Lb o' rubber winner!

Thanks so much everyone for playing along with our referral contest and trying your hardest to get us some new fans!!!

I've decided that even though we didn't reach our "numbers" - in celebration of YOU.. our FANS.. we'll give away a pound o' rubber anyways!!

Just comment on this post with what sort of images or genres you think we need to add to our stamp selection

You're a doll

Today's post I thought I do some art dolls. The bodies are tags that I die cut using the Tags Sizzix die, with using paper that embossed with the Cuttle bug embossing folders in the retro 50's that  I was RAK'ed . I looked through my Viva Las Vegastamps! for the right stamps to use for them.

This one I  painted the tag with a little bit of french vanilla craft paint and a little white craft paint. let it dried and then sanded so the design would pop. The legs are from Grunge Board Elements. One is an arrow and one is a hinge that I chopped the decorative bits off. I glued the arrows with Aleen's tacky glue. I find that is the only glue that the grunge board will work. The wings are from the negative from the same Grunge board set, using it in a stencil as you will see in the rest of the art dolls.  I set the now stencil over a piece a paper. I then traced the designs I wanted to use, just to make it easier to cut out so I can see. I took some of my Lindy's starburst sprays and sprayed some color on the paper. I cut them out and glued them on the back of the tag.  I stamped Victorian lady with flowered hat on white card stock with a brown Vivid ink pad. Colored her with my Prisma color pencils. 

The wings for her I used a red and yellow sprays, making some bits orange. Again I stamped Victorian lady with hat on Brown Vivid ink pad. colored her with prisma color pencils. The legs are arrows that I painted black. Glued the wings and head with glossy accents and the legs with Aleen's tacky glue.

This one is probably my Favorite of the 4. I stamped the Smiling baby on kromecote using a Versafine Black ink pad. Embossed using Ultra High Gloss Embossing powder. Colored the face using Prisma colored pencils. The crown is another part of the elements grunge board that I was now using as a stencil. I sprayed some black and other colors. The arms and legs are Grunge board arrows, that I painted black. They are actually 2 different sets. one is dots and the other is swirls.

This one is another favorite. Used the same smiling baby. I put a different crown on her. Glued the last of my grunge board arrows on her too. I stamped the Striped butterfly using black Versafine ink pad on the kromecote. I pained the wings using the Artist loft watercolors. I then added some shimmer using the pearlesent water colors.

Items used

Brown vivid ink pad

craft paints

cardstock

embossing folders

various sprays

Grunge board elements

Versafine Black ink pad 

kromecote

Ultra High Gloss Embossing powder

Prisma color pencils

Glossy accents

Aleen's tacky glue

Stamps used:

Victorian lady with flowered hat

Victorian lady with hat

Smiling baby

Striped butterfly

Memories.......

We are only here on this big ball of mud for a short time....

so enjoy!!!!!

I hope my page reflects that sentiment and makes you want to go out and 

MAKE A MEMORY!!!

Harlee (my 13 yrs. old daughter) and I had a girls day, back in May of this year.

We went to lunch at a local Deli and then we perused all the local shops and 

then we decided to visit the local cemetery.  

There are some really old tombstones there and she and I both love looking at them.

Even at 13, she said its a very calming experience...... 

I {heart} that girl!!!!!

On the journal page above (in my new Clairefontaine journal)

 I used several items listed below....

Rubber stamps from Viva Las Vegastamps!

Film strip #18921 (which I stamped on velum using Black staz-on)

Tree background #18902

Kromecoat cardstock

Clock hand 

Retro flower punch

 (dragonfly wings, tear drops and decor along side sentiment)

Inked background using a mister bottle with some ink dabbed onto wet surface.

Inked around pic and tree background with sponge and ink.

Miracle tape to adhere pieces to journal page.

Love how this turned out!!!!

Hard to tell from the pic, but Harlee is posing next to a tombstone that's carved to look like a tree trunk. It has a beautiful poem inscribed on it and she fell in love with this one. 

I have learned that most symbols on headstones are not just beautiful, or that the person liked that particular thing.  There are certain meanings behind those symbols.

 Here are a few:

Ivy - Friendship

Angel - Spirituality

Scroll - Symbol of life and time

Urn - Old age (morning if draped)

Lamb - Innocence

Well, a tree trunk represents "The beauty of LIFE"

I think I have found the tombstone for me when that inevitable day

happens and I'm taken from the standing up position.

