Just back from Scrapbook Generation's second spring retreat in Branson, and I'm a little tired, but very happy! Everything went just like we had planned, and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. I enjoyed spending time with old friends, new friends, and even family. Karin and I talked our mother into attending the second retreat, because we wanted her to see what we were up to four times a year! Right now all I have time to do is post testimonials from those who attended the second retreat. I'll post photos from both retreats later today!

These are some of the comments from the second Polynesian Paradise retreat...
-- "How do you improve on perfection? The food, the motel, the activities, the games, the crop space, the hostesses -- all terrific as always. I had a great time!"
-- "I loved the variety of activities and challenges. It seemed there was something that would appeal to everyone. The tables and individual goodies bags were darling! Thank you for your obvious hard work to make it so much fun! I'll be back."
-- "Love it all!"
-- "The food and snacks are great!"
-- "Great food. Great space."
-- "This is the second time I have attended and each time I have had a blast. It's very relaxing and a great time to be with friends."
-- "Great retreat! Looking forward to attending future ones."
-- "We love what you do and appreciate ALL you do -- your preparation and hard work. Love the goodie boxes, games, and drawings. Lighting is great -- work space was wonderful. The only improvement I can think of is a way to keep us from wearing out...NoDoze?"
-- "I really can't think of anything that is not done well. The food was excellent and the variety and amount of items you bring for prizes and for sale is great. Thanks for your help with a payment plan for those of us that wouldn't be able to do it otherwise."
-- "Everything was perfect!"
-- "Thanks again for a perfect weekend! I further my scrapbooking ability every time I am here. Thank you!"
-- "Well organized, comfortable, fun, great food, great people. Excellent as usual."
-- "Food was wonderful again! We enjoy the contests -- it give us a chance to see other people's work. LOVE the generous cropping space. Thanks again for a great weekend!"
-- "You do everything well!"
-- "Karin and Debbie, you do a wonderful job planning, organizing, and decorating. I really enjoyed the weekend again this year."
-- "I love your retreats!"
-- "Everything is great and VERY enjoyable."
-- "Decorations are great! Food was awesome. Good classes and prizes."
-- "First time at a weekend retreat and enjoyed it very much. All the great food and meeting new friends. I feel it was well-planned. Great job, Karin and Debbie."
-- "Fun, fun, fun! Great as always."
-- "I think everything is great. I will be back again and again."
-- "Everything is great as always. Enjoyed the sundae bar...it was a treat!"
-- "Wouldn't change a thing. Had a wonderful time. Food is awesome!"
-- 'Everything is great. The paper I must have...new ideas. You all are wonderful with getting me brave!"
-- "It is great! The food is the best ever. I appreciate all the hard work and time Debbie and Karin put in our retreats!"
-- "Had a wonderful time! Great store selection and awesome prizes!"
-- "Awesome! Food unbelievable. Once again, a great retreat and I'm looking forward to the next!"
-- "This is a great retreat! No pressure! Few time constraints! Food excellent!"
-- "Love the convenience of having everything in the same place. Can't wait for the fall retreat. As always, a class act!"

We're off to the second of Scrapbook Generation's two weekend retreats in Branson, but we're leaving some great new stuff behind! The kit wall overfloweth! We put NINE new page kits out today, and they are gorgeous -- they use papers by BasicGrey, My Mind's Eye, Bo-Bunny, Making Memories, and K & Company!

Stop in and say hello to Stacey Friday or Saturday! She's always a good sport about holding down things at the store while Karin and Allison and I are at the retreats. I know I'm getting the good end of this deal -- I can't wait to go eat all the yummy stuff that our caterer has prepared for our Polynesian Paradise!

The papers have arrived for the April 4 Super-Saver Scrapbooking free class sessions, and I thought I'd give you a sneak peek! This month, we'll be using four papers and three titles by My Mind's Eye (plus 6 sheets of cardstocks, buttons, jewels, ribbon, and more)! It's still a fun challenge for me to come up with three double-page layouts, all with a cost of $9, which is your materials fee for the class and your only expense.

This series we introduced a few months ago proves that you can use the beautiful, quality textured and die-cut papers and still stay within a reasonable budget. With the right designs, I believe that you end up spending less with this style of scrapbooking.

We provide cutting guides for the papers, three sketches, and completed page models. Using our classic designs, you'll create three photo-ready double-page layouts in less than an hour and a half, all for under $10!

To pre-pay and register for the April Super-Saver, just call us at 417-886-0440 or stop by SG. We'd love to have you join us. There are sessions at 10, 11:30, 1, and 2:30.

Product update...
-- We R Memory Keepers -- new MVP sports collection will arrive Friday;
-- Fancy Pants -- new Summer Soiree and Kraft Kuts collections will arrive Friday;
-- Three Bugs in a Rug -- three great collections will arrive Monday;
-- Studio 8 -- all this small company makes will arrive Tuesday;
-- Flair -- a new summer collection is on the way;
-- BoBunny -- new color mini-albums are on the way;
-- Scenic Route -- Garden Grove will be end of March or first of April.

