Sale Number 4!

Just wanted to share the excitement of Penguin Palooza's fourth sale! Not only was it a sale, but it was a sale to an international buyer! Penguin Palooza is officially worldwide. I know I am getting excited about only a fourth sale, but it may take baby steps to create a thriving business. I'm stepping my way!

This was the item that sold...more of these coming soon!

Buy Handmade!

So, I make my own cards for my Etsy shop.... obvious. I was asked to pick up an appreciation card representing a group of us for our friend who will be going away. I asked my mom if I could make a card instead. She said I shouldn't, so I went to the corner Rite Aid to find one. I was so disappointed by the cards! I couldn't find anything I liked! They just seemed so stale, and they all looked alike. I guess I am so used to making my own whenever I needed one! It made me appreciate more the art of handmade goods. We have so much "power" with our two little hands to create something so unique and so wonderful that no machine could ever produce. I love Etsy and what it stands for. Go handmade!

Welcome to Mentor, Ohio!

Penguin Palooza’s “headquarters” is in Mentor, Ohio. Mentor is a growing city on Lake Erie located about a half hour northeast of Cleveland. When you think of Ohio, you probably think of corn fields and a whole lot of nothing. True, there is a lot of that in Ohio, but Cleveland does have suburbs with no trace of those fields (It doesn’t take long to find some though!). Mentor is very developed and has turned commercial. Any store you would want is located on Mentor Avenue that runs all the way across the city. It takes about a half hour to get from on side of Mentor to other on that road (due to traffic lights and well…traffic!) The commercial areas are surrounded by many neighborhoods…some of them very scenic with beautiful woods.

Although there isn’t much going on in this part of Ohio, one good perk of the region is that we experience all four seasons which I enjoy very much. My favorite is winter! I am one of the few people here who like the mounds of snow we get. Mentor is located in the snowbelt…which means we get Lake Effect Snow. I am located in Mentor close to the lake, so my neighborhood does not receive as much snow as other parts do…close to two feet most of the time!

Mentor does have a couple beautiful beaches, but I would not recommend swimming in the water! Still, the lake is always beautiful to sit and look at while musing!

So, in my family’s home is located my wonderful little office setup where everything takes place: homework, internet surfing, and creating my cards. I love the floating shelves I have on my wall because it utilizes my space very well. My favorite item is my bulletin board that I created covering cork tiles in fabric and paint…then assembling them together to be put on the wall. If you couldn’t tell, I love organization!

Just thought I’d give you a little glimpse of where the magic of Penguin Palooza takes place and introduce you to a place you may have never heard before…the place I call home!

Philosophy of Penguin Palooza

As I have learned in some of my business classes, it is important for any enterprise to have a clear mission statement and vision. So what is the point of this business? Where do I want to be in two, five, or ten years? You have read what Penguin Palooza is in the profile , so I wanted to share what Penguin Palooza's philosophy is:

"Expression of life…joy or sorrow, gratitude or discontentment, love or hatred. All are a daily part of Almighty God’s precious gift of life. In light of this unfathomable gift, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecc. 9:10) We have guaranteed this moment in time. So, whether it’s an expression of gratitude, congratulations, or deep sympathy, make the most of this moment by sending a greeting that expresses the best."

As I have learned from experiences in my life, life is so short. Time goes by so quickly. I believe that we should live every moment like it were the last—even through extreme joy or deep sorrow. If the world did not take life so for granted, people would do less horrible things, prefer others over themselves more, and be motivated to do even greater things.

With this in mind, I always try to do the very best to my ability. This includes making cards—what I truly enjoy doing and have a passion for. I am a bit of a perfectionist, so I would not sell any card that I would not use myself. I believe more hand-written cards should be sent, not because it would help my business J, but because nothing is more personal and meaningful than a hand-written sentiment—especially in today’s world where an e-card can be sent in less than 10 seconds and is free!

So, Penguin Palooza was created to make the most of this moment in time by creating high-styled greeting cards for every expression life offers.

The First Post

Congratulations to me on my first post of any social networking site! I was considering for some time doing a blog as I enjoy writing very much. I was told that I am a pretty good writer, and one day I was inspired to start a blog! So, I have some ideas on what will be fun to write about...behind the scenes and special sales of the new Etsy shop Penguin Palooza and the life of its creator...me! I hope you stop back soon!