Boy have we had a busy week at Mystic Paper! Creative Escape kept us hopping all weekend. A huge thanks to all of you crazy women who drove here straight from the airport so you could shop before the classes began. And the group that came in the limo, all I can say is I sure wish I would have known so I could have gotten a picture of all of you piling out of the limo in front of the store! You crazy scrappers!

We had a fun class taught by Mr. Pickle himself Lance Anderson. Lance is the most laid back teacher I have ever seen. Here is a picture of us making a pickle sandwich. Not to brag, but Lance said he has traveled all over the world and been in alot of stores and he said "This is the coolest store I've ever been in." How cool is that? He even took pictures of our brand new display at the front of the store. It just happened to be his products!

The class was a blast. Don't they look like they're having fun?
Don'cha think he has the best job in the world? He travels all over the world and teaches women (and 4 men) about scrapbooking. And we pay him on top of that! Shhh, don't tell your husbands, they'll all want to quit their jobs and start scrapbooking.



Our next big evening was a class that was taught by our paper bag queen, Michelle. Her filled to capacity class was attended by a group that was celebrating their friends birthday. They all signed up for the class and surprised Jackie.
And, they know how to celebrate. Take a look at this homemade cake....and the taste....they can celebrate here any time. They even brought enough to share with the whole class.

Here's the birthday girl and all of her friends. Jackie is sitting down second from left at the top of the picture. Happy Birthday Jackie!

Tomorrow's blog will have pictures of all of our ITF's. Please take the time to either comment on the blog and vote on your favorite ITF, call us, e-mail us...something! It's up to you from now on. We are jumping on to the world of reality scrapbooking. I'll be e-mailing pictures to everyone also. We have already received some awesome entries. So, what is an ITF? It is our invention - Imagine Takes Flight. We put together a new kit each month. You take it home and create whatever comes to mind. Bring it back by the 15th, we have it judged by all of YOU and the winner gets next month's kit free! Cool! Voting will end on the 28th and the winner will be announced on the 30th. So tell all of your friends to log on and vote for their favorite entry. Watch for tomorrow's posting which will be full of snipits! What????

Does everyone remember what they were doing 8 years ago today? Well I do!
I was getting married! Happy Anniversary babe! Can't believe how time flies. We blended two families together, saw them all graduate from high school, and a few from college, and now we're grandparents to 4 beautiful children! It's been a busy 8 years and I've loved every minute of it! Just had to share this!

What a beautiful Sunday! No air conditioner running, windows and doors open. Ahhh, nice weather....

And with this nice weather, brings more rennovation to the store. DH and brother are busy putting in a new tile entry way. Beats the cement floor that greeted our customers and the customers at the Antique Store. Little by little it's coming along. Here's Mike working on the finishing touches and being watched by our store mascot Ernie the rooster! Mosaic tile is beautiful to look at but when it comes to cutting those little tiny pieces to finish the edges, well, let's just say we're glad Mike is here!







Here is a picture from yesterday's class with Chris Herrmann. She taught us how to use Ranger's Alcohol Inks, Melting Pot, UTEE, and Memory Frames. You rock Chris. That was such a fun class!

We had our first ATC swap this month. The theme was Ocean and we got some really nice entries. Come on and join us. The more the merrier and the more ATC's we get to trade! September's swap theme is artist choice. They are due on September 15th and can be picked up on the 20th. You don't have to be present to join in. Judy Bidwell will pick up the cards and distribute them.

Kinda hard to see, but the ATC's are in the store for you to appreciate.

I think I'm getting better at posting pictures, don'cha think? Here's just one more to see if I can really do it!

This is what happens when Ellen leaves her soda in the freezer and forgets about it. She really wanted that soda too!

Here's to a great week!

Once again, long time no blog...Susan Keuter was in yesterday and has promised more blog lessons when she gets back from The Big Apple! How exciting to get to go to New York and even more exciting to go with a bunch of scrapbooking women. Have a great time Susan and remember, what happens in New York stays in New York (we hope).

Our store has been very busy. All of the teachers have been coming up with awsome classes. Today Chris Herrmann kept the store buzzing teaching a class using alcohol inks, Memory Glass, and Memory Glass Frames. Sooo much fun! Jennifer and I actually got to sit in on this class. There's a first! Chris does not believe in rules so there were a class full of rebel women all doing their own thing once Chris gave them the basics. We all had such different results.

Our Imagine Takes Flight (ITF) kits have been getting better and better each month. If you don't know what that is here's the jest in a nutshell. We put together a kit, you purchase it for $5.00, take it home, make whatever you want using the contents of the kit and whatever else you want. Bring it back to us, it gets judged (not by us) and the winner gets next months kit free! Again, it is so nice to see how different everybodies entry is. Here are this months entries...








A composition book by Pam Snow








A Treasure can by Emily Holgate that was filled with a delicious treasure of candy!



















And a beautiful Heritage Treasure page by Violet Rogers. Violet's page won this month. And you can see, by these beautiful examples, this is why we don't judge. Who could pick? But let's spice this competion up and get alot more entries next month. The kits are ready and waiting for you to pick up, create, and bring back. And, I have to mention that the pictures don't do these entries justice. Please come check them out in person before their owners pick them up. You'll be glad you did. Which one would you have voted for?

Did you get a copy of this month's Legacy magazine? Our teacher, Judy Bidwell was published in it. To get a feel for how photography does not do the layouts justice, stop by the store. We have the magazine and Judy's actual project. You will see how different it is to see the project in person and then to see the photo in print. You can only imagine how gorgeous the things are that we don't get to see in person. Our teacher, Jennifer Wagner has also been published in Creating Keepsakes the last two months. Not to brag, but we do have the best teachers!!

