An offer!

It's the boss here again! I was going to show you a piece of artwork I had done, but I haven't done one, so I can't!! Instead, I thought I would point you in the right direction for our wonderful offer in Craft Stamper for the March issue! As we designed the free stamp for the cover, we felt that a set of stamps that co-ordinated with it, at a very special price would be appropriate! Craft Stamper is always due out on the first Friday of each month, so you should be able to get ti in your local newsagent from Friday 4th February. The subscriptions always arrive a bit early :))

So for your information this is what you will get, if you fancy a set of stamps to go with your free stamp when you get your magazine :)

The link to the offer is here. You will get all 3 stamps plus an A4 sheet of Kling-On Repositionable Cushioning for £18.50 saving yourself £5.00!

Have a creative day!

Jennie

Getting To Know... Sioux Jenneys

Morning! Time for another "Getting To Know" the team interview, this time with Sioux... I have added a few pics of Sioux's work for you to drool over!



AS Introduce yourself, please tell us about yourself, your interests, likes/dislikes etc.

Hi! My given name is Susan Jenneys but I’m better known as my blog title Artyjen or just plain Sioux! I work in PA/accounts for a major fishing vessel owner in the beautiful port of Brixham in Devon. Making things of any sort has been a lifelong pleasure and I’ve dabbled in dressmaking, x-stitch, quilting, jewellery making, Fimo art and glass engraving before paper crafting took hold and then I discovered stamping and I had the thrill of a lifetime when I was chosen as Craft Stamper Magazine “Stamper of the Year” in November 2009. I love (in no particular order) classical music, travel, architecture, Van Gogh, cats, messing about on the computer, gardening (when my back lets me) and....erm....Richard Arimitage! LOL If I’m not creating something, I’m thinking about creating something and I hope my art journey will continue forever I hate pretentiousness especially in art and I dislike blue/rare steak!!I’ve recently been widowed.......but that’s a whole different ongoing journey.

AS What or who inspires you?

It seems that anything and everyone in life is inspiring but T!m Holtz really lit the flame when I bought his first DVD and started reading his blog back in 2007. His designs are just the sort of thing I would wish to draw myself if I could. Amongst other things that inspire me are books, films, music, the great outdoors, magazines and fashion design.

AS How do you make a piece of art..what is the process?

My brain gives me a vision (pity it never conjures up the winning lottery numbers HOL) and somehow I have to get close to it using the stamps I have....sometimes I just don’t have the stamps, so a bit of digital work will creep in to the mix. I seem do spend hours just pondering a piece but once I start I keep going with the flow....this sometimes means that I end up with something completely different to my starting point....nothing is ever dumped in the bin though..well, very rarely...I’ll just keep at it and end up with something I like in the end!

AS If your Mojo goes on holiday, what do you do?

Pack my bags and take off with him ‘cos no one is going on holiday without me!! LOL

AS What is your favourite technique?

Mmmm? Not sure on that one...I just love each technique I’m using at the time!! The simple answer would be stamping and layering images...I like to see images together that might not necessarily have been intended that way....I find that bit exciting (sad person that I am)!

AS If you were on a desert island and could only have 5 items of stash with you, what would you take?

OMG! Only 5!! I have oodles of stash....don’t you know I need it all?!! HOL

This is a tough question....erm...

My box of T!m Holtz stuff (It’s one box so it’s one item...right?)

Distress Ink (s)!

Scalpel

Loads of rubber!!

And erm.......Richard Armitage?!

So a very big thank you to Sioux for giving us a little insight into what makes her tick... I am seeing a recurring theme of Richard Armitage through this interview so... especially for Sioux (and you if you like Mr A... I do... a bit... ok, a lot LOL) Here is a piccie of the very man!

TTFN

Hels x

Alternative Valentines

Hi all, this is my final piece as Guest Artist for The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog so I thought with Valentine's being around the corner I would make a card that was a little different for the occasion.

