"Leaves" Nothing to Chance

Ok - even I admit that this post "heading" is 2/3 of a pun: "P" "U". (That joke is dedicated to my high school band director - he said it often). Anyway, back to the business at hand...This is the FREE make-and-take card for Thursday. Marilynn used one of the oval templates from Rubber Stamp Tapestry to create a "reverse mask" to frame the leaves. It's a beautiful effect - it almost looks like a rounded paper adhered to the card! We used an outline leaf stamp a couple of weeks ago - these solid leaves by Heartfelt Creations really display the full color of fall! And the sentiment by Verses Rubber Stamps tops it all off! Come make one for yourself!

Easy Peasy

Do you love the look of layered flowers (and other designs) but hate the thought of all of that "fussy" cutting? If so, then you absolutely won't want to miss our Learn at Lunch demo tomorrow at noon! Heartfelt Creations is a new company that has created a line of stamps (and some of their own dies) that work with the Nestabilities dies you already own! Stamp and cut in less time than you ever thought possible! Wow! Stop in and see how easy this is - it reminds me of the old Rice Krispie Treat commercials. People will think you spent a ton of time, when in fact you're relaxing and reading a good blog :-)

Halloween Treats!

It's scary how much I enjoy getting Halloween treats! Instead of a card for this week's FREE make-and-take project, Marilynn has created this adorable "treat tag"! It's a perfect addtion to a goodie bag made for your favorite ghost or goblin! Dare I say - it's boo-tiful?

Inspirations Can Come in Colors

If you were able to join us for our Anniversary Open House, then you received a free jar of Inspirations paint. These highly metallic paints come in a huge selection of colors and look amazing on light or dark colored card stocks. You can paint on a variety of mediums, and you can paint directly to your stamp and stamp with them. We also created our own ink pad with them during the Open House and used them to create multicolored images with ease. Join Jenn this Tuesday between 12 - 2 to find out more. They really will inspire you!

Autumn Colors

We sometimes hear people wonder aloud about how long it would take to color a very detailed image (like the one we are using in Thursday's FREE make-and-take). And, depending on the technique you use, the answer could vary widely. Marilynn used colored pencils to create this lovely card, and it took hardly any time at all! Find out more when you join us any time between 10 and 8 on Thursday to make a card for yourself!

On the Fringe!

The fringe scissors, by Martha Stewart, can obviously be used to create the effect of grass. But have you thought of all the other things you can do with them? Jenn used them to edge paper she then turned into this fabulous flower. Fun! Stop in Tuesday anytime between 12 and 2 to learn how to create this flower. Who knows? Perhaps you'll think of even more uses for these funky fringers.

Fall is Almost Here

With the weekend tempatures and school back in session, I was starting to believe fall was on the way (I think I may have been tricked!). But fall WILL eventually arrive, so why not be prepared? Join us Thursday for our FREE card make-and-take featuring the Real Leaves set from Hero Arts. All kinds of fun - and no raking!

Who makes the cut?

One of the questions we are asked most frequently is, "What is the best paper trimmer?" Unfortunately, there is no single best answer. Like almost every other question we are asked, the answer is another question - "What are you trying to do?" Join Jenn this Tuesday from 12-2 and unravel the mystery of paper trimmers. She'll share with you the advantages (and some disadvantages) of the Marvy Rotary Cutter, the Fiskars Premium Trimmer, the Zutter Cutter and the Tonic Guillotine Cutter. Try them for yourself and make your own assessment!

Versatility is Key!

For Thursday's FREE make-and-take, we are using a Michael Strong vase stamp - that's right - this is just one stamp! Marilynn stamped it on 3 different colors of card stock and started cutting to create 3 unique looking vases, all from one stamp! But she didn't stop there. Make sure you look at her other card samples featuring this same stamp. She found it could be used with half a dozen (or more) different techniques. Fun!