Favorite finds!

[lovepug2]

I thought this would be a good chatty thread topic!
Name something you've come across recently you're loving. It doesn't have to be crafty related. Ex. A new recipe or household gadget would be fun to chat about too!

Here's a few things I'm loving lately-
1)Watercolors. I know it's a super hot trend right now, but it's so fun to play with!
I don't have any expensive ones. Just a cheap set I got at Joann's for 3 dollars and of courses distress inks.
It's fun to make a mess and get artsy sometimes.

2)-Some of my inks that I've had for several years are starting to dry up so I've started to find replacements for them. Most were versamagic chalk and pigment inks. I love their inks but it's fun to change things up sometimes. I really like the Hero Arts inks as well as good ol' Colorbox. I love chalk inks.
I was in HobbyLobby recently when they had their 1/2 off sale to get some of their heavyweight CS and decided to try some of their Stampabilities pigment ink. They were on sale for $1.50, so I grabbed 5 colors to try. I'm really impressed with the color and how well it dries. Can't beat that price either!
I'm watching for the next sale to pick up some more colors. I haven't tried their dye inks yet so I may give those a go eventually too.

3- My DH threw out my ranger mat recently! Silly man thought it was trash .
They're pricey and I haven't had a chance to replace it yet but at the Dollar Tree I grabbed a pack of cutting mats. It comes 2 to a package.They're thin and 10x16. While I don't think you can use a heat tool on them, they're great to work on and clean up well when using inks on them!

And lastly, I'm loving this board and the fact we're all able to connect! Thanks again Sadie

What are some of your alls favorite finds at the moment?

[stampwilly]

I am also loving this board and that many peas have found their way here!

I have been playing with my air brush marker tool with my stencils. It is so much fun and very messy! LOL!

I just got my package of stamps and stuff from my design team and have started on 3 cards, but stopped in the middle to do some more thinking about them. I love when my package comes each month with new stamps and supplies to play with!

Stampwilly

[Nora S]

I just purchased the cutest owl punch that punches out the owl, dress, eyes., etc.  It is a great way to use all those tiny scraps we have in our stash.  The owls can be dressed in many different themes.  Just love playing with it!

Nora S

[Christinmay]

I, too, am loving water colours!

I have a tin of 12 pencils I've had since I was a teen, but my dd got a packet of 48 for her birthday on the weekend!! We had a play, and it's great having so many colours! Now I just need to stop myself from using them whenever the fancy takes me!

I tried Inktense, but they don't seem that different to normal water colours to me, so I won't bother with any more of them.

My dd actually got lots of drool-worthy crafty presents! And none of them were from me! Very tempting... 

[CarefreeSadie]

I purchased a gelli plate.  I have only played with it once but I love that thing.  I made a pile of papers with it for backgrounds, and did I mention I love   that thing.  I will have to post some scans of the backgrounds.  The only thing is my brayer is a "soft" brayer and I had to work pretty hard to spread the paint across the gelli plate.  But it was so fun......

[Looser]

What a fun thread!

My current fave? Using the Crayola air-pump without a marker. I pump it up & give myself a blast of air. So refreshing!

[SWLady]

Daniel, that's just weird, hahahaha!! but we love ya anyways. 

[gardencat]

Well, you said it doesn't have to be craft related so...my favourite new thing is a new camera I got a couple of weeks ago. My old camera does a great job but it is big and heavy, and so are the lenses for it. I've got a bit of arthritis in my hands and carrying it around and shooting with it for any extended length of time was getting to be difficult. My new camera is much smaller and lighter but still has interchangeable lenses and good image quality and the Auto focus seems to be super fast. I've been really pleasantly surprised with some of  the pictures I've been getting

[Far North]

Christin- Sorry you didn't like the Inktense pencils that much!  For me I do find the colors more vibrant once they are wet.  And my favorite feature is that once they are dry they are permanent...so you can still do some other watercolor around them.

No new tools here, just trying to use some underused tools...see my challenge post for using a brayer and multi-color ink pads.

[lovepug2]

I love reading about all of your favorites!

April, I've been wanting to get the Crayola spritzer. I think I would love it and my crafty little 3 year old would like it too!

Nora, I saw that punch on Pinterest recently! I love it and have seen lots of cute cards made with it 

Sadie, I love watching videos on gelli plates. I saw that simonsaysstamp is now carrying a size that is good for card backgrounds. I would love to see some of your backgrounds!

