Word Up Weekend with Stampotique

I used to think I didn't need sentiment stamps.

I thought I could always just print out any sentiment I wanted

from my computer, and for free. Well, that is true, but what a PIA

to print out a simple sentiment, choose a font, point size, etc.. and then try to 

fill up an entire sheet of paper of them so as not to waste paper.

I have come to my senses and have amassed quite the sentiment stamp collection.

Stampotique has some amazing sentiments and quotes in their shop.

TONS of them, in fact.

I made this card using a couple of the newer releases from this year.

And had a play with some of those cool Distress Oxide inks, too.

I began by stamping the Script Background stamp onto kraft card stock using

Versamark ink and then clear embossing it.  

I used some Oxide inks along the edges, and flicked some water on it to get a reaction.

I still need to practice more, but I do like the matte chalky feel to these inks.

I love this Communitree stamp!!

At first, I didn't realize it was a tree, but once I did, I fell in love

with this stamp.  

I used some of the Daniel's Hearts hearts to drive home the message of love.

I get so much use out of this one heart background stamp.

And lastly, but not leastly (lol), is the lovely sentiment stamp,

       A Heart, which is a quote from Oz.

I think all of these stamps work brilliantly together, as well as great stand

alone stamps for any project.

I hope I've inspired you to expand your sentiment stamp collection.

So handy, convenient, and perfect for nearly all my stamped projects.

Stop by Stampotique and check out all they have to offer, but be sure to

take a look at their incredible assortment of words, phrases, letters, and

number stamps.   

Stampotique and Lindy's Stamp Gang collaboration

One of the many perks to being on the Stampotique design team

is the possibility of collaborative opportunities with other fabulous

art and crafting companies. Today is just such an opportunity.

Stampotique has joined forces with Lindy's Stamp Gang, who was

super generous and supplied us with some very awesome products

to couple with our Stampotique stamps.

Fabulous array of colors and new products I've never tried before.

Since the selection consisted of the colors in the new color challenge at

Lindy's blog, I decided to play along.

I began by using Lindy's sprays on my craft mat, and then smooshing some 

watercolor paper through it. I really like the effect. Usually, I use too much

of the sprays and they blend together too much. I like how much white is still

showing.  And it is key to dry between colors so they don't turn to mud on you.  

I used Kira's Waving Spotted Monster #4033.

I colored him with Copics using the "no-lines" technique and used

colors that were similar to the challenge.

I used a Sharpie paint pen to add the white highlights.

I chose the #8921 A Friend's Touch quote stamp, and used the 

supplied Lindy's embossing powder to add a little iridescent frame around

the quote. It has a beautiful pearlized sheen to it. I can see me using

this quite a bit in my future makes.

Be sure to stop by Lindy's blog to see all the eye candy and wonderful

inspiration being offered there!  

   

SDC:270 - Text Background

The current theme at

Stampotique Designer's Challenges is 

TEXT BACKGROUND.

This is one of those projects where you are immediately inspired by an image

and are thankful when it all pans out in the end.  

The new Merman stamp called, 'Snuhubala', by Daniel Torrente

is a perfect fit for his mermaid (one of three), 'Smumanha'.

I got lots of dimension by using various layers of doilies and die cuts.

And then used lots of foam dots on the happy couple for ultimate lift.

For my text background, I used an old dictionary page from a dictionary

I've had since high school. Quite vintage and nicely yellowed. I splattered some

Dylusions sprays to add some color, and added a love die cut for the sentiment.

I am quite happy with how this project worked out.

It's nice when something happens organically and as close to perfect as possible.

Thanks for dropping by my lonely little blog....

Be sure to check out all of the incredible art inspired by the text background theme

at Stampotique Designer's Challenges.    

SDC:268 Ribbon and Lace

I am in the mood for spring to be here.

I am so tired of the much needed rain here in California. 

We are saturated and ready for the sun and temps in the 70's.

With that all in mind, I went super Spring-y with my card for the 

current challenge at 

Stampotique: Ribbon and Lace.

I used one of the new release stamps from last month, #13025  'Terra Cotta Bunny' .

He is super cute and perfect for any bunny lover or Easter/Spring cards.  

As most folks already know, I'm not much of a frilly or fancy girl,

so ribbons and lace kinda make my skin crawl. Unless it's black.

BUT, I put on my girly girl panties and used white crocheted lace and 

some bright colored ribbons to thread through the buttons.

Lastly, I added Stickles for sparkle and interest.

My Grandma is going to love this card. Which is the whole point of making

cards. To spread joy and let people know I'm thinking of them.  

Thanks so much for dropping by and checking out my lacy bits.

Be sure to stop by the Stampotique Designer's Challenge Blog

to see more inspiring work and maybe even join us in our challenges.

We're also on facebook!! We'd love to see what you've been making with

Stampotique stamps!

   

New releases at Stampotique!!

