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Easter Eggs & Chocolate Bunnies!
Filed under Easter, Kristin Batsel, Lora Mahaffey, Miniatures, Nichola Battilana
The Easter Covers for Mini Shadowboxes are back! Downsized so that all 3 shapes fit the Mini Shadowbox – 2×3! Aw… so sweet! These are flat, heavy chipboard covers. There’s an egg and 2 bunny rabbits in the set.
And the same 3 designs are also available as separate lids (with cute scalloped edge on the sides — see all 3 directly below). BONUS: the related lids have been added to the FIRST of today’s sales!
There’s cute artwork by THREE Design Team Members using the Easter egg shaped cover, farther below. I’ve put everything in ALL THREE supply lists on sale!
The second sale is on ALL Easter Collage Sheets (lots of options from banners to mid-century kitsch to pretty florals).
Related Cuteness
Before seeing the cute artwork, how about some even tinier chocolate bunnies!?
See that photo at right for an idea of just how tiny — and ideas for using a foil-covered chipboard bunny or some new polymer clay slices to fill the new Tiny White Chocolate Bunny Boxes!
Note: I’ve added all these items to today’s sale! See below for the coupon info.
Artwork x3!
Eye candy from THREE talented ladies, all using the egg-shaped cover! (That flat cover was in an Easter-themed kit ages ago… the kit is sold out but most things in the artwork is back or still in stock!)
Starting with KRISTIN’S Bunnies Box at left! Great ideas: Chop up that basket if it doesn’t fit! Glue eggs & chicks & any other small thingy you want to stay put on little stands to help anchor them!
I love the tiny basket, but it was a bit too wide to tuck back into the corner of the box, so I took some heavy duty scissors and cut the back part out. It was also a little bit too tall, so I cut the bottom part off as well (after this photo was taken). Once the basket was cut to size, I glued it to the back and bottom of the box with some white glue. When it’s filled with a little Easter grass and some eggs, you can’t tell it’s been cut.
You can see everything Kristin used in this supply list.
NEXT UP: A whole different look and feel (and a shallower depth) from Nichola! (Nichola used the flat cover over chipboard, adding some foam to provide a bit of depth).
The main images of fairies are from the Pink Children’s Theatre Collage Sheet.
Moss and paper flowers are tucked into the edges. And finally fussy cut paper butterflies from the English Fairy Garden Collage Sheet are added! So cute!
Here’s Nichola’s supply list.
Finally, see the wide photo below for A Little Blue Bunny by Lora!
I included a close-up of the shadowbox at an angle (in the top right) so you can just barely make out the wooden disk (button? tiny spool?) that the bunny is attached to (to keep him hovering off the ground and to give him dimension). Also, in the lower right you can see how Lora built up the background with chipboard underneath of a strip of the blue scrapbook paper (I love the fairy wings on the bunny… and all the doodling Lora does, too!)
Here’s Lora’s supply list (and remember that all these supplies are in today’s sale collection)!
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More New or Back-in-Stock Easter Goodies
There are those Mini Pin Stands and Yellow Baby Ducks I mentioned from Kristin’s artwork!
And the new polymer clay slices shown with the tiny white boxes above.
Note: I’ve added all these items to today’s sale! See below for the coupon info.
FREE Gift with Orders
A Bunny & Easter Eggs Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight March 22, 2023)!
The set includes:
– A Miniature Brown Bunny Rabbit and
– A pinch of the new Easter Eggs Polymer Clay Slice Mix!
Note: I added the Miniature Brown Bunny Rabbit to the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more!
Easter Eggs & Bunnies SALE
I’ve already highlighted a few items from the Easter art projects in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon EASTER when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 20 items! And remember all those new Easter goodies shown above are in the sale, too!
Don’t forget the separate Easter Collage Sheets section is also on sale (the two items shown at right are from that group — use the same coupon for both collections)! Over 20 more sale items!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, March 22nd at midnight PST.
See the artwork supplies sale collection here!
 12mm Mini Speckled Bird Eggs |
 12mm Wooden Drawer Pull or Box Feet |
 Happy Easter Collage Sheet (Bunny in Lora’s art) |
 Bunnies Collage Sheet (Bunnies banner (and mom bunny) in Kristin’s art) |
 Mini Shadowbox – 2×3 |
 Just Wings Collage Sheet |
Let’s Bake Miniature Scene! New Minis, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Miniatures, Shannon Cooper, Tiny Retro Bakery Box Kit
Let’s Bake! by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper
This is such a cute kitchen mini project! Shannon started with the sunny wallpaper and all the resin buttons in the Tiny Retro Bakery Box Kit, plus a couple pieces of 1:12 furniture (and a ton of tiny things!) to make a scene with a very mid-century feel!
(We’re taking a brief break from all the spring gardening projects from recent weeks… even though (most of us) are all recovering today from that evil Daylight Saving Time change, so I know the official start of spring is right around the corner.)
Back to today’s artwork: here’s an intro from Shannon’s blog post:
The Tiny Retro Bakery Box Kit started me on this path, with its delightful kitchen themed buttons, collage sheets, a tiny mixing bowl…ack! It is too much! So, naturally, I took that stuff along with some other bits and bobs and crammed it in a 7×7 Corner Room Box. Yay!
Lots of items in Shannon’s project are back in stock (including the wooden table and hutch). Note: I’ve put everything in Shannon’s BIG supply list on sale! More info below… after more photos from this fun project.
There’s a work table in the center that holds pots, pans, and bowls on the bottom self, plus all of the baking accoutrements on the top: a blue measuring cup (technically a coffee cup in a gorgeous retro color but a few swipes with a Sharpie turned it into a measuring cup), a milk bottle, muffin pan, rolling pin, cookie cutter, spatula, items from the kit (metal bowl and green oven mitt), a cookbook, and a smattering of jars.
