I hope

I hope everyone had a nice Holiday, around here it's been busy. The dogs are all getting along now, they all slept in the same room lastnight. I think all of our celebrations are over for now, at least for December. You around here 3 out of 4 of us celebrate birthdays in January, along with 2 of the Grandparents.

I have had a bit of time to do some creating and have finally made the Melissa Frances shadow box for class I think it's Jan. 6th, spaces are very limited so please call the store at 586-773-7911 to save your spot. You will get everything here or something very simular to make this box, plus a few extras, I will even include the vitage photos but you are encouraged to bring your own at wallet size is what I used, and I always use copies of old photos.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

NO....no....no....

That seems to be the word of the week around here, but we also are saying a lot of good boy. Dexter sleeps through the night and even for the most part is house broken. He is VERY playful, the other dogs Lacy 11 and Rascal 9 are not to thrilled with that yet. He loves the tree and yes has brought me a few ornaments from it, but nothing has been eaten yet. Here are some more pictures. Yes it does look like he has a booboo lip.

What cutie....

Meet Dexter, yes we are crazy. But he is so cute how could pass him up. We got him tonight and I guess we will see how much sleep we will be getting from now on.

Just a little info

Here is something I forgot about, if you like vintage clip art and who doesn't you might want to check out this blog for the month of December. Ok you'll want to check it out all year it's a great blog. But she is posting different pictures each day for December. http://scrapologie.blogs.com/scrapologie_creating_art_/ Have fun.

Please let me be done........

I want to be done, I'm not. I'll be headed out to the mall tomorrow to get more shopping done. Who has gone befor me and bought all the girls jeans size 8 slim, my niece needs them, Jon's Grand-mother wants a sweatshirt, ok she's a petite medium, umm someone needs to cough one of those babies up. I don't have my Mother or Mother-in-law done I need to get my brother and sister-in-law stuff, one Aunt and Uncle a few things for Jon and the boys yet. I don't think the shoppers out there realize that I am carrying when I go out shopping, and I am a very good shot so please step away from the petite meduims and the 8 slims and no one will get hurt.

I know I have been tagged and awarded and plan on commetting on that in a later post I'm not sure if I know 17 bloggers right now. Thanks for the knowledge Kelly. Liz there are plenty of things people don't know about me, I'm a complex person.

Ok back to work.

So Sweet.........

This is what I miss about this time of year, the wonder you see in the faces of your children. Baking cookies decorating the tree together. All the stuff we use to do, but now they are too old to even think about doing, no letters to Santa, which ofcourse means I CAN'T say what I want to say so bad today to my youngest, "you know Santa is watching you and you are maybe getting coal" it's just and empty threat, okay it was always an empty threat, but now they know it, come on I need something here and if you are a mother of a teenager you know what I mean.

I must go try not to kill the sweet young one in this picture now.

Wow, looking at this picture no wonder Timothy said I've had that jacket as long as he could remember when I finally got rid of it this fall. LOL!!!

Brrrrrrr it's cold

Ok today really wasn't bad, but yesterday was COLD and the outlook dosen't look warm. I pulled out my turtle necks and ran out and got some warm fuzzy socks. Yes I did go out for what I thought would be a quick trip, but as I hobbled along I soon found out I was going to go no where fast, at one store I was offered a wheel chair! LOL! I was not walking that bad.

Ok here are some of my cards for next weeks class, I'm sorry they are so late but I've been so busy. These are the ones here at home some are already at the store. Please call the store to sign up for the class.

Well I guess I should get back to creating and maybe have some fun.

Grumpy........

Ok yes I'm grumpy today, and Mother Nature is not helping. I want to know who thinks it is ok to be under a winter storm warning when it is NOT yet winter!!!!!!

Did you know that I do well with sitting on my butt and resting with my foot up, that in it's self is driving me crazy. My foot may hurt but my bum hurts worse from sitting on it too long.

Cass was working very hard this weekend to get your Sweet Treats ready for December so they are all set and are wonderful, 19 items and 15 of them are 40 years older or more!!!!! You might want to get them fast we only have 15 and if you did not reserve yours they are going fast, some before we were done packing.

You might want to stop by the store sometime soon we are also getting little goodie bags of little vintage treasures out for sale, we are working as fast as we can to get these ready for you.

