Stick It, The New Adhesive with the Funny Name...Here's How it Works!

You may have heard of Stick It...it's a new adhesive that I've been working on...and I've got to tell you it's really cool.  Stick It, is a micro-thin adhesive sheet, that is specially formulated for die cutting.

It's perfect for thin metal dies, platform dies, it works with any machine (or punch) that you already have, AND, you can use it with your electronic die cutting system too! It's amazing.

Here's how it works:

So, I wanted to test it with one of the most intricate dies I could find.  I selected a new die from Tonic Studios called Dragonfly Delight. This die has every feature of an intricate die that you love, but that can also make gluing to card stock a challenging proposition...for me,  all the swirls, flourishes, and beautiful lattice cuts are a little tricky when applying adhesive.  And, invariably I either get too much glue on one area, and none on another. Stick It, let's you glue an intricately die cut piece of paper, easily and quickly.  There's no more muss and fuss like with glue pens or liquid glue...and there's no adhesive residue.  It's the perfect solution.

I created a simple card just to demonstrate how beautifully Stick It really works.  Each swirl, every flourish, every single piece of that wonderful lattice is glued perfectly in place.  This is the first adhesive sheet that's been specially formulated just for intricate die cut paper.

Stick It is acid free, archival, water-based and FSC certified, so you know it's green, safe and non-toxic.  Now, it's only been on the market for about 1 week in the U.K. and just started shipping in the US today...It's available for wholesale exclusively at Product Performers in the US...and at Craft Obsessions in the UK.  It's shipping out this week to retail shops and online retailers.  Ask for it at your local scrapbook store.  

I am telling you, this is going to change the way you make cards!

  Here's another little bit of awesome sauce...there's a free pack of Stick It for every guest who's coming to Art at the Edge on October 25th...I've had a special shipment from the UK sent directly to me just for everybody who'll be at Art at the Edge with me!

    

Scrapbook Generation: Celebrating 10 Years of Memory Making

Congratulations to Scrapbook Generation!  They're celebrating 10 years of making and preserving memories...and I got to go to the party!  It had been a few years since I'd been there...They've moved into a new...bigger location.  It was really fun to see everyone again and to learn more about what they've been up to since the last time I was there. 

 

Scrapbook Generation is really a family business...almost on a whim, sisters Karin Rush and Debbie Rush Sanders decided to leave their teaching careers behind and started living their dream of opening a scrapbook store together.  And soon, Debbie's daughters Allison Davis and Stacey Atchley were in on the action too.   

And, everything about Scrapbook Generation feels like home and family...it's warm, inviting, friendly and fun!  

Over the years, Scrapbook Generation has really turned into a publishing powerhouse!  In 2014 they launched a free monthly online magazine called Scrapbook Generation Create...as I recall, Debbie taught journalism and told me that it just made sense to apply her skills with writing, editing, and publishing to use...this publication is amazing!  Each issue is over 200 pages FULL of inspiration...there's lots of tips and tricks, challenges, and sketches that will inspire you to create beautiful layouts...like a pro!  It's online, it's free, click on the link below to download your free copy...Their circulation is growing by leaps and bounds, and most of the major paper companies support and sponsor their publication...it's unbelievably wonderful! 

Click Here for your Free Download

And, there's another amazing part of the business that you will want to learn about...Scrapbook Generation creates and ships the most amazing kits you'll ever see...kits, that follow beautiful layout sketches developed by each member of the SG team!  

Their kits are simply wonderful!  And, they ship all over the world.  

Find their amazing kit club here

And, they also publish the coolest sketch books of page layouts!  Honestly the layout sketches are so well laid out and so beautiful...you will be instantly inspired to create!  

Take the guesswork out of your layouts with Scrapbook Generation's amazing Sketch Books

I really loved getting to go back to Scrapbook Generation to see Karin, Debbie, Stacey and Allison...and loved getting to teach a couple classes while I was there...teaching in the store again was like a crafty reunion...

It's always so nice to reconnect with friends at SG!  Herewith Kristi Parker Van Doren. We had a few laughs.  

And really nice to see the pictures on the wall from the last time I got to visit...

Debbie, Karin, Stacey and Allison have developed and fostered a real creative community that stretches from Springfield Missouri to all corners of the world... 

They provide products and inspiration every day for crafters, cardmakers and scrapbookers around the world!  

Thank you again, Debbie, Karin, Allison and Stacey for a wonderful weekend at Scrapbook Generation...and congratulations on 10 wonderful years of helping us preserve our memories!

As I drove away the other day...I thought to myself...I can't wait to come back here...!

The "Craft Your Stash" Book Tour & Give Away!

I could not have been more excited when I heard that Lisa Fulmer was writing a new book called "Craft Your Stash"!  I was giddy with excitement when she asked me if I'd write a little review about her new book...So whether you've stumbled upon this review from Facebook, or you're following along the Book Tour and Blog Hop...YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS BOOK!    

