Late October Newsletter

Hi Friends,

Does it feel like fall where you are? Hopefully the Halloween costumes are ready to go, you've stocked up on candy for the trick or treaters, and you're looking ahead to a fun few weeks of fall festivities. As you can imagine, this is the start of my busy season so I wanted to give you a quick heads up on what I have going on for all of you.
Coaster Extravaganza Party November 19

Please note the new date for the Coaster Extravaganza party at my house. The time remains the same: 9:30-12:30.  All you need to do is pre-order your coasters and I'll have lots of words and embellishments here for you to create unique and useful gifts. Each set of 4 coasters costs only $15. I will have an assortment of seasonal and everyday words and designs to help you create a variety of designs. You can also order custom embellishments or lettering for your coasters or choose from the limited-time coaster kits in our holiday catalog. The hats in the photo are just one of the many embellishments you can order to dress up your coasters!There is no limit to the number of coaster sets you can make. Of course, there will be the usual drawings, giveaways and a 10% discount on all orders placed at the Coaster Extravaganza!

I must receive your pre-order by October 29 in order to have your supplies here on time. Please let me know how many sets of coasters you'd like to work on and if you'd like to add any custom words, monograms or embellishments by the 29th. If you'd like to participate but can't make it to the Coaster Extravaganza, just let me know and I'll keep your supplies on hand for you and help you assemble them when you come over to pick them up!

If you've purchased any projects that you need help assembling, feel free to come over on November 19th and I'll happily help you put them together. There is no product purchase necessary if you'd like to come over and assemble any items.

My next project party this season will be an Ornament Extravaganza. Stay tuned for details! Limited Dates and Times for Uppercase Living Parties Before The HolidaysMy calendar is quickly filling up as my hostesses schedule their parties before the Holidays. In fact, my weekends in November are already becoming full, although some spaces still remain. I do have several weekday mornings (Mondays and Fridays) and weeknights still available if you'd like to have your party before our holiday ordering deadline. Please don't hesitate because I'd hate to have you miss out on your preferred date. Don't forget, online and catalog parties might be the perfect solution if you're too busy to have a home show, or if your guests are just scattered too far and wide.
Uppercase Living Special Event Coming to Southern California!On November 13th, a very special Uppercase Living Road Trip will be coming to Rancho Cucamonga. With updates and presentations from our fantastic Home Office staff, make and take projects and a yummy lunch, it is sure to be a great day. There will even be a sign up special for anyone who joins Uppercase Living and becomes a new demonstrator on that day. Tickets ($15) are very limited, so please let me know if you'd like one. Customer Celebration DaysHave you been taking advantage of the Customer Celebration Days? So far we've had three days where ever single order placed on that day has received a FREE UL expression, just to say "Thanks for being such a great customer!" The items are seasonal and not available in the catalog. We get very little notice when they'll be coming up, so watch my blog or become my friend of Facebook for the most up to date info on when the next Customer Celebration Day will be.
Don't Let Your Double Up Rewards Languish!
If you've placed an order with me in the last 6 months, then you've earned Double Up Rewards that can help you earn extra FREE and half-price items when you host a qualifying party. Depending on the amount of your Reward, you can significantly increase your hostess benefits. All you have to do is schedule a fun and casual Uppercase Living party where your friends can shop all of our great ideas for home decor and holiday gifts and you earn bonus freebies! Contact me to check on the amount of your Double Up Reward and its expiration date.

 

I hope you all enjoy a safe and happy Halloween. Please wait until your kids are at school Monday to steal their candy!

 

Coaster Extravaganza - DATE CHANGE

If you've spent any time at all reading Please Use Your Words, you know that I'm a huge fan of our versatile, affordable, fantastic coasters. I think they are the perfect solution for gift giving, party favors, theme decor, and so much more. It's no wonder that they are among my best-selling products. Due to their popularity during the holiday season, I've decided to dedicate a whole project party just to making coasters. Here are the details:

Date: Friday, November 19 (NOTE DATE CHANGE)

Time: 9:30-12:30

Place: My Home

Refreshments: Of course! 

Each set of 4 coasters costs only $15. I will have an assortment of seasonal and everyday words and designs to help you create a variety of designs. You can also order custom embellishments or lettering for your coasters or choose from the limited-time coaster kits in our holiday catalog. There is no limit to the number of coaster sets you can make. Of course, there will be the usual drawings, giveaways and a 10% discount on all orders placed at the Coaster Extravaganza! 

