Sunday 31 March 2013

Sunday Social- Favourites & Reminders

Just a reminder to enter this giveaway (3 $100 gift cards/cash and 1 $30 gift card) and this giveaway ($100, $75, $50 and $25 gift cards plus $25 cash)! Plus, check out this giveaway opportunity!


Sunday Social

1. Favorite type of work out to do?
Toss up between non-workouts (ie walking on the beach, pick up basketball, etc) and yoga.

2. Favorite guilty pleasure candy or sweet?

Oh man...cupcakes! It's the first thing that came to mind. 

3. What is one thing you continuously forget to do?
Besides everything? I have a horrible memory! I frequently forget to eat dinner and.or lunch. I get so involved in what I'm doing, I loose track of time. 

4. Posts its or phone reminders? Why?
Post its! They are more fun. Plus, once I am done whatever is on the post it note, I throw it away, which makes me feel likfe I've accomplished more than I actually have. 

5. Favorite picture currently on your phone that always makes you smile?
I actually don't use my phone for pictures...

Saturday 30 March 2013

Weekly What?

Linking up with my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday and then link up your Saturday post! What a great idea!


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Here is my Weekly What?

MONDAY: Started the week off with giveaway!

TUESDAY: Every Tuesday, I link up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok.

WEDNESDAY: A little humour with Children & Proverbs.

THURSDAY: I told you about a giveaway opportunity.

FRIDAY: Was Project Pinterest. I tested out a way to get build up off of a faucet.


Friday 29 March 2013

Project Pinterest- Faucet Build Up

Like everyone else, I am addicted to Pinterest and I've decided to actually try some of the things I pin. 

This month, I decided to try this pin-how to remove build up from your shower head, which originated on In This Crazy Life. The original source can be found here.

My shower head didn't have build up, but my kitchen faucet did. Using the information from In This Crazy Life, I decide to try this on my kitchen faucet. 

You will need:
  • Bag
  • Vinegar
  • Elastic
I used a ziplock bag, which I filled about half way with vinegar. I put the faucet in the bag and secured the bag around the neck of the faucet with an elastic. I left the bag on the faucet overnight.

You can see some of the build up on the faucet



The Verdict:
It worked! When I woke up in the morning, I took the bag of vinegar off the faucet and the build up was gone from the faucet! I didn't even have to do anything, like wipe the faucet down. I was impressed that it worked and so easily. I have since done this to my bathroom faucet and if/when I get build up on my shower heard, I will use this too.

You can find me on Pinterest here.



Thursday 28 March 2013

Giveaway Opportunity- Kindle Fire HD

If you're looking to grow your blog or social media following, we have a great and FREE opportunity for you!  Free is good, right?  Well, Free is AMAZING!

Isabelle from Le Chateau des Fleurs recently released a new Android app called Smartphone DNA, and to promote it she is giving away a Kindle Fire HD-which she is sponsoring entirely.  The giveaway will be hosted by My So-Called Chaos, but what we need are other bloggers to share the giveaway on their blogs in order to spread the word! In return, you'll get two of your links in the Rafflecopter to get extra promotion for you in return for posting.  This is entirely free, there is NO buy in, we just need two posts from you.
  1. Post this announcement on your blog (code will be given after you request to join) to ensure your readers/followers have the opportunity to be a part of this giveaway too! 
  2. Post the actual giveaway (full Rafflecopter and all! People will be able to enter directly from your blog!) 
If you are interested in participating in this FREE promotional opportunity, please email Miss Angie and once accepted into the giveaway you will be given all the information you need for your posts.

Giveaway is set to run from 4/10/13 to 4/30/13.
All requests to join required by 4/5/13!


Wednesday 27 March 2013

Children & Proverbs

My co-worker and good friend shared this with me- it was on of those forwarded emails. I thought this was pretty funny, so I had to share it with all of you.

