by Verysupercool Sue on September 3, 2008 · 17 comments
Our boy went to the cardiologist yesterday to have his heart murmur checked out. Turns out it’s grade 5 and it’s pretty serious. The doctor said it was good we came in because he could have cardiac arrest at any moment from the looks of his echocardiogram. (NOTE: Video below is just 37 seconds long.)
We found the only board certified veterinary cardiologist in Austin, Dr. Charla Jones, and she was great. She has a wonderful facility and staff and they took plenty of time to explain everything to us. The main problem with Martin is that his left atrium is over twice as large as his right and they should be exactly the same size. Martin’s diagnosis: chronic valve disease.
Martin whined and groaned through the entire procedure, even though it didn’t hurt him at all. He was just scared. He’s on medication now that will hopefully slow down the heart disease and make his heart a little more efficient. We’re hoping for many more years with Martin, even though we found out he’s older than we thought. He’s at least eight years old, maybe older, and there’s no telling how stressful the first part of his life was before Central Texas Dachshund Rescue took him into their care. Martin was an owner surrender. His previous owners said they had too many dogs at their house so they wanted to get rid of the old one.
by Verysupercool Sue on September 1, 2008 · 1 comment
The Pet Elite, Pet Fashion Week New York issue, featured Verysupercool cards in their Sustainable Style section!
September 1, 2008 – Verysupercool cards were prominently featured in The Pet Elite magazine’s Sustainable Style: Ideas for an eco-friendly renovation Fall 2008 issue. Of course they chose to feature Bella’s card, everyone’s favorite French Bulldog puppy. (see spread below)
This Fall issue also doubled as the directory for New York’s Pet Fashion Week. This year the team at Pet Fashion Week helped luxury and boutique retailers learn how to make their retail operations more environmentally friendly! The ECOuture Charity Fundraiser, which combines environmental responsibility with fashion and fundraising to encourage eco-friendly business decisions and recognize companies for their charitable efforts. We think that’s Verysupercool!
by Verysupercool Sue on August 1, 2008 · 1 comment
I’m so excited to announce that my very first column came out in the summer issue of Stationery Trends Magazine. I was honored when the editor, Sarah Schwartz, approached me to write an ongoing green column: The Green Room. (Of course I managed to work my dog Martin into my head shot photo. Sarah, an animal lover herself, was nice enough to oblige.) Stationery Trends is an attractive new trade magazine that prides itself as a great resource for greeting cards, gifts, and all things stationery!
I wanted my first article to talk about how easy it is to start thinking green. It’s too overwhelming to think about transforming your entire retail space into a green store over night, but you can each take small steps in the right direction starting today!
Read entire article below
The Green Room Be an Eco-Conscious Store Owner – Starting Now!
By Sue Rostvold
In a post-“Inconvenient Truth” world, everyone wants to be more eco-conscious. Retailers across the country are searching high and low for more sustainable products to green up their inventory in order to provide their customers with earth-friendly choices. Most positive changes don’t happen overnight; more often they happen incrementally over time. Although your store may not be totally green by tomorrow, you can be eco-conscious starting today!
Being a eco-conscious buyer and business owner is easy. It has nothing to do with whether or not your wear a tie-dye shirt, drink kombucha tea or meditate. It will cost you nothing but a little time and some extra thought. It’s just a matter of knowing your vendors’ products and policies, as well as taking note of your own store practices. [click to continue…]
Peter Alsop is a wonderful singer/ songwriter that I’ve listened to for years. Oddly enough I started listening to his music while I was in college. My friends thought I was a little strange, but something about hearing a bunch of kids singing songs like “Whad ‘ya Wanna Do?“, “Bored, bored, bored“, “Sandwiches“ and “I Am A Pizza” seemed to be just what a this young college co-ed needed to hear back in the 80′s, when I wasn’t jammin’ out to Blondie, Devo or Talking Heads.
Peter loves dogs, but it’s clear he’s a cat lover too. Just look at his unusual head shot above, or is it a foot shot? or a feet shot?
He was nice enough to give me permission to have his songs on my site since he knows I’m a true fan. If you have little kids these songs are a must have because every kid loves being a part of a sing-a-long!
JUST CLICK THE ARROW BELOW TO LISTEN TO
“I Wanna Be A Dog” performed by Peter Alsop, (original lyrics by by Barry Louis Polisar)
Michelle Anton, blogger for WomenEntrepreneur.com, has awesome taste in greeting cards!
Entrepreneurs Flourish In Austin, Texas
as seen in www.womenentrepreneur.com
written by Michelle Anton
When I told my daughter that Austin must be doing something right, she said, “Austin Powers?” Once I stopped laughing I was able to share stories about a few new business owners I met in Austin, Texas, and how they possessed a refreshing burst of enthusiasm that I wanted to bring back to Los Angeles.
