Fitness and all that jazz...

Okay, so recently I got a wild idea that maybe I could start a new exercise routine. Maybe I shouldn't use the word new, as that would suggest that I had an old exercise routine. Those who know me know that exercise is not my thing. I don't enjoy it. Never have. But, I do enjoy chocolate, and bugles, and I am not getting any younger, nor is my behind getting any smaller... So, perhaps exercise should come into my life.
I was recently inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow talking about her exercise routine. I mean, who isn't inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow. And, no, I haven't seen her on Glee. I have never seen Glee. Am I the only one who isn't watching Glee? Anyway, Gwyneth was promoting her exercise inspiration, Tracy Anderson, of the Tracy Anderson Method. So, I decided to buy her exercise DVD, Dance Cardio Workout.


Wow. I got tired just watching it. Maybe next I'll actually try doing it. After watching it and laughing hysterically at my lack of rythym, I decided that maybe I should start with a different workout of hers, so I revisited her website and purchased her mat workout, and a snazzy new, turquoise yoga mat.


They arrived in the mail two days ago. Yesterday, I actually opened the box and pulled out the DVD and yoga mat and propped them against the wall in my kitchen. My neighbor and friend, Sydney, walzed into my kitchen today and said it was a good start, but I really needed to go ahead and take the plastic wrapping off the yoga mat if I wanted to use it! Then we joked about the fact that if there were ever a hope of my behind looking like the picture of Tracy on the back of the mat DVD, then I might just need to do that!


I mean, really, don't you think there are a certain amount of genetics involved in having heiny that looks like that? No offense, Mom, but I don't think I got the genetics for that heiny.
I will have a few M&Ms while I ponder that...

A Lemonade Stand for Japan

After the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I sat down with my girls and we watched a few minutes of the news coverage and talked about how sad it was. I was very proud of my girls for wanting to do something to help. They are always begging to hold lemonade stands and I try not to let them hustle our neighbors for money too often!;) I usually only let them if they can think of a charity or a good cause to donate the money too. The last lemonade stand they held, they donated the money to a neighbor who was saving to travel to the East Coast on her 8th grade trip (Washington DC and New York - woo hoo!). So, we discussed having a lemonade stand and donating all of the money to the American Red Cross for Japanese disaster relief. I asked a few neighbors is their children would like to participate, and everyone jumped at the chance to join in. I am sure we all feel a little bit helpless when faced with a tragedy so huge. I mean, with the economy the way it is, we all feel a little cash-strapped from time to time. But, in comparison to the HUGE need in Japan, we kind of feel like "what can I really do?". But, just imagine, if we all held a lemonade stand and donated the proceeds? We could really make a difference! (jumping off soapbox now...)
The girls and I baked TONS of chocolate chip cookies (2 big tubs of cookie dough from Costco. I heart Costco. But, that's another post). Our friends brought brownies and lemon cookies, and we, of course, served lemonade.
Wouldn't you know that it was cold and overcast. In San Diego. Where it is warm and sunny practically 365 days a year. Not the day of our lemonade stand. No sirree.
But, the kids had enthusiasm to spare! No grey clouds were going to rain out their parade! Just look at these pictures...


I purchased the printable decoration set from a fabulous party supply designer, Paper and Cake, and made the banner, paper chain, signs, and straw circles that we used.


We held our lemonade stand for 2 hours and sold cups of lemonade for $.25, and 2 cookies for $.50. Our grand total was.... $181.37.

Thanks, Neighbors! Now, just think, if we all organized a car wash, bake sale, lemonade stand or something similar, we could really make a difference! What could you and your kids do to help?

A Beautiful Birthday Party!

Those of you who have signed up to host a trunk show or be a Sweet Funky Vintage consultant recently, have surely spoken to our Sydney on the telephone. You would know if you had, she would brighten your day with a little Southern sparkle!
Recently, Sydney celebrated her oldest daughter, Graces' birthday. My three daughters were invited, as were many of our neighborhood friends. It was so beautifully done, I wanted to share it with you. What makes it so special is not that it was extravagant or expensive, but that it was simply gorgeous, because of all of the small details!
The party was a morning party - pancakes and pajamas - what a great theme!

