Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Warehouse Wednesday: New products from SRM



This past week, Susan of SRM Stickers contacted us with some wonderful information for their calendar line of stickers. We thought it was so packed with great information that we would pass it along to you. We carry a lot of their stickers, so be sure to check them out at FranticStamper.com. Here is what Susan had to offer (edited for this blog):

It's that time of year again, Calendar Time!  The newest calendar added to our line is the mini-Calendars!  They are such a hit. They come in two different styles, standard and Fancy.  

We are beginning to get lots of wonderful projects from our Design Team using the new mini-Calendars.  Here are just a few of the projects that they've made so far with lots more coming your way! 

First up is a mini flip desktop calendar from design team member Virginia Lu.  The entire calendar is stamped!  What a work of art!  

Virginia used the new mini-calendar standard stickers. She also used the new 2012 Year of Memories Sticker with lots of 2012 and '12 stickers.





And here is a mini calendar I shared with you before and many people fell in love with at CHA.  It's from our design team member Ray Barthel.  Rae used the Decorative Mini Calendar on this project and the 2012 Year of Memories sticker.





And here are some other popular uses of the Mini Calendar....

On a Card
Here is a beautiful card from Nina Brackett.  Nina used the Decorative Mini-Calendar #48006 as the background for her card and a Fancy Sticker  Sentiment, Love design, for her sentiment.  Simply gorgeous! 





On a layout
Here is a wonderful layout from Renee' Morris-Dezember incorporating the Mini-Calendar into a layout of her son.  She mounted it on patterned paper,  and then punched it and mounted it to cardstock.  Love this!  Renee' used the Standard Mini-Calendar #48005.  What a great way to remember the time frame in a layout.



As a tag
Here is a mini-TUBE with a darling "save the date" project from Tanya Tahir.  Tanya used the Decorative mini-Calendar and we love how she circled the special date!  We also love how this product looks on Kraft cardstock!



Well...we thought what Susan had to share with us would be something you would find inspiring. We hope you will check out the new SRM products at FranticStamper. Wew have them in our warehouse and would love to ship some your way!

Hugs,
Frantic Stamper

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Storing Unmounted Stamps



Today we would like to offer some tips for storing unmounted stamps. FranticStamper carries a HUGE selection of unmounted stamps! There are rubber-only stamps from FranticStamper's own line of stamps, cling-mounted rubber from various manufacturers, and then there are all sorts of clear stamps as well! Be sure to check out the possibilities at FranticStamper.com.

Tip #1
I bought a Clip it up when they were all the rage and I use this to store my stamps. I then used all my Kaisercraft reusable pockets (their embellishments always come in them) to store the stamps in and hang them up with these in the Clip it up.

Tip #2
I store my cushion mounted stamps in three ring binders (4 inch ones!). The stamps are mounted on plastic storage sheets. I make a copy of the images on that sheet and place that over the stamps in a sheet protector. This way my stamp images are protected. The outside of the binder is labeled with the theme. The tabs list company and theme.

Tip #3
I store my cling mount rubber stamps in CD cases. I label the side of the case with manufacturer's information, and store the CD cases in a CD case by category (holidays, floral, sayings, miscellaneous, etc.)



(I know one of the stamps is upside down...it just fit better that way, and I have no trouble reading upside down. lol.)

Tip #4
Store unmounted rubber stamps or cling stamps on plastic sheet protectors with a piece of cardstock inserted inside for strength. I then store these inside of clear poly file envelopes, standing on a shelf. Each envelope is numbered.

Tip #5
Keep a log of all stamped images, categorized by subject. I include location of stamp, when I bought it, who made it, and even the cost.

Tip #6
Use sturdy clear plastic folios/envelopes to store stamps on a sheet protector inside. This protects the stamps from being knocked off of loose sheets or binder pages. You can stamp images on cardstock inside the sheet protector to show where the stamp belongs. Stand the folios on their sides on a book shelf. Label index at the end of the folio for easy identification. Be sure to stamp all images in a master log showing location of stamp. Stock up on folios when back to school supplies are on sale.

Tip #7
I store my clear stamps in Stufftainers™. I store them by category (holiday, floral, sayings, etc.) in cardboard magazine holders on a book shelf. I can usually store two larger stamp sets and two or three smaller ones in a single container (I do not mix manufacturers in a container). I put a piece of cheap cardstock in the container, and using double-sided tape, tape the plastic backing for the set to the cardstock. I glue the label information to the back of the cardstock so I know the sets' names. And then I use a small mailing label to add the manufacturer's name to the side of the container. Works great for me!