A bit of paint has been added to the cutting board before being hung on the wall. I think it adds a nice touch, plus I really like that button. The shank was snipped off the back so it lays flat. The same was done to all of the buttons used, but I have a second set to sew onto something later. 🙂
The hutch in the back has tons of things on its shelves and inside the opening doors on the bottom, like a grater (another button!), honey jar with a label from a collage sheet, little lemon cakes, red canisters, more jars and containers (like the Mini Candy Jar w Red Candies), a rooster, a couple more cookbooks, and a tiny picnic basket (omitting the handle).
Great job, Shannon!! You can see more photos on Shannon’s blog post. And here’s her supply list. (Plus see below for more info on the sale including all those supplies plus a bunch of bonus items!)
New and Updated Miniatures
Beside those cute cakes at right (and check out the photo of one in a Mini Square Bakery Box Set at left), see the 3 cast metal items below! They’re back in stock but now from raw cast metal (much cheaper plus you can paint the handles if you want to approximate the older versions).
More Back in Stock Minis
Wow, it has been months since I could get those tiny glass jars (and apples)!
FREE Gift with Orders
A Baking Minis Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight March 15, 2023)!
The set includes one each of these 2 items used in Shannon’s artwork:
– Baked With Love Cutting Board Button (on the wall to right of hutch)
– Silver Grater Button (bottom shelf of hutch)
AND one each of 3 more tiny kitchen treats: Silver Wire Whisk Charm, Spatula Button, Kitchen Mixer Button
Note: all those extras have been added to the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more!
Let’s Bake SALE!
I’ve already highlighted quite a few items from Shannon’s project in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
BUT FIRST: There are lots of bonus items added to the sale collection! These are items added as substitutes for items in Shannon’s artwork that have sold out
– Brass Button Covers or Mini Tins (for the metal tin she colored with a red Sharpie… next to the rooster)
– Tall Milk Bottle with Red Label (for the milk bottle on the table)
– Cup of Tea (for the cup of cocoa on the table)
– Set of Fancy Silverware (for the set of spoons on wall)
THESE are bonus collage sheets with a retro kitchen theme:
– Recipe Babes Collage Sheet
– Tiny ’50s Baking Props Half Sheet
– In the Kitchen Collage Sheet
Use coupon BAKE when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 50 items (including the items in that FREE gift set, too)!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, March 15th at midnight PST.
See the artwork supplies sale collection here!
A Forgotten Garden & New Market Stall! Artwork, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Art Projects, Back in Stock, Fairy Garden, Miniatures, Teri Calia
The Simple Market Stall is back! Now as a chipboard kit! Teri Calia used a similar version (in the same size) in her project below.
A simple lean-to with lots of potential. Maybe a market stall, maybe a garden shed (like Teri’s version), maybe a spooky Halloween project?
Designed to sit on top of the Platform Base – 6x7x2, if you’d like more height (so the footprint of the stall is also 6″ (deep) x 7″ (wide)).
The overall height without the extra base is 9″ (at the front edge… note the angled roof). The height at the back wall is 6-1/2″. The window holes fit the largest size in the Windows 4 Panel Square set.
I’ve put everything in Teri’s supply list including this new/old market stall on sale!
Revisiting The Forgotten Garden
The Forgotten Garden is a beautiful (and a bit strange) miniature creation by Teri. Strange as in mysterious, ghostly, weird and perhaps even a little unearthly. If you were to come upon it on a foggy morning, by yourself, out in the middle of the English countryside it may even unnerve you a bit.
Teri used 3 walls of the stall (but not the roof), perched on a 6x7x2 Platform Base. Clever girl: Teri didn’t use the roof, instead she used 1/4 Inch Square Wooden Dowels laid across the top of the shed walls.
The 6x7x2 Platform Base is sitting on top of another platform (Cottage Base – 9x9x1) with 2-Step Stairs (which were designed for the height of that taller platform).
Yes, that is a skeleton half-buried in overgrown grass you see to the left of the steps! I believe Teri thought of him/her as the long forgotten gardener or caretaker of the garden. (Aside: I love the dandelion that Teri made… growing out of the skeleton.)
As you approach the back of the building you may find yourself thinking, “Hmm… this place looks pretty dead but the roses certainly look like they’re taken care of.” Being a rose lover, you turn on the garden hose (that surprisingly looks quite new) and give the roses a quick drink. There is also a weedy windowbox, with Trellis Panels on either side as fancy shutters.
Inside the shed is a Workshop Table, covered with long-forgotten supplies (potting soil on old newspapers, a trowel and other hand tools, a flower pot on its side, a wooden crate under the table, and seed packets/gloves from a collage sheet Teri designed for this project).
Here’s a link to all the items still available from the supply list (and remember all those items are on sale — see the bottom of this post for more info and a photo of a companion piece).
More New or Back in Stock Miniatures
Beside the Simple Market Stall already mentioned, most everything new today is in Teri’s artwork! (So on sale!)
I even added the Mini Green Rain Boots to the sale (not in Teri’s artwork but add some faux mud and they’d fit right in).
There are tons new items today (including some half scale versions of furniture) so check here to see everything.
One more item… 1/4 Inch Square Wooden Dowels
Such a simple thing and so useful! Teri used them instead of the solid roof on the stall (perfect for letting in more light and for adding more greenery).
Not in Teri’s art but there are new small square dowels on the site, too!
And check that wide photo below for even more new or back-in-stock items Teri used: newspapers, trellis panels (used as shutters), and that rustic shovel.
FREE Gift with Orders
A Wishing Well Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight March 8, 2023)!
The set includes one each of:
– Small Bronze Bees
– 3D Wishing Well Charm
– Antique Brass Birdhouse Charm
– Florentine Brass Leaves
Note: all those extras have been added to the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more!
Two different sets are shown at right (cuz I will add either a silver birdhouse or silver lantern… no longer on the site). If I run out of both, I’ll substitute some other leafy/gardening charm as a 5th charm instead.
