October Stamping Challenge #15

Hello!  Here's another quick tag for my October stamping challenge.  I was experimenting with different ways to use this holly stamp (Penny Black) combined with Tombow markers so I cut this one out and mounted it on some scraps of paper leftover from layout auditions for my November class.  The focal image here is embossed in black, watercoloured with Tombows and accented with stickles and Wink of Stella brush pen.  I used my new Pine stickles - Ranger has some new colours out.  They have needed a new green for a while - Lime Green and Crystal are fabulous, but I was ready to have something that could go on darker colours.  I really love this new colour and can't wait to see the rest of them when Heather gets them in.

Thanks for stopping by. One more day of my stamping challenge!

Thanks for stopping by!

October Stamping Challenge #14

Hello!  Here's my latest stamping challenge project - a quick little tag.  I used some leftover parts from my explorations in making my samples for my November class at Heather's Stamping Haven.  The class will be on November 30 from 2-5 pm. The class projects are show below and my class is called Wink of Christmas because I have been trying out the Wink of Stella glitter brushes! They are a lot of fun and add a different sort of shimmer than stickles or twinks.  I quite like them.  My class also uses a great set of Christmas stamps from Penny Black.  Hope you can join us!

The other stamping things I have been doing this weekend are Krista's classes!  I haven't taken a picture (yet) of all my projects, but you can see them on Krista's website here.  If you click on one of the thumbnails, it expands the picture to a see-able size and you can scroll through.  We had such a good time!  Krista teaches a variety of colouring techniques: Tombows, Distress markers, Copics, and Inktense pencils.  It was a blast and the other ladies always make it such a special time.  A great big thank you to Krista, Heather, and all the other ladies for a wonderful weekend!

Well, all this stamping goodness is the reason I have been away from my stamping challenge.  I gave myself a pass since I was spending so much time doing other sorts of stamping.  I think my family might have really rebelled if I had spent any more time stamping and blogging!

Well, time to dash off to work here.  Hope you had a good weekend too and found some time to get inky!

Happy stamping!

October Stamping Challenge #14

Hello!  Does this layout look familiar!  Hahahaha.  It's my last medallion from my ready-made stack.  I should mention that these medallions are from Holly Berry House.  They are a single stamp, which I stamp on many different pieces of cardstock and emboss with the same embossing powder (in this case it's gold).  I choose my cardstock to be a mix of light, medium and dark tones, as well as a mix of shimmer and regular, and maybe some linen in there too.  I like the effect here of a tight colour palette (shades of brown and gold) but a mix of textures (matte, linen and shimmer).

Then I cut out different parts of the image, being careful to cut just beside the embossing line.  Then, I layer them back together again.  I like to keep a "big" piece for the back.  It's also fun to apply Art Institute Glitter to the various design elements of the image.  This is easiest to do before they are assembled because the glue takes a while to dry.  I get a bunch of them on the go at once and then I get my glitter out and do it assembly-line style.  I also embellish them with stickles and liquid pearls too.  This particular one is mounted to a piece of textured cardstock (Sahara Sand).

Thanks for reading!

October Stamping Challenge #12

Hello!  Here's my next stamping challenge.   I know I missed a day, but I was working on class samples for my September class and progress was slower than I anticipated. I was having way too much fun playing with my new Penny Black Christmas stamps and Wink of Stella glitter brushes.  I'll have those samples done soon, but they did mean I didn't get a scrappy challenge one done.

Here's the next one - I have a stack of these medallions (Holly Berry House) all assembled and waiting for a card.  I chose a Creamy Caramel card base (one of the layers) and stamped it with one side of the Marble Textures cube (Stampendous).  The medallion had been stamped on a variety of papers (shimmer and ordinary) and trimmed out, and layered with foam tape.  A number of the layers are embellished with coordinating colours of Art Institute glitter.  I added some gold Viva Decor pearls too.

In other stamping news, this weekend Krista Schneider comes!  I love this time of year and the happy anticipation of her classes.  This year's multimedia class is a gorgeous fall birch tree.  She walks you through all the steps so anyone can make their own gorgeous original artwork.  The samples are on Heather's website (www.heathersstamping.com) and on Krista's blog (link on the right hand side bar - Red is my Favorite Color)

Thanks for stopping by!

