Big Changes Ahead!

I'm so, so, excited!  Today is my last day of work in my office at my "real job".  Starting tomorrow I am joining the Work-from-Home force ahead of my family's big move to Tennessee at the end of the week!

Working from home is going to be a big change for me.  It's going to require a LOT of discipline and ORGANIZATION!  Luckily, I've found the Erin Condren Life Planner to help get me there.

Let me start by saying, I am a total organization junkie.  I am by no means organized.  I'm one of the most dis-organized people I know...by a long shot.  But I try.  I am obsessed with office supplies and organizational tools.  As a kid, one of my favorite Christmas gifts was an Office Max gift card in my stocking - screams of joy for that one.

One of my favorite things to buy/use is a paper planner.  I consider myself to be very tech-minded (I do work in IT after all...), and I use a lot of online organizational tools like Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Keep (notice a trend?), and Dropbox.  But there is something about putting a pen to paper, making an actual physical list, then checking or crossing things off of that list, that gives me such a sense of accomplishment - one I've never been able to replicate on a screen.

My husband was making fun of me the other day because I was describing to him the never-ending supply of notepads and notebooks I have to pack up as I move from an actual office to my new home-office.  4 years worth of notes and lists...things that I look back on from time to time when I need to remember something (I was blessed with a terrible memory...I'm one of those people who would forget their head if it wasn't attached...and I mean that in the least cliche'd way possible).

give me ALL the notebooks!

I grew up using a Franklin Planner.  It was very grown up and sophisticated, but if I'm being honest, I hated it.  I never used it the same way I used the notebook style planners I could get at the office supply store/section.  One of my favorite planners ever was the one I got for free at my college orientation.  I was so mad when I didn't get another my sophomore year.  That thing was legit.  The spiral-bound notebook style planner is just my thing.  It gets me.

So cut to last night - my husband and I were packing and purging (something that is very difficult for me as well...I'm a bit of a hoarder) and I found my old Franklin Planner.  I decided to keep it out because it would be a great tool to keep me organized as I transitioned to working from home.  But then today, as I was looking through new refill packs and not finding anything nearly cute enough, I decided I didn't want my old Franklin Planner any more.  I needed to go back to the old school.  I remembered my direct sales friends all RAVING about Erin Condren planners for their businesses and decided to look them up.

 

Um...I am in LOVE.  This is exactly what my life has been missing.  This is everything I need in a perfect little spiral-bound package.  I can organize my "real" work, I can organize my Jam business, I can organize my mom-life, and my wife-life all in this brightly colored gift from god.

Get yours here!

The 2015 planner launches in 7 days and I am all over it.  Sign me up.  NOW (actually...go sign yourselves up and get $10 off with this link)!

I'll be sure to post a review of the actual planner once I get it.  I am counting down the days, hours, minutes, seconds....until I can customize my new friend.  We're going to be besties, Erin and me.

*this post is not sponsored or endorsed by ErinCondren.com (though if they wanted to send me a free planner to review, I certainly would not say no).  All opinions are my own.*

Nepal Earthquake Relief

Jamberry has always been committed to charity - Autism, Heart Health Awareness, Fashion Delivers...  Heck, they have a whole section of the website called "Commitment to Charity".  So it was no surprise when Home Office announced yesterday that they would be releasing a special wrap dedicated to the earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.

First of all...how gorgeous is this wrap?  It's so reminiscent of traditional Nepalese fabrics and I just love it.  I also have no doubt that Jill Duggar Dillard would rock this wrap, hard core (didn't you know the Duggars LOVE Jamberry?!)

More importantly though, unlike our past charity wraps, which give $2 from the sale of each sheet to the organization, for the Nepal Relief wrap, 100% of the net proceeds* will be donated to UNICEF and their work in response to the Nepal Earthquake.  The catch, of course, is that these are only available today (May 6) until Friday (May 8, 2015) - so you've got to be quick if you want to help!

Shop here and get your wraps so you can show your support for Nepal right on your fingers!  These wraps are included in our Buy 3, Get 1 Free deal - so feel free to get 4 sheets, or mix and match with some of your other favorite or coordinating designs!

