Keeping busy at the shop and at home---

The store has a new mascot and his name is BEAR!  I recently brought into the family a perfect ball of fluff.  A snow white Maltese.  He's cute as heck for sure.  Hypoallergenic, sweet...and teeny.  Just perfect for a shop.  He won't be there often, but for now he'll be with me until he adjusts and gets used to the kids and the other lovies in the house.  I'm looking forward to the life we will share with the new little guy.  My kids adore him for sure.  I am happy to welcome him into our brood. 

July has fast approached.  I'm still working out the details to the store open, but it's my store...and if I want things to change...then so be it right?  I was initially looking forward to a July Grand opening...but perhaps August will be just as good.  Or maybe even September!  Lol, I'm enjoying things the way they are now and true opening will change that.  It's hard to explain, but for now I'll just say I'm coming closer and closer to getting the store the way I want.  LOL, I'll be ready to open soon.

I have started putting together a few projects in the store that give walk in's an opportunity to do something creative and on a whim.  It's like classes, but without the schedule.  No need to bring supplies, just grab a chair and give me a hollar and I'll get you going.  Sometimes the best creations come when you aren't expecting to make them...so if you have a minute or two, spend them at the shop and go home with something you didn't even know you felt like creating. 

Have a great night and enjoy your crafting. 

Tim Holtz and other "distressed" things...

I've been keeping an eye on Tim Holtz and his new line of goods and printed burlap screens...etc.  What has caught my eye the most are the little matchbook notebooks and the totes.  I'm always a little leary of new products coming out...but I think he hit ladies literally where they can be most vulnerable!!  Purses and our need to have as much baggage as we can carry.  Yes, I have ordered all of the notebooks AND the totes for the store...but the hardest part is deciding which to keep for myself.  I'm liking the subway pattern on the tote, however...the Amusement Tote is waaaaay cool too.  It's so hard to decide.  If anything, the tote will be a good store all for everything Tim Holtzy in my stash.  It's cute to look at...looks pretty sturdy, and it's Tim Holtz.  So it's perfecty, well...dirty.

Expect the Timmy stuff to be in the store middle of next week.  I'm just excited for another big order to come in.  It's nice to see the store come to life.  I am still feeling out the rotation of products in the shop, but soon enough I will have it down pat.  I want the store to be ecclectic and funky.  Something new, and stuff that is wonderfully junky.  I got the best compliment..."It's like, a Flea Market for Scrapbookers".  I liked that.  Especially since I saw her going through the jars and the baskets and she was smiling the whole time, and that's the vision that I saw for the place.  Lots of treasures to be found.  Besides, I love the Flea Market!!! 

I'm finally getting the time to go scoping.  I am going to hit the Habitat for Humanity in Goose Creek, the Goodwill and a shop I found called New 2 you.  It's a consignment shop.  Lots of fun and funky things.  I hit the SPCA thirft while I was at the Tim Holtz product party at Stamp, Scrap, Ink and found a great Traveler's Samsonite.  Not in the greatest shape, but the inspiration that is coming to me from it is amazing.  Well worth the measly $15 I spent on it.  It's seafoam green, aged stickers, and still has some tags attached.  It's awesome.  I may hit Lowes too, depends on whether or not the kids cooperate.  I found some great tiny hinges at Lowes for half the price of one's I can find going through the scrap catalogs (they are exactly the same thing!), so I'm packaging those up...but first I am going to give them a nice patina finish.  I also found these wonderful screen clips (they hold together panels for gardens and patios), I'm going to seperate the bags so that I can keep the price down and give several people the opportunity to use them...the hardest part is designing something with them to show how you can use them.  I love finding things that are outside the box...but sometimes that initial run out of the gate is a tripped gallop!    You'll find me in the store this weekend scrapping.  Yup.  Time to put the shop on hold and remind myself why I'm doing it all in the first place.  My orders are in, and they will be arriving soon...but in the meantime, I'm not going to sweat the small stuff and just have fun.  I'm going to be making a ton of Cricut cuts.  I love my cricut.  Have a great day and I hope it's creative!!!