In the Works...

We Have A Team!

Much reviewing... much deliberation... much, much prayer, and upon the final cut, which didn't take place until this very morning, a little sadness... That's what it took to go from 46 applications to 4 design team members...

Besides Dina Kowal, the team leader, who makes five, the smART Cookies are:

Donna Duquette - Connecticut
Heidi Kingery - Ohio
Deborah March - Nova Scotia, Canada
Susan Liles - Texas

Although I'll be introducing these talented stampers as individuals in a little bit, right now all I want to say to them is, "CONGRATULATIONS!"  My sweet tooth is very happy to have you in the cookie jar!

Tip For Snail Mail Thrills

If you're like me, you L-O-V-E finding a decorated envelope sitting in the mailbox, but don't always have the time to provide this same thrill for others... Try this:

Keep a stack of your most commonly sized envelopes within reach of your stamping station, and automatically decorate one with every card you make.

Here are my three favorite, quickie, envelope decorating techniques --

Stamp-Off  After stamping the image on the card, and before cleaning the rubber, stamp a faded version of the image somewhere on the envelope.

Sealed With A Punch  If punches are part of the card design, punch and assemble an "extra," then adhere the top half of the punch to the envelope's flap.  When the envelope is sealed, adhere the bottom half of the punch to the envelope itself.

Strip O' Scrap If print paper has been incorporated in the card design, apply permanent glue stick to the back of a scrap strip of the print (any width), and adhere along one edge of the envelope.

Note: Until you're ready to send that snail mail thrill, keep decorated envelopes nested inside their matching cards.

That Time Of The Month

No, it's not quite what you're thinking!  It's the End Of The Month (EOTM) smART crunch!

This means a lot of smART craziness and mucho chaos... In addition to the everyday "busy," there are extra projects, updates, a couple of on-going pen pal commitments, etc. etc. etc. In general, lots and lots of computer time, and very little (if any) stamping for pleasure time!  The clock is relentless, and the pressure is on!

I can only liken it to that 40th week of pregnancy - You know what's coming!  You know it will be worth it, but oh,the dread!  And when it comes, oh the pain!  Not exactly "fun," but necessary.

As much as I feel like fussing, whining, and screaming, I am kept in check by constantly reminding myself, "I'm not here by accident."  At this point in time, smARTworks is God's plan for my life, and the EOTM Crunch is part of that.  I try to accept it, roll with it, and further remember:

God hath not promised
Skies always blue
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God hath not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.

BUT God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way.
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
Undying love.
           ~Annie Johnson Flint

An appropriate card?  But of course!  It's one I especially like for two reasons:  The saying, and the simplicity.

Cardworks:

smART rubber DD-12 Framed (catalog pg.65), DD-01 Les Fleurs (pg.64), and WD-79 Brings (pg.39)
A-2 Card (any color), White scrap
Black Ink
Clear Embossing Powder (Transcendence) & Heat Tool
Markers
Scissors
Foam Tape
Itty Bitty Rhinestones
Saying, frame and flowers stamped in black and clear embossed.  Flowers/fame colored as desired, cut out, and using foam tape, adhered to card.  Itty Bitty Rhinestones adhered to flower centers.
Note:  Before stamping flowers inside, make sure to mask off bottom edge of frame.

SCDT Update

Today was the deadline for the smART Cookie Design Team, Stage 2, challenge submissions.

Entries arrived in typical bell curve fashion -- a few earlier than all the others, the majority all on the same day, and a few right at the last moment...~smile

All are now in review -- a fun, interesting mix of styles and talent... 

It is also very exciting for me to see how smARTworks has grown to the place of being able to even consider having a design team, and to realize what a privilege I've been given of choosing among a group of such creative individuals.  Awesome! Totally awesome!

Team members will be notified individually, and announced here, in a post, on the evening of July 31.

Great Impressions

This week's tip provides one very simple, yet often overlooked detail for making a great stamped impression on most uncoated papers:

After covering the raised portions of the stamp with an even coating of ink, and pressing the stamp flat against the paper, hold for a slow count of ten.

1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... Lift stamp!

Why?  Because this allows the paper to absorb the ink, or better visualized, allows the paper to literally suck the maximum amount of ink off the rubber.

Simple?  Yes.  Does it really make a difference? Definitely!

Benny Kowal Update

Because so many of you have been praying, I think it's fitting to post the latest on Benny's condition...

Praise God, His healing hand has been at work, and little trooper, Benny, is much improved. 

Please continue to pray, however -- Benny's liver is still enlarged, and mom & dad have the challenging task of keeping this out-going 3 year old, quiet and away from any other "sick germs." 

