STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 128 CONTINUES: ANYTHING GOES!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME TO YOU!

This is Week 4 of the Stampotique Designers' Challenge hosted by our Design Team Coordinator Kim Howard.  Although the challenge is the same, this last week is another chance to enter and win a $30 gift certificate from Stampotique Originals for the yummy stamps you see here.  

I made an ATC for the challenge this week.  Perhaps not a Christmas-y creation, but one that has been on my mind as I ponder New Year's resolutions.  The message is a simple one, but finding--or perhaps, creating--the time to read is somewhat problematic for some.  Whether you decide to read Shakespeare, Thomas H. Cook, The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet, or the Bible, join me in reading SOMETHING in 2014!  

For those not familiar with an ATC, it is an Artist Trading Card, similar to a baseball trading card, save for the theme.  They can be gifted, traded, or collected, but never sold.  For my ATC today, I have used two Stampotique Originals' stamps:  Livres, by artist France Papillon, and Tinglyitchiness, by artist Daniel Torrente.  

I wish you all a new year of health and happiness.  Thank you for your visit today, and for your welcomed comments.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 128 CONTINUES: ANYTHING GOES!

This is Week 3 of the Stampotique Designers' Challenge hosted by our Design Team Coordinator Kim Howard.  Although the challenge is the same, each week is a new chance for you to enter and win a $30 gift certificate from Stampotique Originals for the yummy stamps you see here.  

One of the new stamps I received as a 2014 Stampotique Design Team member is Spiral Velvet Chair by stamp designer Amy Crowe, along with the text stamp Chair Up!  I couldn't wait to use them, so created a card for you today.  

The creative details:  I used a card blank and adhered a piece of vertically striped patterned paper (inked around the edges with a blending tool) as wallpaper in the mini scene I am creating.  Next, using the George and Basic Shapes cartridge on my Cricut Expression, I cut an oval shape ("Buckskin Brown" from The Paper Company) to serve as the rug beneath the chair.  I then stamped the chair image on polka dot paper, cut it out and adhered it atop my rug.  Smile (colored with Ranger Distress Markers and crayons) was added next, one of Daniel Torrente's character stamps.  To keep him company, I added another of Daniel's stamps, Kitty!  Lastly, the sentiment was stamped on white cardstock, trimmed and edged with black ink, then added to the chair back.

I hope my card will spark your creative genes and you will head to your crafting table to create something for the Stampotique Designers' Challenge this week!

I am glad that you stopped by today.  Your visits and your comments are important to me.  I read every one of them!

Cheers!

FEATURED ON LET'S SCRAP WEBSITE!

Some of my fondest creative memories were generated while I served two terms on the Design Team of the popular international website Let's Scrap!  Hosting almost 5,000 members today, it is "home" to scrapbookers and crafters from all over the world.  I was thrilled to be invited back as a "Contributing Design Team" member!

Today, current Design Team member Jen Leeflang issued a monochromatic challenge:  50 Shades of . . . !  Of course, grey immediately came to mind!  But, when I saw this photo of my first great niece in soft beige tones, my palette was set.  Let me introduce you to Rhea (pronounced ray-a):

For those interested, here are the creative details:

Background pp:  Glitz Design's "French Kiss"
Next layer of pp cut from: DCWV "The Heirloom Stack"
Beige and brown cardstock:  from stash
Circle cut from Cricut with George & Basic Shapes cartridge
Alphas cut from Cricut with Base Camp cartridge
Date base cut from Cricut with Elegant Edges cartridge
Date Stamp:  OffiStamp
Photo printed with Cannon printer on Staples photo paper
Stamp on photograph:  Stampotique Originals
Embellishment:  Heidi Swapp "Make Pretty Things"

I would like to thank Let's Scrap for inviting me back to participate in this great challenge, and I thank you for stopping by today.  I sincerely appreciate both your visits and your comments.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 128 CONTINUES: ANYTHING GOES!

