Cute Animals Doing Bad Things

The Curtsy Girls have Friday fever! It's just soooo nice outside and we're wishing we were out playing in the sun. At least we have a new box of goodies to distract us from our weekend dreams of wanderlust!

Tattoo artist Mitch O'Connell is the talent behind our new flasks & cases. We've heard his work described as "cute animals doing bad things" and we think that pretty much sums it up. A tipsy poodle and one cute smokin kitty are sure to draw attention when you pull either one of these out of your bag.


Have a fabulous weekend!!
XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

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Flirty Frills

So head over heels for our newest lingerie arrivals! Ruffles & pretty spring colors aplenty. Many of said lingerie pieces are hanging in the antique steamer trunk I just scored for Curtsyland. I have always wanted one and I came across this one in great condition and a great price. I didn't get it upon first discovery, but never stopped thinking about it. I went back wishing & hoping no one had snagged it....the divine Vintage & Antique Gods must have been looking out for me as it was still there & the dealer was having a 50% off sale.



The Flirty Frills collection from Carrie Amber Intimates is properly named. Each piece is certainly flirty & frilly...& fun & fantastic & fabulous &....is sure to make any fella flush with excitement ;) The collection includes a ruffled garter skirt, a ruffle bra, and a ruffle gartered slip with matching thong...all in a perfect peach color.





We just brought the StockinGirl line in to Curtsyland. The nude fishnet with nude lace top will look fabulous with the peach Flirty Frills!

xxxx

Celebrate!!

Milestone birthdays are always a big deal, both for the person celebrating and for all of his or her friends. Danielle spent the day unpacking a new selection of Love My Martini glasses that arrived. There is a glass to mark some of the big milestones - Thirtish, Forty Something, Fifty and Fabulous and Sixty is Sexy. The glass will become a cherished reminder of a memorable celebration.

Of course we don't want to forget the all important milestone of turning that magic age of 21! The Twenty-One Shooter Glass is a bit different from the standard coming of age gifts. Colorful, fun and small enough to be tucked in a purse - just remember to tell the recipient that if she's going to use the glass out on the town to remember to use a designated driver. (Sorry to preach - it's the mother in me!)

I am single and I have a group of my best buds that are single as well. Jumping back into the dating scene when you've been out of it for a while is, um...lets say challenging. Several other adjectives come to mind, but we'll just leave it at challenging. When one of your bff's finally finds the right one, we have the perfect card. Goodbye Mr. Wrong from the funny folks at Naughty Betty pretty much says it all. For the rest of us, we can only hope....

Upcoming Event

The June Shop for a Cause charity is Rebuilding Together Seattle (http://www.rtseattle.org/). Rebuilding Together Seattle provides donated repair services for homeowners in need so they can continue to live independently in warmth and safety.On Saturday, June 9th, Curtsy Bella will donate 10% of our total sales to this worthy organization. Come help us to support the important work they do.

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

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Happy doobie to you!

Always tough to get back in the swing of things after a long weekend. Getting to play with new goodies from Fred & Friends certainly helps though! I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new Lit candles...I have quite a few peeps in my life that will appreciate these gems on their birthday cake instead of boring 'ol regular candles. I don't believe they smell authentic...but no matter as they are perfectly rolled.


Another favorite from the new Fred shipment...the Sword'oeuvres. You know those mini martini swords that we all adore getting stocked with yummy olives or cherries in our dirty's or shirley's?!! Well, the fun folks at Fred have made them jumbo & perfect for spreading the goods at your next shindig. Food-safe and re-usable, you get four per package...sure to stir up some fun ;)

xxxx

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! What an amazing weekend, it's just so beautiful out there!
Danielle has today off, so the Snick dog and I are hanging here at Curtsyland.


Wedding season has definitely begun. In fact we have 2 weddings involving Curtsy Girls coming up in June. Curtsy Girl Pam's daughter, Katie, is getting married and Curtsy Girl Heather is tying the knot as well - all within a week of each other. They have both been raiding the wedding section in preparation for the big day.

One of the favorites this season are the "I Do" Rhinestone Shoe Appliques by Mindy Weiss. They are great for insuring the bride wears something blue. I wasn't sure where the tradition of wearing blue came from so I've done a bit of research this afternoon. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so the color also symbolizes purity. Now ya know!

We've finally gotten our facebook page up and running. We would really, really appreciate you becoming a fan of the store.

