All you need is love...

and some paper, and ink and bling and...ha ha ha!  I love them all! I also love getting new stuff in the store. Check out some of the new Valentine things that have come in.

Love Story from Echo Park:

Bright and fun and a bit on the WILD side. RAWR!!

A few leopard spots and zebra stripes mixed in with the traditional

red and pink, and the sass of black. Love it!

There's some fun things to go with the paper, too.

Authentique's Lovely:

I really love all of these papers...the keys, love letters, word search and the subtle heart patterns. And the last sheet with all the cut-outs...I see some really fun cards made from these!

BRAND NEW from Authentique is a Paper Crafting Kit....over 400 pieces in the kit!

(Which includes a 36 sheet 6"x6" paper pad)

You know, when I look at this kit, it takes me back to all those times my kids came home and said "Mom, I have to decorate a box for Valentine's at school", and we had to raid my supplies to come up with something. What I would have given to have something like this back then!

My  friend Kelly bought one of the kits and she said she made 70 cards from this kit!  She used her own card stock for the base, cut & punched shapes from the paper pad and used all the other fun pieces to put the cards together. Click HERE if you'd like to see what she did with this handy little pack.

Hero Arts:

I love these heart stamps...and the large heart die on the left cuts them out!! (oh how I LOVE that!)

There is another set of stamps that go with this die set....they are conversation hearts that go with the heart die on the bottom right, I believe....just waiting for them to arrive.

Look at this fancy heart die....so very pretty! 

I love that pattern. A friend and I (Hey Tammie!) were discussing how we could use it to dry emboss with, 

and then wondered if we could make a stamp by cutting fun foam with it???

It looks like it's begging for some bling, too!

Miscellaneous:

Ink of course....from Tattered Angels

Some great "Valentiney" colors to add to your projects. 

(personally, I think any of these colors misted over that word search page 

from Authentique would make a fabulous background for a Valentine layout)

There are also stickers and tabs and page kits, albums....and can you see those fun Tim Holtz stamps in the back there? (I thought I took a close-up of them, but must have messed something up because I can't find it)

I have had all kinds of ideas running through my head for those stamps. Inking up a tag with several bright colors, spritzing with water and then stamping the image in black. Or...spritzing white card stock with those pretty colors of Glimmer Mist and then stamping over them...Or..stamping the image in black, inking up the edges of the card stock to make it look "smoldery" (yes, I often make up my own words. I'm sure you've already noticed that) and after the smolder, I would love to add some BRIGHT color to the image with either markers or colored pencils. Oh man, I'm going to have to play tomorrow!!

Stop by and check it all out, see what I'm up to in the back room, bounce some ideas with me....it'll be fun...and you know I'm always happy to see you!!

Last Call

Yep...last call for the Recipe Swap!!

If you would like to participate in the swap, please let me know by 6 p.m. today!

Also, if you are already signed up for the swap and you would like to make & receive 2 sets of recipes...please let me know since that will change our count.  
I know making two sets seems like a lot, but several customers that have done it say that it is awesome to make a set for themselves and then have a spare for a gift. WHAT AN AWESOME IDEA!!  What an amazing bridal shower gift...or for a child or grandchild moving out on their own, a friend, that last gift that you need at Christmastime that you weren't prepared for....there it is...all ready to go. 
This would be great for some of you that would like to join the swap, but don't cook much or feel a need for a recipe book...it would be a fun way to be creative, get together with others...and have a wonderful gift for someone when you are done!

I will be sending out a special email to everyone that joined right after the final count that will have all the details in it.

****I have had 2 people sign up here on the blog, but I don't have any contact information for them, and one of the names is also the name of one of the people that called to sign up, and I'm not sure if it is a duplicate or not. PLEASE...if you contacted me via the comments in the blog, could you please send an email (scrapandplay[at]rushmore[dot]com) with your first and last name so I can make sure we don't have the same person signed up twice and I can add you to the swap email list so you can get the updates and information about the swap. I don't want to leave anyone out that wants to be part of this, so please contact me as soon as possible.****


Talk to you soon....and have a great week!!

New Year ---> New Things!!

I first want to wish you all a wonderful NEW Year...full of creativity, peace. laughter, love, healing, happiness and dreams that come true!!!!

I also want to thank everyone for the great turnout for the sale last week....you guys are awesome!! Inventory was done in record time this year, so you have no idea how much I appreciate you! (A big THANK YOU to my husband who helped count all the little  bits of this 'n that's and to Dawn and Pat for offering to help. You all are great!)

It's going to be a short week at the Playground....the store is CLOSED 

New Years Day

and will also be CLOSED

Saturday, January 5th.

Things will be back to normal on Tuesday, January 8th.

