Merry Christmas!

So, I've pretty much been absent all of the month of December. I am, however, here now and before any more time passes just wanted to wish you all a....

Merry Christmas!

From all of us at Judy's we hope you have a wonderful day that is filled with family, friends and love.

May God bless you all!

Product Pick

Here's a quickie....

I won't be posting next week so I just wanted to get in one last Christmas photo. We have so many new and cute Christmas items in the store. Be sure to stop in and check everything out. Plus, remember that Judy's is also a gift shop and a great place to do Christmas shopping.

Enjoy!
Amy

December 1st

I was talking with my twins this morning and it occurred to us that today was, indeed, the first day of December. Shocking, I know. So in prepping for the upcoming busy month, here is the first of several Christmas posts. These are just some of our cute new Christmas papers.

Just a thought....

As I was looking through all the photos Judy sent me of new products, I had this little thought.

If you took one of these cute albums

and paired it with these super new cute papers
(love the cupcake design)

You could make an adorable cookbook for a Christmas gift!
Just a thought ...

New Arrivals

We've stocked up and have had some new arrivals. Pictured above are the Canvas Art Boards, Clear 6x6 acrylic covers and the Zutter Round-it-All.

And for all you Cuttlebug fans, looky-looky! We got in our Christmas designs. Have you made your Christmas cards yet? These would be perfect for them.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you are looking for cute table centerpieces, home decor or other Thanksgiving themed items, remember Judy's has all kinds of fun stuff for every occasion.

And, you might want to stock up now on Thanksgiving themed papers. That way you'll have them on hand for when you get your photos back of your celebrations. (I love the drumstick papers - so cute!)

P.S. Take time today to tell someone why you are thankful for them.

Upcoming Classes

Here's a few of our upcoming classes!

TIS THE SEASON CHRISTMAS CARD CLASS - $25
Saturday, Nov. 21 - 10 am
We'll be making Christmas Cards - cards with Santa, cards with reindeer and even one for the dogs! Bring your favorite adhesives, foam tape or pop-dots and leave those pouts at home (cuz you know who is ALWAYS watching!)


ANIMAL INSPIRED SENTIMENT CARDS - $25
Saturday, Dec. 19th - 10am
This is the class for those of you who want to have a stash of cards for all kinds of reasons - thank yous, get well, sympathy - those cards that are always nice to have on hand. As always, bring your favorite adhesives, foam tape or pop-dots and be prepared for fun!



BANGLE BRACELETS - $75 (all day class includes supplies)
Saturday, Dec. 12th - 10am
Come learn how to make your own beautiful bangle bracelets. In this class you will learn wire wrapping skills as well as other jewelry making techniques. All supplies are included and the bracelets will be made out of Sterling Silver! Plan to be in class for about 6 hours with a break for lunch.

Registration is required for all classes and it is wise to sign up earlier as classes are small and space is limited! To register call the store: 889-8000

More House Mouse

We know how much our customers love House Mouse so we wanted to let you know more items have arrived. They go fast though, so get them quick.

Winners!

We had a lot of voters for the contest and we have are winners. It was fun to listen to people vote and why they voted the way they did.

Ann Blalack took first by alot, she had the card with the truck.

Lee Hodgins took second She decorated both inside and out on her card.

Third place went to the youngest participant Jillian Woodward she had a cute card that was made with just about only the product given her.

Thanks to everyone!


It was a fun little contest and we had a lot of entries. Thank you everyone who entered or voted!

Fall Decor....

I was taking down the Halloween decorations and trying to think of what I could put up in their place. The house looks bare now and needs something. If you are in my same boat, remember that Judy stocks up on home decor items too. Stop in and see what she has.

P.S. Judy sent me a bunch of new pictures so watch for those soon. Plus, the winners of the card contest will be announced as well.

Product Pick

Happy Monday!

Here's the quick product pick of the day!

We've restocked on our Cuttlebug envelopes and have some fun ones in stock.

Stop in to see what we have. These are great for card panels, photos mats, and so much more.

Enjoy!
Amy

Card Contest

Just a reminder:

Tomorrow, Sat. October 24th, is the last day to turn in your cards for the card contest.

And, starting on Tuesday the 27th, all entries will be on display in the store and you can vote for your favorite. Prizes will be given to the top three with the most votes.

So fun!
Amy

Tis the season for....

Football!!!

I'm not a sports fan but it seems everyone else in my extended family is. There's no escaping it. So, I might as well join it right?

Well.... I'll think about it.

However, if you're a fan, I wanted to do a quick product pick of all the football themed items that Judy's has in stock right now. Lot's of fun stuff that can be used on layouts, cards, or even home decor as you can decorate for game nights.

