Shy Birds

More Smooched birds here - it's a phase!

ColorBox Boysenberry Limited Edition Classic Pigment Ink - stamped and embossed on Bazzill's Sour Apple Cardstock - acquires a linen-y texture with Reverse Bird Branches from Memory Box.  All you need to do to is Smooch the birds and leaves with Frosted Aqua and Lettuce, and a combination of Shabby Pink and Sweet Melon for the little berries.  

The greeting, from Many Thanks Design Adhesives, is simply glittered with Ocean Spray.  The two foam squares are topped with Silver Fog Designer Foils.  

How easy is that?

  

Here are the directions for this quick card:

Clearsnap Products

• ColorBox Boysenberry Limited Edition Classic Pigment Inkpad
• Smooch Shabby Pink Pearlized  Accent Ink
• Smooch Sweet Melon Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Lettuce Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Frosted Aqua Pearlized Accent Ink
• Many Thanks Design Adhesives
• Ocean Spray Glitter
• Silver Fog Designer Foils

Stamp

• Memory Box Reverse Bird Branch

Other Supplies

• Bazzill Sour Apple, Tangy Taffy and Lagoon Cardstock
• Detail Clear Embossing Powder
• Soft Round Paintbrush
• Rotary Cutter or Decorative Scissors with a Scalloped Blade
• Scrapbook Adhesives 1/4" Black Foam Squares

Directions

• Stamp Reverse Bird Branch on Sour Apple Cardstock with Boysenberry and emboss it
• Smooch the birds with Frosted Aqua
• Smooch the leaves with Lettuce
• Smooch the berries with Shabby Pink and  Sweet Melon
• Trim the cardstock to 2-5/8" square and ink the edges with Boysenberry
• Cut out and burnish "thanks so much" onto Tangy Taffy Cardstock
• Brush Ocean Spray Glitter onto the adhesive words
• Scallop the edges, then trim the Tangy Taffy Cardstock to approximately 2-3/8" x 1-1/4"
• Cut a 2-5/8" square of Tangy Taffy
• Cut a 1-1/2" x 3-1/2' strip of Lagoon Cardstock
• Cut and fold a 4-1/4"x 5-1/2" card of Sour Apple Cardstock
• Attach the pieces to the card
• Attach two foam squares to the card and press Silver Fog Designer Foils onto the adhesive

Enjoy the new Limited Edition Inks  and Smooches!

There's Still Time to Register

Online classes at My Creative Classroom are open for enrollment now!!

Clearsnap is now a partner company with My Creative Classroom, and online learning centers for all types of crafts. This is a great way to take a class in your pajamas or at whatever time is best for you.And you get in-depth tutorials from the instructors with lots of details and discussions about the techniques covered in class.

The first class that features Clearsnap products is presented by Jennifer Priest, The Painted Page:

The Painted Page is a new class for this Spring all about using wet media. You don't have to be a trained artist to use paint and ink to have fun on your scrapbook pages. We'll get a little messy and also talk about ways to achieve "painted" looks that are still acid-free and safe for your scrapbooks. This class features products from industry leader Clearsnap including Smooch, Smooch Spritz, Pigment Ink, Fluid Chalk Ink, and other Clearsnap wet media in addition to paint.

The Painted Page

Starts February 15, 2011*
*there's still time to register an start on this fabulous class!

4 Week Course

Class Fee: $25

Register HERE

Stay tuned as we announce other classes starting this Spring in our partnership with My Creative Classroom!

See you in class!

Two-Tone Watercolor Effects with Smooch Spritz

Masks, Stencils...one's the negative of the other. Masks block out an area with am image. Stencils allow you to color in an area with an image.  A mask is really like the guts (the part they throw out) of a stencil.

Here's one way to use a mask to get a two-tone watercolor effect. This is a great technique for backgrounds or "empty spaces", like the inside covers of a mini book:

You'll need the following:

• Smooch Spritz or spray ink in two complimentary colors
• Spray bottle with water
• American Craft Slick Writer or other permanent ink pen
• Masks (these are from Prima)
• Something to make your image on
• Paper towels

Lay the masks onto the project or layout as you desire. 

 

Starting with one color of spray ink, spray over the area the masks are on. 

