Gold Embossing Powder Comparison

I was recently asked what kind of gold embossing powder I used on my "Something Feminine" post which you can see Here.  So I thought I would show you several gold embossing powders I have purchased -- trying to find one I liked as much as the bright gold Joanne Craft Essientials powder I'd used for years! I cried when I learned it was unavailable ~ I searched Amazon & eBay!!  I tried mixing a couple of gold powders (one was too pale, one was too dark) but when combined they just looked speckled!! :(  I also tried YouTube.com with little success!

So here's a quickie of what I have on my shelf ~ I know some of them are a few years old but maybe you have them on your shelf like I do & wonder how they compare to others!  Hopefully this will help if you plan on purchasing gold embossing & are looking for a particular look :)  CLICK photos to read the brands . . . .

 

Some are more brown or yellow while others are dull or bright.
I found that Lindy's was a little bit see through. Try it with colored inks like red or cocoa for interesting color differences!  Here it's stamped over a deep brown as opposed to over a clear ink.

I personally prefer the slick, liquid look of the Stampin' Up! Gold which is what I used on the "Something Feminine" post.  Followed by a close second of the Ranger Princess Gold.

In my quest to find a gold that I liked as much as the Joanne Craft Essentials I want to try out many more, with names like Enchanted Gold, Gilded Gold, Pearl Gold, Queen's Gold . . . .  by companies like Ranger, Stampendous, Zing, Wow, Nuvo and lesser known brands. But who can afford to!!?  So if you have some embossing samples to share please do so!!  You can add a link in your comments below or feel free to post comparison photos on my Face Book Page "Hi!" Notes.

Hope this helps a little!!  Happy Crafting ;)

Autumn Scrapbook ~ Lift a Flap & Pull out

So much fun to be had and so many places to discover for poking in, hiding away special little items in this keepsake album . . . .


I am planning a small tassel or key... something to hang from the end of the little red tag.  

Stamp, cut and color ~ Lots of directions to go once you have your favorite elements ready!  This turned into an interactive "lift a flap"  with a surprise pull out!

Journaling lines decorate one side and the other is ready for a photo, group of photos or just left plain!!

    The lower corner decoration is also a little pocket for tucking in something fun.  I was thinking an oblong journaling card would be cute and appropriate considering all the photo space on this page.  It would also be a nice place to add a little poetry!

Here's what you find when you lift the flap.  I had so much fun using lots of different leafy elements and golden colors!!  Once it is filled with photos and keepsakes lots of these elements will only "peek" out, allowing you to choose just how much you'd like to show!

Here are links to the other pages in this mini Autumn Scrapbook series:

             Corner Pockets ~ Squirrel

             Autumn Pocket Pages

             Autumn Lift a Flap & Pull Out

             Magnetic Envelope

             Recap & all the rest

Available as they are posted...

Other Posts related to this project:

"Autumn Scrapbook Journal Cover"

"The Eyes Have It"

Autumn Pocket Pages

Another great word ~ POCKETS!
Pockets are more inspiration for layering! I used matts of different sizes & colors, adding journaling lines to the back of a couple of them. 

I love the rich moody colors in all these Autumn papers!!  It seems that nearly any combination looks great together!  Nice because if you decide you want to switch one of the matts to another page ~ YOU SO CAN!!!

Add * Remove * Flip * Switch * It's all good!!

Here are links to the other Autumn Scrapbook pages in this little book:

             Corner Pockets ~ Squirrel

             Autumn Pocket Pages

             Autumn Lift a Flap & Pull Out

             Magnetic Envelope

             Recap & all the rest

Available as they are posted...

Other Posts related to this project:

"Autumn Scrapbook Journal Cover"

"The Eyes Have It"

Classes and Workshops...

Hello!  I am excited you're here to check out the upcoming workshops!  Photos are intended to give you a good idea of what will be constructed during the class, taking into consideration creative license, personal taste and color preferences.
Please comment below, or PM me on Facebook to sign up for classes.  You are welcome to use PayPal (Wendy Falk) or just pay me in person :)   Class sizes are limited.  If a class sells out and there is enough interest, I will schedule another class!


