a fun card tutorial...

hey friends...

long time no blog...

but I'm making up for it today with 

a fun card tutorial

 over on the Ranger blog...

if you're wondering how

 my Stamp-it Stencil-it's work...

I'll show you how...

I'll show you how to use archival inks for stamping, stenciling and embossing...

and...

if you'd like to learn a fun way 

to use archival inks with rubbing alcohol 

to create simple gorgeous backgrounds...

I'll show you how...

if you'd like to learn how to use 

embossing powders with magic mat board

with tim's Sizzix dies

 to create custom embellishments

 for your projects...

I'll show you how...

wondering about my NEW newsprint paper?

I'll show you why I LOVE it...

and why GLUE N SEAL is

THE BEST paper adhesive...

E V E R...

have you played with clearly for art?

 I'll show you how it works...

I like to end my Ranger tutorials with some hints & tips, so don't miss that at the very end of the tutorial...

today we're sharing this card...

yes...I work in a mess...

you'll see the newest archival inks & embossing powders in action over on the Ranger blog...

I love love love the violet/buttercup combo...

it's all happening over at Ranger...

come visit!

have a GREAT Wednesday...

I hope YOU can take time to...

make art!

wendy

read all about it...

or maybe the title should be...

read all about me!

yikes...

I'm honored to be interviewed today,
 by Susan from 

irreversibly Moi...

I answered some fun questions and I also shared some of my MOST favorite art journal pages...

for this large 
specialty stamping paper 
art journal page,
 I used lots of my stencils and stamps...
and...
I used my white embossing paste 
to add texture with 
the add a stencil, in 3 areas...

did you know we released a LARGE jar of my white embossing paste?
it's a HUGE 8 ounce jar for just $14.95!
double the quantity to
 double your fun...

you asked...
we listened!

now we have enough white paste to use reinkers to create custom colors of embossing paste...
just mix a drop or 2 of your chosen reinker color into the paste, mix right in the jar & it's ready to go...

 the mix & store jars...
are AWESOME...

mix right in the jar...
no waste...
no cleanup...

these jars were chosen because they will keep the custom paste fresh & soft for at least a year!

ok...back to the interview...

you can read about my modern day
"fairytale"
 and how this 
wonderful "art adventure"
 all began for me...

I hope you have time to click the link &

pop over & visit...

thanks so much for the invite Susan! 

THANKS too, my friends, for stopping by!

as always...

I hope you can 
take some time and...

make art!
wendy

marbled embossing powder...

here's a brand new technique 

I've been playing with...

I'm calling it marbled embossing powder...

here's how it happened...

I die cut some black magic mat board shapes...

this time I'm using tim's new heartfelt die...

I LOVE this die, because it has so many hearts in LOTS of great sizes...

there's one for any project...

die cut flowers look A M A Z I N G

with this technique too...

coming soon to a blog near you...

I covered the black magic mat board heart with sky blue archival ink & then sprinkled it with 

sky blue embossing powder...

then heated the powder to melt it...

it looked like this...

a beautiful enamel heart...

I LET THE MELTED POWDER COOL 

before proceeding...

YES...ALL CAPS...

this is V E R Y important!

if you don't, the hot embossing powder will stick to your archival pad...

NOT GOOD!

you won't like it!

next, I tapped the forget-me-not pad onto the COOLED embossing powder...

you can see the wet archival ink in the photo below...

next, I blasted it with the embossing gun to remelt the same powder...

no extra powder is needed...

when it melted, it looked like this...

see that extra color & first layer starting?

LET THIS COOL...

next I tapped on some tiger lily archival ink...

just using the pad...

I know...

not cute...but trust me!

now I blasted it again with the embossing gun to remelt the powder & move the tiger lily ink around...

it looked like this...

