The new look October issue is out on Friday!

Our October issue is out on Friday and you might have noticed that we've had a bit of a revamp! We're still the same magazine you know and love but hopefully we're a little brighter and a little bolder and whole lot prettier! Order your copy of our October issue with free UK p&p from our shop or download your revamped Craft Stamper instantly from Pocketmags! We hope you enjoy it just that little bit more! 

The first thing you might notice is our arty new logo! We felt the old logo was a little too plain for our lovely creative readers so we've brought you this new, more expressive logo and we really hope you like it! On our cover this month is the delicately distressed 'Pretty Poppies' canvas project by Jenny Marples, an understated piece made up of layers of textures and subtle colours that will get you exploring all sorts of new techniques!

Inside our fab new issue you'll also find the spectacular project 'Glitter, Cluster, Cover' by Riikka Kovasin where she shows you how to create a glistening journal cover using vintage found objects. Just look at the shimmering gorgeousness...

This month Karen Hayselden brings you a fabulous tutorial on how to make large layered cone flowers in her 'Contemporary Cone Flowers!' project and Helen Chilton shows you how to produce your very own stamped and stitched fabric journal in 'Fantastic Fabric'...

If you fancy creating a precious Artist Trading Card, take a look at Georgie Connelly's 'Hidden Garden Gems' project where she creates an ATC inpsired by semi-precious stones. But if Brushos are more your thing then check out 'Birds and Brushos' where Claudia Neubacher encourages you to get experimental with Brushos to create an edgy journal page...

Sarah Anderson brings you the dreamy 'Stitched Daisies' project where she inspires you to dust off your sewing machine and combine your stamping and stitching talents! 

As well as all of these gorgeous projects we have two new features; Artist in Residence, which, each month, will showcase the work of a chosen artist from our creative community and Cafe Chat, which will work on bringing you bite sized reviews, recommendations and inside information from our lovely Design Team! 

We hope you enjoy our new style mag! Don't forget to pick up a copy and let us know what you think via our Twitter @CraftStamperMag or come and find us on Facebook! 

Happy Crafting! 

Take It Make It Challenge: August Winners!

Hello!
It's Winners time!

What a fabulous response to our August 'Take A Technique: Pens and Pencils' 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 41: Kim

 Congratulations Kim! We loved the rainbow of colour on the balloons, so bright and cheerful! Kim 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 24: Craftyfield

Entry Number 4: Willy

Congrats ladies! 

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

Chocolate Baroque

The prize is this wonderful stamp plate:

 The randomly drawn winner is:

Entry number 6: Gerrina

Congratulations Gerrina! I think you'll have many happy hours stamping with your prize!

Now the important bit!

  Winners, you need to need to get in touch with me in order to claim your prize! 
Please email me at: cs@traplet.com , and put TIMI Winner in the subject line, then I'll be sure to spot it!

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

Please check back TOMORROW for the launch of our September Challenge!

Blog Extra: Anneke De Clerck

Hello!

Our current Blog Challenge 'Take A Technique- Pens And Pencils' is running for a few extra days this month, due to the summer holidays!

As this is the last Friday in the month, we would normally be bringing you the winners today.... but instead we have a special treat, an blog extra project from one of our Craft Stamper Designers, Anneke De Clerck!

In our September issue, Anneke shared a gorgeous altered book project. Today we are sharing a variation on the theme... another wonderful journal page!

Anneke has shared how this page was created...

PROJECT TITLE: Enjoy the Flowers

INSTRUCTIONS:

Color the pages with gesso, paint and ink the same way as explained in the September issue of Craft Stamper.

Stamp large dots with turquoise paint by using parts of the Polka Dots background stamp. Stamp small dots and flowers with lime, white and turquoise paint. Try to overlap the background stamping. Create circles with white paint using a lid. Stamp text with black paint. Stamp small flowers and color them with paint. Add accents with both a black and a white pen.

Stamp the Carved Flowers with orange and magenta paint on scraps of paper, cut out and adhere to the spread as shown. Add shadow with a black water-soluble pencil.

Finish the spread off with turquoise paint dots using a needle tip applicator.

 

I just love the  lime and turquoise colour scheme, the bright pop of the scarlet flowers looks amazing!

Thank you Anneke for sharing!

See you next THURSDAY for the August Winners reveal, then next FRIDAY for the launch of our September Challenge!

(and don't forget you still have time to enter the August challenge, details HERE...)

Submissions Wanted: January Ready Set Stamp!

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

Colours: Claret, Fuchsia, Turquoise, Latte

Deadline for submission: 22nd September 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, your submission has not been successful. Please try again with a different card!

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery.
 . Please do not use stamps that are discontinued for this article. Also please only use stamps that are available to buy in the UK (the exception is stamps from advertisers e.g. Art Journey, De Stempelwinkel).
. We do not accept cards created with digital stamps ONLY for this feature. Digital stamps MUST be used in conjunction with real stamping to qualify.

· 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. The ideas given are simply that, ideas, and do not have to be followed to the letter!

· 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!

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 July 2015 challenge is

 Sara Emily Barker

From: www.sarascloset1.blogspot.com

Sara won the challenge with this beautiful card. We thought the tone on tone layering is amazing, with so many textures and details to look at, we loved it!

We asked Sara 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 first picked up a stamp around 8 years ago. A friend brought over some Close To My Heart Stamps and everything we needed to make a dozen Valentine’s Day cards.  I was hooked immediately and bought 3 sets of CTMH stamp sets from her daughter, who was selling them at the time. As is the usually the case, I put them aside and didn’t really work too much with stamps until about 4 years ago, when I started making a card a day for a VERY long time to send to my sister.  Since buying those first 3 sets, I’ve acquired easily over 2000 images, mostly through yard sales and other second hand sales! Obviously, I have many stamps yet untouched!

