The little brown truck finally stopped at the store yesterday morning and delivered the long-awaited Memory Box order. New dies, new papers . . . hurry in because it all flies out the door in a matter of a few days.






Art 'n Soul's updated class calendar was sent out via email yesterday afternoon from the store. If you're not on our customer email list, check out these classes and events:

RECYCLED RUBBER, SATURDAY, 

MARCH 3, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. AND 

SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 12:00-4:00 P.M.

Monday, March 5 through Sunday March 18 – ALL DAY – MEMORY BOX MAKE AND TAKE, 

Come in any time the 5th through the 18th, and make a beautiful Spring card using the newest Memory Box dies and paper.  Cost is only $1.00, OR non-perishable food item for the Olympia Food Bank.  Come in and have fun making either of these beautiful cards, and participate in a great cause!

Friday, March 9 – 1:00-3:00 p.m., Debbie Gaetz – “EMBOSSING WITH  SHIMMER SHEETZ”, $30 

Using Shimmer Sheetz can make a very simple card VERY easy to make when you’re in a hurry. AND Shimmer Sheetz makes a fun cover for something bland and ordinary. We’ll make one “covered” item and 2 quick and easy cards. Please bring Cuttlebug or other embossing machine (if you have one); craft knife, red-line tape, small paper trimmer, scoring tool.

JOURNAL CLUB, FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 4-6 P.M., IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Sunday, March 11 - 2:00-4:00 p.m., Marj & Dianne  - “DIE-CUT DEMO!!”, 

Join Marj and Dianne for a FREE demo, when they will share tips, recipes, and ideas for successful die-cutting… especially with those beautiful, intricate designs.  Focus will be on using the Cuttlebug and the Grand Caliber machines.  Marj will also share pictures and information from her fascinating tour of the Cheery Lynn Designs manufacturing plant in Arizona.

PLAY DAY, BRING YOUR OWN PROJECTS, ENJOY OUR BIG TABLES AND CHAT WITH OTHER ARTISTS!  IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 10:30 A.M.- 5 P.M. 

Saturday, MARCH 24, 1:00-3:30 p.m., with Lisa Lee from Inchie Arts “INCHIE ART SQUARES & PHOTOGRAPHS”, $30

An entire class devoted to photo projects with all thee sizes of Inchie Arts Squares.  Learn how to create photo puzzle cards, multiple square collages, and ways to use your photos with inchies, twinchies and inchie + squares.  All photos will be provided.  Please bring small paper trimmer & ruler.

Wednesday, March 28, 1:00-4:00 p.m., with Sue Moffat & Debbie Gaetz  - “FOUR TIMES THE FUN!”,  $25

Passing the Hero Arts stamp along to make 4 different cards using different coloring techniques; we'll have done the rest for you. Memento marking pens, Distress inks, StazOn, watercolor pencils will be used on card stock, acetate and watercolor paper.  You'll make 4 cards in class, and take home an easy bonus card. Please bring your basic class kit (including craft knife, foam tape (or small pop dots) and detail-cutting scissors), along with a small paper trimmer, and a plastic palette (if you have one). One stamp and four techniques is always soooo much fun!

INCHIE CLUB, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 6-7 P.M., IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

RECYCLED RUBBER, SATURDAY, 

APRIL 7, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M. AND 

SUNDAY, APRIL 8, 12:00-4:00 P.M.

JOURNAL CLUB, FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 4-6 P.M., IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

PLAY DAY, BRING YOUR OWN PROJECTS, ENJOY OUR BIG TABLES AND CHAT WITH OTHER ARTISTS!  IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 10:30 A.M.- 5 P.M. 

INCHIE CLUB, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 6-7 P.M., IT’S FREE AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

Upcoming classes in April and May:

Saturday, April 14, 12:00-4:00 p.m., with John Peterson of Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko  - 

"IMAGINE CRAFT'S ULTIMATE BOX" -- $35
Time to discover more endless possibilities with products from IMAGINE Crafts and Tsukineko! We'll begin with a blank wood box from Walnut Hallow as the "base" for our project colored with Walnut Inks. Learn to make creative tissue paper layering pieces using StazOn and Creative Medium, coloring and layering techniques, how to create amazing embellishments, and using The Essential Glue Pad for adding some bling with Jewel Glitter Glitz.