Stop in to see what else she has, I'm sure you'll score some great stuff.

Smiles,
Amy

Upcoming Class info - Orbit Earrings

We have a few more jewelry classes coming up that are being taught by the lovely Rose Boynton.

Nov. 14th, Rose will be in the shop teaching a class on Orbit Earrings (picture above) Aren't these cool? And, just in time for Christmas too. My daughter is dying - DYING - to learn how to make these, and I'm not exaggerating. The class will run from 10 am to 12 pm. It is $25 dollars and ALL supplies are included. Space is limited and you must register in advance.

Also, depending on response, Rose is looking at teaching an all day class on December 12th. The featured items will be Bangle Bracelets. Another great class with wonderful gift giving possibilities. She will be teaching some wire wrapping skills along with this class as well as other great jewelry making tips and tricks. Depending on response, this class may be taught in January instead of December. You can contact Rose directly with your preference. rlbobo2@juno.com

And for more information you can always call the store: 889-8000

quick updates

Hey There!

Sorry, no pictures today.

This post is just a friendly reminder to stop into the store and pick up your card kit for the contest mentioned a few posts ago.

The kits are free.

You just pick one up, make a card and bring it back to the store. The cards will be judged and the winner gets a gift certificate to the store. All the cards entered will be donated to a charity.

So, seriously, what are you waiting for. Go pick up your kit and tell Judy you heard about it from the blog.

Smiles,
Amy

P.S. Have lots and lots to show and share. Will post again soon.

Halloween Fun!

These are absolutely SPOOKTACULAR!!!

Judy whipped these little cuties up and has supplies on hand (possibly even kits) for you to make some of of your own. My girls can't wait to give them a try.

And, last week I mentioned the super cute Halloween papers that we just stocked. Aren't they "Boo-tiful"?! Lots of creative possibilities with these. Everything from layouts and cards to treat bag tags. So fun!

What would you make with these fun papers?
Amy

I made a yummy batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins this week. They were absolutely delicious. (I know because I ate most of them - oops!) I made them with the intent of giving them away but putting such a delicious treat on a boring plate really didn't do them justice. So, I remembered a past post and a creative idea from Judy and whipped up a paper basket in no time at all - took about 3.5 minutes. Not joking! They are that easy to make.

So, if you have fall treats to deliver soon, consider whipping one of these cuties up. You can see the directions here: Tisket-Tasket a cute paper basket

And, if you want some yummy paper (non-edible of course) to make your basket with, check out these new fall papers that Judy's recently stocked. They are beautiful.

The first set above had me drooling, I love those colors and patterns.

And these are simply fall goodness! I have visions of all kinds of things made out of the orange polka dot.

Judy has quite a lot of more new papers in stock. The Halloween lines are so cute but I will wait until next week to show you so we don't overload on yumminess all in one day.

And, if you want my chocolate chip pumpkin muffin recipe, here's the link: Pumpkin Choco-chip Muffins

Be warned though, you might eat more than you give away and I know this from experience.

Enjoy!
Amy

Contest and Classes - UPDATED

UPDATED WITH NEW CLASS INFO BELOW

Interested in a little contest?

Did you know October is World Card month? It's true. And we've got a fun little contest in the works. Here's the details:

Stop into the store and pick up a supply kit then make a card - simple, huh?!

Here are the official rules:
-You have to use a piece of the 3 elements that we give you and then you can add anything else you'd like.

- You can enter as many times as you'd like.
- All entry's need to be turned in by Oct. 24th.
- Cards will be judged by customers and then donated to an organization that sends them out for card ministry.
- The winner will recieve a gift certificate to Judy's

AND

We are happy to announce two new, upcoming classes.

Jewelry Making Class - Saturday, Oct. 17th - 10am

Come enjoy a jewelry making class taught by the talent Rose Boynton. You'll leave with a necklace and matching pair of earrings. Whether you've new to jewelry making or a pro, this class will fit all levels of experience. Cost is $15 plus materials, call the store for more details.

Fall Inspired Cards - Saturday, Oct. 31 - 10am

This card class will be all about the wonders of fall - there will be cards with leaves, cards with pumpkins and there will even be a few with turkeys. What better way to spend Halloween then crafting your own magic. Please bring your favorite adhesives, foam tape and glue dots if you have them. $25 (must pre-register .... just call the store)

Ooop!

Last week when I posted about House Mouse I accidently left out a photo of the clear stamps. And, if you're going to have stamps of the month, you really should be able to see all the stamps for that month. So, here they are.... They are so "mice"! We are getting good reviews about how well they stamps.

Enjoy!
Amy

I've been beat!

I absolutely love it when one little clever idea (Thanks Cindi) can spark so many other great ideas.