XOXO,
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

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Anniversary Sale

Curtsylicious Anniversary Sale

Kinda unbelievable, but on May 5th we celebrated our 3rd year in business! You know the Curtsy Girls love a party, so join us this Saturday, May 23rd for our Curtsylicious Anniversary Sale. We'll take 10% off your entire purchase (yep, that includes sale items as well). We know that serious shopping of this caliber is rather taxing, so we'll be serving mini cupcakes from our friends at Wink Cupcakes (www.winkcupcakes.com) and sparkling libations to help you keep your strength up.

XOXO

The Curtsy Girls

Little Executives

Last night I found out where all the business men hang out when they visit Seattle. We went to dinner at Ipanema Brazilian Grill on 1st Avenue, and there they all were. Seriously, tables full of hungry guys. This place is quite a trip - it includes an amazing veggie buffet and then all the meat you can eat. Served continuously by their "chefs" or "passadores", brought to you in skewers and carved to order tableside. I was with Danielle and the captain and my son, Josh and I don't think I've ever seen 2 guys eat so much protein in one sitting! What amazed me most was how tender and perfectly cooked everything was. A fun place to go!!


We've just added the cutest Tie Onesie from local company Mac and Me. Perfect for the future executive. She also does a set of matching burp cloths - finally some cute stuff for the new boy humans out there!

For current executives, we've got the new Golf's Greatest Practical Joke Kit. Golfers, they're a different breed. I mean anyone who would chase a little white ball around 18 holes has got to be a bit different - right? Actually, my mom was an AVID golfer and she tried and tried and tried to get me to like the game, but never succeeded. Anyhoo...this kit will help the duffer in your life add a bit o fun to the game. Included in the kit is a 96-page booklet filled with clubhouse high jinks, an exploding golf ball, ball markers with hilarious inscriptions, and flat-top tees—enough to keep any golfer laughing through all eighteen holes.

REMINDER:

This Saturday, May 23rd is our Curtsylicious Anniversary Sale. We're taking 10% off everything in the store (even sale items). Mini cupcakes will be provided by Wink Cupcakes (www.winkcupcakes.com) and the Curtsy Girls will be serving up sparkling libations to keep everyone happy.

XOXO,

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Fun Stuff!!

I love it when we receive an order from Fred & Friends! It's just like getting a whole box o fun! Tipsy Toes are a will add a bit of a kick to your next cocktail party. Each little red shoe is filled with pure distilled water, ready to be frozen and popped in your next gin & tonic. Best thing is that they won't dilute and they're re-usuable!


Talk to the Hand Sticky Notes won't get lost in the sea of standard yellow post -its. The hand commands respect and this pad of 300 will insure that you get your point across. High Five!!


Offices these days can be tricky places to work. Make your co-workers lives easier by keeping The Daily Mood on your desk - front & center. Feeling Fuzzy, Giddy or Postal? The handy flip book has you covered with 47 different moods.

Reminder

This Saturday, May 23rd is the Curtsylicious Anniversary Sale. We're taking 10% off everything in the store, even the sale items. We'll also be serving cupcakes provided by Wink Cupcakes http://www.winkcupcakes.com/ and sparkling libations. Come join the party!!

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Baby Tattoos

I finally got a sunny day off yesterday and was able to wash my car....Mondays seem to be perpetually icky. Of course today the rain returned and spotted up my pretty car. Mother Nature best have good things in store for us for the holiday weekend....we deserve it! ;) Sunshine arrived for the baby section today from Sourpuss Clothing. Oodles of adorable onesies, diaper bags, feeding sets, and shoes are in just in time for the bundles of cuteness arriving soon...

My favorite onesie has an image of a cute flying pig...the script reads Sleep when Pigs Fly. All the onesie styles that arrived are tattoo inspired....ones for Lil' Rockers, Baby Lucks, & Heartbreakers. All will look adorable with the tattoo flash baby shoes, adorned with classic sparrows, horseshoes, stars and hearts.






Also from Sourpuss, feeding sets for baby that include a plate, bowl and spoon. The bowl has the image of an I Love Mommy sacred heart, and the plate has an I Love Daddy anchor. With all this love for baby....Mama deserves something too! Give her some flash with the Tattoo Diaper Bag. It is PVC and easy to clean, features pockets on the inside, an adjustable strap and matching changing pad.

xxxx

Discoveries

I had yesterday off and my favorite thing to do, as I've mentioned before, is to walk and explore. I made several awesome discoveries in yesterday's travels. You have to understand that since I moved here 4 years ago, I have worked - ALOT and have not had time to enjoy all this grand city has to offer. My first find was Myrtle Edwards and Elliot Bay Parks. What a fabulous place to walk - right on the sound with a spectacular view of the Olympics! Truly - it just doesn't get much better than that! My other quest yesterday, was to head over to Molly Moon's Ice Cream Shop http://www.mollymoonicecream.com/. Molly was in the store on Saturday and I got to meet her. She told me how very fabulous her ice cream was, so I simply had to check it out. The end to my perfect Sunday was to have Salted Carmel Ice Cream with homemade Hot Fudge Sauce. Just thinking about it now is making my mouth water. There are 2 Molly Moon locations, one on 45th Street in Wallingford and one on Pine Street up in Capital Hill. Definitely worth the wait in the inevitable line.



