Pixie Powder Card Class ~ update on Blog from Feb 13 2017

I was playing with the Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders back in February and wrote a blog about the resulting card:

http://ecpapercreations.blogspot.ca/2017/02/fun-with-pigment-powders.html

I then decided I'd have it as a card class. We plan the month of classes a month in advance, so by the time the card rolled around, I was a bit concerned with my abilities!

Here is the first card I made along with the most recent.

In class we used only the "single color" pixie powders. So layered the different colors individually. Using a light dusting of the powder, then spritzing with water and heat drying the area, we created individual colors on our paper. The die is a Creative Expressions Background die, CED7106 and the sentiment Creative Expressions, CED5414.

Without naming names, there was one person in each class that came in saying they weren't going to like Pixie Powders. Thankfully I was able to serve up a slice of "crow pie" 😃. 

"Hi Jennifer, I am glad I stuck with it, because I love the end product."

 Here are some of the cards made in class (I didn't get photos of all of them, unfortunately).

 One person finished their card at home (with the rose) and made a second with the left over paper.

Each its own masterpiece, Pixie Powders allow you to create beautiful and custom backgrounds. The combinations and possibilities are endless! One tip, if I may, when layering colors, don't use too much water, keep a paper towel handy to dab up excess water while drying and above all, be patient and give the finished background piece a chance to dry. You may get discouraged during the process, but they are virtually fool-proof. 

I'd love to see your Pixie Powder creations. Feel free to email them to me at ECPaperCrafts.Jenn@gmail.com

Until next time,

Jenn
Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders are available at EcstasyCrafts.com

Creative Expressions dies CED7106 and CED5414 available at EcstasyCrafts.com

February Contest Winner

We had our contest in February, post a comment on any of the blogs in February and each comment would enter your name in a draw for the Pixie Powders used in the card blog on February 13th. 

Fun With Pigment Powders

Drum roll please ... the winner of this set of Pixie Powders is ...
LRitchie (Lori from Courtenay)

 Please contact me at ECPaperCrafts.Jenn@gmail.com with your address and I will have them sent off to you.

Thank you all who participated. 

Until next time,


Jenn

Fun with pigment powders

I'm not entirely sure if Brusho is the exact same as the Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders as I have not used the Brusho before. But in watching the videos, it seems they are the same type of thing.

I mentioned in the blog just before this that when I first laid eyes on the Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder I was at a loss as to what, on God's green earth, you'd use them for. I played with them a bit and the result was so much less than inspirational, I shelved them for a few months. 

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. Wait, let me back up even more ... I seem to have some programming that keeps me from jumping on board with new ideas, even if they are marvelous inventions (probably one of the last people to ever use a GPS for example!). Ya, I don't know where that funky programming is from but at 55, I am not sure I can get past it 😏. So with this "programming" I was a hold out on becoming addicted to Pinterest. I know, right??!!

So now, of course, I'm a Pinterest junkie. I wake up, pour a coffee and pin my fool-head off before I have to get ready for work.

OK now you are up to date.

So I find "Brusho" on Pinterest. Light bulb moment!! Ahhhh, now I see how those Pixie Powders work. And so now I can't get enough Pixie Powder cards done!!

I found this video which is really the basis of the Brusho or Pixie Powders and I'll share it here. 

I did the second technique and created this card. But like I've said, I can't find enough hours in the day to try different card making techniques using these wonderful pigment powders. But rest-assured, I'll be posting them here when I make them. 









I am going to have a little give-away ... post a comment on any blog in the month of February and your name will be entered in a draw to receive this combination of Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders used in the above card. Comment on each blog to increase your entries. Only one comment per blog but you can comment on any and every blog entry in February.









Until next time,


Jenn

Pixie Powders by Cosmic Shimmer are available at Ecstasy Crafts.

Tools you need to get the job done!

So many lessons, so little time.

To help speed up the learning process, I'll share with you some of the lessons I've learned along the way. 

Today on What I've Learned So Far: The tools you need to successfully get the job done. In this particular occasion, I'm referring to the use of the restamping tools on the market. I know, like you, I thought there was no need in my paper crafting for one of those expensive Stamping Tools.

But I'll tell you, once you use one and see the benefits, the financial outlay is secondary. 

First up is the obvious ability to stamp on the exact same spot as many times as you need. Now in playing with different paints and watercolors, I have a whole new respect for this concept. 


I made this grunge-type card with Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powders (which was another product I saw no merit in until I started playing with them .... but I'll get into the Pixie Powders more at another time) and a wood-mounted rubber stamp I had. The Position-It Ultimate Stamping Tool, sold by Ecstasy Crafts, has the ability to stamp off the tool's platform and use a "sub-positioner" to use with wood mounted rubber stamps. This particular card needed that butterfly re-stamped seven times, yes SEVEN times! Never before would that have been possible. Nor is it possible with any other stamping tool on the market, as far as I know (the wood-mounted, restamping ability).

Same re-stamping became painfully obvious when I used the pixie powders on glossy card stock and stamped just using the "Stamping Buddy" by Nellie Snellen ... the stamping tool that I *thought* was all I needed and I'll give it high praise for its contribution to my stamping progression. But it is extremely difficult to re-stamp with it. Case in point, I create this funky background and line up my stamps with the Stamping Buddy and ink up with a nice black pigment ink only to be let down with the coverage. I had to redo my background and used the Position-It and stamped the black 3 times to get complete coverage.

My days of feeling cocky with my stamping ability are over!! I'm not taking chances any longer.

A secondary little benefit to these re-stamping tools is you can relax about the pressure you put on your stamp. You know we have one shot at the perfect stamp application, so you lay your body weight on the stamp to make sure every square inch has completely touched the surface of your paper. 

And in doing this we over-stamp. Cling stamps are smooshed and the lines become blurry and thick, or with rubber stamps the outer edge is transferred to your project because we rock the stamp back and forth to make sure there is complete coverage.

I can now relax ... "oh I missed a corner?" "No problem, I'll just re-stamp!" ... how liberating!!

Until next time,

Jenn

Position-It Ultimate Stamping Tool is available at Ecstasy Crafts.
Stamping Buddy by Nellie Snellen is available at Ecstasy Crafts
Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Powder is available at Ecstasy Crafts