A 1st grade school teacher had 26 students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the 1st half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you While reading, keep in mind that these are 1st graders, 6 year olds, because the last one is a classic!

  1. Don't change horses...until they stop running.
  2. Strike while the...bug is close. 
  3. It's always darkest before...Daylight Saving Time.
  4. Never underestimtae the power of...termites.
  5. You can lead a horse to water but...How?
  6. Don't bite the hand that...looks dirty
  7. No news is...impossible.
  8. A miss is as good as a Mr. 
  9. You can't teach an old dog new...Math.
  10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll...stink in the morning.
  11. Love all, trust...Me.
  12. The pen is mightier than the...pigs.
  13. An idle mind is...the best way to relax.
  14. Where there's smoke, there's...pollution.
  15. Happy the bride who...gets all the presents. 
  16. A penny saved is...not much.
  17. Two's company, three' the Musketeers.
  18. Don't put off till tomorrow what...you put on to go to bed. 
  19. Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and...You have to blow your nose. 
  20. There are none so blind as...Stevie Wonder. 
  21. Children should be seen and not...spanked or grounded. 
  22. If at first you don't succeed...get new batteries.
  23. You get out of something only what you...see in the picture on the box. 
  24. When the blind lead the blind...get out of the way. 
  25. A bird in the hand...is going to poop on you. 
  26. Better late than...pregnant. 




Tuesday 26 March 2013

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time 

To be counting down until Florida! This time tomorrow, I'll be en route! I just hope the weather will be nice and sunny.

That I had no idea that I had today off from work! When talking to a co-worker yesterday, she mentioned that the calendar showed I was on vacation starting today. I'm going to end up going into the office for an hour or two to wrap things up, but I'll be leaving early.

That I am a diehard New York Rangers fan but have a little bit of a crush on Joffrey Lupul, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Source

To be part of two really GREAT giveaways right now! One is Amber's 1,000 Follower Giveaway, which you can enter here. The other is a Bloglovin Follower Giveaway, which you can enter here.

To think everyone should go say hi to Tif, Jenn, Becca, and Lindsay!


Monday 25 March 2013

Giveaway- My Three Bittles 1000 Followers

 photo PicMonkeyCollage_zpsf6b4b014.jpg
Amber, from My Three Bittles, hit 1,000 followers!. To say thank you and to celebrate, Amber and some of her friends- including me- got together for an amazing giveaway! 
 
Up for grabs is; $100 Target gift card, $75 Amazon gift card, $50 Forever 21 gift card, $25 Starbucks gift card and $25 Paypal cash.

 Enter below using the Rafflecopter. Good luck!
 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway  


Sunday 24 March 2013

Sunday Social- Spring

Another great weekend! I spent most of yesterday with my university roommate. We went out for dinner, went to Target-which just opened on Tuesday- and went to see Oz! The movie was pretty good and I enjoyed. It was the first time I saw a movie in 3D, so that was kind of neat. 

Just a reminder to enter this giveaway! 3 $100 gift cards/cash and 1 $30 gift card!


Sunday Social

1. What is your favorite thing about Spring?
The warmer weather and lighter clothes. 

2. Favorite kind of flowers to grow or receive?
I'm not much of a flower grower...but we have tulips and Trilliums that come up each year. To receive, I love Gerber Daisies- so colourful!

3. What is your favorite nail polish color?
I tend to stick to pale pink...harder to tell if it chips =)

4. What is your favorite out door activity?
Sitting on the patio/deck either by myself, with family or with friends. BBQ. Drinks. Reading (if by myself). 

5. Do you have any fun Spring plans? Details
Tons! A trip to Florida is a couple of days, bowling with friends, Brock Alumni events, High School Reunion, heading up to the weekend house and going to the beach... Going to see a play at the little theatre. 
 
 
 

Saturday 23 March 2013

Weekly What?

Linking up with my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday and then link up your Saturday post! What a great idea!


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Here is my Weekly What?

