Stampotique New Release Blog Hop!

Today we are so excited about the new release for Stampotique Originals!!!  We've been keeping it under wraps for weeks now, but know that some of you got a sneak at one of our new stamp artists.  

Stampotique is thrilled to add to the line-up the designs one of our former team members and popular mixed media artist, Kate Crane (is that squealing we hear amongst you?).  We know you all won't be disappointed with the line-up of stamps from all our artists this go around.

Are you ready to see some wonderful artwork showcasing some of the new stamps?  There are 50+ new ones being released this time around, so plenty for everyone to choose from (or choose them all).

Hop along with the design team and two special guest bloggers leaving comments along the way.  We will choose three random winners from three selected blogs along the way to win some goodies.

We will choose our winners with our next challenge on February 25th.

*~*~*

You should have arrived here from Corrie Herriman's blog, where you likely saw something totally amazing. 

I was so excited by this new release that I made two cards!

The first card, with the wonderful  Flower Truck (Janet Klein), was created because I'm tired of the blah drabness of winter and am eager for spring and its flowers to arrive!

The Flower Truck was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and colored with Copic markers. Flower Truck was also stamped onto Eclipse Tape (Judikins), which was fussy cut, and placed over the truck as a mask. Repositionable Scotch Tape was used to mask the base of the card. 

I try to keep the cut Eclipse Tape masks, so I was able to find
some cloud Eclipse Tape masks which were positioned over the sky.

The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders). The panel was left in the die and the image panel was airbrushed with Copic markers.

A craft knife was used to cut around the two bottom tires and road-patterned washi tape was added.

The patterned papers are from the very old and hoarded Domestic Goddess collection by Graphic 45. Three red gemstones were added to complete the card.

Here's my second card with Skiddy, Penelope, The Hat Cube, and The Dog Cube. All of these images are by Daniel Torrente.

All the images were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut either with scissors or a craft knife, and edged with black marker.

The patterned paper is quite old and is from a 6x6 pad by BoBunny. It was sponged with Summer Sky Memento ink. The bottom is gear-patterned washi tape and was topped with a second layer of washi tape. 

Textured silver cardstock was die-cut with the MiniGears die by Memory Box. The edges of the card front were sponged with Gathered Twigs, Frayed Burlap, and Black Soot Distress inks. 

Thanks for visiting today. Your next stop on the hop is Samantha Read's blog, where she will wow you with her fabulous artwork.

If you get lost anywhere along the way you can go to the Stampotique Designer's Challenge blog to find your way.

Here's the complete roster! 

Janet Klein

Coby vanWilligenburg

Claudine Criner

Kim Howard

Astrid Stulemeijer

Valerie Wilson

Carol Fox

Kate Crane

Sue Davies

Kaz Boughton

Corrie Herriman

Kathi Rerek

Samantha Read

France Papillion

Roc Nicholas

Kristen Catalano

Nellie van Leeuwen

Arwen McCullen

Magda Polakow

Jackie Payne

Gez Butterworth

Hope you enjoy all the design team creations, 

we can't wait to hear what your favorite new stamps are!

Happy, happy, UNbirthday to you!

France Papillon is our hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Happy Unbirthday!"

This is what she had to say about her challenge.

"We often expect cards on our birthday. How about surprising someone with an unbirthday card? With or without Alice in Wonderland inspiration, make a happy unbirthday card!"

 If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!! 

Here's my card with Stampotique's Rabbit (Janet Klein) and Skull Cupcake (Arwen McCullen).

Rabbit was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with black marker.  Rabbit's eyes were coated with Liquid Glass (DecoArt's Media line) to add glassy dimension and shine. Rabbit spent the night in a drawer so I would not be tempted to touch the Liquid Glass.

Meanwhile, I stamped Skull Cupcake twice onto Neenah cardstock and twice onto patterned paper from Basic Grey's Life of the Party 6x6 pad. The frosting part of the Skull Cupcake was colored with Copic markers, fussy cut, and edged with black marker. The skulls were touched with Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen to add dimension and shine. White Gelly Glaze pen was used on the bones to add bony white dimension. The paper cup part of the Skull Cupcake was sparingly colored with grey marker, fussy cut, edged with black marker, then adhered to their frosted cupcake counterparts.

Gold metallic cardstock was die-cut twice with my Alterations Pocket Watch die (Sizzix), once with the Circle Mover and Shaper Alterations die and once without it. Gold metallic cardstock was also used to die-cut the Clock and Gears die (Elizabeth Craft Designs) and the Braid Border set (Dee's Distinctively Dies). A circle was die-cut from a piece of text-patterned paper from an Antique 6x6 pad by Basic Grey.  A piece of patterned paper from the Life of the Party 6x6 pad (Basic Grey) was die-cut with a Pennant Border die (Taylored Expressions). Black metallic cardstock was die-cut with a "Happy Birthday" sentiment die (Elizabeth Craft Designs). Yellow patterned paper from the
Life of the Party 6x6 pad was die-cut with the Alphabet Typewriter LC die (Impression Obsession).

