Stampotique Challenge "Bright Colors" ~SDC220~

This week Carol Fox is the hostess on the Stampotique Designers Challenge and she is challenging us to "Bright Colors"

Here is what Carol says about this challenge:

"Bright eye popping colors to brighten up November"

So let's see your best and brightest projects this week.

Your participation could lead to winning a great prize!

This started as just a warm up sheet of paper using stamps and tangling around them.  I usually practice Zentangle patterns early in the morning while I have my coffee.  When the paper is filled up it goes into the pile to be photocopied or cut up, whatever I need it for.  I used exclusively Stampotique stamps on the paper before adding the Zentangle patterns.

Here it is in black and white.  I wish I had used a heavier paper instead of just card stock.  I started out with Brushos and water which made the paper twist and warp.  I then switched over to Memento markers and colored it in like one of those new-fangled coloring book pages.  Fun.  Later I can cut it up and make whatever out of it.

Stampotique Stamps used for this:

• Girl with heart purse
• Portland
• Girl with Lunchbox
• Blah, Blah, L'artist & People Person

Other supplies:

• Micron black pen
• Memento Markers
• Brushos w/water

I am also submitting this to Craft Stamper's Take It Make It Challenge for November~ Take a Stamp

Thanks for your visit, I always appreciate it!  Hugs ~ Renee

Stampotique Designer Challenge ~ Twinchies! ::SDC 204

Today on the Stampotique Designer Challenge our host, Janet, is challenging us to make some Twinchies!   Janet says : "Create a set of twinchies using your favorite Stampotique stamps."

Twinchies are small works of art that measure 2" by 2".  You can cut your own out of whatever paper you choose.   I just happened to have some wonderful pre-cut 2" matboard squares.  I was gifted these ART SQUARES from inchie arts lic and I must admit the quality of these squares is amazing!

I stamped parts of two different stamps, one on each twinchie.  The head comes from "Skiddy" and the skirt and feet came from Kate Crane's "Sing me a song".  I pulled a small gift bag out of my stash, I'll glue the twinchies to it later.

Time to color in the twinchies using Memento Markers in different colors.

Next I used some puffy, double sided adhesive tape to adhere the twinchies to the gift bag.  Then I filled the bag with the gift and added some turquoise tissue paper to top it off.

I invite you to participate in the Stampotique challenge this week.  Don't forget there are prizes to be won!  Take care, talk to you soon!  Hugs ~ Renee

Stampotique Design Challenge ~ Using Attachers :: SDC 203

The Stampotique Designers Challenge for this week is hosted by Kathi.  Kathi wants us to "Use attachers, the older the better.  Thinking of eyelets, brads, staples, etc.  Bonus points if someone uses all three.  Extra super bonus points if someone attaches Stampotique images to each other.'

I decided to do a little mail art at the same time with this challenge in mind.  When I make envelopes like this they are not intended to go through the mail.  I usually fill them with projects intended for Stampington.  Sometimes they not only publish the contents but also the envelope!

Here is a brief tutorial:

I chose a 10" by 13" Kraft colored envelope to decorate.  I applied a thin layer of gesso across the bottom and allowed it to dry.  When the gesso was dry I began stamping my images with StazOn Ink in Tuxedo Black.  Next using a Micron pen 08 I started writing out the address.  The circles were made from an old lid dipped in the black ink.

I stamped the flying pigs again on a separate piece of cardstock, cut them out, colored them and then attached them with Parisienne Brads made by Recollections.  My pigs are elevated with pop dots, this way I didn't have to attempt to cut out the tails, I love that little bit of detail on them.

Add some fake postage.

I used a diamond stencil and some Creative Medium Paste in pink to finish the envelope.

