A celebration and a cancellation

To start with the good news.... just to announce that I am expecting my third baby! I am currently 14+ weeks pregnant and have an estimated delivery date of early June next year. This is a bit bittersweet for me as this will be my last pregnancy and I have to say that whilst my kids drive me nuts some days and I find myself tearing my hair out due to their behaviour, I really enjoy them. Plus, I really enjoy being pregnant. Although, this time round, I am struggling a bit (already) and I can appreciate why women do not have babies too much into their 40's (I will be 40 at the end of Feb). However, that may be because I have other toddlers around and life is just so much more demanding anyway??????

I have, however, been experiencing some issues surrounding the pregnancy including an emergency scan late last week for suspected ruptured membranes. My fertility history of carrying pregnancies is not flash, so we were all very concerned for a bit. However, everything is fine, but I am battling an infection bought on by some drugs I am using to sustain pregnancy.

As such, I am suffering a bit health-wise and - here comes the not so good news - I have not been able to prepare adequately for the mini catalogue launch this coming Saturday. As such, I am regretfully going to have to cancel the afternoon session. I feel so very bad about doing that, but I don't want to put on a half baked show for you all (you deserve better than that) and I also don't want to push my luck health-wise by most likely having to stay up to all hours over the next few nights to get things finished.

But, I am going to offer you all compensation!

Instead of a 'real life' launch, I am going to host a 'virtual' launch. By this, I mean that I will load a new project onto this website every couple of days for the rest of the month of December using the new products in the summer mini catalogue. There are some absolutely beautiful items in there that I am sure will take your fancy.

PLUS, I am also going to personally offer a 10% DISCOUNT* on any orders that contain items from the mini catalogue between now and Christmas Eve.

All of my current customers will be receiving their own copy of the mini catalogue in the mail from Monday, but for the meantime you can view the catty online by clicking on the picture at the top right of my website.

If you are not a current customer of mine - or your catty does not arrive by end of next week - please email me and I will arrange to get you out one.

So there you have it. Some good news, and regretfully, some not so good news. I again, sincerely apologise to anyone that I may have put out by cancelling the mini catalogue launch. If you live in Colac and districts and would like to see any of the products in real life, please contact me and we can arrange a time for me to bring some things out for you to look at (particularly the circle scissors cutter on page 22).

(* orders must contain at least one item from the summer mini catalogue to qualify. The discount is applied to the order BEFORE shipping. Any concerns, please speak/email me before placing an order. This offer is from me - Sam Simpson - and is NOT a Stampin' Up! promotion. It should also not be expected from another SU! demonstrator)

Classes in your home

After running a couple of private classes lately for groups that live 30mins to about an hour from me, I am prompted to make it known that although I run regular monthly classes here in Colac, I am also happy to come to you and run a class as well.

All I require is for you to get approximately 6 - 8 people together and to provide the location (someone's house is perfect). The time and cost of the class will vary depending on what the class actually is. The person that organises the class with me and gets the numbers together, is eligible for a free Ideas Book and Catalogue.

I would prefer to keep the class the same as the one that I am running that particular month for my regulars, but if there is something in particular that you are mulling over, please do not hesitate to discuss it with me.

Something like this would suit established craft groups (such as a group of cardmakers or scrapbookers) or a group of ladies that are looking to branch into the world of papercrafts. I am able and willing to incorporate both cardmaking and scrapbooking into the classes depending on the skills and nature of the group.

It's so close....arghhhh

Yes Christmas is just around the corner. Literally! Gulp. I feel that I have a million things still to do and not enough time to get them all done. Kids presents are largely taken care of, and most of the adults are also under control except for the few that are impossible to buy for.

I am also sweating a bit over this launch I have upcoming for the Summer mini catalogue. I always imagine myself sitting there with no-one turning up! It is my worst nightmare!!! So please, if you haven't already done so, mark next Saturday - the 12th - into your diary and come along.

The launch is going to be held at the old convent complex, 1 Fireman St Colac (lake end of Corangamite St) and runs from 1 - 4pm. But you don't have to come for the entire time.....just for a bit if you'd like. I'll have products and samples on hand to show you from the new catty and I'll do a couple of demos during the arfternoon as well (at 2 and 3pm).

