::Rush & Bid Day Baskets -Info & Frequently Asked Questions - Ole Miss::

Rush & Bid Day Baskets -Detailed Info & Frequently Asked Questions 

The Blue Lark, located on the Courthouse Square in Oxford, Mississippi  wants to be your gift headquarters for Rush, Bid Day, & just about any other occasion.   We are here to lavish your beloved daughter as you send her into the Heart of Dixie!  We send gifts  the entire Rush week and on Bid Day or any other day!  While, we have gifts with sorority letters on them, The Blue Lark specializes in "non-greek" practical & consumable products. YOUR cherished daughter will be getting her hearts  fill of her greek letters during her pledge-ship. TRUST US!  We lovingly create a basket full of bliss, filled with unique fashion accessories, adorable dorm room necessities, yummy candy treats. Or choose a gift card from a local restaurant or salon she will soon frequent.

Here's how it works. You have a couple of optons. 

1.  Fill out the form on the  'Ole Miss Gift Plan' tab, and one of our associates will contact you asap.

We recommend you set up a "Shopping Account"with us. See "Shopping Account"tab on facebook for details.

(THESE TABS SHOULD BE UP BY JULY 15th) UNTIL THEN....

2.  Send an email to info@thebluelark.com with the below details. 

*The subject of the email is the Rushees FIRST & LAST name. 

For example: Gift for "Lisa Smith"

*The body of the email: 

For example: I want a gift sent on Wednesday & Friday & Bid Day.

*On Wednesday send a gift card to 'The Blue Lark' for $25.00

*On Friday send an Agava Nectar Body Oil and a cute pair of earrings. 

*On Bid Day send a frame & a pillow. 

 *Below each days gift let us know what you want the enclosure card to say. 

*List your daughter's address, dorm name, & mobile number.

*List your name, and your mobile number & Billing address.

*After everything is organized and put together we will call you within a few hours to receive your billing information if you did not submit a shopping account form.  

There is NO FORMULA.  Everybody does it differently.

Suggestions, Pictures, & Prices of items can be found in the photo album "RUSH HAPPIES"

3. Or simply call us  at (662)-801-9432. We will walk you through the whole process. 

Other important misc information:

• We will begin putting gifts  together the Sunday prior to RUSH beginning, September 16th.   And begin deliveries as early as you want and ALL throughout RUSH Week. 
• BID DAY~According to the Panhellenic Office at Ole Miss, bids will be issued at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 23rd.  Immediately following that-Panhellenic sends local businesses the bid list.  At that time we will immediately fill all of our pre-ordered bid day baskets. 
• Our Greek items are first come first serve and are very limited. 
• We welcome your calls, texts and emails on Bid day to confirm her sorority.
• Listen carefully to the sorority she pledged. When you call or email you'll be asked her full name and to list each Greek letter (Kappa Alpha Theta), not just the sorority nickname (Theta).  If there is any chance your daughter does NOT accept a Bid from the list we are given by Panhellenic-PLEASE notify us as soon as possible!
• There is a $4.00 delivery fee on each gift delivered!! 
• We will be open on Bid Day from 10:00am until appx 4:00pm. No greek items will be sold until all pre ordered bid day baskets are filled.  Sorry =(
• Gifts are "Exchangeable" within 7 days of receipt.  Gift cards make GREAT gifts!
• Don't forget to inquire about our Fall Gift Plans NOW available.

Some Frequently Asked Questions:

1. When will my daughter know about her sorority bid?

According to the Panhellenic Office at Ole Miss, bids will be issued at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 23rd.  Immediately following that-Panhellenic sends local businesses the bid list.

2. How do I order BEFORE Rush starts?

See details above.

3.  Can I order by phone?  How does that work?

We love to talk with our customers on the phone!  You are welcome to call us. 

The best # to reach us is (662)801-9432

We will need to know all the details listed above! 

Including her name, her address and phone number, and your information if this is your first order. You need your credit card number on hand and plan what you'd like to say on the enclosure card.