1. Paint a piece of white card with Gesso, try not to cover the whole piece.
2. Sponge the Gesso with DI inks pumice stone and barn door.
3. Ink the Sequin Waste Open stamp with DI pumice stone and stamp randomly onto the coloured card.
4. Punch a large heart from glossy card, add Gesso randomly, as before.  Stamp the bird from the Airmail Bird Collage Elements sheet with VersaMark ink onto the heart, sprinkle with clear embossing powder and heat using your heat tool.
5. Sponge over the heart with DI pumice stone and barn door.
6. Hand stitch around the bird with black thread and add a button for the eye. Adhere the heart to the decorated panel and hand stitch around the heart with black thread, this lifts it a little from the background.

7. Stamp the bingo card (Stampers Anonymous Mini Muses Sheet) onto white card with DI pumice stone.  Stamp the number 14 again with DI black soot and adhere on top to give a 3D like appearance.  Matt the bingo card onto black card stock.
8. Using Tim's Odds and Ends stamp set, stamp the Happy ValentineS onto white card stock with DI black soot and sponge around the edges with DI barn door. Add the sentiment to a Memo Pin and adhere behind the bingo card and onto the decorated panel.
9. Add a Maya Road Wood Bingo Motif to the bottom right of the decorated panel.  Matt the completed piece onto black card stock and then onto a plain white card.

A final picture to try and show you the dimension on the card.

I have really enjoyed my time as a Guest Artist and would like to thank all the team for the opportunity, I have had a blast.  Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment they are much appreciated.  Tracy Evans x x

Star Journey! by Nicky Cresswell

Well ello my lovely blogging chums, so nice of you to stop by.

Today i have a humble tag to share.

A very simple distress ink background using wild honey & victorian velvet blended together.

Then lots of simple stamping using the Star Plethora set and Simple Swirls set

To make it a bit more interesting I stamped an extra star onto grungeboard and layered it up.

And i also threaded some wire intermittently along the lines for some added texture.

 I cut out a banner in grungeboard from the 'regal crest' alterations die, coloured using the same distress inks and then stamped the 'all of life' phrase in black archival ink.

I attached it to the tag using wire, all i did was to pierce some holes using a retractable craft pick and threaded the wire through like a coil.

I hope you have enjoyed my simple but fun project today.

***

Oh and don't forget

You still have time {just} to enter this months 'Things with Wings' theme challenge HERE.

Happy Creating

Mabel Lucie Attwell by Tina Barnett

Hi Crafty People!

I am back with one of my favourite stamps from The Artistic Stamper range of Mabel Lucie Attwell stamps.

I have gone all grungy again lol! This time I have stamped using Tim Holtz spiced marmalade distress ink.

I have only used this colour when shading the image and stamping the background. The grunge swirls are of course also Lord Tim of Holtz and also coloured with the same ink. Back to the background stamp, this wonderful stamp is the Baroque Background from The Artistic Stamper . It is a fabulous background! I can't stop using it!
I have aged the edges of the matts and the main card and sentiment. The matts and the sentiment have been paper pieced to give a different look.
The sentiment is brilliant! This is also from The Artistic Stamper in their sentiment range.

I have finished off with a few gems, ribbon and flowers to add and aged but bling finish! I have so much fun just using one colour! Give it a go and come back and leave me a comment so I can come and look.

Bye for now !!

Tina xxxxxxxxxx

'Time' by Alison Hall

Hi, Alison here again! This time I have a little Steampunk tag to share with you.


I started off with a manila tag, which was inked with tumbled glass, vintage photo and walnut stain distress inks. I stamped this with the cogs background, then embossed it with the Ten Seconds Studio Kabuka mould 7. I sanded off the embossing to reveal the original manila colour, and to show off the details. I inked the edges with tumbled glass distress ink.


Next, I stamped Phineas Pinchbeck onto white card, inked him with the distress inks, then cut him out. I added glossy accents to the watch, then attached a Tim Holtz charm clip to the bottom, and dangled a little handmade charm. I attached Phineas to the tag with foam pads.


