Friday 31 October 2014

Take It, Make It October Challenge: The Winner!

Hello everyone!
Thank you so much to all those who played along with our October challenge - Multicoloured Stamping! We were thrilled to see so many gorgeous creations, so much fabulous colour!
The standard of the entries was really high this time, but there can only be one winner! That honour goes to.........
Entry number 6: Maarit
http://violetscorner.blogspot.se/2014/10/wake-up.html
 Congratulations Maarit!
We loved the wonderful autumnal tones, and the perfect placement of the sentiment!
The winning entry will be published in Craft Stamper Magazine (I hope you kept it somewhere safe!), and the winner will also receive the fabulous prize from our sponsor Paperbabe Stamps:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PaperbabeStamps
This is your prize....
A difficult decision as to which gorgeous character to choose, I think!

As well as our worthy winner, we also have the remaining two spots in our Top Three to reveal! In no particular order, they are..... drum roll......
If the Winner could Email me (just click the 'posted by' name at the bottom of the post), then I can pass on all the details about the prize, publication and of course the Guest DT slot! Top Three, please Email me for your winners buttons to display on your blogs!  For anyone else who would like to, please feel free to grab the button below....
 A huge THANK YOU to all those of you that took part in the October challenge!
Don't forget, Take It, Make It challenges are now monthly! The first Friday of every month will see the start of the next challenge.... so check back here next Friday, 7th November to see which technique is next!

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Meet the team - Sara Naumann



Welcome to another installment of our regular spotlight on some of the designers who contribute regularly to Craft Stamper. Today's designer is Sara Naumann, a name that might be familiar from her Eclectica range of stamps for PaperArtsy as well as her regular appearances in papercraft magazines. Here's Sara in her own words...

Hi everyone, I’m Sara! I’m an American stamper currently living in the Polish seaside town of Sopot. I’ve been writing for Craft Stamper for several years now and I’m thrilled because it’s long been one of my favourite magazines.

Designing is my full-time job. In addition to writing for magazines, I also teach online workshops, write books and film crafting DVDs. When I’m not crafting, I’m chasing after my small daughter, who is herself a crafter-in-training and currently has her eye on my stash of embossing powders.

I started stamping ages ago—I think it must be (gasp!) almost 20 years ago. It started with a little elf stamp that I bought to make Christmas gift tags. Soon I had enough stamping supplies to fill a shoebox …and it rapidly grew from there. I remember hurrying home from work each day because I was so looking forward to stamping and colouring. Imagine—that fun and excitement is still with me, even after all these years!


I’ve always been a crafter, since my mother taught me sewing, cross-stitch and more…and I spent most of my childhood drawing and crafting. (I must have made a hundred clothespin dolls!) When I went to high school and university, I stopped making things and got my creative outlet through writing instead. Years later, I learned about rubber stamping while I worked for Hot Off The Press, an American papercrafting company. And just like that, I was back to crafting!

After my family relocated to Europe in 2007, I decided to start my own design business. Now I host a weekly You Tube show, design Eclectica stamps for PaperArtsy and I’ve written a book (20 to Make Washi Tape Cards) and a DVD (Mixed Media Made Easy). It’s a great way to stay in the crafting world while still allowing a flexible schedule living abroad and caring for a preschooler.


Favourtie project #1

Double Heat Embossing Technique:
I love using embossing powders for backgrounds. For so many years, I only used embossing powder to emboss a single stamped image….but lately I’ve realized you can use them to create really amazing backgrounds as well! 

This project is blogged {here}



Do you have a signature style or favourite technique?
I love techniques—nothing gets me happier than digging around testing things out. That said, my general design style is pretty clean and simple.

Favourite project #2

How to Stamp with Embossing Paste:
Of course I love my rubber stamps but bubble wrap and coffee cup java jackets are great for stamping texture as well!




This project is blogged {here}

Where do you look for inspiration before you start on a project?
Most of my projects are for assignments, so I usually have parameters that help focus my inspiration: Either a specific technique, or certain product or colour combination. Limits are actually inspiring for me—I find I have an easier time creating within boundaries than if I have access to all the supplies in the world.

For personal projects that are gifts or cards, I always take inspiration from the recipient’s taste, style and preferences.

