the weekend was...

FABULOUS & WONDERFUL!

I drove to For Keeps Sake in St Louis on Thursday...
went right to the store & unloaded my STUFF...
LOTS of stuff...
I bet they feared I was staying for a month...

We spent Friday SHOPPING & eating our way around St. Louis.
Just as expected...
Nancy was an awesome tour guide.

I was a fairly cheap date until I saw THE BRACELET"...
I lost my mind...
I had to have it...it has flowers...

I've said it before...
some days I'm a cheap date...
sometimes...not so much. But I try...really I do Rick...

Sue is the store's official photographer...
so thank her for the photos!

This is the display that Timi set up, using the samples I brought...


Our first workshop on Saturday started with SHOPPING...

for shoe lasts!

Each person chose the shoe that spoke to them...

This is cool...
Shirley found one with her maiden name on it...

I also found one with "MARY"...and we happened to have just one Mary in the class...

PERFECT!


I set up a NO CAL art buffet...
loaded with lots of cool STUFF...
Each person chose embellishments that spoke to them...

I had lots of images stamped on grunge & ready to be inked...

I had high expectations for this workshop...
I hoped that people would see what I saw...
the potential of these shoes...

these gals did not disappoint...

Each & EVERY one was sooo unique...
they used the new distress ink colors...

I was TOTALLY impressed...
this is what it's all about, this teaching stuff...

Prepare to be amazed...



More...



I won't post photos of all 30...
but here's a few more...



and another...
I LOVE that face!



last one...

The second workshop was the LOADED Maya Road layer book...

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We had fun...we made mini art!

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THANK YOU NANCY & TIMI for the invite and

THANKS to everyone in the classes...

You ALL did a GREAT job!

I shall return!

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Now about that GIVEAWAY...

FIRST winner...left this comment...

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CONGRATS to...stampinbetsy...

I was in Akron this weekend to take Tim's classes and do the convention! Lots of your stamps flying off the walls at the Stampers Anon booth!!! I had a great time and am totally inspired! stampinbetsy at yahoo dot com

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and since I made you wait an extra day...

we'll give away 2 goodie packages...

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SECOND winner...

CONGRATS to SHERE!

Shere said...

I love your work and just wanted to say a quick hello (I always lurk). When I saw your b-room, my first thought was that it looked exactly like your artwork! It's gorgeous (that too is just like your art). TFS

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Please send your snail mail info (wbv1213@hughes.net) and we'll get a goodie package off to both of you.

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If you're "in NEED" of a little retail therapy...like me...

I see Tim's NEW Sizzix Alterations dies are on SALE here...

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just sayin...

if you NEED any...

and I see studio 490 stamps on sale too...

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just sayin...

We MUST do our part to help the economy...

it's our civic DUTY...

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That's what I told Rick (bracelet)...

he believed it...I think?

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Today we're making MORE kits...

stamping...packing & getting ready for the weekend @ Memory Bound in Ankeny Iowa...

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4 workshops...4 chances to have fun & get inky!

But before we start the kits...

I bought a little something in St. Louis...

but it needs a bit of altering...

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Come back tomorrow...

I'll show you...

I'll take a quick break from making kits & I'll...

make art!

wendy

long time...no blog...

YIKES!! It's been sooo long that I almost forgot how to upload photos!!

We're BURIED under kits and house STUFF here...
thus no blogging time...

The Rockford convention was FUN...REALLY fun...
LOTS of people went home with lots of cool art supplies...

Now we're on to kits & packing stamps for this Saturday's workshops @ For Keeps Sake in St Louis...YIPPEE!!

I'm so excited...I'm driving down tomorrow...
I'm spending Friday with my friends...
SHOPPING...antiquing to be exact...

I CAN NOT WAIT!!!
I LOVE the HUNT & I find old stuff to be very inspiring...

My friend Nancy is "tour guide extraordinaire"...
she'll have the best antique places all scouted out for us, so no time is wasted.

Sorry Rick...some times I'm a cheap date...
some times...not so much...

Then I'll teach all day Saturday.

A full class needs LOTS of stamps...

the 30 coffee archival ink pads are hiding...
we use it LOTS in the Maya Road mini book class...
so each student gets one to use...



