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Cool Tips & Ideas
Becky Zec imbz@earthlink.net
Has anyone ever tried using paper edger scissors to edge a sheet of post-it note and then use it as a mask for embossing? If so, how well did it work for you? I was playing around and cut a decorative edge around a 3" X 5" post-it note. Then I stuck it on the front of a white postcard for a mask and sponged some embossing ink around the cut edge of the post-it note and then sprinkled some gold EP over the ink and embossed. I did have to brush off stray powder inside the border since I don't have one of the magic thingys but I think it turned out ok. The border looks sort of lacy because of the sponging and the decorative edge adds to it too. Almost looks like one of those 40's-50's type gilt-edged greeting cards.
Has anyone ever tried using paper edger scissors to edge a sheet of post-it note and then use it as a mask for embossing? If so, how well did it work for you? I was playing around and cut a decorative edge around a 3" X 5" post-it note. Then I stuck it on the front of a white postcard for a mask and sponged some embossing ink around the cut edge of the post-it note and then sprinkled some gold EP over the ink and embossed. I did have to brush off stray powder inside the border since I don't have one of the magic thingys but I think it turned out ok. The border looks sort of lacy because of the sponging and the decorative edge adds to it too. Almost looks like one of those 40's-50's type gilt-edged greeting cards.
Unknown
Subject: Perforating Paper/Cardstock A quick way to perforate is to use your sewing machine (without the thread in it) to make those little holes...quick and easy!
Subject: Perforating Paper/Cardstock A quick way to perforate is to use your sewing machine (without the thread in it) to make those little holes...quick and easy!
Teresa Stroud tstroud@sound.net
Want the look of an oil painting at a fraction of the cost? Try this dandy little technique -I just got inspired one night: Materials Needed: Stretched canvas
Mod podge
Picture/Scrap/Wallpaper/Print/Gift wrap
Crackle medium Spray fixative
Antiquing (You can even use that new Delta Color Mist in a Tea Dye Brown) 1. Decoupage the print onto the stretched canvas. Let dry.
2. Apply antiquing wash. Let dry.
3. Apply crackle medium. Let dry. (Note: Other steps may be involved depending on the crackle medium you select.) 4. Set crackle with spray fixative. Viola!!! Looks really arty to leave the canvas unframed. You could also do this with a box or anything really.
Want the look of an oil painting at a fraction of the cost? Try this dandy little technique -I just got inspired one night: Materials Needed: Stretched canvas
Mod podge
Picture/Scrap/Wallpaper/Print/Gift wrap
Crackle medium Spray fixative
Antiquing (You can even use that new Delta Color Mist in a Tea Dye Brown) 1. Decoupage the print onto the stretched canvas. Let dry.
2. Apply antiquing wash. Let dry.
3. Apply crackle medium. Let dry. (Note: Other steps may be involved depending on the crackle medium you select.) 4. Set crackle with spray fixative. Viola!!! Looks really arty to leave the canvas unframed. You could also do this with a box or anything really.
Raven raven22@telenet.net
I usually cut the tissue into a square and then fold it corner to corner and so on just like folding to make a paper snowflake. Then I drip liquid inks or the bottled liquid watercolors onto the folds, adding a few drops of water to help it penetrate. Using the colored art tissues makes for some amazing effects because the dyes in the tissue run and change from the water as well as the added color from the inks, food dye or watercolor dye. When you unfold the paper, there's a beautiful tie-dyed starburst effect and the colors are SO vivid... stunning. It's so messy to ake... I LOVE it! :-) it makes the most amazing tissue paper envelopes...
I usually cut the tissue into a square and then fold it corner to corner and so on just like folding to make a paper snowflake. Then I drip liquid inks or the bottled liquid watercolors onto the folds, adding a few drops of water to help it penetrate. Using the colored art tissues makes for some amazing effects because the dyes in the tissue run and change from the water as well as the added color from the inks, food dye or watercolor dye. When you unfold the paper, there's a beautiful tie-dyed starburst effect and the colors are SO vivid... stunning. It's so messy to ake... I LOVE it! :-) it makes the most amazing tissue paper envelopes...
Ginger Ging1330@aol.com
You can recycle Bounce type dryer sheets. Crumple up in a small disposable bowl or plate, mist lightly with water & add watercolors like Color magic and iridescent inks. Use 2 or 3 colors including one dark one & maneuver the colors with a paint brush to make sure you get enough coverage. Leave to dry overnight & the paint will settle in the folds so it ends up looking a little like Batik. I leave a few spots open instead of covering entirely. When dry collage onto cards, it can be ironed, cut or torn.
