Monday, September 30, 2013

Sweet Stamps Challenge- Borders

It's another great challenge at Sweet Stamps .  Our challenge theme for this week is Borders.
   This border stamp was the very first stamp I purchased from Sweet Stamps when I found them at the stamp show. I used to sew and smock, and this border reminds me of lace.
 I stamped the image, then turned it upside down and stamped it again going in the other direction:

    At that first show, I asked my friends to go back to the Sweet Stamps booth before we left, and ended up purchasing the Parchment supplies too- I just LOVED the look of it!
   Here is a close-up of the butterfly- the pictures do not capture the parchment:
 The Parchment Vellum looks so much prettier than any other vellum (ask me how I know) ....I tried NOT buying it to start out with and used regular vellum- different varieties, and finally gave in and bought the Parchment vellum. I took the stylus and embossed from the back of the vellum to create the white areas.

Here is a great visual tutorial by Stacey- owner at Sweet Stamps.

  I decided the card needed one more thing.....so I added Candy Brads that were painted with Creative Inspirations Paint in Copper, then I added lines over that with a Sakura Gelli Roll pen.
  I also stamped a butterfly in purple inside of the card and highlighted it with the Sakura pen.

I made an envelope for my card using some shimmery purple cardstock : )

 Here are the Sweet Stamps supplies I used:

 I hope you will join in the challenge! Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

  We have a monthly challenge as well- 9/15-10/14-Paper Piecing. You have a chance to WIN- winners drawn by Random.org.

  Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenges

 Challenges:
Make it Monday - Anything Goes
Amusing Challenge- Anything Goes
365 Cards- Day 273-Much Have : )  Parchment crafting
Eureka Stamps- Wings and Things
Use Your Stuff- Heat Embossing
Creative Inspirations Paint- Anything Goes
A Creative Romance- Winged Creations

Sweet Stamps also has a PINTREST page- HERE

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Friday, September 27, 2013

Three ways to look at the same stamp

Oriental Stamp Art (Yahoo Group) has so much inspiration and so many challenges and tips.  One tip by RLI (aka Margo) is to use a stamp in three ways.  I combined that challenge with the weekly sketch challenge and the monthly technique challenge- make a frame around your card.
 This is the card I made for the weekly sketch. I used a bamboo embossing folder, highlighted the raised area with Artichoke ink, and added black cardstock over that (Cuttlebug Highlight). The image is fussy cut and layered with dimensionals on the circle.

The image was a gift for joining in a swap. I colored it with Distress markers for all three of the cards. After coloring and stamping, I took a paintbrush and smoothed out the color a tad.

 Next, I made a couple of cards for the Frame challenge for September.
 This technique is called Simply Framed and I learned it from the Technique Junkies. I watercolored a bit more on this card, adding a shadow around the bird and floral images and creating a little dimension. The cardstock is called Confetti and is a bit vanilla with flecks in it. I did a bit of masking on the flowers for the upper Rt corner, but was pleased with the way they came out.


 For this frame, I stamped the image first. Next I placed a post-it note over the image and sponged around the edge. I added a Kanji image from Stonehouse Stamps , and an embossed image by About Art Accents. The embossing Powder is shimmery. Harmony is also from About Art Accents.


One stamp, three cards, three ways.  2 challenges. One happy stampin Camper : )

Challenges- heck ya!!!
365 Cards- day 266- paint brushed
Cut it Up- Use circles & Die Cuts
Inspire Me Fridays- Anything Goes.  Use a stamp three ways : )
Sister Act- Anything Goes
Crafters Cafe- Die cuts/ Punches

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

I worked late tonight....so am just now posting winners for my blog candy- Randon.org picked the winners

First choice at a set is
Mary Strauser said...



thank Shelly for the chance. Love coming to your blog when I am stuck on a card. I can always get some inspiration.

How sweet- Thank You!  I will send you a note and see which set you would like, and will get # 2 in the mail to:
Donna said...
Two very nice sets, Shelly. Thanks for sharing with us!