Please feel free to share YOUR tips for storing unmounted stamps or leave us a comment about our tips! We LOVE to hear from you.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Sketch Sunday: Card #9



It is time to share another sketch...



Rather than a standard mat for your stamped image, this card layout has offset layers to help your image stand out. It might be a good one for using some of those scraps of coordinating card stocks and designer papers, or perhaps this would be best with some high contrast, perhaps in black and white, with a single color like red, or light blue.

If you decide to use this week's sketch, the design team would love it if you would share! Upload a photo somewhere (Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, etc.) and then share a link with us in the comments. To share all you need to do is add the following codes to your comment, and then replace the word "link" with the actual link to your photo:

      <a href="link">My Card</a>

Your comment will then contain the words "My Card" which will link to your photo. The design team really looks forward to seeing your work!

Smiles,
Kathy

Friday, August 26, 2011

Georges; my father's album continued (Design Team Project)

by Polinka

Georges (my father's album), Continued

Last week I showed you the cover of my dad's album, so this time I'll show you a part of the inner pages of his life...



As to keep unity I wanted to use papers from the same collection, and since this album was to have around 60 pages, I choose a complete paper pad from My Mind's Eye: "Best of Damask" 12"x12" pad of 180 sheets (MME-PAD-Damask).

See how simple it is to use this kind of patterned papers? You don't need much more than a few stamps and stickers or a little paint and tape: It is as easy as 1 2 3 !

 

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Technique Thursday: Getting the most out of your Copic Markers

 

 

Getting the most out of your Copic Markers


Today we don't have any videos for you, but we do have some tutorials. The folks at Copic have provided a wonderful page filled with all sorts of tips and techniques for using their markers to make your artwork spectacular. The page can be found at the Copic Marker web site, under tutorials.

This tutorial page has tons of information on blending colors and shading, perspective when drawing, and using hashing to add dimension. Fabulous information for beginners and advanced artists alike.

Some of the tutorials contain links to the blog of Marianne Walker, who is the product specialist/ product director for Copic Markers. Her blog, while technically not a part of the Copic site, contains a mountain of information, tutorials, and tips for getting the most out of your Copic Markers.

We hope that learning some more things about Copic markers will make you enough of a fan that you will consider purchasing Copic products from us at FranticStamper.com, where a wide selection of Copic Markers are available at great prices. Check out our Copic page and start your collection today!

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Warehouse Wednesday: Meet the Team (Part 3) - Ashley

Meet the Team (Part 3) - Ashley

Ashley has been with us at Frantic Stamper since September of 2009.  Her primary duties currently include taking phone orders, providing customer service and invoicing.  She loves to make sure our customers are happy with their orders and always goes above and beyond to please them.



At home, Ashley enjoys time with her 3 year old son Wesley and his proud daddy, Wes.  An Oregon native, she loves the outdoors, especially relaxing on the many regional lakes, camping and floating on the Rogue River.  She loves animals, especially spiders and bugs .  Always the prankster, Ashley is never the last to make us laugh!  We really enjoy having her around.

Please take a moment to say hi to Ashley!

Hugs,
-Fran
www.franticstamper.com
541-826-2500

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Copic Markers



Today we would like to offer some tips for using Copic Markers, available at FranticStamper. These alcohol based markers are a little different to use than other markers, but the results are incredible!

Tip #1
If you have a limited budget (don't we all!) shop for markers based on the types of images you color most often. For example, if you mostly color floral images you will want a different palette than if you mostly color images of people.

But no matter which basic palette you chose, you will want at least two markers (three are recommended) in each color family for blending, one lighter and one darker. For best results, pick markers that are in the same color family(hue), same saturation, and only a few digits apart in value. For example, if you want to color blue violet, you will want possibly a BV00 and a BV04.

Note: the letters on the markers stand for the color family or hue. The first digit is the saturation (lower numbers are more true, higher numbers have more gray in them) and the second digit is the value (higher numbers are brighter).

Tip #2
Chose the right paper for the marker. You want a very smooth, heavy card stock that is NOT clay coated and that won't bleed. Among the recommended card stock is Bazzill Ultra Smooth (BAZ-Sm8-white, $4.50 per pkg of 10 sheets). It allows good coverage with the ink, and blends beautifully. The wrong paper will allow the ink soak in too quickly, making it difficult for the ink to be moved around for blending. Always test your paper before starting your project.

