Hey Paper Dreamers!

Well, I just spent the past 4 days composing my latest newsletter, but after ALL that, technology got the best of me, and the whole thing wouldn't render properly. (Meaning it wouldn't send in the format humans actually read.) So I've ended up shortening my original version and will include about half the topics here (the most time-sensitive stuff), and will follow up within the next few days with the remainder of my intended content.

But first, does anyone else have the same love/hate relationship with technology that I do? I'm usually an early-adopter of new tech ('cuz in general, I do love and appreciate it), but then that too often leads to disappointment when the early results don't actually work as promised. And then, I always seem to struggle with a) Do I continue to spend hours TRYING to make it work? or b) Do I scrap the time I've already invested in this project and start over from the beginning on another platform?

Personally, I usually end up wasting enormous amounts of time attempting option "a" (as in this case - 4 FULL DAYS!), only to THEN decide to go for option "b". 'Cuz I always assume the problem is due to something that *I* did wrong, and should therefore be able to fix it... only to later discover that there's obviously a flaw in the (new, amazing, but not quite yet thoroughly vetted) system in general, and I *can't* fix it from my end!

So... because time continues to tick, here goes about the 3rd time I've written this content from scratch, lol! 🤷‍♀️

Here's what we'll cover in this issue:

• New Product Packaging - How to save gobs of storage space in your craft room!
• Why Kits are Perfect at Christmastime
• What's up with Red Rubber?
• 12-Day Crafting Adventure Kit
• How to save $20, $40, or $80 on a Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription
• Brand-new Program - Product of the Month (POTM)
• Recommended ordering deadline for Christmas delivery

New Product Packaging - How to save gobs of storage space in your craft room!

Recently, newly-released stamp sets and dies have begun arriving in an updated style of packaging. (*Existing* designs will see a rolling transition to the new packaging as inventories get replaced.) This upgrade in packaging will allow many more stamp sets & die sets to be stored in significantly less shelf space, and I’ve found that even the die sets themselves can usually fit inside the same case as their coordinating stamp set! Here’s a quick glance at how the new packaging will look.

One feature I’m personally gonna love is that all the slipcases will be the same size (YAY!), which will make storage a whole lot neater, and stamps & dies will take up a lot less space on the shelf than they used to. (Um, did I mention “YAY”!?!)
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I already store my stamp sets (and dies) upright in inexpensive plastic bins that are each labeled by theme/category, so I’m accustomed to the practice of flipping quickly through stamp cases from front to back to find the set I’m looking for. I switched to this storage format quite some time ago, and it’s made finding the set I’m in search of way easier on these aging eyes! I just locate the appropriate bin by its category label, then take it over into the light where I can flip through it quickly to find the particular set I want to use.

But I recognize that not everyone stores their stamps (or dies) in the same manner I do, and this repackaging may take some reconfiguring of storage for those crafters. ( Pssst... real-life storage tip here, learned from a lifetime of crafting experience: “Can you say modular, adjustable shelving?” It’s the ONLY way to go, IMHO.) But I’m sure everyone will eventually get it figured out (after all, this isn’t the first time we’ve had a repackaging transition)... and in the end, I’m sure we’ll all grow comfortable with the “new way”, and wonder why it took so many years to finally advance our storage system to this logical point!

Here are 5 sets of stamps that I’ve already transitioned from their old cases into their new ones. Note that the 5 older cases together take up about 3” of shelf storage space, while the 5 new cases take up only 1” of space! Of those 5 newer cases, 4 of them contain photopolymer stamp sets, and 1 has a “cling” (aka red rubber) set inside. Two of the envelopes also each contain a full set of coordinating dies (mounted onto magnet sheets for convenience), while another organizer holds a smaller set of dies, along with its associated stamp set.
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So yep, you read that right! 5 stamp sets, including 1 set of red rubber (“Cling”), and 3 sets with dies stored inside, take up only a total of one inch of shelf space! (As compared to the 5 older cases, which together take up 3 inches of space, yet their coordinating dies were stored elsewhere.)
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For those of us who want to convert at least some of our older sets to this new storage system (🙋‍♀️and yes, that’ll include ME!”), empty organizers are available in the online store now, and come in sets of 10. So I’ve already begun converting some of my older stamps & die sets into these envelopes. I LOVE the fact that most of my dies that coordinate with a specific stamp set can now be added right into the same slipcase! Talk about convenient!
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But! No worries. If you’re still in love 🩷 with the classic DVD containers, they’ll still remain available in the online store. At least for a while, anyway. 😉

