Take It Make It August Challenge: The Winner!

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much to all those who played along with our August challenge - Your favourite CS technique from the magazine in 2014 so far! The DT loved looking at all the great projects, it was really interesting to see which techniques you all love!

The standard of the entries was really high this time, but there can only be one winner! That honour goes to.........

Entry number 15: Ruth

 Congratulations Ruth!
We were totally blown away with this Ruth, the rusty awesomeness (is that a word?!) is phenomenal!

The winning entry will be published in Craft Stamper Magazine (I hope you kept it somewhere safe), and the winner will also receive the fabulous prize from our sponsor

 As well as our worthy winner, we also have the remaining two spots in our Top Three to reveal! In no particular order, they are..... drum roll......

Entry Number 1: Hermine
Entry Number 16: Alex

Congratulations ladies!

If the Winner could Email me (just click the 'posted by' name at the bottom of the post), then I can pass on all the details about the prize, publication and of course the Guest DT slot! Top Three, please Email me for your winners buttons to display on your blogs!  For anyone else who would like to, please feel free to grab the button below....

 A huge THANK YOU to all those of you that took part in the August challenge!

Don't forget, Take It, Make It challenges are now monthly! The first Friday of every month will see the start of the next challenge.... so check back here next Friday, 5th September to see which technique is next!

Meet the team - Clare Buswell

Hello and welcome to the latest in our regular series turning the spotlight on some of the designers who contribute regularly to Craft Stamper. Featured today is Clare Buswell, a designer whose style is often textured and ranges from the clean and graphic to the romantically layered. So in her own words...

Hi! My name is Clare Buswell and I live in Ireland. I joined the Craft Stamper design team in 2013 and I’m really enjoying the experience.

I started stamping back in 2009, when I purchased some clear stamps, I was hooked straight away. I was amazed to discover the vastness of the online creative community and wanted to be part of it, so I started my blog. 

Coming from a graphic design background
I really enjoy card-making, so cards are my main focus. I have a passion for stamping of course but I also like quilling and making paper flowers. Painting brings me real joy too, so I try and incorporate that into my work, in my art journal and with mixed media projects.

Favourite project #1: I love the watercolour trend in card-making, I really like the softness of the look. I heat embossed the stamped images and used Distress Markers and water to create the watercolour effect.

{this project is blogged here}

Q: Do you have a signature style or favourite technique?

A: My style can vary, I like to create quite layered cards with lots of texture and I really enjoy fussy cutting stamped images. I also like to create simpler cards with less layers that really focus on the stamped images. I love trying new techniques and I am constantly learning. 

Favourite project #2: This card was in the April issue of Craft Stamper, it really reflects my style with the stamped focal point, fussy cutting and handmade flowers.

{this project is blogged here}

Q: Where do you look for inspiration before you start on a project?

A: When I start a new project I usually focus on the colours first. I use Pinterest to source great inspiration photos and choose colours from a photo to inspire my work. When I’m not crafting you’ll usually find me in the garden, I’m a big lover of nature and this also inspires my work.

Favourite project #3:  At the moment I’m really enjoying creating hand-carved stamps from rubber blocks. I chose this card because it’s one of the first cards I made using only hand-carved stamps. I love the process and how instant the results are!

{this project is blogged here}

Favourtie project #4: I chose this dreamcatcher bookmark as my final favourite project because I used a stamp set that I designed to make it. I use this bookmark every time I start reading a new book and it reminds me to always pursue my dreams.

{this project is blogged here}

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little better today!

I hope you've enjoyed this wee peek into Clare's crafting. Please join us again next month as the spotlight falls on another Craft Stamper regular!

Cards wanted for Ready, Set, Stamp!

We are looking for submissions for our Ready, Set, Stamp feature on the following theme for the December issue of Craft Stamper. If you've always wanted to see YOUR card in print, now is your chance!!!

Santa Baby: Traditional Christmas cards featuring good old Saint Nick Colours = Traditional Xmas – red, green and gold (gold, not yellow!)

Deadline for submissions = 1st September 2014

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· We are looking for new and unpublished work ONLY please

· Please put 'Ready Set Stamp' followed by the theme in the subject line

· Please note that due to the number of submissions it's not possible to contact every entrant individually - if you have not heard from us within one week of the closing date please try again next time

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery

· Cards which are selected need to be posted to the Craft Stamper offices in the UK

· This call IS open internationally

· Note that we do choose artwork as it arrives, so please don't wait until the last minute to submit if your cards are ready

· Cards will be returned at our expense, along with a complimentary copy of the magazine in which your card features. Note this can take approx. three month

· All cards should be suitable for an intermediate crafter to complete in around 20 minutes including drying time. Please keep your cards simple and remember that you may be a quicker than average worker

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. The colour scheme is a guide only – you don’t have to be exact but try to be as close as possible. You can use the colours in any proportions to suit your design as long as all three are used. You can add black, white and metallics to any of the schemes

· Text for this article is required (don't worry - it is short!) and should be entered into the document provided – this will be sent to you if you are selected

Take it, Make It August Challenge: Inspiration!

