Monday, July 30, 2007

Back From Natchez

Back home again! Scrap-N-On the River rocked! It was a great crop and we had a ball. The Pig Out Inn had really delicious ribs (ribs are currently my favorite food) that we enjoyed twice while there. There were many door prizes given away that were fabulous, and Pam was a great hostess. Of course we brought more than we could put out all at one time (as usual!), but we kept putting more out as we sold out of stuff, and I kept swapping the paper out. Next time we'll just have a bigger booth, because I can't seem to do anything on a small scale. I've learned. I already signed up for a bigger booth at the Scrappy Sisters crop in Pensacola this October, because I want people to be able to view everything when they first come into the booth, and be able to come back and have it where it was when they first viewed it. I've learned that sometimes shoppers will just see what is available and then come back at another time for it, and if I've swapped it out for new stuff, it's not there for them and they get confused about where they had seen it. Sorry folks! My mistake. But, as I said, I've learned. So, to be a better vendor, I'm getting bigger booth spaces and you won't have to worry about that any longer. Now, if I could just get an entire wall at ScrapFest! I'll be cookin'! LOL

We had a wonderful time, and it was so great to see so many old friends that just come in for these events. But, now that I'm back home, it is good to be home again, too. It will be good to see my regular customers at the store, that Emery has been having fun with while we were away.

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Dee

Friday, July 27, 2007

Hello from Natchez!

Hello from Natchez!

What a beautiful old southern city this is. We are having a great time at Scrap-n-on-the-river seeing old friends and making so many new ones. It has been a long day and we are exhausted. We set up around 10am this morning, and opened at 3 for business and we were jammed packed all day. The hotel we are staying at is the Eola. Fantastic old hotel, lots of history. We have a fantastic room with a balcony large enough to put a pool table or maybe even two. Of course that was Felix's idea. I just enjoyed sitting out and watching the sunrise.

Well, its off to bed, got an early day again tomorrow - lots of scrapping to get done.

Happy Scrapping!
Dee

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Disney Explosion Book Class / New Products

Today was quite eventful with not a moment to spare. We had a wonderful class tonight, the Disney Explosion Book. It was very special to a couple of the participants as they had not been to a scrapbooking class or even had scrapped since before Hurricane Katrina. It was an honor to me that they chose this class to be their first to get back into papercrafting. Thank you, ladies. I do appreciate that.

We will be loading up tomorrow (Wednesday) for our Natchez event this weekend. We received three good-sized orders in today with some new products. One of them in particular is really adorable. The K&Company Sweet Pea baby collection. These papers are really cute and there's even one in the collection that is like a birth announcement. We got the embossed cardstock stickers that match, of course. We got some Disney idea books, and new Disney embellishments and paper that we have never had before. LOTS more acid-free 12x12 chipboard (you asked for it!). We also got 12x12 vellum and adhesive-backed vellum. We also recently got in the Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink Cases that hold 28 bottles of alcohol ink and accessories like the applicator, mixatives, and extra pads. More MIMI totes are in, and don't forget you get free monogramming with the purchase of one of those totes. Also, we got in new cat paper from Karen Foster Design, and several different mini charms (tools, school tools, amusement park). The amusement park charms are really nice.

Yesterday I totally redid the eyelet display. I put everything together in themes so it is now a lot easier to find things that coordinate, and we got in all the new brads just released this past weekend at CHA. Seals, sharks, killer whales (Shamu), cherries, strawberries, baby carriages, baby bottles, and a lot of the large round brads in many different colors. Some of them have two colors on them, and they are really pretty. Also, the new pink and red Minnie Mouse bows, and more Mickey hands and mouse ears.

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Dee

Monday, July 23, 2007

Mark Your Calendars for 08/10/07

We are excited and getting ready for the Scrap N On The River cropping event in Natchez, Mississippi this weekend! Felix and I leave on Wednesday, and Emery will be in charge of things until we return on Monday.

We're starting to receive more items in again from all the orders we placed. A lot of reorders, but new items, too. Plus, now that CHA is over, all the manufacturers have released their new Fall products, which we have ordered. Well, we didn't order ALL of them, but a lot of really cool ones! We'll post when these new products start to roll in, which we expect in the next couple of weeks.

