Juggling

Focusing on what's important these days - my family, my paying job (the 9 to 5 one), a 40 lb puppy, sanity, and slowly adding all the straggling products to the website. Can't believe I have Summer 2008 products still not online.

I have lofty goals for myself pre-CHA Summer 2009. Coming soon - a contest. You can win a prize worth over $350... I can't wait to share. Just one of the things I'm working on in the wee hours of the morning!

I hope you're having a great summer! Follow us on Twitter - I'm MUCH better at posting there than here!! http://twitter.com/papercents

CHA Product Survey

Complete our five-question CHA survey now, and you'll be registered for a chance to win $25 in FREE CHA Winter '09 product!

Begin Survey

Update: I thought you might be interested in how people are voting so far! Here are the brands people love (5) or hate (1)... as of 1:34PM EST. Click for larger view.



Another Survey Update: Here are some brands/products you'd like to see added to PaperCents.com.

"Crate Paper - whole line - paper and their embellies, die cuts
October Afternoon - paper & stickers - don't care about their die cuts
American Crafts - This should be number one - all time fave company - love everything they make but especially their papers, thickers and rubs."
I don't follow specific brands too much - I just look for clean and simple designs and the availability of coordinating products.
My Minds eye
Fancy Pants (paper)
I am happy with the brands you carry.
I love everything from Bo Bunny, Maya Road, Heidi Grace, October Afternoon, Melissa Frances. I like My Mind's Eye, Crate Paper, Creative Imaginations, Tim Holtz. I would like to have as many products as possible from each line. I really prefer to be able to purchase everything from one site...the paper, embellishments, chipboard, etc. I'll stop because this list could be so long!
Not sure.
"3 Bugs in A Rug
Daisy Bucket"
"Crate paper
dream street
I really like all inclusive kits and don't mind spending more if it makes it easier and less time involved"
Creative Imaginations, Creative Cafe, Art Warehouse - love their stamps, swatchbooks and papers
"October Afternoon- papers, clear stamps, rub-ons and embellishments Hero Arts- Stamps"
"Adorn It sets
Bella Blvd
Sassafrass
Mostly like papers but also bold rubons and embellies"
Bazzil Basics
I Love Black Market Paper Society!! Get these papers :)
More American crafts
Disney papers.
Jenni Bowlin (if you don't already have?)
"Bo Bunny - papers, embellies, kits
Stampers Anonymous - Tim Holtz stamps"
October Afternoon...ALL OF IT!! :)
More Heidi Swapp ghost things. Some divided page protectors if you haven't added them yet...
"I love everything October Afternoon
Sassafras Lass papers and embellishments"
LOVE October Afternoon! Fun new stuff too http://octoberafternoon.typepad.com/
"Hambly Studios
paper, transparencies, rub-ons"
I love all that you have! Ribbon and brads that would coordinate as well as suggested Stickles that would coordinate to collections would be a great help.
Oh I wouldn't change a thing. Your products are great!
Sassafras Lass papers, stamps
Wish Blade replacement blades and mats
American Crafts - their papers, thickers, and embellies!
American Craft, Coordinations
Bo-Bunny Press
"fancy pants- all the coordinates
my minds eye- all the coordinates
crate- all the coordinates"
Not sure.
My minds eye - paper and embellishments
You have already listed my favorite.
I really love October Afternoon products.
"Ohter lines that I like a lot are Sassafra Lass, Little Yellow Bicycle, Daisy Bucket, We R Mermory Keepers,Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants and My Mind's Eye.
I hope that you that soon I can buy in your store."
Cuddle bug, Sizzix dies
I really love Kimberly Poloson's collections and can hardly wait to get Nature's Flora Collection.
The new DCWV paper pads.
"American Crafts
Kokuyo
Bazzill cardstock"
Teresa Collins
little yellow bicycle
"7 Gypsies
Technique Tuesday"
I can't think of any brands that you are missing...:)
You already carry my 3 favorite brands!
Nothing really - like distressed, more bohemian style instead of loud, graphic or cute.
"K&Company--their papers are great and colorful, cheery. Any of their products are wonderful.
Mary Englebreit papers, etc. Don't know if anyone sells/can sell these products.
Prima's 'Got Flowers'--really cute. They also have 'Iced Got Flowers'.
Always looking for styrofoam, pins (pearl heads or glass in colors), sequins."
Fancy Pants or Little Yellow Bicycle - love their papers and embellies
I think you should carry more ribbon. I love the American crafts ribbons you had.
More We R Memory Makers Albums
Tim Holtz and Ranger Arts
Sassasfrass Lass - October Afternoon - Paper and embellishements
Bazzill Cardstock in as many colors as possible
i love american crafts as well.
"October Afternoon
Sassafras Lass"
Tweezerbee, Cutterbee (TOOLS)
Little Yellow Bicycle
"Prima flowers
We R Memory Keepers"
"Sassafras Lass - everything
Hambly - everything... well, paper and rub ons."
webster's pages, cherry arte, october afternoon, glitz
Bo Bunny, teresa collins,
"Collage Press papers
October Afternoon Papers
Sassafras Lass papers"
bobunny,
"Anna Griffin - All
My minds eye - All"
"I love packs that are all inclusive... papers and embellishments. Everything already matches and are included.
I would also like to see more baby boy things."
"Coordinating embellishments are always good!
Prima is a fav of mine, too. And it looks like they are venturing into paper."
"Jenni Bowlin - papers and embellishments.
Hambly - I have the hardest time finding their papers & transparencies. Love their rub-ons too.
October Afternoon - always love their products.
College Press - has a great patterned papers."
"love bo bunny and fancy pants as well as heidi grace
i love it all"
K and company- paper, embellies etc.
"Technique Tuesday - clear stamps
Imaginisce - paper pads
Crate Paper - packages of paper(not individual sheets)"
"fancy pants
american crafts"
I guess I sort of lean towards the cutesy side so I love Bo Bunny. I also love K&Company and Daisy D's.
"I really like Heidi Grace as well.
papers mostly but sticker sheets too.
Better variety of thanksgiving/fall papers too"
Prima Marketing--papers & flowers
"7gypsies- Photo & ATC carousel. 7gypsies- Tags, stamps.
Organization products"
"There is this new one: Bella Blvd. their complete lines are very pretty!
The rest I like you carry them already."
Can't think of much...you carry lots of great stuff.
none that I can think of right now
"Glossy extras-Heidi Swapp
Pattern Paper-October Afternoon
Snowflakes-American Craft
Decorative Edge Tablet & Album-Love Letters-Little Yellow Bicycle
Snowflake plastic sheet-KI Memories"
"Sassafras Lass- love papers, embellishments, alpha stickers, stamps, journal stickers
October Afternoon- love all products
American Crafts- their newest lines(everyday, travel, romance)"
imaginesce
Sassafras Lass papers
I love Kaisercraft embellishments and I really like some of the Tim Holtz/Ranger stuff. I especially love Stickles.
I like Bo Bunny. I love cuttlebug embossing folders, Spellbinders dies, Stamps Happen stamps.
Imagenesce? paper stickers.. all of it.
Keiser Craft is nice.
fancy pants is a wonderful brand! Would love for yo to carry there paper, fibers, cardstocks, chipboard, acrylic pieces.
"Fancy Pants
Bo Bunny"
October Afternoon
"I would love to see some green products , some European vintage stuff, postcards, charms, baggage tags etc and more from the young designers at like from Etsy
also some gypsy, hippie not so in the box embellies"

