Craft Stamper - June 2014

Hey Guys, have you seen the latest Craft Stamper, June issue?

Ooo! I made some Father's Day things for this month, check out the picture frame on the top left hand corner, that's me! The magazine is full of amazing inspiration as always.

Now if you happen to be in the Crawley Hobbycraft on Saturday come and say hi and checkout the Fiskars Fuse too! If you can't make it but want to see the Fuse in action then you can see all the demos going on over at the Fiskars News page.

Catch you later.

Kim

Creative Process Ramblings On The Craft Stamper Blog

Hey guys how was your weekend? If you were lucky enough to have a long weekend with the Easter bank holidays I hope you enjoyed it and got up to lots of arty, crafty, chocolatey fun. 

I actually didn't do anything arty or crafty or in the end chocolatey either! What is that about? But we did have a lovely weekend with some catching up with friends and eating a lovely polenta cake that David made - mmmm....cake....You can take a peek at the cake over on David's twitter feed if you like! There is only one piece left and that is all mine to have with my afternoon tea after I have been a good girl and done lots of work of course!

So talking about work have you spotted that I have a guest blog piece on the Craft Stamper Blog? 

If you cast you mind back to my Art Journal Sharing Thursday post from the middle of February you might remember the art journaling I did as the basis for my Spoon Angel article for the March issue of Craft Stamper? Well I've expanded on this post and talked more about my creative process for the article and if you are interested then you can pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog to take a look.

Right, better get on and do some work to earn my piece of polenta cake for tea!

Catch you later artinators.

Kim

The New Issue Of Craft Stamper

Another magazine shout-out and today it is for the March Issue of Craft Stamper.

Have you seen the cute little cover stamp? Very sweet. So my offering this month is in the Around the House series and I've taken a teaspoon, some magazine pages and some chilli flakes and decorated a canvas with the help of the fab SCACD Susana Loves Stamps that you can find over at Quixotic Paperie for UK/EU or at SCACD for US/Canada.

Ok so catch you later and have a fun Sunday.

Love ya

Bye-ee

Kim

Magazine Heads-Up For Craft Stamper

Ok so I know that you guys have all seen it by now but the new issue of Craft Stamper is out.

It is the January issue and full of lovely makes. I have a canvas in this month using Paperbabe stamps and WOW embossing powders.

Oh and don't forget out to check my free tutorial over on the Craft Stamper website.

Have a fun Friday.

Kim

Crackle, Crackle, Toil And More Crackle

Who has got the latest Craft Stamper?

And who likes Crackle?

ME! ME! ME! I hear you all cry!

Well that is lucky! The December issue of Craft Stamper has a compare and contrast crackle pastes, gels, and techniques masterclass from me 'coz I am a complete crackle-head!

So if you are a crackle-head too then check it out and start crackling!

It's got some old favourites such as the PVA Crackle technique and some new like the Kroma Crackle medium as well as the yummy cupcakes from Alice Palace Crafty Individuals collection and some frames made from cereal boxes and the Silhouette Cameo. 

Crackle on Artinators.

Kim

Another Magazine To Tempt The Creative Taste Buds...

Another magazine to keep an eye out for, the new Craft Stamper is out in the shops...

And the lovely Sarah Engels-Greer is the cover girl this month! She always makes beautiful stuff which you can see over at her blog La-De-Dah.

So I have some makes in this issue using an alcohol rub back technique you might want to play with.

BTW Craft Stamper have a DT call out if you are interested on getting your work published you should definitely check it out right away!

Catch you later.

Kim

Craft Stamper August 2013

A new magazine heads-up! It is Craft Stamper August 2013...

Look at all those beautiful colours! I've got two projects in this month, some Paperartsy stamps calico hangers and some Mica plate makes.

Catch you later.

Kim

Some Reading For The weekend

If you are on the look out for some new magazine inspiration then take a peak to Papercraft Essentials Issue 94.

My article this month is a Gesso masterclass and I've used Mona Lisa and Melle Papillon designed by Alex Smith for Penny Black because I just had too! - Kind of fell in love with them!

The new Craft Stamper is also out and I have a card in the Ready Steady Stamp section.

But if you are also looking for something to do this weekend then you might fancy checking out the new group Pinterest board I've started called Art & Craft Tutorial Favourites. 

As I said to folks on Facebook the idea is that it is a place to collect and share our favourite tutorials and workshops for papercrafts and mixed media. They can be tutorials or workshops you have tried or want to try, they can also be your own that you want to share, that is fine too! 

