C'ville Entremom

Can’t live with us….can’t make a decision without us.  At least that’s what the current research is showing.  Are you talking to us?  You should be!

Research has shown that 83% of all consumer purchases are made by women.  We now make up 50% of the work force.  From 1970 to 1998, men’s median income grew .06% while women’s grew 63%!! 

When it comes to buying power, consider these numbers;  women make 80% of the household spending decisions, 53% of the investment decisions, 80% of home improvement purchase decisions, 60+% of new car purchase decisions.  And guess this one, women make 80% of the buying decision when it comes to?   RIDING LAWNMOWERS! 

 Women are the most intriguing creatures.  Most men would say just say frustrating!  We are so difficult to reach, incredibly loyal, slow to trust and unbelieving of clichés! We have hundreds of things on our mind in a given minute.  We are thinking hours, days..even weeks ahead!  Getting a message to us, let alone convincing us that we should do business with you is nearly impossible.  So why try? 

Well, if you earn our loyalty, we will rarely change it!  If you earn our trust, we are a client/customer for life.  If you tell the truth and stop using clichés, we will tell our woman friends about you!  Not to mention since we now make up half the workforce and make most of the buying decisions…you really have no choice.

Earning a woman as a customer is worth its weight in gold…but you have to be creative!  As women we are on the go constantly.  And when we are at home theoretically relaxing, we aren’t!  We are making dinner, helping with homework, making lists…  You must not only reach us, but connect with us.  If utilizing mass media, think about our habits.  Where can you GUARANTEE we will be?  Me?  I’m in my car 70% of the day!  I rarely have time to read a magazine or watch an entire TV program.  But I’m also on the internet throughout much the day….but that’s just me.                                                                                                 

When using mass marketing, it is the message that is crucial!  Use EMOTION to get my attention.  Whether it’s humor or fear….Woman make the majority of buying decision based on emotion! Social marketing is the new wave to really connect with us!  Just imagine….talking one on one with the “power of the purse”?  You can so easily create a personal connection, get to know me and tell me why I should do business with you.  Over 74% of women feel companies do not understand the challenges of being a Mother!  Twitter, Facebook and others give you the opportunity not only to connect personally, but to initiate proactive conversations about what women want!  If your business isn’t exploring these opportunities you will miss out. 

Talk to us…connect with us…..earn our trust! 

Women make 89% of the decision on which bank account to use!  So if you’re a guy wondering what which bank to choose?  Check with your wife.

 Catherine Maino (an Entremom)  is co-owner of Mosaic , Innovations in Marketing.  To find out more visit her website:  www.mosaicinnovations.com.  Catherine can also be found on Twitter (MosaicCatherine) or contacted via email:  cathy.mg@hotmail.com.

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As the Holiday season approaches, my photography business goes into full swing as families begin to call for both family pictures and Holiday Cards.  I have to say I’ve spent countless hours lately looking for the perfect Holiday Cards to offer my clients… believe me.. it’s an overwhelming experience.  I’m also finding more and more that with the price of digital SLR cameras as low as they are now (You can get an entry level DSLR for under $500 – WOW), clients and friends are opting to take their own Christmas pictures.  Anyway, I thought that this week, I would share some tips with you to take better pictures this Holiday Season.  Just and FYI, I am gearing this towards those of you with a DSLR, but if you don’t have one, the same principles apply to point and shoot cameras.

Get your subject out from the middle of the picture. You will often notice in the pictures that I take a child is off to the left or right of the picture or if it is a headshot/portrait the subject’s face will take up most of the picture.  Make sure that your eyes are drawn to the focal point of your subject.. for me that is always eyes.

Avoid Full Sunlight. Full sun creates really harsh shadows & what I like to refer to as “raccoon eyes.”  Find a spot with open shade or take your pictures and hour before sunset.  Another option (and my personal favorite) is to take your pictures on a cloudy day!

Forget the flash. Although I sometimes use it.. I loathe flash!  Find a nice spot by a window and use that to light your subject.  If you have a speedlight, don’t aim it directly at your subject.. bounce off the ceiling, a window, bounce card or use a diffuser.

