and I'm off...

to spend the weekend at Craft Fancy in Arlington Heights, Illinois...

sorry to my friends at Southwest airlines & Midway airport...Rick will chauffeur me this time!

but I WILL see you next weekend and you can fly me to The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, Tx...

after that I'll spend 3 days demoing at GASC...The Great American Scrap Convention in Arlington, Texas...

at both Craft Fancy & The Crafty Scrapper, I'll be teaching a 2 FULL day mixed media art journal workshop...

we completely construct the journal & focus on technique pages using LOTS of mixed media products like...

embossing pastes, archival inks & reinkers, lots of distress, stamps, stencils, SiSi's and more...

to make pages like this...

my most favorite flower in the whole wide world is the red geranium...

poor Rick...I buy (LOTS)...he plants...

they are looking so beautiful now...

the geraniums were the inspiration behind

this wonderful archival color...

but... that perfect peony SiSi I used for the art journal page is quickly becoming a favorite flower...

and inspired me to buy some peony's...for you know who to plant...

photos...next year!

thanks for sharing so many fun suggestions for repurposing leftover art packaging...

sharing is good... really good...

especially if you are the random winner...

CONGRATS to...

 Jess M said...

I have run them through an embossing folder and then 

used crackle paste on them. Pretty cool effect. 

Jess

May 27, 2014 at 6:10 PM

 

please email me at wbv1213@me.com & we'll get a little gift off to you...

I hope your weekend is fun...

I know mine will be, because I get to...

make art!

wendy

repurposing remnant rub inserts...

if you're a frequent blog reader, you'll know that I hate to waste stuff...

especially art supplies...

yesterday was a "full on" kit making day for upcoming classes in Illinois, Texas and North Carolina...

while making the kits, we opened 300 of tim's remnant rubs...

and ended up with LOTS of the inserts that come inside the package...

when you look at them, they're BROWN & have a great graphic design on them...

the card stock-ish material is very sturdy...with a slick surface...

I had saved the inserts in the past, thinking I'd use them for small art journal pages...

and I plan to die cut tags from them...

that hasn't happened...YET......

so with this giant stack looking at me...

I had an idea...

I used them with a #2 circles die from Sizzix ...

I've had it for quite a while...

and I just spotted this size set of circles...

and this set looks great too!

note to self...place order...

I cut the #2 for each student in class...

the slick surface makes them re-usable many times...

they're not actually waterproof...but more like water/ink resistant...

they'll give you plenty of uses & still be durable...

repurposing makes me happy...

the other thing that I LOVE to do, is to find different  ways to use/combine products...

and this explains why I chose to die cut circles...

this next photo shows how to change my large sunburst stencil...

into...

a smaller funky sun...

lay the stencil in place, then place the die cut insert over the stencil & add ink (dandelion archival) with the new mini blending tool...

super simple...

here's the result...a smaller *off center* sun...

with a stenciled (carnation red) star center...

using the same process, you can create any size flower with the sunburst stencil...

just change the size of the circle you overlay...

you can also position the die cut insert so that the center of the stencil is actually in the center of the flower...

this flower was stenciled with cornflower blue archival...

I think off set makes it unique...& really changes the look of the original stencil...

I'll be using this circle die cut to stamp thru...

and I'll use it with other stencils...

like the checkmate, yikes stripes and add a stencil to create cool patterned polka dots on backgrounds...

this same idea will work well with the layered flower stencil to create smaller striped flowers or dots & totally transform the layered flower stencil...

you can also spread embossing paste thru the die cut inserts...

so think about all the dies you have...

many of them can be made into stencils at NO COST, by repurposing the inserts from tim's idea-ology products!

now I have all those circles that fell out of the insert after cutting...

hmmm...they make great masks, or can be glued to a surface to create a polka dot textured base for any art journal page...card, or layout...

or I can cut them in half to create a scallop border...

LOTS of fun possibilities to think about, when you

make art!

wendy

ps...If you'd like to leave a comment with YOUR idea, that would be great...

sharing ideas is wonderful...

ps again...who knows...there may even be a random giveaway, since I haven't done one in a bit...

just saying'...

a fun discovery!

 happy Memorial Day my friends!

I wanted to take a break from making kits to share a fun discovery...

tim recently introduced me to the Wink Of Stella glitter marker...
it's a very cool marker full of subtle glitter...

I started with the clear...

OMG...I just found the brown! must order!

I see there are LOTS of really cool looking colors...
you'll find them here...

now here's what I discovered...

the wink of stella is a PERFECT fit for tim's distress marker spritzer...

it works like this...

remove the inside tube from the spritzer, by loosening the screw...

insert the wink of stella pen...

aim the nozzle of the spritzer straight down, just like the package shows & spritz away...

see those tiny glitter spots on the darling daisy SiSi?

not the easiest to photograph...

in person...ADORABLE!

and this is another way to use the marker spritzer & the wink of stella too!

I LOVE that with the spritzer, it's very easy to control exactly where you want to spritz & add the tiny glitter dots!

the daisy is sitting on some crackled texture paste...

I used the gold metallic embossing paste as my base...you can see the gold thru the cracks...

before applying the crackle paste, I used my new MIX & STORE jar...added some crackle paste, which dries white when used right from the jar...

then colored it ahead of time right in the MIX & STORE jar...

no mess...no waste!

I added 2 drops of tree branch archival reinker & 3 drops of tim's metallic mixative...I chose gold, since that us my base color...

the left over custom colored crackled texture paste is stored safely in my jar, for future play...

I wrote the color right on the lid label...

in LOVE!

you can read all about this jar in my previous post...

and DON'T FORGET the SALE over at eclecticPaperie...

 if you use the code

WENDY10

you can save 10% on your order...even the spritzer!

and pastes and more!

the sale is good thru tomorrow...

back to making kits...

