch covers, alarm clocks (yes, alarm clocks; thank you, Pam!), and fabulous moisturizer. I hope the other 3 people I'm waiting on come thru too; that'll be awesome! :) I'm giving away a pair of strawberry "quartz" and 14k gold-fill earrings and one sample from each of my partner sites in the November drawing, so that will be totally fun for one lucky girl, too. :)

Oo! And Epson is replacing my C86 printer for free! Of course, I still paid for a new one, but that was a good printer, and it was sad to just see it enter paperweight status. The housemate can use it and offered to buy it from me, so that will help allay some of the cost of the new, multi-tasking Superprinter.

And now I have to go to bed. It's 2:36am, and I have to get up early to vote in Schwarzenegger's stupid special election and then hit the post office on the way to work. I vowed to get 8 hours of sleep tonight, because my body totally hates me. But it was not to be. I had an inbox full of stuff needing my attention and a newsletter to do more work on. I wish I was going to get images into it, but I really don't see how I have time to, with the day job. Newsletter goes out Wednesday. ::knock wood::

later days,
Jenie

The best things in life are free. Printers are not.

I had to shell out $140 for a printer today. I realize that doesn't sound like much for a printer, especially the nifty all-in-one that I got (it scans, it copies, it prints!), but I really don't have $140 to spend on a printer right now. So it was painful. And I do mean painful. But at least I can send samples and stuff out now without having to hand write mask instructions and ingredients on like 100 business cards. I hated being without a printer, so it's nice to have one, but this thing is huge. And did I mention the $140?

Still, a new scanner is nice to have. My old one is wonky.

I have just spent several very long hours working at things that have been on hold since the old printer - an Epson Stylus C86 - broke down. I would advise youse not to buy this particular printer, but it turns out it broke down so often Epson yanked it from the market in a permanent recall. Of course, they did not make said recall official, so I can't get them to replace my nearly brand spanking new printer which had a printhead that went belly up just shy of my one year anniversary with the thing, which I had, prior to the bellyupping, loved. But they did yank the damn thing off the market, because every single one anyone bought had the same problem. So I bought instead - and on recommendation of the Epson rep who was at the big brand computer store - an Epson Stylus CX4800. Let us hope it lives up to it's reviews (I scouted them out online) and works long, hard, and well. Because if I have to buy another damn printer a year after I got this one, I'm going to be really, really not happy.

And now, I must crash. I have to go to the post office on the way to work, and I can not tell you how I am looking forward to that experience. No really, I can't.

Jenie

Like Sands Through the Hourglass...

::sigh:: I left work in the middle of the day to battle traffic and get to the bead store for supplies I need to mail out tomorrow (what is actually now today), and darned if I didn't buy the wrong size jump rings. I bought 3mm, and I need 5. Really a bummer. I ended up missing 2 hours of work, and since I'd also overslept because I was so tired when I went to bed that I forgot to actually turn the alarm on, I had to work until 11pm. Not happy. Know what would make me happy? 5mm jump rings. Alas.

I got a cool package from Lauren this week. Postcards and little announcement cards with which I can announce my items available at Nesting with Style. They're all smooth and glossy, in muted greens, and absolutely gorgeous. She's got good taste, that Lauren. I can't wait to send them out. :)

I have been hunting high and low for more of the Gaia chandelier earring form, as well as a couple of others, and I simply can not find them anywhere. :( I'm redesigning those earrings to be much more delicate and lighter (and I think a lot prettier), and I need more forms. If you see any, please let me know. :)

Have you signed up for the November drawing? No? What are you waiting for? I love giving stuff away, damn it; get over there and register. FREE STUFF. Seriously; what are you waiting for??!

Have a good weekend. Tuesday Treasures should return on Tuesday.

Jenie

Anticipation

Nesting with Style is bursting out of the box any day now, and I am totally excited to be part of it. :) I really am just beside myself with anticipation waiting to see all the great stuff Lauren's been putting together. I feel really privileged to have been chosen for consignment. :)

The Christmas goodies continue to mount. I have decided to offer a goodie box for the November drawing. I was thinking December, but I want all the great businesses who have partnered up with me to get that extra exposure while people can still buy for Christmas. So if you have not yet entered in the monthly drawing, then do so, darn it!!! (that means EVERYBODY)

Bed, now. :)
Jenie

Christmas Goodies, Round 1

The first round of goodie samples has gone out in response to the first round of goodies received, and man, have I scored some great ones! :) I'm really excited to slip these into my orders this season, they're so much fun!

So far, I have block-printed Christmas Cards from Molly at Artful Sentiments, beaded zipper pulls from Amy Roche at PurplePink&Orange, totally fun packets of magnets and pins from Jenifer at Sprout Studio, and switchplates, magnets and clocks from wonderful artist Pam Corwin* at Paper Scissors Rock.

And there are more on the way! :)
(I got mail tonight from Vibha of AYU Bath & Body, and she is sending moisturizer samples, and Gina from Bags With Style is sending travel/purse mirrors.)

The lion's share of the newsletter is written now, too, and after I take pictures of the new jewelry items to include, it will be going out. Monday, hopefully, since I wanted to get it out the 31st.

Consignment items will head out to Nesting with Style on Saturday, with more to follow, and the next week, they head out for Lizzy Wishes.

All in all, I feel like I'm finally getting some stuff done. Yay! (now if only I could get some work done on the documentary...)

Speaking of Amy Jagminas (oh yes, we were!), the Fresh Baked Samples boxes at Wickedly Chic are going like hotcakes. And at only $18 each, it's easy to see why! I suggest you get over to Wickedly Chic wicked fast and get one while they last! You can see a list of all the participating businesses if you click that link, and there are some good ones - I can't wait to get my box!!!

Amy is also launching the Wickedly Chic 25 Days of Christmas on Monday, November 7. Since I love her taste, I can't wait to see what she's culled to make shopping for Christmas easier. :)

So that's it for me, right now. I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep handwriting instructions for the Soothing Oatmeal Mask samples I'm sending out. I'm just going to bite the bullet and buy a new printer this weekend, so I think maybe I'll save myself the handcramps...

ciao, bella! (and sign up for the newsletter, so you can get dragonfly discounts and the like!)

Jenie

* Pam was also my secret santa at The Switchboards, and sent me the cutest little travel alarm clock ever. :)