Christin, I have a small tin of inktense. I like them but I doubt I will buy anymore. They're really pricey! I think I need to practice with them more too.

Daniel, lol! That's one way to get more from your supplies

Joanne, I've been wanting a small pocket camera. We have a large Nikon. It takes great pics but I rarely use it because it's just one more thing to carry when I've got both boys and my big bag of their stuff too! I use my phone camera too much.

Jan, I've been using some old stamps and some eyelets lately. It's fun to go back and use older supplies 

[Craft Nerd]

What a great thread.

Daniel - you are too funny.  With my luck there would still be ink in it and I'd end up with a purple spotted face. 

Craft-wise I'm loving my bow it all.  For a ribbon addicted bow making challenged individual like me, it is the best thing ever.   It makes double bows and multi-loop bows.  It's fabulous.  The only downside is they just came out with a new one that makes triple bows and I'm bummed that I bought mine about a month before the new one came out. 
 
Non-craft-wise - balsamic vinegar.  A couple months ago, some friends and I were shopping and we stopped in a new store that sells infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars.  I picked up a roasted almond infused olive oil and a peach white balsamic vinegar.  I used them to make a yummy salad dressing.  Which prompted me to make a balsamic vinaigrette with plain balsamic and a garlic and herb olive oil.  Then last weekend I made some balsamic green beans from a recipe I found on-line.  They were even better as cold leftovers.  YUM. 

[stampwilly]

Well Daniel, I am glad you found a new way to use your air brush! LOL!

I just pulled out my Mudd Puddles to use on a tag. These are fun. It is different colors of sand, or shell pieces, or beads in a glue that you spread on with a palette knife. I used sand and teeny shells on a tag.

Stampwilly

[neyw]

The project I have been working on is my summer 2014 pictures. I have been wanting to do project life for a while but could not justify the expense.  I found an acid free photo album at the Salvation Army for $1.99.  It was brand new and from Target. I snatched it up a few months ago and have been saving it. I have been finding cool project life printables on-line and I bought a few project life cards on sale for 50% off.  I got my pictures printed at Walgreens during 4th of July weekend and got those on sale.  I am not buying anything new besides adhesive for the project and I have been using up my scrapbooking and stamping supplies.  Ex. I pulled out an old wooden train stamp and used that. It has been collecting dust for years.  I think I am addicted to this way of scrapbooking. It has been a good project to travel with as well as it does not take up a lot of space.  I will share pictures once I get more done.  I have also incorporated a lot of paint chips I have hoarded over the past few years. Anything that allows me to combine stamping and scrapbooking is a good thing in my opinion.

[Iring]

Super thread!

 Daniel, now that is ... ahh .... what's the word inventive, ingenious ... can't even think ... but as long as you're poufing yourself, I wonder if you sucked up air from the freezer and then gave yourself a blast ... ?  And maybe a blast from your mister first, then the air    Or, you could sit in front of a fan 

Lovepug,
I found a silicone mat, looks just like Ranger's, maybe a tick thinner, at Sur La Table, a kitchen store.  It was half the price.  Try the cooking section of any store and you might find something cheaper than your original.

I don't have any Inktense pencils ... I've been playing with my new gelatos a little bit, I hear they have the same property, once dry they are fairly permanent.  That just seems like magic (it's probably chemistry, eew) but really, how cool is that?!  I've been resisting gelatos, and inktense ... I have quite a few watercolor mediums already ... but as I shared on the shopping thread, I saw a set of 10 gelatos for $6.24 on clearance and snagged 'em quick!

Ok, so I guess my favorite find would be my new gelatos ... AND ... I just found a blog with a challenge going on called ICAD, Index Card A Day.  (Daniel, have to admit, I thought of you  )  It ends in a few weeks, but I'm jumping in anyway.  Premise is to just make something, doesn't have to be perfect, on a plain old index card, don't have to be worried about ruining an expensive piece of paper ... just play.  http://daisyyellow.squarespace.com/icad/ .

Again, great thread!  It's reminding me of supplies I have that are underused.

[lovepug2]

Neyw and Iring, great finds and great bargains too!

Iring, I love gelatos. Im still fairly new using them. I mostly use mine in resist techniques. They're so much fun to play with.

I'm always on the quest for a good white ink, I found the Memento Luxe wedding white at Michaels the other day. I used a coupon on it since their pretty prices inks. I will definitely be purchasing some more. Its a great ink. I love how well it covered and it dried quickly too.