Tips for Two-Part Expressions

I love our two-part expressions! The second layer always adds more interest, color and fun. They can be a little tricky to install, however. Here's a video with three tips to help you line up the handy registration marks when you apply a two-part expressions. As always, feel free to contact me for additional installation help.

All About Argyle

Ever since the Preppies were taking over the world in the early 80s, I've loved argyle patterns (preferably in dove gray and baby pink, but that's just me). I find them classic and timeless but also contemporary and fun when the scale or colors are updated. All these years later, argyle is still a popular pattern in fashion and decorating. Its neat, linear pattern makes it a good choice for borders, but hand painting an argyle border requires stencils, two different size brushes, numerous steps, mess, clean up, a steady hand and a LOT of patience.

Luckily, there's an easier way. Uppercase Living borders are among our best kept secrets. Available in various sizes and all of our colors, our borders also come with registration marks to make lining them up for a seamless look foolproof. As you can see in the following photos, our 2-part argyle border can look tailored, bold, or fun and easily fit into any decor.

 

In this photo, the border is used to cover the seam where the two paint colors meet. Its dark tone ties in with the bedding and makes this an ideal look for either a masculine or feminine space.

In the photo above, the argyle colors also tie in with the bedding, but the pattern is placed a bit higher on a solid color wall. Not only does this draw the eye up, but it also fills a space where a headboard would be. The vibrant color makes a traditional pattern look fresh and contemporary.

Here, the argyle is in a larger scale and has been placed above the chair rail. Adding some black to this room grounds the color scheme and ties in with the chair. The size makes it a good choice for a bold kids' space.
However you decide to use it, you'll love the ease and simplicity of applying your argyle border. Think of all the money you'll save on paint, wallpaper, or redoing your drywall because you got so frustrated trying to get your lines straight that you punched a hole through it. 

Decorative Tip: Argyles aren't just for walls. Add them to accessories in the space to tie the wall border together with the rest of the room. You can put them on lamp shades, windows, frames, closet doors, mirrors and furniture. If you want to take your argyle with you, you can even put it on your laptop.

Installation Tip: The following video will teach you how to apply your border precisely and easily. View more helpful videos on a variety of topics on my website. 

Get INSPIRED for FREE!

One of our biggest incentives of the year, Inspirations, is here again and as always, there is truly something for everyone! Between Feb. 7 and March 15, customers, hostesses and new demonstrators will love the bonuses coming their way:


Customers-In addition to the FREE gifts we offer each month with qualifying orders, customers who spend just $50 during  Inspirations will also get to choose one of our most popular designs for FREE! Orders over $100 will get two free gifts, and orders over $150 will receive three, all in the color of your choice. This is in addition to the FREE expressions they would already get.

Chances are you either already have one of these expressions in your home or at least one is on your wish list right now. Just go ahead and add them to your order FREE and enjoy decorating even more spaces in your home than you budgeted for. So many of these expressions would make a gorgeous gift for a wedding, housewarming, or lots of other occasions. All you have to do is pick which FREE expressions you'd like and choose your colors.

Hostesses- Your Double Up Rewards are now Triple Up Rewards!!  That means you get even more FREE and half price products when you host a qualifying party. And our new Booking Reward gives you an extra half price item for each of your guests (up to 3) who schedules a party, too!

New Demonstrators- Sign up now to join Uppercase Living and get our biggest Starter Kit yet! Not only will you get tons of business supplies and product to get your started, along with $100 in product of your choice, you'll also get over $100 in bonus kits. These kits are designed to display our products at all the parties you'll be holding, but they're so nice you'll want them in your own home. When you calculate the value of the kits and the your free product credit, you'll realize that you'll be getting your business supplies as well as this amazing opportunity practically for FREE! I hate to tell you that my starter kit was priced well above this one, and didn't have nearly the same amount of product.

Existing Demonstrators- You can bet there are great incentives for you, too. But you'll have to be on my team to find out all about them!

Needless to say, Uppercase Living has outdone itself with plenty of Inspiration to go all around. If you haven't seen it yet, you'll be further inspired by our gorgeous new Collections Mini Catalog. I have so much to tell you about each part of this incentive. Let's chat and determine the best way for you to take advantage of it. I'm thrilled to share Inspirations with all of you, and thank you for allowing me to bring this fabulous incentive to your homes.

Hostess Tip: If you're hosting a party during the Inspirations incentive, place an order of at least $50 before your show. You'll earn 2 FREE bonus expressions, and your purchase amount will be TRIPLED and added to your party total. One purchase will earn you FREE product twice!