As you think about your gift list, don't forget that coaster sets make terrific hostess gifts and are great to have on hand for a last-minute gift exchange or invitation. No more scrambling when you have the perfect thing ready to go! The sets can be broken up to create individual, inexpensive gifts as well. Here are lots more ideas of how you can customize them to make your gift giving both simple and personal.

If you'd like to take part, but can't attend, just let me know how many sets of coasters you'd like to make and what you'd like on them. I can deliver the kits to you (or have them shipped directly if you're out of town) or even assemble them for you. 

So, glance through my catalog, go through your gift list, and let me know how many sets of coasters you'd like to work on at the Coaster Extravaganza. I must receive your order by October 29 to guarantee on-time delivery of your items. I'm so looking forward to spending a morning with a great group of people and helping all of you create fantastic holiday gifts. I won't even tell if the gifts you make are for YOU! 

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

Project Night Order Deadline Extended

Uppercase Living has been getting orders out speedy quick, so I feel comfortable extending the deadline to order your projects to this Sunday, November 15. If you need help with color choices or ideas, please just ask.

Fun Hannukah Project

Thinking about Hanukkah projects tonight, I came up with this great one. Everyone knows that the best part of Hanukkah is piles of crisp latkes (never soggy) topped with applesauce, sour cream and green onions...all at once. Mmmmm...

And what better to serve all those latkes on than our glass charger, customized with this expression and a dreidel? Yes, that's right. You can serve food on Uppercased dishes. In the case of this piece, I will order the vinyl pieces mirror-imaged for you so that they can be applied to the bottom of the glass and never come in contact with the food. A quick hand wash with soap and water when you're done and it continues to look great. I like this so much I might have to make one for myself.

And of course, it doesn't have to be just for Latkes. Change it to "Got Cookies?" "Got Grandma's Brownies?" "Got Pie?" or whatever your family loves to eat.

Order the kit to create on your own or work on at my project night. Latkes not included (cause I ate them all).

More Project Night Ideas

I've already told you about my Project Night on Dec. 4th. So you know that you can pick from the kits in the Holiday Catalog, the projects I've created or come up with your own, like my friend Karynn did. As you make your final project choices (don't forget the ordering deadline is just a few days away) here are four more ideas for you to consider. What I love about all of them is their versatility and your ability to completely customize them. Each gift you make can truly be one of a kind.

1. Photo Coasters: Uppercase Living coasters embellished with vinyl squares to protect the photos that you provide. Gifts don't get more personalized than this. 2. Glass Candle Tray: Embellished with an "etched glass" medallion, this charger becomes an elegant gift that can be displayed on the included easel when it's not holding the candles you add.


3. Reversible Holiday Chipboard Accordion: I love items that can be used for more than one holiday. This cute chipboard accordion has a Christmas greeting on one side and is ready for Valentine's day on the other.

You choose the embellishments and colors; I'll provide the coordinating background paper and ribbon. Paper and ribbon will vary from what's pictured.

4. GIVE Box: You may have seen this in my last newsletter but I love it so much that I had to feature it again. This is our acrylic block embellished with our two part "Give" expression. The block includes a top that turns it into a bank. The idea behind this item is to fill it with spare change throughout the holidays and then donate the contents to a charitable organization at the end of the season. Although it's pictured here in shimmery holiday colors, I think it's worth keeping out and using all year, both at home and at work.


Contact me for pricing or to reserve your kits. Remember, you don't have to attend Project Night to work on these kits.

November Customer Newsletter

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween. I really love Thanksgiving and the time leading up to it so I'm looking forward to the next several weeks. This is also the busiest month of the year for me. Between holiday specials, lots of parties, new demonstrator specials and at least one project night, there is a ton going on...all of it fun!

Project Night Dec. 4
There is still space available for my Dec. 4th Project Night. If you've never attended one, they are so much fun! You can choose from the projects here, choose a kit from our holiday catalog (let me know if you still need one), or create your own projects to work on (I'm happy to help you put some ideas together). It'll be a relaxed evening (we can all use that in December!) where you can work on your projects, chat with friends, enjoy some snacks and leave with your completed project. I will also be offering a discount on all orders placed that night.

You do need to pre-order so I can have your materials ready. If you can't attend but would still like to make some items, I can order the supplies and get you the kits with assembly instructions. In order to make sure I have everything here in time, please have your orders to me no later than Nov. 10th.