The photos above are the cowboy items by Moxxie and the beautiful Bittersweet papers by BasicGrey. Next things on the horizon for Scrapbook Generation include the MVP sports collection by We R Memory Keepers. This group features double-sided papers which can be adapted for any sport, and lots of matching embellishments. Later this week, we're also getting the Summer Soiree and Kraft Kuts collections by Fancy Pants. Allison is on the Fancy Pants Design Team and receives their new goodies in advance of the products being available to stores, and she's been telling me how great both of these groups are! The Kraft Kuts series is mainly die-cut papers, but also has regular papers and die-cut accessory sheets. Also be on the lookout for the new Garden Grove collection by Scenic Route, and the Butterfly Kisses, Snips and Snails, and Happy Bird-Day collections by Three Bugs in a Rug!

I took the April/May newsletter to the printer last week, and we have some great things planned the next two months, including a special celebration for National Scrapbooking Day. I'll give you a heads-up as soon as we get it back and get it mailed.

And as I promised, here's the fruit salsa and cinnamon chips recipe we featured at our Polynesian Paradise retreat last weekend! You can use other fruits, like raspberries, if you want to.

Ingredients:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 lb. strawberries, diced
2 large cans crushed pineapple, well-drained
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used raspberry)
10 (10-inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
cinnamon sugar (mix cinnamon with white sugar to your own taste)

Directions:
Thoroughly mix the fruits with the sugars and preserves. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Cut tortillas into wedges and arrange in a single layer on large baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray. Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit salsa.

It's really no fun to be back at work after three days at Scrapbook Generation's Polynesian Paradise! We had a super relaxing, enjoyable time with the ladies at the first of our two weekend retreats in Branson. This was one of the nicest groups Karin and I have worked with, and everything about the weekend went just the way we had hoped. The caterer's food was out of this world, and I can't wait to share the photos of her tropical creations, and to share the photos of our decorations and activities. However, like always, I can't post them just yet because I don't want to spoil the surprise for the group of ladies who will be at the second retreat this weekend.

However, I can share some comments from the scrappers who attended the first retreat. It's always heartwarming for us to read all the nice things that people have to say about Scrapbook Generation's weekend getaways!

-- "Great weekend away, as always. The food was wonderful. It is so nice to be around so many wonderful ladies that enjoy scrapbooking as much as I do!"
-- "Everything is so well organized and the decorations and themes are wonderful. Thanks for all you do!
-- "Great organization, great food and snacks, comfortable cropping."
-- "Loved the meals and the decorations and the sweet people at our table. You guys are the best!"
-- "Wonderful and well-planned!"
-- "Great food, snacks, and drinks. I think this crop was very organized and the fun activities were nice."
-- "Everything was great and I enjoyed it, again! Location is perfect for our needs, space is great. Thanks!"
-- "Awesome weekend! Had a blast! Please keep doing these retreats! Food was awesome and the scrap space perfect!"
-- "I love the snacks, fruit salsa especially. Food is great. Hotel rooms very comfortable. Games are fun! I can't think of anything that needs to be changed."
-- "Thanks for the choice of door prizes. Appreciate all your hard work."
-- "You have both provided a top notch event, once again. Thank you for all of your hard work in planning and implementing this fun weekend."
-- "I had tons of fun. It is a great location and always so much fun, along with festive!"
-- "You did a great job with everything."
-- "I think this retreat was my favorite yet! The food was delicious, the atmosphere amazing, and fun girls to chit chat with. I had a blast; a job well done. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
-- "Wonderful! Good food, good store, nice space, good rooms. Priceless!"
-- "We keep coming because you do everything well. See you in the fall."
-- "Loved the great selection of papers, inks, and stitching supplies. Compliments to the caterer again! Her decor efforts were outstanding! Nice to receive lots of goodies in our pizza boxes! Thanks for all your hard work for our enjoyment!"
-- "I had a great time. Everything was wonderful. Don't change a thing!"
-- "The greatest time. Wouldn't change a thing."
-- "Wonderful as usual. We plan on returning as long as you plan on having the retreats."
-- "Once again, a fabulous weekend!"
-- "As always, the weekend was wonderful! You do a great job taking care of us and making sure all of our needs are met. The crop space is very nice and the store setup is wonderful with lots of products. Loved the tickets and drawing for prizes. The contests were great and loved getting a sketch to keep. Theme decorations and food were great. You can tell you put a lot of work into making it a great weekend for everyone. Thanks! See ya next time!"
-- "This was my first retreat so I didn't know what to expect and I enjoyed my weekend of relaxing scrapbooking! The food was great! You both are an awesome duo working so hard to take care of us here! Looking forward to many more retreats! Thanks again for all you do!"

I promised many of the scrappers that I would post the recipe for our fruit salsa and cinnamon chips, and I'll do that on Tuesday. It's super easy!

Product update...BasicGrey's Bittersweet collection is here!

Don't you just love these colors? Smooch accent ink has arrived at Scrapbook Generation, and I know this shipment won't last long. As soon as I'm through here, I'll order more!

