Hamsters

Goodmorning. I hope everyones Christmas went well, you had time to spend with family and friends, it was safe and you didn't catch the flu going around. 
The hamsters had some excitement their 1st day at my house but all is well. My naughty Siamese managed to get the white one out of his cage so my husband and I were on the chase to rescue it from the cat in hot pursuit.  So then I tucked their cages in a separate room for the weekend and kept the door shut. Never a dull moment. I told the PT gals someone else gets to take them home this weekend but we ALL have pets.

If you look closely at the top photo.......that is actually the hamster that WAS brown when it was given to us a month and half ago!! I am told winter hamsters turn white. And he is. It was a fun process to watch and happened in a matter of days.  The white one (Cosmos) is an attention hog. He is always by his door as shown in photo when I enter the room as if pleading....hold me..hold me. He is quite comical.

The next posting will be back to crafts. I took some projects home over the weekend to work on so I will post as I finish.

Merry Christmas

I couldn't resist. I wanted all the gals at work to post their critters done up for the holidays but too short of notice. So I will make that a goal for next year. (mine were not overly thrilled with it)
I wish all of my blog followers, family, friends and our wonderful customers a safe Merry Christmas.

(Diablo and Shadow wish you one too)  And have no fear....the store mascots will be going home with me today so they won't be at the store alone. I am sure the cats will get much entertainment out of staring into the cages. I will be sure to tell you all how that goes after Christmas. lol

Merry Christmas!!!

Pear Tree

One last card idea before the holidays. This one was suppose to be a card kit for sale but I ran out of time. I may still make some as thank you cards for after the holidays. I got a cute snowman card kit on the floor today that can be used as thanks yous for all the nice gifts you receive. I will try to get some of these whipped up today.
I love the embossing folder and couldn't wait to use it. And we have done several variations with the stamp but here is a quick idea where you do not have to actually color it at all! I kept it all monotone right down to the ink.

Be sure to pop on over to the store today.....we are open until 4 and with a purchase of $25 Gift Cert....you receive a $5 one free!!

Supplies: Sizzix embossing folder, Jute CS, Walnut ink, Stampendous stamp and gems.

Candles

Here is another quick holiday card or you could also use it as a thank you card for the gifts you received this season. I used scraps from a previous project. Stickles was added to the flames to make them shimmer as well as the pine boughs.

Supplies: Judith candles stamp, MS pine border punch, Copics, Basic Grey papers, Hero Arts gems, Stickles.

Be sure to stop on out to the store today for our 12 Days of Christmas special. Todays is 50% off all clearance items. We have a bunch of stamps already on sale and you get the 50% off that already discounted price.

Judith Cardinal

Goodmorning bloggers.  My son made it home safe yesterday from Platteville. They had to drive in the icky weather for a couple hours and saw some vehicles spin out and in ditches along I94.  So everyone be safe this holiday season.
Here is another cardinal card but this one is from Judith stamps. (we will be featuring Judith stamps for our January Fab 5)
I inked edges and used Copic markers. I carried the same pattern to the inside of card as well.

Winter Cardinal

I hope you got in for the Just Rite 12 Days of Christmas special. This cardinal is from one of the sets and I just love it. I always enjoy seeing cardinals and I don't get to see them very often at my home. I used Copics to color the image and then  applied clear and green glitter.
So another quick idea for you before the holidays.

Todays Make-n-Take

This is todays free make-n-take between 11-1. I embossed the inside with the winter scence as well.  I used the backside of a My Minds Eye paper so I could sand the embossed image and then inked it.

Quick Gift Idea

Grab your scraps ladies and make a quick gift for teachers, babysitter, etc.  You can even fold a square of paper in half and put a scalloped edge underneath.  You can include a gift card or homemade cookies or whatever. But it is something that is very very quick to make and and everyone loves receiving something you made from the heart.

If you were out today (and you have til 7pm) then you got Cuttlebug BOGO and you could use your new embossing folder to jazz it up.  Be sure to watch the store blog and Facebook for each days special from us gals here at PT.

Supplies: Nesties, My Minds Eye paper, CS, Amuse stamp, button. 

"Amuse" new....we just for notice that Amuse will no longer be selling to stores so if you love their stamps as we do...then stock up now because once they are gone....they are gone =(

Snow! Snow! And more Snow!!!

I think I jinxed us with my previous 'snowflake' post.  We got hit with a record breaking blizzard in Wisconsin over the weekend. We have not had that much snow at one time in over 100 years. I know Tom and I shoveled all day Saturday trying to keep up with it. We'd start at the top and by time we got to the bottom.....the top had 2-3 inches again. Urgh. Then Sunday morning we had another 4 to shovel off agian. 
I hope you all were tucked in safe and perhaps got to do some fun creating. 

Our PT 12 Days of Christmas starts today. Be sure to check the store blog or like us on Facebook for the daily special announcement. Todays is 25% off your entire regular priced purchase.

