What's coming??????///

Be sure to check this blog the evening of April 1st........we are getting set to share something fun with you. Excited? We are! More to come................

Prayers for Meaghan

Meaghan is "some better" but is still very critical. She is having serious blood pressure issues, and the horrid bacteria is the type that clings to plastic, and of course, she has lots of tubes, etc in her. They cannot start pulling them. It is not good...........prayer, constant prayer is in order. Thanks...........Linda

I'm Not Lost!

But it must seem like it! I am so sorry to keep forgetting to blog! There are so many things going on in our lives right now....I should be blogging them, but all I can say is, sorry, and I can try to do better!

In fact, Angie C. is coming to the store tomorrow to do a VIDEO! Yep! We are going to do something fun.......and she is going to tape it and also photograph bits and pieces. And You will be the first to see/know what we have up our sleeves! I am going to be rather mysterious for a bit, as everything I need for what I am hinting at, is not ready! So, check back every couple of days and we will see what we will see. Can't wait to do a video again.....those were fun.

There are transformations in our living and dining rooms! It is a bit of a mess, due to the boxes of things we are hauling out to take to the hotel, but the things from the shop ( the former Memories) are slowly being stashed away and it is feeling somewhat better. There are now parts of the house that I can walk thru without feeling like a huge storm went passing thru. There has not even been room to "clean" anything..........can you imagine the dust in here? But now that boxes are hiding, I can get in with a dust cloth and vaccuum and make some headway..........can't wait! I am not a clean freak, but I DO like a tidy house and one that you aren't tempted to write on every table or lamp in the house!

Some great new product are rolling in at the shop . Ed comes in often and breaks down the boxes for us, so he can testify to the fact that we have gotten in some marvelous new lines and I have just about filled up all the plastic paper trays that I had in the former shop. Display is a challenge, but Beth has been kind enough to come in a few times and give me a help, and I seem to be getting better at it. When the hotel crop is over, we ought to be able to get it all in order.

Before I close, want to let you know that we are carrying a Marvelous line of toys in the Ben. Are you familiar with Melissa and Doug? I carried their stickers about 15 years ago in the gift shop, but now they have developed a wonderful toy line that our Mindy has thoroughly enjoyed for her kids. It is SO FUN to see what goes out on the shelves and what people bring up to the cash wrap to check out. Makes me want to buy one of each! If you need a cute toy or craft idea for grandkids or birthday parties.......be sure to stop in a check them out. They start at Low prices and are a great value for what you get.

Ok........much to do tonight before tomorrow begins! If you prayed for little Meaghan, whom I mentioned this afternoon in the e-mail...........you will be pleased to know that she is somewhat "stable" right now, and "stable" is GOOD! Keep up the prayers!!!!!!!!! And thank you.

Have a Wonderful week, dear friends. Angie will get something up on here in the next two days or so, and we might do several things. Don't know yet. Our surprise is still in the works, but we will let you know asap. Hugs to each of you and may you be a blessing for someone this week, as you are to us! Linda and Ed

Wee Hours

WOW! When you can't sleep, get up and work! I had not planned on "ordering" this morning at 2:30, but that is what I am doing and having a blast! It has been on my mind to get this done this week, and now is the time. I'm feeling the pressure....feel like I have just had a mocha latte full strength, not de-caf. Before we go to TX to see the family, I have to have the entire Hotel Crop DONE and ready to transport to the hotel. That means ordered, counted and make sure we have enuf trays and racks to put it in, kits planned and ordered and kitted, etc. It can take over one's life, IF one lets it.

So, I am using time wisely ( thank you Lord!) instead of rolling around not sleeping, and am having fun doing it! Whee! Just ordered the most ADOREABLE baby papers and embellishments from Little Yellow Bicycle. It is not shipping till at least April, but that's ok..........still need to get the order done! The lines are called Snugglebug and are stinkin' cute.......soft colors with darling little buggies that look like fireflies with personality. Soft blues and pinks and greens and ivories and you will love them. Some will be usable for things not baby, too, which is a quality I always like about lines of papers. Be versatile!

Then, I went onto the site looking at the Beach papers ( and embellishments, of course) and it is THE BEST! Wowza! Ladies ( and gentlemen).........this stuff is GOOD! Roll out your favorite beach or summertime photos, 'cause you are gonna Love this line! I don't have the catalog at home so I don't even know when it will ship, but you'd better believe this is going to be Fun! I can feel the sand dripping on my carpet when we come in the house from the beach.........it's that real. Cute, cute, cute! I will notify you when it is in, to be sure!

