You are here: Home / Archives for New

Something I’ll Always Cherish

15 May By 75 Comments
oo5
I met Isabella Weems and her terrific mama, Crissy, when I was running Believe Boutique in November of 2010. They were wonderful and their product flew off the shelves!  You can’t imagine how delighted I was when they called me in early 2011 and asked if I would set up their Facebook page and manage it!  Of course I would! I love Origami Owl!!
For goodness sakes, I already had purchased a locket that I simply adored and so did everyone else! It was so cool that I could wear around a locket with my kids birthstones & initials.
And so it began…the journey of working with Origami Owl.  I fell in love with the product and more importantly the people behind the product.
I was delighted when the girls at OO came to me with this super special locket just for The Savvy Socialista!  I was the first to receive a lovely Rose Gold locket!
And how could I resist building an Arizona State Sun Devils locket for ASU football season!?
The company has grown!  They went from working out of their home into a gigantic warehouse and office space.  They’ve hired on an entire staff of people, each and everyone who I LOVE, and have now built the business into one that offers direct sales! Such a cool concept!
I consider myself blessed to be part of the OO family!
I’ve been able to take these amazing lockets on Sonoran Living.  And share with so many people the joy that is Origami Owl!
In January I lost one of my very best friends. My grama passed away gracefully in her sleep, very suddenly.  It was a shock for our entire family and complete devastation to my heart.  But my dear, sweet friends at Origami Owl did such a lovely thing and custom created 4 of the most wonderful lockets for myself, my sister and my 2 cousins.

OO created these perfect lockets that have a plate in them that was made special for each of us.  Gram is what we called my grama so it was only fitting that they put Gram on the plate.  Then they added a July birthstone for her, a In Memory Of charm, an angel’s wing & most importantly a Love charm.  I had the honor and joy of giving these to my sister and my cousins just before we celebrated Gram’s life at her memorial service.
I can’t even tell you how much these lockets mean to each, myself, my sister and my 2 cousins.  We each will cherish the lockets forever.
Would you like  to win a custom locket from Origami Owl?  Here’s your chance!
Enter this Rockin Giveaway with 2 easy steps. Please Chat Back for each entry!

1) Become a fan of Origami Owl Living Lockets on Facebook. Post that The Savvy Socialista sent you.  Chat back on the blog letting us know you’ve become a fan and how much you love Origami Owl!

2) Are you a fan of The Savvy Socialista on Facebook? Become a fan and leave a post letting us know how much you love OO. Chat back on the blog and let us know!

One lucky winner will be chosen on Tuesday, May 22nd using Random.org. Entry will close at 9pm EST. Any entries received after this time will not be considered. This is a sponsored post. The Savvy Socialista may have received payment, trade and/or product in exchange for promoting.

*Facebook is in no way affiliated with or a sponsor of this giveaway.

Filed Under: Clients, giveaway's, New Tagged With: , , , ,

A Rock N Giveaway!

22 Aug By 130 Comments
Rock N Courture Final Collage

WINNER! WINNER!  WE HAVE A WINNER!

Comment #13

Cara said: “I heart the clutches and the big original burlap bag…so unique and high fashion. Everything is fab, thank you Miss Savvy Socialista for hosting this spectacular giveaway!!!

Big ‘ol Congrats to Cara!  I’ll email you to help you collect your fabulous new bag!

I’m thrilled to my toes when I discover an incredible fashion accessory (just like any good woman would be)!  Who knew that such a fabulous handbag could be created out of burlap.  Well, my new friend, Sharon Cochran, did.  She is the creative mind and fingers behind Rock N Couture.  As Sharon would say, “at Rock N Couture we are “Rock n’ our blessed life” doing what we love!!! Featuring a line of burlap handbags and accessories that are all custom handmade right here in the USA.
Being the “fashionista” that I am, I had to have one!

These handmade burlap (jute) handbags, coffee bean handbags and accessories, are all adorned with leather straps, embellished with genuine swarovski crystals, precious metals, custom black rosette embellishment, and interior linings come from designer custom fabrics.

When I saw this new denim number I knew it belonged on my arm.

