Customer Newsletter: Late December/New Year Edition

Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and managed to get some time off to spend with family and friends. For those of you who gave Uppercase Living items as gifts, I hope they were thoroughly enjoyed by the lucky recipients. And if you used Uppercase Living in your holiday decorating, I'd love to hear the comments you got from visitors to your home. Now that you're starting to take down your decorations, does the house look a little bare? You might find just the thing to fill those empty spaces in our new catalog. Better yet, one of the over 200 expressions we have on sale might be perfect. There's still time to take advantage of our great sale and free shipping offer. Besides that, we have a fabulous new catalog and some super incentives about to debut. Read on for more details:

40% Off Sale and Free Shipping Offers End Jan. 4
Our 40% off sale has been hugely popular and you still have time to take advantage of it. Because our new catalog doesn't have space to include them, over 200 expressions and embellishments that are being transitioned to my web site only have been reduced in price for a limited time. After the sale, you'll still find them available online, but they won't appear in the new catalog. I've attached a full list of the sale items to this email (if you didn't receive the attachment, you can also view the list here). You can see photos of 9 of the sale expressions in action on my blog, www.pleaseuseyourwords.com. When your order reaches $50, not only will you get to choose a FREE monthly expression (or more!) but you'll also receive FREE SHIPPING (minimum $6.95 savings). If your order doesn't reach $50, let me know and I may be able to combine it with another customer's to save both of you your shipping fee.

Spring/Summer 2010 Launch January 6th
I just received my first copy of our brand new catalog and I can't wait to share it with you all. There are so many new items in the catalog, from new colors to full-color decorative prints to shimmer pink, red and blue, to oversized Grande expressions, new accessories and still more. There are so many fresh looks that will be perfect for our homes as we move into spring. You'll be able to start shopping from our new catalog from my website on January 6th. But in case you can't wait until then, here is a sneak peek:

The flowers are all removable, reusable vinyl. You are going to love the new Decorative Prints.

Please contact me about getting a copy of the new catalog. Hostesses will receive one FREE in their hostess kits.

Inspirations Incentive is Back...Bonuses for Hostesses, Customers and New Demonstrators

I am so excited about every aspect of our great Inspirations Incentive, that's back starting January 6. Everyone can benefit, especially hostesses:

• TRIPLE UP REWARDS ARE BACK FOR HOSTESSES: Our fantastic Double Up Reward is better than ever because now you can triple your purchases from the past 6 months and add them to your guests' orders to determine your hostess rewards. Simply put, this means you get more FREE AND HALF-PRICE items just for having a fun and casual gathering with your friends. I'll introduce them to our fantastic new products and you get all the benefits! When your January party reaches $400 in guest orders, you will also receive your choice of our seasonal kits FREE! If you'd like to find out your TRIPLE UP amount, just contact me.
  

• NEW SEASONAL INSPIRATIONS KITS FOR CUSTOMERS: Our holiday kits were so popular that we are offering NEW kits for the spring. With your purchase of $25 or more, you can choose from three seasonal kits as an additional purchase. Each includes a different FOUNDATIONS accessory and a 2 part seasonal expression in a preselected color combination. You will love these for yourself or to give as gifts!
  

• AN AMAZING DEAL FOR NEW DEMONSTRATORS: If you've ever considered joining Uppercase Living either to take advantage of our generous demonstrator discounts or to start a new business of your own, there's no better time than right now! Our Essentials Plus Starter Kit is available at a $70 savings for only $129. This includes $100 in Product Credit, so your investment is only $29!!!!! $29 for all you need to introduce our fantastic products to everyone you know and share with them your enthusiasm about this great new way to decorate. I wish I could take advantage of this great offer myself!
  

All of these offers become valid on January 6 at noon MST. All you have to do to get started saving and earning and taking advantage of any or all of them is give me a call and you'll be on your way.

Let's Have A Party!
Winter Break is almost over and the busy holiday season is over. It's a great time to reconnect with friends at a fun and casual Uppercase Living party. Our Inspirations Incentive makes this an even better time to host a party and earn FREE & HALF-PRICE items while you visit with friends, family and neighbors. I still have several dates available in January and February, so contact me soon to get your preferred one. I will also be going through my list of customers with significant TRIPLE UP REWARDS and contacting them to make sure they don't miss out on this terrific opportunity.

