Friday 31 July 2015

Take It Make It July Challenge: The Winners!

Hello!
It's Winners time!
What a fabulous response to our July '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 46: Sara


 Congratulations Sara! We loved the beautiful tone on tone colour scheme, so many layers of wonderful detail. Fabulous! Sara 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 :)


Congrats ladies! 


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

Art Journey


The prize is...............




Yes...all FOUR plates!



 The randomly drawn winner is:



Congratulations Marianne! 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 next Friday for the launch of our August Challenge!

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Reader Submissions Wanted: December Ready Set Stamp

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





Deadline for submission: 18th August 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!

Friday 17 July 2015

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 June 2015 challenge is

 Samantha Wade
From: www.craftroomdelights.blogspot.co.uk

Samantha won the challenge with this beautiful card. We loved it!





We asked Samantha 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 started stamping about 10 years ago, at a workshop in a small craft shop with a friend, we made very simple cards with penny black stamps.
Card making has really come a long way since then.

Q: What are your favourite kinds of stamps, and do you have a favourite stamp company?
A: Its quite hard to say what kind of stamps are my favourite , as i like background and main image.
Q: Describe your style, are you a messy kind of stamper or a more ‘clean and simple’ kind of person?
A: My style is precise, but I do love messy.

Q:What kind of projects do you like creating the most?
A: My favourite projects are mixed media, canvas, covering bottles and shabby chic.

Q: Apart from stamps, what is the one product you wouldn’t be without when you craft?
A: My go to products are Distress inks and Stickles star dust.

We also asked Samantha 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:





"Two of my favourite stamped cards, using stamps by Lavinia and Prima. I love the backgrounds, the stamped images and the bits of detail." - Samantha


Congratulations on being our June Design Winner Samantha , 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 little while, 5 weeks in July means an extra week for the challenge!! All the details can be found HERE.

See you on the 31st for the announcement of our July Winners! 

Friday 10 July 2015

Take It Make It July Challenge: Inspiration!

Hello!
Our current Take It, Make It challenge is a 'Take A Stamp' challenge, so this months theme is:

Anything Goes!
(just remember you must use stamping on your project somewhere!) 


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

Quick reminder though folks... please only include ONE project in your blog posts... we only want to see the single project you are sharing for our challenge! More than one project in a post sadly disqualifies the entry from the prizes :(
The DT have created some more stamped projects for you to feast your eyes upon, brace yourself, there is rather a lot of eye candy on show!

Winner of the May Challenge: Georgie Connelly



Elina Stromberg


 Elizabeth Robinson



Why not have a go, then enter your creation into our challenge?
We are sponsored this month by 

Art Journey

http://www.artjourney.nl/


This months randomly chosen entry will win these fabulous stamp plates (yes, all of them!) :







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!

Saturday 4 July 2015

Blog Extra: Kim Costello part 2!

Hello!

Welcome back for the second of the fabulous mixed media template projects by Kim Costello! Our cover star for the August issue, Kim,  has created a line of the most amazing mixed media templates, all designed to help you create the most fabulous faces. On pages 50 and 51 of the issue, Kim shares just exactly how to use the templates, with lots of really helpful step by step pictures. Whilst the 'how to' is really important, we all love a bit of eye candy inspiration as well.... so we are sharing two more projects by Kim here on the blog!

I really love this striking card Kim has created:


 Paper Piecing with Mixed Media Templates

Materials...
Paperbabe Stamps: Mixed Media template; Long & Fringe; Just Because Stamp set
Basic grey: Spice Market pattern papers
Sizzix: Tim Holtz Alphanumerics
Stampers Anonymous: Dot Fade Stencil THS006
Distress ink: Walnut stain

INSTRUCTIONS: Stamp the face outline onto patterned paper and cut out. Stamp the facial features, as the card shows. Use the hair template numbered one to draw the hair, and then cut out Add definition to the hair with white pen. On an orange piece of patterned paper, add distress ink through dot fade stencil. Die cut the word 'you' from black card and adhere to the top left of the card, then stamp the rest of the sentiment underneath with black ink. Doodle boxes around the stamped words with black and white pens. Ink the edges of the paper piecing and adhere the profile face in position, adding highlights to the lips and eye.
 

