Mother's Day Shipping Schedule

        

If you're a Facebook gal, come on over and "like" our page for updates and specials.
https://www.facebook.com/Barefoot.OrigamiOwl

Origami Owl Spring/Summer 2013

Origami Owl Retirement List

All good things must come to an end. Today Origami Owl released its Spring/Summer Retired Items List. As with any new season, new items must arrive but some things must go. Today Designers were given a list of items that will no longer be available after May 15, 2013. We are getting ready for some new additions to the Origami Owl collection. We have a little bit of time for you to order if you see any of your favorites on the list. From our sea turtle to our little boys and girls to some dangles and charms, be sure to check out our list to see if anything you love might be saying goodbye. I know I’ll be scooping up a few. Which Items are you sad to see go? We’d love to hear from you. To order, just visit http://www.Barefoot.OrigamiOwl.com or click the Origami Owl tab above today and place your order.

What's in a Name?

Do you know how the name "Origami Owl" came to be?

From paper dolls to paper mache, many of us remember spending hours as young girls shaping our dreams from blank sheets of paper. And as we grow, we continue to discover unique cultures and artistic styles that further shape our creative path.

Bella, the Origami Owl company founder, liked to let her imagination soar. She was fascinated with origami as a child and loved to hang paper cranes all over her room. Like her spirit, they are fun and whimsical.

So naturally, when Bella saw the success of her jewelry business taking flight, those origami cranes came to mind. But Origami was only half of the equation, like yin in need of a yang.

Bella wanted to find a symbol for the wisdom and strength she was discovering by starting her own business. She realized the wise owl was perfect, and she and her mom loved the playful sound of it.

Origami Owl was born—expression perfectly folded with insight. A name that is as uniquely interesting as each piece of personalized jewelry you create.

If you are interested in browsing Origami Owl jewelry, check us out HERE. If you're interested in hosting a jewelry bar or becoming an official designer, contact me at LauraBarefoot @ hotmail.com

Origami Owl 2013 Sneak Peek...

I am SO EXCITED! If you'd like to get on the mailing list and be one of the first to get your hands on a new catalog, be sure to shoot me a message. You don't want to miss this one! For more fun information and a video, head on over to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Barefoot.OrigamiOwl

Hostess Tips

 

It’s been a long winter, so let’s get ready to head into spring! This simple and delicious Apple Berry Salsa is the perfect way to add a pop of color to your next party. Combine it with homemade Baked Cinnamon Chips and your guests will be begging for more. Download the recipe along with the adorable free printable buffet cards and wow your guests at your next soiree! 

Fun Fact: Everyone has fond memories of picking strawberries in the summer, but did you know that March is the peak of strawberry season for Florida and California, where most of the strawberries found in your grocery stores are grown? So head on over to your local grocery store where the pickings are plentiful! You won't want to wait until summer to try this tasty treat.

Fashion 411: The Layered Look

A unique and stylish way to wear your Living Lockets and Tagged necklaces is to layer them at varying lengths. Layering has been a popular trend in the fashion and jewelry world for the past few seasons, and it will not be going away any time soon. Origami Owl offers several different chain designs and lengths that will enable you to customize a layered look that is as unique as you!

Variation in chain length is key to a well-balanced layered look. Origami Owl offers three main length categories. The shortest and most common necklace length is called the "princess" style and falls between 16 and 18 inches, resting near the collarbone. The princess style is a great place to start for a layered look. The Standard Ball Station Chain, the Faceted Ball Chain, and the Rolo Custom Chain all fall under the short "princess" style length.

"Matinee" style necklaces are medium in length and hit the top of the bust, falling around 20 to 24 inches. The Rolo Custom Chain and the 2 mm Rolo Chain are considered matinee style. Adding either of these Rolo Chains to one of the princess length necklaces will complete your layered look.

"Opera" necklaces fall below the bust at 28 to 34 inches, and are the longest of the three styles and most fashion forward. The 1.5 mm Rolo Custom Chain, Flat Oval Link Chain, and Classic Ball Chain are 30 inches or more. Add an "opera" style to a "princess" and "matinee" for a completed neck party. If three is too much, a "matinee" style, or medium length chain, works perfectly in combination with the long opera style.

