Greeting from CHA in Chicago!

Hi!
I know I promised to update my blog from Chicago, but our 5 star hotel charges more than you can possibly believe for Internet access, totally unbelievable. So, for today for the very first time I have been able to use the computers here at the Westin.
I have been busy, learning, playing and just having a great time. Walked Magnificent Mile, went to the top of the John Hancock building, checked out the filming of the new Transformers 3, went to Navy Pier, took a cruise and most fun of all the subway. Lol! I will never ever forget that.
Class with Claudine Hellmuth.....amazing. Tons and tons of fun and creativity! Loved every minute of it. For those of you who don't know her work, she is a Ranger designer with the most wonderful line of paints, canvas, stamps and more. Can't get over how wonderful this class was.
Finally got to meet and hang out a bit with Vicki Chrisman. Friends for along time on the computer but to finally get to meet her and chat was so great. Crafty Secrets class was so awesome, the new stamp lines are beautiful and oh my..the Halloween is so stinkin' cute.

The show has been fun, exciting and busy. Overwhelmed with product and ideas at the moment. I have taken so many pictures and I can't wait to share the creativity with you.

The creativity here is inspiring and tremendously tugs at my heart to seriously create and take my art to the next level that my heart would be content. Can I make my heart content and keep the store????? Can you all take the journey to truly create with me so that it all makes my heart content? So that is the question at the moment....the answer....I'm not sure. Thoughts please. I have some opportunity's here so my heart is torn.

Now the ordering and waiting begins, I will share tons of photos the coming week with you!
And yes, there will be Tim photos...sorry, can't help myself and every time I turn around, there he is. I simply can't help myself not to snap photos!

See you soon, stock up at the sale....create.
Off to Ikea once again!
Seriously!

August Magazines have Arrived!

Yippee Skippee! The new August Northridge Media Magazines have arrived! Full of tons of great ideas, they never disappoint. They are 40% off! Cards $12.97, Scrapbook Trends and Simply Handmade, $10.99.

October Afternoon Go Fly A Kite

Sharing a layout and some cards I made with October Afternoon's Go Fly a Kite line! Seriously..my favorite line of the summer! Perfect for scrapbooking and cardmaking! Such a great company!
Thanks again to Angie for the great photos of the littles! Cute cards....

I have so much left over, I could make several more layouts and cards, and I started with 6 papers and two embellishment sheets!

One more made with the Lush Line!

Wednesday's Blue Plate Special...Tim Tags

Come in on Wednesday to make three Tim Holtz inspired Christmas Tags. 3 tags for a dollar! Great deal! You will be using his new colors of Distress Ink and his stamps! Blend on the ink, spritz a little water to blend a tad more, a little pen work and away you go!

Blue Plate Special is available 10:00 am to 3:00 pm only! No supplies needed for this special!

Come play and get a head start on your Christmas tags!!

Too Good to Pass Up Tuesday's Layout Class

Tuesday night's class, July 20, at 6:00 pm. Two layouts featuring Fancy Pants and Pink Paislee Papers. Cost is $10.00. Please scissors, adhesive (including popdots and gluedots) and a catseye ink in brown or black.
Come join the fun on Tuesday nights and get 2 pages down in no time at all! Super cute pages and thanks Angie for the super cute kids!

Echo Park Paper

Okay, so I've been super busy and totally forgot to post this awesome new paper company...Echo Park Paper. Some of you have signed up to be fans on Facebook of their page. Superb quality, amazing color and the perfect summer line. Sweet Summertime is so perfect. I am totally smitten with this new company. Madison Parker formerly of Fancy Pants started this new company and boy, is it a hit world wide. Way to go Madison!
I love the simplicity of this layout I did of my daughter, simple and gorgeous! Their products are so fun to work with, great journaling cards with prompts. (A big deal for me, since I don't journal very often). Amazing border stickers and banners and such. Oh what fun! Can't wait to see what they have in store for CHA!!!
This week stop in, mention you saw Echo Park on the Blog or on Facebook and save 15% on your Echo Park Paper purchase!!

How fun are these stickers??!?!?!

