Really Great Giveaway!

Cousins Glena and Sabrina grew up in Logan, a small town in rural New Mexico which boasts a population of 500. The most entertaining activities in this rural area were swatting flies on their great grandmother's porch, building miniature houses out of rocks and bits of glass, seeking out hidden patches of wildflowers, and searching for the perfect smooth stone. Their great grandmother was the best playmate in New Mexico; leading them to explore a world of tiny hidden treasures, investigate abandoned houses and frontier dumps, while encouraging them to fill their pockets with sticks, stones, glass, feathers, and flowers.

In 2001, the two combined their love of family heirlooms, antique finds, and time-worn treasures with their experience in the fields of art and business to start a company of their own; Pick Up Sticks Jewelry Co., LLC. What started as a new business venture has become a way for the cousins to revisit their past and those times spent with their great grandmother in a small town. Now, Sabrina and Glena invite others to preserve their own memories via the photo charm and unique jewelry designs incorporating antique sentiment and collectible items.


Vintage images inspire this collection of collage art which is framed behind glass, encased in pewter and ready to be worn as a charm or pendant.

And now you know this week's Really Great Giveaway ... a Pick Up Sticks pendant of your very own!

To be considered in the running, please leave a comment by clicking on the tiny "comment" below. We will email the winner next Monday, December 1st and announce the next Really Great Giveaway.

Good Luck!


ps. last week's Really Great Giveaway winner was Karen Orr - Congratulations!

Where Are We Going To Hide That Pickle?

It never fails. Every December someone asks about the German Christmas pickle ornament that's supposed to have a long tradition in Germany.

Here's the pickle “legend” from one Web site: “A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was to hide a pickle [ornament] deep in the branches of the family Christmas Tree. The parents hung the pickle last after all the other ornaments were in place. In the morning they knew the most observant child would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year.” This Christmas pickle story, with a few minor variations, can be found all over the Web and in print inside the ornament package. It says that Germans hang a pickle-shaped glass ornament on the Christmas tree hidden away so it's difficult to find. The first child to find it on Christmas morning gets a special treat or an extra present.

So, each and every MONDAY, one Zazu crewmember is tapped to hide the pickle somewhere in our store shelves. Hint: not on a tree - on a shelf - practically in plain sight.  Whomsoever findeth such pickle gets one really great prezzie - The Pickle!

So, come on over to Zazu and get pickled!

Really Great Giveaway!

Hey y'all! Yep, it's Monday - which absolutely means giveaway day! I've got a little question for you first...

"If you had to gain 10 pounds, what one food would you eat?"

That's the kind of inquiry you'll find in the Girl's Night Out Edition of Table Topics. One box of Table Topics can spark about a thousand conversations.




So ... what would you eat? Chocolate? Bacon? To be honest, I'd eat nothing but Bearnaise sauce. To win your very own pink box of conversation starters from Table Topics, please submit your answer to our "comment" box below. I will announce the winner next Monday, November 24.

Good Luck!

Last week's winner of the Switchflops was .... Elsie!! Congratulations!

Really Great Giveaway!

We just loaded these onto our website!!

The entire Zazu crew parades their pedis in Switchflops by LuLu Designs. The story behind Switchflops is my absolute favorite "small town girl goes big time" kind of a thing.

Switchflops started as a high school project. Repeat: a high school project! I may be dramatizing the actual event slightly but this is how I remember it when it was told to me by Lindsay (incredible girl designer) and her mom at the Atlanta Gift Show last year ...

It was a high school project. Her teacher felt very highly about Lindsay and her project. The teacher called Linday's parents to tell them what a super job she did and that they should really consider bringing this product to market.

The parents said, "what project?"

As you can tell, Lindsay and her parents figured out all the details about manufacturing, marketing, and shipping Lindsay's high school project to hundreds of stores across the globe.

Want to see Switchflops in action? Click the little triangle below ...

Want to win your very own pair of Switchflops? Leave a comment below ...



This contest ends on Monday, November 17th. We will then announce another "Really Great Giveaway. Last week's "Really Great Giveaway" winner of the Thymes candle was FatalisFortuna.

Really Great Giveaway!

Ok, it's Monday ... time to offer up another sweet surprise from Zazu.

This week, we would like to introduce you to our best selling candle ever - The Thymes' Frasier Fir! Although we only stock it from mid-October through December, it is clearly the shopper's favorite. Last year, we sold out and customers demanded to be put on a waiting list in case any were returned. None were ...

We are so hot for this product that it was the first thing we added to our website. {Yep, we're working on it ... great stuff being loaded by the minute!}

Listen to the description from The Thymes themselves:

Mountain fresh and glowing with the aromatic snap of crisp Siberian Fir needles, heartening cedarwood and relaxing sandalwood. The Thymes Frasier Fir sets the mood for those special moments that make up your life stories. Creating a tradition to savor ... and to share. Burns cleanly for approximately 50 hours.

And ... here's a picture ...

To enter to win this really great giveaway, please post a comment below. Next Monday (Nov. 10th), we will randomly choose the winner and post the results on this blog.

Good Luck!

Note: Last week's winner was rainydaygirl! rainydaygirl, could you please email us with your contact information? www.coolstuff@shopzazu.com

Voila!

Alternate Headline:
Who Needs NYC When You've Got Ashburn?

So, friends, this is what we've been up to all week. We've pinned, glued, glittered, tinselled {is that a real word?} and hauled out more holly than we thought was possible.

Sharing time! Our piece de resistance must be our ode to Marie Antoinette. This was absolutement{!} our most challenging and rewarding window display. Truly a group effort, there was not one member of the Zazu crew that did not have a hand in on this one.



I will let the pictures speak for themselves ... but, yes, Virginia, it is a Christmas tree!




Hey ... wait ... there's more!

We had to pull in a few ringers from the outside world. A most sincere merci to Lisa Schulz, party planner extraordinaire, owner of The Posh Planner.

Lisa created the fabulous tablescape {with literally no notice} complete with gateau!


Obviously, we also needed a royal hairstylist. Anna Michelle Jackson, owner of Modern Concepts Salon was summoned, tout de suite! A few pins here, a little spray there, and a ton of hair {yep, its real!} and the magic was complete!




Here's how happy we were with ourselves ...

But, most importantly, here's the reaction we have been getting from our customers!



Joyeaux Noel!

Please Be Seated ...

Your two aunts have been feuding since the 80s, you have out of town friends
flying in that know no one, and your last single girlfriend is ULTRA
sensitive about where she will sit because the last wedding she went to she
was intentionally seated next to Mr No-Way-In-Hell.

And quite honestly, you may feel you're simply not up to the task.
"If there's enough chairs for everyone, can't we all just get along?" you
ask. You have obviously never been to a wedding with no seating plan and it's a good thing because you might not have survived the mass trampling as people were jockeying for position.

What to do?

Enter Bridal Tapestry seating charts now available at Zazu.

Table assignments are slightly less work for you (lets face it, you have

enough to take care of) and your guest will still have some say in where
they sit!

Beautifully presented, your guests will immediately be assured that you have
thoughtfully placed them. These also make beautiful mementos of your special day.

Taking the time for a table plan will be well worth it and - with these charts -
beautiful to boot. 

I Thee Wed (nesday)

They call me mellow yellow, quite rightly!

It may be nearly November, but around these parts it feels as if spring will be resprung. I just feel a little yellow today (in a good way) and wondered if I could take this light and springy color and sexy it up a little by combining it with black and pewter ...



How do you like this color combination? Feel free to comment below.

Center Photo: Zazu Invitation using Envelopments Paper Stocks
Photos 1,2,12: Ballard Designs
Photos 3,6,7: Ann Taylor Loft

Photo 5: Amy Atlas and Hostess with the Mostess

Photo 9: Neiman Marcus
Photo 10: Dolce and Gabbana

The Great Sock Monkey Debate

I am on the fence on this one, folks ...

I just got an email from a manufacturer's representative with great news! When the economy is sagging, you need a hot product to get everyone excited and back on track. She has that hot product, the ultimate solution, our salvation ... sock monkeys!

I'll repeat that.

Sock Monkeys.

Now, here's my situation. In case you have not heard, (while you were under that medically induced coma) small businesses have been taking quite a punch lately. We at Zazu have had to face some very difficult questions lately; (a) can we pay the rent? (b) can we make payroll? (c) will it be 80 degrees at our holiday party next Thursday (OCT 23rd - come on over)?

So, you know, I am going to leave this one up to the people to decide.

If we bring in the Sock Monkeys, something else will have to go. I'm thinking Webkinz.

So this is the part where you choose sides - Sock Monkeys or Webkinz? Webkinz or Sock Monkeys? To be fair, I have included video of both candidates below. A coin toss determined which was presented first. This is democracy at its absolute best, don't you think?

Please consider all sides of this great dilemma. Cast your vote by posting a comment below.

Enjoy the videos.

So, which is it? Please cast your vote for either candidate by posting a comment below by clicking on the tiny "comments" in light blue. We will post the voting results daily.  And ...

There will absolutely be some kind of big giant prize at the end!

*Note: No sock monkeys or Webkinz were harmed during the making of these videos.  I am pretty sure of that.

Zazu Puts Loudoun County on the Map!

It pays to speak up.

We have been carrying the famous Cat Studio drinking glasses and pillows since the very beginning days of Zazu. In fact, on my desk I have a framed copy of an InStyle magazine spread from December 2004 where Cat Studio and Zazu shared the very same page.

Cat Studio has now expanded their geography line to include a host of products; glasses, pillows, hand towels, aprons, totes and trays. The glasses and pillows have always been a major hit with our customers. The "Virginia" design has always been the most popular (no kidding!) But ... there was one problem ...

Anyone see it?



We didn't either. Where is Loudoun County? Considering it is one of the fastest growing and wealthiest counties in the U.S., you'd think we would be getting some love from Cat Studio. So, what did we do about it?

We asked Cat Studio to add it. Truthfully, first, we suggested the Zazu logo - when the laughter subsided - we asked for Loudoun County. Got that one!


To finally lay this question to rest ..

Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus.
He's got his own pillow, too!

**Note from the North Pole - this newest geographical hotspot is sure to be on everyone's list this year - the elves may not make them fast enough. Order them early, so they make it down the chimney in time.

Really Great Giveaway!

Our really great friend, Anna Michelle, is nuts about Staxx! Staxx have rings, pendants, and soon will have earrings that combine interchangeable components that allow you to change your Staxx look at your whimsy!

Start with a base, add as many disks as you like in the center, then secu

re your creation with a jeweled topper. There are hundreds of possible combinations!

So, in honor of Anna Michelle, we are holding a really great giveaway. To be eligible to win this fabulous Staxx set in Filligree and Finery, just post a comment below. Comments will be moderated and there will be a random drawing among those who comment.

You've got until Wednesday, October 8th!

Bonne Chance!