full speed ahead...

with prep for CHA...

it's been 

REALLY

H. E. C. T. I. C...

here...

(but I LOVE it!)

we're NEVER bored!

EVER!

 CHA is almost 3 weeks earlier this year...

YIKES!

really close to Christmas...

so, this explains my lack of blogging...

so far, I created about 100 "arts" for CHA...

that means I'll have LOTS to share in the coming year...

today I want to 

THANK each & every one of you 

for your comments, emails, friendship & continued SUPPORT...

studio 490 is successful, 

THANKS to ALL of you...

special thanks to the store owners/distributors who stock their stores with my studio 490 & Blossom Bucket goodies for their customers...

and more THANKS...

to everyone who attended my classes in 2012...

I had a BLAST!

it's amazing how art changes

 strangers into FRIENDS...

please know that I sincerely appreciate you so very much!

MWAH!

moving on...

I was asked the other day if I make a resolution for the new year...

NOPE...

I don't...

but what I DO,

 is to set some goals that I want to reach for the coming year...

I've been doing this since the start of studio 490 &

 it works for me...

last year my goal was to "find" a product, that works with EVERYTHING we already have...

after some investigating & "scientific testing"...

the studio seriously looked like a lab while I was EXPERIMENTING...

that's how my new embossing pastes came to be...

2013 has another product goal, 

which I expect to announce mid-year...

if all goes as planned...

fingers crossed...

and then there are my personal goals...

my major goal for 2013 is a complete house re-do...

before studio 490,

 my house was my hobby...

I love to change things around, redecorate, 

shop for home decor etc...

so...

I'm thinking we get a POD to store everything...

move out of the house for a month...

and redo everything all at once...

repaint everything...

remove wallpaper...

redo the hardwood floors...

change some other things and install some wainscot in several rooms...

I *THINK* I saw beads of sweat coming out of Rick's head when I told him my goal...

but lucky me...

I have an AWESOME duo of carpenters...

my brother & favorite nephew!

I have been sucking up to them for months...

so, I'll keep you posted of the progress of that goal...

I *hope* I didn't take on too much with that one...

YIKES!

now...

back to business and 

a little announcement...

there will be no book #8...

7 & out for me...

it's a huge undertaking...

 all that writing/proofing is not my most favorite thing to do...

so it's time to move on to something else...

not sure what yet, 

but I'll figure something out...

this means that book #7 

will be the last how to book for the time being...

another announcement...

I have been more active on Facebook in the last 2 weeks...

because it's been quicker to do mini posts...

I have a new Facebook page...

and if you'd like to "LIKE" it...

you'll see these posts in your feed...

this is where I've been posting mini sneak peeks & 

where I'll try to post daily...

you just need to click the "LIKE" button...

here's the link...

FACEBOOK PAGE

and as an incentive...

when we reach 600 "LIKES"

I'll have a giveaway to celebrate...

the second giveaway happened when we hit 490...

and speaking of books...

yikes...

I'm jumping all over the place...

here's the cover of my new catalog...

click to enlarge the photo & 

you'll see LOTS of new product...

stamps, art parts, stencil & a Blossom Bucket...

and here comes some 

REALLY GOOD NEWS...

all the new Blossom Bucket pieces will be shipping by late February...

just 6 weeks after CHA...

that means no long wait this time...

that makes me ecstatic!

you know I have zero patience...

drumroll...

new product reveals start...

TOMORROW!!!

I can't wait to show you what I've been working on...

until then...

I wish you 365 days of 

love, 

good health,  

happiness,

great friendship and 

lots of inky arty days...

CHEERS...

here's to 2013!

it's a new year and

365 days to...

make art!

wendy

from the bottom of my happy heart...

thank you to everyone 

for the awesome birthday I had yesterday...

230 Facebook comments...

97 emails...

29 texts...

wow!

I'm totally amazed!

and group members/ art friends 

from the everything wendy vecchi yahoo group...

made the day EXTRA special with these AWESOME cards...

they have been arriving for over a week...

but I used EXTREME WILLPOWER

and waited until yesterday to open them...

let me say...

it about killed me...

patience is NOT a virtue that I'm familiar with...

I wanted to share these cards with you...

I think you'll find lots of inspiration & GREAT ideas...

for me, it was super extra fun to see how others use my products...

this is from Debby Podgorski...

LOVE the colors...

love the embossing paste used with my stencil...

it's on Ranger's specialty stamping paper...

