WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS...

and because of that we're dealing with INSANITY today.

Insanity I say! But it's wonderful. Truly wonderful.

And, it's nothing that...

• Diet Pepsi & Baked Lays potato chips (for Ms. Laura)
• iced tea & Jelly Bellys (for Mr. Doss)
• Sonic Coke and tots (for Sweet Justin)
and
• iced coffee & black licorice (for yours truly)

can't get us through!

So before I head out to grab a bite of lunch - how about a quickie?

I mean a quick "Que Kay a New Way" idea! {blush}

Crafty Deb sent this idea in the other day...and it's been hanging on my bulletin board all week long. So cute!

Have I TOAD you lately...


the inside of the card could go a million ways...

"how much I love you"
"how much I miss you"
"that you're a great kid"
"that I appreciate you"
"that if you don't learn to put the toilet seat down soon, we're going to have major issues"

Okay - well, you get the idea. I just love ideas that are so versatile!

Here is what she used:

• QK Butterfly (she used only the small, inside shape of the wings - but cut it out twice. It's like getting two sizes of butterflies for the price of one!)
• QK Citrus Slices (using only the very center of the orange, and cutting it twice to make the dandelion)
• QK Hotdog (she used just the mustard "squiggle" for the stem...but lots of dies would work for this kind of shape!)
• QK Flower w/ leaves (currently out of stock, I'm sorry to say...but look around, you should be able to find another leaf that works too!)


• Bosskut Frog (just love this little guy's smile!)
• Bosskut Grass
• Bosskut Sun

It sounds like a lot of "ingredients", but it really goes together quite quickly! And the variety you can get out of this. Mind numbing!

In fact, speaking of variety...with just a couple of extra cuts from the Bosskut Grass die, you can turn this ordinary green frog into a dashing red-headed frog.


Remind you of anyone you know-or-speak-to-when-you-call-Scrap-Mart??

THIS is actually the one I have pinned above my desk. We've decided to make him our office mascot. And we're going to point to it whenever certain people are acting a bit "toadish".

So there you go. An idea to spark some creativity. Maybe you've seen something new that you feel you have to try out. A die you've never even considered before. Now is the time to "jump". Today and tomorrow, for sure!

behave yourselves...

I NEED A SECRETARY...

and that's final! I just do.

But no matter how much I try to talk Sweet Justin into secretarial work, he won't agree. He's such a boy!

So here I am - a day late and a dollar short. Which is oh-so-typical of me lately! I simply have to hurry and get these kiddos graduated, promoted, and summer occupied. Because they are seriously interfering with my scrap-time.

I know, I know - the thought of that is dreadful! Just dreadful!

Okay - onto to the important reminders of the day!

Reminder #1: "An April to Die For" entries are due tomorrow at midnight. And that is midnight, CST. Three cards, one scrapbook page or one home decor item...full details here.

I've been answering emails and phone calls all weekend long - SO PLEASE NOTE THIS DEAR BLOG READERS - if you choose to enter cards, all three of them do not have to be cutting-edge-innovations. They just have to be unique. I got one darling entry where one of the cards was made entirely out of felt. FELT!! The shapes were used in the way they were intended, but the material was INNOVATIVE.

Crafty Deb sent me this as an example...



She simply used the QK Delicious Apple, but used it in a way I've never seen done before. One cut in red and one cut in white and LOOK - you've got a totally different looking apple. Then slice the whole thing into halves or quarters - and be still my QK beating heart! An innovation!

So if some of you are not entering because you can't turn a BBQ apron into a crocodile...relax. Take a deep breath. I'm just looking for something slightly different. Something refreshingly unique. And of course, something cute.

Because cute matters! Especially around here. "The cuter the better", I always say! Ask Sweet Justin - he gets tired of hearing me say it.

The stack of prizes sitting on my desk is down right towering. If I don't give them all away this week, I'll have to store them. And I really do not like finding places to store things around here. So help a lady out - and enter! The entries I've already received are amazing. Really they are - I've received at least one entry in each of the three categories. But I'm never happy enough with what I've got - I want more. The more entries...the more prizes. Simple as that! So create, cut, glue, be proud and enter.

