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 December 2016 challenge is

Amanda Pink

 From: http://www.ink-a-pink.blogspot.co.uk/

A HUGE congratulations to Amanda... our first ever double winner!
We loved the amazing textures in the canvas, a wonderful wintery effect!

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

As Amanda has already answered our usual questions, we changed things up a little this month!

Q: Do you think your stamping/mixed media style has changed since you began stamping, and if so, how?

A: I’m not so sure my style has changed as I still love to create grungy , vintage , arty type projects in the main but I do think it has evolved over time and will hopefully continue to do so as I gather even more experience , experimentation and knowledge . The creative journey is one enthralling ride!

Q: Do you have a ‘go to’ technique that you love to use?

A:  I love trying out any technique but I guess if I had to choose a ‘go to’ it would be Tim Holtz wrinkle free distress technique or maybe a crackle technique.

 

Q: Do you have a favourite colour combo?

A: Now that changes all the time as I discover and try out new combinations of colour.  I’m always happy to be working in any shade of blue and I have a lot of love for the classic monochrome combo – black, white and grey/ silver.

Q: Inks or paints? Or both?!

A: Both for sure. A crafter can never have enough of either, right?

Q: Can you remember the first stamp you ever bought…. And do you still use it?

A: That would be a wood mounted stamp -‘Spikey’ by Stampotique.  I  knew little about the popularity of the brand at the time ,  just loved Spikeys funky look.  She used to see the ink regularly (before my blogging days) but  I have to admit I have neglected her of late . I’m sure though she will make a ‘comeback’ appearance soon.

We also asked Amanda to show us a few of her favourite stamped creations,  and share why she likes them so much. Here are the gorgeous projects she has chosen:

"I love this tag as I used one of my favourite stamps ,techniques and colours  to create what is for me a very emotive tag – the kind of art I love to create" - Amanda

"I’m a big fan of Tim Holtz and I used alot of his products and techniques creating this Christmas panel which when displayed adds a real warmth to my home every Christmas" - Amanda 

"I love the pastel tones of this canvas and how the gorgeous butterfly (another one of my fave stamps) takes centre stage " - Amanda

Congratulations on being our December 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: Anything Goes' is open until January 25th, so still lots of time to enter! Don't forget the fabulous prize, the wonderful sheet of RubberDance house stamps!

  All the details can be found HERE.

Exclusive Blog extra: Hannah Oxberry

Morning!
We are thrilled to have Hannah Oxberry, winner of our November Take It Make It challenge, as our Guest Designer this month!
We loved the tag she created for our Inspiration post on Friday, and Hannah has very generously created a step by step tutorial to show how she made it!

Over to Hannah....

Step 1

Draw modelling paste through a brick weave stencil onto a greyboard tag. Once the paste is dry gesso the whole tag. To create the background colour, wash paynes grey over the tag, ensuring a darker wash collects between the raised bricks.

To highlight details, dry brush the tag with white gesso.

Step 2

Add detail to the background of the tag by stamping an abstract pattern in areas, build up the stamping by using black, red and white colours.

Step 3

Add an embellished flourish of hearts to your tag. Give them an aged paper look by painting them in titan buff and building a wash of paynes grey and quinacridone gold over the top. Stamp them with a script stamp in black.

Step 4

Paint in red an MDF heart, stamp with a postage mark in black and also edge the piece in black. Add a bolt embellishment for interest and set raised to the centre of the aged paper effect hearts to finish your focal motif.

 Tie hemp cord through the top of the tag to finish.

 Thank you so much Hannah.... the textures are just gorgeous!
To check out more of Hannahs amazing work, check out: www.hannahoxberry.com

Take It Make It January Challenge: Inspiration!

Hello!

Our current Take It Make It challenge is in full swing, with some amazing entries so far!

Just in case you need a little more inspiration, the DT have come up with some more amazing projects to share today :) First though, a bit of a reminder.....