Now, before I move on to the NEW Stuff in the store, I want to tell you about something NEW happening at the  Playground.
I'm not a "resolution" kind of girl. I never have been....it feels like it just opens the door to a lot of disappointment and reasons to beat myself up. I do, however, love Ali Edward's idea of focusing on One Little Word (she does an online workshop...you can see more details HERE) except, I need more than one word this year. I have some major decisions ahead of me this year and I need to focus on being FOCUSED...I also want to focus on FUN...I want to have fun, and I want to make the Playground a fun place to be for all of YOU. So, here's to Focusing and Fun!!

 Recipe Swap/Club

This idea has been rolling around in my head for over a  year now. (Thank you Cathy Harper & Chelsea for putting it there!!)  I have been a lover of cooking, recipes, and cookbooks for as long as I can remember. The idea of scrapping and swapping recipes sounds like pure heaven to me. Then a couple of great customers came in (Hi Rachel & Michelle!!!) with the results from a recipe swap they participated in. What inspiration!! They were so creative and fun...and imagining having a book full of these amazing pages sent me over the edge...so it's time to JUST DO IT!

Who wants to join me in a Recipe Swap?
This is what I'm thinking...

• 6x6 format...makes it easy to use 6x6 paper packs or 12x12 pages. (I can get 6x6 albums and page protectors by American Crafts - special discounts for swap members)
• We will swap each month, with each month having it's own category (i.e. appetizers, beverages, bread etc.) January will be appetizers, February will be beverages and I will have the full year written up and available to you by the end of the month.
• I would like to keep the amount of pages at a manageable number. I have no idea how many will sign up, but I'm thinking about 12 per group. If less than 12 sign up, that's fine...if there are more than 16, we will split into two groups. If there is more than 1 group, you are more than welcome to join both groups so you don't miss out on any recipes.
• Recipes will be due on the 31st of each month [EDIT: I eventually realized that every month does not have 31 days....so make that the LAST DAY of each month...uh bouy!!](drop them off at the store) and they will be swapped out and available to pick up on the 5th.
• I would love to have a night or two each month that we could get together and work on recipe pages, exchange ideas, gab a little and maybe even share some of the food we are sharing the recipes for.

If you are interested in being part of this swap, let me know! You can call the store at 721-7529 or send me an email at scrapandplay (at) rushmore (dot) com. I also welcome ANY questions or suggestions...so don't be shy!!

Alright...sorry, I get a little long winded sometimes...on to the new stuff at the store.

From Graphic 45

A Place In Time

I love the idea of these pages. I think they are a great way to document an entire year. Pick out the highlights of each month. How satisfying to look back at the year and see all the moments that created it. I truly believe it's the little things that make life BIG.

And...if you don't want to commit to a full year, why not scrap those special months...birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, vacations, babies...well, it might turn into a full year before you know it. LOL!

I have the first 3 months of the year in stock right now, with more on the way. 

Stop by and check them out...and if you need a different month right away...let me know...don't be shy. I will get them on the next order!!

Matchbook Box

I'm pretty excited about these. I want to decorate one so bad! They are made of really sturdy "kraftboard", the open from the side like the old time matchbox. They come in 3 sizes, 12x12, 8x8, and 3x5, so lots of versatility...and a small version to try if you are a little scared at first.

I really want to make these for Christmas gifts next year...a scrapbook page in a box...a photo in a box. I just love the idea and can't wait to play!

Sketches for Scrapbooking

There are some new sketchbooks at the Playground! Just a few volumes right  now with plans to add more.

There isn't a lot of fuss and frill to these books. They are grey-scale sketches. Basic and straightforward. That's not usually my style for this type of thing...but I love how easy they are to use. My favorite part is how they have a key to  tell you where to put the large patterned paper, small patterned paper, and stripes. Combining patterned paper seems to be my biggest hurdle in scrapbooking. These sketchbooks walk you through that. 

There are 30 sketches in each book...they show you where to put the paper and exactly what dimensions to cut it at. Easy Peasy! Switch out the colors, add different embellishments or turn the sketch on it's side or even upside down...and you have a whole new look. Endless ideas....what could be better than that?

Okay, I'm done bugging you.....have a wonderful day and I hope you are ready for the next chapter that is about to unfold for us all!!

I hope to see you soon!

Big Honkin' Inventory Reduction Sale

I hope you all had a wonderful time with your family and friends over the holidays!

It's crazy when you think about all the time spent preparing and anticipating this time of year, and then it's over before you know it. I always love the time spent baking together or just hanging out, talking and laughing a lot. My kids are goof balls (they come by it honestly) and they can make you laugh a LOT...it's my favorite. :oD  

Now that Christmas is over, and the New Year is right around the corner...I am looking around the store and realizing I have to count all this stuff in a couple days!!! Anyone want to volunteer to help?? Well, if you can't make it in to sit and count tons of paper and embellishments,  you can always come on down and buy a bunch of stuff at a great discount. Save some $$, spend some of that Christmas cash on stuff you really want.

(Well, everything but the consignment items)

The sale is 2 days only....December 28th & 29th (Friday & Saturday) 

Normal store hours: 10-5 on Friday, 10-4 on Saturday.

