Celebrate National Craft Month with Margot Potter & Donna Dewberry, and "MOORE"!

Hello, all of those in the Blogosphere!


Well, I can't believe it's March 2 and there's over a foot of *$&%^# snow (and it's still falling!) out my front door. Thus, I'm working from home. The usual 1 hour, 20 minute commute would have been of epic proportions if I tried it...thank goodness for the Internet!


Anyway, I wanted to pass on some awesome stuff going on at A.C. Moore in celebration of National Craft Month! There's Demonstrations or Make & Takes every Saturday!

• Saturday, March 7, 2009: Beadalon(r) Springy Swingy Earrings-these are fun Quick Link earrings designed by the mahvelous Ms. Margot Potter! They are fun and easy to make.


• Saturday, March 14, 2009: Thomas the Tank "Magical" Make & Take-I knew Thomas was popular, but I never knew HOW popular! The manufacturer of this licensed line, Learning Curve, donates plain wooden Thomas cars for the kids to decorate. They are going to do a resist with Crayola white crayons and ink...should be fun! See, even kids get to do neat inky techniques!


• Saturday, March 21, 2009: Crayola(r) Beginnings "Hands On" Demonstration: kids get to play with the neat and fun inky, stampy and painty things they have for toddlers, although any age would have fun with them. I can attest to that because they're in my office and everyone picks them up to try them out!


• Sunday, March 28, 2009: Plaid(r) FolkArt Chalkboard Paint Demonstration: Okay, demo came about due to my being nosy...I wanted to know if this paint really creates a chalkboard...well, it does! It also comes in bunches of fun colors. Stop by and check this out

Even more wonderful news, is the Grand Re-opening of the Moorestown store. It's really over the border in Mt. Laurel, NJ, but the first A.C. Moore was at the Moorestown store until the early 90's when there was a fire in that part of the mall. The store relocated to East Gate Shopping Plaza; the new store is now two doors down at 1190 Nixon Drive; it's now open(although in a freaking snow storm!)...but what is so great is that there will be so many people coming to demo and teach classes.

• Saturday, March 7, 2009: THE Margot Potter will actually be doing the Make & Take that she designed at the store! After the 1-3PM Make & Take, Margot will be teaching an awesome class from 3:30-5-Pop Art Poppy Necklace! It's only $25 and includes all but one supply that will be available at the store.


• Saturday, March 14, 2009: In addition to the Thomas the Tank Make & Take, there will be the beginning of our "Register to Win" prizes; many of the prizes will be at a total of 20 neighboring stores in the South Jersey/Phila. area, but many are unique to this store. Win a chance for 4-pack tickets to the Crayola Factory, Dutch Wonderland, featuring Thomas & Friends(r) live show and Day Out with Thomas at the Strasburg Railroad! There's also some great prizes from Crayola, Badger Airbrush, a Yudu Machine from Provo(!) and tons more! There will also be demos from Ranger, Sizzix and more that I probably can't remember.


• Sunday, March 15, 2009: this is the day of days...there will be demos from Provo with the Yudu machine as well as Generation T author Megan Nicolay and other demos through the store. This store will have a new Hobby Shop (Trains, models, etc.) and there's also a Digital Crafting Section where you can get stuff personalized with photos...I can't believe all you can get done! There will probably be 8-10 demos going on, mostly between 12-3, as well as all-day hourly Gift Card giveaways. My Lead Fiskateers buddy Rebecca Peck will also be in attendance! YAY!


• Saturday, March 21, 2009: More Demos!


• Sunday, March 22, 2009: Hello, Cupcake authors Karen Tack and Alan Richardson will be here as well as demos from Fun Fusion (Perler Beads), Dimensions Punch Needle, and again, more that I can't recall!

Last but not least, Donna Dewberry will be at the store for TWO DAYS! She is a doll and very funny. You've got to try and stop by and be sure to sign up for her classes. They're only $20 plus the cost of supplies....

