Back from Mexico.....and BUSY!

After an amazing week in Mexico (Mayan Riviera to be precise), we are now back, re-opened our Etsy shop, and sales have been great!

Our blue Moose-Camel-Tiger-Rhino set was featured on an Etsy email this week. This is the third Etsy email we have been featured in since we launched our Original Animal Magnet shop just a few months ago. We have also been featured on the Etsy front page on multiple occasions as well!

Check out all of our listings at: www.originalanimalmagnet.etsy.com

The response so far since we opened this shop has been great (and worth all the hard work). Our cheeky animal magnets make a perfect gift, or a perfect addition to your very own fridge/office/kid's room/etc!

4 piece Dino - T-Rex and Bronto

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93264131/dinosaur-magnets-lime-4-piece-set-in

8 piece Farm - Dog, Goat, Sheep, and Pig

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93573520/gold-farm-animal-magnets-for

6 piece Horses

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93886220/horses-magnet-set-6-piece-set-black



All of our sets now come gift ready in drawstring muslin bags, stamped in ink with our logo.

We have some exciting plans in the works. Sets of DOGS and SEALIFE are on their way, so stay tuned!

SHOP: www.originalanimalmagnet.etsy.com

TWITTER: @thesewecovet



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Chartreuse is the color of Spring

One of the things I love most about Etsy (if you havent been to this site yet...you must go now!) is when other members showcase your item in a Treasury. Basically, the collect 16 of their favorite items, that look beautiful together, and create a special grouping. Others can then browse these treasuries and click on any items they might like or want to buy.

Today we were featured in Chartreuse Pop by TheFineFeather...and let me tell you...was I ever blown away. She definitely has an eye for design as you can see below. Such a gorgeous color composition.

Thanks for featuring our Chartreuse Dinos!!

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Wordless Wednesday - March 21st

c/o Honeytree.etsy.com

c/o photography.pollysplayground.com

c/o mistymichellephotography.com

c/o emmagutteridge.com

c/o fokkomuller.wordpress.com

c/o dallaslillich.com

c/o melaniemenardarts.wordpress.com

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Animal Magnets - Our newest Etsy Shop

www.originalanimalmagnet.etsy.com featured on Etsy Front Page!!!

Woo ho...it is Friday. Definitely one of my favorite days. A few years ago, I actually purposed to not love the weekend so much. I figured it didn't make sense to rush the week and just live for weekends.

Really, live is short enough already; so you have to enjoy the whole week (not just Sat/Sun). I am pleased to report that my plan worked and eventually I found everyday to be exciting....lol.

But, I still have some loooong weeks where that weekend is like a shining star...an oasis in the desert ;)

I am very excited to report that our newest Etsy shop (wheww..how many do I have now!) has made it onto the FRONT PAGE not once...but TWICE. We have been open less than a month, and have had an amazing 30+ sales, two front pages, and featured in the Etsy emailer that is sent to thousands of people. This is such a blessing, and it feels so good to have craft hobbies on the side of my 'real' job.

For March, I am going to try and share photos of what we are currently working on. Our magnets are so fun and quirky. We are really hoping we can start selling them as unique farm wedding favors or birthday favors. Of course, I think the majority of people are getting them as office or home fridge/magnet board gifts. Either way, they are a great conversation piece and I think they always make people giggle.

Our chartreuse Dinosaurs

This awesome blue set was on the front page too!

For those horse lovers.

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Workout Plan

Working out is always a challenge (for me at least!).

Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself..I actually love getting outside, being in the fresh air...but I find that during the winter months I get caught up in projects that keep me on the computer, or crafting, or inside with friends. Going to the Gym is generally NOT my idea of a good time and I would SO rather be outside running, hiking, kayaking....you get the point :) Living in Vancouver is conducive to all of these things. Thank goodness! But it gets dark sooooooo early in the winter months and when you are getting home after work, the last thing you feel like is going out in the pitch black.

So, here is the great idea.
A wonderful coworker decided to create a FIT club so we could monitor and encourage each other. So far I am loving the idea and even though it is quite new...I think it is helping to hold ourselves accountable. One of the members has done some amazing feats. Think climbing Mt. Kiliminjaro (sp?) and running marathons. At the last meeting she showed me  her chart for running. Obviously I have seen game plans, etc. (they are wonderful) for running 10K, half marathon, etc. etc. But her plan mapped out her two months training period and left in time for breaks and even an extra week for unplanned sickness. The really IMPORTANT PART is... she had identical boxes underneath each days workout to record what she actually ended up doing. This is such a great way to not over glorify one or two workouts that suddenly become four workouts in your mind. If you are busy as I am...it is easy to think.."Oh yah..I totally worked out every day last week". Also, you could take it to another step and tally up the total km's ran or time spent for each week. This allows you to flip your schedule around a bit if you get busy one day and make up for it the next.

The pic above is of my very crude chalkboard version. But don't judge :) because I am learning to do things now instead of waiting until the day I have time to make a perfect chart. Some of my letters stand for Yoga, Running, boring Gym and Dancing (I use my Xbox dance game and let me tell you how hard a workout that can be...crazy time).

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Wordless Wednesday

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Commonly Mispronounced Food Words

The time has come...to stop avoiding items on a menu because you are not sure how to pronounce them, or to stop sounding like a doofus when you do try to order something and completely hack the pronounciation.