Heather's Stamping Haven

Hello!  As many of my readers will know, I teach classes at Heather's Stamping Haven in Ottawa.  I have been a customer for many, many years and Heather and her store are very dear to my heart.  It was with very mixed emotions that I learned of her intentions to retire this winter (click here for the post on her blog).  I am so pleased for her that she will be starting this new direction in her life and enjoy the freedoms that come with retirement.  That said, I will really miss her at the store!  It really has been a haven, in so many ways, and I have had such good times there with so many very dear people.

I know Heather is looking for a buyer for the store, so if you are someone with an entrepreneurial streak or know someone who has one that is looking for an active business with great growth potential, please connect with Heather.  I am sure I am not the only one hoping that someone takes over the business and keeps a wonderful stamping store in Ottawa!

October Stamping Challenge #11

Hello!  This card came together in a flash because the focal panel was already in my scrap box.  All I had to do was cut a card base and tape it on (foam tape for dimension).  I also added a small pearl to the centre of the medallion.  If I recall (from too long ago than I care to admit), this panel was sponged with various shades of pink, coral and burgundy.  All stamps and paper are by Stampin' Up.

Thanks for reading!  Hope you find some time to stamp this weekend.

October Stamping Challenge #10

Hello!  Here is the latest installment of my October Stamping Challenge.  This one was made from a left over class kit and has been sitting out, waiting for a spare moment to be coloured up.  The stamp is Sunshine Designs (Flower Cluster) and stamped on shimmer cardstock and embossed in gold.  I coloured it with Tombow markers and blended it with a paintbrush.  I added some liquid pearl accents in Avocado (vines) and Lemon Yellow (round flowers) and stickles (Fruit Punch and Yellow) to finish it off.  The accent panel was embossed with a pretty spiral using a folder from a set of two called Twirl.  It has been my go-to set lately - very versatile.

This is Krista Schneider's technique, and she will be in Ottawa to teach her Tombow, Copic, multimedia, Inktense and Distress classes starting Oct 24.  Call Heather at Heather's Stamping Haven to register.  These are fantastic classes!

Thanks for stopping by!

October Stamping Challenge #9

Hello! Here's my next quick little card.  The tree image is one from Memory Box (first time inked), and I stamped it in a slate grey pigment ink on a scrap of paper that was nearby, edged it in the same grey ink and added some shading with pencil crayons.  I layered it on a soft grey scrap, and used a metallic grey accent strip from the scrap pile.  The little sentiment is from Stampin' Up and stamped in Wet Cement Hero Arts Shadow Ink.  The little dots are Gunmetal stickles.  The card base is a naturals white cardstock with a light fleck in it. 

I would like to play with this stamp a little more and explore the ideas on this card a little further.  I like how it came out and think it could be improved if I had a little more time to play and experiment.  Last night wasn't that night though, since we were out to see the Indigo Girls in concert.  It was a great show. Their opening act was a folk singer called Jeremy Fisher and he was really good too. 

Thanks for reading!

October Stamping Challenge #9

This card for the October Stamping Challenge came together very quickly.  I found a leftover piece of 130 lb. smooth white cardstock, cut it down to size (card front is 3 3/4 x 4 1/2") and stamped this pretty floral image (Hero Arts).  I thought I was grabbing Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, so imagine my surprise when it came out purple!  It turns out I'd used Paris Dusk.  I quite liked the result so I went with that for my colour scheme and chose a selection of dusky purples for the flowers, with a hit of chartreuse for the leaves.  The sentiment banner is a Memory Box stamp, also stamped on a scrap with the same Paris Dusk and coloured over with the greens from the leaves.  It's popped up on foam tape.  How nice of the Memory Box people to size the banner to wrap the selection of stems of the Hero Arts flower!  Or perhaps it was the Hero Arts people planning the stems to fit in the banner.  Either way, I really like how it turned out!  The final accent were some Dark Blue stickles to go in the centres of the flowers.  This card was really, really fast and a lot of fun.

Happy stamping!

