So many awesome alcohol ink projects!

We've been getting a lot of calls for alcohol inks lately, so we figured now it's time to share what some of customers (and the people of the internet) are doing with them!

Here's some of our favorite projects:

All Thumbs Crafts

FAUX STAINED GLASS!

This is one of those really-hard-to-make-ugly projects, because it's so easy to do and almost always comes out with a cool looking effect! You can use alcohol inks in various colors to stain glass (and not just glasses...ANYTHING glass such as jars, figurines, etc.) and then use a straw or canned air to make it spread and blend to your heart's content.

Another similar idea is to do this on coasters:

http://imgfave.com/view/2604575

Same idea and process as the faux stained glass, only it also works anything ceramic or stone! Using a clear alcohol ink or rubbing alcohol will give you a really nice marbleized look when you mix it with other colors. Great for making unique party/wedding decor without paying a fortune (never mind the time it takes to find what fits your aesthetic)!

Using alcohol inks with liquid polymer clay is yet another door-opener for tons of different crafts such as beads, ornaments, sculpture, and anything else you can think of:



Alcohol Ink and Liquid Polymer Clay

This site (along with many others if you google it) has some good techniques for getting great effects out of clay. Also, since it can also be used with glass it really opens the door for some awesome jewelry/bead making ideas! 

And of course, these inks work beautifully in a fine-art setting, and can be used on wood or Ampersand Claybord to create gorgeous effects for backgrounds of mixed media projects or just standing alone as this artist, Andrea Pramuk does:

Andrea Pramuk's Gallery


Hope these sparked your inspiration as much as they have for us! There's SO much potential with these inks, and we always stock Montana Black brand (on sale now) but can also order the Jacquard Pinata brand as well as the alcohol based refills for Copic Markers (which means you can get any color that Copic makes, which is pretty much infinite!)

Have a fun, creative craft filled day!


:)

So many summer paper crafts!

There are SO many ways to make even the simplest things unique just by adding some decorative paper!

We recently stumbled upon some great ideas using paper for any summer party that are super cute and super easy....and here's just a few of them:


FESTIVE PAPER UMBRELLAS






















http://www.marthastewart.com/272880/festive-drink-umbrellas-umbrella-how-to

These are a cheap, adorable way to dazzle your guests with some extra style....and they work great as drink identifiers too! And, in case you haven't noticed....our store has TONS of amazing paper options to choose from! All decorative paper is 20% already affordable prices, and a little would definitely go a long way!


DIY ICE CREAM CONE WRAPPERS




http://blog.hgtv.com/design/2012/05/23/daily-delight-diy-ice-cream-cone-wrappers/
Again.....adorable and affordable! Great for a kids party and SO easy to make....a simple way boost a standard treat into something more colorful!


And lastly....

HANDMADE SOAP WRAPPERS



http://www.diylife.com/2008/06/09/ways-to-wrap-handmade-soap/

Handmade soap is not only a fun project in itself but its great for party favors, gifts, and even to sell at craft fairs! We have so many beautiful papers that would be great for this in stock...and in a huge variety of thicknesses, colors, and patterns that would accommodate as many different soaps as you can possibly make!

Welp....that's a wrap for now!

Check the store for more project ideas, great discounts, and PLENTY of inspiration!

:)

The sky's the limit!

Summer is the best time for coming up awesome outdoor creative projects! What better way to spend your time then making something beautiful...especially when its beautiful out!

One great idea we dug up from the internet is painting your own windows!


http://lemontreecreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/ballerina-big-girl-room.html

This project could take an INFINITE amount of directions....and has plenty of room for improvisation! Paint a few and put them in a bedroom, dining room, bathroom, pantry, or any other room to give it a nice open, spacial (or even illusion-like) feel!

Great for all ages, and don't forget canvas is still buy ONE get TWO FREE at CC Lowell (wink wink)!

The sky is the limit!

It's all about quality!

Any experienced watercolorist can appreciate how essential high quality paper is in making high quality work! Arches 140LB Cold Pressed watercolor paper is one of the most highly revered brands you can buy, made with 100% Cotton and an absolutely phenomenal, incredibly absorbent texture. Also, it NEVER warps and has beautiful deckled edges! Definitely the type of material you will develop an immediate loyalty to once you try it once! For that reason we are offering it up for $5.50 a sheet, and $4.50 if you buy 5 or more (down from $9.75)! Arches Blocks are also 30% off, which is the same high quality paper only stretched and mounted on a block for super convenient transport (GREAT for classes)! 

The other essential ingredient to a high quality watercolor painting is of course, high quality watercolor paint! Right now we are also offering M.Graham paint for 40% off...and believe us...it's the best! Another material that's guaranteed to be love at first try! Art Graham, the creator of the brand visited us a few weeks ago to explain how with local honey, generous pigment loads, and fresh, frequent batches his paint is carefully designed to be the best possible! This company has a sincere and proud commitment to making the artist's painting experience look and feel excellent...and you can definitely tell! Even if you are a beginning artist, at 40% off it is DEFINITELY worth trying out (especially if you are into avoiding the frustration that cheaper quality, student grade paints can give you when mixing and applying them!)

And, who doesn't want to support small businesses, right?! ;)

We've got spring in our step! And some great project ideas for you!

Yes! All this sunny weather is inspiring everyone here at CC Lowell as well as our customers....so much creativity brewing! And it's contagious! We've been busy revamping displays, thinking of more great sales on fun activities, planning events and more! So here's the part where we share some inspiration:

Time to Dye it!

Whip out some of the the old, lingering fabric, dull t-shirts, or bags you may have lying around and bring them back to life with some of our fun dye kits, open stock dyes, and fabric markers (we also stock screen printing kits of you want to get fancy with it)! There are so many great tutorials and ideas floating around the internet having to do with creating amazing dye effects....so if you're feeling like trying something new, GO FOR IT!

Stationery is NOT out of style!

Show 'em you care buy ditching the computer and handwriting a note or a letter using some of our BEAUTIFUL new stationeries, inks, pens and calligraphy supplies! You can't pour NEARLY as much love into an email or facebook message...so take some time today and create a memory that someone can keep forever!

Canvases aren't just for painters!

April vacation is here (and so is summer...almost!) and one great way to keep kids busy is to put that imagination into PLAY! Here's an idea our friend Steve showed us that just so happens to pair very well with our BUY ONE GET TWO FREE canvas sale! Take three canvases, cut a window in one and create an insta-theater for puppet shows or even just as a cute little hideout! Spruce it up with some stencils and some spray paint (ALL Montana cans are also on sale!) or just regular acrylic or tempera and you've got a fun, constructive project your kids will LOVE! Also, super easy to disassemble and store!

And, as always we've got a staff FULL of ideas and a store full of great deals to help you put those creative juices to use! Come by today!

Time to restock our beautiful papers....paper hoarders beware!

Come vote for our Dragon Contest!

In honor of it being the year of the dragon (and in honor of fun!) we ran a dragon manikin decorating contest for the month of March open to anyone and everyone....and now it's time to vote for the winners! The dragons are split into two age categories: 13 and under and adults. There were no rules (besides having fun), and our talented customers did an AMAZING job at coming up with truly unique submissions! Oh...did we mention the prize is 400 dollars in art supplies?! So come check them out and vote on your favorite!