WOW WEDNESDAY

It is time for us to get to see all of the wonderful creations by our wonderful customers!  I really enjoyed seeing everyone's creations last week.

The winner from last week's WOW Wednesday selected by random.org was  #14 from Shaunery's blog, Papel Scissors aka Chasity Wilbur.  Chasity was VERY excited to be the winner last week. 

Did you know that you don't have to have a blog to participate?  Denise Case has been participating by linking up her creations on Sketch Inspiration.  This is how she is doing it:  If you have an online gallery at Two Peas, Splitcoast Stampers, Scrapbook.com, Sketch Inspirations (must be using a sketch inspiration sketch), FlickR, or any other online gallery, you can participate.  When Mr. Linky asks for your  url, just copy and paste the url (that part up at the top where it says http://www/......) of the page of your creation.  I have an online gallery at Splitcoast Stampers and if I wanted to link up a card, I would go to my gallery and then click on the card I wanted to link up...let's say it is the Things are Looking Up card.  So, I click on that card and then copy and paste the url  (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/2081676?&cat=500&ppuser=192963) in the blank.  TaDa....it is linked up to Mr. Linky!  I hope this encourages more to participate in our WOW Wednesdays.

To be considered for the blog candy, you must post a project that you have created.  WOW Wednesday must also be mentioned in your post and be sure to let your blog readers know that there is blog candy being given away to a random participant or commenter. 

I hope you will share your fabulous creations with us.  If you didn't have time to create anything, I hope you will share some love on everyone else's creations--we all love that positive reinforcement!    



TUESDAY TEMPTATIONS, TIM HOLTZ STYLE

Looking for some Tim Holtz goodies to add to your scrapbook pages and cards?  Cat has just gotten his latest and greatest products:

 Anita and Nanci were rocking these new stamps out at the retreat this past weekend.

Need some tinsel for your holiday layouts and cards?  Cat has the latest from Tim Holtz.  In addition, she has the cute little Christmas trees to fit in your shadow box or Christmas display. 

She also got his Kraft and Holidays Past paper stash.  You can create some beautiful vintage holiday pages and crafts with these goodies.  If you don't see what you need here, there is the whole Tim Holtz wall to choose from:

You should definitely be able to get your Tim Holtz "fix" at Cat's....just in time for the holidays!

Just a reminder that the Operation Write Home card making party is this Saturday, September 22nd  at the store, 1 p.m.-5p.m. Come help us assemble cards for the heroes!  Sandy Trefger has made card kits all ready to go.   All you need to bring is your adhesive, $5 cash to donate for shipping for OWH and. if you want, a snack to share. Please let Cat or Sandy know if you will be there. You can call the store or go to the store's facebook page, click on the event tab and mark "Joining."    I hope you will be able to join us for this fun and worthwhile event. 

MARVELOUS MONDAYS WITH SKETCH INSPIRATION

Trisha posted another fabulous sketch over on Sketch Inspiration yesterday.  I hope you will find time this week to use this sketch to create a beautiful scrapbook page.

This is sketch 337 from last week.

Nita Griffith created this lovely layout using Sketch 337 and some scraps she had left from the class that Trisha taught at Cat's NSD retreat.

Look at this adorable layout that Denise Case created using the same sketch and some of the fabulous Best Creations zoo papers.  Love those precious photos of Riley!

Valerie created this sweet layout featuring a photo of her with her adorable granddaughters. Love that tree in the corner with the title and journaling.

How about some more inspiration from the retreat?  Remember this photo that I shared from Bethany's project?  Well, here is the finished project:

Sorry about the glare from my flash.  LOVE this project.  Bethany did an amazing job!  Everyone was fascinated with it and enjoyed watching her progress over the weekend.

I hope you have an absolutely Marvelous Monday.

SUNDAY INSPIRATION FROM THE RETREAT

There is so much inspiration to be had at any of Cat's retreats.    People bounce ideas off of each other and are inspired by the suggestions of their friends.   Then the silliness begins....laughter starts.....sides hurt from laughing so hard.  So much fun and so much inspiration. 

Karen is adding photos to the mini album she made at the class that Cat taught at Raylene's retreat.  It is turning out beautiful!

Kathy was getting started on a really neat layout using some Technique Tuesday tiles.  And, we all know that you start with...blank paper!

Michele did this realy neat layout about a recent trip to the Bahamas.  I love the black sihouetted trees and frames around the photos.  She claimed it took her hours to cut those trees out....however, I think she might have had some help.  LOL!

Lots of good food is being cooked by Viney.  We cannot complain about being hungry and the variety is amazing. 

I hope this has inspired you to attend one of the retreats.  Call the store and reserve your spot now!  You won't regreat it.

IT'S CATURDAY!

Happy Caturday, everyone!  I hope you are enjoying the rain we have had and the much cooler weather. 

The winner from the WOW Wednesday blog hop is #14 from Shaunery's blog, Papel Scissors aka Chasity Wilbur.  Contact Cat at the store to collect your prize.

