We’ve got some super sassy, super cute new mugs up on our Etsy Store. For all of you hard working mammas out there who need to put a smile on your face as you drink a cup of joe —these are for you! The mugs are 11 oz. each, standard coffee cup size. If you sign...
The countdown is on for SURTEX 2016, May 15-17 in New York. Our agent will be there showcasing all of our new work. We hope you get a chance to stop by and visit – Jewel Branding Booth 417. We have lots of new greeting cards, great patterns for fabric and...
Several years ago Allure Magazine started selling Beauty Boxes. At first they were geared towards sunscreen and skincare but over the years they’ve included, hair care, make up, nail polish and other goodies. They go for sale approx. 4 times per year. They are a...
What’s New Wednesday I’m working on a new set of greeting cards that I think are pretty funny and snarky with little plays on words. The designs are not totally fleshed out but I thought I would show you a sneak peek. What do you think so far, sassy or...
I know all of you creative types know about Etsy, but if you consider yourself “creatively challenged” you may not be aware of the best place to shop in the entire internet Universe. (It might be tied with Zappos, which has more hot shoes than even I can...
Since it is so nice and sunny around here and next week promises temperatures in the high 80’s, I thought we should bust out some favorite swimsuits. I always love the way swim suits look in magazines and catalogs but alas, rarely do I find one that I love. I...
I get a farm veggie box delivered to my house once a month. Sometimes it’s a magical mystery tour and I have no idea what something is or how to cook and eat it. This week we got this alien, fractal looking oddball. I did like the bright green color but of...
My little “work room” had become a place to put crap so I decided to reorganize. I took all of the furniture out so I could get a fresh perspective on the space. Then I noticed that I hate the carpet that’s been in there for 10 years. So I tore it...
I got back late last night from a speaking engagement in Sioux Falls, SD. I got to hang out with a bunch of kickass women and talk about what we need to do to get a fair shake in our careers and minimize the mommy guilt all at the same time. The explanation for...
It’s pouring rain as I write this post, but I’m already feeling like it’s time for Spring. I think this year is going to be The Year of The Tote for me. I’m going to collect totes the way I collect sunglasses and shoes (okay, maybe not shoes-I...
I still need to paint the ceiling in my little home office because I can’t possibly live with the current color (cream). I started to paint it last night with a color I picked out solely because it was called “Burlap” and I had fantasies of burlap...
Life is a series of decisions not a series of events. Last Thursday, I attended the event Real Women. Real Conversations. It was put on by our local chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). What a great resource to have available. It has been...
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. – William Shakespeare This weekend my husband and I had a rare hour to kill until my son’s soccer game started. We decided to visit the San Jose Rose Garden....
Now that I have your full attention! I wanted to congratulate all of the hard working women on the US Women’s World Cup Team. I know we didn’t win but they played their butts off. When a game is decided by penalty kicks it’s basically a toss up...
We expected to see some seriously high fashion while in NY but what a great surprise to find a runway right in the middle of the National Stationery Show and Surtex. These fabulous dresses are made from – are you ready for this? – PAPER! Various designers...
This post is not for the faint hearted. Or those who are opposed to foul language. For the rest of us, who’s happy that Terrorist Mother Fucker is dead? Sorry, “Effer” wasn’t cutting it this time. My weekend started out as usual… too many...
Now that my littlest baby is thirteen (and a couple of inches taller than I), I am officially the mother of three teenagers. Ack. This article is not about their angst, they are actually all pretty mellow, happy kids. It’s about my angst in regards to being the...
It’s so hard to make time for reconnecting with friends when you have your kids’ tournaments or recitals every weekend. Then there’s the house projects, the school volunteering, the job, the hubby, the extended family, and Effin’ Dog to take...
So if you told me twenty years ago that I’d be getting a matching tattoo with my daughter someday, I’d have thought you were a Crackhead (or whatever we called people back then). If you had told me this five years ago when she was 14 and already planning...
Part of my feels like Valentine’s Day (hereafter referred to as VD, cuz I just can’t help myself) is an engineered holiday invented by florists and stationery companies to beef up business. And the less cranky part of me loves to do something fun for my...
Who says your workspace has to be full of drab gray cubicles? Our all-girl design studio is set up for hard work in a creative environment. We have the top half of a big historic Crafstman house on a tree lined street, next door to the local library and around the...
Let’s face it, the kids and the effin’ dog own the house. We pay the bills, but they run the place. Evidence of their existence follows them from room to room. It’s time for moms who appreciate a well-appointed room (free of toys, stale snacks and...
