You are here

Hello everyone,

It is my turn again today. I have made another art journal.... As usual here is a look at the finished project. I have a step-by-step tutorial for you so sit back and relax !

And here is how I made this :

I used Distress Inks a and a blending tool to colour my background. After I took this photo I decided to used Seedless Preserves as well,  but only at the bottom. 

This is how it looked after I finished blending those colours. 

Next I stamped the background, using the same inks and black Archival to add some contrast. 

Next I used VersaMark with this lovely flower stamp as I wanted to heat emboss this with WOW white embossing powder. 

There is a complete list of all the stamps I used at the bottom of this post. 

This is how it looks after I applied the white embossing powder. 

I then stamped the main images; later I decided not to use the bird. I coloured TweedleDum and TweedleDee with Copic Markers and cut them out. 

I used a piece of acetate on which I stamped the sentiment, so I could determine where I wanted it on this page... 

Here's a close up of the acetate....

And here is my page, put all together... 

I have used the following stamps:

19178 - You are here

19175 - Set of 2 hands pointing

10526 - TweedleDum & TweedleDee

19646 - Wildflowers Silhouette

19659 - Numbers Set

19571 - Writing Triangles

19570 - Texture Background

19567 - Wrting Triangles Background 

Thank you so much for stopping by today !

The Hunt.

Hello!!  Mary here with a pocket-sized book for lookin'.

 

Last weekend, I was able to capture a few snapshots of my kiddos at my church's annual Easter egg hunt.  From the moment I took them, I knew I wanted to scrap them...and FAST!

 

Here's a peek at my book...

 

I've been on a mission to use up some of my old paper stash.  While it's a noble endeavor, playing with older paper can be a bit blah.  I find myself craving the new.  It's exciting to get your hands on craftin' goodies---hot off the press!!  So, I thought what better way to jazz up old paper and make it new again, that with some rock solid stamping??

 

I started my book by cutting my photos and papers down to 3x2 inches in size.  For each patterned paper, I chose a stamp and stamped (sometimes repeatedly, depending on the size of the stamp) my image down with Memento ink in Tuxedo Black.  A bit of color added really makes the stamped image POP!!  I've used my Copic markers in a variety of colors.

 

Being such a tiny book, I decided to add my journaling on vellum.  It gives me plenty of room for the story without covering up any of the lovely stamping.

I LOVE how this bulls eye page turned out!

 

 

And this clouds page is super whimsical and totally makes me smile.

Here's a peek at the rest of my pages...

 

 

And that's my book!!  I love that it's pocket-sized but still packs a punch.

 

Viva Las VegaStamps! used:

 

Medium Doily

Waybill/Invoice Background

Be Adorable

Bulls Eye Solid

Victorian Flourish

Lace Background

Whimsical Cloud 1 1/2 x 2 1/4

Whimsical Cloud 1 x 2 1/2

 

 

Thanks so much for joining me today!!  xx Mary

Wind Up Your Stamping for a Very Hoppy Steampunk Surprise!

Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps! - it's finally FRIDAY and Easter is almost here! Susan here today bringing you some Springtime Steampunk inspiration. I participate in fellow DT member LeslieRahye's bloghops and this month's installment was in celebration of Spring. I always plan to play along with the 12 tags monthly challenge by T!m Holtz and this month I actually have... in total VIVA LAS VEGASTAMPS! Style!!!

I have to say that I had so much fun making this and I only used ONE die - a spellbinders frame to contain my bunny silhouette. The rest of my tag is totally handmade - including handstamped paper, fussy cut elements and a little greencrafting, too! 

   

**TIP FOR THE DAY** Don't be afraid use your stamps in interesting and unconventional ways. The reverse silhouette is a popular trend right now and I'm seeing it everywhere. Today I have created this great technique by stamping on the back of my die cut frame and with a craft knife fussy cutting out the steampunk rabbit. I just love this creepy cool mechanical rabbit.

My grass is hand-cut also - quick and easy large freehand zig-zag using my craft knife. I'm happy to report that this insanely perfectionist measurer did not use a ruler to make uber-straight cuts {imagine that}; and all digits are accounted for!