This year, we are pleased to announce that ALL of our challenges will be 'Anything Goes' stamping challenges!

So....Show us how unique you can be, create anything your imagination cares to dream up! Share your cards, journal pages, layouts, 3D assemblage or whatever else takes your fancy. As long as you have stamped somewhere on your project, then you're good to go!

We have two prizes on offer, as always. The first is the Sponsor Prize, and the winner of this will be randomly chosen from all the eligible entries of the challenge. To make sure your project is eligible to win, make sure you have followed our challenge guidelines. These can be found on our sidebar over here ---------->

and also in a tab under the banner at the top.

PLEASE REMEMBER: We only want to see ONE project in each individual blog post entry!

A set counts as more than one :)

 

We are proud to announce our sponsor this month is....

 RubberDance

Rubber Dance is a stamp company from Norway, owned by Bibi Lindahl who has been making stamps since 1999! On the Rubber Dance blog you'll find inspiring artwork by the talented Design Team, plus 70 video tutorials, and counting, on YouTube. 

The stamps offered by Rubberdance are a fabulous and eclectic mixture, something for everyone!

You may have seen RubberDance stamps as the cover stars of the February issue of Craft Stamper magazine? Check them out....

The stamp set that Bibi used to such great effect is the prize offered for the randomly selected winner of our January challenge!

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

Guest Designer Hannah Oxberry

Cheremane Smith

Elina Stromberg

Elizabeth Robinson

Ellie Knol

Jolande van Oosterhout

 Linda Walmsley

Nikki Killinger

Shirley Bampton

Wow!

Amazing inspiration from the DT!
The link up tool to enter the challenge can be found on last Fridays post HERE!

Take It Make It Challenge: January!

Hello!
Happy New Year!

Welcome to the Craft Stamper January Take It, Make It challenge!

This year, we are pleased to announce that ALL of our challenges will be 'Anything Goes' stamping challenges!

So....Show us how unique you can be, create anything your imagination cares to dream up! Share your cards, journal pages, layouts, 3D assemblage or whatever else takes your fancy. As long as you have stamped somewhere on your project, then you're good to go!

We have two prizes on offer, as always. The first is the Sponsor Prize, and the winner of this will be randomly chosen from all the eligible entries of the challenge. To make sure your project is eligible to win, make sure you have followed our challenge guidelines. These can be found on our sidebar over here ---------->

and also in a tab under the banner at the top.
PLEASE REMEMBER: We only want to see ONE project in each individual blog post entry!
A set counts as more than one :)
 

We are proud to announce our sponsor this month is....

 RubberDance

Rubber Dance is a stamp company from Norway, owned by Bibi Lindahl who has been making stamps since 1999! On the Rubber Dance blog you'll find inspiring artwork by the talented Design Team, plus 70 video tutorials, and counting, on YouTube. 

The stamps offered by Rubberdance are a fabulous and eclectic mixture, something for everyone!

You may have seen RubberDance stamps as the cover stars of the February issue of Craft Stamper magazine? Check them out....

The stamp set that Bibi used to such great effect is the prize offered for the randomly selected winner of our January challenge!

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

Cheremane Smith

Elina Stromberg

Elizabeth Robinson

Ellie Knol

Jolande van Oosterhout

 Linda Walmsley

Nikki Killinger

Shirley Bampton

Wow!

Amazing inspiration from the DT!

Fancy joining in with us this month? You have to be in it to win it, as they say :)

All you need to do is double check you are familiar with all the guidelines, then get linking up using the InLinkz tool below!
Remember.... we HAVE to see stamping on your project somewhere!

  We can't wait to see what you create!

An InLinkz Link-up

Exclusive Blog Extra: Anna Karin Evaldsson

Hello!
Our fabulous February issue hits the shops this coming Friday... and inside you'll find an amazing project from Anna Karin Evaldsson...

