Spikes for Spring

This iteration of the best-selling gunmetal spike necklace is perfect for spring! 

Beautiful emerald green Swarovski crystals amp up the original version. Perhaps wearing this necklace on St. Patricks Day will give you the luck of the Irish.  

Click the link for necklace details: http://www.etsy.com/listing/153591673/spike-necklace-emerald-green-crystal

~Carol

Motivational Hearts-How to Stay Motivated to Workout

I don't know about you but I'm not a big fan of exercise. I mean, I love the results and how great it feels afterwards but the doing, that's the hard part. 

Every few months when I'm in an exercise dry spell, I start to feel extra sluggish and then I start seeing the extra pounds come on and my clothes just not fitting like they used to, then I freak out and go all hard core with my work outs, I may even run. But then the urgency fades and I start telling myself, "eh, I eat really well, it's OK if I just maintain this weight and not workout. I mean I'm a biologist. I work outside a lot and walk around, that's enough right?" 

Any of this brain chatter sound familiar?????

I finally told myself this line of thinking just isn't working. I can't fit into my favorite jeans that I wore all the time last summer. Darn Christmas, New Years, Super Bowl parties etc.....eh-hem, passing blame.

I was listening to the Jillian Michaels podcast, which I find to be hilarious, and very informational, about way more than just fitness. Anyway, she mentioned a rewards calendar that she is doing with her daughter. Every time her daughter did something good she got a sticker on the calendar. After so many stickers comes a fabulous treat. Suddenly, the light bulb went off! I figured I should give this a try with exercise. You know what, it works!!!

For some unknown reason I just can't wait to be able to put another sticker on my calendar. The workout dread talk that used to happen that was oh-so-easy to convince myself not to work out, doesn't really come anymore. All so i can see how many stickers I get on my calendar. The funny things is,  I haven't decided what I want to give myself, I'm just thrilled to see all the stickers! I found these awesome puffy hearts which I think is the perfect way to say that I loved myself that day and was being heart healthy. I think it would be a great idea to find an inspirational quotes calendar to dedicate to your accomplishment sticker journey!

Give it a try!! You could even make it a competition with a roomie or partner. See who can get the most stickers each month. 

Let me know if you give this a try in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!  If you found this helpful please feel free to share it with your friends!

♥ Carol

Happy Valentines!!

Packing up a sweet gift for a little friend of mine. I told her at Christmas that I would send her rainbow loom rubber bands for books read through February. She did great and now get a fun package from Aunt Carol.

On another note, spending the weekend down in San Diego!!! Gonna have so much fun!

Have a great weekend!

Carol

Organizing Calypte Collection

Hello there! Calypte Collection had a wonderful 2013 and an awesome December. Sales were high and I was super busy making and packaging all your orders. As elated as I was to be so busy, deep down in the depth of my psyche there was this nagging unrest and discomfort. Now here's why. I have to admit I've never been particularly good at organization. I'm a perceiving personality type. You ever take the Myers Brigs personality test? Well I'm an INFP. Which means I'm creative and I like to collect information not organize it. BUT everything can be learned and achieved as long as you work at it right? Your thinking, why is she talking about l this?"  Well, by the end of December my work space was swamped with jewelry supplies,papers needing to be filed and much more. So much that if you didn't know I had work desks you wouldn't believe that I did because you couldn't see them. 

We'll, this is no way to run a business or your life. When things aren't organized and in order there will always be struggle. Trying to find things, loosing something you just had, it's all very frustrating. It will zap time away from all the fun things or everyday things that need to be done. 

So I decided to take January off from the shop and focus on getting my work space and other areas of clutter in my house organized. I made to do lists of all the areas of my house that need decluttering and I tackled the biggest areas first and now I'm working through all the little areas. 

Here is a picture of my new work area. I didn't take a before picture bc it was just too embarrassing. I got the idea for the desk from this fabulous blog by Lia Griffith, shes amazing! Really easy to make with the help of Home Depot, Ikea and Target. I'm working on the decoration of the walls to personalize a little more but it's almost done. So I'll make this my before photo and I'll post the final when I've got all the misc things organized and decor up.  I will be back in production mode with Calypte Collection by the end of February for an amazing 2014. Success feels great! Being organized and efficienct is a wonderful feeling. I didn't know what I was missing!

Are any of you like this? Do you have areas if your house that are super unorganized. If so, make it a goal to work on one section every weekend and work towards a better, clutter free space. You'll love the results!

Have a great day!!

Carol