Mail Art Monday: You're Awesome! - by Cheetarah

Hey everyone, it's Cheetarah here and I've got a fun make to share with you for this MAM! 

I got inspired by our beautiful fall challenge board, the colors and the whimsical fox... I just had to do something with that :) A full list of materials and stamps used is at the bottom of the post. 

So I started off  by taking out an envelope, stamped the fox in the center left and blocked a part for the address with post it tape. Smudged some distress oxides in lovely fall colors on my craft sheet, spritzed some water and created a background base color. 

I added splashes of color and dried in between layers until I was satisfied with the blend. Then took out some lovely VLVS! mixed media and mail art related stamps to add more interest and texture. 

I used my Kaleidacolor autumn leaves pad for this as it fits the color theme. I created a border around the masked off aria and the fox with the punichella waste stamp. Some crosses and squiggly lines and added postage and stamps in the top right corner from the ATC size postcard stamp. You can see I cut my cross marks back ground in 1//2 because I found that more manageable for me. That is the beauty of buying unmounted, it's very flexible in use!

Now on to the focal image. I stamped the fox on sticker paper and colored with alcohol markers and fussy cut it out and adhered it to the envelope. 

Adhered some washitape to ground him, stamped "you're awesome" at the bottom of the address section and doodled around the white edges and called it done!

Stamps used: 

Cute Fox in Coat 

Cross Marks background 

Punichella Sequin waste border 

Postcards ATC size 

You're Awesome 

Stitching 

Hopefully this has inspired you to join in the september challenge. 

Have a great day!

ATC Trio with Distress Oxide Inks by Susanne

Hi my dear crafty friends.

Susanne here today and I'm sharing a process video for these Artist Trading Cards Trio with the Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks.

I like to play with the small size of ATCs. They are perfect to try new techniques or products. I not only collect these cards, I also use them in art/ junk journals or scrapbooking minis. They can also be a great card topper.


Enjoy the video:

Thank you for stopping by today.
xx Susanne.

Supplies:
Viva Las VegaStamps:
Stars
I Wish My Life
Frankenstein
Zombie Brains
Mason Jar
Einstein's Tongue
Boy In Cape
Typewriter Keys
Others:
Distress Oxide Inks:
Abendoned Coral,
Peacock Feathers,
Twisted Cirtron,
Black Soot
Anitque Linen
Distress Inks:
Tattered Rose
Fired Brick
Crushed Olive
Archivel Ink Jet Black
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
Sizzix Word Block Die "Dreams"

September Challenge Inspiration by Jenn Engle

Hey guys! Today I have an art journal page to share for the September Challenge.

STAMPS USED:

Deer Head by Cat Kerr

Cross Marks Background

Wilderness

I started out by taping off a rectangle. I then used grey acrylic paint and grey watercolor pencils to create a background that looks like the one in the inspo photo. I also stamped the Cross Marks Background all over the colored area, just like the inspo photo. 

After the background was finished, I stamped Deer Hear by Cat Kerr and Wilderness. I outlined the whole thing with a fineliner and that's it! Be sure to check out the process video to see exactly how I made this page. 

OTHER PRODUCTS USED:

Watercolor Journal

Dina Wakley Media Acrylic in Elephant

Prima Watercolor Pencils

Archival Ink in Watering Can

Black Staz-On

FineLiner

Black Acrylic Paint

Process Video:

Thanks for looking!

~Jenn

September Challenge - Thoughts of Fall

September has arrived... the month we're all waiting for! Fall is around the corner... cool crisp air... pumpkin spice EVERYthing... and comfy sweaters.

So let's bring out the Fall themed challenges! Like this beautiful fox! Be inspired by Jewel & Earth tones like mossy greens, warm oranges, pale pinks n blues. Draw inspiration from the browns and grays. Use any woodland creatures like deer, foxes, squirrels, birds and more. Trees, branches, pines, mountains... all are appropriate! Also feel free to use lots of marks & textures in your background. GOOD LUCK guys!

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!

An InLinkz Link-up

Something wicked

Hello everyone,

welcome to my last post for August ! Can't believe it is almost September ...

Anyway for today I have a postcard to share and this is it:

and here's how I made it :

I made the background on water colour paper. I put the Oxides on my craft sheet, sprayed water over it and then dunked my card in it repeatedly, drying in between layers. 

Next I tool a pallet knife and some white acrylic paint and scraped some over the card. 

