This awesome customer came in yesterday and gave me a coupon for Ecover cleaning products.
I know i sound lame, but i have never dealt with a coupon. does Ecover pay me back for the money I took off the product….how does this work??
anyways, here’s a link for the coupons and go for it. up to $1.75 off!!
Monday is my day-off (basically meaning i do work outside of the store rather than in the store), and i decided to head over to my friend Gretchen’s new store : Live ‘n Nature.
(this is one of Gretchen’s original designs)
Live ‘n Nature is Gretchen and her mother’s brainchild of providing natural, fair trade toys and products for kids from all over the world. A breath of fresh air and safety since the recalls and warnings we have been getting from toy makers over the past couple of years.
(that’s Gretchen in the corner trying to avoid the camera-got you!)
I love their cute and quaint space filled with natural, solid wood shelves, and warm earth tones on the walls…they really make the bright colored stuffed animals and toys jump like the one below, an instrument that is played with marbles!
(awesome colors right!)
(natural building blocks made from logs!)
Give them a visit in Mission Viejo, you can also see some of their goods here at the store soon!
It is starting to get hot, but it has been pretty manageable in here with my collection of fans (arranged in such a way as to create a constant flow of air). Yet last night we had a rather large book-signing event here and, let’s just say, the white wine and chilled sangria was a hit! It was a little warm.
Personally i am perfectly fine without AC, an iced drink and fan are really all you need (and for crying out loud, save the big physical activities for evening!), but i have to tell you, in this old building it gets hot!
Last year, i had our front windows tinted with a ceramic glaze that block out a majority of UV rays and limits heat, which is great for the furniture but come August, i was literally going to pass out. More importantly, i was embarrassed that customers where so uncomfortable that they could not stay for very long.
So this year, i am getting a small AC unit.
obviously, i am doing the Energy Star bit and i started my journey by finding out what properly sized unit i would need for the space.
The store is separated into 3 sections: the original space (which has a small unit in the back, so it is fine), and the main room where the front room is about 700 sqft and the back, about 500 (has a unit, but it kind of sucks). My goal is to cool the main room and replace the back with back’s unit with something that can be turned on but not often,
According to Energy Star, i am going to need one at 10,000 BTU and the main one at 18,000 BTU (yikes!).
The good unit I have right now is made by a company called Haier, so i started with them and hey, they had a pretty good selection, plenty with Energy Star labels.
the one on the left is 17,000 BTU and is around $550
the one on the left is 5,200 BTU is about $200 and also reduces allergy-causing dust/pollen.
if you think about it, it is not really that bad.
if you have any other suggestions, let me know!
People ask me all the time about Simple Green and whether it is really green (aka safe). I think most are really confused because of the name: hey what can be wrong with something that is simple and green!
I was able to find a little information on at least one ingredient in Simple Green:
“A key ingredient of Simple Green is butyl cellosolve, a substance considered toxic by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. In lab tests, the liquid has destroyed red blood cells and caused minor birth defects in animals. When absorbed through the skin or inhaled, it has caused irritation around the eyes and noses of humans and headaches.”
Not only those great things but there are also reports that it may also lead to “reproductive problems, such as testicular damage, reduced fertility, death of embryos and birth defects.”
So far looks like Simple Bummer.
I have emailed Simple Green and requested a ingredients list(nothing yet). I will give them credit-they have a materials safety data sheet that you can down load (and they butyl cellosolve listed), but other than that i could not find anything else as far as ingredients.
has anyone heard anything else??
Today, June 5th (or is it 6th??) we finally got our new shipment of Yummy Earth Organic Lollypops. More importantly, we got some of the new flavors they have been introducing! Of course i ripped through one bag before even putting them on the shelves…I amnot a sugar-freak, but more of a sour-freak and Yummy just came out with Sour Pops- score!!
These things are like crack- i always have a jar filled with them on the counter for people to grab. It’s funny too because people always say, “i can have one for free??” with a surprised face. Little do they know that they are going to be a YE-junkie in no time.
PS: did you see the bag on the lower right-Chili Pops for us spicy chicas! LOVE IT!
starting a business isn’t easy, and it is especially difficult when you start on $5K, like i did. i remember that basically every “official” form was my latest creation of advancement on Photoshop/Microsoft Word. one of these official forms were my gift certificates.
over the past year & 1/2, i have had several different kinds of gift certificates: which changed for different reasons (lost the file, was too embarrassed to give them out, found out a new thing on photoshop, friend had a color printer…), but i have never had a “real” gift certificate.
i know this sounds like a lame story, but last month our store had a couple GOOD weeks and i decided to give the store a gift by purchasing REAL gift certificates, made from a combination of recycled & handmade paper from Twisted Limb paper. and i have to say, they are BEAUTIFUL (they even asked if they could use them as a sample to clients!)
slowly, but surely, we are becoming a business 
there has been a mountain of talk after the last post regarding Burt’s and the Chlorox (spelled it wrong on purpose) connection. the biggest problem: what are we going to do without that awesome tinted lip-balm??
solution:
i have been using their lipstick for a couple years now..thank you to the fine folks at MOTHERS MARKET and other (well you know the Big Whole Provider of natural goods).
have to say: they are not the smooth Estee’-what we think about a lipstick, but it lasts longer and tastes better than conventional brands…plus it’s HEMP. it’s great for the skin and you are not putting lead on your mouth..and the base of the product is the fastest, strongest plant material on the planet! talk about sustainable while looking fab!
if you love the Matte-look, this is IT!
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