My cousin Shelli is brand new to alcohol markers and coloring.  We started by stamping our images with Simon Say Stamp Intense Black ink on Neenah 80 lb Classic Crest paper (Shelli’s) and mine was stamped on Fabriano 140 lb hot press water color paper.  The stamps were both from Stampendous.  Shelli’s is the Hydrangea Lacecap and mine is their Timeless Rose stamp.  I also used a Thinking of You sentiment on the outside of my card. Shelli used Stampin’ Up Wisteria Wonder and I used Orchid Opulence inks with the chip brushes I buy from Harbor Freight Liquidators.  We both used a really fun floral border from Stampin’ Up’s set called  Bordering on Romance for our envelopes and then we colored the border with alcohol markers.

We lined the back of Shelli’s hydrangea lacecap image with pretty decorative paper and her top paper was trimmed to 3 3/4″ x 5″ and her decorative paper layer was 4″ x 5 1/4″ –she put foam tape under this layer. Her base was 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″, a typical A2 size card.   She used a Mother’s Day sentiment from a retired Stampin’ Up set called You’re Wonderful.

I rounded my corners with a Creative Memories corner rounder so my top was 4″ x 5 1/4″ and my card base was  4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″.
Shelli did a really amazing job.   I’m sure her mother will love the card she made.  We had a terrific time and I’m looking forward to another crafty day with her.

I wanted to see if the papers I used made a difference in blending alcohol markers so I tried blending on six different papers.  Two in particular are supposed to work really well with alcohol markers, the Neenah Solar White and the Strathmore Bristol papers.  What I found when I blended the markers, was impressive.  Please remember that I used Spectrum Noir markers, so maybe other alcohol markers would react differently to the papers, I don’t know.  I wanted to put that note in, though, because maybe Copics blend differently.

The papers I used:
from Michaels (as Recollections is a Michaels brand) Recollections 110 lb. cream card stock that sells there for $14.99 for a pack of 100 (without a coupon).

Georgia Pacific 110 lb white cardstock for pack of 250, that I normally buy at Walmart, but did my price checking was done through Amazon so the price comparison is apples to apples.  $7.27

Strathmore Bristol 100 lb. 9 x 12″ pack $7.43 at Amazon

Canson XL 9 x 12″ 140 lb Cold Press Watercolor Paper $7.37 at Amazon

Neenah Solar White Classic Crest 80 lb. 250 pack, $36.00 at Amazon

Fabriano 140 lb. Hot Press Watercolor Paper 9 x 12″, $10.98 at Amazon.

I used Spectrum Noir markers DR1, DR4, and DR5 for my blending as reds sometimes are difficult to blend.

I started with the Canson that is a watercolor paper.  I started by putting all three colors in a row then used the DR1 to blend them all together.  Then went back over with DR4 to ensure a good blend.  After it was dry, it did not do a good job of blending as you can see the line between 4 and 5.

Strathmore Bristol–after it is dry, this blends really well.

Georgia Pacific–after it is dry it blends really well.

Neenah–I could see a clear line between the 4 and 5 and didn’t think it did a good job of blending.

Fabriano-after it was dry, it blended well.

Recollections (cream color)–even after re-blending it after it was dry, it did not do a good job of blending.

You might wonder if using the larger nib on the DR5 made a difference in my blending.  I used it on the Georgia Pacific, Neenah, Fabriano, and Recollections.  The Fabriano and Georgia Pacifics were two of the three that I chose for best for blending.

The papers that did a great job of blending were:
Strathmore Bristol
Fabriano Hot Press
Georgia Pacific

I hope this helps you to determine which papers you should use with your alcohol markers.

Today I was a crafting fool.  I made two cards, one water coloring with Stabilo 68 markers and the other had a watercolor background and colored with alcohol markers.  They were both a lot of fun to make and I think my girlfriend liked hers, so they were both fun.  I worry that I’m starting to get into a rut of making the same kinds of cards so am looking for ideas to try different techniques.  I need to get back to playing with my stamps instead of always being late for a card that needs made.

I wish I had some great plans to create something different, but need to think through my current ideas and come up with one I like.  I do like making different folds in cards and really liked making the box card, so I might give one of those ideas a try.

Rich is busy editing the video for the day I spent with my cousin Shelli.  He’s asked me several questions about what to cut out because we basically talked non-stop through the whole card making process.  It was hard to decide if we were discussing card making or just laughing about whatever.  Regardless, there is a ton of video footage for him to go through and he just threw in the towel for the night as he’s been at it for several hours and hasn’t been able to finish.  I guess that’s how it is when you get two talkative women together and want to narrow down their discussions to crafts.  It’s just not very easy.  It’s a good thing I pay Rich so well.  Chocolate and dog kisses, works every time.