Well back to work, I'm still finding stuff for January Sweet Treats. It will be here before we know it.

Have fun!!!

What NOT to do.......

The day before Thanksgiving when you are cooking.

No it is not broken just badly bruised/hurt, note to self don't drop a treadmill on your foot. Yes I know that they are for walking on not under. I'm to stay off of it for a few days, keep it up and rest, I don't think the doctor knows that I have a dinner to fix tomorrow or work to go to on friday, and as I sit here and complain about that I am still so thankful that I have plenty of food to cook tomorrow and a wonderful job to go to on friday when so many of those out there don't in these trouble times.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and spends some time with family and friends and I'll see you on Friday at the store.

Busy, busy, busy..........

How many people start their post with that same title????? Well around here it's true. We tried to go Christmas shopping Saturday and just didn't have any luck, we bought nothing, not even a candy cane. We don't know what people want and this is the really sad part that hurts me to say but some of the people we haven't seen in a while so we don't know what they are into. The kids we buy for are at the age were gift cards are best, so yes Kate if you are reading this Erin IS getting a gift from us, why because we love buying little kids presents at Christmas time, it's what is fun for us, and I think she is just about the only little one left. And I love seeing joy in peoples faces. And when I can cause it it's even better, maybe I'm sick that way but I get a charge out of it.

I hope to get the tree up this weekend, there isn't a lot of time between now and Christmas this year, If all goes well maybe I'll post pictures. I did find my dining room this weekend, for those of you who do not know I'm not a neat person, there I said it, and a lot of my junk goes right into the dining room because we don't use it. I'm talking bags and bags of stuff, the stuff I bought in San Diego a few months ago was still in the bag in there, all my die cutting machines and dies, you get the picture. Well since Thanksgiving is this week and everyone is eating here we needed a place to eat so now I hae a dining room again and not a junk room, it will last through the Holiday season because I also use the table for wrapping gifts.

Well I should get ready for work, it's going to be a busy week getting ready for Black Friday sales we do have some really good stuff coming in for it so watch you email for the list and if you don't get our emails go to www.papertales.com and sign the guest book now!!!!!!

Well the Holidays are upon us..........

and I know for me that means run here do this, don't forget that and something is always going to come up. So if you are always rushed like I am then maybe you should take a break and take a class, yeah I know that sounded cheezey. But we do have a great class tomorrow, it's our annual Cookie Book class. Not only do you get to make a great book full of recipes to keep for yourself or give as a gift but you also get to taste every cookie in the book, yup we have made them all for you, now that's a class. There are a few spots left so call the store if you would like to attend or need a kit 586-773-7911.

Well more to do, hey for those of you who didn't know we do have and Etsy store the link is to the right under Paper Tales online we sell kits and vintage goodies there you might want to take a look, I'm getting ready to add stuff now.

Have a good day!!!

Do you need some inspiration??????

I know I do.

Well Sunday at the store we are having a Holiday Open House, what is this you ask. Well I'm not sure. LOL!!!! Ok yes I do. We have been working on quick ideas for you to do for the holidays, either as gifts or decorations. We will be there to help you pull stuff to put it together at home or to just inspire you to use your stash. You should come and see what all we have in store for you, and we might just have cookies there.


Did you also know that this Friday starts our Sizzix challenge, you can come in on friday do a wonderful make and take for free and get a great demo for the sizzix and a chance to win one, I must tell you I have one of the old ones and never used it, but after CHA this summer I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of the new ones, it can do some amazing things. You should come in and check it out.

just a quickie for now........

I wanted to let you know that we have two crafters home exclusive dies for the Revolution in the store, noe the fairy die can be used with the big shot by sizzix too but the border die cannot yet. We do have a limited number of these die and are willing to ship them if you would want one, they are $34.99 each plus shipping, you just need to email the store at papertales@sbcglobal.net put quickutz die in the subject line please. Sorry the pictures are small, the fairy is a 4x4 die and the holly is a 12 inch border die.

Finally!!!!!!!

I know I've been promising this book for a few days now, but yes I have finished it, and thanks Helen for sticking up for me today at the store about being sick. Once again I have combined Melissa Frances and Maya Road. When I saw this book at CHA I knew I wanted to do a class with it, and it was going to be a Christmas one. Saw the perfect paper when I was at the Melissa Frances' booth I must say I fell in LOVE with this paper her Christmas line is to die for, so soft so sweet.