I'm hoping it will develop into a handy board to flick through if we are looking for some inspiration, a recommendation for something new or just to help inspire us out of a creative rut! What do you think? 

If you aren't on Pinterest yet and want to join then this link should lead you there and straight to the new board to follow once you've signed up, well at least I think it should! If you are already on Pinterest then you will find the board here.

Are you interested in being a contributor to the board? If so drop me a line and I'll link you up! It is open to all papercraft and mixed media enthusiasts.

Hope to see you there!

Have a fun weekend.

Kim

1st Of April...Ooops!

Pinch and Punch 4th of the month and a new issue of Craft Stamper to look out for!

Some makes from me in this one, a bit of Faux Verdigris with WOW! Embossing powder and a Ready Set Stamp make too.

Just perfect for a cuppa break!

Catch you later.

Kim

EDIT: Think it might actually be out in the shops tomorrow! For once I'm ahead of myself!

Pinch Punch..It Is Craft Stamper Day!

First of the month and the latest issue of Craft Stamper is out...

There is a little old article from me showing how I made my Crafty Individuals Around The World Diorama musical box and a card in this issue!

Can't wait to see your musical boxes! 

Kim

Craft Stamper Again!

Ok so while we are on the subject of Craft Stamper (if you missed it, scroll down for my last couple of posts!) the new March issue is out and you will spot a couple of makes from me in the Stamper's Contrast section.

But you are going to want to see the issue for all the amazing DT work including Chris Dark's yum cover project!

Don't forget the Blog Hop is still going and there will be a free tutorial from Hels Sheridan to check out today, pop over to the Craft Stamper Blog for more details.

Right, I have a commission to get started (and finished) and a new project that I will share with you all later in the week. 

Catch you later!

Kim

Craft Stamper Blog Hop Extra

Welcome back to the Craft Stamper February 2013 - Looking Back Blog Hop Event.

If you haven't already then check out the blog hop by going to the original Craft Stamper blog post, you still have time to join in for the giveaways, it is open until Midnight 8th February.

If you have done the hop and are back for my heart tag tutorial then welcome back! Nice to see you!

So here is what I made for the Craft Stamper blog hop -

and here is how I made it -

You will need:

Card - at least 240gsm if not more

Khadi papers

Old book pages

Watercolour paints

Creative Expressions Texture plate stamp set

Black ink (I used Kuretake ZIG Sumi ink)

Dip pen

Gesso

White acrylic paint

Plastic sheet or craft matt

Plastic card or palette knife

Brushes

Wire

Eyelet and setter

PVA

Water

3D-foam

Heat tool (optional)

Step 1 - A Simple Tag

I collaged my card with some book pages using PVA and if you need some tips on how to do it then check out my Collage Background Tutorial. When this was dry I cut my tag shape from a template.  

A little TIP - I make handy paper templates of all my favourite shapes such as hearts and tags and keep them altogether in a plastic folder for easy reference.

Step 2 - All In The Colouring

The colouring is a splash of watercolour, I've put a pool of water into a dimple palette and added some colour picked up with a wet brush then used a pipette to put droplets of colour onto my plastic sheet covered workspace. I then pressed the tag into the drops a couple of times to pick up the colour and let it dry.

Step 3 - Splodge On The Gesso

A technical term I'm sure! I wanted a little more texture and to soften the colour so added a rough layer of Gesso spread thinly over the tag with a plastic card. Whilst the Gesso layer was drying I made the hearts.

Step 4 - Tearing Hearts

Using another template, this time for a heart shape, I tore three hearts, one from Khadi paper, a slightly bigger one from a book page and then a larger one still from Khadi paper again. The first heart was coloured red with watercolours.

Step 5 - Stamp It Up With Paint

The next step is a little bit of paint stamping, I do love adding stamping details in acrylic paint and Gesso and it is really simple to do. There are different methods but my favourite way is to spread a very thin layer of paint onto a plastic sheet with a palette knife or plastic card and then lightly press the stamp into the layer, then stamp it as normal.

Just remember to dampen or wash your stamp immediately so that the paint or Gesso doesn't stick.

Step 6 - Doodle The Details

After stamping the coloured heart and the tag it is time to doodle the edges with the dip pen and ink. There is something very immediate and tactile about using dip pens and ink, and I love working with the ZIG Sumi ink as it gives a rich deep black mark. I then layered up the hearts.

