Crafters United: Katrina, you suck

Some sassy, crafty cyber friends of mine have organized an awesome fundraiser to help raise cash for the thousands of people devasted by Katrina.

Please go here to Etsy.com and shop for all sorts of cool, kitschy, crafty stuff. All items have been donated and proceeds will go directly to the Red Cross Hurricaine Relief Fund. These are some talented chicas, so there's no way you won't find something awesome to add to your jewelry box, closet, kiddie's back or desktop.

We've all seen the pictures...watched the news...its beyond horrible what has happened on the Gulf Coast. Let's all do our part to help out.

Laguna Beach: REVISTED

Man, now the NYT is writing about Laguna Beach??

Could I *be* any more on the pulse? Don't answer that.

I want my MTV...

How to fold a shirt

I'm generally quite a messy slob, however, the one thing I'm *really* good at is folding. There are others in my life (you know who you are) who really suck at it, and its become an ongoing disussion in our lives.

I was quite blown out of my chair after coming upon Ready Made Magazine's article on how to fold a shirt Know How to Fold Em'. According to the mag and the included diagrams, my years of folding practice are basically now straight out the window. The aricle and featured folding "approach" is based on a Japanese "how to fold a shirt" video that, trust me, is quite an eye popper for all other Martha Stewart devotees out there like myself. Needless to say, I'm dying to get home to try this technique out. I've watched the video six or seven times now and am still unsure I *really* get it, but man am I psyched to go home and get my fold on tonight.

UPDATE: ok, I am dumb. Really dumb. I cannot for the life of me figure this out and its making me very mad. I have tried way too many times already. I think I now speak Japanese from watching the video so much. I still can't do it. ARGGGGHHHH!

UPDATE TO MY UPDATE: Phew. Thanks to my good buddy Sarubozu, I finally have figured this out. My shirts don't look *quite* as nice as the japanese lady's shirts, but they look pretty decent. Man, folding is F-U-N!

Who needs a job?

Here's some stellar advice re: going about the process of saying "see ya!" for those (of us) who might be considering resigning.

Of course there's the little tip about actually having a job before you take the leap, some sample resignation letters and a list of smart things to think about before taking the plunge (i.e. unused vacation days, insurance, 401k plans, etc).

Some other fab job findin' resources:

Indeed.com is a job search engine that scours hundreds of different websites and offers up all results in one convenient spot. You can receive results via email or RSS feeds as well.

Guru.com offers up a fantastic "freelance marketplace" in which freelancers can "bid" on job proposals that have been submitted by employers. The site helps you manage invoices and payments and makes the process pretty darn easy and painless.

Craigslist remains one of the fave job search site of unemployed peeps near and far. You can search by city and, though the interface is simple and not snazzy, the sort of positions that are offered tend to be more interesting and less corporate than listings on standard job search sites such as Monster.com or Hotjobs.com.

For those in the big cities (NY, LA, Miami, etc) looking for event focussed jobs, BizBash.com has some interesting opportunities.

Are you in the "Flow?"

No siree, these are not the lyrics to Ja Rule's new song. According to psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (trying saying that ten times fast), the state of "flow" is when you are so focused, so determined, so happy and exhilarated with what you're doing, that you barely notice anything or anyone else around you. "It is what the sailor holding a tight course feels when the wind whips through her hair....It is what a painter feels when the colors on the canvas begin to set up a magnetic tension with each other, and a new thing, a living form, takes shape...."

Fast Company has a great article on the concept of "flow" and Csikzentmihalyi's book: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

Major companies are picking up on the "flow" concept and trying to figure out how the hell to get their employees "flowin" all day long. I'd like to figure it out myself. With work and with life, there have been several time periods for me (some lasting weeks or motnhs) where I have been so focused and driven, it never even occurred to me that I might not reach my goal (like when I decided I wanted to run a marathon when I had never run a millimeter in my life. Six months later I came across the finish line at the Chicago Marathon). Why are we so insanely motivated and focused at certain times, and at others I can barely pay attention to an episode of the Jetsons. I guess I need to read this book, huh?

Entertaining Ways to Network

The concept of "networking" used to make my skin crawl. After my stint in the entertainment industry when I had some of the slimiest and most unplesant of networking experiences (YES, I've been to Sushi Roku...YES, I know that club off of fairfax with no sign that you can only get to by going down that back alley...YES I've partied with Jamiroquai...so what), I just tend to shy away from the whole thing. But, I've quickly come to learn that that's just plain dumb. Networking is an easy and super important tactic to make use of as one grows their own business. I'm constantly amazed by the opportunities that arise and deals that I am able to make by simply making use of my "network." It's pretty cool, actually.

