Etsy Inspired #63

This week's sponsor!

This week’s shop is full of beautifully bright colored creations:

Click here to shop!

This week, if you play along, there’s two fun prizes up for grabs! For more details about this week’s challenge, please go to our Etsy Inspired Blog and then make your way around the other Designer’s Blogs!

Here’s my creation inspired by the tags in Sleepless Imagination:

Punk

with Mathelete and Band Geek

Materials (All available in Torendi unless otherwise stated):

• Bam Pop Volume 4 Collection Paper
• American Crafts Ribbon
• Cosmo Cricket The Boyfriend Chipboard
• American Crafts Flair from “Pop” kit
• Quartet Cork Sheets (craft stash)
• DMC Floss (Craft stash)
• Ranger White Pen (Craft Stash)

The Low Down on Ink Pads

I’ve gotten many questions about the different types of inks that are available out there and I thought I’d do a mini review on them:

Dye Ink- Excellent for beginners, this ink is not permanent and runs when a wet medium like marker, watercolor, etc is added to is. These inks do not show on darker colored cardstocks very well. Only for stamping on paper. (Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Close To My Heart Inks, Stampin Up Classic Ink Pads, Memento Ink, etc.) Memento ink is the best ink to use with copics.

Pigment/Craft/Archival Ink- These opaque inks require some heat setting/overnight drying to achieve good results as they are like paints. They do not run with wet mediums. However, they will run if you blend with copics a lot.  You can stamp on porous and non-porous surfaces. (Brilliance Inks, Stampin Up Craft Inks, Close To My Heart Pigment Inks)

Chalk Ink- Similar to Craft Ink, but quick drying. (Versamagic, etc.)

Hybrid Ink- Very Similar to Dye Ink in Opacity, but these do not run with wet mediums. You can stamp on various surfaces, porous and non-porous. I use copics with these inks, so I believe this is where you’ll find the best bang for your buck! (Palette Ink, Perfect Match, Unity, etc.)

Staz-on- This is a solvent ink/alcohol ink. This is best for stamping on slick/non-porous surfaces and is quick drying. DO NOT use copic markers with this ink, but do use other wet mediums.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink…

Isn’t this sketch AWESOME!!!? This is my first time participating in this awesome challenge!

My card:

 

{Thanks}

Materials:

• PTI Cardstock and vellum
• Anna Griffin Darcy Paper
• Kaisercraft Rhinestones
• Staz-on Ink
• CTMH stamps

 

Card Creations Vol.8 Call

Calling All Designers!

We Know You’re Out There!

Did you create an original project that you just can’t wait to share? Paper Craftsmagazine is always on the lookout for innovative ideas and fresh new talent. Upload your ”Send Us Your Best Work” submissions here and you, too could be a published designer! DEADLINE: Ongoing

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: CARD CREATIONS, VOLUME 8

Believe it or not, it’s time! Yes indeed, friends, the eighth and greatest issue of Card Creations yet, is officially in the works. I know you’ve been pacing the floor, watching your e-mails, and dreaming night after night for the green light that says, “Yes! Submit! It’s time!” Get out the Big Guns ladies, it is officially your time to shine.

We can’t wait to see your unique card designs for possible publication. Our space is limited, so send us your very best ideas that feature the ultimate in card making techniques and products. We’re looking for innovative, out-of-the-box approaches to themes, interactive cards, unique card shapes, humorous and serious card sentiments, and creative uses of products that will cause a spontaneous burst of excitement in all us editors that says, “Yes!  Amazing! That card is SO in!”

Speaking of unique—please be sure that the cards you submit have never appeared on a blog of any kind or as a contest or challenge winner. Thanks!

As you’re creating your masterpieces, please submit cards in the following themes:

All Occasion (thinking of you, humorous as well as serious, blank/no sentiment, etc.)

Anniversary (milestone anniversaries as well as generic ones)

Baby

Be My Valentine (love and Valentine’s Day)

Birthday (kids, adults, milestone ages, teens, etc.)

Congratulations (new job, promotion, making the cheer squad, getting engaged, getting an ‘A’, first house, new car, etc.)

Easter

Encouragement (you can do it, good luck, in general or for specific events, etc.)

Father’s Day (expectant dads, new dads, grandfathers, like a dad to me, brothers or friends who are dads, military dads, etc.)

Friendship (girlfriends, best friends, humorous as well as sentimental)

Get Well (sick, hospitalization, broken bones, humorous as well as serious sentiments)

Graduation (high school, college, middle school, graduate, etc.)

Halloween

Hello

Miss You (romantic, military, etc.)

Mother’s Day (expectant moms, new moms, grandmothers, like a mom to me, military moms, etc.)

Season’s Greetings (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s)

Sympathy

Thank You (in general as well as for specific people such as teachers, soldiers, coaches, friends, host/hostess, etc.; as well as for specific occasions and events, such as for a gift, offering support, listening, etc.)

Thanksgiving

Wedding

DEADLINES

Idea/digital picture deadline: Monday, December 14, 2009

Project acceptance from Paper Crafts editor: No later than Friday, December 18, 2009 (Please do not submit your project(s) to any other publications until after this date.)

Completed project deadline: Thursday, December 31, 2009

Upload your submissions using our submissions tool by clicking the “Submit” tab on our web site at www.papercraftsmag.com or click herefor a direct link. If you have any problems with the submission section of our web site, email Susan Opel at sopel@PaperCraftsMag.com for troubleshooting.

Please submit cards with product that will be available throughout 2010 and that have never appeared on a blog of any kind whatsoever.

