Monday, December 19, 2011

Happy Holidays!

I wanted to take the time to say thank you to all of you who have helped Crunchy Chic become a success in 2011. Since opening in September we have reached over 460 fans on Facebook and have had more than 50 orders between e-mail and the Hyena Cart shop -- many from repeat customers! I have also had the pleasure of working with Dearest Diapers and supplying their dryer balls.

I started Crunchy Chic with the simple wish to make some of our favorite baby and personal items eco-friendly. I am so grateful to all of you who have put your faith in me and supported this work-at-home-mom's idea of removing chemicals from our everyday lives and turning to Mother Nature for simple, effective ingredients; reducing the use of non-renewable resources for bath and body products we depend on.

I have big plans for Crunchy Chic in 2012 including the launch of a website with a new look, new products and new prices. I look forward to sharing my creations with you!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and a pleasant winter. See you in the new year!


- Diana

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Gift Sets Now Available

I've just recently added Christmas gift sets, you can see examples on the Facebook page or look on my Hyena Cart online shop. As always, requests and questions as well as orders can be sent to my email: crunchychicboutique@gmail.com.


Friday, December 2, 2011

Green Gift Giving

I am admittedly guilty of years of "collecting" gift wrapping supplies. I have a storage container under my bed full of wrapping paper, bags, tissue paper, cards, labels and curling ribbon. All things I forget all about when I'm giving a gift, so I end up buying more AND reverting to my usual packrat self when I receive a gift -- any salvageable parts go in my bin to be forgotten until I've already bought more paper.

So, this year I'm refusing to buy more paper. My gifts are going out in reusable jars, tins and hat boxes. And I have a few suggestions for your gifts too.

Consider placing kitchen themed gifts such as utensils rolled up in coordinating potholders, oven mitts or flour sack towels. Wrap a cookbook in an apron, fill a decorative cookie jar with all the makings to whip up a batch of gooey chocolate chip cookies. Add a little ribbon and you're done!

For boxed items, consider whether or not the box can be turned inside out. This is especially a fun idea for children who can use the box as a canvas (and possibly buy you a few minutes of free time while they decorate!)

Winter scarves are great for wrapping up just about anything that will fit, and a small jewelry box or trinket can be tucked away in a mitten or hung from the tree hidden in plain sight.

Fabric from the craft store works too. If you're handy with a sewing machine at all you can make covers custom made to fit your gift that will serve as a protective cover long term.

Spa gifts are great rolled up in a bath towel or wash cloth and a new pair of slippers look extra cozy wrapped up in a fluffy robe.

Also consider decorative containers that have lots of reuse potential. I've selected some boxes from Hobby Lobby that I know can be used later on as storage for fragile ornaments. The possibilities are endless, and skimping on the wrapping paper saves you a pretty penny that can make those holiday dollars stretch a little further. Plus less to stuff in a garbage bag when the unwrapping is over.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Dryer Balls

I'll be updating the color selection on the dryer balls soon. I'm making more of them with the outer completely wool roving instead of yarn. I think they look better made and less like a "cat toy" that way, and they will last much longer since the risk of strands coming loose will be much more unlikely.

A lot of people ask me what dryer balls are, or what they are for. Wool dryer balls are not the same thing as the plastic balls you may have seen on an infomercial. Wool balls are much softer than the plastic kind, and have the capability of absorbing moisture from your laundry which will reduce drying time. So, wool is a much more eco friendly choice than plastic, and because wool is biodegradable and non toxic, dryer balls make a great toy for children. (In fact, I'm making some for my kids this Christmas.)

I don't have a set recommendation for how many dryer balls you need to get. The more you use the better they will work obviously, but I'm not going to tell someone who can only buy one ball that they need to buy at least four to be effective. Some people use up to a dozen in their larger loads. I personally have three that I use on a regular basis regardless of load size.

Wool dryer balls won't be noisy in your dryer, they soften clothes and save energy, and if you choose to scent yours they add a very light fragrance to your clothes. Because they don't have to be scented at all, they are the best alternative to commercial fabric softeners for people with fragrance sensitivities and allergies.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Happy Friday!

Congratulations to Betsy for winning the 400 fan contest! I'll be doing another when we reach 500 Facebook fans!

I have 7 orders I am working on this weekend; I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped me out and spread the word about my little business. I got over 50 new fans in two days!

I appreciate everyone who is supporting Crunchy Chic with your orders and referrals. My business is nothing without people talking about it, and when you support my work-at-home shop you are helping me contribute to my household income so that we can afford some things we probably couldn't otherwise. It means so much to me when you put your faith in me and I am genuinely happy to hear how pleased you are with your order.

With the holidays coming up, I am (hopefully!) going to be getting more orders coming in. I always try to get orders out within two days of them being placed. Because I make everything when you order it some things will take longer. Making things to order ensures maximum freshness and shelf-life on your products and means you can ALWAYS get things custom made to match your preferences.

Thanks again for your support! I've got a photo shoot this weekend for some of my products and hopefully I'll be able to show you all some of the new candy cane items I've been working on. Stay tuned!

- Diana

Thursday, November 17, 2011

400 Fan Giveaway

To celebrate 400 Facebook fans I'm giving away a free $10 gift certificate for use on the online shop. (www.hyenacart.com/crunchychic)

To enter: Send your name to crunchychicboutique@gmail.com. Winner will be drawn tomorrow at 4 PM Central time.