Monday, December 27, 2010

Happy Holidays, 2011 Goals, and Year End SALE!

Happy Holidays from The Crop Shop! I hope everyone has had a great holiday! I am looking forward to a great 2011 with many personal goals, including continuing my scrapbooking business, running 4 races (one each quarter), continuing my Avon business (yes, I started selling Avon in November - check out my website at http://www.youravon.com/jlaporte), and continuing to work hard at my day job as well. 2010 has brought some good times, bad times, som soul searching, and personal growth that I am very proud of. I am really looking forward to 2011 and I hope you are too!

P.S. Between now and 12/31/10, you can get 35% off your entire scrapbooking purchase with me - limited to what I have in stock. Please contact me to let me know what you would like to purchase! Thanks!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Paper Packs On Sale! 50% OFF!

As promised, I am putting the following paper packs up for sale - 50% OFF price listed below, while supplies last!

Basic Grey: Figgy Pudding $22 - 2 left
Cosmo Cricket: Earth Love $15 - 6 left
Cosmo Cricket: Early Bird $15 - 6 left
Crate Paper: Blue Hills $15.50 - 6 left
Creative Imaginations: Faith (Cancer Awareness collection) $14.50 - 7 left
Fancy Pants: Crush $9 - 1 left, $7 - 1 left
Fancy Pants: Frou Frou $6 - 3 left, $8 - 1 left
Fancy Pants: Splendid $23 - 2 left
Fancy Pants: Vintage Valentine $12 - 3 left
Prima: Romantica Collection $14 - 3 left
Prima: Urban Cosmos Collection $14 - 1 left
Scenic Route: Lynden $15 - 5 left
We R Memory Keepers: Vintage Brass $10 - 2 left

Please email me your order! Sale ends 11/30/10, so hurry, sinc quantities are limited!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Holidays Are Coming!

No matter how many times I try, these holidays creep up on me every single year. And every single year it keeps getting worse! I can't believe we're already seeing Christmas items out - and as early as before Halloween?! That's just crazy!!

However, as much as I complain, I find that there are great deals happening - and this year in particular, they are happening online and with scrapbooking manufacturers! Boy, this could be dangerous!! LOL

So, I want to be able to offer up some of my own specials over the next few weeks....you will have to come back to read my blog though, so you will know what is on special!

I will post at least one special per week, so be sure to come back and check it out! Happy Shopping!!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Updated Events

Hey all. I just updated the events that I'll be at that I know of through 2011! Please note that our Just Scrappin dates could change as the dates near, but I've listed them as we know them today. Hope to see you at some/all of them!!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Fall Class Projects

Hi everyone! I've been busy working on some new class projects for a couple of crops I'll be vending at over the next couple of months. Check them out below! The first 2 are for a card class. Hot chocolate, yum!


And check out this cool snowman card!

Finally, some home decor....you can put this on a mantel or on a coffee table for decoration!


I'll be teaching them definitely at Ready Set Crop in November, which is sold out, and possibly at A Crop to Remember's first all weekend crop in Meriden, CT in a couple of weeks.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Back after time off....

I am getting back into the swing of vendoring after taking a couple of months off over the summer. Please check out the updated list of crops; Siewleng and I finalized our Just Scrappin crop dates for this fall. Hope to see you at some crops soon!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Appreciation

It has been a while since I've posted here and for good reason. We had an unforunate unexpected event occur in our family which threw me off my normal routine/schedule for a few weeks. It has made me appreciate EVERYTHING a lot more; my husband, my family, my dog, my health, my friends....I could go on and on. So, let us pause for a moment and be thankful for everything we have, because it could be gone just like that. Go hug your kids and kiss your spouse or significant other and take some time to reflect on how lucky you are. Anyway, I will get back to normal posting soon....

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Next up - Just Scrappin' Crop in Sturbridge, MA!

Just Scrappin' All Day Crops
Sponsored by The Crop Shop, CT and Time 2 Scrap

When: June 26, 2010
Where: The Hampton Inn, 328 Main St., Sturbridge MA
How Much: $40
Includes..

lunch & dinner
Tool Table with Cricut, Quickutz and more
On-site shopping provided by The Crop Shop, CT
A Welcome gift, door prizes and games!
Make n Take (usually a 2 page layout)


Seats still available - you must pay in advance to hold your seat!
Contact me for more info.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Faith Bible Church Crop, June 18 & 19

Hey all! I'll be vendoring at a crop being held at the Faith Bible Church in Plainville, CT. If you are interested in attending, please contact Michelle Jardine at mjardine2@cox.net to register! The crop will be on Friday from 6pm to midnight and also on Saturday from 9am to 9pm. This is typically a fundraiser crop to support activities sponsored by the church for the community. Michelle and Kim put on a great crop; please be sure to contact Michelle to register!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

A Crop to Remember, June 4 & 5

If you have some time and want to go to a fun crop, check out A Crop to Remember. Deb and Cheryl make it a lot of fun for everyone! I'll be there both Friday and Saturday; hope to see you there!