I stamped the phrase from the Time & Keys plate, cut out the words separately, inked them, and added them down the right-hand side of the tag.

Finally, I sanded a Tim Holtz corner, added it to the bottom of the tag, then threaded some string through the top to finish.

Thanks for looking! xx

Perfectly Fitted - by Sioux Jenneys

Hello everyone! I decided to share an ATC with you all today:)

1. I started with a piece of white card that had been cut a little smaller than ATC size as I knew I wanted to mount it onto black card in the end.

2. Stamp the T!m eyeglasses from Stampers Anonymous in Versafine onyx black.

...this is important as the ink will resist the water you will put on later.

3. Apply a mask on the eyeglasses and use Distress Ink aged mahogany and peeled paint to ink up the Punk Plaid background and stamp.

4. Remove the mask and before the ink is completely dry use a brush loaded with water and paint over the entire background avoiding the eyeglass parts as you will be painting them later.

...I love how the colours mix in the middle there ;)

5. Reapply the eyeglass mask and using Archival crimson ink up the ticket from Ephemera 1 #48 plate and stamp around the two sides and the top.

6. Stamp the words " Perfectly Fitted", also from the Ephemera 1 #48 plate at the bottom in Archival coffee and remove the mask.

7. Colour in the eyeglasses with Distress Ink weathered wood using it as a watercolour.

Then distress the edges and age with the same weathered wood.

...I'm loving the weathered wood to provide a subtle colour that is not too blue...not too black....not too grey!! LOL

8. Stamp one of the butler images from Men's plate 001 #035 in Distress Ink aged mahogany and the other in peeled paint onto some Kraft coloured card.

9. Using a scalpel knife cut around the lens area of the eyeglasses and fix the two butler images behind.

10. Add the fabulous screw top brads to each corner and mount onto black card to finish.

I'll be seeing you again soon!

xoxo Artyjen

Take Four... By Hels Sheridan

Goodly day to you all... I have been keeping to my New Year Resolution of making a few cards a week so I have a nice big pile of them when I need one... and this card is totally inspired by a beautiful one made by Tina a few weeks ago. To see that card, please click here :O))




So, have you seen those GORGEOUS little Mabel Lucie Attwell stamps that are exclusive to The Artistic Stamper? This one I have used here is called It's Raining. All the deets on the designs available are HERE. I can't possibly say which one is my favourite because I love them all... they are so versatile and can be used to make "cute and pretty" cards as well as more vintagey ones like the one I have made here. I used just four Distress Ink pads to colour the image and the card: Old Paper, Frayed Burlap, Vintage Photo and Brushed Corduroy. I wanted to make a sepia look to the card and these brown tones just work so well to do that.




The image was stamped with Coffee Archival ink and then coloured using a waterbrush to pick up the Distress Inks. The best way to do this is to squidge your inkpad onto a craft sheet or acrylic block and then pick up the ink onto your brush... one thing that is a no-no is picking up ink directly from the pad... this will ruin your pad! I blended the edge of the image with Old Paper and edged with Brushed Corduroy.




The little flowers are made by stamping Dotty Dot Stitchel Flowers in all three sizes onto paper, cutting out and then edging front and back with Brushed Corduroy. To find all the goodies on this card, please click on the links through the post :O)) Thanks for looking!! TTFN

Hels x

Fresh Eyes! By Nicky Cresswell

As keen crafters we always want our monies worth when it comes to stash, 

and finding alternative uses a great way to do this.

Take this Architecture 1 set of stamps for example, Your thinking, buildings, architecture etc etc etc.. 

And for a long time that was all i though too until the other day when i was flicking through my stamps and my eye caught one from a different angle and BAM it hit me... 

What i was seeing wasn't a fancy sconce but with my fresh eyes i saw 

An Owl

I can't believe i hadn't seen it before, but there he was bold as brass staring up at me.

I happened to have my stash of friendly plastic out so i immediately thought Pendant.

