and Then...

I just couldn't believe it today when I saw the space shuttle piggy backing over us! How awesome! It was perfect timing too... Kelli drove up at the store and I jumped in my car and went over to the Subway in our parking lot and got a real good picture. Snow & shuttle in less than 24 hours! My heart was rushing cause I was so excited!

Thanks Karen for texting me about it, and thanks Lisa for calling me to tell me to look outside! I loved it!

Can you believe?

4 years ago we missed the snow here, and we were so bummed. Tonight was perfect to have snow because we were having our employee appreciation gumbo @ the house and the kids were able to play outside in the snow! It was just beautiful. I have a cute little picture to post so that you can see our snowman. She has quiet a few "feathers." But sure cute...

Are your kids hoping for no school? Mine are!

I've been at my mom & dad's for the last couple of days and have been working on Christmas gifts. It's so much fun to be here, relaxing, playing with paper & scissors. The first night that I was here, we spent on the floor, gazing at all our stuff, never even making it to our scrapbook tables. The second day, I began making a little progress, and now, I'm very satisfied with what I've gotten accomplished. Not quiet ready to go home. Not sure if it will be today or tomorrow. Everything seems to be covered on the Texas side.
Yesterday when I talked to Danielle, she told me that she was counting down the days. Not as much for us, but for the traditional seafood gumbo that we have at my father-in-laws for Christmas. Ummm... The holidays are coming so fast. Geez.
How are you doing on getting your gifts made? You are scrappers, so you gotta have at least 1 gift that you are making for someone.
Have you been keeping your eye on the website? The blogs that our SJ Designers have are so much fun. They are very talented ladies. For their first challenge they were all given different kits but each one had a few items that were the same. We wanted to see the creativity that they had for these items that may not have gone with the rest of their kits. For instance, they each recieved the Teresa Collins punch out journaling spot things, the Scenic Route punch out arrows, a 4x6 page protector, huge photo corners and acrylic items. You gotta see what each one came up with. All totally different. One lady used the photo corners and made a Christmas tree! We are so blessed to have them join our team!
If you don't get our emails, I want you to know that the table sale is still going! Things are now marked down to 40% on them and still other 40% specials throughout the store. Also, when you purchase a gift card for at least 30 bucks, you will recieve a free gift. It's pretty cool gift too. It's only 1 gift per gift card. Anyways, we hope to see you soon...

SJ Designers..

Last night was so cool. All of our "2009 Junkie Designers" met at the store for a group meeting. None of them knew what we were going to do, and guess what? They made the ornaments for our Christmas tree this year! Our own Junked Up version! They are awesome ladies that will just inspire you to death! They will be added to the website in the next few days. You'll be able to finally click on the Design Team little thing and visit their blogs!
Hope to see you Friday a.m. @ 7:30 for lots of savings!

Little Reminder

Don't forget that we will be closed Tues, Wed & Thursday due to inventory and Thanksgiving... Be ready for the "Day After Thanksgiving Sale!" Have a safe holiday.
Design team - you rock!

Not Enough I'm Told...

Customers have told me that I don't blog enough. Here's one for you, Faith! I know I don't yall, and I apologize. I hope to blog more here soon. I'm getting ready for a long week. We gotta do inventory... Yuck... We are open today, Monday, Nov. 24th, but then closed on Tues, Wed & Thursday. But hey, it'll be worth your wait to be the first ones there on the "Day after Thanksgiving!" Our 50% rack will be jam packed, our tables will be up to 40% off, and then we are going to do a sale that you have tremendously loved before, Buy 1 printed paper, get the exact paper for FREE!) It all starts @ 7:30a.m. The Christmas spirit will be on! Are you even ready for Christmas? It's freaking me out that it's so close. I have alot to do!
We had fun with Vicki Boutin this weekend. She taught tremendous techniques. I have some ordering to do now with her having taught all this stuff. I will just have to slip in the office during inventory. (Escaping for a little bit!) Yeah, Vicki said that she will be back next year. She's another cool one. We didn't have enough time to visit. We must have talked without taking a breath all the way to the airport. So we have some more to learn about each other. Martha Lawlar took some good pictures for us. So as soon as she forwards them to me, I'll send them out here on the blog. I can't wait to see you on Friday... Have a happy, a great, a thankful Thanksgiving! We are thankful for your continued support!

Waiting...

Hey ladies!
I was overwhelmed at the response I got when I put out the call for a "Junkie" design team. We are honored that so many of you tried out. Thanks to everyone that put so much time into designing your pages. To mix black & white pictures together with colored pictures was surely a challenge. You totally out did yourselves! Thank the Lord in heaven that I did not have to judge. The prior Memory Maker Master that judged spent a ton of time at the store taking notes on each layout and on all the details and criteria. My photographer judge was glad to see each layout and the way her kids pictures were designed on the pages. The third judge had many details on her clipboard as she also studied the layouts. When tallying up the results (in no particular order) here are the names of the "2009 Junkie Designers!"

Lizzie Oakley
Deanna Middleton
Heidi Mansion
Robin Emswiler &
Laura Sexton
Congratulations ladies! We are so excited to spend the year working with you.

The Honorable Mentions are:
Rhonda Davis
Lisa Maxwell &
Rene Nowalk
(I will call each of you personally tomorrow with the details.)

All of the winning layouts will be displayed at the store through the end of the year. Come by and take a look at them. Our designers will be working on the first group project this Monday and we'll be ready to display these on the "Day after Thanksgiving."
To hear the excitement over the phone today as I called the winners was priceless. Thank you!

To all of the other sweet ladies, your entry pages are for you to keep. All you have to do, is switch the photos with the ones that you love. We appreciate you too! Your pages were all incredible.
I cannot thank you enough!