Stampadoodle Blog

Tuesday with Wendy, Dec 4th

12/4/2018

This week's Tuesday with Wendy cards are SO MUCH FUN for this time of year!!

Check out how exciting they are!!!

The first card that Wendy designed was inspired from this Paper Rose Stamp Set, Cozy Christmas as well as this die-cut from Taylored Expressions, Birch Tree Border

To make the card:

Use your home die-cut machine to cut out the Birch Tree Border from ivory card stock and cut a snow drift (for the bottom of the card) using a pair of scissors to cut a nice snow drift
Use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere the tree and snow drift in place
Use the Versafine Clair ink, Nocturne, to stamp the little animals from the Paper Rose stamp set. Wendy arranged the animals in a cute way... I LOVE how she perched the little bird on the hat of the little bear!!
Stamp the little Snowflake image with Hero Arts White Ink around the tree.
Use Prismacolor colored pencils to color in the little images from the stamp set, like the little bears, birds, and owl
Finish off the card by applying Marvy Liquid Applique along the branches of the tree. Use a heat gun to dry the Liquid Applique and watch as it raises and puffs.. making it look JUST LIKE SNOW!

LOOK HOW CUTE this card is!!!!

Not only are the little animals so cute, but this card is great for the Winter Season!!

Check out how one of the gals colored their images... I LOVE IT!!!

The next card Wendy designed was inspired from this tree design from Penny Black, Christmas Foliage and this ADORABLE die-cut set from Impression Obsession, small birds

To make the card:

Wendy used the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform to apply the Versafine Clair inks to the Tree image.. She applied the Rain Forest ink to the foliage part of the tree and the Pinecone ink to the trunk of the tree.
Stamp the image onto ivory card stock
Cut out the Little Birds die-cut (from Impression Obsession) out of black card stock and arrange the birds on your tree in an appealing way. Use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere the birds to the tree

The last card that Wendy designed was inspired from this new stencil from Kaisercraft, Sea Urchins and this Sea Urchin stamp from Fred B. Mullett

To make the card:

Use the new Seashell Wide Washi Tape from Altenew and adhere a strip along the left side of the card base
Wendy cut out a piece of background paper for the right side of the card (she chose a paper from the Kiasercraft Deep Sea Collection, Anemone) and stamped the Sea Urchin Stamp using the Versafine Clair ink, Monarch. Wendy stamped the Sea Urchin image several times on the background paper. Use double-sided tape to adhere the paper down.
Next, take a piece of white card stock and rip the edges to make it look distressed. Use the new Picket Fence Large Blending Brushes to apply Distress Ink to the piece of card stock. Wendy used Distress ink colors Wilted Violet and Broken China. The new Blending Brushes are SO SOFT and work great for applying a soft layer of ink.
Use a Palette Knife to apply some Light Molding Paste to the Silicone Craft Mat to create 2 piles of paste... one is colored with Violet ColorBurst and the other is colored with Ultramarine Blue ColorBurst
Use the Light Molding Paste and the Sea Urchins stencil to apply a thin layer of the Light Molding Paste to the SAME piece of ripped card stock.
Sprinkle some Multi Crystal Glitter Mix to the Sea Urchin-stenciled paste while it is still wet.
Put a piece of the the Gold Mesh Ribbon in the middle of the card and use The Ultimate Glue to adhere the ripped strip of paper on top of everything.
Stamp the Sea Urchin stamp onto teal card stock and heat emboss with Detail Gold Embossing Powder. Fussy-cut the Sea Urchin image and use Mounting Tape to adhere the Sea Urchin image so it adds dimension

Just look HOW FUN this card is!!! We love how artistic it is... and the movement of the Sea Urchin throughout the card is just PERFECT!

One of the gals in class decided to sprinkle on the Detail Gold Embossing Powder on top of the wet Molding Paste and used a Heat Gun to heat-set it. The effect that is created is called the "Molten Lava" effect... and although this technique was not taught in class... it still looks SO COOL for this card!!!

Join us for the next Tuesday with Wendy!! It will be offered on December 18th.

Give us a call to sign up!! 360-647-9663

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Paper Lanterns!!

12/1/2018

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Last week for Demo we learned about making Paper Lanterns!!

Check out these fun ideas!!

With each of the lanterns that has Vellum, you can use a battery-operated tea-light to light them up. We were able to find several at our local dollar store

This first idea was SO MUCH FUN to create!!!

Using the new Picket Fence Blending Brushes, we applied a light coat of Distress Ink to this piece of Vellum... then we stamped the Skaters stamp from Impression Obsession on the bottom part of the lantern and made.. this LITTLE TENT LANTERN!!!! It turned out *so cute* and is even better when you light it up at night!!

This next idea was SO EASY to put together.. and although this Paper Lantern does not light up, it is great for celebrating the Chinese New Year or for hanging up multiple lanterns outside for a garden party... just some strips of paper, twine, and a few embellishments make for a nice, easy decoration!!

You can make your own tassel by wrapping a bit of twine, creating a knot, and fraying the end

This next idea is inspired from the new Mushroom Paper we just got in from Renke Designs.. we fussy-cut the little mushrooms and used the Distress Ink, Walnut Stain to add a distressed look to the Paper Lantern.

We used a die-cut machine to cut out the ovals and backed the open ovals with Vellum. The bottom of the lantern is open so it can be set on top of a votive

If you are looking for a quick way to make holiday Paper Lanterns, look no further than the new Tim Holtz / Sizzix Tree Light die-cut. The die-cut comes with 2 sizes of trees with little cut-out holes at the bottom so you can easily set it on top of a battery-operated tea-light.. and they are just SO SWEET!!!!

You can make quick Paper Lanterns by stamping a strip of Vellum with Stampscapes stamps... adhere the strip of Vellum to the backside of a strip of card stock (using Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive) and score it in 4 places to create the box-shape of a lantern..

In the samples below, the lantern on the left has stamped images on the inside of the Vellum and the lantern on the right has the images stamped on the outside of the Vellum.

Just look HOW BEAUTIFUL this turned out!!!

This next idea fits into a standard envelope size... and is easy enough to stand up on a desk!

We embossed the Vellum with the Tiny Dots Embossing Folder from Sizzix and used nature image die-cuts from Memory Box and Impression Obsession.. the black silhouettes look SO GOOD on the embossed Vellum!! Especially when the Paper Lantern is lit up!!

There is always a lot around here to get inspired by... stop by to see us 7 days a week to see what's new!!

