Thinking Inking

My New Die Storage Solution!

I've been in a cleaning and sorting mode lately--not because I really wanted to be, but because the stacks of *STUFF* in my studio were sapping every ounce of creativity and making me want to go read a book instead of working. Have you ever been there? One of the areas that was really getting out of control was the sheer number of dies that I have. Let's see. . . about twelve years of this hobby, with at least eight of that being a job, and I can tell you that it all starts to add up! See the drawer above? That is after I took about ten die template sets out. I have several drawers this full of dies--some current, some retired, some not even labeled with the actual name of the die set. I know, I know--BAD me. Gulp. . .

The morning that we headed to the airport from CHA, my sweet friend Taylor (Taylored Expressions) handed me a three-pack of her new Magnetic Binder Box Inserts to try when I got home. Oh. My. Goodness--I loved them! I promptly ordered a number of them that I can't won't admit to, and that probably won't be enough. Oh yeah--they have really helped with my die storage issues.

Now I had tried a couple of solutions in the past; one was ordering magnetic sheets and then making them into a spiral bound book. Unfortunately, I didn't take time to BACK the self-adhesive magnetic sheets with a really thick piece of chipboard, so the pages bend much too easily when I turn pages, and the dies then pop off. Yes, I can still go back and add chipboard to make my homemade spiral magnetic book be more usable, but it definitely wasn't the best solution for me. (My binder punch wouldn't handle the thickness of the magnetic sheet plus a thick piece of chipboard.)

These are Taylor's Magnetic Binder Box Inserts. Pretty sweet, hey? I can use Taylor's Magnetic Binder Box Inserts with ANY of the thin dies that I typically use, and at 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", each sheet hold several dies!  And these pages are stiff enough that I haven't had a problem with the dies popping off.

Now Taylor also has the Binder Boxes that will hold several sheets of dies. I have so many dies though. . . Don't even ask how many, because I don't know. I think I have maybe a third of them on sheets now. Anyway, that's the reason that I am currently storing my Magnetic Binder Box Inserts in an Iris container instead of in binder boxes. I pull out the entire sheet when I am using a die that lives on that sheet, and I don't put the sheet back in the box until all of the dies are back on it. I can flip through them, Roladex style too. I like it. A lot.

Disclaimer: Just in case you are wondering, this was a totally unsolicited post. Taylor gave me my first pack, but I have purchased many, many packs since then. I'm a happy customer. :-} Evidently I'm not the only happy one--you can see that from THIS Splitcoaststampers product focus that recently came out. And unlike me, it tells you about using the backs of the sheets too. Hey, I'll be happy if I can just organize the FRONTS! Thanks for visiting.

Meaning of Christmas card and Spellbinders CONTEST Info!

Welcome! I hope you aren't as far behind this year as I am. Hmmmm. . . Maybe I should just skip this year and send out my cards next year instead? Seriously, while I don't like mass production, I knew that I needed to get some more cards made that were both simple and fairly flat so that they don't cost close to $2 a piece to mail. I also wanted to use some of my pretty Christmas-themed mini decks that were sitting on the shelf with only one or two sheets of paper missing. You know the ones I mean--the ones that you like enough to purchase and hoard, but that will be replaced in your paper affections when next year's lines come out. You have those too, right?

Today's starting mini deck was an Authentique Festive Bundle 6" x 6" pad. I chose a stamp from Taylored Expressions Rejoice! set as my focal image, along with two Spellbinders die template sets  to frame that sentiment. The die template sets that I used were Labels Twenty-Eight and Floral Ovals. I wanted to avoid my favorite bulky accessories--ribbons and buttons--so I used some PTI's Rustic Twine and even pulled out my old eyelet stash and my Crop-o-dile. I also skipped sewing on the card fronts. (My sewing machine may be pouting right now; it is not accustomed to being passed over. . .) I did take time to sand patterned paper edges since I was using vintage papers. So, that's six more cards for the stash, and I don't think that these will require extra postage.

Finally, I've mentioned the Spellbinders Explore Beyond: Craft to Win Challenge in an earlier post, but I just want to make sure that you get this information in case you want to enter to win some great prizes: Spellbinders is currently running the BIGGEST contest they've ever hosted to date! Spellbinders Explore Beyond Challenge: Craft to Win gives you a chance at a $5,000 Grand Prize Package from Spellbinders and their cross promotional partners! They'll also be choosing a 2nd place winner to receive a $1,000 prize package and a $500 3rd place prize package!

Prizes will include products from WorldWin Papers, Want2Scrap, Xyron, KaiserCraft, Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Basic Grey,Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine, BoBunny, Fancy Pants Designs, Canadian Scrapbooker, Nikki Sivils, Elmer's, Bazzill Basics,Graphic 45, IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko and more!

