9/9/09

The title has NOTHING to do with this post...

I just thought it would be fun to type...9/9/09...
a once in a lifetime event!

Actually...maybe it does...

There are about 999 things on the TO-DO list...

I'm not complaining...it keeps me off the streets & out of the stores...

I have no time to SHOP!

Which explains why you've not seen any new shoes lately!

More Q & A...

You answered a question about the floral wire and wrap with the following: "Cloth covered wire is perfect. I have it in both green & brown. It's available @ JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby & Michaels (in the floral section)...but I've only found the brown @ JoAnn's in our area."Ok - what's "our area"?? Are your stamp sets sold in Joann's? I've never seen any of the good stuff in our Joann's!!!! Sorry, Joann......no offense!

NOPE...my stamps are NOT sold in JoAnn's.

They're only available thru your LSS, on line @ eclecticPaperie & other on line stores or directly from Stampers Anonymous. If you're lucky enough to have access to a convention featuring Stampers Anonymous, Ted has them there too.

"OUR area" is Oglesby, Illinois...we're about 100 miles south & west of Chicago...there's NOTHING cool here...

It's BORING!

MY LSS is 75 miles away...ONE WAY!

I'm happy to drive there SATURDAY to see my friends, do a book signing & teach a FULL grunge workshop! YIPPEE!

NEXT...

Just found your blog. How long does it take you to do a project? It takes me forever and they dont compare to yours.

I'm VERY slow, which is not a good thing when you have a 999 item TO-DO list.

It's rare that I can get a project done quickly.

A really detailed mini book... for example...

a Maya Road CHA project, can take me all week...like 25-30 hours, to get it to the point where I'm satisfied.

Even a simple card can take me several hours.

Next question...

p.s. My book came yesterday!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE it! And one of the best things that I love is the stamp index - that is cool! Are there binders to fit Studio 490 stamps and the book? I'm missing them if so...

The answer is simple...You can't find it, because...

I FORGOT to include them in the book.

GEEZ!!!!

BIG...DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that the book is arriving...I got this question like 8 times...

I TOTALLY overlooked it...

YIKES!! SO SORRY!

ANYWAY...

The acrylic storage binders are available here , LSS's and directly thru Stampers Anonymous, click on Accessories & then the category is...STORAGE.

Next...

hello...I picked up my binder @ the convention ...now what?
do you have any tips for me?

where do I start so the glue goesn't show?

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Here's what works for me...

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I'll choose the paper I want to use, cut it to the size I want & lay it under the front cover....but NOT use any adhesive yet.

Then...I'll embellish the front and adhere everything onto the front.

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Then, turn the cover over & you can see exactly where to place the adhesive to hide it.

Any place that has an embellishment will get some adhesive, to hold the paper in place.

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Depending on the paper you choose, you may want to glue 2 papers together & then cut them for a perfect fit, if your paper isn't double sided.

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It's fun to stitch them together too, like I did on this first one.

On the binder below...I also stamped the cover.

I used jet black archival & heat set it.

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It's been shipped all over the country & it's held up very well.

Depending on the stamp you choose, you could also stamp INSIDE the cover to protect it even more.

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But remember...

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word stamps will be backwards...if stamped inside the cover...

designs work better.

This paper is from K & Co.

The embellishments are made from grungeboard & grungepaper.

This next binder holds my second stamp release...

I pieced lots of different graphic 45 papers together...

I wanted a quilt like look...

The ink colors are peeled paint, brushed corduroy, vintage photo and mustard seed... with a little bit of one of the browns over it.

The large scroll is grungeboard from this set.

And the newest 7 sets are stored in this last binder...

I mixed some Jenni Bowlin & graphic 45 papers...

The ink colors are brushed corduroy and broken china.

The flowers are all grungepaper.

The scroll is grungeboard, already die cut.

If you have the binders...I hope this info helps.

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SHOW us what yours look like!
We'd LOVE to see them!

Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments & emails about my book.

You have made us VERY HAPPY!

From the bottom of my heart...

a HUGE...

THANK YOU!

Now...

go...

make art!

wendy

ps...keep those comments coming...

we'll give away a book...sometime...randomly!

3 C's...a contest, a cube & some comments

First...the contest.

Maya Road is sponsoring a wonderful HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS contest. Not only do entries have a chance to win $250 of Maya Road product...but for each entry, Maya Road will contribute $5 to Habitat for Humanity. Pretty cool.

Now here's a little twist...If any of the winners are studio 490 blog readers and friends...you'll get an extra GOODIE package from me.

You gotta enter to win...

Check out the rules of the "road" here.

