Sending Mice Wishes with Stampendous, Dreamweaver, and the House Mouse and Friends Challenge

This week and next, we're having a different kind of blog hop, including friends on the other side of the world and across the pond. this will include the Woodware UK team, the Stencil Specialists in Australia, the House Mouse and Friends team, and of course...the Stampendous team. All of us will be playing along with the team on the House Mouse and Friends Blog. Everyone will be challenged to use a stencil with their House Mouse Designs® by Stampendous. What makes this hop really different is, in order to win one of the amazing prize packages available, YOU need to play along with the challenge as well! Just submit your own creations HERE using the Linky tool for the HMFMC #215 challenge. There will be three prize packages available, each including ONE House Mouse Designs® Cling Rubber Stamp, plus ONE Large Dreamweaver stencil, and ONE jar of Dreamweaver Embossing Paste.

Here is what I've created for this challenge...

I've stamped the House Mouse Designs® Cling "Quick Recovery" image in black Memento ink on the Stampendous Mixed Media White cardstock, the perfect paper for the next step...coloring this sweet image with markers!

The card base was Core'dinations Color Core cardstock, which I've machine-embossed with the Dreamweaver I Beams stencil, and sanded to reveal the design. The edges have been ink-distressed, and a distressed panel of Graphic 45 "Botanical Garden" dotted paper. Finally, the focal panel was distressed around the edges and adhered to the card.

Follow the link list below for more inspiration. We'd love for you to leave comments as you go, but that will NOT be how you could win a prize. You must link your creations following the House Mouse and Friends Blog stipulations! Oh, I forgot to mention, EVERYONE is eligible to win!

Stampendous Blog

Alison Heikkila

Pam Bray

Louise Healy

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Hornschu

Laura Drahozal

Woodware Blog

House-Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge Blog

The New Stampendous Book Makes Embossing Powder Techniques Hard to Resist!

Isn't this a lovely way to do watercolor with the Stampendous Cling Pansy Spray image?

Beautiful transparent color with pops of white...

A great technique with the Dreamweaver Flower Lace background as well! How was it done?
You'll need to buy the NEW "Embossing Powder Techniques from A to Z" by Fran Seiford, CAO of Stampendous! I'll give you a hint...it's in Section J on page 29 of the book! You can find the book online at Stampendous, or at one of your local stamp stores listed HERE.

For more techniques, visit the Stampendous blog all this week! Plus, you can visit these links for  today's technique-driven ideas...

Stampendous Blog

Pam Hornschu (DW and Embossing)

Alison Heikkila (DW and Embossing)

Lea Fritts (DW and Embossing)

Laura Drahozal (DW and Embossing)

Stampendous Embossing Powders...What a Treat!

Sometimes you just want to add some extra shine to a project, and Stampendous embossing powders are the perfect way to do just that. I've created this cute spring treat bag using the House Mouse Designs® Jelly Bean Break as my focal point, and the new Stampendous Fitted Frames Dies for a more contemporary flair. A paper doily, buttons, and Hemptique cord are the finishing touches. Oh, and the jelly beans insert...but they won't be around for long...

Want details on how to add this wonderful chocolatey shine? You'll need to buy the NEW "Embossing Powder Techniques from A to Z", by Fran Seiford, CAO at Stampendous. I've used a modified version of Section X, beginning on page 72.

So break out all of those bottles of embossing powder that you've been stockpiling, and discover new ways to create with it!

A couple more of our talented team are sharing their versions of these great techniques.

Stampendous Blog

Jamie Martin

Louise Healy

Woodware: Masking Technique with Stampendous and Dreamweaver

Our feisty red-headed design team leader at Woodware UK, Dorothy, has challenged us this week with demonstrating a technique of masking. The purpose of masking is to be able to add to your creative background by masking off design that is already in place. One of the easiest is the use of a "sticky" note to cut out the perimeter of your image that you wish to mask off. In this case...the new Stampendous Cling Bear Splash. I'd already colored the image with markers, and added highlights on the shiny raincoat and "Wellies" using a Sakura White Gel Pen. You can stamp the image on a sticky note, or trace the outline as I have done, and cut it out. Stick it down over the top of the colored image.

I wanted to add rain to the image using Dreamweaver Translucent Embossing Paste mixed with one drop of Iceberg Color Solutions alcohol ink. The Rain stencil was taped down over the top of my colored panel and mask, and my mix of paste was spread over the design.
 

 Here's how it looks before removing the mask...

 Here's how it looks after removing the mask. See how shiny the raindrops are, and textured as well!

The final touches were patterned paper panels matted in white and adhered to a red card. The focal panel (when dry) was die cut with one the new Stampendous Fitted Frame die sets, which come in an "A" or "B" set, and are perfectly sized to match up with Stampendous images. Using the Dreamweaver Umbrella design, I paper-pieced this "bumbershoot" add-on, adding fuzzy pompoms, and finishing the card off with one of the new Stampendous Perfectly Clear Spring Sentiments.

