New Look Website!

As part of our Birthday celebrations we've had a bit of a facelift over on the Craft Stamper website.

As well as a pretty new colour scheme and an easier to use layout, we've added a couple new features too.

First of all there is a brand new Gallery where you can upload your fabulous stamped creations to share with other Craft Stamper readers. We'd love to see what you made that's been inspired by CS or which uses our free stamps, as well as general stamping work.

Secondly there is a new 'Ask the Editor' feature where you can pose your questions about stamping and the team will try to help with your dilemma!

Links to both these new features are on the home page of the new site.

Have a fabulous and fun bank holiday weekend.

Katy x

CS celebrates 10 years!

Our June 2010 issue marks ten years of Craft Stamper magazine, and to celebrate we have a BUMPER ISSUE with eight extra pages of loveliness for you to enjoy. As well as extra pages we’ve also got a special birthday competition with ten fabulous prizes up for grabs, and a little retrospective of ten years of favourite articles from readers and contributors.

But that’s not all! Our website is having a makeover too with a new look and new features for you to enjoy - more on that soon.

The bumper issue is on sale 7th May 2010 – make sure you don’t miss it!

Favourites?

I was chatting with CS regular Helen Chilton the other day and funnily enough we got onto the topic of stamping (can't imagine how that happened LOL). We got onto inkpads and starting to chat about our most used and loved inks, and Helen suggested this topic could make a fun blog post.

If you set aside situations where you have to use a specific ink for a specific technique or surface, I think inkpad choice is really a very personal one. Ask ten stampers which is their favourite inkpad and you'll quite possibly get ten different answers!

My favourite cannot-live-without inkpad is my Archival Coffee one (if anyone knows where I can get a re-inker for this by the way I'll be eternally grateful - I keep having to buy new pads!). I use brown a lot in my stamping; I find it softer than black and this inkpad has a lovely warm, rich colour and great coverage with solid stamps (a favourite of mine). Also - and this could be an overactive imagination - I think it smells a little like coffee.... weird but also quite cool. (I should probably say here in the interests of self-preservation that I am in no way recommending sniffing inkpads!!!).

Helen on the other hand loves her black StazOn and uses it for just about everything. I can see why; this ink will stamp onto practically any surface, even really slick ones like glass and plastic. And as you know Helen does rather like to stamp on unusual things! This inkpad a good all rounder that's for sure.

So, what's your favourite inkpad and why? We'd love to know (not for any reason, we're just nosey)!

Annette again

You may remember Annette Goatley's Reader Submission in the March issue? It was a fabulous pair of ATCs?

Well, Annette has been in touch with me again this week as she has made the most gorgeous project inspired by Helen Chilton's masterclass from the latest issue. Isn't it lush?

I've just shown you the front here - pop over to Annette's brand new blog for more images of the inside and back.

Thank you for sharing Annette :).

Talented readers!

I hope you enjoyed Liesbeth Fidder's tutorial in our latest issue? Well reader Janet certainly did! She's created a lovely card using the techniques in the magazine which you can see on her blog here.

Thank you for getting in touch to share your project Janet!

Katy x

New issue out Friday 2nd April

Yep, it's that time again! The next issue of Craft Stamper - May issue - is out on sale this week.

Lots of lovely projects this month to inspire you. We have a gorgeous background tutorial from our new face Liesbeth who I introduced to you yesterday; we have some clever easel cards made from Nestabilities dies; Stamping for Scrapbookers shows you how to make a texture paste frame... and lots more of course.

We have exciting things in store for our June issue as it's our tenth birthday issue! More news over the coming month.