simple dreams

Colors of Me - Scrappy Inchies

It is rare that I will do this, but I know that many of you who subscribe to this blog do not subscribe or visit the Inchie INKlings blog. Today I posted a new creation over on the Inchie INKling blog that I thought might be of interest to you. Rather than double posting it I thought I would just share a link to that project. I appreciate so much that you continue to visit me here on Simple Dreams and will do my best to continue to post on all four blogs Ü I do run in circles sometimes don't I?!? Thanks for stopping by today Ü

A Muse Benefit for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

 

Last year, Linda Carnell of A Muse Artstamps, designed a calendar to raise funds for Scleroderma Research, an illness her mother suffers from. The project was so successful, that she was determined to expand the variety of calendars, and find another great cause to support!

In honor of Victoria Nelson, an avid fan of A Muse who is undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's Disease, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this year's calendar will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

This year's calendar features 16 months, and includes September 2008 through December 2009. It also includes a perpetual calendar, which is great for keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries. As well, the calendar has been designed in several different sizes.

There are THREE donation levels per calendar. The minimum donation is $4 per calendar, BUT there is also an option to donate $10 or $20 for each version.

We hope people will enjoy stamping and creating these calendars as fun projects and gifts for friends and family, while contributing to a great organization at the same time!

So please head on over to A Muse Artstamps right now and place your order for your calendar and make your donation for this important cause.

CREATING THE CALENDAR

I am so honored to have been asked to participate in this special "event". To be able to use my creativity for something positive is something I hold dear. I hope that you are inspired to create some calendars as gifts this year!

 

In thinking about how I would use this calendar, so many different ideas ran through my head. I thought about doing a bunch of different things for different months, but I just like consistency waaaay too much - LOL! Therefore the calendars I have created all share the same concept.

When I realized that there was a Perpetual Calendar included in the package I decided I really wanted to showcase an idea that would put the regular calendar together with the perpetual one. This is an item I can see placing in a prominent position on my desktop, being I most definitely need a reminder other than my everyday pop-up calendar, to give me forewarning of the upcoming birthdays I need to plan for. Rather than binding them together in some method I opted for creating 12 individual little "stand-alone" calendars.

I began by printing off the file and cutting the calendars down to size. This particular calendar measures 4"x4" in size, with the perpetual calendar being 3 1/2"x3 1/2" square .

Next I selected twelve different stamps, trying to find ones that would be appropriate for each particular month and fit within the space I had visualized. I used a mix of A Muse Artstamps together with Lockhart Rubber Stamps to complete the 12 months in 2009.

Using an old technique called "Spotlighting" I stamped the images in Black Memento Ink on the calendar face, trying to position each one so that the "spotlight" portion would be in approximately the same place on each month. I then stamped a second image on an extra piece of white cardstock.

Figuring out the precise location of the individual elements was a bit tricky until I figured out how to get these pieces in a similar position. By positioning my little yellow Inchie Finder from the Inchie Paper Pack over the exact position I wanted to spotlight I could see what portion of the image I wanted to punch out. Then using my 1" punch I was able to select the same portion of the image as was showing through the yellow inchie finder. Voila, no more problems!

By using the same mix of Copic markers throughout this project it helped me keep a cohesive look to all the images I colored. These little colored beauties were then affixed to Black Inchie Squares being I wanted that little hint of a black outline to help the spotlight pop off the page. 

Next I selected notecards that would coordinate with the color of the month name. Again I used a mix of A Muse Notecards together with Memory Box Notecards. I cut the Memory Box ones down to the 4 1/4" square size by trimming off one end.

 

As you can see I affixed the 3 1/2" square perpetual calendar to a 4" square piece of black cardstock before attaching it to the inside of my notecard.

I love how these can be changed out on my desk with each month, knowing that I finally have a place that I can look to regularly for upcoming birthdays and anniversaries!

 

 

 

 

I believe that you can read more about this worthy cause at the A Muse Artstamps blog, as well as find links to the other amazing creations a very talented group of women have shared. Thank you so much for stopping by today - I hope I have inspired you to help make a difference!

ETA: I used the Square Format to create this version of the calendar. I hope this helps you pick the one that is right for you.

Candy Corn "Boxi-Bag"

Bring a designer look to your gifts this season! FIll these little bags with candy, cookies or your favorite crafting treats. If you are on a diet fill them with craft supplies Ü If you need a gift for you teacher fill it with pencils, erasers and other fun little "school" items. Make something special for your kids or grandkids to include in their backpacks or to have awaiting them upon their return from their first day at school. Oh the ideas I have - now just for more time to actually do it - LOL!

Mish introduced me to these awesome little "Boxi-Bags" when she created her Candy Stand Kit. Well, we have some "leftovers" in our inventory and so if you would like to grab them up before we run out then head on over to our store today. (Please note that the ribbon and other items are not included with the bags and bases.)

As you can see there are so many ways to dress these little "Boxi-Bags" up. I decided to take a different route with these and used an Inchie and brads to add additional embellishment to the little box base. 

Being that the box is a separate unit from the bag it was easy to attach the Inchie and insert the brads.

To complete the Inchie I inked the edge of the white Inchie Square with my YG95 Copic marker and then covered it with Memory Box Twiggy paper. Using the 1" punch it is easy to locate what portion of the pattern to select. Just flip your punch upside down and view where it is that you are locating your pattern on the paper.

Next I stamped the IB Scarecrow on Solar Crest cardstock. I then quickly colored it with Prismacolor pencils and added some glitter to his nose, patch collar and leaves using Spica glitter pens. Simply cutting out the Scarecrow and adhering to the Inchie made for a cute little focal point on this package.

