the CLASSroom

Creating Unique Embellishments Using UTEE and Mold and Pour

Ever have one of those moments when you are looking for that perfect embellishment for a project, but nothing on hand really is working for you? How great would it be if you had the things on hand to create a unique embellishment that would be the perfect touch for that special project? It can happen, it is something that take just a few products and gives you creative freedom for so many of your crafting needs.

The way I will be showing you how to do this is using a product called Mold and Pour and also a selection of UTEE colors. I pulled some random 3 dimensional objects from my crafty stash, I wanted to experiment with different types of shapes so I chose a wide variety of brands and styles.

For this basic round shape I used one of my Webster's Pages Sparklers, and used equal parts of the two components that make up the Mold and Pour. Take the two equal sized portions of Mold and Pour and knead them thoroughly together.

Shape it into approximately the size of the object that you want to make.

Then gently press the object into the Mold and Pour and set aside for about 10 minutes to dry. Carefully remove the object after the Mold and Pour has become dry. The mold will have a very rubbery and flexible finish when it is done, this makes it easy for the removal of the objects that you create later.

A few of the objects that I tried that worked well with the UTEE were Melissa Frances Scrolls, Tim Holtz Fragments, and the Webster's Pages Sparklers. What I also found was that items that weren't very deep or had open areas in the design didn't do very well when the UTEE was poured into them. I do think that they would be great for clay or other products that you have a little more control over how they are put into the molds.

This Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 card was complimented perfectly by the black round UTEE button that had come from the Sparkler mold and the scroll from the Melissa Frances mold.

I hope that you have been inspired to play with ways to create your own embellishments using items that you already have in your craft stash and some Mold and Pour.

B-

Stamping on Canvas by Julia Stainton

One of the things I love about stamping is the unlimited number of options for creating.There are just so many possibilities. There are so many techniques.

Often we get so caught up in stamping on paper that we forget to try stamping on other surfaces. Today I'd like to share a couple projects I've created by stamping on canvas and a few methods I use for doing so.

Stamping on Canvas with Paint

 

Canvas is such a great and also trendy surface to alter. This first card design uses a darling canvas dress from Maya Road as the central part of the design. I love the texture but it also presents a few stamping difficulties on how to get a great impression. One of my favorite solutions for stamping on canvas or other fabrics is to use paint.

Ranger paint dabbers make applying paint to rubber stamps a breeze. Just prime them on some scrap paper and then dab on the paint.Stamp your image firmly onto the canvas and make sure you wash the paint from your stamps right away. I know from experience that dried acrylic paint is nearly impossible to remove for a stamp. Not fun!

For best results, use bold images without fine detail with paint. After stamping the image with paint and the Cling Dots Background, allow to dry well.

I then started to "dress" up the project. Pun intended. :) The Hero Arts lace is so pretty and easy to use.

To give the dress a little further pizazz, some silk ribbon tied in a bow and a few embellishments finish it off.

For final touches, I stamped the sentiment and then stitched a border around the card in black thread.

Supplies: Kraft Cardstock by Hero Arts, Cling Dots Background by Hero Arts, So Artsy 4x6 stamp set by Hero Arts, Laundry Day Canvas Pieces by Maya Road, Cranberry Adirondack Paint Dabber by Ranger, Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger, Black Vintage Button by Jenni Bowlin, twine, sewing machine, Rose Silk Ribbon by May Arts, Pearl Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Cream Self-Adhesive Lace by Hero  Arts

 Stamping on Canvas with Ink

My next project once again stamps on canvas but this time with ink. I've used some basic canvas fabric from the fabric store. Once again, because of the texture, it is best not to use too fine a stamp on canvas. I suggest testing your image on a scrap piece of canvas fabric before commiting to the actual project.

This beautiful Hero Arts butterfly image is stamped in Jet Black Archival ink by Ranger. It is my go to ink for stamping almost everything, except for when I want to use Copic Markers. Jet Black Archival gives a great rich black impression and is perfect for stamping on fabric. Once stamped, heat set the image with a heat gun.

I decided to try misting the canvas to see how that looked. The spritzed Glimmer Mist looked wonderful but I still wanted to add a little more color. Because Jet Black Archival does not work well with Copic Markers, I brushed on a little color using my Memento Markers which are dye based. I love the look and will be experimenting with this further.

Supplies: Kraft Layering Paper by Hero Arts, Antique Engraving stamp set by Hero Arts, Everyday Sayings stamp set by Hero Arts, Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger, canvas fabric, heat gun by Ranger, Cataloupe, Pear Tart and Lilac Posies Memento Markers by Tsukineko, Electric Blue Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels, Leaf Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Buttons by Basic Grey, Tiny Attacher by Advantus, Tim Holtz Tissue Tape by Advantus, Avignon Printed Papertape by 7 Gypsies

Have fun experimenting with different surfaces you can stamp on to stretch your creativity. Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom!

ATC Fun and Random Drawing for Ellen's ATC

ATC's have always intrigued me, but I must admit this is a new adventure for me - I cannot remember ever creating one before (insert big eyes!) I had no idea what the "requirements" are for an ATC and so I began with what I know. I know that Claudine has ATC sized Sticky Back Canvas, so I went and grabbed one to use for this project :-D

So what is an ATC? I decided I'd best figure that out and there is NO better resource than the CLASSroom - right?!? Note the wonderful categories on the side index - yes sir, ATC or Altered Trading Cards are right there amongst the mix. A little reading was in order - I encourage you to follow this link and read more about ATC's if you have never created one and are intrigued. 

 

With Sticky Back in hand I decided to do a transfer, but what could I try that might be an interesting lesson. I decided to test the punched edge to see what type of interest this would add to a project.

 

Apply a generous amount of Matte Multi-Medium to the canvas face and then a small amount to the printed side of the patterned Prima paper. Rub the paper firmly to affix to the canvas and let it dry. Yes, this is the hardest part --- allowing it to fully dry is imperative!

 

Once completely dry mist the paper until you see the paper change color. In the photo above you will note how the paper in the center is not moist enough - this will not rub off easily. Once again use the flat part of your finger as I showed in the Transparency transfer to remove the excess paper. You will notice how the top edge does not have the decorative paper transfered to the canvas - this is because there just wasn't enough adhesive in that location to affix the decorative paper properly. I love that random look and so when applying the adhesive to my canvas I allow some portions to be drier than others to get this random application. You will also note that I really did try and define that punched edge by applying plenty of adhesive to that area before the drying process began.

 

Remove as much of the paper "fuzzies" as possible. If you would like to get rid of that white cast brush a very light coating of matte multi-medium over the finished piece. The part on the left is still not covered so that you can see a comparison.

 

I knew I wanted to add some fairly heavy embellishments to my ATC and so I decided to use Craft-a-Board as my base. Craft-a-Board and Color Wash are a match made in heaven! In my spray box I misted the surface with Stream Color Wash and some plain water until the surface was soaked. Using a brayer I then went over the surface. This grabbed a little of the color from previous sprayings and achieved the most gorgeous color mix. Hopefully soon I will have the time to do a "Use Your Spray Box To It's Full Advantage" post. :-D

 

Inking one of my favorite Hero Arts backgrounds with Walnut Ink was the finishing touch for my ATC backing.

 

I don't know if you recall my foray into Shimmer Sheetz the other day, but the flower shown above is one of those experiments :-D I simply punched the flower from the Shimmer Sheet and then heated it, curling the petals while it was warm. Susan, who happened to be in my studio that day (yes, I'm a lucky lady!) grabbed an embossing stylus and put a vein down the center of each petal. We then used the Crafter's Pick to add a hole. This flower turned out to be THE perfect color embellishment for this project - I love when a happy coincidence occurs! Using a Tim Holtz foliage piece together with a brad I attached the flower as shown above.

Remember that you can alter the length of chain on most of these embellishments. Simply removing a few of the links made the length much more appropriate.

 

What could be more perfect for an ATC than an Odds and Ends ticket (using a Stamp-a-ma-jig helps me get these tickets in the best position on my ticket strip), together with a mini paper clip and a bird for that little bird house?!?

 

Yes, my little ATC is REALLY lonely in this adorable Mini Library Drawer. If you collect ATC's then this little drawer is THE perfect place to store your collection.

I believe that the point of ATC's is to just create for art's sake and then trade them, so with that I will be giving my lonely little ATC to someone who might enjoy having this lonely little character - LOL! I know that there is absolutely no way I can make enough to trade but I can give the one away that I did make... if you would like to be included in a random drawing for this little ATC you must show me your ATC's! At the end of this post we would love for you to share one of your ATC projects! Link us up and inspire other's to just create art for arts sake :-D

 

stamps: Hero Arts Cling Fabric Design Background, Tim Holtz Odds and Ends

ink: Distress Walnut Stain Ink, Archival Coffee, Stream Color Wash

paper: Memory Box Bayou CS, Prima 6x6 Madeline, Craft-a-Board

accessories: Studio Line Natural ATC Sized Sticky Back Canvas and Matte Multi-Medium, Prima Vintage Bird Trinkets, Tim Holtz Crafter's Pick, Ticket Strip Die, Foliage, Mini Paper Clips, Swivel Clasp; Hero Arts Self-Adhesive Cream Ribbon Strip, EK Success Deco Scallop Punch, Iridescent Black Shimmer Sheetz, Martha Stewart Flower Punch and Stamp, 7 Gypsy Antique Brass Reinforcer and Mini Library Drawer

You have until March 2nd to create an ATC and share it with us here to be included in a random drawing for my ATC. I would love to hear from you --- tell me if you create and trade ATC's. If so how many do you typically create? Thank you and have a wonderful day!

