My second card was made for TLC317 ~ Newsworthy ~ (03/21/11) which challenged us to make a card featuring newspaper somewhere in the design. I chose to use it as my main focus along with Hero Arts Clings stamp; poppy background. I used the embossed resist technique and think it turned out rather nicely, don't you?
What to buy a paper crafter
Hey! Psssst! Hey you over there!
Is your loved one, significant other into paper crafting, scrapbooking and card making? They are! Well, we need to have a conversation!
Are you stumped as to what to get the crafty person on your Christmas list? Craft stores and departments can be a foreign land for some people so here is a little help.
There are 2 items that ever paper crafter needs. Paper, of course, and scissors! You can buy all sorts of different papers. They usually come in 2 different sizes 12 x 12 and 8.5 x 11. Decorative papers also come in smaller sizes most of the time 6 x 6 pads. The pads are a great thing to get as it allows many different combinations and the papers are designed to go together. The prices vary as much as the designs. Rest assured though a nice pack of designer or speciality paper would not be unwelcomed under the tree. Scissors are another thing that paper crafters need more than one of. There are small ones for the fine delicate jobs and larger ones for the big cuts. Many crafters have different pairs for specific jobs such as cutting ribbon. Oh! Ribbon! What a great stocking stuffer. You can actually put it in the gift instead of around it. Although most crafters will keep the ribbons on the gifts and the paper too!
Another thing that crafters like to store a variety off are embellishments, that would be anything from brads and buttons to small flowers and chipboard shapes. Things used to fancy up a project.
If you are looking for a larger "special" gift, one suggestion may be a portable light studio. The studio folds almost flat it stores small lights and a cameral tripod. When the studio is unfolded it would fit on a kitchen table and is a box with dark sides and a top that you put your card or project in to take a picture of it for posting on the net, for blogs or crafting groups.
Another big gift would be an embosser or die cut machine. These range from small to very large in size as well as price. The newest machine of this type is the Provo Craft Cricut Imagine which actually prints the image in colour first then makes the die cut. The Imagine retails for about $599. If you are looking for something more affordable there is the Cuttlebug, a hand cranked die cut and embossing tool and a great place to start.
Other wonderful gift additions to any crafters space would be lighting, anything from a good desk lamp to help with colouring to a nice set of track lights. Storage is also precious to a crafter. Small bottles are good for buttons and bows, racks are good for ribbons and there are some great modular units specially for paper and supplies available at most craft stores.
You will always find the staff at most craft stores very helpful. If there is a favourite store where your crafter goes you might want to check it out they may have a few ideas for you too!
When was the Christmas Party again? What gifts have are bought so far? Who is left on my list? Where is that recipe for Auntie Joan's Christmas Cookies?
Question after question the closer you get to Christmas. Well, here is a great way to have all the answers (or at least most of them)! They can also become a Christmas gift as well. What a great idea for a Secret Santa present.
You can make many different types of organizers. Large, small, complicated or very simple – Just keep in mind the person for whom you are making it. You can check out craft magazines, libraries, local craft shops, friends or do a trusty internet search.
Here are two examples of organizers to help you get ready for Christmas. The first is a simple and very convenient pad for your shopping lists, paired with a matching pen and homemade ornament to make a great gift set. These were made by Karen Gladney and giving to her daughter's teachers (and some lucky friends) last year. The planner is made from cardstock, decorative paper, and stamps. When you open it there is a pad of lined paper for your Christmas planning. The matching pen is made by stamping your design on your paper and rolling it up to fit into the barrel of your pen. You can add extra sparkle with micro beads or glitter. The ornament, which makes a beautiful gift all on it's own, is made clear acetate or transparency which is cut to fit inside the clear blub. It is stamped with Stazon Ink which is a great ink for glossy surfaces and fabric. The stamp is coloured in with Sharpies, also great for glossy surfaces. The work of art is then rolled up, put into the bulb and voila! A beautiful gift!
The second organizer is designed for the person who needs everything written down to keep track of it. There are a lot of us out there! It is made with 8 pieces of cardstock for the pages, diagonally cut size 10 envelopes for the lists. Each envelope is measured 3.5 inches in from either end and then cut on the diagonal. Just remember to do three envelopes opposite from each other so you end up with right and left sides. The front and each page was then finished off with stamps and embossing. There are three envelopes in the back for receipts. The pages are all bound together with a Bind-it-all which is a small home binding machine but you can use O-rings or ribbon as well.
Currently, many crafters and artists make their images come to life using Copic Markers. These very high quality makers are available at local scrapbooking and rubber stamp stores as well as online. These are definitely not a child's marker and were originally created 25 years ago with the professional designer in mind. Over the last ten years, they have gained popularity with Menga artists and paper crafters. These non-toxic alcohol based markers are available in 334 colours and provide guaranteed colour consistency. They are refillable, have replaceable nibs that are guaranteed not to dry out for three years.
The stamped image is your guide by following where the ink is heavier, showing you where you would use the darker colours. If you are using Copic markers, choose a gradient of colours that are about two colours apart, this will allow for easy shading. The markers also have a colourless blender marker, which is useful for picking up colour if you go outside the lines! It can also be used to lighten an area by pressing it lightly on your work, then just colour off the tip of the marker on a piece of scrap paper to clean it. Larger images are the best to start with as they give you more room to manipulate your colours. You do not have to colour in the whole image either, you can add touches of colour here and there as an accent. 
It is time to think Halloween and Christmas! No, this isn't a joke... if you're a crafter. Crafters are usually months ahead of the game when it comes to holidays. By July, most crafters are finished up with preparations for summer weddings and birthdays and have moved on to the next occasion. In the same vein July is when the majority of stamp and paper-crafting companies introduce their fall and winter line-up so we're all prepared for fall and winter holidays.
The celebrations begin with the A Muse holiday stamp debut on Saturday, July 10 at 9am. You can be one of the first stampers in North America to own the newest A Muse Holiday and Halloween stamps from the 2010 collection. There will also be mini muffins and complimentary Starbucks coffee.
"Happy to me!" was my son's greeting the morning of his birthday for many years. Of course, now he is past the quarter century mark and much more grown up. Memories of that phrase and the wonderful happy smile that accompanied it still bring a smile to my face though. 
The sentiment is from the A Muse clear stamp set "Mainly Men." 