Hello everyone. I'm writing this at 10:30 a.m., which is when I got into work, after sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for over an hour (overturned tractor-trailer). I called my husband a couple of times to give him a status report: "I'm still here; right on route 1!" But I remained un-frazzled, because I popped in my Glee soundtrack and sang along. (Don't judge.) Anyway, I hope this edition brings you some glee as well. Enjoy! Send your feedback directly to: khuston@asicentral.comIt may be published in a future issue of Advantages magazine. For free information on products featured in Advantages, click here:

– Kathy Huston, editor 

The Joe Show: Liquid Gold
In conjunction with the Hot Issue of Counselor this August, Managing Editor Joe Haley is dedicating The Joe Show over the next few weeks to showing off the hottest products in the ad specialty market. Broken into fun categories, each week he'll focus on a different theme – and then each of the items will be shown in the August Hot Issue.

Click here to see this Hot Products edition of The Joe Show.Want more videos? Subscribe now to our YouTube videos.

Sleep Tight
The Pitch: Let's just say last night was not very restful at the Hustons. Snore-master Steve was in full force. Not only that, but he also started yelling out loud while dreaming. He's a kook, that one, I'll tell ya. Well, CNIJ (asi/43008) offers a magnetic link bracelet (item MGB-31) they say promotes more restful sleep, as well as a lot of other benefits, including: pain relief, swelling control, increased tissue oxygenation, stress relief and more. Plus, it's stylish to boot. Pricing starts at: 100; $15-P. Click here: http://www.cnij.com.
The Bottom Line: Links to success.

In the Shower
The Pitch: This morning, I washed with blueberry soap (I also wore a blue shirt today; coincidence?). I like my soaps fancy. Doesn't everyone on occasion? Provender International Corp. (asi/79975) offers item bes1, lavender and mint soap with goat's milk, silk and shea butter. Sounds pretty fancy to me and it can be used in all sorts of promotions, like spa giveaways, health and wellness campaigns and more. Include it in a gift basket for added sales. Pricing starts at: 12; $2.92-R. Check it out: http://79975.asisupplier.com.
The Bottom Line: Soapy sales.

File This
The Pitch: I always have an emery board on hand; you never know when your manicure will need touching up. Truebite Inc. (asi/92275) takes nail files to another level by putting a high-quality photo on one side and another handy item like a mirror or delinting material on the other. Item #7 DELINT, for instance, is a custom lint remover and 7" emery board. This would be great for spas, dry cleaners, nail salons, beauty supply stores and then some. Pricing starts at: 250; $2.15-R. See all their offerings here: http://www.fotofiles.com/.
The Bottom Line: Two-for-one advertising.

Artist's Flair
The Pitch: I'm in the midst of editing Advantages' Made in the USA supplement, to go with your July issue of the magazine. In doing so, I came across the profile of Peggy Karr Glass (asi/63949) and thought it was really interesting. Turns out Peggy Karr is a real woman … a real artist, in fact, and her glass creations are truly stunning and would be fabulous as incentives and rewards. Item BD41 is a 14-inch art plate with a "Happy Birthday" design. Wouldn't your loyal clients love to receive such a plate on their birthdays? Think about suggesting that your clients also put a birthday program in place, wishing their loyal customers all the best for the year ahead. Plates are dishwasher- and microwave-safe and each piece has the studio signature and is individually boxed. Pricing starts at: one for $67-P. See how these pieces are made here. Click here to see the birthday plate: http://www.peggykarrglass.us/.
The Bottom Line: Paint a picture.