Fa La Llama from Neat and Tangled by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

Today I'm back with a new Copic coloring project featuring the adorable Fa La Llama stamp set from Neat & Tangled. Danielle Walls, from Neat & Tangled will be bringing with her a Trunk Show of her stamp images to the Queen's Ink this Saturday. But more about that in a moment!

Presenting Fa La Llama!
Featuring the Fa La Llama stamp set from Neat & Tangled
Dies from Lawn Fawn

Paper from Authentique

Embellishments from Ranger, 28 Lilac Lane, and Zig.
All available from The Queen's Ink!

I knew as soon as I saw this stamp set that I had to color this image so I pulled out my Copic markers and got to work. The full list of Copic colors are listed below. After the coloring was complete, I embellished the sky to look like snow, adding dots with gel pens in white and silver as well as a little Kirarina Wink in White Pearl. I added Wink of Stella in Clear to the blanket and scarf for some shimmer. For additional sparkle, I added Ranger Stickles to the sky and the ground to give the snow some dimension. 

Products on my supply list below are all available from The Queen's Ink. 

JOIN US ON SATURDAY FOR
THE NEAT & TANGLED TRUNK SHOW!

On Saturday, The Queen's Ink will be hosting "The Coloring Challenge Road Trip" featuring Kathy Racoosin, a Maryland artist (and friend of the Queen) who hosts a wonderful technique filled blog “The Daily Marker”. Although seats for this event are sold out, you can still get in on the fun. Danielle Walls, from Neat & Tangled will be joining Kathy and bringing with her a Trunk Show of her stamp images that are great for coloring. They will be available for purchase on the day of the event. 

As a way of giving back to the community Kathy is donating her time and $30.00 of the registration fee will go to support Dan DiGennaro, Danielle’s dad who is suffering from CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). The Queen’s Ink will be donating 10% of our sales from that to support Dan and his journey toward wellness.

Stop by, check out the Trunk Show and join in on the fun!

SUPPLY LIST

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Frosty Winter Two by Authentique; Bazzill Basics in Smokey
Stamp: Fa La Llama by Neat & Tangled
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink and Memento in Tuxedo Black, both by Tsukineko
Die: Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables by Lawn Fawn
Embellishments: Sakura Gelly Roll Pens in White and Silver (snow); Kirarina Wink in White Pearl (snow); Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder (sentiment); Ranger Stickles in Crystal (snow); Zig Wink of Stella in Clear (blanket and scarf) Festival of Light Sequins from 28 Lilac Lane.
Copics: B37, B39, C9 (sky); W00, W0, W1 E30 (llama); E00, E97 (face); BG49, BG53, BG57, V01, V05, V06, V09 (scarf); V01, V05, V06, BG59, BG53 (blanket); BG49, BG53, BG57 (gift wrap); V01, V05, V06, V09 (ribbon); BG0000, BG000, BG10, B0000, B000, BV00 (snow)

Laurel Burch Whiskers by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

I'm back with a new project featuring products from Stampendous, Tim Holtz, and Lawn Fawn, all available from The Queen's Ink!

I've always loved the Laurel Burch feline images - colorful, quirky - just like most of the cats in my life. So when I saw that Stampendous released Whiskers as a stamp, I had to have it. While the image would be beautiful in all sorts of bright Copic inks, today I just didn't feel like figuring out all of those colors. 

Sometimes I'm a lazy colorist. There, I've said it.

So instead, I pulled out six shades of Distress Inks in rainbow hues to form a colorful background. I heat embossed the image, added a bit of vellum and attached a die cut "hello" cut from gold foil. And with little effort, I have a card ready to pop in the mail to brighten a friend's day.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110#; Bazzill Basics in Black; Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper; Gold Foil by Bazzill
Stamp: Whiskers (Laurel Burch) by Stampendous!
Inks: Versamark Watermark Ink by Tsukineko; Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Blueprint Sketch, Seedless Preserves, Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon, Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed
Embellishments: Black Detail Embossing Powder by Stampendous
Die: Scripty Hello by Lawn Fawn

At the Dog Park with Laurel Burch By Judi Kauffman for The Queen’s Ink

I can’t seem to resist Laurel Burch’s stamps! Every time I visit The Queen’s Ink a few more of them find their way into my basket. The set called Dog Park is the newest addition to my collection. It includes five cling-mounted gray rubber dog stamps and a bonus template with positive and negative pieces for masking and stenciling. A matching die set is available, too. Wish I had already bought it – it’s on the list for my next trip. As much as I enjoy fussy cutting, it would have been easier and faster to simply die cut the dogs instead of using scissors.

