Confession of a MJC Packer

friday night

So I am looking at my Confessions of an MJC packer Header and I do not even have most of the visible bracelets anymore.. Only because they have broken, and have been replaced with new ones. I sure do need a new header. Wish I knew how to make one...

ANYWAY, this is gonna be short, but sweet. Oh so sweet. I want you to tell me the most wild, vivid, or just plain wonderful dream you have ever had. Or at least that you remember. And NO MAKING IT UP. I, obviously, will not be able to tell if you are...but come on guys, lets be fair! I will read them all and will pick a few for an MJC prize!

So lets hear it. But for real, I work for a childrens clothing company so lets keep it PG please. No Fabio dreams and what not :)

You get one shot a piece, good luck!

And they called her 'Debbie Downer'...

I don't know how many more shipments I can take at 435. I think we might be on number 7? 8 perhaps? It is sooo exhausting, let me tell you! Each shipment ranges from like 30 to 150 boxes! HEAVY boxes. All full of the beautiful Gypsy Blue and, of course now, Gypsy Blue 2! Those are definitely the only reasons that make it REAL worth while... I am only ranting about this because today at 3:something we got ANOTHER one! 76 boxes. 76 big, heavy, dusty boxes. I cut my finger opening them TWICE! And yesterday I cut my finger with scissors. Ay yi yiii.. I told you that all my posts wouldn't be filled with sunshine! I guess that's not entirely true because look at these beauties...

 

How can anyone complain when you get sent pictures like these?! I love seeing all the art fair pieces, reminds me of this summer...which feels really far away since it's only been getting colder and colder this week.

My last complaint of this post is tagging. Tagging, Tagging, Tagging. You know those cute Gypsy Blue tags that hang from your brown tissue paper wrapped packages?! Well all of us at MJC have been taking those home to tag...and I think I am getting arthritis. No, not really I guess.. And they are worth it because anything as cute as that tag is worth a little arthritis. I just hope ya'll are diggin' them like we do.

I'm sorry, I really am! If I brought anyone down, I promise to bring you up ASAP...like tomorrow...with a contest!

"oh where, oh where has little sam gone..."

I'M BACK. truly, i am. How many times have I said that? Now THAT should be a blog prize, right?! But it's not going to be so don't go counting and commenting just yet! While we're on the subject of blog prizes...I should probably tell you who has won my last contest for Oliver's weight (which was 9lbs 3oz!), yes!? Soo Amy Langston, Da-to-the-oh, tracy, Twinsrus2005, and Newb should all email me at Samm@matildajaneclothing.com for their prize!

So let me just catch you up on a few things at 435...

PACKING, PACKING, PACKING, CUTTING?!

That's right ladies n' gents, I have officially been cutting this week. As much as I enjoyed working with the ladies in the packing room (even though they love to tease me about how much I enjoy cutting), I was so excited when Denise told me I was going to get in a full day of cutting, and then ANOTHER full day of cutting! Does anyone here know what that means?! Well, if you don't know you're just gonna have to figure it out yourself. I'm just saying I'd be clicking on that little MJC Platinum button at the bottom right hand corner of the Matildajaneclothing.com site pretty dang soon..

I basically just told you even though I said I wasn't going to. I'm such a softy.

Can I just tell you how much I have loved receiving emails and pictures from you folk?! I've always enjoyed reading Denise's blog-checking your comments and looking at the adorable pictures, but it's even better to hear from you all myself! And you all are making my blog a lot prettier too, I might add. So what I'm trying to say here is, keep up the good work!! And I'll keep doing the best I can to keep up with you :)

Well, maybe I'm not doing THE BEST I can...but I promise Matilda Jane has been part of the reason! I have been working A LOT of overtime...or at least a lot for me! I am not complaining though. I have definitely enjoyed it, and everyone knows it'll pay off in the end :)