Hello!

Our current Take It, Make It challenge is all about making decisions....choosing which great technique from the whole of 2014 (so far) to have a go at! Any technique from any 2014 issue of Craft Stamper is up for grabs....but can you decide?!!
If you are new to Craft Stamper, and have no back issues to look through, don't panic! Have a look back through our past challenges, there are plenty of 2014 techniques on show that you can have a go at, not forgetting last weeks challenge post!

The DT have been having loads of fun creating some more projects for you to feast your eyes upon, maybe you fancy playing along using one of these techniques!

Winner of the June Challenge: Elaine Place
Using: The repeat stamping with a small stamp technique by Lydia Brooke Evans, March issue.

  Dot Allan
Using the Bleach Blocking technique by Hels Sheridan, July issue

  Elizabeth Robinson
Using the Stamping with embossing folders technique by Helen Chilton, March issue.

  Linda Walmsley
Using the Embossing Powder resist technique by Anna Karin Evaldsson, August issue.

 Renee Zarate
Using the Embossing Powder resist technique by Anna Karin Evaldsson, August issue.

  Shirley Bampton
Using the altered plant pot technique by Anneke De Clerck, June issue

Tracy Easson 
Using the potato stamping technique by Helen Chilton, June issue.

 Wow! Now THAT'S what I call inspiration!

Why not have a go, then enter your creation into our challenge?

We are sponsored this month by the fabulous Sarah Hurley:

The prize is this set of gorgeous stamps:

 There is also the chance to be published, AND a guest DT slot up for grabs....so why not get out those back issues and start choosing your favourite technique?

All the details can be found HERE....

Have fun!

Taking It A Little Further With Lydia

By Lydia Brooke Evans

Hi there and Happy Thursday! I hope you are all having a great week so far :) So it's my time of the month to post here on the Craft Stamper Magazine Blog, every first Thursday I'll be sharing a card taking an idea from my article that month.

In the August issue my card was featured in the Distress To Impress article. Now when I first started at Craft Stamper this is the last article I thought I would be doing as my Clean And Simple style just doesn't fit with the beautiful grungy and vintagy that are usually featured but.... after playing round with some Distress Markers and water and found a kind of Distress love that I can pull off :)

I have used the same technique as I did in the magazine of laying down a little Distress Marker colour and then dragging it out with clean water and a paint brush. Both the cute lil bunnies and the sentiment are from the Lawn Fawn set 'Hello Baby' and have been stamped in Archival ink so the ink wouldn't bleed when watercolouring.

If you have created something that was inspired by my article I would totally love to see it! Leave a link to your project in the comments section. I'll pop on over and take a look.

Hugs, Lydia xxx

Around the House: Bonus Projects!

Our September issue is on sale now! Available from WHSmith and many good craft shops as well as from our shop with free UK P&P for a limited time, or as a digital download. In this issue we have a fantastic ‘Around the House’ project from Jenny Marples (p.44-45) using forks to create amazing, unique backgrounds. Here we bring you two bonus project ideas from Jenny using this fun technique. So get your forks at the ready!

Jenny's main project in the September issue of Craft Stamper p.44-45

Materials
Stamps Jenny used...
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp Set: Nautical Blueprint
Other materials...
IndigoBlu Gee-Sso Good!: Black
IndigoBlu English Cottage Artist’s Acrylics Paint: Goldfinger
Distress Paints: Black Soot, Forest Moss, Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Peacock Feathers, Antique Linen, Tattered Rose
Distress Ink: Wild Honey
Archival Ink: Jet Black

Ranger Embossing Powder: Clear
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Grungepaper
Core’dinations Card Tim Holtz Distress Collection
Shells
Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste: Black
Distress Glitter: Clear Rock Candy
Glossy Accents
Twine

Rope 

Fork

Seaside Chalkboard

1 

Having painted the board with Black Gee-Sso Good and dried it thoroughly, apply black embossing paste to the bottom in a random fashion with a palette knife and leave to dry.

2
Beginning at the bottom of the board drag your fork through the paste in a wavy motion, repeating this process to create a pattern of curved channels. Allow this to dry.

3

Allow a mix of water and Forest Moss, Pine Needles and Evergreen Bough Distress Paints to run through the paste channels in turn drying thoroughly between each colour.