Finally I created the little tag by cutting a piece of Craft-a-Board and then cutting and embossing Key Lime cardstock. The sentiment "enjoy" seemed so appropriate for this little treat. I glued these two pieces together using Perfect Paper Adhesive. Adding a layer of Craft-a-Board to the tag added substance and made it much more durable. Simply tie the tag to the cello bag with a pretty piece of ribbon and you have a fabulous looking little gift item to share! 

Be certain to return tomorrow for a very special announcement and a link to our brand new blog "the CLASSroom"!

Stamp of the Month, August

I can't believe that school is right around the corner! We just got out a few days ago - didn't we??? I know that in the mid-West kids will be heading back to school shortly. Here in Washington State we have summer vacation until Labor Day weekend and then it's back to school for our kids.

Once again I am trying to get a little bit ahead of time by preparing some notecards to give to Katrina's teacher this year. It is a gift that teachers always seem to appreciate and are able to put to good use. So for this month's Stamp of the Month I thought I would share a little project that might help some of you get a head start as well. Not only will you be able to use this months stamps for Teacher projects and gifts, but I think that they will also be suitable for scrapping with as well.

In this month's kit we have elected to include three (3) stamps - IB Apple, IB Ruler and this wonderful AlphaNumber Backgrounder. We did not include the paper clips that are shown here being I felt that most individuals would have a supply of their own and we didn't want you to have to pay for something you probably already own. The addition of the paper clips just made it feel a little more "school-like".

This month's project doesn't really have the typical WOW that I like to include. The WOW factor for me this time round was the new Ranger Pigment pads. I could not believe how beautifully the Snow Cap or white pad stamped this image on the black cardstock. It is supposed to resemble a chalkboard. Ü 

I am going to share a picture of the ink pad being I was so surprised to open it and find a cover inside the cover. I do believe that this may help it retain its' wonderful moist surface.

I colored the white Inchie Square using Y19, Napoli Yellow - I wanted it to resemble one of those old cloth tape measures. After allowing the Copic ink to dry I then stamped the Inchie Ruler using Memento Tuxedo Black. I found that by stamping on a piece of scrap paper first and eyeballing where the image was it was fairly easy to get the stamp to line up nicely with the Inchie Square. Always remember that there are two sides to an Inchie Square and you can use the back if you mess up on the front Ü

The IB apple was stamped on a scrap of Solar Crest White and colored using R14, R27, R29, YG00, YG95, YG17, E55, and E47. Yes, perhaps I went a little overboard for such a tiny little apple - LOL! But you know a girl has to have depth when coloring Ü

I finished the card by adding some basic piercing for texture. I hope that you enjoy the simplicity of this sketch and will be able to use it to create other Inchie based cards in the future.

Updates and Inchies

As many of you know there is a LOT going on in my life right now. The good news is that we are continuing to make it through each and every day and prepare for the next - LOL!

It's official we have a move date (or perhaps better said approximate move "dates"). We (hope to) begin the move on Wednesday, May 7th and (hope to) be completely finished and packing and shipping orders again by Friday, May 9th. This is all dependent on other's getting their jobs done in a timely manner and being this is out of our control we just have our fingers crossed. Our goal is to have it all happen smoothly next week being we have been working hard at preparing for this, but please know that we will be "down and out" for a couple of days. We will not be able to ship your orders on the same or next day to when we receive them for a couple of days. I do want you to know that we will have as many of the girls working on orders as possible as soon as we have our supplies unpacked in the new space so that we don't run too far behind. As soon as our new phones are connected I will post those telephone numbers here on my blog as well as on the home page of our storefront. Until then we will continue to answer the phones as best as possible at our current number, as well as try and keep up with the emails.

In addition to the above, my hip surgery is happening this Friday - so any extra positive thoughts or prayers will be greatly appreciated! Being I do NOT ever want to have to do this again I will be following doctor's orders to the letter, so the above move is going to seriously make me insane - LOL! Not being able to just get the job done by pitching in myself, causes me major heart palpitations, but...

On to some brighter news Ü

Sometimes there are times when I just get giddy over the littlest of discoveries. You know how I am a stickler for color - I am thrilled to share the latest bellies I have found. They coordinate BEAUTIFULLY with the Memory Box papers and when all piled together look absolutely scrumptious. I'm not certain why paper, flowers and buttons could ever be scrumptious - but they are! LOL!

Look at these and these!

Then there is the spring or pastel version of the buttons and flowers!

And last, but certainly not least we have a neutral version (buttons and flowers)!

Simply scrumptious I tell you Ü Well the card I was planning on making is going to have to wait being I am off to Katrina's music concert. I do have the new stamp of the month card that I will show you tomorrow - I am so excited about it. I hope that you like it as much as I do - LOL! Be sure to check out the Inchie INKlings blog for some new material as well. Thanks for stopping by and I plan on some eye candy here tomorrow Ü

Inchie INKling Update

Just a quick reminder to let you know that we have a new Inchie Challenge posted over at Inchie INKlings, as well as the submissions posted from last month's challenge!

But before you go, make a guess as to what this month's theme is based on the Inchie above Ü

Inchies from A-Z: C is for...

C is for Crazy

Life is crazy busy. My little one has come down with a cold and fever and there is always so much to do, so no surprise - I'm running behind yet again. Can you see me huffing and puffing along Ü

Guess what - I did it! I did get the new blog, Inchie INKlings, started and have posted the challenge AND my next letter C post there. This will allow you to easily take in the Inchie information if that is your primary interest AND it will give you a "yard" (get it - Inchies/Yard - ha, ha) to see what others will create for the Inchie Challenges. I hope that I can make it a fun little gathering spot for all things Inchie related. I couldn't help myself - I did keep the tag-line - habitat for those who are inchie "challenged". I know - pretty corny - LOL! So go and check it out and let me know what you think.