Party Planning - November Hostesses Earn Even More Rewards
Although my November calendar is fuller than ever, I still have some Open House dates available, particularly in the second half of the month. This is a perfect time to have some friends over, spend some time catching up before the busy holiday season, and get some shopping done. I'll have lots of holiday ideas on display, but you and your guests might just decide you'd rather decorate your own homes, especially if you're expecting holiday visitors. Some fun themes for this time of year include:

• Cookies and cocoa
• Wine and cheese
• Weekday brunch -moms shop while the kids are at school
• Chocolate lovers
• Cozy evening in - light the fireplace and make a big pot of soup
• Margarita fiesta

If you have a particular date in mind, please let me know as soon as possible so I can get it on my calendar. You'll be glad you did because hostesses with $400+ shows that close by Nov. 30 will get a 50% bump in their hostess rewards:

Many of you have Double Up Rewards of $100-$200 and they count toward the minimum you need to take advantage of this great promotion. Why not save on your own holiday shopping and get double the credit on purchases you've already made?

If you'd rather have your party in December, you'll love the hostess and guest specials. As long as your party closes by Dec. 7th, you and your guests will be guaranteed to receive your products by Dec. 24th.

Gingerbread House is Still Available
Our Gingerbread House kit is a huge hit and still available. I have to tell you that it is much cuter in person. My kids have already had so much fun decorating and re-decorating. We are going to love taking out this fun 80+ piece kit year after year. Many of you are ordering these as a gift for families with little ones. At only $19.95 with a $50 purchase, it is a GREAT value for gift-giving.



The Gingerbread House kit is only available until Nov. 15th so don't miss out on your opportunity to get it.

Crazy Low Price on Essentials Starter Kit
So many of us are searching for an extra source of income as we approach the holidays. If you're looking for a fun, flexible way to help your family's finances, consider joining my sales team now. Not only is it our busiest, most profitable time of year, but UL is offering a great deal on our $99 starter kit. You will receive DOUBLE the product credit to choose whatever you want up to $50. Whether you get items to display or for your own home, you'll essentially be starting your business for about $49. Enjoy helping clients beautify their homes, have fun at parties and get to share our great products with people you already know. Contact me to for more information on this fantastic opportunity and to begin earning now.

Holiday Ordering Deadline
For those of you who love the last minute stress of working against a deadline, you can look forward to a crazy scramble of putting together your order on December 7th. For the rest of you who have enough stress in your lives already, please plan on submitting your orders before then for guaranteed delivery by Dec. 24.

Find Me On Facebook!

I've created a Facebook page for my Uppercase Living business. Join now to hear about specials, ideas and events. My husband thinks this is just an excuse for me to spend time online "working." We know better, right?

A Family Holiday Project for All
Although I can't take credit for this idea, I love it enough to want to share it with all of you. This holiday season, create a Family Giving Box. Using our acrylic block and Give expression with present embellishment, create a bank that your family will fill with spare change throughout the season. At the end of December, your family can vote on where to donate the money. I love how this simple project helps make the holidays more meaningful. You might love the idea so much that you'll keep your box out year round.

Black Friday Sale
I hate to add to the frenzy but I have to admit I just love getting a good deal on Black Friday, the crazy shopping day after Thanksgiving. Ever since having small kids, I've used them as an excuse NOT to get up at the crack of dawn to go fight for parking, service and that trendy item everyone has to have for the holiday season. I figure there have to be others out there like me who'd rather sleep in AND get good deals. In honor of us smart shoppers, I'll be having my own Black Friday Sale after Thanksgiving. Stay tuned to my blog and a special edition of my newsletter for details. At different points in the day I'll be offering various specials such as discounts, additional FREE items and even FREE shipping. But in honor of my desire to sleep off my Thanksgiving feast, neither one of us will have to get up early to participate.

Here, There, and Everywhere

In the coming weeks I have plans to hold Open Houses from Ventura to Valencia (and even Van Nuys!). Some of my events will be open to the public so if you'd like to catch me in your town, check my calendar on my website and see if I'll be in your neighborhood.

Who Doesn't Love a Good Recipe?
Have you visited my Uppercase Living website recently? Next time you do you'll notice a new recipe section with materials lists and step-by-step instructions to recreate some of the most popular projects you see pictured in our catalog. You will love not having to guess at sizes, colors or techniques.

Birthday Greetings
My last couple of newsletters have been so lengthy that I've left out the birthday section. But that doesn't mean that the birthday discount has gone away. If you celebrate your birthday in October or November, you can enjoy 10% off any item as my gift. Happy fall birthday ladies.

Everything Else
I sincerely appreciate those of you who forward this newsletter to friends and family. Your referrals are the greatest compliment and truly help my business grow (and make my day).

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great November and end it surrounded by loved ones for a lovely Thanksgiving.

