Velvet Ink Cafe

Velvet Ink Cafe Comes to a Close

2010-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! It has been a long time since I posted a new video or posted to my blog. I am sad to say that Velvet Ink Cafe is signing off You Tube and Velvet Ink Cafe's Blog for now. I have been focused on obtaining my degree in Multi-Media Design. This new adventure is exciting but challenging as well. It also does not leave me with much free time at all. I have not even had enough time to devote to family and friends, let alone stepped into my wonderful studio for several months! So it is time for me to reprioritize my life, at least for the next year or so.

I actually lost my creative mojo for a few weeks and so I recently took took a day off for some creative therapy. I completed a fun little mini Christmas album. I have posted a video below for your viewing pleasure ;-)

I will be adding more photos and journaling to it this weekend. As you can see, this little mini holds a ton of little gems and goodies.

For instructions on how to create the mini album pages and for other awesome mini album projects, please visit Laura at Following The Paper Trail. You will just love her designs and creative paper crafting ideas!!!
Click here to visit Laura's You Tube Channel

I will really miss you all! Thank you for taking the time to view my videos and for your uplifting comments. I will keep this site up so that you can all refer to your favorite blog posts and videos in the future. Wishing you all a fantastic Christmas this year.

God bless you one and all!
Hugs, Maria ;-)

Vintage Tag Technique Part 3 by: Rach O

2010-06-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

And here is part three by Rach O. This technique would make a great mini scrapbook cover....hmmmm.
Enjoy!

Vintage Tag Technique Part 2 by: Rach O

2010-06-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

Here is part 2 of RachO's vintage tag technique video. Enjoy!
Hugs,
Maria

Running Ragid...Finals Week & Fun Video Post

2010-06-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

I have been missing my blog lately due to the last weeks prepping for finals week at school. My last class is next Tuesday and then I have a full 2 weeks off before next summer quarter starts.

That means I will have more time to create in my art room and I am so excited!!! Stay tuned ;-)

In the meantime, here is a fantastic vintage tag video tutorial by RachO113 from the UK.
I hope you enjoy this technique. I can't wait to try it myself.

See you sometime next week
Hugs,
Maria

Part 9: Creating Art with Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-06-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Is it Wednesday Already? It is still raining in Seattle. Need sun!
Off to do some housework and homework today.

There are two more videos you will need to watch. Part 9 is below.
Grab your supplies and a cup of your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy!

Have a fantastic day everyone!
Hugs, Maria

Part 8: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-06-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

Yes it is finally here! Part 8 in my "Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins" series is here for your viewing pleasure. This video is all about Rubber Stamp Art!!!

Don't forget to review Parts 1-7 for an overview of the techniques and supplies needed throughout this series.

Stay tuned for the last two final videos which continue to highlight rubber stamp art: Parts 9 & 10. I had a blast making these projects and sharing this wonderful technique with all of you.

If you have any questions, please let me know.
If you have used this technique on a project, please share!!!

Remember to learn something new everyday and take time to create!
Hugs,
Maria

50 Seems Like a Big Number.....

2010-05-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I have been reflecting back on my life this entire week. I see so many faces …all those I have met along the way.

I have also been thinking about all the experiences I have had and the dreams I have yet to experience. It has kept me busy I can tell you!

Wow! Tomorrow I will celebrating my 50th birthday. Seems like a big number… but really… if you think about it, 50 of anything, in relation to the entire universe, is a tiny number…like a handful of 50 M&Ms or 50 potato chips.

Well, that’s how I look at it and it makes me feel better…not older. Honestly, some days I feel like I am 20 again. Other days I feel much older than 50.

But another birthday is not so much about feelings or experiences. To me, it is about thankfulness…and I have so much to be thankful for.

I am thankful that God gave me a life to live and a family to love.

More than anything I am thankful for my mother Nelly. I miss her so much. I know I will see her again one day and when I do, I am going to fling my arms around her and we can begin again where we left off. I am going to tell her thank you for having me, caring for me, and loving me unconditionally… for wiping away my tears and for believing in me. She named me Maria.

As I continue to reflect on my 50 years on this planet, I can’t imagine where I would be without my true Knight in shining armor.

Jeff is my truest love, my constant companion and friend. Gentle hearted but firm and strong…solid as a rock! Lord knows I needed a strong man to balance my stubborn, persevering and creative spirit.

Love IS Jeff and life is living it with Jeff. We will continue to share the good and the not so good, having money or not having much at all. When I get sick, he takes care of me and when he gets sick I will take care of him. God willing, we will grow old together… until it is time to go home.

And then there are my two boys….such beautiful boys. The sunshine of my life, the continuation of my hopes and dreams, the part of me that will go on and on, James and Scott.

Blessed with two brothers and a sister, I know I will never be alone. They are just a text message away. They are my cheerleaders and my safety vest when the sea of life gets ready to swallow me up.

Then there are those I have never met but who have taken the time to write, drop a note in my inbox, on my blog, or on my Facebook page just to say hello, wish me well, or thank me for posting my latest tutorial or creation. I love waking up in the morning just to see who I will hear from each day! Thank you for letting me share a little bit of my life with you.

So,“Happy Birthday” to me! May God grant me my birthday wish…a long life with my true love, may he keep my children and family safe from harm and may he bless all those I have met along the way…

I have always loved the song Maria from West Side Story. When I think of the words, I think of Jeff who swept me off my feet 29 years ago. I hope you enjoy this version of that song by John Barrowman.

So with God’s help, my journey continues….With Love, Maria

Harley Memories Digi Art Card

2010-05-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Harley Memories!!!

These Art Cards are a great way for me to practice my digital skills. I had one hour to play this morning before getting back to my studies.

Ahh...not sure when I will be getting back into my studio to play with some real paper and ink. Spring break is just around the corner so I am hoping to start some new project videos soon...

Is there ever enough time?

Enjoy your Tuesday everyone ;-) Hugs, Maria

Can't Wait for Summer in Seattle!

2010-04-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

When I created this digital painting today, I was thinking about the beach, sunshine, and taking a walk on the sand in my bare feet....I can't wait for our Seattle summer. Everything is so beautiful, warm and sunny!

Here is hoping you have a bit of warm sun coming through your window today.
Hugs,
Maria

Final Photoshop Painting Project Done!

2010-04-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to present my final painting project this morning. I used four different painting techniques to achieve the finished composition. I really enjoyed the process. Now I can paint digital pictures just as easy as using real canvas and paint. This digital painting took me four full days to create.

I created several of the brushes along the way....hmmmm could be turned into some really cool rubber stamps??? I have a notebook of designs that I am playing around with that I will be producing into rubber stamps...coming sometime end of next year;-)

For now...this will be one in a series of 4 digital paintings that will be a part of my professional portfolio.

Another great tool within Photoshop is the Photo Filter. By using a photo filter on selected layers, I can easily change the background colors in an instant...LOVE Photoshop!!!

Here are a few variations....which is your favorite?

Have a wonderful spring day everyone!
Hugs, Maria

Digital Art Card No. 2

2010-04-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

Loved how this turned out! Again, using a photo of a bird in my backyard, taken with my D5000 Nikon, I used Photoshop to create this 2nd Digital Art Card.

Enjoy!
Hugs, Maria

Art Card No. 1 Lighter Version

2010-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

This may print out a bit lighter than the original art card in my previous post. It should show more contrast...Enjoy;-)

Digital Art Card No. 1

2010-04-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

I thought I would start posting some of my digital art cards that could be used as ATCs or photocards. Using Photoshop, I created this art card from the photo of the tree I took in California during my visit a couple of weeks back.

Still working on several school projects and need to study for a test today. Not much time for anything else these days...Phew!

Hope you enjoy the art card. Feel free to print, resize, and back with your choice of cardstock. If you have a photo printer, you can print this out on glossy 4x6 paper...

Hugs,

Maria

Wow! Are We Half Way Through April Already?

2010-04-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Seems like forever since I have had a break to post an update to my blog. Sorry folks! I made it back to WA after my visit to CA and I must say I had a FANTASTIC time. I was able to recharge, relax, enjoy good food, fun and laughter....and yes even work on my tan! Unfortunately for me...it has already faded back to a marshmallow complexion...oh well ;-)

I've been working on so many school projects the last two weeks as I hit the ground running. Web Design, 2D Graphic Design, Photoshop 2, Typography and Digital Photography. Great instructors in all my classes this quarter and I am learning some really cool stuff!!!

Jeff and I took a trip to Port Townsend last weekend and we brought Dotie with us. She is such a great little dog...almost a year old now. She loves long car trips and makes everyone smile. We took some great pictures, took nice walks along the shore, and just breathed in the fresh air. Lucky for us we had lots of sunshine and no rain!

We had pizza and hot dogs and ice cream for lunch and then took the ferry home. It was a 2 hour trip up and back but well worth it. A wonderful day with my best friend and lots of practice using the manual controls on my new Nikon D5000 camera.

Well, today is a full, fun filled day of more online tutorials, book study and work on school projects. Tomorrow I promised I would help Jeff spruce up the garden.