Check out the background. Is there clutter or garbage?   Find a new location.  Another option is to zoom in on your subject so that the background doesn’t matter as much.  The best idea.. go take pictures this weekend w/beautiful leaves as a backdrop.

Don’t always pose or ask your subject to smile. Kids are kids and they don’t like to take time out to stop and smile.  Create memories of what they are really like on a day to day basis.  Enjoy the moments of them just being them.  Also, if they have a favorite toy, incorporate that into your picture.

Learn Photoshop. Seriously.. it’s a must.

Angie Brement is a portrait photographer and owner of Angie Brement Photography.  She is also the founder of C’Ville Entremom. If you would like to find out more about Angie Brement Photography please visit her website:  www.angiebrementphotography.com.

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Everyone knows that a healthy plant needs the right combination of elements to thrive: water, sunlight, and possibly some plant food. But, we often overlook something that can be as important as food or water: pruning. A well-pruned plant or tree is healthier, yields more fruit and/or flowers, and has more opportunity for growth. 

So what does pruning have to do with people? We are not so different from any other living organism. Old habits can hang off us like dead leaves or branches and eventually become toxic if not addressed. As busy working moms, we all have had the experience of too much on our plate or being at our wits end with business deadlines, housekeeping, field trip slips and book orders. The majority of what is on our plate needs to be there, but somewhere between landing that new client and making dinner, there are some filler tasks that just need to go. I haven’t run into a mom yet who would admit that EVERYTHING on their plate was both necessary and in line with their values. It’s time to prune off the dead in order to make room for new growth and more fruitful activities.

 Here are some questions to ask yourself if you are not sure if you need to prune:

 1-Do you accept duties or roles out of guilt?

 2-Do you say “yes” when you mean “no?”

 3-Do you find yourself browsing the celebrity gossip web sites or doing other non-work related tasks during your designated work hours?

 4-Have you put someone you love on hold to give your time to something you “dread?”

 5-Do you make a habit of making plans you later regret?

 6-Do you often over-commit both work and family schedules?

 If you answered “yes” to two or more of these questions, here are a few easy steps you can begin to take that will help you minimize unwanted obligations and relationships so that you can focus on what’s most important:

• Create awareness of your values and then only accept people and activities that are in line with those values. For example, if you’re involved in a stressful friendship/relationship or an activity that drains your energy and time, prune it out. Eliminating these time and energy “vampires” can instantly free up your to-do list and create a more peaceful and grounded life.
• Don’t say “yes” when you mean “no.” If you’re going to dread going to the party, or it’s going to stress you out trying to fit the new volunteer position in your busy schedule, don’t do it. I have a rule I share with all of my clients, Do it with JOY or don’t do it!  If your business and family are most important to you, then give them your undivided attention and eliminate everything else that’s not in line with your values. Some things that do not make the “honoring your values” list are: “Everyone else is doing it,” “I feel obligated,” “I should,” or “What will everyone say/do?”
• Take a careful look at every moment of designated work time and prune out activities that are not 100% business related or revenue producing. One of the biggest struggles for working moms is the careful balance of work and home. Being distracted by “housekeeping” tasks, social outings, or big home projects can be areas to prune that will help increase productivity. Instead of cleaning the closets out during work hours, turn it into family time and an opportunity to discuss the value of passing things on that we no longer use for the benefit of others. Also, create an orderly workspace, so you spend less time cleaning/organizing and more time producing. 

Get out those pruning sheers and re-evaluate what you are spending your time and energy on.  You may be surprised by what you need to eliminate from your world. The result of proper pruning will be a more peaceful and fruitful life. 

 Sharon Hart is a life coach specializing in coaching women in transition. Through her company, Birth Your Dream Life Coaching, Sharon has helped countless clients find their true passions, change careers, start businesses, find balance, and connect with motherhood in a deeper way. For more information, visit her web site or contact Sharon at Sharon@birthyourdreamlife.com.

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After months of trying to design my own web site, I can appreciate how much value a company like Birch Studio adds to your business. Web site copy? That I can do. But, the design part is completely overwhelming and foreign to me. Sound familiar? Then, you might want to enlist the services of Birch Studio.

