Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

Background image by: © Michael Flippo Dreamstime.com

"I am most thankful to have a flexible job that allows me to care
for my children and my elderly mother!"
~Bonnie Tetrault

"I am thankful for the doors the Lord opens and gives us the courage to walk through. I am grateful for the love and support of friends and family and for the dreams turned realities I have experienced with Kika. I am grateful for the amazing women I am surrounded by & am in awe of the beauty & talent within each of them."
~Heath Andrews

"I am REALLY thankful for comfy clothes--I hate to be uncomfortable.
I'm thankful for elastic waist pants for Thanksgiving!"
~Jennifer Von Behren

"I am thankful for my family, friends, faith in God and the ability to provide green paths for others to keep themselves healthy through yoga and tai chi, green chic clothes to keep themselves looking great on the outside and the many opportunities to substitute for teachers who need a rest!"
~Sue Swinick

"I am thankful for a flexible career that's FUN and rewarding!
Thankful for a wonderful product and for my customers who support me!
I'm most thankful for health and my family!"
~Cindi Valentine Johnson


"I am thankful for the amount of support I am getting from my family on starting my new little business!"

~Stacy Williams Vetter

"I am thankful for family, health & beauty"
~Vicki Orgill

kikaCares about Haven House

On Monday, November 16, our volunteers were able to make 50 care bags of clothing to be distributed to the women of Haven House. The Mission of Haven House is to help abused women and their children on their way towards a life free of violence by providing a safe haven for them. This includes counseling services for women and their children in residence, follow-up support services for former residents, and counseling for community clients who are not residents of the shelter. Haven House also strives to educate the public about domestic violence and advocate for the needs of battered women with makers for public policy. To find out more about the services they offer and how you can get involved go to http://www.havenhousela.com/

Monday, November 23, 2009

Black Friday

On Friday, November 27, all orders placed and shows closed will be shipped to the consultant and shipping will be FREE! This is a perfect opportunity to purchase now and receive your order in time for Christmas! Aunt Debbie would look fabulous in a cobalt Lexi and niece Jennifer would love a peacock striped kikaCares scarf or necklace in her stocking.

Contact your kikaConsultant now to place an order!

Friday, November 20, 2009

I Just Can't Get Enough...


This week I am really loving the Taylor. I wanted to show you some of my favorite ways to wear it in hopes to inspire you! Here I started with the Red or Black Taylor, accessorized it with co-ordinating belt and shoes, or added a jacket for a layered look! This is a great shirt for the upcoming Christmas season (order it in Forrest or Cherry) or rock it this New Years with Silver accessories (order it in Black)!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

HACIENDA PRINT: Festive & Fun!

The Hacienda is one of this season's most festive and fun prints for kikaPaprika. Pair it with mocha, cherry, or winter white. It is available in our Tank (701B) to add a splash of color to your wardrobe, the Reese dress (203B) for an all over look of style, and the Olivia (737B) shown above.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

kikaCares SCARF!

We are proud to be a socially responsible company that is committed to making a difference in the world. Proceeds from our accessories- like jewelry and scarves- benefit women in need. We believe in helping women and each season kikaCares features a new item that goes toward one of our humanitarian projects. This season we chose this light weight, knit, poly-cotton blend, colored stripe scarf! And for each scarf you buy kika will make a donation to one of our various women's charities.

This scarf is a perfect neck warmer for fall, winter, or a chilly spring day. Choose any of our 9 custom dye colors to make it uniquely yours. It is a great holiday gift for any age group and the best part is, for each scarf you purchase you'll be making a positive impact in another person's life!

Solid: $25 (available in black, peacock, raspberry, cherry, & forest)

Stripe: $30 (available in all colors: winter white, mocha, black, forest, navy, cherry, cobalt, raspberry, peacock)

"Dressing a better world" together.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

TREND: JEWEL TONES!

Are you wondering what all the talk about jewel tones this season really means? Jewel tones refer to the rich and lavish colors of many different types of gem stones. Although many of these stones have variations in color and saturation, the deepest, most vibrant form of the color is usually what is being referred to. If you love wearing color, try this seasons cobalt, peacock, cherry, and forest. If you are more into neutrals try branching out and adding a splash of color to your wardrobe with one of our tanks (701B) or a burnout Tee (703G). You can also mix our colors with contrasting colored accessories or try different shades of one color for maximum trendiness!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Inspiring Women: Michelle Stager

Bob & Michelle Stager, Nolan-11yrs, Julia-8 yrs

kikaPaprika: Hi Michelle, tell us a little about your background and who you are.
Michelle: My name is Michelle Stager. I was born and raised in Michigan. My parents married very young and had me when they were 13 and 14 years old. They divorced when I was one year old and my dad left my older brother and myself with my mom. It was a very difficult life. My mother being a single teenage parent did the best she knew how, but that doesn't always mean the best choices. Let's just say I had a very difficult childhood. When I got into junior high I moved in with my dad for a few years, then at age 14 I moved back with my mom. In high school I was class president and a straight "A" student. I graduated 9th out of 400 students and received scholarships for college. I was accepted into one of the top nursing schools in the country, Madonna University, and I received a bachelor degree in nursing. I worked really hard during that time to put myself through school with no financial support from my family.

