History Lesson Not Over...

Because this week Nic S and I are picking the fabulous minds of April & Scarlet!


I had the opportunity to ask April some questions today--I think you'll enjoy reading what she had to say as much I did. Stay tuned later in the week as we try and reveal more of their creative genius.

What was your initial impression of Scarlet the first time you met in person?

I first met Scarlet at our LSS in Bowling Green, which sadly is no longer in business. I was working there and she was laboring over which stickers to purchase for a card she was making. At the time, I wasn't a sticker person, so I tried to convince her to use stamps for card-making and the rest is history.

What’s the funniest kit related story you have?

I don't know if it's funny or not, but Scarlet and I had no idea what we were getting into with the flat-rate shipping offer. We had no idea that ya'll would order so much that we couldn't fit it into a box! So, we have upgraded

boxes and sometimes have to send multiple boxes. So, if you have a friend that scrapbooks, now's the time to get them to kit-pool with you, before ya'll break the bank on flat-rate shipping! Just kidding, it's a program we plan to continue for a long long time.

What’s been your favorite CHA?

I loved summer CHA 2008. We already had 2 CHA's under our belt so I really felt like we knew what we were doing. Plus, it's the first time Stephen and Lorie joined us for the trip.

If you weren’t doing Studio Calico, what would you be doing?

I'd be a pharmaceutical manager. I loved my previous job and there was no real reason to leave except the fact that I would have gone absolutely crazy (and driven everyone else around me crazy) if I had continued to do both.

How many countries are represented by SC’s kit purchasers?

25 as of April's kit. (WOW!!)

If you had one day to plan and the sky was the limit and money were no

object what would you do with or for SC right now?

I would fly all of SC's members into Nashville and we'd have a big scrapping party with lots of good food and scrapbook supplies galore.

What was your initial vision for SC?

Initially, we wanted SC to be the premier kit club to be a part of with brand new releases and some vintage items. We also wanted to create a pleasant, easy-to-navigate shopping experience. We decided early on to have a message board, just thinking we'd had a few comments a day, and we never dreamed the community would become what it has. I truly think we are blessed with the nicest, most genuine users in the scrapbooking marketplace.

What's your favorite part about running a kit club?

My favorite part is when the boxes come in each month, and we see what we've created on the computer come together in tangible items. Love that experience and it never gets old.

What's the most difficult part?

The most difficult part is managing lead times and ship-dates, particularly from other manufacturers. The exclusive items we produce are completely within our control to arrive on time, but we're at manufacturers' mercy when we order from them. That's why building solid relationships and partnerships with them from the get-go was so important to us.

Why do you think SC is so successful?

I think we have been successful because we follow through on our commitments. Innovative designs and useability are of primary importance, but without stellar customer service, being able to admit when you've made a mistake and then being willing to accept the cost to correct it, I don't think we'd get very far.

What's something you'd like to see in SC's future?

I'd definitely like to see more community activities, whether it's more challenges,tutorials, and workshops online, or in person at an event. I'd also like to see how far we can expand our exclusive items.

Where do you look for inspiration for your own scrapbooking?

Many times, I look no farther than the SC member gallery. I love looking for unique subjects to scrapbook, angles of photos, or for a particular layout design that I can tweak to work with my photos. I also regularly read these magazines, but more for general inspiration than for scrapbooking: Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, Domino (sad that it is no more), and Country Home (and another that I was sad to see go).

Thank you, April, for answering all of our questions! She doesn't know it yet, but I've got a list of personal creativity questions for her later this week! :)