Hello friends! I realize I am kind of late posting this as most of you have probably already completed your Christmas shopping. But I for one have not! And I always like to buy myself a few things, so maybe you are still looking for ideas for YOU! I wanted to share with you my can't live without card making supplies I discovered (or continued to love) in 2017. These are my top 10 in order:
1. Kaiser Craft Glitter Pens - set of 12
I became obsessed with these after I received an orange one in one of the SSS card kits. I've ordered 3 of this set so far because I use them every single time I color an image - whether with watercolor or Copic markers. They add the perfect shading over images and add some a glittery finish. You can also buy them with the pastel colors in a set of 24 or you can buy all 48 colors that includes the glitter, pastel, neon, and metallic (my second fav set). Yep, I bought a set of the 48 as well. My daughters use them all the time to color in their coloring books. They never clog and are the best gel pens I've ever used - LOVE THEM. So much that they made my #1 favorite product purchased in 2017.
Seriously can't even handle how much i love these and my collection keeps growing!!! But here are my favorite colors that I have so far:
EBONY BLACK SIMPLY WHITE COPPER PENNY MORNING DEW GOLDEN SUNSET IVORY SEASHELL
I have lots of the colors too, but I find I use my black, white, copper, clear (morning dew), golden sunset (glitter yummy) and ivory seashell (metallic and beautiful) the most. There are the three colors that I use the most:
STRAWBERRY COOLIS BLUE LAGOON GLITTER SHERBERT SHIMMER GLITTER
In case you haven't become obsessed with them like I have, here is a little info I have learned along the way about these drops. They come in several different formulas: Jewel which is transparent; Glitter which is full of gorgeous glitter; Gloss which is shiny and opaque; Metallic which is metallic and opaque; and Neon which is neon and opaque. My favorite is the Jewell and the Glitter. I use these for so much more than just drops. I cover parts of images with them that you want to have texture. I use the clear a lot over colored images instead of Glossy Accents. I use them over letters to make them stand out. Just think of them as a colored or glittered Glossy Accents to cover any and everything you want!
I just discovered this glue and I love love love it. I'll never use another glue again. I had tried so many and they would always clog and didn't have a fine enough tip. This is a wet blue that comes out white and dries clear. The tip is super fine to cover the smallest things like die cut letters or glue down twine. I could never live without it now that I have discovered it!
Ok, I'm sorry - I had to put these in my top 10 because they are so fun to design! I love drawing each set although it takes me forever to come up with the ideas. I also love to give them as gifts. I'm giving them to several friends this year with a small set of watercolor paints. I think my favorite part of having this line at Simon Says Stamps is I get to color them all for each of the blog hops. They really are fun to dress up with paints and Tonic Nuvo Drops and Sequins and Glitter Pens! They are all printed on thick Ranger Watercolor paper so you can use any coloring medium you prefer. Here is my latest set called Winter Warmth:
I have done about 15 sets so far I think, so if you click on THIS LINK HERE you can see them all in the SSS store - some for every occasion or no occasion at all! I hope you enjoy them. I'm not sure yet if I will be continuing them in 2018.
I know these have been out there for quite a while, but somehow I thought I could live without one and didn't spend the money on one until this year. I can no longer live without it - haha. There is a full size one and a mini one and I have them both. I recommend the regular sized one as if you want any stamped images to hang off the edge of the card, you need the bigger one. I use the small one too though as it is easier to use for small sentiment stamping.
I do a lot of random stamping cards and this is so useful for that as you can stamp multiple images at one time and arrange them like a puzzle. I also stamp a lot of titles and so often I ruined them as I didn't get a good enough stamped image the first time. Now I can stamp it twice as it stays in the same place. I don't' really use stamp blocks anymore - this is a tool I could not live without.
6. Simon Says Stamp Black Intense Ink
I've used many black inks to stamp. I was pretty stuck on Ranger Archival Black Ink for watercoloring and Memento Black Ink for Copic Markers. But I hated that I had to switch inks for the type of paper and coloring method I was using. Then I discovered this new SSS Ink and I love it so much as it works for BOTH! I never have to switch my ink and it never runs with Copics or watercolors. Just like you need a perfect black dress, you need a perfect black ink. And this is it!
