All Things Kate: Simple Compliments

I love it when a day starts just like any other and then someone gives you a compliment and your day goes from good to great in an instant!

That happened to me this morning and I would just like to thank the wonderful Target employee who gave me a compliment about my outfit....from across the store. You totally made my day and I definitely appreciated the shout out as other customers were walking by...I'm sure they totally agreed with you, but just didn't say anything. :)

After stopping into the Starbucks, I felt even better because the baristas were so friendly. I don't know if they really love their jobs or if it's the caffiene, but they were so freakin' happy! It's safe to say I walked out of Target with a smile on my face.

I try to compliment people on their outfits, accessories, hair, whatever, as much as I can...even complete strangers. Sometimes I feel a little silly, but I hope that deep down I made them smile.

So what about you? How do you feel about receiving compliments? Do you feel silly giving complete strangers compliments? Don't! You could be making someone's day that much brighter!

Do you follow the recipe or not?

So...as I mentioned before, I will write about anything on this thing.

Well, I was cooking for my wife's birthday the other day and I realized there are two kinds of people in this world - those that follow the recipe and those that will stray from it. The latter could be considered a "whisktaker"...yeah, bad I know, but you know who you are.

"This Jello recipe calls for 7-up so I really can't put Sprite in it".

Or

"This Chili recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of Chili Powder, but I'm going to put in 1 Cup of Chili Powder and 4 Tablespoons of cayenne pepper".

I'm a guy so I don't want to create the guise that I cook all the time. I don't. I enjoy it, but my wife definitely gets the credit in the kitchen. 100% of it. Now, when I do cook/grill/pick up take out, it usually turns out to be a braggable offense, where those who are dining with me go back for 2nds. By the way, 2nds is the true indicator of good food. 1sts are simply a guests way of saying, 'thanks for cooking this crap, I'm just eating it because you served it". 2nds mean, 'Mikey really likes it!".

Now back to my wife's birthday dinner and whether or not I follow the recipe. Those of you who know me would absolutely guess that I don't follow the recipe or that I'm not afraid to stray. It's actually a pretty good parallel to life. If you follow the recipe, you lick your envelopes up and down not one scooby doo lick from side to side. Simple, I'll follow the recipe until I read the word 'measure'.

I have to step back and give you the menu for the night: crab stuffed chicken with grilled asparagus and mushroom risotto and an appetizer of coconut shrimp with teriyaki scallops - all grilled. Do you think Chef Gordon Ramsey would be impressed? I'd love for that guy to yell at me with a profanity laden tirade.

Now buying the ingredients. I'll skip past the part of the obvious and get to the coconut shrimp. The intention was to get Malibu Rum, marinate the shrimp in it, grill it, enjoy as that is what the suggested recipe called for. But then as I was shopping at 2 am, I realized grilling rum would be the equivalent of drinking an O'douls for the "beer" flavor. The alcohol would be cooked away and I'd be left with the coconut flavor, still the clear goal here. BUT could I obtain it by straying from the recipe. Malibu Rum = $17 for a 750ml bottle = grill = waste of alcohol. Then I spotted my answer and heard the Harlem Boys Choir singing in the background (I was at Wal-mart, so it could possibly have been Martha and Joan in Aisle 4)....Pina Colada Mix. Pina Colada Mix = $2 = no alcohol waste = the fun of straying from the recipe. Long story into a long story with a one word closing - HOMERUN!

If you love shrimp and love pina coladas...marinate your large shrimp in this stuff for a couple of hours. Grill it directly on the grill and the pina colada mix in its coconutty creaminess, keeps the shrimp moist and absolutely mouth watering and it's thick enough to coat evenly. There is no breading, so healthier for you (I have no proof of this). AND you can use the leftover Pina Colada Mix to make yourself (and your guests) a little frozen totty. Butterfly the shrimp though and you may just be a culinary hero/heroess.

And if you haven't strayed from the recipe, do me a favor and try it sometime. If it works, you take the credit. If it doesn't, blame it on some guy who runs a purse business. But I can tell you, once you stray from a 1/4 cup of this to 1/5 flask of that, you'll never need the 3 x 5 card again.

Scott "Flay"

Moving to a big boy bed! All Abooooard!

So...is Braden no longer a baby if he moves into a big boy bed? Does he move to toddler status? Or did my 2 1/2 year old lose his baby status once he was able to put his hand in my face and say "top talking daddy" which in my head he got my hand right back saying, "oh no you di'int"...i really just turned away and started laughing.

