Administrative Professionals' Day

Administrative Professionals' Day
(also known as Secretaries Day)

Date: Wednesday, April 23

Administrative Professionals' Day is fast approaching. Show your appreciation to your staff by giving unique and practical gifts. It's time to place orders to receive them in time! Custom coasters, trivets, plaques and greeting cards are appropriate and unique gifts for your staff. Order now and you have time to personalize gifts for your staff. I would suggest monogram coasters (#1005) or a fleur de lis design. All of my designs are easily searchable and viewable at www.customcoasersbycindy.com.

This is an example of the 1005 style monogram. All monograms available.

This is one example of a fleur de lis design. Other fleur de lis designs are on my website.

Local Pricing & Pick Up
Those in the Houma, Thibodaux, and Morgan City have the following pricing if you arrange local pick up ...

4"x4" Coasters---$20/set
8"x8" Trivets---$25 each
3"x6" Plaques---$10 each

4"x6" Cards $10, pack of 5 identical cards, envelopes included
5"x7" Cards $13, pack of 5 identical cards, envelopes included

Those in the Houma, Thibodaux, and Morgan City area may place orders and arrange free local pick up by calling me at 985-381-3154.

Blessings,
Cindy
985-381-3154
customcoastersbycindy@comcast.net
www.facebook.com/customcoastersbycindy

A Little Bit of This, That and Thanks

Hey Y’all,

I hope you’re weekend is all you hoped it to be. Things I am grateful for:
∙ Supper Friday evening at Boudreaux’s & Thibodeaux’s with our new friends from Michael’s Pickles
∙ Awesome weather the last few days
∙ A busy booth at Southdown Marketplace yesterday
∙ A meaningful worship service on this Palm Sunday at First Baptist Church of Houma

We had a booth at Southdown’s Marketplace yesterday but let me back up a bit. After Oak Alley’s spring festival we had pre-arragned with our friends from Michael’s Pickles from Folsom to meet up again at Southdown. They were planning to come down on Friday to set up and we made plans to eat at Boudreaux’s and Thibodeaux’s in Houma. Let me just say YUM YUM!!

So we went to set up on Friday and the weather cooperated completely! Like we had anything to do with it, of course. We found Michael and Flo and set a meet up time at Boudreaux’s and Thibodeaux’s. I am so thankful that my awesome hubby is able to help set up . He makes it look easy but we both know it’s not. However we are getting it down to a science for us ... starting with packing up his truck to unloading his truck when we are done with the show.

After setting up our booth we met Flo and Michael over at Boudreaux’s and Thibodeaux’s and had some sure ‘nough cajun food. It is a little place here in town that serves good home cooking, cajun style. Check it out sometime. It was so nice to just sit and visit and not have to worry about neglecting customers and friends who stop by our booths. Flo and Michael are genuinely great people and you should check out their booth and their online presence. At facebook: Michaels-Pickles and their website is www.mcpickles.com.

Southdown gives us the shortest commute ever to a festival or show. If it were any closer to our house we’d have in our backyard! LOL One thing we do not get on the short commute is our unwind time and our “debriefing” about the event we just attended ... simply because the drive home is too short. However, this time we got to talk about it in the comfort of our own home in our barka loungers. We’ll their not really barka’s but you get the idea. We were whipped. It was all we could do to eat a bowl of cereal and get a shower after we unloaded.

We had a really brisk day at our booth. The Southdown shoppers were out early and in force, starting at opening time of 8:00 AM. I usually have the help of dh and dd but not this time, till around lunch. Dh worked a shift at the Rotary booth, slinging hot dogs. Dd went to the final choir practice for their presentation this morning.

The morning went very well despite working alone in my booth. Working alone also meant it went by pretty quickly, too. I got to see some old friends and meet some new customers. The customers were all so nice and polite and excited about what we had to offer. It still amazes me when someone loves my work ... I feel like Sally Field won her Oscar for Places in the Heart. Here is what she said in part ...