Cat lovers: Not to worry! Laurel Burch’s line has a similar set with a trio of cats just for you…

I created three cards, an envelope and an Artist Trading Card for today’s tutorial.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Stamp dogs onto white cardstock or envelopes; color with pencils. Go for realistic colors or pick a whimsical imaginary palette. Use markers instead of pencils if you prefer. For cards, cut out the dog(s) and adhere to a background stamped with Magic Stamp textures or purchased patterned papers. Layer onto a solid color side-fold card base.

2. Alternatively, stamp dogs onto dogs onto cardstock that has previously been stamped in pink with a Magic Stamp block for an allover background pattern. Accent with Glitter Dots peel-offs and/or color with pencils. Another option: Stamp onto tone-on-tone printed cardstock. For cards, cut out the dog(s) and adhere to a background stamped with Magic Stamp textures or patterned papers. Optional: Add a shiny moon made from a White Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz circle topped with leftovers from a sheet of Silver Glitter Dots peel-offs as shown in the project photo at the start of this blog post and shown in close-up below.

3. For ATC, add a sentiment and adhere a rectangle for the dog to sit on.

4. For the polka dot card, mix dot patterns in two sizes. Emboss a piece of Pink Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz with rose pattern folder, lightly sand; adhere to the card for the dog to stand on.

SUPPLIES:

• Laurel Burch Dog Park stamp set LBCRS04
• Dylusions whimsical phrase stamp by Dyan Reaveley
• Black ink
• Chameleon Color Tones pencils or pencils of choice
• Cardstock in white and assorted colors
• Dot pattern papers
• Shimmer Sheetz in Pink and White Iridescent
• Glitter Dots in Purple, leftovers from Silver
•   (note: Purple Glitter Dots are pinkish raspberry in color)
• Background papers (hand stamped or purchased)

Mixed Media Tags Featuring Red Castle Stamps by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling!

I'm back today with a project that is a first for me - mixed media tags! My project features stamps from Red Castle (available exclusively at the Queen's Ink) and Penny Black as well as inks and stencils from Tim Holtz and Ranger.

As you know, my primary medium is Copic markers and the end result is usually a handmade card, but I've been experimenting with other media, including watercolors, colored pencils, and Distress Inks. These simple tags provided the perfect opportunity to explore color and texture with supplies that I already had at hand.

INSTRUCTIONS

I work in a relatively small space and knew that things could get messy quickly. I covered my work surface with an Easy Clean Mat from Tonic to protect it and speed clean up when I was finished.

1. Using a blending tool, apply Distress Ink to one side of a #8 manila craft tag.
   In the case of the first tag, I started in the middle with Mustard Seed, blending each side with Spiced Marmalade followed by Picked Raspberry. For the second tag, I started at the bottom with Chipped Sapphire, working upward from dark to light with Peacock Feathers and Broken China, ending with Cracked Pistachio. I followed with a second coat to make sure that the inks were well blended and coverage was even. 
2. Lightly spritz the tag using a mini mister filled with plain water.
   The water will activate the ink and create a pattern as it dries. Use as much or as little as you want to get to desired effect.
3. Once the ink has dried, stamp the images to be embossed with Versamark Ink. 
   I used Leaves Set 3 by Red Castle Stamps. The images are deeply etched and leave a clear impression. I particularly liked the botanical images and chose those for my tags.
4. Cover with embossing powder and heat set the images.
   Be sure that your heat gun has had a chance to warm up first to reduce warping of your tag.
5. Decide the placement of your stencils and apply Texture Paste with a palette knife. Wash your palette knife and stencil immediate with water. Allow Texture Paste to dry completely.
   Do not use a heat gun to dry the texture paste as it may cause bubbling (unless that's the effect you want!).
6. Once texture paste is dry, lightly dab and blend Distress Ink in the color of your choice over the raised stenciled areas. 
   You can either select a contrasting color to make the stenciled image stand out or match the ink to the background to create texture without additional contrast.
7. Stamp any additional sentiments using a stamping platform.
   I selected sentiments and a butterfly image from the Spiritual Snippets Stamp Set and the Snippets Stamp set, both by Penny Black. I used a Tim Holtz Stamping Platform so that I could stamp multiple sentiments at the same time using Versafine Ink in Onyx Black.
8. Apply Distress Micro Glaze to seal inks.
   A little goes a long way! Buff with a soft towel (I actually used a paper towel) to remove excess.
9. Add a ribbon or other embellishments as desired.
   Don't forget to sit back and admire your work!