You can recycle Bounce type dryer sheets. Crumple up in a small disposable bowl or plate, mist lightly with water & add watercolors like Color magic and iridescent inks. Use 2 or 3 colors including one dark one & maneuver the colors with a paint brush to make sure you get enough coverage. Leave to dry overnight & the paint will settle in the folds so it ends up looking a little like Batik. I leave a few spots open instead of covering entirely. When dry collage onto cards, it can be ironed, cut or torn.
Feathers feathersmc@juno.com
You know those faux gold pieces of jewelry that you have lying about in the bottom of the jewelry box waiting to be tossed because part of the faux gold has worn off and they now look really cheap and icky? Well I had some of those and finally tried something I've been wondering about for a while. I took these fat hoops with post backs and rolled them over an embossing ink pad, then sprinkled Judikins Egyptian gold over them and heated with the heatgun. Held them with a tweezer of course. Well folks, that ep melted and stuck! The hoops are lovely!! An allover soft matte gold with multicolored hologram flecks. So I tried copper ep with another pair, these are textured with a soft design. This worked well too. Finally I tried Malachite tinsel ep on a flat earring with a floral etched design . So pretty! The Malachite ep obliterated the design but it doesn't matter because it looks 100 times better. Now I want to find more cheap metal earrings just to cover them with beautiful embossing powders.
You know those faux gold pieces of jewelry that you have lying about in the bottom of the jewelry box waiting to be tossed because part of the faux gold has worn off and they now look really cheap and icky? Well I had some of those and finally tried something I've been wondering about for a while. I took these fat hoops with post backs and rolled them over an embossing ink pad, then sprinkled Judikins Egyptian gold over them and heated with the heatgun. Held them with a tweezer of course. Well folks, that ep melted and stuck! The hoops are lovely!! An allover soft matte gold with multicolored hologram flecks. So I tried copper ep with another pair, these are textured with a soft design. This worked well too. Finally I tried Malachite tinsel ep on a flat earring with a floral etched design . So pretty! The Malachite ep obliterated the design but it doesn't matter because it looks 100 times better. Now I want to find more cheap metal earrings just to cover them with beautiful embossing powders.
MRuss72650@aol.com>br> Subject: If it sits still stamp it
Well, today was laundry day, and since the new effecient me is combining activities, I did some bleach stamping inbetween loads. Suddenly, while folding clothes, I notice a used fabric softner sheet; soft, smells good, wonder if I can stamp on it. So I whip out my Memories black ink pad, place the softner sheet over a piece of cardboard and stamp some Halloween things. Neat. Looks ghostly against or behind any background. Cut out, and have sticking out of areas of the card. Then I looked down and saw some of those brown fast food restaurant napkins (DH took the kids for lunch yesterday). Hmm. Been having a tought time with hat Kimmona card, never got the fold quite right, but I did buy a few Kimmona stamps at the last convention. Again I wonder. Pull out my stamps and embossing ink. Place the cardboard between the layer so I am stamping on a single layer. Stamp on the fold, emboss and cut out so it is a double layer. Like what I see, kids, and DH applaud, and offer to go back to the fast food restaurant to get more napkins for me, suspecious huh?
Well, today was laundry day, and since the new effecient me is combining activities, I did some bleach stamping inbetween loads. Suddenly, while folding clothes, I notice a used fabric softner sheet; soft, smells good, wonder if I can stamp on it. So I whip out my Memories black ink pad, place the softner sheet over a piece of cardboard and stamp some Halloween things. Neat. Looks ghostly against or behind any background. Cut out, and have sticking out of areas of the card. Then I looked down and saw some of those brown fast food restaurant napkins (DH took the kids for lunch yesterday). Hmm. Been having a tought time with hat Kimmona card, never got the fold quite right, but I did buy a few Kimmona stamps at the last convention. Again I wonder. Pull out my stamps and embossing ink. Place the cardboard between the layer so I am stamping on a single layer. Stamp on the fold, emboss and cut out so it is a double layer. Like what I see, kids, and DH applaud, and offer to go back to the fast food restaurant to get more napkins for me, suspecious huh?