Other business news...
my new stamp sets for release @ CHA in July are designed & DONE!!!

The storage sheets are designed too...

I'm dieing to get them here & inky...

and to get started on projects for book #3.

After St. Louis, I'm headed to Memory Bound in Ankeny, Ia.

The "Ranger Inks...studio 490 style" class is sold out with a huge waiting list...
so...I spoke with Dawn yesterday...

now instead of coming home next Sunday as planned...
I'll stay & repeat the Ranger class on Monday...
from 9:30am-1:30 pm.

so...if you're on the waiting list...

or were told the class was full...

there's another chance to get really inky...

House update...
we're getting there, but no where near done...

Here's a little shot of the bath...

I LOVED the old rusty register cover...

looking the other way...

I adore the clock...
we saw a vintage one recently for like $2500...
YIKES...poor Rick was pale & sweaty...

This guy came from Hobby Lobby for half price...
like I said...some days I'm a cheap date...

The wall color isn't accurate...
but the best I can do for now...



The UGLY faucets will be replaced by these guys...
They're BLACK!! YIPPEE!

Not installed yet...but soon, I hope.


off to finish packing up supplies...


WAIT...
How about this???

LEAVE A COMMENT...
TELL ME WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING...
making art?
or whatever you want to say...

I'LL CHOOSE A WINNER ON MONDAY...
and send them some goodies for...

mak(ing) art!
wendy
ps...CONGRATS to my friend Timi...
she's a brand new grandma for the first time.
Can't wait to see some baby photos! How fun!

the Q & A continues...

PHEW...
We got MORE questions...

Hi Wendy...love, love, love your binder covers! On the second one, is the center of the flower on the lower right side a wooden button? It looks very interesting!

I took a closeup to show it better.
It's a vintage game piece...maybe an old checker??
ANYTHING can be a flower part!



NEXT QUESTION...

I LOVED the binder ideas and the helpful tips. I see the number vol 2 & the 3 is hidden in the flower, but I can not find the 1 on the first. IS it hiddeen for a reason?

You guys are too observant. There is no number 1 on the first binder, because if the stamps didn't sell, there wouldn't have been more releases.
I guess I didn't want to jinx myself! ha!


And I found this yesterday, while looking in my photos...
Another cool acrylic binder.

This one is made by Timi Taylor, one of the owners of For Keeps Sake, in St. Louis.

Pretty cool, huh?



And speaking of For Keeps Sake...

just a reminder...
they have a FUN weekend planned for you...Sept. 26 & 27th.

Ted is driving from Cleveland with a TRUCKLOAD of stamps...

For as many stamps as I have...
I still get excited to see so many in one place...

NUTS...I know...but I REALLY do LOVE stamps!

I'll be there on Saturday for a book signing @ noon & then a workshop for 40...
THANK YOU!
The workshop is sold out, but you can come & SHOP for stamps!
I'm excited!

NEXT question...

These are all FABULOUS! I know you stated it somewhere, but how much is your book again? I'll have to save some $$ for it.

it's $14.95 and priority shipping with tracking in the US is $5.00
International shipping is $10-$12...depending on the destination.
Payment is thru PayPal.

NEXT...

have you done roses in any other color besides blue? i'm thinking about red or maybe orange?

Here's 2 I did using Jenni Bowlin's mini papers...
for a different look...

I LOVE the mini papers because the patterns are small & PERFECT for making flowers.
The paper is adhered to grungepaper.

I have done red(fired brick distress ink) and marmalade roses too...

I think I forgot to take photos before sending them out...but I did like how both colors turned out.

Next ...this is from a cruiser...

ok, i know you won't tell us about the classes but tell me what will be for sale in the ship store...pleeeeeeeeeeese...

NOPE! My lips are sealed...We want you to be surprised.

I'll be surprised too...since I still don't have my stuff decided yet!

It's on that giant TO-DO list I mentioned yesterday...YIKES!

While I work on that list...

I hope you go...
and...

make art!
wendy

a MILLION Stampers Anonymous stamps?

Did that get your attention?

FINALLY...I can spill the beans...
This has been "in the works" for a bit.