The Haunted Mansion ~ Stationary box and card making kit / Original Design by Wendy Falk

FEE:  $ 35.00   MIN AGE: 15yrs 

CLASS SIZE LIMIT:  4

DATE & TIME: Sat Oct 19 / 1pm ~ 5pm

LOCATION: Enterprise Christian Church,  85035 Joseph Highway, Enterprise OR 97828

What will be provided:  

• 4 hours are scheduled for this class.  Some may be finished earlier, some will finish at home!  
• You will be provided with a pattern & detailed instructions for the stationary box as well as
• precut, black cardstock to assemble the project. 
• Each participant will also receive 2 fingertip sponge daubers and 
• 5 - A2 size (5 1/2" x 4 1/4"), folded white note cards and envelopes.  
• All parts and pieces visible in the photo will be provided.

What You are recommended (not required) to bring:  Because of limited tools - bringing your own cutter, ink, scissors/snips and adhesive will be more convenient for you.  Also, you are encouraged to bring any designed paper you would like used on this project.  A black base will be provided. 3 to 5 patterns of paper are typical, but you're welcome to implement your creative license with more or less!! (I will have some b/w on hand)

More about this project:  The box pockets inside of the Haunted Mansion (see below) are perfect for envelopes & greeting cards.  2 sheets of patterned paper will be more than enough to decorate the box, but if you would like to coordinate the note cards inside, additional patterned & solid colored paper are recommended!  After you've confirmed your place in class you are welcome to contact me concerning images!  I have several Autumn/Halloween rubber stamp sets that you may want to use to make embellishments for your card kit.  You are welcome to bring your own rubber stamping supplies or any other embellishment ideas you'd like to implement.  

This is a great gift or a fun motivation to make your own greeting cards! Maybe a gift with build your own card kit inside! 
I'm really excited to share this workshop with you!!

The inside & back of the box

. A quick PS: 12 x 12 paper pad collections in black & white are reasonably priced and versatile because they can be easily customized by dry brushing any colors you choose onto them!

Something Feminine

No time for conversation today!!  But this card says it all, doesn't it?  I'm loving the soft colors and the speed and ease of making it.  Check back, I will be showing some "new" techniques I came up with!! 

PS Image is from Unity, embossed in multiple colors and TH Oxide inked background!
                

Autumn Scrapbook ~ Corner pockets: Squirrel

Really, just one word to share: LAYERS!!         

I will be posting the pages over the next few days ~ stop in & check them out!

          Corner Pockets ~ Squirrel

          Autumn Pocket Pages

          Autumn Lift a Flap & Pull Out

             Magnetic Envelope

             Recap & all the rest

Available as they are posted...

  

Other Posts related to this project:

"Autumn Scrapbook Journal Cover"

"The Eyes Have It"

DIY Clear Front Gem Holder

I am so excited to be crafting my new craft room!!  My daughter moved out after graduation leaving an empty bed room -  -  -  Well, almost empty!  She still needs a place to sleep when she is able to visit home, but in the mean time I have a place to stash my art supplies that isn't the dining room table!!

I LOVE to organize!  Seeing the colors and shapes I love displayed in an orderly way makes me want to use them (as opposed to the chaos of my dining room table!!)  I've never been able to see my little gems as I'm crafting so I seldom remember to use them. I pondered putting them into a drawer, or a little shelf. . . . . but I just really wanted to be able to SEE them!

Then the thought occurred to me I could make a clear fronted box for them that would take up very little shelf space!  Here's a simple picture tutorial of how I crafted it, using clear left over packaging and light weight cardboard (the kind tucked inside folded shirts) covered with my favorite colored paper!

1. Determine the size of the box you want to make.  I used my largest package to measure for the width adding 1/8" to each side of it.  The 2 sides are identical and will be the depth.  Score each edge at 1/4" for connection tabs. (no worries about the 4th side of the box, it will be clear!

     2.  The sides of the bottom tray should be the identical measurement of the 2 sides + the back.  Add 1/2 " to the overall dimension and score each side at 1/4". Snip 1 side of each corner to make tabs and glue to make a tray. 
 

