Signing off for a few days

We will be making our way back home tomorrow.  I am not sure when I will have internet access.  When I do, I will post.

Thanks!!
laurie

Order Updates, Status

We are thankful our lives will be returning to normal a lot sooner than we originally thought!  I will attempt to provide order status below.  If you have any questions about orders that are not listed, please feel free to email me.  Some of the orders listed below may have been split shipped.  In this case, I have listed the latest ship date on each order.

Order #	Ship Date
1705	UPS 8.7.08
1782	UPS 7.16.08
1783	USPS 8.7.08
1882	Delivered
1887	Picked up
1888	USPS 8.7.08
1889	USPS 8.7.08
1890	USPS 8.6.08
1892	USPS 8.4.08
1893	USPS 8.4.08
1894	Picked up
1895	USPS 8.12.08
1896	DHL 8.6.08
1897	DHL 8.6.08
1899	USPS 8.7.08
1900	Delivered
1901	Picked Up
1902	USPS
1903	Delivered
1904	USPS 8.14.08
1905	UPS 8.7.08
1906	USPS 8.5.08
1907	USPS 8.11.08
1908	USPS 8.12.08
1909	USPS 8.12.08
1910	FedEx 8.12.08
1911	Picked Up
1912	UPS 8.13.08
1913	Picked Up
1914	USPS 8.15.08
1915	USPS 8.19.08
1917	USPS 8.14.08
1918	USPS 8.14.08
1920	USPS 8.14.08
1921	USPS 8.14.08
1923	Delivered
1924	USPS 8.15.08
1925	USPS 8.15.08
1926	USPS 8.14.08
1927	USPS 8.14.08
1928	USPS 8.14.08; 8.18.08 (plate)
1929	USPS 8.20.08
1930	USPS 8.20.08
1931	USPS 8.20.09
1932	Delivered
1933	USPS 8.20.08
1934	USPS 8.20.08
1936	USPS 8.20.08
1937	USPS 8.20.08
1938	USPS 8.19.08
1939	Delivered
1940	USPS 8.20.08
1941	UPS 8.19.08
1942	UPS 8.20.08
1943	Delivered
1944	UPS 8.20.08
1945	Delivered
1947	FedEx 8.20.08
1948	USPS 8.19.08
1949	USPS 8.20.08
1950	USPS 8.21.08
1951	USPS 8.20.08
1952	FedEx 8.20.08
1953	Delivered
1954	UPS 8.20.08
1955	USPS 8.26.08
1956	USPS 8.20.08
1965	on order 8.28.08
1973	on order 8.29.08
1975	on order 9.2.08

The following orders are in progress & will be shipped as soon as I am back up & running again.  I do not have power at my office so we won't be able to return to our homes until that power is restored.  I will give a status on that as soon as it's available.

Order #	Status
1957	ready to ship
1959	order ready to deliver
1960	ready to ship
1961	order ready to ship
1962	ready to ship
1963	ready to ship
1964	ready to ship
1966	ready to ship
1967	ready to ship
1968	ready
1969	ready to ship
1970	ready to ship
1971	ready to ship - need stamp approval
1972	ready to ship
1974	ready to ship

we're here.. we're tired.. we're very, very worried

Needless to say, today has been one for the record books. I am exhausted beyond belief & I cannot imagine what we might be facing in the next couple of days when this Gustav makes landfall. Please understand that orders are being held & will not be processed until further notice. Thanks for your patience & understanding!!
*laurie

Not quite finished

Just wanted to let you all know that I did not get to finish the orders that I wanted to finish today.  I will be bringing all remaining work with me to our destination & will resume work hopefully on Monday.  Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns with your orders.

I was able to stop some stamps from shipping to SE Louisiana that were placed at the Helen Brett show but some plates were shipped already.  If SE Louisiana is affected by Gustav, we will clean up these issues at a later date.  My factories are alerted of this problem & I know will work with me to get you your orders ASAP.

Thanks for your thoughts & prayers at this unsettling time.  Please stay tuned to this blog as I will be updating as early as Sunday.

*laurie

Too close for comfort

In anticipation of Gustav making landfall sometime Tuesday, we will be closed from today until we are settled somewhere further north.  Printer, paper & other supplies will be making the move with us as we evacuate so no worries there.  Just trying to get all in house orders out of here before we leave.  I will be holding all orders within the state of Louisiana until we know where this storm ends up.  This includes posh plates, stamps & other merchandise that is on order.

I will be posting an order status as early as Sunday to let you all know where your orders are & when you should expect them. 

This is like DeJa Vu all over again!   Today is the 3 year anniversary of Katrina & my baby boy's 2nd birthday.  Katrina brings back bad memories... this pic was taken about 10 miles from my home.. although we didn't see this much water in my n'hood, it could very likely happen this go-round!  Please pray... !

please email me if you have questions but please do not expect to hear back from me until at least Sunday.  You can always leave me a message on my voicemail as well.

Thanks!!

*laurie

My new "Show Motto"

If You're Stalking,

Keep Walking!

I really think I am going to put a sign up in my booth from now on that says this.  More like it, I am going to start putting nasty notes on the bottoms of all of my products so when you go to flip them over you can be sure to find a cute, @$!&(Q# You! on the bottom (in a cute, pink & green font, of course). 

I mean really, people.  I have worked my butt off with this business.. it's not rocket science, by any means & I know that... but have common courtesy, couth, whatever you want to call it.  DON'T GRAB YOUR CHECKBOOK as the first item you find to write down skew numbers (you know who you are BAYOU GI**S GIRL) & product names... WTH?  You claim to have "top notch products" & "quality that cannot be matched"... well, FIND YOUR OWN PRODUCTS on your own & stop being RUDE!  So glad I told you something so you & others don't think I was "born yesterday."

SO there you have it... my show experience in a nutshell... this is EVERY show, EVERY day, EVERY few minutes.  Guess it's the best flattery in the world, right?  Wrong.  I take my business personal b/c that's what it is to me.. it's a personal choice to be able to take care of MY special needs kids... all of them are, right?  UGH!

STOP.

BEING.

RUDE.

GET.

YOUR.

OWN.

GIG!

Show Time

PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING A SHOW THROUGH TUESDAY, AUGUST 26TH. ANY ORDERS PLACED BETWEEN AUG. 22 & 26TH WILL NOT BE PROCESSED UNTIL WE RETURN. ALL SIPPY CUPS ARE OUT OF STOCK AS WE ARE USING ALL REMAINING INVENTORY AT THE SHOW. WHEN WE RETURN, WE WILL BE STOCKING ONLY THE STRAW SIPPY CUPS FROM PLAYTEX. THANK YOU!

This is a picture of the cup we will stock after this show.

Playtex is no longer manufacturing the spout lids with the Create My Own line.  These will come in blue, red, purple, lime green, pink and aqua.  Updated pictures will be posted to the site as soon as our inventory arrives.  Playtex sippy cup lids are interchangeable so if you already have a spout lid from another cup, it will still fit onto this cup. 

I thought I would be able to obtain some "gray market" cups w/the old lids but that deal fell through.  So, we're going w/the straws.

Thanks & please bear with me during show time... hectic!!!

*laurie

New Lunchboxes Added

Wanted to share a few pics of some new lunchbox designs just added to the site.  Hope you enjoy :)  Custom orders are welcome!  You can also see a sneak peek at some of the new patterns that are coming out soon! 

 

enjoy*laurie

Fall 2008 Kelly's Kids & Laurie's Lagniappe Promotion

It's time for a Kelly's Kids Promo!

If you LOVE Kelly's Kids clothes & laurie's lagniappe goodies, you're gonna love taking advantage of this promo!

From today till Tuesday, September 30th, you can earn free lagniappe goodies if you order anything from Kelly's Kids Fall 2008 collection through me! In case you aren't aware, I am a Kelly's Kids rep & have been since 2003. This little business has kept me so busy that I haven't had time to really dedicate myself to selling the clothes.

Kelly's Kids has changed their hostess benefits a bit which has forced me to change my guidelines a little since the last promo that I did back in March.

You cannot be considered a hostess unless you collect a total of 3 orders (including your own) that total $300.  You can still win free lagniappe goodies for placing an order for $300... see details below.  Please note, an accessory only order is NOT considered to be a full-order.

Here's the promotion details:
LEVEL 1:

• Take 25% off at laurieslagniappe.com for placing a Kelly's Kids order of $300 or more!
• This promotion CANNOT be combined with any other lagniappe offers (including coupons, online party credits, etc.)

LEVEL 2:

• Take 15% off at laurieslagniappe.com for placing a Kelly's Kids order of $200 or more!
• This promotion CANNOT be combined with any other lagniappe offers (including coupons, online party credits, etc.)

LEVEL 3:

• Take 10% off at laurieslagniappe.com for placing a Kelly's Kids order of $100 or more!
• This promotion CANNOT be combined with any other offers (including coupons, online party credits, etc.)

LEVEL 4:

• Earn free shipping for lagniappe orders for placing a Kelly's Kids order of $50 or more!
• This promotion CANNOT be combined with any other offers (including coupons, online party credits, etc.)

ALL TOTALS ARE PRE-TAX & SHIPPING!
SALES ARE ONLY VALID FOR FALL 2008 COLLECTION - DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OUTLET ITEMS ON THE KELLY'S KIDS WEBSITE!

Check out some of the adorable Kelly's Kids clothing www.kellyskids.com. Remember!! You MUST order through me to get your hostess earnings & Laurie's Lagniappe gift certificate!

laurie

.mini.me. products listing now!

A new brand in the works all summer long has finally arrived.  .mini.me. adorns silhouettes that reflect your kids unique personalities!  A stretch from traditional silhouettes, we strive to keep it fresh & new to keep up with the ever-evolving world of our kids personalities.

I hope you love these as much as I do :)  Add them to anything we carry on our site!  New designs & products are being uploaded so keep checking back for the new offerings.

Don't forget about our 10% off savings thru the end of August.  Enter NEWAUG08 at checkout to receive your discount.

Happy Monday!!

enjoy*laurie

Bag Tags new to store...

Wanted to pass along a new product intro... bag tags.  I have been meaning to add these to the site but haven't gotten around to doing it.  $5 each or 3 for $12

Are you new?

 

I have been getting some requests for a discount for new customers.  Now through August 31st,  I am offering 10% off any new purchase.  Even if you're a repeat customer, enjoy 10% off using NEWAUG08 at checkout to receive your discount.  Only one use per customer, please!

enjoy*laurie

okay, so i'm not so good :)

email me if you want me to send you the image for print!!  laurie (at) laurieslagniappe (dot) com

 

*laurie

free hannah montana glasses ... MAKE YOUR OWN in 5 minutes!!

you will love me for this... of course, i was the ONLY mom in the city not to have gotten to "your local walmart" in time to get my free pair... so, here's an image you can print out onto cardstock to make your own.. in a jiffy!!  enjoy the show tonite!!!  click on the image to make it full size & print it out from there....

*laurie

 

monogram and naming etiquette 101

Did you know the "contemporary vs traditional" ways of listing your names as an engaged couple, married couple or just a single person vary ever so slightly?  I will attempt to go over the "rules" here since I receive the wrong ways submitted in orders nearly every day!

 

Rules for Singles
(one person) named Megan Elizabeth Sellers

• Traditional monogram letters appear in this order, "First, Last, Middle" with the last name initial being larger in the center.

Rules for Engaged Couples
(two people) named Laurie and Jeff Burg

While I've always believed that a monogram used before the wedding occurs should never contain the post-wedding initials, there are some exceptions when it comes to using a monogram for the engaged.

• A monogram being designed for an engaged couple should contain the bride's first name initial first, the groom's last name larger in the center and then the groom's first name last.

BEFORE THE WEDDING:

• After the wedding the groom's name must come first if following the traditional monogram etiquette.

AFTER THE WEDDING: 

Rules for Married Couples
(two people) named Laurie and Jeff Burg

When personalizing paper or other products using a married couple's name written out, there are two rules of thumb to be sure you are correct in the rules of etiquette.

• First and foremost, a man should never be separated from his last name.  He had this name first, thus he shall never be separated from it.
• Another rule when writing out a couple's married name is the bride is "given away" thus the reasoning for her name being first.

CORRECT:
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Burg
Laurie and Jeffrey Burg

INCORRECT:
Jeffrey and Laurie Burg
Mr. and Mrs. Laurie and Jeffrey Burg

 

TRADITIONAL MARRIED COUPLE'S MONOGRAM:
Laurie and Jeff Burg

CONTEMPORARY MARRIED COUPLE'S MONOGRAM:
Laurie and Jeff Burg

Rules for Family Name order:
Jeff, Laurie, Matthew, Emma Kate and Evan Burg

When listing your family's names as part of a salutation or as part of personalizing a product, the father's name should always come first, followed by the mother's and then in birth order, each child's name.

I hope this info is helpful!  If I can think of other hints & tips when it comes to monogramming & personalization, I will certainly keep 'ya in the loop!

One more quick note, linens are a woman's business... the bar is the man's!

enjoy*laurie

Latest product launches

As promised, I would be unveiling a 'cupla new products to the site this month.  Well, here they are... Both are part of the

MEware product label.

Retro Lunch boxes (more designs & sizes to come)

 

ME tees...

So, I have been working hard on these new product launches & now they're here but they remain a work in progress!  I still have SOOO much in the works for future product launches so please stay tuned & check back for future posts.

enjoy*laurie

Double Up Party Blast!