Donna, once I hear from Mary, I will get your set in the mail!
Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Monday, September 23, 2013

Sweet Stamps Challenge- Roses

It's another fun challenge at Sweet Stamps .  Our challenge theme for this week is Roses.
 Here is a sneak peak at one of the techniques for the Oct Technique Junkies Newsletter- Painted Burlap. I used a SweetCuts die to cut out the butterfly die, and painted it using Smoosh- so it is shimmery IRL. I used ink from the Spots and watercolored the image. The pin is from Pinque Peacock. I colored the Copics on the Rhinestones to colorize them.

Here are the Sweet Stamps supplies I used:


I hope you will join in the challenge! Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

  We have a monthly challenge as well- 9/15-10/14-Paper Piecing. You have a chance to WIN- winners drawn by Random.org.

  Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenges

 Challenges:
Make it Monday - Anything Goes
Amusing Challenges- Pearls or gems
One Stitch at a Time- Anything Goes
Pile it On- Focus on Warm Colors
Our Creative Corner- Forgotten supplies- dug out the burlap
Craft-Dee-BowZ- Anything goes with a handmade bow
Crafty Cardmakers- Winged things- burlap butterflies

Sweet Stamps also has a PINTREST page- HERE

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Blog Candy

I am cleaning some more..... I have more than I can use- I will give these sets separately- so you have 2 chances to win. Neither of these sets has ever been used.


 Just leave a comment to win. I will use Random.org on Friday 9/27 in the PM- when I get home from work.

If you post the candy on your blog, come back and leave a second comment and it will give you a 2nd chance to win.

Leave me an e-mail or a way to contact you.

I will ship worldwide

Thanks for stopping by and good luck!!
 Shelly

Friday, September 20, 2013

ATC's -Stamp Carving.....

My ATC Group theme for September was stamp carving. There are tons of video's out there, and more than one way to carve stamps for the beginner like me : )

 For my Swap ATC's, I tried to draw a flower and carve it, and did not do too well, so I found a picture on google and printed it out and went from there. The background is Glimmer mist sprayed onto cardstock, and the image is stamped with Versamark and embossed.


 You can see that I used a variety of carving supplies- erasers from the dollar store on the upper Lt, an eraser from Dick Blick that has  little engraved raised areas- made for cool texture in the flowers I stamped and the pink is Speedball carving block.

 This is the 1-4-1 ATC that I made using the blue and white stamp above and the dotted stamp (bottom LT). I used the end of a pencil- empty eraser/metal end piece and pressed it into the eraser I was carving on, and then carved around it- the other side of the eraser was also used, and is the opposite image where I carved out the circles- you can see I used it on my ATC.
  I took a doodling class at Create Chicago with Joanne Sharpe, and was trying to use some of my newly learned technique...... ( I am so end-processed thinking, that this is really hard for me!!!).  The eraser had little impressed areas in it- you can see them in the flower petal leaves.

 This is the beautiful ATC I recieved in the 1-4-1- made by Mary:

 For the group swap, many members made many different ATC's- so this is the selection I came home with:
Lt made by Carol ; Rt side made by Linda


Lt made by Diane- she made multiple shape stamps and used them in the background, Rt made by Mari


Lt made by Diane M ; Rt made by Cindy


Lt made by Harriet (using foam stamps- picture later), Rt Marci


 Lt made by Mary W ; Rt made by Deb- also using foam.

Here is how the foam stamps (by Harriet) were created:
On the Lt is a stamped image using the foam- which is glued onto a foam 'block'........

I loved this swap and will most likely be doing some more stamp carving- before I go though, I want to share a couple more pictures : )

 I had to take a pic of Diane M's 1-4-1 card- using the Chicago skyline as above- but in a Halloween theme- I just love this ATC : )    I am not sure who picked this one out of the hat, but it was not me, so I needed a picture......

After the swap, Diane S had index cards and Deli paper and we passed around the stamps we carved and stamped images........ here is a look at some of them.......

I love this group- it really has challenged my creativity!

Thanks for stopping by- Have a great day

 Shelly