Product Update:

Just a quick FYI - I have my fingers crossed that we will be receiving the NEW Nestabilities and tags soon!!! Keep stalking our store come Friday (maybe Saturday) - I'll try and let you know here when I know for certain, but it will be soon - I am SO excited to give those new dies a try AND I can hardly wait to share some new ideas twirling around in my head Ü

Inchies from A-Z: C is for...

C is for Cupcake

Created using IB Cupcake, Prismacolor color pencils, Sakura Clear Glaze Pen, Quickie Glue Pen, Ultrafine Glitter

C is for Challenge and Club

As a paper crafter one of the most fun ways of creating is to take on a challenge. Mish just hosted an Inchie challenge amongst fellow blogging friends - you can see the response to their challenge here. If you haven't had an opportunity to view this challenge yet be ready to have your socks blown off. These girls never cease to amaze me!

So here is my first challenge for you!!! Many of you have purchased the Inchie products that we are carrying in our store, so I know you now have the goodies ready to put to good use, so let's have some fun!!!

Spring - March 20th, that's tomorrow, (or perhaps today by the time I get this post completed - LOL) is here! I am SO very thrilled to see my Camellia blooming, the plum and cherry trees starting to bud and blossom. Oh it feels so good to have a little sunshine in the area. I would like to invite you to become a part of our very own Inchie INKling Club. Yep, you heard me right - I am starting another blog that I hope to reveal following Easter weekend - Inchie INKlings: Habitat for those who are Inchie Challenged - oops I mean want to be challenged by Inchies - LOL!

It will be a place where we will hold a monthly challenge. We will set up an album so that you can see what everyone else is creating. We will be sharing Inchie Sketches (card layout ideas as well as little "templates" for ways to divide up your Inchie - I bet you didn't think that was even a possibility on such a small canvas Ü) and a copy of our Inchies from A-Z will be located on that blog as well. There is more to come, but I can't dish it all right now because I need to get going on the challenge and the remainder of this post!

So let's run with our theme, Spring! I would like to invite you to join the Inchie INKlings by making an Inchie that shows what about spring appeals to you. It will need to feature a Lockhart Stamp Company image and be entered in to our gallery by April 20th. Details for how this will happen will be located on the new blog, so please stay tuned.

C is for Cottage Flowers, Crop and of course Challenge continued

I can't propose a challenge without playing myself! So here goes - I'm going to cover as many C's with my challenge creation as possible.

Being that it is the flowers that begin to sparkle and shine I picked a stamp that started with the letter C, Cottage Flowers, and focused on the element of spring I love the most.

Using the Inchie Finder included in the Inchie Papers I located the area of the stamp that I wanted to crop. Cropping an image can lead to all sorts of possibilities. Finding the right part of an image for an Inchie is so much easier if you use an Inchie Finder.

Using a Retractable Blade Crafe Knife I carefully cut out around the Inchie finder being careful not to cut the Finder. You can also trace around it with a pencil if you are afraid of cutting it with your knife.

Begin by coloring your image with your lightest color tones.

Complete your coloring with a range of Copic colors and a little airburshing.

Be sure to add a little sparkle with your Copic Spica Glitter pens or some Ultrafine Glitter.

Just a couple of quick tips using the Inchie Pins (or nail head look) as well as the background above.

Insert the pins through your cardstock before mounting on the Inchie Square. I use a foam pad beneath so that the pins can go all the way through the cardstock. I then remove the pins and affix my decorated surface to the Inchie. Next I reinsert the pin into the hole and hold the base between my thumb and pointer with my left hand and push the pin through the mat board using a spare Inchie Square to protect my right hand fingers as I push (I am right-handed). Once it has gone through the mat board I complete the other pin and then turn my Inchie over pushing the pins firmly into place. Put on a pair of safety glasses and using wire cutters snip off the excess pin.

Copic markers ability to revert back to their original color is truly amazing. To create the color "swoosh" above place the Medium Broad tip of B23 against the Medium Broad tip of V01 - press firmly together. The color will transfer from one marker to the other. The next step is to just color your strips and voila you get these wonderful mixes. Continue to color with your marker and soon you will have your original color back again.

I used my trusty old Snap Stamps to create the word Spring. Oh how I wish someone would come out with a new variety of these flexible stamps!

C stands for some other very important Inchie elements, so watch for a continuation of this post soon.

So let's get the party started ladies - put your thinking caps on and start your creative process. I hope you will consider entering into our Spring Challenge and join the Inchie INKlings, becoming an Inchie INKlet. Watch for more details soon!!!

Inchies from A-Z: B is for... continued

Product Updates:

Nestabilities have just arrived in Phoenix today! Can you see me doing a happy dance? So what does this mean for timing? It means that unfortunately our waiting game will continue just a little longer, but I want to assure you that these items will be included in our sale on Monday, March 17th as Preorder Items. If you haven't looked at or received our Newsletter Coupon please let us know so that we can forward it to you in time for Monday's sale. Or join our mailing list at the bottom of our homepage and we will try and get a current copy of our newsletter to you before Sunday evening at 6:00pm. It will be essential for you to enter this code to receive the discount.

Our Copic supply is also not quite at the levels we would like. We are awaiting the arrival of more sets of CD24D and Copic Gotta Have It All's. Our delivery dates for these items will be the end of March, so with perhaps a little anxiety (OK - so maybe it is more than a little being I truly like to ship your orders immediately) I will go ahead and put them up as Preorder items as well so that you can use your coupon.