It's great to be back and hopefully you will see a much improved blog format (that's long for fancier) when Susan get back. Have a blast Susan!

So, are you wondering what we got to do Friday night? What would be so important that we would actually close the store early? Well, here it is. We were invited to a Retailers Appreciation Party hosted by Janna's Gifts and Heidi Swapp.
We saw some of the new Heidi Swapp products and got to use them in break out workshops that were set up throughout the house.





This is the super cute pink neon sign that let us know we were in the right place.

These are our friends from Making Memories Unforgettable in Tucson with Liz Eaton.

And of course, here's Jennifer and Eric Swapp in total shock at the beautiful page she just created! This is why I like being behind the camera!

We had a great time meeting other store owners, sharing ideas and the most fun of all was the product that Heidi and Janna's Gifts sent us home with, not to mention the food!

Today has been a very busy and productive day for us in the store. A little redecorating here and there, and alot of brain storming about CHA next week. What to order? So much new and exciting product out there. Jennifer will be attending CHA while I hold down the fort (can you hear the whining begin?). I'll keep you posted when Jennifer calls to tell me how much FUN she's having and what she is ordering (sniffle). All I can say is that she better come home with lots of STUFF for me!

So, that's it for now. I'm off to my boring job of housework!

What A Day It Was!

Wow, was yesterday ever a blast. We had a huge class going, and not just any class. It was Jennifer Wagner's Family A to Z class. You know when the teacher starts out saying "Are you ready to get messy?", you're in for a lot of fun.













And fun it was! It was very creative, loud, and MESSY! If you're signed up for this class here are some pointers, no fancy clothes, an apron might be a good idea, no recent manicures, and alot of stamina. Everyone was so pleased with all of the techniques they learned. In fact, there were so many techniques taught that the class ran overtime and a few people will be back during the week to finish up.

We also had the pleasure of having Carol Wingert and Tena Sprenger here for the signing of their new book Artful Memories. If you haven't seen this book yet come by and check it out. It is fabulous. We still have a few copies left that they signed for us cuz you won't want to leave without it once you see it.

Here we are with Ellen (employee extraordinaire), Tena, Jennifer, me, and Carol. Tena and Carol stayed busy signing books and spending time chatting with our customers. They even got to meet Jolene whom they have corresponded with through their blogs. It was like seeing old friends meet up again.

So it was a very special day for us. Lots of creative buzz in the store. How could that not happen with so many talented people under one roof? I gotta tell you, it makes me wish I had time to even think about being creative. Some how balancing the checkbook and placing orders doesn't fall under the "creative" category for me. I'm going to make it a point to start taking every darn class taught in this store and force myself to get the creative juices flowing again. And I better do it quick because my brothers 50th birthday is coming up and I really want to get a book made for him. Do you think he'll appreciate being reminded that he's 50? Do I care? Heck no! I can't wait to fill a book with every dorky picture I can find of him growing up! Isn't that what little sisters are for?

And the fun goes on....tomorrow evening Judy will be here demonstrating how to create Artist Trading Cards. Stop by and join in. Judy will also be hosting a swap each month in our store. If these cards have been a mystery to you, Judy will answer all of your questions and get you started. She is also bringing her collection of ATC's for you to check out. You'll see how quickly you can start your own collection and how much fun it is to see other artists ideas.

So, how was that for a busy weekend? Whew, I'm tired!

Til next time

Hello again! It's been a very long and busy four months since I have taken the time to write in this blog. If you haven't been in for awhile we are in our new "old" store. To say that we love it would be an understatement. Rick and Mike did an awsome job of remodeling for us. There are so many things that we love about this store that we couldn't name one favorite! Are you wondering who won the grand prize at our Grand Opening? The lucky winner is Kim Babson. Here she is with her stash!



Our Grand Opening was fantastic. We thank everyone who came and made it such a special weekend. Our teachers, Chris, Ellen, Jennifer, Judy, Michelle, and Susan did some great make and takes and demos. I think everybody loved seeing and hearing about all of their creative ideas. Let's just say those ladies ooze creativity. How lucky are we? Are you wondering who won the grand prize at our Grand Opening? The lucky winner is Kim Babson. Here she is with her stash!

And the presents that our customers brought or sent to the store were so nice. Let's see, there's the card holder that Shirley Seay made for us. How perfect is that! A 7 Gypsies card holder no less. A Jar Fairie to watch over our store, from Susan Johnson, along with some beautiful strawflowers. A bunch of the most purple carnations you have ever seen from Colleen Jew and Mary Beth Culp. I had pictures of all of these, but can I find them right now? No...they're somewhere in the deep dark files of my computer. You guys spoil us! Thanks!

For those of you that got to meet Jennifer Wagner at the Grand Opening I don't need to tell you how talented she is. There are more of her creations posted on the web site along with the pictures and descriptions. Judy Bidwell is hard at work getting ready for the Altered Recipe Book class. I will be calling everyone next week with the inside info. Ellen has truly come up with the most adorable purse scrapbook. It's an Ellen original, and different from the one she taught at Memory Lane. Susan Johnson is teaching her classes on Sundays. I know that doesn't work for alot of you, but if Sunday is a good day for you look at her "How To Be Happy" altered book. Sundays are nice and quiet, not the usual hustle and bustle that we have during the week.

In addition to our big store move, Jennifer and I both moved to new houses. In my case I have to say a new "old" house kinda like the store. It was built in 1915 and still needs alot of work. Jennifer is much closer to the store now and can spend more time at the store after she goes to her other full time job. YUK!! A direct quote from Jennifer "I say SUPER YUK!"

Here's one picture I did find, so I'll leave you with a beautiful view of the new store.

Til next time, and I promise it won't be four months!

Kim and Jennifer