Greetings from CHA!

 
Greetings from the Windy City!  Here are some behind-the-scenes snaps from our first few days at CHA Summer 2010!

Unpacking and setting up the booth on Sunday:

Setting up Tim's class, "Ranger Remix":

Monday morning: class time!  Tim taught his students how to make four different seasonal tags, including winter, Christmas, autumn and Halloween themes:

That afternoon it was time for "Creative Layers with Claudine Hellmuth," where students learned how to make a paneled book with Studio Paints, Sticky-Back Canvas and the new Creative Layers stamps:

 

The Holtz Army turned out in force to meet Tim in the Ranger Booth!
 

Claudine demonstrating in the Ranger booth:
 

And here are a few pictures of the completed booth, filled with oodles of glorious products...

Distress:

Adirondack:

Inkssentials:

The new Jenni Bowlin for Ranger line:

Perfect Pearls (including the new Perfect Pearls Mists!)

Claudine Hellmuth Studio (love those new stamp sets!)

The "What's New" wall:
 

Phew!  It's been a busy few days, but fun ones too.  Just a few more days to go!  Watch this space for more updates from CHA in the days to come!

NEW!! Liquid Pearls!

 
And last but certainly not least, we are happy to announce that we have completely re-vamped our Liquid Pearls™ line!!  New colors, new formulation, new look... new Liquid Pearls!

Woo hoo!  Let's take a closer look at the 15 new colors:

Sooo pretty!!  The new-and-improved formula has a much more vivid shimmer and a more pearly finish than the original Liquid Pearls line.  You're going to love them!!

Each bottle has an easy-flow tip which makes Liquid Pearls ideal for use as a dimensional paint to add colorful, pearly accents to scrapbook pages, handmade cards and more.  But you can also paint Liquid Pearls on with a brush, or even dilute them with water to achieve soft, subtle pearlized color washes.  Plus, Liquid Pearls are hand-washable, which means you can use them on many types of fabric crafts, from clothing and wearable art to home décor and quilted pieces.

Check out the official press release for more information.  The new-and-improved Liquid Pearls will be shipping this September!

So those are all of the exciting new products we've got planned for our CHA Summer 2010 release!  We're overjoyed that our fans have responded so positively and excitedly to the product announcements. It really makes all of us at Ranger happy to feel so appreciated by our fans, and we thank you all so much for that! 

Now to work on the new products for Winter...!!!

NEW!! Claudine Hellmuth Studio Accessories!

 
You've seen the adorable Creative Layers stamp sets that will be joining the Claudine Hellmuth Studio line very soon, but they aren't the only exciting additions coming to Studio this autumn!

Meet the Claudine Hellmuth Studio Craft Sticks!  These adorable mini wooden sticks are the perfect tools for mixing paints, mediums, powders and glues.  Use them for scooping components for glazes and custom colors: control how much you scoop to avoid wasting precious art materials!  You can even use them as painting tools for heavy applications of paints and gessos, or for creating texture in thick mediums.  And best of all, just toss them away when you're done: no clean-up necessary!  Each bag contains 75 Craft Sticks.

Next up:

Your favorite Claudine Hellmuth Studio Multi-Mediums, now available in convenient, portable .5oz mini bottles!  Multi-Mediums are art quality gel mediums that can be used for gluing, image transferring, sealing artwork and making glazes when mixed with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints.  They're perfect for decoupaging techniques too, as the formula dries completely clear and will not yellow.

And last but definitely not least....

We hinted about this when we announced the Inkssentials Surfaces ATCs, but we are happy to introduce Natural Sticky-Back Canvas to the Claudine Hellmuth Studio line as well!  Natural Sticky-Back Canvas will be available in both 8½ x 11" and 12 x 12" sheets (each pack contains 5 sheets), just like the original White Sticky-Back Canvas.  Prime it, paint it, stitch it, decorate it, cut it, doodle on it, run it through most inkjet printers... you can do it all with Sticky-Back Canvas!!

Check out the official press release for more information about these awesome additions to the Studio line.  All three products will be shipping this September.

NEW!! Perfect Pearls Mists!

 
Rolling right along with our new releases debuting at CHA Summer!  We are SO excited to show you the latest addition to the Perfect Pearls™ collection:

Perfect Pearls Mists!  That's right!  Twelve of your favorite Perfect Pearls shades are now available in a fine mist spray:

The image above doesn't really do justice to these beautiful Mists: they are pearly, glimmery, vibrant deliciousness!

And they're so versatile, too!  Spray a little bit for a subtle look or a lot for a more intense shimmer.  The water-based formula was developed with a built-in binder which means that Perfect Pearls Mists will adhere to many different kinds of surfaces: paper, wood, fabric and more!  Try using them to create scrapbook backgrounds, use them with masks and stencils for amazing layered effects, or use them as that perfect "finishing touch" on a greeting card or tag.

Check out the official press release for more information!  Perfect Pearls Mists will be shipping in early September!

NEW!! Inkssentials Goodies!

 
The new Surfaces line is not the only exciting change coming to the Inkssentials family of products this autumn.  Look at these awesome tools that are sure to enhance your crafting experience!

We know you all like getting your fingers inky, but admit it: after a little while, you want clean hands again (all the better to get inked up again later, right??). 

So just reach for the amazing Inkssentials Craft Scrubbie!  With a little liquid soap and warm water, the Craft Scrubbie will gently remove inks, paints, glues and mediums from your hands.  It will exfoliate most types of dye, solvent and permanent inks, so you can ink without fear of being stained!  The rounded corners and convenient size make it so easy to use (and make it really cute too)!

Now, we know this next product is going to excite a lot of our fans.  We've noticed many of you begging for it on our Facebook page, but we had to just smile and keep our secret to ourselves just a bit longer: little did y'all realize we already had it in production...

It's our Custom Inkssentials Non-Stick Craft Sheet By-The-Foot!!

Ever wish your Non-Stick Craft Sheet was large enough to cover your entire work surface?  Now it can be!!  The Custom Non-Stick Craft Sheet will be 3-feet wide and the length will be customizable by the foot, with a minimum length of 3-feet required.  Just measure the length of your work surface or classroom table and round up to the next foot if needed.  Bring this information to your local participating Ranger supplier and they will order your Custom Non-Stick Craft Sheet for you!  How fabulous is that?!

And of course the Custom Non-Stick Craft Sheet By-The-Foot has all of the same properties of our original Non-Stick Craft Sheet that you've come to know and love: nothing sticks to it, it withstands high temperatures (perfect for use with the Heat It Craft Tool or Melting Pot), and it cleans up quickly.  Less time cleaning means more time available to spend getting messy, right??

Check out the official press release to learn more about these wonderful additions to the Inkssentials line of products.  These clever tools will be available at a craft store near you this September.

NEW!! Tim Holtz Distress Stickles Colors!

 
Also debuting from Ranger at CHA Summer 2010:

New Tim Holtz® Distress Stickles colors!!  The latest colors coordinate with the 12 newest Distress Inks and expand the Distress Stickles palette to an incredible 41 nostalgic shades.

Prepare to drool...

(Not to play favorites or anything, but the Bundled Sage Distress Stickles in particular received many oooh's and aaaah's from our staffers!)

Combine Distress Stickles with Distress Inks, Crackle Paint and Embossing Powders to achieve vintage, stained and aged effects in all of your craft projects, from scrapbooks and handmade cards to altered art and home décor projects.  Their unique glitter has a matte finish that complements the entire range of Distress products! 

Check out the official press release for more information.  The new Distress Stickles will be shipping to an arts & crafts store near you this September!

So, let's hear it, Holtz Army: how excited are you??

NEW!! Inkssentials Surfaces!

 
Rolling right along with our new products debuting at CHA Summer 2010!

We are proud to introduce... ((drum roll)).... our brand new Inkssentials™ Surfaces line! 

You've already come to know and love our Inkssentials Gloss Paper, and the new Surfaces collection expands on that idea to include a variety of other surfaces for all your inking and crafting needs. The line consists of Manila Craft Tags, Manila Cardstock, Artist Trading Cards (ATCs) and our existing Gloss Paper sheets as well.

Inkssentials Manila Craft Tags and Manila Cardstock (not pictured) are made of smooth, heavyweight 13pt cardstock that is perfect for many types of wet and dry crafting techniques.  Sew it, distress it, collage on it, emboss on it, embellish it... the possibilities are endless!  The Manila Craft Tags will be available in #5 and #8 sizes while the Manila Cardstock will come in 8½ x 11" and 12 x 12" sheets.

And if that's just not enough manila for ya (can one ever have enough manila?)....

