OPEN TODAY FROM 12 - 5!

A couple of housekeeping notes:
-we ARE open today from 12-5 for those who venture out...please be SAFE.
-Tina's Heritage Class that was scheduled for today has been rescheduled for Feb. 13th from 4-7 p.m. and will follow the February Heritage Class. If you can't make it, please send her an email and she will set a makeup date for you!

I got several emails full of fun snow pictures! My kids were out ALL day in the snow. My dryer was ON practically all day. Hat, gloves, jacket, repeat. SNOW much FUN!

Interestingly enough...I got quite a lot of DOG pictures! All you dog lovers are gonna flip over the new Basic Grey pet collection coming soon :)

To start the blog photo album, here's a couple more pictures from me...my dog Reese (pronounced like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups) absolutely LOVED the snow. He was out in it for so long that he had ice/snowballs frozen on to his hair. I had to sit him in front of the fireplace with a hairdryer to defrost him :) Needless to say, he was NOT happy about the drying off part :)





My brother's dog, Ashley...who, by the way, did NOT enjoy the snow!



From Melissa...the kid across the street used masking tape to prevent snow from getting in his pants! HAHAHA! Max and Walker making snow angels...




Michelle's kids...




Cindy's English/American bulldog...
























Cheryl, from Fredericksburg...in her backyard...


Esther's son Dylan making a snow angel...


Janice's dogs...





Andrea's kids having a blast...























I love this one of Linda!


Here are some pics of Tina's backyard. As you can see they have already gotten a foot of snow at 4pm and were supposed to get more after 7pm. The black dog is a minature lab and she hates water her name is sasha, the other dog is chewie. The kid all bundled up is her daughter Nomi.




Dee's pics...The first pic is of her youngest nephew Dave, who all he wanted to do was throw a snowball. Once he did that he was done with the snow.
The second pic is her oldest nephew Matt who took it upon himself to go diving in the snow.



Cindy's dog Logan























Jody's grandson, Justin...first time in the snow!

Happy Tuesday!

Way to go USSNEWCO! You get an A :) And, Narda...well...you get an A for effort!!

The first one, who wishes flat tires on people, is none other than BARRY! (His answers actually made me laugh out loud.) This picture was taken during our staff crop when Barry was creating one of his fabulous Christmas ornaments. His talent is simply ah-mazing! If you've never taken one of his card classes, you should!!

Next up...our very own xylophone player...JANICE! Here she is with her always-helping-around-the-store husband Donny. And, for those who don't know, Janice is my mother...together, we own this crazy little place called Beach Scrapbooks :)

And, last but certainly not least...ME! This is my beautiful family at Busch Garden's Christmas Town last month (freezing our butts off I might add)...my husband Jason and our two kids, Colby and Marisa.

The staff person who wasn't featured here is Elizabeth. (She was visiting her mother out of town and NOT on the computer - what a concept!!) But, we still love her, and she's a great addition to our team :)

So, there ya have it. Personally, I think we have the most fabulous staff around - they are a group of men and women who not only work at a scrapbook store, but have a passion for their hobby and love sharing it with YOU!

Be on the lookout...I'll post CHA pictures tonight or tomorrow morning. We're going out to dinner with Kris from Silhouette tonight...did you see that they just released IRON ON heat transfer material? SWEET! Check it out on their blog.

Have a WONDERFUL Tuesday!

Flat tires, tap dancing and cats with claws

Good Sunday morning from SUNNY California! The rains have finally stopped and the view of the snow covered mountains in the distance is beautiful :) We are off to start the first official day of CHA - VERY exciting! I will tell you that we've seen some great stuff so far...more on that tomorrow morning.

But...let's get right to the staff guesses. Narda, one of these days you are going to get them right!! Maybe today??

The answers are...#1...SUSAN. She and her lovely husband Brent are shown below. (ack! get a room!)



The answer to #2 is...LINDA! Here she is at Christmas with her husband Nick, their son AJ and their little family friend Diego.























