Monday, July 30, 2012

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT!!!


Did all of you have as much with the Stampendous new release week and hop last week as we did? Here is the winner of the extra blog candy offered on my blog for the week:

Denise Bryant

Congrats, Denise! I'll be emailing you for your snail mail address in order to receive your prize...the Cling Jumbo Orchid from Stampendous! Thanks to everyone for following along and leaving me such wonderful comments!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Shrinking London?

I get so excited about the Olympics, and this year I am particularly excited as they are being held in London, and I took my first trip there in February...not to be my last! I've really enjoyed watching the Opening Ceremonies and the background images, knowing that I've been there!

My card for the Woodware UK challenge this week...using shrink plastic...celebrates my love of the Olympics and London. Featuring the new Stampendous Cling London image, with the addition of a Union Jack Peel Off sticker in the background, I really had fun with this.

I die cut a large square shape from the Polyshrink white. I wiped both sides with talcum powder to prevent the piece from sticking to itself during the shrink process. Then I stamped the image with Black StazOn ink. When dry, I used markers to color the image. Remember that this will shrink approximately 50%, and colors will concentrate, so keep your coloring lighter than you want it to be. I punched a slot at the top for the ribbon band, and a hole in the bottom to hand the beads. Once again, remember this will shrink, so make your holes much larger than you will want. You can use your toaster oven to shrink, but I use my heat tool and it works perfectly. Once it curls and shrinks, I place an acrylic stamp block over the top to keep it flat.

I was really pleased with the end result, especially when I embellished with a few Britannia Card Candi to finish it off.

Remember, you will want to see what has been shrinking on the rest of the team blogs this week, and you can find the links to all on the Woodware UK blog. As for me...I'm back to the "telly" to watch more of the Olympics!




Saturday, July 28, 2012

Are You PINING for the New Release from Stampendous?



It seems a bit surreal to post a snow scene during the middle of a heat wave, but that's the fun of working in the crafting industry! My post for the Stampendous Release Hop today features several fabulous new products. Going with a kraft card base, I added a couple of layers that included a pine green die cut mat, and a die cut oval frame on top. The top panel used the new Cling Jumbo Pine Boughs set...perfect for creating your own pine scene...and was stamped in black and layered with an embossing portion of needles with the new Aged Green Embossing Enamel. The inside panel featured the new Cling Snow Scene Postcard stamped in black on vellum. This panel as well as the top panel were sprinkled with a snow spatter of Shabby Green Embossing Enamel (deceptive name as the majority of color is white). Using a VersaMark pen, I was able to add "snow" to the branches with the same embossing enamel. A little glue marker provided the perfect adhesive for a sprinkle of Medium Crystal Glitter. A small tag with the sentiment was tied to the frame with some great Hemptique cording. I just love how this card turned out, and intend to make several to send to favorite people on my Christmas list. The others get a store-bought card. Lol. Come on, you know you do the same. ;)



Before you hop off to another teammate's amazing blog, remember to leave me a comment (with your email, please, and US/Canada addresses only!) for each of my Stampendous release posts this week for an opportunity to win this Cling Jumbo Orchid set below:


Did you miss my previous two posts this week? Click HERE and HERE!

A few of my teammates are showing off new products from Stampendous as well!  Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for these great prize packs.




How do you win it? It's easy! THREE of the bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from their blog, and those lucky people will be announced on the Stampendous blog Tuesday, July 31 (please leave comments by Monday, July 30 at 11:59 PM PST). The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win!   Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Taylor Usry (has additional blog candy)
Lea Kimmel (has additional blog candy)
Pam Hornschu (me! And I have blog candy, too!)




Friday, July 27, 2012

Vamping the New Release Week


Feeling a bit vampish lately? If not, you soon will be. Bwahahahaha! My post today features the new Cling Halloween Sprite, which is layered for more pop. The background was embossed with the new Aged Green Embossing Enamel. The image was colored with Copic markers* in truly gruesome colors. She gives new meaning to the term "blue hair". Lol. For extra color and texture, I added a sprinkling of the new Purple Color Fragments. I truly love the Color Fragments...they add the perfect touch of color and texture to your project. They are lightweight and easy to adhere with any adhesive.





I encourage you to hop around to the rest of the team's blogs today, but first, leave me a comment for an opportunity to win this set of Cling Jumbo Orchid images. I will give this to a random person who has visited and commented on all three of my post days this week. If you missed my post on Wednesday, click HERE. Be sure to come back tomorrow for the huge team hop for more exciting reveals!




