Nancy Wethington

Father's Day Gift . . .

Here's one of the projects I'll be teaching at For Keeps Sake.  It would make a very-easy-to-do Father's Day gift.  Timi found the stands at an antique store and asked if I could use them.  You know what my answer was!  There are a few places for various photos.

• The top portion of this has a slide-in type gizmo - good for a photo
• Place another photo on top of the stamped crossword puzzle.

• or do as I did and place photos inside the car windows

 

$20

+

Wednesday, May 11

+

6 pm - 8 pm

+

will have room for 12 people.

To reserve your spot, please call

For Keeps Sake Scrapbook

(314) 487-8131

Today is Wednesday, March 23 and I'm playing . . .

what's on your workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).

I am so proud of myself.  I cleaned and reorganized.  Sort of.

 

As much as you can clean and reorganize this space.  I'm not complaining.  I have a wonderfully big space to work in and spread out in and it's in the basement so no one has to see my messes when they come into our home.  I like that!  No pressure.

However, I do always feel the need to keep the dust down and to clean up after each project. 

A place for everything and everything in its place.

I can still hear my Grandma saying that!

 

After I cleaned at the beginning of this week, my space got a bit messy again as I worked on my DT project for next week's Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge blog. Can't show you that project until Monday.  I'll just say it was really fun and easy!  My kind of project - do-able.  Sometimes, I see projects from other designers that I absolutely adore, but know that it's just too complicated or time consuming (for me).  I do so like quick and easy.  Time is always a premium (for me) and I need to . . .

use my time wisely

(another Grandma saying).

Thinking about upcoming classes, there are 3 different ideas I have for the new Graphic 45 Curtain Call.  First, it's my kind of paper - black and cream - what's not to like.  Second, there are so many possibilities.  Here's two hints of classes you will see at For Keeps Sake.

 

That's all I'm sayin' for now! 

I spy . . .

Did you see this photo up on Graphic 45's blog yesterday?

These are all the boxes (clearing throat here) they've received for those of us attempting to be on their Design Team.  I spotted mine immediately! 

And that's all I can say right now.  Can't tell you what I did until I find out if I made the team.

Won't know if I made it or not until April 1.

Stay tuned!

Saturday's Class, March 26 . . .

Here's a link to Saturday's class: http://art-from-the-heart.typepad.com/art_from_the_heart/2011/01/in-my-garden-.html

and here's a list of supplies needed for class:

• Cutter, scissors
• a good wet glue like 3-in-1 or a bookbinding glue to put the book together.  Please do not plan on putting this book together with the red tape.  If you'd like to bring the red tape for the outside edge, that would work fine.  But you will need some kind of wet glue for the inside page binding.  You will also need a strong wet glue for the hoe (or rake or shovel), flower pot and flowers for the front cover.
• dry glue for the rest of the book (or your fave glue is fine!)
• Stickles: in shades of pinks, blues, yellows and clear.  There will be all kinds of flowers to stickle!
• Distress Inks for edges and tags.  I used various light shades including Tattered Rose, Wild Honey, Pumice Stone, Antique Linen, Peeled Paint.  The lighter shades worked better (for me) in this book filled with Spring flowers. 
• White gel pen (or you can do this step at home as well)
• Your lunch:  Chinese next door to For Keeps Sake and St. Louis Bread Co and McDonald's just up the street. 

See you Saturday!

SPRING . . .

This week's challenge at Simon Says Stamp & Show is to use a WORD in your project.

Since yesterday was the first day of Spring (and my Mom's birthday!)

my Simon Says Stamp & Show challenge word this week is SPRING.

When I think of Spring I think of new growth and flowers.

Flowers remind me of Wendy Vecchi's Studio 490 stamps

so that's what I started with.

 

I painted a canvas with watercolors and a water brush. I love this technique as it's so easy.  Scribble on your favorite colors.  Dampen a brush slightly and scribble the brush over the color.  You can lighten, darken, add color on top of - anything your heart desires to get the effect you want.

Once dry, I stamped leaf images from Studio 490's Nature's Art using Ranger Coffee Archival Ink.  It's important to use Ranger Archival Ink for this because I will be using water based inks on top of the Archival.  And the Archival ink is waterproof.  So one won't interact with the other.