Goodness.......was that worth reading? Not so sure, but wanted you to know I am thrilled with what is coming into Memories in the Ben and if I can just quit thinking about how I am going to display it, I might be able to go back to sleep. This is a challenge...............having a whole store to work with in displaying things, seemed hard at times. These days, trying to make it look interesting and fun for you with LONG aisles that all look the same, is a real challenge. But I KNOW God has a way for me to do this and I just need to trust for this too, as I do for each thing I face each day. If I have to just stand out in the aisle and point and say "this way to the beach!", I just might have to do it! We'll see what He has in mind..........but He sure did awaken me to do fun things tonight. My rep will be happy...she has been after me for days to get this order faxed to her and I literally have not had the time. The time is now! Whee!

Thanks for reading my drivel...........or did you give up on me? :) You all are so dear and somehow I think you are reading with smiles on your faces. Do I sound like I am back? I am. This is one thing I love.......sharing my excitement with you all. Now I need some unexpected hugs. Think I just got one from the Lord. Need to drag Maggie into this excitement too..........she is into the WONDERFUL Melissa and Doug toys that we All need in our lives, and the trains and yarn, etc. One of these days, we will get her hooked on paper! It might start when we get the first of our sample pages on the walls.............a project to plan on another sleepless night! Back to ordering...................Love you all and thanks for listening. A hug to each one..............Linda

Hi there! Wanted to let you know that we now have some striking new School papers and stickers..............Badger, Delavan-Darien, Elkhorn, Big Foot all arrived today and they look Great! New designs, new shades, very smart. Come get 'em for those school albums you are working on for graduation. We also have some Whitewater, Williams Bay and Burlington, but are low on supply for those.......just don't have quite as many designs as the other schools.

Also received our full supply of Alaska things again, and a bunch of stickers from various sites around the country. Very fun and useful. The travel section is beginning to fill up again. Next on my list for that catagory will be the tropical things..........give me a few weeks!

Isn't the sunshine wonderful? It hit 70 in Delavan today and that was great for Ed's bike ride! Our kids fly home from Fla tomorrow and I wish it were going to stay warm for them. They will be freezing this weekend, I am sure!

Come see us and we will show you what is new. Sue is busy working on new classes for April and they look wonderful. The ones I sent out in the e-mail the other day, are beginning to fill up.
Call as soon as you can to get your choice of classes.......you will enjoy them. And your teachers will be happy to have full classes!

See you soon......hugs.........Linda

Interesting week at our house!

Hi-----about to head to bed, but wanted to tell you that we have open cropping all day Tues. and the following Tuesdays in March, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Come get creative and join in the fun! Five dollars to crop all day............good deal! Take us up on it and get lots of pages done!

Julie and Greg are having a vacation together for her birthday and their 20th anniversary, so we have the three boys! It is an interesting time........we have Pages of schedules to keep up with! My, but they are busy kids! They have been such dears tho, and we have both treasured the time with them. It does not happen often enough!

Need to get my beauty sleep before a busy day at home of sorting and putting away more stuff from the former shop. I am making headway, but not fast enough. Hope to clear the living room and dining room tomorrow and then will feel like I am truly getting ahold of it! Wish me luck!

Night all.........hugs to each. Hope some of you can join us for scrapbooking on Tues..........remember.....we open at 9 and you can begin then! See you...........Linda

I'm Overwhelmed!

Oh my goodness............we got enough huge boxes of floral for the new store today, that I could fit at least 30-40 people in them! Is that descriptive enough? It is amazing that they would deliver That much to us when I am SO busy trying to get things ready for the Hotel Crop ( in less than a month!!!) How dare they? However, the flowers are Lovely and I am excited to have so many pretty ones to work with........it will be great fun! I have been frustrated at lack of variety to create some arrangements........and now have no excuse! Come see! If you need something really pretty to put in a vase or brighten up a room.......we've got the flowers for you!

Did you know we carry Train things? That is not a very good description of them........."things." But Maggie is the train expert in the store and she can describe them much better than I can. It is really fun watching people discover we carry items for setting up trains and the landscapes. Come check that part of the shop out............love it!

