New Stationary: Hammerpress

I'm OBSESSED with all the new postcards and stationary we're getting in at Kanibal Home. And for $2.50 per postcard you really can't say no to sending grandma a note. Here's a sample of just some of the styles we now have in stock:

NJ.com: Time. What is it good for? Absolutely everything.

It's the end of Small Business Week and I only thought it'd be appropriate to post some tips about something that slips away from most business owners: time.

May 27, 2010

Time. What is it good for? Absolutely everything.

By Kristen Scalia - Kanibal Home

Although big box businesses usually steal the media spotlight, small businesses are the meat and potatoes that satisfy the country. Small businesses are powerhouses of passion, innovation and perseverance.

And, according to the Small Business Administration, there is an estimated 27.2 million small businesses in America, more than half of the country’s workforce is employed by a small business and – even more impressive – small businesses create 60 to 80 percent of the new jobs in the country.

That’s some serious economic fire power.

Since 1963 the United States has held a Small Business Week (this year it runs from May 23 to May 29). And what better way to honor small businesses than by providing them with what they need most: Time.

In connection with Small Business Week, the financial experts over at Chase Card Services have come up with the following time-saving tips for business owners:

1. Create a Cash Flow Forecast.
A good forecast model can anticipate problems so you can take action to avoid them. One helpful tip: Consider negotiating a staggered payment schedule with clients and vendors to improve your business’ cash flow.

2. Write Fewer Checks, Earn More Rewards.
Use a business card to save time on tedious bookkeeping – online reports include itemized monthly statements and quarterly management reports. Plus, you’ll benefit from purchase protection and earn rewards like free flights, hotel accommodations, once-in-a-lifetime experiences or even cash back for your next business trip.

3. Use the 80/20 Rule.
The 80/20 Rule states that 80 percent of your profit comes from 20 percent of your products or efforts. Invest the time to figure out which of your efforts and products are the most productive and profitable. Then, hone in on those to maximize ROI and save time on activities that drain valuable resources without contributing to the bottom line.

4. Bank Cash, Use Credit.
As soon as the cash comes in, bank it. Charge travel, meals and minor expenses to free up cash and simplify expense tracking with itemized statements. Help your employees do the same: skip the petty cash box and give them free business cards with set spending limits.

5. Leverage Technology.
There’s an app for almost everything these days – use the right ones to be productive in airports, taxis or in line at a coffee shop. You can turn your phone into a Wi-Fi router, navigate a spread sheet with the right software or even process credit card transactions.

6. Go Paperless.
Save time (and trees) by making your business as paper-free as possible. From bank statements to billing, eliminate filing almost entirely by cutting thousands of sheets from your workspace.

7. Share Your Workload.
No matter how small your business is, there's no need for you to be a one-person show. For effective time management, you need to let other people carry some of the load. Delegate or outsource where appropriate.

Kristen Scalia is the owner of Kanibal Home, a lifestyle store offering new and vintage home goods, apparel and gift items in Jersey City, NJ. She can be found in the social media universe over at kanibalhome.blogspot.com, twitter.com/kanibalhome and kanibalhome.com.

HGTV's "Battle on the Block"

It's here! This Saturday is the Jersey City edition of HGTV's "Battle on the Block". So if you want to see me and three Hamilton Park families on national TV then tune on at 10pm. If you're watching from Jersey City, it's channel 67.

Also, please note that Kanibal Home will be open all weekend ... even Memorial Day. And we have MORE summer dresses and tanks hitting the floor this afternoon.

Hunting Season

It's hunting season over at Kanibal Home and that means every week I'll be dragging back some fantastic finds to the store. This week is no exception.

Check out just a sampling of what's popped up in the shop:

(Slouchy -- and super comfy -- racerback tanks.)

(Roll down skirt with zipper and lace detail.)

(Chambray strapless dress. In my opinion, the perfect items for lounging in the park this weekend. Hello, no strap marks.)

(The pink lady chair is back in the shop.)

(Who doesn't need a table made of sticks?)

(Pretty much my favorite find of the week = vintage children's chairs. I'm selling them separately, but I was only able to snatch up three.)

(TONS of vintage dishware, cameras and curiosities.)

(Another vintage trunk, but this one is military and has an amazing wooden drawer inside.)

(We're putting out new dresses and tunics throughout the week ...)

(Second to the chairs, but still extraordinary, is this vintage secretary.)

(Um, yea. It comes with a vintage skeleton key to open the curio cabinet top and lock the desk section. Way too cool for school.)

Something Shoe

Monday has been brought to you by the letter "C". In my case, that stands for coffee. Because thanks to that magical elixir I was able to get a superhuman amount of work done today.

And, therefore, I'm able to bring you these beauties:




New shoes in the shop, kids. Pop in and grab your size before they disappear.

Dear Natalie: This Bug's For You

Last Sunday we kicked it up a notch over at Kanibal Home and hosted a butterfly pinning class. For all of you out there that just cringed, please put down your picket signs. All of the bugs used in our pinning classes are harvested humanely and in some cases even support endangered bug species.

That disclaimer out of the way ... we had an amazing time. It was an intimate class and "the students" got Jersey City resident Michelle Johnston's undivided attention. And, let's just say, some of us needed more attention than others (cough, cough ... I took off a chunk of my first butterfly and may have glued antennas onto one of my butterfly's eyeballs ... it was a mistake, I swear!). Natalie (the other student in the class) was an instant butterfly pinning pro.

Here's some eye candy from the class and make sure to email me if you're interested in joining our next bug pinning session:

(These are the boards we used to pin and prep the butterflies.)

(Part of the final product. Yes, you get to pick out and frame all your bugs. Michelle rocks.)

(One of Natalie's final products. Love the paper backing she chose.)

(Michelle's unpinning some butterflies in this pic.)

(Natalie. Hard at work.)

(Bug love.)

(Michelle and Natalie working on fixing some wings.)

(Can you believe this isn't even a butterfly? It's a moth!)

(I gave my pinned moth to my mom as a belated Mother's Day gift. She loved it.)

(Butterfly on vintage book paper. He's hanging in my apt right now.)

(This is my FAVORITE setting from the class. Courtesy of Natalie. She mounted two butterflies on a vintage magazine ad. So creepy cool.)

(The End.)

Thanks again Michelle for sharing your expertise. For $25 we pinned, eat, drank and brought home some beautiful works of art.

A Littel of This, A Little of That

This past Sunday was our butterfly pinning class, so I didn't get to post a sneak peak sooooo here's a look at what's new in the shop this week:

(Vintage telephone table bench ... gutted with new upholstery.)

(Rawr. Vintage Tiger pitcher.)

(Good Wood Zebra and Diamond stud earrings.)

(Feather earrings! Love this trend for spring. I would pair these with a basic white tank and some high wedge heels and call it a night.)

(Vintage glassware has been added to almost every display shelf, but it's going fast ...)