"Anything is possible if you just imagine!"

Life is good when......

2006-02-06T11:57:00.001-08:00

Isn't it funny how the littlest things in life can change your view of the world. That's what school presentations do for me. This week I traveled to 3 different Elementary Schools and talked to students about imagination, my book "Making New Friends" and what I do as an author. The children were absolutely wonderful, attentive, and thirsty for information.

They always have such great questions so I decided to answer some of them in my blog.

I am often asked where I got the idea for "Making New Friends". My insipiration was my son. We had just moved and he was not happy about leaving his friends and starting at a new school. I decided to put in the book, his emotions and experiences withBrowny Big Box as a sounding board for his concerns. Children love knowing they are not alone in how they often feel about moving. I am amazed at every school that I attend how many children have moved, and even more so, how many have moved from another state.

I am also asked about Browny. Why is he brown the children want to know. Browny is brown because boxes are Browny. Browny is a box character that travels the world in search of children that need a friend.

I was able to tie all the elements into one title, Making New Friends is a reflection of children who are moving and Brownys favorite thing to do is make new friends. The title just worked all the way around.

I will try not to wait so long in between blog updates. Be sure to check out the new advertising opportunities and clothing that is now available at my website www.thebigbrownbox.com.

Remember "Anything is possible if you just imagine!"

Life is good when......

2006-02-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

Gifts That Touch Your Heart

2005-12-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Boxes and Ribbon and Paper OH MY! (Part 3)

There is no gift better, to give or receive, than a gift that fills your heart. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to give that kind of gift. Remember it’s the thought that counts. I encourage you to try one of our ideas and focus your gift giving on the sentimental value, not the price tag.

Learn the secrets Elves won’t share!

Secret 3: How to make unique gifts and ornaments

Adults and children can give a gift of the heart without spending a fortune. The time and effort put into wrapping the packaging can make any gift extra special. A picture will add a personal touch and warmth to any gift. From shoe boxes to jewelry boxes we show you how to create beautiful gift boxes with items that you already have at home. The visuals for these ideas are on my website and are a must see.

Is it a gift box or tree ornament? Actually our small boxes are both and will look great displayed on your tree. Children and family members will enjoy finding their picture displayed so beautifully during the holidays.

Picture perfect! These are gift boxes that can also be ornaments. They are made from ring size boxes. Cut a hole in the center of the lid large enough to display a wallet size picture. Cover the top and bottom of the box in any materials you would like to use. I recommend you only cover the bottom of the box up to where the lid fits when the box is together. Beads and ribbons are great accents for these boxes. Once glue dries mount the picture on inside of the top lid with glue or tape. Take the bottom part of the box and punch a hole through the top. Then loop a ribbon through so it will hang. Inside the box you can place a little gift for them. An ornament and a gift box in one. No lying on the floor and no wrappings to dispose for this present. It doesn’t get much better!

Any size shoe box can make an elegant gift box. Our box has been covered in a purple felt material, has a wide green ribbon around the bottom of the lid and top edge of the bottom of the box. After cutting a hole in the center of the lid a computer printed Holiday Greeting was mounted on the inside. The top is garnished with artificial flowers. This makes a stunning gift box.

Who knew a jewelry box could be so pretty. The same techniques described above can be used on any size box. Whether you insert a picture or a message on the lid it is sure be warmly received. If you’re giving a certain someone an extra special present maybe the gift box should look just as special.

Remember from our previous articles; use your shredded wrapping paper as fill for these gift boxes. Use materials and boxes that you have lying around the house to touch the hearts of those who receive them.

Our last secret # 4 will give you ideas for reusing shirt boxes and larger boxes for children’s projects. Visuals of all these projects can be found on my website.

Co-Author and Creator of the "Browny Big Box Adventure Series." Website contains great articles and projects and information on our books: www.thebigbrownbox.com

3 Easy Ways To Save Money During The Holidays.

2005-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

Boxes and Ribbon and Paper OH MY! (Part 2)

Making the most of your money during the holidays is something everyone can do.

Learn the secrets Elves won’t share!

* How to minimize your mess before and after the holiday.
Discussed in Part 1: Where’s An Elf When You Need One!

*How to save a little cash.

*How to make unique gifts and ornaments with items you would have never thought to use.

* Buried in boxes? See how to put them to good use. Whether you’re a big kid or little everyone can have fun with our box projects.

Secret # 2: How to Save A Little Cash

It all adds up!

Shred and Save
As you are wrapping gifts have your shredder close by. Instead of keeping all the scraps of wrapping put them in your shredder. On Christmas morning instead of grabbing for a trash bag head to the shredder and clean up the mess. Using shredded wrapping paper in place of traditional tissue paper can save you money. It makes a great filler for inside gift boxes throughout the year.

Holiday Greeting Cards
Make your own. Computers are a great tool for making personalized cards that reflect your thoughts during the holidays. There all many free graphics that can be downloaded from the internet. You can use plain white paper or buy fancier card stock with matching envelopes and still save money.