Even outside of their overall committment to different charity organizations & causes,  there's another reason why I love working for company like Jamberry. They saw a need and quickly did something about it - quickly.  Because of the nature of this product, new designs can be available within days, probably hours. It's not often that you can find something like that.  Our home office is filled with people who have good, service hearts.  I love that!

Support Nepal!

*net proceeds means total sales proceeds less Jamberry's normal costs such as commissions, manufacturing, and overhead expenses.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

"April showers are gone and May Flowers are here! This month's Sisters' Style wrap features vibrant red blossoms on a clear background. Worn alone or layered atop your favorite lacquer, May Flowers are the perfect way to guarantee gorgeous blossoms all spring long."

Today is the first day of May which means a new Sister's Style Design!  I'm loving May Flowers and am ordering it post-haste!

The floral design has me so excited for warmer weather and my favorite fashion item for spring and summer - Sundresses!

I've had so much fun tracking down a few styles that would look fab with this wrap.

Similar here and here

First up is this adorable poppy dress - if you're big into matchy, matchy, this dress compliments the wrap perfectly!  Of course I have had a hard time tracking down the designer of this dress, but I think it may be from Forever 21...either way, it's not current and that bums me out...keeping my eyes peeled on eBay!

This is an original design, but if your creative juices are flowing, you can get the pattern here.

I NEED this maxi from Urban Outfitters!

This Dorothy Perkins shift dress would be great on a cool evening

To be honest, the first thing that came to mind
when I saw this wrap was a bright yellow raincoat and rain boots...but since I'm thinking sunshine, I found some fun yellow sundresses that would look great with this wrap!

Loving the lace of this dress.  Another great one for evening activities!

How adorable is the heart cutout in this Sabo Skirt dress?  Swoon.

I love me a good maxi.  And this one from Free People is a good maxi.

You can't go wrong with a classic white sundress.  So perfect for spring (before or after memorial day)!  And the red flowers from your nails will just stand out against the neutral background!

May Flowers is only available during the month of May, so be sure to scoop it up while you can!

March Madness-inspired Jamicures!

Jamberry is great for a lot of things...including sporting your team spirit.  Which is perfect with the Final Four just around the corner!

Are you a UK Cats or UW Badgers fan?  Check out these great team spirit Jamicures!

University of Kentucky, Kentucky Wildcats, Cool Tiger

University of Wisconsin, Cardinal Lacquer

Unfortunately, Jambery doesn't have licenses yet for MSU and Duke - but I expect them to be coming in the future!  And until then, you can always get creative in the Nail Art Studio and show your Spartan or Blue Devil Spirit!

Check out this feature from ModaMob about all our Collegiate designs!

So what does your Final Four Bracket look like?  Here's mine...gotta root for the hometown team!

Good luck with your brackets this weekend and...

Jamberry is Rebranding!

Jamberry has decided to do a major re-brand, including a re-print of the spring/summer catalog!  Home Office decided it was time to start showing the wraps in real-life scenarios...in situations that real women are in every day.

Check out this video from Home Office explaining it all:

What do you think?  Personally, I think it's awesome - we're not all models.  Some of us have to change diapers and wash dishes and scoop poop.  Not to mention, it's great to show that the wraps hold up to all of that stuff!  I think this is going to be a total win for Jamberry!

oh...and APRIL FOOL'S!

Avoiding Nail Damage with Nail Wraps

Let's talk nail damage.  This is one of the main concerns I hear from both my potential and existing customers.  Will Jamberry Nail Wraps damage my nails?

Short answer - no.  

But it's a bit more complicated than that.  Jamberry doesn't necessarily create nail damage, but it does make you more aware of damage that was already there. 

The key to no nail damage is proper cuticle care.

When we don't moisturize our cuticles regularly and keep hydrated (you know...drinking those 8 glasses of water a day...), our nails dry out and are prone to peeling, breaking, etc. When you stick anything to a dry nail - it's going to peel, no way around it. When you first start using Jamberry, you may find that your nails peel a little when you go to remove them.  This is telling you that your nails are thirsty.  SO HYDRATE THEM!

