...love is in the air...

New and exciting things are happening with Origami Owl Custom Jewelry.  I am amazed each and every day about what is happening with this company.

I am so glad I took the leap of faith a year and a half ago and joined.

source: Google Images

For the holidays, we introduced three *Limited Edition* Holiday Charms.  A Snow Globe, Gingerbread Man and Wrapped Presents.

I wish I had ordered more.

I knew they were going to be popular...but I had no idea just HOW popular they would be.  They sold out within days.  My personal favorite is the Snow Globe...it is actually *rounded*.  Really.  The charms O2 keep introducing are amazing.  Simply amazing.

source: chrissypagnotti.origamiowl.com

{have I mentioned that the high heel charms actually STAND?!?!?  Like a tiny little Barbie doll shoe!!!}

I adore it.  Adore!

When I signed on in May of 2012, I thought to myself...'lockets and charms, what more can they come out with?'

Really?  Like I should have worried.

Origami Owl is always coming out with something new and exciting.  Fall of 2012 launched the Tagged collection.  I like it more than I thought I would {again, doubt???  what was I thinking???}  When I attended the first O2 Experience in Phoenix, AZ in July, we Designers waited with baited breath as to what would be announced.  So many new and exciting products were unveiled...but none with more fanfare than the BRACELETS!!!  I love mine, both the dangle bracelet and Link Locket bracelets.

What could be next on the horizon?

How about a HEART SHAPED LOCKET?!?!?

Yep.  A *Limited Edition* Heart Shaped plate, to boot!

Take a close look at that chain...anything interesting or different about it???

Oh, maybe that it is a HEART LINK chain!!!

What little gems of charms will you put inside your new Valentines Day themed locket???

Perhaps one {or three} of the *Limited Edition* Conversation Heart charms.

Or maybe one of the *Limited Edition* Chocolate Covered Strawberry charms, or Box of Chocolate Charms.

New charms, new plates, new dangles, new lockets, new chains.  What will Origami Owl think of next???  I am so excited to be a part of this amazing company.  If you are interested in these items, or any of the amazing items that Origami Owl has to offer, please zip me a message or shoot me a text!  I appreciate everything that Origami Owl has helped provide for me and my family over the last year and a half {that is for another blog post}  I love that I have been able to tell MY story through meaningful pieces of jewelry.  What story will YOU tell???

Back on Track

Oh my goodness...things are *just* beginning to get back to normal around here!!!

I have been hit by the flu.

Scratch that.  More like ran over by the Flu Truck.

I have not been this sick in YEARS.

Like, load me up in the car and get me to the ER sick. 

IVs in the hands for fluids and meds sick.

Yes, I was down and out for five days.  Five whole days.

Five days where I was out of commission.

I tried to not let this impact my business.


However, it did.

I had to bow out of a party {thank goodness for an amazing local team member who could take it for me}.  I missed out on returning phone calls, emails and Facebook posts. 

I swear, there is someone who is interested in becoming a Designer who may think that I am a flake.  Thankfully, everyone has been super-understanding while I catch up!!!

I missed delivering an order to a good friend and co-worker.  I even got two checks in the mail while I was sick.  I was too darn sick to even open the envelope, much less get to the bank to deposit them.

I am back on track. 

I had an Open House at the home of a friend on Sunday.  It was the first time I had been out since Tuesday afternoon {not counting the trip to the ER on Thursday}.  Even driving felt weird, but I needed to be there.  The Open House not only allowed me to showcase Origami Owl's amazing products, but we raised funds for Cole's Crew.  I learned more about Cole from his mother, a woman that I met through my failed attempt to sell Thirty-One.  I can not imagine what this woman has been through...she is so strong and does so much for others.  This is a cause I truly believe in, and a cause I can get behind.

I am slowly catching up.  Tonight, I addressed {by hand} thirty invitations to a Jewelry Bar that is being held at the end of the month.  I have a couple of orders to put in, and some catalogs to mail out, tomorrow I have a couple of phone calls to return...and then I should be good.

I do not like being behind.  I feel that it makes me look irresponsible, but this was something that could.not.be.helped.

This is the nice thing about being my own boss with Origami Owl.  I can take the time off to take care of myself, and not worry about who I am reporting to!!!  Like I said, I am grateful that everyone has been understanding so far...BUT if there is someone who just doesn't "get" why I fell behind...I can take care of them.  I can make it up to them.  I can make it worth their wait. 

Origami Owl empowers their Independent Designers to implement their own promotions or Hostess Rewards.  Your business is as successful as YOU make it. 

