The Double Sided Tape (by X-Press It) will hold just about anything together. Seriously. This high-tack tape is easy to apply, has an extremely strong hold, and works seamlessly on a variety of surfaces and applications. It’s also only about the thickness of a single piece of tissue paper, so it won’t show through from behind on paper or mixed media projects. From work with photos and framing, to card making, papercrafting, and even instant hemming (how cool is that?!), this double sided tape is one of the most versatile items to keep on hand in your studio. You’ll reach for it all the time. Available in three widths: 1/8″, 1/4″, & 1/2″. Acid free.

October has come and gone, and with it, the first ever Copic Intermediate Certification. There are now 30 plus highly knowledgeable Copic artists available to share their expertise with anyone interested in maximizing the possibilities with Copic products. Look for an instructor near you or request a class at your local store. A list of all Copic Certified instructors is available here.

While both the Standard and Intermediate classes require an application review before acceptance, the Intermediate application includes a coloring section. The Standard Copic Certification teaches skills such as how to choose your paper and how to create special effects with Copic Colorless blender. The Intermediate class goes above and beyond this, covering topics such as how to choose appropriate color combinations for shading, shadows and highlights, light placement and composition.

Take a look at possible locations for classes in 2011 , or receive notice when a class opens in your area by signing up here.

Last year Graphic Designer Jessica Helfand released a “Scrapbooks, An American History“. National Scrapbooking day was back in May (5.03) and we didn’t have a blog at the time so I had no place to point this out. She wrote a short essay on the subject at her blog Design Observer. In the clip above she describes her book and the process of her work. The book is available at Amazon and on that page you will also find some other short clips that walk the viewer through some of her favorites she examined during her research.

I personally find it interesting, as part of the art industry and one that supplies scrapbooking enthusiasts, how much has changed and how much is similar. Motives for making them remain, but the execution largely has been affected by the industry that has developed around them. There are those that love the latest tools and embellishments and create a polished look and those who want the aesthetic qualities of old journals and scrapbooks and strive to achieve the same weathered affect.

Hopefully the history of these books can shed some light on the contemporary activity itself, personally and artistically.