I think the saying is perfect for the card she designed...

as is the striped stenciled border...

this next one is from Lori Hassler...

love the front...

flippin LOVE the inside...

look how this guy can carry balloons...

and the strings dangle...

genius...

pure genius!

who doesn't LOVE a pop up card...

simply...amazing!

this next one came all the way from the UK and was created by Gabrielle...

I hate bugs...

but I sure do LOVE this one...

he's done to perfection!

clear embossing onto the art part really makes him POP!

 I adore the colors Gabrielle chose... 

the mini art parts frame works well to accent the sentiment...

look...

next...

 this beauty is from Eileen Bellomo...

I LOVE the bright colors & 

the embossing paste on the art parts flourish 

adds just the right amount of texture...

the raised sentiment is a nice touch...

I rarely use purple, 

but I LOVE it when someone else does & does it well...

Dorothy McCarthy created this next one...

 I LOVE how my guy is a perfect fit on that circle stamp...

looks like he's stepping up to deliver that flower!

VERY cool!

the circles are embossed on glossy paper...

for extra detail...

this is a very fun creation from Susan Kesselman...

LOVE the brick stencil used with embossing paste...

and the door actually opens to reveal the greeting...

pretty cool huh?

I think this is a great idea for a guy card too...

or...

just add a different wreathe & it fits any holiday!

note to self...

remember that...

Susan Salyer sent the next one...

LOTS of texture from gesso?...I think...

I'm wondering how she shrunk down my flower image to fit the domino...

hmmm...

this is so sweet!

next up is my Mrs Worry...

she makes me laugh...

this is a really cute small card, 

created by folding a tag in half...

Michelle Salazar did a GREAT job!

note to self...

fold tags to create cards...

mini is fun!

the next is a card from my friends Heidi & Steph at Simon Says...

hello?

felt flowers?

YES please...

love them, especially on a  kraft card!

the white pen stitching is a small detail, 

but finishes the card off perfectly...

now...

take a look at this giant card...

I totally love what Wanda Hentges created...

really BEAUTIFUL colors...

the texture on the 3 layer flower is done with embossing paste...

I LOVE the honeycomb stamp, stamped into the paste...

and I love the random bricks stenciled onto the background, with a variation of the colors...

the flourish stamps make the perfect leaves & grass!

simply...awesome!

 Margie Kemper sent the next card...

what a beautiful background...

love the colors...

for sure I LOVE the flower!

I hope the photo shows the tiny embossed border...

it's a great detail & really frames & finishes off the card!

I hope you enjoyed seeing these awesome creations...

they sure made me HAPPY!

once again...

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

blog/group friends are THE BEST!

since I had a "play day" road trip with Rick yesterday...

I really gotta HIT IT today...

my deadlines are coming too fast...

with CHA so close to Christmas...

there really won't be much time for teasing this year...

 bet you're sad...lol...

or not?

decent sized peeks will start soon after Christmas...

believe me...

I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. TO. SHARE.

I have been having a blast using all the new *items* and

 I LOVE getting ready for CHA, because I can...

make art!

wendy

ps...I thought about saying...

GO BEARS...

but who would I be kidding?

YIKES! not happening!

so sad...

potpourri of a post...

today I have some really random stuff...

aka...

potpourri of a post...

I missed an embossing paste question the other day...

thanks for resending it!

the question was...

do you suggest using a make up sponge instead of wasting a blending tool foam when adding ink over the paste?

I *think* what the real question was...

does the paste dry stiff & will it tear the blending tool foam...

use your blending tool & foam with no worry...

the paste actually dries very soft & sort of squishy-rubbery...

yet firm...

how's that for a description?

I use the same blending tools & foam that I normally do...

the same as for any other surface I ink...

be that a tag, cardstock, grungeboard, art parts...etc...

I see no extra wear & tear on my foams at all...

the paste does NOT dry with any sharp edges...

just got this question too...

can you spread the pastes with a credit card instead of a knife?

what's the advantage of the palette knife?

if you are wanting to cover a large area...

the credit card will work just fine...

but if you want to apply paste over just ONE WORD of a stencil...

or just the stem & leaves...

the palette knife gives you much better control...

plus... the palette knife fits down into the jar easily...

but...

 you could take the paste out with a craft stick...

whatever works for you!

if you want to doodle in the wet paste...

just use the end of a paint brush...

this is fun too...

write a word...

make a pattern...

and speaking of embossing paste...

here's an art parts flower 

with a very uneven layer of the white paste...

it's thicker in some spots...

and in some I used very little paste...

I misted my plaid stamp with water & stamped into the wet paste...

when the paste was dry,

 I used weathered wood stain right over the whole flower...

just pounce the stain over the dry paste...

it's easier than rubbing & you don't run the risk of being too rough & removing some of the paste...

