Think fresh, fun and completely distinctive!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:40:00 +0000

I've MOVED! Check out my new digs!

Hugs,
Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:53:00 +0000

Hi all! I am back from my long w/e and actually found time to play today! I used the diamond pattern of the new digital paper packs from the Spring Collection as my base and the wheelbarrow from Can Ya' Dig It? and the flowers from Punch a Bunch to compose the main image. I used one of the solid circles from Build a Bouquet to make the sun and was originally going to use the sentiment "You are my Sunshine" but it was a bit long so I thought if I placed "Love Grows" in the grass it would have a nice effect! The layout is from Cindy Haffner, who creates a new one each week on our member company forum, and you can check it out here! I also added some Petaloo Foam Flowers, which I am completely in LOVE with! I have a few listed on the site, and my web master will add the rest as he has time. I colored in the images using Prismacolor pencils and my *new* pink frosted glass container I got from Gina K. I {heart} it!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:22:00 +0000

Want some CANDY?? Want some candy from CANDY??? Candy, one of our fabulous dt members, is throwing out a little love today! Punny Farm love actually, so it's not so little! Go chek it out and leave a comment for a chance to win!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:44:00 +0000

Hi all!!! I am finally taking a moment to post a card and the winner of the TOP TEN challenge! the WINNER IS.........Melody (lacyquilter)!!!!! WOOT!!! And the Top Ten list, for all who are curious, is:
Rain or Shine
How Sweet It Is
Essential Sentiments
Baby It's Cold Outside
Hot Stuff
By the Seashore
Punny Farm
Think Pink
Meet me at the Cafe
Boho Blossoms

Anyone surprised??? I am, but not by the top ten, but by number 11, which is Serenity Now! Too funny!

Tonight the two new sets are released on SCS, so pop by if you have chance! The sets are Can Ya Dig It? and Happy Mother's Day, both of which are on sale tonight at 10:30pm EST.

There are two typos in Can Ya Dig It, so separate, corrected stamps will be sent to all who order in a week or so once I have the fix sheets in...this set was completed in late Jan as I was frantic with CHA stuff so apparently my eagle eye was pooped...sigh...that's what I'm telling myself anyway! But, it's resolved and all is well in the world for now.

I used the Behind the Scenes set to create the stripes on the ribbon on the card above...this set will be on sale this month as we are using it for something special! Check it out!

Hope you guys enjoy the new sets!

Happy Stamping!
Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:11:00 +0000

I am leaving Wednesday to attend a Rep Show in MA, and since things will be nuts between now and when I return (at this point, it never stops being nuts!) I decided it would be fun to host a little contest! The contest is...The MFT Top Ten! Can YOU list the Top Ten sets in order???? The list is a little surprising actually, so you'll need to put on your thinking caps!

So what's in it for you??? Well, how about both of the new releases for April AND one of the new Ranger inkssentials white gel pens everyone is raving about AND a Copic Spica clear glitter pen!!! Nice stuff, huh?!

Here's how it will work: I've set up a special email account for contests, so you will email your list to contest@mftstamps.com. Leave a comment below to let me know you've entered. Random.org will pick a number and if your email listing the Top Ten is correct, YOU WIN! If not, I will keep selecting numbers until I find a winner.

I will check back on April 2nd and select a winner that morning. Our release party will be held in our forum on SCS that evening, so you'll know ahead of time if you've won.

Happy playing!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:32:00 +0000

One last thing...on the very spur of the moment I decided to offer a little *PROMO*...click here for deets!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:25:00 +0000

