Friday and Saturday - Get in The Swing!

 There are posts where I struggle a bit to come up with text and photos. Lately, that’s not the case! With three videos many weeks, there is so much to show and talk about. On average I take close to 60 screen shots and post anywhere from 30 to 40 a post! I’m going to cut myself some slack today (I hope) because Sharon showed several things we’ve done before. If you want the full deal on both Mona’s and Sharon’s videos please check out our YouTube channel. Like and subscribe to get notifications of new posts (at least that’s how I think it works!) 

I tuned into Mona’s video but I fell asleep…sorry Mona. My excuse(s) are: lack of sleep, PT (I worked really hard that morning) and Mona’s soothing voice. I will show you her card and highly recommend you check out the YouTube video as Mona’s video was a technique video using a Concord & 9th Turnabout and some great tips and hacks. I will go back and watch it myself as I love Turnabouts but they can be a little intimidating for me. Also, as Mona’s video is technique loaded,  it's difficult for me to screen shot and do justice to it.  I’ll try and be better next time. Here is Mona's finished card. The photo does not do it justice and you really should check it out.

A few follow-ups start us out today. The new Foam Strips from Waffle Flower are back in stock.

One more time for Bearly Art. This is a liquid glue. On it's own I believe it is on par with Nuvo. It sets up quickly and it's thin enough to pass through the real value of this glue, an extra fine tip. There is a little guide included in the box that shows you the tips included.

Here is the adapter cap and the tube with all the tips AND the piece you NEVER want to lose, an extra long stainless steel straight pin you insert in the tip between uses. They recommend you swap out your tips  at the end of each use, rinse them out and put the regular cap back on the bottle. Neither Mona or I do that. We both carefully wipe off our fine tip (which we leave on our bottles) and insert the pin until we use it again. I usually have to plunge my pin in and out several times the next time I use my glue, sorta like priming it, or clearing out any build up. I've been using mine for the last few months and I love it for fine cuts, thin cuts and detail work, I agree with Sharon about using it almost exclusively for those applications and using Nuvo, tape runner or ScoreTape for larger areas.

Just another follow-up on all the dies included in the Elizabeth Craft Pop-up die we featured last week. Here are all the 'step pop-ups' that are included in that die, lots of variety.

Another follow-up on all the styles of Buffalo exclusive Washi Tape.

Next up is a new HoneyBee release. There is lots here! We're starting with this sunrise over the water, or hills, your call. Below is another die that coordinates with this die if you want to create a shaker. It' can be used independently but we thought you might like them together.

There are several occasion dies and stamps in this release. There is wedding, water vacation and new baby. This first is new baby with a lovely bassinet. There is a coordinating die that goes with this.

Here are two stand-alone dies that can go with this baby die.

There is also a great inside sentiment stamp that works for these stamp and dies sets.

Here is the Wedding die and matching sentiment stamp set.

By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea! We're starting with a layered shell set. A great plus for these Honey Bee layered die sets is that on the back they give you a map to show you how to layer the individual pieces. HUGE, help, HUGE!

Keeping to our sea theme, Honey Bee has what I like to call 'my deserted island' die set. This set includes trees, vegetation, sand dunes, ocean waves and a beach umbrella and chair (for my comfort!)

Next up is this succulent garden layered die set. As Sharon said, macrame is back!

A great texture plate background die. I'm going to check out Honey Bee's website for some examples of how they used this one.

They didn't forget you foiling fans. Large greetings along with matching dies are included in this foiling set.

More for you foilers, a complete set of foils in all the colors in a carrying case!

Next up is new designs from Woodware. More Christmas, oh my!

Sharon demos an example of Honey Bee’s layered Magnolia die set. As a bit of explanation, Sharon wanted to use minimal colored papers so she decided to shade those papers with a bit of ink. Sharon started using her brush and this pale pink ink. It just wasn't working and she did not have another pink ink, but there is always a way. Sharon took a regular distress tool and foam pad with the same ink and as the foam picks up more ink, it was able to give the edges and inside just the right amount of color Sharon was looking for. Hopefully, I've got these photos in the right order to illustrate starting with the layering map and all her pieces already cut to the right.

After trying to color with the brush you can barely see any color highlighting.

You can tell by the tips of the piece behind that the coloring with the foam pad and distress tool made a major difference in how that die looks. Sharon used the brush later on the white and off white pieces. 

Finished with the flower highlighting, Sharon did the leaves in two shades of green with her brush. She decided to finish the card off site and will show us in a later video. She also used these word strips that imitate the old Dymo lettering device we all had back in the day.

Next are some new class samples. As of this blog post descriptions and dates have been posted. First up is a single card class featuring the Lawn Fawn Platform Pop-Up and their tea pot and tea cup dies sets. Because this is such a detailed card, it is the only project you will do in the class.

Flamingo Pink 3-D is a a Whipper Snapper based class with a small twist. Each card will contain a unique dimensional element.

Studio Light created these gorgeous stamped images. Charlene is kicking them up with colored pencils, yes, colored pencils! Join her to create two slim line and one A2 cards in this great class.

We are offering Intro to Copics this month. We ask you bring your Copics, specifically at least one color in three gradual shades. You will get coloring practice, hints and tricks along with creating one card. This is a combination information, technique and sample class for all who would like to de-mystify Copics.

Heartfelt Creations is the source for these cards. You will be using both their dies and molds to create these non-traditional colored cards. This is a favorite from last Christmas that we were asked to bring back this year.

Concord & 9th provides the images, Waffle Flower provides the sentiments and PhotoPlay provides the tag background in this multi product class. (I apologize for the blurry photo).

I believe this is part of the basic watercolor class. the technique used this time is coloring on embossed images with watercolor.

If Christmas is coming can't Halloween be first?!? Mama Elephant has two adorable stamp sets featuring pumpkins and costumed critters. They are the base of this class, Pumpkin Wishes, along with the Oh Hi! Loopy Background die. Shown are three of the four cards in this class (one more is coming).

More Christmas in July with the new Spellbinders catalog offerings we previewed last week. This is one of the cards you will be doing in this Spellbinders class. Flowers, the mailbox, the skates and sled are images used in this class.

Back to Halloween with Whipper Snapper. These are two of the images in a four card class for all you lovers of cute Halloween images and coloring. Descriptions, photos and dates are on the website now.

We’re finishing with a gorgeous book done by one of our customers, Lucia. We are thrilled and amazed when Lucia brings her latest projects to share. We’re hoping to one day convince her to teach one of her anazing creations at the store. I will say our photos do not do her work justice. They don’t convey the dimension, the texture and the never ending variety of materials and techniques Lucia uses. For now we will just have to settle for these photos, enjoy!

Lucia used the 49th & Market Viken collection of papers and add-ons for her book.

Places for you photos, ephemera and lots of flaps, pockets and embellishments are always a feature of Lucia's projects.

I told you I take a lot of screen shots! Next up is my funny. Don’t you hate to look under the sink. 

That’s FINALLY it for this week. I’ll see you again after Wednesday’s video. Check out our classes and dates. We’d love to have you join us. Until then, get crafty and Stay Safe!