Gonna Have To Face It...

...I'm addicted to markers!

Who doesn't love to color? When I was a very little girl I loved those watercolor books with the pigment right on the page - just add water! Later on down the road, Prang watercolor pencils and a small set of Peerless watercolors were my coloring media of choice, in addition to the ubiquitous Crayolas, of course.

In my high school days I had two favorite writing instruments: the Bic ballpoint pen that wrote in 4 different colors - redgreenblueblack; and my  beloved Flair felt-tip pens in hot pink, aqua and red. I still have my old notebooks with the lovingly doodled margins.

These days I've thrown over the old Crayolas for more sophisticated forms of joy. I confess, I frequently indulge in rampant pen acquisition. Gotta have 'em. Annnnnnnd store them just so:

All comfy cozy, in ink type and ROY G BIV order. It makes me happy.

Those racks, by the way, are from Totally Tiffany's Metal Maid line. Currently they are out of stock after a sale, but as soon as they come back in, I'll be getting more. They perfectly double-face on my IKEA shelving and hold any pen, plus there's that nifty reinker/spray ink/paint dauber storage on top.

I feel it only fair to state that this picture does NOT show my Stampin' Up markers, in every color, past & present (140+), or my Tim Holtz Distress markers in every color (50+). They are in two other racks keeping my Close To My Heart ink pads company. And my Spectrum pens? Don't ask. I'm trying to avoid counting them. Let's just say if you need a color, I'm your girl.

Why so many?

Like the colors they hold, they are all different. Different colors, different ink formulations, different properties that give a variety of effects. Some are more comfortable in the hand. Some blend better, some give dimension or sparkle to the finished work. All are useful, and are used, frequently.

My favorites, the ones I recommend, are these:

Alcohol-based markers: I know, you think I'm going to say Copic or Spectrum.

Nope.

I have not (as yet) fallen prey to Copic mania. My entire collection consists of the six markers on the bottom row of the rack on the right. I found the sheer number of colors and expense involved in acquiring them intimidating, to say the least. Instead, when I decided to try alcohol coloring, I opted to get Spectrum markers. Although I liked them at first, I found some problems. The old-style square barrels made my index finger fall asleep every time I used them, and in more than one pack, at least one pen was dry when I bought it, leading me to believe the manufacturing process left something to be desired.

My winner? Last year Close To My Heart began carrying Shinhan Touch Twin Markers. I was eager to try them and very pleasantly surprised. The barrel is slimmer and the caps close tightly. The pens have a chisel nib and a fine point nib. The laydown of ink is ultra-smooth, making the marker very enjoyable to use. Currently there are 24 colors plus a blender to choose from in the CTMH line; Shinhan offers over 200 colors, reinkers and replaceable nibs as well.

One of the things I most love about these markers is their blendability. The inks blend seamlessly and can be layered over one another to create new colors. I found that for most coloring tasks the 24 CTMH colors worked very well either alone or combined, making them an economical choice for testing the alcohol ink waters, as it were. And if that wasn't enough, now there's this:

The Close To My Heart Marker Rollup holds 25 Shinhan markers (or other similar pens), rolls up and snaps closed for travel. Sweet!! I tested it - you can fit two slimmer pens in each loop, too - I plan on using mine to pack various brands of pens for cropping on the go!

 

Water-based Markers: Years ago I invested in a set of water-based markers from Stampin' Up, and I still use them. They come in lots of colors, hold up well and last forever, it seems. BUT - my current favorite water-based markers are...

 

Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. They are unique, different, and take practice but are incredibly FUN to use. The end of the pen is not a nib, but an actual brush, so you really feel like you are painting with the marker. You can blend with or without water, use a watercolor blender, even blend colors using a clear Wink of Stella glitter marker. Your pen stroke can be made thicker or thinner simply by increasing or decreasing the pressure you put on the brush. It is very easy to get beautiful blends, and because the pen is really a brush, you can transfer ink from the tip of one brush to another, blend on your project and then simply scribble to clean it off without contaminating the pen. Brilliant!

 

Specialty Markers: We all have certain specialty pens we love, whether it's the fine line zentangle liner, the glitter pen or the ever-elusive white ink pen of the moment. Here are mine:

 

Zig Wink of Stella brush pens. Glitter was never so easy! These pens are water-based brushes that contain ultra-fine glitter in suspension. They give a beautiful shimmer without flaking off, don't clog and come in several colors. The clear WOS pen is the most versatile, allowing you to add a touch of sparkle to almost anything. Be careful to store them upright with the brush end facing UP, because they can leak if stored sideways or brush down. And when your WOS brush begins to go dry, add a bit of water and shake to get the last of the glitter!

 

Sakura Glaze Pens. I love these, my favorite being the white glaze. This ball-point pen goes on clear but dries to an opaque white with a slight sheen, as the name "glaze" implies. The other colors of glaze pens dry to a shine that is more pronounced. Lovely on areas where you want some shine but not gloss. They are very wet when applied so you have to let them dry completely but once dry they are lovely!

 

What do you like to color with? Let me know!

 

...And if you'd like to try the Shinhan Touch Twin markers from Close To My Heart, contact me and mention this blog post for 25% off your first pen!

 

Happy coloring!!

 

Before You Know It, It'll Be Labor Day...

...and that means papercrafters nationwide are shrieking, "OMG!!! I haven't started my Christmas cards!!!!"

The best time to start making handmade holiday cards is, of course, six months sooner than you actually start. But, we late-to-the-party crafters can comfort ourselves that at least we have company. LOTS of company.

So, in the quest to provide a bit of relief, I'm offering some quick-to-finish card ideas for wishing a Merry Christmas to your family and friends! Just add adhesive and BAM! you're jingling all the way!

First up: Reindeer Roundup!

I used cutting files from Silhouette America and files I created from free clip art to create these quick cards. Kraft and white card bases are covered with diecut panels and deer silhouettes. Some Shimmer Trim from Close To My Heart, a little bling and a simple stamped banner completes them.  My favorites are the ones with the birch trees, but I love them all!

A Monumental Birthday Wish!!

Today I made a very fun, satisfying project: A big ol' birthday card for someone I've never met.

Yup. Total stranger. Sort of.

Why? There's a story there. Isn't there always a story?

But, the story comes later. For now, check out MEGA CARD:

This card had to be BIG, so I started with Club Scrap 12x12" cardstock from their Equestrian collection. I hinged two pieces of plain cardstock to make the card base 11 3/4" wide x 12" tall.

The card front is made in layers separated by foam tape. The first layer is that rust colored paper at the top, which is actually a beautiful copper foil. Shiny, reflective but not too bling-y.

If you look very closely at the tan paneled paper you can see the shadows of a pair of running horses on the left. I wanted to echo that silhouette with my diecuts.  I fired up my trusty Silhouette Cameo and with a quick drive-by the internet for some free clip art, I created cut files for the running horses.

Layer two is the tan paneled border paper. I cut the tooled faux leather border along the top curve and reserved it to use later; then adhered the remaining paper to the card with foam tape.

For layer three I pop dotted a single running horse cut from the last scrap of a beautiful coffee brown shimmer paper from Wausau. The border from top of the main sheet was flipped and applied with foam tape over the identical border at the bottom.

I added a birthday sentiment stamp with rope border from CTMH (D1525, Casual Expressions Sally's Close To My Heart Site ), more copper foil and a silver concho with twill. Ta-daaaa!!! BIG CARD!

What? You want to hear the story? OK...

Anyone who spends a bit of time with me knows I'm crazy - CRAZY - for just about any movie with men on horseback. Cowboys, knights, the occasional fantasy character - put that guy on a horse and I'll watch!!

I trace this fixation back to my teen years when my father ruled the TV and as far as he was concerned, TV meant WESTERNS. Gunsmoke. Bonanza. The Rifleman. The Virginian. The Big Valley. Death Valley Days. Wagon Train. All of those were about as exciting as watching paint dry, as far as I was concerned, so I spent my time upstairs attempting to watch sci-fi on our old black & white set - the one with no aerial and tinfoil on the rabbit ears, that got maybe three channels IF you liked watching through a grainy snowstorm.

On the frequent evenings when the signal was just not cooperating, I retired to my room to read a book or thumb through the latest copy of Tiger Beat or 16 magazine. On one memorable evening in 1967, however, the reception was crummy, all my books were boring and there was nothing to do. Dad, however, had something to do: tune in to his new favorite western, the one with that "pretty Mexican girl", The High Chaparral. Oh, great. Another horse opera.

I sat down, preparing to be bored as usual.

I was not bored.

Thanks to intelligent writing, authentic looking sets and great acting, I was not bored. I also attribute my lack of boredom and continued devotion to men on horseback to this man - Henry Darrow:

Oh. My.

By 1968, women all over America were watching this western, and NOT for the horses. Besides being not too bad to look at, Henry Darrow is a great actor. He created a complex, fully realized character and had wonderful chemistry with the show's other actors, including my Dad's "pretty Mexican girl", Linda Cristal. More importantly, he, with his fellow cast members, accomplished the seemingly impossible: my dad and I finally had a TV show we could agree on! We never missed an episode.

That was a long time ago. The High Chaparral was canceled in 1971. Henry Darrow went on to act in countless TV shows, daytime TV, stage and movies. He won several awards, including an Emmy and an ALMA. Currently he lives in North Carolina with his wife, Lauren Levian. On September 15, he will celebrate his 82nd birthday.

Hence the BIG CARD. I have never written a "fan letter" to anyone, but I have enjoyed watching Henry Darrow's performances for so many years, and I want to thank him for sharing his talent with his audience. I also owe him a debt of gratitude because thanks to Henry, I pay attention to those other men on horseback. You know the ones - Sam Elliott, Tom Selleck, Ed Harris - but there will never be another Henry Darrow!

So, in the spirit of "thank people for the little things", I'm writing a letter to enclose in the big ol' birthday card. According to his friend Jan Pippins, he reads everything he gets, so I hope he reads it and understands how fondly and affectionately he is regarded by one he has never met.

Feliz Cumpleanos, Henry!!

The Art of Gratitude

(Card made with September 2015 CTMH Stamp of the Month,courtesy of Close To My Heart)

Of all the cards we make, the Thank-You card is, or should be, the most heartfelt. How many times a day do we say, "thanks!" or "thank you!" or "I appreciate that!" for small kindnesses - but we reserve a thank-you card for birthdays and holidays, using them only to acknowledge a physical or monetary gift.

Lately I've started following the very wise policy of my friend Linda, who is a world-champion thanker. Her mother had a strict policy - you can't use the gift until the thank-you card is sent - and she follows it to this day. Linda promptly thanks friends and family for even the smallest of gifts, favors or kindnesses, and without fail the recipient of the card always feels appreciated and special.

So, here's a challenge: this month, make some extra thank you cards. USE them. Thank the people in your life who make you happy, who go the extra mile, who simply make your life better by being in it. Ask yourself: "What ordinary things am I grateful for?" and then, write a little thank you note to the people who make those things possible.

Did your child have a good first day at school? Thank the teacher.
Did your husband wash the car? Take the trash out? Walk the dog? Thank him.
Did a friend listen when you complained about the snoring of the aforementioned spouse? Thank her!
Do you regularly shop at a favorite farm stand, bakery, or boutique? Thank the owner for the products they produce that enrich your life.
Does your neighbor have a beautiful garden? Slip a thank you into her mailbox.
Is there one cashier at your supermarket who works a little faster, smiles a little more, does a better job? Thank her.
Did your doctor take a little extra time with you? Thank him.
Thank your restaurant server, your mailman, your sister, your brother, your mother, your father, your spouse, your children.

You'll make them even happier than they made you, I guarantee.

Found It!!!

I confess: I haven't visited my own blog in so long I forgot the password. And the log-in. Several minutes of shuffling through my magical cheat book revealed some clues, and voila! Here I am!

And... I look like this:

 

I love the pink! Much more ME. Freshly colored, it's PINK!! Back in the spring when I had it done, it got a lot of comments. Now, people just smile. Including me. And THAT is a very good thing. I always hated my boring brown hair but never wanted to go to the effort of having it colored. Now that I have to color it anyway (grey is fine for some, but it just makes me look tired!), I figured I might as well pick a color I like!

 

I do admit to a moment of crabbiness when the suggestion was made (in a somewhat patronizing manner by one 20 years my junior!) that perhaps I was attempting to recapture my lost youth. Excuse me???? Ummm... no. I was going for FUN. Amazingly, we are allowed to have fun even after 40... or 50.. or... never mind...