Before that dries, spray the other color of ink on the areas that don't yet have ink. 

 

Now spray it all with a spray bottle. 

The water in the spray bottle makes the inks dissipate and meld together. 

 

This is a fabulous watercolor-like effect!!!

Remove the masks and blot off the excess ink with a couple layers of papers towels. You'll need a couple layers because of  all the water that needs to be soaked up.

Allow this to dry for about an hour before using it in a book or on a layout. This is because of the water that has soaked into the paper during this process. It will interfere with your adhesive's ability to "stick".  If you were doing this with just Smooch Spritz and no water, you'd have to wait maybe 5-10 mins for this to dry. I don't recommend a heat gun for this because that makes the fibers in the paper shrink rapidly and you'll get alot of bubbling and warping of the paper.

And that's it! Easy peasy two-tone watercolor effects with masks. 

Live Your Dream

Six ColorBox Classic Limited Edition inks have arrived - Ocean, Curry, Boysenberry, Ice, Espresso and Grass.  They're beautiful - in a classy-chic way - and perfect for all of your stamping projects.  Espresso and Grass are featured here.

Six Smooch Accent Inks are new too - Banana Custard, Sweet Melon, Shabby Pink, Mocha, Lettuce, Frosted Aqua, Cape Cod and Plum Berry. They complement the Limited Edition colors - and add a rich, pearlized luster to your designs.  Bird Collage, from Hampton Art, is great for Smooching.

I love to emboss the ColorBox Classic inks with clear powder, then Smooch the embossed design.  It's an easy technique - and the embossed image creates just enough of an edge to help keep me inside the lines.  If (or, in my case, when) you happen to paint outside the lines, a damp cotton swab quickly repairs it.

   

Here are the directions for this project:

Clearsnap Products

• ColorBox Espresso Limited Edition Classic Pigment Ink   
• ColorBox Grass Limited Edition Classic Pigment Ink
• Smooch Sweet Melon Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Shabby Pink Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Lettuce Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Frosted Aqua Pearlized Accent Ink
• Smooch Banana Custard Pearlized Accent Ink
• Lucky Penny Designer Foils

Stamps

• Hampton Art Bird Collage
• Hampton Art Dream

Other Supplies

• Bazzill Apricot, Parakeet and Lagoon Cardstock
• Memory Box Parchment Cardstock
• Detail Clear Embossing Powder
• 1/8" Foam Dots 
• Carl Corner Rounder
• Cotton Swabs and Water

Directions

• Stamp Bird Collage on Parchment Cardstock with Espresso and emboss  it
• Smooch the bird with Frosted Aqua and Lettuce - and Sweet Melon for the beak
• Smooch the flowers with a combination of Sweet Melon and Shabby Pink
• Smooch the right  border with Shabby Pink
• Smooch the leaves and stems with Lettuce
• Smooch the semi-circles with Banana Custard
• Keep a damp cotton swab handy for clean-up if you happen to Smooch outside the lines
• Trim the cardstock to 2-7/8" x 3-1/2" and round the corners with the punch
• Ink the edges with Espresso
• Stamp Dream on Parakeet Cardstock with Grass, emboss it, and trim it into a strip
• Cut a 2" x 4-1/2" strip of Lagoon Cardstock
• Cut and fold a 5-1/2" square card of Apricot Cardstock
• Attach the pieces to the card, using foam dots for the greeting
• Attach three foam dots to the Lagoon strip and press Lucky Penny Designer Foils onto the adhesive

Hope you like the easy techniques and colors featured here!

Starting today!!

Online classes at My Creative Classroom are open for enrollment now!!

Clearsnap is now a partner company with My Creative Classroom, and online learning centers for all types of crafts. This is a great way to take a class in your pajamas or at whatever time is best for you.And you get in-depth tutorials from the instructors with lots of details and discussions about the techniques covered in class.

The first class that features Clearsnap products is presented by Jennifer Priest, The Painted Page:

The Painted Page is a new class for this Spring all about using wet media. You don't have to be a trained artist to use paint and ink to have fun on your scrapbook pages. We'll get a little messy and also talk about ways to achieve "painted" looks that are still acid-free and safe for your scrapbooks. This class features products from industry leader Clearsnap including Smooch, Smooch Spritz, Pigment Ink, Fluid Chalk Ink, and other Clearsnap wet media in addition to paint.

