Thought I would stop by and let you all know that my plan to “blog” more often has not transpired yet. I truly had that on my agenda but unfortunately my agenda does not get along with the time allotted to me in a day or a week or even a month sometimes. I have been at CHA in Anaheim, Cropaganza in Red Deer, “The Creative Stitches Alive” show in both Victoria and Abbotsford and I have been creating projects for both my articles in “Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine” and “Scrap & Stamp Arts”. To this I have added, creating projects for the up and coming “Volume 6″ of the “Canadian Scrapbooker Basic” series. Yes, we are currently adding another volume, dedicated to …. you know it …. rubber stamping.  This book will provide an opportunity for me to share techniques that I consider timeless and some of my brand new ideas that I have been playin’ with since Vol. 2 & 3. In other words …..  =’s projects everywhere and …..  =’s very little time for blogging. BUT here I am and I have a “new plan” …. simply do a little every day … even if it is only a sentence. So let’s see how this goes.

In Anaheim I taught classes for Clearsnap in their booth, which I believe are available on line and I also taught at Cropaganza in Red Deer. I was honored and privileged to share my techniques with some wonderfully creative ladies thru a number of classes at both events.  At the Creative Stitches Alive, shows I was demoing my “position-it”. You  know, the “two in one tool” that not only aligns images perfectly but allows you to stamp the same image in exactly the same place as many time as you want. I loved showing the ladies there just how this opens up so many “stamping doors”. Techniques that were not possible before are not “only possible” but “easily accomplished”. So have a gander at the following photos that are a direct result of the demo’s at these two wonderful shows and when I find another minute or six …. I will share some more. By the way …. today is day 3 “of how long I have been working on this post” … but it is all good …. I am “working on it” and that is a good thing!! Maybe, maybe just a couple more days and I can hit “publish” (lol).

Yes! … both these tags were “white superstock” to begin with. Actually, the ribbons began as a cafe color and were altered with my stamp pads too. The images that I choose to use, the “jumbo bird” & the “hugs or laugh” text are from Stampendous. The gorgeous flower  & “inspire, believe, dreams” text are from Magenta. The primary images were stamped several times, while locked into position on the baseboard of my “Position-it” using stamp pads and ink from Clearsnap.  If you love what you see, come and see a demo one day. I think you will enjoy “the process” as much I enjoy sharing them with you. Oh! and by the way … this took me 4 days but “who’s counting”!!

JUMBO BIRD TAG:

Colors from the pinwheel, pigment petal point.

Frost white, pigment ink and gold metallic.

Dark brown, creamy brown and blackbird, Fluid Chalk

ONE CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH HUGS, TAG:

Blackberry and ocean, Fluid Chalk

Black Pigment Ink.

Good morning to all and yes it is early on a Monday, February 13th. I “do so” know it has been awhile since my last post. I am sure you all understand that sometimes life just grabs hold and doesn’t let you go and sometimes it shakes you around a bit while it is grabbin’ you!! I won’t bore you with the details but I finally have found a minute and I just thought I would let you know that I am “still here”, “still stamping” and “still very, very inky”.

This week I am heading to Red Deer for Cropaganza where I will be sharing 3 projects, loaded with stamping and inking techniques with the ladies at this wonderful event. I am looking so forward to spending some quality time with everyone there including Christy Riopel, Allison Othner, Susan Weckesser and Donna Downey. It will be a very creatively, full, full weekend complete with loads of giggles, I am sure.

I have trashed my studio, my husband’s “man cave” and in general the whole lower part of my house in preparation for this event and my classes that I will be teaching at Scrapfest in Kitchener. Thank goodness, my sweet husband is a calm and patient man as my “stamping and scrapping supplies” explode everywhere. One of my favorite projects that I will be teaching at Cropaganza is a 3D layout that bears a photo of my eldest daughter and my youngest grandson. Yes, I have done this as a card too because both you and I know that “when a project remains “unfolded” and we add a “photo” we call it a scrapbook page and when we decided to fold it and add a primary “stamped image” we call it a card. Anyway, I simply love the techniques that I used to create this project and of course 3D is always great everywhere. Want ohhhhsss and ahhhhhsss … 3D something! The “something” that I 3D’d is an amazing jumbo cling image from Stampendous. The hydrangea and butterfly in this set just screams at me with possibilities and if you love this set as much as I do then you have to, have to go and see the other jumbo cling images available. There is no way you can end up with just one.

Of course, I have used, Clearsnap’s wonderful line of pigment ink to create this project because I know that the minute I quit dragging it around my “stamping world” I will want to place it in my flex room which is full of natural light and the pigment ink I used to create it is the absolute best ink to give my project longevity when I am not hiding them in a scrapbook. I love that this ink stands the “test of time” as beautifully as it does. With “all that”, here is a peek of this project that I cannot wait to share and of course, remember, it all began simply with “white cardstock”, even the ribbon was white. With the power of my ink pads and amazing stamps like this one … “I become the printer and the decider of the theme and color”, no “purchased” embellishments necessary.  YES, it was “Superstock” !!

Hi Everyone,

Yes, Christmas is here … right now … it is happening all around us and I truly wanted to share so much “more” with you in the last weeks but life “truly” got in the way of that. We actually had a leak in our house last June and of course the minute I got back from teaching on Vancouver Island at Diane Baldwin’s (of Scrapbook Central in Courtenay, B.C. “fame”) the contractors descended upon us. Needless to say removing and replacing a floor, rebuilding a kitchen island, spraying of ceilings and painting became a monumental job that was supposed to be a 1 week inconvenience that turned into 6 weeks. It truly was like moving …. again. All is good although, “everything” that went back together seemed to find a “new and better home” in a better organized place BUT since I did not have time to label, finding “anything” requires a huge amount of patience and “skill” (lol). With that being typed I truly want to share with you 3 of the tags I managed to get done for MY favorite season of our year …. Christmas. Yes, I am a certified “Christmas junkie”. I love so much about this time of year but of course on the top of my list is that I will have ALL my children under my roof at the same time with Brian and I. Some things are different this year as preparations were held up by the construction but all will be fabulous because we will be together.

My tags for my children and grandchildren are something I do every year and to this point I have finished 3. They are for my little ones, my grandbeautiful children. Hopefully I can get something special done for  Brian and my grown children but we will see what the next couple of days bring. If I can’t get to all of it …. wellllll, next year there will be (hopefully) no reconstruction at Christmas time and I will be able to accomplish more. The tags I have made for Rianne, Liam and Rowan are all created using a gorgeous, snowflake “Rollagraph” stamp from Clearsnap, snowflake stamps from Stampendous, pigment and Fluid Chalk ink from Clearsnap, Smooch Spritz from Clearsnap and “Be Creative” tape along with sugar beads and “Glitter Ritz” glitter. This blog post will now become photos and those of you who follow my magazine articles in Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine and Scrap & Stamp Arts may be able to decipher how I got to these over the tops tags. I rolled in my “roller smoosh” way, applied “Be Creative” tape (the best tape in the crafting world for OH! so many reasons), added beads and “Glitter Ritz” glitter, added more ink, sprayed with “Smooch Spritz” (so full of shimmer), added custom colored ribbon and assembled everything around photos that I love. I hope these inspire you to some Christmas, crafting loveliness of your own. Enjoy the peek and with this “peek” comes my sincere wishes to ALL of you for a wonderful Christmas that brings blessings to you and YOUR loved ones ….. MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS & may Santa fill your stockings to overfull with lifelong, happy memories!!

I’m back with a quick and fun technique that allows you to create crisp, light colored, designs over a gorgeous dark, hand stamped background. Tomorrow I will be heading to teach at Scrapfest in Oshawa.This is one of the  demos that I will be sharing in Toronto at the Creativ Festival, Oct. 21, 22 &23. I love showing everyone the versatility and beauty of Clearsnap’s, Fluid Chalk and pigment style of inks. I will be using my favorite “re-postioner”, the “Cathie Allan, Position-it”, which is available to you thru “Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine”, to create this look. This is just one of the magical things you can do when you can stamp in the same place, exactly, as many times as you want. Then I will be showing you a “sparkle marble” technique that you are going to love to apply to all your projects.

Begin by stamping the hibiscus available from Frog’s, Whiskers Ink with deep lagoon, Fluid Chalk onto your tag and then use your stylus to apply more of this color over and around the images.

Repeat using blackberry, Fluid Chalk.

Set your tag into “The Position-it”, after using a temporary adhesive to adhere it to a larger piece of scrap paper. Tape the scrap paper down well to your baseboard with a removable tape and then guiding the stamp down into the corner, stamp the flower once again onto the tag using the blackberry, Fluid Chalk.

Remove the corner “sub-positioner” and place a reverse mask around the image you just stamped. Notice that I used two-inch, sub-positioner, that is available in a separate package. Having extra subs not only helps you move “into” larger projects (you are not limited to working in the corner of your project) but I love the “easily accessible tape room” the two-inch, sub, provides.  Using your Colorbox, stylus and a white foam tip apply, popcorn, Fluid Chalk as shown. Remember, although Fluid Chalk is a blend of dye and pigment inks it dries quite quickly so you do not have to heat set between layers.

Now you can put the “sub-positioner” back into the corner and re-stamp your image so the blackberry, Fluid Chalk, detail will be in all it’s glory.

Remove from your baseboard and stamp the text from “Magenta” with black pigment ink and emboss with clear embossing powder. Oh, you just have to love the depth & the layers = yum!

Tags always need a ribbon and rather than hunting for the right color I simply used my deep lagoon, Fluid Chalk to change my “cafe colored” ribbon to the perfect color for my tag. Iron to heat set with a hot dry iron.

“Whoops” … I almost forgot to share with you my “sparkle marble” technique that I shared with the wonderful ladies at “Scrapfest” in Minneapolis a few weeks ago and at both “Great Canadian Scrapbooking Carnival’s”. This will also be just one of the ideas I will be showing the ladies at the “Big & Small, Let’s Save Them All” event, on Vancouver Island. It is a way of achieving the look of those gorgeous sprays using Clearsnap’s amazing “Smooch”. All you need is a clear block, some water and any color of Smooch your creative heart desires. Place the,gold lame, “Smooch” on your block, spritz with a tiny bit of water, use you finger to displace the ink over your block and “stamp your Smooch” (I did remove my ribbon before “I stamped my Smooch” and then I replace it after I was done). I love the control I have and the “sprayed look” I achieve with out heaving my project. I love that with “Smooch” I can paint in detail, achieve watercolor looks when combined with “Top Boss” clear, create the look of “over the top” shimmer spray, gild flowers and so much more. All of this from a beautiful little bottle that I swear “Harry Potter” lives in and makes more for me with his magical wand because it lasts and lasts and lasts.

Ta, da …. done. NOW, look at the tag with your 5X7 eyes for a card or with your 12X12 eyes for a scrapbook page. Size and type of project is up to you.

So if you are in the Oshawa area, come and take a class with me at Scrapfest or see me in the Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine, booth. I would love to meet you. If you live in the Toronto area come and see us at the Creativ Festival there. If you need a creative adventure then join us at “The Big & Small, Let’s Save Them All” event on Vancouver Island. The weekend long event promises you great food, beautiful accommodations, inky, creative fun and lots of giggles. I look forward to meeting everyone. ENJOY!

I just wanted to share with you just a photo of what I am teaching our lovely participants in a new class that is being offered at “The Great Canadian Scrapbooker Carnivals“. This wonderful class has you spending 20 or so minutes with each of 4 wonderful ladies. Each of us will share with you techniques that you will love.  Take home the tags and turn the ideas into cards, scrapbook pages or any paper project your creative heart wants to apply it too.

Last weekend we were in Calgary and I know that the event was embraced by all. A weekend full of classes, shopping, sharing, cropping, make’n takes, demo’s … oh! it goes on and on. This weekend will have us doing a repeat performance in Edmonton. So, if you live in Edmonton or anywhere within driving distance, come play. You will not be disappointed for Katharina Doyle and Jackie Ludlage of Canada’s premier, scrapbooking magazine, “Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine” have put together an amazing event.

So without further ado, here is what I will be sharing with you in the “Technique Taster”. I just wish I could show you Jackie Ludlage’s, Christy Riopel’s & Susan Weckesser’s tags. The technique’s they will share with you are not only beautiful but timeless as well.

This is the actual tag we will be making in the class. I did add ribbon and fibres when I got home (could not stop myself) but there is a ton of technique here I am sure you will love.

The stamps for this tag were from Frog’s Whiskers Ink and Magenta, two wonderful, all Canadian companies. The ink is of course, all from “Clearsnap”. I have used “Smooch” in several ways here to show off it’s multi-taskability and trust me … you are going to love its versatility. Yes, “Smooch” is wonderful to simply paint in detail but I am going to show you how to do “water-color techniques” and a “sparkle marble, technique” that will have you collecting every single color of this magical medium.

I came home from the event and created a few “jump-off’s”. These tags were created with exactly the same techniques that you will learn in the “Technique Taster” class. Magenta was at the event and I simply “had to have” some of their brand new Christmas images. I have used some of these new additions and of course some of their images that have been around awhile. Isn’t it great that this “all Canadian” company does not discontinue their stamps. Our projects will always stay currant when the stamps stay currant.

Now if I have you attention and you would love to play with your stamps and ink to this extent, do come visit “The Great Canadian Scrapbooking Carnival” in Edmonton. Pack your basic supplies and anything that is recommended for the classes you are partaking in and “come on down” and fill “you creative appetite” to the brim. I am truly looking forward to seeing each and every one of you!

With smiles, wonderful stamps and “Clearsnap” ink,
Cathie.

So summer came … and apparently summer is leaving. I am going to miss it, much, much although I spent a lot of it looking at it from my window in my studio. Several factors made this happen. First our summer was not a particularly warm one, lots of rain and cool days but mostly because I sorta overbooked myself this fall. All is good, things are falling into place but my blog suffered because I just could not get here. BUT the good news is … I finally made it. The better news is I have “super blogging angels” that are helping me to become “much more agile” at this “blogging thing”. Jayme, Jackie, Jennifer and my son, Tanner …. without your patience and support these posts would be stalled for a very long time. I appreciate ALL of you more than I can express.

I am heading to Scrapfest in the “Mall of America” in Minneapolis for 3 days of sharing ideas with loads of folks thru demo’s and classes and “make & takes”. I am told it will be very busy and I am truly excited to go and share “stampingly fun ideas” with lots of stamp enthusiasts.

I thought I would give you a glimpse or two of  the samples I will be bringing with me to this “9th annual”, Scrapfest.

I had a lot of fun creating this “Vintage Ladies” tag book using Clearsnap’s, Fluid chalk, pigment and Smooch ink. did you know that “Smooch” ink was a nulti-suface ink? that is how I altered the “Graphic 45″ metal brads to match each tag. I also used it to paint my Sizzix, die-cut frames. All that shimmer and “Smooch” multi-tasks too. These “Vintage Ladies” are brought to you by “Graphic 45″ in a wonderful cling set you are sure to enjoy. Everything in this project started out as white “Superstock”  and with the power of the stamp pad and fabulous stamps … presto chango …. “not so white” anymore.

Here is another tag idea where I laid a base down of Clearsnap’s, gold, pigment ink and used creamy brown, Fluid Chalk to soften the gold. Pool, Smooch was used to antique the background and add even more depth.   I then stamped the key and keyhole with chestnut roan, Fluid Chalk over the entire tag and as it dried it faded into the fabulous background …. I loved that. The ribbons began as white ribbon and off white lace. The 1/8″ ribbon was painted with the pool, Smooch, the wider ribbon was altered with the all new “Mix’d Media Inx” in black and the lace was altered with robin’s egg, pigment ink. Why hunt for the right color ribbon or lace when you can custom color it with great stamp pads and ink that just love to move from surface to surface. The pool, smooch also added detail to the key and the keyhole that I used as an embellishment in the forefront of the tag. All these images are from our friends at “Graphic 45″ and are contained in their “Key to My Heart” cling set.

