Stampin' and Scrappin' with Kim

American Girl: Atlanta

Well, here it is! A brand spankin' new American Girl 'place'. Abby is a big AG fan and we thought this would be a fun girls weekend trip before Kindergarten starts in a week or so. John took the boys camping this weekend, and Mom is on baby duty, so it just seemed like a great opportunity.

This new place is much different from what we have been used to in New York City. It is considerably smaller. It is a one floor store inside the North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA instead of a whole building dedicated to AG. There is no photo studio, no theater, limited merchandise, and the restaurant is a small bistro, instead of a full service restaurant. The bistro is booked all the way through September, and the walk up counter is rumoured to not be in service for a few months. Needless to say, we did NOT have a reservation. It will probably take a while for the crowds to taper off to something more normal, making it possible to actually drop in and get an ice cream sundae.

But, that said, we did have a magical time. We waited nearly two hours on the line that started outside and then snaked inside and looped around before we could actually enter the store. It was PACKED inside with wall to wall girls and moms. I don't think I saw any boys there at all! After fighting our way through the crowds, we managed to pick out a few items, and then had to wait around 45 minutes on the checkout line! All told, it was a three hour experience for about twenty minutes of shopping inside a hot and crowded store. On the bright side, AG staff distributed free cold water bottles and free Molly posters as we were waiting on line to get in. They also stuffed a free AG puzzle book inside the bag with my purchases. What a nice surprise!

Also disappointing was the lack of preparedness on the part of the person in charge of inventory. We got into the store around 1:00 pm, and the only size t-shirts they had left were small and x-small! Seems like that was too early in opening weekend to run out of sizes! But, the store was true to AG in character and decor. The displays were beautiful and inspiring, albeit smaller in scale. There were lots of staff people keeping the displays neat, and security was most helpful when they needed to put out a 'code Adam' for Abby, who had disappeared into the crowd.

All in all it was a fun time. Abby's doll, Jenna, will soon be seen wearing the mermaid costume that she got today. Celeste doesn't have any AG dolls yet, but I'm sure that this Christmas she might find herself the proud mommy of her own Bitty Baby, or perhaps Bitty Twins. Stay tuned to find out!

Here's two of my favorite pictures. Abby and Chelsea (and Jenna) all got matching dresses from their Grandmas who went shopping together. We got several comments throughout the day on how good they all looked together. What do you think? Take a look and see:

 

Well, the bottom line is: if you are going to be in the Atlanta area, this is a nice place to stop. BUT, if you are traveling to Atlanta for the sole purpose of visiting the AG Boutique & Bistro, you might have a more worthwhile time by going to New York, Chicago, or LA. I guess it just depends on where your starting location is. For me it's 6 hours to Alpharetta, or 8 hours to New York. The extra two hours in the car, for me, is worth it. Happy shopping wherever you go!

High School Musical 2

Well, THE movie of the event of the summer of 2007 has finally arrived! We (Abby and I) drove 6 hours back to our friend's home in Gainesville, GA to watch the premiere of High School Musical 2. In case you think that we are just nuts, or that we have no other friends in our home town, we ALSO went to Georgia to experience the grand opening of the American Girl Boutique & Bistro in Altanta, right near their home. But more on that later, in the next post.

So, back to the movie. Well, we LOVED it! It makes me want to be IN the movie, or at least just a carefree teenager again! It was fun, energetic, and still had positive themes, much like the first movie. Be true to yourself, keep your promises, work hard, stick with the team, you can't buy your friends, the future is important but so is the here and now, etc. The music and dancing were great, and we have been hearing the songs over and over again in the car on the CD player. Sharpay was a little too 'fabulous', but sometimes characters need to be a little exaggerated to drive home the point. Troy and Gabriella simply sparkled with chemistry. Their breakup scene brought real tears to our eyes. In the end, it was All for One, and was a great story of redemption and forgiveness. Overall a great movie! Now, if only they would have aired it at 7 pm instead of 8 pm. My five year old had a tough time making it to the end, and an even tougher time in the morning.

What fun would a pajama party be without new pajamas? Here is a picture of Chelsea and Abby in their new High School Musical pajamas:

Anyone going to watch the sing a-long on Sunday night?

WHAT TEAM? WILD CATS!

Choose your Family!

Here's the latest promotion from Stampin' Up! If you have been on the fence about becoming a demonstrator, then perhaps this is your time. This promo runs from August 10 - September 30 and is a GREAT way to build your ink collection, even if you are just interested in being a hobby demonstrator. Call me if you are interested.

Promotion Details:
Being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is a fun and rewarding way to share your love of stamping with family and friends. And the Choose Your Family promotion is a great way to share that opportunity.

From August 10-September 30, new demonstrators will get to choose a color family of Classic Stampin' Pads free when they purchase the Starter Kit. That's up to a $57.95  value in addition to the excellent value of the Starter Kit!

