simple dreams

Stamp of the Month, April

It has been a long time since I posted anything using the beautiful parchment paper we carry. When creating using this paper one achieves such a soft, elegant look. So for the April Stamp of the Month packet I thought I would share this art form with you in a very elementary way to expose more of you to the beauty that can be created using these simple tools.

I began with specific limitations - as you well know one must think in advance in order to have supplies at the ready. This month I had preselected a beautiful springy ribbon and brads to use in my project, but I had not determined what stamp I was going to use. It occurred to me that April is Tulip season here in Washington state and I just knew that this image would translate into Pergamano so well. When coloring flowers I often times Google the particular flower I am coloring to use as a reference. Little did I know that there are EXQUISITE blue tulips! You must click this link to see some other incredibly gorgeous blue flowers Ü

Photo by Nedko

To begin I stamped my Tulips image using Palette, New Canvas on Parchment paper. I then gently heat set it being I am an impatient stamper and don't like waiting for ink to dry - LOL! Be careful to hold your heat source away from the paper though so that you don't "curl" it. Place your parchment paper stamped side down on a dark padded surface. I prefer to use one of the Pergamano Embossing pads, but beginners can use a black piece of cardstock atop a stack of papers. Next I used my Fine Stylus Embossing Tool to trace all the details of the image. As you can see the Fine Stylus, shown on the bottom, has a much finer tip than any other stylus I carry. I really like this stylus for detailed work. You can achieve an embossed look with other embossing stylus, but it will not be as precise.

Copic markers work fabulously on parchment paper! To color this image work on the back side (or opposite side) of the stamped image - the same side as you embossed on. Begin with the lightest colors - B23, YG00, and Y21 (special). Add depth and dimension with B29, YG63, G85, Y21, YR14 and E39. Below is a close-up of the finished image.

One of the little quandries that one runs in to with vellum and parchment is that all detail shows from behind. In this case I really wanted the image to pop. As a solution I then stamped the Tulips image once again - this time I used a very light blue ink pad, Adirondack 's Cloudy Blue - to stamp my image on white cardstock.

To hide the adhesive can be tricky. There are many new adhesives on the market - one is made by Tombow and I tried it at CHA, unfortunately I could still see it through the vellum and so I try to be clever in attaching my projects so that no adhesive will show. I punched holes in the parchment using my Making Memories Slot Punching Tool. I love that I can punch a slot in any location with this tool. I did learn though that one should use the Making Memories cutting board that comes with it rather than the Basic Grey Magnetic Precision Mat - I managed to punch my slot right through to the metal surface - oops! Fortunately I was able to reinsert the little piece and my mat looks as good as new, but I thought I would forewarn you so that hopefully you don't make the same mistake.

Then thread your ribbon through the slots and apply adhesive to the back side of your cardstock placing it directly behind your pergamano piece. Place your project into position and adhere the cardstock to your cardfront. As you can see I removed the parchment from the ribbon so that I could adjust the ribbon to be in the correct spot for tying my knot. Next apply adhesive to the back side of the parchment piece directly beneath where you will run the ribbon. At this point I realized that I wanted to "frame" the parchment and so I ran my E39 Medium Broad tip around the edge of the parchment.

Thread ribbon through slots and adhere the parchment attaching two brads in the upper left hand corner of the parchment aligning them with the knotted ribbon below. I also sponged a little Vintage Photo distress ink on the Ocean Blue notecard to pull it all together.

OK - so I'm a goofball - LOL! I made this post go live and I wasn't even finished with it. So there you have it - a sneak preview of what is to come later tonight Ü I hope that you enjoy this month's project and jump on board with a Pergamano style or parchment craft project!

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!

A is for Adorable - Lis Inspired

Stamping with friends is SO much fun! Last night my buddy Lis came down and ate some yummy cake with me to celebrate my birthday Ü I've been telling myself this past week that with each year that passes I must be getting a little more "learned" - can't think of it as getting older - right?!? So instead of celebrating with a birthday card I thought I'd go back to the very beginning of days when babies are simply "adorable" and celebrate those days instead.

