The winner of the Tim Holtz stamp set is posted in the newsletter...go there to find out who it is...and for this week, we have the following prize:It is six sheets of SEI's new Moravia paper, along with a set of grungeboard, dotted, and no longer being made...so, last chance to get this cool stuff. Here is this week's question: Describe where you keep your art supplies...a room?...a closet?...in your pocket?...and what is your favorite storage secret to share with us? Thanks for playing.
So, here's something that came into the store and blew out before we even knew what was happening...the printers' trays from 7Gypsies...they are all out of them, as are all the other suppliers in the country, I think...so, we have a whole bunch on order, and they will arrive around the end of October. If you want to start getting your project ready for these neat frames, each section measures 2 3/4 x 3 3/4, so I trim all my paper to fit inside by coming down just hair off

of those measurements, not even a full 1/16...or maybe it is, but, really, not very much. There are 12 frames in each tray...We did them up as a calendar, using the Maya Road new calendar sets, and we also did this cool Christmas scene, using the new Webster's Pages paper. For the calendar tray, I also added a small postage stamp from the Crafty Secrets "all-year" set of embellishments--it has something for every month, and we used the postage edger scissors to make it look like a stamp.
So, I am thinking, 12 days of Christmas, linking two together for an advent calendar, family photos, winter scenes--lots of crystally snow flakes...it just begs to be decorated. If you would like to reserve one (or three) of these neat items, which are $15.99, feel free to call the store and put your name on the list. We are keeping a "reserved item" list for these.

Doing it a little differently today because I couldn't get onto the blog earlier when the newsletter was going out...so the winner this week (randomly generated, numer 6) is an anonymous person...who said "I collect flipflop decos of anykind anyone who knows me knows i am a flip flop nut, I also collect pens pink ones mostly but they have to write smoothly, i would have to say i collect pocket books and shoes or is that more of a fetish i collect lenox ornaments ,snowmen,

I have posted a photo of next week's prize in the newsletter, along with this week's question..here is what I wrote..."So...suddenly, I have a technology glitch..cannot get ot my blog site...so I am posting next week's prize and question here for now, and I will get it onto the blog as son as I can. Here is the prize: it is a set of the new Tim Holtz Christmas stamps, unmounted. And here is the question: What are you reading right now?? and can you give us the names of 3 or 4 books you have really loved and would recommend to all...(see, I always add more than just a simple question...) I'll post my own answer on the blog...love to see what everyone else says...just post a response at the bottom of the blog entry (once I get it going again) and I will randomly choose, by entry number, a winner for the stamp set. " Now, here is my answer...right now, reading Sarah's Key, for my book group ( we read The Help last month...also good)...all time favorites would have to be One Hundred Years of Solitude ( a little hard to get into, but well worth it)..also, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and probably #1--East of Eden...Now let's hear from you.

Thanks to all for those great blog and website tips that any of you sent in as responses to last week's "Question."...I will be checking them all out... I did a random draw for last week's posted prize of the Halloween stamps...the winner's name is in the newsletter, so you will need to read it there to find out if you won!! Here is the photo of this week's prize...an alphabet Grungeboard set from Tim Holtz' collection...there are nine different fonts of every letter...ink them, emboss them, go crazy...(Honestly, can you really ever have enough alphabets??)... so, here is the question this week: What do you collect, how many do you have, and where do you get it (them) from...please don't include the following: rubber stamps--we all collect them!, papers, ditto...unless any of the aforementioned objects is unique in some way...in which case, we will definitely need sources!! Also, if you missed commenting on last week's question about blogs or websites, feel free to add a little bit about them, as we all love to look at "stuff."

Here is my answer to the question ahead of time. I collect hands, wings, crowns, skeletons, wooden printers block letters in large form, glass glitter, and a few things I am forgetting...mostly I get them all from ebay, which I go to in spurts...cannot spend time there every day or I will get nothing done...so maybe I look once a month or so. Now, your turn...

Just FYI...something I have been making lately...

