Krazy KT

Not much progress with the site..

Just a quick update on the site. After it going up last Thursday, it had to be taken down yet again after only hours of being up. Apparently my web site bogged down the thousands of other sites on the server. They had no other option then to take it down. Come to find out because of how poorly my site was put together behind the scenes, by my old web host, it has to be re-done. Long story short, everything has to be done again. All of my products have to be uploaded to the store all over again. It's my worst nightmare coming true.

I did manage to get everything to the new warehouse and out of the old. The down side, I missed Brandon's birthday get together. I officially get worst girlfriend of the year award. He was very understanding and spend the weekend helping me move, along with my dad. It's all in boxes and ready to be set up. The only problem, I have to be here for updates with my web site so I am stuck here pretty much thinking about everything that's been going on. Right now, I'm working on moving all of my old blog entries to this blog. Once that's done, that part of my old web site can then be taken down. Once they get my new message board and idea gallery up I'll be working on transferring things over there, from the old site. Same thing with the store.

I haven't blogged because I've been without my laptop, but I have it back now. Thursday, before I was aware that the web site was down, yet again, I decided to go get Brandon's birthday gift. Well, needless to say I never made it there. I ran to JoAnn's first, my car had been acting up on the way there. It was when I got back in my car after running into JoAnn's that the trouble started. I never made it to the store for Brandon's gift because on the way, it REALLY got bad. I decided to head home. Talk about scary! I pretty much drove home going 20 miles an hour, with the occasional jolt to 40 and then back down to 20. Keep in mind the speed limit was 65, but your lucky if everyone is going 75. I was so scared. I couldn't pull over because my cell phone was dead and I just wanted to get home. Long story short.. the transmission in my car went up.

I come inside the house only to find out that my web site is down again. I turn on my computer for my ac adaptor to start smoking and my computer is totally dead. I call Dell.. they can't get my part to me until Monday. Monday comes; I open the box only to find out they sent me the wrong part. I then get to spend quite some time on the phone with Dell, to explain why that part won't work. After them talking to me like I'm an idiot. By that time I had it and told them that I need the part tomorrow, I own an online store and need my computer. This is the second time this has happened to my laptop since I've had it, which has been a year and a half. I would never recommend a Dell laptop to anyone. If I had the money right now I would go buy the Mac I've been wanting. Well, I got the part today, so here I am.

Chopper has been by my side through it all. He's doing ok. Tomorrow will be one week since his surgery; we've had quite a few accidents in the house to say the least since it. The vet said that's normal though after the surgery.

It's been a hard couple of weeks but I am trying to hang in there. I am feeling a bit hopeless at times, but so many of you have sent me such kind emails and posted comments. I would have to say that's what's really getting me through all of this. I am all out of tears to cry and trying to be strong. I know in the end the web site will be better and it will all be worth it. I guess it's just hard for me to look at it that way right now from where I sit. Every time someone says, "look at it this way.. can it get any worse?" It does! Meg asked me if she should take out a life insurance policy first, before coming over. She did make me smile, but I actually don't think it would be a bad idea with the way things have been going for me. I know what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but I don't know how much more I can handle.

I have a lot of new photos of the store to upload to my Scrap Happy KT album. I'll get those up once I'm finished getting the old blog entries moved over. Back to work..

Slowly getting there

The site still isn't completely on the new server, but it's getting there. As of yesterday the store is now up and the idea gallery thumb names are back up. You are still not able to upload to the gallery, but that should be fixed today, as well as the message board. I've still been receiving emails with questions, and I'm more then happy to answer those for you, so if you have them  keep them coming!

• The store should have retained all of your information and you should not have to re-register.
• If you had anything in your shopping cart it still should be saved there.
• Nothing is going to change with the site right now. It will look the same when all of this is done. I will eventually be making lots of changes and doing a lot of improvements. Right now the main concern is just getting the whole site back up and running. Once all of that is good and I'm moved into my new location totally I'll be working on those.
• The new company I'm working with is Heritage Web Solutions. I don't know if the question about who they are was referring to who the new company is, or old... TAMMY KAY.. lol The company I was working with was Scrapbook Insights. Holly, the owner also owns Scrapbook Resumes.

I think I covered them all for now. If I come across anymore I will answer them on here for all of you. Thank you all so, so much for your support, as well as your kind words. I don't think anyone really knows what I've went through for the past week, or two weeks leading up to this. It's awesome to know how many of you stand behind me and support me! Thank you!

