Out on a branch

Husband and I just returned from visiting our sons and their wives in South Carolina. We had a wonderful visit. It was also a welcomed break from running two businesses.
The Carolinas are beautiful places. This picture was taken next to a parking lot for a small shopping center. The tree was one of those glorious old oak trees with Spanish moss hanging from it. DH is on the left, then son David(the red head), then me, daughter-in-law Sarah and finally daughter-in-law Debbie. Son Michael had to work that day. My mother was behind the camera.
While in S. Carolina I got to go to the Carolina Stamper, a stamp store of course! If you are ever in Beaufort,S.C. you must find this store. It is a hoot. I have always marveled at how different stamp stores are from one another. Not like the big box craft stores where if you go into one in Florida and need double stick tape. You will be able to find the same tape, in the same spot in a store in California.
Of Course I think that the Artfull Hand is the best store in the US. But it is neat to go into other stamp stores to see how they do things. I even bought 4 stamps RETAIL!!!!! They were ones that I haven't been able to get in at the AH. But will eventually.
Upon my return to the Artfull Hand I had some disappointing news. The trunk show from Stampland had to be cancelled for the second time because of the owner's family problems. We're hoping to get them in - in January of '07.
Voting is now going on for the Halloween Card contest. We got some really good cards. I'm glad that I don't have to make the decision.
Happy Stamping every one. And GO CARDINALS!

Smoosch

I actaully took a class in my own shop!!!! These are the results of it..... The class was led by Sue F. She found this card in a book and thought it would make a good class as it used several different techniques. The results are stunning. So much so that this has be come a popular class.
The card on the left was made by Bev and mine is on the right.
Sue and I didn't like the name of the card in the book. So we changed it to Swoosh. Only I mangled it and it came out smoosch. (Pronunced like the action when you mash the lid of a PB&J to the bottom portion of the sandwich..) The results have an Oriental feel without looking really Asian.
If you like what you see call the shop and say that you are interested in the Smoosch card. We'll get Sue to do another class.
Husband and I are taking a few days off. When I walked out of the backdoor at the shop today. Kelly said, Be safe and don't talked to any strangers." I stuck my head back in the door and said, "Who is stanger then I am?" "Good Point." was the come back answer.

dumpster diving

Well it really wasn't dumpster diving. I had just visited McDonalds for breakfast and was taking a short cut through the back parking lot of Penny's when I saw it. The third display unit that I had been hoping they would put out. When I was setting up the Artfull Hand I bought used display units from various sources, mainly stores that were updating theirs or who were going out of business. I got some really good buys. Well the Penny's store in Washington must have been cleaning out store rooms in July of '05 . I bought from the back of the store 2 slat wall units on wheels in fair condition.
As the Artfull Hand has grown I needed more display units. I have been on the watch for several months for another unit. I even checked the store supply catalog that I had. A new unit was in the neighbor of $400..yikes. So I was patient for once... And last Saturday I was rewarded. There it was sitting along side some other discards. I told myself that I would buy it if it was still there when I got freed from the Vet office. Well....it was there when I drove by again. So I stopped in the Catalog department of the store to pay the lady behind the counter. She told me that she would find a man to help me load it into my vehicle. Ok. I backed up my Ford Explorer to the unit and waited. Instead of a man, two women came out of the store. The three of us picked it up and put it into the back of my vehicle. Who needs a man?
Once I got it back to the shop Jane and I unloaded it and moved it into the shop. We washed it down and re-arranged the other 2 displays to accommodate the addition.
Why you ask is this worthy of a post???? Because of my dumpster diving prowess there is more money to be spent on product and stamps to fill the new display!!!!!!! Hurray!

Gel Cards

At stamp club last Monday night Bev lead us in making gel cards. I hate myself for saying this but they were the cutest things. You stamped your chosen image on white and colored it. Then using colored card stock you cut or punched a circle, square or rectangle that would revel your image. Here comes the new part. Using a small zip lock bag that was large

enough to fit over your image you poured in styling gel!!!! Squeeze out most of the air and then zip shut. Place the bag on the back of the colored card stock. You will need some really sticky tape I suggest the red liner tape. Then place that over your image again using sticky tape. From that point you construct a card.

I had watched the little Mermaid on Sunday so I was in a fishy mood.

Busy,busy,busy...............

My word have we been busy at The Artfull Hand and at the vet office. I don't know what to attribute it to, the cooler weather? The waning moon? Just not sure but am happy as I am tired.
Last Saturday at the Artfull Hand we held our monthly ATC swap. This month's theme was 'Bad Girls'. I really wanted to do a card that would have the girls in stitches or wow them with my artistic abilities. Well neither happened. What I ended up doing was one design based on Eve, the original bad girl! And the other was of Medusa from Greek Mythology. They were ok.
The day was so busy at the shop that I didn't get to eat my lunch until about 3 in the afternoon. I had stopped at the local gas station to pick something up as there was a Band Festival in Washington on Saturday and all the fast food places would be jammed with those visitors. Well the sandwich I bought made me sick all day Sunday. So much for trying to save time.....
We've gotten in new Christmas stamps from several different companies.
The cards for the Halloween contest are starting to come in. Stop by the shop to see what other fun things we've been doing....

Funny Hat

When you have a birthday you must wear a funny hat. The regular customers of The Artfull Hand threw me a birthday lunch. It wasn't a surprise party because the last surprise party we tried to throw the guest of honor didn't show up. [It wasn't her fault. It was mine. I was in charge of getting Kelly(to my right in group picture)to the shop to have a Krespie Kream Donut Party. I just didn't get around to it. Shame on me... So we had a party with out the party girl!]
Also in the group picture is my right hand gal-Linda(to my left).Behind her in the black shirt is Carol, then Earlene,then Patty in the blue and Lavonne. Back over to the left side is Sue F.,Karen and then Sue B.(We are very long on Sues at The Artfull Hand.) There would have been others in attendance but they have day jobs.... Shirley C is represented by the beautiful flowers she sent me, I'm holding them.Oh Yes! Terry is behind the camera. Without her there would be no Artfull Hand.!
I am so Blessed to have friends like these. Thank you dear friends for the gifts (you shouldn't have but I'm glad you did) and the beautiful hand made cards(they had better be HAND MADE!)
So when you have a birthday you should wear a funny hat, any kind of funny hat. It should suit you. Mine is made up from the ribbons and bows that were attached to the birthday presents...My age, you asked? Well in a yahoo group that I belong to we show our ages by adding the double digits together as our true age.(None of us are into triple digits -yet!) So my age is 9 this birthday. You figure out my true age, dear reader. So I believe that my funny hat suits a 9 year old.
I guess I must say some business stuff. Recently we have gotten in Stampland, Stampington and Stamp Smith Stamps. And a whole bunch of new products... You 'll just have to come by the shop to see everything.