Yes, we just made the change from the espresso crib with bite marks, a.k.a. the bed he can't get out of and roam freely at night, to the bed he can now get out of and roam freely at night. Although the latter hasn't happened yet, we are only on night two. Fortunately, he has slept very well and made the smooth transition maintaining the hero status I labeled him with the other night when my house alarm went off and he didn't wake up.

He asked for choo choos and he got choo choos - choo choo pillow, sheets, curtains, night light, and maybe even a temporary choo choo tattoo for posterity. I think originally he asked for a princess room which is why I say I think because I needed that to just be my imagination working not my son actually asking for a princess room. Mix in some days where he wanted monkeys, dinosaurs, suckers, Dora, Diego, Curious George, yet he still came back to the choo choos.

So answer me this all ye who have had kids before me, what was the first big boy or big girl bed your kids moved to or better yet, what was your big kid bed all about...wait, we all come from the generations of moving to a hand me down bed with tan sheets and a clumpy comforter....we didn't get the fancy schmancy rooms.

And what exactly is the status of my son now? Is he a baby with benefits or a full fledged toddler?

All aboooooooooooooooooooard!!!
Scott

The social networking dilemna

So...there is all this pressure for a business or a person to join the social networking craze. Become part of the Twitterverse they say! Please like me on Facebook!

I wouldn't say I bucked the pressure. I just wanted to make sure when we did it, it wouldn't be a flash in the pan. Our material girl customers really seem to be a special group of ladies AND many men who really love their ladies. You congratulate each other when someone else wins, you congratulate me when Braden reaches a milestone, and you make it easy for our staff to work harder to make you even happier.

I run our businesss the same way I run my life...I do the right things for the right people for the right reasons (no, I didn't coin that). But in a world of instant gratification where you can get a lot of the same products from different people, there is one thing that can set you apart...It's the relationship by a country mile. But it has to be established the right way, just like I expect my daughter's (if I have one) boyfriend to shake my hand when he meets me, keep his hat on straight, and not spend more than 10 seconds in my driveway after he drops her off on their and her first date (when she is 34). I make myself accessible for a reason and that is because I truly want to know you AND I want you to feel comfortable asking us for anything. Your business helps my family, pays my employees and supports the economy. I want you to feel good about that and knowing me, my family, my staff, and my business can make you feel even better about your shopping experience and truly show you how valued you are.....you aren't just an open ended credit card or a $20 bill. We love to hear from you and thus the Social Networking has fed my appetite for an even greater relationship with our customers.

Everyone is different, so we know Facebook might not be for you, Twitter may be a 140 character waste of time, and email may be used "for business purposes only". So here is what Material Girl is all about, use any and/or all of it to your advantage and regardless of what you participate in, know that we absolutely appreciate you!

Blog: materialgirlinc.blogspot.com - This is our blog. We use this to talk about whatever we want and whatever you want. Start from the beginning of our blogs if you have a few minutes and you'll get a feel for it. You'll hear from me, Erica, and our employees. The blog is for those who want to be a part of Material Girl for more than just a place to get a great handbag or accessory.

Facebook: Our Material Girl Fan Page is for everthing, communication with each other, giveaways, instant information, fun, get you through the day, chatting, liking, and all that is Facebook.

Website: www.materialgirlinc.com - Our international website for shopping our major lines. It's full of pure yumminess!

www.materialgirlomaha.com - Our local website for customers who are able to come in to our physical boutiques in Omaha, NE. Currently under construction, we encourage everyone to visit here as well to truly be in the know about Material Girl.

Twitter: @materialgirlNE - 140 characters about what's up, maybe the UPS lady just dropped off a shipment of Harvey's or rain just started to leak through the ceiling.

Lastly, since this is our blog, please follow us. Let us know what's on your mind and we'll tell you our thoughts, opinions, give you heads up to cool products, and even share our recipe for amazing grilled coconut shrimp. Most importantly, we can guarantee that if you decide to give up a couple minutes here and there to read our blog, we'll make sure you don't regret it.

Most very sincerely appreciatively fashionably yours,
Scott

All Things Kate: Never Say Never

Are there things in your life that you have always said you would never do and then one day you turn around and realize, holy crap I just did that?!


Yes I have a had a few of those moments in my life...


