I'm Late... I'm LATE for March Madness!

Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps! Susan here today to share a fun ATC that is perfect for the month of March... in Easter pastel colors complete with a racing rabbit!

I needed to make some ATCs for an Alice in Wonderland themed swap "Down the Rabbit Hole" and {of course), I had the perfect stamps in my VLVS! stash for them. It all started with a sheet of painted paper using a handful of Ranger Distress Paint: Antique Linen, Weathered Wood, Stormy Sky, Evergreen Bough and Picked Raspberry. I modified this T!m Holtz' marbeling technique in painting my background – I added all the colors in a splotchy fashion, and sprayed a lot of water onto the craft sheet to give a more subtle watercolor effect when paper is dragged.

When dry, I cut this down to make my ATC card blanks {3 1/2" x 2 1/2"}, then added a torn strip of  fun harlequin washi tape along the bottom of each and set to work on the stamping and layering of elements. It was interesting doing a horizontal card for a change. I saved a section of the background for stamping the sentiments.

One special stamping trick – combine stamp images by layering two stamps on top of each other. I did this with the girl and a keyhole - placing the keyhole over one of her eyes; then I fussy cut each keyhole out. This gives the perfect eye peering though the keyhole for this Alice in Wonderland themed ATC. 

The sentiment I've had for ages and I thought it went perfectly for the quirky white rabbit whose always proclaiming, "I'm Late!" Everything is edged with coordinating chalk inks for an extra "POP" of color and adhered with miracle tape. These came together really quickly and they were fun to make!

"Down the Rabbit Hole" ATC

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

From Viva Las VegaStamps:

"Pensive Girl" #16033

"Keyhole Shading" #9498

"Wheely Rabbit" #18377

"I Try Not to Limit..." #15414

Miracle Tape 1/8"

StazOn Jet Black Ink

Other Supplies: white cardstock and metallic purple stationary for keyholes; variety of colors of Ranger Distress Paints; brayer; water misting bottle; StazOn Royal Purple Ink; harlequin washi tape from Dollar Tree; and detail scissors.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Thanks so much for dropping by! What are you stamping with your stash of VLVS!? Join us and play along with the March inspiration challenge {CLICK HERE for details}. Just make a creation using the inspiration above and your stash of VLVS! stamps... you could win more RUBBER! Take some time to browse around the blog here and the amazing creations from the entire VLVS! Team... there's so much amazing inky inspiration to see!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. Hope you have a fabulous day!!  Sb

A STAR is Born... from Viva Las VegaStamps! and 7 Dots Studio Goodness!

Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps! Susan here today to share a handmade star book created using 7 Dots Studio Papers and my stash of VLVS!. I love making mini books for gifts and the double sided 12" x 12" cardstock is so beautiful - I knew it would make a perfect gift for my husbands' niece {her birthday is the same as mine}. She's 16 and I just know she will love this. I have to say - my stash of Miracle Tape made this so much easier than using glue stick as I have in the past... so easy and no sticky-gooey fingers.

Since I wanted to get the most mileage out of the 12 x 12 sheets, I used some strips of natural cardstock offcuts from work as my book base {I don't get offcuts of paper often at the printshop where I work, but when I do it comes in handy}. The size of them are 4 1/4" x 23" so I cut 7 sheets at 15" wide and also 13 1/2" wide; then scored to fold in half making long rectangular pages This will be a nice variation from the dozens of square books I've made previously. I cut the 7 Dots Studio Papers to 4 1/4" x 12". I like to make the book have a little more detail so I use the scraps and stitch them into the center of the book base pages. These sections were 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" and 4 1/4" x 2" - each then scored to fold in half. Before I assemble I swipe the edges of all sheets with coordinating colors of Cats Eye Chalk Inks to get rid of the white edges.

I decided my order of colors and patterns and nested the smaller pieces inside the largest base pages and punched two holes for stitching using a pushpin.

For each of the sections, I laced some May Arts natural burlap twine and tied a knot on the inside to secure. Now I have 7 little booklets sections.

I again arranged my sections by color and pattern as I wanted them in order in preparation for adhering the layered nesting pages. These nesting pages float freely and are adhered aligned to the edge of the page using 3/8" Miracle Tape. You can vary the amount of pages and dimensions to add more rays to the star book.

Keeping my sections in order, I used 1" Miracle Tape to adhere the sections together by taping the largest cardstock base pages back-to-back. This makes for a nice sturdy book. There are simpler ways to make a star book - I am just all about the "EXTRA" little details. You can leave out the stitched portion to make it quicker.

Now with my book assembled I added more Miracle Tape {I would have used Miracle Sheets, except I didn't have enough to do the job}. A adhered green crinkle satin May Arts Ribbon loosely around the spine area and layered more miracle tape over the top. I also added a blue sheer organza ribbon around the length to tie the book closed and layered tape over this as well. All this extra taping ensures the book and the ribbon won't pull apart.

