I'll be back soon...

with a valentine tutorial...
just for you!

until then... (Thursday, I think...)

make art!
wendy

altered acrylic binders...101...

I've had several questions recently about how to alter my acrylic stamp storage binders.

Today I thought I'd offer my ideas...
and a few tips...

They come naked, with 3 giant (3 inch) binding rings, so that they can be customized to coordinate with your decor.

The binder makes it very easy to flip thru the pages of stamps, choose your stamp, use it & put it back on the storage sheet.

It's so MUCH better than digging thru a box.

You'll find that you will use them more often, because it's easy.

If you collect cling or Maya Road clear stamps,

blank pages can be added to the binder to store them too.

One pages holds a lot, because you can store stamps on both sides of the blank sheet.

Here's the first binder, which houses my first stamp release.

You'll notice that all the others have a VOL. number on them...

This one doesn't...

since it was my first, I didn't want to jinx myself & say...
VOL. 1...

that assumes there would be VOL.2

If no one besides me liked them, there would be no VOL 2.

But now that we're on VOL 4...

I can safely call this one ...VOL 1!

YIPPEE!

I stamped the border, using jet black archival ink.

I carefully heat set it & you'll see that almost 2 years later, the stamping is still perfect.

It's AMAZING, considering this has been sent across the country many times.

Another option is to stamp on the inside of the cover. Remember to stamp images only...

words won't work on the inside, since they'll show up backward from the front.

I used lots of grungeboard & grungepaper as my base for stamping on all the binders.





Here's VOL 2...

the papers are all graphic 45 and are glued to a base paper.





and VOL 3...

which is a combination of graphic 45 & jenni bowlin papers.

I machine stitched these pieces together to resemble a quilt...






You'll see the newest 2 binders...

VOL 4 in the previous post.


So here's my suggestions for creating them.


The goal is to see NO adhesive on the front.

Remove the protective blue film.

remember...

KEEP THE HOLES ON THE LEFT...trust me!

1. Choose the paper that will be inside the front cover.

it can be one piece...
or mutliple left over strips...

stamped or unstamped...

sewn together or just glued to a paper/cardstock base...

Keep it flat...the embellishments will be added to the front of the cover.

Have it completely ready to go.

2. Lay the paper in place under the front cover, but do not use any adhesive yet.

3. Plan the layout on the front...lay everything in place & move it around until you are satisfied with the look.

4. Glue your largest embellishment to the front of the binder.

5. Open the binder & you'll see where the adhesive is, so put some adhesive there to hold the paper in place.


Now, it's easy to keep words straight, by using the paper as a guide.

6. Add the rest of the embellishments on the front & glue in place.

7. Open the binder again & add adhesive in the adhesive spot areas and press the paper in place.

8. Since the paper is inside the binder, I don't have glue covering it entirely...

It's just where there is something on the front to hide it.

9. TADA! CUSTOM...done & very fun!

One more thing...

I've used several adhesives with success...
Glossy Accents, Art Glitter and Fabri-tac all work fine.

Normally I don't use Glossy Accents for glueing large pieces of paper, because of the quick drying time...
but for this purpose, it's perfect.

Just a tiny dot will hold the paper to the binder.

Remember to be sparing with adhesives.
A little goes a long way & you don't want to see any seeping out.

So there you have it...

altered acrylic binders 101...

If you have a naked binder...
get it out ...

have fun and...

make art!
wendy

new art...new Q & A's...

I present to you...
the first sighting of my new stamps...

What a thrill for me to see this cool art...

It was made by Kathy Tucker...
She lives in Ohio & I met her on the Mexico cruise last October.

I LOVE everything about this piece!!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how she added the tiny leaves from the border & cut them out...

The perfect detail...

GREAT JOB, Kathy!!! You made my day!!!

Check it out...

Pretty cool...huh?? LOVE the colors too...

Ok...on to the questions...

1. When you get back from CHA can you show the difference in the green inks...I know you say we'll need them all, but if you show them, I'll know which is the first I must have...

OK...here's the swatch I made...

They really are all different and you will want them ALL...trust me!

#2...Can we preorder your book to get on the list?

I have a file started for book orders...

but I'm not sending the PayPal requests until I actually have the books here & ready to ship...

I'll post here when they arrive...