The Painted Page

Starts February 15, 2011

4 Week Course

Class Fee: $25

Register HERE

Stay tuned as we announce other classes starting this Spring in our partnership with My Creative Classroom!

See you in class!

Layers of Love Tag...

Happy Valentine's Day!

In honor of this special day dedicated to love and romance, today's project is vintage-inspired and consists of layers and layers of love...

The tag started out as a plain jane manilla tag. The first "layer" the tag received was a light spritz of Smooch Spritz to provide a sparkle-y background.

Next, a scroll background stamp, inked in a subtle shade, was stamped over the tag to add another layer...

A negative stamp was used to add blocks of the "love" design in places, and sentiments were stamped in a bright red for contrast...

A pair of hearts were added to lend another little touch of romance...

And to add a little "shabby" to the tag; plain, white seam binding was spritzed with several shades of Smooch Spritz, then crumpled up until it dried...

You could add a sweet love note to the back of the tag and hang it from your hunny's car mirror, or tuck it inside a book he's been wanting, or just attach it to that special gift. The tag would also be pretty added to an altered project or a scrapbook page.

If you would like to make this tag, here are all the supplies and directions you'll need...

"layers of love” altered gift tag

Skill Level: moderate

SUPPLIES:

Clearsnap: Smooch Spritz: Caramel Latte, Pink Sprinkles, Citrus Tickle, River Mossy and Pralines and Cream, Color Catcher and ColorBox Pigment Ink: Velvet, Raw Silk, Chianti, Cocoa, Lemon Grass, Surf and Old Rose

My Sentiments Exactly: Be Mine Sentiments

Hampton Art: Reverse Valentine Text

Hero Arts: Floral Brocade Cling Stamp

Bazzill Basics: Coconut Swirl cardstock

Other: manilla tag and white seam binding

Tools: scissors, adhesive, white paper towel and foam dimensional dots

DIRECTIONS:

1) place tag in Color Catcher and spritz with Pralines and Cream and Caramel Latte Smooch Spritz then set aside to dry.

2) spritz ribbon with Pralines and Cream and Citrus Tickle Smooch Spritz, then add a few touches of Pink Sprinkles and River Mossy Smooch Spritz. Crumple ribbon to blend inks, making sure that entire ribbon is saturated. leave crumpled until dry.

3) ink brocade stamp with Raw Silk Pigment Ink and stamp over tag and then set aside to dry.

4) ink reverse text stamp with Velvet Pigment Ink and stamp in several places on tag - stamping some off the edge; set aside to dry.

5) stamp sentiments using Chianti Pigment Ink along side or on top of stamped text motifs. stamp "happy valentine's day" along the bottom of the tag.

6) distress edges of tag by applying Cocoa Pigment Ink, with a few touches of Lemon Grass and Surf Pigment Ink around all sides. then while ink is still wet, rub gently using a paper towel to slightly blend inks.

7) ink love heart stamp using Chianti Pigment Ink and stamp on a scrap of white cardstock; cut out when dry.

8) ink square stamp with heart cut out using Old Rose Pigment Ink and stamp on a scrap of white cardstock, then stamp heart at center using Chianti Pigment Ink; cut out when dry.

9) ink the edges of both heart pieces using Cocoa Pigment Ink.

10) adhere square love stamp towards center of the card at an angle. then use dimensional foam dots to adhere stamped heart to the right of it.

11) tag tie ribbon in hole at top of tag.

Thanks for coming by to visit us today; have a wonderful St. Valentine's Day!

Join us Online!

Online classes at My Creative Classroom are open for enrollment now!!

Clearsnap is now a partner company with My Creative Classroom, and online learning centers for all types of crafts. This is a great way to take a class in your pajamas or at whatever time is best for you.And you get in-depth tutorials from the instructors with lots of details and discussions about the techniques covered in class.

The first class that features Clearsnap products is presented by Jennifer Priest, The Painted Page:

The Painted Page is a new class for this Spring all about using wet media. You don't have to be a trained artist to use paint and ink to have fun on your scrapbook pages. We'll get a little messy and also talk about ways to achieve "painted" looks that are still acid-free and safe for your scrapbooks. This class features products from industry leader Clearsnap including Smooch, Smooch Spritz, Pigment Ink, Fluid Chalk Ink, and other Clearsnap wet media in addition to paint.

