Boxer Scrapbooks Weblog

Why we're not doing CHA-Winter

CHA is next week, and this is the first year in the past 5 that we will not be exhibiting.  People may speculate that our company is in distress, but it's just not the case.  Several factors contributed to our decision to skip CHA this year, and I'll share them.

1. Many of our customers will not be there.  Due to costs of flying and staying in Anaheim, it's not feasible for many independent retailers to shell out all those expenses, when they could put it into product for their stores.
2. Traffic was way down at the show last year, and is expected to take another significant hit this year.
3. Vicki needed back surgery.  This was the big one, and we needed to do it soon, and the first available surgery date landed just 3 weeks before the show.  (She's doing great in her recovery, too.)
4. Last year at the show, we were approached by a record number of sales people who wanted us to advertise, develop products, and discuss a wide variety of things.  It's irritating to me.  I realize that this is the one time per year their sales managers can get them in one place, and go after a bunch of leads, but we've paid for the booth space, I'm here to see my customers, and you're potentially taking time away from that.  My existing vendors all got an email before the show, saying that while we loved seeing them, our first priority was servicing our customers who came to the show, because without them, we wouldn't be using them as vendors.  It worked, and our existing vendors were very receptive to the idea.  However, it's the ones we weren't using that were the problem.  And to be honest, I think I've only ever used 1 vendor who approached me at a trade show...

Obviously, I have an opinion on the last one, but really, the first three were the decision makers.  We will be in that area for the Costa Mesa Scrapbook Expo, which begins on Feb 13th, out at the Orange County Fairgrounds!

Oh--and yes, we will have new products!  New papers are arriving at the Warehouse this week, new Stamps within the next two weeks, and new ribbons will follow a little further behind!  Yeah!

Happy Scrapbooking!
~~Angie

All is well in Boxerland...

Most people who know about our company, know that we're a mother-daughter team.  I'm the daughter (and only child), and my mom, Vicki is the other partner.  We're inseparable.  We've been through hell and back in the last few years after the sudden death of my father in an auto accident in July 2006.  We've leaned on family and friends, who have been so incredibly patient while we go through all the different and varied stages of the grieving process.

This week, I've dealt with a myriad of emotions.  Mom needed back surgery, and wanted it scheduled during our slowest time of year.  It's no secret that December and January are the "slowest" for us.  That's said with sarcasm, as we're never really slow then, just have more time to do things like develop new lines, count inventory, get snowed in for 14 days, etc.  Her surgery was scheduled for Jan 8th (yesterday).  Everything went as planned, and she's even home now, and resting with Koda and Molly (her puppies).  At home, George has been dealing with a cold that has kept him in bed for the better part of the week, so I was trying to keep him as comfortable as possible as well.

The roller-coaster of my mind was driving me nuts.  I have always been very close to my parents, and my mom and I have only gotten more so since dad's accident.  There is rarely a day when we don't see each other, and even after working all day together, we talk on the phone in the evenings usually several times.  So--when someone that close to you needs back surgery, or any surgery at all, you get a little paranoid.  You start thinking the worst case scenario, letting the "What If" thoughts roll into your mind.  The "worry gene" was passed to me in full force by my mom's side of the family, thank you very much!

But all is good.  She's propped up in her recliner loveseat, with Koda taking up the other chair.  Neither he or Molly are letting her out of their sight today.  They couldn't understand where she was last night, and why she wasn't there to cuddle.  They just had to put up with me instead.

Everything is great, and while she still definately has some recovery time, we've made it over the first major hurdle of the year.
~~Angie

Carly's New Quilt

Carly is the 9 month old daughter of some very good friends of mine.  She was born back in March of 2008, and I haven't got to meet her in person yet.  I get photos of her via email quite often from her mom, and of course the Christmas Card Photo was all about their first baby!  Unfortunately, I even missed the Baby Shower, as I was teaching that day at the Portland CK Scrapbook Convention.

However, included with the baby shower gift I sent to them, I included fabric swatches.  I had found a mini-camouflage print in teal, purple and pink, and it was perfect.  Deana and Chad (Carly's Parents) are avid outdoors lovers, and a lot of things on their registry was pink camo. 

I used Triangles on a Roll to make the pinwheel blocks, and then did a simple white sashing around them.  Yellow is such a warm and happy color, that I used it for the background of the blocks, and the borders.  Then--the best part!  I found a Large Pink Camo FLANNEL fabric, which I used for the back of the quilt.  Now it's super snuggly.  I've had the top done for about 5-6 months, but with my quilt stuck on the quilt frame until the machine was fixed, I couldn't get it completed.  On the frame it went on New years day, two days of stitching in short intervals, and VIOLA!  It's done!

I had fun with this one, playing with some different stitching designs and threads.  Very happy with how it turned out!
(Completed 1/3/09)

~~Angie

Happy New Year!

Been so busy lately, that I haven't had time to blog.  Just crazy times.  We've been spending a lot of time getting caught up on lots of stuff at the office, as my mom/business partner is having back surgery this Thursday.  So, with her out of commission for a few weeks, and me at the hospital with her on Thursday and Friday, we need to be ahead.

I've also been doing some sewing lately.  Finished up a couple tree skirts before Christmas during all the snow-drama.

This one was for my cousin Jena.  Instead of using satin for the ruffle, I used one of the prints that I had enough of.  Jena uses very traditional colors for her Christmas decor, so this was perfect for her.

This one was a new technique I was trying with the same ruler that cuts the skirt above.  This photo does not do the skirt justice, as the quilting made this one.  In the red area, I did a medium stipple all over, straight stitching in the green area, and I did a bunch of free-motion in the black area outlining the individual dots and stars.  You really can only see it very close up, or for sure on the back.  Ruffle was made with the same red fabric from the center, and really makes the skirt pop.  I love the fabric in this as it's whimsical without being cute.

Here is the stocking I made for Kaya, my now 9 week old niece.  Took my first shot at alphabet embroidery, and it was OK.  It definitely could be better, and mom told me how to improve it for the next time.

On New Year's Eve, George and I hosted a poker game and NYE party here at our house.  We had a fun time, with good friends, and it was probably the most fun I've had in a long time playing poker.  At one point, my cousin Jena laughed for about 30 minutes straight.  Good times, lots of laughter.

I'm still working on resolutions, or if I want to make any.  I tend to not stick to them, so maybe setting some goals later in the month will be better for me.

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year!  Best wishes for an awesome 2009!

~~Angie