B is for Bunny GIrl

Created using: Bunny Girl (this is the last opportunity to pick up this darling stamp being it will no longer be available once our inventory is gone); Copic Markers - Custom Y21, RV11, RV34, E55, E27, E39; Pale Gold Leafing Pen; Gold Glitter Pen

B is for Background

1. Basic Copic Background

Copic markers on the White Inchie Squares are BEAUTIFUL! There are so many ways to create intricate backgrounds, but for that post you are going to have to wait all the way until W. Can you make any guesses as to what the letter W stands for? So for today we are going to look at the Basic Copic Background.

Creating backgrounds for basic designs is simple. By basic design I am referring to an Inchie I create when I stamp directly on an Inchie Square. There are not a lot of layers to this type of design.

Begin by placing your stamp, rubber face up, on your work surface. Ink the surface of your stamp image determining where it is that you would like to position your Inchie on the image. Being that this stamp had recesses in the rubber on either side of the Inchie I was able to easily set my square atop the stamp. If I didn't have this recessed area I would have used my little "pull tab" for the back of my Inchie Square.

This pull tab is created using Blue Painters Tape. This tape is ideal for this application being it will not mar your surface when you remove it from your project.

After inking your Inchie Square using Adirondack ink it is essential to heat set your square. I have found that the porosity of the Inchie Squares does not allow the ink to sink in to the surface as readily as the Neenah paper and therefore if you go straight to coloring on a stamped surface you will more likely than not cause the ink to bleed.

As I colored the background of the image I began with my new Y21. (See this post for information as to how to make your own custom colors.) To create the sunshiney window effect I did pick up my darker Y21 from my palette and added it around the edges.

2. Paper Covered Background

So what can you do with all those bits of paper that you have left over from a large project? Well turn them into 1"x1" squares of course!

Or if you are not fortunate to have saved all your scraps then we do have a packet of Inchie Papers available for you to purchase. This fun collection of 108 patterned paper 1-1/2" squares will keep you supplied for quite some time. You can die cut or trace and trim before attaching them to your Inchie Squares. Each of these packages also contains two (2) Inchie Finders. These little 1" squares of yellow acetate are the perfect tool for "finding" a section of a prestamped image or part of a pattern. Simply place, trace and trim. The yellow color will hopefully help you spot it easier amongst the mish mash that occurs on most of our tabletops when we get in a creative swing.

Karen always has the best organizational tips! I absolutely adore this beautiful box she has put together to keep her Inchie backgrounds prepped and ready to use.

When sorted by color it makes it easy to find the perfect background for your art. Prepare some of these backgrounds for your projects in advance if you are not feeling "it". You know those times when you would like to relax and create, but you just don't have a long-term vision for what it is that you would like to create. Then start at a later time to create the elements or embellishments to complete your Inchies.

I will be sharing more of the backdrop for this little assortment at a later date. For now I just want you to focus in on the assortment of papers that Karen used on these little creations and how she added the focal points to each Inchie. I have to admit I am a bit envious of her beautiful handwriting Ü I would hate to think about how many beautiful Inchies I would ruin if I were to write in cursive on them - LOL! So if you are like me perhaps you might consider printing and cutting out words or stamping them and adhering them to the finished creation instead.

3. Other Background Ideas

• Stamped Backgrounders
• Prismacolor Color Pencils
• Twinkling H2O's or Watercolors
• Old Book Pages
• Word Documents such as Definitions, Special Words

These are just a few of the ideas that I could come up with today/tonight. I hope that they inspire you to try a myriad of different background techniques when creating your Inchies!

Inchies from A-Z: B is for...

Before beginning on the letter B I want to forewarn you to the fact that when you link to Inchies on my storefront it comes back with a blank. This will change tonight! I wanted to ensure that it would be fair to all our newsletter readers and customers that you would all receive the same chance at receiving the Inchies that Karen and I have created to give away with your purchases (see details in newsletter). Please know that the links will all become live tonight, Tuesday March 11th at 8:00pm PST. Thank you for your patience and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter where all details are provided! Click this link and scroll to the bottom of the page to join our mailing list. Our newsletter will keep you up to date on our store promotions, news, and fabulous tutorials and tips. Don't forget to click on the link to the soldering tutorial in the latest newsletter - it has been receiving rave reviews Ü

B is for Bride

 

Created using Bride, Prismacolor color pencils, Spica Clear glitter pen, Sakura Stardust glitter pen, and Ultrafine glitter.

B is for Binder

The question became quite apparent as Karen began producing her Inchies - how would she keep track of them? where would she put them? It was at that time that Lisa of Inchie Arts went in search of a solution. I absolutely LOVE the solution she came up with! This binder is such a cool concept! It is made out of recycled corrugated cardboard and is 100% recyclable. The most unique feature of the binder is that the metal spine containing the rings can be removed from the binder allowing you to lay it flat for decorating.

Simply remove the screws from the metal rings and detach the rings from the cover, lay flat and personalize. Cover with decorative papers, paints, stamps, embellishments and Inchies of course! Reattach the ring spine once complete and you are ready to go. Being that the cover is completely removable you can also change out your covers after they become worn or if you determine that you would like a new fresh look.

Now to inspire you with some binder decorating ideas. Each one of you will have a look that is distinct to you. As I designed my cover I let a creative side of me show that I rarely expose. I love the grungey look and so I decided to bring that side of my creative personality out in this cover.

The wonderful thing about corrugated cardboard is the textural quality it has. I began by removing bits and pieces of the cover surface. This was NOT easy - LOL! This cardboard is VERY well made and so it took me a bit to work it off as I did so in a systematic fashion. I then followed up with two different colors of Distress Crackle Paint - Antique Linen and Old Paper. After allowing the paint to dry I then followed up by sanding the surface and then sponging and rubbing Distress Ink - Tea Dye and Old Paper - over the entire surface.

