Take It Make It Challenge: Winners Profile

Hello!

Welcome to our Winners Profile, showcasing the Design Winner of last month's Take It Make It challenge!

The very talented winner of the June 2018 challenge is:

Ksenija Rizova

find her here: http://sweetkobylkin.blogspot.com/

Ksenija won the challenge with this amazing card. We loved the wonderfully coloured flower, pefectly complimenting the glittered die cut word. Gorgeous!

We asked Ksenija a few questions 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 think it all started in 2010. I have been surfing Internet in search of a cooking recipe and came across some 

hand made cards. I got curious, because I have never heard about such a hobby before. I tried to make my 

own cards, googled for tutorials and searched other card makers’ blogs. My very first cards have never been 

straight, and I was replying that these were hand made. I know now that even hand made cards can have a 

very polished look.

Card making started as a hobby to channel my creativity, but today it means much more to me. I am active on 

different social networks, e.g. Instagram and Facebook, where I am a.k.a. @sweetkobylkin, and co-operated 

with many international challenge blogs and brands. Over the years I have met many talented designers from 

all over the world, some of the ladies I have met in person travelling and made friends with. I am happy that 

years ago I have discovered card making and found a passionate, sharing and supporting community of people.

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

A: I prefer floral outline stamps, because I enjoy colouring with different media – watercolours, 
alcohol markers and coloured pencils. One of my favourite techniques is die cutting on the 
edge, that is why I am always interested in new stamps with matching steel dies. I never miss
new releases by Simon says Stamp, Altenew, Hero Arts and Avery Elle. Frankly, the list of my
favourite stamp companies is much longer!
I am also keen on cards with cute critters and images. In July I joined two new Design Teams
: Pink And Main, USA manufacturer, and Create A Smile, the German company. Both 
companies produce high quality stamps with very original design.

Q: Describe your style, are you a 'messy' kind of stamper or do you have more of a clean and simple style?

A: Clean and Simple is my main style, for sure. My cards may seem very simple by design, 
but every card starts with a few sketches and careful positioning of all elements. I often use 
the Golden Section rule while making my cards and taking pictures of them. Although I enjoy 
Clean and Simple style cards, I do not like 'empty' cards. In my blog I give tips and hints on 
working with different layouts and techniques to avoid this 'emptiness impression' and still 
keep a card CAS.

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

A: Most of my cards are one layer or almost one layer projects. Lately I have enjoyed making 
cards with die cutting on the edge or off the edge. Masking is also one of my favourite 
techniques, helping to add depth to a card without adding multiple layers of paper.

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

A: There are several tools that are always on my crafting table – MISTI Precision Stamping 
Tool, a heat gun, embossing ink and a very fine white embossing powder for heat embossing 
sentiments. But my best discovery this year are Faber-Castell Polychromos coloured pencils.
This is my favourite colouring medium currently. These pencils blend easily, and 
cover the paper surface perfectly. I really enjoy using coloured pencils on non-white card 
stock and have blogged about cards made with black, pink, green and kraft card stock. It is 
amazing how bright a stamped impression looks coloured with pencils.

We also asked Ksenija to share some of her favourite stamped creations with us, and tell us why she likes them so much. Here is what she has chosen:

3 ways to colour using watercolours

On the edge die cutting.

Raised Die Cuts

Using masking in a frame.

Gull Gang card.

Using pencils on coloured card.

Congraulations on being our June Design Winner Ksenija, 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!