Spotted Canary Blog

. Our lives revolve around them.

We add them.

We subtract them.

Some people have even been known to play them.

We round them up.

We round them down.

We order food by them. A #5 from Chick-fil-A please.

We organize by them.

We paint by them.

We drive by them. Well, at least within 5 MPH of them.

We count them.

We balance them.

We even fudge them. Especially when our husbands ask how much we spent at the LSS : ).

We use them to rate our dates.

We dial them ten at a time.

We curse them on the scale.

And recently, we have mourned over them in Japan.

Everywhere I tell ya. Everywhere.


So as the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them! How about incorporating numbers into your next party theme? It’s not hard.

Certainly not as hard as explaining that check made out to your LSS : ). 


Start with something way easy. Order some numbered t-shirts for the party honoree. Here are some cute ones for the little people in your life. (See the bottom of this post for references and links to the pictures.)






Use numbers on the invitation or party favor. This adorable mustache print would be a fun invitation especially if the celebration age is highlighted in a specific color. Chocolate bars wrapped in printed paper are great favors and once you have the format done, you can drop any future number need into them, amortizing your initial time investment.






Food is a key party element, so why not incorporate numbers into its preparation. And what better way than cake! Try forming a digit with cupcakes or forming the actual cake into a number and covering it with candy coated chocolates. Love these! And not just because they are cake. Mmmm. Cake.






Give numbers center stage by creating centerpieces with them. Use them to showcase a date such as the day the baby was born for a baby shower or the wedding date for a wedding shower. Cover them with real, paper or silk flowers and again, use then to recall a specific date or to remind the guests of the age everyone is there to celebrate. And of course, use numbers to tell people what table to sit at. Try stamped velvet ribbon wrapped around vases or chalkboard-like tin canisters as an unexpected twist on the traditional table number.






Extending the number centerpiece idea, lighten things up by wrapping candles with printed vellum or making your own luminaries from tin cans. If you make the luminaries yourself, fill the cans with water then freeze before you start to hammer. The ice will keep the tin from collapsing. Been there. Didn’t do it. Wished I had.






Hang these ideas from the ceiling or attach to the wall directly. Balloons are always appreciated at kids’ parties and what child wouldn’t love to have their newly acquired age showcased larger than life in a colorful display. Gather photos of the party honoree and arrange them in the shape of their age. L.O.V.E. T.H.I.S. If the above ideas are too over-the-top, why not simply cut numbers from cardstock and hang with ribbon from a light fixture. Easy peasy.






And now, for something requiring a little more commitment. I adore the look of open frames on the wall. So why not fill open frames with the number of the day and temporarily attach them in a conspicuous party place. These chairs are definitely statement pieces, but what a fun tradition if they only come out of the attic for birthday or anniversary parties. If full sized chairs are out of the question, how about chair covers that slip over your current chair backs and would give the same affect.







Well, dear reader, I’m sure you’re wondering why I chose to do a blog post about numbers. Off the beaten path, right? Yeah, well, you guys know me by now. Nothing on the path about me : ).

Anywhoo, a few months ago I saw some numbered napkins in the Pottery Barn catalog. Fell in love with them because for some sick reason, I think it would be fun to assign each guest a number for the evening and use it to determine all sorts of things … like their place in the buffet line or how many spoonfuls of dessert they can eat or the number of times they must compliment the hostess : ).


Unfortunately, I didn’t act fast enough and now they are gone, gone, gone. No longer available for order. Sniff. Sniff. They kinda looked like these.






But, never fear dear reader! If PB can make them, so can I. And why stop at just napkins? No reason to! Let’s go a step or two further and number up some plates and cups. So I did and here are the results.






Start out with these supplies, making sure to add or subtract anything required by the porcelain paint you choose to use. I got the plates and cups at my local dollar store. Cha-cheap.






Print numbers in various sizes backwards on typing paper. Tape them to squares of contact paper and cut them out.






Stick the contact paper to the prepared surfaces, rubbing along the edges to create a good seal so the paint won’t seep through.






Apply the paint, laying it on thick.






Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours. Score around the contact paper edges to prevent the paint from peeling up with the contact paper. Once everything has been scored, remove the stencil.






