Now we don't mean the remote control in your hand while you are watching Michael Scott and his crew of The Office. We're talking about the
MY oilcloth world headquarters. Our work ethic is a little more stable than our Hollywood friends and we need to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. That takes organization. We have done a few small things in the office that have helped us to streamline some of the mundane, but very necessary tasks, by following a simple rule: "Keep everything at your fingertips."
Our printer/copy center: Okay, don't laugh, it's just a couple of shelves, but that printer is producing all day long. There are several ink cartridge replacements and paper changes and refills during the day. We keep all of our supplies together, different types of paper and labels including a little mini recycle bin for our empty ink cartridges.
The Board: Our design board keeps everything we have going on design wise, fabrics, components, beauty shots of our bags. It is all right there in front of us all the time, inspiring us; when we have an idea or something we want to remember to change, it goes on the board.
The Partners Desk: Without it, we are nothing. This basically keeps each other within slapping range if one of us says something stupid. Mostly we do a lot of high fives, you would know that if you watched our youtube channel.
What are your favorite tips for keeping your workspace organized?
Best,
I know you were expecting Michele or Yvette, but it's me, Gretchen, the new intern here at MY oilcloth inc. I've come to them from the Tufts University Entrepreneurial Leadership Program.
Thanks to me, Michele and Yvette are busy Tweeting and Facebooking. I couldn't be more proud of them! In the first three days I was plagued with questions...
"Why do people need to hear that you're still hungry?!"
"Why would people want to see pictures of my grandma's 80th birthday party?!"
"Why does the whole world need to know that your kid needs a ride to the orthodontist?!"
Why? Why? Why? They started to sound like toddlers! So I finally set them straight. I reminded them that people want to know when new styles are coming out, when we're in a new store, and that the MY cult following needs a place to convene. And then when I told them it would make them seem ten years younger, they were all over it.
By the way, this internship's for credit--so please join the MY oilcloth Facebook page! You'll love connecting with other MY fans...and it wouldn't hurt my grade either!
Best,
Gretchen
P.S. Interns get free MY bags...yesss!
We are always intrigued by those books the size of pamphlets that claim to demystify the secrets of life, give you a few easy steps to becoming a better, more enlightened person or simplify the entire real estate market so that "you too can become independently wealthy."
If we were to write a book, it would be called something like, All We Needed to Learn About Life We Learned at MY oilcloth inc. Okay, not so original. We know, but that brings us to our first life lesson.
Don't be afraid to build on others' ideas: Before starting this venture, we had owned bags from other companies with durable straps and tons of pockets. Those bags are inspirations for our MY collection.
Listen up: Sometimes it is the most unassuming folks that come up with the best suggestions. When the UPS guy says something, we're all ears.
Be nice: Nice is highly under rated. And don't be nice just because you want people to be nice to you. How about just because it feels good. And by the way, goodwill is good business.
We don't really know anything: The only thing that could have prepared us for this business is to have been oilcloth handbag designers in another life. Come to think of that wouldn't have even helped because now you have to be an oilcloth handbag maker and an SEO expert at the same time! Just embracing that realization gives you enough perspective to keep an open mind.
It pays to look in the mirror before facing the public: Just trust us..... the M and the Y have lots of experience on this one.
What credo do you live by? Let us know so that we can add it to our list!
Best ,
- Extra sleep, seriously the New York Gift show wears a girl out!
- A week free of any computer issues.
- Milk chocolate anything from Serenade Chocolate in Brookline Village.
- The ability to restrain from eating the entire box of chocolate in one sitting. (Okay, that's more like a fantasy.)
- Jeans that fit without alterations. (Okay, more fantasy because of #3 and #4)
- New floor mats for Michele's Toyota Prius. You know, the non-stick kind.
- An open hearth gas fireplace for Yvette's dining room that takes less than 6 months to install (Do you hear that Commonwealth Fireplace!)
- A MY bag is the preferred gift for husbands to win points this Valentine's Day. Too bad for Chet and Dan, we already have MY bags. If Chet and Dan are reading this; Walgreens does not sell jewelry!
- A visit from the National Press Coverage Fairy.
- More of what we already have, loving fans of our MY oilcloth handbags.
We love you guys! Happy Valentine's Day from MY.
As Valentine's day approches, doesn't the MY pomegranate print on this wide tote look more and more like hearts?
That's right, show business. More specifically, the New York International Gift Fair. We're here once again exhibiting our wares to potential retailers of MY. It is a wonderful validation to have buyers from all over the world, ooh and aah over our fabrics, marvel at the ingenuity of our water bottle pockets and gush over other little goodies we pack inside our oilcloth bags.
But enough about business and on to after hours. Last night, we went to Uncle Jack's for a bite to eat. This restaurant would best be described as an upscale steak house. The service was phenomenal. Seriously, if we asked the waiter to cut up our lamb chops into tiny pieces and feed it to us; he would have done it. Try the Chilean sea bass and the mesclun salad with goat cheese and toasted pine nuts. The atmosphere was very old school. It was just what we need after an exhausting day of driving to NYC and setting up our trade booth.
The MY team has four more nights in New York. So go ahead and post your favorite New York City restaurant by commenting on this blog. We'd really appreciate it.
The MY Gals love to design oilcloth bags and they love to eat.
MY oilcloth trade booth at the New York International Gift Fair.