"I will never watch the Jersey Shore" - I remember the first time I saw the previews on MTV and said 'Oh never!' and then 2 months later I was embarrassingly hooked to that guilty pleasure. Don't lie, I know you were too.


"I will NEVER grow up" - Well, I tried my hardest and even though I'm a work in progress, it's happening. And my parents are pretty happy about it.



"I will NEVER get a tattoo" - So.....HA! Just kidding Mom & Dad, this has not happened...yet :)


"I will NEVER buy a Vera Bradley" - Yep, you guessed it, it happened.



Vera Bradley use to seem so much older to me, the colors didn't appeal to me and I did not understand the all the hoopla about the patterns. Today I come to work and I am surrounded by it all day, everyday. And my goodness, the patterns lately are so cute! It was only a matter of time until I convinced myself that I indeed "needed" a Vera Bradley item. (I'm pretty good at that by the way)


So today, I am the proud new owner of a Vera Bradley Curling Iron Cover in the Make Me Blush pattern. It's perfect...fashionable and functional and definitely a necessity :) Hopefully I don't convince myself I need a tote and cosmetic case to match....

And here it is. Mine is a cozy home for my flat iron.
Photo courtesy of Vera Bradley.

And to all you Vera fans reading this, mark July 8th on your calendar! It will be the very first day that anyone, anywhere will be able to see the Fall 2010 collection...and YOU will be able to see it at Material Girl! Stay tuned for details...

Material Girl's Facebook-a-Day Giveaway

So....it's about time that Material Girl becomes part of your daily social life. How better to do that than to give stuff away! Material Girl will be giving something away every day via our Facebook Page. Be sure to mark that you like us ;-), share it with your friends, and come back daily to see what you can win. If you are lucky enough, you may just win more than once!

All Things Kate: Spring Has Sprung!

Yes, it seems as though I decided to skip straight from the new year to Spring. There isn't much to report from in between - all I remember is snow, snow and more snow! But the snow piles have melted, the sun has returned and I've got my shades on ready to embrace Spring!


First thing is first when that sun comes out - Sunglasses! Not only is it important to protect your eyes from the rays, but sunglasses are a great way to mix up your style everyday!





Yes, it looks like the over-sized, exaggagerated frames are here to stay! But why not mix it up from your basic black and try a bright color or print? The perfect way to add a punch of color to your Spring wardrobe. Looking for a new shape? Try out the cateye or shield styles - if you dare. Even better, make your face sparkle even more by choosing frames with fun embellishments!





The best part about trying out new sunglasses is that if they look absolutely awful, all you have to do is take them off and move onto the next pair. Sunglasses don't seem to hurt the ego quite as much as skinny jeans in the dreaded dressing room mirrors :)





I have aquired quite the selection of sunglasses over the last few summers, but I am absolutely loving my newest pairs! I chose a very subtle zebra print, that I wasn't totally sure about when I saw them, but when I put them on I fell in love. My second pair I decided to go with a color - purple! The frames are perfect for the sunny days that we are all enjoying right now!

Beyonce might be the only person who can rock these!
photo from google


So, do tell, what's your sunglasses style? Do you stick to one pair and wear them all year round? Or do you like to mix it up depending on your mood and outfit for the day?

All Things Kate: The New Year - Celebrating YOU!

We are officially 11 days into 2010, so it is fitting that I finally wish you all a Happy New Year!

This new year means a fresh start, a new decade and a time to really decide what you want out of 2010. Some people decide to make a huge list of resolutions and usually give up on them by the time Valentine's Day rolls around (I've been there and I know you have too)!

Many resolution lists start with the usuals: losing weight, working out, saving money, being organized, etc. Maybe this year is the one to take a hard look at your list, or lack thereof, and think about what you really want out of 2010.

Whatever it may be, I think it should include one thing that is all about YOU. Could be daily, weekly, monthly....whatever YOU choose. Whether it be treating yourself to a spa day, visiting your favorite boutique in town ;), treating yourself at your favorite coffee shop or carving out a part of your day to just sit and enjoy silence for a few minutes....you deserve it.

Stay tuned in 2010....we've got lots of fun things coming your way!

~Miracle At Material Girl~

This year the Material Girl family has adopted a family in need through the Salvation Army to make their holiday a lot brighter. In an effort to give the Sanchez family the best possible Christmas and to put smiles on their 5 children's faces, we're asking all of the Material Girl family to participate. As the owners, our incentive to you is for every item you bring in from the below list or anything else you come up with, we'll give you a 25% off discount on one regular price item. We know you are already buying holiday gifts this year, so this is our way to help you maximize your purchases and benefit a family in need, without spending any more money. Please email me personally with any questions about this worthwhile project. Thank you in advance and happy holidays!



