Racking up the reward points!

I have an ongoing special that allows a client to earn one week free if they refer a friend & that friend books a service package. My client Jennifer is getting the ENTIRE month of Jan and the 1st two weeks in Feb for FREE! How ridiculously awesome is that!

Be realistic.

No one is perfect and no one expects you to be. If you need help with something, don't hesitate to ask for help.

Dry Hair Shampoo

Talk about a time saving beauty tip!

Who has an hour to wash, blow dry and style their hair every day? Dry Hair shampoo is simple. You spray it into your hair, work through thoroughly, brush out, and you have an instantly clean mane.

Whoever invented this should get a medal! You can usually find them at your local beauty supply store.

Take a break.

Do large, time-consuming tasks scare intimidate you? Break them into smaller tasks and work on them one at a time.

Stress is a fact of modern work life. If you feel your stress levels have risen too high, take time off to let off the steam. Too much stress can derail your attempts at getting organized. You could exercise a bit, or even take a day off.

A Chai & Chat with Danie E. Allen

Today we’re talking with Danie E Allen a medical assistant by trade and skin care consultant by desire. Danie currently lives in Seattle with her husband of 30 years, is one of six siblings, loves Bob Marley, dogs and Chai tea. Danie is also a brand ambassador for Votre Vu, which is why we’re talking to her today.
The206Concierge: You have 5 sisters and brothers? That’s amazing, what number are you and how close in age are all of you?

Danie E Allen: I am the 2nd oldest and there is 3 girls/3 boys. We are 9 years from oldest to youngest.

T2C: What brought you to Seattle, how often to you get to go to your native land of Sunny California and do you miss living there?

DEA: My sister Lou and I moved to Seattle after I finished my Med Asst schooling in Astoria OR. Some family friends had relocated to Port Townsend and we came up to visit and decided to stay.

T2C: You and your husband have been married for 30 years, how did you meet him and what advice would you give to newlyweds?



DEA: I met Jimi in Port Townsend in 1976 when he was playing at the Town Tavern. Jimi was co-founder of Sundance Rhythm Band and was a working drummer when we met. My best advice for couples is to make a commitment to make it work and work it out.

T2C: What ignited the spark in you to make you want to become a brand ambassador for Votre Vu and did you have to make any significant changes in an existing business or work routine?

DEA: I was invited to the pre launch party Oct 08 in Issaquah by my sponsor Lina and it was there that I met the CEO Harold Zimmerman. At the launch party I was able to sample products and was immediately hooked! It was my first exposure to a MLM so it was a whole new venture for me. I was in such a rut with my life and career at that time so it sparked something in me that I have not felt in a very long time. I work well under pressure and enjoy being challenged which I learned quickly was a good trait for someone entering the MLM business.



T2C: What makes Votre Vu different from products like Oil of Olay, Avon, Mary Kay, or the high end products that you can buy at Nordstrom’s or Macy’s?

DEA: Votre Vu is unlike any other skin line in the world because of the history of our lab in Paris. It is owned and operated by a family that has been producing award-winning formulas for 85 years! It is very potent and pure so very effective but not over priced like many other skin care lines available.

T2C: How many hours do you work a day on average?

DEA: I work 27-30 hrs/week as a medical assistant in an OB/GYN office at Swedish in Seattle. This leaves me plenty of time to devote to building my Votre Vu business.

T2C: How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?

DEA: I love the social aspect of marketing Votre Vu. I have become a social butterfly and attend events at least twice weekly. I also enjoy meeting one on one that are interested in trying samples or learning more about becoming a brand ambassador.



T2C: That’s actually how I meet you; you had on one of those sparkly T-shirts at a Girl Power Hour party. Speaking of marketing everyone has heard the old saying that as far as marketing goes you have to continuously remind people about your product. How do you keep your message new and exciting without becoming pushy like a used cars salesman, or being removed from mailing list?

DEA: I have a monthly newsletter I send out as well as promoting on facebook by keeping contacts up to date on the events I have scheduled. I always ask if I can contact by phone or email and if someone want my newsletter. I have had a few people asked to be removed and that is ok.