I liked the result. Next I added stamping; I used the same Distress Oxides and grey and black Archival inks. 

This was the result.. 

Next I stamped my images onto some pattern paper which hasn't got any pattern on it, lol... but the colour of this paper matched the paint I used... 

After I cut everything out I adhered it to my card and doodled around the edge and around the words.

Here's a detail... 

and another.. 

I have used the following stamps:

19152 - Weeping statue of liberty

20122 - something wicked this way comes

20163 - typeset scallop

20170 - Rows of numbers

20165 - cross marks background 

Thank you so much for stopping by today ! 

Mail Art Monday with Shanna

Yes its time for some Mail Art Monday! I feel like it has been forever since I shared my last piece of mail art with you all. 

So here she is! I am telling you the new stamps are so fun! I mean y'all just don't understand how easy it is to pick them up and go crazy (because I sure did but don't tell anyone)!

So I had a chance to make a video for you in case your wondering how I created this envelope. It was super simple and easy! 

Here are some close ups of the stamps I used!

Stamps Used:

Cross Marks Background - 20165

Row of Distressed Lines - 20171

X Circle - 20167

Other Items:

ColorBox Pigment Ink - Frost White

StazOn Black Ink

Dina Wakley Paints 

Gelli Plate

Black Paint Marker

Thank you all for stopping by today! 

Whimsical Bird ATC

We have our August inspiration challenge

 AND our August swap still going on.  The August swap is for ATC's and the theme is: colors of the sunset.

If you have been watching the challenges and swaps lately you might have npticed that we have been picking themes for the swaps that go with our inspiration challenges.  That way you get more bang for your buck!  You get to swap art and link up for a chance to win!

So now that you have the insider information...on to the project I am sharing today...  I created ATC's for our swap inspired by the colores from the inspiration challenge that just HAPPENED to be colors of the sunset or at least my interpretation.

I started with a piece of watercolor paper, my gelli plate and Dina Wakley acrylic paints.  Oh and stencils too, one from Um Wow Studio.

I cut my two ATC bases from one of my prints.

I built up my layers by first stamping on a piece of tissue paper, fussy cutting and adhereing to my background.  Then I did another of the same layer and adhered only on one edge.

This is the Typeset Scallop stamp, one of my favorites from the latest release.

I love the texture.

The Whimsical Long Beaked Bird is stamped on all of the layers and then the body is stamped fussy cut, colored and popped up.

This bird is SO cute!

Here is a close up of the background...glorious colors!!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are inspired to join us in either our swap or our challenge.  You can find the swap deatils in the events page of The Viva LasVegaStamps Groupies Facebook Page and the challenge info our our blog.

Until next time...get inky!

Finding My Way - Tag by Susanne

Hi everyone!

It's Susanne writing today and I want to share a mixed media tag with the lovely "Girl In Princess Costume" with you.

 
If you are gelli printing addicted, like me, you might have the same "problem": Tons of gelli printed backgrounds. This is one way you can use them:

Cut a tag from the background of your choice and stamp the main image:

Stamp the same image on white cardstock, too. Cut it out.

I did the same with all images that are on my tag. (Except from the sentiment and the tree on the background)

Colour the images with a medium of your choice (I used Distress Inks) and adhere them to the tag. I used a Nuvo Glitter Gloss pen to add some shimmer to the crown.

Here are some close ups:

Normally I use tags in my Art Journal, as a bookmark or to decorate gifts.
I hope you like this one. Thanks for stopping by today!
xx Susanne.

Supplies:
Viva Las VegaStamps!:
Girl in Princess Costume
Whimsical Worm
Compass
Finding my Way
Leaves Blowing from Tree
Others:
Gelli Print
Staz On ink
Distress Inks
Nuvo Glitter Gloss pen
Tim Holtz Stamping Platform

Video Tutorial by Fiona

Hello VLVS! fans, Fiona here with you today to show you how I created some collage paper by stamping directly onto the gel surface with the stamps.

I then used the collage sheets to make a little mini album.

I embellished the cover with some more stamping.

 And added some little Um WOW Studio chipboard dudes on as well.

I think i might add some pages into this little one and turn it into an art journal or a little sketch journal.

Here is the video showing how I created the collage paper.

And here is the list of Viva Las Vegastamps! I used

Plate 1495

Scribble Circle

Typeset Scallop

Carved X's

X Circle

Rows of Numbers

Row of Distressed Lines

Row of Scribble Squares

Punchinella/Sequin Waster Border

Cross Marks