A: I have a small pile of larger blocks on my desk - those get used as palettes for painting, and to weigh down cards while glue dries (like in this week's video!). I have a handful of small blocks (one of each size) nearby - sometimes it's easier to use a block for a small stamp or for random stamping of a background image. The rest of my blocks are in a box, and I've rarely used them for stamping since I got my MISTI 8 years ago!

A: I keep my hot foil plates with my dies. I have a standing file cabinet that I use for storage, and the dies and plates are stored on magnet sheets backed with chipboard. Each sheet goes into a "quick load" sheet protector (open on two sides) and then into a hanging folder, labeled with the category.

A: I fold away from the side I scored, so the groove is on the outside of the card (mountain). HERE is more information on scoring, folding, and paper grain! Our members are so knowledgeable!

A: Masking paper comes in rolls or sheets - it is like a lightweight paper tape, and is completely backed with a low-tack adhesive. It's great for protecting large areas from paint or ink, or for covering stamped foreground images while adding a stamped or inked background. (For a tutorial on basic masking, click HERE!)

A: I have been using removable contact paper for masking on brayered or blended skies - it is easy to die cut (a circle, in this case) and holds well as you apply the ink, then removes easily. For the sun, I blend a little yellow ink in the area I'm going to mask, then apply the contact paper and continue blending. Another trick is to completely ink your sky, then use a circle die to cut the sun or moon out and layer white or colored cardstock behind the opening.