Birch Studio was created 15 years ago by husband-and-wife-team David and Jenny Robinson. (Jenny, as she likes to say, owns 51% of the company, so it truly is a mom-owned business.) The company is a branding firm that specializes in marketing collateral. In addition to web site design, they help establish company brands through services such as logo creation and print design work, including brochures, stationary, trade show booth graphics, print ads, sales materials and more. They also help with Search Engine Optimization (making sure your site appears prominently in search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.), add shopping carts to sites, and offer web hosting packages. Birch Studio’s current portfolio includes some of Charlottesville’s most well-known organizations, such as SNL Financial, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), Montpelier and Live Arts.

The idea of Birch Studio was created from the Healthy Living Directory – a listing of local health-based companies such as massage therapists, yoga studios and natural food stores – that Jenny and David founded years ago. The couple did the graphic design for that publication, which morphed into a separate business, now known as Birch Studio.

Jenny serves as the face of the company to attract and interact with new clients. (Have you met her? If so, you’d agree the social aspects of this role fit her well.) She’s the business manager, which means she is in charge of all things related to running the business, such as the company’s financials, HR, etc. In addition to her day job, Jenny is mom to 18-month-old Ion. Being self-employed allows her the flexibility to work around Ion’s pre-school schedule. And, having an actual office, located near SNL Financial at 619 High Street, means that she’s focused and more productive during her scheduled work hours.

Want more information on Birch Studio and the services they provide? Visit their web site at www.birchstudio.com.

~Mary Beth Bowen

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 As Summer comes to an end and all of the fun activities like the pool and camp are closing shop for the season, you may be asking:  what is left to do?  You could take the kids to the same old park or… you could grab the kiddos and go check out Explorations Play Studio.

Explorations is a play studio that is aesthetically and purposefully designed to entice children to explore and discover.  Owner Nicole Root describes the play studio as “an oasis for children where the joys of free play and natural exploration have been preserved.”  Sample exploration activities include:  sensory tables (flour w/sifters, shiny seeds with basket scoops or sand with rocks and shells), sniff and compare trays, choosing interesting items to weave through the upright weaving loom and building with hundreds of hardwood blocks or an array of natural and manufactured “treasures.”

Explorations caters to families with children ages 2 to 9 and has a wide range of offerings from weekly classes to private parties to monthly events.  Families can sign up for a 10 week session or drop in during Open Studio times.  There are designated times for free exploration, but there are also teacher guided opportunities focusing on Creative Drama, Art, Spanish and Yoga.  Explorations is also available for birthday parties, field trips, homeschooling, play groups and teacher workshops.

Nicole, a progressive Kindergarten teacher by trade, wanted to combine two of her passions and start a business in the Charlottesville community.  Her 1^stpassion is providing open-ended materials for children to be creative using their own inner drive.  Her 2^ndpassion is creating an appealing space for children.  Nicole states that “Little Gym focuses on the physical component of development and Music Together focuses on the musical component, why can’t I focus on the free play component?”  Well, lucky for you C’Ville, that is just what she did! 

So how does Nicole run her fabulous studio and raise two girls, Madison (9) and Chloe (5)?  Nicole says that it is tough!!  Luckily, she loves being a Mom and she loves being an entrepreneur, so she wouldn’t have it any other way!  Whenever life gets too stressful, she heads on over to Bikram Yoga or goes for a run!

Explorations advertises in Albemarle Family and in C’Ville Weekly, but mostly depends on their database and word of mouth to find new clients.  If you’d like to find out more about Explorations Play Studio visit www.explorationsplaystudio.com.  Explorations Play Studio is located 1919 Commonwealth Drive.  Prices start at $15.00.

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Growing up, I never really thought about eating the right kinds of foods or the importance of knowing where those foods came from. Eating healthy and/or locally weren’t at the top of my list of concerns. That all changed during my pregnancy and even more so when I became a mom. “Pesticides,” “hormones,” “fresh” and “locally grown” were all of a sudden buzz words in my circle of mommy friends. The problem is, we don’t always know where to find the nutritious, locally grown/made foods…until now.