A few of my teammates are showing off new products from Stampendous as well! Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for this great prize pack.


How do you win it? It's easy! One of the featured bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from her blog, and that lucky person will be announced on the Stampendous blog tomorrow. The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win! Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:

Taylor Usry (has blog candy)

*Copics used: YR02, YR04, YR07, G12, YG11, B91, B95, B97, BV23, C7, 100, BV00 BV04, BV08
 



Thursday, July 26, 2012

Summertime Square

July just seems to be flying by, and I'm not even a kid out on summer break! However, the Dream Team are still in the summer mood, and in our final week of the Summer Fun theme challenge.

I had big plans for my post today. I had this great package of pre-cut, pre-pinked (scissors, not color) quilt scraps in my favorite colors that just screamed "beach fun". I began paste-embossing various shells (scallop and sand dollar) and sea creatures from Dreamweaver Stencils on the squares, with the intent of sewing them together as a cover for a throw pillow. Obviously, that's going to take a little more time. I promise that I'll post it when finished!

However, I chose to use one of my squares for a fun summer card. Each shell was paste-embossed in Glossy White. It's really surprising how easy it is to paste on fabric, possibly because there's nothing slick to slip and slide over. I added an epoxy sentiment. I love these as their translucency doesn't detract from the stenciled design.

If you haven't played along with the challenge this month, hurry up! You have only until Tuesday, the 31st to link your own creation(s) to the mr. linky on the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com, in order to have an opportunity to win the complete version of this sneak peak stencil design just released last week at the Craft and Hobby Association show:



Need more Summer Fun? Check out the rest of the Dream Team creations:


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Stampendous Release Week...Not a Scaredy-Cat, Are You?


 I am soooo excited about this release week with the Stampendous team. You have no idea how hard it's been to keep this bunch of seasonal images under wraps!

My card today features the new Kiddo Kitty Scare cling image. Isn't it just the cutest? So much fun to color* 'cuz...hey...Halloween? Duh! I just love her green hair, and the gray fluffy kitty looks just like my sweet Smokey, who also is a bit of a scaredy-cat.

Along with fun new images, Stampendous has released some yummy new Essentials, including the Trick or Treat Color Fragments...a great blend of black, orange, white, and gray...perfect for Halloween! Just spread a little glue where you want them, and sprinkle away!

One lucky commenter on MY blog this week, will have the opportunity to win this fabulous bit of blog candy...the Cling Jumbo Orchid, in addition to the opportunity to win from Stampendous, as mentioned below. Not sure what you'd do with this gorgeous image? Take a look at one of my creations on the Stampendous website HERE.



A few of my teammates are showing off new products from Stampendous as well! Not only do some of them have their own blog candy, Stampendous will be drawing a winner for this great prize pack.


How do you win it? It's easy! One of the featured bloggers today will be choosing a random commenter from her blog, and that lucky person will be announced on the Stampendous blog tomorrow. The more places you leave a comment, the better your chances are to win! Below is the list of team members who are sharing inspiration today:


Oh, and don't forget, this is the final week to play along with the July "Citrus" challenge. Link your creation to the Stampendous blog for an opportunity to win!

*Copics used: YR04, YR07, R08, C1, N6, N8, E21, E31, BV0000, BV00, BV02, FYG2, G14


Monday, July 23, 2012

Woodware UK Goes Zen!

Well...maybe not "Zen" precisely, but Zen-tangling can be peaceful and relaxing, especially if you use stencils to create the basic shape to add your patterns inside. Today, for the Woodware UK team, I am posting two cards created with Dreamweaver Stencils using the Zentangle, or Zendoodle technique (as Francoise refers to it).

The first card features one of the many gorgeous butterfly stencils that Dreamweaver carries, and just happens to have a couple extras on the same stencil. The process goes like this:

1) Using Sakura Micron pens in the 6 pack selection of sizes, trace the insides of the stencil design on good quality cardstock.
2) Create "sections" inside.
3) Doodle or make patterns inside. There are a wide variety of ideas for patterns online. Or, better yet, check out the wide variety of Zentangle books from Design Originals, including the sixth book in the series, "Zentangle 6: Terrific Stencils and Cards", featuring works of art from Suzanne McNeil, and several of the Dreamweaver Design Team, including me!

Because Zentangle is so striking in its simplicity, very little needs to be added to it. I did add two border strips cut from a panel of paste-embossed in glossy white Zebra Texture, and a simple Peel Off sentiment.

