hi all! i hope everyone had tons of fun trick or treating or whatever you might do on halloween! we were thrilled when we finally got pezzy to agree to put her costume on (you'll be seeing those pics soon in a LO) and once she got going she loved trick or treating. she even roared for a few of our neighbors! at one point she looked at hubby and said daddy! i am a trick or treating baby! when we got home she helped hand out candy too!

todays' post is picture heavy but worth it (i think). want to do individual ornaments for folks in a jiffy? alcohol inks and porcelain!


Here is what I have so far - instructions follow:

first the basics - backgrounds. i found two ceramic ornaments at Michaels - the rest are from my mom's stash of porcelain! i WILL be putting together a one-time only order for porcelain ornaments THIS WEEK so if you want some info will follow probably on monday BE SURE TO CHECK IN!

SO of course i am using alcohol inks for the base colors as porcelain is slick - just what alcohol ink is made for!

Other supplies you will want to have for the various techniques: versamark, brilliance metallic inks, stamps, stickles, liquid pearls, dimensional pearls and lots of embossing powders! the best are detail clear, embossing tinsels (come in iridescent bridal, silver, gold, red and green), white and the distress embossing powders - all of these are available through my webstore along with the versamark, brilliance inks, liquid pearls, dimensional pearls and stickles. The metallic mixatives are especially wonderful on these - here i used red pepper, cranberry and gold mixative - it creates a gorgeous marbled look with gold veins. Be sure to let the alcohol ink dry thoroughly before going on with additional steps. i found some of the ornament surfaces were not exactly flat and level so i stamped without putting my stamps on a block so there would be some flexibility.

Now the details of each one:

STamped a solid poinsettia image from Inkadinkado's Peppermint Twist set using versamark. Covered with gold embossing tinsel and heated to melt. accented the open work with gold liquid pearls.

Stamped the holly leaf from Inkadinkado's Christmas Classics set using versamark, covered with silver embossing tinsels and heated to melt. accented edges with silver stickles.

background is copper mixative with meadow and lettuce alcohol inks and LOTS of blending solution to soften the colors. the hanger portion and bottom ringer portion are straight copper mixative. stamped the pine cones from Inkadinkados Holiday Classics set using versamark and then "colored" them using distress embossing powders and heated to melt. dots are Lettuce Dimensional pearls.

I used stonewashed and denim alcohol inks with pearl mixative. i stamped some super little studio Gs using sky blue brilliance ink and then covered it with frosted crystal embossing antiquities powder and heated to melt so the ink wouldn't smudge. added details with silver stickles.

this ornament is done same as above.

Used the same alcohol inks again but with silver mixative and less blending solution. stamped snowflakes in versamark and used silver embossing tinsel and white embossing powders. heated to melt. used crystal stickles for dots along the edge.

Meadow and lettuce alcohol inks with gold mixative. stamped image from Inkadinkados Winter Shapes set using galaxy gold brilliance ink which i heated with the heat gun and it dried (doesn't work for all of them for some reason). dots and "trunk" are gold liquid pearls.

stamped the silent whisper image using black brilliance ink and heated to dry. colored the image using my copics (yep copics are alcohol markers so color away on slick surfaces!) snowman is covered in crystal ice stickles. open work edge is done using thyme brilliance ink just tapped directly on from the pad. then i covered it in frosted crystals antiquities embossing powder and heated to melt.

so there you have it folks - a variety of ideas and successful products for porcelain ornaments. remember if you can't find them near you tune in monday and i will post what i will be ordering so we can do it all at once!

now off - lots of work to do today!

UTEE tutorial - part 1 (and new cuttlebug folders)

i have been seeing lots of questions about UTEE so i am going to do a few tutorials with it up next. i am by no means an expert and i know this incredibly versatile product can do ALOT of things but i am going to give you a few of my basic faves. my examples are all on a LO - YAY got a LO done!! frist the sketch i used:

This is an 8 1/2 x 11 sketch but i did it 12x12. sometimes ny finished product looks just like the sketch and sometimes it ends up so different i don't even post the sketch but in this case i did not stray far...







Can YOU find the UTEE in this LO?? HAHAHA just kidding - i have a total of 6 items, 3 techniques here and i will do a lesson on each one.

First page:

Second page:

lesson for today - sample#1

Lesson for today - sample#2

did you see the new Cuttlebug embossing folder borders!!! if you haven't gotten any RUN over to Crop Stop and check them out!!!
tell haily jo i sent you!!!
smudged up the embossing with versamagic (luscious stuff! more on that thursday) and the foam blender tool.