Landscaping and Filmstrips

So, we've been working on our backyard over this holiday weekend; my husband has moved 2 truckloads of dirt into the backyard to re-grade it and eliminate the water problem we have when it rains really hard. I took a few pictures, including one where he's doing a wheelie with the bobcat (yes, that's my husband alright), and will definitely be scrapbooking them.

Last year, we had to dig a trench and lay pipe as well so water was at least draining out to the street properly. I took a series of pictures from that event and found that I really liked using filmstrips to put the series of pictures in motion.

I think this technique could apply to any type of series of pictures where you can't decide which ones to use, but you also want to show progression. Tim Holtz makes a great flimstrip ribbon that I absolutely love....you should try it out sometime!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Just Scrappin' Crop, Sturbridge, MA

Hey everyone! Our next Just Scrappin' Crop is May 22! We still have a few seats left, so if you can make it, please let me or Siewleng know. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

New Day Job

I haven't posted in a while because I've been making some tough decisions about what I want to do when I grow up. After some soul searching and a new day job interview (don't worry, I'm still keeping The Crop Shop, CT business!), I finally decided to leave my current job of almost 10 years. I have mixed feelings about it since I've been there for so long, but I feel that it is the right decision for being able to do work in an area that I love and have passion for. My last day at my current job will be May 7 and I'll be taking a week off before starting my new job on May 17. One of my goals is to invest more time on a regular basis with blogging here and making an effort to get some projects done and posted.

It's definitely an exciting time to be moving on to the next thing!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Next Just Scrappin' Crop - April 17!

Hey everyone! The next crop I'll be vendoring at will be our crop at The Hampton Inn in Sturbridge, MA on April 17 from 9am to 9pm. Cost is $40 for the day which includes lunch, dinner, snacks, a goodie bag, make n take, and prizes! Please be sure to send your payment in to hold a seat!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Just Scrappin' Crop, Sturbridge, MA

Just Scrappin' All Day Crops
Sponsored by The Crop Shop, CT and Time 2 Scrap

When: March 27, 2010
Where: The Hampton Inn, 328 Main St., Sturbridge MA
How Much: $40
Includes..

lunch & dinner
Tool Table with Cricut, Quickutz and more
On-site shopping provided by The Crop Shop, CT
A Welcome gift, door prizes and games!
Make n Take (usually a 2 page layout)


Seats still available - you must pay in advance to hold your seat!
Contact me for more info.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

March 20 - Crop Til Ya Drop!

Hey all! I'll be vendoring at a crop in Winsted, CT at the Hinsdale Elementary School on Hinsdale Avenue on March 20, hope some of you can make it. Below is the info on the crop:

The Pearson Middle School PTO & The Winchester Elementary School PTO presents:

Crop Til Ya Drop!
March 20, 2010, 10am to 10pm
Hinsdale Elementary School on 15 Hinsdale Ave, Winsted, CT

The holidays are done...the decorations are packed away...and your pictures are still sitting on the counter collecting dust! Whether you are a die-hard scrapbooking lunatic or just someone who has always wanted to learn how, we have the perfect solution!

Join us for a fun filled day of scrapbooking at Pearson Middle School in Winsted, CT. We’ll start you off with donuts and coffee to get you all “perked” up. Our delicious Apple Crisp and Death by Chocolate Deserts are sure to please...but there will be plenty of healthy food as well. Feel free to take a break and learn a new technique with one of our many free classes that will be offered throughout the day.

Your “CROP ‘TIL YA DROP” Day Includes:
Lunch, Dinner, Drinks & Snacks
Raffles and Door Prizes Galore!

Classes and demonstrations held all day long

The following vendors will be onsite at the crop:
• Creative Memories
• Close to My Heart
• Stampin Up
• Tastefully Simple
• The Crop Shop

Enter our Favorite Page Contest and win a Free Massage or Photo Sitting!

$40 - Full Day Registration
$25 - Half Day Registration 10am to 3pm
$25 - Half Day Registration 3pm to 10pm

All proceeds to benefit the students of Winchester Schools. Please call Lisa Weber at 860-379-7714 with any questions or to register!

Hope to see you there!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Tim Holtz A Compendium of Curiosities

If you've not had a chance yet to get your hands on a copy of this book, you need to! Tim discusses his products, but also shows you how to use them! I am now all charged up about trying out some of these techniques! I do carry Ranger products and can also get a copy of this book for you; just email me to let me know. More on Tim Holtz in a future post.

I'm at Mammoth Mountain in California as I write this post after having read through this book in one sitting and, of course I can't scrapbook!

