a winner...and new Maya Road minis ...

WOW!
Over 170 entries...

THANK YOU ALL for taking the time to comment!!!
I'm thrilled~Thanks for being so very kind!

AND...

A MILLION THANK-YOU's to everyone who ordered my book...
The first dose should arrive today or tomorrow...and we'll get them in the mail ASAP!

I'm calling Ted to order more today...and hopefully those will arrive by Friday...

I'll keep you posted...

So...want to know who the book winner is?

Random.org chose # 83...

CONGRATS to...

Here's her comment...
Dianal said:
Can't wait until I get an opportunity to see the new book. Congratulations. I have been using your stamps sets since I took a class with you in Buffalo .. love your blog and all that you create ... keep making ART!!!!!!
August 28, 2009 11:18 PM

DianaL... please send me your address & I'll get your prize mailed off to you.


On to the art...

Some days I have NO WILLPOWER!
My Maya Road order arrived on Saturday...
with cool NEW product! YIPPEE!

I tried my best to stick to the tasks on the TO-DO list...kits, kits, kits & CRUISE stuff...
but I kept hearing them call me...
so I GAVE IN on Sunday.

I HAD to play with these mini houses.

I have no clue where the inspiration came from...
but this antique hinge seemed to be the perfect fit...
even though it weighs a ton...

The canvas is mini...just 2 x 4 inches...
but I loaded on the goods, as usual.

I covered the canvas with an old book page & adhered it with Claudine's multi medium...I like the matte best.

These mini houses are to die for awesome.
I think the smaller...the better....



Maya Road mini alphabets...perfect fit...
I almost used the mini trees...but the alphas won!

To make the scallop trim, I cut off a section of the rectangle scallop journaling coaster.

I LOVE tim's snaps for the grungepaper flower centers.

And the finishing touch...

a 1 inch square memory frame with memory capsule...made by Ranger.

Tim's mini fasteners fit the lock holes perfectly for a nice little detail.


So...that TO-DO list is still waiting for me...
But I sure enjoyed the playday!

THANKS AGAIN!!!
I appreciate EACH & EVERY one of YOU!

make art!
wendy

THANK YOU ALL...

WOW!!!

From the bottom of my heart...

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful emails yesterday.
I'm THRILLED!

Thanks too...for all the book orders.
I'll be anxious to hear what you think about it.

ART friends are THE BEST FRIENDS!

We'll be shipping the books, just as soon as they arrive...on Monday or Tuesday of next week....and ordering more later today.

Hello...Ted? Send MORE!

Once again...I sincerely appreciate all the kind words & enthusiasm.
THANK YOU!

On to the art...

I got several emails yesterday asking about the sizes of the new Maya Road chipboard products.

I agree...it's very hard to determine the size from a photo.

This is the rectangle scallop journaling coaster & it's 3 x 5 inches.


The flower is actually my studio 490 poinsettia stamp...
but...
done in broken china, it no longer looks Christmasy...

is that a word?

Holiday...ish?



and...this classic scroll frame is 5 1/2 x 3 3/4 inches...





This square scroll is 4 x 4 inches, from point to point.




Here's the cool thing about designing stamps...
Ted lets me do what I want.



So the large background stamps completely cover these chipboard bases.


Coincidence?
I think...NOT!


One stamp...a little ink & the base is ready to be embellished.
SO EASY!



If you need any of the other Maya Road chipboard measured...
just ask.
***


FINALLY...
about that book GIVEAWAY...
***
Leave a comment under THIS post...

We'll leave this open for comments until 7am (CST)on Monday.

Then on Monday we'll do the random generator thing & announce a winner.


The winner gets a FREE book...
compliments of Stampers Anonymous!!
THANKS to TED & MICHELLE!!


It's SIMPLE...your comment is your chance to win.


I hope you have a great weekend...
take time to play and...

make art!
wendy
ps...if you're in the Hamburg NY area this weekend...
don't forget to stop & watch Ted demo @ the SSAT convention...
and...do me a favor...
tell him I said "hi"!

stamps, shipping & SHOPPING!

