CHA Gone Again

The summer session of Craft and Hobby Association has come to an end (the industry side, that is). I'm always a little sad about that, but energized at the same time. I know new products are coming our way! It is my heartfelt prayer that everyone has safe travels home.

Everyone knows the heat is a big issue right now, and we've been struggling to keep cool. The kitties haven't had a romp in a week, I'm 5 days since my last phys-therapy, and the bunnies don't even want to move. We've all been huddled in the ArtLab hiding from the sun. Here's a glimpse of what I've been doing. As always, you can click on the images to see a closer view.

I colored a whole set of this beautiful anime faerie with copic markers, so I have a stash to just pull out and play with. I also used Sakura gelly roll star pens on her wings. Now, this isn't a problem unless these images are on cards heading to Operation Write Home (where 99% of my cards go). Yes, tiny bits of glitter will rub off on your finger, so they have to be sealed. What to do...

I didn't want to use a whole bottle of glossy or matte accents on these wings (there were 20 images!), nor did I want to pile on clear embossing powder. I thought maybe spray fixative would work, but then I discovered I didn't have any on-hand. Doot doodle DOOOO! (yeah, cheesy music here) Hairspray! Yep, I sprayed 2 light coats of aerosol hairspray over the images, and voila! Sealed! It also adds a subtle sheen to the image.

So there's your tip of the day. Aerosol - not pump sprayers, folks. Oh, and another sweet thing I'll share? See all the stitching on both cards? That's not real. Looks it, but it's not. Best of all? I can make it any color in the world and don't need to drag out my darling sewing machine. Yep, heat embossed Tim Holtz stitching stamp, then rub over it with a soft cloth to reduce the gloss.

Big news is coming soon for a new workshop from the ArtLab!! Happy experimenting, everyone!

♥ky