Today let me introduce Crate Paper's newest offerrings.  Crate Paper has been around awhile, even though we only just began to carry them in the last year.  They changed their paper to a cardstock weight, which makes it somehow richer feeling.  But with their newest patterns, I am in heaven.  I love me some pattern in my paper!!!! 

Portrait is first, honey gold, cool aquas rich taupe,  mixed with classic black and white patterns.  I am over the wall happy with these!

Then is Emmas Paper.  Happy, forties color combos, and polka dots---can't get enough polka dots (don't ask me why--they just make me happy).

And this Toybox.  Retro toys and games, strong colors and lines make for great boy and manly pages (gotta have some of them too!)

I just cannot wait to get hold of these new papers.  Makes me just itch to get scrapbooking! 



 

And today I have a peek of the new Little Yellow Bicycle lines I am in love with. 

I love, love, love Twig.  Blues and greys and taupe---that's right in my color comfort pallette! 

 

And this one is so summery.  Love the brights and the lemons!!!  Summertime lemonade.. remember when you had a lemonade stand as a kid (or wanted to, but mom wouldn't let you---maybe cuz you lived on a deadend street--duh).

Loving the banners!  And we are seeing these little banners on all sorts of things, cards, pages, bags and boxes.  So, banners are definately IN. 



This morning it's about Glitz!  No, not shiny stuff (although I do like shiny stuff!) The paper company Glitz. 

I just love this color combination.  The coral and green  for summer photos is goning to be really pretty. 

And look, more butterflies!  I know a couple of folks who are going to be especially pleased with the butterfly papers. 

As for me, I am drawn to the soft, vintage images in the embellishment pack.  A little quirky, but still soft and pretty. 

And there is more to come from Bo Bunny, Crate Paper, Pink Paislee, some really pretty flowers from Prima and Petaloo, and just wait till you see the ribbons and trims.  Of course there is always my personal favorite Basic Grey.  So much to see, so much to order, so much to play with!!! 

ummmm, I have one word for this collection.  De-lic-ous! 

Spring Market is so pretty and so right for us here in Wisconsin with our regular weekly farmer's markets, our vegetable gardens... berry picking... 

And I have only scratched the surface of this company's wonderous embellishments.  (cuz I can only put just so many photos on one post!!!!)  These are the new sparklers.  Don't they look like old fashioned depression glass?!  Can't wait for these. 

And yet there is more...  I'll have to post some in a later post.  Or do I just make you wait till they arrive in the store? h-mmmm 

Oh, and can you guess what company this is?  Webster's Pages.  They are just loaded with spectacular trims, laces, the sparklers, lacy flowers.

Art, scrapbooking, card making--creating; truly are healing.  I've felt better when working--when I am creating--making something.  And so it goes...  It is so important to celebrate those you love.  Keep their memories and yours.  The economy is still not great--we are all watching our pennies--but these things are too important to let go by the wayside for the lack of a couple of dollars.  Keep scrapbooking, keep taking photos, keep collecting those memories.  This is my mom and dad, two of my cousins--Amy and Kathy, my sister and brother and my nephew.  One of the last photos of my mom--I'm glad this was a happy day for them, for her. 

Is it too early for me to start talking up Scrapathon?  It is the best day of scrapbooking you will ever find.  And yes, I've started on the pages!  We have a theme.  You.  You Sparkle.  You Shine.  You Are a Firework!  We have waited a long time to be this blown away with some of the collections we are currently previewing.  And I think you will be equally blown away with our selections for the store, for you.

This is from Pink Paislee...  such a pretty line and such gorgeous embellishments. 

Love the butterfly charms!!! 

Look for more peaks at our choices for the store in the next few days!  We are working hard to pick the best of the best for the store...and I'll try to post a picture or two of some of  the wonderful things that will be coming! 

Trying to get back to some sort of normal here.   Worked on projects for the Cupid's Workshop.  That came easier than I thought it would.  Went through a bunch of sneak peeks with Colleen so we could start our buying list from all the new product offerings.  Work is a good thing.   This week we have orders to place, cards to finish for the card marathon, a couple more sneak peeks to track (Basic Grey for one---they never show anything till right before the opening of the show...), and the bus tour project to decide on.  Work is indeed a very good thing. 

I have to pick up some thank you cards this morning and a birthday card for my dad.  It's his birthday this Friday.  I'm sure that will be a hard day. 

I was so overwhelmed by the cards and notes of sympathy I found at the store my first day back last week.  It's a good thing I was there early, cuz I spent the first half hour crying. Am still having melt down moments, but they are coming less frequently.  I am hoping that soon I will be able to have thoughts of my mom and smile for what I had with her, not cry over what I will miss. 

Love you all, thank you.

I will be gone for awhile. 

My mom died this morning.  I fly off to California tomorrow to try and deal with all that it entails.  Try and coax my father into doing the things that have to be done. 

I don't know who reads this blog, so bear with me or turn it off.  I don't care.  These notes are thoughts I want to get down so they will be there for me later. 

