From Memory Box . . . we keep crossing our fingers that the Memory Box order will be dropped off anytime soon. Unfortunately, we don't have control over when the order is filled and the little brown truck delivers it. Our order went in before Christmas, so . . .


Paper Rose Collage Card Video

It's time to kick off 2012 with a new launch of products and some new ideas. By now, there are shipments arriving (or on their way) to stores around the globe, with dozens of new craft dies (and some new Valentine's stamps!). I've been hard at work in the studio putting together some projects for this year - and I've decided to begin with a video of a project I made using 8 (yes 8!) new craft dies - and the new Chrysanthemum frame stamp.



This project is really fun to do - switch up the colors and composition to make it your own - but no matter how you create it, you'll enjoy putting together all of the elements to create something beautiful. Enjoy the video below to learn how I did mine!



I've been wanting to make some dies that used a quilling tool for awhile now - and thought that they would fit in perfectly with our Valentine's program. I haven't picked up a quilling tool since I worked at a stamp store in the 1990's, but it's just as easy as ever - and so much fun to do!



I used the Pinwheel Posie (98270), the Small Pinwheel Posie (98271) and the Scalloped Posie (98269) to create the flowers on the project - the dies cut out spirals of paper, which you twist into roses with the quilling tool to make your "paper roses". I included photos of what the flowers will look like right on the packaging - just a simple twist of paper and you get a terrific effect!


I also created some more of my popular matching dies - in this case the Vivienne Butterfly (98265) and the coordinating Darla Butterfly (98264). These layer together (as you can see in the photo above) and give the butterfly a gentle layered effect.



The project even includes the Fringe Circle die (98268) - it makes a great layer to put the "paper roses" on top of - as you can see in the video.



I used one of my older dies - the Blank Ticket die (98213) to cut out one of my newest stamp images - the G1857 Chrysanthemum frame.



The Blank Ticket die positions perfectly over the stamped image (watch the video to learn about positioning) to cut it out in seconds!

I think I've been missing the warm weather a little - we've been harvesting kale and arugula from our winter garden for salads at dinner, and I've been thinking about flowers and butterflies every time I go out there to get some. This project gave me the opportunity to make my own paper flower garden - and now you can too!




Outlines Rubber Stamps is also open catalog . . . their stamps are always so much fun to work with, like this card:



H-917 Heart Vine
from Outlines Rubber Stamp Co.

Here are a couple of new 'frame' stamps from Outlines that you might want to order . . .

K-1185 Fancy Frame $17.50 Mounted or Cling Mount 5 1/4" x 4"

K-1195 Frames & Mats $17.50 Mounted or Cling Mount 5" x 4 1/8" The Napkin trade and play day at Art 'n Soul is this Thursday, January 5, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. It's free and fun. For those of you unfamiliar with the napkins we're talking about . . . many of us enjoy taking beautifully designed cocktail or dinner napkins, undoing the ply, and making card tops out of them. There are a multitude of ways to use the napkin tops . . . die-cutting, framing, using them in a collage, etc. One of the most popular classes Marj has taught is the layering technique with Spellbinders' Nestabilities die sets. John Peterson is teaching another class at Art 'n Soul on Saturday, January 14, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. His book class in November was soooo much fun and we learned a lot. I personally can't wait to learn the photo transfer techniques using the GlazOn! Sign up quickly because John's classes do fill up. GlazOn Techniques 101 -- by John Peterson Saturday, January 14, 2012 from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. -- $25 Learn the many different uses of Imagine Crafts GlazOn! In class, you will learn how to use GlazOn with StazOn inks to layer colors on metal and plastic. Then we will explore the endless possibilities of this versatile medium with collage and photo transfer techniques. Susie is hoping to email out the current class schedule on Thursday. We'll post it here, too, when it becomes available. From Magenta's website, a beautiful card featuring their gorgeous peel-offs . . . "Art is making something out of nothing   and selling it."   Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993)