Featured Product: KI Memories - Sheer Delights (Transparencies)

One of the many products I fell in love with at CHAS08 was the Sheer Delights collection from KI Memories. They have cut edges and beautifully glossy print. I wanted to feature the collection here and show a few of the sample projects that KI displayed in their booth. I can't wait to get my hands on these!

The Sheer Delights and all new KI Memories products are available for pre-order at PaperCents.com: {shop now}

Click the images below to view a larger version.

In Love with Pink Paislee and Cosmo Cricket

We have added two new brands to our line up... And I have to say, I couldn't be happier! The customer service provided by Rebecca at Pink Paislee and Lindsay at Cosmo Cricket is spectacular and indicative of the quality of their products. A little background...

A lot goes into putting products online, images need to be sized consistently. I may get images that are all different sizes, square and not e.g., 550x450 and 300x300. In the end, I need three images for each product: a large image (550x550 max), a medium (350x350 exactly), a small image (150x150).


Why? Well, if we use a 350x350 image as a thumbnail, the image will be fuzzy from being reduced AND the product thumbnails will take much longer to load! But hovering over the magnifying glass should show a larger image with enough detail to make a purchase decision. And if a closer look is needed, the product details page has a "product images {zoom}" tab with the largest image available. (We set the maximum size to 550, so the layout doesn't look weird on the page).

So, for each product, I must resize three images and associate them with the product (read: data entry). I also need to set up the product name. I include the brand and collection, product type (12x12 paper) for purposes of search engine optimization (SEO) and grouping like products together. Plus I add to the name, the actual name. So, for example, Cosmo Cricket has a item named "Happy Campers." That item on our site is "Cosmo Cricket - Mr. Campy - 12x12 Double-Sided Cardstock - Happy Campers" Long, I know.

I could go on and on about prices, product descriptions, setting up categories and relating products to each other, but I sense your forehead is about to hit the keyboard.

The point I am making here is, after the purchase of hundreds of products at CHA, I have a LOT to do. And companies like Pink Paislee and Cosmo Cricket that make it easier and faster by providing easy ways to get the data and images, by personally answering e-mails at lightning speed, make it so much easier and more fun! And I am looking forward to a long partnership with both of them! I hope you enjoy having their products at PaperCents.com.

To say I've been neglecting my blog is to be queen of understatement.

I have ONE post in 2008. That's pretty neglectful, I'd say. Well, I'm back. It's been a crazy year so far, so I'll summarize what you've missed and then we can take it from there!

• Had a great time at CHA Winter. Added a few new lines to the store. Some did well, others didn't.


• It took forever to add all the product online, so I have been writing a product management computer application to make it all a bit easier. I don't want to spend all my time doing data entry and management!


• I completed a website for a friend of a friend: http://noondesigngroup.com.


• Have been attending many small-business seminars to get a grip on things! Attended a great one on e-mailing last night by Lisa Sparks from Constant Contact.


• Put in a new paper storage system - trying to fit all our inventory into a 14x16 room can be challenging! Funny thing about paper, it's heavier than it looks... collapsed our slatwall!


• This week I am going nuts prepping for CHA Summer. After the e-mail seminar, I did two loads of laundry and printed 120 business cards. Also, made "abetterbouncecard" to see if it helps me take some great layout shots - to post on blog. {Entirely forgot to eat dinner.}

2008 goals:

• Blog & e-mail more consistently


• Add an "Articles" section to PaperCents.com


• Oh, and finish 2007 bookkeeping... yikes!

Are you going to CHA? If so, e-mail me - I'd LOVE to meet you!