One of the huge benefits of stamping with my friend Lis is that she stamps differently than I do. She will create key elements for her cards, using the oh so clever techniques she has learned over the years. Some of the techniques she has shared with me are from the courses she has taken, others are just things that are trial and error. So I just started to "trial and error" with her Ü. Using many of the fabulous stamping products that are tucked away in my cabinets brings glee to my heart. I am quite tickled with the finished trials of today. At first I questioned them, but I create with an end picture in my mind. I created my elements wondering if they would be good enough and WOW - they all came together when the finishing touches were added.

I began with the letter "a". Lis was playing with her grungeboard and I was loving her results, but instead of grungeboard I had Cosmo Cricket chipboard Alphabuttons. We discussed the merits of these different materials. Lis had also created a piece using a chipboard button and it really intrigued me. So I started off on my little journey emulating and learning from what Lis had done. I painted the chipboard with a handy white Paint Dabber allowing it to dry. Then the Large Polka Dot backgrounder was stamped over the white background and embossed with clear embossing powder. After heat setting the powder I then rubbed a Lettuce Paint Dabber over the letter. This is when the trial and error part started for me - LOL! Timing is obviously of the essence with this technique. You are supposed to let it dry a little and then rub off the excess paint with a damp tissue or wipe. Well this little exercise happened a couple of times before I felt like the color and look of the letter was "good enough".

I couldn't leave well enough alone and so at this point I inked up the Paisley backgrounder with Silver Encore and stamped my letter, quickly realizing - oops I shouldn't have done that if I wanted to keep the polka dots exposed. I grabbed my heat gun and began heating it to see what effect this would have. Not liking where it was headed I grabbed a paper towel and quickly wiped the entire letter. This is when accidents can turn into beautiful discoveries. You can not see it in this picture, but the letter has an almost irridescent quality to it and woohoo - the polka dots were still in place. Yep, a happy mistake.

I then took my blending tool and added several different Distress Ink greens to the edges of the letter. I love the soft feel that this spongey tool gives to my projects. This was followed by edging the letters with a Silver Leafing Krylon pen. Yeah - I had one fabulous element for my card and a fun adventure and new discovery that I wonder if I'll ever be able to emulate again - LOL!

The next component was the brown piece of cardstock. It is also difficult to see the beauty of this piece, but here is a closeup to try and give you a better idea of what it looks like.

This piece was created by taking Vanilla Bean CS and stamping the Paisley backgrounder using a Perfect Medium ink pad. I could have used an embossing ink pad or Versa Mark pad, but this is the one that was convenient - LOL! Once again I used clear embossing powder and then heat set it. I followed this application by sponging over the top of it in a circular motion using Distress Peeled Paint and my blending tool. This helped bring my brown cardstock closer to the brown/greens that were in the decorative paper I had selected from the new Memory Box Sprout collection.

Last but certainly not least was the little Sweet Pea that would be the focal point of the card. I stamped it on Arturo using Palette Burnt Umber (this is a waterproof ink) and watercolored the image using a waterbrush and Lyra watercolor crayons.

A scalloped classic circle, a little more sponging, some piercing, brushed silver brads and some pink gingham ribbon and wheeew - I was finished. Woohoo - I made it all the way through - did you? LOL! I think it took longer for me to describe this process then it took for me to actually make the card Ü So my final thought for today is don't be afraid to experiment - sometimes you discover fabulous things by doing so!

Monochromatic Bugs

As we go about making cards we sometimes get stuck in a rut. Being that many come to me for guidance in coloring most of my creations incorporate coloring to some degree, but I also enjoy stamping without doing any coloring at all. When I need a really quick card I go back to some very basic stamping techniques. The Lockhart Stamp Company images are ideal for coloring in, BUT they are also adorable just simply stamped on colored cardstock or patterned paper.

I thought about stamping each bug in black on the circles I had cut out using the smallest Nestability circle die. The more I thought about it the more I realized I wanted them to just be a subtle part of the card and not jump off of the paper as a black image would. The final destination I wanted your eye to settle on is the floral piece. Monochromatic stamping is subtle - select an ink color that is slightly darker than the color of cardstock you have selected and stamp your image in this tone on tone format.

It was quite easy to eyeball and stamp each bug in the coordinating ink color, but if you are afraid of missing and having to start over you can always pull out your Stamp-a-ma-jig. It is a tool I use often, but found unnecessary in creating this card. I then placed the circles back in the Nestability die and embossed the images. I find it easiest to cut, stamp, and then emboss.