This technique is called cracked glass and i in no way came up with it :)

supplies: UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel) in clear, versamark pad, heat gun, glitter tray, stamped/colored images or die cuts on cardstock.

Smoosh your image into your versamark pad - really smoosh it in there and get a good coating of versamark all over the front - you can tell in the light because it looks wet and shiny.

Now pour some UTEE over it and then very gently dump the loose extra cystals off. set the image in your glitter tray. **DISCLAIMER** very meesy, especially the first few times you do this. before using UTEE i usually make sure my area is cleaned up. it will also get all over your tray so you need to have a sort of s=designated UTEE tray!

the large crstals don't actually STICK as well to the versamark like regular embossing powder. when eating you don't want to start out very close or the gun will blow the crystals everywhere. and i do mena everywhere! so i start very high up and slowly move closer - if i see any crystals start to move around i back up a bit. as it gets warm and starts to melt you can move in closer.

in this pic you can see it has started to melt. at first it beads up and then it smoothes out. this process takes longer than regular EP.

You want a thick, smooth, even coating so while the UTEE is still hot aim the gun away and sprinkle more UTEE, heat it, repeat over all areas until you feel it is a nice thick coverage. next put your image in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

Take the image(s) out of the freezer one at a time and quickly, gently bend them in different directions to crack the UTEE - not too hard or it might pop off.

next you can use a foam blender and smudge it over with a dark ink like vintage photo to get the cracks more noticeable. wipe excess ink off surface.

i plan to have the next two tutorials post wednesday and friday (yes skipping ANOTHER TOTB Friday) as i will be out of town at the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Vally Forge PA - anyone else going to be there??? if so leave me a comment! i look ofrward to some cool classes and lots of shopping as well as some full nights of sleep, room service, no dishes and time to add a slew of new products to the website!!!! baby and daddy will be on their own for the first time ever!! don't worry the boys have strict instructions to help entertain her and the neighbor is on call for emergencies!

tutorial #4 and SCS color challenge

Better late than never!! my mom is in town so i have had a full morning!!! as promised today's tutorial focuses on the FABUlous tim holtz distress embossing powders. these powders are a tad bit fussy but OH SO worth it! my card below uses the colors in this weeks SCS color challenge - soft sky, creamy caramel and black.

distress embossing powders are different and give a different effect than your typical embossing powders. these are NOT the usual raised, shiny smooth look. they have a textured, almost grainy look and the colors are just amazing.

Our supplies: Versamark pad, distress embossing powder, embossing buddy, cardstock cut to size, and a stamp. these powders really work best on stamps with a lot of surface area or solid shapes rather than thin lines so you can really see the texture. The Butterflies A Flutter stamp used here was created with this in mind. Today I am using Vintage Photo - a gorgeous medium brown.

BEFORE doing anything SHAKE the powder very well and then open it up. Swipe your cardstock with the embossing buddy and stamp your image using versamark. Cover with embossing powder and shake off excess.

Heating this powder can be tricky.

they will not have the same type of change you usually see as they melt. they will have a slight change visible with most colors and i ALWAYS need to heat them with my heat gun under a good strong light. keep in mind they do not take any longer than regular powders so that can help guage. once heated LET THEM COOL COMPLETELY before touching them or the powder will wipe right off. Once cooled test a small spot to see if the powder is stuck on and re-heat if necessary. once it is cooled rub your finger over the image and the special release crystals will rub off giving a distressed sort of "grunge" or worn look.

Here is another card were i used them on the background with the cobblestone background stamp. after rubbing off the release crystals i smudged on some very pale distress inks to suggest the look of stones:

These powders also look WONDERFUL on other surfaces. i used it on the lid of this box i made for my mother:

after painting i covered the lid with versamark by smooshing the versamark pad directly on to the top of the box. sprinkled on the distress powder, heated it, let it cool and rubbed off. i wanted it to be especially "distressed" so i actually took very fine sand paper and rubbed it in some areas.



these fun powders are even more exciting when used to "color" your image - that will be Saturdays tutorial. but tomorrow tune in for Thinking Outside the block - new and inventive ways to use those studio G acrylic blocks you have lying around. the techniques featured in these friday segments are also good for acrylic/transparencies in general so be sure to come by and pick up some tips!!

Don't forget to stop by Catherine's blog - she is hoping to have something posted this evening - nothing like getting a last minute assignment!!! ha hahaha!

powder kisses!!!