Traditionally, Zentangle is done in black & white, but sometimes it's fun to change it up and add some color...


 This second card follows the same basic steps using the Huma Huma Fish stencil, but was colored with a Sea Blue marker for the ocean feel. The background uses the Mosaic Swirls stencil, paste-embossed in matte black. The web ribbon from May Arts, and the little charm were all the embellishment needed.

Check out the Woodware UK blog for more Zentangle inspiration this week! Remember, those of you in the UK can purchase these products through stores listed on the Woodware UK website HERE. Those of you in the US can purchase Dreamweaver products HERE.












Supplies:

#1-
LG620 Butterflies
LJ815 Zebra Texture
DEPGW Glossy White Embossing Paste
PO XSDK-06 Micron Pen 6-pk
926982 S Silver Tiny Text

#2-
LL371 Huma Huma fish
LJ901 Mosaic Swirls
DEPMB Matte Black Embossing Paste
PO XSDK-06 Micron Pen 6 pack
Sea Blue Tombow Dual Tip Pen

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Faux Opaque Glass with Dreamweavers!

As you are reading this post, I am at the final day of the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) summer show. Twice a year this show is held...in the winter it's usually in California, and in the summer it is usually in the Chicago area. This is always an exciting time...for those that are exhibiting and those that are buying. This is not a show for consumers, this is where the trade will find the latest and greatest products being introduced for YOUR purchasing pleasure in the very near future.

I will be at the Dreamweaver Stencils' booth, along with Lynell, Kristi, Laura, and Louise. We'll be selling, demonstrating, teaching, showing off the samples that we created for the show, and getting pretty excited at seeing old friends and making new ones. However, since I won't be at home creating something new for this post, I am featuring a card that I created for the last release of new Dreamweaver designs using the Stylized Dahlia. If you were here a couple of days ago, you saw an entirely different creation made with this design, with an entirely different technique. That one was paper-pieced and done in gray and chartreuse. This one is paste embossed in soft coral and white. The paste was a variation on the "Sludge" technique of mixing at least two colors together loosely. I mixed lightly a small bit of the Translucent Embossing Paste with just a few drops of Color Solutions Artist Grade Alcohol inks in Paprika Red and Pumpkin. By mixing only partially, the result is soft and has the appearance of the opaque glass found in some stained glass art. The background was the Daisy Background and was pasted with the same mixture. The result was so gorgeous, that I kept the embellishments to a minimum...a few brads and a border of ribbon.


 Remember, the Dream Team is playing with the Summer Fun theme through the month of July, and we want YOU to play along. Create something that speaks of summer to YOU, and link it to the mr. linky on the Dream It Up! blog, or email pics to lynell@dreamweaverstencils.com. Each submission is another chance to win a brand, new, just released this week, stencil design. Here's a sneak peek of a portion of it:


You know you want it! Get busy stenciling!


Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Gray and Chartreuse? Yep, It Works!

Sometimes it is just so fun to work with something out of your comfort zone. This week's challenge with the Woodware UK team, is to work with gray and chartreuse. Amazingly enough, I was the one that suggested this combo, and I wonder how many of my team mates are wondering what the "yank" was thinking. This combo intrigued me. I've seen several design sites that have used this combo, and I thought that it was cool. What do YOU think?

For this card, I used the Dreamweaver Stylized Dahlia, which was embossed on Co'ordinations' cardstock, sanded, and paper-pieced
with this dotted paper from Bo Bunny. I inked around the edges of each piece for a more dimensional appearance, and added Stickles dots and Card Candi for embellishment.

The card base was also Co'ordinations cardstock, embossed with the Dreamweaver Waves & Dots stencil, and sanded to reveal the design. A sentiment oval was added to finish this off.

Remember to check out the rest of the Woodware UK team as they post their creations in gray and chartreuse this week.

To purchase the products in my post in the UK, visit any of the stores listed on the Woodware UK site. In the US, visit the Stencil with Style site.



Saturday, July 14, 2012

Welcome to the Stampendous/Envirotex Hop!

We're so happy you found us today! We've been enjoying the fun crafting potential of combining our fantastic stamp images with EnviroTex Jewelry Resin from Environmental Technologies. Carmi Cimiata of the Resin Crafts Blog has helped us learn so much about how this product works, what it can and cannot do. We're so appreciative of her and the folks at ETI who sent us all some resin to play with. {big round of applause!} We've prepared some fantastic projects to inspire you today.


