flower pot tip...

I actually had a little brain activity yesterday & I thought I'd share this quick tip...

I was working on a CHA project 

using my mat mini flower pots...

but as the project progressed, 

I was wishing I had a small shorter flower pot...

that's when the brain kicked in...

check out the flowerpot on the far left...

it was simple to chop off some from the bottom of the small pot!

we can do the same with the large flower pot...

and make them any height the project needs...

it changes the proportions & 

I'm LOVING having another size to use, simply by altering what we already have!

our power was out yesterday, 

due to the winter storm...

the windows did look kind of cool...

 I feel really behind & CHA frantic today...

so I'll leave you with this peek...

it has LOTS of new stuff showing...

I see at least 6 NEW_______...

no...that sentiment is an oldie...

keep looking...

I hope YOU can...

make art!

wendy

2 generous peeks...

I hope your Christmas was fun

and that your 2016 will be the best E V E R!

here's 2 pretty decent, 

although purposely blurry peeks...

what do you see?

and I'm still

mad for plaid...

this time with sky blue and tea rose archivals...

I L O V E this_______...

FYI...

stores are making room

 for new CHA products...

so...if you got holiday $$$...

I found some steals on inks...

embossing powders...

violet is a favorite to combine with 

rock candy glitter to make...

glittered embossing powder...

it works with any color...

tiger lily is another GOOD one!

it's bold & it has sparkle...

win...win!

and stamps,

layer this flower

with this flower on the far right to create something new... 

and

my favorite large hosta leaves 

to use with so many other flowers...

if you don't have the remnant rub tool...

this is a great price...

it makes applying the rubs easy and...

I LOVE the ball end for making dots...

I like to apply a bit of paint to the craft sheet & touch the ball end into the paint & then dot away on my projects...

easy!

I hope my blog friends affected by the bad weather are all OK...

I've been thinking of friends here in the US & about my friends in the UK...

be safe!

gotta hit it now and...

make art!

wendy

MERRY Christmas and HAPPY Birthday!

MERRY Christmas my friends!

I hope your day is perfect with LOTS of family, friends & yummy food...

we have a dual celebration here, 

because it's Rick's birthday today too...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

to the love of my life...

there is no better guy in all the world...

I love you millions!

here's a quick little funny happening...

we had our "company" 

Christmas party the other day...

YES Mr. IRS...

I treated my "head of shipping & receiving" to dinner AKA the "studio 490 Christmas party"...

is that tax deductible?

anyway...

he got this coaster under his beer...

which made us laugh...

make art!

 have a wonderful day!

make it MERRY!

wendy, Rick & Ranger too...

2 teasers on Tuesday...

here's 2 more for today...

the first sample
combines this flower & this one
from the last release 
with new_____...

this archival 

color combo works well together...

sky blue...

tree branch...

tiger lily...

and orange blossom ...
it's all set off by
fabulous jet black...

yes...
I am...

mad for plaid!

this next one also combines things 
we already have 

with new_______...

I will never tire of the lace border stamp...
it is the perfect accent for so many borders...
the more details...
the better I like it!

the color combo for the next one is...
sky blue...
tree branch...
watering can...
and for sure you can see that
everything looks better with
jet black...

that's it for today...
thanks so much for popping by...
I sincerely appreciate your comments...

have a good one...
I hope you can...

make art!
wendy

2 more little peeks...

I have a very quickie post today, 

with 1 clear photo and

1 blurry peek...

there's L O T S in this first one...

I spy like 10 new_____...

and this one has 4...

moving on...

my products are the 

Friday Focus over at Funkie Junkie...

that means until Dec 24th, they are 

an additional 15% off...

just incase you NEED anything!

or you want to give Santa a hint...

on the agenda today...

not what you'd expect this time of the year...

moved to #2 on the list...

 Christmas gift wrapping...

why do I always wait?

each year I vow to wrap as I buy...

but it never happens!

poop...

now #1 on the list...

I'll be working on my 

EASTER assignment 

for a magazine...

lol..

life is never dull when you...

make art!

wendy

ps...I hope you are liking the peeks...

3 peek Friday...

I couldn't stop at 2...

here's 3 tiny peeks at my

new stampers anonymous goodies...

the black is actually my 

clearly for art...blackout...

it has the same properties (moldable, holds it's shape & strong) as the clear and white...

but now I can see my archival inks on the black...

I have a fun new way to use it...

it's cool...

it really is the focal point of the piece...

well...except for that little______...

this is a real favorite...

I've used it whole and partially...

it can be completely flat and 

it can be used with dimension for a totally different look...

very fun...

and there's a B U N C H in this next peek...

I'm in L O V E with the new_______...

and the __________...

and the __________...

thanks for the comments!

I hope you have a great weekend & can take a few minutes from "the hectic" to...

make art!

wendy

ps...

 what do you think?

see anything you like?

2 peek Thursday...

YIKES...

CHA is fast approaching...

let the tiny peeks begin...

I have THE HARDEST

time trying to keep quiet...

it's killing me...

you'll see

new stamp sets...

new backgrounds...

new stencils...

new Stamp-it Stencil-its...

new mat minis...

here's 2 for today...

they are small peeks...

but they have lots of NEW stuff hiding there...

if you haven't played with clearly for art and newsprint...

you might want to try it...

just use glue n seal to add the newsprint to the CFA, then stamp on the newsprint side...

most times I use jet black archival...

I have use it on 99% of my samples...

it's inexpensive, it creates great dimension, it's easy to layer...

and

it withstands the PO, if it's used on a card...