Speaking of the internet, there are great e-cards that are available for free and you can always send your holiday wishes by e-mail or instant messenger as well.

If you’re not going to mail your holiday greeting think about mounting it on the front of your gift box. How many times have you left home with the gift but forgot the card. By mounting it to your gift box, there’s no chance of that happening.

Saving money on the postage, envelopes, and greeting cards. Now that can be a substantial savings.

Ribbons and Bows
Ribbons always come in handy for kids art projects or craft projects. There is nothing wrong with reusing ribbons and bows on another gift as long as they are in good condition. Bows can be reused by removing the staple then use scissors to cut and curl. Combine colors and textures to create an attractive look for gifts and save a little money at the same time.

In parts 3 & 4 I tackle the box issue, great projects to do with your kids, and more ways to save money by using boxes. Secret 3 reveals how to turn ordinary boxes of all sizes into beautiful gift boxes and ornaments. Simple, elegant, and a personal touch can make the box as special as the gift inside. Secret 4 reveals how to use shirt boxes and larger boxes for storage, kids projects, and play items. You don’t want to miss what’s coming next!

If you have missed any of the Elves secrets, please visit The Big Brown Box, Inc. for visuals and other great holiday gift ideas. Our children’s book makes a great Holiday gift.

Where’s An Elf When You Need One!

2005-12-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

Boxes and Ribbon and Paper OH MY! (Part 1)

By Jacqueline Blumenstock

Does your house look like Santa’s Workshop? Do you have wrapping paper, boxes, and bows tossed from one end of your house to the other? Do you spend more time digging around for scissors, ribbon, and tape than wrapping the gift!

Learn the secrets Elves won’t share!

How to minimize your mess before and after the holiday.

How to save a little cash.

How to make unique gifts and ornaments with items you would have never thought to use.

Buried in boxes? See how to put them to good use. Whether you’re a big kid or little everyone can have fun with our box projects.

Secret # 1: How to minimize your mess before and after the holiday.

A large amount of mess can come from wrapping and unwrapping gifts during the holiday. We show you how to make a Gift Wrap Box Caddy that solves your gift wrapping dilemmas. This box is easy, fun to make, virtually free, and helps control your wrapping area mess.

This caddy will hold approximately:
· 4-6 rolls of wrapping paper
· 3-4 packets of tissue paper
· 3-5 gift bags
· 3-5 shirt boxes
· 3-5 rolls of ribbon
· 1 bag of bows
· 2 pairs of scissors
· 5 rolls of name tags
· 3 rolls of tape
And there is still more room inside!

How to make it?
Locate a beverage box that has 4 individual carriers inside.
Remove contents of beverage box.
Cut top and side flaps off of the box.
Cut slits in front of box for ribbon and gift labels so they can feed through the front. Place matching cuts in the carrier that will face the front of the box.
Place Velcro on the side of box and tape dispenser.
Individual carriers have separators that can be cut out to form larger area inside of each section.
Decorate the outside of your caddy as little or as much as you would like.
Fill the inside with all your gift wrapping items.

Special features of our box caddy:
Tape is easily accessible on the side of the box. Take a piece of Velcro and place one part on the side of the box and the other side on the tape. No more digging under the wrapping paper to find the tape. This also gives you a free hand now that you don’t have to hold the tape dispenser and that makes gift wrapping easier.

Ribbon no longer rolls across the table and onto the floor. By placing a horizontal cut in the front of the box, ribbons now pull easily thru the front of the caddy and do not come unwound.

If you purchase rolls of gift tags cut a vertical slit in the front of the box and feed labels through. Otherwise sheets of labels can be placed in with the tissue paper.

Think about it. You would normally have each of the items spread across your table taking up your wrapping work area. This simple caddy frees up that area and puts all the items right at your finger tips.

After all the beautifully wrapped gifts have been opened what do you do with all mounds of wrapping paper and boxes? Don’t grab that trash bag yet! These solutions are revealed in Parts 2, 3, and 4.

Visuals of the Gift Wrap Box Caddy can be found on my website http://www.thebigbrownbox.com/.

Company Gives Cardboard Box New Image

2005-11-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

The Big Brown Box, Inc. elevates image of newest item inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame

The Cardboard box was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame on November 9, 2005. It now takes its place among thousands of other objects in the Strong Museum in Rochester, NY. The Big Brown Box, Inc. says it is elated that the cardboard box is receiving recognition from the Toy Hall of Fame as a product that promotes imagination in children. “We never viewed the corrugated box as a commercial product, but rather as, a blank canvas for a child’s imagination”, states David Pool, President.

The average consumer purchases boxes when moving, packing, shipping, or storing. Cardboard boxes have never been considered a hot commodity. They don’t have designer labels or brand names and little commercial advertising has been done to make this product attractive to consumers. Many companies that manufacture and/or sell cardboard boxes, as part of their product line, have looked for ways to boost its marketing image. Well maybe now they can.