Picture this...
Ted, Michelle & my favorite cute Cutts kids (I HOPE!)...
load a SEMI with Stampers Anonymous stamps...
then...
drive from Cleveland to???????

For Keeps Sake in St. Louis!!

Ted & Michelle only have time for a TRUCK sale once or twice a year...
because they're REALLY busy @ conventions most weekends...

so if you're close to St. Louis...lucky YOU...
or far away, but NEED some rubber shopping...
or want an arty getaway...

SAVE THE DATE!
The CUTTS crew be there on
Saturday September 26 & Sunday the 27th with a million...

ok...maybe not a million...
but LOTS of Stampers Anonymous stamps.

I admit...
I have LOTS of rubber...
but just seeing this many SA stamps in one place makes my heart race!

Given the choice of a new car or 100 new stamps...
I'll take my rubber cling/wood mounted...thank you.
SERIOUSLY!!

And lucky me too...
They invited me to come...

to sign BOOKS...

and to teach a workshop...

YIPPEE!

Here's the workshop project ...
I showed a tiny peek last week...



I'll be doing this workshop first @ Scrapbook Friend'z in Bloomington, Illinois, on September 12th...

then the following weekend @ Prairie Art Stamps, in Springfield, Illinois...

and then the following weekend in St. Louis.

Each drive is just a little further away...
1 hour for Bloomington, 2 for Springfield & 4 for St. Louis.

I HATE to drive...but for friends & stamps...
NO PROBLEM!

I'm sentimental about the TRUCK sale too...
that's how I first met Ted & Michelle...
and that's how this whole art adventure started for me...

Just thinking about ALL that rubber makes me want to go and...

make art!
wendy

What a weekend...and a video to watch...

I carried the camera for the 500 mile round trip & didn't even take it out of my purse...It seems that I get to visiting & it never enters my mind to take a photo. Maybe next time? Hmmm...I think I've said that before..

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So...I HAD to yank the photo from Linda's blog.

ANYWAY..................

THANK YOU "FOR KEEPS SAKE". It's so much fun to visit new places & meet new art friends...but there's NOTHING like seeing our old friends again. It's kind of like going home...

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This is a VERY special group of art chicks. It's quite obvious that they are all friends, they all take tons of classes together & they really care for each other. Like I said...special!

But then...so are the store employees and the owners.

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It's GREAT to see that each of you ended up with wonderful projects & it makes me sooooooo happy that you were pleased with them...That makes it all worth it!

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HEY gals..if anyone has photos of all the fragments books or the metal books, I'd love to post them here. My email is on the right. We need to "show off" the ART YOU MADE!

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Here's a little teaser...

We got the inside scoop from Nancy W...We heard all the juicy details about Scrap St. Louis 09. We heard loud & clear that you all LOVED '08...wait 'til to see what they have planned for '09!

Hey...guess what?? We'll be there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIPPEE!

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And in other breaking news...

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I got an email right before we left about "qualifying for an academy award". I was totally brain dead & I had no clue what she was talking about. Yesterday I got the rest of the story.

At CHA this summer, Ranger made a video of me demoing Perfect Pearls. I completely forgot about this.

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Obviously, this was not scripted by Ranger, as you'll find out...just me talking.

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I just watched it, I had to laugh out loud......

"metally".

What kind of word is that???

GEEZ... next time maybe I'll say metallic...(there goes my academy award).

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Rick just watched & LOVED my "vintage photo" fingers. NOT!! HA~!

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So, if you want more Perfect Pearls info, watch the video on Ranger's site...Check it out here.

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I'll be back tomorrow with a new "guest artist" and HOPEFULLY some photos of the books we made.

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REMEMBER.......

Take time...

MAKE ART!!

wendy

I really did NEED this...

In addition to art stuff...I LOVE home decor. Look what I got...


It's a giant keyhole...black of course! This guy is over 14 inches tall...(ignore those toes...no time to edit the photo! ha!)

This is my Hobby Lobby find...and what a bargain @ only $10.00.

I have the perfect hanging spot for it...and since it's huge...that opening will be perfect for...

SNEAK PEEKS.