• Friday, March 27, 2009 12-2pm She'll demo Studio(tm) by Sculpey(r) and from 2-4pm she's teaching a class!


• Saturday, March 28, 2009 12-2pm One Stroke Demo and 2-4pm a One Stroke Class.

I'm really excited about everyone that'll be at the store this coming month. It's worth the drive as so many manufacturers can answer questions and be there. I'll make sure to pull my most recent list of events and will try and post it this week.

I'm even going to demo, Friday, March 19, 2009 from 6-8...watch out!

Happy Snow Day, everyone!

Robin

Knit and Crochet for a Cause! And Margot's "in the House" (okay, in NJ!)

Hello, Bloggers! No more excuses, the bottom line is that time is not my friend anymore. I'm just too busy. I am working from home today due to a flat tire at 7am (thank goodness I was not far from home and that I'm a member of AAA!). I'm busy typing away and getting the word out on some great appearances by artists and a wonderful contest.

NaturallyCaron.com is sponsoring a contest with A.C. Moore-just click on the icon next to me and you'll see what it's all about! Knit or Crochet a baby blanket with Naturally Caron Spa or Country Yarn and send a picture of it to Caron with the usual, obligatory information, and you get a chance to win an A.C. Moore Gift Card. Two Grand Prize Winners, one for Knit, the other Crochet, will win a card valued at $300, two First Runners up, $100 and 12 Runner's up, $25. The "cuddly" part of the contest is that for every entry submitted, Caron will donate $1 to Project Linus. Volunteer "blanketeers" make blankets that go all over the place to hospitals, shelters, etc. to give traumatized, ill children a "hug" by way of a blanket.

I honestly had never heard of this organization until it was discussed with Caron. It turns out my mom is a blanketeer! Now that my mom's retired, she's been crocheting and knitting up a storm when she goes to the beach and at home. She said they were being donated. I didn't know to whom until I mentioned Project Linus and she confirmed-"that's where they are going!"

I've actually purchased some of the yarn and when I was visiting the Holbrook, NY store, that I took a class from Theresa, who showed me the right way to do a fun shell stitch...and every night before I go to bed I get a few rows done. My goal is to get it done and donated with my mom's blankets to Project Linus!

So for anyone who was interested in knitting or crochet or don't think they can do it, believe me, if I can do it, so can you! Take a shot and get some yarn and who knows? You may win and be able to get MORE stuff!

I also wanted to let you know that my bestest of crafty friends, Margot Potter, will be at the Middletown, NJ A.C. Moore store tomorrow, Noon to 2! Stop by, buy one (or all-what the heck!) of Margot's books and let her show you how to do some basic jewelry making. While I may say that I know how to make jewelry, I must confess that last year when I met up with Margot at another book signing, I learned some very good info on how to PROPERLY open and close a jump ring...I actually said out loud, "I didn't know that!", embarrassing myself as usual. So stop by and see what she's up to. Also check out her new blog...click on her name, or check it out on the top of my fave blog list...she is truly the Impatient Crafter, but I must say she just says out loud what all of us are thinking to ourselves, right!?

Okay, everybody...get knitting, crocheting and visiting (Margot!-hey, I'll be there, too!).

Crafty Hugs,

Robin

Spinning Straw into Gold...or Inky Paper!

Happy Wednesday (uhm, okay, almost Thursday!)! A quick email and some updates! Tim and I have been spinning straw into gold, as Miss Margot would say, but in this case, into class kits! It's tough having to reach out to so many vendors for product. I have to say that I am extremely lucky to have such a great relationship with so many in the industry, but with everyone located all over the place, it's never enough time, even though I started to source this weeks and weeks ago, to get all the product in and orchestrated. It's finally all coming together nicely, though, with one day to spare! (Photo: Rapunzel)

Check out Absolutely Everything for their latest Email Updates...Kate's posted some tidbits and samples of the classes I'm teaching at her store Thursday, April 3-6th. If you're in the Topsfield, MA area, come by!