Natalie Russell and her husband fell in love with this area for its wineries, orchards and agriculture – all of which they love to explore – and, after becoming parents, became even more committed to buying local, safe, healthy foods (sound familiar?). As freelance magazine writers (she has written for Real Simple, Body + Soul and USA Weekend  and was once the managing editor of Martha Stewart Living), they decided to create a magazine dedicated to promoting local foods in the Central Virginia area. Edible Blue Ridge magazine features our area’s farmers, chefs, food artisans and activists. This summer’s issue, for example, features Perfect Flavor’s delicious elderberry ice cream, made completely from local ingredients. There also is a story about a couple of foodies in Nelson County who make artisanal vinegars using Virginia wines.

Edible Blue Ridge is available quarterly (seasonal) in more than 170 shops, restaurants and wineries in the area, including Whole Foods, C’ville Market, Feast!, Nature’s Child and Blue Ridge Eco Shop. And, did I mention it’s free?

Natalie, the mother of 2-year-old Sam and five-month-old Amelia, works from home along with her husband. The two of them split time between parental responsibilities and the business, although, like the rest of us, she still finds herself doing most of the writing while her children are sleeping.

This year, Natalie and her husband decided to join in on the local farming fun that they so often write about and grew a garden. But, it isn’t your average garden; their yard gets little sunlight so they had to be creative. They joined the Charlottesville Community Garden located behind Bodo’s on Emmett Street. According to Natalie, “it’s the most amazing collection of gardens thriving in the most unusual little spot – essentially under the 250 overpass.” Natalie and her family have grown sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes and lettuce, which little Sam likes to pick and eat straight from the ground (spray-free so this is okay!).

In addition to the magazine, they have a blog , which is accessible on the main home page. The blog features interesting foods and tablestuff, the happenings in the food scene around town and, the best part, some of Natalie’s family recipes. Bon appetite!

~Mary Beth Bowen

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Do you have the interior blahs? Tired of staring at the same old furniture or walls that haven’t changed in 5 years? Well, C’Ville, lucky for us we have Interior Details, Ltd. Your home is your investment and should be a luxury you enjoy everyday!!

Interior Details, Ltd. focuses on interior design, including staging and re-design, with an emphasis on using recycled or re-purposed materials. Jacqueline Jenkins Holley, owner and designer for Interior Details, Ltd., sews all of the custom window treatments, pillows and bedding for all of her interior projects. She even adds personal touches with custom framing, lamps and monograms. She is a registered designer for Ballard Designs, has several lines of window hardware, is a distributor for the Rug Market, Les Indiennes fabrics and also has a line of woven shades. Wow!

Jacqueline has a background a real estate para legal and says that this work gave her great experience working with homeowners and their new homes. She has always had an interest in interior design and when her second child was born, she decided to follow her passion as well as stay home with her two girls, ages 14 and 9. Thus began Interior Designs, Ltd.

Jacqueline puts a big emphasis on the “recycled” part of her business. Five years ago, she began the “Ultimate Recycle Project” by purchasing a rundown 1960’s ranch home and adding a second story. With the help of a contractor, she and her husband provided the design, landscaping, painting and much of the physical labor themselves. She states that it was a labor of love to bring a neglected home back to a family home. She also just completed a very stylish outdoor shed, with all of the materials (except framing and plywood) coming from the Habitat Reuse store.

So how does Jacqueline manage to decorate C’ville homes as well as run her own household? She juggles work and her two girls by having the custom sewing aspect to her business. It allows her two days a week where she can be home instead of making calls. Owning her own business allows Jacqueline to stay home with her girls when they are sick or during teacher work days and vacation days. It also allows her the time to volunteer at their schools. During the Summer, she takes on less work since her children are at home.

If you would like to learn more about Interior Details, Ltd., you can visit the website www.interiordetailsltd.com or visit Jacqueline’s Etsy store. Rates start at $10 for a monogram, $75/hour for design/staging services. Custom designed window treatments vary depending on size, number and style.

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I admit it.. I rarely write letters.  My reliance on email is almost to a fault!  To me, calligraphy was something I only used while addressing the envelopes for my wedding.  So, how refreshing and eye opening was it for me to find the beautiful penmanship and calligraphy talents of Jen Maton, of If So INKlined?  Jen is single handedly bringing handwriting back!

