September Craft Stamper Magazine

Have you got your copy yet?  If not we have it in stock HERE!

This month's cover stamp has been designed by our very own stamp designer Tracey Coates, you may recognise this as it is a smaller image of a design from the Aspects of Design 63 Alluring Ladies stamp sheet, (which btw have 20% off at the moment so are £11.99 instead of £14.99!).   It is a perfect size for ATC's, in fact there are 2 stamps, the eyes and the word visage which is a new design Tracey has drawn.

Janet has taken this as a theme for the September ATC Swap, which is going to be 'The Look', if you have the stamp we hope you will join in with the swap, it will be great to see what you come up with when using it.  If you don't have it then there's plenty of time to have a think about the theme to come up with something else.

I will be posting again about the September CS issue as there's more to tell about it.

Only a short post for now as I'm about to get started sorting out the first batch of ATC's with Janet so we can select a winner for the blog candy before Janet does the actual swapping, very exciting!!!  Janet and Michelle are here this morning with their parent and young person journalling class, so it's a good time to get this done.

I hope you are having a good day!

Jill

Inspiration from Tracey Coates - Part 5

 

Well, I've been posting these as I've managed to get them ready so far and we are already on part 5!  Tracey has used her designs from Aspects of Design 55 Butterfly Garden.

Again I love the texture Tracey has with Tim's crackle paint

The key designs are from Aspects of Design 62 Artistic Elements another stamp sheet designed by Tracey.

I'm afraid the next photos aren't brilliant, I must have changed the settings on my camera, anyway I'm sure you can see enough to get an idea.

Here's another from the Artistic Elements stamp sheet, it looks like Tracey has used wild honey distress ink over white embossing.

These last designs are from Tracey's Aspects of Design 63 Alluring Ladies stamp sheet.

This is the smallest elegant lady design.

Even the dress has texture

That's all for now, I hope you are having a great weekend!

Jill

Inspiration from Tracey Coates - Part 4

Before I get into showing you the next batch of Tracey's work, can I just mention that it's the Happy Stamper's North West stamping group's Port Sunlight show on Saturday!!  It is ticket only so I hope you've got your tickets to the ready!!

If you are going to the show please come and say hello, Vixykins and I will be demonstrating alternately.  I'm really looking forward to it, I love this show!!

OK, so here's some more work from Tracey.  If you have just joined us on this, I am showing work from 2 display boards that Tracey left with us after our recent Demo Day.  I will schedule a post for tomorrow with more.

This is the last frame from the first board.  They all show variations of those shown on previous days.

This is the 2nd display of Tracey's work.

The first is stamped with Hero Arts Big Flower and the Friends Definition for the background.  The corners are Tracey's design, from AOD 53 Distressed Corners and Borders.

This is the last for today, an ATC, Tracey has used the Distressed Corners and Borders sheet amongst other stamps.

I love the texture Tracey achieved with Tim's crackle paint.

More tomorrow!

Jill

Inspiration from Tracey Coates - Part 3

More inspiring examples from Tracey's demo's at our recent Open Day.  Please click on the photos to see close ups.  The tag above features a crushed bottle top, one of Tim's fragments and a rusty washer as well as designs stamped with distress inks.

The next frames are similiar but with different ink techniques.

Another example of a photo embossed with clear embossing powder then bent to form an aged cracked look.

An alternative idea to the first tag.

And, there's more, I'll be back with them tomorrow.

In the meantime, if you'd like to take a peek at Tracey's craft room, she's just bravely posted some photo's on her blog HERE

I'm hoping this is the start of Tracey blogging more of her work there!!  (Nag, nag)

Jill

Inspiration from Tracey Coates - Part 2

I'm so behind today, I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get round to preparing and posting today, I started this post this afternoon and now look at the time that I'm actually getting round to finishing it off.  But I'm going to get it posted before midnight if it's the last thing I do!!!!!  It's been one hell of a weekend one way or another, plus Ian has man-flu, but that's been the least of it!!  I feel I've been strapped to this computer all weekend.