New recruits may choose between our four color families (Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals, and Soft Subtles) or choose a pack of our 2007 In Color pads. Color family packs include 12 ink pads, and the In Color selection includes six ink pads.

Click here for the full color flyer:

Download US_ink_pad_promo_0907.pdf

Stamp Therapy

I know I just posted something a few minutes ago. But I just can't help but comment on something else that I love about my craft.

It seems that lately, I have had a big focus on scrapbooking. But, in the broader sense, I am also referring to stamping - because I stamp in both my scrapbooks, and on cards and other projects.

So, if I say that scrapbooking (stamping) is a social activity, it is also a theraputic activity. I have more than once had friends come over to my studio to sit and stamp, when really they just needed to come and talk. Friendships are built over time as the craft is shared together. When we do art of any kind, we tend to relax and let our guard down. We feel free to open up and share some of our deepest thoughts, fears and feelings. Also our greatest joys and accomplishments. Why do you think art is such a powerful communication tool for children?

But I am grateful for the community I have built around myself that is madeup of papercrafters of all kinds. All kinds of women from all walks of life are bonded over this activity. In my life, lasting friendships have been forged through paper and ink. The Stampin' Up! community/family in particular has been an amazingly wonderful addtion to my life. And even though, at times, miles come between us, the bond remains. The handstamped card that arrives in the mail from a 'long lost stamping friend' is even more treasured, knowing what it took (physically and emotionally) to create it. Large stamping gatherings like conventions, expos, crops, etc. always bring us back together as if time has never passed. Kind of like the scrapbook, freezing a moment in time...

If you haven't already, try stamping/scrapbooking, and see how it might just change your life!

It's a Social Thing

I have spent a good portion of this weekend scrapbooking. This, for me, is a very good thing. Check out the new photo album I added to the side bar today (Beach Album)!

But, more than just the scrapbooking itself, I have been reminded of something that became apparant to me the very first time I cropped a photo at a home demonstration. Scrapbooking is a social activity. Most of the scrapbookers I know are women, in fact I do not know any men who do this. Women have an inborn need to have friends and we women hold our relationships very dear. We are, in most cases, equally willing to make new relationships. It does not take more than a few minutes for women, who will be sitting next to each other for several hours, to begin to chat.

This past Friday evening, I attended the Hope Memory Makers ChristCare Group for scrapbookers. Basically, all are free and welcome to come and scrapbook/stamp/whatever at my church on the second Friday of every month from 6:30 pm til midnight (or whenever you get tired). Around 8:30 pm we break for a short devotion. Sometimes we do a service project.

This Friday I did not know the two women sitting with me. But, before long we found ourselves swapping birth stories, family experiences, school troubles, etc. Most often, there are photos to go along with these stories. Scrapbooking is ALIVE! We treasure all these photos and want to share them with everyone - this is why we put them in albums in the first place. We take satisfaction and pride in the artwork and the creativity, but ultimately we are grateful for the vehicle with which to share our most treasured memories. Photos are a natural conversation starter. My 6th grade social studies teacher taught us the phrase, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Well, as I have observed, a picture can CREATE a thousand words in a room full of scrapbooking women!

Folks, it matters not what "level" you are at in scrapbooking. I have sat next to women who have overly elaborate pages that are still not satisfying to their overly (self) critical eyes. I have also sat next to women who have been working on the same project for months, 10 years after the event. They are just grateful to get their pictures on the page, even without the patterned paper and embellishments. Beginners and pros alike, both kinds of women have stories to tell about these pictures. And so, scrapbooking is the most naturally social environment I can think of. We all cheer each other on to complete our projects. It is totally fun to walk around the room and see all the projects people are working on. We inspire and challenge each other in our art, but we open up our personal lives to those we don't know with the photos we share.

This is one of the reasons why I love scrapbooking. It's one of the best excuses I know for women to get together. If you need some friends and fellowship in your life, then get yourself to the nearest scrapbooking group! It's pretty hard not to meet somebody new.

9/21 Stamp Camp: A to Z Scrapbook

Hello folks! I'm still ironing out the details for this one, but I want to let you know so that you can keep the date open.

Friday, September 21st at 6:30 at my house. Sign up deadline will be September 11th.

We will make an A to Z scrapbook, including a title and closing page. There will be a total of 14 pages (28 sides). Each letter of the alphabet will have it's own page.

Your fee will include the cost of the scrapbook itself, and all the material  you need to make it. You add your own photos. I'm still undecided if it should be a 6x6 or 8.5x11 size.

Check back early next week for an update to this post. I will think about it over the weekend.

9/9 Stamp Camp: Punch a Bunch!

This truly is a deal too good to pass up!

SU's brand new Three for You Punch Box is featured in this stamp camp. If you participated in SU's August Promotion, then this stamp camp is for you. Check out my "Punch a Bunch-Free Lovin'" post under "Specials and Promotions".