ETA: Please feel free to add your ATC to the Gallery and link to it there!

Tag Technique Challenge Winner

Congratulations Steph D. - you are the winner of our Tag Technique Challenge $50 store credit - we hope that you have fun on your shopping spree! Please contact us at [email protected] with your email address so that we can get your special code to you!

 

Thank you to the five ladies who joined in this challenge! Please be certain to visit the Gallery and share some love with all the entrants!

 

 

Countdown to Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Mix and Match Products - They Are Here!

ETA: YEAH, everything is here and we are almost done with everything here. The Faber-Castell product is now live! We are hopeful that tomorrow clears off again and we will be back to pack your orders! I'm taking home some product to do a little "study session" so that I can make some "Inside the Package" recommendations.

Yes, we hope - LOL! Washington state has once again been hit by snow. I am writing this post from home as I watch the weather forecast on TV. The view out our back window is VERY white and they keep saying it is going to snow some more. Perhaps I am ready to move someplace warmer, it seems to have been a LONG winter :-D

I will be heading in to work shortly to see if UPS is going to be able to make their deliveries today. Then I'll do a quick count and come home to make the updates, because it sounds like the snow is supposed to come again this afternoon. So keep your fingers crossed that the weather holds off and that the snow disappears quickly so that we can get back in here to pack your orders :-D

For today's project I did some experimenting with applying these mediums directly to clear stamps. The results were a happy surprise!

 

It may be hard to see what I stamped in the project above, but I stamped the flowers on the background paper, as well as the pennants. Looking at these gorgeous colors really makes me want spring to arrive!

 

To begin I started with the Big Brush Pen and a clear Hero Arts flower stamp. The first image next to the pen is first generation and the one directly beneath is the second generation stamp.

Next I tried the Artist Pen - the results were surprising. Due to the finer tip on the pen the finished image had a "feathery" appearance.

I also colored an image with the Artist Pen and then came back in with the Big Brush Pen with beautiful results, but I can't seem to find that photo this morning as I'm editing pictures. The color variation between the Artist Pen and the Big Brush Pen is ever so subtle and so the combination of the two is quite lovely!

 

The last technique I tried was coloring the stamp with the Gelato watercolor tube. After adding the color to the stamp lightly spritz the stamp with a mini mister filled with water from about 12" away and then stamp. It is SO cool how the veining becomes more prominent!

The images that were colored with the Gelato stick can be spritzed numerous times before reapplying the watercolor base - experimenting is so much fun!

Gelatos have been one of the products in the line that seem to have a lot of questions and so I thought I would try and share just a little background information here in this post. I know that I will personally have to do a lot more experimenting to fully understand the possibilities, but here is just a little more information on these delightful color "stix."

Gelatos have a creamy, rich texture and when first applied are opaque in color. The colors are vibrant and when combined with other watercolor products, or other Gelato colors blend smoothly. Apply the gelato color directly to paper by easily gliding it directly on the paper - this color can be left to dry or dissolved wtih water to create beautiful watercolor effects. Another application is to create a palette on a non-stick craft sheet or any plastic surface, picking up the color with a watercolor or wet paint brush. 

You can also apply the gelato color directly to a red rubber or clear design stamp image, then mist with water and stamp. (This is the technique I used for today's project.) As you add water to these intense colors a translucent tint is formed, dependent upon the amount of water added. You can use them to add color to chipboard, watercolor paper, canvas and so much more.

Gelatos also come in metallic form! These will not only add color, but will add a lustrious sheen to your projects as well! Once again color Gelatos are acid-free and odorless. Now back to my project.

 

For the background paper I stamped the first set of flowers using the Big Brush pen to ink my image. Then I used the Gelato to add color to my stamp, misted it carefully with water and added the image that almost feels like a reverse of the first image.

 
Thank you for once again joining me in the CLASSroom as I try to escape winter and share a new found product I plan to enjoy for years to come!

 
Faber-Castell products - hopefully I will be able to add direct links later today :-D

stamps: Hero Arts ClearDesign Blossom Art and Friendly Flags

paper: Memory Box 6x6 Brioche Cardstock and Holly Berry

accessories: Martha Stewart Baker's Twine

Countdown to Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Mix and Match Products - 2

One of the projects that captivated me at CHA was a canvas apron that had been colored using the Faber-Castell product line. The Faber-Castell design team has been doing a fabulous job of educating on their blog using their new product line and I have been taking it all in. I would very much like to encourage you to visit their blog if you are intrigued; there is SO much to learn and gorgeous samples to whet your appetitie. 

I read through the directions that Rita Barakat put together for her apron project. Then with my basic little set of tools in hand I began to explore creating on canvas. I felt that starting small was definitely the way to go, so selected one of the smaller canvas products we carry. Trust me when I say that we have a LOT of canvas options for you to try - LOL!

As an aside I just wanted to share how easy it is to search our store for the products we use right here in the CLASSroom blog.

 

By typing a single word, such as canvas, in the search mechanism (note the red arrow above) and clicking on go, all the products in our store, Ellen Hutson LLC, that have the word canvas in them will show up for you to see. SO easy --- at least we hope - LOL! 

 

One of the products that Faber-Castell has in the line that intrigues me is the PITT Artist Pens. I felt that this product needed some exploration. Following are some of the key pieces of information I felt you should know about these pens included in the Faber Castell Design Match program:

• made from pigmented India Ink - which means they are permanent, waterproof when dry, smudge proof AND extremely fade-resistant (or lightfast),
• acid-free and archival,
• won't bleed through paper,
• two sizes of nibs - the Big Brush Pen (perfect for stamper's who want to ink larger stamp surfaces using a pen) and the Artist Pens (with reversible Brush Nib for long use),
• can be applied directly to Clear Stamps and red rubber alike for interesting impressions!,
• works on all types of paper, and even canvas,
• odorless and non-toxic,
• perfect companion to watercolor pencils and gelatos due to their waterproof quality,
• the black Artist Pens are lightfast for 100 years (I doubt anyone will want to hang on to my projects that long - LOL!) and are available in additional nib sizes - extra superfine (.1mm), superfine (0.4mm), medium (0.8mm) and brush.

 

I began with one of the gorgeous Prima masks, outlining it with the fine brush tip pen. As you can see I simply placed a glue dot on the bottom side of the mask to hold it in place on the canvas.

 

This photo is for comparison purposes - the top pen is the Big Brush Pen and the lower one is the Artist Pen. As you can see their is a lot more ink in the large pen, as well, the larger tip makes quick work of larger surfaces and coloring directly on your stamp. (That lesson is going to be coming soon :-D)

 

I then used the Big Brush pen to add additional color to my background and define this area more. The tones on these two markers complement one another perfectly.
 

Next I worked with a tube of the Gelato and brushed the surface of this chapstick like tube directly to my canvas.

 

The final step was to add some additional orangey-red with my Aquarelle watercolor pencil.

Using my fine-tip waterbrush I then began to work the color into the surface of the canvas. As you can see I stayed within the lines because I wanted a fairly crisp image defined. The wonderful thing about the PITT markers is that they are waterproof once dry. I found that even though I was working on canvas and thought that my color might really bleed into my image the bleed was minimal. If I had wanted I could have controlled this even further by heating my project to quickly dry it, but I loved the way it looked! 

 

As you can see the color really intensifies after it has had water added to it. Make certain to leave some "white space" when adding your colors so that you get a varied background!

 
To create the sentiment tag I simply colored directly on my clear stamp with the Big Brush marker and then stamped it on the mini ticket.

 

To complete the look I stamped a sentiment using Studio Paint to "ink" my stamp surface. I can hardly wait for the pens to arrive - I really want to try the Big Brush pen in black to see how it will work on canvas. There are many inks that do work on fabric, but I have found that with the bumpy texture of canvas paint is definitely the best medium for getting a clean stamped image.

Exploring and learning about a new product is so much fun! Being one who absolutely loves to color these products definitely intrigue me - so tell me, what do you think so far? Have you seen other's working with them?

 

Faber-Castell Design Match products are arriving Wednesday, February 23 and will be found in the New Category :-D

stamps: Studio 490, Be Happy Make Art, Inkadinkado Inchie Greetings

accessories: Prima Mask II and Bird Trinket, Red Twill, Hero Arts Cream Self-Adhesive Lace and Art Flower, Maya Road Mini Ticket, Tim Holtz Memo Pin, E-Line Bermuda Breeze Flower, Studio Line Charcoal Black Paint and Ink Blending Tool

Countdown to Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Mix and Match Products - 3

The one product line I wanted to find at CHA this winter is one to watercolor with. The countdown has started with the shipment of our order --- it will be arriving on Wednesday, February 23. I can hardly wait!