The text circle was adhered to the gold metallic cardstock Pocket Watch base. I grabbed an ancient acrylic clock face (Heidi Swapp) and layered it over the text. The watch-hands from the Clock and Gears dies adhered in place, then the other part of the Pocket Watch Alterations die-cut was set in place. Rabbit was adhered to the Pocket Watch.

Patterned paper, from the Life of the Party 6x6 pad (Basic Grey), was layered and sponged with Faded Denim Distress ink to form the card front. 

The Rabbit-adorned Pocket Watch die was adhered to the card front. The Pennants die-cut was also sponged with Faded Denim Distress ink, then adhered to the top of the card. One of the chains from the Braid Border set was threaded through the watch fob and adhered to the card. The card front was adhered to a 5" x 7" card and I called it done! 

Retrospectively, it's a bit of an odd card, due to the combination of the Rabbit and the Skull Cupcake. It certainly is very busy, but I think it works.  Maybe.

Thanks for visiting today! 

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenges: Anything Goes with a Twist/Use a Die
• Creative Card Crew Challenges: Birthday with a Sentiment

Bee Mine!

Belated wishes for a happy Valentine's Day! I hope you were able to enjoy time with those you love, doing what you love.

I love Steampunk and I love stamping so when the occasion arises where I can mix the two, I'm a happy me.

 SCACD's Steampunk Heart and Bee Ware, one of SCACD's new rubber stamps, were used to create this Bee Mine card, which was actually ready in time for Valentine's Day!

 
Steampunk Heart and Bee Ware were both stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock then colored with Copic markers. Usually, dirty markers are annoying and the shiny gloopy look makes me junk the project. However, this time I liked the look created by my dirty Y26 marker. The build-up made the gold looked tarnished which added to the overall Steampunky look of the bee.

Clear Gelly Roll Glaze pen was used on Bee Ware's eyepiece, rivets, and screws as well as the rim and screws of the Steampunk Heart. The Glaze pen adds glassy shine and dimension and is one of my most often-used products!

Bee Ware's mandibles were cut free from the background. The Steampunk Heart was fussy-cut and edged with a black marker. Both the image panel and the heart were set aside while I worked on the rest of the card.

Black metallic cardstock (Recollections) was die-cut twice with the Steampunk Corner (Memory Box). Additional gears were cut from gold and silver metallic cardstock (Recollections) using the Deluxe Gear die set (Memory Box), the Antique Gear die set (Memory Box), and with Mini Gears (Memory Box). You might be able to tell by reading the preceding (Ha! That rhymes!) that I have quite a few gear dies. I did tell you that I do love Steampunk, though of course, there's more to Steampunk than just gears!

A 5" x 7" card was created from gold metallic cardstock (Recollections). The two Steampunk Corner die-cuts were adhered to opposite corners. The image panel was double matted with metallic cardstock, adhered over the Steampunk Corner die-cuts, and the Steampunk Heart was inserted under Bee Ware's mandibles. Some of the additional gear die-cuts were added to the top right corner of the card, overlapping the corner of the image panel.

The sentiment was die-cut from black metallic cardstock using Alphabet Typewriter UC and LC (Impression Obsession). The sentiment was adhered to the lower left corner of the card. A tiny heart punchie, with a Mini Gears die-cut inside it, was used to dot the "i".

By the way, both Bee Ware and Steampunk Heart are also available as digital stamps.

Thanks for visiting today!


I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Crafting for all Seasons: Have a Heart  
• The Crafter's Cafe Challenges: Hearts
• Southern Girls Challenges: Things with Wings 
• Sentimental Sundays: Valentine's Day plus a Sentiment
• Corrosive Challenges: Things with Wings

Have a Heart!

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is in honor of Have a Heart. My Outlawz Coloring Challenge Teammates, Carla, Penny, and Laine and I challenge you to use a heart on your project. Our February sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Sweet Pea Stamps, who is offering our lucky winner four digis of his/her choice from the Sweet Pea Digi Stamp Store.  Play along with us for your chance to win!

Here's my card which uses Joanne Schempp's Love Lace (Sweet Pea Digital Stamps). 

Love Lace was resized in PhotoElements and printed out onto Neenah cardstock with my laser printer. The image was colored with Shinhan Touch Twin markers, Copic markers, and Polychromos colored pencils. Love Lace's skin, hair, wings, tights, the grass, and the sky were colored with Copic markers. Her dress, the flowers in her hair, the hearts the hearts on her wings and tights, and the flower heads were colored with Shinhan Touch Twin markers. Polychromos pencils were used to add texture and shading to her hair.