4. What do I do if I keep getting your voice mail?

 Please leave a detailed message with your  telephone number and speak slowly!  Our phones are jammed during RUSH week, but  we will get back to you as promptly as we can!

5. Where will you delivering her package?  Will you deliver off campus?

DURING RUSH WEEK: Packages DURING RUSH week for Ole Miss residence halls will be delivered starting approximately Monday September 17th.  It is perfectly fine for your daughter to ask the front desk staff if she  has a package at the front desk of her dorm.  We will do our best to have deliveries made by 6:00pm every day. 

BID DAY: All packages to be delivered on Bid day, will be delivered to the houses.  Unless you suggest otherwise.  We suggest you check our Facebook page to see where we are in the delivery process. This is the most effective way we can communicate to the most amount of people! 

Off campus deliveries will be made on Monday after 10:00 a.m. We will call to coordinate delivery with your daughter if she lives off campus.

What is the Fall Gift Plan?

Outside of doing Rush Baskets, we put together a package plan for your daughter throughout the entire semester.   

A few ideas:

An "Ole Missing" You -Basic Care Package

"Bee Good to Yourself"-Get well Package

Happy Birthday, Baby!-Birthday Package

Finals, Initiation, or JUST BECAUSE!!

It's really simple.  You tell us what package you want.  We will will help you put together a basket full of items that we know she'll love.  And we will  deliver! It's that simple.  See Fall Gift Plan Note for more specific details & instructions!

Thank you sooo much for your business!  We are honored to share in this day with your loved one!

xoxo, the blue lark girls

:Reflecting back on my sorority RUSH experience:

I've spent the last few weeks emerged in sorority RUSH conversations. It's been 19 years since I went through RUSH--and from what I have gathered the same emotions still apply to the girls going through the Recruitment process today.

I'll never forget walking into the auditorium, completely alone, where almost 1000 girls were seated. Sitting all by myself this girl, Lori, walked up to me and asked if she could sit by me. Our conversation wasn't deep but surrounded the topics of our tans and our summer vacations to Destin. We parted ways for the next week as we embarked upon the journey of "choosing" our "sisters".

I wasn't even sure if I wanted to be in a sorority--after all I had been free from the 3 sisters I have and was living a pretty plush life with my own bathroom, not sharing clothes, etc.

The process of selecting the right house was pretty simple, or so it seemed. I wouldn't be being completely honest if I didn't say that the selection was made easier as some houses didn't select me! Leaving me with fewer choices. I didn't have the most stellar grades, and coming from Arkansas I certainly didn't have many contacts in the houses on campus. I liked all my final choices, but I really LOVED the one I knew I wanted and put as my first choice.

Bid Day arrived and I'll never forget opening my bid card. UHHHHH, what the heck? I didn't get my first choice. The awkward thing was I was fighting off tears of rejection and here comes a group of screaming girls welcoming you into their "sisterhood". How could this be happening? I get what I want! Don't they know who I am? We were immediately ushered off to some off campus party and instantly lined up with the other 52 girls who were going to be your long lost best friends. I surveyed the room and remember the ecstatic look on some girls faces, and then I could sense the disappointment in a few other girls.

I snuck off to a pay phone and called my parents. I told them what was going on and that I didn't think I wanted to do this whole sorority thing. I can't remember the details of the conversation, but let's just say I was going to do the whole sorority thing! =)

After I hung up the phone, I heard someone calling my name. It was Lori. I'll fill in the gap of the last 19 years another day, but needless to say it has been an incredible journey of a friendship. We lived in the house together for 3 years, and after college for a short while, and even in the last few years when I was going through a "transition". Her parents are like my parents and her children are SOOO dear to me. We have seen eachother through the most amazing times and encouraged each other through some very difficult trials.

Recently we were reflecting back on our RUSH experience and I shared how I was soo disappointed how I got my second choice, but I saw how God really knew that my second choice was the best choice! I can't imagine not having "Lori" in my life! To this day I keep in touch with many of my sorority sisters. I've been blessed to be in many of their weddings. I've been present when their babies were born. We've traveled all over the world together. We have mourned together as we lost some long before it was their time. We have even helped each other grow our businesses. I can't imagine not having gotten my second choice. They really were perfect for ME!