Reminder #2: Have you checked your mail lately? Did you receive a postcard from Scrap-Mart? Well, if you're a previous customer you did - and we're so excited for you! We appreciate all of you...and I think the postcard tells you exactly how much we do!

Reminder #3: National Scrapbook Day is this Saturday, May 3rd. And you just never know what's going to happen on NSD. We might be doing this...or we might be doing that. Don't you just love surprises? The best part of the day will be that you can purchase the QuicKutz Spring Gift Sets. Words can't describe them. Trust me when I say you're going to want them all. And the best one...in my opinion? Well, Mr. Doss won't let me tell you just yet...but let's just say I went a little "coconutty" when I saw it! Simply a must-have!

That about does it for reminders I think. I've got entries to print out for voting purposes. I'm making everyone here in the warehouse give me their opinion. To make it fair. Unbiased and on the up-and-up. Plus, I just love watching the boys vote...the get kind of nervous and squirmy. They're cute! Really, they are.

And remember - cute matters. The cuter the better!

If you have any questions today, as you're finishing up your entries, drop me an email. I'll be around all day long...miss.essie@yhaoo.com.

behave yourselves...

A TUESDAY TUTORIAL...

on Tuesday morning!  How fitting.

I just finished speaking with Suzy-Q, who was in Mesa all weekend long at the convention.  She said that one question she gets all of the time in the booth is "how do I use those dern tiny letters?"

Okay, so no one actually said "dern", I just edited that in!

So I thought today would be a great day to do a little "Photo Tutorial".  It's been a while since I've done one of these.  So sit back and soak it all in.  This is a great little tip - that I use ALL OF THE TIME!  I started out using it just with SkinniMini Letters...but now that I've added a few years to my stash of experience, I find myself using it with even the larger letters.

First - die cut all of your letters, and spell out your word...


Grab your Quicker-Poker-Picker-Upper and arrange all of your letters (or shapes) exactly how you like them...


Now, tear a strip of Scotch Matte Finish Removable Tape (which I find at WalMart, in the office supply aisle) and stick it down over your letters...


Give the tape a good rub, then peel everything off of your work surface...


Turn your strip of tape over and lay it sticky side up in front of you...


Using your favorite adhesive, glue up the backside of your letters...


Then carefully flip your tape strip over, onto your project...


Give it another a good rub, to make sure everything is stuck down completely. Then gently lift one end of the tape, and peel it off of the letters...


Now stand back and admire your perfectly aligned, wonderfully centered, itty bitty letters...


It's a beautiful thing!

Here is a picture of my finished card (click on the picture for an enlarged view).


I used the QK Funky Chicken DoubleKutz and the QK Moxie SkinniMini alphabet.

I hope you'll try this tape-trick. I know that when I learned how to do this, it changed the number of alphabets I had available to me. I was no longer afraid to purchase the smaller fonts for my personal stash.

So try it. You'll like it!

behave yourselves...

Hello......

....NEW STUFF!!!! Here are the New Gift Sets from QK!! Follow this LINK and then click on the May Gift Sets to view the cute packaging and the great new fonts!

These are PRE-ORDER only, so that means you MUST CALL US, in order to get your hands on these!! Oh did I mention that they are also Limited Edition Sets! Just thought I would remind you of that little fact!!!

Well enjoy, and I can't wait to hear from you!!!

Justin

QUE KAY A NEW WAY...

to start the week off in an oh-so-creative style!

Sound okay? Very nice!

Crafty Deb sent this to me last week, and it just made me smile!



These are all of the dies she used:

QK Paisley (big) for the blue bird body
QK Funky Chicken using the beak and feet
QK Paisley (trio) using the smallest of the three for the wing
QK Apple
QK Leaf (single) cut out of just one color, and the veins highlighted with a gray marker
QK Flower (daisy) two of them layered together and secured with a brad

and Crafty Deb's most favorite, versatile die of the moment...
QK Grass

She also used a tiny butterfly from the QK Bugs Mini die, but sadly we're out of it this week. But any butterfly would do - you could even rubber stamp it or just sketch one in of your own.

