with love, from me to YOU...

as a special THANK YOU for being blog friends...

and...

for all the wonderful comments you leave...(hint)

I have a valentine tutorial, just for you!

I'll show you how to use Ranger's pigment inks to make an easy awesome background and I'll show you a completed valentine tag...

studio 490 style...

The pigment inks are a quick drying pigment ink, that provide opaque coverage. So, they are perfect for quickly inking chipboard or grunge.

They'll air dry on porous surfaces in about 15 minutes...

or if you're like me...impatient...

just blast them with the heat-it craft tool for a few seconds and you're ready to move on.

So that's one way to use the inks...to provide complete coverage.

But I found another way to use them, for a totally different look.

This technique can also be done with the Distress inks, but because they are transparent and pigments are opague...
you'll see that the look is very different with each.

Using the pigment gives a chalky look, that I really like...
Let's go!

Make sure to work on your Ranger non stick craft sheet.

To make the Perfect Pearls mist, add a small bit (what fits on the end of a popcycle stick) to an empty mini mister & fill 3/4 full with water. Shake to mix.

Perfect pearls are set with water, so they won't rub off & no special stinky fixatives are needed.

For this sample, I used Sunflower Sparkle Perfect Pearls and Ranger's Red Pepper & Denim pigment inks.




2. Lightly swipe the ink pads onto the craft sheet, placing the inks close together.

Just a light touch is all it takes...

it should look like this...



3. Shake the Perfect Pearls solution to mix, then mist the inks to create dots of color to look like this...



4. Place a manila tag over the area & swipe your hand across the back of the tag.

DO NOT drag the tag thru the color...

that will mix the inks & make mud. trust me!

DRY with the heat it craft tool & the tag will look like this, with a base coat of color.

Nothing exciting yet...
but this technique is about adding layers to create interest...




5. Lightly tap the tag onto the remaining ink dots & pick them up.


DRY...repeat picking up the ink dots until you are satisfied with the background.
Dry between adding layers.

STOP when you like it...

if you go too far, you KILL it & calling 911 will do you no good! trust me!


It will look like this...notice the bling from the Perfect Pearls.



6. Using red pepper again, stamp the scallop 3 times as shown.

DRY with heat tool.

I designed the scallop stamp as a time saver.

Instead of rethreading the sewing machine each time I wanted a new color...now it's simple...

I just change the color of the ink!

7. Using denim, stamp the register stamp & dry, with the heat tool.



8. Trim the bottom of the tag along the scallop, to make a scalloped edged tag. It's so EASY...& I LOVE the look!


Use the gold Paint Dabber to edge the tag.


I chose gold...but other coordinating dabber colors would be fine too.





9. Using jet black archival, stamp "with love" @ the bottom of the text.

10. Next, grab a scrap of grungepaper and stamp the heart, using jet black archival.

Cut out the studio 490 heart.

11. Using the ink blending tool, lightly TAP the blending tool onto the red pepper pad.

Don't rub...just tap lightly...pigment pads are foam.

***Use just a bit of ink...remember the pigments are opaque, so use just a bit. Too much covers up the stamped image***

You can always go back & add more.

another...trust me!

12. Stamp the 2 mini flowers on grungepaper scraps with jet black archival & cut out.

Using denim, lightly apply ink with the ink blending tool.

Use jet black archival to stamp the register stamp over the flowers.

13. Using olive archival, stamp the leaves onto grungeboard scraps.

Cut out & ink with peeled paint, on the front & back.

Curl each petal to shape.

Stamp just the leaves from this flower, using jet black archival, onto a scrap of grungepaper.

Cut out, ink with peeled paint (front & back) and overstamp with a background stamp and jet black archival.

sorry...no photo...someone?? deleted it accidently! duh...

14. Assemble as shown.

Add a threaded vintage button for the flower center.

The finishing embellishments are a mini heart pin, from Maya Road and a bit of gingham ribbon, also from Maya Road.

Pen stitch around the edge of the tag.

Here's a close-up...

15. and the finished tag...
for that special someone...

Once again...thank you for being blog friends!

I hope this was fun...

now get those supplies & stamps out and...

make (valentine) art!

wendy

ps...some teaching locations have been updated.

Check the right sidebar.

Linda did it again and other stuff...

We'll start with a UK friend...Linda Elbourne...
the guest artist for today...

She sent me a photo of her project & I have to say...
WOW!
Linda was TOTALLY thinking outside the box for sure...

I asked her to give us a few tips & hints...
here's what she has to say...

When I look at Wendy's stamps I see something different every time ... they are so well designed ... they fit any style and virtually any project ... full of endless possibilities!

When I saw the scalloped edge stamp ... my first thought was edging and binding and books and corsets ... that inspired the corset ties around my bean tins ...

Lin Brown from LB Crafts[UK] gave me a little wooden bird house to alter ... and I love TSS metal and I wanted depth and I wanted the house to look homely ...
well that is when the idea jumped out at me ...
roof tiles ... rounded ones ...
and my Studio 490 stamps are always always always to hand! So out came the grunge paper to make the TSS metal flexible enough to curl ...

I stamped the scalloped stamp 26 times on the grunge ... stuck the grunge to the metal with humungo tape ... cut them out and then all that was left was to put a wheely pattern around the edge of each piece ...

Wendy's stamps did all the real work ...
that lady sure knows how to put the FUN in MAKE ART!

And I think you'll agree...
LINDA makes GREAT art!
take a look...
all of these...


Make this...
How cool...
Not exactly what I had in mind when I designed that stamp...

