Ink Up Bazzill Bitty Blossoms and Heidi Swapp Florals

I have such fun with florals. Whether they are vibrantly colored, like our Assorted Bazzill Bitty Blossoms or are white (we have the White Bitty Blossoms and White Heidi Swapp Florals) they are fun to use and even more fun to color with a little ink. I like Palette Inks the best, but they are also beautiful with the Versamagic chalk inks.
Our Hydra Sponges can be turned into at least six perfectly sized applicators by cutting them into wedges. I have one in each basic color and keep them near my desk. (You get 6 in a package for $6.95 so they will last forever!) They are perfect for adding a touch of color to paper (obviously) as well. And don't stop there! Ink up ribbons, staples, Paper Posies, chipboard, book binding tape--you name it. When you add a little ink to your project, everything coordinates. Everything harmonizes. What could be more fun and easy than that?
Jewels
Julie Griffith
Ind. Demonstrator, The Angel Company

Chipboard/Board Books

Check out my "Cute Kate" Board Book!
Supplies: Ribbon Words (T2287) and Running Stitches (T2610) Stamp Sets, Gentle Beginnings Designer Collection Paper(V900), ABC Frameworks chipboard(A10), Brown CS(V73), Burnt Umber Palette Ink(TT218), McGill Mini File Tab Punch(D881)
This book was so easy and fun! It uses less than 4 pages of paper, 2 stamp sets and 1 ink color. I love stamp stitching and using the ribbon words was so much fun, since it has such cute phrases and I was able to cut them up for even more versatility. Click on any of the item numbers above to pick up the supplies to make your own chipboard book, or browse the chipboard book section of my online shipping cart. You can also email me for one of my stamp stitching kits. On special for $29 (regularly $34), it gives you the stitches, block, ink and distresser used in my Cute Kate project. What a deal!
Jewels
Julie Griffith - Demonstrator/Manager, The Angel Company

My Girl Flip Book Featured in TAC Idea Book & Catalogue

It's here! The 2007 Fall Idea Book & Catalog for The Angel Company has just been unveiled! Among the 8 beautiful new paper lines was one of my returning favorites: Genevieve. It's the one I used to design this flip book of my daughter Katelyn, which was featured in the catalogue on Page 29. See the instructions here.

It's just one of the hundreds of gorgeous cards, pages and projects in our full-color Idea Book. Email me today for your copy!

One Sheet Treat Box

This cute little project has a ton of possibilities. From packaging candy treats to little birthday gifts, you'll find so many reason to make these fun boxes. See the slideshow tutorial here. It features the new Curls and Swirls set, which is my new favorite!

We're making this box plus 20 other projects later today at the 2007 Pre-Seminar Social that my fellow Angel, Avis, hosts. It's the first of four fun days surrounding The Angel Company's Annual Seminar in Kansas City. This one is extra special, since we're celebrating the company's 10th Anniversary!

Stay tuned for other fun announcements, including the unveiling of our new catalog!

Piercing, Dotting and Stitching with Embroidery Grid

I am busy getting ready for The Angel Company's Annual Seminar (next week), but I wanted to share with you a great technique that I'm using on one of my many, many swap cards I am making to trade. I learned this from my friend, Kim Singdahlsen, who organizes our monthly card-making event at our church. (If you are in the Denver area, you've got to join us and see these great ideas! Click "Get on my Email List" below for dates and directions for upcoming events.)
As you can see in the slideshow, (click the little Picasa logo to go see it full screen) plastic canvas makes an awesome guide for piercing, dotting and stitching on your cards. Our Souffle Pens are so fun. They add dimension and shine to flat and shiny surfaces. The technique on the colored cardstock is emboss resist (glossy paper, clear EP and brayered with Boudoir Blush and Claret Palette pads). The stamp set is Artsy Elements, which was a Jubilee Hostess Set that I hope comes out with the new catalog.
Speaking of the new catalog, I'll be out of town next week for its unveiling, but I'll try to keep you posted here with more techniques and ideas. Look for news from the new catalog at the first of July. . . .

