Season's Greetings Side Step Card

I participate in a card swap at Red Letter Journals. On the first Sunday of every month, about two dozen card makers get together to learn a new technique and trade cards using the technique they learned the previous month. It’s a great way to learn new things, have fun and get some great cards!

Today at the card swap our friend Nancy shared a “side step card” that really impressed me. As soon as I got home, I put the project I had ready to post on the back burner and created this card using two stamps from Viva Las Vegastamps! ; Waving Santa 2 ¾ x 2 ¾ #4820 and Seasons Greetings Square 1 ¾ x 2 ¼ #10110.

The stamps were stamped on white cardstock using black dye ink and then colored using Copic markers. To highlight the images, glitter was applied using Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer as an adhesive. The fine tip made it easy to get in to the tiniest parts of the stamped image. Since the Crystal Lacquer dries completely clear, you can still see the stamped image under the glitter.

I created the “HO! HO! HO!” banner on the computer, punched out a gift box using the Martha Stewart present punch and cut out a Christmas tree using Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL).

I cut out the card base using a side step card pattern I found at Carson’s Creations.

Check out the 12 Tags of Christmas Blog Hop that's going on at Viva Las Vegastamps! The tags look fantastic!

You can see my other projects on my blog on Create & Craft.

Happy Crafting!

Joe Rotella

WINNER! Nov Monthly Challange winner

I am loving all the entries for the Monthly Blog Challenge you all are posting on our facebook wall. 
This month theme was "Thanks" - I know all of us here at Viva Las Vegastamps are very THANKFUL for all of you. 

And the Winner is.........

Jocelyn Susie Micke Cazier

Now please contact us at Terri@ultimatescrapbookretreat.com - with WINNER in the regard to claim your $25 gift certificate to our on-line store. 

a Few other amazing thing are going on with Viva Las Vegastamps

We are doing a "12 Tags of Christmas Blog Hop with our Design Team.  CLICK HERE to start

December Theme is

Christmas

Thanks for all the support each of you give to us and our Design Team

Terri Sproul

Ho...Ho...WHOA!!!

Happy Saturday and welcome to December!!! It's Susan (again) with my regularly scheduled Saturday top of the month project. Today's project also features a fun product called Creative Paperclay® now available for sale over at Viva Las Vegastamps! This is my first time working with this and I'm so happy with the results.

Can't believe Christmas is just a couple weeks away. Have you seen our 12 Tags of Christmas Bloghop? This project will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit!

A sneek peek!

This piece begins with this Santa Foot through Ceiling #5395 and the unmounted Christmas alphabet #7560 from Viva Las Vegastamps! As soon as I saw this stamp I knew what I wanted to make.

For the background wall, I rolled out some Creative Paperclay and sandwiched it in my T!m Holtz distressed brick embossing folder. This took a little over a day to dry. I made sure that I could get it out of the folder before I let it dry completely. **Make sure to dust embossing folder with powder or rub with versamark or something similar to help clay release - I forgot to do that.**

Creative Paperclay® after pressed and dried in embossing folder.

Bricks colored with distress inks and mounted to patterned paper
backing with miracle tape.

Stamped image colored in on cardstock.

Santa foot stamped on clear acetate.

CLOSE UP of finished boot mounted in box.

Here's the details: The box is the base of a box of blank cards with envelopes. I try to upcyle things into art pieces whenever possible. I stamped the Santa Foot with Stazon onto white cardstock and also onto clear acetate. I painted in broken pieces with white gesso on transparency and cut out. I left about 1" above image to use as a glue flap when mounting in shadow box. The foot stamped on paper I colored in and then embossed the boot with clear embossing powder. The white fuzzy part is embossed with a Ranger white puff powder. This really didn't puff up how I expected. I cleaned up all the edges with a black zig pen. I mounted all of the pieces in the box and I stamped my sentiment in red ink with the candy cane letters. I love these letters! I finished off scene with some tinsel trim and a Jolee's Christmas tree embellishment. 

Santa might want to lay off the cookies...

It's December which means there is a new VLVS Theme Challenge. Submit your "CHRISTMAS" 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! December's Theme is "Christmas" and we will be celebrating with a Twelve Tags of Christmas Bloghop December 1st thru December 12th CLICK HERE to check it out!

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. Have a great weekend! : )

Merry Chrisdog To You

Happy Holiday Season!  VLVS has the best selection of words and quotes that can be used with any image, although, like above, there are matched words to fit select images.  There are a vast amount of dog images, so choose the breed you love!!

This ornament is in memory of our beagle Woodstock, she passed away this past April.  She was our beloved doggie of 13 years and my 18 year old son grew up with her.  It was difficult to say goodbye to her.  