Don't get me wrong...... I plan on going KICKIN' AN' A SCRATCHIN'

But when I do ...... I want that as a symbol of my life.

As artists don't we find beauty in the most unusual objects...

Bwahahahahahahaha!!!

FYI: I have some hidden meanings in my journal page....

film strip (take many many pics of your loved ones)

Dragonfly (power of life)

Tears (for those that have left too soon)

Blue (sad to see them go)

Clock hand (time doesn't stand still)

Hope you enjoyed your short journey of my 

somewhat cluttered mind. 

Until later, beauty seekers........Gotta split (for now)...........TFL!!!!

The Sailor Says "Brandi....."

A journal page does not necessarily have to be created with "real" things happening in your life.  I like a surrealistic point of view.  I used to draw people and friends would say "who is this?"  Well 99% of the time, I've made up the person. 

VLVS gives me the tools with their images to create a surrealistic point of view without having to draw myself.  I LOVE IT!  I've made up my own story to the song "Brandi," which I believe was out in the late 60's early 70's.   The sailor says his life - his love and his lady is the sea.....but what is in the sea?  A beautiful mermaid.  So I changed the story a bit!

Creating this page took some time and planning.  I used various techniques with MicaColor Watercolor Palettes, Jewelz mica powder (great over the watercolored sand for texture) and overlap stamping for the sea.

I bought the unmounted version of this stamp and overstamped slightly on the edge to create the water.  By using a white gel pen and MicaColor watercolor, you can achieve the look of continuous waves.

For the mermaid, I cut the bottom of the tail and used my Miracle Tape to adhere to the water.  I positioned the mermaid parts in a way where the waves are lapping up.  It is to give the illusion that the mermaid is in the water and the tail is curved and coming out of the water at another spot of the sea. 
The sparkle of the sea and sky and texture of the sand does not show with the photograph.  Using Jewelz mica powder over the sand gives texture and sparkling dimension.  Add the mica powder while the watercolor is damp (not wet or you get a mess) and it holds to the surface.

A mix of stamping right on the page and stamping/coloring/cut-out, add dimension.   

VLVS Stamps Used:

7534  Flying Fish

7114  Waves

3561  Coins

3741  Sea Shell -  Scallop

8015  Star Fish

18808  Mermaid  (Buying 1426 gives you 2 mermaids and lots of other images!)

1110  Open Trunk

2205  Water Plant

This month we are celebrating these wonderful Journals :

the Clairefontaine Journals provided to our dt.. this on by LR - comment on all the Clairefontaine posts throughout the month to get a chance at a free journal and a $15 coupon to the VLVS! online store! http://vivalas.blogspot.com/

2012/08/

yo-ho-ho-and-some-art-journalin
g-too.html You can check up on all things journal related at the Rhodia Drive blog: http://rhodiadrive.com/ and also on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rhodia-Drive/98458096197.

Post a comment - random drawing to win a journal valued at $15!!!!!  Quality sketch paper, huge workspace, best way to journal!

Use moments in your life, make up stories from your imagination or song lyrics....Express Yourself!!!

Here's the link to the YouTube Song:  Brandi

Cre8tivelea Yours,   Lea

Alright Alright!! Here are the details for our Referral Contest!!!

While the boss is away.. the kids are at play!!!!!

It's stamps galore for you! Our fans mean the world to us and we're thinking if we round up some more we'll give you, our here-since-the-beginning-ites, some rubber!!

Stamp-Boards in my Clairfontaine Journal

I have always wanted to try my hand at a stamp-board, you may ask what am I referring to? Instead of always having to buy your background papers for your cards and scrapbooking make your own!  

With my awesome journal from Clairfontaine I have been dabbling with stamp-boards.  The 83lb paper is the perfect weight, I have sprayed each page with a mist before stamping and they didn’t buckle!

All pages were misted first, set aside to dry and stamped.  All stamps are from Viva Las Vegastamps! 