Today is one of my closest friend’s birthday.  I need to make her card because in my mind, I thought her birthday was the 12th.  Now every other year I’ve gotten her birthday right.  What happened between last year and this is a mystery to me, and I am feeling really foolish that I can’t remember something this important.  When we talked on the phone yesterday, she was saying that her entire family was going out for dinner and I asked if it was for her mother’s birthday that was a few days ago.  She said no, for my birthday.  That’s the moment I broke out into a cold sweat.  How do I forget a birthday and then remember it as the wrong day?  Yikes, I really need to refer to the birthday calendar that I created for myself to avoid situations just like this.  Naturally this isn’t the first time I’ve forgotten a birthday and I’m getting more frustrated because I created the solution, but forget to look at it.  Geez, who does stuff like this?

So I’m off to make a video for a birthday card, how hard could that be?  Another five or six hours from now, I should have an idea for the card at the very minimum, and possibly produced an actual card (let’s not get so far ahead of ourselves here.)  Baby steps.

I forgot to mention yesterday I went to the first garage sales of the season and I bought dog toys.  That’s all.  How sad.  Ok, we did go to a rummage sale that a local diet club puts on.  They always have the best food, so of course I had to bring home chocolate covered Chex Mix with cranberries.  I wonder how their diet works when they offered awesome sweets and sloppy joes and hotdogs.   I should look into it as it seems like the kind of diet I could handle.

So today I didn’t do very much besides laundry and talking to Carol Held on the phone.  She was telling me a story about her Apple computer having issues and trying to work with the Apple support team.  It wasn’t going well, so she decided to take her video camera off of the tripod to see if the connections were attached properly.  Her camera was almost $3.000 when she bought it less than two months ago.  As she unscrewed it from the tripod, it flew out of her hand and landed on her wood floor across the room.  Of course the window you see the video through was broken.  So being like all women, she freaked out and called Best Buy where she purchased it.  I’ve never had good experiences with Best Buy and was amazed when Carol told them the story and they replaced her video camera.  I couldn’t believe it.  Of course she had to tell the story to probably six different people, but when they connected her to the “Geek Squad” and she was told the fix would take eight weeks, I think she lost her mind.  I can’t imagine someone on YouTube being without their camera for eight weeks and somehow that was the turning point, as the employee said, “I’ll just recommend we replace it.”  That would never have happened to me. They would have said something like, “You broke it, you have to buy a new one.”  I could have cried, kicked my feet, beat my chest and the end result would have been the same.  “Well mam, you dropped it, so you’ll need to buy a new one.”  Carol is my idol, because anyone that can get that kind of service from Best Buy is like a horse whisperer or whatever the equivalent would be when dealing with a computer store.  In the end though, she still hasn’t gotten the Apple problem fixed.  She spends so much time on the phone with them that she should get paid.  Last week alone, she was on the phone with Apple over eight hours.  I would have cracked after the first hour.  I would have been crying and babbling and incoherent.  Rich would have found me with the phone in my hand, screaming, “Why??”

It’s a good thing Rich handles all computer related issues in our house, otherwise I would probably have quit the whole YouTube gig for greener pastures, aka reading a good book or watching movies.

My cousin Shelli, came to make cards with me today. We talked about what techniques she wanted to try, and her goal was to practice blending with alcohol markers.  She wanted to make her Mother’s Day card, and she did.  It was amazing and she took to blending with markers like a professional.  She was a little bit nervous at first, but really did well and her card is so beautiful.  I think it will be one that her mother keeps forever, maybe even frames it. If I got her card, I would frame it.

I think some people are just naturally artistic and Shelli is definitely that.  We videotaped our experience of making cards together, and you’ll be able to see it for yourself.  We had so much fun and forgot the camera was on.  I’m a little bit worried that the camera might have turned off at a couple of points, as we colored for hours (literally.)  It was just so much fun to have someone to color with and to experiment with different colors,  fun and relaxing.   I do worry that the video won’t make much sense since we might have skipped some parts, but we’ll do our best to piece it together so that it does.  I can’t wait for everyone to see how talented Shelli is for a beginning crafter.  She should make her own YouTube channel, Cards for Beginners.  That’s a great idea.  Shelli, you should consider it!

