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.

A: I start with a pile of rectangular paper scraps, and cut them from corner to corner to create long triangles. The width of the scraps doesn't matter, but they need to be at least 4-5" inches long. I pick a point on the card, usually to one side, and glue my first wedge down across the card with the point of the triangle at or just beyond my focus point (it doesn't have to be on the edge - it can be anywhere on the card, really). From there I work out on either side of the first wedge, gluing down other wedges and leaving a small space in between each piece. You can match up the sides, but leaving a space allows for a contrast layer to show through, and gives you a little margin for error in case your cuts aren't perfectly straight. When the space is filled, trim off the overhanging edges. That's it! It's a great way to add drama to a card or really highlight a small image.