We are now at the other side of "Tally Ho!"

London has been very kind to us . . . sunny balmy days and cool evenings. Yesterday we visited England's largest Whole Foods Store on Kensington High Street.

I loved the way they display and sell the eggs . . . one or more.
Maybe they do that in the States but I haven't seen it yet.

I loved the grass ad lady bugs on the cake.

While walking on High Street, I saw the Hotel Chocolatier! They even make their chocolates right there. Unfortunately, time didn't permit me to actually walk in and conduct a chocolate check. Perhaps next time.

We visited a great park that adjoined a sports park. At a far corner, they had the neatest 'outdoor gym'.

on our way to the exercise corner

We're on our way to a Lebanese restaurant to celebrate our wedding anniversary this evening. I'll be back tomorrow!

Welcome back to Halloween Central because it's my time of year. For the IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Theme Project this month, we were asked to feature a stamp from Stampendous!®. I immediately went to one of their new Halloween stamps, "Mirror Mirror" (R176).

by Debbie Gaetz
Artist-in-Residence for IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®

Stamp the image twice. The first time, stamp it with IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento Luxe™ Mixed Media Pigment Ink in Gray Flannel on Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb. cover card stock in Solar White. Emboss with IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder™ in clear.Use an IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Jumbo Dauber™ to apply ink color to the edges with IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento™ Dye Ink in Morocco and Pistachio.

The second time, stamp the image in IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento™ Dye Ink in Pistachio. Over the face only, apply IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® VersaColor™ Pigment Ink in Fresh Green. Emboss with IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder™ in clear.

With detail cutting scissors, 'fussy cut' the inside oval of the witch in the mirror as shown below in the photo. Color the background of the cut-out around the witch's profile with Sakura's Gelly Roll Stardust Glitter Pen in Copper Star. With the Sakura Glaze 3-D Glossy Ink Pen in Black, outline the outside oval as shown in the photo.

The Steampunk Spells collection from Graphic 45 has wonderful Halloween papers. Select the Tick-Tock paper to die cut a frame using two dies from Spellbinders®:  Classic Scalloped Rectangles LG (S4-133) and Decorative Labels Eight (S5-148). Use the Decorative Labels Eight first, and then cut the Scalloped Rectangle inside the paper die cut.

Trim the stamped image so it doesn't show through the die cut edges. Adhere behind the frame at the top and bottom. Trim a card stock in black 1/4-inch less than an A-6 card size. Trim a piece of Elizabeth Craft Designs' Shimmer Sheetz in Fire Opal Gemstone (SS-0218) 1/8-inch less to fit inside the black card stock and adhere with a double-sided adhesive runner. Adhere the framed stamped image to the Shimmer Sheetz. Place the cut-out witch's profile over the gray embossed oval with foam mounting tape or Pop Dots to add dimension.

You should see the Shimmer Sheetz coming through the intricate die-cut edges of the frame. Adhere the cover card top to the Stardream Metallic A-6 pre-folded card in lavender.

I really appreciate your 'viewing time" today. It's always fun to share how wonderful the inks and other products are from IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®. I'll be back later this month to show you my Artist's Choice project.

This card will be one of 3 cards featured in my Halloween Card Class at Art 'n Soul next month.

SUPPLIES USED:

• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento Lux™ Mixed Media Pigment Ink in Grey Flannel
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Memento™ Dye Ink in Pistachio and Morocco
• IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® VersaColor™ Pigment Ink in Fresh Green
• IMAGINE Crafts® Embossing Powder™ in clear
• IMAGINE Crafts® Jumbo Daubers™
• Stampendous! Wood Mount Stamp (2013):  Mirror Mirror (R176)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Classic Scalloped Rectangles LG (S4-133)
• Spellbinders Nestabilities Decorative Elements:  Decorative Labels Eight (S5-148)
• Elizabeth Crafts Designs Shimmer Sheetz in Fire Opal Gemstone (SS-0218)
• Pop Tones Card Stock in Black
• Neenah Classic Crest 80 lb. Cover Card Stock in Solar White
• Stardream Metallic Pre-Folded A-6 Card in Lavender
• Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells 12x12 Card Stock:  Tick-Tock
• Sakura Glaze 3-D Glossy Ink Pen in Black
• Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust Glitter Pen in Copper Star

Yesterday's "Die to Play" play day at Art 'n Soul was loads of fun. It was amazing to see all of the various dies folks had in their stash and to see what they were doing with them! As a crazy add-on to the day, I offered two die sets from Lifestyle Crafts as a prize to anyone who showed up to play. The names drawn were Laurie Gaudette and Lori Lein . . . congratulations to you both and thanks so much for participating in our play day.