When layering your Living Locket and Tagged necklaces, remember to keep your clothing simple, allowing the necklaces, and more importantly, your story, to speak for themselves.

Designer Spotlight

This Designer Spotlight features Origami Owl's very first Designer – Isabella (Bella) Weems, our teenage Founder.

Bella’s story begins just over two years ago when, at age 14, she wanted to earn enough money to buy a car for her 16th birthday. A simple dream, perhaps, but it turned into something much bigger than anyone ever imagined.

Her idea was to enable people to create their own unique piece of jewelry by pairing a variety of Charms, hand-stamped metal Plates, Dangles and Chains with glass Lockets. Bella began to sell Living Lockets to friends, at home parties, events and at a mall kiosk.

The rest, as they say, is history.

What was your dream when you first started selling Origami Owl Living Lockets? I wanted to make $2,500 to buy a used car. I was going to do it for a while to sell them to my friends and to people at the mall until I reached my goal. I never thought it was going to be anything more than that!

How did it feel to be so “wrong” in such a good way? It was a little bit shocking! My goal was to earn a little money, but once people started loving them, it just blew up with orders. That’s when I knew it would be something special. I thought that selling Lockets at the mall would be the biggest it got. I never dreamed that we’d have thousands of women across the country benefiting from it.

What Charms did you put in your first Living Locket? It had a “B” for Bella, a music note (Bella loves to play piano, write music and sing), and a June heart birthstone.

What was peoples’ reaction to the jewelry? They loved it! I would always begin by explaining that the Lockets could tell their story. From there, many people would share the meaning behind the charms they would choose. It was so exciting to be able to help people tell their story through jewelry, and to help them capture memories in a unique way.

So, how did that dream work out? Ha ha! Well, I got my car! It’s a 2012 Jeep Wrangler. At first, I thought I wanted a white truck, but then I saw the Jeep and kinda freaked out! Oh, my gosh, I love it; it’s like my baby! I named her Alice because Alice in Wonderland is my favorite Disney movie.

What is the best thing about your life now? Without a doubt my favorite thing about my life now is being able to speak with amazing people across the country, and to be able to help encourage them to live out their dreams. I get to hear their stories and am inspired by them each and every day!

Since you achieved your first dream, do you have a new dream? Yes; it’s to help others reach their dreams. This year, I want to keep motivating people to do well in their business. At events, I love being able to talk to our Designers and tell them that if a 14-year-old can make her dream come true, so can they!

Why should everyone become an Origami Owl Designer? It’s just awesome to be part of the Origami Owl family. Our culture is amazing – it’s an experience you don’t want to miss out on! We all connect with each other and we help each other achieve our dreams. We inspire each other to be the best we can be! If you feel like you’re not a good sales person, that doesn't matter, because all you need to do is have your friends over, and the products sell themselves!

This Motivates Me...

Doesn't she just inspire you? She certainly inspires me to do more. I can't believe she started a whole company when she was just 15. If you're interested in learning more you can leave me a comment, send me an email, follow me on Pinterest, "like" my Facebook page, or check out the Origami Owl website. :-)

Origami Owl Opportunity

Origami Owl Jewelry Company launched in January 2012 and is truly a GROUND FLOOR opportunity. Origami Owl’s affordable Business Launch Kits start at $149 and Designers earn 30% and 50% commission on sales. You can become a Mentor and grow your team to earn additional income.

What started out as a simple dream of being able to buy a car turned out to be such a successful company in just a short period of time. Even if the company is in a wait list state, it is already gaining much popularity in the direct sales industry, as its first batch of independent designers have already successfully introduced this new line of jewelry to consumers. If you are looking for a ground floor opportunity that will allow you to introduce something new to the market, then Origami Owl is certainly the perfect company to join in direct sales.  If you are a consumer looking for something new and fresh when it comes to jewelry, then you will surely enjoy the many wonderful charms that Origami Owl offers. Express yourself, tell your story, and let the people you love know that they are appreciated through Origami Owl’s charm necklaces. Every Origami Owl Charm will help you tell your story.

The great thing about Origami Owl is that it is simple. Designers at a home party or event need only to tell the Origami Story and then let customers build there own locket. There isn’t a lot of product memorization needed or a lot of lugging and tugging of inventory. Some Designers choose to have inventory, most simply take orders . It is that simple.