After discussing my needs with Sharon, I realized that one bag just would not cover all my needs….a girl must have a stylish and trendy bag for her computer.  Rock N Couture pulled through with the perfect combo.

Take a look for yourself:

Not only is the outside darling, but the inside is just as cute!  Honestly, this girl knows how to create the perfect carryall.

NOW FOR THE BEST PART!!!

I know how each one of you would love to carry one of these fun, functional and fashionable bags.  Not wanting to disappoint you, Rock N Couture is offering one lucky girl the chance to win one bag of your choice!!  How cool is that!

WANT TO WIN?

Here’s how:

There are 4 chances to win this Rockin Give­away. Please Chat Back for each entry!

1) Become a Fan of Rock N Couture on Face­book. Chat back let­ting us know you’ve become a fan!

2) Post on Rock N Couture  Face­book page that The Savvy Social­ista sent you. Chat back let­ting us know you’ve posted on Rock N Couture’s page.

3) Chat back and let me know what handbag is your favorite on Rock N Couture’s website.

4) Are you a fan of The Savvy Social­ista on Face­book? Chat back and let us know! If not, become a fan!

One lucky win­ner will be cho­sen at 9 PM (Pacific Standard Time) on Tuesday, August 30th, using Random.org.  Any entries received after this time will not be con­sid­ered. This is a spon­sored post. The Savvy Social­ista may have received pay­ment, trade and/or prod­uct in exchange for pro­mot­ing.

Can’t wait???

It’s okay, how excit­ing is this.….Rock N Couture is offer­ing The Savvy Social­ista fans 40% OFF her entire store now through 9 PM, Tuesday, August 30, 2011.  Be sure to use the CODE:   SavvySocial­ista and you will receive this amaz­ing Savvy Deal!

 

Filed Under: facebook, giveaway's, New Tagged With: , ,

Winner, Winner!

10 Jun By Leave a Comment
Fawn Cheng

What a fun giveaway!  Fawn Cheng, Personal Stylist, was kind enough to offer up an amazing giveaway!

One lucky gal (you do not have to be local) is going to win a Virtual Style Profile, which includes an online assessment and a one on one 45 minute review and style consultation via video conference ($105 value) by Fawn Cheng! I can hear you now, “Pick Me, Pick Me!”

In this session the lucky winner will receive custom tips on how to: *dress with confidence *accessorize like a pro *wear a trend without looking too trendy And more!

So was it you?  Who was it?

Drum Roll……………………………. pulled by Random.org…………..

The winner is:  #9:  Nancy Hunter with comment: Posted on Fawns FB page and told her the Savvy Socialista sent me!  Nancy, please contact Fawn Cheng at Fawn@FawnCheng.com to set up your Virtual Style Profile!  Congratulations!

 

Filed Under: giveaway's, New, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

A New Woman, Plus a Giveaway and Savvy Deal!

6 Jun By 32 Comments
Fawn Cheng

It all started when I went to my closet and screamed out, “I’ve got NOTHING to wear!” With that my hubby marched right into my closet and laughed at me! Yes, LAUGHED at me! See, the problem was we saw things very, very differently. He saw a closet full of clothes with all kinds of options. I saw a closet full of old, boring clothes, many of which haven’t fit since before my first child. And with that….I called Fawn Cheng, Personal Stylist. I met Fawn briefly when my dear friend, Heather Sander of The ReStyle Group made over Fawn’s closet. Read the deets and see all the pics because it is spectacular!

Fawn sent me her style profile that I filled out and then she popped by my house to chat about my closet. Reality hit BIG TIME! No, I don’t wear all of these clothes and let’s be real, I’ve had 2 kids, my hips are NEVER going back in. {insert sad face here} So out with the old…..

 

 

 

That’s right….over 150 pieces of clothing…out! I told you, I was finally being realistic! It felt GREAT. Now onto shopping, my favorite part!

Fawn met me at Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, AZ at Express to begin the shopping day. She immediately made me feel comfortable and within minutes, better about my choice in clothing! She brought me clothes to try on that I would NEVER have picked out, not because they were not darling, but because I didn’t think I would look good in them, but the crazy thing was, I did! And I trusted what Fawn said. I mean, she is the professional here! She brought me sizes that I thought were too small but she taught me that if I kept wearing tops that were too big, they’d make me look frumpy. Wow, really, an XSmall t-shirt? As I tried on clothes, Fawn took pictures with her iPad.