Laurie and Lori with their winning dies

We hope that you'll reserve the 3rd Friday of October for our next play day. Stay tuned for the suggested theme to the day.

Don't forget . . . today (Sunday) is the Hero Arts' Make 'n Take demo at Art 'n Soul!

A special Hero Arts Make-n-Take demo at Art 'n Soul on Sunday, September 22, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. is going to be a lot of fun. It's free . . . Linda McMullen, our Millsrepco Representative, will show you how to make these wonderfully colorful tags using the new Hero Arts' daubers!

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

From the Memory Box blog come these beautiful cards:

Fresh Foliage for Fall...

by Pam Sparks for Memory Box

"Pam here...having fun with Fall colors! I stamped the Memory Box Gingham Heart on a Memory Box Fresh Foliage die cut from Memory Box Kraft card-stock.  I die cut the new from Poppystamps Trulani Wreath from Kraft, Jack O Lantern and Crimson and pieced them together and layered it on Lagoon. I cut the new Poppystamps Berry Sprig from Dill.

by Pam Sparks for Memory Box

The sentiment is from Memory Box, Wishing You Combo stamp.  I added some gems on the berry sprig.   I added the hemp because I used a Lagoon notecard and it covered the fold marks then.  I edged the Lagoon layer with Distress Broken China ink and the ink blending tool.

The card is 5 1/2 inches square.

by Pam Sparks for Memory Box

Happy Saturday to you!  Thanks for looking and hope you're inspired to create as you scroll through the blog!"

A bright birthday card

"Hello all, after a nice vacation I had some time ago I would like to share with you this card. It's autumn now and often raining outside so let this card make weather warmer, mood better and life brighter!))

Besides the white-and-red red flowers are handmade and you can easily make them if you'd love to.

by Olga Vasailieva

These are the materials I used to create the card:

Regards,"

It's the last day of the Washington State Fair, aka Do The Puyallup! My husband and I walked the fairgrounds last week on a beautiful sunny afternoon. My only "must" see was the Pig Palace, my annual favorite. They have a brand new 'home'. One litter had been born on September 11 and the other litter had been born two days before on September 17. Both moms are 1-1/2 years old and weigh in at 600 pounds.

This is the litter of 13 that was only 2 days old; they had
not opened their eyes yet. I love the way they line up to sleep.
Momma is below, getting some well deserved rest!

This is the litter of 11 that had been born on September 11. They
were so cute. When I arrived, momma had been in the adjoining area
getting rinsed off and when I came back to the pen, she had rejoined
her piglets for some shut-eye.

Check out the updated class schedule; just click on the 'class schedule' tab at the top of the posting. In particular, Karen Block has scheduled a class to make a beautiful beaded bracelet; experience is not required so we encourage all of you to sign up. If the bracelet isn't for you, it will make a wonderful gift! Check it out . . . the sample bracelet is at the store.


We're having lots of creative days at Art 'n Soul . . . we'd love to share them with you!

Play today and maybe win a prize!

Die to Play

Happy Autumn

From IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko® Facebook posting, Renee Zarate shows how to make beautiful background papers for more than one card!

by Renee Zarate
Artist-in-Residence for IMAGINE Crafts®/Tsukineko®

"Who can "resist" AIR Renee's 3-D get well card?

http://renee-boltonhouse.blogspot.com/2013/09/goosebumps-make-great-resist.html"

From Millsrepco showing a posting from Hero Arts featuring papers from Basic Grey's Persimmon collection that's at the store . . .