MONDAY: Started the week off with some inspiration.

TUESDAY: Every Tuesday, I link up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok.

WEDNESDAY: Book Club! This month I read Ten Girls to Watch.

THURSDAY: I shared a recent Brock Alumni event I attended at a winery.

FRIDAY: I did an update on what has been going on in my life.


Friday 22 March 2013

Dreamy Days & Colourful Nights- An Update

2013 has been such a great, fun and BUSY year so far. The days and weeks are just flying by and and my schedule has been jammed pack- with no signs of slowing down!

What do I have coming up?

Saturday: Lunch & a visit with my university roommate.
Monday: Visit with a childhood friend (and her new baby), before heading to an Alumni meeting.
Tuesday: Coffee with a friend I've been trying to see for 7+ months, before driving to my hometown for the night.
Wednesday: I will be heading to Florida for a few days of sun (hopefully), sand and relaxation!

So, that's what the future holds, but what about the past?

I've had the opportunity to attend three Brock Alumni events! One at a local bar for some drinks and socializing. Another was a skate and wine tasting, which you can read about here. The most recent event was an OHL hockey game. All three events were so much fun! It was great meeting and connecting with other Brock Alumni and I can't wait for the next event!

Something I was looking forward to doing, was a V-Blate with Kaitlyn and Samantha. We had our V-Blate at the end of February. It was nice to chat with these ladies and get advice and feedback from them. In all honesty, I was feeling a little unmotivated and the V-Blate got me excited and re-energized for blogging.

Work has been really BUSY! Besides the day to day stuff, my boss has let me take on a couple of additional projects. I organized the first ever Regional meeting, inviting 14 of our 'sister' organizations. I co-founded the Staff Social Committee. I'm working with another organization on a project for Seniors Month (June) and I've taken on a social event for our clients in June.

Tuesday after work, I went shopping with a co-worker, followed by dinner. While shopping, I finally took the plunge and purchased the wine bar I've been lusting after for months! Thanks to all the bloggers who convinced me to buy it!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend Question Period at Queen's Park, which is the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. It was interesting to be at Question Period and to spend time with a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP). In the next couple of weeks, I will be posting about this experience. 
 
As for the present...
 
If you haven't already, you should go say hi to Tif and Jenn!

The countdown is on- 10 days aka April 1- until I can reveal what Lacey and I have been hard at work on!

I made it official and became a dot com. This blog is no longer dreamsandcolour.blogspot.com, it's now dreamandcolour.com! It was something I thought about for a long time and I finally just bit the bullet and did it!

And finally, I am part of a HUGE Bloglovin giveaway, which you can enter here and you can follow me on Bloglovin here. We are giving away 3 $100 prizes (Etsy, Amazon and Paypal) and one $30 gift card (Target). Go enter and good luck!



Thursday 21 March 2013

Oh So Social- Ravine Vineyard & Brock Alumni

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I am a Brock University Alumna, I LOVE Brock and over the past 5-ish months I've become active in Brock Alumni events.

At the end of February, Brock Alumni hosted an event at Ravine Vineyard. The plan was to go ice skating at Ravine followed by a wine tasting. A couple of people attempted to skate, but it wasn't cold enough- the ice was soft. 

Instead, we were treated to an amazing tour of the property by Gillian. She gathered us all and brought us inside to get some wine in our hands before we started the tour. 

There's Gillian!

This picture was taken right at the beginning of our tour, where Gillian gave us the history of the property.

This picture is from the front of the property. These are the grapes used to make the various types of red wine made by Ravine. At the back of the property, are the grapes for the white wine. I thought I had pictures of the back, but I don't. 

Something that I learned on the tour is that the grapes for specific wines are grown in specific areas. For example, I thought all the vines were the same, grapes were harvested and then different wines (ex merlot, riesling, etc) were made. But actually, all the grapes that will be used for merlot are grown in one section, grapes for the riesling are grown in another, etc. 
We were taken into the cellar where the wines are barreled. This was a new addition to the winery and it was cool to see the machines used as well as the barrels. 
More barrels! This was also in the cellar, but you can see the oak from the barrels changing colour from the grapes. 