I never would have thought about a scarf with this outfit, but it looked so cool. And I felt so trendy!

We shopped White House Black Market where I found this darling white dress for a party! (Then Fawn helped me pick out turquoise accessories to go with it!)

We headed up to Scottsdale to shop Guess by Marciano, Anthropology and Nordstrom.

I bought dresses, pants, shirts, tanks, shoes and even scarves and I felt FABULOUS! Not sure how my hubby felt when we saw this….

A couple days later, after I had lived with the new clothes, Fawn stopped by to talk me through everything. Again, the advice was immeasurable. She discussed how to wear belts, what jewelry to wear and how I can mix and match everything I have. She told me about Kathleen Tinkler of Mrs. Tinkler’s Evening Wear, who did a ton of alterations for me. Wow, I never knew my clothes could fit so great! Let me just tell you Fawn Cheng is worth EVERY single penny. I’m excited to head into my closet each day to pick out my outfit. You won’t hear me saying, “I’ve got nothing to wear” anymore. From now on I will shop differently and I will trust the valuable insight that Fawn has given me.

Now, I bet you’re thinking, “HOLY COW! I want to have Fawn Cheng be my personal stylist!” I knew it, I knew you would. And trust what I’m saying…..YOU DO! She’s beyond phenomenal! So how exciting is this…..drum roll…..one lucky gal (you do not have to be local) is going to win a Virtual Style Profile, which includes an online assessment and a one on one 45 minute review and style consultation via video conference ($105 value) by Fawn Cheng! I can hear you now, “Pick Me, Pick Me!”

In this session the lucky winner will receive custom tips on how to: *dress with confidence *accessorize like a pro *wear a trend without looking too trendy And more!

There are 4 ways to enter this Rockin Giveaway. Please Chat Back for each entry!

1) Become a Fan of Fawn Cheng, Personal Stylist on Facebook. Chat back letting us know you’ve become a fan!

2) Post on Fawn Cheng, Personal Stylist Facebook page that The Savvy Socialista sent you. Chat back letting us know you’ve posted on Fawn’s Page.

3) Chat back and let us know, what’s your favorite outfit to wear?

4) Are you a fan of The Savvy Socialista on Facebook? Chat back and let us know! If not, become a fan!

Can’t wait??? It’s okay, how exciting is this…..Fawn Cheng is offering The Savvy Socialista fans a Shop In Your Closet session for valley locals for $299 ($405 value). Call by Friday, June 10th and book your appointment before August 31, 2011 , mentioning The Savvy Socialista and you will receive this amazing Savvy Deal! You can email Fawn at Fawn@FawnCheng.com for questions. Travel fees may apply.

Shop in Your Closet is perfect for the gal who wants to: *DEFINE her style *ROCK what she’s got *be STYLISH in a snap * BREATHE life into her current wardrobe *determine whether to KEEP, SHARE or REPURPOSE an item *define a must-have SHOPPING list to be picture-perfect ready for the upcoming season

The Shop in Your Closet session can be exchanged for a Personal Shopping Session.

One lucky winner will be chosen on Friday, June 10th using Random.org. Any entries received after this time will not be considered. This is a sponsored post. The Savvy Socialista may have received payment, trade and/or product in exchange for promoting.

Filed Under: giveaway's, New Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Monogram Everything!

12 May By 4 Comments
2880

Do you love your initials?  I love mine!  My middle name is Elizabeth and E’s always look lovely in script.  My maiden name is Hunter and I had things monogrammed way back before I was married.  You can imagine my delight when my sweet customer, PeaPod Announcements & Gifts, shared with me that she is now carrying Lipstick Shades!  My mind went to all the things I could get monogrammed!