You may be wondering why I would want yet another product to color with when I already use and am passionate about the Copic markers. Well... it is because I am fascinated by multi-media. I like to learn about a product and then explore every facet of that product. Once I learn to use it on its' own I like to learn how I can combine it with other products to see where it leads my creativity. I hope to share over the weeks and months to come, how Faber-Castell watercolors and Copic Markers can marry together in a beautiful way!

There are loads of watercolor products in the marketplace but I wanted to make certain that I selected something that would be user-friendly, quality, a good value and work together with the products we have already shared with you. Faber-Castell's Design Memory Craft line fit the bill perfectly. So with this product line comes a new opportunity to learn and I am SO very excited to be sharing my journey with you.

So let's start SIMPLE!

 

To begin I selected the Hero Arts Felt Finish Watercolor paper - LOVE this stuff! Dave's beautiful orchid was calling my name as well. I looked up red orchids on google and sure enough there actually are red orchids --- I was set.

 
When I purchased the line at CHA I was given a handful of Faber-Castell products as a sample, so all I had to create with were some reds. Thank you FB for such an awesome gift - this was just what I needed to start learning about the line and sharing information with you, our customers! I guess you will now see how far I can push myself with a limited supply list :-D

I began by stamping my image using Archival Olive and Library Green ink because it is waterproof. By inking the image first with the Library Green and then tapping the Olive on to the edge of one side I was able to achieve a color that I felt would work well for this image.

 

The beauty of watercolor products are that you don't need to color perfectly, AND you don't necessarily always want to stay within the lines. I began by using the Aquarelle pencil and added my first layer of orangey-red.

Layer two --- Gelatos. These little sticks remind me of lip gloss - LOL! OK, so I didn't use it on my face but rather rubbed some on my non-stick craft sheet. Now, if I had more colors I could make myself a cute little paint palette on my craft sheet and mix my own colors! I can hardly wait - :-D

Using my fine tipped waterbrush (this brand has always been my favorite) I picked up some of my gelato and adding to my orchid blooms.

 

To intensify the color I picked up my Aquarelle again and began to add definition to the bloom.

 

I wanted more intensity and so I used just the edge of the Gelato to add a hint more red.

 

I continued to work the added color into my bloom with my waterbrush.

 

Once satisfied I allowed the image to dry and then added some orange pastel.

 

Yet, a little more red ;-D

 

Then a hint of sparkle from my Spica Glitter Pen.

 

Now that I felt my blooms were complete I thought I would add to the overall feel by adding some watercolored edges. Just a quick smear of Gelato around the edges, a hint of Aquarelle to add depth and variety to the color and once again pooling water over this combination with my waterbrush and my image was complete.

 
We would love to hear from you - tell us if you are familiar with the Faber-Castell product line. Have you worked with these products? What would you like to learn? Share your thoughts with us today!

 
stamps: Memory Box Orchid Branch Print

ink: Archival Olive and Library Green

paper: Hero Arts Bright White Felt Finish Watercolor Paper, Memory Box 6x6 Brioche and Holly Berry Notecard

accessories: Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft watercolor products (arriving February 23!)

Working with Flocked Rub-Ons

Good afternoon everyone! It is fun to see your response to our "Inside the Package" question. Yes, it is work, but I will do my best to start sharing what I "see" when the goodies arrive and I really do put it back or write down on the packing list that I took it (most of the time I think :-D)

I don't know if you realize that we try and take each new paper collection and pull all the coordinating Memory Box and Hero Hues colors, noting them within the product description to help you better know what colors will coordinate with each new paper collection we carry! (Here is an example of that listing.) We have put together color swatch samplers for both Memory Box and Hero Arts paper for you to purchase and have on hand to truly "see" the colors in person rather than just on your computer screen. We are currantly missing a couple of Memory Box papers, but hopefully Dave will get those to us soon so that we can put together more samplers. With SO many papers arriving we are a little behind, but I know that Julia and I will be doing our best to get these selected to help guide your choices within the next week.

Today I am going to share details on how to use some of the products I showcased in yesterday's post. I cannot tell you how much we appreciate your support of our store - to keep this business going is no easy task in today's economy and so we thank you for shopping with us when you have so many other's you could shop with. I will continue to try my best to show you how to use the products we sell.

 

So many beautiful products, so many choices... what is your favorite size to create in? OR are you like me and like to try a little of everything? My goal with these projects was to showcase a variety, in hopes of appealing to all of you.

 

This first project was designed to show you the new flocked rub-ons. I was just like each of you thinking, "How on earth will that work?"

 

These rub-ons come in sheets. Simply cut out the image you would like to use. Then remove the top protecting sheet of plastic leaving the sticky side shown above exposed.

 

Flip the image over and position it in the desired location. I REALLY like the Basic Grey Rub-On tool for affixing rub-ons. You can use a popsicle stick or a teflon bone folder to apply these as well, but the roller ball in the end of the Basic Grey tool makes applying the rub on so easy. Make certain to apply pressure evenly to the entire surface of the rub-on.

 

I lift just a corner of the rub-on to see if it has adhered properly before removing the backing. If I see any portion not affixed I lay it back down and continue to apply pressure evenly over that area. At CHA I even affixed one of these flocked rub-ons to a canvas surface - a simply stunning combination of textures!

 

Carefully remove and you will see the amazing detail revealed! So here is where I am a little odd... I can hardly wait to use the "trash" and turn that portion of the image into it's own little "treasure."

Using all the parts is something I love to do - watch for another challenge shortly, but for now you must join in our Tag Technique Challenge (the Gallery link) - there is a wonderful $50 shopping spree in store for one of the lucky individuals who participate in our current challenge!

 

Another product I have found so useful as of late is the Fabri-tac adhesive - it is a little "stringy" when applying, but positioning my trim and having it hold and dry quickly is a breeze with this glue!

 

Rather than applying it in one straight line I wanted to share that you can create wonderful wavy lines with some of these more open trims! Placing parts of it on top of the focal point really draws your eye to that focal point.

 

You will also note that I trimed a single flower from the new Prima trim. I then attached this single flower to a small styrofoam piece I cut from a styrofoam ball. This adds depth to that little hot pink flower.

I love the textures and translucency of the opal like drop and the satiny finish of the new Hero Arts dots. Spring is in the air with this creation - now if only it would be here in Seattle - :-D

This is going to be a very busy week here - it is mid-winter break so my daughter will be top priority. As well I have an upcoming birthday that I will be keeping for the rest of my life - LOL! I won't be getting any older in the coming years - ha! ha! ;-D I am trying to get some posts in place today that will go live throughout the week, so be certain to stay tuned as we begin the countdown to the arrival of the Faber-Castell product line over the next three days and then the final post to share how I created the ATC.

Thank you for once again stopping in here at the CLASSroom - have a wonderful day!

 
paper: Prima Marketing 6x6 Madeline, Memory Box Bayou Notecard

accessories: Prima Marketing Melody Flocked Rub On, Vintage Tear Drop Trinket, Turquoise Ribbon Lace and Cherry Rose Trim, Basic Grey Rub On Roller, Tim Holtz Mini Paper Clips and Jump Rings (I changed the jump ring out on the Tear Drop to Pewter to coordinate with the 7 Gypsy Clip) 7 Gypsy Gator Clip, Webster's Pages Sparkler, Hero Arts Foliage Dots, Fabri-Tac Adhesive, Micro Glue Dots (perfect with the new Hero Hues Dots)

Inside the Package - Prima Style

I thought I would start something a little different here in the CLASSroom. When the title "Inside the Package" pops up on your feed burner reader you will know that I have been bugging the girls in the warehouse again - LOL! 

When new products arrive in the warehouse I can't help myself... I jump up from my desk and start making the girls crazy by pulling things out of the boxes. I have tried to discipline myself and make certain that I put it all back, so that they can count it in, but sometimes I think perhaps I am to blame for the wrong inventory counts - oops! Sorry about that, but this is what I do...

I pull the new products out of the boxes to see the colors, to see what goes together, and... so I thought I would share some of my discoveries here in the CLASSroom.

This week we received a HUGE new group of products from Prima and they are simply breathtaking. Today's photo discoveries include the a size comparison between the 8 1/2" x 11" paper pads and the 6" x 6" paper pads.

 

The paper pad on the left is the new Madeline 8 1/2" x 11" size and on the right are two pages from the 6" x 6" paper pad.

 
As you will see the scale of these two paper pads is perfect for card making, ATC's, Inchies and more. These are sneak peeks of projects I created using the new Prima products and I will be sharing them this coming week :-D So please come back and join me!

Last year when I attended CHA I spoke with Tammy and asked her if she would be willing to create their paper pads in the 6x6 size, because if she did I would be interested in carrying them in our store. I explained to her that most of our customers create cards and that the typical paper size we start with is 8 1/2" x 11". I shared that I felt that we would love to work with the Prima style of papers and would appreciate so much if she would consider adding new sizes to her line. Well... ask and you shall receive :-D

 

The Inchie above is placed over one of the papers in the 6x6 paper pad and the inchie + and twinchie are placed atop the same paper in the 8.5 x 11 paper pad.

 

Included in some of the 8 1/2" x 11" pad are designs that can be cut to fit the front of your cards! The pad shown above is from the Botanical collection.

 

Another innovation that I had the pleasure of using at CHA were the flocked rub-ons. These are truly innovative and SO wonderful to touch :-D

 
This last picture was taken to show the scale of the trim. Each "flower" is about 2" in diameter, but is made up of eight blooms! In one of the projects I actually cut out an individual bloom to use on my card. SO many options!!!

