May issue out on Friday!

Our pretty in pink May issue is out on Friday and is not one to be missed! We have lots of gorgeous and inspiring new projects that will be sure to satisfy all of your crafty cravings!  

This month's issue is crammed with...

• Lally Isted's Calmer Chameleon where she shows you how to blend to perfection with Chameleon pens
• Fabric Fairy Art Doll where Riikka Kovasin combines sewing and mixed media to bring you an adorable art doll
• Helen Chilton's A Vintage Display where she uses one stamp to produce a whole host of beautiful butterfly makes
• Jaine Drake's Glittering Garden-Party Banners where you can learn how to prettify your outdoor space
• Pearlescent Perfection by Anna-Karin Evaldsson in which she shows you how to create a beautiful tone-on-tone effect using VersaMark and Pearlescent Pan Pastels
• Splattered Stamping where Jenny Marples enthuses you to attack a blank canvas with a liberal coating of gesso, gold acrylic paint and new splat stamps from IndigoBlu
• Liesbeth Fidder's Lovely Layering where she combines colourful hot pink and purple layers with vintage style stamps to bring you 'wow' cards
• Thank Ewe! where Sophy Haes shows you how to stamp some adorable sheep from a new set by The Isobel Craft Collection
• And Rainy Day by R. Maria Sabina where she uses glue and water to transform a plain scene to bring you a stunning stormy day with die cut imagery.    

So with a quick round up of the projects in this month's issue and a little sneak peek at the details we know you'll be running to the shops this Friday to grab your copy! You should be able to find a copy in all good craft stores across the UK or if you want yours instantly then you can download a copy from Pocketmags! If you want to make sure you never miss a copy then you can also call our friendly Customer Service team on 01684 588599 and subscribe! 

Happy stamping all!

Submissions wanted for Ready, Set, Stamp!

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


August

Surfs up – Think Bleached wood, cool and contemporary, Hibiscus flowers, Camper Vans, Hawaiian shirts, white distressing. Using a colour scheme of yellow/orange, taupe, turquoise and teal

Deadline for submission: 21st April 2015

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· 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 months.

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. 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.

We look forward to seeing all of your beautiful designs!

Craft Stamper Blog Challenge : DT CALL!

Morning!
We have had a couple of spots open up on our blog challenge DT, so we are looking for some talented stampers to join us!
Do you fancy it? We're all very lovely.....it's a great team to be part of :)

You need to be able to:

-Commit to making two STAMPED pieces of artwork to a specified theme each month. The DT term is six months, starting with the May 2015 challenge.

-Be able to take a good photo of your work for inclusion on the blog (this doesn't have to be pro standard but it does need to be clear, in crisp focus, and reasonably well lit);

-Subscribe to/be able to purchase/ at least have SEEN Craft Stamper so you know what our magazine is all about!

-Have a reasonably active blog;

-Have an active Facebook account. The DT is run via a closed FB group, so members must be able to access and participate in this group!

-Be prepared to promote your challenge artwork on your own blog, on Facebook and other outlets with which you have involvement;

-Be able to turn your artwork around promptly with relatively short notice (2/3 weeks).

You get to have your art featured on our blog alongside the regular CS DT and we will link your artwork back to your personal blog. We will also include your blog details on our sidebar.

If you want to be part of the Craft Stamper family then please send THREE examples of your best stamped work, along with a link to your blog to:
 craftstamper.blogdt@outlook.com

The DT call will close at midnight GMT on Saturday 11th April (you only have a fortnight, so don't delay!)
Successful applicants will be notified via Email on Sunday 12th April, and be expected to jump right in and start creating for the May challenge.

Good Luck!

Take It Make It Challenge: March Winners!

Hello!

What a fabulous response to our March 'Take A Stamp' challenge!

You lot are all so talented, we just loved looking through all the entries!

So...on to the important stuff, the winners!

As you will remember, from now on we will have TWO winners from each challenge, the Design Winner and the randomly selected Prize Winner. First up, I am thrilled to announce our Design Winner..

Entry Number 10 -  Karen

Congratulations Karen! So beautiful, those colours are simply stunning! We loved it! Karen will win a Guest Designer slot, a Winners Profile and of course her gorgeous project will be published in Craft Stamper Magazine.

As always, we have the remaining two slots in our Design Top Three to reveal, they are in no particular order)

Entry Number 140: Pamellia

Entry Number 4: Nikki Acton

Congrats ladies! 

Next...the randomly selected Prize Winner! This winner will be the lucky recipient of the prize provided by out wonderful sponsor,

PaperArtsy!

 

The prize is this fabulous set of paints, and the stunning stamp set:

 The randomly drawn winner is:

Entry number 153: Jane

Congratulations Jane! I'm very jealous, that prize is amazing!

Now the important bit!

  Winners, you need to need to get in touch with me in order to claim your prize! A link to my email address can be found by clicking my name in the 'posted by' line at the bottom of this blog post. 

Top Three Design Winners, also please contact me if you wish to receive a button to display on your blog.

Please check back next Friday for the launch of our April Challenge, we can't wait to see what you create, the DT are very excited about the theme!

Meet the team - Trish Latimer

Welcome to the latest in our regular series throwing the spotlight on some of the designers who create regularly for Craft Stamper. Mixed media with a quirky style and creative approach to all kinds of materials from fabric to wire and paint to book pages - it can only mean that today's spotlight falls on the highly talented and individual Trish Latimer...

Hello!

This feels weird…. A post about little old me on the blog, rather than me writing a post about someone else! 