Saturday, April 21, 10:30-12:30 p.m. AND a second class 1:30-3:30 p.m. with Agi Werner of Paper Parachute -- additional information to come

Saturday, April 28, 10:00-12:00 p.m., with Gwen Evans – “ANIMAL SPIRIT – EARTH ART”, $25

Saturday, April 28, 1:00-2:30 p.m., ANIMAL SPIRIT – EARTH ART TRUNK SHOW AND DEMO”.  Open to everyone!

Thursday, May 17, 1:00-3:30 p.m., with Helene, owner of Magenta Stamps – “TOMBOW SOPHISTICATION” $30

You will fall in love with your Tombow markers as you learn this beautiful coloring technique.  Come make 4 exquisite cards using maily Tombow markers and watercolor paper.  As you create each card you will realize how easy a technique this is to achieve the sophisticated look produced.  No two cards will look alike.  Tombow markers never looked so good!

Thursday, May 17, 5:30-8:00 p.m., with Helene, owner of Magenta Stamps – “COME BE AN ARTIST” $30

Helene will guide you as you create 2 cards and 2 little pieces of art for you to decorate your home or give as a gift.  You will learn how to paint with alcohol ink on card stock first (that will become a card) and then take what you learn from paper on to wood.  The second technique will be created on a black surface.  Again, first practicing on paper and then progressing on to wood.

If you would like to be on our store's email list (we don't ever share it with anyone!), email us at artnsoul@artnsoul.comcastbiz.net and we'll add you to our list.




From Spellbinders' blog . . .

A Grand Vintage Postcard

by Holly Simoni

"My style is a little distressed, a little vintage, with a bit of a collage feel at times.  I really love incorporating a variety of mediums.  In keeping with our theme of showing how absolutely fabulous the Spellbinders Grand Calibur can be, I wanted to show you how to die cut clay.  Yep, I said clay - air dry clay to be specific.

Let me show you a few tips to create this Clay Hearts Vintage Postcard.

Spellbinders™ Paper Arts Supplies:

• Spellbinders Grand Calibur® Machine
• S4-136 Classic Hearts
• S5-090 Romantic Rectangles

Preferred Promotional Partners:

• JustRite® Stampers - Bon Voyage Cling

Cross Promotional Partners:

• Jillibean Soup™ - kraft patterned paper
• My Mind's Eye™ - Follow Your Heart Patterned Paper
• Creative Impressions - burgundy ribbon
• WorldWin Papers®- Black Treasures Cardstock
• Beacon Adhesives - Quick Dry Adhesive
• Clearsnap - Pigment Ink Queue

Other:

• Airdry Clay - White; Sewing Machine; Heart Stick Pin.

I began by cutting/embossing Romantic Rectangles for the base of the Vintage Postcard, as shown above. I also trimmed a piece of black cardstock to frame the cream colored Romantic Rectangle die cut.   I adhered all three layers to create the base of my Postcard.

~ Designer Tip ~ 

The Romantic Rectangle die templates are very intricate and detailed.  Just the way we all like them of course.  So, just a tip, when using intricate die templates, place a piece of wax paper between the die template and the cardstock.  This will help the cardstock release from the die template very easily.

Now lets have a little fun with clay! Roll out your favorite air dry clay.  I have a very specific way I do this, to get the look I want.  I form a ball of clay about the size of a quarter.  I place it between two pieces of wax paper, then place that between my A-Base Plate and B-Embossing Plate.  I run that through my Grand Calibur to evenly roll out the clay.  I take off the top layer of wax paper and let the clay dry for about 8hrs. 


I removed the other layer of wax paper, and used Classic Hearts to cut the clay.  I allowed them to dry another 2-3 hrs so that they were perfectly dry for stamping on.

I used pigment ink in shades of copper and gold to ink the edges of each heart.  Ink really shows the nice embossed detailed edge of the hearts.

I layered copper and bronze pigment ink on the Fleur De Lis stamp and stamped the large Heart.  I used a solvent black ink for the smaller Heart.  The Hearts almost look like porceline.  I really love this look.

I adhered the hearts with Quick Dry Adhesive, tied a ribbon and inserted a stick pin.

I hope you'll be inspired to try die cutting air dry clay with your Grand Calibur Machine.  Please email me if you have any questions.

Thanks so much for stopping by the Spellbinders Blog today!"

Tomorrow is the BIG Recycled Rubber and I mean BIG! You have to be there first thing in the morning to see the outstanding deals you're going to enjoy if you're early enough . . . Susie, Marj, and Dianne have been 'cleaning out' to make room for more goodies, so their reduction is YOUR great gain to some excellent stamps and papers! It starts at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning . . .