The vanishing squirrel class!...otherwise known as my Photoshop 101 Workshop!

Hi everyone... this is Lolly and I'm hijacking the LBH blog to let you know about a fun class I'll be teaching this weekend!

Have you ever wanted to make squirrels vanish?!?!?! Our dogs daydream about such things on a daily basis. We have a squirrel family in the backyard

+ two gigantic pecan trees + 3 squirrel lovin hatin' dogs = which equals a whole lotta barking and running around during pecan season!

Our dog Harriet's favorite stuffed toys are squirrels (DogChops prefers ducks and geese - which is endless entertainment when the real ones land in the pool for a swim). Harriet carries her squirrels around with her all over the house and has been known to take little nose to nose naps with them (I think she's practicing the squirrel stare down while she sleeps)!

So where is all of this going you might be wondering (cause I know I am starting to wonder that myself)... this weekend I'll be teaching an intro to PhotoShop class (AKA PhotoShop 101) at the LBH!

We'll be covering PhotoShop basics and even getting into some fun stuff... like squirrel vanishing!

When you leave class, not only will you know how to prep pictures for printing, and resize, crop and color correct them... you'll even learn how to remove pesky elements from you pictures (like gray hairs for instance... not that any of you gals have them, but I seem to have a little garden of them growing all of a sudden and Clairol and I don't get along too well)!

Class details:

Date: Saturday April 2, 2011
Time: 10AM - 1PM

Cost: $25

What you'll need for class:
A laptop computer (Mac or PC) + PhotoShop (Elements 4 or higher OR any version of regular PhotoShop).

I'll supply you with an arsenal of photos (mostly of my dogs and a few craft projects) that we'll be playing with as we learn fun and exciting techniques during class!

Call the LBH today to sign up! I hope to see you there!

HUGS,

Lolly

P.S. ...and I promise to teach you how to make Harriet's squirrel disappear just like I did!

LBH Art Group - April Meetings and First Ever Swap!

Next week will be the April meetings for the LBH Art Group!   Please note that, due to popular demand, the evening meeting has been changed to Wednesday (4/6 - 6:00 - 9:00 pm); the daytime meeting will remain on the second Friday of the month (4/8 - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm).  There is still time to sign up for both the swap and the class!

April Meetings - ATC Swap and Shadowbox

Wednesday, 4/6  6:00 - 9:00 pm (Please note change of date)

Friday, 4/8 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Cost: $15

We will be doing our first ever LBH Art Group Swap! If you are participating in the swap, create and bring 6 ATCs (theme Springtime) to swap.  You will keep one of your own and receive back five others.

We will also be creating a Maya Road memento shadowbox that is perfectly sized for showcasing six ATCs.

Please bring the following items if you have them :

Distress Stain in color of your choice (for box)

Tim Holtz tissue tape if desired

needle nose pliers

scissors

Please contact the LBH at 817-431-7930 to sign up today! Seating is limited.

Front Porch Update!

A Little Birdie told Me...that your Front Porch Kits have all been shipped and soon will be delivered from Our Front Porch to YOURS!

If you opted to pick up your Front Porch Kit at the Little Blue House, they will be ready and waiting for you as of Tues. 3/29.  We hope you enjoy this fabulous kit and be sure to visit the FP Inspiration Gallery at www.frontporchkits.com to see all of

the FP Design Team creations.

 Thank you so much for your orders! Our next kit will be revealed on Fri. 4/15 and we welcome you to join us for Friday Night Live that evening at 8:30pm (pre-show will begin about 8p). 

April Sneak peeks and pre-orders will begin on 4/12.

Keep Creating!

Miss Tracy :)

Prima LIVE was a blast!

 I want to send out a great big THANK YOU to Lolly and Daniella for coming to teach the Prima Card Workshop and for airing Prima LIVE from the Little Blue House last night!  It was so much fun and I can't wait to do it again!!

 The Cards were fabulous and everyone loved their Prima goodies!   We all wore our teal adorned cowboy hats and were entertained by the AmAzInG  CARLA! She created and sang her own special song, played the guitar, and yodeled her little heart out!  I see big things in her future!! Hopefully we can get her to come and perform again at the LBH soon!