Robin adrlm@ccia.com
I got this out of my stamping newsletter that I recieved in the mail yesterday, I thought I would pass it along to all of us other stampers. Have you ever stamped on marshmallows? You can use food coloring and dip your stamp in the food coloring and then gently stamp it on the marshamallow. Make sure there isn't a lot of food coloring on the stamp or it might smear on the marshmallow. Here's another tip: Use a paper plate when working with embossing powder or glitter. The excess will fall onto the plate. The plate can then be rolled to fit the size of the container in which to dump the excess.
I got this out of my stamping newsletter that I recieved in the mail yesterday, I thought I would pass it along to all of us other stampers. Have you ever stamped on marshmallows? You can use food coloring and dip your stamp in the food coloring and then gently stamp it on the marshamallow. Make sure there isn't a lot of food coloring on the stamp or it might smear on the marshmallow. Here's another tip: Use a paper plate when working with embossing powder or glitter. The excess will fall onto the plate. The plate can then be rolled to fit the size of the container in which to dump the excess.
feathersmc@juno.com
Subject: Foil
Gently remove the textured foil covering from the yogurt container and rinse it off and dry it. Carefully cut off the little tab following the contour of the foil lid. These foils are quite thick and sturdy and I've found that they take dry embossing just beautifully. As an experiment I just freehand embossed a simple daisy with the back end of a paintbrush, and not only was I surprised at the amount of dimension I could work into the petals, but also how sturdy the foil remained. Though very sturdy, I would still recommend covering the embossed foil with a bit of bubble wrap if you'll be sending it thru the mail.
Subject: Foil
Gently remove the textured foil covering from the yogurt container and rinse it off and dry it. Carefully cut off the little tab following the contour of the foil lid. These foils are quite thick and sturdy and I've found that they take dry embossing just beautifully. As an experiment I just freehand embossed a simple daisy with the back end of a paintbrush, and not only was I surprised at the amount of dimension I could work into the petals, but also how sturdy the foil remained. Though very sturdy, I would still recommend covering the embossed foil with a bit of bubble wrap if you'll be sending it thru the mail.
Susan Schwartz sladdsch@m3.interserv.com
Subject: Stamping tip
At two different stamp clubs, members have displayed card-plus-bookmark creations. To make a regular sized card (fits A-2 envy), cut a 5.5" X 11" strip from an 8.5" X 11" piece of cardstock. Score and fold at 4.25" and 8.5". This makes a card with front, back, and an extra flap that turns in. This flap can be decorated as a book mark to be removed and used by itself. One of these cardmakers had used her corner rounder on every corner, including the folded ones, so that the bookmark would have all 4 corners rounded. Nice look! You can also punch a hole in the top center of the bookmark and add a tassel or ribbon. No end to the kinds of things that can be attached to the ends of the ribbon. Fun idea for a valentine and gift all in one.
Subject: Stamping tip
At two different stamp clubs, members have displayed card-plus-bookmark creations. To make a regular sized card (fits A-2 envy), cut a 5.5" X 11" strip from an 8.5" X 11" piece of cardstock. Score and fold at 4.25" and 8.5". This makes a card with front, back, and an extra flap that turns in. This flap can be decorated as a book mark to be removed and used by itself. One of these cardmakers had used her corner rounder on every corner, including the folded ones, so that the bookmark would have all 4 corners rounded. Nice look! You can also punch a hole in the top center of the bookmark and add a tassel or ribbon. No end to the kinds of things that can be attached to the ends of the ribbon. Fun idea for a valentine and gift all in one.
Joy luv2stmp@galesburg.net
Subject: butterfly ..... how to
I used clear transparencies made for the ink jet printer. The brand name is `Great White'. The back has something on it that makes ink stick and not smear. I stamped the butterfly. I usually fill the sheet full. Next spread rubber cement on the stamped side. Apply a rice paper napkin face down on the cement. Rub with your finger to seal. I let this set about ½ an hour. Take white glue and spread an even thin layer on top of the napkin. I now sprinkle prisma glitter over all the white glue. Let this set till dry. Cut out the butterflies. The bodies I made out of paper-clay, sculpty(sp)III or Fimo whatever I have on hand. Air dry or bake. I used thin floral wire for the antenna and some I glittered, pearl ex'd or colored with a marker. Use a bonding cement to apply the body to the butterfly. A friend attached the butterfly to a thin wire and stuck it in a plant. She said it looks neat! I just love them! These are the pins I'm taking to the Vegas convention.
