We all love receiving promotional products, but what do you give on a budget when you really want to impress?  A technical company I worked with recently bought the skinny mouse and it was a huge hit.  There are so many choices in flash drives these days that a plain old flash drive will not always do...so try a multi function usb pen , or a stylus ballpoint combo, these useful items will be a promotional product that people will keep and use again and again.  For something that is elegant, try a leather photo album or frame, everyone loves to show off the family! Get creative and give a promotional item that they will really keep!  That is the best way to keep your name in front of your customer.

Trade show season is in full swing and it seems that everyone is under the gun to get products.  It is important to have a booth that people will visit. From table covers to displays a lot more goes into it than one might think.  A great way to go is with a promotional trade show package.  They can get really elaborate but they all have the same purpose to get your name in front of the customers.  Wear comfortable shoes, bring a swag bag, and enjoy the show. See you at the trade shows!

Congratulations to my wonderful husband John.  Today he will be inducted into the 1/4 century club at Standard Motor Products of Long Island City.  He has worked for the same company for 25 years, quite an accomplishment.  So tonight we celebrate with a big dinner at Terrace on the Green.  I am curious about what type of corporate gift he will receive, I'm guessing it's a watch and maybe a plaque!  Whatever it is I'm sure he will love it.  This event is held every 2 years, and there are as many as 25 employees at a time being honored.  So congratulations also to Standard Motor Products for being a company that treats it's employees so well that they never want to leave!

The dogs in the Lawrenceville Georgia area are in for a treat!  Now when their owners go on a trip they don't have to go to the kennel, they can to to the Lucky Dog Motel and Grooming Salon.  My sister has been a dog groomer for years, and has finally outgrown her current business, and is embarking on a new venture.  There will be a 50's theme and all the dogs will be wagging their tails when they realize where they are going instead of running the other way.  They will be allowed to socialize with other dogs on the spacious grounds and they will never be left unattended.  Debbie will take care of them and treat them like her own.  They will come home happy and looking clean.  She will be launching her business soon, and with the help of Pet Promotional Products, she will keep her name in front of her current and potential customers.  High on the list are magnets, pet food lids, medicine boxes and dog treats.  So if you live in Georgia, take your pets to Debbie's Lucky Dog Motel and Pet Salon!  You will have a happy pet!

Good Luck Debbie, I know your business will be a great success!

Did the Cubs win the world series?  Did hell freeze over?  I am sure this has all happened because my 80 year old Father-in-law is coming to New York for a visit!  He lives in northern Wisconsin and while we have been to see him as much as possible over the years, he has refused to visit us due to a very long list of crazy excuses.  We even had to cancel his 80th birthday celebration because he would not travel to Chicago where we had it planned.  We had it 6 months later in his town and it was great!  So when my brother in law said that he was coming for a visit and bringing Dad along I didn't beleive it would really happen.  But as I understand it he is in the car now, and they are on the way.  So I am very excited to see him, and show him around Long Beach and NY City.  We plan on taking him on the water taxi ride to view the city among other things.  So lot's to do in preparation.  I hope they don't turn around when they hit Chicago!  I guess I won't really beleive it until he walks through our door.  Crossing my fingers.

Spring makes me want to dig in the dirt!  I love gardening and I can't wait to get out and plant some flowers and veggies! My promotional garden kit keeps everything in one place.  I do need to improve it every year, and we have only been in our house for 4 years.  The first year I had to plant some bushes, and dig out the beds.  There is very limited sun so strategic planting is a must.  Every one will benefit from my need to overplant tomatoes!  I am planning on raising the beds this year with some stone borders.  This not only gives a decorative look but I can add inches of great top soil which will give me healthier plants.  I can't wait to get started!