To finish the chalkboard:

Add some of the nautical shapes, clear embossed and shaped, with die cut fronds and Grungepaper letters covered in Goldfinger paint. Having punched holes in the top of the board thread with a piece of rope and knot.

The finished chalkboard project

Seashell Card

1

Apply Pine Needles, Peeled Paint and Forest Moss Distress Paints to your craft mat then drag your card through it. Mist with water and allow it to blend.

2

Once the first layer of paint is completely dry, apply a layer of Peacock Feathers Distress Paint across your card, ensuring you cover it completely.

3 

Whilst the paint is still wet drag your fork through it both horizontally and vertically in different areas to create a hatched pattern over the card.

To finish the card:
Stamp one of the nautical shapes onto the base with Archival Ink. Add pieces of twine before layering over the corresponding nautical shape, covered in Rock Candy glitter and die cut frond shapes. Finally adhere the corresponding word, covered in Glossy Accents, and mat the background onto coordinating card.

The finished seashell card

Go Shopping!
Tim Holtz Nautical Blueprints stamps and Ranger Clear Embossing Powder available from Art From The Heart, 01423 873739
IndigoBlu paints and gesso available from IndigoBlu, 01777 701980
Distress products and Archival Inks and Grungepaper available from The Artistic Stamper, 01795 597757

We hope you enjoy these extra design ideas and the other fabulous projects in our September issue! To see more of Jenny's work, visit her blog.

Stamping Contrasts: Darkroom Door

In our Stamping Contrasts article this month (September 2014, p.20-23) our designers got to experiment with these cute, chunky Carved Houses stamps from Darkroom Door. Here Rachel Greig, one of the owners of Darkroom Door, shows us another example of how these versatile stamps can be used! Don't forget to enter our Facebook competition where you could win a set of these fantastic stamps for yourself!

Sunshine Street Card 

By Rachel Greig

Materials
Rubber Stamps: Darkroom Door – Carved Houses (DDRS130); Alphabet Medley (DDRS026); Simply Circles (DDRS071); Sunshine Background (DDBS033); Dots Background (DDBS004); Brick Wall Background (DDBS034). Inks: Archival Ink – Jet Black, Chrome Yellow, Aquamarine, Vermillion, Sienna, Viridian. Other: White and yellow cardstock; foam adhesive; double sided adhesive; Sizzix Dies – Tattered Banners #657179; EK Success Scallop Circle Punch

1. Stamp two different sized Darkroom Door Carved Houses using Viridian and Aquamarine ink pads onto white cardstock. Stamp the house rooftops a second time onto white cardstock using Vermillion and Sienna ink pads.

2. Ink up a Carved House using Vermillion and using the ‘kissing’ stamp technique, press a clean Darkroom Door Dots Background stamp onto the inked stamp. Stamp the house onto white cardstock and you will see the faint dots pattern show up on the stamped house. Repeat this technique on a different house using Sienna ink pad and 'kissing' the house stamp with the Darkroom Door Brick Wall background stamp to create the look of a brick home. Trim all houses and contrasting rooftops with scissors.

3. Stamp the Darkroom Door Sunshine Background onto 13.5cm x 9.5cm light yellow cardstock using Chrome Yellow Archival Ink pad. Adhere to white cardstock and onto a folded yellow card.

4. Assemble the stamped houses onto the bottom of the stamped Sunshine Background. Adhere the houses using double sided adhesive and the rooftops with 3D foam adhesive.

5. Stamp a small circle from Darkroom Door Simply Circles stamp set onto white cardstock using Chrome Yellow Archival Ink. Punch out using a scallop punch. Adhere to centre of sun ray with 3D foam adhesive.

6. Die cut a tattered label using white cardstock. Stamp ‘Sunshine Street’ using Darkroom Door Alphabet Medley stamps and Jet Black Archival Ink. Adhere to top of the card.

Take It, Make It Challenge: August!

Hello!
I am very excited to announce.... *cue drum roll*..

The brand new August Challenge!

We loved all your entries last month featuring the Embossing Powder Resist technique, we were thrilled to see so many! We can't wait to see all the projects featuring this months theme!

What Can You Win?

For the August challenge, we are delighted to be sponsored by Sarah Hurley!

As well as loads of wonderful scrapbooking supplies, stash and digital downloads, Sarah also has an exclusive, very extensive range of wonderful stamps!

The prize for the August challenge is this set of superb designs:

How fab are they? Love them!

PLUS:The Design Team will have a look at all your gorgeous work, and choose their Top Three..... and the overall Winner will get published in Craft Stamper magazine! Yes, the winning entry will appear in the UK's number one stamping magazine!

AND: The Challenge winner will be offered a Guest Designer spot for an upcoming challenge!

