Art journal pages.

For something a bit different on My Stamp Box we're pairing up for partner projects and I've been lucky enough to be partnered by Birgit Koopsen who's work I truly admire. 

For our theme we decided to do some art journal pages as this is a topic close to both our hearts.  These are my two pages using lots of inks, paints, book pages and of course My Stamp Box stamps.

To read more about my pages and to see Birgits you can go here.

Holiday holiday holiday......

Well that's me done, I'm outta here folks. After waiting all summer and waving my friends off on their vacations it's finally my turn to go. In Luxembourg we profit from the late start to the Autumn term and go later in the summer on holiday. That means beaches are less crowded so we can spread ourselves out. We're off to Italy so it'll be good food, good vino, ice-cream by the bucket and beautiful scenery.

I've scheduled posts for the next couple of weeks so I hope it all happens as it should but I thought I'd leave you with this one which is a tag book I sent as part of a swap on the Mini Books Yahoo group.  The theme was "The Simple Life" and what could be simpler than some spray inks - I used Glimmer mists and spray from Sarah Hurley, and some masks, some hand made, a few stickers and a fine liner and white gel pen.

Be good while I'm away and I'll have lots to show and tell in 2 weeks time.

Byeeeeee

Challenge 48, bling and sparkle.

Here's the detail on the top.

Today starts another challenge on Sarah Hurley's challenge blog and this time it's Bling and Sparkle. We're being sponsored by "My Mums Craft Shop" and they're giving away an awsome prize.

I'm not much of a bling type of girl but I really did have alot of fun putting this card together for the challenge. I may have gone over the top with the bling and sparkle but I just couldn't help myself.

I printed out the castle from Sarah's Oz CD and coloured it with Promarkers. I used my Zig glue pen by Kuretake to colour over the roof tops and sprinkled glitter over. I actually did this twice to add more sparkle and it's just such a shame you don't get to see how much I really did put on there!  I printed out the castle three times so I could layer up the front bit to give it a more 3D look. I added some wire and sequins along the top just for fun and a sparkly door knob - what else?

Kuretake European DT call.

It does seem to be that time of year again, of new terms and fresh starts and another new Design Team call is for the Kuretake Design Team - the European members branch. 

If you want to be part of this great team and get to use some wonderful and exciting products then read on;

Do you love ZIG pens, and want to be part of the Kuretake Design Team? Well here's your chance....


We're looking to expand our European Craft Design Team so are looking for crafters based in any European country that are either familiar with ZIG pens or enthusiastic enough to start using them! Perhaps ZIG pens aren't readily available in your country - that's fine, we'd still love to have you on board and maybe we can change that.

We're looking for cardmakers, scrapbookers, mixed media artists and anyone that uses ZIG pens in a creative way! You don't have to be on any Design Teams at the moment (everyone's got to start somewhere!) but you do have to be enthusiastic and committed to using ZIG pens in your work

What we ask from our Design Team members....

Actively promote Kuretake ZIG products on your blog by regular use and mention of our products. (At least 3 posts a month)

Be active on facebook and/or twitter

Participation in challenges run by the ZIG blog (won't be more than a couple a month)

Make samples for Create & Craft TV shows (sometimes at short notice!)

Make samples for workshops, demos and exhibitions

Be willing to run workshops and demos for stores in your country (if possible)


What's in it for you?

You'll be one of the first crafters to get your hands on new ZIG products (and we've got LOTS planned!)

We'll add your blog link to our blog, and share your work on our blog.

Our Design Team are a super friendly bunch, so you'll be joining a fab team and we work hard to support and promote the work of our DT members

We're really just beginning with our European Design Team so here's your chance to be a part of something new and BIG!

If you would like to be considered for a Design Team position, please email Buffy (Elizabeth Thomas) at e.thomas@kuretake.co.uk  with a link to your blog and a little bit about you by Friday, the 30th September. We'll announce our new DT members the following week.

Our new Design Team members will join for an initial period of 6 months, with the possibility of this being extended.

To find out more about what Kuretake are about just go to the Kuretake web site.

DT call

It's been a week now since I blogged and believe me life is hectic. I go away on holiday in a weeks time and I'm in catch up mode. Lots has been done and blog posts have been scheduled for while I'm away so it's not as if I've neglected to create anything totally!! 

I do, however want to draw your attention to a DT call by My Stamp Box which runs until the 30th August.

So here it is;

ATTENTION all stampers and myStamp BOX fans!


