a quick update...

sorry for being MIA...

Just a quick update on the reasons for my absence...

my brother is seriously ill & I'm expecting that he will be transferred to a major medical center today. he's been hospitalized since Saturday & it's been a roller coaster ride...

and on Saturday evening Rick's cousin was killed in a freak motorcycle accident. very nice guy...3 kids...so very sad...

I will be back just as soon as I can...

believe me...I can't wait to show you lots of

fun new studio 490 stamps, my new art parts products & some fun CHA projects.

thanks so much for understanding.

wendy

TGIF! **NEWS FLASH " @ end of post!

sorry for the lack of updates...

YIKES...pre-CHA is a very busy time...

I've been typing book #3 instructions for 2 full days.

Finalizing projects...

doing book updates...

Creating the projects is so much fun...

writing instructions & supply lists...not so much...

The finished projects are now @ Stampers Anonymous...

and are being photographed by Matt...the genius...

I'm thrilled with the new stamps & projects I designed....

REALLY HAPPY!

This is my favorite release so far...just sayin'

It won't be long now, as CHA is only a month away...

BUT, here's some REALLY GOOD NEWS...

my new stamps will be released @ the Carson, Ca convention on July 10th & 11th...

hey...that's only 2 WEEKS from today!!!

which means that I'll be able to share them here, before that!!

so...SOON!!! less than 2 weeks!!!

YIPPEE!!!

And...I have an announcement coming early July...

this has been in the works for quite a while...

and has me totally over the top EXCITED!!!

Here's a little hint...

it involves...art parts!

Can't post without a photo or 2...so here's one quickie peek...

I LOVE tim's curio knobs...

seriously LOVE them...

that's the back part of a hitch fastener peeking thru...

and this one shows 2 NEW studio 490 stamps...

barely!

Hmmm...could that be a swivel clasp?

I think so...

One more thing before I get back to work...

I know lots of you LOVE tim's snaps...

which sadly got discontinued...

But the good news...

Heidi (I sat with her @ Ranger U) told me that she was lucky to purchase a hidden stash of snaps & has them available.

Once they're gone...

they're REALLY gone...

so...if you've been hunting them down...

here's your chance to SCORE some snaps!

That's it...

enjoy your weekend...

make art!

wendy

WOOHOO...I just got notified that Heidi also located some of the awesome discontinued alcohol ink storage tins that tim had specially made (by Cropper Hopper) to store his alcohol inks, blending solution, tool & felt.

I have one to store stickles too. It holds 28 in the slots & LOTS more in the large compartment. PERFECTION!

Another...when it's gone...it's GONE!

and one more...she also scored a few of the discontinued embossing powder tins.

This is GREAT for storing other things too...

like the alcohol ink refillable pen...got mine in one!

I use one for my tools too...scissors, adhesives, craft pick etc...

It holds tim's distress crackle paint too...

Just thought you'd like to know...discontinued FINDS = FUN!

ps...

don't tell your hubby where you got the scoop...don't want anyone mad @ me...

here's the punch I used...

sorry for no updates from Ranger U. We were up @ 5am...hit the sack @ midnight & had not a second to spare.

it was100% total fun. Huge thanks to Justin, Alain, Suze, Claudine, Patti and of course...TIM.
it was wonderful.

back with normal programming soon.

sitting @ the airport...hoping that my flight won't be cancelled...the one before mine to O Hare is...

got my fingers crossed...so it's not possible to...

make art.
Wendy

like a 5 year old on...

Christmas eve...

That's how excited I am to be headed back to Ranger U tomorrow.

It's 3 full days of fun & inspiration...

3 full days of tim, Suze & Claudine...

3 full days of being with the Ranger family...

3 full days of visiting with our friend Mario...(the king of Twitter...)

I'm betting he'll post some photos...

click on his name to follow him on Twitter...

3 full days of seeing some friends & having the opportunity to meet some new ones too...

3 full days of being with people who "get this ink thing" (addiction)....

and speaking of ink...

that's one of my most favorite parts...the factory tour...

I've seen it before, but I can't wait to see it again...

It's awesome to see the process of the pads being handmade...

the huge volume of inks is so exciting...

if you LOVE inks, seeing a MILLION of them is really cool...

I think about that every time a box of inks magically appears on our doorstep...

hey...I've seen them make these guys!

then there's the

Stickles machine...