Lifehacker has a great post on some entertaining ways to network swiped from the pages of a new book called The Big Sister's Guide to the World of Work: The Inside Rules Every Working Girl Must Know.

Speaking of networking, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to plug my fave networking group of all time: Ladies Who Launch. This is a nationwide group of the coolest, most ineteresting, most talented and sucessful women you could ever hope to find, and I'd highly recommend seeking them out immediately and finding some ladies ho launch of your own. You won't be sorry.

Christmas...meet Chanukah

Brilliant! Brilliant I say to Elise Okrend who has developed a line of greeting cards that address the multi-cultural, mixed religion families of today who celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah, Mixed Blessing. Way to pick up on a social trend and capitalize on it, Elise!

Though I've read about this line before, MSNBC has a great article/interview with her. Elise mentions in the interview how she and her husband (who is her biz partner) really took the time to build up their biz slowly, rather than diving in head first with no bathing suit on or water in the pool, like some (of us) have done. She also mentions that in the last few years, her strongest area of growth has been in online sales (hollah!). Love to hear that. Mazel Tov Elise!

Bowling for "I do's"

I came across a super fantabulous article in the Hartford Courant about the trend of brides and grooms choosing to really think outside the box and throw weddings with their own quirkiness and style: 'I Do's' With a Difference.

My fave couple in the story, Kris & Rob, eloped on their own an then decided to throw a bowling party wedding reception, replete with personalized embroidered bowling shirts, and bowling pin centerpieces. The coined it "The Thompson Tournament of Love."

The message of the article is, though traditional weddings are mos def still alive and well, there is also a major identifiable trend of brides and grooms choosing to do things their own way, foregoing accepted traditions and inventing their own spins on what a wedding should and could be.

In terms of the wedding industry, many of us are already seeing this develop, and in fact, was my main impetus in creating Paper Bride. In a major way, it really sort of opens up the playing field. I bet this bowling alley in Connencticut, for instance, never considered that there might be a revenue stream for them in throwing weddings, and in fact, there just might be. Cupcakes, magnet/postcard save-the-dates, photo booths at weddings....unless you have been living under a rock, you have likely seen these things and many other unexpected items gain serious footholds in the industry over the past few years and this is absolutely, positively destined to continue. I think we all need to continue thinking waaaay outside the box regarding our own businesses and what we can be doing because...well...all the brides already are.

Why wasn't it like this when I went to school?

When students in Vail, Arizona started school this year, they didn't get stacks of text books. No snazzy vinyl bookcovers from the drugstore that you can fold into cutesy bookcovers. They all got a different sort of book: an ibook.

Ok, this is no fair. There were no ibooks for me when I went to school. True, ibooks had not yet been invented, but still...kids today have it pretty damn good. I mean ibooks?! Ok, but really I'm not bitter. I actually think this is really fantastico....really, I do.

Top 500 Blogs

Not that I want to send you away packing or anything, but just in case you're feeling less than inspired here, RSS aggregator Feedster has put together a list of their top 500 Blogs (according to linkage).

I happened upon this little beauty: TV Squad which dishes on all of our fave TV shows. They have this great column called Spoilers Anonymous which offers up some don't read this unless you want the show ruined-sort of info..which is, of course, my favorite kind.

Also found this little goodie called Pop Gadget: "Personal Tech and innovative lifestyle for women." Hollah for early adopters!

Indie Brides: Brides, only....better

Traditional brides are a dime a dozen, but an indie bride...well, they're just more fun. Perhaps I say this because I consider myself to be an indie bride, but I think the mere existence of the term says a whole heck of a lot about how the wedding industry is changing. Things that were, in the past unheard of (i.e. Destination Weddings, strapless wedding dresses) are now considered the norm.

Here's a great article on how Indie Brides are shakin' things up.

Beauty and the world wide web

Meta tags, search engine optimization, link exchanges, oh my. If you've parked yourself at the drive-in movie lot on the world wide web like I have, there are about a gazillion and one things you need to focus on to make sure your website stands out. All of this stuff is crucial...yes...and should not be ignored. But for me, there is often something much simpler and much harder to "quantify" when it comes to web browsing: Do I like your site? Do I think its pretty/intriguing/interesting/well designed/noteworthy/balanced? If not, see ya.