Why Kits are Perfect at Christmastime

You know how sometimes the perfect gift idea just drops right into your lap? Well listen up, because I'm about to share one of my favorite gift-giving secrets that's absolutely perfect for the crafty souls in your life (or maybe even a little treat for yourself – in which case, I won't tell!). Stampin' Up!'s crafting kits are like getting a craft night in a box, and let me explain why they just might fit right into your Christmas gift-giving plans this year.
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First off, these aren't your run-of-the-mill hobby store pipe-cleaner & wooden sticks craft projects – these projects are designed by artisans, often featuring exquisite artwork, specialty papers, and stepped-up dimensional elements... more like little boxes of joy that have pretty much everything (and I mean everything except scissors) tucked inside. With about 30 different kits to choose from in our Kits Collection, there's surely something for every creative spirit on your list. Whether your loved one is into card-making (most card kits come with supplies for 8-10 gorgeous cards with matching envelopes - shown in example above) or other delightful paper projects, these kits are perfect for crafting anywhere – from cozy living rooms to RV adventures. The best part? Most projects can be completed in one evening, making them perfect for those "me-time" moments or a fun crafting session with friends. And here's a practical bonus that I always appreciate: they come in sturdy rectangular boxes that I've found are a snap to wrap!

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Think of these kits as giving the gift of creative confidence – with full-color assembly diagrams included, each one is like a personal crafting coach in a box, ready to guide your loved one through a satisfying creative adventure. The prices are just right for gift-giving (your budget will thank you!), and since everything's included, there's no worry about whether the recipient has the proper supplies at home. I particularly love how these kits take the guesswork and uncertainty out of crafting while still letting that creative spirit soar. Wouldn't it be wonderful to get that post-holiday call from a friend or family member excitedly sharing about the beautiful project they just completed?
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Oh, and in case you haven’t taken a look at our selections recently, why not check ‘em out? We add at least 2 new kits to our collection every month, so the selection is always changing!

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What's up with Red Rubber?

Nostalgia.
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So I’ll bet many of us remember the days of a quality “rubber stamp” to mean a sturdy chunk of precisely carved red rubber mounted onto a gorgeous block of hardwood walnut, yes? (I certainly remember those days!)
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But then, over time, crafters began fawning over this new-fangled invention called “clear stamps” made of “photopolymer”, and grumbling about how much storage “space” these old-fashioned wood-mounted stamps required. (Again with the ongoing storage-space challenge - sound familiar?) Well, that eventually evolved into a type of temporary-mount for red rubber that could be affixed to a clear acrylic block for the best of both worlds... less overall storage space required, the precision of a deeply-cut red rubber stamp, but also easier to align due to using a clear block.
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Yet, the popularity of “clear stamps” continued to be favored by most stampers, likely because they were the easiest to align images with. And gradually, our competitors transitioned to carrying exclusively “clear stamps”, also known as “photopolymer”.
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And technology continued to advance. Soon, it became impossible to tell whether an image had been stamped with a photopolymer stamp - or a red rubber stamp. “6 of one, half a dozen of the other”, you might say.
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But then, in more recent years, came shortages of raw materials, and the materials to make our red rubber stamps grew scarce, sometimes requiring certain stamp sets to remain on backorder for uncomfortably long periods of time. Yet Stampin’ Up! continued to do their best to continue manufacturing red rubber stamps (we were calling them “Cling” stamps by this time), but eventually shortages of raw materials just became too big a mountain to get over.
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And so, sadly, it’s finally time to bid fond adieu to our red rubber stamp line. And we’ll be transitioning exclusively to “clear” photopolymer stamps, now that the technology of that style has improved to provide an equally crisp and detailed image. However, as long as any “Cling” style (aka red rubber) stamp sets appear in current catalogs, THOSE specific stamps will continue to be manufactured as they have been. But over time, even those will retire, too, of course, and we’ll see fewer and fewer stamps boasting their bright red rubber. If you’ve ever loved a red rubber stamp as I have, it probably means you’ve been stamping for a long, long time. It’s ok to grab a tissue and dab your eyes; I’ve done it too... 🥹

12-Day Crafting Adventure Kit

First, let me be perfectly honest here... While Stampin' Up! calls this an "Advent" calendar, I prefer to think of it simply as a ​12-Day Crafting Adventure​. After all, whether you're treating yourself or gifting it to a creative friend, these 12 doors of surprises can be opened any time... during the holiday season - or even beyond!