The last several blog posts have been about the site and a lot has since happened with my little Chopper! Last Tuesday we went to the vet. He weighed 34.4 pounds, that's 10 pounds he gained since we went last month. Today my little guy is returning to the vet to get neutered and have a home again chip put in his neck. I'm not going to lie, I'm kind of a little bit of a mess with the whole thing. That kind of stuff scares me, and I have to drop him off. I don't even get to be there with him. The vet said his operation could be anywhere from 9 am till 3 pm. I am hoping to make the best of my time, while he's at the vet, but I'm sure I'm just going to be worried the whole time.

Choppy has lost a lot of teeth :-) I heard it's rare to find you dogs teeth, because they usually swallow them. I have been lucky enough to find two of them. Last weekend when we got in bed, he got in before me. He was oh so sweetly sitting next to my pillow looking at me. He turned his head to the pillow I guess to show me, and there was one of his teeth on my pillow! He just looked so sweet sitting there. The look on his face was like.. "ok, where's my $1." LOL Two days ago I got his water bowl to dump out the water and put fresh water in and then on the bottom of his bowl was another one of his teeth!

He's been very clingy the past week and a half and I don't know why. I mean it's bad! If I leave the room he goes into a panic and starts looking for me and try's to knock over the gate. I few people have mentioned that dogs can sense when someone is upset or stressed out. Anyone know if this is true? If that's the case then that explains his behavior.

Well, it's 7 am and I'm so tired. Chipper woke me up about 2 hours ago and I was up late last night. He feel back asleep, so I'm hoping I can get in a nap before I have to take him to the vet.  I'm sure those chances are slim though. I've got more pictures to post in the Scrap Happy KT photo album with the progress of the store. I will post some more now and I have to get the rest off my camera later.

Oh, and one more thing! If you haven't already please vote for the store on the Creating Keepsakes 2008 readers choice award ballot. I'm not on there any where. There's 3 spots you can put my site, but you have to click other and type in my store. Maybe one year I'll actually be on the ballot. Vote HERE!!

Thanks for much everyone for the support!!

Web site STILL down

If I was asked a week ago how things were going, my answer would have been awesome!! I found a warehouse for the store, I have the Creative Imaginations contest going on and my web site was moved onto a new server. Ask me today how things are going and it's hard for me not to cry.

I have had many issues with my web designer from the beginning. I started looking for a new site host well over 2 months ago. I found a company that is in the top 1%  for web site hosting, Heritage web. To make a long story short, I received a phone call on July 31, 2007 saying that my web site had successfully been moved to the new companies server. After about a week I called to ask about something, only to find out that my web site had not been moved onto the new server.

That brings me to the last week. My current web host is not cooperating with the move, to say the least. I am still trying to successfully have the site moved over after almost a week and still facing many issues. I'm not going to go into great detail but my new company is trying to do everything they can to get my site completely up. Due to lack of cooperation from my original web host this whole process has been horrible.

To answer several questions that I have been receiving.

• I am not ignoring any emails. My email address through my web site is down. Since it's connected to the web site I'm not receiving any emails that are being sent through there. If you have any questions please drop me an email at [email protected] I have received 3 emails today through the site, so I think that the email may be working now.
• The web site is still 100% in business. I do not plan on going anywhere for a long time. Scrap Happy KT is here to stay!
• I can not access any orders or anything as of right now, once I can I will be working to get them all out.
• The web site is secure and you are in no way at risk of your information getting out.
• The Creative Imaginations contest is still as planned, but of course the deadline will be extended by at least a week, as of right now. That all depends on how long the site is down.

I spent this whole weekend with the help of my sister and Brandon packing up the store to move into the warehouse. I figured I might as well try to make the best of the time while the site is down. I am no where close to done packing but something is better then nothing. I missed the wedding I was suppose to go to this weekend, which I am really bummed about. It's just one of those things that happens when you have your own business.

I'm sitting here now getting ready to feed Chopper and take him out, waiting for an update about the site. There's not a lot I can do, but sit by the phone and wait. There's a million things for me to do and yet I have to be here when they call. I was suppose to go with Annie today to her ultra sound of the baby to find out the sex. I was upset I missed that. Bj, her husband had jury duty and couldn't go, so I told her over a month ago I would go. She understands why I couldn't go, but I think I let her down. I hope eventually I will be able to be one of those friends again that will always be there for you. I love you Annie-bug and I'm so sorry I couldn't go.

If you have any other questions feel free to post them here and I will answer them for you. When I am done feeding Choppy I will upload some more pictures of the progress of the new store/warehouse in my Scrap Happy KT album on the right!!

Web site temporarily down

I have received tons of emails on my aol account asking about the web site. The site is down right now and should be back up soon. I have a new web site host and the final switch to the new server is occuring now. I was hoping to announce the move before it happened and let everyone know, but some issues came up and it had to be done right away. I am in a bit of a panic, hoping everything is going as planned. All I can do is wait patiently.

