Age Is Relative

I thought I'd have fun with one of my favorite persons in history!!  I had to have this Einstein image and then these gears were the perfect touch to add "another cog in the wheel," for a birthday card.  The Masquepen is fabulous with Einstein's hair...it prevented the MicaColor Watercolor from seeping onto the hair!

Supplies:

Viva Las Vegastamp Images -

Einstein - 7307

Nesting Gears - 18077

Other Items - Miracle Tape

Other Supplies:

White, Teal, and Green Cardstock

Masquepen

Dimenstional Gears and Wheels

Brads

USArtQuest MicaColor Palette

Gears Embossing Folder and Embossing/Die Cut Machine

Scissors

Copic Markers

Brown and Black Permanent Ink

Dark Green Pigment Ink

Soft, pointed Brush

Sponge

(Inks = Permanent won't move with water, Pigment is juicy for coverage and embossing powder, and (not used in this project) Dye Based inks moves with water like watercolors)

1.  Stamp Einstein image onto white cardstock.  Use the Masquepen and cover  the WHOLE Einstein image.  Let dry.

2.  Prepare your Micacolor Palette color by dipping your soft brush into water and letting the water drip onto the color.  Let set a second or two, and then swirl your brush into the color.  The consistency should be creamy - if not - add a little more water.

3.  Pick up color from your MicaColor Palette and brush onto the gear stamp image, covering the whole surface.  Tap lightly with a sponge to remove excess color. Stamp like you would normally stamp, going over Einstein image (See photo).  Let dry.

4.  Remove Masque material by using your forefinger and slowly moving your finger down over the the edge of the masking material.  It will start to roll and you can roll the material down and off the card.

5.  Color and shade Einstein with Copics.  Run green cardstock through die cut machine (I used a Cuttlebug) using the Gear Embossing folder.  Swipe the dark green pigment ink over the surface.    Mount Einstein card to green Gears with Miracle Tape. Add Gears and Brads. 

6.  Mount Teal for background cardstock with Miracle Tape.

Note:  My quote about "another cog in the wheel," I generated by computer, but, VLVS has a HUGE selection of quotes and birthday images that would be perfect with this project.  Pick and choose and personalize this Einstein card the way you want.

Enjoy - Lea



Clear vs Rubber Stamps

The cheaper silicone stamps - I don't think will ever stamp as well as rubber. The material just does not exhibit the desired qualities of ink pick up and transfer as rubber. The ink has a tendency to bead up and provide less coverage with the silicone material.

Rubber: the surface of rubber is more porous. If you were to look at the rubber surface under a microscope you would see lots of tiny cups and valleys. This pocketed surface allows rubber to pick up and transfer more ink than the smooth surface of a photopolymer stamp.
Therefore, an image stamped with rubber is always going to be darker and more vibrant - because more ink has been transferred to the stamped surface.

Photopolymer - the surface of a photopolymer stamp is very smooth. It has been formed/hardened against a plate of glass. So the amount of ink that can sit on the surface of the photopolymer stamp is less than what sits on the surface of a rubber stamp.

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”

Senior Ladies, Best Friends - A Card For Your BFF

Until this project, I don't think I've ever used a "photo stamp." You know the kind - stamps made from photographs rather than drawings. I've seen many that have interested me, but just didn't know what to do with them or how to use them. That brings me to the pound of rubber I received from Viva Las Vegastamps! For only $25, you can buy one pound of unmounted, deeply etched red rubber stamps. Viva Las Vegastamps! will select, at random, a pound of images and sayings from their collection of over 16,000, mostly "non-cute" stamps. I got a pound and when I sat and went through them I found Senior Ladies 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" (#8671).

Every time I looked at this stamp, a story went through my head. These two woman knew each other for years. They often went to the park together. They fed the birds. They played BINGO. They were best friends.

Given how many times I stopped and looked at this stamp (yes, I go through the pound of rubber over and over again), I knew I had to use it on a project.

I started by covering some glossy photo paper with distress ink. Then I stamped Senior Ladies 3 1/2" x 4 3/4" (#8671) using black dye ink. Once trimmed, the result looked like an old photo!
I picked up some vintage BINGO cards at a flea market this summer and decided to use one as a background for this photo. If you don't have a real BINGO card, you can create your own using Bingo Card 4 3/4 x 5 3/4 (#8431).

For the sentiment, I stamped letters using Scrabble Alphabet Unmounted Regular Size (#1948) on white paper. I applied distress ink, used a Copic marker to color the edges of each tile and then embossed the letters with Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder. Once cut out, they look like real Scrabble tiles.

The card base is made from Designer Paper (DP) that fits the vintage look I was going for.

Now that I've finally used a photo stamp, I know they will become a standard part of my stamping portfolio. I hope you'll give them a try too. In fact, why not challenge yourself? Get a pound of rubber and see how creative you can be with stamps you didn't select. I bet you'll find it as fun as I did!

Check out my blog on Create & Craft for more project ideas.
Happy crafting!
Joe

Celebrate the Every Day

If you haven't heard or haven't been paying attention... VLVS! is hosting a monthly challenge where a selected winner receives a gift certificate to the online store! Very generous of our fearless leader, Wayne! 