***SHIPPING EDIT BELOW***
I have a TREAT for you here...

Robin taught some classes @ Scraptales...(not sure where the store is?) and shared some photos this morning...

I'm always excited to see how others use studio 490 stamps.
Take a look...and be inspired...



This next one is sooooo stinkin' cute...it just makes me smile.

I LOVE how Robin carried her theme thru the project...
and put HER twist on the grunge flowers.

Coke bottle...Coke soda cap flower centers...
They're just AWESOME!



And here are the art chicks...with their class projects.
GREAT JOB gals!
Looks like you had lots of fun...


Thanks so much for sharing, Robin.
I enjoyed seeing your ART!

***NEWS FLASH***

Ted called last night & all the pre-orders for my book have been sent as of yesterday! COOL!!

So all you "patient" friends who ordered @ the Carson convention last month...

they are on the way to you & should arrive soon.

All CHA store orders have been sent too...so be watching!

AND...he "overnighted" mine & they will arrive TODAY.

YIPPEE!!!

If it wasn't raining I'd be sitting out on the drive waiting for Mr Fed-Ex to get here.

I've not seen the FINAL...so I'm excited...VERY excited.

The blog books I ordered will be here Monday or Tuesday...so they will be ready to ship early next week.

PayPal is set & ready to go. The book sells for $14.95 and US priority shipping is $5.00 for one book...so $19.95 total.

For those of you ordering 2, I'll have the exact shipping for 2 books later today. Rick will check with the PO guys, & I'll update the blog, just as soon as I have that info.

UPDATED info...

YIPPEE...2 books ship priority in the US for $5.00!!!

International shipping is $8.00 for one or 2 books, with an expected 7-10 days delivery time.

PRIORITY international shipping is $13.00.

To order, send me an email (wbv1213@hughes.net) & I'll send you a Pay Pal request. If you'd like your book signed or personalized with a specific name (like for a gift for a friend), please put that in the PayPal comment section.

The book is also available thru eclecticPaperie(if you need stamps or supplies), your LSS, thru the Stampers Anonymous web site & at any convention where there is a Stampers Anonymous booth.

Ted will be in Hamburg NY this weekend. Stop by & visit with him. You'll enjoy his demos...for sure!

We'll also have some available on the CRUISE SHIP...in the little store...along with other cool stuff...I'm just saying...cool stuff...

(hey...just a little cruise tease). It's getting CLOSE!

And speaking of shopping...

ladies start your engines...oops...SHOPPING CARTS!

All the BRAND SPANKIN' NEW Maya Road products from CHA have arrived! Scroll down on this page to see them all.

If you're making projects from the book...these are the products that I used. Maya Road combines great quality with great prices...which explains why I used Maya Road before I was on their design team. Not a suck-up...just the facts!

I see they have the new graphic45 there too...it's awesome!

Now about that book giveaway I PROMISED...

STAY TUNED...
details...
TOMORROW!

Until then...
take time...

make art!
wendy

WONDERFUL Waco and the first of the flock

What a WONDERFUL WEEKEND we had in Waco, Tx.!
THANK YOU ALL so much...
I had a blast and enjoyed each & EVERY ONE of you!

To Emmalie...
THANK YOU for inviting me to Crop Paper Scissors...
cute store...just like the owner!

I SHALL return...(after the snow is gone)...springtime sounds good.
Thanks too for the little antiquing stop...
I LOVED IT! Let's do it again!

To the GROUP who came in on Friday evening & announced they were "HERE FOR THE WEEKEND!"...THANK YOU all!
Ya'lllllll are GREAT!

To the gals who started driving @ 5am...and drove for over 3 hours...THANK YOU!

To my new 30+ BFF'S...THANKS for taking the artful weekend adventure with me.
There's nothing better than making art...with friends.

A special THANK YOU to Lisa Monroe...silver artist extraordinaire....
OMG...wait 'til you see the PMC jewelry she makes...
I about fainted!
that's a post for another day...
I need to get her site & more info...
and I PROMISE I will show you the gift she made for me.
A HUGE WOW! I LOVE IT! Made me cry!