Torreh

Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

It's dawned on me that with so many different specials and promotions going on with UL right now, not to mention the busy fall shopping time, it might get confusing to keep all the dates and deadlines straight. Here, for your reference, is the definitive (until I change something) time line for the next couple of months.

Nov. 10 - Last day to order projects to work on at my Dec. 4 Project Night.
Nov. 15 - Last day to order our Gingerbread House kit.
Nov. 27 - Hmmm...the day after Thanksgiving. Maybe I'll have a Black Friday special if enough people tell me they'd like one.
Nov. 30 - Last day to get DOUBLE PRODUCT CREDITS when you buy a $99 starter kit. The credits make the cost to join Uppercase Living only $49. Start saving on your own Uppercase Living purchases and make some extra money selling our great products to friends and family.
Nov. 30 - Last day for hostesses to earn 50% more in hostess dollars with $400+ parties.
Dec. 4 - My annual Project Night. A fun and relaxing time to socialize and work on holiday projects. .
Dec. 7 - Last day to order for guaranteed delivery by December 24th. Last day to order from Holiday Catalog. Last day to order expressions in Shimmer Vinyl colors.

Hopefully this will help you plan and relieve any last minute stress. As always, I'm available to help you with gift ideas, project planning, party dates or more information on joining Uppercase Living yourself.

THE Go-To Holiday Gift of the Season

Unless you have a) lots of time and b) lots of money, the looming prospect of holiday shopping isn't something you love to ponder. If you're like me and my friends, who don't have a lot of a) or b), you've discovered the secret to stress-free holiday gift giving is to find an item that will work for lots of people on your list and buy it in bulk.

Here is that item:

This is my set of fall coasters created entirely with Uppercase Living products. I can't tell you how nice these look in person. There is so much to love about this simple set of coasters. They look great, are affordable (a set of 4 with monograms are under $20, and embellishments such as the leaves shown here only bring the cost up slightly) and can be easily customized for each person on your gift list. Here are some ideas to help you get some names crossed off your list:

• Neighbors-monograms
• Card Group-embellish with the different suits of cards
• Church/Synagogue friends or staff-embellish with religious symbols
• Pet lovers-embellish with paw prints
• Young family-embellish with family member faces
• Skiers-embellish with snowflakes (perfect for the winter cabin)
• Military families-embellish with stars, flags, and yellow ribbons
• Fishermen-embellish with fish
• Beach bums-embellish with sea shells and flip flops
  
• Gardeners-embellish with plants and flowers
• Dancers-embellish with ballet shoes
• Divas-embellish with tiaras
• Music lovers-embellish with notes or their favorite instrument
• Athletes & sports nuts-embellish with a baseball, football, basketball, and soccer ball
• Mr. Fix-It-embellish with a hammer, pliers, nails and screws
• Race fans-embellish with race cars
• Golfers-embellish with golf clubs
  
• Cowboys-embellish with cowboy boots and spurs
• Coffee lovers-embellish with a steaming coffee cup
• Gourmet cook-embellish with various kitchen utensils

You're getting the idea, right. Can you think of some I've missed?

The fun part comes in when you decide how to further personalize each gift. Match the gourmet cook's coasters to her kitchen colors. Pick the card suits in red and black. Mix and match the family faces to reflect each family member's favorite colors. And choose race cars to match the color of the car your recipient follows. Before you know it, you'll have a ton of names crossed off your list. But don't stop there. Add a set with holiday embellishments as the perfect hostess gift. And add another for a perfect Secret Pal gift. Then add one for the office gift exchange. And finally add a couple of others for a last minute gift when you need something thoughtful, classy, inexpensive and QUICK!

Now, I know that there are others on your list that you would like to acknowledge but don't want to quite spend $20 or so on. These are great gifts for them, too! Think about splitting each set of coasters into 4 gifts! Now you can give one to your hair stylist (scissors embellishment), manicurist (monogram so it doesn't get mixed up with someone else's), favorite bank teller (same), all the day care teachers (baby faces, diaper pins, or monograms) and an entire schedule's worth of high school teachers (school mascot). Pair each coaster with a couple packets of flavored cocoa and you will have a thoughtful and appropriate gift and the recipients will have no more wet rings on their work stations. Besides, the teachers will be just so happy not to get another coffee mug!

A guest at a recent UL party I did ordered 5 sets of coasters and 5 sets of monograms. She was thrilled to have a huge jump start on her shopping and have such a unique and personalized gift.

I know you can come with tons more ideas. If you need help, let me brainstorm with you to choose the perfect embellishments for those on your gift list. Let's work together to make you the smartest gift giver you know!