Hi all! We are sadly back from our spa weekend and had such a wonderful time, we've decided to take some alone time more often! The first card I made following the color challenge on SCS this week hosted by none other than our own Carole Burrage. I HAD to play along, didn't I? It's very straight forward, and I seem to be grabbing Punch a Bunch quite a bit lately since it's the perfect set for *cards in a crunch*...please tell me I'm not the only one in sheer panic trying to finish a card 30 mins before the party starts!!! Right now I only have time for sweet and simple, and the punch sets work so well for that type of card that it's all I've been grabbing! I don't have the SU colors called for, but subbed Memory Box papers that most resembled Orchid Opulance and Sage Shadow and then used Kraft to stamp my main image on using Versamagic and SU White Craft ink. I think that is still my go-to white since I've not found aything else that is quite as opaque. The little trio of cards below I am using during the sample making frenzy next week in MA. This is an event where store owners come to get a hands on look at products offered by the various rep companies and also an opportunity to take classes from the company owners and best learn how to market their products, cool huh? The projects I will be teaching the class on were created by Jen Del Muro and Lauren Meader, both of which were gracious enough to let me create a class based on the projects, and I can't show them to you just yet since they were picked up for publication! Soon though, I hope! The little sample cards were also created using P-a-B. I wanted to create a few different styles just to launch the creativity and then let the store owners take it from there! Hope you will all join us on the 20th for Celebrating MFT day on our SCS forum, it's a way to see the amazing work done with all the new sets each month, hosted by our own Jen Del Muro! And lastly...Carole Burrage and Michelle Giraud are cooking up a very cool newsletter that will go out very soon to all those subscribed on the site! BOLO...

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:35:00 +0000

This is my before/after design assignment for Julie's class. The goal was to take a previously made card and re-do it using some of what we've learned to this point. I falied miserably! I SHOULD have stuck with the original design completely and added to that design what it needed instead of declaring a card making mulligan and going completely off course...ah, but such is life...and card making! It's not that I don't like card 2, I just wish I'd stuck more to the original design to see where I could have jazzed it up. But, it is what it is and I don't have timme to re-do it since the hunny and I are off for our first ever w/e away since the youngest was born at the SPA! SERENITY NOW for both of us! I can't wait to tell you all about it, but until Monday morning, I won't be available. Should you need anything, you can email Jen@mftstamps.com or Cammie@mftstamps.com, but I doubt there will be any stamping emergencies. All orders that could be processed have been shipped through this morning and the rest will go out Mon afternoon.

Hugs and a relaxing weekend to all!

Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:21:00 +0000

I made this for our neighbors sons first birthday this w/e! How fun! He is SOOOOO cute...kinda makes me want another...SPEW! I am taking Julie Ebersole's Simply Great Card Design course (why aren't you?) and the assignments are really great at helping me hone in on what I'm trying to accomplish with the cards I make. I am one of those simple designers...making an amazing, layered, complex piece of art is just way above me so I am thinking I am going to stop trying to force myself into a style that does not feel right as much as I might want it to be. Familiar to anyone or am I completely alone in this *quest*?? Anyway, this is meant for a one year old birthday for a tiny boy, so I thought a mix of primary and pastel colors might make sense. I cuttlebugged the dino skin using the reptilian folder (don't know what it's really called...) so add texture to an otherwise flat card and also to add a punch of color in the midst of all the pastels. I am especially liking the gingham ribbon and little cupcake! Now that the big rush of CHA is winding down, I am intent on finding a few minutes to create at least once or twice a week. It stinks to have so much cool stuff and no time to play with it...hmmpf.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:49:00 +0000

#2 Donna Baker....come on down! You win the Ride 'Em Cowgirl set!!!! Please email me your addy and I will get it right out!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:26:00 +0000

I finally scored a few minutes to make a card...I think Cindy would've killed me if I hadn't! Just kidding! Each week she creates a new sketch for the forum and each week it grows a larger following, so nice to see her rewarded for her efforts! I made this using the new Punch a Bunch set out on Wed night HERE! The set has a frame for both the purple and pink punches, and two sets of stems and flowers, both small and large so you have some flexibility. It also has four curved sentiments that can be positioned to fit either within the purple oval, within the pink oval OR outside the pink oval depending on the look you are wanting to create. You can stamp a sentiment on both the top and bottom of the large purple oval like I did in the above card, or just one or the other! Then you can choose the small or large stem/leaves combo and finally choose between open or solid flower heads. I made an interesting discovery (to me anyway) when creating this card today...I stamped and embossed the flower heads first and then stamped the stems. By doing that, I found I could remove the excess ink from the stems that were on top of the flower heads! Cool huh? The ultimate in flexibility AND the ultimate in 10 minute cards! You can check out some of the other MFTeasers the DT girls have created by clicking HERE. I hope to see all of you Wed night, we always have a great time and eveyone is welcome! I also want to give a shout out to this months Guest Designers...such fabulous talent!!!!! Happy stamping!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:54:00 +0000