Edited to add:  I used Copic markers to colour the image, and the sentiment banner.  I don't recall which ones - just grabbed ones that looked like would work and went for a variety of similar tones.  

October Stamping Challenge #8

Hello!  Here's today's challenge card.  I had a piece of background paper sprayed with Dylusions in shades of green.  I stamped that with the JustRite background stamp (Secret Garden) using Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk Ink.  Then I ran it through the die cut machine using this viny Memory Box die.  Hemmed and hawed a bit over the setting, but settled on this duo - Brilliant Blue and Glorious Green Stampin' Up papers. The card is 4 1/4" square.  I glued down the die cut with Glossy Accents, and added some royal blue liquid pearls to the flower centres and lime green stickles to the leaves.  I felt it needed a little lift so I added some stitching with a white gel pen.  I think it could use a little more lift so I might try adding some more highlights with a white pencil crayon.

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy stamping!

Moonlit Castle

This was in my drafts folder from waaaaay back.  Not sure if Heather will run the class again or not, but usually if she has enough people wanting to take it, she will run it.

I'm going to post this now because it's a cute little card and I am cleaning out my drafts folder!

This is a sample for my next class at Heather's Stamping Haven. I wanted to try to make a card in the style of Michelle Zindorf, a stamper whom I really admire. I've spent a lot of time reading her tutorials and looking at the various ways she makes her cards so special. I don't know if this card achieved the goal, but I quite like how it turned out, so I decided that was enough. Michelle loves her brayer, and I love mine, and I love making backgrounds, which I think is why I'm so drawn to her work.

This is a short post because if you want to find out how to make this card, you'll have to take the class!

Supplies: All stamps Heather's Stamping Haven or the Stamp Barn.

October Stamping Challenge #7

Hello!  Wow - has a week gone by already?  Must be, if this is #7 of my stamping challenge.  This card was really quick to put together, since I found that lovely tag ready-made in my scrap box.  It features some Distress Ink resist and sponging through sequin waste.  That nice quote is a Stampin' Up stamp and the scrolls and flourishes are Stampers Anonymous.

I cut a fresh piece of card for the base,but used scraps of textured mustard and brown linen for the accent strips. The ribbon was also a scrap that was loitering on my desk.  I used an as-yet uninked background stamp (Stampers Anonymous) on the card base, but I think I used too light an ink (Pale Tomato Hero Arts Shadow Ink) because it doesn't seem to be showing up.  I also used a little spiral clip that was in my stash of spare odds and bits.  I think they might be a bit out of style, but then again, so am I.  I am justifying it on the basis of legwarmers coming back into fashion.  (I know - I can't believe it either.)  Here's my rationale:  if legwarmers can return to fashion, then anything can make a comeback.  So there - my spiral clip is not out of style, it is ahead of trend! 

Thanks for stopping by and a happy long weekend to my Canadian readers.

October Stamping Challenge #6

Hello!  Another quick and easy stamping challenge for today.  I had a piece of Dylusion-ed paper on hand, so I stamped it with this new stamp (Magenta) and embossed it with black embossing powder. I highlighted the flower with a juicy light greenish yellow Tombow marker and some of the leaves with a green one.  I matted it on black, then on an ATC sized green. I decided I didn't want to make an ATC, so I grabbed the other half of the sheet of card stock from last week and made a base.  I stamped a gorgeous background stamp (JustRite) in Prussian Blue Colorbox Fluid Chalk on the base, masking off the lower portion.  I really like the subtle velvety effect of the chalk ink for a background.  It really does add a special touch.  The accent strip is a charcoal metallic scrap off the pile.  The finishing touches were a rub on (Stampin' Up) - why I have so much trouble getting them straight???  - some lettuce liquid pearls, and lime green stickles on the flowers' centres.

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada.  I have so much to be thankful for.  I try to be intentionally grateful every day for all the blessings in my life, and especially so at Thanksgiving.  This season is so beautiful here - with glorious colours and glorious weather.  We had a wonderful feast last night with family.  Right at the moment I'm thankful for a couple of hours to myself to stamp and sew.  My elder daughter and I got up early to go to the 8 o'clock church service, and I have come home and the rest of the family is off to the 10 o'clock service.

