SALE!

We are having our year-end, Inventory Clearance Sale. It starts today and ends on December 31, 2008 at closing time. We have 25% off all merchandise, 30% off Fall & Winter themed items (except stamps) and 50% off all Christmas Ornaments. Not included in the sale are Coffees, Candy, Consignment Items, Special Orders and Holds. We also will not give credit for sale items on Craft Club Cards. These discounts are not useable in conjunction with other specials. We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Again, we thank you for your patronage over the last 20 years and look forward to being here for many more. 2009 is just around the bend... we're looking forward to bringing you more classes. As soon as we get the schedule finalized, we will post it here and it will go on the web site as soon as possible.

Decemebr 2008 classes

We said that we'd stop classes until 2009, but Terri just could not wait to offer the Stamp of the Month card class featuring the Great Impressions November stamp, the Pine Bough.
She has come up with 6 sensational cards to cover a wide variety of occasions.
The class is offered on Thursday, December 11 at 7 PM cost $18. It will also run on Saturday, December 13 at 8:30 AM. The class runs roughly 2 hours and the price includes all of your supplies. You are welcome to bring your favorite tools, but it is not necessary.
Please call or email us if you would like to join in the creative fun, spaces are filling fast.

DragonBen's Flag

Here is an example of how creative people in our family are.

One afternoon, after school, DragonBen (8 1/2) sat down and decided he wanted to make a flag. He drew the elements and cut them out (with a little bit of help on the details from his Mom) and then glued it together.

His Mom (Terri) is the one who created our Happy the Crafting Crab mascot and DragonBen wanted to incude that in his flag (his own version).

We proudly 'fly' this flag from one of the posts behind the cash register.

Class Schedule for November 2008

Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.
Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store for class descriptions

November 1 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Quilted Cards – Cindy - $20

November 4 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * price varies

November 6 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Wire Wrapping Basics – Cindy - $25

November 8 – Saturday – 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Holiday Earring & Pendant Make & Take - $15/kit

November 11 – Tuesday – 1:00 – 5:00 PM – Holiday Earring & Pendant Make & Take - $15/kit
7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * price varies

November 15 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamp of the Month Cards (October – Snowman) – Terri - $18
*student needs to bring this stamp to class.

November 18 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Month Cards (October – Snowman) – Terri - $18
*student needs to bring this stamp to class.

November 20 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Quilted Cards – Cindy - $20

November 22 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Crafting A-La-Carte * price varies
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * price varies


The Mercantile will take a break from scheduled classes
during the busy holiday seasons.
Should you need our assistance with a project,
give us a call or stop by and we will see what we can do to help.

***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.

*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students
Check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!


The Mercantile, Inc. – 149 E. Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670 (864) 646-9431 mercantinc@aol.com, www.themercantilestore.com

Web site correction

It just came to my attention that the class listed on our web site for this Saturday afternoon (10/25/08) is incorrectly listed as the Herringbone Twist.

In actuality, it is the Herringbone Band which is pictured here. The price is $18, including all supplies.

Bead Trunk Show

There will be a Bead Trunk Show at The Mercantile beginning at 10 AM on Saturday, October 18, 2008 and running through 5:30 PM on Saturday, November 1, 2008.
The selection includes a wide variety of Jaspers (Red, Poppy, Imprerssion, Brown Zebra and more), Turquoise, Amethyst and Cape Amethyst, Agates, Quartzes and more. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
All featured beads will be 25% off the marked prices (discount taken at the register).
Come and see what our supplier has chosen for us this Fall.

Make and Take

Don't forget, if you want to make a few cards for the Fall, Birthdays or Christmas, we have a Make and Take going on this Saturday (10/11) from 10 - 5. And again on Tuesday (10/14) from 1 - 5. No reservations needed, just stop by when you can and stay as long as you can.
There are 10 projects to choose from. Each project is $1, but if you purchase $25 of crafting merchandise, they are free.
You can make as many or as few different projects as you wish. We ask that to let others make the projects also that you limit yourself to one of each project.
This is a good way to get a few special cards, get some ideas, or learn a little about stamping and paper crafts. No experience necessary.
Hope to see you then!

