Resolve-Happy New Year!

As I pondered today about the new year I got to thinking about all the mean girls in high school.  You know the ones.  The ones who made fun of others if they were different or didn't have money.
I remember a few years back I hosted a retreat weekend and there were some new people there I had not met before.  I was friends with a gal that was VERY artistic and had ADHD.  Those people never bothered me.  I had friends from all walks of life, eclectic, weird and popular.  Except for the mean girls, I didn't care for the mean girls.
Anywhooo, these women whom I had never met before had gone to school with my friend and let me know that she was not the kind of person they wanted to hang with.  WOW, if they had only taken a minute to talk with her they could have found out what a very talented person she was.  She was very insecure and always needed approval for her work, but the child in her needed that reassurance.
They were MEAN girls.  Still after 20 or more years out of high school and they couldn't/wouldn't take the time to get to know why she was a little weird.  Little did they know she had been molested by a family member and went into a shell.  Little did they know her hair was so thick she had to wear it up everyday to keep it out of her eyes.  Little did they know they were part of the problem, not the solution.  I had a lot of acquaintances in high school.  I could say friends, but I only had a handful of good friends.  The ones I trusted, had something in common with and who I could tell my darkest secrets to. 
I'm still that way today.  I have a lot of people I call acquaintances.  Weird, eclectic and ADHD.  Those kinds of people don't bother me.
So to all the MEAN GIRLS who still exist....move on, cuz this girl doesn't have time for all that.
Have a great New Year and resolve to make a weird friend in 2018.
Shop Small,
Cheryl

Gift Cards

Hi Everyone,
You now have the ability to send or get a gift card to the online store!!  Ahh, I'm still learning these fantastic things.  Here is the link: squareup.com/gift/5C67R54AK8KDQ/order
This will help those who are always trying to give the perfect gift.

Till next time,
Cheryl
Shop Small!!

Cards for Soldiers Project and Events

"Cards for Soldiers" Project

The Project is two-fold; we make handcrafted and signed greeting cards to be sent to our troops that are deployed overseas.  The hand-signed cards are usually thank you, we miss you, holiday cards, etc. to let the soldiers know that we appreciate their service and miss them.  The rest of the cards are left blank so that the soldiers can send greeting cards home to their loved ones.  The subject of those greetings is left up to the designer of the card. 

Our troops need cards to send home to their families as the facilities to obtain greeting cards are very limited.  The troops do not always have access to email or phone services and enjoy sending cards for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etc. home to their loved ones.  We have partnered with individuals that prepare care packages for Soldier Angels and Desert Angels to get the in the care packages and to the soldiers. 

They also need supplies to make cards.  So if you have any scrapbooking or card making supplies that you would like to donate to the program, feel free to drop them off at The Paper Hollow and Cheryl will see that they get to the project coordinators.

Monetary donations are also accepted to help offset the cost of mailing the cards to the soldiers.  Gift cards to JoAnns, Meijers, Michaels, Hobby Lobby or any craft store (like The Paper Hollow) are also welcome to help with the project.

Questions?  Feel free to contact Charly Mathews at 586-995-1963 or charlyscandles@yahoo.com

Cards for Soldiers Project Days

Four special days have been set aside for donations in January.

The weekend of January 12 & 13 we will have a make a card day.  Volunteer your time to come in and make some cards for our troops.  Sign up required.  Spend an hour or two using your supplies and donated supplies to make as many as you like.

The weekend of January 19 & 20 are DROP OFF days.  Clear out your crafting stash and donate those unwanted papers, embellishments, etc. to the cause.  Drop them off at the store during business hours.

Remember to Shop Small.

Til Next Time,

Cheryl

Groovin' Shadowbox

Coming in December we will be making a shadowbox with our Groovi plates.  What a nice gift for someone's Christmas....

We'll be in Madison, WI next weekend.  Our first time there.  I'm excited and nervous.  It's a long drive, not as long as TN, but it could be snowing or the roads could be icy.  AND we could get stuck in Chicago traffic (that's a given)... Wish us luck on our new adventure.... 
Till next time,
Shop Small,
Cheryl

What do 1200 and 60 have in Common??

 60 Women making 20 cards = 1200 kits.
Yep, it was Winter Card Bonanza last weekend where 60 women attended, 5 instructors demo'd and Drew (my grandson),  all got together with Jeff and I and made cards, had fun and ate lots of goodies.
This is a special time when we all get together to expand our ideas and play!
Sloppy joes, chips, veggies and loads of desserts to fill our cravings, PLUS some left over soups from a morning group that shared with us.
Prizes were raffled off  and a grand prize of a Vera Bradley bag were given away.  It was a blast!  
I love doing the Bonanza and having a great time with customers and friends.  I wish I could do it more often, but twice a year is strenuous. 1200 kits is tough, but I love every minute of it.

 

Thanks Everyone. Until the next time,
Shop Small,
Cheryl

Smokey Mountain BLAST

WOW, our second year in TN and what a great year it was.  It was our best show to date.  Not sure if it was our location, our product or our flyer.... but what ever it was it worked. LOL
Penny Black and Clarity Stamps (Groovi) got huge orders when we got back.  They should be happy.
Groovi was a big hit and it continues to grow.

I've already booked our hotel for next year and the show is booked, so Sevierville we shall return!!
Remember to shop small!!
Til next time,
Cheryl

It's Settled

Well, you got us for a few more years.  The lease is settled and the repairs are DONE!!  No more leaking back door or front windows.  No more stuck front door!  This new guy who's doing the work is GOOD!!
It's been a while since posting, but we've had a busy summer.  Pittsburgh was FUN.  We took Drew with us and he had a great time.  He did realize that we were putting him to work about 15 minutes into set up. LOL  He is so funny.  He ran the register and did a demo or two, also.
We took a couple more days off just to relax....Did a ball game, took a Ducky ride and walked till my feet couldn't take it any more!!  It was good to not have to think about the store and everything surrounding it.
Clarity has been good to us.  I've been getting my orders in a very timely manner!  I have been sending them advance notice of what I will be needing and this gives them extra time to make up the plates.

