Bella Carta at Art 'n Soul

Here it is . . . Blue Friday for the 12th Man fans of the Seattle Seahawks, including us at Art 'n Soul. In honor of our Seattle Seahawks and the Legion of Boom, Art 'n Soul will be closed this Sunday, February 1, so everyone can be home to cheer on the Seattle Seahawks in their quest for a second Super Bowl win! Hoo-rah!

If you're not into football, today and tomorrow are excellent days to stop in at Art 'n Soul for your art supplies so you can spend Sunday being creative! Rubber stamps, dies, coloring mediums, art papers, decorated papers, tools, inks, sprays, ribbons, ink applicators, and loads of inspiration await you.

I have lots of new paper coming to the store tomorrow . . . I'm pricing it now. I'm especially excited about Ken Oliver's new papers because they are bee-yoo-tee-full! Photos to follow.

I knew that there would be an artistic way to use the new rope stamp from Magenta, and here it is! Mariette has made a card using it as a great background. I can envision it as the perfect background design for the masculine cards that we all need at times.

by Mariette van Leeuwen, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for her posting:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/01/rope-stamp-new-catalog-etampe-corde.html

And Carole Dion has made a beautiful card using a Magenta stamp and alcohol inks by sliding the colors with blending solution. I love the brilliance of colors.

by Carole Dion, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/01/creer-tout-en-douceur-creating-softly.html

From the Penny Black Facebook page, a very sweet and simple card for your special person . . .

by Birgit Edblom for Penny Black
"So soft and easy-on-the-eyes… Birgit’s beautiful sunrise was created with inked cardstock and our new Creative Dies, 51-129 Leaflets and Clear Set 30-285 You + Me."

Dina Kowal has used only 2 colored pencils for this monochromatic looking piece of art on a 3-inch Art Square from Inchie Arts. And I love how she 'framed' it with a find from Goodwill.

by Dina Kowal

Click on this link for her posting:

http://mamadinis.blogspot.com/2015/01/monochrome-just-2-pencils.html

On Facebook, Lisa Lee with Inchie Arts shares a new app she just discovered, Waterlogue. It turns your photos into variations of watercolor art. Wow! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!

by Lisa Lee using the Waterlogue app.

Here's the link to the Waterlogue website; they made it for the iOS (iPhone, iPad, et al) but there is a version for Windows too. You need to go to the App Store or iTunes Store for the application. Did I say . . . yep, I'm in!

http://www.waterlogueapp.com/

Dianne has used the new Stick It! die-cutting adhesive paper, a die from Memory Box, and the IMAGINE Crafts Pico Embellishers to make a lovely Valentine's card topped off with the perfect Magenta sentiment stamp.

by Diane Johnson, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link to Dianne's blog for her step-by-step directions:

http://backporchatolympia.blogspot.com/2015/01/pico-embellisher-inlay.html

It's a technique I've often used and really like the results. Another tip: if you find an air bubble, immediately take a scrap piece of paper and gently pop the bubble with its corner. I have found nothing else that allows it to pop without leaving a trace.

Here's another beautiful Valentine's card from the IMAGINE Crafts' blog.