The road not taken ► Majo

Hello, my dear friends ♥

 I just bought a few spiral books in different sizes. I create a new cover and give them away as little presents.

 I used watercolor paper and inked my background using a lot of water.

 After stamping the legs and the heart, I stamped and cut the heart on a piece of the same paper and used more of the “Victorian Velvet” to color it. I also used the solid bubbles for more interest. Same thing with the wings.

 I used the numbers from set 1495 to give the background a bit of texture. The words finished off my panel.

 

 I have used the following stamps:

 Legs and heart from set 1459

Numbers from set 1495

Sentiment

solid bubbles

 

Plese stay safe and always find time to craft, with love ♥

 

 

 

This Book Belongs To : New Challenge NOVEMBER

It's time for November's challenge!!! 

This is a SPLASH o' COLOR challenge : be inspired by the images we have going on. the beautiful floral background, the alice in wonderland imagery, think about gardens books, journals, garden items, terrariums, cloches, pretty backgrounds, stark focal points, numbers, dates, black & white & vintage browns... but don't forget to throw in your own SPLASH o' COLOR!!!

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

Mail Art Monday!!

Hello Again....
and welcome back for another fabulous
Mail Art Monday!!!

Today I want to share a fun envelope that I made using my new distress oxide inks, distress layering stencils and some of my favorite Stamps from VLVS! 

(you know I love these art journal style stamps... 

so when trying any medium they are usually what I grab for 1st!  Especially the numbers!) 

Stamps Used:

Numbers Set

Double Coffee Rings

Squiggle Heart

Six Staples

Distress oxide inks:

Broken China

Wilted Violet

Cracked Pistachio

To start I used stencils to add some detail to my blank A2 envelope. when I felt I had enough pattern, I added some ink to me craft mat so that I could "smoosh" my envelope in to get a more distressed blotchy effect.  to finish the background I used my ink blending tools to edge around the envelope. 

(below you can see my envelope before I added any stamps or detail)

Next I stamped the Squiggle heart off of the left of the envelope. 

(remember to leave room for an address)

To add even more visual interest to the background I decided to stamp my numbers set randomly... 

(It tends to be one of my go to stamps for backgrounds.)

The next steps I forgot to photograph ... (Sorry, but I'll explain what I did)

I used a black pen and scribbled around the area that I wanted to be my address box. It still looked a tad plain, so I then stamped my staples around that. (which was exactly what it needed)

I also decided to stamp the coffee ring stains... 

(Love these... yes I know I used these a ton too!) 

The final steps to make everything pop, I used Pan pastels in Ultra soft course glitter black to edge my card (the glitter doesn't show in the scan, its very subtle)... I also used it to shadow my address space and heart.  To help the staples to pop I used a white gel pen to add highlights. 

Well, there you have it! Nice and easy and super fun to mail anyone!

(Also some of you may notice I went WAY outside my comfort zone here... I used PURPLE!!!! I know, i'm shocked too!!! 

I couldn't believe I was buying purple ink... let alone reaching for it for an envelope... )

At Home on Mail Art Monday

Hello Again! 

Today I am here to share some more fun and easy
Mail art Monday inspiration. 

This piece is actually a special one for me, because I was challenged by a friend (Freezeframe03)  to use my large chevron stamp on an envelope in a new way...
 So, I chose to go a sort of cart Journal-ish route... 

Stamps used:

Numbers Set

Writing Chevron

Doodle Frame

Three Staples

Six Staples

Staples X

Grunge Equal Sign

To start I stamped my writing chevron on a pre-painted piece of paper I had laying on my desk. I created a mask to mask of the chevron then stamped the numbers to create a sort of house like shape. To finish off the "house" shape, I stamped the equal sign as a door then used a pen to draw some scribble outlines. (Then I cut it out)

To create the Envelope base I began with a plain white A2 envelope. I stamped my doodle frame on the bottom to look like bushes. I used a scrap of cardstock to create a address block, then stamped the various staples.  I masked off my address block and doodle frames then used Tim Holtz Distress ink in salty ocean to add my base layer of color for the envelope. 

(I did not glue the house down until the end)

I used various green markers to color in the "bushes", then re-masked everything off. I used more of the salty ocean ink to stamp the numbers in the background as well as a touch of cracked pistachio. 

I also used punchinella waste as a stencil to ink layered dots to add extra depth to the background (using the same 2 colors as for the numbers). 

So, there you have it... 

Nice and Easy! 

If you have a bigger envelope this would be great to add a few Alice in wonderland characters...