I distressed and aged a tag cut out of Easter colored double-sided cardstock by My Minds Eye ans stamped several gears and steampunkery items in Stuart Superior Brown Memories Dye Ink. In the same ink, I also combined individual letter stamps to spell out "hoppy" and combined with the word "steampunk", stamped in a row on a cream cardstock, then trimmed and folded to create a quick and easy banner heading. I added a coordinating circle from the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hole Reinforcers to the front and back {best $1 ever spent this year}.

Strips of green tinsel are adhered to the frame back using, yep you guessed it! Miracle Tape made this process quick and easy, too! I finished off the back with some 3D foam tape, tied bow around and mounted to the tag base.

Another little discovery... get quick faux wrinkled ribbon by using recycled ribbon bow from a plant. I have a potted plant basket in my kitchen that had a pretty yellow bow on a pick in it. In grabbing my acrylic blocks on my kitchen table, I spotted this ribbon and grabbed it for this tag - it was the perfect match for my spring tag. I gently untwisted the wire around the ribbon bow and CRUMPLED it up. Being that this ribbon is the same as the ribbon used for gift wrapping, it it perfect for distressing. The wrinkling along with a swipe of vintage photo distress stain to age it a little, works perfectly.

The finishing touch are my gear flowers and colorful button eggs. The stems for my flowers are recycled thin strips of metal that the guys at work trim off the metal printing plates that I quilled into leaves and stems. The metal has a lovely teal coating on one side and the backside is silver. I have a whole little bin of these metal strips coiled for creative re-purposing. "HOPPY STEAMPUNK!!!"

•••••••••••

Supplies used: STAMPS - Steampunk Rabbit #16032, and Small alphabet from December Daily Plate 1430, Steampunk Outline #16005, Compass #16019, Watch Parts #16007, Gear Duo/ Small and Large #16025,  Gauges #16028, Gears Rotating #16031, and Watch Movement #18457. Also used: my DIY mix of gesso/acrylic/glazing medium; sandpaper; My Minds Eye Kaleidoscope double-sided patterned paper, Tim Holtz Kraft-Core Nostalgic Paper Pack - used Green and White; Miracle Tape; Diamond Glaze, 3-D foam mounting tape; Spellbinders Nestabilities® Labels 4 Die Set; Stuart Superior Memories Dye Ink in Brown; Ranger Vintage Photo and Antique Linen Distress Stains; Ranger Adirondack® Acrylic Paint Dabber in Snow Cap; Tim Holtz Idea-ology Hole Reinforcers; and Clearsnap Creamy Brown Chalk ink.

A REMINDER... there are six new plates on pre-sale for 20% off for a very limited time...the plates should be in any day now. So many great new images -AND- a "WHO-vian" plate with a re-issue of my blue police box stamp... just in time for the return of Dr. Who at the end of the month! Drop by the Viva Las Vegastamps! store to get the new releases and browse the VLVS! rubber vault.

Thanks so much for dropping by. Have you seen what the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team has been creating? There's so much amazing inky inspiration to see!  If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back soon with another stamping adventure...and I'm starting off April on an adventure of my own - a trip to the WORLD FAMOUS Viva Las Vegastamps! Have an inky day - and a fabulous weekend! Sb

Prepping for the VLVS! Link Up BLog Hop!!!

This is just a little tease... I have something big planned for the LINK UP BLOG HOP!

The Viva Las Vegastamps! "Link Up Blog Hop" is May 26th & 27th, featuring Mary Vogel Lozniak's awesome VLVS! images.  There is still time to think about LINKING UP! See details HERE!

Today I am using Mary Vogel Lozniak's Headless Unicycle Juggler. With the Viva Las Vegastamps! sentiment "Anything I can imagine I can do." 

Supplies: 

Stewart Superiors Memories Black Ink

Mary Vogel Lozniak VLVS! Headless Unicycle Juggler 

Sentiment VLVS! "Anything I can imagine I can do"

VLVS! Miracle Tape

Tim Holtz Distress Markers 

White Card Stock

Black Card Stock

Yellow Card Base

Robins Nest Dew Drops

Terri Sproul Glitter Glitz

Sakura Crystal Lacquer

Stamp the Headless Unicycle Juggler on white cardstock, color dress with Tim Holtz Distress Marker - Rusty Hinge and fussy cut. 