Hello and Sketchy Thursdays!

hello

Here’s a card I submitted to Paper Crafts for their sketch challenge submission call. It’s a reject….lol! But I love it just the same! I saw Ashley Newell use this Hambly Screen Print Transparency HERE and had to have my own in yellow Also, here’s a tip, the basic grey chipboard alpha stickers were the wrong shade of brown for this card, so I went over them with my copic markers! Easy peasy! I also layered the transparency with some vellum, so that it didn’t blend in with the woodgrain!

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!!! I’m still working on that wreath! I’ll post pics of it when I’m finished!

Don’t forget Sketchy Thursdays is sponsoring Torendi, check us out HERE!

Materials:

• A-muse Woodgrain Paper
• Bazzill cardstock
• Papertrey Ink Vellum
• Hambley Screen Prints Transparency
• Basic Grey Chipboard Alpha Stickers
• American Crafts Brads

Funky Birthday

 

Funky Birthday

Did you ever have a crazy idea for a card? With crazy product? This is the result of getting that crazy itch I wanted a card similar to the teens I see in Forever 21! LOL!

On a side note, this week and next week are CRAZY for me! Lots to do, lots to get done! I’m in the process of making a wreath for a charity auction. Hopefully, I’ll find time today to stop by everyone’s blogs and leave some love!

Materials:

• Hambly Screen Prints Transparency
• PTI cardstock
• Tulle
• Prima Marketing Flower
• Zva Creative pearls
• American Crafts Thickers

 

 

You’re one of a kind!

 

You're one of a kind!

I bought these tie brads from Impress Rubber Stamps online and couldn’t wait for them to come! Aren’t they CAUUUUTE!?

Materials:

• My Mind’s Eye Paper
• Georgia Pacific Cardstock
• Computer Font
• Impress Rubber Stamps Tie Brads
• CTMH adhesive jewel

 

LAST DAY OF SALE!

 

Click here to shop!

Hey Everyone!!! If you’re like me, you like a good sale!

Don’t forget to shop Torendi for all your Trendy needs and receive 15% off all Japanese imported product and 30% off all Japanese stamps!

And of course, shipping is ALWAYS $5!!! Don’t forget to shop for yourself a little this Holiday Season

 

 

Moxie Fab World: Plum Crazy!!!

Here is my entry for Cath’s Moxie Fab World Plum Crazy Challenge!

Before this year, I never touched purple anything…lol! It reminded me too much of being 7 and having purple everything ALL OVER AGAIN! However, I do admit, I have been enjoying my fair share of Aubergine and Plum this season! I think it brings an instant vintage chic feel to anything: clothes, cards, scrapbook pages, jewelry! The bracelet above was my inspiration for the challenge! I decided to make one of my previous cards a little bit better:

Plum Crazy in Love

The Old card:

The old card

I encourage everyone to get out some cards they made in the past and to tweek them!!! I’m certain they were all good ideas at the time, but just need a little renovating to make them WOWaful!

Gina K. Pure Luxury Base Weight vs. Papertrey Ink Stampers Select

Paper Trey Ink Stampers Select

Gina K.'s Pure Luxury Base Weight

• Price- Let’s face it, in today’s economy, price MATTERS. Gina K’s Pure Luxury Base Weight comes to 28 cents per sheet whereas Papertrey Ink’s Stampers Select comes to 15 cents per sheet. Who wins this round? PTI
• Colorability- Both papers take Copics and other wet mediums well. However, the color does not bleed through Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Base Weight, which is important for one layer cards. I found that color blends and erases better on Gina K.’s Pure Luxury as well. Who wins this round? Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Base Weight
• Texture- Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Base Weight has a very smooth texture and a bit of a glossiness to it, whereas PTI’s Stampers Select has a coarser texture with a Matte Finish. Both cardstocks take to rubber stamps, but Gina K.’s Pure Luxury does not like Acrylic Stamps. I’ve found that because of the smooth and glossy texture, the stamp impression is more blurred. You’re stamping a slick textured stamp on a slick textured surface, so the stamp tends to slide a little. PTI’s Stampers Select has a bit of tooth to it, making it easier to stamp with Acrylic Stamps. HOWEVER, this makes sense, as Gina K.’s Stamps are all Unmounted Rubber and PTI’s Stamps are acrylic. Who wins this round? PTI due to it’s versatility.
• Scoring- Don’t you hate it when you score some cardstocks and they crack at the score line? Gina K. Pure Luxury Base Weight does crack when scored, however you can get around that if you score it a specific way! YES, there is a specific way… If you have a Scor-pal or a Scor-it Board, score the card base down the center and fold it so that the impression of score is on the inside. Instead of folding the card base in half after scoring it down the center, flip it over, so that the impression is facing you, and fold. I discovered this after many cracked cards! Papertrey Ink’s Stampers Select does not crack. Who wins this round? PTI, due to it’s simplicity.
• Cutting/trimming- For those of us that enjoy, layering and cutting images, this is a very important subject. I’ve found that Papertrey Ink’s Stampers Select shreds with detail cutting, with an exacto knife and with scissors. Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Base Weight does not. Who wins this round? Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Base Weight.

WHO WINS ALL IN ALL?

Well, it depends on what kind of card maker you are! If you prefer rubber stamping, go with the Gina K. If you enjoy acrylic stamping, go with the PTI. It is my belief that Gina K. cardstock is meant for colorists. You can color and cut it easily. PTI is a little bit more versatile, but lacks the ease of trimming. I have both cardstocks in my stash and each serves it’s different purpose!!!

STAY TUNED for a comparison between PTI’s Stampers Select and Gina K.’s Pure Luxury Layering Weight (80 lbs.)!