Now everyone knows how fun it is to get a package in the mail and it’s no secret I love a good surprise package!  I squealed with anticipation upon opening the box full of monogrammed items from Lipstick Shades!  I was so impressed with the quality of them all.  The darling monogrammed plastic plate was nice and thick and I thought how cute would a set of those be for eating outside this summer!  The iPad covers made me want to run out and purchase an iPad just to keep it in the cute monogrammed cover!  But, I have to admit, my very favorite item of all was the monogrammed iPhone cover!  So super cool and great way to customize your phone so that no one else has the exact same cover!  Oh, they come for all smart phones!

I can’t say enough how much I love all these monogrammed items from PeaPod Announcements & Gifts!  See for yourself on this quick video!

 

Do you love it?  Well guess what!  PeaPod Announcements & Gifts is offering a special for Savvy Socialista readers only!  Head to PeaPod Announcements & Gifts for your monogrammed Lipstick Shades items, then during checkout enter SAVVY20 to receive 20% off your purchase!  How cool is that!  Don’t forget to stop by PeaPod Announcements & Gifts Facebook page and say hey and let her know how much you love the monogrammed items from Lipstick Shades!

Chat back and let me know what you plan to order!

Filed Under: New, social media, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Credit Card Anyone?

6 May By 24 Comments
Swiping credit card

I can’t do it all.  I admit it!  Therefore, I LOVE, I mean, really LOVE guest bloggers!!!  And today is no exception!  The extremely smart computer guru, Jason Gross from PC Made EZ stopped by The Savvy Socialista blog to guest blog and give you guys a GREAT tutorial on Square. For any of you that want to accept credit cards but don’t want to deal with all the hassles….this is just for you!  When Jason shared with me all the info on Square I immediately thought about all the vendors at hand-made markets, vendor fairs & craft fairs so I asked him if he would share with you all about this amazing little device!  Chat back and let me know if this helps you out at all!  And do me a favor–would you mind stopping by Jason’s Facebook Page and giving him a little “hey, how ya doin?” , I’d greatly appreciate it and I know he would to!

And with no further adieu…. Guest Blogger…..Jason Grosso…………

Do you want to be able to accept credit card payments for your products or services while out at events or a client’s home or business? Would you like to not have to carry around bulky equipment and paperwork to do so? Do you not want to be nickel and dimed to death with transactions fees, monthly fees, annual contracts or penalties for taking payments from “rewards” cards? Do you want the money sent to your business account quickly? Well…you can.

A company started by one of the co-founders of Twitter called Square provides you with all of the previously mentioned abilities and more. As long as you have an iPhone, Android phone or iPad you can accept credit card payments (Visa, Amex, MasterCard or Discover) through your device anywhere you go; be it a trade show, event booth or a client’s business or home. Square does not require much from you either. You sign no contracts, you pay no monthly fees, you pay no annual fees, you won’t even pay a fee for accepting a payment using one of the many “rewards” cards which many people use. You simply pay a very nominal fee of 2.75% of each transaction to Square and that is it. Talk about ease of use and flexibility!

So, you are probably wondering how to get setup with this. Well you simply go to Square’s website ( www.squareup.com ) sign up for their service with your business and bank info and they send you a free card reader which plugs into the auxiliary port on your mobile device. Square will make two small deposits into your account to verify it and then you will be approved to accept payments. It is that easy…seriously. We have been accepting customer payments for nearly a year now using Square and not only have we not had any problems; each and every transaction has gone through and the funds have been debited into our business account within 3 business days; every single time.

Once you have the card reader and the account setup you simply download the app to your iPhone or Android, login and you are ready to accept payments. You can even send your customer email receipts directly from the Square app and even customize your account to include your logo in customer receipts. Trust me, if you own a small business and have a need for mobile credit card payment processing you need to do yourself a favor and get Square!

***If you want to get your hands on a card scanner now, the first 40 people that “CHAT BACK” below & comment on my Facebook page that you would like one, I’ll get on to you.***

Since I have been using Square since they started they gave me 40 of them to hand out to fellow business owners.

Check out the images below to see how Square works. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time. Happy Computing!