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

A: My favourite kind of stamps…all of them!  But if I must pick one, it would be a flourish.  I love flourishes! I guess that would be considered a background stamp.  Stampers Anonymous would have to be my favourite stamp company, because they make Tim Holtz designs! I keep two full bins of his stamps at my fingertips. I have some favourite wood block art stamps that I keep on a nearby shelf my friend made, but they are of all different makers. Everything else I need to dig for!

 

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

A: Messy, for sure!

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

A: I love making cards because they are quick, and they make so many people I know feel special when they receive one.  But if I had more time in my Closet, I’d opt for a 3D upcycle project any day!

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

A:  Narrowed down to one, it would be my Ranger Distress inks.  They are so versatile.  I can age something instantly just using Distress inks and water. I can use them as watercolors with a detailer water brush. Or they work great when used in conjunction with embossing powders.  I could keep going but space is short.

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

"It was hard to pick a favourite, but I’m quite proud of my Shabby Wedding Card, mainly because it is a style that is quite new to me.  I don’t usually do frilly shabby things, but this one practically made itself!  I was able to incorporate a lot of stamps into this, as well as try a lot of mixed media techniques. I’ve actually made this card in a variety of ways over and over again since this original was made, because I enjoyed making it so much!"- Sara

Congratulations on being our July Design Winner Sara , 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 Technique- Pens and Pencils" is still open for a little while! All the details can be found HERE.

See you on Tuesday 3rd September for the announcement of our August Winners! 

Blog extra: Georgina Ford

Hello!

In the September issue of Craft Stamper, Georgina Ford shares a wonderfully colourful project using masterboards. We all loved it, such a great idea!

Georgina is very generously sharing some more ideas on the blog today, so without further ado, let me pass you over to the lady herself!

If you have seen the current September edition of Craft Stamper, then hopefully you have seen and been inspired by my canvas project using Masterboards created with Ken Oliver's Color Burst.

After completing my canvas I still had lovely colourful pieces of Masterboard left, see below.

I have two projects to share with you using the remaining Masterboards; a split canvas and card. I used the same stamp set and stencils for these projects as I used for my magazine canvas. The stamp set is Eclectica Darcy 11 from PaperArtsy and the stencil is Petal A4 from The Artistic Stamper. For these two projects I decided to use the flowers just as they were on the stamp set rather than cutting them up.

For this split canvas I used  two Hobbycraft 10x10cm stretched canvas. The card is a 148x148mm white card blank.

For both projects I started by creating the backgrounds. For the canvas I worked directly onto the canvas. For the card I used a 135x135mm piece of white card for the background with I later attached to the card blank. I used the same background technique as I did for my magazine canvas. This is described in the magazine.

For these two projects I also stamped some of the grasses stamp along the bottom. I coloured this in with Pthalo Green Color Burst. I added the Color Burst powder to a little water and mixed to create a watercolour that I could paint with.

I stamped a selection of the flowers from the Darcy 11 stamp set with a VersaMark ink pad and them heat embossed with WOW Ebony embossing powder. I cut out the flowers and attached them and the background the card blank. I coloured in the stems with Pthalo Green Color Burst. The sentiment, also from the Darcy 11 set, was stamped with Jet Black Archival ink pad.

I stamped the flowerheads onto the Masterboards and again heat embossed with Ebony embossing powder. For the large flower I cut a yellow/orange piece for the base and a pink piece for the top layer. I cut the circles out of the pink layer so the base layer would show through.

I stamped, cut out and attached the remaining flower pieces to the card, as shown below.

For my second project, the split canvas, I started by creating the flowers, as shown below. Again I stamped the flower first onto white card and heat embossed. The flowerheads were then stamped onto the Masterboards, cut out and attached to the flowers.

I positioned the flower on the canvas and then turned the canvas over and marked a pencil link for where I needed to cut.

I cut the flower and attached the pieces to the canvases.

I marked and cut the other two flowers and then attached them to the canvases.

For the circles on the large flowers and the lines on the smaller flower I added Crackle Accents.

I hope you like my two projects using Masterboards and Color Burst. Why not give them a try? Happy crafting!

 

Thank you so much Georgina! Stunning!

Take It Make It August Challenge:Inspiration!

Hello!

Our current Take It, Make It challenge is a 'Take A Technique' challenge, and this months theme is:

 August Challenge:
'Take A Technique' 
PENS AND PENCILS

 For the August Challenge, we would like to to use your pens and pencils on your projects! You could draw or sketch a design, or use the pens and pencils for colouring. Copics, Distress Markers, Spectrum Noirs, watercolour pencils, paint pens and markers, whatever floats your boat! You could add detail with fine liner pens, gel pens or smudgy Stabilo pencil..... the only limit is your imagination!
 Remember though, there MUST be real stamping on your project. 
Digital images CAN be used, but must be used alongside rubber/acrylic stamping. 

We have had fun looking at the entries so far, and can't wait to see loads more!

The DT have created some more projects using pens and pencils for you to feast your eyes upon, brace yourself, there is rather a lot of eye candy on show!

Winner of the June Challenge: Samantha Wade

Elina Stromberg

 Elizabeth Robinson

Ellie Knol

Gio Zara 

Jackie Payne 

 Jolande van Oosterhout

 Kymona Tracey

Linda Walmsley

Mandi Mance

Nikki Killinger 

Shirley Bampton

Zoey Scarpelli

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 

Chocolate Baroque

This months randomly chosen entry will win this fabulous stamp plate:

How wonderful is that?!

 The Design Winner, voted for by our DT, will have their project published in a 2 page spread in Craft Stamper Magazine, will 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 your stamps out and share your creation?

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