Twitch and Me: Seriously?????

Twitch and Me: Seriously?????: "Holy Manolo Blahnik's! So I know that there is all this new fangeled technology that is available to us but I tell you I find that I miss th..."

Seriously?????

Holy Manolo Blahnik's! So I know that there is all this new fangeled technology that is available to us but I tell you I find that I miss the days when you weren't having to compete to have a conversation with someone and they are having another one on their blackberry!
I actually have began to loath those days when I am trying to help find that perfect outfit for them to wear to their big event and the entire time I am trying to talk to them they are talking to someone with their blue tooth, while updating their status on Face book! I mean it is like hello I am pretty entertaining and quiet frankly it is like having a live version of Saturday Night Live right in front of you!
So to be up staged by the blackberry/ blue tooth is a bit discouraging! Now you all know that Twitch and I have worked so hard to make sure that there is always a fun, and exciting shopping atmosphere in our store. I mean you can pet a puppy, shop, be entertained, get honest to the point feed back on your outfit choice, and listen to music! I guess the big deal would be that you get all of that and both of us which is like an all you can eat buffet of entertainment and yet still you want to talk to someone else?
In short when you go shopping next time remember that there are actually those sales people that are there to work for you and help you and no we don't mind that call to your bff about your sweet lil outfit you just got, but we do mind when you try to conduct a board meeting and play tetris and all while shopping! Unplug, tune in , and enjoy those that you meet and your life will be fuller I promise.

(disclaimer: none of these opinions do, state, or influence our support of blackberry, or blue tooth. Nor do they influence or support our use of them or face book)

Twitch as a Model

OK there have been a lot of questions on how in the world Twitch and I are able to get his amazing pictures. The thing is I wish that there was this awesome Dog Whisperer trick that I use, or some amazing theory of dog training that I have. But the reality of it is he is just good!
You see he love love loves attention and it is totally his cup of tea to have me telling him how Fantastic he looks in each shot, or what a great puppy he is when he strikes a pose. When you work with Twitch at a photo shoot it is far better than when you have to deal with models.
I mean lets face it, who really wants to deal with a girl who has had nothing but water and lemon slices for two weeks? I can't imagine the look or the response that I would get when I tried to offer a model a treat after she did a good job in a shot!  Or even worse could you imagine what would happen to me if I suggested that she take a picture with me????
So long story short, the pictures I take with Twitch are short , sweet, and get the job done. And well the fact that he is a absolute doll is just the icing on the cake :)

Twitch is getting ready, you know checking his hair, making sure his collar is on straight.

Twitch and Me: How Sagebrush Sirens Started

Twitch and Me: How Sagebrush Sirens Started: "Sagebrush Sirens was established in the mountain town of Red Lodge, MT by two ranch raised girls who cherished the cowboy way of life, and r..."

How Sagebrush Sirens Started

Sagebrush Sirens was established in the mountain town of Red Lodge, MT by two ranch raised girls who cherished the cowboy way of life, and reveled in fashion. Along with a unique mix of western and contemporary clothing paired with the hottest in western accessories. They set out to offer the very best in customer service to their customers.
Today Sagebrush Sirens has expanded to include an online store an increased level of interaction with their customers through email, Face book, Twitter, and Blog spot. Our commitment is still to provide our customers the absolute best in service while honoring the western tradition we have always loved.

Ryan Sankey Founder of the best kept secret in the west Sagebrush Sirens!

Me and Twitch!

Well as you all know me and Twitch are often extremely busy at the store and today was no exception! Between orders, the phone, post office, and web site updates we barely had time to do our photo shoot!

Now I must say that tho Twitch is little he does have the bravery of a lion, and the bite of a grizzley bear! These are all very good traits especially when Ryan is facing a terrible attacker inside the walls of her and Twitch's house!

You see there is this terrible rodent that has decided to stake claim to the inside of the walls in their home and even with the determination of both Twitch and Ryan this dang thing won't leave! Now you all know that I am not a cowgirl, but I will tell you I believe that I came up to a great solution to their problem.

First you should all know that I have such and extreme fear of rodents that it is comparable to the fear one would have when facing the closing of Nordstroms! I can't stand all of the rodent creatures domestic or wild,  and no I don't discriminate I can't stand them all equally. So when Ryan told me of the attack on their home I said what all girls who don't like rodents would say : Shoot a hole in the wall and put Coke in a dish inside and that lil bugger will die! Its what John Wayne would do.

This is a fabulous suggestion and due to the fact that rats can't burp it was also constructive! Not to mention the fact that this rodent is evil and could very well eat Twitch while Ryan sleeps! Now she of course was not all about doing the whole shoot a hole in the wall idea but alas not all of us are Annie Oakley :)

So I of course had to come up with a back up plan that didn't include jacking up her newly painted walls. And what would you suggest? Hello! Use Twitch to bait that monster into coming out and then shoot him! You may be shocked that I would suggest using a friend as bait, but hold on and hear me out befor you call PETA. Twitch has the guts of Rin Tin Tin and the moxie of Lassie, he would be on this situation like me on a Jimmy Choo Shoe Sale!

To say the least Ryan I believe may be leaning towards the whole exterminator idea and I can't knock that idea either! Then again I still think Twitch would get a kick out of having a postive role in the disposal of this varmet!

Twitch and Me: Construction, loud noises, and weird smells why no...

Twitch and Me: Construction, loud noises, and weird smells why no...: "OK here is the dealioso! It is Monday , yes I get that but where in the ficus does it say that it is OK to do construction, gas line replace..."

Construction, loud noises, and weird smells why not!

OK here is the dealioso! It is Monday , yes I get that but where in the ficus does it say that it is OK to do construction, gas line replacement, and Armageddon in the back of the store all on Monday?
You see I am a total supporter of upgrades. You know upgrade from Juicy Couture to Chanel, or taco's to nachos , but really construction on Monday?????
This morning began with the fact that Jack Frost left his mark on my car windshield, and then I got to come to my favorite place in the world only to find that the whole entire  parking lot has been taken over by over zealous loud trucks, drills, sledge hammers, and a rocket ship! Between the drilling, roaring of trucks , and other foreign sounds, I must say it is a miracle that I haven't lost my religion!
Now I know what you are thinking oh Miss Amber take a deep breath it isn't really that bad dear :) Well you are right it is worse! Not only is it everly so loud but it is also not conducive to a good sleep area for poor Twitch during his well deserved nap time!
Poor Twitch has been roping the range with Ryan this week end, and you all know that he is basically like Rin Tin Tin / Lassie all wrapped into a sweet Lil bundle of fur! The poor little guy, from rescuing Ryan from a cat attack that I might add may have resulted in scarring her thumb for life! He also had to save Timmy from the well, lead a team of horses, and feed all the live stock too! (lol I so have not a clue about the most of that but I know he is spent!)

So here we sit in the back office me looking at our new items that we are contemplating, and poor Lil Twitch trying unsuccessfully to get a good rest! But do you think that is possible? NO! Every time the Lil guy falls asleep we will hear a sound like a T-Rex coming through the roof, or my favorite the crashing and shaking of the ground due to them digging! Again I must ask who in the free world decided that Monday is a good day to do Construction? If you were wondering what a good investment would be go for the Extra Strength Headache companies cause I will be supporting them!

Fashion Show Success!

Now many of you are going to realize that when me and Twitch are asked to do anything for charity or fundraising well we are on it like Donkey Kong! You see I love people, food, fashion, food, people and generally in that order. Twitch well bless his little heart he is a bit of a ham and a bit of a chick magnet.
So when asked to emcee for a fundraiser at the neighboring town's convention center of course I said yes! Twitch of course had to stay at the store and make sure that everything went smoothly while I was away. Plus truth be told Ryan misses us too much when we are both gone so one of us must stay with her.
This was a fashion show that was to raise money for the Joliet Convention Center, and what I was most excited about was the fact that they featured clothes from all of our local vender's! It was so fun to put this little gig together as well as to watch all of the plans and ideas taking flight!
To say that I was maybe a little nervous, well that is just plain silly. I was totally and utterly freaking out!!! First of all I am very social but I do not really know how to handle being stared at , especially when I am having to be informational, funny, and professional. Give me a group of kids, some finger paints, and the element of surprise and I will breeze right through it! But put me in front of a bunch of woman and well it was as daunting as trying to fit into skinny jeans after a week of whoppers, and fries!
So I did what all girls do when faced with stage fright, I wore my camo heels, a military styled dress, and drank a triple shot! I made jokes, cat called the models that worked the runway and well I am proud to say it went all together really well! We raised 1000.00, made the paper and no body sent me hate mail or met me at my car afterwards so it was a true success.
You see it just goes to show, when faced with fear use humor ladies, and accessorize like crazy! Look at the heels , necklaces, and rings as armor and smile! When I came back to the store that day Twitch and I of course had a great meeting of the minds, and we came to the conclusion that it was definitely the camo heels that broke the ice on the stage at the beginning of the show, as well as the countless hours he and I rehearsed my announcing. Plus HELLO the triple shot was pretty helpful as well ;)
Twitch and I would like to put out a special thank you to all of you who made the Fashion Frenzy happen, as well a a thank you to all of you who gave us such great compliments!

Attack of the dress form!!!!