I was also thrilled to see that my friends at Amate Studio's Site is UP! I was pleasantly surprised to see my samples of UTEE marbleized pendants as the first photo! My friend Diana Kovacs' got her bracelet there, as well. She is so talented! And she blames me (for no reason...hee hee) for her Webkinz addiction!

I'll probably be MIA for the next week or so because I'll be in MA, but I'll be back with many stories, I am sure! I'm also thinking of a Bandanna Backgrounds Card Contest. I'll give a few more weeks of the pens getting "out there" and will come up with something...this could be a LOT of fun! I really need to do a "formal" instruction of the bandanna technique for everyone. I'll get on that, but one thing at a time!

For those that will be at the Sue Gilman event this weekend! I'm looking forward to seeing you...be ready to get inky!!!

Inky Hugs, Robin

P.S. March 29, 1962. Do the Math. Ugh!

Christmas Cookie Fun!

Hello and Happy Holidays, everybody! I'm sure everyone has been busy as can be, as I have, spending time with friends and family. Sorry I've not posted lately-but I've got a lot of fun to share today. Yesterday I had the pleasure of taking part in Miss Margot's 1st Annual Cookie Chaos! I got to spend the afternoon with "Beady" as she is monikered, as well as "Inky", the wonderful Rebecca Peck; I'm "Knotty", which, yeah, yeah, I know has a so "naughty" connotation..hee hee! Also in attendance was the wonderful jewelry product designer Wyatt, who I'd not seen since Margot's Luau birthday party, so it was really a blast. Of course I also hung out with Margot's husband, Drew and their wonderful daughter and Inky's kids, as I know them in Webkinz World, Doggie and Crystal...!

I used to always make cookies with my family and I made them to give away, but they were always the spoon and plop kind or the Peanut Butter Blossoms with the Hershey's Kisses on them. Not the cookie cutter kind. My cookie cutters are all for Melt Art(r)! So it was fun to decorate some cookies with all the appropriate accoutrement.

The first big of decorting was of the kids themselves; fun, faux "pearl" earrings and anything else that could be glued with icing to the kids' faces ala Wyatt's decorating acumen. Here's some of the fun cookies that we decorated. The few that I took home, well they found a new home in my tummy, they were GOOD!

Everyone enjoy their long weekend. Sweet and sugary hugs, Robin

Technique of the Week #3

Well, I'm pretty much back on track and want to get some more techniques out there. These are some of my most favorite that I love to use in a lot of my work. Enjoy and try 'em!

Distress Bandanna Technique: I absolutely, absolutely love this technique. What I love about this is that this started with Tim Holtz'(tm) http://timholtz.com Wrinkle Free Distress Technique. This is what my take on it is. My rule is, and I stress this when I teach, is to give credit where credit is due. If you take it from there, give yourself credit piggybacked onto what someone else came up with. Thus, here it is. I like to use watercolor paper; refer to my Technique of the Week (TOTW #2) for the paper I love! On the Non-Stick Craft Sheet (Ranger of course http://rangerink.com), "smoosh" various colors of Distress Ink(tm) Dye Stamp Pads next to, but not on top of one another. I most likely used the following colors in this sample: Scattered Straw, Spiced Marmalade, Broken China, Shabby Shutters and Worn Lipstick. Generously spritz with water...I cannot stress this enough-if you don't use enough water, you'll just create blocks-not so hot! Press the paper down and "squeegee" your hand across the paper-don't move the paper, otherwise you will just muddy it up! Turn over and immediately dry with Heatit(tm) Craft Tool. You want to "freeze" the colors in place. When dry, start "hitting" or "tapping" the paper on the remaining ink and dry again. See the cool splotches of color? When you get the to the desired look, STOP! Ink image with Pitch Black Adirondack(r) Acrylic Paint Dabber stamp and speed drying with the Craft Tool. Option: make a paint of Perfect Pearls(tm) Perfect Pearl color and splatter pearly highlights on the paper...it really pops!