I hope you get some time to stamp this weekend too!  Thanks for stopping by.

October Stamping Challenge #6

Hello!  Here's my quickie card for today.  I had this card base with the accent strips in my scrap box, obviously made up and rejected for some project in the long-forgotten past.  I also had a scrap of some sort of wax paper resist background in a dull grey, which sort of went with the colours in the paper on the card.  I stamped the wax paper resist background with this pretty (and as-yet uninked) bird song stamp (Crafty Individual).  I sponged a bit more distress ink on (Stormy Sky and Shabby Shutters) to bring in the blue and green.  Next was the little sentiment stamp, the perfect complement (and also as-yet uninked) from a Crafty Secrets set (Bird Notes).  I stamped it straight on the patterned paper, but it didn't show up as well as I would have liked so I re-stamped it on some cream cardstock and punched out the centre and popped it up on foam tape.  I also accented the bird with some pencil crayon for interest.  The finishing touches were some Avocado liquid pearls.  Another challenge card done and dusted in under 15 minutes, using only scraps from my scrap piles and using only previously un-inked stamps.

October Stamping Challenge #5

Hello!  Here's today's project.  It was a quicky thanks to a lovely chalk ink panel and a die cut Dylusions butterfly that were on my desk.  This is a little notecard - only 3 1/4" square.  The die cut is from Memory Box and I don't remember what stamp I used on the chalk ink background.  In real life it's a little softer and mistier, but Sauron the Scanner doesn't deal well with soft colours and I don't deal well with my photo editing software.  I stamped (Orchid Pastel Colorbox Fluid Chalk) the butterfly with a pretty Crafty Individuals stamp, all flowers and birds and swirls and things, just to give it some texture.  I flat taped the centre of the butterfly and put a bit of foam tape under the wings so it has real dimension on the card.  The finishing touches were some Worn Lipstick distress stickles and Rouge Liquid Pearls.

Hope you get some inky time today!  Happy stamping!

October Stamping Challenge #4

Hello!  Here's the next installment of my October Stamping Challenge.  I used that same nice ginger jar die cut and a scrap of alcohol ink glossy paper.  I stamped the flower (Impress Rubber Stamps) and embossed in gold.  The card base is stamped with the same stamp and its solid image counterpart in Azurite chalk ink.  The chop (Blockheads) is stamped in Barn Door Distress Ink on an unintentionally jaunty angle.  Serves me right for adding it after everything was done!  The focal panel has a lovely background stamp (Impress) stamped in Versamagic Aspen Mist.  I added a bit of a ground shadow with a Bruynzeel pencil crayon.

Not bad for 15 minutes!  (I never said they would have to be Earth minutes....this one was more like Neptune minutes, but only because I fussed and faffed over the layout.)  This card was mostly scraps - the only new piece was the card base.

Thanks for stopping by!  Time to go watch TV with hubby and work on my Opal Dot scarf (Kaffe Fassett pattern).  I'm auditioning colour combinations on swatches and teaching myself to knit with two hands at once. This girl knows how to par-tay!

October Stamping Challenge #3

Hello!  Here I am with the third installment of my October Stamping Challenge.  In real life it looks much better.  For some reason, the file is saving as 83 kb, so no wonder.  My husband was using my scanning program and obviously changed the settings.  I don't have time to fix it now, but I will try to get a better scan, because this card is really lovely.

Edited to add:  hubby showed me how to fix the file size issue.  This one has come out much better!  I can stop blaming Sauron the Scanner now that I know it was a box that was selected three layers deep in the Save dialogue box.  Silly me for not finding that!

I used a die cut for the ginger jar, and stamped it in gray flannel Memento ink using a pretty little floral stamp (newly inked) from Impression Obsession.  I coloured it with Copic markers and added some shading with Stormy Sky distress ink around the edges.  Then I gave it a good coating of Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy and set aside to dry.  When it was dry, I sponged on more Stormy Sky into the cracks.  The background pieces are all scraps.  The background panel is stamped in Hero Arts Shadow Ink (Soft Olive) using a Local King rubber stamp.  The card base is a lovely dusty green textured cardstock.  I accented the card with a couple of dots of Viva Decor dimensional paint.  This morning I realized the jar needed gold trim so I added it, using the outside of the die cut paper as a mortise mask so I didn't get any on the card itself.  The card is 4 1/4" square.  This challenge did take a little longer than 15 minutes, but only because of paint drying time and I am also not counting the time it took to colour the first ginger jar which I stamped upside down. 