The step out tutorial in the magazine takes you through just how to recreate the wonderful textured heart that adorns the wall hanging. Anna Karin also very generously has shared how the background panel was created, and we are sharing that tutorial today as a special blog exclusive!

Step By Step: Textures Of The Heart Background.

1. Glue a piece of fabric to burlap using Distress Collage Medium Matte. Add a layer of medium on top of the fabric too.

2. Paint some gesso around the edges and here and there, to tone down the colours of the

fabric a little.

3. When the gesso is dry, stamp randomly with a text or script stamp. The stamping will show better on the gessoed areas.

4. Add a tiny bit of paint to the background, so that it coordinates better with the heart

embellishment.

5. Apply Distress Collage Medium Crazing around the edges of the fabric and here and there on the background. Let dry.

6. Rub Festive Berries and Vintage Photo Distress Crayon into the cracks and remove the excess with a slightly moist paper towel.

Thanks so much for sharing Anna Karin!
We love all the texture going in the background, just stunning!

To see the whole article, please check out the February Issue of Craft Stamper Magazine!  


 

Reader Submissions wanted: Ready Set Stamp

THANK YOU so much for all the fabulous cards submitted for our last art call, it was so hard to choose just a few to publish! We can now announce the next theme.....

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

Colours: Cadbury Purple, Fuchsia, Dark Lime, Bright Aqua.

Deadline for submission: 24th January 2017

· Please email your submissions to: editor.cs@mytimemedia.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.
. NEW work only please, we do not accept cards that have been published elsewhere (including online) before submission.  
 . Please do not use stamps that are discontinued for this article.
. We do not accept cards ONLY created with digital imagery for this feature. Digital imagery is welcome, but  MUST be used in conjunction with rubber/polymer stamping to qualify.

· Cards which are selected need to be posted to the Craft Stamper offices in the UK. The cards will be returned, along with a complimentary issue of the magazine.

· 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.

· 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!

Our Fabulous February Issue hits the shops this Friday!

The fabulous February issue of Craft Stamper Magazines will hit the shops this coming Friday (6th). Subscribers will be receiving their copies very soon, if not already :)

Some would say February is the most romantic month of the year, with Valentine’s day a time for celebration. Personally, I would say EVERY month should be romantic if you like that sort of thing! I would absolutely say that the ‘typical’ romantic imagery of hearts and flowers can be used all year round. So, we have included lots of hearts and flowers in this issue! Projects that could be Valentine in nature should you wish, but would be perfect at any other time of the year too.

Anneke De Clerck is sharing a wonderful project on page 48. These free standing, stamped hearts would make an amazing home decor talking point for any mantlepiece.

We also have a wonderfully textural Valentine from Georgie Connelly. In non-traditional Valentine colours of teal, this is simply stunning. Check it out on page 6.

I’m sure Gesso is a staple in the stash of many of us. In this month’s Masterclass, Tracy Evans shares five different techniques of using it, a really good way to get the most from the products you already own. The finished art is a riot of colour and texture, just gorgeous. Have a look for yourselves on page 70.

We have four very different free images this month. Hearts feature in there (of course!), with a doodle heart and a cute kitty cat drawn by me. Chris Dark has drawn the stupendous rose heart, and we’re so thrilled that talented digi designer Teri Sherman is kindly sharing her Peacock Butterfly with us! Tracy Evans has used the butterfly to amazing effect for us!

We also have an wonderful Love Angel by Brenda Brown..

some amazingly detailed altered Altoid tins in our 3D Challenge, including this sneak peek from the creation by Louise Crosbie:

and a gallery full of ‘Sentimental Memories’ themed cards in this issue! Lots for you all to experiment with, and don’t forget, I would love to see what you create! Email me, or share on our Facebook page!

So, where can you get your hands on a copy of the magazine?

For subscriptions, please go to: www.craftstamper.com

For single print issues : www.mags-uk.com

For digital issues, both subscriptions and single issues: www.pocketmags.com

Have a wonderfully crafty month everyone!