Subject: butterfly ..... how to
I used clear transparencies made for the ink jet printer. The brand name is `Great White'. The back has something on it that makes ink stick and not smear. I stamped the butterfly. I usually fill the sheet full. Next spread rubber cement on the stamped side. Apply a rice paper napkin face down on the cement. Rub with your finger to seal. I let this set about ½ an hour. Take white glue and spread an even thin layer on top of the napkin. I now sprinkle prisma glitter over all the white glue. Let this set till dry. Cut out the butterflies. The bodies I made out of paper-clay, sculpty(sp)III or Fimo whatever I have on hand. Air dry or bake. I used thin floral wire for the antenna and some I glittered, pearl ex'd or colored with a marker. Use a bonding cement to apply the body to the butterfly. A friend attached the butterfly to a thin wire and stuck it in a plant. She said it looks neat! I just love them! These are the pins I'm taking to the Vegas convention.
Pat Koss p.koss@snet.net
I have a wire vegetable basket hanging over one side of my desk. It's one of those three-tiered kind of mesh things. I keep all of my scissors, punches, and glue in them. They're right where I need them, but not cluttering up my work space - which I can do very well by myself.
I have a wire vegetable basket hanging over one side of my desk. It's one of those three-tiered kind of mesh things. I keep all of my scissors, punches, and glue in them. They're right where I need them, but not cluttering up my work space - which I can do very well by myself.
Claudia LadyRose@home.com
I have one of those round, spinning things (???) with compartments, usually used in kitchens for knifes and other kitchen things. I love it on my desk. I have my tallest things in the middle top compartment, like very tall paint brushes, very tall markers and some straws. On the next tier in the compartments I have other markers, brushes, punches, glue sticks, letter opener and some of my pens and in the lowest compartments going around I have my glitter glues, exacto knives (upside down in an old toothbrush holder), Kai scissors, wire brushes, decorative markers. On my last trip into the garage and attic, I found tons of baskets that had been given to our family with a variety of gifts in them. One small basket holds just perfectly my whole set of PearlEx. That's in one compartment of my desk. Then I grabbed a bunch of mugs (we have more mugs in this house than we know what to do with), and in one I have all of my gel pens (just about every color I've been able to find), my paint brushes, my colored pencils, and another with a variety of different kinds of markers. Those are tucked away in the same compartment with the Pearl Ex, all nice and neat, within reach but not cluttering the top of my desk. I'd bought one half of the set of Tria markers a long time ago and did some cutting on the box they came in and set the plastic cases inside that box and hold them in there on one of the shelves of my desk, again in reach since I use them so much. I have some very pretty (but unfortunately empty) candy tins. One holds various beads, one holds stickers, one holds bows, etc. I have tons and tons of um's these days (I hardly ever buy mounted stamps anymore), and I found that it was becoming costly to buy things to use them, whether HALO's or another product, but one thing that we can get our hands on for free are empty boxes of all sizes. DH works at WalMart and can always get those for me. So I have a two drawer filing cabinet beside my desk and inside are sheets of cardboard that hold my um's, out of sight except when I open it up to get them, mounted by category so I can find them easily, and I have the filing cabinet on wheels so it can move around as needed. The filing cabinet had been here for years, so that didn't cost me any money recently. I've been spending more time at the dollar stores lately and have been finding some great things for a lot less. And this time of year, yard sales are so much fun and the finds can be valuable to us stampers!
I have one of those round, spinning things (???) with compartments, usually used in kitchens for knifes and other kitchen things. I love it on my desk. I have my tallest things in the middle top compartment, like very tall paint brushes, very tall markers and some straws. On the next tier in the compartments I have other markers, brushes, punches, glue sticks, letter opener and some of my pens and in the lowest compartments going around I have my glitter glues, exacto knives (upside down in an old toothbrush holder), Kai scissors, wire brushes, decorative markers. On my last trip into the garage and attic, I found tons of baskets that had been given to our family with a variety of gifts in them. One small basket holds just perfectly my whole set of PearlEx. That's in one compartment of my desk. Then I grabbed a bunch of mugs (we have more mugs in this house than we know what to do with), and in one I have all of my gel pens (just about every color I've been able to find), my paint brushes, my colored pencils, and another with a variety of different kinds of markers. Those are tucked away in the same compartment with the Pearl Ex, all nice and neat, within reach but not cluttering the top of my desk. I'd bought one half of the set of Tria markers a long time ago and did some cutting on the box they came in and set the plastic cases inside that box and hold them in there on one of the shelves of my desk, again in reach since I use them so much. I have some very pretty (but unfortunately empty) candy tins. One holds various beads, one holds stickers, one holds bows, etc. I have tons and tons of um's these days (I hardly ever buy mounted stamps anymore), and I found that it was becoming costly to buy things to use them, whether HALO's or another product, but one thing that we can get our hands on for free are empty boxes of all sizes. DH works at WalMart and can always get those for me. So I have a two drawer filing cabinet beside my desk and inside are sheets of cardboard that hold my um's, out of sight except when I open it up to get them, mounted by category so I can find them easily, and I have the filing cabinet on wheels so it can move around as needed. The filing cabinet had been here for years, so that didn't cost me any money recently. I've been spending more time at the dollar stores lately and have been finding some great things for a lot less. And this time of year, yard sales are so much fun and the finds can be valuable to us stampers!