Put plates and cups in the oven and bake according to the paint bottle directions. And no, you can’t see this step ... my oven is a MESS.






Viola. No more wondering whose plate is who’s … well, at least after you’ve eaten your way through the mashed potatoes that is.






The napkins take a similar process to complete. Start with your supplies. I picked up a pack of 12 at my favorite discount store with the red bullseye for $10. You could go higher end, but do a test run first before you commit to the more pricey pieces.






Cut the numbers from contact paper and apply to the napkins. Again, rub the edges to create a good seal.






Color the numbers with pigment ink.






Heat set the ink with a hot iron, using a pressing cloth to protect your iron and ironing board.






Viola. Everyone can keep their own germs to themselves. It’s always a plus to send guests home without any extra bacteria.






So embrace the numbers game dear reader. Use them as the jumping off point for your next party … even if it’s not age related. Or try your hand at numberizing some inexpensive serve ware. If numbers don’t appeal to you, monograms would be just as striking. And … would make for some fun and personal wedding gifts too … ok, must stop now … too many projects, too little time … there are only 24 hours in a day after all … and it is all about the numbers : ).

Happy numbering dear reader!

~ Elizabeth (ekb)



Web Resources and Links

Girl’s Tee: Happy Family

Boy’s Tee: Your Personalitee

Mustached Numbers Print: Sugarfresh

Wrapped Chocolate: Martha Stewart 

Mini Cupcakes: Martha Stewart 

Number Shaped Cake: Martha Stewart 

Number Boxes: Pink Peppermint Paper 

Number Covered In Flowers: A Little Favor 

Velvet Ribbon Table Numbers: Martha Stewart 

Numbered Tin Canisters / Numbered Tin Can Luminary: Impressed Inc.

Wrapped Centerpieces: Martha Stewart 

Wall Balloons: Martha Stewart 

Wall Photos: Martha Stewart 

Hanging Numbers: Jeanne Winters 

Framed Wall Numbers: Blow Out Party 

Number Chairs: Decordir.com 

Neither have I.
I am not showing you this to frighten you

-- but as hope!

When I am under several deadlines or very involved in a project,

I make a huge mess. (view of the floor, under my desk)

 I am not sure many believe me unless they bear witness to the explosion of paper, tools, and embellishments.

 I bet you think it must take me days to put everything back into its proper place.

Not really…this tornado of scrapbooking chaos was cleaned up in 1 hour.

Are you wondering how?

Let me share some of my storage secrets with you.

It really is all about organization.

• Taking the time to organize all your supplies prevents you from buying something you already have, thus saving you money.
•  It also makes your crafting faster because you are not hunting for supplies or products. I have to clean between projects because I don’t want to spend 5 minutes digging out my scissors from a pile of patterned paper scraps.
• Each time I clean it feels like a fresh start for my mind and my studio!
  

Let’s start with trash-
You know I like saving my scraps but they are of no use to me unless I organize them.

• The good scraps, “the keepers,” go in zip-lock baggies and are stored with the paper pad or collection of papers they came from.
• I try to pull from my scraps before tearing into a new sheet of patterned paper.
• The trash, aka the non-salvageable scraps, goes in my recycle bin.
• That’s correct -- I have a recycle bin for paper in my studio. It isn’t the prettiest container … someday I need to give it a pink makeover.
•  But it is functional. It is my way of doing my small part for the environment.

Once all the trash is out of the picture and the paper is stored into baggies, then it is time for the fun stuff.

Embellishments … all those yummy little pieces.

From my last Nifty Thrifty post, you may realize that I am a lover and collector of buttons.

You may have also learned that I store them in canning jars because I can purchase the jars for pennies at my Goodwill store.

I am not a fancy sticker storage kind of girl.

• I put my stickers in plastic tubs so I can stack them and quickly locate what I am planning on using.
• Someday I hope to put dividers in my sticker binds or metal office rings that sort the stickers by themes.
• I have the stickers sorted by sports, holidays, birthday, baby, etc. I just haven’t taken the next step and added the dividers.
• I know that it would make my search for the perfect sticker much faster.
• Another little sticker tip is to keep your stickers in their packaging if at all possible. It really helps the sticker stay in better condition, and it makes locating a certain sticker easier when needed because you have the brand, name, and the barcode number.
  