Tip #3
The right stamping ink makes a big difference. We recommend Memento inks for use with Copic markers. The ink dries quickly and will not bleed when colored over with the alcohol ink. We don't recommend Versafine, Distress, or Memories inks; they tend to bleed. We STRONGLY recommend you avoid solvent inks such as Staz-on with Copic markers. Not only will the alcohol in the marker smudge the ink, but the marker tip will pick up some of the ink, and the tip will need to be replaced.

Tip #4
For an outlining marker we recommend Memento markers or the Copic Multiliner pens. Frantic stamper carries Memento markers in every color available. We do not at this time, though, carry the multiliners. We strongly recommend staying away from other brands of permanent markers if coloring with Copics. The ink from those permanent markers could smudge, and potentially damage the tips of the Copic markers.

Tip #5
There are PDF charts for the various colors of pens available at the Copic site. Print a chart on the paper you plan to use and then color a small swatch of the marker in the appropriate area of the chart. This chart will help you to be sure that you are choosing the perfect color for your project.

Tip #6
When coloring with the Copics, start with the lightest color first and color over the entire region that you plan to color. Color in very small circles to avoid lines in your coloring. When finished with the first color, add in shadows with the next color. Blend with the lightest marker. Add additional shadow with a darker color if desired. Always blend with the lightest marker.

Tip #7
If your colored image looks splotchy you haven't probably didn't put down enough ink. It is important to lay down enough ink when coloring with the first (base) color to allow the ink to move and blend until smooth.

Tip #8
The "blender" pen does not actually blend color; it MOVES color. If you put a drop of blender solution onto a colored area the color will move to the edges of the drop, getting very light at the center of the drop and dark around the edges. This property of the blending pen is wonderful for cleaning up small areas of stray ink (push the color out of the unwanted area with the chisel tip) or for adding texture to an already colored image. It is NOT, though, wonderful for blending colors. Use a light-valued marker in the appropriate color family for blending.

Tip #9
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!! And then practice some more. These markers are different from many of the other color media you may have used in the past. They are fine-art markers that do have a learning curve. But what could possibly be more fun than coloring lots of your favorite images? These markers are an investment, both of money and of time, but the results they produce are well worth both!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sketch Color Challenge Sunday: Secondary Colors



Today I would like to offer you a slightly different challenge; a color scheme challenge. Every few weeks or so I will be giving you a color challenge in lieu of a sketch, just to change things up a little bit and offer some of the readers who aren't fond of sketches a little something they might like to try instead.

For this challenge I would like to challenge you to think of some fun secondary colors... orange, purple, and green... and to use them to make your creation. These colors have become VERY popular for Halloween, so perhaps that could be the focus of your card. Make an ATC, a card, a scrapbook page, an altered item, anything!


These are the three shades of the colors that I plan to use:



If you do give the challenge a try, then it is simple to share your work with me, the rest of the design team, and the blog readers! Upload a photo somewhere (Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, etc.) and then put a link to it in the comments by adding the following codes to your comment, and then replacing the word "link" with the actual link to your photo:

      <a href="link">My Color Challenge</a>

Your comment will then contain the words "My Color Challenge" which will link to your photo. The design team really looks forward to seeing your work!

Here is a card I made that uses these colors, along with black and white, to celebrate Haloween. The green in the card is actually brighter than it appears in this photo. That's what I get for taking a photo at night...



Until the next time,
Kathy

Friday, August 19, 2011

Georges: my father's album (Design Team Project)

by Polinka

Georges (my father's album)



My father celebrated his 60th birthday this year, and as a lovely scrapbooker daughter, I just had to make an album for him, didn't I ?

I browsed accross the Frantic Stamper shop, until I found this album : Bo Bunny Bare Naked Binder Album – size 9"x9" (BBP-ALB-9x9 - $12.99)

I imagined this cover to fit my father's love for wood and it is very simple to do !! I covered a part of the cover with a thick base of gesso, and then drew the wood lines using the tip of a pencil. When dry, I painted it with acrylic paint, mixed with a little water.



I hope you'll enjoy it, as much as I enjoyed creating it:)

 

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Technique Thursday: How to Use Some New Products

How to Use Some New Products

Today we would love to share some tips and tricks for some new products available at FranticStamper.com. First, we would like to share a great use for Crafters Workshop Templates. These templates can be used as any template to stencil, trace, or emboss, but this video gives a different take on using a stencil.



Next is a video from Claudine Helmuth sharing a fabulous transfer technique using her new Studio Paint series.



And last is a video showing how to use the coordinating stamps and dies from Memory Box together to get perfectly aligned die cut image.



We hope you have enjoyed the video selection and that you will check out these new product and others that are available at FranticStamper's New Product page.