Anyway…hello out there! I’m Trish Latimer, and I’m a stamp-a-holic… (and a paint-a-holic as well I think!). My first project for Craft Stamper was in the middle of 2008, and I’ve been a regular ever since. I love sharing techniques, ideas and quirky weird stuff with all the CS readers, so long may it continue.

I blame shopping TV for my stamping addiction! Channel surfing on the sofa whilst at home feeding baby number 1, I stumbled across a stamping demo…was very intrigued and the rest is history! It’s actually quite scary thinking that was nearly 20 years ago, I certainly don’t feel old enough to have a baby about to leave her teens!

Favourite Project #1

I chose this one because the technique involved is really messy! I know if I’ve had a fun playtime creating if I’m so painty I need a shower afterwards!

This project is blogged {here}

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

A: My style has evolved over the years into a messy, painty colourful kind of affair, with quirky figures, random quotes and (of course) plenty of stamping thrown in for good measure. I just love creating 3D assemblages, with Art Dolls being a firm favourite right now!

Favourite Project #2

I had to include an Art Doll, this is one of my favourites.

This project is blogged {here}

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

A: My inspiration comes from all over the place. I think my brain stores up all sorts of ideas and images, then turns them into projects, which are guaranteed to pop into my brain just before I go to sleep! Luckily, the ideas are still there in the morning when I wake up!

Favourite Project #3

I really love exploring my bonkers side, and I think this meditating cat sums this up quite well!

 

This project is blogged {here}

Looking through all those old projects has me itching to get back into my studio to get the paints and stamps out again….so see you soon!

Trish

www.inkpaintbeads.blogspot.co.uk

Thanks to Trish for a glimpse into her stamping world and to you for joining us on the Craft Stamper blog today, hope you've enjoyed "meeting" another designer!

Take It Make It Challenge: Winners Profile

Hello!

Welcome to our Winners Profile, showcasing the Design Winner of our last Blog Challenge!

The very talented Design Winner of our February 2015 challenge is

 Amanda Southern

From: www.amanda-momentsofinspiration.blogspot.co.uk

Amanda won the challenge with this fabulous project, showcasing her stunning use of colour and eye for detail:

We asked Amanda a few questions all about stamping (well, we are Craft Stamper after all!)

Q: How long have you been a stamper, and how did you get started?

A: I’ve been stamping for about 5 years and my obsession with rubber stamps started as my 5 year old niece, at the time, wanted to make a card for her teacher and my mum went and bought a few card making bits and bobs to put something together with her. She showed me the finished card and I thought “I wouldn’t mind doing that” and as they say “the rest is history”……..

Q: What are your favourite kinds of stamps, and do you have a favourite stamp company?

A: I have amassed a fabulous collection of stamps over the last few years, some would say bordering on obsessional!! I just call myself a collector! My collection of stamps I would compare to anybody’s music collection, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. My ultimate favourite stamps company is Stampotique I now have over 150 of their wonderful wooden. My current go to stamps are also Carabelle Studio, Dina Wakley and Vivalasvegas stamps.

Q: Describe your style, are you a messy kind of stamper or a more ‘clean and simple’ kind of person?

A: I’m not really a one style sort of stamper I enjoy producing a variety of styles, sometimes the styles I produce depend on the time I am able to spend in my craftroom. I go from multi layered mixed media projects that can take several days to complete to making a clean & simple card in a short time.

Q:What kind of projects do you like creating the most?

A: My favourite project would be one that I have an idea of what I want to do but by playing around with different mediums I watch it evolve into something I hadn’t originally thought of and of course it will always have some method of stamping within it. 

Q: Apart from stamps, what is the one product you wouldn’t be without when you craft?

A: Any type of paints, I love what you can do with paint to create so many different effects and looks to your project either straight from the pot or tube or mixed with something else.

We also asked Amanda to show us one of her favourite stamped creations,  and share why she likes it so much. This is the gorgeous project she has chosen:

"This is one of my favourites as it features stamps from my favourite stamp company, Stampotique. It is an ATB which I love making as you have all the sides to design. All the pieces I have used on it I collected myself from the beach." -Amanda

Congratulations on being our February Design Winner Amanda, and it was lovely to learn a little more about you!

Do YOU fancy having a winners profile all about you on the CS blog? 

The profile is part of the prize package for each Design Winner of our challenges. All you need to do is enter a creation into the challenge, then if you are voted Design Winner everyone will be reading all about you before you know it!

Our current challenge 'Take A Stamp' is still open for a few more days! All the details can be found HERE.

See you next Friday for the announcement of our March Winners! 

Take It Make It March Challenge: Inspiration

Hello!

Our current Take It, Make It challenge is a 'Take A Stamp' challenge, which means a very broad Anything Goes theme. You must use a stamp somewhere on your creations, but apart from that, let your imagination go wild!
 We have had fun looking at the entries so far, you lot are very creative!

The DT have been having loads of fun creating some more more projects for you to feast your eyes upon, brace yourself, there is rather a lot of eye candy on show!

Winner of the January Challenge: Hermine Koster

  Elina Stromberg

 Elizabeth Robinson

Jackie Payne 

 Jolande van Oosterhout

 Kymona Tracey

Linda Walmsley

  Nikki Killinger

  Renee Zarate

Shirley Bampton

 Tracy Easson

Trish Latimer  

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 
PaperArtsy

This months randomly chosen entry will win these two fabulous prizes:

How wonderful is that?!

 The Design Winner, voted for by our DT, will have their project published,  have a guest DT slot for an upcoming challenge, and ALSO gets their very own winners profile here on the blog....so why not get stamping, we'd love to see your creation!

All the details can be found HERE....
Have fun!