I’m Feeling Sassy!

I’m feeling pretty sassy these days. The extra sunlight is a big help. I am almost ready to concede that winter is over and I am almost ready to take my warm weather clothes out and put my cold weather clothes into storage. Almost. I know if I put my sweaters away it will snow so I am waiting at least until this weekend. We have been having a spectacular spring here this year. This is notable since spring in Minnesota is usually no more than a weekend. We go from shoveling and high heating bills to lawn mowing and air conditioning in the blink of an eye. There is never a time when the utility company isn’t raking in all kinds of dough.

My tulips are in full bloom and the lilacs are just about to pop. Last week I planted my window boxes with marigolds. I’m feeling so good about this spring that when the fucking squirrels dug up all of my marigolds I didn’t go after them with my wrist rocket. I’ll get them but not until the heat of summer has set in and I am feeling crabby again.

To add to my uplifted mood I received a couple of packages last week. I finally got my shwag from General Hospital, which included a mug, tote bag, throw blanket, and poster signed by 17 cast members. Now if I could just figure out how to get their words “General Hospital” off of each product I might actually use them. I also received my Sassy Sampler box from Jenn at The Sassy Sampler.

Jenn, a fellow tribe member from Tribal Blogs, asked if I wanted a sample box and if I would review it. I’m always about getting free stuff in the mail so I jumped at the chance. She promised to send it out right away and it arrived after three days. Of course, I have the attention span of a gnat and I get distracted easily. In those three days I completely forgot about it. So it was a wonderful surprise when it showed up on my front porch last week.

Jenn had clearly market the box on one end with OPEN THIS END, but I was far too excited to read any kind of direction and opened it at the other end. The wrong end, spilling all the contents out on my kitchen floor, not unlike a pinata at a child’s birthday. More fun!

I sat down on my kitchen floor like a kid at Christmas going through a stuffed stocking. Except that most kids don’t empty their stocking loot out on the kitchen floor. Luckily for me the daughter was still at school so I had a little time to go through everything without little hands grabbing at everything.

If she had been there I would have had to fight her off. Included in my Sassy Sampler were all kinds of goodies. There was a lovely beaded bookmark, something I am always in need of, candle melts that smelled yummy in hydrangea and apple cinnamon, an insomnia kit, face scrubby, energy drinks, some awesome mineral make up made by Jenn herself, and several charms.  All inside a satin tote!

Sample boxes are a great idea. You can try a variety of different products and choose the ones that work for you. It’s a great way to find artisans that you would never find out at the mall. Sample boxes can be tailored to different needs such as new moms, beauty products, health and wellness, diet, and crafts just to name a few. I love the idea of gathering the best products from unique artists and putting them together for people to try out.

The only criticism I have about the Sassy Sampler is that the samples were packaged in little zip loc bags. Boring! I’m a fool for pretty packaging. If something comes in a cute little box I will love it, no matter what. Put a ribbon or bow on it and I will be a customer for life. I also choose books by their covers and if a bottle of wine has a cute label and name I will buy it, drink it and love it. I’m a marketers dream. I realize to package all of the samples would be costly but it might be a worthy investment. I am not the only one who loves pretty packages. I would also suggest adding an item that was full sized, just as a little treat.

The Sassy Sampler is a great way to discover new products and artisans, they also make great gifts for those people you just don’t know what to get. Give a little of everything!