Origami Owl necklaces are beautiful, stylish, and one-of-a-kind. And the best thing is they are all very affordable, proof that timeless jewelry does not have to cost you a fortune! Since you have to build your own necklace, the final price of the piece will depend on how many add-ons you put. The living lockets are priced from USD $20 to $30, depending on the size and style. The chains are priced at USD $8 to $22, depending on the color, style and length. Metal plate prices range from USD $7 to $9, depending on size, dangles cost around USD $6 to $10, depending on the material and size, and all of the charms are just $5.

Contact me for more information about Origami Owl… the company, the jewelry or the business opportunity at LauraBarefoot {at} hotmail {dot} com

Rascal Flatts + Origami Owl... It's here!!!

Changed

Are you ready for some BIG news? No really, it’s HUGE!!!

Want to know what it is? Let's start with a few hints... 

· It’s the first promotion of its kind, exclusive only to Origami Owl, 

· It involves a partnership with an award winning, legendary country band.

· It has to do with the Origami Owl mission to be a Force for Good.

Have I piqued your curiosity yet? Drum-roll please!

Ok, here’s the deal… Origami Owl has joined forces with Big Machine Record Group to sponsor and promote Rascal Flatts newest hit single, CHANGED! To celebrate this exciting venture, they'll also be introducing an exclusive, limited edition CHANGED Tag sold only by Origami Owl.

Wait, what?!?!?!

Yes, you heard that right!

Have you ever felt like your life was off track, that it was time to make a change? The song Changed is about just that, and Origami Owl, makes it their mission each and every day to make a difference in the lives of others and be a Force for Good.

While I know you probably have many questions, I don't have further information to share at this time as they are still finalizing the details of this incredible opportunity. I will be providing you with additional information over the coming weeks though, so stay tuned to my blog, and shoot me a message if you want me to put you on a wait list. I know I'm getting one for myself and my hubs for sure. 


{Love}Laura

How To Choose An Origami Owl Mentor

Choosing the right Origami Owl mentor is probably one of the most important decisions you can make for your business. You may hear about Origami Owl from one person or a relative might be an Origami Owl designer but that doesn't mean that they are the best fit to help you succeed in your business.

Choosing an Origami Owl mentor should involve some research and questions.

1. Are they familiar with Direct Sales?

2. Are they familiar with Origami Owl?

3. Is the mentor a go-getter, a leaders?

4. Are they available to train you and help you with any questions they  may have?

5. Are they familiar with all aspects of marketing your business such as home parties, events, fundraisers, online, social media, catalog parties?

You really  need to take a close look as to whether you need a local mentor or you are ok with someone not so close to you. Some people need hands on training and some are ok with training online. You need to choose what works best for you.

You  need to take some time to get to know the mentor either by phone, online or in person.

Does she have a great personality?

Does her personality fit with yours?

Is she truthful and honest?

Does she do things according to Origami Owl’s standards?

Is she knowledgeable and familiar with Origami Owl?

Is she inspiring?

What has she accomplished?

Your mentor is needs to be your partner, your friend, your coach, your personal cheerleader, your mentor and very involved in your business. Is your potential mentor working her business? Is she doing training? Does she care about the success of her team?

Choosing your Origami Owl mentor is a business decision. As I stated before, it could be the single most important decision that you make. Ask questions, research, and find someone that cares as much about your business and you as you do.  If you do not choose a mentor, then Origami Owl will choose one for you and this may not necessarily be the right match so I very much suggest that you take some time to choose one on your own.

I absolutely love to mentor my team. It fulfills me in every sense of the word. I may not be the perfect mentor for you but I would love to chat with you to see or to point you in the right direction to find one that fits you and your business. My mentor ID Is 10992. You can contact me by leaving a comment below or sending me an email via the link below my profile picture. 

Checking In...