At this stamp camp you will use YOUR VERY OWN punch box supplies to create a variety of cards and note cards. You'll stamp, and punch, and embellish using some of SU's new IN COLOR selections: Wild Wasabi and Purely Pomegranate. By the time you are done, you will have made at least 20 cards total (in two sizes). And what's even cooler than that is that when you go home, you will have your very own set of supplies to make more cards and projects! This kit is so versatile - just change the colors for a completely different look.

Top 9 reasons why you should come to this stamp camp!

1. It costs only $9 - an amazing value!
2. It is on Sunday, September 9th
3. Wild Wasabi and Purely Pomegranate are limited edition colors
4. You get to keep all your supplies when you go home
5. You will get FREE love notes ($12.95 value)
6. The love notes are made from SU's new textured cardstock
7. The keepsake tin your kit comes in is really cute
8. You could meet someone new - stampin' friends are great friends!
9. You will get a chance to de-stress and do something fun

Did you get all that? Take it to the nines: Just $9 on 9/9! New products! Free products! Call me (761-1362) or email me now to reserve your space - seating is limited!

• Date: Sunday, September 9th
• Time: 2:00 - 4:30 pm
• Place: Kim's house (605 Middle Bridge Road, Wake Forest)
• Fee: $9.00 ($5.00 deposit by 8/31 required to hold your space)
• Special Requirements: This stamp camp is only open to customers who have participated in the Punch a Bunch August promotion from Stampin' Up! which ends on August 31st. Purchase a Three for You Punch Box for $45.95 and receive Love Notes ($12.95 value) for FREE. Punch box contents include: Trio Flower Punch, coordinating 9 piece Three for You stamp set, three stampin Spots in Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi, and Basic Black. All pieces come in a keepsake tin.
• BYO: Bring Your Own adhesive, or for an extra $7.00 I will provide you with your own SNAIL adhesive to keep (you can refill it later)

8/29 Stamp Camp: FALL in Love with Stampin'

Get in gear for fall at this fun stamp camp. All the kids should be back in school by this time (mine are on traditional calendar), so let's celebrate our "new found freedom" by making some fall themed cards.

We will use several different stamp sets, and some of our brand new patterned paper from the Holiday Mini Collection 2007 - available for you to purchase on September 1st. Make a total of 10 cards for just $12.

Here's what you need to know:

• Date: Wednesday, August 29th
• Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
• Place: Kim's house (605 Middle Bridge Road, Wake Forest)
• Fee: $12 (1/2 deposit and RSVP required by August 19th. Non refundable, unless someone else -not registered- fills your spot)
• BYO: Bring Your Own adhesive, or for an extra $7.00 I will provide you with your own SNAIL adhesive to keep (you can refill it later)

To register, call me at 761-1362, or send me an email. I accept checks, cash, and credit cards (not debit cards) for purchases over $30.

Punch a Bunch - Get some FREE lovin'!

FREE LOVE NOTES! ($12.95 value)

Hey check it out! Everybody loves to get something for FREE! What a great way to sample our new textured papers and two of our IN COLOR (ltd. edition) colors! Click on the link below to see what this promotion from Stampin' Up! is all about. Did I mention that you get something for FREE???

Download US_punch_promo_0807.pdf

This promotion is going to be over pretty quick - it ends August 31st! Place your orders for the Three for You Punch Box (shown on page 183) by the end of this month. It gives you everything you need (punch, stamps, ink) for just $45.95.

Then, if you like, sign up for a get together at my house in September to make some quick and easy projects using your new tools. There will be a small fee to cover the cost of paper materials, etc. When you are done, you will have a bunch of completed projects, and still have your own versatile set of tools to take home with you. The fun will never end! Dates and details to follow...

Sunday, September 9th, 2:00-4:30 pm, Cost: $9 (see separate post for full details)

Oldies But Goodies

Hey folks! Well, I have spent the last two days cataloging my stamp sets and finally facing the ugly task of tackling the retired list(s). It is a major shame to say that of my entire stamp collection, less than 18% remain in the 'active' category. Yes, it is UGLY folks, but this could be good news for you...

Please view the list below and see if there is something (or somethings) that tickle your fancy. There are well over 100 sets here - yes, that's them in the photo to the left.

When you purchase  just 3 (three) discounted stamp sets from my retired collection, you will receive a certificate for $10 worth of new, current SU merchandise! There is no limit - earn as many certificates as you like. Redeem your certificate the next time you make a purchase of $25 or more. So, in other words, you'll get $35 of new merchandise for just $25 (plus tax and shipping)!

This is just my way of saying thanks. It is very difficult for me to part with some of these stamp sets - I am emotionally attached to many of them. But when you buy my retired sets, you help me make room for new stamp sets - which I will become emotionally attached to as well. I can't wait to share some of them with you!

Happy shopping!

Download stamp_list.xls