I wanted to tell you to mark your calendars for August 10th. http://www.crafttvweekly.com/ will showcase Timeless Touches' Stamp and Stitch templates on their weekly webisode. As you know, we already carry the entire Timeless Touches Stamp and Stitch line, along with the tools used with them. These are acrylic-cling stamps that are used to stamp an image, and a piercing template that matches to place over the stamped image so you can pierce around it, and then stitch around it. These are wonderful additions to pages as embellishments, and really fantastic on greeting cards. I invite you to stop in and check them out, along with a sample of a completed card using one of the templates. I will be having a class in August using these templates, and I think you'll enjoy them.

By the way, http://www.crafttvweekly.com/ is an excellent resource for ideas, especially if you get scrapper's block. They have new weekly webisodes that come out on Fridays, and there is even an archive so you can go back and search through past webisodes. You can download the directions for the project you view, along with the template, if there is one. Go check it out.

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Dee

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Where is the Iguana?

Whew! We finally finished unpacking and putting the store back together after GCS! I truly believe we brought most of what we had in the store. As soon as the last box was unpacked, we began packing for Scrap N On The River next week. We have those boxes stored under the crop tables, out of the way, so we'll be able to enjoy ourselves Friday for Pam's going-away party. One of our good friends and a great customer, Pam K., is moving to another state to live with family elsewhere. We will miss her greatly. At this coming Friday's crop we will be hosting a party for Pam, and a pot-luck dinner.

We placed several more orders today. We've already begun ordering new products that will be released this weekend at the CHA (Craft & Hobby Association) show. These new products should begin arriving within a couple of weeks, and we're very excited to get them in. I know you will LOVE this stuff!

Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, July 19, 2007, we will offer a one-time 15% discount to those who mention this blog and tell us "The iguana is in the ficus." We welcome your feedback, and encourage you to send us your thoughts. We would also love to receive pictures of your papercrafting and rubberstamping projects, and will consider them for posting in the blog and in our Gallery on the website.

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Dee

Sunday, July 15, 2007

GCS New Orleans is Over...Sigh

Well, we made it through another GCS event, and had even more fun at this one than the last two combined. Everyone was so wonderful and fun and funny, and I felt there was a great feeling of camaraderie among everyone. The Scrappin' Packin' Mommas were hilarious with their performance, and we absolutely LOVED it! I wish I had had my video camera with me to tape it. It will definitely be remembered well for a long time. Felix missed it the first time they performed, but then was there when they sang again. He thought it was fantastic, too.

Many thanks to all who visited, shopped, and shared with us at the event. Special thanks go to Michelle D. for all the M&Ms and brownies! Yum! It was great seeing everybody, both local and those whom we only see at large events like GCS and ScrapFest. We are looking forward to seeing many of you again in a couple of weeks at Scrappin On The River in Natchez, MS. We just can't seem to get enough of these events. They are so much fun. A LOT of really hard work on our part (ordering, organizing, packing, lifting, carrying heavy paper boxes, unpacking, organizing, arranging, repacking, putting the store back together--you get the idea), but we do truly enjoy it so much. I'm sure the pic of me in the previous post, sent by my darling husband, tells a lot! We are exhausted, but exhilarated!

Until next time, happy scrapping!

Dee

Saturday, July 14, 2007

GCS New Orleans 2007



Yes folks, this is Dee. Setting up for GCS 2007. We are having so much fun! Check out the website for more pics and stories - this is an ongoing 48 hour + non-stop party.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

In Memoriam

Today they laid to rest Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Deputy Joshua Norris. He was 22 years old. He had, the day prior, become engaged to be married, and had only been on the force for a short time. His death really hits home, not only because our business is in Jefferson Parish, but because my own father was a JPSO Deputy, and I know how close-knit those people are. I remember well the day my father graduated from the Academy and how fired-up those new deputies were. How ambitious they all were, and how they talked and acted like one big family, ready to take on the world.

My heart goes out to those who knew Joshua Norris, and I am very sorry for his loss. He died a brave young man, in the line of duty, and we should all remember how important our police system is to not only our safety, but to their families as well. They are, after all, people just like us who have the same feelings the rest of us do. Let us show respect to the police force for putting their lives on the line and truly giving their "all".

Bless you, Joshua. May you rest in peace and may your family and friends be at peace knowing you are in a better place.

Dee