Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

If you are traveling today, may the roads be clear. And if you are staying home, may the dishes somehow clean themselves! My family's tradition is to head downtown this morning and spend time at one of the museums. For our Thanksgiving meal, we go to the American Indian Museum. If you've never been, the exhibits are amazing and the food is exotic and delicious (and more like what a "traditional" Thanksgiving meal would have been, I like to think).

So, my life is such a routine, that any changes throw me off a bit. For example, I woke up this morning and panicked that I hadn't loaded the Thursday make-and-take photo on the blog. Duh! Since we're not open today (or tomorrow for that matter), there is no make-and-take today. But, being a creature of habit, I thought I'd load NEXT Thursday's (Dec. 4) make-and-take photo instead. The Wall of Fame theme for December is Poinsettias and Evergreens, so this card will help get your juices flowing in that direction. It features one of the stunning Hero Arts Design Blocks, layered poinsettia flowers by Creative Impressions and a cool card shape by Paper Cut. Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and see you next week!

Fun with Claudine!

We had such a great time on Saturday with visiting artist Claudine Hellmuth! She showed us some amazing tricks for working with her matte medium, studio paints and sticky-backed canvas. Did you know you can run the canvas through the cuttlebug and emboss it? You can also gently curl the edges (like she did with the coral flower on her scarf) and it will stay curled. And, even though there are just 15 colors of paint, Claudine showed us the paint mixing chart she has created for very simply mixing a total of 51 colors. You can download this chart for yourself on her website! Two hours was not enough time to pick her very talented brain, so Claudine and I are working on a date for her to come back and teach some full-length classes in the new year. I'll keep you posted on that!

Switching gears....here is the other make-and-take we'll be doing at the Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 6. As our dear Donna likes to say, "It's just stinkin' cute"! For $10, you can participate in both make-and-take projects, and also catch the demos as well. Fun!

Count Your Blessings

This week's FREE make-and-take card features a great fall stamp from Memory Box and fun Thanksgiving rub-ons. Bring postage and an address with you and drop your card in the mail on your way home! Remember, we won't have a make-and-take next Thursday as we'll be closed for the holiday, so try to enjoy this one a whole bunch! Happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday Open House

We hope you can join us for our 6th annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 6. We have lots of fun things planned, so please stop by for at least a part of the day. We have a little thank you gift for you (one per household) just for stopping in. We really do appreciate your support over the last year! We'll be collecting food items for our local food banks (see the complete list on our web site). For bringing one or more of these items, you'll receive a FREE stamp goodie bag - again 1 per household while supplies last. Also on the 6th is when we begin our Win a Totebag promotion! Each time you spend $40 between the 6th and the 13th, you'll get an entry for the pictured totebag. (It's a Mimi Travelmate, and with all the goodies inside retails for more than $250!) You can combine your receipts over the course of the week to get as many tickets as you can. We'll draw on Sat. Dec. 13 at 4 PM. You don't have to be present to win!


On the 6th, we'll have demos and make-and-takes. Again, take a look at our web site for times and to reserve your space. Laura will be demonstrating the Air Brush System for Copic markers! One of the make and take projects is pictured - adorable tree hangers that hold mini candy bars. Perfect for your pet lover friends!

There will be refreshments, Santa Swaps, card exchanges and much more! Join us for some general merriment!

Save Gas, Get a Reindeer!

...those are the words that are a part of this adorable new clear set from My Sentiments Exactly. It's good advice - even though gas prices have thankfully come down a bit. For this Thursday FREE make and take card, we'll be playing with flocking and "nose bling". Hope to see you!

Oh Coffee Break

....sung to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree". Two of my favorite winter smells are that of the live Christmas Tree and fresh brewed coffee (actually, I like the smell of fresh brewed coffee pretty much any time). So this card is just perfect for me! Stop in today to make this card (for FREE), which features the Coffee Bean Tree stamp by Impression Obsession. While you're in, check out the scented embossing powders by Gel-a-tin in both the coffee scent or the pine tree scent. (I don't recommend mixing them, however). They would make a fun twist to your holiday greetings!