Candybar Wrapper Favors & Gifts

Archive for the ‘Misc’ Category

I have to say that January 2010 has been a rough start for me but this past weekend my family and I spent 3 days in Pigeon Forge, TN in an awesome cabin.  The cabin had ammenities that we don’t have at home like a hot tub.  We had our two boys with us who are 5 and 2 and we spent half our time in the hot tub.  Of course it was like a warm swimming pool to them…they loved it and have deemed it necessary to have one at home!

While in the mountains I vowed not to think much about work and I did not take my computer.  I was able to check my email once using my husband’s computer (he had to take his because this was a business trip and we joined him for once).  I did get on my personal Facebook account just to update my status and see what was “new”.  Other than that day I was free from technology and let me tell you it was certainly freeing; refreshing even. 

I’ve taken January “off” to make changes, to get ideas on paper so they can be completed as actions.  So as you visit us daily, weekly or even hourly you may notice subtle changes in both our blog site, here, and our main site at www.sweetexpressionsllc.net .  I’m also taking January as an organizational month to get geared up and de-cluttered for the 2010 year. 

I do have to tell you that even though I left all computers, and to do lists behind there were driving times when my mind was racing and gathering all these new ideas for this year.  What I can bring to you, offer you and how I can change Sweet Expressions to be your gift giving source whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or don’t have enough time to be the thoughtful person you want to be.  Each month we will provide you with great tips for the next holiday in the blog, in our weekly newsletter and on Facebook.  For the do-it-yourselfer you’ll be able to take the idea and just run with them…those of you that need a little more time will have a short cut version but the people you are crafting or gifting with/for will not know the difference!

I know you’re probably looking for some great Valentines ideas and just sit back because we will be churning out some great ideas in the next couple of days and we won’t stop until Valentines Day is here!

Keeping it Unique,

Kristal

Last minute gift idea!! Give someone a Gift Certificate from yourself for a free baby sitting service, free car wash, free night out without the kids, etc. Click this link for a FREE pdf file that you can print from your computer!
http://blog.sweetexpressionsllc.net/certificate.pdf

Here is a FREE downloadable candy bar wrapper.  This one is especially great for giving gift certificates.  Where you use the one above or bought one you can hide it with the chocolate bar when you wrap it with this awesome Christmas wrapper.  It fits any 1.55oz chocolate bar (Hershey’s plain, almond, Mr. Goodbar, Krackel, or Nestle Crunch).  After you print it you’ll just need to trim your paper a little but remember to leave some white sides and wrap the candy bar just like you would a gift box!

http://blog.sweetexpressionsllc.net/christmas.pdf

If you have any questions or need assistance please give me a ring at 866.440.3535 or email me by Clicking Here!

Keeping it Unique,

Kristal

I tackeled a project this week and I’m so excited about it I just had to share it with everyone.  I also wanted to let you know that in difficult economic times you can make changes to your space and not spend a DIME! 

A friend of mine gave me a little spark and boy did it send me running.  She mentioned in order to be productive you should really like your space and enjoy being in there while working.  That turned my light bulb on, you know the one above your head when you get an idea, haha.  After really taking some time to think about it I discovered that I just didn’t like my office space.  It seemed dark, crowded, un-organized because of the structure and I had no room on my desk top to spread out because of the type of desk I have.  It is a small roll top desk and with the computer, a pencil holder, stapler, etc there wasn’t enough room for a pad of paper to jot notes on and I had no space to write and no space for reference papers and this made it very difficult to type.  My initial thought was how can I turn my space into something I like and can use, I don’t have the extra money to buy a new desk or printer stands, etc.  I was discouraged only for a moment then I began brainstorming.  I came to the conclusion that I simply needed to take the top off my desk.  Th roll top and the table top are one piece so when I took that off it left me with an open desk base.  I kept thinking and looking and decided that our old kitchen table that was just sitting in the garage would make a perfect desk top that would give me a TON of room.  I had to make a small modification to the old kitchen table top to continue to use my keyboard pull out and open the door but it was a matter of taking out some screws and a board.  Instantly I had a new desk!!  Now I have room for reference books, all my accessories, notepad, EVERYTHING I want on my desk fits and I have room left over. 

The room seemed crowded because there was just too much furniture and I had two craft tables because this is, after all, my office/craft room.  Plus I had a very cheap bookcase that frankly didn’t look good and it was hard to get to it the way the room was set up so I put all the books in the closet on the shelf, I moved my filing cabinet into the closet out of the way because I don’t use it everyday.  I looked at all my craft boxes and seperated the things I don’t use on a daily basis or even a monthly basis and moved them to another near by storage closet we weren’t using so when I need or want my things they are readily available but not crowding my office.  Then I had the idea to take what was once the desk top with the roll top and moved it next to the desk and put my printers on top.  Since it is a roll top I can close it and decided to put files and things I need access to regurlarly but not every day and I can close the top when I don’t want to look at the small mess.  

