Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving US Trunk Nation members and Happy Thursday to the rest of the world!  I have been reflecting on how thankful I am for everything in my life right now.  Last year at this time I was in a really dark place,  I had just found out that the boy that I had given my heart and soul to for almost a decade was doing some shady stuff, I was so miserable at my 9-5 that I had to pop Xanax before going in everyday, but now, now things I feel are finally starting to fall into place and for that I couldn't be more grateful. 

 

 I have so much to be thankful for today, like my AH-mazing support system that picks me up and dusts me off in my moments of self doubt. I am thankful for chance meetings that have turned into life long friendships and opportunities.  I am thankful for being able to do a job that I love and am super passionate about all the time now.  I am thankful for my family that helps, loves, encourages and supports me in this little business and puts up with all my other quarks .  I am also so very grateful for all of you, blog readers, twitter followers, facebook friends and lurkers for supporting my little endeavors in your own way.

 

So as a Thank You on this day of Thanks from today through Cyber Monday, December 2 there will be FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING  as well as $12.00 flat rate shipping to Canada and $25 flat rate shipping to Europe, Australia and New Zealand!! No Coupon Code is required it's already set up in the listing.   I wanted to start the free shipping today because some people might be *cough* bored *cough* at their family get together and checking out the online happenings while pretending to be interested in family affairs.

Please also keep in mind that Saturday, November 30th is also Small Business Saturday.  While those big chain stores can offer amazing deals this time of year for gifts for loved ones, please keep small businesses in mind.  After all the US was built by entrepreneurship, so get out there to your local downtown area, local craft fair,  someones own shop domain, or on Etsy. Those of us trying to make our small business dreams come true will be forever grateful for your purchase, large or small.

Over-N-Out & Gobble Gobble!

Shop Mom & Pop & A Challenge

 In a few days in the United States a majority of it's people will be sitting down to eat insane amounts of turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie and even begin the celebration of Hanukkah.  Yet, I keep hearing about another big box store that is opening to push their Black Friday specials back into Thanksgiving Day.

 Every person that is consumed with the need for "stuff" and to score that really not so great deal but appears to be the greatest deal and walks into those stores on a holiday is keeping thousands of workers away from their families and holiday celebration. The reason Thanksgiving even came about in the U.S. was for one day all of us to reflect and give thanks for all of the food and things that we have had through the year.  One day people, one stinking day to not go to a store and shop. It's borderline appalling to me that we can't even go 24 measly hours without stepping foot in a store. There is online shopping for goodness sake if you need to shop that much.

This holiday season I challenge you to the 3/50 project. First think of 3 independently owned stores or restaurants that you would miss if they were gone. Now, stop into these stores, say Hello and pick a little something. Seriously anything $5, $10 any dollars helps keep said store a float.  Just browsing or following on facebook, while great does not mean that business you like is going to stay around.  Now the 50 part if each person in the U.S. spent $50 a month at independently owned stores  their purchases would generate $42,629,700,00 in revenue.  Now for example, every $100 spent in independently owned stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. In a national chain, only $43 stays in the community and the rest more then likely goes to some person you will never meet in a nice corner office with a view.  Small businesses are the backbone of our country and one that needs your support not only this holiday season but every season.

I sincerely hope that  this holiday you will consider a challenge of  two things, one  celebrating with your loved ones, cherishing that time, and wait until the next day to do your deal hunting. And two this holiday season, consider taking the Small Business Pledge with me and support small, family-owned businesses, artists and crafters for at least part of your gift giving. We are the REAL Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) elves and want to give you the very best during the holidays and every day. Not to mention, we typically strive to pay our workers fairly, take time for our families, and create personalized experiences you can't get at a big box store no matter how hard they try. I thank you all so much for your support so far, and really look forward to helping make your holiday gift-giving special this year. I will now step down from my soap box.

Over-N-Out

Wisest Buck

Attention Cheeseheads... even the big bucks are advising you to get to Handmade for the Holidays this weekend at Becket's in Oshkosh!  I mean, when the buck talks you must listen. See you Saturday at Becket's 10 am- 4 pm.  I mean it's going to be so happening, that even Santa will be there!