T2C: Had you any sales or marketing experience prior to starting your own business?

DEA: That would be a no.

T2C: How can Votre Vu products benefit clients of Seattle Crystal Concierges?

DEA: Votre Vu can be used by anyone and is priced to be very affordable. We offer 2 health beverages and our SnapDragon was featured as a “miracle potion” on Dr Oz earlier this month. The company offers a preferred shopper program that give people interested in the products a 30% discount on every item they order with 50% off every 3rd item in their order.

T2C: Wow, that’s a really good deal. What is the flagship product for Votre Vu?

DEA: That would be the Les Sorbet frozen serum. It comes on dry ice and is stored in the freezer to maintain the potency. This product is 40% marine collagen and marine elastins. Having that high of an active power ingredient is unheard of and that is typical of Votre Vu’s formulas.

T2C: What is the highest selling product of Votre Vu, and why do you think it’s such a hot commodity?

DEA: The company’s number one selling product is the SnapDragon Beverage.





The number 2 is the Duette luxe hand cream/lip balm



T2C: Which Votre Vu is your favorite and why?


DEA: That is tough but I think it would be the Duette. I use it daily and it is so easy to share with anyone.

T2C: Can you tell us a little about the newest products and holiday specials that Votre Vu has or is coming up?

DEA: The 2 newest products are a foot exfoliate and foot cream. The company has 6 holiday sets available right now until Jan 9th that are top sellers at a special price.

T2C: What is your favorite aspect of being a brand ambassador for Votre Vu?

DEA: The social aspect has been my favorite part. I love the friendships I have made with other BA’s as well as the people I meet and share Votre Vu with.



T2C: Excluding yours, what company, or business do you admire the most?

DEA: I love Scentsy products and Send out Cards.

T2C: I really like Send out Cards as well, it’s super fun! Ok, Danie I just have one more question for ya, if you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?

DEA: When can we meet for a chat and a Chai?

T2C: Lol, that’s the perfect question to ask me, and everyone seems to be asking it theses days. I have to apologize for the lack of social time I have available, with the holidays coming up, my clients and the launch of my 1st novel I’m greedily keeping every spare moment to myself.

After the 1st of the year things should settle out. I am donating more services than I have paying clients so I am going to start doing fundraisers to make sure I can still keep those clients because they are the ones who need me the most.

Danie I cannot thank you enough for your time today, and I promise I will catch up to you when things slow down.

DEA: Of course, thank you for having me and don’t be such a stranger.

To order Votre Vu products please visit:
http://www.votrevu.com/sites/danieallen

And for daily deals and updates be sure to follow her on facebook!
Danie E Allen (Danie Wainwright)

Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.

Many things in life are beyond our control — particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Peanut Butter, WD-40, Avon Skin So Soft.

These three items will remove labels from any glasswares or plastic!

Avoid Guilt.

If you didn’t do something at the time you assigned yourself, try to reschedule it instead of feeling guilty. Guilt pangs are a waste of time.

Review Your Priorities.

While certain joy can be found in relaxing over a television show, don't overload. If you are watching three or four hours of television a day, that is time probably better spent doing something else.

Clearing Clutter

Find a local charity to donate items to prior to a clutter clearing session. Some charities may even be able to pick up your donations at a prearranged time, saving you a trip.

Label various storage containers before you begin to sort your clutter. A label makes placing items in the right category a much easier task.

Go through and grab obvious trash as the first step. Once the trash is gone, it makes it easier to see what you want to keep, and just how much stuff you’ll need to get rid of.

An easy and workable task list, or to do list

Microsoft Outlook Calendar, Droids, Blackberry's, iPhones, Text messaging, Facebook, Twitters, Web apps....Whoa!

With so different cool gadgets and a million different ways of doing things, you may end up spending much more time trying to program, organize, and/or consolidate your to-do-list on one or more of PDA's that you have that was meant to save you time in the 1st place, than actually getting things done.

The device that you should be using is the one that is the easiest for you to understand and program, if it takes more than a minute or two to retrive and update your to-do-list on your hand held, laptop, or desk top, or if you have to ask one of your kids to help you, you'll save more time using good old fashion pen and paper or sticky note.