 Our customers all came dressed in pretty much every piece of Teal clothing that they had in their closets! Thanks ladies for making it such a special night! You Teal Ladies rocked the house last night!

You can view all the Prima LIVE pictures on the Little Blue House Facebook page HERE! Due to the poularity of the Prima Card Workshop, we have added a second class. It will be held on Wed. 4/20 from 6:30p-9p. There are a few seats left. Please call the LBH if you would like to reserve a seat! (817) 431-7930.

Keep creating and have a FaBuLouS FriDaY!

Miss Tracy :)

LIVE with PRIMA tonight at the LBH!

Live with Prima (and Lolly and Daniela too)!!!

Hi everyone!  Tonight is the night I've been waiting for!  Daniela Dobson and I are going to be doing Live with Prima online live from The Little Blue House in Kellex, TX!  I am so excited about the show that I doubt I'll be able to sleep!
I have such a big surprise planned, I can hardly wait for you to see!  I'm not announcing anything, it's just typical Lolly fun and silliness!  I have props and stickers and color coordinated folks and the whole 9 yards!
We'll start at 8:30CST and will be making 10 totally awesome cards!  Daniela designed 6 of them and I designed 4 of them (cause I'm slow like that when it comes to cards)!
It's all about the TEAL!
Tonight before the show, if you're really feeling tealish, I highly recommend that you print up a set of these here labels for yourself and hand them out to everyone in your family.  If you want to have a watch party and really get things kicked up... wear matching teal outfits too!  Nothing says fun like teal right?

You can get your very own download and print freebie HERE (it's a PDF so right click on that link and save it to your desktop)!  As I type this, I am sitting here in my jammies wearing TWO of these stickers (I couldn't let the misprints go to waste and I figured I should have an extra one in case I forgot my name and favorite color in the middle of the night)!
Food for thought...
I'm thinking about starting a teal lovers anonymous fan club...  if you think you might want to join, let me know.  We can have a secret handshake and everything (involving teal of course)!  We could have teal t-shirts, and teal mugs, and even a teal pasta dish (being Italian mandates a pasta dish)!
MomChops will be at the show tonight too so you can wish her luck before her second knee replacement surgery TOMORROW (or you can leave her some HUGS here to read throughout the day today)!  I bet she would really love that!
I'll see you guys tonight (in teal)!

The DETAILS:  You can watch Daniela and I on Live with Prima tonight - March 24, 2011 -  by clicking on this link HERE!  We'll be starting at 8:30CST but I highly recommend that you tune in about 15 - 20 minutes early!  You won't want to miss the beginning...  trust me!  XOS you guys and thanks for your friendship and support!!!!
P.S.S.T.  I love teal.  The end.

And the Helmar Goodie Bag Winner is....

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments yesterday!  I loved reading about all of your favorite birthday gifts and memories! As promised, I have drawn one name from all of the commenters to win a Goodie Bag from Helmar filled with a few of our

Helmar adhesive fav's!

And I'm happy to announce that

Carolyn Glass

will be taking home this awesome prize! 

Congratulations Carolyn! Please contact the LBH to claim your Helmar Goodies. If you're interested in learning more about Helmar, stop by the LBH and we will be happy to tell you all about their fabulous products!!

Keep Creating,

Miss Tracy :)

P.S. The Front Porch kitting is well underway...we will begin shipping this Saturday! Have you checked out the FP Inspiration Gallery yet??

www.frontporchkits.com

Little Blue House Happenings....this week!

Hello Everyone!  I want to thank everyone for their Front Porch orders and for joining us this past Friday on our first live webcast! It was so much fun and I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

For those of you who did place orders for "A Little Birdie told Me..." you'll be happy to know that massive kitting is underway and we will begin shipping later this week.

We made one mistake with this kit...We didn't MAKE up enough of them! We never dreamed that they would sell out so quickly. Next month we will plan for more so that hopefully no one will miss out.