The Forgotten Garden SALE
What’s this? Teri made an arbor as part of her project (sitting on the same size 9×9 platform so the 2 buildings can be moved around to face each other… or not). There’s another photo of the arbor below, too.
I’ve already highlighted quite a few items from Teri’s project in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon FORGOTTEN when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 40 items (including the items in that FREE gift set, and TWO more extras, cuz most of the planters in Teri’s project sold out: Victorian Planter – Terra Cotta and Set of 2 Terra Cotta Garden Pots)!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, March 8th at midnight PST.
See the artwork supplies sale collection here!
 Set of 2 Terra Cotta Garden Pots |
 Victorian Planter – Terra Cotta |
 Mini Hedge Clippers |
 White Sleeping Cat (did you notice him/her… sleeping in a windowbox… in that photo above showing the overgrown back of the stall) |
 Tiny Labels for Crates, Jars, & Cans Collage Sheet |
 English Flower Box – Antiqued (also below with a bit of paint and some mossy grass added) |
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New Plants & Plant Stand! Artwork, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Flowers, Miniatures, Shannon Cooper
The Plant Stand with Drawer is back! Now as a chipboard kit! Still with 3 trays of graduated depth (the bottom with a drawer).
Note that the drawer (and the face plate) now have a hole in the front (shown at left with a Mini Brass Cabinet Pull & Tiny Wooden Drawer Knob as options). BONUS: I added both of those options to the FIRST of today’s sales!
There’s fabulous artwork by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper using that plant stand. I’ve put everything in Shannon’s supply list on sale!
The second sale is on ALL Paper Flowers & Leaves (lots of color options for a plant stand — and includes 2 new papers roses shown below).
Mini Peculiar Plants by Shannon Cooper
Oh my… those eyeballs! I love that eyeball plant Shannon made (and lucky for us, she includes a mini tutorial on making your own stalks of eyeballs in her blog post)! The eyes are just polymer clay slices, surrounded by newly-made clay eyelids; all on wire stems stabbed into a mini house plant.
The rest of the display ain’t shabby either! So many cute mini containers and plants, restyled to a Halloween theme by a label here or a skull bead there…
Here’s a bit of intro from Shannon’s blog post:
Yesterday, right in the middle of doing eleventy thousand things, I had this brilliant idea to drop everything, ignore people, sit down, and make something. You know, as one does when one’s To Do is two pages long.
It started with this fabulous Plant Stand with Drawer from Alpha Stamps. This thing’s been untouched for a little while now, mostly because I had so many different plans for it. Would it be a display shelf for a bakery, loaded with bread? Storage shelves for mini art supplies? A kitchen shelf for cookbooks and pots and pans? It eventually turned into what it’s meant to be: a plant stand. With a bit of spooky sprinkled here and there. 😀
The first thing I did was give the plant stand a nice wash of diluted black acrylic paint, then a dry brushing of some metallic silver, eggshell, and dark brown paints in various spots. The same thing was done to all of the pots, baskets, and chipboard pieces. I used alcohol ink to cover the miniature planter with foliage (on the bottom shelf behind the skull plant). It’s such a cute plant as is, but I ended up plucking the pink flowers it came with and replaced them with orange fall foliage.
Nice work, Shannon! Learn more about the project in Shannon’s post and see all the goodies she used in her Supply List (and remember all those items are on sale — see the bottom of this post for more info and another photo).
 1.5 Inch Tall Etched Ravens Added to the sale collection as a substitute for the sold-out raven (perched at the top). |
 Eyeballs Polymer Clay Halloween Slices |
 A Witch’s Grimoire Collage Sheet |
New or Back in Stock Miniatures
Beside the Plant Stand with Drawer already mentioned, that Mini Garden Tool Set (shown at right) is also in Shannon’s artwork! (So on sale!)
Oh, so happy that the Tiny 3D Round Cap Mushrooms are back in stock! And just look at those Half Scale Antiqued Leafy Urns! (So tiny and cute… and nicely antiqued.)
The TWO new papers roses below are also in today’s sale! See below for the coupon info.
FREE Gift with Orders
A Spiky Plant Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight March 1, 2023)!
The set includes one each of:
– Tiny Spiky Plants (in Shannon’s artwork)
– Tiny Grass Tufts (in Shannon’s artwork, too)
– The Garden Of Books Potted Plants Chipboard Set
– Miniature Barrel Planter
Two different sets are shown at right (as the color options are random). Note: I added the Miniature Barrel Planter to the sale collection (all the other items are already included in 1 of the 2 sales), so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more!
Mini Peculiar Plants SALE
I’ve already highlighted a few items from Shannon’s project in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon PLANTS-SALE when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 30 items!
And don’t forget the separate Paper Flowers & Leaves section is also on sale (the two items shown at right are from that group — use the same coupon for both collections)! Over 50 more sale items! (And a big bunch of odd items are in there beside paper flowers, like the daffodils at right and some die-cut leaves!)
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, March 1st at midnight PST.
See the artwork supplies sale collection here!
Alice & Tea! New Miniatures, Art x2, Sale & Free Drink Me GIFT!
Filed under Alice in Wonderland, Altered Tins, Guest Designers, Susan Killam
Wow, totally not planned but we have MORE Alice in Wonderland artwork today! (Last week’s altered tin theme included a couple of Alice projects.)
I am delighted for so many different projects all about Alice. Maybe it’s spring… although I always imagined Alice falling down that rabbit hole in summer: it could have been spring. What with the Mad March Hare and all.
And TODAY: a beautiful tea party INSIDE a teapot by Guest Designer Connie Littell!
