Parker Updates

Can be found at Kiki's blog.  I'm spending the day over there as her guest blogger.

This Could Be It!

As of 7:30 this morning the the Pitocin is a drippin'.  We've waited almost 38 weeks to meet baby Parker & the wait is almost over.  He'll be here before we know it (hopefully for Kiki's sake by the end of the day).  She packed her bags, she packed Parker's bags, she tidied the nursery and checked in at the hospital last night.  Now we wait.

Kiki was a champ a couple of weeks ago when Dr. Chick and I made the short trek to Birmingham to help put the finishing touches on the nursery.  She let me take pictures of her adorable pregnant self in the newest addition to the Monogram Chick line of personalized items "for her".   Kiki is going to look great in all of those post delivery pics as she sports her Monogrammed Hospital Gown.  Perfect for nursing and easy access for the epidural with snap closure back.  Available in pink/white polka dot and blue/white polka dot as well as sizes Small/Medium and Large/XLarge.

 We can't wait to meet the newest chicklet and I'll be certain to share photos as soon as we have them!

W-I-N-N-E-R!

So, I should have posted this yesterday but I didn't.  It is just so hard to catch up after the weekend.  Especially, after the great weekend we had!  A trip to Kiki's {photos of our nursery project coming soon--pinkie swear}as well as a very fun visit to our local Apple store (can you say ipad?!) and hanging out with terrific friends made this a full and great weekend. 

With all that being said, I know I'm late...and I apologize.  Without further rambling, the winner is:

Thanks so much, Donna, for entering the giveaway, I am so glad that my bloggy friend, Melinda {Tales from My Empty Nest} sent you over because you both win!!

A Memorial Day Giveaway!

It's been a while since we've hosted a giveaway here at "the chick" so in the spirit of graduation and wedding season we're giving a way our super popular Monogrammed Spa & Cosmetic Bag Set!

Whether you're off to college or spend the day chasing the kiddo's, every chickadee needs a monogrammed spa wrap for after shower and a cute matching cosmetic bag.

Entering is easy-peasy....leave a comment with your favorite Monogram Chick font and color (combination) and we'll choose a winner on Tuesday morning.

Tell your friends and you could win too!  If your web buddies tell me they learned about the giveaway from your blog, tweets or facebook status and they win....you win too!

 If your email or blog is not linked to your profile, leave your email address, pretty please!

Kiki's Shower

This past weekend I made the trek to Birmingham for Kiki's baby shower.  It was an estrogen filled weekend {thank you for your patience, Coco!} as we celebrated the impeding arrival of baby Parker with close friends and family. 

 Isn't Kiki the cutest little preggo?!  {Sorry, seester, don't kill me!}

A baby shower for my nephew would not be complete without some monogrammed goodies.  Ashley did an amazing job making the diaper cake...isn't it cute!?!   She obliged me and added a monogrammed burp cloth and diaper cover.

I found the invitations (pictured atop the cake) through a new friend, Allison, at the English Pea.  She has some of the most adorable stationery for children and the spoon is stamped with "parker" thanks to Lisa Leonard.

Monogram Chick Giveaway @ The Design Girl Blog

Y'all know that I heart the Design Girl (Danielle) and think she is uber talented and super fab.  So, all that being said, when she contacted me last week to sponsor a giveaway on her blog I obliged, of course!  Visit her blog to get the deets and to enter the Preppy Travel Mug Giveaway!

A Little More Preppy....

I'm a good southern, Georgia girl and love me some country music.  Country music, Tory Burch and a monogram are the makings of a good day for me.  Two of my faves are Lady Antebellum and Easton Corbin.  For those of us that aren't a little more country but rather a little more preppy check out Lady A's spin off of Easton Corbin's "A Little More Country".   Enjoy the tune, chickadees!

Recipe Card Sale!