Something good happened though, as I joined facebook last night, it's been nice to get away from the other grotty frustratingly slow computer stuff that's been going on while I've been chained here.  So in between all that, I've been back and forth on facebook as well as brief interludes of very little housework and ironing that I got done. There will be a price to pay when we're running out of clothes in the wardrobe by the end of the week, which incidentally is not a good thing as we have the Happy Stampers North West Show at Port Sunlight!

Vix set up a Stampman page for us on fb months ago and I think she'd given up mentioning it to me, so when Debbie mentioned that Vix had told her about it this week, I thought I ought to give it a go since she assured me that her and Debbie would do what was needed.  Apparently all I needed to do was register myself...  That was all, oh, so how come I now have a feeling that I'm going to get as addicted to that as I am to blogging?  I think I fell for it again, it was Debbie that got me into blogging, now look, you can't shut me up, lol! 

You'll need more than a naughty chair Vix, I tell you, never mind dusting it off, wait until I see you on Saturday!!!!!  (I'll sort Debbie out in the week:))

I have to say I still haven't a clue about it as I've not looked at Facebook before but thankfully I have friends and am not a billy no mates, I've had a chat online with Tracey, who is also new to it (and who also should have been doing her ironing), and also caught up with a friend from years ago, and once I get a minute there's other friends I want to catch up with too.  Not that bad then.  (Very good really:))))

The very bad bit about this weekend is that the website has been down, and up, and down and now up!!!  I'll save you from reading through a VERY loooooooooong frustrating story, I'll just say that if I hadn't been distracted by FB this weekend, I would be bald and locked up by now!!

Anyway... You'll be wondering if I'm ever going to get round to showing you the next lot of inspiration from Tracey, I'm sure some have scrolled down passed my waffle by now:)  But to those that have stuck with me, a grateful thank you!!

But, before we get to Tracey's work, I need to remind you that if you haven't joined in the blog candy yet, then your time runs out at midday Tuesday UK time.

Plus, as I don't think I can really hide it for the next week or so, I'm the Guest Designer, starting today at Crafty Cardmakers, who we sponsor, if you want to take a look click HERE.

Right then, down to proper business, I've looked at the clock and that's it, I've not made my deadline for posting this today.

OK, so now I'm early for tomorrow...

I think these are well worth waiting for...The first one, that I tempted you with at the beginning is so stunning, I'm showing it again

As with an image in yesterday's collection, Tracey has embossed the main picture then cracked it.

Next in line is this distressed bird frame

The photos don't show how amazing these are in real life

Here is a close up of the gorgeous flower to help you see some of the detail.

And, the last one for now

I've just looked at the original of this one and the background colour in the photo is not the same, it must have been the light when I took the photos, it is actually nearer the wild honey shade rather than the pink tone you can see. 

The soda label embellishments have been embossed in clear ep.  The main one mounted on a crushed bottle top.  The washer is less aged than the rusty looking one from yesterday so I now suspect yesterday's washer was embossed/distressed.  Maybe Tracey will add more about the finer details for us.

OK, only about 20 minutes late, but then that's about how late I normally run:(

I hope you have all had a good weekend, enjoy the rest of the week.

Jill

Inspiration from Tracey Coates - Part 1

Amongst other things, Tracey brought 2 beautiful display boards with her for our demo weekend.  How lucky are we that we get to keep them!!  They are at the shop if you want to see them in real life.

Tracey didn't take photos of any of them but has allowed me to show them here for you as it would be such a shame not to share them with you all.

As you can see there's lots of artwork on each board so I am going to show each piece.  I'll break them down into different parts so you can follow the posts easier. 

This first board features a lot of frames and also tags.  I'll briefly point out some features along the way. 

The swirls on the frame are embossed with red distress embossing powder over distress inks.

