An Update!

Hi

Well after a few months I am back! A LOT has been happening over the last couple of months. Myself and my husband are in for a sea change of sorts with having just bought a cafe. This process actually started late last year when we signed up for a franchised cafe, however the opening date kept being put back further each month and we got sick of waiting, especially as my husband had left his job. Our business broker knew of another one that was closer to home, not part of a franchise or in a shopping centre, was less hours and less outgoings and most importantly, it was open! We put the offer on in early March and have done a 2 week trial which once we got over our initial fear (it's very busy!) is actually a lot of fun :-) During this time I've also taken part in two craft shows, Picture to Page and Paperific, left my job at Crabtree and Evelyn (sob!) and I've been back to Perth for a visit as my Dad wasn't well (but he's fine now). That was lovely, so relaxing and my favourite hotel, Observation City on Scarborough Beach had some great deals on so decided to treat myself and the kids and we stayed there for the week - this was the view from my hotel room each morning. Perth was still having quite hot weather so we were able to go to the beach or in the hotel pool every day.

On the Stampin' Up! front, the Autumn Winter mini is out - email me if you'd like a copy mailing out to you. There are some great things in it - lots of vintagey stuff. I have made cards etc (honest!) but not photographed them yet. There is also a cute cupcake set and matching 2 step cupcake punch in the same format as the owl and bird. Not sure why they are called 2 step as it's actually got about 10 pieces to it!

Starting this week (today) and for the rest of May, there is also a Deal of the Week. Check http://www.stampinup.com/ each week - or my business website http://www.gailkirby.stampinup.net/ to find out what each deal is.

We have got our annual Stampin' Up! convention in 12 more sleeps - eek! It's in Melbourne this year and myself and some of my downline that are going are staying in the city in an apartment just because it's a lot of fun to do so! Needless to say, that has gone down really well with DH as we will be new in the cafe and it's during the time that the current owners are still with us. Yes I feel slack but do I care??? lol! We are keeping all the existing staff on and have also put a manager on (as we have no idea what we are doing!) so I'm sure I won't be missed. Think I'll be coming down to earth with a thud on the Sunday afternoon though when I'll no doubt be back in there. This year I am getting an award for reaching my milestone of $100,000 in personal sales. I also got a cash bonus for this and am planning on buying something nice in a shop that starts with a T and everything comes in Baja Breeze coloured boxes.....Thank you so much to all my lovely customers, many who have now become dear friends, over the past 5 years for making this possible :-) Five years ago when I joined Stampin' Up! I had no idea where it would lead, I just love stamping and wanted to get my things cheaper! Of course I have amassed a huge collection of stamps and other products now and after spending 1 1/2 hours tonight looking for a stamp set that I wanted to use in my swaps and knew it had been sitting on the table with my other new stamps I was a bit dismayed when I looked up recent orders and found that I actually don't own the set....oh dear! I have had a lot on my plate lately though! In anticipation of starting on my swaps I decided to re-sort all my cardstock into it's proper tubs. I have a great organisation system for my card - and given that I am not the world's most organised person I am very pleased with myself for devising this system back when I first started. I bought the tubs in Officeworks - they are the Crystal File ones that you can put those metal edged hanging files in but I hate the sound they make when they slide together so I just have mine sitting in expandable wallets - this is great as all the scraps can go back in the same wallet. I have the colour families sorted by the same colour folders ie. the Brights are all in yellow folders, Neutrals in orange, Subtles are turquoise, Regals are dark blue and the In Colours are red. All of these fit into 2 tubs. It makes it very easy when choosing colours and is also an easy way of seeing when you are getting low on a particular colour. I rounded up all my floating packs of c/s and have got an excess of a few of them. Good news is that I am down to only 2 packs of Chocolate Chip now *g* And then someone else took an interest in what I was doing.....the quiet gnawing sounds on the side of the tub gave her away! Doesn't look guilty at all does she?!