Kamalaht Chalk Board & Embossed Stones

I made this chalk board a while back as a gift. It's a little bit of form meets function, with its cool Kamalaht accents. (I really wanted to keep it for my kitchen!)
It's also magnetic, so I made some little embossed stone magnets for it, starting with those polished stones you find in the floral section of the hobby store. I used black ink and Transcendence Embossing powder. You could use black powder, but I seem to keep Transcendence right within arm's reach. The great thing about it is you can use it with any kind of ink. You have to work fast with regular ink on paper, but you just stamp, sprinkle, heat and whatever color ink you are using has that glossy, raised look. The other nice thing is that those stray sprinkles of powder that manage to get left behind are clear, so they are almost unnoticeable.
Aside from magnets, I think these stones would make nice little "worry" stones with encouraging messages. You hold or rub your worry stone as you think or pray on your troubles and it helps you let go of worry.
Forget your worries and check out Heather's blog! She's giving out candy!

Kids Table Collection on the TAC Fall Supplement

I'm so excited to share some fun projects with you fromThe Angel Company's Fall 2007 Supplement! When I saw this set, Count Your Blessings, I thought about my kiddos around the Thanksgiving table. We always talk about what we're thankful for, so I made this My Blessings Coaster Placecard Holder. It's a great place for kids to write down their blessings while they are waiting for dinner. My blessings include my husband John, son Jack (8) and daughters Katelyn (6) and Lily (2). You can see a couple more of my projects within the supplement, including one of the kids and me in the kitchen. I hope you enjoy crafting and preparing for your fall holidays!

Spooky Treats

Here are a couple of cute treats for your little goblins! I made this treat with a metal tin that has a clear plastic top. I stamped it with StazOn ink and used Glaze Jelly Pens to color it in.
This adorable card and envelope was made by my friend Gwen Zimmerman. (We're in a swap together.) It uses Simply Spooky Halloween paper. Check out her instructions and other ideas for these cute 3x3 cards and the envelope template on her blog. I love this idea so much that we're casing her idea (thanks Gwen!) for the upcoming Mile High Angel Gathering! It's so fun now that the fall craft season has begun!

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. . . .

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.

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 . . .

Charming Chalk Techniques

Happy Bugday, and Hello to all the new friends I met at the stamping convention this weekend! It is so much fun to spend a day and a half with people who love to do what I do and share ideas. Here is a card from my Saturday class. We made the card tin and filled it with four cute cards. This one uses our Versamagic Tea Leaves chalk ink. It's so soft and velvety. I added a little blue sparkle to his wings with Jewel Tones chalk. I love those chalks! You can color with them using a blender pen, sweep it over Versamark or add it to an image that's been freshly stamped with chalk ink. It's such a nice effect. I also created faux brads with Liquid Pearls and I have a really fun tip for how I did the grass. Well, you love using Versamark on cardstock to give it that watermark look, right? On Matchmaker Cardstock, there's a little trick to get that look. After stamping, you lightly sand the paper with a sanding block and the image appears like magic! You've got to try this! Have fun and stay tuned for more techniques and darling details! (PS-Are you looking for this set? It's from Spring Fling and paper if Bella Flor.)

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.

Memories on the Move

I was just looking at some of the photos next to my desk. I love those smiling faces, but it got me thinking . . . "That little chubby-legged crawler is now six!" I decided to go grab this project I made that is so easy to update with my latest favorite memory. I found this metal photo holder at a discount store near Valentine's day and I just added a little brown ink to make the sparkly red magnets match perfectly with the paper. Now I can update the photos on my desk as quickly as I can find that digital camera, chase them down, capture their cute smiles and then . . . .get those photos printed! (Singing badly: "Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be Jpegs . . .")

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!