Intentional Color

Sometimes, you don't want to stamp your image in a single color.  Depending on how detailed the image is, it can be hard to ink different portions of your stamps with inkpads, even if you're using the small dew drops or cat's eyes.  We LOVE the Memento markers for coloring directly onto the stamp and then stamping.  You have a lot of control for where the color goes, and even though they are a water-based marker, they provide decent coverage.  The background zig-zag was stamped on textured paper and still covered fairly well!  Join Jenn this Tuesday between 12 and 2 to create one of these tags.  You'll be amazed how easy this is!  You'll want to color everything!!!

August Boards from Inky Antics

 Inky Antics got carried away this month and created 2 fabulous sample boards to inspire you!  I'm totally ready for the fall colors and themes - I've had all I want of HOT!  Bring your camera and check out these lovely cards - we have all the stamps needed to recreate them! 

This board is hard to photograph, because the Honeypop surprise is inside.  So, again, be sure to stop in and see the new stamps and designs of honeypop - you'll be amazed at how easy it is to create the 3-D surprise!

Goosebumps or Chicken Pox?!?!

We received a huge selection of Eat Cake Graphic stamps recently (including this fabulous old hen), and you all loved them so much we had to turn around and reorder almost immediately. 

Who couldn't use a card like this?  Sadly, we all could every once in a while!  I love Marilynn's use of different colored dots (I kept calling them Chicken Pox and she called them Goosebumps).  The differing colors add to the energy of the card.  I also love the shading around the chicken.  It grounds the image and makes it pop off the paper.  Stop in this Thursday to make a card for FREE.  And let us know which it is - Goosebumps or Chicken Pox?!?!

A Window into Creativity

On Tuesday, between 12 & 2, Jenn will be showing us all kinds of fun things!  First, check out the fabulous die cuts by Memory Box!  I love how Jenn added texture by cutting the window box out of cork paper!  Then, she sprinkled Flower Soft along the edge of the box to look like petals, and created her own 3-D flowers, again using Flower Soft and their stems.  A quick project that offers a lot of "bang for the buck"!  Stop in and see how much fun it is to quickly grow flowers :-)

The Search is On

I like to take my stamping supplies with me when I manage to sneak away for a vacation.  But sometimes it's hard to know what to take.  This card literally spoke to me :-)  What a great summer greeting, and the card is so lovely yet so simple.  Stamp a bunch of the images out before you leave home, then take a couple of colored pencils and a trimmer and voila!!!  A lovely greeting from the shore (or wherever you are).  Plus, what could be more relaxing on vacation than a little coloring (even at home, it's like a mini vacation for your brain).  Stop in Thursday from 10-8 and take a little mini vacation with us!  We'll see you there!

Get Selective!

We're excited about the new Emboss Gloss from Clearsnap.  In a cute little "lip gloss" package (like the Glue Gloss, which we also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE), this embossing ink allows you to put ink exactly where you want it.  Now you can emboss parts of an image (so you can do multi colors of embossing powder with ease) or create your own resist for direct-to-paper techiniques.  So many options!  Let Jenn show you tomorrow between 12 & 2 how fun and easy it is - but ust be careful if you carry it around in your purse.  It really isn't lip gloss :-)

New Ribbon

We have new ribbon at the store...gingham, ladybugs, bees, sparkly, and tropical. We also have tiny rick rack ribbon that is perfect for baby cards:

 

(I put a paper clip in the pict so you could have a sense of the scale.)

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Love your Curves!

One of the benefits of clear stamps is that you can shape them into interesting curves, waves and semi-circles.  You can cut them and stack them, and they are easy to line back up.  Fun!  For this Thursday's FREE make-and-take, Marilynn "curved" two clear border stamps by Hero Arts, and after stamping, cut the white card stock to mimic the curve.  It gives the appearance of motion, I think.  She then colored the butterflies with Copic markers, and used Copics to color the silk butterfly in the lower right corner to match.  What a great, summer birthday card!  Stop in tomorrow between 10 & 8, and make one for yourself!

"Clearly" Beautiful!

I know I often say "this demo or make and take is not to be missed", but the girls are constantly bringing their "A Game".  Isn't this project beautiful???  I know I'm not biased :-) 

Tomorrow between 12 & 2, Jenn will be showing you how to work with Laminate.  In this project, she stamped on it, cut it with a Memory Box die and brushed Perfect Pearls on the sticky side to create a stunning focal piece for this tag.  Easy and beautiful - what could be better than that?  She finished the tag with another Memory Box die - lovely!  Stop by and make one for yourself - you won't want to miss it.....am I right????

New Rosie's

We received some new Rosie's stamps as well as lots of fun summer-themed images. As you can see from the picture, samples were put up on the wall with all the necessary stamps needed to recreate the cards right next to them. Come in to take a look (and don't forget to bring your camera).

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Power, Power, Who Has the Power?

Well, we do. At about 3:30 pm today, a good part of Sunset Hills Blvd lost power (including Plaza America). However, we DO have power. If you are heading to the store today to shop or attend GNO, it is a good idea to approach the store from Wiehle rather than Reston Parkway to avoid the "dark" intersections.

 

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Happy Fourth!

What better way to celebrate the holiday than with the new Lockhart hamburger and hotdog stamps? It is hard to tell from the picture, but the hotdog has some Glossy Accents on the mustard that is the perfect finishing touch. We have the stamps and red gingham paper in case you are looking for a cute summer or guy-card idea.

Have a very happy and safe holiday!

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Ready for the beach?

We are CLOSED today, Wednesday, July 4th, in celebration of Independence Day.  But join us tomorrow between 10 & 8 to make this fabulous FREE card featuring stamps from Impression Obsession.  This card is a perfect example of how color can be used to invoke texture and emotions.  The blue background with the waves stamp definitely "feels like" water.  And the kraft cardstock with the shell frame and sentiment really reminds me of the beach.  (I wonder what it says about me that the wave background also looks like finger prints.  It would be fun to use as a background for a surprise birthday party invitation - but I digress).  We hope you can stop in sometime on Thursday, July 5 to make this card to share with someone special!

Happy 4th of July!

This has been a weekend of fireworks - and not necessarily of the celebration kind!  We hope you are all cool and safe.  We never lost power, but the Reston Town Center was out for a few days and the gas stations near us were closed.  If you need a cool place to come and hang out, join us!  Just get gas before you come!  For Tuesday's FREE demo, Jenn is showing us all kinds of cool things to do with embossing folders.  I love this tag - wouldn't it look great hanging from a bottle of wine on the 4th?  Our demos are Tuesdays from 12 - 2, and we'd love to see you.  Bring things to work on and stay after the demo, if you like.  The classroom is free all day, and we do have air conditioning!