metal to the max...

once again I'll say...
I LOVE rubber stamps because they are so versatile...

We know we can use them on cardstock, chipboard & grunge...

Donna showed us earlier this week that they are very fun on fabric too...

Now Hels Sheridan has taken them to the max with Ten Seconds Studio metal...

I about fainted when I saw this...
It's BEAUTIFUL!



The metal rose is so cool...
but the heart really did me in...

I LOVE it...

She's lucky that she's in the UK...
or I'd run over while she was in the shower & swipe it...

She sent us a closer look...
with AMAZING details...
lots of texture from the metal & grunge...
each element is PERFECT & awesome......

How cool that my "art" stamp is a perfect fit in tim's ornate plate!



THANKS SO MUCH Hels...for sharing this...

Ok...I'm off to sunny California...

it's pouring rain here with lots of thunder & lightening...oh joy!

we get to shop a bit today and tomorrow morning too...I'm EXCITED!
I LOVE to SHOP!

I get to demo...I LOVE IT!

I get to see friends...I LOVE IT!

Remember the sale @ eclecticPaperie is good thru Sunday and as evidenced above...
stamps are versatile!

I'll be back on Tuesday...
no guarantees that I can post while I'm gone...
but I WILL TRY!

But hey...
I can TWEET! I'll do that with mini updates!

Have a great weekend.
I plan to...

make art! and shop! and get inky and see the sun...yippee!
wendy

tim's Sizzix stuff & a STAMP SALE!

I better start with a WARNING...

enabler alert (sale info) coming later in this post...
YOU HAVE been warned...
I'm just sayin...(warned)

OK...here's a card I made using several of tim's new Alterations dies...which are manufactured by Sizzix.

The yellow-ish cardstock base is cut with the Baroque die and it's stamped with my leafy background & butterscotch pigment ink.

The large flower is from the Tattered florals die...
it's stamped with my new plaid stamp & inked with red pepper pigment ink...

the small gear is PERFECT for flower centers...

I also used the smallest gear to make the mini flowers...
it's simple...
die cut...
ink...I used denim pigment...
stamp with any background stamp...I used this text...
fold in half & staple with the tiny attacher...
cover up the flower with the flower center...



The scroll/leafy grunge is also a Sizzix die called Vine with leaves...makes sense!

it's stamped with my polka dot background and olive archival ink.

The green paper is graphic 45, again overstamped with olive archival and my text background.

I think it looks kind of like a poppy!

oops one more thing...
the cute button is a new idea-ology button...YUM!

I leave for California early tomorrow morning...so I got a MILLION things to accomplish today, but I wanted to answer this question because I've gotten it several times in the last few days...

I took your ranger ink class @ the stamp convention, is the store class the same? Would I benefit by taking it again @ the store? Is it different?

The 2 classes are very different, because @ conventions we are limited to 2 hours (most times).
So...the Ranger ink class @ conventions is basically about distress inks/ blending tools... and we sneak in one pigment technique...
it's a VERY FUN (very INKY) class with 10 techniques.

The Ranger technique class for stores is 4 full inky hours ...
and since we have more time...
we can play with more techniques & more products.

Some of the products we use are distress inks, pigment inks, perfect pearls, archival inks, stickles & more...

So...if you're INTO inks like me...
the store class is REALLY inky fun.

It's probably my most requested & most FAVORITE class to teach.

Now about the STAMP SALE...
I copied this from the eclecticPaperie newsletter...

It starts out talking about tim's new book...then mine...
and both are included in the sale!
yippee!

Now here comes the enabler part...warning...

So, to celebrate these two new books by a couple of our favorite paper craft designers, both Tim Holtz and Studio 490(by Wendy Vecchi) stamps are on sale. Now through Sunday, March 14th, all Tim Holtz and Studio 490 stamps are on sale at 10% off their regular price. Pick up some older ones that you may have missed and pick up some new releases.

I'm off to pack demo stuff & a few clothes for the Carson CA, Stamp convention this weekend...
believe me..the demo stuff is way more important than clothes...

I'm excited to head to Carson again...
now that I've been there a few times...
it's really fun to see familiar faces....
and they have SUN in California!

And TRUST ME...
Ted will have the Stampers Anonymous booth LOADED with lots of cool NEW stuff...LOADED...
Hope to see you there!

Come back tomorrow for some AWESOME eye candy...
This piece totally blew me away...
I promise...you WILL be amazed!

that's tomorrow...
until then...

HAPPY SHOPPING...
buy lots so you have stuff to...

make art!
wendy

kissing rubber is fun...

this is an old technique that someone showed me a LONG time ago...

I had just discovered rubber stamping & I remember thinking it was MAGIC...
not sure who to give credit to...
but this is NOT an original idea from me...

