Twinkling H2O's - Spellbinder new releases- Happy thoughts

Good morning everyone,
As usual, I start with my apology for not posting sooner...hmmm maybe I should have a 'stock one' made up, and a little box that says 'insert apology for lateness here'

I'm looking at major dental surgery in the near future, and am trying to figure out a less painful (both financially and literally) way to go. sigh.....But, despite my best efforts to find 'another option, and none in sight.. (other than running out the back door) I'll just have to 'bite the bullet'...oooh, that even sounds like it's going to hurt...and get 'on' with the more important and pleasant things in life....Like stamping, card making, scrap booking and all those other great fun things.....(that don't make your mouth hurt)..
So, today, I've decided that I will post THREE happy things, Good things, ...whatever, but has to be Three....and has to be happy....Here goes:

Here's Happy post #1: (read to the end , I'm not saying that the company closing is a happy thing!!)

Many of you are aware that Luminarte, the makers of Twinkling H20's and Radiant Rain, etc are closing their doors. It always makes me sad to see Art companies and small businesses close. On the other hand, they had a wonderful sale on, and I hope you got 'in on' some fantastic savings!
In many groups lately, stampers and scrappers are discussing 'who is' going to 'fill' Twinkling H20's shoes, and 'now what will we use to get shimmer?'
Many of us have been using Twinkling H2O's little 'pots' of pearlescent pan watercolors for some time, adding shimmer to our projects. It added that special touch to our art work.
Personally, I've been using Shimmerz Paints and Shimmerz Blingz paints; a 'ready to use' water based translucent paint that comes in individual jars, just 'stir andpaint' (that's right up my alley, I have to admit)...But, there are other options as well.

Yasutomo is a Japanese/American company who makes very fine quality brushes and pens who also carries a line of 'pan' or 'cake' pearlescent watercolors. Yasutomo Pearlescent Niji Watercolors. They are reasonably priced,($5.20 for 16 colors) and come in sets of 16 and 21 colors. The cakes of color appear very thin, when compared to the Twinkling H2O's, but they last a long time! You use these paints slightly differently than when using the 'Twinks'...Instead of spraying or wetting the pan of dry water paint and letting it 'soften', as you do with the Twinks, you just add a bit of water to the paints with your brush and pick up the color. These paints seem to add more sheen than color....I like using them on top of images I've already covered.

Also, don't forget, you can also make a glaze or wash of Ranger's Perfect Pearls, those gorgeous Mica / pigment powders from Ranger. These may look a little pricey, at first, but, you get four pots of powder that go a verrrrry long way. They can be used dry, with Perfect medium, or mixed with water to make a glaze. Don't forget, if you are preparing a glaze, and you are going to let the 'left-overs' dry, to be reconstituted later, use Distilled water. This will ensure that nothing 'weird and fuzzy' starts growing if it gets covered up while damp.....doesn't that say a lot for our drinking water...eeks! (I have all of these loose little pallets in my drawer, with various colors of 'dried' Perfect Pearls, from old projects, just waiting for a wet paint brush, to bring them back to life!)

I still love my Shimmerz paints, and the translucent color and shimmer they add....I have to confess, I do use them the most. I love their colors, and the fact that I can make other colors from them....heck, I can play for hours, I'm worse than a kid when it comes to paint....ahh, memories of finger painting, when someone else had to clean up the mess...those were the days.....

USArtquest also has Pearlescent Water Colors as well. So, there will still be shimmer watercolors available.....wouldn't it be a 'dull' world if we didn't have shimmer and sheen?!

So, although we hate to see Twinkling H20's go, we do still have some options, in various price ranges. You'll still be able to add shimmery water colors to our projects when our stash of 'Twinks' are used up...

Happy Post #2
What have we all been waiting for, since the end of January??? the answer is.....drum roll puh-lease.....That's Right, Spellbinder 2009 Winter Releases! They are on their way, they are sitting at the Canada / USA border!! My supplier contacted me on Friday with the good news.
So, for those of you who placed pre-orders, Get your Cuttlebug and / or Big Shot's ready....Bone Folders poised.....tape dispensors and glue filled and ready......It's almost time to Play!!

I do have the Big Shot 'Essentials' Long platform back in stock again, for are back in stock.......

As usual, I'll be contacting those who've pre-ordered, and their orders will go out first!

For those of you who couldn't make up your mind on which of the Spellbinders to order....I did bring a few extras of each in......They are sure to go fast, so don't wait too long....(You know, the only words that kept coming to my mind about waiting were "don't dilly dally'!!" Can you believe that??!! Did I just 'date' myself or what???
I haven't heard that saying since my Grade Three teacher, Mrs. Hartley, that was a favorite saying of hers....well, to me it was, anyway, I was always walking with my 'head in the clouds' looking at flowers, leaves, clouds, whatever....and I was always getting reminded not to 'Dilly-dally'......Haven't thought of her, or' dilly dallying' for years, hmmm

Happy Post #3--
The sun is shining this morning, I actually heard a bird chirping when the sun came up around 6:00 am. Until now the poor tweeties have been too cold to chirp! It made me think of spring, If if not here yet, spring is coming. It's been a long winter. I talked with a friend who is a rancher's wife, we trained together (R.N), and she was talking about how it was so hard this past week for young cows giving birth their first time....it was nasty outside, cold, wet and windy...yet, new life still comes into this world, fine weather, or nasty...
Yesterday, while picking up 'doggie treasures' in the yard, ....I actually saw a few violas, poking their heads out of the mulch in my flower bed...right next to a big clump of 'icey snow'....Amazing what you can see when you are 'Dilly-dallying'......
Take some time today dilly-dally for a while.....You never know know what you may find....a pretty viola, trying to find a little sunshine, or...some 'doggie treasures'

Honest, I haven't lost my marbles....not yet anyway (It's been to cold to play with them outside)...:0)
On that note,
Have a great one