When I was in college, I worked at a hardware store.  They really didn't want to hire me  because I was a girl. (I know!!)  I came in every day to see if someone had been hired and finally got hired he said I wore him down!  So I learned many things like how to repair a screen, how to cut glass, how to mix paint, how to cut keys, and how to cut and thread pipe.  Yes there were many jokes from the plumbers as a little 5'1" girl took them to the basement to cut the pipe on a large threading machine.  From stocking shelves I learned about elbows, "T" fittings, male and female threads, (yes more jokes), valves, pvc pipe, black pipe and copper pipe and the correct applications for each.  Luckily I did know a few things that surprised my employer because of a woodworking class I took in high school, so when it came to power tools and the difference between a wood screw and a machine screw I had a leg up. 

So when I became a homeowner at 24, I was not afraid to try some repairs and improvements.  I have installed a ceiling fan, stripped and finished a hardwood floor, repaired toilets, rerouted a gas pipeline to relocate a dryer, (that one blew my Father in Law away!), and repaired that same old dryer.  I did find out that I am very bad at painting, so I don't do that anymore!

I don't always know how to get a job done, but it is easy to find out!  A website called repairclinic.com is a great resource. I recently thought I needed a new dishwasher and also my icemaker and water dispenser were not working on my refrigerator.  I visited this site, diagnosed the problem, ordered the parts, and yes, fixed them all!  $$$ SAVINGS!  

So if you are going to be a do-it-yourselfer, you need to have a few supplies and follow a few basic rules.First, the right tool for the right job!  A  Promotional Tool Kit , is a great way to get the basic tools that you need. Second, safety first!  Remember to turn off the electricity, shut off the water or gas, look for underground wires and pipes when digging in the yard, and wear safety glasses.

The most important tip of all is work while the hardware store is open!  You will most certainly need to go on a hardware store run! 

Fitness at work?  Yes many companies offer wellness programs for their employees to help encourage a healthy lifestyle.  Wellness is not only good for individuals, it is good for companies.  A healthy work force has more energy, misses fewer days of work and therefore, has  more productive employees.  A great way to go about it is to have a theme for each month.  The Department of the Navy has come up with monthly topics to focus on.  January is helthy goals and tips, February is cardiovascular awareness, March is nutritional awareness, and so on.  There are great promotional and incentive items that can compliment your workplace wellness program and help keep everyone on track.  Promotional men's and women's health guides are a great way to get your program started.  Giveaways like promotional water bottles and lunch bags encourgage healthy eating. So embark on a wellness program at work, and get fit with the support and encouragement of your co-workers. And I am sorry but my number one recommendation health tip is stop smoking.  Try an e-cig!!

We all know the benefits of diet and exercise, so why is it so hard for some of us?  I am an avid workout enthusiast who often falls off the wagon, and just stops for awhile.  I know that when I exercise regularly I am in a better mood, I have more energy, I sleep better, I am prolonging my life, and I look better. So why do I stop?  Boredom? I think I just get busy.  I have done it all!  Aerobics, wieightlifting, kickboxing, step-class, zumba, and yoga.  Currently I am back on a regiment of treadmill and a very effective program called Fluidity.  Fluidity is a combination of ballet bar work, and stretching with elements of yoga.  I love it because it really works, and the stretching feels great!  It is very hard at first but worth the effort. I have had my Fluidity bar for a few years, and sadly it has been out of use for awhile.  Luckily I have lots of Promotional Fitness and Exercise products to mix up my workouts.  So grab your exercise mat and a fitness ball and take 20 minutes to give your body, mind and soul a workout! 

It's official!  Andrea Strem is a licensed driver!  My 17 year old passed her test today to her great releif.  She was so nervous that she could not sleep.  Her Dad gave her "advice" all the way to the test, I'm sure that did not help.  She got 20 points off, and they still passed her!  You have to get 30 off to fail.  So she got to take the van back to school to show off her accomplishment.  While I am very happy for her and proud of her I'm a nervous wreck!  With so many distractions like cell phones, loud music and loud friends, it is scary to let them out on the road.  The insurance is in it's promotional insurance wallet, the promotional auto safety kit is under the seat, and the blue tooth is on the visor. So out she goes onto the road and soon out into the world.  OK now I'm getting tears!  My babies are all grown up.  So when you are out driving try to have patience with other drivers, they might still be kind of new at it!!