Favourite project #3
Eclectica Stamping with Fresco Finish:
Stamp with ink, stamp with paint…this is where I really love to experiment and play with a combination of techniques.


This project is blogged {here}


Thank you for joining me! If you’d like to learn more about any of the projects shown here, the links will take you straight to them. And if you get a chance, please pop by my You Tubechannel for a weekly dose of papercrafting videos! 

Thank you to the Craft Stamper team for inviting me to be a part of the blog today!

--

Thanks to Sara for sharing some of her stamping story - we hope you enjoyed finding out a bit more about her!


Monday 27 October 2014

Christmas Issue sneak peek!

Our December issue goes on sale next Friday 7th November and is full of Christmas inspiration! Are you making Christmas cards and gifts already? Here are a few sneak peeks at a few of the beautiful projects we have for you....





Tuesday 14 October 2014

Submit your work for Ready, Set, Stamp!

We are looking for submissions for our Ready, Set, Stamp feature on the following themes for the February and March issues of Craft Stamper. If you've always wanted to see YOUR card in print, now is your chance!!!

February
Cross My Heart – stamped, punched or die-cut, your design should include at least one heart! Using violet, lilac and primrose yellow.


Deadline for submissions = 27th October 2014

March
Quit Bugging Me! – creepy crawlies in all their glorious forms; worms, bees, ladybirds, ants, dragonflies etc. Try to avoid single butterfly images please (i.e. if you include a butterfly use another insect too). Using orange, bubblegum pink and bright blue.


Deadline for submissions = 24th November 2014

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· We are looking for new and unpublished work ONLY please

· Please put 'Ready Set Stamp' followed by the theme in the subject line

· Please note that due to the number of submissions it's not possible to contact every entrant individually - if you have not heard from us within one week of the closing date please try again next time

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery

· Cards which are selected need to be posted to the Craft Stamper offices in the UK

· This call IS open internationally

· Note that we do choose artwork as it arrives, so please don't wait until the last minute to submit if your cards are ready

· Cards will be returned at our expense, along with a complimentary copy of the magazine in which your card features. Note this can take approx. three month

· All cards should be suitable for an intermediate crafter to complete in around 20 minutes including drying time. Please keep your cards simple and remember that you may be a quicker than average worker

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. The colour scheme is a guide only – you don’t have to be exact but try to be as close as possible. You can use the colours in any proportions to suit your design as long as all three are used. You can add black, white and metallics to any of the schemes

· Text for this article is required (don't worry - it is short!) and should be entered into the document provided – this will be sent to you if you are selected

Friday 10 October 2014

Take It Make It October Challenge: Inspiration!

Hello!
Our current Take It, Make It challenge is all about multi coloured stamping..... Have you tried it yet?
We would love you to have a go at stamping an image in lots of colours, then join in with the challenge!
The DT have been having loads of fun creating some more more projects for you to feast your eyes upon, brace yourself, there is rather a lot of eye candy on show!

Winner of the August Challenge: Ruth Mescall
 Elina Stromberg
 Elizabeth Robinson
 Jackie Payne
 Jolande van Oosterhout
 Kymona Tracey
 Linda Walmsley
 Nikki Killinger
 
Renee Zarate
 
 Shirley Bampton
 Tracy Easson 
 Zoey Scarpelli

 Wow! Now THAT'S what I call inspiration!
Why not have a go, then enter your creation into our challenge?
We are sponsored this month by Paperbabe Stamps
http://paperbabestamps.blogspot.co.uk/
The Prize:
http://paperbabestamps.blogspot.co.uk/

 There is also the chance to be published, AND a guest DT slot up for grabs....so why not get out those inks or paints and get stamping in multicolour?
All the details can be found HERE....
Have fun!

Friday 3 October 2014

Take It Make It Challenge: October!

Hello!
I am very excited to announce.... *cue drum roll*..

The brand new October Challenge!

We loved seeing all your tissue stamped projects last month, we can't wait to see what you come up with this time!
All our challenges have a prize on offer, and this is no different!
So....

What Can You Win?
For the October challenge, we are delighted to be sponsored by Paperbabe Stamps!