New art arrived today- kind of tiny, but quite stylish. This art is in the form of matchboxes, or art for your coffee table as I like to call them! We all have collections of great candles sitting around waiting to be lit, now you can stack a few of these matchboxes ready to provide the flames. A collection of a few of these stuck on the wall also makes an unusual little, inexpensive, grouping.

I've been stuck at my desk all day today, plowing through the piles of paperwork that Curtsyland generates. Unfortunately, my desk is just a small corner in the back room, barely enough room for my computer. If it was even a smidge bigger, this bad boy would be holding my pen. The hunky hottie will also hold your business cards - a nice addition to any one's desk top.

REMINDER

This Saturday, May 23rd is our one day anniversary sale!! We're taking 10% off everything in the store - even the sale items!! We'll be serving sparkling libations and mini cupcakes provided by Wink Cupcakes .http://www.winkcupcakes.com/

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Lingerie Central

We un-packed oodles of new ooh-la-la lingerie today! I am drooling over this Victorian Lace Bustier Set. I love the combination of the black lace over the green background. Believe me - this set will be the hit of the bridal shower! We've also started carrying a selection of thigh high stockings to use with the attached garters. Tres sexy - oui?

Brand new from Jessica Kagan Cushman, makeup cases that actually make sense! They come in 3 sizes and include lots of pockets around the inside to hold all your stuff in place. The outside is done in a heavy plastic - easy to clean and to protect the fabulous sayings gracing the front of each case. Sentiments like Sin is in Sweetie and Kiss My Royal Ass - The Queen Has Spoken and Contraband give these cases a bit of sass.

Also new from JKC are Totes with Attitude. Roomy enough to use as a gym bag - stylish enough to take to the office. These new bags are strictly black and white, each with a quirky crest on the front. Danielle immediately snatched up her favorite Cupcakes, Cash, Cocktails & Carats - things every girl loves!

XOXO

Curtsy Mama

Mary Jo

Wine

I'm flying solo again today. Danielle told me this morning that even though she didn't feel great, she was going to try to come in this afternoon. WRONG!!!! I threatened that if she showed up here, I would lock her out. The captain has also had the crud and has been sent home by his commanding officer for the past 2 days. Last update, they're having a great time, being sick together in a small studio apartment...awww they're young - they'll survive.

These days people are staying at home and creating their own entertainment. We had that in mind when we ordered the Wine Tasting Party Kit. Whether you're hosting a casual backyard get together or a more formal evening soiree, a wine tasting can be fun and educational for all involved. This nifty little kit includes cloth wine bottle covers, tasting notepads, a cheat sheet of wine terms, glass markers and a guide to holding a successful affair.

Danielle is certainly going to have her work cut out for her when she returns. UPS man Mark, has kept up a steady stream of deliveries for the past couple of days. My favorite is this new flask. The woman's question of "How much fun can I have before I go to hell?" has I'm sure crossed all of our minds at one time or another. The flask even comes with a nifty little funnel for spill free filling.

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

One Undone

It's been kind of a weird day at the store. Danielle is out sick and everytime I've started on a project, someone has walked in the door.

The title of tonight's blog, you will note, is One Undone. That is the name of my son, Josh's band and they are playing a gig tonight at the Comet Tavern (922 East Pike Street) in Capital Hill. This band is comprised of 4 unbelievably talented and dedicated musicians. Their myspace page is www.myspace.com/oneundoneband. They should start at about 8:30 or 9. Their music is great - you should definately attend!!

Sorry this is so short, but I have to leave early tonight.

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

College & Porn

Be sure to tune in to King 5 tomorrow morning around 8:45 am...they are featuring our College Survival Kit! This gift-o-survival from Ms. & Mrs. includes 15 must-haves for any high school graduate that will be embarking on college come fall. They will find a sleep mask, ear plugs, book light, book clip & stand, “Talk to the Knob” privacy door sign, First Aid kit, thermometer, mending kit, collapsible clothes hamper, “No, It Doesn’t Smell Okay” laundry instructions, 6-in-1 screwdriver, poster adhesive, air freshener, Jolt® caffeine-energy gum, and a Domino’s Pizza® gift certificate...and it all comes inside a very handy shower tote.