My hope for each girl going through RUSH this Fall would be that you not be soo hung up on a certain house. Everything will fall into place. Trust me. All things really do work together for good!

Love, Lark

Business & Personal

For months, I've wanted to start blogging again. There are days I want to share something personal and other days where I just want to show off a new pair of wedges I just bought and talk about Fall Fashion updates. Having two blogs seems soo cumbersome. But for some reason I haven't blogged on either of them. Sometimes we have sooo much we want to do--we do NOTHING! Ugh!

Sooo...This morning during my quiet time--I had a bit of a revelation:

My business is personal, and my personal life includes my business. I don't really separate them much. I want the people who shop with me to truly KNOW me and I want my friends to be apart of my business.

Sooo..I am going to just be blogging on this site page going forward!

Stay tuned!

xo, Larkin

Spring Awakening

Two of last year's hottest trends are back...and the Blue Lark has them both!

Maxi dresses and rompers rocked the runway for Spring 2010 and they are just as hot for 2011. They are a perfect starting point for wonderful accessories like chunky wedges, glittery rhinestones and bangles galore.

Here are just a few examples of what we have in store that are just waiting for you to add your special touch. many new styles will continue to arrive to make sure you have the stuff to put a little spring in your step. Enjoy :)



xoxo

Style Tip | Solids

Style Tip | Solids

Buzz Words & Colors for Fall 2010

So, my bff and I just returned from LA. We spent hours shopping in Orange County, Downtown LA, Robertson Blvd, etc. We made a joke out of how many times we could say certain words. Ie: wedges. Each store donned the following items very consistently & heavily.

~~Wedges
~~Boots, of all kinds
~~Nude--the color ;)
~~Basic
~~Boyfriend Cardigans & Boyfriend Watches
~~Clutches
~~Skinny Jeans
~~Bold Accessories
~~Off the shoulder
~~One Shoulder Dresses
~~Dresses in general

I would also say that the attached colors were very consistent with what we saw shopping and at market!! Hope this helps with your back to school shopping!! xo, Lark P.S. You can find a lot of these items @ the blue lark at Ellie James on the square in Oxford, Mississippi!! =)

the blue lark

what is "the blue lark"?: We are a "store" located inside of a "store", Ellie James Boutique on the square in Oxford, Mississippi. It really is the new thing...and even if it isn't Ellie James and I (Larkin) are certain it will be ;). We will continue to do trunk shows and holiday shows throughout the Fall & Spring.

what do we sell?: When friends visit the blue lark they will find that our boutique has an eclectic assortment of jewelry, gifts, tees, and a few home accessories that reflect the most fashionable styles and desired items THIS season. Very few of our items are "branded" items. Affordable prices to our every day consumer is our primary goal in selecting our wares.

why "the blue lark"?: One of my best friends, Chris Blue, and I have spent countless hours dreaming, planning and even going on buying trips to open our pretend store-the blue lark! So, when opportunity came and forced me to change my name and direction of business, I asked her for her blessing in using the name. The irony of it all, Chris is living my dream (wife and mom to 5 gorgeous children), and I am running with her dream (a store). The name is a combination of her last name and my first name.

why oxford, mississippi?: Why not? =) The long and short of it is, I did a festival in Oxford called Double Decker last spring with my friend Ellen. The funny thing is, the weekend was absolutely terrible--tornado warnings, terrible thunderstorm, festival put off by a day, etc. But the people I met over that weekend were sooo kind. One in particular. Lacey Franklin, the owner of Ellie James. You know when you just meet someone and it's just "easy". We joked and laughed about how much fun it would be if I came and rented out part of her space! Never actually really thinking it would actually happen. Well, one day in May when I was at the crossroads trying to figure out my "next steps"--I thought "why not?". After all, have you seen this little town? Adorable!

The rest is still unwritten.