Craft Stamper E-Zine and Thanks Everyone!!

Hi guys!!  First of all I would like to say a huge thank you to all of those who voted my 'You're Grounded' Craft Stamper project as one of the best projects of 2010 - I am sooooooo thrilled!!

Katy has put together the 12 most popular projects of 2010 into an e-zine which is absolutely FREE to download for the next 6 months. Click here to download your FREE copy.  And that's not all!! There is  some blog candy up for grabs too just for advertising Craft Stamper on your blog.  Click here for the details.

I would  like to thank everyone for their recent kindness too regarding my last post.  I honestly can't thank you all enough for the kind comments you left me both here on my blog and via email.  I must just say an extra special thank you to Mustavcoffee and Tracy (Craftnut) who both sent me cards which were so unexpected and therefore really made my day.  I'm really sorry that I haven't been able to reply to you all individually but am finding it a little difficult at present, especially after taking a fall yesterday and hitting my spine against the wooden base of my bed!!  By the way I wouldn't recommend doing this as it doesn't exactly help matters!!  I'm now off to lick my wounds............................

Just before I go I must just say that I think that Sam was a deserving winner last Sunday night on Dancing On Ice!!  Sunday nights won't be the same for a while now!!

Happy Birthday Craft Stamper

The June issue of Craft Stamper goes on sale today and with this issue they are celebrating their 10th birthday!  I cannot believe that Craft Stamper is now 10 years old as I clearly remember when it first came out and it most definitely doesn't seem THAT long ago!!  (Perhaps I've been stamping for too long???)

As this is their 10th birthday, you will find it is a bumper issue with 8 extra pages of projects plus a feature looking back on its 10 year history.  Plus you will find details of a special birthday competition with £1200 worth of prizes up for grabs!!

The Craft Stamper website is getting in on the act too with a brand new look and an interactive gallery where you can upload your work. Click here to check it out!

Right I'm off to go and buy mine right now......................

Mini Dragonfly Notebook

Morning everyone.  I don't know about you but I most definitely didn't like getting up earlier this morning, due to the clocks going forward an hour last night!!  I missed my hour's sleep!!  Still it could be worse - I could have been demoing at the NEC in Birmingham as of course the Hobbycrafts show is currently on there (with today being the last day), so I shouldn't complain really as after all it didn't really matter what time I got up!!

Today I thought I would share a mini notebook that I made last year for a friend of mine.  I am so pleased that I took the plunge last year and bought a Bind-It-All machine (from Stamp Addicts).  Ok, I must admit that it isn't something I use every day but I have found it really handy having it and it has allowed me to make personalised notebook type things to give to people as presents.

For those of you who buy Craft Stamper magazine you should recognise the background to this notebook as it is the same background that I did for my project in the March 2010 issue of the magazine.  I had some bits left over from this project and I certainly wasn't going to waste them!  I also used the same technique of stamping onto frosted shrink plastic and colouring with the Copics that I covered in this issue too. The dragonfly stamp is one that I designed last year for the front cover of a Craft Stamper issue and I think I am right in saying that the 'friends' wording came from an Inkadinkado clear stamp set.

On a totally different note today is the final of Dancing On Ice!!  Wooooo hoooooooooo!!  Have I mentioned that I just LOVE this show!!  Can't wait for this evening!!  Infact come to think of it, it might have even been worth losing that hour for!!!

Craft Stamper December issue

Morning everyone.  Just thought I'd take this opportunity to show you a peek of my project that is in the December issue of Craft Stamper which is now out.  I have a four page project in this issue (at the back) showing you step-by-step how to watercolour using glitter gel pens.  I hope you like it!!

In this issue of the mag I also saw for the first time what the cover looks like to my first DVD - Basics and Beyond.  You'll never guess what..........................it has got a lilac background!!!  I can't wait to see what the other DVD's look like now!

By the way last night I could stand it no longer and finally reached for Breaking Dawn - the fourth book in the Twilight series. I have got to say that so far it has not disappointed and I found it really hard to put it down and go to sleep!

October issue of Craft Stamper

Yesterday my issue arrived of the October issue of Craft Stamper and guess what??? My project is the star of the cover!!!

Here is a sneaky peek of what my project inside is all about - intaglio shrink plastic. Intaglio shrink plastic is where you stamp into the shrink plastic whilst it is still hot and molten to create a textured piece of plastic. Never ever do this with clear stamps though - only rubber ones. You will find that you get the best results when you use deeply etched stamps which is why the Aspects of Design range from The Stamp Man is so good for this technique - their deeply etched stamps are second to none.

Anyway to find out more about intaglio shrink plastic you'll need to buy the October issue of Craft Stamper!!

Aug Issue of Craft Stamper

Hi everyone. Here is a sneaky peek of my project that I have in Craft Stamper this month - it is all about colouring with your Copics with full step-by-step photos.

