Make Art Stay-tion Samples

This post is to show what I was able to make using my new Wendy Vecchi Make Art Stay-tion Mat. I had read reviews for this mat before I bought it to be sure I would be able to use it for stencils the way I wanted to.

Although it is a magnetic mat metal dies do not stick to it - which on a work table full of projects that could be a good thing - ;0).  The back of the box says this mat can be used for stencils, embossing, aligning and creating. . .  The first video for this mat I had seen the crafter was using it for stencils and that is why I bought it. In some of the reviews crafters complained it did not have rubber "feet" on the back of it so it could move on your work surface. I avoided that problem by using a piece of drawer liner that I trimmed to fit under my mat. I have the WRM Keepers glass mat on my work table so using the liner piece kept my Make Art Stay-tion mat in place. Here is a photo to show the liner piece I cut to fit under my mat:

I put the mat over the liner piece at an angle so you could see I cut the liner piece to a size that would fit under the mat. The brown craft mat I ordered to come with the Make Art mat and the magnetic alignment ruler that comes with the magnetic mat holds the brown craft mat in place.

I wanted to show a few different inks/mediums using this mat so I will go through them. This first photo is a Holly stencil by Echo Park:

All the card stocks I used for my samples are #110 weight card stock from Mikes in various colours. This first sample I used a regular green ink using a make up brush to apply the ink:

With this mat you do not have to hold your stencil with your one hand while you apply your ink/medium with the other. Plus the magnets kept the stencil in place so you have a crisp/clean stenciled image:

Will have to use this piece for tags and will add red Stickles and such to dress them up.....

This next sample I used the Hero Arts Hero Hues Reactive Sea Salt ink on my kraft card stock using the Snowflake stencil from Simon Says using a make up brush to apply the ink:

and with the stencil lifted off:

I also wanted to try using texture paste over a stencil. For this sample, again using the kraft #110 weight card stock from Mikes, I used a Snowflake stencil from Pretty Pink Posh:

Used the applicator knife and added the texture paste over the stencil:

Even with applying the paste the magnets kept the stencil in place so once the stencil was removed I still had a crisp/clean image:

Stencils can add so much to projects - - backgrounds for tags, card fronts, box fronts, etc.. I especially like with the different inks I used and also the texture paste I had clean images. Without this magnetic mat with the paste you could easily get a "glopish" (is that a word????) image with using a stencil. The stencil could move and smear or maybe the paste was applied unevenly or something. But this mat with magnets eliminates that problem.

Easy clean up as well -- I used baby wipes over the brown craft mat and dried it off with a piece of dry paper towel. Certainly happy I came across the stencil video to begin with so I saw this product in use. Hoping to get lots of use out of it for my holiday stencils for holiday projects ahead!

Here is the photo of the box for this product:

*** STORAGE ***

Awhile back my PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) asked me to go with her to a crafter's house that was selling her all her craft supplies.  When we got there this crafter had a large stack of the IRIS snap closure containers that are 12 x 12.  In all the containers were stickers/bling.  My PIC made an offer to this crafter for these filled bins along with other items she was wanting to buy. The seller took her offer and we loaded all the containers into the back of the car to head to her craft room. When she was finished unpacking all the containers she asked me if I wanted any of them (empty) so happy me she gave me quite a few!  I have been re-organizing (AGAIN) and I am happy to say I had a couple of the containers empty still. Fast forward to my new mat --

Here is a photo to show my new Make Art Stay-tion Mat in the IRIS container, along with the drawer liner square I cut for under it, and the magnets and alignment ruler. (In this photo you can see the extra magnets I had bought for it since I had broken some with my MISTI when that first came into the craft room and had to run to Home Depot for more magnets .... ):

On top of the mat and all I put a piece of thin cardboard - from the back of a card stock pad - to protect the mat, brown craft mat, and magnets:

Just finished sorting all my stencils and put those in zippered clear bags (from dollar store) by theme. I have all the BOO Day stencils in one bag, all the Christmas is together, and I have clouds, trees, and leaves together in one bag. flowers together, etc. . I used the label maker and labeled each bag.  I also labeled the IRIS container - front and top.  I have four of the Mobile Storage Towers by Ashland at Mikes in my craft room and I will keep this IRIS bin in one of those towers. Here is a photo to show all the stencils in the container with the mat:

Happy to have everything together for when I am crafting and am wanting to use the stencils and mat. Happy my PIC came across that sale for sure!!! Labeled and ready for use:

Good to have this project put together.  Also like that you can see thru the IRIS containers as well. Thanks to my PIC for sharing them!

Supposed to be . . .

Supposed to be cleaning up the craft room and putting away the rest of the BOO Day crafting items and dies and inks . . .   and also supposed to be putting away the Thanksgiving crafting items and dies and inks . . .   but  ..... 

Had recently seen a video on YouTube where a crafter was showing all the ways she uses stencils for different effects on her cards and projects.... she was demonstrating all of this on a mat I had not seen before used for stencils.  Below her video was a list of links of all the products she had demonstrated in this video for online stores.  I clicked on the link for this mat and the online store was having an ongoing sale on their site.  Before I ordered the mat I checked around the internet to see what else this mat could be used for besides stencils.

