Here are two of the cards I have designed for The Annual Card Swap (see earlier post). The first one is my favorite. I used the QuicKutz Frame REV-0090.
The second one uses the QuicKutz 2x2 Giraffe KS-0877 . Isn't he cute? I am always in the need for more kid birthday cards.
Obviously, the QuicKutz products are available on my new site www.lovemyqkutz.com. All of the stamping products are from Stampin' Up! Off to the store to pack up more stuff!
It is that time of year again, I am getting ready for ...The Annual Card Swap. I get together with four friends every year and we make a bunch of cards...like 125 of them. Whenever I tell someone the fact that I am in a swap and make 125 cards, they look at me like why the heck would you do that? But friends I tell you it is a really good idea! It doesn't seem like a good idea when you are under the pressure of designing 5 fabulous cards with some very talented friends. It doesn't sound like a good idea when you have to make kits to create 25 of each of those you designed. It doesn't sound like a good idea when you are kitting them and realize you are short 2 brads and one sheet of cardstock for the kits. It still doesn't sound like a good idea when you are scoring the 125th card for the kits and mumbling 4 1/4 outloud. Yes, we complain every step of the way (the emails are really quite amusing between the five of us.) But, yet every year we suffer through it. There are moments the five of us say, "I am not doing this again!" and "Why did we think this was a good idea?" But yet every year we sign up and say "Count me in!"
Well ladies this is why...This is why this is a good idea. GIFTS, GIFTS and MORE GIFTS! These cards make the perfect gifts. Gifts for Grandma, gifts for teachers, gifts for hair dressers, gifts for my Mom's friends, gifts for my family, gifts for my brother-in-laws' girlfriends and gifts for the Yankee swap at work. 125 handmade cards make GREAT GIFTS. You know how you always need those little gifts for people? Those last minute things that throw you into that holiday panic. No need to panic ladies when you have 125 cards! (Well maybe there is just a little bit of panic when certain family members start demanding their "refill pack" because they are running low and you are worried 125 won't be enough.) The other reason it is worth it is because the other thing we now focus on besides the cards, is the food. We are more concerned about what we are going to eat the day we get together to make all the cards. This year there was talk of a homemade sticky buns...are you kidding me? So worth it!
So my advice to you is to find 4 friends and do this. (You could trim it down a little bit if it is too overwhelming!) Here is the details how we work THE ANNUAL CARD SWAP:
5 people Each person designs 5 different cards We make 5 kits for each card (one for each person) The kit includes one complete card (the sample) and all the stuff to make four more of that card We pick a day to get together and make all the rest (don't forget to bring all the tools to make your cards) You will end up with 125 cards - 25 different designs - 5 each
WARNINGS/THINGS WE LEARNED
OK, so that is enough about The Annual Card Swap. Currently I am completely done with 3 of my 5 cards, kits and all. I will share 2 of the 3 tomorrow since I used QuicKutz on them. Not enough light for a photo now. (If any of my card swapping pals are reading this...sorry for sharing ahead...and I was in no way trying to make anyone panic because they haven't started yet!)
Saturday was the last day at Kinnon Keepsakes the retail store. Sad, but true. We went out with a bang. Two days of croppin', and the margarita blender was whirling. Thanks to all the ladies who celebrated the bittersweet day with me. The good news is almost all the product was gone. I think I can fit what is left into one small box. That is good news. There are still fixtures left, so if you are interested feel free to email me. We have tables, chairs, paper racks, slatwall spinners and cork boards. I think the rest is pretty well gone. Honestly I really don't think it has sunk in yet. Today is Monday and KK has always been closed on Mondays. Tonight I start going to the store and cleaning out everything else. My office, the attic. All the tools. There is still a lot of stuff to move. Oh...my back hurts already. Perhaps after this week, it WILL sink in.
So...that brings me to the next news. We're OPEN. On Friday, I launched the website www.lovemyqkutz.com, our new online QuicKutz Superstore. We are still working out some bugs and updating it with NEW features, so we haven't made the official announcement that we are up and running. I think we will be ready to do that in the next day or two. In the meantime, we are up and running and ready to take orders. We did already get a FEW. Be sure to check it out soon. There are some AMAZING launch specials you won't want to miss.
My next post will definitely include some ideas using QuicKutz. Stay tuned.
The question that I keep getting over and over again. I have been busy refocusing. And lately I have been busy working on the new Kinnon Keepsakes website. It's an online QuicKutz store and we are really close to launching. You can go here www.lovemyqkutz.com and sign up to be notified when we launch. You can see the new logo and get a feel for where we are headed. (Don't worry, I will be announcing the launch of the site here too!)
FYI If you are a QKutz fanatic wait to see the new holiday shapes. It has been there most popular release in awhile. They will be available on the new site really soon. Also you won't want to miss some of our launch specials. Good stuff!
That brings me to my next point. This blog...soon this blog will be a flurry of activity. I swear it! This blog will be the place where I am educating you all about QKutz products. I will be showing you tips, techniques and tons of ideas on how to use them. I hope you will find it fun and helpful. I am excited about the ideas in my head...just can't wait to get them out.
Only eight more days until the store closes. It will be a lot of cleaning out after that. I am amazed at how little is left in the store. There is still some product, but not a ton. I think after the 75% off next week, we will be wiped out!
On a personal note, Gabe and Lily are also keeping me really busy. Lily is already 6 months old. We are trying to get into a routine with Gabe in a new preschool 3 days a week. We are working on getting the new schedule with drop off/pick up and naps and bottles all worked out. I promise to post pictures soon.
These are the numbers floating through my head right now. Yes, 34 is the age I turned yesterday. Not much of a milestone birthday, sort of an uneventful day. Gabe was way more excited about it being my birthday then I was. He started off the day telling everyone we saw that it was my birthday. It was cute, but I asked him to stop...a little embarassing really. That is the 34!
Eight is the number of weeks Lily has been in my life. It really seems unbelievable. In certain ways the time has flown by. But when I think that I have only seen her face for eight weeks and the amount of love I feel for her, it is hard to believe it has only been eight weeks. She has been smiling and cooing at us for over a week now. It started with her Daddy who she has been smitten with since day one. She has him wrapped around her little finger. Here she is at 8 weeks. I was trying to catch her smiling...I think I got some good ones.
Isn't she cute?
Finally, 3. I should say, tres. Tomorrow is National Scrapbook Day and we have our Tres de Mayo Crop to celebrate the day. We have 28 people signed up and I am really excited. We also have Beth Proudfoot from Simple Scrapbooks Magazine coming. She is teaching a class to all the croppers as well as meet and greeting people downstairs and doing a make-n-take from 11:30-1. So excited to have her. Just love her to death. If you aren't busy, be sure to stop in and say hi. Miss Lily will be there for part of the day too.
Happy Scrappin'!