Yes, I did a scrapbook page too and the demo’s, oh … the demo’s … wait, wait until you see what I will be demoing. AND you WILL have to wait (tee hee). If I show it all to you now it will spoil the surprise for my next post. This time I hope you will not have to wait so long. I do come back from Minneapolis next Monday but then I leave for Calgary and “The Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival” where I will be teaching loads of “new stuff” in my two classes and “more new” in our new “Technique Taster” class both in Edmonton and Calgary.  If you live in the Oshawa area I will be there in October for the Scrapfest.  Then over the Halloween weekend I will be in Comox on beautiful, Vancouver Island to teach “a whole bunch of classes” at a wonderful event hosted by Diane Baldwin at Scrapbook Central. Haroldine Wingfield and Deanna Pannell will be there sharing their original “burnished velvet” techniques combined with new ideas for tape and glitter, too. The creativity of these two gals is endlessly shiny.  Hopefully when I get back I can give you a taste of what is to come and what recently “went”. Until then, on your mark, get set, STAMP.

With smiles and probably way too many ink fumes,

Cathie.

It’s another post … it’s another post! AND wonders of wonders I have moved past numbering them. This one is going to be a bit different from my other posts as I am going to share a project with you. I want to share with you a delightful little card that I have created using “Fluid Chalk”, black pigment ink, and Smooch. I will be attending Scrapfest in Minnesota in September and this is one of the samples that I will be taking along with me.

This card began with altering a 5X7 panel of white, matte Superstock using pink pastel, “Fluid Chalk” and a little creamy brown “Fluid Chalk” around the edges. Superstock will take whatever I throw at it and come back for more. I did not alter the center of the panel because I knew my next panel would cover it. “That” … looks like “this”.

Next I altered the panel that I cut with my “Sizzix”, fanciful album, die using ice blue, Fluid Chalk and creamy brown, Fluid Chalk. For those of you that love Clearsnap’s petal points as much as I do, three of the colors I am using can be found in the soft pastels, Fluid Chalk, petal point and the rouge color can be found in the sunrise, Fluid Chalk, petal point. I used my “stamp smoosh” technique that I stepped out for you in my last Clearsnap, blog post on July 23, 2011. Using a small butterfly stamp from Hampton Arts, Graphic 45 set, “Once Upon a Springtime, Three“, I “stamp smooshed” my way to a great background and then using the same stamp and rouge, Fluid Chalk I stamped a few “normal images” to complete the panel.

Cut a small panel of “Superstock”, (love this cardstock, LOVE this cardstock) that measures, 2 5/8″ X 3 3/4″ and after altering this panel with ice blue, Fluid Chalk, edge it with your favourite light blue marker. Stamp the little fairy with black pigment ink and then stamp the same image on the little panel that you die cut when you die cut the panel with the Sizzix, fanciful album die. Iron these two panels “well” with a hot dry iron, remembering to sandwich the panel between two pieces of clean newsprint to keep your iron and your ironing surface clean and iron until the ink is not only dry but cured. Color the fairy on the “fanciful album panel” with your favourite markers and then alter the edges with creamy brown, Fluid Chalk. The beautiful part of stamping in pigment ink and “setting” the ink with a hot dry iron is you can even color in with alcohol markers like “Tria” and the ink will not pull. The pigment ink is much more light fast than any dye inkpad, this makes Cathie a happy girl! AND, AND if you happen to have one of the new “Mixed Media” stamps pads in black from Clearsnap you will notice that it requires less heat setting to “cure”. I have to say I am loving this new, “very thick and very luscious” pigment style of ink Clearsnap has given to us. I really like the new malleable or “slightly squishable” container. I am liking the “control for inking” this new style of stamp pad is giving me.

Add shimmer and shine to the fairy’s dress, scarf and wings with illuminate, Smooch. I love that there is almost no waiting for the “illuminate, Smooch” too dry. Using a glue with glitter in it would have meant I would have had to stop and wait until it was dry. Smooch dries very quickly so I can move on fearlessly. “This” is a happy thing.

Print out “Babies, are Magic” on separate lines using an open font such as “desdemona” in a size 72 on good quality printer paper. After cutting the text out in rectangles, apply a good two-sided tape to the entire back of these pieces. I used “Be Creative” tape in a width wide enough to cover the piece in one “go”. Then after adhering them to my “Superstock” I can alter using fluid chalk ink and color the text in with pool, Smooch. My printer paper stood up to “my abuse” because it was fortified with the “Be Creative” tape.