This month's theme is "CELEBRATION"

and I made my first piece for January based off the idea.. but with a twist.. I'm a big fan of "the small things" and so I went with "Celebrate the Every Day"

I recently got my little grubbers on two fabulous stamps that are going right in the front of my stash.. 

The Chicken Wire 3 3/4" x 4 1/2"

and the Birds on Wire 1 1/2" x 6 1/2"

I used the chicken wire as a background.. I stamped it in clear embossing ink and then doused it Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder by VLVS! I then smeared, sprayed and spritzed a combination of Broken China distress stain and water all over my tag. Once that was dry I laid newsprint over my tag and ironed out the embossing ink. Then I grabbed the bird stamp, my Memento Ink and a clear block.. some creative placement and VIOLA! the "Sing" "Chatter" and "Spread Joy" were written by hand in black ink on manila to match the rest of the tag. Swipe the edges of the tag with the same ink as the stamp and some creative doodling... And we get....

Thanks for coming by again this week!! Don't forget to enter your own piece into the competition!

-DeeDee

What Was I Thinking?

Valentine's Day is coming soon! I am sure that most of us, at least one time in our lives, could relate to this card. Some people will go buy a nice mushy card, but in the back of their mind they'll be thinking "I need that card that Joe Morgan made!" Anyway, it's just for fun, because Valentine's Day isn't all about hearts and flowers for everyone. Sarcastic people like me would prefer that we skip it and have Halloween twice a year instead. So on to my card!

I used two Viva Las Vegastamps! for this project:
Hugging Lovers
Looking Back Over the Years

For my background, I used a conversation heart embossing folder to dry emboss pink paper. I stamped the sentiment on white and used a decorative punch to punch it out. I stamped the Hugging Lovers stamp on white and colored it with Copic markers and then fussy cut it out. I assembled the card as shown with some green and pink ribbon behind the sentiment and I also inked the edges.

I hope you enjoy my card and at least got a good laugh from it! Viva Las Vegastamps! has a ton of sentiment stamps for everything. I get ideas just by reading them!

For more of my project ideas, visit my blog on Create & Craft.

WE Have WINNERS

First off I can't thank everyone for all the wonderful comment the team got.  WE had so much fun and I think you guys did too.

Here is a list of the $15 winners - to claim your prize - please email Terri Sproul at
Terri@ultimatescrapbookretreat.com with WINNER in the regard (so you don't get deleted).
Please stop by their blog and see your name there too... 
On Dee Dee Catron blog the winner is Cheryl
on Susan Brown Blog the winner is Jocely
On Joe Morgan Blog the winner is Lee Steel
On Joe Rotella blog the winner is Yvonney
on Lea Coici blog the winner is Clare D. 
On Lyneen Blog the winner is Marcia P.
On Terri Sproul blog the winner is Gwyn

Now the Big Winner:  the winner will receive $25 to our on line store.

Robert Rosendale

Now it's time for me to post the winner from last Month Challenge

Darlene Mullins

please contact me to claim your prize...  and THANKS for playing...

Hope to see more play our Monthly Challenge for your chance to have 

your project on our blog 

and 

win $25 to our on-line store.  

This Month Theme is

"Celebration"

thanks for stopping by

Terri Sproul

Aunt Ethel is the Life of what Party???

Happy New Year!!! It's Susan here with the top of the month Saturday post and today I'm feeling a little quirky. I am sharing two cards with you today. The first one falls into January's Theme Challenge of "Celebration". This kooky gal is dressed to the nine {NOT} and she's ready to P-A-R-T-Y!!!

Isn't Aunt Ethel the life of the party???

This card uses Party Lady #15176, Design Solid Ovals #9817 and the phrase "I'm Retired..." #15408 from Viva Las Vegastamps!

 

Here's the details: I started with a plain piece of matte finish cardstock that is painted with my special mix of gesso shimmer primer. Sounds fancy but it's a mixture of gesso and glazing medium with a small amount of gold shimmer, pale green and creme acrylic paint. It makes a nice buttery background that has a little texture. I mix this up so often I made a whole bottle of it complete with a dauber top.

Now to the fun part...stamping. I used Stewart Superior Memories Black Dye ink and stamped the image on the base layer. I love this ink! Especially for stamping images that I'm going to do a lot of coloring...there's no bleeding or smudging. Then using the ovals, I stamped a patterned floor using peeled paint distress ink. The gesso in the background tones down the intensity of the distress ink. I use my marvy dye markers and my  water brush to paint in her skin, hair and lips. With a makeup sponge, I used old paper distress ink to darken the background around her.

Now to dress her up! I have these metallic textured papers from an altered book club goody bag and have been saving these for something special {hehe}. I had a matching purple and pink paper with a wavy modeled texture like wallpaper that I stamped the image on with black staz-on. Then I stamped it again on a royal blue foil paper for just the balloon. I cut out the balloon, hat, dress, shoes and socks and paper pieced this doll back together. I added some finishing touches with a white opaque pen and my favorite gelly stardust pen. I stamped the quote on a piece of the same painted paper, matted with the textured pink metallic and VOILA..."A Party Queen"! These stamps just bring out the kid in me : )

Now for the second card...

