The Stampman 3rd Annual Awards



Good Evening!!  Well in around 24 hours time we'll be seeing in the New Year so whatever you're doing enjoy!  As for me I'll be sat in with OH watching it on the TV and popping outside to watch the fireworks.  I've only been out 3 times for new year - 1990, 1991 and 2005!  I really dislike the massive queues for the bar and pubs charging silly prices to get in, not my scene!  I also strongly want to be with my kids on New Year too, I don't think my parents ever left us so its just something I've always done :)

Right-o onto my post which is The 3rd Annual Stampman Awards yay!  Each year The Stampman ask you to proudly display your favourite creation from the past year.  There is a £30 Stampman gift voucher up for grabs and 4 runner up prizes!
For this I'm showing my favourite Stampman project and my favourite overall of the year although you just show your own personal favourite.

This one is a Stampendous stamp called Crowscape which I was demonstrating at Port Sunny.  I was trying various colour ways and inks and this one was a christmassy version using red and gree distress inks and embossed with moonglow.

As it was near Halloween I did a yellow/orange/red version which seemed to go down well as customers kept asking if they could have it so I made this one so many times lol!  Its a lovely stamp which you can find here.



My favourite overall, gosh thats a toughy!!  I think this one by Teddy Bo was a definate favourite, I sent it to an old friend called Lyn who's birthday is Christmas Eve.  We may not speak all year *but* I always send her a card and it is always one of my best of the year ones.  I mean imagine having your birthday on christmas eve or christmas day!!  I met Lyn on one of the cardmaking forums years ago and as I said we may not be in touch all the time but I never forget :)



So please do pop over and join in and have a look back at your work this past year!

Done and Dusted

Phew Christmas is all done and dusted and I've got a little time to chillax, hope you all had a great one! 
It was my birthday a couple of days ago and i got spoilt!  My dd bought me a wii and my arm is wrecking lol!  Got over exuberant on the fencing game on sports resort!  With fibro you have to be careful and know your limits so i think I've pushed it ooops!
Anyway gotta tell you my new years resolution is to blog every day during 2012 (unless for some reason i have no internet connection!) so it will be this n that, works in progress, kids, life through my weird viewpoint so you never know what I'll write ;)
So to get in practice here's latest pics from past few days...Well actually i can't work out how to post more than 1 pic from the blogger app for android so I'll try lol!
My nan aged 91 having her 1st ever skype with her sister Joan in Perth, Australia, she's not been over since 2006 (nan travels quite a bit!) so that was lovely for them :)
Miss Moo dressed as snow white ahhh and Ethan sparko with dads phone after angry birds session!
Toodlepip!



Merry Christmas!

The big day is finally here yayyyyyy!!!!  This year is the first year both my little ones have been entirely aware what's going on and taking it all in with the lights and tinsel so they're so excited bless.  I let them open a present this evening that 'silly santa had left at nannas by accident' and Mols gets so excited with everything, it was a floor jigsaw but she was totally over the moon ahhhhh!

Hope everyone has a lovely day and you get everything you wish for!  I know I got one thing I really really wanted, a pair of trainers that are black and turquoise and they have a swirl on them that looks like the Hero Arts swirl stamp, I sooooo wanted them lol!  Mind you knowing my OH he'll give them to me for my birthday and make me wait the 3 extra days lol!


Onto my recent makes, I've been sooooo busy making stuff lately including earrings that I've not had nuch time to blog nor photograph them all so these are the ones I have.  My DD gave me a last minute order for card wallets so made 3 of them, well actually thats a bit unfair, she didnt give me a last minute order, I left it till last minute lol!  Anyway have done them and they've gone off to new homes :)

This first one is an image by Hannah Lynn from Crafts & Me, I actually saw pics of Hannah drawing this in various stages so I was thrilled it was a digi.  Its a Christmas stamp but can easily be used for easter and general birthdays/greetings too.  Its so pretty so really enjoyed making this, have made a couple of the candle boxes using them but didn't photograph them as I think you guys would get boredz of seeing them lol!

I coloured with promarkers and the new letraset metallics, the background is moonshadow ink (yum!!) and I used a martha stewart punch around the page punch on it.  The chipboard snowflake is from Home bargains :)

I'd like to enter this into...