This might sound like a dumb M.O to some...and I admit that my reasoning is ocassionally subject to flawed logic, however, I pretty much just flat out refuse to buy anything or spend time on your website if I don't like it. Call me a snob if you will (I've been called worse), but I really think that one's website is almost akin to your front lawn. Are you going to have the grass cut and the bushes trimmed? Are you going to leave that rusty drain pipe hanging off of the side of the roof? and a broken window pane? Of course not...so why do that on your website?!

As it turns out, CNN informs me that I'm not alone. And that, furthermore, a site that *I* might like might be loathed and abhored by my brother/father/fiance/delivery guy.

My tastes change as quickly as Lindsay Lohan's hair color, but strictly from a design point-of-view, I'm madly in love with this site called Pampered Tot. I don't have a baby...and likely won't have one anytime soon, but dammit if I don't feel like buying things when I get there. I want to buy Pampered Tot a dozen roses...share a one-strawed milkshake with Pampered Tot and take "him" on a rowboat ride to the middle of the lake. Screw it...I'm just going to throw caution to the wind and say it: Pampered Tot...I love you.

Long live marriage!

With all of the talk these days about divorce, greeting cards for cheating spouses and the like, its insanely refreshing to read about couples who are bucking the odds like broncos and staying hitched through thick and thin, sickness and health, etc.

I lived in LA for awhile and didn't spend a whole lotta time in Ventura County, but their "Spousal Longevity Derby" held every year at the county fair, sounds plum adorable. The contest is held for couples who have been married for at least 50 years and this year 15 cute as a button couples took part.

Here's my favorite quote from the long-livin married folk: "Marriage takes two four-letter words to last," said one older bride, as about 100 fairgoers listened intently. "The first is 'love' and the other is 'work.'

80/20 All the Way

Ah, Lifehacker.com, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...but only 20% of the time.

In this fab post, How to work less and suceed more, we get some brief insights into the 80/20 principle: "Businesses have known for a long time that they can improve their position enormously by concentrating on the key 20 percent of activities. But why can’t people do the same? It turns out that we can"

For some in depth, full frontal, work smarter (READ: lazier) info, read all about it.

(hmm...pretty short post you got goin' there Paper Bride. Guess you're taking this whole "work smarter" concept really seriously...)

{Editors Note: er...not really. There was a "Blow Out" Marathon on Bravo tonight and just like Jonathan Antin, "I'm all about perfect hair...really, that's all I'm about."]

"Today's Bride"

For the past several years, NBC's the "Today Show" has been scooping up monster ratings with their wedding series: basically they choose a lucky couple, ask them to agree to let america at large plan their wedding and then put every element for the big shebang up for a vote. Traditional dress, strapless dress, sexy dress, ugly dress...you decide. After the millions of votes pour in (which tend to fall on the traditional end of the spectrum, in case you were wondering), the wedding is broadcast live for all to ooh and ahh over all of their hard work.

The Washington Post today published a bang-up article on all of this brouhaha and includes a slew of interesting tidbits about the state of the wedding industry in general: "It's a growth industry with no end in sight. While the number of weddings has remained fairly steady, the amount spent on ceremonies, receptions, honeymoons, gifts and every bridal product or service continues to spiral upward -- $125 billion on 2.1 million weddings this year, according to a new survey conducted by the Fairchild Bridal Group. That's 40,400 weddings every weekend, with 18 million bridesmaids and groomsmen and 295 million guests bearing gourmet toasters." That's a hell of a lot of "I do"s....and a hell of a lot of opportunity for those of us slingin' our wares...which kinda rocks. Hooray for Brides!

How to be Productive working from home

Ah, to wake up, rumply pajamas still on, brush my teeth and amble into my "office" ready to face a full day of productive work. This is my dream of what it would be like to work from home. Based on my experience doing limited projects from home, however, it would probably go a bit more like this:

Wake up, rumply pajamas still on, wander into living room and lay on couch (damn, forgot to buy toothpaste again). Get sucked into mindless morning talk show and realize that I do, indeed, need to get myself on a "skincare regimen." Order bagel from deli and promise myself that after said bagel's arrival, I will get to work. Serious work. No joking this time. Eat said bagel, gaze across room and realize that its been a fort night since I've vacuumed. Vacuum. blah, blah, blah.