Behind each door, you'll discover a carefully curated *all-occasion* crafting treasure. It might be a stamp set, or paper, or tools, or ___???. But whatever you discover each day, it will be an exclusive product developed specifically for this crafting adventure kit. And while the $99 price tag might make you pause (I know, I know!), I am confident that its contents will ultimately be worth every penny. This kit has been over a year in development, and knowing Stampin' Up!'s commitment to quality, I'm certain these surprises will delight any crafter.

Ready to add some mystery & joy to your crafting journey? Grab yours (and maybe even one for a friend) - OR drop a solid hint to someone who loves you (they can even set up their own customer account at YourPaperDreams.store & order it there so you’ll never even know!)... but do it quick, while supplies last. Because some surprises might be too good to miss!

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​(Oh, and PLEASE don't spill the beans on social media once you discover the contents, 'cuz other crafters out there appreciate - and deserve - the element of surprise for themselves!) Social media is often a wonderful way to share news, but maybe not so much for someone who's waiting to discover for herself what's behind Door #5 on the 5th Day of her Crafting Adventure!)​
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​PS: This product JUST went onto the “Last Chance” list, so that means inventory is "while supplies last", and it will retire and be gone for good once it’s sold out!

How to save $20, $40, or $80 on a Prepaid Paper Pumpkin Subscription

Just in time to be the perfect Christmas gift this year - either for yourself, or a mother, sister, daughter, or friend - *prepaid” subscriptions for Paper Pumpkin are on sale! You (or your special Santa) will save $20 on a 3-month subscription, $40 on a 6-month subscription, or $80 on a 1-year subscription! And just like always, shipping is included in the price of a subscription, so there won’t be any additional s/h to pay at the time of purchase, AND remember that your order will qualify for Stampin’ Rewards (10% accumulated towards a future order) presuming your order reaches the usual $20 Stampin’ Rewards qualifying minimum, of course.
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If taking advantage of this sale, the first kit you’ll receive will be the December kit, which is normally received sometime around the 3rd week of the month. NOTE: If you already have a Paper Pumpkin subscription ongoing, you’ll probably want to suspend THAT subscription at least for December so you don’t end up with two of the same kit (unless you actually want 2 of ‘em, that is). But then after the December kit arrives, you can always reinstate an ongoing subscription you may already have, and will be free to suspend this NEW subscription until such time as your current subscription runs out. Remember, you can always manage your subscription(s) in your customer account. With the exception being that a BRAND-NEW subscription cannot be suspended the very first month it’s purchased (something about the technology of the delivery system & how it’s designed, or something like that...)
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To learn more about Paper Pumpkin, click the button and scroll down the resulting page!

Brand-new Program - Product of the Month (POTM)

