What's New? :-)

[karen]

I'm glad to hear that Fedex got the windows to you! Regular Fedex is wonderful- but Fedex ground is a bit different. They're all independent contractors so it's always a little bit up in the air with them- some of the drivers are wonderful though. They lost my friend's kitchen sink- they tracked it and it made its way as far as the hub here, but after that it just *poof* disappeared!

I'm putting in my vote to see Sam's collection! I've watched enough Project Runway to know that you're probably extremely busy at the moment- but if you do get a chance we'd LOVE to see them!

I can't wait for MOAC either! I decided this week that we need a new web site to go along with the new studio, and new products. I'm not sure that was one of my better decisions, but I think we need something. The one that we have my husband and I did on a shoestring budget- and it's not terrible, but it could be better. You can hire just about anyone to make a pretty web site, but finding just the right person to deal with the cart stuff is hard- and that's what we're up against. i *think* we may have found someone though- so I'm getting excited for it. I spent all day Thursday in front of the computer looking at graphics, checking out sites, and cart functions, and just generally figuring out what I want. Web site stuff is by far the hardest, least fun part of my job.

I stopped by the new studio, and they're painting!!!!! We're waiting for the painting to be done, and for the current building owner to finish cleaning out all of the stuff that's in there- who knows how long that will really take. It was her husband's stained glass studio for 30 years, and it's been long process for her.

MOAC is going to be a pretty big collection- so I'm thinking I may split it, and release some products every week or so- otherwise it may turn into a bit of a feeding frenzy, and I worry about that. I don't sleep well if I know that we went home without shipping all of the orders from that day, and that is a real possibility with MOAC if we released them all at once.

Right now I'm torture testing the new formulas to see what happens under some pretty extreme conditions. Our customers are *real* women- and I have to get pretty creative with the tests- so that's generally fun to be kind of a Makeup Mythbuster.

Yesterday's test was kind of fun- Jamie our gal of all trades at the shop said that I was working too hard- so I booked massages for my husband and I at the local day spa. I'd never actually been to a spa or had a massage, so it was a pretty neat experience. Rasa in Ithaca is really cool- it doesn't matter what service you go there for- everyone who gets a treatment can come in any time they want, get a robe, and use the sauna, hang out in their meditation room etc, even if it's something simple like a wax.

So- knowing that they have a sauna I wore *all* of the new products into the sauna to see what would happen. Most of them did amazingly well. Given that some of our customers live in some very warm places, I may *have* to add that to our regular testing lineup. You can't be too careful!

Jen- it's great to see you back! Your trip sounds like it was great!

I have to figure out what I'm doing for the rest of the day...so many projects, so little time.

[rubycat95]

Mikie,

Soak up today's sunshine b/c I hear tomorrow is going to be rainy/dreary again

Rhys,

Thanks so much for the Manuka info-glad to hear that a 10 is ok too. Does it taste good?

Jen W,

Welcome home! I thought of you as we passed by your exit on 271 or 71? Not sure which, but there on the sign was the name of your town! I'm glad you had a great time in warmer temps. It was cold in Ohio while we were there. Hope you get all of your voice back soon too!

Karen,

I am dying w/anticipation too at the MOAC! I cannot wait to see ALL the new blushes, especially. In the meantime, I'll start saving up like Mikie!

Samantha,

I'd love to see pics of your work too!

Take care, Everyone!
Ruby/Susan

[~*mikie*~]

*Vacation*?!? SPA?!? Both sound *wonderful*!!!

Karen, I'd make that sacrifice,too....lollygagging in a sauna testing staying power,lol. Love Ithaca in general *anyway*! By all means, release products in fits and spurts if it'll make things easier...it would give a bunch of gals basically buying/receiving the same things a lot to talk about & generate more buzz while the next wave is being launched & awaited. That way the avalanche won't hit ALL at once...it'll be more containable...easier to replenish inventory with staging it. Makes good sense.

Jen, glad you're back! Vacation/warm weather=relaxation. Of course, you came home & *still* can't talk...hmmmm...if after you actually get rested up you still feel lousy, better get thee to a doc, eh? A couple weeks is a long time. Maybe you got run down getting things ready/going+going+going ~ now you need to *actually* unwind & relax. Giving SN to your hostess was a perfect idea! My sis in FL loves it!

Susan, *Of course* it's going to rain, ROFL! BUT it'll be April in 2 days.....& April should be showery...NOT s-n-o-w-y.

mikie

[Xarata]

I should just tell you all what the weather is going to be. lol. It always hits here and I tell my mom before it hits in Pennsylvania. This week's forecast was...warm, rain, cold, rain, warm. lol. it's about 60 degrees today but it stormed all night.

My line...
Pictures will have to go up in the next couple of weeks. I did charge the battery in the good camera and buy batteries for the easy camera. I actually have a 3rd camera (a pentak- uses film) but i don't think i have any film...

I have 6 dresses that need their fit approved before i can pop in the zippers and finish the linings etc. (everything is cut and sewm, i'm just not allowed to finish it without approval) 2 dresses are in fittings!!! ugh. They're all due for grading on the 10th and the show is on the 17th.

My portfolio is also due for grading on the 10th and while it's technically done (we had to do it last semester), I want it to be as good as it can be because this is when it gets graded (and really, i don't have a lot of grades in this class, this is my last fashion class ever and it's entirely based around my show, my grades are my resume, portfolio, and final line). I redid one line yesterday and I'm redoing 2-3 of them today. There's only 4 lines in my portfolio so it's not too bad.

I also have a concept board and report for a baby boomer line (right down to the fixtures and fragrances) and I'm required to work with 2 merchandisers who, might i say, do not leave me very confident. When we met to discuss our project, i had several parts of it well on their way to being done and they hadn't even read the project syllabus yet.

