Thank You All!

Thank you all for your well wishes and such awesome comments!  Each one an inspiration to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep moving on! What incredible talent there is out there!  The 30 finalist's work is amazing!  WOW!  I think I might need to brush up on fussy cutting!  Good Stars Have Mercy! LOL!  Congratulations to you all.  I am so blessed to be grouped with these awesome artists.

Well, I'm back to reality!  My little road trip was excellent!  The beach was beautiful and I already miss the sound of the waves.  Something I found out while away, ALL Michaels and Hobby Lobby's are exactly the same in Corpus Christi as the ones in Austin and Georgetown!  LOL!!

Seriously, something I want to mention...

I must say I did try all the listings for the local scrap stores in and around the beach.  Sadly, all were closed and out of business.  Man, we need to support these folks!  They may be a bit more expensive, but they are not buying the amount of inventory these larger stores can easily afford.  This bulk buying by the big guys, enables these stores to negotiate on prices.  I remember (and how would one ever forget) being a store owner of a 3000 sqft store in my 30's!  It was my life.  I loved it more than words.  Hankins and Company was my child.   I drew my salary out of the store.  I paid myself exactly 500.00 a month.  Sometimes I couldn't even do that!!  I didn't care, I just wanted it to be successful.  It's rough folks!  For those retailers who don't have deep pockets, they depend on us.  Trust me, our one purchase can make a difference!  I'm personally going to make an effort to do more with my local scrap stores.

OK, sorry to be on my soap box!  Like I said previously, I'm back at home and have taken the day off!  Well, half the day, it was a five hour drive back home...Once home, I caught up with my emails, tried my hand at making charms, I even went outside and totally decided against mowing the grass.  :)  That in my world is amazing!  It's so nice to be at home!  Whats even better, is what I call, Clean Sheet Night!  How amazing is the feel and smell of getting into bed with clean sheets!  THE BEST!  Yes, guys really do care about those kinds of things!  We just don't tell anyone! ...Like I just did!  LOL!

So back to working in the studio tomorrow.  I need to unpack everything I had to take with me, then I can get going on sharing the Mini Traveling Watch Box. 

Have a great weekend everyone and once again, I truly appreciate you all!

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter

 

Comments

[JudithC]

Glad you had a good break by the sea - it has me hankering to go to my brothers again so I can walk along the beach, I do so miss doning that living inland like I do.... looking forward to trying the traveling watch box, cheers...

[Paul]

Ahhh yes, I adore clean sheets too. Snuggled in, with a play on the radio and it just doesn't get any better. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Love ya. Pxx

[Cassandra]

I know guys like clean sheets Jim, as my husband loves a fresh "crispy" (as he calls it) bed to hop into. However, I don't see him volunteering to change the dam sheets lol!
I totally agree with everything you say about the little stores and buying locally, I think it is great you mentioned and reminded us all how hard it is for them!

[Pam]

I wish we had a LSS to support. The closest one was 20 miles away and was very successful, but primarily because she also sold online. Long story why she closed, but it was because her DH was jealous of her success. The next closest was 50 miles, and we supported her also. But she was competing in a town that has Michael's, Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore and Joann Fabrics. I'd love to have a place to take classes, spend time learning new techniques, meet friends. Sadly, the large chains don't foster that atmosphere.

[Betty Sarachik]

Thank you Jim!
As the owner of a LLS (local scrapbook store) I can not thank you enough for the positive words. My store offers so much more than what you can get at the BBS plus we can show you how to use the products - Oh my - what a concept. I follow you because we are a store that supports not only scrapbooking, but altered art and any paper craft outside the box. Love your art, so please keep creating. I am sharing your blog with my facebook folowers
Betty - Betty's Stamping & Scrapbooking Room

[The Gentleman Crafter]

Betty, I just bookmarked your store page!  Its great to know!  Thanks!  I see you are in NC.  I go and recharge my batteries in Hilton Head, SC twice a year and I need to come up and over to visit.  One of the biggest treats for me is to visit, The Carolina Stamper in Beaufort!  They have to kick me out the door!  LOL!  Now I have good reason to go to Greensboro!!  Yahoooo!  Im in!

http://www.bettysscrapbookroom.com/

Thanks again Betty for the info...

