Summer in Arizona

Oh my gosh, I didn't realize that it has been so long since I have posted. It looks like I was the last one to post anyway. :(
It is summer and it is HOT here in Arizona. We have already had our first 118 degree day, we have had 2 giant habubs. We haven't had much rain though. Wish we would get more here in the valley.
Business has been slow. Either because of the summer or the economy. Don't get me started on that....
School will be back in session soon and I have picked up some work with back to school items like back packs and lunch bags. There are sure some cute ones out there.
I have a new line of tote bags coming out soon. I find more and more people trying to be "green" (I prefer "Blue" since we ARE the blue planet" ;)  I use tote bags for the grocery store or a quick run into Costco or Sams. I always have them in the car. Will have them on Etsy and Craigs list soon.
As always I am so Thankful to know the awesome women of SuperWAHMz.com.
Well, take care, have a great summer........ until next time. :)

Email Marketing - Text vs. Images

I receive Email Insider, an e-newsletter on email marketing. I found this article interesting and useful. Some of the articles aren't applicable to small and wahm businesses. But this one discusses the use of text vs images in newsletters. The other interesting point is including in the Subject Line the "bottom line" or discount code so potential customers don't even have to read the newsletter to get the point.

With the amount of email folks will be getting the competition for sales this holiday, I plan on using this advice in promos for Comfy Cozy Glow in the Dark pillowcases.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115770&lfe=1

Chad White is the Research Director at Smith-Harmon, an agency focused exclusively on providing email marketing strategy and creative services. Visit his blog at http://www.retailemailblog.com/

To keep my business or not to keep my business

That seems to be the question I am asking myself these days.

Are any of you asking yourself that same question? Times are tough, nothing any of us don't know. My industry seems to be suffering maybe more than some. The first thing to go for a business is the little extras and embroidery seems to be one of those little extras. Even the local sports teams are having to cut back.

I totally understand but it does beg the question.... can D's stay in business another year. That is a question I never though I would ask myself, especially after 17 1/2 years.

In the back of my mind I continue to ponder opening a different type of business. I think I will always own my own business. I think it is in my blood. Just trying to figure out what that business might be keeps my mind turning.

Hope all is well with everyone. I miss the chatter.

Cyber Monday! 50% OFF or BOGO!

Well, here it is, holiday shopping is upon us and in full force.  For alot of WAHMS, cyber Monday is a big day.  I'm hoping that my customers respond to the email I sent out and take advantage of the 50% OFF SALE at comfycozy.com.  There are quite a few glow in the dark pillowcase designs on sale, as well as cozy cover ups & pajama shirts for teens.  We have an entire collection of inspirational travel pillows for 50% OFF too.   If that isn't enough to help you mark off a few of the gifts you need to buy, everything else on our site is "BOGO" (that's Buy One Get One 1/2 Off!).

Just enter the code MCBOGO in the Comments box of the on-line order form.

Don't forget, Comfy Cozy will make every pillowcase more special by adding Personalization.

Make this a Christmas that will be lighting up the night all year long with a magical Glow in the Dark pillowcase.

Oh, and remember, Comfy Cozy products aren't just for kids!  Everyone can use a little inspiration or just a little fun in their lives.  Check out our "Eat Chocolate, Drink Wine, Sleep Naked" collection - perfect for wine and chocolate lovers.  Have some dog and cat owners on your list?  They'll love either the PUPPY LOVE or CAT NAP pillowcases!

Happy Cyber Monday and Happy Holidays!!

Great Gift Idea

Oh My Gosh, I did not realize that I had not posted for such a long time. Where is the time going? I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving already. MY favorite holiday of the year. I am thankful for so many things :) On this day in particular I like to have my dinner guests say one thing they are thankful for. It is odd to me that sometimes it takes quite a few minutes for someone to think of just one thing. I think people go through life NOT thinking of things they are thankful for and they should. Life is good. Even in these hard times.

On to my great gift idea.
I have a line of Totes for our pet lovers.
They are very successful with the rescue groups as fund raisers.
I was just thinking the other day that they would also make great gifts for the person who has everything or that hard to buy for person on your list.
If they love their four legged family member they will love our new

Pets are Family too Tote.

Our totes are personalized with names and you choose your colors.
We have done bags with up to 4 names so far. You can check out the other bags and order at
D's Stitcheree. They can also be found on Etsy.
Happy Thanksgiving. Turkey rules!

Specials at D's

Enter the Super Duper SuperWAHMz Contest!