OMG!!

that is like the coolest machine...

I'm especially excited to FINALLY meet...

"the Linda Elbourne"...she's coming all the way from the UK...

We've corresponded for a long time...

thanks to Ranger, we get to meet in person...

YIPPEE!

So, that's where I'll be for the next few days...

getting inky & LOVING every minute of it.

I will post via the iPad, while I'm gone...

but my camera connection isn't arriving before I go, so I doubt there will be any photos...

It's now scheduled to arrive the day I come home...boohoo...

While I'm gone...

take care &...

remember to...

make art!

wendy

BACK!!!...

with a MAC!

YIPPEE...I think we're in business.

We both have LOTS to learn...so this will be a shorty post to make sure ...IT GOES to you and not cyberspace.

I can see I'll be making the 75 mile one way trek often...

for more one to ones @ the Apple store.

but so far so good...my poor little old brain was on overload yesterday after I left the store...

and in case you wondered...YES!!!

I did miss you guys LOTS!

I'm glad you enjoyed the memo pin tip...

Look @ all your stamps...it's amazing what will fit in that small circle. There really are a million possibilities.

I promised to give you a heads up just as soon as the new Maya Road goodies arrived. Guess what...

they're HERE!

Here's the BLACK bingo chips...

and these awesome trinket star pins...

remember you can use them as is...

and ...

you can change the color with alcohol inks...to coordinate with any project.

I already added tim's rock candy distress stickles to some of them...

VERY COOOOOOOOL effect!

You'll find the super cute chipboard mini laundry set here...

and the mini crowns here.

I had planned to show you the new Enamel Accents from Ranger...

but they're on top secret CHA projects...

TRUST ME...they are a way cool product!

They dry shiny and stay raised...for a great embellishment.

As you can guess...I'm in LOVE with the black.

And speaking of CHA...I'm over the top excited about my new stamps...

I'm working on projects for book #3 and they have been so much fun...

I got some new ideas and tips and hints to share too...

OK...let's see if this publishes...

I was going to cross my fingers, but I NEED them to...

make art

wendy

so I had this little idea...

I tried it & it worked...


I planned to save the idea for book #3...(I'll use plan B there instead)


but since we had so many lovely comments on the last post...

THANK YOU!!!


I decided to share it TODAY...

(see...comments are good...very good!)

One of my favorite products from tim's last CHA release is the memo pins...

they have LOTS of possibilities...

my idea was to create "custom epoxy embellishments"...

let's get started...

first of all...there are 2 different sides to the memo pins...

take a look below...

when making these guys, I set them on the craft sheet like the pin on the right...

with the end of the wire on top...


It sits flatter that way.





Supplies to gather...


you'll want to work on Ranger's non stick craft sheet for sure...

memo pins...of course!

Ranger's Glossy Accents are the magic ingredient...

jet black archival ink

a glue stick

a paper punch sized to fit the memo pin circle

(I think mine is an EK SUCCESS? It's old...it's yellow & it's the perfect size)

some studio 490 stamp word/number images...

would be a great choice (in my opinion!)

imagine that!

or book text...

or tim's tissue tape applied to cardstock...

or this tissue tape...
or...or...or...there are a million possibilities...

here are the simple steps...

#1...stamp images on cardstock, using jet black archival ink...then punch some images to put behind the memo pin...

#2...use the glue stick & put a line of glue on the craft sheet. this will hold the tiny punched images in place...

(incase you sneeze! ha!)

set the punched images on the glue line...

MAKE SURE to leave room between them, if you're making a bunch...

#3...lay the memo pin over the punched image & fill with Glossy Accents...

I started on the perimeter of the circle & filled it to the inside to completely cover the image...

(I made a bunch to have on hand...because now I'm IN LOVE with them)...




They look cloudy when filled, but TRUST ME...

the Glossy Accents magically dries crystal clear...
(ignore the gold & black paint dabber leftovers

I got in a hurry & didn't clean the craft sheet...)





#4...set aside & let dry...it takes about 2 hours-ish...

Remove from the craft sheet...magically, the craft sheet releases them without the paper sticking to the sheet...


like I said...it's MAGIC!

TADA...

a "custom epoxy embellishment" ...

Here's one...



and here is one I used on a CHA project...

You certainly didn't think I'd show the whole shebang...

DID YOU?? ha ha!!

SORRY...CHA is still 6 weeks away!