        3.  If you would like to add colorful paper to the sides of your project, now is the time to do so.  It is so much easier when the paper is flat!  Adding a second layer of paper also helps the box to be more sturdy :) 

       4.  Attach the 3 panel sheet from step 1 around the outside of the tray, bending on the score lines.  Glue/tape all of the tray tabs except the ones on the front where there is no panel yet. 

      5.  Cut the clear front exactly the dimensions of the back panel, putting it into place using the tabs from the sides and bottom to affix it into place.  I used 1/8th" Scor-Tape on the tabs.

Once the clear sheet was in place I put a strip of colored paper over the adhesive showing through on the bottom. The adhesive on the sides remained hidden because I connected the paper on the outside of the plastic.

Autumn Scrapbook

Kicking through the leaves. . . mmm!!  I love it!  The colors, the sounds, even the outdoor smell of Autumn!  
What a great season to journal!  Last year I began a small homemade book and although it's taken a some time, I feel it is complete!!  

















A great place I think to add pictures of little Autumn jaunts with loved ones; the very best leaves the forest floor has to offer;  favorite poems. . . .

I adore "tuck-ins" ~ something so appealing about interactive pages
 

elements that allow for happy "surprises"
 

like pull outs, lift a flaps, pockets and slide unders.











I will be posting the pages over the next few days ~ I hope you'll stop in & enjoy! 
LINKS TO OTHER "Autumn Scrapbook Posts"  Corner Pockets ~ Squirrel
             Autumn Pocket Pages
             Autumn Lift a Flap & Pull Out
             Magnetic Envelope
             Recap & all the rest
Available as they are posted...



Other Posts related to this project:
"Autumn Scrapbook Journal Cover"
"The Eyes Have It"

Don't Mess Up!! Experimenting with Crystal Drops without commitment!

Just a fun and really quick tutorial concerning how I personally like to insure size and placement of my Nuvo Crystal Drops!!

The photos are self explanatory, but what's a blog without a little bit of text?!!!

Once my project is ready to accept embellishment I often place a thin, clear and super slick sheet over the top. (I get these sheets from the inside of clear stamp packages. Really only one protection sheet is necessary - to protect the "sticky" back of the stamp & keep it clean & sticky!!)

Then it is just a matter of messing around with dot colors, sizes and placement! On symmetrical projects like this one it was fun to turn the clear page 1 quarter or 1 half turn to see how the same dots looked else where!

When they look good to me I let them dry on the clear sheet and then place them on my project with a dab of liquid glue.  Insanely easy and no oops' like a large blob where a tiny one should be!!!

In case you're wondering, the background stamp is 1997 Stampin' Up! in white embossing over blue cardstock.  The White cardstock medallion die can be found on Amazon!!

Like a flash ~ Labor Day weekend is here!  I hope you find time to spend quality moments with family, friends and maybe a little bit of it crafting or just sharing someone else's craft that caught your eye <3

Blessings,

Butterfly Inspiration

Yesterday's butterfly post inspired me to try something a little different from my usual colorful butterfly projects!  This time I thought I would color outside the. . . well, butterfly!

I started with a beautiful sprinkle of flowers from a Unity KOM "Hey Girl" & repeatedly stamped it with iridescent embossing on vellum for a beautiful, sparkling background.  But here I am ~ trying to think outside of the box ~ so I put the background on top of  a single stamped image (in black) of the butterfly from Unity's KOM "Summer Collapsed into Fall".  The vellum is attached over white cardstock (cut larger for a white border) with double stick tape on the outside perimeter.

I knew the tape would show through the vellum, but I didn't expect it to show up yellow! Pretty!  So I incorporated it into the color scheme with the yellow-green card base.  The dusty lavender matt helps tie in the gray/silvery iridescence of the embossing. A soft wash of pink, blue & lavender under the vellum also helped it come alive without being too loud.

Live a Life Inspired sentiment is also from Unity Stamp Company! (Honestly, they have the best sentiments!!!)

If you would like to see my other posts featuring butterflies, just type Butterfly in the "Explore "Hi!" Notes" search box on the left!! To see more posts using Unity Stamps, type Unity, etc!!