Now the fun part....get a nice, white, opaque pen and have fun doodling! Add dots, fill in areas, jot lines, highlights...have fun. I have a whole zippered bag of papers I've made, stamped and doodled that I then use for my jewelry or other projects...it's fun to have a bunch made up and just doodle when traveling. Can you tell I absolutely LOVE this technique!?!?


Painted Perfect Pearls(tm): Another of my favorites. It's sooooo simple and so elegant! This also works with any type of image-surprise yourself. Simply emboss the image with Clear Perfect Medium(tm) Stamp Pad and Clear Embossing Powder and the Craft Tool. Okay...here's my most favorite non-Ranger product...Yasutomo's Niji Waterbrush http://yasutomo.com. It is the best by far! You have such control using it-I use either the small or medium nib. Just fill it with water and make sure the nib is damp. Just dip the nib into the chosen color of Perfect Pearls and mix onto the Non-Stick Craft Sheet. You now have paint-because of the binders mixed into the Perfect Pearls, when it's dry, it is still set. You can create wonderful shades of color by mixing it with like colors (Forever Red-Blush-Interference Red) and to lighten up any color, mix with Perfect Pearl. Have fun painting! I like to emboss a bunch of images and just paint. When you need to use something for a card or other project, you've already spend the time painting, so now you are ready to go! To "fill" in the blank area, splatter with a paint of Perfect Pearl or other chosen color. I ideally like to use Black Linen cardstock-it is great for painting or dusting with Perfect Pearls!

Watercolor with Adirondack(r) Dye Stamp Pads: This is a fun contrast of using the same type of techniques as noted above with Perfect Pearls, but with dye ink! Stamp and emboss the image with Clear Perfect Medium and Clear Embossing Ink or stamp with Jet Black Archival(tm) Stamp Pad. To create your paint palette, there's two different options. You can either push the top of the closed stamp pad lid into the ink pad. when you lift it off, there is ink there-just dip the Waterbrush in and paint! Or, just hit a corner of the ink pad onto the Non-Stick Craft Sheet. Whatever works for you! I ideally like to use the Brights and Earthtones for painting, but with certain images, I use Lights-especially for skin tone-I will use a combo of Shell Pink and Sandal...but that's for another day! Again, I finish up with the splotching, using the colors used when painting the image.

This is the simplest of images, but is so wonderfully versatile with the many different ways that a stamp can be used. Don't limit yourself. Try something you wouldn't "think" would work-you may surprise yourself.

For those that have been sticking to my blog-thanks. I'm learning a lot-have had some wonderful help from my friend Margot Potter (Thanks Miss Margot!) and have been enjoying the fun of sharing!

Have a great weekend!

Robin

Margotastic Saturday!

Saturday was such a fun day! I had the privilege to be part of Margot Potter's fan club by helping her and her family, Drew and Avalon at the new A.C. Moore in Manahawkin, NJ. She had a fun little jewelry making MITI and book signing. It was such a blast to watch customers come in and one of us saying hello and saying, "would you like to make something for free?" We were laughing at how people kind of freak out when you say hello to them and they almost immediately say no, but then when they realize thy're not being asked to perform brain surgery, they become interested. One woman said she did not make jewelry, but by the end of putting together the fun little fob of crystals and charms, she ended up buying two of Margot's books. That's what I call a success-making someone feel empowered to do something that they didn't expect they could do. I think that's why I am on the top of Miss Margot's fan club-and makes me empowered to keep pushing to the next level of getting myself "out there!" We then enjoyed a fun lunch on LBI and then home again.
This is one of my most favorite times of the year, except for allergies...I woke up all puffy and ooky....ick! Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow...wishful thinking!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

R.