I am loving my new CHF backgrounders! They are allowing me the freedom to be a "Stampy Stamper". This is a phrase that Mona Lisa coined and it describes me to a "T" - I love stamping and to have the freedom to create distinctive papers that coordinate has given me much pleasure Ü The scale of the Large Polka Dot backgrounder was perfect for this card.

One other design element that I thought about as I created this card was the repetitiion of the circles - it's a LOT of circles I used, but it was this repetition that I felt would bring a strong statement to this card! If I could nudge my focal line of circles over to the right about 1/8"-1/4" then my layout would make me much happier - yes, it's the perfectionist in me. I should have laid my circles down before applying adhesive - LOL!

To finish this card off I felt that the sentiment "It's the little things in life that matter most" would be perfect with all these little bugs. Try creating one of these tone on tone, circle cards and link me up girls - I'm still waiting to see what you are all creating!

Background Fun

I got quite the chuckle when I saw Debbie's post - her creation is OVER THE TOP beautiful. So why chuckle you ask - well I chuckle because she used the Bride and Groom. Over the weekend I had started the creating of the card for this post - guess which images I used? Yep, you've got it - the Bride and Groom - LOL! And yes, I was begging Karen Lockhart for this groom, so please buy it - LOL! I absolutely am thrilled with how well this couple fits together - they truly do compliment one another.

It's the season for wedding preparations. With all the summertime weddings coming up it is now, that many brides (and grooms) are working eagerly towards getting ready for their big day. So why not start thinking of how you will surprise them with something hand-made on their wedding day.

Weddings typically have a soft edge to them and so in thinking through this creation I felt that I wanted to use simple Pergamano techniques to create an ethereal feeling to the image. I began by stamping the groom using Palette New Canvas ink on the Parchment Paper. To get my placement exact on the bride I did the exact same thing as Debbie - I pulled out my Stamp-a-ma-jig. It is a tool I just can't live without being I always like to stamp with precision.

To bring out the softness of the white stamped image I used a combination of two different embossing stylus - both the fine stylus and extra small ball. Once the image is dry I flip it over on to the specially designed embossing pad and draw over the stamped outline using these fine-tipped stylus. Once completed I then colored the image on this side with Copic markers. Copics work SO well on Parchment paper - they truly allow you to get a watercolor like feel to your images.

When teaching stamping classes as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator there were two ink pads I always recommended to a beginning stamper - one was black and the other was VersaMark. The subtle watermark or color tone change that occurs on most cardstocks when you stamp an image using this particular ink pad is subtle, yet distinct. I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that Memory Box Cardstock is made completely different then cardstock that is colored all the way through and therefore VersaMark does NOT leave a watermark on Memory Box Notecards or Cardstock. So for this creation I used Certainly Celery cardstock from Stampin' Up!

As you can see from the finished creation inking the Scalloped Lace Backgrounder with VersaMark and stamping on cardstock leaves a beautiful, monochromatic impression.

This beautiful addition allowed me to create a simple card with a lot of WOW factor. The window was cut and embossed using a rectangular Nestability, and white pearls were affixed to help complete that "wedding-like" feeling.

Now for my storage tip Ü I have taken a few pictures to share how it is that I am storing my backgrounders. First I run the paper insert that comes with the backgrounder through my Xyron machine - laminating both sides of the insert.

I then remove the backing on the backgrounder and attach it to the back of this insert as shown below.

When I ink my stamp I just leave my backgrounder on this laminate covered piece and lay it face down on my work surface, tapping the ink pad evenly over the entire backgrounder.

Place your cardstock on your background in the desire location as shown below.

I then flip the scrap paper that I am working on over the top of this "sandwich", lightly holding the card in place.

Next I gently rub my hand over the entire surface. Lift and remove.

Look how beautiful and crisp the image is Ü Thank you to Julie Ebersole for the wonderful tip of using the scrap paper I am working with - no longer do I go running around looking for a scrap piece of typing paper when I am getting ready to use my backgrounds - LOL!

Being that I know others like to feel the stamp in their hand we do have an alternative for those who prefer this method. We have found a beautiful acrylic block that is just the right size for use with backgrounders and other large stamps.