Crafting A-La-Carte

The Crafting A-La-Carte for Tuesday, September 30 from 7 - 9 PM has been reserved as a Stamp of the Month class. This class will feature the August Great Impressions stamp of the month K87 - Floral Swirl.
Terri will show you 6 new ideas for using the stamp beyond what Great Impressions has featured on their sample board.
Give us a call if you'd like to join in!

Classes for October!

Class Schedule for October 2008
Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.

Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store or web site for class descriptions

October 2 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * (price varies)

October 9 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * (price varies)

October 11 – Saturday – 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Make & Take
Pendleton Fall Harvest Festival
Spend $25 on crafting supplies and your make and takes are free!!

October 14 – Tuesday – 1:00 – 5:00 PM – Make & Take

October 16 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Month Cards (September – Leaf Swirl) – Terri - $18
* Students need to bring the stamp to class *

October 18 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Beaded Christmas Ornaments V – Cindy - $18 * NEW
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Holiday Crystal Bracelet – Terri – $48

October 21 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Inchies & Twinchies – Terri - $18 * NEW

October 23 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte * (price varies)

October 25 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamp of the Month Cards (September – Leaf Swirl) – Terri - $18
* Students need to bring the stamp to class *
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Herringbone Bracelet – Terri - $18

October 28 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Halloween, Thanksgiving & Fall Cards – Terri - $18 - * NEW

October 30 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Beaded Christmas Ornaments V – Cindy - $18 * NEW

***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.

*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students
Check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!


The Mercantile, Inc. – 149 E. Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670 (864) 646-9431 mercantinc@aol.com, http://www.themercantilestore.com/

Special Store Hours September 7th!

On Sunday, September 7th, 2008, we will be open from 1 - 4 PM.

This is in conjunction with the Greenville Rubber Stamp and Paper Arts Festival this weekend at the Carolia First Center in Greenville, SC.

So, if you arre interested in rubber stamping and you'll be near the upstate of South Carolina, stop by to see us and also stop by the festival.

It's Our Birthday!

Today is the 20th birthday of the Mercantile.

We did not have a ribbon-cutting 20 years ago, so we decided to have one today. Pendleton Mayor Carol Burdette (a former employee) spoke briefly and did the honors of cutting the ribbon. We also had lots of goodies to eat and a Birthday Card Make & Take.

Thank you to all who joined us so far today, friends, family and strangers as well!

Thank you to all of our friends and customers who have supported us these last 20 years, we look forward to many more.

September 2008 class schedule

Well, we have September's schedule ready. Some of the classes are already starting to fill spaces.
Please give us a call (864-646-9431) if you would like us to save you a space, or you can email us at mercantinc@aol.com

Class Schedule for September 2008
Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.

Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store or web site for class descriptions

September 2 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Quilted Cards – Cindy - $20

September 4 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stone & Chain Bracelet – Terri - $40 – NEW

September 6 & 7 – Saturday & Sunday – Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival in Greenville – Store open both days

September 9 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte - *price varies

September 11 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Multi-Strand Mania – Terri - $10 + supplies used

September 13 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 Am – Quilted Cards – Cindy - $20
3:00 – 5:00 –PM – Cards for the Men in Your Life – Terri - $18

September 16 – Tuesday – Crafting A-La-Carte - *price varies

September 18 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Months Cards (Aug. - Floral Branch) – Terri - $18 (students need to bring the stamp for this class)

September 20 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamp of the Month Cards (Aug. – Floral Branch) – Terri - $18 (students need to bring the stamp for this class)
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Wire Wrapping Basics – Cindy - $25

September 23 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Wire Wrap Bracelet – Cindy - $25

September 25 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte - *price varies

September 27 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Multi-Strand Mania – Terri - $10 + supplies used
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Holiday Cards – Cindy - $18

September 30 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte - *price varies

***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.

*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students,
check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!