It's a quarter till 10:00PM and that means it's time for me to prepare for bed. I've been working on my hygiene recently so my bed time regimen is much longer than it use to be. Before all I would do was consider brushing my teeth (terrible, I know..don't let your little girls read that!!!) and MAYBE do it and then plop down in bed and pass out. BUT NOW, no no, NOW, I brush my teeth for a good 2-3 minutes, I wash my face, put TWO kinds of face lotions on, and then plop down in bed and pass out :) Gosh I know none of you care about this, but it is a big deal for those that know me! Not that I am a gross, smelly girl or anything!! But Sara has been known to call me a dirty bird.. So on that completely unnecessary note, good night and I'll be talking to you tomorrow.

what a good day.

when i woke up this morning, i knew it was going to be a good day. do you know WHY i knew it was going to be a good day?! i probably should make the answer a blog prize, but i'm just gonna tell you...today, september 1st, marks my first full year of working at MJC! isn't that just nutz? i bet most of you didn't even know i existed until around 4 months ago when i started this blog! so when i woke up and got dressed (i EVEN wore a dress today!), i knew i would be quietly (and sometimes, not so quietly) celebrating my MJC anniversary. now...little did i know that when i woke up today would bring so much more to celebrate!
MEET OLIVER DAVID SPITLER.
borns 9/1/09 at 1:30 in the morning.

way to blow my big day outta the water, sara! here i thought i was experiencing something special and then she goes and has a baby. a beautiful, healthy baby boy. really though, i'm happy to share my anniversary with him. honest engines i am :) i visited sara as soon as i got off work. well, as soon as i made a detour to walmart to get a card...and then as soon as i made a detour all the way to auburn because i missed the dupont exit (out of excitement, no doubt). almost as soon as i got there sara let me hold him. boy was i nervous. i don't think i've ever held a newborn, at least not one that i can remember...which doesn't sound like a good sign. but i think i did good. at least when i left he was still cooing and making bubbles with his spit. as nice as it was to meet oliver, it was soo nice to see sara. it feels weird not seeing her, like, everyday. i do not wanna get used to it, guys!!

on ANOTHER exciting, but not as exciting as oliver, note. today....
WE GOT OUR FRIDGE.
fancy, eh? we thought so. the anticipation for this fridge has been nutz. it truly is the small (i guess not SO small, but kinda small) things in life that make us smile (like oliver!). all of us at MJC have to thank our Beck-the-bride-Pence for it though, because she was the only one willing to sign miss denise's contract she so lovingly came up with in order to agree to this purchase..

alright, so the only way i can think to end this great day would be by having a BLOG CONTEST wooooo. yep. everything is exciting today. this is gonna be such a tricky one too. and i don't want more than 1 or 2 guesses per person PLEASE, just to be fair you know..

the question is..

HOW MUCH DID BABY OLIVER WEIGH WHEN HE WAS BORN?

good luck and gooooood night!

pleasant surprises

ok so i didn't even plan on blogging tonight (that's probably a HUGE surprise, right?! haha), but i just HAD to when i checked my email and saw this from denise. if i'm guessing correctly, and i think i am, this is a photo of some of the cutting team down in peru! from carla herself! do you KNOW who carla is? she is who helps to make the BIG mjc collections come to life such as, drum roll pleeease, GYPSY BLUE. but obviously she does not act alone! needless to say, i was certainly surprised, pleasantly so, and flattered too, when i received this email! do you see that cutting knife in the front?! THAT'S brother tubbz..well..not brother tubbz HIMSELF, but possibly a distant relative?

ANYWAY along with that specific pleasant surprise, you all have been emailing me just gorgeous surprises since i announced my email address (samm@matildajaneclothing.com) the other night! i have looked at them all, and i promise i will get around to putting them on here! and you better beLIEVE i am excited about it.

you can't fly with the eagles in the day if you can't hoot with the owls in the night..

to say that MJC Platinum has been a success would be a complete and utter understatement, if you ask me. it is so neat to see what everyone orders and what is flying off the shelf. i just love thinking that almost everything you guys have ordered was made in good ol Fort Wayne, Indiana. gives me a little somethin to be proud of. SPEAKING of something to be proud of........how are you liking Back to School?!