If So INKlined offers traditional, modern and unique professional hand calligraphy for weddings, births, corporate events, parties… almost any occasion.  All designs are done by hand.  If So INKlined offers unique cards, envelope addressing, place card lettering, seating scrolls, map direction card illustrations, formal invitations, whimsical invitations, table cards, monograms, custom art, poems, certificates, logos, wedding vows and so much more.  Jen is open to all project ideas!

When Jen was 12 years old, her parents gave her a calligraphy set for her birthday.  From that moment, she was hooked.  She became intrigued by the art form.  Over the next couple of years, her family and friends allowed Jen to practice her calligraphy style on their cards and envelopes.  As a college student, Jen began taking calligraphy courses which increased her love for lettering even more.  Jen’s career path started in graphic design and eventually led her to freelance work designing advertisements that have been featured in national magazines like Better Homes and Gardens and House Beautiful to name a few.

Once Jen began having children, she decided that she wanted to stay at home with them.  When her 1st child, Stella, was 3 weeks old, she decided that she couldn’t give up the dream of owning her own business.  During nap and bedtime, Jen began the process of coming up with a business centered around creating designs by hand.  She was approached by a Rhode Island wedding planner (Jen just moved here from RI) who needed an artist to create theme oriented wedding invitations and paper products for a few of her brides.  Voila!  A business is born.

Jen finds that juggling her business and raising her kids is challenging.  She only takes on what works with her kids’ schedules.  Her kids (Stella – 5, Ruby – 4, and baby Maton on the way) are her true passion and first priority.  Jen never over-books herself and only takes on jobs that are not rushed.  She also networks with other moms and will often kid-swap when work gets busy.  That way her kids can play and she can save money by not hiring a babysitter.

For more information on If So INKlined, please visit Jen’s website.

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Tired of going in the same jewelry shops only to find the same old jewelry they’ve had year after year.  Is there a piece of jewelry you’ve had on your wish list for years, but can never seem to find the exact piece you like??  We’ll C’Ville, we have custom jewelry designer, Tavia Brown of taviametal.

Taviametal creates one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry in sterling silver, gold and titanium.  Tavia enjoys creating unique custom jewelry for her clients, whether it’s an engagement ring, a piece to commemorate a special time or a memorial object.  She describes her style as industrial,  yet sweet.. elegance with an edge. Tavia’s artist statement sums up her beautiful work and matches the style of her art:

“My jewelry is both industrial and delicate, it is edgy and sweet. Inspired by the dichotomy of life, my style of elegance with an edge connects me to this duality that exists within my life. Being a mother and an artist is a constant balancing act of two things that at times seem extreme opposites, yet at other times appear to be born of the same seed. My inspirations come directly from life experiences, namely family and memories, but they are also derived directly from the material which I am working, the tactility of textures and the awe I have for nature.”

Tavia is a born and raised artist.  Her passion for arts and crafts began at age 6.  In college, she found her niche in jewelry and dreamed of one day owning her own studio.  After college, Tavia worked as a bench jeweler for a local designer for 4 1/2 years and started her business on the side in 2001.  She began taviametal full time in 2007 and hasn’t looked back!  Her work has been featured in Elle magazine (look for her “Encircled” necklace and “Pentamic Nubby” ring on the TipsnTrends page in this month’s issue), parenting.com, coolmompicks, on the new Scout Charlottesville blog and  the Charlottesville Wedding Blog.  Taviametal was also a 2009 Niche Award finalist in the silver category for her necklace “Golden Halo Moonlight.”

Tavia says that she loves having the flexibility of being her own boss.  Her children (ages 4 and 15 months) attend preschool/daycare full time, but she feels lucky to have the flexibility to spend a morning or afternoon with them if she chooses.  Tavia states that sometimes it requires more balancing when a surprise day off occurs (ie. sick kids), but as a mom, finding balance is an everyday occurrence.  All in all, Tavia is a happy mom with happy children.  She has an outlet for her creativity and having this outlet makes her whole.  Tavia and her husband are both entrepreneurs.  He owns Frontrunner Sign Studios. Together they teach their children to reach for the stars:  have a dream and follow it.

If you would like to learn more about taviametall visit her website www.taviametal.com.  You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.  Taviametal’s studio is located in the Old Linen Building on East Market Street.