Boys will be boys...bacon flavored beer

So I have been hired to plan my 2nd Mancation and on their "I'll-just-die-if-I-don't-get-it" wish list is bacon flavored beer. Does such a thing even exist? Sure does...courtesy of Seattle's very own Odin Brewing Company.



http://www.odinbrewing.com

The Restrucuring of Seattle Crystal Concierge.

It's been almost two years now and with the holiday season fast approaching it's time to start catering to the people I started my company for in the first place.

Small business owners, single parents, members of our armed forces, 2^nd shifter & night crew workers, union members and people who are working two jobs.

Right now I am in the process of restructuring my prices and the way I offer services. For 8 hours a week of personal assistant (4 hr a day) costs only $144.00

Stopping by, feeding and walking your dog or feeding your cat and cleaning out the litter box while your on vacation (or even when your not) is $10.00 per visit.

For all of you who have helped me along the way, there are no words that I can think of or nothing that I can buy or give you that will adequately express my level of gratitude because there is no way I'd be here without you.

Make a checklist.

If your child knows how to read, help them make a checklist to consult each morning. Keep it simple and short. It might include items such as:

~ Brushed my teeth

~Fed the pet

~ Made my bed

~ Kissed mom and dad goodbye

~ Grabbed my lunch box

If your child isn’t reading yet, you can make up a fun list by using pictures instead of words.

A Time Capsule

Looking for something a little different than just family game night?

A time capsule can be a great family project to commemorate a special occasion. Fill it with photographs and mementos, and put it away for as long as you like.

Ask everyone in the family to contribute an item - clippings, photographs, letters, arts and crafts, toys or just about anything else that fits into the capsule.

Leave out any substance that could decay and damage the other contents of the box. This includes rubber, wool, wood, PVC, and any perishable or edible item. If you must include any of these, put them in an air-tight plastic bag.

Mark everything clearly so you or others will know where each item came from and who included it when the time comes to open the capsule. Don't assume you will remember all the details. You may also want to include a detailed inventory of all the items.


Fill the capsule and seal it, then put it out of sight and out of mind. Make sure you store your capsule in a place where your kids won't get impatient having to look at it every day.

Leave yourself a reminder about the time capsule in a place where you are likely to find it if you move or if your home suffers any damage.

Happy Friday peoples! See ya back here on Monday.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Unless of course your morning routine looks a little something like this:

7:00: Struggle out of bed.
7:15 Succeed in encouraging your darling children to do likewise.
7:20: Pack multiple lunches, while in the bathroom your children brush only their two front teeth and create toothpaste sculptures on the counter.
7:30: Discover that your children have dressed themselves as if they are escapees from a prison camp. Begin the process of redressing them.
7:40:While your kids eat their morning meal, find out that today you are supposed to supply your youngest child with cookies shaped like famous presidents for her entire class.
7:50:Start the morning scramble for backpacks, lunch bags, and homework that has mysteriously disappeared from where your child claims it was last night.
8:00:Magically pack your fully-equipped children in a neat single-file line into the car or school bus … or shuffle them off in a disorganized scrambling flurry of papers and dropped lunch money.
8:01: Sit down for the first time in an hour.

If it does, let me help to change that. To celebrate the return of the school year I will be giving tips all month on how to turn your mornings into a zen like state of streamlined efficiency. I have tips for college kids and teachers too! And as a bonus on Fridays I'll provide fun tips on what to do for low cost or free family time =D Happy school year everyone!

Ok guys, let's get started:

Regulate bedtime now!
Too many children start the school year exhausted because they adjust their summer “staying-up-late” schedule to “early rising” the day before school starts. Instead, institute a routine of 8 p.m. bedtime and 7 a.m. rising two weeks in advance. Even thought it is still light out at 8, kids need their sleep so badly that it’s in their best interests to do this so that they have adjusted and are ready for the challenges of a new school year. This is vitally important particularly when the child is changing schools.

Find Your Timewasters.