Having the ruler grid allows me to easily line the stamp up perfectly. As well the finger grip positions make it more comfortable to use.

I have a rather small hand - 8" from tip of my thumb to the tip of my pinky when my hand is fully stretched open. I can still control these blocks due to the finger grips that are in place.

Another method for those who already own wood mounted backgrounds that have a decal in place on the front is to remove the backing on the Smart Cushion or EZmount stamps and temporarily affix it to the face of a wood mounted background. Once you have finished stamping clean the stamp, remove it and place it back on to your storage surface.

One last little bit of information that I would like to share in regards to storing Smart Cushion or EZ mount is extremely important.

Please Note: It is not recommended that you store any of your Smart Cushion/EZMount Stamps on Acetate Sheets. Acetate is made with chemicals that will react with the Smart Cushion/EZMount and any other cling cushion type product, making an almost permanent bond between it and the cling. Acetate products include transparencies and many binder inserts. Laminate sheeting is not supposed to have the same effects and therefore the reason I am really excited about being able to use my Xyron for this purpose.

Well, it is time to crawl into bed. I hope that you enjoy my version of the bride and groom as much as I have enjoyed Debbie's! Be certain to take a peek - her watercoloring is incredible! Thanks for stopping by and be certain to read my post of two days ago for a little surprise at the end - you have one more day Ü

Tim's Tag Inspired

It's the talk of the town, or perhaps better said - the internet. Tim Holtz has a blog and he has WOW'ed us all with his amazing tags!!! Tim has always inspired me with his over the top creativity, so last night I finally had an opportunity to play with the myriad of toys that I have had sitting on my shelves since (embarrassed a little here) last MAY!!!

At CHA this summer I was a lucky girl - at the very end of the show, when most everyone had already gone, Tim was just finishing up his work at the Ranger booth. My good friend Mona Lisa introduced me to Tim and I had the opportunity to "quiz" him regarding the Ranger line of products and he demonstrated several of the techniques that he is well known for. We had a wonderful conversation and he made an incredible tag which I have in my collection of things I'll keep for a LONG time - LOL!

This little beauty shimmers and shines just like Tim's smile. I couldn't believe how nice he was after being "tormented" by all of us ladies, for all those days - LOL!

So in honor of Tim's tag challenges I decided to try and create one with an Ellen twist using the Lockhart Wreathe Angel. As you all know I love to airbrush and have had this idea in my brain for a LONG time - I wanted to try the Heidi Swapp Masks with the airbrush. Well the results are great - they can be repositioned and reused - a feature I do love. My only caution is that they are REALLY sticky. My first try out I stuck it to my tag and when I pulled it off along came the paper, sticking to the back of the mask. Well needless to say I decided to try something different with the next one and took my fingers and just patted all over the sticky backs to lessen the adhesive so that I could then remove it without pulling the paper off. I also did not press them down to my paper, but just laid them in place. They quickly adhere and that's when I sprayed.

The tag is a small manila one. I didn't have any of those lovely gimungo ones that Tim has. Can you believe that one? I guess it's time for another shopping trip Ü I positioned a couple of the leaves on the manila tag and then airbrushed using COPIC Sketch Marker Y63. I then spritzed with my special "Tim Concoction". I will share that below at the end of my post. After removing the masks I then very lightly airbrushed the entire tag once again just to add a hint of green to the leaf sections. I colored the angel with Prismacolor pencils and Copics after adding the embossed details to her dress. Copic Spica Glitter pen highlights were added to the ribbons and her hair. I used a Copic marker to change the color of the tag "circle".

Next I added dimension to the background paper by once again placing my masks on the Crimson paper. My secret to spraying in my craft area is this big box. I can tell you that my first spritz was not a pretty thing - LOL! I actually was holding my mini mister sideways and - a big OOPS! Needless to say I learned my lesson and now use a box instead.

Unfortunately you can not even begin to see the beauty of this paper. Talk about bling!!! I know that Glimmer Mist is the talk of the town and I am assuming that it is a "concoction" very similar to Tim's. What I love about Tim's recipe is that I have LOADS of product remaining to mix in other fun and funky ways, as well as a little pot of "bling" that still calls my name for other techniques I hope to share over time. (Or you can just stay tuned at Tim's blog - I'm guessing he will share all sorts of wonders with you all as well, being these products are his "babies"!)

