I’ve Been Away!

Sorry for being away for the last few weeks! Life has been a bit overwhelming and I haven’t had any time to create!

It’s now a week before Christmas and I’m scrambling to pull it together. Hopefully, I’ll be back to stamping and sharing soon.

Love and Peace I wish for all of you during the holiday season.

Hi There! Owl Tag

Just a small tag with a cute little owl!  I am such a “scrap hoarder”!  I always find it hard to throw away paper scraps.  It seems such a shame to throw away such pretty patterned paper or useful bits of plain card stock.  Of course, I already have 10 times more paper than any one person should own!

I do keep a scrap box of small and medium type scraps.  These scraps are very useful if you are making a collage or if you need to punch or die cut small shapes.  When my box gets full, I have to make a hard decision and let most if not all of it go.  I have found that the Art Department at the local school is often grateful to have these scraps.  They make mosaics, collages and lots of other artistic creations with them.  Check with your local school’s Art Department and see if they want your scraps.

This tag was made because I had a new small stamp set Technique Tuesday’s Hi There Owl Stamp Set and I also had a modest size scrap of watercolor paper.  Watercolor paper is not cheap so I try to use every bit of it.

I stamped the owl and sentiment with Ranger Black Archival Ink and colored the image with various Tombow Water Based Dual Brush Pens and a water pen.  The background was created using strips of Eclipse Tape as a mask during the application of coordinating inks.

Can’t stand to throw away your scraps?  Make a tag!!!

 

 

 

Halloween Dreams!

Don’t you love the colors of Halloween?

I created this Halloween card with the help of the Halloween Stamp Set #520998 by Recollections.  It really helps to have a stamp set with multiple related images to guide you in creating a great scene.

I began by running a white piece of watercolor paper through a Spiderweb Embossing Folder by The Paper Studio.

Next, using Colorburst Powders by Ken Oliver, I colored the page with various colors. Take care not to over-wet the paper and “release” the raised areas.

Stamp images using a stamp positioning tool.  This is very important!!!  Since the paper will have raised areas, you will ONLY get a good, solid stamped image by stamping multiple times.  I used Black Archival Ink by Ranger.  I think I had to stamp each image about five times in order to get good coverage.  Don’t be afraid to fill in with a black pen if needed.

NOTE:  Although I’m sure that it might have been easier to color and stamp the paper BEFORE I ran it through the embossing folder, initially, I was trying to create a resist on the raised areas with a wax pen and THEN use the Colorburst.  The resist did not work so well, I think I need a better wax pen or crayon. Anyway, it all turned out fine.

I finished by adding black around the edges, at the bottom and even lightly across the raised areas.  I also added some random small white dots and colored the windows of the house with a yellow glitter pen.

Find a good seasonal stamp set and go for it!  I love how this card turned out. Follow this blog for inspiration, new products and papercrafting companies. Find Stampcrush on Facebook at Stampcrush Papercrafts, Instagram @stampcrush and Pinterest @stampcrush

Products used:

• Halloween Stamp Set #520998 by Recollections (sorry but I cannot for the life of me find a link even though I bought the stamp set about a week ago!  Grrrrr!)
• Spiderweb embossing folder – the one I used is by The Paper Studio.  Use any spiderweb folder that you like, there are plenty out there.
• Black Archival Ink by Ranger
• Colorburst by Ken Oliver at Dick Blick You can find Colorburst at Dick Blick, on the web and at your local papercrafting store.  LOVE Colorburst!  I used Orange, Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson and Violet.

 

Ken Oliver Class at Paper Dreams

Paper Dreams Store, Kennesaw, Georgia

This weekend I had the privilege of attending a Color Burst Technique class by none other than the inventor himself, Ken Oliver of Ken Oliver Crafts!  What a treat!

Ken is a great teacher, personable and approachable.  He shares a real time view of what he is doing on a tv so you can see exactly how he performs a technique.  He also moves around the class offering tips and looking over everyone’s progress.

Paper Dreams Store in Kennesaw, Georgia

The class was held at Paper Dreams in Kennesaw, Georgia.  Paper Dreams is a lovely store with a nice selection of paper, stamps and supplies.  They emphasize classes with a busy schedule and plenty of various activities in which to participate. The owner, Stephanie is helpful and knowledgeable.

Even my Mom attended class!  85 years old and still crafting!!!

Pay at visit to Stephanie and the other ladies at Paper Dreams  and look through the goodies or take a class.  You’ll be glad you did!

 

Lavinia Stamps Ltd.

I just discovered Lavinia Stamps and I am SOOOO in love!!!  Such beautiful images!

After attending Art College followed by Ceramics and Business Studies, Tracey Dutton and her partner Kevin founded a pottery business.  During their twelve successful years of producing pottery, Tracey began incorporating stamp work into her ceramics.  She started producing her own stamps and soon, stamping began to claim more time than pottery.

In 2006, Tracey went full time designing stamps.  Living in a gorgeous part of the world (The Vale of Clwyd in Northeast Wales) inspires her design. No kidding, I googled it! Check out the photos of this lovely corner of the world!!!  Her stamps also often reflect her passion for fairies!!!