Did you know you can earn the same benefits of hosting a home show by organizing a Catalog Party? Simply show our fabulous new catalog to your friends, family and co-workers and be prepared to take their orders. I'll walk you through the whole process and help you maximize your "party" to earn as many rewards as possible.

Happy Birthday!
Birthday greetings are going out to the following ladies who celebrated their birthdays in December: Marcy L., Cindy S., Vicki S., Maria A., Bonnie C. Jennie B. Heather K., Gina H., Jane M., Pam S., Holly F., Jessica D. and Lauri M. In January, these ladies will be celebrating: Deb C., Diane B., Laura M., Heather M., and Susan T. Happy Birthday to all of you. As my gift, please take 10% off any item in our catalog. If you would like to be added to my birthday list, just send me an email with the month and day. No need to discuss the year, is there?

Thank You for Your Referrals
Throughout the last year, your referrals have been so important to my business. I sincerely appreciate you thinking enough of our products and the service I provide to share my contact information with your friends. If you know someone who would love to decorate her home with Uppercase Living products, is looking for a flexible business opportunity, or is a full-time Mom who would enjoy earning some extra money by spending time with other adults a few times a month, please consider sharing my phone number or website with her or allow me to contact her. I treat all of my customers like cherished friends and would love the opportunity to help your friends place an order, host a party or provide more information about our fun business opportunity.

Now that you've heard all my exciting news, I hope to be hearing from you soon. Have a happy and healthy new year. Here's to all good things in 2010.

New Catalog Sneak Peek!!!!

You've been waiting patiently and here is your reward: the Spring/Summer 2010 Catalog Sneak Preview. Not only is the cover gorgeous, but there is so much new stuff to love inside. First and foremost, our newest product: decorative prints. These are full-color removable and reusable images in a variety of themes and designs. Like all of our other designs, they will help make your decor unique and one of a kind. I can't wait to see how you creative people will use these in your homes. Here's a look:
I love how one of the flowers was applied to the lamp shade to tie it in with the wall decor. Here's another:
What a great theme pack! I can see this used in so many different types of spaces! But these aren't the only designs. The ones available range from whimsical to elegant and will blow you away. Those of you with country kitchens will have a hard time choosing from a couple of different sets and might just get both. Who needs a muralist anymore?

Decorative Prints aren't all that's new in our upcoming catalog. You'll find our new Grande format: larger sizes of some of our favorite decorative designs. Shimmer Vinyl is also back in new colors perfect for spring decorating (and those little girls who can't get enough sparkly pink). And brand new accessories will be great for showcasing Off The Wall designs. Not to mention tons of new expressions to fit every style of decor. You will love this catalog!

Now, I'm sure you're wondering how you can get one yourself. That's easy. Just contact me to schedule your home show or catalog party. Our Inspirations Incentive is back with so many reasons to buy, host and join Uppercase Living in January. But you'll have to wait for a whole other post to find out about that. Just pick a date and call me, you'll be glad you did.

Photo A Day - Day 9 Fun Project

You know I love things that do double duty and this project definitely fits that description. Not only is it adorable, but it really does help locate those pesky socks that seem to disappear from the laundry. The "Lost Socks" expression here is 40% off and can be applied to our pre-drilled MDF board. Just add our bulldog clips and you're done! No more searching through loads of laundry for that one missing sock. Brilliant! What an elegant way to deal with such a mundane chore.

I hope you've enjoyed these photos for the last 9 days. It's a treat for me to be able to show you the versatility of UL products and the huge number of ways you can use them in your home or as gifts. You can browse the entire sale document of over 200 expressions and embellishments on my website. Don't forget your order of $50 or more will qualify for FREE SHIPPING. The sale continues until January 4th, but I do recommend you place your orders before the last minute because our systems tend to get very busy.

If you love what you've seen for the last 9 days, you will not believe what's in store for UL in the next catalog. Come back tomorrow for a look at the cover and a sneak peek of a few of the great new things that will be available in just a few days.

Photo A Day - Awesome Bathroom Idea

Vinyl aside, how awesome is this shower? I can hardly imagine not having 3 buckets of kids' toys in my shower, much less neatly folded towels and a live plant! I think that little plant actually ties in to the vinyl embellishments on the glass enclosure beautifully, and continues the botanical theme of bringing the outdoors in. The eucalyptus branches, which are on sale for 40% off, come in sets of 3 (there are 3 sets in this photo). Here they've been used in the etched glass color choice, which has a small upgrade fee. I love the idea of using a design like this to add privacy to a shower enclosure, bathroom window or front door, while adding beauty and keeping the light in. There are tons of designs in our 40% off sale that would be perfect for just that. And with FREE SHIPPING on orders of $50 or more, you can do up a lot of spaces for a little money.

