Fancy Schmancy Easter Greetings…

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Cartoon, Chocolate, Easter, Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, Funny, Holiday, Humour, Tradition

There’s always one party-pooper, isn’t there…
(Image from here)

Here’s hoping you all get LOTS of GREAT quality chocolate eggs this Easter…

 

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Are You a Retailer’s Wet Dream, too?

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Abigail Ahern, Business, Customer service, Facebook, J. C. Penney, Mavericks Laces, Myer, Peanut butter, Retail, Squint, Squint Limited, Stellar Service, Twitter

(Image from here)

Every great business is built on friendship. (JC Penney)

I am a retailer’s wet dream. You know the kind of customer I mean – I like nice things (who doesn’t?). If you are nice to me and I’m partial to your product, I’ll come back to you over and over again. I’m incredibly loyal – if you treat me well, I will go out of my way to shop at your establishment AND I’ll tell all my friends how fabulous you and your product are. And, I can be quite persuasive, too. I’m often told I should be on commission. I often wish I was!

My local grocer, George, stocks product that I have recommended (and featured in this very blog!), namely Pana Chocolate and Pic’s Really Good Peanut Butter. The girls at Mecca Cosmetica at Myer all know me because I love their whole customer service experience just as much as their products.

Just recently, I’ve had two really, REALLY great customer service experiences and thought I should spread the word.

First up, last week I told you about the groovy team at Mavericks Laces in Melbourne. Well! Not only did the lovely Luke from Mavericks comment on the blog post and advise they are now shipping internationally; today my laces arrived. Given I only ordered them after I posted last week, I reckon that’s pretty smart service.

Oh – here’s the new look brogues ‘in situ’. What do you think?

Robert Clergerie Brogue WITH Dylan Laces
(Image by TSL)

Secondly, you might just recall, if you have a very good memory, my post on Squint – the Willy Wonka of Furniture. I have coveted a piece of their furniture forever.

The Corbiere carved mahogany king size bed made in a classic French style as shown with a patchworked headboard and footboard.
(Image from here)

To be honest, I would probably still be coveting a piece of Squint furniture if it wasn’t for LM. My birthday present last year was a bespoke number selected from the wonderful Squint showroom. As much as I adore their trademark patchwork, being the slightly more conservative type that I am, I went instead for a velvet cabriolet leg bedside table in two-tone orange velvet. I know this is a pretty high-ticket item, but I gotta tell you, Catherine and the team were out of this world fabulous – from the initial face-to-face consultations as I kept changing my boggled mind about what I wanted, right through to the shipping process. A-MAZ-ING!

Here’s a pretty ordinary image of some of my table with Boris, my lamp I picked up at Atelier Abigail Ahern. What can I say – it was a great birthday!

Boris and the Orange Velvet Side Table
(Image by TSL)

In today’s world of social media offerings – with blogging, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest, there’s really no excuse for less than stellar service. But still, there are always some that stand a head and shoulders above the rest.

Have you received any AMAZING customer service recently?

Sometimes It’s The Little Things…

Tags

Benjamin Disraeli, Color, Colour, Fashion, Mavericks, Melbourne, Mens Fashion, Shoe, Shoe Laces, shoelace, Shoes

Mavericks Shoelaces
(Image from here)

Little things affect little minds. (Benjamin Disraeli)

According to Mr Disraeli, I have a little mind. It’s OK. I can live with that. Especially because I think little things can make a big difference. And, while today’s post might not make a BIG difference, it does make me smile…

With that in mind, I bring you Mavericks Laces of Melbourne, a lovely wee company founded in 2012 by three Melbourne designers who love shoelaces. They reckon their laces “can completely transform a pair of shoes, increase your happiness, and make you feel like a bit of a Maverick. Not bad for what most people think is an everyday functional object.”

They also believe that “if the shoes make the man, the laces make the shoe, so (they) design colourful laces for colourful characters.” Now, I may not happen to be a man, but I do agree that a great pair of shoes is well worth drawing the attention of others.

It just so happens I have a pair of shoes that need a bit of lace-loving. My well-loved patent bronze brogues deserve a bit of colour, I reckon.

My Robert Clergerie Brogue
(Image by TSL)

And, the Mavericks team have a number of options for jazzing up your lace ups. I’m leaning towards Dylan, but could be persuaded by Bert. What do you think?

Dylan by Mavericks
Dylan was the popular kid at school. Captain of the footy team, opening fast bowler of the cricket team and an academic wonder boy. Dylan gets along with every shoe he meets with effortless charm. He is the man you want in your corner no matter what the situation.
(Image from here)

Archie by Mavericks
This is one bold cat. Archie’s middle name is danger and his best mate is a Spanish bullfighter. He rolls with shoes of every colour in his posse. Archie is not afraid to be heard and can be a bit of a loud mouth.
(Image from here)

Bert by Mavericks
Bert can be up tight and has a bit of a dark side. He isn’t as loud as most of his
mates, but likes to get the job done with his understated ways. He is often found having deep and meaningfuls with black, khaki and other earthly toned shoes.
(Image from here)

I do love an organisation that anthropomorphises their product! And, if that wasn’t enough excitement for one pair of shoes, the peeps at Mavericks even have a section on their website where they give you instruction in how to ‘style your laces your way’… I favour the Hash.

