merry Christmas!

hello and

happy halloween eve!

I know...it's been a while...

yikes!

we took off for a 10 day get-away

 to celebrate our anniversary...

we had fun...

and before that it was finalizing 

NEW STAMPS & stuff for CHA January...

S U P E R  F U N!

so, that's where I've been...

normal blogging

 is now on the schedule...

before moving on to the little art, 

I need to update my schedule...

I started getting questions about attending the OOAK stamping convention, 

at the Alliant Energy Center,

 in Madison, Wisconsin...

I replied to at least 10 people & said it was not on my schedule...

but...

change of plans...

now it is!

so I'll be there November 20, 21 & 22nd demoing and 

doing a make & take 

for the event on Friday evening...

I hope you can plan to come see us!

ok...

I know it's halloween eve...

but Christmas is really my favorite holiday, 

so...

here's a fun little holiday art for you today...

instead of sending a card, I thought it would be fun to make little "arts" that can sit on a shelf...

or they could be hung on the tree 

with a hinge clip...

 magic mat board is a nice sturdy, 

lightweight surface to work on & 

it likes paints, embossing powders & 

both distress and archival inks, very well...

you get a 6 x 12 inch sheet of white and 

a 6 x 12 sheet of black in the package...

for a REALLY great price...

here's the steps...

cut a piece of white magic mat board

 to 3 x 4 inches...

cut a piece of black magic mat board 

to 3 ¼ x 4 ¼ inches...

swipe the cornflower blue archival pad onto the craft sheet, add rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol and mix the ink into the alcohol with a palette knife...

place the white mat board 

into the inky solution & dry...

lightly ink the script stamp with 

tree branch archival and

 stamp over the base...

use the happy holidays stencil 

to stencil the large tree 3 times, 

using fern green archival...

make sure to vary the heights of the tree...

ink the spatter stamp 

(it comes in the faux graniteware starter set)

with glacier white pigment ink & stamp over the base & dry...

ink the large black mat mini pine tree with 

fern green archival, then sprinkle with 

fern green embossing powder & 

heat to melt the powder...

ink the spatter stamp with glacier white 

and stamp over the tree, then dry...

use jet black archival to stencil

merry christmas at the top...

it's easy to add a snow bank to the bottom, 

using white embossing paste...

sprinkle with rock candy distress glitter, 

while the paste is still wet...

glue the mat mini pine tree to the base and add

 a mirrored star to the tree top...

to create the little bird...

use the custom brick embossing powder...

here's the recipe...

mix one scoop of red geranium embossing powder with one scoop of orange blossom embossing powder and add 1/2 scoop of watering can embossing powder and then mix in 2 scoops of frosted crystal embossing powder...

ink a manila scrap with

red geranium archival ink & 

sprinkle with the brick powder, 

while the ink is wet...

heat to melt the powder, 

then use tim's bird punch 

to create a custom little bird...

this is a great way to use those scraps & create custom perfectly coordinated embellishments...

add the bird to the left side of the snow bank...

add a black glaze pen dot to create his eye...

then mount the white base onto

 the black magic mat board base,

 to act as a frame...

you can write your greeting on the back with a metallic or white pen...

or use one of the metallic distress paints to 

stamp a sentiment...

or you could stamp or stencil it,

 using glacier white...

it shows up very well on dark surfaces...

here's the finished piece...

take a closer look at

 the different textures on this piece...

you can see that the 

custom brick embossing powder 

creates a 

 very textured surface on the bird...

and it's much more matte than the embossing powder on the pine tree...

that's because of the 

frosted crystal embossing powder...

it's a jar of magic, because it doubles your embossing powder options...

 it can be mixed with any of 

the colored embossing powders 

to change them from shiny to more matte, 

and it adds texture too...

just mix equal parts of colored powder with the frosted crystal...

I store the "frosted" powders

 in these little jars...

the faux graniteware tree has a smooth shiny surface...

and the embossing paste sprinkled with 

the rock candy glitter

 makes the best authentic snow!

it's a bonus that the glitter sticks to the paste very well & stays put...

so...think about it...

instead of sending a card...

you might want to try this...

I hope YOU have fun and...

make art!

wendy

ps...I thought about saying...

GO BEARS...

but I think it's a hopeless situation again this year...

we fell in LOVE...

with England!

we had an amazing trip with 25 art friends (plus Rick, Jim & myself) on our tour...

THANKS to JIM WEST for a wonderful time!

Jim arranged for lovely very comfy hotel rooms for our workshops...
for this one, we created an 8 inch square canvas using fragments, correspondence papers, remnant rubs, custom flair buttons, & found treasures, that they collected...

here's the sample I made before we went, to give them a starting point & to share my idea...

comfy beautiful classroom...

in this class we created an art parts etched journal to remember our trip...

each guest got a 2 part custom Union Jack stencil to use on their covers...

and another custom stencil with the places we visited & some words that fit our trip...

we used both archival and mini distress inks...

and each customized & personalized their covers...

this is mine...

here's some classroom photos, that Rick took...

this was one of my fav pages...

I die cut tim's Sixxiz tea cup & saucer from black magic mat board & we used 

the faux graniteware technique...

perfect for a visit to England...

the flowers were abundant & so beautiful...

around every corner there were more to see...

apparently, THE QUEEN loves red geraniums too!

she didn't invite us in for tea...

oh well...her loss! haha!

favorite places?
Rick & I both agree we fell in love with Bath & Burton on the Water...
I'd buy a home in either place in a heartbeat!

fabulous scenery...
both are cute quaint towns...

I'll swipe some photos from him & show them another day...

our London class was another highlight of the trip...
I got to meet 40 arty UK friends & spend the day with them...
SO FUN!

I need to find some photos from that class, but I found some links that I think you might like that share the day and our project...

check out...

Brenda Brown's blog post...
I think you'll recognize some faces...

and...

this is Jane's blog post...

Jane too has lots of photos of folks I bet you know!

***EDIT***
 I just got this link from Sarah and Sue...
here's their blog post...
it has more photos...

I find it amazing that art can change 
complete strangers into friends!

ok...

gotta run...
got a long list to accomplish...

the next trip will involve kleenex...
LOTS of kleenex...

we're headed to Iowa to my niece's wedding...
which explains the dress shopping a few weeks ago...

what an adorable couple!

so that's it...

we went to England to...

make art!
wendy
ps...I missed YOU!

more Q & A's...

hello friends!

I have gotten a few questions recently & I thought I'd answer them here today before I move on to a little art...

#1...I took your advice & bought the jet black archival pad. I'm very impressed with how it stamps & now I'm ready to get your colors. Before I start collecting, I'm wondering if your colors come in the larger pad, like the black I bought? Any plans to add larger pads, if they are not currently available, I didn't see any? I think I'd like my pads to be all the same size.

we have no plans to change...

I like that this size ink pad 

fits my hands very well...

I like the size because I like to lay my stamp flat on my table & tap the ink pad onto the stamp, as opposed to tapping the stamp onto the ink pad...

so...short answer...

no plans for a larger size pad in my colors...

#2...When can we expect to see 

your new stamps and stencils? 

I'm so loving and enjoying using your SiSis so much...talk about a quick make.

THANKS! I do love them too!

I don't have an exact release date...

but probably late August...

I'm expecting them to be here mid August & I'll need some time to make some samples...

but...shhh...

you just might see...

3 new stamp sets...

possibly with flowers...

3 new A D O R A B L E SiSis...

I'm dying to get them...

2 new large background stamps

always useful...

2 new mat minis...

oh boy...they are super cute & so fun for cards...

I have samples done with them...F U N!

#3...If you take requests for stamp ideas, I'd love you to consider a paisley background with a small repeating pattern.

sorry...not happening...

I never connected with that pattern...

probably because they remind me of sperm...lol...

sorry...you asked!

#4...Do you ever travel to the west coast to teach?

I can travel 4 to 5 hours, but all the way to the east coast just isn't in the budget...

my schedule is always updated on the right sidebar...

you'll also find the Ranger designers schedule on the Ranger site...

check here...

thanks for asking!

I am teaching for the FIRST TIME

 in Los Gatos, California in August...

I'm super excited to be invited to 

The Creative Escape!

Laurie has moved her store 

to a new location & rumor is...

it's FABULOUS!...

I CAN NOT WAIT!

here's the scoop on 

the Saturday class...

and here's 

the Sunday info...

hope to see you in sunny California!

come & we'll MAKE ART!

#4...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make potting soil embossing powder.

yes...I agree...

potting soil would be A W E S O M E!

the end...

#5... I need clarification of the ink types. 

Can you point me to a source?

Can dye inks be used for embossing or is it only pigments? I guess that's really my main question.

I did a whole post about inks awhile back, 

because this is a recurring question...

it seems that I get pretty much the same question about inks every week or so...

I'm not sure exactly where 

the confusing info is originating,

so, please feel free

 to pass this info on to your arty friends...

here's the link to that post, 

which explains the ink basics and 

more about my favorite inks...

the post talks about

what they do...

what they don't do...

what to use WITH them...

how & why they work so well together...

why you can't give one answer

 that pertains to ALL dye inks...

again...you can read that post here...

and you'll quickly see

 that not all dye inks are the same...

distress & archival are both DYE inks, 

but what makes them different & unique is their BASE...

check out that post for the full scoop...