Tomorrow will be the last sale item photo of the day...but you know what's coming after that, don't you?

Sale Photo Link Tip: The links I've provided here show you the original price of the sale expressions. You will actually pay 40% LESS than the prices you see on my site.

Photo A Day - Welcome #2 on Day 7

Where I am, it's still Day 7, so this counts as the photo of the day. I thought that most of you would be celebrating with family and friends today, so I am posting today's picture tonight and will leave it up through tomorrow.

Since so many of you are dealing with severe cold, ice and/or snow, I thought posting this photo of a bright, cheerful pineapple might make you think of somewhere warm and welcoming. In fact, pineapples are a traditional symbol of hospitality (have you ever noticed the one in Williams-Sonoma's logo?) I think one of the reasons this pineapple expression has been so popular with my customers is that it comes in sizes small enough to fit on our smallest punched tile and large enough to make a charming statement on a wall. With 40% off and free shipping on orders of $50 or more, this is a great item to stock up on for gifts.

There are 2 more photos to go before I post the sneak peek of our Spring/Summer 2010 catalog. I'm hoping to get my copy tomorrow and am already excited about some of the new items we'll be featuring inside. I can't wait to share them with you.

Photo A Day - Welcome to Day 6

What's there not to love about today's expression? For starters, it's on sale for 40% off (with free shipping when your order reaches $50!). And then, it's just so cute! We all know that birds are a really hot decorating and crafting motif right now (I can just picture Kim from Today's Creative Blog smiling and nodding). The little bird on this expression adds the perfect trendy touch that makes your home feel cozy and welcoming. In its smallest size, it fits nicely on a Foundations MDF board and would make the perfect gifts for newlyweds moving into their first home. It would also look great in a veterinary office and of course, a traditional country kitchen. Wouldn't it make you and your visitors smile each time you enter your home?

Merry Christmas Eve to those who are celebrating tonight. After the ribbon and paper have finished flying tomorrow, check back for another photo of our awesome sale expressions.

Photo A Day - Day 5

I really love this sentiment (and I love it even more when it's on sale for 40% off!). Isn't it so peaceful and welcoming to walk into a home and feel like you can set your worries aside and relax, if just for a short time? Using our Foundations accessories, you can create a board of your own that does double duty as a place to hang scarves, hats, keys, and all those things that tend to gather near the front door. This is a great idea for a housewarming gift. With so many options for paint color, vinyl color and knobs and hooks, you can make a truly one of a kind piece that will be a perfect complement to any decor. And you'll smile each time you glance at it, knowing that you're not just crafty but a really smart shopper too!

We're now more than halfway through the Photo A Day countdown of sale items before I post the sneak peak of our new catalog. Don't forget that this sale won't last forever and neither will the FREE SHIPPING on $50 orders special. See you tomorrow for another photo.

Photo A Day - Dreamy Day 4

Aren't these clouds dreamy?

The cloud theme pack is another big one, with 18 solid and outline clouds in 2 colors and a range of sizes! They are so easy to group, scatter, and float in a nursery, child's bedroom, guestroom, playroom or any space that needs some peace and whimsy. And, of course, they are now 40% off and can be part of a free shipping with $50 order. What kind of space would you choose for these fun clouds?

Check back tomorrow to see another of our over 200 40% off sale expressions.

A Photo A Day - Day 3

Today's photo is of the Floral Blocks Theme Pack. This two-color theme pack is huge! It comes with 5 large blocks and 10 small ones that can be mixed in tons of ways. I love the idea of using them as a border, as you see here. Another great use for the floral blocks is to use the large ones on a wall and the small ones to tie furniture, accessories and decorative pieces in with the decor.

At 40% off, you can get more than one set of this great decorative set and completely transform a room. Don't forget you'll get free shipping with orders of $50 and above.

Come back tomorrow for another great 40% off expression.

A Photo A Day: Day Two

Here we are with another great expression from our 40% off sale. How many of us know a little boy who is fascinated with dinosaurs, and can name them all, even the most obscure? Wouldn't this "I Dig Dinosaurs" with the friendly brontosaurus be really cute in that boy's room? You can pair it with another sale expression, a "Dino Crossing" sign that would make the room decor complete. At these sale prices, it's a no-brainer to pick up both!