Further details and updates can be found by visiting Dina's missionary blogspot, The Kowal Family Adventures.

Back Home

The Trask family has returned from the Wilds of Maine.  It was nice to be away, but it's just as nice to be back... After all, Dorothy said it best, "There's no place like home!"

Over vacation I did manage to stamp and assemble a single card, created from smART rubber sets WD-49 Teddy Bouquet (catalog pg.25), and WD-177 Sweet Pleasures (pg. 83). 

Let's just say after several days of tent-living with "the facilities" being an outhouse aways down the lane, and no shower, etc. the saying chosen for this card holds renewed meaning, and is one hundred per cent heartfelt. 

Cardworks:
Teddy image and saying stamped in black, clear embossed, and colored with markers

Layered Print and Cardstocks

Punches and Die Cuts (Marvy scalloped circles, flowers, and bookplate)

Mini Brads

Glitter Glue (yellow)

Note: A portion of the saying stamp was masked off so the saying's first half could be stamped on the bookplate insert... Stamp was then re-masked, allowing the saying's second half to be stamped inside the card. 

Inside Card Reads:

See You Next Week!

It so happens, the great State of Maine is nicknamed "Vacationland."  This seems most appropriate for the Trask family right now, since tomorrow we head north for a week "in the wilds."

Since I won't be posting during the time away, I thought I'd leave you with a card featuring a wish for you, and a vacation motto for me:

Cardworks:
smART rubber -- FL-15 Grow (Catalog pg.6), and WD-14 Glory (pg.5).

A-2 window card from an Accu-Cut die machine.

Fluid Chalk inks on card front and vellum insert.

3/4" sheer ribbon bow (in real life, the ribbon matches the blue iris ink).

Notes: Fluid Chalk inks are gorgeous on vellum, but make sure you allow for adequate drying time...

Check with your local stamp or scrapbooking shop -- Many allow the use of an Accu-Cut machine for free, if you buy the paper there, or for a small rental fee if you bring your own paper with you.  I think I paid $3.00 for an hour, and in that time cranked out a ton of dies...

Please pray for Dina Kowal and family (Mama Dini's Stamperia, and head of the smART Cookie Design Team)...  I recently received word from one of her missionary co-workers that Dina's son, Benny, has been/is critically ill with Dengue Shock Syndrome -- stage 4 in the Dengue Fever -- often fatal in young children, especially in 3rd world countries... Although it appears Benny has taken a turn for the better and will recover, he is still in the hospital, and Dina and hubby, Russ, are exhausted...
 

Black & White

Without any analysis or debate as to whether it's is a pro or con, I guess you could say I'm pretty much a black and white person.  I live with very few shades of gray -- Things are usually good or bad... right or wrong... yes or no... Etc.

Maybe this at least partially accounts for my attraction to black and white artwork... 

I absolutely LOVE making black and white cards!  In fact, I often have to consciously force myself to reach for color, and truth be known, almost all my projects, start "on white" and progress... After all, this isn't really a black and white world, and variety, as they say, is the spice of life...

I realize I haven't exactly catered to this B/W passion with the samples I've posted so far, but having "confessed," that fact can change (a little) -- At least I won't have to feel guilty about showing you something sans color...

Here's my first B/W share: "From the Heart"

Cardworks:

smART Rubber - Heart Collage (catalog pg. 42), FL-18 Shorties (pg. 20), and WD-111 Hugs & Kisses (pg. 43),
Black, White Cardstock
Opaque White Embossing Powder, and
a Pearly Button (shank removed)

How much easier could it get!?!

Tip: When using white embossing powder on black stock, remember to use an anti-static pad before stamping.

Note:  Change the saying, and this would make a super-classy wedding card.

Pop Goes the Ink Pad

Tip Time Tuesday is here again!

If you have ink pads that come with inner pad liners (Brilliance, Opalite, Staz-On, etc.), then you know what a pain those liners can be, or better stated, what a pain remembering to replace those liners can be...

The cure for alleviating that pain ?  A simple pop dot.

First off, unless the pad is brand new, make sure the clear plastic liner ink-free. (Wiping it down with a little rubbing alcohol ensures this.)

Place the clear liner over the ink pad.

Adhere one sticky side of a pop dot over the liner's center ridge. 

Peel off the pop dot's remaining carrier.

Just as if putting the pad away, replace its hard, outer cover.

On the outside, directly above the spot where the pop dot is located, apply a little pressure.

Cover and liner now act as a single unit!

Note:  For all you frugal stampers -- A small strip of foam tape works just as well as a pop dot.