Supply List

Stampotique Stamps:  Flying Pig, When Pigs Fly phrase, Hanging Hearts
Parisienne Brads made by Recollections
Ink:  StazOn Black Tuxedo ink
Memento Markers:  Angel Pink, Summer Sky
Iridescent Creative Medium Paste:  Pink
PanPastel:  Copper
Stencil:  Artistcellar Diamond 
Miscellaneous:  Micron 08 black pen, Kraft colored envelope, Gesso, old recycled postage marks, cardstock, pop dots and adhesive


Have some fun with attachers and share one with us on this week's Designer's Challenge, here is the link.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hugs ~ Renee

Stampotique Guest Designer for the month of July! SDC: 202

This has been a hard secret to keep but I can finally share it!  I have been asked to be a Guest Designer on the Stampotique blog for the month of July.  This has been a dream of mine for several years so I am really going to enjoy all five projects that I've created for them this month.  The first challenge for July is hosted by Corrie and it is a ribbon challenge.  Corrie says "I struggle to use ribbon on my projects but I do like it.  So I want you to show me what you do with ribbon."

My finished project is a small art journal page showcasing one of Daniel Torrente's newer characters called SKIDDY.  I used self adhesive ribbon to give Skiddy something to stand on.   I have listed all the stamps I used for this.  I hope you'll join in this challenge, there is always the chance of winning some stamps from Stampotique!

Supply List

Creative Medium Green Iridescent paste
Stamps:  Stampotique:  Skiddy, Hanging Hearts, Beauty Verse and Hare
Inks:         StazOn Jet Black ink, StazOn Studio Glaze and Memento ink pens
Ribbons:  Self adhesive ribbons from Primio
Small Strathmore Mixed Media art journal, Stencil from Artistcellar, lines and circles from household items

Stampotique Challenge ~ SDC # 198

There is a challenge going on this week over at Stampotique.  If you want to enter it is simple:  go to their site, read the rules/follow them, show your image off.  The Challenge is from Gez Butterworth and it is a simple one, use your favorite stamp.  My favorite stamp is usually my newest stamp.  This one is by Kate Crane called Angel Squared.

To make this I started with a postcard piece of watercolor paper, 6" by 4", that had a layer of gesso on it.  I do sheets of watercolor paper with an application of gesso on them, let them dry and then set them aside for future creations.  I applied StazOn Studio glaze on the paper with a baby wipe for the background, using Orange Zest and Spiced Chai to tone it down.  When this was dry I stamped off some other stamps randomly and then stamped my angel image with StazOn Jet Black ink and Kate's stamp.  I heat set this with my heat gun and then started coloring in areas with a Memento marker called Angel Pink.

The wings, shoelaces, band on the robe & the heart are edged with Bronze irRESISTible Pico Embellisher and allowed to dry.  For the gold dots, heart and shoes I used Gold StazOn Studio Glaze directly to the image and allowed it to dry.  I love the way the Studio Glaze can be watered down or used for a 3D effect.

When everything had dried completely I used a couple of Artistcellar stencils and some gesso to add more texture on top of everything.  Finally I edged the card with  Jet Black StazOn ink.

This could be used as a postcard or matted on some black cardstock and used for whatever.

Thanks for stopping by today, I really appreciate your visits and comments during this difficult transition period for me.  It looks like it will still be a couple of months before we're actually moved in and settled in our new location.  But it's okay, I travel with all sorts of art supplies!  Take care ~ hugs to you all~ Renee

Stampotique Poe Challenge~SDC175

This week Stampotique has a challenge that was posted by the lovely Kay Wallace.  Create a project using Stampotique stamps and an Edgar Allen Poe quote.  Since I have loved the writings of Poe since I was 12 this was right up my alley, my theme is the poem called Annabelle Lee.   I am always looking for places to store my small art projects like ATCs, tags and Art Cards so this seemed like a good idea.  I turned an old plain box into this.

It began as a plain cardboard box that I'd been saving for a while.  I coated the top and sides with white heavy gesso to give myself a nice smooth surface to work on.

Next I sprayed Dylusions Spray Inks through my Water Series stencils, Surf and Sea Foam.  I used London Blue and Cut Grass green then softened the colors with White Linen.

