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.

Here's the picture of this week's give-away, the winner of which will be randomly picked from someone who adds a comment below. It is a 3-pack of the Basic Grey paper ornaments (so that is 18 total, as I believe there are six per pack.) So get some friends together to make them, do them with your kids, or make one huge garland...also, there is some Martha Stewart glitter, two different greens , to add to the ornaments. And now, on to this week's question. It was fun to read about everyone's fantasy job last week...we had artists, poets, actresses, animal caregivers, wine tasters, archeologists, designers, Cinderella at DisneyWorld, and even a lunch lady! Here's to dreams coming true!
For this week, let's think about the holidays, in a nice and easy way. What are your "go to" colors for holiday cards and projects...do you stick with the basic red & green??...or go off the beaten path a bit???...and let's throw in your favorite embellishment, too. Here's my take--I definitely go with the basic red and green, as these are my favorite colors, but I do like a bit of distress ink to make it all look vintage...and my favorite embellishment is definitely glitter, the more the merrier! Now, let's hear from you...first-timers are very welcome to join in.
(Preview--next week-sweet treat recipes!!!)

Also, try to remember that we will be doing the trunk show for the "Beads For Life" program, at the end of December. I will post the exact date in the newsletter as soon as I know.

My eyes are still a little misty from reading all those Holiday memories... thank you to all of you who shared.
I want to let you all know that we are going to have an event to support the women in Uganda, many of whom are HIV positive, who are the beaders for the "Bead for Life" program. In the photo, you can see a necklace and some bracelets, made from paper beads. The women have started this business as a means to sustain themselves and their children, and the whole village. Stories about them can be seen on the website http://www.beadforlife.org/, from which I have taken this quote: " Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful beads, and people who care open their hearts,homes and communities to buy and sell the beads.The beads thus become income, food, medicine, school fees and hope. It is a small miracle that enriches us all."
We will be having a trunk show of these beads and jewelry pieces, here at the store. I tried to get it in time for holiday gifting, but I guess they were pretty busy. (I will do better next year!) Our trunk show will arrive here at the end of December. I will give the exact specifics when I receive all the items. I hope you will all want to come in and support this great cause. 100% of the price of the beaded items goes directly back to the Bead for Life organization. (This is not a money-generating event for the store.) One of the items that I know they sell is packages of loose beads. We're talking art supplies!!!
Now, here is a photo of the give-away in the random drawing this week for anyone who enters a comment in response to my question. It is a set of stamps and 2 chipboard sets from Maya Road, one of my favorite companies.
Here is the question: In your fantasy (don't worry, not going there..)what is your profession, and what are you doing with it? Here is my answer...It will probably surprise no one that in the deepest recesses of my heart I would love to be a rock star, singing up on stage...some outrageous wild knee-slapping songs, with a few heart-wrenching tear jerkers thrown in for good measure...but I wouldn't do all that club-hopping..I would be the first rock-star rubber stamper-altered artist...and I wouldn't forget all you little folks who knew me "when"...but do not, I repeat, do not call me to borrow money or get me to sing at your kids PTO spring fair..seriously, I don't really have the time for that, between running the store and being a rock star...what were you thinking?? So, c'mon...there must be some wild fantasies out there...who wants to get up on stage with me and do a duet???

schedule

soooo..Zentangles..what are these crazy things that

seem to be dominating our schedules these days?? We

are all having so much fun with them. I will refer you

to the original website, http://www.zentangle.com/.

Be sure to keep it singular, instead of the word

zentangles...as I have sent multiple people to a

neighborhood dating service by having that typo...I am lucky none of my customers has eloped with a crazy internet

weirdo...OK, maybe some of you have, but still, ...not completely my fault. Anyway, it is a new art form that anyone can do...really, anyone...it is freehand drawing, purposeful lines,...in some cases it takes a little getting used to, but the patterns emerge, and cool, fun art is produced. In the process, though, you will find yourself completely absorbed in a very relaxing way, in the whole experience. Plus, its great for anytime you have to wait somewhere...doctor's office, car repair place, tattoo parlor, bank heist (in case you are driving the get-away car...but be careful. it can be very absorbing...and as your robber friends are making a mad dash for you and the car, you may be making a very complex design, and thinking, y'know guys, this just isn't a good time for me to stop drawing right now...I don't even want to think of the problems that will ensue at that point, so maybe hold off on the abetting a robbery, at least for now.) I carry my pen, pencil and shading tool, along with a small notebook, everywhere I go.
What to do with it? Definitely your choice. Add it to some of your current art endeavors, appreciate it on its own, like a well-loved watercolor scene, use it in your journalling, make jewelry, and other small objets de art (not quite sure on the spelling there...maybe getting too sophisticated for my own good.) In any case, we are just loving it here. I went away for a few days to become a Certified Zentangle Teacher, learning at the feet of Maria & Rick, who developed this whole new world. Aside from meeting very talented people and being blown away by everything they had all done, I also learned quite a bit.

Check out this week's newsletter, as I have added another Class, "D." My mind is very busy these days preparing the advanced class, filled with lots of cool things. Here is a photo from one of the beginner classes...looks like everyone got the hang of it.

I am looking forward to putting our own little AE twist on it, by adding some Ranger Stickles, (along with Copic markers, as I did on the "three xmas trees" card... first I stamped the blank tree three times, then I added Zentangles to each section of the tree, after which I used the Copic markers and Stickles.) Distress Crackle, hardening gel and the UV lamp, die-cutting, inserting words, creating layers with foam tape...I could go on, but we need to pick a random winner for the blog prize. Go to the newsletter, to find out if it is you! Below is a photo of the

prize for this coming week,... a 12 x 12 calendar set, with stickers to help create a 2010 projecet.

It was great to see that we have all internalized some great advice. A huge thanks to everyone who gave us that advice!! Onward we go, with today's question: When you remember Christmases, or other winter holidays from your youth, what memory sticks out the most...a tradition, a trip, a certain gift, a certain person??? I have a couple:..We were never allowed to put up our tree until the evening of christmas eve...we didn't even buy it til then...so the pickings at the lot were somewhat slim...but my dad had to have the biggest tree available...so he always got one that was way too big to fit in our room...made sense that we would cut off a bit, right??...Well, he always cut off the top, so every year we ended up with a christmas trapezoid, filled with tinsel...but that baby was big!! I'll try to find some photos of some of them. Another memory...riding into NYC from the suburbs, to visit my most beloved Grandmother, Nana...she was like a saint, cozy apron, warm hugs, total acceptance, always on our side...we would ride a tiny elevator (the kind with the grated door that you have to pull sideways to close.)..up to the 6th floor, and enter her apartment, a very narrow, barely two bedroom place...but to us, it was heaven..we used to explore her bureaus, boxes under the beds, ...the old fridge always had bottles of coke, and of course, there were christmas cookies...her special recipe, that I still use to this day...the apartment was also very hot most of the time, so I remember sitting by a window, looking out into an alley, and feeling worlds apart from my real life...as we all got older, into adolescence, this became more of a chore, and we would wistfully wish ourselves back home with all of our friends...but apparently the feelings of warmth and love I felt at those times when I was younger have lasted and are what I remember most.

OK, now its your turn.