August Issue of Craft Stamper

I had an excited email from Jill (from The Stamp Man) last night telling me that Debbie had just received her subscribers copy of the August issue of Craft Stamper.

For those of you who regularly read my blog you may remember me mentioning that I had been asked to design the cover mount stamp for this issue. You may also remember that at the time I wasn't allowed to tell you what it was and that I was really struggling to do some sample cards with it!! Well in the end it all came together and I ended up making more than was required so I have no idea which ones Katy (editor of CS) decided to use, so here is a little snippet from one of them!! To see what else Katy and I did with the stamp you will have to get the magazine!!

As you can see from this sneaky peek the stamp is a dragonfly. It has been designed to work well with the Flitters and Flutters stamp sheet that I did some time ago now for The Stamp Man. This time though the dragonfly is a solid image unlike the ones on the Flitters and Flutters stamp sheet which were outline images. Anyway I hope you like it and if anyone makes anything using this stamp please do let me know as I would love to see your creations.

Meanwhile make sure you check back here later on today as I will be posting up details later on the latest blog candy!!

Latest Magazine Projects

Morning everyone. Just thought I'd take the opportunity to let you know that I have some projects out at the moment in a couple of magazines.

The first is in the June issue of Craft Stamper using one of my oriental stamp sets called Japanese Dragonfly Dreams. The cards I created for this magazine were more manly than my usual style using the oriental dragonflies along with gold leaf. For this project I made my own background papers using some of the background stamps from this particular stamp sheet along with some Distress inkpads and a Starburst Stain dauber. All of which can be purchased from The Stamp Man.

The second one is in the current issue of Papercraft Inspirations (which I personally haven't seen yet!) using the sets of English Countryside Art Impression stamps. F0r anyone that hasn't come across the Art Impression range of stamps, they are the most truly interactive scenic stamps. I just LOVE these stamps. Unfortunately I don't get an awful lot of time now to play with them but they appeal to me so much because they allow you to create so many different scenes and layouts using the same stamp combination. They are great for those of us who like to be able to get the most out of our stamps. To see the range click here and this will take you to Sir Stampalots website.

My Secret!

Well yesterday I did sort of promise to let you in on a little secret of mine......................

After designing the stamp for Craft Stamper it got me back into the mood for doodling and so for the past month I have been working on some new designs! It has been almost a year now since the Oriental stamp sheets came out and so it really was about time that I put pen to paper again. However not only do I need to be in the mood to do it but I also need to find some time to fit it in! Currently I am putting the finishing touches to 3 new stamp sheets which I am hoping to launch at The Craft Barn's June Extravaganza Weekend!! As to what they are......................well for now I think I'll keep you guessing but I may in a few days time load up one or two of the new designs for you to see!

Meanwhile I really need your help! I was thinking that it would be really nice to run a competition or offer where the winner could make their choice of picking one of the new stamp sheets. I have heard of 'blog candy' but still being new to this whole blogging malarky I don't know how you go about doing this so if anyone could leave me a comment giving me some ideas I would be truly grateful!

Meanwhile keep watching this space for those new designs...................

Craft Stamper stamp

Do you remember me telling you a while back that I had been asked to design a stamp for the August cover of Craft Stamper? Well a couple of weeks ago I was sent the stamp!! Originally I was going to be working with it over the bank holiday weekend but as we know my hand had other ideas about that. (Thankfully it is now a lot better - it is still sore and tender but I can now use it normally!) Because of my hand I am now behind with everything and so I only got to play around with my stamp a few days ago and I must say that I am quite pleased with it as it stamped out quite well. As to what it is...................................I'm afraid that I still can't divulge as yet and unfortunately I can't even post up any sneaky peeks of what I made with it without giving the game away.

If you come back tomorrow I might let you in on a secret!

May issue of Craft Stamper

Morning everyone. The May issue of Craft Stamper came out earlier this month in which I have got a 3 page project using the Stamps By Judith flower stamps. I have got to say that I really enjoyed working with this range of stamps as they interact with one another so well. All of the Judith stamps are available from Stamp Addicts.

Here is a sneaky peek of part of a card I did which didn't actually make it into the magazine as I had done too many! To see all the other cards that I made you'll have to buy the magazine!!

A Secret!!

Well yesterday I did sort of promise to let you in on a secret...................

A little while ago Katy (editor of Craft Stamper magazine) approached me about designing a free stamp for the cover of the magazine. I was absolutely thrilled to be asked and of course said that I would be delighted. So a little while ago I sharpened up my pencil and drew a little something!!

Today that 'little something' arrived in the post for me to design some cards with for Craft Stamper. So keep a look out for the August issue (on sale in July)!

As to what it is....................................well I think I'll keep you guessing for a while! After all I've got to have some secrets haven't I?