Tyra Smith Cloud9@netnet.net
1. Pen holders: I use the square glass container you get when you buy the cheap scented candles. 2. Paper Doilies: I found some beautiful paper doilies at a resturaunt. Intially they served my main course on top of the doiley, but I asked the waiter if I could have a few of them to take home (explaining I am an artist) and he was more than happy to grab a big handfull for me. 3.Take out menus are great for collage items. Some of the asian resturaunts (chinese and japanese) have cool asian writing on them that is nice for collage. 4. Embossing surface: I wrap a cheap wooden clipboard with aluminum foil and heat emboss on it. 5. Beads: check out garage sales, good will and salvation army stores..you know the little boxes where they keep the "junk" pieces?? You can always take apart a necklace and re-use those beads. Earrings also make nice charm and embellishment pieces. 6. Buttons...check out the same places you do for beads. Many times you can find old shirts that you wouldn't necessarily wear, but they do have buttons on them. For 10 or 25 cents you can buy yourself several buttons. 7. Pasta makers and toaster ovens for polymer clay and shrink plastic, blenders for paper making. Look thru the same stores you do for beads and buttons. You can often find a good deal there. 8. Wallpaper....go get those out-dated wallpaper sample books from your local paint/wallpaper store. Often they will just give them to you. 9. Hand dye-papers. Buy a cheap unlined writing tablet (white paper) and then "dye/tint" the individual sheets to you tastes. You can use ANYTHING to dye/tint...watercolors, dye inks (pads or re-inkers), markers, etc etc etc. 10. Save all your cardstock and paper scraps. These can be blended in a blender to make paper pulp for handmade papers. 11. Rather than using Perfect Paper Adhesive (which is expensive in my opinion), buy a jar of acrylic gloss varnish/medium (it comes in four finishes: Matte, glossy, high gloss and satin). Acrylic Gloss varnish/medium is MUCH less expensive than Perfect Paper Adhesive and works just as good, if not better. 12. Magic leaf. I know of two sources: US Artquest and Amy's Magical Leaves. Amy's magical leaves sells for 1/3 the price of the US Artquest product. So you get three times as much for the same if you buy the Amy's magic leaf. 13. For the best price on many things, buy in bulk when you can. For example: Let's say you use a specific type of cardstock a lot, maybe it's glossy white. Now...you will pay less per sheet if you buy it by the ream. A ream is 250 sheets. Oh yes, that IS a lot of cardstock...but you can get King James Cast Cote glossy white (that's the cadillac of white glossy cardstock) for something like $18 a REAM + shipping....have a friend go in with you and split the cost. Two great sources for cardstocks in bulk are Kelly Paper (http://www.kellypaper.com) and Marco's Paper (http://www.marcopaper.com). It's been my experience that Marco's Paper tends to be a bit cheaper in their prices than Kelly paper. Now..also remember that both companies carry a HUGE assortment of cardstocks and putting ALL of them on their web sites is not really possible. Both companies have a toll free order number..call them and ask about the specific cardstock you want and see if 1: they have it in stock, or 2: if it's not in stock can they get it for you? OF course, check prices by the ream..and smaller quantities if they have it. But the "ream price" will almost ALWAYS be your best "per sheet price". To figure your "per sheet price"....let's say that you can get a package of 250 sheets of cardstock for $18.00. You take 18 (the price of the package of cardstock) and divide it by 250 (the number of sheets of cardstock in the package) which gives you 7 cents per sheet. 14. Use found objects for embellishments, paper making inclusions and collage elements when you can. Just go outside in your yard and look around. Pressed and dried leaves/wild flowers are great. Feathers are wonderful, but I wouldn't "advise" you pick those up in your yard. (we've had the discussion about the legalities of feathers before, so I won't go into it again.) Rocks are great...you can find all kinds of rocks in about a million different shapes and sizes. My favorite rocks are the round, flat oval ones. Great for paperweights or "rock people/animals"...you can paint, collage, stamp, etc. Twigs and small sticks are great for additions to the spine binding on handmade books. 15: Kitchen spices...are not just for cooking anymore..LOL I LOVE using cinnamon sticks for all kinds of things, as well as bay leaves. Many of your spices can be added to handmade paper pulp for cool handmade papers. They are also wonderful embellishemnts for cards and misc artwork. 