#6...Happy Forth of July! Love your centerpiece on the table. Is that all faux graniteware? You were busy if it is. 

she was referring to this photo I had on instagram...

lol...NO way!

it's what I like to collect...

I love the authentic old blue stuff...

and...

 that's what inspired me to figure out

 the faux graniteware technique...

give it a go...

it's addicting & so E A S Y & to upcycle things you might otherwise toss in the trash...

#7...I found you on Periscope after I checked it out via Tim. I'm waiting to see you...

lol...yes...I signed up...

then I realized that there are no re-dos & I think I sound like a chipmunk sometimes...

yikes!

but I'll have a mojito...

get my brave on & do one soon!

or...soon-ish...

I guess the GOOD thing is 

that if it's really goofy,

the video is gone after 24 hours...

lol...

if you have more questions, ask away & I'll do my best to answer them...

to understand inks, please check out the post I talked about above...

here's a peek at some fun play...

it's a page for my flip frame, using the rose SiSi and the mat mini vase...

the rose is actually completely flat...

the iced spruce distress marker

 adds great shading & makes it look dimensional......

I was trying to achieve a watercolor effect with the rose...

the flower was colored with red geranium archival ink (swiped onto the craft sheet) & rubbing alcohol, (from the craft sheet) using the detailer water brush...dried, then I added the tattered rose distress marker over the dried archival ink...

YES...that works!

I'll be doing this again & next time I will take step out photos, to explain how it worked...

love the sentiment...

I REALLY love the lace border used 2 ways...

I used it partially at the top, 

then turned the stamp upside down & 

I used a small portion 

to create a border at the bottom...

it's stamped with watering can...

the old ledger stencil is a great way to add a little more interest to the background...

watering can keeps it in the background...

save the jet black for your main images or sentiment...

keep in mind that this page 

could easily be changed into a card...

ok...

that's it for now...

back to kit making central!

we need kits to...

make art!

wendy

it's JULY?

seriously?

how did that happen?

June was VERY busy here...

we made LOTS of class kits...

LOTS...

I was in Texas for 10 days to teach at The Crafty Scrapper and then to demo in the Stampers Anonymous booth at the Great American Scrapbook convention in Arlington, Texas...

fun 10 days!

it wasn't all ink & art this trip...

I got to S H O P...

and S H O P we did!

soooo F U N!

if you follow me on Facebook or instagram, you may have seen the evidence...

I'm loving imstagram...

it's quick, easy & there are no limits on the number of words you can use...

after shopping,

I made new friends at UPS...

they packed & shipped for me...

everything arrived in perfect condition...

once I got home it was back to 

TOP SECRET assignments, 

designing NEW stuff (YIPPEE) and 

getting ready for our England trip...

supplies are arriving and kits are in the works

 for both the tour and 

the London class...

we're expecting to have a ROYAL time!

and this is super exciting...

I get to meet 40 of my UK internet art friends 

IN PERSON in the London class!

CAN  NOT  WAIT!

since it is a new month, 

Kim has given us a new challenge...

we are to use polka dots!

that's easy and it can be interpreted many ways...

will you use the spatter stamp to create dots for the faux graniteware technique?

like this...

I added dots to my card with 

the Sakura black glaze pen...

I added dots to the tiny flower centers 

on the hydrangea...

and I also added them to accent

 the add a stencil background...

remember...

you don't always need to use the whole background stamp...

I used just a portion of the plaid background to add borders at the top and bottom of this card...

the dimensional flowers are made with

 clearly for art

 that has been covered with

my newsprint, 

using my FAV glue n seal...

trust me...

it's a fabulous product!

the flower pots are the new mat minis...

I included both black & white pots in the set...

I really like to use the black pots best for 

the faux graniteware technique 

and the white pots are perfect for showing off beautiful distress and archival ink colors...

if you haven't tried the new mat minis...

the material is super lightweight, 

but quite strong...

they're perfect for cards, 

art journal pages and mixed media art!

the stenciled sentiment is from

 the all occasions stencil...

lots of good words on that stencil to mix & match...

I changed up the hosta stamp...

now it looks like a little plant in the pot...

 I just chopped off the flower...

Linda from The Funky Junkie 

is our challenge sponsor this month...

THANKS LINDA!

BREAKING NEWS...

I just got an email from Linda & 

ALL 

STAMPERS ANONYMOUS STAMPS

are on S A L E!!!

in addition to the usual 20% off, 

 she is giving us

 an additional 15% off

thru Monday, July 6th!

so if it's rubber and it's made by Ted, 

it's on sale...

that's all my stamps...

all tim's stamps...

all of dyan's stamps ...

dinas stamps and

bretts stamps too...

this link 

will take you to 

ALL the SALE stamps, 

even the wood mounted ones...

 rubber stamps are fun to use when you...

make art!

wendy