Now...on to the LAST day of fun, useless staff trivia. I know, you're sad. But, c'mon people...I've got CHA pictures to show you!!!

Leave me some love (otherwise known as comments) and see if you can get these right. I will give you one clue...ONE person on our staff did not answer the questions...which means they are not on here. I'll let you figure out who that is (and, they have a good excuse which I'll share with you tomorrow). :)

Happy guessing!

Oh...one more thing...new Graphic 45 is here!!!

#1
If you could have one super power, what would it be? Be able to wish flat tires on people that drive badly. I have always wanted to sap the car so when they got home, they would have 4 flat ties in their driveway!!!!!
What are your favorite TV shows? Currantly, CHUCK on Monday Nights, Older Show THE PRETENDER
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Australia
Three people, dead or alive, that you would invite over for dinner? Doris Day, Marie Osmond and Alice Faye
What two food items could you eat every single day? Spagetti and Chicken Tenders
When you’re 80, what do you hope to be doing? Be CRANKY (its payback time)!
What is the worst invention you've seen in your lifetime? The Computer

#2
What is your favorite drink? Chocolate Milk
If you could have one super power, what would it be? to fly
What is your favorite TV show? Psych
What is one thing people don't know about you? I won a singing contest when I was a teenager
What do you want to be doing when you're 80? Breathing...on my own.
Did you ever learn to play any instruments? Piano, clarinet and the xylophone
What two things would you like to learn? To play the violin and tap dance (not necessarily together)

#3
If you could have one super power, what would it be? The power to heal
What website or blog do you visit everyday? www.dictionary.com
What makes you laugh out loud? When people trip. I laugh especially hard when they fall. Not nice, I know. But funny!
What should you be famous for? Singing. Loudly!
What was the last book you ready? The Shack
What scares you? Cats. Especially the ones with claws.
What are two everyday things you could not live without? My phone and my toothbrush.

whaaaaaat?!?

Only 3 guesses from yesterday?!?

C'mon...I know you can do better!

Let's see if we can get 10 comments...then I'll post the answers :)

Graveyards and the Vatican

Ooooh...gotcha! The clues from yesterday were about...

...Jody! I think she should break out the hula skirt for National Scrapbook Day!!

Here she is, shown below, with her husband Don, her father, her grandson and her son. Four generations!

Today, I am blogging from rainy Anaheim, California where the winter craft trade show (CHA) is getting ready to start. Over the next week, we'll be taking lots of pictures and sharing some of them with you on this blog. So...in order to make room...we're going to give you clues on TWO staff members today...and...the rest of them tomorrow. Get your thinking cap on!

Here are the next two staff members...can you guess who?!?

#1...
What two things are on your bucket list? to go to a major league football game and Australia
What scares you? Children of the Corn Movie
What is the worst job you’ve ever had? Mowing a graveyard
What is your favorite book? Jimmy Buffet books.... all of them
When you were a teenager, what did you think you’d be doing by now? Pretty much exactly what I'm doing
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Night owl
Name one fact that most people don’t know about you. I would love to take singing lessons

#2...
Are you an early bird or night owl? Whoooo loves you - of course a night owl....
What are your favorite tv shows? Love Project Runway and Criminal Minds ( opposite ends of the spectrum)
What is the best invention? The microwave - you can bake potatoes, heat water and defrost food - who needs a stove.
Did you ever play a musical instrument? No musical instrument but I was in a Drum and Bugle Corp and twirlled flags and guns.
What is the next place I want to go on vacation? I would love to visit Rome and the Vatican even though I am not Catholic.
What two things would you like to learn? I would love to whistle and waltz
When I am 80 I want to be - scrapping with my friends, drinking wine and talking about the grandkids.

There ya have it! Leave us a comment and see if you're right!

Happy Thursday :)

Hawaiian Dancing and American Idol

Now, back to our regularly scheduled blogging!

