Apparently, I'm a liar

I didn't blog one single time all weekend. I did catch up on some other things - laundry, episodes of Fringe, a Gilmore Girl episode - you know, important stuff. Then we discovered we have a clog and spent a large chunk of the day snaking the drain. WOO HOO fun times! Jason did the majority of the work, but I did help a bit.

I also finished the diaper cake and most of the banner I needed to make for a baby shower that's coming up. I'll get pictures posted soon.

I also got a chance to hang out with some scrappy friends Friday night. We had a last minute impromptu farewell. I was listening to Rick and Bubba Friday and they were talking about friends - close friends, friends and acquaintances and the differences between the three. This made me think about the friends I've made through the scrapbook store here.

I signed up on their message board while we still lived in Mobile - I had already been in the store several times, but wanted to get to know everyone 'online' first before attending the event that year (2007). So lots of friendly girls - lots of fun chatting online. Went to the event, was too shy to track everyone down and didn't really make the effort to meet everyone in real life. I'm still a bit shy but I was determined to just get over it. I didn't want to move back home and have no friends and no one to scrapbook with it. I had a great bunch of scrappy sistahs in Mobile and loved hanging out at our LSS on Friday nights. SO much fun. So anyway after moving here, I chatted up more online, I took a few classes at the store, I stopped by the store to just hang out. When we knew new things were coming (like Creative Cafe) several of us just showed up to help unpack it. It was just fun! Fun girls, fun hobby!! I was asked to work on the event team for the 2007 event. I had no clue what to expect, how hard it would be, or what was involved, but I wanted to get to know everyone better and what better way to do it?

So I helped with tons of things and got to know the girls a bit better. I'm so glad I did. Even if it just started out as having scrapbooking friends - I think in the end, I made a few friends that aren't just acquaintances. I'm not always great at persuing friendships. I should do more - call more, email more - visit more. But it's a juggling act sometimes. I hate to neglect home things (like the hubs and son) to go hang with the girls, but hey - everyone needs friends, right? Everyone needs a hobby, too!!

So, upon hearing that the store was closing, I was just sad. I mean, ya - there's no where that carried that exact same stuff, but that's okay. And there's no where for me to go hang out, eat chocolate and play with paper, and that's okay. And there's no where to just spend money that I probably don't really have, that is certainly okay. I will survive that. What I'll miss is running by the store and seeing Lucy (eating chocolate with her) and just hanging out. I'll miss running by the store and getting Kenny hugs from B and Kristin. I'll miss the Accucut - A LOT! lol But I'll just miss the sense of community we had. Just knowing that on Tuesday's, Virginia may run by since the kids are in MDO and I'll get to just hang out with her. I'll miss planning to meet Carol at the store, bringing some lunch and chocolate (do you see the trend here?) and doing a few layouts. I'll miss hosting Happy Hour and seeing people come in and make things and enjoy being in the store. I'll miss coming by there and hanging out when something strange happens at home ( like a snake in my house ) and then being there at just the right time to help Kristin ring up a gajillion people because the store is all on sale. I'll miss going by to just do something real quick and find Vanessa working, Pat scrapping and the table is just calling my name - and then hanging out for much longer than I planned!! I'll miss the customers that I got to know - even if I can't remember all their names all the time!

In the end, it's not the building, it's not the paper, it's not even the Accucut (well, maybe it is that just a little) but it's just those girls. Just the fun times. I wish I had somewhere big enough to invite them all over to scrapbook with me - just to hang out. The store was the adhesive that held us all together. I hope we can be like those Mobile Sistahs - and commit to sticking together -meeting up as often as we can to scrapbook together - do lunch or dinner - do birthday fun!! Just not lose touch.

I'm sad that Lucy is closing the store. I'm sad that the economy is in the situation its in. I'm sad that I couldn't do anything to help. But I'm the most sad over the idea that we may not all stay connected. I know several of us will, but there are girls I don't just see often enough - but I knew during events and meetings at the store - I'd see them. There are girls on the team there that are so so sweet - but when will I see them? Will Facebook be enough to keep us together? Will we be able to get together and hang out? I want to make it a priority and I hope they do, too!

I'll miss SCRAP ETC so much!! Everything about it!!

I'm thankful that Monique had a great vision for the store. I'm thankful that she asked me to be on the event team and I got the chance to get to know everyone better. I'm thankful that the store was bought by Lucy and I got to know her, too. I'm thankful that she gave me a chance by putting me on her design team and letting me be so involved in the store. I'm thankful that I've gotten to know Lucy and every single design team girl, every single Scripts girl, every single customer I've met.

I'll miss it!

lisa