Happy Mother's Day

Mary created this beautiful collage
card for her mom for mother's day.

Erin's brag bag

My 3 sweet kids when they were little.

Back view of the original 8 pocket style purse.
Perfect for displaying artwork & photos.

Mary's photo purse.
Her 2 adorable furry, four-legged children

Back view of the original 8 pocket style purse.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms of two- legged and four-legged children.....enjoy your day. Hope you can find time to PURSuE Your Art!

Why God Made Moms
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you Your mother & not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer? Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goofball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between Moms & Dads?
1 . Moms work at work and work at home & Dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

PURSuE Your Art! Changeable art purse is a fun, fashionable way of expressing your artistic side. Perfect for displaying your artwork, photos and more! It's a miniature art gallery in a purse. Perfect for self expression or self promotion.

Visit our website to place your order today!

Oprah's search for the Next Big Idea

Mary designed an Oprah purse using magazine

covers from past issues

Looking inside the purse

Back view of the Oprah purse

Oprah announcing she is looking for the Next Big Idea!

Mary and I confess to being huge Oprah fans and try to watch her show as often as we can. We both plan our work schedule around it. For me it means processing orders from 4:00 to5:00 p.m. so I can be near my kitchen television. I couldn’t have been more stunned or excited to hear Oprah asking, “Do you have an original idea that you want the world to know about?” “Do you have a unique and creative product?”

I’m shouting at Oprah. “Yes, yes and yes!”

I quickly call Mary to make sure she heard Oprah announce that she has teamed up with QVC, the world’s largest televised shopping network to launch her search for the next big idea! It took us less than ten seconds to convince ourselves that our changeable art purse is the perfect new idea and deserves the chance to be seen by the QVC judges. Mary clicks on oprah.com to download the necessary forms that we will need to fill out and submit. Lucky for us, one of the three audition locations is in Chicago. Just a short trek over the Wisconsin border and the cost of a tank of gas is all it will take for a chance of a lifetime!

Within 24 hours we received an email confirming our time-slot. Fast, efficient and organized were our first thoughts of the contest. This proved to be true for the entire audition process.

March 23, one o’clock in the afternoon is our check-in time. We arrive promptly, which is an amazing feat for Mary and me. We had ten minutes to take in our surroundings before being called to get in line along with 60 other hopefuls who also shared our time-slot. You could feel the energy and see the excitement in each participant’s face. One common thread bonded us together…. having a dream, passion and belief that our product is the next big idea! We follow the QVC representative as if he is the pied piper. We make nervous small talk to everyone around us, showing off our purse, getting a sneak peek at our competition and exchanging business cards as we snake around making our way to a small room to be briefed on our final destination. The grand ballroom!

We are instructed that the QVC judges are awaiting the next batch of inventors and our product will be judged based on its ability to be demonstrated, its level of broad appeal, and its creative and unique nature, as well as its meeting certain QVC legal requirements. We will all have 10 minutes to make an impression while being evaluated by a QVC representative.

“Good luck,” says this nameless representative as he ushers our group into the ballroom.

The enormous room is filled with long rows of tables draped in white linen tablecloths. There are hundreds of inventors and entrepreneurs in this room scurrying around either setting up or tearing down their display for the judges. A quite hum fills the room. The anticipation and perspiration is starting to show on each of us. So much for an intimate room with just you and the judge as I had envisioned from watching endless hours of “American Idol!”

One by one people ahead of us our being led off to their appropriate area, we wave good-bye and give the thumbs up to our new acquaintances. A woman with a clipboard decides we need to be in the arts and craft area and leads us down a long row of tables that has to be at least sixty feet long. We are given a six-foot section to display our purses. With instructions to be set up in ten minutes and to hang our sign at the edge of the table to let our judge know when we are ready.

Mary and I quickly, quietly and nervously set up our display of blank and finished purses we have brought with us. I wonder if Oprah will stop by, but it didn’t seem too likely. Mary designed an Oprah purse using pictures from her magazine covers to grab some attention. We notice photographers and camera crews from Oprah’s studio walking by. Of course I can’t resist shouting at them….“Look, Oprah’s here!” As they turn around I’m standing there holding the Oprah purse. We do get a few of them to snap our picture.

Our judge approaches our table and asked us if we were ready to demonstrate our product. The moment we have been waiting for, the moment that could change our lives! We take one look at our very young judge who looks maybe old enough to be one of our daughters. Panic comes over Mary and me. This young girl holds our fate. Is she even old enough to shop on QVC? Mary does our spiel as I demonstrate how our changeable art purse works. We both notice our neighbors are distracting our judge. She politely asks us some questions as she keeps her head down to write. Before we know it, she is thanking us for our time and walks away. We are left just a little bit stunned.

“Maybe that’s just her poker face,” Mary surmises.
We pack up our purses and head for the door a little disappointed.

Our mood soon changes as we find ourselves in yet another line to have a five-minute consultation with business professionals who are there compliments of QVC. We are allowed to ask one question regarding manufacturing, marketing or outsourcing. Mary and I become aware of all the attention our purses are getting as we wait in line. We find ourselves giving our spiel to a group of fellow entrepreneurs gathered around to see the endless possibilities of our changeable art purse.

“You’re next” we hear, as John shakes our hand and is immediately drawn to our purse. He’s so enthusiastic by our clever design that he is surprised to hear about our judge’s reaction to us. He leaves us to find the head buyer for the arts and crafts section on QVC. Together they give us great feedback on our purse and some useful information for us to think about if we want to take the necessary steps towards having our purse on QVC.

