Really cool stamps!

Check out this line of stamps from Stampotique Originals!

ATC Nautical swap

I created this ATC for a nautical themed swap at SplitCoastStampers. What an effort just to mail to Canada - you have to fill out a customs sticker even though you are only sending bits of cardstock!

The sailboat stamp is from Stampin' Up Winds of Grace stamp set and the compass rose is from Class Act. The compass rose was first stamped off then stamped here for a lighter look. I popped up the sail using 3D dots and glued on twine and ribbon. The rest of the sailboat was color washed with slate grey ink (same ink for compass rose). The wave is just a curl of paper with white gel ink applied.

CNY May ATC swap

Wow am I a slacker! I had visions of publishing to this blog at least twice a month, maybe more, but I only want to post stuff that I am especially proud of. That still isn't much of an excuse since this ATC is from May! Let's see if I can't catch up...


Here is an ATC I created for the May stamping gathering held in Syracuse, NY. I used grey card stock for the background and all of the images were stamped with Palette Hybrid Noir Black ink. The line of fractions is from Paper Bag Studios. I added this for more visual interest on the left side of the umbrella man. He is stamped on Tim Holtz's Grunge Paper (go to link then click on "Grungeboard" on left) , cut out, sponged edges, and popped up with a 3D dot. The Grunge Paper works great when you have to cut so close because it is very hard to tear. Umbrella man and the rest of the stamps are an unmounted set called Mini Muse that you can find at Stampers Anonymous by clicking on "Cling Mount Sets #61-65" on the left and then scroll down to the second line. How cool are these?! and perfect size for ATC's!

CNY February 2009 shoebox

This is my "shoebox" project for the CNY stamping day in Maine, NY. All the materials are from Stampin' Up except the yarn (which I got at the dollar store - gotta love that!).

I started by cutting 3 sets of tags, the off white a bit smaller than the black. I stamped the tree image from "Lovely as a Tree" set with Handsome Hunter ink.

The background is Really Rust card stock that I stamped with the Print Pattern background stamp dipped in bleach. I then stamped with French Script using Chocolate Chip ink. I cut the background into 2 different size strips and glued them onto Chocolate Chip card stock.

Assemble the tags and glue down as pictured and you are done! This makes a really nice masculine card for any occasion.

A tip on bleaching - make sure you rinse your rubber stamp off as soon as you are done stamping so as not to damage the rubber. Also, a well ventilated stamping area is probably a good idea too!

Aquarius ATC

I created this ATC for a signs of the Zodiac swap. Naturally I picked my own sign as I was born at the end of January - right in the middle of Aquarius. This is the text I put on the back of the card…

The Water Bearer
January 21 to February 19

Air Element
Astrological symbol is waves
Gem is amethyst or aquamarine -
I was born in January so there is
a garnet bead attached instead!
Friendly, humanitarian, honest,
loyal, original, inventive, independent,
intellectual
On the dark side....Intractable, contrary, perverse,
unpredictable, unemotional, detached

kmk24 Endicott, NY 3/31/09

I embossed the pot using verdigris embossing powder on black card stock then popped it up with 3d dots. The ‘water’ is a dryer sheet that I coated with ModPodge tinted with blue ink. The background is Kraft card stocked stamped with Stampin’ Up’s Linen background stamp and Close to Cocoa ink. The base cardstock is a metallic bronze paper from CutCardStock.com. I added a garnet bead knotted on twine – the gem for Aquarius is either amethyst or aquamarine but since I am a January baby and I love garnets….! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the Zodiac cards will look like since I have to wait more than a week to check my mailbox!

Zetti ATC

I participated in a Zetti ATC swap which really gave me fits. I now know that I am not as spontaneously creative as I thought I was or could be! Check out this link for what zetti's typically look like. This is what I came up with ...

I spent a lot of time just going through my notebook of images of all my stamps trying to compose the card in my head - no can do!
I just grabbed some possibilities and kept working at it and I am still not 100% satisfied with it! So much for spontaneity! I do really like the quirkyness of this style so I am sure I will be trying this again in the near future.

CNY November 2008 shoebox swap

This is the card that I created for the SplitCoastStampers CNY November 2008 shoebox swap. My Stampin' Up demo, Joanne Tofte, demonstrated this template to us at an SU party. You can see another version on her blog. The card stands up like a teepee when open and folds flat to fit in a standard envelope.

Supplies:
2 4" square white card stock
1 4" square green card stock
1/2 3.75" square green card stock (cut on diagonal)
2"x3" white card stock
green ink
white ink
Versa Mark ink
Stampin' Up label punch
Stampin' Up Snow Swirled stamp set
2 silver brads
silver glitter embossing powder
Stamp-a-ma-jig

1. Stamp the two white 4" square card stock with snowflake stamps in green ink and stamp the 4" green square card stock with snowflake stamps in white ink.

2. Fold each 4" square card stock in half on the diagonal.

3. Glue the left half of the green square on top to the right half of the white square.

4. Glue the left half of the other white square on top to the right half of the green square.

5. Using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the image with the long side of the card stock to the right, stamp the Christmas tree with VersaMark ink and emboss with silver glitter embossing powder.

6. Glue the green triangle to the front of the 2nd 4" square white card stock.

7. Stamp the word 'Joy' to the 2"x3" white card stock in green ink and punch out with SU label punch. Sponge green ink on edges and place silver brads on each end. Glue to front under tree.

8. Slit the back of the 1st 4" square white card stock to receive the right point of the 2nd 4" square white card stock so card will stand up like a teepee.