I just bet you will be so excited when the election is over. I know I will be.
We all need a little financial relief. I can't offer billions in a bailout but...
D's has decided to offer a limited time special on a couple of our gift items. We are also offering FREE shipping on orders placed by November 15th.
If you do early/mail in voting, please remember to sign your ballot.

Talk About It Tuesday

I have a new piggy bank design to talk about today. It's been on the site for a couple weeks, but I haven't officially announced it. Drum roll, pleeeease.................okay, maybe it's not THAT big of a deal.... Introducing the Red Hat Piggy Bank.

My mom asked for it and me being the good daughter I am, I made it for her : )

This would be a great gift for any red hatter you may know. They are always looking for something unique and different. AND this cute piggy bank can also be personalized, say, for the Queen Mother.

For prices and personalization options, visit my website, Korff Ceramic Originals.

* I am in no way affiliated with the Red Hat Society. *

Thankful Thursdays

I will start today off with the fact that I am so Thankful for the good health of my business associates and friends.
Now, business wise I would have to say that today I am also Thankful for a new customer who is so excited about my work that she is spreading the word. She is putting me in touch with 3 potential new customers. What was that old saying, you tell a friend and they tell a friend and they tell a friend etc. :)
I will be starting on the holidays now. Here at D's Stitcheree Custom Embroidery is alway in demand around Christmas. Because Custom Embroidery requires a longer time than stock embroidery it is good to start early.
I also do a lot of Corporate Embroidery this time of year. I have a feeling I will go from not being busy at all to being very busy. That is OK. Bring it on. :)
I think I will have a Christmas in July Sale for stock designs so watch D's Stitcheree and Etsy for that announcement.

Hi, My Name is Lynn and

I am a control freak. I like to do it all myself. Sometimes it is just easier to do it yourself and get it done right the first time. Sometimes it just makes more work. Regardless, I like having total control of my business. I wonder, are most wahm's like that?

When it comes to my business, I do everything....let's start with the website. Yes, I had Kathy of the dezignspot design it for me. But then I tweaked the design a teeny bit here and there and off I went....adding products and pages and links myself. I have a pretty fair knowledge of html now and I maintain the website myself. If I manage to mess things up beyond my very limited expertise, I contact Jo, my webhost. She's bailed helped me out numerous times, but I still muddle along maintaining my website myself. It is mine, after all.

And then there are the products....piggy banks, personalized plates and other stuff. I have molds for most everything I make in my basement. I hand pour these myself. Timing is critical and I am a perfectionist and I want my products to be of the highest quality. So I manufacture them myself. When it gets to be fall and I have too many orders to handle myself, I sub out the easy work.....base coating, cleaning piggy banks....things that I don't have to do, really. But I do paint all of the designs. Painting is my stress relief.

And then orders need packed and shipped. I do that too. Unless I am too busy, then I have a friend come over and do the packing. But I actually enjoy that. It gives me a break from painting and I can make sure piggy banks are packed securely.

Oh and don't forget the paperwork. I print my orders up and run all the credit cards myself. As well as the shipping paperwork. I do have a friend who does my bookkeeping. I am terrible with numbers. I'll gladly admit that.

And I also print my own business cards, gift cards and fliers. Yep, I designed them too. I like being able to tweak things how I want them. And I like being able to change layouts for different times of year. I did have a fellow wahm design a brochure for me....but I had to tweak it and edit it just a little until I was perfectly happy with it.

Maybe I take things too far. I know I am a bit obsessive about my business. In fact, reading all that I wrote makes me think I am micromanaging myself. Can you do that? My business is a reflection of me, and I want things to be just-so and I won't be happy until they are. Even if I have to do it all myself. Call me crazy, but I like it this way. And I wonder why I am stressed out once in a while....I better get going, I'm sure there is something I should be doing : )

*** It's Christmas in July at Korff Ceramic Originals! ***
Only 176 days until Christmas!

Thankful Thursday

on Friday.
oops. I guess I am loosing a day here and there :) I have so much going on right now. I am still fighting this summer cold. Just about nothing worse than a summer cold.
I am trying to go through overstock of apparel. My business took a different turn when we moved to Arizona and I will not be using all these tees now so might as well sell them.
I am working on Christmas ideas. These are my first 2 projects. I will embroider them on kids sweatshirts and personalization will be FREE. I would love to do a Christmas in July sale so we will see how that goes.
Today though, as always, I would love to tell you all that I am sooooo Thankful to live in this great country of ours. I feel so blessed to have been born here. AND also as always, I am so thankful for your friendships. In business and personal areas of my life I cherish you all.













