Window Wonderland

Warm greetings readers!  Where did January go?!!!!  Life with Stamp to Cope, Inc. has been bountiful this month so grab your favorite beverage and join me as I share a peak into our "Window Wonderland"....

STC began January 2013 with a wrap up of my stamp art pieces (cards and jewelry) displayed in the Berea Arts Council contributing $90 to our mission.  STC received great exposure over the holidays as a result and support contacts are already coming our way.  Thank you Gwen and Diane for your sincere love and support.

Later in the month, I received an email from the Editor of CardMaker Magazine asking if STC would like to be featured in the Summer issue under the Readers Reach Out feature....Oh Yeah!!!!  Thanks Tanya Fox

The 2013 Berea Festival Learnshop proposals were submitted and STC was approved for 3....2 on rubber stamp and paper craft art and 1 on the basics of using alcohol markers in projects.  Advertising and registration have begun so sign up and share with your friends.  Check out the first marketing piece they have completed for one of my workshops. They did a super job!  Register through the link below and I will share the others as they go live

Stamping and Papercraft Beginner - July 25, 2013 

STC submitted a proposal (currently under review) to expand our fundraising potential by offering stamp and paper crafting workshops to the general public. I will keep you posted.  As you can see we have been quite busy and excited about outreach for 2013.

So now that I have updated everyone on the business happenings, I wanted to share a story surrounding the card featured in today's post.  As my husband would say...no good deed goes unpunished :)...

My mother is simply the BEST in the whole world...she is a super person, runs multiple charity functions, loves everyone, knows everyone, writes a newspaper column, is the oldest living Girl Scout in the nation, never loses at Bridge, is always winning some type of award or being interviewed, is much loved in her community, and she is probably the number 1 fan of STC! She is truly a hard act to follow (and keep tabs on) and January 11, my mother turned 87! She has really been stressing over this particular birthday number, so I wanted to do something really special.  I should have known better :).

In my excitement to create the PERFECT card, I actually sketched out a card for the first time before starting.  I decided to go BIG, use all her favorite things, and include a picture of her grandson wearing the Christmas gifts she sent.  I spent 4 hours making this super card, got it done way early, put it in the mail on January 3 with a beautifully stamped envelope (which I don't normally do) and put on triple postage just to e sure she got it on time.  Guess what!!! I not only forgot to take a picture before I sent it, but it did not arrive! IT MISSED HER BIRTHDAY!! I called everyday and I know she thought I never really sent anything but she was happy with the phone calls.

After 3 weeks of waiting to see if it would turn up, I gave up and started from scratch.  This time I went normal size, hand cut everything again but small, and tried to remember the sketch (of course I threw it out..duh).  Again, I stamped a lovely envelope, doubled the postage, and drove it directly to the post office on January 21.  As you may be anticipating, it disappeared too!  I truly wanted to cry...all the love and thanks I wanted to send her and neither one had arrived!  I felt like I had ruined her special birthday! This time, however, I remembered to take a picture so thought I would go for "3 is the charm."  I was just getting everything out to begin when I received a call yesterday (January 30) from my mom....

BOTH cards arrived that day!!!!!  God is good!  I love you MOM!!! Happy "Belated" 87th!

Thanks everyone for letting me share!  Enjoy looking into your Window Wonderland and keep warm! Chat again soon!
love Jeannette