The image panel was die-cut with a die from the Nestabilities Labels Eight set (Spellbinders).  Black metallic cardstock (Recollections) was die-cut with a die from the Decorative Labels Eight set (Spellbinders). Gold and black metallic cardstock (Recollections) were die-cut with the Celtic Heart Border (Cherry Lynn Designs). The heart patterned paper is from an old Authentique 6x6 pad and the striped paper is from an old My Mind's Eye 6x6 pad. 

Most edges were sponged with Black Soot Distress ink. The card was assembled and I called it done!

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card into the following challenges:
• Scrapy Land Challenge #11: Anything Goes
• Marker Pop Challenges: Anything Goes
• Crafting for all Seasons: Have a Heart
• The Crafter's Cafe Challenges: Hearts
• Southern Girls Challenges: Things with Wings

It's All Love & Hearts!

Kristen Catalano is our hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "It's All Love and Hearts"!

This is what she had to say about her challenge.

"February 14th is Valentine's Day, so why not create something that is surrounded with hearts and love..."

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!!

Here's my card, which uses Stampotique's Agatha Heart (Magda Polakow), Daniel's Hearts (Daniel Torrente), Romantic Text (France Papillon), and Smiling Sun (Janet Klein).

Agatha Heart was stamped three times using Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto Neenah cardstock. One image was completely colored with Copic markers, then fussy-cut. The heart on the second Agatha Heart was colored with Shinhan Touch R1 and R10 markers, then fussy-cut, flipped over, and puffed out using an embossing stylus. The hands and the wings on the third Agatha Heart were colored with Copic markers, the wings were highlighted with various colors of Spica Glitter pens (Copic), and both the hands and wings were fussy-cut. Agatha Heart was paper pieced back together and set aside while I created a background for her.

A sheet of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore) was sponged with Titanium White mixed with Primary Cyan Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints by DecoArt. Titanium White MFA paint was brayered onto Daniel's Hearts stamp and then stamped over the blue background randomly until the entire sheet was mostly covered with hearts. Titanium White MFA paint was thinned with water and the inside of the hearts were painted to make them look a bit like heart shaped clouds. A drop or two of Primary Magenta MFA paint was added to the diluted Titanium White MFA paint, then painted onto some of the clouds.

Romantic Text was stamped several times onto tissue paper with Jet Black Archival ink. Blue Green Light MFA paint was mixed with Primary Yellow MFA paint and brushed over the reverse (non-stamped side) of the tissue paper. A metal protractor (which finally proved its usefulness!) and craft knife were used to cut hills from the green tissue paper.

Smiling Sun was stamped onto tissue paper with Jet Black Archival ink. Primary Yellow and Diarylide Yellow MFA paints were used to color the reverse side of the stamped Smiling Sun. The sun was fussy-cut.

Multi-Medium was brushed over the "sky" panel to adhere the Romantic Text hills and Smiling Sun to the piece. The entire panel received another layer of Multi-Medium to ensure the tissue paper's adhesion and seal the piece. When dry, the hills were sponged lightly with Watering Can and Emerald Green Archival ink.

The image panel was die-cut with one of the dies from the 5" x 7" Card Creator Nestabilities die set (Spellbinders). The hills part of the piece was edged with Emerald Green Archival ink and the sky portion was edged with Cornflower Blue Archival ink. Agatha Heart was adhered to the piece.

Love, from the Handwritten set of dies (Little B) was combined with die-cut letters from the Daisy font set (QuicKutz) onto a fishtail flag die-cut from a Fishtails set of dies (Die-namics). The sentiment was adhered over the hills, the image panel was matted with white cardstock that was die-cut with a die from the Card Creator Nestabilities die set, then added to the card front.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• The Artistic Stamper Creative Challenge: Love
• Quirky Crafts Challenges: Love is in the Air
• Glitter n' Sparkle Challenges: Love is in the Air
• Come and Get It Challenges: Love is in the Air
• Tuesday Throwdown Challenges: Love is in the Air

Friends Cards

This week's challenge at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is in honor of Send a Card to a Friend Day, which is on February 7th.  Here's what I found out about this holiday.

"Send a Card to a Friend Day is a great chance to get in touch with a friend. We all lead busy lives. Its easy to let a friendship or two lapse, as we try to shuffle kids to and from events. It's hard to stay in touch, when workload demands eat up countless hours.
Today is the perfect chance to send card to a friend."

Our February sponsor at The Outlawz Coloring Challenges is Sweet Pea Stamps, who is offering our lucky winner four digis of his/her choice from the Sweet Pea Digi Stamp Store.  Play along with us for your chance to win!

Here's my card with Charmaine Flannery's Raggie digi. 