Anyway...
this is a quick way to alter solid rubber stamp images...

It's simple...

just ink the stamp (fern)...

then press it onto a clean background stamp to remove some of the ink, which creates a subtle pattern...

Exhibit A...

this fern is stamped with olive archival...
the image is nice & solid...



Exhibit B...
the same fern stamp, kissed onto the un-inked houndstooth background...

to create this...




Exhibit C...

This time I kissed it onto the polka dot background...



I used the same fern stamp to make this tag...
click for a larger view to see the detail better...

The background is a combo of the new distress colors...
crushed olive, stormy sky & a bit of chipped sapphire...

After I had the background inked...

then I misted sunflower sparkle perfect pearls onto my craft sheet and stamped into it with the leafy background...& dried it.

I call this perfect stamping...

The Perfect Pearls/water removes & lightens the color...

I like the watercolor-ish (not clear & perfect) leafy look...

Ah ha...this shows it better...

The large flower is colored with Ranger's butterscotch pigment ink...

yep...PIGMENT...which is an awesome opaque ink right from the pad...

here's how...

Tap the pigment pad on your craft sheet...
mist with the mini mister & water...
or the mini mister & water with Perfect Pearls...if you like bling...

now just take your cut out, stamped flower image...

that was stamped with ARCHIVAL ink ...

(it must be waterproof...right?) ...

color the grunge image with the watery pigment ink...

just smoosh it around to ink...

heat to dry & done.

So now the pigment isn't opaque and you have a whole new lighter color pallette of pigment inks to choose from.

This is why I LOVE LOVE LOVE inks...

there are so many options...

OK...back to the kissing...I got carried away...
notice that the fern looks textured now??



I used the jet black archival & my text background to alter this velvet ribbon from Maya Road...

another presto...chango!
SIMPLE to alter & customize with archival ink & stamps.

That's it for today...
just typing this makes me want to go and...

make art!
wendy
ps...tomorrow more Sizzix gadget gears flowers...
see you then

goodies for me...goodies for you too!

This has all the makings of a good post...

if I say so myself...ha!

why you ask?

it has lots of FLOWERS...

an awesome surprise for me, that I get to share with YOU...

goodies for 2 of YOU...

and a COOL discovery...

but...

I need to go back to a few weeks ago...

to jog your memory...

Remember that Ranger donated all 12 of the new distress inks for a giveaway here...right?

Remember that Donna won...right?

Remember her winning story/comment...

Here is my story...I don't have a BARN DOOR to open and store my distress inks in. However...I would CRUSH OLIVES and eat FOREST MOSS. I would walk on TUMBLED GLASS while wearing my CHIPPED SAPPHIRE ring, carring BUNDLED SAGE with a STORMY SKY. After doing that I would have to use my PUMICE STONE on a RUSTY HINGE(and my feet). When I am done I will dress in my VICTORIAN VELVET and enjoy some SPUN SUGAR and WILD HONEY all while reading Wendy's blog. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

Now to the "goodies for me" part of the title...

I got a box delivered on Saturday from Donna...

YES...THAT Donna...(that explains the intro)

Here's what was inside...

I love the repurposing of the Ranger tape and making it so arty...GREAT IDEA!!!

I LOVE that she stamped my flower and leaf on...

fabric...

I LOVE the tag inside...

with the berry tree and scallop...

Now just imagine me saying yippee when I found this next BEAUTY in the box...

It's PERFECT for the studio or our family room...

I couldn't decide...

so it goes where I go...and I can look @ it LOTS...

Here's a close up of the cool flower...

it shows that stamps aren't just for paper & grunge...

OMG... even the BACK is CUTE!

Check it out...

And be watching Justin & Alain...

you have a package coming your way...

it's a THANK YOU from Donna, for your awesome donation.

*

THANK YOU so much DONNA...I LOVE IT MILLIONS!

*

Next topic...the jenni bowlin butterflies...

PHEW...that little project generated lots of questions about where to get them & what color choices are available...

*

I used the brown...

I ordered black...

I LOVE the red...ordered them too...

*

Other cool colors...pink, awesome orange & yummy navy...so there's something for any project.

*

Next fun discovery...

*

I am IN LOVE with this new gadget gears Sizzix die...

designed by tim...

It has LOTS of potential for fun...

Here's my take on the gears...

*

this mini brain snap woke me early this weekend..

I HAD to try it...

I made...

*

I bet you KNOW what's coming...

*

GADGET GEARS...

FLOWERS!

*

Here's one version...and I have another style to show later...stay tuned...

I was happy to see that the 'gears' make a cool center for my large flower...

This will be incorporated into a class...VERY soon.

it's just too much fun not to share...

*

And speaking of sharing..

I'm sure you came to see...

who the jenni bowlin winners are?

