I said I wasn’t going to … but …

Posted on August 19, 2011 by Linda Matthews

I love technology, I really do!

But I love my books even more.

The feel of them, the smell of them, the weight of them in my hands.

So I’ve resisted getting a Kindle. And I resisted really well until recently when I was cleaning out all my old books and I realized just how many I have. Books that I’ve read only once and know I will never read again. And I thought of all those trees and, well, now I own a Kindle.

And I kind of like it.

For some books though, not for every book.

Because there are special books – books with special words and books with lovely pictures – that absolutely deserve to be printed on paper, and I love to be curled up on the couch with those books in my hands flipping through the pages.

But there are books that don’t really serve much purpose after they’re read once except to take up too much room on my bookshelf. So those types of books are good for the Kindle.

But of course now that I have a Kindle, I just had to have a Kindle cover!

So I went through my pile of injured prints looking for a print that might work for a Kindle cover only to discover that the pile is disastrously low. Which means I haven’t been doing enough printing on fabric lately! So I will have to remedy that fairly soon.

But in the meantime, the Kindle cover nagged at me so I did a quick calculation and sure enough it was just about the same size as my Moleskine notebook cover design so I did a quick print using one of my “One Word” designs and in no time at all I had a Kindle cover made.

Printing on Fabric: Kindle

I even managed to make the corners pooch out so the Kindle lies flat.

Printing on Fabric: Kindle

And of course I used one of my favorite “One Word” designs on the front.

Printing on Fabric: Kindle

And an elastic wrap around to keep it closed.

Printing on Fabric: Kindle

I *love* it! What do you think? What do you use to keep your kindle safe?

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The Faceoff: Bubble Jetset 2000 v Digital Grounds

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Linda Matthews

Bubble Jetset 2000 versus Digital Grounds If you love to print on fabric as much as I do, it’s easy to get confused by the various products that are available for this purpose, and the two products I get asked about most frequently are Bubble Jetset 2000 and Digital Grounds.

The most common question .. Is one product better than the other?

The short answer .. No, because Bubble Jetset 2000 and Digital Grounds are two totally different products used for two totally different reasons.

Bubble Jetset 2000 is used to make your inkjet prints permanent and washable. The images are water resistant and waterproof.
Digital Grounds is used to prepare the surface of your fabric (or any other flat surface) so that you can print on it using an inkjet printer. It enhances the color and detail of the printed image. The image needs to be sealed in some way in order to become water resistant and/or waterproof.

The only things they have in common are that both products can be used with fabric for the purpose of printing images onto fabric using your inkjet printer; this is where the similarity ends.

To expand a little …

Bubble Jetset 2000

Bubble Jetset: Embellished Dragon What it is
Bubble Jetset is a liquid solution that looks like water.

What it does
Bubble Jetset 2000 allows you to prepare fabric (100% cotton or 100% silk only) so that you can print images on fabric using your inkjet printer.

Are the images waterproof?
Yes, the printed images are permanent and washable.

How to use it
You use Bubble Jetset by soaking your fabric in the solution for 5 minutes, allow the fabric to dry, then iron it. Your fabric is now ready to print on although you will need to first secure it to a carrier sheet. Allow the print to dry for 30 minutes and then rinse the fabric in a mild detergent such as Bubble Jetset Rinse.

Where to get it
Bubble Jetset can sometimes be found in your local quilt or sewing store. You can also purchase online from various sources including the manufacturer C Jenkins Co.

More information
Additional information can be found on the manufacturer’s website – C Jenkins Co.

Digital Grounds

Digital Grounds: Crackle Paste What it is
Digital grounds is a liquid solution that you paint onto the surface of fabric (or other types of flat surfaces) using a paint brush. It comes in three liquid types categorized for use on porous surfaces, non-porous surfaces, and a quick-dry solution for a multitude of surfaces. It is similar to Inkaid.

What it does
Digital Grounds prepares just about any relatively flat surface (including fabric) into an ink-jet printable surface. It enhances the color and detail of your inkjet print.

How to use it
You paint digital grounds on to the surface of your fabric (or other type of substrate) using a paint brush, allow it to dry, then attach the substrate to a printer carrier before printing your image.

