You Lost What?

Last winter, while I was still kicking around the idea of creating Name Bubbles, my husband (David) had a nice day at the mountain by himself. He skied without me, which means he skied hard, fast, and had a lot of runs. Even though he grew up skiing and is usually pretty good about grabbing all of his gear, this time he left a key item behind...his pants. Not just any pants, these were the pair he had been waiting and looking for, they had all the features he wanted.

He arrived home exhausted, unpacked his bag and dropped his head, "You're not going to believe this, I forgot my pants." To me skiing is a luxury, I am never happy about how much we need to spend on equipment or clothing, personally I think it's all a little crazy. However, to my husband, it's a necessity, the mountain is his place of relaxation, perhaps meditation. Wisely I bit my tongue, I knew how upset he was at himself.

The next morning was Monday, David got into his car and drove back to the mountain but there were no pants. He looked through the lodge, checked the office, looked in the lost and found - they were gone. He couldn't understand that someone would take them and not turn them in. This is when it hit me, if things were labeled, there's a better chance that people would turn them in. If something has a name or phone number on it the rule of "Finders-Keepers" may not apply as easily. So, before you gear up for your day of skiing, remember to "Bubble Up" your gear.

Following is the link for our Sports Pack, it provides a nice mix of label styles, some of them have extra room for contact information in addition to a name for those big ticket items. http://www.namebubbles.com/labelpack/sports-labels.html

Bubble Up Your Bags

Do you have a black medium sized suitcase? Yep, me too. Do you find yourself leaning over the shoulder of the person standing next to you at baggage claim - perhaps straining your eyes to look for something that makes your bag stand out from the others? Well, I did at one point.

Since I've bubbled my bags, baggage claim is a lot less stressful. I can spot my bags or luggage from a good distance and I know my name is securely stuck, even if the identification tags are torn loose.

This big label (Big Bubble) is one of two styles that Name Bubbles offers. They are personalized with the information that you want to show, if you prefer a cell number or e-mail address that will work too. Before you take your next trip, you may want to think about bubbling your bags. Visit www.namebubbles.com to view our Big Bubble and Super Bubble waterproof labels.

More Than A Laundry Safe Label - Have Fun With The Bitty Bubble

Growing up with sisters, you learn to hide your favorite lipsticks and nail polish - these things had a way of disappearing. Some of it was probably left at a friends house, and yes, I was guilty of pillaging myself.

So, when mom needed to settle those disputes over whose Bonnie Bell Watermelon lip balm it was, a painful ordeal took place for the young parties involved.

Later in college, I really honed the skills of preservation. My favorite bottles and sticks of color would be quietly tucked away. Sometimes I was careless, I would leave something behind and I understood that no-one would know who to return it to, the rules of "Finders-Keepers" would come into play.

For these times, and to avoid the rule of "Finders-Keepers", we recommend our Bitty Bubbles. We love these little guys. A fun and durable waterproof label, small enough to go on the bottom of your favorite nail polish and cute enough to stick and press on your cosmetics.

We originally designed these labels for laundry care tags but they are super practical for so many other items. You'll receive 112 bitty bubbles in a book, a lot of waterproof labels for a great price. http://www.namebubbles.com/labels/laundry-safe-labels.html

Name Bubbles Uses An Eco-Friendly Ink

During our search for the right printing process, we found a wonderful non-toxic, eco-friendly ink that is virtually odorless and doesn't require any special ventilation or environmental equipment. The Name Bubbles Team loves this ink; it creates great labels without affecting our work space or the environment.

We also know that our waterproof labels are sticking with us and our loved ones all day, especially the laundry safe labels that are attached to our little one's clothing.

As labels are printed, the eco-friendly ink and the vinyl labels are fused together creating high-quality, durable dishwasher safe labels and laundry safe labels. http://www.namebubbles.com/labels.html

Name Bubbles Labels - The Durable Waterproof Label

Located in upstate New York, the Name Bubbles team have our share of winter stories. Luckily, I have a husband who loves to ski and made sure I gave it a try when we moved to Saratoga Springs.

Skiing has become our weekly ritual, driving an hour back and forth to the mountain. Because of this, I thought my rocket box (on the top of my car) would be a perfect place to show just how durable our waterproof Name Bubbles labels are.

I will be updating this post once a month with a new picture of the same giant label until springtime, when the rocket box is taken off.

I grew up in a very mild climate, unless you live in cold conditions it is very difficult to explain how cold it gets. I am hoping my pictures of the ice and snow well show just how durable our waterproof (and weatherproof) labels are. http://www.namebubbles.com/labels/dishwasher-safe-waterproof-labels.html

A Cookie Exchange Must - The Oreo Truffle

I have a fabulous sister-in-law who does wonders in the kitchen. She plays down her cooking but I love our visits, I am always being introduced to something tasty and usually pretty simple.

She is a full-time geology professor and calls this creation "Armored Mud Balls" (Oreo Truffles). Though she covers her truffles in white chocolate I tend to like the darker version; they look and taste great either way. One issue, you need a food processor - if you don't have one, this recipe may be the reason to get one.

1) One bag of Oreo Cookies
2) One package of cream cheese
3) One bag of chocolate chips (I use Nestle's Semi-Sweet)

• Put all of the Oreo Cookies in a big Ziploc bag and smash them (this was a fun treat for my 2-yr old - I gave him a ladle and let him smash away)
• Combine the cream cheese and cookie crumbs in the food processor until the mixture is a consistent, well lets say...giant mud ball
• Using a teaspoon, gather a little portion of the mix and roll it in the palm of your hand until it is a round ball - you should have between 75 to 80 balls when you are done
• Melt the chocolate chips in a double-boiler or heat up water in a sauce pan and place a stainless steal bowl over the water. The chips will melt quickly in the stainless steal bowl even over low heat. Make sure the water isn't too hot, you don't want steam or moisture getting into the bowl of chocolate, it will seize up and you will have to start over.
• Using 2 spoons, cover the Oreo mixture with your melted chocolate of choice and place on wax or parchment paper when you have finished each one. Turn on a little music and know that this may take a little time - it moves faster and can be fun once you get the hang of it.
• Place the truffles in the freezer for 10 mins to set the chocolate

Find a bunch of decorative tins or bags and place a dozen or so treats inside for a tasty holiday bite. Try our durable Fun Stickies on the outside of the tins, I chose the bi-level style, "Happy Holidays" on the top line and "The Brandriss Family" is on the bottom line. A personalized label ensures that the message will be received, even if the card gets lost in the holiday shuffle. http://www.namebubbles.com/labels/fun-stickies.html

Name Bubbles Allergy Alert Labels - Gentle Reminders

My youngest son has a peanut allergy.

The allergy is not life threatening but he does immediately vomit and develop a rash, so we take precautions and keep all things peanut on the top shelves and away from his usual treats.

Because my husband and older step-son love peanut butter (and all things peanut), we've kept it in our home but I often find myself repeating the same information to relatives who are visiting or babysitters.

I've started using Name Bubbles Allergy Alert Label (Fun Stickies version) on the peanut butter jar in the cabinet and trail mix bags on the snack shelf. Though I always inform anyone new of the allergy, it has been a great tool and a gentle reminder for all of the loved ones coming and going. http://www.namebubbles.com/labelpack/medical-alert-labels.html