So following is a simple "Tim Concoction". I use a clear mini mister so that I can see what is in each little spritzer. To this I add some color wash and Perfect Pearls. For this particular project I mixed Red Pepper Color Wash with Perfect Gold Perfect Pearls. Tim demonstrates on his blog how he has used a popsicle stick to add the Perfect Pearls to the bottle. I have a teeny, tiny spoon that I like to use. A little goes a long way. The result is oh SO Christmasy! I'm going to share a little secret with you regarding this month's Stamp of the Month project - I sprayed my flowers and background paper with this mixture too Ü The shimmer that these projects have just can't be captured with my elementary photography techniques.

A little piercing, some gold glass beads, a hammered brad (yet another cool Tim Technique and Tool), some Tarnished Gold Embossing Powder and my Tim inspired project is complete.

I hope that you have a relaxing weekend even though the holiday season is in full-swing. Take some time out to breath and create if possible and enjoy some wonderful Christmas music as you create. I have Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong playing in the background. Her voice is magical and just makes me feel warm inside.

ETA: I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind you all that once again Nichole is going to blow your socks off with her latest stamp sets - they unveil tonight. I would also like to thank Nichole for being such an absolute delight to work with!!! It is with sadness and yet a sigh of relief that I share with you that I will no longer be a part of PaperTrey's design team. As you all know my life has been VERY full this past year and it is becoming increasingly busier with each passing day. It is so important to try and maintain some sort of sanity and reduce the deadline stress load. It is so wonderful to have relationships with other women who do what I do and I look forwards to supporting Nichole and what it is that she does in the years ahead. Her talents never cease to amaze me. Thank you Nichole!

COPIC Airbrush Mania - Part 1

OK - I'll admit it - I am totally diggin' this airbrushing stuff. I'm not certain why that is, but all I can say is that it is completely and totally addictive. I am having such a ball just learning how to finesse this tool. Nothing much to show for my work yet at this point, but I am learning and it has been SO much fun!

Tonight's post is more of an educational post. I have had many of you ask me about the ease of use, what color value range works the best, etc. and so I am hoping to help answer some of those questions with this post and future ones.

It all begins with this - the tools:

I have selected to carry the ABS-1 system in my store being that I believe that when you purchase something you want it to do the best job it can and again be able to be stored in a realistic manner. I also want to have everything that is necessary to do the job when I set forth to try something new. The other products offered by COPIC are all well made, but in my opinion this is the best set to start with. The system comes with everything above, except the larger air can. I must say that the small air can it comes with is really only a "starter" can. The Air Can 80 that it comes with supplies about 15-20 minutes of air to work with. The Air Can 180 lasts for about 40-45 minutes. You will be pleasantly surprised by the number of projects you can create with this amount of air. When you air brush you typically use just short little bursts of air using only seconds at a time. You can not spray for long periods of time with this type of system being that the air can gets too cold and will not work after a while. This means you can't just sit there and air brush for long lengths of time. So I have found that my air can is lasting well. I will also admit that I am such an addict that I am looking in to purchasing an air compressor being that I believe that this is going to be a life-time addiction for me :D

I am going to share some pictures of how easily this system goes together. It comes with complete instructions and I HIGHLY recommend reading these before beginning to do anything with your new toy. There are precautions listed and advice that will really improve the quality of your work. Following are the basics.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture before I attached the air adaptor (the can in the picture above) to the air grip (the little trigger mechanism). It easily screws together - sorry I missed this piece, but I didn't want to waste any of my precious air by pulling it apart again - LOL!

At the other end of the hose is a valve that houses the air regulator. The regulator does just what you think it will - it regulates the amount of air that is released from the can. The little screw at the top of the system is how you release the air.

I find it easier to attach this valve by holding it firmly in my left hand and turning my air can on to the valve/regulator by rotating it counterclockwise.

Be certain that your valve is opened as shown above before attaching, otherwise you will hear a "psst" as the air starts going out and it might startle you. If your hose is attached at the air adaptor/air grip it will stop you from loosing air, but I still recommend that the screw is in the position shown above. You will also want to be certain that you don't open that screw too far because guess what it comes COMPLETELY OFF. At that point the air just goes escaping in to the air. Guess how I found that out?!? LOL. So play with all the parts before you start putting your gadget together to familiarize yourself with all the little twisty parts before attaching it to your air can.