 

I cut two sections of scrap chipboard to fit the cover and leaving a slight overhang; then wrapped with the gorgeous blue 7 Dots Studio "Love Is In The Air" patterned paper and my remaining Miracle Sheet cut to size... easy peasy!

Using a couple of the leftover patterned paper scraps, I stamped a quote and collage for the cover and matted onto navy blue cardstock leftover from my November T!m Tag; layering images in blue and black ink for added depth. **A NOTE** I started to stamp directly onto the cover AFTER I assembled and messed it up... yep this is a total "COVER UP". Note to self... stamp your cover art before mounting to book because it's not flat!!!

a STAR is Born...

I finished off with glittery We R Memory Keepers Sticker letters that matched perfectly and a few clear sticky-back bling colored to match with a green permanent marker. VOILA! All I need is a fancy pen and this gift is good to go :)

Would you LOVE to be a part of this Awesome team of Stamp Addicts???

Here's your chance!!! CLICK HERE for all the details... hurry up Nov. 30th is the deadline.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Viva Las VegaStamps used: Bulls Eye Target Solid #19196; Bulls Eye Target Open #19193; "Be Adorable..." #19038; "Dream" #18886; "Inspire" #18888; "Time Flies" #19008; Large Bird Flying Left #19001; Hot Air Balloon with Flags #19006; Flying Watch #19004; Card Suits #14109; Writing Arrow #19078; Paris Address #17539; Steampunk Heart Small #16010; and Dotted line from the December Daily Plate #1430. Supplies used: Natural Cardstock; scrap chipboard; Stuart Superior Black Memories Ink; Ancient Page Cobalt Blue Waterproof Ink; Miracle Tape 3/8"; Miracle Tape 1"; Miracle Sheets; Clearsnap Cats Eye Chalk Inks; WeR Memory Keepers "Feelin' Groovy" Alphabet Stickers; May Arts fibers and Ribbon; Blue sheer organza ribbon.

Thanks so much for dropping by. Have you entered the monthly challenge - you have a couple days left. Make a creation using the the November inspiration and your stash of VLVS! stamps... you could win more RUBBER! CLICK HERE for challenge details. Also, you definitely want to subscribe to the blog feed and to the Viva Las VegaStamps! newsletter to be IN THE KNOW of everything going on at the Viva Las Vegastamps! store. There's so much amazing inky inspiration to see!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back soon with another stamping adventure!  Sb

Anyone Have a Quarter??? Having Some Hot Summer Fun at Viva Las VegaStamps!!!

Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps! It's July and it's time to turn up the heat for some summertime fun! Susan here today with a hot little number just in time for the 4th of July... this is one of those times that a stamped image is worth a thousand words - and a good belly laugh, too! Did you know that among the over 20,000 stamps in the Viva Las VegaStamps! catalogue... there's a section of "NAUGHTY" stamps, too. 

 

I recently received this "Nudie" girl in a grab bag from VLVS! and I knew exactly how I wanted to use her. She's like a 50s pinup girl and goes perfectly with my coin-operated "Space Ship" – I fondly remember these outside so many stores when we were kids.

I have always wanted to try some stepped folded cards and this project is perfectly showcased with a specialty folded card. I used my paper trimmer and Scor-Pal to easily form a "Center Step Card" base to mount some patterned paper scraps received from my scrap swap group {we gather up our scraps and trade for a new stash of scraps}.

I stamped "Space Ship" #9191 on plain white cardstock, masked with sticky notes and then stamped "Nudie" #748 using Staz-On Black ink for a waterproof image to hold up to my hand-coloring.

 

I just returned from a crafty road trip to attend the StampFest in Orlando this past weekend with my sister and Mom where I came across an interesting little gadget called an "action wobble". I never heard of these before - and they are so GREAT!!! Action Wobbles are a one-of-a-kind self-adhesive collapsible spring that adds motion and dimension to flat objects for a unique 3D effect. They add FUN to anything creative and are my newest addition to my supply arsenal.

I hand-colored the image with Ranger Distress Markers and my water brush. For the space ship, I applied Brushed Pewter Ranger Distress Stain on my craft sheet and picked up color with my water brush to apply to my image. I fussy cut out the image and cut apart space ship from the stand. I adhered the stand to card base with Miracle Tape, then layered the ship with the Action Wobble. 

She's ready for another ride... Anybody have a quarter???

•••••••••••

Supplies used: STAMPS - "Nudie" #748, and "Space Ship" #9191. Other supplies: white cardstock; Staz-On Black ink; Miracle Tape; Diamond Glaze; Ranger Distress Markers; Water Brush; Brushed Pewter Ranger Distress Stain; Star gem stickers; patterned paper scraps; paper trimmer; Scor-Pal and an Action Wobble disk.

Thanks so much for dropping by. We have a BRAND NEW Viva Las VegaStamps! Design Team - so you definitely want to subscribe to the blog feed and to the Viva Las VegaStamps! newsletter to be IN THE KNOW of everything going on at the Viva Las Vegastamps! store. There's so much amazing inky inspiration to see!