This was the room where we had our wine tasting. I thought it was kind of spooky with the candles, low ceiling and the barrels. It made me think of a secret society initiation or something. Everyone else thought it was really pretty and cool- which it was once I got passed the 'spooky' part.

These were the wine and food pairings. Everything was so good! Gillian also taught us the correct way to do a wine/food tasting and she gave us background on the wines, as well as the food. She was so knowledgeable! 

After our tasting the event was 'over' but we all headed back upstairs to the store where we took a group picture, sat by the fire and chatted, tasted more wine and wondered around the property. 

This was such a fun event and I had the best time! 

Thanks to Brock Alumni for organizing and Ravine for hosting us!



P.S. Don't forget to enter this really great giveaway! Four gift cards (three for $100 and one for $30), four winners!
P.P.S. Link up GFC/Bloglovin!


Wednesday 20 March 2013

Bloglovin & HUGE Giveaway!

With the big announcement by Google that they're getting rid of Goolge Reader, there has been a huge push to move towards Bloglovin', and it's such a fun way to follow and keep up with blogs.  So in order to help our followers move to that platform a bunch of us bloggers got together and have a HUGE giveaway to celebrate.  The response was intense, and so we ended up with 4 different gift cards at a $320 value!  Amazing!

The Follow Me on Bloglovin' Massive Giveaway

In order to keep you from getting too intimidated by the rafflecopter we've broken it down into 4 different ones, go ahead and enter them all if you'd like! :) This also ensures you have a much higher chance of winning!  


Book Club- Ten Girls to Watch

Author: Charity Shumway
Amazon Summary
A radiant debut novel about stumbling through the early years of adulthoodand a love letter to the role models who light the way. 
Like so many other recent graduates, Dawn West is trying to make her way in New York City. She’s got an ex-boyfriend she can’t quite stop seeing, a roommate who views rent checks and basic hygiene as optional, and a writing career that’s gotten as far as penning an online lawn care advice column. 

So when Dawn lands a job tracking down the past winners of Charm magazine’s “Ten Girls to Watch” contest, she’s thrilled. After all, she’s being paid to interview hundreds of fascinating women: once outstanding college students, they have gone on to become mayors, opera singers, and air force pilots. As Dawn gets to know their life stories, she’ll discover that success, love, and friendship can be found in the most unexpected of places. Most importantly, she’ll learn that while those who came before us can be role models, ultimately, we each have to create our own happy ending.
What I have to say: 
I loved this book! I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book and I was surprised at home much I liked it. This was a chick lit book (yes, I know I read a lot of this genre) but the focus was more on the 10 Girls' Alum opposed to romance. Don't get me wrong, there is the plot line of finding 'the one' but it's not the focus of the book. 

This is one of those books that I will read over and over again, especially while lying on the beach or pool side. 
This isn't your typical chick lit book. It's a light mindless read but it's an original take on the genre. 


Tuesday 19 March 2013

Hey! It's Ok

Idea taken from Amber at Airing My Dirty Laundry One Sock At A Time 

To be disappointed that Canada voted to save Suzette from eviction on Big Brother Canada. And, that as a direct result, Aneal was evicted. I really liked him.

That I took Friday off and had a three day weekend. It was well deserved and I really enjoyed myself!

That I learned how to make tempura on the weekend! I was visiting with a friend and she taught me. I can't wait to try it on my own. 

To be looking forward to my trip to Florida next week! I haven't been on a real vacation in almost two years and I can't wait for the sun and sand. Not to mention, the doing nothing but reading by the pool. 

That I got a coupon for 20% off at Bed Bath and Beyond. I'm going to use it to buy the wine bar I'm lusting over for months! Thanks to all the bloggers who've helped convince me this was the right thing to do- even though it's expensive and a major splurge.