I don't know how many people actually read my blog, so I don't know if posting this will make a difference of not. The site will be back up as soon. As soon as I hear back from Heritage, I will post another update.

I found a store!! WHOO HOO!!

Long story short, I found a store/warehouse!! I am so excited! Tuesday, I went to check out yet another spot for me to move the store with my mom. I walked in and knew I found my spot! J Needless to say this big step for the store is going to very stressful and costly. I won’t be purchasing as much as I normally do from shows, and I won’t be buying it all at once. I will still be getting ALL of Creative Imaginations new products. I also ordered Queen & Company already. I hope that my customers will be patient with me. I am going to order new product, just not RIGHT away. I know this is going to be tough in the beginning, but in the end it will just make the store even more awesome! The next several weeks will be tough but I’m ready for it. I’m going to be posting all of my pictures of the progress of the store in my Scrap Happy KT photo album. I also am going to work on putting all my photos of the process of the store in there from the beginning. I have some more good news coming.. so keep checking back!!

Taking a break for a minute

I figured I would take a break and blog. I have lots to do! Wed. Annie and Max and Mandy and her two girls Reagan and Piper came over to help. We had a lot of fun! They were a huge help! Yesterday I did lots of uploading, which I'll be doing again shortly! I stayed up until 5 am, but I got all off the Heidi Swapp goodies uploaded! Here are some of my favorite pictures from Wed. when everyone was here.

   

Today I got 4 big ol' boxes of the new Queen & Co. goodies!! Including the beautiful felt!! I love Queen & Co.'s products and I am so excited to finally have them at the store! Well, I'm going to finish checking in the Queen & Company goodies. Then I've got lots of uploading to do! So keep clicking the shopping section!! K&Company, My Mind's Eye & Queen &

Co.

will be up soon! I am hoping to have it all up this weekend. I've got Anthony's Birthday party tomorrow but other then that it's just me, the store, and my computer :-P

Really dragging today!

I just did not want to get out of bed today. My body aches, my feet and legs are killing me and I am so tired! The show was only until 2 today, which was nice! I placed my order with K & Company today. I LOVE the new Girl Scout stuff! I was a Girl Scout for 7 years, so I am going to need all of it! I also placed my order with Queen & Co. I LOVE their new stuff! I was so out of it all day today. We took a cab to the convention center and when I went to pay the driver I hit my head. There was this stupid metal box in-between the two seats in the back on the ceiling and I slammed right into it. I swear I saw stars for a minute, or so. I have felt out of it since than. All day I felt like I was walking on a cloud and I’m here, but not really. Does that make any sense? Or do I just sound totally KRAZY!?  LOL! So we think I might have a concussion. I just don't get it, why do I have such bad luck? I'm a good person, really I am! After the show we came back to the room and I fell asleep for a few hours. About 6:00 we went to eat dinner at a place called Tiffy's. It had good reviews but it wasn't that great. I feel sick to my stomach now. I'm now back, in the room. I just finished packing pretty much everything. Now, I'm lying in bed ready to go to sleep.

I am not looking forward to spending all day flying tomorrow. My dad said it is suppose to snow tomorrow, not looking forward to that. I really hope it doesn't delay our flight. I just want to go home and lay in my own bed and rest (those pillows are like sand bags). That’s why I closed the store until the 3rd, so I would get a chance to recoup from this week. I had fun, but to be honest I couldn't be more glad the shows over! I do love these shows but they are really draining. I LOVE meeting all these great people and seeing all of the new product, but the day does not end for me once the show is over. I get to stay up till the wee hours of the morning looking over catalogs and filling out order forms, only to have to wake up at 8 am and do it all over again.

It's so difficult buying for the store. There’s so much stuff that my customers ask for, but I just don't have the customer base yet to bring them everything they want. Hopefully one day that won't be an issue! I did buy TONS of new stuff and am not really looking forward to March; most of it will be arriving around that time, so major overload for me! School started this week, so I missed the first two classes. Monday or Tuesday, I can't remember which day I start class again. I decided to take only one class this semester; full time is just too much with the store. I really hate to do just one class a semester since I’m so close to being done but the store keeps growing, and me being the only employee it’s really hard for me. I hope that everyone is happy with what I've ordered. I really wanted to bring to the store Daisy D’s and Scenic Route, but right now I can't. I do have their catalogs and order forms and depending on how the store goes I hope to be able to bring them to you in the near future! Thank you all for your continued support!

Surprise, Surprise!

