Tinted Paint Technique

The TECHNIQUE I'm sharing with you this evening is for the hearts in the photo. It's fun to make full sheets of this Tinted Paint background paper and use it for die cuts, tags, and more.

INSTRUCTIONS:

You will need the following:

Nonstick Craft Sheet

White Acrylic Paint

Several Colors of Reinker

One Sheet of Cardstock (I cut this into mat size pieces, for ease)

Optional – homemade pearl mist, or Glimmer mist

Got everything in place?

Take the white acrylic paint and spread it on a nonstick craft sheet.

Drop reinker around on the paint, various colors.

You can even spritz some homemade perfect pearls mist in it for some shimmer.

Use a piece of cardstock to really smear the colors around, then lay the cardstock on the paint, to coat your paper.

Apply more paint/ink as desired.

Let your paper dry.

Once completely dry, it has a neat almost leathery feel, and if you turn it over, you’ll see the original ink colors you added, in a fun mottled pattern.

Die cut or use as desired.

Repeat as desired.

Hope you're having a FABULOUSLY creative weekend. Happy Crafting!

THIS JUST IN! Perfect Pearls arrive at Croppinsville.

NEWS FLASH!!!

Need a little SHINE in your projects?

Perfect Pearls are here!

You can create dazzling pearlsescent effects with Perfect Pearls™ and Perfect Medium™. Specially developed with a built-in resin, Perfect Pearls™ Pigments are easy to use wet or dry. Mix with watercolors, inks, acrylic paints, Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel™, embossing powders and other mediums for radiant results! I have even mixed it with nail polish to give your nails a little extra sparkle, and with Claudine Hellmuth's Glossy Gel Medium to sparkle up my finish on a collage!

Perfect Medium is now available in pens! Perfect Medium works with Perfect Pearls™ Pigments and more! Perfect Pens work great as a resist ink, embossing ink and watermark, too! We now available individually, and in our Pearls Combo Starter Set.

We also carry the brushes open stock. We accidentally received ONLY the fine tip - we're waiting on the duster brushes. Oops, these things DO happen. I blush to think of the number of orders *I* when I have made a lil BOO BOO!

Pearls are simply GRAND for all your scrapbooking and paper crafting!

Can't tell, without the show... You know, SHOW n TELL, I did that sort of backwards! How about some great Demos from Tim Holtz, Senior Educator for Ranger:

PERFECT PEARLS MIST Learn how to make your own sparkling, inky mist ... like Glimmer Mist. The combinations are endless.

PERFECT DISTRESS Create a fabulous tag. You'll use some homemade mist, so watch the first video FIRST.

Okay, if you're totally hooked and want even MORE education... learn from Jennifer McGuire - she did a little bit of brushing using the pearls and Distress Inks. Here is a video with more information on these fabulous pigment powders.

Ready to shop? YOU CAN SEE OUR PEARL COLLECTION ON OUR WEBSITE... every beatiful color, every marker, ink and brush... http://www.croppinsville.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=PER0

AND, if that wasn't enough, my friends at Ranger were kind enough to offer a SHOW special (yes, OUR summer CHA orders are still rolling in) and I received a demo pack, so if you would like a little demonstration, just ask me next time you're in. You know that I am always happy to stop and play with the toys.

Happy Crafting, or should I say, SHINE ON!

Sesame Street Celebration Challenge

Wow!

I thought Sesame Street had been around forever, because it was there when I was a child. That and Mr. Rogers are the first TV I can remember.

So, I guess that means I have been around forever, because I didn't realize we were both FORTY!

It's okay, I'm dealing with it. I'm excited though, because I think Sesame Street is really just the BEST television for young minds. It was my children's first show, and my son's first video tape was the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Sesame Street.

Raise your hand if you remember Gordon, and Mr. "Looper" and all the "humans" we grew up with...

On to the challenge... create something inspired by Sesame Street - a card, a layout, an altered item, and e-mail it to me by the end of the month. I will share a slide show of all your fabulous art, and choose a RANDOM winner. I have a set of Tim Holtz stamps, some type charms, and some birthday goodies - a wonderful prize package.

Let the creating begin!

After They Are Gone

After They Are Gone

When someone we love passes away

We ache, but we go on;

Our dear departed would want us to heal,

After they are gone.

Grief is a normal way to mend

The anguish and pain in our hearts;

We need time to remember and time to mourn,

Before the recovery starts.

Let's draw together to recuperate,

As we go through this period of sorrow;

Let's help each other, with tender care

To find a brighter tomorrow.

poem by Joanna Fuchs

Our thoughts are with the men, women and families at Fort Hood, and those throughout the world that are now beginning their recovery from this tragic event.

Wrapped with Love

I am a big fan of Kate's Paperie. I have bought some PRETTY cute stuff from their shop - like vintage glittered postcards, and more.

I was browsing their site, they're having some cute events, and saw this article on gift wrapping. It was too cute not to share, and since we're approaching the season of gifting ...

http://www.katespaperie.com/ideas_and_inspiration/category/wrap_the_kates_way/article/springtime_greetings_edition

here's another gift wrapping tutorial

http://www.katespaperie.com/ideas_and_inspiration/category/wrap_the_kates_way/article/basic_edition

Hope you find yourself wrapped in LOVE!