To enlarge the area of the focal point I stamped the Grid Paper backgrounder in Beaux Arts Blue. I also wanted to balance out the front surface of the binder and have been patiently biding my time hoarding my wonderful Kim Hughes Silhouette Blooms I for the perfect occasion. These stamps coordinate beautifully with Tim Holtz Nature's Moment Queen Anne's Lace. The scale of the two together made me giddy - LOL!

I then set about creating an Inchie "puzzle" using the Lockhart Hydrangea stamp. One might at first wonder how on earth you would incorporate a Lockhart stamp in to a grungey look, but it was SO fun to bring a new look to this otherwise colorful stamp. I began by creating my Inchie definition background using Word. (I still hope that I can figure out how to link up a document here on my blog. If anyone has any suggestions I would truly appreciate knowing how to do it. I have read the Typepad information, but... just not enough time in the day to figure it out without spending a ton of time.) I then stamped my Hydrangea image onto Solar White Cardstock. Next I stamped and created a mask with my Eclipse tape and placed it over my stamped image. I then sent my cardstock through the printer and achieved the results shown below.

Karen has recently been describing a wonderful artist technique referred to as grisaille to me. I do believe that she has some upcoming classes that may include this technique. After looking it up on the internet I learned that it is a multi-layering art process. It is begun by applying shades of gray to your work surface. So using the many Warm Gray's and French Gray's in my Prismacolor Colored Pencils I played with this concept.

This is then followed by the addition of muted color.

I scaled the image to a 2" square and cut it into quarters applying it to Black Inchie Squares. Then these were adhered to a Black Mat Board Base and using a silver tag holder I attached the binder title.

I did have to laugh being in the end my grungey look still has a sense of elegance to it - oh well, what's a girl to do?

Now I want to share a polar opposite of this binder to spur on your creativity and bring you a completely different look. Karen is the queen of covering!!! Her ability to cover boxes and books and... is extraordinary. I so admire the amazing detail and crisp quality of everything she creates.

"Country Kitchen" are the words we are using to describe Karen's binder. It has a warm, cozy feeling to it.

The details are incredible. First I want to tell you about the framed square - it is metal! So you know what that means - she can change the Inchie on the front with a whim.

 

Being that Karen is so meticulous she also covered the inside of the binder!

Look how beautiful the details are!

This view shows the inside of the binder. In this picture you can see how the Inchie Pocket Pages work. In each pocket Karen has inserted a black piece of cardstock to give each Inchie a unified background. After journaling in the Inchie Index regarding each Inchie it is then inserted in to a pocket or put out for display. Much more will be coming on ways to display your Inchies as well as more information regarding this storage system.

Well it is apparent to me that Typepad is not on my side today - LOL! I have just been switched over to the Edit HTML method of posting, being my post has become too complex - aargh. I don't know HTML - LOL! So this last part could be rather interesting when it goes live. I'm going to give it my best shot to wrap up now.

B has many more entries that could be posted about - backgrounds is one that is essential. I hope to share more regarding the letter B tomorrow. I'd best just make this post go live now. Thanks for hanging in here with me and have fun playing with this whole concept!

The ABC's of Inchies

Yeah - I'm back! I've been BUSY!!! There are some fun surprises in store for those who would like to participate. I'm not certain how many of you have noticed a new link on our store home page but we are putting together a mailing list for our current customers. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and you will see the link. Watch for this new form of communication - our newsletter to hit your in box shortly. Our team will be providing you with new tips and techniques to try out. You will also be the first to know of upcoming sales and events, as well as new items that are available in our store. Our goal is to keep our newsletter simple and informative. We will do our utmost not to bombard you with constant updates, so if you are interested and are not a current customer of ours then hurry and sign up now - we have some wonderful things to share with you soon!

One of those items you are going to be given a BIG hint at tonight! It has been some time since I have posted information about Inchies - they have not been forgotten. In fact Karen Lockhart and I have been working together with a new business colleague, Lisa Lee of Inchie Arts. We are thrilled to support her new adventure - she has been helping us out with solutions to our Inchie problems. Realizing that 1"x1" matboard squares are difficult to cut perfectly a solution was needed. Lisa has come to our rescue with some wonderful solutions. Wait until you see what she has come up with! I am not going to give away all the details yet so be certain to watch our blog, sign up for our newsletter and watch our store for changes!

As with all good things it is important to me that I do my very best to share as much information as possible in regards to new ideas. I want to get your creativity flowing, your enthusiasm for crafting stimulated - I want you to have FUN!!!

So here we go. Karen Lockhart has created THE most adorable accordion of Inchies - Inchies from A to Z!

With each post I will cover a new letter of the alphabet sharing from Karen's wonderful Inchie Accordion. I will also be adding my own ideas and inspirations for each letter of the alphabet. Tonight we are going start with A.

A is for Apple

Created using Itty Bitty Apple, decorative paper and Rub-On Alphabet letter.

We are also going to talk about the ABC's of Inchies. Whenever I hear about the ABC's of something it makes me think that I am learning the basics - it's back to those five W's.

Who started you on the Inchie craze?

I'm going to blame it all on Karen Lockhart - LOL! It's ALL her fault Ü She told me about them and then she started creating them. I fell in love with these tactile, adorable little squares she created and now I am creating them too - oh dear - I guess I'm a lemming!

What is an Inchie?

It is a miniature work of art that one can give as a gift, use as an embellishment, or trade with fellow crafters.

What size is an Inchie?

An Inchie should measure 1"x1" square - now technically I guess it will no longer be an Inchie if it goes past that size but do you really think someone is going to be measuring your Inchies - LOL!

What material do you use to create an Inchie?

I primarily use mat board and chip board as the base for my Inchies. Others create Inchies using fabric or cardstock. Use whatever you can think of! I plan on covering Inchies with Metal, make them out of clay, play with epoxy and glass, enclose them in UTEE, frame them with toothpicks and branches. Just wait until you see some of the beauties that Karen has created already!

What style should an Inchie be?

Contemporary, whimsical, quirky, quaint, collaged, simple, complex, unconventional - it doesn't really matter. Pick a style, pick a stamp, pick something that speaks to you and build your little piece of artwork around that element.

OK - so I created my Inchie - now what?

I believe that you have a couple of different alternatives here. First is the collectability of an Inchie. This is what can make them such extraordinary fun! Invite a group of friends to participate and pick a challenge. Begin with something as easy as a color. For example - "let's all make green Inchies this time." Do your very best work so that you can be proud of that little itty bitty piece of artwork that is going out to your friends. When they arrive you will number them and enter that number in a journal (that will be letter J). You can then create a storage system (more to come on this topic as well - this time you only have to wait until B - Ü) to view them and keep them safe, or you can put magnets on the backs and attach them to a frame or a fridge or... (yep you guessed it - more to come on this as well).

The other alternative is one that more people can relate to - use them as embellishments, make them into jewelry, put them on a cardfront. As you can see there are no set rules - it is all up to you - what would YOU like to do with your Inchies?

Where do I go to get started? Who can help me?

• Well you can start right here at our blog, as I said we are going to cover Inchies all the way from A-Z. Hmm - do you think that I can come up with 26 different posts?
• You can also visit our store - soon something will pop up when you click on this Inchie link. I can't tell you when right now being then I would actually have to be ready at that time - LOL! But stay tuned it will be SOON!
• Karen Lockhart of Lockhart Stamp Company
• Lisa Lee of Inchie Arts - be prepared for good things to come. What you see is just the beginning.
• Cindy Lyles and Sharon Harnist - Inchie Arts designers extraordinaire
• Debbie Olson, Michelle Wooderson and Trudee Sauer - incredibly talented designers

When will the big reveal happen?

I guess you didn't see that little sentence above - I can't tell you this minute because then I would actually have to be ready - ha, ha! All I can say is SOON!

Why Inchies?

Because they are adorable, addictive, tactile little squares that delight and warm your heart. To see a grouping of these displayed together just makes you smile. You will have a hard time keeping little ones and old ones alike from wanting your Inchies, from playing with your Inchies :D I wish you could feel the delight that we feel when we set eyes on the fabulous creations that have been set before us. I hope to share the FUN that Inchies are with you over the next month or two.

A is for Airbrushing

A wonderfully quick way to add color to a white mat board Inchie is by using the airbrush. In creating this special little Baby Bee Karen used the airbrush to quickly create the background for this priceless collection of Inchies.

When using a light color tone it is so easy to airbrush the entire piece, stamp and then color without any effect showing through in the final colored piece. Be certain to stay tuned for more information regarding these cuter then bees knees Baby Bees!

A is starting at the very beginning

I am going to share a little project that I have been creating with you. I'm going to "start at the very beginning" and walk you through how it is that I have created these adorable little Worm Inchies. I know it sounds like it should be Inch Worms, but I think in this case they should be called Worm Inchies. Hmmm - I guess I must be getting tired I'm not certain which way it should go - LOL!

The first step in creating a group of Inchies is to determine the number you will be creating. I created 36 very special little Inchies. I began by stamping out 37 of these using my Adirondack Pitch Black pad - yep, one extra just in case I made a mistake. As you can see in the coloring progression above I began with the lightest Yellow Green. Being that I knew I was going to cut these out (yes, I am insane - certifiable I do believe) I didn't worry about staying within the lines and so I colored FAST. As I colored I held both markers, the YG00 and the YG03, uncapped in my hand. I would lay down the YG00 immediately followed by a hint of YG03, in the next stroke I would come back and blend the two colors again with the YG00. I colored in all the worms and then came back with the Melon glitter pen to add some glam to my cute little worm.

Then the cutting began - I was having WAY too much fun! Look at this - LOL!

See - it almost looks like an A - ha! ha!

Being that I had another project in mind that I wanted to create simultaneously I then created my own background paper. Creating background paper can be a ton of fun. I typically will use Microsoft Word to create my definition documents. Using Dictionary.com I look up the word I want to use. In this case it was bookworm. Maddi, my daughter is such a bookworm and well... I guess I'd best stop with that story before I give away too many details on the next project.

I then created an entire page by repeating the definition over and over again. If you would like to see this document take a peak here:  well shoot - that didn't work - I will try again tomorrow, my brain is just too fried tonight to get this link to work. You can even use this document if you would like to create your own bookworm Inchies. I printed this document out onto Solar White cardstock and then cut it up into 7/8" x 7/8" squares. Being that I had cut off the antennae of the Itty Bitty Inchie (the worm that is) I needed to stamp Inchie on to my little white squares. To be precise about the placement I did use my Stamp-a-ma-jig. This is still a tool that I use on a constant basis being I do believe I have a tendency towards perfectionism. (I can't believe I just told you all that - I'm certain you had no idea until now - right? LOL!)

Each little square was then outlined with a Krylon Silver Leaf pen and adhered to a 1" x 1" black mat board square.

(Sidetrack here yet again - but aren't those little worms just hilarious all piled up together! I just have waaaay too much fun when I get to do things like this!)

To attach my little pieces I still like to reach for my Quickie Glue Pen. It makes it so easy to keep my adhesive exactly where I want it. So I attached all my worms and voila - 36 Worm Inchies - or is it Inch Worms - what did you decide? See I even initialed them in the bottom right hand corner.

