Friday, June 30, 2006

Weekend retreat number two! Faithful readers will again be the first to know about Scrapbook Generation's latest venture into the world of scrapbook retreats.

Our first weekend retreat (in late September in Branson) sold out quickly, and since the waiting list is pretty lengthy, Karin and I did some traveling this week and have come up with a second location for a fall weekend retreat...this time a little further south...in Eureka Springs, Arkansas!

We are pleased to announce that the plans are final for a second dose of "It's All About Memories. Friday, November 3 through Sunday, November 5, we will be hosting a "marathon" scrapbooking weekend in Eureka Springs. The location will be the Inn of the Ozarks, and it's super easy to find. From Springfield, the drive is a little less than two hours, and all you have to do is head toward Branson, then turn right on Hwy. 62 and keep going until you arrive at Inn of the Ozarks.

Scrapbooking will be held in the nearly-new convention center, which has great lighting, tons of room, a break-out room for classes, and a huge lobby with couches. When you aren't scrapbooking, you'll be staying in hotel rooms adjoining the convention center. The resort is located in a beautiful wooded setting, and the Eureka Springs trolley stops right on the property, if you want to make a trip to the historic downtown area during your stay.

All-inclusive prices for the weekend are $285 per person for one in a hotel room, $245 per person for two in hotel room, $235 for three in a hotel room, and $225 for four in a hotel room. This price includes all meals and snacks and lodging. A variety of classes will be available for an additional charge. Because we want you to feel totally pampered, each person will leave with prizes of scrapbooking products valued at least $50 or more!

A non-refundable deposit of $50 is due when you sign up. The deposit must be made by August 15, and we expect the event to fill up quickly. You can stop by Scrapbook Generation to pay, or we will accept credit cards by phone. Be prepared to let us know who you will be sharing a room with!

There will be a die-cut center available with two Sizzix machines and several alphabet sets, and Scrapbook Generation will have an on-site store where you can purchase cardstock, papers, adhesives, ribbons, tools, albums, idea books, and embellishments. We also will have the new Cricut die-cut machine with us for demonstrations, so you can check it out before buying.

A letter with class choices and contest categories will be mailed in September. Remaining balance and class choices will be due October 2. (We will also be glad to set up a payment schedule for those who would prefer to break the remaining balance up into smaller amounts!)

Call us at 417-886-0440 if you need more information.

Todays' excitement at Scrapbook Generation (the "new wall" overfloweth!):
New arrivals...
-- My Mind's Eye: Wild Asparagus, including beautiful double-sided papers, matching frames, die cuts and embellishments including ribbon and flowers;
-- Flair: the new Paradise collection with fun summer and beach papers, cardstock stickers, rubons, and quote books; baby boy and baby girl papers, rubons, and quote books; dog and cat papers, cardstock stickers, rubons, and quote books; and several Western papers are back in stock;
-- Creating Keepsakes: August issue has arrived, also the latest issue of Paper Crafts;
-- Rush2Scrapbook: Springfield Cardinals cut-out sheet which includes the 2006 roster, a title, quotes, and mini-titles;
--Around the Block: patriotic papers and matching soft brads and micro dots; also collections of paper and embellishments for dogs, cats, family, wedding, and beach/summer; metal paper pins in a school theme, and metal travel charms;
-- Carolee's: patriotic papers and stickers; a great camping/outdoors collection of papers, stickers, and rubons; papers and rubons for dogs; papers, stickers, and foam stickers for family, beach/summer, cookouts, and Christmas.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Scrapbook Generation's Design Team members met Monday night to get acquainted with each other, and also to learn what their roles will be in the upcoming months. We had a great time, at least I did, and Karin and I were thrilled with their enthusiasm and support. Their first assignment is a one-page layout about themselves. We'll have those on display starting August 1. In the meantime, stop by and see the cute pages Laura Parks created about how stressful it was to find a way to use the "ugly" paper we made them use for their entries! It's hilarious.

Over the next few days and weeks, I'm going to let the Design Team members introduce themselves, in their own words. Since I decided alphabetical order would work best, Marti Blattert is first at bat.

