A Small Public Service Announcement & Tutorial

You all know I worry about you guys in blog land. Like the other day, I posted this layout called Red Solo Cup and a link to Toby Keith's unedited Song. I know for sure this is just a US of A thing. Well, I am pretty sure.

But, I don't think I was clear enough explaining the "Solo" part. I worry that I leave people hanging or wondering. SO, this post will attempt to clear all that up. If you are from here, my apologies, you can skip the lesson and wander right down to the tutorial....

SOLO is a brand. Our local store actually does not carry that brand, but regardless, the Hefty version will still be called "Red Solo Cup" for the purposes of illustration. And, as you can see below, we have several lovely shades to pick from that are not red. I think the blue and the green are quite lovely too. Not so big on the yellow.

Anyhow, today being our 4th of July, I can imagine many of these cups will be used hold beverages across the Nation as we celebrate. Most of them will be red, with some people mixing it up with yellow, blue, green, and goodness knows what other colors they might have. Sometimes your store might be out of the red, so you will have to substituted in another color. And if you are going with a themed party, perhaps choosing a color that matches that theme...So there you have it. We are crazy about Red Solo Cups in the US with a song written expressly about it. Maybe later at some point I'll tell you about the game that gets played here with them called Beer Pong, but I have no photos to illustrate as I'm pretty sure I've NEVER played that game before...not even in college, being a Saint.

And I also promised a tutorial. The other day I posted these canvas red, white and blue flowers. Along with the important knowledge on brands of US Plastic Cups, I thought you might want to know how to make them.

I started with my Tim Holtz tattered floral die and cut out a variety of these flowers out of canvas. 

Used an old cookie sheet and some gesso to get them ready for inking. They will curl a bit when they dry with the gesso. Do not be alarmed but embrace that as being part of the flower shape. 

Once they are dry from the gesso step, take out some ink pads and ink them up with the colors you are wishing for. I assembled mine first with a small brad poked through the canvas because I am lazy.

Here are mine all inked. Then, you spritz them with something to make the ink run. I used alcohol mixed with some glimmermist. Honestly, a nice glimmermist will also do the trick if you are looking for that shimmer.

And voila! Canvas flowers in a color to match your project!

And, lastly, I leave you with a Happy Hump Day which is even more special here as most of us have this Fabulous Forth of July off!

I am handing these out today to the cousins we have visiting us from North Carolina. Another truly American thing, the amazing M & M Candy which comes in more colors than the Red Solo Cups.

P.S. That thing on the bag that says it's a "sharing size" is a big fat whopper of a lie. I can eat a whole bag in about two minutes no sharing.