Ok, I really hated to put this piece of exciting news near the END of this newsletter, because I’ve actually had to keep my mouth shut about it for nearly half a year! (Yes, there has been quite a bit of confusion because some demonstrators didn’t realize we weren’t permitted to share about this new program until it went live just last week, so you may have innocently heard about it elsewhere online, and yes, I’ve even told one or two people privately about it myself.) But I’ve refrained from making it public until now. (And believe me, I’ve been SOOO excited for it that it’s been pretty tough keeping the “sort-of-semi-secret” - secret!)
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But you may recall that quite some time ago I shared the news that our decades-long “Sale-a-Bration” was being retired, and I hinted that something else would be coming along in its place. (I even think I'd dropped a hint that the something-else would show up in December.) Well, THIS is what the big secret has been, and instead of being available to you for only 2 months out of the year, “Product of the Month” is set up to run year-round!
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Here’s what it’s all about:
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Each month, a new, exclusive product will be designated the “Product of the Month”, and will be available for customers with $75 orders to purchase for only $5 (assuming they want it). The normal price of this item, were it made available in the general online store for everyone, would be priced considerably higher than just $5, so the modest pricing is obviously part of its value. AND it will be an exclusive item, offered just for this purpose. No one will know WHAT each month’s POTM will be, until it goes live in the Online Store sometime during the first week or so of the month, so it will always be a surprise. But the POTM’s will ultimately encompass a variety of our product categories, including papers, inks, stamps, dies, other tools, etc. I will probably not write about it on a regular basis, but just know that there will be a brand-new POTM item every month, and you’ll be able to see it in the online store sometime early each month.
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But since this is the debut month for Product of the Month, here’s what’s being offered THIS month for just $5, available exclusively to those with $75 orders: this pretty set of 12” x 12” DSP called “True Blue Florals” (see the picture up there ⬆️⬆️⬆️), which features our colors “Balmy Blue” and “Night of Navy”.
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Now, because there are several areas where folks might get accidentally tripped up, here are a few things to watch out for:
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• This “Product of the Month” will always be available during its active month “while supplies last”. Just like Sale-a-Bration items used to be. In other words, if there is heavy demand for a particular item, its inventory may be depleted before the end of that month. Therefore, it will always be wise to plan your qualifying order for some time near the beginning of the month - if you want that month’s POTM.
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• The opportunity to choose the POTM will automatically be offered to you in your customer account when your ordered product reaches $75. But if you THEN remove an item, or apply Stampin’ Rewards to lower the “purchased” volume to below $75, your order will not go through during checkout if it still has the POTM on it. So if you encounter such a problem during checkout, double-check to ensure you’re still “paying for” at least $75 on that order, and then you can legitimately qualify to purchase the POTM. While you’re always welcome to apply Stampin’ Rewards towards such an order, you’ll need to ensure you’re “paying for” at least the minimum $75 in order to qualify for the POTM... so either apply fewer Stampin' Rewards, or add more product to your order... to ensure you're paying for at least $75 in product (before your POTM, of course).
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• There can only be ONE Product of the Month per individual. This is to preserve the exclusivity of each product by ensuring that no one (including demonstrators) stocks up on multiples and then tries to offer them later to people who didn’t have qualifying orders. So the system will automatically limit each POTM to just one unit per person.
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• If not all units of a POTM sell out during the month it’s introduced, it MIGHT be made available the following month, as well. (Along with the new POTM for that month, also... so there might be a choice of items.) And in that case, if someone didn’t get last month's POTM during its initial month, they can choose it the following month, assuming they have a qualifying order, of course. But if they ALSO want that current month’s POTM, they will have to submit a 2nd $75 qualifying order, because of how the system is programmed. (Remember, just one POTM per qualifying order (regardless of ultimate volume beyond $75), and just one unit of any particular POTM. There actually are logical reasons for all this, but unfortunately, my brain cannot always explain it well at any given moment. So, the bottom line is that if you want to participate in the POTM program every month, it will always be best to submit your qualifying order on a monthly basis... being sure to submit early enough in the month to snag your POTM before that month’s inventory runs out.

Recommended "Order By" date for Christmas delivery

This year, Stampin’ Up! recommends getting orders submitted by Dec. 9 (tomorrow, that is), if you hope to receive your order by Christmas. While no one can accurately predict when an order will actually be delivered (nor can they be responsible for what happens to a shipment once it leaves their warehouse), Stampin’ Up! is dedicated to doing their very best to pick and get orders out the door as quickly as possible when received in-house by midnight (Mountain Time) on the 9th .

Gosh! I simply can’t believe that we’re THAT close to Christmas already!

Whew! And that's only HALF of what I have to share with you this week! But if you've made it this far, consider yourself officially hugged!

And now it's YOUR turn:

Pick one little thing from this edition - try a new storage idea, tell your favorite red rubber stamp how much you love it and assure it you'll continue to use it, grab a kit for yourself or a loved one, or learn more about our Paper Pumpkin subscriptions.

And thanks again for being part of my Paper Dreaming Peeps crew! Y'all are the reason I gather up all these things that tumble out of my brain so I can share 'em with you (along with way too many exclamation points), and then spend the next 4 full days wrestling with tech just trying to deliver that message!

If you'd ever like to see a certain topic addressed (or have a question about something), I'd love to include it in a future edition. Just hit me up with an email reply (or text, call, whatever), and let me know what's on your mind!

Sweet paper dreams,

Lynda

PS: HOT... OFF...THE...PRESS...Just this morning!

PO Box 2911, Post Falls, ID 83877
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