Goodrich – It brings families together, helps create invaluable gifts, and motivates clutter clean-out.
No wonder Northern Exposure Scrapbooking is becoming such a creative outlet for local scrapbookers.
Although the store opened just last month, it’s quickly gaining fame as one of Michigan’s most unique scrapbooking venues.
‘I figured I’d make it how I (as a customer) would like it,? said owner Lori Balsbaugh, who researched scrapbooking shops in and out-of-state before opening the 1,600 square-foot store.
The store is filled wall-to-wall with a rainbow of colored papers. Scrapbooks, stickers, patterned papers, and other theme materials are conveniently organized, and the store offers a plethora of metal and other embellishments, along with scrapbooking equipment, bags, photo organizers, and project storage items.
You’ll find embossing items, mini Disney costumes, paper cutters, page protectors, hard-to-find theme items like compasses, ancestry charts, idea books, acid-free paper, photo corners, card-stock albums, die-cuts, punches, templates, stencils, paints, stamps, and pens, along with items to make your own greeting cards.
A cozy lodge theme, complete with a realistic fireplace mural warms the ‘cropping cabin? where scrappers share ideas and portray the milestones of family, individuals, organizations or even buildings.
Scrapbooks can feature photos and mementos of babies, weddings, a child’s school years, sports, travel, home construction, religious milestones, marriage, up-north experiences, scouting memories, proms, and military, police, or fire careers.
Balsbaugh created a scrapbook for her grandmother describing her family’s feelings. ‘It was how we felt about her. It made her cry,? she said. Her grandmother now looks at the book daily.
Nearly every day of the week, scrapbooking enthusiasts can be found in the store gathered around tables laden with equipment, scrapbook papers, and embellishments hand-selected to reflect the colors and moods of their photos, greeting cards, and newspaper clippings.
‘I had cards I’d been saving,? said Balsbaugh, who finally asked herself, ‘What am I saving ’em for??
A historical note can be injected with local news clippings. Copies of The Citizen are available at the store each week.
‘There used to be a set way to do everything. Now everybody’s getting creative and not afraid to go outside the box,? said Balsbaugh.
According to Display & Design Ideas Magazine (June 2004), more than 4 million households have taken up scrapbooking since 2001, a growth rate of 27.8 percent resulting in $2.55 billion in scrapbook-related sales.
Scrapbooking doesn’t have to be a big investment of money or time.
Creating a page can cost as little as $2. With new kits available, pages can take as few as 15 minutes to put together or be meticulously designed.
Initially, the hobby attracted mostly moms.
Now children and teens are drawn to creating their own books, said Balsbaugh, who often crafts pages side-by-side with her 9-year-old daughter and mother Jill Greenman, who manages Northern Exposure Scrapbooking.
It’s a great creative outlet for kids, said Balsbaugh. Her daughter astounded her with her perceptive creation of a family Christmas tradition scrapbook.
Young scrapbookers come in to buy new materials ‘every time they get their allowance,? Balsbaugh said, and teens are putting together their own pages. A scrapping camp for children is planned for summer 2005.
For $2, use the AccCut machine, craft-edge scissors, paper punches, reference material, or choose from hundreds of fonts to print out your sentiments on white paper or your own materials. Balsbaugh and Greenman are always willing to to give friendly help and share techniques.
For a quick slick way to attach photos or other materials, use the Xyron 900 to make a sticker as large as 8.5 by 11 inches for $2.
Northern Exposure hosts several crop nights or customers can book parties or showers. The store maintains customer ‘wish lists? to aid in gift-buying for the avid scrapbooker, gift certificates, and a variety of discounts and weekly e-mail coupons. Teachers can save 10 percent on classroom materials with a special savings card.
The store is located at 10260 Hegel Road, and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; and from 10 am. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
To learn more, call Lori or Jill at (810) 636-7811 or go to www.northernexpscrapbooking.com.