A: I've used alcohol markers to create a palette for painting, which would have the same results. I scribble the colors I want onto a ceramic tile, and pick up the ink using a waterbrush filled with rubbing alcohol. I found that the auto-flow of the waterbrush worked best; when using a paintbrush dipped into rubbing alcohol, the alcohol evaporates too quickly to get good coverage. I like creating soft backgrounds around my colored images with this technique, dotting in the lightest color, then adding darker shades in toward the image.

A: A teflon craft mat or oven mat is a wonderful way to protect your work space - any ink, paint, or glue that goes off the edge of your project can be wiped or peeled easily from the nonstick surface. Use it as an impromptu palette for markers, paint, or ink, or a nonporous surface for monoprinting techniques (like our tutorial this week!). The mats are also heat resistant - you can iron or heat your project directly on the mat, or put the mat into the oven under a tile or clay piece that needs to be heat set (just be sure the surface below it can take the heat as well).

A: The core of these 2 products is the same. The blocks are great for coloring backgrounds and larger areas. You can sand or grate the blocks into water to mix up a wash or spray, or create a pool of ink for stamping or a background effect. The pencils are great for watercolor work and detailed shading. They can also be used dry and even blended with a solvent.

A: I have had the same problem when making shaker cards. Wiping the plastic with a dryer sheet works for me. Another tip that I found in the forums: wash the acetate first with warm soapy water, then rinse and dry with a paper towel. There are more suggestions here!

A: My favorite way is to use a small stylus to dot white acrylic paint over a colored image. I find that technique has the most control and the brightest white, and it's very easy to do. I shake up the bottle of paint and dip my stylus into the paint stuck in the lid, then touch the stylus to the paper, and it makes a perfect dot. Several dots can be made from one dip into the paint - each successive dot will be smaller. Another less controlled way to add snow is to spatter white paint with a brush. For watercoloring, masking fluid can be splattered before painting and then removed after paint is dry to reveal the white paper beneath. If you want a more dimensional look, dot white glue or make dots with a glue pen and sprinkle white glitter or Flower Soft over the background. Randomly sprinkle white embossing powder over the card and heat from the back for another snowy look.