Stamp Stitched CD Folder Book

You will love making this little book from CD folders, Matchmaker cardstock and A Little Whimsy paper. I got the idea from Heather Scott's Oz-Some Blog. I love her stuff! She gives all the instructions and pictures. I added a Heidi Swapp Floral (we carry the white ones and it's so easy to coordinate them to your project by sponging them with a little ink!) I also made a little button with my Ellison Big Shot and a little embroidery floss. Get everything you need to do this Stamp Stitching technique with my kit. It really gives paper crafts the look of frayed fabric and it's just sew much fun!

Abundance is . . .

. . . playing with your new rubber stamps from The Angel Company! I just got my stamps that were released as a Sneak Peek to our new catalog that will be out at the beginning of July. I couldn't resist the flowers in Treasure It, and the words in More Abundance are awesome. For the flowers, I used Boudoir Blush and Claret inks. I just love Palette ink. It's so vibrant. I also love how the flowers in this set look great with two step stamping the outside and inside or equally great just using the insides for a softer look. Speaking of soft, I was deciding on which green to use and settled on Versamagic Aloe Vera. That green is the definition of soft. If you'd like to get your own sneak peak stamps, check out my online shopping cart, or to hear the latest news, including when I schedule my new catalog unveiling, click "Get on my Email List" below.

Envelope Gift Bag for Card Set

It sneaks up on me every year. It's not that I forget to honor the teachers in my family's life. It's that I forget how many there are! Dance teachers, school teachers, Cub Scout leaders--yikes! Well, if you like to make cards like I do, what better gift than a card set?
Make this easy gift "bag" for your cards with a large envelope. (See slideshow for instructions.)
The cards I'm making are from my "Darling Details" card class, which I teach in my studio or your home. Techniques include Simply Stickles, Stamp Stitching, Charming Chalks, and Shabby Chic. Although the little details create that "finishing touch" they can be made in a flash, so you can make a pile of cards fast! Call me today to schedule a class!
These cards also feature our Bella Flor paper. You'll be amazed at how many cards you can make from one paper pack!

Punctuation?

I'm loving the Punctuation set from Spring Fling. It can be used just like flourishes to create interesting designs on your cards and scrapbook pages! See what you can come up with using this set and post a link.
Now I'm off to case Heather's latest creation: the cd folder book. I'll post a picture when I get done . . .

Candy Tin Scrapbook

Check out this little scrapbook of my sweeties, made with the The Angel Company's Mulberry Meadow paper and Candy Tin, which comes with the insert all ready to decorate and add all those little wallet photos you have of your kiddos. This is a perfect gift to make for grandma and grandpa and leave room for them to add more photos. The paper matches perfectly with the Versamagic Jewel Box Dew Drop inks, so it's so easy to coordinate colors. To see all the steps and instructions, visit my slideshow and to order the products, email me or visit my secure shopping cart.

Kamalaht Purse and Card Gift Set

Don't you love it when you have the perfect little gift at the ready right when you need it? There are so many birthdays, graduations, not to mention Mother's Day that have been happening lately, I was so happy to have this little gift set, all ready to give. It's filled with cards that are great for any occasion and they can be masculine or feminine (we all know how hard it is to make a card for those guys!). Make a little set like this by checking out my friend Camille's class or getting one of her kits. You'll get all the paper and instructions ready to go! You'll be so glad you did, the next time you need the perfect little gift!

Paisley Mini Scrapbook

I made this fun book from a kit I got from Stephanie Breckbill's mini scrapbook class. It was so easy and the kit even comes with the Paisley Rockz stamp set! Can you believe that this is one set I never got, but now I'm in love with it! I added the hostess set Younique and used pictures of my kids from Easter. To see the whole book, view my slideshow and to get the kit, email Stephanie. You'll love making the book. It's a project you could do with kids or a last minute Mother's Day gift . . .

Ink Meets Carpet and the Miracle of TAC's Stamp Cleaner

I swear that only about 6.5 seconds went by, but my Lily is a master at waiting for Mom's back to be turned. This is when I learned the Miracle of TAC's Stamp Cleaner. I was already a fan, but little did I know, this stuff could actually save a life (well, at the very least, a marriage.)
Anyway, if you have a little one at your house and she's seen you do "direct to paper" and decides to try "direct to carpet", here's what you do:


Spray the area with stamp cleaner. (It will look like the stain actually gets darker. Don't panic. It's just the color going to the surface of the carpet.)
Blot with a clean paper towel and repeat spraying and blotting until no color remains.
Rinse the area with a clean, damp sponge or wash cloth or use a spot carpet cleaner to remove all traces of stamp cleaner.

