Our Fantastic February issue hits the shops on Friday!

The February issue of Craft Stamper is on sale this Friday, packed full to the brim of inspirational projects and step by step tutorials.
We hope you will all love it as much as we do!
You can order your copy from our online SHOP, or download a digital copy from POCKETMAGS!

 What do we have to inspire you this month? Lots! Please join me in welcoming the super talented Michelle Webb to the CS team, she has created a fabulous layout using Gelatos (page 16 ) So many fabulous tips, this has inspired me to get out my Gelatos and have a go!

Keren Baker has outdone herself with her amazing book bag project on page 6. I’m still struggling to fathom that that super cool bag started life as a book! Amazing work!

We also welcome back Lin Brown, our cover star, in this issue. I’m sure you will agree that her journal cover is truly stunning, so much detail! Have a closer look on page 45. 

We also have canvases....

 Assemblages galore in our 3D challenge:

Some truly amazingly colourful creations made with pigment powders...

 And an amazing masterclass on Micro Glaze!

Lots of variety for everyone, we hope.
Have a wonderfully crafty month!

Reader Submissions Wanted: May Ready Set Stamp Gallery

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

Colours:Kraft, Tan, Pesto Green, Sunshine Yellow

                     

Deadline for submission: 19th January 2016

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· 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, your submission has not been successful. Please try again with a different card!

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery.
 . Please do not use stamps that are discontinued for this article. Also please only use stamps that are available to buy in the UK (the exception is stamps from advertisers e.g. Art Journey, De Stempelwinkel).
. We do not accept cards created with digital stamps ONLY for this feature. Digital stamps MUST be used in conjunction with real stamping to qualify.

· 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 months.

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. You can add black, white and metallics to any of the schemes. The ideas given are simply that, ideas, and do not have to be followed to the letter!

· 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.

We look forward to seeing all of your beautiful designs!

Take It Make It Challenge: Winners Profile

Hello!
Welcome to our Winners Profile, showcasing the Design Winner of our last Blog Challenge!

The very talented Design Winner of our November 2015 challenge is

 Dot Leathbridge

From: http://rexbythesea.blogspot.co.uk/

Dot won the challenge with this amazing card. We loved the immaculate stamping, the placement of all the images, and the hand written script going aroubd the corner just finishes it to pefection!

We asked Dot a few questions all about stamping (well, we are Craft Stamper after all!)

Q: How long have you been a stamper, and how did you get started?

A: I was invited to one of those card parties when my kids were young and I thought it was something that would be fun to do. Then I stopped. Nearly six years ago I started up again when I discovered blogging and the whole world opened up to me! I met the most inspiring and sharing people. I realised that there was so much to learn and explore. I am still learning...and I love the journey that I am on.

Q: What are your favourite kinds of stamps, and do you have a favourite stamp company?

A: Nature, people and the sea are favourite stamp themes for me. There is so much variety out there now. I buy stamps from all over the world but some of my favourite brands are: Stampers Anonymous, Stampendous, Dina Wakely, Finnabair, Art Journey, Visible Image, Deep Red, Kaszazz and Indigoblu. I just love rubber stamps!
 

Q: Describe your style, are you a messy kind of stamper or a more ‘clean and simple’ kind of person?

A: I honestly don't know what my style is. It isn't something I think about. I am trying different styles all the time. My passion is ink and I love to explore all the different things that you can do with it. There are inks that I haven't even explored yet. I am most definitely a 'messy' stamper!

Q:What kind of projects do you like creating the most?

A: Cards are what I have been making for years and I will always enjoy that. But things are changing...as I go to different workshops and try new things, I've decided to start a journal, and canvas's using mixed media is definitely calling my name. For me it is always about being open to new adventures and having fun. Just being creative and enjoying what you do is the main thing.

Q: Apart from stamps, what is the one product you wouldn’t be without when you craft?

A: I chop and change my style a lot so different products come into play. Probably one that crosses over a lot of styles is a good matt multi-medium. I have just discovered Art Basics soft gel and I can't wait to see what I can do with that. (Oh, and then there's my white gel pen and fine-liner too)

We also asked Dot to show us a favourite stamped creation,  and share why she likes it so much. Here is the gorgeous project she has chosen:

"This tiger card was part of my first commissioned piece for a magazine. It is my favourite card in that series. I love how the Dylusions sprays react with the Distress inks, so interesting! I'm still not ready to give this one away! "-Dot

Congratulations on being our November Design Winner Dot , and it was lovely to learn a little more about you!

Do YOU fancy having a winners profile all about you on the CS blog? 

The profile is part of the prize package for each Design Winner of our challenges. All you need to do is enter a creation into the challenge, then if you are voted Design Winner everyone will be reading all about you before you know it!

Our current challenge 'Take A Technique: Share The Season' will remain open over Christmas and New Year!  All the details can be found HERE.

 See you back here on Thursday 7th January 2016
for the announcement of the December challenge Winners! 

Take It Make It December Challenge: Inspiration

Hello!

Our current Take It, Make It challenge is a 'Take A Technique' challenge...

  but as it's nearly Christmas we decided to go with a nice easy theme rather than a complicated technique!

December 2015
Take A Technique
Sharing The Season
(and include stamping somewhere!)  

We would love you to share your seasonal projects with us. Winter or icy themed, or even Christmas ideas if you're not already sick of them! For those of you who live in a climate where this time of year IS NOT cold and icy... why not share the seasonal theme of your own country!

We have had fun looking at the entries so far, and can't wait to see loads more!

The DT have created some more stamped projects for you to feast your eyes upon, brace yourself, there is rather a lot of eye candy on show!

