Friday, February 26, 2010

Facebook Friday Winner is...and we are giving away a Monogrammed Sports Bottle!

Last week while we were all dreaming about the beach and beautiful monogrammed shell pendants it snowed in Cary, NC! What is up with that? And it is supposed to happen again next week. Really? Did the weather gods hear me when I said I was DONE with the cold weather? Geez!
Well anyway, enough about that, somebody gets to think of the beach while they are wearing their BRAND NEW Monogrammed Shell Pendant! And the winner of last week's FB Giveaway is: Lisa Kresier! Congratulations Lisa! You have until next Friday March 5th to email me and claim your prize! Here is what she said:

We use random.org so there's no funny stuff!


This week we are giving away our 22oz Monogrammed Sports Bottle! Since I am actively trying to GO GREEN and to drink more H20 I thought this would be the perfect giveaway! And it is great for a man or a woman! All you have to do to enter is hop on over to our Swagger Gift's Facebook page, become a fan, and comment on the giveaway here. You have until next Friday March 5th at 12:01 am to comment!

Good Luck!
xoxo,
Mandy

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Empowerment Beads for Haiti

As many of you know, Trollbeads started the Empowerment Bead Program last year with the first limited edition empowerment bead focusing on Breast Cancer Research. With the help of the entire Trollbead Community, $500,000 was raised and went directly to such organizations as Susan G. Komen and the Breast Cancer Research Fund.

And now, in light of January's devastating earthquake in Haiti, Trollbeads is proud to offer a new set of Empowerment beads. Half of all proceeds from the sale of these beads will go to Habitat for Humanity to aid in stabilizing and rebuilding Haiti's infrastructure. Habitat has been working in Haiti for 26 years and is helping Haitians rebuild their homes and reclaim hope.

There are 10 exclusive, limited edition beads that have been designed to work with Trollbeads and OTHER beaded bracelets. They are SOOOOO beautiful! I can't wait until they come in - a lot of these designs I have never seen before! We love to Shop for a Cause and are excited to have a hand in helping rebuild Haiti! We thank you in advance for your support of this important cause!

Beads pictured may vary from the actual beads.

We will let you know as SOON as they come in (hopefully any day)!

xoxo, Mandy

p.s. - For those of you who may be new to Trollbeads, the Empowerment Bead Program was created for the sole purpose of promoting charitable contributions through the Trollbeads dealer network. In order to embrace all wearers of bead bracelets in charitable giving, the beads are designed to fit not only Trollbeads bracelets, but all competitors bracelets as well.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Behind the Scenes @ Swagger Gifts

I haven't written one of these in a while, so I thought I would catch you all up! Basically because everything has been a blur since Christmas - do any of you guys feel the same way? I can't even believe that Monday is March 1st!
Okay - so let me try to do a quick catch up. I came back to the States in December to work in the store for the Holidays! (For those of you who don't know - I am living in Switzerland for the year - I know tough life:-)). Anyway, I was so glad I came back - I couldn't possibly have missed the 2nd Annual Tacky Christmas Sweater ExTrAvAgAnZa!!! I meant to write a post about it in December to show all our cute - scratch that - TACKY outifts but the time just got away from me. Here is a picture of the Swaggerettes - I think Heather DEFINITELY won - don't you?


L to R - Me, Kellie, Heather, Kayla, Melissa

After Christmas was market in Atlanta. And I mean RIGHT after Christmas! We didn't even get a breather! But that was probably a good thing, because the 2009 Holiday Season was fresh on our mind while we purchased everything for the 2010 Holiday Season! You can read all about our market shenanigans here! Heather, my Mom (Jill), and I had a great time - I love those girls!

Then it was almost February 1st (!) and time for me to head back to Switzerland. Since my husband and I both grew up in Georgia, we have been trying to get as many winter activities as possible. Here are a few pictures of our adventures, but if you want to follow along please do! I have been writing a blog about our time abroad here.

Sledding on Mt. Rigi near Lucerne, Switzerland - VERY dangerous sport! Almost lost my life - seriously!:)
We went ice skating on a real frozen lake! Our question was - is it bad when you have to skate through water like my husband is having to do here? Hmmmm.

Here we had just finished skiing down a black diamond on the Glacier 3000 in Gstaad Switzerland! This was a big accomplishment for me because I'm really not that good of a skiier!

And yes - in between those I have been working (in the background) @ Swagger! I think this would be the perfect time to give a shout out to all my Swagger Girls who are actually AT the store (in the "foreground") making it all happen - Heather, Jill, Melissa, Kelly, Lindsay, Kayla, and Kellie! If you've received great service from them I would love to hear about it! (Leave a comment - I would surely appreciate it!) Okay, so let's recap a couple things that have happened so far this decade!