Some gals brought their art to show me...
That was so AWESOME!!
THANKS for sharing YOUR ART!
I LIKE that!!

To everyone for the wonderful southern hospitality, laughs, compliments and kindness...
from the bottom of my heart........
I THANK YOU!

Here's the weekend recap...
We started Friday evening with the Ranger technique class.
That was a hit...lots of inks, Perfect Pearls, crackle paint...ironing...LOTS of stamping and MORE...
I heard that you learned LOTS! That's GREAT!!

We spent ALL day Saturday making a Maya Road book that was full of flowers and sayings....
You sure were troopers...lots of grunge cutting...
but no complaints...
LOTS of awesome books left on Saturday with LOTS of smiling faces.

That's what's so COOL and why I do what I do!!
It makes me happy.

We did an unplanned mini quickie...rose making 101...Sylvia thought the roses should be used on EVERYTHING!
She just might be right.

For dessert on Saturday we made a mini Maya Road hanging...a mini fun piece.
It was a piece of cake after the mega mini book...
which was 7 inky hours!!

Sunday was bird-day!
Some joked that this was their semester FINAL or the GRAND FINALE!
...everything they learned the 2 days before was put to use on their bird...

And let me say...

I am NOT prejudice when I tell you that each & every one was AWESOME and so totally different...AGAIN!

I did TRY to take photos...but most of them are too dark & blurry. So, if some BFF's who took photos would send them...I'll share them here.

Here are just 2...for your viewing pleasure.

AMAZING...




and AMAZING!



Now, it's back to work for me.
Unpacking...2 classes for the Madison convention to make & submit, class instructions...kits for 3 stores...design a new workshop...new stamp designs...YES...that's started already... a NEW concept is brewing...we'll see what develops...
book 2...YEP...that's in the works...
and...

CRUISE STUFF!!!...this is going to be FUN with a capital F!

I'll post the contest details just as soon as the books arrive...
You'll be the first to know and we'll have a little blog fun...
GIVEAWAY!! Stay tuned!!

That's it...

Take care & make art!
wendy

grunge and a new toy

Here's my basic thoughts on using grungeboard and grungepaper....since you asked!

I LOVE both...I DREAM of grunge...
SERIOUSLY!

Both have the same qualities...you can stamp, ink, paint, emboss, sew, and distress either.

I like to mix/match both products in a project, because the difference in thickness adds interest. When I do that, I'll use the grungeboard as the base & add the grungepaper on top.

For something that's going to get LOTS of use...
like these sandals...

I like grungeboard for the flower...it's very durable.




For something on a smaller scale...
or if you want to build lots of layers...
I like grungepaper...

like for this bracelet...

Yep...makes me laugh...it looks PROM-ish...
kind of like a wrist corsage!

The stamp set is called "funky flowers" & the name seems appropriate!

The tiny leaves you see peeking out are made with an EK SUCCESS punch and they are stamped with the text stamp.

tim's idea-ology foliage makes the center a snap. HA!!!
Get it?? SNAP?


That's the grunge basics...
hoped it helped answer some questions!

NEXT...
LOOKIE what the man in the brown truck brought me yesterday.

I didn't think I NEEDED the 7g binderie punch, but after I saw the demo...it HOOKED me!

One push of the button & it punches thru grungeboard easily...

I tried it on some thick Maya Road chipboard...yep.
SIMPLE...just push the button...
and you get...
Slick as snot...PERFECT holes...



I see lots of fun play in my future... with this guy.

That's it for today...
I've got to finish up the last minute packing for the next stop on this art adventure...

Crop Paper Scissors in Waco, Texas.
OK gals...
prepare to get INKY and we'll...

make art!
wendy

finishing yesterdays post

SORRY...BAD blogger here...

I neglected to show the finished stream/marmalade piece from yesterday and you sure let me know! HA!

Forgive me...
I'm OLD & obviously getting senile...YIKES!