The Painted Page

Starts February 15, 2011

4 Week Course

Class Fee: $25

Register HERE

Stay tuned as we announce other classes starting this Spring in our partnership with My Creative Classroom!

See you in class!

Last-Minute Valentine

 

Design Adhesives, Designer Foils and Glitter exist for the just-in-timers who keep thinking that Valentine's Day is "not till next week."  

A wood doorhanger, inked with sweet Orchid Crafter's Acid-Free Pigment Ink, is the perfect base for Candy Store and Be Mine Design Adhesives.  Use a Stylus and White Oval Tip to apply the ink to the doorhanger and let it dry - really, really dry - so the Design Adhesives adhere properly.  

Then, the fun part...simply burnish the patterns and apply Ruby Slippers and Cinnamon Spice Glitter, Lucky Penny and Cherry Pie Designer Foils.  Add a poufy red tulle bow - and you're done!

  

Wouldn't this be the perfect Monday morning surprise to greet your sweetie?

Here are the project directions:

Clearsnap Products

• ColorBox Crafter's Acid-Free Orchid Pigment Ink
• Stylus and White Oval Tip
• Candy Store Design Adhesives
• Be Mine Design Adhesives
• Ruby Slippers Glitter   
• Cinnamon Spice Glitter
• Lucky Penny Designer Foils
• Cherry Pie Designer Foils

Other Supplies

• Wood Doorhanger
• Sanding Block    
• Soft Round Paintbrush    
• Red Tulle

Directions

• Use the Stylus and White Oval tip to ink the front of the the doorhanger with Orchid
• Allow the ink the dry completely, until it no longer feels cool or damp
• Sand the edges of the dry doorhanger with the sanding block
• Cut out and burnish the candy patterns onto the doorhanger
• Brush Cinnamon Spice Glitter onto the lollipop sticks
• Brush Ruby Slippers Glitter onto the lollipops,  two "horizontal" wrapped candies, the small heart and two little candy sprinkles
• Press Lucky Penny Designer Foils onto the two "vertical" wrapped candies
• Burnish "BE MINE" onto the doorhanger and press Cherry Pie Designer Foils onto it
• Burnish "XOXOXO" and brush Ruby Slippers onto it
• Cut two hearts from the Be Mine sheet, burnish them at the bottom, and press Cherry Pie Designer Foils onto them
• Cut three more hearts from the Be Mine sheet, burnish them around the candies and brush Ruby Slipper Glitter onto them
• Tie a red tulle bow at the top

Hope you like this fun project.  It would be easy to switch colors and greetings to create a birthday or thank-you card using the same basic design.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Jean

Love is in the Bag...

It's almost Valentine's Day, are you ready?

Do you need any gift bags? To tuck gifts in for teachers, coworkers, friends? How about goodie bags for your kiddos to take to school?

Today's project started out as a plain white bag with white cardstock and trim, but a little touch of Smooch Spritz helped transform it into something shimmery and glimmery. Smooch Spritzes are a great way to add a touch of color quickly and easily and if you use the Color Catcher, it can be mess free too...



Hearts were stamped onto the pennant trim and accents were added using a red blingy pen...



More pen doodles were added along the bottom of the bag...



It won't take you too long to make this little gift bag, and if you need several, working assembly line style will get them done even faster!

Here's all the supplies and directions...

"a little love” altered gift bag

Skill Level: easy

SUPPLIES

Clearsnap: Smooch Spritz: Caramel Latte, Pralines and Cream, Mixed Berries and Pink Sprinkles, Color Catcher and ColorBox Pigment Ink: Ruby, Dune and Old Rose

My Sentiments Exactly: Valentine's Sentiments

Bazzill: Cocobut Swirl cardstock and Just the Edge - white

Sakura: Stardust Red Star and Metallic Copper Gelly Roll Pens

Other: small white gift bag

Tools: paper trimmer, scissors, 3 1/2 scalloped circle punch and adhesive

DIRECTIONS:

1) place bag in Color Catcher, cover handles and spritz bag using Caramel Latte Smooch Spritz; then add touches of Mixed Berries and Pralines and Cream and set aside to dry.