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back soon with another stamping adventure...and my round 5 projects I made to play along with the Gallery Idol Competition. Did you take the challenge???  Sb

Gallery of Stamping for All Occasions...

Welcome to Viva Las Vegastamps! Today is the last day of JUNE... where on earth did the month go??? Susan here today with some more super fun cards. DID you TAKE my CHALLENGE I posed... remember a few weeks back I shared a couple birthday cards I entered into round one of the Gallery Idol Competition {click here to view post}? Well as promised, I have been stamping along with my hoards of Viva Las Vegastamps! completing each weeks' challenges. This week they will be announcing the 2013 Gallery Idol as JUNE MADNESS comes to a close.

I did not make the cut to round two, but had fun playing along just the same. I love to create to a challenge, because it pushes me to use things and work on themes I wouldn't normally do - "sort of the love of the hunt". For round two - the challenge theme was "Defining Dad" and I went off to rummage through my catalogue of Viva Las VegaStamps! For inquiring minds... I got so many stamps by ordering VLVS pound 'o rubber grab bags {you get so many stamps for your $$$}.

    

I used the Air Stampo #601 and this Standard Alphabet and Numbers to spell out my "I <3 DAD". I stamped plane and letters onto white cardstock using black Versafine Pigment Ink and embossed with Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder in preparation for coloring with my Spectrum Noir alcohol ink pens. I made two - one for good measure and in case I flub up the coloring. After coloring, I fussy cut, popped up using 3D foam dots, and finished off banner with a glittery green heart. Mounted on a blue card base with a matted patterned paper that looked like clouds in the sky... easy-peasy!

   

Now for the ROUND THREE challenge: "Make a stamped background". Okey-dokey! This one was pretty easy also, except this meant NO PRE-PRINTED patterned papers. No worries... I've got this.

Using the Cracked Background #16208, I stamped a few times to fill a section of lavendar cardstock with Milled Lavendar Distress Ink. Then I repeated on a slightly darker stock and also stamped the Fancy Border #18951 using a Stuart Superior magenta pigment ink and embossing with Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder to make it POP!

 

       

        

I stamped a background on my perfectly purple card base with the doily stamps {Large Doily #18847; Medium Doily #18846; and Small Doily #18845} and the Butterfly/Spotted Wing Small #9473 using Milled Lavendar Distress Ink. I really love the varied values I got when stamping depending how much I inked the stamps.

Challenge #4 was to "Make a card using only TEN embellishments". WHAT??!!! So easy - right? WRONG. This was a lot harder than you would think. This is really an exercise in LESS is MORE and tying everything together. I really needed to put my thinking cap on for this one, and I also enlisted a sketch from Unscripted Sketches to help keep me on track.

I had a few leftover colored stamped images from other projects using stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps! {Celebrate Early #9340; Party Streamers #130; and Cat Jumping Out of Cake #12072} so I double matted them with coordinating colors dictated by the "PARTY" embroidered sticker. I'm so happy with this card and I have another fun and festive birthday greeting for the card box! My Miracle Tape makes assembly with scraps super easy and it holds paper, ribbon and even textured things wonderfully. All the elements came together beautifully - the hard part here was only sticking to TEN embellishments... can you find them all?

Thanks so much for dropping by. HAVE YOU HEARD??? New plates are now available in the Viva Las Vegastamps! store!!! They are so awesome... you have to see for yourself.

If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE. I'll be back soon with another stamping adventure! Sb

Plate 1412...It's A GOOD Thing! Birthday Card by Pinky!

Good morning VLVS friends!

Pinky here today with a fun project using Plate 1412 from

Viva Las VegaStamps. You know when I went to order this 

plate I know I would find 100 uses for it and this is just the first!

There is so much sass and fun on this plate and if you think you

can't create mainstream cards with it, let me tell you...YOU CAN!

My friends WAIT for me to make a snarky card and they 

enjoy seeing what I come up with next. You start using VLVS 

sassiness for your projects and people will definitely notice.

I began with the Hands On Face 2 1/4 X 3 1/4 image. I hand cut it 

out and applied it to the card base. 

After that I used the same vintage cardstock to stamp the 

My Mind Says 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 image hand cutting into a bunting shape. 

 I used my Miracle Tape to adhere it to the frame.

 Then applied the frame to a vintage style card base I created from Glitz paper. 

 I used some vintage Glitz alphas to say "Happy Birthday" and there is 

a sassy and FUN card any friend would ADORE! Not only

because it is handmade from you but also because it's sassy and carries some fun. 

 DON'T forget your Miracle Tape, the adhesive that makes your project stick. 

I use it on all my VLVS projects. 

Ok I am off to create my next Viva Las VegaStamps project! Hope to

see you next time. Until then- Keep on creating. 

Pinky Hobbs- Viva Las VegaStamps Design Team