I owe a lot to my family for holding me together and loving me and having patience with this obsession of me. But I want to say thank you to you. I haven't had an orthodox career and I've wanted more than anything to have your respect. The first time I didn't feel it, but this time I feel it. And I can't deny the fact that you like me. Right now, you like me! Thank you.

It is quite humbling when friends, who I know are ultimate crafters, come by and purchase from me or place an order! It’s like, why are you doing this? You could do this! But I sense deep down they are supporting their friend and fellow crafter even if it is something they could do at home. And for that I am grateful.

It also amazes me when total strangers want to spend their hard-earned money on something I have made. Hard-earned money is hard to let go of and I appreciate our customers purchasing from us when they could have spent their money elsewhere. My dear customers, YOU are so appreciated!!!

For those friends and customers who came by my booth when I stepped away for a few minutes for lunch, I apologize for not being there. Please give me a call or send me an email and we can talk! Maybe we can even have coffee. I never turn down a chance to have coffee, especially if chocolate is involved! LOL

Oh, dh and dd did get to our booth about lunch time and helped the rest of the afternoon. Their help was much needed and appreciated!!

I hope you’ll catch up with us at our next event. We will be at Vintage Garden Café (formerly Sweet Olive) on West Main on Saturday, May 3. The café will be open so shoppers may have lunch while there. They have some good seafood gumbo there. Maybe they’ll serve it that day as well. You’ll want to shop inside as well ... their vignettes are set up so cute to display their items for sale. Be sure to go upstairs as well.

I am thankful for our the choir at First Baptist of Houma for presenting a beautiful program this morning. It so reminded me what Easter is all about, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. He is the true meaning of Easter! Next week First Baptist is hving the first service ever at the new location on West Park. You have probably seen Covenant Christian School out on West Park near Southern Estates. Our new sanctuary is now complete and ready, well almost, to support all our events, including worship.

If you’re in our area, please join us Easter Sunday at either 8:30 or 10:30 AM for a glorious time of worship. Our worship leader, Ben and our pastor, Steve, have been planning a special time of worship and celebration for this huge event in our church’s life. I would love to see YOU there!

God bless,
Cindy

www.facebook.com/CustomCoastersByCindy
www.twitter.com/Custom_Coasters

Back to the Beginning

Hey Y’all,

I am back today with a little education about tumbled travertine tile, which is the primary stone I use in my coaster and trivet business.

Travertine is a naturally occurring stone that occurs after the earth’s crust comes under high pressure with high heat. It undergoes metamorphic changes in the crust that causes the stone to form. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metamorphic_rock)

In the US, most of the travertine is imported from Turkey and 95% of the travertine comes through the port at Miami. It is then distributed throughout the country.

Travertine comes in several colors. I choose to work primarily on ivory travertine because the designs I make up tend to show up better, and it happens to be a classic color that goes with most decor. However, other colors that I can obtain are scabos, noche or a light gray.

Each tile is unique in terms of mottling or veining. Tiles may have streaks or bands of one or more colors running through the stone. Tiles from the same quarry will have an overall similarity.

The tumbling process leave travertine with a natural finish that has very textured. The stone has naturally occurring pits, dimples, divets, and holes. It has a matt finish with no gloss. You will find the edges rounded or with a worn appearance, giving it an aged look.

Depending on where you shop, the tumbled travertine may be filled or unfilled. The tiles I chose to use are unfilled. It gives a more natural, rustic appearance to the coasters.

Because travertine is a naturally occurring stone, no two tiles will exactly look alike. Of course they are similar but it’s like looking at two fingerprint. When looking at tiles you’ll see they have pits, dimples, similar color and worn appearance but the variation of those characteristics is different from one tile to the next. When purchasing our coasters please understand that those characteristics are what makes your coaster set unique from every other set, even when the same design s applied.

Blessings,
Cindy