Keep track for one week of all the ways you waste time.

Do you spend 10 minutes finding your keys? If so, make a key hook by your door, and use it.

Do you forget "that one item" when you go to the store? Keep a list on your refrigerator and, each time you empty something, add it to the list.

Establish routines...

If you set aside 15-30 minutes a day to set chores, then you don't ever have to worry about tackling all of your chores in a giant block of time.

Routines keep you from becoming overwhelmed.

Washing Dishes

Let the person who is in charge of washing the dishes get to pick out dessert. When you begin cooking, run a sink of hot soapy water, and wash as you go. Food on dishes won’t have a chance to harden, and you’ll be that much ahead when the meal is done.

Keep a supply of disposable plates, flatware, and cups. On nights when you’re overwhelmed by double-header Little League games on the same night as PTA, you won’t have to worry about dishes.

Washing dishes can be a great time to have a parent interview with a child you need to reconnect with. The job may not go more quickly, but you'll be accomplishing a lot more than clean dishes.

Out of the mouths of babes...

One of my clients has a 6yr daughter and awhile back when she asked me to get her some juice I responded in an over dramatically display of disgust and said “I refuse to work under these hostile conditions, this is not a 3rd world country! I have rights, I’m calling my union rep.”

She got a big kick out of that and started requesting the most insane tasks so that I could repeat my theatrical performance (which was nothing less than Oscar worthy)

Hearing me respond to her "unreasonable" request this way for 3mths guess what she said today when her dad told her to go clean her room. She quoted me word for word =/

Speaking of kids here is the Tip of the Day:

Teach Your Child.

Teach your child how to prepare a drink mix, do laundry, empty the dishwasher and clean their room. An extra set of hands goes a long way...that is of course as long as your child does not threaten to call their union rep.

Outsourcing.

When most people hear the word outsource, they imagine workers in remote parts of the world doing business tasks or research, but I’m talking about a more fundamental type of outsourcing: hiring people to do chores that you don’t want to do...hire people like me =D

Adjust your standards.

Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

Looking for an eco friendly way to keep bugs out of your home?

Use Avon Skin so Soft!

Sponge it around doors, windows, and on screens to keep crawling bugs out, it smells good and is safe to use around small children and pets!

Paper Towels and Iron.

A paper towel and a hot iron will remove wax from your carpet. Heat the iron, lay the paper towel over the wax area and rub the iron over the paper towel.

Write Things Down.

Always, keep a small notepad on hand. When you think of something you need to do, jot down a reminder. This will save you endless minutes recalling just what you were supposed to do.

Dusting

Try dusting cloth lampshades with a lint roller. It works quickly and effectively without the hassle of a vacuum.

Slip an old unmatched sock on your hand and dust as you go =D

Let some things slide.

A reality of life is you can’t do it all. Everything you do doesn’t have to be an A+ performance.

A Little Time Each Day...

Spend a little time tidying each day: Because cleaning is a physical activity, it actually provides a mood lift =D

Just Say No

Cut out activities that drain energy and time. Ditch regular get-togethers that have become little more than a habit and don't waste energy on people who take without giving anything back.

"Saying no is the most effective method of gaining time and energy,” says life coach Suzy Greaves.

The Two Minute Rule: If you can do something it two minutes or less, do it right now.

Hang it up, throw it away, recycle it, put it back where it belongs, make the phone call, or note the date on the calendar. Whatever, deal with it right now!


Thinking, “I’ll get back to that”, or “I’ll take care of that later” creates clutter.
And clutter is evidence of decisions deferred.

Using the Two Minute Rule keeps things from piling up, getting misplaced or lost, gets you in the habit of putting things where they belong so that when you need them again you’ll know exactly where they are.

Let me introduce myself...

So for those of you who are following and emailing who are not my friends, 1st of all I want to say thank you for following…and thanks for your emails and tips. I want to introduce myself to those of you who I don’t know and tell you a little bit about who I am and why I started my company.

Who is Crystal and why would she start a company that runs someone’s errands and does someone else's grunt work?

