Win a free mural!

Happy Friday all!

Just wanted to drop a quick note to let you know that HGTV is doing a giveaway for Trace Designs for Freebie Friday! Simply follow the attached link, or go to HGTV.com and follow the instructions.

www.hgtv.com

Good luck and enjoy your long weekend!
Amy

Groundhog Day!!!

The plot is simple. A haughty weatherman finds himself stuck in a small town, re-living the same horrendous day over and over again. It is definitely a classic, and Bill Murray is certainly hilarious, but is there more to the tale? Forgive my obsession with hidden messages, but a favored English professor of mine turned it on and I have failed to find the “off” switch. Is Harold Ramis (the director) simply telling an ironic tale of a morose man stuck in his proverbial hell, a quaint town worlds away from the big city celebrity he believes himself to be? Or is this story more representative of the greater population during this time of year? Okay, enough of the rhetorical questions-really, the purpose in discussing this movie was not simply because tomorrow is groundhog’s day, and this frigid country is desperately waiting to see if the groundhog sees his shadow, but rather to address something the vast majority of us are guilty of this time of year: succumbing to the winter blahs…February tends to be, at least for me, the beginning of decreased productivity, and if I am not careful, a time where I fall into the dreaded rut. New Years resolutions have long since faded away, holiday cheer is but a distant memory and Christmas gifts have lost their novelty. The cold weather brings frustration instead of memories and hot chocolate, and we are constantly looking for the first signs of spring. Even this morning my boys, ages 4 and 5, were ready to wear shorts because “it is February now and that means spring is coming!” Not quite. And unlike Phil, (Murray’s character) we don’t have the luxury of a “redo” until we get it right. So how do we keep ourselves on task until spring brings her warmth and beauty? 1. Create a goal. I know; the obvious. But seriously, write it down. Tape it to your mirror, and force yourself to be accountable. If you have a tendency to let things fall through the cracks, start small. Read a chapter a day of a book or walk 2 days a week for a month. Slowly increase these goals. 2. Do something for someone else every day. Even if it is pouring a cup of coffee for your husband or your roommate, it will make them feel good and make you feel good in the process! 3. Eat cleaner. Limit refined carbs and fatty foods and try and eat as fresh and pesticide/additive free as possible. It helps energy levels immensely. 4. Refresh your surroundings. Spring cleaning is typically the time when we get changes in our homes, but you will be pleasantly surprised at the great discounts you can get this time of year. And clean out the clutter! Seriously, get an honest friend to question your stuff. It is hard to hear, and hard to do, but let me tell you-once have completed an overhaul, it is so much easier to keep house! (Clean house is a great inspiration for this too!) 5. Last but not least, find someone who will hold you accountable! A KIND friend will help make this process fun, and more likely that you will be successful through spring. Ok campers, Rise and Shine, and don’t forget your booties because its coooolllddd out there today! (but remember, spring is just around the cornerJ)

Winter 2010 Product Line Debut!

Happy New Year! Alright, so I know it has been quite sometime since I updated this blog (a definite resolution for 2010)-but for good reason! Meg, Lorna and I have been working relentlessly trying to complete our new line for 2010 which, I must say, is my favorite so far! Our artist, Megan has done such a fabulous job creating murals that are not only unique, but exciting! With 30 new designs from our Dance Shadows and Fighter Plans to Poppies or World Map, there is something for everyone! I wanted to give you a taste of some of my favorites. A special thanks to Jennifer Meinking our website guru for making our products look as fabulous as they are!

2010 is certainly shaping up to be an amazing year for Trace Designs. We have welcomed many new retailers in 2009 and are looking forward to many more in including Wallies in February!

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Shopping!

Wow, hard to believe we are just over a week away from Thanksgiving! And with Thanksgiving comes the official kick off to Christmas shopping! And with continued slumping sales, it is a perfect opportunity for each of us to get some amazing deals! Whether you are a “midnight madness” shopper, an early morning riser, or perhaps a cyber Monday shopper, one thing is constant: finding the right gift, for the right price. Now, for many of you this might be old hat, years of retail and BF Shopping has taught me a few tricks along the way that I would like to share.

First of all, you have to plan. I know this sounds simple, but it is so easy to loose track of time (and potentially miss out on a deal) in the madness that is Black Friday.
Before you look at an ad or a catalog, make a detailed list of those items you want to try and find. This will limit your impulse buys and help keep you focused.
Do your research! While many ads will arrive in your Thanksgiving newspaper, much of this information is already out there. One of my favorite websites is http://bfads.net/ I have found them to be incredibly accurate in what they show will be on sale and quite easy to navigate. You can also compare different stores to see where their sales are.
Compare those ads to what is already on sale-you might just be able to find a great deal ahead of time without dealing with the crowds!
Be reasonable. Yes, Wal-mart will likely have a fantastic deal on a fabulous TV or laptop however there are usually only a handful of those deals per store. If your heart is set on a specific item, plan on camping out in front of the store to ensure you are first in line-and perhaps call the store you plan on going to in order to find out just how many of those deals they will have.
Double the time you plan on being in a certain store. Inevitably it takes longer to find the product than you think, and the lines are often slower and take longer to get through.
If you are going to a major chain store, like Target or Wal-mart, try going to one that is a little out of the way or smaller/older than the others. The sales are the same and the traffic is often lighter and they tend to not to sell out as quickly.
If you are going with friends, recognize that you likely are not going to get to all of the places you want to when you want to unless you plan together. Take separate cars and plan a meeting place if you need to split up for any reason


Most importantly, HAVE FUN!!!

Trace Designs is kicking off our Black Friday sale early! Check it out and enjoy the savings!!!
http://www.tracedesignsonline.com/

Race to Bed!

I understand I am probably a little partial here, but I have got to
say, this was one of the easiest murals I have done to date.  I was
a bit concerned when my son decided he wanted the racecar mural, not
only because of the black and white checks of the flags, but simply
because at 3, he is one of the most particular children I know! 
Now, he is also a HUGE fan of the Disney movie Cars so I wasn't entirely
sure this would fly.  To overcome my fear of the checkered flags, I
painted the white first, allowing myself to go over the lines. 
Once that was dry, I outlined the black and then filled in those
squares.  It really was quite easy!  The sparkles you see are
because he wanted it to "shine."  I was able to accomplish this
simply by adding a little acrylic paint that I had left over from last
Christmas that was clear with red glitter! And I have got to say, he
LOVES it!   It took me less than three hours to complete, and
that was with all three of my kids home interrupting me regularly. 
I hope you enjoy!


 

 

 

 

We would LOVE to see your shots too! Send them our way!

Amy

Green Pea Nursery

Okay, I know I am a little late in sharing this, but I
absolutely LOVE how one of our retailers used our "Chalkboard Mural" in
their store.  Green Pea Nursery, located in North Carolina as well
as virtually nation wide has added the "Chalkboard Mural" in the front
of their store to inform their customers of what is going on with Green
Pea Nursery.  By painting the "frame" white, chalkboard classically
accents  their earthy green walls!  To get your very own
custom chalkboard, stop by Green Pea Nursery or check them out online! 
Chalkboard paint can be picked up in your local hardware store or online
in various colors and select your own color for your "frame" to match
your decor perfectly!  Thanks Kathy for the pictures! 

Updated website!

Just wanted to say a quick "THANK YOU!!!" to Jennifer Meinking for her WONDERFUL job on our website! Looks great and best wishes for your upcoming due date:)
http://www.affordable-website-optimization.com
http://www.fingerprintsboutique.com