How did I live before Audrey?!

I admit it.  I’m in love with my Audrey bag.  I’m forever amazed at how much a simple file tote has changed my life.  {Here’s a picture…isn’t it pretty?!}

Audrey 5-File Tote :: $58

My love is more than skin deep…sure the shiny, black patent finish and cool printed design on the inside were the first things that caught my eye {I feel so stylish when I carry my Audrey}, but it’s the way that Audrey helps me keep organized that invoked feelings of true love.  My Audrey tote makes it a cinch to organize, carry + quickly access all of those  important, frequently referenced papers to and fro wherever I go.  From business meeting to business meeting.  From work to home and back.  From home to school meetings.

And my love grew even deeper when I discovered how gorgeous Audrey looks with my favorite fancy file folders inside…

Walpaper File Set :: $14 for 6 shiny patent file folders

My friends, co-workers, and my husband {especially my husband} are all a bit tired of hearing about my strange love affair {I gush on a regular basis}, so I thought I’d share it with you instead.  You understand, I’m sure.  {I love it, I love it, I love it!!!}

My Resolution: Figure out how to stick to a resolution

Not to start this off like a high school graduation speech, but there are two quotes that shaped my 2008 New Year’s Resolution:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

“You can’t manage what you don’t measure” -Various attributions

Normally I do not do New Year’s Resolutions. I know that’s sacrilege, kind of like saying I only hand out boxes of raisins and shell-on peanuts to kids at Halloween. Which I don’t. Don’t worry, it’s all Reese’s and Hershey products at my house.

It’s just that resolutions have never worked for me, either because I go too big with them or because I forget I even made one by half time of the Rose Bowl.

So this year, I decided that I would do a resolution, but the resolution would be: How to stick to a resolution. Or said another way: Come up with a system for achieving a goal

Then I read this blog post:

“Goals are achieved by habits… Once you’ve identified that goal, you’ll need to commit yourself, hold yourself accountable to a group of people, and focus completely on that habit for a month.”

7 Essential Tips to Make 2008 Your Best Year Ever

Habits! I love it. No need to figure out all the steps, just identify some habits that I can repeat and see what happens. There was something about the idea of creating a habit that clicked with me.

So I was going to:

1. Identify a goal
2. Come up with some habits
3. Measure the execution of those habits

Here’s what I came up with:

My Goal: Sustained Fitness Activity

The habits I wanted to start to accomplish the goal:

1. 60 minutes of vigorous cardio activity

2. Walk my dog for 20 minutes (3 times a day)

3. 3 sets of pullups to failure.  (I hate lifting weights, so I picked something I knew I could bang out in less than 10 minutes at the gym before doing some cardio.)

For measuring the execution of the habits on a daily basis, I decided go with a slick loose-leaf mini-binder and marked each day’s accomplishments on a page.  I’m normally not a big “journal person” but I have to say, 20 days into the new year it is incredibly satisfying to look back and page through to see my progress.  I’ve strung together 17 days where I’ve been able to accomplish all three habits.  Not bad, but they say it takes 6 weeks for a habit to become part of your regular routine.  I’ll keep you posted!

Resolve to keep my notes + paper piles in check

Every time January rolls around there is something instinctual about “getting organized.”  And for me, this January is no different.  My first two organization projects this year were:
{1} organizing my notes and ideas for work {I needed to move beyond the legal pad + sticky notes everywhere} and
{2} organizing my “paper family life” at home {specifically all that paper that accumulates in the kitchen}.

For my first project of organizing my work life, I decided a mini binder was the perfect tool.  And with one as hip as this celery + chocolate one, how could you not use it everyday?  I love to have it on my desk for jotting notes, to do’s, and let’s face it, it looks great to bring to meetings.

I added the mini 5 tab dividers and the lime filler paper and now I can keep my meeting notes, new ideas + to do’s at my fingertips perfectly organized.

For my second project at home, I needed something to handle all those papers that pile up on the kitchen counter.  I had found myself drowning in papers from my childrens’ schools, information on upcoming events, home documents, upcoming travel itineraries, you name it…  I also wanted an “at-my-fingertips” place for contact information of people I contact frequently — friends, family, doctors, babysitters, the cleaning lady, etc.  I needed what I now call my “kitchen binder”…

This project was going to be a bit more involved than the last, so I turned to our friends at russell+hazel for a larger binder that would be stylish enough to have out on the counter or tucked in a handy cupboard nearby.  I ended up choosing the fun orange binder that would complement my kitchen decor.

