Social Media …. here I come!

Hello Everyone,
Hold onto your hats, because I now have a Facebook Page. (Please “Friend Me”; I want to top Suzanne’s numbers). You know, I held off for as long as I could, but work and technology said otherwise.  With so many of the Craft Industry professionals using Facebook, and Twitter, (not doing), Cindy Shepard, Design Originals Media Director, convinced me it was time.  It was only a few months back when Cindy convinced me to write the Design Originals blog.  She said I was funny, and people would enjoy my blogs.  Well, I have been pleasantly surprised by the words of encouragement from my fellow bloggers and faithful readers.  As my daughter Jourdain said after finding out I now have a Facebook page, “what’s next, an IPhone?” No IPhone for me!  I like my basic, no bells or whistles phone, because when you run over your boring phone while driving a forklift, it doesn’t hurt the pocketbook as bad.

Things are still quite busy here at Design Originals.  I am up to my ears with paperwork for all the upcoming trade shows Design Originals will be attending.  Starting with Phoenix NAMTA, Utah Spring Quilt Show, Wisconsin Bead & Button, Chicago CHA, Ft. Worth Quilt Show, Houston Fall Quilt Show, Art of the Carolinas, and Galveston TAEA.  Since Design Originals publishes books in all categories of the Craft, Hobby, and Art Industry, we attend many shows.  Over the years relationships have been built with our customers, and it is always good to see everyone.

Our phones have been really busy lately, and sometimes to help our customer service department, I will pick up a line and talk with the person calling in.  It is the luck of the draw as to whether it is a consumer, a store, or a distributor, and it doesn’t matter, because I really love talking to people.  Consumers seem to be the most excited.  Usually they have just discovered Zentangle, Pulp Fiction, 10 Minute Blocks, or Tila Beads, and they can’t find the books anywhere.  So we help them locate a store.  Now, Store employees are also very excited when they call in, because if they are calling in for a re-order, that means they SOLD OUT of a title.  YAY!  Then when a distributor calls in because they have SOLD OUT, I get very excited.  Because it means the system is working.  Consumers buy books from Stores, Stores buy books from Distributors, and Distributors buys books from Design Originals.  Consumers are looking for good inspirational instruction books, so do not be caught with an empty slot.

Now a friendly reminder.  This coming Sunday, March 13, Daylight Savings Time begins.  So remember to “SPRING” ahead and set your clocks forward ONE hour on Saturday night. We have about 22 clocks in our home, not counting the appliances, so I usually start about noon on Saturday.  (This really messes with Debra when she comes home from work.)  Debra has said I am a little (lot) obsessed with clocks.  Maybe so, but no matter where I am in our home, I can look and see what time it is.  I don’t call that being obsessive at all.  What do you think?

Till next time,

Dean