The clues from Friday were....not me....but I DID play the clarinet!...they were from...Melissa! As you can see from the picture below, Melissa and her husband Lance are very serious people...and a bit uptight ;-)



Now, on to the next one. (And, just so you know, there will be a twist starting tomorrow...so...be sure to check back!)

What two things scare you? Snakes & Heights
What two things would you like to learn? Flower Arranging and how not to procrastinate
What would make your life easier? A housekeeper
What are your favorite TV shows? So you think you can dance; American Idol; CSI Miami
What was your first car? 1967 Mustang
Name one fact that most people don’t know about you. I danced Hawaiian for ten years
Where did you go on your last vacation? Florida

Ooooh....think ya know? Leave a comment!

Elvis Presley and Buck Teeth

Ah-ha! Gotcha! Yesterday's questions were answered by our newest addition, Tina! She's one of our fabulous instructors :) Here she is, shown below with her family during a trip to Busch Gardens. (and, just for the record, I would NEVER go bungee jumping...I'm way too chicken!!)



Ready for the next one? Here ya go!

What did your childhood bedroom look like? Hot pink carpet, hot pink walls, hot pink bedspread with lime green accents.
Would you ever or have you ever been bunging jumping? No…and no.
What two things scare you? I am scared of sharks and zombies.
Three people, dead or alive, that you would invite over for dinner? Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen and Tina Fey
What two food items could you eat every single day? Cheese and pasta
Are you an early bird or a night owl? Both. I stay up late and get up early.
Did you ever play a musical instrument? The clarinet. It fit beautifully under my buck teeth.

Leave us a comment :)

☼ Who's up next? ☼

Okay, you guys are GOOD! MOST of you were correct with your MICHELLE guesses :) Here she is, pictured below with her adorable family...husband Tom and children Stephanie and Jonathan.

Now...let's move on to one that may be a little harder...are you ready?

Where were you born? San Diego, California
What websites/blogs do you visit daily? Tim Holtz, Beach Scrapbooks
Would you ever or have you ever been bunging jumping? yes, did it at the Del Mar Fair, for a dare!
Would you rather go to Disneyland or Hawaii? Disneyland
What two things scare you? Being alone, getting pregnant
What are two everyday things you could not live without? My Silhouette & coffee
What is your favorite holiday and why? I love Halloween just because of all the decorations and being able to dress up like someone else!

Oooohhhh....think ya know?!? Leave a comment!

Who can it be now ♫ ♪ ♫ ?!?

Okay, so maybe Amy was waaaay too easy! You ALL got it right...and thanks for the song, Courtney (now I'm gonna have it stuck in my head all day!!). Here she is, pictured above with her wonderful husband Greg :)

So, let's try one that is a little bit harder. Can you guess? Leave a comment and see if you're right! (I'll give you one hint...it's NOT me, because I am only 29!!)

What is your most memorable birthday? My 30th.....because my mom threw me a huge surprise party!
What is your favorite holiday and why? Christmas.....to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas and spending time with family.
What is the last book you read? Twilight!
What websites/blogs do you visit daily? Beach Scrapbooks & Facebook
What makes you laugh out loud? My Children
What are your favorite TV shows? Survivor & Castle
What is your most prized possession? My family

Staff

As we start off this New Year (unofficially pronounced twenty-ten by me), we thought we'd have a little fun :)

How well do you know our staff?

This week, we'll be revealing some clues that may or may not surprise you! Here's how we'll play. I'll post the answers to 7 questions that our staff has answered. Then...you leave a comment as to who you think I'm describing. Easy enough? (And, for all you blog lurkers, please - for the love of all good things - PLEASE comment so that I'm not playing this game by myself!!!)

Just to help you along...here is a picture of our fabulous staff taken at our last staff meeting (which was at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning - ugh!). From left to right...Jen, Michelle, Melissa (glasses), Susan (black shirt), Janice (next to Melissa), Jody (white shirt), Amy and Linda (grey shirt).


