Hi, I'm Torrey. Welcome to Left Field, where creativity runs amok and imagination is ALWAYS more important than knowledge. Shoes are not allowed but ties are optional. This is a repository of snippets from my life out here in Left Field. One never knows what shiny bits of creativity will be found here... cards, scrapbook layouts, photography, poetry, recipes, ponderings, rantings and musings. It could be anything! Life in Left Field is always changing, always real, always ...interesting.

Tutorials

Here are my tuTorrey-als! Click on each title (or photo) to be taken to the full tutorial.


 Heart Aperture Card
http://left-field-studio.blogspot.com/2016/01/from-heart.html

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One Sheet Wonder Card Set
http://left-field-studio.blogspot.com/2015/12/one-sheet-wonder-woman.html
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Make Your Own Flash Diffuser
http://left-field-studio.blogspot.com/2014/03/photography-101-flash-diffusing.html
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Paper-Toling with a Stamped Image.
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Colored Pencil Tutorial
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Soda Can Repoussé Trinket Box

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HOW TO SHARPEN A PRISMACOLOR PENCIL 101
Y'all know by now that my coloring medium of choice is colored pencil. I love my Prismas. But DANGIT, just about EVERY STINKING TIME  I go to sharpen one, the lead breaks off about 1/4 of an inch down into the barrel...which necessitates me pulling out the broken bit then resharpening it...lather, rinse, repeat...ad infinitum. Sometimes I get lucky and this doesn't happen, but I'd say 8 out of 10 times the lead breaks.

This makes me cranky (to say the least) as I watch my precious Prismas get shorter and shorter; their shavings piling up in the trash. I have this one pencil I've used 3 times...3 TIMES...and because of the lead-breaking issue, it is now about half the length it was...after 3 stinking uses. This is NOT very encouraging.

So, I took it upon myself to find a solution. Thank you "Google". I Googled "How to sharpen a Prismacolor Pencil" and whatya know? I actually found a video that shows the PROPER way to do it. Silly me, I thought all you had to do was shove the pencil in the sharpener, turn it a few times, done. WRONG.
But the solution is so BRILLIANT; 3 little steps. I had to share. And YES, I'm here to say 
IT TOTALLY WORKS.
Basically all you do is switch hands...
1. Hold pencil FIRMLY in your LEFT hand
2. Place sharpener over the end of the pencil with your RIGHT hand
3. Turn the SHARPENER while keeping the pencil stationary.

NO MORE BROKEN LEADS!!!! YAHOOOOOOO!

Just watch the video below...you, too, shall be enlightened. 



3 comments:

  1. Poppie_60April 26, 2013 at 9:53 AM

    I have the same trouble - very annoying considering how much I paid for them - going to try this method too - thanks a bunch :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Denise FletcherSeptember 8, 2013 at 2:44 AM

    good simple idea, will try it as I always break all pencils when sharpening!

    ReplyDelete
  3. MezzoKatOctober 30, 2015 at 2:29 PM

    Great tip--wish I'd learned it before I gave away my Prisma pencils out of frustration!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to comment! It is always wonderful to get virtual pats on the back!! I truly appreciate every comment...they are little bits of love.

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