{this owl was dull gold FP brushed with different colours of mica powder paint over different areas}

***

{this owl was just a patterned FP with some black stazon rubbed over the raised areas}

***

I stamped the sconce {owl} into heated friendly plastic and then let it cool and harden.

Next i cut it out leaving a little edge as best a could.

To create the pendant i attached the owl to a bamboo domino tile and wrapped more friendly plastic on the back to incase the tile and hold everything in place. This is somewhat of a tricky method as you have to be careful not to over heat and melt the owl.

I used a thin black cord stung down, across and back up through the tile to hang.

You could add a charm or beads to the cord, which i thought of only after i had threaded and put clasp findings on lol. 

You could also make these into brooches or toppers for cards. 

Try using UTEE or clay even, your only limited by your imagination.

So what will you discover with 'fresh eyes' today!

Nudes in the Frame by Alison

Hi Everyone! It's Alison here again, with my second piece of art for January.

One of the very first plates of stamps that I bought from The Artistic Stamper, was the Nudes plate. It has a beautiful set of images, and also some very useful words on it. You don't always need to use full images in your art, and I decided to use just the heads and shoulders of three of the images in a Mini Hanging Frame set.

First of all, I separated the frames, and took out the clear plastic and card inserts. Save the pieces of card to stamp on. I then covered the frames with the definitions tissue tape from the symphony set. I coloured the tissue tape with cool peri alcohol ink, then sealed it with a layer of multi medium, to stop the tape from peeling off.


I took three of the Nudes images, then stamped the heads and shoulders onto the saved card from the frames. It's easier to lay your card onto the stamps, to get the parts of the images that you want. As the card is a little bit glossy, I used Archival jet black ink.


I stamped some of the Words & Sayings from The Artistic Stamper, onto white card, cut out the single words I wanted, inked the edges, then added them to my images.

Finally, I re-assembled my frames, added some beaded trim (the ribbon was also coloured with cool peri alcohol ink), and a metal heart button.


I hope this has inspired you! Thanks for looking!

And The Winner Is...

...Many many thanks for all your lovely comments on the ATC Giveaway post... I have added the comments here (24) to the comments left on my own blog (40) which gives us 64 in total. Hey I can count a bit LOL. I have then added these numbers into Mr. Random.org and the number he has chosen is.....#39 which tallies with ANESHA's lovely comment. Here is a piccie of the ATC :O))




Thanks for looking... have a fabby Saturday and don't forget to pop back tomorrow to see Alison's amazing art! TTFN

Hels x

Time Flies When Your Having Fun By Tracy Evans

Morning all, I can't believe it is time for my second piece as Guest Artist, oh how time flies when your having fun and that is exactly what I have had creating my second piece for The Artistic Stamper Creative Team.

This time around I decided to decorate a canvas and as we are in the month of January I thought I would use chilly blues and bare trees to create a piece that represents January/Winter in some way.
1) Paint the canvas with one coat of Gesso.
2) Apply acrylic paints to the canvas, watering the acrylic down for the bottom half of the canvas so that the colour moves from dark to light as you move to the bottom.  Sky Blue and Smidge of Blue are perfect for this colour scheme.
3) Apply Pearl/Snow Cap Paint Dabber to the edges of the canvas to add to that frosty feel.  Apply Pearl Paint Dabber to the Open Sequin Waste and stamp onto the canvas. 
4) Add a few black lines with black acrylic paint and an old credit card.
5) Stamp the Bare Tree twice using StazOn black ink.  Add white gel pen to the edges of the bare branches and stamp the small Wren from the Free as a Bird sheet onto the branches.
6) Add one of Tim's clock faces from the Idea-ology range along with a TIME Word Stick which has had wings attached from the Heart Wings Die, cut from Tim's Vintage Shabby Paper Stash. FLIES has been generated on my computer and the edges sponged with DI Tumbled Glass.
7. Paint a mini canvas with the same acrylic paints.  Stamp the bird from the Airmail Bird Collage Elements onto tissue paper, cut out and adhere to the mini canvas.  Add a button for the eye and a mini crown.
8) Add twigs from the garden to complete.