But...that's what's so fun about stamping...
each person sees something different...
and as you see...
stamps aren't just for paper!

THANKS for sharing LINDA...it's awesome...

POP over to her blog...

she's got lots of fun projects there & she is funny too!

*

Here's something you may not have seen before...

the 2 scroll stamps from this set...

joined together perfectly to make a heart!

*

they are also a flower stem & more...

My tip is not as over the top like Linda's...

but it's another way to use your stamps.

Here are answers to a few questions...

please help me. I have looked high & low for the maya road canvas album you posted a while ago?

Maybe a month or 2? It's exactly what I want.

Here you go...as of yesterday, they were in stock here.

*

Next...

How long before you show us the stamps? My heart can't take the stress...

Plus...i'd like to let hubby know what I want for Christmas.

How many sets does he need to order this time? Same price?

Hmmm....

The stamps will be released @ CHA...late January.

I expect I'll show them a few days before that...

maybe a few peeks starting a few weeks before that...

*

gotta get the stamps...

and get the art...made first.

As for how many sets....

I think I'll save that info for a contest...like in late January!

As for the price...some are the same..

some are LESS!

Think about that tiny tidbit of info.

*

BUT...YIPPEE!!

MY PART IS DONE! The images are done...

the sets are all named...

*

I stuck with the word ART in each set...kind of a security blanket...

plus I LOVE the word art...

*

The wood mounted stamps are all chosen & named...

they each need a specific name for the catalog...

*

I'm DIEING to get them...soon I HOPE!

TED...are you listening? tell your guys to hurry!

*

It's one thing to see them on the monitor and another to have them in my hands & get them (& me) inky...

I'm so excited!

*

Next...

When are you coming to the east coast?? I'd love to be able to take more classes with you.

*

I'll join in with Patti ... come east, please? Well, at least east of IL? ;o)

*

Those minis are so cute!

Sounds like you had lots of fun at your class.

When are you coming to Maine?

*

Are you coming to Texas any time soon? We have heat here & plenty of it.

*

When are you coming to the UK? PLEASE think of your friends across the pond...

*

YIKES...The UK is REALLY FAR EAST! ha!

For sure I will be teaching in NY @ Buffalo Stamps & Stuff...

the date hasn't been decided just yet....but sometime in 2010.

As far as east coast teaching...

I'll also be in South Caroline again @ The Stamping Place...

I think that will be late August...

As far as Texas...maybe!

Maine? Haven't had any requests from any store owners there...

sorry...

Other teaching places & convention stuff are in the works...

My schedule is always posted on the right sidebar...

*

Another...

I want 2 books. One for me & one for a friend for her gift.

Do I have to pay you 2 shipping charges?

*

Good news...

NOPE...

2 books can ship in the same envelope for one shipping fee.

*

Last one...

do maya Road & ranger have new products coming too? can you share? we won't tell.

*

YES and NO!

Yes they both do...

*

can I share?

NO!!!!

They'd both KILL me ...

then who would do my blog?

*********

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Enjoy the day!

*

Eat lots, especially dessert...

it's all LOW CAL on holidays...

trust me...

take a nap...or watch football...

then...

make art!

wendy

ps...back on Friday.

By then hopefully I'll think of something to say.

remember...comments are good!

today...just random stuff

One of the things that's hard for me with this...

... job?

...work?

...play???

(whatever it is I do...) not sure what to call it...

is not sharing...

I've made art...but for now it's top secret CHA stuff...

not to be seen my anyone...

believe me...it kills me...

I like sharing...

I've discovered a few little fun things...

new ways to use products...

new ways to combine products...

but I guess that will have to wait...

So...my dilema...

How can I blog with no photos???

What CAN I share???

The agony of it all...

So...looking thru the archive for photos...

did I show you this?
it was my fragment art workshop from the cruise...

some studio 490 stamps, some papers...some embellishments...

the one on the far left...and the star on the second are
from a mini jenni bowlin bingo card...
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEE her stuff!

it's fun to layer fragments...like on #2...


those little black dots...
are from the Sakura Glaze pen...
I'm addicted...

the awesome pearl accents are from Prima...
they are so pretty........
our cruisers got them too...

They're fun to use as a whole or cut them up & use just bits & pieces...
like on the one to the right of "make art"...
and best of all...
they REALLY do stick very well!



Hmmm...what else?

I LOVE Southwest Airlines...
got my free round trip flight voucher yesterday & 4 drink coupons...
Life it good...

Did you know that for $10.00 each way you can get early check-in @ Southwest & good seats?
Well worth it in my opinion...

And bags fly free...
unless they weigh 90 pounds, like mine!
YIKES...that is NOT a good thing...

That's the end of that infomercial...

More randomness...

After much consideration...
we got Blackberries...
Hmmm...we just might even do texting and get into this century...

The main reason is above...so I can be notified via text message about flight changes...it certainly does no good to get them via email, when we're already on the road & headed toward the airport...
with no access to email...

So...MR TAX MAN...
it REALLY IS a business related expense...
HONEST! At least mine is...
Rick is on his own!

and...here's a little progress made...
while watching the world series...

remember this from the other day?...




It's almost there...
just need to get rid of those fuzzies...
and add a few more tiny accents...




The stitching isn't perfect...but I don't care...

I think I'll make several of these guys...
and this is how I'll present gift cards this Christmas...


They're FUN for me to make and a little something extra for the recipient...

and in other breaking news...
I got my first NEW STAMP IMAGES from Zach today...

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!

and I'll be sending more to him in a bit............

now when those come...
I just know I'll be so anxious to...

make art!
wendy