I'm really here . . . just a few complications. We're in Italy visiting our granddaughters. Time with them, jet lag and translating google instructions in Italian because I forgot to bring my password book with me. Jet lag has been the main culprit. Because my sleep pattern prior to departure wasn't the best, it really hit me on this trip. I am hoping by Tuesday I should be on a somewhat normal schedule. It's everything I can do to keep up with the girls and not fall asleep on them.



Before I begin, a huge congratulations to Susie. Her middle daughter and son-in-law welcomed twins into their world just before I left for Italy. Mom and dad couldn't be happier, and Grandma Susie is thrilled.



Sandy Jackson with Some-Assembly-Required is bringing two wonderful classes to Art 'n Soul that you've already read about here. We've received the actual class samples at the store and they're gorgeous!

by Sandy Jackson, Some-Assembly-Required
Class Project at Art 'n Soul, August 9 (Morning)

by Sandy Jackson, Some-Assembly-Required
1 of 2 Class Projects at Art 'n Soul, August 9 (Afternoon)

close-up

by Sandy Jackson, Some-Assembly-Required
2nd of 2 Class Projects at Art 'n Soul, August 9 (Afternoon)

this is the tea light lantern design with
the battery-operated tea light on; it's not the
best picture but it's the best I could do at the time

I've scheduled two new classes at Art 'n Soul next month. The first class, "Bird Class," is a bird cage memo holder from Melissa Frances and two cards.

Bird Cage Memo Holder

by Debbie Gaetz

Sunday, August 10, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm “THE BIRDCAGE” – Debbie Gaetz $35

Lucky for us that Melissa Frances expanded into actual home décor items to

accompany her beautiful papers and embellishments. Take the small Birdcage

Memo Holder from Melissa Frances and color it up with Inka Gold from

Viva Décor. You’ll want to take it home or to your office to display your 

important notes, invitations, or even your handmade cards. To start you

off on accessorizing your bird cage, you’ll make two cards. One card will

be embossed with 2 dies and colored with Gelatos from Faber-Castell.

The second card will be made with a background stamp from Impression

Obsession, a beautiful Asian stamp with matching die from Local King

Rubber Stamps and colored with Local King’s new markers. You’ll learn

how to make your own die template to use over and over when using the

matching stamp and die sets, and how to align the die with the

stamped image. Please bring your basic class kit, die cutting machine with

embossing pad (if you have one), and small paper trimmer. If time permits

you will make a third card without the matching die. Class size is limited to

availability of the bird cage.

The second class is "Vintage Betty Lou". We're going to make a vintage cookbook or recipe holder for all those wonderful and timeless recipes we've held onto forever. I've named it "Betty Lou" because my cousin Betty was the consummate cook and so many of her recipes have been handed down, and our family still has to repeat several of them. So you can title your vintage cookbook with any name, phrase or design you want. I'll have photos for you upon my return home next week.

Vintage Betty Lou -- Debbie Gaetz

Saturday, August 23, from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
$40 per person

Where do we place our treasured recipes, old and new, passed down from family and friends. The older and worn they look, the better -- even when they’re along side the new ones that you know you’ll want to pass along. Make one for yourself or make one for family far-away or a special childhood friend. Using a vintage book cover from Ranger, that you’ll color, distress, stencil, and embellish any way that you want. For the inside, you’ll prepare folding envelopes, decorated pages, and tabbed dividers. If you have recipe copies that you want to distress, please bring them with you along with your basic class kit, small score board and paper cutter.

From the Impression Obsession blog, there are some beautiful 'Colors of Summer" challenge cards offered up by some of their Design Team members.

by Anna Wight for Impression Obsession

Here's the link to Anna's blog posting:  http://sweetmissdaisy.typepad.com/sassy_sweet_notes/2014/07/impression-obsession-colors-of-summer.html

by Dina Kowal for Impression Obsession

http://mamadinis.blogspot.it/2014/07/impression-obsession-dt-challenge.html

by Jeanne Streiff for Impression Obsession

http://inkypaws.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2014/07/03/io-challenge-colors-of-summer/

by Jenny Gropp for Impression Obsession

http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.it/2014/07/impression-obsession-summer-roses.html

From the Magenta blog, two beautiful cards from their Design Team members.

by Manon Couture, Design Team Magenta

http://lestylemagenta.blogspot.ca/2014/07/je-pense-toi-thinking-of-you.html

by Bianca Van Noort, Design Team Magenta

http://lestylemagenta.blogspot.ca/2014/07/papyrus.html

lf you're already starting your Christmas cards, Rita Edwards has made tags and a card using the latest release from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

by Rita Edwards for Elizabeth Craft Designs

http://ecraftdesignsblog.com/2014/07/merry-christmas/

That's all for now. I'm trying to get back on schedule. With all of the interruptions, this posting has taken me a day and a half -- but I don't mind at all, especially if you don't!

There's a lot coming up at Art 'n Soul. Magenta's new Fall/Winter 2014 Catalog is available to be seen at the store . . . several of the card samples are by Dianne and Susie. So, please stop in and let them tell you how they made those beautiful cards for the upcoming holidays . . . you, too, will be making one-of-a-kind gorgeous holiday cards with the new Magenta release. Orders are being taken now . . . and these designs will be featured at the Art 'n Soul Birthday Party on July 27 and at Helene's "Christmas in July" class on July 21. See you soon!

By the way, the new class schedule can be seen by clicking on the link located in the upper right column of this page.

First, it was I, alone on the hammock in the late afternoon
at the lake house in Ravenna. Along came Nolita, the most
laid-back cat who allows Cecilia and Hailey to do anything they
want to her without a sound or a scratch. She wanted some
cuddle time and hopped on.

Then there were three of us . . . me, Nolita and
Hailey. All snuggled in for a nap, at least for 2 of us! But
I couldn't be happier or more content.