As soon as you have your pieces attached it is best to place the air can in to the foam grip stand that is provided in the kit.

Please note that you must NOT shake the air can or lay the air can on it's side while operating. The liquid within the can becomes so cold that it can cause frostbite. Now that's cold! Somehow this liquid can escape if the air can is on it's side, so be certain to place it in the foam grip whenever you are using your air brush. Fortunately I can tell you that I have not experienced this little dilemna (yet) - which actually surprises me being that I am apparently accident prone - LOL!

So with that you are ready to snap your marker in place and start creating magic. COPIC has put together some information on their website that is also helpful. This is only the beginning of the Airbrush Mania series I am putting together. I believe that as it becomes more common place we will see some incredibly innovative ways of using it. Hmm - what about temporary tattoos, or streaked hair, or ... OK - that may be a little much, but it is so fun to think about. I hope to share some of my innovations with you being that I am just having fun with it right now. I like to try spraying everything, including my fingers (but that is purely by accident :D)

OOPS - I forgot to add - the markers came in and went right out to their respective homes. Guess what - I am now completely sold out of some of the sets yet again. More are on order, many more - but patience is a virtue and I refuse to put them back up as a preorder item until I know what the correct ship dates are going to be. I am so sorry we continue to sell out of them at lightning speed, but please know that I am doing my best to get an inventory in stock that will not keep you waiting. So once again I am doing my utmost to be patient. Thank you all again for your continued support and I hope that I receive some magical news from my COPIC representative when I call tomorrow. I'll be updating on all items again once I receive updates. THANK YOU!

Stamp of the Month, August

In creating this month's Stamp of the Month Packet I once again wanted to bring you a project that you could utilize for your upcoming Christmas cards, as well as use the Angel in other ways. Therefore I picked the Harvest angel and paired it up with colors that would say Christmas instead of Autumn.

I know that in the past you have found the color progressions to come in handy and so once again I snapped photos as I colored in the image. I will admit that these are not the best photos. It's funny how the awkward angle makes a difference, but hopefully it allows you to see how the colors were laid down on the image to create the shading.

The first colors I used were Cream, Chartreuse and Scarlet Red.

The next layer included Sand, Limepeel and Crimson Lake.

The last layer of colors included Goldenrod, Dark Green and Crimson Red.

By continuing to layer the colors, leaving some lighter spots to "round" out the angel I tried to make her colors coordinate with the beautiful Dill and Crimson papers that I had selected to include in this months kit.

As a finishing touch I mounted the angel on the crimson paper and mounted this on the Elegant Holiday paper. To show off the beautiful two-sided feature of these papers I curled the layers back ever so slightly to reveal the crimson underside. Mounting this on the dill note card and adding that final layer of piercing makes this layout just a little different. To pierce I resorted to my old faithful SU piercing template. That tool has been indispensable when it comes to my cardmaking. Below is a close-up view of the pattern that I used on the crimson paper - adding the antique copper brads gives it the finishing touch.

I hope that you enjoy this month's kit and that you get 10 more cards made for your Christmas assortment!

Using the Wizard, Shaped Cards and Window Tutorial

Yippie - I've made it downstairs and I'm finally able to concentrate enough to start answering emails and do a little writing. My foot is up and so here goes. Thank you to all for your well wishes and patience with me. Katelyn and Kelcie are here helping in ways that were never part of "the package" - they are working hard to keep up with the orders and messages, as well as helping me with the girls. I'm not certain what I would do without them! Hopefully by the end of the week we will have caught up on all the emails - so if you have sent a message and haven't heard from us please do not hesitate to send another because the first one might have gotten "buried" in our inbox.

Thank goodness I had taken pictures of this project previously so that I could write this tutorial. Now I can just sit here and edit pictures, doing the write-up from my comfy place right here on the couch :D With a laptop I can even lie down - foot propped up on the end of the couch and just type away - LOL!

One of the beauties of the Nestabilities is the option of making shaped cards. You may all remember this card:

Tonight I will take you through how I position the Wizard when I use it, how I cut and emboss the shaped cards and how I create a window in my cards.