#3...Hey U R holding out on us...I see in this issue of Stampers Sampler that U R the neaxt featured artist.

YIPPEE! What an honor.

Amanda Crabtree asked @ CHA last summer...
so it's been in the works for a bit.

I'll be excited to see it, since I don't even remember what art I sent to Stampington...(but I made all new pieces)

4. I have seen that fish stamp at my favorite stamp store. For Keep Sakes, in St. Louis. I will have to see it they still have it. By the way when are you coming back?

It's in the works...stay tuned!

5. LOVE the spool!! How big is it? Congrats to Linda!!! The can is fabulous!! When you do samples for CHA, do you get them back?

The spool is about 4 3/4 inches tall and the overall height of the finished piece is about 13 inches.

If you make something similiar, make sure it has a large base so it won't topple over.
Another trust me for tall flowers with kind of heavy centers...

About the CHA samples...

sometimes yes...sometimes no.

It just depends who I make them for. But, mostly yes...

6. will you & tim be @ the Carson convention. if so, can we do make & takes again. that was fun.

Tim is @ Ranger U that weekend, but I'll be there to demo.

No make & takes this time, since we're not both there.
Sorry.

If you live in Ca...turn the heat up and turn the sun on...
I HATE cold weather...
see you soon!

7. I see some of your stamps come on a wood block. Are they a different size than the clings on the sheets?

No...the wood mounteds are the same size as the images in the sets.

We do some mounted on wood, because some people prefer wood.

8. any chance you will sell the background stamps on wood?

No & here's why. Since they are so large, the price would be about $17.00-$18.00.

Considering that the complete sets are $24.95, they are a much better value.

So you get LOTS more stamps for a few $$ more.

9. Thank you again. The stamp set arrived today. I am hoping far a snow day tomorrow so I can play with it.

Good luck on the snow...

I hope you live no where near me! ha!

Have fun...make art!

10. i'm confused. i see the 2 new binders, but they have vol4. where are 1-3?


Here are the 4th volumes again...

I've made storage binders for each set release to keep them separate for me...

I made 2 this time, because I didn't realize that all 12 new sets would fit in one binder...
but they do! COOL.

I'll look for photos of the other 3 and post them next week.




# 11... any plans to teach in Arizona?

NOPE...nothing planned there...

#12... will you ever come east for classes?

You bet...some locations are in the works...
Stay tuned!

#13...anything in NDakota ever????

Nope...but I think Iowa is close??
Stay tuned. ***UPDATE*** Just added...Memory Bound in Ankeny Iowa!

Shopping alert...

looks like my 12 new sets have arrived here!

tim's new stamp sets are in here and here...

Time to shop & then...

I'll
make art!
wendy

You WILL...

delight in the details of this book.
I promise!

My friend, Lisa Pace's new book was just released @ CHA!

A GIANT...

YIPPEE, LISA!!
I'm so very proud of you!

This book is totally awesome & so well worth the wait...
like 2 bloody years...
and you know ...I am NOT patient...

I read it cover to cover on the flight home...

I KNEW I'd be impressed because I LOVE LOVE LOVE Lisa & her style...

But I have to say...

It's even better than I expected.

40 techniques...

100 projects...

awesome step by step photos...

each page shows projects photographed with just the right props, which makes it even more inspiring...

here's the cover...



oh look...
a project using a studio 490 large butterfly stamp...


and another of my stamps...

the large leaf...

sure looks different when used with felt...



this project is probably my favorite...
for today @ least...

plain old white felt...
transformed by Lisa into this georgeous album...
it's totally amazing...

it was on display in the Maya Road booth & believe me...
it's BEAUTIFUL...




You can get a signed/personalized copy from Lisa HERE.

Back to the Q & A tomorrow...

until then...

may you...

delight in the details...

and then...

make art!
wendy

answers and art...

Ok...looks like I left out lots of important detail about the bouquet yesterday...


The questions were...
1. i love the vase art...what ink colors did you use?

These are the new distress ink colors...
the blue is tumbled glass...
the green is bundled sage and...
the orange-ish is rusty hinge.

#2. I love the flowers in the spool, what sets or die cuts did you use for the flowers .. I only ask because I'm going to have to try to copy it

The large blue flower is a new flower from this set...
the others are from tim's new Sizzix die...
it's FATE how they fit together so well...

any flowers will work!