Now I do have to tell you that we do, do kits for our classes but with this one you are silver leafing, so if you get a kit there will be no silver leaf due to the fact that it can not be kitted.

Sorry the lighting really wasn't that great.

Now for some more news; did you know that we are having a Shop Hop in December????? here's the info:

Christmas 2008 Shop Hop
Friday 12/05/08 9am-9pm
Saturday 12/06/08 9am-5pm
Cost $15

Each Shop Hopper will make 2 cards w/envelopes at each participating store they visit. Shop Hoppers will also receive a 25% discount on their purchases for both days.

Each store you visit will be entering your name in a drawing for store prizes and visiting all participating stores gets you an entry for the Grand Prize a weekend retreat at Memories Manor in St. Clair a $275 Value!!!
Deadline to register is Monday December 1st, don't miss this one!!

Participating Stores:
Paper Tales in Eastpointe
Beaded Stamper in Lapeer
Jane's Craft Studio in Waterford
Karen's Creative Stamps in Burton
Live,Laugh, Love and Scrap in Oxford
My Craft Room in Troy
Remember When & Scrap in Chesterfield
Scrap Happy in North Branch
Scrappin & Stampin Paradise in Macomb
Shoebox Memories in Lapeer
The Paper Hollow in Troy

What a way to spend the weekend.

Well more later!!!!!

I hate being sick!!!!!!

So much to do and all I want to do is sleep, trust me I've been sleeping. I've been sick now since Thur. and I've had enough!!!!! No energy to do anything, and no voice!!!!! Me not talk, that's unheard of!!!!!!! This cold is kicking my butt. But enough about how I feel let's get to some fun.

I saw this on a website and thought is was cool, but I didn't want to go through the big mess so I made it a bit simpler for us scrappers. Ok we all know those bottle brush trees at Christmas time, the green ones in the Christmas Villages, and for those of us who are older had them thru out the house during the holidays. Well wouldn't you like to make them fight your project by coloring them????? It is so easy your going to wonder why you didn't think of that. First you start with the right type of tree you don't want an all plactic tree the color won't take mine I got and Michaels 21 in bag for $14.99 they have amny sizes in there.

Then you want to bleach them, I used a bowl of water and about 1/4 cup of bleach, it does take a few minutes and I did a few at a time.

Once this is done you want to rinse out the bleach and dry them, If you use a hair dryer please be careful, they can smoke on you. After this it's all up to you and your project. I colored mine with Maya Mist the gold then the red and green are great.


I know my red looks pink but it's my lighting, it is a beautful deep red with gold sparkles, and so is the green. The gold really does show through.

Now if you are going for a softer look try Glimmer Mist, although you don't get the glimmer you get with the gold Maya Mist.

I can't wait to start using these in my projects.

Speaking of which I will post my Melissa Frances Christmas book hopefully tonight, as soon as I'm done here I'mm going to work on it. And speaking of Melissa Frances guess who is there guest designer???? You should hop over there and check it out, they always have interesting things going on, the link in to your right, just click on Melissa Frances. See ya there!!

Now go make some trees!!!!

No real title today.......

Well lots going on, if you love vintage flowers, now I'm talking stuff from the 40's-50's keep a watch on aour etsy site to the right (Paper Tales online) I've been trying to get some up there but as soon as I get them up there they're gone so you have to be fast, but the stuff is truely amazing.

I have pictures of my Sentiments class coming up Nov. 5th it's a littl book full of things to put into cards with plenty of room for you to add your own.

I also have a few pictures of my Christmas house on the 10th, this you are making a cute little house that actually looks like something is going on in the windows and you have a tag book inside.

I also have a vintage Christmas book coming up on the 18th but I have no sample yet, the paper I'm using just made it into the store yesterday so that is on my list of things to do tonight and tomorrow, and don't forget that our annual Cookie Book is this month and space is limited this is always a fun event not only do you get the recipes of the cookies, plus pictures of how they look but you get to sample each of the cookies that night, yup we are talking about 20 different types of cookis for you to eat, now what could be better than that!!!!! That class in the 20th.

