At the end of Jan, a few of my fellow employees traveled with Paulette Jarvey, to CHA. For those of you who don’t know what CHA is (it is for retailers, not usually not for consumers) we will give you a little insider information!

CHA: Craft & Hobby Association, one of the season’s largest selections of craft products under one roof. Attendees (retailers) get the opportunity to learn new skills, gain knowledge on trends, networking and attend workshops, seminars, demo and special events! Giving everyone the opportunities to bring exciting new ideas and products back to our favorite people…our customers!

Our team from Hot off the Press, was

Malia Harrington, Retail Specialist

Malia Leineweber, Key Accounts

Stan Rickert, Buyer

Paulette & Mike Jarvey

Maila Harrington, Retail Specialist

The 2012 Winter Craft & Hobby Association Show was amazing this year! Although it was a smaller show (fewer vendors) more Retailers came out this year than last. Our booth was very busy all 4 days! The Hot Off The Press® line was well received by Retailers for not only having a variety of styles, looks and color combinations, but tremendous value and low minimums. We were invited to do not one, but two workshops and both were completely sold out.

Paulette, teaching at one of the workshops

We were also nominated for an Innovations Award for our Color Me Copper Paper™ (maybe we’ll win next time!) The atmosphere overall was light, upbeat and optimistic about the economy with Retailers ready to write orders at the show. What a great start to the year! We can’t wait for the summer show!

Malia Leineweber, Key Accounts
This year we tried something new and displayed our paper packs, papier tole and scrapbooking Dazzles™ as coordinating collections in the booth. What a statement the new booth format made! Presenting coordinating elements together not only made for easier ordering but also really showed off how versatile Hot Off The Press designs are. From soft and pretty to fun and bold we had something for everyone. My favorite is the Boutique Papers and coordinating elements but customers seemed to really gravitate to Handmade Memories and Heritage paper packs.

Our Copper Color Me™ was up for an innovation award and brought many new faces to the booth. We demo’d how quick and easy the Color Me™ papers were to use and the feedback was great. We also got great reviews on the new Artful Card Kit line. Customers really appreciated product tailored for cardmaking at a good value. Chocolate Dipped and Spun Sugar designs were the most popular but I suspect Cherry on Top will be moving up the ranks rapidly.

With a huge selection and low price point Dazzles popped up on most orders. The Mix’Em Dazzles™ were well received and I often found myself saying  “yes, you get all 3 sheets in a package … correct, the retail is only $3.99!” Now, onto new templates — I suspected Pinwheels would be the customer favorite but Iris Folding definitely stole the show.  I’m sure we’ll be seeing more Iris Folding designs with our next set of releases! Speaking of folding, the projects displayed from our newest DVD, Folded & Fabulous, were ooh’d and ahhh’d over … although I suppose that could be said for just about everything in the booth!

Stan Rickert, Buyer

This show seemed much more positive and upbeat from past shows and it genuinely felt like there is an upswing in the industry. Spent most of the day walking the floor and meeting with current vendors.

Banners, Flags and Garland are not a “new” trend but were everywhere! Also all over the floor was tissue tape (Washi Tape) in every pattern and color you can imagine. (You might just find those coming to Paper Wishes.com) Collage books or “Smash “ books as they are called also seemed to a recurring trend.

We look forward to pulling it all together and seeing what goodies we have in store for the next couple of catalogs we have coming this year!

Paulette Jarvey, President

We traveled two days early so we (my husband, Mike and me) could enjoy Disneyland and California Adventure with our son, Adam, and his girlfriend. I grew up in Anaheim, so returning is always a bit nostalgic. We had 80º weather, no rain and had so very much fun. Two rides on the White Water Rapids (we dried quickly in the warm weather), four on Space Mountain, two on Indiana Jones, three on Toy Story Mania–that gives you an idea of what we enjoy.

Friday: Everything arrived perfectly! That’s important when you’re setting up a show. All 40-feet of the show held the 81 new HOTP items.

Our Booth!

