Lois

I started scrapbooking in 1989, after attending a demonstration at a genealogy meeting.  For several years prior to that I had been diligently working to assembly my family's heritage with rare old photographs and stories documenting my ancestry.  My family    history was all neatly arranged in a 3-ring binder, with everything mounted on black construction paper.   What I learned from that demo drastically changed the way I kept my precious old records.  Black construction paper was one of the most detrimental products for photographs!  I immediately purchased acid-free papers and adhesives to correct this, and tried removing the precious old photos from that black paper.  But many had been glued down, and the results were disastrous.  Eventually, I had many of the photos reproduced, which was very costly, but at least now my heritage album is protected for generations to come.  If only I had known sooner!

After salvaging the heritage book, I continued attending workshops, and compiled an album for each of my teen-age daughters. Yes, I was hooked.  Then came the family and vacation albums using those photos I had stored in boxes and drawers.  But all through these years of cropping came the frustration of not having the products I needed.  Supplies were so limited, and the selection was so sparse.  When several scrapbook stores opened in other parts of the state, it was even more frustrating because of the distance I had to travel to get what I needed, and I couldn't get there without planning a trip well in advance. After much consideration I decided to open a scrapbook store in Lima, Ohio, called Scrapbooks!

After 6 months of planning and learning, while I was getting so excited and nervous about this new adventure, I gave my heart to the Lord.  What a difference it has made!  Shortly after that, my husband and I invited some Christian friends over to our future store location, and we prayed together and dedicated Scrapbooks! to Him.  Scrapbooks! opened in May, 2000 as a small store of 2000 square feet, and moved a year later to a location over twice as large.   Everything has not been easy, yet our scrapbook business has grown due to the wisdom and blessings God has continued to provide.  All of us at Scrapbooks! are constantly striving to improve our store with new displays and arrangements, excellent customer service, new products almost daily, and a wide variety of classes taught by expert instructors.   We want every customer to experience a "fun" shopping experience when they visit our store.

My husband was suddenly gone in January of 2003, and I was left with a massive heartache and numerous other daunting tasks he had previously taken care of.  Only by God's grace was I able to accomplish what seemed to be the impossible.  My staff all rallied to the needs as they arose, and what at first appeared too monumental to overcome, was conquered, little by little.  Once again God carried me through this season of radical adjustments. My testimony is one of God's mercy, grace, power and love.  As my husband had written in an article published in Scrapbook Premier shortly before he was gone, I continue to "walk by faith under the blessing of God's provision in my life!"

I continue to praise God every day for the favor and wisdom He has provided to grow Scrapbooks!   Now I can take the blessings that God provides and pour them right back into His Kingdom!  And that is really my vision -  to have an impact on people's lives by seeding the blessings that God provides for me, back into the work of reaching the world with the message of salvation through Christ!