If anything makes sam mcdonald proud right now it is the Back to School collection! during the whole process of designing and cutting BTS denise let me help with a lot of the decision making which was amaaaaaaazing. not to mention, i worked real, real hard cutting it with the help of "brother tubbz" and denise, of course. (brother tubbz is our HUGE cutting knife if you were wondering, and i knoooow you were!) i am looking forward to finding out what piece is your favorite...

now, obviously i have not blogged in far, far too long. but i have been a busy girl! did you know that i have new a boyfriend? a new car? well...not a NEW car.. and hardly a new boyfriend really.. the boyfriend is Mark. the only reason i say he is HARDLY new is because i dated him before the last boy.. so i am sort of reclycling? which is all the rage right now anyway, right? :) and my car...well it is a 2002 hyundai accent..silver..a few beauty marks..but nothing that would keep me from loving it! i mean, this is not only a new car to me...it is my FIRST car. i know, i know i am 20 and just NOW getting my first car...but that is okay! because it was worth the wait. and this little beauty is supposed to be great on gas....just one more reason for me to just plain be thankful to have it!
this is the cute boy...

and i'd show you a picture of the car if i had taken one yet..but i haven't! soon though!

READY FOR THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THEM ALL? i OFFICIALLY have an MJC email address...meaning...if, i'm not being too forward by suggesting it, you could send me adorable photos of your little ones :) or anything you want really! i truly am excited about this. so EMAIL ME :) samm@matildajaneclothing.com

POST SCRIPT: my favorite piece from back to school is the peasant top. it is seriously thanksgiving. which is my second favorite holiday to fourth of july. i just love it. my second? both of the bags. gosh, when you get your bags you will just die. they are perfect.

building blocks to success

why are joe and gabe so cute?

it is finally the weekend, and that marks the first day of conference complete! that means thursday there was a beyond successful party and today the first part of the teaching portion went just swimmingly (if you ask meee). for some reason i was really nervous for this whole 'conference' thing, but it truly was a comfortable, and education experience for me foooor sure. all of the trunk keepers are so incredibly nice, and for the most part out-of-their-way friendly, which is awesome because i can become a giddy, ball of nerves when meeting new people ESPECIALLY important ones!

tomorrow is the second half of the teaching portion. i do not believe i will be in attendance for the entire thing...but i will be attending the tin caps baseball game! i've never been to one so i'm definitely looking forward to it.

can i just reiterate how much of a success the party was thursday night? it was definitely a monumental night for Matilda Jane and definitely something worth being proud of.

ahhhh, last but not least! the band was a-mazing. they called themselves the bearded ladies and were the perfect choice for the party.

lastly, why are Nia Corsten's daughters so gorgeous? probably because of how gorgeous she is. oh, and why is Cindy Tokoly so great? anyone know why? (you made it, sister!)

old reliable

so blogging once every two weeks is not going to cut it, i know. i've made a mid-year resolution to try to only eat when i'm actually hungry, instead of eating all the time just because it's my favorite hobby. along with that resolution, i'm going to add to the list blogging MORE than just bi-weekly, and maybe a few other things.. i just thought of this today, so do not hold it against me if it takes a bit to get used to it! especially the eating part..

i haven't told you how great plymouth went. hot, but great. i was worn out the entire time i was there, but it didn't really feel like work because i genuinely enjoyed every minute of it. it was great selling and putting together outfits for all the new, and old, MJC customers. not to mention, i met a bunch of people that knew me from the blog..and and THAT was pretty neat. i mean, a lot of the time i just kinda shrunk down and was embarrassed..but in a good way! i just get nervous, real nervous, sometimes. overall, the weekend just made me feel more grateful for, and proud of, MJC.

if you've read denise's blog, and if you're reading mine I'M SURE you've read hers (ha), then you'd know that a certain MJC gal is watching over her big, adorrrraable dog Goliath. well, that MJC gal just so happens to be me! if you're surprised, then you are reacting the same way i did when she suggested it! not that i'm not a great candidate for the job, but i don't know! i just didn't expect it i guess. now...the question of whether or not she should be nervous about leaving her loyal companion and old, but beyond cute house in my care? i believe the answer is noo. the demarchis's will be coming back to fort wayne to a well fed new-fin-land (spelling..........) and a house that will look exactly the way they left it! give or take a hair or two..

i'd put a pretty somethin' somethin' in here for you to look at if i was on my own computer, however i am not sooo...picture-less this blog entry will remain. no worries though, for i will be blogging more often! remember, mid-year resolution!