1. We went GOLD! Swagger is now a Gold Level Retailer with Trollbeads! We are so excited about our new status, because we now have lots of gold beads in the store for you to see and we now carry UNIQUE beads! We will receive these unique beads once a month, so if you are a Trollbeads Fanatic like me, make sure to stop by the store regularly to see them! Then you can say to your friends - look at what I HAVE - nanny nanny boo boo! Okay - well maybe you don't have to go that far but you will be very SPECIAL:)! We also started a "What's your Story?" Trollbeads Scrapbook - please come by, let us take a picture of your bracelet, and tell us!

Here are some of our Trollbead Fanatics enjoying Chamapagne and Chocolate at our Going Gold Party and Trunkshow!

2. Many of you have noticed we have done some redecorating at the store! We moved most of the furniture around, got some zebra rugs (yeah! I'd been wanting to do that for the last 7 years), new zebra curtains, a new jewelry cabinet and lots of NEW product! I heart the word new - NEW ROCKS!:) But I have been over here in Switzerland and haven't been able to see what it all looks like, so Heather sent me some pictures this morning! Here is a slideshow of "What's New" right now:


3. One of my jobs is Website Guru. Okay well Guru might be a little strong, but I do write the content, upload the products, and basically try to make it better and more user friendly for you guys! One thing we just added was a LIVE CHAT button! So, if you are ever online and want to ask us a question about a product or monogramming or WHATEVER, just click on the Live Support button at the top and one of us will be there to chat with you! Super cool - right?! I feel so High Tech:)!

It is the grey button in our header on our website!

Alright - well that is enough for today! I've got to get back to work:) Love and miss all you guys!
Thanks for being loyal Swagger customers!
Mandy

Monday, February 22, 2010

This just in...Jordi!

Who is Jordi you ask? Jordi is your new favorite pair of flip flops! Go get a pedicure girls because you are going to want to wear these new babies A.S.A.P! Jordis come in six super cute colors, as shown here, then you have tons of snaps to choose from - perfect for every occassion! Imagine going on vacation with one pair of shoes that you can take from the beach to dinner with a SNAP! Love it! And with the weather as beautiful as it was in Cary, NC yesterday I know we are in for sunny, hot days very soon- WOOHOO!!!

See you soon!
Mandy

Friday, February 19, 2010

Facebook Friday Winner is...and a Beautiful Monogrammed Shell Pendant Giveaway!

Happy Friday! Boy am I glad it is the end of the week! First, because I love giving you all some fabulous "swag" from Swagger Gifts and second because it has been a long one! Does anyone else feel that way?

This week our FB Friday winner is Ellen Norris! Congratulations Ellen - I know you have been commenting for a long time (probably since we started doing FB Giveaways!) so thank you for your persistance! I guess it does pay off!:) You have until next Friday February 26th to email me to claim your prize!

We use random.org so there's no funny stuff!


This week I have been dreaming of warmer weather, the beach, and sunshine! Which got me to thinking summer JEWELY (I really do have a one track mind)! So I thought it would be great to give one lucky winner a jump start on their spring/summer accessories! This week our FB Friday Giveaway is our Large Monogrammed Circle Shell Pendant! You have until next Friday February 26th to hop on over to Swagger Gift's FB page, become a fan, and comment here for a chance to win!

Good Luck!
Mandy

Thursday, February 18, 2010

This just in...Eebee's Adventures!

We are so excited to have gotten our Eebee's Adventures in this week! What is an eebee you ask? Eebee is a really cute crazy looking character that goes on adventures with your infant or toddler. Based on the latest research on how babies learn and grow, eebee’s adventures are designed to help you and your baby transform everyday play, observation and exploration into learning that lasts.

Eebee’s adventures focus on the developmental skills that babies are working on and use as the foundation of all future learning. They provide models and ideas for enriching ordinary moments by presenting playful and real situations that young children (and parents!) can actually understand, build on and learn from.

Eebee’s adventures feature eebee, the baby’s baby, along with infants 6 months and older who play and discover in a world that is real, engaging, and rich with possibilities.

Eebee has received several awards including an iParenting Media Award and has been mentioned in every magazine from Us Weekly to Baby Talk Magazine! Check out the eebee's adventures website to learn more about how parents can interact better with their kids then get over to Swagger Gift's and starting buying this for your NEW BABY GIFTS - I know this is what I will be giving!
See you soon, Mandy

Monday, February 15, 2010

Swagger Reward Certificates went out Today!

As I hope all of you know whenever you spend $250 at Swagger Gifts you get a $25 Rewards Certificate to spend on whatever YOU want! We like to stress the YOU part, since you probably spent (most) of the money buying gifts for others -we think this is the perfect opportunity to get something for YOURSELF - guilt free;)

This month we are starting something new - we are sending the Rewards Certificates by email! So make sure to check your Inbox today - we emailed out over $1500 worth of certificates!

Shannon with a couple of her previous $25 rewards certificates! Thanks girl - we love ya!:)

See you soon,
Mandy

Friday, February 12, 2010

Facebook Friday Winner is..... and we are giving away monogrammed sterling silver earrings!

Last week we gave our "Wildthing" Zebra Bathwrap for our FB Friday of the Week! I love a good bathrwrap so I'm glad you guys feel the same! And the winner is.... Lisa Wardenaar! Congratulations Lisa - I guess this was your week! You have until next Friday February 20th to claim your prize by emailing me!


We use random.org to pick the winner so there's no funny stuff!

This week as I was getting ready for my ski weekend, setting out everything I "needed" to bring, I put these beautiful monogrammed earrings in the "of course I have to bring these" pile. You've got to look good on the slopes! And I thought this would be a great FB Friday Giveaway as it is a classic set for anyone's jewelry box! Soooo - you have until next Friday February 19th to go to our Facebook Page, become a fan, and comment here for a chance to win a pair for yourself!

You can also buy these beautiful earrings on our website here! $44

Good Luck,
Mandy

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Hot Item - Fire Lights by Napa Home and Garden

We saw these beautiful Fire Lights by Napa Home and Garden at market and just couldn't resist! And apparently you guys can't either! They are one of the hottest things at the store right now (no pun intended:-))! The fire light can be used indoor or outdoor and the flame won't blow out in the wind - so cool! Great gift for your friends who love to entertain, house warming gifts, Valentine's Day (how about a little note with it that says - Come on Baby Light my Fire) and of course a gift for yourself :-)! Come in to check them out in person!
See you soon,

Mandy

I had to do an update to this post to tell you guys about all the other cool things about Napa:

  • Napa FireLites use the only ecologically safe gel fuel produced from recycled materials.
  • Made in the USA
  • People & Product Safe
  • Usable Indoors & Out
  • Has No Carbon Emissions

Friday, February 5, 2010

Calling all Trollbead Fans - New 2010 Beads AND Limited Editon Crazy Lace Agate now available!

We received our shipment of the NEW Spring 2010 Trollbeads and the NEW Limited Edition Crazy Lace Agate beads yesterday! Come by soon to check them all out! Especially the Crazy Lace Agate - they are absolutely beautiful - a hot pink color that is find with Trollbeads - so you know they won't last long!

Facebook Friday Winner is..... and we are giving away a Monogrammed Zebra Bathwrap!

Last week we gave away a beautiful Chocolate Pendant for our FB Giveaway of the week! A perfect gift - just in time for Valentine's Day! And I am happy to say that Michael Davis won this for his beautiful wife Crista! You are a lucky man Michael- to win the giveaway of course but more importantly to be married to Crista!:-) Please email me and I will hook you up with your prize! You have until next Friday February 12th to claim your prize. Here is Mike's Comment:
We use random.org so there's no funny stuff!

This week we are giving away a Monogrammed Zebra Bathwrap - another good Valentine's gift I think! Kind of a "Wildthing I think I love you" kind of a gift:)! All you have to do to get yourself entered is hop on over to our Facebook Page, becoming a Fan, and then comment on the Facebook Friday of the Week photo here! You have until next Friday, February 12th, 2010 to enter!

Good Luck!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

This just in...NEW Scout Bags!

It's Groundhog Day...but not at Swagger! New "stuff" is arriving daily to keep us all on our toes and out of the "same thing different day" rut!
What arrived today? New SCOUT Bags by Bungalow! And for the record, I want to work at Bungalow:) I know it's not Groundhog day over there! How much fun would it be to come up with the names of the new bags? This time they came out with the "napoleon", "pleasure chest", "ice ice baby", and more! Let alone their design team is fantastic - we LOVE all the new patterns! We are especially psyched about the Alphabet pattern - great for little kids rooms and diaperbags - soooo cute! We noticed at market that pink and orange are going to be huge this year - and of course there is a SCOUT bag in this color combo! Come in soon to see all the new fabrics and designs... you know how fast they sell out!

What to use the bags for? Here are some ideas:
1. Ice Ice Baby cooler: new material! Heat-sealed seams to prevent leaks
2. Micro Deano 2.0: New release of the popular “micro deano” now with a zipper closure! Makes a great purse!
3. The Napoleon: All purpose multi-pocket tote- perfect for the gardener, a college shower tote or baby stuff (in the print shown)
4. Pleasure Chest: Insulated picnic cooler- perfect for pool, beach or tailgating events!
5. The Daytripper: the “everyday” tote- great for office, gym, school, kids stuff or a purse.

Monday, February 1, 2010

New and Retired Trollbeads for 2010!


Exciting news from Trollbeads today! I have for you pictures and descriptions of the Spring Trollbead 2010 Collection! Our beads are supposed to ship today so we will keep you informed about when they show up!

On another note, Trollbeads announced the Retired Beads for 2010! We have purchased as many as we can, so come by ASAP if there is one that you have "been meaning to get"! Some of my favorites were retired, and I know they won't last long!
See you soon! Mandy