I am so impressed with these stamps and Tracey’s designs!  Gotta get me some SOON!  Go check out their site to see all the goodies and get some inspiration!

Lavinia Stamps Ltd.

 

Watch “How to make a shadow box card” on YouTube with Lawn Fawn

I just can’t get enough of this card! Box cards do take a bit of time but oh, the results!

Anyone who receives this card is sure to feel extra special!

Stampscraparttour, Duluth, Georgia

Another great show in the Southeastern United States! Held at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, Georgia on September 23 and 24, 2017.  Tickets are $7.00 for BOTH days!

SSAT Shows puts on an event that will appeal to Scrappers, Stampers and all other papercrafters. As of the writing of this post, 16 Vendors are listed, including Art Gone Wild!, Darcie’s, Pink and Main, and Verses Rubber Stamps and many others.

Try your hand at a Make-N-Take and take your time browsing through all the goodies!!!

The Infinite Energy Center is an excellent facility and they usually provide a modest food concession and a much appreciated shuttle service in the (large) parking lot.

Stampscraparttour, Duluth, Georgia

 

Local King Sea Life Card

Seahorse Birthday Card using Local King Sea Life Stamp Set!

Today, I am sharing a Birthday card I made for my Uncle.  Cards for the men in our lives are always a challenge aren’t they? My Uncle is an artist and the sea has been the focus of a majority of his paintings.  I felt that a card with a “Sea” type theme was a good choice.

1. Using Local King Sea Life (5) Stamps, color Seahorse stamps with markers and stamp on GLOSSY paper.  The blending of colors will not work on matte or absorbent paper.  Fussy cut both Seahorses and put aside.
2. On matte, white cardstock, create background with 3 different colors of Ranger Distress Oxide Ink Pads. I used Broken China, Cracked Pistachio and Wilted Violet.  Apply random drops of water to activate the Distress Oxide Inks – this helps further the impression of water.
3. Stamp Techniquejunkies Sea Waves Stamp #S628 background waves in Tsukineko Versafine Ink Pad Deep Lagoon.
4. Cut random “seaweed” shapes from matte white paper and color to taste (I used Tombow Dual Brush Pens markers in Olive and Brown tones.  Attach to card with Liquitex Matte Gel Medium.
5. Attach seahorses with tape dots
6. Stamp the sentiment from  Darcie’s Heart and Home #POL2016 Ocean Pals Stamp Set
7. I finished the card by applying random small dots from a white paint pen. 

If you haven’t used any of the Local King stamps with their awesome technique of coloring the stamp with markers, head over to their site Local King Rubber Stamps.  They have lots of great videos!

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Snail Mail Love!

This card was so much fun to make! 

The background is a combination of stencils and stamped images overlayed with torn book pages.

• Create a background with stencils and stamps in your your desired color scheme.
• Tear pages from an old book and glue down using a matte medium. I use an old dictionary because it has LOTS of pages, small print and the pages are quite thin, making them easy to glue down.
• Stamp snail image on a separate piece of white paper and emboss with gold embossing powder.
• Color the image in with water based markers (I use Tombow water based markers).
• Fussy cut this image out
• Glue stamped image over your background
• Stamp sentiment in open area and done!

Art Gone Wild, Catherine Scanlon, Colorful Snails Stamp Set  http://artgonewild.com/catherine-scanlon-cling-mount-stamp-set-colorful-snails-cscs-2812.html

Tombow Markers  https://tombowusa.com/dual-brush-pen-834.html

Gold Embossing Powder, I used a Mirror Gold.

Book pages

Various stamps and stencils. Look at your stash and get creative. Use subtle colors so your focal image stands out more.

Matte Gel Medium

Balloon Birthday Card by Anna Forrest

Anna Forrest, an Australian/American currently living in Queensland, Australia has brought us this lovely Birthday Card!  Like many of us she has had many crafty hobbies over the years.

Anna starting scrapbooking in 2005 while on maternity leave with her middle child, but,  has focused on card making since about 2010.  A woman with a busy life has GOT to make some choices!

This featured card was created using the “Birthday Balloons” and “Big Birthday Wishes” stamp sets from Simon Says Stamp.

1. Use Distress Ink in a soft color to create a subtle background on watercolor paper.
2. To create each balloon, ink only the EDGES of the stamp by “rolling it” on a Distress Pad, then stamp.  This produces a stamped image where the edges have a lot of ink but the center is mostly ink-free.
3. After all balloons are stamped, use a brush with a small amount of water and drag some of the Distress Ink towards the center to create a watercolor look.
4. Use a Distress Marker to draw in the strings for each balloon.
5. Stamp the sentiment and emboss with a coordinated embossing powder
6. Layer onto mirror animal print paper and done!   BEAUTIFUL!!!

Our thanks to Anna for sharing!  You can find more of Anna’s work at Anna Forrest’s Facebook Page

Products used:

Simon Says Stamp Birthday Balloons Stamp Set

Simon Says Stamp Big Birthday Wishes Stamp Set

Distress Inks and Markers and more!!! Rangerink.com

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