Stock up and save....Buy 2, Get 1 Free...Personalized Recipe Cards

Pair with our Monogrmamed Recipe Box to make great teacher, mother's day, wedding and graduation gifts!

Dr. Chick In Ink!

So when Dr. Chick and I are not "chick-ing it", we can be found at Woodall Orthodontics on South Carroll Road.  The local paper did a great article about hometown folks opening businesses at "home."  We like to think of South Carroll Road as the up-and-coming street in Villa Rica and are proud to make the Woodall Orthodontics home on a street with such history.  {The home we purchased and remodeled into the office stayed in the same family until we purchased it.  Joe's dad built the house in the 1950's with his own hands, Joe grew up under it's roof and when he married he and his wife chose to live under the very same roof.  We are proud to be a part of it's lineage.}

***** 

A new generation of entrepreneurs converge on South Carroll Road
by Spencer Crawford/The Villa Rican

source

Mac Pilgrim, a 1992 graduate of Villa Rica High, set up his office on South Carroll Road three years ago after commuting to Atlanta for law school and to work for a variety of law firms. He said there was never any question that he would one day come back to Villa Rica to open his own practice.

“I’m from here and I never planned on living somewhere else,” he said.

Villa Rica’s growth the past 10 years has brought in a variety of national shopping chains and restaurants, but on South Carroll Road many of the businesses are owned by Villa Rica High School graduates who are trying to make their way in their hometown.

Villa Rica is no stranger to the family-run businesses being passed from one generation to another, but many of those on South Carroll Road have made their own professional mark and, like Pilgrim, say they wouldn’t have done it anywhere else.

“For years and years, a lot of businesses in our city have enjoyed being able to be passed down from one generation to another, which is a wonderful thing to have in the city,” said Mayor J. Collins, a 1995 graduate of VRHS and owner of J. Collins Funeral Home on South Carroll Road. “There are a lot of great, well-known businesses that have been passed down from generation to generation, but it’s refreshing to me to see people my age, my generation — all these people we’re talking about are under 40 years old and most are not much over 30 — to step out and hang their shingle to be able to serve the people of the community they grew up in. That makes me feel good about where our town’s going.”

Pilgrim said at the time he opened his law practice in Villa Rica there were just a handful of attorneys operating in the city and those were mainly concentrating on real estate law. He used his experience in criminal law, worker’s compensation and personal injury law to fill a need that wasn’t being met in the city.

“I felt like the city could support another lawyer who could fill that niche and being from here that name recognition could go a very long way,” he said. “It’s been a very good experience. The city has grown tremendously since I was growing up and being from here I get a lot of business from people who know me, but the new people moving in aren’t tied to any local attorney and I get business there as well.”

Jaime Best, a 1994 graduate of Villa Rica High, opened her own hair salon, J. Best Hair Co., on South Carroll Road a few months ago. After working for others in Atlanta and Temple, she said she always knew when she opened her own salon it would be in Villa Rica.

“I bleed purple and gold,” Best said, referring to the Villa Rica High School colors. “I’m a big Villa Rica supporter, the city, the school, everything. I’m just a hometown girl.”

Best, like Pilgrim, said she benefits from name recognition and it’s more convenient for her customers who were coming to her when she worked in Temple to set appointments now that she’s in Villa Rica. Best also employs another Villa Rica graduate, Jaime Perry, who graduated in 1998.

Businesses locate in a particular city for a variety of reasons, but, like Pilgrim, they approach it from a practical business standpoint. If you offer services no one else in town does, it will usually bode well for your success.

For Karen Fountain, owner of The Perfect Poppy Florist and 1995 graduate of Villa Rica High, opening her shop in Villa Rica was a practical business decision. Though she lives in Carrollton now, she said the nature of her business dictated that she locate in Villa Rica so she’d be close to the interstate and thus more mobile to serve not only Villa Rica, but the entire region.