Ribbon and trim rolls and scraps are placed in my cookie jars.

•  I found these at my discount store.
• They were more expensive ($8 to $10 each), but I must say they were worth every penny.
• I can see and find the exact color of ribbon I plan to use.
• They are convenient for sorting scraps of trim and ribbon.
• They are also pretty eye candy to look at as a studio decoration.

All the little things I like to craft with … jars glorious jars. I pick up jars at Goodwill and store my pretty little things in jars.

•  Jars are inexpensive
• and you can see what is in them.
•  I am a visual crafter. If I can’t see it, I probably will forget I have it.

Something you might not know is my daughter and I love to make jewelry together.

Working with a teenager can be challenging because they aren’t the best at putting things away.

 We sat down together on a weekend and organized our beading supplies.

I went to my discount store (“Wally World”) and bought drawer organizers in the tool section of the store. They were gray and drab and can I just say -- ugly. So I headed to the spray paint aisle. I found paint that worked for plastic. I think it was outdoor paint for plastic furniture. I removed the drawers from the organizer at home and sprayed the plastic organizer ivory.

I have been asked by several friends where I found these little drawer organizers in ivory.

Now you know how to do it.

• I didn’t label the drawers because my supplies change.
• Also I store my beads by color …. all the pink beads are together, blue ones, etc. I seem to work in color when making jewelry.

Another great storage piece of jewelry making isn’t always found in the jewelry section. I have seen these little plastic divided boxes in the jewelry aisle of the craft store but that is not usually where I get mine.

Here is another crafty secret.

• Look for plastic divided organizers in the fishing section of your discount store or in the hardware section.
• They are usually sturdier and cost less.
• I like to keep all my gold findings in a separate container from my brass findings. 
•  also have a container dedicated to charms only.

Chains are hung on little nails and jewelry making tools are in small glass vases that I no longer use.

I am trying to teach my daughter about the different pliers and tools. It is easier to sort them by type of tool in the jars.

Let’s talk scrapbooking tools.

You were probably frightened by the tool mess I had going on in my studio.

Really it wasn’t that bad because my tools are organized.

Scissors quickly pick up and go in my garden urn.

It is a snap!

Then punches are placed either in labeled plastic storage bins that tell what punches are in them or they go in my table where wine bottles are suppose to be stored.

The punches, like circle punches, square punches, oval punches, corner rounders, and edgers all go in my table for quick convenience.

If I didn’t have this kitchen bar studio table, I am sure I would organize the punches in bins so I could pull out what I needed for quick use.

 I wish I could say I am so perfectly organized in all my crafting areas.

 I am not.

• Currently the basement bar area is covered in photos and photos boxes that I am desperately trying to get in good working shape.
• My stamping supplies need more organization and a good cleanout.
• I also dabble at sewing. I just painted a thread organizer for the wall. It was a shadowbox that I was saving for another project.

•  My fabric is stored in bins, but I do spend time digging for the piece I want so I’m not sure this is the best way to organize yet.

I think organizing is one of those things that you don’t just do once and call it done.

I feel like I am constantly changing and reorganizing as my supplies change.

I know when my organizing benefits me though … remember my studio.

Well after a mess that large, it is put back together in 1 hour.

Taking the time to organize your supplies will save you time and money in the long run.

Spring cleaning your craft helps you find things you may have forgotten and gives you ideas for new projects.

Please share any tips you have for organizing.

I love hearing from you, and I also appreciate learning from you!

If you would like to see more pictures of my studio, you can gohere orhere!

Get your clean on, and craft some Magic this Month! 

Love, Happiness, and Crafting-

Miss Nifty Thrifty~Kara Ward (Studio Pink)

NOTE: Make sure you read all the way to the bottom of this post to learn how you can be a lucky winner!! We'll be choosing one winner to send a $50.00 Stamping PRIZE PACK to!!