She tore her tree trunk and branches from cardstock and printed out this totally appropriate saying from the computer. Assembled it all, added a few flourishes with her gray marker and there you have it!

What I love about this card idea though, is the versatility. You could easily cut the paisley bird out of red (cardinal) or brown (wren) or yellow (finch), for a different type look. You could even use a very light colored cardstock and chalk it up to be a robin or something tropical. THEN you could make the apple tree into a green apple tree, a golden apple tree, or a pear tree. Or how about using a Goosebumpz with any circle shape you have in your stash, and turning this into an orange tree!

Add any kind of greeting/salutation you need - and you're set for all kinds of occasions!

Love the cards that I can make up in advance - and leave the greeting off until I need it. In my book, that's a time-saver worth using to my advantage!

Remember ladies - I need your contest entries. We have two weeks left...and it's starting to get exciting! Love the ideas, love hearing from first time participants, love grabbing my dies and trying my hand at lifting your ideas! So inspiring!

I'll have a fun die-tip in another couple of days. An easy-peasie way to use those tiny SkinniMini fonts. Check back, because you won't want to miss it!

behave yourselves...

WHEN DID THEY CHANGE THE WEEK...

to have 425 days???

It must have happened when I wasn't looking - because that feels exactly like the number of days I've worked this week! WHEW!

It's enough to make an artsy-fartsy gal plum exhausted!

Lucky for me though, the Mister was home this weekend and we both insisted that the entire family spend some quality "inside time". Meaning, no errands, no shopping trips, no gotta dos or need to haves. Just putzing around the house, working in the garden, eating some good food and doing a whole lot of laughing. Basically a battery recharge!

I LOVE IT!

And now - I'm raring to go! But thanks for the emails and the comments from those of you who were worried about me. So sweet to have blog-friends!

Part of what I've been working on this week is getting things ready for the Mesa CKC. The Scrap-Mart crew is heading to Mesa this week - and we needed samples and ideas for all of the new goodies we'll have in the booth next weekend. If you stop by and see us in Mesa - expect to see:

• all of the new QK Around the World dies. We're freshly stocked, so if you're anxious to get your hands on Wisconsin or Norway - come on by!
• the whole new line of Sassafras Lass Big Bottom paper. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. It'll be on the web-site this week, but for now - here is a sample that we'll have on display...


the paper is die-cut on one edge, it's beautiful and will be at a great price (this page also uses the new QK United States bundle).

• the new Daisy D's CHA releases. This includes the cute Sock Monkey paper, the great new 4-in-1 stamp kits and the oh-so-popular rub-on tape dispensers. AWESOME!

• we'll also be back to capacity on the great Bosskut dies. The new hearts and flourishes have been HOT sellers, but we're saving one big stack just for Mesa.

• we'll have, new to Scrap-Mart, the breathtaking line of Tinkering Ink. Their paper is totally unique and their chipboard Peek-a-boo Albums are, to quote my teen aged daughter...UBER COOL! These little chipboard & acrylic albums are so fun, so versatile and totally one-of-a-kind.

and last, but not least...

• we are totally stocked with the new Scenic Route buttons, chipboard albums and the matching cardstock packs. YIPPEE - bring on the Grafton and Lynden goodies!

So as you can see - we've been pretty busy around here. And for those of you lucky-ducks that live and Mesa, and will be attending the convention - I've heard a little office-rumor that our own Suzy-Q will be attending the Friday Night Crop. She's loaded down with deals, steals and great door prizes! So if you're there - I wish you LUCK! I've seen the list of giveaways and OH MY! I'm jealous already!

I've got a fun "Que Kay a New Way" to post tomorrow afternoon. That Deb, she keeps amazing me!

I'm also trying to get a video to post. Mr. Doss and Sweet Justin are my go-to-techno-guys, and they assure me I can get it done. So bear with me for a day or two.