Create “faux brads” by punching out small circles or ovals and after sculpting them with a metal stylus on a soft surface, paint them with your pool, Smooch. Create custom colored ribbon by applying pink pastel,Fluid Chalk color to 100% polyester ribbon and ironing with a hot dry iron to set the color. Fluid Chalk is a “multi-surface” ink that allows you to travel from paper to ribbon to acetate and so much more. Ink a narrower, 100% ribbon with the pool Smooch. Yeah!! Smooch is a multi-surface ink as well and you can quickly set this by ironing or simply allow the Smooch to dry. Assemble all pieces as shown and don’t forget to “play” on the inside of your card so that the ohhh’s and ahhh’s continue all the way thru your card.

ENJOY!!

Originally I planned to have a post for you once a week but as usual life does get in the way or let’s say a few projects have. I am back from Pitt Meadow’s where I taught 6 classes in 3 days. What a “ride” that was. Stamps, ink, foil, great tape and glitter “flew” everywhere. I met lovely ladies that live in and around the Vancouver area and got to spend time with close friends. Worked hard and played hard and of course took tons and tons of photos.

With Anacortes came a few days with Linda Hoensalaar, her beautiful sister Sarah and their lovely friends. Here we feel so welcome it is like our American home. I am always overwhelmed by the beauty of Anacortes and I love, love spending July 4th there. The parade, “Judy and Ross’s”, 4th of July party and watching the fireworks from Sarah’s balcony = 3 days of bliss. I am an “Anacortes, wanna be” for so many reasons.

Be still my "Anacortes, loving heart".

Our "Anacortes lovelies" & cherished friends.

Next was all the wonderful days teaching at “Be Creative”. Haroldine Wingfield and her wonderful husband Bob make us feel so welcome in their home that this is an event both Brian and I look forward to. I teach and play with Haroldine “and the gang” and the guys look after us. Throw in the beauty of Pitt Meadows, a walk on the dike, card playing, “farkel playing” and lovely “surprise” visits from more great friends (Diane Baldwin of Scrapbook Central fame), shopping and sharing ….. well, we just wanted to stay and stay and stay.

Teaching .... okay, sharing, laughing and playing "alot".

More playing ..... NO stamps involved .... a rare moment.

Walking on the dike .... this is just minutes from Haroldine's & Bobs .... "of course" I have stamps in my pockets but these mountains need no embellishment.

Good food, great friends and wonderful memories to last a lifetime or until next year when we make more (memories that is).

The classes that I taught all began with white “superstock” which you can purchase thru “Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine”. I truly love this paper and to be truthful use it most of the time. I love the “substantialness” of this cardstock. It will take the “many layers of altering” that I love to do and beg for more. 99% of everything I created in these projects was done using this “fab stuff”. The only things that were not made from it is the ribbons, the fibers (love, love my “Wonderfil” fibers) and my “Judi-Kins” embossable window plastic that I am totally “over the top” with as well.These classes will be published in the wonderful “zines” that I am so blest to write for, Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine & Scrap & Stamp Arts. We step them out photographically so you can follow along at your leisure and create your version of one of these fun and innovative projects orrrrrr you can take a class or two from me at one of the “Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnivals” that I will be teaching at in Edmonton & in Calgary or at “Scrapfest” in Oshawa.

If you are interested in an “over the top” weekend where I will be teaching 4 or more of these projects, come join us at an event hosted by Diane Baldwin at “Scrapbook Central”. Diane is putting together our 2nd annual event where we stay at an oceanside resort and stamp & crop the weekend away on breathtaking, Vancouver Island. Bring a friend and come share and play with us for a weekend you will love.

What used to be "just white superstock" is now special projects for special people. I love what I can create with rubberstamps, "Clearsnap stamp pads & ink" and white "superstock".