2) place small scalloped trim piece in Color Catcher and spritz with Mixed Berries.

3) repeat above step using Pralines and Cream to do pennant trim and Pink Sprinkles to do large scalloped trim. set all pieces aside to dry.

4) punch a half circle from white cardstock, place piece inside Color Catcher and spritz with Pralines and Cream then set aside to dry.

5) stamp hearts on pennant trim using Ruby Pigment Ink.

6) stamp sentiment on center of half circle using Old Rose Pigment Ink.

7) ink all 3 trim pieces and half circle using Dune Pigment Ink.

8) assemble by adhering small scalloped trim, scallop side up, near top of bag, then add pennant trim under it.

9) slide half circle under pennant trim and adhere.

10) add large scalloped trim, straight side down, along the bottom front of the bag.

11) use Metallic Copper pen to fill in dots in small scallop and semi-circles in large scallop.

12) outline hearts, add dot trim above both scalloped pieces, outline hearts and add accents to sentiment using Stardust Red Star pen.

I hope you'll try blinging up your own giftbags using some or all of these techniques.

Online Classes Now Featuring Clearsnap!

Online classes at My Creative Classroom are open for enrollment now!!

Clearsnap is now a partner company with My Creative Classroom, and online learning centers for all types of crafts. This is a great way to take a class in your pajamas or at whatever time is best for you.And you get in-depth tutorials from the instructors with lots of details and discussions about the techniques covered in class.

The first class that features Clearsnap products is presented by Jennifer Priest, The Painted Page:

The Painted Page is a new class for this Spring all about using wet media. You don't have to be a trained artist to use paint and ink to have fun on your scrapbook pages. We'll get a little messy and also talk about ways to achieve "painted" looks that are still acid-free and safe for your scrapbooks. This class features products from industry leader Clearsnap including Smooch, Smooch Spritz, Pigment Ink, Fluid Chalk Ink, and other Clearsnap wet media in addition to paint.

The Painted Page

Starts February 15, 2011

4 Week Course

Class Fee: $25

Register HERE

Stay tuned as we announce other classes starting this Spring in our partnership with My Creative Classroom!

See you in class!

Have You Noticed?

Our blog has gotten a new look!! And, we've got a brand new blinkie that you can add to your blogs,emails, and forum signatures. Grab the blinkie code below and proudly show it off to the world!!



<a href="http://clearsnap.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_aMAaxrrCZ8Y/TVC7_0je-_I/AAAAAAAAKAU/mwUfg2uUcuk/s1600/CLearsnap-Blinkie---GENERAL.gif" width="125" height="125" /></a>

New LIMITED EDITION Pigment Inks!

At the CHA Winter Show in Los Angeles, CA we released a set of new ColorBox inks in LIMITED EDITION colors!! These are available in both full size pads and the popular Cat's Eye ink pads. Here are the colors:

Each ink pad and Cat's Eye Queue is specially marked with the Limited Edition Logo:

Contirbuting Artist Tami Sanders showed you a couple projects over the last week featuring these ink pads. We can't wait to see what you create with them as well. Share your projects on the Clearsnap Facebook Page to show off your talents!

Cupcake Wishes

A Design Adhesives cupcake - frosted with Cocoa Bean Embossing Powder - expresses your love on a sweetly-simple card.  The cupcake, one of four delightful treats from the Baby Cakes Design Adhesives, is also Smooched with Sassy Pink and Carrot.  Foam dots glittered with Sweet Orange and Cotton Candy add the finishing touch.  No calories, carbs or trans-fats!