Saturday: Copper Color Me™ was a finalist in CHA’s Innovations Award. There were 120 entries so that was very nice. The 20 finalists each gave a 60 second presentation to 220 attendees. Some people didn’t think I could speak for only 60 seconds, but I nailed it! We didn’t win but it was great to be part of the presentations

Our first workshop was Saturday night and held 75 people. I gave them M&Ms to get started then really worked them hard to complete three projects within the two hours. They made wonderful things and had fun but they sure looked tired.

Sunday:  So nice to find out that in Southern California on a Sunday, if you need a doctor (which I did) you can get an appointment within 45 minutes. We became friends with a cab driver and he got us to Kaiser, only a few blocks from the hotel. I was seen and got the prescriptions. A skin infection would get worse before it got better and the doctor recommended I stay off my feel. Yes, he knew that would only work at night since we were doing a trade show.

The booth team knew something was wrong when I called to tell them we’d be late for opening day. Malia L., Malia H. (yes two Malias work for me!), Adam and Stan said they would take care of everything and they did.

Although I couldn’t walk the show I did get to see many people. Also, Crafter’s Workshop was next to us so I could visit with Jamie and talk about new techniques with her templates (she will send us a video). Saw the new flowers from Mark Richards that will be in the April Paper Wishes catalog. They are stitched and so very pretty.

Monday: Taught another two-hour workshop repeating the Saturday one because it sold out so quickly. This was a more talkative group which always makes it harder to get through the projects. But they did it. Wow, 150 retailers!

The show is quite international. Got to see Cindy from A Scrappe Angels Heaven in Australia–one of my favorite retailers and a very smart one, too. Also saw KK from New Zealand who does the most amazing pergamano. Aquila from South Africa came and purchased after terrible floods in their stores. Some retailers even bring us candy‹they know the way to our hearts. Yum, chocolate covered macadamia nuts!  I had dinner with our British distributor Pottery Crafts who takes our items into the TV channel Create & Craft. They will also have our goods at the Stitches trade show in Feb. in England. Then had breakfast with the UK and Australian magazine folks from Practical Publishing. They will be tucking Paper Wishes into their magazines this spring. We plan to work with them even more in 2012.

Met with the Joann’s buyers and they will take more suede colors and some new ripple holographic papers into the stores this May. We’ll show them in the April Paper Wishes. Very exciting. We talked Dazzles™, too.

Met with the HSN buyers and had a chance to strategize about some Christmas Artful Card kits that I want to try with a new printing process to add foiling. They are up for it so we’ll get designing!

Also met with our factory reps one of which showed me some materials I have never seen before. Yes! I’m excited to expand the accents and embellishments that will work with our papers for the second half of the year. I can’t reveal the materials but they are glittery, raised and repositionable and very, very fun!  That’s why I like trade shows. Always something new, a chance to catch up with friends and sometimes unexpected ideas!! Stay tuned.

WOW, sounds like all of them had a great time, and a very successful show! The best part of it, is that you as our customers get to see the end results of the shows. From our HOTP product line to our picks from the show…they are all based on customers wants and needs!

Thank you Stan, Malia’s and Paulette for sharing with us! We all look forward to seeing all the New products in the upcoming catalogs!!!

~ Cristina

Greetings Everyone!

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do for my loved ones. You have to remember, I have all boys and thou I love them with all my heart…they are boys! They don’t want hearts and shades of pink, and red! They just want candy or cash! LOL

It’s always fun coming up with new ways to give classroom Valentine’s Day candy cards. My 9 yr old Diego, has 30 kids in his class! YIKES! So it has to be affordable and something I can do fairly quickly. Here are some ideas that I found on the internet; however, I’m going to use items that Paper Wishes carries…I’m pretty sure I can find something similar….or even better!