Plus those Tiny Celadon Tall Ceramic Teapots shown at right are back in stock (and inside Connie’s teapot)…
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Starting with a bit of intro from Connie’s blog post:
I am happy to share something special today. I was invited to be a guest designer for Alpha Stamps and made a little Alice In Wonderland tea party shrine using a Little Niche Shrine – Teapot and a Chipboard Teapot Blank. Whenever I make a miniature scene I like to add as many tiny things as will fit. The niche is 2 by 3 inches. Challenge accepted!
The tree that holds the Cheshire Cat (cut from the Tin-Sized Alice Collage Sheet) is a 5 inch Creepy Tree with just a little branch cut away to assure the niche opening isn’t completely covered. I painted both sides of the tree with burnt umber acrylic paint.
The tree needs leaves and I wasn’t excited about cutting a ton of them out by hand. Laser-Cut Miniature Ivy worked perfectly and was a lot of fun to play with. After figuring out how many sections I wanted to use, I painted both sides with acrylic paint. Once dry, they were glued in place on the tree.
Beautiful work, Connie! Read more (and see more photos and tips) in Connie’s blog post and here’s her Alice Teapot Tea Party Supply List (and all the supplies are in today’s sale)!
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Pretty New Miniatures
Starting with the Clear Cake Stand with Lid shown at left and right (I added a Mini Halloween Cake for size). Since cakes and Alice and tea parties all go together, I’ve added this stand to today’s sale! See below for the coupon info.
Oh, more pretty new things: that Antiqued Wall Planter with Handles is beautifully detailed (and antiqued). Get a head start on spring floral projects…
One more new item… White 3-Tier Cupcake Stand
See the new version at right! Now made of metal and shiny-glazed ceramic. Very nice! And since cakes and Alice and tea parties all go together, I’ve added this stand to the sale, too! See below for the coupon info.
It’s heavy enough to stay standing up not matter how many cakes you fill it up with. Nice scalloped edging around all 3 layers, too. Approx 1-1/2″ tall. Note: the space on the top shelf for items is only 1/4″ wide (on either side of the center post).
And check that photo below for more Alice artwork by Connie (using the old/sold out version but the size is the same so all those treats could fit on the new one).
More info about Connie’s project; or view all the supplies.
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Alice In Wonderland Tins by Susan Killam
These are so sweet! (From every angle including those cute images on the backs, see the wide photo below.) Lots of good details about techniques are in Susan’s blog post, too.
And although (horrors!) Susan has until recently not been a fan of Alice (?) I’ll still let her introduce the projects:
Hello Friends! As you might notice, I’m still working on Alice In Wonderland projects! I’ll tell you a secret: Until last month, I never read or watched any version of Alice in Wonderland. No kidding! Since that’s the Alpha Stamps April Kit theme, I decided to jump down the rabbit hole and finally explore for myself.
I survived. It was bewildering at times and downright weird at others, but I made it through 3-1/2 versions and only switched off two others (including the one with Scott Baio… yikes).
(Poor Susan! I could have suggested 3 of my favorite film versions if she’d only asked!)
I used a lot of Alpha Stamps collage sheets and the Altoids Inserts Vignette Set as frames around each tin.
Here’s a link to all the supplies Susan used for her tins (and included in today’s sale). Be sure to visit Susan’s blog post for more info on how she made these beauties!
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FREE Gift with Orders
A Drink Me Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight February 22, 2023)!
The set includes:
– Raw Brass Tea Set
– Antique Bronze 3D Rabbit Charm
– Antique Bronze 3D Crown Charm
– One of the Drink Me Bottle Polymer Clay Slices
– One of the Eat Me Cookies Polymer Clay Slices
– A custom Tiny Chipboard Arm Chair (not for sale separately)
(and all the items in this freebie are in the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more)!
Alice & Tea SALE
I’ve already highlighted quite a few items from both of the projects in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon DRINKME when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 30 items (including the items in that FREE gift set, both of the new cake stands and one more extra: Tiny Green Round Ceramic Teapot)!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 22nd at midnight PST.
Altered Tins! Artwork, Sale & Free Mardi Gras GIFT!
Filed under Alice in Wonderland, Altered Tins, Grimms' Fairy Tales, Laura Carson, Pierrot/Harlequin/Carnival, Shannon Cooper
Believe it or not, this whole newsletter and TWO sales were inspired by that new Fancy Grey Column or Garden Base (shown at right, with an Altoids Tin perched on top). It’s a chunky cast resin stand with a classical design.
The first sale is EVERYTHING Altoids Tin Themed (such a useful group of goodies… from collage sheets to the tins themselves and chipboard inserts in various themes).
Then I remembered a sweet Curiouser and Curiouser Tin by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper that uses lots of the items in that first sale group. So we’re revisiting that fun project AND I’ve put everything in Shannon’s supply list on sale!
Then (oh my) I decided that we should view a variety of themes/styles of altered tin artwork. So I added THREE more projects to the second sale group! (And I added that new resin stand to the second sale, too!) BOTH sales use the same discount code (more info below).
Back to the (first) art project: Shannon designed her tin way back when the Alice in an Altoids Tin Kit was announced (and that kit is included in the sale today, too)! Starting with some text from Shannon’s far-ago post:
What do you get when you cross Alice in Wonderland and blank Altoids tins? Only the best combination of things to craft with, that’s what! Two things in particular that I was curious about were the Altoids Inserts, miniature frames designed to fit the tins (I used a scalloped insert), and the Alice Covers Collage Sheet. The gorgeous images are vibrant, and the number included on the sheet gives you more options for altering a tin than you can shake a flamingo at.
The inside of this tin has duplicate images cut from the Rustic Trees and Foliage Collage sheet so I could sandwich pop dots between them, creating depth. The White Rabbit, bushes, and Alice have also been placed at different depths in the tin. The trim of red German Bouillon fit exactly around the tin and gave it a little shimmer.
Note: I added the 1/8 Inch Red Metallic Cord to the sale collection as an option for around the edges.
Such a fun little Alice shrine! Thanks, Shannon!