Flowers & Butterflies

What's one of your favorite things about Summer?  ~OK, I agree, ice cream is one of my favorites too!  But while I was outside trimming trees and harvesting poppy seeds I couldn't help but appreciate the splash of beauty butterflies are.  When I was a kid I dreamed of being able to catch one of the rarely seen swallow tail butterflies floating around our barnyard & have a leisurely & up close look. . . but I never did!

Maybe that's why I have ump-teen butterfly dies and stamps!  They are so beautiful and the coloring options are just endless!  Very rewarding and cost effective since I use them so often!  This particular  one is cut out of black card stock with an underlay of splashy & vibrant water colors.

The background beauty is from Unity Stamp Co. SMAK kit "Choose A Happy Heart".  I embossed it in gold on pale peach paper & then colored in just some of it with white & orange & hot pink gel pen for a pleasant "pop"!  The black card it's mounted on was another way to pop the color.  I added a rectangle of the pale peach paper inside with the birthday sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by...
Hope your Summer is going well and you have a chance to sip some ice tea and enjoy the butterflies

Party Girl!

        LOVE ~ HUGS ~ KISSES

 By Angie Blom,  Hannah Girl from Unity Stamp Company is just such a happy image!!  She's heat embossed in watercolor paper and then water colored!  The watery medium makes it easy to create transparency for the balloons! 

For a little added interest ~ shimmering blue Nuvo Crystal Drops!

Thanks for stopping by ;)  Wishing you love, hugs and kisses!!

Feeling Blue !

Another masking project using this simple, fast and beautiful technique.  The tiny white details fairly "pop" off of the page along with the beautiful camera its self !!!

So If you didn't already see the post "Mono Chrome & Masking" which immediately precedes this post, you are welcome to check out the super easy technique there.

If you're wondering how to achieve the details, here's what I did:  I cut out each "large leaf" & flower cluster individually from my masking image and stuck them down not worrying about shading over the top of the lines.  For the super tiny leaves ~ I left them exposed and went back in with a tiny dot from a white gel pen afterwards.
Also, to keep the words crisp & sharp, I stamped the sentiment last. That way there will be no ink cloud over the top of it.

I also added a few dots with Nuvo Glitter Drops in Midnight Sky. They shimmer beautifully but I wasn't able to capture that on camera!  Have fun creating your own masking project!

Check out the right side bar for a few of my favorite places to enter challenges

For the white frame, I used a combination of a border punch and die cut the other edge with a stitched scallop from Lawn Fawn.  I overlapped the corners and cut a 45 degree diagonal before attaching it with liquid glue.  All of the Stamps are from Unity Stamp Co and the Sunburst background was made with a SunnyStudio embossing folder.

Mono Chrome & Masking

Good Morning Friends!  I'm excited to share with you a really fun and easy technique that is fast and yields fantastic results!!

Most of us have probably tried masking, I use it a lot when I'm layering images and if I'm worried about my shading crossing a line, but this beautiful technique uses only 1 basic color on "white" (you could try it on colors though!!), with no coloring!  The mask really makes the white PoP off the page!!! 

Simply stamp your image on your card front or panel.  I embossed mine in the color of ink I planned to use for the shading.  That's where the Monochromatic beauty comes in ~ Thank You Unity Show & Tell for this great idea!
As you stamp your original, stamp a second image ~ I used scrap paper, and cut it out ON THE LINES. If you don't cut close enough you'll end up with a white shadow outside the lines.  Simply put the cut out piece over your original image and using your favorite blending tool add shading all around the covered image.  Make sure the mask (cut out image) doesn't move while you're adding color. I used a rolled up piece of painters tape under mine.  Go heavy or light with the color and let it blend out towards the edges.  I used TH Oxide ink and spattered it a little with water droplets.

Remove your mask & the stunningly white image within your colored lines will amaze you.  So much fun to see as it is revealed.
Hope you have fun making your own!  I would love to see what images and colors you choose & I invite you to post your creation on my FB page "Hi!" Notes

Further, check out the links to the right for some great places to enter your projects and maybe even win a prize!!