SUPPLIES

• Tonic Essentials Easy Clean Mat
• #8 manila craft tags 
• Distress Inks: Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry, Cracked Pistachio, Broken China, Peacock Feathers and Chipped Sapphire
• Ranger Mini Round Ink Blending Tool and Foam Applicators (one for each ink color)
• Ranger Inkssentials Mini Mister filled with plain water
• Stamps: Leaves Set 3 by Red Castle Stamps; Spiritual Snippets by Penny Black; Snippets by Penny Black
• Tsukineko Versamark Embossing Ink
• Stampendous Detail White Fine Opaque Embossing Powder
• Heat gun
• Palette knife
• Ranger Texture Paste (opaque matte finish)
• Various stencils (I used the custom stencil included in the Tim Holtz Distress Mixed Media Spray Stain Kit)
• Tim Holtz Stamping Platform
• Tsukineko Versafine Ink in Onyx Black
• Tim Holtz Distress Micro Glaze

All supplies are available at the Queen's Ink. Stop by and be inspired!

Gibson Girls - The Envelope, Please! By Judi Kauffman for The Queen's Ink

I'm a huge fan of the Red Castle Gibson Girls stamp sheets, and I'm pleased to report that there are plenty of them left as of today. The images are feminine and beautiful and filled with fine lines, just like the original illustrations.

I thought it would be fun to show how to use two of the faces from Gibson Girls Plate 4 in a slightly different way: Instead of reaching for black detail ink (like VersaFine) I went for a soft blue dye ink - a very juicy pad. And I didn't use a stamp platform since I wanted an uneven and sketchy feel (intentionally imprecise!). The fact that the pad is very 'inky' means that some of the areas get filled in and look like watercolors. And the shadows on the face and neck become more subtle because I varied my hand pressure.

Since the projects are envelopes, not cards, they are meant to be opened and then tossed out. Imperfect stamping adds to the ephemeral quality and, to me, is part of the fun.

Design Strategy:
Note that I positioned the faces so they are looking toward each other and toward the area where the address will be lettered. The stamp sheet includes many other beautiful Gibson Girl images, lots and lots of other options!

As to the backgrounds: Masking isn't necessary. Use an almost dry craft sponge to smudge ink around the faces and torn paper to create lines for the address block. For a painterly effect, drag the envelope along the ink pad to add an inky border and go for a second color ink along with the blue - yellow will create a nice green, for a bit of added color and interest. (Shown on the last envelope.)

Could this same loose approach work for card fronts, ATCs and other projects instead of envelopes? Of course! Just add a quote or poem between the two faces or cut and layer smaller rectangles with just one of the Gibson Girls.

Options:*If you like precision, use a detail ink in blue or a similar mid-value color and cut masks so the sponged-on color touches the contours of the faces.
*For larger envelopes stamp more than two faces, leaving an open area for the address.

SUPPLIES:

• Red Castle Gibson Girls Plate 4
• Blue ink pad
• Craft sponge
• Acrylic block for temporarily mounting stamps
• Low-tack tape for the acrylic block
• White envelopes (shown: A2)
• Optional: Yellow or teal ink pad

Red Castle Stamps - More Leaves No. 4 by Nancy Sheads

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

I'm back today with another project using the Leaves No. 4 stamp sheet by Red Castle Stamps. This time, I colored the image with Copic markers and paired the image with a sentiment from Penny Black.

Since the image was larger in scale, I created this card in 5x7 format. As with my previous Red Castle Stamp project, I used the new Tim Holtz Stamping Platform to stamp the image on X-Press It Blending Card with Memento ink. Since the stamps are unmounted, I set up the stamping plate as if I were using a clear stamp and adhered the stamp to the plate with a low-tack double-sided tape.

Don't forget - these Red Castle stamp sheets are only available at The Queen's Ink and when they're gone, they're gone! You don't want to miss out on a quality stamping product.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110#; X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Bountiful Seven by Authentique; Bazzill Basics in Yam
Stamps: 42031 - Leaves Plate 4 by Red Castle Stamps; Heartfelt by Penny Black
Inks: Memento in Tuxedo Black by Tsukineko (image); Versafine in Onyx Black by Tsukineko (sentiment)
Dies: 5x7 Matting Basics A and 5x7 Matting Basics B by Spellbinders
Copics: G20, G21, G24, G28

Little Monsters Cards featuring Paper Artsy and Penny Black

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling! 