The Porn for Women books, postcards, calendars, & coupon books have gained an enormous amount of popularity since they came out last year. They are created by the Cambridge Women's Pornography Cooperative, which is a secret society of women working to redefine the way we look at pornography. They understand that sometimes a clean kitchen is hotter than a guy in a muscle shirt. We just received the latest gem from them today....Porn for Women of a Certain Age. The book features 40 steamy scenarios with hunky yet distinguished men catering to the lucky gal's every whim....insisting she take an early retirement, delighting in the silver in her hair, and best of all, taking over the cooking and cleaning. Mrrow! I also just came across the official site for the CWPC....the site has e-postcards you can send your friends, a blog, and the infamous Pornometer Quiz in which you can determine if your guy has porn star potential.

And non-Curtsy related but just for shits & giggles....if you missed the latest Timberlake & Samberg fantasticness from Saturday Night Live this past weekend, it is a must see....ridiculously hilarious. Watch Part 1 if you aren't familiar with their first D***-in-a-box short - then enjoy Part 2!

xxxx

Playtime!

Everybody has them, days you can't concentrate on your work no matter what you do. Times like that call for a bit of desk top fun. Brand new at Curtsyland are these fabulous diversions - mini roulette wheel and desk top Foosball! Just imagine the hours you can distract your mind from the latest presentation that you are not at all into (at least not today). For a bit of Vegas style entertainment, the roulette set comes in a portable silver case and includes a mini wheel, two mini silver balls, a roulette board and magnetic game pieces in silver and black. The Foosball set is just like the it's full size cousin. I foresee a bit of office competition in the offing, perhaps the accounting dept versus the sales staff?


This is the time of year for Girls Nite Out. Bachelorette parties, 21st b-day celebrations or just partying with your BFF's for the hell of it! This pretty pink leather covered flask is just right to tuck into your evening bag and pass around in the limo you've hired to chauffeur you and the girls.

Glad to be back in the Pacific Northwest after a few days on the coast of Maine. My cousin is just such an amazing woman and I pulled out of her stories of her escape from Poland during World War II. Pretty fascinating stuff to be sure. Had a couple of lobster rolls while I was there, so it was a pretty fabulous time in my book.

Thanks to everyone who came out this weekend to Shop for a Cause. Due to your generosity, we are able to provide Northwest's Child with a nice donation check.

Our next event is scheduled for Saturday, June 6th and it will be benefiting Rebuilding Together Seattle (www.rtseattle.org). Rebuilding Together Seattle was established in 1989 and is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization (formerly Christmas in April). They are a volunteer, charitable group and repair or rebuild homes at no cost to low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly, disabled or families with children.

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Umm...Yummmm!

We received a new shipment of glitter goodness today from Deux Lux. I have it all layed out on the back counter right now after unpacking it...absolute delicious eye candy ;) Deux Lux makes fantastic wallets, cosmetic cases, coin pouches, etc in the most glittery glitter fabric imaginable. New items include a flat card holder...perfect for slipping in a clutch when going out. It has room for a few credit cards & an i.d. on one side, cash & coins on the other. We also received cosmetic cases...the standard shape which is perfect for travel comes in three different sizes, and a new cube shaped case is great for keeping in handbags filled with your daily beauty must-haves.


My favorite item is the new heart shaped pouch....yes, I said a heart shaped pouch!!!! (Don't be embarrassed if you started jumping up & down with excitement....exactly the reaction I had while at the Deux Lux booth placing this order.) And last but not least, a passport cover...which you know I will be flashing all over Europe this summer. The hardest part is choosing a color...gunmetal grey, gold, mint, merigold, moss, neon lilac, seashell pink, periwinkle...oh my goodness...

xxxx

Of pillows & books

What a soggy Seattle day it has been! However...that means I got out of watering the flowers ;) I have such a black thumb...I love the pretty flowers, but feel just terrible when they have to be taken care of by yours truly.

Our spirits (Snickers & myself) were instantly lifted today when Marie Antoinette showed up...on a fancy pillow that is. A new shipment from Peacock Park Design arrived, makers of the amazing bamboo mats that will be featured in next month's Seattle Magazine. In addition to the Marie Theatre cushion, we received a cushion with a Carte Postale design, made to look like a vintage postcard.

Also from Peacock Park Design, hidden storage book boxes! They come in two sizes & two different designs. One design coordinates with the Tattoo Old English Alphabet bamboo floor mat. The other design is titled Sincerity, and features a poem written in beautiful script. They have a magnetic closure, and have a deep red lining. How fantastic to have the cushions on a leather love seat in your library, and keep the secret book boxes on the shelf stashed with a little flask inside....party for you & Marie!

xxxx

Happy Curtsy de Mayo!!!