We leave feeling positive and a little hopeful that we may have a chance at being one of the ten finalists! We head home knowing we did our best. We will just have to wait out the next four weeks while the judges make their decision.

Mary and I have since learned that more than 6,000 people from across the country had the same dreams and hopes that we did. We were notified on Friday, April 27th that we were not chosen. It is disappointing to try so hard and not be picked, but at the same time we feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity and the experience that we will remember forever.

Thanks Oprah for the incredible experience!

Please visit our website to order your PURSuE Your Art! Changeable art purse today!

Interview with Customer and Stampin' Up Demonstrator Jan Tinklenberg

Jan Tinklenberg

Jan's latest Stampin' Up design

Back of Jan's 8 pocket purse


Front view of Jan's
second purse created with Stampin' Up products

Back view

The first purse design Jan submitted

Back of Jan's purse

Mary and I decided it was time to feature a customer from our Customer Gallery here in our blog. It was a hard decision..who would be our first? After looking at all the wonderful photos that so many of our customers sent us, one women stood out...one customer who appears in our Customer Gallery three times!!! We chose Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, Jan Tinklenberg! She has sent us photos of three different purse designs. We wanted to learn more about Jan, so she agreed to do an interview with PURSuE Your Art!


Erin: How long have you been scrapbooking?
Jan: I've been scrapbooking 9 years.

Erin: What got you interested in Scrapbooking?
Jan: I started out making greeting cards with rubber stamps 11 years ago and was perfectly happy to just be a stamper. I'd go into the local store that sold both stamps and scrapbooking supplies, look at the scrapbooking stuff and say, "Nuh UH! I'm not going to do that!" Then my in-laws had their 50th wedding anniversary and since we weren't throwing their party for them, I decided to volunteer to do a memory book. I included a note in the invitations asking people to send me pictures and memories, but I didn't get enough back to make a book out of, so I raided my in-law's photos and did the book mostly with those. It got a lot of attention at the party. After that, I had all those tools and things I had brought for their book..it seemed only natural to continue by making scrapbooks.

Erin: How long have you been with Stampin' Up!
Jan: I signed up in March 2003, so it's been 4 years.

Erin: Do you have a team of ladies under you? How many?
Jan: I have a very small downline of 3. I used to have 7 in 2 levels, but women sign up for different reasons and drop out for different reasons. I'm not a big recruiter, so I'm happy with the downline I have. I certainly wouldn't turn anyone down that wanted to sign up!

Erin: Are you married? Do you have Children?
Jan: I have 3 children( 2 girls and a boy), but only 1 husband. We've been married almost 24 years and our kids are 12,10, and 8.

Erin: Were you creative as a child? If yes..do you have a story you want to share?
Jan: I've always loved making things. My mom was always knitting or sewing or doing something...she encouraged me by buying me things to craft with from the time I was around 7 years old. I have always enjoyed drawing, painting and doing all different kinds of arts and crafts. I can remember the day I decided I would be an artist: I was probably 11 or 12 and was at my grandparents' house. They lived opposite an old farmhouse. I was looking at the farmhouse,its clapboard sides white against the blue sky and thought, "I'd like to paint a picture of that." And that's when I knew that I would be an artist someday, I went on to get my degree in art at Western Michigan University with an emphasis in watercolor. But making a living painting watercolors is not very easy...I've only sold a few paintings since then.

Erin: Would you like to share with us your purse making experience? What type of adhesive did you use? Any tips you want to share?
Jan: I have done 3 different versions of my purse since I got it. Every time I finish I feel I've done the best version yet, but when it's time to freshen it up I have as much or more fun the next time! I used EK Success' Dotto, which is a temporary to permanent adhesive, it makes it easy to peel the paper off when it's time to change my purse.

Erin: Do you prefer the 2 pocket purse over the 8 pocket purse?
Jan: I like the 8 pocket purse best because I can showcase more stamp sets and/or techniques.


Erin: When you are out and about do you get stopped by strangers asking about your purse?
Jan: All the time! Not a day goes by that I don't get at least 1 comment on the purse. People love it! Not only the artwork I put in my purse, but the purse itself....people like the handle especially. I call my purse my little billboard. In direct sales, your business is primarily expanded just by talking to people, so my purse being the natural conversation piece that it is, is a great tool for me.

Erin: When you get stopped does it make it easier for you to pass out your business card or book a class?
Jan: I've passed out a lot of mini catalogs and business cards since I started carrying it; more than ever before! I have gotten at least one new customer, plus a teaching job at one of the local scrapbook stores, just from carrying my purse with me everywhere.


Erin: Would you be interested in offering purse classes to your customers?
Jan: I have had customers and some store owners where I shop who have been interested, so yes, I would be.

Erin: Do have anything else you would like to say or share?
Jan: I like the design for the purse a lot, even though a vinyl purse was a big departure from my usual style! It is just the right size and the best thing about it is that it does not slide down my shoulder and arm all the time; it stays put! I have given your website out to a lot of people and I highly recommend your purses to anyone who loves to show off their artwork or just likes to have something unique and different.

Erin: Thank you Jan for taking the time to do this interview. We always look forward to seeing how you will PURSuE Your Art! We look forward to seeing more of your purse designs in our Customer Gallery. Please visit Jan's website to learn more about her and her Stampin' Up products. She has a great blog too!

If you would like to be featured here in our blog make sure your purse photos are in our Customer Gallery. We may be calling you next.... as a thank you for your time we will send you a set of replacement panels and pocket cards to create another look for your purse.

Visit us at PursueYourArt.com to order your purse today!