To have finally received my #ClubSexy Cara Box! I've updated my reveal post to include what I got.

To be announcing something exciting on April 1! The count down is on!

That I LOVE Jenn's new blog design!

Monday 18 March 2013

Inspire Me & Bloglovin Link Up

Happy Monday! I had a great three day weekend (I took Friday off)- Brock Alumni event, socializing with friends, time spent with family and I learned how to make tempura!
Hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week!





As we all know by now, Google Reader will be retired July 1 and a lot of bloggers (myself included) are moving over to Bloglovin. You can follow me on Bloglovin by going here.


Sunday 17 March 2013

Sunday Social- Seasons

I had a three day weekend- I took Friday off from work- and it was great! Friday I arranged travel insurance for my trip to Florida at the end of the month, followed by lunch at an Indian place with a friend. On my way home, I went to see my great-grandmother, and my great-aunt and grandparents were there too. I had a nice visit with all of them. Saturday I had tea with a friend and then she taught me how to make tempura! I'll spend some time with my parents and sister before heading back to my apartment and dedicating the rest of my day to getting caught up on some blog stuff.



Sunday Social

1. Favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
Curl up and either read or watch a movie.  If it's warm enough, I like to sit outside and watch the rain. And, if there's no thunder/lightning, dance in the rain, go for a walk, etc...it's pretty funny!

2. Favorite thing to do on a Summer weekend?
I'm lucky enough to have a home near the lake. So, my summers are spent there and at the beach.

3. Favorite Spring accessory?
Hmm...not much of an accessory person. I guess just lighter coloured bags and open toed shoes!

4. Favorite way to spend a Winter day?
At the arena watching hockey! Unless there's a ton of snow, then curled up with hot chocolate and a good book/movie.

5. What is your favorite season and why?
\Late spring or early fall...where the weather is still warm enough that you can do all the same summer things (walk around town, go to the beach, bond fires, etc) with none of the tourists around.

6. Best birthday you ever had? 
I've had so many 'best' birthdays it's hard to pick just one. So randomly, my birthday that I spent in Australia. I got to go to the beach and my cousin threw a surprise party for me. 


Saturday 16 March 2013

Weekly What?

Linking up with my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday and then link up your Saturday post! What a great idea!


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Here is my Weekly What?

MONDAY: Started the week off with some inspiration.

TUESDAY: Every Tuesday, I link up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok.

WEDNESDAY: The conclusion of my HORRIBLE experience with The Brick and my sofa drama.

THURSDAY: Like the majority of bloggers, I posted about Bloglovin.

FRIDAY: Ended the week talking about one of my favourite things, a Canadian icon.




Friday 15 March 2013

Favourtie Thing- Stompin' Tom Connors

Stompin' Tom Connors was a Canadian legend and icon. He passed away last week at the age of 77. Everyone in Canada knew Stompin' Tom and loved his music.

I was so sad to hear of his passing, as many Canadians were, but have comfort in knowing  the legacy he leaves behind in his music. Stompin' Tom was a true Canadian and a huge advocate of the arts in Canada and Canadian culture. In fact, he gave back his 6 Juno (similar to a Grammy) Awards because he felt they were becoming too Americanized. 
The Hockey Song was one of the first Stompin' Tom songs I heard, memorized and loved. As a Canadian, I grew up in the hockey arena and I have always heard The Hockey Song every time I was at the rink. I actually remember sitting in the local arena with my dad and brother, hearing The Hockey Song and having my dad tell me it was sung by Stompin' Tom. My dad went on to tell me a little bit about Stompin' Tom and how he was an iconic Canadian.

Even though Stompin' Tom has died, I know that his legacy- and songs- will continue to be part of Canada and passed down generation after generation. He is woven into the fabric of our cultural identity and a true patriot.