3. what did you use for the center of the large blue flower?

ahhh...Another perfect fit...
I used one of tim's new
timepieces with 2 foliage flowers and a brad...

again, you'll see that I used olive archival ink for the stamping...

I'm in LOVE with it...
especially when combined with the tumbled glass...or the bundled sage...


the medium sized rusty hinge flower has the crown from his "adornments" charm set and a foliage flower, that I altered with the gold paint dabber...

it's stamped with my spatter stamp & coffee archival ink...

the smallest blue has a tim "accoutrements"...
for us common folk...a BUTTON!

I LOVED how this fit too...

*

my large butterfly stamp, embellished with tim's new "locket key"

I added just a tiny bit of gold again, with the gold paint dabber...

and here's my mini butterfly...

*

I used the back of it for a different look and added another of tim's charms (adornments)

and a reminder...

to change the look of stamps...

*

like the large flower, which has writing on it...

stamp it on the canvas side of the grungepaper...

cut it out and then stamp the front with any background stamp...

*

it's like having LOTS more new stamps!

So...the flower easily can be plaid...

polka dot...anything!

*

One last thing...

REMEMBER to keep your eyes OPEN...

*

Art is everywhere and obviously...

ANYTHING can be ART!

I thought this was awesome...

airport art...

*

spotted in California...

junky old boxes...

made to look like...

ART!

Sorry for the glare, but I think you'll get the idea...

it really looked cool!

*

That's it for today...

more Q&A tomorrow...

*

gotta go...

make art!

wendy

on the road, in the air, in the water...

on the bed...

the boys...
Ranger & Ringo...
Ringo was supposed to be the COVER CAT for the Studio's magazine...but...

After 2 hours and 50 photos...
he wouldn't cooperate...
and he bit me...

so Ranger got the job...
as the stand-in!

photo on the right sidebar!

They are best of buds...



on the road & in the air...

all 10 BRAND NEW hot off the press...

stamp sets have gone postal...

so...be watching...
hopefully you'll all have them for some weekend fun!

in the water...

So...you liked the fish. ME TOO!

It's not mine or tim's, but it is made by Stampers Anonymous...
I don't know who designed him...

Here's what the whole awesome stamp looks like...
I LOVE IT!

the item # is P1-913...

Like I said, it's a great guy card stamp...

with lots of collage possibilities...

and the fish is fun, when made with grungepaper...



AND...DRUMROLL.............

ON THE COVER!!!

HUGE CONGRATS to Linda Elbourne!

Her art made the cover of this month's CRAFT STAMPER MAGAZINE!

YIPPEE!

I LOVE her choice of stamps!!


Here's a close-up...
I LOVE the bright spring-ish colors...

YIKES...she even cuts the antennae...

not me...no patience...

I chop it off and just stamp it!

AWESOME JOB LINDA!!!

Here's another tim idea-ology CHA project...
this was TOTAL fun...

Now if I could find 200 vintage (reasonably priced) spools...
this could be a fun
class...



ON THE ROAD & IN THE AIR...

a partial update is on the right sidebar...
with more to come when the dates are finalized...

Now a few questions to answer...
1. PLEASE tell me you'll be back in Ohio at the scrap convention...

YES I WILL...That's a very fun one. Can't miss it!
Here's the info...http://www.memoriesexpo.com/

2. I ordered my book directly from you, are you doing that again for us so we can get them signed?

YOU BET! I'm hoping they'll arrive here in about 2 weeks-ish...they're being printed now!

3. where can i get the bird you use?

That was a one time purchase...
I have enough for one or 2 more classes...
then they're gone...and that class is retired...

BUT...I'm thinking to check in stores this time of the year...
in the garden section...
birds should be popular..I think...

Just make sure they are wood & NOT resin...
so they can be drilled...

4. can you explain when & why you use the archival ink. i know you say waterproof, is that the reason?

That's one reason, because they are waterproof.
That allows you to use any waterbased product over the stamped image & it won't bleed.

So, if the image is stamped with archival, distress inks or Perfect Pearls (mixed with water) can be used with no ill effects.

The archivals are perfect for stamping on metal...
just heat set...

on grungeboard or grungepaper...

and fabric... just heat set...

I LOVE the archivals for background stamping...
especially the coffee, sepia, cobalt and olive.

