Random Craftiness

Here are some bits and pieces of crafty news:

Let’s give a warm welcome back to Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps. Prickley Pear, which opened in 2003 by Nicole LaCour and closed last August, is back with new owners but the same fun, whimsical designs.

Tanya Doner-Kostynuk, owner of Riley & Company and Cornish Heritage Farms stamps, and Sue Helm are the proud new parents.

With nearly 900 products in 36 categories, Prickley Pear boasts a large assortment of vintage designs, many of which remind me of the cards my grandmother used to send me! Stamps come in clear polymer or red rubber and there are many matching dies.

Here’s a card I put together very quickly, using just scraps that were on my desk, and the birdcage stamp and die set:

I die cut the bird and cage from some card stock that I think was made using Ranger Distress stains and/or sprays. The butterflies were from punches, the sequins from Doodlebug Designs and the cool background is the Art Deco Texture Plate from Spellbinders.

It’s great to have Prickley Pear back!

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If you love fabric and you love vintage, take a look at 7gypsies‘ new Gypsy Seamstress line here and here, which  brings together the look of old fabric prints, quilt-like bunting shapes and gypsy style printed banners.

Aren’t these yummy: 

The collection includes banner making surfaces, totes and an apron.  Besides adding lace, fabric, charms and other bits and baubles, you can color them with  markers, acrylic paint, watercolor, glimmer mist, ink, etc. 7gypsies is part of the Canvas Corp Brands. 

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WOW! Embossing Powder (www.wowembossingpowder.com) has come out with its own embossing “mixing” jars so you can create custom-made embossing powders. Why, you ask, do you need to buy a special jar? (Well, that’s what I would ask …) Because these jars are treated with an anti-static material on the inside so your powders don’t cling to the sides. They also have a label so you can jot down your mixology notes. Check out the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDAm7lU_SCE

If nothing else, check out the website for lots of embossing facts and to see the company’s wide range of powders and more. You’ll say “Wow!”

Thanks for stopping by for this little craft update.

 

Fabulous Finds Friday — New Spellbinders Dies

Don’t they ever sleep at Spellbinders? Yes, they have introduced more new dies and texture plates. The new Majestic Elements — which build on Nestabilities —  are detailed nesting dies that work as single elements or can be layered. The dies —  Marvelous Squares, Exquisite Circles and Resplendent Rectangles — offer many shape and layering options.   Spellbinders recently received the Craft & Hobby Association 2012 Summer Innovations Award for these dies, which were also on the “CHA Hot 20” creative products list at the show.

Take a look at one set:

I also love several of the grungier M-Bossabilities two-sided folders. Here are two of my faves:

Can’t you just see that embossed on metal or foil? Yum!

This one is fun, too:

I am crazy about texture, so these really call out to me! And speaking of texture, my article about adding texture to your cardmaking is in the October issue of Crafts ‘n things magazine, out now. I will be posting more about texture this week.

Check out the new Spellbinders dies — and the videos — on the Spellbinders Website here.

I’ll leave you with one more treat from Spellbinders. Can you say oooooooooooohhhh?

Thanks for stopping by!

Play Time!

A new friend came over to play this week. She is relatively new to stamping and although she has bought some stamps, paper, punches, etc., she was feeling overwhelmed — like, where do I start? What inks do I use? How do I pull together a card?

My mission was to get her to make a card — without scaring her away with the dozens of choices and techniques. I kept our supplies to a minimum, starting with just a black ink pad and some water color pencils. I also wanted to show her how easy it is to make a simple, yet eye-catching card, in five minutes.

I started with chalk inks (these happen to be from ColorBox) to point out that you can, indeed, create a card using one stamp and some ink. (All images Hero Arts.) She was impressed with the quick-drying chalk ink, which lets you layer color in a snap.

Next, I couldn’t resist playing with my newest Impressibilities texture plate (Spellbinders):

I wanted to show the fun and ease of texturing, and how it sets off a focal image. It was like magic! She oohed and ahhed appreciatively. The background was perfect for this scrap that I dug out of my stamped scrap box. (poinsettia by Hero Arts, Stickles glitter glue by Ranger)

And one more, again using a previously stamped image:

Again, using chalk inks and background stamps. (Crow by OnyxXpressions; background circle in circles cube by JudiKins)

And there … within a few minutes, we made three cards! Can’t wait to have another play date!

Thanks for stopping by … and stay tuned for some crafting news about new products.