Got the Bug ...

Hi everyone !
Sorry - I don't have much for you this week. I've had the flu all week and am way behind ... not to mention feeling crappy !! But I did come up with a kit for The 12 WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS - Week 4 . It is a kit for three cards and everything you need is in the kit except for adhesive. The price is $5. Add a comment if you can't get in and want any saved.
Here it is ...

I also received another order of the supplies that I used for the first kit ( gift bag & card) so I will have more of those ... next week !
I will have new paper from Fancy Pants, great beads, as well as a bunch of other things. But for now I am eating chicken soup and preparing to feel "all better" tomorrow when I am open.
Take care !!

Fall is Here !!!

As of 11:09 tonight it will be fall ! I love fall - the colours, the smells, the tastes, the energy, the weather... all of it ! I always feel all fired up and ready to take on big projects ! Hope you feel the same way !

So what's new this week ... ?
More of last week's bounty has been unpacked !!

BEADS : I am unpacking crystals from Swarovski and Preciosa .. ooh the sparkle ... I have beautiful drops, pears, olive shapes, rice shape ... hey ! all food names !! ... and they are gorgeous. They will really mix it up from the regular bicone shapes. I am envisioning a necklace of somewhat fine chain with a medley of these various shaped crystals interspersed ... hmm ...

The drops and pears are also very earring friendly as the holes run from the point to the bottom ... pop in a headpin & you are ready to make fabulous sparkly earrings !!

I also have more shapes in some of those luscious AB colours that I ordered a few eeks ago by mistake ... happy mistake !! So Erinite, Lime, Black Diamond ... all in AB finish. Endless possibilities !! I also have some cubes in Christmas colours . The larger ones are a bit pricey but all you need is one to make a big impact. I'm working on a sample to show you.

I have a whole bunch more of the 8mm round glass beads ... vintage colours, bright/fun colours, delicate colours ... they are amazing combined with a few crystals and silver spacers.

And ... speaking of spacers ... I have a very heavy box of the little devils at home on my table. I hope to get the scale out tonight and get a bunch packaged up as well as more of the bracelet kits bagged up. Busy night !!



PAPER : I have a few sample cards made from that FABULOUS paper from My Mind's Eye ... ooh they are so glam !!

I loved making them. I used the stamps from their line as well as a Hero Arts stamp that I have. I pulled out my Distress Inks in all the pretty colours as well as Stickles and flatback crystals and beautiful crinkled ribbon ... ( I will have some of that amazing ribbon for sale in a few weeks !!). They were so fun to make!!
Next, I hope to get a wall hanging done ...

Week 3 of the Twelve Weeks of Christmas is a card holder. The complete kits are $5 and come in various patterned paper - traditional, modern, cheerful, etc ... You can sew around the edges or simply use 2 sided tape. I sewed mine but would recommend that you use a straight stitch instead of the zigzag ... urgh ... it seemed to undo itself when I backstitched. And I , personally, would have put the tag on the right but I had made such a mess with the sewing machine that I had to cover it up somehow !!! YIKES !! You could also eliminate the tag and simply put the letters directly on the bottom pocket. I used the tag so they would show up better on my paper. It would also be really nice to glitter the letters !!
For all those of you who missed out on the previous kits, I am in the process of making more. I am waiting for a few supplies and then I will have a stock of them available !

This is Cookies for C.A.P.S. week - already ! It seemed like it was just last week !! Anyway, in between weighing beads tonight I will also be baking . Stop by to have a sweet treat and help out a great cause !

So keep stopping in ... I have so many great new things arriving weekly that I can hardly stand it !!

WOW !!!

WOW !! That is the best way to sum it up ...

Last Friday I had 7 boxes arrive at the store. SEVEN. YIKES !! Paper and beads. So we loaded them all up and took them home. I worked all weekend and Monday & Tuesday ... and still haven't finished !! Oh my. There is so much new stuff. I will have something new & exciting every week for WEEKS !!!

So I will be quick here as I really want to get a bunch of it put out for sale - obviously.



BEADS : Restocked on wire, findings, elastic, tools, and more. But also ... new things !! I loved the pale lavender 8mm round glass beads that I used in last weeks bracelet so much, that I ordered a few dozen more colours ! I have about 1/3 of them tagged so far. They are gorgeous ... some are vintage colours, some are neutrals, and some are vivid pops of colour. Beautiful !! My mind is spinning , thinking of all the new bracelets I can make ... These beads combine beautifully with crystals, pearls, other glass beads, ... little workhorses they are !!

I also have TONS ... okay POUNDS of new Swarovski and Preciosa crystals in new shapes, sizes , and colours. These will be out next week ... I am going to have to do a major reworking of trays & tables !!! They will make the most beautiful jewelry for Christmas gifts ... sparkly earrings, dainty bracelets & necklaces, ... oh my.