...and Happy Cinco de Mayo ;) Curtsyland is officially three years old today!!! May 5th 2006 was the day all the divine times began....and have they been divine!!! Our absolute favorite part of Curtsy Bella is our customers...we have so much enjoyed getting to know you all and seeing your pretty faces (and handsome faces....and even the not so pretty ones) on a regular basis. You all mean so much to us and we would not still be around without you! We also very much adore the shopping part of our jobs....and we love when you love what we love....so let's keep this good thing going, no?!

Join us in celebrating our birthday Saturday May 23rd...the entire store will be 10% off to celebrate the occasion!!!! We of course will be serving sparkling libations & itty bitty cupcakes as well!

Curtsy Mama made it to Maine safely. The Snick dog & I & Curtsyland are already very much missing her though...his walks are not quite as long...phone calls & emails don't get returned in quite so timely a fashion...the flowers may start to wilt a bit...so many sparkly things constantly distracting me...eeeh! We are trying our best though and I am sure we can survive...eat some lobster for us Mama!

xxxx

Mom's Story

I lost my mom last September and this will be my first Mother's Day without her. I was so grateful to be able to spend a lot of time with her last summer. During that time, we played endless games of gin rummy and she would tell me some of the stories of her life. I wish now that I had asked her to write them down, as they have already started to fade a bit in my memory. My Mom: Her Stories Her Words is a book filled with questions about her life. Once she has filled it out, it will become a treasured heirloom, filled with her stories and memories.

Some moms are dedicated journalers, finding peace and serenity in the self exploration that writing offers. For those women, Her Life Journal, is perfect. Each page has quotes from remarkable women to spark her creative juices.

I'm heading up to Maine for a few days. My father's cousin's wife (I think that's my first cousin, once removed) lives up there. She's always been kind of a second mom to me and I haven't seen her for quite a while, so I'm excited to spend some time with her. Danielle has graciously offered to care for the Snick dog while I'm gone, so he'll be happy to be at home and not in a kennel. Son Josh is going to walk him every day. I'm one lucky, lucky mom to have such awesome kids!

XOXO
Curtsy Mama
Mary Jo

Happy Birthday Curtsy Mama!!!!!!

Today is my most divine Mother's Birthday! She didn't want to take the day off....stinker...as she is going to Maine in a few days, so we have been celebrating all day here in Curtsyland. My brother Josh took her out to the Queen Mary Tea Room for lunch. Then he dropped off a petite dark chocolate cake for her & she graciously split it with me...but we ate too much and then felt sick ;) Flowers & teddy bears & chocolate were delivered....and of course there were presents to open! My mom loves experiencing new things, so Josh is taking her to a Brazilian Jazz concert at Dimitri's Jazz Alley...and the Captain & I are sending her off to go sea kayaking with Orca Whales (fingers crossed!) in the San Juan Islands. She is the best mom in entire Universe...Happy Birthday again Mama!!


The theme of celebrating Moms continued throughout the day with UPS bringing us shipments from Tops Malibu and Ms. & Mrs.. Tops Malibu....maker of our cult favorite Surprise Balls...has new Surprise Cornucopias. We have Birthday Cornucopias & a general Surprise Cornucopia arriving next week, but they rushed us the fabulous Mother's Day Cornucopias. Each cone contains a Surprise Ball that unwinds to reveal gifts hidden inside, plus vintage style prizes, bubbles, confetti, gems, charms, quotes & more! A little pendant adorns the top that reads Happy Mother's Day!

Also from Tops Malibu....new limited edition Deluxe Flower Surprise Balls!!! 10 prizes will be found as the lucky recipient unwinds. How beautiful would those look at each place setting for a Mother's Day brunch?!!

Then from Ms. & Mrs.....makers of the essential survival kits that have gotten our customers through all sorts of emergencys....new M.O.B. Survival Kits...Mother-of-the-Bride. Behind every calm & prepared Bride-to-be is a Mother-of-the-Bride that is surely responsible for the peace of mind. This kit features a mother lode (24, to be exact) of emergency essentials for the M.O.B., including tissues and waterproof mascara to keep teary eyes intact, a calculator to add last-minute expenses, and earplugs for those bridezilla moments. Other kits we have from Ms. & Mrs. include Wedding Day Survival, Bridessentials, Bridesmaids Survival, Labor & Delivery, Shemergency, Hemergency, and Minimergency.

xxxx