Water-Soluble Oil Pastels

Water-soluble oil pastels are great for creating backgrounds. You can scribble on a page using several different colors of these oil pastels and blend with water to create backgrounds with a nice depth of color. I have been using the Portfolio brand. This brand is inexpensive and can be found at most craft and/or office supply stores.

Happy crafting!

Magazines

I think one of the best magazines for sparking creativity is Legacy published by Stampington & Company. This magazine is full of projects submitted by very talented artists. From artist trading cards, to altered objects, to scrapbooking and collage, each month brings a breathtaking array of art for enjoyment and inspiration.

Every time I pick up an issue- I read it from cover to cover and then go back and use post-it flags to mark projects or techniques I would like to try.

Every issue of the magazine is a feast for the eyes and I am always eager to get my hands on the next issue as soon as it hits bookstores!

Happy crafting!

Faux Tile Look

I recently tried a technique that gives a faux tile look to a stamped and water colored image. First I stamped a design with Staz-on ink. Next, I filled in the design with watercolors. After that, I ran a clear embossing inkpad over the entire image and sprinkled ultra thick embossing powder over the image. I melted the powder with the heat gun. I repeated the inking, embossing powder and heat gun process two more times. The image does look glossy like a tile, but I think that probably two thicknesses of the embossing powder would have been enough especially since I was using the ultra thick embossing powder.

Happy crafting!

Scor-It Board

I recently bought the 12-inch Scor-It board to crease (score) cards and envelopes. This tool is fairly pricing running about $50 retail. I decided to invest in this product because I am always making cards and want the cards I create to have a very polished look. Using the Scor-It board really makes the crease down the middle of the card look ultra crisp. It is also excellent for creasing the folds of your handmade envelopes. Anyone who makes cards on a regular basis should look into purchasing the Scor-It.

Happy crafting!

Gesso and Gel Medium

Gesso and gel medium are two things I use quite a bit in my projects. I use gesso to add a nice smooth primed surface to canvas and paper. It is a great base for acrylic paints. I use gel medium as a glue and sometimes a sealer as well. I have mostly used gel medium for paper-to-paper projects. I have found that vellum papers are a little trickier to glue with the gel medium, but otherwise have not had any problems using this medium as an adhesive.

Happy crafting!

Embossing Powders

Embossing powder is something I have experimented with on and off. I like the Distress embossing powder by Ranger Industries. One of the problems I have encountered in using the powders is scorching the paper. I think the trick is to keep the heat gun moving. I attempt to do just that, but sometimes end up scorching the paper even when I am careful with the heat gun.

I want to try a project I recently saw demonstrated on the DIY Network that involved melting several layers of embossing powders to create a faux tile look.

Happy crafting.

Embossing

I love the look of embossing on hand-made cards. I usually use one of the die-cutting machines with a brass stencil to emboss, but sometimes really enjoy doing it the old fashioned way with a light box. This is fine if you are embossing on a piece of white, cream or other light colored paper, but does not work well with darker hued papers.

When I want to emboss on a dark piece of cardstock, I will use the aforementioned die-cutting machine and a brass stencil or use Fiskars texture plates. These plates come in a wide variety of patterns and allow you to emboss as you please no matter what the color of the paper.

www.fiskars.com

The embossing adds an elegant touch to your cards as well as adding texture to an otherwise flat surface.

Happy crafting!

Templates

When I make cards, I usually work off a template to help me create the size and shape of the card. I have found that templates from Anna Griffin work really well. The kit from Anna Griffin includes not only templates for the cards, but for the accompanying envelopes too.

There are also websites that offer free templates including:

www.bydonovan.com/templates.html
www.stampington.com/html/tempting_template_index.html
www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/templates.htm

These websites feature all sorts of interesting templates for cards, bags and boxes.

Happy crafting!

Polymer Clay Transfers

Recently I tried another method for transferring images to polymer clay. This method entailed the use of inkjet transfer paper available in most craft stores. The process for this transfer method is to print the image onto the transfer paper. If the image has text on it, you will need to mirror image (flip) the image so that it reads backwards when it prints out, but will read correctly when transferred onto the clay. Place the image face down on the clay (I usually use white or translucent polymer clay so the image comes out crisp and clear). Burnish the image down with your finger several times, making sure to burnish the sides well. Bake the clay according to manufacturer's instructions. I let the clay cool in the oven and peel the paper up after it cools. It is fun to see the image revealed on the clay. I use these clay image tiles on boxes, journal covers and as embellishments in my art journal. I plan to experiment with using them on a card very soon.

Happy crafting!

Cricut Personal Electronic Cutter

I purchased a Cricut (www.cricut.com) personal electronic cutting machine recently and am really enjoying cutting shapes and letters with it. This machine operates without a computer. I have had cutting machines that use a computer and software to operate, but recently switched to a Mac computer and the software for my previous cutting machine is not compatible. This is frustrating because now the machine and the cartridges I purchased are just gathering dust! What a waste.

The Cricut is easy to operate, but it did take me some time to figure out how to put the blade assembly piece into the machine. I read the instructions and studied the diagram, but it still took me a few tries until I got it right. I wish companies like Provo Craft would test their instructions out on directionally challenged people like me. If I am able to understand and follow the directions correctly, then they are definitely goof proof.

The font and shape cartridges are on the pricey side, but it is worth it to have a machine that cuts shapes and letters that you can customize to meet your needs.

I have heard that the cutting mats lose their tackiness fairly quickly. Since I just purchased the machine and have only used it a few times, I don’t know if my opinion on this will coincide with what I have heard.

Happy crafting!

Tin types

Today I am going to experiment by scanning several tin types I have of my grandfather to make a card for my brother’s birthday. I have never scanned any of these images before and was afraid that I would damage the tin type by scanning it. I did a little research online and found that it is actually a good idea to scan these delicate photographs as they can be easily damaged. By scanning these images of my grandfather, I can ensure that I will preserve them for a lot longer than the tin type may last. I have an idea for how I want the card to look – the hard part is actually executing on the idea! I have about a week before I need to get the card in the mail. I think that will be enough time to make a few versions and come up with one I think is presentable.

Packing Tape Transfers

I love making packing tape transfers and including these images in cards or my art journal. I wish this method would work with print outs from my inkjet printer, but it only works with copies (color or black & white) or with images from magazines. Clear shelf paper works in the same way as packing tape to make a transfer and is great to use when you have an image that is larger than the width of the packing tape.

To make a packing tape or clear shelf paper transfer all you have to do is select a copied image or an image from a magazine, place the packing tape or clear shelf paper over the image and then burnish the tape/shelf paper down well over the image. Next, soak the taped or clear shelf papered image in some lukewarm water for a couple of minutes then rub the paper off the back of the tape or shelf paper. Your image will remain on the tape or shelf paper. It is interesting to place these images on different types of backgrounds to get different effects. Be careful not to place the image all the way down on a background until you are ready to adhere it for good because the tape/shelf paper retains some of its stickiness and will likely be permanently adhered once you place it on a paper surface.

Happy crafting.