What a week this has been.
On Thursday, I had a first. After thousands of boxes being delivered to my house over the past 6 1/2 years, I had some taken off my porch. In them was well over $1000 worth of product for an event I am teaching in Las Vegas in 2 weeks. it kinda flattened me for bit.
I do want to shout out a massive thank you to all of you who have given me support and love about this. Thank you to those who have gone in and made additional purchases i my shop to help out. Even bigger thanks to those who have gifted me financial support. I don’t ask for help and have a hard time accepting it when given. But i do thank you.
As many know, I have been struggling for months to get caught up from a hole I found myself in late last year. Trying to keep things moving forward while also trying to catch up older projects has been difficult. Many of you have heard my apologies, my listings of what is behind and when projects are suppose to be coming so often that I am sure I must sound like a broken record. Some have gotten frustrated and left, but most of you have been understanding and patient. You have NO idea how much that means to me.
I am a fighter. I don’t give up. I keep swimming. I have often wanted to just throw in the towel….but I can’t. It is not in me. Not only have I struggled to catch up but I have also greatly reduced the amount of new stuff going up. It has been like taking an 80% pay cut and that has been difficult. The loss of this huge order has been a huge hit on me emotionally and financially, thus the great appreciation for those who have reached out with love and support. This has knocked me over but it will not knock me down. It makes me sad that such beautiful paper most likely got dumped somewhere once the thieves realized what they stole.
My Friday show was moved to Saturday morning prior to this incident. I had planned to complete the Turn the Page album pages for the first quarter of 2016 and use those on an album to embellish on the show. On Friday I was having a hard time concentrating and was also scrambling to figure out how to replace all that product so, I wasn’t able to complete the written tutorials as planned. Instead I pulled out a project idea from my sketch book that was fast and easy.
Last year, I started using an album binding that I have named “T-Square” binding. As many of you who watch my Ustream shows, I have been using it A LOT lately. It is extremely versatile as it can be used to attach sleeve based pages, it can go to the outside of pages, it can create pockets or tabs as well as the binding, and in fact, it can be extended into pages themselves.
I had an idea scribbled down to modify this binding to be an integrated part of paper bag or envelope pages. I took an hour or so on Friday and worked out the details. Sometimes ideas and inspiration just can’t be set aside and ignored, even when there are a zillion other things that SHOULD be done first. Those who got frustrated and left are the ones that just don’t understand this and I get that. I try not to put a creative filter on my brain. Unfortunately that can get in the way of deadlines, priority sequencing of projects and life in general! It is both a blessing and a curse!
Anyway, I ended up doing the Saturday show on this paper bag/envelope album. It was a menagerie of bags, pouches and envelopes….my roots in paper crafting and mini albums. I was at first calling it the Menagerie album but later decided to call it the T Square Paper Bag and Envelope album to avoid confusion…but probably created more confusion with the rename! regardless, the video is in the Archives under T Square Paper Bag and Envelope album. there is no written tutorial and I am making this a free video to anyone to make your own. I will try to do a Youtube video soon for those who have difficulties watching videos here on my website. It is a fun and easy album to make.
I put up a handful of kits for the Saturday project but they flew out the door quickly. Thank you for that! I will put up a few more of a different collection of papers today as well packs of bags and envelopes in the shop. This is with product I have on hand, so supply is limited and they will be ready to ship out Monday/Tuesday. Sales of the kits is really helping me financially to replace the product stolen.
Today I want to create some card stock pocket pages using this method as well and then it is back to work completing tutorials, samples, and packing kits…the list never seems to end!!
Laura
I think you have no idea just how much what you do and the integrity in the way you do it is what means more to me than anything else. I can live with the delay as long as I have communication and you have been up front and communicating every step of the way. I will continue to buy from you, support you, sing your praises to my crafty friends, and enjoy your classes and projects. You give me hope that there are people out with pride in their beliefs, the ability to stand tall in the face of adversity, and still give outstanding customer service. You really are the best.
Oh, and I will stalk your site for those new kits since I missed the last one.
Laura, I did not know about the theft of your products. I can only tell you that I know how you feel. In 2007 my husband and I woke up to find that our work van had been robbed during the night. We had a business that installed, sanded and refinished hardwood floors. All our machines, sand paper and finishing products as well as tools were stolen from the van sitting out in front of our house on a cul de sac where we lived. You can’t sand floors without machines and thank goodness we had some back up machines and supplies but that did not distract from the fact that we were out $19,000 worth of stuff. The insurance paid us some back but not nearly enough to make up for all that was taken. But we pushed on and did not let it stop us. Giving in would be telling the thieves that they had won and I wasn’t letting that happen. We worked hard and long for all that we had. Some people think that those of us who own our own business have tons of money just laying around. Well as you know we don’t and we work hard for what we do have. We ran our business the legal way and never took advantage of our customers but isn’t that what you are supposed to do? We had our business for 32 years and in 2011 I closed the business because my husband died from cancer. I was too overcome with grief to go on with day to day business that we had shared for so long. I still have customers that will call me from past jobs we did and ask if my husband can sand their new floors. Sadly I tell them he is gone and the business is closed. I try to refer them to someone I knew that did good honest work but that too is now no more because it is hard to find honest good people to work in your house when you are not there. My husband took pride in making ugly floors look like silk purses and he was always rewarded with praises from our customers. So I know how you feel and if I had “money” laying around I would give you back your products with no strings attached. That’s just what kind of a person I am and my husband was even better! As you can see I do miss him still so much. I will be a customer of yours always or until I leave to be with him so keep up the great work and it will come back around to you in such good ways. My best to you and your family.
Always,
Melba Johnson
The T Square Paper Bag and Envelope album is absolutely Fabdabadozee, my grandaughter was off school ill, so I had her watch the video, when I got back from shopping she was already in the middle of making one, she is 10 years old , so I guess no pattern is needed .Thanks for the great idea, I hope life gets better and better for you x
By the way she was not on her own, her Bampi was with her, thought I had better state that before the child authorities arrive