We Emptied the Room!

On Monday January 2nd we went to Ikea with truck and trailer! We got home around 3:00 and Ron thought he was going to put his feet up and take a little nap. Oh no such thing as a nap when there is work to do. We tore the Christmas tree down in record time and I was lugging out my scrapbooking toys in no time!

Craft Room/Office Redo!

First of all let me just say I am embarrassed I haven't blogged in so long! Wow!

Currently we are living in a mess while Ron (with my careful supervision, lol!) transforms our craft room/office. When we had the house built we knew the formal dining room would be a craft room/office. Knowing that one would think I would have thought out the outlets a little better but...

The space is 12'x13' with 9' ceilings I have two door ways and two very low windows, both sounded like such a great ideas until I stared designing the space! Get this I didn't want doors either so the space would be open and everyone could come and go while I worked, Ha! Now I wish I had deadbolts for a little peace and quiet!

It has taken me four years to come up with this design after a lot of research. I really tried hard to move Ron's office out of my space but I let him stay in a very small corner, lol! We have talked, driven a lot of miles, drawn, argued, cried, laughed and had a lot of aha moments along the way. It has been a fun and exciting journey...I can't wait to finish!

I will be posting along the way and when I have all the drawers, cabinets and wardrobes organized I will show you the insides too! I will also let you know what and where things came from in case you see something you might need!

So here are the before pics ... ps. this was super clean I had Ron move 4 very large tubs out before this picture was taken!

Happy To Announce....

I am pleased to announce a Cupcake Crop! We will be holding our annual Cupcake Crop January 15, 2011 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. We will be serving soup, crackers, pop, water, goodies and don't forget the CUPCAKES! Our lovely croppers will be busy with a drawing or two, hopefully one of Lynn's cute games, as well as an exclusive make and take! Be prepared to be pampered! Cost will be $15.00 due at sign up to hold your spot. Call 320-629-9960 to reserve your spot!

We Are Decked Out!

We are all decked out for the holidays! I just have a few finishing touches before Friday and I am all done for the Open House...except for my house. Maybe we should just have Christmas at the store!

Make sure you stop in Friday and Saturday to do your free make and takes, and grab some cookies and cider while you are at it!

Jessica's card class is Thursday at 10:30 and a repeat performance Saturday at 10:30 as well so if you are not busy and want to make 8 beautiful cards give us a call at 320-629-9960 or stop in! Jessica always has kits available for those of us who don't have time for the class!

New Newsletter

Make sure you check out the website under newsletter tomorrow if you don't get our emails! I've got it all written Ron just has to go through and do a grammer check...tee hee! He must cringe when he reads my blog and facebook...unfiltered oh my!

The newsletter is full of information about upcoming events!

1. Free make and take on Saturday November 13th using Mcgill paper blossom punches.
2. Holiday Open House December 3rd and 4th with free refreshments and make and takes!
3. Jessica's card class December 2nd and 4th! Super cute as always!!!!!
4 Scrap and Stamp Rummage Sale December 11th at 10:00 a.m.

I think that was it!

Pioneer

Check out the article that the Pine City Pioneer did on The Pine City Scrapbooking Co Inc at www.pinecitymn.com I am super excited about it! They got a couple of things incorrect...but for the most part they did a pretty great job!

If you don't find me here...

If you find I am not posting on my blog check me out on facebook under The Pine City Scrapbooking Co. I am a facebook lover and I use it a lot! Sooooo if you are wondering where I am I'm usually there!

Watch...

Just wait and see...soon you will see my new billboard! It took me forever to come up with the design. I had it in my head but getting the sign guy to get the look and the colors right took a little doing! But I think I'm going to love it, and I hope you will too!

Pine City Pioneer

I'm sure I've told you this before but... my Dad worked at the Pine Poker for years, and it just happens to be right next to my store! (And oh how I wish I could have that building too...I have big plans!) Well yesterday Donna Heath, from the Pioneer, came over to the store and asked if she could interview me for the paper! I was honored, Donna has been retired for years and she wanted to do an article on the store! She had attended Jessica's last class and was so excited about all our store had to offer that she just wanted to share it with our community, wasn't that awesome?! I can't wait to see what she had to say.

Retreat

Looking for a little getaway? How about a stay at our retreat center! Just think...you can shut off your cel phone, no laundry, no worries about what to make for supper, no kids trying to "help" you scrapbook and you can stay up as late as you want scrapping the night away!

Come by yourself or grab a bunch of friends! We have great dates available weekends as well as weekdays. Our weekday rates (Sunday-Thursday) are $35.00 per night. Our weekend rates are $55.00 per night. Just give us a call to reserve your spot!

Jessica's Card Class

I love this time of the year when the garden is cleaned out, the leaves are almost raked and all I can think about is scrapbook season! I've been super busy ordering product for the store to inspire all of you. We've also been making new samples for the store to get your creative wheels turning.

If you want great inspiration check out Jessica's next class, it will be Thursday November 4th at 10:30 and the 2nd offering will be November 6th at 10:30 the cost is $15.00 and remember if you can not attend the class she always has class kits available to purchase at the store. You'll also find other kits at the store that are not offered as classes so you'll want to be sure to check them out. Be sure to remember your basic tool kit when you come to class!

If you are looking for a night out of the house to get some serious scrapping done don't forget about our Friday night crops. For $10.00 you get plenty of scrapping room, Pizza Hut dinner, pop, water, candy and chips. We hold them just about every Friday from 5-midnight as long as we have 3 people, just give the store a call at 320-629-9960 to reserve your spot.

Stop in and say HI!