I just finished teaching the Little Monsters class at The Queen's Ink and wanted to show off the cards made for the class. They all feature the quirky and fun images from Paper Artsy paired with a more traditional Penny Black sentiment stamp. This is the first of the three, featuring a smiling, happy monster ready to hug you and probably willing to go home with you!

The background was first colored with a variety of Copic markers in shades of blue and blue green (see below for exact colors). I then dampened a scrap of terry cloth with colorless blender and dabbed the shaded area with the fabric, adding some texture to the background. This is one of my favorite ways to add a background to an image colored with Copics. Students like the technique as well because the colors do not need to be perfectly blended - an added plus when you're just starting out using Copics.

The second card featured quirky flowers from Paper Artsy that are fun to color. I embellished them with some dots and dashes made with a Sakura Gel Pen in white. I thought it added to the eccentric nature of the image.

The third card featured another of the monster kids from Paper Artsy. I loved the juxtaposition of this batty girl with the sentiment from Penny Black. Here's a young lady definitely willing to be herself!

All stamps and Copic markers are available from The Queen's Ink. Be sure you also check out the schedule of coming events - you don't want to miss out on all the fun!

Supply List 

CARD 1

Stamps: ZA02 by elenazinki Art from Paper Artsy; Happy Thoughts by Penny Black
Copics: BG0000, B000, B01, BG10, colorless blender with terry cloth for texture (background); Y02, Y15, Y19, R22, B02, B06 (head); Y15 (hands); R20, R22, B06 (pants); YG09, R22 (sleeves); YG05, YG09, B01, B02, B06 (shoes)

CARD 2
Stamps: ZA09 by elenazinski Art from Paper Artsy; Happy Thoughts by Penny Black
Copics: YG05, YG09, Y02 (leaves); Y02, Y15, Y19, YG05, YG09 (top flower); B06, YG05, YG09, Y02, YG15, YG19 (middle flower); YG05, YG09, Y02, R22 (bottom stalk)

CARD 3

Stamps: ZA02 by elenazinki Art from Paper Artsy; Happy Thoughts by Penny Black
Copics: E000, E00, E02 (face); E000, E02 (hands and legs); R20, R22 (hair); B000, B01, B04, B06 (dress); Y02, Y15, Y19, R22 (wings); B06 (shoes)

Holiday Head Start - Embossed Shimmer Sheetz Journals by Judi Kauffman for The Queen's Ink

It's so easy to totally transform a simple little journal or composition book by adding strips of durable, waterproof embossed Shimmer Sheetz and a couple of pieces of border (linear) peel-offs! I'm making a batch of them for holiday gifts.

Care to join me?

Journal A - shown above.

1. Cover all but the spine of the book with double-sided adhesive sheet.

2. Add narrow horizontal bands of embossed and sanded Shimmer Sheetz to the exposed adhesive.

3. Add vertical bands of linear peel-offs near the spine. Optional: Add Glitter Dots and or Glitter Flowers (peel-offs).

4. Use an ink applicator tool and alcohol inks in shades of brown, purple and some black to unify the colors. Lightly sand one more time.

5. Optional: Repeat for the back cover.

Journal B - shown below.

1. Cover all but the spine of the book with double-sided adhesive sheet.

2. Add wide horizontal bands of embossed and sanded Shimmer Sheetz to the exposed adhesive.

3. Optional: Add leafy branch or other peel-offs.

4. Use an ink applicator tool and alcohol inks in shades of brown, purple and some black to unify the colors. Lightly sand one more time.

SUPPLIES

• Journal with black cover (Moleskine or similar)
• Composition book with black spine
• Double sided adhesive sheet
• Shimmer Sheetz in assorted colors
•   (Shown: Turquoise and Fire Opal Gemstone, Black Iridescent)
• Various embossing folders
• Sanding block
• Linear peel-offs
• Leaf peel-offs
• Alcohol inks
• Ink applicator tool

Red Castle Vase Dolls by Judi Kauffman for The Queen's Ink

Have you seen the sheet of Red Castle vase stamps yet? They're elegant and classic with lots of detail. But I like to look at rubber stamps for what they could be and not just for what they are, don't you? It adds to the fun! Vases with handles look a lot like women's bodies to me, and a vase turned upside down can easily be turned into a head and neck.

