All Stampin’ Up! All the Time…

…well most of the time.

I will not be on any Design Teams, except Paper Craft Planet starting July 1.  I need to concentrate on my Stampin' Up! business more this year.  Not that I haven't been this past year, but I have also been busy doing "other things" and although I have been having a blast working on the DT's, and I have met the most awesomest people, there is time and requirements involved that I feel I don't have the time to do it anymore.

So when Sharon and I were going to Micheals a couple weeks ago we came across these cute little notebooks…

…so I picked up a bunch cause I knew I could totally use them in a class…and I am…

…this is one of the make n takes the ladies will be making on Friday…don't tell them though.

I left it with no greeting, I was thinking well I should put some sort of greeting, but I don't know what the book will be used for, so I left it plain, but so cute.  I just used DSP colors that went with the little pen.

Paper: Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Pink Flamingo DSP

Misc: White gel pen, Daisies #2, Little Leaves Sizzlet, Summer Sun Corduroy Button

I had a couple questions about my comment on using solvent with the SU! watercolor pencils, as well as the prismacolors.  I hope to some day color as awesome as Nikki does, and she is the one that has been giving me tips on coloring this way…thanks Nikki.

Anyway, the Solvent I have been using is this, Winsor & Newton Oil Colour Sansodor (Low Odour Solvent)…

…and the applicators I use are Ranger Cut & Dry Nibs, that is the little things in front of the jar, they almost look like tiny candles here, but they are something like the blender pen ends, but they are dry and you dip it in the solvent to blend your color. I purchased both at Micheals.

  Nikki uses paper stumps (Jenn Balcer if you are reading this…I am smiling…I said stump) but I felt like I had more control with the Nibs, so Nikki is gonna try them too, I can just imagine the beautiful stuff she will come up with. 

So stamp your image, use Stazon, Palette Hybrid or the Memento ink. Let dry. Then color around the edges with your watercolor pencil or your prismacolor pencil, then dip your little nib in the solvent (if you use the stumps you have to let it soak in well, if you use the nibs it soaks up so fast, you just basically dip it quickly and that's it) and then blend in circles toward the center of the image to color it all in, just like a blender pen.  You will learn if you need more or less pencil.  What I liked is that the solvent is easier on the paper and does not wash out the color like the blender pen can do sometimes, and it doesn't tear the paper.  I think I am liking this technique better then the Copics, because I am able to get that soft watercolor look that I love, where as the copics I am having trouble getting that. You just use regular paper, not watercolor paper.  I tried Whisper White, Neenah and Gina K Luxury and they all worked pretty well.  I am not a big fan of the smell but it is faint and when I am done I just use the alcohol gel sanitizer stuff on my hands and all is good. I just soak the little nibs in water for a bit when I am done and then dry with paper towel.  I just use a different one for each color as I am actually coloring.

Here is a quick little image I colored but have not done anything with it, I just wanted to show you the SU! watercolor pencils and the solvent and nibs…not too shabby eh?

While I was cutting paper waiting for American Idol to come on Toby wanted to go outside, so as I was standing on the back patio, I thought there was a spider on the ground, so I went to step on it, and it moved different then a spider would so I got down and looked really close, and guess what it was?

Well here it is…

…I had it climb on my finger and I brought it in the house, walking very carefully, to take some pictures. Why? Well for you my friends I wanted you to see the smallest praying mantis in the world..step right up folks it won't cost ya a dime…ok well the smallest I have ever seen anyway. I'm sure they don't come out of the Mama this big, so I guess there would be smaller ones.

Here he is right before I let him hop onto the potato bush. While he was on my hand, he was such a gentlemen, but he whispered…"you could really use some hand cream lady", so I apologize for my dry old hands. It's amazing how the camera adds 10 years of wrinkles.

Here he is on the plant, all happy and content, probably wondering how he got in the front yard cause I found him in the backyard, can you just imagine if the story is he started in the front yard, and it took him 2 days to make it to the back yard…ha!

So American Idol fans, were you as shocked as me? Were you crying that Danny made it that far to go home in third place? Holy Moly.  I still think that Adam will win, but then I thought it would come down to Danny and Adam the final 2…so this season sure has ya guessing.

Also can anyone remember, Jeff and I were trying to figure it out.  Wasn't Kris one of the Wild Card people they brought back? It seems to me I think he was.

Well I think this might be my longest post yet, sorry about that…I get to gabbing…you should be glad, I was gonna tell my airport cookie story but that will have to wait for another day.

Have a great Thursday…Greys Anatomy season finale is on…I think George is gonna get killed and maybe Izzie will hang on just till the first of next season, or not. Cause they are both leaving right? Aren't I miss positive thinker?

All right I am done blabbin!

Thanks for stopping in and putting up with me!