We have a couple things that will help you do that.  First (and best, in my humble opinion) is our Nail Care Cuticle Oil.  Apply this stuff liberally EVERY DAY.  I keep mine on my vanity and apply it every night before I go to bed.  It's offered in two forms: a bottle with a brush applicator or a convenient pen that you can keep in your purse and apply on the go.

Cuticle Oil Pen / Cuticle Oil Bottle
Cuticle Oil Bottle also available with our convenient Manicure Set

The other product will help not only your nails and cuticles, but also your skin and hair.  This is our Beauty Boost supplement.  Beauty Boost is a daily, biotin-enriched multi-vitamin.  Within weeks you'll notice that your hair is growing (and thickening, and getting shiny and pretty), your skin is glowing (in the good way), and most importantly, your nails are getting long and strong.  They won't break as easily.  They won't peel as easily.  All will be well in the [nail]world!

Beauty Boost

The last step in damage prevention is to drink water (sorry...no purchase link for this one...).  8 glasses a day.  Coffee and Pop don't count.  Water, gatorade, flavored water - things that hydrate you will also hydrate your nails.

So here's the kicker.  I can say from personal experience this is all absolutely true. AFter being very diligent with my nail care and seeing crazy improvement in the strength and health of my nails, I got lazy and I went for a month or two without using my cuticle oil. I noticed an instant change when I removed my wraps - tons of damage because my nails were dry. I immediately went back to being super consistent with my cuticle oil and my nails are regaining their strength. Now when I remove my wraps, I still get some peeling at the top, where my nails are still dry from that past neglect, but the new growth on the bottom half is perfectly in tact and healthy.  I've been wearing my Jams non-stop for 9 months.  My nails are only healthier - because I'm actually taking care of them.  That is the key. 

Keep in mind that our nails don't heal.  In order to get rid of damage, it has to grow out.  And your nails take between 6 months to a year to fully re-grow.  I'm still growing out months old damage from my lazy neglect.  Don't let it get to that point!  Take care of your nails and they'll thank you!

It's March Matte-ness!

The new StyleBox is here!  And it comes with a new perk.  Jamberry has announced that instead of 1 catalog item and 1 exclusive item, StyleBox will now always have at least 2 exclusive items - only available to StyleBox subscribers!  Check out this month's box:

Guys.  I love these.  I'll admit, I wasn't super happy with the results the first time I tried a matte wrap, but I probably rushed my application so I really needed to give them another try.  And these spring-y designs are the perfect way to do it.  Can't wait to put these on (just as soon as my lacquer chips enough for me to take it off...and 4 days in, I'm not quite there yet...which is a great problem to have)!

Subscribe to StyleBox by the 15th of this month to receive these wraps!  Subscriptions come in 3, 6, or 12 month lengths then continue month-to-month until you choose to cancel.  You'll always get at least 2 exclusive products, a style card, orange stick, and file.  Some boxes may even contain fun bonuses like lipstick, preview samples, or embellishments - all with free shipping and at a discounted rate!  What are you waiting for?  Subscribe Today!

What Colors Are This Wrap?

Metallic Gold Pinstripe (or maybe we should call it Blue and Black Pinstripe instead...)

Guys please help me - is this wrap white and gold, or blue and black?  Me and my friends can't agree and we are freaking out!

Ha Ha!  By now, unless you've been living under a rock, you've seen this picture and debated with everyone you know over the color of THE DRESS:

Photo Credit: Swiked

No matter what I do, I only see this dress as white and gold (and therefore, that Metallic Gold Pinstripe wrap would actually look quite nice with it)!  But between everyone I know weighing in on the issue, it's split pretty 50/50 (with a few special snowflakes, like my husband, who see blue and brown...).

For the record, it really is blue and black - here's the same dress that was pictured above, shown in different light later in the night:

Photo Credit: Swiked

Hard to argue with that I guess.  But the rate at which this dress blew up the internet yesterday (totally overshadowing those silly llamas and net neutrality), I thought it would be fun to take advantage and do some wrap pairings!

So if the dress is white and gold - what would you pair it with?  Here are some of my suggestions:

Gold Sparkle, Gold CrissCross, Metallic Gold Pinstripe, Gold Leopard Tip

If the dress is blue and black - what would you pair it with?  Here are my thoughts:

Spotted, Black Lace, Berry Blue Tip, Victorian Lace

And what about if the dress wasn't white and gold OR blue and black?  What if it was red?  or white?  or peach?

