Swap Warning!

Swaps are arriving at my house daily.

But today there was a bit of a disappointment in my mailbox.

WARNING: These photos are graphic and viewer discretion should be used....

These technique swaps are not ruined - thankfully - but will need to spend some time under the encyclopedias!

Always mark your swaps with DO NOT BEND on both sides!

Please take care when sending handcrafted materials through the mail - I'm sure my mailman thought this was a magazine or some papers that could be bent without harm.

4x4 Technique Swap Sneak Peek

This is another sneak peek from the 4x4 Technique Swap that I'm hosting.

This is the bleach technique done by Myra Webb!

Stationary Box

I should be on the Stationary Bike and not making this Stationary Box!

But here it is - the prototype anyway - this is based on a box shown on Ilina Crouse's blog.

Here is the side view -

I need to rejig my measurements and make both of these pieces the same size.

Here's a view with the top up!


Here's a view with the top up and the bottom drawer open!

Another top up drawer open view!

Added a NEW Label

I really need to organize my blog better!

Today I added a NEW label called Product Review. It's really my PERSONAL review of products that I use.

In some cases it may not be a complete review but a review of a use of that product - for example this post for using the Stampin' Up! Colour Spritzer Tool with your Copics.

I don't review Colour Spritzer Tool completely just show you how I use it with my Copics.

Over the next little while I'm going to go over my blog posts and better organize them for you.

Thanks for visiting!

Personal Product Review: Table Top Cutter

Today I would like to tell you (again) about the Stampin' Up! Table Top Cutter.

I know there have been tons of reviews on this product but now that it's avaialbe to order through Stampin' Up! again I thought I would share with you what I think of it.

I have both versions of this cutter (the orange/grey Tonic version & the black/grey Stampin' Up! version) and I really LOVE them!

It is my GO-TO cutter whenever I'm working on anything - even the kids school work!

I can say this after having done lots of hands on research for paper trimmers/cutters in the past - I think I first reviewed this one in 2007 and it's still my favourite! See this POST.

Here are some details:

The rulers are in CM and Inches.

The first measurement across the top of the base is 3/4" and the last measurement is 6". It's not marked with a 6 but you can easily tell that it is 6".

They both have rulers again at 5 1/2" and at the very bottom going across the base. The base is done in 1/2 squares (grid) and the grid goes to 5 1/2" and all the way down to 12" (these are not marked with numbers only debossed/imprinted grid lines on the base).

For this reason I prefer the Stampin' Up! model over the Tonic orange and grey - the ruler at the top of the Stampin' Up! is silver with black print/lines and easy to read. The Tonic ruler is done in orange with the lines/print as debossing/imprinting to the grey.

This cutter fits in my bag easily - but I have the "Junior" Crop in Style bag!

Saying that I want you to know that it's not flat like the usual track timmers but is approximately 2inches high and measures 7 x 16 inches.

Most of the time I use mine WITHOUT the end handle piece or the attachable measurement arm - I'm just lazy!

One complaint I have is that the handle gets "loose" after time. This happened quite quickly with my orange Tonic version and so I bought the Stampin' Up! one. Again this happened quickly. The solution is to attach an Allen Key to the bottom of your trimmer with masking tape and use it to tighten when necessary.

The other complaint is that you have to get used to pressing down on the finger guard before you cut! But once you use this cutter a while this will become automatic.

You CAN:

- cut paper into really thin strips

- cut through multiple pieces of paper at once (I do 3 at a time)

- the cuts are sharp and clean regardless of paper used (I'm referring to the fraying problem cutting Whisper White with the track trimmers)

- the blade is self-sharpening!

- cut through light chipboard & plastic sheets

You CANNOT:

- score with it

- make cut-outs - like frames or windows.

I hope this info helps anyone who is considering this cutter or has a customer that needs more info.

Judith's In Colour Swap

Here is the card I just finished for Judith Burns' Stampin' Up! In Colour Swap.

My colour was Bermuda Bay.

If you're in the swap this is the card you will be getting from me!


Stamps: Kind & Caring Thoughts Hostess Level 3
Cardstock: Bermuda Bay, Whisper White
Ink: Black, Bermuda Bay, White Craft, Versamark
Extras: Heat tool, Irredescent Ice embossing powder, Pearl from Pretties Kit, 1 1/4" Square, 3/16" Corner Rounder & Boho Blossoms punches

I'm hosting ANOTHER Swap!

It's a lot of work but I just love to swap and host swaps!

I'm a bit of a mail junkie and love getting stuff addressed to ME!

Right now I'm hosting a 4x4 Technique Sampler Swap with other Stampin' Up! Demonstrators.

There is a variety of techniques being swap and in the end we'll all end up with 27 different 4x4 Technique samples!

Why 4x4 and 27?

I chose this size because it's easy to work with - put your samples in a photo album or on a ring - and if you start with a 12x12 piece of paper you will get 9 4x4 pieces.

I chose the final number becuase it only uses 3 sheets for your bases and isn't too overwhelming!
Here's a little sneak peek of one I just received from Heather Neidig:

Heather's done the faux silk technique - isn't it gorgeous!

Odd exchange...

A couple of weeks ago I got together with a fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrator and LRI Design Clique buddy - Tara McFarlane.

It was a quick get together in her home town ice arena about 1 hour away from my home.

We were out there for my son's Box Lacrosse AWAY game and ended up leaving in a rush right after the game because he was experiencing abdominal pain which turned out to be appendicitis which turned into a laparoscopic appendectomy and 2 nights & days in the hospital but I digress....

In exchange for a box of K'nex and Pokemon cards from my boy to her boys - I'm spring/summer cleaning - Tara gave me this cute little backpack and some of these "pebbles".

I know it seems like an odd exchange but we are both very happy!

Can you believe that I don't have any of these little gems???? Can't wait to use them!

Taking a break....

I'm having to take a break from stamping...

I'll be back as soon as I get the kids (now off school) settled into some kind of routine.

Neenah Paper Found!!

If you're into COPIC markers then you'll be looking for the perfect paper to use them on - right?

Well the one recommended by COPIC Product Specialist Marianne Walker is Neenah paper.

Are you having trouble finding it?

I sure was until I started looking around and found it in my own backyard!

Here in the Lower Mainland of BC we have a Coast Paper Division with it's own Cash & Carry.

And guess what???

Yessiree - they carry the Neenah paper!!!

Quick Big Shot Tip

Not much stamping going on at my house since the kids finished school on June 11th!!

But I do have a fun tip to share with you...

Do you take your Big Shot places with you? You know to crops and classes?

I do - I take mine with me when I teach my Big Shot class and when I go anyplace that I think I might need it.

But with so many Big Shots and people passing stuff around how do you know if you're taking the right one home?

Check it out!

I used the Making Memories Mini Shimmer Alpha to label it!

Ok maybe that's a bit anal but you're talking about the girl that also identifies all her scissors too!

I mean everybody has got black scissors these days and I like to know which ones are mine!

I found a bead I liked and added a lanyard to it - voila - my own charmed scissors!

Layin' Rubber Ink Design Clique #29

ETA: Just posted Tara's so I'm bumping this post up so everyone can see it!

This week we are working with this ballerina image from Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers.

Here is Tara's:

Here's mine:

This is a 5x5 card and I used the Nestabilities Large Circle to cut out the image.

Here's some close-ups: I use my hobby blade and cut into the image so that I could pull some Tulle through!
Isn't this how ballerinas look when they are sitting down?

COPICS USED: E00, E01, E02 (skin), RV11 (leotard, shoes), T0 (shadow), T3 (hair), R01 (tutu)