I added some walnut stain to the edges with a blending tool & added the Blossom Bucket embellishment...

can you believe the size of that diamond?

well...

maybe for that price...

it's not a real diamond...

the polka dots were added to both pieces with 

french ultramarine archival...

just dry the ink & it's permanent...

archival = AWESOME!

here's the flower, which can easily be transformed into any color your project needs...

moving on...

 I love organizing almost as much as I do making art...

so yesterday I popped into to Michael's for a frame & found this PERFECT stencil/paste organizer...

and it's 40% off at Michael's this week!

it is PERFECT for my stencils...

and the new 8 stencils in the January release will fit just fine ...

and it will hold plenty more...

and it also holds my embossing pastes...

with room for more...

oh yeah baby!...

coming in January!

and I put my stencil tape, some post-its & palette knife in there too...

it has a locking lid...

it's a match made in heaven!

check it out at Michael's...

on to more random-ness...

here's a 2AM thought...

my Blossom Bucket open windows can be mirrors...

just add tim's MIRRORED behind the "window" & it becomes a mirror...

then add the mirror over the brick stamp or brick stencil...

mirror mirror on the wall...

I WILL do this soon...

hmmm...what color to make them?

we have had so many requests for 

the original Stampers Anonymous phrenology head 

to be sold cling mounted...

it's only been sold as a wood mounted...

HOWEVER...

this kit...

contains the cling phrenology stamp...

YIPPEE...

and all the Blossom Bucket embellishments, clearly for art flowers & instructions needed to create this funky art angel...

just add your inks & any background stamps you have...

that's it for today...

I have some assignments & deadlines that are kicking my butt...

 Rick kidnapped me yesterday to shop...

so no arting got done...

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and you can spare a few minutes to

make art!

wendy

ps GO BEARS...

I *think* I'll be getting a few more grey hairs from that game...

yikes!

and I bet I'll need a mojito to settle my nerves...

fun to create...fun to give...

here's a cool customizable project...

that makes a perfect holiday hostess gift...

it's a chalkboard,

 created from my art parts dimensional sign board...

and embellished with my Blossom Bucket silverware...

and an altered art parts star...

I like this because it can be created 

to coordinate with anyone's decor in mind..

it's a super simple project...

just what we need during this busy time of the year...

with 2 complete sign boards in the package...

it's very reasonably priced & convenient...

 so you can make 2 gifts at once...

I started with the art parts star...

and added a medium thick uneven layer of

 my white embossing paste &

 set that aside to dry...

when the paste was dry, I added a thick-ish uneven coat

 of rock candy crackle paint &

 let that dry...

when the crackle paint was dry, I added some of 

tim's new distress metallic stain, over the top...

for this one I used the brushed pewter...

and then added a bit of shading to the edges with walnut stain, using the blending tool...

the star turned out like this...

I used Claudine's studio black gesso to create the chalkboard...

just write your menu...

the chalk cleans off easily with a moist paper towel...

I painted 2 layers of gesso on the dimensional sign board base...

and let that dry...

the art parts top & bottom trim pieces 

can be inked and stamped with any background stamp...

OR...

they can be covered with patterned paper...

OR...

they can be painted to fit in with any decor...

OR...

they can be quickly stained with any distress stain color...

LOVE the silverware...

I think they're stinkin cute...

I added the word MENU with tim's alpha parts...

but there are LOTS more options...

you could easily make it a MEMO board,

 instead of a MENU board...

a fun place to write little family messages...

OR...

 to doodle on...

you could also add the recipients name instead...

after I glued the star in place, the lightbulb went on...

just a bit too late...

DUH...

that drives me nuts...

think about this...

add a magnet under the star & another on the signboard top...

then create an embellishment for each season...

the magnet would make it super simple to change 

& customize it for each holiday...

or any gathering...

add a heart...

add a gift (for a birthday celebration)...

add a flag...

add a flower...

add some fall leaves...

add a Christmas tree...

add a monogram...

there are lots of fun options...

my next one WILL have interchangeable accents...

it would be fun to give this for Christmas...

then send a card each season and 

enclose a new accent for the top...

I have all sorts of goofy stuff planned to write on mine...

menu?

reservations...

or...

whatever YOU make...

or...

I LOVE carryouts...

or...

if I ever do cook...

I'll write

take it or leave it!

since it's Monday night football...

here's our menu...

I hope this quickie project has inspired you to...

make art!

wendy

ps...I DO make a mean salad! lol...