Good evening!

I just got my CK in the mail today.  I gotta say – the cover was one of the best ever.  Maggie Holmes did a fantastic page!  My article in there is on using clear stamps.  And since we decided it was best to show how-to photos, some of the projects were saved for online.  So, I thought I would share it here a bit, too.  But for the whole article, click HERE.  If you are like me, you may not be one to read stuff, but rather just look at the pictures.  (Opps… did I just admit that!? 😉  But I would recommend reading this… the steps are very helpful in learning some fun things about clear stamping.  I love the editors I work with there (Brittany and Joannie) and they help me so much with the writing part.  Me not good writer.  Ha.  (That is why I went to engineering school!) 

This was one of my favorite projects to make.  I used a box-making template after covering cardstock with stamping. (The tip is to mount LOTS of images onto a large mount and stamp repeatedly… a great way to make backgrounds quickly.) 

Supplies and details:
See creatingkeepsakes.com HERE.

And I think they left the layout out of the article by mistake.  It is in the magazine, but I thought I would share a (not-so-good-sorry-about-that) scan here.  Man, this little dude loves Legos.  He got it from Kay – she still loves to play with them. 

Supplies and details:
See creatingkeepsakes.com HERE.

This was actually my second clear stamping article for CK online.  Back in 2007, I did one, but I can’t find it on their site.  (If someone can find the article on their site, I would love you forever.  In fact, the first person to find it – if it is still there – will get a goodie box – I will send you some fun scrappin’ stuff!)  Here are some of those projects…

This layout shows the same shadow stamping technique that is in the current CK article.  This layout makes me happy because Kay and I talked about the journaling one day – that idea of why scrapbooking is so good-for-our-souls.  And then I did this page.  I actually did it as a 2-pager, but didn’t scan the second.  The second just extends all the photos.  We got a lot of good ones from our first family trip to St. John.  So happy that the girls’ school is almost over and then we go back to St. John again!

Supplies :
Not sure if I can remember…
KI Memoires, Cherry Arte, Fancy Pants, Fontwerks & Someone Else’s clear stamps.
Autumn Leaves buttons.

This next one is of my great-grandparents.  When looking through old photos, I noticed that they were always with each other – always close, holding hands or leaning on each other.  Makes my little heart soar.  Anyway, the tip was to mount your alphabet letters once and then use them repeatedly.  Oh, and you can see that I adhered a couple of the journaling strips in the wrong order.  I fixed it after I scanned.

Supplies :
Fontwerks alphabet stamps
Cerry Arte paisley stamps
Making Memories paper
Doodlebug’s awesome trims
Other: ribbons, ink, flowers, white embossing powder.

This last one was one of those layouts that looked sooooo much better in my head than on paper.  Ha. But, oh well.  It is done, right? 🙂 Tip was to mount long, thin images/words/greetings at an arch.

Supplies :
Hero Arts clear stamps (discontinued), inks and clear tag.
Lots of sewing.  Lots.

So, how is that for a lot of randomness about clear stamps? 🙂

I wanted to answer some questions from the comments that you all have left.  First, yes, I will post pictures and videos once my scrapbook room is done.  But I have a feeling it won’t be for a few weeks.  I have my CK article due this coming week and am hosting the Hero Arts blog.  So I will be busy trying to work IN the mess instead of working ON it. 🙂

As for questions about Gamsol: I use Gamsol with Prismacolor Colored Pencils.  They are my fave – by far.  And, nope, you can’t get Gamsol at your local chain stores.  But you can order it HERE.  You use compressed paper pencils (paper stumps) with them to apply.  You can get these at your local chain stores.  Hope that helps.  There is a video on using it on my sidebar.

And I also wanted to let you know that I do have plans to do videos based on your suggestions, including the photo cropping stuff.  Soon. 🙂

OK… time for bed.  Night!