Unfortunately, I will not have time to play in my craft room but I have not forgotten to finish up the rest of my video tutorials on "Creating Art with Beeswax". Please be patient and I will try to get the next series completed by my 50th birthday middle of May!!!

Thanks again for dropping by and I hope you enjoy all the pictures. Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Hugs, Maria

Still in Sunny California!!!

2010-04-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

I have been visiting with my brother Gary and good friend Rick in CA through Sunday. We have had an awesome time visiting with Rick's family to celebrate Gary's birthday.

Lots of great food, fun and laughter. We even had a mini spa experience in the kitchen with all the girls ;-)

I brought care packages for each of them filled with my handmade soaps, some body sugar scrubs, whipped body butters, chocolate truffle lip balm AND my new bath bombs. They loved everything!

On Sunday, we went to Santa Monica and had a scrumptous brunch at iCugini. The best food ever!!! Then we had to go down to the beach of course ;-)

I also had a chance to visit Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. I think we spotted the great Kukuie monster through the trees ;-)

Just kidding....the gardens were awesome and I was able to take pictures of plants, trees and flowers that do not grow in Washington state. The park is over 86 acres so we had a great afternoon walking the trails and enjoying the afternoon.

We also had a chance to visit an authentic Italian Deli and boy o boy...talk about being a kid in a candy store! Fresh mozzarella, pastas, marinated olives, artichokes, mushrooms and a plethora of Italian meats and cheeses. Today I will be making pizza from scratch! I'll post the recipe and a few pictures tomorrow.

YES! I love to cook but have not had time because of school. I've been cooking a few new recipes for the boys which they have loved....my husband is jealous and misses me!!!

It is so nice to have a break this week before school starts again on Monday ;-)

I have been taking lots of pictures with my new Nikon D5000 digital camera. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Have a safe and fun week everyone. Hugs, Maria

Oh I forgot to mention my new little family...or my brother's little family...Roxie...Dagger and Hector ;-) They are so sweet and such cuddle bugs.

Canvas Painting Done!

2010-03-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

For my Color Theory final painting, I decided to create a self portrait. I wanted to create texture and layer my paints to obtain a vibrant background that would make this painting pop. I am really happy with how it turned out ;-) It was a fun process and I really enjoyed creating my painting.

Here are the steps I took. First I Gessod my 18 x 24 inch stretched canvas. Then I applied strips of scrap paper to the entire surface using Modge Podge.

After it dried, I applied Moulding Paste and used drywall tape to leave a weave impression. I let this dry for a couple of hours before I applied my first layers of paint. I then started to apply my paint diluting it with lots of water to obtain a "wash" of color. I had a heat gun near by to help dry areas a bit faster.

I drew my images using a dark pencil. Then I applied Gesso to those areas and redrew my lines adding details.

The entire process took about 3 days. I'll be turning this in tomorrow. Now I have one more storyboard drawing to finish tonight...phew!!!

Guess who kept me company the entire time? My two sweet Mini Dachsunds, Peanut and Dottie ;-)

Hope you enjoy these process pics. I may even create a step by step tutorial down the road ;-)

Hugs, Maria

Last Photoshop Submittal for Class

2010-03-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Layered effects, drop shadow and beveled edges for a dreamy background. All finished with Photoshop 1. Will be taking Photoshop 2 next quarter. Can't wait!

I am heads down at the moment completing my painting for Color Theory and Drawing Class. I'll post those final pics later this evening.

Tomorrow is the last day of school!!!!! Then off to CA I go Thursday afternoon. Yipee!!!
Planning on taking lots of great pics with my new digital camera.

Enjoy your day!
Hugs, Maria

Final Illustrator Project...Yeah Done!

2010-03-21T19:47:00.000-07:00

In this final project we were directed to create a colorful poster using all learned tools and techniques.
Now I am off to study for my final test and finish putting on final touches for my final color theory painting.

I am so excited to be going to CA this Thursday for a week and 1/2 to visit my dear family. Hope to catch some sunshine as well ;-)

Till tomorrow...stay safe and have a good monday!
Hugs, Maria

Another Wonderful Sunday...

2010-03-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

A mockup of a website. This was an interesting project. You can mock up a webpage or blog using photoshop and then use the slice tool to format it in HTML. Photoshop automatically writes up the code.
I used the Art History Brush tool to turn a photograph of a mountain scene into a "painting" for the header. I really was going after a colorful design that would go with colored landscape photography.

I'll be taking digital photography starting in April so I am very excited!

Today I will be busy completed two more projects to complete my second school quarter.

It is also Jeff's 60th birthday today ;-) Love that man of mine!

Everyone have a terrific Sunday!
Hugs, Maria

I am SO BUSY catching up!

2010-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have 5 more days to complete my final school projects. My computer was attached day before yesterday and I spent the last two days getting rid of the Mal Ware that chopped up my PC....argghh!!!

I wanted to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day! Hope you are wearing green...otherwise I am pinching you!

Here is a quick video tutorial by "Star of May" to help you celebrate with a beautiful GREEN card.

Now back to my studies....

Enjoy everyone!
Hugs, Maria

One Last Treat for the Weekend!

2010-03-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned, from time to time I will be sharing my life "Beyond Paper and Ink". It is meant to inspire you to add color and creativity to every part of your world.

Hope you enjoy the video...Jeff loves my updated looks and we still get all gussied up for date nights ;-)

Be Beautiful Inside and Out!
Until Next week...
Hugs, Maria

Part 7: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

Here is the last video of this series using vintage art images.
I hope you enjoyed this technique and will join me in the next series starting with Part 8 as we explore additional techniques using rubber stamp art images.

Have a happy day!
Hugs, Maria

Uploading Part 7 Soon...a few Project Pics!

2010-03-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone! And a wonderful Saturday it is!

If you have been following along, I am working on uploading the final part 7 of Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins for Vintage clip art. Should be up soon!

In the meantime, enjoy the project pics from this tutorial.

I will try to get the next series up by next weekend starting with Part 8 which will go over some of the same techniques but this time using Rubber Stamped art images.

To view all the posts and videos for this series just click go to the side bar on the right and click on the "Beeswax Art" link.

Here is wishing you a fantabulous weekend!
Hugs, Maria

Part 6: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-13T00:29:00.000-08:00

Part 6 for your viewing pleasure....
Hugs,
Maria

Part 5: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-12T23:10:00.001-08:00

Here is the next installment! Enjoy!
Hugs,
Maria

Vintage Images To Prep For Part 5: "Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins"

2010-03-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. These are the Vingate images I will be using in the next tutorial Part 5 "Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins" using Vintage Art.

Be sure to print them out using black ink only. Just right click and save them to your computer. You can always paste them all into a Word document and then print them all out at once.

Stay tuned for Part 5!
Hugs,
Maria

What is Multi-Media Design and Production?

2010-03-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

There are many facets of Multi-Media Design and Production. Today, I wanted to share a cool video that shows you just a bit of what a team of Multi-Media Designers and Producers can pull together.

It will put a smile upon your face ;-) Don't forget to drink your water today!!!

Hugs,
Maria

Presented Another Project Today...

2010-03-10T22:11:00.000-08:00

I decided to create a landscape map of a garden I would love to have. I created all the artwork in Illustrator. It was a time consuming but fun project. Glad it is done!

Time to catch some ZZZZZ's now. I am bushed!

Hugs to you all and nighty night.
Maria

It's A Soapy Kinda Day!

2010-03-10T16:59:00.000-08:00

Last night I finished up several batches of homemade soap. I need to get ready for my trip out to see my brother, Rick and his family and my sister. I will be bringing these as gifts.

I wish you could smell how great each of these soaps smell!!! They are also very moisturizing on your sking. Took me about 6 hours to finish and good thing too! I need to get ready for my final school projects and then last day of the quarter I am on a plan to California for 1 1/2 weeks.

Well..now I must get back to school for my drawing class this evening. Tomorrow I will be working on Part 5 of my video tutorial on Creating Art with Beeswax and Napkins so stay tuned!

Hugs,
Maria

Part 4: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

In this video, I cover best art rubber stamp images to use for this technique. Continue your prep work by stamping out your images in Staz-On Jet Black ink on glossy cardstock. Then cut out a black mat for each image out of black cardstock.

Loads of great ideas and resources for wood mounted, unmounted and clear art rubber stamp image options. Stay tuned for Part 5 as we begin the beeswax technique!

Rubber Art Image Resources:
Friends and Company: 425-391-1500
Paper Bag Studios
Magenta
Hero Arts
B-Line Designs
Stampers Anonymous
Inkadinkado
G Studios Clear Stamps
http://www.stampsmith.net/
http://www.stampscapes.com/

Part 3: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Be sure to watch part 1 and 2 in this series below before you begin. Or just click on the sidebar to view all the tutorials in this series under Beeswax Art.

In this part 3 video, I'll be talking about prep work you need to do before we get down to playing with beeswax and napkins. Then I will go over what kinds of clip art would work best for this technique and where you can find good resources for vintage clip art.

Here are a few great resources:
http://www.paperwhimsey.com/ (I think they are having a huge sale through the end of March so take a look!)
http://www.piddix.com/
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned for Part 4. I will be discussing Rubber Stamps sutable for this technique.