I'd really much rather...

make art!

wendy

introducing...

from the first time I mixed a reinker into my white embossing paste, I've been searching for the PERFECT JAR to store custom colors of embossing pastes...

I've tried about 15 different jars, with NO success...

the jars I tried kept the custom colored paste fresh for no longer than a few weeks...some jars only lasted 2 days!

FINALLY...I have the perfect jars...

they're called MIX & STORE & the name says it ALL...

there are several reasons I'm excited to finally have this jar...

REASON #1...

NO MESS...use a palette knife or craft stick to put some of the embossing paste into the jar, MIX in a drop or 2 of your reinker (archival or distress) and stir...

use some colored paste for your art... 
put the lid on & STORE the rest for your next art session...

the testing has shown that these jars will keep the custom colored paste fresh FOR AT LEAST A YEAR...
remember to ALWAYS REPLACE the LID as soon as possible...

REASON #2...

NO WASTE! these jars allow us to mix right in the jar, instead of mixing embossing paste with a drop of reinker on the craft sheet...

if you read my blog...you KNOW that I HATE to waste any art supplies...
in the past, if you made too much colored paste, there was no way to store it...

REASON #3...

CONVENIENCE! there are colors that I use frequently...like the leaf green archival reinker, mixed into white embossing paste, to create a beautiful custom green paste...

since I LOVE flowers & leaves...it's so convenient to have green embossing paste all mixed & ready to go...

for sure I'll have a jar of dandelion (yellow) and a jar of one of the blues (cornflower or forget-me-not) mixed & convenient...
and I just made a jar of orange blossom...it's so pretty & perfect for summer & fall!

keep this in mind...

you can mix reinkers into the crackled texture paste too...
so instead of the paste drying white, with cracks...you can have it dry colored & cracked!

I especially like to mix the tree branch archival reinker into the crackled texture paste...and YIPPEE...now we have a way to save the extra...and any reinker color will work!

you can also mix reinkers into the gold & silver metallic embossing pastes...the reinkers will tint the metallics & create awesome metallic colors...

REASON #4...

PRODUCT VERSATILITY...if you like archival  or distress ink pads, you'll already have the reinkers...or you should have them...they are much more cost effective than buying a new pad...

this is another way to get more use from your reinkers...

not only are reinkers good for refreshing your ink pads, and for fun techniques...

they are also useful for creating custom embossing paste colors...

since reinkers are very concentrated...just a drop is all you'll need...
and the reinkers don't change the consistency of the embossing paste...

I bet you're wondering how you will know what color you mixed in...

SIMPLE...

there is a white label on the lid...it's the perfect spot to record what color reinker you mixed into the paste...

and to celebrate this new jar...

Kim at eclecticPaperie has a SHOPPING special for my blog friends...

just order at least $25.00 of any of my products...

that includes embossing pastes, MIX & STORE jars, archival inks, background stamps, stencils, stamp sets, any art parts... the stencil binder or even my fav SiSi's (stamp it/stencil it)...
oh...blossom bucket and clearly for art too!

enter this code at checkout...

WENDY10

you'll receive 10% off your order!
this offer is good thru MEMORIAL DAY!
SHOPPING & A SALE...what a nice way to start the holiday weekend!

just click the links & you'll be magically transported right to the product...

this may not be THE CUTEST product ever...
but believe me ...

I AM OVER THE MOON happy to have finally found these jars...

and from the many requests I've received...
I think lots of you are happy to hear about them too...

MIX & STORE...

a handy useful tool to use, when YOU...

make art!
wendy
ps...at $2.49 each...you won't break the bank!

YIKES...I just emailed Kim to correct the price!!

***Kim just changed the rules! now EVERYTHING in the store is 10% off***

just use code WENDY10

make art in...ENGLAND!

this secret has been KILLING ME!

Jim West, Scrap Map owner, has been asking me to tour with him since 2009, when I was a guest instructor on Tim's cruise to Mexico...

at least 5 times I said no...

but, when I talked with Jim this time, he asked if I would prefer a land tour & where would I LOVE to go?

it took me all of 5 seconds to say...ENGLAND...

ever since I was a little girl, I have been enchanted with the royal family & castles...

then Diana entered the scene...

more to LOVE...

then she had 2 adorable sons...

even MORE to LOVE...

now we have sweet Prince George to LOVE & watch grow up...

so...

I'm inviting YOU to join us on an enchanting adventure to ENGLAND...

here's the scoop...

the dates are JULY 26, 2015...August 1st, 2015

with an optional 3 day add on tour...

I had some things that I wanted to be included...

FOR SURE...

Jim West & no one else... will be our guide...

I can tell you from experience...he is THE BEST!

I want to keep this tour intimate, 
so I asked to limit our group to just 30...
so, if you're interested...
PLEASE...DON'T WAIT to sign up...

I wanted to include time to...make art in ENGLAND...
so there will be classes designed just for this special group...

I wanted a reasonable package price... Jim accomplished that too!

I also wanted to include all my UK friends in the fun...
so there is a 3 day add on tour & a FULL ALL DAY class included...
so...UK friends...

I AM COMING ACROSS THE BIG POND to see YOU!

I hope to see you in class in LONDON...
on Sunday August 2nd, 2015...
those details are coming soon...

you will find all the details, payment options & the complete tour itinerary on the ScrapMap site...

this link will take you there...

http://www.scrapmap.com/tours/england_0715.html

I hope you can join us and...

make art in ENGLAND!

 wendy...

ps...Rick is coming too! YIPPEE!