Sometimes I make a project and then wonder if I should put in online.  Tonight was one of those nights.  The card was ok, but I’m not sure if it’s really very good, as I decided to draw tree branches on the card.  I’m really not great at drawing, so I’m thinking long and hard before putting this video online.  I think I’ll save it for a rainy day and by that, I mean, if I don’t have any videos to put online and I am really desperate, I guess I’ll use it.  Otherwise, it’s going to stay on a memory card until I really need it.  I have another card that I’ve done the same thing with and both are just ok, not great.  Rich says I’m my own worst critic and that’s probably true, but the one time I put up a video I wasn’t sure about was the first time Jennifer McGuire mentioned my channel on her Facebook page, and I got almost 1,000 views.  I don’t want to risk having that happen again.  Not like Jennifer is going to mention my channel again, but I think you know what I mean.  It’s like when you decide to hang out in your pajamas and the doorbell rings.  Ok, maybe it’s not like that, but I’m not putting it up until I absolutely have to.

I had really big plans for today, but it drizzled most of the day, so I didn’t accomplish much because the worst weather for arthritis is drizzle.  Plus, poor Aggie has a UTI, and just got it tonight, so I’ve been taking her outside every few minutes while Rich was playing basketball.  We’ll definitely be taking her to the vet tomorrow as she’s prone to UTI’s now that she’s older, and she’s just miserable, having to go outside every few minutes.  Rich just tried to give her some lemon juice in her water, as that’s supposed to help calm a dogs’ bladder, but she vomited, so that’s not going to help.

I did finished the video for the House Mouse stamp.  I think it’s really pretty cute and it shouldn’t  be a really long video, as most of it is fast coloring.  You can’t believe how fast I can color when Rich changes the video to a faster setting.  I color like the wind.

I’m hoping Rich will get his part of the video done tonight and then I’ll do the last edits in the morning so it should be up sometime tomorrow if everything goes well.

I spent some quality time making a video that I ultimately deleted. Nothing went well and in the end, the project looked really bad.  I used watercolors and watercolor paper and my paper was warped and I couldn’t get my Vagabond to work.  I’m hoping that it came unplugged underneath the desk where Rich will need to look, as I checked the plugs connected to the machine and they were fine.  I had that incident where I got a very thick embossing folder stuck in the machine and eventually worked it out with the machine’s assistance.  I’m hoping it didn’t give it’s life in service of embossing, but it would be just my luck.  They even provide a tool to ensure the “sandwich” isn’t too thick to get stuck, but of course, it didn’t occur to me to use it.  So it’s definitely my fault if the machine is broken and I really hope it isn’t.  Just when I got into die cutting words, my machine doesn’t work.

I had heard that the best way to flatten watercolor paper that warps, is to run it through a die cutting machine without any embossing folders.  Simply run it through, and the die cutting machine will flatten it.  Since that wasn’t an option, I thought about using a book, but by that point I’d taken a long hard look at what I had produced, and decided it was better off in the trash.

So Plan B.  This time I stamped a house mouse stamp where he’s laying on a pile of jelly beans with a full belly.  I had a sentiment stamp that says “Do I smell jelly beans?” and thought that would really make it perfect, and then stamped Happy Easter on it.  I’m going to make it into a postcard, and I stamped a second one to make into an Easter card.  I really like sending postcards for holidays, as they are quick and easy and a lot less expensive to mail.  I think they are 21 cents (I could be making that up), but if I put fun foam in a card, I’ve been paying the post office 91 cents to mail those and I don’t really include much more information inside cards.  I also like the idea of mailing postcards because the post office workers always comment on them and they get to benefit from a fun little card as well.  The only downside is that you can’t write anything personal on them, so that’s why I also make the card into a folded card as well, and give viewers both options.

It really is a cute little card and I think viewers will be trying to find that particular House Mouse stamp, as it is adorable.

I spent some time making a video that is below on paper trimmers per a viewer’s (Jennie’s) request.  I wanted to be sure that I answered Jennie’s questions, but also covered the ins and outs of paper trimming in general.  I was really happy when I uploaded it, Jennie was so thrilled with the information and other, more experienced crafters, learned things as well, which really made me happy.  I was a little bit nervous that more experienced crafters would think I should have showed easier ways of doing things, but I was trying to  make the video for someone who just didn’t know how to use a trimmer and thankfully, it was well received..

