Right off the bat I want to thank those of you had orders in while I was ill. I appreciate your patience. It was that really nasty flu that has been going around and I was down and out for about a week. Thank goodness John had a flue shot and could take care of me. He's a wonderful guy!!
I want to take this opportunity to say "Happy Easter". Hopefully you will get this newsletter before Easter.
I see a green haze on the trees on the back hill. I think that spring is really trying to come in. Of course, my oldest daughter, Dana, and Johnny have set up to come on Wednesday to help John put three windows in the Cameo building and it's supposed to snow, sleet and rain with high winds on that day and for the next 4 or 5 days after that. Ah, well, the wonders of Mother Nature. She definitely likes to keep us guessing. There's nothing boring about the weather this year - no matter where you live.
My Forsythias are 'forsythiaing', the lilacs are popping plus I have tulips and daffodils and hyacinths up. It's wonderful!!!!
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I'm putting out a new quilt pattern for April, which is to make a light throw for the back of a couch or chair. It has six (6) blocks to it. It is done using all feather stroking. It will be very fast and since you're doing all feather stroking, it will make your hands really tired until you get used to doing the stroke right. The 'how to' page for the Sparkling Rose Throw is included in this newsletter. I hope you like it. It will make a great Mother's Day gift. Order this under - SRT. The regular price will be $13.00. This includes six (6) blank quilt blocks and six (6) transfers. The sale price for the month of April 2007 will be $10.00. You will need a variety of Sparkle Paints and a 116 - Black paint. You could do all the blocks the same, or make it into a colorful garden of roses. |
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SRT $10.00 |
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Make it a Gift Set!!How about giving that special person a whole new hobby? Let's do a gift set - Gift Set #1 including seven (7) Sparkle Paints (130, 131, 134, 135, 136, 137, and 161) and a 116 - Black Paint, a Sandpaper Blotter, six (6) blank quilt blocks and six (6) transfers. This gift set will stay in the line at the regular price of $35.00. This is worth $39.47 regular retail price. Order under GS1 -$35.00. |
 GS1 $35.00 |
On the transfers for the monthly quilt blocks there is a big picture and a little picture. Obviously the big picture is for the actual quilt block. The smaller pictures can be used for matching little t-shirts or sweat shirts. They can be used for making matching pillows, curtains, dust ruffles, sheets, body pillow covers or maybe even matching towels and wash cloths for a connecting bath room.
Remind your customers that they don't have to make quilts with these transfers. They can use them on shirts and other things. They would make a cute outfit (according to which ones you used) for a little onesy for a baby or a matching sweat suit for a child or adult. How about making a western shirt for someone in your life using the Southwest quilt block transfers? How about putting a south west transfer on your horse blanket?
If any of you travel - these transfers are a good size to go on your luggage. For some luggage, you might have to put the transfer on the quilt block - then put Fabric Glue on the back - let it dry - then cut it out to put on your suitcase. (You might need to cut in multiple pieces to get the look that you want.) After you get it cut out - use the Fabric Glue to put it on the luggage. If you want it to last a long time - after that Fabric Glue is totally dry - put another coat of the Fabric Glue over the top of the whole design. This will, hopefully, keep it safer and make it last longer. When you do something like this it will make it much easier to spot your luggage on the luggage carousel at the airport. It might, also, get you some new customers. There's nothing like advertising to get people to notice what you sell.
BQ1-04 Baby Quilt Block Pak |
DQB04 Dinosaur Quilt Block Pak |
PQ04 Pony Quilt Block Pak |
RQ04 Rose Quilt Block Pak |
FFQ2-04 Flower Face 2 Quilt Block Pak |
SWQ04 Southwest Quilt Block Pak |
Let’s talk about the transfers coming out this month.
