Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Saying Goodbye....

As Summer draws to an end, we've had to say goodbye to a number of our summer crafting friends again.  There will be many changes for families as some students go off to college and university.  We think particularly of one of our crafting families who have just seen their son off to Japan for a year under a Rotary exchange program.  How much more exciting can that be and yet I know there were feelings of trepidation too.  We wish all our students a happy and exciting year of studies wherever they may be.

We have some cardmakers busily making their cards right now for the card swap.  Nine happy carders registered and their design was to include a cut or punched border along with at least two layers on their card.  We'll be away when they are due in, so the onus is on Elaine to make sure that we get to see photos.  If you're not sure what a card swap is, look back at the July 17th posting to see how it works.

kleenex box upcycle
Are you a crafter that likes to re-cycle and re-use?  I came across this lovely idea for using an empty tissue box that you may like to try.  This is the link here but here are a couple of before and after photos to get your juices going.
       
We can't offer you the empty tissue box, but we do have the jute and glue you'll need for this craft.

And here for the beaders is a tip for using your empty beading wire spools.  Keep them to store the short cut pieces of beading wire you have.  The spool helps the wire retain it's shape when stored on the spool and also free from tangles.  Another re-cycle and re-use tip.

Have you ever wondered how you are connected to various members of your family?  Are you cousins, or second cousins, or cousins once removed?  So confusing isn't it. 
We had the pleasure of having some cousins from England visit our home just recently.  Although my husband and I had met them briefly before, our daughters and families hadn't.  As always there's the concern, "will the conversation flow well," and as always there shouldn't have been that concern in the first place.  Somehow families connect regardless of how long or how often they've met one another.  We determined that night that we had cousins once removed as well as second and third cousins around our table for dinner. 
We all know what a cousin is, but the child of that cousin would be your cousin once removed. Your child and the child of your cousin become second cousins as do their children then become third cousins. Though your child and the grandchild of your cousin are cousins twice removed, and you and that same grandchild of your cousin are cousins three times removed. Now did I make it clear for you?  Likely not I know.
We have a customer who brought her cousin into the store last week so that we could meet them.  They didn't know of one another's existence until about a year ago.  The one lives out west and was able to visit the other here in Bracebridge last week and meet up with another twenty six cousins she had never met before.  Can you imagine the scrapbook pages that could come out of that meeting.  What lovely memories.

We sadly heard recently of yet another scrapbook store closing down south.  Retailing has changed dramatically over the past few years with the availability of the internet and the perceived lower pricing.  Local businesses find it harder and harder to offer service to their community because of that and sadly often have to close their doors.
We are thankful for the support of our customers and as we prepare to offer classes and weekend retreats we wait, worry and wonder if they will be of interest to our customers.   Our thanks go to each and every customer that registers for classes, retreats, crops and swaps...thank you for your support!

And now for the weekly special.  This one is for all the artists out there and we know there are many gifted artists in our communityAll canvases are 40% off when you mention that your saw this on the blog.  That's both stretch and board canvases and a choice from the many sizes we have in stock.  Dont forget the special goes from Thursday to Monday of each week. 
If you don't use paint, maybe you can use the canvas for one of the ideas we have displayed at the store.  Linda has made a lovely photo display with two canvas' hinged together, or perhaps you like the way she wrote the word "Family" with fast drying tacky glue onto a canvas, then painted over the top to make a lovely gift idea. Ask us about them when you drop into the store.

Until later, Happy Crafting,

Lilian

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