The background of this frame is stunning, Tracey has used distress ink and lovely aging techniques to create this.  I love the colours of the paper flower.  The image has been embossed with clear embossing powder and then bent to form cracks in the glaze.  The shoe brad is attached with a brad.

Another beauty stamped with distress inks and embellished with a rusty washer, the dog image is placed under one of Tim's fragments.

The frame has been embossed with distress embossing powders so again, very tactile.

Will show more tomorrow.

Jill

Demo pieces by Tracey

Tracey made some ATC's and other items in her demos last Saturday.  I am going to show you a selection of some of the pieces Tracey, Leonie and Vix left for us after their demos.  Plus mine of course.

It could get a bit interesting as they all got mixed up when they were packed away so I'm not 100% sure whose bits are whose!  Some were backgrounds and some are images that need making into cards and need finishing off. 

Leonie set me a challenge to make some of hers into cards, so I'll show them once I've had a chance to get onto them.

To start, here are a few of Tracey's ATCs.  These 3 are from Tracey's Artistic Elements stamp sheets.  The first shows some faux stitching that she made using her Tim Holtz ruler.  The holes are pricked through the ruler and card then a white pen used for the stitching, it's very effective.  I suspect Tracey used one of the new Distress Inks Victorian Velvet for the background.  I love those keys!

I also love the inky splodge stamp from the same sheet.

And, finally for now, the heart wings design.

More tomorrow!

Jill

Another fantastic demo day!

It was Leonie Pujol and Jill Boulton's turn to demo today. Here's Leonie 'from the telly' getting VERY messy with Distress Inks, Moonglow Embossing Powders, Starburst Stains and all sorts of stuff!

And here's Jill Boulton, demonstrating metal embossing, oops Tracey's got hooked on it now:)  But she was certainly not alone!  And, our Helen looked mesmerised by it throughout the day. 

Jill's work with metal and all the Ranger products is out of this world, Jill incorporated a number of products with the metal work.  I love it when she brings the artwork she has made for us to see, its awesome, I could look at it all day, every day.  It's all very textured, you want to touch it as well as admire it.

Let's see what Leonie is up to in the other room... Yeap, still getting messy, she did some fab techniques with all the bits and bobs I'd left for her to play with on the table.  She was using Tracey's Alluring Ladies and Artistic Element stamp sheets. 

Leonie bought Moonglow embossing powders from us YEARS ago when we first started selling them, it must be about 8/9/10 ish years ago now?  So I knew she'd get on brilliantly with them.

Would it be cruel to mention the embossed 'scab' design you made Leonie?  That was soooooo funny, it needs a mention!!!  Wish I'd taken a photo of it to share:)  I'm sure Carol will make something nice with it, put it to better use:)  I'm sure too that we all make embossed scabs sometime, but only you could do it with an audience, lol, and it had to happen with abattoir colours didn't it!!  How funny too that Carol wanted to take your bin home with her, your hidden treasures and mine from yesterday:)   I hope she didn't do that!! 

You should have seen the colour of Leonie's hands at the end of the day, oh dear, not a good look when you're heading off out to dinner straight after:) 

I thought we could have a messy contest to see who made the most mess, it would have been funny if I started at one end of the shop and Leonie the other and see who reached the other's half of the shop first! 

I had a small table at the front of the shop today to demonstrate Tim's new dies for people interested in seeing them in action,  you should have seen the mess I made on that little table, no photo proof though, sorry!  If I hadn't tried to be a bit restrained, the cut out pieces could well have spread through the length of the shop like Tim confetti, especially the letters and numbers from Tim's Vintage Market alphabet and number die, I had quite an alphabet soup going with all the different papers I had cut them from!! 

I will show you some of the bits and pieces I've cut with Tim's dies when they are in a more orderly order:)  I have to admit to getting far too excited when I got them all and went a tad mad on a cutting out frenzy, I'm sure you'll understand why:)

Now then...

Leonie looks to be going ummmm in this photo!  Probably at the lovely demo pieces she made.  She has left them behind for me to make them into cards, a challenge for me from Leonie!  So watch this space.

Back to Jill Boulton, Jill's embossed metal work is brilliant, if you couldn't visit today and fancy trying this then Jill has a workshop with us on 15th May, if you wish to attend, you can book HERE or telephone the shop on 01756 797048.  I've been on this course with Jill when she held this with us before and I really enjoyed it, I learnt lots more techniques.

We are now going to hold our workshops in the newly made room so we can have larger groups for workshops now, the bonus is that it is warmer in there too. 

Watch this space for news of other stuff happening in the new space we've made!

Back to Leonie, deep in chatter...  It was lovely to see her having a chance to catch up with some of her old friends, she was really looking forward to that.

And finally, the day ends...It's been a great time, a whole weekend of inspiration, messiness and play, catching up with each other, lots of fun and laughter, and we've all agreed to do it again.  

 
Thank you to everyone who visited us over the weekend, also thanks to Leonie, Tracey, Jill and Vix who demonstrated plus all who helped us, I hope you can all join us again for the next one!!
 
Well, it's ended up being a VERY VERY late post tonight as I nodded off mid post, I didn't mean to, but just did.  Time for bed properly now.
 
I'll show photos of some of the things we made asap.
 
Jill

Tracey's Artistic Elements meet new Distress Ink pads

I applied the ink to my craft mat, and spritzed the inks with water before mopping up with card to create the background pieces.

I used the new Distress Inks Stormy Sky, Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge.

The stamps are all from Tracey's new stamp sheet AOD 62 Artistic Elements. I had an idea to stamp the main image onto silver mirri card then cut it out to create a mirror.

These stamps are great for anyone who is into journalling!!

We only received the stamps on Wednesday evening so not much time to create cards before the Harrogate show and I actually put the stamped pieces of this together quickly on the Saturday morning before the show started.  I had rummaged around for the flower to match which I think came from the new Hero Arts flower pack Meadow.  

As I said to a lady visiting our stand over the weekend, all my cards have nailheads on them at the moment, they are so easy to use and they give a great effect instead of brads when you are short of time.  They are also less bulky.

There is another new stamp sheet from Tracey that is very near completion and is totally different from these latest designs.  Tracey also sent me some more new designs to work on last week, as usual they are so different, I really don't know how she can have so many diverse styles!!

She's been a very busy lady!!! 

Jill

Quick 'n Easy Retro Alluring lady!

Well, when Debbie told me on Monday that on Sunday she got lost in a world of her own in her craft room for 9 hours creating a single card, it made me feel a tad of a cheat spending just 15 minutes creating this simple little creation on Friday evening! 

Debbie did have a speedier input into this card though as on Friday morning when we were packing the Cuttlebug folders to take to the Harrogate show that afternoon, Debbie spotted that the Cuttlebug folder Dots and Spots would be great used with Tracey's new stamp sheet.  I grabbed one in the hope of having some time and energy later to make a card with it.

So, after successfully setting up our stand that afternoon, after much anxiety hoping that I'd make everything fit nicely into our allocated space, (honestly, it's like doing a giant jigsaw), and with what seemed like a long.... endless.... drive.... home..... with a shopping stop at the supermarket for something nice and easy for our dinner, I rushed up to my office/craft room to make this.  OK, I hauled my body up the wooden hill to do it if I'm honest! 

My little green buggy friend was there ready for action on my desk and the copper mirri card was fairly easily found.  A small hunt for copper embossing powder, along with the card and copper nailheads and hey presto, a simple, but effective little card was ready for the weekend.

I LOVE these new stamps Tracey...

Jill

PS:  Click HERE to see Debbie's amazing butterfly easel card, it's truly a masterpiece, time well spent Debbie!