Friday, June 29, 2007

Unbelievable

Hi everyone,

I have just had an epiphany. As part of my CHA ordering I am planning on receiving 3 orders a week. But, what happens when you have that much stuff coming in every week. People that don't come in every week, don't get to see all the new stuff when they do come in. So, I've come up with a solution. And a kit was born.

Every week I will pick one of the new companies to include in our new weekly quickie kit. That's right, a quickie kit. No, it's not going to be the quickie stuff. It's going to be a totally different line. I will include 2 sheets of cardstock, some of the new patterned paper and some embellishment that coordinates and all for only $5.00. Well, I am going to give it a try and see how it goes. I am starting off with just 10 kits and then in a month, we will revisit this idea. Who knows, it might be a sleeper hit.

I am actually in the store entering this gorgeous 4th of July paper from Reminisce. You have to see it. They are one of our sponsors for our 1 year anniversary crop . They are the company with the Vegas and the Monkey paper. I'm so excited!

I also just got a delivery from Daisy D with some goodies for the crop. The first delivery. Yippee.

I also was told to put a request on the bottom of my order forms at CHA and we will get tons of stuff for the crop. Can you imagine that! I have also ordered a special goodie BAG that everyone who attends the Anniversary Crop will receive. It's supposed to come in today! I can't wait.

We are also expecting another big order today with some great new stuff and another next week, just in time for our Hot Summer Nights Crop. I have some great games in mind, too. You will just have to wait and see.

Ines, are you out there?

Ines is our customer of the month for June and just an all around great person. She attended our "To All the Men In My Life" Crop, last Saturday. All night she had been telling one of her best friends, Amy, that she should volunteer to be the customer of the month for July. And Amy kept insisting that Ines was crazy. As the night came to a close, it was time to pull the name out of the bag for our New Customer of the month, and as the reigning customer, Ines pulled one name out of the bag. One guess, whose name actually came out of the bag...Amy! It was hysterical. So, that's the story on how we choose our customer of the month this month. Poor Amy, congratulations are in order. Have fun creating your layouts...you've got a few days left!

Today, our Garage Sale begins and we are staying open an extra hour to accommodate those of you who work late. We have some great stuff in the back and I have also included all the Treehouse and Paperheart papers in the store at 25 cents a sheet. That's right 25 cents a sheet. That's cheaper than wholesale. I also have a stack of Chatterbox paper at 50% off and we have increased our 3 for a $1.00 section to include 3 racks of paper. That's right 3 racks of paper. We MUST make room for all the new stuff. Come and enjoy the savings before it's all gone. The garage sale continues tomorrow until 3:30.

At 4, we start our Bring your kid to a crop night. This is just a basic crop with Pizza and laughs. Just a great social event for you and your kid. We still have room. It's still not to late to sign up. So, that means you are free to shop until 9 pm. If the door is locked, just knock and we will let you in. Not! No, for real, we would let you in.

This Sunday we are having our Designer's class with the Bo-bunny curvy ruler, you have to see Jen Edward's sample with it. It's absolutely beautiful. She used the contest kit papers with it. OMG. Gorgeous! We also have room for this class. Don't miss out. Once these kits are gone, they are gone (we have 3 left!).


We still have Designer Kits available. Are you talented? Got what it takes to be a designer? Want a flexible schedule? Love scrapbooking supplies? Then, this could be the perfect job for you. I am looking for new team members to add to our Creative Team of Jen's (Jen's need not apply, no more Jen's, I am already completely confused!).

Do you think, you fit the bill?

Don't wait, your entries needs to be in by the 20th of July. The only rule...you must make as many layouts/projects/ cards as you can with the kit (which has a retail value of over $40.00)
...you can add to it, but you MUST use the stuff in the kit. You must purchase the kit to qualify. All entries will be displayed in the store for 10 days and all customers will receive a vote per purchase...who knows, you could be the next Ally Edwards.


Well, I better go, I need to finish putting this order in. Whenever I blog, I feel like I am playing hookie from work, oh that's right I am. LOL.

Dee

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Anniversary Crop Update

Hi Everyone,

I know I have a big crop in a couple of hours and I am online writing in the blog...but isn't that what always happens. We have a couple of make-n-takes ready, the door prizes are finished, the name tags are gorgeous, the kits are completed. The quickie page is set-up upstairs and I just read all our e-mails. And that is what brings me to the blog. This week I decided that I needed to get going on those sponsorship request for our big anniversary crop and I've got exciting news already.
Yippee!

I have already received confirmations from not 1, not 2, not 3, but FOUR 4 major companies who will sponsor our event. I received the first response from Scenic Route just minutes after I e-mailed them. Isn't that fantastic. Then, I heard from Reminisce just a few minutes later. Then, about half an hour later I heard from American Crafts and lastly I heard from Cosmo Cricket.

As you are all aware, Scenic Route has always had a prominent place in the store, right by the the register. And those arrows are to die for. I am not sure if some of you have noticed that we also have coordinating Bazzill packs for the Metropolis and Laurel lines in the store. And the price is phenomenal at $9.99 for 21 sheets that's less than 50 cents a piece, versus the 60 cents they cost separately.

As for Reminisce, I have always said how wonderful their stuff is. They are the ones with that gorgeous monkey paper, and the cute dinosaur paper, and let's not forget their What Happens in Vegas ...stays in Vegas line. I have also ordered their new 4th of July paper (hint-think kit) and I can't wait to see what they will have out next month at CHA. Yee haw!