So what do you think about this idea? Is it something that you appreciate or is it just an unnecessary taking up of space? Yes, I'm OK with you being brutally honest - LOL! My goal is to be gere to help you; not to just waste your time. I felt this might be helpful because I am an internet only store and I can see the goodies that arrive, I touch them, work with them and can share my findings with you. So tell me what you think in the comments section below. Would you like to see more photos than I shared today, was it helpful to see the products side-by-side, to see how the colors work together,... Share your thoughts - we would love to hear from you!

UTEE and Perfect Pearls On Graphic 45 Metal Flower

This time of year is so exciting, all of the new products that are showing up in the store, and all of the wonderful inspiration is so much fun! Ellen does such a fantastic job of scouring the tradeshow for products that we are all sure to adore, and also elevate our artistic experiences. I am so grateful for that, it gives me the opportunity to stretch my imagination and to hopefully find ways that inspire others to get excited about playing as well. The new Staples line (scroll to the bottom of the page to find these) from Graphic 45 is one of those that gets my mind snapping and crackling with ideas! And I am thrilled to be sharing one of these ideas today!

The Le Cirque paper collection (available in both 12x12 and 8x8) is what the card is made from. I fussy cut a few of the beautiful flowers out and adhered them to the card, some were attached with dimensional foam adhesive.

To create the flower, start with the large metal flower and one of the metal buttons.

Some UTEE, Embossing ink, Perfect Pearls, Heat it tool and a Perfect Medium pen are a few of the other things you need to make this project. Also, be sure to work on a heat safe surface like a Ranger Non-Stick craft sheet.

Begin by pressing one side of the flower into the top of the embossing ink pad and flip it onto the heat safe mat and sprinkle some UTEE onto it covering the top. Using a puffy brush load the tip lightly with Perfect Pearls and then lightly tap the brush against your finger to sprinkle over the flower. Carefully slide the flower to a clean part of the mat and then heat with the Heat It tool until the UTEE melts.

The UTEE suspends the shimmering Perfect Pearls in a gorgeous and slippery looking finish. I wish that you could see the play of the blue in real life, it is really stunning. But of course if you try this, you can see for yourself and have that wonderful "aha!" moment.

To create a similar finish on the button, take one off of the card, and splay the closure like you would if you had used it in something. This makes it so it can balance on its own while you heat it, you cannot hold it while melting the UTEE. After you have the button ready, use the Perfect Medium Pen to "color" any areas that you want to have the UTEE/Perfect Pearl finish. Then use the puffy brush to tap the UTEE mixed with some of the Perfect Pearls onto the areas that you used the pen on and then set it down on the heat safe surface and melt with the Heat It tool.

Use the finished pieces as a gorgeous embellishment for a card, scrapbook page, home decor project or a stunning piece of jewelry.

Thanks for spending some time with me in the CLASSroom, I hope that you have found some fun inspiration in what I have shared today.

B-

Emboss Resist by Sharon Harnist

Today I wanted to cover a few different ways to accomplish the emboss resist stamping technique (even with your Copics!) with this 8-inch Spring wall art:

 

For the base of my wall art, I used a square 8-inch piece of scalloped acrylic I had on hand but any of these 8-inch fabulous shapes of Maya Road chipboard backdrops Ellen carries would make great bases, too! 

    

I covered my base with this gorgeous Graphic 45 Springtime 8x8 paper -- SO pretty, I love all the patterns in this collection, especially these whimsical fairies!

 

The "spring" letters are Prima's Ivory Textured Alphabet Stickers, airbrushed with Copic YG63 marker.  The flower was die cut from more Springtime paper, with Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals Bigz die.  This flower is quick and easy -- I used one piece of the Primrose Cottage Graphic 45 Springtime paper and die cut all the flowers on this die.  Then I simply flipped every other flower over and used the reverse "newspaper" printed side.  Each layer is stacked with EK Success 3D Dots thick foam tape.  A cream button, also airbrushed with Copic YG63 marker, finishes the center of the flower.

Doilies are a hot trend in papercrafting right now, and Ellen has put together some fabulous sets of her own paper doilies that you could also easily use for this project:

   

But for those times that you may want a patterned doily, what better thing to have than a die that you cut whatever color or pattern of paper to make your own doily!  Ellen carries several dies that will do this -- you can find them listed in the store HERE. 

Today I used Spellbinders Eyelet Pendant die to cut some coordinating turquoise Springtime paper and then used Copic BG72 marker to color the raised embossed areas around the outer edge of the doily, before removing it from the die:

 
 
The green dotted scalloped piece was cut with Spellbinders Big Scalloped Border Petites dies and then green sheer narrow organdy ribbon was threaded through the holes in the border, and finished with a Jenni Bowlin Cream Vintage Sew-On Button.  A pretty Zva crystal swirl accents the left side of the wall art.

 

On the right side of the wall art, I stamped this sweet Hero Arts Essential Messages sentiment with Adirondack Espresso dye ink on more floral patterned Springtime paper, die cut it with Spellbinders Labels Thirteen Nestabilities die (I trimmed the right side off), and then added a little leftover Zva bling that I trimmed off the swirl from the left side of the wall art.  Maya Road Small Organza Pink Roses accent the sentiment.

 

Now for the emboss resist!  For any emboss resist technique, you will need to begin by stamping your image (I chose this adorable Hero Arts Cling-Dancing With Flowers) with a watermark ink -- I chose Versamark (shown above).  Then use any color of heat embossing powder you would like -- I chose Clear Embossing Powder, and heat set it. Normally, most emboss resist techniques are done on solid white or neutral cardstock and then colored ink rubbed/sponged around the embossed image.  But I wanted to try the look on patterned paper, so the pattern would show through!

 

I sponged Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink around the image.  When you are finished sponging the ink, be sure to use a clean tissue to wipe the excess ink off the embossed image.  Or you may opt to cover the image with a sheet of clean copy/printer paper and with an iron on low setting, heat the image until the embossing heats up enough to melt off and onto the copy paper.  This method may be especially helpful when using the Copic marker technique below.

I also wanted to see if I could accomplish this technique with Copic markers, so I airbrushed Copic Y28 marker all around another stamped/clear embossed image:

 

and then sprayed Copic Colorless Blender Solution in a Mini Mister on tissue, to wipe away the marker from the embossed image (or you may use the iron heating method described above, to remove the embossing).  This was the result:

 

I was pretty excited this worked so well . . . think of the possibilities!  To finish the focal image, I trimmed the image and then machine stitched it to a gingham Springtime patterned paper, timmed with pinking shears.  I hope you enjoy trying this technique!

 

Stamps: Hero Arts Cling-Dancing With Flowers & ClearDesign-Essential Messages,
Paper: Graphic 45-Springtime 8x8 paper pad,
Ink: Ranger Adirondack Espresso dye ink & Tim Holtz Distress Inks-Brushed Corduroy; Tsukineko Versamark ink pad,
Copic Markers: BG72, YG63, Y28, Colorless Blender Solution,
Tools: Sizzix Tim Holtz Bigz die-Tattered Florals; Spellbinders Eyelet Pendant & Big Scalloped Border Petites dies, Labels Thirteen Nestabilities die; Ranger Heat It Craft Tool.
Accessories: Maya Road chipboard backdrop, Copic Airbrush System-1 & Sparmax Windstorm Airbrush Compressor, Prima Ivory Textured Alphabet Stickers, Ranger Ink Blending Tool & Mini Mister, Clear Embossing Powder & Heat It Craft Tool; Maya Road Small Organza Roses-Pink, EK Success 3D Dots thick foam tape, Jenni Bowlin Cream Vintage Sew-On Buttons, Mini Glue Dots, Zva crystal swirl,
Other: pinking shears, light green narrow sheer organza ribbon, sewing machine + ivory thread,

Love is in the Air Blog Candy Winner and CLASSroom Updates

I left a hint in my Tag #3 post that there was something special coming to someone who spent time sharing their thoughts here in the CLASSroom :-D

 

It is fun to surprise someone who gave of their time with the blog candy above! Using the random number generator we just counted the number of comments that were left during our mini-tag series and...

 

Tona you are our winner! Please contact us at [email protected] with your snail mail address.

I also wanted to take the time to say some thank you's to three special ladies here in the CLASSroom. For those who get our newsletter this is "repeat" news, but I wanted to make certain that each of you have the opportunity to share your thoughts with these very talented artists and wonderful women! So please feel free to leave a comment right here on this post for these three women. Following is the information I shared in our newsletter. (If you would like to receive our newsletter it is simple to sign up for - go to our home page and in the upper right hand section you will find a box that says "Join Our Mailing List". Simply enter your email address and you will automatically receive our newsletter each month.)

With this new year you have also probably noticed changes happening in the CLASSroom. It is time to say a HUGE thank you to three very special ladies - Cindy Lyles, Debbie Olson and Lisa Strahl! Life has become super-busy for all three and so it is time to say good-bye to them as regular contributors in the CLASSroom.

 

Cindy has become increasingly healthy and fit - congratulations Cindy, you inspire me to try and get myself back on track to becoming healthier! As well she operates her own store, StarLitStudio. How she fit us into her busy schedule is completely beyond me - LOL!