My Mom

Irma Jean Larson, better known as Jeanie, longtime resident of Pine City passed suddenly on Sept. 28, 2010 at the age of 78. She was wife of the late Clifford E. Larson. She recently survived major heart surgery and died later in rehabilitation.Irma Jean Larson was born in Alma, Wis. on May 11, 1932 to her parents Alfred & Alice Zittel. She grew up in Alma before moving to Pine City in 1946, where she met and married Clifford on June 13, 1949. They lived in Pine City for their entire 55 year marriage.Jeanie worked several jobs during her lifetime, such as a waitress at the 61 Way Café, where a dime was a big tip. She worked as a welder at the arsenal where she became one of their top welders. She laughed about the time she worked at The Pine City Mercantile where employees were not trusted with the money. They were required to send the money to the office via tin cup fashioned on a pulley and a string. Her youngest daughter now owns that building, and runs her own business there. She also worked at the town bakery before landing a job with Ma Bell.Her final career was working for Northwestern Bell and AT&T as a telephone operator for many years before retiring in 1990. When she started her job with Ma Bell, it was located on the second floor above the present day location of The Pizza Pub. Back then, she used an old fashioned (wired) telephone switch board. She always joked that they weren’t supposed to listen in on phone calls, but when an emergency call came in they couldn’t help but listen.Jeanie always had a smile on her face, and people loved being around her. If you were to stop in to visit, she would be sure to offer you something to eat. If you were lucky enough to stop on the day she baked cinnamon rolls, you would never forget it because they were the best in the world.She adored her family, and simply loved when we could all get together. Whether it was a holiday, family reunion, camping trip, or cruise vacation, she loved having us together. Irma Jean thrived on her grandchildren as well, and loved reading, movies and watching TV. She also loved viewing nature and the changing season’s right outside her home on the water’s edge.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son Clifford (Butch), her husband Clifford Earl, her brother Dave, and her sister Marjorie.She will be lovingly remembered by her four sons and daughters-in-law, Kent and Darlene of Isanti; Dirk and Cathy of Roseville; Eric and Patti of Golden Valley; Peter and Cindy of Grand Forks, ND.; her two daughters and sons-in-law, Holly and Dirk Kienzle of Bismarck, ND.; Marni and Ron Steltz of Braham; her 17 grandchildren; her 11 great-grandchildren; her sister, Isabell Stuber of Shawano, WI; her brothers and sisters-in-law Alfred (Sonny) and Marvella of Alma, WI; Anthony and Marge of Winona, MN; her many nieces, nephews, and friends.At Irma’s request, it was her wish to be cremated, and there will be no services.

I wish I had better news...

I wish I had better news for you, my Mother died yesterday at 4:40 a.m. We were all shocked, she had just been moved to rehab because she was doing so well. She took a turn for the worse late Sunday, but that was nothing new she would have one good day and one bad day. Unfortunately she didn't make it out of her bad day. I am devastated, my only saving grace at the moment is knowing that my Mom and Dad are back together again, she really did need him. I'm sad because we are going to miss her like crazy cats!

Hug the ones you love,
Marni

My Mom

My Mom did just great going through the surgery, the healing process is very slow! They finally have her pain under control, that was horrible! Right now she is trying to fight off infection which is very scary! She's been very sleepy so we don't really get to talk to her much, but I still go down every day just so I can see with my own eyes how she is doing! So we're hanging in there full of hope!

They had told us she would be in the hospital for a week but I'm sure it will be much longer.

Thanks for all your well wishes and prayers it gives us all strength!

It's Funny...

Wow I can't believe it's been since March! I have a long list of excuses why I have been away from my blog...I just might bore you with a few!

I lost my ability to think clearly when my oldest daughter called me at work to tell me she was pregnant! My oldest is 21, unmarried, at the time with a boy I really disliked and not working at a job I would like to see her at! So I took it VERY hard to say the least. Did I also mention I'm only 40 for crying out loud and I have a 5 year old at home...her sister along with her 8 year old sister...I'm not ready for any more babies!!!!!

So long story short creepy boyfriend dumped my daughter 2 weeks before she delivered her beautiful baby, and didn't even bother to show up for the delivery! Did I mention I dislike this boy?

In July my grandson was born perfectly perfect, and lets just say I'm adjusting. I love him to pieces...and I think I finally can say I'm moving into grandparent hood and stopped kicking and screaming!

Next thing thrown on my plate...just to see if I was still paying attention...My mother became very ill. My mom has suffered from heart trouble most of my life. She had her first open heart surgery 31 years ago. She has had many, many health issues since then. She will be having 2 valves replaced, as well as bypass. My mother is 78...I am very worried!

I have always lived close to my parents by design. Knowing at 10 years old that my mother was only supposed to live another 10 years scared me to death! I feel like I've had her on borrowed time all these years! My parents had me later in life, I was an afterthought, so I always knew I would loose them WAY before I was ready. but you know at 41 I'm still not ready to give Mom up. As you know I lost my Dad 5 years ago and still miss him everyday. The pain isn't as strong, but I still miss him like crazy!

I know that my Mother is ready to go...she lost her oldest son when he was 16 and wanted to go then...since her husband passed she has had a foot on both sides! I am not ready to have her go...she's my best friend...my biggest cheerleader...the one who kicks me in the ass when I take everyone for granted...the one who can always make me laugh when I really don't want to or shouldn't...I can't stand the thought of having to tell my girls grandma is gone because all the things that I said above she is for me she is to them too...so right now I'm just trying to keep myself busy so I don't think of what is to come because it is so painful.

So if you could all say a little extra prayer for my mom I would really appreciate it...her surgery is on Monday September 13th.

So if when you come into the store and you haven't seen my mug, or things seem a little low, or you haven't gotten an email back, the website hasn't been updated, or I didn't call you back, or my bills are late...please forgive me because for awhile I'm only going to be thinking about my family and just trying to get by day to day without collapsing from stress.

I'll be back, I promise!