I will look forward to meeting some of you at these wonderful events where we all get to share the joy that our rubberstamps and stamp pads bring to us when we are creating, sharing and laughing together. A “HUGE THANK YOU” to “Clearsnap”, “Frog’s Whisker’s Ink”, “Stampendous”, “Impression Obsession”, “Acme United” and “Letraset” for sponsoring these wonderful classes that I am privileged to share with you. AND, AND, AND …. a hug to all my friends that I made while teaching at “Be Creative”. I will see you next year when we “indulge” our creative souls one more time.

I have one more very special photo to share (I could share many, many more but I have to get back to my projects). This is a lovely shot of two amazing people who Brian and I feel so blest to have as friends. THANK YOU Haroldine and Bob for all you bring into Brian’s and my life. We miss you and look forward to being together again to laugh, to share, to shop (you still have one more TV to buy …. tee hee) and to simply enjoy each other’s company.

Our "lifetime" friends Haroldine and Bob .... miss you guys!!

With smiles and ink and more than “one” stamp,
Cathie.

Obviously, I will have to stop counting my posts at some point but it is just a little incentive for me to “stay focused” and “remember” to get them done …. “a little ADHD here and I do have a good memory but it has been described as “short” (insert giggle). I am blogging from my motel room as I am teaching at Haroldine Wingfield”s lovely store in beautiful, Pitt Meadows, B.C. for the next couple of weeks and although we are not with them presently (Haroldine & Bob) we will be returning after we celebrate “July 4th” in this gracious, scenerific, little town on the ocean called Anacortes. Love, love it here. We will spend time with my good friend Linda, attending a parade, a party and then watch the fireworks this evening from Sarah’s house up on the hill. A “little holiday” tossed in with some wonderful work/sharing/giggling/inking/stamping & much more at Haroldine’s.

Haroldine Wingfield owns a store named “Be Creative”. She has owned and operated it for the past 19 years and each and every nook & cranny is stuffed FULL of lovely, stampingly creative, stuff. If you are ever in the Vancouver area, you NEED to seek her out. If you love to stamp and love to create this is a “destination spot” for you. I will be teaching 6 classes there over the next couple of weeks and I am looking forward to sharing with each and every one of her clients. Let the “ink fly” and the “stamps sing”.

In my last post I spoke (typed) of pages and cards from years back that have not lost any of their color intensity since the day I made them, even though they have have been subjected to fluorescent lighting for years on end as they were displayed in my family store for that long. The photo I am attaching to this post is one of those projects. The page is 10 years old and has lost no color intensity at all due to the fact it was created with “Clearsnap’s“, pigment line of ink. This classic style of pigment ink is one of the most lightfast inks on the market today. Choosing this style of ink allows you to create projects you can enjoy throughout your life and not feel the need to hide them in a book. Of course, you will want to protect them from direct sunlight as “she” (the sun) has the power to suck the color out of anything.

As you can see “back in the day” (what day and what does this really mean? (lol)) 10 years ago we were all heavy into “direct to paper”. This technique was made popular by the good folks at “Magenta” and is still one of the best background building techniques I know. My “stamp smoosh” and “smack down” techniques are derived from this idea and those of you who know me, know how much I use those. The stamps I used in the background are Magenta’s as well … the hydrangea, well I am not sure, and the “text technique” I found in a magazine way back then. If I was at home I could check both these out for you as I still have the stamp and the “article” I got the text idea from but because I am sitting in this cozy little motel room in lovely “Anacortes” that info will have to wait. The point of this particular blog …. get your pigment ink out and use it. I know you have this classic style ink in a drawer somewhere and even if you bought years ago, it will still be “good to go”. It may need re-inking but you should be able to get your hands on those. In Canada I know you can get them at Haroldine’s, “Be Creative” store in Pitt Meadow’s, Diane Baldwin’s store, “Scrapbook Central“, on Vancouver Island, Sandy Hobbs carries them thru her online store called “Scrapbooking Fanatics“, and Kathy at “Scrap & Bean” in Edmonton I believe has them too. Remember, your stamp pads are “the vehicle” and the re-inkers are “the gas for your vehicle”. Personally, I believe I would buy the re-inkers before the stamp pads … they mean (the re-inkers) that much to me in “my stamping life”.

With smiles and ink and “re-inkers”,
Cathie.