In honor of my love for our country I have come up with this little decorative hand towel.
I use mine as decoration only on my kitchen stove. I have given it as gifts and some use the towel others choose to use it as a decoration. Either way I think it is a lovely addition to your kitchen or bathroom.

Talk About It Tueday!

Since we are celebrating Christmas in July at Korff Ceramic Originals, I will talk about my Personalized Cookies for Santa Plates. Ho Ho Ho! Christmas is only 177 days away!

I have been painting these cookie plates for a long time. Since before I started the website and working at home, so that's over 10 years now. The first design was the snowman....just a simple snowman with a hat and scarf. He was quite popular until....

until someone asked if I could paint a Santa face. And so I designed a Santa face plate and that has been the BIG seller every fall.

After Santa came the reindeer. I like reindeer, so it was just a natural progression for me to paint a Reindeer cookie plate.

And then came the Gingerbreadman, the Penguin (thanks to Happy Feet) and finally the Santa bear plate.

All the plates can be personalized with your choice of phrase (Cookies for Santa, etc.) and names. So far I have been able to fit 6 names along the bottom of a plate (I can write small if I have too : ) Matching mugs are also available, so Santa can have his cookies and milk in style. Personalized Cookies for Santa plates are $28.00ea, matching mugs are $20.00, or you can buy the set for $40.00. Take advantage of our Christmas in July Sale (aka Save My Sanity Sale) order now and save 20% : )

Custom Embroidery

For Fantastic Friday I would like to share the completed

custom embroidery project that I have been working on. I ran into a little trouble yesterday when I was running the custom design because I had made it a little too large and the needle hit the hooping frame. Thank goodness (Thankful Thursday) that I had bought extra fabric. Once I redid the design to fit properly, everything ran smoothly.

The frame did not have a matting so this morning Nick and I went to Michaels and purchased a matt. I think framed art work looks so much nicer matted.
My customer is on his way. Hopefully he will love the results of this custom embroidered project. I would love to hear your comments.

Custom Embroidery

Here at D's Stitcheree I am usually embroidering company logos. I like to specialize in small companies. As a small company I know how hard it is to advertise and you need to make every penny count. I think that I can preform a service to other small companies by offering promotional items at a reasonable price. If you are close you are more than welcome to bring in your own apparel, if you are far, I have an online catalog you can access for apparel and accessories.
Sometimes though I am given the great honor of doing a Custom Embroidery job. Custom jobs are exciting and time consuming but the end product can be an exceptional piece to be cherished by the recipient.
A few years ago I was asked by a mom to design a project for her daughter who was getting married. There is a lot of back and forth when designing a custom piece. Thank goodness (Thankful Thursday) for email. Once the piece was embroidered I shipped it to the mom rolled around a cardboard core. She took it to the cleaners and had it pressed and framed.

I am now working on another Custom piece. The process can be long but in this case I only have 3 days. The original drawing is rough but someplace to start.
I turn the drawing into embroidery on my computer. Get an approval and then go forward with the embroidery.
I will do the embroidery today and post more pictures tomorrow.

Talk about it Tuesday

It's Tuesday! I'm going to have to "talk about" my monday! It was miserable - ok, just unproductive. I accomplished so little that I threw in the towel at 3. If I would have done all the "personal" things instead of Comfy Cozy things, I would have been better off. I told you summer was tricky around here.

Based on how things can get a little out of control, last night I slept on my "be" pillowcase! A calming, relaxing, find your inner peace design that is perfect for SuperWAHMZ, stressed out moms, anxious teenagers and college students. The Glow in the Dark image lets you read a few more serene thoughts after you turn out the lights and fall asleep with positive thoughts!
I'm starting over today and doing a little bit better:
pillowcases are personalized
orders are processed
taxes finally signed and mailed (just got from acct last night)
bills paid
laundry away and sheets in wash
post to SW blog

Commenting on Lynn's Christmas is Coming post, I received my first order for one of our "Christmas" pillowcases! They make great Personalized gifts for Christmas Eve when kids just can't wait to open a present and gets them into bed! The Glow in the Dark image of "Dear Santa" reads like a list of all the fun things kids want under the tree. "Believe in Christmas" lights up the night with a shining Star and Santa's reindeer flying through the sky.

And, they aren't just for December. We use ours during the year to remember the wonder and love we share at Christmas. The pillowcases are perfect for hot summer nights and having a Christmas in July party - only 5 months til Christmas!!

Lastly, no Lynn I didn't find my Eighth day - still looking!