16. Fishing supplies. OK..go out and scavenge thru your hubby's fishing box. Lightweight fishing line is GREAT for stringing beads and other things. I love those little fishing swivels to use for "dangling" items like on pins and earrings and cards. Fish hooks can also be used as embellishments on cards, be care of the hooks though. (maybe embed them in a hot glue seal or stamped polymer clay piece) 17. Don't throw away your old make up. Eye shadows and blushes are GREAT items to use in your artwork. Apply them just as you would with chalks. 18. Eye shadow applicators, kitchen sponges and make up sponges...look for them at your local dollar store...much cheaper there. 19. when you are out shopping, always be sure to check out the sale/discontinued bins. Lots of goodies can be found there too. 20. Never limit yourself to shopping for "art/craft" supplies at craft and stamp stores. Check out Good Wills, Salvation Armys, garage sales, lumber yards/home improvement stores, office supply stores, etc.
1. Pen holders: I use the square glass container you get when you buy the cheap scented candles. 2. Paper Doilies: I found some beautiful paper doilies at a resturaunt. Intially they served my main course on top of the doiley, but I asked the waiter if I could have a few of them to take home (explaining I am an artist) and he was more than happy to grab a big handfull for me. 3.Take out menus are great for collage items. Some of the asian resturaunts (chinese and japanese) have cool asian writing on them that is nice for collage. 4. Embossing surface: I wrap a cheap wooden clipboard with aluminum foil and heat emboss on it. 5. Beads: check out garage sales, good will and salvation army stores..you know the little boxes where they keep the "junk" pieces?? You can always take apart a necklace and re-use those beads. Earrings also make nice charm and embellishment pieces. 6. Buttons...check out the same places you do for beads. Many times you can find old shirts that you wouldn't necessarily wear, but they do have buttons on them. For 10 or 25 cents you can buy yourself several buttons. 7. Pasta makers and toaster ovens for polymer clay and shrink plastic, blenders for paper making. Look thru the same stores you do for beads and buttons. You can often find a good deal there. 8. Wallpaper....go get those out-dated wallpaper sample books from your local paint/wallpaper store. Often they will just give them to you. 9. Hand dye-papers. Buy a cheap unlined writing tablet (white paper) and then "dye/tint" the individual sheets to you tastes. You can use ANYTHING to dye/tint...watercolors, dye inks (pads or re-inkers), markers, etc etc etc. 10. Save all your cardstock and paper scraps. These can be blended in a blender to make paper pulp for handmade papers. 11. Rather than using Perfect Paper Adhesive (which is expensive in my opinion), buy a jar of acrylic gloss varnish/medium (it comes in four finishes: Matte, glossy, high gloss and satin). Acrylic Gloss varnish/medium is MUCH less expensive than Perfect Paper Adhesive and works just as good, if not better. 12. Magic leaf. I know of two sources: US Artquest and Amy's Magical Leaves. Amy's magical leaves sells for 1/3 the price of the US Artquest product. So you get three times as much for the same if you buy the Amy's magic leaf. 13. For the best price on many things, buy in bulk when you can. For example: Let's say you use a specific type of cardstock a lot, maybe it's glossy white. Now...you will pay less per sheet if you buy it by the ream. A ream is 250 sheets. Oh yes, that IS a lot of cardstock...but you can get King James Cast Cote glossy white (that's the cadillac of white glossy cardstock) for something like $18 a REAM + shipping....have a friend go in with you and split the cost. Two great sources for cardstocks in bulk are Kelly Paper (http://www.kellypaper.com) and Marco's Paper (http://www.marcopaper.com). It's been my experience that Marco's Paper tends to be a bit cheaper in their prices than Kelly paper. Now..also remember that both companies carry a HUGE assortment of cardstocks and putting ALL of them on their web sites is not really possible. Both companies have a toll free order number..call them and ask about the specific cardstock you want and see if 1: they have it in stock, or 2: if it's not in stock can they get it for you? OF course, check prices by the ream..and smaller quantities if they have it. But the "ream price" will almost ALWAYS be your best "per sheet price". To figure your "per sheet price"....let's say that you can get a package of 250 sheets of cardstock for $18.00. You take 18 (the price of the package of cardstock) and divide it by 250 (the number of sheets of cardstock in the package) which gives you 7 cents per sheet. 