Front Door Idea!

We got these fabulous oversized flowers in the other day and we were all talking about cool ideas for what to do with them. The flowers come in two sizes and a bunch of different colors.

My mom took one of the large flowers home and put it on her front door! So cute! What a FRESH new idea instead of a wreath this spring! Go Mom!

My mom is also in charge of decorating the store and hung one over the "window" inside Swagger. I think this concept could be used inside the home over an archway, in a little girls room, on an inside door -the possibilities are endless! I love how the flower adds a pop of color and a touch of spring at the same time.

What would you do with one of these flowers? I know we have some creative customers out there!

Swagger Bunny Bucks - Hop to it!

Okay - yes I know that was cheesy - but it was fun to write:)!

Swagger has a Bunny Bucks promotion going on starting TODAY! For every $10 you spend (before tax) at Swagger Gifts between March 8th - 31st you will receive $1 Bunny Buck. Bunny Bucks can be redeemed April 5th - 30th! You could possibly add your Bunny Bucks to someone's Easter basket or of course just use them for yourself (you did do all the shopping!)

No exclusions. No fine print. Just fun!

Hop on over (okay - I'll stop!)

Mandy

Set of 4 Coasters Giveaway and FB Friday Winner!

Last week we gave away our Sporty Water Bottle and I am happy to announce that we are a green, water drinking, healthy bunch! I’m glad you all liked the giveaway – I will try to do more giveaways like this! This week the winner is# 58 - Judy Richardson. Congrats Judy! Please email me and I will hook you up with your prize! You have until next Friday March, 12th to contact me! Her comment is below:

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

This week we are giving away a Set of 4 Personalized Coasters from our newest vendor Lipstick Shades! We are so excited to have this line because their designs are so cute! I love this particular coaster (I actually say this ALL the time), but we do have lots more to choose from! Coasters make a great hostess, new home, or wedding gift!
All you have to do to enter our giveaway is hop on over to Swagger’s Facebook Page, become a fan, and comment here. You have until next Friday March 12th!
Good Luck!
Mandy

Mandy Brings Swagger to the Top 50 Entrepreneurs in the Triangle!

Hey Swagger Fans!

Heather here - I'm hijacking the blog today while Mandy is skiing the Swiss Alps (which we are all very jealous of!) to do a little bragging about our fearless leader. She wouldn't write this about herself, but that sure doesn't mean that I can't share the latest bit of good news with the world, right? :-)

Last Friday, I had the awesome experience of accepting an award on Mandy's behalf. And not just any award, this award named Mandy, CEO of Swagger Gifts, amongst many other top notch local business leaders - 50 of them to be exact- as one of Business Leader Media's "Top 50 Entrepreneurs in the Triangle" this year!

As CEO of Swagger Gifts, Mandy prides herself on offering a truly unique selection of merchandise here at Swagger, often forgoing popular items that can be found duplicated over and over again at mass retailers. This approach gives you all - our amazing customers - the confidence that your gift will not only be appreciated, but that it will carry with it a little "swagger"of its own!

She is actively involved on a local professional level through organizations like Chix in Business, but she has also been recognized on the national level many times because of her willingness to mentor and offer valuable advice and tools to fellow retailers and industry professionals. Under Mandy’s leadership, Swagger has seen exciting year-after-year growth not only online, but in our store here in Lochmere, as well.

Her rock star status doesn't stop there, either. Amidst all the growth and challenges of 2009, Mandy still found the time to create our new in-house program for supporting the community organizations that she has always enjoyed supporting through her business and personal involvements. The Swagger Gifts Community Giving Program
(http://www.swaggergifts.com/community_giving_program) was launched in September 2009, as a way of allowing shoppers to support their favorite charitable organizations each and every time you shop! The program gives back 5% of purchases to shoppers’ choice of affiliated groups like the Autism Society of NC, the Caring Community Foundation and the Pretty in Pink Foundation.

Business Leader Media honored Mandy and others in a ceremony on February 26 in Raleigh and she will be featured in the magazine’s March 2010 issue - so be sure to scour local newsstands and professional offices and see if you can find her feature! Business Leader has recognized the Triangle’s most prominent business leaders as the “Top 50 Entrepreneurs” since 1996.

So next time you are checking us out on facebook, be sure to send her a little note of congratulations!
--Heather

Swagger Gifts loves giving away money!

Well - Swagger Bucks that is! We are happy to say that we emailed out 73 $25 Rewards Certificates this morning! So make sure to check your inbox - one could have gone to you!

How do you get Swagger Bucks you ask? Every time you make a purchase from Swagger Gifts we keep tracking of it, and when you spend $250 you receive a $25 Rewards Certificate! Seriously - that easy! We send out rewards certificates at the beginning of every month for those who earned them during the previous month. (Note: this $250 is cumulative - you could have started purchasing in 2008 and got to $250 last month and would now be receiving your Swagger Bucks!)

Just our way of saying "Thanks for shopping at Swagger!"

xoxo, Mandy

Happy Birthday Mom!

I just couldn't go on today without wishing my Wonderful, Amazing, Talented, and just All Around Fabulous Mom a HaPpY BiRtHdAy! This is the first year in 7 years (since we opened Swagger!) that I haven't been with her on her birthday - it even makes me sad to write it:( Not that she loves her birthday (she doesn't) but I love being with the most inspiring woman in my life on the day she was born and to thank God for giving her to me (I'm not sure what I did to deserve her but I'll take it!) So - if you are at Swagger today - will you give her a hug for me? I would appreciate it!

My mom hates taking pictures (hates them), but this one (which I love) was taken this past September in the Mirabelle Gardens in Salzburg (she LOVES gardens so she agreed to taking it;)) when my parents came to visit us. This was at the start of our Sound of Music tour (which she also loves) so I thought it was the perfect birthday photo:)!


love you guys, Mandy

Answering the Trollbeads Customer Survey could win you a $300 Bracelet!

Hey all you Trollfanatics - I just found out that you can win a $300 Trollbead Bracelet from http://www.trollbeadsus.com/ by answering a short survey! Very exciting! All you have to do enter is log onto the Consumer Log-in section of their website and answer the survey. I just did it and it took about 5 minutes - I hope I win!:-) Well, of course I hope you win too!

Good Luck!

xoxo, Mandy

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

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.

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