Fall Garage Sales

WondaWedge / September 2011

Fall garage sales

As summer begins to wind down and finally we catch our breaths as the heat that has blasted Texas for too long  has begun to subside, my thoughts turn to cleaning out and cleaning up before winter.

It’s time to gather together all those items that I pass by daily, or have discovered during summer raids to the attic, that are no longer needed. (Why did I buy that thing in the first place?)   The pleasant, musty and dry air that comes with autumn is the perfect time for a garage sale – to get rid of that stuff before closing up the house for the winter! 

I’ve moved boxes, dragged things down from storage in my small attic space, unpacked cartons that have been sitting in my garage since I moved in seven years ago (if I haven’t needed it for seven years, it’s time for whatever-it-is to go!).  My aching back is testament to the labor I’ve invested in cleaning out the house and garage, and oh, I love my WondaWedge in the evenings when I finally catch a chance to relax.  Nothing soothes my stresses and strains better. 

While relaxing, I think to myself – now that I’ve got the garage sale ready to go, I should also dig out those more expensive items around the house and sell them on eBay.  I must be in the mood to purge my life of all those unnecessary items I’ve collected and thoughtful but never-used gifts … someone else should enjoy them at a bargain price!

Want to know more about selling on eBay? It’s as easy as pie. Here’s a link to a tutorial:

http://pages.ebay.com/sellerinformation/howtosell/sellingbasics.html

My recommendation to all of you is to take advantage of this wonderful cooler weather to clean out before the cold of winter sets in.  You’ll thank yourself when you enjoy your uncluttered surroundings while cooped up inside this winter. 

Memorial Day Weekend Fun...Texas Style

Memorial Day weekend traditionally kicks off summer around here and I've snooped around and found some great Texas getaways! Drink plenty of water, don't forget the sunscreen and if you plan to kick back and enjoy some of the festivities, take along a wondawedge or two. Here's hoping you have a great time!


Luckenbach's 150th Birthday Celebration
Texas' favorite honky-tonk town, Luckenbach will be celebrating its 150th birthday - for the eleventh time - over Memorial Day Weekend.

Kerrville Folk Festival
Having run continuously since 1972, the Kerrville Folk Festival is the longest running festival of its type in North America. Lasting 18 days, the festival features over 100 songwriters, concerts, arts & crafts, kids concerts and more.

National Polka Festival

Featuring a colorful Czech parade, live music, arts & crafts, a horseshoe tournament, traditional Czech foods, dancing and a 5k run. Located in Ennis, TX this is the largest Czech heritage festival in the United States.

Cowboy Capital Rodeo Association Pro Rodeo

The Cowboy Capital of Texas - Bandera - will celebrate Memorial Day in typical cowboy fashion - with a rodeo. The Cowboy Capital Pro Rodeo is three days of rodeo action and live music.

Party in The Pines Motorcycle Rally in East Texas 

With a joker run, dyno drag competition, bike games, vendors, live music, and more, this ‘All Brands Invited’ Party in The Pines motorcycle event is just the ticket for people who love to ride, with Longview offering bike-friendly places to stay, eat and shop.

Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival

Cajun food and music amid the rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, the Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival helps usher in summer the right way. Besides the typical Cajun fare, there will also be plenty of the German food Fredericksburg is famous for on hand.

Glamper Girl

I pulled into my driveway yesterday and noticed it for the first time: the slight color of the first buds of spring on the trees. Spring in the Texas hill country has arrived! This time of year always motivates me to do two things: clean house top to bottom and go camping. Every year, I tell myself that this is the year that I will get rid of everything, buy an RV and become a gypsy but it never seems to happen. I'm just not ready to part with my shoe collection...

But until then, I still have Penelope - my homemade teardrop camper, circa 1994. Oh, how I have missed her! Neither one of us are big winter lovers so I always have to endure many months without her. (Although, I must confess that I will "play camper" in the backyard occasionally. Sometimes, it's fun to chill out in there and read a book.)

It's time to dust off the sleeping bags and air out the tents, campers and RVs! I've listed some cool finds to add to my camping "must haves," in addition to, of course, the WondaWedge.