2 sisters - Snowflakes
Secret Crafter - Anything goes
Sweet Stampin - Sparkle and Bling
Divas by design - christmas
Charisma - Anything goes
Crafty Purple Frog - Christmas
Crimbo Crackers - Snowflakes
Stamps r us - Angels
Whoopsie Daisy - Sparkle & Shine

Next up is one I made a couple of weeks ago for the Crafts and Me challenge but just didnt get time to blog and whatnot but I'll share it on here.  The image is by Sara Burrier and is called Poinsettia.  She actually is quite long with a flowing dress (Look at bottom pic) but I zoomed and cropped her.

This is the first of the image wallets I've made that open up and have flaps inside and I put the present onto a label which was a show and the date it is and popped that inside.  The image is by Teddy Bo and is coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers.

I'd like to enter this into...

Raise the bar - Christmas
Joanna Sheen - Christmas Wishes
I love promarkers - Anything goes
My mums craft shop - Anything goes
Papercraft Star - Tags/Gift card holder
The Crazy Challenge - Christmas
One stitch at a time - Anything goes

Inside of the wallet

Another image wallet using a Teddy Bo image, the inside is similar to the one above.  Snowflakes are from Home Bargains
Would like to enter this into...

Crafty Catz - Santa Hat
Addicted to stamps - Snowflakes

And finally the last wallet using the Poinsettia stamp again in a different colour scheme, I mugh prefer the wings on this version!  I coloured them in pastels and glittered with glamour dust.

The 2 tags on the inside of this use the image again, the first one is Poinsettia in her full glory and the 2nd I did a mirror image of just the face area.

I'd like to enter this into....

Cardmadfairy challenge - Tags
Stampin for the weekend - Anything goes
Cooking it up with Katie - Anything goes
Crafting for all seasons - Christmas
Digistamps 4 joy - Christmas
Flutterby Wednesday - Open
Simon says stamp - BINGO (Gems, glitter, ribbon)
Sarah HUrley - Colouring
Truly Madly Crafty - Christmas images & Colours

Right I'm offski, long day tomorrow!  BTW you'll be seeing a lot more of me in the new year as my resolution or challenge to self is to blog EVERY day!  I have the blogger App so that will help but it may just be a couple of lines, bits about the kids, what I'm messing with or a big post like this, we'll have to wait and see! 

Its a Celebration at Passion for Promarkers!

Evening all!  Here at last!  Tried to get online last night but blogger wasn't playing ball so finally here!

Its a HUGE celebration over at Passion for Promarkers with a gazillon prizes to be won!  For this I used an image by one of the sponsors - Saturated Canary coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers and the odd dot of white gel pen.

So now for the exciting bit – the prizes!

Letraset are offering 1 amazing prize of 3 new packs of promarkers (metallics set, contemporary xmas set, modern xmas set)

Whiff of Joy Stamps are generously offering 1 stamp from their sentiment collection

Pink Gem Designs are generously offering 4 digi images of winner’s choice

Joanna Sheen are generously offering 6 packs of promarker fine liner sets

DigiStamp Boutique are generously offering 6 digi images of winner's choice

Saturated Canary digis are generously offering 2 digis of winner’s choice

bugaboo stamps are generously offering 7 digis (which we are going to split into 2 prizes)

Tickled Pink stamps are generously offering 2 digis of winner’s choice (from Lil Lolita, Lil Lad and Lil Pinkette ranges)

Crafts & Me are generously offering 6 digis of winner's choice

 

So I hope you can join in with your celebration creation!

 

Letraset metallics winner

Good evening all!  Im trying out the new blogger app for my phone so hope this works ok!  Might be able to write a bit more too if its good!

Miss Moo has drawn the winner of a pack of the new Letraset metallics as Lorraine so well done hunny - please contact me to claim your prize!

I've got Ethan hovering to nick my phone again to play angry birds so catch up tommoz :-)

Vix

Last minute panic cards? Thank You Stampman!

OK so here I am breezing xmas coming so far, stress levels are normal and I'm feeling pretty confident.  I don't make xmas cards anymore except the odd one or two or if they're for charities so here's me happily resting on my laurels then Miss Moo brings home a handful of christmas cards from nursery then I start to get that sinking feeling....  So I may not make xmas cards for me anymore but its not right that my kids don't send them should they wish so overcome with a sense of guilt and rising panic I set to work on making Miss Moo's christmas cards!

