Christmas themed Make and Take cards

Today's Christmas cards were Janet and Michelle's Make and Take cards from our recent open weekend, they used Aspects of Design 5 Christmas sheet, I love the parcels and the tiny tiny labels!!!   My love for the Moonglow embossing powders that they used goes without saying...

Michelle and Janet used Moonglow embossing powders Holly Berry Red Gold and Tannenbaum Green gold, the powders are fantastic and great for Christmas as the secondary colour is gold in them both (they are 2-tone embossing powders that show both colours when tilted in the light).

Here's some other layout ideas and close-ups

Oh...So tactile!!!!

You cannot see in the photo but they have also been misted with Starburst Stains to give them shimmer.

This stamp sheet is currently on sale on our website from £19.90 down to £7.50!!!!  

It's a GREAT time to get it as we are going to discontinue this sheet to make room for new stuff next year, it's also one of our original REALLY deep etched sheets! 

That mesh stamp is going to be so useful all year round.  For this time of year the words, snowflakes, pine sprig, holly tag, baubles and the tiny images that can be individually used as well as for a background stamp make it a very versatile sheet.

We do have packs of the tiny, tiny stringed tags in the shop if anyone wants those, I'll add them to the website tomorrow.

Brilliant cards Michelle and Janet, thank you!!

If you want to see other cards we've made with this sheet, you will find more ideas on our old Picturetrail gallery.  There's also instructions to help you make the cards we feature there. 

I've been on and off my computer all day and still late posting, again... 28 minutes tonight!!!

Everything is moving slowly at the moment as I'm in the middle of a 4 day upload:(

Have a great weekend and thanks for visiting:)

Jill x

Yesterday's Christmas card today

Today's card is another made by Karen Jackson that she demonstrated at the Happy Stampers North West show a couple of weeks ago, it is stamped with the Hero Arts clear stamp set below CL459 Merry Christmas Trees

There I was calling it a night and time to wind down after tapping away doing stuff on the computer when I realised I hadn't finished or posted today's card, oops I've missed yesterday by 16 minutes!

Jill

New Design Team member announcement!!!

We are thrilled to announce that we have a new DT member BrendaB, aka Bumblebees and Butterflies, Brenda's blog name. 

Do pop over to Brenda's blog for a visit, you'll find loads of brilliant work there.  I can't wait to see what she makes for our challenges.

Welcome Brenda!!

Jill

Frosty morning

I used Tim's Reindeer Flight stamp set to create this frosty misty morning card, or that's what it reminds me of!!  All three stamps are in the set.

I embossed the largest scalloped circle and the reindeer with Moonglow Embossing Powder Twilight Blue Slate. As you can see I left the shimmery powder on the background of the smaller scalloped circle.  I just checked on our website and found that it is showing the wrong picture but you can see the proper colour on the card.  It is one of the powders that I'd never actually tried, I don't know how I missed that one in the 10 years we've been selling them, but I love it and must use it again soon!!  We have the EP's on special offer at the moment if you fancy trying them.  I will be showing more cards I've made with them soon as I'm really getting into them again.

I used the thickest card I could cut with a nestie and applied several layers of EP onto the larger circle before stamping into it to create a pattern. 

I'm not totally sure which distress ink I used for the stamping and inking, I think it was chipped sapphire, I'll have to have a look!

Thanks for visiting!!

Jill

Starry, starry night....

Late again!!!  Today's Christmas card was made by Karen Jackson.  Karen demonstrated this beautiful card at the HSNW show a couple of weeks ago. The stamp is from Hero Arts, CG224 Starry Night it was also a very popular card at our demo weekend.

Karen used the Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink Pad.  Has anyone else noticed how this ink fades down once it has dried on the card?  So don't be alarmed if it looks a lot darker when first stamped, it will settle down to become just the perfect blue for a night sky!

It is such an elegant and effective card, with no embossing, it is therefore ideal if you need to make lots!  Stamp the image, mount onto silver mirri card, add the ribbon and fix onto a 6" x 4" dark blue base card, and...voila!!