When I first started stamping I had no idea what I was doing. Or what I was buying! Going into the craft store to look at stamps, inks and all the accoutrements confused me. I was too embarrassed to ask questions so I bought a lot of supplies that I never used or used incorrectly. Now that I’ve been stamping for a good many years – knowing what to buy comes like second nature to me. It’s just learning to say no to all those pretty stamps that’s the hardest part!      

To make things easier for you I thought I’d write a little bit about inks, stamps and other supplies that stampers use so your next trip to the craft or stamping store goes a bit smoother. Oh, and don’t be like me – ask lots of questions – that’s what the sales clerks are there for!

Ink, Ink, so many types of ink! 

First, you’ll want to know about inks, and there’s definitely a specific type of ink to use for your stamping project! Though you can typically use any ink – getting the right ink for the job can make or break your project. Using a slow-drying ink on a card you NEED to get done before that baby shower will only frustrate you. So, continue reading for a reference guide for choosing the right inks and tools for the stamping project you have in mind!

• Dye Ink: Dye Inks are typically water based, non-toxic inks that are quick drying.  You can use dye inks on all types of paper and most solvent markers will work successfully with them. Dye inks do not need to be heat set to be permanent and waterproof. This is a good ink for beginner stamping as they are quick drying and will not smudge easily. 

• Pigment Ink: Pigment Inks are also water based, non-toxic inks – but they differ from dye inks in that they are slow drying, and require heat setting. Pigment inks are thick, juicy inks that are best for embossing powders used on glossy papers. 

   
• Chalk Ink: Chalk Inks are also water based non-toxic inks that are perfect for any type of paper. Though they are quick drying, you should not use them in on projects where they will be near photographs. 

• Solvent Ink: Solvent Inks are solvent based inks that are best used to stamp on non-porous or glossy surfaces like vellum, glossy papers, glass, leather and metal. Because solvent inks are not water soluble, you can use this type of ink on images stamped onto standard cardstock that you will color with water based paints, watercolor pencils or spray with non-solvent based color sprays. You should use a special cleaning solution to clean your stamps after stamping with solvent inks. Solvent inks are NOT non-toxic and do not need heat setting.
     
• Embossing Ink: Embossing Inks are non-toxic water based inks that are also slow-drying. They are at their best when used for stamping on porous paper and used with embossing powders. When used without embossing powders these inks leave a watermark image on colored papers. Embossing inks should be heat set. 

What’s the best type of stamp?

Red Rubber, or Clear Stamps; that seems to be the question of the day! For some die-hard stampers red rubber is the only option. For others they’ll only use clear stamps. For me – as long as it’s a pretty stamp it doesn’t matter – a stamp is a stamp. That said; there are differences in the way you care for and use each type.  

Red Rubber stamps come in three ways: mounted on a wood block, unmounted and cling. Wood Mounted stamps are mounted on a wood block with a thin cushion in between the block and the rubber. Unmounted rubber stamps come without a foam cushion and no wood block, and cling stamps have a foam cushion that clings to a clear block. Red Rubber ink pads can be pressed into the paper to get a good impression while applying a good amount of pressure to the stamped image.

Clear Stamps are made from acrylic and are clear – making it easy to position a clear stamp in the exact spot you want because you can see where you are stamping. Clear stamps are made to cling to a clear block when stamping. Because they are so thin, storage doesn’t take up very much room at all. Clear stamps are typically less expensive than wood-mounted rubber stamps. If you mash a clear stamp into the surface of the paper when stamping, the resulting image will be blurry and of pour quality. Clear stamps should be stamped lightly on a surface with some give to it, like a mouse pad.

I like cling stamps best as I can use them with the clear blocks I use for clear stamps, are easier to position and take up less storage room than wood mounted. Now you can get clear red rubber clings – and that’s my favorite of all!  

Now that you’ve got the basics of Inks and Stamps down, check out some accessories and tools for ALL Your Stamping Projects

Stamping really doesn’t take that many supplies – but there are several that make your job stamping job a bit easier, A LOT more creative and much more fun!