Enjoy!
Hugs, Maria

Another School Project Finished!

2010-03-07T01:13:00.000-08:00

So sleepy....thought I would post this before finally going to bed. Tomorrow I want to work on the Beeswax tutorial so I wanted to get this off my plate and finally turned in.

I used Photoshop to create artwork for a fictitious band's CD. I had not idea how many pieces go into a CD! Phew this took a while to complete but I like how it turned out.

I have three more weeks and then I am done with this quarter! Then off I go to visit my brother in California for a week and a half. Third quarter I will be taking Typography, Digital Photography, Web Design, 2D Graphic Design and Photoshop 2. My head is already spinning ;-)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!
Hugs, Maria

Part 1 and 2: Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins!

2010-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

Part 1

Part 2

Time to gather your supplies before we get into the next multi-media art project! If you are looking for supplies, visit your local stamp store. If you are in the Seattle area in WA then contact Doris at Friends and Company as she has these items in stock.

If you are looking for a fantastic class using this technique, ask Doris about Don Zimmer. Don teaches a multitude of multi-media art classes using beeswax and encaustic art supplies.

Friends and Company Rubber Stamps and More
e-mail: topstamp@msn.com

West Seattle location:
4540 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
Telephone: (206) 932-3891
Fax: (206) 932-3983

Issaquah location:
1175 NW Gilman Boulevard, Suite B-7
Issaquah, WA 98027
Telephone: (425) 391-1500

This is Part 1 of what will be at least a 5 part series.

Here is a list of the supplies you will need:

Compact Craft Iron By Clover:
http://www.globalsugarart.com/product.php?id=22326&name=Compact%20Craft%20Iron%20by%20Clover
Other Option is the Darice Mini Craft Iron:
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=prd37743

Glossy White Cardstock: check your local rubber stamp or craft store. Do not use Photo paper!
Black Cardstock
Optional: Gold Cardstock
Natural Beeswax: check with your local rubber stamp or craft store. Also called Collage Beeswax. Get the block and NOT the pellets.
Vintage Clip Art printed on regular copy paper through your printer
Resources:
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/
http://www.piddix.com/

Assorted Rubber Stamp Images
Staz-on Black Stamp Pad: Check your local rubber stamp or craft store
Assorted Printed Paper Napkins
Light Colored Tissue Paper
Crystal Stickles
Bling or Pearls
Double Stick Tape
Scissors
Scrap Paper
Paper Towels
Paper Cutter
Xacto Knife

Enjoy your weekend everyone!
Remember....be brave! Learn something new and share your special self with others ;-)
Hugs,
Maria

I have been very creative!

2010-03-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I just finished up Part 1 of my new video tutorial series on "Creating Art With Beeswax and Napkins". I will be posting it tomorrow!!!

I've also finished up my painting for my color theory class. I really enjoyed drawing and then painting this vase of flowers that we have on our dining room table. Love color so I layered my acrylics to pump up the vibrancy. I used Red, red-orange, green, yellow-green, blue, blue-green and violet. After it is graded, I will put this one in a black shadow box frame and hang it in my studio for future inspiration ;-)

Today I also experimented with my new E.L.F. Cosmetics. Have you heard? These cosmetics run from $1.00 to $3.00 each!!! Such a deal and after reading overwhelmingly positive reviews about these cosmetics, I had to try them out for myself.

With all of us watching our pennies but needing to look our best, E.L.F. is a woman's treasure chest!!!
Check them out at http://www.eyeslipsface.com/

Enjoy your Friday!
Hugs, Maria

Running Against the Clock!

2010-03-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

Time is ticking away!!! Tuesday already and midterms have passed. Well, here is one of two CD projects I completed for my Photoshop class.

I am still working on several important school projects I need to complete before I post my new tutorials. I always make grand plans and over plan sometimes. It is only because my mind races nonstop with creativity. I have a pad of paper next to my bedside so I can jot them down when they come to me in the middle of the night!

I came down with a nasty cold this weekend which put a damper on things. Since I have asthma, it makes it a bit harder to recover sometimes. Drinking lots of fluids help and of course REST. That is a hard one for me!!! Getting to bed at a reasonable hour (say 9:00 p.m.?) is tough. Usually I am up working on things till around 11:00 p.m.

I will also be sharing a little bit about my revamped makeup, hair, wardrobe and excercise routine. Since I will be turning 50 in May, I have really started looking at myself in the mirror. Yikes!!! A gal can tweak a few bad habits and learn some new tricks!

Anyway, I will share what I learn along the way and maybe it will help or inspire you as well.

Have a terrific Tuesday everyone!
Maria

Monday Monday...

2010-02-22T14:52:00.000-08:00

Another sunny day in Seattle! I am really getting the spring itch. As I look out my window into my garden, I can see buds starting to bloom open already!

Even though it is sunny outside, I have been hard at work this morning completing my Photoshop project. This time we were asked to create a 17" x11" movie or theatre poster. I decided to create The Phantom of the Opera. It turned out the way I had envisioned. Dreamy and a bit surreal.

Well, I hope you all have a fantastic Monday. Thanks for letting me share my little projects with you along the way...
Hugs,
Maria

Happy Friday Sunshine!!!

2010-02-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

It is a bright and sunny day here in Seattle! I need to get outside so sorry but I am going to postphone my tutorial a few days. We don't get many sunny days here so I MUST take advantage of it ;-)

Today I have two videos that you will enjoy just as much as I did! The first is a tutorial for an Easel Card. Easy and beautiful! I nice way to display your cards as they stand up.

The second is new video from Soap Queen TV (Yipee!!!). This is the next type of homemade soap I want to try to make but I'll be using my Crock Pot instead of the double boiler. I think I will try my hand at this technique late March or early April. I am having too much fun using my Melt N Pour Recipes and new molds. Yes, I have a terrific tutorial in mind ;-)

Soap Queen TV: How to Make Rebatch Soap from Soap Queen on Vimeo.
I hope you are inspired by these two talented ladies and their crafts.
Enjoy your day!!
Hugs, Maria

Beauty Buys and More...

2010-02-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned, I will be posting little tidbits from time to time that include "Life Beyond Paper and Ink". For future reference, you'll be able to find these postings under that title on the sidebar of my blog to the right.

Today I want to mention a FANTASTIC...and I mean FANTASTIC shampoo and conditioner I have been using this week. I have been visiting Beauty Broadcast and took Emily's recommendation. You'll see her daily blog posts on the sidebar of my blog to the right. She gives great beauty tip and product advice and is spot on with her reviews. Love her videos on You Tube.

My hair has always been on the thin side and because I color my hair and use flat iron it can become dull, loosing its shine. I've spent lots of $$ on products that are jusst O.K. Of course there is no majic bullet but I keep searching. After Emily recommended this shampoo and conditioner I thought I would give it a try...

So I went to my nearest Sally's Beauty Supply here in Kirkland, WA and purchased a bottle of "Generic" Volume Shampoo and Volume Conditioner - Compare to Matrix Amplify Volumizing Conditioner. Each bottle is 16 oz. and only $5.99 a bottle!!! Now thats a steal!

It works magic on your hair! My hair has NEVER and I mean NEVER had so much shine and volume. An extra pleasure is the scent of the shampoo. Jeff can't stop smelling my hair ;-) He loves it and so do I.

Definetely give this a try. If you don't have a Sally's Beauty near you, here is a link to their online store: http://www.sallybeauty.com/. Click here for product links: Volumizing Shampoo and Volumizing Conditioner

Well it's Thursday. Let's see how much schoolwork I can get done so I can get into my craft room and play! Remember I am working on my next paper crafting and soap making tutorials which will be coming soon ;-)

Enjoy your day and remember...Be brave! Learn something new and share your special self with others.
Hugs, Maria

Finished Final Project for Tomorrow...

2010-02-17T01:23:00.000-08:00

To commemorate the Chinese New Year...the year of the Tiger.
Now its time for me to hit the pillow for some ZZZZZZZssss... (Yawn ;-)

Wow...I just looked a the clock and its after 1:00 a.m.! Happy Wednesday Morning! I'll get about 6 hours of sleep then I need to present my project. I will crash and burn tonight after a full day and evening class but that is the way it goes sometimes...
Nighty Night ;-)
Hugs, Maria

Tuesday Sneak Peak!

2010-02-16T08:36:00.001-08:00

Just catching up with you all....a sneak peak of some projects I am working on and will be sharing with you in my upcoming series of video tutorials. Stay tuned!

Enjoy your day!
Hugs, Maria

Life Beyond Paper and Ink...

2010-02-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

No school today...Yipee!!! I feel like I am playing hookie ;-) It is nice to switch gears and catch up on my laundry pile, some spring cleaning, and play a bit with paper.

I also thought I would start a new video series that deals with quick and easy tips that make life a little easier. Here is the first video in this series as I explore life's little discoveries along the way. Later today I hope to get into my craft room and share a little bit about the cold processed soaps I purchased recently along with tips on how I store them.