I read all about it with reviews of how it works and decided I would order one. I went back to the online store listed for the video and put the mat and the craft mat shown in the video in my cart. Went through the ordering process until.... shipping was $21.00~~FAR too much for this crafter to pay to have something sent to me. . .  I emptied my cart and shopped around the internet to see if I could find another online store that sold these items for less shipping. . .

Happy me that I found these items on SimonSaysStamp and their shipping was $6.99. They had no sale pricing but I certainly saved on shipping! 

They mailed it out this past Monday and I was surprised that it was delivered today!!  Really want to work with the mat but it will have to wait until this weekend when I have more time. Here is a photo of the box:

This is a photo of the back of the box:

And the mat out of the box:

The mat is a nice weight and not too heavy. Sturdy enough not to bend. It has a flexible magnetic ruler to help keep your project centered on the mat or it can be lifted off and put the side. By using this magnetic mat I will no longer have to use Post It Notes/tape, or purple tape, or painter's tape to keep my card stock in place when using a stencil. The mat will also prevent any tears/rips on the card stock surface from removing the tapes when the stenciling is done. Looking forward to using my new stencils - on sale - from Pretty Pink Posh - for Christmas projects this weekend. I will post more photos of what I make and how the mat works.  Certainly happy it arrived so quickly and for a third of the cost of the original shipping quote!  Shipping costs are not always the same so this just proves it pays to shop around!

Thanksgiving Treat Holders

Have been busy finishing up the Thanksgiving treat holders I had been working on and thought I would post some of the photos - not all treat holders were photographed but I will share the ones that were.

Treat bags that hold the treat holders:

The bags are from the Dollar Tree and I used a label die set from Cheery Lynn Designs for the front panels. . Each of the front panels are different as I used various printed card stocks from the stash. Flowers are from the Dollar Tree. Used foil poster board sheets in gold also from the Dollar Tree for my leaves/sprigs, "Blessings" word, and the scalloped border at the top and the bottom of the panel. (That is a die from Close To My Heart). Doily is also a Cheery Lynn die. Pumpkin is a die from my stash. Gold tulle bow is tulle from Hobby Lobby.

Here are some of the treat holders I made for inside the bags:

Used the Envelope Punch Board to make these treat holders. The holiday stickers on the front on the white scalloped circles I bought at Hobby Lobby and this is what they looked like:

Here is another treat holder:

and a nugget holder:

Used the MFT nugget holder set - the plastic inserts, the tags, and stamp set - altho I did not stamp anything for these holders. Also I made fry box treat holders and a small pillow box treat holder using the small pillow box die from Fun Stampers Journey. All treat holders have been filled with chocolates so am sure those will be enjoyed. Added an amber coloured plastic pumpkin to the top of the all the holders and those are from Hobby Lobby.  Ribbon and twine are from the stash.

Wanted to make some tags and here is a photo of one the tags:

Tag die set is from SimonSaysStamp, washi is from the stash, and the layered pumpkin die set is Penny Black. Cut the tag out of #110 weight cream card stock from Mikes. Punched out a circle to reinforce the hole at the tag top. Used a thin and a wider piece of washi tape and put that across the top of the tag. For the pumpkin I used scrap card stock for the pumpkin base and the gold overlay piece was die cut from gold foil poster board from the Dollar Tree. Put that over the pumpkin piece using a glue pen. Used one of the leaf die pieces in the Penny Black set for the leaves at the top of the pumpkin. The bow was made using a bow punch from Hobby Lobby. Added an orange gem bling piece from Queen & Co. to the center of the bow. Easy tag to put together and really like the pilgrim hat washi at the tag top:

Fun projects to keep me busy.... but I hear Christmas projects calling...... ;0)

Gnome Tags

Am in the middle of my Thanksgiving projects but wanted to take a break from that and make two tags for Christmas. I used the Gnome die set from Simon Says Stamp:

For my tag bases I measured and cut my card stock tag base using my trimmer. I wanted the tag itself to be sturdy so I used a double layer of card stock for those. For my tags my measurements are:
2 1/8" wide x 5 3/4" long. I used a ruler for the tag top corners. Once the tag bases were cut I used clear liquid glue and glued the two tag layers together. Set those aside to dry.

Cut out the two gnomes using card stock from my stash. For the hats I wanted some texture on them so for the blue hat I used a dotted background stamp and inked that up. Laid the stamp flat on the work table and then laid the die cut hat piece onto the inked surface. Pressed the hat piece into the stamp to transfer the dotted design onto the hat:

For the red hat I used a cheese cloth background stamp from PSX and red ink for that:

With the tag bases dry I used a snowflake stencil and stenciled the front of the tags. With the stenciling done I set them aside and finished assembling the gnomes.  Here are my two tags:

Very easy die set to work with. For the dots on the coat for the gnome for the blue gnome I left the dots in the die cut piece. For the red gnome I popped out the dots and let the white background die cut piece show thru. I added gray ink (Close To My Heart ink) to the beard so the beard is not stark white. The "Merry Christmas" greeting stamp is from Paper Sweeties and it fits perfectly on the front of the tag.  Used glossy accents to add the pom poms to the gnome hats. Put the gnomes on the tags using pop dots.  Easy and fun tags to put together. .... . ....   now back to Thanksgiving projects!