Stamping in a medium blue on ivory flannel finish cardstock instead of black on white lets the vases remain visible and at the same time they become a shape and a mid-range color value rather than an object. The added doodling, drawing and coloring take center stage.

Like all of the other full sheets of deep etched red rubber Red Castle stamps now exclusive to the Queen's Ink, this one is only available until all sheets are sold and there are only a few available, so don't delay if it's something you'd like to own.

SUPPLIES:

• Red Castle Vases stamp sheet
• Medium blue ink
• Pigma Micron pen in black (01, 005, 1)
• Gelly Roll Medium pen in white
• Colored pencils

Red Castle Stamps Project by Nancy Sheads for the Queen's Ink

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here today on behalf of The Queen to announce that all remaining sheets of rubber stamps from Red Castle Stamps are now exclusively available at The Queen's Ink. There are sixty individual collections and only 2 or 3 sheets left for many of them. They will be sold first-come, first-served. These stamps are deeply etched and create a clear, crisp impression. Subject matter ranging from antique images of cats, leaves, and vases to classic art, the Gibson Girls, canaries, alphabets, snowflakes, dominoes, textures, prayerful expressions, and more.

To inspire you, I've put together a simple, but elegant card featuring an image from Red Castle's Leaves Plate 4. I used the new Tim Holtz Stamping Platform to stamp the image on watercolor paper with Versamark ink. Since the stamps are unmounted, I set up the stamping plate as if I were using a clear stamp and adhered the stamp to the plate with a low-tack double-sided tape. 

I recently acquired a set of the Nuvo Aqua Flow pens and decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to try them out. I dabbed a little color along the vein lines of the leaf and blended it out with a damp watercolor brush. Once the ink dried, I fussy cut the leaf and mounted it to the card with foam tape for added dimension.

The design papers are from the Bountiful Collection by Authentique, available from the Queen's Ink. I selected a sentiment from Penny Black's Heartfelt stamp set and used Versafine ink in Vintage Sepia to coordinate with the autumn tones of the card.

Hope my project has inspired you! Be sure to stop by the Queen's Ink to check out the new products available in the store. And remember - these Red Castle Stamps are only available in limited quantities. Once they're gone, they're gone! So don't miss out on this unique opportunity to stock up on a high quality stamp.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110#; Watercolor Paper by Strathmore; Bountiful One and Bountiful Six by Authentique
Stamps: 42031 - Leaves Plate 4 by Red Castle Stamps, available exclusively at The Queen's Ink; Heartfelt by Penny Black
Dies: A2 Matting Basics A & B by Spellbinders
Embellishments: Gold Fine Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger
Inks: Versafine in Vintage Sepia by Tsukineko; Versamark by Tsukineko; Nuvo Aqua Flow Pens by Tonic Studios in Red Apple, Fresh Green, Lemon Zest, Spiced Ginger

New Class! Laurel Burch Holiday Cards - November 12th and 14th, 2017

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here again today to announce a new holiday card class featuring images from Laurel Burch.

I'm returning to the The Queen's Ink on Sunday, November 12th and Tuesday, November 14th to teach a holiday card featuring the Laurel Burch holiday stamps by Stampendous. In this workshop, I'll show how to heat emboss your images after Copic coloring. Details are below. Seats are limited, but there's still room in both classes for you to join us, so sign up today!

To accommodate requests, we are offering two different sessions:

Sunday, November 12, 2017, 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM 

Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
To register, call the Queen's Ink at (301) 497-9449.

BRING TO CLASS

COPIC MARKERS: The list below reflects the Copic markers that I will use in class. You can follow along using the same colors OR substitute colors based upon your personal Copic collection. You will need a blendable selection of blues, greens, yellows, reds, and dark grays. Please bring all your markers to class and make sure your Copics are marked with Washi tape or some other means of identification. Markers are available for purchase at The Queen’s Ink. Students will receive a 10% discount on Copic markers. I will be available prior to class to help with selection.

• R35: Coral 
• R46: Strong Red
• R59: Cardinal 
• YR16: Apricot 
• Y02: Canary Yellow 
• Y15: Cadmium Yellow
• Y19: Napoli Yellow 
• YG03: Yellow Green 
• YG06: Yellowish Green
• YG09: Lettuce Green
• G09: Veronese Green 
• B000: Pale Porcelain Blue
• B02: Robin’s Egg Blue
• B05: Process Blue
• B18: Lapis Lazuli
• C5*: Cool Gray No. 5
• C7*: Cool Gray No. 7 
• C9*: Cool Gray No. 9
• 100*: Black 

* NOTE: C4, C6, C8, C10 can be substituted for the Cool Grays and Black listed above.