I gotta tell you...she had me hooked with the great sections at the beginning of the book with color theory, storage and organization, projects and crafting your stash!  Those sections are wonderful...and chocked full with loads of cool ideas!  

Whether you're an experienced crafter or a beginner...these sections at the front of the book will inspire you, and prompt you with lots of new ideas and new ways to make cool crafts with things you may already have on hand!  

The project photos are beautiful!  This book hit really close to home for me... 

I am a craft hoarder too (there I said it). It's so bad in fact, that I have a chest of drawers that I bought for the sole purpose of concealing my paper habit...the drawers are 13" wide and 16" deep (deep and wide enough to hold reams of paper). Here's the proof...

And from the minute I opened the new book...I was inspired...no, compelled, almost as if hypnotized into going to my big chest of paper to CRAFT MY STASH! 

It was this picture that got me...a simple card set, made with leftover papers.

I could not stop myself...Lisa included some awesome card sketches in the book that make "crafting the stash" simple...and inspiring.  

I love, love love, the sketches...

And, since I have collected more Christmas paper than Mrs. Claus...I decided to make a few Christmas cards.

I even pulled out the antique jelly jars filled with vintage buttons, ( I only get them out for special craft occasions). 

And I just followed the sketches and instructions...it was too simple! 

Before I realized, I'd created a cool set of Christmas cards, that seemed both clean and simple and kind of retro at the same time, owing to the papers, ribbons, and vintage buttons I'd used. 

Get this book (subliminal message) it's awesome and will inspire you... 

to CRAFT YOUR STASH! 

I also saw about 10 other projects that I need to do...because they're so awesome.  

Now, you know this is a Book Tour and Blog Hop...you can purchase a copy of your own by clicking on the amazon button below...

You can go to Lisa's CRAFT YOUR STASH website to get a signed copy (recommended), or, you can log in using the widget below to sign up to win a free copy!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am giving "CRAFT YOUR STASH" 5 STARS, a THUMBS UP, and 3 snaps in a "Z" formation because this is one craft book that rocks!  Thanks to Lisa for this great new book, I have a feeling it will be my new "go to" book for inspiration!

Check in with some of your favorite crafters by using the links below...You'll want to hear what they had to say about Lisa Fulmer's CRAFT YOUR STASH!

An InLinkz Link-up

Creating Beautiful Bezels with ICE Resin by Susan Lenart Kazmer

A couple years ago, I discovered ICE Resin, a product developed by Susan Lenart Kazmer...she is one of the most inspiring artists I've ever met.  If you're not familiar with her work, click on the link above to view her amazing work.    

Susan worked with Spellbinders to develop a line of bezels and pendants...and I became very familiar with the products. I got to teach and demonstrate the products, literally around the world at trade shows and art events...here's a flashback from the blog archives where you can see some of the places and people I met...Creating Beautiful Bezels with Spellbinders Media Mixage...for me, it was an incredible experience to work with the products and to share them with other artists and crafters.  I'd not created any jewelry peices for years...so it was a nice reintroduction to jewelry making. 

And, over time as I worked with the products, I discovered a few techniques and tricks of my own when working with ICE Resin.  For example, the resin in the photo above is tinted with artists pastels...the resin looks like Lapis...it's a cool technique that I love to share in the workshops I teach today.

And, over time, as I have moved on and done other things, artistically and professionally, I still get asked to teach ICE Resin workshops...I absolutely love getting to share the techniques with students who attend.  The student work is always very inspiring.  Very often we create memory pieces...I ask students to bring family photos and personal letters and we set out to preserve family memories by creating pendants and bezels with those treasure images.  

During the course of the workshops, I often end up with some beautiful pieces that I've created with the students as examples and instructional pieces...I've started adding them to my etsy shop,          Ken Oliver Crafts. They're often too beautiful not to share.   

I'm still teaching ICE Resin workshops and in fact, I have a workshop on October 24th in my hometown.  The event is called ICE at the Edge, You can click on the link...or click on the ICE at the Edge banner at the side of this page for more details.  The event will be smaller and more intimate than many of the workshops I teach, and we're going to be in the most beautiful venue...our classroom over looks the Ohio River in Southern Indiana.   

I am getting really excited about ICE at the Edge. Students are traveling from as far away as Florida, Connecticut, and Minnesota to attend.  

If you'd like to enroll, it's really easy, and affordable and the workshop includes dinner...

And, at the end of the workshop, you'll have created 4 beautiful pendants that you can wear yourself, or give as gifts.  

As you can probably tell, I love working with ICE Resin...it's let me create and express my art in lots of new ways...I'd invite you to visit my etsy shop to see more...and hopefully, you'll think about coming to ICE at the Edge to learn how to create these beautiful pieces yourself.  I hope to see you there!  

