A: I start by creating a horizontal line just above the base of the image, about where the back side of the base would be touching the ground. If it's a person, the line is at the heel or above. The higher the line is placed, the deeper the surface will seem to be (a higher line appears to be further back from the image). Make the line as wide as the image. Shade down from the line, getting narrow as you go down, and rounding the bottom edge of the shadow. Above the line, round the shadow just slightly (a straight, hard shadow line can look like a dropoff) or add blades of grass for an outdoor scene. Where the image is resting on the ground, the shadows will be darker, so add more shading closest to the base or around/between the feet of the image.

A: You can easily make an impression with a simple die that's enough to give an outline for cutting or coloring, though it might get hairy with more detailed designs. I laid cardstock over a tag die and rubbed over the die with my thumbnail, and that small amount of pressure was enough to give me a visible outline that I could cut out or color in. You could even do a rubbing with the side of a crayon or charcoal stick if you needed more of an outline to go on.

A: That's a really great question! I really enjoy mixing patterns... if I didn't love paper so much, I might enjoy quilting as a hobby (in fact I just bought some quilt square dies...) As far as design principles, I usually start with a patterned paper and pick out 3 or 4 dominant colors from the design. I'll try to match those with solid papers, or papers with a smaller pattern that have one of those colors as a more dominant focus. For layering, you want to find a visual balance - if two patterns are too busy side by side, mat the layers with a solid color, or with white or black cardstock. In design terms, you want to give the eye somewhere to "rest". Many of my layouts have two patterned blocks with a solid strip across the card that separates them - that provides an "eye line" so that the patterns aren't too overwhelming. Also, I like to make sure my focal image has some white space or a border around it so it stands out from the background. For more ideas, click HERE!

A: For the regular postage rate, envelopes need to be at least 3 1/2" high x 5" long and no more than 6 1/8" high x 11-1/2" long. When you make your envelope, you can follow the tutorial for determining the height. For the width, just add enough to fit within the guidelines. I often make 5" square cards, so I'd add 2" to the width as if I had a 5" x 7" card - that will fit within the rectangular guidelines to save on postage. If you don't want the card to slide around in a larger envelope, add an extra strip of double-sided adhesive to close off the excess width.

A: Thank you for being sensitive to copyright laws - as an artist I really appreciate that, and the companies do too. Each stamp company is different in their approach to copyrights, but most will have an Angel Policy on their site, outlining how their stamps may be used for commercial purposes. (Companies that allow their images to be used commercially are called Angel Companies.) Most companies will allow projects to be sold as long as they are handstamped, but some may add a quantity limit, require a written request, or require certain wording on the project. It's best to check each site for their current Angel Policy, or to contact the companies directly if no information is given.