What is all the hype about DS watercolors which are so expensive you ask? Well, they are well worth the price. I have tried ALL watercolors out there. I have so many different types and these are my all time favorite. First of all because they have the largest color selection on the market with lots of cool mixtures like Primatek, Iridescent, Pearlescent, and Durochrome. They also spread in water the best of any I have tried - just fan out with perfection. The colors do not stain the paper, so you can move them after they have already dried. Of all the Artist Grade Watercolors out there (Windsor and Newton, Holbein, etc...) these are my favorite. Simon Says Stamp has started carrying quite a few of them! You can start your collection as I did with just a basic set of five colors (5ml each) that are easy to mix together to create many other colors:
But if you want to expand and try some of the really cool specialty colors I mentioned, here are some of my favorites I use all the time:
PEARLESCENT WHITE CORAL COBALT TEAL BLUE OPERA PINK ELECTRIC BLUE VIOLET PEARL
Pearlescent White is a color I use over everything else to give it sheen. Think of it as a Wink of Stella pen! I use a lot of reds, but this Coral color is my favorite as it has more pink in it than a pure red - so it is more of a coral as it says! I love the Cobalt Teal as it is the perfect blend between green and blue - kind of an aqua. Opera Pink is a bright pink as it looks and is a must for watercoloring! I have a lot of blues, but I use this Electric Blue more than any of the others - not only is it the perfect shade and has a very saturated hue, it also has sheen to it which I love - it is truly electric!
8. PAPER (how do you live without papers?!?!?!)
I have four favorites that I use all of the time. I have card size pieces of each in a baggie that I use for all my cards - most come in 8.5 x 11 so I just cut them into four card size pieces. For Copic Markers, I use Neenah White Cardstock 110lb - I like the extra thick one for both card bases and for stamping. For watercolor, I use two different papers. If I want a white background on a card and a perfectly smooth texture, I use Ranger Watercolor Paper. I don't consider it the best quality paper out there for watercolor, but it works the best for stamping as it is so smooth and I usually want a white background around my images so I use it the most. And if you have had problems with it in the past as I have, they have improved it and it works better now. I also LOVE Fabriano watercolor paper - I use the Cold Press. I buy it from Amazon as SSS doesn't carry it. It has a more cream color to it and it has more texture than the Ranger smooth side. It stamps fine though and it is a very high quality paper so it works like magic! I use it for my random stamped cards and for any card where I am painting the entire thing so the cream background doesn't bother me as I prefer white. The last is Canson Mixed Media paper. Where watercolor paper is 140 lb, this paper is 98 lb. This means it is much thinner than watercolor paper which is sometimes nice. It is also pure white which I love. I make card backgrounds with it - it holds up fairly well with watercolors. I use it for all of my doodles. It has a nice texture and isn't as expensive as the other papers so I always have a pad with me for drawing and painting!
9. Pretty Pink Posh THANK YOU Die
There are so many word dies in beautiful script now to put on cards. This one came out recently by Pretty Pink Posh and I just love the font. I also find the word "thank you" so useful for cards! I love layering them so there is a shadow behind the letters.
Here is a card I made using it - I glued two together so they look thicker:
I love all the new stencils SSS has come out with that look like snowflakes and lace! They are so fun to work with and they have more with each new release! You can see all of them HERE. I did a "one stamp, five ways" post using the gorgeous Marilyn Stencil and that post is HERE. Here is an image of the stencil and one of the cards I made with it:
Well, I have certainly inundated you with photos today! I hope you enjoyed my favorite products of 2017! Hopefully you will have some cash to spend after the holidays to update your crafting supplies! Have a wonderful, merry, and joyful Christmas and thank you so much for visiting! Suzy
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Love all your picks .i have all theses lol
Posted by: Denise Prosser Soffa | December 19, 2017 at 02:44 AM
Suzy! I've missed coming here! Thanks for this great post. I have the pens...got them after you talked about them before. Just used them, too! Thanks for the other recommendations. You are awesome. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. Thank you for all the joy you share!
Posted by: Jeanne | December 22, 2017 at 05:49 AM
I agree—the nuvo Deluxe Adhesive is the best product on the market. No need for those ridiculous fine tip points that clogged and never worked as advertised.
Posted by: Julie | January 12, 2018 at 09:07 PM
I LOVE the kaiser craft glitter gel pens! Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted by: Angela Myhre | January 27, 2018 at 11:14 AM