What's new in the New Year??

Good morning from blustery, cold and snowy Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.
It's nasty outside today; a great day to stay indoors and play with your stamping or scrapbooking projects. ....or to cuddle up by the fireplace.
Usually New Years Eve after having appetizers we barbecue steaks and cook up Lobster tails and / or King Crab Legs. We go 'all out' with our New Years Eve celebration every year. (then we sit after supper too full of melted butter to even move, let alone get too excited at midnight)....There is no jumping in our home New Year's Eve when the 'Ball Drops'.....you're more likely to hear groans, and Gord and I (especially me, I admit it) murmuring "next year remind me not to eat so much" This year we decided to just have appetizers and then a Crab Leg / Lobster Tail feast, minus the steaks....and I'm really glad! Besides the fact that I won't eat as much, there will be no having to stand outside on the deck in freezing wind and snow, trying to keep the heat up on the Barbecue...(Not that I did that anyway, that was Gord's department...) I take care of all the preparations for supper that occur 'inside' the house.-I've got the best part of the deal, I think.

2009 is almost here, and we've got so many new and exciting products and promotions planned for the new year.
We're pleased to offer our new 'Preferred Customer Reward Program'.
Our Customer Reward program that was in effect in 2008 is now over (well, in a few hours it will be), and we are starting our Preferred Customer Program for 2009. It will run from January 1, 2009 to December 31st, 2009
The details can be seen at our online catalog, on the main page, at:
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/integritydesigns/
Click on the image to enlarge it for reading, and for information on how to join.

We're happy to say that there are better rewards this year, and I think our present customers will be happy with the changes. (As well as earning customer reward points that entitle you to Free stamping and paper crafting products, now you will get an additional 5% discount on Sales items as well as extra 5% discount on New Product Pre-orders!

The more you purchase the better your rewards get! With the new Program, after you've earned SIX Preferred Customer reward certificates during the year (Value $20.00 each), You will receive an automatic discount of 12% on all of your purchases for the remainder of the year!
I wanted to thank all of my loyal customers for their continued support, and what better way than to reward you with extra discounts!

Before I go and start getting things ready for tonight (making appetizers, etc), I want to share some things I've discovered using Tsukineko's Versamark Dazzles inks.
Last night was one of those nights again , I was up most of the night, I could have celebrated New Years eve last night, I was up all night, tonight I'll probably fall asleep as soon as my stomach is full...... I couldn't sleep, so decided to go down to the shop and start experimenting with the Tsukineko's Versamark Dazzles inks that arrived before Christmas. I'd been told by Tsukineko that it works differently on different types of cardstock, so I wanted to check it out.
I enjoyed playing with them and came up with some tips you may find useful when you use your VersaMark Dazzles Inks.
First of all we've got to remember that VersaMark is Water mark ink....The Dazzle ink pads are the same VersaMark water-mark base ink, but are designed to give a subtle elegant sheen to the watermark. The frost leaves a faint pearlish appearance and the Champagne has a little big of a gold sparkle shimmer.

Porous papers seem to provide a more noticeable watermark result than coated papers. Also, the tackiness (that great tackiness that causes embossing powder to adhere to the ink) seemed to be more noticeable on coated (glossy or matte coated) cardstock. *see note below

The color of the paper seemed to make a difference in the results as well. I found that card stocks that were brown, or had warm tones were complimented by the Champagne version, and the Blues and Cool tones were complimented with the Frost Dazzle ink.

Last night, (or this morning, whatever you want to call it when everyone else is in bed sleeping and it seems you are the only person who is awake) I tried using them with a few different brands of inks, and had good results. I particularly liked the way they looked when they were used over a stamped and colored image. I stamped an image with Tsukineko's Versafine ink, gave it a shot from the heat tool to dry it quickly, then colored with water-based markers. I used both Tombow and Marvy markers which think we all have in our stash. I let the markers dry a bit, but also gave the image a blast with my heat tool as well, to make 'double sure' everything was completely dry. I then generously applied the Dazzle ink (direct to paper) over the top of the colored image. I let it dry slightly, then took a piece of paper towel, and lightly buffed the image (in small circular motions) with a bit of pressure. This seemed to push the Dazzle ink into the cardstock surface, and removed the tackiness*. It gave the project a nice sheen, yet didn't distort or cover the image below it.
I used it over a winter scene, (with Frost), and it gave it a pretty 'frosty' sheen. I used them on a few different types of card stocks, with good results. (I only tried a few different card stocks, but they worked nicely with the ink.)
Have fun and experiment with this new ink. Try it on various card stocks. I think you'll find that you are going to use it a lot, to create subtle shimmery finishes and backgrounds.
I also use the 'buffing' technique with the Opalite ink backgrounds as well, and I find that seems to accentuate the shine and shimmer. I'm going to be posting my version of the Opalite Background shimmer technique later in the month.


Tomorrow, I'll be announcing the Heritage Makers specials for January.......One of them, is very exciting and a big Money Saver!!! Just what we all need after Christmas, something to get us excited, and also something to help us save money as well!

Have a wonderful day! Happy new year!