360-647-9663

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Tuesday with Wendy, Nov 20th

11/23/2018

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This week for Tuesday with Wendy card making class, Wendy was inspired by the winter and holiday images!!!

Check out the 3 cards and FALL IN LOVE because they are just fantastic!!

The first card that Wendy designed was inspired from this Stampscapes image, Pines and Rocks as well as this die-cut from Poppy, Magnificent Moose

To make the card:

Start out by selecting a metallic paper to cut out your Moose die-cut and frame from. Wendy chose this marbled card stock that has a gold/champagne color to it.
Use the Hero Arts Rounded Rectangle die-cut set to cut out a rounded rectangle out of the marbled card stock paper. Use the inside piece of the cut-out to then cut out your Moose
Use The Ultimate Glue to adhere a piece of Acetate to the back side of the rounded rectangle cut-out
Stamp the Pines and Rocks image using the Versafine Clair ink, Rain Forest
Use Mounting Tape to adhere the Rounded Rectangle to the paper that has the Pines and Rocks image stamped on it.... This will create dimension for a shaker card *PLACE SEQUINS INSIDE THE SHAKER CARD* before you adhere it completely!!!
Layer the card with solid green card stock and paper with pinecones on it for the patterned paper.
Mount the design onto the front of your card base, which is white card stock

**Look below, to see how one of the gals cut out a second moose to make it even MORE FUN!**

Just look how fun this card is!!

And the best part is... it's a SHAKER CARD!!! (Which is just so fun... whether you are making a card for kids or adults)

This design is great for cards for men or a card for the Hunter in your life... and the patterned paper is PERFECT for the Pacific Northwest

The next card that Wendy designed was inspired from this Stampendous image, Snow Bird

To make the card:

Stamp and heat emboss the Snow Bird image with Versamark ink and Moonstone Embossing Powder
Color the image using Prismacolor colored pencils... Wendy chose 3 tones of light brown to add some tone-on-tone color to the Snow Bird
Layer the image with the light brown marbled paper and mount the image onto the embossed handmade paper and adhere it using The Ultimate Glue
Adhere the design onto the front of your card base. Wendy chose an ivory colored card stock as the card base
As a final touch, use Nuvo Crystal Drops, Ivory Seashell, to add some berries onto the Snow Bird branch.. the color and texture mimics the embossed handmade paper perfectly!!!

What a stunning card!!! Such a perfect image for the winter season..

The last Card that Wendy designed was inspired from this stamp and die set from Spellbinders, Christmas Joy and this die-cut from Poppy, Whittle Moose

To make the card:

Use the Hero Arts Infinity Circles die-cut set to cut out 2 sizes of circles. Use a dark brown card stock for the larger circle and a decorative paper for the smaller circle (for this card, Wendy chose this whimsical tree paper from Photoplay and it is SO CUTE)
Stamp your Christmas Tree with Versafine Clair ink, Rain Forest
Color your Christmas Tree with light green and yellow Tombow Markers. Then use the Christmas Tree die-cut to cut out your tree
On your green card stock base, adhere a small strip of dark green card stock in the middle to add color contrast
Use double sided tape to adhere the layered circles on the right side of your card
Die-cut the Whittle Moose out of brown suede paper and use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere the Moose to the middle of the layered circles
On the left side of the card, use pop-dots to adhere the stamped Christmas Tree image.
At the top of the card, stamp the Christmas sentiment in Versafine Clair ink, Rain Forest
Finish off the card by tying a bit of red polka-dot ribbon along the left side of the card and tie a little knot to hold it in place

This Christmas card is JUST ADORABLE!!!!

I love the colors, the movement, and how the tree paper matches the tree stamp perfectly!!

Fantastic cards this week!!!

To sign up for the next card making class, give us a call here at the store!!

The next card making class will be offered on Tuesday, December 4th
*Please sign up by the Saturday before class*

360-647-9663

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Altered Books

11/16/2018

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It can be really fun to create art inside a book!! If you love to collect old books, you may be familiar with the aesthetic of holding, opening, and smelling an old book.. there is just something special about it.

This week for Demo, Bekah was the demonstrator! She showed some ideas for altering books and shared her take.. what wonderful ideas!!

There are SO MANY different concepts to consider when you alter a book... Here are some ideas!!

Use an X-acto Knife and a cutting mat to create unique cuts into old pages... back the final page with a solid piece of decorative paper to create a nice focal point. You can add findings to hide throughout your book... like hidden keys or old stamps or fun pieces of art you may have collected..

You can also take an old canvas book and tear open the front of the canvas and add in handmade papers!!!

Pictured below, you can see how the book is torn open in the middle with textured paper added. Then, add ink to bring out the texture and add in a Dragon Eye. In the sample below, you can see the molten-lava looking medium.. that is hot glue with Composition Gold Leaf applied to the hot glue... what a cool effect!!

Sometimes in old books there might be water stains... in this idea you can see how we used the water stains to start a doodle!! Just go where your mind takes you... add in collage and decorative papers to make the journal more expressive of your ideas!!

You can re-cover your old books to make them look WAY more exciting!!

Add Charms or Metal findings!!
Create new and unusual bookmarks!
Add decorative and handmade papers to make your book more fun!!

You can use inks to colorize backgrounds and then use an X-acto Knife to cut out designs and overlay them so you can see the ink behind it...

Doodle on your book pages and then use an X-acto Knife to cut out your designs!! Use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to glue layers of paper together to add dimension to your altered book..

Now, I have to share this AMAZING idea that Bekah came up with!!

Bekah has used powerful female figures to inspire her art recently.. and her ideas are just AMAZING!!

She used the book I Am Malala and traced the cover of the book onto tracing paper

Then, Bekah used the tracing to create bold areas to lay out where she would be cutting her book

Using her design on tracing paper, Bekah created a stencil from a sheet of Acetate.

In the SAME BOOK that she took the portrait design from, she created her Altered Book.

She traced out areas with a pencil. She then glued some pages together with Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive and used an X-acto Knife to cut out the chunks of paper where she traced.

Then, Bekah took Nuvo Blending Sponges and added ink to the page behind the portrait. She applied Distress Ink, Walnut Stain ink to the entire page.

When the page is turned, the portrait really stands out!!

Next, Bekah took the same stencil and Nuvo Mousse. She used 3 colors of Mousse: Aubergine (purple), Black Ash (grey), and Toasted Almond (ivory).