Also, a quick reminder....the Front Porch Inspiration Gallery is up and running!  Please check it out at www.frontporchkits.com ! The FP Designers did such a fabulous job on their projects...

they're sure to inspire you!

Other Creative Happenings at the LBH this week!

Our new line-up of Easter & Spring Creative Buffet projects are beginning this week:

Tues. 3/22 10a-2p & 5p-9p

Sat. 3/26 10a-2p

Peep! Book

I am in the process of editing the Buffet Project photos and will try to have them added to the blog very soon! Thank you for your patience. Please give us a call or better yet,

stop by and see the projects in person.

We'll be happy to sign you up for class!

Photoshop 101

Taught by Lolly Chessie

We. 3/23 6:30p-9p

Cost: $25

Want to better your Photosop skills??  Let Lolly show you how! There are 5 seats left in this class. Please let us know

if you would like to attend.

Prima Card Workshop & Prima LIVE!

Prima Card Workshop & Prima LIVE

w/ Lolly Chessie & Daniela Dobson

Thurs. 3/24  (sold out)

Workshop 6:30p-8:30p

Due to the PoPuLaRitY of this workshop, we have

added a second class. It will be held on:

 Wed. 4/20

Workshop 6:30p-8:30p

There is still seating available. Please contact the

 LBH to reserve your spot.

(817) 431-7930

For those of you who will be attending,

 please bring the following items with you to class:

Paper trimmer

Ruler

Scissors

Rolling adhesive

Pencil

 Helmar 450 (or quick dry glue)

Water sprayer/mister (with water)

Hand towel (like a small terry cloth towel)

Your singing voice

Cowgirl clothes

HUGS (optional)

Something teal

Prizes will be awarded for the girl decked out in the most teal

(shirts, pants, earrings, necklaces, etc...)!  Shades of aqua count too!

I hope you will make plans to plug yourself in and create with us this week!  I also have one more thing to post....it is a huge THANK YOU to my sweet freinds and the LBH gals for surprising me with a very special birthday present on Friday...It is a wonderful, white porch swing for the LBH front porch!! 

 It will soon be hanging and you are welcome to come and

SwiNg with Miss TrAcY on the Front Porch!!! 

I was so surprised and your kindness has touched my heart in such a special way!  You gals mean so much to me...Thank you again for making me feel so loved!

Much love and hugs to YOU!

Miss Tracy :)

P.S.  I forgot to give away the Helmar Goodie Bag filled with Helmar Products during our webcast! If you would like a chance to win them, post a comment here about one of your favorite birthday gifts!  I'll post the winner tomorrow! Good Luck!

Front Porch Friday is here!!!!

Please join us in celebrating our BIG REVEAL day at www.frontporchkits.com ! Our March Kit is appropriately named "A Little Birdie told Me..." and it's filled with feathered fun and tweeting with texture and has piles of paper and some fabulous glitter to glam up your nest...I could go on and on...LOL!!!

 

With the purchase of your Front Porch kit you will also receive an Instructional CD. It will have full "How To's" and pictures for 5 Feature Projects that have been designed just for YOU! You can see them on the Front Porch website...Click on the March Kit and scroll down the page...they are shown after the Kit Content List. 

The Front Porch Inspiration Gallery will be making it's debut on Monday, 3/21. I can't wait for you to see all of the

fabulous FP Design Team creations!  

Please join us tonight!!!

It's our first episode of Friday Night Live

 from the LBH!

Click here to get to the U-Stream

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/front-porch-kits

If you would like to log into the chat,

you will have to open a U-stream account if you don't already have one. (No Account needed to just watch.)

You will meet the Front Porch Team and we will show off the FP March Kit and Feature Projects...and have a little creative FUN! You will learn our famous "Mush & Skwush" technique. Create right along with us tonight...here are the items you will need:

Spray bottle / Mister (water)

Hot Glue Gun or Helmar 450

Towel

1 1/2 x 12 in. strip of cardstock

1 x 6 in. strip of chipboard

We will have lots of give-aways tonight, including two "A Little Birdie told Me..." give-aways! One will go to a lucky chatter and one will go to a lucky commenter! 

I sure hope every"birdie" will be there to join on the fun!

Happy Friday!

Miss Tracy :)

http://www.frontporchkits.com/

Another day...another reveal!!!

One more day!!!! Then we can finally show you "A Little Birdie Told Me" from Front Porch Kits!

I want to personally invite all of you to join us for Friday Night Live! This will be our first live webcast from the LBH! Here is the link and the show details:

Friday, 3/18

8:30pm

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/front-porch-kits

We will be showing off the FP March Kit & Featured Projects! For even more creative fun, we will be sharing our famous "Mush & Skwush" technique and creating another fun "how to" project...You'll have to tune in to see what it is!!!

You know how I love surprises!!

In honor of this special night, we will be giving one lucky web-viewer a "Little Birdie Told Me..." Kit and don't forget one lucky commenter will win one too!!  All comments posted here on the LBH blog (on each of the Sneak Peek posts) will be entered into a drawing to WIN a free KIT!!

Enjoy your day...and the peek!

Miss Tracy :)

More peeks and other info...

Only 2 days left!!!!  The Big Reveal and launch of the first Front Porch Kit happens this Friday!!

We are so excited and anxious to reveal our March Kit and  our projects to you!!   ...We have named it "A Little Birdie told Me..." Here are a couple more peeks for you to enjoy...

Once again, I want to thank those of you who have followed our "Get it Together" Organizational feature!

Our final GIT Winner has been selected and will recieve a $30 LBH Gift Certificate compliments of the LBH gals and the Little Blue House! And the winner is~~~~~~~~

Debra White

Congrats Debra!!

 Please contact the LBH to claim your Gift Certificate.

We have truly enjoyed your comments and loved the pictures and emails that you have sent us! I hope your scrap spaces and supplies have been transformed over the past  8 weeks. As promised yesterday, here are some suggestions on where to donate items in your Blessings Box. 

1. Children's Hospitals: 
Most hospitals will accept donations but only if they are new and in the original packaging. This is due to their efforts to try to keep items as clean and free of germs/bacteria. If you have scrappy goodies that are not used, please consider donating them to your local hospital.

2. Senior Centers:
Most local areas have a Senior Center. There is usually a high demand for craft/sewing supplies. Please contact them first, before you go to drop off items. Ask for the coordinator that is in charge of craft activities and when they will be at the center. Sometimes, this position is filled by a volunteer and they may work only on specific days.

3. Women's Shelters:
To donate items to your local Women's Shelters you will need to contact the Police Dept. and find out if there is a coordinator to drop off these items with. Some Women's Shelters are not made public as to protect those who are residing there. They almost always have children and could make good use of craft supplies for their kids. Some have had to leave their belongings behind so this would be a good place to donate anything kid-friendly.

4. Local Schools:
Contact your local schools and ask if they are in need of craft items. Also, ask your PTA representatives...they may have a specific need for certain craft items too.  Be sure to ask if they have an after school program and who coordinates it. They may be in need of supplies as well.

5. Local Churches:
Talk with someone at your church or other local churches and see if they could use your supplies. Especially this time of year, with Vacation Bible School and Childrens Camps coming up this Summer, they could put your supplies to good use. They may have a need for their Youth groups and Senior groups too.

6. New Scrapbookers or Jr. Scrapbookers:
Ask around in your Scrapping circle of friends and see if anyone know of someone that is new to our scrappy hobby. I'm sure they would appreciate your goodies! Also, think about the next generations of crafters...your kids or your friends kids! Consider putting together a little "beginner's basket" of goodies together for them.  Even if they aren't super crafty, they can always put to some of your items to use on upcoming school projects.

7.  GoodWill / Thrift Stores:
If you have left over items after you have donated to specific places, consider donating the rest to GoodWill or your local Thrift Store.

Tomorrow, I will post one final Front Porch peek and draw the name of our Front Porch Kit Winner...so keep your comments coming! This will increase your chances of winning the March Kit!!  I will also post inof on how to join us for our first webcast from the LBH...Friday Night Live!!!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Miss Tracy :)

Prize Winners and another "Sneaker" from the Front Porch!

