Our Kit of the Month kits for July are now in the store! There are only about 10 extra kits available for non kit club members so hurry in to grab one before they are gone! Kits are $20 each and include step by step directions for sample layouts. There are two ways to get in on the fun! You can pick up a single kit by checking the store at the beginning of each month to see if that month’s kit strikes your fancy OR you can join the Kit of the Month Club. By joining the Kit of the Month Club you be guaranteed to have a kit waiting for you to pick up each month for a minimum of six months PLUS you will get 10% off of each kit!

This month’s kit features a vintage red, white and blue theme. In addition to the 4 sheets of cardstock and 7 sheets of double sided pattern paper, it’s packed full of pretty awesome embellishments in the kit: 6 brads, 2 ribbons, die cut title, 3 alphabets, glitter paper ribbon, 2 bling flourishes and a stamp set!

Previews of completed layouts. This month’s completed pages are on display in the store. Stop by to check them out!

Enter For A Chance To Win & A Chance To Help Children In The Gambia At The Same Time!

Attention Pizazz It! shoppers - We have the perfect raffle opportunity for you all! We will be raffling off a whopping $100 gift card to our store over the next couple months! Today one of our staff members, Ashley, began a raffle in hopes of raising money for children in The Gambia. Raffle tickets will be sold at $1 for a single ticket or 6 tickets for $5! Proceeds from the raffle will go toward school supplies for children in The Gambia and depending on the amount raised, we hope to also sponsor a few children who cannot afford school fees so that they can have a chance to attend school for the year.

The Gambia is a country in West Africa that is especially close to Ashley’s heart as she knows many people from the country and visited for a month last year. While she was there she saw the reality of everyday life for many people in the country and came back bursting with ideas and ways to help! Since then she has been collecting children’s clothing and school supplies from friends and family, as well as purchasing many supplies herself to ship to the country to be distributed to schools and orphanages. In the last year, Ashley has devoted much of her own time and money to this effort and has helped many families in the country. This year, with your help she hopes to do even more! She is now working with two Peace Corps members in order to know the best ways to serve and has expanded her efforts. Money collected from this raffle will be put towards helping these children reach a brighter future than they would without our help. Ashley will be returning to The Gambia in early 2011 to meet up with the Peace Corps members and distribute everything collected. For more information on the everyday situation in The Gambia and to really get a feel for why it is important to help, please check out the Peace Corps members’ blogs that they are keeping while they are there helping in The Gambia. Visit http://ousmancham.blogspot.com or http://thegambiaorbust.blogspot.com

Really care and want to go above and beyond the raffle? We will also be collecting donations of gently used clothing, supplies and money here at the store. Please see the list below for items that are especially important in case you have anything you would like to give. Thank you and good luck in the raffle.

Important donation items:

*Clothes - Tshirts, jeans, shoes (anything from sneakers and flip flops to dress shoes and heels), sweat shirts, polo shirts, winter coats and hats/gloves (very hard to find items in the country), any other clothing items
*School Supplies - Paper, notebooks, pens/pencils, markers, crayons, scissors, glue, protractors, simple calculators, colored paper, Elmer’s wood glue, clear tape with pull & cut tool (Scotch style)
*Misc Items - any books or educational tools under a 3rd grade level, clear packing tape
*Money – All money collected will be put towards collection and shipping of items and with enough luck, a few students will receive sponsorship for a full year of schooling! We’re hoping to expand efforts later to keep renew the sponsorship of these students year after year so that they will be able to continue on!

* Now Introducing… Card Kits! - In addition to adding new page kits to our growing selection, we have now introduced a full selection of card kits in many different topics! Stop by to check out all of the various card kits and make sure you check back often to see what new kits we’ll be adding next!

*New Page Kit Additions! - We’re always adding to our selection of page kits available in the store so stay on your toes in checking for new arrivals! New kits have been added recently in both our general themed kits as well as our Disney themed kits! And remember with our kits, once they’re gone they’re gone for good! So get them while they’re available!