Thursday 14 March 2013

Bloglovin'

As everyone know by now, Google Reader will be going into retirement in a few months. I had heard rumours that this would be happening but I hoped the actual day would never come. 

When I saw on Twitter yesterday that July 1 is the official retirement date...like most bloggers, I had a mild panic attack. But I pulled it together and signed up for Bloglovin.
Follow on Bloglovin

Or you can subscribe via e-mail (which you can find under GFC on the left sidebar).

Basically, I hope everyone will continue to stick around and read this blog. Couple of fun things coming up over the next few months!

EDIT: Everyone should read Nathan's post about Google Reader and GFC. I was wondering about a couple of the things he addressed. It was really helpful and informative.

While you're at it, head over to Lisette's blog. She has a super easy tutorial on how to important Google Reader feed to Bloglovin. 



Wednesday 13 March 2013

Apartment Sweet Apartment- Sofa & Brick Drama: The Conclusion



Several months ago, I wrote about a sofa that I purchased-and LOVED- from The Brick. But The Brick was unable to deliver an undamaged sofa to me and don't even get me started on my entire ordeal with them and their customer service! You can read about the entire situation just prior to my 5th or 6th (I lost count) sofa delivery here.

This is a quick summary, up until November 14, 2012:
  • Bought a sofa I loved in July
  • Have since had 4 damaged sofas sent to me
  • Requested to speak to a manager 8 times before one spoke to me, and when I did was told to "rent a U-Haul and exchange it on my own time."
  • Have had 2 deliveries changed/scheduled without my knowledge
  • Horrible customer service experience
  • The Brick decided they didn't want me to have a sofa that I LOVE
  • I have to pay an additional $200 to replace the damaged sofa I currently have with a sofa I don't like
The summary was written prior to the delivery of yet another sofa. This was the day my dad took a day off work and drove an hour and a half to accept the deliver.

Well, my replacement, replacement, replacement, etc sofa was delivered. My dreams of it being undamaged didn't come true. That's right...The Brick delivered yet another damaged sofa! The Brick doesn't agree that the sofa was damaged, but there wasn't enough material to cover the frame and you could see the staples attaching the material to the frame. Needless to say, my dad didn't accept the delivery. 

On Monday, November 19, The Brick called me and left a message wanting to schedule another delivery. I was at a work function and unable to take the call. I had previously decided that I did not want replacement reselect delivery. Instead, I wanted to discuss options for my original sofa, which in September and October had been 50% refund to keep the existing sofa, another delivery or a reselect.

When I returned the call the next day, I spoke to person 1, person 2 and finally Cindy (from The Brick store in Kitchener, Ontario!). When I explained to Cindy why I was calling and that I didn't want another delivery for the reselect, but a refund for it, and to discuss options for my original sofa, she told me she couldn't help me when I was "on a rampage".

I pointed out to Cindy from The Brick in Kitchener, that I was not on a rampage and if I was, I think it would be justifiable and that most people would have hit "rampage" 2 months and 4 deliveries ago. She proceeded to tell me that she was "obviously not good enough to help" me and then she hung up on me!

Of course I called back and Cindy answered the phone. I asked to speak to a manager. I believe it was manager Jerry from The Brick in Kitchener. I explained to him what Cindy had said and that she hung up on me. I also went on to talk about the real reason I was calling. Guess what manager Jerry did? He also hung up on me!

Clearly The Brick in Kitchener is a flagship store of customer service.

So, I turned to Twitter and announced that both Cindy and manager Jerry had hung up on me.

Shortly after my Tweet, I received a phone call from Danielle who works at The Bricks head office in Edmonton. Danielle informed me that The Brick would no longer be delivering to me because they lose money- which is funny because this whole thing started with The Brick calling to schedule a delivery!

On top of that, The Brick's earlier offer of 50% to keep my damaged sofa, which would have been $300 plus half of the tax, was no longer an option. The offer was now $100. I was told they had to lower the price to recoup some of their costs for all of their deliveries.