Happy Crafting!

Try Something New

I was inspired by a technique shared by List Mom Gloria, on All Things Tim. If you paint metal and then emboss, you get a fabulous enamelware look.

That wouldn't work for my word sticks, so I experimented. If you take a word stick, or any other metal embellishment, and ink it with dye ink, then sprinkle some clear embossing powder on it and heat... you get this cool hand hammered look to it. A little color still sparks through, too.

Before I inked, I rubbed paint into the areas where the letters are. Then, I rubbed off the excess with a damp paper towel.

Stamps - Life Adventure and Just Thoughts by Tim Holtz. Inks and embossing powders by Ranger. Tag by Creative Cafe.

So, be brave, try something new. Encourage your hopes, not your fears.

Happy Crafting!

NEW!!! Card of the Month Club

Stop in and create a Year of Cards tin in December, with your paper choice (or copy ours). We'll die cut your papers, making it SUPER easy to put together. You add the elbow grease and adhesive! We'll also provide you with some stickers and matching accents. Then... come back each month and make your card of the month at NO additional cost. That's right, your TIN covers the cost of your cards, all year long!!! We'll also have additional supplies available for sale to make birthday cards, holiday cards, and extra cards of the month.

Wouldn't this make a GREAT gift? Purchase and decorate the tin for your favorite crafter, and THEY can come in and make FREE cards throughout 2010.

Please reserve your TIN now. Card of the Month Club tins will be available for pick up in DECEMBER, and will include a BONUS holiday card you can create! There will be BONUS cards throughout the year. Think Halloween, Christmas, 4th of July...

Reserve Now and save $5. Cost: $30.00.

Regular price = $35.00.

Happy Crafting!

Cards for Kate

Are you a card maker?

This is from Jennifer McGuire's blog.

Hello, cardmakers. If you are like me, you love any excuse to make a card. And it is even better when it can be given to someone who really needs it. Don't you agree? Yep - it is time for a new Card Drive - a Cards for Kate Card Drive.

Here is some info about Kate:

About 6 weeks ago the life of the McRae family changed forever when their precious 5 year old daughter, Kate, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Dad (Aaron) is a pastor in Arizona and he and his wife, Holly have two other children, Will and Olivia. Of course this is devastating for the whole family and many are praying for them. (Go to www.prayforkate.com to learn more about this family and their struggle). Kate has a rough road ahead of her for quite awhile. When you hear their story you will want to do anything you can to help.

And one thing we can do to help is to send cards to Kate and her family to encourage them, give them strength, and let them know how many people are thinking about and praying for them. And the most generous and kind people in the world are crafters so we thought we’d have a Cards for Kate Card Drive. This time I have two rockin' friends helping me out - Jana Millen and Kristina Proffitt. Be sure to watch their blogs for more info, etc.

Think of how much it would encourage this family to receive cards from all over the world. You can simply send the cards to me. We will then box them up and pay to send them to Kate's parents. (We have already gotten the ok from them.)

The details:

• Cards can be for any member of Kate's family:

- Kate (age 5) - The sweet girl who is battling cancer.
- Little brother Will, age 4.
- Bigger sister Olivia, age 7.
- Mom and Dad, Aaron and Holly.

• Cards can be anything cheery, encouraging, supportive, etc. (This family is a family of God, so for all you Christians out there, feel free to share messages of Faith.) Anyone can send a card - even your children!

• Please write a message in the card and sign your name and where you are from. On the card envelope, please write the name of who the card is for (Kate, Will, Olivia, Aaron and/or Kate). Also, please don't seal the envelope, as Kate's parents might want to preview cards before the kids see them.

• With your cards, please include a piece of paper with your name, address, email address and number of cards. We will keep these for picking out prizes. For each card you send, you will get a chance. So the more cards you send, the better your chances. (See below.)

• The cards should be sent to:

Jennifer McGuire
Card Drive for Kate
PO Box 428612
Cincinnati, Ohio 45242

• Please send the cards to arrive by October 15. This should give enough time for those overseas to play along. As we get enough to fill a box to send to Kate's family, we will send them. This way they don't get them all at once. And since they are having some struggles lately, the sooner we get some cards, the better.

• If you want to send more than just a card (such as a gift), please just send directly to the address givenHERE. Stickers, things to color, etc are welcome.

• If you want to donate money to Kate's family, please click HERE. If you want to help cover the costs of shipping, feel free to include some money in with your cards. Any money leftover will be donated to the family. (But there is NO need to include money.)

And... how about some prizes as a thank you for participating? For all the cards we get, we will pick random winners of some great prizes. Click HERE for up-to-date prize info. Stuff will be added soon and often. Please keep in mind that winners will be pick based on piece of paper you include with your cards with your name and info. So, be sure to include it!

Regarding that deadline, Jennifer will continue to collect cards, and is also collection for other children. Please direct questions to JenniferMcGuireink@me.com.

Happy Crafting!

Three Sisters Kitchen to GO

http://www.threesisterskitchentogo.com is the best for catering - they are here in Collinsville, and they donated a salad buffet last year for our Scrap Pink event. Pam is the best, and she asked me to whip something up (obviously not in the kitchen, she needs no help.)

I made these boxes for Pam - she is making some sweet treats for some of her customers.

Happy Crafting!