OK so I don't know if y'all y'all realize the true danger of working in retail! Ya I know what y'all think, oh it must be so fun to play with and order all those great clothes! And I won't lie it is a blast to do that! But there are underlying dangers in this position as well. It is not something most retailer's are going to talk about openly, but I just can't keep the silence on this subject ANY LONGER!!!!
Today while simply wanting to update our Lil web site I thought oh let me just photograph a few choice pieces and then work them over to place on the site. Simple enough right? Wrong!!!!! I don't think you understand the true evil, as well as manipulative way's of the mannequin world. They are truly diabolical in their actions ! They are known for jumping off of window displays, refusing to stand straight while you dress them, miraculously change their dress size, and oh ya just plain attack you!!!!
You see there are those mannequins that love to be dressed, displayed, and well just plain do their job, but there are those few bad apple's that truly make displaying clothing just pure torture!
So as I was trying to display a simply amazing top from Double D (a stellar clothing line ) I was met head on with the mean team of mannequins! While I am simply just undressing the one mannequin so that I can put her into the new top I am blind sided by an attack from the back! You heard me correctly attacked! With absolutely no warning the mannequin in the window display who was apparently jealous of the one that I was dressing decided to revolt against what she viewed as an injustice and attack me!
Now of course I am positive that this is the same mannequin that often jumps from the window just to mess with my displays. So this attack I am sure had been calculated and then followed through to get me!
I quickly try to re group from the attack tell the mannequin to stop being everly so mean, and placed her back in the window. At this point I take special measures to get out of the "danger zone" and think that it will be best if I dress the mannequin in the back, so as not to antagonize the others.
It is in the back that the mannequin that I have dressed decides that well she doesn't want to pose for the pictures, and she just up and tips over! Ya and you know what I am a little person, and these mannequins are heavy and awkward to lift and carry due to the lack there of arms, and I swear they become limp when you try to pick them up which makes them even heavier!!!

When all was said and done I had done three changes of clothes, multiple angled shots, and was just grateful at the end of the whole ordeal! So the next time you walk by a display for a clothing store just say a silent little prayer for those brave souls that dressed those dangerous mannequins!

Twitch and Me: Fashion Frenzy!!!!

Twitch and Me: Fashion Frenzy!!!!: "So there is much debate this season on how much is too much when it comes to wearing fur, and animal prints, and well let me give you the ta..."

Fashion Frenzy!!!!

So there is much debate this season on how much is too much when it comes to wearing fur, and animal prints, and well let me give you the take Twitch and I have on this latest Fashion Trend.
First there are a great many ways one can wear the latest trend of faux fur and look absolutely as yummy as a well decorated cupcake! Take the stance that you are accessorizing with the fur rather than trying to look like the animal. Wearing a great fur trimmed vest, or jacket is a great way to add a little wild to your wardrobe with out saying I look like I should be in Yellowstone.
 Another fun little way to snazz up your outfit is to add some great fur trimmed boots! I love love love these, and well Twitch is a lucky little dude and has his own. But we both agree if you have fur on your person limit it to two items and often it is best to go with a fur trimmed jacket and fur boots ensemble, and not the fur coat, Yettie boots, gloves, and hat! A little fur goes a LONG way so don't look like a walking Sasquatch!
Now when it comes to animal prints there is a great way to do this, and then there is the what in the free world is she wearing way. I would recommend that when wanting to sport a animal print do it with your accessories! They make great zebra/cheetah print bags, gloves, hats, and scarves , not to mention you can stop traffic with just the right animal print boots, or heels. I would say avoid wearing all of your animal prints together at once, you don't need to sport a cheetah hat, gloves, scarf, and boots, not only will you look like you escaped from a zoo, but too much of a good thing is what makes it oh so so wrong!
So wear you zebra heels with a great black skirt, and classic button up shirt, and throw in a purse to match and you will look elegant rather than insane. Also Twitch wants to add, when looking for accessories that have fur please don't think that carrying a purse made out of a complete fox pelt is classy or sassy! It is frightening and well a bit disturbing as well :s

I save the day!!!

OK you know how there are those days in retail where anything feels like it can happen and well it does? This was our day. You see Twitch and I were holding down the fort here at the store while Ryan went to do other things. (we don't know what these things are but we do get coffee and goodies when she returns :)
So there we were minding our own business me on the phone with customers, filling out post cards to our sweet Gift Party, and Twitch pondering world peace, boots, and the weeds outside (he is a multi tasker too, that is why we mesh). It is during this peaceful time that out of no where Twitch runs in the office all out of sorts! I being caring and concerned find that he is all in a tizzy due to the attack of a non leash wearing, rumored to have rabies situation in the form of a lab at our back door!
As he runs circles around my leg's with his rope I am faced with the decision that all hero's must deal with who do you save first? Yourself or the puppy wrapping the rope around your legs?
Of course I am a giver and by golly Twitch was who I must save! So with reflexes of a cat and the strength a woman in a Jimmy Choo Shoe sale I showed the rabies bearing giant black fur clothed ball of pure evil who was boss! How did she do this you may ask she has no lasso skills! I screamed at it of course!!! I told him to get! Cowgirl or not this approach worked and after detangling my Lil sidekick and holding him with the pure satisfaction of Superman after a rescue once again Sagebrush Sirens was safe to sell retail again!

It's Just all about us!

It should be known that I am in no stretch of the imagination a cowgirl, I can wear the clothes but ladies the true dirt, heart, and strength it takes to do what those girls do is not my deal. ( i like manicures, and am allergic to horses need I say more). Now Twitch is the store mascot and quiet frankly my right hand, especially when dealing with the daily needs of those girls who love their boots, jackets, and jewelry ! To be quite honest we are the real dream team of sales at our store tho others may try to argue this.
To show you how truly magnificent we are is to share our story with you all, I hope you are sitting, have coffee, and well maybe some cocoa cause you will need it! (also seat belts may be in order too).