To create this project you can use the following: (click on links)

Pink Polka Dot Foil

3” Round Scallop Giga Punch

2 1/8″ Stacking Circle Punch

Lace Ribbon Set

To create this project you can use the following: (click on links)

Pink 8″x8″ Retro Cardstock

Red Cardstock

25 Hearts template

To create this project you can use the following: (click on links)

Build a Banner template

Purple Stripe foil paper

Tertiary Bakers Twine

To create this project you can use the following: (click on links)

Pink 8″x8″ Retro Cardstock

Red Cardstock

3″ Flower Giga Punch

On a different note, Valentine’s Day isn’t just for your loved ones; I like to think that everyone in this world needs a little love now and again.  Besides, making a Valentine’s Day craft is a great thing! Here are some ideas for others:

A small gift for everyone – You can make the day really special for all those who work for you but get little else other than wages. Be it your newspaper boy, your neighbor, your doctor, your babysitter…you can present each of them with a small token gift like a note card (click on link) or a little chocolate box. (click on link) Or share a treat with your colleagues. Creating a small note with a candy on top is a piece of cake! The smile you get in return will make the gesture worthwhile. Plus it will help you celebrate the occasion with those you work with all year long and might just strengthen your workplace relationships.

So get inspired!  Let us see your Valentine’s Day project.

Next week we’ll be doing a Facebook Stamp Challenge! Just a little hint, you’ll want to have the Love Stamp or Ticket Stamp and any of our new paper packs, featured in the 2012 Winter Catalog.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

~ Cristina

Being one of the newest members of HOTP, I’ve soon learned a lot about all the wonderful people that I work with. LeNae Gerig, one of our fabulous designers has been apart of HOTP, since 1994. So I thought it would be great to get to know LeNae just a little bit more….

Cristina: Tell us a little history about yourself:

LeNae: A few years after graduating from Western Oregon State University with a BS Degree in History I was newly married, working in a local bakery and wondering what to do next. That’s when, in 1994, Hot Off The Press came into my life. I took a job as a Technical Editor, proofreading designer submissions and testing instructions by recreating their designs and photographing them step by step for our craft instruction books. This job became a wonderful training ground for learning the basics of design.

Cristina: Tell us about the changes that you’ve seen over the years with HOTP:

LeNae: The company has gone though many changes in those years. For years we were a publisher that relied almost exclusively on instructional craft books. We published books on a variety of subjects: Floral arrangements, polymer clay, jewelry making, stamping and embellishing paper mache just to name a few. It was a wonderful training ground for me and soon I became an in-house designer, creating books of my own.  When the scrapbooking craze became popular,

HOTP became a manufacturer of scrapbooking papers. My roll changed from a general craft designer to a scrapbook page designer. Eventually, Paper Wishes, HOTP’s retail catalog, was created to better reach our customers and card making and paper crafts became a part of my life.

Cristina: This may be a hard one, but tell us about your Favorite products & tools and of course why:

LeNae: The Paper Wishes catalog enables me to work with many wonderful tools created by manufacturers from all over the world. Because I get to play with these items all day long, I have developed a few favorites.  Recently I have become enamored with the Silhouette Cameo™ electronic cutting tool. I can use it for so many things. Last month I made party favor bags for my daughter’s birthday party. Another favorite tool is the Tonic Border System and punches. My most used punch is the Scallop Edger punch, for sure.  I’m so excited that we now manufacturer double sided paper!

The Kaleidoscope Paper Pack is so versatile. I love using it with the new Playful Pinwheels Template. Another great product, that I just can’t live with out is the Chocolate Dipped Artful Card Kit. Just punch out the pieces and in minutes you have a wonderful layered look for your card. I love the color combination of red, green, blue and brown! Check these products out. I’m sure you will enjoy using them as much as I do!

A few of LeNae’s Projects:

Thanks so much LeNae for sharing with us, and keep up the great work and inspiration you provide for all of us!

This week in our message board, we will be doing a Designer’s Challenge. Please click on the link to get all the information. Thanks again for taking the time to read our little blog! We love hearing from you…let me know what you think or if you have any ideas that you’d love to share   ~ Cristina

Some of my fondest memories are with my grandmother; she was a very talented crafter. She made her own quilt patterns and hand stitched them. She was very much ahead of her time using color combinations and other materials rather than just fabric. One thing she loved to give us grandchildren were handmade quilts for “special” occasions such as graduation, weddings, or with the birth of our children. I do still have all the quilts she made for my kids and me.

There’s one quilt she made for my oldest son, it was all lions and for the eyes she used buttons. I remember sitting by her and going through her button basket and touching all the different buttons. It was like a treasure hunt that I loved just running my fingers through all the colors.