Last weeks kits SOLD OUT in no time. I will have more, I am just waiting for the tiny bright silver spacer beads. The good news is I have 10,000 of them coming ... should hold me for a while. ( not to mention the 50,000 in other colours ... boy, that will be a weighing job !!) . Anyway, I have a new bracelet that I will be kitting but I need those little spacers so it will be next week before I get them.

It also uses the 8mm round glass beads as well as crystal rondelle spacers, AB lime crystal bicones, and glass squares. Really pretty with a pair of sparkly little earrings. Once again, the kit will be complete ... wire, crimps, everything !

BEADALON has some awesome new findings that I got in a while ago but haven't had time to experiment with ... lovely earring findings that allow you to turn those drops with the hole going the wrong way into earrings. Exciting possibilities !!

I was supposed to be in Toronto today looking at the new Fall Colours Swarovski Launch as well as all the new things for Tierra Cast and Unicorn Beads. BUT ... way too much work here so I scrapped the plan. But , don't worry, I will be on the phone with my sales woman ordering up all the new things regardless. I'm sure they will be spectacular !!

So ... new beads, restocked on essentials, more samples, and kits coming soon.



PAPER : I don't know where to start ... well, how about Christmas ?

I have a several more lines of Christmas paper & accessories. Imaginisce ( bright & cheerful), My Mind's Eye ( packs in 2 different styles as well as lots of accessories and stamps), Cosmo Cricket mini decks "Mitten Weather", and more !!

Cosmo Cricket : mini decks - Mitten Weather, Pixie-Licious, Wanted, Matilda , and Togetherness. Accessories. Also 12x12 Pixie-Licious ... this paper is so cute !!!

Hallowe'en : if you know me, you know I can't let this go by !! I have some super cute kits from My Mind's Eye called Blackbird. Cute Hallowe'en - perfect for your kids Trick or Treat pictures. Matilda from Cosmo Cricket is also an adorable line for the spooky day. But, if like me, you like a more traditional Hallowe'en then Haunting from My Mind's Eye is for you. It is fabulous. The whole package is done on kraft colour and it is all flocked in black. It is so rich and decadent ... I love it. The images include witches, chandeliers, haunted house, bats, arched cats, skulls, etc ... . I was in Hallowe'en Heaven !!! These lines all include accessories, tags, brads, buttons, stamps, etc... Scarrrrryyyy stufffff !!!

Look how inky black that flocking is ... love it !!

Here are a few tags I made with the matching stamps ... REALLY QUICK tags ... just stamped them on the manilla tags, inked them up a bit, and added Stickles to some of them ... DONE !!
The tags are only $1.99 bundle so you could easily make them for all your treat bags.
Watch for more Hallowe'en samples in the upcoming weeks.



My Mind's Eye ... okay, I know I have said before that some paper is the most beautiful paper I have ever seen. I take it all back. I have NEVER seen anything like My Mind's Eye 's new line LOST & FOUND. It is amazing ! It is vintage, pretty, glittery, whimsical, girly, boyish, homespun, antique, ... EVERYTHING !!! It is spectacular and it will work for so many things. It would be amazing for a daughter, a baby, a wedding, a romantic vacation, an antiquing trip, an album about our treasures, families, anything. I am really wowed by this paper. There are 4 main themes - Madison Avenue , Portobello Road, Market Street, and Union Square. I have the first 3 out for sale. Union Square will have to wait for a week or so when I can find more room !! Portobello Road is soft bottle greeny blue, creams, and silver,. It features glitter, party pennants, birds, cowboys, vintage style images, as well as some really great boy images on the backs of sheets - vintage planes and spurs. The paper is very feminine but the backs are more masculine. Market Street is pink and pink and pink and glitter, green, cream. Luscious ! It is crowns and princesses and all things girly. Madison Avenue is pink, brown, cream, and features lots of glitter, dressmakers forms, ribbons, banners, etc... All the collections will mix well. There are also loads of accessories ... buttons, brads, stamps, 3D pieces, adorable albums, ribbon, tags, ... so much. When I unpacked this I was the Glitter Queen ... from head to toe ...

Anyway, you'll have to see it in person to just how beautiful it is !

( And I have an awesome project lined up for it ....)



The TWELVE WEEKS of CHRISTMAS ... WEEK 2 !!!

This week's kit is a card kit. The kit is $5 and will make 3 cards from Imaginisce's new paper. Everything you need is inside except for adhesive. Have fun !!!