So, to recap....Three sets of fabulous Sarah Hurley stamps, Publication AND a Guest DT spot? Sounds good to me!

Now for the Challenge details!  
We want to see how you lovely lot tackle a technique showcased in Craft Stamper magazine.

After all, that's the name of the challenge- Take a technique, and Make it your own!
As we are now in holiday mode, we thought we would give you all a very broad theme for a change. We would like you to look through all your back issues of Craft Stamper from 2014 so far, and choose you favourite technique to share with us!
 So, we would love to see your creations using 
 Any technique, from any 2014 issue of Craft Stamper!
There are nearly 200 techniques to choose from, so good luck with the decision making!
We HAVE to have the name of the technique, the name of the designer that demonstrated it  in the magazine, and which months issue it came from somewhere in your blog post, so make sure you make a note of it! Otherwise, you could be creating something that has nothing to do with Craft Stamper at all, and we can't have that, can we!!!!

Along with some of the regular Craft Stamper DT, the Take It , Make It DT have chosen their favourite techniques from 2014 so far, and created some fabulous eye candy!

If you click on the artists name, it will take you to their blogs, where there may well be loads more pics of these gorgeous creations!

Dot Allan
Using: The stamping with household items technique by Birgit Koopsen, February issue.

 Elizabeth Robinson
Using: The stamping with embossing folders technique by Helen Chilton, March issue. 

Georgina Ford
Using: The bleach blocking technique by Hels Sheridan, July issue.

Kim Costello 
Using: The 1 layer with masking and ink blending technique by Lydia Brooke Evans, June issue.

Linda Walmsley
Using: The bleach blocking technique by Hels Sheridan, July issue. 

Nikki Killinger
Using: The ink splatter technique by Ali Johnson, January issue. 

Renee Zarate
Using: The Embossing powder resist technique by Anna-Karin Evaldsson, August issue.

Riikka Kovasin
Using: The Tape Texture background technique by Magda Polokow, May issue.

 Shirley Bampton
Using: The distress paint marbling technique by Liesbeth Fidder, March issue.

Tracy Easson
Using: The potato printing technique by Helen Chilton, June issue

WOW... now THAT'S what I call Design Team inspiration!  

  Have we inspired YOU to have a play and enter? Yay!!!

All you need to do now is have a read through the boring (but essential!) rules and guidelines, then upload your entry using the Linky tool at the end of the post! Can't wait to see what you create!

Do you love our challenges as much as we do? Feel free to grab the button and display it with pride!

 Guidelines for Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge

• Entry dates: Friday August 1st 2014 -  midnight Wednesday August 27th 2014
• Winner to be announced in a blog post here: 9am Friday August 29th 2014
• All entries must feature a technique from a 2014 issue of Craft Stamper magazine.
• All entries must state WHICH technique, WHICH issue and WHO wrote the original article in the magazine. Please see DT samples above for the information we require!
• All entries must contain stamping.
•  No digi stamps please, unless combined with actual stamping. 
• Projects can be of any theme, any colour. 
• Projects can be a card, layout, journal page, art panel, tag, 3D item, anything at all, as long as it follows all guidelines and features that months technique.
• The winning entry MUST be posted to the magazine for photography before it can be published. Please keep hold of your entry, we cannot publish in the magazine images sent via computer.
• Entry is via the linking tool at the end of the post. We are very sorry that we can't accept email entries to this challenge. Please provide deep links to your actual project post, not just a link to your blog (to do this, click on the title of the relevant blog entry and copy/paste the URL in the relevant box when uploading your entry). The DT will not go searching your entire blog for the project we want to see!
• No backlinking.
• New work only please, not work previously published anywhere else.
• Entry is welcome from anywhere in the world.
• Multiple entry is welcomed, as long as each project has a separate blog post, is original, and fulfils all the entry requirements. One project per post please!
• Entries can be combined with other blog challenges.
• An obvious link back to the Craft Stamper Blog must be included in your blog post.
• The September 2014 challenge will be announced here on Friday September 5th 2014, at 9am.

PLEASE consider turning off word verification on your blog. It is very difficult for the DT to comment on as many blogs as we would like to when word verification slows us down!

Competition rules: Competitions/giveaways are open to all (including overseas readers) except employees of Traplet Publications Ltd and their families; regular contributors to any of Traplet Publications’ magazines; employees of our printers; or anyone connected with the prizes offered. By entering the competition you accept that your project may be printed in the magazine. All entries must be received by midnight on the specified closing date. There are no cash alternatives and prizes are non-transferable. We reserve the right to use the winners’ name/work in any Traplet-produced literature including, but not exclusive to, our website and marketing materials. Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.