But the skiing is great!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Old tools are new again

I recently joined a stamper's club which a friend got me involved with and I have been feeling like I've been getting back to my roots.

Long before I became a scrapbooker, I was first a stamper. I took some stamping classes over 15 years ago at an unsuspecting local restaurant that happened to have a passion for unusual gifts and carried hundreds and hundreds of rubber stamps and stamping supplies. I learned basic stamping and then took it to the next level with embossing and flocking, using a heat gun, playing with glitter and glue, and playing with markers and different colored inks. I ended up buying a lot of the tools and vowed to make my own cards! Low and behold, time went by and, to my chagrin, I didn't make another card for years.

So, at a recent workshop that I attended for the stamping club, I stamped with embossing ink, added embossing powder, and picked up a heat gun again for the first time in a long time. I've since dug out the stamps that I've bought over the years, and have been spending some time today at Cool Crops in Andover, MA, cutting and mounting them so that I can get some cards made this weekend!

Next post will be about the Big Shot, from Sizzix, which I picked up recently as well after finding out about Tim Holtz' Alterations products!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year!

Hi everyone! Just wanted to pop in and say Happy Valentine's Day to you and wish you a Happy Chinese New Year also! It's the Year of the Tiger and both my mother and husband were born during Tiger years, so I hope they will have a great year this year :-)

Friday, February 5, 2010

February 20 Just Scrappin' Crop, Sturbridge, MA

Hey there ladies! If you can't make it to Cool Crops the weekend of February 19 through 21, but can get away for just Saturday, February 20, join my partner, Siewleng Hiraldo, owner of Time 2 Scrap, at our monthly crop in Sturbridge, MA! Please contact me or Siewleng directly to register for the crop! Cost is $40 for the day which includes, lunch, dinner, snacks, a make n take, fun and games, and prizes! For each friend you bring who is new to us, we'll give you a $5 credit on your crop, with no limit! Hope you can join her there!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Celebrating 2010 and 5 Years in Business

So, I've been in the scrapbooking business now for almost 5 years (June 22 will mark the exact date) and I'm celebrating in 2010!

I first thought about starting my own business a few years prior to actually starting, after attending a scrapbooking workshop at a friend's house and having a great time. I flirted with joining that company (to be unnamed) for quite a while, but something just didn't feel right about it. I learned about I Remember When in 2004 when I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Manchester, NH. I met Jennifer Grant, former Founder of I Remember When, and automatically drawn to her and her creative vision.

It took me a year and a half before I finally signed the paperwork and became a consultant with I Remember When (June 2005). One month later in July, Xyron took over ownership of the company.

In my first year, I struggled to find what would work for me, and tried a little of everything from having open houses, doing home shows, teaching classes, having monthly crops at home, to vendoring at crops and I even tried vendor fairs. I experienced the full spectrum of highs and lows emotionally, as I began to fill my calendar slowly with events. Some events would be full, while others would have no one. I expected every one of my scrapbooking friends to join my events, and was disappointed when my friends didn't participate. I was grateful to my I Remember When sisters for their support and loved the IRW leadership team of Jennifer Grant, Beth Kingston, and Amie Morgan who allowed us to run our businesses as we wanted to and were always there to provide support when we needed it the most.

Over the years that followed, slowly, but surely, over time, I came to find what I enjoyed most and seemed to be good at, and that was vendoring at crops and holding classes.

I came across another challenge in March 2009 when Xyron closed I Remember When's doors. It was a bit of a shock, but with the economy as it was, it was understandable. I was at a crossroads and needed to make a decision: do I close too?

After much deliberation, I decided to honor my commitments for 2009 and decided to have courage an continue on with my scrapbooking business, this time, as an independent retailer. And that's how The Crop Shop came to be and here we are!

So, to celebrate my 5 years of being in business, throughout 2010, anyone who spends $50 or more will receive a 5% discount off of their total purchase! Whoo hoo!

So that's my story and I thank you for reading about my history!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Seats Remaing for February Cool Crops

Hey everyone! There are still seats available for the February Cool Crops in Andover, MA the weekend of Feb 19 - 21! Check out http://www.coolcrops.com/ for more info! Just got back from Cool Crops at Seekonk, MA crop - we had a blast! Cris and Cara definitely know how to throw a crop :-) Get your seat in Andover today - you won't regret it!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Welcome to my new blog for The Crop Shop!

Hello scrappers! Welcome to my new website all about The Crop Shop and happenings in 2010 and beyond!

I've added a list of the events that I will be attending in the near future. Hope to see you there! I'll be updating the list as new events are scheduled.

I made the decision to move to a blog from the meetup group that I previously managed for a couple of reasons. First, the cost to keep the meet up group running, and second, to ensure that I keep up to date with happenings with my business and to ensure I do more to create projects and post what I've done.

I hope you'll join me in keeping up with my musings, thoughts, and creative ideas!