Over-N-Out

Thursdays With T : On The Road

T here it's been awhile since I've blogged, and I thought I would talk about one of my favorite things to do, travel.  As you know Mom and I travel to lots of different destinations selling all of our different things, seeing family/friends and therefore spend lots of time in hotels.  Let me tell you how much I LOVE hotels. I get to meet so many new people which is one of my favorite things to do and there are so many amazingly different smells.  There are a few things though one should remember when travelling with a dog in tow and I thought I'd help you out.

Mom says that it is a bit of a challenge sometimes to find a hotel that will allow dogs, so she uses this website called  Bring Fido but there are many out there another good one is called Pet's Welcome .  They are so easy to navigate that even I can do it, just enter the city that you are going to and it will give you a list of the hotels in the area that allow us four legged friends as well as local dog parks and walking trails. 

I will be honest mom only uses those websites when there is no La Quinta Inn hotel in the area.  We have found that all La Quinta Inns' allow dogs to also enjoy their hospitality free of charge.  (Apparently a lot of other hotels charge mom a pet fee)  I love La Quinta, it's always clean, my bed is always so huge that I even let mom sleep in it, they almost always tend to have a big area of grass for me to sniff and mom always come back in the morning with a plate full of food.

Another thing to remember when traveling with a pet is to bring along a few of our favorite things to help us feel comfortable.  When packing up mom will always tell me to pick out a toy to bring and she packs it in my travel bag along with my food, dish, blanket and of course cookies.  I will be honest, sometimes it's hard to adjust to hotel staying because there are all sorts of new noises and smells but when I have my blankie and bones from home I feel better.

Well I hope that helped some of you fellow pets when you travel with your human.  Please feel free to share any other tips.  Mom and I are off for our next adventure shortly, I can't wait!
Woof-n-Woof

Head's Up

Hey Trunk Nation Friends just a head's up to all of you that again this year we will be offering FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING from Thursday, November 28 through Cyber Monday, December 2. There will also be flat rate $12.00 discounted shipping to Canada, Flat Rate $25.00 discounted shipping to Europe and Australia!! No Coupon Code is required, it will already be set up in the listing.  So set a phone reminder and mark your calendars, the FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING will begin at 12:01 am on November 28th.

Please also keep in mind that Saturday, Nov. 30 is also Small Business Saturday.  While those big chain stores can offer amazing deals this time of year for gifts for loved ones, please keep small businesses in mind.  You can read the article I wrote about some of my favorite small businesses HERE from my old blog. After all the US of A was built by entrepreneurship, so get out there to your local downtown area, local craft fair,  someone's own shop domain, or on Etsy.  Those of us trying to make our small business dreams come true will be forever grateful for your purchase, large or small.

Over-N-Out

Holiday Housekeeping

Happy November Trunk Nation!  I understand it's be crickets over here on le blog for weeks, with all the social media outlets I have this one always seems to be on the back burner, so try and follow our shenanigans over on da Facebook.  I try extremely hard to not let it get that way but that doesn't always happen as you can see.  So I thought I'd pop in and let you know of some of my upcoming shows and deadlines for the Holidays. 

 

First off, this month I have two shows, one vintage and one handmade both out of state. What?!  

 

 

 

 

 November 15th I will be setting up the Trunk at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Pointe Indiana.  This show is being put on by the fabulous Green Shutters Vintage Shop and will go from 2 pm-8 pm. 

 

 

 

November 23 I will up in my home state of Wisconsin for Dainty Daisies Handmade for the Holidays show at Beckets in Oshkosh.   I will have upcycled handbags, tea cup bird feeders, baby blankets, waterless snow globes and of course doggy stockings.  The show hours are 10am - 4 pm.

 

And Chicago area keep your calendars open because I will be at the Fremd High School in Palatine for their Holiday Bazaar from 9 am - 4 pm.  

 

Let's move onto online shipping deadlines shall we, because we all want our orders to make it to us by the Holidays.

 

 International order by deadline is Midnight on Friday, December 13

Domestic order by deadline is Midnight on Wednesday, December 18

 

Again this year we will be offering gift certificates to the shop and as always offer complimentary gift wrap of your purchase, all you have to do is ask in the "Notes to Seller" section when you are completing your order.

 

Ok, so I think that is all the housekeeping information I needed to share with everyone.  Also, we will be hosting a special for Thanksgiving weekend... FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING and flat rate shipping to Canada, Europe and Australia! Details on that will be coming in the next week.  Hope y'all are having a great November!

 

Over-N-Out