We are looking for new Designers to join our team. If you are enthusiastic about our stamps, love to stamp, are a good team player, and know a thing or two about blogging, you are the right match for us! We are interested in designers with a variety of styles who can creatively showcase myStamp BOX designs in their layouts, cards, altered art and other projects. No previous design team experience is necessary. International applicants are welcome to apply.
Our Term is 6 months from October 1st, 2011 to March 31th, 2012.
Team requirements:

* 4 projects per month

* 1 blog entry per month including good quality photos of a project and instructions/tutorial

* Upload all projects to the myStamp BOX website gallery and other online galleries

* Submit at least 2 projects per term for submission to print magazines of your choice

* Occasionally help with additional design opportunities – new stamp sets, classes, etc.

* make myStamp BOX the only stamping company you design for during this term

Team benefits:

*bio and picture on the website, with links to your blog

*a starter kit of stamp sets and additional stamp sets throughout your term

*other free scrapbooking supplies from product partners as they become available

*30% discount on purchased myStampBox stamps during your term

Please include in your application:

*personal information (your name, address)

*a short paragraph about yourself and why you think you’d be a good fit for myStamp BOX.

*link to your blog and gallery

*3-5 examples of your work showcasing your stamping ability and style

This call ends Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Send your application to bettina@mystampbox.com
myStampBOX website: www.mystampbox.com

We can’t wait to hear from you!

DT call

Sarah Hurley is looking for a few new people to join her Design Team. If you think you have what it takes and want to be part of this fun team and work with an exciting product then read the post below and get in touch.

Sarah says;

I am looking for 2-3 crafters (must be comfortable with hybrid crafting (i.e. CD's and digi stamps) as well as traditional paper crafting (card makers, scrapbookers, altered artists, art journalers all welcome!) to work with my existing range of CD's, digi stamps, clear stamps, inks etc... as well as all of the exciting new products being launched soon. (To view the product range and some samples you can check out my website or Facebook page)


You will be required to join in our Challenge Blog every other week and leave comments for entries as well as making samples for product releases, marketing purposes, classes, shows and exhibitions.You must have a regularly updated blog with clear photographs of your work and be able to commit to at least a 6 month term

Please send me an email here with your blog link, a little about you and 2-3 pieces of your favourite work. Please also let me know what your speciality is - cards / scrapbooking / altered and mixed media art and / or other crafts and if you belong to any forums or have any galleries i.e. 2peas, flickr etc etc....

The call is open to UK and International applicants and will close at midnight GMT on 1st September- the new DT members will be notified approximately one week later. If you have any questions please ask via email.

Thanks.

Anyone for Scrabble?

The My Stamp Box blog are having a showcase of projects the DT have made over the past few weeks.

I've made this book using an old scrabble board as the cover and the pages are watercolour paper, bound together using a coptic binding stitch. It's now become my new sketch book. The cover was decorated using the Friday Night Stencil alphabet stamps from My Stamp Box and butterflies from the Colorful Companions set.

Challenge 47 Sewing on a project

It's my turn to set the challenge on the Sarah Hurley challenge blog and I've chosen an old favourite of mine, to use stitching on a project.

As my inspiration piece I've made a tag creating a background by cutting stars freehand out of sticky paper, placing them on the tag and spraying over with Sarah's spray ink.  I printed out the Alice Silhouette from Sarah's Wonderland cd rom and used my sewing machine to add the sewn embellishment.

For more inspiring ways to use stitching go to Sarah's challenge blog and see what the other DT members came up with.

Alcohol ink resist.

These two cards have been made using two different alcohol ink resist techniques.  I think the effects are quite stunning and if you go to the blog at My Stamp Box today you can see how I made them.

Calligraphy flowers

Goodness me it's been ages since I posted anything here. It's not that I've been lazy and done nothing, quite the opposite. I've been creating madly and preparing posts to schedule while I'm away on holiday - yay - Italy here we come at the end of August.  So looking forward to it too.

Anyway, something I can show you now is this card created almost entirely using Zig Calligraphy pens by Kuretake.

On the Kuretake blog at the moment there's an explanation of these pens and how to use them and if you go to the web site you'll find downloadable pages to help you perfect your technique.

While painting on these flowers and leaves it was difficult to know when to stop as I got better and better at it.  Once you know the techniques to use they're so easy. I also used the Art and Graphic Twin and Fine and Chisel  pens.

I love the look of calligraphy and have used a pen and ink before which I've always found a bit messy and have been restricted to using black ink but with Zig Calligraphy pens you get so many colours, no mess and easy blending techniques.

While I found the flowers easy I'm still practicing my calligraphic writing techniques, so that's for a later date ;)