 As you have so many fabulously talented ladies to visit today, I'm keeping my post short and to the point. After working for several days with the resin, I had the notion that it would be fun to use in a clear ornament (available at Michael's). I mixed a small amount of the resin, stirred in some Iceberg Color Solutions from Dreamweavers, some Shaved Ice, Holographic Glitter, and Color Fragments from the Stampendous Fran•táge collection, and poured it inside the ornament. I swirled it around to cover the entire inside portion before turning upside down and letting the excess drip out (onto a craft mat, so I could use this for something else). Once dry and cured, I slipped inside a disc of acetate, with a piece of tissue adhered, that I had stamped the soon-to-be-released Perfectly Clear Snow Globe Kiddo, with StazOn ink and colored with Copic markers. To insert, just roll up, insert through top, and let open. If you have measured the disc correctly, it will stay just where you want it. If not, you can adjust with needle nose pliers and a drop of glue. The tag is stamped with the sentiment from the same clear set. Oh, and yes, I stamped the ribbon as well to match!

We hope you'll run over to your local Michaels or other craft store and pick up some resin and some Stampendous stamps and get playing. If you make something fun, please take a picture and put it on our Facebook page! We'd love to see what you're doing! As you visit each blog, you'll be entered in our drawing for a great prize package when you leave a comment! If you don't tell us you were there by commenting, we can't include you in the drawing! We'll pick a winner from today's comments separate from the comments made throughout the week. Get hoppin!

Friday, July 13, 2012

Stampendous and Envirotex...It's Perfectly Clear!

The Stampendous team has been having a blast playing along with Carmi Cimiata from Resin Crafts Blog, and exploring all of the most amazing uses of EnviroTex Craft Resin. She makes it look so easy we just had to try it. We saw the potential immediately! With all our terrific images plus all the amazing things you can float or embed in the resin…ooh… Fran•táge, here we come!


 For my third post mixing Stampendous and Envirotex Jewelry Resin, I'm showing off one of my favorite projects of this collaboration...my Royal Bird Pendant, featuring images from the Perfectly Clear Charm Collection. I picked up the heart shaped silver bezel at my local Hobby Lobby. I loved this particular design as it is deeper than most bezels that I have seen, allowing for more of the fun Stampendous Fran•táge Essentials to be added.

I stamped and colored the images on a piece of tissue, and adhered it to the bottom of the bezel with Beacon Adhesives Fast Finish Decoupage, and brushed more over the top. I sprinkled Fresh Green, Steel Blue, and Purple Crushed Glass Glitters which add fabulous sparkle through the clear resin. I also sprinkled some Powdered Blue and Chiffon Color Fragments, which settled to the bottom, while still adding some extra texture and color.

The resin is so easy to work with. You combine with even amounts, and stir for a couple minutes, and add to your project. After curing, the end result is gorgeously clear and professional looking.  Especially when you make each one unique with Stampendous images, and embellish with charms and beads. I'd love to create some of these for friends!


Now is your turn to leave me a comment, and check out the rest of the extremely talented ladies posting today. Keep coming back to check out everyone's creations this week, follow the directions below, and you could win one of these amazing prize packages:


We have 3 prize packages for our friends with US mailing addresses.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the weekly comments on our blog.
  • We’ll draw one winner from the comments on Saturday’s Big Blog Hop
  • We’ll draw one winner from Facebook – You need to SHARE one or more of our posts about this project on your Timeline **
Each prize package from us will include a pack of Jewelry Resin, a bottle cap, bezel and button to try, and the Stampendous Charm Collection Perfectly Clear Stamps – perfect jewelry sized stamps for your crafting pleasure!


Here's the lineup of resin-inspired artists for today:

 

** Why do I need to SHARE the Facebook post ?  Because Facebook has changed the way they show posts from a Page to that Page’s fans. (There are millions of posts a day now!) When you “share” a post it lets Facebook know you want to see posts from us. It also tells your friends what we’re up to and extends our “reach”. Maybe they will come like us, too! That IS why we’re doing this, to meet more people! Plus when you share, it lets us see that you did, that makes it easier to pick a winner for the contest.
How do I SHARE a post? Visit our page on Facebook  – Stampendous – We’ll keep an EnviroTex post pinned at the top this week – just find it and click on SHARE underneath the post, it’s blue. It will pop up a window that says Share On Your Own Timeline. You can write a message in the box if you like then click Share This Link. That’s it…easy!!