(As an aside here, I think this was one of the most important things I learned at Ranger U - how inks react one with another and how best to use one type of ink with another (that is, in addition to the myriad of techniques taught, the interaction with the other students, etc, etc, etc).

It was a bit too light for me so I got out the Distress Re-Inkers and put a drop of three shades of green on a non-pourous plate (or you can use your craft mat).  I use a plate because whatever is left over of the re-inkers NEVER DRIES OUT.  NEVER!  I've been using the same plate of droplets for weeks.  It's been sitting on my desk top.  Not covered.  No plastic wrap, lid, nada!  And they are as fresh as the first day I put the first droplet on that plate.  AMAZING! 

Studio 490 Art Parts were painted with Claudine Hellmuth's Studio Paints before stamping with Ranger Archival Ink and Art From The Heart background stamp.  Once again, a bit more color was added to the Art Parts with watercolor crayons.  (Now you know why I used Archival Ink to stamp.  It's waterproof!)

The tiny bottle is from 7 Gypsies new line with a small tag added to the neck and one teeny Graphic 45 fairy to watch over the entire Spring growing process.

Check out the inspiration from my team mates!  It amazes me that we all have the same challenge and always make something totally different from one another.  Then join the fun with our

WORD challenge this week at

Simon Says Stamp & Show Challenge Blog.

You could win this fabulous prize

from our amazing and generous sponsor

Simon Says Stamp Superstore.

 

PS: I will be teaching art techniques using watercolor crayons, Distress Re-Inkers, rubber stamps, Copic markers, colored pencils and other mediums on April 17.

Too much ink . . .

Never thought I would ever.in.a.million.years

utter.

those.

words.

I am in a furious cleaning mood.

FURIOUS!

I can't get rid of enough stuff right now.

Enter Stampin' Up! inks and re-inkers.

These are all classic inks.  Most have re-inkers.  The storage unit is not for sale but . . .

the stamp pads and re-inkers are.

There are a total of 46 ink pads and 32 re-inkers.

 

 

If interested in purchasing the ink pads and re-inkers as one bundle, please e-mail me privately.

Randomly playing . . .

in my workroom . . .

on the computer . . .

with paper . . .

and copics

and found a great Copic coloring blog.  Her name is Michelle and wow is she good.  Look what she put up on her blog:

 It's her own little Copic combo chart for blending colors.  Isn't it wonderful!

You can find eons of great information from her here:

http://michelles-mbellishments.blogspot.com/

And for those of you who shop everyday low prices of Copics @ For Keeps Sake

the Copics have been ordered

and please keep in mind that they are made in Japan.

We received notice from them that they are all OK

but shipping is obviously delayed.

In the meantime, visit Michelle's blog and practice along with me.

 

One thing leads to another . . .

I was back working on my Father's Day mini-book this morning when I needed a small piece of ribbon.

just a little piece for the top of a tag.

maybe 3 or 4 inches long.

I have a huge tub on a stand next to my work table with all kinds of ribbons thrown.

It's my *go to* ribbon

disorganized as it is.

The tub on a stand is supposed to be for liquor or beer bottles

(thought I'd mention this since it is St. Paddy's day)

but my liquor of choice apparently is ribbon.

I have *some* ribbons organized here by color

 

But this tub thing was out of control.  Of course the tub included ribbons and fibers I don't even like anymore.  So instead of just grabbing a piece I decided to organize.  After all, how long could it take to get this tub straightened out.

I sorted.  Grabbed some cigar boxes and stashed things in them according to categories:

• bling
• wired
• save for classes
• lace

and then I turned around to see this

 

Holy ribbon Batman, this is out-of-control

(along with my other paper arts addictions)!

Now what?

Suggestions greatly appreciated.

There may even be a ribbon give-away in the near future!

Happy . . .

 

Le Cirque . . .

When For Keeps Sake got the new Graphic 45 Le Cirque paper in, Timi (co-owner of For Keeps Sake) asked me to do a sample with it.  Of course, it's perfect for circus photos.  However, don't know about your house but there's plenty of mayhem that goes on in ours!

So I took that perfect paper and created this family note center:

That's one of those extra large clothespins that stands up by itself.  I used some post-it notes for the messages.  You can see it in person and purchase all the papers and clothespin to make this project at For Keeps Sake (314) 487-8131.  And yes, they do ship!