Since it is the end of the year, I am doing a double calendar special as this week's prize. There is a complete kit from Karen Foster, (papers, stickers & all) as well as component parts including another 12 x 12 blank calendar from assorted companies. Make these as gifts or use as diaries, or distress and alter and use in your art. Just leave me a comment at the end of the blog entry, and I will do a random drawing for the winner next week. Here is this week's question...you had to see this coming!!...New Year's resolutions? Making them?...Breaking them?? ..Loving them...hating them...hiding them...yelling them from the rooftop??? Here is what I am doing...I am going to exercise this year...and I want everyone to ask me, every time they see me, how it is going??? and don't let me lie to you...I have been known to do that. Also, I want to get my art room to the point where I can do more than just walk to the desk...I want to know what is there...you all know what I mean...the piles??

Also, and I hope my staff is reading this, I am determined to get my back office at the store organized and to keep it that way. We are going to have an online store soon, along with a vastly improved web site...so I need to be ready to have a "mail center'" back there. . This list of "to do items" will easily take me all year to accomplish..who knows...I may even surprise myself...now, how about all of you?

Here is a cute project I made right after Christmas (note to self, start these things a little earlier next year)...but it could easily be adapted to other themes. I used the

Melissa Frances wooden frames, some vintage images, silver glass

glitter (on top of the white leaves,) Prima white leaves (sprayed two with Maya Road spray), crystals from 7Gypsies,and paper frill from Birds of a Feather. We have mini-frames, too, so I will try those next. (Photos show the front and back of the same ornament.)

This full set of Collage Press Joyride papers is this week's free prize, to be given to an entry chosen randomly from everyone who leaves a comment this week. I love to do wreaths so I am delighted with all the suggestions. Thanks, everyone.
Well, Christmas has come and gone for our family...the two oldest boys could only overlap their vacations last weekend, so that's when we did it...family came, we ate, opened presents, played Scrabble tournaments, and had a lot of hugs (Unless we lost the scrabble game, then we just stormed off in a huff...family is the BEST!!) We will have a lovely meal on the 25th and I will spend the day reading...and perhaps making a few thank you cards...
Lots of exciting news as companies start to tell us store-owners what they will be releasing at the big CHA show in January...Tim Holtz has shown his twelve new colors of Distress ink, as well as mentioned that he will be coming out with a new Sizzix machine, and a whole line of dies that will complemente his style of stamping art. He will also have lots of new Ideology elements, too. Always fun to see what that guy does. I'll post more as I hear about it.
So, for this week's question: Do you use your computer at all in your art? If so, how did you learn to do it?
I scan photos and other pics and save them to my documents, I may print out some words I want to use...and I can probably use images from CDs that I have purchased to print out...and aside from the newsletter, I can't do too much else...would love to be able to edit photos, I think my computer has the ability, ...just do not know how...where do you all stand on this??

This week, we are giving away some Prima embellishments just in time for the holidays. Send in a comment in response to this blog entry, and we will do a random drawing to see who gets the prize.
The newsletter has an update on the BeadforLife trunk show we are doing, and it starts now. The store will open at 10 am, and the beads will be ready to view. Thank you all so much, ahead of time, for considering this very worthy cause. We all have so much and at this time of year our hearts want to open to those who have less. We will continue to support the BeadsforLife program with future trunk shows. We are happy to do mail order...just give us a call. 978-8887-6397.
Here is this week's question. What are some of the elements you would put on a wreath to decorate it for your front door? My answer?...this year I would wire on all sorts of art objects..embossing powder jars, pens, stamps, ink pads, etc...just to give me a smile every time I walk into the house. One year, I added GI Joe guys, lego pieces, and assorted other toys...to reflect where our family happened to "be" at the time. I really like to see "theme" wreaths..so, got any ideas??
I just returned from a trip to AZ where I got to make some cool items...check them out in the newsletter. Also, because this is when we can get together, my family is celebrating Christmas on Friday evening, and Saturday, December 18 & 19. So, by this time next week, I will be done!!! Call me if you need me to wrap presents or bake a pie for you.

This week's prize is one roll of each style of the new Basic Grey wrapping paper...I think I may use some of mine in mini-book making. Just leave a comment on the blog, in response to this week's question, and I will do a random drawing for the gift wrap. Here's this week's question: Do you have a favorite family recipe to share with us--one that is especially good to pull out for holiday gatherings??? I need all the help I can get! I think we would would all love those great sweet recipes...but if you have a killer potato or roast beef that you want to share...go for it...cannot wait to hear what the responses will be...I did warn you last week, so you have had a bit of time to go up into the attic to find those great hand-me-down recipes!!

In the newsletter, I wrote that I just heard from the Beads for Life folks, that our trunk show will be here and ready to roll on Wednesday, December 16th...these beads are a great added little gift, great hostess gift, cool stocking stuffer..and don't forget those bags of beads for yourself!! I will be spending the rest of the week in Prescott, Arizona, at the feet of the master, Tim Holtz having fun and learning stuff...mostly just playing with ART!! Be sure to check out his "12 Tags of Christmas" on his blog...www.timholtz.typepad.com...they are like taking a 12 day class with Tim himself.

We have a new employee here at the store, Kate Bartlett...I know..another Kate!!...does it get any better?? Come in and say hi to her sometime..also, please check to be sure she is actually working.