To make a skin tone, she used her palette knife on a silicone craft mat and added a few particles of Jupiter Color Burst and a TINY BIT of Toasted Almond Nuvo Mousse. The ivory tones of the Toasted Almond Mousse mixed with the orange tones of the Jupiter Color Burst make a beautiful skin tone.

Then Bekah used the Aubergine for Malala's scarf and the Black Ash for her hair and eyes.

She used the same book as the cutting above, just used a different grouping of pages farther in the book

I love how Bekah used the same theme for her art as the book.. it really just ties it all together!!

What beautiful and clever ideas, Bekah!!

Next week is Thanksgiving, we will have NO DEMO!!
Join us for the following week's Demo as we explore the world of Paper Lanterns!!

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Tuesday with Wendy, Nov 6th

11/10/2018

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Check out how wonderful the cards are this week!!! Wendy decided to make Winter/Christmas cards for this series.. and I just LOVE them as a set!!

The first card Wendy designed was inspired by this die-cut image from Impression Obsession, Deer Frame

To make the card:

Use your home die-cut machine to cut out the Deer Frame from Brown Stardream card stock
Mount the image onto patterned paper (Wendy used the paper that had a Holly pattern on it)
Use a couple pop-dots behind the deer's head to add dimension. To adhere the rest of the Deer Frame, use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
Layer the image with a bit of red card stock and mount it all on to your card base (ivory card stock)
Use a bit of decorative ribbon and tie a little ribbon around the neck of the Deer. Wendy used a nice green and red gingham ribbon
Lastly, use Nuvo Crystal Drops, Red Berry, to add a nose onto the deer!! Now your Deer is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer!!

What a fun card!! I love the addition of he red nose!

This die-cut is such a stunning image.. could be used for a variety of different cards!

The next card Wendy designed was made using this absolutely GORGEOUS stamp set from Hero Arts, Color- Layering Poinsettia

To make the card:

Start out by stamping the Poinsettia. This is a color-layering stamp set, meaning you will stamp the images in a "layering" fashion to achieve a desired effect. Stamp the poinsettias onto Solar White card stock
Stamp the BOLD images first in light colored ink and the detail images last in darker colored ink
Use the color Pallet Listed Below
- Poinsettia: Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick, Versafine Clair Galmorous, Versafine Clair Chianti
- Leaves: Distress Oxide Peeled Paint, Versafine Clair Rain Forest
Once you have stamped-out the Poinsettias, fussy cut along one edge to make them stand out a little more
Use double-sided tape to adhere the stamped poinsettia images to the right side of your card base (red card stock)
On the left side of your card, adhere a piece of decorative holiday paper. Wendy chose this paper that has poinsettias in it to replicate the movement and theme of the Poinsettia Stamp we used.
Add a bit of red ribbon down the middle of the card, giving separation between the decorative paper and the stamped poinsettia images
On a brown tag shape, stamp out a nice sentiment, Wendy stamped "Merry Christmas" with Versafine Clair Rain Forest ink
Tie a bit of green twine through the tag and tie it around the red ribbon on the card
Use a pop-dot to adhere the tag to the front of the card

What a BEAUTIFUL Holiday Card!! This is so sweet and the paper really ties in with the Poinsettia Stamp!!

The last card from this series was designed using this Snowflake Turnabout Stamp from Concord & 9th

The idea with "Turnabout" stamps is that you can stamp the same image 4 times with a different color ink each time... just turning your paper 90 degrees after each stamp.

Below you can see the idea and effect of using a Turnabout Stamp:

To make the card:

Wendy used the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform and placed the Turnabout Snowflake Stamp onto the platform
Wendy created a template for this stamp. The template below shows where you lay your square piece of card stock (4" x 4" white card stock)
Create a template by lining out a 6" x 6" area that the stamp takes up
Measure out a nice 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square in the middle of the 6" x 6" template
In the middle of the 4 1/2 x 4 1/2" template, that is where you will lay your card stock to stamp
Ink up the Snowflake Turnabout Stamp and stamp it on your paper using Versafine Clair Warm Breeze ink
Lift up the stamp platform and ink up your stamp again with Versafine Clair Twilight ink, and rotate your paper 90 degrees MAKING SURE to keep it in the middle of your template
Continue to stamp and rotate until you have coated the entire piece of card stock in snowflakes

Then, take the paper you just stamped and mount it onto the front of a blue card base, leaving space at the bottom of the card
Stamp out a sentiment (Wendy chose "Snowflake kisses and Holiday wishes" from the Concord & 9th clear Turnabout Stamp set. She stamped the sentiment in Versafine Clair Twilight ink onto white card stock and mounted it onto blue card stock for color contrast
Mount the sentiment onto the snowflake background image at a slight angle and adhere with pop-dots
Take a piece of white card stock that measures 8 1/2" x 3" and cut a wavy edge along one of the long sides. Then cut the paper in half. You just created 2 snow drifts
Place the snow drifts along the bottom of the card, using pop-dots to add dimension to the snow drift on the very bottom of the card
To finish off the card, Wendy used Star Dust and Crystal Stickles along the edge of each snow drift
Lastly, Wendy used patterned paper with bears on it and fussy-cut a few polar bears. She used pop-dots to adhere them to the snow drifts and made it look like they were playing in the snow!!

I just LOVE how fun this card is!! What a fun idea!

Join us for the NEXT Tuesday with Wendy class!!

SIGN UP AHEAD OF TIME by calling the store!!

Tuesday, November 20th

360-647-9663

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Mail Art Fun!

11/2/2018

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Last week for Demo, Bekah was the demonstrator! She shared some ideas on how to make your mailing envelopes MORE FUN!!!

This is a fun idea!! Here, Bekah showed how you can use a stamp just along the edge! She picked this fun image from Stampotique and stamped just the top part of the body... then she used the No-Line Watercolor Technique to really make the image stand out!!

You can learn about no-line watercolors by visiting our past blog:
https://www.stampadoodle.com/stampadoodle-blog/no-line-watercolors

Taylored Expressions makes some REALLY fun stamp sets for decorating envelopes!

Check out this Halloween set, Spooky Mail, that Bekah stamped and heat-embossed onto a black envelope!!

Taylored Expressions offers 3 different sets for decorating envelopes... Love Mail, Snail Mail, and Spooky Mail

This is a fun idea!! Bekah explained how you can use the techinique from the Reflections Demo to add a reverse stamp image on the front of an envelope!

Hint: Use your Silicone Craft Mat!!