Here’s her Supply List… remember to scroll down and see more about the discount coupon, too! And, what? Another tin? (Or three?)
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Humpty Dumpty’s Afternoon
Is that not the cutest little Humpty Dumpty shrine you’ve ever seen!? I love this little piece (also by Shannon Cooper)! It’s perfect as a little hidden garden, with the hope of staying cool in the summer while reading.
Here’s a teaser from Shannon’s blog post:
The May Secret Garden Kit couldn’t have come at a better time. Starting a garden this spring was simply out of the question for most people, so having the opportunity to make a teeny tiny one was a nice substitute. Another plus: no pollen.
I knew I wanted to use the Ivy Corner Insert and Mini Green Leaves from the kit, and after gathering a handful of other greenery, it reminded me of vines that grow over walls and up the sides of houses. So, I built a tiny brick wall for the inside of the blank tin which happened to be the perfect spot for Humpty Dumpty.
Aside: Shannon also provides a tutorial on her post!
Although Shannon made the tissue paper roses herself (!), I’ve added some pre-made paper flowers (and more greenery) to the sale collection.
I added the Ivy Corner Insert to the outside of the tin (vs under the lip on the inside) and covered the seam with brownish embroidery floss. Oh, and if you are wondering, the curly brown “sticks” are just several lengths of covered florist wire coiled around the spool base, then wrapped up the side of the tin.
Love the artwork, Shannon! I also love how she snipped leaves from the Mini Trailing Ivy Borders, painted them, then glued them over the trellis & leaves on the Ivy Corner Insert to add more greenery.
Shannon gives tips on building Humpty’s wall (and lots more photos) on her blog post. Plus here’s Shannon’s supply list.
Grimm’s Fairy Tarot
This is such a great idea! Laura Carson
made fairy tale tarot cards and a pretty tin to house them (made from an Altoids Tin and the Fairy Tale Frames Altoid Inserts Set).
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As Laura says in her blog post:
I was racking my brain trying to think of some kind of interesting twist on the Grimm theme and the idea of fate popped into my mind. I decided to expand the theme beyond Snow White by including other Grimm fairy tales which in turn led to the idea of making Tarot cards.
For me the best part of the project was choosing the images for each card (there were so many to choose from). My favorites are Red Riding Hood as The Fool, Puss in Boots as the Knight of Swords and Sleeping Beauty pricking her finger as the Wheel of Fortune.
Hm… I think Rapunzel as The Hermit is a witty choice, too.
And don’t you fret about making your own set, Laura is giving away the collage sheet with the labels for the entire deck (although she only made 15 cards, as that number would fit in an Altoids Tin). AND she has a good suggestion/link to a past tutorial on hinging 2 tins together to make room for more cards.
Laura is also giving away the little snippet of text she designed (“TAROT”) to coordinate with the words “GRIMM’S” and “FAIRY” from the Grimm Covers #3 Collage Sheet so you can recreate her cover title.
So… ready to start thinking up your own Grimm’s Fairy Tarot? Before you begin, head over to Laura’s blog to read more tips. As we moved sites since the original post, remember to use this link for all the supplies Laura used and be sure to come back for info on the sale on all her supplies.
Mysterious Masquerade Altered Tin
You may remember this beautiful altered tin that Shannon made a few year’s ago. It uses part of a Small Quatrefoil Panel in the background (and you can just make out a masked lady hiding behind that screen).
The main image is from the The Secret Collage Sheet.
How regal with that crown (actually just a piece of a Chipboard Fleur Border, bent into a curve and attached to the top of an Altoid’s Tin)!
And see that swirly frame at the bottom of the tin (framing the “Mysterious” text)? That’s from the Fairy Tale Frames Altoid Inserts Set (a big set with 3 options of inserts & matching frames). Yes, that the same set that Laura used on the front and back covers of her tarot tin.
See more photos (and tips) on Shannon’s blog post!
Here’s a link to all the items still available from the supply list. I included a few extras, like 2 shades of purple Tiny Paper Roses.
FREE Gift with Orders
A Mardi Gras Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight February 15, 2023)!
Inspired by that Mysterious Masquerade Altered Tin by Shannon (and Mardi Gras is February 21st)! The set includes:
– 5mm Star Sequin Mix (also used in Shannon’s tin, so already in the sale — around that chipboard fleur border at top)
– One each of these charms: Small Brass Fans, Small Silver Fleur de Lys Charms, Silver Mardi Gras Mask Charm
– A custom set of 4 Tiny Chipboard Masks (not for sale separately)
(and all the charms in this freebie are in the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more)!
Altered Tin Artwork SALE
I’ve already highlighted quite a few items from each of the FOUR projects in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon TINSALE when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 50 items (including the charms from that FREE gift set)!
And don’t forget the separate Altoids Tins & Related Trims section is also on sale (the two items shown at right are from that group — use the same coupon for both collections)!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 15th at midnight PST.
See the artwork supplies sale collection here!
Candlestick Holders, Art x4, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Halloween, Lora Mahaffey, Nichola Battilana, Shannon Cooper, Summer/Beach
Lots of cute and varied artwork today! There are TWO unfinished wooden candlestick holders back in stock today… and FOUR art projects using them! (Two are samples for each style/size of candlestick holder).
I created 1 new sale collection (including some extras beside the 4 supply lists).
PLUS a new Bronze & Patina Seashell FREE GIFT Kit (and all those items are in the new sale collection, too)!
It was a Dark and Stormy Night
I’m starting with TWO projects by Lora Mahaffey (both using the Short Candlestick Holder — and both with an ocean theme):
Here is a piece with some interesting elements… a stormy sea with a ship teetering on the brink of disaster.
A woman looking away from the ship, gazing into the ‘room’ with a sea serpent coiled around her ankles.
What is the story? Is she a transformed mermaid seeking vengeance on the sea captain who imprisons her?