I decided to stamp through my Blazonry stencil with an Artistic Outpost word stencil but it didn't turn out like I had hoped so I used the same stencil to draw outlines with a black permanent marker.

Still not entirely happy with the results I used the Chunky Chevron stencil and some white gesso to cover up the parts I didn't like and to join the surface all together.

I had some book text by Poe in my stash and some other relevant images so I trimmed those into manageable pieces.  I stamped by Stampotique image called "Angel" onto a separate piece of paper then tore the image out.  The edges were distressed with several colors and heat embossed with clear powder.  Then I started gluing all the components to the top of the box.

Another fun way to get more mileage out of your stencils!  You might even make a box like this to store your stencils in.  There is still time, one more day,  to enter the Stampotique Challenge if you like, I have added the link.  Stop by next Tuesday for more stenciling ideas.  See you then ~ Hugs, Renee

Stencils Provide Background Interest

It is Tuesday so it's Artistcellar Stencil day!  Today I made a small canvas that I will also be submitting to the Stampotique Challenge of the week....Bows.  Let's get started!

The Prom Queen Stampotique stamp has always been my favorite in their collection.  I've been using her for many years now the only difference today is she's doing the splits.  I couldn't fit her and the phrase from Stampers Anonymous on the 6" by 6" canvas without a little surgery.  I started the canvas by painting on some DWM acrylic paint in the Lemon color.

I added a tiny drop of DWM Umber to the yellow on my palette to get the shading on the edges.  Then I inked the edges of the canvas with Distress Ink Vintage Photo.  Now it was time to pull out the stencils.  I used Sea Fan from the Artistcellar Coral series.  I placed it on the canvas and then using a stencil brush, pounced white gesso on random areas; then carefully lifted up the stencil and allowed the canvas to dry.

While the gesso was drying I busied myself with stamping, coloring my image with Copics and then trimming her out.  I stamped the phrase, tore the edges and distressed them using a Copic pen.  I attached the stamped pieces to the canvas using Beacon 3-in-1 adhesive and applied some clear GooseBumps with a brush to a few areas to give them a little shine.

I attached a small antique knob to the top of the canvas.  The knob gives me something to tie the bow to.  I do this with a lot of small canvases since they look best placed on a stack of books or on a shelf.

This is a nod to all my online friends.  My husband calls them my "imaginary friends" since he has never met them.  I keep telling him they are as real as I am!

I hope you'll give stencils a try, they make such nice background textures.  We've had a lovely summer here in New England.  Take care ~ Renee

Stampotique Challenge::SDC128 Week 2 of Anything Goes

Hey everyone!  Sorry I've been AWOL for a week, it is that time of year and I've been sick.  My daughter just happened to come for a visit last week and she spent most of her "vacation" taking care of old mom.  But with the help of modern medicine I am thankfully on the mend.

I thought it would be fun to participate in the Stampotique Challenge this week since it is "Anything Goes".  I was flexing my creative muscles today making get well cards and thank you cards for all the stews and soups my friends have brought for us this week.  I feel so spoiled.

I love the Stampotique stamp called "Global Warming".

Reminds me of what I see outside right now and we're due for more snow this weekend!  Stay warm and be healthy, talk to you soon ~ Renee

SDC125: One Layer::Stampotique Challenge

Samantha Read is our hostess this week at Stampotique's Designer's Challenge.  Can't wait to see what everyone creates this week!

"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 ;)"

Sounds like fun doesn't it?  I decided to make a card with TCW Dina Wakley stencils, gesso, spray inks, acrylic paints, Derivan Liquid Pencil, Black StazOn Ink, Stampotique stamps and a black micron pen.  Whew!  That sounds like a lot of product but I sure was happy with the results.  My card looks like a mini painting.

