Scrapfest was a success!

This is the first time I have ever done Scrapfest and what a success it was. I have done other trade shows before, but never specific to scrapbooking and it was great to meet so many women who were as passionate about scrapbooking as I was. At first I was a little concerned about doing a show with so many of my indirect competitors, but because we're different than the brick and mortar stores and the online stores, we reach a different market.

I wanted to first start by chatting about my team, Rhonda Duncan, Carrie Zahorodney and Terrie Moxam. What a fabulous team! We had such a great time together and had so much fun, that the 2.5 days flew by. At times, I thought I was forgetting something and my team was right behind me remembering and using their own initiative to get things done. I couldn't have done it without such great girls right beside me helping to get things done and spread the word about our company. I'm so grateful for them and I know our customers were loving them too. I want to thank them again from the bottom of my heart for being so awesome! Thx Rhonda, Carrie and Terrie. I look forward to working together very very soon! You three are the best!

I also want to thank Deb & Lisa from Scrapfest for putting on such an excellent show. They have done an awesome job turning the show around and making it a great success. I know next year will be even bigger and better. I thought the mini-album workshop was great. We were a little confused though, we had 200 kits and only 120 people had tickets and we ran out of stuff. We felt bad for the few who didn't get kits, but we gave them some of our own stuff to help them with their project. If you took the workshop, but didn't get a kit, let me know and we'll see what we can do.

I also want to thank Cdn Scrapbooker (Jackie & Katharina) and Mylene English (the writer) for doing such an awesome job on the article about us this fall. What a great article and we've been getting so many calls and requests for franchise info. Our goal is to start up a Calgary franchise right away because we are going to be at the Creative Stitches show at the end of Sept in Calgary. We're going to have tons of leads for a potential franchisee, so we're looking to get that franchise going asap.

I also want to thank all the gals who took my "Best Buds" lacing board class. I had a great time teaching them and my assistants Monica and Joanne were awesome! Because we had such a small class I was able to give everyone an extra kit plus I sold the extra supplies at a great discount and donated the cash to the Breast Cancer Foundation. We were able to donate $60 to them. We're helping Rhonda to raise $3000 so she has to shave her head at the Hair Massacre on Valentine's Day.

Anyways, that's all for now, I hope everyone else had as much fun as we did at Scrapfest and I'm looking forward to seeing my new friends again. Thx to everyone for helping us.

Oh, I forgot to mention my trip to Red Deer on Fri night. Our Bind-it-All machine was such a success that I phoned my supplier in Calgary and asked if they had more and they had just rec'd a huge shipment in so I asked if I could bring in 20 of them. They were so awesome to put them aside for me and I had my friend pick them up and we met in Red Deer on Fri night so that I could get them. (Greyhound couldn't guarantee that we'd have them in time) My husband thought I was nuts and doing everything he could to convince me not to go. I told him I just had to get them for my customers. I got home at 1:30 am and had lots of Bind-it-All machines for everyone who wanted them. I couldn't believe the hugs I got from a lady in Drumheller. She was so excited that I was going to get more bind-it-alls and bags for her. What a sweetheart! What a feeling it was for me to see how happy she was. And I also want to thank Janeen my Marketing and Franchise Director for taking time out of her day to go all across Calgary to get the order and then drive all the way to Red Deer just for me. Thx Janeen! You're awesome.