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!