All of the seating was outside, and the little girls all took their seats and were served from steaming platters of biscuits, eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Just outside the backdoor was the buffet table you see above. Some of my favorite features...
* The "flowers" on the far left - created by using a large styrofoam ball into which pink cupcake liners were scrunched. Don't they look like carnations?
* The party favors are small mason jars filled with applesauce, and topped with fabric that matches the party decor. (I might be partial, but we also have this particular fabric in our Spring line!! It is stinkin' cute as a boy's tie!)
* The self-serve orange juice dispenser and fruit containers were a HUGE hit with the girls!

I do know that Sydney purchased a set of party printables on Etsy, but I am sorry to say that I don't know the name of the seller she bought them from. If you are curious, just comment and I will find out for you!

How cute are these yummy red velvet cupcakes with the cupcake circles in them?!

Another favorite feature of mine were these fabric chandeliers! I saw the idea at the Los Angeles Textile show last August, and adapted it for my Olivia's birthday party last fall. I taught Sydney how to make them too - aren't they perfect for this outside party? And, check out the mason jars, filled with peas and tealights... I am so stealin' that idea!! :)


I wasn't quick enough to take a picture of the tables before the girls ate, so I had to wait until after they finished eating and left the table to take a picture. So, bear in mind, that it was much prettier before!! Mental note, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have fresh flowers for a party!


A closeup of some of the tabletop details...


One of the party games, was an old-fashioned sack race. Beyond adorable! Especially when Sam fell over and got a little extra help! The smile on his face could light up the world!


I didn't get any good pictures of the other game - "Place your heart on Justin Beiber". There was a poster of Justin Beiber (Oh, yeah, all the little girls around here have "Beiber Fever") and each girl got a heart sticker to try to place as close to Justin Beiber's heart as possible, while wearing a blindfold. There was also a craft activity at the party. With over 20 girls in attendance, the other Moms and I were amazed at how quiet and peaceful and happy the party was!

I will close this post with another of my favorite party features - a memory banner... pictures of Grace through the years! Love it!

Hostess with the Mostess - Spring has sprung!

One of our customers, Adria Ruff of Anders Ruff Custom Designs, contacted us recently to ask if we would be interested in participating in their upcoming Easter photo shoot. We love their designs, so we were tickled pink that they asked us! Well, it was featured on the Hostess with the Mostess blog. Swoon! If you don't use the Hostess with the Mostess website and blog as your party planning bible - you are totally missing out!
Here are some highlights from the Anders Ruff, Hostess with the Mostess, Spring Has Sprung blog feature!









To purchase the Sweet Funky Vintage styles in this feature, click here!

Spring orders are shipping!