So what do you think I will be doing with these little creatures? Take a few guesses and in the meantime if you haven't purchased from our store before and you want to receive our newsletter, be certain to head over to our home page and enter your information pronto!

Remember - A is for:

• apple
• accordion
• airbrushing
• ABC's - as in basics - as in the five W's
• and the start of something that can be totally ADDICTIVE!

Reflections and Goals

2008... WOW - how can it really be? It was only yesterday that we brought in the year 2007. As I sit here and reflect on this past year of creating there are many things that run through my mind. Never did I realize how little discoveries would bring such change to some areas of this crafting industry. In setting goals for this new year I had to ask myself what I was proud of accomplishing this past year in hopes that it would lead me to what I would like to pursue business-wise this next year.

I am thrilled with how much you all love the Nestabilities. Being an integral part in the design of these little tools is something I am tremendously proud of. For those of you who didn't realize it, this was in a big way part of my brainchild, so if you don't like them please don't tell me - LOL! OK, so I'm just kidding. It is important for me to hear the negatives as well as the positives so that I can continue towards creating things that really "work". To know that you all appreciate the value, versatility and creative options these offer makes me grin from ear to ear. Knowing how much you appreciate these makes me want to strive to achieve other products that will utilize these three qualities.

My next "baby" this year was the COPIC markers. To see the response that has evolved just blows my mind. Research and education are such an important part of who it is that I am. So it once again thrills me to know that I have had a part in bringing a fabulous tool to the papercrafting community. Sometimes there are things out there just waiting to be discovered - they are there, they have been around for many years, but no one really knows about it, being that it's from another "arena". This quality product is a joy to work with and I believe that we are just beginning to discover the beauty we can create with these special tools. I look forward to the year ahead and hope for more time to create, share and educate.

So this brings me to a couple of my goals for this coming year - I hope to continue to keep on designing and innovating things that will be useful in your arsenal of crafting tools, I hope to keep educating you as to how to use the products we are involved with, as well as share more of my design education with you all and we hope to continue to provide you with the best customer service humanly possible.

So with that I would like to bring in the new year by celebrating - I would like to celebrate each of you. My life is made so much more special each and every day by YOU. The messages you send to me, to all of us here at Ellen Hutson LLC brighten our days - they make us want to work even harder for you and give you the best that we have. They bring smiles to our faces - YOU are special and I would like to celebrate you to begin the start of the year 2008!

Just a brief note about this card so that it makes a little more sense. Try turning your Inchies in to an Inchie clip - what a fun way to hold a group of papers together, or put a magnet on the back and attach those notes to your fridge in a much more appealing manner. Be certain to tell the recipient of your card that they need to use their Inchie - LOL!

"Cheers to you - thank you all for being here with me!"

Inchie Pendant

My first Inchie!!! I am so excited to finally have made one and am able to share it with you :D You know how when you hear of a new idea how excited you get to try it out and put your own spin on it. Well, this little creation has been nestled in my brain for some time and tonight I finally had the opportunity to give it a whirl. I'm quite excited with how it turned out. What I also find so exciting is that I actually sat down and finished this project in a snap - WOWIE, that's a first in a long time - LOL!

I have been acquiring tools over the last few weeks to help make this an easier process and I hope to share those with you soon. Everything seems to take me forever, especially at this time of year - LOL!

To being with I have a possible recipient in mind for this little creation. I'm not certain yet whether she will like it and so I need to get some input from a few important people first. This wonderful lady loves birds and red - thus the beginnings of this creation. I began with an old book page. I stamped the Itty Bitty Birds on it using Adirondack Pitch Black Ink. I then colored the birds using Copics, Prismacolor Color Pencils and a Spica Glitter Pen. I made a 1" square template out of clear plastic to act as my positioning and tracing guide, so that I could get my little creation cut out in just the right spot. It is so helpful to have this little "tool" to help guide in "finding" your place on a stamped image. I will photograph it in the next project I create - I forgot this go round because I was having way too much fun. After tracing and cutting out my 1" square I adhered it to a 1" chipboard square using Matte Perfect Paper Adhesive. This adhesive is perfect for this job being it doesn't soak the paper. I'm guessing that most any white, clear drying glue would work well though. I then embellished the "nail heads" and sides with a gold leaf pen.

The base layer was created using another piece of chipboard, a Lettuce Dabber, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Clear Embossing Powder, the Millinery Holiday Embellishment stamp and some gold Rub 'n Buff. My beading skills leave a lot to be desired, but it seems that the little "dangley" did work on the bottom.

In seeing this project in it's GIMUNGO size on the screen I am thinking that next time I might try sanding the text down a little first so that it isn't so dominant. What do you think???

So yet another way that you can share Inchies with your friends Ü They could use this as a pendant or hang it as an ornament on their Christmas tree. Maybe I'll give that one a try if I decide that this isn't quite the right gift after all. I hope you like this latest twist - there are many more ideas to come, so stay tuned and I'll try and "Inch" my way along being that slow and steady seems to be my way.

Inchie Update

I warned you! You are going to flip!!! These girls are SO incredibly talented - remember there is no turning back when you hit the links below - LOL! They are totally going to "INCHIE their way in to your heart!"

• Debbie Olson - "Plays with Inchies"
• Cindy Lyles - "Inchies"
• Sharon Harnist - "10 Inchies = A Christmas Tree Album!
• Michelle Wooderson - "Inchies and New Lockhart Images"

You too will become "Hip to be square!" I know Trudee is planning on becoming "Hip" tomorrow :D

We are crazy busy here today, but I am still madly trying to pull off getting together our Stamp of the Month program in time for it to hit the site tomorrow. I think I may be loosing my mind though shortly - LOL!

