My plea for help...

Most of you out there know that I have a 2nd job that I can't really mention here, it's against company policy. Anyways... each month we need to submit a certain amount of sales to remain as an active consultant. This is the only way I can sell the products, know what the upcoming guest and host specials are and well... keep my bonus pay increase for having earnings of over $15,000.

Well... this month I haven't made my sales. I've got a show open and if you are looking for any sort of kitchen gadget let me help you help me out :) If you've been waiting to purchase something until a show came to you... well here it is. I'm throwing a show and giving away the benefits of free, 1/2 price, and discounted products, and the 10% discount for one year.

If you need to place an order email me and I can either get you a catalog or give you my website where there is an online catalog... I'm looking to get all orders by this Monday. PLEASE HELP ME OUT!

There are products that are discontinuing which I can email you. There is a guest special of spend $60 in products get x item free and also with every order you will get a x added to your order for free. Want to know what these x items are EMAIL ME!

Are you interested in hosting your own show next month or in a few? Let me know today and I can get you set up so that this doesn't happen to me again! Now please, shoot me an email and save my sorry butt! As a special bonus when you do order by Monday I'll send you the photos, descriptions and prices of the new products for the next catalog.... pass this onto friends and family too!

Fried Green Computer...

Well, it's official. The computer's mother board is fried per Geek Squad. We'll be looking at purchasing a new computer... but if anyone has one we can borrow in the mean time I'd love ya... Considering I need to figure out how I'm going to transmit a Pampered Chef show around the 17th!!! UGHHHHHH.

Weekend in review

Friday night I was invited to a purse party... and you know me... I had to go! On my way there I met up with Lisa for a brief exchange and went on my way. The party was at a Pampered Chef consultant from my cluster's house. I haven't seen her, or her sweet little one since my director had a holiday party at her house - two Christmas's ago! It was good to see and catch up with her.

Saturday morning Jerome and I awoke and started picking up the house. My sister and her two kids were on their way back home after visiting with mom and dad and heading for Chicago for the weekend for a wedding. The had a layover at the airport here and we weren't sure if we were going to be heading out for lunch or making it at our house... so... of course we picked up a little. Ends up that we headed to AppleBee's for lunch.

I had the Aloha Burger. YUM-O! I totally have a thing for pineapple. I love it. Especially since going to Cancun, Mexico and having fresh pineapple every morning. Jerome had a Chicken Strip platter, Tammy had some sort of salad and the kids... well of course had hamburgers and chicken fingers!

AKT, my niece and godchild, (and the flower girl that didn't make it down the isle at our wedding) managed to drop her bottle of beer on the floor which happens... no biggie but of course she cried. Poor girl. She's getting so big!

ALT, my oldest niece, was a barrel of fun! She sat next to me which was nice, I was able to poke and tickle her while we waited for our food to come. Jerome had the camera and took plenty of pictures I would guess, but I don't think I looked at them!

The bill came and we left. I was taking them back to the airport. Stupid me, instead of getting on Hwy 5 to the airport didn't get off the ramp and ended up taking them on 494. I hope they weren't too late. I didn't get a call so I assume they made their flight. SORRY AGAIN!

Once I left the airport and returned home I jumped in bed for a quick nap as we were going to a party Saturday night. Last weekend at the birthday BBQ at Lisa's house we were invited to E's house for his birthday bash. Lisa gave me the heads up that it could be an all nighter - aka leave at 6am kind of party... thus the nap Saturday afternoon. We had a good time at E's and even watched an HBO boxing fight on the the projection screen that was attached to the back of his house... I wish I had taken a picture!

Sunday we woke up and headed out for breakfast. I had been craving pancakes. Yes, pancakes. I wanted Denny's fluffy pancakes. Scary I know. So off we went, plus we had a $5 off coupon for there!

After breakfast we went home and were gathering items to go to Anna's house. She had purchased at mirror from our garage sale that she needed hanging but didn't have a stud finder. So I took Jerome, ha ha ha... (stud finder). No really, we went and hung up the mirror in her kitchen/dining room.

Once that was finished we headed to Lisa and Rod's to pick up the battery charger for the car (the bucket). Apparently there is something going on with the battery of my old car... I don't know I don't drive it but Jerome does. I headed in for a quick nap while dozing off to the TV while Jerome was outside.

We did end up slapping some paint on the wall Sunday night to see if we liked the color... I have a feeling I'll be painting the rest tonight... I like!

That's about it. C-ya later!

Garage Sale Weekend has come and gone...

So the big event was this past weekend, our garage sale.

Wednesday night my co-work MV came over to drop off some kids clothes and a few other things for my sale. As she set up her goodies I kinda took a break. I skipped out on my contact fitting appointment and set up the tables and such in the garage. When she brought in her items that's when it felt like a true sale.

Thursday after work I dropped Jerome off at home while I headed to a happy hour for an old boss. He was canned, or in nice terms laid off from our company a few weeks short of his 10 year mark.... makes you wonder! Anyways, while I was sipping on my single beer Jerome was at home checking things off a list that I had of things to do by the end of the night. How lucky am I that once I got home most of the items were already done! Thanks Hun.

