<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> </head> <body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <p align="left"><font size="2"><img src="images/saskia1.jpg" width="343" height="281" align="left">Hi! My name is Saskia Morton, and I have been involved as a leader with the Girl Guides of Canada for about 13 years and a Scouter for 2 years. I'm a stay-at-home Mom with two boys, 5 and 7 years old.</font></p> <p><font size="2">Way back in 1996, my good friend and District Commissioner, Darlene De Roche, convinced me to start up a company selling craft supplies to Guiding groups. The general idea was to produce a catalogue of items commonly used when making crafts with groups of youth.</font></p> <p><font size="2"> It turned out to be an interesting niche market, as I discovered that it is quite difficult to find all the items you need in one store, no matter one wholesaler. I focussed everything towards Leaders who are busy full-time and don't have a lot of time to search for the cheapest supplies, etc.</font></p> <p><font size="2">I called myself MortonWorks Sales, and for a couple of years I concentrated on supplies. An interesting phenomenon arose: customers would frequently call Darlene to get ideas and patterns, then phone me to order the supplies. Hmmmm...</font></p> <p><font size="2"><img src="images/saskia4.jpg" width="292" height="189" align="right">In the spring of 1999, MortonWorks Sales began putting together craft kits. Darlene was the chief designer, Saskia managed purchasing, production, packaging and marketing, and Saskia's husband, Chris, handled the drawings, instructions, and design work after receiving samples from Darlene.</font></p> <p><font size="2">The kits have evolved through many stages - from tracing patterns onto craft foam manually to silk-screening through homemade stencils, to fnding an old plotter printer that could be adapted to print directly onto the craft foam! Beads which were once counted by 5's are now managed using ingenious bead counters that do one hundred at a time (thanks, Chris)!</font></p> <p><font size="2">I've now taken over 1/2 of the basement of our house - supplies in one room (shelves and boxes everywhere), and completed, ready-to-sell kits in another room. I approached two local stores - the Fraser Delta Area Guide Store in Richmond, and It Figures Skate and Shape Shop in Surrey (a Girl Guide Agency Store). They welcomed me with open arms, and here we are!</font></p> <p><font size="2">Since then I have also been approached by the BC Council Guide Store, and after many nights of consideration, I decided to try to stock them, as well. This experiment has worked out so well that I also put stock into the Mid Island Guide Store (Nanaimo, BC), and have plans to stock the Peace Arch Area Store (Surrey, BC) in 2003. I have recently reviewed my workload and have decided that I must exercise more control and spend more time with my family before the boys are both in school all day. My current policy regarding new retail outlets is that I have begun a 'waiting list' of interested facilities, and in September 2003, when my 5year old is in Grade 1, I will take the next big step and begin to put more product in more stores across the country. </font></p> <p><font size="2"><img src="images/saskia3.jpg" width="262" height="210" align="left">It's been amazing how well the products sell! I had never really considered that there was another group of Leaders out there who, like me, didn't really enjoy making crafts (Really! I don't! I like to sell things to make people happy!). Some Leaders like camping, others like singing, others like crafting, but few will do all parts with equal enthusiasm. These kits have taken some of the pressure off in the crafting department! </font> <p> <font size="2">Well, enough about me....I'd really like to hear any comments or suggestions you have, so please drop me a line!</font> <p><font size="3">Enjoy surfing! </font> <table width="737" height="20" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr align="center"> <td width="74" class="unnamed1"><font color="#CC0000"><a href="product.htm">Products</a></font></td> <td width="84" class="unnamed1"><font color="#CC0000"><a href="clear.htm">Clearance</a></font></td> <td width="64" class="unnamed1"><a href="index.html">Home</a> </td> <td width="73" class="unnamed1"><a href="about.htm">About Us</a></td> <td width="92" class="unnamed1"><a href="contact.htm">Contact Us</a></td> <td width="84" class="unnamed1"><a href="newslet.htm">Newsletter</a></td> <td width="77" class="unnamed1"><a href="order.htm">Ordering</a></td> <td width="88" class="unnamed1"><a href="catalog.htm">Catalogue</a></td> </tr> </table> <p> <p> </p> </body> </html>