Because I'm not tent camping, I'm not as limited to the amount of groovy gadgets I can take with me. I'm a Glamping Girl! Now, get out there and fun - they don't call it the "great" outdoors for nothing!

Campfire In A Can
There isn't a whole lot of room for interpretation here.
It's a fire. In a can.

The BoGo Light
The BoGo Light is a scientific, eco-friendly breakthrough that is making an impact worldwide. From Cairo to Cape Town, from the Caribbean to the Amazon, it is improving the lives of individuals, families, and entire villages by replacing costly kerosene, candles, and disposable battery flashlights with an affordable, long lasting, solar flashlight. BoGo means Buy one, Give one. They want their lights to benefit the less fortunate; therefore, with each light purchased in the developed world, a second identical light will be donated to an organization that will distribute it in the developing world.

And you thought you were just going camping.....

 Stainless Steel French Press
As much as I love coffee, there is no way I'm dragging along a propane powered or electric coffee pot. I'm a french press kind of gal and this stainless baby from Coleman is perfect! 

Biscuits On A Stick
What could be easier than starting a campfire, reaching into your box of camping equipment, pulling out Biscuits on a Stick, laying out some canned biscuits, wrapping the biscuits around your Biscuits on a Stick and watching the kids make their own breakfast? Enjoy your coffee or tea while someone else makes breakfast…even for you!! It’s as easy as 1,2,3! I can't WAIT for pizza on a stick.....

Stainless Wine Goblet
Sip your wine under the stars in style with this stainless wine goblet. No more broken wine glasses or plastic cups! Base snaps into rim for efficient packing and storing. Stable non-slip base. I don't even drink wine and I love this...

Mad Mat Outdoor Rug

This is one of my favorite things ever! I have two of them on my patio and when I'm ready to load up the camper, I just grab one and throw in the truck. They're made from recycled soda bottles, milk bottles, packing, etc and are combined with state of the art conditioners and U.V. inhibitors to produce soft, resilient colorfast threads. Great to have under your feet where ever you are.

















 These are just a few of my favorite things and I'm sure that as camping season gets under way, I'll find even more neat gadgets to enhance my glamping life. Let me know if you find something cool that I need to know about! Happy trails.....

Buy One, Give One

WondaWedge Partners with Direct Relief International and Launches “Buy One, Give One” Program to Benefit Patients and Victims Worldwide

                    Cypress Creek Marketing, exclusive global distributor for the WondaWedge inflatable pillow, announced today the launch of a “Buy One – Give One” program designed to assist patients in hospitals and clinics around the world where adjustable hospital beds are not available. 

The WondaWedge, designed by a physiotherapist for proper back support, provides just the right amount of support and different elevation angles to aid in proper recovery and comfort for patients who would otherwise have no other options beyond a cot, or the ground.  The WondaWedge is a boon to assist workers in remote hospitals and clinics, or disaster relief workers who handle a variety of situations requiring proper positioning of the patient to enhance recovery.

Cypress Creek Marketing has been donating WondaWedges to the Haitian recovery effort for the past year, working with physical therapists at the Bernard Mevs Medishare Hospital in Port au Prince.  As a physical therapist described the situation,  “Patients in the hospital sleep on cots, with no means of elevating their head or legs. Because of your kind donation, we were able to provide pressure relief to patients who were unable to change positions in bed. Patients with pulmonary conditions were able to breathe more easily with the use of a WondaWedge. We were even able to use WondaWedge pillows to give comfort to patients at end-of-life. I sincerely appreciate your kindness to help people so desperately in need. Please know that your generosity significantly impacts the lives of many patients in Haiti.”

Now, in conjunction with Direct Relief International, WondaWedges can be made available to clinics and hospitals in more than 62 countries around the world.  “We are pleased to partner with Direct Relief International on this program” says Margie Williams, Managing Partner for Cypress Creek Marketing.  “Our customers have discovered the versatility of the WondaWedge and now we’re giving them the opportunity to help people who are less fortunate. The WondaWedge is such a small thing, but the benefits are huge.” 