Thank you Karen!!!!

Well today has been a wet and windy day in Yorkshire, and I can't believe October is nearly over, where has the month gone?  It's getting dark so early now too, we are well and truly in autumn now aren't we!!

Enjoy the colours of autumn while they last!

Jill

It's all black and white

Over the 20 years that we've been selling craft materials I've found that some people like to start their Christmas cards really early (January is FAR too early me though!), and others get to October and realise the weeks will fly by from now until the big day.

The half-term school holidays always seem to be the time that shops start getting their Christmas stock, and most people seem to get serious about their Christmas card making so this week I'm going to be making a start showing you some Christmas cards, well, I started showing them on Friday night, but I'll continue to show them for the rest of the week.

Although this is not a new Tim Holtz stamp set, it's nonetheless still a favourite, it is Santa's Wish, the main Father Christmas image is just lovely and he's so jolly!  I've used the pine sprig on the right hand side and black webbing spray on the left hand side.

A few black nailheads and some small panels of black card have been used and it is a very quick and easy card to make which is ideal if you have a lot to make!  Swap the colours if you like for a more colourful look, but keep to using just 2 colours, (cream and brown is still a popular combination), and you'll have a pile of cards ready in no time!

Here's another little peek at the webbing spray, 'cos I just LOVE it!!

It was great seeing everyone at the Stamp Magic show yesterday, I got to play with Moonglow embossing powders all day as well as transfering printed images onto canvas until my fingers hurt!!  There is so much magic in those Moonglow embossing powder jars, they are a total joy to work with.

A HUGE thank you to everyone that visited our stand to watch what I was playing with, and for the usual moral boost you gave me when you had faith enough to buy the products I demonstrated, hopefully we've each gained and I thank you for your support!

In amongst all that was the fab chatter and hugs which always make a show wonderful, I think I got more hugs than Ian this time:)  Caroline was her usual amazing self and was fantastic help on the till et al, we have the turmoil in France to thank for having her stay home this half term to help us. Sorry your holiday got cancelled CC!!

Today's post is later than planned, but at least it's here before midnight:)

Have a great week!!!

Jill

Moonglow embossed embellishments and webbing spray

Following on from my last post here's another card using the techniques and products I mentioned there.  I'll be demonstrating the techniques at The Stamp Magic Show, at The Dome, Doncaster today.

The photo below shows the webbing spray on a Starburst Stain scrunch technique background.

This heart bauble is embossed with black ink and one of the teal Moonglow Embossing Powders.

I stamped into it with one of the Tim Holtz Holiday Collection ATC stamps.

Have a good Sunday!

Jill

Stamp Magic Show, The Dome, Doncaster

Are you planning to come to the show on Sunday?  If so, you'll see these and others I have made this week in real life!

I will be demonstrating the technique Vix showed at the Port Sunlight show and also our demo weekend last week.  It is transfering images/printed papers onto sticky back canvas.  I'll also be showing how to make embossed embellishments with Moonglow 2-tone embossing powders.  They really are magic!!!

I've also made another batch of Moonglow embossing powder sample pieces, ATC size, to give away, so that you can remember it when you get home.

The image below was transfered onto canvas from a lazer printed image.  It has a distressed aged feel to it so of course it had to have my favourite Moonshadow inks as the background for the card! 

I've used  Incandescent Copper with the cling film technique.The heart embellishment is embossed with Moonglow Holly Red Gold Embossing Powder, I've stamped into it with my favourite stamp at the moment, Hero Arts S5449 Fabulous Flourish.  It's such a versatile stamp!!

I'll be showing how it's done at the show so do pop along for a demo.  If you haven't got a ticket, no worries, just pop along on Sunday and pay on the door. Show open: 10am - 4pm, tickets: £5

The next card is made with the  Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Die - Bigz Fanciful Flight

Again I've embossed it with the 2-tone Moonglow embossing powders. This time my background is made with Starburst Stains and the scrunch technique but has an added extra, black webbing spray.  What's that I hear you think!!