Hi all! I am taking a super quick break to post a pic of the Innovations Display we used for CHA featuring two kick-butt rojects by Sherrie Siemens and Pam Bassett. This photo was taken right before we loaded it into the display, (thank GOD Sherrie is tall, it was supposed to go on the top shelf and I, at under 5'3", wasn't going to cut it!) since they didn't allow pictures of the items once in the display. This was pretty much the only pic I took at CHA because I am the dork that travels with a package of batteries and her camera and never remembers to pull it out and use it! When Sherrie stepped inside the big glass case to officially *place* our display inside, I was overcome with emotion. Thank goodness my peeps were there to help me keep it together! This year has been such a wonderful journey for me and it's at times like these that I realize just how much has happened in that year. In that moment, I was so completely proud of the year MFT had and proud to be sharing it with people I've grown to know and love! My only regret is that my Mom was not there in her physical form to see it. I know she was there is Spirit, heck I'd be willing to bet she's done a lot of orchestration this past year! Having lost so much of my family the past couple of years, I find myself longing for them to share this with me. Add to that the immense gratitude and satisfaction I feel and you've got a serious recipe for tears! Since I will still be AWOL for a bit packing and shipping all these CHA orders I thought I would again offer some blog candy to tide everyone over until I have time to actually make something! Oh how I miss stamping!!!!!! (woe is me, right?) Anyhow....what about we head to the Wild West for a Ride 'Em Cowgirl set! I will pick a winner on March 5th, the day of the release party! Make sure to number your posts and add your email addy!!!!!!
Hugs to all,
Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Barb G.....come on down!!!! Here is the winning post, "Barb g said...
Wow, Kim...this is a fabulous prize package...thanks so much. I have placed orders with at least 4 companies on your list just last week...and, I'm looking forward to purchasing your newest designs very soon! Thanks so much and have a fun and fabulous time at CHA! Barb g". Barb is the winner of a $50 shopping spree to either MFT OR any of the companies listed below! Barb, email me your proof of purchase and your paypal account info and I will get you paid ASAP! HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

CHA was an amazing experience, better than I could've dreamed it to be! Suffice it to say there are BIG, GINORMOUS things in store for MFT and lots we will be working on developing and producing as quickly as possible! I can't wait to share all the good news, but you'll have to slightly patient...it will be worth the wait though, I promise!

I will be back in a couple to post a project and talk about all the INCREDIBLE friends I made, but for now...toodles!
Hugs,
Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Hi all! Tonight is the February New Release party on SCS starting at 9pm EST, hope you can join us! I am sure there will be some surprises and much fun! I am flying out super early Friday morning to attend the CHA Show in Anaheim CA and will be gone a week so will not be posting. My laptop is staying home so hubby can continue to process orders and ship everything in a timely fashion. I will receive email via iPhone, but will not be able to respond in my normal 12 second turnaround time, so bear with me! I am so excited to meet everyone that have become my virtual friends over the last year, I hope I can maintain my composure and not appear too dorky! Anyhow, to celebrate the break in posting, I thought I'd offer some goodies while I'm gone! How about a $50 shopping spree?? Sound good? Better yet, how about a shopping spree from either MFT OR one of the fabulous companies listed below that through this business I have come to know and LOVE?!!! The winner will be selected on Feb 15th as soon as I return and then will be sent $50 via PayPal upon proof of purchase from any of the companies listed below! Check em all out to make sure you don't miss any wonderful new places, and next week your shopping cart could be paid by me! Be sure to list your post number and email!
*The Cat's Pajamas
*American Art Stamp
*Papertrey Ink
*Gina K. Designs
*Lizzie Anne Designs
*Stamping Bella
*Ellen Hutson LLC
*Eclectic Paperie
*All That Scraps
*Paper Pretties
*Or I'd even be willing to reimburse a two-year membership to Splitcoast Stampers!
These are in no particular order, just randomly listed as they arise in my snot filled head! Yes, in addition to running like mad I've caught a cold. Surely from Carole Burrage or even maybe Alma. Soon enough I'll repay them...HA!
Happy shopping!
Kim

