In the Works...

Presto Change-o!

I previously submitted this tip with a parcel of cards to Stamper's Sampler several years ago, and it was published in their Take Ten publication (Volume V)...

It has to do with customizing B/W Swiss dot ribbon (both grosgrain and sheer varieties):

All you need is a desired color of PERMANENT marker and scrap paper.  Markers which I know will definitely work include Sharpie, Galaxy, Adirondack and Prismacolor...Basically, ones with other than a water base.

To prevent bleed-through damage, place a desired length of ribbon over scrap paper, color each individual 'dot', and allow to air dry. (Drying time varies with brand of marker.)

The black with white dots ribbon, is always a sure thing, but depending on the marker, and the steadiness of your hand, you may also be able to custom colorize other Swiss dot ribbon colors. To find out, just experiment on a short length of scrap.

Should 'bling' be your thing, you can also apply glitter glue to each dot -- This works for ALL colors of the ribbon. Drying time varies, but plan on at least an hour.

For each method of customization, color or bling, DO NOT SPEED DRY WITH A HEAT TOOL!!! Believe me, if you try this, it won't be pretty... 

Punch Perfect

Tuesday's tip is late because I've been sort of naughty... For the first time ever, I had QVC's Craft Fair 'on' all day long...

Now, before you gasp, and utter 'Uh-va!' you really need to know it isn't as if I just sat there with the phone in one hand, and a bag of bon bons in the other... In fact, I was busy the entire time mass-producing twenty-two cards, writing notes, and addressing envelopes -- In essence, catching up on my hideously late August correspondence...

So, what does all this have to do with a tip for the week?

Well, one of the steps in my card making process, was to assemble a punch accent, of which one layer had been punched from vellum. ~GRRrrrrr!  That beautiful, but frustrating vellum!!!  Took me four or five botched, torn, and ragged-edged punch-outs, then I remembered this:

Before punching through vellum, always sandwich the vellum between two pieces of heavier paper (i.e. regular copy paper)...

Believe me, it makes a HUGE difference, and improves the outcome one hundred per cent!

Note: Yes, of course, you can use lightweight cardstock, but unless you actually want the cardstock punch-out, copy paper is a whole lot cheaper.

Pick-Up Sticks

Ever have trouble picking up and placing all those tiny embellishments - punches, rhinestones, buttons, etc.??? Well, here's something I learned to do many, many years ago on a craft show called Aleene's Creative Living...

Make a Pick-up Stick!

All you need is a toothpick or bamboo skewer, and tacky glue...

Dab the tacky glue onto the point of the chosen 'stick'.
Allow the glue to dry thoroughly (it will turn clear).
That's it!

To use, touch the tacky end to you your embellishment... Instant grab!  Move the embellishment to its desired placement, and press in place with a second 'sticky-less' stick.

Notes:  When your fancy tool loses its 'sticky', just apply another layer of glue, or make a new one.

In case you're wondering, the fancy drying rack in the photo is a piece of styrofoam.

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.

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!

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.

Solving Problem Lift-Off

Tuesday's here!  Time for another tip --

Every once in awhile, regardless of mounting method used, one will discover a section of a layered panel or image has either "lifted off" or was never properly adhered.  For me, it's usually a corner...

Here's an easy fix for making everything smooth and flat:

Take a small strip of liner paper (can be the backing from glue dots, foam tape, cold laminate, stickers, etc.),

Dot one end with a thin film of tacky glue (photo 2),

Slide the strip in under the unadhered area, and

Simultaneously pull the strip out, while pressing the lifted area into place (photo 3).  Problem lift-off solved...

As we say in Maine, "Supah!"

Note:  If you don't have liner paper available, you can also use a strip of any text-weight scrap, but make sure not to press down too hard during the removal stage... or the scrap will get permanently "sandwiched" into place.

It's Tuesday -- Time For A Tip!

To achieve a more polished, professional look on your cut-out images, color the cut edge.

For best results, make sure the cutting has been done as close to the stamped or embossed outline as possible, then edge in the same color as the outline.

Nine out of ten times, my cut-outs have a black outline, so based on that fact, one of the very best "edgers" is the Micro Pigma BRUSH-tipped marker by Sakura. (Please note, smARTworks does not sell these, so this is not a sale pitch -- I found mine at Michael's.)

When dry, the Micro's ink is permanent, waterproof, and fade proof... Important because you don't want something easily re-activated by other products.

The BRUSH tip is also important as it tapers of to an ultra-fine point, and is somewhat flexible.  This means it fits and maneuvers well into really "tight" spaces.

Now, How To Work It:

Hold the marker with it's tip facing toward the wrong side of the image.  This way, any stray marks go on the back side, so one will ever see them.

Lastly, once edged, allow a few minutes of drying time before mounting the cut-out, or before applying any further product(s).  If you don't, unwanted ink transfer, and/or undesirable product interaction may occur.

Note:  Another marker which works very well, comes in a brush-tip, and in a wider assortment of colors, is the PITT pen by Faber-Castell.  The reason it is not my first choice -- the end is not as fine as the Micro.

Tip Time

smARTworks has a quote stamp which says, "The glory of life is in the details." (catalog pg. 5)  So true!  Even in stamping, many times one tiny "detail" can make all the difference.

Knowing this, I thought it might be fun, for awhile, to use Tuesdays as "Tip Time" -- sharing one of those "little things" that over the years, in one way or another, has improved my own, personal stamping experience.

Today's tip is a carryover from my old days of crafting, and stems from an on-going love affair with tacky glue...

Store the bottle upside down, in a baby food jar -- No more shaking down, or waiting for the glue to get to the tip, 'cause it's always there!  Yeah!

Making sure it's a baby food jar is important... Other things will work, but not as well... The baby food jar fits the bottle perfectly, allows for a one handed "grab," doesn't take up much workspace, and isn't at all "tippy."

One small word of caution: Make sure to replace the bottle's cap before returning it to the jar... or you'll be reckoning with the power of gravity.

BTW, my tacky glue of choice is The Ultimate by Crafter's Pick -- it is one of, if not the BEST tacky glue around.