I haven't been doing a whole lot of metalwork lately but i did cut out all the pieces for each of my models to have a silver filigree pendant. I'll go into the lab for one day and solder them all together and that'll be done and I'll take pictures before i give them away.

The gifts for my models have come down to a small box with a rose petal type soap, a climax blush(sample size), a natural hair baby buki, and a silver filigree pendant. If I put anything else in there i don't remember, i actually made those up awhile ago (which is good because i really wouldn't want to do it now. lol)

Oh I just can't wait for it all to be over. lol.

[Rhys]

Ruby - manuka is surprisingly tasty. You can actually eat a teasponful without gagging. The texture is a bit thicker than regular honey, and it tastes a little...caramel, maybe?

Samantha, your collection sounds gorgeous, I'd LOVE to see it.

Jen, get well. I did not mean to start an epidemic of throat things

Mikie - mmm....stained glass. Invoke summer for us in your temple...uhh...sunroom. Am I getting lifetimes mixed up again?

And Karen, no sacrifice is too great. If I must hang out at spas and swimming pools in exotic locations to test the new line, I am prepared to learn to live with it

Happy Sunday guys!

PS: I've lost eight pounds since the surgery. So maybe the mystery weight gain really was hormonal imbalance and I'll get back to 'normal me' one of these days - every time I got sick pre-surgery, I *gained* weight, which made no sense to anyone. My trousers are starting to fall off, which, admittedly, can be embarassing, but I could get into a clothes shopping spree...

[~*mikie*~]

Sam ~ Sounds like a whirlwind of activity! We'll wait for pics afterwards. You are going to do wonderfully! I love that you *made* pendants for your models!
Yes, you *can* forewarn us/predict the weather for us,lol.

Rhys ~ Tickled by the sacrifices we're willing to make to test SN under grueling conditions like vacations in exotic locales! ROFL! You are IN an exotic locale! And I'm in a grueling one! >>> *Definitely* willing to subject myself to pampering massages after playing tourist for long hours...then sauna, shower, pool...& pass out,lol.

mikie

[JenW]

Rhys: I think I found your eight pounds on my vacation! Actually, I am just closer to 'normal' (or at least the recent version of normal!). I lost about 12 with this whole being sick thing. Now if I could just figure out how to tag on a few more in the 'lost' category!!

Mikie: The stained glass sounds gorgeous-a regular haven in the North. I totally agree that I will take showers over 'snow-ers' any day. It has been known to whallop us into April, though!

Karen: Yayyyy!!! Painting! That is great news. New paint, products, studio, and website....... Is there anything else major left to be added onto that list? I guess you will be ready for a break soon. Maybe more product testing at the spa............

Samantha: I cannot wait to see pics of your work when you find the time. Definitely post some after the big day!!! I definitely know you get our weather first. My Dad lives in Jacksonville (Central IL). We are North Ohio.

Ruby: I hope you are finally feeling better. I still have a bit of a coarse voice, but otherwise I feel good. Yes, you did pass my exit on 271! Luckily, I was in warmer weather at the time.

Can't wait for the MOAC or the Open House!! (I aplolgize for the overusage of Smileys. Isn't there a disease name for that? Smileyosis?)

[rubycat95]

Mikie-April showers bring May flowers, right?! Looks like we are keeping up w/tradition of the Binghamton Rain Fest! Cries....."where is the sun"?

Samantha, I went to art school (undergrad) many yrs. ago, I remember the stress of portfolio reviews and shows too. Good luck w/it all!

Rhys-you're making me want to go get that Manuka tomorrow, even though I don't think I need it anymore *yay*. I love the taste of honey and I'm using a tupelo honey handsoap right now that almost smells good enough to eat. Congrats on the weight loss, I never seem to lose weight when I get sick w/throat things

Jen-I am finally feeling better and don't have my hacking cough any longer, it's about time! Glad to hear that you are almost good as new too! Hope you had a fun vacation!

Take care, everyone!
Ruby/Susan

[tizzylou]

Mikie- your stained glass sounds just beautiful, enjoy them during the dreary weather, I guess Southeastern Colorado, ( which generally resembles the Southwestern part of the US) and is very much dessert like, decide to join all the people in Penn, Ohio, and the east, as it is rainy here this week , and still snowy in the mountains, which are some 4-6 hours away. Temp range is mid 50's to low 60's , Not to bad for this time of the year, except that last week it was in the mid to upper 70's. Oh well. April showers bring May flowers, so guess we all will enjoy the flowers when they come

Rhys- Congratulations on you weight loss.

Jen and Susan= Glad to know that you are both feeling better.

Samantha- your collection sounds wonderful, you will do well, and I am also looking forward to pictures when life settles down a little bit.

Karen- I would think that another trip to the spa would be well deserved, besides you can always say that you just had to go to do more product testing.

As for me, I am enjoying a little less stress in my life, since the State Health Department was here to do the annual Medicaid/Medicare survey at the nursing home where I work as a supervisor on an Alzhimers unit. They showed up the 3rd of March, and kept all of us busy for the next 3 days. Then of course it is time to work on the plan of correction and hope that they accept what you have sent it, because if they don't , then you can't admit, nor does the institution get paid until the institution is found back in complience,so it has been a busy and stressful month, but the plan of correction gets e-mailed to the State tomorrow, so it is definately time to have fun, which of course has to include playing with makeup, so I am really looking forward to the MOAC, so that there will be new items to try and play with.

Hollis

[~*mikie*~]

Retail therapy is good for celebrations! After a stressful period ~ & we all have them ~ when it's time to celebrate, we *have* to! That's my story & I'm sticking to it, ROFL!

Anybody got an April Fool story? I need reading material when I get home from work so I'll catch y'all later!

Have a GRAND day!

mikie