My sister, who is a crafter, uses buttons as well. The other day as her daughter and I sat on her bed, we just had to pull out her button box and it took us back to my grandma. My grandma would always tell us there are so many reasons to have sooo many buttons. You can use them on just about anything. And especially when grandpa loses one on his shirts!

I love how our designers are often using buttons on their projects. Buttons are soo much fun! Who would have thought they would go so well with most of the projects that we create. In fact, with most of our paper packs you’ll usually find a button collection that goes very well with it. I’ve pointed out a couple down below.

Another fun thing about buttons is that you can also use them in stand-alone projects such as wall hangings or ornaments. As you scroll down and see all the fun things with buttons, just keep in mind these are just a few ideas that I found on our Paper Wishes.com site! You might have noticed, WE LOVE BUTTONS TOO!!!

Making Cards with Stamps, Ribbons & Buttons

Spring Button Mix

Celebrate Cake pocket card

Day dream Buttons

Father’s Day Card

Argyle Button Mix

Sew Sweet Card

Buttons Embossing Punch

8×8 Our Story Album

Buttons Chipboard Mini Set

Heart Buttons

Blue Candy Dots Buttons

Black Vintage Buttons

Love Binder

Here are some other ideas you can use to create just using buttons.

What’s the Fuss about Doilies??

Greetings!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Something that has recently caught my eye has been how popular doilies have become in our creative world. I’ve seen them in sooo many projects. Funny thing is when I think of doilies I immediately remember my grandmother and how she made fun little things from her doilies. She would make little teacups with saucers underneath and starched them to stay in place. I wished I had a photo to show you!

I recently did a search on the internet just to see how many projects were using doilies and BOY, was I shocked. They are coming up in everything. I wondered why our 8” square white paper doilies have stayed on our “Best Sellers” list week after week. Now I understand! I’ve listed all the items related to doilies that we currently have on Paper Wishes, as well as projects! Hope you enjoy

Here’s a list of all the items we currently have:

Cream Flower Crochet Doilies 2pk these come in both cream & White

8″ Square White Paper Doilies

4″ Heart Paper Doilies

4″ Round Paper Doilies

6″ Round Paper Doilies

6¼”x9¾” Oval Paper Doilies

Lace & Doilies Scrapbooking Dazzles™

Square Doily Punch 1 1/2″x1 1/2″

Lace & Doilies Stamps

10 Romance Stencils

Projects

Birthday Card

Boutique Scrapbook page

Creative Canvas

Lacy Card

Lacy Red Scrapbook Page

Sisters

This catalog is packed with 220 NEW IDEA and 364 NEW ITEMS! I know I can’t believe it myself. I gave some of my co-workers a little homework task, asking them to pick out some of their favorites from the new catalog, along with myself! Let’s take a quick peak at what they choose:

Debbie Samples, Personal Shopper Assistant, favorite picks:

Metal Patera Charms, pg 59

I like the vintage/feminine feel of the charms. I love that they are embossed, but you can still personalize them with words, charms or even a photo. Definitely ordering a set of these.

Wooden Tray – pg 9

I am all about showing off pictures in new, interesting ways. Gives a whole new twist on “Can I show you the latest pictures of the Grandkids”

Epic Tool – pg 28

I am not even sure I understand what all this machine does-(Die cutting, embossing, letter press, printing) but I am willing to learn and fall in love with it!!

Talia Sanderson, Project Specialist & Designer favorite picks:

Two of my favorite things from the new catalog are Teresa’s Folded & Fabulous Cards CD (back cover pg) and the Kaleidoscope Papers (pg 73). Plus, they really make a great pair! Being an avid card maker, it is easy to run out of ideas or reuse the same design over and over. This new CD adds an additional 52 fold ideas to your repertoire, shows you 104 samples, and includes a video of each fold! Such a great selection and a great way to use the new Kaleidoscope Papers! These papers are so fun and well coordinated! One side is more subtle and the other a louder pattern. There is really a scheme to fit any card-making occasion!

Stan Rickert, Buyer favorite pick,

I have so many favorites, but if I had to pick one it would be the Cinch v2 (pg 19) from WeR Memories.

