Wednesday, December 31, 2014

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 176 WEEK 5: ANYTHING GOES!

This Stampotique Designers' Challenge of "Anything Goes" will continue for one additional week beginning today, December 31.  This means you have 5 chances (5 Wednesdays) to win one of the two $30 gift certificates for products from the Stampotique Originals online store.  Rules for submitting your artwork can be found here.  "Gift" yourself some time to get crafty this week!

It is with a bit of sadness that I share with you that I will not be continuing with the Stampotique Originals' Design Team (although I will still maintain a presence on the site).  I have decided that, at almost 71, it is time to slow down just a bit and to take more time for myself in the studio, being more focused on personal goals.  

My last project as a Design Team member celebrates the New Year, and, therefore, new beginnings, not just for me, but for all.  This rather simple journal spread contains more than a dozen elements and techniques, so not quite as simple as it looks!  Enjoy!



And a bit of detail:




Supplies, tools:
Stampotique Originals:  Tinglyitchiness
Stampotique Originals:  Tree
Stampotique Originals:  Home Sweet Home
Authentique:  "Cursive" paper
Black, white and red cardstock
Tando Creative:  Clocks, Clocks
Dina Wakely:  Ruby acrylic paint
Elizabeth Dies:  "Happy New Year"
Little B:  Winter cardinal stickers
Copic:  R29 Lipstick Red
Crayola Crayon:  Apricot
Stampin' Up!:  stamp positioner to extend trunk of tree
Cricut Die Cutting Machine

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and for leaving a comment!  I hope you will continue to come here, from time to time, to visit and to be inspired.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 176 WEEK 4: ANYTHING GOES!

This Stampotique Designers' Challenge of "Anything Goes" will continue for the remainder of the month of December.  This means you will have 5 chances (5 Wednesdays) to win one of the two $30 gift certificates for products from the Stampotique Originals online store.  Rules for submitting your artwork can be found here.  Take some time to get crafty amid all the chaos that December can sometimes bring!

A card for one of my two grandsons is what's on tap today. Using more scrapbook paper from my 6" x 6" pad made it pretty simple.  Here you see "Eric" to welcome Santa!



Thank you for taking time from your Christmas festivities this week to visit my blog.  I appreciate your visits and your comments!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

TAG ALONG BLOG #69: OH, CHRISTMAS TREE!

Just a quick post this evening to share the Christmas tree tag I created for this week's Tag Along Blog Challenge!  I am still using up my 6x6 Christmas paper pads from my stash.  The sentiment stamp is from Stampin' Up!  The surprise element, however, is the faux snow at the bottom--created from just a snippet of beautiful lace from the Bamberg Lace Store in Germany where my niece Rebecca works.  Thanks, Rebecca!



Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 176, WEEK 3: ANYTHING GOES!

This Stampotique Designers' Challenge of "Anything Goes" will continue for the remainder of the month of December.  This means you will have 5 chances (5 Wednesdays) to win one of the two $30 gift certificates for products from the Stampotique Originals online store.  Rules for submitting your artwork can be found here.  Take some time to get crafty amid all the chaos that December can sometimes bring!

For my project today, I share the Christmas card that I have made for my granddaughter.  At age 4, I think Angie will appreciate "Agatha's Christmas" more than any of the other stamps I could use!  But, what she will really, really like is what's inside!  Even at 4, she knows how to shop!



Thanks so much for taking time from your busy December schedule to visit my blog.  I appreciate both your visits and your comments!

Merry Christmas to you!



Sunday, December 14, 2014

TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #68: REINDEER

The Tag Along Blog Challenge this week is all about reindeer. Well, when I think of reindeer, I think of Rudolph and, of course, his red nose! Except for my ribbon and bling for Rudolph's nose, everything here is paper!  I am keeping with my goal of using up patterned paper I have accumulated over the last 15 or so years!  I did use a new stamp from Hero Arts for my sentiment.



If you have some time this week, pop over to the Tag Along Blog and have a go at creating a tag!  One rule...must be a tag! That's it!

Cheers!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 176, WEEK 2: ANYTHING GOES!

This Stampotique Designers' Challenge of "Anything Goes" will continue for the remainder of the month of December.  This means you will have 5 chances (5 Wednesdays) to win one of the two $30 gift certificates for products from the Stampotique Originals online store.  Rules for submitting your artwork can be found here.  Take some time to get crafty amid all the chaos that December can sometimes bring!

For today's project, I have created what would normally be considered a scrapbook spread, but I created it in my art journal.  Russ and I have taken many long weekends over the last few years to enjoy the scenery, the food and, of course, the wine of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State.  One of the quaint restaurants we found on a recent trip was in The Park Inn Hotel in Hammondsport, NY.  Here, I have used a placemat from the restaurant for my backdrop.  While I was debuting my Stampotique stamps for the foreground, when I placed the image of "Portland" against the placemat, it appeared as if the same artist had drawn both!  This project is a fun remembrance for me!



Thanks for stopping by today and for taking a moment to leave a comment.  Both are important to me!

Cheers!

Monday, December 8, 2014

TAG ALONG BLOG CHALLENGE #67: VINTAGE SANTA

I finally had some time this week to just play in my studio, so here is my submission to the Tag Along Blog "Vintage Santa" challenge!  Thanks for the invitation to play along, Carol Fox!


Cheers!


Wednesday, December 3, 2014

STAMPOTIQUE DESIGNERS' CHALLENGE 176 WEEK 1: ANYTHING GOES FOR THE MONTH!

Kim Howard is our Stampotique Design Team Coordinator, a Design Team member, and is also our hostess for the month of December! December is a busy time with friends and family, so Kim has given the Design Team and you a bit of a break and choosen one theme for the entire month.  Here's her challenge:
This is our last challenge for the year, and it will run the whole month of December.  Our theme is an easy one, so show us your best work using *Anything Goes" as your theme.   
For this month *only,* you will have the opportunity to enter this challenge 5times (one for each week) which = 5 chances to win the random $30 giftcertificate for Stampotique stamps. 
We hope to see a lot of you entering!
For the first week, I have chosen to embrace December and make a Christmas card.  If you are or have been a scrapbooker, you likely have 6" x 6" paper pads lying around.  In searching through my stash, I was able to find such a paper pad with a Christmas theme from which I could make my card.  A couple of "accessories" lying around and the card base was ready for some stamping.  Next came the Smitten Moustache Monsters (by stamp designer Kira Nichols), a red Sharpie, and done!



Thanks for your visit today!  I appreciate those as well as your comments.  I hope you will find some time this month to participate in this month-long "Anything Goes" challenge at the Stampotique Designers' Challenge site.  There are 5 opportunities (5 Wednesdays) this month to submit your works.  At the end of the month, two winners will be drawn from among all submissions (rules here) to receive a $30 gift certificate for anything in the Stampotique online store.

Cheers!