Jason Grosso
Owner – Lead Tech
PC Made EZ
480-720-5656

 

Here’s how it all works

Here is the Square Card Reader which plugs into your phone’s auxiliary (headphone) port

 

 

Square Card Reader


You open the Square app on your mobile device, enter in the transaction amount, optional items notes and then swipe the customers credit card

 

 

Swiping credit card

 

The customer then signs for the transaction on the screen

 

 

Signing for the transaction

 

You can then send the customer an email receipt with the transaction details

 

 

Transaction receipt

And you are done!

 

 

 


Filed Under: facebook, New, social media, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Who’s on Camera? I am, I am!

3 May By 9 Comments
Sonoran Living Pic

Seriously, I still can’t even believe it!  When Stephanie Sandoval from Sonoran Living called and started chatting with me about my business it was a huge WOW for me!  We processed through some ideas because Sonoran Living wanted to share with their viewers how Facebook can work for them.  We came up with SAVVY DEALS to promo on the show.  I was delighted to bring on several of my sweet clients & friends!

Of course, first things, first…what to WEAR?!?!  I ended up wearing this black dress that I bought last November from Express and last spring’s yellow shrug from Nordstrom.  But, let me tell you….it was not easy!  After a phone call with my sister, I was in deep panic mode!  What I had in mind she clearly told me, “would simply not work!”  Yikes!!!  So off I flew to the computer to write an email and ask my sweet friend, Fawn Cheng, Personal Stylist for some advice.  She calmed me down and helped me reevaluate and POOF, this is the outfit!  Loved wearing the necklaces from The Lovely Letter and the cuff from Gussied.  Unfortunatley you can’t see the great shoes, but you can in the video…they are fabulous, courtesy of Calvin Klein!

 

Back to Sonoran Living—my mom came with me, thank goodness!!!  For those of you that do not know, she is my assistant!  She is an amazing interior decorator and she set up the beautiful table for Sonoran Living.  We had a great time setting up the very cool hats from Petal Chic Boutique and the lovely jewelry from The Lovely Letter.  We knew the order that we were going to show the items in so those two companies started it out.  Then the simply darling copper cuffs from Gussied came next.  Last–all the items that PeaPod Announcements & Gifts sent!   And “drum roll please…..”

 

 

Everyone seemed thrilled with how everything looked.  It was a gorgeous table!  Some of the fun items from PeaPod Announcements & Gifts that are must sees were the Three Designing Women fabulous stamper set , all the great notepads and the cute vase wrap, came from Donovan Designs, and the frames, ice bucket and fabulous tray came from Rosanne Beck Collection.  The cool tote came from The English Paper Company.

I’m so thankful for my friend, Bonnie at Inspired Occassions for making the delicious cupcakes!!!  I needed cupcakes because PeaPod Announcements & Gifts sent cute cupcake bands from The Paper Menu.  They are darling because you can have them custom printed with pretty much anything!  I was very sad when the last cupcake was gone.  You have no idea how good they were!  YUM!

I’m beyond thankful to the vendors who generously offered the Savvy Deals for Sonoran Living viewers and Facebook fans!  Another thank you to everyone at Sonoran Living, including Stephanie Sandoval & Andi Barness.  Also, I have to tell you how terrific my friend and photographer, Carlee Komar with Oh Snap Photography is.  Because she’s so darn cute I asked her to model the Petal Chic Boutique hat and she came along to photography the entire production.  So big ol thanks to Carlee! And last but certainly not least the biggest thanks goes to my mom, Nancy, for putting in countless time for set-up, tear-down and just plain making my life easier!

Looking so forward to returning to Sonoran Living offering even deeper discounts for the Savvy Deals.  If you know someone that would be a perfect fit for this piece just “Chat Back”.  In the meantime….you can see the entire feature below!

Savvy Deals from The Savvy Socialista

Filed Under: Clients, facebook, New, Press, social media, Video Specials Tagged With: , , , , , ,

It’s Almost Here

20 Apr By 5 Comments
008

That’s right friends!  The Sonoran Living Live show is almost here!  Tomorrow, 4/21/11, I will have a short segment on the show.  If you’re in the Phoenix area Sonoran Living is on ABC at 11am.  I’m sharing products from 4 of my sweet clients!

The packages have been rolling in and my dining room table is….well, let’s just say, no way we are eating at it at the moment!