*

Drumroll...

the WINNER from the comments on jenni's inspiration blog is JULIE!...

julie said...

I'm new to the Jenni Bowlin product line but I really do love what Wendy Vecchi did with the products. Thank you Wendy for introducing me to Jenni Bowlin products! LOveLy, just LOveLy!
March 4, 2010 1:23 PM

*

and the winner from my blog is...

JACKIE!!!

jackie said...

you amaze me, the finished product is unmistakenly "YOU". your mind sees how things can be altered and morphed into a whole other style....LOVE IT
March 4, 2010 7:16 PM

So...jackie & julie...please send your snail mail info (wbv1213@hughes.net) & we'll get a goodie package to you!

*

Meeting with the accountant in a bit...

taxes...BIG YUCK...

*

But before that, I'll have a few minutes to...

make art!

wendy

I LOVE jenni bowlin & more...

let's start with the ***more***...

Random stuff...

I kept wondering why I got so many emails asking about the convention in Columbus Ohio...

DUH...I forgot to add it to my schedule...


Sorry...Memories Scrapbooking Expo info is here.
Just made my flight arrangements this morning...
it will be another FUN inky event!

Hope to see you there...


and...hard to believe...
it seemed so far away...
but I leave next Thursday for the Carson California stamp convention. I LOVE IT!


And speaking of Carson...

I NEED your help...Keychain & I have about 4 free hours before set up...

THIS IS IMPORTANT...


where can we SHOP that is close to the event?
I TOLD you this was IMPORTANT!

We LOVE antiques & artsy stuff...

any cool UNIQUE hot spots that you can recommend will be MUCH appreciated, especially if you have the address to pop into the GPS...! THANKS!

Hey...girls GOTTA...SHOP!

Ted will have the Stampers Anonymous booth LOADED with new tim stamps...

new studio 490 stamps...

new books & MORE...sounds like fun shopping is coming to Carson...

I hinted the other day about this...
but now I can spill the beans...

You already know that I LOVE jenni bowlin...
not just her products...

but the real jenni too.
She is an absolute DOLL and just the sweetest person...

So, I was THRILLED to be asked to be a guest star on her inspiration blog...

To make the piece below I used these jenni products...

*the 4 inch chipboard mini book cover & one inside page to cover it
*2 mini bingo cards
*2 brown embellished butterflies
*white vintage style sew on button
*chipboard button
*4 x 4 mini paper

This was FUN...




I used 2 of tim's idea-ology swivel clasps to make the hanger...
and accented it with 2 of his corners...



The butterflies were the starting point for this piece...
there are 5 different designs in the package
and here's what I started with.




I inked them with tumbled glass, broken china & brushed corduroy...and accented them with rock candy distress stickles...
*

I altered jenni's buttons with the alcohol ink refillable pen...
*

I also used the pen to color the butterfly bling and the Prima crystals hiding in the background.
*
The pens makes it sooo simple...
*

Here's the buttons... ala...natural...



There are close-up photos on the inspiration blog.

*****LET'S CELEBRATE...
with a GIVEAWAY...or 2!*****



Here's the deal...
leave a comment HERE and also on the inspiration blog...
2 comments= 2 chances to win...
a goodie package...

We'll leave the comments open 'til 7am on Monday morning...
then @ 7:01-ish...we'll draw 2 winners.
*

So...
leave 2 comments...
then have a GREAT weekend and...
***

make art!
wendy
ps...THANKS jenni!

now it's March 2nd...

and we're one day closer to spring...
but still no sun!
What gives?????????
OK...give it up & talk about art...


I have some photos for you today, compliments of Susan Kesselman...

She was @ the workshop on Saturday & brought a mini rose to show me...

I made ONE about the size of a quarter a while back, as a test for a possible stamp...

The operative word here is ONE...
it was such a pain...no more for me...

Look @ the one below, made by Susan...
This chick must have the patience of an art saint!
it's soooo ADORABLE and sooo mini...



Amazing...right?

And that's not all from Susan...
She embellished a sweatshirt...using my stamps!

Let me tell you...I wasn't the only one who wanted to steal it!

CUTE!!! CUTE CUTE!!!
That's Lori on the lower right...Deb on the lower left & I'm next to Susan. They're group friends.



on to some Q & A's...

#1...Could you be persuaded to sell you personal pocket journal kit?? (please envision sad puppy dog face) It would be perfectly practical, I'm sure - prudent even... I would love to purchase (pretty please with rock candy stickles on top!)

Lots of people would like me to sell kits...I get this request frequently, but here's my thoughts...

My workshops are all about inking and stamping...
LOTS of stamping. I bring TONS of inks & TONS of stamps...

So...if you have the kit parts and instructions, but not the stamps or the right color ink...
the kit does you no good.