14. Use found objects for embellishments, paper making inclusions and collage elements when you can. Just go outside in your yard and look around. Pressed and dried leaves/wild flowers are great. Feathers are wonderful, but I wouldn't "advise" you pick those up in your yard. (we've had the discussion about the legalities of feathers before, so I won't go into it again.) Rocks are great...you can find all kinds of rocks in about a million different shapes and sizes. My favorite rocks are the round, flat oval ones. Great for paperweights or "rock people/animals"...you can paint, collage, stamp, etc. Twigs and small sticks are great for additions to the spine binding on handmade books. 15: Kitchen spices...are not just for cooking anymore..LOL I LOVE using cinnamon sticks for all kinds of things, as well as bay leaves. Many of your spices can be added to handmade paper pulp for cool handmade papers. They are also wonderful embellishemnts for cards and misc artwork. 16. Fishing supplies. OK..go out and scavenge thru your hubby's fishing box. Lightweight fishing line is GREAT for stringing beads and other things. I love those little fishing swivels to use for "dangling" items like on pins and earrings and cards. Fish hooks can also be used as embellishments on cards, be care of the hooks though. (maybe embed them in a hot glue seal or stamped polymer clay piece) 17. Don't throw away your old make up. Eye shadows and blushes are GREAT items to use in your artwork. Apply them just as you would with chalks. 18. Eye shadow applicators, kitchen sponges and make up sponges...look for them at your local dollar store...much cheaper there. 19. when you are out shopping, always be sure to check out the sale/discontinued bins. Lots of goodies can be found there too. 20. Never limit yourself to shopping for "art/craft" supplies at craft and stamp stores. Check out Good Wills, Salvation Armys, garage sales, lumber yards/home improvement stores, office supply stores, etc.
Trish Johnson tomandtrish@mindspring.com
(1) Make friends with a local printer who will often have leftover paper, cardstock and envelopes from print jobs. Printers simply throw this away rather than warehouse it. I find that I can keep myself stocked for free with all kinds of material from just one friendly printing company, and almost all of it is high quality. Sometimes they have large sheets of paper that they are willing to cut down to a manageable size for me. Ask: you never know what you might receive! (2) Most larger towns and cities have paper warehouse outlets. They usually stock folding panel cards which are bought by printing companies to print formal invitations. A box of 250 with matching envelopes costs about $35 total. I have found them in white, natural white, palest gray and bamboo (a soft beige) and in several different sizes. These cards take a variety of media very well. I even run them through my ink jet printer when I want to combine computer graphics with original art. I have templates set up so that the graphics print exactly inside the panel area and I run these first before adding paint, handmade papers or other embellishments. Sometimes, if the ink is very heavy, I can even add embossing powder as soon as the card emerges from the printer.
(1) Make friends with a local printer who will often have leftover paper, cardstock and envelopes from print jobs. Printers simply throw this away rather than warehouse it. I find that I can keep myself stocked for free with all kinds of material from just one friendly printing company, and almost all of it is high quality. Sometimes they have large sheets of paper that they are willing to cut down to a manageable size for me. Ask: you never know what you might receive! (2) Most larger towns and cities have paper warehouse outlets. They usually stock folding panel cards which are bought by printing companies to print formal invitations. A box of 250 with matching envelopes costs about $35 total. I have found them in white, natural white, palest gray and bamboo (a soft beige) and in several different sizes. These cards take a variety of media very well. I even run them through my ink jet printer when I want to combine computer graphics with original art. I have templates set up so that the graphics print exactly inside the panel area and I run these first before adding paint, handmade papers or other embellishments. Sometimes, if the ink is very heavy, I can even add embossing powder as soon as the card emerges from the printer.