So we set up the sale more and more, figured out what things would be outside, what would remain inside of the garage, etc, etc. I wondered a bit how I was going to do this all by myself in the morning... but, Jerome called in sick on Friday, poor baby was sick. :)

We woke up Friday morning and started setting items up. I put the signs all out around our little neighborhood and grabbed breakfast for us from McDonald's. Stupid McDonald's tried to short us a Hashbrown... how dare they! I had to run back to McDonald's to complain. Soon after breakfast our first customers showed up. It was a long and hot day - we even had the A/C unit that we found during dumpster days going in the garage. So many people wanted to buy it that we stuck a "not for sale" sign on it! We had a great turn out and plenty of sales. One of our customers was nice enough to tell us that our sign down the street had been knocked down/blown over. Jerome ran down the street to fix it. Even Nicole made a surprise appearance at the sale.

It rained Friday night, and Saturday morning there was a ton of fog. I watched the weather and it said that around noon we should be having showers... not the case though! I ran around making sure all of our signs we still standing only to find out the one that had been knocked down the other day to be missing. Yup, I think our neighbors stole it... how awful... and they weren't even home... JERKS! So I made another one out of scrap wood that we had and set it up on the opposite corner. Another good sale day and a pretty good turn out, but I think Fridays was better. We sold our TV that was in our living room, we tried to load it into the guys car, but it didn't fit. He said he would come back on Sunday to pick it up in his brothers truck.

Sunday we sat around... in the heat... burning up. I ran around looking for the signs, now paranoid that our signs were all going to be missing. YUP... one more sign gone. JEEEZE. This time I took a end table that we were trying to sell off and made a sign. Silly me put the arrows on but didn't check the other side... I had arrows going both ways! Ughh... So I had to repaint it.

Anna and Nate showed up in support of the sale. We tried to get Anna to buy anything and everything that we thought she should have. She ended up getting tons of stuff - and all three lamps... wooo hooo no more sitting in the dark! It was a slow day, but then again it was Father's Day (Happy Father's Day Dad!) and a Sunday at that. So we didn't make much of a profit on Sunday and started closing up shop at 3 pm - gathering the other contributors items into piles so they can take them away, moving tables around so maybe we can use 1/2 of the garage for the truck or cars, and bringing the stuff from outside in. We had a few more customers - after all it was 1/2 price day! But I think we were officially closed at 4:30.

All in all we made a pretty good profit. Next year I think we'll be having another one - so start saving your stuff now... but beware, you'll need your own table and I will probably be charging some sort of fee for us sitting there selling your stuff if you aren't there. (This year, not a big deal as there wasn't all that much stuff from others - one of those contributors even tried to make us money with Pull Tabs!)

We will be dumpster diving this year and making money off of other peoples trash!!!!

So... 2 signs stolen, 1 pair of earrings stolen, 1 switching of price stickers that was caught, dumpster junk sold for a profit, TV sold at a profit, one McDonald's hashbrown almost missed
... and money made to boot... I'd say was a pretty good run for three days!

What did you do this weekend?

I became a housewife...

I cooked, I cleaned, I sewed, I painted, I even did laundry.

What do I have to show for it... nada. Or actually... I do. I had a PC Show on Saturday which so far has sales around $500 and one booking for September. Guess I did get something for "cooking".

JST was here Saturday and most of the day on Sunday. She and I went Father's Day shopping for Jerome. We ran to a few stores and I managed to pick up something for her at each. Bad part is, she wasn't even trying to get stuff for herself!

This is what brings me to the sewing. With her bulging belly she tries to wear jeans that she wore before baby belly. Well, that doesn't work for Jerome and it sure doesn't work for me. Jerome and I bought her some outfits the last time she was here, but they are still too big for her I guess. So off to Walmart we went for some of her Father's Day present. While we were there we spotted a clearance rack in the maternity section and got her a few things.

We found pant... but it's June. The girl needs some shorts.... but I wasn't about to pay $20 for a pair of capris. Nope.... I'll make 'em! That was the easy task... just moving a hem. But, that was after I tried to make a pair of shorts out of some knit pants. Oh my.... those were a doosie.... and it didn't help that I was up till 2 am trying to figure the shorts out!

Well, once I got the hang of it, Jerome ran upstairs since we set up "shop" in the laundry room. He brought down a pair of jeans that he wanted a cuff on. Here we go. I broke two... count them two needles. Off to Walmart again....

Only to find out that they were having a huge sale on their grills.... so... yup... I called Jerome and he came with the truck to pick it up. We even had it assembled for free. Wooo hooo! Who's coming over for some gas grill now????

Jerome took JST home once we took this months baby belly pics in the living room... I took a quick cat nap. Then decided to get up and work on Jerome's pant legs again now that I had new needles.

I ate a bowl of cereal for dinner and went outside to spray paint the signs for my garage sale next weekend. Jerome came out to help after I was out of the first can... six signs and four cans of red spray paint later I've got the base coat done and will do the lettering tomorrow if it's not raining.

What a jam packed weekend.... now onto this week.

As you know...

I sell kitchen tools in home demonstrations for a company that I can't name... but is known as PC here.

Well we just switched who we ship our products out from. It use to be UPS and has now changed to FedEx. I've never dealt with said company so this will be my first experience with them. I had a fine experience with UPS and now have the feeling that I will miss them.

Good things , FedEx will deliver up until 8pm. They also deliver on Saturdays.

Bad things, they don't deliver on Mondays. Why I don't know... but they don't. Another thing... my FedEx guy sucks.

This brings me to this post.

Last night I had a delivery of my free new product from our next catalog for submitting two shows in December. I heard the truck idling outside and I went to the door to see if it was for me. I flicked on the light since it was dark out and wanted to show that there was a path to our front door.

The FedEx guy walked to the front steps with box in hand. He handed it to me with no words in exchange. As he turned and walked away I asked if he was the usual delivery guy for this area and he said "well, yeah". Ummm okay, I thought to myself... nice meeting you jerk.

Can I get your name, can I tell you I want my packages delivered to the back of the house, can I tell you that you'll be coming by here often with packages from The PC? No. He ran to his truck and drove off. JERK.

I turned and went back inside and opened the box. I noticed a smell... good lord he must be a chain smoker?!?!?! Ughhh. Thank goodness it wasn't broken I wouldn't want to have to have him come and pick it up!

Bookings bookings bookings!

I'm pretty excited....

I told you about the show I had last weekend... well we are closing it Nov 1st so that the host/guest specials are for November.

Then I have a show on the 3rd for an old co-worker of mine... which will be a November show...

And then I have another show that just booked for the 18th... another November show.

Now why am I so excited... well we have a consultant promotion going on for November shows! I can get some new products for FREE! Yippy if all goes right!

We also have some great guest and host things going on for the very beginning of next year... love cookware or stoneware? Contact me for more information!

Pampered Chef Show

Well JT set up a PC show for one of his co-workers for me. It was this past weekend. I made a White Chocolate Raspberry Tart. I hear it was pretty good.

Her show is over $500 right now and isn't closing until November 1st. wooo hooo... Thanks hun!

Candy Bar...

The more and more I think about it I want a Candy Bar at the reception. This would help me get over this "being different wedding syndrome" I think. I love the idea. It's simple... pick a table and have all kinds of different high and low glass or plastic containers that hold all kinds of different candy. And since both Jerome and I are both candy lovers I think it's perfect.

So if you've got a glass bowl or container that you would let me borrow I would love to hear from you... oh if I were close enough to the PCers in WI I would defiantly do all Simple Additions...but since we've got the traveling thing going on we won't be doing that!

I'm also planning on having a kid's table where they can hang out during the reception with coloring books, crayons, bubbles and more... what fun!

BRIDESMAID DRESSES... WINNER?

Anna (bridesmaid) and I went to David's Bridal this weekend so that she could "test drive" a dress that was previously listed here... Anna was trying it on since we found the one on that was listed on here before after we had been dress shopping with Lisa a month ago or so...

Well she tried it on and I asked her to try this one on also... I REALLY liked this one on her. So, I think this is the winner for the bridesmaids. Not to mention it was on sale and it comes with the wrap... Always nice!!!

So... we've got a reception location, I've picked my dress, I think we've narrowed the maids dress down and now it's on the men folks in this wedding party...and cake... and still searching for a different option for the ceremony.

Jerome and I have registered at Target and are debating if we should register somewhere else as well... we'll see.

I also ran to Target this weekend and found a cute selection of things for weddings. I found some white petals for my flower girls to toss... got them a basket with purple lining for them to share, (yep they have their dresses too), I found some other things that were perfect too... but you'll have to keep checking for their reveal!

I've confirmed with the girls that there will be two bridal showers that I know of... one in Wisconsin that will be mostly my family and then a MN one for all those people here. Should be interesting... I went searching for some outfits for the upcoming parties and such... not to mention next month I've got my class reunion too!!! We are soooooo booked these next few months... it's gonna be crazy :)

The next FIVE weekends I have atleast one show... and sometimes two shows for Pampered Chef either on Friday or Saturday... oops there goes my weekend... and hopefully my pocketbook! So, if you are trying to reach me... best bet is during the week... or more so during the day at work! Enjoy!

Veil vs. Chef Hat

Lisa and I are going to attend a bridal fair this Sunday. I hope to find some information on locations for the wedding/reception for here in MN. I'm sure we will find out tons more information but location being my first and foremost... since that is what everything is really waiting on. I'll update more soon on that.

I've also reminded myself that I also have my own business (Pampered Chef). So I took my veil off for a moment and put on my chef's hat for a bit lately and that would be why things are "slacking" on here. I've got a show on Saturday and need to help Lisa out with her catalog show that she has going on. I hope to be booking more and more catalog shows as the warmer months come, along with the wedding plans. So... here's to those who would like to have one... just let me know. Even if you want a cooking show (new phrase we're using and I'm not so sure I like it) let me know and I'll see what will work out for both of our calendars!