FABER CASTELL IS IN THE HOUSE!!!

Take a look at all of these beautiful pens!

Glorious colors to mix and match!

Whole sets of the Big Brush Stamper's pens

for coloring fun.

Gelatos....oh how we love you!

28 colors of fun!

You gotta have these!

These water brushes are fabulous for 

so many of our mediums that we use

in mixed media!

If you just want to try out the Stamper's

Big Brush Pen, you can grab some of

these mix and match sets.

Be still my heart!

Faber Castell has stencils now!

Plus they have texture tools.

WOW!

Bible Journaling students, if you pre-ordered

some of the Faber Castell products,

Cat has pulled them for you

 and your name is on your goodies!

Everyone else....

READY...

SET...

GO!

I think it is going to be a race

to pick up these wonderful goodies!

HURRY!!!

MIXED MEDIA FUN

Have you tried mixed media yet?  

Messy, no rules, and just plain fun!

There is a group on Facebook called Journal 52.

You are given a prompt each week and you create a page for what that prompt means to you.

One of the prompts "A Simple Place" and this is what  Cat created for this prompt.  She used all kinds of inks, a stencil, some shredded cardboard, canvas...all kinds of fun stuff!  Lots of colors and textures used on these  fun pages.

 

This is Sharon Leonard's pages for "A Simple Place".  Cat and Sharon are both VERY artistic!

I LOVE these pages!

 

Check out Valerie's pages for "A Simple Place".  If you know Valerie, this is SO her and absolutely FABULOUS!

 

This is my page for "A Simple Place", my back yard.  I had lots of fun using the different kinds of mediums, especially the Stampendous embossing enamels and mica fragments across the bottom.

As you can see, everyone's pages are COMPLETELY different from each other.

And all kinds of products are used:

Viva Decor products

Distress inks, paints, markers, stains

Watercolor paints

Twinkling H20's

Acrylic Paints

Spray Inks - Dylusions and Tattered Angels

Stampendous products:  Embossing enamels, fragments, glitter

Faber Castell Products:  Markers, Gelatos, watercolor pencils, colored pencils

Stencils of all kinds

Masks

Stamps of all kinds and brands

Sharpies

Copics

Mod Podge

USE YOUR STASH

AND

HAVE FUN!

 

 

MARVELOUS MONDAY - TRENDS

I rely on "Scrapbook Update" for my sneak peeks of the new releases for the CHA show.  They also have news updates about the scrapbook industry and which company is buying which, and other news.  A few days ago, they published a blog post about the trends they are seeing in the releases for the upcoming CHA show.  You can find the post in its entirety here.  I thought I would share this list:

• Wood: Both in its actual physical form and in the form of printed wood grain design, wood has been hot for some time and will continue to be hot.  We have all kinds of paper featuring various wood grain designs such as the new Kaisercraft Basics line.
• Cork: Natural materials (not just wood) in general seem to be on the rise, and cork has definitely gotten hot in the past year.  We have cork shapes and sheets of cork from Canvas Corp.
• Transparency: This old trend is making a comeback.  We have transparencies from Fancy Pants and other manufacturers. 
  
• Chalkboard: This design element was absolutely everywhere in Las Vegas, and it won’t be going away in Anaheim.  However, Scrapbook Update does not predict this trend to be long lived.  We have chalkboard designs from numerous manufacturers as well as actual 12 x 12 pages of chalkboard paper by Canvas Corp.
  
• Doilies: An outgrowth of the vintage and kitchen theme trends, doilies aren’t going away any time soon.  We have doilies from various manufacturers, doily stamps, and you can also die cut your own doilies with dies from Sizzix and Lifestyle Crafts as well as using your Eclips.
• Arrows: Another trend that has been born out of the Project Life explosion, arrow embellishments are everywhere recently: stamps, chipboard, and even as all over patterns on paper designs.  We have arrows in numerous collections as well as stamps for you to stamp arrows on your project.
  
• Stars:  Stars used to be mostly reserved for holidays like Christmas and July 4th, but they are creeping into more everyday use lately. We have stencils for stars (as seen above), scrapbook paper with stars, and star stamps.
• Rainbow: When industry trends stepped out of the muted tones of vintage and started using bolder color again, some designers went all in on the color and just used it all, creating rainbow themed items and collections. 
  
• Metallic: If there was one color trend in Las Vegas in July, it was most definitely the rise of metallic tones. Gold, silver, bronze, copper, pewter, and pretty much any other metal tone you could think of was on the show floor in the form of almost any product you wanted: embellishments, ink, paper, you name it.  You can add a metallic touch to your project with the Viva Decor products plus we have some metallic card stock.
• Watercolor: This trend has been brought to us by a combination of the art journaling craze and the rise of stamping as a dominant sub-market in the papercrafting industry.  We have watercolor pencils from Faber Castell, you can watercolor with your distress inks, use the spray inks for a watercolor look, and watercolor with the Twinkling H20's.
• Nautical: This theme made a surprisingly strong appearance at the Las Vegas show, despite it being dominated by winter product line introductions.  We have some nautical themed papers in our travel section.
  