Which, really wasn't fair or even my problem.

If The Brick just delivered an undamaged sofa- and they had 5 or 6 tries on this- they wouldn't have lost any money or at least not as much. I don't think it's my responsibility to reimburse them for something that was their mistake. Of course, they disagreed.

When I asked them if they would reimburse me for the money I lost- time I had to take off of work, time my dad had to take off of work, my dad's mileage to accept the deliveries, my mileage to drive half an hour to their store several times and the hours upon hours upon hours I spent on the phone with them- they said no, that wasn't their concern.

Double standard anyone???

Not to mention I lost money because of them and they lost money because of themselves. No lost money because of me. But that's neither here nor there.

On top of that, since that 50% offer, I had several deliveries, drove to their store twice, etc. Basically, I had been put through more headache and trouble since that offer. The offer should have gone up, not down.

Anyway...after work I drove the half hour to the store in Kitchener. No one wanted to deal with me over the phone, so I felt I had to do this in person. I spoke loudly about being hung up on twice and having so many damaged deliveries before a manager, who was not Jerry, was brought out to speak with me.

We started off with my reselect. I told them I wanted the additionally money I paid refunded in full because I did not have in my possession that damaged sofa and I did not want another one delivered to me. After some discussion, they agreed to give me my money back.

Next up was my original sofa. I explained everything I had gone through since July with this sofa- including being hung up on by two The Brick in Kitchener employees earlier that day.

Do you know what I was told? And if you think this story couldn't get worse...

I was told I was not a priority.

The Brick didn't have time to examine the products they deliver to me because they have so many deliveries. I was told I was not their only customer so they don't have time to deal with me and my damaged sofa. I asked when a customer becomes a priority and wasn't really given an answer. In case you are wondering, purchasing 5 items and having 5 damaged sofas delivered to you does not make you a priority.

I was also told that they don't appreciate me going to Twitter, Facebook and my blog to tell everyone about my experience with The Brick. As they pointed out to me, when a customer is difficult, they don't Tweet about them. I pointed out it wasn't exactly the same thing and if they REALLY wanted to, they could tweet about their customers.

The manager then made it clear they just wanted me to go away. They don't want to deal with my any more. See The Conclusion (end of post) for more on this. 

I also pointed out that it wasn't until I turned to social media that The Brick started paying attention to me, returning my calls, etc. I also pointed out that I waited a month and a half, several deliveries and several unreturned messages to managers before going to social media- giving them PLENTY of time to fix the situation. I also mentioned to the manager that I would Tweet (done), Facebook (done) and blog (this post) about the end result- giving The Brick the opportunity to fix the situation and make things right.

Knowing this, did The Brick take the opportunity? What did they do to fix the situation? This was their opportunity to "redeem" themselves to my social media following and whoever else I told about my experience or would come across my online presence.

Before I get to the conclusion, a couple of days after my dad (who had paid for the original sofa) accepted their offer, The Brick- who had said they would not delivery to me again- called to confirm a delivery for my reselect replacement for that Friday! Apparently, this had been scheduled prior to me being hung up on and it was scheduled without my knowledge or consent. Yes, I did cancel this. But I also thought The Brick was no longer delivering to me...?

Anyway, so, what did The Brick do to fix the situation knowing I would report about it on social media?

The Conclusion:

When it came to customer service and the way I was treated, including being hung up on twice, all they did was say they would speak to Cindy. I never received an apology from Cindy. Nor did I ever receive an apology from The Brick in Kitchener for Cindy's behaviour and/or everything they put me through or any offer to make up for my troubles. I did place a phone call to Charles in the Toronto office (who I had previously spoken to) and we discussed my customer service experience. He offered a verbal apology and said he would look into it. I never heard from him again.