Check back tomorrow for another photo, and don't forget free shipping on your order of $50 or over.

A Little Holiday Treat: A Photo A Day

For today and the next 8 days, my treat for you will be a photo of a new SALE expression each today. Each of the expressions you'll see are included in the over 200 that are currently 40% off and qualify for FREE SHIPPING when your order reaches $50.

Today's' expression is done in two parts and looks lovely when you add your own family name to it. It would look great in a living room, study, entry or family room.

Check back tomorrow for a new photo...and more decorating ideas. After I've posted the last photo, you'll get an exclusive Sneak Peek of our next catalog!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Photos

So, did you watch? Did you love the transformation? Wasn't it a great story. Admit it, you got a little weepy, didn't you?


Good job to my eagle-eyed readers who spotted the two UL expressions that were used. Thanks for participating in my little contest. The winner's brand new catalog will be on its way as soon as I get mine (can't wait!).

Above you see one of the ways the EMHE design team used our products. I love this because you'd never know this was the "Bloom" growth chart. The designers carefully cut away the lettering as well as the numbers and were left with a gorgeous spray of flowers complete with fluttering butterflies. What a great way to dress up plain white hardware store cabinets.

You can view the rest of the pictures from the EMHE episode here.

TONIGHT: Extreme Makeover Home Edition and a Contest

You can bet I have my DVR set for tonight's episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. After waiting since July to find out how the team of designers will use our products, I'm excited to see them finally in the home. Mary J. Blige will be featured on this episode as well; it's sure to be a great show (in other words, pull out the Kleenex).

As if this in itself isn't exciting enough, I'm having a little contest to celebrate the occasion. All you have to do is send me an email to torreh@gmail.com and tell me which expressions or designs were used and which room each was in. So for example, you can say, the Bloom Growth Chart was in the playroom. You don't have to have the exact names of the expressions, just so I know which one you mean. Everyone who gets them all right will have her or his name entered in a drawing. The winner will receive (drum roll, please) a copy of our brand new Spring Summer 2010 catalog as soon as I get it in. If you're not local, postage is on me. I just might include a few other little goodies in your package too.

So sharpen those eagle eyes and make sure to email me your entry by 3 P.M. Pacific time Monday.

The Gifts Keep On Coming!

Just when I thought things were slowing down for the season, Uppercase Living announced a great new double promotion! As we prepare for the launch of our new catalog in January, over 200 of our current expressions will no longer be featured in the catalog, but will remain on my website. The great news for you is that these are all ON SALE FOR 40% OFF! You can view a complete list, with images, of the transition expressions here.

But there's even more good stuff! When your order reaches $50, you will receive a FREE EXPRESSION (plus more at $75 and $100) plus FREE SHIPPING! Choose one of these expressions when you place your order in December. If you'd prefer a pretty Valentine's Day expression, I can hold you order until January before I submit it. Either way, you have some great options to keep for yourself or to give as gifts. The Happy Holidays and Valentine's Day expressions will go perfectly on our rectangle MDF boards. If you scroll down to the previous post, you'll see an example of how the Happy Holidays expressions was embellished with gold glitter for a two-color look.

A 40% off sale, FREE SHIPPING and FREE EXPRESSIONS: it's like three presents, all wrapped in one. But if that's still not enough for you, I'm hearing rumors that our Incentives Promotion in January is going to offer great hostess benefits. You can have all this and apply the Double Up Benefits to your January party for even more good stuff from Uppercase Living. Really, it's almost more than one can wish for!

Smart Shopping Tip: Many of the discounted expressions are for the fall and winter holidays. It's a great time to stock up on these great deals, but don't wait until next year to apply them to accessories like blocks, boards and tiles. If you do and there's a problem with your item, it'll be too late for an exchange.

Ideas for November Incentive Expressions

The November orders have all been submitted and the last few shipments are making their way to all of you. For many of you, your packages will include one or more of our exclusive free incentive expressions. If you're still wondering how to use them, here are some unique ideas:

This exclusive hostess expression in Soft Gold and Pine Green has been applied to the Scalloped Charger. Vinyl Effects solution has been added to the candles for added dimension, then faux holly leaves and berries were hot-glued on.


This expression achieves a two-color look with just one color of vinyl. If you look closely, you'll see that every other ornament is gold. Applied to a Foundations MDF board painted with Whipped Creme Toolbox Paint, the vinyl was then further embellished. The selected ornaments were covered with Vinyl Effects, then dusted with gold superfine glitter. Once the excess glitter was removed, the sparkly ornaments above were revealed.