I’m so in love with the amazing products from PeaPod Announcements & Gifts!  She has sent colorful, bright items from Donovan Designs, Three Designing Women, Clairbella, Lipstick Shades, Lifeguard Press Lilly Products, Inviting Company & The Paper Menu!  You’re going to go nuts when you see all this great stuff!  Gussied has sent her fab copper bracelets that I just can’t get enough of and Petal Chic Boutique sent her Gracie hats, which are her top seller.  I was delighted to meet up with Jodi from The Lovely Letter yesterday to pick up all of her amazing works of art.  As I open each one I can hardly stand the thought of not having each piece for myself!  The best part about all of this is that these 4 vendors are going to offer UNBELIEVABLE deals tomorrow only!  But, you must watch the show, or check out the video of the segment for the KEYWORD to enter during checkout to receive these specials!

Do me a huge favor–would you stop by Sonoran Living’s Facebook page and make sure you “LIKE” it?  Then just ask all your friends to “LIKE” the page too!  This way we can keep the specials coming for you!

So here’s a quick sneak peak just for you!  I promise to post the video of my segment as soon as it’s complete.  Chat Back and let me know what you think!


Filed Under: Clients, events, New, Press Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Package, A Package!

16 Apr By 2 Comments
A Package for me!

Seriously, ridiculous, I know! But still, I can’t help myself…when a package comes and has my name on it, I get all giddy! Today was no exception! I walked to the mailbox, like any other day (except when it gets up to 100 degrees, then I drive, let’s be honest here…a girl doesn’t want to sweat that much!). But, as I placed my key in the keyhole, twisted it and opened the small silver door THERE IT WAS!!! I kid you not, it was gleaming! A PACKAGE!!! But not just any package, a package with MY NAME ON IT!

I could hardly contain myself, I practically ran home! Who cares that the People magazine with Jennifer Lopez’s beautiful face was in the box too, it was all about the package! I didn’t know what was in that small brown paper box, but I knew, it had to be something delightful. So I hollered for my little girlies and made sure the hubby’s eyes were focused as I slowly sliced the package open. There, amongst the paper was 2 simply lovely small boxes. They were so perfect with the label Blush Envy on them.

OOOO, I knew right then and there what laid in those perfect packages! I’d been yearning for what awaited me in those packages for weeks now! You see I saw my sweet friend, Kim, from The TomKat Studio at the Working Women event and she was wearing this fabulous ring that I could not keep my eyes off. I nearly died thinking, “I MUST HAVE THAT RING!” So I had to ask, “where, where can I get that ring, immediatley?” And then she said it….“Blush Envy”. Do you know what I did right then and there? You got it! I got on my iPhone and quickly looked up Blush Envy on Facebook. But, much to my dismay, Brandy (the owner and creative genius) was working on her site and I couldn’t order. Therefore, I wrote her and expained just how much I needed that ring!!! Then I waited, and waited and just when I was ready to cry for that ring….the clouds parted and Ta-Dah… Blush Envy was open for business!!!!

And now….here I sat, staring at those boxes! As my girls giggled and my hubby just wanted me to get on with things, I slowly opened each package. There it was….the perfect ring! A big, hot pink flower! It screamed my name the moment I laid eyes on it. My sweet Hanna squealed with delight and immediately begged to put it on as little Sofia continuously said, “my turn, my turn.” Sadly, for them, they were not going to touch that perfect ring! Is was for my finger, and my finger only, at least for that moment! I was overjoyed!

 

Then came the second box! What could be in the pretty second box? Oh! The perfectly brilliant Blush Envy earrings in a soft peachy pink. Right then and there I thought I’d died and gone to fashion heaven! I slowly placed them in my ears and have yet to take them off! I’m in love…yes, love with earrings and a ring!

I mean, seriously, look for yourself? You must admit, they are spectacular. Each item in the Blush Envy collection is a part of Brandy’s heart and soul and is made from scratch by her hands! These little pieces of heaven are all made from paper and are the work of a true artist.

Now my final thought….how many outfits can I buy to go with these pieces of perfection? The possibilities are endless!

Filed Under: favorites, New Tagged With: , , , , , ,
« Older Posts