As if one backpack wasn’t crazy enough, the Backpack bloggers now have a second backpack to give away on Just Precious! This time, we’re going to make the contest a bit lighter and brighter, just like Just Precious!
Have you heard about the contents of the Back to School Backpack? Its seriously overflowing. I mean, there’s just no way that the pack could fit all of the items we’re giving away.
So, what’s inside?
Fill the Backpack Contents
(note that the winner will receive just one of each of the items pictured, and either the Leap Frog Tag system OR the Leap Frog Explorer system.)
As a parent and former teacher, I was shocked this year by how anxious I was about Big entering first grade at a new school. Between meeting new friends (both him and me), a new teacher, and new expectations where no one knew him, it was scary!
Fortunately, this is Big’s 3rd day of school and he’s happy. His 1st grade teacher is wonderful and he’s making friends all the time. I loved how happy he was yesterday afternoon when he got off the bus. Its an amazing lift, seeing your child smile like that.
Middle started school yesterday and he was a bit more apprehensive. But once we were inside the classroom today, he was so excited to show me all the parts of the room that he learned the day before. Plus, there’s a Hamster in his Pre-K class, which will, hopefully, always be a draw for him.
And, amazingly, Little begins “school” tomorrow. We signed up for a Mommy and Me at our preschool and I’m so excited for her to interact with the other one-year-olds.
Having three kids in school is a big deal, you know? There is so much to do and so much to organize and keep straight. I’m finding that switching to my phone calendar app hasn’t worked well for me because I really need to have it all mapped out in front of me. So, I’m switching back to a datebook calendar. Have you checked out the planner by Orange Circle Studio? There’s one in the backpack! Its ideal because it has a spot for 4 family members so you can keep everything separate.
This year, our preschool is hosting a learning series for parents. We’ll start with a wine and cheese and then one (or a few) of our parents will lead a workshop to introduce a hobby or skill that parents want to learn. Its a community building/fundraising project and I just can’t wait for our first evening. Our topic will be Back-to-School Organization, led by a parent who is a Professional Organizer. For all of my ideas that I’ve had and shared about getting organized in the past, I really need a workshop on this right now.
Since I have to wait 3 weeks until the workshop, I need to hear your tips and ideas right now. Do you have good products to suggest? Secrets that really need to be shared? What do you do to help your family stay organized? Share your ideas and you could win a Back to School Backpack!
Enter to win this fabulous backpack which has now been over-filled with goodies! To enter:
- Comment to this post, telling a back-to-school organization tip
- on twitter? retweet this post using the green retweet button below. I’ll receive notice that you retweeted, please do not reply about it here.
Want another chance to win? You can enter on the blogs of other Backpack Bloggers, too.
The winning entry will be selected via the contest commenter plugin for wordpress. Winners must be residents of the United States to win and will be contacted at the close of this contest, on September 9 at midnight EST. Winner will have 24 hours to reply to the e-mail announcing her win. If she does not respond within 24 hours, an alternate winner will be chosen.
This promotion is sponsored by Ziploc. There’s still time to enter at several other sites as well as Just Precious! Check out the Fill the Backpack webpage for more information.
by Just Precious on April 5, 2010 · 1 comment
As many of you know, I used to own an e-boutique. For 5 years it was my “me thing.” It was what I did. In addition, of course, to mothering and wifing and writing and blogging and PTOing and…
I had wanted to run a boutique since I was in college when I worked in a Greek/University store. I loved the social relations. I loved the creativity of dressing windows. I didn’t even hate inventory and shipping.
So, when Big was about 13 months I was looking for something to do. I mean, life was easy back then. I wasn’t working. Big slept 3-4 hours a day and I could only clean and do laundry and make dinner for some of that time. Plus, after being baby-life-crazy-focused for all the other hours of the day, I needed something for me. It was time to live a dream.
My goal, in forming Precious Personalities, was to create a boutique for hard-to-find items. My first two products were viral in their popularity, but once they were sold to the mainstream I moved on to find other hot products.
That was the best part of boutique-ing, you know? Getting to shop for others. I loved going to the shows in New York to find products and then buying them for others.
Fast forward to the present and with 3 kids, as much as I loved boutique-ing, I wasn’t in it. My heart, I mean. Shipping took too much time. Paperwork was a bear. I had to cut back. And I chose to cut the boutique (though, officially, Precious Personalities hasn’t been shut down. I still have stock taking up space in a basement closet. Want something?) It wasn’t an easy decision, but things are going for me in a lot of directions and, I mean, I have 3 kids now, you know?
So, I cut the boutique. And in doing so, I realized what I probably already knew: my favorite part of boutique-ing is shopping for others. Then, I heard about The OpenSky Project. OpenSky allows me to have a boutique where I pick the items I want to sell, set up my own store and sell them to you, my favorite customers. Then, after you place your order, I don’t have to do the work. I don’t keep the records. I don’t worry about shipping or inventory or any of that. I get to do my favorite part of boutique-ing, they get to do the work I don’t love, and you get my fine-eye for parenting and children’s products that are, just as they were in Precious Personalities, good enough to have and use in my home, and unique enough that you won’t find them at Target.
Introducing Precious Picks by Just Precious. Go. Click. Shop. There are only a few products right now, just like there were only 2 products when I first opened Precious Personalities. But it will grow. I’m going to wait to find the right products for my readers. The unique ones. The ones that you want to gift and get.
I also ask you to let me know what you think. Tweet me, e-mail me, comment to this post. Do you have new products that I need to carry in my shop? Do you want to work on a promo with me? I’m all ears and eyes (and typing fingers) over here. Even if you aren’t wanting to shop right now, please let me know your thoughts.
by Just Precious on February 16, 2010 · 2 comments
So, after a talk with the marketing director from Chester County Night School this evening, I learned that I have to do a bit of my own PR to get my classes to actually happen.
Oh… you don’t know? I’ve been contracted to teach classes this spring at CCNS in Chester County, PA. This is big, as I’m still trying to figure out what is next for me and, since teaching is some of my background and parenting is part of my foreground, I’m mixing it up a bit and trying out this night school thing. Perhaps it will lead to my next big thing, right?
CCNS offers courses on everything from Zumba to Gardening to Acting. Even Parenting. And Writing. Last year, I was a student in a design class where I learned everything from colors and patterns to flow to accessorizing. The class even came to my house and we staged my living room. For just $100, I learned much more in 9 hours than I would have with an interior designer working one on one, and for so much more money.
The course prices are so low, its totally worth checking a few out. I look at it this way: you’re only going to grow if you get out and there learn. So sign up for a class, get a sitter, and get out and learn. They also offer gift certificates–a great gift for a big birthday or to show appreciation.
And, um, you know on the registration form where it asks where you heard of CCNS? Please tell them you heard of it from Just Precious.
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