This is Week 2 of the Stampotique Designers' Challenge hosted by our Design Team Coordinator Kim Howard.  Although the challenge is the same, each week is a new chance for you to enter and win a $30 gift certificate from Stampotique Originals for the yummy stamps you see here.  

If you checked the main page this morning, you got a sneak peek at some of the talent of the 2014 Design Team members! My project for today is featured there!  WooHoo!

Although I am making Christmas cards almost daily now, I decided to take a break from anything "holiday," and to create a fun journal page.  My project shows "Mela" sharing "Aborigine," which describes their philosophy on our presence here on earth.  

Thanks for stopping by today.  Both your visits and your comments are important to me!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLANGE 128: ANYTHING GOES!

The Stampotique Design Team Coordinator Kim Howard (aka "Basement Stamper") has set this month's Stampotique Designers' Challenge as "Anything Goes."  This challenge will run for the whole month and gives you carte blanche to create whatever you like!  Each week, some of the Design Team Members will share a bit of inspiration, if you're stuck.  You may even get a sneak peek at some of the artwork from the new Design Team Members slated to join the team in 2014 (and that includes me, of course!).

There is a special Christmas song I never tire of hearing, and that is "I'll Be Home For Christmas (if only in my dreams)."  If you haven't heard it, you can listen here.  The meaning of the song for me has changed over the years, and is now a place to which I cannot return.  Still, the memories remain.

I have used two Stampotique Originals' stamps.  First, Stacked Suitcases, created by artist France Papillon; the second, Bob's In Time Out, by artists Jill Penney and Daniel Torrente.  I used Ranger's Distress Markers to color the images.  The song title was generated with my computer software and printer. Have a look:

I hope you will take some time this month to create something for this Anything Goes challenge.  You can find all the details here.  At the end of the month, two lucky winners will be selected from all submissions and receive a $30 gift certificate from Stampotique Originals for any of their products.  One requirement:  use a rubber stamp!  It doesn't have to be a Stampotique image, but it may not be a digital stamp!  That's it! Get creative!

Thank you for joining me here today.  I love it when you visit, and, even more, when you let me know you were here by leaving a comment.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE ORIGINALS' DESIGN TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT!

                           

 

 

I am thrilled today to share with you "tidings of great joy," in that I have been invited to join the Stampotique Originals' Design Team beginning January 1, 2014!  I will be joining several returning Design Team members, as well as new artists.

 

Stampotique has actually put together two Design Teams, one for the Design Team Blog, the other for the Design Team Challenge site.  Together we will keep you inspired and motivated to create and lose yourself in the wonders of artful pursuits.

 

Please join me in congratulating the following artists from around the world:

Designers' Blog Team

Janet Klein
Roc Nicholas
Coby van Willgenburg
Sarah Anderson
Claudine C.
Valerie Wilson
Astrid Stulemeijer

Designer's Challenge Team:

Carol Fox

Sue Davies

Kaz Boughton

Maria Sabina Raita

Corrie Herriman

Kathi Rerek

Kay Wallace (that's me!)

Samantha Read

France Papillion

Kristen Catalano

Tanja Kewel-Neef

Nellie van Leeuwen

Kim Howard

Arwen McCullen

Magda Polakow

Jackie Payne

Gez Butterworth

I appreciate both your visits and comments, but, especially now, I will appreciate your support!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 127: AN EARLY CHRISTMAS

Wednesday is here already, and it's Nellie Leeuwen from the Stampotique Designers' Challenge who is pushing us to get more Christmas cards made.  This is her challenge:

I always intend to start early making my Christmas cards. But real life often gets in the way and before I know it it's the middle of December and my Christmas cards end up being either very simple and quick or bought in a shop. So, I thought why not set a Stampotique challenge to make Christmas cards in November and force myself to really make an early start. So here is what I came up with. And, of course, I'd love to see your Christmas cards or other Christmas projects!

