Hey y'all! I received a question in my inbox this week that I think many of you might be wondering as well: “Do I have to use the fine nib with the brush, or can I just use the fine nib alone?”
I figured the best way to answer that was to show you. So I grabbed a stamp with loads of teeny sections - the kind that normally would have me grabbing my readers on top of my regular glasses - and just colored with the fine nib. No blending. No brush. Just coloring only.
And honestly ? It felt really good. There are times when we feel that alcohol markers mean you have to blend every time. But you don’t. The fine nib makes it so easy to control that I didn’t get stressed about going outside the lines even on a stamp with this many little sections.
If you are new to OLO and you are looking at the Fine Nib collections and thinking "but I don't have the brush" -- I want you to know that beginning with the fine nib alone is a perfectly wonderful way to start. You sure can.
I said in the video that the hardest thing I have done in 22+ years of crafting is to keep this Fine Nib a secret. I’m not even kidding. I am just so stinkin' excited about these markers.
Have you ever tried coloring with alcohol markers without blending? I’d love to read your experience in the comments!
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OLO marker
I Teach Stamping
Inspiring Card Makers One Project At A Time! Don't miss an update: https://iteachstamping.com/fb
I Teach Stamping is all about you learning and growing in your paper crafting. Whether you are new to the hobby, or you can create cards in your sleep, you will learn and grow your skill set through all that is offered.
Okay Stampin' Friends, I have a question for you.
How many of you have a favorite stamp set that you never use because the details are just too small to color in?
I know I'm not the only one who pulls out the readers and puts them on top of my prescription glasses just to see what I'm doing. Well, I've been experimenting with something that totally changed that for me and today's video is showing you what happened when I put the new OLO Fine Nib up against those detailed stamps I've been avoiding.
Let me show you a side-by-side comparison. Same stamp, same colors, but one is colored with the regular brush nib, and one is colored with the fine nib. The difference is night and day and I think you guys are going to want to see this for yourself.
This launch is a bit different than the launches we’re used to. This is a community-powered campaign by OLO, meaning that the Fine Nib will only go into full production if we all reach the campaign goal. They are only selling sets, 256, 128 or 64 colors, and every reservation helps to make this a reality for all of us.
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OLO marker
Friends, I have a little story to share.
OLO reached out a few months ago and asked if I’d be willing to test something new they were working on. They were pretty mysterious about it, just said "we think your community would love this". I received a few prototypes of Fine Nibs and opened the package and immediately thought "yes, THIS is what we've been needing".
I picked up a few stamps and did a few blending techniques just to try them out and the results were better than I could have dreamed. The nib is firm, smooth and lays a consistent thin line without that wobbly hand feel. I have been using them on cards for months now and the difference in my blending and detail work is noticeable.
What makes this launch really special is OLO is working with a small group of us on this. This is a community pre-order on a totally separate website, and the Fine Nib only is produced if we all reach the goal. Every person who reserves a set is directly helping bring this product to life and support the craft industry.
I will leave the special link in the comments!
OLO marker
06/10/2026
New blog post is live! I am sharing a summer cocktail card colored entirely with OLO Markers, and I've got a question for you.
Have you ever felt like your coloring just doesn't look as smooth or polished as you want it to even when you follow all the tips? I've been there, and today I'm explaining how switching my markers changed everything for me.
This card uses the Cocktails and Dreams set from Brass & Bliss and I kept the coloring super simple. Pink drink, red strawberry, blue umbrella. Nothing fancy. But the blending with OLO makes even basic coloring look so much more polished.
OLO marker Brass & Bliss Craft Co
06/08/2026
So here's the thing about cover dies… I used to avoid them.
I'd see those intricate cut-out designs and think "that's a lot of tiny pieces to keep track of" 😅 Sound familiar?
But when the new Rounded Hex Cover Die from Brass & Bliss Craft Co came out, I just decided to go for it. And y’all… I was just overthinking everything.
Here's what I learned: you don't have to use every single piece. For this coffee card, I die cut white cardstock for the frame, die cut the But First Coffee patterned paper and just swapped the hex pieces into the frame. The bits I didn't need? Saved for a different project.
It took me less time than waiting for my coffee to brew ☕😂
And now this die officially joined my “use on everything” list. Patterned paper, ink-blended backgrounds, cardstock scraps — they all work.
Sometimes the crafty win is just trying the thing you've been hesitant about.
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06/07/2026
Y'all, summer card season is officially upon us and this new Brass & Bliss Craft Co beach bag die set just became my new obsession. 🌊☀️
There's something very satisfying about a card that comes together quickly and still looks totally polished when you're done. The Large Beach Bag and Accessories Dies are brand new and they are the kind of release that makes you want to go straight to your craft table and not leave.
That oversized bow from the Elegant Bows dies? I may have stared at it for an embarrassingly long time. 🎀
Which part of this card is your favorite 🤔 The beach bag shape, the bow or those sparkly little sunglasses? Leave your answer below!
Using my links helps keep this blog going and my partnerships with these awesome companies. I appreciate you!
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06/05/2026
Hey Stampin’ Friends! When it comes to gifting cash, do you just shove it in an envelope or do you try to make it feel a little bit more special? Tell me. 🤔
This new Spring Apron card from the Creative Medley release by Brass & Bliss Craft Co might change your mind on it.
Using my links helps keep this blog going and strengthens my partnerships with these awesome companies. Thank you! 💕
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06/01/2026
I finally did it, I wrote a book!
And I couldn't have done it without this community pushing me for years.
Last summer, I partnered with a publisher to turn my Card Sketch of the Month program into a real e-book. If you’ve had a hard time using sketches (or felt pressure to copy them exactly), this one’s for you. Card Sketches With A Twist features 12 sketches, each of which has four unique variations, supply suggestions, and my personal walk-through for each and every card interpretation. It's digital, so it lives right there on your craft desk on whatever device you use.
Leave a comment below – I'd love to hear from you!
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05/30/2026
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05/29/2026
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