Isn't it amazing how something that is supposed to cost $18.00 can suddenly spiral to $35.00?

Last year I won second place in the layout contest at Scrapbook Expo Atlanta. I'm on the Design Team for a local scrapbook store, and the owner wanted all the team members to enter the contest. All we had to do was tell her which layout to enter. You cannot submit your originals, so the owner had copies made for us. OK, that doesn't sound like such a big deal, does it?

Today I found out the hard way that getting a 12 x 12 color copy is next to impossible. After calling around to Office Depot, Staples, Kinkos, and everywhere imaginable, I found that a printer in Stockbridge would make the copies for $1.50 each. GREAT! So, I stop by the scrapbook store, pull down several layouts that I want to enter, and head north to Stockbridge.

When I arrive, I find two other ladies I know in the shop. Upon walking in the door, one of them asks if I have my camera with me. It seems that the printer's scanner won't scan anything 12" wide, so we have to take a photo of the layout. Then he loads the photos into their computer, crops them and finally prints them onto 13 x 18 inch glossy paper. The prints turn out pretty good, too.

Now I find out that since it wasn't a simple color copy, I have to pay a setup fee and the total is $35.00! Rather than have to take my chances finding another place to get these copies, I suck it up and pay. I really would love to win something again this year, because the prizes are pretty good! I was actually happy with second place last year because I won a HUGE rolling bag made by Fiskars and it had gobs of paper and embellishments from the show sponsors. First prize was a QuicKutz tool and an alphabet die set. Retail of both prizes was about the same, but I've gotten a whole lot more use out of the bag than I would have had I won the QuicKutz.

Now, as I sit here mulling over the day, I'm wondering if I could have had Sam's print a photo of my layouts? Hmmm....I think I'll check it out!