Now the extra cool thing is that these cuties are "cost effective"...

I MAY possibly be an enabler...

I've been accused of that...

but @ 10 cents each...these guys are the bargain of the century!

You'll never run out of the word or number you need...

because they are...

CUSTOM made! Just make what you NEED...

TRY IT... then let me know how you like it!

Now about the promised giveaway...

since we had over 100 comments we're giving 3 goodie packages instead of just one...YIPPEE!!!

HUGE CONGRATS TO...

Kim said...
Wow!!!! I love the new MR stuff!!! Adding it to my wish list right now!!!!!

June 6, 2010 3:13 PM


and more CONGRATS...

Twyla and Lindsey said...
I love your posts! I love your work!
I can't wait to get my hands on those star stick pins!! Love them!
Thanks!
Lindsey

June 5, 2010 10:02 AM

and another CONGRATS!...

lovetostamp said...
Wendy - what a great post - full of great info. Love it that Ranger got a blog - already subscribed! Thanks for keeping us updated - so much cool Maya Road stuff!

June 4, 2010 11:08 AM


Please email (wbv1213@hughes.net) your shipping info & there will be a little package coming your way...

So now that all these custom epoxy embellies are waiting...

I'm off to the studio to...

make art!

wendy
ps...we LOVE the ipad...
we will be dumping this PC THIS WEEK...but that's a story for another day.

not a peek..it's the REAL DEAL!

Now this is VERY cool...



Maya Road has an EARLY SUMMER release...

to hold us over 'til CHA!!



And, the REALLY GREAT NEWS...



it's shipping...



NEXT WEEK!



Here are a few of my MOST favorites new items...



MINI crowns...

be still my heart!



MINI is the key word...









Laundry days mini chipboards...




I have LOTS of ideas/uses for these guys...

OMG...

bingo chips in...

GET THIS...

BLACK!!!

I'll take a million of these please...
think of the possibilities...

This will be fun...

a canvas banner album...

and wait 'til you see these BEAUTIES...

I'll be needing 10,000 of these for sure...

think about altering them with alcohol inks...

PERFECT for the top of a Christmas tree on a card???

or a 4th of July card...

or summer birthday...

or..."you're a STAR" cards/layout...

TOTAL coolness...

behold this eye candy...

also in this release...



new Maya Mists in these colors...



orange

pink lemonade

seafoam

raspberry and...



I'm ordering buttermilk for sure...

>
and there is an acrylic MINI alphabet set...

and some way cool trims...

I'll keep you posted & let you know when the arrive.

Announcement #1...

RANGER now has a blog and you can follow them on Twitter here.

you'll find LOTS of FREE info their blog & website...

Announcement #2...

Just so you know how much I appreciate comments...

I'll be back on Monday with a gift for some special...

commenter...

Until then...

make art!

wendy

I LOVED my Genius!

So...I get to the Apple store on Friday...
and meet MY Genius...

he asks what I want/NEED to do with my computer...

He asks me to pull up my blog...see previous post...yikes..embarrassing...

"I GOT A DATE WITH A GENIUS"...

YEP...that's what he saw...
He about fainted laughing...

Oh well...it was pretty funny...

he was young, so he survived...ME!

I LOVED him...
he was VERY helpful...
NOT pushy in the least...

I have "it" picked out...
now we need to take our CPU there so the info/favorites/photos can be transferred to the new one...

but...LEAVE IT THERE FOR 48 hours!!!!
and the APPLE store is 80 miles away...

YIKES...
how would we survive with no computer for 2 days?????????

So here's my plan...

the iPad should be arriving this week...
YIPPEE...

we'll get that here...
get it going...

then take the old beast & get the new one set-up...

Some components have arrived...

APPLE teases lots more than I do...
what can I do with these & NOTHING ELSE???

GEEZ!



I've been working away on CHA stuff...
but as usual...I have nothing to share except this tiny peek...

I got to use the awesome Pink Paislee paper...
it's a 6 x 6 pad called Queen Bee...

the base is the "to die for cute" Maya Road mix it up Album...
perfect as a album...

or I like to use just 2 pages for a card...

or in this case...
I glued 2 together to make a hanging tag...
LOVE IT!

LOTS on the agenda for today...

CHA is NEXT MONTH!!!

YIKES!!

so I'm off to the studio...

to...

make art!

wendy