Learn more about creating Reflections by checking out this past blog:
https://www.stampadoodle.com/stampadoodle-blog/category/reflections

Here, Bekah used the Lawn Fawn stamp set, Concert Critters

If you want to add some fun additions to your envelope, but don't have time to get out your stamps, you can use Mrs. Grossman's stickers!!

These Monster and Birthday stickers that Bekah chose are just PERFECT on this lime green envelope!!

You can add a fun element by creating a mask:

Cut out a circle and lay it on the front of an envelope. Use a tiny piece of double-sided tape to hold the circle in place
Use Nuvo Blending Sponges to apply some Distress Ink. Bekah used 3 colors of Distress Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, and Peeled Paint
Gently blend the ink into the paper by softly rubbing the sponges across the surface of the envelope. Start with the lighter colors and then add the darker colors
Once you have applied a generous amount of ink, remove the stencil mask
Use fun pens to address your envelope in the empty space you created with the mask (Bekah used a Parrellel Pen on the sample below)

I love how Bekah followed the curve of the circle here!! It looks SO FUN!!

Wouldn't you love to receive this bit of art in the mail?!?

Stop by to see us 7 days a week!!

See you soon, friends!!

360-647-9663

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Stationery, DIY and Gift Idea!

11/2/2018

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Here at the store, we are gearing up for the holiday season!!

One of the things we have been looking at are Gift Ideas!! Check out this idea with making Stationery Sets

You can use your own Sizzix Big-Shot machine to emboss cards to make a FANTASTIC gift set!!!

A *perfect* gift idea for a friend, the card-maker in your life, or anyone you know who loves to write letters (like a grandparent or grandkids!)

This is a WONDERFUL Monogram Letter Set and it comes with 26 individual embossing folders so you can customize envelopes, card stock, book-cloth and MORE!!

Check out this idea... you can emboss your Monogram into the back of envelopes!!!

Create some nice stationery by combining matching cards and envelopes and emboss both to create a set!!

This set with the Silver Foiled Envelope makes this card look so elegant!! Add a bit of metallic ribbon to really tie the set together

You can even make a nice focal point using the embossing folder found in the Jar Lids die-cut set.

Emboss the ring onto card stock and stamp a Monogram on the inside!!

With an added bit of adhesive-backed ribbon, you can really make a Monogram pop! Such a great gift idea using any Letter Stamp Set you already have!

There is so much you can create with just these 2 sets from Sizzix...

Stop by today to get inspired!!

360-647-9663

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Liquid Gold Leaf

10/26/2018

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We recently brought in Liquid Gold Leaf... which is an AMAZING product!!!

If you are familiar with traditional Gold Leaf (or Composition Metal), you may know that it comes in Leaf form and is VERY light-weight and soft.. it sticks to anything that is sticky and leaves a really stunning effect...

.. But Liquid Gold Leaf (or rather, Liquid Leaf as it also comes in Silver) is DIFFERENT because you can actually paint it on!!

Liquid Leaf comes in 4 wonderful colors... Classic Gold, Brass, Florentine Gold, and Silver

To work with Liquid Leaf:

Start out by SHAKING the bottle very well, you can also stir the Liquid Leaf with a disposable skewer
Use Synthetic Brushes such as the Nuvo Brush Set (you can use Rubbing Alcohol to clean the brushes when you are done)
Paint like normal onto card stock, glass, metal, clay and MORE!!!!

Just LOOK how vibrant the color is!!! You can even do Brush Lettering on all sorts of papers.. like this Matte Dura-Lar!!

Check out how cool this splatter effect is on the Matte Dura-Lar!! It is slightly embossed and is just as vibrant as traditional Gold Leaf

Write on black card stock to create a REALLY stunning effect!!

You can also use Light Molding Paste with a stencil... here I used the Olive Branch Stencil from Echo Park

Apply the paste with a palette knife and, once the paste has FULLY DRIED, brush on Classic Gold Liquid Leaf across the paper so that the entire image is coated with the metallic paint

We have also been playing around with the new Apoxie Clay! This clay bonds HARD AS A ROCK in just 24 hours and requires no heat.

While working with the clay, I made and shaped my own lock and put it on an old Altoid tin... I used the Brass Liquid Leaf to colorize the lock and I LOVE the results! Or check out this Harry Potter style wand with droplets of Brass Liquid Leaf throughout...

Check out this idea...

Take a plain tile and use the 2-part resin mix to float Alcohol Inks on the surface THEN drip on a little bit of the Liquid Leaf and watch as the colors move and flow together...

It has such a BEAUTIFUL appearance!!

Liquid Leaf is solvent based.. which means it can bond to ALMOST ANYTHING!!!

Seashells
Rocks
Plastic toys
Wood
Feathers

... and SO MUCH MORE!!!!

Stop by the store to see these samples in person!! You are going to FALL IN LOVE with this new product!!!

See you soon!!
360-647-9663

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Tuesday with Wendy, Oct 23rd

10/26/2018

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We have been busy creating new things here at the store! Check out the newest cards Wendy designed for her last card making class!!!

The first card that Wendy designed was made using this snowflake die-cut from Penny Black, Crystalline as well as this stamp set from Lawn Fawn, Winter Scripty Sentiments

To make the card:

Start out with a white card stock card base. Select a piece of Handmade Paper 4" x 4" (Wendy used this iridescent blue/green paper that looks like ice!). Use double-sided tape to adhere the paper to the front of the card base.
Next, cut a piece of navy card stock that measures 3" x 3" and adhere that to the front of the Handmade Paper
Take 2 pieces of Stardream TEXT WEIGHT paper that both measure 3" x 3". Wendy used Stardream Ice Gold paper. Stack the 2 Stardream papers together and die-cut the Crystalline Snowflake out of the papers at the same time
Then, use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere ONE of the snowflakes completely to the front of the navy card stock
With the second snowflake, press the Versamark ink pad to the snowflake until it has clear ink all over the snowflake. Sprinkle on Star Dust Embossing Powder and heat-set it with a heat gun
Use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere the CENTER ONLY to the other snowflake and curl up the ends of the snowflake to add dimension
Then, take 6 strips of paper (1/4" x 8 1/2" for each strip) and curl each strip into a little circle.. this is called Quilling. When you have completed your curl, use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to hold the curl in place.
Then attach the coils to the center of the snowflake on your card and adhere the coils with Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive
Finish off the card by stamping a sentiment from the Winter Scripty Sentiments along the bottom of the card using Versafine Clair ink, Twilight

I LOVE how this card turned out!! Just look at this DETAIL!!!!

The next card was SO STUNNING and is absolutely perfect for a Thanksgiving card... It was made using these stamps:
Winter Still by Penny Black
Grateful Hearts by Impression Obsession

To make the card:

Wendy started out by taking a piece of ivory card stock and stamping out the Grateful Hearts sentiment using Versafine Clair ink, Chianti
Then, Wendy inked up the Winter Still leaf image by tapping on the different colors of ink. Use Distress Ink starting with Rusty Hinge, then Aged Mahogany, then Peeled Paint.. making sure to tap and gently massage the ink into the stamp
Then, stamp out the Winter Still leaf image onto the ivory card stock, overlapping the leaf image with the sentiment just slightly.
Then, layer the ivory card stock onto a card base.. Wendy chose this beautiful fall-tones color that matched with the Rusty Hinge ink color PERFECTLY

I love how this card turned out! Such a quick technique with BEAUTIFUL results!!!

Mary McClary (one of the gals from class) said she accidentally messed up on her card!! But, clever as she is.. she used some of the quilling papers to make it BETTER!!!

Well, I just LOVE that!!

The last card of the series was inspired by this STUNNING image from Impression Obsession, Deployed

To make the card:

Stamp out the image in Versafine Clair ink, Medieval Blue onto white card stock
Use a Blue Tombow Marker to color onto a craft mat and use a Waterbrush to pick up some of the color. Watercolor your image giving light and dark tones to create depth
Use a pair of scissors to fussy-cut around the image.. cut around the head and around the feet so that it looks like the soldier is walking away
Mount the image on a piece of red card stock and apply mounting tape on the back
On your card base, use red-white-blue decorative card stock and put one pattern on the left and a corresponding pattern on the right
Adhere the soldier image onto the card front using the mounting tape so it has a little bit of dimension

This card is GREAT for anyone who may be Serving our Country or a Veteran of War... it is just a FANTASTIC card

I love how this card has the idea of a 3D card without having to do a lot of extra fussy-cutting

What a GREAT series of cards this week!!!

If you would like any of the items listed above, please give us a call at the store!

To sign up for the NEXT card making class on November 6th, give us a call!
You only need to bring double-sided tape and scissors to class, but you MUST register by the Saturday before class!!

360-647-9663

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Alcohol Ink on Acrylic Paint

10/19/2018

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This week for Demo, Denise demonstrated a new idea!

She took her Acyrlic Paints and applied Alcohol Ink to the wet paint.. the effect is pretty incredible!!

Denise started out with Lumiere Acrylic Paint.. She brushed it across a piece of YUPO and, while the paint was still wet, applied droplets of Alcohol Ink on the surface!

The ink spreads out, creating this halo effect that is just incredible!!

Look here how the Alcohol Ink spread out to create these interesting designs and textures!!

Then, Denise experimented with the technique on Dura-Lar Wet Media Film... I just LOVE how translucent it is!!!

Check out this next idea...

Denise started by using a piece of Dura-Lar Wet Media Film and brushing on some Lumiere Acrylic Paint
Then, she applied some vibrant colors of Alcohol Ink onto the surface of wet paint
Then, after the image is dry, she took the Black Glaze Pen and drew some designs.. creating some fun floral designs!!

Stop by to see us to get inspired!!

We would LOVE to show you all the newest stuff we've been getting in!

Stop by to see us 7 days a week!
360-647-9663

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Paper Quilling

10/14/2018

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Last week for Demo, Bekah was the demonstrator and she showed us all about Paper Quilling!!

Paper Quilling has been around for YEARS.. and while the art form has certainly changed, the idea is still the same... taking strips of paper and manipulating them to create BEAUTIFUL, intricate designs!

Quilling starts with strips of colored paper...

We have a template here to show and explain the different designs. You can use the Quilling Tools to create the different shapes.

Check out this idea... Bekah took the Great Pumpkin stamp and stamped it out using a light color of dye-based ink.. Then, she used the Quilling Tools and the different strips of paper and created fun designs to fill the space inside the pumpkin!!

I love the idea of using the Black Quilling Paper to turn the pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern!!

Here are some other fun ideas and designs you can create using just simple strips of paper!!

Look at this candle! And check out the wonderful little flowers!!

The best glue to use for Paper Quilling is either the Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive or PVA (though we recommend transferring the PVA into a fine-line applicator)

Bekah likes to use the Quilling Paper to create unusual designs... and she taught us all how to do that!

First, draw a design on a piece of copy paper (or, you can print off a design from the computer)
Place the image on a piece of card stock
Use a pen to go over your image- this will make an indentation into the card stock
Use the indentation as a guide to lay down your Quilling Paper

YOU HAVE GOT TO SEE what Bekah is working on...

She started out using the Black, Brown, White, and Ombre Yellow Quilling Papers and a large brown piece of card stock

She was inspired by an image of Aretha Franklin.. and so she found/traced a FANTASTIC image of her and is currently creating a STUNNING rendition of this image.. I can't wait to see when it is all done!!

Just look at the DETAIL!!!

The teeth!! The earrring!! The hair!!! WOW!!!!!

If you don't feel like creating a design on a piece of paper, you can just have fun and create free-form designs!!

Or, you can even curl a piece of paper and create a fun balloon string!!

Want to see get inspired? Stop by to see us 7 days a week!! We would LOVE to show you the newest stuff!!

See you soon!
360-647-9663

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Mini Book Ideas with Wendy!

10/7/2018

We have been SO BUSY here at the store this week!! But that doesn't keep us from being creative!!

Last week, Wendy was the demonstrator for Demo and she showed us SEVERAL fun ideas for making miniature books!!

Check out this idea!! Wendy cut out a little Match Box from our die-cut machine here at the store.. Then, she created a SUPER TINY STITCHED BOOK and fit it inside!!! I love how she used this decorative Handmade Paper as well

HOW CUTE!!

Or check out this idea... just some folds and a few cuts from a piece of 8 1/2 x 11" piece of text weight paper and you have a quick MINI BOOK!!

When I saw this idea I FELL IN LOVE IMMEDIATELY!!

It looks a bit like a caterpillar!!

And, I love how the little hinges are ALSO CIRCLES!

This concept is pretty fun too... a set of wooden tags can be turned into a little book with minimal effort!!

Stop by the store to get inspired!!