LET IT COOL...

then I tapped the forget-me-not pad onto the COOLED heart again and...

now it looks like this!

just one layer of embossing powder...

combined with several layers of colored archival inks...

give us this amazing faux texture 

and a sort of rusty/verdigris marbled effect, 

with this color combo...

that was fun, so I tried another color combo...

same black magic mat board heartfelt die cut...

this time inked with tea rose archival ink and sprinkled with tea rose embossing powder...

after the powder was melted, it looked like this...

an enameled heart...

tea rose is a gorgeous color...

LOVE IT!

on with the technique...

I added orange blossom archival, by tapping the pad directly onto the COOLED embossing powder...

and after blasting it with the embossing gun again, it looked like this...

once that COOLED, I added another layer

 of tea rose ink...

 again I tapped the pad onto

 the COOLED powder...

after blasting it again with the embossing gun, it looked like this...

next, I added a little 

red geranium archival ink...

remelted it again & here's the final result...

and here's a quickie tag to show you how I used the marbled heart...

these magic mat board die cuts 

make a GREAT custom lightweight,

 but durable embellishment...

this technique is super simple 

to use with so many of

 tim's Sizzix alterations dies 

you probably already have...

they are

perfect for cards, scrapbook pages, mixed media or art journals...

and it's another way to use what you have...

some tips...

trust me...

1. let the hot embossing powder cool before adding more ink layers...

2. I found it easiest to add ink with the pad directly onto the surface...the blending tool didn't seem to add quite enough ink...

3. this totally transforms the embossing powders "normal" uses and gives us the option to create a great unique marbled effect...

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

4. I found the embossing gun was quicker/easier to melt the powder & move the layered inks around...

it's best when the powder is molten/more fluid, so the inks move easily...

5. use only one layer of embossing powder...

I tried 2...

didn't like it...

dripped over the edges...

ugly...

6. I liked this marbling technique best on the black magic mat board...

you can do it on the white mat board,

 but I like the black edges showing...

7. with 12 embossing powders and 18 archival ink colors, we have so many fun possibilities...

you could use all the same color family for a monochromatic result, like my tea rose heart or combine coordinating colors...

or...try the verdigris effect...

there's lots of fun to be had!

try it!

try other embossing powder/ink color combos & show us how YOU

make art!

wendy

ps...you can post them to

 the June"make art challenge",

 since this month we are challenged to use embossing powders...

and you might WIN a gift from 

kim at eclecticPaperie

she's our sponsor this month!

a new challenge and a guest artist spot...

Kim is challenging us this month on

 the "make art challenge blog" 

to use...

embossing powder...

use it any way you choose...

you can emboss a sentiment on your project...

you can use it for the faux graniteware technique or

you can make custom embossing powder embellishments like I did...

to create the circle frame for my large art journal page, I inked the bottom of a container with watering can archival ink & pressed it right onto the manila journal page...

here's my page...

I like the irregular inking on the frame...

I used the black Stabilo pencil to define the frame borders...

I like to combine older stamps 

with some more recently released ones...

lately I'm LOVING using red geranium archival ink with violet archival...

as you can see...

stencils are perfect for adding 

multiple layers to the background...

I used several...

just make sure to not use jet black in the background...

save jet black for your main image & sentiment...

I added 3 small areas of gold embossing paste, thru the old ledger stencil to add a tiny bit of texture & shine to the background...

3 is a good number & you'll see that they form a visual triangle...

you'll find the challenge here...

I hope you'll join us & share some ideas and YOUR art!

THANK YOU KIM 

for being our sponsor this month!

today, I'm honored to be a guest artist today at

irreversibly moi...

you'll find lots of interviews here & lots of inspiration...

the challenge is to use...

STAMPS!

I sure do LOVE that!

you'll find the art journal page 

and the supply list I shared here...

http://irreversiblymoi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CHALLENGE-10.compressed.pdf

THANKS so much Susan for the invite...

that's it for today!

it's time to pack class supplies & get them ready to ship to The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, Texas...

and I'll be packing demo supplies for GASC...

the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, Texas...

so...no art for me today...

but...

I hope YOU have time to...

make art!

wendy