Trust us, the old adage, "you can never have enough press" is so true. Here at MY, about once a month some publication somewhere will give us the honor of an editorial. Those days are really really good days. When we get a national press hit that's a really really good month. For instance, when Real Simple Magazine featured the MY tech pod, we would sit by our laptops, just waiting for the next order. They came in about every five minutes. As you might imagine we sold out pretty quickly. By the way, the tech pods are back in stock in all seven colors.
The best press comes from our customers who have been spreading the word about MY bags across the nation and beyond. Thank you! Want to hear what other customers are saying about MY? Check out the reviews page on our website. Click here to read reviews.
So, in the sisterhood of "it never hurts to ask", we could use your help in generating even more buzz. Know any editors? Married to an editor? Best friends with an editor? Do you like to write to editors? Are YOU an editor? Anyhow, do what you do so well and help us to expand the MY Sisterhood.
Best,
Exercise: DO IT. Michele's on her 15th day of cross-country skiing. (she got an early start). For Michele, it's all about getting some fresh air. Yvette purchased a new elliptical machine. It's day five, (she got a late start). For Yvette, it's all about buying something.
Patterns: Create new ones. Two done, one to go. Goal to send mock ups to Korea for development on Monday.
Bags: Make new ones. Lots of ideas, need to get pencil to sketch pad.
Note taking: move almost completely to electronic list taking as the list is too long to keep rewriting and prioritizing. You know THAT story. Michele is using a word doc and Yvette purchased an iphone ap called Remember the Milk.
Closets: most specifically our personal clothing closets. Purge dated items; seriously this time! Add items to wardrobe that are not black or white. If we have trouble we'll call our friend Eileen. Face it, everyone has a friend that will always tell you the truth in these matters, no matter how much it hurts. Goodbye oversized ratty fleece pants, we'll miss you!
Blog Weekly, to promote SEO. Encourage friends and customers to read your blog by giving them a code for a MYoilcloth.com discount. Done. See below.
Discount code: BLOG
How much: 20% entire order on MYoilcloth.com
When does it expire? Friday January 15th at midnight.
'til next time,
Snuggie- Please world, stop the Snuggie madness. Who needs a customized blanket to become an "active" couch potato?
Chia Obama- Okay, Chia pets are kind of funny. Not what we wish for, but we can appreciate the humor. Growing a big green afro on the top of the President's head is tasteless. However, if he doesn't do something about the health care situation we might revisit this a year from now.
A Droid, you know, the new Google phone. Listen up: At MY world headquarters if it doesn't have an i in front of the name, we're not interested. We don't CARE if the Droid fits in the MY tech pod, we still don't want it. Steve Jobs did not pay us to say that.
Ribbon Candy. Pretty in a nostalgic sort-of-way, but let's face it, it usually tastes like soap. There is one notable exception: Ultra Thin Ribbon Candy from Serenade Chocolatier which in MY gal's opinion is a luscious work of art.
I am T Pain App for iphone. We're sure our sons would like this, but, after a while it might drive us crazy. Bottom line, "Santa ain't bringin' no T Pain app up in this crib."
Happy Holidays all. Please let us know what holiday gift you do not want and Michele and Yvette promise not to buy it for you!
MYoilcloth.comfree gift wrap for online orders. (To give a lady what she really wants!)
Yeah, right. Well, that may be all well and good if you're a six year old traumatized by your recent gum exposure
Here's where we, Michele and Yvette, want to put in our 2 cents. (if only the holidays cost that little). Everyone probably thinks that all we give is MY bags for the holidays. Well, we give those sometimes, but if your kids are anything like our kids, they'd rather receive an iPod touch.
Our top gifts ideas:
For Families: Forgo the clutter, give an experience It can be anything from a gift certificate for bowling to a trip to the Statue of Liberty. Enjoying time together may be the best thing for your heart and budget. There'll be one less battery-operated shoe shiner to re-gift this year.
The Relative who wants for nothing: A Cow That's right. Help children and families around the world receive training and animal gifts that help them become self-reliant. Check it out at Heifer International. Of course, if you know which charity they support, you'll make the gift there.
For Him: Go Green with a Kindle Reading a paper-paper is so old school. Download NYT's bestsellers and the wall street journal in 60 seconds. A reader's joy.
For Her: We think that's obvious.
For The Kids: Anything from the Apple store: Enough said.
Happy Shopping,
P.S. Some of our customers had trouble entering the discount code last week. There must have been elves messing with their computers. We've extended our thirty percent sale through the weekend. Use the code FF30.
Free gift wrap on all online purchases at MYoilcloth.com
Balancing Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3.
Henri Matisse said, "What I dream of is an art of balance." Well, if he was a 21st century woman, he would have no time to dream only DO. We wonder: How would he fare juggling an iPhone, hot to the touch with to do lists and emails, a carpool schedule that would bring a NYC cabdriver to his knees combined with the rollercoaster ride of a start-up handbag business! Well, we'll never know. Balance of work and family is an issue that comes up in our studio on a daily (actually, hourly) basis. We swap slow-cooker recipes; iPhone apps to keep us organized and push each other to remember our mothers' advice, "You can't take care of others, if you don't take care of yourself."
All in the family: The Matisses, The Morgansterns and the The Geschickters. 
We love Oprah's line, "I've learned that you can't have everything and do everything at the same time."
Lord knows we've tried.
What is your tip for balancing work and family that we can add to our arsenal?
Best,
P.S. Matisse would have loved MY oilcloth bags. (He was secure in his manhood) All those pockets for art supplies, and wipeable too! Perfect.