Raggie features a beautiful Ragdoll kitty and her staff. As you know, you don't own a cat, the cat owns you. What you might not know is that my Duchess, who can be seen on the lower right, is half American Shorthair Tabby (her mom, Cleo) and half Ragdoll. We're not sure about her paternal parentage because Cleo's staff refused to canvas the neighborhood to find Cleo's father, eventhough Cleo was a teenaged mother.

Guess what? I digressed. So...back to the card. Raggie was resized in PhotoElements, printed out onto Neenah cardstock with my laser printer, and colored with Copic markers.  I didn't give Raggie dark points, tabby markings, or pale aqua eyes like my Duchess. There's always next time.

Raggie's image panel was matted with solidish patterned paper from the So Noted 6x6 pad by Carta Bella. Wood patterned paper from the Necessities 6x6 pad by My Mind's Eye was adhered to cardboard, then die-cut with the Alterations Pediments and the Tags, Mini dies (both by Sizzix). The die-cuts were edged with Pumice Stone Distress ink.

Patterned paper from the Bramble Rose 6x6 pad was cut to size and edged with Pumice Stone Distress ink. The image panel was adhered to the floral paper and two of the three Pediments were adhered. 

Hearts were die-cut with an old QuicKutz die, colored with a Copic marker, and adhered to the tags. Eyelets were added to the tag, leaving me with infinityminusthree eyelets. The tags were threaded on some twine and adhered to the card front.

  

Thanks for visiting today. You should also visit my Outlawz Coloring Challenge Teamies' blogs to see what they created for this color challenge! Carla, Penny, and Laine are seriously talented and you will definitely be inspired by their artwork!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Papertake Weekly Challenges: Anything Goes
• ScrapyLand Challenge #11: Anything Goes
• Frilly and Funkie Challenges: Be My Valentwine 
• Crafting for All Seasons Challenges: Have a Heart

Limes, Lemons, Oranges...

Sue Davies is our hostess this week at Stampotique Designers Challenge Blog. Her challenge is "Orange or Lemons, Use Citrus Colors". This is what she said about her challenge.

"Ever since I was small I've loved the color yellow and the rest of the citrus colors. They are just so fresh and always make me feel happy. So, this week I want you to use citrus colors and spread the happiness!"

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!!

Here's my card, which uses Stampotique's Toucan and Budgie (Kira Nichols) and For the Birds (Janet Klein).

Toucan and Budgie were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, then toucan's eyes were coated with Liquid Glass (DecoArt's Media line) to add glassy dimension and shine. Toucan and Budgie were set aside while a background was created for them. 

Since I've slipped down the slippery slope into Mixed Media, I've collected various oddments, such as bottle caps and lids, to be used while creating. Lids from eyedrop bottles, nose sprays, and a broken mini-mister cap were dipped into Zesty Zing and Limelight Fresco Finish Acrylic paints by Paper Artsy), then stamped onto a piece of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock by Strathmore. I just kept dipping and stamping, creating patterns of intersecting rings. When I was happy with the coverage, I heat set the paint.

Squeezed Lemonade Distress ink was sponged over the painted rings, which acted as a resist. Spiced Marmalade Distress ink was sponged along the sides towards the center. The surface was misted with water to add additional interest and pattern, then the sheet was heat set again.

Squeezed Orange, Fresh Lime, and Lemon Zest Dylusions Ink Sprays were gently misted over the piece to add a bit more citrus-y color to the piece, then heat set. The image panel was die-cut with an A2 Card Creator Nestabilities die (Spellbinders) and the edges were sponged with Distress ink.

Lime green self-adhesive cardstock (QuicKutz) was die-cut with both the Loopy Rings Border (Memory Box) and the Elegant Flourish (Tattered Lace) dies. The Loopy Rings Border was adhered to the base of the card panel. The flowers of the Elegant Flourish were painted with Limelight Fresco Finish paint, coated with a layer of glue, and Yellow Fun Flock (Stampendous) was sprinkled over the glue. When the glue was dry, the Fun Flock was tapped with a touch of Spiced Marmalade Distress ink to add a bit more color. The flocked Elegant Flourish die-cuts were adhered to the page and Toucan and Budgie were positioned atop a flourish.

Here's a close-up so you can see the dimension and texture created with the Fun Flock and the Liquid Glass.

White cardstock was die-cut with an Arrows die (Die-versions), sponged with Squeezed Lemon Distress ink, and stamped with the sentiment, For the Birds (Janet Klein). This was adhered along the left side. The image panel was adhered to a lime green card, and I called it done.

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this card in the following challenges:
• Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenges: Things with Wings
• Come and Get It Challenges: Texture
• Craft Your Passion Challenges: Anything Goes
• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: All Things Bright and Beautiful