I bet you knew that was coming. I LOVE IT!!

This weekend is the start of a busy teaching schedule. There's something going every weekend from now 'til Thanksgiving. After that, I'll be home to get my CHA assignments done...more stamps...etc. Teaching resumes after CHA.

SO... New classes...new friends...spreading the joy of making art and using products from my favorite companies...(Ranger, Maya Road, Advantus & Stampers Anonymous). I am in heaven!

St. Louis or bust. Here we come...FOR KEEPS SAKE!
Get ready girls...We have a fun weekend planned for you!


Thanks for visiting!
wendy
ps...Grab some kleenex & head over to tim's blog. It's total drool material...GEEEEEEEEEEZ...this boy has wayyyyyyyyy too much talent. VERY COOL CLASSES.......For those of you living on the coasts...you are VERY LUCKY girls...and I live in Illinois...too bad!

Stamps, ink & another stamp question

Just a little peek @ the distress inks techniques class I'll be teaching in Rockford on Friday. I'll be repeating this later in the month @ For Keeps Sake in St. Louis Missouri. It's a fun class and it's actually a mini Ranger U. We play with lots of Ranger products, like the distress inks, distress embossing powders, crackle paint, mini misters & more. This class helps you use these products to their full potential.

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THANKS so much to all of you for the comments about your favorite Stampers Anonymous stamps. Keep them coming...you've got 'til Monday! We have 71 comments...we NEED to get to 100, so only 29 more. You CAN do it!!

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Now here's another stamp question. Let's talk about what type of stamps you prefer to buy. Are you a "wood mounted only" chick??? Love the "cling stamps"??? Do you only use one type?? If you LOVE the image, but it's wood mounted and you prefer cling...do you buy it??

What about the clear acrylic stamps??? Comments??

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Inquiring minds want to know...

I'll be waiting to hear your responses.

THANKS!

wendy

A little art, the contest details & one by air...3 by land

I couldn't sleep the other night & had to make a choice...dust the shack or make art. Above is the choice! The decision didn't take much thought... anyway...When I bought this antique book, Rick asked why I would pay $1 for an old book with no cover. Well...check out the color of the pages & the page titles...I found it PERFECT for art. This is another reminder to ALWAYS keep your eyes open for ART PARTS! They're everywhere.

I stamped Maya Road's new wing stamp onto grungeboard and added them to the chipboard gal. FUN combo. That teeny-tiny heart and the arrow are from the microchips tins, from Maya Road.

Here's a better look @ the wings. The paper on her dress is from Jenni Bowlin. I added just a bit of magic mesh.



Ok...contest details next...

Look thru the Maya Road catalog & tell me which art is mine. Some on the cover...some inside. Study hard...

Post a comment here with your guess.

Now here's the twist... you also need to guess how many pieces of art I made for Maya Road...This is kind of funny, because I actually have no clue. I'll check it out when I unpack the projects and I'll find out then. Don't forget to include the total number in your comment.

I'll be back on the 15th with the winner. I think I'll keep the PRIZE a secret and keep you in suspense...Sound like fun??

One by air...CHA or bust...Maya Road booth 1987. PLEASE come see us!!! We have tons of cool stuff to show you.

Three by land... Classes coming to.....

Scrapbook Friend'z in Bloomington Illinois on Saturday March 8th. The class is called Goin' for the grunge...it combines glass & grunge...FUN stuff!

March 14th @ the SSAT convention in Rockford, Illinois, for Stampers Anonymous. Class details aren't finalized quite yet...but, how can you resist a stamping class?? Or possibly 2!!

And a weekend event @ the end of the month....I'm joining my friend Linda Cain @ For Keeps Sakes in St. Louis on March 29th & 30. I'll teach the Distress ink technique class first on Saturday. Linda's class will be her cool framed houses. Check out her blog!

On Sunday Linda will start with a fragments book class & then I'll do grungeboard...combined with other fun stuff.

We'll bring plenty of art samples to give you additional ideas and a surely there will be some chocolate...hey...arting takes energy!

This WILL be a great fun weekend. We'd love to see you there.

That's it....CHA or BUST~!
I'll be back next week!
Wendy