If you are interested in learning more about becoming part of an amazing company with incredible benefits and an awesome boss {YOU}, please leave a comment with your email address.  I would love to share this opportunity with you!!!

Changed...for the Better

Origami Owl is truly being a "Force for Good".

Our Mission Statement is ringing true to me today. 

Our Mission is to be a Force for Good; to Love, Inspire and Motivate Women of All Ages to Reach Their Dreams and Empower Them to Make a Difference in the Lives of Others.

Inspire and Motivate. Inspire and Motivate.

Today, I am not going to write about the wonders of this company and how a year ago, I had no idea what sort of ride I was in for.  {I will save that for all of the other days!!!}

Nope.  I am going to talk about change.

Change. Change for the better.

Origami Owl is teaming with country music megastars, Rascal Flatts to "inspire a movement of change across the country". 

 Now, I don't listen to country music, but what I heard moved me.  Rascal Flatt's hit single, "Changed" highlights a spiritual revelation that results in a life changed for the better.

To quote Origami Owl...

If you could do just one thing to change your life for the better, what would it be???

Would you...

* spend more time with your family???
* be a better friend???
* live a healthier lifestyle???
* improve the quality of your life in some other meaningful way???
* pursue your dreams???

Live a life with purpose!!!  Celebrate your decision to change with a Limited Edition Changed tag.

If you happen to keep up with my other blog, you will know that this resonates with me in a big way today.  I am actually inspired to make a change because of a piece of pewter jewelry.

Powerful.

Spend more time with my family???  Yes.  I am fortunate enough to have so many family members in the area...I isolate myself.  There is NO reason why I can't spend more time with my family.  This, I will change.

Be a better friend???  Yes.  Like spending more time with my family, I need to be a better friend.  Yes, my friends are spread out over the country, but I have plenty of good friends right here within a short drive.  There is NO reason why I can't spend more time with my friends.  This, I will change.

Live a healthier lifestyle???  Yes.  This is something I continually struggle with.  I can make small changes.  I can go back to working out...even if I don't have the time to go to the gym, I can walk.  The weather will be getting nicer.  This is something that I can do.   This, I will change.

Improve the quality of your life in some other meaningful way???  Yes.  This is coming to light.  Today.  This very day, I feel a huge weight is being lifted off my shoulders.  This is a little more personal and faith based, but it is something that is happening.  This, I will change.

Pursue your dreams???  Yes.  Because I am now an Independent Designer {well, technically a Senior Team Leader} with Origami Owl, I am able to pursue my dreams.   {so I lied about not telling the wonders of this company in this post}.  My vision board.  It is happening.  This, I will AM changing.

To support Origami Owl's mission of being a "Force for Good" I am donating 100% of my profit from the sale of "Changed" items to Cole's Crew to benefit Friends of Kids with Cancer.*

Cole's Crew is a support system founded by a friend of mine, who lost her son to pediatric cancer {before I met her}.  She organizes fundraising events to benefit non-profits such as Friends of Kids with Cancer, The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

Please help me be that Force for Good and order your own "Changed" tag today.   Visit my website to place your order.

Together, we CAN make a change.



*orders must be placed directly from my website, www.chrissypagnotti.origamiowl.com.  Changed items include the Changed tag ($15), Changed tag and Single Download ($16) and Changed tag and Deluxe Album Download ($28).  Profits will be donated from Changed sales on my website for the month of March.  These items are limited edition and may sell out by month's end.


 

...take a chance...

Oh my goodness...I have neglected this little blog!!!  Holy Smokes!!!  I have been SO busy!!!

My Origami Owl business has take.n.off. 

I now have a team of SEVEN Designers on my first line, and one of my first line has a Designer on HER team.

I never DREAMED I would have a team.

A team.

I am certainly learning as I go along.  I have been in retail management before, and this is somewhat similar.  I am trying to learn what makes a good mentor, a good leader. 

So far, I am making sure that my team knows that I am here for them.  If I don't know the answers to their questions, I will find the answer.  I will do my best.  Things must be getting a bit better, as I am not as stressed as I was when my team exploded!!!  I hope to touch on topics like effective leadership, and what makes a good mentor, in the future.

I also have my first ad.

Yep. An ad.

I follow a blog {several blogs, actually} that wraps up so much in a neat little package...being a mom, being a wife, being a mother...so much that speaks to me.  The author of this blog is a Disney fan {like me} and that is how we initially connected, through the Disney fan community.  She blogs about weddings {namely, Disney Fairy Tale Weddings} on another page, but I really liked how this blog touches on all aspects of a mom's life.  I stumbled upon the application for the ad, actually.  I hovered over the "about" section, and it took me there...where I noticed sidebar ads were pretty inexpensive.  I thought, what the heck?!?!? 