Here are the directions for this girlie card:


Clearsnap Products

• Baby Cakes Design Adhesives
• Cocoa Bean Embossing Powder    
• Sassy Pink Smooch Accent Ink    
• Carrot Smooch Accent Ink    
• ColorBox Fluid Chalk Chestnut Roan Inkpad    
• ColorBox Fluid Chalk Orchid Pastel Inkpad    
• Sweet Orange Glitter    
• Cotton Candy Glitter

Stamp

• Hampton Art Love Defined

Other Supplies

• Paper Accents Muslin Assorted Textured Cardstock 
• Rotary Trimmer and Scalloped Blade 
• Heat Tool
• 1/8" Foam Dots

Directions

• Cut and fold a 5-1/2" square card of pink Muslin Cardstock
• Burnish the cupcake onto the smoother side of the pink cardstock and emboss it with Cocoa Bean Embossing Powder
• Smooch the X's, O's and flower centers with Sassy Pink and Carrot and dry the ink
• Scallop the bottom edge of the cardstock, trim it to 1-7/8" x 2" and ink the edges with Orchid Pastel
• Stamp Love Defined on the pink cardstock with Chestnut Roan and scallop the bottom edge
• Trim it to a 2-3/8" square and ink the edges with Orchid Pastel
• Scallop one edge of the brown Muslin Cardstock and trim it to 3-1/4" x 3-3/8"
• Assemble the card, using foam dots for the cupcake
• Attach foam dots and press Sweet Carrot and Cotton Candy Glitter onto the dots

Have fun with this card - mix and match the flavors, accents  and icing colors!

How Does Your Garden Grow...

Clearsnap has released SIX brand new, Limited Edition ColorBox Pigment Ink colors: Boysenberry, Curry, Ocean, Ice, Grass and Espresso...





I think the names of the colors REALLY fit the ink colors; they each match up very well to the shade that pops into my mind when I read them. The ink colors are all very rich and very vivid too.

To show how well they coordinate and can work together, I used ALL six colors on this Garden Frame...



I think the new Limited Edition ColorBox Pigment Ink colors would also work well for travel or beach layouts or projects.

To make this frame, I started by "painting" the frame with a base of Ice Pigment Ink...



The edges were inked and then "distressed" using Espresso Pigment Ink...



Then, the "fern" pattern was added using Grass Pigment Ink...



Next, a scroll pattern was layered on with the Ocean Pigment Ink...



A small flower pattern stamped in the Curry Pigment Ink was added on for a bit of brightness...



And to add a touch of "vintage" to help tie the project together, a large script stamp was inked with a mixture of Boysenberry and Espresso, then stamped randomly on the frame...



Here is a closeup pic of a portion of the finished frame...



To create the quote portion of the project, cardstock was first stamped with the large script stamp inked with both Boysenberry and Espresso. The edges were distressed with both colors of ink as well. Then, the quote itself was spelled out in alpha stamps and inked using Espresso ink...



If you'd like to make this project for yourself or your favorite gardener, then here's what you need to know...

"garden delight” altered frame

Skill Level: moderate

SUPPLIES:



Clearsnap: ColorBox Pigment Inks: new Limited Edition Colors: Boysenberry, Curry, Ice, Ocean, Grass and Espresso and Stylus Handle and Foam Blender Tips

Hero Arts: Speckled Ornaments PolyClear stamps and Old Letter Writing wood mount stamp

My Sentiments Exactly: Multi Classic and Old World Lower & Numbers alphabet stamp sets

Bazzill: Vanilla cardstock

Other: Walnut Hollow Scalloped Frame

Tools: liquid adhesive and paper trimmer

DIRECTIONS:

Frame

1) Use Stylus to apply Ice Pigment Ink to "paint" the front of the frame.

2) Ink fern stamp with Grass Pigment Ink and stamp across front of frame.

3) Ink small scroll stamp with Ocean Pigment Ink and stamp randomly on frame.

4) Ink small flower stamp with Curry Pigment Ink and stamp randomly on frame.

5) Ink large script stamp with a mixture of Boysenberry and Espresso Pigment Inks using Stylus and Blender Tips, stamp randomly in a few places on front of frame.

Quote

1) Cut a piece of cream cardstock a little larger than frame opening.

2) Ink large script stamp with a mixture of Boysenberry and Espresso Pigment Inks using Stylus and Blender Tips and stamp at center of cardstock.

3) Use inked Stylus and Blender Tip to distress edges of cardstock, forming a fairly wide border around it.

4) Use alphabet stamps to spell out quote on a large block, ink using Espresso Pigment Ink, then stamp at center of cardstock.

Assembly

Adhere quote inside frame opening.

Thank you for coming by for a visit today and please come back soon!