Archive for February, 2007
Apropos Corp - Wholesale Portable Files
Monday, February 26th, 2007Because I work both at home and at a “real job”, I’m constantly in a state of switching tasks. I occasionally try to use my lunch hours to get work done, but it seems like it takes half of the hour just to sort out of the mess of papers I end up carrying around. I guess that’s where a company like Apropos Corp comes in.
Apropos offers the standard file carrying cases like you’d find at Office Depot or Wal-Mart, but theirs are much more attractive. You won’t look like an overgrown hall monitor/chess club dork carrying them around. Unfortunately, their site is in Flash so there’s no easy way to post a picture (okay, I’m just too lazy to take a screenshot and cut it out). If you’re interested in taking a look, just head over to their site.
Now, since they don’t appear to sell at retail prices on their website, I’m asking you guys a favor - if you check out their stuff and end up carrying their products (especially one of their more contemporary/modern designs), let me know. I want to buy one, and obviously, I’d prefer to buy from a reader.
If you’re interested in learning more about Apropos Corp, get in touch at:
Apropos Corp
1995 Burroughs Avenue
San Leandro, CA 94577
phone: 510.614.3498
fax: 510.614.8376
e-mail: sales (at) aproposcorp (dot) com
Wine Things Unlimited - Wholesale Wine & Gifts
Monday, February 19th, 2007I’ve decided that a good bottle of wine and a cute stopper is the perfect gift to bring when you’re coming to dinner. Yes, the wine is nice, but a cute wine stopped shows that you really went the extra mile.
Wine Things Unlimited makes some great wine stoppers, among other things (like Monopoly dishes!). Their entire product line is worth a look if you have a gift or decor store.
Check these out:
Seriously, how could someone NOT be delighted to receive a bottle of wine with one of those bad boys?
Anyway, if you’re interested in becoming a reseller for Wine Things Unlimited, their contact information is below. You’ll have to go through an application process (as is the case with a number of companies), but that’s really not as scary as it sounds.
Wine Things Unlimited
PO Box 1349
Sonoma, CA 95476
Phone: 707-935-1277
Fax : 707-935-3403
e-mail: sales (at) winethings (dot) com
Top 10 Work at Home Mom (WAHM) Blogs
Tuesday, February 13th, 2007Since so many of you guys are work at home moms trying to eke out a living with eBay or web-based sales, I’ve decided to compile a list of some of the best WAHM blogs out there. From the top:
10. A WAHM’s Blog - Let me start off the list by saying that you really can’t expect a great deal of originality in the titles of these blogs. Pretty much all of them say “WAHM” and/or “Blog”. That’s just the way it is. Anyway, this one looks pretty new, but it’s promising, so it makes the list at number 10.
9. Angela Wills: Internet Marketing Mom - This site is fun, but gets a major point deduction for the lack of updates since December. We want to know, how’s the goal of quitting your full-time job going? This blog could be a major source of inspiration (and commiseration) for you wannabe WAHMs.
8. Website WAHM Blog - This one is heavy on the “mom”, light on the “work”. I haven’t read a whole lot from the archives, but she has a nice, casual writing style and her family looks very fun.
7. Entrepreneur Dad - Yeah, that’s right - DAD. There aren’t a lot of good WAHD blogs, but this one definitely stands out. It doesn’t seem to be updated as often as many blogs, but the extra resources on the site really make it worth a visit.
6. WAHM Connections - This is an EXCELLENT blog if you’re into affiliate marketing. The only reason it’s not ranked higher is because it lacks (or at least, from what I read) that personal “mom touch”. Great read, though.
5. WAHM Cafe - A lot of work at home mom blogs are more work than mom, but this one definitely isn’t. In between work-related posts (some direct sales stuff, if you’re interested), you can enjoy all kinds of nice personal touches - videos of her daughter ice dancing, most recently.
4. Work at Home Mom Blog - This isn’t one of those ghost blogs where nothing has been posted in months; it’s regularly updated with meaty and informative posts. Blogger Angela posts a lot of great search engine optimization stuff in normal language that even web newbies will be able to understand.