Snowflake

We got these snowflake stickers in from K & Co a couple weeks ago and they are sooo reasonable and you can make several cards from one pack. So I whipped one up as a sample. I Cuttlebugged the top half of the red labels and put patterned paper in the bottom of the label. The circle that the snowflake sits on is actually the back side of the patterned paper.

Supplies: Snowflake embossing folder, Spellbinders label, K & Co. snowflake stickers, CS and May Arts velvet ribbon.

Poinsettia Tree

I saw a similiar card idea on a blog weeks ago and have been wanting to recreate a sample. We are so spoiled with all the diecuts available today so don't forget to dig out your old punches and use them too. I used the new flat shiney red accents from Hero Arts on the front along with some clear gems.

Don't forget our Hero Arts Trunk show this Friday and Saturday. Whether you take advantage of the discount for gifts or to treat yourself....you will be happy for the savings.

We are still selling Santa Paws through Christmas. All proceeds go to the ECCHA.  I am a total animal lover so this cause is close to my heart. Do you know you can 'foster' cats to help out too? Call them for more info.

Eclipse

Happy Friday. This week just flew by!!  Here is another quick holiday card idea when you want to make your own but don't have a lot of time. Cuttlebug came out with Cut and Emboss Plus dies.  When you run them through....they do both in one pass. Awesome. So on one it did the frame and you pop the oval out to use on a 2nd card. The girls in my kids class Wednesday got to make these 2 along with a third card.

We are to get some snow tonight here. We have a Scrap-til-Midnight so hoping the roads stay clear until everyone is tucked back home safe.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

This is the last card from class the other night. And fits perfect for today. I used a fence border punch and ricrac ribbon for a little added interest.  I am heading out here shortly to go home and spend time with my family. Hope to see everyone bright and early in the morning. Us gals will be here and open at 7 am for Black Friday. The first hour is 30% off your entire purchase and is a tiered discount thruout the day. We have door busters in the afternoon that will be announced on Facebook to our fans.

Supplies: Imaginisce stamp, Copic markers, Circle Nesties, MS border punch, CS, pop dots, Distress ink.

Copics used: W1, YR12, YR15, YR16, YR20, YG93, YG95, Y19, YR24

Making Spirits Bright

Another from class the other night. The front of card was cut only 2/3rds of way and then I used Nestabilites to cut the oval. I glued the inside oval down first so that the front of card would line up perfectly with it when it was closed.  Copics were used to color. And then Glossy Accents on the coffee/cocoa part so it had the 'wet' look.

Supplies: Snowflake embossing folder, Scalloped Oval and Ovals Nestabilities, Imaginise stamp, Hero Art stamp, CS, Momento inks, Glossy Accents

Copic colors used: CO, O, E51, E31, R20, R39

Vellum Cardinal

This is from a class earlier this week. I am not getting time to upload my blog in the mornings so you get several now when I get the chance. I ran a piece of vellum thru the Cuttlebug Cardinal folder. Then colored it with Copic markers. The trick is to color on the front and the back. Add your light to front and flip it over to add your darker to the back side. Then it won't push each other around on the slick surface. I put a piece of gold mirricard behind the vellum ...it really added a nice touch....you can see the shimmer through the vellum and it even makes the copic-colored areas look shimmery.

Supplies:Copics, embossing folder, mirricard, CS, brads.

Cosmos and Cricket

Our little mascots got a new home to play in yesterday. I brougt a cage from home to transfer them to so I can clean the wheel in the new cage. Instead of using it as a exercise wheel...they have been sleeping in it and it does not snap apart for easy cleaning. I ran to the pet store the day before to buy an extra wheel but nope...not sold separate. The guy had no solutions for me either. My oh my they have came a long ways in hamster 'stuff' since I last had one. There is a princess carriage with the wheel in center and sports car with wheel in center. A person could drop a bundle in these cute little critters!!

I bought some extra attachments and was hoping to block off the path to where wheel goes so I can clean it. (germ freak here) But that didn't work either. urgh.  So now I just brought my cage from home and when I put them in there they ran around for 2 hours checking everything out. In and out and up and down. The photo is blurry since they weren't still for a second. Maybe I can 'train' them to actually sleep in the bedding before I transfer them back to the other cage.

They greet me every morning when I get to work. Both sit by the door with paws on it looking at me. Feed me. Feed me. Little sweethearts.

Paws for a Cause

Its that time of year again for our annual Paws for a Cause. The Humane Assc. makes adorable paw ornaments that people can buy and the $ goes to the Eau Claire County Humane Association. My goal this year is to sell more paws then we did last year. (miss pet lover here)  We creative chicks at Picture This took it upon ourselves this year to make up equally cute treat bags for dogs and for cats. With every paw you buy....we will give you one free for a stocking stuffer for your 4 legged friend.  Or you can buy them too for $2.oo each and we are donating all proceeds from them to the ECCHA also. 