The first entrepreneur I met when I arrived was Penny of PennysPastries.com. She sells the tastiest chocolate chip cookie mix on the planet from her website. With flavors such as Chocolate Chip Indulgence, Peanut Butter Obsession, Black Magic and Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry, you’ll undoubtedly find something to delight your palette
And I would be remiss if I didn’t send a shout out to one of the entrepreneurs I met when I was leaving. Sue Rostvold of VerySuperCool.com gave me a box of greeting cards. (Yes! They really are cool.) Her tagline for VerySuperCool.com is “Green greeting cards with soul, because every dog has a story.” My friends fell in love with these adorable cards the moment they laid eyes on them. The heart-warming picture as well as the sayings inside each card makes them memorable.
by Verysupercool Sue on May 24, 2008 · 13 comments
Pet Passions: Playing with other dogs, (especially young ones with lots of energy), going on walks, meeting new people, and getting to be up close and personal to the nearest human in the room.
Pet Peeves: Being ignored. (But luckily now that he has a new family, that rarely happens!)
Breed: Boxer
Age (at time of photo session): 4 years
New Story: Collin was adopted and now his name is Major! His new parents are so happy to have him. He had to go through heartworm treatment, which is never fun, but he’s a trooper and he’ll be just fine. Thanks Austin Boxer Rescue for helping Major find his new family!
Verysupercool cards are prominently featured in the premiere issue of Stationery Trends Magazine, a hip, new trade publication that focuses on greeting cards, gifts, and all things stationery!
Stationery Trends Magazine will be making it’s big debut at the National Stationery Show next week and we’re so excited to be a part of it! Shades of Green, written by editor Sarah Schwartz, focuses on a topic that retailers across the country are yearning to learn more about; green stationery and gifts.
Read entire article below
Shades of Green Eco-consciousness makes a big splash in stationery.
What role will it play in your store?
By Sarah Schwartz/Editor
These days, it’s impossible to be unaware of what’s become known as the green movement. From cleaning products to cars, consumers are reexamining both what they use and leave behind. It’s easy to wonder, is this another feel-good, election-year trend — or an enduring lifestyle?
“There is no question in my mind that ‘green’ is more than a new buzz word or passing trend,” said Sue Rostvold, founder and owner of Verysupercool. “While it’s on the tipping point of the mainstream right now, I feel people are slowly becoming aware of the wider implications of their actions. As long as we’re still dependent on non-renewable energy sources, there’s no reason a green lifestyle should not be enduring.”
Starting tomorrow, Verysupercool greeting cards will be available at Ten Thousand Villages in order to help raise funds for local dog organizations. As if they don’t do enough already, this cool store located at 1317 South Congress, has decided to support local non-profits by hosting Benefit Shopping Nights!
Bark for Peace! is sponsoring this great event and your dog will enjoy free samples of their tasty vegan, organic treats that you can eat with your dog! Verysupercool is proud to be included and we hope that lots of Austin dog lovers will come by and shop for fair trade and sustainable goods, see details below:
Thank you Green Printer for ranking Verysupercool #1! We really appreciate being appreciated!
Seven Ways Business is Green-ing Our World: One paper product at a time
The big names cannot help but pump out more sustainable paper products on an almost weekly basis. From biology college textbooks gone green to carbon friendly greeting cards, we’ve rounded up the top seven green papier goods that caught our eye.
1. Verysupercool (yes, that is their real and uber-funky name) teams with CarbonFund.org to create the Greenest Little Greeting Card in Texas. So, even while the mythical paperless office lures us with its green goodness, we still use and love our paper – printed on both sides, thankyouverymuch.
Verysupercool: Greenest Little Greeting Card In Texas
Verysupercool, a greeting card company out of Austin Texas, is Carbonfund.org’s poster child. They are one of only two greeting card companies that were featured in the May/June issue of Greetings etc. magazine that use only 100% post-consumer waste paper. And the carbon emissions necessary for their business — shipping cards across the country to the more than 100 stores carrying Verysupercool’s products, for instance — are offset with the help of Carbonfund.org. [click to continue…]
(CSRwire) AUSTIN, TX – May 7, 2008 – In partnership with Carbonfund.org, Verysupercool announced today the success of its green greeting cards, which were featured in the March/April edition of Greeting etc., a prominent stationery trade magazine. In Greeting etc’s comprehensive Eco-Friendly issue to date, Verysupercool was one of only two featured greeting card companies that use exclusively 100% post-consumer waste paper. In addition to being made from recycled materials, Verysupercool’s greeting cards are now even greener through the offset of carbon emissions with Carbonfund.org.