Hello everyone and happy Tuesday!
We are staying really busy here shipping out your spring trunk show orders. Oh, the cuteness! We just love seeing what all of your uber-creative customers have created when you mixed and matched the fabrics and styles to come up with outfits that are fresh, fun, and unique!
Those of you who attended a spring trunk show or placed an order online surely found the cute little birdie magnet we included for you. On the back of that magnet, is your lucky number! Every week, will choose a few lucky numbers and post them here on our blog. So, follow along and see if you are a winner! If you are, send us a quick email, letting us know, and include your mailing address so we can send out some Sweet Funky Vintage swag your way!
We are going to make a sincere effort to twitter/facebook/blog more often so you will know what we are up to and get to know us better! If there is anything you would like to know, be sure to let us know!
A few things going on here at SFV:
1. Don't forget to enter the Spring Giveaway Extravaganza over at the JK Photography blog. We just love Jennifer! She took some fab pictures for our spring catalog, so when she asked us to contribute something for her giveaway, we were happy to do it. We thought about what SFV design to offer and then decided to let the winner choose, so we donated a $50 gift certificate to SFV instead! The other vendors are super too - check it out!
2. We are thinking about hosting a giveaway here too and would love to have you participate if you have a product or business you would like to promote that you think our customers/readers would be interested in. So, send us an email!
3. Have you heard about our group coupons? We are offering a new group coupon each month. You do have to apply for it every month if you would like to receive that month's group coupon. This month, we are offering a mystery coupon. We will give away 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% coupons to our website if 50 or more people sign up to receive March's group coupon. We will send it out at the end of March/first of April, and it will be good the whole month of April. To register for this month's group coupon - click here.4. We are adding a ton of new styles to our website every week! I am practically hunched over my computer 24/7. Well, except when I take a break for bugles (more about that later). So, if you need some retail therapy, hop on over!
5. Have you seen Sweet Funky Vintage on the Hostess with the Mostess blog? We will post more on that tomorrow! In the meantime, check it out! We had a few people contact us directly to purchase the clothing items featured, soooooo.... if you want to purchase the items featured, click here!
6. We only have 6 spring/summer 2011 trunk show openings left. If you want to fill your kid's closets with SFV cuteness, then book a trunk show! Serve some snacks and drinks (or don't) and invite some friends and neighbors over to have fun playing project runway, by designing their own fashions at your house! You can keep the clothing credit for yourself, or donate your hostess benefits to your child's school, or your favorite charity by donating 5% of your show sales to them. You decide! To host a show, click here. To kick it up a notch and be a SFV consultant, click here.
7. On a completely random and unrelated note, I don't know how I lived all the years of my life without experiencing a Bugle - you know, the cornacopia shaped cousin to the potato chip? It was only a few months ago when I had my first one. Now, I need a self-help group. Be honest, are you also an addict?

Okay, if you hung in reading this blog post this long, you totally deserve to win. I hope you do, so I can send you some swag!

Numbers 108, 145, and 313 - you are winners! It is your lucky day, so email us! The rest of you are winners too, really. Maybe you will get swag next time. Smooches!

Spring Giveaway Extravaganza!

Hop over to JKPhotography's blog for a fantastic giveaway with great prizes from so many of the most wonderful vendors (including a new favorite of ours - Organic Bloom frames)!

Click here to visit the Spring Giveaway!

Babies in Bloom!

Don't forget about Sweet Funky Vintage when it comes to your baby gift buying needs! We have created the most adorale bloomers and bibs lately!
Order your own birdie bloomers here!

Matching bibs and bloomers can also be ordered - like this recent customer order of a bib and bloomers with a preppy circle dot monogram.

Another recent customer order of matching bib and bloomer, this time with our AK32 font selection. All of our bib and bloomer designs can be ordered individually or as a set!

Customer Designs

This customer design just arrived and we just love it!! How cute is this?!
This set can be ordered here on our website, or you can choose another combination in our design your own section.
This is Penelope (a Margot top, paired with Alison bloomers) in brown dumb dot (bloomers and collar) and Argyle All the Way!

Mark your calendars for the Queen Bee Market

Sweet Funky Vintage has signed up to be a vendor at the Queen Bee Market, May 6th and 7th.

March Group Coupon - Do you feel lucky?

Our March Group Coupon offer is crazy good! Do you feel lucky? If more than 50 people register for our March group coupon, we will send out mystery coupon codes for 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and even 50% off an ENTIRE online order!
http://sweetfunkyvintage.com/pages/groupcoupon.htm

Special Easter Offering!

We are offering these special Easter tees for a limited time only! These bunny applique tees are created using vintage chenille. Tee colors available: pink, yellow, white, and blue (fuschia, brown, black also available). Available in sizes 6-12m, 12-18m, 2,4,6,8,10,12. Price is $33 (includes shipping)!
Must be ordered by March 11th.

Also available - use the fabric swatches shown in the picture to create the perfect coordinating Camille skirt or Jayne pant! If you order with your tee, no additional shipping charge.

Email today to order! info@sweetfunkyvintage.com