I have been working on a Christmas project for months, changing it each time it caught my eye in the studio.  Nellie's challenge prompted me to finish my project and to make a card to go inside.  First, my card:

This card is for my great niece Rhea Christine Wonders, who was born in October.  This will be her first Christmas!  I realize this is a pretty grown-up card for an infant, but read on.  Inside the card, I have hand-written the following message to Rhea:

Dear Sweet Rhea,

This box was made by your Great Aunt Kay and given to you on your first Christmas. I hope each year you will collect your favorite cards here--and fondly, each Christmas, remember those who gave them to you.

On the top of this box are two keepsakes for you. The first, an earring worn by your Great Grandmother Irene May Wonders. The second, a cuff link belonging to your Great Grandfather Harry Ross Wonders.
                                                                                       Love, Aunt Kay

The box is a wooden cigar box decorated with Christmas paper, ribbon and flowers, both inside and out:

The Stampotique image I have used on the card is Lissi, and I think she is *almost* as adorable as Rhea!  On the cigar box, you see "Pigtails," also from Stampotique Originals.  

I hope you will join in the fun and create something for Christmas, a card, a decoration, a gift--whatever you choose. By submitting your project, you may win one of two randomly drawn $30 gift certificates for products on the Stampotique website.  The only requirement is that you use a stamp (use of digital stamps will exclude you from the drawing).  Details here.

I appreciate your visit today.  Your visits, as well as you comments, inspire me and are sincerely appreciated.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 126: SPLATS AND SPLATTERS

It's Wednesday and, by now, you know that means the Stampotique Designers' Challenge has been posted.  The challenge calls for splats and splatters in our artwork:

Today we are challenging you to use a SPLAT! of paint somewhere on your design.  We all love to get messy once in awhile and this week is your perfect opportunity to throw on some grubby clothes and splatter that paint all over your creation. 

You may think I got carried away, but since I love splats, I used paint and a stamp to create a whole lot of color on my art journal page.  While I was picking my colors, I was reminded of a song I taught my young children to help them learn their colors.  Here it is!

The Stampotique Originals' image I used today is from one of Stampotique's newest stamp designers, Linda Peterson, who has created a whole series of stamps (with coresponding text stamps) featuring Hazel.  This one is called Dreamer.

I learned early on from one of the Stampotique Design Team members (thanks, France Papillon!) that images should be "grounded" and not appear to be floating in space.  However, when creating this journal page, I was more focused on color than grounding, so it was not until I was done that I discovered Hazel's bed was, indeed, floating.  I was now past the point of adding washi tape under the stamped image as a ground. Undaunted, I colored in the bedposts to make them appear more solid, then grabbed a gray stamp pad and my index finger and did some second generation stamping under the bedposts. Not too bad for an afterthought!

I invite you to join me in creating a piece of art today--an ATC, a scrapbooking layout, an art journal page, a postcard, or whatever you like.  The only requirement is that you use a real stamp (digi stamps will not be eligible for the drawing).  At the end of the month, there will be two $30 gift certificates from Stampotique Originals awarded randomly among those who submitted a project!

Thanks for visiting my blog today!  Both your visits and your comments are appreciated.

Cheers!

A CHALLENGE FROM WICKED WEDNESDAY

I know, twice in one day!  Stampotique Originals is sponsoring the Wicked Wednesday challenge blog this week, so I couldn't resist poking my head in to say hello to them!  Wicked Wednesday is all about ATCs, and this week "anything goes."

If you know me, you know I love putting humor into art whenever possible, and this little ATC (3-1/2" x 2-1/2") is no exception today.  The Stampotique image I used is called Spykee.  She reminds me a bit of myself when I turned 60 and had my hair cut very short and spiked it!  A bit of a rebellion, perhaps, and definitely "just a little" WICKED!  This text stamp is also from Stampotique!