 

Debbie, as you well know, is over-the-top involved in many companies. With the new commitment as Intermediate Certification instructor many of you will hopefully have the opportunity to attend her classes as she flies around the United States.

 

Lastly, but certainly not least is my dear friend Lis. Lisa is now working for a local shop in B.C., demonstrating and teaching on a regular basis. If you are ever in the Vancouver area you will most definitely want to take a trip out to Be Creative - the stamp store she works at. 

 

You will all be sorely missed and I am grateful to each of you for the talent you have shared with our customers over the past several years - THANK YOU!

 

We hope that the changes that we are working on will not leave too many holes! As you have noticed we have started bringing in some guest artists - we have some WONDERFUL plans in store to make certain that we meet your needs. So stay tuned, I think you will be pleasantly surprised! :-D

Love is in the Air #4 - Shabby Dabbers and See Through Transfers

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!! Today is the last day of my little Love is in the Air Tag Technique mini-series. My hope is that once again you are simply inspired to just create and try new things - tags are such an easy format in which to do this!

With this thought I am going to challenge you - using any technique from this series or our 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist (just click on the following links to see your choices and find directions for the different technique options) you have one week to create a tag using one of these techniques and share it in the Gallery. Please be certain to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions or are having trouble uploading your project!

ETA: As noted in the Gallery you have until Midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, February 21st 2011 to join in our challenge.

Following are a list of techniques to select from:

1. Shabby Dabbers - directions included in this post
2. See Through Transfers - directions included in this post
3. Copic Stained Glitter
4. Nostalgic Blended Batik
5. Shimmer Sheetz Texture
6. Colorwashed Craft-a-Board
7. Studio Paints and Transparencies
8. Studio Line "Decoupage"
9. Shabby Grungeboard
10. Studio Line Stamped Texture
11. Copic Airbrushed Graffiti
12. Alcohol Ink Holograms
13. Bigz and or Movers and Shapers Die Foam Stamps (create your own stamp)
14. Transparency Accents
15. Hot Glue Embellishments
16. Pattern Play (use a tissue paper pattern or pattern directions in your creation)
17. Magnetic Masks or Stencils
18. Sticky Back Canvas Flowers
19. Inky Texture Folders
20. Enameled Metal Embellishments
21. Dabber Resist
22. Metallic Dabber and Alcohol Ink Magic
23. Glossy Accents and Stickle Glue for Clear Embellishments
24. Clear Embossed Resist
25. Tissue Tape and Alcohol Ink
26. Create your own Custom Felt Stamp Pad

We will be selecting a random winner from all those who participate - that winner will receive a $50 certificate to shop in our store!

Tag #4... how does time pass so quickly?!? I have wanted to play with the Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime collection since it arrived and even though it is filled with flowers and fairies I felt that it was so very Valentiney (is that even a word?) in feel and knew that one of my tags was going to incorporate it. 

To begin I cut a grungeboard heart using the Heart Wingz die. I love how this heart is lopsided! Now if you don't like an assymetrical look you can cut out the coordinating "scrollwork" heart and flip it, layering it to make a symetrical heart! I should have taken a picture to share this concept and if I get time I'll come back in and show you, but because I am working from home on a Sunday evening I don't have all my tools - bummer. 

 

Place your grungeboard element in a texture folder and run it through your machine. I am loving my new Vagabond - all I have to do is push a button! SO easy! It really is a very strong machine - Erica and Julia here at work have their own little story. They actually embedded a die in the cutting plate due to an incorrect sandwich --- now that's power! bwahaha!

Paint the entire surface of the embellishment with a light colored paint dabber and allow to fully dry.

Once completely dry, sand the surface - this will remove most of the paint from that top raised layer. Then use an ink blending tool and Distress ink to add color to the sanded surface. Result... instant shabby delight!

 

This next technique was a bit of an experiment. I have created transfers now on numerous occasions by using my Multi-medium to affix inkjet prints or patterned paper to transparencies, but I have never tried mixing it with color before.

I place a very small amount of Studio Line paint on my non-stick craft sheet and mixed it together with a generous amount of Glossy Multi-medium.
 

Paint this mixture onto your plastic or acetate sheet. As you can see I started with clear glossy multi-medium at one end and the special mix with paint on the other end. Yes, the scientist in me had to experiment - ha! ha!

Place a piece of decorative paper on top of this mixture and brayer or rub in place. This next step is critical - you MUST allow it to dry completely! Don't be tempted to start the next step until it is completely dry.

 

Once it is completely dry you will then soak the patterned paper and peel off the top layer.

 

Then gently use the flat portion of your finger to rub the remaining fibers from the surface. Work slowly and carefully so that the transferred image remains in place. If you rub too hard you will remove the transfer.

You may need to wet your surface from time to time with a mini mister to keep the fibers moist and workable. Continue working until you feel the fibers are gone.

To get rid of the last little fuzzy bits, simply apply additional multi-medium to the surface.
 

For the next step I attached the decorative paper, text side up to a Craft-a-board tag and allowed it to dry.

I then used glossy multi-medium to affix my transparency to my tag. As you can see the text shows through the transparency completely in the areas where I used only multi-medium. In the areas where I had mixed Studio Paint and Gloss Multi-medium the transparency has a slight opacity to it, but you can still see through it. I love this combination - it makes for a very interesting final look.

 

Fussy cut out a fairy and add Rock Candy stickles to her wings.
 

Add embellishments and ribbon - keys, pearls, whimsy flowers - such pretty little pieces! I have to admit that I have found a new glue that I am REALLY like for attaching my ribbon. It is Beacon's Fabritac. It is a little stringy, but it dries so quickly and I am able to use it easily each time without having to unclog my bottle tip - HUGE yeah for that :-D
 

ink: Distress Ink - Tea Dye and Walnut Stain

paper: Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime Frames and Primrose Cottage, Craft-a-Board

accessories: Shell Pink Dabber, Grungeboard, Rock Candy Stickles, Baubles, Prima Flower, Printable Transparency, Studio Line Gloss Multi-Medium and Painterly Pink Paint, Antique Brass Key, Antique Brass Reinforcer, Silk Ribbon - Mauve and Olive

Love is in the Air #3 - Copic Stained Glitter Hero Heart

Today's tag takes yet another totally different twist! What is more perfect than a VERY glittery heart for Valentine's day? I have been wanting to try this for some time now and I can hardly wait to share this idea with you, so here goes...

 

You all know how much I love my Copic markers - LOL! This particular technique has been brewing in my head, but hadn't been realized on paper and so I am excited to share it with you today.

This is a perfectly girly project --- I hope you enjoy it :-D

Begin by applying Be Creative (Sookwang) tape to Neenah Solar White cardstock. Remove the lining from the tape and cover the entire sticky surface with warm highlights glitter. Use your finger to burnish the glitter into the surface of the adhesive. As you burnish, the glitter becomes firmly embedded, and it will not come off onto your marker when you color --- so be certain to firmly burnish the entire surface!

 

Because I wanted my stamped image to have a slightly raised, glossy embossed surface I removed the stickiness and static from my surface with the Puff Static Away before proceeding.

This next step is one that I had to try several different inks before determining the best way to stamp my image on to the glittery surface. I tried a wide range of ink pads with lack-lustre success before deciding to try the Studio Line of paints. I placed a small dollop of black paint on my non-stick craft sheet and then used my ink blending tool as an applicator. Simply dab the foam surface on the ink blending tool into your paint until the foam is completely covered. Transfer the paint to your stamp by simply dabbing on the stamp image surface.

While the paint is still wet immediately cover the image with clear embossing powder. Heat until the powder melts and becomes shiny and clear. The awesome thing about the Be Creative tape is that heat does NOT affect it - yeah!!!

 

Begin by coloring with your lightest Copic colors - the result is almost ethereal. When coloring on the glitter I used a VERY light touch, working carefully so that I would not damage the tip of my marker on this slightly rough surface. When burnished well the surface does become incredibly smooth and velvety, so be certain to burnish well before starting.

 

Add deeper colors and come back in over top with your lighter colors to blend. The gemstones add that final special, sparkly touch!

 

Copic colors used: RV00, RV17, BG11, BG15, BV02, BV04, YG00, YG23, 100

 

The next step is to develop the accent strip. Once again I am using a Burnished Velvet masking technique. Begin by punching a design in the Be Creative (Sookwang) tape backing as shown above. Apply a strip of 1/2" tape and remove the backing. Place the mask over the exposed surface and using another piece of backing affix mask as shown below.

 

Apply Warm Highlights glitter and remove excess. Burnish glitter before removing mask.

 

Apply a second mask as shown above - this mask was added to define the letters shown above. I could have cut out each letter and applied them with tweezers, but by doing this in two steps it was SO much easier. Apply Warm Highlights glitter on exposed edge and burnish in place.

 

Remove mask and apply glitter to exposed sticky surface (this will highlight the "x & o"). Remove excess glitter and burnish.

 

Color one pin with Copic marker RV17 - I just love how easy it is to make coordinating embellishments with my Copic markers!

 

So there you have it - one VERY sparkley love tag. This technique almost has the appearance of stained glass, therefore the title "stained glitter."

