My Mind's Eye Make n Take, Pink Paislee 365 Degree Cards

While out checking the near flooding on Monday afternoon, we came across this guy, simply enjoying the rain and taking a break at the ponds on Jackson Blvd. Not something we usually see around here, but he seemed to totally be enjoying the downpour. So glad somebody enjoys the rain! I enjoy the rain at night, and not quite as much as we had on Monday! Come in either Friday or Saturday to do a make n take with the new So Sophie line from My Mind's Eye. Turn this die cut sheet into a card and make a fauxcheted flower, too! You'll go home with on more flower to use for another project! Save 15% on all My Mind's Eye Friday and Saturday! If you haven't created with these lines that are specially designed for independent stores, you have to give it a try....the quality and beauty is amazing!

Remember, this is the line you have a chance to win by buying raffle tickets to help with Denise Kennison's medical bills. I have had a tremendous response. Thank you so very much, you have truly touched my heart and my spirits with your compassion and generosity. Lots of tickets still available and the drawing is not til June 8, so you have plenty of time to get your tickets. It is well over $250 retail value. Tickets are $2 a piece or 7 for $10.00.

Sharing some cards created with Pink Paislee's 365 Degree line. Beautiful, bright, summer inspired papers. An amazing company, can't wait to see what they have in store for Summer CHA.

First card created by Kara. Very cool, love it!

And the next, created by me! Love, love, love those letters by Pink Paislee!!

Quikutz embossing folders have arrived. I have 9 different styles, if you haven't tried them, they are just like Cuttlebug, but a perfect A2 size, and they are wonderful. Tim Holtz folders and new Cuttlebug folders should arrive tomorrow, sometime after 1:00. Keep your fingers crossed that the Tim folders arrive, I have 4 or 5 different styles of his coming tomorrow, and several new Cuttlebug. The rest of Tim's folders should ship in the next week.

Raffle for Denise Kennison...win My Mind's Eye Collections!!!

On Sunday, May 2, 2010, Denise Kennison, a loving wife, mother of two sons (ages 13 and 8) and a fellow scrapbooker and card maker, had a massive stoke. On May 3, the doctors had to remove part of Denise's skull in order to lessen the amount of pressure and brain swelling. She has made great progress since then...she is out of ICU, and has been moved to the Rehabilitation Hospital. Although, she is still not able to move her left side, she did ask for her friend Nicole to bring her Scrapbook Magazines. Scrapbookers are fighters and Denise is determined to get back to her family and her hobby! You go girl! We are all behind you and praying for your recovery!

Help us help the Kennison family purchasing raffle tickets to win the two new complete My Mind's Eye Collections.To win the collections, purchase raffle tickets for $2.00 a piece or 7 tickets for $10.00. All proceeds go to benefit Denise and her family with their medical expenses! The drawing will be held on Tuesday, June 8!

The new collections from My Mind's Eye contain over $200 worth of worth goodies. So Sophie and Meadowlark are stunning collections, high quality beautiful papers and the embellishments are amazing. All the paper and embellishments will be given away in a cool purple tote...Denise's favorite color. Please help us help Denise and her family. It is going to be a long road to recovery and knowing that the community of scrapbookers and crafters are here to help will be a huge boost for her spirits and help her on the long journey ahead!

Thursday PMS Night and Saturday Classes

Handmade Flowers
PMS (PIZZA, M&M'S, & Scrapping) Thursday Night, May 20 at 6:00 pm. Cost is $15.00. Please bring scissors, adhesive(scor-tape recommended), brown catseye ink or color of your choice. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.
We have had lot and lots of requests to teach the handmade flowers that we are using on projects for the store and for our personal projects. So, we thought we would give a class a try.
We will be making 6 different flowers, some from paper, ribbon, yarn and even napkins. Come it a try, you can make 2 or 3 of each one! Super fun, super easy, and lots and lots of flower ideas out there...so why not try the trend, add the perfect handmade touch to your products? It'll be a ton of fun!


Saturday, May 22 at 10:00 am...October Afternoon Farm Fresh Cards. Cost is $20.oo, please bring scissors, a paper trimmer, adhesive (including popdots) and cateye inks of your choice. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.

In this class, we will be making five farm fresh inspired cards. You will receive 3 patterned papers, 4 pieces or cardstock, an OA journaling card sheet, an OA sticker sheet, Loopy Loo cardstock alpha stickers and JBS Mini Cardstock Alpha Stickers, plus ribbon, bling and cardstock for your cards. You will go home with lots of extras to keep creating cards or perhaps a two page layout with this great line! October Afternoon is a fun, inspiring company with great products.

OOOOoops! Forgot the picture of the 12 x12 sticker sheet! Both October Afternoon journaling cards and sticker sheet are 12 x12!

June Idea Books have Arrived!!!

The new books are here and they are fabulous as usual! Tons of creative ideas from great designers! Hurry in, as they fly out of here!!