kP: How do you feel the circumstances of your past have affected who you are today?
M: Even though things were difficult growing up, I feel it made me a stronger woman. I think I see things in a different light because of my past. Coming from the ghetto made me have the desire to be educated and financially secure and so I worked hard for those things. One of my life quotes is, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”

kP: How do you keep a positive outlook on life?
M: When things get tough I tell myself to keep going. I try not to lose sight of where I came from and what I am becoming. I know if I think negatively, my life will become negative, so I try to focus on positive thoughts. All through the day I am telling myself, "Shine bright, choose joy, bless others." Saying this helps me keep my head up high and smile and give joy to those around me. Sometimes it’s a day by day thing and sometimes it’s hour by hour. I believe having a good support system is very important, too. I love my husband and children, and being around them is a joy for me. I’ve been doing conference calls with this year's keynote speakers from the kikaPaprika Runway conference, Susan Iida-Pederson and Jenny Aiello. They have been helping me to understand how to take care of myself first, then everything else will fall into place.

kP: What first got you interested in women's issues?
M: From a very young age I knew I wanted a different life for myself. I remember being in kindergarten and wanting to help others and be a nurse. When I went to college I was able to pursue this. I worked as a nurse for a while then later entered the labor and delivery field. I always loved being around and inspiring women. I like impacting people’s lives in a personal way.

kP: That sounds like a perfect fit with kikaPaprika. Is that what drew you to the company?
After I had my daughter and son I stopped working in the nursing field. I decided to start a home business. I started with kika in the beginning in January 2008. What drew me to it was the concept and the mission, and also that it makes women look and feel good. Now that I wasn’t in nursing anymore I thought this was a good way to stay connected with other women and continue impacting their lives in a different way.

kP: How do you fit your business into all the other things you do in life?
M: I have a schedule that I follow rigorously. I have working hours and family time. I budget my time as much as possible. I am flexible within this, though. Sometimes I just have to find what works best and then have open communication with my husband and kids, customers and friends about it.

kP: How did you make kikaPaprika uniquely yours?
M: I host a lot of nursing and health care events so I started featuring kikaPaprika clothing there. I feel health care providers “get it” as far as the importance of eco-chic clothing and taking care of the world in this way.
Also, because of my past I have learned the importance of not judging others. I treat everyone equally and I feel this has really helped me in my business to be successful.

kP: How do you relax when you are not working?
I practice yoga two times a week. I started doing this about one year ago and it really helps me. Like I said before, I've been doing conference calls with this year's keynote speakers Susan and Jenny, so to take time for myself I usually go and get a massage. Our family is spiritual too. We are catholic so we find a lot of motivational strength from God.
"Michelle is proof that with hard work and determination, you can accomplish anything.
~Kim Shaw President & Founder

Monday, November 2, 2009

The Power of 5

By: Heath Andrews

Have you ever been overwhelmed by the dizzying array of apparel available at stores nowadays? Disillusioned shoppers often fall prey to impulse buying, which leads to uninformed clothing purchases. Unfortunately, this usually leaves the ill-fated consumer with a walk-in full of mismatched separates and a healthy dose of buyer’s remorse. Or, maybe you find yourself only buying clothing in sets and never deviate from wearing the same top with its matching counterpart. Unfortunately, that can make for very monotonous dressing.

So what is the solution to these wardrobe dilemmas? The power of 5. This technique does not require divine intervention and will not break the bank. Armed with a little know-how, you can magically create 8 coordinating outfits with just 5 well chosen garments. It’s called ‘Capsule Dressing’ and is the simplest, most economical way to dress. Think about the possibilities! Clothing capsules are perfect for traveling – 5 easy care pieces are all you need for a week long trip.

Here’s how it works. Choose 1 Jacket, 2 Tops, and 2 Bottoms in coordinating colors/prints. Voila. You just made 8 easy-to-wear outfits for about $36 an outfit. Want an irresistible deal? Become a Hostess. With $1000 in show sales you can get your 5-piece capsule for as little as $77. That’s just $9.50 an outfit!

Bottom #1 + top #1
Bottom #1 + Top #1 + Jacket
Bottom #1 + Top #2
Bottom #1 + Top #2 + Jacket
Bottom #2 + Top #1
Bottom #2 + Top #1 + Jacket
Bottom # 2 + Top #2
Bottom # 2 + Top #2 + Jacket

Later, get 4 more outfits by adding one new garment or something you already own! Use the ‘Power of 5’ strategy when you shop with us, at the store, or in your closet. You’ll be amazed at the results. The best part of capsule dressing is its customized design. Tailor it specifically to fit your lifestyle, figure, and preferences. Isn’t it nice to know your knowledgeable kikaPaprika Fashion Consultant will help you each step of the way?
Here are 3 variations to get you started.

The next time you’re at a kikaPaprika show, make sure you harness the ‘Power of 5’ by creating your own 5 piece capsule. That’s what we call shopping smart!

A Letter About kikaPaprika:


"I had actually never heard of this company until I went to my friend Carmen's this past weekend. I didn't really know what to expect, but I was REALLY pleasantly surprised. I got there a little late and there was already a frenzy of women trying on clothes. What amazed me the most was the styles/fit of the clothing line and how they were designed to fit so many body types--so many of the same design fit many women in a very flattering way. It was super-stylish and versitile for anyone who works in an office, needs to look "business casual", and who also likes to be comfortable (ie, also yoga type wear). The bonus is that the fabric is environmentally friendly (and it "travels" well for suitcase packing). I care about that, but let's be honest--most of us women find it a bit challenging at times to find things that fit our unique shapes, flatters us, and looks stylish and professional. That is what surprised me most is that there were several things I liked that fit well and looked great--I can shop for hours sometimes and not accomplish that on a normal day."
Jennie
Irvine, CA