Well, I am! I was born here in Washington State, down south a bit at Ft. Lewis Madigan Army Medical Center and I am an army brat in every sense of the word. =D



Why a personal assistance company?

Crystal Concierge was built on the platform “Because sometimes we all need a little help.” I am so deeply entrenched with this conviction that not only is it the foundation on which Crystal Concierge stands on, but it is also my company’s slogan.

As a child I thought my mom was a super-hero, I didn’t realize until much later how truly exhausting it is to be a single parent of three children. The one thing I did recognize while growing up was how grateful my mother was when her friends, family and even strangers pitched in to help, even if it was the smallest thing.

Years later, I too, experienced that overwhelming feeling of gratitude when my friends, family and fellow union brothers & sisters did things for me while I worked both 2nd and 3rd shifts.

Now as the Owner & CEO of Crystal Concierge it is my turn to extend a helping hand. With superior customer services, clockwork reliability and reasonable pricing let Crystal Concierge be the extra help you need; and with each 5th client Crystal Concierge provides services for we will donate services to those in our community who need it most.

Crystal Concierge donates time and services to the Susan G. Komen foundation, Girls Inc, local domestic violence shelters, Girl Scouts, Operation HomeFront and UNIFEM. The reason Crystal Concierge donates so much time to organizations revolving around girls and women is the thing about women is that we bear more weight on our shoulders than Atlas, and sometimes we get so weighed down we can not move.

When I learned that my thyroid was shot and I'd have to take medication for the rest of my life I ate a whole gallon of ice cream and sleep for two days, which pales in comparison to someone battling cancer or surviving domestic violence.

My BFF came to my house while I was sleeping, did the dishes, laundry, replenished my frig and left a vase of flowers. When I woke up to a clean house, clean undies, food and flowers her message was conveyed loud and clear...that I was not alone.

The card she left said only one word KOMA its a Japanese phrase that means "women helping women." And that's the foundation on which my company was built and why we donate so much time to organizations with the welfare of girls and women in mind.

Give us a call if you need a hand, we're here to help...Check us out at
www.SeattleCrystalConcierge.com or feel free to give us a call 206-428-8125

I'm slammed this week, so Monday I plan to start posting great tips of the day. Also starting next week The206Concierge will be inviting guest, other small business owners who I think you'd like to meet...

Signing off for now, see you Monday and enjoy the rest of your week!

Some new idea's.

Hello all,
I know I haven't posted in awhile, I am in the middle of planning two weddings, a huge graduation party and a "small" private retirement party of only 600 guest. ;)

Those of you who have been following know my tips revolve around taking some things off the to-do-list to reduce personal stress and increase personal down time, so this was one of the things I have scaled back on.

However I have been kicking around some new idea about revamping my blog and one of them is to have other small companies post a guest post telling everyone who they are, what they do and how clients of Crystal Concierge can benefit from their services....Whatya think?

Enjoy the weekend, Happy Mothers Day and stay tuned.

Cleaning out the Oven.

On nights when you get take out, take a few moments and spray the inside of the oven with oven cleaner.

Then after dinner, or the next morning if your stains are tough, you’ll be able to wipe away the dirt and grime easily, without missing the use of your oven.

Use a DVR.

Like watching television? Don’t let a show’s air time determine when you watch a program.

At the start of a television season, pick which shows you’ll record and set your DVR accordingly. Then as your schedule permits watch your shows.

Fast forwarding through commercials and through plots that become tedious and 8 hours of regular programming can easily be tackled in less than three hours of viewing time. =D

Move self-care to the morning.

Most women wait until nighttime, when everyone's sleeping and the house is quiet, to have time to themselves. But this can lead to staying up late and a poor night's sleep, making self-care counterproductive.

Move your alone time to the morning hours and reap the same benefits of a quiet house. You'll also start your day on a positive note, which impacts all areas of your life.

The 5 winners of Crystal Concierges 1st contest =D

Last month Crystal Concierge held a contest giving away free concierge services. Yep, FREE...all you had to do was send in a short summary of why you or someone you loved or knew needed the help. Here are our winners!