Step 7 - Final Touches

The final touch was a bit of wire work. I curled some black wire around a thick marker pen and attached it to the heart like a paper clip. I then curled the other end around a thinner pen to attach to the tag. The layered hearts were then held in place with some 3D-foam and an eyelet was added to the tag.

There, finished! Or almost; I did think about adding a sentiment but after trying several different sentiments in several different ways, I decided to keep it simple!

Hope you have been having fun with the Craft Stamper blog hop and keep your eye out on the blog for more events this week, including more tutorials and a live Q&A on Wednesday with Katy Fox, the Editor of Craft Stamper, over at their Facebook page.

Thanks for popping in.

Kim

Craft Stamper Blog Hop - Looking Back

Hey, Hey, Hey Blog Hoppers! Welcome to the Craft Stamper Blog Hop!

And the theme is 'Looking Back' and there are lots of giveaways and events going on from today and for the next week, so keep your eyes peeled!

Now, if you have made it here from the lovely Birgit Koopsen's blog then you are on the right path. If you have just popped in here and want to blog hop with us then start over at the Craft Stamper Blog.

So if you don't know me my name is Kim Dellow and I'm one of the newbies to the Craft Stamper team. I describe myself as an Artist - Crafter - Blogger and I love all things arty and crafty. I dabble in many styles and love to try lots of different things, I have commitment issues! Or perhaps I'm just indecisive, I'm just not sure! (Did you see what I did there?)

As I've mentioned the theme of the Craft Stamper blog hop is 'Looking Back' and we are all looking back at things we made or did in 2012. So for my project I thought I would look back over a couple of things that I worked a lot with last year and that is Watercolours, Collage book pages and Ink and dip pens. All things that I love experimenting with.

There is also a touch of wire work and some Gesso stamping, making a simple little tag but full of texture. If you are interested in finding out more about how I made this tag then come back on Monday 4th Feb and I will show you!

Ok so you need a letter from me and here it is: Y

Thanks for looking and hope to see you here on Monday. Have a fun hop and good luck in the giveaways.

Your next blog to hop is the lovely Trish Latimer's Blog

and if you get lost or want to start from the beginning then it is the Craft Stamper blog you need. Don't forget to checkout more Craft Stamper Events on their Facebook page and events page.

Catch you later

Kim

Balancing Life With A Bit Of News

Time for an update! So many plans, so many plans! I don't know why I thought I would have more time this year to sort out my blog? I have some plans, but they keep being pushed to the back burners to make way for commissions. YAY! It is great getting the chance to do what I love on a daily basis and I count myself so lucky, but now I have to learn how to balance everything.

When I was working as an employee there were well defined boundaries and I can't say that I was balancing life particularly well then either. Now, working for myself, the boundaries are far more fuzzy so it seems even more challenging getting the balance right. 

I naively thought that if all the time was your own then it would be easier to schedule what you needed and wanted to do. How wrong was I? But that is life isn't it? I'm learning as I go along and to be honest loving it!

To get the balance right today I started my day with a little bit of experimenting with inks, paints and stamping.

Whilst I wait for the paint to dry, so that I can do the next stage of the experiment, I thought I would quickly update my blog as it has been a bit quiet since Friday's Sparkly post.

I've got a couple of cards in the current copy of Simply Cards and Papercraft, issue 106, if any of you have a copy of it then checkout the Cardmaker's Challenge on page 62. As usual there are some lovely ideas and inspiration in the issue from a whole range of fabulous designers!

Oh and HUGE thanks to everyone who commented on my last Magazine Update post. You guys got me thinking, I love hearing about bloggy friends too and when I thought about it like that I felt better about posting my updates! I'm also going to try Lucy Edmondson's fabulous suggestion and will put direct links to current magazines with my work in my sidebar, thanks Lucy!

So whilst we are on the subject of Magazines, some of you have spotted already that I'm on the new Craft Stamper design team - No Way!? Yes Way! Would you Adam and Eve it?

Thanks so much for the congratulations, and for those of you who haven't linked up already check out the Craft Stamper Website, their Facebook Page, the Craft Stamper Blog and Twitter page.

Finally, a sneaky look at the new stamps that the Creative Expressions team will be working on for the next few weeks...

and you can check out the DT makes on their individual blogs or on the Creative Expressions Facebook page. Mmm, what shall I do with these? Mmm Cogs whirling!

Right, better go do the next step in the experiment.

Any tips on how to balance my life would be much appreciated!

Hope you have a well-balanced day!

Kim