Come on down and get some great deals...and you know I always love to see you!!

Merry Christmas!!!

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other ~ Burton Hillis

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you have a warm and wonderful time with family and friends. 

Remember to hold them close and let them know how much they mean to you!!

Life gets a little crazy sometimes.

The Christmas Open House that was scheduled for December 15th had to be postponed due to a family emergency. 

The Open House is rescheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday December 19th.

The store will be open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

I  know it is short notice and I really do apologize for the inconvenience of this.

I hope you will have a chance to stop by to enjoy some warm apple cider, cookies and the deals going on at the store.

I also hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family!!

See you soon!

Christmas Open House and the last Make & Take

Hello!!

I have a few fun things to share with you today....so hang on to your seats! 

LAST $1 MAKE & TAKE

I want to remind you about the $1 Make & Take...just one left and it's tomorrow, Dec. 12th. (12-12-12)

Stop in anytime tomorrow to make these cute candy holders. One is a candy bar holder, the other is a Hershey Nugget holder. No need to bring a thing...just yourself and a smile on your face. (candy is included!) 

These are really easy to make, and you don't have to make them look like Santa's...you can use any patterned paper for any occasion! One of my amazing customers (Hi Rachel!!) came in the other day and needed a clever way to give a bag of microwave popcorn...so we used the candy bar holder idea, just changed the dimensions a bit. Very fun...and very clever! 

SHOW & TELL

I also wanted to share this great, and SUPER SIMPLE gift card holder with you. Again, one of my amazing customers came in to show me what she had made (Hi Nancy!!). She had done some of the cutest gift card holders...and let me tell you...they are easy peasy!!  

Check these out:

So, wanna know how easy? Just cut some patterned paper to 4" x 10".  Score the 10" length at 4" and 8". Use a circle punch to punch the tab on the 2" section (you can see it under the $ on the gift card on the right). Use some very thin (I used 1/8" Scor Tape) to adhere just the sides of the 2" pocket. Fold it up and use the corner chomper on the bottom corners. Gift card done...now just embellish however you want! I used a pack of Christmas Banners and then matched my images and card stock to the banner. I told ya....easy peasy!!

I'm going to share this quick card with you, too. 

I kinda fell in love with October Afternoon's Make It Merry papers. I love that they aren't real traditional colors. They are very retro...but so fun!

Here...take a look...

And the paper on the far right....has the WHOLE T'was The Night Before Christmas story on it!! And when you layer it on black, everything just POPS! So fun! Makes for some really quick cards if you use portions of the story as background and just add an image, sentiment or embellishment. More easy, peasy!

Okay...enough show and tell....on to the big news...

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

Stop by the Playground this Saturday, December 15th from 9:00 - 4:00  for a Christmas Open House. 

Shop, sing along to the radio, enjoy some Apple Cider and Eileen's Colossal Cookies...and get some fun deals!

All Cutting dies and Paper Collection Packs are 25% OFF

26% OFF Scotch Advanced Tape Glider (ATG)...that makes it $19.97!! (I've seen this same thing at the other stores for $44.00)

If you have been contemplating getting this big honkin' tape gun, now is the time to do it. I understand the hesitation....I was hesitant, too, and had some questions that I found the answers to when I finally caved and bought one.  

Will it be too big to handle?

 NO...it's not too big to handle, it looks bigger than it feels in your hand. It's different from small tape runners, but it's very light and easy to handle. It has a trigger that has to be held down to dispense the tape. It takes a little bit to get used to it, but once you get the hang of it...it's like an extension to your hand.

Will I really use it?

Yes, I use it allll the time. I grab for it constantly because 1) it's easy to find when I have paper and ink and a bunch of other stuff laying all over the table and 2) because it is a strong adhesive and I know my projects aren't going to fall apart when I use it.

Is it really cost effective?

 I think so. The refills are $9.99 for 2- 72 YARD rolls (total of 216 feet at 4.6 cents a foot). The refills for the Tombow tape runners are $4.99 for 1- 52 FOOT roll (9.6 cents a foot). Yes, you have to purchase the Glider, and that seems like a bit of an investment...but it comes with 2 full rolls of adhesive! So, $9.99 for the adhesive...and with this sale, you are only paying $9.98 for the glider. 

Sounds like a great deal to me!

One more deal....

With any purchase over $25, you will receive a free magazine! You get to choose from scrapbooking, card making, mini albums, home decor and lots from Cricut. 

Magazines are always a great way to get ideas. I love looking through them. I love finding things that catch my eye, either a color combination or a shape or image...and then putting my own twist on them. Take what I like and switch out what I don't...and then the brain starts wandering and wondering what if I use these colors, or maybe that paper or I forgot I had these great embellishments or I could cut a different shape with the Cricut....and it swirls from there and then I have a huge mess...but I can always find my ATG gun!! Haha!

Anyway...I hope to see you sometime this week...and if I don't, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your friends and family!!