Are the images waterproof?
No. The printed image then needs to be sealed in some way to prevent dirt and water damage.

Where to get it
Digital grounds is not available in stores (to the best of my knowledge) but you can get it online and I recommend DickBlick.com.

More information
A lot of information about using digital grounds to print on fabric can be found on my website here. Additional information can be found on the manufacturer’s website – Golden Products.

Still got questions? Use the comment box below.

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Exploring Digital Grounds on Fabric Online Class: Redux

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Linda Matthews

With the opening of my new website which I set up for the primary reason of giving my book owners a place to hold their “Book Club” groups – more information about that here – it also has given me the opportunity to implement another idea that’s been rolling around in my head for a while but I wasn’t sure quite how to make it work, and which is to make my online classes available 24/7, all year round, forever and ever or until you’re done, whichever comes first.

It’s challenging
One of the challenges of taking a traditional online class, and by “traditional” I mean that the teacher guides you through the lessons, is of course that you have to set aside a definite time to show up and work through the lessons. This is really challenging because as you know, “life” often gets in the way. I know. I’ve already taken a number of online classes this year with good intentions of showing up and doing the work. But it’s so easy to get distracted or sidetracked with other things (sigh).

Good news
So to get the ball rolling over on the new website, I’ve set up my first “home study” online class which is “Exploring Digital Grounds on Fabric”. I presented this online class earlier this year and I know many of you wanted to take the class but were unable to because of prior commitments. So good news for you – if you did miss out on taking the class when I first presented it, it’s now available to you as a home study course!

This means that all the lessons and all the videos and all the other resources and information I provide in my online classes, can be accessed online at any time of day or night so you can work through them at your own pace at a time that suits you. And there’s lots of information! Not just videos, but also full step-by-step pdf downloadable lessons, a photo gallery with close up shots, and a resource library.

PLUS
You get to download my beautiful “Waiting for Spring” digital art design set for the project that’s included in lesson four. You can find more information about the project here.

DOUBLE PLUS
I check in daily to answer any questions you might have about the techniques presented in the lessons. Phew!

More info
You can find more about my online classes here

To purchase the class, please visit the store.

And of course if you any questions, please email me.
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Subconscious meanderings

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Linda Matthews

Have you ever found yourself being forced to go in a different artistic direction from what you intended? It’s kind of unnerving sometimes don’t you think?

Lately I seem to have become very attached to the three-sided shape for whatever reason. Geometric designs have never quite appealed to me with all those sharp, hard, angular edges. It always strikes me as kind of masculine. I prefer curves and soft, gentle edges – feminine. It’s the way I’m built and that’s only becoming moreso as the years pass (sigh).

I work very intuitively most of the time, so I wonder if it’s my subconscious directing me to explore unfamiliar concepts as a way to challenge my skills or development. Or maybe it’s a way of forcing me to grow into a new artistic direction. Or maybe I’ve been reading too many self-help books and I just like the shape because it’s simple.

Regardless, a new fabric vessel is born using one of my digital texture designs printed onto textured fabric paper and embellished with my favorite machine wrapped cording and some beads.

Fabric Vessel

I love the depth of color, and of course the color red itself is my favorite.

Fabric Vessel

It’s very similar in designs to this clutch bag …

Clutch Handbag

and this fabric vessel.

Fabric Vessel

I’m sure you haven’t seen the last of these.

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Recycling: Cell Phone Case

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Linda Matthews

With the Exploring Digital Grounds on Fabric online class finally underway, I’ve at last managed to tear myself away from the computer long enough to sit down at the sewing machine and get some sewing work done!

One of the projects I’ve been trying to finish for weeks is a new cell phone case for my – tada! – new cell phone! And here it is …

Cell Phone Case

I used one of my injured prints to make the case, lined it with felt, and added a small invisible magnetic snap to keep it closed. I’m not really sure why this particular print ended up in the injured print drawer, it seemed perfect to me or maybe at the time it wasn’t quite perfect for my project. Either way I have a lovely new cell phone and cell phone case. Lovin’ those injured prints, they sure come in handy!

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