Take advantage of all access to over 18 million fonts and graphics at an 86% discount from Creative Fabrica!  Plus, get additional free graphic bundles and discount codes to some of the best suppliers in the craft world.

The Spooky Halloween Sale lasts from October 1 - October 31!

Quick Tip Tuesday - Ink Swatch

 


If you enjoy ink blending or stamping, keeping a list of ink swatches can be beneficial. Why?

1.  It helps to organize your supplies.  I like to keep my ink pads in color order (ROYGBIV then neutrals).

2.  You can easily see what colors you have so that you don't accidentally purchase a color you already have. It can also show what color family you might need.

3.  Swatching helps you see the ink pad's true color as it can look different on the lid than it does on paper.

4.  A swatch list can help you plan projects with colors that complement each other.

5.  Last, a swatch will show you the actual properties of the ink such as saturation, shimmer, or having a chalky appearance (like Oxides).


Making ink swatches is easy to do, and it doesn't have to be fancy or time-consuming.  I suggest using the same card stock you typically use for crafts.  You can apply the ink to small cards and attach them to a piece of cardstock, or you can directly swipe the ink onto the paper. Then write with a pen what type or brand of ink each sample is as well as the name of the color. Last, decide where you will store your ink swatches so they will be handy when you need them.

I hope this encourages you to make some ink swatches.

Green Ink Blending a Background with Video

 Watch my ink blending video.  I use Catherine Pooler Matcha and Grass Skirt as well as Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Forest Moss, to make a background that is lighter in the middle and darker near the edges.  I'm still new at making videos, so please don't judge too harshly!

Favorite Weekly Project - Infusible Ink Cosmetics Bag


 I have been wanting to use infusible ink (again, as I tried it last Christmas and liked the look), so I decided to take the plunge.  I used a Cricut cosmetic bag blank and the rainbow triangles infusible ink.  I used a brushstroke pattern for the background then used regular Cricut iron-on vinyl in black for the words.  Both sides are the same. I'm using this bag to store all of my ink-blending tools because the drawstring bag I had them in was getting too small.

 I love the vibrancy of the infusible ink and how it becomes part of the fabric.  It was not as difficult as I remembered.  The process went very smoothly following Cricut's directions.  I hope you'll give infusible ink a try!

Quick Tip Tuesday - Card Sizes


 If you are a paper crafter who enjoys making greeting cards, it is helpful to know the common sizes. This diagram should help.

In the card-making world, A2 seems to be the most popular.

It could be 4.25x5.5 or 5.5x4.25 and either top fold or side fold regardless of which side is the longer one. 

A2 cards can be found at most craft stores such as Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and JoAnn as well as online retailers such as Blick Art Materials (for a really reasonable price), Scrapbook.com, and A Cherry on Top.  I hope this information helps in your card-making journey.

(Affiliate Links - if you choose to make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

Assembling a Yoda Card

 My son-in-law is a huge Star Wars fan and has a birthday coming up.  I wanted to make a card with Yoda on it, but I didn't want to pay for the likeness, so I decided to make Yoda out of shapes from Cricut Design Space.  It was fun!


The inside says, "Celebrate, you must."

I also learned that the shape I used for Yoda's ears is called (at least in Design Space) a squircle.  And the shape I used for his clothing, not the cloak, but the other piece, is called an elongated scallop.  Who knew? And who knew that stars could look like his hands and feet?

I hope this inspires you to create something new!

Ship Card Assembly

 One of my sons-in-law is a fan of World of Warships, like my husband, so I decided is birthday card would have a ship theme.  I used shapes, images, and test from Cricut design space as well as Cricut pens, liquid glue, and foam tape to pop up the waves.


 I'm not accustomed to making videos, but I decided to video this in case anyone else wants to make similar card.


Thanks for stopping by, and have a crafty week!