We are having a blast at the retreat.  Lots of laughter, relaxing, and creating going on.  People are working on all kinds of projects...catching up, putting photos on pages they made in classes, and just having fun.

I was walking around the room and this cute page-in-progress caught my eye.  LOVE the adorabe photos and the title is PERFECT! 

Bethany is working on an old window and making a beautiful project.  This is just one small corner of an amazing work-in-progress.

Cat, Nanci, and Sharon were busy putting out new product to tempt us. 

Excitement all around for the new Reminisce collections.

Sharon was having difficulty deciding which to buy......decisions, decisions....

Lots of new stuff at the store as well...got a lot of new Stampendous product arrived.  New color fragments,

new color of embossing enamel,

shaved ice fragments for those winter layouts

and some gorgeous new stamps.

Rainy weather is a great excuse to stay indoors and crop.  Stop by the store to check out all of the new product in the store.  Want to enjoy a creative retreat?  There is still time to sign up for the November retreat...call and reserve your spot now!

FEATURE FRIDAY

Today we are featuring the beautiful Trisha Hill, creator of Sketch Inspiration.   I snapped this photo of her at the NSD retreat where she taught a class on using her sketches and generously gave us all a copy of her second Sketch Inspiration book. 

I asked Trisha to tell me about herself and about how Sketch Inspiration started:  Hello there!  I'm so honored to be featured at Cat's.  My name is Trisha Hill and I am a scrap-a-holic.  I began scrapbooking about 11 years ago.  At that time, my sister Jennifer was already sniffing papers and fondling stickers.  When she showed me a few pages she had made, I felt my eye begin to twitch and I knew I was in serious trouble. 

This is a picture of Trisha and her sister at the NSD retreat.

More from Trisha:  My precious daughter was only 2 at the time, but is now an exceptionally bright and beautiful 13 year old young lady, and I also have a handsomely smart son, age 8.  My children are the light of my life and the center of my scrapbooks. 

This 2 page layout is the class she taught at the NSD retreat and features her beautiful family.

More from Trisha:  I love the thought of leaving such a legacy; devoted to their beginnings, their heritage, experiences, trials and victories.  I love telling their stories through pictures and journaling.  (And I love the smell of scrapbook products...) Not only is scrapbooking a great way to preserve their stories, but I find it therapeutic as it helps me relax and unwind. 

About 4 years ago, sketches really started to be the craze.  I had a lot of ideas in mind and thought to myself, "I can do this." So I did.  I didn't have a special program on my computer or anything like that.  I simply started playing in Microsoft Word and a sketch was born.  After I shared my creation with a group of online scrapbook friends, they immediately inspired and encouraged me to continue to make sketches.  Three years ago, I played around with the idea of a sketch site, created a mock version, shared it with ONE of my girls and before I knew it, she had sent out a mass invitation to join.  Ahahaha!  Well there was no turning back and the site continued to grow and grow.  There are now over 2400 members at Sketch Inspiration and members are still steadily finding their way over.  I have been incredibly blessed with such supportive friends, such as Cat, who have been so faithful to sponsor the site. 
Remember: You are an inspiration to those around you.

This is the current sketch, #337, and you can upload a photo of your layout to Sketch Inspiration until 11:59 p.m. Saturday and be eligible for a random drawing for a prize.  The sketches are available for your use any time.  Trisha does ask that only layouts using Sketch Inspiration sketches be uploaded to the website and if you use her sketches any time that you mention Sketch Inspiration.  

If you are not a member of Sketch Inspiration, please check the website out:  www.sketchinspiration.ning.com

It doesn't cost anything to join and you are in for a treat with all of the fabulous sketches.  In addition to the sketches, you can see the creations by other scrapbookers using the sketches and get inspiration from them.  I am personally addicted to sketches and find it hard to get started without them.  They definitely make it easier to create beautiful pages.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that it includes time to visit the Sketch Inspiration website and time to come by the store to stock up on supplies to create some beautiful pages using Trisha's sketches!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

It's Thursday, what are you thankful for?  We are so very thankful for you, our fabulous customers.  Without customers, there would be no store!   Today only, if you show this blog post, you can enjoy the same 15% off discount that the retreaters are receiving.  So, get on down to the store to check out the new merchandise and take advantage of that 15% off.  Remember, we are open until 8:00 p.m. tonight so you have extra time to visit the store.
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There is lots of new product in the store right now and even more that will be revealed at the retreat.  If you are in the market for some ribbon, Cat has added more to the ribbon wall:

I don't know about you, but I am loving that burlap!  Those striped ribbons are so beautiful on scrapbook pages.  Beautiful new Christmas ribbons and pretty much anything you could possible want.

Are you working on school albums for your kids?

Look at this great collection by Little Yellow Bicycle.  I love those cork stickers---they will add some great texture to your scrapbook page.  Look at that neat round chalkboard paper, it will look great on your pages.

Reminisce has another choice for your for those school pages.  Super cute.  Love their 3D stickers.

If you are going to the retreat, make sure you bring your chair!

If you see this going down the highway, it's just someone who couldn't decide what to take to the retreat so they took everything!

Hang in there....

It's almost Friday....