HenandChicks

Join the Red Bag Club

We're having so much fun at Hen & Chicks Studio with the Red Bag Club...join the fun with us. Several of my blog readers have asked how they can participate without being within driving range of the store. I've put my thinking cap on and am trying to create a club for those individuals. Give me a few days to get the details worked out.

The first event has been announced. Can't beat this great opportunity to purchase last minute gifts or pick the project you'll start when the holiday is over!

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 12/8/2011 6:42 AM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

A Great Gift for Christmas

Part of the fun at Hen & Chicks Studio is the combination of quilting and scrapbooking. I love to do both so it's fun to share that excitement with others. Local creative person Megan Bergman and I have known each other for years. We've done things together with our families and kids, but now we're working together as creative adults! She has a passion for things with paper and is an awesome teacher, so I've asked her to be in charge of our scrapbooking classes at Hen & Chicks Studio. We're off to a great start and her next class is coming up quickly.

If you want to join Megan and get this project done quickly, call the store at 641-366-3336 or e-mail me at heidi@heidikaisand.com

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 12/7/2011 7:05 AM | Add Comment

Wanna Have Some Fun?

I'm working on my calendar for 2012 and I've started by announcing two new retreats in The Nest at Hen & Chicks Studio! Let me know if you're interested in signing up for either of these events by calling the store at 641-366-3336 or e-mail me at heidi@heidikaisand.com.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 12/6/2011 7:14 AM | Add Comment

Spinning in Color

The last few months have been a whirlwind of fun, excitement, and color! I just received the photos that Perry Struse took during our Grand Opening Celebration on November 19. It's been so fun to relive that day through his eyes. The people enjoying the make-it-and-take-its. The laughter. The smiles. The color! I'll be sharing more photos on my blog and website, but I just loved this photo--lots of color.

And, yes, Hen & Chicks Studio has all the DMC colors--a hot item in Central Iowa.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 12/4/2011 8:53 AM | Add Comment

The Ribbon Cutting

At 10 a.m. on Friday, November 18, Hen & Chicks Studio hosted its official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. It was so exciting...I only cried once! It was so fun to share the excitement with my mom and my staff. I so appreciate the support from the city of Conrad, as well.

A friend was taking pictures with my camera. It's always fun to see what they saw!

Pretty bundles of Lake House fabrics.

Darla giving tours of The Nest.

Guests having fun and chatting!

The Grand Opening Celebration was Saturday, November 19, and was a huge success. I'm waiting for the photos from my friend Perry Struse. He came and took tons! Of course, he enjoyed mingling with all of the creative folks in the store, too.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 11/22/2011 9:10 AM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment

Fill the Candy Dish

When I made traditional Kalediscope pattern in scraps of 1930s fabrics, I immediately thought it looked like a dish of Christmas ribbon candy--thus I name the pattern Candy Dish.

I've had lots of fun teaching this class, as each person's quilt can look so different depending on the fabrics they choose. Last week I had a visit in the shop from one of my Cedar Falls guild members with their quilt top. She was having so much fun cutting pieces that she made her quilt larger! (It is an easy quilt to cut using the Marti Michell Kaledio-Ruler--call the shop if you need any Marti Michell product, as we have the entire line.)

I'm teaching the class today at Hen & Chicks Studio--can't wait to see what the students do. One is working in black and white with lime.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 11/8/2011 6:32 AM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment

Be Ready for Christmas!

With everything going on in my life these days, I don't want Christmas to become a headache! The first thing I've crossed off the to-do list is the family Christmas cards. And, guess what I'll design yours, too! I've selected two dates for Christmas Card Parties at Hen & Chicks Studio.

Friday, November 11 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, November 29 from 4 to 7 p.m.

You bring your photos on a flash drive or CD (or e-mail them in advance to me). We'll sit down and design a card that is just right for you. Then, we'll upload it to Creative Memories, order exactly the number of cards you need, and they'll be mailed directly to you. Address them, add a stamp, and all of your friends and family will be impressed with your creativity!

I had so much fun designing our cards so I created three versions to give you ideas. Imagine what fun we can have with your photos.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 11/7/2011 7:33 AM | Add Comment

Pretty, pretty papers...and pictures

Since becoming a mother, I've become interested (ok, maybe obsessed is a better word) with documenting the details of life. Whoever coined the phrase "a picture is worth 1,000 words" had something right there! So, let's see if we take the 30,000 photos currently stored in Memory Manager x 1,000 = WOW!! That's a lot of memories captured. But, it's more than just taking the pictures--it's doing something with them. Whether you start with a small project or jump in with both feet and take the big challenge--get started now. Don't worry about yesterday's pictures, start with one photo today. You will be so thankful you did.

Why not start with a simple scrapbooking kit? My friend Megan Bergman made these four pages from a Quick Quotes kit in just a couple of hours. She has three precious daughters and lots of photos to choose from. The theme for this kit was one of being thankful.

Join Megan on Tuesday, November 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. and turn your pictures into these wonderful pages. Call Hen & Chicks Studio at 641-366-3336 to sign up for class.

Want to make a commitment to getting lots done this next year? Ask me about our Crop and Click Clubs.

Posted by Heidi Kaisand at 10/26/2011 1:24 PM | Add Comment

Wine

In the mix of gifts that we sell at Hen & Chicks Studio, I had to include some Iowa wine. It was an easy decision as to which one, because my cousin John McNutt and his wife Ilene Lande own it! It's Brick Arch Winery in West Branch, Iowa.

Their wines are lovely. We sell a variety, but I must say I'm partial to Save the Barn White and Save the Barn Red.

We made a trip to West Branch to re-stock so we got a picture with John and Ilene while we were there. From left, Henry, Goldie, Virginia, Heidi, John, and Ilene. I love what they've done with their building and I think they have a great atmosphere to relax and enjoy a nice glass of wine with friends.