Thanks for stopping by!

October Stamping Challenge #2

Hello!  Here's Day 2's stamping challenge card.  This was an easy one because the whole card was ready made, except for the accent strip and Thank You medallion.  I think this was another reject from working up class samples for Heather.  I used the pretty leaf sprig stamp (Memory Box) and Dylusions sprays, then sponged with distress ink.  It's stamped on the hot press watercolour paper and matted on dark brown linen paper, and popped up on a cream linen card base.  The Thank You stamp (Rubber Soul*) is embossed in gold ink on brown linen paper and punched out with a 1 1/4" punch.  This card came together well within the 15 minutes, and make good use of a card that was almost finished and just waiting to come together.  Also, I am pleased because this card used a scrap of gold paper that I found under some things on my desk and I didn't make any new scraps either. 

* I think Rubber Soul has to be the best name for a stamp company.  So clever!

Thanks for stopping by.

October Stamping Challenge #1

Here's my first card for my October Stamping Challenge (see this post for the details).  I used a pre-done focal image that was a reject for a class sample at Heather's.  It's stamped on kraft with a leaf image from Sunshine Designs and painted with Twinkling H20s.  It's layered on kraft, and then on blue shimmer.  The card base was cut new, but the accent strip was from the pile next to the paper cutter, so counts as a scrap.  Should I confess to the three additional scraps I generated for this card by cutting and rejecting accent strips?  Probably not.  The new stamp I used was the background stamp - a lovely stamp from nature prints by Fred B. Mullett.  Sorry about the mustard coloured watermark on the card, and the terrible scan.  Boy, Sauron the Scanner has really started doing terrible things to my cards.  On my monitor it looks like I used my card to blot bacon.  In real life it is much less blotchy and not bad looking.  Unfortunately, it's bed time and I don't have time to figure out how to change the font colour on the watermark or threaten and/or cajole the scanner into submission.

This card did squeak in under 15 minutes, but I am going to have to be a lot more decisive or start cheating change the rules on future projects since I used the whole 15 minutes for the layout on this one considering the focal panel was completely done.  All I had to do there was doodle the border.

Hope you found some time to stamp today too! 

October Stamping Challenge - Play Along With Me!

Hello!  Three things have happened in quick succession for me.  First, my stamping friends asked me to blog more frequently.  Second, I have a number of new stamps that need inking.  Third, I cast my eye over my stamping area and it is a disaster!  I have tried to tidy it up but whenever I do, I can't bear to throw out this bit great paper, or that scrap of handmade background or this little treasure or that.   How do I fix all these things all at once?

I put on my thinking cap and decided set myself a stamping challenge for the rest of October - to make at least one quick project every day.  Here's my plan:

• Spend no more than 15 minutes on each project
• Make each project primarily out of scraps
• Use at least one as yet uninked stamp  

So what do you think?  Are you with me?  Do you have a scrap pile that needs denting?  This might be a great way to get a head start on Christmas cards, birthday cards, or just padding the stash of ready-made cards.  I will have some sort of prize draw at the end for people who play along with me.  I'll figure out the details and post them later. In the meantime, set your timer for 15 minutes and get inky!

"Wait!"  you say.  "I always use my stamps the minute I get them!   I am a tidy stamper that hoards no scraps.  Can I still play along?"  Absolutely.  If you are this kind of stamper, because you have my (somewhat skeptical) admiration, you can play along too.  Just stamp something every day.  If you have the time and inclination to spend more than 15 minutes a crack, that's fine too.  I just needed a manageable time frame for myself.  The only thing that has to happen is that you make a project every day from now until the end of October.

And because every post needs a picture, here you go!  It's a random picture from my stamping past.  If memory serves, this was a class I did for Heather's Stamping Haven using Sunshine Designs stamps.