Polished Stone Technique With Copic Markers

CTMH Stamps: Treasure Life and Rosy Regards

Thank you for visiting! Yesterday's post was also about the Polished Stone Technique. The main star was Adirondack's alcohol inks, which offer spectacular results. Today's post is another way to do this easy technique, but with other supplies. Many of which are likely to be on hand.  I do not have any colors of Copic reinkers so I devised a way to do the polished stone technique with Copic markers.  It isn't great, but it is ok. It is not as 'stone-like' as using ink from a bottle.  More of a blended, water-like or field type background. Though, I really like how it looks when stamped with CTMH's Black Archival ink on top.

Copic Markers and Rubbing Alcohol 

The basic method of the Polished Stone Technique is to apply ink to a glossy surface along with an alcohol blending solution.  A metallic mixative is optional.  Today I used 3 copic colors and regular drug store rubbing alcohol on top of glossy cardstock and Kodak photo paper.  Prior to scribbling onto the paper, I coated it with alcohol.  After applying all three markers, I took the Inkssentials Blending Tool (with felt) and applied more alcohol.  It worked much better on the glossy cardstock than on the photo paper. When I get an air compressor, this will be the first technique I try.  I think the results will be amazing!  Probably more Polished-Stone-ish.

Please come back tomorrow for the Polished Stone Technique with CTMH ink and also a video with samples and a quick demonstration.

Have a glorious Monday!
Beverly

Polished Stone - Adirondack Style

Magenta Young Girl Reading Stamp

 This week is all about background techniques.  The first one has been around for years.  The Ranger Ink/ Adirondack Alcohol Ink people made it famous, though.  It is easy to do and no two are alike. The supplies are minimal and it offers quick results.  Later this week, I will show the end results of this technique using different materials. Also, there will be a video comparing the three different results and a quick tutorial.

Pearl Mixative with Eggplant, Stream, Wild Plum

The common denominator to all of the polished stone configurations is a glossy surface and alcohol.
Please visit tomorrow to see how this technique can be done with Copic markers.

Have a great day!
Beverly

Booklet for Tags Tutorial

Booklet Made With CTMH Dakota B & T Paper

 Happy Friday!  Today I have a project that I made for Faithbooking For All, but thought it might be something that could be used for other purposes so I am sharing it here as well. The full tutorial and video are here.

Tag Booklet Front Cover

Once the tags are decorated and otherwise complete, this can become a treasured book.  Alternatively, the tags inside can be used for journaling, list keeping, chore reminders and photo tags. It would make a cute gift with notes on each tag or photos or both!    If tags aren't your thing, it could be used as a coupon holder when going to the supermarket.  Or gift certificates or homemade coupons could be placed inside the pockets, too.  What a fun gift that would be to open!

Inside Dotty Paper Tag Booklet

In case you were curious as to why the tags are blank, it is because next Friday I am releasing a technique tutorial on ways to decorate them.

Thank you so much for visiting today!  I appreciate your time!
Beverly

Clean Up My Desk Card #3 - Mailable Cards Week

Last week I mailed 8 cards at the post office. Because of my love of layering, 7 of the 8 needed extra postage.  Hence, the Mailable-Card-Week, self-challenge I am engaged in this week!  Cards can still be very nice without requiring more than regular postage. :-)

This card uses some leftover snowflakes cut using the Cricut, and one Martha Stewart punch.  They are adhered to a piece of black cardstock which has two strips of the new adhesive-backed, CTMH Silver Shimmer Trim running on the top and bottom.  This piece is on top of a Sky card base cut to the standard size, but it opens on the right hand side.

Thank you for visiting.
Beverly

Clean Up My Desk Card #2 - Mailable Cards Week

5 1/2" by 4 1/4" Standard Size Card

 The clean up continues!  There were several different diecuts leftover from when I was playing with the Artiste Cricut cartridge. These were all made with the Avonlea paper, which is too pretty to throw away!  So they made it onto this simple, mailable card.

CTMH Colonial White Rosette Ribbon Is My Favorite!

The gorgeous rosette ribbon smooshes down, so it fits easily into an envelope with no extra postage.  The sentiment is from the Perfect Day stamp set.

Thank you for stopping by.  The clean up continues with another card tomorrow.  Please visit if you get a chance.
Beverly

Clean Up My Desk Card - Mailable Cards Week

After working on a few projects, I end up with several usable pieces of stuff that did not make it into the original project.  I prefer to work at a clean desk and try to tidy up after each big project. Sometimes I am in a bit of a hurry and a little pile of sort-of-discards starts to accumulate. That is what has happened over the last few weeks.  It was time to take back my surface space and clean up!

Vellum Stamped and Embossed with White - Colored On Reverse

These little trees were too cute to throw away so I put them on a card along with some baker's twine and called it done.  Each was stamped on a different color paper. From the left hand-side: Black ink on white cardstock, white embossing on vellum, and white embossing on black cardstock.  After fussy cutting, they were popped up with foam tape on a Sorbet colored background.

