Thanksgiving

What a wonderful day it was. The weather here in East Central MO has been wonderful. Couldn't ask for better weather for November. Of course the shop was closed on Thursday but I went in anyway because I wanted to wash the windows at least the outside of them. I also put up some Christmas lights. That was enough work for one day.
On Friday we had our one day after Thanksgiving Sale. The Day was very good. Thank you dear patrons.
There are a lot of cool things happening in December. So come in and visit for a while.

Deer Hunting Widows Week-end

November 11th was the opening day of deer hunting season here in East Central Missouri. My husband along with a lot of other males(and females) were out in the woods.
But...Along with me in the Artfull Hand were several Deer Hunting Widows the whole week-end long...It started at 5pm Saturday afternoon running till Ten that evening. Then we started up again on Sunday at 11 am. Wow! Did we have fun. We played Stampin' Bingo, watched some DVDs and ate a lot of good food. One of the coolest things we did was to have a challenge grab bag. Bev, SueP and I concocted a sandwich size brown bag full of all kinds of small goodies. The challengee had to pick a bag and then make something out of the contents...The pieces that were made were outstanding. I will try to get some pictures and post them.
The event was so much fun that we are planning another 'stamp-in' on Super Bowl Sunday.

Finally!

About a week ago my overhead sign was finally installed. It took me 3 different sign companies and fifteen months.
Why is it so hard for a little guy to get anything done??? So what I wasn't contracting for a huge bill board along one of the interstates...It shouldn't have taken as long as it did. I know for a fact now that most of the signage today is computer generated... No longer do those sign painters have to climb tall ladders with their buckets of paint and brushes.
The guy who did my sign needed prodding. I only wish I had - had an electric prodding cane like the one my Veterinarian husband sometimes has to use to move cattle. That would have gotten the sign guy's butt moo-ving.

Happy Autumn

It's a beautiful day at The Artfull Hand. There's lots of sun and warm temperatures. The shop is fill this afternoon with happy stampers doing Linda's 3 for 3. I didn't get a sample of her offerings today. But I have posted another card she made using Rubber Stamp Tapestry Grape Wreath. Linda is very talented and I am lucky to have her working in the shop.
Last week was a bit on the colder side. I had bought some of that plastic that you can stick over a window. There is a window in the rear of the class room that I felt a cold wind blow through last year. So before the really cold weather hit I wanted to shrink wrap that window. That meant we had to move 2 cabinents and a counter top plus all the colored glass I had sitting on the sill. Then I climbed up on the ladder and stuck the double sided tape to the aluminum frame of the window. The hard part was seeing the edge of the paper liner to pull it off. I wear tri-focals, needless to say I couldn't see a damn thing. So that meant that I had to climb up on the window sill.(Thankfully it is wide enough for me to kneel sideways) Then I could get close enough to see the edge of the paper to pull it off of the tape. However while I was up in the window Bev and Sue were frantically looking for a camera. Again, Thankfully, there wasn't one to be found! Otherwise dear reader, you would have been subject to viewing a large rear end percarioulsy perched on a widow sill.
Happy Autumn

It's looking a lot like Christmas

We are overflowing with Christmas stamps at the Artfull Hand. The poor Thanksgiving stamps are squeezed on to one corner of the front table. There are some really cool vintage stamps of children. Linda has been working her little fingers to the bones making samples. I'll try to get one and post it here.
This week-end is our first annual deer widows week-end. While the guys are out in the woods we girls are going to be up to our chins in paper, inks and rubber and lovin' every second of it. If you get a chance come by and join us. We will be playing games and watching videos besides stamping. Oh yes and there will be FOOD! And of course there is always chocolate available in some form.....

Halloween

Halloween at the Artfull Hand was fun. Besides the announcement of the winner of the Halloween Card Contest I offer a discount for any customer who comes in costume on the 31st.
I have always liked Halloween. I confess that I tricked and treated till I was 17. Then I stayed at home on all hallow's eve and scared the little kids who came to my parents' door. I would decorate the front porch, have my stereo speaker in a window playing spooky music and weird noises. I would dress up as a witch(think of Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz)including green face paint.
Well that still continues in some form at the Artfull Hand. We had several customers come in dressed up. I will post pictures as soon as my computer will let me. It is having trouble finding the correct page.
11/6/06 I'm still trying to upload photos to this entry. For some reason the correct page can't be found. I've tried to ask for help from Blog.com but no response from them... so I will move on.