Making all sorts of things...

 

Do you feel stuck or just feel you need something new? 

I spent a couple months between printers, so I didn't want to scrapbook..... and oh boy it was a wonderful "pause" to discover I could stretch out in other directions!

From making art cards by repurposing playing cards, to making an entire book of tags -- to mixed media art to use further in future projects, using a travelers notebook, repurposing old things...  there are so many options!

Just try something new!

It's only paper!

Paper Glazes

 

This is my first foray into using paper glazes, so when I couldn't resist the siren call of some of the unique stencils that Picket Fence Studio carries -- I decided to try out a "compliment" set I picked out by screen alone.

I'm not a fan of yellow for my personal items, so I went with the richer Golden Rose, which does slant the colors I can blend from the set.  The lighter green was not used in the blending example here.

I am a fan now and glad I took the plunge into getting these!  Below are some cards I made for the Full Deck Challenge group using a Ranger Dylusion's stencil using the Golden Rose color.

Picket Fence Studios:
https://pfstamps.com/

Full Deck Challenge Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/466739141045977

Other items used on the cards include Washi Tape from Hitchock Paper Co.  , free printables from hgdesigns.co, butterfly stamp and floral die cut from various magazine kits from Craftstash, and even more stencils in various brands.

Important to note -- as I only found out by accident this week -- embossing glazes from Ranger / Tim Holtz Distress line are embossing powder. They are not this thick paste / paint at all!

Disclaimer: as of this post's original publication date none of these are affiliate links, nothing written at the request of any company.  Just my honest babbling about new toys!

$20 at Five Below

 So in an art journaling group, I saw someone else gush about the fatter set of markers so I poked at the site a few days later and found some more things perfect for a crafter's desk!  

•   square large dual tip marker set
•   finer dual tip marker set
•   2 decks of cards
•   2 small plastic baskets
•   fiberboard coated desk organizer in a lovely floral design. 
•   glass sprayer

I'm not sure whether it's broken or user error already after two nice sprays.  I will attempt to diagnose the problem or apply hot glue to it tomorrow.  But all the items were $20!*



I took a couple pics below so you could see how the 12" desk organizer fits items..  The right most section is approx 2.5 decks of card wide... the wide sections are less than 2 decks deep, while easily fitting  6x8" paper pad or heidi swapp planner insert in either way.  It also fits the fatter markers easily, 2 deep.

Neither package of markers say they are alcohol based so I tested them. Both after left to dry for hours and  writing freshly did not react noticeably to a wet paintbrush -- the larger markers do not bleed at all on this cover stock.  The finer tip set  had a little bit of creep in the freshly applied test from getting the paper wet, but there was no color spreading in the surface water at all, and no reaction in the dry sample when water was applied.  All the colors tested bleed thru the cardstock easily though- so def not something to use in your planner unless you only use page fronts and use a mop page between your active sheets. 




This budget was only held to so easily because Five Below does not currently have the stickers I was used to in stores in 2019 listed on their website. I do not know if this is because they stopped carrying so many or just simply don't list them online yet.

Hope you found this helpful and please share if you made projects with finds at Five Below!

*Now this is before tax and shipping (which is a super reasonable flat rate) and I did order a few other household items to divide that cost out between.

Liquid Embellishment Comparison

 

I wanted to do a quick swatch comparison for myself of some of these new toys.  

The new Pops of Color from scrapbook.com  have the thickest tip, and the thickest liquid. The dots are not self leveling so you if you leave them pointed, they dry that way.  It is a nice shimmering paint that dilutes with water well too!
Opening these is more complicated as well -- there's a stopper in the tip, but it also means you can unscrew the tip so if these clog they will be easier to remedy later.

 

 

The Ranger Liquid Pearls has the cleanest and thinnest tip for writing, smoothest liquid of the opaque types. (the grey L)   The two Nuvo types, have the medium sized tip of the three --   the Crystal is opaque and slightly more self leveling than the Ranger.  The Jewel is very self leveling, but it also means your writing or drawing widens out as it dries.  The translucent nature of it still makes it very versatile though!

I did test out a 2nd color of each and didn't find any difference in behavior from these examples in the photograph. Some pigments can make products behave slightly differently between colors but I haven't seen it yet in these products.

I recommend all four types for different uses -- so have fun embellishing your projects with each!   And when you eventually smudge it while wet -- have no fear -- you can wipe it as flat as possible, allow to dry. Then cover with a different embellishment or my favorite is a scrap of washi tape that matches the project.  Then you can add your dots on top again.

I don't have affiliate links at this time but you should be able to find all these and more between scrapbook.com, Acherryontop.com, Whiterosecraftsllc.com, and notjustforboyskitclub.com!

Happy crafting to you all!