VLVS Stamp Images:

12650 Beagle, 5425 words Fleas Navidog, 8762 bone, 8046 paw

Use a chipboard shape or cut your own ornament from cardboard (which I did).  Stamp the bone and paw image randomly on a white sheet of copy paper with black, permanent ink.  Turn the stamped paper over and trace the circle part of the ornmanent with a pencil.  Turn the paper back to the front and color in the images only where the traced circle is (Hold up paper to see the tracing). 

Color with colored pencils, Copics, watercolor markers, etc.  Cut the circle out and use Miracle Tape to adhere the bone/paw background to the ornament.

Stamp the beagle on white cardstock with black permanent ink and add coloring realistic to the breed dog.  I colored the beagle according to how our Woodstock looked.  Cut out and set aside.

When I received my Pound 'o Rubber, I found this little shape that could be a star or just a decorative image.  On another piece of decorative paper, I cut it first to fit the stem of the ornament and then used Brilliance Copper ink and stamped the decorative image around the area.  Then I wrapped below the area with wire to add extra dimension and texture to the ornament.  An eyelet was added as well.

Lastly, adhere beagle to the front of the ornament, add ribbon with a knot in the back and pulling the ribbon through to the front forming loops.  Hold your black ink pad on its side and go over the edges of the ornament to create a black outline.

GMTA - Great Minds Think Alike!  Recently Sakura Hobby Craft showcased the VLVS Lady Holding Globe, using 3-D Crystal Lacquer to make the globe look like real glass.  I had already completed my design for this blog, but I did my design a little bit different.  I blinged up my lady and added glitter, etc.  The trees in the globe was colored with metallic green pen, and I added white, blue, and brown to finish the scene.  When I added the 3-D Crystal Lacquer, it magnified the colors like a real globe!  I also sprinkled a tiny bit of glitter into the lacquer to make the globe look like it was shaken. 

Be sure to place your design on a FLAT SURFACE so that the 3-D Crystal Lacquer doesn't migrate from the area you want it to stay at.

The TAG Blog Hop has started!!!!  The beginning of the blog starts with Terri Sproul, and goes on.  Check my blog out and follow along.  To win the plate of stamps the DT used to create these awesome stamps, comment on each blog and you have a chance of winning!!!

Plate 1363

The ideas keep coming...more to come!!  Check back every Monday-Wednesday-Friday for designs so it is fast and easy to create your holiday cards. 

Holiday Thoughts to you - Lea

Monthly Challenge and BLOG HOP

This Month's challenge for the Viva Las Vegastamps!  Blog.

Each month we will pick a new theme and we hope you play along with us. At the beginning of the next month, we will pick a winner and that card will be featured on our Blog and the winner will receive a $25.00 Gift Certificate to our online store or if you are visiting Las Vegas, stop by our Retail Store to use your Gift Certificate.

December's Theme

"Christmas"

The Viva Las Vegastamps! online store has lots of  stamps to choose from
CLICK HERE

How to enter:
1) Must be a follower of the Viva Las Vegastamps! Blog - I will check
2) Post a card/project  on the Viva Las Vegastamps! facebook page using the Theme by Dec 31, 2011 11:59PM Pacific Time
3) Card MUST use a stamp from Viva Las Vegastamps!
4) Winner will have their Card featured on our Blog - how exciting it that! - and get a $25 online store credit.

We will pick a winner the first week of January , 2012 and post the next month's Challenge on the 1st of each month. We hope you play with us...

Some of the members of the Viva Las Vegastamps Design Team

are doing a blog hop starting today!

  and they are giving BLOG CANDY!  Yes, blog candy. 

  So good check them out. 

click here to start

Flamingo Chillin' in Paradise

Happy Wednesday...Susan here! Down here in South Florida, Summer is still in full swing! Though we are being teased with chance of a cold snap coming tomorrow {wink...wink - we know these are very rare}. So to warm everyone up, I have created a card featuring this cool "Flamingo Chillin' in Paradise".

This tropical card begins with this Flamingo in Hammock #5327 and the layered stylized sun #5329 from Viva Las Vegastamps!

Here's the details: I stamped it in orange on yellow stock, cut out and layered yellow and orange papers. The sun has a face, but I masked over it with a piece of cardstock, so it didn't take away from the flamingo. I edged with my favorite antique gold dew drop ink. 

I hand colored the flamingo with my watercolor pencils, then added some twinkle with liquid "Shimmerz Bling" in Under the Sea and Gold Shimmer. The flowers are Prima layered on a recycled tag from a totebag. This tag was the shape of a pretty flower, so it was perfect. I covered up text with acrylic paint, then added color back to fill in with my Caran D'ache water crayons and rubbed edges with antique gold. I pinched the corners to add dimension and adhered the prima flowers with a gem brad and popped up with some 3-D dots.

All of the paper layers are being held together with "MIRACLE Tape".

Now it's time to make some MAGIC happen! It looks great as it is, right? I think it needs a little something else. I am going back to add some dimension with Sakura Crystal Lacquer to really add some BAM!!!