The design had to be fairly simple and something that would be repeated 26 times over.  Considered a couple of images then realistically thought I'd still be here at new year if I were to colour knowing how fussy I am with colouring so I turned to an old friend - The Stampman.  I have tons and tons of Stampman stock including 90% of my inks and embossing powders so I chose them and found some snowflake cling stamps and made some backgrounds by randomly stamping and embossing in sparkly jewelled gold, kalidoscope and moonglow embossing powders.  I ummed and ahhed over the image, I didnt want to use my cuttlebug for 2 reasons - I have to cut 26 times and my c plate has snapped so is only 2/3rds size now so not going to push it!  Another rummage and I found a 2" circle scallop punch which was perfect but finding an image that suited the size was proving tricky.  I was just about giving up hope then the penny dropped that on ths month's Craft Stamper there is a circle xmas stamp designed by yep The Stampman free on the cover which fits PERFECT!  There job done!  Knocked out 26 of these in ONE EVENING!

So if you're also in a last minute panic looking for ideas here's my little cards (made mostly from scraps off my tealight boxes too!)  Thank You Stampman!!

I'll give you a quick step by step below with materials list :)  Not easy to get a good pic but they're VERY sparkly!

Girls cards were blue and silver

Boys cards were red and green

Card bases measure 3" square
Mounting layer 2 and 3/4" square
Embossed layer 2 1/2" square


Step 1 - Cut required strips of card 6" x 3" and fold in half.  Edge with a metallic pen (I used Letraset metallic markers)

Step 2 - Take a sheet of A4 card and randomly stamp snowflakes using versamark then emboss.  I used 3 sheets and chose a jewelled gold, kaleidoscope (holographic) and Moonglow Golden angel wings

Step 3 - trim some backing card to 2 and 3/4" square and mount this in a diamond shape on the front of the card.  Trim your embossed sheets to 2 and 1/2" square and use distress ink around the edges.  I used pine needles for the boys ones and broken china with stormy sky for the girls.  Adhere to the front of your card.

Step 4 - Use a 2" scallop punch and punch however many you need out then stamp and emboss the reindeer design which is free on craft stamper this month.  I used versamark and a jewelled gold and kaleidoscope embossng powder.  Again edge with distress ink then mount with 3d foam pads on the front.  Add a couple of gems to finish.

*I find it easier to stamp several out and emboss one after the other - Use a poky tool to keep them from blowing away!


Hope you've had a bit of inspiraton and if you're in a mad panic - Good Luck!!


I'd like to enter into...

Cheeful stamp pad - Xmas greeting as focal point
Bunny Zoes - Shaped cards
Crafty Boots - Xmas
Cupcake craft - sparkles shines
Heart song inspiratons - snowflakes
Hooked on crafts - xmas
House of Gilli - Red and gold
Make it monday - anything goes
Lexis - untraditional xmas
The pink elephant - sparkle and snowflakes
Papertake weekly - Im dreaming of a (blue) christmas

Afternoon :)

Got a couple to share with you today :)  Been extra busy with poorly kids, prepping for xmas and the lymm dickensian so I think I'm pretty much done so can do some blogging for a change!

First up is a card I made for Ruby Choobz using a Teddy Bo digi coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers.  The gems are from The Stampman and come in strips which is really very handy if you want to use a lot!  White flowers are papermania and embossed lilac DP I've had literally forever, I got it for subscribing to CM&P around 2004 and put it away for 'best' as you do!

Entering into...

Pile it on - Bling it up
Corrosive - Anything but christmas
Crafty Catz - Anything goes
Hotshot craft - Promarkers :)

This little cutie is by Mo Manning called Holly Fairy and is one of the candle box cards I've made again coloured with promarkers and I've added glitter around the edge.  My tutorial on how to make these boxes is here

Entering into...

Paper sundaes - ANything christmas
Kenny K - Xmas hues of blue
2 sisters - Christmas
Challenge up your life - box or packaging
Make it colourful - Recolour an image  - First attempt at this stamp here girls!

Another candle box card using a silhouette by Stitchy Bear Stamps.  Cant see it very well but I coloured in the fireworks with a clear sakura stardust pen so its all sparkly, used distress ink around the image then stamped flowers along the edge in distress ink (flowers are from a sheet from The Stampman and I use them that much its stuck permanently to its own block!)

Entering into...