Has it really been 20 years?

This is a copy of the press release we just sent out. And the photos are of the store before Connie & Bill did all their work to get it in shape.

The Mercantile will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Saturday, August 23rd, beginning at 10AM with a ribbon cutting by Pendleton Mayor Carol Burdette. The celebration will continue throughout the day at the store, located at 149 East Queen Street in Pendleton, with light refreshments. What began as a small gift shop, started by Bill & Connie Earl on August 23, 1988 has grown to include two of their daughters (Terri Earl Brooks and Cindy Earl Higgins). The selection of gifts, old-fashioned candy, and gourmet coffee beans has been joined by Melissa & Doug toys, Folkmanis Puppets and Soy Bean Oil candles from Pawley’s Island. Beyond that, there is also a large selection of rubber stamps, papers and beads along with the tools and supplies needed to create with them. Terri and Cindy have brought with them their creative talents and offer a full calendar of over 200 creative classes in rubber-stamping, beading and paper crafts.

We hope you can join us on the 23rd for our celebration.

Terri & Cindy at the G'ville Stamp Show

Our creative forces will be teaching workshops at the Heirloom Productions Stamp show in Greenville, SC the weekend of September 6 and 7, 2008 at the Carolina First Center

ATC BOX Taught by Terri Earl Brooks of The Mercantile , Saturday, 9/6, 11 - noon

Using Brilliance and Chalk inks, learn the "how To's" of decorating this adorable box. Not into ATC? This box is perfect for giving Gift Cards, Jewelry, Money, Stamps and so much more!! Come join in the fun.

Cost 15.00
Supplies needed: Any favorite small stamps, (images and words.)
All skill levels
Maximum 16 students.

Washi Paper Quilting Taught by Cindy Earl Higgins of The Mercantile, Sunday, 9/7, noon - 1

Create two beautiful three dimensional cards using traditional Japanese techniques and beautiful washi papers.

Cost 15.00
Supplies needed: Detail scissors, pencil and glue stick
All Skill Levels
Maximum 8 students

August 2008

Her it is - the August class schedule for the Mercantile!

Class Schedule for August 2008
Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.

Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store or web site for class descriptions



August 2 – Saturday – 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM – Art Clay Silver – Project II – Cindy -50

August 5 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

August 7 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies* (Spiral Rope Bracelet $18)

August 9 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Wire Wrapping Basics – Cindy - $25
3:00 – 5:00 PM – All Occasion Cards – Terri - $18 – NEW

August 12 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Iris Folding – Cindy - $18 – NEW

August 14 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

August 16 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Iris Folding – Cindy - $18 – NEW

August 19 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

August 21 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Multi-strand Mania – Terri - $10+ supplies used – NEW

August 23 – Saturday – The Mercantile’s 20th Anniversary Celebration

August 26 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

August 28 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Month Cards (July - Pets are…) – T - $18

August 30 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Special Occasion Cards – Terri – NEW
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Wire Wrap Bracelet – Cindy - $25 – NEW






***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.



*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students
Check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store (or our web site) for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!


The Mercantile, Inc. – 149 E. Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670 (864) 646-9431 mercantinc@aol.com, http://www.themercantilestore.com/

Cards on the Web

Cards that our very own Cindy designed have been posted on the website of one of our suppliers.

Whenever Cindy teaches the Quilted Cards class, she designs some new pieces. The technique comes from a traditional Japanese Doll making technique but substitutes Kimono fabrics with Washi (Japanese paper). Hanko Designs is our supplier for kits and beautiful Washi. One day, at the encouragement of our sales rep, Cindy sent some photos to Hanko Designs. A few days later they asked if it was OK to put them on their web site, with acknowledgement that they were from The Mercantile. Cindy said yes. Jump forward several weeks and they are now on their site (along with dozens of other beautiful samples)! Click the link above, then click on the retail web site. Once there, click on the card samples link near the top of the page. Cindy's samples are #12.