(Or anything really, the sky is the limit!)

Happy Stamping!

Challenge Inspiration by Fiona Paltridge

Challenge time!!! This month the theme is "I'm a Creep". I tried to make something slightly creepy but I think it's still kind of cute .... But I did include numbers, grey and browns and a sunburst!

I hope you will be able to join us in this challenge.

Viva Las Vegastamps used include:

Striped leggings

Whimsical Moon Face

Number Strip

Mousey Monthly Challenge inspiration

Hello Every one!! 

Tera here today with a little something to inspire you for this months 

monthly inspiration challenge!!! 

(Click HERE to Enter)

The words that inspired me were: weird, different, grey, tan, black, white, neutrals, mice, rays, critters, cheese, numbers, splatters, light bulb, bright ideas, light bulb moment, spritz, distressed and grungy

(Stamps used at bottom of post)

To start I used plain card stock to cut out a tag measuring 2 3/4" x 4 3/4"

Next I stamped my mouse/rat and the set of 3 triangles so that I would have the placement of my focal images.. 

(if you want to make masks this is the time to mask them off... this time I just glued cut outs on top of each of these after I did the background).

now I stamped all of my background images in a kind of randomness... The coffee ring was stamped in distress ink- pumice stone, I also used this to sponge ink onto the entire background. all of the other images were stamped in black ink. (archival and versafine were on my desk today).  I also used the black ink to distress the edges of my tag

(same thing for the back of the tag)

(to make the light bulb Pop and look 3D I edged it in black pan pastels)

For the crinkle ribbon I used vintage photo, pumice stone, and black distress ink on my craft mat with a little water. 

I hope this inspired you to join in our challenge! 

I can't wait to see everyone's creations!!! 

Stamps Used: 

Creepy Rat With Cheese 2 x 2 1/4

Spoiler Alert 3/4 x 1 1/2

You Won't Believe 1 x 3/4

Dictionary Page 4 x 2 1/2

Doodle Dots 2 3/4 x 2 3/4

Numbers Set 2 1/2 x 2

Large Lightbulb 2 x 3

 Writing Triangles 1 1/4 x 3 1.4

Tape X 1 3/4 x 1 3/4

Double Coffee Rings 3 x 3

Six Staples 3/4 x 1 1/2

Plate 1455 (the last 4 above are all from this plate... Honestly this is my must have all time fave plate... so here is the link to it too) 

Mail Art Monday with Jenn

Hey! It is thrill to be sharing my very first Design Team project with you today.
 "Mail Art Monday" is right up my alley because I love decorating envelopes to send out goodies to my crafty friends. My envelope today combines some of my fave colors and some of my fave stamps. Be sure to check out the process video at the end of this post!

STAMPS I USED:

 Writing Circles Background

Writing Triangles

Numbers

Paperclip

 

Here is a start to finish video of my process for creating this "Mail Art Monday" project.

Thanks so much for joining me!

~Jenn

Mail Art Monday Spooktacular

Hello again!!!

Its me Tera here with a new spooky take on our Mail Art Mondays! 

(also Happy Labor Day!)

This  time I want to share a piece to get you ready for some fun Halloween mailing!!!

(Who doesn't want to scare the mail carrier every now and again!?!)

Stamps Used:

Bell Jar 3 x 4 3/4

Caution Safety Glasses

Numbers Set 

Skeleton Diagram

Blood Dripping

Ink Drips

Ink Run

Deliver To:

Periodic Table

Thank you for stopping, Stay Inky!!

Monthly Challenge!

Welcome to May's Monthly Challenge!

We'd like to inspire you with words like DOTS, numbers, grunge, insects, moths, butterflies, spray paint, drips, splatters, paint, distressed, crimson, blood, black, borders and more!

Don't forget the rules:

-Create a new project based on our inspiration board

-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 Monday for some inspiration from Marketing and Artistic Director DeeDee.

An InLinkz Link-up

September Challenge

A new month. A new Challenge.

Bring forth some of your sky/steampunky goodness. Please feel free to enter any type of project; altered art, ATCs, cards, layouts, journal pages and more! Also, be inspired by whatever you want; the balloons, the vintage colors, tan, black, orange, brown, steampunk stuffs, travel, trees, nature, sky elements, celestial, birds, flight, floating, adventure, you name it! Visit us this time next week for August's winner!

Don't forget the rules:
-Create a new project based on our inspiration board
-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 tomorrow for some inspiration from Hermine Koster.

An InLinkz Link-up