WOW WEDNESDAY

The winner from last weeks' blog hop, chosen by random.org, was #5 - Allison Grave, our blog participant from Allison's blog. Congratulations, Allison...contact Cat at the store to claim your prize!

We love seeing the work of our wonderful friends and customers and there is always inspiration to be found while visiting their projects. Would you like to participate, but do not have a blog? You do not have to have a blog to participate. You can find the directions on how to link up your creations that you have in a gallery here.

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

Just a reminder that I am not considered for the blog candy, but anyone who comments on my blog IS in the running. Thank you to everyone who participated last week, either by posting some work or commenting on the blogs.

 

TUESDAY TIM HOLTZ TEMPTATIONS

We all love the products that carry Tim Holtz's name.  I know a lot of us are a little jealous that Cat has met and taken numerous classes with Tim.  If you follow Tim's blog, you know that every year he has done "The Twelve Tags of Christmas".   As you know, we have our own Nanci Holtsford, who is ultra-creative.  Nanci will be teaching three classes, during which we will make her version of Tim's twelve tags.  If you take all three classes and complete all twelve tags, you will get a free frame in which to display your tags.  We will use things from the Tim Holtz wall to create these tags.

The supply list for the first class (this Saturday, October 27) is:

Your usual tool kit, in addition to these things: 
INKS: Walnut, Vintage Photo, Tumbled Glass, Broken China; Blending Tool & Foam;
Glossy Accents, Crackle Accents; Mini Holidays Stamp Set; Christmas Blueprint Stamp Set; or any of your Tim Christmas stamps will work; Christmas Muse Tokens; Christmas Adornments; new Tinsel if you wish; red, green & icicle or diamond stickles.
As ususal, Cat will have any items you are lacking available for purchase.

 

 Don't miss out on your chance to make some fabulous tags for Christmas.  You can mass produce them to attach to your Christmas gifts if you wish.  I know Nanci has used some of the tags she has created on scrapbook pages and they look great.  Or, you can disply them in the frame we will get after completing the set of tags. 

 

MARVELOUS MONDAY WITH SKETCH INSPIRATION

Trisha posted another sketch over on Sketch Inspiration on Sunday.  This is Sketch #343 and it's a great one.  Come on girls....let's get to creating some layouts using these fabulous sketches.  I really enjoyed using the sketch from last week and creating this layout:

I used some of the My Minds' Eye "All is Bright" collection for the background and the accented it with some of the Teresa Collins' "Tell your Story" collection along with some stamps from Unity.  The washi tape at the bottom is from Teresa Collins and My Minds Eye as well.  I was inspired by Shaunery Wharton to start participating in the CSI challenge site, where she is a member of the design team.   Lots of fun combining Trisha's fabulous sketch and the challenge over at CSI together.  Only problem is.....

I need some company....

Nobody else from Cat's participated this week....

It's very lonesome......

 

So....

Join me this week and create a layout or card using this week's sketch.

Upload it to the Sketch Inspiration website...

I want to have other people's work to share next Monday.

 

In the meantime, I want to share some of the completed canvases from this weekend's "You Ought to be In Pictures".



This is Cat's canvas and our inspiration.  I love these phtotos of Cat and Ray and they look great on her canvas.

Carol Houston decided to make her's a piece of wall art and leave off the photos.  BEAUTIFUL!

Susan Wolverton made her's very shabby chic with lots of crackle.  LOVE it!

And Kelly Maddux let us all see her super artistic side.  She wrapped the wire of her flowers around twigs that Cat had brought in for our fall page layout.  She made the background all streaked...We were all in awe of her canvas!

 

It was so much fun to see everyone go their own way on these canvases, draw inspiration from each other and then see how differently each one turned out.  I think this was definitely a favorite project for everyone!



SUNDAY INSPIRATION FROM YOU OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES

Everyone learned how to turn pirate paper into a western layout.

 Carefully placing everything onto the page.

Falling leaves are put where they belong

Distressing the edges of the paper

The Eclips lesson

Diecutting central

Teamwork on the Eclips

Vickie working on her card box--beautiful!

Kourtneigh working on her her cute card box.

Kelly cutting out things for her card box.

Painting the wood mats for the canvas project.

FIguring out how to incorporate twigs into the canvas project.

Carol deciding what she wanted to use on her canvas.

I sprayed mine with masks on it.

 

Everyone had so much fun and the creativity was everywhere.  We all had so much fun "doing our own thing" with the card boxes and the canvas project.  Cat enjoyed seeing what everyone did with these projects. 

 

The next one of these events will be in January.  Watch for the date and details....don't miss out.  We all have a blast at these events.

 

SEE YOU THERE!

 

 

IT'S CATURDAY AND YOU REALLY OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES!

The stars and tinsel were everywhere as our "You Ought to be in Pictures" event began.  It was a star-studded evening at Cat's as the stars arrived for the evening.

There was "It" 

Everyone was a little frightened when Annie from "Misery" arrived looking just a little bit menacing.

Indiania Jones arrived with a friendly witch.

Even Scout, from "To Kill a Mockingbird" joined us for the evening.

A few eyebrows were raised as Miss Kitty arrived at the store.

"Mr. Mom" took time off to come and brought Alex's "woobie".

Even Ma Kettle came to join the festivities.

Sister Mary Robert flew in from "Sister Act" for the evening of fun.

Anne of Green Gables sweetly arrived for the evening.

Katness from "The Hunger Games" was able to leave the games for the evening.

This guest hasn't been identified yet...has the party been crashed?

Another unidentified guest....we are trying to figure out who they are.

 Do you know?

 

FEATURE FRIDAY

Today, we are featuring none other than:

Ray, aka TomCat, studmuffin (Cat's nickname for him), and hero (Nanci's nickname for him).
I asked him for a short bio so we could learn more about him:

An engineer by trade I like things in right angles and precise. Twenty-five years ago I married Cat and she likes things off centered, harem scarem and hates right angles. Needless to say it does get interesting sometimes! I retired from GTE (Verizon) after 30 years and I worked around our place in the country fixing it up. Then Cat recruited me to help at the scrapbook store. Never knew I could have so many girlfriends-legally! I kept getting more and more involved in making custom albums for the classes that Cat and Nanci dreamed up.

The crystal ball album for Graphic 45's Wizard of Oz collection

This popular home decor item

Remember this gorgeous pumpkin album?

This album that included a slice of a log.

The very popular snowman album.

This super cute dollhouse album



First it was simply cutting shapes out of wood for Cat & Nanci and then they kept wanting to get more detailed. They were getting beyond my skil saw limits. I decided to get a laser for an upgrade to get out of the hot shop into a cool building.

Had NO idea I would have to learn all about it by myself by going online for videos, forums, etc. Still learning but getting better all the time. If Cat & Nanci would quit coming up with ideas I would be up to date! It has become a great hobby that I really enjoy.

 

And look at what he is making with this new "toy":

I love how he makes those banners and then the letters for us to paint to put on the banners.  Look at what else he and Cat have cooked up for us:

This adorable mug album will be a class in January.  It uses a new collection from BoBunny.

 

I hope you enjoyed learning more about Ray and seeing how much he contributes to this hobby we love.  We would not have nearly as many cute mini albums if we didn't have Ray.

Yes, he does build it with his own two hands....and we are SO VERY glad that he does. 

 

Thank you, Ray!