Briefcase

Four years going strong at Stamp Cache

Stamp Cache, a rubber stamp and scrapbook store in the Koslosky Center in Palmer, is celebrating its four-year anniversary this month. Owner, Linda Pendergrass says she is blessed to have a wonderful customer base.

To mark the anniversary, Dave Brethauer, owner and designer of Memory Box Stamps, created an exclusive, limited-edition stamp set for Stamp Cache.

Stamp Cache hopes to get Brethauer to visit Alaska sometime in the future to teach classes, Pendergrass said. The set features a fireweed collage stamp and a coordinating message, and it has a small flower petal stamp on the side.

Stamp Cache will sponsor a card contest featuring the stamps. Details are included in each set.

Store hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10-5.

Hall Quality Homes Grand Opening is Sunday

Hall Quality Homes announces the Grand Opening from 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday of the Mountain Ranch Estates 3 subdivision located off of Inner Springer Loop and Crowther, behind the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer.

Builder Jess Hall will share insights about his houses’ design and the area. Register for a chance to win an iPad2 and other door prizes.

Tours of five new model homes that showcase the latest technology in energy efficiency, family friendly floor plans, beautiful details and spectacular mountain views also will be offered.

The property also is uniquely engineered to drain excess water and prevent pooling and freezing culverts. The design uses wide, shallow ditches planted with grass to carry the water, instead of culverts, which is better for the surrounding environment in that the water is directed to the edges of the lots and absorbed.

Hall Quality Homes is known for building energy efficient homes in the Valley for more than 20 years. Included in every “Five Star” or “Five Star Plus” home are features like a Heat Recovery Ventilation system and airtight construction, which efficiently keeps the heat inside and the cold outside.

Valley Company launches new iPad application

Business Application Developers, a Wasilla-based software development company, has launched a productivity application for the iPad.

The Idea Center iPad application is designed to capture ideas and thoughts as they occur, store them, arrange them into formatted documents, and print or email the results to friends and colleagues.

The Idea Center is now available at the Apple iTunes applications store.

Toastmasters groups meet Tuesdays in Wasilla, Palmer

There are weekly Toastmasters meetings in the Valley, one in Palmer in the evening and one in the morning in Wasilla. Mat-Su Toastmasters meets Tuesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Wasilla Area Senior Center. And the Palmer Toastmasters meet Tuesdays from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. downstairs at the MTA Building in Palmer. Toastmasters groups offer an educational and supportive learning environment where you can improve and hone all of your communication skills. Learn to prepare and deliver a speech, provide effective evaluations, and think on your feet with impromptu speeches. For more information, contact Melissa Vega at 841-0077 or email melissa@greatlander.com.

Houston Farmers Market continues

Houston Farmers Market continues Fridays from 3 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays in the Spenard Builders Supply parking lot. For more information, contact Peggy Bjornton at 892-4727.

Wasilla City Market continues through August

Wasilla Farmers Market is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays through August at the corner of Willow and Herning Streets downtown.

Willow Farmers Market is Fridays

The Willow Farmers Market opens from 2 to 7 p.m., Fridays through Sept. 23 at Mile 68.8, Parks Hwy., across from Newman’s Tesoro. Check out the fresh local produce, crafts and the new food vendor. See what’s new each week on Facebook. For more information, contact Nina Davidson at ninamarie.willow@gmail.com.

Alaska Speakers Bureau recruiting members

Alaska Speakers Bureau is looking for presenters and trainers who are interested in expanding their speaking career to join their new organization.

The Alaska Speakers Bureau facilitates speakers for large and small corporations, professional and trade associations, meeting planners, educational or public institutions requiring keynote, motivational, after-dinner speakers, trainers, and conference facilitators.

For more information, contact the Alaska Speakers Bureau at 339-0178.

Fair recycling needs volunteers

The Alaska State Fair needs volunteers for its recycling program. Volunteers who donate at least four hours of their time to the program receive free entrance to the fair that day and help make a positive impact on their community and state.

For more information on the program or to volunteer, contact Linda Skalsky at 357-9387 or 355-0061.