I did a little bit of extra work here. I started out with a piece of crumpled hand-painted brown packing paper {like a brown paper bag}. I had made a couple huge sheets of it to make mini book covers. This is painted with a purple/bronzy shimmer spray and purple & brown acrylic paints with glazing medium. The top half of the card is the front of the paper. For contrast, and because it was pretty too, I used the backside of the same paper for the bottom left and right panels. The center panel is the same painted paper overstamped in black with a Texture/Chevron #9771, a natural pattern stamp from Viva Las Vegastamps! The quirky Birdhead #4026 is also from VLVS and is stamped in brown ink and embossed with clear embossing powder on tan cardstock. I trimmed around the image, sponged a little yellow ochre on the beak, added white to the eyes and raised with 3D dots. I finished off with an acrylic bezel word from SEI, burlap cording from May Arts and this silly quote #14908 in cardstock ovals to make a thought bubble. I love this monochromatic card - it is just so irresistably cute!

Thanks for dropping by and staying until the end. I invite and encourage you to submit your creations for the VLVS Theme Challenge for January! Submit your "CELEBRATION" 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. Don't forget to check out the Viva Las Vegastamps! store - there is something for every occasion and everything from breakfast to weiner dogs! Don't forget to hang out a little while to see what our talented Design Team has been up to.

Thanks so much for visiting & if you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. Enjoy the rest of your week : )

Elementary My Dear Watson

A close-up view of Sherlock Holmes embroiled in thoughts...see the gears, are they constantly turning in his head????

At the turn of the century the new technology embraces the world - we look at it now and the art formed is called Steampunk!  VLVS has so many images that you can mix and match to create Steampunk art - AND - they have gears to adorn what you create.

This is a very easy artwork to re-create.  I have used these VLVS images:

Sherlock Holmes

Have Time Will Travel

I am Steampunk

Mini Gear

Screw

Miracle Tape

1.  I have used a 5&7 piece of notebook looking cardstock.  It has gears on the bottom right.  I used inkpads to distress the cardstock further than it is.  Use a piece of foam or soft sponge to do this.

2.  Stamp all images except the little gear and screw.  Color Sherlock with Copic markers and cut out.  Adhere at the bottom of the notebook cardstock with Miracle Tape.  Note:  I used a white pen to accent Sherlock's hair and coat for added contrast.

3.  Stamp the small gears randomly around the page with brown ink.  Stamp some gears slightly off the page to give continuity.  Stamp the screw over the head with black ink.

4.  Stamp both word phrases and use ink to distress the background.  Mount the "Have Time Will Travel" onto black cardstock as a small frame with Miracle Tape and above the screw.  To the left of Sherlock use Miracle tape to adhere the words "I Am Steampunk" to the notebook cardstock.

5.  Glue gears of all type around the page - see illustration.

I used to watch Sherlock Holmes movies, loved The Hounds of the Baskervilles.  I've never read the books, but maybe I'll pick one up now. 

Thanks for traveling with me!  Until next time, may all your journeys create great art!!!

Lea



Viva Las Vegastamps! A Month of Celebrations

January is a month full of inspiration to Celebrate!

Visit the VLVS! Blog often to see all the postings for celebrating during the month of January. 

CELEBRATE a 25th Anniversary!!!

Viva Las Vegastamps! Style

With the  Viva Las Vegastamps! Fancy Dancers

Gather Supplies:  

Viva Las Vegastamps! Celebrate

Viva Las Vegastamps! London Skyline

Viva Las Vegastamps! Fancy Dancers

Viva Las Vegastamps! Miracle Tape

Viva Las Vegastamps! Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder

Superior Stewart - Memories Black Ink

Vintage Foil - Silver 25 

Foam tape

COPIC Pink

Stickles

Ribbon - Silver

Back & Silver Card Stock

Heat Gun

Acrylic Blocks

Stamp the Viva Las Vegastamps! London Skyline with Memories Black Ink heat emboss using  Viva Las Vegastamps! Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder

 Then stamp Viva Las Vegastamps! Celebrate using Memories Black Ink and heat emboss with  Viva Las Vegastamps! Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder

Stamp Viva Las Vegastamps! Fancy Dancers with Memories Black Ink and heat emboss with  Viva Las Vegastamps! Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder.  Give the ladies dress a hint of color with a pink COPIC, then fussy cut.  Adhere both the black panel to the silver card base and the Vintage foil 25 to panel with Viva Las Vegastamps! Miracle Tape.  Use foam tape to attach the Viva Las Vegastamps! Fancy Dancers.  Add a silver ribbon bow!

Have fun Celebrating anything and everything this month!!!!

Visit me at my blog Dreaming of Castles.

Now for a chance 

to win some blog candy!!!

The Monthly Challenge has been posted

on the Viva Las Vegastamps! Blog HERE!

This Months Theme is

"CELEBRATION"

Interpret “Celebration” any way you like... 

a Birthday, Anniversary or Party

Learn more CLICK HERE

Winner will receive a $25 shopping Spree 

to the Viva Las Vegastamps! on line store.