Glad you stopped by today.  If you are not already a follower of this blog, I would love it if you joined today.  Subscribing by e-mail is your best option, since you get an e-mail when my blog has been updated!  Thanks, too, for leaving a comment so that I will know you were here.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 125: ONE LAYER

Seems like I was just here, but another Wednesday and another Stampotique Designers' Challenge today!  Samantha Read is our host this week, and she has challenged us--as well as herself--to make a one-layer creation.  Here's the detail:

"Hi, Stampotiquers! I'm so excited to be your host this week and I'm inviting you to make a creation using just one layer. It doesn't necessarily have to be clean and simple, that's the challenge! I love lots and lots of layers but to achieve a sense of depth to a creation using no embellishments etc can really get you scratching your head and rubbing your chin! 

Most importantly, have fun ;)"

I have chosen to make a card poking a bit of fun at having to deal with all the different languages encountered on the blogs of contributing Stampotique members!  While most of the international sites have a conversion option, allowing the reader to translate the original language into English (or other language), the translation is often less than perfect. Sometimes, I just scratch my head and think the tranlation to English might just as well have been to Greek!

Here's my card:

I printed the title directly onto my card on my computer, then masked that space with a scrap of paper.  Next, I stamped Stampotique Originals' Miss Snottie onto another scrap, cut her out, then used that to mask a space for me to stamp the image again directly onto the card.  With the masks in place, I used a large (unintelligible) text stamp for my background.

If you would like to play along with the challenge this week, grab a stamp (does not have to be a Stampotique Originals' stamp) and get started creating a one-layer project!  Each month, two lucky people will win a $30 gift certificate for Stampotique Originals products!  Submission details are here.

Thanks for stopping by today and for leaving a comment--both are important to me!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLANGE 124: WORKING WITH GESSO

This Stampotique Designers' Challenge has been up since Wednesday, but my life has been rather full of late, so today is my day to play!  Sarinda Jones is the hostess this week, and here's her challenging challenge:

Hello Creatives. Sarinda here and I am asking you to rethink Gesso in this challenge. I find that I use Gesso a lot in my work and feel it is an amazing tool to utilize. Yes, tool. Not only does is serve as a basic prep to your substrate, it picks up texture of a stencil, use it with a pallet knife, layer it. And if you are using it with inks, sprays, or stains, it will create unique depth to your backgrounds. Even try it on top of lace, fabric, tulle. Play and be free. 

Sarinda has created a video with several ways of using gesso:

First, my project, then the detail: 

Mary, the Stampotique Originals' image I have used here was the first one I purchased, and remains one of my favorites.  For this project, I followed a tutorial I found on YouTube, that of Gisele Grenier, although I stopped short of covering all the gesso with paint, as Gisele did.  This technique shows engraving into gesso before it is dry, allowing that to dry, then scraping paint over the rough surface with a credit card (or similar tool).  I hope you will find time to watch both Sarinda's (above) and Gisele's (below) tutorials.  You will find a world of information in both!

I hope you will participate in this week's Stampotique Designers' Challenge and play with some gesso and a stamp (it does not have to be a Stampotique Originals' stamp).  Two lucky winners will be randomly drawn at the end of the month and will win a $30 gift certificate toward Stampotique products.

I am pleased that you stopped by today.  Both your visits and your comments are important to me.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 123: FABULOUS FOLDS

The whole Design Team is challenging us today on the Stampotique Designers' Challenge!  In a nutshell, here's what they had to say:

Today, we want to see you try your hand at some fabulous folds.  Use more than one fold on your card, get all fancy on us and use multiple folds.

When you talk about being outside of one's "comfort zone," it is not a stretch to say this challenge is so far outside of my comfort zone that I cannot even see it!  While I like the card style I chose, I am somewhere short of 100% satisfied with the outcome.  A fold or two would have been okay, but when I started folding the folds, well...let's say the one below is my third attempt!  If you would like to try one, the written directions are here.  I will share with you that these directions do caution you to have the side of the paper you want to show most facing you...what the directions do not tell you is that if it has a pattern, you should work with it upside down! (Hmmmmmm!  Will they notice that my pattern is upside down?) 

I used two Stampotique images that I have not used before, Oh My Dear and Santa Baby, and one I seem to use over and over--that being France Papillon's Design Cube--for the tag backgrounds.

