New Release Blog Hop with Stampotique!!

Today I am joined by the rest of the Stampotique Design Team to showcase the new stamps released from Stampotique this month (yay!). You should have arrived here from Gloria's blog and if you didn't, you may want to start the blog hop from the beginning at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.  

As with any new release, there is a variety of stamps so everyone can find something to suit their taste.  We also have a new artist who has joined Stampotique.  Her name is Tracy Scott and you can see her stamps HERE.

I'm tellling you...the new release is AMAZING!  I inked up several of the new stamps to create a pocket page.    

What's a pocket page, you ask?  It's a 9-pocket page protector full of artsy delights with hidden goodies behind them.  They are usually traded with other pocket page afficionados. 

New Stamps: Take Your Time

New Stamp: Marsha

New Stamps: Cecil, Spiral, Paisley

And here's what the pocket page looks like all assembled:

We'd love to hear what you think about the new release.  Please say 'hi' on each of the designer's blogs and then go back to the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog to let us know which new release stamps are your favorites.  To check out all of the new designs go to the Stampotique site HERE.

But wait!  There's more!  We'll be giving away a $30 gift certificate to the online store AND a grab bag of stamps to two random winners who have commented on the Design Team blogs.  We don't know which blogs the winner will come from so be sure to visit them all.  Winners will be picked on the first August challenge.

Have fun hopping over to Cassandra's blog!

MFT Camp Create: Background Bonanza

I'm getting in a little 2 for 1 today - I used the technique of creating a background with small stamps on my ICAD.  Love it when I can pull double duty on a project.  :)

I don't know if it's required to use MFT stamps for these challenges but I decided to play it safe.  This is an OLD stamp set...but a goodie.  I colored the coffee cups with watercolor pencils after gesso'ing the index card first.  It really helped the pencil colors become more vivid.  I'll have to remember that trick.  

The quote is from my Coffee Pinterest board.  :)

Have a great day!

Stampotique Designers Challenge - Party!

Get your party hats on and let's have some fun!  Over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog we're celebrating.  Create something fun and festive and link it up to the challenge for a chance to win a $30 gift certificate worth of Stampotique delights.

Here's a little inspiration:

Stamps Used:

Buru

Towering Gifts

Ready to party?  Go!

MFT Camp Create - Die cut Inlay

Super quickie post today.  I've tried the die cut inlay technique before and really like the effect.  This wasn't quite as successful, but practice makes perfect!  :)

This is one of my ICAD cards.  Perfect opportunity to practice new techniques!

Have a great day!

MFT Camp Create - Foiling

I've had a roll of Deco Foil sitting in my stash for well over a year.  Never used.  When the MFT pulled out foiling for the 'craft of the day' at 'camp' I was both trepidatious and relieved.  I hate when I buy something that I never get around to using!

I didn't go big, but I did get it done.  :)

Check out those shiny little tail feathers!  The best part is that I've not gotten over my fear of  "wasting it".  You see, I don't have a fancy laminating machine to heat set the foil and I didn't buy the special adhesive that you're supposed to use with it and I think that's why I've felt stuck this whole time. Enter my trusty ol' Xyron.  Worked like charm!

Have you tried foiling?

MFT Camp Create Session 2: Coloring on Kraft

Besides white cardstock, kraft is my go-to for projects; it's a perfect neutral.  It can be tricky to color on though and for that reason I tend to paper piece when working on a kraft background.  Today's lesson over at MFT stretches that thinking and one of their designers shows a project using colored pencils.  I've got those!  I decided to give it a try and am pretty happy with the result.

I've got a decent stash of pencils and decided to try several brands to see which I liked best.  I used General's, Loew-Cornell and Scenic Route watercolor pencils.  They all worked pretty well, but I think the General's and Loew-Cornell offered the most intense and vibrant colors.

To join in with Camp Create go HERE.  Happy arting!

Steampunk ATCs

The Viva Las Vegastamps Facebook group is having a steampunk themed ATC swap this month.   When I think of steampunk I think of metal and gears and I remembered this cool VLVS stamp in my stash, Worn Clockface.  Love this stamp, but I hardly ever pull it out.  Today was the day!

I had some cool papers that I had already cut to ATC size which made this project really quick and easy.  The metal border was made using flashing tape over cardstock and then run through an embossing folder.  I grunged it up with some black acrylic paint.

The gears were cut from black cardstock and faux-metal'ed with Viva Decor's Inka Gold in graphite.

I googled time quotes and thought this one was perfect combined with the guy's shadow on the stamp. 

How convenient!  The VLVS blog's challenge for July is also steampunk.  Check it out HERE. 

Hope your week is off to a great start.  Thanks for stopping by!

Let's Get This Party Started!

Over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog we're celebrating the new design team, life, summer, and anything else you can think of, with a party themed challenge.

Here's the scoop:

"Hello and welcome to our first challenge with our new Design Team!! We are having a party over here at Stampotique!! Which brings us to our Challenge theme! PARTY!!

We at Stampotique love a good party and 4th of July was just a few days ago here in the USA so get the party stamps out and show us your best party projects!!

Don't forget this theme will run for 2 weeks AND you can enter each challenge TWICE!!"

Follow THIS LINK to party with us and to meet our July Guest Designer, Yvonne Bass. Come back to the SDC blog next week to see more inspiration from the Design Team.

In the mean time, here's a little something to get those creative juices flowing.

Eric is ready for some fun.  :) 

Stamps used:

Eric

Towering Gifts

Come join us!  This challenge goes for two weeks and at the end of the month some lucky person will be entered into a drawing to receive a $30 Stampotique gift certificate.  Yes!

Christmas in July

Ho ho ho!  A few of my fave blogs are having Christmas in July challenges right now.  I dusted off my Christmas stamps and got to work to create an
ATC.

I experimented a bit and tried embedding some little snowflake embellishments in modeling paste.  I ended up with some nice bumpy texture.  I added some more little snowflakes over the top just to be on the safe side.

The two challenges I'm entering this in are:

Wicked Wednesday
Rubber Dance
Lost Coast Designs

Merry...uh...July?!

Exciting Announcement!!

I have kept this little secret under my hat for over a month and today is the big reveal.  I am SO proud and excited to announce that I have been invited to be on the Stampotique Design Team.  This team is composed of a varied and uber-talented group of artists from all over the world.  We will be showcasing the delightfully unique, quirky and fun red rubber designs found at Stampotique Originals.  You've seen me use their designs in the past ... a lot.  LOVE this company!

To celebrate I made a little bit of mail art.

Mela is so sweet.  I'm sure she'll bring a smile to somebody's face as they uncover her amidst those nasty bills in the mailbox.

Check out Stampotique's amazing collection of stamps HERE.

Stampotique stamps used in this project:
Mela
Daisy, Daisy

Join the celebration and party with us at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog too!

ICAD 2016: Weeks 3 & 4

Still plugging away at the Daisy Yellow ICAD 2016 challenge.  It's interesting to me how different each card can be - especially when you look at my collection as a whole.  Some days I'm feelin' it and sometimes I'm not, but the cool thing is that I've actually kept up with this challenge.  Nice!

Week 3

Week 4

Part of the tricky part for me during Week 4 is that we were out of town. I forced myself to take minimal supplies with me (watercolor pencils, Pitt pens, gel pen).  I think those cards are my favorites for this week (skyline, flower and dog).

Half way there...