More ordering today, Surprise, Surprise! I placed my orders with Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Dream Street Papers, Sassafrass Lass, Creative Imaginations, Junkitz, Fancy Pants and Crate Paper. I think I'm missing one though. I'm so tired! LOL! Today I met Kitty! She is so funny!! We had lunch and walked around a bit together. I can't believe how many times I heard "Hi Katie!" and there was a customer or someone I've talked to on-line before! I suppose I'm easy to spot with my Scrap Happy KT gear. Well I'm off to bed!

Kitty- Email me your picture of us, I like it much better than mine!

I'm so tired!!

I didn’t get to blog yesterday, sorry! I was so tired after the show I fell asleep. I did eat at Outback last night, first before I crashed for the night. It was a nice dinner, the first meal that didn’t come out of a vending machine since I’ve been here. Anyway, yesterday felt like a very LONG day, but today felt EVEN LONGER! I saw Elsie Flannigan, but didn’t get to meet her. There was always a HUGE crowd around her. Not a whole lot of excitement, just a lot of walking. Here are some pictures with the Fontwerks gals, Laura and Grace and I. It was great to see Laura again! I was bummed that

Erin

couldn’t come though. Last night I planned on filling out all my order forms and turning them in today, but that didn’t happen. 

Today I did a bit more ordering, but I am so tired. I think the time difference is just now hitting me, and hitting me hard! I got my picture taken with Heidi Swapp, while I was there placing my order for her products! You will LOVE all her new stuff! TONS of new clear stamps and some great new masks!! Well I have a lot of order forms to fill out to I’ll be back tomorrow with more blogging!! Oh and be sure to check out the gallery I’ll be uploading lots of awesome layouts and projects from the show!

Creative Imaginations Party!

I just LOVE Creative Imaginations products, if you didn’t know already!! How can you not?!? They are so awesome!! Tonight was the party from 3-8. I had a great time! I can’t lie, at first things were not looking so up for me.

I’m sure, as most of you know, I am rather young to have my own business. To make matters worse, I look much younger than I actually am. I tend to get ignored and people in the industry don’t take me seriously because of my age, or how young I look. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, I am usually a very strong and determined person, and those people that doubt me make me stronger. When people find out how young I am and that I have a great business sense, as well as my own business, I get the shocked looked often. Along with the “If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” The night started out that way. I seemed to of lost my confidence the minute I walked in the door there, at first. I felt ignored and like I didn’t exist. I ended up walking out and calling Meg for a pick me up, she reminded how awesome I can be and who I really am! Thanks so much Meg!

I went back in there feeling better but not too confident, still not feeling myself. I called my mom to see when she was coming down. She suggested I go by myself first, so she was still in the room getting ready. Everyone usually ends up talking to her instead of me, because I guess they figure I’m just some kid, even though I’m not a kid. Needless to say my mother usually tells them I am whom they need to talk to. Anyway, she said she would be down shortly. I got off the phone and looked up and there was Karen Russell! I know Karen, and have e-mailed back and fourth with her a hundred times, talked to her on the phone and had the awesome weekend event with her, which I know you all LOVED (maybe there’s another in the works.. wink.. wink..). However, I have never actually “met” Karen, in person. I walked over to introduce myself and said “Hi Karen, I’m Katie,” before I could finish she immediately smiled and said “Hi!! It’s so nice to finally meet you!” Followed by a big hug! We talked for quite some time! She is just as sweet as can be! I think she is a genuinely real and awesome person! I feel like I can relate to her a lot, especially since she was rather young when she started out in the business. I feel like I’ve known her for a long time, even though I haven’t. My mom arrived while I was talking to her and I introduced her. I got her to take a photo of us. After talking to Karen I felt better, and like myself!

I could go on and on but to some things up I had a great time! I talked to Jack the owner of Creative Imaginations a bit, I’m hoping he comes through for me I met pretty much all of the designers. I did get my photo taken with Marah Johnson! I am a fan of her products as well! I love many of her collections, including the awesome Love Struck, but I think she’s really out done herself with two of her collections this time. The collections are Awareness and Intentions. I hope that you will help me, join the Creative Imaginations family in finding a cure. A portion of the proceeds raised by the sales of the Awareness collection by Marah Johnson will be donated to The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Cheryl Mezzeti, who I had the opportunity to meet tonight, did an amazing project using the Awareness collection.

I also got the opportunity to meet Diane Ditullio, she’s on the boards also! Oh, and I got my photo with Austin Powers I have to wait for Creative Imaginations to e-mail me the picture, and then I will post it! Oh yeah, and I talked to Kitty today! I hopefully will be meeting her tomorrow! And I leave you for now with some photos! More blogging to come!