Here is a photo of a Maya Road house, done up in Anna Griffin gingerbread paper, with red beaded fringe (we will sell by the half yard,) and a neat little white applique piece on the door that I used alcohol ink all over. In the other picture, which shows the opposite side, I did a paper medallion, which I recently learned from Lynette Carroll (she will be doing classes here Oct. 24 & 25.) It is one of my newest favorite techniques.

Win these stamps! Here is a photo of the prize for this coming week's blog comment
random drawing . Just go to the comment area at the bottom of this post and join in. This week question is... What are your favorite blogs for art inspiration?
Please post the web address of three of your favorite blogs that you keep up with ...do NOT include this one!! Here are some of my favorites: http://cain81art.blogspot.com
www.timholtz.typepad.com ,
http://studio490art.blogspot.com/
It's OK if you put down any that are mentioned by other people...feel free to add any extras as a resource for everyone who reads this

Now I remember...

...where I found that great quote/idea about what six places would you take someone to.....as someone here mentioned to me...it was right here on the AE blog, in Erica's response to the question about a quote...that's the beauty of getting older...there are so many more surprises in the world!! Check the post below for this week's question.

"We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand... and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late. " That is my contribution to the quote/mini book idea...I am thinking abut using the images of hands, stars, snowflakes, time/clocks...some of my favorite images...who knows, maybe it will turn up as a class at AbsolutelyEverything!!
Anyway...remember in the last post, I told you about that pumpkin punch...turns out it was last year's special edition from Fiskars and they have no more...so if you find it anywhere, you are very lucky!!
The winner from last week's quote response was generated using the random.org system., and the name is announced in this week's newsletter. (if you need to sign up for the newsletter, there is a place to do that on this main blog page, along the left hand side.)
So, here is this week's question. It is more personal, and will require some thought and pondering...I saw it somewhere on someone's blog..wish i could take the credit but I love the concept, so I am borrowing it. This could definitely become a mini-book. Here's the big Q!
"If you had to tell someone about yourself, who you really are, by taking them to six different places, where would you go?" I will definitely be throwing my two cents in here with my answer, but I will have to give it some thought first. (I may even be including a bit of the Why? that place? in my response...hmm...could get a bit long...feel free to skip the boring parts.) Thank you to whomever it is out there in blogville who first had this idea. I tried it last night with my family and it generates a great conversation.
Feel free to answer with as much detail or as little, playfully or seriously, in depth or whatever is the opposite of that...I already know that I have to put my summer camp on the list...14 summers...of heaven!! Here is the a photo of the newest prize package...more Halloween papers and embellishments...
I have a few cool ideas for some cards...I will try to get those photos and directions up this week...keep an eye out for them.

A Cool Discovery

Something very cool I just discovered...
the Fiskars scissor-like punch of the
1 1/2 inch pumpkin is the perfect shape
and size to punch out the pumpkins from
the "pumpkin patch" paper from My Minds Eye...The first
photo shows the sheet of paper, with the punch, the second photo shows some punches in a project (OK, Fine, it is one of the make-and-take free projects for this Saturday...you forced it out of me...note to self--do not become a spy.) Even though some of the printed pumpkins are larger than the punch, it still comes out perfectly!! I feel like Magellan, the discoverer, standing on the brink of the Fountain of Youth...or whatever he was discovering, or Madame Curie, as she discovered penicillin...kids, do not use me as a source for any of your term papers...really!


Thank you to everyone who is participating in the blog question of the week. I love reading all the answers, and I am actually taking notes on all of them. I hope, over time, that everyone gets a chance to win!!
Here is this week's new question...What is your favorite quote that you would use as a theme for a mini-album...you can tell me one or two quotes...it would also be great if you tell us who said/wrote it...put your thinking caps on!!
..and here is a photo of the prize that will be awarded to

someone who posts an answer here, chosen by the
random.org number generating system. It is some papers and a bunch of cool Halloween embellishments from KI Memories. You gotta play to win, so leave me a comment in the "comment" area under the blog entry and tell me how you would answer this week's question .
I have some great go-to books for quotes, so I will find few that I like and post them also in the comments..and, no, I will not let myself win, darn it.