How do you participate? It's easy!

Simply create an original project using at least two (2) Spellbinders dies. And get creative with it! Push your own creative boundaries...do something different. We'll be looking for those crafters and artists who have really taken on the challenge to truly "Explore Beyond".

Take photos of each step of your project. If chosen as a finalist... You'll be asked to submit these photos.

Submit a photo (of your finished project only!) to the appropriate Spellbinders Flickr Group.

Contest runs from November 26th, 2012 through December 26th, 2012 Midnight EST.

Categories:

Card Making

Home Decor

Scrapbook Layout

Jewelry Making

Fabric Arts

Mixed Media Art

Official Rules:

You may enter more than once in multiple categories. Projects entered must be original. A total of twelve (12) finalists will be chosen. There will be two (2) finalists from each category. Finalists will be announced on December 27, 2012. Finalists will be asked to submit photos of the steps of their projects to validate their originality. Finalists will be asked to mail in their final original project to the Spellbinders office. Original projects must be received by end of day, Friday, January 4, 2013.

A celebrity panel of judges will review the twelve (12) final submissions and narrow it down to three (3) winners. Winners will be announced on Friday, January 11, 2013. There will be one (1) Grand Prize winner of a $5,000 prize package and the project will be featured at the Spellbinders booth at the Craft and Hobby Association show on January 12, 2013. There will be one (1) 2nd prize winner of a $1,000 prize package and featured on the Spellbinders blog. There will be one (1) 3rd prize winner of a $500 prize package and featured on the Spellbinders blog.

Legal:

All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winners. By acceptance of the prize, winners agree without limitation to the use of his/her name, photograph and/or likeness for publicity purposes without any additional compensation. Winners agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Spellbinders panel, which are final and binding in all matters regarding this event. Winners agree that the event and its representatives affiliates, agents, directors, officers and employees have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind relating to or arising from this event or resulting from participation in this contest.Contest is not open to Spellbinders Employees, Various Team Members, or their immediate family members (Grandparents, Parents, Siblings, Spouses, Children).

Thant's it for today--thanks for visiting!

Peace, Hope, Joy

Welcome! I've been in a clean and simple mode lately and wanted to play with white and silver for today's card. I chose shimmery white cardstock for all of the pieces, even though I eventually coated the tree die cut --2012 Holiday Tree--with silver embossing powder.  

Other die templates that I used were Nested Lacey Pennants (for the sentiment banner), and Labels Twenty-Eight for the layer beneath the tree. I used a silver paint pen to edge the Labels Twenty-Eight die cut. To coat the tree in silver embossing powder, I mashed the tree die cut into the Versamark pad, then coated it with silver EP and heat-embossed it. I used tiny pieces of foam tape to raise the tree off of the Labels Twenty-Eight mat layer. Sentiment is from the Taylored Expressions Rejoice! stamp set.

Have you entered the Spellbinders Paper Arts Explore Beyond contest yet? They're giving away $5,000 in prizes from WorldWin Papers, Want2Scrap, Xyron, Kaisercraft, Graphic 45, Bazzill Basics Paper, BasicGrey, Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants Designs, Elmer's and MORE! Entries are being accepted through December 26th! Two finalists will be chosen from each category. Entries are low in jewelry making, mixed media art, and home decor.  Check it out here: http://bit.ly/CreateToWin

Thanks for visiting!

Oh, Baby!

I am overdue on a congratulations card for a sweet friend who is expecting her first baby--congratulations, Taylor! Of course, I wanted to use one of her stamps, Moka Jenn, as well as some lovely Girls Paperie papers that I got from her--(no longer in stock. I'm hoping for more papers like these at CHA!)

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the image. (I know--how did I possibly use that many markers in one tiny image? Sheesh!)

I added a bit of texture to her clothing by saturating a piece of absorbent woven cloth with Copic Colorless Blender and touching it to the jeans and top. Ribbon (seam binding) is dyed with Copic B00 and B21 Various Inks (reinkers).  I know that I've mentioned it in past posts, but I still get questions on where to get seam binding to dye. Both times I have ordered the plain white or cream seam binding, I've ordered from an eBay seller, Zipperstop. If you have other suggestions on where to find it, please feel free to leave them in the comments section. Thanks for stopping by!

Taylored Expressions Birthday Blog Hop

Seems like I've been blog-hopping all over the place lately; today is the second birthday of Taylored Expressions, and of course there's a party, along with new stamps and special deals! I chose one of the new a la carte stamps, Belated Birthday--Stand Out.

