They were...

How is 2019 treating you so far???  GOOD I hope!!!  Now how about a little Viva Las VegaStamps! Inspiration!?!!???

Michele here today with a pair of tags.

These kraft tags started off with gelli printed background using Dina Wakley paints.

Stamps used:  Rhinoceros Head, Giraffe Head, Carved Xs, Cross Stitch, Cross Marks Background, Doodle Frame, She Was

After the paint dried the animal heads were stamped in archival ink and the scribble border was stamped and colored with Posca Paint pens.  The the heads were masked so the background could be stamped.

 The animal heads were colored with Prisma Colored pencils.

A little outline stamping and doodling,,,

I used the same stamp for the sentiment on both tags...a little washi and a letter or two can be blocked off.

                               

Some left over bits of one of my favorite May Arts ribbons to finish off the tags  AND there you go!

Until next time...get inky!

December WINNERS!

Hello folks : we were celebrating UGLY SWEATERS & all things Christmas this time last month, so check out our winners from December's Challenge.

Voted winner is :

JULIE STEED

She's used Bicycle Man

& the random winner is : Dar.

Ladies, please email me @ deedee430@gmail.com with your shipping address & we'll get you a grab bag in the mail asap!

Art Journal with Wire Butterfly by Jenn Engle

Hey everyone! I have a super fun project to share with you today using a classic, the Large Gossimar Butterfly.

Stamps Used:

Large Gossamer Butterfly

I made the journal by just glueing random pages onto a piece of brown paper bag using PVA glue.
To make the cover, I started with one large piece that would fit all across the front, spine and back.

I collaged all kinds of vintage papers, masking tape, brown paper bag, and book text to my piece. Once that was dry, I used a palette knife to scrap gesso all across the piece. This helps to bring things together and tone things down a bit.

Once that was dry, I stamped the Large Gossamer Butterfly using distress ink. Then I used water on a paintbrush to move color around outside of the butterfly. To get a darker brown, I added some Sepia Fluid Acrylic by Golden.

Once I was happy with the way my bitterfly looked, I used some really thin jewelry wire to construct a butterfly. I really just tried to follow the curves of the stamp and then add extra loops.

I used my paper trimmer and just cut out the center of my butterfly. Then, I glued all the pieces to my book, keeping one wing on the front, one wing on the back and the body on the spine. Then, I glued my wire on using Glossy Accents.

My last step was to wrap some leather cord around my journal. For now, it's just for looks but once I started using my book the leather will keep it together.

Stamps Used:

Large Gossamer Butterfly

OTHER SUPPLIES USED:
Vintage Ephemera
PVA Glue
Brown Paper Bags
Blick Gesso
Distress Ink
Golden Fluid Acrylic in Sepia
Jewelry Wire
Glossy Accents

Thanks so much for looking!
~Jenn

Stay Cool | Sue Plumb

Hi everyone, happy new year! 

I am so incredibly excited and blessed to have the opportunity to stay on the Viva Las VegaStamps design team for another year and share my love of VLVS rubber stamps with you!

To kick off the new year, I have a 12x12" mixed media scrapbook layout to share with you that features a photo of one of my twin boys that was taken only a couple of weeks ago. I created this page to document how in a very short time he has gone from being terrified of swimming to loving being in the pool.

Here is my layout...

To create my page, I began with a sheet of white Bazzill cardstock and some Ranger Distress Oxides in Mermaid Lagoon; Cracked Pistachio; Twisted Citron; and Faded Jeans. I used the "packaging technique" to apply the inks - swiping the ink onto some plastic packaging, then adding a spritz of water before "smooshing" it down onto the cardstock. 

I started with the Mermaid Lagoon colour and then dried it off before repeating the process with the Cracked Pistachio and Twisted Citron. I love the layered watercolour style effect that it creates - perfect for my water themed page!

Next, I used the Faded Jeans Distress Oxide to add some splatters over the top. To do this, I swiped some ink onto my craft mat, then added water before soaking it up with my paint brush and splattering it over the top.

Then it was time to add some stamping! The first stamp I used was the Bubbles (Large Black), using Ranger Archival Ink in Paradise Teal. I added the bubbles in a vertical line down my page then added an extra group of bubbles where the left edge of my photo would sit. (This gave me the "visual triangle" I was looking for.)