Here are a few commonly mispronounced food-related words that you should know how to say with confidence...

QUINOA:  keen-wah
A tall crop plant of the goosefoot family, cultivated in Peru and Chile for its small, ivory-coloured seed, which is used as a food staple. Extremely good for you, and easy to make!

ACAI:  ah-sigh-ee
The deep purple, edible berry of a Central and South American palm tree.

CHARCUTERIE:  shar-koo-tuh-ree
The art of preparing various meats, in particular pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways. In other words, a presentation of awesomeness. These meat plates have become popular menu items over the past few years.

PRIX-FIXE:  pree-feeks
A french phrase meaning "a fixed price" for a whole meal. You are seeing more and more restaurants in North America using this term.

CAIPIRINHA:  kai-pee-reen-ya
Brazil's national cocktail, made with rum, sugar, and lime. After a few of these you can throw pronounciation out the window.

GEWURZTRAMINER:  geh-voorts-truh-mee-nur
An aromatic, pink-skinned wine grape.

VIOGNER:  vi-ohn-yay
A floral white wine grape.

SANGIOVESE:  san-geeo-vehs-eh
A red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jove".

Check out a full wine pronounciation list HERE.

Don't stop at food...make sure you are nor mispronouncing words on a regular basis. Check out the 100 most often mispronounced words and phrases HERE.

Chime in! - If you have any words to add to the list, please do so in the comment box below.

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Wordless Wednesday

 

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Valentine's Day Candy Quiz

So you consider yourself a candy connoisseur? Or perhaps a Valentine's Day wiseacre?

Put your money where your mouth is and take this cool quiz that we came across on the James Beard Foundation website. Compare your results with your significant other...bragging rights will be on the line ; )

Test your knowledge with these questions from the February/March 2011 issue of James Beard Fouindation Notes. Read on for the questions featured and more. Once you think you've got them solved, click through for the answers and your Eat-Q score.

1. At least ten new sayings are introduced on conversation hearts each 
year. Which of these is not a recent addition?
A. “Yeah Right”
B. “What-eva”
C. “Call Home”

D. “Puppy Love”

2. Hershey’s Kisses are so named because:
A. Chocolate is an aphrodisiac.
B. The noise the machines make to extrude the chocolate during manufacturing resembles a smooch.

C. Milton Hershey invented the candy as a Valentine’s Day gift for his wife.

D. The foil wrapper was originally printed with a design of lips.

3. Which chocolate company hit upon the idea of increasing sales of 
Valentine’s Day chocolate by packaging its chocolates in the 
world’s first heart-shaped candy box?
A. Milton Hershey
B. Richard Cadbury
C. Henri Nestlé
D. Normaine Ritter

4. Although the phrase actually refers to a funeral bouquet, 
the line “Sweets to the sweet,” from this Shakespearean play, is 
often used to promote Valentine’s Day candy:
A. Hamlet
B. Romeo and Juliet
C. Macbeth
D. Twelfth Night

5. Every year, this television game show includes questions about 
conversation hearts on its Valentine’s Day-themed episode:
A. Cash Cab
B. Wheel of Fortune
C. Trivial Pursuit

D. Jeopardy

6. True or False: More candy is purchased on Valentine’s Day than on Halloween
A. True
B. False

7. Before WWI, conversation hearts were also made in all of the following shapes EXCEPT:
A. Tophats
B. Horseshoes
C. Watches
D. Baseballs

8. How many heart-shaped boxes of chocolate were sold last year?
A. 5 million
B. 14 million
C. 36 million
D. 52 million


9. Production for conversation hearts runs for 11 months of the year, though they are available in stores for approximately this long each year:
A. Year-round
B. Six months
C. Three months
D. Six weeks

10. Which group receives the most Valentine’s Day candy and gifts?
A. Children
B. Mothers/Wives
C. Fathers/Husbands
D. Pets

Think you've got the right answers? CLICK HERE TO CHECK YOUR SCORE.

PS - Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

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GLYMM Box Excitement

Here is one of my last Glymm boxes from a month or so ago. Still indulging in these and still
thinking they are totally worth it for the price. See my old post here for more details.

It included the follwing:
Juicy Bamboo cleansing clothes:

I actually really like these and would consider buying a pack for summer camping or those nights when you feel lazy and don't want to take your make up off.

Burt's Bees Lotion:

Having always had a soft spot for their products since they are so natural and have been around since I was a pre-teen..this lotion was kind of disappointing. The texture was just 'meh' and the scent was double 'meh'.

Anastasia's Clear Eyebrow Liquid:

Totally would have never bought this product, but I am AMAZED at how well it shapes the brows. I feel like you can comb them up and over and you instantly look more awake and vibrant. Love it!

Cargo Eye Pencil - Black

Haven't actually opened this yet, but funny enough I have one already (that I bought..boo) and it's pretty good. I will just keep this one for when my other runs out. Ps. Pretty sure I paid at least $14 so that alone made up for the box price.

Vasanti Brightening Cream

This looks boring...so still needs to be used.

RMS lip color/conditioner:

This was a bonus product I received because I have ordered for a few months. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.. So smooth and just a touch of pretty color (see photo). Plus all the ingredients are organic. Definitely could see myself buying again.

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