Don't forget about this Saturday & Sunday . . . Recycled Rubber is this weekend at Art 'n Soul. We had to delay it by a week because of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. You'll want to be there when it starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. We can't keep up with all of the new treasures that have been arriving almost daily.

Great news for those of us who love Rosie's Roadshow! Linda Presley is returning to Art 'n Soul on August 8 for another fun class. I don't have any more information than that! If you want more information, please stop in or call the store at 360.357.6820.

Nina-Marie Trapani has made a beautiful and delicate looking Christmas card using a new snowflake die from Penny Black.

by Nina-Marie Trapani for Penny Black

Click on this link for the detailed project sheet:

https://pennyblackinc.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/7_8_15-project-guide.pdf

Isha Gupta, who is on the IMAGINE Crafts' Design Team, has made a beautiful decor piece using Chameleon Pens and Vertigo film (aka Illusion film). I think it could make a beautiful card as well.

by isha Gupta for Chameleon Pens

Click on this link for Isha's step-by-step instruction:

http://blog.chameleonpens.com/?p=5738

The Vertigo film can be found in 6 designs at Art 'n Soul! You could probably also use the Copic Markers that the store carries as well, since they, too, are alcohol-based marking pens.

Impression Obsession's Design Team Member, Vicki Garrett, featured a card using a Cover-a-Card stamp from a while back.

by Vicki Garrett for Impression Obsession

Click on this link for the details:

http://summerthymestudio.blogspot.it/2015/04/you-are-enough.html

On the Elizabeth Craft Designs' blog, they've embellished a plain metal hat or cookie box with Shimmer Sheetz! and alcohol inks.

by Judi Kauffman for Elizabeth Craft Designs

Click on this link for the instructions:

http://ecraftdesignsblog.com/2015/07/shimmer-sheetz-flower-tin/

Also from Elizabeth Craft Designs is a card made with Graphic 45's Botanical Tea paper collection. If you don't have any of the paper from that sold-out collection, I still have 2 or 3 of the 12x12 paper pads of the entire paper collection . . . just let me know please.

by Shelly Hickox for Elizabeth Craft Designs

Click on this link for the details:

http://shellyhickox.blogspot.it/2014/06/pop-it-ups-ring-album-sneak-peek.html

I don't know if you've seen the just released catalog of fall and holiday dies from Memory Box and PoppyStamps. This is a holiday card by Pam Sparks.

by Pam Sparks for Memory Box

Click on this link for Pam's detailed how-to:

http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/outsidethebox/2015/07/we-wish-you.html

Shelby made this shaker card using Memory Box's new spectacular snowflake die.

by Shelby Thomas for Memory Box

Click on this link for Shelby's how-to:

http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/outsidethebox/2015/07/spectacular-snowflake.html

This is the link to the Memory Box 2015 Holiday Catalog:

http://www.memoryboxco.com/2015HolidayCatalog.asp

This is the link to the PoppyStamps 2015 Holiday release:

http://www.poppystamps.com/ProdList.asp?scat=54&sflag=2

For you doodlers out there, there is a Zen Doodle Drawing Competition by ArtistsNetwork that ends July 17. For the details, please go to this link:  http://www.artistsnetwork.com/competitions/zen-doodle-drawing-competition?et_mid=765734&rid=236288466. I know there are many Art 'n Soul friends and family who are terrific at their zentangle™ artistry.

I love this article on 'messy watercoloring'. It says if you find it frustrating to stay within the lines, then 'messy watercoloring' may just be the thing for you! I think that most of the watercoloring techniques we've been enjoying at Art 'n Soul have been more 'messy' than exact.

by Diana Nguyen

Click on this link for the blog posting and more samples:

http://blog.papercrafterslibrary.com/trend-watch-color-outside-the-lines-with-messy-watercolor/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PaperCraftersLibrary+%28Paper+Crafter%27s+Library%29

Here is a marvelous tutorial and video from Dina Kowal on using the powdered watercolor dyes that have become so popular. Unfortunately, Magenta's Nuance product came out after this had been written up. However, the techniques will still be the same . . . it features Color Burst! from Ken Oliver and Brusho from the United Kingdom, among others.

by Dina Kowal for Splitcoast Stampers

by Dina Kowal for Splitcoast Stampers

by Dina Kowal for Splitcoast Stampers

For the tutorial and video, click on this link:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/watercolorpowders/?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=

That's all for today. Tomorrow is our last full day in Ravenna with our two granddaughters. We won't miss the unbearable heat and lack of air conditioning, but we will miss our girls terribly. Our hearts swell when they come running to us to say goodnight and give us hugs, kisses and "I love you's" . . . and the huge morning smiles and kisses we get in the mornings.

I'm actually going to swim in the saltwater lake tomorrow . . . they cannot believe we've been living with this heat and I haven't jumped into the lake once since we've been here. It's a ritual in the mid- to late morning before the 1:00 lunch (which is the main meal of the day), and in the mid- afternoon after a nap following lunch.

Ciao!