We carry the Washi Paper Quilting Kits here at The Mercantile, as well as a selection of Washi and card stock to mount them on.

We're Back

We enjoyed our week off, although we did come in and have a work day to re-set some of the stock. If you cannot find where those flower stamps went... we'll have to help you look, we have moved every single rubber stamp in the store (still in the stamp area, but in different positions...).

We also re-arranged the candle area a little bit.

But most of all, we feel refreshed and ready to enjoy the rest of the summer with all of our friends and customers.

Pictured to the left is the game of Farkel. This is the original pocket version that can go along with you on your vacation trips (however long or short they may be). It comes in a film cannister sized container. The game is good for ages 5 and up. We have this and some travel toys/games from Melissa and Doug to help those travel times go faster. Just promise you won't play if you are taking your turn at driving.

Come enjoy a day in Pendleton. And for those of you who like to come visit and have lunch at The Pendleton Cafe and Coffees, they are now open on Saturdays in the summer. We also have the new restaurant 1826 on the Green in Farmer's Hall.

Vacation Time!

Just a reminder for those of you who may be coming in from a distance. We will be closed for vacation from June 30 - July 5, re-opening on Monday, July 7 at 10 AM. We don't want you to use all of that gas and not be able to see us.
We are taking a few days off for R and R and will return refreshed.
If you have any questions you need answering, either leave a message on our machine at the store (we will check it periodically) or email us at our AOL account (listed below in the class schedule). I check the AOL account daily from home anyway.
We hope you all have a wonderful Independance Day week.
When you do come, some other things going on in Pendleton:
The Farmer's Market is Thursday evenings from 4 - 7 (or when things run out) and now on Saturday mornings from 10 - 2 (or when things run out). The Farmer's Market is on the green and features produce and items from the tri-county area.
The restaurant in Farmer's Hall has re-opened under new ownership. It is now called 1826 on the Green. She is currently open for luches, but will be opening for dinners too. I am not sure of her opening schedule, but we have seen a lot of diners out on the patio for lunch. There are 2 other restaurants on the square and several others within a short distance.
Besides The Mercantile, there are two other gift shops and a gallery right on the square, along with a flower shop, frame shop and some antique stores as well. We also have 2 hair salons and 2 photography studios along with an alterations shop, and 2 real estate offices.
A bakery is slated to open on the square before long and there is another established bakery a very short distance down Mechanic Street.
We hope to see you in Pendleton soon.

July 2008 Class Schedule

I know I said I would post this last night, but I am posting early this morning, does that count?
Here is the July schedule. Some of the new class descriptions have yet to be entered at the web site. Feel free to call or stop by the store to find out more information.

Class Schedule for July 2008
Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.

Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store (or web site) for class descriptions



July 1 – July 5 (Tuesday – Saturday) – Store closed for vacation

July 8 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Multi-Strand Bracelet – Cindy - $22 – NEW

July 10 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Cards for the Man in Your Life – Terri - $18

July 12 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamp of the Month Cards (June – Grasses) – Terri - $18
Students need the stamp for this class
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Wire Wrapping – Cindy - $25

July 19 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamping Watercolor Style – Terri - $18
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Woven Bracelet with Stone Focal – Cindy - $25 – NEW

July 22 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Month (June – Grasses) – Terri - $18
Students need the stamp for this class

July 24 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

July 26 – Saturday – 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Holiday Make & Take - $1/project made

July 29 – Tuesday – 1:00 – 5:00 PM – Holiday Make & Take - $1/project made

July 31 – Thursday – 5:30 – 9:00 PM – Art Clay Silver – Project II – Cindy $50 – NEW






***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.



*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students
Check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!