• Stamp Cleaner/Scrubber: Cleaning your stamps after use is an important maintenance step to keep them in good shape so they’ll last a long time. Solvent inks can deteriorate the surface of stamp over time, so it’s important to take an extra few minutes to clean the ink off. To clean my stamps I usually spray the stamp with a stamp cleaner and brush it on a stamp scrubber to remove the ink and cleaning solution on one side of the scrubbing pad and dry it off on the other side. You’ll need a solvent cleaner for when you’ve used a solvent ink and a gentle stamp cleaner for when you’ve used chalk, dye or pigment inks. 
     
• Masking Sheets:  Masking sheets definitely make stamping fun!! They allow you to stamp over an image to add a background stamp or stamp multiples of one stamp -- while keeping the first image free of ink. To use masking sheets, stamp an image on your project and stamp the same image on the masking sheet. Cut the image stamped on the masking sheet away and place the mask on your paper, covering the first stamped image. Stamp another image in the background and remove the mask to reveal the double stamped project.
     
• Embossing Powders: When you use embossing powders on your stamped projects you create a raised image on the paper. Because they come in tons of colors, you can add a unique and colorful look to your stamped projects. Embossing Powders MUST BE HEAT SET!! To get a fun watermark look, stamp your image with embossing ink and apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat gun. Stamp paper with colorful inks over the embossed image and let the ink dry. When you are sure the ink has set, rub the embossed areas with a clean cloth to remove the ink. Doing this technique on patterned paper can create a really unique look. 
     
• Glitter and Flocking:  These two items are perfect for adding some sparkle and texture to your stamped project. Both of these products can be used with a Glue Stamp Pad or some type of glue along with your stamp to stick to your project. 
     
• Heat Tool: A heat tool is used to activate or melt embossing powders and heat set flocking powders, Pigment, Chalk and Embossing Inks. 
     
• Glitter Tray: is handy to have when working with glitter, embossing powders and flocking. Place the tray underneath the project you’re sprinkling the glitter or powders on to catch any excess materials and use the handy spout to put them back in the container. This not only keeps your work surface clean but it saves money by recycling the excess material. Some trays are plastic and others are non-static metal. 
     
• Glue Stamp Pad: A glue stamp pad is used when applying glitter or flocking to a stamped project. You’ll first stamp the image with the Glue Stamp Pad and then sprinkle the flocking powder or glitter over the image and set it aside to dry. There is a glue powder that works like Embossing Powder, when heat set the glue is activated and ready for the glitter or flocking. 

Now that you’ve got the basics down and plenty of tool ideas to play with, you’re ready to get your stamping supplies out and get started. Just play and experiment until you figure things out. Once you get the basics down, there is so much MORE you can learn about stamping techniques and tools – and sometimes the only way is to jump right in and get started.

If you’re ready for more, check out the Inkadinkado Creative inspiration website for more tips and techniques.      

If you’re looking for some creative stamping inspiration, check out the Inkadinkado Project Ideas page.

Thanks for reading along with me, don’t hesitate to ask questions…..that’s what I’m here for! If there are any techniques you'd like me to cover, make sure to let me know -- I'd be happy to do a tutorial showing you how! To make sure I get your questions, be sure to send a Private Message to me at the Spotted Canary, my user name is CMScanlon. 

If you’d like to be entered to win a stamping prize pack valued at $50.00 leave a comment on this blog post letting us know what types of stamping techniques challenge you or what types of techniques you’d like us to do tutorials on here on the Expert Blog.  

In order to be eligible to win the prize pack, your comment must be posted by Friday, April 29, 2011.

“Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high,
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby.”

As I hummed my favorite song from “The Wizard of Oz,” I was taken back to when I was a little girl. I had a love for rainbows. I am a child of the 70’s so part of my love was the era I grew up in. I had a special handmade jean jacket with a rainbow stitched on the backside of it. Prisms hung in my bedroom window. Every afternoon a million rainbows danced on my walls and ceilings. I also collected rainbow stickers, notebooks, and stationery that I would trade with my friends.

 For an instant, this particular song brought back so many fond memories from my childhood.

Looking around my home, I notice that I still have a love for rainbows. It is just as apparent as it was when I was little.

• If you walk into my closet, you will notice my clothing is hanging and sorted by colors -- reds together, oranges together, etc.  
• My shoes are the same way,   
• along with my jewelry   
• and even my crafting ribbon.   

