Never a Dull Moment...
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
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In the summer of 2008, I exhibited at the DONA Conference here in Vancouver, BC. As we all filed-in to set-up our wares for the vendor area, my eyes kept wandering over to my neighbour's table. If you don't already know this about me, I am a jewelry FREAK! My neighbour was ceramic artist Susan Kirk and her beautiful, hand-crafted Nursing Mother Goddess Necklaces had caught my eye. I'll admit that by the end of the 2-day conference, I left with several of her pieces.
A Nursing Mother Goddess Pendant celebrates and honours breastfeeding, thus making it "the" perfect gift for new mothers and their families, doulas, lactation consultants, midwives and ob/gyns.
These stunning hand-crafted ceramic pendants are available in four non-toxic, low-fire glaze colours - Stone Turquoise, Ivory (shown left), Ebony and Terra Cotta - effortlessly coordinating with anything and everything in your wardrobe!
Understated yet eye-catching, she will be a conversation-starter every time you wear her! I can't tell you how many people have commented when I wear mine.
The Nursing Mother Goddess Necklace measures 2" tall (pendant portion) and is carried by a 25" black satin cord that is easily adjusted to be shorter if desired.
Tell us what you think about these necklaces. Would you like to see more of this type of product in our online store? Leave a comment below to share!
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Friday, December 18th, 2009
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Did you know that US entrepreneurs and small businesses account for 99.7% of employers and produce a GDP of over $6 trillion dollars?
Did you know the 10.6 million women-owned businesses in the US employ 19.1 million workers? That's 1 in 7 employees.
Did you know that minority-owned small businesses account for $591 billion dollars in national revenue?
Do you make an effort to purchase goods made by entrepreneurs and small businesses? If you don't, perhaps you may want to take a second look at this fantastic and growing industry.
According to Collective-E...
"When you Buy Entrepreneur, it enhances your ability to find something perfect, unique and special for everyone on your list. Everyday at Collective-E, we are fortunate to discover new and unique entrepreneurial brands ranging from multi-million dollar cosmetic and handbag lines to brownie companies run out of home offices; organic jewelry companies to massage therapists and everything in between. You can find out about more of them here. Though their size and scope may vary, they share a passion for providing unique and high quality products to their customers and for creating a better life for themselves and those who work with them. Not only is it a way to shop and support something important this holiday season, but it feels good too!"
"Entrepreneurs have the best ideas with the freshest inspiration. Find gifts for friends, family, or a little pick-me-up for yourself. You'll find unique pieces of jewelry, bridal designers, baby gifts, wine consultants, accountants, and much more. Collective-E members update this section all of the time as a live gift guide!"
Not only will you find UNIQUE and AMAZING products and services across all categories, but you will be supporting a vital, yet oft-overlooked part of the economy.
Entrepreneurs are everywhere! Purchase a gift certificate at your local indie restaurant or neighbourhood hair salon; patronize a boutique in your area; shop on a favourite online web store. Shopping local supports your community - these entrepreneurs are your neighbours, your family and maybe even your employer!
Buy Entrepreneur this holiday season and beyond!
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Friday, July 24th, 2009
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My husband is a vegetarian. His sister and her husband are vegan. My Dad (RIP) only ate a specific kind of white fish (he HATED salmon).
So when it came time to pick a caterer for our wedding, I had a tall order to fill. I (of course) began by doing online research and found some names of local caterers and what people were saying about them. I called a caterer on my list and when I described our requirements to the woman who answered, her response was, "Are you going to bend over backwards for just a few people at your wedding?" Uh... yes I am. We're talking about my (at the time future) husband, his family and my DAD!?! After "snarky lady's" rude remark, she said she would fax me some menus to look over. My mouth hung open as I read over them. What she listening to me at all? Every single one had beef or chicken as the main course. Hello?
I made a few more calls, all of which were pretty much dead-ends. Everyone was flogging the same-old, same-old "roast beef and lasagna" or "chicken and pasta salad" that you encounter at every wedding... I knew that I wanted my wedding to be unique in every aspect INCLUDING the food! And I knew I could do it with our limited budget (I am very resourceful).