For every WondaWedge sold through the “Buy One – Give One” program, Cypress Creek Marketing will donate a WondaWedge to be distributed.  Customers also have an opportunity to donate WondaWedges for the small cost of $9.00 each, without purchasing one for themselves, if they so desire.

Anthoula Randopoulos, Vice President of Philanthropic at Direct Relief International shares her enthusiasm for this program.  “Direct Relief is so appreciative of the generous and innovative donation from WondaWedge.  Our ability to give WondaWedges to our partners around the world will enable the hospitals and clinics we support to treat their patients more effectively and provide an enhanced level of comfort for patients who have no access to hospital beds.”

For more information on this worthy project, contact Margie Williams at 800-549-5773 or visit the web site: www.wondawedge.com

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day, like many holidays dating back to the Middle Ages, is still a bit of a mystery. The only thing that most of us know is that the minute the Christmas decorations are down in the retail stores, the Valentine’s Day goodies start showing up. There’s not a noticeable difference between “Christmas red” and “Valentine’s red,” but the heart shaped candy boxes and fake red roses remind us, once again, that it’s time to go shopping.

Now if you've been following this blog (thanks for that, by the way), you know I'm going to make a few gift suggestions, beginning with The Wondawedge. Not everybody wants lacy underthings (not appropriate for your mom), not every kiss begins with Kay (more than likely, a couple of beers do) and most of us had our fill of chocolate around January 3.

With spring right around the corner, The Wondawedge is a great gift for the outdoor enthusiast in your family. If you have a family elder or perhaps someone who is recuperating from surgery, again, The Wondawedge is a handy device to give as a gift. I'd recommend a few good books, too, since it's a great reading pillow. Of course, if you insist on jewelry....

Useless Trivia

Sweethearts are made by the New England Confectionery Company, home of the NECCO wafer. NECCO is the oldest multi-line candy company in the US, dating back to 1847.  They've come along way in the message department, too. Now they have current sayings on them like "Email Me." Modern Love...

I Love New York is both a logo and a song that are the basis of an advertising campaign have been used since the mid-1970s to promote tourism in New York City^[1], and later to promote New York State as well.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valentine's Day Movies (aka "Chick Flicks")

Let's face it, there isn't a guy in the world who actually wants to watch any of the following movies. But trust me on this guys, we love it when you snuggle up to us on the couch for a good chick flick! Popcorn and tissues optional but she'll love you for it! These are my favorites:

 

Classics:                                                        

Casablanca                                 

Love Story

Summer of '42

Modern:

Love Actually

Pretty Woman (although, I prefer Knotting Hill if we're talking Julia Roberts....)

When Harry Met Sally

 

One's He Might Sit Through:

First Knight (at least there's some jousting in it...)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (hilarious...)

There's Something About Mary (ditto!)

 

My Love Song Mix Tape #1 (Click on the player to hear these songs)

Wild Horses, Rolling Stones

Valentine’s Day, Steve Earle
Paper Airplane, Willie Porter

Wonderful Tonight, Eric Clapton

The Blower's Daughter, Damien Rice
Cause We Ended As Lovers, Jeff Beck

Every Picture Tells A Story

This is the time of year that we start snooping around for summer guides, travel writers and outdoor bloggers. We added a dozen new retailers in 2010 and naturally, want to see that number increase in 2011. From chiropractic sites to travel accessories, we have continued to grow in many varied, niche markets.

We love hearing from our customers and our retailers - especially when they send pictures! Here are some of our favorites, including some of our in house memorabilia:



Wondawedge inside a teardrop camper from Little Guy Worldwide



 



Preparing for the space shuttle launch!                                                  













At The Holiday Lookbook event in New York



Medi Share Hospital, Haiti



Camping In Style





A Star Is Born!

It's been a very exciting day! The Wondawedge made it's first appearance on the Today Show! Surrounded by Hoda, Kathie Lee, Bobbie Thomas (and a handsome model), we were honored to be one of three products recommended for weekend getaways and tropical vacations.

Whether you're planning a tropical getaway or camping in the backyard with the kiddos, the Wondawedge is just the ticket for kicking back in comfort!

Link to video clip