If you haven't created something yet for our "An April to Die For" contest...what are you waiting for? Entries are coming in and I've had more fun going through my IN BOX every day. You folks are really, really good! The prizes will be going out to someone, and it could be you. But not unless you enter!

Here's to a totally sane, calm, peace-filled yet productive week!

hahahahahha - yeah right!

behave yourselves...

IT'S A GLORIOUS MONDAY MORNING...

and I haven't even left the house yet!

You simply have to love days that start out so beautifully. Because with a good start...I believe the day can't go wrong!

Why is it so good? Well, I'll tell you!

• my tomato plants are looking hearty and vibrant
• I just uploaded over 100 pictures from my camera
• I have a big ol' stack of new scrapbook goodies to play with, and
• I GOT GOOD MAIL!

I just love good mail. You know, the kind with a first class stamp, and a handwritten address. Mail that contains a greeting or a gratitude. Mail that makes you smile from ear-to-ear.

That kind of mail.

But pile on top of that, BEAUTIFUL mail...and it's enough to make a middle-aged lady simply giddy. See for yourself...


Isn't that a fun, bright and CHEERY way to start a Monday? I just knew you'd agree!

This is from a friend of mine out West. I've just recently gotten her hooked on Bosskut dies and she is going Bosskut-crazee right now!

She said...     "Essie, did you know the Bosskut dies come already foamed?" (yeah sweetie - I did!)

She said...     "Essie, did you know that Bosskut dies have a full color picture of the completed shape on the back of each die?" (um-humm, I did dear!)

She said...
     "Essie, you've been holding out on me!" (and perhaps I have been, but it wasn't intentional!)

She cut out two of the BK Double Ruffled Hearts and used up some scraps of Scenic Route patterned papers. She affixed everything to a tri-folded piece of scalloped 5" x 12" cardstock. The ruffled hearts hang over the top flap...easy-peasie!

You just have to love good mail! The men in my house talk about "man law" all of the time (something about cocktails made with fruit being a no-no!). Well I think good mail should be "lady law".

Lady Law #1 - girlfriends should treat each other to GOOD MAIL at least twice per year. Once on their birthday, and once at a totally random time. Preferably on a Monday!

Thanks darlin' for making my day. I owe you one!

behave yourselves...

"Que Kay a New Way"...

and lookie here...it's the weekend!

See, as soon as I take away the promised schedule - - - I'm pretty darn successful!

Today's featured design is so appropriate. Because if you're like me, you're suffering from a full-blown case of spring fever. I'm dreaming of all things bright, and airy, and colorful...and maybe just a little bit steamy.

(Just don't tell the Mister!)

So when we told Crafty Deb that we at Scrap-Mart needed a little boost to the springtime ambiance...she quickly obliged.

Take a look at these two dies...


QK SingleKutz Flower in Circle and,


QK DoubleKutz Pirate Hook

and just imagine what you can create with these two...and only these two dies.  YES, I tried to imagine the same exact thing and came up with nothing.

But put these same two dies in Crafty Deb's hands, and you'll get this breath-of-spring-time-goodness...


A cute pitcher of lemonade, with bright yellow lemon slices floating around inside...


and a fun bonus image inside the card, a cup with a wedge of lemon as a garnish.

Ahhhhh - it feels sunnier already!

Here is what she used:
QK Pirate Hook
QK Flower in a Circle

She die-cut the Flower in a Circle three times out of solid yellow cardstock, and three times out of yellow and white polka dot paper. She then flip-flopped the flower and the circles (put one solid flower inside one polka dot circle, and vice-a-versa). She mounted each flower-in-a-circle set onto a larger circle of darker yellow cardstock. She couldn't remember exactly which circle die she used, but you could use any die or punch that would give you a slightly larger mat. You could even cut it freehand.

She also die-cut a few flowers from dark pink cardstock, to embellish the pitcher. The pitcher happens to be some clip art that she printed off of her computer, but heck, you could easily sketch that out with a brush tipped marker. It's pretty basic.

By simply leaving some whole, and cutting some in half, she embellished the card accordingly. But she saved one quarter of a lemon slice for the inside. Where she placed it next to a cup, made from the non hook end of the Pirate's Hook. You could mount the little inside doo-dah on a cute Scalloped Circle as well!

Super easy! And think of the scraps of patterned paper you could use up! All you have to change is the colors of the flowers for the pitcher, and the cup to match. I LOVE IT!

But then, I'm easy! I love all of these QK innovation ideas!

I just spoke with Mr. Doss and Ms. Laura - they are on their way home from St. Louis. And mercy-me it sounds like all of you St. Louis gals kept them hopping all weekend. They heard lots of questions about the "An April to Die For" contest. Which means the entries I've already received will soon have some companions! I can't wait to see what other, fun innovations you all come up with!

I've got some serious scrap-catch-up to do today. We had a house FULL of guests last week, which means my "House Guest Album" is in need of some updating! And thankfully, the weather is beautiful today. Hmmmmm - just might have to make a pitcher of lemonade for myself and the Mister!

And don't forget to check out the final day of the REVOLUTION DIE SALE...great prices on bunches of great dies!

behave yourselves...

APRIL 2008...

now and forever, will be known as "An April to Die For".

And when I say DIE I don't mean death. No ma'am. I mean DIE as in die-cuts.

We've had such fun responses to Crafty Deb's QuicKutz innovation ideas, that we thought it would be fun to give you all a chance to show off your own talents...AND WIN PRIZES!

And when I say PRIZES I mean dies!

So here is how it's going to work (I think I've hit all of the major points, but if you have questions feel free to email me!).

"An April To Die For"...

THE RULES
• contest runs April 3-30, 2008
• anyone can enter, whether you've won a prize from us before or not
• Scrap-Mart employees and designers are not eligible (Sweet Justin...step away from the Revolution!)
• entries must be submitted in a .jpg format, and emailed to me (miss.essie@yahoo.com)
• I will acknowledge receipt of your email as quickly as I can after receiving it
• your entry email must contain a list of supplies used (namely the dies)
• any dies can be used (but of course, we're partial to QK, Bosskut and Cuttlebug dies)
• by emailing me your entry, you are giving me permission to publish your work on the Scrap-Mart.com blog (consider it your own 15-minutes of fame!)
• only one entry per person please

We've managed to secure some awesome prizes, from our oh-so-generous vendors, Bosskut and QuicKutz. The prizes will work like this...

THE PRIZES
• if we have 10 or less entries, we will award only a GRAND PRIZE (retail value $150)
• 11-20 entries, and we'll add a RUNNER UP PRIZE (retail value $100)
• 21-30 entries, and we'll throw in a THIRD PRIZE (retail value $50)
• more than 30 entries and we'll add in a few HONORABLE MENTIONS (retail value $25)

Which means...SPREAD THE NEWS! Tell your friends. Announce it at your Friday night crop, forward an email. Because the more entries we have, the better chances you have of winning a great prize! And oh - the prizes! Prizes will all be dies, and they'll all be current. Some might be brand-spankin-2008-new...and some might just be my personal faves.  Pretty cool huh?

So you know the rule!
And you know the prizes!
Wanna know what you're doing?

THE CHALLENGE
Make any of the following:
• a scrapbook page (size of your choice)
• a set of 3 cards, or
• a home decor/altered item
using your dies-cuts in a new and unique way. Don't cut out the juice box, just to be a juice box...turn it into something else like Deb did. I want you to look at your shapes and get creative. Stretch your crafty-selves and see what you can come up with. I know you can do it!

I got emails last week showing me innovative ways to use the QK Dog House, the QK Flower and the Cauldron. So I know you all are up to it!

Now remember, a scrapbook page in my book has to have a title, a photograph and journaling. In my opinion, greeting cards must have a phrase or sentiment on at least the outside. And in my house, a home decor or altered item must be sturdy enough to survive kids, dogs, a cleaning lady and an occasional wayward babysitter or two.

But other than that - the sky is the limit.

I have other fun things planned this month.  You just never know when COMMENTING on the blog might win you a "random goodie".  And you might be "email surprised" if you're the FIRST or LAST entry.  Of course, if you could get a picture of your husband working on HIS ENTRY, that'd almost guarantee you some fun "blog worthy congrats".

I think that is it dear readers.  If you have any questions please drop me an email (miss.essie@yahoo.com) or call Sweet Justin at the store.  He's tending the phones and the goings-on while Mr. Doss and Ms. Laura are in St. Louis.  I'm sure he'd love to hear from you!

Pull out your dies. Ponder your shapes. Stretch your mind around seeing one thing...but using it as another. But most of all...have some fun. Because April 2008 is going to be "An April to Die For"!

behave yourselves...

SO IT JUST DAWNED ON ME...

that I'm not a very good Saturday blogger.

There is a good chance that I shouldn't have promised "Que Kay a New Way" for Saturdays. Because let's face it - of the last few weeks...I haven't made it. And I'm always apologizing for being late.

So as of today - no more apologies. I'm just going to say ONCE A WEEK we will showcase "Que Kay A New Way". I don't know what day, you'll just have to keep checking back. Because really...it depends on Crafty Deb creating it and then sending it to Miss Susan. Susan then takes the pictures, tweaks them for publication and writes up all of the links for me. Then she sends it to me and I retype it into Blogger.

WHEW. Three women working together...you throw in three husbands, three families, three schedules, three computers, three internet connections and LIFE IN GENERAL and you have all kinds of chances for a schedule delay. So today I'm taking away the schedule. Don't worry your little selves, because from what you've been saying you all LOVE the QK ideas. And Crafty Deb is churning out the samples. So from now on, at least once a wee,k we'll showcase her work and some fun new QK ideas!

OKAY?

Very nice!

And with that - I'll show you our latest idea. A very appropriate idea for me because I need to make up a Get Well card this afternoon for my dear, sweet neighbor lady.

When I see this Juice Box die...


I see school lunches, apple juice and juice canons (don't ask...it's a long story of my son's!).

But Crafty Deb saw this...


How adorable! And I have the Juice Box die in my stash. I can make this one up today!

Here is what you'll need:

• QK Basic Phrases Cookie Cutters(which if you don't have already you really should...this die set gets used almost DAILY in my house! I'm forever making "LOVE" confetti for the Mister's and the kiddos' lunch boxes!)

• QK Juice Box

• and any heart die you have handy...like this QK Heart Mini's

Now this is directly from Crafty Deb...
"Keep in mind that you need to use tiny prints for the boxes, or solid colors. I used my gray marker to highlight the corners and edges of the box too. Cut the opening for the straw a little bigger in the top of the box and pull a snippet of single-ply tissue thru...waa-laa! You can also follow the existing lines and cut one box a little shorter."

I love it! Easy and doable and adorable! I'm going to grab a stack of scraps and make up a pile of them today! Thanks Deb.

To finalize the last week of March Madness...we did NOT have enough entries to make it a full-on contest.  So sad.  But Sweet Sara sent in a page.  And a cute and colorful page at that...


and I said to myself "What-the-heck Essie...give the girl a prize!"  So I'm going to!  Because I can!

I just love giving things away!

And speaking of giving things away...you'll want to check back later tonight to read about our April contest. It's a contest to DIE FOR! I just have to finalize one element of the grand prize, and check on two little rule-ios...then I'll be all set to share! Seriously, you won't believe it. So rest up today and get those creative juices flowing!

Before I run, make sure you check out the store's web-site.  The new QK State Dies were released today and Mr. Doss has dreamed up an amazing deal.  You create your own sale bundles!  You choose either 12, 8 or 4 dies...countries or states, go ahead and mix-em-up...and you'll get either 35%, 30% or 25% percent off of your personalized bundle!

And just in case you're wondering, my own bundle will include this die...


it's Norway! Nope, never been there, don't know anyone from there...I just think the shape of the country is totally interesting!

Check back tonight - for big BIG contest news! And congrats Sara.

behave yourselves...