Chick Chatter

Get Organized Challenge! Step 2

Hopefully by now you have had a chance to begin sorting your scrapbook supplies for our Get Organized Challenge.  If you haven’t done any sorting yet, click here to go back to the post prior to this and then work on Step 2 once you are done! 

Step Two of our process is purging supplies. You probably did some purging as you sorted, but you should be able to do a little more.  It is usually the hardest thing for many scrapbookers because we tend to have an emotional attachment to our supplies! 

As you purge, ask yourself:

• Do I love this?
• Do I use this?
• Will I ever use this? (Be honest here...maybe someday is not an acceptable answer!)
• Does this make me happy or is it in the way?

If there are items that you think you might want to purge but still can’t pull the trigger, have a bin marked storage and put all those items in there.  If you do need or want it later on, you can go back and get it out.  In a few months, you can go back to your “storage” container and purge the items you didn’t use. 

Place purged items in one of the following piles or bins:

• Trash
• Donate
• Sell
• Storage

Remember that you probably still have tons of supplies you are keeping.  This is difficult, but you can do it.  I promise that you will be able to spend much more time scrapbooking.  You can also complete this step in 15 to 20 minute increments.  Work longer if you want to, but take a break frequently and look at this as a fun project rather than a chore!

Finally, remember that if I can do this, you can too!

Christie

If you want more info about the Get Organized Challenge from Two Chicks Designs, visit us on Facebook.

Get Organized Challenge! Step 1

I am the first person to admit that I am lucky to have my own scrapbook room.  I love my space.  However, whenever I go to scrapbook, I am faced with a disorganized mess! I am tired of my mess!

This photo is of my space when it was organized.  It serves as proof that I can actually organize! :)

This is my space now.  It clearly needs lots of work!

I invite you to join me on the Two Chicks Designs Get Organized Challenge! The first step is sorting your supplies.  When you are sorting, you should sort your supplies by type of item.  You will need bins for the categories you are sorting products into.  Remember that this is supposed to be a quick sort.  You don't need to split your items into sub-categories yet.  You want an embellishments box, not individual boxes for stickers, chipboard, die cuts, ribbon, buttons, etc. Here are the labels I am using:

• Paper (includes patterned paper and cardstock)
• Embellishments (I include all embellishments in this category)
• Photos
• Layouts/Albums/Page protectors
• Tools (I include adhesives in this box)
• Books/Magazines/Sketches
• Sell or Donate box
• Trash box/can
• NOT IN HERE box (This box is really important because you know you are going to find barbies, hot wheels, or other assorted stuff in your supplies that does not beling there)
• I Dont' Know box (I forgot this in the video but it is really helpful for things that you cannot categorize quickly)

I recommend spending 15 to 20 minutes at a time sorting your supplies.  However, I will admit that I sorted earlier today and I am anxious to go back downstairs and sort some more.  Just don't force yourself to sort everything all at once.  Remember that this challenge will last an entire month--you have plenty of time!

Here is the video to go along with this step. 

Don't hesitate to email me if you have any questions by clicking the link on the sidebar!  I'll be back Monday with step 2.  Thanks for joining our challenge, and be sure to follow along on our Facebook page.

Christie

Change is in the Air!

Today I wanted to pop in and tell you about a few changes we are making at Two Chicks Designs! The most important thing to know is that all of the changes we are making will allow us to serve you, our customers, better!

Last year was a busy year for us.  My husband, Brent, and I own Two Chicks and operate the business with minimal outside help.  We try to keep things simple.  As the year progressed, we began to look at how things were going and what was really important to us.  I did a lot of soul searching and realized that I was simply stretched too thin and had too much on my plate.  As a result, we made the decision in December to close our sister website, Scrapbook Chicks. Shortly after sending out our "Quitting Business" email to our Scrapbook Chicks customers, I received an email from someone named Carla interested in purchasing the business.  Fast forward 1 month and Carla is the proud owner of Scrapbook Chicks! I spent Saturday with Carla and her husband, and I am very excited for all that is in store for Scrapbook Chicks and our customers! She will do a great job with the business and I know she will be very successful.

When Brent and I discussed what we wanted to focus on in the future, and what the best decision was for our family, we agreed that the answer is Two Chicks Designs.  We have always had the most success with Two Chicks, and it is our bread and butter.  In the past few years, I have become less focused on Two Chicks Designs and have devoted much of my time to Scrapbook Chicks and other things.  Our decision to sell Scrapbook Chicks will allow me to focus on Two Chicks Designs. There are many new things we will be bringing to the Two Chicks website, and I will tell you more about those in the coming days and weeks.

One more thing to note...I have been out of the office since the first of the year recovering from surgery.  Brent is holding down the fort by himself right now, so our response times are not as fast as we would like them to be! He has also been Super Husband doing everything around the house.  I am finally able to sit at the computer for short periods of time, but I won't be able to return to my normal work schedule for another 4 weeks.  I am trying to help as much as I can from home in between naps! The good news is that once I recover, I will have a lot more energy than I have had in a long, long time.  I am excited to get back to "normal"!

We know that we are not perfect, but we hope and pray that our decision will allow us to take better care of our customers.  If you have something you need assistance with, whether it is an order, a return, a refund, or a question, please let us know by contacting us here:

Brent: bwelch @ twochicksdesigns.com

Christie: twochicksdesigns @ gmail.com

We will respond to the emails within one business day.  Please email us...if you comment on the blog or on our facebook page when you need help with something, we don't get notification.  Thanks for your business, and we look forward to serving you in the future!

Christie

Chief Chick

 

Hobbies: Just one, or the more the merrier?

When we first started our business, we choose the name Two Chicks Designs because my mom owns Hen Feathers Quilt Shop and we were designing quilt patterns.  Then I added jewelry to our product line.  We focused on quilt patterns and jewelry for a year or two and then started making T-shirts. 

Along the way, I have picked up more than a few hobbies.  Today, if you dare to visit the storage room in my basement, you will find a crate of cross stitch supplies and projects, multiple containers filled with different partially assembeled (or not at all assembled) quilting projects, a cart full of jewelry supplies, and a drawer or two filled with knitting supplies.  Now, I will tell you that when it comes to knitting, I have NEVER finished anything...I can knit, but I cannot figure out the "purl" stitch.  I guess knitting is the one hobby I flunked! :)  Whenever I get restless, I ponder all of the hobbies I have tried (even knitting) and consider pulling out something different to work on.  Usually, I end out talking myself out of it and returning to my scrapbooking.

Scrapbooking is definitely my favorite hobby.  I regularly long for a retreat weekend with girlfriends filled with hours of time to scrapbook, but that doesn't ever seem to happen.  I settle for heading down to my scrapbook room once every week or two.  I still love quilting, but I don't often have time to do it.  One of my goals this year is to get back into quilting and designing patterns. I will confess that in addition to my craft hobbies, I enjoy gardening, baking, and reading. I have also been known to paint 5 pieces of furniture in a weekend. 

For many years, our bestselling shirt has been "Queen of Unfinished Projects". I can still remember the day Brent called to tell me he had a great shirt idea that was perfect for me!

What about you? Do you have one hobby, or several?  I am curious...is it weird that I have so many different hobbies, or am I normal?