MIA

talk about missing in action... i know, i know. i'm the worst. so i think by now everyone has pretty much discovered that JDIDDY was the first official winner of my "guess what everyone is staring at" contest. the second one i picked kinda randomly..it's in the spirit of the fourth! (HAPPY BELATED FOURTH OF JULY, by the way) i do believe it was nicole k who guessed a RED, WHITE, and BLUE MJC sign! and i think those colors are the only thing that could make our Matilda Jane sign cuter. you guys probably don't know my affinity for america yet, do you? it all started with my love for that color combination. i swear my senior year all i wore was red, white, and blue or something america related. not to mention, 4th of july is really my favorite holiday so i certainly hope it was special for you and all your families :)

(why is becky so pretty?)

right now we're preparing for plymouth. i'm REALLY nervous. but that's not really saying much because i get nervous extremely easy...denise doesn't think i should be and sara thinks it's gonna be a ton of fun and wishes she could be in attendance for it (alas the lady is pregnant and being on her feet for ten hours at a time is NOT what the doctor called for)...so i'm trying to listen to the both of them!

(i love isabella and i looove rhonda!)

i'm really getting excited about everything denise and i have cut recently. the woodland nymph is just the beginning! you guys have sooooooooo much to look forward to. and so do i. everyday is exciting when it comes to MJC. even if somedays AREEE slower than others. it's aaaaaaaaaaaalll worth it, that is for sure.

(you're all VERY familiar with this gorgeous little girl audrey, and if you went to the 435 party and did a little drinking, you should be pretty familiar with her uncle, sara's brother, spencer..because he was one of the handsome bartenders!)

june 26th, anyone?!

today is it. it's the 435 party. my little hearts about to jump outta my chest right now with excitement. no joke! i can see it beating through my tshirt when i look down! i don't know what it is exactly that has me so stoked because there are so many factors it could be! for instance, taking a shower and getting all dolled up for the first time in what feels like forrrreeeevveeerr (we have NOT been lookin so hot over at 435 recently, let me tell youu..), it could be the amount of DIPS sara ordered for the party (i really, really like dips), or it could be the most oooobvious thing which is meeting all of you great people! we're seriously so happy to be meeting all of you-well not ALL of you, but a nice handful! we are full prepared to welcome you MJC Crazees with open arms!

so it's 10:22am.. i feel like i have lots to do even though i don't have to be at 435 until 5 today. how nice is that? it went from 9am, to 3pm, to 5pm! that's the exact time we will be meeting a bunch of the trunk keepers at the warehouse, giving them a little tour and what not, and walking over to the kachman gallery for the event we've all been waiting for... other than the actual art fair itself tomorrow! anyway, before tomorrow i gotta get a good playlist on my ipod. i really do. anyone that knows me, knows that i am pretty into music. now i can't play an instrument or nothing (does the recorder in 5th grade count?), but until like 10th grade i wanted to be a singer. goodness, i was a dork. yes denise, a real dork. she thinks i still am! REGARDLESS, i've always had a thing for it and recently with our new MESSAGE CENTER (it truly is a big deal to us), i've had this cute little place to dock my ipod! and i love it because denise and i will be cutting and about 3 times a day she'll make little comments about songs like "who is this? they're cute," or "aw, did he just say you remind me of home?" it makes my day when i can make someone a little more interested in what they're listening to. ANYWAY (i sure do ramble..), i am gonna make a cute playlist to fill the cutting room with musics when or if you decide to take a stroll through it on saturday! i'm soooooooooooooooooooooo excited about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I DIDN'T FORGET ABOUT THE CONTEST. i swear. there has to be two winners now though because j.diddy got it right, right of the bat! so when i have a few more minutes i'll go through eeeeeeevery comment and pick from random for a second! don't worry, it'll be fair!

see you tonight!!!!!!