Don't forget to join us for Demo on Wednesdays from Noon to 1pm! The next Demo theme will be Quilling Ideas! Come by and learn something new :-)

Tuesday with Wendy, Oct 2nd

10/7/2018

This week for card making class, Wendy was inspired by Fall images!!!

Check out this week's grouping of cards!! Aren't they WONDERFUL?!!?

The first card Wendy designed was made using this Spiderweb Stencil from Taylored Expressions and the Spider Trio die-cut and Happy stamp both from Impression Obsession

To make the card:

On a piece of black card stock, lay the Spiderweb stencil in place and use Versamark ink (ink pad side down on the stencil) and apply the ink across the entire spiderweb image
Lift away the stencil and apply Detail Black embossing powder across the entire piece of black card stock, coating the spiderweb image in embossing powder. Heat-set the image
On a smaller piece of black card stock, stamp the Happy stamp with Versamark Ink and heat emboss with Detail Black embossing powder. Layer a piece of silver paper behind this image too and mount that on top of the spiderweb image
Next, die-cut one of the spiders from the Spider Trio (Wendy picked the biggest one!) out of Black Glitter card stock
Pick out a fun-colored sequin to embellish the spider and use Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive to adhere the sequin to the spider.
Place a pop dot on the underside of the spider, then place a piece of small silver twine underneath the pop dot and THEN adhere the spider to the front of the spiderweb image.. you can have the spider crawling over the sentiment if you want!
Then, tuck the silver twine behind the black card stock and use some double-sided tape to hold it in place.
The card base is a piece of ivory card stock. Layer the spiderweb image with a piece of text weight silver paper and mount it on the card base using double-sided tape

EEEE!!!! What a FUN CARD!!!!

The NEXT 2 CARDS are made using the new Tim Holtz Lift Ink and this beautiful image, Windswept Leaves from Impression Obsession

Now, I know I have posted this video before, but for those of you who are unfamiliar with how the new Lift Ink works, I highly recommend watching this video!!

Tim Holtz begins to explain about the new Lift Ink at minute 26:00

To make the cards:

USE GLOVES and GRUBBY CLOTHING when doing Alcohol Inks because they can be messy!!!
Take a little bit of Alcohol Blending Solution and float it on a small piece of YUPO paper
Use a few Alcohol Ink colors and apply just a drop or 2 of each color onto the YUPO.. watch as the vibrant colors flow and move across the paper.. WOW!!
Use a heat-gun to heat-set the Alcohol Ink colors

Then, once your alcohol ink image is COMPLETELY DRY, apply the Lift Ink onto the Windswept Leaves image.. (your stamp should be VERY CLEAN before you start because you don't want to transfer any old ink into your Lift Ink Pad)
Stamp the Windswept Leaves image with Lift Ink directly onto the YUPO paper right on top of the Alcohol Ink background you created.
THEN stamp directly onto a piece of white card stock.. and watch as the color of the Alcohol Ink background is now the color your Windswept Leaves are!!!
NOW take a CLEAN piece of paper towel and DAB the ink off the Alcohol Ink background.
Once you have dabbed off the Lift Ink, take a clean piece of paper towel and BUFF out the Windswept Leaves image.. and don't gasp too loud because the effect is REALLY AMAZING!!!

You will now have 2 separate Windswept Leaves images.
One of the images is layered with a bit of green card stock and some bright purple handmade paper and mounted onto a soft green card stock base
The other Windswept Leaves image is layered with a bit of ivory card stock, dark brown card stock, and mounted onto a light brown card base. Wendy added a touch of textured ribbon on the side of the card to add some interest.

Aren't these cards STUNNING?! I just love how they compliment each other!!

If you want to join in all the fun by participating in the NEXT Tuesday with Wendy class, give us a call!!

Tuesday, October 23rd

Choose the time that works best for you!
11am -- 1:30pm -- 6pm

PLEASE SIGN UP BY THE SATURDAY BEFORE CLASS!!!
360-647-9663

No-Line Watercolors

9/25/2018

Last week for Demo, Bekah was the demonstrator and she showed us all how to do No-Line Watercoloring... and the technique is pretty impressive!!

The key to No-Line Watercoloring is to stamp an image with a stamp ink that actually disappears when you use watercolors over it.. the best ink for this project is a light color of Distress Ink

As you can see, When Bekah began to watercolor, the lines from the stamp ink DISAPPEAR!!!

Check out this idea where Bekah stamped out the Fluffy Bird stamp from Impression Obsession and then used the Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen to watercolor the image... I LOVE IT!!

Here, Bekah stamped out this floral image and watercolored the entire image.. I LOVE IT!

Now this last idea is SO CUTE!!!

Bekah made a shadow box using a couple Lawn Fawn stamp sets, Winter Skies and Upon a Star.. LOOK HOW ADORABLE THIS IS!!!

We offer FREE DEMOS on Wednesdays from Noon to 1pm! Come Join the fun! No need to sign up, just stop by and see what we're doing!

See you for next demo on Wednesday, September 26th while we explore the world of Vellum Overlays!

Tuesday with Wendy, Sept 11th

9/21/2018

The last Tuesday with Wendy was a LOT of fun! Wendy showed me her cards as she was creating them and I fell in love with EACH CARD they are so beautiful!!!

And the best part is, these cards can be used for the upcoming Winter holidays because the color palettes are just perfect!!

The first card Wendy designed was made using two new stamps.. Halo Bird and Abstract Circles by Impression Obsession

To make the card:

Stamp out the Abstract Circles stamp using Twilight Versafine Clair and Detail Black Embossing Powder onto Solar White card stock and heat-set the image.
Color in the Abstract Circles with purple and blue watercolors and a Waterbrush
Stamp out the Halo Bird stamp using Twilight Versafine Clair and Detail Black Embossing Powder onto Wet Media Dura-Lar and heat-set the image.
Use Mounting Tape around the edges of the Halo Bird image and mount it on the front of the card, lining up the Abstract Circles Background and the center of the Halo Bird image
Mount the image onto a purple card base
Finish off the card with a bit of metallic purple ribbon and wrap it around the front of the card and tie a bow

Isn't this card so beautiful?! I LOVE this color palette and the movement of the card..

The next card Wendy designed was made using the SAME Halo Bird image as well as this Snowflake stamp from Penny Black and the Penguin Pair stamp from Impression Obsession.