One stitch at a time - Use a digi

And finally another box card cutie by Di's digi downloads.  Saw this image whilst perusing and someone had entered one on a linky so I went off for a nose as you do and bought some - I'm sure I'll be getting more!  I coloured this one when I was sat in a kids play area and had a couple ooohing and ahhing over it :)

Entering into

Gingerloft - winter or xmas
Quirky crafts - snow
The squirrel and the fox -Christmas

Toodle pip for now, will be back tomorrow and wednesday woo hoo!

Embossing at Crafty Cardmakers

Goodness me what a fortnight I've had!  Both kids got a bad cold and were off school then OH and myself were both poorly with it then when I think we're on a clear run till christmas both kids got a tummy bug 48 hours apart so spent last week nursing poorly ick kids again!  Had to laugh though as Miss Molly threw up all over her dad haha!  He was horrified and couldnt get in the shower fast enough lol!  Well to say I was tired out was an understatement so apologies if I'm way behind schedule as I've not had time or energy to go on PC.

Anyway I'm here now and got a quick christmas card to show you using my favourite starburst stains from The Stampman - These are ***ON OFFER*** at the moment so grab them whilst theyre at this price which is £12 a set so they're HALF PRICE wooo hoooo!!!  The set I have used is Holiday Wreath and they are nice and dark perfect for christmas *but* you can also add some in a pot and add extra water to get a really beautiful pink and green for spring cards too, it really is a cracking set so don't miss out!  You can win a set from The Stampman as that is the prize over at Crafty Cardmakers and you still have a whole week to enter - we'd just like to see some heat embossing!

For this challenge I used the Holiday Wreath starburst stains set which is our prize from The Stampman this fortnight.  Its a gorgeous set and you can also make lovely spring pinks and greens with it too.  I've stamped the NOEL stamp and embossed with Moonglow embossing powders (from a christmas set) over the holiday wreath starburst stains then mounted on white and more Starburst Stains with 3d pads so it really sticks out.  The swirl in the corner is also embossed and I added sticky gems (That come in 4 sizes on one sheet - fab!)

Do hope you can join in the challenge and you still have a week to enter to win a fab set of Holiday Wreath Starburst Stains!

Letraset Metallic Markers Giveaway!

Morning all!  I have a lovely giveaway for you courtesy of Letraset and that is a pack of their brand new Metallic Markers!

The new Metallic Marker 6 sets from Letraset combine Silver and Gold with 4 brand new metallic colours; Violet, Blue, Green and Red-Gold.

Metallic Markers are water based and twin-tipped and are ideal for producing decorative artwork and lettering in a range of metallic colours.
They’re great for scrap booking, card making, illustration and design and can be used alongside ProMarker and AquaMarker for a wide variety of effects.
Featuring both a medium and fine nib, Metallic Markers enable you to easily create a variety of line widths. They can be blended with water, even when dried and their pigment based inks are acid free and lightfast for long-lasting results.


I had a good play around with these pens, they're great for adding accents over your regular promarkers, flexmarkers and aquamarkers, colouring in areas that you want metallic so at this time of year great for christmas designs and I also wanted to play a bit more so I made this card using another technique which is so easy peasy!  Pop over to Letraset's Blog to see the tutorial :)

So what do you have to do to be in with a chance to win these?  Pop over to Letraset's Blog and have a look at my project there and then leave me a comment here answering the following question...

I used 4 colours on this card, what were they?

For more chances to win visit, Letraset's Giveaway Here

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous CMS 064 Mini Ornates
Pens: Letraset Metallic Markers

Few more Xmas makes

Morning all!  Just popping on with some of the candle box cards I've been making for sale at Lymm Dickensian Day for Statham Little Foxes stall.  Theres a tutorial here how to do them! 
First one I used a gorgeous image by Stitchy Stamps called Lil Angel coloured with promarkers and the fine nibs.

 And here's the inside of the box with christmassy scented candles!  Papers are papermania and box coloured with starburst stains from The Stampman

This cute little guy is by Teddy Bo and is also a digi and called 'Scratchy Bo Baby Santa Hat (TEDDYBO_122)

And this little lady is Nora by The Greetings Farm and is lovely to colour.  I've added little gems for her buttons and earrings.

I shall be back in a few mins with a great new Letraset  giveaway so please do pop by!


I'd like to enter these into...

Lil Angel Box
One stitch at a time - Anything goes
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Bah humbug - Gift bag or box
Fussy & Fancy - Anything but a card
Crafty Ribbons - Anything but a card
Emerald Faeries - Christmas green


Teddy Bo Box
Daisy Doodles creative challenge - Christmas
The Crafty Pad - Festive Cheer
Simply Create - Bears
Stempelsonnen challenge - Red/Green/Gold


The Greetings Farm Box

Kaboodle Doodles - Baby its cold outside
Pan Pastel UK - Frosty & Bright
Winter Wonderland - Cute
Crimbo Crackers - Make it Sparkle
Cupcake Craftroom- Sweet Christmas

Simples at Crafts & Me

This week it was my turn to choose a theme at Crafts and Me and I've chosen Simples - That is with little or no embellishment.  I dont go for Clean and Simple much, I like my papers and colours too much but you can do a CAS if you like so long as your card is pretty simple with few embellishments.  For this I used one of the new digis called Autumn by Sara Burrier.  She's coloured in with a variety of Letraset items - promarkers, flexmarkers, metallic markers and ultra fine nibs, I was just enjoying experimenting lol!  I used distress ink around the edge and on the papers to distress it and simply added some metallic gems to finish.  The sentiment I used the green metallic marker and coloured in the stamp.  (I have some of these to give away shortly too!)

Hope you enjoy my simples challenge and join in!

I'd like to enter into...


By the Cute & Girly - Christmas Girls
Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Angels
Flutterby Wednesday - Open
Creative craft - minimalistic
Crafty Boots - Fantasy

Treat box/Tealight candle card tutorial

Evening!  I have a little tutorial for you today for a really easy make especially if you're looking to make a lot in a short time.  With Christmas fast approaching these are a lovely little gift you can make plenty of in a short time.  There are further ideas at the bottom to customise it for your taste but as I'm making a lot of these for charity I simplified it :)


You will need:

1 piece of card 9" by 4"  (approx 228mm by 101mm)
1 piece of card 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" (Approx 140mm by 140mm)
1 piece decorated card just under 3" by 3" (approx 73mm by 73mm)
4 glue dots
Glue Stick
Papers to decorate



STEP 1 - Take your piece of 9"x4" card and score it at 4" and 5"  on the inside then score your 5 1/2" x 5 1/2 card and score it on the back around each edge at 1/2" and 1 1/4"

STEP 2 - After you've scored your square card you will see little squares formed, trim these as shown (NB see pic for red cut line)

STEP 3 - Fold in your box as shown below and secure the flaps with a glue dot - I have tried numerous glues and they dont work very well so a simple glue dot will hold it nicely.
Trim the opening of the box by snipping the corners.

STEP 4 - Decorate as desired then on the bottom of the box use a glue stick along the flaps and glue this onto your card base.  Take the small piece of decorated card (Slightly smaller than 3"x3") and glue the back, slide this into the bottom of the box and secure.

STEP 5 - Fill your box with goodies!  I have used scented ikea candles which fit nicely.

And this is the front using part of the new ANGEL RAYS digi.  Papers are from Bearly Mine and I used Moonshadow Ethereal Emerald for the box.



FURTHER IDEAS!

You can make your card base larger if you wish, simply readjust the measurements.  I make them 4 x 4" as you can get 2 card bases out of 1 sheet of A4 at that size

Add a layer of acetate on the inside of the box if you wish to fill with items that might fall out

Don't cut a hole in the top and decorate the top of the box so that it has a nice surprise inside

I also use ready decorated card, here I've used one I made with moonshadow ink as the boxes are quite fiddly to decorate with patterned paper and if you use patterned paper on the top before die cutting make sure your glue is completely dry or it may tear or slip!

You can use plain card for the box and simply spray with GLIMMER MIST for some sparkles.

I use 3" x 3" images on the fronts, this is very easy to do with digi stamps and you dont have to use the entire stamp (also saves time if you've lots to do!)

If you have lots to make do them together in stages so cut all your bases then score them all as it saves looking back repeatedly for measurements if youve the memory of a goldfish like I have!

Hope you like this and if you have lots to make for an event for example then I highly recommend them.  I think the Elizabeth Shaw mints fit as well (8)

**************************

I'd like to enter into...



Digital Tuesday - Anything goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes Christmas

Craft your passion - ANything goes plus brown

Make it Monday - Anything goes

Dream Valley - Anything goes

I did it creations - Christmas/winter

Crafty Catz - Anything goes

Winter wonderland - sparkle