collage

brand new stamps---yummy!

We love receiving new product---it's kinds like Christmas when the UPS driver brings us boxes.

We just got these new stamps in on Friday---we think they're yummy!

yeah---we finally found some cool bicycle stamps!!!!  If any of you know of any companies that make good bicycle stamps let me know---these are in hot demand!

Tweet Tweet!We just received these beautiful collage sheets---15 different sheets in a package--for $20.

I used these in my holiday card making class and loved the results.  Here's some examples...This tag above was first collaged and then dipped in molten beeswax---love it!

Long Live Shrinky Dinks!

Remember Shrinky Dinks?

I loved 'em as a kid---the idea of something transforming before your eyes like that was so enthralling.

Well, if you too loved Shrinky Dinks---you can rekindle the flame!

We sell Artist grade Shrink Plastic in 5 different varieties:  white, clear, translucent, black and---ink jet capable.  I just taught a Shrink Plastic charm class recently and look what beauties the students made...We traced images and colored them in with Copic Markers and colored pencils---extra fine sharpies and Copic Multi-liners work great for tracing.  The plastic shrinks more than 50% when heated--we used a toaster oven to heat the pieces in.These bird cages (above) turned out extremely well.  One of the students made these by punching circles out of the shrink plastic and then coloring the background with Copic Markers---then she used a Copic multiliner to trace the image---this image came from a sheet of Hambly Rub-ons.  The result is gorgeous!  We found that the high contrast images turned out best! 

Photos of new goods...Copic Markers, Moleskine notebooks, and darling new holiday stuff!

Ww just received a slew of new products in at the stores and I wanted to share some pics with you...

Just restocked all the COPIC Markers---Yummy---320 colors of goodness!We also recently received Tsukineko's latest release---Wide mouth jars of staz-on ink!  We love staz-on ink pads because we can use them on so many surfaces, including metal, glass, and plastic, and now they are puttin' the ink in a brand spankin' new wide-mouth jar---so you can paint with it!  Yee-haw!New magazines in from Stampington...We have received a nice variety of Moleskine notebooks and journals at both stores---this was something we added to our inventory due to so many customer requests---you asked for it---you got it!New holiday punches...above

New holiday papers...belowIs it just me or does the above one look like southpark characters?All the above papers and these cute felty embellishments are from Basic Grey--We love them! The name of the line is Eskimo kisses--sweet, we also received the paper pads pictured below...In another shipment, we received the following holiday papers---vintage-inspired---and very cute...The above paper has a dusting of glitter---sparkly!These vintage-themed notecards from Laughing Elephant are loaded with great images.  A big time saver for those who cannot make their own cards this year.


 

New goodies in at both stores---check 'em out!

I love to shop and I have been busy ordering up a storm!  We have loads of new products starting to arrive at both stores. I was in the Alberta Street store today and took some pics to share with you...

Check out these darling gift tins---the artwork on them is amazing!  The woman who designed the Miso Pretty line has started her own line and these are her beauties!

Here's a great bag she designed as well---we also have some darling coin purses, but, I forgot to get a photo of them...

We have received a bunch of new holiday papers, embellishments and stamps here's some photos...It's a great time to get started on holiday projects---I think today was our last day of dry weather for a while---here comes the rain.  Rainy weather is crafting weather!I love these little snowflake jewel stickers above, I need to find something to do with them---maybe on holiday tags??This new paper above is so cool!  It has little windows that open--perfect to make your own sweet advent calendar with.

We are expecting more holiday themed products to come in over the next couple of weeks---stay tuned.

We also received a bunch of new books and magazines---here's some pics...

while i was in the alberta st store today---I ran into Brad Ruzicka, Sally Jean Alexander's husband.

He pointed out her new ad in the publication---Where Women Create---here it is...Sally Jean Alexander is an amazing soldered-jewelry designer who just happens to live locally---check out her site---Beautiful Things!

I will post more photos of new things as they arrive!

Halloween is just around the corner...10 days and counting

hey all...