I have these visions or snippets of time that come rushing back to me.   Her rushing down the driveway one Christmas...  arms wide open to wrap us up in. 

Her making scrambled eggs for my then three-year old daughter---Kim would stand on a little stool and watch the eggs cook.  That was their thing. 

She and I running about in a sudden unexpected rain shower during a drought--we thought we would put out some containers to catch the rain so she could water her plants.  We were soaked and laughing so hard. 

When my own children were young, we went every Christmas for an extended visit.  Always that first night, after I got the kids to bed, we always sat up and talked and talked.  Stayed up always way too late. 

And there was a sunny aftenoon during a visit just a couple of years ago.  My sister was trying to get a photo of the three of us..  and one or the other of us would have our eyes closed or a weird expression.  None of the photos were really any good.  And then we got the giggles... then the photos weren't any better, but they are my favorite. 

Tomorrow I will get off the plane and go to the mortuary with my dad.

We made THE LIST,  Tonni and I coded all the discounts into the computer, Ashley put up sales tags, and Colleen made up the sales signs.  It's time.  We are ready, bring it on 2011! 

It's time for the January Inventory Reduction Sale...  It's time to find the items we've restocked the Clearance Corner with.  It's time to make room for new incoming paper lines and tools, and punches and such. 

We've placed the first of our 2011 orders already.  New stamps from Hero Arts and some great new Birthday, Baby, St. Patty's, Travel and Summer themed papers from Best Creations.

It's time to shop people.  Seriously.  Shop. 

And while we wait for the new merchandise to begin arriving.... 

We have reconstituted a mini class schedule which includes the Artful Memories class using the 7 Gypsies Printers Tray. These trays have been really popular the past several months, but we have them coming back in!  I used pictures of me and my kids from y-e-a-r-s ago.  They are just old photos that make me smile.  I also used some old chipboard alphas--one letter for each of our first names.  The Ali Edwards stamp set is perfect for this project and then I filled in with my infamous bucket of junk (old watches, keys, dominoes, etc.).  I made three of these for Christmas gifts and just tuned the photos according to the recipient of the gift. 

I am off this weekend, so am desperately hoping to get some scrapping done!  Am keeping my fingers crossed that husband decides to play in the garage this weekend and I can get some uninterrupted time. 

Later..

Another Peek

Time for another peek.  This is a great page for heirloom photographs, or "guy" pages, school photos, photos of home and houses, or travel shots of architecture. 

Gotta take my camera today and get a couple of shots of the last couple pages. 

And today...  the first of our orders for new 2011 products goes in!!  The Hero Arts order is ready to go.  I am so excited when we begin to put together the orders for the new incoming products.  CHA is in a couple of weeks and new product sneak peeks from all the various vendors we deal with will begin in a few days.  I will be haunting all of the vendor websites and blogs and making notes and lists.  Yipeeeeeeeeeeee I am like a kid in a candy store! 

Goofy Girl

Well, looky who this is!  She is a character this one...  When she laughs, it is with her whole little being. 

Now that is a scrapbook page waiting to happen! 

More Power Pages

Just a couple of little looks at the upcoming Power Pages! 

First is True Blue.  I have always loved the red, white and blue combo... think not just 4th of July, but Memorial Day, historic America---like a trip to the Dakotas or D.C., scouting, car racing, military--like the ships that come to port and are open for touring. 

Next is a snippet of Rustic... think hunting, autumn walks, manly pages, antiquing jaunts, old barns and other buildings...  Now this is one of those pages, I went back and added to, so there is a little bit more on this page than is showing here....

And finally Glimmer, even with the flowers I would use this for boys-- playing outside or at the park... the colors of green and blue lend themselves well to outdoors photos of many things...

And on my to-do list; Scrappy Little Cards---need to get those done this week, and of course even more cards for our Card Marathon, Hero Arts stamp order is going in this week from their new 2011 catalogue, and some planning and sketches for new spring classes!  I better get moving huh?

It's a New Year

It is a whole new year...  and with that new wishes for prosperity, health, and joy.  And, along with a new calendar year also comes planning for new projects for the coming months, researching new products and new techniques, and revisiting old favorites.  For me, this is the best part of January!   I love the plotting and planning, scheming and dreaming.  And lists!  I love lists!!!  I make lists of projects I want to try, products  to buy, companies to look into, what translates into good make and takes, what works better in a class format.

This is also the time of year that forces us to take a look at what we have and think about what we can do with it.  Remember this is the time of year when there is not much in the way of new product that is even available.  Everything new waits until after CHA at the end of January with deliveries coming Feburary through May.

This is partially what prompted the first Power Pages event.  It's January, it's cold, we want to scrapbook.  What do we have?  How can we make it new?  Can we use an old favorite in a new way?

I am almost done with all the page designs.  Sometimes I go back and tweak here and there.   Add a little sparkle or another punch or two...  

So here are a couple of teasers from this January's Power Pages. I've had such a good time making them.  Hope everyone else likes them as much as I do!

Oh what the heck, here's another peek. 

And so, it is a New Year.  I hope everyone's hopes and dreams come true this year.