Freeloader

 

Lucca spends most of his day finding a new position on the couch. I've mentioned before that Danes are couch potatoes but I'm starting to think he's taking advantage of this title. Sometimes I'm not sure how he can possibly still be snoring when his head has been hanging upside down for an hour and all the blood is rushing to his head. Recently, we've taken to call him 'the freeloader' and have been waiting for him to get up in the morning, brush his teeth, put on a tie and go to work. 

We're still waiting. 

(Although, to be fair, he did make it to the top of Cowell's Mountain recently so we won't label him as a total bum (yet!).)

New Obsession

I rarely make jewelry for myself. Don't get me wrong, I wear my own designs all the time but I don't often make pieces specifically for personal use.  Usually, my personal pieces comes from either extra inventory, pieces that had slight flaws or old samples.
This past week I had a sudden desire to design a personal piece that was bold, fun and eye catching- using all neutral tones. Currently, my favorite crystal shade is Silver and so instead of designing an entirely new piece,  I thought, well why not stack three Eva's of the same color- and viola! - exactly what I was looking for.

Three Eva Crystal Bracelets in Gold with Silver Crystal. It made an old outfit feel very fresh and new and I loved the combo so much that I've decided to make it a mimi&lu special through 6/7/2010. 

Three Eva Crystal Bracelets in the SILVER shade crystal. Your choice of Gold or Silver wire. (Gold Pictured) I love how the crystals change tone depending on how the light hits it. Sometimes a light silver and sometimes a darker pewter.  I'm obsessed! And you will be too. Reg. Price: 3 for $180, you can get your set for $160. And don't forget, shipping is FREE. (US only)

Strut your stuff at 90+

My sister snapped this camera photo while visiting our 94 year old grandma this weekend & sent it with the caption "she had on the cutest outfit today". I have to agree. Sporting some highwaisted cuffed shorts with a tucked in 3/4 length sleeve top she sure hasn't let age get in the way of style. Not to mention she sure knows how to strike a pose.

New Stores Galore

It's been a busy year for mimi&lu as new stores have been picking up the line from San Diego to San Francisco.

In San Diego, you can now find mimi&lu in the Mission Hills boutique, Cecilia. Formerly Christies, new owner Elizabeth reopened in December as Cecilia Boutique. It's filled with great finds- including my favorite scent Kai- and I'm thrilled mimi&lu now has a small place in the store.

Up the coast a bit is Mog & Rue. Located close to the coast in Encinitas, Mog&Rue also changed owners last year. New owner, Kristin, picked out some of mimi&lu's most colorful pieces - perfect for spring and summer. Jewelry should arrive mid-June so be sure to stop in and take a peek. Added bonus- this store offeres Fashion Classes! 

Head north even further and you'll find Viva Diva in San Rafael and Oakland. They have brought in mimi&lu to both of their locations and I'm thrilled! Northern California holds a special place in my heart since it is where I grew up and spent my childhood. We bounced around from San Rafael to the East Bay so I love that mimi&lu headed back to my roots.

And I couldnt be happier to have Beyond the Alley take in mimi&lu to their SF Marina location. I love the city and what a fantastic part of town. I hope you will stop in whether you're on vacation or call SF home.  Check out their 'Fashion Passport' program where you can earn free store credit and receive discounts. Love it!

Take yourself wayyy north to Seattle where you can soon find mimi&lu in Frockshop- a boutique in North Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood.  Owner Suzy, explains on her website that she wanted to create a shop where any woman could find something fun and different. So Seattle fans, head over to Frockshop and check out her vintage inspired finds.

Looking forward to continued growth and bringing mimi&lu to your city!

Break a Leg Laughing

One year ago this week, I sat with tears in my eyes listening to my vet tell me that "one day you will look back and laugh about this".  I thought to myself, 'this guy is crazy'.  Lucca had run into another dog at the park and fractured his leg. It was going to require a cast up to his armpit for weeks. He was 6 months old, 70lbs and growing. Lucca had just survived Parvo a couple months before and this was a huge blow emotionally, physically & financially.

The first day, it took my husband and I  probably 20 minutes to simply get Lucca from the vet's door into the car. The next 5-6 weeks would be filled with tears, frustration, sleepless nights and sleepy days.  Living on the second floor, we had to carry him up and down the stairs so he could go out, which took a lot of mental preparation when I was home alone.  Evenings were spent blow drying & sprinkling baby powder between his toes that slightly stuck out from the bottom of his cast, to keep them dry. The remainder of the day usually included trying to get him to take pain medication & sedatives or making sure he wasn't moving or trying to walk- very difficult for the active puppy & social butterfly that he is.

It seemed like every other dog was outside, playing, making friends and then there was Lucca, giving me sad puppy eyes swinging this 'bat' around and practically saying to me "why did you put this thing on me?!?"

Thanks to his doctors from Fido's Surgeon- especially Rainy who kept me sane- and to our vet clinic, Market Street Vet, who always takes good care of us, we are all still standing one year later.  We often talk about how trying that time was or recall small things like how we'd put him in the car and drive him to the beach just so he could look out the window and smell - and yes, once in a while, we even look back and laugh.

**Be sure to follow mimi&lu on twitter for regular Lucca updates! (#luccadog)

Get dressed.

I had a request to post photos of where I work here on the blog and since it's not everyday I get a request,  I am happy to do so.  Right now, I work in a studio/office out of my house, which is basically one room I have taken over.  Since the people who work for me work out in the field, this set up suits me. I spend most of my time between the chair at my jewelry desk and the chair at my computer desk. I'm sure I switch chairs at least 10 times a day.  I had my studio/office painted yellow because I love the color and wanted something bright and cheery.
I've been doing the 'work from home' scenario now for 3-4 years and I've definitely learned a few things. I thought I'd post some tips for working from home as well as some huge misconceptions:

Gonna work from home? Here are some things that help me survive:
- Have a set wake up time in the morning and get up. Then get dressed. And not in sweats.
- Have a routine or schedule. I do all of my 'me' stuff in the morning- workout, check personal emails, run an errand.  I know once I start working, Ill never get that stuff in.
- Make sure your workspace is defined. If you have receipts on the kitchen table, product on the coffee table, and packing materials on the dining table it's just going to be more chaotic.'
-Make time for breaks and force yourself to set aside time where you are not looking at work. This is a tough one for me.
- Coffee maker. I can't live without my Keurig.

And here are a few things to consider:
-It's lonely. Something I did not anticipate. I love people and when it's just me and Lucca, well- sometimes the dog gets an ear full.
-You wear a LOT of hats. There are plenty of times I wish I could call the "IT" guy. Instead, Im usually on hold with HP or have my fax machine in pieces.
- You never 'go home' since you are already there. Stir-crazy anyone??

That said, there are aspects I love and you might too! Have any tips I didn't mention? Share!

Interview with RICH SKINNY PRETTY

Find out what's in my closet (besides a giant dog trying to eat my favorite shoes) The girls of fashion blog RICH SKINNY PRETTY got the inside scoop on mimi&lu and you can read the interview here!