I actually did take a photo...but it was blurry...
I intended to take another... I just forgot!
BUT...

Ask & you shall receive.


got this question...
You told us about the dotty paper, but who makes the yellow paper you used?

That's a scrap left over from the pigments & pearls tutorial I did last week. I very lightly stamped on it with butterscotch pigment ink, using the script stamp.

Ok...this is from yesterday too...

and the question...
do you have any suggestions for jazzing up wood frames like you used? I have a very hard time getting the paper on there straight & wrapping doesn't work like they say.

Here's how I finished mine...


I painted it with a light coat of picket fence crackle paint, let it dry...then inked it with faded jeans distress ink...

Then, using jet black archival ink, I inked my text stamp...
layed it on my table, rubber side up then
and placed the frame on the stamp, using the line on the stamp as a guide (to get it straight) & pushed,
repeat on the other 3 sides.
Heat set the ink...

I think it's nice finishing touch.
Just choose any background stamp that coordinates with your art.
It's another reason why I like LARGE background stamps.

This one made me laugh...
do you actually have to haul all your supplies on a plane? I can't imagine how one person could.

GOD NO!
That's why we are on a first name basis with the
fine folks @ Fed-Ex.
We shipped 6 boxes to Waco, Texas for this weekends classes...
The total weight was over 130 pounds.
BUT...I'll still have 2 FULL bags with me.

This email just came...
Please tell me how I will know when to use grungeboard & when grungepaper is better.

I'll be back tomorrow with that one.
Gotta track those Texas boxes & there are a few more things that NEED to be done TODAY.

Stay tuned...and...
I hope you can
make art!
wendy

book update & this inspired this...

Book update...

I visited with Ted yesterday...make art, studio 490 style is @ the printers & is due to ship out on MONDAY!

So...if the PO guys hurry, I may have them here @ the end of next week.

YIPPEE!

Where will you find them??

They'll be available here on the blog...
if you want them signed/personalized...

or...
at eclecticPaperie

or...
at your LSS, if they ordered them...

or...
Ted will have them for sale @ the conventions...

or...
you can order them right from the Stampers Anonymous site.
Click on books/DVD's...

Rest assured...as soon as I have them in my hot little hands,
you'll be the first to know...

I'm thinking there will be a giveaway to celebrate!
Matter of fact...I KNOW there will be!
SOON!

And yes, book #2 is in the works & will be ready for CHA in January.

We're totally thrilled with the response we got...
Ted said yesterday that stores are reordering & they don't even have the first order in!

AWESOME!!!
THANKS soooooo much for your support!

Now...on to some art...

***WARNING***...coming up...

STREAM AND SPICED MARMALADE???
ME?

You read it right...I'm getting wild in my old age!

This paper is from Pink Paislee & I was in LOVE the minute it arrived.

I LOVE the dots and I LOVE the color combo.
I've been staring @ it and drooling...

& knew I HAD to make something...

So...this...yummy paper


inspired this...

the flower is a new design...
it had been on my mind for some time & I finally took some time to play...I was in such a hurry to see if it would work, that I didn't even use a background stamp over the flower...

NEXT TIME!

I really like the result...
the rock candy stickles are to die for awesome...

I painted the wood frame edges with the stream dabber & it's a perfect match to the paper.

I adhered the paper to the frame with Claudine's multi medium...
LOVE IT!


You've heard it before...

versatile...

but I'll say it again...

that's what I think about when I design my stamps...

So...here's the same flower...
with another look...



and a reminder...
alcohol inks can alter LOTS of things...

These pearls started out as white...
but after some alcohol ink, they're nice & vintage looking.

I used brushed corduroy distress ink over the fabric flower trim...to age that too.



The grid is stamped over the picket fence crackle paint with my fav coffee archival ink...

It's so easy to run the gold paint dabber around the edge, for just a hint of gold. I do that on cards & tags too. SIMPLE!

tim's corner is peeking out @ the top right.

So, the moral of the story?

Inspiration is EVERYWHERE...
just open your eyes..