We'll I first used it well over 10 years ago and like everything crafty, you end up moving onto new things and forget your old favourites, well I rediscovered this as I was looking for something to add a finishing touch to a picture frame I decorated recently, and lo and behold I looked at the mirror I painted and spray at least 10 years ago that still hangs in our living room and voila, I dug out my cans!!  It's available in gold. silver, black and white.

If you think silly spray, you're thinking along the right lines except this is finer and more hard wearing.  I've been wiping my frame at home with a damp cloth for years and it's still as good as it was when I first sprayed it.  It comes out a little like silly spray, it's quite strange!  If you spray it onto your cards/papers in a plastic bowl/tray you will get a built up of the surplus that can be peeled off and punched. Another tip, it is whiffy, like a spray paint so do your spraying outside if you can.

As it's an aerosol spray, it cannot be posted for mail order, so if you see it anywhere and think you want it, then grab it while you can, don't umm and arr, it'll be too late when you get home!!! 

We'll have some at the show.  It's not a cheap product but it lasts and is so effective.

Here's a close up that show's the Moonglow Lapis Lazuli blue/gold embossing powder and the webbing spray background

If you can't make it to the show, then we have the EP's on the website on Special Offer at the moment and if you are at the show, we have a Show Special with them too!

I'll be back on Sunday with another card showing these techniques.

Have a great weekend!!

Jill

Cards For Men Challenge

 

I've always found this stamp sheet great for mens' cards, especially for older men or those that don't do sport gardening, cars or pubs!  

For this card I've used a map background paper we have in the shop over the entire base card.

 This close up shows the Moonshadow Ink background, Moonshadow ink is walnut ink and mica powder mixes. I've used Moonglow Embossing Powders Midnight Emerald Obsidian and Teal

to emboss the map, ship and wording.

Here's a close up of the embossed fusible webbing.  I demonstrated this on Create and Craft and in the DVD I made, basically it is sticky both sides, you heat it to melt it and make lace patterns before adding embossing powder.  I've used Moonglow Midnight Emerald Obsidian which being 2-tone, changes colour between black and emerald.  There are quite a few different colours available, all the Midnight Obsidian colours are great for men's cards.

I'm late posting this, it's been sitting here in draft since Thursday, oops!

Jill

Altered Challenge Blog Hop Winners!!

Did you enter our Altered Challenge blog hop?  If so, pop over to our challenge blog to see if you won a prize!!!

Our design team members that hosted the hop were each allocated a prize to give away on their blogs, the winner for this blog is...

Tracy Evans
AOD 62 Artistic Elements unmounted stamp sheet

The winners' list was announced last night and Tracy has already claimed her prize.  All the winners have until midnight next Monday to claim their prizes.

The winner of the prize draw for actually entering the Altered Challenge is Janet Wilson, who won £30 of Stamp Man Gift Vouchers.

Congratulations to all winners!!

Jill

Hero Arts Christmas Baubles

Thank you to all that visited and supported us this weekend at our demo/open weekend, it was much appreciated, it was great catching up with everyone again and as Susan commented on the last post, the kettle was never off and the chatter really was constant!

I didn't take any general photos on Sunday, I really must try harder!  But, I did take  pictures of cards to show you. 

Two of today's cards were made amongst other things at the weekend by Jill Boulton, and one was made by Karen Jackson who demonstrated this as well as others at the Happy Stampers North West show last weekend.  Both ladies have used the same Hero Arts bauble stamp as the main image.

The first card above, made by Karen Jackson has been embossed with coloured inks and a sparkly embossing powder and is a nice trendy slim card.

This next card is by Jill Boulton, a landscape A6 card, the bauble is stamped with a big and juicy rainbow ink pad and I believe the 5 bauble design was stamped with distress ink. 

Here's another of Jill's cards with the same idea but using the same big and juicy pad for the background.