Look @ the example below...
if the background was stamped with jet black archival, the saying would be lost in the background...

Now, because I used olive, the scallop pops...
same for the saying...



Same thing here...
the olive appears to be in the background, with the black on top...

I did use jet black archival for my main image...
(polka dots) and the top...

the layers of color make it much more interesting...

That's it for today!! it's snowing...

but I'm NOT looking.

If I ignore it, maybe it will go away...

or...maybe NOT!

Anyway...

time to...

make art!

wendy

the CHA story continues...

Happy Monday...better yet...

HAPPY FEB 1st!

Only 90 days 'til we have the possibility of decent weather.

Not that I'm counting! GEEZ!

Here's a few more CHA photos that turned out...

This was my first project for tim, using his new papers...
It's kind of hard to see...
but the ticket border is layered @ different levels...FUN!

LOVE the memo pin...

LOVE his buttons...

I may be a little prejudice, but...
LOVE LOVE LOVE my new stamps too...



BEWARE...this next photo is SHOCKING...

It's a project that I did for Ranger and it does NOT have a flower...

I had a cool idea & chopped off a bit of the swivel clasp to make a fish hook...pretty cool huh?

Good idea for a guy card...

The bubbles are glossy accents...
perfect for dimension & a little shine...

and you know I LOVE the snaps...
(they're discontinued...boohoo) but...

I found that they still have them for sale here...



Here's a better peek @ the fish.
He's stamped on grungepaper, distress inked & then he was painted with Rock Candy Crackle paint...

The base is Picket fence crackle paint...
inked with lots of alcohol ink colors...on top...

I covered the bottom with Perfect Medium...
I just pressed the pad on the base & then sprinkled on walnut distress embossing powder...
I wanted it to look like sand...

I use the Perfect Medium for watermarks and for embossing too.
It's really sticky & holds the embossing powder really well...just my preference. I really like it...A LOT...





Another project for tim's idea-ology booth...

his new paper...
and the flower is his new Sizzix die cuts...
OMG..I'll be getting every bloody one and the embossing folders too...I CAN'T WAIT!

Again...more new studio 490 stamps...



OMG...I need a MILLION of those buttons...
ok...2 million...I can't run out!

I LOVE his new charms too, because that all have a flat back...
which makes it soooooo easy to glue in place...

but on this one, I attached the heart with a memo pin & some jump rings...


The corners were the perfect finish detail for the canvas...



OK...the word is out...some stores have my new stamps!!! YIPPEE!

These stores are taking pre=orders here...and here...

They were both @ CHA & placed orders the first day...
so they'll be first on the shipping list...

I'm expecting the book to arrive here in about 2 weeks...fingers crossed! I'll let you know...

I had several requests again while I was gone to buy the new distress inks...
I don't sell them...I only sell my books...

but...pre=orders are being taken here & here...

I'm expecting they'll have them in about 2 weeks or less...
get the reinkers too...
I'm just sayin'...you'll be using them...LOTS!

I spent yesterday making orders for class supplies...

all new classes are being designed...

and I'm hoping to have them ready in about 10 days...

Just as soon as I have my convention schedule from Ted & Michelle, I'll be working on the rest of the teaching schedule...

For sure I'll be @ Carson, Ca in March & a Columbus Ohio convention later in March too.
YIPPEE!!

That's all I can remember in the near future...oh...wait...
Scrapbook Friendz' in Bloomington Illinois on February 27th...

before I go...
Rick chose a random comment...

I have a copy of book #2 for...

Julie said...
Congratulations to all the winners! Wendy, you have a really big heart!! Love that booth sign too. Will there be any extra large stamps in the future?? Love the texture you got with the wax!
January 30, 2010 10:02 AM

So...JULIE CONGRATS!! Send your mailing info & I'll send you a copy!

And about those extra large stamps...
how large are you thinking???

I still need to hear from 1 of Friday's winners.
We'll give you until tomorrow...
here's the comment again...
9. Chelle said...
i love them all...of course! if i had to pick one, it is 'just sew artsy'...loved watching you demo with the stitched borders today at CHA...lovely! thank you for my tag, you are amazing and truly inspiring!chelleJanuary 26, 2010 1:10 AM

Back tomorrow with more photos...

Now it's time to...
make art!
wendy