Who's missing, you ask? Our fabulous instructors...Barry, Elizabeth and Tina. Don't worry though...you'll see pictures of them as we play :) (Yes, this means that they are playing too!)

Okay...READY? Here we go!

Where were you born? the OLD Mary Immaculate Hospital in Newport News, VA
What did your childhood bedroom look like? Yellow, yellow, yellow!!
What is the worst job you’ve ever had? taking phone orders at Pizza Hut
What was your most memorable birthday? my 32nd because my husband and I spent the day at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk
What was your first car? a brand new silver Saturn SL that I bought myself
Are you an early bird or a night owl? night owl
Did you ever play a musical instrument? the guitar since I was 12

Think you know??? I'll post the answer tomorrow morning :)

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Would you love to WIN this sweet Easter Basket filled with over $325 worth of goodies from over 20 companies??

For EVERY $20 that you spend, you will receive one ticket! There is no limit to the number of tickets you can earn.

Drawing will be held at 5:00 p.m. the day before Easter - Saturday April 11th. (You do NOT need to be present to win.)

There are some pretty fabulous items in the basket - stop by and see for yourself!

Happy {almost} Easter!

(And, Mary, if you LICK the basket, it does NOT necessarily mean that it is yours!!!)

Courtney's a STAR!

As you know, we flew to California last month for the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) show. This is where all the vendors meet with retailers to show off their newest products.

During the show, some vendors provide make-n-takes so that we can actually see the products in use. This gives us the information to come back and tell you about it or show you how to use it.

Claudine Hellmuth was showing Courtney the new Claudine Hellmuth paints and sticky back canvas at the Ranger booth. And, it was all caught on tape. I'm thinking Courtney needs an Oscar!!

Click here to watch the video on the Ranger website. Enjoy!

Just for fun...type in a friend's name!

AARP 08 Video

Enter your name to see who can bring real change to Washington. First Name: Last Name:

QuicKutz Retailer Event

Okay, I was not drinking and videoing. I promise! I know it's a bit shakey, but I was trying to video around all these big heads while laughing hysterically. The QK Retailer Event started today and the first order of business was introducing all the sales reps. They came out wearing cheesy sweaters and sporting moustaches. They sang a song which immediately set the tone of the week. What a super bunch of guys with LOTS of courage! Of course, Kris (our rep extraordinaire) was the best singer out of the group...hmmm...maybe he'll sing for you when he visits our store in December!

And...we've seen the holiday limited gift sets. Woo hoo! Love, love, love it! It's hard to keep a secret, but you know the rules :) However...we are not above bribes.

I promise to upload some pictures from the event tomorrow (perhaps a few butt shots?). And, let me clarify...the picture Melissa used below is NOT the QK guys!

Leave a comment for us and the QuicKutz team...they will undoubtedly be watching this video over and over and over :) You guys rock - we love ya!

Now, be sure to read Melissa's post below - it's time to get out your punch cards!!!

Utah!

Melissa...you are SO busted! You should know by now that I don't leave home without my laptop!! Lucky for you, we are thousands of miles away AND in classes all day today - until midnight to be exact.

I just wanted to post some pictures from our first day in Utah. Janice and I are here for QuicKutz Retailer's event titled "Deck the Hall" (hmmm...could that be a hint for the new gift sets being released later this month??). The QK festivities officially begin today, so we got to do a little sightseeing yesterday on our way to visit American Crafts. We toured the American Crafts offices, saw where they manufacture their own pens (no pictures allowed!) and got to hang out in their product room. IWe wanted everything! We absolutely love their Christmas line...we placed a rather large order, including Thickers and Modern Albums. We've had lots of requests for both...they should be here in a couple weeks.

Oh yea, one more thing. The QuicKutz guys are sporting mustaches...what's up with that?!?! Watch the blog, and I'll report back when I have some free time :)

And, don't let Melissa and her uni-brow party too hard while we're gone (read below)!