Second...The cube...

Kate, from Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, Ma, requested a holiday decor item as one of the classes for her customers. I'll be there again on Nov 1 & 2.

Here's what we'll be making in one of the classes...




It starts out with a cool cube from K & Co. After we ink it, stamp it, grunge it and add chipboard, it will look like this.........




And this...



Totally dimensional...totally fun. This is a piece that you'll be happy to bring out every year.

Or...if you need a gift... How about a cube??

Don't miss out. Sign ups will be starting soon. We'll also be making another new project. A Maya Road mini book that's so loaded with embellishments that it won't close.

The other 2 classes use lots of grungeboard. We'll make a holiday hanging & a wreathe. Should be a very fun inky weekend.

Now a few random comments...

I've gotten a ton of emails about STUDIOS. THANK YOU so much!

And for those of you who asked...YES...the drawers are full. YIKES!! Stamps, chipboard, embellishments and lots of fun vintage type stuff that I've collected. I'll open some drawers & show more in a future post.

What does the rest of your house look like?

Pretty much the same as the studio. We have drawers & vintage stuff in every room. Same colors...black, brown, khaki & red leather furniture. Several hoosier cabinets. We both LOVE vintage. Bet you couldn't guess that.....

Here's a shot looking into the studio from the kitchen...



For those of you still looking for the STUDIOS issue....... it's @ JoAnn's and Barnes & Noble for sure.

BUT...I'm giving away a copy here. Come back...

Details coming this Wednesday.

Another comment...I may have to call my lawyer... GEEZ!

APPLEBEE'S has discontinued my most favorite Mac & Cheese. How dare they??

What were they thinking? That's why we go there..MAC & CHEESE!

I could eat noodles 3 meals a day. The cute waitress said she had lots of disappointed customers.


NO KIDDING!! Count me as one of them...........

So.........in my spare time, I think I'll launch an attempt to get them to change their mind.

APPLEBEE'S.....please...BRING BACK THE MAC!!

If you have a second...email them for me!

Thanks!
Enjoy your day & get going on those houses.
wendy

Goin for the grunge!

The keepsake box isn't new...but the butterfly stamp is. I wanted a really dimensional piece and grungeboard was the perfect choice.


Here's the inside, which shows Maya Road's new chipboard butterfly, that is a perfect fit for the butterfly stamp. Didn't use it though...I'm loving the calendar stamp as a background....AGAIN!

Here's a closer look...

The knob & the metal trim are made by 7 gypsies...both are totally COOL! I used up some scraps of the K & Co paper that were left from another project.

I'll be back tomorrow with the contest details and some info on classes in Bloomington Illinois, St. Louis Missouri and Rockford, Illinois. Yep...March is REALLY busy. I LOVE IT!

Cheers!
Wendy

I played and made this, shopping alert & other random news

I have been drooling over this one lonely flower since the day it arrived about 6 weeks ago. I only got one of the "jewel ribbon blossoms" in my Maya Road goodie box and it was making me crazy trying to find just the right spot for it. Yesterday I decided to actually USE it & not hoard it, just so I could admire it. This is by far THE COOLEST/classiest ribbon flower on the market. Trust me...I do know flowers!



I started by swiping a sheer round scallop page with a Peach Bellini dabber. How cool is that name? Sounds like a dessert & makes me want a huge bowl...anyway...back on track.....

Once again...more of the trinkets elements metal flowers and blossoms, scrolls from the Vineyard tin, and the stamp is from my friend Rachel Greig. I got that baby and the one on the back, personally delivered @ CHA last summer. The background is one of my most favorite/most used Stampers Anonymous stamps...newspaper scraps # U2-943. LOVE it!

I used a journaling piece from K & Co as the base for the thanks stamp.

Here's the back. The number border stamp on the bottom is also from Rachel. The stamped round chipboard is from the Maya Road foundations tin.



Now here's what you REALLY need to see...a closeup of this jewel ribbon blossom. Do you agree?? TO DIE FOR BEAUTIFUL??





Now for the random news.......

I just tracked my box of CHA samples...MEMPHIS?? WHAT??? That's the wrong way, Mr Fed-Ex...California is WEST! SCARRY!!

I talked to ART GODDESS Robin Beam the other day & got this Ranger CHA scoop...

They are coming out with a new pigment ink! Adirondack Pigment Ink Stamp Pads will start out with the coordinating Lights/Brights/Earthtones for the following colors: Cranberry/TerraCotta/Butterscotch/Bottle/Denim/Eggplant/Pitch Black & SnowCap. She loves them & told me they are perfect on chipboard. You apply them with the same Inkssentials blending tool that's used for the distress inks. Definitely added to my shopping list.

