7/11

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Adventures with Recycling: Photopolymer Stamps

This is my awesome camera rig. I made a peep hole for the camera on my iPhone. (Yes, I watched MacGyver as a kid and loved every minute of it. All my video needs is an explosion!)

 

Q and A:

Q: What brand of ink are you using?

A: My favourite ink is Memento dye ink by Tsukineko because it dries fast, cleans up fast, and won't get wrecked by the rain. It works with all kinds of stamps. I really like the little dew drops for control over the colour, but they also sell the regular sized ink pads, and I have those in black and brown.

Q: Do you have different sizes of blocks?

A: I only have that one block. It is sufficient. If I use a tiny stamp, I put in the corner and use delicate pressure. If the stamp is bigger than my block, I use the quilting ruler. I have had my eye on the Fiskar's stamp press for a long time. It looks superior to a block. Less chance of a slip-up, oops there's ink where I didn't want it.

Q: Do you have web links to where to get good ink? Clear blocks?

A: I do all of my online craft shopping at Simon Says Stamp. They stock everything, have the best prices, reasonable shipping rates, and I've had nothing but good experiences with them since 2010. I bought everything in the video from them except for the Christmas stamp set, which I won. Because I'm a winner.

STAMPS

High quality, made in the USA photopolymer stamps:

Hero Arts: 'Heyday Sentiments' and 'Stepping Stone Alphabet'

Simon Says Stamp: 'Sunnier Days'

The little Christmas stamp set is by Studio G Clear Stamps, made in Taiwan. I'm not sure of the material. It seems to be photopolymer, but I'm no chemist.

INKS

Memento 4 Dew Drop Ink Pads by Tsukineko: 'JUICY PURPLES' and 'OCEAN' Made in Japan.

OTHER

I use Bounty paper towel because I read somewhere that it has the least lint out there. There is still some paper towel transfer sometimes, but it's not a big deal.

ETA (May 8, 2014): I have now switched to using a piece of an old t-shirt as a rag to clean my stamps instead of paper towel. Same method -- using just water. Now there is NO lint, and it's better for the environment (and my wallet). I plan to throw it in the washing machine with my towels when I need to wash it, but I've been using it for about a week, just rinsing it out, and it works great! Super, in fact!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's a card I made for an origami card challenge from Papertrey while listening to Gershwin's Rhapsody and Blue. Gershwin and origami, who knew?

The outside hearts were made following these directions, and I decided I didn't like the split in the middle, so I found directions for a diagonal heart, which I used for the middle three.

However, since the romantic heart is said to represent bosoms and/or butts, there really should be a split in the middle...

Omega-3

www.marriedtothesea.com

Photo Mosaic

I tried something silly today while Jason was having a siesta.

The idea is to type your answers to 12 questions in the Flickr search and then choose one of the pictures on the first page of search results to create a mosaic using Big Huge Lab's Mosaic Maker.

Here are the questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favourite food? Right now?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favourite colour?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favourite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favourite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. What is one word that describes you?
12. What is your flickr name?

I felt like I was in Grade 3 answering the questions, or maybe like someone looking for love on one of those matchmaker websites, but it was fun enough. It was a bit heavy on the food questions. My favourite picture is #11. The word I used to describe myself was "funny."

I found this while reading Schmutzie's blog. She is doing a project where she writes everyday for a year about different people she has met throughout her life. It's quite interesting and somewhat poetic. I don't think I have even met 365 people.

1. Bonnie and Clyde, 2. Sushi, 3. Grande Prairie, 4. Blue ice cave at the Jostedalsbreen glacier, 5. Zooey Deschanel, 6. Margharita-o-clock, 7. Best of Holland, 8. coffee and chocolate mousse cake, 9. The Piano Teacher, 10. Study Hall in the Cathedral of Learning -- a 4x5 Pinhole Photograph, 11. Funny Sign, 12. Bright

March 29

The reason I didn't go to Granville Island today.

Animals are Funny. Except Ostriches. They Suck.

The chimp in the Japanese video made me laugh and laugh. I often quote the cat.