• Enamel Dots: These teeny affordable embellishments have become mainstream, snapped up by scrapbookers of all kinds. Companies are rushing to fill the demand, creating dots that coordinate with their product lines.  My Minds Eye and Teresa Collins both have coordinating enamel dots for their collections and My Minds Eye started making shaped enamel dots, as seen above.
  
• Clothespins: Another trend that has transferred from the card making market to the pocket scrapbooking market, mini decorative clothespins are now seemingly everywhere, whereas even a few shows ago they were the sole jurisdiction of a few specific companies like Pebbles.  We have clothespins in many colors and sizes as well as the clothespins that manufacturers have made to coordinate with their collection.
  
• Label Tape Inspired Alphas: These alphabets mostly started out as part of the alphabet “multi sheets” that have been popular at many companies in recent years, but have become so popular (thanks to pocket scrapbooking creating demand for teeny alphabets) that many companies now are starting to produce and sell them on their own.  We have mini alphabets from numerous manufacturers that coordinate with their collections.

LET'S GO EXPLORING!

Happy Columbus Day!  

It's a great day to visit the store and 

EXPLORE!!!!

Explore our stencil selections from Crafter's Workshop, Tim Holtz, Clear Scraps, and others.  Great selection for your mixed media needs.

If you are planning to play in mixed media, you definitely want to check out the Viva Decor products

as well as the fabulous WOW embossing products.

Have you played with washi tapes???   As you all know, I love them and have a small (or not so small) collection of washi tapes.  Once you start using them, you won't be able to stop!  And, there are some in the sale bins.....

There are all kinds of stamps for you to use:  background, Christmas, birthday, humorous, elegant, so many stamps to choose from you might get lost while exploring them!

Explore our selection of die cutting supplies.  We have dies from Sizzix, Lifestyle Crafts, and Impression Obsession - explore the offerings from each of these companies.

Come explore the new product on the tables and in the front of the store to get the latest and greatest.

Explore the Christmas collections under the Christmas trees.  There are so many beautiful collections you will have a hard time choosing!

Of course, you've got to explore the sale bins.  I think there was still some left after the girls got through stocking up on Saturday!  LOL!

So, come explore with us at Cat's on this marvelous

COLUMBUS DAY!

FABULOUS FRIDAY

FIVE DAYS UNTIL

THE SEPTEMBER RETREAT...YEAH!!!!

AND FIVE DAYS LEFT TO GET YOUR PROJECTS READY FOR THE

DESIGNER OF THE MONTH CONTEST.....

It is time to get INKY at Cat's!

Saturday afternoon we will be getting our fingers all inky while making this beautiful tag in Nanci's tag class.

We will also be making this cool tag.  If you are taking the tag class, I got a supply list from Nanci:

Regular tools

Glossy accents

Paper distressor 

Tiny attacher

Ink tool

Non-stick craft mat

Heat tool

Water color brush or copics

Inks as follows;

Greens

Oranges

Purples

Browns

Reds

Blues

Blacks

Yellows

Stickles...orange, green, purple, icicles, brown

Tuesday we will be getting inky again with Jen Starr.  She will be teaching three classes using all kinds of products from Tim Holtz, Faber Castell, Viva Decor, and other companies. 

Classes like these from Nanci and Jen teach us how to use some of those amazing products that we all own and may not know how to use.  So to get the most out of all of those products we think we have to have, sign up for technique driven classes.  You won't regret it and will learn new ways to use products in your stash.

See you in class!

WOW, WHICH ONES SHALL WE CHOOSE?????

Jen Zdanis Starr will be at Cat's teaching Tuesday, September 17th for a Class-a-Thon from 10am 'til 9pm. She will teach 3 classes. However, Cat can't decide which classes to pick for Jen to teach.  So, she wants YOU to vote for your top 3 today so she can finalize the list by Thursday. 

In this Creative workshop you will explore stunning mixed media techniques to create effects that sparkle and shimmer while you make a one of a kind 1x3 ft butterfly themed pennant for your wall! You will be working with mists and my line of Dimensional Crystal paints from Art Anthology plus a variety of goodies from Viva Décor to add details. Your finished project will be so full of dimension and texture that the butterflies will seem to come to life!

(Note: the word “create” can be changed in class if you have a different word that you would prefer instead)

Cost: $50 4 hr technique loaded class

If you are a scrapbooker at heart but are interested in mixed media and art journaling then this is the perfect workshop to get your creativity started! We will construct the base of your art journal in class and focus on techniques using a variety of mediums from Art Anthology, Viva Décor and Ranger to create some stunning backgrounds and effects while we work in your own photos.

To keep those creative juices flowing, Jen will also be offering future on-line classes throughout the year to continue this theme and build your book further with additional techniques and pages!