We all know at least one Diva, don't we?  Perfect card for that special someone.  Have a great day, it is really cold here and I'm sure it is only going to get colder.  Brrrrrrrrr!  Good time to make cards.  Take care, thanks so much for stopping by, it wouldn't be as much fun without YOU!  ~ Renee

SDC99::Stampotique Challenge "Summertime"

Carol is the hostess this week at the Stampotique Designers Challenge and she is requiring some "sunshine".  I decided to make a postcard using one of my favorite Stampotique stamps, a little girl called Mela.  The phrase is by DeNami Design.    Mela is colored in with Memento pens and has PanPastel clouds in the background with a sun stencil of yellow ink on top of it.  StazOn greens, blue and teal on the edges and a couple of stray pieces of tissue tape to finish it off.

You still have time to submit to their challenge.  Even if you don't want to submit anything it is always fun to stop by their website and check out the amazing creations by their DT and the submissions.

SDC93::Stencils with Stampotique Images

This week at Stampotique Jane has challenged us to use Stencils in our projects.  I made a Master board on a sheet of watercolor paper using Imagine Crafts "Fireworks!" spray inks and stencils.  The stencils incorporated here are from Dyan Reaveley, Julie Fei Fan Balzer and Office Max.  It is just layer after layer of colors with different stencils.  After each layer of color I made sure the paper was thoroughly dry before spraying another layer of color.  The key with a Master board is to save it by making a photocopy of it, then you could cut up either the original or the copy and start working with it.  Here is my card with a couple of Stampotique images and some leaves by Dyan Reaveley.

After I finished the card I decided to do a chevron stencil with ImaineCraft's "Vintage" color just to give it a little more texture.  All of the background color ended up being done with layers and layers of stencils sticking to the pastel colored Fireworks! called Angel Pink, Lulu Lavender and Summer Sky.  The beauty of a Master board is all parts of it are different colors with different stencils showing through.  This way you can cut a piece off on any portion of the board and get whatever effect or color that you desire.

I hope you have a wonderful day.  The sun is shining here and most of the snow has melted.  The daffodils are inching their way up and out.  We should have some vibrant color here soon!  Thanks for stopping by and visiting my blog today.  I always appreciate any comments you have time to leave.  Talk to you soon!

I'm also entering this on the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge::Quotes (since I think this is such a great quote :-))

Stampotique Challenge::SDC 90

This calendar page is just one page done on watercolor paper rather than in my journal.  It was a fun way to play with spray inks, stamps, clip art and self adhesive calendars.  I am entering it in the Stampotique challenge for "songs".  The theme I chose for this is "it was just one of those things".  Those words were taken from a Cole Porter song written in 1935.  This lady from Deviant.Scrap.com, looks like she fits the era and the lyrics.  Lots of gesso, acrylics, stamping that is there but only faintly visible, stencils and peel & stick stuff.  Fun to make.

If you get a chance pop over to the Stampotique website and enter their challenge for this week you have an opportunity to win some of their stamps.  It is always fun to check out their Designer's ideas for each challenge, too. 

We have a winter storm coming in tonight so we'll be preparing for that today!  Talk to you soon, take care.

SDC 81::Stampotique Challenge/Journal Page

It is time again for a Stampotique Challenge!   the current challenge is to make a journal, calendar or diary page.  I have made a journal page that can be written on whenever the spirit moves me.  It is a reflection of the weather here right now and it is COLD outside.  The children across the street love to make snowmen every year and within a few days they normally look like the snowman on the left.

Products used:

Stampotique Stamps

Dyan Reaveley Stamps

Tim Holtz Stamps

Idea-ology Tissue Wrap 

Gesso

Brilliance Platinum Ink

Brilliance Cosmic Copper Ink

Staz-on Black ink

Faber Castell White and Blue Metallic Gelatos

Memento Markers

Gesso

Essential Glue Pad

Glitter

Snowflake Stamp

Old Book Paper

FUDE BALL black ink pen

Stay warm!  Talk to you soon.