The stamps used are in stock and are by Hero Arts, you'll find them HERE, the sheer and shimmery ribbon on Jill's cards is gorgeous!  It is available by the metre and can be found HERE.

I've got behind with blogging recently, I will be catching up with more as soon as I can!

Jill

Dirty weekend at The Stamp Man!!

We've had a lovely day today, we have an open/demo weekend and these are the hands of someone who came determined to have a play, now who was it...

I was a little afraid when those excited hands flew up, those alien coloured hands were not getting near me or my camera, so as I retreated, I got a good photo of the ceiling!!!

Oops, here she is properly, yes, it's our dear friend Sarah Anderson, (the Art of Moodling), who'd been playing with Starburst Stains.  Look at that smiling face, how happy is that smile!!!!

Oh, she missed a bit!  How did THAT happen?

And here's her apron...  I thought I should explain what it is, no it's not a journal page background waiting to be stamped and written on, it's a piece of artwork in it's own right.  I hope she never washes it!!

(Mucky pup!)

I should have got my camera out earlier in the day, but as usual, I got carried away in the goings on of the day and forgot. I will try and get more photos through the day tomorrow.

I just looked at Sarah's blog and I found she's taken a number of photos, including some whilst playing with the stains, so do pop over for a peek, the page she made for her journal is utterly gorgeous!

Jill Boulton and Vix showed great things in their demos and Michelle and Janet's Make and Take cards were lovely and well replicated by those that joined them at their table.  I sure you will get to see their cards in due course and I also bet their hands weren't much different to Sarah's by the end of the day!!

Thank you Susan, who brought us lovely chocolate cakes and cheese scones, they were yummy:)

And thanks to everyone else that came along today, it was great to see everyone!!

If you'd like to join us tomorrow, the details are on yesterday's post, below.

Jill

Demo/Open weekend, reminder for this weekend!!

Christmas is definitely on our agenda for the weekend!!

We've demonstrations, make and takes and card ideas, we hope you will be able to join us!  

We will be open from 10am - 4pm

on Saturday and Sunday.  

Inspiration, tea, coffee, biscuits and parking are all free of charge!

Jill Boulton will be demonstrating on both days with all things Tim, Hero Arts and Ranger. If you've watched Jill demonstrate before you will know how knowledgeable, experienced and practised she is with all these product ranges! 

Should I mention that Jill probably owns almost ALL of the Hero Arts 2010 Christmas Supplement?  Probably not.  But, her blog does speak volumes, it's so aptly called addicted to stamping, there's nothing there to see, as she's far too busy away from her computer actually stamping and crafting, at home as well as travelling around the country creating and stamping!  Oh, and she has a very demanding full time job that she fits in between all that stamping!

So, at the weekend, if there's anything you want to ask/know, do come along and ask Jill, as she has a wealth of crafting knowledge!!

We have some of Tim's latest products in stock... Christmas stamps and some of his new dies, embossing folders and masks.  We also have plenty of  the Christmas Hero Arts stamps that Jill will be using in stock.   

Now onto Vix, who will be demonstrating an amazing new technique for you on Saturday, it is really easy to do, I couldn't believe how EASY it is, and SO clever!!!  I was very impressed when I watched her do it.  It was a really popular demo at last weekend's Happy Stampers North West show at Port Sunlight.  Vix transfers printed papers and laser printed images/personal photos onto canvas with no special mediums.  It's the printed papers bit that will probably grab most of us that don't have access to a laser printer.  All those fab papers from our favourite companies transfered onto an artistic product, canvas.  Any printed paper will work.  It really is a fab new concept.  Vix had a great canvas covered notebook last weekend, made from printed paper.  If you have a laser printer then you'll be able to transfer your favourite personal photos from your computer onto canvas too.

Vix is fairly new to demonstrating, having demonstrated for the first time for us at May's HSNW show and our last demo day.  But WOW, she sure has gained loads of confidence since then, and at HSNW even demonstrated my Moonglow embossing powder demos when asked to do so on her shift.  Now, I know that was a challenge for her, as she'd told me she hadn't the patience for ultra thick EP projects, well you cracked that too Vix!