First, another Sneak Peak from the Front Porch March Kit! We're just days away...(hours really) from our Big Reveal day and the official launch of Front Porch Kits.  It's such an exciting time and we have loved reading all of your comments...Keep'em coming!!! One of you will be taking home a March Kit

courtesy of the Front Porch!

Such wonderful goodies and texture in this amazing kit!  Sure to appeal to all crafter's and scrapbooker's! To learn about the Front Porch, please visit www.frontporchkits.com.

Now...on to a Prize Winner Announcement!!!!

I have drawn the winner from our Spring Fling Open House!

Olga Ahmad

Olga, will be taking home the NEW Alpha stamps by Ten Seconds Studio... (a $60 value) Congrats Olga!!! Here is a picture of Cheryl Darrow (owner of TSS) presenting them to you Olga...enjoy!

Now...for those of you who have been following us on the "Get it Together" Organizational Journey...LOL! Tomorrow, I will be posting some donation suggestions on where to send the overflowing items in your Blessings Boxes...so stay tuned! I will also announce the final "Get it Together" Prize Winner too!!

 Hope it's YOU! 

and of course...

another Sneak of the Front Porch Kit!!!!!!

We have been receiving several pre-orders (it's blowing my mind!)...THANK YOU for your business!

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Miss Tracy :)

P.S. There are still a few seats left in our Mom & Me workshops tomorrow. Give us a call if you would like to attend. We will be making a "Sweet Spring" Minibook designed by Elaine Howell.

Our first official Front Porch Sneak!

Let the official countdown begin!!! This Friday, 3/18 we launch our first ever Front Porch Kit...The kit for March is jam-packed with creative potential and it isn't like your typical kit clubs...there are "no strings" attached...you simply like it and order it or you pass.  For more info about the Front Porch, please visit the website here! You will also love the fact that your Front Porch Kit features 4 unique projects with full instructions as well as a Design Gallery filled with even more inspiration!

 Leave your comments today and one lucky duck this week

will win this month's Kit!!!  Lolly is having a contest on her blog to see if you can guess the name of our March Kit...visit http://www.lollychops.com/ if you would like to play along!

This Friday will be our first"Friday Night Live" which will be a live webcast at the LBH beginning at 8:30p...more info on that coming later this week! Hope you will join us! We will be showing off the March Kit & Projects as well as

sharing a fun, crafty project with you!

Okay...that's enough SneAkeRs for now!  More tomorrow!

Happy Monday!

Miss Tracy :)

Spring Break Crafty Fun...Mom & Me Workshop!

Are you looking for some crafty fun to do with the kiddos over Spring Break???  Well, look no further, the LBH will be holding a Mom & Me Workshop this Wed. 3/16. 

Designed by: Elaine Howell

We are offering two sessions...10a-Noon & 1p-3p.  You and your little crafter will be creating a "Sweet Spring" Minibook featuring the Springtime Collection by Echo Park. We will also treat your kiddos to a snack and have some fun prize drawings for them to enjoy! The cost is $20 per book. We still have a few seats left. Please give us a call if you would like to reserve some seats.

 (817) 431-7930

Happy Spring!

Miss Tracy :)

Spring Fling at the Little Blue House!

You're Invited

to the

Little Blue House

Spring Fling Open House

Friday, March 11

&

Saturday, March 12

10am-5pm

Join us as we celebrate the arrival of Spring!

Come see our new Spring & Easter Class Projects and enjoy a Free Make & Take featuring our new Maya Mists. You will also enjoy some refreshments and prize drawings throughout the day!

We're gonna have a

BlooMinG Good TiMe!

Come join us!

Miss Tracy :)

& the LBH Gals

Have you heard?!?!?!

Now for some big news!

Introducing...

Are you ready for a new kind of Kit Club....how about one with NO Strings attached?!?!  Well, I have great news for you...I have joined creative forces with Lolly to bring you the best of the best of all things crafty!!