T4050 - Hogs and Kisses |
T4050 - Hogs and Kisses - this is an old transfer that is just getting put into the catalog in color. It is a favorite of those who collect pigs and those that just like cute sayings on their shirts. It makes a great gift for a Mother's Day shirt (or a gift any time of the year. |
T4691 - Mailboxes - this is a wonderful transfer that is just the right size to put on a P322 - Mini Flag. It uses regular painting with shading and a little rag painting on the sky and ground. You use a circular paint stroke to put in tree leaves and the bushes with flowers in the background. All in all, it comes out really pretty and spring like with the flowers and flowering bushes. |
T4691 - Mailboxes |
T4727 Easter Bonnet Bear |
T4727 - Easter Bonnet Bear - this is a little late, but if you just call the bonnet a spring bonnet it will still work. I fell in love with this one, but I forgot to take it to the printer's last month. I hope you will still get a lot of use out of it. |
T4728 - Clown Tears |
T4728 - Clown Tears - I have had requests for clowns. I hope you all will like this one. I had a lot of fun painting her. I put her on a sweat shirt and have had a lot of compliments on her in the last couple of days. |
T4730 - Frogs |
T4730 - Frogs - this is for all you frog collectors out there. Remember that the color chart is just a suggested way of painting things. Feel free to use your own color combinations. They may be better than what is in the chart. Just paint and have fun with them. |
T4731 - Serenity Prayer |
T4731 - Serenity Prayer - this is one of my favorite prayers. We probably all need to say it a couple hundred times a day, I know I do. |
T4732 - Grandma's Bunch |
T4732 - Grandma's Bunch - this is a design for you Mom's out there to do for your own Moms. I only have two (2) grandkids, so I would have two (2) balloons with names and the rest of them just in color. You can cut up the transfer and add more balloons if you need them. You can put in your children and their spouses and then add in their children. Just use your imagination and everything will turn out great and it will be a great gift for Mother's Day. |
T4733 - Working Mother |
T4733 - Working Mother - this is a great saying. We should all remember it. This design would make a great tote bag for Mom to carry needed supplies (diapers, snacks, colors and coloring books, etc.) when she leaves the house with her little ones. |
Remember this hint: if you need to put on multiple coats of paint, you can always iron your design dry in between coats so you can finish up a design in one class. Also, when you use your Dual Point Pens, the paint that you use them on must be dry or you will clog up your nib and it won’t work anymore. If you are doing faces, for instance, paint the entire face and put any shading on that you need to do – then iron the piece dry – then go back and detail with your C388 – Brown Dual Point Pen. |
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This is at Sharon's new house in Brooklyn. It's not that far from her old place, so I hope a lot of people show up. She has a nice big dining room table for you to work at. It should be great!!
Since I started having both meetings on the third Thursday of the month here, it has turned out much better. I miss having lunch at the restaurant but all the rest of it is great. I have everything here that people need and I don't have to worry about forgetting anything.
There will not be any workshops in Temperance for the next two or three months. Diane Beers, whose house we meet at, had her Father die and she will be tied up getting things straightened out with that.
This month we will be working on the new T4691.
You will need a P322 - Mini Flag to work on and you will need your full set of paints.
I charted this as a spring picture so there are a lot of greens in there and of course, the flowering lilac bushes and other flowering bushes. It should go pretty quickly. I think you will be pleased with the results.
There is something to be said for teaching the different techniques on a new transfer.
The main thing to be said about it is that you are not so worried about using the techniques as you would be to sit at home and try them out all by yourself.
The other thing to be said for it is that you get the new design done and you can teach it to your customers and friends. That makes your sales, (and mine) go up. You will sell transfers, paints, P322 - Mini Flags, Fiber Brushes (if they don't already have them), and you get to talk to everyone and see how they are handling the weather and all the other things in their lives. Basically, having class in your own home or in other peoples' homes is just a win - win situation.
Next month, in May, there will only be one workshop. That will be the Spring Workshop here on May 5th from 8AM 'til people leave in the afternoon.
We will be doing a lot of small classes this time instead of one big one. I hope you can all come and join us and learn new things. There is also lots of good food, since everyone brings a dish to pass.
You will find the registration form for the Spring Workshop in this newsletter. Please, get it in right away. Thank you.
I'm putting in a new 'how to' page. I know that most of you know these things, but you can make copies and hand them out to your customers. It's nice to have things down on paper so you can look back on them. This is just starting to give you an idea on how to make things look more real when you paint. It's not hard. Just think ahead and figure out where the light source is coming from on your design and put in shadows and highlights with that in mind. We'll be working on this sort of thing at the Spring Workshop.