Stampotique Designers Challenge #74::Nature

The Stampotique Challenge this week was issued by Nellie and it is "Nature".  I decided to use my Stampotique ((Hello)) and Mushroom Group stamps.  That took care of part of the "nature" theme, the rest was satisfied by Dyan Reaveley's leaves and spider.  I recently paid a visit to DeviantScrap.com and purchased the "Tangled Up" designs by Hidden Vintage Studios.  Little girls with Zentangled clothing and hats, etc.  Just download and print.  Doesn't get any easier than that.  Instant gratification.  After stamping the mushrooms,  I cut out the girl image, cut out a party hat and glued her on top of the mushrooms.  The leaves are stamped randomly with Ranger's black Archival ink and colored in with their Distress Ink Markers.  Then came the spider, hello and another bit cut out of the "Tangled Up" paper.  I used my Star Gelly Roll pen to add highlights to the leaves and a tiny drop of Distress Stickles in the Scattered Straw color to the tops of the 'rooms.  This card only took about 10 minutes to make so I believe I'll do an entire series of them showcasing all the cute little girls from Hidden Vintage.

The weather here today is beautiful, about 50 degrees F.  I finally finished putting my garden to bed and lifting up the dahlias, washing them clean and putting them in the basement.  They won't see the light of day again until Mother's Day.  That's when we turn on the fountain again and put those bad boys back in the ground.  I'm looking forward to that already!

SDC 73::Hanging Decorations

We have snow coming this way.  Wet snow.  That's the worst kind from what I hear.  I personally do not shovel snow so I really can't say.  If my husband is out of town during a snow storm my wonderful neighbor, Archie, comes over and does the driveway for me.  Out of sheer gratitude I bake him his very own Coconut Cake once a year, whether it snows or not.  Gotta cover all the bases.  His wife called me last year to say whatever I put in that cake it had turned him into a snarling beast whenever anyone got near his cake.  I guess the growling was fearsome.  All his.  Hmm, I think I'll bake 2 cakes this year for them.  If Archie isn't home my friend Ann's husband, Dave, comes over so he can play with Joe's John Deere snow machine thingy.  Dave's taste leans heavily toward cookies.  So, if he is cleaning the driveway it's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies with nuts and Craisins that will be baked when he calls to say he's on his way and sent home with him.  Joe says he wishes I could just say he's out of town.  Not gonna happen.
I have so many things to be grateful for.  A wonderful husband and great friends just to name a few.  Otherwise this old lady would probably just sit at home since I really can't see myself shoveling snow.  Really.  I would look ridiculous in my stiletto boots, etc. out there moving snow around.  It's the California girl in me I'm afraid.  I can't give up the shoes.
Stampotique is having a challenge this week called "SDC 73::Hanging Decorations".  My submission is a wall hanging on a recycled paper bag.  The clown stamp is by Paula Best, the phrase is by Hero Arts.  The monkey was a tiny treasure found at Brimfield a few years ago.  I just cut out an umbrella shape and did a Zentangle-ish handle on it.  The metal crown and star are by TH.  Rhinestones by Queen and Co.

Renee Zarate::SDC 73

A little up close photo so you can see the monkey.  He's so cute.  Everyone on the east coast, hang in there, let's hope the storm isn't as bad as they are predicting.  Hope all the rest of you have some sunshine in your world today!

Stampotique Challenge::SDC 65 Color Challenge

Jane is hosting this week at Stampotique and it is a color challenge.  The colors to use are mustard, navy and orange.  I came up a couple of ATCS using Dyan Reaveley stamps and Ranger's Distress Markers.

You still have time to enter a project!  So what are you doing this weekend?