Be sure to follow the Woodware Witterings blog all of this week to find the links to the team's versions of masking.

Wearable Art with Woodware and Nathalie Kalbach for Stampendous

The Woodware team have been challenged this week with "Wearable Art", so I'm posting my artsy t-shirt featuring Dreamweaver stencils and Nathalie Kalbach cling stamps by Stampendous. I had this bright pink t-shirt which I had created an ombré effect by dipping in a darker pink dye gradually. I let it dry completely, and washed it in cold water with salt added to set the dye.

My focal panel on the front is a piece of muslin fabric, which I've dyed with Dreamweaver Color Solutions Alcohol Inks in Cosmo Pink and Sugarplum. Using Clearsnap's Crafter's Ink in black, I sponged the ink through the template/stencil that comes in the package with Nathalie's Fiesta Cling set. While the stencil was still in place, I inked some of the stamps and added their design to the profiles, and around the edges of this panel/patch. Using a heat-setting tool, I adhered rhinestones for some sparkle.

I used the Dreamweaver I-Beam stencil with the black ink on the bottom and shoulders of the shirt.

I added more designs on the sleeve along with heat set rhinestones and a rolled hem.

More stamped images from Nathalie's "Marks" set, along with the Dreamweaver Floral with Dots stencil. Some black re-inker was spattered across the shirt before sewing the patch on and adding a black pompom trim. More rhinestones were added randomly over the shirt.

A Bibelot Box of Andy Skinner Designs and Ephemera

All of this week we've been playing with our friends at DecoArt. Mixed Media Artist and DecoArt International Education Coordinator Andy Skinner has designed some fantastic stamps for Stampendous, and our design team are eager to share what they've been creating with these mixed with the DecoArt® line of Media products. Andy will join us along with his team of international mixed media artists including Julia Stratford-Wright, Mark Gould, Mel Hookham, and Jools Robertson. Plus there have been posts this week on the DecoArt blog as well. Naturally the Stampendous Design Team will be checking in as well.

How about amazing prizes? Jaw-droppingly amazing? Each comment on a post this week will enter you to win a fabulous prize package! (one comment per post, per person)  Contest open to everyone!!
We have three packages and each has a Fluid Media Starter Kit, all three of Andy Skinner’s new Stampendous Stamp sets, and a Jumbo Acrylic Handle. Look at this great prize!

 

Here's my "bibelot" for today...

What is a "bibelot", you say? Here's what Merriam-Webster has to say:

bibelot

noun bi·be·lot \ˈbē-bə-ˌlō\

Definition of bibelot

plural bibelots play \-ˌlō(z)\

1. :  a small household ornament or decorative object :  trinket

In the crafting world there seems to be a plethora of artists referring to their creations as "curiosities". Being the slight rebel that I am (lol), I chose to use a different word, but with pretty much the same meaning. And no, there won't be a quiz.

My bibelot box has treasures within treasures, all of which have been decorated with stamp images designed by Andy Skinner for Stampendous, and mixed media products by DecoArt®.

The lid has been given a bit of Andy's "rust" technique as he demonstrates in this video HERE. What started out as a simple, inexpensive paper maché box from a local big box craft store, has been transformed into a beat up, rusty, and odd-looking box, filled with weird stuff. And it was soooo much fun to make! The sides of the box and lid have been brushed with a mix of DecoArt® Media Fluid Acrylics and mediums. Once dry, several of the images from Andy Skinner's Cling Toxic and Cling Curiosity (see? I told you it was popular!) were stamped in Tuxedo Black, Rich Cocoa, and Paris Dusk Memento inks. The Dreamweaver Hexagons stencil were inked here and there. A bit of Crackle Paste was spread in small areas, and allowed to dry before brushing more paints and inks over the surface, and fake "crackle" was added using the image from Andy's set.

A torn rectangle of corrugated cardboard was given the same treatment, and adhered onto the top of the lid, along with a chipboard piece stamped and embossed in white embossing powder with the Antique and Open signs from the Curiosity set.

The inside of the box was given the same paint, ink, and stamp treatment. (Tip: it helps to stamp inside the box by using the Cling stamps without the acrylic handles.) I created two corrugated cardboard dividers and adhered them inside the box with Beacon Adhesives' Quick Grip. I had two small mint tins in my stash (who doesn't?), which were rusted up as well, with stamped burlap adhered in the lid, Stampendous Color Fragments for color and texture, pieces of "ephemera" such as flat glass marbles, old keys, tiny plastic bottles of silly craft supplies, the glass bottom from a soda bottle, and even a wooden nickel. I had glued words from Andy's stamp sets to the bottom of a couple of the flat glass marbles, which become magnified by the curved glass. An old set of poker cards from Vegas were aged, inked, stamped, and texturized with Stampendous Frantagé Aged Embossing Enamels, Crushed Glass Glitter, and more Color Fragments. Holes were punched in the corners in order to string them together.