There will also be a 10% discount on offer for any orders taken on the day. This is a great opportunity to place an emergency Christmas order and grab a saving to boot!

I sincerely hope that I see as many of you as possible on the day. RSVP is not essential, but would be greatly appreciated (as I will have nibbles). Entry is gold coin donation (to go to the CFA).

The Summer Mini Catalogue is LIVE!!

Click on the link below to see the catalogue online.
http://www3.stampinup.com/au/documents/AUNZ_Summer09.pdf

All my exisiting customers will receive a catalogue in the mail following my mini catty launch on December 12th. Or you can pick up your copy by coming to the launch. If you are not a current customer of mine, please email me your name and postal details and I will get one out to you. The mini catty is FREE.

Grab a cuppa, lock the kids up and enjoy having a look through the new mini!

Are you ready????

Tomorrow is the day.

The day that the Summer mini catalogue goes on sale. Let me tell you, there are some great things in there and a couple of novel and nifty tools too!!

Keep your eyes on this blog for a link to the new catty.

Final call for spring mini orders

Yes, we are rapidly coming to the end of the Spring mini. If there is anything that you have been deciding over, and thinking that you want to buy, NOW IS THE TIME. Once this catalogue is gone, it is gone.

A couple of the items that I think fellow stampers should definately consider out of this catalogue are:

• Great Friend stamp set (set of 5) on pages 4 & 5. For $31.95, this is a fantastic set that I have been able to use many times in a variety of ways. It is a truly versatile stamp set.
• Scallop Oval Punch on page 7. If you want to match punches, then this is DEFINATELY something you want to get. This punch matches the Large Oval punch (#11 punch on page 152 of the IB&C) to enable you to layer your images. At the same price as the other large punches ($30.95), this is a good purchase. Consider the Oval All stamp set ($29.95) on page 7 to get even more use with this punch.
• StazOn cleaner on page 17. This is a must if you are using StazOn ink at all for use when watercolouring. The ink will not come off your stamps with our regular Stampin' Mist, but the StazOn cleaner shifts it straight away, meaning that your stamps are not stained. At $9.95, this is a steal.
• Tree Trimmings stamp set (set of 4) on page 21. This would have to be my biggest selling set from the mini catty. It is another set that I have been able to use in a number of ways, incorporate with other stamp sets and add that festive touch to a number of projects. This extremely well priced set ($24.95) is well worth the purchase.

This catalogue ends on November 30th. What this means, is that I have to submit all orders for this catty by this date. So if you want anything, PLEASE don't leave it until the last day, because your order may not make the cutoff time and I would hate for you to be disappointed. So to that end, I am suggesting that any orders for this catty be placed with me by SATURDAY 28th NOVEMBER. Payment by credit card or cash is preferred as both these payments are dealt with immediately. Direct deposit into my account may not show up until after the 30th and I can't submit orders before I have the money. Sorry.

I hope you have enjoyed the first mini catalgue presented by me. Keep your eye out for the new Summer mini catalogue which goes on sale from December 1st. Also, remember - and mark in your calanders - the launch of the mini catalogue I am hosting on Saturday December 12th (see post below for all details, or give me a call).

New Summer Mini Catalogue launch

It's almost here! The Summer Mini Catalogue goes on sale from December the 1st. And to showcase some of the wonderful things that are in this new catty, I am hosting an open house on Saturday December 12th from 1pm to 4pm at the old convent complex, 1 Fireman St Colac (contact me if you need directions).

Feel free to come and go as you please. You can come for half an hour, or stay for the whole time....it is up to you! Cost is gold coin donation which will go to the local CFA brigade.

I have taken delivery of my pre-order supplies and in the next few days I will be starting to make up a number of samples of cards, scrapbook pages and OTP projects using the new products. Hopefully these will give you ideas and inspire you to create your own things!

At the launch, I will also have a couple of 'make and takes' available for you to do, plus there will be light refreshments, a door prize and a glass of bubbly to welcome in the festive season!

RSVP is not essential but is appreciated so I can cater food and also have enough M&T supplies available. Feel free to bring a friend along as well! I look forward to seeing you there.