The new papers in are causing a stir..........some are on the verge of having to re-order and we just got them in. The new Flower Soft arrived this morning ( third order since we opened!!!) and the display has doubled in size. Many new colors......new kits, just plain fun. If you have been considering trying some, now is the time while we have a great selection of colors, etc. Not sure what I am talking about....come see and I will be happy to show you!

Need to head for bed..........have to be in early and ready to open those HUGE boxes again............so need my beauty rest. Hope you all are staying safe with this goofy fog! Sue and Debbie and Eva ( a gal at the store) and I spent a couple of hours at Culver's tonight, just sitting and talking and it was such fun. Deb and Sue and I were on our way to Bible Study in Lake Geneva, but the fog was so horrid that we had to turn around and come home...........it was just plain not safe out there. So, we stopped at Culver's and ended up closing the place. Consequently, I am late doing this and need to head to beddy bye. Think that is where I was when I began this paragraph and got distracted. Hugs........more soon, when I dig out of the flowers! Linda and Ed too...........

Behind Again!

Here we go again! I am sorry.........this is nuts that I keep forgetting to blog. Between the e-mails and posts on facebook and trying to put things away at home from the former shop, I just am not keeping up well. Sorry.....I do thank you for your patience!

We have been having fun catching up at the new store and it is starting to settle in a bit. Sometimes I see some of you in the shop as I go tearing down an aisle, on my way to somewhere......and if I don't get to stop and visit as I normally would, please forgive me. Not trying to ignore you......just am trying to "get it all done". That is no excuse, so will try to do better, I promise. Right now I am in the midst of trying to put together the hotel crop which is in a month ( HELP!) and am feeling rather alone. In the former Memories shop, I always had gals with me to help with ideas, etc. Now it is just me and that is scary! Jen is home from a winter trip, so she is coming in tomorrow and hope we can get our ideas put together........that will help a lot! Between pricing items and putting them out ( Now there is a challange, as I don't do that well! :) ) and working on the crop and working at the cash register.........whew! Who said I was retiring? :)

It has been a fun time and it is so fun seeing what each dept is getting in. I am wanting to take a knitting class, Definitely want to make one of Eva's shopping bags, want to sign up for doing some of the wool projects....would love to do some beading, etc. This is one great store! And what nice people we have to work with. Hope you are getting to know the staff......Maggie has picked some very nice people to help you with your crafts and we all get along so well........it is great!

Today I was in for an hour or so, just to take some floral pieces in, and found we got some of our new custom papers. Hurray! There is a great one that names the resorts in the area, which will be very fun for the tourists! We are now re-stocked with Delavan papers, have some good ones for dog and cat ( words), sports, Disney, Chicago, etc. It is a good line and has done well for us in the past........this time we ordered more! We also received a lovely assortment from the Paper Loft, along with their wonderful embellishments. There is some heritage paper, some great camping or outdoor things in beautiful colors and the tags that go with are fishing, camping, hiking, boating, etc. Gotta see.........

We also received a huge shipment of May Arts today.......that is our wonderful ribbon line. Some repeats but mostly the new designs they just came out with and there is something for Everyone! We even have some fun ribbon that looks like animal prints in the narrow sizes, and they will be great for your zoo pages and cards...........or for home decor. And we have two more huge orders on their way! Help............no place to put them! We might have to start hanging things from skyhooks! :)

Grace has done a section of things on sale, to honor Nat. Crafting Month and we have a bunch of postbound albums on sale, 25 % off, along with stacks of packaged papers ( cardstock) in many colors. The prices are amazing.........it is truly time to stock up or think about projects coming along. If the kids need colored papers....now is the time to get them.

By the way....thinking of kids......we have a great assortment now, of Poster Board. This is one thing people have called me for, for over 12 years! i am So Thankful that I can now tell customers that YES, we Do have posterboard, and in colors as well as white, and a variety of sizes. Hurray!!!

I am babbling ......need to go work on a Bo Bunny order so it is ready to go in the morning. Hope you are all doing well. Remember, you are still very special to us. Just because our address changed, does not mean we don't care.....so stop in and say Hi.......come crop ( tomorrow all day), take a class.................get to know the new shop! Hugs to each of you..............dear, dear friends. Talk to you soon, I hope. Night...............Linda, and Ed too