Faber-Castell: A Review and a Giveaway

I was approached to try out some of the Faber-Castell products in exchange for a review. Not one to miss out on a chance to play nor get in on some free stuff, I jumped at the opportunity.

In the beginning:

• Since I am a crafter but not an inspiration diva, I would have been at a total loss had I not started out at Ellen Hutson's Classroom (one of the few I subscribe to via email since I do not want to miss out on the ideas there!). For a review of all the ideas featuring Faber-Castell gelatos and the mixed media sampler, start on the search page and then click away!
• I "met" Jill Foster's blog via Ellen's. She has a number of project and links for further inspiration with the Faber-Castell products.
• Along with their blog, Faber-Castell has their own YouTube channel.

Playing:

The first item I played with is the Color Gelatos & Clear Stamp: BLUE/GREEN set. My only misgiving is that the stamp is made from a less than ideal polymer. Of course, since you are buying the product for the gelatos and not the stamp, I kinda expected as much. To truly appreciate the value of the gelatos though, I think a high quality polymer clear stamp or wood stamp works best (funny enough, in every tutorial I found online, they used wood stamps with the gelatos. IMO, I think the medium adheres best to the rubber).

The second item I looked at was the Mixed Media Sampler: BLUE. While I tried out all the products, I confess that I only used the gelato in my samples here.

• The watercolor pencil works nicely (a little more vivid color than my SU! ones). The textured, triangular pencil is quite a smart design feature. I can imagine that this would prove real useful with a whole set of these.
• The pastel gives vivid color...Gina K used this one and smudged it as she worked to create a really neat background - very cool! 
• The artist pen (big brush) applies a lot of ink and allows you the control of a pen. I only tried it a couple of times and wasn't entirely pleased with my results which I don't blame on the product but my inexperience. Will have to keep trying with that one! 
• And the blue metallic pen is such a cool shade (liked writing my name with that one...ha!) but did not find a means to use it in my creations. I will have to get my thinking cap on!

Finished projects:

For my card, I chose to mix two techniques: Embossing Resist and Brayered Batik. (With the gelatos, you can get a brayered look without the brayer!)

1. I stamped my Inspired by Nature coneflower stamp with Versamark and then heat embossed it in white.
2. I then spread my five colors of gelato (the four in the first pack and the additional one in the Mixed Media sampler) going from light blue to dark green in horizontal stripes.
3. Working with my fingertips, I smeared each color so it transitioned easily from one to another. (Note: The creamier the gelato on the page, the easier it mixes. Don't let it dry too much or you will get "finger burn"! Of course, you can always add more if it dries!).
4. It dried pretty quick so I cut it with my nestie and then worked with the other layers to put this card together. Different for me but that's good!

ETA: Use a baby wipe to get the gelato off your fingers (and in my case too, the table). Works like a charm!

For my layout, I chose to color the chipboard piece with my dark green gelato. It is smooth, easy to apply and filled all the cracks and curves on the arrow...love that! (Esp. since covering this with DP would have been much more annoying.) Me likey (esp. mixed with this mix of thickers and Pebbles DP/stickers).

Thing to remember: 

Michael's carries these products (at least in Canada). While I urge you to support inspiring stores (like Ellen's and Gina K's) who pump out lots of ideas to use these products, you cannot go wrong with that 40% off coupon!

The Giveaway:

Two winners will receive a Mix & Match Mixed Media Sampler as well as a Color Gelatos & Clear Stamp kit! Just leave me a comment and I will draw on Sunday, midnight MDT.

Product Overview (From Faber-Castell): 

Mix & Match from Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft makes designing with color simple. Choose a color set that inspires you. Choose a medium. Mix & Match as you create. Color coordinated palettes give you the freedom to design your project knowing the colors will work beautifully together. Perfect for all your design, memory and craft projects.

Mixed Media Sampler Sets in Red, Yellow, Blue and Green encourage you to spread your creative wings and experiment with mixing mediums!  Each set includes a Stamper’s Big Brush, Gelato Metallic Stick, Pastel Pencil and Art GRIP Aquarelle Watercolor pencil.  Experiment with mixing colors and mediums or layer different mediums to create depth and details.  Or try using your rubber stamps with the different mediums to see which effects you like the most.

Color Gelatos are creamy sticks infused with brilliant color.  The color slides easily onto papers and can then be dissolved with water to create watercolor effects, or left to dry for vibrant bursts of color.  Try stamping with the Color Gelatos, or apply a field of color and use a stamp to remove the color.  Color Gelatos work wonderfully on flocked papers and embellishments too!  Color Gelatos are acid-free and odorless.