The Mercantile, Inc. – 149 E. Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670 (864) 646-9431 mercantinc@aol.com, www.themercantilestore.com

Happy's Pick, June 2008

We proudly carry the Great Impressions Stamp of the Month program.

The talented people at Great Impressions Rubber Stamps have a wonderful new featured stamp each month. Along with that stamp are coordinating stamps they use to make up a sample board.

The month after the stamp is featured, our very own in-house talented Terri offers a Stamp of the Month Class. If the stamp is featured in May, the class takes place in June. The samples from Terri's May 2008 class (April stamp) are shown. She will try to use just the stamp of the Month, but periodically may add stamps from other collections in the store. All of her cards are different from those Great Impressions puts on their sample boards.

The stamp shown here is the featured Stamp of the Month for June 2008. Terri will create a class using this stamp in July.

Just contact the store to register for class. We need to know how many are coming so Terri can be prepared.

Students need to bring the stamp for this class.

Check our June classes below to see when Terri has scheduled the May stamp (Fireworks).

Hope to see you soon.

June 2008 Classes

Class Schedule for June 2008 (July class list available at the store or by email. Will be posted here tonight 6/16.)
Classes listed are regular evening and weekend scheduled classes.

Call now to reserve a space - Class spaces are limited - Check store or web site (below) for class descriptions


June 3 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Earrings – Terri - $20

June 7 – Saturday – National Cancer Survivor’s Day Celebration @ The Anderson Civic Center

June 12 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*
(reserved & full for Spiral Rope Bracelet and Stamping Watercolor Style)

June 14 – Saturday – 8:30- 10:30 AM – Multi-Strand Necklace – Terri - $10 + supplies used – NEW
3:00 – 5:00 PM – Quilted Cards – Cindy - $20

June 17 – Tuesday – 7:00 -9:00 PM – Multi-Strand Necklace – Terri - $10 + supplies used – NEW

June 19 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Wire Wrapping – Cindy - $25

June 21 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Stamp of the Month Cards (May fireworks) – Terri - $18 (Students need the stamp for this class.)
3:00 – 5:00 PM – 10 Quick Cards – Cindy - $18

June 24 – Tuesday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Stamp of the Month Cards (May fireworks) – Terri - $18 (Students need the stamp for this class.)

June 26 – Thursday – 7:00 – 9:00 PM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*

June 28 – Saturday – 8:30 – 10:30 AM – Crafting A-La-Carte – price varies*
2:00 – 5:00 PM – Art Clay Silver – Torch & Go – Cindy - $38


***Price of classes includes all supplies, unless otherwise noted. Where needed, written instructions are also included. All instructions written by the staff at The Mercantile are copyrighted – all rights reserved.

*** Check our web site for class descriptions. When a Crafting A-La-Carte has been reserved, we are making every effort to post the chosen topic on the calendar listing of the web site.


*Crafting A-La-Carte: Students can pick the time they would like to take the class and the topic.
Tuesdays or Thursdays daytime for 1 – 4 students
9:00 – 11:00AM or 2:00 – 4:00PM
Also available a series of Tuesday or Thursday evenings, 7:00 – 9:00, for 1 – 6 students
Check calendar for dates.
Classes available include beading, stamping and paper crafting classes.
Check store for our listing of over 200 classes.
Prices vary depending on the class (starting at $18 – all supplies included unless otherwise noted).
24 hour advanced notice required.
The first person to reserve a date/time picks the topic. (Some dates have already been reserved.)
Great party idea! Unique gift idea!

The Mercantile, Inc. – 149 E. Queen Street, Pendleton, SC 29670 (864) 646-9431 mercantinc@aol.com, http://www.themercantilestore.com/

More beads...

Another shot of some of the beads in the Trunk Show. This one shows some Flower Jade, Opalite, Aventurine and Ruby Fuchsite, among others.

C'mon down and see what else we have out.