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Tape runner adhesive or double-sided tape
• Scissors

A Little Penny Black Magic by Nancy Sheads for the Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here today with another Copic holiday project featuring 

the Joy to the World, Believe, and Joyful Wishes stamp sets from Penny Black and

new holiday design papers from the Vintage Christmas Collection by Authentique,

all available at The Queen's Ink.

I love the adorable cats, mice, and hedgehogs featured in many of the Penny Black stamp sets. I hope you do too because I'm going to be featuring more of them in future blog posts. The images are perfect for someone just starting with Copic markers because they are quick and easy to color with a limited number of markers. I also like to mix and match different styles of paper and stamps. Initially, I thought that I wanted a background that was brighter, contemporary, and more graphic. However, the traditional pattern of Authentique's Vintage Christmas Four ended up being the perfect complement to this fun and quirky Penny Black critter, adding visual interest without competing with the central image. 

Students often ask me about the paper that I use for Copic coloring. I've experimented with various papers suggested for use with Copic markers, including papers by Hammermill, Neenah, Cougar, and Spectrum Noir. When selecting a paper, my testing criteria includes:

1. Does the paper have a smooth surface? A rough or textured paper may create a drag on the marker as you color, affecting blending of the ink.
2. How easily does it blend? Some papers work better than others for achieving a smooth ink blend.
3. Does the ink feather or over saturate the paper? 
4. How well does the paper interact with colorless blender? Important if you are using blender for special effects or color removal.
5. Is the paper acid-free? 

Papers recommended by some of my friends were not necessarily a good choice for me. I found that X-Press It Blending Card by Copic works best with my particular style of coloring so that is the paper that I use for personal projects as well as projects in the classroom.  If you'd like to give it a try, stop by the Queen's Ink where you'll find not only X-Press It, but a wide range of Copic markers and other supplies that the store has to offer.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110# (card base); X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Bazzill Basics in Devil Red; Vintage Christmas Four by Authentique 

Stamps: Joy to the World by Penny Black (image); Believe by Penny Black (front sentiment); Joyful Wishes by Penny Black (inside sentiment)

Inks: Memento in Tuxedo Black by Tsukineko; Versafine in Onyx Black by Tsukineko 

Dies: A2 Matting Basics A by Spellbinders; A2 Matting Basics B by Spellbinders 

Copics: E00, E02, C3, C5, RV10 (cat); R35, R46, R59, YG03, YG67 (gift); E30, E31 (shadow)

Matchbox Challenge by Judi Kauffman for The Queen's Ink

I never smoked, but I always enjoyed collecting matchboxes. I toss the matches and use the boxes to hold tiny gifts. I've also opened and flattened them, adding them to place mats and collage projects.

The one above is from a long-ago trip to Paris. The one below is from a fun place where we go for pizza and the ginormous meatball!

These days, restaurant matchboxes are few and far between, but they're not hard to find at hardware stores.

THE CHALLENGE

I'm not going to show finished projects today. Instead, I'm issuing a challenge:

Create something unique and surprising that begins with one or more matchboxes and fits in the palm of your hand!

Find a few matchboxes. Empty them out. Decorate the exterior. Decorate the interior, too if you want. Use collage papers, stencils, air dry clay, flat elements, dimensional elements...Anything goes!

Tuck in a small doll or a found object; make tiny clay animals, a miniature Christmas tree, or tuck in a small photograph or a scroll with a poem or letter to your future self.

Get some friends and the kids in on the act! This is a fun project to share with others.

I'll be showing my matchbox projects in the near future, but not yet. I don't want to influence YOUR projects in any way by showing my own.

SUPPLIES

• Matchboxes
• and any of these:
• Ribbon
• Paper
• Gesso
• Paint
• Stencils
• Stencil Paste
• Air dry clay
• Charms
• Found objects
• Stamps

Last Chance! Little Monsters Copic Coloring Class - Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here on behalf of the Queen with an important announcement!

This is your last chance to join in on the fun in the Little Monsters Copic Coloring Class at the Queen's Ink. We'll make three cards featuring stamps by Paper Artsy with sentiments from Penny Black. Basic understanding of Copic shading is helpful, however I will cover all necessary techniques in class. Supply list provided below. Seats are limited, but there's still room for you to join us, so sign up today! 

