For The Record 2–Layout Class

I know, we just had class last night, but in order to get things back on track again, we’re having another next week. Are you up for it?

We really loved the bright, fun colors of this collection.  Just one last bit of sass before we head into the colder months.

This collection is from Echo Park. It has vivid blues, greens and yellows with a shock of black to really make them all pop. This collection “feels” fun, so if you have some fun photos that need to be combined with some fun paper, I think this is it.

Here are the 6 layouts we will be working on Tuesday night.


Whataya think, wanna join us? It’ll be fun!

Here are the details:

For The Record 2 Layout Class
Date: Tuesday, Oct. 2nd
Time: 6-9 PM
Cost: $19.00
Bring: The usual – paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive and pop dots.

Call 721-PLAY (7529) or email scrapandplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.

Saturday Class & economical storage ideas

Hello everyone! I really hope you are all enjoying the cooler weather. I know I am LOVING it! I can't wait to go for a drive through Spearfish Canyon and see all the beautiful fall colors.

I also can't wait for this next class! Tami Beaton is back to show us how to stretch our stamps with a fun set of stamps and die cuts from Hero Arts. Tami always has such great ideas and tips to share. You will love what she has to show you during this class!

Here's a quick look at the cards we will be making:

Stretch Your Stamps Class

Date: Saturday, Sept. 29th

Times: 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM

Cost: $12.50

Bring: paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive and pop dots

Call 721-7529 or email scrapandplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot. 

Ink blending tools

Some of you have seen what I have been using with my ink blending foam when I "smoosh" my Distress Inks. It's a little crude, but they are lightweight and easy to handle, and inexpensive enough that I can have one for each color of Distress Ink I own.

Here, take a look:

This material is a very dense foam with an adhesive backing to it. It comes in a 8"x10" sheet, like this.

I am able to get 30 1 1/4" x 1 3/4" blocks from one sheet. You will still need to purchase some Velcro Hook that is at least 1" wide, and you will need about 4 feet of it to do all 30 blocks. I found mine at Walmart in the sewing section. So far all of the Velcro I've found has an adhesive backing on it, but I don't think it is necessary because the foam has a very sturdy adhesive on it already. You will also need enough blending foams for the blocks. 

Here's how I do it:

My metal ruler just happens to be 1 1/4" wide, so I hold that down and use a box cutter to cut the foam along the edge of the ruler. I make two passes down the 10" length of the foam. One goes about half way through and the other goes almost all the way through. (I cut with the adhesive side down) You will still need to cut through the adhesive backing. If you don't have a ruler that is 1 1/4" wide, then measure and mark with a pen or pencil and use a straight edge to cut with the box cutter.

Once I have made the two passes and am to the adhesive backing, I stand it up and bend the foam back and cut down the crease that it creates.

Now I have this strip and I use a ruler to measure off 1 3/4" sections.

Cut them apart with the box cutter and a straight edge.

 You should have 5 little blocks from one strip, and then a little bit of extra. You can save that extra for a smaller piece of foam, permanently mount an unmounted stamp you use all the time, or cut a piece of Fun Foam to the same size and make your own shadow stamp!

Then you need the HOOK side of the Velcro. It's the plastic side, not the fuzzy side. Cut that into 1 3/4" strips.

You will need to remove the backing sheet to reveal the adhesive.

Center your Hook onto your foam block.

Then slap your blending foam on and you are set!

These are very sturdy, and hold the foam like nobody's business. I keep one foam blender for each color of Distress Ink I own. I use it till it falls apart and then I toss it. Yes, you can switch the foam every time you need to change colors, but it's not long before that fuzzy backing on the foam is worn out and warped and I found I had to throw my blending foam out before I had used it up. I use my Distress Inks a lot, so I also got a little annoyed every time I had to change the foam out. This just worked out very well for me.

So, on to the economical part. If you were to buy 30 Ink blending tools that come with 2 blending foams, they are $4.99 each. Thirty of them would total $149.70

This crazy dense foam I have costs $14.95 a sheet and makes 30 blocks. The box of Velcro was $8.88 and 3 packs of blending foams (10 each) are $14.97 (but to be fair, you will have 60 blending foams if you buy 30 tools...so we will make that $29.94.....for a grand total of $53.77.  That is a savings of  $95.93!  

(I was going to give you the totals and tell you to do the math, but I couldn't help myself!)

If you still don't have a clue what I'm talking about, stop by and I'll show you and you can decide if it's something that will work for you.