WRITER - DRAWING

Mist: Stewart Superior Memories Mist-Wheat Grass 

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Ink Tea Dye

Pen Tips 

Stafford Bottle Ink  

Pointed Pen Tip 

Fountain Pen 

Spilling Ink Bottle 

Draw 

The above listed stamps are available on Plate 1424 

Fountain Pen 

 DOILIES

 

Mist: Stewart Superior Memories Mist-Iridescent 

Ink:  Color Box Fluid Chalk - Rouge

Large Doily 

Medium Doily 

Small Doily 

All available on Plate 1427 

PARIS

Mist: Stewart Superior Memories Mist-Sparkling Silver

Ink:  CTMH Barn Red (Stamped off)

Paris Address 

Paris Eiffel Stamp Cancelled 

Paris Grunge 

Paris Champs-Elysees Cancellation 

Eiffel Tower Medium

Swirl 

STEAMPUNK

 Mist: Stewart Superior Memories Mist-Sparkling Silver

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Ink Barn Door(Stamped off)

Key 3/4 x 1 1/4 

Key 1 x 1 3/4 

Fancy Key Vintage

Pocket Watch 

Nesting Gears 

Four Gears Rotating 

Try making your own stamp boards!

The month of August, twice a week, the VLVS! Design Team is featuring journals entries   in “Carnet de Voyage Travel Album” by Clairefontaine. You can see Clairefontaine products HERE. As part of this month long event, Viva Las Vegastamps! and Clairefontaine are hosting a month long contest--comment on all the Clairefontaine posts throughout the month to get a chance at a free journal and a $15 coupon to the VLVS! online store!  You can't win if you don't enter!!! Good Luck!

The next Clairefontaine post by will be Friday by Aimee. 

VLVS! @ CHA!

I had the pleasure of sending some projects to CHA Summer for 2012 in Chicago.. and one *or maybe a few* happen to have had Viva Las VegaStamps! in them...

one would be this teapot Globecraft Memories globe I altered... check it out:

The

Mouse Running With Cheese

4x2.5" - $11.00

was stamped in Memento's Tuxedo Black and embossed with Viva Las VegaStamps's Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder on Kromecote cardstock. The cheese was colored in with the Mustard Seed distress marker (we've got the best deal around on these!!) by Tim Holtz. 

Papers used are from Echo Park's Be Mine collection, and the steam for the teapot is the cotton from a q-tip! 

A Mosaic of Stamped Flowers Make a Quick and Easy Card

It's Sunday and Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps!!! Susan here with a quick and simple card. I hope you are having a fun day creating and getting inky!

I'm unwinding from Christmas in July and the Halloween madness is just about to begin...so I've made a sunny flower card using the Stylized Bee #3713 and Daisies #4994 stamps. 

I stamped the images using a Ranger rainbow ink pad with an orange to brown color blend onto a piece of handpainted yellow paper. I painted this particular paper using acrylic paints and a technique by Traci Bautista's from her book "Collage Unleashed". I really enjoy painting my own papers and I have a whole stash of them in different colors. **A TIP** Whenever I am painting, I use any leftover paint on my palette to paint over vintage sheet music or book pages; or just to paint over white cardstock. 

I stamped the Daisies on the bottom right side. Then I made a couple of quick masks with stickie notes and continued stamping daises across the bottom of the sheet, masking each before overlapping the next impression. That creates a beautiful garden of daisies - all it needs is a stamped bee. Since I stamped over acrylic paint, I heat set ink to make sure it was completely dry and wouldn't smear. 

I cut the paper apart into asymmetrical sections then inked the edges of each. I adhered the pieces back together using my MIRACLE TAPE into a mosaic pattern. I added some touches of color with a few colors from my set of Ranger Distress Markers. The "Picket Fence" {white} really makes the daisy petals pop. I added a few bling gem rhinestones...and a quick and easy card is ready to go!

Throughout the month of August, twice a week, the VLVS! Design Team is featuring sketch journals by Clairefontaine. You can see their products HERE. As part of this month long event...Viva Las Vegastamps! and Clairefontaine are hosting a contest this month--comment on all the Clairefontaine posts throughout the month to get a chance at a free journal and a $15 coupon to the VLVS! online store! Great prize!! Good luck!! Remember, you can't win if you don't enter!!!

The next Clairefontaine post by will be with Lyneen on Tuesday. 

I am currently working on another art journal page in my Clairefontaine journal and I can't wait to share it with you. Please take some time to stroll around to see what the rest of the Viva Las Vegastamps! Design Team has been creating as well. To see what else I've been up to please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I will be back with another inky adventure on August 20th.

Have a great day! Sb

Stampo's Cast of Characters!

Stampo our fearless leader is surrounded by all sorts of talented artists who create stamp images in all styles imaginable!!!  I have several books filled with images and I WANT MORE!!!!  ha ha Guess I am addicted.  Hope you are too!

This post brings us a wonderful partner, Exaclair - Clairfontaine.  They make the most awesome journals and sketch books.  The paper is high quality to work with all media you choose.  This paper also takes well to crisp, clear stamping as well!!!!!