This month is whizzing by.  If you still haven't figured out your costume---or need some creative inspiration on the ghoulish side, stop on in and we'll help get you set up in spooky style! 

We are thrilled that Halloween is on a Saturday this year---and since it's the night we turn our clocks back---all the ghouls and goblins will get one more hour of sleep.

Both the Alberta Street store and the Woodstock Boulevard store will be open our usual hours on Halloween---10am-6pm---and if you have kidlets---bring 'em by to trick or treat!

Have a fun spooky holiday!

desert vacation

we had a wonderful family vacay in the desert in september and I keep promising I would post photos---so here goes            

All above photos---hiking at Hualapai mountain park---just outside Kingman, Arizona. 

here's some photos of Oatman, AZ 

Right on historic route 66..this is the quaint ol' western town where Carole Lombard and Clark Gable spent their wedding night...also, home of wild burros---who poop all over the place---the brochures said the shops sold carrots to feed to the burros---all I could find were some toothless geezers in the local watering hole---

         

the buildings were so reminiscent of the wild west---cue the bonanza theme song...  

ps---the wild burros will drool on you---be brave.

 

fear not, classes will continue

Hello all,

I just wanted to post a bit of info about classes at collage.

For those of you who get our e-newsletters, you have heard that the DIY Lounge will no longer be scheduling classes in the classrooms at either collage stores---I realize this is confusing and many of you have been asking---what does this mean?

Well, I feel I need to give you a bit of the back story to explain fully---so, here goes...

collage and The DIY Lounge are 2 separate entities.  collage is owned and operated by me, Maria Raleigh, and The DIY Lounge is owned and operated by Jennifer Neitzel. 

Jen and I merged our classes a few years back.   Please know that both businesses are continuing to grow, thrive, and evolve. The DIY Lounge, will continue to offer it's children's art camps and is embarking on some new adventures in on-line classes.  collage's hours will remain the same and we are returning to our original model of creative classes.  By this I mean that we will continue to offer classes in the workrooms at both collage locations. I am finalizing the November schedule for classes this week and plan to send out an e-mail next week with all the details.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me 

thanks for listening and sorry for the confusion--

Maria Raleigh

maria@collagepdx.com

More photos to share...

Here are some more photos of the Woodstock store, if you haven't been in yet, this will show you what's going on on the SE side of town!

whew!

thats a lot of photos,

I still have more too!

I will post more later...

see you!

more pics to share, all from our woodstock blvd store

here's some more photos----just to give you a glimpse into my world, thanks for stopping by...

ooohhh---spooky haunted houses!

whew---another slew of photos.

I do still have more.

But, now I cannot resist to add a couple personal ones---from our recent family vacay...

We went to the Grand Canyon, Vegas, and various other Arizona hot spots---and I do mean HOT!

Top three photos...hiking at Hualapai Mountain Park.

"wild" burros just outside of Oatman, AZ---on Historic Route 66.

Ps, if you roll down the window that is burro-speak for come and get it!

I couldn't resist snapping a photo of this great sign---at The World Famous 'Rock Pile', in Quartzsite, AZ

The proprietor, Alex, was one of the highlights of our vacation...

another great example of Alex's signs-----priceless. The boys LOVED this place---did I mention we had to ship stuff home???

This scale has been thru a bit.

 And last but, not least, The Grand Canyon...breathtaking.

Thanks for enduring the family pics---I just couldn't resist! 

getting ready for portland art and soul

hello there,

hope you are all enjoying the beginning of fall.

It has been quite a flurry of activity around here as of late.

TONS of new goodies arriving ---some earmarked for the stores, some earmarked for the 

portland art and soul retreat.

What is art and soul---you may ask???

well, art and soul comes to portland once a year---usually just as september ends and october begins.

Collage has become the official supply source and on-site store for the retreat.

BIG FUN for us!

For those of you who may be visiting the blog for the first time I have taken loads of photos of the products we stock---so you can get an idea of what we are all about

here goes...

whew...

that's a lot of pictures...

i have more, I will post some more tomorrow.