In the Works...

May Day Announcements

The smART website has been updated for May.

This is the smART card project of the month. Even though it uses only one stamp set, WD-58 Friendly Hello, and some very simple stamping, I was very happy with the results...

What I like best, is how well the quarter-inch, spring green, satin ribbon works as a flower stem.  For the month of May, the materials list, and a detailed "how to" can be found HERE.

In addition to the regular monthly Spotlight Special, and Overstock Central sales, all border stamp sets are 35% off their regular prices.

By way of other news, two items:

1. While messing about with the Feedblitz settings, I inadvertently "disconnected" this blog's subscriber's list from the service, and I can't seem to "reattach" it.  I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and ask those of you who kept track of "In the Works..." via Feedblitz to find another way of checking in.  I've heard that Google Reader works well.  I, myself, simply keep a list of blogs I enjoy in my ISP's My Favorite Places folder, and check in periodically.
2. Citing personal reasons, smART Cookie, Susan Liles, has resigned from smARTworks' design team.

Happy May to you,

Susan T.

It's All Done!

This morning I had to visit the dentist for a regularly scheduled, 6-month check-up/cleaning.  It's a long story, but ever since a wisdom tooth extraction nightmare twenty-two years ago, I have been and am completely dentist phobic...

I start dreading the appointment several days prior to, then on THE day, my heart races, my mouth goes dry while the rest of me perspires (okay, sweats buckets), I shake, and feel sick to my stomach, etc.  Basically, I teeter on the edge of a full-blown panic attack... I literally have to pray myself through every time... 

Anyway, today's appointment was scheduled mid-morning which meant I had to be really choosy about what to work on beforehand... something I could do to stay busy while at the same time being preoccupied and unable to focus... Hmmmmm... I decided I might as well start prepping Dina's Trio Stamping tutorial for the website, after all, Dina had done all the work, I just had to plug it in.

As things turned out, I became so engrossed in "stamping with Dina," that the time fairly flew, and all of a sudden, it was time to go...

After the dentist, which Praise the Lord, I survived once again, I had a few errands to run, but all I really wanted to do was get home to continue working on the tutorial, and hopefully have a chance to try a few of Dina's techniques myself...

I didn't really think I'd finish the set-up and get to post to the website today, but guess what?!?  It's all done!!!

Soooooo, if you want to learn how to Trio stamp like this:

Visit Dina's Trio Stamping Tutorial at the smART website by clicking HERE.

Additionally, there were two more bonuses in my day -- No cavities, which means no dentist for another 6 months. YEAH!!! And a brand new, tulip red toothbrush!  Snazzy!

All in all, a pretty good day.

Susan T.

Sneak Peek

Tomorrow's the big day!  No, I don't mean tax day... I mean the official release date for the new smART images!

The catalogs, both on-line and print, have already been updated, but tomorrow, the rubber will be ready!  Of course I'm prejudiced, but I think there's a lot of good stuff.

Take this card by smART Cookie, Dina Kowal, for instance... stamped with the new DK-14 Rose Trio #2 and DK-15 Stem Duo sets of rubber... Yummy!

Dina has designed seven additional sets of Trios -- sort of like duos, but with an added layer, and since she's had her set of demo rubber for over a week, has already started playing.  Her work is knock your socks off gorgeous!

I'm sure at some point Dina, herself will post this card at the Stamperia, so I'm not going to give it's details here.  I only wanted you to see some of what's on the horizon.

If you're afraid you might not be able to get your Trios to look this fabulous?  Don't worry... Dina has also been working on an easy-to-follow tutorial which I'll be posting on the smART website within the next couple of weeks...

As I read through the copy Dina sent me, all I could think was, "I can't WAIT to try this!  It sounds goof-proof!"

Oh, and by the way, Dina presently has a little Trios Contest going on over at her blog, so you might just want to take a look and enter for your chance to win...

Completely giddy from the smell of new rubber,

Susan T.

A Slow Go...

Boy, this is one nasty flu bug!!!  I'll feel slightly better for a few hours, then the old temp goes back up, and I'm laid low once again...  A big reminder that I'm not twenty anymore...

Thankfully, God helped me sleep last night, and I awoke feeling better than any morning so far.  Now that I've gotten hubby and kiddos off to work/school, however, I'm fading fast, and realize it's going to be a very slow go at best.