Vix really makes me smile as she comes up with brilliant crafting ideas/thoughts, some of them are well outside the box!   I love challenging her with new stuff to try and she amazes me each time she conquers the challenge.  At times we do laugh about how it must be inside her head, we all want a bit of your thinking Vix!

Now to me... I'll be demonstrating what proved to be an equally popular techniques at the show last weekend with Moonglow embossing powders.  I'll be demonstrating them on Saturday when Vix takes a break (as Saturday is mainly Vix's day), and then I'll demo them on Sunday too.  

I'll be demonstrating with other products from the shop on Sunday as well.  I'll also be giving you help trying some of techniques yourself as a technique based make and take as I'm sure you'd love to have a play yourself!

Do you fancy having a go at completing a finished project?  If so, come along and have a play with Janet and Michelle, those very talented ladies, as they will be running the make and takes again.  

I understand that everyone that visited our last demo weekend joined in with the make and takes and learnt loads of other helpful information from Michelle and Janet. Join their make and take for a small fee of £2.50.

No need to book, just call in. If you need help finding us, do ring or find a map HERE

We also have our Sale Room, there's loads of bargains to be grabbed in there, some bargains are more than half price!! We've also topped it up today with loads of stamps, including Christmas stamps and have other offers planned for the weekend.

We hope you can join us!

Jill

HSNW, Port Sunlight show this weekend

I'm REALLY looking forward to this show, I LOVE it, it's always been a favourite of mine as it's a REAL proper stamp show, and that's exciting!  The group that run it, Happy Stamper's North West are a well established stamping group that have got the whole show thing right, they look after the customers and us exhibitor's so well.

Due to it's popularity, for a number of years it has been ticket only, and I gather tickets have sold out really early this year, so... if anyone finds they can't come to the show now, PLEASE PLEASE email us as there are many people who will snap your un-needed ticket away from you in a heartbeat!!

I've been in heaven for the last couple of days as I've been playing making cards and other stuff for my demonstrations at the show.  I ran out of time to take any photos before I scheduled this post but I will show some of them next week.

I have made 70+ UTEE embellishments with Moonglow EP's for the ATCs that I'm going to give away at the show, yes quite shocking really, I cannot believe I've actually made that many...  although the stamping on the ATCs is very simple.  There maybe more if I get them finished in time as I know that's not going to be near enough for all the visitors at the show.  I will give them out to those that watch while I'm demonstrating the Moonglow embossing powders (until they are all gone), I won't be demonstrating all day though, as Vix is also demonstrating, we will be taking it in turns, so keep calling back to see different things going on.

Vix has been playing with sticky backed canvas and printed images, if you ask her nicely, which I will be, she'll show you how to tranfer your images onto canvas EASILY!  No transfer medium needed and you can even transfer printed papers this way, I'm actually very excited about finding this out for myself!  We will have the canvas sheets on sale individually which is ideal if you want to give the technique a try, and also in the normal packs for those that really want to seriously play with canvas!

Vix also has a pile of ATCs to swap/give away at the show, but I wouldn't leave it too late before you visit us for these, they went VERY quickly at the last show!

We will have Hero Arts stamps/sets with us and some new sample cards to show using them, and Karen Jackson from HSNW will be using some of the Hero Arts stamps in her demos on the day.

Oh, we've some show specials, but you'll have to be there to buy them though!

If you cannot visit the show but are local enough to visit us, we'll be demoing the same at our open weekend next weekend, 16th/17th October.  Jill Boulton will be demonstating too with all things Tim and Ranger, and Janet and Michelle will be holding Christmas themed make and takes.  Tea and coffee is freely available, as is parking, but bring your own lunch!

I'll post more about the happenings of the demo weekend soon, but for now, save the date!

