Search
Search the archive, three years of Inklings.
Ask the Artist
Our Artist in Residence, Dina Kowal, answers your questions
April 4, 2018
Q: Ramona asks: "I have a lot of yarn, and I thought about making a embellishment for a card front. What would you suggest?"
A: I made a cat card not too long ago that had a ball of yarn on it... to make it, I started with a circle die cut about 1" across and about 2 feet of yarn. I held one end of the yarn in the center of the circle and began wrapping it around the circle from there, rotating my rounds slightly and lining up the yarn with each round so that the cardstock did not show through. When I had all the cardstock covered, I tucked the end under on the back of the circle, and left a tail hanging out just for fun. If you have crocheting skills, check out our Crochet Hearts tutorial too!
March 28, 2018
Q: Sylvia wants to know: "Do you use patterned paper on your cards?"
A: I do! I love to mix and match patterns. I also love creating Herringbone and Starburst backgrounds with the scraps. Stamping directly onto patterned paper can be fun for a focal panel as well - I like using silhouette stamps for that. For mixed media layering, torn patterned paper scraps can make a great base for brayered paint or gesso. I like to use matte gel medium to stick them down and secure the torn edges.
March 21, 2018
Q: Kathy asks: "I need several different sizes of stars in felt. What brand of die is best for cutting felt?"
A: Any die type should be fine if you have the right type of felt. The ones with wool content cut the best (usually a rayon wool blend). Acrylic felt is more difficult to cut through completely, and will tend to pull.
March 14, 2018
Q: Jen wants to know: "Do you prefer clear stamps or cling rubber, and why?"
A: It truly depends on what I'm working on. I love the precise detail of a red rubber image. I love their durability for mixed media work, like dragging for texture. They're easy to hold onto and curve in my hand when I just want to stamp part of an image in a background collage. Clear stamps are great when you want to see just where you're stamping. They're easy to line up with minimal adjustment in a positioner, and they can be curved to line up with the contour of an image or die cut. Clear sets are full of coordinated stamps, for lots of built-in combinations and possibilities.... so... lots of both kinds of stamps at my house!
March 7, 2018
Q: Pat asks: "I would like to know how to store my glue/adhesives items. The fine point ones get clogged up and it takes forever to get the glue to flow out. Can you give me some suggestions how to store them?"
A: I store my glue bottles upside down in a glass cup - there is sometimes a teeny bit of leakage initially, which over time has created a glue-y base inside the cup... so each time I place the bottle in the cup that leakage will harden into a little plug in the tip that sticks to the glue in the cup. It will usually pull out when I pick up the bottle to use again. If not, I just use a pin to clear out the tip, and it's ready to go. (To see more tips or to share your own, click HERE!)