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:30:00 +0000

#106 Come on down! Chrystal said...
"106 We definitely need twisted sentiments :) I can't wait!" and she's the winner of the new Twisted Sentiments set that will be released tomorrow night! Chrystal, email me with your name and address and I will get it on its way!!!!!
Tomorrow night is the release party for the February sets and I hope you'll join us here! The party begins at 9pm EST and the sets go live at 10:30pm EST. I will be posting where you find the Twisted set since it is in a separate location and of course MUCH fun and frolic will be had by all! It has come to my attention that Carole has a *special* card she'll be sharing made just for the party and it's a doozy, I promise! You won't want to miss it! Thanks to all who played along to win the new set, I think I underestimated how many of you share my sense of humor!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:14:00 +0000

News on Twisted Sentiments: I was very trepidacious about this set since it is not my intention to offend anyone and I am the farthest thing from a rule breaker you'll ever come across! But...given that I really found it funny as did the DT contributors, I decided to take a risk and test the waters to gauge its reception. The positive response to this set, both on SCS and here on my blog, has really surprised me! I would have never imagined there were so many of you who were longing for the same thing we were...sassy, risque, adult sayings!

So, this will be released on Wed night with the other sets! It will be on the main site, in a bit of a different location since we don't want people *bumping* into it unintentionally but I will fill you in on the location during the release party on Feb 6th from 9-11pm EST on SCS MFT member company forum!

I will be back to post one more sample and announce the winner of the blog candy two posts down on Feb 5th!

Thanks to all my Twisted Sisters!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:43:00 +0000

OK...I HAD to add a couple of super simple cards made with Twisted Sentiments just for kicks! The first is created in a style I equate with Sweet Miss Daisy. She made some cards using this template while designing for MFT so I credit her with the idea and find myself using it frequently. I love it! So, for card #1, I combined the wine and glass images from Time for the Bubbly with a couple of the sentiments from Twisted Sentiments together to form this *equation*! I know, it's wrong, but it totally cracks me up! In the second card I used another sentiment from the set but used it in a not-so-twisted way. Who doesn't want bags and packages of stamps???!?!! Who...tell me??? So, this is what my fantasy looks like...oodles of packages from my favorite places....hang on, gotta wipe the drool off my chin. BTW - I have not checked with any of these stamp company owners, so they have not given me their blessing or, heck, even their permission to mention them so don't tell! SSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH! Why is MFT up front you ask? Well, I am biased, but they really are my favorite things!
And...I gotta let you know...YOU WIN! I am releasing Twisted Sentiments, it will have it's own link and will be released sometime between now and Saturday, as soon as my handy dandy web Master has the time. We will be doing things a bit differently with the set, you will purchase it separately and the price will include first class shipping. There isn't a way to add this particular set to your cart and have it transfer to the main website, so we are keeping it simple and treating them as two different and complete entities. The deets will be posted right above the set, so take time to read it before you purchase! I will let you know the SECOND these babies go live and will still announce the BLOG CANDY winner on the 5th as listed below. I am happy and surprised and amazed and delighted to know that I am not the only one with a TWISTED sense of humor! You guys are the best!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:28:00 +0000