This was a fun project to create, until the next time, Tracy.  Thank you for popping by and leaving a comment.

It's A Giveaway!!!

Good day to you all... it is time for another arty giveaway!! I have made a cute little ATC using some inks and stamps and a bit of embellishing for goodly measures. The base of the ATC is one of the fab ATC cards from Ranger. I glued this onto some mountboard as I wanted the whole ATC to be really sturdy as I knew I would end up bashing it and adding layers to it. The base card was coloured with Bundled Sage Distress Ink and I overstamped with an Artistic Stamper Script Stamp, using Bundled Sage again, I love this look of colour on colour, it really if effective to do a "faded" background. Next, I used Vintage Photo Distress Ink to blend around the edges. I cut another piece of mountboard for the sentiment... colouring this the same as the base and then adding a Tim Holtz mini sentiment in Ranger Black Archival ink. Over this I stamped the fly-away birds in Bundled Sage and then coated the whole piece with a generous layer of Rock Candy Cracklepaint.




I used another Tim Holtz Collection mini to add the fly-away birds using black ink - I just stamped these a couple of times so they are in perspective as they fly off the ATC. I used some garden jute to tie around the ATC, popping an Idea-ology birdy charm onto the knot of the jute and then adding Washers and Brads to the corners of the ATC... finally, I popped the crackled sentiment on some 3D foam and then assembled the ATC.



If you would like to own this ATC, please leave a comment here... all comments will be entered into Mr Random.Org and a number will be chosen at random on Saturday 15th January - I will also either email you or leave you a blog comment if you are the winner :O)) All of the lovely goodies used on this ATC are readily available from THE ARTISTIC STAMPER! Thanks for looking! Have a FAB day! TTFN

Hels x

Melt Pot Mad! by Tina Barnett

Hi Gang!



Now for a change to my card making I thought I would share with you some of my Melt Pot Madness!

I love to use Background stamps and embellishments together with my melt pot.

This is a script stamp by The Artistic Stamper.

I have used a Ranger frame, placed on the stamp and poured in the melted UTEE , so you get a beautiful piece of art to use on your cards. For the second piece I placed I clock embellishment in the center before I added the UTEE , . Both times I have removed the frame so that it can be used again. Make sure you use Versamark ink on the stamp so it will release more easy.
My next background is the Baroque background design by The Artistic Stamper
I have used different embellishments in the center, a round sentiment disc with a key, a crown and lastly a little black heart. I have left the black heart piece in the frame as I will make it in to a bracelet or choker necklace.
Next I used the Regency Background, available from The Artistic Stamper.
I have used a clock embellishment this time, you can see that the clock is partly under the UTEE , but this just makes it more interesting! I love how the UTEE , takes on the shape of the stamp and the metal embellishments. So much fun!!
Next up is The Artistic Stampers gingham type background. It's like a tiny grid design.
I have made two pieces of jewellery this time, using Tim Holtz button embellishments. I have to say I LOVE them!! As with the others I have brushed the finish piece with Mica Powders. I love the look, but if you wanted to you could bling them up more adding more embellishments such as a little butterfly or flower.
Now, the last piece is different to the others as I have taken a Mabel Lucie Attwell stamp, also available from The Artistic Stamper.
I have chosen part of the stamp and using the same method as before poured over the UTEE , . Once the piece sets you get a negative image of the stamp, I used some Metallic paint to colour the raised parts of the image. I will make a grungy card with this image to include this piece of art work some time in the future.
I hope you have enjoyed looking. The main thing to remember is to just have a play! The best thing is that if you don't like what you make you just melt it down again!

Once you start I bet you get as addicted as me!

Check out the The Artistic Stamper online store for details of the stamps and all your melt pot needs!

Have fun!!!!! See you soon.

Tina xx