Hugs to you all and once again thank you for your unbelievable support!!!

2 - Hip to be Square

It's funny how when I think those words I start humming the tune, but this has nothing to do with Huey Lewis' song "Hip to be Square". It has to do with "Inchies". I have learned that "Inchies" are hip right now, or they are becoming "hip" - so it IS "hip to be square."

Karen asked me one day, "Have you heard of Inchies?" I was totally confused - was she talking like inches in a foot, or inch worms, or... I replied - "ummm, no - I don't think so." So then she explained and my mind just went bouncy with ideas. Inchies - what are they?

Well they are just that, little 1"x1" squares. Create them...trade them...collect them.

They are a smaller version of ATC's I guess you might say. The fun thing is to see what can be done with such a little, teenie, tiny canvas. There is something about items that are gigantic or itty bitty - they seem to really grab your attention.

So Karen started creating "Inchies" and yep, they grabbed my attention. The picture you are viewing is huge compared to this little Inchie - but I thought I would share one of the many fabulous Inchies tonight that Karen has created. Over the next weeks and months we hope to share a lot more and have fun playing with these Itty Bitty canvases. These birds are from the new Lockhart images being released this Friday. They are the Itty Bitty Birds not the mongo sized ones that appear here - LOL!

The basics go as follows - Create them:

• begin with a 1" x 1" square (typically chipboard). You can use cardstock, fabric and I've even seen glass, metal and plastic. The only rule is that the surface needs to be 1"x1". I like chipboard being the depth of the chipboard makes these fun to hold in your hand and stablizes them making them a little more substantial.
• decorate your square using anything you like - you can stamp it, collage it, doodle or draw it, add words, texture, frames, epoxy tiles, decorative papers, old book pages, definitions, Diamond glaze or Crystal Effects, glitter, liquid applique, teeny tiny bellies such as pearls, tiny brads, buttons, pin heads, fibers - the list is endless - if you think of something cool - try it.
• put your initials someplace on the front of the inchie.
• optional: add a magnet to the back. Magnetic tape works great and if you want that powerful snap there are many awesome magnets on the market now, but please keep those away from small children. These little canvases are so bright, colorful and appealing to little hands and mouths alike.

Trade them:

• put together little swap groups, (or big swap groups if you are brave - LOL)
• make them at a baby shower to complete a little piece of artwork for the babies room,
• make a series of inchies to commemorate the birth of your child - make the number of inchies equal the length in inches your little one was at birth,
• make puzzle games to set on your coffee table,
• send them to a secret sister,
• what about an "inchilada party" come the new year when the doldrums set in,
• leave suggestions in the comments box if you have other fun ideas that you would like to share with the stamping world.

Collect them:

• start a little journal. When you receive an inchie immediately put a little number on the back and add it to your journal book. Use this number to remember who your inchie is from and when it was that you received it. If you are anything like me this is essential - I can't believe how easily I forget these days. EVERYTHING has to be written down - LOL!
• display them in a frame,
• or sit them on a scrabble tile tray,
• place them on a magnetic board
• if you are shabby choose a "shabby" old surface, if you are contemporary - keep it slick and clean. Get creative as to how you would like to view/display your inchies.

The first "How-To Inchie" I will present to you tonight is a very special inchie that was created by Karen.

I thank her from the bottom of my heart for "rescueing" me today. I knew I was in trouble last night when I just ached from head to toe from the coughing. After a quick visit to the doctor's office this morning it was confirmed - yep, bronchitis. So needless to say my creativity is more than zapped. Karen drove these over to me today so that I could take pictures of them and share them with you being that I just didn't have it in me to make anything inchie worthy today.

Just a brief synopsis of how Karen put this together. She began with the smooth white surface and drew the little trees in using the Copic Multiliner .03. This is the pen that she creates all of her rubber stamps with and thus the scale works beautifully with her images. Step two - shows the initial layer of color - this was added using Copic markers. Step three - more color is added using Prismacolor color pencils. This brings out the texture in the paper. Step four - Nicholas is added on a pop dot. Step five - bling it up baby - the remaining surface is covered in an ultrafine mix of glitters that just make it shimmer and shine.

Now this is the part where it gets awesome! Karen has made 30 of these for us to give away to the first 30 individuals who place an order for $30 or more of Lockhart Stamp Company images after they are released at Midnight on Thursday night/Friday morning. We are calling it our 30 for $30 giveaway. Unfortunately there is no way for us to let you know whether or not you will be the recipient of one of these goodies until your box arrives on your doorstep. I wish I could figure out a way to do this so that you would know immediately, but my mind is completely braindead at this point. Surprises are always fun though - right?!?

So place your order for at least $30 worth of Lockhart Stamps as soon as possible Thursday midnight/Friday morning after the new stamps appear on our website and if you are one of the first thirty then one of these special little treats will be yours.

I can envision these hanging as an ornament on a tree. Think of these in a cube/box format - over the top - WOW! Tomorrow I will be adding links to a few other galleries where some incredibly talented women will be putting Inchies on display - so keep coming back to find where those links lead Ü

I am also working on a post that will share a little more about who we are - yes, a little more about Karen Lockhart, the women behind the scenes (Beth, Malin and Malena) who help me right here each and every day, the incredible team of women who are our current business associates (Debbie, Michelle and Trudee), and then top it off by sharing our excitement as we announce two new colleagues that are going to assist us in sharing how to use the Lockhart Stamp Company images in innovative ways. So stay tuned for more exciting things to come!

Remember 1 inch + 1 inch = 1 inchie = fun! Watch out they will inch their way into your heart Ü