Didn't have any big plans for the week before Memorial Day, but I had a few fun stamping surprises to share with you.
On Tuesday night, I had a chance to meet with Amy. I did not know that this would turn into a stamping-related event. She was in Boise (for the first time) representing Sigma Sigma Sigma, the sorority to which I belong. We discussed some of our collegiate experiences and our hopes for an alumnae chapter to be formed here. Somewhere in the conversation, she was talking about crocheting on the plane and said something that I thought might have sounded like "I make cards". So as we were packing up to leave the Boise favorite Flying Pie (we enjoyed Gourmet Night), I asked her "So, did I hear you say that you make cards?" And that led to another hour or two of discussion... ink pads, Greek letter stamps, etc. I can't wait to hang out with Amy again when I 
travel to Colorado and/or next time she's in Boise. We had a million things in common. So a quick shout out to Amy: Hi Amy!
Then I noticed an ad on the Stampington Web site advertising the Summer 2008 Take Ten magazine that's due out on June 1. I clicked on it and read through the promotional page... and then I saw a card I recognized right there on the page! It was a card I submitted back in November '07 and it had been used in the Take Ten and Catch Up issues recently to advertise the coming Take Ten. So here's a quick glance at what I saw. The print is awfully small, but it looks like its on page 3. I'll keep you posted if any of my other submissions are inside. Oooh and I can't wait to see the work of Teri Anderson, a former Idaho Scrapper. She's the Guest Artist.
Tonight, I cleaned off some desktop space in my craft room. The room might never be completely cleaned and organized, but at least I can stamp in there again. It'll be nice to have a place to hide out and stamp!
In enabling news, Frugalities is offering everything 49% off until May 28th. No coupon code necessary. I noticed they have some Daisy Bucket stamps for $1.17!
Happy Stamping!
I'm enamored with my new toy, the Fiskars Threading Water punch. It is a scalloped border with dots. Very cute! I had to try it out, so here's a quick little card I made using it and the fabulous Kim Hughes stamps which were featured as the stamp-of-the-month at CHF in April.
There's been quite a hubbub over the Threading Water punch over at SCS. Stampers have had trouble finding it. I found mine at Archiver's. Don't have one in your area? No problem -- they ship!
Supplies:
Stamps: Kim Hughes April '08 Tyson the Turtle (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento (Tsukineko)
Paper: AnnaSophia Faded Floral, Worn Dots, and Multi Floral (Bo Bunny); Classic Crest Solar White (Neenah)
Accessories: Threading Water Punch (Fiskars); Sketch Markers YG93, R29, BG02, E000, and C0 (Copic); Nestabilities rectangle dies (Spellbinders)
Happy Stamping!
I stamped yesterday at Lila's and had planned to finish up a couple of cards today to share with you, but no dice. Why? I left my entire binder of Cornish Heritage Farms stamps at Lila's! (Do you think they're safe!?) I did get to play with her new Kim Hughes Tiled Scallops Backgrounder. It was heavenly. I also stamped a couple of paint chips with the Grunged Flower daisy. They turned out great!
Some quick sale news:
- Purple Onion Designs is having a spring cleaning overstock sale. Seven full pages of stamps. Hers are all very nice quality red rubber un-mounted. Stamps in the sale include alphabets, definitions, and sentiments. 50% off and more. Reasonable shipping.
- Hope Stamps Eternal is liquidating inventory. Big savings here, too.
Also, if you're local to the Boise area:
- The Re:Use Market in the Linen District will be open this weekend. Check their Web site for directions and hours. All sorts of goodies are free for the taking, from wallpaper books to tile samples and everything in between. Bring a bag.
- Need to Bead on Vista is having a trunk show & sale this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Inside the store, everything is 20% off -- and the trunk show vendors have great deals, too. Some of the strands of funky-shaped pearls were marked $9 and were on sale for only $2. Bargain!
Happy Stamping!
Yes, I admit it. I fell in love in a hotel room. It was autumn. And we were too tired to shop. So we stamped. And colored. With Copics. Sure, I mispronounced their names, but it was love.