...you can find some Manila ATCs in the Inkssentials Surfaces line too!  We are introducing four different varieties of ATCs: Manila, White Sticky-Back Canvas, White Gloss Paper, and our brand-new Natural Sticky-Back Canvas!  They've each got their own specialities:

• Manila ATCs are perfect for dye and pigment ink stamping techniques, embossing, embellishing, and distressing.
• Gloss Paper ATCs are ideal for Adirondack Alcohol Ink techniques, dye ink resist techniques, stamping with permanent inks, and brayering with Big & Juicy Rainbow Inks.
• Sticky-Back ATCs (both White and Natural) are excellent for painting with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints, resist techniques with inks and paints, sewing and embroidery stitching, and creating photo and paper transfers.

So fun, right??  Which Surface are you most eager to get crafty with?

You can read the official press release to learn more about the Inkssentials Surfaces line.  Inkssentials Surfaces will be shipping in September!

Stay tuned!  More news regarding our CHA product releases coming soon!

NEW!! Claudine Hellmuth Studio Creative Layers Stamps!

 
Here we go!  Time to check out all the amazing new releases Ranger has in store for CHA Summer 2010!

Today we'll take a look at Claudine Hellmuth's first-ever stamp line: Studio Creative Layers!

Creative Layers are coordinating sets of clear and foam stamps that were hand-drawn and designed by Claudine herself.  They can be used independently for stamping with inks or with Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints, but to get the most out of them and achieve whimsical illustrative effects, you can layer them!  

Left to right: foam stamp alone, clear stamp alone, and both stamps layered!

There are six Creative Layers collections in all.  The ones pictured above are from the "Nature" collection.  Here are samples from the other five collections:

"Décor."

"Domestic."

"Doodles."

"Bloom."

"Dwelling."

And here's a canvas Claudine made that layers stamps from many of the different collections!  Every visual element you see was created with one of her Studio Creative Layers stamps.  How adorable is this??

We're very excited about adding the Claudine Hellmuth Studio Creative Layers stamp collections to the Ranger family of products.  For additional information, check out the official Press Release.  And be sure to look for them in an arts & crafts shop near you beginning this September!!

More sneak-peeks of Ranger's new releases coming tomorrow!  Stay tuned, we have a lot of fun stuff in store!

Organization 101: Inkssentials Craft Spinner

 
With all the fabulous new releases that will be available at CHA Summer (just a few short weeks away!), perhaps you are finding yourself a little bit stressed? "How can I possibly find room in my crafting space for even MORE amazing Ranger products?"

Never fear! We are here to help you organize your current stash of stuff to make room for all of the new goodies we'll be coming out with!

One way to organize your crafting products is to make use of vertical space. And to help you accomplish this, we strongly suggest using...

...the Inkssentials Craft Spinner!

With this handy-dandy organizer you can keep 8 of your Ink Blending Tools or Alcohol Ink Applicators close at hand, and nice and neat.  You can even use Adirondack Paint Dabbers to color-code the handles so that you always use your red Ink Blending Tool on a red ink pad, etc. Never have a contaminated ink pad again!

But did you know that you can stack multiple Craft Spinners to save even more space on your work surface??

Our customer service department frequently receives calls from customers who want to know: "Why is there an extra piece in my Craft Spinner box?"

Don't throw it away!  This piece is the key to stacking your Craft Spinners!

Check this out:

Unscrew the "Standard" topper on your Craft Spinner, and replace it with the extra rod:

Then take a second Craft Spinner and place it right on top!  (Don't forget to replace the topper!)

Voila!

But why stop there? Why not have THREE tiers of craft tools?

Ta-da! Yep, you can even use the Craft Spinner to hold your Adirondack Paint Dabbers. But that's not all: try using your Craft Spinner to organize your Stickles, re-inkers, Alcohol Inks and more. The sky's the limit!

Well, ok, there is one limit that you should consider: we recommend going no higher than 3 tiers of spinners for stability's sake. But this is pretty cool, right? Think of all the space you just saved on your work surface by building upward!

And as an added bonus, you can even use the leftover toppers as fun embellishments on your craft projects:

Do you have a favorite tip for organizing your Ranger products?  Do you use your Craft Spinner in an unusual way?  Let us know in the comments!

Packin' Up

 
With CHA Summer only a couple of weeks away, we at Ranger have been working furiously around the clock to prepare our booth and products to be shipped out to the show.  Here are some behind-the-scenes shots of the booth getting ready to go!  (And we thought preparing for Ranger U was exhausting!!)

The Make-It-Take-It table.

The booth components will be packed into these red containers for shipping.

Product swatch boards and sample boards.

Oodles and oodles of product and display racks!

The pegboard walls that will hold many of our products....

...just like this!

Sorry everyone, no shots of new releases just yet... stay tuned though, they're coming...! ;-)