 

 

Because our YouTube channel has exceeded 3,000 subscribers, Rebecca and Donna Walton, the owners of Rubber Stamp Tapestry,  are offering 15% off everything in their store until April 17, 2017 (4/17/2017.)  The promotion code is SANDYPARKER.  I’m so excited and hope you are as well for this great bargain on pegstamps.com also known as Rubber Stamp Tapestry.
I wanted to create a scene using peg stamps, so stamped with Simon Says Stamp black ink using a new sentiment set called Uplifting Sentiments for Thinking of you and the sets Just Add Flowers and Country Lane that are red rubber from Pegstamps.com.  I cut the sets apart and then put a little Aleene’s Tack it Over and Over on the back so that I can get the stamps to stick to an acrylic block or MISTI or Stamp Perfect without any issues.  I had an old grass stamp that I used (that had no name on it.)  I used Old Olive Stampin’ Up dye ink for the grass as well as an Old Olive Stampin’ Up marker.  I colored using alcohol markers, Spectrum Noirs and used markers that are listed on the screen to color with.  I also used my 1″ chip brush to brush the Old Olive ink onto the background where the grass is to make sure the color is consistent and used Ballet Blue, an old Stampin’ Up ink color that is now retired (still available on ebay I’m sure).  I also ran the same ink pad around the edges of the craft card to accent the blue sky.
I love how the peg stamps red rubber background stamps have the masking done for them, as there’s a gap between the handle bars of the bike so you can fill the bike’s basket with flowers.
I used some of the peg stamps, Bitty Peony, Five Sprigs of Grass,  Foliage Leaf, Saponaria Solid,  Hyacinth Bloom, pinwheel flower and a crackled sprig.  I used Early Espresso Stampin’ Up dye ink for the branch in the basket and then used Old Olive ink to stamp the five sprigs of grass and used the small foliage leaf in the basket with the same ink.   I stamped Saponaria with the pinwheel flower in the basket and used pigment inks for these flowers so put Ranger Clear embossing powder over them and then heat set them.  I stamped some Blackberry Bliss from Stampin’ Up that I added a metallic tint to it with eye shadow.  I’ll attach that video to the end so you know how to do this yourself.
I used the Early Espresso marker to make stems for the Hyacinth Bloom and put embossing powder over the hyacinth as well as the other purple flowers on the ground. Where the ink had dried, I used a Marvy embossing marker to make the flowers so the embossing powder would stick to them, then heat set them as well.  I used Wink of Stella for some sparkle on the bike and birds and the bird house and a silver Sharpie to make the bike shiny and added Wink of Stella over that.  I used a white gel pen for some highlighting on the images.  Added fun foam to the back with tear tape and put it on a purple base that is 5 1/2″ wide by 4 1/4″ tall.  The craft card stock top card is 5 1/4″ x 4″ tall.  Used purple washi tape for on the inside of the card and on the envelope.

I hope you like the card and go to pegstamps.com for your 15% discount until 4/17/2017 using the promotion code SANDYPARKER.  Here is the link to their site.  http://pegstamps.com/

I am really getting excited because my cousin Shelli, is coming to our house tomorrow to make some cards with me.  This will be the first time we’ve been able to get together to actually produce something and we plan on making a video with our craftiness.

I have been making some videos, but they haven’t gone up because one is to coincide with Carol Held’s video where she will be doing sign language to the technique and mine will have the technique written below as I always do.  It’s amazing to me how many people don’t know that I write everything in the description.  I often get questions for things that are clearly spelled out in the comments I leave below the video.  A friend of mine said that I’m the only crafting YouTuber that writes out the entire technique.  I told her that my channel is devoted to people with physical limitations, so I feel that requires me to cover as many types of limitations as I can, including hearing impaired.  I do the best job I can with my explanations and sometimes trying to explain cut on the second score then score on a diagonal to the next line I believe might not make a lot of sense, but I do my best.

So my video for pegstamps.com will go live tomorrow AM and I’m really excited to offer my own promotion code.  There is something thrilling about knowing that because of our YouTube channel, others will benefit with a discount.  It really makes Rich and me proud.  I think I’ll go buy some stamps just so I can use my code, just to see it work.  Yes, I am that weird.

Ok, so we just finished uploading the longest video known to man.  I don’t know what I was thinking when I was making this card.  The thing that’s funny now, is that I couldn’t find a sentiment that worked with teacups.  The sentiment I finally used talked about beans.  So why didn’t I think of coffee beans?  Where was my head?  So the outside of the card has tea cups and a joke about beans and the inside features “thanks a bushel” and has vegetables on it.  I think most people will not get the connection, because frankly, there isn’t one.  After Rich edited the card, he made me put it up.   I really wanted to ditch it.  I think he probably spent ten hours working on cutting out material to make it that short and I don’t blame him for making me put it up.  What an absolute mess!  I feel so dumb that I never connected the beans with coffee and the cups with coffee.  Holy cow, that would have made the card so much faster and easier.  I probably could have cut ten minutes at least out of it.  Oh well, live and learn.  I’ll probably get a million thumbs down and I really don’t blame people if they do.  Although the card idea is pretty nifty, it just doesn’t seem to work.  Another day, another video.