Little Monster's Copic Coloring Class

Tuesday, October 24, 2017, 6:30PM – 8:30 PM 

To register, call the Queen's Ink at (301) 497-9449.

BRING TO CLASS

COPIC MARKERS. The list below reflects the Copic markers that I will use in class. You can follow along using the same colors OR substitute colors based upon your personal Copic collection. You will need a blendable selection of yellows, greens, and blues. Please bring all your markers to class and make sure your Copics are marked with Washi tape or some other means of identification. Markers are available for purchase at The Queen’s Ink. Students will receive a 10% discount on Copic markers. I will be available prior to class to help you with your selections.

• R20: Blush
• R22: Light Prawn
• Y02: Canary Yellow 
• Y15: Cadmium Yellow 
• Y19: Napoli Yellow 
• YG05: Salad 
• YG09: Lettuce Green 
• BG0000: Snow Green
• BG10: Cool Shadow
• B000: Pale Porcelain Blue
• B01: Mint Blue
• B02: Robin’s Egg Blue
• B04: Tahitian Blue 
• B06: Peacock Blue
• E000: Pale Fruit Pink 
• E00: Skin White 
• E02: Fruit Pink 
• 0: Colorless blender
• Copic Colorless Blender refill (the smaller 25cc bottle is sufficient).

OTHER SUPPLIES. Please bring the following to class:

• Uniball Gel Pen or Sakura Gel Pen in White
• Tape runner adhesive or double sided tape
• Scissors

Vintage Holiday Card by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling! 

Nancy here with a new Copic coloring project featuring the
Cozy Cupfuls Clear Stamp Set by Power Poppy and
new holiday design papers from the Vintage Christmas Collection by Authentique, available at
 The Queen's Ink

I love this beautiful, elegant image by Power Poppy so I pulled out my markers and some X-Press Blending Card (also by Copic) and got to work. I'll admit that I looked at that tree and my initial urge was to color those sprigs individually. Crazy, right? So I decided that the better course of action was to dab different shades of green (YG01, YG03, G21, G24, G28) following the lines of branches and the shape of the tree to achieve some depth and variation. 

I used my current favorite red combo (R35, R46, R59) to get a lush Christmas red for the ornaments and used the same combo (adding R32 as a highlight) for the ribbon. If you forget to leave a highlight on the ornaments, you can always add it afterward with a white gel pen.

The sentiment on the front of my card is included with the Power Poppy stamp set (and look at that lovely script!), but for the inside, I decided to add one of the sentiments from the Penny Black Festive Cheer stamp set to capture the feeling I wanted for the completed card.

Here at The Queen's Ink, design papers by Authentique are a particular favorite and you'll find the store stocked with several of the new holiday collections. I used two of the designs from the Vintage Christmas Collection because I thought that the colors and the vintage feel would be the perfect complement for this image. 

Supply list is shown below. Want to see this card in person? Be sure to stop by The Queen's Ink and take a look! 

Supplies

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Vintage Christmas Three and Vintage Christmas Seven by Authentique
Stamps: Cozy Cupfuls by Power Poppy; Festive Cheer by Penny Black
Inks: Memento in Tuxedo Black by Tsukineko (image); Versafine in Onyx Black by Tsukineko (sentiment)
Dies: A2 Matting Basics A by Spellbinders; A2 Matting Basics B by Spellbinders
Copics: R35, R46, R59 (ornaments); R32, R35, R46, R59 (ribbon); YG01, YG03, G21, G24, G28 (tree); G21, G24, R30, R32, E41, E42, E43, C1 (teacup); BV20 (shadow)

Stationery Journal by Judi Kauffman for The Queen’s Inkling

Once upon a time, hotels offered their guests beautiful writing paper and envelopes in the desk drawer of each room. I always mailed a letter or two from my travels and I always took home a few sheets and envelopes as a souvenir.

Do you have a similar stash? If so, how about joining me in putting them to good use: Make a Stationery Journal that includes writing paper in varying sizes and a few envelopes to use for pockets. (Scroll down to the ‘OPTIONS’ if you don’t already have a collection of paper ephemera.)

Stationery Journals make great gifts for friends who love to travel. Make a couple for yourself – one to take with you when you’re away from home and another to keep next to your favorite chair where it can hold lists, tickets and such. (Scroll down to the ‘OPTIONS’ for even more ideas.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Paint chipboard covers on both sides with black gesso. Allow to dry.

