Staff Pick of the Week

Laura, Twink-artist extraordinaire and Impression Obsession designer, can turn even the most fanatical wood-mount devotee onto clear stamps. If you've seen her cards, you understand. It's no surprise then, that this would be her favorite product (of the week):

Technique Tuesday Stamp Cleaner
This stuff is fantastic! Previously I was using warm water and a light detergent to get my clear stamps clean. I decided to give the Technique Tuesday cleaner a try because I love the quality of their clear stamps so much. The cleaner got a lot of the stuck-on ink off of my stamps as well as my acrylic blocks. If I use the cleaner right after I stamp, I don't get the staining of my stamps like I used to. It is a definite "must have" in my craft tote!

Thursday Make & Take - Jan. 3

How cute is this? Cupcakes are all the rage and this one won't show up on your hips.

This is the second in our Hero Arts free make & take series. Come in and make a card on January 3, 2008. Supplies are limited so come early and remember one per customer.

If you haven't stopped by the store lately, come in soon! The 2008 Hero Arts stamps are going fast. Don't miss the clear sets and card kits, even the staff couldn't resist snapping up several of them. Plus, the Christmas stamps are now 50% off - this is perfect for all you procrastinators who still haven't started making your cards and tags. You know who you are.

We will be open normal hours until Sunday December 23. The store will close for the holidays and re-open on New Years Day from 12-5. Make sure to visit Laura & Paula - they'll be unpacking all sorts of goodies.

Happy Holidays and have a safe New Year!

Marilynn's Stamp Challenge

So, those of you who know Marilynn probably know that she's the mastermind behind most of the Thursday Make and Takes and the Wall of Fame. What you don't know about her is that she gives Angela "jobs". This week, she put a bunch of stamps in front of Angela and challenged her to make samples. Since it wasn't a request, Angela was on the spot.


Look at the goodies she came up with...

This image is a little hard to see - click on the picture to see a larger version.
Angela used the stamp as a background and matted an umbrella on top. The ribbon is attached with a brad. She's so creative - we keep telling her she should think about opening her own store or something!



This is such a cute, quick holiday card! You'll find this stamp in the Amuse section at the store, along with the square cards. The latest news with these cards is that Amuse is repackaging them with larger envelopes so that you can send them in the mail at the standard letter rate. There are still square envelopes in stock too! Make sure to check out the selection.





We can't wait for Marilynn's next challenge. Let us know if you'd ever like to participate.

The News

And the winner is...

Judy Manhan! Judy is the winner of Vera Bradley bag
jam-packed with supplies. Congratulations! 
Make sure to stay tuned...we'll have a similar contest around Valentine's Day.

Thursday's Card

The free Make It Take It this week features one of the new 2008 Hero Arts stamps.
It's the first in a series of cards we'll be making using their newest releases.
(one per customer please)

2008 Hero Arts
Make sure you check out the new Hero Arts wall!
We've received a ton of single stamps, sets and kits.

Angela's Favorite Thing (This Week!)

One of the tools I keep handy on my stamping table is the Power Punch. Some punches are now available with handy levers, but those that aren't can be hard to punch, especially if you're using card stock.The Personal Power Punch makes it a snap. And for projects like Ribbon Weaving, lining up the punches without the aid of the Power Punch is nearly impossible! The Power Punch is not inexpensive, but if you've invested a lot of money in punches that you aren't using because they are too hard to depress, why not make the most of that investment you've already made? There are a few different punching aids on the market, but I've not found one as durable as this one.