Mad Hatter's Tea Party

A long long time ago I participated in Green Wednesday and I shared how I liked to save my chipboard boxes from K & Co.  Wanda (we were vendor booth neighbors at Silver Bella) left a comment how she liked to do the same.  I thought.....swap!! and she agreed.  Above is what she made me---I love it.  She even threw in the beautiful trims!
This is what I made her.  I wanted to include some kind of rat image....since, the name of her blog is the Rat's Pajamas.
I  have a copy of Alice and Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass with these graphics.  I started  reading it and I had a hard time.  Alice always scared me.....she always dared to do the things I was afraid to do.  I wondered if I changed and if I could read it----I can't.....I was reading the Mad Hatter Tea Party today-----did they really have fun??  Alice seemed very fiesty and really enjoyed confronting the Mad Hatter........That said....I am looking forward to Disney's new Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.  Johnny Depp will make the best Mad Hatter---the pictures look awesome.  

I am looking forward to all the parties today at a Fanciful Twist's 2nd Annual Mad Hatter Tea Party.  The imagination and inspiration for this event are over the top.

Meet our staff

Can I tell you how much I love my new job?   Not only do I get to work around a product I love. I get to work with the nicest people.  We just finished our creative training.  I asked everyone to pose with their favorite product or project.  This is Kris with the xyron sticker making machine. She loved making stickers.
This is Ashley with all the flowers everyone made.
This is Natalie with the butterfly she made.  I love how the butterflies colors go with the backround of this picture.
This is Mel with her bookbinding project.  She really enjoyed bookbinding.
This is Denise with her butterfly she made.  I love how the butterfly goes with the colors of the beautiful felt pin she made that she is wearing.
This is Loren with her accordian book project.  I bought this kit---it was only $5, but you do have to buy your own paper for the cover.   But, that way you use the patterned paper you really like.
This is Christina with the flower and butterfly she made.  Thanks Nicole Young for being a great teacher.  We are now starting our invitation training...........We will be ready to open on 4th of July weekend....The new Paper Source store will be at 82 Nausau Street in  Princeton....Hope to see you there----we can't wait-----we are ready for you!!!!!!!!

Halfway Through 2009

    I thought I wanted to share how I feel half way through this year.......WoW!!!!!!!  I am now a firm believer in positive thinking and writing down your goals.  I feel this is a great year......I went into Kaylyn and Ian's graduation as something sad.  And, it has been just the opposite.  I feel so optimistic for them and our family.  They are receiving info in the mail everyday about college----It's only 2 months away now.  It refers to them as Artists already---I love that!!!!!  I wanted to share something I found as I was blog hopping.  A leader read this at a Weight Watchers meeting and I had seen it on another blog as inspiration.  The last time I wrote it down it was written on Lisa Kaus's blog.  

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God,  Your playing small doesn't serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to SHINE as children do.  We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light SHINE, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

This was written by Marianne Robertson for a speech for Nelson Mendela

I feel so strongly that every now and then you have to read something like this.  Life is full of surprises and not always perfect, but so much comes down to how you feel.  I am firm believer in not depending on people, things, or substances to make you feel good about yourself.  I feel it comes from within.  And, most of all I feel that positive thoughts lead to good in your life--it may take years or a lifetime for all that matters, but it makes a difference.  If you are a new reader of my blog I chose a word to sum up the coming year.  I chose the word shine because I was looking forward to watching my children shine in the upcoming activities of High School and now am looking forward to watching them shine at college.