 I LOVE that it allows stamping and cutting of fragile designs...

 they stay strong & won't bend to break...

that's it for today...

have a good one my friends!

time for me to...

make (MORE) art!

wendy

holiday gift card box...

today I have a tutorial on the Ranger blog, 

sharing how to create this little box...

it's perfect for gift cards, small gifts or $$$!

the plaid is made with my Yikes stripes stencil...

its 's easy way to make a multicolored plaid!

 the mat mini holly/berries add just a little dimension...

you'll find the

scoop here...

get ready to...

make art!

wendy

ps...Ok...

I'll post another peek tomorrow!

and the winner is...

but first...

THANK YOU 

from the bottom of my heart,

 for all the birthday wishes!

I was blown away by all the comments on Facebook...

I did read them all, but couldn't hit LIKE on all 500+...

I did that last year and ended up in Facebook jail!

someone there thought I was a robot commenter...

how bloody rude!

again...

thanks so much...

it's true...

art can change strangers into great friends...

so, back to the giveaway...

Rick drew the winner & he'll get a package off to...

 Mel Roberts-Hareld said...

I was just there, last week! Yes, MA'AM! I can vouch for 

Carolyn having everything anyone might need! (I sure hope

 you DO come back for another class!!!)

December 13, 2015 at 1:42 PM

 

Mel...please email your shipping info...

moving on...

this was a frequent comment...

for the folks who do not SEE

the mat mini pine trees 

being used for non holiday art...

stay tuned...

they really can be used all year round...

I'll use them & show you soon...

psst...

they're on sale...so grab them!

I'll see you tomorrow with a tutorial for 

a very quick & easy...

but CUTE

way to present gift cards...

tomorrow we'll

make art!

wendy

ps...

do you want to see snippet PEEKS

 of new things coming out at CHA

or do you not like the torture? lol...

just what I like...
nice & blurry...

tell me...

it's your call...

celebrating with The Crafty Scrapper...

hello friends and 

Merry Christmas to you...

today I'm a guest over on 

the Crafty Scrapper blog...

Carolyn invited me to participate in their 12 tags of Christmas posts and since I've experienced their southern hospitality many times, 

I was happy to play along...

PS...there are PRIZES!!!

if you're in the Waxahachie, Texas area, 

I'm certain that Carolyn has all the supplies needed to create this tag & you'll also find tons of inspiration in the store...

she also has a GREAT helpful staff...

and

their new location is fabulous!

(I just MIGHT see you in the classroom in 2016)

since the holidays are fast approaching & time seems to be flying by, I wanted a simple tag that really can be a quick creation...

this same concept would make a fun card too...

I started with a #8 manila tag, cut to 5 ½ inches tall...

I inked over the tag with these archival ink colors...

sky blue, cornflower blue and 

then added shading with potting soil...

in the photo below, you'll see that I have added washi tape to my distress sprayer...

this is my reminder that this sprayer contains rubbing alcohol...

my sprayer without the tape is plain water...

I use that with distress inks...

ok...

I misted the alcohol onto my craft sheet & pressed the old wood floor background stamp into the alcohol, just once, then stamped over my tag...

you'll see that the rubbing alcohol lightens and removes some of the archival ink...

(water will not work, since archival inks are waterproof)

next, I stuck the industrious sticker frame right onto to the craft sheet and swiped 

the tree branch archival pad

 over it to change it from silver to a gold-ish finish...

once dry, it's on there & doesn't rub off...

BUT...

if you change your mind, rubbing alcohol will remove the color  and you can easily change the color to another one...

M A G I C!

next, I used jet black to stamp the sentiment right under the reinforcer and then added the frame below it...

I used the blending tool with 

tree branch archival ink 

to color 2 small & one large mat mini pine tree...

I'll be using these trees for non-holiday art too...

they're only a Christmas tree, if you want them to be...

otherwise, they're an everyday green tree...

I used the ground espresso distress marker to color the tree trunks...

I used potting soil to stamp the polka dots over the large tree...

and the potting soil again, but with the vintage text background to add interest to the 2 small trees...

to add some bling, I misted over them with sunflower sparkle perfect pearls mist and dried them...

to age the mirrored stars, one drop of

 mushroom alcohol ink does it!

you can see the sparkle on the trees in the photo...

oopsie...

I forgot to take a photo, but you'll see that I added my white embossing paste to the bottom of the tag and while the paste was wet, I sprinkled on rock candy distress glitter...

it makes the perfect snow bank & the glitter is firmly attached to the white embossing paste...

now the paste is dry and I can work on the top of the tag...

here's another way to use the spatter stamp from the faux graniteware starter kit...

lightly rub the mini collage glue stick over the stamp, then stamp randomly over the top of the tag...

 sprinkle on the rock candy distress glitter while the glue stick is wet...

clean the stamp with water & no harm was done...

this makes the best tiny glitter snowflakes...

and it's another way to use the spatter stamp...

I  love to use the tarnished brass distress paint dabber to add an edge to tags...

it's a nice/simple/quick/easy finishing touch...

I used multi medium to add the 2 small trees directly to the tag...

and I used the black adhesive foam to add the larger tree...

I LOVE this stuff...

it's a very strong adhesive, with the bonus of a little dimension...

I created a tiny twine bow...

but the light color got lost in the snow...

ground espresso distress spray stain to the rescue...

and now I have a bow that stands out...

the spray stains can change ribbons/twine to any color you need...

cool stuff !

a little multi medium holds the bow in place...

I added a little pen stitching detail to the tag edges and here's my finished tag...

seriously,

the longest part is waiting for the paste to dry!

thanks so much for stopping by and thanks to Carolyn for the invite!

pop over to their blog for more Christmas tag inspiration...

and to enter their giveaways...

I hope you have time to...

make art!

wendy

WAIT...

leave a comment and I'll send this tag plus a "little something" to a random commenter.

I'll give you until 7am on Tuesday (Chicago time) and then Rick will choose a winner...