Is she about to send the serpent to rescue the crew of the ship?
Whatever is happening, it’s going to be a rough, wet night.
Note: Lora hand-tinted that damsel, from the Edwardian Women Collage Sheet.
Special thanks to Lora as she also tinted the sea serpent (on her shrine and on the Sea Serpents Collage Sheet).
Here’s Lora’s supply list and blog post (with tutorial). And don’t forget that all the supplies from ALL FOUR projects are included in the sale collection (more info below).
Mermaids’ Hidden Treasure
Another project by Lora, also using the Short Candlestick Holder but a completely different look.
Somewhere in the Atlantic ocean, an undiscovered island sits dozing in the sun. There is a stretch of coastline on this island that is very rough and dangerous, full of large rocks, treacherous tides and sudden undertows. No one would think of anchoring a boat there or heavens forbid, swimming that stretch of shore.
Unless you are a mermaid.
Because under the water there is a hidden grotto that isn’t even visible at low tide. The water reflects the dappled sunshine, lighting up this very secret place that the mermaids have chosen to hide the treasure they have collected over centuries.
I’m happy to see Lora used that versatile Square Shrine Shadowbox as the starting point for her shrine. And I love all the little embellishments to the mermaids from the Sea Green Mermaids Collage Sheet: pumping up some colors with Copic Markers (or changing colors entirely like the mermaids’ hair).
Here’s Lora’s supply list and blog post). Note: that’s a fairly old post so use my supply list link. Also note: I added the Altoids Topper Victorian Scroll as a substitute for the squirrely filigree on the top of the shrine).
FREE Gift with Orders
A Bronze & Patina Seashell Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight February 8, 2023)!
This little set was inspired by those 2 ocean-themed projects by Lora. The set includes one each of these SIX charms:
– Enameled Seashell Charm Mix (a random choice)
– Tiny Silver Conch Shell Charm
– Tiny Silver Scallop Shell Charm
– Patina Sea Horse Charm
– Bronze Conch Shell Charm or Pendant
– Brass Patina Conch Shell Charms
– Bonus: an ample pinch of the Mini Seashell Sequin Mix!
(and everything in this freebie is in the sale collection, so see that coupon below, if you want to buy more)!
Hallowe’en Candy Dish
Wow… Here’s a jump! Not only did Nichola Battilana use the taller, skinnier Candlestick Holder but we’re jumping to Halloween!
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I made the candy dish using the Tealight Haunted House Kit with Base. Only I didn’t use the base as a base, I used it upside down for something more important… candy corn (do not even try to debate me on the goodness of candy corn).
Not only is this project cute, but came together pretty quickly. Quick, easy and cute = extra awesome in my book.
I didn’t fiddle around with the house at all. I assembled it, added the window frames, applied a good coat of acrylic paint, then highlighted the frames in gold. To finish it off I added dresden trim, glass cabochon windows and wee plastic bat.
I love the gold paint on the window frames… it looks so rich (almost like gold leafing) but it’s just unevenly applied so the black underneath shows through a bit.
See more photos (and read more about candy corn!) on Nichola’s blog post. And here’s Nichola’s Hallowe’en Candy Dish Supply List
Witch’s Bed and Table
I’m cheating a tiny bit here: that center stand/base for the round table in Shannon Cooper’s project is not the same wooden candlestick holder (but the 3 Inch Tall one would be a good match, and a good height for a dollhouse scale table).
The Spider Web Wrought Iron Playing Card caught my eye and I decided to transform it into a bed for a witch.
The table was an afterthought, made by gluing a wood finial to a wood disk, painting it, then adding a Dresden trim along the edge.
Note that Shannon used a rubber stamp for the bed linens, and to emboss a gold metallic design in the top of her table. Clever!
Here’s Shannon’s supply list and blog post (with a detailed tutorial on how to construct the bed).
Art from Candlestick Holders SALE
I’ve already highlighted quite a few items from each of the FOUR projects in this collection (but I picked out a few more, shown below).
Use coupon CANDLE when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 40 items (including the charms from that FREE gift set)!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 8th at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
Mini Valentine Displays & Forest Spinner: Art, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Alice in Wonderland, Miniatures, Shannon Cooper, Valentine's Day
It’s almost February (and Valentine’s Day)… I was inspired by TWO art projects by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper (both with lots of pink and red roses). Plus 3 minis are back in stock that are related to both projects, so I’ve created TWO sale collections (including lots of extras beside Shannon’s 2 supply lists).
PLUS a new Red, White & Pink Blossoms FREE Gift!
So starting with those 3 back-in-stock items (all 3 are in today’s sales, too)!
Mini Valentine Displays
Shannon has made 2 tiny (adorable) little Valentine displays! Here’s an intro and some details from Shannon’s blog post:
All of the cakes on the little wire stand? Yep, they are pre-made, they are all available at Alpha Stamps. [Psst… quite a few shown are new today and are on sale — more info below!]
I placed the cakes on a few plates (and cut out a white foam heart “plate” for the top one), and turned one plate into a cake stand by gluing on a white pony bead. After that, all I really did was glue red Dresden trim to the edges of the stand, and poof! A Valentine’s cake display that is 3-3/4″ tall!
And since that project took three minutes, I had time to squeak in another little thing. This one took a tad longer to finish, but only because I painted a microscopic metal jewelry box and made a teensy string of pearls to go inside.
While waiting for the jewelry box to dry, I painted hearts on a white metal bowl, and while that was drying, I dipped the strawberries in chocolate paint. With nothing left to paint, I constructed a heart shaped box and gift bag from the Tiny Little Valentine’s Collage Sheet. The vase is a metal bit that holds a lampshade in place. Why don’t I own miniature vases??
Why indeed! I will get some vases to Shannon ASAP! Here’s Shannon’s supply list for both little displays.