I started by adding clear Crystal Lacquer to the sunglasses, beak and drink.

Next I added green and orange colored Crystal Lacquer to palm leaves, book cover, legs and shells.

 ...and a DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!

 

Here is the NEW and IMPROVED piece. Can you see the difference??? I realize it's hard to see from the photos, but the following photo show an extreme close-up. The Crystal Lacquer really makes the color pop! And the colored crystal lacquer adds extra depth as it retains it's transparent qualities. I can still see my coloring through it. Water can look like water, the beak and glass look like they are really 3-D. Very quick and easy and the results are fabulous!

Today is the last day to enter your creation for the 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! December's Theme is "Christmas" and we will be celebrating with a Twelve Tags of Christmas Bloghop starting tomorrow December 1st!

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 : )

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I Like Cats Too!

First of all, I have to say that no cats were harmed in the making of this card! Secondly, I love cats and would never eat them!

I was looking through all the stamps that I got in my pound of rubber from Viva Las Vegastamps! and spotted this sentiment about exchanging cat recipes. I thought to myself that I would never use such a thing! But then, I saw this wonderful chef stamp, and my evil wheels started turning! For the little cat heads, I used a stamp of two cats playing leap frog and just used their heads.

After putting the stamps together in my head, I wasn't sure if I would like a card using cats in such a manner, so then I started looking for other ideas, and I found this cute stamp of a dog with a chef hat! So then it didn't seem so bad. I think the Chef leans toward weird, but then the dog balances that out by leaning toward cute since that is the type of behavior we can expect from dogs. At least in cartoons anyway.



For both cards, I stamped my images on white cardstock, and colored with Copic markers. I used pattern paper for my backgrounds and inked my edges and then glued my pieces in place.

Please feel free to stop by my blog to say hello and see my other Viva Las Vegastamps! projects! Thanks for stopping by!

Fall ATC

Heya Folks!! Looks like us on the Viva Las Vegastamps! DT have ATCs on the brain...

Today I'm sharing a fall inspired ATC made using the

Reindeer stamp

2.75 x 2.5 - $9.75 mounted

I started off with a small piece of white cardstock... I used Walnut Stain and Spiced Marmalade distress inks to foam the background... then when all the white was covered with some thickness of ink I spritzed water over it.. giving it the sort of dappled water droplet effect! 

After drying it with a heat gun I pulled out my trusty http://www.vlvstamps.com/memento-dye-ink-pad-tuxedo-black.html and stamped my reindeer.... while the ink was still wet I poured over some Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder from VLVS! and viola --- a nice standy-outish reindeer on a darling background.

I then inked some rayon seam binding with walnut ink and dried it with a heat gun. To insure my binding stayed where I wanted it.. I "guided" it with a piece of Miracle tape (my personal testimony goes as is.. "NOTHING beats Miracle Tape!!!!") on the back! Tie a knot, cut a tiny pinecone in half and there's my finished piece!!!

Enjoy your cool days this Autumn!!!! -DeeDee

Bowling Ball Spinner Card (with pattern to download)

Sometimes when I browse a collection of stamps, I look for stamps that will work well together to create a scene. When I found these three bowling stamps at Viva Las Vegastamps! I knew there had to be a fun way to combine them. It wasn't too long before I realized a spinner card might be just the right technique to make the card feel like you're at the lanes again!

While assembling the card, I remembered Fiesta Lanes - the bowling alley on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington, OH. When I moved to there in 1989, I passed Fiesta Lanes, and saw it's bright neon sign, almost every day. The bowling alley is long gone, replaced by a commercial strip, but the sign remains in the lobby of an office located in the strip. I tried to recreate it in paper to always remind me of Fiesta Lanes. You can see a photo of the original sign on Flickr.

The three stamps featured in this card are:

• Bowling Man 1 1/4 x 2 (#15430)
• Bowling Ball 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 (#8213)
• Bowling Pin 1 x 2 1/2 (#12073)

I created a bowling lane with some perspective as a background for the stamps to help enhance the feeling that the bowling ball was rolling towards the pins and the reader. You can download a PDF of the background and use it to make your own bowling ball spinner card.

Check out my YouTube video for tips on making a spinner card. I'll warn you in advance, there are a couple of typos in the video, as it was late when I produced it.

Keep your eyes out for the Viva Las Vegastamps! Tag Blog Hop in December. Members of the design team (DT) will be creating tags for the 12 days of Christmas. Each day the DT members will treat you to many tag ideas using Christmas Stamp Sheet 1363. There will be a link at the end of each blog post which will link you to another DT's blog. Leave a comment each day, and you can win sheet 1363 to recreate the tags!

Check out my other projects on my blog at Create & Craft.

Happy stamping and Happy Thanksgiving!

Joe R.