Winner of the October Challenge: Esther Peck

Elina Stromberg

 Elizabeth Robinson

Ellie Knol

Gio Zara 

 Jolande van Oosterhout

 Kymona Tracey

Linda Walmsley

Mandi Mance

Nikki Killinger 

Shirley Bampton

Zoey Scarpelli

Wow! Now THAT'S what I call inspiration!

Why not have a go, then enter your creation into our challenge?

The sponsor for December is

Polkadoodles

The prize on offer for our randomly chosen winner this month is...

a £25 voucher to spend in the shop!

How fabulous is that!

 Our randomly drawn winner will be one lucky person!

The Design Winner, voted for by our DT, will have their project published in a 2 page spread in Craft Stamper Magazine, will have a guest DT slot for an upcoming challenge, and ALSO gets their very own winners profile here on the blog....so why not get your stamps out and share your creation?

More eye candy, and the post to link your creations up to can be found HERE....
Have fun!

Take It Make It Challenge: December!

Hello!

Welcome to the launch of our December Challenge!

December is a 'Take A Technique' month... but as it's nearly Christmas we decided to go with a nice easy theme rather than a complicated technique!

December 2015
Take A Technique
Sharing The Season

This month, we would love you to share your seasonal projects with us. Winter or icy themed, or even Christmas ideas if you're not already sick of them! For those of you who live in a climate where this time of year IS NOT cold and icy... why not share the seasonal theme of your own country!

Show us how unique you can be, create anything your imagination cares to dream up! Share your cards, journal pages, layouts, 3D assemblage or whatever else takes your fancy. Your project can be any theme, any colour you want... as long as it's seasonal and you've stamped somewhere,  then you're good to go!

We have two prizes on offer this month, the first is our sponsor prize. This winner will be chosen randomly from all of the entries in the challenge! The sponsor for December is

Polkadoodles

Polkadoodles is an amazing online store, carrying everything you could wish for to create some wonderful art. From markers and paper, through to digi images and wonderful stamps, you could shop until you drop! Which is good, because the prize on offer for our randomly chosen winner this month is...

a £25 voucher to spend in the shop!

How fabulous is that!

 Our randomly drawn winner will be one lucky person! 

Our second winner is our Design Winner. This winner is chosen by our DT, who all vote for their favourite design from all of the entries. This winner will have their winning project published in Craft Stamper Magazine, (with a 2 page spread of their very own!), they will have a GDT slot for an upcoming challenge, and will also feature in their very own Winners Profile blog post! 

I hope the prizes have given you all an incentive to win...... and how about some eye candy from the DT to give you some beautifully stamped and seasonal  inspiration!


Elina Stromberg

Elizabeth Robinson

 Ellie Knol

Gio Zara

Jolande van Oosterhout

 

Kymona Tracey

  Linda Walmsley 

 Mandi Mance

 

                                          

Shirley Bampton

Zoey Scarpelli 

WOW! 

I have to say...there are some STUNNERS there, that's what I call inspiration!

Want to enter?!

Then simply link up using the Linky Tool below! 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have a read of our challenge rules before you link up. Any entry that does not comply with all the rules will not be considered for either of the two prizes on offer. All rules can be found by clicking the link at the top of the page, under the banner!

We can't wait to see your creations.....
Good luck!

An InLinkz Link-up

Reader Submissions wanted: April Ready Set Stamp gallery

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

* PLEASE NOTE: That is a typo on the colour swatch.. the deadline is December 18th!*

Colours: Baby Blue, Fuchsia, Violet, Baby Pink

                        ****Please do NOT create Christmas cards for this art call! ****

Deadline for submission: 18th December 2015

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· 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, your submission has not been successful. Please try again with a different card!

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery.
 . Please do not use stamps that are discontinued for this article. Also please only use stamps that are available to buy in the UK (the exception is stamps from advertisers e.g. Art Journey, De Stempelwinkel).
. We do not accept cards created with digital stamps ONLY for this feature. Digital stamps MUST be used in conjunction with real stamping to qualify.

· 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 months.

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. You can add black, white and metallics to any of the schemes. The ideas given are simply that, ideas, and do not have to be followed to the letter!

· 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.

We look forward to seeing all of your beautiful designs!

**I've mentioned a few thing I consider to be 'doodle style'  stamps in a comment below.. please have a read if you're unsure about the theme? xxx**

Our Inspirational January issue is out on Friday!

The January issue of Craft Stamper is on sale this Friday, packed full to the brim of inspirational projects and step by step tutorials!
You can order your copy from out online SHOP, or download a digital copy from POCKETMAGS!

We are showcasing lots of wonderful wintery creations this month, not least our fabulous winter dioramas in the 3D challenge (page 32). Created in collaboration with Tando, these are simply stunning!

If you like working with clay, then Tracy Easson is sharing the cutest little village on page 22. These would look wonderful covered in snow as part of your winter décor.

We're so pleased to share part one of our new ‘Whimsical Faces’ drawing tutorial series. (page 41). Tracy Scott is our expert, and she will lead you through the steps needed to create your own amazing art work. The pages are very conveniently positioned so you can lift them out to refer to whilst you work! In this part, Tracy guides us through face shapes and feature positioning… We can’t wait for part two! 

We also have a stunningly bright and vibrant reverse canvas from Jaine Drake: 

 In our Amazing Artistry feature this January, Karen Hayselden is sharing a truly STUNNING journal page. The detail in this piece is simply mind boggling!

Our Masterclass is perfect  for all those of you who want to get the most from your dies. Kim Dellow takes us through all the different materials you could use with your dies, including fabric! We love this super cute owl!

Our free stamp this month has been designed by Magda Polakow, and she has outdone herself with some wonderfully whimsical makes using it! Who can resist an adorable polar bear!

Have a wonderfully crafty month.... this issue goes on sale in the shops on January 4th!

The Craft Stamper Team xx