3. Web Momz - I like this blog. The posts are majorly entertaining (check out the Romance Writer/Work in Your Bathrobe one), the writing style is breezy, and the page is generally attractive. 3 Gold Stars!
2. Work at Home Scam Guide - It’s not updated often, but it’s always good stuff. This blog gets major extra points for being so darn practical. It’s easy to get carried away when the dollar signs are in your eyes.
1. The Mommy Blogger - You would have to look long and hard to find another WAHM blog that updates as often as this one. Seriously, you’d think she’s Perez Hilton or something. Anyway, the posts are fun, the blog is bright and happy, and my only complaint is that I have to hit “previous posts” so many times to read it all. Good job!
If anyone knows any other useful WAHM blogs (And I’m sure there are dozens), feel free to drop me a line and I’ll check them out. This blog exists to help people find what they’re looking for, so I have no problem making this a top 12, or 17, or 114 WAHM blog list if the sites are good.
EDIT - As I expected, I missed some good ones. Here they are:
Dooce - How DID I forget this one? While I don’t subscribe to the feed, I’ve read it in passing at least half a dozen times. All around, a great blog. It has a nice look and feel, great pictures, and she is definitely making some cash.
Helen Exley - Gift Books Publisher and Wholesaler
Tuesday, February 13th, 2007Have you ever seen those ridiculously adorable picture of kittens and puppies with their faces distorted by the lens of the camera? While I don’t know that Helen Exley Books is the originator of the concept, they can definitely hook you up with everything you need to target the crazy cat lady demographic:
Seriously, the Animals section of their site is not too different from Cute Overload. Even as I’m writing this, I’m finding it difficult to look away. So adorable.
Toss Designs - Wholesale Gifts
Sunday, February 11th, 2007Sometimes, it can be hard to find cute gifts that don’t come off as cheap - but that’s not the case with Toss Designs. Toss has tons of cute stuff at very moderate prices, and their products have been featured in magazines like InStyle, O, Redbook, and Ladies Home Journal. While their website doesn’t say anything about their wholesale policies, you can check out a few of their pieces:
If you’d like to get in touch with Toss Designs, contact them at:
Toss Designs
P.O. Box 844
Ross, CA 94957
Sales: 415.455.9587
Fax: 415.455.9592
sales (at) tossdesigns (dot) com
Chocolate Fish - Wholesale Gifts, Housewares, & More
Thursday, February 8th, 2007Every once in a while, you come across a company that’s so cool that find yourself wanting to whip out your credit card and start buying before you even get the chance to establish net 30 terms. That’s how Chocolate Fish is for me.
When I first checked out Chocolate Fish, I clicked on their “Gifts and Novelty” section. It was cute - not too terribly different from the kind of stuff you’d see in the typical urban gift shop. This tape caught my eye:
I started to think, “I could see myself ordering from them.” Then I clicked on their “Decorative Housewares” section. That’s what really got me. They have tons of super cute contemporary accessories and furniture items. In fact, I’ve become quite smitten with this shelving unit:
Anyway, enough about what I want. If you want to get in touch with Chocolate Fish, here’s the info:
Chocolate Fish
PO Box 775609
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
Phone: 970-879-5242
Fax: 970-879-5195
P.S. - You know, it’s kind of funny…I didn’t see a single chocolate fish on their site.
Lucuma - Wholesale Handmade Fair Trade Gifts
Monday, February 5th, 2007Depending on the part of the country that you live in, fair trade goods can be extremely good business. While Wal-Mart sells cheap machine-made stuff, plenty of people are left longing for stuff that’s made with pride, the old-fashioned way. Lucuma helps match retailers with the people who make the products. Here’s just a bit of what Lucuma has to offer:
With a $100 first order minimum, Lucuma makes it extremely easy to get started with their products. You can get in touch with them at:
Lucuma
Lucuma Designs
1144 Tallevast Rd Suite 107
Sarasota, FL 34243
info@lucuma.com
phone: 800.952.1810