When I looked at my button collection, I realized that it really looked like a rainbow!

I buy my buttons in bulk at thrift stores and antique malls.

When I get home, I sort the buttons by colors in my 5 cent thrift store find mason jars.

Isn’t it rainbow-ish?

March is a perfect month for rainbows.

You may find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow if you are as lucky as the Irish!

My crafting lucky led me to be inspired by some amazing crafters.

Here are their rainbow designs.

(Click on the photos and they will link you to their blogs.)

I loved this “Shamrock Specimen.”

I like how the artist varied the colored of shamrocks

 so it looks like a rainbow in the center of the wall art.

Isn’t this just delicious and healthy too?

 A fruit rainbow would make a fun breakfast on St. Patrick’s Day!

I am in love, love, love with this rainbow pillow.

I love the ticking line design and the saying is just priceless. 

Mmm, cupcakes!

I have wanted to try this but I was unsure of how to do it.

This blog will give you some guidance.

I always thought that St. Patrick’s Day was one of those obscure little holidays that had no meaning, and since I am part Scottish I’ve always worn orange on that day in protest of celebrating another holiday.

When I decided to do a step- by-step tutorial for a St. Patrick’s Day card, I thought I should do some research on the origins of the day; I was really surprised by what I found!

St. Patrick was known as the Patron Saint of Ireland in the 9^th and 10^th centuries. St. Patrick’s Feast Day has always been celebrated on March 17; a religious feast day and the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick; the Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.

St. Patrick's Day falls during the Catholic observation of Lent when the Irish traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Usually during Lent the food restrictions prevented the Irish from eating meat; but for the St. Patrick's Festival Day these restrictions are lifted so the people could dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.

Now that we know all about St. Patrick, let’s take a little bit of time and make a fun card to send to that Lucky Friend of yours. I picked up these fun stamps and glitter Shamrocks at the Dollar Section at Joann's, it's hard not to look through all the cute things while waiting in line to check out! Since I have a friend that is REALLY into St. Patrick's Day, I thought they would make a fun card to send out to her! 

Step 1:

Stamp the St. Patty’s Day greeting on cream cardstock with Black Ink and punch using the Real Estate Sign Punch.

To center the image perfectly in the punch, turn the punch over so the bottom of the punch is facing up, insert the paper and position the image in the window. When it’s perfectly positioned, punch. Apply ink to the edges with Natural Green Chalk inkpad and 3D Dots on the backside and set aside.     

Step 2:

Trim a piece of cream cardstock to 3” x 4” and use a corner rounder punch to round all the corners.

Stamp the shamrock using the Natural Green Chalk Ink pad in the bottom corner of the cardstock. Ink the edges of the panel with Natural Green ink.

Clean the shamrock stamp and use a VersaMark pad to stamp the image around the edges of the card.

Mat panel on patterned paper from the Julienne Designer Paper Pad. Trim a piece of green pattern paper from the Brenda Walton Around the World paper pad to fit on a 5” x 7” card base and adhere the stamped card, centering on 3 sides.

Step 3:

Using the Argyle Edger Punch, create a border strip from Olive Green cardstock.

Adhere argyle border strip to card. Layer a strip of decorative tape over the center of the punched border strip and wrap the ends to the back. Layer a piece of green or coordinating ribbon over this and attach the ends on the backside of the panel.

Step 4:

Ink edges of panel with brown ink, secure panel to cardbase and stitch around the edges to secure everything in place.

Step 5:

Attach the Real Estate Sign with the stamped greeting to the card with 3D Dots. Decorate the card with the rest of the Glittered Shamrocks. To create depth, add 3D Dots to some of the shamrocks.

Step 6:

Create a unique envelope. (This envelope will not go through the postal service. Use a standard envelope if you plan on mailing your card.) Decorate a small paper bag with a strip of Olive Green cardstock punched with the Argyle border punch and a strip of ribbon. Add a 2” scallop circle punched from coordinating patterned paper and a couple of shamrocks to the top and your Lucky Card is done and ready to go out to that lucky friend.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, hope it's a lucky one for you!