Positioning the Wizard

If you watch the Spellbinders video showing how to use the Wizard, you will see immediately the difference in how I place the Wizard as I work. Envision that I am standing at the bottom edge of the picture above. The handle is to my left with the little button located on the top pushed down. If you need to reverse the direction or run your project back and forth through the Wizard you just push the button from the opposite side and it reverses the direction. This button also makes this tool perfect for left-handed crafters! I recommend that if you currently own a Wizard and you have trouble operating it as shown in the video just keep flipping it around until you find that perfect position just for you. Thus making this die cutting machine Universal in more then one way.

Now if I wasn't holding the camera in my right hand you would see that I hold the white mats in my right hand at a slight angle downwards as I insert the plates between the rollers. Using my left hand I run my hand over the rollers moving from left to right - this locks the mats in place.

After the mats are locked in place I put slight pressure on the left end of the machine with a couple of fingers - it's kind of difficult to see my fingers on the far left, but they are there.

The Wizard is different from other die cut machines on the market. Its handle is utilized in a different way. It does not go round and round in a circle, rather it is a "ratchet" type of device that moves between 9:00 o'clock and the 3:00 o'clock position. In my case I move the handle from the left to the right, bringing the handle back up to the 12:00 o'clock position and repeat until the plates are moved through the machine.

Being that the Wizard is all metal it has strength like no other machine on the market. I am told that it literally can have a car driven onto it and it won't crush it.This ratchet type of system allows for great pressure to be exerted on the plates. This pressure can cause the plates to rocket out of the machine when you come to the end if you are not prepared. But you should know that if you have a really tight sandwich in any machine you can rocket your plates out of any machine. I managed to whistle a plate half way across the room with my Big Shot when testing different materials in it as well.

What I do to make certain that my plates do not become projectiles is as I roll the plates through the machine I hold the plates as they come to the end and therefore I don't send them across the room - LOL!

What I have enjoyed the most is that the impressions produced by the Wizard are incredibly clean and crisp, AND I no longer have to deal with broken and warped plates like I did when using the Cuttlebug and Big Shot. That is not to say that you can't get clean and crisp impressions with other machines - the difference is that you just need to know what sandwich is going to work the best for your particular machine or do a little experimenting.

This is the reason for the compatibility sandwiches we have put together. Spellbinders has already done the work figuring out the sandwiches for many machines on the market so that you will not need to figure it out yourself. I would like to remind you to look back at these whenever you have a question about your type of machine.

Making Shaped Cards

With the Wizard you will need the Master Mats, Spacer Plate, tan mat and die of your choice. For cutting your sandwich always utilizes the Master Mat, Spacer Plate, die (face up), notecard (or whatever else you would like to try cutting) and then topped with the other Master Mat. Please see the Compatibility list for your particular machine.

Place your folded notecard on the die as show above, with the scored back lining up along the inside edge of the scallops as shown - be certain to set it to the side of the cutting portion of the die. If you do not want to have any embossing on the edge set it completely clear of the scalloped shapes. Run it through your machine.

If you would like to add embossing to the card then leave the note card in place. Remove the spacer plate and place the tan mat on top following it with the Master Mat and run it through the machine again.

Cutting Windows

To add a window to my card front I determine where it is that I want the window to be. I then measure to determine where on the spacer plate I am going to adhere the die.

Using my ATG adhesive I place a small amount of adhesive on the back side of the die and position it in place on the white spacer plate. This holds the die firmly in place and keeps me from having to make guesses as to where it is.

I then use temporary adhesive to hold my notecard in the exact place I would like it to be. Please note how the scoreline of the note card aligns perfectly with the edge of the spacer plate. This ensures that I don't get an extra "line" in my note card after running it through the Wizard.

My sandwich with the Wizard is always the same for cutting - Master Mat, White Spacer Plate, Die (face up), paper (or felt, tin, fabric, etc.) and then the other Master Mat. The sandwich for embossing is also always the same - Master Mat, Die, paper, Tan Embossing Mat, Master Mat.

These dies allow you to place your window wherever you would like in your card front. There are no limitations as to where it can be placed. It is one of the biggest features that makes me gleeful - LOL!

Cutting Frames

Cut your shape out of a scrap of cardstock being certain to allow enough extra space for a larger die cut to follow.