Ranger will also be selling an Inkssentials Craft Spinner, which will hold eight of the Inkssentials Blending Tools and tidy up your work space. CHECK... on my shopping list too. I like tidy.

Check out Robin's blog to see what cool things she's doing...

HERE IT COMES......................

*** SHOPPING ALERT***



*** SHOPPING ALERT***

If I haven't given you enough ideas for spending your $$, here's another. I have no affiliation, nor do I know her...but I LOVE this book. TONS of eye candy. You can find it here. It's well worth your $$.


5 days 'til I head WEST...yikes...still have plenty to do.
I better get going on more business cards.


I hope you've enjoyed these samples & that they inspire you. Use them as a starting point, add your style and...

MAKE ART!
Wendy

Happy Birthday to MY MASTER, a little art & some REALLY exciting news...

Happy Birthday to my friend & mentor...LISA PACE! She's co ordinator of our DT @ Maya Road and has the really big task of keeping us all in line! I hope this arrives in Texas today...HAPPY BD LISA!! She's 43, if you NEED to know that & a Memory Makers Master for 2008. She teases me about having an accent...I live in Illinois...she lives in TEXAS...now who do you think has the accent?? HELLO...

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This is her BD tag. It started with a Maya Road 5 x 5 square chipboard book. What was really fun, was using the calendar stamps as a background on the MR letters. VERY fun. The tiny crown is from the motifs chipboard set & it was a perfect fit for U4-1149 Paper Scallop stamp from Stampers Anonymous. The background paper is my new favorite from K & Co & it's called Typography. I just bought 12 MORE sheets earlier this week. God forbid I run out...And, my latest addiction is pearls. For some unknown reason, I've been adding them to everything. It's odd how this art stuff works. Never used a pearl before...

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You can see the other tags created for Lisa here, on our DT blog.

Now for BREAKING NEWS...Stores will get their newsletters TODAY...showing ALL the COOL NEW PRODUCTS! We got a preview yesterday & I am sooooooooo excited. This is THE BEST RELEASE. There are TONS of WAY COOL products, with unlimited arting possibilities!! I can't wait to share WITH ALL OF YOU!!! So...come back...after the stores get the OFFICIAL word, we can spill the beans...It will be later TODAY...Link below!!! updated @ 10:45am.

***Here's the link*** you won't believe your eyes!!!!!

http://www.mayaroad.com/2008CHAWinter.htm

Check it out. Over 100 NEW exciting products!!! Don't forget...study hard. The contest is coming!

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Now you'll need to study this catalog...there's a BLOG CONTEST coming. I'll give you a head start. The contest will involve selecting which artwork on the cover & inside the catalog is mine...pay attention...the prize will be REALLY good!!

I'll be back with an update & a link to the catalog later!

Thanks again for visiting and a final HAPPY BIRTHDAY to LISA!! I hope your day is THE BEST EVER!

Wendy

ps...check out Tim's blog, & if you are an animal lover...please donate! I did!

How many favorites can a girl have??

Move over Faded Jeans...Here's my new favorite combo...Juniper paired with vintage photo.

I had a few of the paint dabbers before going to Ranger U, but didn't really use them a lot, since I was more INTO the distress inks. Now that I KNOW how to use them...I'm in LOVE! Here's a few tips we learned...

1. Always store them UPSIDE DOWN and shake before using, WITH THE LID ON...don't ask!! tim told some really funny stories...

2. To activate the dabber, press down (kind of hard) onto your craft sheet & squeeze @ the same time. This opens the valve & allows the paint to prime the dabber top. Once the flow starts, you're good to go. This sometimes takes 30 seconds or so. Be patient...some colors take longer than others. If it's a little hard to start, put just one squirt of water from the mini mister on your sheet. The water will help. Do not repeatedly slam it down on the craft sheet. This isn't enough time for the valve to open properly.

3. Dabbers are a no cleanup product. No brushes to wash out. Saves time ...for more arting. But, if needed, shake then remove the cap and it's ready to be used with a brush.

4. I wondered how scrapbookers got the cool looking dry brush paint look on their layouts. DUH...these guys are the perfect solution. Just swipe along the edges.

VITAL info for the photo above. I'm learning...give as many details as possible!

1. Cute chipboard scallop frame is from Maya Road.

2. Juniper paint dabber and vintage photo distress ink are from Ranger.

3. I LOVE this paper from K & Co.

Time to head to the studio.

Have a GREAT day!! Happy dabbing!!

Wendy