“Villa Rica is centralized,” she said. “I do a lot of full-service jobs, but I specialize in weddings and being here it makes it a lot easier to get jobs in Dallas, Carrollton, Buchanan, all over really.”

Niles Woodall was born and raised in Villa Rica, though he graduated from Oak Mountain Academy in Carrollton in 1996. His father, Steve Woodall, is a prominent dentist in the city and his son worked by his side for three years. However, he too saw that he could fill a need so he went back to school to become an orthodontist.

Woodall opened his orthodontics office on South Carroll Road late last year and has benefited from the family name, as well as the fact that he’s the only orthodontist in the city.

“Villa Rica is home,” Woodall said. “There was never a question that I would come back to Villa Rica after I finished school because I knew that’s where I wanted to be.”

Collins said the opportunity for local graduates to open businesses locally is directly related to the growth the city has felt in recent years, jumping from a population of just a few thousand people to one that has far surpassed 10,000 people.

“I love Villa Rica, it’s my home,” Collins said. “There are a lot of things I miss about the 3,500 population we used to have, but the one good thing I see about growth and new people in our community is the need for these services that our hometown people are providing.

“There’s a lot said about preserving history and preserving the hometown feel, but nothing makes your hometown even better than having hometown folks going into business for themselves.”

A Confession and A Suggestion

I was trolling blogs this morning, hitting up my usual reads for pearls of wisdom.  Today's pearl came from Erika of Urban Grace Interiors.  Erika has a twin sister, Darby {Fly Through Our Window}, both of whom I blog stalk.  Hello, my name is MonogramChick and I'm a blog stalker.  Nice to meet you.  Now that I've cleared that up and gotten it off my chest I feel better.
So, today's pearl:  The Belinda Carlisle station on Pandora.  AWESOME!  
I've been listening for the last 30-45 minutes and heres a sampling of the 80's magic I've been jamming to:

• Circle In the Sand-Belinda Carlisle
• La Isla Bonita-Madonna
• Joyride-Roxette
• I Think We're Alone Now-Tiffany {a personal fave}
• Goodbye to You-Patty Smyth
• Shadows of the Night-Pat Benatar
• Flashdance...What a Feeling-Irene Cara
• Heaven is a Place on Earth-Belinda Carlisle
• Lucky Star-Madonna
• Everywhere-Fleetwood Mac
• Leave a Light On-Belinda Carlisle
• I Drive All Night-Cyndi Lauper
• Boderline-Madonna

Please tell me I'm not the only one who wants to stick a scrunchie in my hair and dance around my bedroom after listening to these songs?!

The question is:  what do you Pandora? 

photo source

edit:  Breathless-The Corrs & I Just Died In Your Arms-Cutting Crew have also played....lurve it!

Stock up on Springtime Stationery & Save

 

Click Here to Shop Now and Save!

Double the note cards means double the gift--Great for teachers, hostesses and those ever-fun pre and post baby or wedding thank you notes.

Happy Birthday Dr. Chick!

32 years ago today my best friend was born.  A man who is compassionate, patient, kind and loving.  A man of God, honest, loyal, and the funniest, most whitty person I've ever known.  A man who makes me laugh each day, a man who doesn't do anything without giving it his best, a man who enjoys the outdoors, projects--big and small, an adventure, a good road trip and can (i swear) talk to animals.  32 years ago today the world was made brighter by my soul mate, the one who knows me better than anyone else, the one who supports all my crazy ideas, the man whom I love with all of my heart.

Happy Birthday Dr. Chick!  I hope your day is half as wonderful as you are!

Monogram Etiquette {Part 1}

About this time every year the Monogram Chick studio tele is buzzing off the hook with questions about appropriate monogram order.  It seems that lately the questions circle around the newer, more modern combined monogram.


Boy and girl meet, boy and girl get married, boy and girl have a new joint monogram.