Variety is the spice of life! A woman can't have enough paper, makeup, and soapy stuff for the bath ;-)

Hope your Monday is a great day.
Be brave! Learn something new and share our special self with others!
Hugs,
Maria

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2010-02-14T09:57:00.000-08:00

A day to remember and celebrate love... for all those precious people in your life.

Last night, Jeff surprised me with a nice dinner at the Keg. Started with an appetizer of shrimp cocktail which was scrumpdelicious! I had a spinach salad with goat cheese and steamed asparagus (I am trying to make better food choices...staying away from butter and heavy cream sauces, meats, etc.) Jeff had Halibut instead of his usual steak. He did it for me ;-) I am trying to get him to choose healthy options when we go out. We both had ice tea. Nice dinner overall.

Then we went to Jazz Alley in Seattle for a wonderful show featuring Mindi Abair. What a Show!!! It was one of the best shows we have seen. Mindi and her band have so much energy and fun. I've posted two videos for you to enjoy. If you ever get a chance... pick up her CD or search iTunes for a few of her songs. Her songs will fill you with joy!

We got home around 1:00 p.m. and fell fast asleep. It was a wonderful evening! God bless that man of mine!

Enjoy everyone! Love, Maria

Valentine's Day is Right Around the Corner!!!

2010-02-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

I HAD to share this video with you from Follow The Paper Trail. This mini album is awesome and just in time for Valentine's Day! These kits are availble now in Laura's Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/followthepapertrail or you can just view the video and make one yourself!

She has the best ideas for envelope mini albums. You must visit her blog for more inspiration at http://www.followingthepapertrail.blogspot.com/

Enjoy the video!
Wishing you a fab Tuesday ;-)
Hugs,
Maria

Yawn....burning the midnight oil...

2010-02-07T01:34:00.000-08:00

I finally finished three new projects for my Photoshop class. This is my Final draft of an 11"x17" poster entitled"Seasons"...my interpretation of all four seasons which make up a year of our life.

The second is an apple photo I transformed with a few cool filters and effects. I added this to my "Season's" poster as an accent. Can you see it?

Third is my "WinterHands" poster. I shrunk this down and added it to my "Seasons" poster as well. I love the way they turned out. Best of all, I am really learning how to use both Photoshop and Illustrator. Still so much to learn in my next 1 1/2 of school!

So sleepy now...going to crawl into bed and catch some zzzzzzz's. I am definetely sleeping in tomorrow!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Hugs,Maria

Digital Art Can Be Like A Beautiful Collage

2010-02-04T21:31:00.000-08:00

I have been working on my 2nd Project for my Illustrator class. We are to create another poster using a variety of type. I think I covered it! I'll need to put on some finishing touches and tweek it a bit but for the most part I am very happy with it.

What I enjoy most about working ditigally is that I can be myself...designing just as I would with paper and ink. Assembling all the pieces until I am thoroughly exhausted and it catches my eye and brings me joy ;-)

I don't know about you but I am waiting for SPRING!!! These dark and dreary winter days are no fun. My garden looks so sparce. I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt again and watch things grow with color and texture. I know the birds will be back soon to nest. We will be ready for them!

The week is nearly over. I have been fighting a nasty stomach flu for the last two days but I am feeling much better today.

I am trying to get all my projects completed so that I can play around with my inks, rubber and paper this weekend. I am trying to pull together another Stampscapes video tutorial. I am hoping to get this done in the next week or so. I miss my Stampscapes!!!

Keep well everyone!
Hugs, Maria

Is it Sunday Already?...

2010-01-31T13:28:00.000-08:00

Another cloudy day in Seattle. Is it REALLY Sunday already? I can't believe it! I spent the morning putting description labels on the back of my soaps and taping them shut so I can pop them in the mail tomorrow. Five boxes altogether. Thats a lot of soap!!!

I also finished up my Color Theory project. I wanted to turn the artboards into a keepsake standup flipbook I could use in my studio.

You can see that I embellised a bit with fibers and Tim Holtz keys, etc. LOVE that stuff ;-) Yes, I added just a bit of bling....

I sprayed the artboards with Krylon so that they would last. They have a nice shiny surface too!

I bought the stand at my local Ben Franklin's. It is made out of wood. I painted over it with my favorite Burgundy acrylic paint and gave it a coat of Krylon. I then stamped on the base and the backboard with StazOn and a few cool $1.00 rubber stamps I found at Michael's.

My brother Gary and Rick were so sweet to send me a gift certificate for Michael's about a month ago so I took advantage of my little shopping spree ;-)

I like the way it turned out and how I can use it to measure the gray scale of a color image using my Values and Hue board. The top boards flip over so you can use the grayscale underneath.

These squares were really hard to paint! Staying inside the lines is a hard thing to do!

Well, I need a shower and then I must work tweeking my Illustrator Project a bit before turning it in tomorrow morning.

Jeff is at work today so I have some time to myself. Love that man but boy he gets so needy some times....I secretly really adore that he does though...I just keep playing hard to get ;-)

Ta Ta everyone!
Time is flying by....
Hugs, Maria

Another School Project and missing my Rubber Stamps...

2010-01-30T20:55:00.000-08:00

In my Color Theory class we are going over hue values and tones. This project required us to pick a color photograph and reproduce it in grayscale form. Boy, this was harder than I thought. With only white and black acrylic paint, I mixed my little heart out to get the right shades of gray to represent the color photo. Well....glad that is done!

I made a stand for all my artboards using my Zutter Binder and also used some Rubber Stamps along with my StazOn Black pad. Of course...I had to add some bling ;-) I do miss my craft room and all my paper crafting supplies. Hopefully next weekend I will have some time to finish up a few projects. I can't wait to show them off :-)

Boy...I am bushed...but I have one more project to finish tomorrow for Monday. Taking 5 full classes is taking up all my time. I love it but I am a bit overwhelmed.

Right now I am having a piece of New York Cheescake Jeff picked up at Trader Joes with a cup of hot tea Hmmmm....so good! I am not even thinking about the calories!

Everyone have a fantastic evening.
Hugs, Maria

Newbie Photoshop User...

2010-01-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

I have been diligently working on my first Photoshop tutorial projects. Each tutorial covers several ways to use the tools within Photoshop.

Photoshop primarily produces Rastor images where as Illustrator produces Vector images. I won't bore you with all the details but to say that both programs used together are quite powerful and are graphic/digital artist tools in the industry.

I still have SO MUCH to learn...Anyway, practice makes perfect so I need to keep practicing.

Happy Friday to you!
Hopefully you'll have some time to yourself this weekend to create something new or learn a new technique.
Today I work on my Color Theory painting project.....then I need to do some serious housecleaning!
Hugs, Maria

Drawing Class....

2010-01-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

Moving on in my drawing class from simple gesture drawings to contour drawing, using a light 2H graphite pencil, defining lines with an H graphite pencil, then filling over darker lines with an Ebony graphite pencil.

We are practicing our new found skills by copying other artists work. Each time we complete a drawing, we become more confident and improve our skills. We need to consider line of sight, drawing objects in proportion to each other, and use the whole sheet of paper to draw on. The sketchbook I am using is 11"x14". My drawing pad is a whopping 18"x24"!

This picture is my hand drawn version of Marie Laurencin's "Head of Woman Wreathed with Flowers. Love this picture!

The second is my hand drawn version of a Tiffany & Co. Magnolia Conspicus sketch which resides in the Metropolitan Musuem of Art.

Third above is my hand drawn version of a landscape by Paul Cezanne which resides at the Philadelpia Museum of Art.

Yesterday, we experimented with tone and shading. We completed a continous tone 18x24 abstract drawing using Vine charcoal and white chalk. Messy but way fun! I need to spray a bit of Krylon sealer over the top of this today. Charcoal gets everywhere! Can you see the figure of a boy in the middle of the circle?

Later this afternoon, I need to get back online and study up on my Photoshop tutorials and then complete my Color Theory art boards. So many projects and so little time!

I was just thinking about this the other day...for years it was a chore just to get out of bed in the morning and get going with each day. I finally realized that I was getting up earlier and feeling more refreshed. I had a moment...a spark...a feeling of joy and I smiled to myself as the realization came into my soul. I am doing what I was made to do and that makes all the difference in the world! I am so excited to get up each day now!

Now I think I'll celebrate by taking a nice hot bath with my new homemade "Baby Cakes" body soap and "Honey and Oatmeal" face soap. Mmmmm. Baby Cakes looks good enough to eat and smells of chocolage fudge, strawberry and cheescake! Lots of lucious bubbles ;-) Isn't the face soap cute with the honecomb imprint and the little bee sitting on top? Love this soap as it is very moisturizing and feels creamy on your face.

Well, thats it for now. Bless each and everyone of you today.
Hugs,
Maria

It's a Wrap!

2010-01-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hello and Good Morning!
Well Jeff and I finally had a few hours yesterday to finish wrapping up our homemade soaps.

I used Illustrator to create the strips with our catchy family soap name "Chic 'N Shabby Homemade Soap N Sundries".

I first put a few pieces of shreeded paper in the box. That looks better than tissue paper, cushions the soap for mailing keeping it from bumping around and looks professional. We used Burgundy Wine and Baby Blue.

For the "Chic" part of this project...