Once I had the bubbles stamped out, I chose the Humpback Whale stamp for a bit of fun and to tie in with the water theme of my layout. I stamped the whale twice with the same teal ink, positioning it so that it was "swimming" through the focal area of the page and helping to draw the viewers eye in.

I also stamped the It's a whale of a tale... sentiment several times around the page, switching to black Staz On ink for that one.

With the majority of my background work done, it was time to switch to adding some papery layers and texture. I created a layered mat for my photo using an assortment of tissue paper, paper doilies, paint sample card, a tag, glitter cardstock, frayed gauze and coloured wire. I also added a few pieces of torn washi tape around the page.

Once the layers were in place I added some scrap cardboard to the back of my photo before mounting it on top. I also added a handmade heart embellishment from Charms Creations, and a flair button from Cocoa Vanilla Studio.

Then it was time to finish my page off. I added my handwritten journalling using a felt pen, then stamped the Let Fear Be quote underneath it using black ink. 

I also used my favourite Doodle Dots stamp to add further depth to the background. (How could you not love how this stamp looks?) 

The finishing touch was a few blue and green sequins from Cocoa Vanilla Studio scattered around the page.

Here's a closer look at some of the finished details...

(I am so in love with that background, and glad that I finally treated myself to some Distress Oxides for Christmas!)

You can see where I used my Tim Holtz tiny attacher to fix the wire to my page. I love the extra texture the metal staples add.

That's all from me today, I hope I have inspired you to get your stamps out and create something too. Until next time, get inky! X

Stamps used: 

- Bubbles (Large Black)

- Humpback Whale

- It's a whale of a tale...

- Let Fear Be

- Doodle Dots

Other materials:

- Miracle tape

- Bazzill cardstock

- Ranger Distress Oxides

- Ranger Archival Ink

- Tsukineko StazOn Ink

- Cocoa Vanilla Studio flair button and sequins

- Charms Creations handmade heart

- Assorted collage materials (as detailed in post above)

- Felt pens

- Staples

The truth is out there

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year to you all !

For my first post of 2019 (yes, I am still here !!) I have been playing in my small art journal. This AJ spread was not without it's problems but I left all that in so you can see how I fixed my mistake..

I have filmed the process and you'll find a full tutorial on the VLVS! YouTube channel HERE. 

Or you can click on the pic below ! 

I have used the following stamps:

19568 - Double Coffee Rings

20342 - Library Return Dates

19548 - The truth is out there

18082 - Peeking through Venetian Blinds

Other materials:

PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Finish Acrylics:

- Snowflake

- Lemon Meringue

- Bora Bora

- Baltic Blue

Archival inks:

- Jet Black

- Cobalt

Distress Oxide Inks:

Broken China

Peacock Feathers

Tim Holtz Layering stencil 

Masking tape

Thank you so much for stopping by today ! 

Queen of Hearts Mail Art Monday

Hello Crafty Friends!!

Hope you are having a fabulous
Mail Art Monday!

Stamps Used:

Plate 910B 

(all 3 main stamps are on this plate <3 )

Hearts

The Queen of Hearts

Large Lady on Stool (queen)

French Writing Background

Today I want to share a little Valentines themed happy mail!

I just love this sassy queen! I started by stamping my beautiful queen and quote in memento ink on my A2 card base and envelope.  I used blick alcohol inks to color my queen. I masked off the queen then used Distress inks in Picked raspberry, worn lipstick, and festive berries.  I used Tim Holtz layering stencils to add extra details in the background. 

On the envelope I stamped my hearts in distress ink, festive berries. Using the same color, I stamped the french writing on the card background. 

To finish everything off, I flicked some perfect pearls mist in heirloom gold. 

I hope you are all inspired to create some fun mail art and Valentines love. <3 

Wish You Were Here

HAPPY 2019!!!  I am so excited to be back again this term on the Viva Las VegaStamps CORE Team!!  Lots of inspiration coming your way from a fantastic CORE group and GUEST group!!

Michele here today sharing a quick art journal page.  This year I haven't been able to see my dearest friend in California much at all because of both of our schedules and this page was inspired by how much I am missing him!