That's right, it's another new release at Stampotique.

They've gone monthly with their releases so you don't have 

to wait so long between new release dates.

They're nice like that over at Stampotique.

I have used 'Cranium', and the large cupcake here.

Both are from this month's release.

 The Circled Circle I've used for the background is an oldie, but a goodie. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Be sure to check all of the new releases at Stampotique today!!

It's Party Time!!!

It's time to celebrate!!

What are we celebrating? Well, this is my very first post

for my new design team term at Stampotique Designer's Challenges.

Sounds like a great reason to party to me!!

What's a party without party guests? 

I've invited quite few of my favorite stamps to this little soiree. 

I made this altered canvas using the backside of it as a shadowbox

to give some depth and extra space for everyone. This canvas is a gift 

for a friend's 50th birthday. She's been a very dear bestie for many years. 

Like over 30 years. We actually went to high school together and have done

a lot of growing up together. I love that crazy chick. So the fact that she's

stuck around for so long means she deserves such an involved project/gift

for her old lady birthday.   

I began by using matte gel medium to adhere old dictionary pages to the frame.

Then, I used watered down brown acrylic paint to age and distress the edges.

Giving the entire a piece an ancient appearance of at least 50 years old. Hee hee.

It also allowed for a more cohesive feel to all the torn edges of the dictionary pages.

Then, I added some of my favorite stamps, 

Moth Fab (one of my very first Stampotique stamps), Schmurfy, Piling Thing,

Barkabe, and a dog from the Dog Cube.

  

This is Baby Cthulhu. He is one of my favorite Stampotique stamps.

I also managed to place the birthday definition in the background, as well.  

Over on this side we have more favorites, Karin, Batboy, Spider Girl,

more Piling Things, and a pup from the Dog Cube. 

The distressed and crackled chipboard number 50 is a great place for 

Moon Girl and one of the bat kids from the Halloween Cube #1 

to hang out and enjoy the festivities. 

The spider from the Birds and Bugs cube makes an appearance as well.

He is hanging freely from a web brad and some iridescent floss.

I worked the cake definition into the background up there, too.  

Kitty even decided to come out and see what all of the excitement is about.

Using the party definition in the background, I added the 

Happy, Happy, Happy banner to complete the party decorations.

Also most everyone is wearing party hats compliments of the

Happy Head Appliances Cube.     

All of the coloring was done with Copics, and most of the images were

heat embossed on Paper Trey Ink card stock. My favored paper of choice.

My friend loved her canvas! I had to give it her a little early for fear she'd see this

post before her birthday this Friday, and ruin the surprise.

Happiest of daze to you, Dani!!! 

Thanks for stopping by today and celebrating with all of us. 

Be sure to pop by the Stampotique Designer's Challenge (now a bi-weekly challenge)

and check out all of the other designer's makes for Team 2.

As usual, there are two $30 gift certificates up for grabs this month.

And you don't even need to use Stampotique stamps to enter either. 

But if you have some already, why not break 'em out?    

I'd like to enter this canvas in the following challenge:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Create a Scene

Rudy makes an appearance

I just can't get enough of the Stampotique seahorses

from Daniel Torrente.

Today I am showing off Rudy.

He's awesome in a totally wonky way.

I love Daniel Torrente stamps from Stampotique for this very reason.

All of his drawings and characters are superbly WONKY.   

I made this ATC for the current challenge of Sea Creatures

at Wicked Wednesday ATC challenges.

I used a water colored background, and added Rudy hanging 

onto some plant die cut like he would be in the wild.

I sparkled it up a bit using some Lime Green Stickles and some

opalescent sequins to serve as bubbles.

He goes great with the ATC I made the other day using Reggie here.

WW Sea Creatures

I have been inspired yet again by

Wicked Wednesday ATC challenge 

to create an ATC featuring a Sea Creature this week.

I kind of adore Reggie the seahorse from Stampotique.

He has friend named Rudy who will make an appearance tomorrow.
I colored Reggie using my go-to coloring medium of Copics.

I colored the background using Distress Inks in Peacock Feather,

Shabby Shutters and Tumbled Glass on TH watercolor paper, hoping

for a underwater feel. I spritzed it with water and dabbed off the excess for those cool 

water drops everyone likes so much. I stamped some Seaweed onto the background

and colored in the dots with a white Posca paint pen, and then added Waterfall 

Stickles for some sparkle. I popped Reggie up with some foam tape, and then

glued some sequins on to emulate bubbles.

I am loving how this one turned out. I had so much fun I made another ATC,

but I'm saving it for tomorrow's post.

Thanks for stopping by!  

I'd like to enter this ATC in the following challenges:

Wicked Wednesday ATC challege - Sea Creatures

Left of Center - Stripes and/or Dots  

Snarky Stampers - N is for Not a Card

Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Anything Goes

Star Stampz Challenge - Hand Colored Image

Through the Purple Haze - Under Water

Debbie Downer

Mother's Day just isn't what it used to be since my Mother died.

