GETTING EXCITED...!

It's getting close to the time of the NCA GIRLFRIENDS IN PARIS crop! If you have not signed up yet to go to this crop, get crackin' and click the link to the right and get registered! You can also find info at both Hobby Lobby stores. You won't want to miss the biggest megacrop in the Springfield area. Your entry fee goes to helping the school fund their new projects and it is tax deductible! There are several new vendors this year, me for one as Conquest Keepsakes, my friend Lori McCroskey and her Clear Dollar Stamps (clear acrylic stamps, affordable and awesome), and the Boutique store stocked full of goodies from your local Hobby Lobby. I never thought I could ever possibly say these words, but here they are, I am sick of shopping! I've set world records in Hobby Lobby. The cashiers have started writing my time in and time out on pieces of paper and David, the North Side store manager told me last week that pay days are on Fridays! Obviously, my accountant hubby has long since expired from sticker shock. He's getting the double-whammy as I am also purchasing product for my booth as well and for fall/holiday classes. I am SO absolutely excited about classes this fall and they will be on display at the crop. You can sign up early, and if you pay the day you sign up, we have a free gift for you! As usual, classes will be held at both Hobby Lobby's, another south side location I am working on right now so we can do evening classes, and an additional north side location we can use for evening classes. So much to tell you, so little time, so come and get the dirt at the crop.

Just so you know, the Boutique store has been working closely with the other vendors so that we don't duplicate product. So, you won't see a mini Hobby Lobby, but we will have a lot of embellishments: flowers, brads, buttons, stickers, Cuttlebug embossing folders, Bazzill cardstock, papers, paper pads, tools, chipboard, tins, storage, adhesives and other products.

To tell you a little more about the Conquest Keepsakes booth, we will be having Make-It-Take-Its throughout the event, we'll have a fish bowl to put your name in for free drawings, and I'll be selling kits to past classes and new kits too. I'll also be carrying some unique products, such as the Princess Mirah line of Batikit fabric "papers" that are adhesive and beautiful and can be used so many ways! We have a Make-It-Take-It using this product and a gift box kit that uses this product. This product can be used with a Cricut and any die cutting machine. You will love it! I'll also have a selection of the Daisey D Autumn papers, and a stunning set of papers from Creative Imaginations that are based on the hot new trend of tattoo art type papers and rubon's. These papers are great for teenagers, girls and boys, and lend themselves to extreme sports pages—they are just awesome. I've been doing some test marketing with them among teenagers and other scrapper friends and the response has been "Can I buy some now?" These papers were featured in the October PaperCrafts magazine where they discuss the new trend towards tattoo art with a flourish. Obviously there will be a paper purse on display with these papers! ;-) I am also featuring the Tonic Guillotine 12" paper cutter. What makes this cutter special? It cuts straight, and it cuts CHIPBOARD! I'll be demoing it and the Cuttlebug at our booth, as well as some other nifty tools you didn't know you couldn't live without! I'll also be carrying raw chipboard for sale in 12 x 12 packs.

You won't want to miss our Make-It-Take-Its, they are going to be extra special and a lot of fun. Some will feature stamps from Clear Dollar Stamps, so when you are done, just step over one booth to see Lori and purchase a set for yourself!

I'll have my computer gear there, and I'll be announcing specific feature demos of Photoshop 5 throughout the day. I'll also have my PictureMate Deluxe and Canon XTi digital camera in case you want a picture of yourself and friends to scrap while you are there! Cost per picture is 25 cents! We are also planning a Photoshop Elements 5 retreat, so if you are interested, let me know. Drop me an email at vickiconquest@fixthatpicture.com or give me a call at 417.350.4569. We don't have a date set yet as we would like to gauge interest first, but probably after the first of the year.

This is going to be an Ahh-mazing fall and winter season! Don't miss out!