With appreciation,

Scott & Erica Moller, Owners platinum@materialgirlinc.com



• 3 tickets to a Creighton basketball game, including food and drink

• iPod Nano

• Nintendo DS games - appropriate for ages 8-14 both male and female

• Groovy Girls dolls and accessories

• Barbies and accessories

• Young girl’s clothing - sizes 12-16 (the girls ages are 12 & 14)

• Winter hats and gloves for girls and boys - ages 8-14

• Kid’s Winter pajamas/Winter clothing - Girl’s size 12-16 (m-l), Boy’s size Medium

• Shirts for young adult male - size large

• Oklahoma Sooners football winter jacket for 8 year old boy

• Family board games

• Family DVD’s

• JC Penney gift cards - The family enjoys shopping at JC Penney’s

• Movie theatre gift card for the family to attend a movie

• Meal gift certificates - Anything from McDonalds to Applebees

• Household items including: toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, multi-surface cleaner, toilet cleaner

**Everything must be new and in original packaging or with tags on and unwrapped**



Material Girl is also accepting monetary donations to go toward a grocery gift card and gas gift card.

Learning and Un-Learning

So. . .many times in life, there is not a book that tells you how to deal with a situation - your first kiss, what to tell a cop the first time you get pulled over, the first time your first child pees on the carpet because you thought it was cute and hilarious to run around without a diaper, or when you lose a friend your age unexpectedly.

This past week, unfortunately, the latter happened to me and naturally you take time to reflect and at times, your life truly passes before your eyes. You are reminded about what is important in life, well, what is important to you personally, not necessarily what is important to others. That is what you aren't taught - that what means the most to you doesn't necessarily translate to everyone else. This leaves you to deal with your loss in your way. Through the tears, reminiscing over past stories, laughing with friends, I realized a lot of the things I have learned in life but also what I need to un-learn...so often we get into a mode of I have to do this and I have to do that without realizing what is passing before us. I'll do it tomorrow, right?

One of those things that I've always valued but have gotten away from as of late is to do more for others, protect those who can't protect themselves. There is a tattoo on my back shoulder that means, "strength protecting innocence", it's of a lion holding a rose. Translation - help those who are more fragile, help those who truly need it...protect them when they need it most.

This holiday season, the Material Girl family has adopted a family who has come upon troubled times this year and it has given me great joy to know that the sacrifices we'll make for this to happen will bring significant more value to the family we are helping -a family with 5 kids and a dad who just lost his job - hoping to give them a Christmas that will put smiles on their faces. With the hard work of our staff and additional generosity of our customers, this will be a special holiday for all of us and for those involved and more importantly for the Sanchez family.

I dedicate this post to my friend Neal because I can tell you he would definitely say it's okay for my son to pee on the carpet and run around naked - partly because Neal would want to run around naked too but that noone would want to see that so he has to live the moment through my son but mainly because the joy of a baby running around naked is one of the little joys in life that makes everyone smile and laugh and we never know when those times will run out. Please un-learn one thing in honor of Neal that you wish you would have done but keep telling yourself you will do it tomorrow...and please enjoy your loved ones just a little bit more this holiday season.

All Things Kate: Paper or Plastic?

Hello all! We have been a bit MIA as of lately, but there are lots of exciting things going on at Material Girl!

Our second location is now open! It is located at 3309 Oakview Drive, which is just East of Oakview Mall between Jimmy John's and Verizon Wireless. We are happy to now have two convenient locations for our customers to shop. To celebrate our grand opening we are offering 25% off all regular price items, plus lots of other great deals! The celebration lasts until Sunday Nov. 15th. Of course, our second location would not be possible without you, our wonderful customers. Thank you for supporting Material Girl!

Now, I will let you know about my new favorite item at Material Girl. The Envirosax. These are the perfect companion for those of you who want to use reusable sacks, but always end up leaving them at home, like me! These convenient little bags just roll up and fit perfectly in your purse. Then when you get to the store you have your bags with you and no longer do you have to deal with the 18 plastic bags you end up with in one visit to the store!

They make great gifts and are available in lots of fun prints and colors! Say goodbye to plastic bags forever!

Hope everyone is enjoying their week!

