Here's a Chance to Help Someone Else

Bernie Berlin, one of our visiting teachers here at AE is also in the process of establishing a safe haven rescue place for dogs in Tennessee. It is called A Place to Bark, and hers is one of the possibile organizations to win some grant money for her animal saving place. Tim Holtz has put out a word about it all on his blog, which is where I found out about it.
Bernie has a heart of gold and has poured almost all of her own money into this program. There is a video that you can see, in a link from Tim's blog. She is asking for donations of $10 per person (you do have the option of making it a monthly donation...which for many of us would be painless) but the contest is based on getting the most people to donate, not the highest amount. So, every person counts here. I am told that at last tally, Berrnie was in the top few.
Below is the link to Tim's message about Bernie. I would love it if you could take a minute to read about it. You will need to copy & paste here as I couldn't get the program to create a link.

http://timholtz.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/01/paying-it-forwa.html

Dry Embossed Valentines

Here are some enlarged images of the cards on the board. The class is on February 9th, from 10-1 pm. Cost is $25. You will make all 5 cards from the board.

Sale at AE

We are making way for the new 2008 product that will be arriving shortly. So, here's the deal. All calendar items are 50% off. If it's a calendar, or is calendar related (eg, paper) then it is half price.
Also, as part of the sale, all clear stamps are 30% off. (Note exceptions-brand new Hero Arts sets and the one new Valentine set form Memory Box.) However, as you may notice in the photo, we have literally millions of other sets that are included in the sale.
And, books, books, books..yes, the books on the green shelves in the back (which is just about every book we have) are all 30% off. That's paperback and hardcover...really, is there such a thing as too many books?

Vintage Valentine Card Class

Here are three of the cards from my upcoming class on Vintage Valentines. The class is on Saturday, January 26th, from 1-4 pm. Cost is $28. In addition to what is in the photo, we will be using Distress Embossing powder and Distress Crackle Paint.

Comments are Welcome

I have now enabled this blog to accept comments. Please feel free to drop me a line. All comments will be available for viewing by anyone, so try to keep your usual crudeness and cursing to a minimum. I may from time to time post projects here...I am even learning how to post a video...I'm thinking more along the lines of a "how-to" technique sort of thing, as opposed to a scan around my empty living room...but, you never know how the spirit will move me.

For Christmas, Santa brought me an itouch and a flip something or other (that's the video camera)...and I am in the process of learning what cables to use to make it all work. I can already put music and photos on the itouch so I feel that I am up on my game here. I will still have a "consultant" (college kid) home for a few more weeks, so there is hope that I will continue learning.
So, for 2008, one of my goals is to connect myself to the internet and become more tech savvy. However, if I start speaking Klingon, someone needs to come over and turn off my computer.

Hey Everyone!!
Here's my first 2008 entry...so I guess it's appropriate to say Happy New Year to everyone. I'm looking forward to lots of new things this year...techniques, papers, inks, paints, boxes, mini-books, jewelry, etc.

Robin Beam will be here in April, early on...and Robin is a very talented jewelry person...so we may be getting in some beads and "stuff" that goes with it when she comes.

Laurie Mika's class, in March, on Clay mosaics is full but Laurie has promised to return sometime soon. In the meantime, we can share with you what we learn (and by "we" I really mean "me' as I am taking the class with her myself.)

Micheal deMeng will be back the weekend of May 30 for more fun and games. Stay tuned for those details.

Aside from Valentine projects, I am looking forward to the whole organization series we are doing, as well as hoping to fit in time for lots of mini-books and complex paper structures. We have a very cool folder in the store right now, which will be taught in assorted classes, e.g. the Tuesday Breakfsst Club, the Thursday Artful Cafe, and possibly a few more. We have already done it in the Not-Your-Ordinary-Book-Club, with great success. It can take any theme and I encourage you to come in and take a peek.

Also, we are charging full-steam ahead with "kits" for all the Creative Cafe projects that we present. Watch the weekly e mails for info on those. I'll write more and add some photos in the near future. Meanwhile, keep watching Tim Holtz' blog, as he is posting a monthly "challenge" to inspire all of us to keep trying new techniques. (www.timholtz.typepad.com.)