Win!

Because I'm Me now offers gift certificates.

Enter here for a chance to win one!

New Projects in the Works

First, a personal project: News

Second, a business project: Because I'm Me

Third, a "for sale" project (and shipping will be waived for local pick-up purchase: Because I'm Me Shop

Tomorrow is It!

Tomorrow is really our last day open.


The kids did the windows. Did I even need to say that?

Have you heard those commercials from Henrick's Jewelers? First they were closing ... huge sales, everything must go, blah, blah. Now ... if we, the consumer, buys enough from them they'll be able to stay open! What an amazing twist of fate. I really really really don't like being misled, especially when it feels pretty dang intentional. Jason and I always joke that those businesses are just like the "going out of business" t-shirt shops on Duval Street in Key West ... that never go out of business.

Oh, anyway, tomorrow is our last day open. I've been asked so many times how I feel about it but I don't have an answer. I haven't let it sink in at all. Wait until next week when we're moving everything out ... that's when it'll hit me and the tears will really fall.



I miss my store being pretty. I do know that. It's so ... generic right now. I miss it having some personality (at least I thought it had good personality!). Hmm ... maybe I'll take that desire for pretty and spring clean my house ... yeah, probably not.

I'll miss getting a bit of a break from the kids. Really.

I know I'll miss all of you, my customers and friends. That's the hardest part, without a doubt. Thinking back over the last nine years ... such wonderful memories.


See me taking the picture? There was an image going around the Internet and e-mail of a dining room set someone was selling. Nice picture, nothing unusual ... until you looked closely at the dining room mirror. The guy taking the picture was naked as the day he was born (see it here, scroll to bottom of page). I'm not naked ... but everytime I take a picture of the store windows and see my reflection I think of that and giggle. edited to add: ok, maybe you can't see me, on my computer I'm cut off the side of the picture ... kind of blows this whole little story, doesn't it?

But the time has come to move forward. The biggest thing, of course, is that I need to be home with the kids ... our family needs me to be home. Jason and I have always had a lot going on between the five kids, home schooling, Ditto Kiddo, his full-time job, sailing, etc. and we're all ready for this change. I will say though that the last time I tried to stay home we opened the store ... I'm not good at not being crazy busy. I am, however, convinced that this is the right move for us and even though we've all (yes, each of the seven of us) brought up new business ideas over the last few weeks I'm not even looking (but the ice cream shop idea did sound really fun!).

My new adventure, Because I'm Me, is taking shape. It's a fun creative outlet and very rewarding. We have another project in the works, still in the early stages, that I'll mention either here or at my other blog in a few weeks that, if all continues to go well, will keep me very occupied ... for a very long time (I so want to spill the beans right now!).

Oh, onto a new subject, don't forget to enter the drawing at my other blog to win a Because I'm Me tote bag!

We do still have many fixtures and hangers left. Call (239-495-1055) or e-mail if you'd like more information. We'll be around quite a bit next week and would be meet at the store with any interested parties.

Thank you for your support, encouragement, and friendship these past nine years.

Jody

Last Days! Save 50% Storewide

This Friday and Saturday
Save 50% Storewide

Our last day is Saturday. This is your last shot at the incredible bargains at Ditto Kiddo.

Open Friday and Saturday 10:00-4:00

A Give-Away

On my other blog, Because I'm Me, I'm doing a give-away drawing 'cause I've written 200 posts there. And, of course, I wanted to give you the opportunity to enter and win. The drawing is to win a Because I'm Me tote bag filled with fabric pieces and willed be mailed to the winner ... so you don't have to be local to win!

Best of luck!

Withdrawal Help

I know what it's like to not get your fix ... the uncomfortable physical or mental changes that happen when the body is deprived of the awesome new and secondhand merchandise that it is accustomed to getting. Here's help:

Twinkle Twinkle Little Store in Naples ... I have no firsthand information about this shop but the girls who own it have been in a few times and are wonderful. It's located in the same plaza as Outback Steakhouse.

Small Wonders in Lehigh Acres ... this store is great. She's been open a few months, has a great selection of merchandise, and runs a really clean well-organized shop.

There is also a Once Upon a Child opening in Springs Plaza in Bonita Springs, near K-Mart where the dollar store used to be.

---
In other news: yes, our website is down. We closed it yesterday because of some fishy activity that made me wonder if someone had broken into our account. The blog will be here for a while, but the links to the website go nowhere (I removed some of the links yesterday, but I hadn't realized how Ditto Kiddo site link happy I actually was!).

Retail Space for Lease

Retail space for lease in Beach Plaza in beautiful Bonita Springs!

800-2000 sq. feet available, currently combined into one unit but will be divided.

Close to the beach, shops, condos, restaurants, and more.

For more information call

Cheryl Maymon

CAM Realty

239-731-7253

or e-mail me with any questions ... I can't answer lease specific questions, those need to go to Cheryl, but I'll be happy to provide whatever information I can.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Or:

Business for Sale (guess what the business is LOL)

All reasonable offers considered!

I can't begin to tell you how many people have told us they wish we weren't leaving or that someone would buy Ditto Kiddo. After 9 years we're quite established in the Bonita Springs/Naples community and have a large loyal customer base.

We'd like to see the business continue and are willing to sell it at a great price to the right person.

E-mail me at jdy2@aol.com or dittokiddo1@aol.com for more information

40%

Beginning tomorrow,
Friday, April 11th

Everything at Ditto Kiddo
will be
40% off

the marked price!!

This is the final markdown for most items.

Bits and Pieces

Save 30% Storewide

At the awesome, spectacular, never-before-seen, once in a lifetime

Ditto Kiddo

Going out of Business Sale!

Current Store Hours:

Wednesday 10:00-4:00

Thursday 10:00-2:00

Friday and Saturday 10:00-4:00

I've had quite a few people asking about the products I make (quilts, onesies, bibs, etc) that we were carrying at the store. Yes, I'm still making them. Yes, they're still available! Before too long I'll be able to list local stores that carry Because I'm Me products but in the meantime check here at etsy.com (if you're local pick-up can be arranged to avoid shipping charges) and check the blog here, or e-mail me for more information. And if you happen to have a store and are interested in carrying the products absolutely positively e-mail me! Thanks.

hello ... hello ... echo ... echo ...

When I was a child my family rented a cottage on the same lakes we now go to every summer. Midway through the chain was a bridge ... I think it was made of metal. It echoed really loudly and, of course, everyone had to hoot and holler as the boat went under the bridge. One summer my grandmother, who was quite ladylike ... a judges wife, taught us to call out "Board of Health" as we passed under the bridge. You must try it sometime.


We've mostly cleaned out the "newer" side of the store, the side we added a few years ago.



It's great. The kids can skateboard, play tag, run really fast, you know, all that really cool stuff I don't want them to do.



And the room echoes. Every time I answer the phone or say "hello" anywhere near there I crack up because it's SO loud, and so echoey, which I seem to forget, often.


We've already tried saying "board of health". The echo isn't quite that good ... but it's pretty good for a store.


So when drop by don't think I'm nuts for giggling. It's not you ... it's just the echo ... echo ... echo ...

Oh, and the fixtures in the photos are for sale, just so ya know.