We are still on a high from obtaining the Louie Quattro!  We woke up at the crack of dawn this morning because we were so excited!!!  Nick is currently video taping our room… I think he likes any excuse to use his video camera!Let’s be honest, the real reason I’m so excited is to wear my new dresses!  Plus, I have new makeup (thank you Lauren) and a new haircut (thank you Kristen).  I’m wearing one of the dresses that I picked up from Marissa’s in Naples.  Good find Mom!The Sex and the City movie came out today!  I can’t wait to see it!  I wish I wasn’t working all week so I could have a big girls night like the rest of the world!  …Hey Mr. Big, the Louie Quattro would be perfect for you!We’re so excited… I’ll keep you updated!  Nick says, “What up sahns and sahnitas!”

~Carli

Nick and I arrived in Las Vegas this morning!  We setup our booth in under two hours… record time… we’re becoming pros at the setup!  However, that is not the most exciting news that we have…Our first two watches were hand delivered from Switzerland today!!!  Let me be the first to tell you… They are awesome!  They’re definitely like nothing you’ve ever seen before!  The watches are named “Louie Quattro.”  My dad was Louis III, so in turn Nick would have been Louis IV if my mother wouldn’t have decided on his name.Nick has fulfilled his life long dream of creating his own watch!  He is currently beaming… holding the watch up to his ear, just listening to the movements!  He’s already thinking of a new goal to obtain!  From laminated paper watches as a child to wearing the real thing… I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!We’re so pumped to debut the Louie Quattro, as well as the rest of our new pieces!  We’re off to bed early tonight… who knows what the rest of the week will bring!  Wish us luck!!!

~Carli

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend!!!  I definitely did!  I stayed with Molly, and we went to the Indianapolis 500.  We had a fabulous time!  I think that was my 4th time attending the big event, and yet again, it didn’t disappoint.  This year, I felt like it was a big Purdue reunion!!!  I saw so many people… It was like Purdue Homecoming… just add racing!  I was cheering for Danica of course!  I loved when she burst out of her car to confront Ryan Briscoe… she doesn’t mess around!  Congrats to Scott Dixon!  (I loved his wife’s dress at the ceremony last night.)

~Carli

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already that time again!!!  Next Friday, Nick and I will be at our booth at the largest jewelry show in the world… JCK Las Vegas.  We will be in the Design Center again… booth DC-18148.  If you’re going to be at the show, come say hi and check out our new pieces!

I have been so stressed out trying to get everything done!  However, I am so excited.  We have a lot of new pieces to show this year… including our women’s pendants… and fresh from Switzerland… our first watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I can’t wait for everyone to see it!

I hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!

~Carli

I finally received my Sprint Blackberry Curve!!!  It came out last Friday, but since I was in Las Vegas, it was patiently awaiting my arrival on my desk ;)!  It was worth the wait!

Thanks to everyone on the www.crackberry.com forum!  It was nice to know that I wasn’t the only crazy one!

~Carli

I just finished up with the Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Conference (www.afvi.org).  My company, Alloy Custom Products, had a booth in the Expo (www.alloycustomproducts.com).  Alloy manufactures cryogenic tanker trailers… for the alternative fuel market, our trailers are used to transport LNG.  I like to refer to Alloy as my ”real job,” since playing with jewelry all day for BlumLux can’t possibly be considered a real job! 

This year, the annual conference was in Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.  The Rio was ok, but I would have preferred to stay on the strip since there was nothing that I wanted to do in the Rio.  I did however eat at one of the most amazing restaurants!  As an avid fan of Top Chef, I wanted to eat at Tom Colicchio’s restaurant Craftsteak (Rating *****/*****), located inside the MGM Grand.  I highly recommend it!  It was one of my favorite meals ever!  My table had the kobe beef tasting menu.  We had an enormous selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts!  (I have been to Chef Colicchio’s Craft in New York, and I was not impressed.)

 This conference makes you realize how important it is to do your part on Going Green.  With gas prices continuing to go up, Americans are looking for ways to utilize alternative fuels.  If you’d like to learn more on how you can help… check out www.cleanskies.org.  I was also able to preview a lot of the upcoming new cars… the Chevy Volt is awesome!!!  (It won’t come out until 2010.)

~Carli

I’m at the Grand Canyon!  It’s amazing!  Pictures and videos don’t give it justice!  I’d have to say that I wasn’t excited about coming, but I am pleasantly surprised.  I am staying on the North Rim at the Bright Angel Lodge.  I feel like I’m at Girl Scout Camp… this cabin is hilarious!

The El Tovar Dinning Room is great!  I’ve had every meal there so far.  I don’t recommend the Grand Canyon movie at the IMAX.

I’m considering taking a donkey down to the bottom of the canyon!?!

~Carli