Have a great Tuesday and...
may you be inspired to...

make art!
wendy

a MILLION Stampers Anonymous stamps?

Did that get your attention?

FINALLY...I can spill the beans...
This has been "in the works" for a bit.

Picture this...
Ted, Michelle & my favorite cute Cutts kids (I HOPE!)...
load a SEMI with Stampers Anonymous stamps...
then...
drive from Cleveland to???????

For Keeps Sake in St. Louis!!

Ted & Michelle only have time for a TRUCK sale once or twice a year...
because they're REALLY busy @ conventions most weekends...

so if you're close to St. Louis...lucky YOU...
or far away, but NEED some rubber shopping...
or want an arty getaway...

SAVE THE DATE!
The CUTTS crew be there on
Saturday September 26 & Sunday the 27th with a million...

ok...maybe not a million...
but LOTS of Stampers Anonymous stamps.

I admit...
I have LOTS of rubber...
but just seeing this many SA stamps in one place makes my heart race!

Given the choice of a new car or 100 new stamps...
I'll take my rubber cling/wood mounted...thank you.
SERIOUSLY!!

And lucky me too...
They invited me to come...

to sign BOOKS...

and to teach a workshop...

YIPPEE!

Here's the workshop project ...
I showed a tiny peek last week...



I'll be doing this workshop first @ Scrapbook Friend'z in Bloomington, Illinois, on September 12th...

then the following weekend @ Prairie Art Stamps, in Springfield, Illinois...

and then the following weekend in St. Louis.

Each drive is just a little further away...
1 hour for Bloomington, 2 for Springfield & 4 for St. Louis.

I HATE to drive...but for friends & stamps...
NO PROBLEM!

I'm sentimental about the TRUCK sale too...
that's how I first met Ted & Michelle...
and that's how this whole art adventure started for me...

Just thinking about ALL that rubber makes me want to go and...

make art!
wendy

Ranger designer challenge in SOMERSET!

This made me yell...

YIPPEE!!

The September/October issue of Somerset arrived the other day & I quickly flipped thru after I ripped open the package.

I had completely forgotten about this...

Ranger challenged some designers to create a house for their CHA winter 09 booth display.

We were each given the same ingredients & we were asked to make the house in OUR style.

Our supplies were a 8 1/2 x 11 paper mache rectangle, a piece of chipboard and Claudine's sticky back canvas, multi medium and her cool studio paints.

The results were absolutely amazing & so different.

You'd never know that the basic ingredients were the same for each.

YIPPEE...it made Somerset!!

Here is tim's creation...totally awesome, just as you would expect!

And Claudine's is so whimsical...

that it just HAS to make you smile.

There are 5 other houses in the article...

they were done by Bernie Berlin ( a tribute to A PLACE TO BARK), Debbie Tlach...(hers is a LIT halloween haunted house, INCREDIBLE)

Jane Wynn, Amy Powers and Carla Sonheim.

Here's a photo of just a portion of the Ranger display.

I think there were about 25 or 30 houses??

The photography is great.

THANK YOU RANGER & SOMERSET!!

That was fun...

NOW...

Back to the questions...

I got this one twice yesterday...

Hi Wendy,
Love your grundgepaper flowers. I was wondering how you get the colors so vibrant. The grey seems to make mine very subdued. We need white grundgepaper!!

Reinking your distress pads is KEY. The other thing I do is I rub the blending tool into the pad instead of tapping it on the pad.

This puts more ink on the foam and makes it quicker & easier to ink the grunge.

You know me...I have NO patience...at all...

And there were 2 emails about not being able to find the replacement foam pads for blending tools.

I checked & found them here.

Thanks for your comments & emails about no facebooking & no twittering...

I'm happy to know I'm not alone...

That's it for today...

you know the drill...

make art! ...and have a GREAT weekend!

(GO BEARS!)

wendy

t on t and a peek

t on t is...

tidbits on Thursday...
Random stuff that's on my mind...

When I get the same or similiar question/comment several times in a week, I think maybe others want to know too...
so...
here we go...

