What to expect on the day of the party Receive exclusive deals and discounts throughout the day from all 3 companies; Crafter’s Companion, Stampendous and Bee Creative – some of which are too good to advertise in this newsletter. Free make-n-takes, hourly raffles and goodie bags to all those that RSVP (see below for additional information). Snacks and beverages will also be served to be sure all the crafting and shopping excitement doesn’t leave you too hungry to make it through the day! Here are some additional details on what each of the companies will be doing throughout the day Crafter’s Companion You won’t want to miss a special in-booth demonstration by Dee Gruenig… Yes, you read that right, Dee Gruenig has agreed to create a limited edition, signed stamp set just for our Holiday Party. Only 250 of these stamp sets will ever be made and she’ll be coming out of retirement to demonstrate from 10am – 2pm. You won’t want to miss this exclusive opportunity. Our Director of Education; Jennie Black, will be doing a make-n-take on the Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers from 9:30am – 3pm where you’ll learn plenty of tips, tricks and useful techniques. Receive special show deals all day long at our booth - Sorry, you’ll have to see those deals first hand when you arrive! StampendousJoin Laura Weed at the make-n-take tables to explore the fun of Fran’s Encrusted Jewel Technique for yourself as you create a tag perfect for adding to a card or scrapbook page. Special product deals will be offered on many of our clear and rubber stamps, stickers and end of season items. You won’t be disappointed with the fantastic selection of product to choose from! Bee Creative Join the Bee Creative crew at the make-n-take tables for a holiday project or quick & easy card you’ll love to create. It’s been a busy show season for our friends at Bee Creative and they’re ready to celebrate the holidays with special deals on their wide selection of adhesives, Stickles glitter glues, Scrapmabob Drink/Trash Holder and much more. You’ll also find Sparkly Fluff, oodles of tools, craft bags, card making stickers and bargain bin deals on scrapbook papers. Images shown are representative, but not identical of the projects you may create for the make-n-take. RSVP for the event to receive a Goodie Bag at the door! Sorry, we are no longer accepting RSVP's for the event. If you have received an email back when you first RSVP'd you are definitely on our RSVP list. No other confirmation is needed. Thanks and see you at the show! Friday Night Crop & Cardmaking Event - We've Opened up Additional Space!!! Did you think we were done? We’ll be busy setting up for the show on December 1st the night before and thought it might be a bit lonely without some of our special guests crafting away in the room next door. We have a VERY LIMITED number of seats available for the Friday Night Crop & Cardmaking event on November 30th. Crafting will begin at 7:00pm and will wind down by 11:30pm to have you in bed in time to enjoy the Holiday Party on the following day. The cost to attend is $30.00 and there are only 30 seats available - WE'VE JUST ADDED 30 MORE SEATS! - Total of 60 seats now available. As our special guest for the evening you will receive an extra-special goodie bag worth at least $50.00, a chance to win additional prizes during our hourly drawings, exclusive shopping opportunity from 10pm – 11pm and we’ll even make a coffee run to the local Starbucks – the drinks are on us! Light snacks will also be served throughout the evening. Bindy Lambell will be your host and is sure to keep you entertained. Please click here to purchase your crop tickets! Directions to the Event To get directions, please visit our event page on the Embassy Suites Website: http://embassysuites.hilton.com/en/es/groups/personalized/L/LAXANES-602-20121130/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG Embassy Suites Anaheim – North 3100 East Frontera Anaheim, CA 92806 T: 714-632-1221 The hotel is conveniently located between 3 major freeways and is only 15 minutes away from Disneyland and the Orange County Airport. Hope to see you there! We hope whether you live close to the event or far away that we get the opportunity to see you at the event. *You will receive a card in your goodie bag that is valid for 1 make-n-take for each of the 3 companies. Additional make-n-takes at the same table can be done for an additional $1.00 each, but you cannot do them consecutively unless there are no other people waiting in line.