First we showed you just the free standing pumpkins, then the card, and now look at these ideas.

Judy made this little decorative can by using a balloon punch - seriously! A balloon punch! I love how the bottom of the balloon makes a pumpkin stem and the over-all shape is darling. You should know, she made it known that she "one-uped" me. I, of course, denied it over the phone BUT, the pictures don't lie - she did! And it's adorable.

Be sure to look at the punches you have on hand and think of ways you can use them beyond their intended purpose.

And, Rose Boynton brought is this extra large pumpkin - this would be awesome for a harvest themed centerpiece.


and finally, Orono's rec. dept even got involved too. Their afterschool program kids put together this. This would look so great on a window sill or mantle.


So, what else can we craft with these little pumpkins? If you've got any other ideas be sure to email me a photo and we'll put it on the blog.

Enjoy!
Amy

October!

October is here! It's the best month ever. My two favorite guys have birthdays this month, fall crafts are the best and plentiful, and it's officially sweater weather! Yay! And, even better, House Mouse has stamps of the month!

Aren't they cute? (be warned we don't have many and they will go fast, so if you think you want them - get to the store quick!)

Enjoy!
Amy

P.S. Miss Judy has one-uped me with my pumpkin card! I'll post her pictures in a bit but I wonder how long we can keep generating new ideas. If you've played with the little pumpkin craft we've showed and want to share your creation, email me a photo!

finally!

So a couple post ago I showed you the cute pumpkins made out of folded circles. I left you hanging by saying I had another idea, well here's what I did with mine. I turned it into a card. Mine is pretty basic and simple but you could certainly take the idea and jazz it up a bunch.


Enjoy!
Amy

Fall photos

Earlier in the week I encouraged you all to celebrate the first day of fall by taking some photos and said if you sent them to me, I'd post them on the blog. So, here they are. Tracey Allen sent in a few and I'm sharing a few of mine as well. If you're out and about today, pay attention to the details in nature. Fall shows those details more than any other time of the year. Enjoy!

Photo by: Tracey AllenPhoto by: Tracey Allen

Photo by: Amy Williams

Another great one...

If toilet paper pumpkins aren't your thing, we've got another great paper pumpkin idea. This one comes from Cindy Hooks, a favorite customer of ours.

What you do is this:

1- punch out several circles or ovals, 6 to 8.
2- fold them all in half
3- hook them together so that the back of one fold hooks to the back of another fold.
4- repeat step 3 until all circles have been hooked together and a circle is formed.
5- add a stem and some vines and your done!!!

Aren't they cute?!

I took it one step further and will share my idea with you later, check back....

Amy

p.s. - anybody take any fall photos? I haven't received any yet and would love to show some on tomorrow's post.

Go forth and shoot

Today is the first day of fall! Fall, as I've already said, is by far my favorite season. I love it.

I was thinking about my to-do list today, it's mostly filled with boring everyday household or work related items. They are all things that need to get done but they aren't fun.

So, in honor of the first day of Fall, I've added something fun to my list.

I've assigned myself to go and take fall themed pictures today. Want to join me? If you join in and want to send me your favorite fall photo, I will post it on the blog. Email me at judysscrappin@yahoo.com by Thursday and I will post the photos on Friday.

Go forth and shoot my friends, go forth.
Amy

(plus, isn't this cool because after we take the photos we will have fresh art for future cards and layouts!)

time of the year!

I'm not sure about where you live but down here on the coast of Maine, the leaves are starting to change. I'm seeing pumpkins placed for sale at road side stands and we've been enjoying my daughters new found baking skills and have been eating up apple crisp like there's no tomorrow. All these things point to fall. It's here and I'm loving it.

Besides the wonderful things already mentioned, fall seems to be the time I pull out my scented candles. I use them more in the fall. Probably because they are a warm welcoming smell when you come in from a cool evening walk. Pumpkin Spice, Apple Butter and Fresh Apple are a few of my fall favorites.

If you want to treat yourself to a comfort scent this season, remember you can buy scented candles at Judy's. She has all different sizes, shapes, and flavors and I'm sure you'll find one you're sure to love.

Enjoy!
Amy

T.P. Pumpkins - edited

edited 9/15

So, my previous post was about a new way to use toilet paper. You know, thinking outside of the bowl, I mean roll. (hehe) And, while there are many other uses for the this household staple my current use is to turn it into pumpkins.

Now, I have to give credit where credit is due. The seed for my creation actually came home in my daughter's backpack last fall. As a class project they made fabric pumpkins out of a toilet paper roll. I loved the idea. However, like most things I do, I have to add my own twist and do it my way. Don't get me wrong, I like fabric. I do. But I LOVE paper. Making things out of paper is just much more of my thing.