A note from Entremom:  For years my husband and I have been looking for a new wedding band for me.  We knew exactly what we were looking for, but couldn’t find it anywhere.  We scoured many shops along the East Coast as well as jewelry stores in every port of call throughout the Caribbean.  Turns out Tavia created exactly what we’ve been looking for right here in Charlottesville!  How beautiful are these rings?  So, nudge, nudge Christopher… Here it is!

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If you are like me, you have boxes upon crates upon bags of children’s clothes taking over your house.  You are “saving” them for your “big yard sale”, which BTW, will probably never happen…  We’ll C’Ville, there’s a new little shop in town that wants your clothes (among other items):  Sugar Snap Consignment.   Think eBay prices for gently used clothing in a child friendly shopping environment (added bonus:  you actually get to see/try on the merchandise before you buy… much better than crossing fingers, in my opinion)!

Sugar Snap Consignment specializes in baby items, but also carries high quality children’s clothing (up to size 10), maternity clothing, nursing tops and cloth diapers, just to name a few .  Prices range from $1.00 for onesies to $85 for new slings and designer diaper bags.  Sugar Snap also carries new items such as hair bows, hand knit wool soakers and framed prints, all handmade by local entrepreneurs.  Becoming a consigner at Sugar Snap Consignments is very simple and straightforward:  Consigners can simply drop items off in bins with their contact information.  The items are looked over in the next couple of days and a tally is given to the consigner with what the total “take” will be assuming the consignments sell.  If the consigner is comfortable with the quote, the goods are hung in the store, priced and promoted.  Each month, consigners will receive a check for the items that sold.  Sugar Snap offers 30% commission on each item sold (items over $100 receive 50% commission or can be negotiated on a case by case basis).

Vijay Owens, a born and raised New Yorker, opened Sugar Snap Consignment only 2 months ago in the old Nature’s Child location in Forest Lakes.  Though, she has exciting news:  Sugar Snap Consignment will be moving to York Place on the Downtown Mall as of this Saturday (7/4).  Vijay says she is lucky that her kids (Charlotte – 6) and (Violet – 4) have received many hand me downs throughout their childhood, but has found that other families are not always so lucky.  Families that she spoke with were often lamenting the high prices of good quality children’s clothing and the low quality of lower priced apparel.  She believes that, in theory, it is worth paying more for the better brands because they will last longer, but if money isn’t in the budget, quality clothes are not an option.  Vijay began to envision a place where people could get barely-used better brands for amazingly low prices and where kids could sit and play while the parents shopped.  Voila, another C’Ville Entremom business is born!  Vijay says that Sugar Snap is partly driven by being budget conscious, partly driven by being environmentally conscious and partly driven by the knowledge that many local parents want to dress their children in sturdy, comfortable and classic items.  Sugar Snap is proud that every dollar spent in the store will remain in Charlottesville.  She doesn’t ship goods and there is no need for wasteful packaging.

So how does Vijay manage raising 2 little girls while outfitting our kids?  Vijay’s younger sister, Hope Allen, is instrumental to making the business work.  Hope stays home with the children while Vijay runs the store, helps run the store while Vijay is out and generally makes the whole “machine” work.  Vijay claims that this venture would not be possible without Hope.  Vijay’s husband, Charles, is also very supportive and helps with the technological aspect of marketing and promoting the business as well as keeping the children entertained on the weekends, all while working full time at State Farm.  Vijay’s older daughter, Charlotte, can also be found helping out at the shop.  Vijay manages all of this while also raising an Autistic child (Violet).  What a strong and powerful role model you are Vijay!

Sugar Snap Consignment relies heavily on word of mouth to market the business.  The shop recently started advertising campaigns in Albemarle Family, C’Ville Weekly and a local Forest Lakes newsletter.  Future marketing endeavours includes ValPak coupons and Daily Progress ads.  Vijay also says that moving into the Nature’s Child location helped spread the word.

If you are interested in learning more about Sugar Snap Consignments, you can visit their new location at York Place on the Downtown Mall, visit their website or email (sugarsnap@me.com).  Sugar Snap is open Monday – Thursday 9-6, Friday 11-8, and Saturday 9-9.  Start getting your stuff together readers and make some $$!!

Please note:  photos from old location!

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