This is one of those cards that the camera doesn't do justice. It is sparkly and textured and so much of the detail is lost when the camera lens shuts. WHY? WHY? I promised I would see how Tombows worked with other papers, so for this card I used the SU watercolor sheets. They worked just fine! I did not use a brush this time though, I used the Tombow blender which worked REALLY well! I will keep experimenting and fill you in on my *findings*. You might notice there is a sentiment on this card that is a bit *unusual*. With the help of my talented DT members, who have chosen to remain anonymous, we have developed a set of Twisted Sentiments. Certainly not profane, but off color adult humor and sometimes risque to say the least. How do you feel about that? I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions here. I am taking a poll to see when, if and how this set will ever be released. I think there's lots of room for things more adult and humorous, even in a twisted and slightly wrong way, but like my friend Carole says, I am not to be trusted in matters of good judgment or taste! IF it is released on the site, it will be in a special area, in its own category. If it isn't released under the company...well....there's always ebay! Now, how about a little fun? Enter a comment to WIN your own set of unreleased Twisted Sentiments! I will pick a winner on Feb 5th! Please make sure you number your post AND leave an email addy! Happy playing!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Here is my completed card using the foiling and flocking kits we carry in the store under Limited Editions. I used the girl set since I am making a birthday card for a party we will be attending next Sunday. Below this post, I have shown how the whole kits works, but blogspot apparently limits me to 5 pics per post so the finished card had to come afterward! These kits are pretty cool and very easy to use. Very easy way to embellish a card for sure! I took this pic in my STUDIO IN A BOX I received today from my friend Alma! It is SOOOOOOOO easy to use and small enough to fit under my desk so I can leave it set up all the time! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 19:43:00 +0000

Picture 1 shows the kit when open. For this card I am using the Girl Collection. Pic 2 shows an image, cut away from the image sheet and I am removing the backing getting ready to place it on my card front. Picture 3 is taken AFTER I've used my stick to rub the image tape onto my card front and I am peeling away the blank acetate. Pic 4 is of me putting the orange flocking onto the card, fuzzy side down and then using my stick to rub the flocking onto the glue already there. Picture 5 is of me lifting the flocking away AFTER I've used my stick to rub it onto the glues areas and I am removing the extra. See how easy that was!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:22:00 +0000

Hi all! I made this card for two special girls, just to let them know they are in my thoughts. I stamped the open heart from Boho Blossoms onto Marl watercolor paper and used Tombows to color them in. A few people have mentioned wanting a coloring tutorial with these, and I will tell you how I am learning to work with these. I have bought a few tutorial books that I thought I would share and then you can learn with me! The first two are by Krista Schneider, from Sunshine Designs. She has two watercolor books, both of which I have, and both are excellent. I think she is the Tombow Goddess for sure! The downside is she is in Canada and so this might not be the best for the budget conscious. The third and most affordable tutorial is from KT Deisgns and this is also the only online source I know to purchase the Marl (I think they use a different paper now but still call it Marl) paper that works so well with the Tombow markers. That's the only sticking point for me, that I have to have special paper to use them. Now, having said that, I have not tried them on any paper other than a really cheap watercolor paper, so maybe I should experiment a little before I make that claim! Anyway, KT Designs offers a tutorial packet that is $5.00 and you can order your paper from the same place. So if you are looking for a good overview, I would recommend this route. If you are like me and need to get your hands on everything there is to know, then get both! I certainly won't judge you! I am going to make some time this w/e to play around and take pictures of the new flocking/foiling kits we are carrying in the store so you will have a good idea of just how cool they really are. Wish me luck!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:41:00 +0000

I created this for both the MFTSC14 and MFT Day challenges on our Member Company Forum on SCS. I had to kind of cheat and combine the two and was nice and early (well...on time really) for one and way behind on the other. I stamped the main image on watercolor paper and used Tombows to color it in. I printed out a peice of digi paper from the Holliday Collection in Olive to use as the background paper and created a ribbon from some velvet cardstock I had lying around. The flower was made using a flocking & foiling kit which will be up on the site sometime this week, I will give more deets and a better explanation later this week. I added some stitching from It's Elemental and Setting the Stage and behold, a card was born!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:20:00 +0000