For those of you that are big Distress Ink fans like me....here are a few links to Ranger's free printable color charts. They are wonderful to have on hand when you are trying to match colors!
Distress Ink Color Chart

Distress Seasonal Color Chart

Distress Marker Color Chart

Distress Stain Color Chart  (this one is for 11x17 paper)

There are a whole lot more charts HERE if you want to check them out.

Clear Stamp Storage

This is in no way my own idea, I got it from Jennifer McGuire...she has a video on YouTube HERE. But I love the way it works. Easy to see, easy to find an easy to store. I was able to find the cd/dvd binder sheets at a really good price and wanted to pass the deal and the idea on to you. 

Limited quantity available. Once these are gone, they are gone.

These fit the Skipping Stones stamp sets just perfectly, along with some of the sets from Hero Arts, Heartfelt Creations, and My Mind's Eye.  The pockets are 5"x7". 

Someone suggested this would be a great way to store embossing folders, too!!

Ok folks, that's all I have for now. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and maybe get a chance to get out and see some of the beautiful fall colors we have out there!

Update and Layout Class Information

I know. I just blasted you with a long post this morning and here comes another. (not long, just another...very unusual for me wouldn't you say?)

I apologize for the inconvenience this will cause some of you, I really do!  We have had a death in the family and I thought things were set, and this morning, right after I posted about the store being closed later this week, things changed.

So.....

Altered Art & Scrap Playground WILL BE OPEN Friday and Saturday this week.

September 14th & 15th

However the store will BE CLOSED

Tuesday, September 18th

and will be opening at noon on Wednesday, September 19th.

 Since the store will  be closed on Tuesday, the same day as the layout class, that has been rescheduled.

And...I have photos of the fun layouts for you!!

So check these out, and the new details will follow.

How fun are these? The colors are so fun and feel really "fall-y" to me, even though they are meant to be beachy. LOVE them!

Tuesday Layout Class

Kaisercrafts Rock Pool Collection

Date: September 25th 

Time: 6-9 pm

Cost: $16.00 (that's an awesome price for 6 layouts!!)

Bring your paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive and pop dots.

Call 721-7529 or email scrapandplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot.

Sorry for all the confusion and hope you were able to follow my crazy train today! Have a great one!

Lots of NEWS!

It's been a while since I've posted, so I have lots to tell you about. I hope you make it to the end of this so  you don't miss out on anything!

Altered Art & Scrap Playground 

will be closed

Friday & Saturday, Sept. 14th & 15th

(normal business hours resume Tuesday, the 18th)

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.

There will be a layout class on Tuesday, Sept. 18th. I don't have the photos up yet, but they are coming soon.  Here are the details and a little peek at the colors that are involved in this class. I love them!

Tuesday's Layout Class

Date: September 18th

Time: 6-9 PM

Cost: $16.00

Bring: paper trimmer, scissors, adhesive and pop dots.

Call 721-7529 or email scrapandplay@rushmore.com to reserve your spot for class!

(and I will get photos up later today!)

LOTS OF NEW STUFF IN THE STORE!!!

Stamping Gear! They're here! 

These were released at the winter CHA in January, but they didn't ship until late August. They are here now! This looks like so much fun. Probably mostly because it reminds me of the old Spirograph that some of us remember playing with as kids. I haven't had a lot of time to play with this yet, but think it will be great for adding that little something you need for a "bald spot" on your scrapbook pages. This set seems a little big for cards, but I have been thinking about doing an 8x8 square with a pattern, then cutting it into 4x4 pieces, giving them a little extra ink and making them into a  4 1/4 x 4 1/4  card set.

A larger wheel/cog arrived yesterday, and you can stamp on the outside of it for an even larger image or the inside of the wheel, which might make a smaller pattern, more suitable for cards.

Stop in and take a look...I have a set in the playroom that you can play with.

Here is another new item from Winter CHA that has finally shipped. The Genius Platform from Lifestyle Crafts. The kit comes with a brand new MAGNETIC platform. It also includes two mats, one for cutting and one for embossing. The cutting mat is new and improved, longer-lasting with less curling. (no more cracking so loud, you think someone has been shot!) As a bonus, the kit includes a one-of-a-kind nesting die  set!

Lots of embellishments!

Some really fun embellishments from Prima arrived this week! There are all sorts of resin embellishments for your scrapbook pages, cards and any altered art you might be doing. You can ink them, spritz them, paint them, sand them, or just leave them as they are!  I just love things that can be colored to match whatever you are working on. So versatile.