‘The Hash’ lace style
(Image from here)

Maverick has a groovy website. You can order online (delivery limited to Australia only at this time). You can check it out here.

I’d Love Bright Beads of My Very Own…

Tags

Australia, Bespoke Lighting Design, Bright Beads, Cat Deeley, Coco Reynolds, Design, Forest Stewardship Council, Lighting, Marz Designs, Sydney, Wood

I find great lighting and a squint of the eyes makes anyone look better. (Cat Deeley)

Just how gorgeous are the Bright Beads pendant lights from Marz Designs, huh?

Established by Coco Reynolds in 2010, Marz Designs is a young Sydney-based design company. Its aim is to create timeless and innovative designs, with both functionality and quality. Inspired to push the boundaries of many mediums and functions Marz has a quirky and unique style. It works for me!

The clearly talented Coco is currently learning the craftsmanship of woodwork at the STURT school of wood. Her goal is to promote craft practice in collaboration with industry.

The Bright Beads lighting project was developed in conjunction with How We Create  to demonstrate the relationship between designer and manufacturer. These lights have been beautifully handcrafted from FSC certified timbers and can be custom-made to meet specific requirements, at any length and in any configuration to suit. (sigh). I think they are gorgeous!

Marz Bright Beads Lighting
(Images from here)

If you’d like to learn more about either Bright Beads or Marz Designs, check out the website here.

Jac+Jack STILL Make the Best Tees…

Tags

Australia, Clothing, Fashion, Online Shopping, Oxford Street, Shopping, Split Enz, T-Shirts, Tim Finn

Jac+Jack
(Image from here)

Back in July last year, I wrote a wee post about the Jac+Jack ‘Louis’ Tee (you can refresh your memory here). I still reckon they make the best t-shirts around.

What’s even better is their Oxford Street store has opened (actually, a month ago now. I never claimed to be a fashionista!) and it’s a super fine place to visit if you are after a beautifully crafted, clean piece in cotton or cashmere…

Jac+Jack
126 Oxford Street, Sydney
(Image from here)

LM and I happened past the store the other day while walking the pooch. I just had to take the opportunity to pick up a couple of fresh white tees. There are even a couple of ‘husband chairs’ and best of all, the pooch was welcomed with open arms. Gotta’ love a dog friendly clothing store!

Jac+Jack ‘Mitch’ Tee
I thought I’d branch out from the ‘Louis’!
(Image from here)

What just takes the cake for this Kiwi girl, is that the model for the brand’s most recent men’s campaign is none other than our Tim Finn (of Split Enz fame for those of you not in the know… Perhaps I am showing my age?)

It’s a non-stop invention, this game of life, and as soon as you think you’ve got it, you lose it. (Tim Finn)

Tim Finn for Jac+Jack
(Image from here)

Now that’s an inspired bit of marketing, I reckon…

According to their website, Jac+Jack are still working on shipping internationally. Do go and have a squizz at their ever-growing range, though. You can get to it here.

Is it Just Me, or is This Plain Ridiculous…?

Tags

Apple, apple slices, Australia, Braeburn, Comercialisation, Convenience, Diet, food, Fruit, goulbourn valley, Goulburn Valley, Henry David Thoreau, Lunchbox Ideas, Ridiculous Products

(Image source unknown)

Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits. (Henry David Thoreau)

A slight departure from my usual offerings today because I have to reason-check something with you guys. I need to make sure I’m not going off on one of my crazy wee tangents. I want to ensure the world didn’t go completely bonkers while I wasn’t looking.

Here’s the thing. The lovely LM and I were sitting in front of the goggle-box at some stage this past week when I noticed an advertisement for packaged apple slices. Yes – you read that correctly, fresh(ish) apple slices wrapped and sealed in plastic. I thought it was a joke, seriously. I mean, why would anyone want buy packaged apple slices?

But no, upon a little investigation, the folks at Goulburn Valley are indeed producing “the perfect snack of choice in a convenient ready-to-go pack. GOULBURN VALLEY Fresh™ apple slices are the easiest way to get the goodness of fruit with a guaranteed crunch and without all the fuss!”

Goulbourn Valley Fresh
(Image from here)

This is a real product. And, it claims to remove all the fuss from eating an apple. What fuss? Is it just me, or does an apple not already come perfectly packaged in its natural form? I am genuinely nonplussed at this concept.

More Goulbourn Valley Fresh
(Image from here)

Here in Australia apples are available all year round. They are one of my go-to fruits – especially when slices are spread with this amazing macadamia butter that I buy at the Farmers Market. But that’s another story. As for preferred variety, it’s a toss-up between Braeburn and Pink Lady for me, but there are so many other options. And, they all come neatly encased as nature intended.

Ok – so, I’m an adult. I will accept that sometimes a fussy child may wish for apple slices for their morning-tea. Well, here’s the solution for how to keep a cut apple fresh in a lunchbox. All you need is an apple and a rubber band…

The Rubber Band Trick!
(Image from Pearl Trees)

Please tell me what you think. Is it just me, or are packaged apple slices just ridiculous?