The room I use as my office is also our 4th bedroom and with everything I had in it before would not accomodate a guest room.  We don’t have many guests but when we do we have been putting them on the pull out couch in the family room.  Our guests have no privacy so my husband kept telling me we needed a bed in “my room” and I kept telling him no.  I got an idea from HGTV and it was one of those shows where they spend some money on the house to fix problem areas and have an open house for you to sell it.  They took two twin blow up beds and set them up in an extra room and made it look like an instant bedroom by stacking the beds on top of one another and putting sheets, comfortor, pillows, etc to make it look like a real bed without spending a ton of money.  We just so happen to have a king size blow up bed that zips apart into two twins and so I did the same thing.  We have a head board and now it looks like there is a day bed in here.  I want to get a day bed eventually to use but if we have guests before then atleast they have a room with privacy they’ll just be sleeping on a blow up bed. 

The last thing I needed to do was make the room personal.  I had not hung any picutures on the wall but I had tons of stuff.  I love Mickey Mouse and I have lots of Mickey things.  I hung 4 small shelves throughout the room and put my small trinkets on them, pictures, clocks, etc.  I also had the Mickey Mouse headboard and two side tables with lamps, coasters, pictures.  All Mickey Mouse!  Then I have my precious baby stuff.  I have two children and when they were babies I made their hand and foot prints, painted them blue and now they are displayed on a shelf in my office.  I also created a shadow box for my oldest (just haven’t done it for my youngest yet) and I hung that on the wall.  These are all things I cherish and adore and now I can circle the room and just smile!  I’m not completely finished there are some organizational things to figure out and I have stuff on the floor that should be listed on ebay or yard saled.

So, I took a dreadful room and transformed it into a space I love.  I made it a non-functional room into a multi-purpose room that guests can use and I opened up what seemed to be a drab room and let the light shine in making it bright and inviting!  The transformation did not cost me a dime and the room looks completely different!  This makes me happy to see all my chreished items that have been packed away, it makes my husband happy to have a guest room people can actually use and my kids love the new bed in here with all the stuffed Mickeys, dogs and dolls! 

If you’re not happy with your space just browse your house and move things around, look in your garage and see if you can recycle something you thought you would give away or throw away.  Chances are you can take nothing and make something fabulous!

I’m very proud to annouce a new addition to our product line.  It is so fabulous that it deserves it’s own page!  THE HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE CLUB.  What is that you ask?  Click on the menu title “Holiday Chocolate Club” and everything will be explained there but I’ll give you a hint!  You place one order and I will send 6 greetings at various holidays throughout the year.  Yes, you heard me correctly!  You place one order and I will send 6 greetings for you, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A THING!  It’s an awesome gift item for extended family and grandparents.

Our other new feature is the new Online Customer Service.  Yep, you guessed it we now have that cool little chat with us live button on our websites.  Now we can deliver old and new customers even more superior customer service by being available during the week so if you have a question while browsing the store no need to pick up the phone, unless you want to, just click the live chat button when we’re online and we’ll help you while you are browsing!  We can even take your order!  I’m so excited about our new Online Chat Service if you’re here and we’re online just click the chat button and say HEY!  We won’t mind at all!!

Well I finally took the plunge and switched my blog from Blogger to WordPress.  Don’t get me wrong I like Blogger but I have more options with WordPress, plus it came as a quick install on my new hosting package.  New items on the blog will be a few more pages than you are used to seeing.  There is a featured product page that is currently under construction but will be working in time to get those great Valentine’s gifts and ideas!  A contact us page and an about us page.  You can also sign up for our monthly news letter.  Right now each person that subscribes to the newsletter receives 10%off their order BUT in the month of February your name will be entered to receive a free gift!  The free gift is going to be a Holiday Chocolate Club.  This is where you pick one person to receive personalized gifts for 6 different holidays to include:  Valentine’s Day, Easter, July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  They will recieve different personalized treats each holiday.  This is a $19.95 value and you can get it for free!  For each subscriber you will receive a free Party Planning Guide.  There are more details to come and all this starts February 1st! 

Right now we have our online store under construction to update it with a new look and add new items.  In 2009 we will be introducing new personalized products each quarter!  So check back soon….I can’t wait to share all these goodies with you!

I’ll also be posting more often in 2009 to give you tips for the next holiday and gift giving options….It seems we always have someone to buy a card or small gift for and I plan to change your thinking a little and step outside your box and go for unique and personal, inexpensive and easy…not to mention so SWEET!