Today, the new Stampers' Sampler Take Ten Catch Up Issue arrived. It's in a new format now. I appreciate updates. I do. But I'm not a big fan of the fact that this particular layout choice causes most cards to be partially obscured. If you have a copy, check out page 28, for example. There's a "Wanted" card with some string. Is it a lasso? A
bow? And then with "Mona and Leo" on page 18... what's the rest of the saying?
How are the two related? "Winter Wishes" appears on page 97, and it was my very first Copic creation. There are visible lines in the coloring, but I'm armed with training and practice now... so future projects will be better. This snowman card was posted back in October, but here he is for an encore.
Supply List:
Stamps: Sentiment from Winter Wonder (Verve Visual); Snowman With Checkered Hat (Lockhart Stamp Company)
Paper: Peapod Notecard (Memory Box); Textured Cardstock in 2 shades of green (Bazzill); Gingham patterned paper (Making Memories Kids Collection); White
Ink: VersaFine Ink in Onyx Black (Tsukineko); ColorBox Fluid Chalk Ink in Deep Green (ClearSnap)
Accessories: Sketch Markers and Glitter Pens (Copic); Dimensional Foam Squares (3M)
Today has been the warmest day so far this Spring. It got up to 79 today, but they're saying we're at a risk of snow tomorrow and Wednesday. Brrr. Better not put the fleece away yet.
Happy Stamping!
So much to talk about today! Let's start with a card that looks as springy as I feel. The temperature is nice, tulips are blooming, and little buds on the trees are making it feel like Spring is here.
This Chick-a-doo line from SEI is so cute... one of my very favorites ever. The pretty blues and greens are wonderful together, and they really pop when combined with the slightly darker green Bazzill. Y-U-M!
Supply List:
Paper: Lime Crush Cardstock (Bazzill Smoothies); French Blue, Cypress, and Mint velvet papers (SEI); Chick-a-doo patterned paper (SEI)Accessories: A2 Card Die & Various Flower Dies (Creative Cuts & More); Glitter Brads & Gemstone Brads (Making Memories); Buttons (Autumn Leaves); Silk Ribbon (May Arts); Rub-On (Deja Views)
And onto Copic Topics. Copic doesn't rhyme with topic. It sounds more like taupe than top. Cope-ic. It'll take more practice for me, but I'm trying to consistently say it like Marianne and other other Copic folks pronounce it.
There are a few KEY things I took away from the training class in Eugene. They include:
* These markers are modular. You can purchase new tips, more ink... even empty markers. Customize them as you wish.
* Most versatile marker of all? The colorless blender marker. You can use it to make textures in a field of color (bricks, spatters, dots, cobblestones). It can help 'erase' mistakes. It can make colored-in jeans look faded.
* Grab a bottle of the colorless blender solution. You'll be refilling your marker. You can also put some in a spray bottle to play with.
* When coloring, don't hold back with the ink. It should soak through the paper. The back should look evenly soaked. Be sure to protect your table surface by coloring on top of other scrap paper or a glass mat or other barrier.
* Play and go crazy. Try things you wouldn't normally do. Seriously. Touch the red marker to the tip of the yellow marker. The red ink won't hurt the yellow marker. Mash hard on the brush tip of the marker. It won't fray. And even if the brush does break, no biggie! The marker isn't ruined... you just take out the old tip and slide in a new one.
* Need a different color? Buy an empty marker and mix up your own custom color. Get a very pale blue by mixing blue ink with blending solution.
* Re-inkers can be used just like alcohol inks. In fact, they ARE alcohol inks.
* These inks can color just about anything. Laurie, my tablemate in class was using the airbrush system to color blush on the cheeks of felt birds. The crew of a currently-running Broadway show in NYC uses them to color the microphones so they hide in the actor's hair.
* The type of alcohol used in the Copic markers is like ethanol. Know what else is made of a similar type of alcohol? Hand sanitizer gel! They're great as disinfectants... but even better as a craft medium! (OK, isn't everything better as a craft medium?) So keep a pump of hand gel on your crafting desk. It works like a charm for clean-up. I even found a purse-sized spray gel which will probably never make its way into my purse.
More key tips and thoughts to come.
Happy Stamping!
travel to Colorado and/or next time she's in Boise. We had a million things in common. So a quick shout out to Amy: Hi Amy! 