Grand Prize Winner of 1hr a day of FREE CONCIERGES SERVICES for 30 days!
Adalia G. submitted by Jennifer L. of Kirkland.

“Three kids, the death of a husband and a divorce of another Adalia has been with me for almost 20 years. I don’t know how she has managed to take care of both my family and her own but I know for sure I’d be lost without her. She is so much more than my housekeeper; she is my port in a storm. It would be nice to have someone to wait on her for a change.


1st Prize Winner of 15 hours of FREE CONCIERGES SERVICES to be used w/in a 30 day time period!
Pam J. submitted by Jessica J. of Federal Way.

“Ever since my dad divorced us my mom always seems tired. I am entering her into this contest because I don’t know how to cook yet and I messed up the laundry. I want to help out but I’m not sure how to, I hope that my mom wins so that she can catch up on her sleep.”


2nd Prize Winner of 10 hours of FREE CONCIERGES SERVICES to be used w/in a 30 day time period!
Lynda K. of Lake Doloff submitted by Jan C.

“I would like to nominate my friend Lynda, her husband passed away last summer, leaving her with a large home and lawn/landscaping. Currently she is remodeling the top half of the house. Her son is a contractor currently without an outside job, so she is hiring his services. As with all remodels the cost ends up running more than estimate and help in the labor department would certainly help in the finance department. She is worthy of winning your contest and deserves a break.”

3rd Prize Winners (two of them) of 5 hours of FREE CONCIERGES SERVICES to be used w/in a 30 day time period!

Angie F. of Seattle submitted by Robert H.

“My sister has a set of triplets…and they just turned two.”

and

David A. submitted by Erica A., Stephanie A, and David A. jr. of Spanaway

“My mom has been deployed to Iraq and dad can’t cook. The fire alarm is going off right now. Help us, please help us.”

I think I will hold a contest like this every other month, lots of entries and super tough to pick just five.

Filing Paperwork and or Cleaning out Junk Drawers

Make filing or de-cluttering time coincide with a favorite show that you feel guilty for taking time to watch. Most filing along with sorting out a junk drawer can be done with little thinking, and you’ll get to watch your favorite show in the process.

Sort the papers into categories based on your file names. For junk drawers you only need two piles 1 for “Stuff to Keep” and the other “Stuff to Throw Away.”
Don’t forget to include trash. You’ll be surprised how much of the pile you won’t need to keep.

*Note if you come across something in your drawer that makes you say, “Oh I was wondering where that was…” throw it away. If it was that important you would have found it already or bought another one.

Cleaning Out the Refrigerator.

Briefly clean out trash and bad food each trash day morning. It only takes a few minutes to dump the stuff, and will clear out space to make cleaning easier.

Use baking soda to wipe down the inside of the refrigerator. It scrubs and eliminates odors without damaging surfaces.

Scrubbing the Toilet.

Put toilet cleaner in the toilet to soak while you clean the rest of the bathroom. The inside dirt and stains will be loosened and more easily cleaned.

Buy a drop-in toilet cleaner dispenser, to increase the time between needed cleanings.

Windows and Mirrors.

Vinegar is an inexpensive easy cleaner that can be used on windows and mirrors. Use old newspapers to clean mirrors and windows. You'll have a great disposable cleaning rag and be recycling at the same time.

To prevent streaking and extra rubbing, wait for an overcast day to clean your mirrors and windows.

Make yourself completely unavailable.

Turn off cell phones, turn off IM, log out of Facebook, and close your email; Not only does making yourself unavailable keep you from being interrupted, the whole routine of preparing yourself and mentally deciding you are unavailable may really help you to focus on what needs to be done.

Manage your energy, not your time.

When do you have the most energy? Use that time to tackle your most important tasks. For most people, that's the morning. Use times when you have lower energy, such as the afternoon, for more mundane tasks, such as cooking dinner or returning phone calls.

Store by the Door.

Keep a basket by the front door for library books, rental videos and DVDs and anything else that's been borrowed, so you're more likely to return them on time.

Cleaning Out the Microwave

Bring a cup of water to boil in the microwave, the steam will help loosen dried on particles making them easily wiped away.