Stamps used:  Vintage Bicycle, Victorian Flower Background, Brick Background, Wildflower Silhouette, I Wish You Were Here

The background is done with Dina Wakley paints and my gelli plate.  I stamped the Victorian Flower Background in Sky DWM paint.

Archival ink for the bicycle which I masked and then stamped the brick background in brown and red archival ink.  I stamped the bricks a bit wonky to make the wall seem a bit dilapidated. 

May 2019 bring you all happiness and a bit more traveling for me!!

Until next time...get inky!

January Challenge : TOP SECRET

It's a new month... sheesh. It's a new YEAR!

Welcome to 2019 :)

let's bring it in with some mystery & intrigue hey?

Your monthly challenge for January is all about MYSTERY : TOP SECRET & let's really get out with there... FRINGE SCIENCE. Oh yes. Blacks, browns, tans and any color you'd LIKE to include. Business men, men in black, hats, ties and secrecy. Folders, files, text, handwriting, notes, coffee, splashes & splats. Tape, stick it notes, stamps, equations, numbers.

Don't forget the rules:

-Create a new project based on our inspiration board (it has to be posted this month, but you can certainly link up to other challenges as well!)

-Use at least one (but certainly more if you want) Viva Las VegaStamps! rubber stamps

(We are now allowing competitors stamps to be on your work, but please make VLVS! the focus of the project, thank you.)

-Post it to your blog with a link back to us

-Upload to our linky using your direct blog post link (You may also upload via facebook, flickr or other gallery)

You could win a Project Spotlight post on our blog + some new rubber of course.

And visit us back here for inspiration!

Inlinkz Link Party

A few WINNERS >>>

Looks like we may have missed a couple winners, so in the effort to rectify that & be done with 2018... here are two winners :)


From our August Challenge :

 by HERMINE

& our random winner : Gerda


From our September Challenge :

MADISEN is our winner, but is on instagram & I cannot share her photo.. PLEASE pop on over & check it out!

& our random winner : Gerrina

Don't forget to click the button on the right side of our page to see our NEWEST challenge!

Design Team CHAAAANGES

Hiya folks! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Let's jump right into the beautiful new 2019 with our new team... we are making some really big changes & it is REALLY exciting. We will have more people on our blog this year than ever... we are going to be SHOVING inspiration down your throat... haha. ok. maybe not THAT bad, but we will have LOADS of great stuff to share. We are starting off with our CORE team who will be sharing twice monthly. They are followed up by our rock star GUEST team who will be sharing twice in the next 6 months.

The Core Team : 

Corrie | DeeDee | Fiona | Jenn

Karen | Michele | Sue | Tera

The Guest Team : 

Cheetarah | Elisa | Julia | Leanne

Lisa | Majo | Mercy | Preeti

be sure to follow each of them.. they're all amazing and we're very excited for a fun, rubber stamp filled 2019!

They'll be posting here on our blog, in our Facebook Group, on youtube AND our instagram channel. Inspiration EVERYWHERE :)

"Nourish Your Soul" Art Journal by Fiona

Hello VLVS! peeps. Fiona here with you today to share an art journal page that I have created using the amazeballs Viva Las Vegastamps!

I decided to go a little bit black, white and red for this one! This Lotus Petal Silhouette stamp is so simple and beautiful. I wanted to feature it for it's simplicity.

And to balance the page I added some quintessential Viva Las Vegastamps! designs ..... like this Lingerie Model stamp. It's so unique ... you wouldn't find anything like this any where else but at VLVS! 

The pop of red on the page makes both of these stamps a feature which is exactly what they need to have.

  I also love to stamp on book pages when it comes to "see through" or silhouette style stamps like these two.

I also tried some stamping on some calico to give the page a bit of texture. Even though the red is nice it is also good to have some depth through texture.

So of course some hand stitching needed to be added. This tied the fabric elements together.

To top it off ... one of my most favourite sayings "If It Doesn't Nourish Your Soul Get Rid Of It" ... such good advice.

Viva Las Vegastamps Used:

Lotus Petal Design Silhouette

Lingerie Model

If It Doesn't Nourish

Thank you for hanging around throughout the year guys. It's been a blast. I'll see you all again in 2019!