I will stop short of wishing you a Merry Christmas, since I refuse to think Christmas until after the Thanksgiving dishes are done! Instead, here's a bit of Halloween humor I created a while back:

Thanks for visiting today and for taking a minute to leave a comment.  Your words of encouragement inspire me!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 122: FABRIC OR LACE

Wednesday always brings a smile to my face, as I love the challenge (fun) of working with my Stampotique Originals' stamps.  The Stampotique Designers' Challenge this week is hosted by France Papillon, who is not only a Design Team member, but also one of the stamp designers!  Here's her challenge:

When stuck while making a project, it's often adding texture that gets me rolling again. But lace or fabric is often the last thing i think about when searching for texture. So, I thought it would be fun to have all of you lovely peeps make art using fabric or lace. And all those fab creations would make one awesome inspiration board!

I decided that today I would make a tag.  I began by spritzing my craft mat with Dylusions inks in Pure Sunshine and Fresh Lime (I watered them down just a bit).  I stamped Miss Snottie onto another tag, colored her with Ranger Distress Markers and crayons.  

 I used a technique shared with me by fellow blogger Corrie Herriman, and that is to clear emboss the stamped image for a dramatic shine and color enhancement!  You can visit Corrie's blog here.  Tell her "Kay sent me!"

Next, I stamped the image a second time onto my original tag, so you could see any tiny bits of the image I lost in cutting it out.  Then, I adhered Ms. Snottie over that.  She needed a title, so I made her a DIVA for today!  I still needed more background, so I used France Papillon's new Design Cube!

Now, to that challenge!  I have had cheese cloth for about 3 years and have never used it.  Since it does classify as "fabric," I decided to use it today.  I have used it here to soften the look of the flower against the tag.  Here's Ms. Snottie:

I had fun making the tag today, which is the whole point of the Stampotique Designers' challenges.  If you would like to take part, all you need is a rubber stamp (does not have to be a Stampotique Originals' stamp) and have some fun.  You can create anything you like!  At the end of each month, two lucky winners are drawn and receive a $30 gift certificate for Stampotique Originals products!

I appreciate you visit today.  Please leave a comment so that I will know you were here (and because they make me feel good, too!).

Cheers,

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 121: HALLOWEEN

It's Wednesday and, by now you know, I am doing the Stampotique "happy dance!"  The Stampotique Designers' Challenge today is hosted by Carol Fox, who is somewhat of a Halloween buff, so...

"I particularly chose the month of October to host the challenge as I love Halloween. It was the quirky off beat stamps of Daniel Torrente that first drew me to Stampotique all those years ago, as it then seemed to me that I could make Halloween themed items all year with his gothic style stamps and no one would realize that was what I was doing. I think I may have broken the record on my make for the challenge with the most rubber stamps used on one item, but it was hard as there were just so many to choose from. Hope you all enjoy the challenge and get your spook on for the whole month."

Since I have three grandchildren and only one card made, it was easy for me to decide to make a Halloween card.  This one is for my granddaughter Angie.  The play on words in the quote may escape her since she is only 3, but the shiny, sparkly, iridescent image and pumpkins will not!  I created all this pizzazz by using Wink of Stella in clear over the inked images.  (The scanning process took away the shimmer, but it's there!)  I have used Stampotique Originals' Relaxin' and the three pumpkin images from the Halloween Cube 2.

 

If you would like a chance to win one of two $30 gift certificates from Stampotique Originals this month, play along with this and other challenges.  Details here!  You do not have to use Stampotique Originals' stamps, but if you have them, why not! Digitally created art does not qualify for the gift certificates.

Cheers!

BLOG CANDY WINNER WAS DRAWN!

First, a big thank you to those of you who follow my blog!  I appreciate every visit and every comment!  

I am pleased to announce that Tamiko McCurry is the winner of my blog candy celebrating (now more than) 100 followers.  Here's what she had to say:

Tamiko McCurry September 27, 2013 at 10:09 PM

What an awesome giveaway!!! You'll reach another 100 soon I am sure! Congrats to you!!!