By far the most popular free expression in November was the elegant "Welcome" you see above. Most people ordered it in Matte Black to apply in their entryway, but doesn't look great here in silver. Do you believe it is displayed in our best-seller Frameworks frame with interchangeable inserts which has been spray painted silver? Silver wired ribbon and sleigh bells add a perfect holiday touch, but can easily be removed after the season.

I'd love to see how you've used your monthly free expressions. Email me a photo and you might find yourself featured here.

The First Noel: Angie's Nativity

If you've ever seen an Uppercase Living catalog, you know that it's BIG and full of ideas and expressions on every single page. I've never had a customer NOT be able to find something that would be appropriate for her needs. Usually, the opposite is true. There really is something for almost every occasion, space, taste, environment and budget. A case in point is our selection of Christmas items. Whether you tend more toward "Bah Humbug" or go all in, you will find something to love. My customer, Angie, certainly did.



Angie decorates in gold and burgundy for the season and showcases her nativity scene on her fireplace. The expression she chose fits the spot perfectly, as does the color: soft gold, of course.
I love how festive the fireplace looks with the stockings hanging from it. I know Angie is trying to figure out a clever way to remove the expression from her wall so she can put it back next year. Personally, I think she'll like it so much that she'll leave it up year-round.

I Told You This Day Would Come

Today is the last day to order your Uppercase Living products for guaranteed delivery by Dec. 24th. It's also the last day to order the items in our holiday mini-catalog, including kits and Shimmer Vinyl. Orders placed after today will be processed as quickly as possible, but they aren't guaranteed to arrive before Christmas.

If you need help placing an order today, please give me a call or email me. How many people are you going to cross off your list with one quick order?

December Customer Newsletter

Happy Holidays!

It's definitely the busy time of year and we're all juggling parties, shopping, school activities and decorating. It's also a fun, happy time of year and I hope you're getting the chance to enjoy some moments of holiday spirit in between the scurrying around. I do have a few things to tell you about this month but I'm keeping it short because I know you've got things to do!

Ornament Party Tonight!

Tonight is my Project Night but if you didn't pre-register, you can still come by and make some unique, fun and inexpensive ornaments for yourself or to give as gifts. The large ones, especially, are lovely for all those gift exchanges where you need to bring a gift that will please everyone. I will be offering discounts on all orders placed tonight, which will still arrive before Christmas. Friends are welcome to join you but please RSVP today so I can make sure to have enough supplies for everyone. I will give you location and time details when I receive your RSVP.

Holiday Ordering Deadline is MONDAY!!!!!

Our deadline to order for guaranteed Christmas delivery is this Monday December 7th. That is also the final day to order from our Holiday Catalog and get expressions in our special Shimmer Colors. If you'd like to place an order, please don't wait until the last second because our computer systems always get really busy then. I'd love to help you with your order this weekend, so please just call or email me.

Uppercase Living to be Featured on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

I am so excited to announce that our products will be showcased in a home on ABC's Extreme Makeover. I can't wait to watch the episode, which will air on Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. Watch my blog, www.pleaseuseyourwords.com as we get closer to that date for a contest to see who can spot all of the different UL products in the home.

Going to the West Side!

I'll be venturing out to the West Side to participate in a boutique at a gorgeous home in Beverly Hills on December 15th. If you or a friend would like to stop by, please let me know and I'll send you the time and location details. Some great vendors are going to be there so come get unique gifts.

UL in 2010

I have been blown away with all of the innovations from Uppercase Living this year. From Chalk Walls to our great line of accessories to the amazing Photo Prints, UL has been leading the way for exceptional decorative and gift items. There is sure to be more to come in 2010, starting with the release of our new catalog in January. If you would like to be among the first to see and earn free products, schedule your own Uppercase Living party in January or February. Your friends will love to socialize and learn about a whole new affordable way to decorate and you will love the rewards you'll earn as a hostess. My schedule is flexible and I still have some open dates so call or email me to reserve yours.

Happy Holidays

It has been a pleasure to work with all of you wonderful friends, hostesses and customers this year. Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm for my business. My job definitely doesn't feel like "work" when I get to spend time with so many lovely people sharing a product that I enjoy so much. I can't even count how many new friends I've made! I hope you have a peaceful, happy holiday season with your loved ones and that the new year is your best yet.

Hope to see you tonight