Stephenie Hamen Trunk Show at Art at the Edge

It's less than a month until Art at the Edge, and I am really busy making the final preparations for the event....and really pleased to let you know that mixed media artist, Stephenie Hamen will exhibit some of her wonderful artwork during the event.  It's another perk of Art at the Edge...a trunk show and exhibit by one of the Midwest's trendiest mixed media artists.  

I have always been amazed with her talent and all that she does...by trade, she's an educator...in her early career, she taught children with hearing disabilities...she's also a well-known arts and crafts educator, producing classes and video instruction for some of the biggest companies in the industry...she is also a wife, mother, a foodie, a blogger, a master gardener...

and one of the best mixed media artists I've ever had the privilege to work with...you are going to love her style.  

She's traveling all the way from Wisconsin to attend Art at the Edge...and we're really lucky that she's going to share some of her amazing art with us over the weekend.  

Stephenie will bring some original art and some prints for her trunk show at Art at the Edge...I am very honored that she's joining us for our event and overjoyed to share her art with you.

If you'd like to learn a little more about Stephenie...you can catch up with her on her website, on Facebook, Instagram, on Twitter or Linkedin.

  

www.stepheniehamen.com

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stephenie.hamen

twitter: @craftystephenie

Instagram: @craftystephenie

LinkedIn: Stephenie Purl Hamen

If you haven't heard about Art at the Edge yet...it's a cool arts and crafts event October 24th and 25th in Newburgh, Indiana...you can click on the Art at the Edge or Ice at the Edge banners on the right side of this page to learn how you can participate. 

Stick It...The New Adhesive with the Funny Name It's Specially Formulated for Die Cuts

If you're like me...you love using die cut paper in your craft projects. And whether you make handmade cards, or scrapbook layouts,

gluing those intricate die cuts to your cardstock can be a messy job.  But, no more...there's a really cool new adhesive that will let you adhere those delicate die cuts perfectly every time.  It's called Stick It.  

Stick It is a micro thin, water based acid free, archival adhesive sheet, that is applied to your cardstock, or what ever you want to cut, die cut it.  Then simply remove the "liner" paper and stick your intricate die cut right to your paper.  It's simply amazing!

Last week, I'd asked if anyone would like to try it...I got quite a few responses...and I could only choose a few...here's a list of the winners.

Debbie Seyer

Bunny Vance

Lisa Fulmer

Cathy Grigsby

Jean Bullock

Drucie Heinen

Jennifer Priest

Becca Feekin

Hannah Thyen

Betsy Burnett 

If you see your name on the list, send an email to kenolivercrafts@gmail.com with your name and address...and I'll get a sample sent out to you as soon as possible.  It's not even available in the US yet...I'll get samples this week...so you should get your samples shortly thereafter.  

If you're in the UK you can order Stick It from Craft Obsessions by following this link...

http://www.craftobsessions.co.uk/stick-it-die-cut-adhesive-large-sheet?filter_name=stick it

And, if you're in the US, Stick It will be available through Product Performers...if you like this product...make sure to tell your local scrapbook store...our quantities in the US are going to be very limited for the first shipment.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts about it Stick It...I think it's going to change the way you die cut paper!

Ken

The Book Nook and Art at the Edge

 One of the coolest places to visit in Newburgh is the Book Nook and I am really glad to let you know that the Book Nook is a Participating Merchant Vendor during Art at the Edge! 

 

 

This week, I spent some time with Wynne, the shopkeeper, and she is really happy to hear that we're drawing people from all over the United States to visit Newburgh this fall.  

 

The Book Nook is housed in the cellar of what once was the town's bank.  It's an incredible structure.

 

 

And you can literally feel the history at the Book Nook. 

 

 

 If you're a reader and a book lover, you'll love this place and you might want to plan to spend some time...because Wynne has lots of books, new editions, old editions, collectable and historic editions...

 

 The Book Nook is chock full of wonderful books!

 



 

There's even a vault of books...the vault is still in place from whenever the building was a bank. 

 

Wynne is offering a special discount to everyone who attends Art at the Edge and ICE at the Edge...

 

During the weekend of October 24th-26th she is offering

 

a free used book with the purchase of 3 books...I am telling you...you will love this shop!

 

Because there are aisles and aisles and lots of little rooms with books from floor to ceiling...EVERYTHING you can imagine!

 

She even specializes in books on local history

 

The Book Nook should be on your "must visit" list when you come to Art at the Edge...

 

 

It's really charming and Wynne will be there to help with anything you might be looking for...Thank you Wynne for supporting Art at the Edge!  I can't wait for everyone coming to Newburgh to visit you at the Book Nook! 

 

If you'd like more information about Art at the Edge...click on the Icon at the right of the page to find out how to enroll. 

 

I hope to see you there!

Ken