Stamp the Headless Unicycle Juggler directly on the card, with Tim Holtz Distress Markers color the arms Tattered Rose and Pumice Stone on the unicycle. Note: The border was made ahead of time... instructions later in the post!  

Adhere the fussy cut dress to the stamped image on the card. Stamp the sentiment "Anything I can imagine I can do" on white card stock and layer on black, adhere to the card. Adhere three Robins Nest's Dew Drops as juggling balls with Sakura Crystal Lacquer!

A LITTLE BONUS POST!!!! 

Creating Textured Borders on Cards 

with VLVS! Miracle Tape & Sakura Crystal Lacquer 

and what ever trinkets you want!  

Attach Viva Las Vegastamps! Miracle Tape to the card.  Remove the protective covering, add trinkets (locking washers) and fill with seed beads. Cover with Sakura Crystal Lacquer, set aside to dry 24 hours. 

Using the same technique here are two variations. On the left, are locking washers with Robins Nest Dew Drops. The trim on the right is the one used on the Headless Unicycle Juggler card above. It is made with Robins Nest Dew Drops and Terri Sproul's Gold Glitter Glitz! Covered with Sakura Crystal Lacquer and set aside to dry 24 hours.

Be sure to join the design team 

and "Link Up" on May 26th & 27th!

We plan to have tons of fun with 

Mary Vogel Lozniak's VLVS!

MONTHLY CHALLENGE 

Don't forget the VLVS! Monthly Challenge!

The theme is May Flowers.

One random winner has a chance to win $25 Gift Certificate the the Viva Las Vegastamps! online store.

Visit my blog Dreaming of Castles

I'll meet you at the "LINK UP BLOG HOP"

~Lyneen

You're no longer the man I met on the internet!

Hello again! Since Valentine’s Day is almost here, I thought I would make a fun card for all the people who are not looking forward to it. I am sure that most people can relate or know someone in the situation where their dream date turned out to be a dud in person, or not so great once you really got to know them. Anyway, because so many people are finding love on the internet by chatting on social networking websites like Facebook or sites like Match.com, I thought that this stamp was especially funny, and I just had to use it in a project this month!

Click here to see this stamp in the Viva Las Vegastamps! online store.

I made this card using a black A2 sized card. For the background, I chose a pattern that made me think of a comic book. I thought this pattern looked like the colored pixels you see when you look very closely at a picture in a magazine or newspaper. I colored my stamped image with Copic markers and then I assembled the card as you see in the photo. I put the matted stamped image on pop dots to be sure that it would stand out against the busy, but appropriate, background paper.

Be sure to keep coming back to the Viva Las Vegastamps! blog for more great ideas for their fun stamps. If you want to see my other Viva Las Vegastamps! projects, feel free to visit my blog at Create & Craft. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Thanks for stopping by!

Viva Las Vegastamps! A Month of Celebrations

January is a month of "Celebrations" 

At Viva Las Vegastamps! 

Today I am sharing another CELEBRATION card celebrating friends!!!  I am using VLVS! Cowgirl-Granny from Plate 1355 that just came out in November!  

Be sure to check out the savings when you buy stamps by the plate!  You get an even greater savings when you pre-order as new plates are introduced.  Be sure to check the front page in the Viva Las Vegastamps! store each month for the newest plates. 

Stamp VLVS! Cowgirl-Granny using Stewart Superior Memories Black ink on white card stock, using COPICs color her face and scarf.  

Stamp sentiment VLVS! "If friends could be bought..."  using Stewart Superior Memories Black ink on background pattern paper (Memory Box).  Heat emboss sentiment with Viva Las Vegastamps! Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder.

Attach VLVS! Cowgirl-Granny and feather to the card using foam tape. Layer the pattern paper background on black and adhere to the card using Viva Las Vegastamps! Miracle Tape.

Add a little bling with red Stickles to her hat and blouse.

Gotta love your friends!
Check out my blog
Dreaming of Castles

Want to win some blog candy!!!

The Monthly Challenge is been posted

on the Viva Las Vegastamps! Blog.

This Months Theme is

"CELEBRATION"

Interpret “Celebration” any way you like... 

a Birthday, Anniversary, Party

or whatever you would like to celebrate!

