Bella Carta at Art 'n Soul

A box from Notions arrived Monday. There are lots of Wink of Stella, Distress Inks and one Distress metal storage tin waiting for you to come by and scoop up. You know the drill . . . get there early or they'll have disappeared if you wait too long. Dianne's at the store tomorrow and she'll be more than happy to help you . . . stop in or call the store at 360.357.6820. We're planning to send an order to Ranger soon, so if you didn't buy those cute metal storage tins, you may order one or more now and it will be included in the order. I picked up a black Wink of Stella pen that I'm anxious to use . . . there is only one left.

One of the items that we have lots of are the new misters from Ranger. Dianne has grouped some of them in a little bowl with some Perfect Pearls. She often mixes water and Perfect Pearls in a mister for that added touch of shimmer on her cards.

And the new "Take Ten" magazine from Stampington is in! You don't want to miss that one! I really really like some of the card designs they're featuring in this issue.

On the Magenta blog, Jolande Van Oosterhaus has made a beautiful bookmark and tag from the same stamp. It's a very familiar stamp from Magenta, one that many of us have used over and over again. That's how good it is!

by Jolande Van Oosterhaus, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for the details: http://www.magentastyle.com/2014/08/tag-etiquette.html

Dianne made a beautiful sympathy card that's on the Magenta blog today.

by Dianne Johnson, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for Dianne's how-to instruction: http://www.magentastyle.com/2014/08/the-love-of-those-around-you-lamour-de.html

Chihiro Howe has posted a second lesson on coloring faces and focusing on the eyes on the Copic Markers blog.

by Chihiro Howe for Copic Markers

Click on this link for her technique: https://www.copicmarker.com/coloring-a-manga-style-character-part-2-eyes

Play Day with alcohol inks was fun. We embossed glossy paper and Shimmer Sheetz. We applied alcohol inks by to regular white card stock, glossy card stock, cork, Shimmer Sheetz from Elizabeth Craft Designs, wood, and Vertigo from IMAGINE Crafts. We used the alcohol ink applicator tool and pads, as well as Q-tips to apply the colors. We experimented with Sharon Wolvin's idea to blow the alcohol inks with a straw immediately after ink was dropped onto the glossy paper. We talked about applying alcohol ink to chipboard when you want a quick color finish, and it dries almost instantly -- a terrific use when you're making a chipboard book.

As you look at these experiments in play, think of how much fun it will be to figure out how to use these . . . background design or die cutting or embossing or . . . !

by Bobbie Mosher

by Bobbie Mosher
inked and then embossed

by Bobbie Mosher

by Bobbie Mosher
on Shimmer Sheetz

by Deanna Mitchel

by Deanna Mitchel
white glossy card stock, embossed and then
inked; die cut attached

by Deanna Mitchel
inked; embossed; black StazOn direct to paper with light touch
for black highlights

by Deanna Mitchel

by Deanna Mitchel
embossed; alcohol ink applied with alcohol applicator tool;
Gold Mixative highlights added

by Deanna Mitchel
colored with alcohol inks and gold fixative; stamped
over with Tim Holtz background stamp

by Deanna Mitchel
alcohol ink mixed with Silver Mixative

by Deanna Mitchel
embossed and then light touches of alcohol
ink with applicator tool

by Deanna Mitchel
alcohol ink on Shimmer Sheetz; some areas
topped with gold

by Deanna Mitchel

by Sharon Wolvin

by Sharon Wolvin
ombre effect and Magenta stamp inked with
IMAGINE Crafts/Tsukineko Brilliance

by Sharon Wolvin
inked and then embossed

by Sharon Wolvin

by Sharon Wolvin
embossed and then alcohol ink applied with tool applicator

These are Sharon's patterns made by blowing air through a straw on the alcohol ink drop. Gold Mixative drops were than added.

by Sharon Wolvin

this is Sharon demonstrating the straw blowing technique

We hope this will inspire you to bring alcohol inks back into your regular repertoire of coloring mediums. There is so much more to learn.

While we learned about blowing alcohol inks with a straw on glossy paper, Debbie Olson used her Copic inks on glossy paper and blew the ink with the air sprayer. I'm thinking that you could also use those Hero Arts' paint daubers for a splat design; you could also use a plastic bottle with a dauber top filled with inks, FireWorks!

by Debbie Olson

Click on the link for the details: http://debbiedesigns.typepad.com/muse_and_amuse/2014/08/birthday-ink-splats.html

Kazuko Kocho has made a brilliant discovery at Home Depot. She found this closet organizing piece and turned it into a large dauber storage holder.

Click on this link to go to Kazuko's blog, Love My Artsy Mess, to see the different ways Kazuko considered storing her larger-sized ink daubers and Memento Dew Drops. Genius!

http://kazukoko.blogspot.com/2014/08/jumbo-dauber-work-station-finally.html?showComment=1408508190371#c6475931631592161578

Check out this 'up cycled' project from John Petersen with IMAGINE Crafts. I love the richness of the colors in the book cover.