Ask Patty, Answers to your Questions, part 2

Wow… I had such a wonderful time reading through over 200 questions in response to my "Ask Patty" blog post question in THIS POST.

Thank you for your kind words, for your interesting questions and for helping me to get to know you better and to learn what you enjoy about my projects and my blog, and how I can better serve you going forward!

Part 2

It will take several blog posts for me to answer all the questions, you can see Part 1 HERE, and below are my answers to Part 2 of your questions.

Question: How do you store your Stamps, your Thinlits, your Paper, your scraps, your accessories like doilies and pearls?

Answer:  Several of you asked about storage, so I've lumped them all together in the question above, and you can find answers to my storage solutions here:

• Stamp sets are on a shelf, punches are in a drawer, paper is stored in the Stamp-n-Storage cubes, to see all of those storage solutions in my stamp loft, CLICK HERE to see that post and craft room tour video
• Additional paper drawer storage idea: CLICK HERE for Patty's Paper Drawer of Happiness
• I store my thinlits and framelits on magnetic sheets from Stamp-n-Storage: CLICK HERE to see that post
• My accessories are stored in a box on my desk: CLICK HERE for that post
• My scraps are in boxes… no particular order or anything, other than long scrap strips are in one box, small scraps are in one box and rectangular (card front size) scraps are in one box.. the colors are all mixed up … ya, I know.. don't faint.

Question: Do you do home parties, workshops, classes, or just online sales with Stampin' UP!?

Answer:  My Stampin' UP! business has evolved over the nearly 21 years I've been a demonstrator.  For the first 18-19 years or so of my Stampin' UP! career, I did roughly 4 to 8 events every month… In Home Classes, Workshops at a hostesses home, Open House events, and events for my Luv 2 Stamp Group.  9 years ago I started this blog, PattyStamps.com merely as a way to share what I was working on, and with the introduction of online ordering  shortly after that, I started to see an increase in online orders based on what I was blogging about, and a decrease in attendance of my events, so I started to concentrate more on blogging, social media posting and YouTube videos.  Over the past 2 years, my business has turned to 98% online sales and a few events for my Luv 2 Stamp Group each year.

So that was the long answer…. the short answer is that NOW my business is all online and I am very thankful for all of my amazing customers now and over the past nearly 21 years!

Question: What is your favorite adhesive?

Answer:  I truly love Fast Fuse!!  Stampin' Dimensionals are a total must on almost all projects, and sometimes I use Snail.   You can see my recent post, tips and video about using Fast Fuse Here!

Question: Do you do all your own gardening? Does your husband help? What do you grow in your garden?

Answer:  I would say I do about 90% of the work in the garden.. and that mostly consists of watering and occasional fertilizing.  I truly think my garden loves this San Francisco Bay Area climate and I really don't have to do a ton of work.  It is my therapy though.. I love to be outside and yes, I talk to my roses.  You can see my past Garden Posts Here.  I grow mostly roses (I have 10 rose bushes) and also grow LOTS of Alstromeria.. they love this climate and I have lots of different colors because they are such pretty accents in a bouquet.

This is a pretty typical bouquet from my garden:

Question: What is your most used Punch?

Answer:  Ok this is pretty difficult to narrow it to one favorite… but I do have about 3 punches that I reach for the most:

• Petite Petals flower
• Banner Triple Punch
• Scalloped Tag Topper Punch

Question: Will Stampin' UP! offer cut files for e-cutters?

Answer:  When Stampin' UP! offered My Digital Studio (MDS), the svg files were cut files that could be used in e-cutters.  If you have those files, you can use them in your e-cutter.  Other than that, I am not aware of any files that can be used or any plans to offer them.

Question: Do you use a Planner?

Answer:  I tried to use an Erin Condren planner a year ago, and that experiment failed.  I have way too much to do each day and that type of planner did not offer me enough room to write everything, so I still had multiple extra to-do lists for each day.  I do use a desktop "At-a-Glance" weekly/monthly calendar that is kind of like a planner.. it is 11×17" and sits next to me on my desk.. I try to write most of my tasks for the day in it and I have a column for what I will blog each day.  I still have multiple to-do lists, but so far this works for me.

Question: If I wanted to join, or re-join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator, can I do that? How do I do that?

Answer:  If you are interested in joining the Stampin' Up! family as a demonstrator, we would love to have you!!  If you already work with a demonstrator, please check with him/her about joining!  If you are one of my customers or don't yet work with a demonstrator I'd be happy to chat with you about the Perks of Joining Stampin' UP! and my Luv 2 Stamp Group team of demonstrators.  If you have previously been a demonstrator, yes, you can rejoin!  This is a great time to join with the extra $30 in free product in your Starter Kit!!  Click to READ MORE.

 Question: Were you nervous on your first YouTube Video?  and Do you feel like you are talking to yourself on your videos?

Answer:  Honestly I don't specifically remember much about my first video other than trying to figure out how to position the tripod around me.. LOL.. but yes, I was very nervous 7 years ago when I started to make videos.  I would rehearse and rehearse… Now I just turn on the camera and talk.  :)  I love sharing stamping projects via video with you, and wish I had time to create more of them.  If you'd like to see all of my videos on YouTube click here, or you can see a list on my blog here.  Be sure to click "subscribe" on YouTube so you get notified of any new videos I post.

I really don't feel like I'm talking to myself.. I honestly feel like everyone is sitting there watching and I'm just teaching a class.. that feeling must come from about 18 years of teaching stamping classes. 🙂

THANK YOU to everyone who voted in my online Occasions Catalog Survey!!!  After over 300 responses, here are the results of your 5 favorite Occasions catalog bundles.

And the Survey Says……..

 Are you surprised by the results?  The only reason I was a bit surprised was I thought that one bundle would be the "run away winner" .. but really, the results are all pretty even!!    It seems that the Botanical Gardens Bundle is the clear winner, but after that, truly almost everything else was fairly close in popularity!!

VIEW all of the Occasions Catalog Bundles Here!

The Occasions catalog runs through May 31, 2016.  If you don't have one and need one, please let me know so I can send you one.

SHOP ONLINE: If you need any Stampin' Up! crafting supplies,  click to go to my online store.

QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please leave me a comment!

NEED A CATALOG?: Please allow me to send you one if you don't already have a demonstrator!  Leave me a comment or send me an email; PattyStamps@comcast.net

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