                                              

Kim has lots more projects and ideas using the templates over on her blog here: www.paperbabestamps.blogspot.co.uk

and you can purchase the mixed media templates from Kim here:


I hope you've enjoyed these bonus projects, look out for more from upcoming issues soon!
Have a lovely day!
Trish xxx

Friday 3 July 2015

Take It Make It Challenge: July!

Hello!
Welcome to the launch of our July Challenge!

As you might remember, this year our challenge is alternating between 'Take A Stamp', and 'Take A Technique'....and this month our challenge is 'Take A Stamp'!
So the theme is ....

July Challenge:
'Take A Stamp' 
Anything Goes!
(but remember you MUST use a stamp somewhere on your project!)

Show us how unique you can be...get your stamps out and share your cards, journal pages, layouts, 3D assemblage or whatever else takes your fancy. Your project can be any theme, any colour you want... as long as you've stamped somewhere then you're good to go!


We have two prizes on offer this month, the first is our sponsor prize.This winner will be chosen randomly from all of the entries in the challenge! The sponsor for July is

Art Journey

http://www.artjourney.nl/

Art Journey create and stock the most fabulous selection of stamps and stash, well worth a visit!

The prize this month is a stupendous selection of stamps... FOUR plates  in all:




How amazing is that? Our randomly drawn winner will be one lucky person!


Our second winner is our Design Winner. This winner is chosen by our DT, who all vote for their favourite design from all of the entries. This winner will have their winning project published in Craft Stamper Magazine, (with a 2 page spread of their very own!), they will have a GDT slot for an upcoming challenge, and will also feature in their very own Winners Profile blog post! 

I hope the prizes have given you all an incentive to win...... and how about some eye candy from the DT to give you some beautifully stamped  inspiration!














 




WOW! 
I have to say...there are some STUNNERS there, that's what I call inspiration!

 Want to enter?!
Then simply link up using the Linky Tool below! 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have a read of our challenge rules before you link up. Any entry that does not comply with all the rules will not be considered for either of the two prizes on offer. All rules can be found by clicking the link at the top of the page, under the banner!

We can't wait to see your creations.....
Good luck!

Thursday 2 July 2015

Blog Extra: Kim Costello

Hello!

Our cover star for the August issue is Kim Costello! Kim has created a line of the most amazing mixed media templates, all designed to help you create the most fabulous faces. On pages 50 and 51 of the issue, Kim shares just exactly how to use the templates, with lots of really helpful step by step pictures. Whilst the 'how to' is really important, we all love a bit of eye candy inspiration as well.... so we are sharing two more projects by Kim here on the blog!
 The first is this wonderful journal cover....


                                                           Moleskine Journal Cover

Materials Kim Used...
Paperbabe Stamps: Mixed Media template - Wavy; Just Because Stamp set
Caran D'ache: Neocolor II watersoluble: Vermilion; Orange; Yellow; Pink; Salmon; Raw Umber; Scarlet; Prussian Blue

 INSTRUCTIONS: Follow the instructions on the template to draw the hair, (follow steps three to seven as described by the step by step pictures, in the August issue of Craft Stamper). Scribble the Neocolor crayon, as shown in the face painting steps in the magazine . Using the Umber for shadows and the Pink and Salmon for the skin, blend with a damp brush. Use the Scarlet for the lips and Blue for the eye. Use the Orange for the hair, add the Vermillion to the shadow parts, blend with a damp brush. Stamp the sentiment, stars and freckles in a line, using black ink. Add lines for strings, and as a final touch, add highlights with white Posca pen.

Kim has lots more projects and ideas using the templates over on her blog here: www.paperbabestamps.blogspot.co.uk

and you can purchase the mixed media templates from Kim here:


There will be another extra project from Kim here on the blog on SATURDAY (tomorrow is the launch of our July blog challenge!)

So, see you tomorrow with lots of stamping inspiration from our blog challenge DT!
Have a lovely day!
Trish xxx