We thought about stamping everything...but then you have no fun & may as well buy the finished piece. make sense?

We're still thinking on kits...plus time is another HUGE issue. We talk about this often...to be continued...

#2...I thought this comment was soooooooo sweet

Wendy, love the q & a- I have to tell you this- I am a curriculum specialist at an elementary school and yesterday was Dream Big day- where we got to dress like what we want to be when we grow up- well i wore painted on jeans and a shirt and an apron with "Make Art" on the front- I also had a tag that said Mrs. McKinney- Artist- So I guess you could say that I dressed up like you yesterday!

Hey Dawn...I hope you didn't have a paper towel up your nose!

#3...forgot 2 ask...how did u mount ur craft sheet to the cutting mat?

I have my non stick craft sheet attached to a self healing cutting mat, like quilters use(JoAnn's)

I attached it with Ranger's Wonder Tape...but just around the outside perimeter.

You don't want an X diagonally...that will show thru when you ink over it...

I like that it's more stable and you can still see the quilters lines thru the craft sheet....for straight easy stamping.

#4...this is from NANCY...it's a blog comment...I have no email to answer this...so here goes...

Hi Wendy,Glad you are back! Yikes....sorry to read of your paper towel episode. Looking forward to receiving your book. Will I get a pay pal notice first?

We mailed every book order yesterday...so Nancy, please resend your book request in an email. THANKS!

#5...(was that snowman in your backyard?)

HA! NO WAY would I stay out there to make him...NEVER! I'm IN 'til JUNE!

#6...can I ask what machine you use for those Tim dies?

I have the Big Shot Express from Sizzix & I LOVE IT...(but I will be getting tim's new Sizzix machine...you can bet on it! It's TOO COOL...It's coming this summer and I can't wait)

#7...ah ha!!!!!!!!! YOU thought you were being sneaky. I found out what you were hinting about...the guest artist thing. I FOUND your new Ranger video. do I win a prize?

HA HA! WRONG...that's not what I was hinting about...but thanks for letting me know it's been posted.

I see that LOTS of new FREE videos from CHA are up on Ranger's site...featuring Tim, Claudine, Suze & my sweet UK friend...the REAL Lady Dy.

Get a beverage & check them out for some FREE fun!

There's more questions for another day...
I'll be back tomorrow.

Until then...
make art!
wendy

back & catching up...

hello... my favorite blog friends!!!
I missed you...LOTS!!

A MILLION THANKS for all the sweet comments from the last post.
YOU ARE ALL GREAT, in my book and Rick likes you too!

Moving on to random catch-up stuff...

Good God...
it's March 1st...
so whoever is in charge, PLEASE turn on the sun & HEAT...
(global warming? I think...NOT!)

I REALLY HATE WINTER...
REALLY!


On Saturday I demoed & taught @ Scrapbook Friend'z in Bloomington, Illinois.

What a fun day...no seats left in the class...
everyone left with finished projects...yippee...
except cutie pie Erin, who promised she would...
she just came for the demo, but grabbed the last seat in the class...

not one person was worried about their inky fingers...they're used to my classes!

all my new studio 490 stamp sets went to good homes...
yes...ALL of the new sets!
I'm soooooooo happy you like them!

hey Ted...get ready they took special orders!

So the class was GREAT...
the demo?
NOT so much...
here's the scoop...

I was all set up & starting to demo the pigment inks...
a nice large group came...thanks gals!

I started sniffling...and sniffling...
I wiped my nose & I had a nosebleed!

WHAT? Never ever have I had one before...
so if you see photos of me (the classy broad) with a paper towel stuffed up my nose...

(INSERT yucky PHOTO HERE)

the photos were not photoshopped...
that was the real me......
with plenty of witnesses...yikes!

some people have NO CLASS!
that would be me...

Anyway...it was fun to show people how to use Ranger's pigment inks and Perfect Pearls in new ways...
the techniques are simple & FUN!

other breaking news...
this package made me over the top happy...

I don't have them all YET...
but by God, I KNOW I WILL...

you can get them here and here...




I LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE...........



Hmmm...what else?

I finished my guest artist piece yesterday for...??
Stay tuned...it's coming sometime in March...
***

#1 on the TO*DO list today...
shipping out studio 490 books to you!

They arrived...thanks TED...


You'll get a notice when I print the PayPal labels, if you live in the US. International orders will not get that notice. Our local PO people won't allow me to use those labels (small town rules suck)...


so those get done with different paperwork & confirmation numbers...per request of our PO folks...


This is cool...
a while back I did an interview for Julie @ Julie's open window...
with lots of Q & A...
if you're young & don't know who Samantha is...let me know!

It's posted now & you can read the interview here...


That's it for today...
got LOTS of books to sign & ship.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!


I gotta get this in somehow...
make art!
wendy