1. Tell tim we want him to make scissors without the serrated blade...
HEY! He does.
Take a look @ his tonic scissors...one blade is serrated...
the other is smooth.
Don't want a serrated cut?
Turn the scissors over & cut the other way...
That was easy...

2. I got this same question 3 times this week...
This email is hilarious...and it lead me to an awesome blog...
Linda uses LOTS of studio 490 stamps...
pop over...you'll enjoy it.

This is from Andrea in the UK...here's a portion...
well I actually have another friend who has gone slightly mad on your stamps also and has a little dispute going on her Blog about the way your pronounce your name, strange I know, but could you if you get 5 spare minutes pop and put the answer there for her,

So...the answer is ...
our last name is BECKY...but with a V.

There is also another debate on Linda's blog, about how to pronounce MAYA ROAD...too funny!

3. My email is screwed up AGAIN...after 3 calls from friends yesterday asking why I didn't reply...

I KNOW for sure the issue is here.
HughesNet, our satellite provider has no answer...
Makes me totally NUTS!
So, if I haven't responded...that's why!

I'd like to know why the junk stuff comes thru with no problem...
This makes NO SENSE to me!

4. This one is embarrassing!
One of the emails yesterday was that I have 86 invites to facebook...
and I've not replied...
YIKES!!! how RUDE!

I don't do Facebook or Twitter.
SHOCKING...I know.
I'm probably the only person in the universe who doesn't.
The reason?
In order to make more time in the day & to keep up with things...
I've cut back on my computer play time.

This machine is very addicting & before I know it ...HOURS have passed and nothing is checked off the TO-DO list...
So, embarrassing as it is to be in the dark ages...that's me.

And worse yet...I don't even text!
Inky fingers are the reason for that...

I hope you haven't fainted by now...

5. The special yahoo group for our Mexico cruisers is going strong & it's getting to be so much fun.
We're really excited...planning...ordering stuff... teasing...

Think tim & I tease them?
YOU BET!!

Do they ask what the workshops will be?
YOU BET...

Do we tell them...

NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!! ANTICIPATION.........

6. This is a frequent question...

What am I doing wrong? My stamped images aren't crisp & clear...one gal even brought HER pad to CHA for me to show her how to stamp...she thought her pad was defective...

The simple solution is to see if the pad needs to be reinked.

The pads last forever...but the ink gets used up. So try reinking...that's usually the answer. The CHA gal was excited to find the simple fix.

which leads to this one...

7. How much reinker goes on a pad?
That's a hard one...how dry is it?

For the distress pads, I usually use a whole dropper full.

For the archival & others...I'll use the reinker & scribble across the pad, then turn the pad 90 degrees & scribble again.

You can always add more...don't get carried away.

And yes...if you stamp lots of images on grunge, you'll notice that you need to reink the pads more often.

I think I'm forgetting one...

hmmm...can't remember...old age sucks...

if you have any...ask away!

Remember that if you leave a blog comment, but your user ID isn't available...I have no way to reply.

Now what?

Can't have a post without a photo...

Here's a little peek of a brand new class...

Lots of fun stuff going on here...
I had FUN designing it...can't wait to teach it for the first time...

Now it's time to finish the boxes for the Waco, Texas workshops for next weekend.
Then...I need to stamp some kits...

HOPEFULLY, I'll have a little time left to...

make art!
wendy
ps...Ah...the Somerset article...that's what I forgot!
Later...

pigments & pearls...part 3

Ok...here we go with part 3.

When I posted the tag below...I knew it looked UGLY & wondered if anyone would comment.
Nope...no one did...
except Rick...

He said...I'm not sure that's your best work...
ha!
nice & POLITICALLY correct.
He wants to live here peacefully!

ANYWAY...

It wasn't as cool as the others...
but I had a PLAN...



Remember this?

STARK looking?
Too much contrast??

Let's fix that!


By applying brushed corduroy distress ink over the entire tag, it now looks like this.

What's amazing, but hard to photo, is that the Perfect Pearls still come to the top...