Sooooo, today my # 1 priority is to fill orders, and make the mail run.   Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will concentrate on the smART Card Contest and the latest smART Cookie Challenge.  Updating the website will then be scheduled for the weekend.

Thanks for bearing with me. 

On Hold

The flu has hit our household with a vengeance!  Over the weekend Eli sported a high fever, headache, aches & pains, terrible cough, and "fun" from both ends. I spent one entire night on the floor beside his bed... The little fella was so sick!!!

Now it's my turn and I feel awful!  Thought I could scoff down some aspirin and force myself slowly accomplish all the things on my "to do" list for the day, but it's just not going to happen.

That means the following things scheduled to happen at smARTworks today and tomorrow (March 31 and April 1) are on hold for 24-48 hours:

• Notification of smART Card Contest Winners
• Website Update
• smART Cookie Challenge
• Filling Orders

I apologize, but I have no choice.  Now back to bed I crawl...

Spring Fever Update

The smART Madness a.k.a. Spring Fever Special -- 35% off on all in-stock rubber is still going strong. 

We started the month with all stamps/sets in stock, but now there are a few "holes."  Means those popular items are no longer eligible for the special... However, they will all be re-stocked at their regular prices by mid-April... 

If you want to check and see whether any of the items on your wish list are now out-of-stock, click HERE.  It might also be good to know that now through the end of March, the out-of-stock list will be updated each evening.

Should you find something that you really wanted is on the O.O.S list, here's an offer which just might lessen the disappointment.  When placing your Spring Fever order, you can opt to pre-pay the full price on any out-of-stock item, and I will then ship it free when it arrives in April.  Not the 35% off you were planning on, but then, still a savings...

Remember, lots and lots of rubber is still eligible for the "big" savings, and it's still first come, first served, so don't wait too long...

Tailor-made

I'm sure most of you know by now that smARTworks handcrafts The Clear Thing - premium 3/4" acrylic mounting blocks.  We have an assortment of fairly common in-stock sizes, including several sets.  We also make custom-sized blocks. 

As I said, not news... But here's something I find rather curious...  Weeks may go by, or even months, with no "custom activity," then BAM!  Several orders all at the same time... With no real pattern, I can't much figure this out, and in the scope of things it matters little, but all the same, it's has been a repeated "coincidence" ever since the acrylic portion of the smART business was purchased back in 2006.

For instance, here are a couple of the custom blocks I've handcrafted over the last couple of days...

I know, I know, the photo isn't very appealing -- I tried to capture the true "gorgeousness" of the finished blocks while they were yet unwrapped, but all I kept picking up was my own reflection... Refusing to flirt with disaster, I wrapped my finished works of art, and captured them that way.

What I want you to note, really, are the sizes: A 6-inch square (going off to Alabama), and a 2.5 x 8-inch block (now on its way to Wisconsin).  By the way, the 2.5 x 8 was the second custom block of this particular size requested within the span of a week.  The first one had already made it's way to Indiana.  Hmmmm???  But, mine is not to question, only to lovingly craft...

Back to the sizes -- They may not sound "big," or look large on screen, but if you map them out on paper, or take a piece of copy paper and cut out the dimensions, you'll see they really are sizable... NOT something you'll find in any craft store.

Now a question:  Do you ever wish you had a certain size block, but have yet to find it?  Have you scoured local and on-line shops to no avail?  Have you convinced yourself to settle for what's "out there?"  If so, here's a better alternative: 

Send an e-mail of your dream dimensions to smARTworks, and ask for a quote...

It doesn't cost anything to ask, and who knows???  You might just decide to treat yourself, and end up with one of the highest quality, tailor-made blocks in the world. 

Delirious

Does this look as if Spring is only a mere 20 days away?!?

It does, however explain my severe case of "spring fever." 

Now, before smARTworks, my favorite cure for this kind of delirium used to be treating myself to a few new rubber stamps, but these days, since I'm no longer buying rubber from other companies, I've found the next best cure is to keep busy filling orders... Hence, this super March special being launched at smARTworks today:

smART Madness a.k.a. Spring Fever Sale
ALL in-stock rubber is 35% off regular prices

I figure this way, in the event you come down with "the fever," I can help provide your "cure," while you help provide mine...

Note:  Currently all images are in-stock, but some are in very limited quantities.  Means first come, first served.