Traditionally the male monogram (first, middle, last) goes on glass ware and the female monogram (first, last, middle) is adorned on linens.  We're in a new time, chickadees, and things are 'a changin'.  It is often common to add the married couples monogram to kitchen and bath towels, bar ware, stationery and just about anything else that looks fab with a monogram.

The joint monogram is new and different, a child of gen-x therefore, has no real rules.  Typically, the female's initial fits nicely on the left, with the male's on the right and their married last name initial situated perfectly in the center.  However, not one to conform, the combined monogram does not always follow these rules and the male initial often finds itself on the left with the female's initial on the right.  One thing remains constant, the married last name initial presents itself large and in charge in the center.

So really, the nuts and bolts of the combined monogram:  there are no rules...female initial on the left or right, it doesn't so much matter and is up to you.

Have other pressing monogram etiquette questions?  Leave a comment and we'll add your query to Part 2.

Pack Your Bag for St. Lucia

Meredith....you're our Monogrammed Duffel Bag Giveaway WINNER!

 

Email me (sarah @ monogramchick.com) and we'll personalized your bag so you can start packing!

Thanks to all 234 commenters...holy blog traffic, chickadees!

Keep checking back, more giveaways....very, very soon!

Sister Chick is having a.....

BOY!  

That's right, the chicklet that will be arriving in July is sporting the male goods.  Kiki and Coco are thrilled, not surprisingly, we've already been shopping for adorable baby boy goodies.  Of course, this means that there will be new baby items on the website....nothing like a nephew for added inspiration.  So, this begs the question: What do baby chicks need that Monogram Chick doesn't carry?  

I'm asking y'all, what do we need to add to Monogram Chick in the baby department?  This is Kiki's first, we need your input!

Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!  You still have a day and a half to enter to win a Monogrammed Weekend Duffel; our best giveaway yet!

A Giveaway!

It's no secret I've been yearning for the beach. I want to stick my frozen toes in the sand and soak up the sun. In the spirit of travel and getting away I thought it was high time for a giveaway. It seems as though it's been ages since we've done one of these....the time is right, the time is now and it's a B-I-G One!

Any one of these bags could be sporting your name or monogram, packed in a car, plane, or train headed for fun.
This is our biggest giveaway yet; our monogrammed weekend duffel sells for $58!

Here are the deets:

~Leave a comment with the bag color you'd chose if you're the winner.
~Tell us for where you'd pack this glorious bag (mine would be St. Maarten bound)
~If you don't have a blog or webpage linked to your username leave an email {pretty please}
~Grab the graphic, add it to your blog, telling the blogosphere about the AWESOME GIVEAWAY MonogramChick is hosting
~Tell your bloggy friends to tell me that you sent them and you'll be entered an additional time for each friend you send!
~Giveaway ends Wednsesday, February17th at noon!

*entries made without bag color and destination will not be eligible to win*

**Giveaway is now closed**

New Duffels at Monogram Chick!

As winter is closing in on us here in Georgia, I am dreaming of being here:


Toasty sand in my toes, the sound of waves lapping the beach and the warm sun shining down on my winter blues. Any beach will do, the Caribbean would be nice, but not totally necessary.

To get there I would pack in this {the pink one, with a fuchsia monogram, to be specific}:


Just enough space for the weekend essentials and I'm set, heading to the coast ready for the sand, sun and fun.

Where are you dreaming of escaping to this winter? Which NEW Monogram Chick Duffel color is your fave?

Fun Uses for Monogrammed Goodies

So Kiki is back at it....she's made another diaper cake. This time she got to showcase her mad skills with a girlie-girl masterpiece. She added a pair of monogrammed bloomers and pink/chocolate preppy monogrammed burp to make this cake over the top {not that I'm partial or anything....wink, wink}.




So, what have you done with your Monogram Chick loot? Anything creative, fun, unique or imaginative?
Send me a pic, I'll showcase you here and will send ya a little goodie as a big fat "thank you". Email pictures to: sarah {at} monogramchick.com.