I like it for many reasons, but mainly because it’s a tool…I like tools! They make me feel manly when I’m crafting. Not only is it heavy duty and versatile it’s also super easy to use and will punch through just about any material you want to make a book out of with little effort…Heavy Chipboard, Lighter metals and even thin leather (manly material) You know, because I’m so macho!

* This was also featured on a Weekly Webisode on December 27th, you can check it out today!

Thanks Debbie, Talia and Stan! I love getting all the feedback, from everyone! I’ll be asking more and more questions to all of my co-workers in the future.

Cristina’s Favorite Picks!

Boutique Paper Pack and all the goodies that goes with it. From the ribbons, to the Papier Tole (2 different types), to the Scrapbook Dazzles™…LOVE IT!  Just love all the colors of the set; they are all on pg 9

Boutique Ribbon Set, Floral Boutique Foil Papier Tole, Artful  Boutique Scrapbook Dazzles™ and Postcard Pyramid Papier Tole

9 Draw storage units – Pg 28

Can’t wait to get one of these and decorate it myself. My desk at home can sure use a little added organization, but I just didn’t want to get just a regular “plastic” bin for my desk. And I’ll probably use the Boutique papers to cover it, just it shown in the picture!

I could go on and on, there’s aleast 40 more of my favorites in the catalog! But I’ll cap it to those two items!  I also wanted to mention that Week of Webisodes is coming Jan 9th, first day we will featuring Teresa’s DVD!!!

We want to here from you! Don’t be shy….we want to know your favorite picks are and why they are your favorite!

Thank-you and Enjoy

~ Cristina

9 Helpful Holiday Diet Tips:

1. If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories

2. If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, they cancel each other out

3. If you eat standing up, it doesn’t count!

4. STRESSED is just DESSERTS spelled backwards

5. If you eat the food off someone else’s plate, it doesn’t count

6, Cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breakage cause calorie leakage

7. Food used for medicinal purposes have no calories. This includes: any chocolate used for energy, brandy, cheesecake, and Haagen-Daz Ice Cream

8. When eating with someone else, calories don’t count if you both eat the same amount

9. Movie-related foods are much lower in calories simply because they are a part of the entertainment experience and not part of one’s personal fuel. This includes: Milk Duds, popcorn with butter, Junior Mints, Snickers, and Gummi Bears.

I remember receiving a “thank-you” note from one of our customers. She wrote in to say thank you, for helping her with her diet. When she crafts it keeps her from eating. So it was a win-win situation for her!  Love all of our customers – Here some “food” inspired projects from our fabulous designers:

Happy Birthday to my mom, Lucia! My family is blessed to have such a wonderful mother! Hope you have a wonderful day mom! Love you!!!

Greetings! We are 17 days away from Christmas! Are you ready? LOL I know – I haven’t started either! Well don’t be stressed, sometimes we work better under presser. At least thats what I keep repeating to myself so I don’t go totally crazy! Here’s a funny little recipe, in the “Spirits of the Holidays”!

1 cup water
1 cup of sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups dried fruit
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
lemon juice
nuts
1 gallon whiskey

1. Sample the whiskey to check for quality.
2. Take a large bowl.  Check the whiskey again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
3. Pour one level cup and drink.
4. Repeat.
5. Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 cup butter in a large, fluffy bowl.
6. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and beat again.
7. Make sure the whiskey is still OK. Cry another tup. Turn off mixer.
8. Break 2 legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
9. Mix on the turner.
10. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver.
11. Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity.
12. Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something, Who cares.
13. Check the whiskey.
14. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something.
15. Whatever you can find.
16. Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees.
17. Don’t forget to heat off the turner.
18. Throw the bowl out of the window.
19. Check the whiskey again.
20. Go to bed.

Who the heck likes fruitcake anyway?

In the spirit of the kitchen….some fun things from our catalog all about the kitchen and some projects for more ideas!

Dazzles™, Brads and Kitchen Stamp set! All inspired by our kitchens! This has a great bundled price as well. Makes a nice little gift for someone, or better yet for yourself!

