Some puppers ...

Hello, hello.  The crazy heat has finally broke a bit and makes for easier sleeping around here.  We're planning a massive bonfire for tonight (the remnants of an old barn that's been torn down), so hoping for some nice weather.

The August kits will be another few weeks before they're ready.  I've had to made some substitutions, but I'm pleased with how they're coming together.

The online store will soon be ready to go.  I'm hoping by the end of next week.  Until now, I've only had just the kits and a few extras on the website.  I had no idea how time consuming it is to load each item.  One can only stare at a computer screen so long before going a bit squirrely.  But it will come.

 

Today I'm sharing a layout made with "A New Beginning" (still a few left).  Very, very simple.  One piece of patterned paper, a bit of cardstock and a few embellishments.

I didn't want to take away from the photos by adding any more paper, but I did want to add a bit of dimension behind the photos.  I used Liquitex Blended Fibers (applied with a palette knife through a Prima stencil).  It started out white, but as it dried, it seemed to absorb some of the colour from the paper.  I wish I'd taken a photo of it while it was drying.  This was my first time using the Blended Fibers so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I then just rubbed a bit of Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the tops to help bring out the texture.  Very subtle, but just what this page needed.

The "wandering afar" sticker is a bit of an inside joke.  The dogs belong to our friends Jen & Kirk and are forever wandering off and coming back (after a time) dirty, tired and thoroughly pleased with themselves.

The little gem pin is from a kit from last summer.  Keep your bits!  You never know when you'll be able to use them :)

Completely unrelated to scrapbooking, check out this website.  The director is the son of a friend (who I met through the store so I guess it's not completely unrelated to scrapbooking).  I would be wonderful to see a film made in our very own London.  Please donate!

Settling in ...

So I'm home now.  The store is cleared out and is beginning it's transformation into Once Upon A Time Weddings' new home.  I stopped by yesterday to pick up some mail that they were holding for me and had a look around at the work they've already done.  It will be different, but lovely.
It has been an adjustment ... not going in almost every day to my little store.  But with everything that needs to be done around here, I haven't had a lot of time to really miss the most recent chapter in my life.  I have many projects started and none finished :)  Typical.  Flowers purchased and waiting to be planting (we've had oodles of rain lately, so I'll blame the weather), a table partially transformed, boxes and boxes and boxes yet to be gone through and uploaded to the new online store.  We've fit in a sleepover and some cherry picking.  Planning some day trips, some time with my mom, an upcoming sushi dinner date, more cherry picking and some visits with friends.  This summer will fly by.
What I am really missing are the wonderful people I saw so frequently at the store.  Those customers who quickly became friends.  A group of them came by the night before my last day open to say goodbye to the store.  Definitely a bittersweet evening.  Great food and conversation.  But knowing that it would be the last time we would be gathered in a location that had become home to many of us was hard.  I'm hoping that after we all get over the incredible busy-ness of the summer, we can start getting together on a regular basis again.
One of the shocking events that has occurred is that I've actually been scrapbooking again.  Nothing earth shattering or ground breaking, but photos on paper and in the album. 
Nothing but "Heating Up" on this one.  No ... I lie.  A couple of staples too.  Pretty basic, but I love the background paper and didn't want to add so much that it would take away from the photo.

This is Paul's friend Wyatt on our trip to African Lion Safari this year.  The pizza was bigger than the kid's head. I couldn't stop laughing.

Still a few of these kits left on the website.  Local delivery/pickup available.

Stay cool folks!  Stock up on popsicles ;)



Last week in the store ...

It's here ... my last week in the store.  It's hard to believe that next week at this time, everything will be moved out and I won't be spending most days at 2 Front Street West.
There is still a fair bit of stock left.  Definitely more than I want to bring home with me, so be sure to stop by to help clear it out :)
Everything has been further reduced this week ... an additional 10% off previous reductions. 

Most items are now 50 - 60% off their original prices (all stamps, flowers, gems, sprays, etc.)
Great prices on glassware and Christmas items.
Born in a Barn cabinets will be 30% off this week as well.With regard to monthly kits, I have one of the "A New Beginning" and a few of the "Heating Up" kits remaining (no discount). 