It's time for a "Double Up Party Blast!"  Online parties are the best way to earn free stuff at Laurie's Lagniappe.  With new categories opening up for the fall, it's time to book your parties & be on your way to earning, earning, earning!! 

So, let's start w/some dates, shall we? 

Parties run from a Sunday to a Sunday.. no exceptions!  Gotta keep things straight around here :)

• Sunday, July 20th
• Sunday, July 27th
• Sunday, August 3rd
• Sunday, August 10th
• Sunday, August 17th
• Sunday, August 24th

That should do for now... I am booking 2 slots per date range.  PARTIES BOOKED DURING THIS TIME FRAME WILL RECEIVE 20% IN PARTY EARNINGS!  That's DOUBLE the normal earning potential!!! 

Here's what constitutes a "party":

• One order of $100

• Or three individual orders (including your own)

As dates fill up, I will post an update... bookings will be on a first come first served basis... GOOD LUCK!!

*laurie

17 fresh & adorable plate designs!

This is what happens when I can't sleep!  Darn diet coke... guess I drank one too late w/my pizza pie tonight... :)

Here's a glimpse of the newbies... hope you like 'em! 

HAVE A GREAT

4TH OF JULY!!!

STILL more new, cute stuff to come... stay tuned next week for a couple of new product launches & goodies!!

enjoy*laurie

Help a sistah out!

LOL!  Okay so I am taking the plunge & trying to get some PR for the site... :)  A PR degree & I just don't have time to promote my business like I should but hey, I do the best I can, okay?  With that said, I'd like to ask you cast your vote for (moi) on the style bakery site.  It might be a long shot but what's the harm, right?

Here's a blurb from their site about the contest

*********************************************************

Welcome to the 4th Annual "On the Rise" Awards
recognizing the hottest emerging designers nominated by YOU, our readers.

Simply fill out the form below to vote for your favorites in the specified categories.In August, we will announce the top choice in each category based on YOUR votes as determined by the StyleBakery.com editors. We will also award a Readers' Choice to the designers that receive the most votes in each category.

The winning designers will be featured on StyleBakery.com and in the November issue of Metier magazine.

Here's your chance to tell us who YOU love and to support your favorite designers by voting using the ballot below (plus, you could also WIN a $500 shopping spree at Ravinstyle.com!)

**************************************************

I would LOVE it if you'd take a sec & vote... you can place me in the gifts/home products section or the baby/kids... whichever you see fit. 

I've been so busy trying to get some new & wonderful products launched that I haven't had the time to send this post... you may have seen the link on the site already but here's the official "release." :)  Stay tuned for some exciting back to school goodies!!

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS!!!  You can click the link on the upper right of the blog header

*laurie

Small Java Mama's on sale!

Now through Sunday, July 6th, the Small Java Mama is on sale!  Sale price is $8.50... what a steal!  Rack up on back to school teacher gifts or splurge for yourself.   As always pick from tons of precious patterns to design your own.

Click HERE to start shopping :)

enjoy*laurie

Shipping status updated

Sorry for not posting an update to the shipping/production schedule.  It's up & running again & I hope to keep it that way!  Thanks for checking it & keeping me on my toes about updating it :)

Happy Friday!!

laurie

New Shipping Options

Due to the high cost of shipping these days, I have decided to give you all a choice between using USPS or UPS.  There will now be the following choices when you checkout.  PLEASE NOTE THAT NO USPS PACKAGE IS INSURED WHEN IT LEAVES MY OFFICE!  The best way to ship is still UPS but I understand the higher price may be an issue for some.  See below for the new choices (shipping fees will vary):

Thanks so much!  Still playing catch up & will post production schedule later tonight :)

*laurie

2 of my favorite girls to design for..

I have designed everything from their Baptism announcements to their "Happy Spring" photo cards... here's a new one for these precious girls that I've never even met but who's mother trusts me to use them as my inspiration to create cute cards for...  thanks JA!  I have loved getting to "know" your girls over the past few years!!!

enjoy*laurie

while I'm at it, I want to share some of their other designs...  can't get much cuter than this!!!

 

Delay... sorry :(

As some of you know, my daughter has a heart condition (much of the reason I am in business for myself) & she has had a couple of problems in the past week.  Please allow for a little delay until we can get caught up & back on track...

Thanks for your patience!  I've also had cell phone troubles so if you've tried to reach me & couldn't, that's why!

have a great weekend!  I hope to be more on-target next week...

laurie

Contact ME Magnets just added...

A new addition to the site... Contact ME Magnets. Great for teachers to pass out at their Open House to let parents know just how to reach them in case there's a problem. More magnet options to come...
Stay tuned :)