Then I found Sugar Mountain Catering and David Macmillan purely by chance. It was a random comment on a wedding forum by a newlywed who was raving about them. It wasn't long before I was speaking to David on the phone. He explained that custom menus were his specialty and how he in fact thrived on the creativity and challenge of them. He described unusual pairings that he had carried off with flying colours - like the Japanese bride and the Jewish groom or the Persian fellow that married the German girl.
While the first woman I called chastised me for being "too" accommodating towards my guests, David welcomed the challenge I had with open arms. I could actually hear the wheels turning inside his head and feel his excitement for the creative process that he was about to embark on.
As David says on his site, "We work within your budget and cater any ethnic cuisine. Our chef thrives on custom designing menus to suit your specific needs and looks forward to sitting with you for a menu consultation and providing a tasting for you and your spouse-to-be in the comfort of your own home free of charge." It was a match made in heaven. It almost felt too good to be true!
So then it was time for the tasting. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G to say the least. David and his wife came out to our home, brought the wine, and proceeded to create 4 dishes for us to taste. Honestly, he had me after the first bite.
And he was warm, genuine and authentic. And so was his wife. It was like eating with old friends.
On the day of our wedding, everyone RAVED about the food. Even if they weren't sure about a particular dish at first, they were happily surprised. My uncle's words to my Mom were something along the lines of, "Well the food was certainly different, but I tried everything and it was all EXCELLENT!" I was so very happy that there was something for everyone AND that it was delicious to boot!
Then to top it all off, my Aunt asked me if I could get the recipe for a particular salad that David had made featuring Granny Smith apples. There was no hesitation on David's part at all to share it with her. I've honestly lost count of how many times I've recommended Sugar Mountain Catering.
I had an expectation of an experience as I sat down to dinner on my wedding day and David Macmillan and his team at Sugar Mountain Catering delivered that experience.
So figure out what you're good at, ensure there is a need for it, and do it CONSISTENTLY. Then put that into a statement. That is your BRAND PROMISE.
Do you have a brand promise? Please leave a comment below and share.
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Saturday, May 30th, 2009
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Had I met Diane Sam of MoBoleez® about 3 years earlier than I did, I would have had one of her hats in every color! As it is, I met her when I had already weaned my youngest daughter so I didn't get to take advantage of her ingenious invention! It almost made me want to have another baby... almost. ;-)
I really didn't have a problem breastfeeding in public, but the oogles and stares indicated to me that a lot of other people did, which in turn, made me a teensy bit uncomfortable, but never enough to deter me. I usually draped my shoulder with a receiving blanket to appease the gawkers (did I say that?), which I was forever adjusting due to the fact that the baby's head would jerk and pull it off. I thought it was a pain in the ... well, you know.
I can't say that I'm too jazzed about those big, bulky nursing covers either. When I see a mom using one, I immediately think, "what big, bad thing is she hiding under that thing?" "In my humble opinion", it sends a message that breastfeeding is something to be covered up and ashamed of. "It is illicit, top secret, too awful to be seen with the human eye." So ridiculous! I also think that in warm weather, the baby would be sweltering under there. Although they seem to function well for moms, they are definitely NOT for me and I imagine a lot of other moms feel the same way.
If I had had a MoBoleez, adjusting the cover due to the baby's movements would have been irrelevant because she would have worn the hat on her sweet little head! A little bit of movement here or there doesn't matter at all. The great big brim of the MoBoleez gives moms a bit of privacy without covering-up the breastfeeding like it is some big bad secret.
And here's a bonus - once baby is done, she can continue to wear the MoBoleez as a sun hat! There has never been a better time to buy a MoBoleez - their brand new line, dubbed MoBoleez Couture features fashion-forward fabrics that are reversible to a solid so you are getting "2 hats for the price of 1".
MoBoleez hats draw attention to breastfeeding in a fun, positive and fashionable way which is what breastfeeding needs - to be once again accepted into the mainstream culture as it once was at the beginning of the last century.
Isn't it time?
Do you/did you breastfeed in public? If so, were you comfortable or not so much. What, if anything, did you use for a cover? I'd love to hear from you!
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Monday, May 4th, 2009
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I a jewelry fanatic. I always tell people that if I hadn't gone to Fashion school, I would have taken a silversmithing course or attended FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) for Jewelry Design. I still plan to have a 2nd (or 3rd or 4th) career around jewelry at some point of my life. Yup, I am THAT passionate about it.