Design Team Member #1: Marti Blattert
Occupation: retired (financial counselor at Drury University)
Spouse: Steve
Children: Cinnamon, 32; Sarah, 28; Drew 23
Grandchildren: Garrett, 6; Sawyer 4
Hobbies other than scrapbooking: hiking, traveling, reading

-- How long have you been scrapbooking?
For about 10 years.
-- When and where do you usually scrapbook?
At home and at Scrapbook Generation, anytime I can crop with friends and daughters.
-- How many pages do you complete in an average month?
Usually 8-10, but 15-20 in a good month.
-- What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking?
I think I love scrapbooking because family is so important to me. I enjoy reliving special moments by browsing through pictures of those dear to me. I enjoy creating pages that others can enjoy also. I also love it that I get to spend time with friends, family, and other women who love this hobby. I have made so many new friends here at Scrapbook Generation.
-- Describe your scrapbooking style.
My scrapbooking style can best be described as simple and linear. I feel that less is sometimes more in creating quality pages. I love it when I complete a page, and I can see that the pictures are the focus, not the embellishments. I seldom follow new trends. I find a style or design I love, and alter it to fit my pictures, not alter my pictures to fit the style.
-- Have you been published?
I have had several cards of mine published. Two Busy Moms Paper Company hired me in 1996 to create cards using their line of paper. Those cards were then featured in a flip-book designed to be used at market. I still have the book!
--Why did being on the Design Team at Scrapbook Generation appeal to you?
I think the addition of a Design Team is a really cool idea. Actually, I already feel like I am a small part of your team. I am now and will always be your most enthusiastic ambassador for Scrapbook Generation. I shop your store exclusively, and value not only your professionalism, but also your friendship. I think my friendliness, my people skills, and my love of this hobby would go far in encouraging others to love it, too.
-- Why is Scrapbook Generation your favorite scrapbook store?
The friendliness of the owners, selection of product, and availability of crops. LOVE those 12-hour theme crops!

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
--Scrapbook Generation: Two new Sweet and Simple page kits -- one is Fourth of July, and uses the new Doodlebug red, white, and blue papers; the other is "Cute" and features black, pink, and coral papers from Imagination Project (GinX).

Monday, June 19, 2006

Scrapbook Generation is proud to announce the members of our first ever Design Team. The seven-member group includes Marti Blattert, Candy Conner, Amy Estes, Jane Hunt, Jennifer Mattix, Laura Parks, and Allison Davis.

The first six scrapbookers were chosen following an extensive application process, and Allison, part of the SG family, will also be a member of the group.

We're having an orientation meeting tonight, then later this week I'll start sharing more information about this talented group...one by one.

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- Prima: Finally! We have several cases of flowers in bottles, including several sizes and color combinations. We also have restocked with the original Primas we carried long before the hoopla over the bottled flowers. Also new to our store, the three-bottle sets of Primas according to the months of the year.
-- Several brands: an assortment of metal word and shape charms.
-- Rush2Scrapbook: Branson and Springfield title cutouts.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

We're sold out! Scrapbook Generation's weekend retreat in Branson in late September is full and has a waiting list, as of yesterday. Here at SG, we're already knee-deep in decorations and prizes, and we're finalizing a class schedule that we hope will have something for everyone. Those who have paid deposits should expect a letter with more details the first week or so of July.

Because of the enthusiastic response to this first retreat, Karin and I are already looking for a larger spot to hold our spring weekend!

Allison taught a really cute class last night, to a full house! The group used color-blocking templates to make a Father's Day card which included a cute folded paper shirt and tie. Her next $5 mini-class is a "Purse-onality" card which even tops the card last night. Class members will use a template to make a shapely "purse" which includes plenty of room inside for a message, and has a wire handle decorated with beads. If you want to sign up, call 886-0440, for this Tuesday, June 27 class.

Also, don't forget our June promotion. Make a purchase of at least $25, and we'll deduct the price of a gallon of gas (according to the Kum & Go across the street) from your total, on the spot!

