Beginning Bee Keeping Class

If you're interested in learning how to keep bees, the San Mateo Bee Guild will be holding a free bee keeping class on March 7, 2009. Here is the link for more information.
http://www.sanmateobee.org/class.html

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!! I thought I would also remind everyone that bee swarm season will start at the end of this month. If you see or hear of any free range bees, please contact your local bee guild. Don't freak out and start spraying a big bad can a raid on the girls. The guild members are ready to come out and pick up the swarms when you call. The photo is a wild swarm that is on the move. When I saw the heart shape I knew I had to save it for my blog.

Free Make n Take next Friday

I will be doing a free make n take next Friday (2/20/09) in the afternoon at Memories Live On in Cupertino. I was asked to do something with the Zutter machine so customer see how it all works. I also wanted it to be quick and simple. I left the front open so you could add a photo or something of your own when you got home. I don't think make n takes should be overly fussy or hard to do. The paper maybe different since I made the sample with what I had in my stash.
The covers are two 4x4 chip board coasters with 8 blank pages.

Glitter Mist Recipes

I came across this recipe for glimmer mist and thought I would share. It's a fun but messy product. It's not high on my must have list but I plan to give this recipe a try.

Memory Mists are pigment-based and Glimmer Mists are dye-based. Glimmer Mists also have a metallic 'glimmer' to them, Memory Mists do have a few metallic colors, but most are just color, no glitz.
You can make your own at home with stamp pad re-inkers, water, & a spray bottle. The more ink you use, the more intense the color. For the glimmer effect, you can add mica powders - if you use something like Rangers Perfect Pearls, they already contain a binding agent, so you're all set, but if you use something like PearlEx powders, you'll need to add a little Gum Arabic or the mica powder will rub off once it dries. It's a lot of fun to create your own custom colors! At CHA the demo person at the Tattered Angels booth was telling people to shake the bottle well and spray it like hairspray. Well one woman did what she was told and sprayed the Glimmer Mist over her head and into the eyes of the people standing next to her. I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee in my pants. When she left the table I asked the demo person if she was going to change her description on how to spray the mist as I looked at all the ladies with sparkling raccoon faces.

Part of my CHA order

I didn't buy much at CHA but I did plan on visiting the May Arts booth and place my ribbon order. May Arts was one of the few vendors who had sales people willing to take your order. Seriously, most of the vendors sales staff pretended they didn't see you. If the show was slow for them, it's their own fault. I thanked my sales person for being so helpful and she said she was the owner's sister. It was the same thing with Product Performers and Theresa Collins booth that was staff with family members. They really knew their product and did their best to help retailers place their orders. Maybe CHA should give out an award for best customer service.
I ordered all this ribbon for my up coming classes. I'm always having a hard time find enough ribbon for my classes, so I decided to stock my studio with 31 of my favorites. It was really hard not to got over board and order everything they had. :)

Mini "Bee" book - New 3x3 Class

Just finished my sample for my latest class the "Mini Bee Book". The inside of the book is made from one sheet of 12X12 paper - really it is! I called it a "bee" book because there are bees on the paper I used for the cover. The paper (flower trails) is from the new "imaginisce" line. It's really a fun book and doesn't that long to make. I decided to make three pockets on the inside for tags to add some interest. I'm still deciding if I should add a beaded bee to the center of the flower.

Work in progress - One in a Million

When I went to University Arts (art supply store) to pick up some LiquiTex acrylic inks, I also pick up some deep 12x12 canvas. Using my Cricut Expression machine, I made a 12x12 stencil of small hearts. I added several layers of color to the canvas before I added the stencil work, which is done with alcohol inks. It's not as easy as it looks. The alcohol inks like to bleed under the card stock stencil. When that happened I had to remove the ink by blending it into the background and re-apply the stencil. This is still a work in progress but I wanted to share this first stage.

Birthday Present

Today is my daughter's birthday and she is flying home on Saturday. Instead of mailing her a gift card, I decided to make a green gift - sort of. I found this glass frame with both sides that look the same. Instead of a box, I put one of her baby pictures on one side and the gift card on the other side. No wrapping or box to throw away! She was born with long hair. What you see in the photo is what she was born with. Don't worry, the credit card in the photo is one of those you get in the mail - it's not the real thing. :)

Circle Journal Challenge 2009

My Circle Journal group decided to do a monthly challenge instead of sending out journals. Patti (My Happy Place on my blog roll) picked this month's challenge - green, brown, blue with a red heart. We also have to list all the things we used. I think I used almost every type of paint I have in my stash. :)
12 x 12 deep canvas, Liquitex inks - Phthalocyanine Green, Cadmium Yellow, Iridescent Rich Bronze, Transparent Burnt Sienna. Luna Lights Blue, Stickles Xmas Red, Alcohol Inks - Gold, Pitch Black and Cranberry. Savoir Faire watercolor - Gold and Carmine Red. Golden Gel Medium - Glass Bead Gel. Cricut Expression, copper tape and misc. bird pin. I painted several layers of paint on the canvas then used sponges to rub some of the colors off. I used my Cricut Expression machine to make the stencils and masks for the word HOPE and heart.

Take Out Menus - Mini Book

Sometimes you just have to work with the paper the store has when designing a class. At first I was going to do a recipe book but then I realized home cooking isn't something a lot of people do anymore. Having a stack of take out menus in the kitchen pantry is much more common. :) So I came up with a take out menu holder mini book. It would also make a great welcome to the neighborhood gift.
I'm still looking for a silver charm of a fork, knife and spoon for the center of the flower. I know I've seen them before but heck if I can find it now. Edit - I found a charm at one of the local bead shops which costed $$$. I will have to go online to find a better deal. I do like to support my local stores but I know their mark up is over the top.

Hot bag at CHA

This was the hot "had to have" tote bag at CHA for the 30 and under group. I really like the graphics but the shoulder straps were not long enough for us full figure women. :)
I loved the colors they used for their new line but overall it's was pretty boring. Didn't really separate itself from the other companies new lines. Since working at going green, I brought a bag home to use when I make quick trip to the grocery store. It's a heavy plastic type materials so if anything leaks, I should be covered.

Covered Cake Boxes

Something that surprised me at the show was how many of the companies showed their scrapbooking paper being used for non-scrapbooking ideas. Round covered boxes was very popular at the show this year. The Doodlebug booth was all set up like an old fashion ice cream shop decked out in pink - photo on the right. The photo on the left is once again my favorite booth, Graphic 45. They covered everything with their new paper line. I was told that she uses ATG tape to cover her projects since she doesn't like the results with any other type of adhesive.

I have some box ideas in the works for my next round of classes.