2. Using matte medium as an adhesive and as a sealer, arrange and adhere torn pieces of stationery on one or both covers and one or both sides of each one. I chose to orient these pieces so they are vertical or horizontal, but not on the diagonal. And I did not overlap them because I wanted to be able to read the names and addresses, but the choice is yours. I used torn paper for the inside of the covers rather than hotel stationery.

3. Again using matte medium, arrange and adhere canceled stamps. I chose to orient the stamps on the diagonal, adding some movement to an otherwise static and formal composition.

 

4. Dry brush with white paint. Use vertical, horizontal, and diagonal strokes and very little paint.

5. Stack the writing paper so the largest sheets are at the back and the smaller ones stacked on top. Stack the envelopes, offset, on top of the papers, carefully aligning at the left side. If you have a coil binding punch or other binding system, prepare the pages before stacking them between the covers and punch the covers as well. If not, let your local office supply store do the binding for you.

OPTIONS:

Create a planner by binding in a mini-calendar pad and printing calendar pages on the writing paper.

Add dividers, graph paper, drawing paper, or other kinds of pages.

If you don’t have a collection of stationery from different hotels, create that same general look with rubber stamps, stencils, or collage. Writing paper usually has a logo or something small at the top and an address at the bottom, so your design could be a bird at the top and a branch at the bottom, a canceled stamp at the top and a line of poetry at the bottom, or whatever else comes to mind! (You’re going for the ‘feel’ of hotel stationery, not trying to duplicate it.)

Ask friends who travel to bring home paper and envelopes from their trips.

SUPPLIES:

• Black gesso
• White acrylic paint
• Matte medium
• Paintbrush (1-2”)
• Chipboard (2 pieces, 8.5” x 11”)
• Coil binding punch
• Black coil (or color of choice)
• Writing paper and envelopes
• Canceled stamps

Let Me Introduce Myself

The Queen's Ink is pleased to announce that we will be offering a series of Copic and card making classes as part of our regular monthly class offerings. We are delighted and excited to welcome Nancy Sheads (Copic Colorist extraordinaire, so sayeth the Queen!) to our teaching staff.  Nancy is a patient and easy going spirit, a wonderful teacher, very creative, and with a great eye for color. She has generously made many of the card sample we have on display in the shop. Check out our current class offerings on line and sign-up for one of her great classes. Nancy will also be contributing to our Blog regularly with Copic techniques and great card ideas. Read on and get to know more about the newest member of the Queen's Court!

Artist Nancy Sheads

Did you know that the Queen's Ink is once again offering classes in Copic coloring? Yes, it's true and since I'll be leading you on your Copic journey, let me step in here and introduce myself.

Example from Colors of Autumn Copic Class

Some of you may know me from my creative pursuits as a member of the Power Poppy Instant Gardener and the Passionate Paper Creations Design Teams. I can also be found in my corner of the Internet at Rowhouse Greetings and on Instagram.

I've been a crafter for many years - my grandmother taught me to crochet when I was five years old - and over the years I learned a variety of crafts including knitting, sewing, quilting, and needlepoint. A few years ago, I became interested in card making and fell into Copic coloring. Since that time, I've had the opportunity to study with some of the best instructors – Rhea Weigand, Jennifer Dove, Cindy Lawrence, and Debbie Olson – who have always gone out of their way to help me improve my craft.

My teaching philosophy is simple - I want you to feel confident when you color and have fun with your markers. In class, I'll walk you through the techniques you'll need in order to complete the class projects. My goal is for you to be able to incorporate the techniques and skills you learn in class in order to develop a style that is uniquely your own.

When I first started coloring, I only had a few Copic markers in my collection, primarily a variety of reds, greens, and yellows so that I could make that season's holiday cards. Over time as I started coloring other images – flowers, people, landscapes – I added to my Copic collection with the colors that I needed for the types of images that I wanted to work on.

I realize that building a collection of Copic markers can be a significant investment and where possible, I try to limit the number of markers used in class. For each class, I list the markers that I'll be using for demonstration purposes, but you should feel free to bring all of your Copic markers to class and substitute as necessary so that you can still participate. If you want to expand your collection, The Queen's Ink is fully stocked with Copic products and students receive a discount on Copic markers.

Check out the class schedule for the latest offerings and call the shop to register. My classes are full of fun, laughter, and good times! You won't want to miss out!

I'll also be blogging here at the Queen's Inkling with new projects that will hopefully give you some crafty inspiration. Upcoming projects include holiday cards featuring stamps by Power Poppy and Penny Black as well as some of the new holiday design papers by Authentique.