Top Ten.

I love 'top ten' lists.  I love them on Letterman late night.  I love reading lists on all kinds of topics that I've seen in that format.  We often joke around our house about our top ten pet peeves.  Black Reebok shoes (think late 80's) are number one on that list for me.  Well, maybe 2nd to popping gum.

Well, I have a new top 10 list.  Here it is:

1.  Love.

2.  Unleash your joy.

3.  Be yourself.

4.  Celebrate the abundance in your life.

5.  Embrace vulnerability.

6. Tell your story.

7.  Ask for what you need.

8.  Listen to forgiveness.

9.  Believe in the power of kindness.

10.  Trust your heart whispers.



We'll talk about each of these & the source of my list in later blog posts.  But, there's my list.  Stay tuned...

Kim

God Bless America!

Happy Birthday, America!

On a day like today, I can't help but be thankful for our country, for those who defend and protect it, and for the freedoms that come with being an American.  I am thankful to worship as I want, to say what I want to say, and to have a voice in choosing the leadership of this country.

I am also thankful to own my own business.  As a small business owner, I have for over 10 years been committed to making every item right here in the US.  We have automated about 10% of our product line, but not overseas at all...all our automated production takes place in Idaho, Pennsylvania, and right here in Thomasville, Ga.  100% of our printing takes place here in Thomasville, too.  Not China.  I get calls every week, as well as emails, from companies wanting to 'help improve profitability' and 'increase production' and 'take our business global'.  Oh, that all sounds great, but the answer always includes outsourcing production overseas.

I also read something this week from someone else in the scrapbooking industry...someone who tried producing part of their line in the US, but now has decided that it's not possible to stay in business if they don't produce the majority of their business overseas...that they love america and call it home, but that there is no way to be profitable with production here.  Hmmm....maybe.  Maybe it's hard.  Maybe it's less profitable.  But, for 10 years, it's been possible.  Hard?  Yes.  Gut wrenching?  Yes.  Barely profitable?  Yes.  Impossible?  NO!

It's so hard these days that I'm not sure how much longer I can do this.  It's so hard that we live day to day.  But, we live.  I keep the faith that God put this dream in my heart, so He will provide each day for me and  Keller.  I believe my customers appreciate what we do.  We are not perfect, but we strive to do our best.  We are understaffed and overworked.  We are underpaid, if paid at all.  But, it's me.  It's Keller.  It's my mom.  It's our friends.  It's employees who are full time sometimes, part time other times.  It's their kids and husbands pitching in.  And, it's all based right here in America.  It always will be.  Or we won't BE at all.

As you celebrate this country today and those who gave & continue to give us our freedoms, please take the time to think about locally-owned & grown businesses like mine.  When at all possible, please choose to support us.  We do all we can to support our country.

Happy 4th!!!!

Kim

...and Keller :)

National Camera Day!

Happy National Camera Day!

Whether you grab your fancy, shmancy DSLR or your cell phone...snap a picture today of something that makes you happy! 

For me, it's the cutest face ever...wondering why her mommy has been gone so much lately...



We'd love to see your snapshots of your 'happy' today....share them on our Facebook page!

Kim

(Oh, and we promise not to be gone so long from our blog, too!)

Sketch 140

This page is so easy, but so cute with our coordinating papers...add matching journal cards for extra emphasis!

Sketch 139

You can add lots of photos to this page by using the 3-inch circles as photo mats-or just use as embellishments!

Sketch 138

This sketch is cute in our Fall Flavors Collection, but change it up to any other paper and it would still be adorable! Try our Tybee Collection for a beach theme...or our Myrtle Beach Taffy for a baby theme...endless possibilites!

Use Rings to crop & mat photos as circles in one easy step: Adhere Ring to top of photo (this way you can see exactly how the photo will look) then trim edges of photo outside the Ring with scissors! You have just cropped & matted a round picture in a snap!! Now adhere the photos to page.

Sketch 137

Add 2-inch borders, tags, and Rings for this cute page!

Use Rings to crop & mat photos as circles in one easy step: Adhere Ring to top of photo (this way you can see exactly how the photo will look) then trim edges of photo outside the Ring with scissors! You have just cropped & matted a round picture in a snap!! Now adhere the photos to page.

Sketch 136

Cute page for any occasion-this one would be great for Disney photos...change the papers to our Country Christmas Collection, and it would make a quick holiday layout!

Adhere 4x6 photos (or two 3x4 in each space), a 5-inch border, and Stackers and Rings!

Sketch 135

So many ways to mix this sketch up! Change the papers to fit any theme-baby, Christmas, summer, etc...rotate the sketch for even more variety!

Sketch 134

Layer a 2.5 inch strip on a 3-inch strip and adhere to pages. Add Stackers and photos!

Sketch 133

A simple but elegant page uses 1-inch strips of print papers and layered Stackers.

Sketch 132

There's room for lots of photos on this page! Adhere 4x6 photos, highlighted with Rings, and tags to page for lots of options for photos and journaling. Instead of 4x6 photos, you could use two 3x4 photos in their places. Add buttons or ribbons to jazz up the tags!

Sketch 131

Adhere 4-inch strips of print papers to pages-add Stackers and slide mounts. You can add photos, embellishments, or journaling inside your mounts. If you don't have mounts, sub any other embellishment that coordinates with your papers.

Sketch 130

Adhere photos to 3x3 mats and adhere to pages. Layer Stacker pieces in the center of the page and add title and journaling.



It's easy to change the look of a page by just changing the papers! Here the sketch uses our Country Christmas papers.

Sketch 129

Cut print papers to 5x6 and 7x6 and adhere to background page. Adhere Classic Heart to top center of page. Add photos to boxes-any size will look great-4x4, 4x6..or cut them smaller, such as 3x4, to fit more photos.

Sketch 128

Photos and journaling flow across this page when using our cardstock Rings. Adhere 1-inch strips of papers to create top and bottom borders.

Use Rings to crop & mat photos as circles in one easy step: Adhere Ring to top of photo (this way you can see exactly how the photo will look) then trim edges of photo outside the Ring with scissors! You have just cropped & matted a round picture in a snap!! Now adhere the photos to page.

Sketch 127

Layer our Classic Tags and Classic Scrolls with 2x12 inch strips of paper-add your photos or journaling to the shapes.

Sketch 126

Once again, layer Rings, Stackers, and 4x6 photos with a few embellishments (slide mounts, chipboard shapes, etc) for a quick page.

Use Rings to crop & mat photos as circles in one easy step: Adhere Ring to top of photo (this way you can see exactly how the photo will look) then trim edges of photo outside the Ring with scissors! You have just cropped & matted a round picture in a snap!! Now adhere the photos to page.

Sketch 125

Cut an accordion tag in half and adhere to each page. Adhere 3x12 print strips and 1x12 cardstock strips to page for a border.