So, without further delay, here is my toilet paper pumpkin using fall pattern paper. (Remember Judy just stocked up on new fall papers)

And, in case you want to make one too, here's how I did it....

1- Gather Supplies. You'll need a roll of toilet paper and 2 or 3 sheets of pattern paper. To add interest to the design, I used two different patterns. And, I also chose thinner paper as it was easier to work with.

2- Cut paper into strips. No measuring needed, you just need several strips and if you want to add some texture, crumple the strips just slightly.

3- Wrap roll. Start by sticking one end of a paper strip into the center of the toilet paper roll. (if needed use a little Scotch Tape to hold it in place.) Then, wrap the strip around the outside of the roll and tuck remaining end of the strip into the center of the roll on the opposite end. Repeat this step until you have completely covered the toilet paper roll and your design is complete.

4 - Add details: I don't have a photo of this step, but to complete the pumpkin, just add a brown paper stem and some twisted green paper strips by sticking them in the hole at the top of the pumpkin. (see photo above for a visual)

And, while I prefer the paper covered variety, here's a look at one of them we made with fabric. I failed to mention that with fabric you just use one big square of fabric and you do not cut it into strips. Instead you just set the t.p. in the center of the square and pull all the fabric to the top of the roll and push it into the hole in the middle of the roll. It's easy but I still like the paper ones better.

Enjoy!
Amy

P.S. - Seriously! Pop into Judy's soon to see her new fall papers. Bo Bunny and Reminisce both have some great paper lines and to top it off, new Basic Grey will be arriving this week.

A most curious post!

I bet you never thought you'd see the day when you'd open this blog and find a picture of toilet paper to greet you. We'll today is the day!

Someone once described me by using this quote. (I think it was a compliment or maybe it was just a way to say they thought I was strange - either way, it fits)

"Once in a while it really hits people
that they don't have to experience the world
in the way they have been told to."

- Alan Keightley

And, oddly enough, this quote fits perfectly for an upcoming project. Did you know there is more than one use for toilet paper. We'll, of course there is, silly!

Stay tuned.....

September

Doesn't the start of September feel like the start of a new year? It kind of does to me. All the changes, new routines, and hope of fall harvests are a wonderful thing. I've been absent for far to long, and while I make no promises that I'll be a loyal blogger, I'm going to try again.

So, with that said HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!!

P.S. - Check out the new card class information in the side bar. Sounds like Lisa has a great Halloween card class coming up.

July Card class

Hey there! Just wanted to post information about Lisa's upcoming card class. As usual, seats are limited so register early.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY (yes, again!) CARD CLASS
Saturday, July 25th at 10 AM
Instructor: Lisa Crosby

It's time to get a jump on Christmas by getting those cards made early! In this class we will be making 7 Christmas cards featuring penguins, snowmen, and so much more! So, get in the Christmas spirit and come have some fun. Bring your favorite adhesives, glue dots, foam tape and a smile (remember, Santa's always watching!)

Papers

Hey all, here's a quickie post.

In case you are looking for Boy Scout items. We have them. Here are some of our papers, pop in and see what else we have too.

More posts coming, I've got a fun project/idea to share. Stay tuned....

Special day!

Today is a special day. If you happen to be close to the store pop in, pick up some papers or adhesive or something else you've been wanting and when you check out, wish Judy a happy birthday. (I think she is 29 this year. Oh! Wait! That makes her younger than me - can't have that..... she is 39 this year, yay, that's it!)

Seriously, if you have a minute let's flood her with Happy Birthday wishes.

Judy! I hope you have a wonderful day.

Smiles,
Amy

p.s. The photo credit goes to Sarah Berez, age 11 - she was a student in my recent photography class and did a fabulous job. Anybody interested in a photography basics class? (If 11 and 12 year old girls can do it, anybody can.)

inspired by Judy

It's been a really long time since I've been on the blog. Even longer since I've created something. However, I discovered that sometimes a good supporting friend can be a wonderful muse. After talking to Judy yesterday I got the urge to create.

You'll remember these awesome fabric/chipboard albums from the previous post, well, here's one of mine all decorated. I love how easy it was to decorate. I used my all time favorite - mod-podge - talk about therapy in a bottle, I love that stuff.

For the tree, I used a brown paper bag for the trunk. I crinkled and crumbled it. Inked it a bit and then got it wet to somewhat smooth it back out. The blossoms on the tree were cut out from a sheet of pattern paper I got at Judy's (again seen previous post).

And, while the inside of the album isn't done yet, I did place all the papers in place and have tagged each page with who's picture will go there. I'm excited to finish now and at least I have my creative juices flowing a little bit more.

Amy
P.S. See the new card class info on the right!