All Things Kate :Hey Good Lookin'

I don't know if any of you are like me, but when I head out to Target on a Saturday or Sunday morning the last thing I am worried about (usually) is whether or not my hair looks good or my make-up is on or if my outfit even matches. Sometimes it just seems like a lot of work on a weekend! Stay with me, I will be making a point....


So, the other day one of our wonderful customers was in the store and made a statement that I definitely agreed with. She told me, even if you are totally scrubbed out in sweats, hat and no make-up a great looking handbag is totally going to make up for it! At this point I wanted to yell out an "AMEN SISTER" and give her a high five, but I controlled myself. All day long I kept thinking about how right she was and vowed to hold my head high with my sweats on, messy hair and make-upless face because I am carrying a good lookin' handbag! :)


I don't think this philosophy only applies to handbags either. It could be a certain necklace, a pair of earrings or maybe your favorite scarf that makes you feel good even if you aren't dressed to the nines. So tell me, do you feel better when you are wearing your favorite accessory??

P.S. It's October and the only month I love more than September is October! Happy Fall everyone....stay tuned for exciting things happening around Material Girl!

Choosing a handbag or getting married??

So. . .I was away from the office last week in Las Vegas to celebrate my wife's grandpa's 80th birthday. While there, a couple of family members witnessed a classic Vegas wedding that was actually a drive thru wedding. Yes, two people drove up as if they were going to order a cheeseburger and fries, instead they said "I do". Keep in mind, this was the same chapel that Brittney Spears said her infamous I Do. In the matter of 5 minutes, they were married and driving to their reception/honeymoon/hotel/late night breakfast at Denny's. I immediately thought (of course) that some of our customers spend over an hour in our store trying to choose the right purse and here are two people who, probably on their way to an early breakfast, decided to get a fast food wedding to go, and I think they even chose to upsize it.

5 minutes to get married versus 1 hour to select a handbag, what an amazing contradiction of what life deals out.

Now, if you ask me, it's much more sensible to take the hour to select the handbag. I guarantee there is less buyer's remorse on that option.

All Things Kate: Treat Yourself!

First, Happy September everyone! (just a few days late) I absolutely love everything about Fall, so I am a very happy girl with the Fall like days we have been experiencing lately. :)


Now onto the business of the day. Unless you have been living under a giant boulder lately, you know that times are tough for some right now. People have to decide what they can live with and what they can't live without. I am a big believer in always treating yourself to something nice every now and then. Whether it is a new purse, a piece of jewelry, shoes or a pedicure....ummm hello you most likely deserve it!


So, onto my question for you. Is there one special treat that you will absolutely not give up? For me it's jewelry, handbags and nail polish. (I know it's not ONE thing, but I like to have options) First of all, work would be torture everyday if I quit buying these things for myself :) But also, when I don't want to spend the money on a whole new outfit, a piece of jewelry might spice up an old one. Or as the seasons change, it's fun to change my handbag because it is something I carry everyday!



So do tell....what special things do you treat yourself to?

Also, I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

Having a son growing up in a purse shop

So...my 19 month old son was in the store today and within 5 minutes, he was wearing a kid's monkey watch, put a breast cancer awareness hat on his head, and got his fingers into some lip gloss that proceeded to end up all over his face. I wonder at what point will it no longer be cool for him to do those things or at what point I will no longer want my son to wear a woman's hat and lip gloss all over his face? It will be safe to say the former will probably happen first as I'm comfortable with whatever route he goes in life. But for today, I found it a great joy to see him dancing in the middle of the store (Sting was playing on the radio), the breast cancer hat on sideways like a little rapper, and he couldn't have cared less who was watching. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all do that a little more?

All Things Kate: What's your "go-to" color?

Hello blogging world! I am so excited to be making my first official blog post. As Scott said I will be writing about all of the fun things going on around Material Girl, fashion, new products and more!

So onto my first topic! As I was packing boxes last night (moving might be my least favorite thing) I came across my purse collection. Now, when people ask me "Wow, do you have a ton of purses?!", I tend to reply with "no not really" as my voice fades and I quickly change the subject. In my opinion, I don't. My sister would disagree:) As I was sorting through my small collection I realized that I seemed to have more yellow handbags than any other color. So I wondered, why is that?

Impulsive purchases might be one reason, but I have decided that yellow is my "go-to" color. Some people choose black, others choose brown, but mine is yellow! Yellow adds a pop of color to any outfit, no matter what shade it is. Lemon, sunshine, mustard....I'll take one in every shade please!

