Is it Art?

Took a challenge on 2 Peas that was a lot more fun than I expected. I call it Cool blue.

Seems like I always have great intentions to get stuff done.....organize the house, get caught up at the store...new promotion ideas, project ideas, AAARRRGGGHHHH! But I just want to go back to bed. Is this the depression thing? Is this just getting old? Do I have no self-discipline? Maybe if I started working out with Erika and Kerry......

Yesterday Evan had his infected tooth pulled. What could have been a traumatic day actually turned out quite nice. He was a real trooper at the dentist. After the numbness began to wear off, and he started to complain about the pain, we went to get Ice Cream at Cold Stone Creamery. He had TWO BOWLS. After that, the pain was gone, and he was happy as can be (although a little hyper). Went to the park for awhile. After Daddy got home, we went to Pets Mart and got a bigger tank and some cool stuff for our hermit crabs. I picked out a new, tiny one, which we named "Pee Wee, Jr.". We bought a new shell for Mr. Krabs, and he moved in overnight. These guys are so much more fun than I every imagined they could be! Very interactive.

I love all the blogs from people who are focusing on the small miracles in their lives: Cathy Z, Tara, Ally..they've given me so much inspiration and insight into their lives. Also love Teri Fode's blog...lots of photo inspiration!

Maybe I should move over to typepad with all the "Cool People".....

Owning a Store....

Owning a scrapbook store is really a love/hate kinda thing. There are days when you feel like you're doing something amazing....you see people make life long friendships at your store. We really get involved in each others lives, it's like a support group.

Other days just suck. I wonder why I wanted to do this. It's not really a money-making venture. If you're lucky, you break even every month. The customers don't really understand how hard it is to keep it going, and what an impact it can have when a new store (or TWO!) open nearby. You try to pick the right stuff to carry, but it's never enough. Your employees act like preschoolers. You have to be nice to your customers, no matter how they treat you.

How do you make yourself stand out?

My husband is wonderful, supportive, but some days he just wants our old life back, when we could comfortably pay the bills, when I was home on evenings and weekends, and not travelling to trade shows and conventions 3-5 times a year.

We've had some wonderful things happen in the last few weeks. Our email newsletter will be featured in an upcoming ad. One of our best teachers and design team members, Kim Kesti, was recognized in this year's CK Hall of Fame, the who's who of scrapbooking. We've been asked to coordinate and run the crop at the Rubber Stamp and Scrapbook Expo in June. I already have two vendors lined up! I hope all of these positive things translate to better sales for the store, and a better future.

I really don't want to go back to computer programming at a large anonymous corporation again.................and this really means something to me!

First Timer

So this is my first blog....totally caught the Blog bug from Kim Kesti and Kristin Holly. Kim is a friend, but Kristin I've just seen online at Two Peas. Love her blog.

Last week was amazing....Kim was announced as a HOF winner, Teresa Collins from Rusty Pickle taught a class at our store, then we all went to the CK convention in Mesa....what a crazy time! We had lots of laughs at the Friday night crop, especially dressing our friend Kerry up in Scrapworks paper and embellishments! We won first prize in the contest! Met lots of cool people, too.