Rubber Stamp and Paper Arts Festival

We have tickets available for the Heirloom Productions Greenville Rubber Stamp and Paper Arts Festival scheduled for September 6 and 7, 2008 at the Carolina First Center.
Advance tickets are $6 for 2 days, tickets at the door will be $8 on Saturday and $6 on Sunday.Come now and pick up your ticket, first come first served.

Bead Trunk Show

We are having another Bead Trunk Show starting Monday, June 2 at 10:00 AM and running through Saturday, June 14 at 5:30 PM. We spent another full day hand-picking the beads from one of our favorite suppliers. The selection contains several types and colors of Jasper, Agates, Onyx, Blue Opals, Turquoise, Coral and others as well as a wide selection of fresh water pearls. This photo shows just a portion of the 6' table FULL of beads...
All of the beads will be sold at 25% off the marked prices.
Come and see what we've got!

Toys!

In our toy area, we have a wonderful selection of toys without batteries. The photo shows a small portion of our Melissa and Doug collection.

Melissa and Doug have the most wonderful, fun, colorful (and educational) toys. They are very well made and go through rigorous testing before being shipped to stores.

We believe that a child's imagination is an important part of growing up.

In addition to the Melissa and Doug toys, we have an ever-changing herd of Folkmanis puppets, some art supplies and other toys mixed in.

Beaded Jewelry Classes

This is a photo of the Lattice Necklace. Terri designed this necklace with Spring in mind. With the Czech pressed glass flowers and the dagger beads as leaves, you can almost smell the sweet fragrances...

The Lattice Necklace is one of several dozen beading classes we offer here at The Mercantile. We are always trying to create new projects for our students, as well as teaching the older classes to the newer students. We have Crafting A-La-Carte for those students who see something they'd like to learn but it isn't on the schedule. The first person to reserve that date and time gets to choose the class. We also will do custom classes. I will try to get some other jewelry photos up in the next week so you can see samples of our other creations.

Happy's Pick

Happy our crafty crab has found some things in the store she'd like to share with you. Periodically we will feature a new 'Happy's Pick'.

Our premier pick is WebWilds (TM) by Folkmanis. Following is a press release telling a little about these beautiful and educational puppets.

FOLKMANIS - the most innovative, creative puppet maker in the world - has joined forces with the educational non-profit, GLOBIO (r) - Where Kids Discover the World (TM) - to create WebWilds (TM) - hands-on fun with minds-on learning in a wild web world. WebWilds are the first-ever puppets with their own online habitats created around real-life environments. WebWilds provides infinite hours of open-ended play when kids log on to http://www.webwilds.com/ . The WebWilds line launches with six wildlife puppets: Panda, Baby Orangutan, African Elephant, Small Lion, Koala, and Rock Hopper Penguin. Retailing for $21.50, each WebWilds comes with a "secret code" that gives kids unlimited access to a fun, educational, online real-world environment. WebWilds is dedicated to educating, encouraging and inspiring kids to take an active role in protecting wildlife diversity and preserving habitats. A portion of the proceeds will support GLOBIO's creation of additional free web content to help kids learn about animals and the environment.

At the moment we have received all six of the WebWilds puppets mentioned in the article. If you find that some of them have been adopted before you get here, we will be happy to add them to our next order and give you a call when they arrive.

60% Off Super Sale

We have our retired rubber stamps all on sale for 60% off through the month of May 2008.
These are rubber stamps that companies have discontinued, the company has gone out of business, or we no longer buy from them.
The great news is that clearing them out makes room for all of the brand new designs coming in!
We have a table with boxes of retired rubber stamps for you to look through to find your treasures.
Stamps from companies such as Hero Arts, PSX, Embossing Arts, Stampa Rosa and more...

Super Sale on Retired Rubber Stamps

We mentioned on the web page (www.TheMercantileStore.com) that we are having a super sale on all retired and discontinued rubber stamps. They are all 60% off the marked prices. These ladies came in and we pulled out all of the boxes for them to root through. Not all of the boxes are on this table at the time I took the photo.

