Full confession: I have a difficult time running Otion, our retail location and still trying to keep Bramble Berry, our mail-order company, open and working smoothly. The two locations are literally 2 miles apart. I spent most of this morning's business meditation reading the Inc magazine (April … Continue Reading
Yellow Beeswax Surplus
Bramble Berry has an awesome deal on Yellow Beeswax, candle grade. It's just $3 per pound in the 55 pound bag. That's a very aggressive price. You can use beeswax for candles, fragrance tarts, fragranced wax ornaments, or wax dipped bears. At $3 per pound, your fragrancedwax ornaments would cost … Continue Reading
International Cheese Festival
I didn't think it was possible to get physically sick off of cheese and actually want to vomit at the sight of cheese but apparently, as Chris and I proved, it is indeed possible. I could try to explain the rationale for why a soapmaker would need to visit a cheese festival (niche markets, … Continue Reading
Tires that Smell Like Lavender
In an attempt to appeal to the female consumer, Kuhmo Tires has come out with a tire that smells like Lavender. Because women spend so much time at ground level, smelling their ... tires? Another marketing gimmick, another day. Rather than coming out with something that actually appeals to the … Continue Reading
The Governor of Washington is amazing!
I had the extreme privilege of meeting with Governor Christine Gregoire (Washington State) yesterday morning at the early morning hour of 7:15 a.m. She came to Bellingham to speak to City Club. She called our non-profit group, The Bellingham Bay Foundation, to get the skinny on the waterfront … Continue Reading
I’m irritated but I’m not sure if it’s justified
I'm irritated. I'm not sure if it's justified though. My husband says it's 40% justified. My staff say it's 100% justified. Either way, justified or not, I'm irritated and spending entirely too much time on a $160 problem. We faxed a Purchase Order to a vendor and requested "Fed Ex" shipping. … Continue Reading
Can *you* balance a check book?
Some disturbing information came out recently from the American Institute for Research. Apparently, more than half of the students that were nearing graduation at a four-year college were found lacking in basic literacy skills to handle "complex tasks." Some examples of "complex tasks" were things … Continue Reading
The Seagull and the Starfish
On my amazing, beautiful, breathtaking run along Bellingham Bay on the official "South Bay Trail" (thank you citizens of Bellingham for passing the levy that paid for this trail), I came across a fascinating sight. I was almost done with the run and working up to a "You're almost done! Push! It!" … Continue Reading
They like us, they really really like us
This review from Epinions totally made my day! Here's an excerpt: Looking for a reliable on-line store for premium fragrance and essential oils, I Googled upon Bramble Berry in Bellingham, WA. With an excellent assortment of my favorite Milky Way Soap Molds, just the right how-to books, some … Continue Reading
I’m a little obsessed with cupcakes
My friend Jody owns Cupcake Royale. Prior to getting addicted to her tasty morsels, I didn't think much about cupcakes. I mean, I like them. I ate them occasionally but not more than the average person. But, after a few cupcakes from Jody, I started to crave them and got genuinely hooked. I knew … Continue Reading
Reading MSLO’s Stock Report
I've had a lovely morning thus far, started with coffee with my husband, followed by a 3.6 mile run along Bellingham's waterfront and I've settled into my office routine by reading the 2006 Stockholders Report for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. It's not secret that I'm a huge fan of Ms. Martha. … Continue Reading
The Martha Stewart Brand Values
(copied from the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia 2006 Stockholder's Report) Every home is a canvas. Homes reflect our dreams and aspirations for living every day to its fullest. We are about the handmade, the homemade, the artful, the innovative, the practical, the contemporary, and the beautiful. … Continue Reading
I’m an information junkie
Until I went away for two weeks, I had not realized how out of control my insatiable need for copious amounts of information was. When I got back, much of my 6 foot tall mail stack was filled with magazines. I've now spent the better part of the weekend trying to read and digest all the magazines. … Continue Reading
Multi-Tasking, part four
I've posted a few times (here, here and here) about my inability to focus on one thing at a time for longer than about 10 seconds. The short recap is that supposedly I lose 2.1 hours a day in productivity because of my propensity to do 15 things at once. Check out my desk today - piles, mounds, and … Continue Reading