You can see their products here : http://www.exaclair.com/

brands_clairefontaine.shtmland on their facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/

Rhodia-Drive/98458096197
And check up on all things journal related @ the Rhodia Drive blog: http://rhodiadrive.com/

Comment and win a journal for yourself!!!  2 random comments will be selected!  Wonderful quality sketch paper and huge working surface.  Here is what the sketch books look like and a sneak peek at another post:



VLVS Images:

8173  If you Need Anything Words
8981  Lady on Phone
10726 Nerve in Tooth Words
 8856  Surprised Lady
9061   Lady With Glasses
8511   Happy Birthday You Old Fart (Only You Old Fart is used)
3611   Mr. DeMille Close up Words
7595   Jack Russell Dog
8054   Dog Valentine Candy
7253    Ruffled Collar Clown
10721  Crooked Face Man
7562    Moments Words (Cut out "Moments")
8690    Bearded Bicycle Rider
317      PMS Words
18331  Bizarre Words

Miracle Tape

This journal page was SO FUN and EASY to do!!!!  I drew rectangles in pencil - you may use a stencil or something to help get your size.  Next I colored each rectangle in and erased the pencil marks.

Stamp all the images (note: nothing is written in stone!  I stamped a ton of images and played around to see what fit the best in the spaces and contrasted the surrounding spaces.) and color using the media of your choice.  Use a good permanent ink when stamping so that when you color your image it doesn't smear.  If you'd like to stamp right on the journal, after the rectangle is drawn in pencil, stamp image, then color the background and erase pencil lines.  A couple images were done that way.

Cut out all the images and the words.  You can choose to stamp right on the journal paper, but I love collage and I cut strips in a natural way.  Use your Miracle tape to adhere images.  I did stamp little star images I found in one of my grab bags (a lot of cool sayings as well) to sort of tie in and further decorate the page.

Ok so this isn't a typical journal - I am journaling my love of VLVS and doing a layout that is sort of wise cracking in some ways.  It sort of tells a story with its images and quotes.  It is my homage to VLVS images and Stampo!!! 

There are NO RULES to journals, write about real things and stamp coordinating images, do surreal like this one, or make up a story or a feeling you have.  Art allows one to express what one is feeling and stamping with VLVS stamps are the perfect tools.

More journal pages to come!!  I know you have enjoyed the other journal entries by the other phenominal DT artists and stay tuned for more to come all August!!!

NOTE:  The title on the journal page was computer generated.

Cre8tiveLea Yours - Lea

August Guest Designer!

Today I get the pleasure of sharing with your our 2nd guest designer. Her name is Conny and she comes to us all the way from Germany!

-Find her blog here-

Conny had this to say about herself:
"I am 50 years old, married and live with my husband in a small village, Ense, in Germany.
Our children are grown up and study far away from home.
To our household belongs a cat – as is customary for a stamping artist ;-)

If I don’t stamp I like to read (crime fiction), I like black humor and good dinners, meetings with friends or enjoy to relax in the silence of the garden.

12 years ago I bought my first stamp, without knowing what to do with this little thing.
But the image (a little rabbit) was so cute, I coudn`t resist.  Some months later I found an article about stamped cards.
“Wow, that`s what those things are made for”
Beside the article was the advertisement from a rubberstamp manufacturer who offered a catalog. I ordered this and …
the rest - I`m sure - you know from your own experience.

Most of all I like the different options rubber stamping can give. I enjoy to share my ideas with other stampers. I like the give and take of ideas and inspiration around the stamping world.
"

She brings us two beautiful black and white pieces today:
Steampunk Rhino:

Conny says:
"Stamp rhino “Steampunk Rhino 3 1/4 x 2” with black StazOn ink onto glossy paper and cut out.
Emboss black paper with the Embossing folder “Clockworks” and cut to size.
Attach the brad on the rhino and then glue Rhino onto the embossed black paper.
Mat first on white, then on black cardstock.
Embellish with 2 gear wheels from Stampo's Steampunk Sprockets & Gears & Stuff"

and
Call Me, Maybe:

Conny says:
"Such kind of ATCs can arise from a catchy song

“Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen

Stamp woman(now retired) with black StazOn onto Glossy Paper, cut out and affix it on scrapbook paper.

Cut to size. Layer with white and black cardstock. Finally attach the printed words."

Let Conny know what you think of her pieces and be entered to win a free shipping code!