This is the personal blog of Michelle Cali, creator of Wine Coutures and John8eight. Here she plans to get overly personal with you by giving details of her creative process along with rants and raves about her two favorite subjects- alcohol and weddings. She will write often, (not sure if that's a promise or a threat), so please visit as much as you can tolerate. Enjoy!

Monday, August 31, 2009

Liver Life Walk


As you know, I am walking in this years American Liver Foundation Liver Walk. If you would like to join my team, donate money to a worthy cause, or participate in a walk near you then please check out my team's page at: http://go.liverfoundation.org/goto/mattinglymiracle


I hope to see you at the walk.

I've Been Blogged About, Again


Yes, once again I have been blogged about on someone's blog site. Women-Prenuergalore has posted a wonderful interview and product review about my little company. Please check it out at:

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I Just Could Not Resist

The devil made me do it and I found it truly funny when I did it. I posted a new listing of a wine glass charm that I've tried to avoid listing due to it's name. Go ahead and check it out to see what I mean:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29840661

Wish Me Luck

So, I've been having an online affair for some time now. No, not with a man, and not with a woman either, you sick perverted person, you. It's been with a website. Oneofakindshowandsalechicago.com to be exact. For some time now I have been visiting the site of the One of a Kind Show, wishing that one day I could be able to show my work at one of the biggest holiday shopping events in the United States. Again, this year I let the application deadline come and go as there was just no way I would be able to afford the almost $2,000 booth price even if I was to be accepted into the show. *sigh*

But, now a second opportunity has come along that may give me a chance at my dream. Etsy has teamed up with the One of a Kind Show to showcase some new artist. Their application deadline is this September and the price for a both, if accepted, is only $500.00. I still don't know where I will be able to get the money for the show or the airline tickets to go, (or where to stay for that matter). But like my hubby reminded me, let's see if I am even accepted before I jump the gun.

So, this week I am filling out my application and turning it in. Wish me luck!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

My First Blog Review

So, I have to start off by saying that being a part of BridalTweet has really paid off for me. If you do anything dealing with weddings, I strongly suggest you join the community.

One such lady from the BridalTweet community is Susan A. Shapiro. She has a site called BravoBride.com. "BravoBride is an online marketplace for new, discounted and pre-owned wedding items." They have just launched their BravoBride Boutiques for vendors to list their items that are either on sale or below normal retail value.

Susan contacted me about the opportunity to join their new boutique. Even though at this time I feel it would be better for me to stay with Etsy as my main selling outlet, I thanked her for noticing my work and even considering me a candidate for BravoBride.

Well, she wrote me back letting me know that her company just blogged about my wine charms on their site. (***Sweet!***) I am the entry for August 20th. So here is the link to the site, please feel free to check it out:

http://www.bravobride.com/blog/

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Meaningful Statement

I was cleaning out some boxes and going through some paperwork the other day when stumbled upon a sketch book that I thought I had lost. I had bought the book back in 2002 and was trying to use it to come up with my next great business plan. At the time I wanted to go into fashion, creating my own clothing line using recycled clothes, (even then I was into the whole recycling thing).

Within the pages of the book I found a statement that I had written about being a designer. I still feel strongly about what I wrote and would like to share it with you now:

This entry was dated August 14, 2003

"I will be a happy designer. I'm tired of seeing all these fashion designers on TV interviews looking like they would rather be having their teeth pulled with no pain killers then to talk about their collection. I just hate depressed, unimpressed designers. There are thousands of aspiring young designers that would kill to trade places with these top designers. Yet too many designers look as if someone is holding a gun to their head and forcing them to design. It's a gift and blessing to do what you love. When God favors you to give you such a life you should show your appreciation for it. What God has given, he can take away just as quickly. I will show my thankfulness to God if he allows me to become a designer. I will not take his gift to me for granted. I will be a happy designer."

Saturday, August 15, 2009

My First Public Speech About My Transplant

I was asked to give a speech on August 12, at the Kick-Off event for the San Francisco Liver Walk. This was the first time I had ever publicly told my story in my own words. Although my husband and I have been interviewed before about the events surrounding my transplant, this telling of my story was not in front of a camera or recorded on a tape recorder and put into print with correct grammer. This time it was live and I had to tell the story without the help of my husband.

Scared as hell would be an understatement. My whole body was shaking from the moment I stood up until it was time for us to head home. I'm not sure what all I said, but everyone told me I did a good job and that I was a very powerful speaker.

At the event, both before it started and right after it ended, the people at the ALF Northern California chapter could not stop talking about my wine bottle necklaces and wine glass charms that I had sent them for the Flavors event. If I could blush I would have been bright red from all the talk. I have never gotten such genuine positive response from so many at once about my work. Talk about a wonderful ego booster!

I am truly looking forward to my continued work with the ALF.

The Donated Wine Bottle Necklaces

So, finally I have pictures to show you of the wine bottle necklaces that were up for auction at this year's Flavors Event. They are a very nice collection if I do say so myself.