All of these tinier "bibelots" fit inside, to be brought out and displayed or inspected as desired.

Aren't you CURIOUS to see what is in store for you at the links below?

Stampendous Blog

Wendy Price

Asia King

Pam Hornschu

Janelle Stollfus

Pam Bray

Jamie Martin

Louise Healy

Alison Heikkila

Lea Fritts

Amy Hurley-Purdie

Tenia Nelson

Debbie Cole

Laura Drahozal

DecoArt Blog

Steampunking with Dreamweaver and Andy Skinner Designs

All of this week we're playing with Mixed Media from DecoArt®, along with our Stampendous images designed by Mixed Media Artist and DecoArt International Education Coordinator Andy Skinner. As today is also Dreamweaver Thursday, we'll be inspiring you to use our line of Dreamweaver Stencils as well. Andy will join us along with his team of international mixed media artists including Julia Stratford-Wright, Mark Gould, Mel Hookham, and Jools Robertson.

We have three prize packages, each containing a Fluid Media Starter Kit, all three of Andy Skinner’s new Stampendous Stamp sets, and a Jumbo Acrylic Handle. Look at this great prize!

 

For an opportunity to be one of the winners, you need to leave a comment on each post from both teams, each day for the length of the collaboration. Also...ANYONE can win for this international event!

Here's what I have to share today...

I've created a steampunk-style portfolio, in which the main flap has been painted using Andy's great "rust" technique using various Media Fluid Paints from DecoArt®. For a video of this technique, check this link HERE. The bottom of the folder has been ink-stenciled with the Dreamweaver I-Beams design, using black ink and a large stencil brush, and with more of the paints brushed over the surface.

On the inside of this accordion folder, I've stamped a green panel of cardstock with various images from Andy's line of Stampendous stamps, including the Cling Industrial set and the Cling Steampunk set using brown and black inks. Over the top of the surface, I've dry-brushed many of the same paints as used on the front flap, but still allowing the designs to peek through.

This close-up shows more detail on that front flap, as I had also paste-embossed using Dreamweaver Metallic Gold Embossing paste the Dreamweaver Clockworks design. I'd also used my palette knife to apply dabs of the paste here and there for more texture. While the paste was wet, I sprinkled a variety of the Stampendous Aged Embossing Enamels from the Fran•tagé line in Aged Gold, Aged Copper, and Aged Hunter. I applied my heat tool over the surface to melt the enamels, and cause the paste to bubble up for even more texture. When cool, I brushed more of those Fluid Acrylics over the top, covering all of the beautiful embossing, but that was okay as I used a damp cloth to wipe paint partially from the embossed surface to let the color and shine show through.

For a bit more metal, I cut a circle out of the flap, and used a large copper grommet to frame it. Under the flap, I had punched a circle of the stamped and painted green cardstock to fit just inside the opening of the grommet. An aged gear and brad fastener was added as well.

Then I had stamped and embossed with the aged enamel, the butterfly key image from the Steampunk set on acetate, and cut them out. Some key-shaped embellies were aged with ink and stamped with partial sayings from the Steampunk set as well, using Black StazOn ink. These were adhered to the butterfly keys, and using a bead chain and closure, was left to dangle through the opening from the flap.

Final touches were additional aging from the DecoArt® paints, and Tsukineko® inks, and scraps of stained dictionary pages, old stamps, and a panel stamped from the Steampunk set as well.

Built in to the accordion folder is an elastic band that wraps around and holds this portfolio closed until treasures are ready to be added. How about a really old map to the underground tunnels of London? Andy...have you got one handy?

Here's the crew to visit today...

Stampendous Blog

Pam Hornschu

Alison Heikkila

Louise Healy

Lea Fritts

Debbie Cole

Laura Drahozal

DecoArt Blog

Woodware UK: BAAAAAck in the North Yorkshire Countryside

This week the Woodware team have been challenged to post something "Inspired by the Countryside", so I chose the North Yorkshire countryside that I fell in love with on a few of my visits to England...in particular...the sheep! Rolling hills of green with much cuter sheep than we have here in the States.

I created a simple canvas, which would be darling in a child's bedroom or playroom. I divided it off with bright blue and green acrylic paints. Once those were dried, I paste-embossed the Dreamweaver Open Sheep with Glossy White Paste, which I then used the tip of my palette knife to "fluff up" the paste. To create the large cloud, I paste-embossed the Dreamweaver Zen Flower partially at the top of my canvas, and used the tip of the palette knife "fluff" it up as well.

When dry, I used markers to add "grass" and shading, and blue crystals for the eyes. ( Yes, I know, Yorkshire sheep do not have blue eyes! Poetic license here.) I had some chipboard alphabet letters that I painted in green more for balance of design, than for sheep-speak.

Be sure to visit the Woodware blog daily for more countryside inspirations this week!