Although my relationship with American Crafts has been rocky from the start, I love love love their foam alphabets...did I tell you my mom called me from New York and asked me to bring her a box of those when I go up to visit her next month. Has she lost it? I can't keep a box of those in the store. Jen E and Jen S love them, especially with some stickles on them. They look gorgeous! I am grateful that they have agreed to sponsor our event and hope to see some of those in the goodie bags. Yah Hoo!

And finally we get to Cosmo Cricket which everyone knows is a relatively new company like myself. I have always supported the newbies and proud to have them on my shelf. For however short a time that is. Everyone loves Cosmo Cricket. Their lacing cards sold out 3 times...unbelievable...especially since I hate to reorder stuff...I want what's new...but they were so hot I just had to get them again and again. I can't wait to see what they have coming out next month. I can't wait to see what they will send. Woo Hoo!

Can you believe it 4 out of 10 request sent out...okay I'm still failing but I only need 6 for a Sizzling Hot goodie bag. So, I'm going to get back to work. This will be the GREATEST CROP WE'VE EVER HAD! Don't miss out. Our e-mail this week will have news as I get it!

Gotta go, I just thought of an idea for a third make and take.

Yippee,
The old noggin is working.
Dee

Monday, June 11, 2007

Unbelievable

Hi,

I can't believe that it's less than 2 months away before Angelia comes to wow us with her talent. I am so excited. That titles in the round classes is sure filling up fast. I know that will be full soon. As for the Summer one that is a close second. Also, don't forget that I will be taking some of the classes as well and those are the two that I am taking. It is going to be incredible. I can't wait. But, I did want bigger sneak peaks, those glimpses have left me craving for more.

As for CHA - I can't wait to see the stuff, I have gotten several sneak peak, but most haven't caught my eye. I haven't said omg I need to have it now except for the new line from Rusty Pickle and Autumn from Daisy D, along with a couple others. My biggest disappointment has been one of the sneaks from Basic Grey...the infusion line that looks like the coffee line from Cherryarte...maybe when I see it in person it will convince me but right now, nope!.

It's not like there are a lack of companies...I have 53 on my list at this moment and they are so different from each other...it would be hard for anyone to peg all of them down. It sounds like a contest to me.

I have also had to change the date of the Summer Nights Crop because I planned it around CHA time so I am moving it to July 7th - the fourth of July weekend. Some of the paper is already here (think tropical) and the rest has shipped. A hint if you loved the Fresh Collection from CI you will love this paper. That's all I am saying. Sign-up has started and we have some space available. Don't miss out.

We are stll expecting several shipments in the next few weeks...yippee. So, keep coming in and see all the cool new stuff.

Oh, don't forget we changed our hours for the summer. Th-Fr we are closing at 5 but if you are having a scrapping emergency...call me and I'll wait.

Our deisgner's challenge for July includes the B0-bunny kit, so sign up before it is too late. The class is limited to 6. Our challenges for June are going up on the wall this week. We had it on Sunday and the ladies were just fantastic...we used AMM embossing kits...great for inking. We also have their brad templates available...cute. The paper was the new scribble scrabble stuff along with Robin's Nest pebbles, ribbon, and a few other goodies. The pages are so different and beautiful in very different ways. When you stop by come in and check them out. You'll see how different they are.

As for the quickie page, we have 3 left this week.Once, they are gone, they are gone...don't miss out.

I also want to welcome Kellie A. to our store. She just moved down here from Ohio. She joined us for her first crop on Saturday and we look forward to seeing her again.

I actually got to crop this Saturday and finished a 1 pager and 3 two-pagers. I put them in the bathroom. After all the comments about the bare walls. I never realized how many people looked at those pages. So, after we paint we will continue to put pages on the walls. That way you won't lack inspiration in every area of the store.

I also want to take this opportunity to apologize for cancelling this Saturday's crop. My husband has a business related wedding, that he told me about weeks ago and I had forgotten all about it...I wonder why? CHA on the mind. So, I have to cancel. But, the men in your life crop still has room...it's about half full...so sign up before it is too late. We are planning door prizes, goodie bags, new games, and so much more. The paper is almost all here and we have hint layouts around the store, so you can see some of it. As always, the paper will not be out for sale until after the crop starts that day...and it's awfully handsome.

Well, i'd better go, I have to do the newsletter so that you can get your coupons on time.

Dee

Sunday, June 10, 2007

I Know....it's been a long time, but

Hi everyone,

You would think that with school being over that I would have tons of time to do the blog and send reminders and have all day stuff going on, but to tell you the truth, it's been CRAZY around here. I am planning to go to the CHA show in Chicago next month and that means being on a budget, making another budget for the show and of course breaking the budget. It wouldn't be fun if I didn't break the budget!

For those of you who don't know what CHA is, it's the Craft and Hobby Association show for retailers in the craft and hobby industry. Which means that every company in the scrapbooking world will be there...which translates into we are getting all the newest hottest stuff FIRST. That's right, my list of must sees is at 50 companies and growing by the minute. In three days I will spend more money that I can possibly afford. Which translates into weekly sales from now until the end of the summer so that I can bring even more stuff to the store.

The sneak peaks are fantastic...they have me salivating. SO, be on the lookout. I am having a paper frenzy.

We are still in the process of fixing up the store, so don't think it's done. We want your experience at the store to be fun and relaxing...we want you to come back! So, keeping looking around, changes will be steady but surely.

As for the whole anniversary thing...I am so happy with the response. We are willing to cater to your every need. We will customize your package to fit into your budget and our time slots, so don't think you will be left out in the cold. Start planning, because it will be here before you know it. And the sneak peaks are fantastic. Did ya see them?

You can check them out on our website.

Well I've got to go, my son got me lunch...yippee!
Can ya believe it?

Dee