Making Shrink Plastic Embellishments with Josefine

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Viva Las VegaStamps! blog. 

I am in a creative low. I only have little time to create and when I find a few minutes I seem to be overwhelmed and don't know where to start. That happens all the time though, so I prepared a few tricks to get my mind going. One of them is to pick something from my "new supplies" pile (how big is yours? ;) ). This time, the item I picked was shrink plastic. Yikes... I've never used it and it totally intimidates me.

So, I thought that I'd start with something simple. Just a stamped image. Maybe a few more, so I don't do one and then have to stamp another image. If I have a few ready, I might get into it.

I stamped the images using my Misti and StazOn ink. 

Then I cut all the pieces. I didn't even try to cut right at the edges. That plastic is rather thick and starts breaking when the scissor is at a too tight angle. Also, something that I learned during the process, the more intricate the piece, the more difficult it is to shrink it.

In addition to shrinking just a simple stamped image, I decided to color two of them using Copic markers.

And guess what... IT WORKED :D

I thought the sheep would end as a black blob, but you can actually still see the shape. One more tip: punch the holes for the embellishment before you shrink them. Much easier (guess how I know that....).

Now I got a bit creative. I dusted off an old jewelry making kit that had some earrings left. I think the sheep work great as earrings.

I have not done much with the colored images yet, but am sure that at least the silly reindeer will end up on a Christmas art journal.

This turned out amazingly crisp. I'm so excited about it.

And finally, the Ethos Door is now an embellishment for my zine art journal that I created for one of the last VLVS blog posts. 

What do you think? Fun project or not worth the time? ;)

Stamps used:

- Ethos Door

- Ethos 3 Sheep

- Super Pug

- Cross-Eyed Reindeer

- Weeping Statue of Liberty

Thanks for stopping by!

Merry & Bright | Sue Plumb

Hi everyone!

Sue Plumb here with my latest VLVS design team project for you. Given that Christmas is a mere week away (eeeek!) and we have an "Ugly Christmas Sweater" challenge this month (details HERE), I thought it might be timely to share a scrapbook layout featuring some of the recently released Christmas stamps and a photo of my kids with Santa.

As it is summer time here in Australia at Christmas (and partly because I am not a fan), I tend to steer away from the "traditional" red / forest green Christmas colour combination and lean towards brighter colours that more accurately reflect our season.

I began this page with some white Bazzill cardstock and Dina Wakley acrylic paints (turquoise, lime, sky, blushing and ruby), which I applied using a brayer and my fingers to build up some layers of colour. I also splattered some Colour Blast 'Soot' Colour Artist Ink around the page.

I then took an assortment of Christmas-themed stamps and used them to add some interest to my background. I used a combination of black StazOn ink and Paradise Teal Ranger Archival ink. The stamps I used were:

- Christmas Design Background

- Mittens

 - Candy Cane Border

- Christmas Saying Reindeer Head

- Holiday Cheer

I then added a variety of patterned paper pieces from Cocoa Vanilla Studio to form a layered mat for my photo, before adding some frayed gauze and my photo on top.

To embellish my page, I used some cool chipboard Christmas trees from the Yuletide MASH pack by UmWow Studio, which I coloured using a gold paint pen before sticking them down with a liquid adhesive. 

I layered the chipboard trees with some assorted Christmas themed wood veneer pieces; flair button; resin star; enamel dots; and red & white paper flowers from Cocoa Vanilla Studio; plus a few tiny pale blue flowers from D-lish Scraps.

For my page title, I stamped the May Your Days Be Merry stamp a couple of times, then overlaid it with a merry&bright wood veneer piece (also from Cocoa Vanilla Studio and coloured gold with a paint pen). 

To finish off my page I added my handwritten journalling with a Sharpie, and some splatters of Colour Blast 'Bling' Colour Shimmer Spray.

Thanks so much for stopping by today so I could share this with you. I hope I have inspired you to document your precious Christmas memories too or perhaps get an entry in for the December monthly challenge.
I would like to take this opportunity wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year!

Stamps used:
- Christmas Design Background
- Mittens
- Candy Cane Border
- Christmas Saying Reindeer Head
- Holiday Cheer
- May Your Days Be Merry

Other materials:
- Bazzill cardstock
- Dina Wakley acrylic paints
- Tsukineko StazOn ink
- Ranger Archival ink
- Colour Blast Colour Artist Ink and Colour Shimmer Spray
- UmWow chipboard trees
- Cocoa Vanilla Studio patterned papers, wood veneer pieces, enamel dots, flair button, resin star, paper flowers
- D-lish Scraps paper flowers
- gold paint pen
- Sharpie pen
- frayed gauze

Fall ATC

Heya Folks!! Looks like us on the Viva Las Vegastamps! DT have ATCs on the brain...

Today I'm sharing a fall inspired ATC made using the

Reindeer stamp

2.75 x 2.5 - $9.75 mounted

I started off with a small piece of white cardstock... I used Walnut Stain and Spiced Marmalade distress inks to foam the background... then when all the white was covered with some thickness of ink I spritzed water over it.. giving it the sort of dappled water droplet effect! 

After drying it with a heat gun I pulled out my trusty http://www.vlvstamps.com/memento-dye-ink-pad-tuxedo-black.html and stamped my reindeer.... while the ink was still wet I poured over some Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder from VLVS! and viola --- a nice standy-outish reindeer on a darling background.

I then inked some rayon seam binding with walnut ink and dried it with a heat gun. To insure my binding stayed where I wanted it.. I "guided" it with a piece of Miracle tape (my personal testimony goes as is.. "NOTHING beats Miracle Tape!!!!") on the back! Tie a knot, cut a tiny pinecone in half and there's my finished piece!!!

Enjoy your cool days this Autumn!!!! -DeeDee