We'll be launching our online kit club on March 18!  The kick off will be held that night on Ustream live (and at The Little Blue House in Keller, TX)!  During the show we'll reveal the full kit contents as well peeps of the 4 complete projects you can make out of your fabulous kit!
(yep...  you read that right...  4 whole projects with full instructions too)!

You will also enjoy our Front Porch Inspiration Gallery packed with wonderful projects designed from each month's kit. You will also see a few other additions as we grow...more info coming soon about that!

You can check out our site HERE but it's pretty bare bones right now!  We'll be updating it over the next week or so to get everything perfect!    I hope you'll enjoy the projects and good times to come from this creative adventure! I know you will love all the fabulous inspiration that you will be provided by our amazingly super-talented Front Porch Design Team:

Miss Tracy :)

Lolly Chops

Susan Tidwell

Jennifer Yates

Elaine Howell

Rhonda Merry

Jaclyn Hatcher
Jing-Jing Nickel

We are all so excited about this new Creative Adventure and we hope you will be a part of it!
Remember to join us on March 18th for the BIG REVEAL!

Hugs & Happiness!

Miss Tracy :)

"Get it Together" Organizing with Style: Week 8

I want to thank all of you for participating in our "Get it Together" Organizational Mission for 2011!  I hope that our posts have inspired you and that your scrap spaces and supplies have transformed over the last 8 weeks!

For our last post, I thought it would be good to share a few ideas that will aid you in keeping up with what you have (reference swatches)!

Here are few that have been helpful for me:

When organizing your Cuttlebug or Sizzix embossing folders consider making yourself a Reference Tag swatch book. It is a great way to see all the fabulous folders you own at a glance!…especially helpful when you’re working on a creative project and don’t want to take the time to go through every folder that you own. Simply flip through your tags … it will save you so much time! Also, you can see the positive and negative image of each folder by looking at the reverse side of the tag.

Here’s another great tip…take your Swatch Book with you on your next shopping trip to help you remember which embossing folders you already have in your collection!

Follow these simple steps to create your own Cuttlebug Swatch Book:

1. Die cut a tag shape out of scraps of cardstock.

2. Emboss each individual tag with the embossing folders that you own.

3. Place all of your embossed tags on a binder ring.

4. Tie a few colorful ribbons on the ring just for fun!

Here is another great idea...Consider making yourself a Reference Swatch Book

 for your Distress Ink Pads. 

This is a great way to see the true colors and you can label them on the back with the name of the ink pad. These are really easy to create:

1. Grab some shipping tags (local office supply store or we carry them at the LBH)

2. Crumple the tag up in your hand and then lightly smooth out again

3. Rub your Distress Ink Pad over the wrinkles and crinkles all over the tag

4. Label the back with name of that specific color

5. Place on a binder ring for easy access

You can also do a reference swatch for your other goodies...consider doing some for your

 Stickles , Chalk Inks, Mists, etc.

Post a comment today on one of your favorite organizational ideas that we've shared over the last 8 weeks! I will choose one final lucky commenter next Monday for a
VERY SPECIAL GRAND PRIZE!

You will want to be sure your name is in this drawing!!!!!  So Keep your comments Coming!

Our winner from Week 7 is ....
AMY CLICK 

Congratulations!  Please contact the LBH to claim your prize!

Have a Happy Monday!

Miss Tracy :)

Scrap with Style...March 10th

Hi all!  Jennifer Yates here...

Hope everyone is having a good week! I just wanted to thank all the ladies that came out to The Little Blue House last week for my "Scrap with Style" class!  

It was so much fun seeing everyone again, chatting and getting our creative juices flowing!!!  We have an AWESOME and FUN group of "regulars" and would love to see you too!  My next class is Thursday, March 10th from 10a-12:30p.  We will be doing a double page layout from Nikki Sivils new and VERY popular line..."It's Raining, It's Pouring!"

***SHOWER YOU with LOVE***

Cost: $25

(Don't worry ladies ...the hearts are punched not hand-cut..LOL)

I will also share some fun photography tips with you in my Scrap with Style class...Hope you will join us!

Call (817) 431-7930 to reserve your spot!!!

Luv ya,

Jennifer