Customer Photos: Sophia's Holiday Home

My friend Sophia is an elegant hostess with a talented eye for decorating. Small wonder she is a successful consultant for Willow House (formerly Southern Living At Home). Today I had the pleasure of helping Sophia with some Uppercase Living products as she decorates for her upcoming customer Open House. With a professional floral artist on hand, as well as contractors working elsewhere on her property, her home was bustling with preparations for her big event. I arrived with my 4-year old in tow, got him settled with a toy and got to work. (I love that I can take my son to "work" with me!)

The pine trees are the perfect accent for this arched doorway

Sophia had ordered the Merry Christmas Holiday Decor Set and decided to use it in her large kitchen. It turned out to be the perfect choice. With 48 pieces, we were able to decorate two doorways, a large arch, and her French doors. Everything coordinated beautifully without looking overly cute. There were even extra holly leaves left over to add to some of the kitchen cabinets.

Despite all that, by far the best part of today's installation was when Sophia realized, after living in her home for 7 years, that she could finally decorate her range hood. Situated in a stone surround, it has been quite impossible for Sophia to hang, stick, screw in or otherwise decorate for Christmas in this part of her kitchen. Watching her delight when she realized that her problem was solved reminds me again why I love my job so much. You can bet I got a big hug when I stepped off the stool to admire the expression! The "Merry Christmas" looks fantastic decorating the focal point of Sophia's beautiful kitchen. As a removable, reusable Decorative Print, Sophia will be able to use it for years to come.

If you'd like to visit Sophia's home and see her beautiful decor for yourself, you're in luck. Her Willow House event is Friday evening in the Westlake Village Trails neighborhood. You can email Sophia for directions. If you'd like to place a Willow House order, you can visit her website (lots of great items just got marked down 40%!). I highly suggest you try to drop by, as our friend Rosalie from Tastefully Simple will be there with delicious treats to sample.You'll  also find more Uppercase Living products scattered through Sophia's home. You'll love her great ideas for holiday and everyday decor and entertaining. 

Decorative Print Tip: The adhesive on our Decorative and Photo Prints is quite strong and might make it difficult to remove the Print, especially from non-porous surfaces. You can "dirty up" the back of the Print by adhering it to a tablecloth, rug or fuzzy sweater before you apply it to your wall or other surface. The lint will make it easier for you to remove the Print but will not interfere with the adhesive.

Holiday Tin Sets: Perfect for Gifts, Favors and Rudolph

So many times during the holidays, we need to give a gift to a large group of people. Other times, holiday events call for guest favors. In both instances, we'd like to give something heartfelt, unique and thoughtful. But when purchasing multiple gifts at once, it's also important to watch costs. Naturally, Uppercase Living has a solution that will suit your taste, wow your guests (or anyone lucky enough to receive one of these cuties), and meet your budget.

Our Gift Tin Kits are the perfect many-gifts-in-one. Each set has 4 tins, 4 vinyl decorations in your choice of design and color, and 4 gift bags. Even the ribbon is included! You can fill these with anything from candy to jewelry and make the packaging a special part of the gift. For those of you who need affordable business gifts, this is a great solution. It's also a nice way to recognize several people in one business establishment, yet give each person and individual present. The variety of designs available makes it easy to choose one that will suit your event, recipient or mood! They would make great favors for weddings or showers this time of year and can easily be customized to match the event's colors. These are so cute that you might just want to purchase several sets to keep on hand for different occasions throughout the year. 
One great idea to fill these tins is Reindeer Feed! Of course, you never forget to leave out cookies for Santa, but those reindeer get tired and hungry from their long flight, too! Mix up the following in as many batches as you need:

3/4 c. uncooked oatmeal
3/4 c. sugar (can also use bird seed or shredded wheat cereal)
1/4 c. red or green decorative sugar crystals (more kind to our animal friends than the traditional glitter)

Print out the following on decorative paper and attach it with your gift:

      Santa's reindeer, on their magical flight,
      Travel thousands of miles, all in one night.
      A sparkly snack sprinkled over your lawn
      Will be just the treat for them to munch upon.
      With full and happy tummies, they'll soon be on their way
      To help Santa deliver the toys in time for Christmas Day.

You just might find that this becomes a new holiday tradition for your family.

Holiday Gift Tip: Pair a tin of Reindeer Feed with a "Cookies For Santa" charger set for an inexpensive and merry holiday gift set. 