  Sealed With A Little Kiss - from the second I heard that was what SWALK stood for, I was instantly in love with this cute line of stamps.  This release is my favorite so far!  This funny image is purr-fect if you know me and my dog Bugsie!  She is always getting new ribbons and bows for her hair.. but no one is allowed to cut her hair!  Nope - It touches the ground just the way I like it!   Here is my pampered baby Bugsie sitting in front of the Steinway that Elvis used to record songs on!  LOL

The name of this set is  A Time To Paws I used several different Crafter's Companion tools, stamps and such so here is how I made the card!

First I colored the image with my Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers.  Colors used are

RED: DR1, DR3, DR7, CR10

GRAY: IG1, IG2, IG5, IG8

BROWN: TN1, TN2, TN6, TN8

BLUE: TB4

BLENDER PEN

My background paper was made using our new EBOSSER machine and our large Damask embossing folder.  I just love the size of these folders as you can make an over sized card with no problem!  The sandwich I used included the embossing folder, and plates A, C & D, plus one sheet of black cardstock.

Look at the crisp deep embossing it put into my cardstock.  I love these embossing folders!

 Here is a close up of the image I colored.  I can't believe I picked red and black.. those are the two hardest colors for me to use!  LOL.. but I just love the dramatic look of red black and white... This lady looks so classy in her sexy black dress, pearls with her silver poodle!  LOL...

I hope my post has inspired you to try these great new stamps, the embosser, embossing folders and Spectrum  Noir alcohol markers!  Have a great day!

Jennie Black

Sealed with a Little Kiss (SWALK) new release!

Is this image  darling or what?  It is one of several new SWALK stamps being released today by Crafter's Companion!  The image is colored with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Pens. I used the amazing Ultimate Tool to make this fun fold card.  You will find the instructions below, give it a try.

PAPER PIECES
Base Card:  6" x 12"
Two coordinating printed paper pieces cut 5 3/4" x 2 3/4"
One coordinating printed paper cut 5 3/4 x 5 3/4
Embellishment pieces (stars, 1/2" x 5 3/4" stripe)
Image piece with another piece cut the exact size for the greeting on the inside of the card
Matting for image is cut 1/4" larger than image piece (CUT 2 - one for inside of card)
Double Matting is cut 1/4" larger than the above piece (CUT 2 - one for inside of card)

Base card scored at 6"

Base card also scored at 3" 

Fold card at 6" to make card base.

Fold front flap up at the 3" score line.

Adhere the image to front flap 

(be sure adhesive is only on the left half of the image back)

Hide the greeting piece directly behind the image piece

Adhere greeting piece inside the card.

Add desired embellishments and color image

I hope you enjoyed this fun fold tutorial using the Crafter's Companion Ultimate tool.  You can find many more samples colored by me at Spectrumnor.com 

Doggie Hugs!

Here is a fun card I made for Andy's mom.  She had a task to complete and did a fantastic job doing it.  We thought this little card might show her how proud we are of her!  

The image is one of the newer releases from Crafter's Companion Mulberry Woods Stamps.  You can purchase it HERE.  

I did not take step out pictures of the image while I was coloring, but here are the colors I used.  I totally love the red and brown color combination! 

Browns: TN1, TN2, TN4, TN8, EB8

Flowers: CT1, CT4, GB5, CR11, DR3, DR1

Green: CG2, DR3

Ground: BGR2, BGR1

I made the greeting using the computer and then rolled it a bit to look like a banner.

Colorful Hugs to everyone!

Jennie

Happy Haunting

Halloween was always a fun holiday while Austin was young.  I remember my very favorite picture of him for his first birthday.  He was a little lion.  He was in love with Nayla from The Lion King!  he loved being a helpful fireman and then he grew up and loved the scary masks and grim reaper hoods with no face.  Gotta love a kid that goes from The Lion King to the Grim Reaper!  lol... (he still watches and loves Disney and helping people!).

Here is a little something different for Halloween.  I hope you enjoy it!

Beginner Spells - A center highlight

In this fun Halloween image, I will show how to build dimension by placing your highlight in the center of your image.  We can actually make a flat image look as if it has shape or dimension by placing our darkest color (shading) furthest from our eye and the lightest color (highlight) closest to our eye.  These bottles are cylinder shaped, so I put the highlight right down the center of each bottle.