Geese

I planned on creating all weekend at the store but yesterday this is the only one I got accomplished. Super duper simple. I colored the geese with Copics and then put red Stickles on the wreath for the berries. And went around the oval with Crystal Stickles. A CB embossing folder was used for the white background.

If you didn't make it out to the store yesterday....be sure to pop on out today to sign up for the chance to win the $200.oo gift basket.

Now I'm off to see if I can get anything productive made today. Wish me luck.

Giving Bear

I have been dieing to try to new Stamp Avie stamps. So I finally got to play with one of them.  I of course used my Copic markers. Still loving them. You just can not get the blending as perfect with any other marker.

Supplies: Stamp Avie stamp, Nestabilities, Copic markers, Stickles, K & Co snowflake, May Arts felt ribbon, Basic Grey paper, CS, MS pine punch, Great Impressions stamp inside.

For You

This was a fun card I did for last weeks kids class. Pull on the top of present and it comes out for a hidden message.....the kids were quit impressed. The top part was ran through the Cuttlebug before I folded it in half so the star embossing is on both sides. The sides of the bottom and top have mounting foam used so that there is room for it to slide in and out. 

Supplies: Cuttlebug emboss folder and tag die, CS, Scienic Route paper, Momento ink, May Arts ribbon, Stamps.

Let it Snow

We got out 1st snow over the weekend so a card to 'try' to get into the spirit. (winter could skip us over and I'd be fine)  I scored 2 lines above and below the blue.

Supplies: ScorPal, CS, KF snowflake brads, Amuse stamp.

Scrollwork Cuttlebug

I have been having fun with the Scrollwork embossing folder. You can add any image you want to the oval and poof! You have a lovely card.  The birthday one hit the floor as a card kit a few days ago and I see today there are only 2 sets left. So get yours before they are gone. You can't see in the photo but I added Spica pen to the robins eggs so they shimmer.

Supplies: Scrollwork, Amuse and Judith stamps, CS, Copics, Spica pen, Stickles.

Play Date

Using left over pieces again I made a quick page. Then inked the edges of everything also. I used the Wrought Iron corner punch and the Iron Eagle corner punch together.

Supplies: My Minds Eye papers and tag,  EK Success corner punches, Spellbinder circle dies.

Blessed

This was a class I did last month. I used a card sketch and then what stamps and punches I had to create my own. I love how elegant it looks.

Supplies: Copics, Prima flower, MS punches, Stampendous Stamp set, pearls, Spica pen, ribbon.

New Additions

Meet Cosmos and Cricket....our new store mascots.  One of our customers brought them on our stores 4 year anniversary. (thanks Katie)   Lisa came up with the names. They are baby Winter Hamsters so I am told the dark one will turn white yet this winter. I had a kids class 2 days after we received them and the kids just loved them.  They are little sweethearts. I am here 9-12 hours each day during the week and often on weekends too so now I have some company before hours.

Dance

This card was made just using scraps from another projects. I love using up left over parts!! 

Supplies: Judith stamps, EK Success edge punch, Spellbinders scalloped over, Copic markers.

Dasher

Simple but pretty card for the holiday season. 

Supplies: Amuse stamp, Cuttlebug emboss folder, Nestibilites, Copics, Stickles and May Arts ribbon.

Spooktacular Event Today!!

Don't forget to stop on out and check out the Spooktacualr Event in our classroom today. The gals have transformed our your craft room!  Treats for the kids and a free make-n-take for the kids.

Dasher

A cute little card for the holiday season. We did this as one of our free make-n-takes for the 150 Bus Tour people.  It was a hit. They got some hands-on with the Copic markers and the Cuttlebug. We did the Nesties ahead of time due to time limitations.

Supplies: Basic Grey paper, CS, Copics, Amuse stamp, Nesties, Tim Holtz snowflake folder, May Arts ribbon and Stickles.

Bridal Show

Thank you to everyone who came out to our 1st mini Bridal Show. We had several area vendors set  up as well as us. 

Demo this Thursday

Happy Monday!! Everyone survived the bus trip and had a lot of fun. I have spoke to both of the other 2 stores and they will be happy to do another bus tour in the future.

Mark your calendars for this Thursday.  Elaine B. will be doing a demo from 430-530 of a new company we are getting in. I had given you a sneak peek when we got back from CHA.  I love it. So come see how easy it is to work with this product.

Fall House Mouse

Happy Monday. How many of you spent some time over the weekend raking leaves? It was a beautiful weekend to do so. This cute little mouse would rather play then rake.

Supplies: House Mouse stamp, Copic markers, Picket fence punch, May Art twine, Nestabilities die, Distress ink and  Edge distresser.

Elzy

This card was from our make-n-take last week. I thought I already uploaded onto my blog but guess not. A lot of mine end up not getting put on here. Just have to see them in person at the store.

This card featured Rubber Stamp Tapestry and had several products used.

Supplies: Elzy Belle stamp, Rubber Stamp Tapestry, Heritage Cuttlebug folder set, Spellbinders, Momento, Copics, Versa Color inks and Stickles.

Have a great weekend.