So what's your "go-to" color? Do you stick with the basic black or brown? Or do you opt for the bright colors or crazy patterns?Leave us a comment...we love hearing from our Material Girl's! If you're stuck in a color rut, don't be afraid to try something new!

P.S. Is there a specific topic you would like to hear more about? Send us an email at info@materialgirlinc.com or leave a comment here!

Material Girl's First Limited Edition Handbag

So. . .it doesn't happen very often, but I'm going to have a short and sweet blog entry this week. We are excited to announce the unveiling of the Limited Edition Harvey's Original Seatbelt Bag made exclusively for Material Girl as a fundraiser for TeamMates Mentoring Program (although that could be one of the longest sentences in blog history). See the full information on the project at www.materialgirlinc.com/teammates.htm . Have a great day!

Very Bradley now in stock!

So. . .a little welcome back to work on the Monday after the 4th of July! I hope everyone made it through safely, with family and/or friends, and was able to celebrate what was important to each of you. I'm sure you were excited to get back to work or the daily schedule you had before last Thursday. I'm going to simply make a couple of exciting announcements from our end. Material Girl now carries Vera Bradley and just received the brand new fall line. Also, we just added the amazing new addition to the Matt & Nat family, SamSara by Matt & Nat. SamSara is the sister line to Matt & Nat. It's the same great handbag quality in slightly different silhouettes at a great pricepoint with clutches and handbags starting at $80 and wallets starting at $40. You can pre-order SamSara now at www.materialgirlinc.com/samsara.htm with the first shipment arriving in stock July 15th!!! Have a great week!

Living in a Material Blog . . .

So. . .It seems every article written about our business contains at least one reference to Madonna. I thought I'd get it out of the way immediately as I enter Material Girl (Omaha's Premier Handbag Boutique) into the blog world. This will be the only reference, sorry ;-).

With that behind us, I'd like to use my first blog entry to introduce who you'll be hearing from and to thank some people.

The Blog
In our blog, you'll hear from a few cast of characters:

Scott (that's me) - I'm the owner and fondly known as the Material Guy. If you call, I'm the only guy around here. I'm available at all times to our customers and am asked for my opinion more often than you might think. I'll be writing about everything from the retail world to the real world. All my blog entries will start with "So. . ."

Erica - Some would say she is the real owner, but she is also my wife, the original idea behind the company, and the brilliance behind selecting our products. She too asks for my opinion. When you hear from Erica, she'll be giving you straight fashion advice and what you need to have NOW. You may even get a little tip or some humor on being a mom and how our son Braden is doing. Erica's blog entries will start with "Material Girl checking in".

Kate - She is one of our full time employees and brings the wonderful perspective of the youth today. When I say youth, she is in her 20's, but a wonderful talent who has fresh ideas, a good heart, and a positive attitude. Kate will be dishing on all the fun stuff, products, fashion, etc. Her blog entries will begin with "All Things Kate".

Thank you

Let me thank all our customers in the most sincere way possible. This fall will mark our 7th year in business. Looking back, the beginning makes me think of the bad hair of the 80's and how did we possibly make it through. That feeling comes from learning and experience, and in our case, a large amount of dedicated customers. We appreciate you regardless of the amount you spend or how often you come in to visit.

Next, I would like to thank our employees. A job is a job is a job, right? Well, we've always tried to take care of our employees the best that we can and our employees have always reciprocated in ways they will never know how much we appreciate. We've done our best to ensure the work here doesn't feel like a job. Without their efforts, we wouldn't be celebrating our 7th year as happily or at all.

Lastly, let me thank my wife. After all, who else do I have to thank for becoming one of the only guys in the Midwest with a passion for handbags? Seriously, she is a wonderful mother to our 17 month old son and still manages to find time to do paid work as well here at Material Girl. Without her efforts on both sides of our life, well, fortunately, I don't have to wonder where I'd be.

Finally, after finishing a large sale this month to clean out some inventory, I heard a few rumblings of "I wonder if they are closing their doors?". Let me be the first to tell you, all is alive and well in the Material World. We have no plans to close our doors as business is doing well. We simply wanted to take some of our old inventory and turn it into new inventory. And, who doesn't like a good sale now and then.

P.S. Do you have a topic you wanted touch upon or have a question you want answered? Send us an email at info@materialgirlinc.com .