Geyser Gifts!

Running Flipzles has kept me super busy -- so this year for neighbor gifts we wanted to do something simple but with a kick :)

I bought a couple of cases of Mentos thinking I would use them in little gift bags. When my daughter Natasha saw them she said "all you need now is a bottle of diet coke!" -- We went to "Wreck it Ralph" over Thanksgiving break, so I am sure that is why the idea came so quickly.

"Brilliant!" -- I responded.  That is just what we are going to do.  Now let's think up something clever to say on the cards.

After tossing lots of corny puns and other sayings around this is what we came up with --

We think you "GEYSER" awesome!

Hope you have a "BLAST" this Christmas

We then printed out some instructions from the Steve Spangler Science website and a demonstration picture to attach to the bottles.

It was something everyone could help with during the assembly process and oh-so much fun for the kiddos to deliver.  We delivered our first round of Geyser Making Kits tonight and will do more in the next few days.

We definitely got a few confused looks, several Wreck it Ralf comments and lots of thank you's.  It is definitely not your traditional plate of cookies, but hopefully it gets some ooh's and ahh's or gives the less adventureous souls their daily diet coke fix :)

I think it is a fun idea -- the question is -- will it get pinned?  I am crossing my fingers -- so please feel welcome to PINTEREST away.  We definitely wouldn't mind having this idea copied.

Go For It

I have been thinking a lot about where I was in January and where I am now.

I decided to make a go with this business without really knowing how to do any of the things I would need to do.  I was SCARED.... but I didn't let that fear keep me from trying.

I have come an extremely long way with my small FLIPZLES company, but I still have a lot farther to travel and not an easy road ahead of me.  It is clear to me that this is going to take hours and hours of work.

The designing is the fun part that I look forward to, but I am not very good at marketing. Everything I do in that area is something I haven't done before.  I don't know if it will work or not. I still get scared and sick to my stomach everytime I have to make a telephone call.

I am rejected or ignored everyday -- but I know with all of the no's there come a few yes's and when I get those happy replies it makes it all worth it.  And on days when no positive replies come, I just keep sending out more emails and messages so that more people can learn about my product.

I don't know what the future holds.  I hope that I get to make more puzzles.
That is what I am working for -- if that doesn't happen though I know I won't feel like I didn't succeed.
This week I made phone calls that I wouldn't have had the guts to just a month ago.
After I made the calls I read a book to my 2 year old and sang songs with him.
Next week I will be trying new things and learning even more.
For me that is a wonderful thing and a success in itself.

Remember  -Nobody who is currently doing anything knew how to do it when they started out.
They had to start somewhere...

So -- I guess the point of this post is....

If there is something you are dreaming about trying/making/doing/being --
DON'T LET FEAR WIN!  Go for it :)
You'll be amazed at how the PIECES start to FIT TOGETHER.

-Vicki

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FLIPZLES - In the Works!

If you know me, you know my favorite part of FLIPZLES is designing them -- Right now with the launch of the new company and trying to get the word out about what FLIPZLES are -- I spend most of my day fulfilling orders and trying to learn how to market and sell my puzzles.

So I wanted to take a moment today to show you the next two puzzles that will be coming out in 2013. They are a bit smaller, square in shape and have fewer pieces so they are a bit easier to solve.   I think they both will be so much fun!

Here are few pictures of the artwork -
Let me know what you think and what design you would like to see on future FLIPZLES!


FLIPZLES FARM -
The artwork for this was based off of a barn in Wyoming that my husband and I both played in when we were kids. I remember swinging on the rope up in the loft, looking for randomly layed chicken eggs in the hay and playing basketball on rainy days. I love being able to incorporate things that have meaning to me in my puzzles

Now my friend who took the photos for me told me I should use a green tractor -- but my father-in-law owned a tractor dealership for years and it was the type that didn't sell green tractors so I had to take that into account when making my color choice for the tractor :)

FLIPZLES - PET MANSION 

This puzzle came about because one of my daughters often says she would rather be an animal than a person.  I know that she will absolutely LOVE to play with this puzzle when it comes out.  I am keeping the inside a surprise.

Yes -- this part is definitely my favorite!  Can't wait to do more.