Despite all of this, its still a dream of mine. I feel like working from home would be dreamy, fantastic, inspiring, fulfilling, fun and fruitful! But I often hear from those that are doing it, that it is sorta hard to keep yourself motivated, focussed and on task. Seeing as I want all of you blog readin' peeps of mine to be able to bring your A-game every day AND have the most successful businesses ever, I thought I'd point your hungry eyes in the direction of this great article on How to be productive working from home.

Ok, so now get to it. Stop reading my silly blog and go work. YES I MEAN YOU!

Laguna Beach: The real O.C. (yeah right)

I realize that my rep might seriously be on the line with this post, but its the weekend and I have sand in my hair and, frankly, I just can't control myself any longer.

There is an insidious pop culture undercurrent that has been eating away at my very consciousness night after night. I have tossed, I have turned, I have prayed to God almighty for an answer ant thankfully our friends at Gawker.com have delivered. The quandry is this: WTF is going on on MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real O.C.?

Billed as a reality show that follows around a group of hot, horny self-involved high schoolers in a tony California beach suburb, I have never in my life seen a show that is less real than this one. I just didn't get it. How was it that each and every time something interesting happened, the cameras coincidentally just happened to be there to catch it. Storylines were resolved as neatly as a Friday episode of Young & the Restless. Nothing was left unsaid. Nothing was left undone...unexplored...Steven just happens to be with LC everytime Kristin calls...THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS SHIT IS REAL.

I just wasn't getting it and thankfully, someone at Gawker has uncovered the real lowdown and dirty scoop.

Halleleujah. Gawker, I seriously salute you, because this has been a conundrum, wrapped inside a quandry, dipped into curiousity milkshake for me, and...well, I now feel at ease.

Paper Bride & the NYT=BFF

Yesterday, along with some other hip and fabulous Trunkt designers, Paper Bride was in the New York Times.

Now, stick with me folks. You have to dig a little because we are not mentioned by name. But do you see that part where they say "not-so-subtle engagement announcements with an illustration of a diamond ring and the words "bling bling" ($15 for 20)"? That's us! I realize this is like one of those blind items on Page Six where you have to guess who is canoodling with whom, but a mention is a a mention, gosh darnit.

That "old grey lady" is pretty darn hip and happenin' after all.

Bridging the Google Ad Gap

These days, if you have a business online, chances are good that you take part in some sort of pay-per-click campaign. We do, and it requires constant tweaking, adjusting and, oh yeah, tons of money.

As it turns out, though these pay-per-click ads have been wildly successful for some, "the average web surfer spends less than 5 percent of his time using a search engine," according to the Online Publishers Association's Internet Activity Index. Sooo, the flipside of this means that 95% of web surfers time is NOT being spent typing in google.com. This is super duper interesting to me.

A recent Wired article outlines a pretty cool and quasi-revolutionary idea about how to bridge this gap with a program that would "create an ad network of web publishers that share readers and in the process reap commissions."

The internet is an amazing place to be right now. As far as we've come, it really seems like we have barely begun to scratch the surface of realizing its full potential. And the fact that there are people out there right now, comin' up with all sorts of other ideas, approaches, directions, scenarios...well, it just makes me feel kinda lazy.

No way, jose!

Saying "no" is a seemingly easy task that has managed to avoid me like the black plague for most of my life. In fact, I think I might be allergic to saying "no"...like hives, guilt anxiety attacks sort of allergic. It's dumb, I know, but I'm a jew, and we've got the guilt thing down to a science. So, I totally dug this recent article from Online Organizing outlining 20 snazzy, successful, "you can do it too" ways to say "no"

A few of my fave "no's" include:

"Not right now, but I can do it later"

"I wold rather decline than do a mediocre job"

and my all time fave: "NO"

Hello, Dollar!

This is not a phrase I mutter often. Perhaps, "SEE YA, dollar," or "stop jumpin outta my wallet, dollar!," or "why must you always hop into the register at Anthropologie, dollar?" But there is a fab new blog, Hello, Dollar! that might help me change my tune.

"Hello, Dollar is about learning to do it the right way: getting out of debt, spending less, saving money and investing in your future. It's about learning the financial habits that will allow you to become rich slowly over a lifetime."

Though the info here is not exactly earth shattering, its nice to be reminded that there are super easy ways we could all be saving some cash if we really wanted to be. This has become doubly difficult for me as a small biz owner, but all the more important. Deciding when, where and how I should spend my money is hard...really hard. And I feel like I make mistakes with it all the time. But I know I could be saving a lot more than I am...and I'm not. Hello, dollar? Are you there, dollar? No...you went chasing after that seafoam green balenciaga bag. Bad, dollar!