To make the card:

Ink up the Halo Bird stamp JUST THE HALO PART using the Twilight Versafine Clair
Next, ink up the Snowflake Stamp also with Twilight Versafine Clair and stamp the image INSIDE the Halo we just stamped.
Layer the image with silver paper and navy card stock and mount it all onto a white card base.
Next, stamp out the Penguin Pair stamp and watercolor the penguins with blues and yellows
Fussy-cut the Penguins and then tape them down onto the card base using double-sided tape UNDER THE FEET ONLY and pop-dots under their heads to give dimension

Add a bit of Stickles underneath the feet of the Penguins to give a little sparkle!

I LOVE this!! What a beautiful card.. and perfect for the Winter Holidays!!

The last card that Wendy designed was inspired from the Poppy image, Seed Snowflake die-cut and the same Penny Black Snowflake stamp from the card above.

To make the card:

Die-cut the Seed Snowflake image out of Dark Blue Suede Paper AND Stardream Lagoon card stock.
On Kraft card stock, stamp the Snowflake image using Twilight Versafine Clair ink.
Wrap a little bit of brown twine around the Kraft card stock and knot it in an interesting way.
Mount the Kraft card stock onto the dark brown card base and adhere it using double-sided tape
Use a piece of decorative paper (with the blue and brown tones in it) and adhere a strip of it onto the card on TOP of part of the snowflake image.
Finish off the card by adhering the Seed Snowflake die-cuts onto the front of the card using the Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive. Offset the two snowflakes so you can see both the Suede paper and the Stardream paper

I just LOVE this card design!! It is just a perfect masculine card for the holidays..

If you would like to sign up for the next Tuesday with Wendy class, give us a call!

Tuesday
October 2nd
11am , 1:30pm , OR 6pm!

Give us a call to sign up!
360-647-9663

The Wonderful World of Stencils!

9/18/2018

Last week for Demo, Wendy was the demonstrator!!! She showed us some fun, NEW ways to use stencils!!!

Check out this idea.. Wendy used the new Sun Stencil from Carabelle Studio we got in recently, Acrylic Paint made for fabric (Jaquard Lumiere works well), and a black T-shirt to create this stunning design!!

The contrast between the metallic Acrylic Paints and the black T-shirt really makes for a STUNNING design!!!

With that same stencil on paper, Wendy used Watercolors to apply color.. look at the difference between using acrylic paints on fabric vs. the image on paper.. what cool ideas!!

Wendy also showed how you can take a ANY stencil and create a Circle Mask.. This makes it so any stencil can look like a round stencil (like the Sun Stencil above).. Wendy used The Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Stencil, Blooming Garden.

She used Distress Ink pads to apply the ink with Nuvo Blending Sponges. THEN Wendy went back in with the Black Glaze Pens and outlined some of the flowers... the effect is just SO BEAUTIFUL

Here, Wendy used the Nuvo Blending Sponges to apply inks over The Crafter's Workshop stencil, Poppy Field. THEN she went back over the wet ink with Detail Clear embossing powder and heat-set it.

If you want a HANDS-ON experience with Stencils and what you can do with them, we are offering a class on Saturday, September 29th!

Give us a call to sign up!
360-647-9663

Tim Holtz Alcohol Lift Ink

9/7/2018

So many of us have been LOVING this new Alcohol Lift Ink and it is easy to see why... you can create SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS!!!

First off, if you are not familiar with Alcohol Inks OR the Tim Holtz Alcohol Lift Ink, I HIGHLY suggest taking a moment to watch the video below...

At the beginning, Tim Holtz walks through STEP-BY-STEP how to use the Alcohol Inks... at minute 26:00, he really starts to play with the new Lift Ink.. and he does such a great job explaining how to use this product.

Now that you know HOW the Lift Ink works... we can show you what we did at Demo this week!!!

Monique was the demonstrator this week and she showed us how to play with this new Alcohol Lift Ink.. and it is JUST SO FUN you may want to play with it too!!!

First, create an Alcohol Ink background design on YUPO paper, Acetate, Vellum, or Matte Dura-Lar (you can use other surfaces too.. it just needs to me NON-POROUS.. such as a tile or glass or plastic.. )
Use an image, ANY stamp image, and make sure it is VERY CLEAN (if needed, use Stamp Cleaner to clean your stamps).
Then, ink up your stamp with the Alcohol Lift Ink, and stamp it onto an Alcohol Ink background
Dab the area where you have just stamped with a CLEAN PAPER TOWEL so the Lift Ink does not spread to other parts of the image. Dab it until the majority of the ink has come up
Use a CLEAN PAPER TOWEL to buff out the image and watch *magically* as the image appears as a "ghost" in your Alcohol Ink background!!!

Using that same idea.. you can also stamp on pieces of glass!! Here, Monique stamped a butterfly image on the glass and it LIFTED THE ALCOHOL INK up and then she STAMPED THE BUTTERFLY on the envelope!!!

WOW!!! What an incredible effect... how can you not fall in love?!?

The "ghost" effect is ESPECIALLY COOL on the Matte Dura-Lar or Vellum!!!

Because of the slight translucency of the paper... the "ghost" image is just STUNNING

You can also use the Alcohol Lift Pad with your stencils!!

*The Reinker* is recommended if you use the stencils so that your Tim Holtz Blending Sponges can hold Alcohol Lift Ink and pick up colors WITHOUT STAINING the pad!!

The stencil effect is just SO BEAUTIFUL.. and it's a great way to use any stencils you may have laying around!!

Monique also used the Alcohol Lift Ink on an Alcohol Ink background and LIFTED and STAMPED this image from Penny Black, Gentle Whispers... WOW!!!

When we put the card together, we used a small piece of the Stencil background (from above) and you can really see how the image pops!!

There is SO MUCH MORE you can do with Alcohol Inks, Blending Sponges, and the Alcohol Lift Ink.. stop by to get inspired!!!

And, if you would like to get a HANDS ON EXPERIENCE with Alcohol Inks and the new Lift Ink, we are offering a class!!!

If you would like to sign up for the Alcohol Ink class with Wendy, it will be offered on Saturday, September 29th. Please call us to register for the class!!

360-647-9663

Tuesday with Wendy, August 28th

9/1/2018

What a fun class this week!! These cards are all SO MUCH FUN and the students learned new techniques ... Check out these fantastic cards and fall in love!!

The first card Wendy designed was made using this stamp set from Darkroom Door, Grevilleas, this STUNNING Handmade Paper with this metallic flourish, and this Peace Script stamp from Impression Obsession.