Laura and I are going to Buffalo this weekend without Jeff and with just Groovi.  I guess we will see how that turns out.  Prep'd for 100+ make-n-takes for the pre-convention party.  It's going to be a busy weekend.

Well, until next time,
Shop local, shop small!!
Cheryl

New Lease??

It's time to sign a new lease...or at lease negotiate one.  It was a stressful day yesterday.  I don't like this part of owning a business.  Landlords have control of your fate.  The negotiations are still ongoing, but I feel they will result in a positive outcome.

We started our Summer Hours yesterday, also.  WOW was it weird going home at 5:00 pm instead of 7:00.  We went to the Rio's and had dinner with them.  Today we close an hour early and head to a birthday party for my oldest grandson...Drew turned 12 today!!  Can you believe it?  He's been part of the store since he was 1 year old.

As of July 1st, we will have had the store open for 11 years.  ELEVEN...and 3 locations. LOL  Yes, three.  Is it time to move again??  NO!!  It takes time, money and help...three items we don't want to waste right now.

So, remember to shop small...
See you soon,
Cheryl

B is for Business

So it's been over a month since I posted.  I've been busy with convention, classes, etc.  I've put off responding to another blogger's post as I felt I wouldn't give a positive response to her negativity.

When you are in business a lot if expected of you.  You should always be happy and smiling, even when things are not going that well in your life.  Your business is "you".  So if you are having a bad day, it is best to keep it to yourself or only share with people who know you well enough to let it go.  This was not the case in this other blog.

I would never post something negative about my customers or their demands.  My customers are important to me and respect each one too much to whine about their wants.  Yes, I get that I cannot always please everyone.  I've learned that the hard way over tears.  But now I let their anger slide off my shoulders and onto the ground.

So, please excuse me when I can't get my orders from my distributors in a timely manner. Your orders are so important to me and are what is keeping me in business.  If I could rush them....I would. But sometimes their lives get in the way of business....theirs and mine.  I'm dependent on "them" and their schedule.  What may be a timely manner for them is very inconvenient for me.  I'm so thankful my customers are forgiving and patient.

So to everyone out there who supports me and my business, I say, Thank You!!  You are awesome!!  Keep supporting small business cuz we are disappearing fast.
Until Next Time,
Cheryl

Groovi on Video

Well, several people had asked me to do a video on Groovi so I just got it done.  I'm no star, public speaker, etc.  words just come out of my mouth.  So there are a lot of mistakes, but I did get edit some of them out.  Still a learning process!!
I'm also learning to get them onto YouTube.  So check it out here:
https://youtu.be/e0dwOgLB6h4
I hope this helps a lot of people who had questions.
Have a great day!!
Cheryl
PS-Shop small.

43 Women, 5 Helpers and 860 Kits

https://youtu.be/iqNi7hDQ9AU

Saturday night we had our second Card Bonanza with 43 women in attendance. Times that by 20 for the amount of kits we made.  Actually we made 1,200 kits....our max was 60 guests.  The link above is to the video I shot during the workshop.
I had 5 helpers;  My BF Laura, my DD Kammi, my sister Carlene, and two of my instructors: Laurie and Annette.
LOTS of desserts were available for those with a sweet tooth and chicken croissant for dinner with fresh veggies.
What a blast!!

 

Our next event is November 4th, 2017.  Watch the website for more info!!

Come play with us and shoppe small,

Cheryl

Tried Something New!!

On Sunday I watched Barbara Gray LIVE on Hochanda TV with Tina Cox demo'ing.  The introduction to the new books was awesome!!
I've never done grid work before because it always intimidated me.  After watching Tina I realized it was all a matter of "doing" it with the right tools.
I didn't use my LightWave the whole time and I have quite a few mistakes, but for a first time I think I did pretty good.  Can't wait for my book to come so I can try other techniques!!  This is just the beginning to a whole new world.!!
Groove On my friends!!
Til next time,
Cheryl
PS-Remember to Shop Local, Shop Small.
www.thepaperhollow.com

Just Groovin'

It's been a while, but there is a good reason!!  Everyone is Groovin'!!   Well, quite a few any way.  I've now gone from 3 full classes to 5 booked in April and all but one is almost full.  It might have to do with the Hummingbirds, but I can always dream it's my fun way of teaching and great personality. :O)
I was befuddled a couple of days ago.  I started a card and couldn't figure out how to finish it.  So I posed the question to my FB group "Groovin' in the USA".  Some of the answers were really funny.  I didn't post the question quite right and then I read an answer the wrong way and responded to it with a flip quirk.  Glad she is my friend.
So, here is the unfinished piece and the finished piece to compare.  I really like how it ended up and it will make a great display piece for Easter.
Till Next Time,
Cheryl

PS - Join our FB group and learn more about Groovi and share your work, too.

We've come a long way Groovi baby!

I started Groovi last July and I've learned a lot.  A lot about people, parchment and personalities.  I've learned that here in the states it's much different than in the UK. I've learned to be patient with my learning and not learning.  YES, the people in the UK are so much more advanced in Parchment Craft than we are, that is for sure.  BUT I think we do an okay job!!  My classes have grown from one class a month to three classes a month and starting in April we just may need a fourth!  We are all having fun and if you haven't tried Groovi yet, you are missing out.  I hope you enjoyed the videos Laura and I did for you and they have helped you see the Groovi scene.  Take a leap of faith and creativity.  It's easy and relaxing.

Til next time,

Cheryl