Lots... and Lots...

and lots has been going on in my life... The end of the month craziness, my parent's continual need for assistance, the resumption of teaching classes, and thoughts of the holidays.  I guess you could say, my buzz word is "B-U-S-Y!"  No complaints, however, because I know I'm not alone... God is always at my side, and in one way or another, everyone I meet or talk to appears to be in the same boat... just navigating along a different stream...

At first I thought I could make one post and update everything, but that's pretty unrealistic -- I don't have a single block of time to do it, and you probably don't want to use a big chunk of your time reading it....Soooooooo, over the next few days, I will tackle each item on the "busy list," and catch us up that way.

Today let's focus on the E.O.T.M. (end of the month) --
The smART website has been updated with lots of good stuff:  New specials, a Dina Kowal background tutorial, the addition of some great punches, the results of the smART Cookie Challenge #2 (~sniff, sniff, I think I smell a contest in the wind), and this card project:

In real life, I prefer to focus on Jesus being the "reason for the season," but let's face it, when anyone dons a Santa hat, something a little magical takes place...

Stamps: Message Mouse and Mini Messages #3  (specially priced)
Ink:  Black and clear embossed with Transcendence powder
Embellished With:  Dimensional glaze and Dazzle Dust

The other specials this month:
Buy 3, Then Choose One For Free
For every 3 stamps/sets you purchase this month, choose a fourth for free - Price of the free set may not exceed that of your least expensive purchased item.

Holiday Gift Certificate Special
Purchase a smART gift certificate for $25.00 or more by the 15th of the month, and I will personally "wrap" it in a handmade holiday card, include any message you wish, and mail it to the recipient of your choice -- no additional cost to you.

There!  Next time we'll take a look at the smART Cookie Challenge #2 results, and introduce that little contest...   

Concerning Postage - Part 2 - Shipping Charges

Many customers  worry about shipping costs which is understandable.  I say "understandable" because when I'm on the ordering end of things, so do I. 

At smARTworks our basic shipping policies are outlined on the official website, but I realize I have never taken the time to explain the details of assigning these charges...

smARTworks has an "exact postage" policy, meaning to the best of our abilities a customer's shipping costs mirror exactly what it costs us to mail their order.

To compute the shipping we use an official postal scale and the chart mentioned in the final note of Concerning Postage - Part 1

Here's how we do it:

• Assemble a given order.
• Determine the most appropriate packaging materials.
• Weigh order & packaging together.
    -- 13 oz. or more - Priority Mail
    -- Under 13 oz. refer to First Class chart.
• At designated weight, does order qualify for Letter/Card, Large Envelope, or Package rate?
• Charge customer accordingly.

Of course, as with all things, one finds sticky wickets:  Sometimes we call it an "envelope," and the postal clerk considers it a "package" ~ouch!  smARTworks eats the difference...

Sometimes we call it a "package," and the postal clerk says, "Envelope."  ~groan...   An overcharged customer -- usually not more than forty cents, but certainly not our intent...

There are even the times when different postal clerks make different calls on exact pieces of mail...  As you see, the element of human subjectivity makes a perfect solution impossible.

Personally, I think this may be why many stamp companies have adopted flat shipping rates.  Of course, there are other factors - cost of packaging, ease of mailing, less time to process, etc., but basically, "flat rate" is easily understood, and overcharges are unlikely. 

smARTworks, however, can't justify charging the person who wants one item the same amount in shipping as someone ordering twenty things... It makes us uncomfortable, and in our eyes, discriminates against "the little guy." ~And, boy! Do we know what that feels like!!!

Now that our policy, process, and philosophy have been shared, here are a few additional FYI tidbits about our shipping:

Except for custom block orders, we generally ship within 24-48 hours of receipt of payment.

Any "free" item included in a smART order is added after the shipping has been calculated. (Come on, making someone pay the shipping on a freebie is, well, kind of tacky...)

As implied in the Concerning Postage - Part 1 post, "flat" is generally cheaper.  That's why a customer might find the packages in a "stamps only" order taped together -- Doing so keeps the packages from shifting and "bunching up," so costs less to send... The tape strips peel right off without damaging the packaging... they only look a little strange.

Well, there you have it, a glimpse into the world of smART shipping.  Hope it answers your questions, and puts some of those worries to rest... When you shop with us, we promise to work really hard at keeping your shipping as inexpensive, and as "exact" as possible.