Jeff took the 3x3x2 inch boxes and a few of the rectangular boxes we had and wrapped them down the middle with handmade papers and wasabi papers.

Wasabi papers can be purchased in a very large sheet and come in an array of colors. I just folded it down the middle, cut off about 1/2 inch from the bottom and then I was able to slide it into my large paper cutter. You can also measure and cut into strips using scissors.

He then wrapped the printed strips over the top of the wasabi papers and tapped them on the back with Scotch tape. This will then be covered over with a sticky label with a little information about the soap.

For the "Shabby" part:
Then I took strips of fabric and pulled them into smaller strips.

We both thought these turned out so well and we love that the packaging is recycleable and eco-friendly.

Ready to be mailed out to our family on Monday ;-) I can't wait for them to try out these wonderful soaps that Jeff and I made together!

Have a blessed Sunday
Hugs to all
Maria

More Schoolwork and a Finished Draft Project...

2010-01-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

Well, Monday is almost behind us. I just finished my Illustrator draft project poster above. A few more finishing touches before I turn it in next week. Phew! This one has quite a few layers. I love this quote from Danny Kaye. I just love those old Danny Kaye movies...they make me laugh.

These are the first gesture drawings I completed in my Drawing class last week. Sheesh...you only get to draw for 15 seconds and you must scribble and use your whole arm to capture the subject. It is a rough sketch at best. I scanned the large format into postcard size and it does not look as bad as I thought. We will be learning about contour lines next week....hmmmmm...

I have soooo much to learn ;-)
Well, nighty night everyone.
Maria

Another Fun Day With Soap and Ready to Wrap and Send!

2010-01-17T18:11:00.000-08:00

Spent 1/2 the day getting organized and ready to package my homemade soaps to send to family and friends. I found these recycled boxes at my Packaging Specialties in Redmond, WA. That is such a fun store! I'll need to gather my papers, stamps and ribbon to finish the job tomorrow before I pop them in the mail for my family and friends.

I decided to also make a batch of Mango Salsa Heart Soaps. Ooooh Laa Laa do these smell divine! For all the ladies in my family. Good enough to eat ;-) Makes your skin sooooo soft.

Then I took a silicone loaf size baking pan and made a batch of Lemon Basil Hemp Kitchen Soap. Did you know that Basil is naturally anti-bacterial? This was so easy to make and came out looking so cool with bits of Basil and ground Apricot seed. This is a perfect soap to have next to your kitchen sink! The smell is so lemony and herbie...wonderful!

Next, I made some large body soap bars for the men in my life using a very spicy fragrance called Nag Champa. They will love it!!! I added some powered Pumice along with some ground Apricot seed. Of course I had to set one aside for my son Scott and one for Jeff too!

Well...time for dinner so I am done for today. No school tomorrow because it is a holiday so I'll have time to work on my packaging!

Have a super evening everyone.

Hugs,

Maria

Laura's Finished Mini Album!

2010-01-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Here is the second video segment from Follow The Paper Trail. Laura's choice of papers and embellishments are to die for! Yummylicious mini scrapbooking!

Happy Sunday Everyone!
Hugs,
Maria

I LOVE Making Mini Albums!

2010-01-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

Today I am taking a break from my studies and school projects to play a little. I am going to be working on boxing my finished soaps so I can send them off to family and friends. I'll post what I have come up with as soon as I can.

For some time now, I have been working on my family photo collection. I am not a huge scrapbooker but I do LOVE creating handmade mini albums from scratch and that is where I am putting special family photos, scraps of memorabilia and journaling.

One site that I follow and love is Follow The Paper Trail. I posted one of Laura's recent videos for your viewing pleasure. This is a great idea for a quick and easy and different mini album using regular legal size envelopes. We all have these laying around don't we? A great way to use scraps of patterned papers too!

I am going to give this a try this weekend. Laura has tons of other awesome mini album and paper crafting ideas on her You Tube page as well as on her blog. I purchased her Butterfly mini album pattern and it is on my to do list. Love it!

Hope you all have a fantastic day and weekend! Enjoy the video ;-)
Hugs,
Maria

A Word of Encouragement....

2010-01-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

With the New Year now in progress, we all seem to feel the need for renewal...a fresh start...a chance to begin a new goal. It takes work, focus and diligence...it sometimes means you need to say no to those around you who may want you to do something that will take you away from your goals or dreams.

Goals are not acheived overnight as I am still learning...they are acheived one day at a time, from the moment you wake up and set your feet on the floor you have a decision to make about those goals. Are you happy doing what you are doing? Is your life balanced and are you taking care of yourself? Are you using the gifts and talents that God has given you to contribute in a positive way to this world?

Sometimes we lack confidence, we are fearful of change, or everything around us is fallilng apart. You still have control over your actions. What will you do today to fill your cup so that you can in turn help those around you?

These are some of my thoughts as I begin a new school quarter and a new year. No doubt there are problems and challenges in life...those we cannot control. For today...I will choose to put one foot in front of the other and continue to keep my mind open to new posibilities and take positive action.

I am sure you have all heard the song "Unwritten". The lyrics remind me that life is to be lived and that is truly a gift from God.

So where you are standing right now...be encouraged! Take time out to love yourself and do something new and different this year. Its not so much about setting goals, its about learning, growing and giving...no matter what your age ;-)

Hugs,
Maria

Unwritten Lyrics: by Natasha Bedingfield
I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined

I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned
Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten...

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins...

New School Project

2010-01-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

I have been busy today putting together my background artboards for my new Illustrator 2 class project poster. I am not sure which background I will be using yet...hmmmmm.

Now I need to work on my image and my text for the poster. This is not due until Jan. 27th so I feel confident I'll finish in time.

Tommorow will be my first Photoshop class. I can't wait!

Need to also work on finishing up my Color Theory board projects for Monday.

Also need to shop this weekend for my Drawing class. I am so grateful for this time in my life and the ability to learn new things.

Wishing you all a good night

Hugs,

Maria

It is Tuesday Already!!!

2010-01-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

No school today but I need to go shopping for my art supplies and then get back to work on my Photoshop and Illustrator class homework later today.

Thought I would post another http://www.brambleberry.com/ video on how to wrap your melt and pour soaps. I'll be putting together some ideas in the next few weeks using paper and rubber stamps.

If you want more info on making easy melt and pour soaps, view my recent videos below or check out all the awesome Bramble Berry soap making videos on You Tube.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!
Hugs,
Maria

First Day Back At School Made My Doggies Cry!

2010-01-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

After my two week break (and sleeping in) I was out the door today at 7:00 a.m. for a full day at school. All my sweet doggies started to cry as I was getting ready in the shower this morning. How did they know? Wesley...my Golden Retriever, Peanut and Doty...my two mini Dachsunds laid down on the bathroom rug and looked up at me with such pittiful faces. It broke my heart.

I thought I would post this cute video and song for all you dog lovers out there. It will put a smile on your face ;-)

My first day back at school was great! Adobe Illustrator 2 class, Mac Operating System class, Color Theory and Drawing classes and a Photoshop 1 class...yes 5 classes this time. No math though!!! Yipeee!

My doggies were so happy to see me and we went for a long walk in the rain.

..."Yawning"...Well, time for some hot tea and then to bed.
Hope your day was special.
Hugs,
Maria

And Video #4...Love those Soaps!!!

2010-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

I hope you will visit www.brambleberry.com to view all the wonderful resources and supplies. Hopefully these videos bring a smile to your face and helped you learn a little bit about soap making...the easy way. It is a quick craft and you could have up to 8 soaps done in 1 hour or so. Impress your friends and family...give it a try ;-)

Till next time,
Hugs, Maria

Handmade Soaps Tutorials...

2010-01-03T10:23:00.000-08:00

As promised...the next two installments below.
Part 4 will be posted shortly...Enjoy!
Hugs,
Maria

A Brand New Year... Brand New Projects...

2010-01-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

Hoping you all had a blessed Christmas and New Years! I can't believe it is 2010!!! Jeff and I had two weeks off together and we really enjoyed visiting with friends and taking a few day trips together.

We also went to see Avatar in 3D at the IMAX. Spectacular movie...cutting edge special effects. You don't want to miss this movie! THE BEST!!!

Jeff will be back to work on the 4th and I will be starting my second quarter of school. But before I get back into the grind...I wanted to share a series of videos Jeff and I just finished on Handmade Gifts.

This series is all about Making Soap. A few weeks ago I posted a video from Bramble Berry on soap making. I decided to try it and now I have Jeff hooked!!!

Watch as we go over all the necessary supplies you will need, resources for supplies, and steps to create easy soaps that are far better than store bought. A fun and easy project for the whole family! In Part 3, I will show you how to wrap and store your soaps using paper, rubber stamps and ribbon along with a variety of earth friendly supplies.Enjoy and stay tuned for Part 2!

Be sure to visit http://www.brambleberry.com/ to learn more about soap making and for supplies and additional resources.

Hugs,
Maria

For Many of You...Winter is Here!