Sale #1: Mini Valentine Displays Collection
This sale started with the supply list from Shannon’s Mini Valentine Displays artwork. That includes the White Lace-Edged Plate and Miniature White Wire Corner Stand shown above, too!
Note: I’ve added the Unfinished Wood Fern Stand to this sale collection as the white wooden stand has sold out.
Use coupon SPINNY when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Plus this coupon will also work with the second sale collection below! (And that 2nd sale will explain the odd coupon!)
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 1st at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
FREE Gift with Orders
A Red, White & Pink Blossoms Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight February 1, 2023)!
This little set includes one each of these FIVE paper flowers:
– Small White Mulberry Blossoms
– Tiny Mulberry Blossoms – Red
– Tiny Mulberry Blossoms – Bright Pink
– Small Mulberry Blossoms – Pink Mix
(and all 4 are in the sale, so remember that coupon if you want to buy more)!
– Bonus: a Small Red Mulberry Blossom (not sold separately)
Alice All Around, A Weird and Wonderful Spinny Thing
My, oh my! This project is so delightful! Not only a tiny room box with 4 rooms (!) but Shannon made Alice scenes in all the rooms! (Scroll down a bit to see 2 wide photos showing some of the scenes.)
I am very excited to tell you about a Quarter Scale Four Scene Room Box – Forest from Alpha Stamps! This tiny thing with its long name is simply awesome! It is two flat chipboard pieces that you can paint (or paper, decoupage, whatever!), assemble, and then affix to the round base. That means there are four little areas to decorate until your heart is content. The whole piece is 6″ wide, so each room is 3″ x 3″, with a bit less space as the floor is round.
And what better way to decorate it than with Alice! And miniatures! And miniature Alice paper dolls! And let’s also make it spin!!! (insert flailing Kermit arms)
Okay, I am getting a little carried away… ahem. But this four scene room box does deserve all of those exclamations.
Ha! Shannon’s project and lively text are much appreciated! Note: Shannon added the Lazy Susan so that the tree can spin (not included by default, but a fun idea).
Plus, what is that little book at left? Shannon also includes an extra Alice project at the bottom of her post!
Here’s a link to all the supplies Shannon used for the Spinny Thing. Be sure to visit her blog post for lots more info & photos (and a video of it spinning)! AND see the 2nd wide photo below (the one with the Queen of Hearts) showing how you can take the characters OUT of the scenes! (Shannon made little cardboard stands for some of her Alice characters, so they can stand up and be taken out of the scenes; perfect for playing paper dolls with a small human.)
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Sale #2: Alice Forest Spinner Collection
This group started with the supply list from Shannon’s Alice All Around, A Weird and Wonderful Spinny Thing. That includes the back-in-stock Mini Blossoms Mix – Fuchsia Pink, too!
Then I added a couple more pink flowers (those scenes above with the Caterpillar & the Tweedles show some pink flowers):
– Tiny Paper Roses – Medium Pink
– Tiny Mulberry Blossoms – Light Pink
(The Tiny Mulberry Blossoms – Bright Pink that are in the gift kit would be a good option, too… note that the red and white roses shown in the scene with The Red Queen are already in the sale group.)
Use coupon SPINNY when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Plus this coupon will also work with the first sale collection above!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, February 1st at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
Gnomes & Mushrooms & Grimm: Art, Sale & Free GIFT!
Filed under Grimms' Fairy Tales, Shannon Cooper, Snow White Kit, Woodland Window Box Kit
I was inspired by TWO art projects by Design Team Member Shannon Cooper (both with a Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales theme — specifically Snow White). One thing led to another and I’ve created TWO sale collections (including lots of extras beside Shannon’s 2 supply lists).
PLUS a new Tiny Little Mushrooms FREE Gift!
Oh, first thing before I forget: the 3 items directly below are FINALLY back in stock!
The Unexpected Guest
Shannon has made a beautiful and clever) lighted shadowbox with the Woodland Window Box Kit. I’ll let Shannon explain a bit about her project:
Life has been a bit crazy lately, but I managed a little art project for Alpha Stamps using the pretty Woodland Window Box Kit. I’ve been ready to make art for awhile now but found the days ending before my To Do list was completed. This kit made it possible to squeeze in some creativity which is exactly what I had been missing for so many weeks!
I really love the new facade with an inset niche: it adds extra space around the opening of the Even Smaller Paper Theatre Box for decorating and the Window with Flower Box is icing on the cake! The finished project is small enough that, when not mounted to a platform base like my example, can be hung on a wall or displayed on an easel. How cute would that be?
I decided to glue a bunch of bushy plants and mushrooms to mine, so went with the 5×2 Platform Base. An arch of twigs (with white roses) was glued to the base and, as a bonus, I got to use more of the scrummy Woodland 6×6 Paper Pad. It’s beautiful paper.
The back is fairly simple with more greenery. The window from the Decorative Windows Set 1:12 holds a surprise: Ooooh, a light!
The Even Smaller Paper Theatre Boxes are 3/4″ deep, so the wireless Single LED Light I used worked out nicely. It gave the lanterns on the collage image a warm light to shine on Snow White.
Note: Shannon didn’t have to cut away any of the collage sheet image for the light to shine through (she just placed it close to the back of the image and right at the level of the lantern). See a preview of Shannon’s tutorial in the wide photo below (using a piece of a matchbox to create a little pocket for the light).
Beautiful work, Shannon! A few more supplies are shown below; see everything Shannon used to make The Unexpected Guest in the Supply List. And see more photos and a tutorial on Shannon’s blog post.
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Sale #1: The Unexpected Guest Collection
This sale started with the supply list from Shannon’s The Unexpected Guest artwork. I also added a few more items that would fit into that tiny greenery/mushroom garden Shannon built on the platform. Plus I added the larger Woodland 12×12 Paper Pad!