Well I suppose I should go get ready for work, I need to pack Novembers Sweet Treats today, you guys are going to love these.

Have a good day

Thank You for waiting.......

If you would like to purchase a kit for the Bon Appetit class below I do have only two kits that are extra, 80% of the ephemera in the kit is the actual vintage stuff and NOT reproductions, althought there are 3 repros in the kit. It is a great kit and would make a great gift for Christmas. the cost of the kit is $30 plus shipping. Please contact me at lauravig@comcast.net if you have any questions or would like one, it is a first come first serve basis. Here are a few pictures of the project, and again thank you for all the kind words on the project.

And if you are looking for some cool stuff, Paper Tales does have an online store at etsy ther is a link to the right, you might want to check that out, I'll be adding some cool stuff in the next couple of days, trust me really cool stuff.

Thank you,

Laura

WOW!!!!!

What a responds to the book. First I want to say thank you th Teresa for putting my book on her blog, she is such a sweet friend. Thank you.

Now to answer some of your questions;

I will be happy to sell some kits for this class, but I had to order more of Teresa's paper first so please let me know if you are seriously interested and I will figure out how to get it done.

Now as far as my source for the vintage stuff Oh how I wish there was a few places where I/we could go to pick up what we need or want, but it really is luck and lots of searching, yard sales antique stores, ebay. It takes time, I had the idea for the book when the papr came out and had already started my collection but took until now to get enough stuff, and a few of the items are reproductions, but only a few. It's not easy but I love the hunt for the next great treasure.

As far as knowing the girls at Paper Tales in San Diego, yes I do and Michelle and Helle are wonderful and sweet, I was just there and they have some great little vintage finds in there store they have someone that brings them in that does the searching, California is a great place to search.

Thank you once again for your kind words on my project. If you have anymore questions please let me know.

Laura

New Class!!!!!!!!

What's this am I actually getting some samples done???? I k now things must be slowing down. This class is done with Teresa Collins Bon Appetit line and I've added my vintage touch, in this book you get actual vintage foos labels and bottle caps lined with cork 1950's, it's got some really fun stuff in it. It would make a great Christmas gift, but space is very limited due to the vintage supplies.

It is a very charming book.

Please keep and eye on our many classes coming up lots of them will be great for gifts, have some fun in a class and make a great gift at the same time.

Back into the swing of things........

Yes vacation was way too short and yet I really had no time to take one. When did live get so crazy????? I use to say I work well under pressure, and yes I still do it's just crazy lately, but good crazy so I shouldn't complain.

Well class was fun today, and I hope to get more samples done, yes I know that I am getting my samples in late but some of it is I am waiting on items to ship, so I am trying. I do have many classes in November 5 I think and one of them is a 12 x 12 album we will do this in one day on a Saturday and start at 10:30 am it will be a great Christmas gift for someone or just for you to keep it will be a family theme.

Here are some photos from my trip.

Here is Michelle and Helle, they own and run Paper Tales in San Diego and I must say they are two of the sweetest girls I've met and the store is just charming it would definataly be worth the trip if you are anywhere around Southern California, I love all the vintage stuff they have there.

Here's another friend I made while in San Diego, while on Shelter Island, I could have pet him but I think ha wanted food, bye that time of the day so did I.

Guess where I am here??????

Guess who lives here???? I know you can't tell but this is Bugs Bunny's house or where he use to live he is even carved into the circle in the door. Yes we took a trolley ride in Beverly Hills.

You would think Jon would be smiling since he is on the Santa Monica Pier and just order us a

yup that's a big ole funnel cake, can't go to the peir and not have one, of course our just about blew away.

Can you guess where our Hotel is?????? Well just follow the smoke and you'll get closer. I don't see how people stand all the fires, and it's a constant almost, they have five seasons spring summer, fall winter and fire. No thank you, I had nose bleeds from it and let's not even mention traffic because of freeways being closed.

Although the smoke can make for a pretty picture, but I think I'd wait for clouds instead.

I know this is hard to see but while we stopped at a rest area for picture taking this sign killed me, yes it's a rattle snake warning sign, nice the side of the rest area I was trapesing all over outside boundaries to take pictures no signs go to the other side and these things were all over the place.

Well I really need to get going and get some stuff done.

Goodnight for now.