Stampotique Challenge::SDC262/One Layer

I am just getting this in at the last moment!  Stampotique's Challenge this week is One Layer.  That always sounds deceptively simple.  You never realize how many embellishments you use until it is prohibited.    I chose to do a tag that has been sprayed with Dyan Reaveley's Dylusions.  I used Squeezed Orange and Bubblegum Pink.  These were sprayed onto a #8 Manila tag made by Ranger.  Following Dyan's directions I blotted it with a roll of kitchen towels and heat dried it a little.  Then I flicked water on to the surface, waited 20 seconds, blotted it off again.  The alpha stencil is one from my local office supply store.  At the top of the tag I applied white acrylic paint over the stencil, lifted it off and allowed it to dry.  The border stamp at the bottom, one of Dyan's, was stamped with Ranger's Archival Black ink as was the Dina Wakley Lonely Girl image.  I did use Stampotique's words down the right side.  Since it is one layer I decided to tangle a little around the hole for the ribbon.  The final touches are black inking around the edge of the tag and a tiny smear of aqua acrylic paint across the eyes and in the circles.

We're having a rainy day today so it will be nice to stay inside and play!  Have a great day.

Stampotique Challenge SDC261::Alter It

The Stampotique Challenge for this week is "Alter It".  The idea is to alter something that you have around the house and just cheer it up a little.  I always seem to have several pillar candles in the cupboard, probably because we seem to lose power for several days at a time.  So I thought I would use the method that I saw once in a video/tutorial at Stampington.com.  I used their technique to enhance several pillar candles one of them has a Stampotique image called "Angel".

These are fast, fun and make terrific last minute hostess gifts!  Hope you're having a great weekend.

Stampotique Challenge~SDC 58::Sentiments

Stampotique always presents a challenge that to me is, well......a challenge.  I guess that's why I like to play along.  It is a great opportunity to think outside the box and try to get my limited collection of Stampotique stamps to do double duty.  (My husband would disagree about the "limited" part but that is a story for another day.  In my mind if I don't have them all I have a limited collection.)  The challenge this time is "sentiments" using only their stamps, of course.  I wanted to have some flowers on the card so I turned my favorite ladies upside down and used their skirts to make flowers.  This seems appropriate since my sentiment is "Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it".  The one I am entering is using Glimmering Hope.

I used water color paper and Reeves Water Soluble Wax Pastels to color the flowers.  If you haven't tried those yet you are really missing out.  I stamped the images with Ranger's Black Archival Ink, then  just added my color and sprayed it with water for a very soft effect.  If you want to dry it with paper towels a la Dyan Reaveley you can or use your heat tool.  I think children would love this technique and the crayons are very reasonably priced at Michael's.

Glimmering Hope

Then I tried using "Angel", her skirt looks like some type of tube shaped flower.

Same watercolor paper but I used Ranger's Distress Markers to color the images.

Angel

Have a great day and try to stay cool.  It has been unusually hot here in New England this year.  I have to water my garden every day which is not the norm!  But I have loads of tomatoes to look forward to and lots of fresh herbs.

SDC57: Out of the Box-Stampotique Stamps Only (6/27-7/10/12) 5 p.m. E.T.

Stampotique has a new challenge, "Thinking outside of the box".  Instead of a card I chose to make a tag based on the current Tempting Template in the June issue of The Stampers' Sampler.  In that magazine they had a template that looks like a perfume bottle.  So I made an ocean themed bottle with a mermaid inside.

First I traced the template onto watercolor paper and cut it out.  I colored the paper with Ranger's Distress Ink, I used Broken China and Wild Honey and then activated the inks with a spray of water.  This was followed with a quick dry from my heat gun.  I stamped the image of Smushallaum with Ranger's black Archival Ink.  I colored in the image with Copic ink pens.  I had some scraps of paper left over that had been sprayed with Dyan Reaveley's Dylusion sprays in Cut Grass and Vibrant Turquoise.  I used a Hexagon punch in several sizes and glued this on the stopper portion of the bottle.  I had a dimensional flower from K&Co that I attached to the center of the stopper.  Underneath that I used 5 deep green self adhesive pearls from Queen and Co.  I stuck a tiny sliver of mesh under the pearls and then added a green polka dot bow.  The phrase Sunshine & Seashells was a self adhesive tag from a sheet of cardstock beach stickers made by Paper House Productions.  And there we have our summer beach memory...a mermaid in a bottle.