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho... it's off to IO we go . . .

Yesterday I drove myself and my PIC (stamping Partner In Crime) to the Impression Obsession warehouse sale. This is the second year she and I have shopped this yearly sale.... DH could not come along as our Cuber Drive (Uber driver for us crafters) . . .   so we drove ourselves!  She and I arrived about a half hour before the doors opened and it was just us in the parking lot....

But it was not long before the parking lot was full and shoppers had to park out on the street:

Heigh Ho, I. O.  ..... it's off to shop we go!!   This year at their warehouse sale they had bins and bins of their background stamps for 60% off and I bought three of those.... they also had a table of dies that were 75% off as they had too many of those dies.... all their clear stamp sets were $5.00 each and I bought two of those:

All their dies were 50% off -- including new releases:

Here are some of the dies I bought:

and for Christmas projects:

I am also replacing all my Stampin Up ink pads and IO had their stamp pads and re-inkers on sale for 50% off so I bought a green one for Christmas projects and also a brown that is close to SU Close to Cocoa:

They also had background stamps that were seconds and unmounted. Once you picked out the ones you wanted they trimmed and mounted them for you for free - those were $5 each.... They had a table filled with loose mounted rubber stamps and another table with stamp sets and matching dies together no matter what size for $10 for the pair. IO had bought out Serendipity and I picked up three of those die sets, also for the 50% off price:

Lots of fun bargains and items!  We left the warehouse and had a nice lunch at Olive Garden before we headed home..... left in the dark but drove home in the light so that was good.... Another fun sale at IO!

Combo BOO Day projects

Had seen the new Taylored Expressions strips die set for Halloween and I wanted to order a set. Went on the TE website and they were sold out. Second option was to ask Daphne at Paper Crafters Muse in Matthews, NC if she had a set in stock and if so could she mail it to me? Daphne did have it and she was more than happy to send it off to me -- nice to know if I can not find something in stock on an online store that she can help -- thanks Daphne!

The strip die goes with a few stamp sets -- I bought the Halloween word set as well as the set for Fall or Thanksgiving.  On a YouTube video using this stamp/die set different coloured card stocks were stamped and die cut and I did just that -- this gave me a pile of holiday greetings to use on my cards. The first photo is black card stock that I embossed with white embossing powder and then cut all the greetings out with one pass in the die cutting machine:

and then I stamped and cut out the other colours:

I had seen the cards Taylor had made showing this stamp'die set for fast Halloween cards. I decided I would try that and see how it work and I was surprised how quickly these cards came together. . . but first....   If you have been with SU for some time then you may remember when they sold their own brand of black ink pads.... then you would remember when some of their black pads and re-inkers were really a dark purple rather than black.... then you would also know they changed to foam pads and the black ink would never dry -- even if you used a heat tool to dry it....  Now they sell black Memento ink to use . . .

On Taylor's card she splatters black ink from a re-inker on the background for her cards before she puts her printed card stock strips on her card front... I decided I would make up a few of these cards for the holiday since I had already made other Halloween cards to use. I cut all the pieces for my white card fronts and began the ink splattering using a black re-inker from SU.... only did three and then saw my black re-inker from SU is really purple -- it is labeled black but it is purple.... So I had to start again and this time I used BLACK refills from Close To My Heart and surprise!! The splatters are BLACK!!!  YAY!

Here is a photo of the cards I made using the TE stamp/die set and Taylor's card layout:

Some cards I added die cut ghosts or bugs or bats to the card fronts. Wanted all my card bases to be different colours and they all went with the printed card stock strips I had used. Thanks to TE for coming out with the strip die and stamp sets.  I believe they sell a larger die that goes with a larger stamp set for the Christmas holidays. It is so easy to stamp once, die cut once, and then have a pile of greeting strips to use on all your projects... Great product idea for sure!

Here are photos ( not great ) of the goody bags I made for gals at work:

Also my BOO Box I made using tag dies from Pink & Main and I made a box insert to make two tags into a box:

And the holders for the Hershey chocolate candy bar:

Also bling I put together to clip onto different holders I made to hold candies:

Had seen this YouTube video using plastic quarter coin cases for my mini shakers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWTa8vVSmuQ&t=833s

She used paper clips for her mini shakers but I wanted to use the clothespins so I could clip them onto different projects. Also my black bows came with a mini white pearl.  I did not want them to be white so I used an orange Sharpie marker and coloured the pearls. Cute idea for a mini shaker and thanks to the "Scrap and Craft Queen" for sharing this cute idea. (I bought my plastic coin cases from Amazon)

I had made a few other treat holders as well but forgot to take photos but everyone seemed to enjoy them or at least the candies inside!! ;0)    TFL