I have also decided that I won't be having a July kit.  I just haven't had the time to plan it and summer is so busy to begin with.  The August kit will likely come out before August 1st to make up for the lact of a July kit.  More info to come ...
I'll be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am until 4pm each day.  Hope to see you some time this week!

Store Updates

Hey everyone.  Hope your Monday is going well.
I just wanted to quickly update you all on the store.
I will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18th for the day and open Wednesday (10-4), Thursday (10-4) and Saturday (noon-4) this week.
Next week's hours are Tuesday to Thursday, 10 to 4.
As of now, most of the antiques are cleared out.  The Born in a Barn stock will be here until the store closes for good.
I have a few June kits left and there are many great deals to be found.  I have a few of the black paper racks available for purchase at $70.00 each.  Just send me an e-mail if you think you might be interested.  First come, first serve!

June Kits

Hey Everyone!  I apologize for taking so long to get the kits up this month.  June has been a busy month with trying to get the store cleared out and my house ready to accept any of the overflow.  I managed to get a bit of painting done over the weekend and getting a good chunk of my scrap area set up.  As a result, the crop area at the store is looking terribly grim.  In between taking loads home and trying to get kit leftovers out to sell, I missed the ball with getting the kits loaded.  Also, I think my computer is on it's last legs.
I've further discounted all of the product here at the store and set up a table with, what I consider, yard sale priced items.  I thinned out my crop area and found some items I had intended to use for classes.  It would definitely be worth taking a drive out to check out the deals.  There will be more to come as I empty out boxes yet untouched.
On to the June kits!
"Heating Up" contains bright colours and some beach themed papers ...

"New Beginnings" leans more towards the soft, vintage feel.  I see these papers looking lovely with summer picnic or garden party photos. 

You receive a nice variety of embellishments in both kits that can be mixed between the two easily.

Check out the website for more photos.

Some updates ...

Hey everyone! 

I hope that you all managed to squeeze in a bit of relaxation this weekend. 

I've had a lot of questions over the past few weeks about the store and what I will be doing in the coming months.  I appreciate all of the support and kind words I've received from all of you.  One of the best parts of having this store is the friendships I've formed with many of my regular customers ... ladies that I would have never had the opportunity to meet and spend time with.

Time wise ... I'm looking to be closed by the end of June. 

Next week, I will be going through the crop area and thinning out my supplies. 

I expect to have several of the Unity Stamp sets available, some of the Spellbinders dies, embossing folders, punches, etc. available for purchase.

As the paper begins to thin out, the paper racks will also be up for grabs.

If you'd like to purchase any of the racks, you're welcome to pay for them now and we'll simply tag them so we know which ones are yours. 

Towards the end of June, they will be available to take home with you.

With regard to sale pricing, I've been colour coding everything in the store ...

yellow = 20% off

green = 25% off

blue = 30% off

red = 40% off

And of course, there is still the 50% off paper bin.

In a few weeks, everything will be further discounted.

I will be continuing with the monthly kits and some supplies on the website. 

Local delivery and/or pick up will be available. 

I have also had several customers offer their homes and places of business to run classes.  Once I've settled everything at home, I will pick up with some classes I had already planned and will post this information on the website.

Another thing that I have been thinking about is running a few all day crops throughout the year.  If you think that this would be something you would be interested in, please let me know so that I'll have a better idea of whether or not to organize them.

With all of the hubbub in the last little bit, I haven't really had the time (or felt creative enough) to dig into the May kits.  Fortunately, Sarah was able to come to my rescue.  I knew that this kit would be right up her alley.  "Jar of Hearts" is definately one kit that I look at and think ... Sarah.

I have the June kits almost ready to go.  Lots of bright colours :) 

May sold out in just a few days.  Just sayin' ;)

Store Hours

Please note that the store hours for May have some changes.

Visit the website for current hours.

I will be closed today (Wednesday, May 8th) and will be open from noon until 4:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday, May 9th).