So my last semester of the BSN program is finally under way. It has totally consumed everything I do. I feel like I never sleep or eat or well... anything. I've cried so many times that I can't remember. I've felt like I was going to fail the entire time, and there's still that fear in the back of my mind that I just won't make it through one more semester of this madness. My schedule is overwhelming and confusing. I'm amazed that our teachers have found nooks and crannies to fit lectures, exams, and clinicals in where I could swear there were only 24 hours in a day. My little one will be two and a half this next month, and although I love him more than anything, he's not the best study buddy. I just can't do anything but give him my full attention when he's awake. I bow down to the mothers out there that don't cry every day out of exhaustion. I just want a bath and to sleep 12 hours... even eight would be good. I don't think I mentioned it before, but we got orders for Italy. I don't like sharing news too early, but I think it's okay at this point. I just have to finish the semester and take my nursing license exam. I wasn't happy about getting orders to move everything around the world, but I'm warming up to the idea. I just don't want to do all the things in between now and sitting on the balcony of our villa eating pasta. Nursing school, the NCLEX exam, passports, packing, customs, a toddler and a dog on a SUPER long flight, and then all the classes I have to take when I get there. That's the part I really don't like. Otherwise, I'm optimistic that it will be an awesome end to these last few months of nursing school. I've also started a new venture with Origami Owl jewelry. I had never heard of it until the past couple of months, and it just struck me so well that I signed up for their waiting list to be a designer. Since they're a new company they don't have many designers yet. They're also the second largest growing sales company in the United States. It's growing so quickly. It was founded by a 14-year-old too. So impressive! I got my designer start-up kit last week, and went to the regional training in Nashville on a whim. I've only been signed up for a week now, and I've had to restock every item at least three times. I can't keep it in stock. I wear my locket almost every day. I love being asked about it and telling people what all the charms represent. It's a reminder for me that I'm loved, I can do anything I put my heart into, I have a wonderful husband, a beautiful little boy, and I'm on track for a beautiful life of being a nurse in Italy. I guess the lockets are more than just jewelry for me. They're almost therapy. When I'm lost, lonely, stressed, or feeling blue, I just look at it, and I'm reminded of all my blessings and strength. I'm just really in-love with the jewelry and the philosophy of the company. It just makes me feel empowered and happy! :-) I guess jewelry often does that for many women. I just didn't know I was one of them. Well, I think that pretty much sums up what I've been doing and where I am now. :-) If you've made it this far reading then thank-you for "listening" to my blabber. I'll be sure to throw in a free charm for your locket if you mention the word "blessings". Shhh... ;-) Bye for now, lovelies!

January 2013 Printable

Man, oh, man! I've been out of the blogisphere for a hot minute! I'm still not out of the woods yet, but I figured I'd share this fun calendar I made with you to get the year started off right. If you like it, then perhaps I'll keep going for next month. I'm open to suggestions of printables you'd like to have created for you too.

Cheers to a happy new year!

(If you're having trouble getting the calendar, I would be happy to email you the file as well.)

See you soon!

Congrats

Well, the blog hop has wrapped up and it's time to announce the winners! We hope that you had as much fun visiting with all of the designers as they had working on their projects.  If you missed the blog hop for any reason, you can find all the participants here. 

The two winners of the MFT Gift Certificates are...

• From my blog right here, Sue Ann - “MY DEAR is right ~ this is BEAUTIFUL!! All the elements are pulled together SO beautifully. What a way to wake up with such a beautiful card on this blog hop!!!”

• From Jessie’s Blog, Thelma -“I absolutely love your coloring, your cards are always so much fun with your signature silver embellishments…LOVE it!!”

(MFT Winners: Be sure to check your email, MFT sent vouchers today via email.)

Winners of the $25 button assortments from Buttons Galore & More are...

• liz aka javagirl - "Great hop excited to glance at your buttons Who doesnt love buttons"

• megan mcdonald - “I love all the projects I saw I dont think I could pick a favorite… but I can say that I have add a few more people to my favorites list on the computer.” 

The Card set winner from www.365DaysOfCrafts.com Blog is...

• Clare Dempsey - "Oh, I started paper crafting as a scrapbooker and now make my own cards. Still not sure of my skills with card layouts. So, I love these ideas to use my MFS and buttons galore! thanks for the chance to win!"

(Buttons & Card set winners: Please an email to buttonsgaloreteam@yahoo.com with your mailing address.)

And the winners of a Lilly Belle's Paperie package are...

• Megan - "The card is so pretty! I love the colors. I must say, that precious baby in your blog title is just gorgeous!"

• Clare D.  - "I love this card. I am so pinning it for a scraplift later! thanks for the chance to win!"

• Amanda R - "This is so pretty, love how you have incorporated so many different elements."