COST: $50 4 hr technique loaded class

In this class you will learn some creative mixed media techniques to help make your projects as beautiful as your life! We’ll be working with die cut elements from Tim Holtz, Distress Inks (including the limited edition colors), Gesso, Crafter’s Workshop Templates from the fabulous Dyan Reavely and NEW Colorations Mists from Art Antholoy…plus many more fun things will be incorporated throughout the book. This is an 8x9” chipboard gate book with flipping and folding interactive pages inside…SO much fun!! Focus will be on inky techniques and book construction.

**Please NOTE: title is not included so you will be able to make it any theme you want. — at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks.

Cost: $43 3 hr class 

No one develops product to create that vintage and steampunk effect better than Tim Holtz so we will be using lots of “Timspiration” to “Holtzify” this fun project (sorry, I couldn’t help it)! 

In this class you will create a double 8x10” canvas panel wall hanging full of texture, inks, stamps, Idea-ology, Sizzix dies, UTEE, etc…but most of all we will focus on techniques!!

COST: $45 3 hr class

You will discover techniques and textures galore with this Viva décor workshop! Join certified instructor, Jen Starr as she guides you through a wealth of information and layers of dazzling color using Viva’s most popular products including 3D Stamp Paint, Ferro, Inka Gold, Crackle, Glitter Pens, Pearl Pens, Glass Effects Gel, and the brand new Maya Gold paints! You will receive instructions for each technique which we will attach to the backs of our finished tags to create a reference guide full of techniques to use in all of your future projects.

COST: $45 3 hr technique loaded class 

Send Cat an email @ catbeaty@sbcglobal.net TODAY and let her know what THREE classes are you choices are for this fantastic day.  

I can't wait, can you?????

Everyone will be a winner with the envelope sale that is part of our 9th Anniversary fun.   We are bringing back the Envelope Sale in a new format.  From July 20th-Aug 10th each customer will receive ONE mini-bag that is sealed. Inside is a discount that will be revealed at checkout on Saturday, August 10th. If your bag is opened or tampered with in any way it will be void. You must keep your bag intact until the reveal date. Yes, it drives you crazy having that bag in your purse and not knowing what is in it. Discounts will range from 10%-40%. Shop to win!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Today is Thursday and we are so very thankful for our wonderful customers.  You know, without customers we wouldn't be here.  So, every Thursday we like to show our appreciation to you by having a sale for our faithful blog followers.  By showing this blog post, today only you will receive:

15% OFF OF

TRAVEL COLLECTIONS

So, come by the store and pick up the everything you need to scrapbook those vacation photos!

While we are thankful for our customers,  the customers are thankful that Cat is so creative.  Look at what she has come up with now:

Do you have a hunter in the family?  Do you have lots of photos of "the kill" that you don't know what to do with?  Well, Cat is here to help you out!  She has designed this wonderful hunting album that will hold all of those hunting photos.

Here is a peek at the inside of the album.  I have a feeling this class will be super popular.  If you want to make this album, you will want to save this date:

September 28th 

at 1:00 p.m.

Cost:  $40.00

Students will need to bring the following supplies to the class: 

• Gelatos in the following colors: 2-3 shades of green from light to dark, brown, gold, metallic blue, red. 
• Glossy Accents 
• Tape Runners
• Foam Tape
• Basic Tool Kit

Be sure you call the store to reserve your spot in this class.  It will be loads of fun and make your favorite hunter very happy when their hunting photos are preserved in this fabulous album.

TUESDAY TEMPTATIONS

Does the term mixed media scare you?  Did you know that you may have tried it and not even realized it?

If you have used these wonderful embossing enamels by Stampendous, the color fragments, glass glitter, and mica fragments, they are all a form of mixed media.

Another form of mixed media are the Faber Castell products.  If you love using the gelatos, you are dabbling in mixed media!

All of those Tim Holtz inks and paints are also a form of mixed media.  

These Tattered Angel inks are also a form of mixed media.

Our latest products for mixed media are these Viva Decor products.  The Viva Decor mediums are so much fun to use.  

These stencils are also very popular for mixed media.  

 Use some canvas or burlap on your project and you are "mixing" media.

So, don't let the term mixed media scare you.  If you want to learn more about mixed media, save the date of September 17th.  Jen Starr will be coming to Cat's to teach! Jen is a Mixed Media Artist with a fine art background who has been in the Craft Industry as a Designer and Instructor for the past 10 years. She is the Senior Educator for Viva Decor, USA, the Creative Director for Art Anthology and is a fully Certified and Ranger Recognized Instructor (with 5 certifications from Ranger). Jen absolutely loves to teach her students to use their creativity and think outside the box. It makes her so happy to be able to share her skills, knowledge and love of the art of scrapbooking and stamping with so many others.   If you love the new Viva Decor products or want to learn how to use them, you don't want to miss this class.