Add lightest color GB1, and add darkest color GB9 on the area furthest from your eye. (the sides of each bottle or label)

   In the picture below, you can see where I blended the light and dark golden browns together using a medium color (GB6).  I then softened the edge of GB6 with my original light color (GB1 or GB2).  As seen in the photo above, I colored the green label using the same steps as I used on the first label.  The colors used are listed in order of use, DG1, DG3, DG2, DG1 then softened the center highlight with the blender pen.

I also started coloring my red bottle starting with my darkest color on the edge of the bottle (DR7) then worked my way towards the center of the bottle with my lighter colors.  Here are the colors I used in order of use  DR7, DR5, DR3, CR8. Note: The CR8 is a higher number, however it is from a completely different color tone which happens to be lighter. The Coral Reds are lighter with more of an orange tint than Dark Reds.  

Complete red bottle above.  Other bottles were were colored using the same steps.  Here is another view of the finished project with different background paper.

Center Highlight helps build dimension to images.

Other colors used in order used:

Golden brown labels: GB1, GB9, GB6, GB1

Brown Bottle: TN2, TN9, TN6, TN4, TN2

Red Bottle: DR7, DR5, DR3, CR8

Gray Bottle: IG7, IG5, IG2, IG1

Corks: EB8, EB4

Base: IG7, IG4, IG1

Background: TN1

Edging was done with a brown ink pad.

A Christmas Rose - for the love of coloring

Sometimes we need to remember what coloring is all about.  Today I took time for myself.  Turned on some light classical music and colored away, letting my imagination pick the colors and positioning of the flowers.  The image itself is inspirational, it's by Crafter's Companion in the Sheena Douglas collection -  Christmas Rose.  Note the image on the side of the greeting was not there but I added it by stamping a bit of an image onto the paper piece.  I also stamped a flower and cut it out for an embellishment as I didn't want to clog up the card with clutter and take away from the focal point.

I enjoyed coloring this for ME...  So without further ado I am going to just list the colors I used and one little coloring tip (I can't post without a tip!).

Soft Edges

As you will notice there is no harsh drop off in color where my petals fade from color to white.  What I did is soften the edge of the lightest color on each petal with my blender pen.  This diluted the crisp line that markers leave when lifting your pen at the end of a stroke.  

Have a Colorful Day

Jennie

Life is full of Sparkles! - Elizabeth Designs stickers & Glitter

MIcrofine glitter colored with Spectrum Noir Markers - Hat Colors: CR5, CR8, CT4, GB5, PL4, CT2, CT4

Cupcake - CT1, CT4, GB5, CG2, CG4, BP2, BP6, 

I have been super busy lately and have not done my weekly post!  A little update on what is up.  I was hired by Crafter's Companion a few months ago as The Director of Product Education.  I am loving my new job and a company that appreciates me and treats me with respect, trust and loyalty.  I am thrilled with the position that I worked hard to get.  You will see lots of new things coming in the near future.  Stay tuned!  For now let's take a peek at a project I made for my son's girlfriend Amanda.  She is a girly girl and so I thought this would make a cute card to go with a gift I got her recently.  

Here is a fun way to add two of my favorite things into one project.  I used my Spectrum Noir alcohol pens to color on top of my MICRO fine glitter.  Here is how I did it.

1. Adhere wide double stick tape to white cardstock

2. Remove the double stick backing paper and retain it as your "transfer sheet"

3. Remove sticker from sticker sheet and place sticky side up onto the smooth side of your "transfer sheet"

On transfer sheet being placed onto sticky cardstock.

4. Using transfer sheet place sticker onto the sticky cardstock. (see photo below)

5. Add MICRO FINE glitter to your sticky paper and burnish firmly making sure that the glitter is tight and there are no holes without glitter.

6. Remove all excess glitter from sticker. Double check to make sure the glitter is tight and no loose areas.

7. Begin coloring with your darkest color first.  Adding your lighter colors as you work your way towards your highlight.  The glitter will soak under the glitter and spread quickly so be careful that you color slow.

8. Cut around image/sticker and adhere to your project.

I hope this added a little sparkle to your day.

Jennie Black