So This Is Scrapbooking: Vicki..and a giveaway

...and a very warm welcome to the latest edition! When I came up with the So This Is Scrapbooking idea, I was hoping to encourage us all to think about what scrapbooking has brought us and what we can give back to the hobby we love. So I'm bringing you bloggers to enjoy AND scrapbooking businesses to support. Today, not only do I have a great post for you, for UK readers I have a giveaway too. My guest today is generously offering a superb sampling from her online mail order store, the UK based A Sprinkle of Imagination , so , please, read on to find out more...

Vicki's Story

I'm Vicki and I have the pleasure of being the face behind A Sprinkle of Imagination, which has been an unspoken dream since I was about five years old, and this is a short story of my journey to fulfil that dream. It starts waaay back!

Like most kids, I loved to draw when I was little and I remember admiring my Grandmother's paintings when we used to visit her. marvelling at her talent and how I wanted to do that as well. She was my first real introduction to art and proved to be a great influence in my young life, even though we lived what felt like forever away from her and only saw her a couple of times a year.

She is also responsible for my introduction to stationery stores..evil woman! She bought me my first fountain pen, a silver Scheaffer, which I still have today. Until then I had never set foot in a stationers, but this was an art store that happened to sell posh pens. it was love at first sight. Even now, when I walk into an art store the smell takes me back to that day.

I followed my love of art and attended art school, but towards the end of my time there my Grandmother died and it shook my world. For the best part of thirteen years I didn't do much more than doodle on a note pad. I left art school, got a job in a bank and drudged through life without a scrap of creativity in it. I even ended up with a career in IT.

Things changed when I met my now husband. It partly started with a question..."How much?" when looking at wedding invitations. "OK, I can make them for a fraction of that.." met by a smile from the other half! We've all been there, right? I started to look for card making tips, got myslef an ink pad, a couple of embossing powders, heat gun, a stamp and a trimmer. That was the beginning of a stash mountain: everything fitted into one small drawer. I can't even imagine that now.

That was in 2004, fast forward six years and I discovered art journaling, having joined a couple of workshops run by Dina Wakely, which really reawakened my creative self, reignited my ultimate love of paint and gave me a new freedom. It was like taking a breath of clean air for the first time in nearly twenty years.

The shop, at this point, wasn't even a twinkle in my eye. It wasn't until, chatting at my local crop, bemoaning the lack of craft stores, that when talking to hubby about it, we decided why not look into what it would take to set one up. Initially the idea was just to get basics for the crop.

One thing led to another, and being "why not?" type people, before I knew it we were purchasing domain names, setting up websites and ordering stock to launch with. The hardest part was coming up with a name and a logo. Oooh, the hours we spent agonising over it. I didn't want it to sound like a scrapbooking store, or an art store, as my plan was to cater, eventually, to both. I do stock Ranger paints as I use the dabbers and Claudine Hellmuth's range because I use them and like them. But I also like my "art" supplies, so went hunting for those. It was hard work, frustrating, stressful and painfully slow at times.

The timing was perfect, though. My youngest was starting school that September. we started talking about it in March. By July we were live! i don't think we slept much those four months.

The aim is to carry in the store what I use. I'll often buy a product, try it, if I like it I go looking for supplies. If I don't, it gets consigned to the reject bin. I can't talk about and sell something I don't believe in, something I don't know how to use. I believe in customer service. We spend way too much money for it not to feel like something special.

Running the business is not a pert time job, but at least I can work around the school run. I start work the second I get back and literally break to go pick them up. Although I'm often seen in the playground twiddling with my phone, checking emails or talking to various magazines trying to get me to advertise with them. I swear some of the mums must think I'm having an affair as hubby works away, rendering me a single parent from Monday to Friday!

I work while the kids eat dinner, then start again when they go to bed. I can often be found burning the midnight oil catching up on paperwork or planning ideas and doing research. The list is endless. two months ago I had to make an agreement with my family that I wouldn't work on weekends any more. So I only sneak in a little work on Saturday mornings..(sshh..I'm hoping they haven't really noticed..)

It was wonderful to be asked to write an article for Scrap365's Journal Journeys feature; and even better to see it in print over a whopping for pages. Four pages! I had phone calls from complete strangers to say how much they enjoyed the piece.

Vicki's beautiful piece for Scrap365

The biggest downside for me is that, being chief bottle washer and cook, I get little creative time any more. It's just so rare I get enough hours to be able to indulge myself properly. But I'm changing that. Plans for 2013 are in place. Wish me luck!

Vicki, we most certainly do! Thank you for your wonderful, honest insight into life as a small business owner. What a journey! This is scrapbooking...

..and now for the giveaway:

Vicki is very generously offering a pocket moleskine notebook and a set of Claudine Hellmuth mini mediums as a giveaway prize! UK readers for this one ( across the pond? I'm hoping to have something for you in the New Year) - to be in with a chance, hop over to A Sprinkle of Imagination and have a browse, then come back and tell us here which particular product or range caught your eye. What's your favourite item Vicki has in stock? Leave a comment and I'll make the draw next Tuesday with the winner to be announced next Wednesday. Best of luck!

With many thanks to Vicki who takes time out from packing orders to post on her lovely blog here