Thanks, Tamiko, for such inspiration!!

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 120: HANDLES, HINGES, BUCKLES, FASTENERS, PULLS

Today's Stampotique Designers' Challenge is hosted by Valerie Wilson, who is really pushing our creative buttons with her proposal:

"This week I'd like to see your handles, hinges, buckles, fasteners, pulls - different ways to flip, fold, fasten, open, close and grasp! These could be used on cards, dimensional projects, envelopes or altered/recycled/found objects.... faux or real - anything goes!"

Since I like to create things with a purpose, I decided to make a Halloween card.  I recently purchased Dweeze from Absolutely Everything, my local scrapbooking and art store.  In my opinion, Dweeze is one of Stampotique Originals' more scary creatures.  He was on my desk and looked ready for a card!  My scary sentiment, Freakin' People Person, also from Stampotique Originals, was perfect!  A ribbon, a buckle, and done!  I just love it when a plan comes together this easily!  Here's my card for my older grandson.  He will think it is particularly funny that Grandma used the word freakin'!

Thank you for both your visits and your comments!  I read every one and they make me happy!  

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 119: ATCs

My favorite day of the week again!  The Stampotique Designers' Challenge is up and Samantha Read is our host this week.  She loves making ATCs, and they are always a hit in my book.  In fact, I am lucky enough to own an original ATC created by Samantha!  But, I digress...here's her challenge to us today:

"I love making ATC's the 2.5 x 3.5 inch size is perfect for any media you wish to use and you can squeeze in lots of details and layers in a small space or keep it quite plain and simple. ATC's can be dramatic or just plain fun so I can't wait to see yours!"

I recently purchased some ever-so-creamy embossing paste from Studio 490, and used that with a Dylusions stencil over a background sprayed with Dylusions ink sprays in Squeezed Orange and Cherry Pie.  To complete my ATC, I used one of the new (September 2013) Stampotique Originals' images (by their newest designer Linda Peterson) called "Dance" and starring Hazel!  I will admit to "surgically" removing, then repositioning and shortening her arms so that she fit on my ATC.  I also cut her dress out of patterned paper.  The word "dance" was cut from a larger stamp called "Dance Text."

Without further ado, let me introduce HAZEL!

If you would like a chance to win one of two $30 gift certificates from Stampotique Originals this month, make an ATC and submit it here.  You don't have to use a Stampotique Originals' stamp, but you do need to use a rubber stamp (no digi images allowed in the drawing).  

Thanks for stopping by today!  Both your visits and comments inspire me.

Cheers!

100 BLOG FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY!

I promised a blog giveaway when I reached 100 follows, and I am now over that number!  Thanks to the last few that joined, as well as the first few and all those in between!!  I am humbled by your presence.

So, here's the deal:

• If you have not already done so, sign up to follow my blog (must be a follower to win the giveaway).
• Leave a comment on this post, letting me know you were here (make sure I have contact information, in case you are the winner).
• On October 16, I will let random.com draw the winning person.
• I will announce the winner on my blog and also on Facebook.  If you have signed up also to "follow by e-mail," you won't miss the announcement!

Here's a picture of some of the items in the giveaway:

Everything is new, and there is something for scrappers and art journalists, as well!  OK, so the Simplicity dress pattern isn't new, but contains a lot of tissue paper!  I am also including an ATC created by the author of this blog...yep, that's me!  

My sincere thanks for taking the time to follow, visit and comment on my posts.  I find your interest inspiring!  Thank you!

Cheers!

THROWING MY HAT INTO THE STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE TEAM RING!

Recently, the Stampotique Originals website posted a Design Team call! My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw it!  If you have been following my blog (or my credit card!), you already know that I am a big fan of the Stampotique images--one might even say I am passionate about them!  I was curious about when I first referred to Stampotique in a post, so I looked through my archived blog posts and found this post.  It documents a sustained relationship between these (sometimes) quirky images and me.  Avid participation in the weekly Stampotique Designers' Challenges is evidenced in the succeeding posts.  I have been chosen as a Design Team Favorite on three occasions!