Sometimes when I make a video, I fret about it, because I’m not sure how it will land.  I never even considered the controversy that came about because of the Stamp Perfect recall video.  I was thinking about the crafters with hand and wrist issues that can’t afford a MISTI and that was my only concern.  I didn’t think that people would be offended because the MISTI had a patent infringement, because my focus has always been on the crafter that is handicapped, and especially those on a fixed income.  I want them to find outlets for their creativity, and if they can’t stamp without a tool like this, and can’t afford a MISTI, then I wanted them to have a Stamp Perfect since they were still available.  I’m not sorry I made the video and would definitely make it again.  If I can be of service in any way to people like me, then I’ll continue to make videos in support of this community.  After all, I started this channel so people like me would have a voice on YouTube.  As long as I’m making videos, they (we) will have a voice.

I was asked by a viewer, Jennie, if I would show her how to use her paper trimmer to cut small pieces of paper and had questions about using her paper trimmer in general.  I have tried to simplify paper trimming so this video is more for the beginning paper trimmer and not the more advanced crafter.

The first thing I recommend, is making marks on your cut bar at 4 1/4″, 5 1/2″, 7″ and 10″ as these are the most common card cuts.

I show how to make a template for a 5 x 7″ card by taking a 12 x 12″ piece of paper and trimming off the weird edge by laying your paper to the 12″ mark and trimming off anything beyond the perforation on the paper.

To make a 5 x 7″ card, you cut your paper at 10″ and then turn it one turn and cut it at 7″ and then fold the 10″ side at 5″ so the card then becomes a 5 x 7″ card.

To trim paper that has a pattern on it, make a template of the size card you want to use with copy paper or junk mail and keep it to lay on your design. Once you decide which direction you want you paper cut, you can lay your template over the paper and line the  paper up to the trim line then cut it.  Turn it and put the template where you want it, then put it to the cut line and hold your paper in place and remove the template and cut.  Turn again, and repeat the same process on the fourth side.

Cutting smaller pieces of paper can be difficult.  Jenni wanted me to show her how to cut a 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ piece of paper.  To do that, take a long piece of paper and using the marks on your paper trimmer, line up the paper at 1 1/2″ and trim a long piece of paper.  Then turn it sideways and moving the paper to the 2 1/2″ mark on your paper trimmer, cut the paper.  Then move the paper again to the 2 1/2″ mark and cut.  Do this until your paper isn’t long enough to trim.

To make a standard card that’s called an A2 size card, take a full size piece of card stock that is 8 1/2″ x 11″ and line the paper on the 11″ side and trim it at the 5 1/2″ mark and cut your paper in half.  Then you will score it at 4 1/4″ so it folds in half to create a 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ card.

You can also cut your paper on the 8 1/2″ side and cut it in half at 4 1/4″.  Then score it on the 11″ length at 5 1/2″ to create a top fold card.

To cut a box out of your card, it’s easiest to draw your box on your card and know the measurements for your box (on the paper).  You’ll need to know the left and right vertical line measurements from the card fold as well as the top and bottom line measurements from the bottom of the card..  The slits that you cut from top to bottom are simple.  You’ll line your paper up to the line you drew (and measurement you wrote) and cut the paper to the top and bottom of your box. On the top and bottom, you’ll turn your paper sideways and trim the top and bottom to meet the other cut lines.

I recommend the 12″ paper trimmer from Cricut that retails for $15 without a coupon and is available at all big craft stores.  It has been a better trimmer for me as I had a lot of trouble with the wire in the bigger Fiskars trimmer that I previously recommended and found it to be too big of a hassle for me to use.  Fiskars replaced the cut bar and ultimately the trimmer,  and I continued to have issues with it even though I kept changing the blade on the 12″ trimmer.  Renate, another subscriber, suggested you check MayMay’s YouTube channel for discount codes for it.  I bought mine at Joanns’ with a coupon and spent $7.50 for it.

I hope this helps the newer crafter in trimming paper.  More experienced paper trimmers will find easiers ways to produce these cuts, but I wanted to simplify for the beginner.

I spent the day on the telephone and in stores about an hour from my house, looking for any Stamp Perfects that were left in stores.  My hopes weren’t very high, as I hadn’t found them in some of the stores, but saw someone say that their Hobby Lobby had them and I had never tried there.  I really wanted to buy three or four to give as gifts when I hit certain levels of subscribers, but I didn’t find any.  I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.  I did talk to one lady at Joann’s that said they had received the recall notice and were to send all of theirs back, so none of the Joann’s should have them.  When I got home, I got an email from a good friend named Elin.  She asked if I had seen this, and, of course, I hadn’t.

