Cosmo Cricket's Dutch Girl collection, complete with matching die-cuts, arrived at Scrapbook Generation today!

Scrapbook Genereration's fall retreat in Branson, October 5-7, now has only three spots left. Call us at 417-886-0440 to register.

Just found out that a box with Scrapbook Generation's name on it left the Fancy Pants warehouse today! Expect several paper collections, rub-ons, acrylic stamps, and chipboard sets to arrive soon. And to spread out the fun, a second shipment will be following in just a few days with the felt shapes and more paper collections.

Allison just brought in the page for her August Hall of Fame layout class, and it is just gorgeous. Lots of intricate cutting, but the effect is stunning. The class is offered twice: Monday, August 20 at 6 p.m., and Wednesday, August 29 at 2 p.m. Give us a call to sign up.

Saturday will be the next installment of our free Basic Sketch Sessions, and I always have so much fun picking out the papers and trying to keep everyone guessing what we'll try next. This time, glitter is involved! Sketch sessions are offered at 10, 11;30, 1, and 2:30, and we have so much fun creating pages that are stress-free, but still have that designer look. The class and sketch are free; you just are responsible for purchasing the papers and cardstock, usually less than $4. Hope to see you there!

A heads-up for all you procrastinators...we're down to the last four spots in Scrapbook Generation's 50-person Branson weekend retreat October 5-7. Sometime in the next couple of weeks, we'll be mailing out a letter with final information and class choices to those who are registered.

Registration is also still on-going for the Eureka Springs retreat November 2-4. We would love to have you join the fun, and the drive from Springfield is only two hours.

For more info on both retreats, check out scrapbookgeneration.com. Our website has photos from past retreats, testimonials from people who have attended in the past, and all the information you need to register.

Tired but happy would describe me right now, at 5 p.m. Karin and I just finished getting the last of today's shipment priced and on the shelves. We sweet-talked the UPS guy into dropping our stuff off at 9 this morning (he doesn't usually get here until 2), and we've been working ever since then.

What's new?
-- Clear acrylic stamps by Autumn Leaves and Inkadinkado - over 25 sets of shapes, swirls, journaling blocks, and alphabet sets;
-- Double-sided school papers and matching cardstock stickers by Scrappin' Sports - from pre-school through senior, including a separate graduation set;
-- Papers for first day of school, teacher, and classmates;
-- A cute set of school papers and embellishments by Pebbles;
-- Three new templates by Paper Pizazz - stitching, swirly-doodles, and thinga-ma-jigs (oversized punctuation, etc.);
-- New sets of Prima flowers in large cans;
-- Albums for cheerleading, basketball, karate, music, softball, volleyball, baseball, camping, and gymnastics;
-- Over 80 new Quotables!

What's back?
-- Tons of school embellishments by Me and My Big Ideas, Doodlebug, 7 Gypsies, Jolees, etc.
-- Doodlebug brads and Paper Frills;
-- Tons of sports embellishments for cheerleading, golf, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, track and field, racing, swimming, and bowling;
-- Pioneer linen albums;
-- Prima flowers in bottles;
-- Making Memories glitter glaze;
-- More tropical paradise papers by Flair;
-- Cowboy and cowgirl papers by Flair;
-- Papers for grades preschool through senior by Masterpiece Studios;
-- Lots of Disney stickers;
-- Family papers by Stemma (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc.).

Just a quick post to let you know that the Timeless Touches stitching templates arrived today for those of you that have been waiting. These always go quick, so if you want one, make sure to get here as quick as you can!

Also arriving today are over 40 new papers from Stemma, with several beautiful color groupings.

If you don't already know, let me be the first to tell you that we have great news here at Scrapbook Generation. We may never come down from the clouds! Just a few months ago, Allison Davis (my daughter, Stacey's sister, and Karin's niece) was chosen as one of Creating Keepsakes 25 Hall of Famers for 2007.

This week, Allison has been chosen as one of the 10 Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooker of the Year finalists! She'll have an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas in September, and the winner is announced there. Along with the title comes a cash prize of $10,000! The whole thing doesn't seem real to me yet! I'm hoping to get to tag along as her "official photographer!"

We are so lucky to have her as a designer and teacher at Scrapbook Generation. If you want to read her account of getting the call, go to her blog (link on this page is Scrapbooking Ali) or go to creatingkeepsakes.com.

Don't forget to check out consideryourselfchallenged.blogspot.com. Scrapbook Generation's talented Design Team has posted another challenge, and would love for you to participate. Laura Parks came up with this challenge, and it's very creative. You'll also find layouts created by several of the DT, and they are definitely inspirational!

The first challenge was also lots of fun, and we're hoping that the gals who created the layouts chosen for posting on the blog will bring their pages by the store and let us display them for a few weeks. I know the rest of you would like to see them up close!

Just wanted to let you know that a new supply of stitching templates from Timeless Touches should arrive Friday or Monday! If you pre-ordered during one of the classes and left your phone number, we'll give you a call and let you know as soon as they arrive.

Also, here is what will be arriving either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week:
-- More school "supplies" than you'll know what to do with! Papers, stickers, embellishments, and more, lots of it specific to a certain grade or class;
-- Sports stickers, titles, and embellishments;
-- Clear stamps: 25 different sets by Autumn Leaves and Inkadinkado;
-- Prima: large flowers in cans, small ones in bottles;
-- Disney embellishments;
-- Travel embellishments;
-- Tropical (these sold out quickly the first time around) and western paper groups by Flair;
-- Solid color albums by Colorbok;
-- Bright-colored papers by Stemma;
-- Every color of mini-brads and paper frills by Doodlebug.