Tomorrow is the last tag in our mini-series... I can tell you that you WILL want to join us on Valentine's for the last of our Love is in the Air series and you may just want to share your thoughts between now and then ;-D

 
stamps: Hero Arts Cling Hearts and Flowers

ink: Copic Markers - RV00, RV17, BG11, BG15, BV02, BV04, YG00, YG23, 100

paper: Memory Box Taffy CS and Pixie 6x6 Paper Pack, Neenah Solar White CS

accessories: Tim Holtz Tag and Bookplate Die, Be Creative (Sookwang) Tape Sheets and 1/2" (12mm), Warm Highlights and Ice Blue Microfine Glitter Ritz, EK Success Arrow Border Edger Punches, Martha Stewart Hugs and Kisses Edger Punch, Studio Charcoal Black Paint, Ink Blending Tool, Clear Embossing Powder, Adelaide Seam Binding, Heart Trinket Pin

Love is in the Air #2 - Lille goes to Paris with a Nostalgic Blended Batik Technique

Today's tag takes a completely different twist from yesterday. I love this about this art form - yesterday was more glam and glitz, whereas today it's more about the vintagey goodness you can create!

I don't know if you remember when I posted my excitement over the new Lille line from 7 Gypsies and how I felt that it would be an awesome fit with Valentine's Day. If you don't have the time to create for Valentine's Day you could always just make a romantic card or tag for your special someone for an anniversary or just because as well.

 

Wouldn't it be SO much fun to head off to Paris for a romantic adventure?!? If not for real than perhaps it would be just the "ticket" to find a French Restaurant to rendezvous at OR you could create your own special dinner event in the coziness of your own home!

 

The technique I am sharing today is called Distress Ink Nostalgic Blended Batik. To begin I stamped Tim's Valentines ticket from Odds and Ends using Distress Embossing Ink multiple times on Manila cardstock. Apply clear embossing powder and heat set. Be certain to heat until the powders melt and become shiny and clear.

 

Then using an ink blending tools, ink over the entire set of images including the embossed design with Distress Ink using a circular motion. Apply the colors individually and in a random pattern as shown above.

 

Place a piece of newsprint or porous paper over your stamped images and iron over it on high heat. This causes the embossing powder to melt once again and be absorbed by the newsprint. Continue ironing and slowly remove the newsprint while it's still hot. If it cools the newsprint will be firmly attached to your project - LOL! SO be certain to remove it while the embossing powder is still hot and melted. Keep ironing it over again until it lifts off easily and when you view it there is no sheen on your project. Be certain to keep moving your newsprint to a "clean spot" as you work so that you do not reapply the embossing powder back to your project.

 

I love the diversity of these tags!

 

I punched a small circle from the Lille paper and colored in one of the flowers, punched it out and inserted it into a typewriter charm. Adding these fun little embellishments to your projects makes them come alive!

 

Stamp the Eiffel Tower on Manilla Cardstock and cut out. The center of the Eiffel Tower was cut out using my little Fiskars fingertip knife. This knife is the perfect way of cutting out those tiny, awkward spots. Affix a heart to the tower for added romance.

The background for my tag was created by randomly applying Matte Multi-Medium to my #8 Tag. The odd outline of attached paper makes the project more vintage in feel. By attaching my printed designer paper to the tag, allowing the adhesive to dry and then tearing away the excess paper I was left with this awesome vintage feel. Next apply Distress Ink using an ink blending tool. Stamp the flourish using Barn Door Distress Ink and then apply Rock Candy Distress Stickles with your finger randomly over the image and edges. Allow it all to dry before attaching your embellishments, twill and baker's twine.

Thank you for joining in my romantic adventure - LOL! I hope that you can use these techniques to create a vintage wonder of your own!

 
stamps: Memory Box Eiffel Tower, Tim Holtz Odds and Ends and Fancy Flourish 

ink: Distress Embossing Ink, Distress Ink - Barn Red, Tumbled Glass and Stormy Sky

paper: 7 Gypsies Lille 6x6 Paper Pack, Inkssentials #8 Manila Tag

accessories: Hero Arts Heart Accent Pearl, Tim Holtz Typewriter Charm, Tiny Attacher and Rock Candy Distress Stickles; 1/2" Circle Punch, Studio Matte Multi-Medium,  7 Gypsies Princesca Crystals

English Garden Appreciation by Julia Stainton

I adore flowers. Don't you? Each one is so stunningly beautiful!

Because I adore all things floral, I love floral stamps. They are among the most timeless of images and are perfect for almost every occasion. One of my favorite companies for floral images is Lockhart Stamps. Beautifully detailed hand-drawn images always have me gasping in delight.

Enter the English Garden Flowers image. I just had to have it. Roses. Hydrangea. Lavender. Oh my!

I started off by coloring in the lavender at the top of the image. This image is very fine and it doesn't have to be perfect. I simply dab on color along each of the stalks using my Copic markers. This purple is V15 Mallow. As you can see below, the roses started out yellow, Y23 Yellowish Beige. Yes...I did plan to have them finish up red  but I thought some pretty yellow highlights under the red would give the final roses a more natural appearance. Don't be afraid to add a light color under the final color as the colors will blend when they are added on top.

Now my best of intentions of photographing each step of the coloring process didn't quite happen. I hope you'll forgive me for getting so caught up in the enjoyment of coloring that I completely forgot. Here's my steps though...

• add in R24 Prawn and R27 Cardinal Red over the yellow on the roses
• color the hydrangeas B12 Ice Blue
• dab in shadows of B14 Light Blue as well as some more V15 Mallow
• color in the basket using E31 Brick Beige and E34 Orientale
• color in the leaves using YG 93 Grayish Yellow and YG 95 Pale Olive
• go back and fill in any white between flowers with green foliage
• add a very light shadow in under the basket using W1
• add some final highlights using a white gel pen

Here's a photo of the Copic colors. Remember that you can always substitute using colors you have on hand for your own personal look.

After the image was complete, I stamped on the sentiment and adhered the layer.

I love adding a "bouquet" of pretty embellishments to my projects and group them together. The beautiful canvas butterfly is a canvas chipboard sticker that can be inked any color to match the design.

Supplies:

English Garden Flowers stamp by Lockhart, Neenah Classic Solar White Cardstock, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Tsukineko, Lille 6x6 paper pack by 7 Gypsies, All Occasion Messages stamp set by Hero Arts, Tiny Attacher by Advantus, Raw Canvas Chipboard by Prima, Red and White Flower Trinket Pin by Maya road, twine, Tim Holtz Mini Pins by Advantus, Curio Small Details by Basic Grey, B12, B14, R24, R27, V15, Y23, YG97, YG93, W00, E31, E34 Copic Markers, White Opaque Pen by Ranger

 Hope these flowers brightened up a wintery day for you. Yes, spring is really around the corner if we just hang in there!

Thanks for stopping by the CLASSroom --- tomorrow we resume our Love is in the Air Tag Technique Mini-Series, so be certain to stop by again!

Love is in the Air #1 - Shimmer Sheetz Texture

Today starts the first of our 4 Tags of Love series for 2011! We would like to welcome you once again to our little tag mini series where we focus on some fun techniques and share them in a love-filled tag format. I can tell you that each tag will be VERY different from the next, so I hope you will continue to join me for the full series.

 

Today's tag is inspired by a technique that I learned while at CHA from Judy Kauffman, the creator of Shimmer Sheetz. I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this background looks in real life! The combination of the Shimmer Sheetz and the Glitter Ritz is incredible! I wish that I would have the ability to better capture this in photos, so you are just going to have to trust me that it just makes you say... WOW!

 

To begin attach Be Creative Sookwang tape to a piece of Neenah Classic Crest Solar White cardstock. Using a teflon bone folder or a brayer go over the entire surface to adhere the adhesive well. Then cut out your tag.

Cut a piece of Shimmer Sheetz to fit slightly larger than the size of the tag. Run the Shimmer Sheetz through an embossing folder, I used Tim's Damask Texture Fades.

 

Next remove the tape backing and affix the Shimmer Sheetz to the sticky surface. Place on your work surface and brayer over the entire surface to adhere the raised surface of the Shimmer Sheetz to your cardstock tag.
 

Carefully remove the Shimmer Sheetz from the tag surface doing your best not to finger print the sticky surface of the tag. I like to use my teflon bone folder as I work to help hold the tag as I remove the Shimmer Sheetz. As you remove the "sheetz" you will note that the surface of the mylar sheet is attached to the tape only in the portions that were raised.

Now for a little magic!

 

For a high contrast look use Black Glitter Ritz and dump it over the entire surface of the tag. Tap to remove excess.

 

Then use your finger to embed the glitter into the adhesive --- remember, this is the burnished velvet technique (you can read more about burnished velvet here.)

As you can see I made two tags - note the subtle difference. By flipping the Shimmer Sheetz and using the opposite side you get the reverse image.

Can you imagine the possibilities?!? Tone on tone, high contrast, Perfect Pearls rather than glitter... I can hardly wait to hear what you think and when you try it I would LOVE to see your projects - so be certain to share them in the Gallery!

 

Are you tired of me sharing the wonders of Craft-a-Board yet? LOL! I wanted to keep my focal point simple so that the background would not get lost.