Same tag...looks much better...
agree?

Now it will be a great background for stamping...





Here's another fun combo...
this is butterscotch and terra cotta pigments, misted with sunflower sparkle Perfect Pearls.



I like it as is...
but then I may go over the whole tag with scattered straw, to tone it down a bit?
or not?


This is the eggplant and denim tag in it's original state...


And here's the result, after I added scattered straw over the entire tag...
and just a bit of brushed corduroy over that.


Since I started out with eggplant & denim pigment inks for the background, I stamped the numbers border with eggplant.


Now stamping my main image (stems/leaves/scrolls) in black, makes it pop to the front & puts the numbers more in the background.

More layers...more interest.

To make the grungepaper flowers...
I inked a scrap of grungepaper with eggplant, by just tapping the pad right onto the grungepaper...dried it & then stamped the flowers.

Remember that the pigments are opaque, so the eggplant OVER the stamping would have covered my image...

Make sense?





I think I'll make a mini butterfly for the top right, and add some rock candy stickles to finish it off.
***

That's the end of the pigments & pearls story...

Oh wait one more thing...
***

The moral of the story is do not trash any tag...
just go over it with a distress ink color to change the look, tone it down or spice it up a bit.
The inks all work together very well...
***

Book update...
NO...I haven't forgotten you guys.


I spoke with Ted last Thursday & the book was scheduled to go to the printer on Monday....like in 2 days AGO...YIPPEE!


So...I'm HOPING...with my fingers crossed, to have the copies here early next week.

Are you reading Ted?
HURRY please!
***

And Y'ALL...get ready in Waco Texas...
I'm headed there a week from Friday...
to teach @ Crop Paper Scissors.


Emmalie has chosen 4 fun classes...for Y'ALL...(I'm just practicing!)
***


We're doing the Ranger technique class, a Maya Road mini book that's loaded with flowers, inks & stamps...it's 6 hours of FUN!
a mini Maya Road hanging and the finale is...

the BUILD A BETTER BIRD CLASS...
I LOVE IT!


Hope to see Y'ALL there!
***

Now since I have lots of supplies that need to be packed & shipped...


you guys will have to be the ones to...


make art!
wendy

pigments and pearls...part 2

HEY...

What happened to Monday?

YIKES...I planned to post yesterday...

but...

it didn't happen...

So...today...part 2...pigments & pearls...

Who ever would have thought that dark yummy espresso pigment ink would look like this?

It's mixed with sunflower sparkle Perfect Pearls...

You can see the shimmer better here...

I used a more than normal amount water/Perfect Pearls to dilute the ink & lighten the effect...

And here is espresso...but more ink this time & it's mixed with a tiny bit of pitch black pigment...

Again it's watered down...and misted with sunflower sparkle Perfect Pearls.

and a side shot...

The original tags are in the previous post here...

and...

here's what they look like now...

after a little stamping...

This is the red pepper/lettuce tag.

I like to choose one of my background colors & use that to stamp a background. The pigments are great for stamping too...

The grid is stamped in red pepper pigment.

This is the denim/butterscotch tag from the previous post...

The script stamp was inked with butterscotch.

I think if you click on the photos to make them larger, you'll see the shimmer better.

This is another demin/butterscotch tag...

this time I used the denim to stamp the polka dot background.

You can see that by using a background color for the background stamp, it makes your main image POP...when it's stamped in black.

It also adds another layer to the background, which gives it more depth & interest.

Here's a tip for making perfectly coordinated custom embellishments....

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Make 2 tags, using the same pigment colors.

They won't look the same, but they'll work together well...

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Use one for the background and use the second to make embellishments.

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Here I stamped the flower on the back of the second tag & cut it out...A perfect match!

This is the bottle/sailboat blue tag from the last post.

Pigments and pearls part 3 coming tomorrow...

We'll add some distress ink to the background!

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If you had time to try this technique...

let me know how you liked it!

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Did you...

make art?

wendy

ps...it wasn't an earthquake yesterday, it was me doing the HAPPY DANCE!