You can also use our cleaner to clean off your blocks and any other surfaces that have picked up a little ink. And your stamps? What do you know? It's great for those too!

Fabric Glittering

Yesterday's team time activity was so much fun! We glittered t-shirts and aprons with Angel wings. The Angel Company has some great fabric glue and beautiful glitter kits. This is a great project to do with your kids and you can glitter almost anything: hats, sneakers, backpacks. I can't wait to try this on some jeans! If you'd like to see detailed instructions, check out my Glittering Slideshow.

Indexing Unmounted Rubber Stamps

I've been asked often about a process I teach that makes using unmounted rubber stamps even easier to use. It's called indexing, and when done during the assembly of new rubber stamps, you can see the actual image printed on the Creative Cling through your acrylic block.

The supplies include Kai or other sharp, sturdy scissors, Palette ink and your rubber stamp. Palette works well because it is fast drying and waterproof. Creative Cling, which comes with all stamps from The Angel Company(tm), has a sticky side, which adheres to the rubber, making a permanent cushion for the rubber image. The other side is a revolutionary surface like window cling, which allows you to mount the rubber stamp onto an acrylic block for stamping and remove for storage.

**UPDATE** See my You Tube Tutorial here.

Here are the steps:

Determine the sticky and cling sides of the Creative Cling, but leave the paper backing in place. Position the rubber onto the cling with the sticky side laying against the back of the rubber (the way in which the stamp will eventually be assembled.) Match up one corner so that the rubber and cling line up as closely as possible and cut out a notch. This willl serve as a guide through the rest of the process.


Lay the rubber on the work suface and pat the inkpad on top of it to apply ink to all areas of the image. Remove the paper backing from the cling side of the foam. Using the notch as a guide, lay the foam onto the inked rubber, to transfer the image. Press lightly with your fingertips to be sure that the entire image gets transfered.

Carefully pull the foam back and clean the ink from the rubber. Allow the cling to dry for a few moments.

Peel back the liner on the sticky side half way, starting with the notched edge. Carefully line up the rubber with the foam as closely as possible, using the notch as a guide. Remove the remainder of the foam.

With the rubber side facing up, cut out the images, being sure to hold the scissors at a 90 degree angle with the rubber. This ensures that the gray foam remains behind the rubber surface as a foundation.


Your stamps are now ready to use and even easier to position (and read) as you stamp your projects!

No-Sew Spring Card

I love this Stamp Stitching technique. It's so quick and easy and really looks like fabric. You start with stitches from the Running Stitches set and then just rough up the edge of the paper with an edge distresser. (Click on the photo for a larger view.) Of course, every card could use a few Stickles. Sew fun!

Faux Batiking

This colorful technique is actually fairly simple and lots of fun. I made this card for a stamping event last weekend and so many people asked me for instructions that I thought I would share them here. You start with white mulberry paper, stamp and emboss it with clear powder. Spritz the paper with a little water, then use a brayer to add two different colors or try using a Kaliedacolor pad. For this card, I used two Palette pads: Boudoir Blush and Claret. The water helps the inks to blend together to make beautiful combinations. Next, iron the paper between two pieces of plain newsprint on medium-high heat. This will pull the embossing powder out of the mulberry paper as it is absorbed by the newsprint. What's left over is the soft look of a beautiful silk scarf or sarong. See this idea in a totally different color combination on this fall card. Now it's your turn! Try out this technique and let me know how it works or post your questions and I'll get back to you.

Birthday Wishes

I had some February birthday cards to make, so I sat down to play with the new TAC Incentive Set, The Good Life. What fun! There are so many cute phrases. And it's not just for birthdays. I made a neat Valentine with it, and it's perfect for scrapbooking. I'm going to feature this set in my upcoming card tin class. We'll cover the tin with our beautiful Bella Flor paper to keep track of those birthdays and we'll even make four cards to go inside! Email me for a class schedule, or if you're not in Denver, ask me about a kit!

Uptown Girl Trinket Box

Here's a fun project for any girl on your list. A small wooden box found at a discount store becomes the perfect place for treasures, covered with our Uptown Girl paper. You could even fill it with treats for an extra special Valentine's Day surprise!