I promised there was a new sheriff in town and here he is! My friend Alma, the Cat's Pajamas Lady, is releasing some new stuff tomorrow and for one glorious moment I pretended to be on her design team! (She does not know this and has not given her permission in any way so please don't tell her, I am happier in my fantasy...) Every release I marvel at the incredible work my DT Members do and thought how fun it would be just to pretend to be one of them! The grass is always greener you know... Alma sent me the sets to play with and of course I fell in love since I find their style to be infectious, just pure fun, ykwim? Unfortunately, my pic of this card does not do it justice, it is quite fabulous IRL if I do say so myself! The problem is, I don't have a studio box (another strong hint). I do have a big tent contraption that is too big for my space to set up permanently and too cumbersome (it really doesn't take much to overwhelm me) to set up each time I want a photo. So...you'll have to take my word for it! I created this card for the weekly MFT Sketch Challenge and as soon as I saw the sketch with the little star I KNEW this set would be perfect! To create Sheriff Poochies new digs, I stamped him, masked him and stamped behind him with the town stamp. Given that I am a dork and didn't reach the extra 6 inches to grab my Eclipse tape, I made his mask by using cardstock and there was quite a bit of the town that I had to draw back in to make this look right. Nice work as usual. I took great care coloring his scene, I don't think I've ever spent more time coloring anything! But since it's my *DT audition* I suppose it was well spent! So in case Alma does happen upon this...I hear you might have a spare studio box?????

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:13:00 +0000

Hi all! This is a picture of our 2007 Christmas card using Happy Occasions and the Holiday Collection of digital paper. I printed the paper on a textured cardstock at 25% lighter and since it's hard to tell in the pic, the paper says Just Chillin and there are little snowmen on it. I stamped my "Happy" on white cardstock in Versamagic Pink Petunia ink and punched it out with my largest (purple) scalloped square punch, then stamped the frame in Vivid Brown ink and punched it out with the pink scalloped square punch. I stamped the tree in Versamagic Green Tea and punched it out with the blue punch and added a little star bling on top! Tie a ribbon around the card front and viola...simple, quick and cute! Now the sad part of the story is that I didn't not have time to make dozens of these and send them all out, (why is it that I can take an hour to make a card but not ten minutes to mail it???) so I took a picture of it and emailed it to everyone...sad but true! Nice. Well...isn't it the thought that counts? Some of the DT girls made some cute projects with this set, Cammie, Mary Jo and Carole, so check 'em out! Have a great Wednesday!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Good morning all! Meet Sophia...she is one of the new images from Paper Pretties that was released last night! Christie Ortman is the owner of Paper Pretties and we have been working together for almost a year now. During that time we have become friends and even though our business relationship will soon be ending, our friendship will remain. When Christie first told me she was developing her own lines of stamps I was happy for her but also a bit bummed...I can admit that right? I would be losing a good wholesale account and there would be another stamp company in the world and since I knew Christie had good taste I knew they would be cute! Christie was also privy to my unreleased artwork, things that were in production and I valued her opinion and was concerned that I would be losing a good sounding board as well. But luckily for me, my good friend Alma, the Cat's Pajamas Lady, has a wonderful outlook on things like this and after hearing it, it made so much sense that I've adopted it as my own! Her outlook is that every stamp company that finds a market and is supported in this industry financially is good for everyone else. It draws new people into the marketplace, people that will at some point branch out and explore other styles and companies. Since the core of me is basically a "there's enough for everyone" kinda gal, it was easy for me to see the value in that logic and to rapidly transition into what I hoped would be a mentor to Christie like Alma, Robert, Karen Lockhart, Gina K, Em, the Lizzie Anne gals and Julie Ebersole have been to me. This road would have been much rougher and no where near as fun and amazing as it has been without them! Each one has been free with advice and guidance whenever I have asked and often just when they sensed I needed it. That's the beauty of all of this, in a world where there is so much competitiveness that these fellow company owners, who in the strictest sense of the word are my competitors, have offered me a leg up instead of a shove down. I will always value and treasure these experiences and hope to do the same for others. I know of people in this industry that have gone about building their companies in a fashion that is far less than in integrity and in the process have cut themselves off from the very support that has been so pivotal to my success. They will never know the joy I feel by being supported by fellow companies and for that I feel very sad for their loss. So, enough of of my philosophical banter...go check out some stamps! And I *believe* sometime around the 19th of January, there's gonna be a new sheriff in town over at TCP...stay tuned!