Thank you SOMERSET...!!!

They all look...AWESOME!!!

We HAD to have a mojito to celebrate!

But...

That's a story for another day!

pigments and pearls...part 1

As promised...
I have a fun new technique to share...
it's another way to use Ranger's pigment inks...
to achieve a totally different look.

If you've not used the pigment inks before, they are a fast drying pigment ink that provide opaque coverage very easily.

Here's sailboat blue tapped onto a Maya Road chipboard number...

The ink would have dried in about 15 minutes, but I dried it with the heat tool, since I am not patient...



As you can see here...it's the perfect base for stamping...
Sailboat is a nice vibrant blue...and you'll see sailboat blue in the tag it's sitting on...like I said...it's a whole different look!


So...on to the tutorial...

But first...
I have to tell you that this technique is a take off of Tim's wrinkle free distress technique.
It's just one of the techniques I learned @ Ranger U...

Tim uses distress ink and water...it's an awesome look!

I had an idea to try the pigment inks and add perfect pearls, to create a cloudy...shimmery background.
I really wasn't sure that it would work...but I thought it was worth a try.

Since the distress inks are transparent...and the pigment inks are opaque...you'll see that the look is really different.

Here's the supplies you'll need to play along...

The Ranger inkssentials craft sheet

The Heat it tool...FINALLY!! It's back in stock & even better than before! eclecticPaperie has ordered it...should be here soon!

A mini mister

some perfect pearls...I chose perfect gold for these samples

a kraft stick

a manila tag

2 colors of Ranger's pigment inks

First, get your shimmer spray mixed & ready...

Dip the kraft stick into the perfect pearls & drop a tiny bit (whatever stays on the end) into a mini mister.
Fill with water to the last "r" in Ranger & shake to mix.

For the first sample I used butterscotch & denim.



Lightly tap the pads directly onto the craft sheet...
to look like this.


Now mist the inked area with the perfect pearls mixture, to create beads of color.

It should look like this.
Take note of the lower left hand corner...the colors have already started to mix...I LIKE it!



Lay a tag over the inked area & swipe your hand over the tag to apply the base coat of color.

DO NOT drag the tag thru the ink...
it's makes mud...
TRUST ME!

Dry the tag & it will look like this...


Now on the craft sheet you'll see these beads of color.
The perfect pearls are all around the outside of the beads...
and the colors have mixed...
interesting!



Lightly tap the tag onto the craft sheet to pick up the color.
Dry & repeat until you get a look you like.

Make sure to DRY between adding layers of color.

STOP when you like it...
TRUST ME...stop so you don't kill it!

Here's mine...
I love how the 2 inks combined to make some way cool colors...
The perfect pearls add just the right amount of shimmer...
the layers add depth and interest to the background.



The next sample is sailboat blue (same color as I used for the chipboard above) and bottle pigment ink...
misted again with perfect gold perfect pearls.

I put too much sailboat on the sheet, so I just wiped some away with my finger.
The nice thing about pigments it that they don't stain your fingers...



Here's the result...done the same way.
Sure makes that sailboat look a whole lot different. AGREE?


Next I used red pepper and lettuce pigment inks...
along with the perfect gold Perfect Pearls.



Keep in mind that once the Perfect Pearls are mixed with water, they're set.
No special sprays or fixatives are needed.
The shimmer won't rub off.


Here's my last color combo...eggplant & denim.
It's much prettier than this photo shows...
another TRUST ME!

Actually...the tags all look MUCH better in person!

The shimmer is very subtle...vintage...but elegant.

So if you've been playing along, we have some awesome backgrounds.

What can we do with them?

What are the options?

I have some ideas to share...

Coming soon to a blog near you...

pigments and pearls part 2.

Stay tuned...

I hope you're inspired to get out your inks & play and then...

make art!

wendy

ps...just wait 'til you see the background with espresso & black pigments...

BLACK? Who would have thought?

REALLY?

I tried that just for the heck of it & I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

The Perfect Pearls are the key...