By joining Carbonfund.org’s Small CarbonFree(TM) Business program, Verysupercool is offsetting the CO2 emitted from the energy it takes to run the business and ship greeting cards across the nation. [click to continue…]
by Verysupercool Sue on April 25, 2008 · 3 comments
I just got a call from my good friend David, Clifford‘s Daddy, today. He told me about the great article that Melissa Gaskill wrote about Clifford in the April issue of The Good Life magazine! I just had to post it below for Clifford’s Fan Club. Enjoy!
David DiTraglia lived an active life for years in Alaska, spending time outdoors, chopping wood, and raising St. Bernard dogs. Today, he is in a wheelchair, the result of inoperable scar tissue that formed following a broken neck. He lives alone in a small house just off the main road in Wimberley, with a garden and fish ponds out back. Well, he doesn’t really live alone. He shares the house, and his life, with Clifford, a shiny, black hundred-pound mostly-Labrador retriever. Clifford is more than good company, although he is certainly that. Clifford is a trained service dog from Texas Hearing and Service Dogs (512-891-9090).
by Verysupercool Sue on April 10, 2008 · 2 comments
Pet Passions: Chasing birds and squirrels, long walks, snuggling anytime, any where, but preferably in someone’s lap, ANY lap!
Pet Peeves: Loud people, loud and high pitched noises and singing up close. She really doesn’t like it if someone tries to sing a Whitney Houston song to her, especially “I Will Always Love You”. It makes her a little crazy!
by Verysupercool Sue on April 5, 2008 · 19 comments
Let’s Make Puppy Mills Illegal!
Puppy mills are not illegal, but they should be. I watched Oprah yesterday, it was a very painful but important show about the Puppy Mill Industry. There are as many as 10,000 puppy mills operating in the United States. It’s a disgrace.
Lisa Ling joined Bill Smith, founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, as they toured several puppy mills with undercover cameras. They rescued as many dogs as they could, but there were hundreds left behind.
I had not heard of Main Line Animal Rescue until yesterday. I’m in awe of the work they have done. Bill has fostered relationships with hundreds of breeders across Pennsylvania in order to save dogs’ lives. He has managed to convince these breeders to call him before killing their unwanted dogs. They rescue and then rehabilitate these animals so that they can have a second chance for a better life. MLAR has rescued over 7,000 animals to date, 5,000 have been from puppy mills. Bill Smith is truly a saint, it’s not surprising that he won the ASPCA Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2007. Bill Smith is my new hero.
Bill Smith with rescue Charlotte below
photo by Michael Bryant/Inquirer Staff Photographer
by Verysupercool Sue on March 20, 2008 · 5 comments
Pet Passions: Water and tennis balls. Tennis balls and water! Oh, and of course rough housing with his much younger brother Morgan, and swimming every chance he can get!
Pet Peeves: When it’s raining and we can’t play outside.
by Verysupercool Sue on March 13, 2008 · 1 comment
Greetings Etc Eco-Edition Showcases “Green Cards”
AUSTIN, TX – March 13, 2008 – Verysupercool today announced that their line of green greeting cards are featured in the latest edition of the most prominent stationery trade magazine in the country, Greeting etc. In their most comprehensive Eco-Friendly issue to date, Verysupercool was one of only two greeting card companies featured that uses exclusively 100% post consumer waste paper.
by Verysupercool Sue on March 9, 2008 · 3 comments
Eco – Friendly Merchandise Issue Features Verysupercool
March 1, 2008 – Greetings etc. features Verysupercool cards in their Eco-Friendly Merchandise issue, their greenest publication to date. Kathy Krassner, Editor-in-Chief, talks about the Green Scene and how “being green can also help your business stay in the black!” [click to continue…]
by Verysupercool Sue on March 6, 2008 · 5 comments
Bonkers, one of our most popular cards, is now larger than life at the Whole Foods Market flagship store!
We are so excited to unveil our new Verysupercool display, which has Bonkers keeping a watch over the freshly groomed and recently expanded pet aisle. Whole Foods has done an amazing job of repackaging the entire store, and now they have more local products than ever! Since we use renewable energy, plant trees, buy carbon offsets, AND use only 100% post consumer waste paper our green greeting cards really fit in with their Whole Philosophy.
My husband and I moved to Austin in the late seventies and we both remember shopping at Safer Way, the pre-Whole Foods store, back when it was in an old house. [click to continue…]
by Verysupercool Sue on February 25, 2008 · 4 comments
Verysupercool had a visit from some of the cadettes from Girl Scout Troop #1895 yesterday. I explained how printing on 100% post consumer recycled paper is just the beginning of being a green and sustainable company. They learned that we partner with Co-op America, Carbonfund.org and Trees for the Future to make the world a better place. Investing in renewable energy and planting trees are two ways that every company can be more green.
Since we are Central Texas Dachshund Rescue volunteers, I explained how being a foster family is an important, fun, and very rewarding job. These little guys need to have a safe place to be evaluated before they can be adopted. [click to continue…]