Talk About It Tuesday

Aaaah, time to talk about something. I think I'll talk about the baseball/softball piggy bank. Mostly because it's that time of year : ) I can't call this piggy bank an original idea....wish I could, but I did see it in a catalog a long, long time ago. So when I began painting piggy banks, I started a whole sports ball line.
I love painting the Baseball Piggy Bank. He is relatively easy and the design just suits the round piggy bank body. Plus, both my girls play softball, so he holds a special place in my heart. In fact, for a few years, I donated (I'm going to call them softball piggy banks now : ) Softball Piggy Banks as prizes at the annual banquets. I would paint one in white and one in neon green.

Each player that came to the banquet would get a ticket for the drawings when they arrived. There were gift certificates and small gift baskets and just a lot of stuff for prizes. I didn't know it, but they saved my piggy banks for last. I also didn't know this either.....ALL the girls were waiting to see who won them. They were THE most desired prizes there. It made me chuckle....I paint them all the time and they just aren't special to me anymore. But they were special to them. I told my 12yo(then 10yo) that she better not win one! I was NOT bringing one back home. She didn't.
At that time, I also had come across some wee little round piggy banks. These were about the size of a baseball....so we painted one for each of her team mates that year. They were neon green, because that was her team's color, with red stitches, and we wrote their name and number on them. They were tiny and cute and the girls loved them. We still see some of the girls at games and it's fun to hear that they still have them.

The Softball/Baseball Piggy Bank is an ideal gift for any ballplayer, boy or girl. It starts at $35.50, with personalization and shipping being extra. Hit a home run with someone you know when you give them this as a gift! Hope you enjoyed my rambling, and we'll talk about something else next week : ) Stop by my website if you are looking for a unique and personalized gift!

Christmas IS Coming!

Aaah, this is normally a slow time of year for me. This year, though, it has been relatively steady. For every 10 orders I ship out, I get 10 new ones in. That's good, and I'm not really complaining, I would just like to see the bottom of the pile for a day or so.

In my slow time I like to prepare for the fall. And the holiday rush. Personalized Cookies for Santa Plates are a huge seller after Halloween and I like to get a stock going in the summer. When I am slow. But I haven't been slow. So I haven't been able to get any of those painted yet. That frustrates me and scares me a wee bit. If I don't get some kind of stock on hand in the next few months, I will be in big trouble come November.

Plus, I am planning a Christmas in July Sale, and that's next week already. Sheesh. Where did time go? Anyway, I have talked to my 12 yo daughter about helping out with these plates, and she has agreed. It's just a matter of getting her to sit down and do it. Yes, I pay her. The same amount I would pay anyone else. My plates are shipped to me white, and I need them basecoated in a beige color. 3 coats. That's her job. I am hoping....really, truly, hoping, that we can get 100 plates basecoated this summer.

And then we can start painting Santa faces. I offer other designs, but I *know* Santa Plates will sell in the fall. At least 100. And then there are the matching mugs that need basecoated too....see, I do need some down time. I'd still have plenty to do. And it might be a pleasant break from the never ending piggy banks (not complaining....I just count pigs instead of sheep when I go to bed : ) Plus I have to get the website ready for the sale, add a new piggy bank....yikes, I need more time! Peggy, did you ever find your 8th day???? Pass it over here, pleease!

and with the publishing of this post, I have finished my Monday Motivation To-Do List. Yay!

Talk about it Tuesday

I'm talking about Birthday's today! No, it's not my birthday, but it's somebody's birthday!
Over the past month or so, I've been working on a couple new BIRTHDAY designs for Comfy Cozy® and I'm totally excited to announce that they are finished. Two new, well, actually three, designs for 2 important birthdays - turning "10" & "sweet 16".






The designs are now part of our BIRTHDAY CLUB collection. The BIRTHDAY CLUB consists of designs for specific ages. So far, we have the following ages; " 3", " 4", "5", "6" and now "10" & "16".
Each age range has both a glow in the dark pillowcase and a Keepsake Photo/Sticker Calendar.
The glow in the dark pillowcases can be personalized with just a name or add the birth date - just in case someone forgets! Another option is to order our Autograph Set, which includes a fabric marker to collect signatures from family and friends. And remember, this is an event that happens for 365 days - so keep adding signatures all year long to make a keepsake that will reflect who shared in this wonderful year with them:)

In addition to our BIRTHDAY CLUB, Comfy Cozy® offers a HAPPY BIRTHDAY glow in the dark pillowcase for all ages. This design is perfect for all ages, from 1 to 100! All Comfy Cozy® pillowcases can be personalized or ordered as an Autograph Set, so go ahead, make the next birthday in your family, something special with a gift that will be a keepsake for years to come!