I stamped this gorgeous Iron Orchard Designs image from Unity Stamps using a Pearl Paint Dabber and allowed it to dry.

 

My first attempt I misted the Craft-a-Board with Cranberry Color Wash. I felt it was just a hair too dark and so decided to experiment with the Color Wash. By mixing 1/2 Color Wash and 1/2 water the intensity of the color was reduced to perfection!

Hmmm - can you imagine the beautiful range of monochromatic colors you can create!

 
I then cut around the image and inked the edges using an ink blending tool and Concord Grape distress ink, stitched some silk ribbon to the tag and affixed some gemstones and this darling Whimsy Heart (LOVE these!)

The last step was to punch a butterfly from the remaining Shimmer Sheetz. Yes, Shimmer Sheetz can be die cut and punched! Imagine the possibilities!

I would love to hear from you! Have you ever worked with Shimmer Sheetz before and if so what did you create with them? Thank you for joining me here for my first of four tags!
 
stamps: Unity Stamps Iron Orchird Designs - Be Still Beloved Collection

ink: Dusty Concord Distress Ink

paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Essentials by Ellen Craft-a-Board

accessories: Iridescent Pink Shimmer Sheetz, Black Glitter Ritz, Be Creative (Sookwang) 4 1/2" Tape or Tape Sheet, Webster's Pages Pink Heart Whimsy, Black and Pink Gemstone Crystals, Martha Stewart Classic Butterfly Punch, Damask Texture Fades Embossing Folder

Bennie Bear Valentine Greetings

Copic and Imagination International have all sorts of wonderful new educational tools coming out this spring, as well as providing you with new learning opportunities with the Intermediate Level Certification program. One of the latest topics of learning has been the sharing of additional information regarding shadows. I am looking forward to getting the new book, written by Marianne Walker, in to our store (watch in the education section for new DVD's and books) and I will most definitely be studying it to learn more about how she approaches shadows. Before that happens though I thought I would throw my hat in the ring and share some basic information with you as to how I have tried to help the younger set learn more about shadows.

Before continuing I just have to share a little side-story that just brings a huge smile to my face. When Maddi, my daughter, was a baby and just learning to sit and play with the toys around her, we were playing in her room. The bright overhead light next to her closet was creating a shadow of her body on the floor. It was so well defined that you could see a complete outline of her body on the carpet. She reached over and tried to pick up her shadow by her ears. As she would lean over, it would move. It was absolutely fascinating and magical to watch her for the next few seconds as she discovered her shadow and how it moved and changed. Oh how I wished that I would have had a video camera running, but I was not about to leave that special moment and so it only replays in my mind and brings back such sweet memories.

 

For today's card I wanted to keep it sugary sweet and what could be sweeter than Karen's adorable Bennie Bear holding a box of truffles for his sweetheart?

You will find that some of my ways of teaching are so very basic. This is because I truly do enjoy working with kids and sharing basics. I hope that the information I share will be useful and not too "elementary." I don't know if I have ever mentioned that I once was a certified teacher. Graduating from college with a double degree I first followed my passion to educate by teaching third and fourth grade students.  After changing careers and utilizing the second degree by following my heart, I became a professional interior designer, but I did not lose that passion for educating children and so I have volunteered in my daughter's school as an art docent. So much of the way I teach has been geared towards children. I know that you are not children and so sometimes I worry that I'm being a little too basic, but I think it works for those who are visual learners.

 

Understanding shadows by using diagrams can be VERY helpful, but there is nothing like the true "science" behind experimenting with those shadows. What I would like to encourage each of you to do is actually "study" real shadows. If you have never really studied and "seen" shadows it is hard to emulate them in your work. For today's post I grabbed one of my daughter's teddy bears and a flashlight.

As I shot the pictures and had my husband hold the flashlight in varying positions it was easy to capture a wide variety of shadow positions and lengths. You will even notice a secondary shadow based on the direction coming from the overhead light. When coloring my image I decided to eliminate that shadow.

Simply play with a flashlight and an object, snapping photos as you go to reference when you go back to begin coloring shadows.

 

Please try to ignore the secondary shadows created by snapping these pictures. I thought it might be easier to share this shadow "lesson" by being able to move teddy out of the way, but now he is creating his own shadows in these photos - LOL!

The first example I created was a more elongated shadow. I begin by creating a very soft outline using my lightest marker - in this case W00.

 

I then moved Bennie out of the way so that you could see the outline I had drawn.

 

I then colored in the shadow using a range of markers from W00 through W2.

 

Everything was going swimmingly as I worked on my image softening the edges with a colorless blender to make the shadows disappear along the edges and then my OOPS moment. I put the wrong cap on my marker and accidentally put the darkest color to the edge. No correcting that error. So on to attempt number two.

This time I decided to try a different photo and used the image bear above as my example.

Remember that shadows are darkest right next to your object and get lighter as you move away. If your light source is close by your shadow will be much more crisp, if your light source is a long way away your shadow will be barely visible.

 

Shadows move and change depending on the direction of the light, how close the light is to the object and so much more. Experimentation, playing with your flashlight and then snapping photos can be THE best learning tool when it comes to figuring out shadows. The key once again is to simply enjoy the process and not make yourself crazy if it doesn't go right the first time! Simply give it a try and have fun - as you practice and experiment I can assure you that you will get better. It is like everything in life - you have to try it, then you have to practice and pretty soon you will start looking at what you have created and simply grin from ear to ear because you will think, "I did it!"

Thank you for once again stopping in here at the CLASSroom - I hope that you learned something and perhaps had a moment in the day where you just smiled!

 
stamps: Lockhart Bennie Bear and IB Candy Heart, Memory Box Happy Valentine's Day

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Rich Cocoa, Copic Markers - W00, W0, W2, Colorless Blender

paper: Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Memory Box Cherry Blossom Notecard and 6x6 Pixie

accessories: EK Success Deco Scallop Punch, Pink Small Organza Roses Ribbon

Tween Birthday... You Rock Birthday Pillow Box Ensemble

The more I try to catch up the more behind I seem to get - LOL! Friday was a very important day at our house, it was my daughter's 11th birthday. Returning from CHA late on Tuesday night it has been sheer madness trying to get things done here at work and prepare for her birthday at home. It is so important to me to create something for my girl's birthdays and so Friday was full-speed ahead here at work.

Music is something Trina loves and I knew I had to use this Hero Arts image to create her card. The little message bubble represents "Happy Birthday" being sung through the head phones :-D Isn't it CUTE!

The papers are from the new Basic Grey Lauderdale collection. It should be shipping to us soon, so watch Facebook and our new section for updates on the new products as they arrive. When I placed my order at CHA I was given a small packet of papers to work with and I just couldn't resist using them for this project. Blue is Trina's favorite color and to create this little gift ensemble was so very fun.

For something a little different I left a small space between the two patterned papers and added a row of bling. All girls love bling - right!?!

The Inkadinkado Inchie Greetings set is THE perfect size for these little captions :-D

 

To create the blonde hair that closely resembles my daughter's hair color I used Copic Y21 and Y28. Simply feather the marker strokes when coloring hair to get a more realistic look. Trina is quite fair-skinned and so I used E0000, E000, E11 and R11 for her skin tones.

Spica glitter pen was added to the stars on her vest for additional sparkle.

 

I love to find little things for the girls birthdays and I now have THE perfect solution for packaging these - Sizzix/Ellison pillow boxes!

  

They come in three sizes. The smallest can be created from your 6x6 paper pads! 

It is perfect for hair clips, bands, paper clips, candies and gum.

The next size up holds a little more and sits upright. For this box you need a strip of decorative paper/cardstock that is 6" x 12".

The largest pillow box is created from a 12"x12" sheet of decorative paper/cardstock. I found these socks in the dollar bin at Target - my girls love cute socks. Three pair of socks fit nicely in this box.

 

As you can see I was able to create a fun assortment of pillow boxes of varying sizes from the Lauderdale collection of papers. Another thing that I LOVE about Basic Grey is that many of the embellishments from previous collections coordinate beautifully with the new collections that come out. The pretty pink posies are from the old Green at Heart collection and they coordinate perfectly. So look into your old stash of buttons, brads, flowers and see what you might have that may work with the new collections. Using a yellow ribbon to tie them up created the perfect bright birthday ensemble!

It's always SO much more fun to open little gifts when they are presented in fun packages!!! For your next celebration think about creating some little gift boxes - they are so much fun AND can be reused :-D
 
stamps: Hero Arts You Rock, Inkadinkadoo Greetings Inchie Clear Stamps

ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Dye Ink Pads - Watermelon, Citrus and Den; Copic Markers - Hair (Y21, Y28) and Skin (E0000, E000, E11, R11), Sky Blue Spica Glitter Pen

paper: Basic Grey Lauderdale (coming soon), Hero Arts Azure Cardstock

accessories: Sizzix Pillow Boxes - Small, Medium, Large; EK Sucess Photo Caption Punch and Lattice Chain Edger, Memory Box Sparkling Diamond Jewels, Green at Heart Cozy Posies, Corner Chomper

Hero Arts Silhouette Images and Basic Grey Unite, by Amy Tsuruta

We are SO very honored to have Amy as a guest here in the CLASSroom today. Amy is one of our very sweet and talented customers who comes to our office/warehouse to pick up her orders. It has been so fun getting to know her better in the last few months. She is one very talented and sweet lady! You can see more of Amy's work on her fabulous blog --- Tsuruta Designs.  Amy uses all the wonderful embellishments that Basic Grey creates to make her projects just sing. THANK YOU Amy for joining us here and sharing your passion with others. Please share your appreciation with Amy in the comments section below - I love the silhouette cards you have created!

