profile on Scrapbook and Rubber Stamp Paradise & Sweet Surprises Down Candy Lane

Author: Kelly Janis

For all those looking to merge your sweet tooth with your penchant for frilly papers and rubber stamping, Blanca Jenne has got you covered. In the two months since Jenne busted open the doors of Scrapbook & Rubber Stamp Paradise and Sweet Surprises Down Candy Lane, customers at the adjoining stores in East Middlebury have issued rave reviews.

Angela McCluskey, who has been scrapbooking for eight years, spent a recent Sunday morning enjoying a muffin and some conversation at the long table in the back of Jenne's shop. Prior to the opening of Scrapbook & Rubber Stamp Paradise, purchasing necessary materials was an ordeal that entailed either traveling long distances, or shopping online and enduring a limited selection and hefty shipping and handling costs. "Here, I can come in and browse around and try something different that I might have never tried before," McCluskey said. "It's very convenient."

Jenne's mother, Alice Kalandros, lends a hand in keeping the business running smoothly. "I know if I weren't here, she wouldn't have this store," she said. "I enjoy it, and I've always wanted to see her dreams come true."

Kalandros attributes much of the store's success to her daughter's business savvy. "Blanca is just a genius when it comes to running a business," Kalandros said. "She was meant to do it."

The Middlebury Campus sat down with Jenne to chart her ascent from a garage in Cornwall to her position at the hub of Vermont's scrapbooking scene, in hopes that the local resident would have some "Sweet Surprises" of her own to share.


The Campus: How did your business originate?

Blanca Jenne: We used to be Scrapbook Paradise, and we were located in a garage behind my home in Cornwall. It was a 900-square-foot space. We just wanted to start out and see how it went. And it did so well that my husband, who already owned the U-Haul and self storage [in East Middlebury], decided to build a new building and bring me over here. And business has been a lot better since the move.

TC: What inspired you to get started?

BJ: I've always wanted to be self-employed, so I've tried different things. I had a gift basket service over 10 years ago, where I sold candy. When I got into scrapbooking and met my husband, I moved down here from Burlington, and there was nothing around. And I really loved scrapbooking. So I thought that in order to fulfill that need, Addison County needed a scrapbook store.

TC: What do the two stores have to offer?

BJ: Scrapbook & Rubber Stamp Paradise is basically an all-in-one paper craft store. We do classes. We do what we call organized crops, where you can come in for the day and use our tables and scrapbook or card-make right here at our facility. And then Sweet Surprises Down Candy Lane has over 100 candies by the pound. Half of that is about 50 Jelly Belly varieties, including jellybeans, gummy bears, stuff like that. And then we have Asher's Chocolates, which include chocolate crËmes, nut clusters and cherries. We also have Vermont-made truffles, and over 100 penny candies, priced from one cent to 25 cents.

TC: Has it been effective to house the two stores together?

BJ: Most of my shoppers are women. Women love sweets. So, I would say it's been a good blend. The majority of customers buy a little bit of chocolate or candy while they're in here for scrapbooking. And then we have those regulars who just come in for the candy.

TC: What is the greatest challenge you have faced in this business?

BJ: Just dealing with the inventory, and with the companies I have to buy from. I thought I would get away from office politics by not working in corporate America, but I have to deal with them when I'm working with vendors sometimes.

TC: What is the greatest reward?

BJ: The people I meet. The customers. I make great friends. I enjoy being around people, teaching them things, talking, socializing. I think the customers are the most rewarding thing.

TC: What advice would you offer aspiring scrapbookers?

BJ: It's a lot of fun, it's relaxing, and it's the most rewarding craft you can do. It's a precious thing. It's an important hobby. You're preserving your memories for generations to come.