A new image for the cardboard box comes out of The Big Brown Box, Inc. Bringing its brand name to consumers, through a unique children’s book series the “Browny Big Box Adventure Series”, the company introduced their first box character “Browny Big Box” to the public in 2005. “Our characters are being extremely well received because they are different. A box that comes to life is something new and exciting”, says David Pool. “Instead of ‘thinking outside the box’, we looked inside the box to develop our characters and concept. Our box characters showcase, through our book series, all the imaginative possibilities boxes have to offer,” continued Pool.

It’s not just kids who are taking an interest in these box characters! Many companies are purchasing the first book in the series as gifts or for resale in their product line. Foreign markets have also begun to show an interest in their box characters and concept.

“Our characters give boxes an identity, a name and face that consumers can associate with, and new product appeal”, states Jacqueline Blumenstock, VP Sales and Marketing. The Big Brown Box, Inc. is a small company with big ambitions. They foresee their box characters expanding into other markets such as toys, games, clothing, television, etc. “We are always open to exploring new business opportunities and alliances”, continued Blumenstock.

“Browny Big Box” and other box characters travel the world, make new friends, and take children on imaginative adventures. Many unique features have been built into these characters that make them appealing to children and potentially the next big hit in the children’s market. Blumenstock and Pool are the co-creators and authors of the “Browny Big Box Adventure Series” and incorporate in their writing humor, adventure, and imagination, making these books a fun read for both children and adults.

The company has received one award to date and continues to receive outstanding reviews on their first book of the series “Making New Friends” (ISBN: 0-9764647-1-3)

“Making New Friends’ treats the corrugated box not as a commodity, but as a pathway to adventure and elevates it.” Jim Curley, Editor of NV Publications

“Making New Friends is brilliantly co-authored by Jacqueline Blumenstock and David Pool.” Jim Cox, Editor Midwest Book Review

“I highly recommend this book”. Betsy B. Lee, Learning Abilities Books and Cheryl McCann, Editor, Review Books

“Making New Friends is a wonderful addition to a child's library…… If you're going to move and have young children, this book can help with the transition.” Alia Pranke, Armchair Interview
The Big Brown Box, Inc. has two more books in the series which have not yet been published “A Backyard Safari” and “A Christmas to Remember.” Browny fans will not be disappointed as new adventures and box characters, such as Biggi and Tawny, are introduced in future books.
“The characters and stories in the series are endless,” states Pool.

Books in the series are available at http://www.thebigbrownbox.com/ and also in bookstores nationwide, all major .coms including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, or by calling 1-800-431-1579.
# # #

2005-10-27T16:20:00.000-07:00

What's Happened to Halloween?

2005-10-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

by Jacqueline H. Blumenstock

Halloween has become as commercialized as Christmas. The traditional carved pumpkins which were prominently placed at the front of homes are now over shadowed with outdoor lighting and decorations. The (NFR) National Retail Federation (www.retailindustry.about.com) estimates consumers will spend 3.29 billion dollars on Halloween items. Every major industry is targeting consumers with products ranging from candy to home décor. NRF estimates that consumers will spend $840 million in decorations, ranking Halloween 2nd in seasonal home décor spending. Costumes are no exception as sales continually increase each year.

Have we lost the true spirit of Halloween? Remember when your parents helped you create a costume. It was a great family activity that gave way to lasting memories. A time when parents and children worked together, creating the best Mummy, Soldier, or Vampire costume. Today it almost seems like an ancient art. Very seldom do you so see a child wearing a “home made” costume.

With most families having two working parents, it has become more convenient, to purchase a pre-fab costume. Is the price worth the convenience? On average costumes range from $25.00 or higher in price and are worn approximately 2- 4 hours. Would you purchase clothing for your child and then discard it after a few hours of use? Most of us would not. So why then are we inclined to do so for a Halloween costume?

Effective marketing has successfully attracted the attention of children who influence the purchasing decision of parents. Millions children will go trick or treating this holiday wearing the latest Halloween fashion and accessories, but not many will stand out in a crowd.

In the past you never knew what to expect when you answered your door on Halloween night. What creative costume would stand before you? Just open a magazine or go to the mall and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’ll see before you even buy the candy.

If you would like to get back to the true fun of Halloween, making a costume can be easier than you think. Boxes are great items to use when making a costume. You can make robots, gift boxes, jack– in-the-boxes, and many others costumes out of a box and other easily accessible items. It is in-expensive and fun when you make and costume with your kids. To get other ideas view my website at www.thebigbrownbox.com and look in project and star box sections.

Even as adults we still reflect back on the great costumes we made with our parents. We laugh about some of the costumes we wore, but it is always a wonderful memory. Create a lasting Halloween memory with your kids by making a costume together.

Happy Halloween!