 Hiya!  It's Amy of Tsuruta Designs guest blogging at the CLASSroom!!    I could not have been more thrilled when Ellen asked me to step in for the day!  

I pondered what I wanted to show you and thought that I'd highlight some of the new Hero Arts Silhouette images...

My first card teams up the It's a Parade with Basic Grey Curio:

 

I used Versamark for the image and embossed it in black.  I love the opaque finish with heat embossing, it really shows off the image.  I finished off the card with black seam binding ribbon from my stash.  The card base is 6x6.

Hero Arts It's a Parade

 

Basic Grey Curio

Basic Grey Element Stickers

Next up is the new Hero Arts Musical Walk with Basic Grey's Hopscotch line:

I wanted to show a fun card version using this particular image.  The card base is Memory Box Vanilla Bean and the gorgeous blue panel is Memory Box Bayou.  All the patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Hopscotch. The very sweet Musical Walk has been Versamarked and embossed in a chocolate brown.  I think that the brown gives the image a more playful look rather than using black.  I inked up the Musical Walk panel and the heart shaped chippie with Memento Rich Cocoa ink. 

 Hero Arts Musical Walk

Basic Grey Hopscotch

Basic Grey Hopscotch Elements

Basic Grey Hopscotch Sticker Shapes

 

Silhouettes are definitely a hot trend in the paper crafting industry right now...I love their statement of femininity and charm...how about you?

Thanks so much for stoppin’ by and a ginormous shout out to Ellen and all the staff and designers at Ellen Hutson LLC. I appreciate all your hard work and the inspiration you give me!

Valentine Chandelier by Sharon Harnist

I must admit this wasn't my original idea -- I recently came across this wonderful Valentine Chandelier and wanted to make my own version of it -- a little more vintage-themed one, so here's my take on it!  Sorry these photos are not better -- it's hard to get a good photo of things that are constantly turning and twisting!

For the base of the chandelier, I used one chipboard heart "page" from Maya Road's Heart Chipboard Album:

These hearts are a nice size -- approximately 6.50" at the widest point and almost 6.25" tall.  With eight "pages", you can either make a lot of these type of projects, or a very full Valentine album!  Alternately, you could use some of Ellen's Craft-a-Board or Crystal Clear Plastic to fashion whatever shape you'd like your chandelier to have.  That's what I was originally going to do, until I saw how nice and large this heart album was!

I covered the chipboard heart with patterned papers from 7 Gypsies' Lille 6x6 paper pack -- I love the warm tones and vintage collage style of these papers!

The 6-inch paper will not quite cover all of the heart chipboard -- it must be turned at an angle into the corner of the paper and then just some tiny slivers of the chipboard will still show.  The rose trim I used around the edge of the heart chipboard shape finished covering the chipboard just fine. But if this bothers you, the Lille papers are also available in a larger 8-inch size!

 

I trimmed the edge of the heart with Cream Small Organza Roses, adhered with Copic's X-Press It Double-Sided High Tack Tape (shown below is the top side of my paper-covered chipboard heart, untrimmed and the bottom side, shown trimmed with the cream roses):

 

For the photos, I used Ellen's fabulous selection of Assorted Doilies:

See those cute heart doilies in the pack?  They are the perfect size (approximately 4" x 4") for about a 2.50" x 3" photo!  So I made them into "frames" by cutting my black & white photos into heart shapes and adding some Zva Clear Swirl Crystals to dress them up: 

 

I backed the doilies with patterned paper, to give them more stability & weight, and make them pretty on the reverse side, too!  I sponged some Antique Linen Distress Ink on the white doilies, so they would match the vintage patterned papers a little better.  Instructions for the red tissue flowers are below with the Bingo card and the little "love bird" was die cut with Spellbinders smallest Nested Bird die set.

 

I used a Jenni Bowlin Red Adore Mini Bingo Card and since the back of it is plain white, I machine stitched more of the Lille paper onto the back and then trimmed the edges with pinking shears.

 

To accent the front of the Bingo card, I made a tissue flower by die cutting several layers of red tissue paper with Spellbinders Nested Peony dies.  After die cutting, just stack the layers of tissue paper together and secure them in the center (I used Tim Holtz's Tiny Attacher) and cover the staple with a large pearl or rhinestone.  Then fluff up the layers of tissue paper -- quick and easy!  Alternately, you could use a brad to secure the center of the flower.

The "wonky" hanging hearts were die cut with Tim Holtz's Heart Wing Bigz Die (shown below): 

from Memory Box Cranberry cardstock (solid heart) and then topped with the swirly heart die cut from Lille papers (these are two separate shapes on the die):

 

More solid hearts were die cut from Memory Box's Red Biscotti cardstock, aged with Antique Linen Distress Ink so they would match the Lille papers better, and accented with red gemstones. To make it quick and easy to die cut matching images (that you want to have a nice front and back), fold the cardstock in half (Memory Box is colored on one side and white on the back), so the white is on the inside. After die cutting, just adhere these two mirror images together and you'll have a colored heart on both sides! To adhere smaller die cuts like the swirly heart above, I like to use a mini bottle of Ranger's Glossy Accents -- it's a great liquid glue!  The bottle is easier to hold, the small applicator makes it easy to control the "glue" in tight spaces, and it dries quickly.  The double heart at the bottom of the photo above was cut on the fold of the cardstock and then opened up and backed with another piece of patterned cardstock.

 

If you've never used any of Tim's or Sizzix's Bigz dies and don't have either Sizzix's or Tim's die cutting machines but have a Cuttlebug, these dies work perfectly and easily in it!  I just use a Cuttlebug B plate on either side of the die and get perfect cuts every time, even with cardstock doubled like I've done here.

 

The birds were die cut with Spellbinders Nested Bird die, again from doubled Memory Box Cranberry cardstock, and I made the wings from Tim Holtz's Heart Wings Bigz Die!

To assemble the the chandelier, I lined up all my elements in four different columns and played with the placement.  Then I threaded an embroidery needle with fishing line and strung each of the four lines separately, leaving enough fishing line at the top and bottom of each string to allow for tying.  Using my Crop-a-Dile, I punched holes at the point of the heart and on the top of the heart, at each of the curves.  A piercing tool was used to place a hole in the center of the heart for the fourth line.

NOTE: When adhering the heart and bird fronts and backs together, I only placed a strong adhesive on the edges and not in the middles, so I would be able to string the fishing line through the centers of the double-sided cardstock shapes.  These "sandwiched" shapes were then easy to slide up and down the fishing line, to determine good placement and then stayed in place very well.

To anchor the doily heart frames to the fishing line (since I had not thought ahead and glued all of the photos and backing papers to the doilies and didn't leave a space through the middles!), I sewed the fishing line through the bottom of the front of the heart, along the back, and then back through the top of the heart to the front side.  Until the exact placement of the frames was determined, this let me slide the frames up and down the fishing line easily:

   

Once the proper placement was determined, I placed Mini Glue dots on the back of the heart frame where the fishing line was "sewn" through the cardstock.  To make the Glue Dot a little prettier, I sprinkled Glitter Ritz Warm Highlights Transparent Microfine glitter over them!

To weight the ends of the fishing line, I used these beautiful Melissa Frances Diamond Chandelier Drops:

 

The Chandelier Drops also help to weight each line, so they hang nicely.  And the darling butterflies are Jenni Bowlin Vellum Embellished Butterflies in Red! 

Finally, to make the hanger at the top of my chandelier, I used ivory satin ribbon threaded through each of the three outer holes (knotted separately on the bottom of the heart base) and knotted them together at the top. I hope I've explained the construction of this chandelier well - if not, please let me know if the comments and I'll answer your questions! Thanks for visiting the CLASSroom today!  ~ Sharon

 

Paper: 7 Gypsies-Lille 6x6 paper pack, Memory Box Cranberry Cardstock & Cranberry Biscotti Cardstdock; Essentials by Ellen Assorted Doilies, 
Ink: Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink-Antique Linen,
Copic Markers
Tools: Tim Holtz Bigz Die-Heart Wings; Spellbinders Nested Bird & Nested Peony die templates; WRM Crop-a-Dile, Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher,
Accessories: Jenni Bowlin Vellum Embellished Butterflies-Red & Mini Bingo Cards-Red; Maya Road Chipboard Album-Heart; Prima Small Organza Roses-Cream; Melissa Frances Chandelier Drops-Diamond; Hero Arts Assorted Gemstones-Red; Ranger Ink Blending Tool & Mini Glossy Accents; 3/8" Glue Dots; Glue Glider Pro with Perma Tac adhesive, Copic X-Press It High Tack Double-Sided Tape; Zva Clear Swirl Crystals, Glitter Ritz Warm Highlights Transparent Microfine glitter,
Other: fishing line, red tissue paper, pinking shears, sewing machine + ivory thread, embroidery needle