Class of 2009's time to shine

It's the day after Ian and Kaylyn's graduation.  My husband and I are thinking life is going to be a little more calmer---not.  We just arrived home after watching a band Ian's been playing in.  He is in the middle of the horn section.   I can't get enough of watching him play.  His band makes my husband happy by playing Chicago tunes like I'm so Happy and they make me happy by playing 10th Ave. Freezeout by Bruce Springsteen.  Like my husband said this is so cool--in our wildest dreams we never thought our future would include all of this entertainment from our own children.
Ian recv'ing his diploma......
Kaylyn recv'ing her diploma.......yes they were sitting on opposite sides.  I rushed home in weekend traffic and barely greeted everyone and they were out the door----meaning no cap and gown pictures-----ugh.  Then as they are walking into the gym I realize we didn't ask which side to sit at----didn't matter they were on the opposite side.  So, these are my best shots.  I am so proud of my two babes.....I think the future for them is bright.  I am really looking forward to seeing what is next for them.....they found out today they each are in a suite at college with 4 roomates.........I think that should be good for them.  I hope the closets are big.......and I hope they all don't have to shower for 8am classes.  This should be interesting.

A week of Celebrations

If I was good at photoshop I know I could have made that crack in the cake from transport go away.  This was the Awards banquet for the band.....
Congratulations to the Seniors who did an outstanding job!!!!  So proud---what a great group!!

Ian did win the national John Phillip Sousa award....Congratulations Ian--well deserved.  He also squeezed in a video set to music he made documenting the whole year--he amazes me.
Monday we set up a room for training--we will be carrying invitations from Vera Wang, William Arthur, Crane's and Paper Source's own which can be letterpressed.
The last two days we have been training in customer service and introducing the product.
From left to right is Kristen Allen our shift supervisor, we were lucky to get Nicole Young to do our creative and customer service training and Karen Kucowski our store manager.  They are working very hard to get our store ready.  It looks like we should be ready to open the store 4th of July weekend---yea!!!!!

A festive and jazzy Saturday

This is the seafood festival in Belmar, NJ.  I have always heard about it, usually I was always working this day.  It was nice, since this will be the last time Ian plays in the Manasquan Jazz Band, to enjoy it.  We took home some spicy shrimp, jambalaya and kettle corn to enjoy at home.
It was a sunny day after a week full of rainy days.  It was nice to soak up the sun for a couple of hours.  The band sounded great---I will miss all of this for sure.
This gazebo is west of the ocean, so there was the most perfect sea breeze to keep them cooled off.  Tonight we will see them perform for the last time at the  Elks Club in Manasquan.  It starts at 8pm--I think I need a nap.

Italy......Spain.......?????

Is this amazing.......It has such a European feel.....This is Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, MI.

This is where Paper Source is located in Kansas City.....I never knew this exsisted.  I had been to KC once before and wanted to come back, especially to see  the Nelson-Atkins musuem.  When I looked up where the store was I couldn't believe what I was reading about the store's location.  This is the oldest shopping center in the USA.  It was built in the twenties and Rome is only known to have more fountains.  Many of the work is based on renaissance architecture.  It is beautiful........I think this may be OZ.

Victorian Parlor's Tea Party

     You are going to have to take a seat on the porch and have a couple of cups of tea to hear this whole story.  I never told this story to my children, so I thought it would be a good time to have it in writing.  These are my most beloved dishes----never used---nope too too special.  Some I bought with good garage sale karma---some were wedding gifts---I thought it was too expensive to register for but our guests found out the pattern after some delving ( I am glad they did) and most of it was gifts from my husband.

     I met my husband when I was 18.  I was working as a salad person in a seafood restaurant.  ALL of my friends except for one went to college that year.  Our first date was New Years Eve of 1978.  We dated seriously but by March I was feeling very regretful about not going to college.  I quit community college right around when I met Glen.  As it would have it,  a very good friend made an appointment with the dean where she was going to school.  It was Bloomsburg State----31/2 hours away.....I got in---I decided to start that summer semester.  Glen and I kept our relationship for a couple of years.  One time when my friend and I were home from college she suggested we go into this very high-end gift and china store.  We were kidding around of what kind of dishes and glassware we would have.  When Glen asked what I did that day I told him and told him I fell in love with these dishes called Blue Canton by Mottehedeh.  I took a postcard and showed him the picture.  I was collecting post cards even then so I kept the postcard.