There are also some fun "light bulb" embellishments...big and chunky, but oh so much fun!  You gotta come check it out. (mostly because some of my photos are really terrible)

Also from Prima....

Some fabulous resist canvas book covers! Get out whatever you like to color with and give these some color. I love the magic of resist. These would make beautiful one of a kind covers for journaling or photos.

Card Creator Dies are in! These are new from Spellbinders, and they are designed to fit and layer perfectly on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/5" card (A2). I have been seeing a lot of cards on Pinterest lately that are white on white, each layer has a different texture (embossing folders) or a different shape (die cuts). I think these dies would be great for that. Layer some more dry embossed pieces on top...beautiful....and EASY"!

I have been seeing beautiful, delicate die cut butterflies all over Pinterest, too.  How fun are these?

Oh, and if you aren't following the store on Pinterest, you should be! Click HERE

Metallic Distress Stains.

Okay, this is mean, I know it, and I'm sorry.

These were in last week, I posted about them on facebook and they are now gone. BUT...more are on the way! 

I love anything Tim Holtz. I also love anything metallic. So these were a no-brainer for me.

There are 3 colors, antique bronze, brushed pewter, and tarnished brass. And they are fuuuUUN!

I shared a couple of videos that I had found on the store facebook page , you should check it out. You don't have to join facebook to look at a public page, so don't get scared if you aren't into facebook. But you are missing out if you haven't liked the page yet.

 I had to play a bit with these...they are a product after my own  heart. I LOVE that you can mix them with other distress stains! and I LOVE that they work with water the same as all the other Distress products do!

Here are a couple tags I did using Broken China, Peeled Paint and Antique Bronze Distress Stains.

After smooshing ink all over, and spritzing with water until the ink pooled up a bit, I put a piece of scrunched up plastic wrap (saran wrap) over the top, scrunched it some more and then let it dry. 

This one was done by scribbling the same colors of Distress Stain on a Non-stick Craft Mat. (I added a little brushed pewter to it, too.) Spritz the ink with water and then dip and drag the tag through the puddle. Dry between each dip and drag with a heat gun. The layers are so beautiful. Really, I'm in love. 

I decided to do a little stamping on that last tag. I added flourishes with Rusty Hinge Distress ink (pad) and then, since these inks react with water, I decided to stamp a brick wall image with water (spray stamp with water and stamp as usual) The water lifts a bit of the color, leaving you with this wonderful, ever so subtle image. Can you see it? I stamped it on the top left and bottom right.

Then I decided it needed a butterfly....this one?

or this one?

Or maybe both?? I haven't decided yet...but I'm totally in love with the inks, and the butterflies! (which are also new in the store)

Okay...last but certainly not least...

AGED EMBOSSING ENAMEL

I have said it before, and I'll say it forever....I have the most wonderful customers! I love you guys. 

One of the reasons is that you come in and tell me about or order products I've never heard of before.

Aged Embossing Enamels is one of those products...and I'm so glad you told me about them! 

I fell in love with embossing powder years ago. It was magic and who can resist watching that powder turn into this sleek, shiny image? I couldn't. But, over the years, clear and black were the only colors I used anymore. Until this stuff came along.

So, it's got all this crazy texture, and colors all mixed in one jar. Teeny tiny bits, big metallic chunks, regular chunks, each a different color. It's amazing...you can layer it (embossing ink, powder, heat and repeat) and you get a different look each time you add a layer. 

And in my humble opinion...Dusty Attic chipboard is it's best friend! I LOOOOOVE (<- I just sang that word to you) the combination!!!

Check it out! (those of you that have been in the store in the last few weeks have most likely seen this up close and personal because I'm in love with it!)

These photos are terrible and you really can't see the color here...it's a butterfly chippie from Dusty Attic, covered in Aqua embossing enamel.

Here's a close up...sorta...

Here is one I did yesterday after getting more colors of the Aged Embossing Enamel in. It is also a Dusty Attic Chipboard. I used a Versamark pen to add the embossing powder colors right where I wanted them. A little time consuming, but I needed the distraction yesterday and it felt wonderful to create!

You don't have to use Dusty Attic chipboard, you can use any chipboard at all. I grabbed this swirl and embossed it, and I found a chipboard button in the playroom and I embossed that, too. It just looks incredible. I have stamped and embossed with it, too. and even that looks cool.  Or use die cuts and cover them completely with embossing ink and then the aged embossing enamels....make your own fun embellishments!!

Alright, I think that's it for now. I will get photos for the layout class up later today. 

Have a great rest of the week, remember to play a little every day, and to let those near and dear to you know that they are!!!