2009-11-25T10:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post a little cheery winter blessing for you today, in spite of the nasty weather. While Seattle, WA is not experiencing any snow and ice....yet...if you read the news today, many states are experiencing full on winter weather complete with snow storms, and icy roads. While the snow looks so beautiful, driving in the ice and snow is no fun at all!!! It is also time to bundle up out there...bbrrrr.

To bring you up to speed, I was craving some creative inspiration and I was so happy to be able to attend a class at Friends and Company a few weeks back. What fun!!!

Helene(pronounced LN) Metivier from Magenta came out to visit the Seattle, WA area and taught us some awesome techniques using a few new Magenta products. Spectacular classes! It was fun to touch base with Helene and create these wonderful cards.

For those of you who are not familiar with Magenta, the company began in the early 1990’s. Helene and her husband Daniel and sister Nathalie founded Magenta. You must visit their website to appreciate all the wonderful paper art supplies and unique artist rubber stamps. They are a must have!!! Click here to visit the website.

I so need to order the new "Snow Babies" stamp. Adorable!!! We used CBA01- Adhesive Snowflakes Chipboard set along with glitter and bling...my favorite! Contact Friends and Company at topstamp.msn.com if you would like to order any Magenta products. Better yet, visit their store locations if you are in the Seattle area to view these stamps in person!

West Seattle: 4540 California Ave, SW
(206) 932-3891
Issaquah: 1175 NW, Gilman Blvd., Suite B-7

(425) 391-1500

I hope you enjoy the slide show below of the cards I created in class. If you do not want to listen to the music, just click on the top left hand corner of the slide and you can mute the music.

Keep warm and safe out there everyone!
Hugs, Maria

Fun Paper Flower Tutorial

2009-11-24T08:36:00.001-08:00

Hey all, before I go to school today, I thought I would post a quick and fun paper flower tutorial by Leah. She has such fun paper crafting videos!!!

With a few supplies, you can make these great flowers for your mini albums and paper crafting projects.

Happy Tuesday!
Maria

Final Draft...Done!

2009-11-23T10:47:00.000-08:00

Phew! Here is my final draft ready to print and turn in. So very different from my original below. I really do love the whole process involved from drafting a design, to the deciding on lettering, colors, background layers and figuring out how to place "eye-candy" on the finished project.

Out the door now for another full day of Digital Sound and Math!!!

Enjoy your day everyone ;-)

Maria

Focused on School Projects...

2009-11-22T23:10:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it is Thanksgiving this week? Wow, time is flying by. I have been heads down with Math, Illustrator and Digital Sound courses at Lake Washington Tech. My 1st Quarter is coming to an end and I have been working diligently on all my final projects. This is my last Illustrator Project. My project is a poster depicting an opera. I choose Madame Butterfly using my favorite colors. This is a draft that I will be tweaking a bit but nearly done with it. Phew!Once school quarter is finised on Dec. 10th, I will have more time for paper crafting.
Until then, I'll be popping in a few blog posts...
Hugs,
Maria

Making Gifts For The Holidays

2009-11-08T04:40:00.001-08:00

I have been spending my time cleaning house, reorganizing my studio, and making a list of holiday projects I want to start on. So, for this week's inspiration, I have posted this awesome video to inspire you!

Have you ever tried making your own soap? You can use your clear, unmounted stamps to create one of a kind gifts for family and friends. Looks pretty easy! I am going to give this a try!!!

Enjoy ;-)

My First Completed School Project!

2009-10-23T19:15:00.001-07:00

As some of you may know, I started school this Fall, deciding to complete a degree in Multimedia Design. This is my first completed Fall poster project using Adobe Illustrator.

It is a bit outside of the box but I had so much fun creating this 11"x17" poster. A little bit of Halloween and Fall mixed in together...Hope you enjoy it ;-) I think it would make a great ATC card....tee hee.

Thanks for letting me share. I feel my creative juices coming back!!! I'll have some fun paper arts projects to share with you soon ;-)

Now I need to decorate for Halloween and bake a slew of cupcakes this weekend!!!

Hugs,

Maria

In Need of Some Creative Inspiration....

2009-10-22T08:44:00.000-07:00

Wow!!! Has it been a whole month since I last posted ? I can't believe it!

I have to admit that I am in need of some creative inspiration these days. Life has thrown a few curve balls my way and I am in a bit of a creative slump. Know the feeling?

That is why we need each other's inspiration. When our creative cup is empty, there are so many wonderful folks out there to help prop you back up.

So today I thought I would highlight a gorgeous project made by my fellow Stamper's Quest Design Team member, Regina ;-)

Check out the entire project directions with step by step pictures at: Stamper's Quest

LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea! The background colors and leaves combined together really put me in a festive mood. This would be a great gift to make for family and friends. Everyone needs a place to hold pencils and pens on their desk. They will remember you every time when they reach for a pencil This technique would make a faboulous paper bag mini book......hmmmmmm.

Thank you again Regina... I am feeling better already ;-)

Wonderful project!

Hugs, Maria

Just for Fun...

2009-09-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have taken a break from paper crafting and life this week, still nursing my bruised ankle.

It has also been a few weeks since I posted updated pictures of Dotie, my darling new puppy. She is now 4 months old and full of spunk and love. She has stollen our hearts. Even Wesley, who could not stand her at first, has fallen in love. Ahhhh, the sibling rivalry is over and we are one happy family.

I hope these pictures of Peanut, Dotie and Wesley bring a smile to your face.

I'll have some creative ideas to share with you soon.

Stay safe and enjoy your week everyone!

Introducing PIDDIX collage sheets

2009-09-01T17:08:00.001-07:00

I recently had the opportunity of working with several fantastic collage sheets from PIDDIX. You can purchase these downloadable collage sheets from:

www.piddix.etsy.com
www.instantcollagesheets.com
www.piddix.blogspot.com

547. Handwriting, Maps and Music in 2.5 inch

364. Vintage Eiffel Tower Postcards and Stamps in 2.75x4

Just download, print off your color printer, cut and embellish some fantastic quick cards. I used several colors of Memento Dye Ink pads to edge.

449. Seashell Engravings on Vintage Postcards in 2.5 in

I also used black inchies and drywall tape for this card.

10. 1800s Japanese Wood Block Prints
4. 1800s Japanese Wood Blocks Sampler

Hope these cards get your creative juices flowing!

After the Fall...Back in my Craft Room ;-)

2009-08-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

Well....I did it to myself! Last week I feel down my stairs and twisted my ankle in two places. I actually tore a few ligaments. Boy was that painful!!! I am on the mend and hobbling along. I finally made it up to my craft room to put together a new video on digi stamping. Ahhh!!! I feel so much better ;-)

I hope you enjoy the new techniques and that you will try using some digi stamps in these new ways. Let me know what you think.

This digi stamp set is called "Mix & Match Stems" from Mujka Designs. You can purchase this set at http://www.mygrafico.com/. Follow this link: http://www.mygrafico.com/stamps/mix-and-match-stems/prod_1029.html

Till next time, I will keep myself from any further accidents, bee stings and other such nonesense...I promise ;-)

Keep safe and enjoy what is left of your summer!

NEW WORKSHOP COMING TO FRIENDS AND COMPANY!!!

2009-08-08T14:18:00.001-07:00

I am proud to present a new all day workshop that is a combined effort between Maria Loomis and Don Zimmer. If you love Maria and Don's classes than this New Fashionista Book Workshop is for you!

For more information and to reserve your spot, please contact Friends and Company:

Class in September at the Issaquah Location. Call 425-391-1500
Class in October at the West Seattle Location. Call 206-932-3891

Here is a sneak peak! Can't wait to see you there ;-)

Hugs, Maria

Creative Inspiration E-Zine for Rubber Stampers!!!

2009-08-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great Rubber Stamping Online E-Zine packed full of ideas, video tutorials, step-by-step project tutorials, paper arts inspiration, contests, prizes and more? Then visit Stamper's Quest and bookmark this site to your favorites: www.stampersquest.com

Did you know I am one of the artistic guides for Stamper's Quest? Stay tuned for upcoming project tutorials for August. You won't want to miss it!!!

Happy Saturday....and just so you know I am back to using my arm after my traumatic bee sting last week....Phew! I am feeling SO much better.

Hugs,
Maria

My First Bee Sting!

2009-08-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Would you believe it...I have never been stung by a bee until now! WOWZA did I have a reaction, not an emergency but I am still nursing my arm from this wopper of a bee sting.

I was in the garden on Monday trimming up and ZAP! I backed into a bush and the next thing I knew I felt a prick and burning sensation on my upper left arm. Hanging on my arm was a huge bumble bee. I flicked him off and luckily there was no stinger attached. OH MY GOSH did that hurt! Since I never experienced being stung by a bee I was not sure how my body would react.

Well it is Thursday and I still have a welt the size of a grapfruit on my upper arm. It is hot to the touch, and tight. I know I will survive but it has definetly dampered my creative side this week! I have been taking Benadryl which makes me sleepy. It feels like I have the flu.

For those of you who don't know how to treat a bee sting or what to do if you or your pet gets stung by a bee... here is a link to the article and a short exerpt of the article I found on About.com. Hope this is helpful info.

Stay safe out there and enjoy the rest of your summer! I should be back to my studio later today. I will have some great projects to share with you so stay tuned ;-)

Hugs,

Maria

Treat a Bee Sting, http://firstaid.about.com/od/heatcoldexposure/ht/07_bee_sting.htm
Safety first! Get away from the bee. Bees release a scent when in danger to attract other bees. If you're still around when reinforcements get there, they'll sting you.

Remove any stingers immediately! No need to scrape off bee stingers, just remove them. It's OK to pull stingers out with your fingers. The longer bee stingers are allowed to remain in the body, the more severe the reaction will be.

If the victim is allergic to bees, check to see if the victim is carrying an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen). If so, help the victim use the EpiPen. If the victim is supposed to carry an EpiPen and does not have it, call 911 immediately! Do not wait for symptoms to appear. Watch any victim closely for signs of anaphylaxis.
· itching
· redness
· hives (raised welts)
· shortness of breath

If there is any concern that the victim may be developing anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately. Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benedryl), can slow an anaphylactic reaction, but will not stop it.

Non-allergic victims will almost always develop local reactions to bee stings. Redness, swelling, and pain are all common at the site of the bee sting. The pain will usually go away pretty quickly, but swelling may last for more than a day. Use an ice pack to reduce swelling at the site.
It's common to develop some itching at the bee sting site. Antihistamines or calamine lotion should help.

Use ibuprofen or acetaminophen for minor pain relief. For tenderness at the site, try a bee-sting swab (compare prices) to dull the pain.

Another Hot Day in Seattle...

2009-07-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

We are not used to this heat here in Seattle! More like California weather. Three days of 95 plus weather and no rain in site. The air is hot and humid and my bod is not used to it. I decided to beat the heat today and stay indoors...the garden can tend to itself today. The doggies and I have had fun just hanging around.

I hope you enjoy the pictures of my happy little family ;-) I'll be back in my studio again next week to share more paper inspiration.

Have a great weekend!
Maria

Digi Stamping and Copic Marker Tutorial

2009-07-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Well, I finally finished Part 3 of my three part series on Digi Stamping with My Grafico digital images, colored in with Copic Ciao markers. These images are SO CUTE!!! Don't forget to check this Spring Fairy digi set out at www.mygrafico.com

Enjoy the tutorial ;-)

Back in The House with....A New Baby!!!

2009-07-24T22:52:00.000-07:00

Great to be back in my art studio again! Enjoy the video of my new baby which has been taking up ALL of my time lately ;-)

I'll next post the first two videos of a three part series on how to use digi stamps.

Enjoy your weekend and I hope the video of DOTY makes you smile ;-)
Creatively yours, Maria

New Stampscapes Workshop

2009-07-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

A peek of the techniques used in my new Stampscapes workshop. Dye-Ink pads, brayering, sponging, and a plethora of stamping techniques were used. My next workshop will be held in August at Friends and Company (425) 391-1500.

Have a fantastic Monday everyone!
Maria

Happy Birthday Sis!

2009-07-04T15:28:00.001-07:00

Not only is it my son James B-day on the 4th of July but my baby sister Grace's B-day is on July 6th. As usual, I am a few days late....I made this card today to pop in the mail to her on Monday.

The image is actually a digi stamp from Squigglefly. I printed it out on my HP printer in black on Georgia Pacific cardstock. I let it sit for about 20 min. Then I colored in the image with my Copic Ciao markers. I also used my Uni-Ball Signo Sparkling pens to add glimmer to the shoes. If you are wondering where yo can purchase these awesome sparkly pen in a set of 8 colors that come with its own pink case, then visit "My Favorite Places to Shop" links at the bottom of this blog. The site I purchase all my Uni-Ball Signo pens is www.jetpens.com

The Background papers are from Scenic route and I used my Oval and Scalloped Large Oval Nestabilities dies which I ran through my Cuttlebug. I also used my Cuttlebug flower dies to cut through Foam Glitter Sheets from Creatology. You can find them in a variety pack of 8 colors at Michael's craft stores. They cut beautifully through the Cuttlebug and they have a "Peel and Stick" backing. Add some bling and you are done!

Have a great day everyone!

Creatively yours, Maria ;-)

Happy Fourth Of July!

2009-07-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! 4th of July!!! My son James is celebrating his 26th birthday on the 4th!!! I am feeling SOOOO OLD ;-) Here is a shout out to James....HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!

Have you ever lost your temper and said something you really wished you didn't say? I call it foot in mouth disease. I thought this card would be good to have in my stash the next time I insert foot in mouth ;-)

I created the card using The Stampsmith - "Say It Like It Is" Rubber Art Plate and their "Medieval Ornaments #2" Rubber Art Plate.

Please visit The Stampsmith if you are interested in ordering these awesome Rubber Art Plates.

I've also been in an Asian mood ever since my Make N Take at Friends and Company yesterday. I showed everyone how to stamp on tiles using Staz-On. We had so much fun!!!

If you would like to view my quick video tutorials on how to stamp on tiles click below:

Part 1 Tutorial

Part 2 Tutorial

I then created the Asian card below using the following stamps:

Dream Text: Stampendous
Butterfly: Magenta

Lg. Med. Dots: Savvy Stamps

Flourish: Judikins

Backgorund (on red circle): Savvy Stamps

Geisha: Acey Deucy

Small Exclamation Points: Magenta

Here's hoping you find time this weekend to create something beautiful. Enjoy celebrating this weekend, God Bless, stay safe and... don't eat to much ;-)

Hugs, Maria

Did Someone Say Summer???

2009-06-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yipee!!! school is out and summer is here. After presenting a Make-N -Take project at Friends and company yesterday, I used my leftover "Rubba Mojo" to create a few more cards to inspire you ;-)

Grab some scraps of paper, a few 12 x12 sheets of double sided paper, a handful of Estelle's The Stampsmith rubber art stamps and a rainbow of Memento Dye Ink Dew Drop Pads to create these EASY PEASY mini collage cards. Background papers are from Scenic Route.
These cards were so much fun to create! Did I say FUN!!! I cut pieces of 3.5" x 2.5" of Neenah cream colored cardstock and used a mix of images from The Stampsmith to create all the cards you see here.

Click on the links below to view the Rubber Stamp Image plates which you can order from The Stampsmith. The order form link is also below.

Floral Alphabet
Medieval Ornaments #2
Paris
The Great Wall of China

The Stampsmith Order Form

Begin your stamping layers starting with the lightest Memento dye ink colors first. Finish with the darkest Memento dye ink color on top.

I used a Tsukineko long oval dauber to edge all four sides with a coordinating color of Memento dye ink before mounting it on my cardstock.
I hope the following cards inspire you to create some mini art collage pieces of your own. Better yet...have a few friends over for a stamping party...serve cupcakes, iced tea and stamp your little hearts out. Then have a card exchange!!!

Creatively Yours,
Maria ;-)

A Sneak Peek...

2009-06-23T16:21:00.001-07:00

I will be posting two new video tutorials on my "Sand and Pebble" background technique on July 27th on Stamper's Quest. Mark your calendars ;-)

In the meantime, a sneak peek:

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Creating with Stampsmith Rubber Art

2009-06-22T18:00:00.001-07:00

Today I thought I would play with my dye re-inkers and some glossy papers to come up with some interesting backgrounds to use. I love how they turned out and of course... now that I have perfected my technique, I can share a quick video tutorial with you this week.

After embossing the backgrounds with clear embossing powder, I stamped several images from The Stampsmith's "Great Wall of China" plate with Black Staz-On. I added a few finishing touches with a metallic gold Sharpie marker and some Stickles. I can't wait to make a few more cards to show you tomorrow!!!

So stay tuned for my next Stampsmith video tutorial ;-)

Creatively yours, Maria

I am a New Stamper's Quest Design Team Member!!!

2009-06-22T02:26:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to be a new member of this talented team. Please visit Stamper's Quest to read all the great articles and see all the fantastic rubber art techniques that are being shared on this Rubber Art E-zine site. Click Here to go to Stamper's Quest.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Gone Shopping Lately?

2009-06-19T16:18:00.001-07:00

Well Friday is here at last! Definetly time to do some shopping this weekend. I've changed gears this week focusing on my Copics and Digi Stamping. The papers used are from Scenic Route and the Digi Stamp is from Squigglefly. The sentiment "Gone Shopping" was created in Word. I printed both on Nina Cardstock using my HP printer. I'll have to write up a short tutorial to show you how easy this is!!!

I added some sparkle with my Gell Roller Clear Star pen.

Here is the layout I created for the card by layering papers. Nestability dies and embossing folders used on papers were rolled through my Cuttlebug. Hope you have a lovely evening. My next project will be Stampsmith! I received some wonderful images from Estelle and I am ready to put together one of my mini acrylic books. Stay tuned!

Creatively yours,
Maria

Using Digi Stamps

2009-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

While researching Digi Stamps online, I came across a fantastic site: My Grafico. They have so many wonderful designs to choose from. If you have never used Digi Stamps then you are in for a treat!!!

First, go to www.mygrafico.com and download any of the "Freebie" digi stamps they offer. I downloaded the free Cocoa Studio Digi Stamp in the video below off the My Grafico web site.

After downloading the image, I opened up a Word document and inserted the .jpg image. To size the image, right click on the image and resize to 3 inches high...the width will adjust automatically. I saved my Word document and then printed onto Nina cardstock, in black, from my HP Deskjet printer. I let it sit for about 5 min. to make sure the ink was dry.

I used the following Copic Markers to color in the image using the lighter color to blend the darker.

Vase: BG10, BG15, BG49
Flowers: Y15, Y17, YR04
Flower Centers: RV04, R27
Dots: V12, BV08
Shadow: BV31

By the way, here is how I store my Copic Markers

I used a Cuttlebug and my Nestabilities dies and Cuttlebug Embossing Folder to layer my card design. Added some bling, stickles and ribbon.

Be sure to visit My Grafico for tons of FREE Digital images and inexpensive Digi Stamp sets.

Enjoy the video below. If you have any questions, please do email me and I would be happy to help!

Hugs, Maria

Just for Fun...Time to Play!

2009-06-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

After completing my series of Stampscapes techniques videos I needed to switch gears...so I just sat down to play. The large card above was made with Graphic 45 paper, a Magenta rubber stamp, Adirondack Espresso Dye Ink pad, some felt and other embellishments. I cut out some felt using my Cuttlebug, Cuttlebug floral dies AND Sizzix flower dies (This may be another tutorial coming soon ;-) I also cut out the leaf branch out of acrylic covered with mesh using my Cuttlebug and Sizzix die. If you are wondering about this technique, check out my video tutorial posting listed under "Time to Play" - Embellish with Mesh video.

Hope you are all having a marvelous weekend. Tomorrow I will be playing in the garden...ah!!!

Hugs to you all,

Maria

Stampscapes Extra Effects Techniques

2009-06-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ahh!!! The last of these series of videos on Stampscapes Techniques! I hope you all enjoyed them. Please email me and let me know if you have any additional questions or please do share any Stampscapes card art you created! I would love to see them ;-)

Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Maria

Stampscapes Tutorial Part 4 of 4

2009-06-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

Stampscapes Tutorial Part 3 of 4

2009-06-04T09:38:00.001-07:00

Stampscapes Tutorial Part 2 of 4

2009-06-03T19:29:00.001-07:00

Creating with Stampscapes Rubber Art Stamps!

2009-06-03T14:18:00.000-07:00

I was honored to be a part of Doris's Grand Opening event this last weekend at Friends and Company in Issaquah Washington. We had a fabulous time and what a way to celebrate the opening of Doris's new Rubber Stamp Store!!!

Kathy and Ivonne did a fantastic job stocking the shelves, preparing for the festivities and spreading good cheer. If you are anywhere near Seattle Washington, please do stop in and say hello to Doris and her great staff.

Many of you asked for the demonstration I gave to be posted as a tutorial with a supply list. Well here goes...1st part of 4 videos to help you remember each step of my technique for creating beautiful art cards with Stampscapes rubber art stamps. You will just love working with these stamps.!

Doris has a fresh supply of Stampscapes rubber stamps on hand. If you have any questions, please contact Friends and Company at 425-391-1500.

If you are out of state and would like to order these stamps online, go to the Stampscapes website at http://www.stampscapes.com/

Hope you enjoy each video and that you will try this technique. Remember that I will be teaching a series of Stampscapes workshop classes starting July 12th from 1:00 to 4:30 P.M. and again on August 15th from 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Both workshops will be held at Friends and Company's Issaquah store. Please reserve your spot before they fill up. You will be glad you did!

Enjoy!
Hugs, Maria...(and Peanut;-)

Upcoming Classes At Friends and Company!!!

2009-06-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

FUN WITH FLOWERSOFT: Issaquah Store!

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 from 1:30 To 3:30 P.M.

Flowersoft is just that! Learn how to use this fun new medium to make 3 gorgeous cards filled with textured flowers that scream summer!

NEW VELVET INK CAFÉ CLASSES: Issaquah Store!

Fri. 19 Jun 2009 from 6:00 PM To 8:30 PM: Playing with Vellum

Need a mid-week creative break? With over 12 years of paper arts instruction and product demonstration experience, I have developed a series of mid-week evening classes filled with unique techniques you will LOVE! Come relax, create and learn something new from Maria’s Velvet Ink Café.

BEGINNING COPIC COLORING CLASS: Issaquah Store!

Sun, 28 June 2009 from 1:00 PM To 4:00 PM

In this class, students will create three (3) adorable and colorful greeting cards using Copic Ciao Markers and layered background papers. This is a beginning Copic coloring class where students will learn simple blending techniques and unique card layout ideas. This is a fun and energizing class. This class is also limited to 8 students, therefore, early registration is encouraged. Students MUST bring their own Copic Markers to class in the following colors: YG67 Moss, YG41 Pale Green, V06 Lavender, V123 Pale Lilac, B24 sky Blue, B12 Ice Blue.

HOPE AND DREAMS JOURNAL: West Seattle Store!

Sat, 27 June 2009 from 10:30 PM To 1:30 PM

In this class, students will be creating a decorative book with pockets to store their journal notecards. Plenty of details, textures, stamped art, and embellishments will be added to make this beautiful journal. This class is also limited to 8 students so early registration is encouraged.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs,

Maria

Friends N Company Grand Opening Demo Sneak Peak!

2009-05-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Here is your sneak peak ;-) I will be demonstrating techniques with Stampscapes rubber art stamps at Doris's Issaquah store: Friends And Company, for her Grand Opening from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m., tomorrow, Saturday 5/30.

Many FREE activities will be taking place in both Doris's Issaquah and Seattle store throughout the weekend so don't miss it!! You are bound to learn something new and meet new friends there!!! If you have questions, call 425-391-1500. See you tomorrow!

Enjoy the glorious sunny Seattle weather!

Hugs, Maria

Class openings for 5/29 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

2009-05-26T16:58:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that there are spots open for the above class I am teaching this Friday 5/29 at Friends and Company in Issaquah, WA. The class will run from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. If you are interested in signing up, please call 425-391-1500. Hope to see you there!

Oh! and don't forget Friends and Company's grand opening this weekend on 5/30 and 5/31. There is a quite a lineup of make n takes, demonstrations and fun activities planned. I will be there on Saturday 5/30 to demo projects made with Stampscapes scenery stamps and show you how to create beautiful backgrounds for cards and mini books. You don't want to miss all the creativity this weekend!!!

Hugs, Maria

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Went shopping with my hubby this morning at the hardware store and I found some treasure in the tile section of my local Home Depot! Hope you enjoy the two tutorials below ;-) Hugs, Maria

Part 1

Part 2

Nights in White Satin...

2009-05-23T21:15:00.000-07:00

It has been such a lovely day here in Seattle. My hubby and I were busy with some items on the honey do list and then I had some time to sit in the sunshine! It is already past 9:00 p.m. and I am still wide awake! I just had to make a card and was in the mood for something blue so I stamped this beautiful queen with Versafine Blue Lagoon on glossy cardstock This card is the last stamp from The Stampsmith's "Haunting Eyes" plate.

A girl just has to have some bling in her life ;-)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone and find some time to create something beautiful!

Hugs,

Maria

The Stampsmith's "Haunting Eyes" Card Tutorial, PART 1 of 2

2009-05-21T15:23:00.000-07:00

Now that we have embellished our die cut acrylic pieces with mesh....I mean drywall tape ;-) we are ready to put together a few cards using the "Haunting Eyes" rubber stamp plate from The Stampsmith.

You will need a few supplies:

Glossy White Cardstock

2 Speedball Brayers

Ranger Adirondack Latte and Slate Dye Ink Pads

Versafine Onyx Black Pigment Ink Pad

For stamping white accents: Brilliance Moonlight White Pigment Ink

Zots Acid Free Clear Adhesive Dots

Memory Box: Vine Branch Rubber Stamp (D1240)

Clear, Wide Shipping Tape

Foam mat or mousepad for stamping on

Clean Paint Brush

Nestabilities Die: Oval

Adhesive backed bling or pearls

White Card: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

Dark Brown or Navy Cardstock Layer 1: 5 1/4" x 4"

Light Peach or Gray Cardstock Layer 2: 5" x 3 3/4"

Dark Brown or Navy Cardstock Layer 3: 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Double Stick Tape

In order to finish up I actually needed to create the last video segments which will follow. Thanks for watching!!!

Hugs,
Maria

Embellish With Mesh Part 2

2009-05-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

Supplies Used:
Sizzix Die: Frame, Elegant
Cuttlebug and Two "B" Plates
Paper Accents Acrylic Sheet cut to: 5 1/2" x 4 1/2"
White Drywall Tape: Home Depot
Scissors

Stay tuned for Part 3 when I will be showing you how to create this card with The Stampsmith's "Haunting Eyes" unmounted rubber stamp plate. These stamps are gorgeous and there are four large stamps on the plate for $21! What a deal!!!

Click here to go the The Stampsmith website to view this lovely rubber stamp plate.

Hugs,
Maria

Time to Play

2009-05-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

This is one of three short videos....Enjoy!
Part one below.
Hugs,
Maria