New Year thoughts

Happy New Year everyone! It is the last day of 2008! While thinking about this past year, I have some GREAT memories!

At any rate, I wanted to make a New Year card. I don't typically send New Year cards but I thought it was a great way to say Happy New Year to all of you! I was just itching to stamp today while I was reorganizing my stamp rooms. I hope you like it!

I want to wish each and everyone of you a very Happy New Year! May this year bring you joy and stamping! I have a retired Stamp-A-Stack on January 3rd then it's off to Leadership Conference in Florida for me. So you may not see a post from me for a week or two.

When I get back from Florida, I will have the NEW Stampin' Up! catalog in my hand and some new stamp sets!! I can't wait!

Playing with Valentine's Stamps

Yes, Christmas is over. It was great while it lasted but I am SOOOOO over stamping for Christmas! I decided to break out my Valentine's Day stamps!

I love this owl but I am sorry, he just needed to stand on a branch. I have had to do a LOT of masking to get him just right but I do like the way it turned out!

This set is in the Winter Mini - there's still time left to get this stamp set but January 18th is the LAST day! This set is the Love Owl-ways set! LOVE IT!! I will be playing with this and A Happy Heart set tomorrow... The designer paper is Candy Lane (it's coming in the NEW catalog!), the punch is NEW too (called Heart to Heart) and it is yum-o-licious - Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette... oh, I could just eat this paper!! Now, if you see the oh-so-light background of the card and wonder about that, it's from Sprinkles!

Enjoy!!

Double-Baked Tiles

I have had a lot of questions lately about how I got the black outline on my tiles. Well, I experimented. I have done that a lot lately. I made two really cool discoveries.

This is the first one. This is the double-baked tile. Normally, tiles are made with bold stamps (not outline stamps like this one), craft ink, glassy glaze and an oven. This one is no different, however, I used an outline stamp! How do you color it like it is?

Here's my first tutorial!

1. Stamp your outline stamp in a very dark color on a clean, dry tile (I get mine at Lowes). Here, I used Black Craft Ink. I think it's beautiful already! But we are going to add some color! Just wait!

2. Sprinkle Glassy Glaze over the wet craft ink.

3. Pop the tile into a pre-heated oven set at 350 degrees, directly on the oven rack (do not put them in a tray or baking pan). Bake 10 minutes.

4. Let tile cool completely.

While you are waiting, get your next supplies. A palette (my fancy word for paper plate... hehe), craft ink re-inkers in colors you wish to paint your tile, an aqua painter, paper towels, and baby wipes.

5. Put a drop of re-inker color on your palette (depending on how much color you are going to need is going to dictate just how much you put on). You can always add more if you need to. (Don't forget re-inkers like Encore! metallic and White (makes great snow))

6. Check your aquapainter. If it is damp, dry it off with your paper towel. You don't want the brush wet. Slightly damp is optimal. Craft ink and water do not mix. Glassy Glaze and water do not mix.

7. Start painting your tile. The craft ink will only stick to the tile. You may notice this as you are painting.

8. It is always best to start from the middle and work your way outward. Sometimes that's harder to do as you want to use all the same color first so you don't have to keep cleaning the brush over and over again.

9. If you make a mistake, your baby wipes will be your best friend. DO NOT saturate the Glassy Glaze in any way when you wipe off your mistake. Just a quick wipe over the boo-boo. Now, be sure to dry where you wiped!

10. Craft ink stays wet for a while. However, if you see that your paint is pulling away from where you wanted it, re-paint it then drop the Glassy Glaze over your wet ink. This will stop the paint from running. You do NOT want to touch your brush to the Glassy Glaze on the tile though. It will get caught in the bristles. It is best to put the Glassy Glaze on once your completely done painting your tile.

12. Bake your tile again for 10 minutes in the same 350 degree oven. Let completely cool before tying a ribbon or other embellishments for your tile. When it comes out of the oven, it should look like the picture at the top!

Enjoy!

Tomorrow's lesson? Tiles & Glitter?? OH YEAH, BABY!!

New Stamps!!!

Believe it or not, I didn't even know the Big Brown Truck made a stop at my house. It's so reminicient of Christmas... Ol' Saint Nick travels far and wide to deliver presents to good little girls and boys... ahhhhh.

It's the same feeling EVERY time UPS stops at my house. Whether the package contains items for me or my customers... I just get all happy! This time is no exception because this time it was filled with NEW stamps just for me!!!!! Now, I got these new stamps on Friday but I have only just mounted one set!

"Just Buzzing By" is the name of this set. It is so stinking cute!! I am off to my upline's house today for a holiday celebration. We are all supposed to make a hand-stamped item! Here's what I am bringing. I am kind of not wanting to bring this. I am kind of wanting to keep it for myself...

Luckily, I stamped another image. The positioning is off so I can't make exactly this but I am sure I will make something else with it! hehe.. I am so happy!!! I can't wait to play with some of the other sets I bought!

Snowman House!

Oh my goodness! This is the cutest darn box!! There are 8 - 4 x 4 cards & envelopes that go with this adorable box. Want to see them? You are going to have to take my class! hehehe... Tuesday, December 9th! Can't make it?? Contact me about a "class on the go!" I will pre-cut your paper and ribbon and give you specific directions. You will need a few things, Punch Pals stamp set, a few different punches and some inks... Contact me and I will give you a complete list of what you will need! What a fabulous gift this would make for someone that has everything! They surely don't have this! LOL!!