       My third year at college I was at a crossroad.  I didn't get into the school of business to be an Accounting Major, but had taken a lot of Accounting classes.  I was hired to be a Resident Advisor.  They started a new class called Psychology of Adjustment.  A great class, but it made me very head strong.  By November of that year I decided Glen and I weren't really going anywhere.  I was saying no to a lot of invitations to formal dances.  I really was surprised I was getting asked out by other guys.  The ratio was seven girls to one guy.  Since, I met Glen while I was so young I decided in order for me to make any plans for the rest of my life I really needed to be a free bird.....you know let them go if they come back they are yours.....if they don't they never were. 

      That Christmas my parents were down in Florida and they bought me a ticket to spend the holiday with them.  I needed a ride to the airport.......who did I ask????  Glen, of course, but he was late and it made me mad at him and flustered when I went to tell them where my luggage was going I told them the wrong airport.....I literally had to run to the gate to get on my plane....awkward moment do I kiss him????  I do......he hands me an envelope and I get even madder----I didn't have time from classes to leaving to get him anything......I was like no---you took me to the airport and I didn't get you anything.  He said take it and don't open it until Christmas.

     When I open it that morning I am stunned......My mom is like what is it... what is it????I tell her it is a gift certificate for the 5 pc place setting of the dishes I told Glen  I liked three years ago.   I look at her do you know what that means?????  She says yes.......I try to reach Glen all day long.....back then on Christmas I heard all circuits are busy until 7pm that evening.  By the time I reach Glen he sounds horrible, defeated and mad that I didn't call him right away....I try to explain and the phone call is a disaster......I feel this really is not meant to be......life goes on we hit some more bumps and I go back to school not feeling good about Glen at all.  I hate the fact I know he wants to have a future with me, but we still end up fighting anytime we speak......I am miserable.......things start to turn around....I refused to go home for a while because my parents are in Florida.  We started talking on the phone again and decided to see each other again at Easter.....we get pre-engaged......I decide not to go back to school.......That August we get engaged and a year later we are married.   How could I not marry Glen?  Who else would ever remember a china dish pattern I told about years before?????  He is still as thoughtful today as he was then!  Oh yeah, and see the little sign that says my china pattern.  That would be the same one that was there when the whole story started.  I ended up working for the store it was all bought in.  I worked there for 9 years and it had been there for 35 years.  I asked if I could have the sign when the store closed and they said yes.  I call it the little sign of my future!

  

Let it Shine

Call them affirmations, call them signs, call them aha moments----I have been having them a lot lately.  I feel so strongly about how life just happens and you have to be open to let it happen.  I read a good quote the other day I thought I would share:  The future is not some place we are going to but one we are creating, the paths to it are not found but made......--John Schaar

And just think if you are creative every day the places you are going!!!!!!!   If you need some inspiration for living a creative life everyday please visit Paper Source's new Blog!

Rubber Stamps from start to finish

This is the Princeton team.  Me, Geralyn Gray, Assistant  Manager, Karen Kucowski, Store Manager and Kristen Allen Shift Supervisor.  We had a great experience training in Chicago.  We were able to visit three stores and visit the warehouse. We met the President of the company and were lucky enough to see in the company's town hall, which was held quarterly.  We were able to hear the President's message and all the executive's plan for the future.  We were able to see new product for the holidays.  We feel lucky to share in this part of the company and can't wait to share with you when our store opens in July.
This is the image being stamped on the block.

In the warehouse they make all of the Paper Source rubber stamps.  How cool to see them stamp the image right on the block.  When it was demonstrated I thought wow, they make it look so easy to stamp an image without edges.  Well, the stamps are properly elevated so you don't get any wood block edge when you stamp---joy!!!!!!
Kristen Allen, the shift supervisor for our Princeton store , admiring all of the rubber stamps.
We took a workshop one night with Laura Lombardi as the teacher.
Kristen with her latest creation......a dress cut out from stamped impressions--lovely!!!!!
In class we embossed and used glitter with rubber stamps.  Next week I get to share the Kansas City store with you, as I leave for Kansas City on Sunday.