I think the "outside-of-the-box" project (a printer's tray) I have created to accompany my application for a Stampotique Designers' Challenge Design Team position (they are also calling for their Stampotique Blog/Facebook Design Team) exemplifies my "style," which is varied.  Although not evident in this piece, I generally love to incorporate humor into my artwork.

During my relationship with Stampotique, I have participated in their blog hop to show off the new releases this Fall, and also posted a submission to another site where Stampotique was the sponsor.  I am fully aware of the responsibilities of a Design Team Member, as I have served two terms on the Design Team of the international website "Let's Scrap" and serve now as a Contributing Design Team member.  I am also currently Author and Artist at Scrapbooking.com Magazine, and have been a Contributing Artist at Enchanting Creations Magazine.  I have been most recently published in Just Steampunk Magazine.

Commenting is something about which I feel very strongly.  I never post my own work without first commenting on all the work that has been posted before (and then after) mine.  I believe my comments are both thoughtful and appreciated.  I am inspired by comments and, therefore, like to inspire others.

I am also a good "linker," linking not only to the Stampotique Originals site, but to the SDC page, the host, and, perhaps most importantly, to the images themselves.

Now, a bit about the artful submission that accompanies my application:  I have a three-year-old granddaughter.  Since I will be celebrating my 70th birthday shortly, it has become painfully apparent that I might not be here when Angie goes through her teen years.  I recall my own teens as filled with indecision, insecurity and question, as well as wonder.  Through the art that I am creating for Angie, I hope to have "conversations" with her about her life when it appears to have been turned upside down. 

I have used 10 Stampotique rubber stamps to create my art for this submission:

Jasmin

Relaxin'
Hard Work

Even Silence Speaks

You're Strong

Wicked

Diva

When Heart Speaks (the word "heart")

Enjoy Today (the word "the")

Sun Design

Another example of thinking outside of the box (and with a bit of humor) is the cover picture on my Facebook page:

I would like to thank Kim Howard, Design Team Coordinator, for the opportunity to apply for the Stampotique Designers' Challenge Team position.  I know I would be joining a team of very talented, friendly and supporting ladies from around the world!  I am ready for this new challenge.

Cheers!

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE118: USING WASHI TAPE

Yesterday saw Astrid post a new Stampotique Designers' Challenge, and it's all about using washi tape!  Here's her challenge to us: 

Not really a hard one is it ;-) I adore this stuff and I think a lot of us do. I especially love the black and white ones, it makes the other colors you use really intense. And it's just an easy way to add something extra on your creation. So use this happy stuff as a background or as an embellishment on your creation. Hope you like Washi Tape just as I do.

I must admit that I have amassed quite a collection of this "washi tape" and love using it.  However, I will also admit that I mostly use it to "anchor" my Stampotique images so that they don't appear to be floating in space.  For this week's challenge, I additionally challenged myself to use the tape in a new way.  

Out of need, I have made another card today to be sent to a friend recovering from a stroke.  He is well on his way to full recovery, but still in need of support.  

On my manilla card base, I used a background stamp, over which I placed a vertical strip of washi tape.  Over that, I layered cardstock onto which I placed Stampotique Originals' Spidergrass stamp.  A sticker sentiment, and done! I am happy and Pete will be happy, too!  Here's my card:

I hope you will join us and put that washi tape to use for your chance to win one of two random $30 gift certificates from Stampotique Originals! You are not required to use Stampotique stamps to be elegible for one of the prizes, but, if you have them, get them out!!  Details here!

I want to thank everyone who has signed up to "follow" my blog, and especially those who take time to visit and to leave comments.  Your comments really inspire me!  I am now at 99 followers, and when that last person joins, I will post a celebratory "100" giveaway post!  Watch for it!

Cheers!