Have a great weekend

Jill

The Stamp Man Autumn Challenge

 

Have you ever made a card that didn't turn out as you'd hoped?  This card started out with good potential, the elements were quite fine on their own, but time ran out and I had to compile it all in a rush, and it's not turned out as I'd hoped!  Anyway, it's made the deadline for our Autumn challenge and that's about all I can say about it apart from the products I used which were...

Stampendous Q133 Branch Songster

Stampendous Cling CRN222 Autumn Flower

Hero Arts S5449 Fabulous Flourish

Distress inks

Tombow Pens

Cuttlebug folder Leafy Branch

If you'd like to see much more inspirational cards on this theme, or join in and enter something yourself, then click HERE to visit our challenge blog, the rest of the design team have made fantastic cards for you.

Onto my next post... swiftly...

Altered Challenge Blog Hop

Have you been taking part in our blog hop?  If so, you should have arrived here from Addicted to Stamping, if not, then please join us at the beginning of the hop HERE, you don't have to enter an altered item into the challenge to join in, anyone can take part.  You'll find all the info you'll need on the challenge blog to get hopping with us!

I painted my letter M with Lumiere Sorbet acrylic paints, when dry I painted a clear glitter glue all over with a brush.

I painted the swirl with white acrylic paint and used scrunched Starburst Stain paper to create the flowers. 

Well, this is the last blog on the hop, I hope you've enjoyed it, you've certainly seen lots of different styles and products used.  I think the DT did a great job with their letters.  How are you all getting on with your own altering for the challenge? 

The final prize for the blog hop is

Aspects of Design 62 Artistic Elements unmounted stamp sheet by Tracey Coates

Please leave me a comment for a chance to win this or the other prizes you have seen.

*   *   *   *   *

Just to remind you, if you have now collected all the letters, left comments at every blog and worked out the anagram, please put a comment in the NEXT post this.  

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE THE ANSWER ON THIS POST!

BLOG HOP ANSWERS

Have you...

Visited and left comments on all the blogs in the hop?

Collected all the letters?

Worked out the answer of the anagram?

Yes, then please put your answer below this post - please note that you will not be able to see the comments, they are hidden!!

ATC Swap October theme - Travel

Well here we are at the beginning of a new month and a new ATC theme, the travel theme was chosen by Anita, winner and featured ATC'er of our first swap back in July.

Click HERE to travel on over the the ATC swap blog, where some of the design team have added their ATC's to get your inspiration racing on the theme!

Thank you to everyone who joined in the September swaps, the theme was The Look and today Janet is picking up a large bag of your entries that she'll be swapping about over the weekend and will no doubt be posting them all out to you early next week.

We hope you will join in this month!

Jill

Vix's CS project, It's all in the eyes

I've mentioned Debbie and Michelle's Craft Stamper projects this month, and today I'm spotlighting Vix's on pages 38 - 40.

Vix, as many know, loves her Promarkers and she came up with the idea of giving one of the images from Tracey Coates' AOD 63 Alluring Ladies stamp sheet a completely different look.  Most people would look at the design and see it as an ideal image to use their skin tone Promarkers, but not Vix, she had an idea to give it a charcoal look.  You will have to get the magazine to see the actual projects, if you haven't got your copy yet we have them HERE!

Unfortunately you cannot see exactly how stunning the shading and colours are but you get a good idea, if you visit us at the Happy Stamper's North West show at Port Sunlight next week or later this month at Doncaster you will be able to see it in real life.  The eyes really grab you and the Moonglow Sapphire embossing powder looks stunning with the softness of the blending.  If you visit the shop, you'll get a chance to see the effect too.

Vix will be here on our Demo weekend which is Saturday 16th and 17th October, that I'll tell you more about another time, I hope you can join us as Vix will be demonstrating some of her great techniques.  Vix has now posted the items she made for our Create and Craft show on 15th September so do take a look HERE as she made some inspiring stuff!

Going back to the HSNW show, has anyone got any spare tickets?  Please email us if you have at  thestampman@btconnect.com, there are some ladies that are desperate to go.

Jill