Rose Gold Sparkle, Black Lace, Fire Engine, Victorian Lace, Flourish, Black Tip, Berry Blue, Lace Noir

If you've totally fallen in love with this dress by Roman Originals as a result of all this hubbub (seriously, I need it now...just need to decide which color...I wish it came in white and gold!), you can get it here!

And after all that - this is all I can think of!

"Blue!" "No, Pink!" "Blue!" "PINK!" "BLUE!"

My Oscar Dream Dress & #SipsAndTips Update!

OK - I'm a little bit of a slacker - I totally forgot to post this on Sunday.  But better late than never right?!

Part 1: Oscar Dream Outfit
I was watching the Oscars Red Carpet special, looking at all those fabulous gowns, and trying to decide what Jams I would have paired with each one.  So many great choices!  Then I got inspired to put together my own dream Oscars outfit - complete with accessories!

Dress - Carmen Marc Valvo, Shoes - Christian Louboutin, Clutch - Christian Louboutin
Nails - Venus, Luna, Sweet Symphony

What do you think?  Would you pair any other wraps with that dress?  What would you wear?

Part 2: Sips and Tips Update

I finally redid my nails.  I'm currently rocking Soiree and Glam, which were the basis and inspiration for my #SipsAndTips entry (see original post).

I'm ready to enjoy a cold one to celebrate the start of #springtraining. I'm loving how perfectly my nails represent my @tigers with a little extra sparkle for our upcoming #worldseries win...obvi! Hopefully@jamberrynails and @stylebistro also love my#SipsAndTips because that garden party prize pack would be great for an #OpeningDay get together!

#soireejn #glamjn #baseballisback #detroittigers#nails #nailart #jamberrynails #Jamberry#jamwithchel

Have you shown off your #SipsAndTips yet?  Be sure to tag me @JamWithChel or #JamWithChel so I can see them too!

Show off your 'Sips & Tips' and Win!

Rose Colored Glasses over Rose Gold Sparkle

Jamberry has teamed up with Style Bistro for #SipsAndTips - a contest to help you welcome spring with a Garden Party for you and 14 of your closest friends!

To enter, just post a photo of your Jams holding your favorite drink on Instagram by February 28th - have fun with it because the winner will be chosen on how creatively they pair their wraps with their drink!  Be sure to tag @JamberryNails and @StyleBistro and include the #SipsAndTips Hashtag.  That's it!

Here are a few ideas to get you inspired!

White Chevron over Metallic Chrome Silver

Champagne Toast and Marsala Stripe

Cosmic

Popstar (retired)

So what do you win?  StyleBistro is hooking you up with a gift box worth $3500 to help you throw a Garden Party for you and 14 friends!  Here's what's included!

1. Olympus PEN E-PL7 Camera, 2. Pommery POP champagne, 3. Jay Imports Medallion Colors Goblets, 4. Loraylyn Designs Butterfly Wine Charms, 5. Lulu & Georgia Molli Tray in Rosie Posie, 6. JewelScent Candles Wildflower Meadows candles, 7. Ban.do Party Banner Necklaces, 8. 1-800 Flowers Exotic Breeze Orchids Bouquet, 9. Happy Plugs Ear Buds, 10. 20 Smiles Photobooth Prop Kit, 11. Le Couvent de Minimes Eau des Minimes Moisturizing Hand Cream in Blood Orange and Rosemary, 12. Bare Minerals Bareskin Foundation and 13. Perfecting Brush, 14. Williams Sonoma Sweet Shoppe Champagne Bubbles Candy (not pictured)

I've got a great idea for my own entry...I just need to wait a few days until I change out my Jams (darn those Jamberry Nail Wraps and their insane ability to last 14 days on my fingers)!  I'll be sure to come back and update you once I've entered!

And I want to see your entries too!  So make sure you also tag @JamWithChel in your post so I can see all your wonderful #SipsAndTips!




This contest is sponsored and run completely by Jamberry Nails Corporate and StyleBistro.  I am not affilitated with either and have no influence over the winner selection, prizes, rules, etc.  Click here for official contest rules.