Since we went over 3,000 subscribers,  Rebecca and Donny Walton the owners of Rubber Stamp Tapestry aka pegstamps.com, are giving me my own promo code for 15% off of everything in their store.  They have just about everything and anything people could want.  I just made the video using their stamps so that people will get an idea of some of the things they have to offer.  They are such nice people.  I don’t get any kickbacks from the sales and made sure I told people that in the video.  It was just a nice way for them to help me to say thank you to all of my subscribers.     I’ve been so lucky to find such sweet people who really believe in the channel.  I’ve been awed by the kindness and generosity  I’ve found since embarking on this YouTube adventure.

I watched a video of a box card and thought it would be a lot of fun to make. Here’s the original video by Valita https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2jCZ…
I didn’t realize that the video would be so long. I am so sorry that it is.

On the 11″ side of a 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of cardstock, score at 2 1/2″, 4″, 7″, 8 1/2″ then turn to the 8 1/2″ length and score at 1 1/2″ and 7″. Fold in the 1 1/2″ and 7″ so the folds are clean and then unfold them. On the 11″ length, make a mark at 5 1/2″ with a light pencil on both sides at 5 1/2″. Put something squishy under your paper like fun foam or a phone book and put it under your paper. There are two score marks before the mark you just made. You will want to use a ruler and using your scoring tool, you’ll make a diagonal score from the center mark we made with a pencil, to the score line on the left and right of the center mark. This should create an upside down “V” shape. Turn the paper to the opposite edge and score exactly like you did on the first side. Take scissors with long blades and cut on the 8 1/2″ length, cut to the second score mark on all four corners. Then cut the first score mark off on all four sides, so you’ll be cutting a box off where you already cut one cut.

With the short sides facing you, fold the scores closest to the inside in, then fold the next score lay the down and bone folder it on both sides. The bottom and top pieces you will fold the two flaps in and where the inverted V is, fold those flaps back and use your bone folder on them and make sure all folds have been bone foldered (or whatever term you would use.) Reopen your folds and put tear tape on the little flaps on the outside edge of all four corners then remove the tear tape liner off of one piece and fold one side of the 11″ length up straight and put the flap behind it and attach it to the back of the piece. Do this to all four sides to create a box. Your flaps should be 2 1/2″ wide by 5 1/2″ tall and I made 1/8″ border. The patterned paper will be 2 3/8″ x 5 3/8″. I used a scallop border punch from EK Success for the edges of my paper.
Although I traced the half circles, it was just as easy to glue the paper down and then cut around them. I used a tape runner from Elmer’s to attach my papers to the outside of the box.
I used a piece of matching ribbon that was probably 12″ long and laid a length of tear tape on the back of the box so that the ribbon could be attached to it.

For the inside, I couldn’t find anything tea related, so I found some vegetables and wanted to make them into covers for my paperclips, but instead, attached them to the paper I put inside my box. I know the vegetables are weird with the teacups, but couldn’t figure out what else to do. My girlfriend that I sent the card to loves to tell a joke about carrots, so the vegetables are perfect for her, as is the joke about the beans that is the front sentiment..

I stamped the vegetables from a stamp set from Jillibean called Fresh Vegetable Soup with Stampin’ Up gray archival ink and made a mask for the thinner vegies, and then stamped beside the masked vegies to create a thicker piece of vegetable. I colored them with alcohol markers and Rich listed all of the colors in the video. I used one of the pink pieces of cardstock that we cut off of our box for our sentiment and punched it out with a punch from Stampin’ Up that I don’t know the name of. Sorry. I ran Soft Sky ink from Stampin’ Up around the edge of the sentiment using a Fantastix.. I put tape runner on the back of only the right side of the sentiment to adhere it to the left side of the right flap so it covers the front but will allow the card to open.
I cut another piece of pink cardstock and stamped my inside sentiment with the same gray archival ink and then punched a small hole and put a piece of ribbon in the hole so I can remove this paper from inside my box. After coloring my vegies, I glued them to the bottom of this piece of paper and then laid it inside the box. I don’t have the measurements for this piece of card stock, but to create it, measure the back of the box and cut it 1/2″ shorter than that measurement. You’ll need another piece of decorated paper to cover the back of the box, so use the measurement of the back of the box and make it 1/4″ shorter and 1/4″ thinner than the measurements you made. I’m sorry I forgot to record these measurements for you.