Crafty Neighbor Now Has an Online Calendar!

Whew! Check out our new online calendar that we created just in time for the holidays!  And guess what?!  We just added a whole new crop of classes, too! See all the Crafty Neighbor classes, crops, and retreats at one glance!  You can even follow the links on the calendar to sign up online!  It's all here:

http://www.my.calendars.net/craftyneighbor

Do our economy a favor this year -- Buy American!  What's more American that shopping locally for your Christmas gifts?!  Give them something handmade!  We have a great selection of one-of-a-kind and made-to-order gifts. Check out CraftyNeighbor.com for more info.

Or better yet, come take one of our classes and MAKE your OWN gifts this year!  We have a wide variety of classes for every skill level:  Perpetual calendars, stationery, decorative tins, holiday decor, and much more!  See our website for a full listing of all classes.

We have a whole list of classes we are offering, but we can only upload them so fast.  If you see something you like, but it's not available online yet, please send us an email!  And check back frequently!  More classes will be added in the next few days!

Still think you're saving money at Michael's?

I can't count how many times a scrapbooker has told me they don't like to shop at the local scrapbook stores because it's too expensive.  The commonly held belief is that it's better to buy at Michaels or Hobby Lobby with a coupon whenever possible.  Are you one of those people who won't buy without a coupon?  Well guess what, you may not be getting the great deal that you think you are.

In an article on the website for the Attorney General for the state of New York, the A.G. summarizes a $1.8M settlement between Michael's stores and the state of New York for falsely claiming huge discounts while customers were actually paying full retail price.  The state alleges that the retail craft giant used deceptive trade practices daily for over two years, fooling customers into buying items they thought they were getting at a discount.

While the article only mentions the issue of Michael's custom framing, it is easy to imagine that a company that would stoop this low on a daily basis would also use some of those same practices to deceive customers in other ways.  Which then begs the question, are you really getting a discount?

I have always been a supporter of local craft stores and have made it a point to promote my local scrapbooking stores at every opportunity.  Local stores are not just selling you a product, they are selling you their services, their knowledge, and their expertise.   I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, and while you may be getting a discount by shopping at the big chain stores, when you shop locally, you are investing not only in the product you are purchasing, but also the people who sell it and the community you live in.  

So next time you need to buy craft supplies, think twice about where you spend your money.  It may be costing you more than you think.

To read more about the Michaels settlement, visit: http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2011/sep/sep19a_11.html

To learn more about supporting local stores in your community, visit:

http://www.the350project.net/home.html

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Whew! It's HOT out there!  I know summer is the time to be doing stuff outdoors, but if you're like me, it is just too darned hot to be outside in 100° heat.  Air conditioning was invented for a reason! This weather is the PERFECT weather for sitting inside under some air conditioning and doing some good scrapbooking and crafting and that means crops and classes!  

Here's a peek at the Crafty Neighbor calendar.  You can see we have a few events coming up!  We hope you'll join us for one or two (or more)!  All classes and crops are at our Carrollton location unless otherwise noted.  Please RSVP or pay online to reserve your spot!

Crafty Neighbor Studios

Cindy Murray's house

2006 Stefani Place

Carrollton, Texas

972-965-2606

cindy@craftyneighbor.com

http://www.craftyneighbor.com

 Wednesday, 8/10/11, 2pm - 4pm:   Stamping Basics; Learn about the different kinds of inks and stamps; $15

 Wednesday, 8/10/11, 7pm - 9pm:   Stamping Basics; Learn about the different kinds of inks and stamps; $15

 Thursday, 8/11/11, Noon - ???:   Weekday Crop Party; Bring your supplies and crop for the day; $5

 Saturday, 8/13/11, All Day:   Scrappin' Goodtime Workshops; Christen and I will be in Corsicana and the fabulous Scrappin' Goodtime Store and Retreat.  Join us Friday evening for some cropping and classes on Saturday.  Stay all night at the retreat and take classes all day!  See the Scrappin' Goodtime website for a list of available classes; price varies.

 Friday, 8/27/11; 7pm:  6-Pack and Pizza Combo; Join us for an evening of pizza and three 2-page layouts (6-pack).  See website for details; $40

 Saturday, 10/9/11 - 10/16/11:   4th Annual Scrapbooking Cruise;  Space is still available at the current market rate.  Join us for 7-days aboard the Carnival Conquest including Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Cozumel.  Classes, demos, prizes, and lots of fun!; Call for pricing -- very, very low rates!

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                                 Learn to Scrapbook!                            

Do you know anyone who is interested in learning to scrapbook?  Tell them about our Beginner Basics class!  For just $15, they can learn all the basics of scrapbooking and complete a two-page layout.  We can also provide one-on-one tutoring and instruction upon request.  Let us know if you are interested and we will arrange a Beginner class or private session to suit your needs!