To Market to Market to Buy a Fresh...

Actually, I’m not talking about going TO the market, I’m talking about going a little lower than that – as in Studio Calico’s new South of Market paper line.  I have to admit it – I’m a bit of a foodie.  I love collecting and trying new recipes, and one of my favorite paper craft pastimes is making recipe books and cards to share.  Enter South of Market, an awesome line we just got in from Studio Calico.

Grass Fed

River Cottage

Because I Can

Due Date

Farm Fresh

Green Acres

Lettuce Turnip the Beet

Made with Love

 

I love the colors and images in this super cute farm fresh line – and, not that it probably matters to anyone but me, but it also has some super cute paper names.  I mean, Lettuce Turnip the Beet – how cute is that???

So, whether you’re creating recipe books of your own, scrapbooking favorite memories in your grandma’s cooking, or making amazing farm themed altered projects, South of Market is perfect!

To Market to Market to Buy a Fresh...

I Feel Pretty - Oh so Pretty!

Get it while it lasts, ladies!  Authentiques new Pretty line is sure to inspire your girliest hearts desires.  I mean, it’s pink and black and flowers all over.  What’s not to love?

Alphabet Stickers

Pretty Journal Cards

Pretty Coleected

Pretty Cursive

Pretty Cute

Pretty Desire

Pretty Lace

Pretty Luster

Pretty Luxe

Pretty Rosette

Pretty Tartan

This Pretty line is SO pretty that it may have inspired a certain teacher (ahem) to use it for an upcoming card class (um hmm) which means if you’re the type of person who likes to purchase the papers used in said card classes, or if you want the collection and you want to get it before it disappears because of said class (you know who you are) then you might want to come in and pick out your papers now (nods head).  I’m just sayin…

 

I Feel Pretty - Oh so Pretty!

We're All Mad Here....

You know, I think every store should have a motto, don’t you?  We got a new line of paper in recently that reminded me of a quote.. the perfect quote for our store, really.

Yup, we’re all mad here.  Perfect description, wouldn’t you say?

Case in point: The other day I came into the store and was informed I would be unable to use the bathroom.  This was because UPN (as in Use-to-be Perfect Nancy) changed the lock on the bathroom door to an “easy open” lock so we wouldn’t have to worry about losing the key anymore.

However, good old UPN neglected to test the lock before she installed it.  After she installed the new handle and closed the door she decided to test it.  You know how this story goes, right?  Yup, the door was locked.  As in permanently.  The whole time I was there Michelle and UPN were trying to open the door.  First they tried removing the hinges, but the door wouldn’t budge.

 

Next, they tried to pick the lock with credit cards, but apparently none of the cards had a high enough credit line to open that golden door.  They even tried laying on the floor with a hanger and a mirror to try to unlock the door from the other side.  When things got desperate they tried some sort of native rain dance, although I have to say this wasn’t it brightest idea given that none of us had access to the bathroom and all that chanting was really making us feel like we needed to make it rain, if you know what I mean.

You know, Alice had a “drink me” bottle to grow larger, and an “eat me” cake to grow smaller, but despite all the eating we did that day there was no magic confection that opened that door.  You know how in Alice in Wonderland Alice tries to fool the Red Queen by painting the roses red?  Well apparently Nancy was inspired to paint the door blue to calm Michelle’s fragile nerves, but alas, the door remained locked.

Finally Michelle broke down and called a locksmith.  He said UPN did a great installing the new lock except for one thing – the lock was broken.  Really broken.  Even he was unable to fix it.  There wasn’t anything they could have done to make it unlock.  Yup, just another crazy day at ESS….

Anyway, as you might have guessed. the new line of papers I was referring to above is all about…. Alice in Wonderland!  Always a popular theme, I really love the way KaiserCraft pulled it together in their Through the Looking Glass line:

Through the Looking Glass – Wonderland Die Cut

Through the Looking Glass – Alice

Through the Looking Glass – Cheshire Cat

Through the Looking Glass – March Hare

Through the Looking Glass – Tweedle Dee

Through the Looking Glass – Tweedle Dum

Through the Looking Glass – White Rabbit

Through the Looking Glass – Drink Me Acetate

Some come take you’re own trip through the rabbit hole and see what awaits you on the other side of the door at ESS… the tea is waiting!

 

We're All Mad Here....

Spellbinders Tool 'n One

OK, so maybe I’m dating myself a little here, but this is one of these goodies that has me shouting, “Go, go gadget hands!”

Go Go Gadget Hands!

There’s really no shame in it – I’m a Gadget Girl!  I love new toys, and you KNOW I love my die cutting – this is the perfect tool for me!

Spellbinders Tool ‘N One

The Spellbinders Tool ‘n One is perfect for die cutters – the spatula helps you gently life your die cut out of the die, and the brush end helps push small pieces out.  The various attachments function both as die cut removers or as styluses and paper piercing tools – this is truly an all-in-one for your kit.  Take a look at this tool in action:

Spellbinders Tool 'n One

We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer

We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer line is a fabulous mixture of modern patterns,  rich texture, and gorgeous summer colors – think watercolor pool blues and honey-toned wheat.  This is a very versatile collection – indoor, outdoor, mountain top lodges; anything goes with these striking papers:

Indian Summer – Carefree

Indian Summer – Day Dreamer

Indian Summer – Ikat

Indian Summer – Impressions

Indian Summer Tan Hide

Indian Summer – Watercolor

Indian Summer – Wildflower

Indian Summer Journal Cards

We also picked up some of the easy journal cards that you can use for quick and easy pages – Indian Summer is a great new addition to our scrapbooking line!

We R Memory Keepers Indian Summer

Inspirational Project

Our Design/Inspirational Team comes up with some wonderful projects for the store and we love to share them with you.

 

For this piece Debbie made an amazing project using file folders and Authentique’s Tiffany paper line.

We asked Debbie to write a tutorial for you.

Design Team Member: Debbie W. 

Product Line: Authentique

Paper – Classique Elegant Collection; Breakfast at Tiffany’s Project Time: 6 hrs with a Broken Right Arm, lots of talking and birthday cake / Normal time: 3 hrs Project Supplies: • 1 sheet of each paper: CLA 001 thru CLA 006; CLA 014, CLA 016, CLA 018 • 1 – Standard Letter Size Manila Folder / top tab preference • 1 – Small bunch of Prima Sunrise/Sunset Flowers • 4 – Prima Block Tags • 1 – Yard of May Arts Ribbon • 1 – Sheet of chip board for support of elements • 1 – Sheet of burlap • 2 – yards of twine • Tim Holtz Distress Pads for inking edges – Broken China and Dusty Concord • Tim Holtz Distress Paint for inking edges – Broken China and Dusty Concord • Few – Beads • Scor Tape • Basic Tool Kit

Process:

• Take the manila folder and fold up to align with the bottom of the tab; approx. 3 ½” pocket.


• Back fold the two sides to the center spine to create 4 pocket pages to insert the tags or other memorabilia into them.


• Decorate each open face of the folder with the elements from the paper line, ink the edges and collage


• them onto the flaps. Mount a few elements onto chip board for support where they pop up past the folder flap.


• Decorate also the inside of the pockets with paper…layer and tear edges for additional texture and areas to ink.


• You have an option to either leave the folder as an accordion fold or Scor tape the two back wings together.  This project example was taped together.


• Cut out two (2) chip board, cover with your favorite papers and secure to the front and back for stability of the folder, this will let it stand up on its own. Compile all the layers, stacking, inking edges for both the front and the back. Please note mount the layers onto chip board for added dimension and additional support of the flap.


• Make the tags…dip them into the distress paints to create fun backgrounds to match, add paper layers, embellish with the ribbon and twine. Add smaller tags, flowers to embellish each tag.

Have fun…I enjoyed doing it even with the cast. HA! Nothing will stop me and my craft.

 

We think you will agree with us that this is a stunning project.  Come on by the store and see it up close.

Inspirational Project