Happy Mom's Day Mom & Carolyn!
Hope you both get spoiled today.
Love you!
Mom, is Kurt cooking for you & Brooke today?
Both moms should have received their cards by now so I can share - VBG!
On both cards I used B-Line Designs stamps and 'painted' them using Tim Holtz's new Distress Markers and water brush. I LOVE how these markers blend and keep their color integrity even with lots of water.
I've been forced to stay at home more since my knee finally gave out on me. I've decided to be as productive as possible so I have been etching copper for book covers. While the covers were etching I made another card sample for B-Line Designs. I LOVE this screen door stamp and it backs itself perfectly! The paper is one of the new Bo Bunny 6x6 paper pads - SO pretty! Stamps and paper are available at Beautiful Impressions in Westbrook, CT.
All 6 covers are finally etched, I just need to patina/paint them before I will share them. A couple are for gifts but the rest will be for sale. Figured I might as well line up some projects to keep me busy. Heard from the doc today. The MRI results show 'a degradation of the medial meniscus and partially torn ligaments' . Sounds like fun - eh? The Orthopedic doc is next - Woohoo! I just want to get this taken care of so I can get out in the garden again. I missed out last Spring because of the heart stuff - I really don't want to miss another season! Why couldn't this happen in the middle of Winter?! Sigh
Terri at Beautiful Impressions asked me to make up a few card samples for a new stamp company she is carrying (at my suggestion) so how could I say no? Th images are fabulous and the rubber stamps beautifully! The stamps are selling so well we are already working on order #2 - Woohoo!
A friend's FIL passed away after a long illness last weekend. She was very broken up. Even when you have time to prepare you're never really ready to loose someone you love.
I used a couple of new techniques that I learned from Tim Holtz's 12 Tags Of Christmas on her card. The background is a new Hero Arts stamp that I double embossed using Tumbled Glass & Vintage Photo Distress Inks. The scrolls are die cut from cardstock and sanded to bring up the texture. The shrine (by Stamp Camp) is embossed on vintage German text and embellished with Platinum Stickles and a vintage religious charm. I finished the card with the cross charm (Lost Art Creations/Etsy) and sentiment (IO).
Hee, hee - just kidding; but I am tickled pink! Terri from Beautiful Impressions just called to tell me to check out Dave Brethauer's (Memory Box) blog. When he was in the store recently he saw the Halloween card samples I had created using Memory Box's new Halloween papers, stamps and dies (they cut beautifully by the way!) and he just loved them. Apparently he loved them enough to share them on his blog. Woohoo! Great close up photos! Thanks Dave!
So far I have 3 classes set for September. Two giftable type classes and one card making class. Remember to bring the appropriate tool kit(craft, jewelry or both) with you to each class. You must contact the store where the class is being held to reserve your spot. Classes require a minimum or 3 students to go forward. So if you want to make sure the class doesn't get cancelled or rescheduled gather a couple of friends and make a day/evening of it. You'll have SOOO much fun! Thistle Beads has a maximum of 8. Beautiful Impressions and Pinc! has a higher maximum depending on the class, usually 10-12.
Textures Polymer Clay Beaded Book
Saturday, September 10
1PM-5PM
Thistle Beads
55 Pennsylvania Ave, Niantic CT
860-739-6552
This book makes a FABULOUS gift for someone special – including you! Learn how to combine polymer clay, texture plates or rubber stamps and acrylic paints to create a stunning cover for your book. Learn basic book binding techniques and finish your book with a beautiful beaded binding. Lots of tips and tricks for working with clay, plus alternative ideas to build on the techniques you will learn in class. Everyone from the beginner to the advanced will enjoy this class. All materials will be provided for you plus a detailed handout will also be provided so you can make more books when you get home. All you need to bring is your tool kit – although I will bring some specialized tools for the class to use.
Please bring your Basic Crafting Tool Kit to class:
Craft knife (ie Xacto) with extra blades, cutting mat no larger than 12”-13” square, pen, pencil, metal edged clear grid ruler, double stick tape, permanent glue stick, bone folder, paper piercer/bookbinder’s fine awl, bristled paint brushes, both detail and ¾”-1” flat wash (I prefer Golden Talkon synthetic as it doesn’t shed), 1/8” hole punch, a sanding block; ultra fine – fine grit and an ink blending tool (can be the official Ranger brand tool but make-up sponges and cotton balls work too).
Halloween with Memory Box
Saturday, September 17
10AM - 12:30PM
Beautiful Impressions, Westbrook, CT
You'll create 4 of the coolest, creepiest Halloween cards ever using Memory Box stamps, papers and their new dies, plus an assortment of vintage images, and doodads.
These two cards are just 2 of the four that you will create in class. Hope to see you there!
Bead Links Chain & Pendant
Saturday, September 24
10AM - 12:30PM
Thistle Beads
55 Pennsylvania Ave, Niantic CT
860-739-6552
Create this beautiful necklace with a bead link chain (AKA a Rosary Chain) and fabulous Tree of Life pendant. You'll be hooked! So many possibilities! Makes an impressive holiday gift for not a lot of moola!
All materials plus a detailed instruction booklet are included in the price of the class. All you need to bring is your basic jewelry tools kit.
Happy birthday Dad and Drew! Love you both and see you soon!
T
Happy Mother's Day Mom and Carolyn! Love you both! Have a great cruise mom. Relax, soak up the sun and that fabulous sea air!
Have you called YOUR mom today?
T
Beautiful Impressions just got in a new line of diecuts (Creatables) that are just beautiful! So much detail and some have embossed accents as well. So I picked up all 3 birdie dies that she ordered plus a beautiful birdcage with a door that opens. They also got in some new stamps from Character Constructions plus some of her new diecuts that match her stamps. I picked up the Marie body w/arms, dollie size Marie and the cage skirt. Be warned, I have the cage skirt in the original rubber it it is a little bit to big for the die. The die is meant to match the clear polymer stamp - which it does to perfection.
So I played with the new diecuts and some stamps and created these blank cards. I used Webster's Pages cardstock - so pretty!
For the instructions for diecutting Catherine recommends stamping and then diecutting. If you do this make sure you tape down the cardstock because it can shift a little if you don't. I also tried diecutting first then stamping which worked great as the stamps are clear and it's easy to see where you are stamping - you just need a steady hand.
It's difficult to see in the scan but I ran the back piece of the cage through my Xyron machine to make the printed side sticky then placed my cage, trimmed all outside edges to match then poured on stardust glitter. I love the effect. It softens the background paper without obscuring it. Oh, and the little door is open just a tad! I added a little trim to her bodice, a feather in her hair and some coffee dyed lace (smells yummy!) to the bottom of her skirt and called it a day.
We are only supposed to make one card for the club but I couldn't decide which one to make so I made both. The stamp set of the month is by Darcie's. They are cling mount rubber, deeply etched and trimmed and a dream to stamp with. This set is her charms set. Dream, Material Girl & the tiny Beautiful on the manniquins shoulder are all from the set. The other thing we had to do was include metal somehow on the card.
So what's a Virtual Stamp Club? Roughly every month we purchase the stamp set of the month from Beautiful Impressions and create one card using the set. Then we deliver the card (either in person or by mail if not local) to the store and Terri W (the store owner) scans and posts all the cards in a password accessable folder. Everyone has such different ideas that the folder is filled with inspiration! And then you get your card back. Interested in joining? I don't know if she has any slots left but it can't hurt to ask, right? The phone number for Beautiful Impressions is: 860-399-8855.