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PaperbabeStamps

Owned by Craft Stamper DT member Kim Costello, Paperbabe stamps are a wonderfully eclectic mix of designs, from gorgeous backgrounds and quirky figures to doll face stamps, indispensable when it comes to creating our own whimsical faces!The prize for the October challenge?
This....
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PaperbabeStamps
You will receive the tree hug set, the cumulus background set and a character stamp of your choice! How fab!

PLUS:The Design Team will have a look at all your gorgeous work, and choose their Top Three..... and the overall Winner will get published in Craft Stamper magazine! Yes, the winning entry will appear in the UK's number one stamping magazine!
AND: The Challenge winner will be offered a Guest Designer spot for an upcoming challenge!

So, to recap....loads of Paperbabe stamps, Publication AND a Guest DT spot? Sounds good to me!

Phew! After all that, it's time for the Challenge details!  
We want to see how you lovely lot tackle a technique showcased in Craft Stamper magazine.
After all, that's the name of the challenge- Take a technique, and Make it your own!
Kim Dellow has a wonderful article in the November 2014 issue of the magazine, showcasing fabulous projects using the multicoloured stamping
 So, we would love to see your creations using 
 The multicoloured stamping technique!
This old school, much loved technique is simple but oh so effective! Just colour your stamp with more than one shade before stamping with it, and  the resulting image will be a multicoloured delight! Use ink pads, markers or even paint to colour the stamp, and then simply stamp away!

Along with some of the regular Craft Stamper DT, the Take It , Make It DT have created some fabulous art using this multicoloured stamping technique!
If you click on the artists name, it will take you to their blogs, where there may well be loads more pics of these gorgeous creations. 

From the November 2014 Issue: Kim Dellow


 Anneke De Clerck

Elina Stromberg

Elizabeth Robinson

 Georgina Ford
Jackie Payne

Jolande van Oosterhout

Kymona Tracey

Linda Walmsley


Nikki Killinger

Renee Zarate

 Shirley Bampton

Tracy Easson

Zoey Scarpelli


WOW... now THAT'S what I call Design Team inspiration!  

  Have we inspired YOU to have a play and enter? Yay!!!
All you need to do now is have a read through the boring (but essential!) rules and guidelines, then upload your entry using the Linky tool at the end of the post! Can't wait to see what you create!

Do you love our challenges as much as we do? Feel free to grab the button and display it with pride!
 Guidelines for Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge
  • Entry dates: Friday October 3rd 2014 - midnight Wednesday 29th October 2014
  • Winner to be announced in a blog post here: 9am Friday 31st October 2014
  • All entries must feature the Multicoloured Stamping technique.
  •  No digi stamps please, unless combined with actual stamping. 
  • Projects can be of any theme, any colour. 
  • Projects can be a card, layout, journal page, art panel, tag, 3D item, anything at all, as long as it follows all guidelines and features that months technique.
  • The winning entry MUST be posted to the magazine for photography before it can be published. Please keep hold of your entry, we cannot publish in the magazine images sent via computer.
  • Entry is via the linking tool at the end of the post. We are very sorry that we can't accept email entries to this challenge. Please provide deep links to your actual project post, not just a link to your blog (to do this, click on the title of the relevant blog entry and copy/paste the URL in the relevant box when uploading your entry). The DT will not go searching your entire blog for the project we want to see!
  • No backlinking.
  • New work only please, not work previously published anywhere else.
  • Entry is welcome from anywhere in the world.
  • You may enter more than once, each entry MUST have it's own blog post and fulfill all rules
  • Please do not blog more than one finished example of the technique in a single blog post. We only want to see the project you are submitting for the challenge!
  • Entries can be combined with other blog challenges.
  • An obvious link back to the Craft Stamper Blog must be included in your blog post.
  • The November 2014 challenge will be announced here on Friday 7th November 2014, at 9am.
PLEASE consider turning off word verification on your blog. It is very difficult for the DT to comment on as many blogs as we would like to when word verification slows us down!


Competition rules: Competitions/giveaways are open to all (including overseas readers) except employees of Traplet Publications Ltd and their families; regular contributors to any of Traplet Publications’ magazines; employees of our printers; or anyone connected with the prizes offered. By entering the competition you accept that your project may be printed in the magazine. All entries must be received by midnight on the specified closing date. There are no cash alternatives and prizes are non-transferable. We reserve the right to use the winners’ name/work in any Traplet-produced literature including, but not exclusive to, our website and marketing materials. Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.