She wiped the sweat from her brow and stretched her lower back. Wow, this was going to be tougher than she’d imagined. Tucked into the dark, dank storage room in the basement of her house (in order to keep the Christmas surprise hidden) she was attempting to work some of Santa’s magic on the pile of MDF, screws, nails and complicated directions that had arrived via UPS earlier that afternoon.

“Alright, you can DO this!”

Cursing under her breath and feeling overwhelmed at the magnitude of the task, she paused to think.  Yes:  Years of sneaking JetMax scrapbook storage cubes (purchased with 30% off coupons from Michaels) into her scrapbook room and assembling them on-the-sly (so that hubby wouldn’t notice) had prepared her for this. Yes, she was up for the challenge!!

23 Multi-phase steps? Seriously?

Feeling inspired, she dragged her Ott-lite from her nearby scrap room into the storage room. Ah-hah! Darkness and shadows were vanquished! Gotta love that eye-saving “daylight”

On a roll, she cut a piece of baker’s twine from her stash (using her cutter bee scissors) and used it to pull her hair into an untidy ponytail. She was taking no prisoners. This Walmart desk-in-a-box WOULD become her next masterpiece.

Sure, these directions were impossible. 23 multi-phase steps — with virtually no words!  But her practice with sketch challenges had prepared her well. Stepping back, she could *see* the big picture.

Yes, Come Christmas morning, this $88.88 desk-in-a-box (with a few desk accessories artfully arranged in a visual triangle) would be a great gift for a 6 year-old ….. and a scene worth scrapbooking!!

Have you been there? What crazy tasks has your hobby unwittingly prepared YOU for?? Ha! Happy Holidays!

What is it like to be a major player in the manufacturing & distribution side of the paper crafting industry?

Wouldn’t it be cool to personally have a significant impact on the industry that we all love? Who are these people that run these companies whose blogs we follow, have design team members we copy, and create products we scoop-up as soon as they become available?

There are certain brands that every paper crafter knows the name of …. and these days, Pink Paislee is one of those brands. I mean seriously, their recent Halloween line “Phantom” was a must-have before you could even blink!

Because the Pink Paislee brand is so well known and so revered, I assumed they had been around “forever.” But can you believe that they debuted at the CHA Winter show in 2008? In just under four years, Pink Paislee has become a FORCE in the industry!

Owners Rebecca & Barry Cross definitely hit the ground running at that first show. Rebecca has a background in sales, marketing and brand management while husband & co-owner Barry has a background in packaging & logistics.  (They actually met at work in 1996. Altogether now, awwww!)

When job opportunities moved the Cross’ and their young son to a new state , Rebecca started an online scrapbook retail business called Create My Keepsake. The business was technically successful, but it just wasn’t “it” for her. Meanwhile, Barry started craving a change at his job as well. Kitchen table conversations became full-on business planning and BOOM Pink Paislee was born!

Cool story, right? In talking with Rebecca, I’m here to tell you, Pink Paislee is The Real Deal!  However, as you know, PCC is a hard-hitting serious news magazine asking only the toughest questions So let’s cut to the chase and share what crafty, inquiring minds want to know!

Crafty Questions for Rebecca Cross (co-owner of Pink Paislee)

1. How often do you really get the chance to craft, personally, for pleasure?

I take the time to create layouts for myself and my family as much as I can.  Although my time is limited now that I own a business, I do try to create something either digitally or physically every week so that I can preserve every moment possible.  My true passion is scrapbooking and creating 12 x 12 layouts but it isn;t uncommon for me to create cards on occasion too.

2. Like so many of us, you were introduced to scrapbooking by  Creative Memories. Do you remember what your first non-CM “Contraband” was?

I went to a Creative Memories party in 2003 after my son was born. I purchased the circle cutter system that I still use today and I never looked  back. I can’t remember exactly what my first “contraband” item was outside of that party, but I am almost certain it was some type of patterned paper so I could really get down to business!

3. What has been your favorite Pink Paislee release EVER??

Our latest collection released in July 2011 called Nantucket holds a very special place in my heart.  I had dreams of creating a collection like this one after spending a week in the Outer Banks with my family. Seeing those paper patterns and coastal elements come together was really exciting for me.  We are even in talks to turn this into a fabric collection so I know it will be a favorite of mine for years to come!

Pink Paislee Nantucket released July 2011

4. Looking back, is there a Pink Paislee release that you really ended up not liking after it was released?

Well, “dislike” may be too strong, but I don’t mind telling you that we know right away when we have “missed the mark” on a new collection. In the end it comes down to good design and strong color palettes. There may have been one or two collections in 2009 that got a little “dusty” by sitting in the warehouse too long!

5. What is your favorite part of your job?

I love the Design, Product Development and Marketing side of our business. I spend countless hours researching product design, product trends and new marketing ideas that will help us reach new customers and fans. I also handle all of the “techie” stuff in our office like systems, website, order processing, etc.

I am thankful that my husband & co-owner Barry handles most of the warehouse operations, customer service details, financial details and HR functions including employee management because frankly I am awful at it.  Believe me, you really don’t want me taking over the HR functions!

Not-So-Crafty Questions

1. When you were in high school, you probably didn’t know you would end up owning a major company in the scrapbooking industry! What did you think you would be when you grew up?

2. Quick! What would we find if we looked in your purse?!

About 50 tubes of lip gloss or lipstick. I have them all contained in a nice little makeup bag but even still I hate my options

3. Does anyone ever tell you that you look like a celebrity? If so, who?

When I was younger and thinner I was often told I looked like Cyndi Lauper; but now that I have gotten a tad bit older and wiser (wink, wink) now people like to tell me that I look like Nancy Grace.

4. If there were 1 extra hour in each day, what would do with that time?

I would like to think I would invent a really cool product or perhaps film a funny video that would go viral on YouTube – but the honest truth is I would probably just sleep in!

In High School I had a serious crush on Emilio Estevez!  I just thought he was the cutest boy I had ever laid eyes on. I loved him so much I even named my cat after him!

What Is Next for Pink Paislee?

The Pink Paislee 2012 design team call is just around the corner (you heard it first here!) They have some exciting new lines they’ll be sharing in Anaheim in January 2012 (you just might see additional co-branded lines.) And they are preparing to dip a toe into fabrics. I can’t wait to see what Rebecca, Barry and the entire  Pink Paislee team come up with next! You can keep up with Pink Paislee by following their blog and by liking them on facebook.