To make the card:

Use an metallic ivory card stock as your card base.
On the left side of the card, layer a piece of Handmade Metallic Flourish Paper on top of a piece of text weight Gold Leaf metallic paper, leaving a nice border of gold on 2 sides of the metallic flourish. Use double sided tape to adhere the papers together
Use Morning Mist Versafine Clair Ink to stamp out the Grevilleas stamp.. Wendy chose the image that looks like a pine sprig. She stamped the image so it partially stamped where the metallic flourish paper is so that it looks like it is coming out of the paper. She stamped this image twice.
Wendy then stamped the Peace Script stamp, also in Morning Mist Versafine Clair ink.
Then, she applied Detail Gold embossing powder over the 3 stamped images and heat-set it.
To finish off the card, Wendy used a bit of fiberous gold twine and tied it around the edge of the card... I LOVE how the fiberous twine mimics the movement of the pine sprig stamp!!

This is such a BEAUTIFUL card for the holidays!!!!

The next card was ALSO inspired from the Darkroom Door, Grevilleas stamp set, as well as this Carabelle Studio stencil, Mask with Wires, and this Avery Elle stamp set, Grateful

To make the card:

Start with a piece of cardstock 4" x 5 1/2". Wendy chose a very soft, light colored brown paper
On the smooth side of the paper, stencil the image Mask with Wires
Use the Versafine Clair inks Charming Pink, Verdant, and Golden Meadow with the Nuvo Blending Sponges to apply inks over the stencil
Stamp the sentiment, Grateful, in Black Versafine Clair ink
Stamp the native plant sprig along the bottom edge of the card, also in Black Versafine Clair ink
Apply Detail Clear Embossing Powder across the entire piece of card stock and heat-set
Use a narrow piece of black card stock (1/8") on either side to frame out the image on the front of a Speckletone Kraft card stock base

This card is SO FANTASTIC!! It is even more amazing in person!!! It also makes for a great Thanksgiving card!!

The last card is actually a Shadow Box Card!!! Wendy was inspired by this adorable House Mouse image, Acorn Cap from Stampendous, and the Avery Elle stamp set, Grateful

To make the card:

Your card base is going to be the base of the Shadow Box
Cut your card stock so it is 4" x 11" . Wendy used Astroparche card stock
Score your card stock at the following points: 1/2" , 1 3/4" , 5 3/4", and 7" (look at the score guide below)

Then, using double-sided tape, adhere a piece of decorative card stock on to the large panel in the middle of the card base. ONLY USE TAPE AROUND THE EDGE. The decorative card stock measures 4" x 4"
Use the Hero Arts Rounded Rectangle die-set to cut out a window through the decorative piece of paper you just put on. This will cut through the front of the shadow box as well.
The piece of decorative card stock that cut out from the die-cut can be taped down on the far side of the shadow box.
On the piece of Astroparche card stock that cut out from the die-cut, stamp the sentiment Thankful with the leaves and acorns in Versafine Clair Inks Chianti and Rain Forest. Watercolor the leaves and acorns using Tombow Markers and water brushes. Adhere this to the far side of the shadow box as well, just off-set from the Decorative Paper that is already there. Use Pop-dots to adhere the sentiment down.
Stamp the House Mouse image, Acorn Cap, in Versafine Clair ink Pinecone, and emboss with Detail Crystal Embossing Powder. Watercolor the mice and acorns using Tombow Markers and water brushes. Fussy-cut the image
Next, cut a narrow piece of Astroparche paper. The strip should measure 1/2" x 5".
Score the strip at the 1/2" mark on both sides of the strip so you can put it in the shadow box.
Tape the Acorn Cap image onto the strip so it will sit upright in the shadow box. THEN tape the strip in place by applying tape to the 1/2" tabs ONLY and adhere it inside the shadow box.

I LOVE this Fall Shadow Box!!!

And the best part about Shadow Boxes... They fit nicely into an envelope!!

If you would like to join us for the next Tuesday with Wendy class, it will be offered on Tuesday, September 11th

Give us a call here at the store if you'd like to sign up!! 360-647-9663

Glitter and Metallic Papers

8/28/2018

It is really fun to use a bit of metallic or glitter paper in your card making or gift wrapping... heck, a little bit of bling can really bring ANYTHING to the next level!!

There are so many WONDERFUL Glitter and metallic papers here at the store...

My personal FAVORITE way to use the glitter and metallic papers is for Gifts!!

You can use the Handmade Glittery papers for wrapping boxes because the paper is light weight and wraps around the packages without creasing.
You can use the double-sided shimmer papers to create small boxes!! The little boxes are actually pretty sturdy! I used a score board to create a nice, crisp box that holds up over time!!

Another fun way to use the metallic papers is with die-cuts! I like to pick an image that make look good if it was cut out in something that looks like metal.. Here I used the Pewter Mirri Card paper and this Watering Can die-cut from Sizzix

We paired The die-cut with this beautiful floral paper and this *PERFECT* stamp that says, "I wet my plants" ... aw I LOVE IT!!

This Scribble Circles die-cut from Impression Obsession is great for creating a focal point on a card.. I cut out the circles in Gold Mirri Card and Red Mirri Card and stamped this sentiment from the new Hero Arts set, Home for the Holidays

I LOVE THIS IDEA!! You can take any shimmer or metallic paper and run it through a Home Die-Cut Machine and emboss it...

This effect is so fantastic! Just a piece of Silver Mirri Card paper with the Diamond Plate Embossing Folder from Darice makes this STUNNING effect! It looks like *real* diamond plate!!!

You can also make an asian-inspired card using this Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Mary Anne and this fantastic die-cut from Amy Design, Happy Buddha

I love the combination of the Red Mirri Card for the image and the Gold Shimmer paper for the background .. it embosses so beautfully!!

One of our regular customers, Diana Ramsey, played with Alcohol Inks on Silver Mirri Card paper.. you HAVE TO STOP BY the store to see this in person!! This effect is just FANTASTIC!!

Diana used the Sharpie White Paint Pen to create the flowers and a Black Glaze Pen to add the dots in the center

This Nesting Teacups set from Hero Arts is perfect for making a tea-inspired card!!! I cut the tea cups out of Silver Mirri Card so they look more realistic!!

Wendy has shown this technique before, and it is REALLY easy to create.. just die-cut a solid image and tuck a piece of the Handmade Glitter Paper behind the image to bring it to life!!! We used this Memory Box die-cut, Tisdale Snowflake Collage