** I was really surprised by the response to the Week 1 kit ... sold out by the second morning !! Many of you have reserved your kits which is great and if anyone else wants to do this, just let me know. But if I do sell out, I will be making more. So I expect to have more of the Week 1 kits in a week or two. Leave your name if you would like one.

(Remember, if you buy kits 10 of the 12 weeks, you will get a free special kit !!)



And, that wraps me up for this week. There is so much more but I know I won't get it all unpacked this week. But that's lots to enjoy ! Drop in !!



New challenge for September/October !!

Let the Holiday Crafting begin !!!

Sold out of the bracelet kits and almost sold out of the Christmas Week 1 kits ... let me know if you want any as I will make up more and can set them aside for you !!
(call or comment) Thanks !!

It is September and it is cooler & fresher ... so let's turn our thoughts to CRAFTING !!! This is a great time to start on some Christmas projects ... they'll still be fun in September.(I can't say the same about Christmas Eve when panic is setting in !!) So let's begin!!

PAPER :
I have new Christmas paper from Theresa Collins and I love it ! It is a deep dark red with black, mustardy gold, and cream. Very elegant !! There is a nice range of accessories with this line ... ribbon, "Blingage", chipboard ... and more to come next week. That's what I used for ...

WEEK 1 of THE 12 WEEKS of CHRISTMAS !!!
This kit is $5 and it has all the supplies (except adhesives & antiquing ink) for a gift bag and a card. Great way to start "getting your craft on". There will be a new kit every week for 12 weeks. You can buy one kit or all of them - it's up to you !!
When you buy a kit I will fill out a little passport for you ... each week you buy a kit, I'll check off that week. If you get 10 of the 12 weeks checked off, you'll get a special kit for free !!! Think of it as a little early Christmas gift !!
There is also a wonderful new line from Making Memories ... Christmas paper in soft antique colours. Ribbon. Rub-ons. 8x8 paper pads. Also very pretty !! This paper will probably make an appearance in a weekly kit soon !
OOPS !! I guess I better redo the display ... I forgot about the Christmas line from Imaginisce. If soft antique colours are not your thing, this may be what you want. Bright, cheerful, colourful, cute and fun !! I have a mini xxxxx made from this paper for a weekly kit. (You didn't think I was going to tell, did you ??!)Actually I am running out of time today so it may have to wait for next week. In the next 2 weeks I will have My Mind's Eye ... amazing stuff, as well as 7 Gypsies, more Theresa Collins, and ... more (I've forgotten !!).
Then, you can also check out the new stamps (Imaginisce, Basic Grey, WE R Memory Keepers, ... mostly small stamps under $1.99 each) There is a great series from Basic Grey that is a little stamp set for each month. They sell for $2.75 each but you can buy all 12 for $25 ... that's a savings of $8. They are really cute and would work well for cards and embellishing scrapbook pages.
Also new this week ...
Embossing plates ... a bunch more
Punches ... cupcakes, snowflakes, scallops, etc ...
Jenni Bowlin - butterflies galore !! Butterfly Banner Stickers and Embellished Butterflies
Maya Road - mini laundry day chipboard,awesome trinket pins in great colours for Christmas, and more.
Memo Pins from Tim Holtz ... I have a great project to try with these ... maybe next week !!

BEADS :
I have unpacked POUNDS of beads in the last week . There are lots more metal beads, beadcaps, and spacers bagged up ready to fly out the door - some already have !!
The seedbead rack has been refilled complete with some new seedbeads and flats in great colours. I have some beautiful new crystal studded rondelle spacers in gunmetal . They look so antique and ... well just lovely !! Here's a necklace I made with them ..

And here is a little bracelet/earring combo ... I've actually kitted this one up if you're interested in making the set !!
. The kit contains EVERYTHING even the crimps !!It's home on my work table so I can't tell you the price ... sorry ... I'll update tomorrow. $10
I have also added some strands of beads as well as individual beads.
Next on the agenda is the Crystal Christmas Jewelry as well as a BIG sale on crystals ... soon !
So come on in and start the crafing season !!

Oh almost forgot !! The Craft Challenge winners are ... BEADS - Wendy A.
PAPER - Rosetta. Thanks everyone !!! Too many things to get done in this short week so I didn't get the new Challenge done ... next week !!

HELLO September !!!

Hi everyone !
This will be a busy week ... heat, heat, and more heat. A hurricane coming this way. Back to school. And a long weekend. So I am just going to keep unpacking and tell you that NEXT WEEK there will be new Christmas stock in the paper department, the Twelve Weeks of Christmas will start, there may be some sales & bargains, new challenges for September, and I have some great new pieces of jewelry made & kitted.
But for this week ... stay cool, drink plenty of water !, batten down the hatches, and enjoy the long weekend ! See you !!