Happy Autumn

Happy Autumn By Tami Hartley "Send a warm fall greeting with muted colors, gold embossing, and a fun 3-D window design. Featured Product: Hero Materials: PW100 Embossing Powder - Gold PW200 Embossing Gun CL714 Leaves Autumn AF234 Navy Mid-Tone Shadow Ink AF256 Just Rust Mid-Tone Shadow Ink VC250 VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad PS507 Kraft Notecards with Envelopes (8) PS610 Snow Layering Paper PS730 Persimmon Paper Pad Additional Materials: Ranger ink blending tool, VersaMark pen, foam adhesive  Instructions: Cut four patterned paper pieces from the BasicGrey Persimmon paper pad, each measuring 3.75" x 1.25". Apply Just Rust ink to each strip with an ink blending tool. Adhere strips to Snow paper, leaving a border around edges. Set aside. Stamp "Happy Autumn" onto Snow paper scrap with Navy Ink. Draw a border around image with VersaMarker. Sprinkle on gold embossing powder and heat set. Run VersaMarker around all edges of a kraft notecard, sprinkle on gold embossing powder, and heat set. Glue message to card in desired position. Cut a window from patterned paper panel and mount to card with foam adhesive, allowing message to peek through window" I have an early morning appointment so I'll be back later today!

It's always a delight to share the creativity of our customers at Art 'n Soul . . .

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Jane Townsend

by Judy Daugherty

by Kathy Peterson

by Kathy Peterson

by Kathy Peterson

by Sherry Barello

A special Hero Arts Make-n-Take demo at Art 'n Soul on Sunday, September 22, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. is going to be a lot of fun. It's free . . . Linda McMullen, our Millsrepco Representative, will show you how to make these wonderfully colorful tags using the new Hero Arts' daubers!

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

by Linda McMullen, Millsrepco, for Hero Arts

Please put this Sunday afternoon (September 22) on your calendar so you won't miss this special event at Art 'n Soul!

From the Memory Box blog . . .

Mittens...

"Pam here... do you knit?  I don't but two of our daughters do. They make beautiful creations. I was delighted to see this new Zig Zag knit die in the new Poppystamps release. I could hardly wait to use it with the Memory Box Toasty Mitten die!  Brrrrrrr Mittens are right up there with snowmen on my favorites for Winter list!

••• Be sure to click over to the Poppystamps blog for daily posts showing the new collection!  Chances to win every day too! Just leave a comment on each blog post over there.  Hope you win! •••

I used the bow from the largest Memory Box Precious Snowflakes die. There's that gorgeous MB Frostyville border die, MB Lagoon, Key Lime notecards and Key Lime gingham card-stock.

A few other new Poppystamps dies...Garden Sprig, Small Garden Sprig and Berry Sprig.

This is a 5 1/2 inch square card.  I embellished a little with 3mm and 5mm white glitter domes.

Thanks for the visit today!  Remember to click over and visit the gals @ Poppystamps too!  

TFL!"

A Retake on Christmas in the City

"So I decided to take the terrific advice I got from my blog readers and the readers here who commented on my original Christmas in the City card, and I like the new version very much!

I ended up not only taking your advice, readers, I also switched out my sentiment and added a whole new stamp in the background. And then I decided to remake the stamped panel, too.

So here's the original....

Card features Memory Box stamps Christmas In the City and Birds on a Lamp Post.

And here's the remake:

Featuring Memory Box stamps Snow Place Like Home, Snow Fall, and Birds on a Lamp Post

So what do you think?

I added the new Snow Fall stamp in the background (stamped with Memento's London Fog  to make it fade into the background) and switched to the Snowplace Like Home sentiment stamp because it fit in the panel.

I "drew" a wreath on the lamp post by randomly pouncing the brush end of a green Memento marker in a circle. The berries are Red stickles.

S U P P L I E S

Memory Box cardstock and Snow Place Like Home, Snow Fall and Birds on a Lamp Post stamps; Memento Bamboo Green brush marker and London Fog dye ink; Ranger Distress inks (Milled Lavendar, Weathered Wood, Scattered Straw, Chipped Sapphire); Yellow and Red Stickles

Don't forget to check out Jean's card from earlier today!

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!"

Deborah   

Tomorrow is another day to create . . . need some ideas? Let the extraordinary staff at Art 'n Soul assist you with ideas and suggested tools and products!