Then I set to work to fill the binder by using the great 8-tab index dividers and paper pockets {also from russell+hazel} and clear plastic sleeves {available at the local office supply store} so I didn’t have to 3-hole punch every new piece of paper.  In the very front I have a couple of pages of contact information — names, numbers, addresses of those people I contact most {perfect for when my palm pilot isn’t handy or my husband needs to look them up} + a family calendar by month {print your own online or use russell+hazel’s Month-at-a-glance sheets}.

Then I used the dividers to create the following sections:
{1} Upcoming Events – plastic sleeve holds tickets for upcoming shows, sporting events, save-the-dates and party invitations
{2} School – includes school calendar, newsletters, policies, etc.
{3} Organizations – everything I need {schedules, contact information, etc.} for the organizations I belong to — the women’s club, the babysitting co-op, the PTA…
{4} Kids’ Health – for all those handouts you get from the dr. at every visit {I’ll admit I’ve had to look up how much Infant Tylenol you can give a 22-pound, 13-month old.  And in the middle of the middle of the night, it’s nice to know where you can find the dosage sheet…}
{5} Home – contact info for home service providers {handyman, cleaning lady, plumber, etc.  Never know when you’ll need one!}, advertisements/deals for services I might need at a later date {gutter cleaning, window washing…} and home maintenance schedules, etc.
{6} Travel – upcoming travel itineraries, travel deals I’ve stumbled upon, etc.

And I have a few more tab dividers leftover for when something new needs to be filed away, but not too far away!
{Note:  Soccer moms may want to add a section for kids’ sports or clubs or classes.  I’m sure I’ll be adding that soon enough…}

I must say with these two projects accomplished I feel like I’m ready to tackle the new year {and my desk + kitchen counter thank me too}!

C’mon Girls – Do You Believe in Love?

Cause I’ve got something to say about it and it goes something like this…Express Yourself.

Thank you, Madonna, for my New Year’s resolution {or at least one of the MANY things I’ve vowed to improve upon this year}.  I just returned from a surprise 40th birthday party where we presented the birthday boy with a book of photos along with a paragraph we had each written about him.  We reduced the poor man to tears {not necessarily the objective, but heart-warming nonetheless}.  I realized that if we hadn’t been asked to write down our thoughts about this great guy, he might have never known how we all really felt about him.  We often find ourselves pouring our hearts out once a loved one is literally on their death bed. Why on earth should we wait that long?

So, here are a few things on my list for 2008:

–Send a note of gratitude not just for a gift, but for an act of kindness or a valued friendship

–Call an old friend on the day they pop into my head instead of saying to myself, “Oh, I really should get in touch with them sometime.”

–Mail a card to my daughters telling them why I think they’re so great and then take them out to the mailbox to find it

–Write a letter to a family member expressing how I feel to clear up any misunderstandings and strengthen family ties

–Surprise my husband with a Valentine in his mailbox at the office…in August

–Pay the toll for the car behind me {nothing to do with expressing myself, I realize, but still always something I mean to do!}

Happy New Year!

Holiday Sale :: What’s Hot

Our holiday sale is going strong!  With only a few days left to save, here’s the scoop on what’s hot…

Hot Seller #1 :: Holiday Photo Cards.  By far, the best sellers of the sale have been holiday photo cards.  I was a bit surprised at first, but once I thought about it, it really makes sense.  Having your photo cards already selected makes it a snap to plan your holiday photo shoot.  Rather than taking the photo first and then searching for a card that compliments it, do it the other way around and plan a photo that will look fabulous on your cards.  Genious!  And at these prices, who can resist?  Some favorites…

Page Letterpress Photo Cards :: $8.99 for 10 cards {was $16}

George Stanley Photo Frame Cards :: $6.40 for 10 cards {was $16}

Snow & Graham Letterpress Photo Cards :: $9.99 for 6 cards {was $15}

Top Seller #2 :: Planners + Agendas.  Who doesn’t get the urge to organize with each new year?  Our customers clearly appreciate the versatility of multiple schedule planners as they’ve been selling like hot-cakes.  {What better way to mange all those schedules…kids, work, volunteering, etc., etc…}   The hot sellers…

MomAgenda Leather Portfolio in Grass :: $86 {was $120}

Who-Mi Compact Agenda/Planner :: $16 {was $26}

Hidden Gem :: Snow & Graham Imprintable Flats.  I love these for invitations.  So elegant, so luxe, and so easy to print myself.  I used this one for my mom’s 60th birthday party {on December 19th – the red gifts were perfect}.  Grab them before they’re all gone…

Snow and Graham Imprintable Letterpress Flat Cards :: $7.99 for 6 flats {was $14}

I can’t resist a good sale!  {Prices good through January 15th.}