The Perfect Pair!

One of the huge delights of "buying" for the shop is when I find the perfect phrase to compliment an image. Especially when they come from two entirely different companies. It's like winning a scavenger hunt! The shoe images are from Hero Arts, and we just found the phrase while attending the trade show. It's from Printworks. See what I mean about the perfect "pair"? Marilynn used the same focal images (the shoes) to create a subtle background. Why don't I remember to do that? It's a great tip! She then stamped the images on decorative paper (a great way to use up scraps and add interest) and punched them out to create this bright and festive card! Stop in Thursday to make one for yourself. Perhaps you'll even have a toe-tapping good time - I hope so!

Layering StazOn

Introducing yet another new product from Tsukineko - GlazOn! StazOn is a wonderful solvent ink that dries on virtually any surface, making it the perfect medium for coloring on tiles, glass or metal. However, if you try to layer colors, sometimes you will get a muddy appearance. That problem has been solved with this new addition to the StazOn family - GlazOn! Simply apply your first layer of StazOn ink and let dry (or heat set). Then apply a thin layer of GlazOn - the thinner the better - and let that dry. Then apply your next layer of StazOn. Colors stay true and crisp! And, GlazOn can also be used for collage work - it will hold small charms and beads to your project as well. Also, use it as a sealant for your finished work. Practical and versatile! Stop in Tuesday and give it a try for yourself!

Ribbon to "dye" for!

We just received a new shipment of ribbon from May Arts! I'm not sure which addiction is worse - paper or ribbon! YIKES! One of the fun new designs is this pretty tulip - it comes in purple and pink (the original colors are the purple tulip on the left and the pink tulip in the center). To add interest, I used a Copic marker to color the stem and leaves green. I used a darker purple Copic to color the tulip on the right and a yellow Copic (on top of the pink) to create the two orange flowers! I created the grass border with the Fiskars Grass Border punch, then nested the flowers behind it with mini glue dots. Isn't the lace ribbon stunning? It's also new and looks great on its own. But to add some contrast to the card, I wove one of the new 1/8" stitched ribbons through it. Pretty and spring-like! In addition to all of the ribbons shown here, we received other colors of the stitched 1/8" ribbon and fabulous 1/8" velvet ribbons (which look fabulous woven through the lace as well). Stop in soon and check them out! The sample is on display in the shop.

Bright and Sunny!

While that may not be the forecast, it is always what you'll find inside our doors! This Thursday, in particular, Marilynn has created a card that will put a smile all over your face! I love the "kool-aid" colors she chose. She employed a technique called paper piecing. Usually when I think of paper piecing, I think of using patterned paper. But she had so many details going on with the buttons, that patterned paper would have detracted, I think. Instead, she used it to set off the phrase. Nice touch! All of these stamps come from one convenient Lawn Fawn clear set - and it has a bunch of other good stamps on there as well. Stop in Thursday, make a card, and check out the other great samples we have featuring this set. We'll have the sunshine turned on and waiting for you!

I've Got Goosebumps!

Join Angela this Tuesday from 12-2 to play with the very latest product from Tsukineko - GooseBumps! GooseBumps is a clear "texture" spray that allows you to add unique textures on almost any surface (think paper, canvas, acrylic, acetate and many other surfaces)! It's very difficult to capture this cool effect in a picture, so you absolutely must stop by and check it out. Simply spritz a coat over your finished project and watch the goosebumps rise! The more you spray, the thicker and more dramatic the effect (and the longer the drying time, so keep that in mind). We hope to see you Tuesday so you can experiment for yourself!

Techniques from Past Demos

Since the day we opened in August of 2003, we have been offering FREE demos from 12-2 every Tuesday. That's a whole lot of demos! We are grateful for those of you who are able to join us on Tuesdays, but we understand that, for some of you, Tuesdays at lunch are just impossible. Over the years, we have tried offering an encore performance on the weekend, but as our shop has grown and our class offerings have expanded, we've taken up all the space where weekend demos could be offered. However, we don't want you to miss all the fun! Jenn has created this wonderful organizer with most of the Technique Tag Tuesday projects since the beginning of the year. She has written out supplies and instructions on the back of most of these tags, and this display lives in the case near the register. We invite you to bring in your camera and your notebook and browse through the tags. You are sure to learn something new and different! And, if Tuesdays at noon are free for you, we invite you to stop into the shop and make a tag for yourself! It's a lot of fun!

Feels like spring!

Nothing says spring quite like the flower designs from Stacy Stamps! For this card, we used her lovely tulip stamp as the focal point and created a soft background with her flower words stamp - I love this stamp and use it a lot! This card also features some of the new paper we just received from Bo Bunny. It's double-sided, so Marilynn created a little accent strip with the "other" side of the paper. If you're like me, sometimes you can't decide which side of the paper to us - so I loved Marilynn's solution to use both! Stop in this Thursday and catch a little spring fever for yourself!

New from Crafter's Workshop!

Thanks to all of the fabulous spray products (Glimmer Mists, Perfect Pearls, Shimmers and more), stencils are really hot right now! We received our first shipment of stencils from Crafter's Workshop on a Thursday and were completely sold out by Monday! Fortunately, a new shipment arrived yesterday - just in time for Jenn to show you how much fun they are today! Stop in between 12-2 and play with these fun little tools. You can use sprays, inks, chalks, markers - the options are endless! And you know how I feel about that.....

How refreshing!

This week's FREE make-and-take card features an unmounted stamp set from TPC. We were so excited to discover this company as their stamps are cute, stamp beautifully and are unbelievably well priced! What a combination! This card features lots of little details. We created the background using two of the images and a Versamark pad. We added shimmer with a Stardust pen. And, there's a touch of dimension too! Stop in Thursday and make one for yourself!

Outlines at the Trade Show

One of the best things about attending a trade show is seeing all the eye candy! It can also be one of the most exhausting as your brain stays awake all night trying to process everything you've seen! Outlines always has one of the most crowded booths as they have so many things to look at! On this little tree alone were 15 projects - each detailed and unique! We've made the ornament toppers before, so what caught my eye this time was their use of the layered flower stamps as toppers. (You know I love it when I can find multiple uses for stamps I already have). And, I also loved how they made flower toppers for the plastic eggs! What a great idea for a centerpiece for Easter! Stay tuned for more great ideas and reports from the show. And even better - the boxes should start arriving soon!

Faux Watercolor

With all the fuss about Copic markers (and they deserve all the fuss, don't get me wrong) sometimes I forget about my first marker love - waterbased markers! I like both the Tombo and the Memento markers because they are so versatile! You can color with them, of course, but you can also apply them directly to your stamps and stamp with them. And, for even more fun, you can use them as watercolor paints! If you've never done this, you need to stop in the shop tomorrow between 12 - 2 and let Jenn show you how easy it is! And if you have done this, but have moved on, let Jenn refresh your memory. It really does create a beautiful effect!