Coaster Tip #1: Add a bottle of Mistick solution to your order to help you with the placement of the vinyl on the glass surface of your coasters. You will love having the extra wiggle room Mistick provides. And no worries about incorrectly placed vinyl.

Coaster Tip #2: Order your monograms and embellishments mirrored so you can place them on the bottom of the coasters. They will look just as good but won't get scratched by the bottom of the glass.

Project Night Information

You've all been asking me when this year's project night was going to be and what the projects will be. The wait is over!

December 7
7:00 p.m.
My House

This year's format will be a little different. Not only will you get to choose from the projects I've designed, you can also pick the project kits from our holiday catalog or create your own Uppercase Living projects to work on. Either way, you'll have lots of help, snacks, prize drawings, a 10% discount on all purchases made that night and a chance to learn new techniques and go home with gifts and decor items in hand. If you can't make it that night but would still like the project kits, no problem. They can be ordered at any time. However, if you plan to work on your projects at my house on December 7th, your kits must be ordered (and paid for) no later than Nov. 10.

In case you haven't seen them yet, here are some photos of what's available from the Holiday Catalog. Keep in mind that each of these kits can be ordered with your choice of vinyl color(s) and you can choose whether you'd like the selected holiday or everyday expression.













Here you can see options
for each kit that aren't included in the holiday catalog. My favorite is the Family Photo Memories Board. I think it's the perfect gift for every grandparent and family on your list. You don't even have to paint the board! Details and pricing for the kits are available in the catalog or on my website.

In addition to these kits, I've designed some projects for you, too. I tried to include a range of prices and options. Money and time are in short supply all around. So, you can come to my project night, hang out for a little bit and have some fun creating projects to take home with you. Having snacks and drinks while you create one-of-a-kind handmade holiday gifts sure sounds a lot better than fighting 3 other cars for the last parking spot at the mall, doesn't it? The kits you see here are all completely customizable. You can change them however you like. Just contact me to discuss how you'd like your unique items.

Frames
Available in both 4x6 and 5x7, these acrylic frames are embellished with Shimmer Vinyl words and matching ribbon. Choice of words: Believe (silver), ho ho ho (cranberry), Joy (evergreen), PEACE (gold). Ribbon choices will vary.
4x6 $5 5x7 $8






2-sided Decorated Tin Tile
Our 8x8 crème tin tile decorated with “Santa’s Landing Zone” on one side and “Love” on the other. Both sides will be accentuated with glittery accents. Use one side for Christmas, the other for Valentine’s Day. You will love the snowy, shimmery, glittery detail on this one. Can be customized with your choice of color. Includes satin ribbon for hanging. One-sided also available. $41


2-sided Acrylic Block

This double-sided lightweight block will fit all your moods! The plain side simply says “bah humbug” while the decorated side features a wreath and the words “ho ho ho” in a scroll font with a decorative paper background. Ribbon and background choices may vary. $44








Set of 4 Decorated Glass Coasters
Embellish each coaster with a design or monogram to suit the recipients. Lots of customization options. Let me help you come up with the perfect project kit. Also available individually.

Monograms $20 Other designs $27


Also available, but not pictured are the following:

Hannukah Block
Our lightweight acrylic block embellished with your choice of menorah or dreidel on one side and the expression “Believe in Miracles” on the other. You can add glitter for extra sparkle. Fill with gelt or mini dreidels. Many customization options. $44

Ornaments
Filled clear balls embellished with shimmer vinyl words.
Choice of words: Believe (silver), ho ho ho (cranberry), Joy (evergreen), PEACE (gold)
$5/each $20/4

Votives
Clear candle holders decorated with shimmer vinyl words and a ribbon. Choice of words: Believe (silver), ho ho ho (cranberry), Joy (evergreen), PEACE (gold) $6/each, $15/3

If you need more options than the ones here, talk to me about creating a custom project that is just right for you. The great thing about UL is that there are infinite ways to make each item unique.

Here's the rest of the information you'll need to know:

• All orders must be pre-paid by November 10. Double Up Credits will not apply. Project kits are non-refundable.
• Project kits will be available for those not able to attend but must be pre-ordered.
• Selection of ribbons and background papers will vary.
• Private project parties can also be scheduled.
  
• Another session may be added if there is enough interest.

PLEASE CONTACT ME TO FINALIZE YOUR ORDER DETAILS.

I am so looking forward to this project night and hope you'll love all the kits as much as I do. Make your list, check it twice and let me know which projects to reserve for you!