Money Saving Kit: To save even more, recycle baby food jars to fill with reindeer feed. Add a reindeer or other themed embellishment, cover the lid with wrapping paper and add a cute ribbon!    

The Gratitude Tree: A Beautiful Reminder for Thanksgiving and Year-Round

 By far my favorite item in our Holiday Mini Celebrations Catalog is our Gratitude Tree with dry-erase leaves. I do love everything in the catalog, and the holiday products in our main catalogs, but I find this one particularly meaningful, and so does my family.

The Gratitude Tree entered our home in late September when I got my first shipment from the Holiday Mini. My (thankfully tall) husband helped me put it up and my daughter started putting the dry erase pieces on the leaves. We decorated our tree exactly the way we wanted, with several leaves falling as if a strong wind had shaken them loose. I pulled out my set of dry-erase pens and immediately wrote all 3 kids' names on some leaves. Then I told my family it was their turn to start filling more leaves with things they're thankful for.

I was instantly touched and surprised at their responses. I expected answers like "M&Ms" and "ice cream." But I loved hearing them come up with "my family," "school," and even "God."

I loved the insights I got into my kids' minds, and knowing that they don't take for granted some of the things that are so important in our family. Even my husband, who's not always the biggest fan of "stickers on the wall," is really enjoying this special item.


One of the best things about Uppercase Living is the ability to completely personalize your home. The Gratitude Tree not only adds personalization to your home, I think it also adds meaning. I can definitely see this item being a year-round addition to a kitchen or family room. Of course, it's just the thing for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, I suggest displaying this tree prominently either in your entry, kitchen or dining room and having the dry-erase pens handy for your guests to write down what they are thankful for. And if you're going to be a guest for Thanksgiving, consider taking this for your hostess. For the price of a nice bottle of wine, you can take a meaningful gift that will be a conversation starter this year and a reminder of your thoughtfulness for years to come. Don't wait to order this exceptional Uppercase Living product. It's only available for a limited time, and you'll want to start enjoying it as soon as possible.

Uppercase Living Tip: After you complete filling out your Gratitude Tree, take a photo. You'll love going back after a few years and watching how your family's thoughts and the things they are thankful for will change.

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.

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.

Tips for Holiday Kits

So many of you are enjoying the kits in our first-ever Holiday mini-catalog. I wanted to pass along a few tips that will make assembly of your products go more smoothly. Don't forget you can always call me if you have a question.

• The Advent Calendar, Glass Charger, Silver Charger, and Clear Block kits all come with accessories that are non-porous. You will have much better luck with a wet application method (see the instructions that came with your order). Use Mistick if you have it. A light spray of water will also work in a pinch.

• The Advent Calendar comes with two little hooks on the back (see photos below), which you attach the crème ribbon to so you can hang it beautifully on your wall. Those hooks are positioned closer to one end of the charger which means you’ll want to make sure you designate that end as the “top” and apply your expression with that in mind, so when you attach the ribbon and hang it on your wall, it will hang properly.

Enjoy those kits and send me pictures of how you're displaying them in your homes.

Chalk Wall Evolves!

Some of you may remember when UL introduced 3 Chalk Wall kits last spring. Each came with an innovative new chalkboard vinyl sheet and lettering and embellishments to customize it for a particular purpose. That promotion proved so popular that Chalk Wall has become part of our new catalog. But in typical UL fashion, the new offerings are much more than just the 3 kits that were available before (although those are there, too). What's really fun is that Chalk Wall now comes in shapes!

Pictured here is the Flower Confetti kit. The others, Tags and Tidbits and Stars and Dots are just as versatile and fun. What I love about these is that you can use just one piece on a small board, mirror, or even a locker. But you can also use the whole kit to fill an entire wall.

Ready to be even more creative? Chalk Wall is now available in a plain rectangle that you can customize with lettering and embellishments to create a one-of-a-kind writing surface. There are endless ways to dress up and use the plain Chalk Wall rectangle. Here are just a few ideas:

Another idea is to use one of the larger pieces from the Tags and Tidbits kit to create a Menu Board for a dinner party, or a Wine List for a wine tasting. I can think of a way to use Chalk Wall in almost every room in the house, but they are also great for school or work.

Chalk Wall Tip: Instead of chalk, try using colorful chalk markers, available in crafts and art supply stores. Clean up is easy with a damp cloth or paper towel.

I'd love to hear your creative ideas for Chalk Walls. Share them here!