M in Spaaaaaaaaace!!

M Design Boutique can now be "Friended" on Myspace!

Here's the link: http://www.myspace.com/mdesignboutique

If you have a myspace profile, click to "Add" me as a friend! There are pictures of every single thing for sale in M Design Boutique, along with prices and special coupon codes for myspacers only!

I will also feature a Photo Album with pics of happy customers using/wearing their purchases...so if you have a picture for that album, send it to info@mdesignboutique.com!

Pictured Above: Happy Customer at "Felt Club" in Silverlake (Los Angeles), CA -- Wearing a Swirl Yarnthings Rock and Roll Boa!

Scott Lewis of M Design Boutique Presents: The Pet Series - Greeting Cards

These are beautiful. The cards are 5"x7" and blank on the inside. You can buy a single card or you can order a set of eight. The sets are either eight of one image, or one of each image. They will be available in the boutique later today!

From the top left to the bottom right: Syrrus 1, Sawdust, Ruby, Cowboy, Zippy, Xavier, Syrrus 2, Rex

Click the image up there to enlarge! Cards are $4 for one or a set of eight for $24. A portion of the sale of the Pet Series cards will be donated to Buddy Dog!

Free Charm Bracelet with Purchase of Three Charms!

No Coupon Code Necessary. We will include your bracelet with your order of three or five + charms if you order between 3/17/08 and 3/21/08.

Free Charm Bracelet with Purchase of Three Charms!

Free Charm Bracelets All Week at M Design Boutique! (mdesignboutique.com) Monday March 17th through Friday March 21st -- Get a FREE CHARM BRACELET! Purchase three sterling silver charms for a free single-chain bracelet (normally $15), or five or more sterling silver charms for the multi-charm bracelet (normally $25). Limit one free bracelet per customer.

St. Patrick's Day in New England

This isn't the usual "World of M" topic, but here goes!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It is my first one here in the Boston area where there are of course...a lot of Irish people. All the local Irish Bars have bagpipers and other traditionl Irish folk bands playing today, and have throughout the weekend as well.

One year ago today we were having our going-away party in LA and preparing to move here! We arrived here on April 1st after 3,000 miles in the car with Cowboy, my stressed out kitty. We proceeded to live in a hotel for two months until moving into our current home.

Its almost Spring and the snow is melted. St. Patrick's Day '08...I suppose we should go with the local tradition and have a boiled dinner!

Here's a recipe...
(New England boiled dinner is a one pot dish consisting of corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. It is a traditional Irish-American dish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (5 1/2 pound) corned beef brisket
• 2 large onions
• 15 small white (Irish) potatoes
• 10 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 heads cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the beef brisket under cold water, and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the roast by 6 inches. Peel the onions, and place them in the pot with the roast. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 30 minutes at a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low so that the water is at a gentle boil, cover, and cook for 3 1/2 hours.
2. Remove the lid from the brisket. Remove onions, and cut into wedges. Return them to the pot. Add carrots to the pot, then place the cabbage over the roast. Place the potatoes on top of the cabbage. Place the lid back on the pot, and cook for another 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. The potatoes should be immersed in the water by now, but if not, keep the lid on so they can steam.
3. Remove the vegetables from the pot, and place in a separate serving bowl. Keep the corned beef in the pot until ready to slice and serve because it dries out quickly.

Have it with a Guinniss Beer, of course!

Prizes!

I'm happy to report that we've been collecting some awesome prizes for the Buddy Dog Sip, Shop & Support Event on April 19th...

The prizes (listed below) will be given away in a raffle at the event. Raffle tickets will be available for $1 per ticket!

There will also be "goody bags" filled with lots of, well, "goodies" -- including a dog or cat themed wine stem charm from M Design Boutique! There is also a coupon in every bag redeemable for a free issue of "Fido Friendly Magazine"!! There will be fifty goody bags available for $2 each.

All raffle ticket and goody bag sales proceeds will be donated to Buddy Dog, along with 20% of sales proceeds from the local vendors selling all kinds of cool stuff at the event.

Wine tasting is free!

Here's the list of prizes SO FAR:

• Two copies of "The Dangerous Books for Dogs" -- autographed by the authors! (Thanks to co-author Janet Ginsburg for the donation)
• Gift Certificates for a manicure and a pedicure from Life's Simple Pleazures Spa (on Main Street in Waltham)
• A tote bag, a t-shirt and a mug from The Lazy Dog Inn of New Hampshire (an extremely dog-friendly Bed and Breakfast that we've stayed at...they're awesome)
• A one year gift subscription from Fido Friendly Magazine, who also donated 50 free sample issues for the goody bags!
• Greeting Cards (The Pet Series) from Scott Lewis of M Design Boutique
• Bath and Body Products from Mystic Bliss Creations (of M Design Boutique)
• A Charm Bracelet with Pet Charms from M Design Boutique

If you would like to add to the list of prizes and help raise money for Buddy Dog's awesome cause, please contact me at info@mdesignboutique.com and I will send you information.

Buddy Dog also has a "wish-list" of items that help them do what they do...We will be collecting items from the wish list at the event. If you cannot attend the event, but wish to donate one of these items (click here to see the list) -- please email info@mdesignboutique.com and I will provide information on getting those donations to Buddy Dog!

Thanks to everyone helping to make this event a successful fundraiser, and a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Here's Why I'm Raising Money to Save Animals

This is my almost-six-years old cat "Cowboy" who came all the way from Istanbul to Los Angeles...and now has crossed the country in a car (meow meow meow meow, meOWWW). He's very worldly and has a pink nose and pink toes and white boots. He hates going to the doctor.

This is my exactly one-year old puppy "Sawdust" who came from Indiana all the way to Connecticut where we picked him up and brought him to Mass. in June of 07, right after we moved into our place. He likes um...everything, and very much. You can tell by his full-body wag. He's a rock star.

All Over the World!

Check it out! This blog is getting traffic from all over the world!

So...Welcome World

Albanian - Mire se vini
Arabic - Ahlan Wa Sahlan
Aruba(Dutch Carribean) - Bon Bini (Bong Be-knee)
Australia - Cooee Cobber
Australia - G'day Mate
Australia - Welcome
Catalan Countries - Benvinguts
China - huan ying
Cyprus - Kalosorisate
Czech Republic - Vitame Vas
Czech Republic - Vitejte
Danish - Velkommen
Dutch (Netherlands) - Welkom
Esperanto - Bonvenon
Ewe (pronounced "EVÉ" spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin) - Woezor (pronounced WOÉZON)
Flemish (Belgium) - Welkom
French (France, et.al.) - Bienvenue (the first 'n' is nasal)
German - Willkommen
Ghana - Akwaaba
Greek - and Kalos ilthes (singular)
Greek - Kalos ilthate(plural)
Hawaiian - E komo mai (pronounced "eh como my" - literally, "come in")
Hindi - Swaa-gat hai
Indonesian - Selamat Datang
Irish - Cead Mile Failte ("One Hundred Thousand Welcomes")
Irish - Failte romhat
Italian - Benvenuto
Japanese - Irasshaimase (weclome to our store, often shortened to Irasshai)
Japanese - Yookoso (welcome to our city)
Korean - Oh so, Osay-o (welcome to our store)
Korean - Chun-manay-oh (your welcome)
Malaysia - Selamat Datang
Netherlands - Welkom
New Zealand - Kia Ora - Hello ("Key or ra")
Norway - Velkommen ("Welkommen")
Polish - Dzieñ dobry (daytime)
Polish - Dobry wieczór (evening time)
Portuguese - Bem Vinda- Female
Portuguese - Bem Vindo- Male (Bem vindos, plural "bain - same as in pain "VEEN-doe" Plural: "bain VEENdoes")
Portuguese (Be Very Welcome) - Muito Bem Vindo ("MOO EEN toe bain VEENdoe")
Romania - Multumesc
Spanish - Bienvenido
Schwiizer Duetsch (Swiss German) - Greuzi ("GREW-tzih")
Tagalog (Pilipino) - Mabuhay
Twi (Ghana) - Akwaaba
Ukraine - Laskavo prosymo
United States (South) - How Y'all Doin'?
Urdu - Tash-reef Laa-i-ye
Uzbekistan (Uzbek) - Hush kelibsiz (Welcome)
(Wales/Cymru - Croeso ("Croysso")
Yugoslavia (Serbia) - Dobrodosli

And to all you programmers out there: "Hello World!"

Spring's BIG Trend -- BIG ACCESSORIES!

So...I'm no authority on fashion...just ask my boyfriend or anyone else who sees me regularly...But I do have an eye for awesome stuff. Seriously...I do! That paired with my ability to read about fashion....have brought me to this: Big Crazy Accessories are the current trend! Wow! How great for a person who wears Big Crazy Accessories all the time anyway! I'm hip! For now at least.

Enough about me though...I'm writing because I want to announce that I'll be adding a new designer to M Design Boutique! She's from California and she's getting lots of attention from the fashion world...and me! I mean, a vintage "My Little Pony" necklace?!! Someone pinch me!

The Gift to Keep on Giving!

Starter Charm Bracelets

Starting a charm bracelet for someone special makes a great gift. You can start a bracelet with one or two charms and keep adding at every special event, or “just because”. Here are some ideas:

Bride's Maids: Start a bracelet for each attendant with a charm that best represents her, or your friendship.

Teens: Parents can start a life-long tradition with their daughters by starting a bracelet for her on her first teen birthday. Pick a charm for a trip you went on, her favorite sport, etc.

Wives and Girlfriends: Score major points by giving her a little heart charm hanging from a bracelet. Great for an anniversary, or just because! A keepsake alternative to flowers...or to go WITH the flowers!

Moms and Grandmas: Charms are a great way to remember important family events, travel and hobbies.

Brides-to-Be: Charms make a great gift from her fiance or future mother in law. A flower like she'll have at the wedding, a champaign glass or a heart!

Best Friends: Start a bracelet for each of you with a special charm only the two of you can appreciate.

New Moms: Starting a bracelet for the birth of a child is a cherished way to commemorate the new arrival.