Updates: Studio 8 goodies won't arrive until next week, but the BasicGrey Bittersweet collection will arrive Friday afternoon!

For those of you who love the Colorbox cat's eye chalk inkpads, there are new colors! Today we got toffee (close to creamy brown, but slightly more peachy) and popcorn (white)! There are four other new colors that will arrive later.

Even though it's freezing outside, it looks like spring inside Scrapbook Generation! We have a great assortment of spring and Easter items, with more on the way. The latest arrivals are the Daisy D's Chloe Marie group, with about 20 papers and lots of matching die-cuts and stickers, and the Pebbles Easter group of double-sided papers and stickers.

We also have two other new groups by Pebbles -- the Downtown collection and the Just Married collection. Pebbles is probably not the trendiest company around, but you can always depend on them for cute stuff. Right now, I'm especially liking their sticker sheets, which have a great assortment of titles -- something I get tired of trying to think up on my own!

Arriving later today...a new product called Smooch! Smooch is a pearlized accent ink, in a container that looks like a nail polish bottle. We ordered all the colors, and they will be here later this afternoon. I'll post a photo later so you can see how cute the bottles are. Studio 8 goodies should arrive later in the week, and we have some cute girl and boy Western papers and stickers on the way from Moxxie. And I almost forgot -- BasicGrey's Bittersweet collection is also on the way!

Just a reminder that if you are going to the March 13 or March 20 weekend retreats with Scrapbook Generation, we need to get class registration completed as soon as possible.

That includes the awesome Classes-To-Go kits that Allison and I are making for those who register for them prior to the retreat. There are six great kits...
-- BasicGrey -- Allison is using the Marrakech collection and I'm using the Porcelain group;
-- My Mind's Eye -- Allison is using the Bella Bella collection and I'm using the Bloom and Grow group;
-- Making Memories -- I'm using the Flower Patch group;
-- Bo-Bunny -- Allison is using the Abbey Road group (we substituted this instead of a second Making Memories kit).

Right now, I'm gaining weight just thinking about the wonderful meals Dee (our out-of-this-world caterer) is going to prepare for our Polynesian Paradise!

You never know who is going to come through the door at Scrapbook Generation, and last night it was Yakov Smirnoff from Branson! He came in and asked about scrapbook classes because he's wanting to get his granddaughter involved. I answered some questions, and then he walked back and chatted with the gals in Allison's class.

Tonight, I'm going to do something I've never done...attend one of our Midnight Madness crops as a customer! Five of my friends from Mansfield are coming up and we're going to crop together! Instead of working, I decided I would join them.

Latest arrival: the Chloe Marie collection by Daisy D's. This is a springy-pastel collection of about 20 papers and matching embellishments.

I also wanted to let you know that the next shipment of new goodies will probably be from a new company called Studio 8. We're getting everything they make, including a bright and lively Easter collection and a cute dinosaur group. The shipment should arrive mid-week. Also arriving next week, the Downtown collection, the wedding collection, and the Easter collection by Pebbles. I'm not sure it will arrive next week, but we're also getting the BasicGrey Bittersweet collection that so many of you have requested.

I wanted to show you the papers we'll be using this Saturday, March 7, for the latest in our Super-Saver Scrapbooking sessions. These double-sided papers by Kaiser, combined with six sheets of cardstock by Bazzill, letter stickers by Pink Paislee, and some other goodies like buttons, jewels, and ribbon, will be transformed into THREE double-page layouts in less than an hour and a half.

Your cost? Only the$9 materials fee. The class is free! Just be sure to bring the basic tools you use on any scrapbook page. We'll provide you with cutting guides and THREE simple sketches that can be used over and over!

The Super-Saver sessions have been an instant success, with over 50 people attending each of the December and January sessions, and over 60 people at the February session. For the March session this weekend, the 10 am session is full, and there are limited spots available at 11:30, 1, and 2:30. We'd love to have you join us! Just stop by or call 417-886-0440 to pre-pay the materials fee.

I'm loving these classes! I've already ordered the papers for the April and May sessions. We'll be using some of those gorgeous new papers by My Mind's Eye -- even the die-cut papers!

Retreat update:
We're knee-deep in preparations for our spring retreats, with the theme Polynesian Paradise! This theme is so much fun, both for decorations and for food. The March 20 weekend was sold out, but we've had one cancellation, and sadly, both of our friends who have died in the past few months were registered for that weekend. That now leaves us with three spots available in the March 20 weekend.

The March 13 weekend has 5-6 spots left. We know that some of you may be hesitant to sign up because of the economy, but we're always willing to work with you on payment plans, instead of a large lump sum. If that's what is holding you back, please give us a call and we'll see what we can do!

Scrap-a-Palooza:
The date for the next Scrap-a-Palooza has been set for June 13 at Remington's. More info will be provided in our April/May newsletter, which I'm working on right now. On-line registration will only begin after our newsletter goes out. This time, we're more prepared and will have photos of the Scrapbook Generation classes on-line as well, so that you will be able to register for classes at the same time.