Learn more HERE

Winner will receive a $25 shopping Spree 

to the Viva Las Vegastamps! on line store.

Post the Viva Las Vegastamps Blinkie on your blog 

and get a Free Grab bag of Unmounted Rubber.

Find more details on the VLVS! Sidebar beneath the “Blinke”

It's Fruitcake Time!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! For my last post of 2011, I wanted to make a card that I have had planned out in my head for quite a while. I know it's the day after Christmas, but it's funny, so here it is. I am sure everyone will get a late card or two in the mail this week and I am sure that if you had a fruitcake in your house yesterday, then more than likely, it's still there today. Anyway, back to my project. I am known for my unconventional sense of humor, and this card supports that. People will know who made this as soon as they see it.

I used the following four Viva Las Vegastamps! to make this card:

Handsome Man

Man With Bottle

Santa Hat (reversed)

Fruitcake Time! sentiment

First I stamped all of my stamps on white card stock using a black Memories dye ink pad from Stewart Superior. I wanted the Santa hat to go in the opposite direction, so I stamped it on the smooth backside of another unmounted rubber stamp, and then pressed that image onto the paper to get my reversed image. Then, I colored all my images and cut them out. I embossed the green background sheet with a holly embossing folder. I used a punch for some additonal holly leaves and berries. For the lights, I used a spool of embellishment lights arranged the way I wanted them, and put a drop of glue under each bulb. I let that dry for a few minutes, and then put a drop of glue under the strings to hold them where I wanted them.

I assembled the rest of the card as you see in the finished picture. I put the Man with Bottle behind a holly leaf so he would not be floating in space. I put the Handsome Man on pop dots to bring him to the front of the scene and to show that the guy with the bottle of tanning oil (it's my card, so that is what I have decided it is) is in the background. Of course, the sentiment means it's Christmastime, but I like to think that the man is happy for a lot of reasons.

Visit my blog on the Create & Craft site to see my other fun projects. Happy New Year!

"Thanks a Lot" from Grandma's Kitchen

Hello - its Susan and I'm bringing you a special Saturday post! This lovely card reminiscent of Grandma's kitchen features Viva Las Vegastamps! Blender #1571 and "Thanks a Lot" #587 stamps. 

I stamped the blender with Black Memories Dye ink. Let me say that it says this is a waterproof, permanent dye ink - and I put it to the test with this image. I am quite suprised and impressed that after all of the hand coloring and crystal lacquer, the image is still crisp and clean with no bleeding. 

Here's how I made the two-tone blender. First, I stamped it on white and then again on blue cardstock. I cut each blender out and paper pieced it back together, in a retro color style, two-tone blue and clear. Then I colored in accents to give it dimensions with my Marvy markers and water brush. I really like the effect of blending with the water brush opposed to the blender pen. 

Detail after handcoloring with markers and water brush.

I layered the stamped pieced blender onto BoBunny patterned paper, then double matted circles placed on top of a paper doily. The background papers are scraps of BoBunny papers, too. Of course, I adhered it all down with Miracle Tape. This came out so beautifully - just like in Grandma's retro kitchen.

Here is how the card looks before I added some magic...Crystal Lacquer. I filled in the blue areas and the knobs and a few details in the pitcher of the blender with blue Crystal Lacquer. The blue Crystal Lacquer gave the blue paper a "POP" and the illusion of dimension. The rest of the blender, the cord, and switchplate I layered in clear Crystal Lacquer. And "BAM!!!!" Here is the shiny new blender in all it's 3-D splendor. Just like one of those high-priced epoxy stickers...but better - because I made it myself!!!

Detail after adding Crystal Lacquer to blender.

I needed a sentiment to finish off this card so I stamped the "Thanks a Lot" with "Madonna Blue" Memories pigment ink and embossed with VLVS Ultra High Gloss embossing powder. Double matted and adhered with Miracle Tape, the card is complete. I hope you like it and invite you to play along with November's challenge "THANKS".

This is a new month and there is a new VLVS Theme Challenge for November. Submit your "THANKS" theme creations using Viva Las Vegastamps for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate at the VLVS online store. CLICK HERE for info on submissions. Also check out the Viva Las Vegastamps store - there is something for every occasion and more! 

"Thanks a Lot" for visiting & if you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. Have a great weekend : )