Make fabulous cooking-themed pages, stress-free—and for about a buck a page! This value-packed kit contains all you need to make sweet recipe pages, barbecue or cooking layouts. Because all the high-quality papers and embellishments are designed to coordinate perfectly, you save tons of time.

Vintage postcards! This cool kit from Crafty Secrets contains gorgeous supplies for making antique-style postcards and other papercrafts.   You’ll have 6 large postcard-sized images, 12 smaller images and 18 ivory chipboard pieces to glue them to. You’ll also get a 3”x2.75” set of 10 matching stamps! Create vintage-inspired postcards, artist trading cards, wall hangings, a garland, ornaments, keepsakes, or use them on scrapbook pages and cards.

Cute Little Portfolio designed by LeNae Gerig Click on the image to see how it was created!

Whether you’re making it as a gift or preserving your family recipes, this whimsical book is perfect for holding treasured recipes. The square sarabinder™ is sturdy enough to last through years of handling and use. And all the bright Twitterpated supplies make it cheerful, while the cardstock cut-outs add a nostalgic feeling to the book. Be sure to decorate the dividers and envelopes, too. You’ll enjoy using this book for years to come—and you’ll get all these supplies for less when you purchas the entire set!

Kitchen embellishments! Perfect for recipe books, scrapbooking pages or cards! Click on the pic to find out all the information or to find projects!

Hope you all enjoy your Fruit Cake Happy Holidays!

~ Cristina

Greetings Everyone!

With Christmas right around the corner our lives tend to get a little more hectic…with Christmas shopping, gifts to be made, cupcakes for school, gifts for teachers, Holiday concerts and programs…the list just goes on! I’m here to help, well at least give you a bit of humor relief at the end or beginning or each day! A little letter to Santa…

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my doctor, sold 62 cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground, and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter’s Girl Scout sash with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I’ll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

• I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache after a day of chasing kids (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don’t flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.  I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.
• If you’re hauling big ticket items this year, I’d like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
• On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, “Yes, Mommy” to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don’t fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.
• I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, “Don’t eat in the living room” and “Take your hands off your brother,” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
• And please don’t forget the Playdoh Travel Pack, the stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-laws’ house seem just like mine.
• If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.
• Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn’t look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in his pajamas at midnight.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don’t catch cold.

Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, Mom

So if you’re a mom, well you can relate. If you’re a not…well be nice to YOUR MOM today and everyone other day! Here’s a list of things that I think MOM, would like to have….

Personal Shopper Monthly Club -   Your mom will  have top-quality supplies, easy-to-follow instructions, prompt delivery service and superior customer service. She’ll even have a Personal Shopper Assistant, Debbie, standing by to answer your questions and help you with your membership. Got a question? Just email Debbie (dsamples@hotp.com) and she’ll take care of you right away.

Today as most of you know it is Cyber Monday. Most of us love the convenience of shopping at home without having to deal with all the inconvenience of “shopping” outside. There are plenty of reasons to shop online, most mine revolve around not wanting to take my kids with me, but for some its husbands, boyfriends, significant others…after reading the following I can totally understand why!

I received an email, from my dear friend Sam as her husband has just retired.  She sent it to me in hopes that her husband won’t try any of these himself. It made me actually laugh out Loud (LOL) I had share it, in celebration of CYBER MONDAY!

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1) June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2) July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in House wares to go off at 5-minute intervals. .

3) July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, ‘Code 3 in House wares. Get on it right away’. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.

4) August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

5) August 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

6) August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

7) August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’ EMTs were called.

September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

9) September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

10) October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ‘Mission Impossible’ theme.

11) October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his ‘Madonna look’ by using different sizes of funnels.

12) October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME PICK ME!’

13) October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

And last, but not least:

14) October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey! There’s no toilet paper in here.’ One of the clerks passed out.

Thanks again Sam for the email!

Happy Cyber Monday! Don’t forget to use your coupon today, as its the last day to get 20% off your highest priced item. Also, we just added Gift Giving Suggestions! Suggestions from our designers along with Paulette Jarvey! WOW, how great is that? Be sure to check out!

Enjoy Cristina