The inside sentiment continues the outside sentiment thought: "I just wanted my card to stand out from the crowd." Hmmm--"that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!" I colored the image with the Copic markers shown below, which I chose to go with the paper from the Cosmo Cricket Pixie-Licious Mini Deck. 

The little dirt spots are made with two Spica glitter pens, Buttermilk and Sand. Buttons are Papertrey's Plum Pudding Vintage Buttons.

If you are here from Beate Johns' blog, you're making the rounds! If not, you can always begin at Taylor's blog to get in on the action. So, where to next? Head for Denise Marzec's blog. Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to wish Taylor a happy TE birthday!

Thanks a Latte!

Good morning! Before I tell you about today's card, the winner of the empty 24-piece Copic wallet is #108, Diane Anthony. Congrats, Diane; I've e-mailed you--send me your address, and I'll get it to Marianne at Copic. Thanks for playing, everyone!

____________

Today I have a Taylored Expressions card to share with you; I loved the Let's Do Coffee set as soon as I saw it. First, the images are really cute, and second, I'm non-verbal before my morning cup of coffee. Seriously. I can walk around, but I cannot be expected to carry on intelligent conversation until I get that one good cup of coffee--strong, creamy, and sweet. So you can see why coffee sets are right up my alley!

I chose Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Mini Deck papers to go with the focal image--that line is perfect for a kitchen-y scene. (I'm expecting a box next week with some Early Bird fabric in it--yay!) I used the Copic markers shown below to color the image. (Click to get a larger, readable view.)

 

I used three different Spellbinders dies on this card, a Long Oval, a Standard Oval (for the conversation bubble), and a Big Scalloped Borderabilities Petite for the red polka dotted layer.  The figure is colored and cut out and layered on top of the stool with foam tape. The conversation bubble was fun; I couldn't find a label or tag die that worked just right for this card and was wishing I had conversation bubble dies. Then it occurred to me that if I stuck a folded piece of cardstock between the blade and the cardstock that had the sentiment on it, I would be able to protect that little area and make a tail for the non-cut portion. It worked pretty well; I just had to take an embossing stylus and try to fix the extra lines that it left for the folder cardstock layer.

For accessories, buttons are Papertrey Ink Aqua Mist Vintage Buttons. See her earring? That is a tiny rhinestone, one of Taylor's Multi-Colored Twinkle Shapes. And can you believe that I don't have any ribbon or twill on there? Neither can I. . .  I couldn't find a good place to put it. 

Well, that's it for today--thanks for stopping by!

It's Your Birthday!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

29	36

Timestamp: 2010-04-07 06:38:10 UTC

Number 29 is Julie K and 

Number  36 is Rhonda Zamora

I've just e-mailed you two--thanks, everybody for playing!

____________

Have you seen the new Paper Crafts Go-To Sketches book yet? I highly recommend it as being one of my all-time favorites! Most of the time I look through a magazine, bookmark it for inspiration, and then put it in the cabinet and forget about it--oops. The Go-To Sketches book has stayed on my desk for several days now, and I have used it too! 

I think what I liked best about sketches in general  is that they seem to take us out of our native element (or out of our design ruts) and stretch us. I have to admit that when I'm working with a sketch, my first thought is often, "What on earth and I going to do with this?"  But then the creativity usually kicks in--or else the realization that you have new stamps, papers, etc, and might as well combine them and see what happens.

After all of that babbling, today's card is one of mine from Go-To Sketches. I used one of Taylor's sets for this card, Sweet Celebration, with one of Jessica Witty's Sketches. I chose papers from my Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Mini Deck, as well as Papertrey's Vintage Cream and Pure Poppy cardstock.

I used a Spellbinders ribbon tags trio die for the sentiment, trimming off the end through which a ribbon would have been inserted, and trimming the other end flush with the edge of my patterned paper.  Copic markers that I used are shown below. Buttons are Papertrey Ink's Pure Poppy Vintage Buttons.

 

Now, I don't have an extra copy of Go To Sketches to share,but I did find extra copies of both the March/April issue of Paper Crafts, as well as Stamp It Cards.  If you don't have these yet, I'd love to share my extras. Leave me a comment, and I'll have the Random Number Generator pick two people to send these issues to. Comments will close on Tuesday at 10pm, CST, or thereabouts.

Thanks for visiting!

P.S. Just got an e-mail about the Go-To-Sketches magazine that gives a 20% off discount code through April 11: Enter promo code SKETCH20 at checkout. Hope that helps somebody!

Cuppie Snowman

 Hello! Today I have a little cuppie snowman card to share with you. While I was playing with Taylor's Home Sweet Home set for the Perfect Package Blog hop last week, I knew I wanted to get back to this set and color the cuppie snowman. 