I haven't checked ad stats, or clicks...it isn't important.  What IS important is that someone took a chance on a girls with some charms and a dream.  Yes, the author of the blog took a chance on running my ad...and I took a chance on joining Origami Owl when I did.

I had no idea what I was getting into, but I am glad I did it!!!

{Dream Big}

I Started Out Slow...

My little team is growing!!!  I am SO excited!!!

I joined Origami Owl in July of 2012. July 19th, to be exact.

I got a fabulous kit in the mail about a week later.

Photo Credit: Facebook  I do NOT claim these photos as my own.

According to the poster on Facebook, the $149 kit included: Four lockets (with Ball Station chains), two specialty chains, forty assorted charms, two plates (one large and one medium), one locket extender, six assorted Tagged items and two dangles.  Business Supplies included: price cards, Take Out Menus, business cards, invites, glass votives, tweezers, two charm cases (24 openings in each), muslin jewelry bags and four fortune cookies.

I opted for the $149 kit.  It fit best into our budget at the time.

 So, I got the kit in late July...and it sat.  I opened it, and I "oohed and aahed" at how pretty it was.  But it sat.  I didn't really know where to start.  {sidenote: my mentor is amazing...she helps me out with everything...I just felt a little scared to "jump in" at first...she helped me out along the way}

The kit sat.  I looked at it.  I thought about it.  I got busy doing other things.

A friend hosted an online Thirty-One party.  I ordered a few things, and didn't think much more about it.  Well, I get a lot of emails from Thirty-One (because I order from everyone's online parties) but one stuck out.  It was from the woman who helped my friend host her online party.  It was asking if I would be interested in joining a group of six women, each agreeing to host one party over the next six months, and in turn each women orders $50 worth of merchandise from each party.  I could do that.  I would also earn hostess rewards.

Well, sounded good...but it didn't pan out.  I was the only one interested in hosting a party.  So, I chatted back and forth with this Thirty-One rep.  Connected with her, as well.  She was hosting an open house at her place {in Texas} and was interested in hosting a catalog party.  This was in September.  About two months after I got my kit in the mail.  I sent her some catalogs, order forms and business cards.

And I waited.

The flood gates opened.  That first party kicked me into gear.  This stuff seriously. sells. itself.  It was the push in the right direction I needed to start booking events and parties.  Pretty soon, others became interested.  That is how my team began to grow.

In December, after the "freeze" of new designers was lifted, I welcomed two members to my team.  One is a local gal {I work with her mother} and the other is a friend of the hostess in Texas.  I am so lucky to have them as part of my team...BUT I am learning as I go along.  I have never "coached" anyone.  I have never really worked in Direct Sales.  I am so lucky to have joined Origami Owl...we are ALL pretty much learning as we go along!!!  I am now a "Leading Designer".  I am excited to see what 2013 has in store for us!!!  

Are you interested in learning more about being part of this amazing company???  Contact me to learn more about our company, my team and how I can help YOU build your business!!!

Charm of the Day

Today's COTD is not really a charm.

This is part of Origami Owl's Tagged collection.

I have this tag.  It spoke to me from the beginning.

Origami Owl ~ Enough Tag

I paired this up with the "I Am" Tag.  I am Enough.

I am learning that I. Am. Enough.

I am learning that I am a Mommy.  I am a wife.  I am a daughter.  I am a sister.  I am an Aunt.  I am a friend.  I am a special needs caregiver.  I am a volunteer.  I am a neighbor.  I am a chauffeur.  I am a maid.  I am a cook.

All of these things {and more} and I am enough.

Weird thing is, when I put this necklace on, I repeat to myself, I AM enough.

I am learning to put my needs before the needs of others.

What powerful story will YOUR jewelry tell???

Contact me if you would like to tell your story.  Order.  Host.  Join.  Let me help you tell your story with jewelry.

Charm of the Day

This little gem is one of my best sellers.  It is actually a component of my own *everyday* locket {that first locket that I put together myself for Mother's Day}.

Family Heart in Silver ~ Origami Owl

Such a simple statement.  This can be incorporated into a Living Locket in so many ways.  Pair it up with birthstone gems for children or grandchildren.  My locket includes the Autism Heart and Family Charm.  Two important pieces of my story.



What story would YOUR locket tell???  Contact me today to help you build your Origami Owl locket and tell your unique story!!!