For my damaged sofa, which I'm sitting on as I type this, they offered money back, which was well below the 50% offer. As stated above, The Brick in Kitchener just wanted me to go away and not talk about them on social media anymore. However, the amount they refunded on the sofa wasn't enough to be "hush money". Plus, I did feel the need to let everyone know the end result.

I was also told that in accepting this refund, my warranty is null and void and I can not go back to The Brick for any issues related to my sofa.



Months after all of this, I STILL get asked about my experience, what happened and what the end result was. I share my story with anyone who asks.

I'm happy that this whole ordeal is over- it only took 5-6 months, which I think is unacceptable. I settled for the final outcome, which is not the same as being happy. I settled because I was done dealing with The Brick and I was done being treated horrible by The Brick. I am absolutely disgusted with the way I was treated, disgusted that they sent me so many damaged products and disgusted with their lack of professionalism. Never mind that there was no real solution and at the end of the day, I still have the first, damaged sofa but have lost money for all the time I had to take off of work, the time I spent on the phone, the time and money spent on driving to their store.

I'm most disgusted by the fact that their customers mean nothing to The Brick. 


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Tuesday 12 March 2013

Hey! It's Ok


That I'm officially a dot com! I've been thinking about doing this for months and I finally did this past weekend! www.dreamsandcolour.com

To be sad that Stompin Tom passed away. He was a true Canadian legend and icon.

That I am taking Friday off. I haven't taken a day off in awhile and I am long overdue. I'm looking forward to having a day to do nothing productive- sleeping in and watching daytime television.

To be really happy with my life right now. Everything is lining up for me and working out the way it should. There's one aspect of my life that's resulting in sleepless nights, but I know it'll work out. I have so many great things going on and I am truly blessed.

That I think Amber from My Three Bittles is amazing. She is one of the most genuine and kind hearted people I've ever come across.
 


Monday 11 March 2013

Inspire Me

Like most people, I need another day added on to my weekend. The weather was so beautiful this weekend, I'd love to have another day off to enjoy it. But...I can't, because it's Monday. 

So here's some inspiration instead:


Hope everyone has a great week!



P.S. I'm also linking up with Tarole from One Haole Girl for Monday Mingle:



Sunday 10 March 2013

Sunday Social- Never Have I Ever

I can't believe how quickly weekends go! And the time change doesn't help things. I need that extra hour we lost! But I hope everyone had a great weekend!



Sunday Social


1. What is one movie you are terrified to watch?
ANY scary movie...take your pick!

2. What is one TV show you have always wanted to get into but haven’t yet?
Nashville! I never know when it's on, so I don't get to watch it. If I were 'into it' I would know when it was on. I've, by chance, seen two episodes and loved them. I'd really like to get into this show!

3. What is one daring activity on your bucket list?
This really isn't daring...get a tattoo.

4. Would you ever travel alone?
I already have! I don't mind traveling alone, but it's more fun to have someone with you...to share the experience. 

5. What activities do you like to do alone?
I actually don't mind doing things alone. A lot of time, if I'm on a mission, I like to shop alone. I don't like being distracted or influenced. 

Saturday 9 March 2013

Weekly What?

Linking up with my darling friend Jenn from Party of One for Weekly What?

Basically, you put all of your Monday-Friday posts in one post on Saturday and then link up your Saturday post! What a great idea!


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Here is my Weekly What?

MONDAY: A new month, means a new 5 Questions, which were answered by Jenn (aka host of Weekly What?)

TUESDAY: Every Tuesday, I link up with Amber for Hey! It's Ok.

WEDNESDAY: This months song is one that's been stuck in my head for months!

THURSDAY: Tif from Ramblings of a Southern Belle was on the blog to introduce herself.

FRIDAY: Ended the week talking about one of my favourite things-which was actually two of my favourite things rolled into one!


Friday 8 March 2013

Favoruite Thing- Flash Mob & Big Bang Theory

I love the Big Bang Theory and I love flash mobs!  What happens when you combine the two?
THIS!!
This is amazing, but Raj & Howard are so great in this!