Position the cut out over the top of your next die shape, centering it over the die so that you can not see it.

Cut - you could also add embossing at this time, but I chose to make this frame without embossing.

WOW - that took a long time - it is now the next night! I'm still in the exact same spot as I was yesterday though - LOL! Hopefully this makes enough sense to help those who would like to make shaped cards, windows and frames, as well as answer the question regarding how I use the Wizard.

Flowers in Chintz Progressive Coloring Techniques

This little post is a thank you to all those of you who have purchased the Flowers in Chintz this month. I promised a progressive coloring "lesson" of sorts earlier this month and I am finally getting down to it - so if you haven't purchased your Stamp of the Month be certain to do it before June rolls around! I have a new choice coming up that I think you are all going to be delighted with :D

Be certain to double-click on this image to open it larger on your screen as you read the information below.

In my opinion, no one colors like Karen Lockhart! I have had the pleasure of coloring with her and learning from her. I asked Karen if she would be willing to share with me one of her coloring progressions so that I in turn could share it with you. Above is the example she created.

Before beginning to color I always suggest to my students that they color on a scrap paper first - one that has the same "tooth" as the project that they will be working on.  A wonderful test is to see how "light" it is that you can color. Using a light hand is the key to success in coloring when not using Gamsol or some other blending solution. Get your depth of color by laying down many layers of color; allow the paper tooth to still be visible. This technique allows you to create so many more colors then you could ever receive from one dark layer, or one color blended with Gamsol.

If you think about your coloring project as if it is a decorating project you will be able to control what it is that you are doing to a higher degree. Putting an accessory in a room that is not even painted is not typically the best method of creating a successfully balanced and designed room. An analogy that Karen has come up with that I absolutely LOVE is to think of creating your little piece of art with these three words in mind: Prime, Paint, and Decorate.

In the first stage of priming your project you wouldn't zero in on one little corner and complete it - you would cover all the walls with your primer coat. The first layer of this image was created by applying Sand, Deco Pink, and Lavender on the flowers; Chartreuse on the foliage; Blue Slate on the vase and Sand and Pale Sage on the "window". This helps you define your project - it is the stage where you determine where your colors will be placed. If you look very closely you will see that neither Karen or I "stay in the lines" - color when allowed to "fuzz" outside the lines helps blend the image and bring color in to those "empty" areas.

In the next stage of "painting" your project you will add Ochre, Hot Pink, and Parma Violet to the flowers to further define them. Kelly Green will be added to the foliage and another layer of Blue Slate and some China Blue will be added to your focal image. You can also further define your "window" at this point. Think of the "frame" as a sunny window - darken the edges leaving more of the white tooth of the paper showing directly behind the image - as though the sun were shining in from the back.

Last, we are going to "decorate" our image by further enhancing it to add more detail and interest to it. Dark Brown is added to the flower centers, Process Red and another layer of Parma Violet to the flowers.  Dark Green is used as the last layer on the foliage and Copenhage the last blue on the vase. Add a little Gingerroot and a little more Pale Sage to the window. You will notice that by repeating the same color numerous times your intensity will increase. Don't overwork your project - stop before you go to far! You can always come back to it after letting it sit for a while and determine whether it truly needs more color.

I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you of some other information I have shared previously about color pencils:

• Color Pencil Techniques
• Color Pencil Tips
• Color Pencil Removal Tips
• Color Pencil Glossary

Coloring is such a relaxing thing for me to do - I absolutely love to just sit and color in images. I hope to share a different color version of this same stamp using the same technique, but I doubt it will happen this week. I still have house guests (my family is still visiting), my girls are in the final throws of preparing for their big dance recital - rehearsal, pictures, etc. You name it, we have it happening again here at our house this week - LOL! So please forgive my inability to get everything done that I would like to.

I would also like to add that many of you have requested the paper Karen and I use when we color and I am thrilled to tell you that I have gone ahead and placed this item in the store. Nothing seems to compare to this paper, Neenah Classic Crest (Solar White, Classic Natural White, and Classic Cream), when it comes to coloring using Prismacolor color pencils and even Copic markers.

I thank you again for your continued support and enthusiam!!! I sincerely hope that this little "tutorial" of sorts helps you gain some insight into coloring this awesome Lockhart image!