I was surprised, shocked, amazed, and just about every other emotion you can imagine.  I already had 80 new subscribers by the time I got home today.  It’s amazing, the power that Jennifer McGuire wields in the crafting community.  I’m thrilled especially, because Jennifer has so many disabled crafters on her site, and the fact that they now know my channel exists is thrilling.  When I read the comments below Jennifer’s statement, so many of them were people who had physical limitations and didn’t know my channel existed, so thank you Jennifer McGuire, for doing the one thing I’ve struggled with being able to do.  Get the word out about my channel.  Today was a very very good day.

I put one video up this morning and I’ve been talking to one of my viewers about an email she got from HallmarkScrapbook.com telling her that they were no longer going to be selling the Stamp Perfect or a similar tool sold by We R Memory Keepers.  I was really surprised by this information, so I contacted customer service at Hampton Arts, the makers of the Stamp Perfect, and they confirmed that there was a patent infringement and they were no longer allowed to sell their product in the USA.  I completely understand that their product was so similar to the MISTI, but this product was so reasonably priced and it’s such a shame that crafters who can’t afford a MISTI, won’t have another option.  I’m hoping that Tim Holtz’s stamping tool will make it through without a recall, but if it doesn’t, we’re back to MISTI.  Don’t get me wrong.  I think the MISTI is a great product, but if crafters can’t afford to use it, then it’s not the Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented, it just the most expensive.  It especially bothers me as so many of my viewers are on disability income and the cost of the MISTI is prohibitive for them.  Before the Stamp Perfect came on the market, I had contacted the makers of the MISTI and explained my channel and asked if they would consider a discount for my viewers.  They would not.  I understand that they are in the business to make money, but it is disheartening when crafters can’t afford their tool, but desperately need something like it and it’s out of their reach.  I have to say, that although I completely understand the patent infringement, it’s still a sad day for the disabled crafter that can’t afford the MISTI.

I had a great afternoon talking to my friend Carol Held and one of my subscribers, Sherri Clarke as they were creating a card together.  I had been talking to Sherri about her broken big toe and wanted to send her a get well card a few weeks ago.  When she told me her address, I asked her if she had ever watched Carol’s videos and she said she hadn’t.  I told her I thought Carol had to live very close to Sherri in Canada and she discovered they live ten minutes away from each other.  So one day a couple of weeks ago, Sherri was shopping at her local Michael’s, and heard a woman calling out to “Carol.”  Sherri had just been watching Carol’s videos, and recognized Carol’s voice from her videos as she responded to her name.  Sherri said she didn’t want to be a YouTube stalker, so she didn’t track down the voice to ask her if she was Carol Held from YouTube.  Sherri sent Carol an email asking if she had been in Michael’s and Carol said “yes” and they made a play date.  They spent a day shopping for crafty things last week and today, put them to great use.  It was so much fun listening to them together and knowing that two new crafty friends had found each other through YouTube.

I’m sure they will be making a lot of great and interesting projects together and I look forward to the video they made of their hauls and cards they made today.

I bought this set of 36 Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors,.and I couldn’t tell what shades the colors would be once they were wet.  Lindsay, the frugalcrafter recommended them for a beginner watercolorist like myself and I loved using them but hated not knowing which red shades were which so needed to swatch them.

I used a 1 1/2″ circle punch on 140lb. hot press Fabriano watercolor paper and then cut each punched circle in half.  Then, ran them through the Xyron to turn them into stickers.  I put them on the plastic cover piece so you could still see the number for each color.

I took a 3 1/2″ piece of washi tape and taped it to the under side of the end of the plastic in the center to make it easier to remove.  I looped it over to the top of the plastic and then squeezed it so the loop was completely adhered to itself.  This makes it so much easier to remove the plastic cover.

To swatch the colors, I wet the paints, then used a watercolor brush and painted each semi-circle with the color that would be under it, once I put the plastic piece back in place on top of the colors.  To clean the excess paint off of the plastic, I used a damp brush and wiped the paint off as I went, then wiped my brush on a cloth and rinsed it between colors.

Some colors required a second coat of paint to really see the color well.

Before you replace the plastic on the watercolors, make sure the paints are dry, as otherwise, you’ll end up ruining your watercolor paints.

This is a fast and easy way to swatch watercolor paints that have a plastic cover.