Jim

[Barbe21]

Thank you Jim, for commenting on the need to support your LSS. I recently added scrapbooking to my store because the only thing here is Michaels. Nearest store was 90 miles! I've been doing everything I can to get people interested and steering them to all of the great blogs (you, Laura, Kathryn and others) as there is such a wealth of information available for people! Congrats on Graphic 45, and I know you will get picked!

[Lynn]

You must be so excited!! Knew it was going to happen, and told you so...you had nothing to worry about. Congrats!!

[Barbara Albrecht]

Welcome home! Rest up for a minute or two...LOL!!! I know you won't be able to stay out of the studio. Looking forward to seeing the completed watch case...and of course every other wonderful thing you create!!

[Renee Zarate]

So happy you are in the top 30. G45 would be crazy not to pick you! I love your work, it is different and so clean. Looking forward to seeing what you do in the future. Congrats, you deserve it.
PS I support my LSS :-)

[linda williamson]

I agree with you Jim about supporting our local stores,unfortunately, there are no scrapbooking stores in my area,so it forces me to buy my stuff on line. We have a Mickaels and Ben Franklin and I would love if they would carry more products so I am limited. It is a shame that we don't have more. I would love to be able to run down to the store when I need some Graphic45 paper or some scortape. Ok I'm through whining, have a great day.

[LoriC]

Why is it when we have clean sheets, we get into bed and say, "Ahhhh clean sheets"? It is like Christmas morning. Wouldn't it be great to be extremely rich and have someone change your sheets everyday!? Good plug for LSS, it is sad to see what has gone. Shop local crafters!

[Tony Stubblefield]

You know the funny thing is, small local shops often times have a way better selection of supplies than the big chains. The little scrapbooking shop in my home town carries all the colors of Distress Ink and alcohol inks, whereas Michael's, Joann's or Hobby Lobby only carries a handful of colors each and often times seem to be out of half them. The big guys seem to try to carry soooooo much, that they end up not carrying a good selection of anything. My mom owned a fine needle craft store and ALWAYS had the best selection of linen cross stitch fabric, specialty threads and new patterns for example. She retired a few years ago and still has people come up to her and lament the closing of her store.

[Zandra]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! for that lovely email....really cheered me up! Your so sweet and love those heart felt words. I'm keeping everything crossed for you Jim, except my eyes of course, gotta see straight sometimes. Can't wait to see your creations, I know you WILL be a shoe in. You don't need Luck you've got mad TALENT...lol
Hugz, Z

[Theresa kimbrell]

Ahhh I wish I would of known you were in port a!! I live in rockport and I happen to have a small scrap store there :). And I am also a lover of Starbucks fifteen mins away lol!! Congrats on making that top 30 I'm sure your still floating on cloud nine as I am! :). Good luck in the next round although I'm sure you don't need it!!

Theresa

[The Gentleman Crafter]

Hi Theresa!

Do you own Enchantments Scrapbooking and More? If you do, I did try and go by. I went by the old store location and drove around the block about six times trying to find ya on Concho Street. I became real familiar with the police station as I drove past...enough for the officers standing out front to be concerned! Hahaha! I even stopped and went into, I think, a furniture/gift/home accessories shop in the center and asked where Enchantments Scrapbooking might be. They were so kind to direct me to your new location. Unfortunately, I think you had closed for the day. It was late in the day. However, I want to say how cool the exterior of your shop is!!! Too cool! Next time I come through I will stop in for a visit.

Thank you for your kind words! They are much appreciated! Oh, keep wishing all the luck you can on me! Hahaha! All the finalist are so incredibly talented....Im going to need everything I can get! :)

Jim

Sent from my iPad

[The Gentleman Crafter]

Oh my gosh, the original reason for my reply....CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU THERESA!!! Wishing us both luck!

Jim

Sent from my iPad