Classes for PMS Thursday and Saturday! May 13 & 15

Not so much a class...but she is a first class pup sitting in my expensive leather chair. Too cute...Nell modeling her monster hat. She's really not a monster, she's really my angel pup! She is so well mannered and such a sweetie. PMS Thursday (Pizza, M&M's and Scrapping) May 13, 6:00 pm. Cost is $20.00. Please bring scissors, adhesive, and brown cats eye ink to class. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.
Yes, this is the same as last Thursday's class, I was not feeling well, so I had to cancel! It's a great Mini Album featuring the Sophie line from Bo Bunny. Super quick, super easy! The papers are die cut and ready to adhere to the chip board book that features a clear acrylic cover. You go home with the rest the paper pad to mat your photos and decorate your album.
Saturday, May 15, at 10:00 am. My Mind's Eye Flocked Lush Cards, cost is $15.00. Kara made this fabulous cards, are they not gorgeous??? Five great cards, featuring great paper and the Big Shot, Core'dinations card stock! It's a great class, beautiful cards! Join the fun and the creativity. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com.

Door prize winners for National Scrapbook Day: Donna Robinson, Cara Riker, Rhiannon Hirchert, Barb Noga and Sue Myers! Congrats...swing buy to pick up your goodies anytime.


I just wanted to Thank everyone that stopped in on Saturday for National Scrapbook Day and made a purchase! Kara and I had a blast. You don't know how appreciative we are to have your patronage. When you stop in and ACTUALLY buy things from the "little mom and pop" shops that you love, you help them to keep their doors open. We try to provide a huge array of services here at Altered Art and Scrap Playground, products that you won't find at the big box stores for two or three of years...I have lots of companies that specialize in independent scrapbook stores only. They believe that they are the heart and soul of the industry. Plus, services that we do not charge for...such as our class room usage space, special help on projects, and of course therapy in it's many many forms :-). When you buy your items from us instead of Hobby Lobby or Michaels...you keep us "afloat". So I just wanted to say Thank You and to put a little bug in your ear that it DOES matter where you spend your dollars...and if you have a specialty store in your area, especially one that offers non-monetary services that you love...stop in and spend a few bucks in there...that is the best way to keep them around and to let them know that they matter!


Check out the link for Project 350.. http://www.the350project.net/home.html Saving the Brick and Mortars our Nation is Built On!

What three independently owned businesses would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around.

For me, it's easy...owning my own store, I try to do as much local business as I can. I do very little Internet shopping, no revenue comes back into our city. My favorite local businesses? Main Street Market, Bag Ladies, B&L Bagels.

I use Evergreen for my business supplies, Jon at Impressions for the best business stamps you will ever find anywhere. We even try to dine at independently owned restaurants. Pauly's, B&L Bagels, and Piesano's are our favorites.

For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home!

1 The number of people it takes to start a trend...you.

I would love to hear your favorite three independent stores! Email them and I will put them all in an email and put your name in for a drawing!

PMS Thursday Night, May 6 and Make n Takes This week

PMS Thursday Night, May 6, 6:00 pm. Bo Bunny's Sophie Mini Edgy Album, Cost is $20.00. Please bring scissors and adhesive to class! Pizza, m&m's and scrapping! Come join fun with this great mini album featuring clear clear acrylic front cover and the rest are fun arrow shaped chipboard. The pages are already precut, you just adhere....super easy. Plus the you get 12 double sides pages to use for your photo mats and journaling. We are just covering the pages, as you really do need your photos to complete the book. Space is limited so reserve your spot, call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I have a couple of super cute make n takes for you to come in and make! Super cute little bag stacked up with m&m's and a fun apple tag....and one more...scroll down

Another cute idea with yummy Swedish fish tucked in a little bag with a fun tag and ribbon! I have a couple more ideas I will be sharing with you throughout the week, too!

Kaisercraft Pinwheel Wreath Class, Saturday, May 8

Kaisercraft Pinwheel Wreath Class, Saturday, May 8 10:00 am! Cost is $15.00. Please bring scissors, adhesive, a paper piercer and a paper trimmer for 12x12 paper to class! Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot!

Pinwheels and banners are all the rage the spring scrapbook season and this project ties right in! Fun, bright, spring papers, Come Play from Kaisercraft complete this project. Perfect to add some color to your walls, the front door or a child's room. The wreath measures 16x16! Sure to make a bright statement that spring is here! Come learn how to make pinwheels...create and add some color to your crafting!!

A big thank you to Sue for the gorgeous May Basket she brought me today! Incredibly beautiful..notice the little blings on the lily's. It smells so wonderful! I truly have the best customers in the world and thank you for helping save May Day! Truly touched by this gesture, Sue! Thanks so much!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by the store today and participated in the make n takes for National Scrapbook Day! Kara and I had a ton of fun and enjoyed the day tremendously! I am wiped out at the moment so I will draw for door prizes on Monday! Watch your emails! Again, a big thank you to all of you for helping celebrate our creativity and precious memories!!!