It's been three years and I felt like I was going to okay, but I wasn't.

I spent time making Mother's Day cards and gifts for the wonderful and loving

women in my life, but when Sunday morning came around, I found myself

to be melancholy, foul tempered, and even inconsolable at one point. 

Man, I hate that. I hate being such a Debbie Downer. It's really not my style.

But it happened, and it will probably happen again next year.

So I decided to drown my sorrows in my art journal.

I began with two Stampotique stamps I have yet to ink up yet,

'Tetewea and L'il Tatawea'.  

They remind me of a mother and daughter, so I felt they were fitting.

And my Mom and I are rather dark and weird, so it works.

I colored Tetewea in sepia/YR Copic tones to give the feeling of 

an image from the past. I used a frame die cut and doodled on it using

 a Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen.  

Then I did a bit of journaling. Nothing too deep,

but it gets the point across that I miss my mom. A lot.

I gave L'il Tatawea red hair like mine, and colored her to match those

hideous background papers I was trying to use up. I actually like the way

they all work together now in this layout.

Lastly, I stamped out 'Daniel's Hearts', colored them using

red and black Copics, and then fussy cut them all out to scatter

around the layout to covey all the love that is still there between us.   

I'd love to enter this in the following challenges:

Stampotique Designer's Challenge -SDC243 Motherly Love

The Dark Attic Challenges - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion challenges - 311 Anything Goes

Left of Center - Witches or LOC (mine is more LOC)

Polkadoodle - Things with Wings

  

"Damn your eyes! Too late."

As soon as I saw the new challenge at Stampotique ,

I immediately knew what movie I was going to choose.

My all time favorite film is 'Young Frankenstein'.

I have seen it over one hundred times in it's entirety, and even 

more in pieces. I know nearly all of the lines by heart and still 

laugh out loud like I'm watching it for the very first time.

It's timeless, in my opinion. Even though I was only four years old

when it was released in 1974, and I am generally not a big black and white

movie fan, this is my very favorite film ever.   

I decided to immortalize it my small Dyan Reaveley art journal.

But it needed a two page spread. There was no way I could fit

all of this awesomeness on only one page.

I used "Jammin'" to perfectly represent The Monster. 

I added the top hat from the hat cube, and added a satin black bow tie

and a hand drawn cane to mimic the iconic "Puttin' on the Ritz" scene.  

I found a cool movie poster on google and chopped it in half

to go on either side of that awesome YF quote artwork.

I stamped some brains to create a border of sorts and heat embossed them

to make 'em all shiny and for a fun texture.   

I chose "Gonno" to represent Doctor Frankenstein, pronounced, "Fronkensteen". 

It was his crazy mad scientist hair that cemented this choice.

He also received a top hat and bow tie to complete his dapper look.  

I'd like to enter this project in the following challenges:
Stampotique Designer's Challenge - SDC241 TV Show/Movie inspired 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - E is for Embossing (see my brains)

Dream in Darkness - Anything Creepy/Dark/Weird/Odd Goes

I'm so late, I'm early!

It seems like just when I finally get into the full swing of a holiday,

it ends. And then I'm left with all these great ideas and tons of timely 

crap strewn around my craft room, but the special day has come and gone. 

Screw it! I'm making schtuff for next year. 

Hey, look at me! I'm way ahead of schedule! 

This is perfect for Valentine's Day 2017, or an

anniversary. My 20th wedding anniversary is in August.

Check me out, all early and shit.

 I started out with a white card that I stamped the Stampotique hearts 

background onto, and then colored using a water pen and distress inks. 

I splattered some black speckles on it for an artsy feel. 

Awww, look at the sweethearts!!

I chopped off the heads of Fofe and Perl from Stampotique,

and then I colored them with Copic markers.

I added some Stickles to make Fofe's green eyes sparkle,

then added the colored heads to some distressed photo booth photos 

from Tim Holtz.

I stamped the heart background onto some scrap pink and red paper,

cut them out and then popped them up on foam dots for some

fun dimension. 

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Stampotique - SDC231 Love is in the Air 

Unicorn Challenge - Lots of Love

Crafty Calendar Challenge - Love is in the Air 

Sometimes I like to just color. I can sit for hours and color

image after image. This is one I have had printed for months,

but never had the time to color it properly. Until now. 

This image is named Abby, by Regan Kubecek. I purchased her

along with some others from Sweet Peas stamps before they

unfortunately closed shop.  

I colored her using Copics, and white gel pen for the highlights.

I broke out the heart embossing folder, a black doily with silver distress ink

splattered on it, and the skull and crossbones punch from Martha Stewart.

I decided to stop there, as I have a tendency to over work a piece to death.

Less is more. Less is more. Less is .... look, glitter!

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Friends Challenge - Girly