Come on over if you're in the area and take a look. Next week (April 28 - May 2) we will have all of the stamps out on a table for you to look through. Otherwise we have a sampling out and can pull boxes if needed.

We thought we'd do some Spring cleaning and make room for all of the wonderful new designs coming out from companies such as Art Impressions, Penny Black, Magenta, Hero Arts, Stamps By Judith, Stampendous (we are a Stampendous Full Service Store) and more...

some cards

These are a few samples of some of the greeting card classes. These happen to be from the 'Morphing' class taught by Terri. I know you cannot really see all of what the cards look like, but you can get an idea.

The Morphing class is a technique class that utilizes images to create something different. A leaf may be a small hill or it may be a bird. Coffee beans morph into flowers and bugs, pinecones become hedgehogs.... While learning the technique, students create 6 cards. Every time Terri teaches the class, she comes up with new ideas.

All of our class prices include supplies. In the Stamp of the Month class, students are required to have the featured stamp of the month. Otherwise, all stamps, inks, papers, embellishments and use of our tools are part of the class.

Relay For Life of Pendleton/Clemson

On Wednesday evening, our local rubber stamp club (The Crafty Crew) got together and our monthly project was to make gifts to give to the survivors attending the Pendleton/Clemson Relay For Life. This will be the 8th annual Relay in our community and we have made a gift every year to celebrate their survival. This year we made pocket stones out of polymer clay and rubbed with irridescent powders.

Our Relay will be held on Friday, May 2 - Saturday, May 3, 2008 at Pendleton High School.

A special than you to The Crafty Crew for their quick work and the beautiful results.

A little more about the store...

Since I am posting this from home, I only have a few photos of class samples on my computer. This is a photo of my Copper Chain Necklace.

At The Mercantile we offer a wide array of creative classes. When Terri joined Mom & Dad at the store 13 years ago, she brought along her rubber stamping expertise. She had designed and manufactured her own line of decorative rubber stamps in England while living there. Thus started the classes. Over the years there have been technique calsses as well as project classes. When I joined the three of them 8 1/2 years ago, I was asked to fill in for a few of the Basic Rubber Stamping classes while Terri was on Maternity leave.

We now offer around 200 different classes in Rubber Stamping, Paper Crafting (including paper folding and Bookbinding, among others), and beading. The vast majority of our classes are taught by Terri and myself. We do have a few 'guest' instructors like Angela Hendrix, an extremely talented fused glass artist from Anderson, SC and Jo Hoffacker, another extremely talented local glass artist who specializes in bead making.

The Mercantile is not just about creativity. Mom & Dad started the store with the idea of it resembling an old-time country store, complete with bulk candy, candles and coffee beans. Most of the giftware at the very beginning was consignment from local crafters. After a while, other items were added, including Folkmanis Puppets and Melissa & Doug toys, Willow Tree figures and a selection of nativities. We also offer garden accents, Lang mugs and bread warmers from Seneca Ceramics. The bread warmers include a custom Pendleton, SC piece designed by Terri. On the shelves you will also find my Ebonyware Porcelain pottery.

The sample pot of coffee is always on so come on in and see what we have to offer.

Check our web site for more information www.TheMercantileStore.com

the photo

Here it is! I forgot to click the correct button last time...

trying to get the hang of this

Good morning. I hope that the photo I uploaded actually works. It is a photo of our storefront. We are happily celebrating 20 years of business here on the sunny side of the square in Pendleton, SC. We have creative classes for all ages. Our classes focus on paper crafting, rubber stamping and bead work. For more information on our classes, check out our web site www.TheMercantileStore.com

Good morning.
We are just getting started with this new blog. We hope to be able to update it regularly.
Bear with those of us here in Pendleton, SC as we learn the workings of this blog spot.