Borders and Alphas! Yippee! The whole line just makes you happy!

My Mind's Eye Challege and Giveaway

Check out the link below for a beautiful sketch from My Mind's Eye. Enter a layout for this challenge and you could win three complete collections from MME of your choice! There are even tips for how to photograph your layout!
Give it a try, sketches are fun and you can create fast and easy! Let me know if you enter the challenge and I will enter your name in to win some MME Goodies from here at Altered Art and Scrap Playground. Send me a photo...and let me know if you would like to see it published here on the blog.
The So Sophie line would be perfect for this sketch. If you mention the challenge, you can save 15% off your MME purchase.

http://mymindseye.typepad.com/blog/2010/07/challenge-13-hope.html

Alcohol Ink Class, Saturday, July 17 at 10 and 2

Here are the photos, as promised, for the Alcohol Ink Class this coming Saturday! Cost is 15.00. Please bring scissors and adhesive. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.
We will be making two cards and a tag, along with an ornament that I couldn't get a decent shot of on this gloomy afternoon. Alcohol ink can go on anything non porous and is super fun and so easy! You'll love it. Nothing every turns out the same twice. I have a couple of other techniques and ideas that I will share with you at class, just fun little ideas that will help blossom your creativity with these inks! You will go home with the rest of these great metal pull a part stickers that I used on this card!

My tag is a little blurry here, but it is gorgeous in real life. Join the fun, create, play...it's just super fun!

Alcohol Ink Class

Curious about Alcohol Inks...then check out the class on Saturday, July 17, at 10:00 and 2:00!
I don't have photos yet, something not working as far as uploading photos. I will try tomorrow, but just wanted to give you a head's up.
We will be making two cards, a tag, an ornament and couple of other techniques!!!
Cost is $15.00. Please bring scissors and adhesives. Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot!

Too good To Pass Up Tuesday and Wednesday's Blue Plate Special

Tuesday's layout class, July 13 at 6:00 pm. Cost is $10.00. Please bring scissors, adhesives, including pop dots and glue dots, paper trimmer. Two great layouts featuring My Mind's Eye papers and Jenni Bowlin Coredinations! Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot. Super fun and too good to pass up!!!

Wednesday's Blue Plate Special is a Christmas In July....2 cards and 2 tags featuring a new six pack of folders from CuttleBug. Cost is $3.00. Please bring scissors and adhesive (including pop dots and gluedots)..these are required. Come in anytime between 10 and 3 to create and play.
If you like the embossing folder set, you can preorder that day and save 20%. Retail price of $24.99 and save 20% for a pretax total of 19.99. Truly, a gorgeous set of folders, love them all! The cards also feature Skipping Stones Design stamps.

I love this cardinal, I think I would love it even more just plain, not colored in, you'll have to decide!

Wednesday, July 7, Blue Plate Special

Come in on Wednesday, July 7, from 10 to 3, and make this fun and functional bookmark for just $1.00. No need to call ahead or anything. Just stop by when you have a chance, from 10 to 3, to create. You'll be using the scor-it, border bunches, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Skipping Stones Designs Stamps and a new butterfly punch! Super fun, learn the technique and make a bunch for your friends and family!! For a buck, can't beat that!

K&Company Butterfly Cards, Saturday, July 10 at 10 & 2

Join the fun and creativity on Saturday, Saturday, July 10 with 6 great cards, designed with K& Company's Butterfly Grand Adhesions, Bazzil Metallic Card Stock, Maya Road and Kaisercraft rubons! Gorgeous, elegant cards, perfect for so many occasions. I borrowed these from Lynne in Pierre. Are they not gorgeous ? So, a Big Thank you, goes to Lynne at Scrappin' Ladies for sharing with me.
I will be changing a bit of ribbon and we will be using Kaisercraft rub-ons for the sentiments. You will be able to use whatever greeting you would like to personalize your cards then and not limited to these. You will have some leftover butterflies and tons of rub ons to keep creating here or at home.

Please bring scissors, adhesive (including glue dots and pop dots) and a paper trimmer. Cost is $18.00 Call 721-7529 or email artplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.