Other activities coming up at Scrapbook Generation:
-- Friday, June 16: Midnight Madness crop ($10);
-- Saturday, June 17: Scrap and Sandwich crop ($15);
-- Thursday, June 22 at 2 & 6 p.m.: Altered Coin Book Holder class ($15);
-- Saturday, June 24: 12-hour American Pride theme crop ($25);
-- Tuesday, June 27 at 6 p.m.: Purse-onality card mini-class ($5);
-- Friday, June 30: Midnight Madness crop ($10).

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- Scrapbook Generation: two new "Sweet and Simple" page kits, one featuring peach, orange and yellow; and the other using navy, aqua, and rust;
-- Reminisce: Mini-map epoxy sticker sets for 16 of the most popular destination states;
-- 7 Gypsies: six styles of the Ala-Card sticker sets in birthday, thanks, love, baby, congrats, and wedding themes (these resemble their great 97% Complete stickers);
-- Pebbles: a BBQ theme grouping including paper, two sets of stickers, and market tags;
-- Heidi Swapp: chipboard alphabets in two fonts and two sizes, in five colors each; small florals (12 layers of silk flowers) in six colors; puffy floral centers; round chipboard letters in cute containers;
-- Creating Keepsakes: 40 Techniques for Making Cards;
-- Doodlebug: a super cute Fourth of July group of four papers, tags and tabs stickers, jellishments, and "paper clips," a new style of letter stickers in seven colors, new larger Just My Type letter stickers, pastel summery papers, and my personal favorite, packages of 12 silk flowers, containing glitter flowers, solid color flowers, and polka dot flowers, in 10 colors (they won't last long!).

Friday, June 09, 2006

Not much blogging going on for me lately, because it's taken me some time to get back in the swing of things after my vacation. The cruise line is going to "compensate" my mother and I for our misfortunes, but the compensation is credit for a future cruise. Not only will my mother never cruise again, but no one who knows me will go with me, since I seem to be a jinx! (Some other time I'll write about the great time my three girlfriends and I had at the emergency room in Miami on the previous cruise I went on!)

Anyway, June has started out great at Scrapbook Generation. We are down to the last eight spots in the weekend retreat we have planned for September in Branson, so it looks like it's going to be a sold-out event.

For those who need a scrapbooking fix before then, we have a great 12-hour crop scheduled for Saturday, June 24. We've dubbed it the American Pride crop, and we'll be decorating in red, white, and blue, and feasting on barbecue and other good stuff. If you want to sign up, give us a call. It's just $25 for two meals and snacks and drinks, 12 hours of cropping, and some great favors. There's also an optional page layout contest.

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- Reminisce: a knock-out group of patriotic papers with a "shimmer" finish, plus two sets of matching sticker embellishments, and some star-studded sticker letters.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Want to hear about the dream cruise my mother and I took to Alaska? I'll give you the short version. Day One can be described with these words: hallucinations, ambulance, emergency room. Days Two, Three, and Four can be described with these words: vomiting, medical facility, quarantine. Let's just say that I won't have as many photos as usual to scrapbook from this "vacation."

While I was gone having "fun," the gang at Scrapbook Generation was busy with crops and classes. They were also busy signing people up for our weekend retreat in Branson this September. The event is almost three-fourths full, and approaching the registration deadline of June 15. Don't get left out of the excitement!

Today's excitement at Scrapbook Generation:
New arrivals...
-- K & Company: the Sweet Pea baby collection, including 12x12 albums, papers, and embellishments;
-- EK Success: more Harley-Davidson items, paper sets to match the cute Bookworks albums, new buckle punches and fold-out punches;
-- Creating Keepsakes: Clean and Simple: The Sequel, Scrapbooking School Memories, The Joy of Card Making, more copies of Photography for Scrapbookers, and the latest issues of Paper Crafts and Creating Keepsakes;
-- Better Homes and Gardens: the latest issue of Scrapbooks Etc.
-- All My Memories: a new supply of 12x12 Urban Chic albums in brown, blue, red, pink, and black.
 
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