This size card will fit into a business size (number 10) envelope, so it would not require any extra postage. It is 8 1/2" long and 3 1/4" tall.

Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly

Digital Scrapbooking Made Very Easy With Studio J

I never thought I would be a fan of digital scrapping.  Ever.  But a couple of years ago I tried the free Studio J program offered by CTMH and saw that I would be able to do a lot more scrapping with the limited time that I had.  It is easy to use and very intuitive.  Now it is even more affordable.  There is an option to purchase the jpeg files and print your own, if you prefer.  Otherwise a two page 12 x 12 layout is $6.95. Or if you purchase a 5 pack (10 pages) the $39.95 cost includes shipping! A Good-to-Know-Tidbit: it is possible to design an entire two page layout before committing any funds. :-)

The new video posted above is from CTMH. It shows a few of the many ways to make a layout uniquely yours.  Also, if you are interested in hybrid scrapping, it is a great way to do the digital component and then you can add your extra touches when you receive your layouts.  Please visit Studio J to checkout how quick and easy scrapbooking can be!

Thank you for visiting!
Beverly

Frosted Designs Twine and Ribbon Challenge

Paint Splattered On Textured Honey Cardstock

Thank you for visiting today!  Frosted Designs has a fun challenge beginning today using twine and/or ribbon.  Please join us by making a card, layout or off the page project and link it up here.

Dresses Cut From Cricut Artiste Cartridge

On this layout, I used white baker's twine to string a clothesline. I love these cute little clothespins! It was nice to finally be able to use them, after having stored them for years.  Yellow baker's twine was wrapped around the bottom of the picture with a piece of yellow hemp.  I used three different alphabets for the title.  A little bit of journaling is on the half-circle/wheel.

CTMH Ready to Color Canvas "4" and SEI Corrugated Letters

There is a new post today for Faithbooking Friday on my other blog.  Please check it out at Faithbooking For All.

Have a fabulous day!
Beverly

Supplies:
Cardstock: CTMH
Patterned Paper: CTMH Stella
Baker's Twine: CTMH
Yellow Hemp: SU!
Alphabet Stickers: CTMH Keepsake Felt, CTMH Canvas, SEI Corrugated
Journaling Shape: SEI
Paint: Mister Huey's and Perfect Pearls
Tiny Clothespins from Stash
CTMH Cricut Artiste Cartridge

Life On The Farm - Art Journal Page

Could Have Been Tacked  Inside the Barn

My family moved to a rural area of Iowa when I was in elementary school.  It felt far away from everything and very hodge-podgey to me.  Nothing seemed to 'fit' together on The Farm. As we lived there, things continued to get cobbled together, just to work until the next time they broke down. There were bits and pieces of machinery in most of the out buildings. None of them worked. It seemed like everything was ancient and dirty.  My parents decided to try their hand at raising goats (for milk) and chickens.  As my dear dad was a city boy from Newark, it was a learning experience for all of us - with a very steep curve.  So with that introduction, you are probably thinking I hated it.  I did.  At the time.  Now I look back and realize it was one of the best experiences that I could have asked for as a child.

Dusting of Snow on Everything, or Dirt, Depending on the Time of Year

 The part that I am the most thankful for is that because of that experience/experiment (we only lasted 5 years on The Farm) I have a deep appreciation for the farmers of the world.  My friends and their families worked every day of the week.  On Sundays, they would rise even earlier to complete their chores in order to make it to church on time.  They rarely went on vacation.  Weather dictated so much about how they lived.

Heavy Weight White Denim Fabric Book - The Before Picture

 The quote that I wrote on my page, from Dwight D. Eisenhower, sums up how I feel:

Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field.

Brilliant!

 So this mis-matched, layer upon layer of stuff, reflects The Farm life for me.  It isn't pretty.  It isn't meant to be.  If you search through the chaos, you will see some really wonderful things, like the old fashioned tricycle and the flowers with wheels on top of them - representing those that managed to grow without anyone tending them.  I am not striving for a 'beautiful' art journal. I want mine to be authentic for me.

In addition to learning about what types of things work on fabric pages - and what are challenges - I am revisiting some long buried memories.  This journey of exploration has been helpful to me.  And it is a fun process, even if my work looks wonky!

Happy Trails!
Beverly

It's Your Day Double Stamp Set

To celebrate National Stamping Month in September, CTMH is bringing back the popular double stamp set promotion! You can get the exclusive, new My Acrylix® It’s Your Day double stamp set for just $5 when you place a minimum order of $35 in full retail products from August 15 through September 30, 2012. You’ll love this double set—two D-size sets in one envelope—which includes nearly 50 trendy images that makes it easy to capture the everyday moments in your life. The double set has a retail value of $35.90, which drastically increases the value of your qualifying purchase! Have twice the fun stamping during National Stamping Month with our new, exclusive It’s Your Day double stamp set!

Inside Card

 I did a water wash over the stamped images on the inside of the card and the polka dots on the card front at the top of the post. The stamp set is pictured below along with some of the corporate artwork from CTMH.

Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly