I have soooo enjoyed reading the comments from last week and seeing how everyone is doing such wonderful and different projects--very inspiring!! Here is a look at the prize for next week's randomly chosen blog commenter...it is one of the new calendars for 2010 that Stampington has put out...a little bit of inspiration for each month!! Its title is Somerset Life, not Somerset Lite.

The winner for last week's entries has been announced in the newsletter...go there to see if maybe it was you...Here is the Question for this week (also, I opened up the comments area for "anonymous" repliers...but I would be delighted if you would let me know who you are.!! Anyway...the Question:
What do you think are some good ways to embellish a bird cage..any size...This is really a fantasy project...just share your thoughts. Here are some of mine...I would definitely add some of those long Prima floral stems along the corners, with some extra velvet leaves thrown in...maybe I would make a few felt birds to hang on wire perches inside...and possibly a nest of some sort, maybe out of a combo of wire and twigs..will have to give this more thought, and who knows, after I hear from all of you, maI will actually make one!

I forgot to post this photo in my latest newsletter, but this is a great book that has just come in...lots of great tips and iinspirations...
Right now I am working on my samples for the Christmas album-in-a-day, the 12 Books ofChristmas in a box, and the 12 days of Christmas printers tray...also we are celebrating our family christmas on Dec 19, as that is when all the kids , all four, can be home...so honestly??...on Dec. 20, I am ready to move on...maybe I will start shopping for next year...
This is the prize for the person who is chosen randomly from
this week's group of respondents. Just post an answer to the
question
and your entry will be entered to win. Here is the question... Describe your most memorable art project, collage, scrapbook, set of cards, etc...whatever it was, tell us about it.
OK, technically, that is not a question, but let's just say it is.

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.