Use coupon GRIMM when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Plus this coupon will also work with the second sale collection below!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 25th at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
FREE Gift with Orders
A Tiny Little Mushrooms Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Wednesday (ends at midnight January 25, 2023)!
This little set includes:
– A Bronze Mushroom & Caterpillar Charm
– One of the Tiny 3D Ladybugs
– One of the Tiny Red Mushrooms (one wire has 2 mushrooms, so the amount shown)
– One of the Tiny Green Rose Leaves
(and all 4 are in the sale, so remember that coupon if you want to buy more)!
The Dwarfs’ Cottage Altered Tin
Eek! Isn’t this the cutest little cottage you’ve ever seen? And made from an Altoids Tin! AND Shannon has provided a tutorial for that roof! (Note: since Shannon’s project, I added a pre-cut roof based on her design… it’s also included in the sale collection.)
The Dwarfs’ Cottage Altered Tin is just perfect: all tucked into the small size of an Altoids Tin, it has a scene inside (behind one of the insert frames), a little image behind a window at top to make you think there’re an attic, hand-made stones (complete with moss and tiny flowers), faux wood trim, and a shingled roof.
“I fell in love with the scalloped insert frames, and was excited to see the newer Fairy Tale Frames Inserts for Altoid Tins.
“I used an image from the Snow White with the Dwarves Collage Sheet and the blank tin to construct the Dwarfs’ wee cottage, which has to be a much more pleasant place than a prince’s boring old castle. Plus, tiny houses are the way to go.
“The entire cottage is made from just three things: the tin, cardboard, and clay. The stones and wood beams are sculpted from the paper clay and the roof pieces and tiles are cut from cardboard. Super easy!”
Nice work, Shannon! Read more (and see lots more photos and that tutorial) in Shannon’s blog post. And here’s her Supply List.
Sale #2: Grimm Fairy Tales Collection
This group started with the supply list from Shannon’s The Dwarfs’ Cottage Altered Tin. Then it grew to include extra mushroom-themed items. AND ALL the Grimm Fairy Tales Collage Sheets!
The items I’m highlighting in the pics below are things not in Shannon’s supply list (they are all examples of the extras I added to the sale, but goodies in her supply list are also on sale)!
Use coupon GRIMM when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 90 items! Plus this coupon will also work with the first sale collection above!
The sale ends WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 25th at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
Mini Wooden Printer’s Type Tray Shadowbox Artwork & Sale!
Filed under Back in Stock, Halloween, Miniatures, Shannon Cooper
A totally unexpected project for this time of year, but I love it! Design Team Member Shannon Cooper’s Voodoo Shadowbox is so creepy cool! AND I’ve created a whole “Voodoo Collection Sale” around the items in Shannon’s supply list (plus I added more potion labels and bottles to bring the sale up to 40 items, then added everything with “SKULL” in the title, too)!
But before we delve into the sale, back to this fab project! Here’s some text from Shannon’s blog post:
I’ve had this awesome Mini Wooden Printer’s Type Tray Shadowbox on my craft table for some time, just waiting for a me to fill it with lots of little notions. (Note: the type trays are finally back in stock!) Next to the tray lay a handful of doodads, and while on hold with the USPS during the holidays, I rifled through the stuff and eventually began gluing things together while patiently waiting my turn. By the time a real-live person answered the call, I had several bottles filled with herbs and feathers, tiny jars, some rhinestones glued into a skull’s eye sockets, and quite a few Tarot cards snipped from the Tiny Divination Cards Collage Sheet (also in pic below). We won’t mention the wait time. :/
The printer’s tray was brown to begin with, and I had painted it a darker brown, only to discover that was not the answer for what I was going for. So all of its cubbies got a paint job and the front was covered with bronze metallic paint and then dry brushed with black. That’ll do.
I didn’t fret over what went where or making things just so. It was more of an “I’m going to glue this right here and all will be fine, moving on” kind of project. A few images from various collage sheets, like the Little Potions one, were glued to the backs of a few cubbies, and then the bottles, candles (psst, they are mostly real candles, minus the red one on the skull which is beeswax and embroidery floss!) were added, followed by some Spring Green Lichen Mix and other natural elements. All of the roses were cut from tissue paper and glued around a wire stem.
[Aside: I added the White Mini Rose Buds to the supply list so they’re part of the sale, too. They look the right size for that little white rose to the left of large-ish skull with the red candle — see close-up below. Oh, and that tall amber resin bottle to the right of the same skull is in the pic at right.]
Read more (and see more photos in Shannon’s blog post! Below are a few of the items from Shannon’s supply list (all on sale!)… and keep reading as there’s that related Voodoo Collection Sale, and a FREE Gift based on this Voodoo Shadowbox!
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FREE Gift with Orders
A Voodoo Charms Gift Kit is FREE with all orders placed today through Tuesday (ends at midnight January 17, 2023)!
That Silver Pentagram Charm is similar to the bronze one in Shannon’s artwork, plus the Bronze Perfume Bottle and Eyeball Cabs in Settings – Silver are just bonus items I picked out (and all 3 are also in the sale collection)!
Lots of Miniatures are Back in Stock
Beside the Mini Wooden Printer’s Type Tray Shadowbox that started off this whole newsletter, all of the items below have finally made their way through customs.
NEW: Voodoo Collection SALE
This is a special sale! It started with the supply list from Shannon’s Voodoo Shadowbox. Then it grew to include extra potion labels and bottles… BONUS: The sale also includes ALL ITEMS with SKULL in the title!
The items I’m highlighting in the pics below are things not in Shannon’s supply list (they are all examples of the extras I added to the sale, but goodies in her supply list are also on sale)!
Use coupon VOODOO when checking out to get an additional 20% off on EVERYTHING in this collection! That’s 20% off beyond current sale prices! Over 60 items!
The sale ends TUESDAY NIGHT, January 17th at midnight PST.
See the entire sale collection here!
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