For my 40th birthday, I bought myself a jewelry armoire (that's it to the right) so that I could more readily view and enjoy and WEAR my collection that had until that point, lived in various boxes and as a result didn't get worn and loved as much as it should have.
I absolutely LOVE this armoire! You can find this one and others like it at Armoire Gallery. I shouldn't have waited for my 40th to buy it that's for sure!
So the other morning @TheBoobLady followed me on Twitter and I promptly visited her site and blog (I visit the sites of every new follower by the way). It was there that I saw the next addition to my jewelry collection... drool!
You've heard it is Barbie's 50th this year right? Well, an amazing New York jewelry designer by the name of Margaux Lange is making jewelry out of Barbie parts! Sounds weird? Perhaps... but take a look and make your own decision - I think you will be pleasantly surprised! I am not-so-secretly coveting the Have a Heart Bust Pendant. L-O-V-E the tie-in with breastfeeding. Now I just have to decide which color to get...
What piece of Margaux's jewelry do you like? Drop a comment below and let me know!
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Saturday, December 13th, 2008
On the occasion that I slow down enough to think about it, I am truly amazed at how many talented people I know, most of which whom are women (sorry guys!) and who work in a myriad of industries from graphic design to sales & marketing, photography, catering, relocation and many more. We support each other in our businesses, enjoy each other's talents and network, network, network! I am proud to say that one of these women - one of the most talented photographers that I have met in a very long time - is now the official Snugabell™ and PumpEase™ photographer! Introducing Claire Reid!
Amazingly enough, Claire's and my husband work together and therefore we met purely by chance. Our first 'conversation' was via Facebook and we immediately clicked! We have now worked together on two commercial shoots as well as two family photo sessions - one environmental and one in-studio. What a difference a professional photographer makes! No more cookie-cutter family photo sessions for us (sorry Sears)!
The most recent family photo session had SO MANY fantastic shots that there was no clear 'best picture'. We had a helluva time picking! With Sears (sorry again....well, not really), we were lucky to find one shot that would suffice for sending out to family and friends for a Christmas card... and now we have the opposite problem!
I could go on and on, however as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." So here is an example of Claire's work and one of our many faves from our studio shoot a couple of weeks ago. Believe it or not, this was near the end of the session when Michaela was starting to get grumpy... did I mention that Claire has the patience of a Saint? 
If you live in the lower mainland of British Columbia, leave a comment below and you will be the lucky recipient of a coupon for $100 off a session with Claire Reid herself.
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Saturday, July 19th, 2008
I was an exhibitor at the DONA International Conference here in Vancouver, BC for the past three days and it was wonderful! I met doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, breastfeeding counselors and many other wonderful women (and men) that work in the childbirth profession from all over the world.
My table was between Seattle Midwifery School (SMS) and Mother-Art. How ironic that I was situated between a school (I love to learn) and an artist (I love collecting unusual and beautiful pieces of art and jewellery).
On Day 1, I talked to Annie Kennedy about the courses that they have available. Annie is the Director of the (Penny) Simkin School at SMS. Both Annie and Penny are founders of DONA. I would love to learn more about lactation and breastfeeding so that I can understand my customers needs better. Note to self: sign-up for their 6-day Breastfeeding & Lactation course.
I also talked to Susan Kirk of Mother-Art and her lovely 16-year-old daughter (her name escapes me at the moment). Susan is an artist working in many different media from her garden studio in Chico, California. I perused Susan's table, filled with ceramic figurines, vessels and pendants as well as matted prints and notecards all honouring motherhood, telling myself that I didn't 'need' anything.
On Day 2, I purchased her Water Mamas print. Everytime I looked at her table, it spoke to me. I love the colors and I had to own it.
On Day 3, I purchased the Frida Wrap print. Susan looks after her neighbour's baby. She had Frida in the Maya wrap, looked down and saw this beautiful sight. She was so inspired, she painted it! I was also in awe of her beautiful ceramic pendants! I bought a Nursing Mother Goddess in turquoise (shown below, top right). Susan makes many other styles as well. In fact, I'm thinking of possibly selling them on our website. What do you think? 
Oh....and then I 'had' to have this silver pendant, (don't tell my husband), which is the logo for the Seattle Midwifery School....doncha just la-la-love it?
OK, gotta run now. I still have to deal with the smoking credit card.
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