We will be using feather stroking to shade and highlight as well as just using the Fiber Blenders to blend (smear) the paint in the appropriate spots for the right reasons. Remember - when you feather stroke all you have to do is put the point of the tip down solidly on your material - then flip it in the direction that you want the stroke to go. I usually outline where I am going to put the feather stroke in - then set my tip on the outline to start my feather stroke. That way you have a nice solid line at the base of the feather strokes. As you feather in your color, don't get shook up when it doesn't look right to begin with. First of all, this takes practice. Second of all, as you continue filling in with the feather strokes, it will look better and better.
Brooklyn, Michigan - Lori Bartlett has started having classes at her house on the first Sunday of the month in the afternoon. She takes the techniques that she learns here and passes them on to her friends. It has been working out very well for her as she starts to make money in her new business - "Rae's Country Corner". Contact her on her cell phone at 517-392-7477 if you're interested in attending.
Blue Earth, Wisconsin – Sharon Pausewang will be glad to teach you how to use your paints. If you would be interested in taking classes with her contact her at (507-525-1037).
Millersport, Ohio – Phyl Phillips is there for you. If you would like to take classes with her contact her at (740-928-3117).
Linden, Michigan – Halleen Fisk has lots to teach you. I try not to keep her so busy that she doesn’t have time to have classes. If you would like to take classes with her contact her at (810-735-0100).
Florida - Rene McDonough gives classes twice a week in the Venice Area. Call her if you are interested in taking classes with her. (941-497-4242)
Florida - Sandy Wadelton is giving classes is the Leesburg Area. Call her if you are interested in taking classes with her. (352-787-4950)
Colorado - Rachel Fry has a good group going in Grand Junction. Give her a call if you are interested in joining them. (970-242-6091)
Alberta, Canada - Beverly Craig - This is a very nice lady, which has been helping people to learn about Cameo for a while. If you are in that area, you can give her a call at 403-224-3565. She will be glad to share her expertise with you and fill any orders that you have. She works with a wide variety of folks and would love to work with more.
Where: At the Ginger's Cameo facility in Manchester, MI
Stay Tuned for more Information
When you're ironing off transfers, make sure that you don't iron off too many ahead. The transfer ink fades with time and you may have trouble seeing the transfer lines. If you do iron off a few ahead you should keep them covered up so the light doesn't get to them. This does not mean that if you iron a transfer on wrong that you can wait for it to fade away then put it back on. It does not fade all the way away, it just fades to the point that you can't see to paint it.
When you are painting a transfer that has two parts that are the same color right next to each other, try putting a line of a darker color between them to bring out the design. On the new T4689-Cave Nativity, Joseph's robes could use a streak of 111 Wine to delineate where one part stops and the other part ends. If you look on the picture around his shoulders you will see what I mean.
Sometimes, like on T4696 or T4486, you have two sections right next to each other that are charted 116-Black. If you leave a little line of unpainted material show between the sections, it will make them show up as different parts of the transfer. The other thing that you can do is to make a line of a lighter color between the two sections.
Most of the time any mistake that you make in this craft can be fixed: You can add shadows to cover up the fact that you got double lines when you ironed a transfer on - or you can add a little flower or leaf to cover up where you went out of the lines or got some paint in the wrong place. I know there are a lot of perfectionists out there - but believe me when I say that you should not throw away something just because you think you made a mistake. You can fix it and it will look fine. It may not look just like what you see in the transfer picture - but you just remember that 'artistic license' means that it is your painting and it will look different than anyone else's. This is a good thing. You don't want your painting to look just like everyone else's, you want to make it your own with your own ideas and personality.
Now get out there and have FUN painting!!!
Lori Bartlett has been keeping very busy with her paints. One of her latest works below are an Irish Table Cloth done using the new sparkle paints.
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We would love to show our readers what you've done with Cameo Paints. Send us ginger@gingerscameo.com or webmaster@gingerscameo.com some of your pictures and be sure to tell us about them and yourself.
See some of our past reader submissions in the Gallery
Well, I guess that's all for this month. Keep that those suggestions coming. I need every one of them. See you at a meeting.
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Copyright Gingers Cameo 2003 © |
Page Updated 4-10-2007 |