• wendy - "whow terrific card, so pretty"

(LBP winners: Please send an email to laura @ lbpaperie.com with your information.)

Blog Hop & Give Aways

Hello, there! Today, I'm apart of the
My Favorite Things Stamps
and
Buttons Galore & More
blog hop.

Today I have a cute card project featuring Buttons Galore & More and MFT Stamps products. If you haven't browsed the MFT catalog over on their website, you really should. It's filled with fun images, sentiments, and one of my favorite tools: dies! It was nearly impossible to choose which one I wanted to work with today, but I finally decided on Botanical Beauty. What I love most about these flower dies is that there are so many combinations that you can use to create numerous looks. You could use the die cuts individually or stack them to create a layered look which is what I did this time...

The first thing I do when I start a project is to create a color palette. I usually stick with it, but sometimes I do change as I go along. Here you can see the color palette that I developed after pulling out a few papers and embellishments. The dies used today are from MFT Stamps, brads from Buttons Galore & More, and the rest of the crafting supplies from Lilly Belle's Paperie.

(You can find individual supply links throughout this entry and at the bottom of this post.)

And here's what I did to make the card...

1. To make the flower embellishment, layer your die according to the manufacturer's instructions in your cutting machine with a piece of vintage netting on top of the patterned paper, so that you create an embossed textured look to your flowers. This will not cut through the netting, so you can use it again for another project later!

2. Next, trim your base card (Lemonade cardstock) to 4.25"x5.5" and fold in half. Trim the Kraft cardstock to 4"x5.25", and the polkadot patterned paper to 3.75"x5". Another piece of Lemonade cardstock will be trimmed to 2.75"x4" and a piece of numeric patterned paper to 2.5"x4". The length of ribbon needed is 5.5". Your cut pieces should layer nicely as shown in the photo below.

3. Next, you'll want to add a small amount of adhesive to the back of the polkadot patterned paper and attach it to the Kraft cardstock in order to hold it in place while you add decorative stitching around the edge. If you don't want to sew on your card, you can fully adhere the polkadot and Kraft layers together at this point.

4. Next, layer the numeric strip on top of the Lemonade strip and attach to the polkadot patterned paper. I don't use any extra adhesive on the ribbon because I don't want to waste anything. I also never know if I'll decide to throw on a bow or knot later, so it saves in the area of deconstruction later too. You can see in these next two photos that I just secure the ribbon tails to the adhesive that I will be using to secure the card front to the Lemonade card base.

5. With the card band finished and attached to the card front and base, you can now decorate the front of the card. Normally, I would not attach the card front to the base until I am completely finished, but I knew at this point that I would not be poking anything else through my card, so I felt confident that I could seal it up while keeping the inside of the card clean.

6. The final step is to decorate the card front. I attached my flower layers to the far right with a cute chipboard button and some twine added to the center. Then I added three jazzy brads (with the prongs cut off) using glue dots, and finally my sentiment. I hope you enjoy this card!

Here's the finished card all cute & ready to give to your special loved one...

And here's a list of the participating blogs in today's hop including the design team members from MFT Stamps and Buttons Galore & More:

Barbara Anders

Debbie Carriere

Frances Byrne

Inge Groot

Jessie Rone

Joanne Basile

Jodi Collins

 Jody Morrow

Julie Dinn

Karen Giron

Karen Motz

Lisa Henke

Megan Lock

Melody Rupple

Michele Boyer

Tara Godfrey

 Elise Durenberger

Niki Meiners

Laura Bray

Dana Gustafson

Ann Butler

Carla Schauer

Keri Lee Serika 

Jen Goode

And don't forget, MFT will GIVE AWAY two MFT Gift Certificates for the blog hop. One $25 gift certificate to one randomly chosen winner from commenters on the MFT Designers' blogs and one $25 gift certificate to one randomly chosen winner from the commenters on the Buttons Galore Designers' blogs.  Buttons Galore & More will also give away two $25 button assortments the same way, so leave comments on all of the blogs participating in the hop. Winners will be chosen all over the place! I think I may even have a special something to give away to a random commenter and Google reader right here on my blog... Deadline to comment will be on July 29.

Additional Supply Links & Coupone Code Below:

Use the coupon code JULYCLEARANCE for 15% off at Lilly Belle's Paperie.