I paired him with some My Mind's Eye Be Merry papers; these are from last year, and I'm down to my last few scraps of this cute paper! I colored Cuppie with the Copic markers shown on the left, and then used a Spellbinders Plain Circle Nestability to cut, emboss, and airbrush the sky in with a B02 Copic marker. I added a few dots of Icicle Stickles to simulate some snow on Cuppie. 

Buttons are PaperTrey Ink New Leaf Vintage Buttons, and ribbon is May Arts pink silk ribbon. I hope you had a fabulous weekend--thanks for stopping by!

Taylor's Perfect Package Blog Hop

 

Today I'm happy to participate in my friend Taylor's Perfect Package Blog Hop!  To decorate my Perfect Package, I chose the Taylored Expressions Home Sweet Home set; I've been wanting to color that gingerbread house with my Copic markers ever since I saw this set online for the first time. I used the Copic markers pictured below. (The one Ciao marker is a G00.)

 

Of course, when I saw all of that candy on the house, I needed to pair it with my Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly papers, Merry Berry and Smitten Mitten.  I thought I'd do a bit of baking to fill this special box; I filled it with some homemade Cranberry Pecan Biscotti. (Here is a link to biscotti recipes, in case you are looking for some; I made so many substitutions in the recipe that I used that you'd probably be better off trying one of these anyway.) 

 

I cut and embossed my two label sentiments using Spellbinders Ribbon Tag Trio set and Double Ended Tag set. Ribbon and buttons are from PaperTrey Ink.

Below is a list of the rest of the Perfect Package Blog Hop group; this was a very simple box to cover, and I'm sure that I'll try another in the near future. Thanks for visiting!

Alex Maldonado: http://fairyblossoms.typepad.com/
Amy Rohl: http://inkaboutme.blogspot.com/
Beate Johns: http://beate.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Bev Gerard: http://savorthejourney.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Charmaine Ikach: http://oodabugalley.blogspot.com/
Cindy Haffner: http://cindyhaffnerscorner.blogspot.com/
Donna Baker: http://www.serenityinstamping.com/
Jami Sibley: http://jami.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Jen del Muro: http://iheart2stamp.com/
Jen Tapler: http://jentapler.blogspot.com/
Jenn Balcer: http://jbalcer.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Jennifer Buck: http://thebuckstampshere.blogspot.com/
Jessica Diedrich: http://thewhimsicalbutterfly.blogspot.com/
Joan Ervin: http://stampingwithapassion.blogspot.com/
Joanne Basile: http://www.stampedbyhand.blogspot.com/
Linda Duke: http://www.lindaduke.typepad.com/
Lori Craig: http://loricraig.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Rose Anne Reynolds: http://paperdelightz.blogspot.com/
Sankari Wegman: http://sunnysankari.blogspot.com/
Sharon Harnist: http://paperfections.typepad.com/
Sherry Cheever: http://sherrycheever.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/
Taylor VanBruggen: http://www.tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/

After you have seen all of the eye candy in the list above, it might interest you to know that the code TEBlackFriday will get you 15% off of everything in the Taylored Expressions store. In addition to all of the regular cool stuff, there are some darling new aprons that I'm loving. Happy shopping!

  

The Places You'll Go: TE Birthday Bash

Today I am excited to get to help celebrate the birthday of Taylored Expressions!  As part of the birthday festivities, Taylor is releasing a third stamp set in her Giving Tree program, The Places You'll Go. For every set purchased in September, October, and November, TE will donate $7.00 to the Books for Kids Foundation.  You can find all of the release details here on Taylor's blog. Reading is a cause near to my heart. If I can impart the love of reading to my son, paired with the discernment to know a good book when he sees it, I will have gone far toward enabling him to educate himself. I applaud Taylor for her choice of another great cause.

Now, on to the card: the image is stamped on Natural White cardstock and colored with the Copic markers shown above. [As always, click on the image to enlarge it.] I used the Copic airbrush system to add some color to the sky and to the foreground under the book.  For papers, I chose the Blankie and Jack's World Strip papers from Cosmo Cricket's Jack's World line. (I chose the paper first because the balls reminded me of balloons, and then I chose markers to be compatible with the paper.) Buttons are PaperTrey Ink Vintage Pure Poppy. I used the Spellbinders Labels Four and Classic Circle dies to frame the focal image.

Several stampers are "attending" this birthday bash, and I'm sure you'll want to visit them all to see some of the other images from The Places You'll Go.  Prizes and hourly challenges will be posted on the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog.  Have fun, and happy birthday, Taylored Expressions!

Bonnie Sharp

Cambria Turnbow

Carolina Buchting

Jenn Balcer

Joy Kennedy

Lori Craig

Sherrie Siemens