Friday 29 May 2015

Take It Make It Challenge: May Winners!

Hello!
Doesn't it feel odd when there are 5 weeks in a month? I keep feeling like I've forgotten to write up a post! But no, back on schedule with the 'last Friday of the month'  Winners announcement!
What a fabulous response to our May 'Take A Stamp' challenge!
You lot are all so talented, we just loved looking through all the entries!
So...on to the important stuff, the winners!
As you will remember, from now on we will have TWO winners from each challenge, the Design Winner and the randomly selected Prize Winner. First up, I am thrilled to announce our Design Winner..

Entry Number 69 - Georgie


 Congratulations Georgie! That canvas is just stunning, a total shabby chic delight! We loved it! Georgie will win a Guest Designer slot, a Winners Profile and of course her gorgeous project will be published in Craft Stamper Magazine.

As always, we have the remaining two slots in our Design Top Three to reveal, they are in no particular order :)


Congrats ladies! 


Next...the randomly selected Prize Winner! This winner will be the lucky recipient of the prize provided by out wonderful sponsor, 
WOW! Embossing Powder



The prize is this fabulous set of powders:


And this amazing lace stamp:


 The randomly drawn winner is:


Congratulations Karen! I think you'll have a lot of fun with those powders and the stamp!

Now the important bit!
  Winners, you need to need to get in touch with me in order to claim your prize! 
Please email me at: cs@traplet.com , and put TIMI Winner in the subject line, then I'll be sure to spot it!
Top Three Design Winners, also please contact me if you wish to receive a button to display on your blog.

Please check back next Friday for the launch of our June Challenge, we can't wait to see what you create!

Sunday 17 May 2015

Reader Submissions wanted for the October issue!

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




Deadline for submission: 23rd June 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!

Friday 15 May 2015

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 April 2015 challenge is

 Lin Brandyberry

Lin won the challenge with this fabulous card, gorgeous butterflies and wonderful colour!



We asked Lin 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 had been introduced to stamping in the early 2000s, but it never really clicked until about 2005, when I first saw the possibilities of mixing stamping with design papers.  I had previously dabbled in quilting, and playing with pretty papers isn’t too far from playing with pretty fabrics!  Soon afterwards, the Hero Arts Blog began, and it was a great master class for a beginning stamper.  I was off and running!

Q: What are your favourite kinds of stamps, and do you have a favourite stamp company?
A: I’ve always been drawn to floral stamps.   I love Hero Arts, Penny Black, and the new stamp company called Altenew for their wonderful flowers. 

Q: Describe your style, are you a messy kind of stamper or a more ‘clean and simple’ kind of person?
A: I’d say clean and simple, though I also like lots of layers. I still enjoy incorporating pretty design papers into my cards along with my stamping, and the same is true for using embossing folders on a white background behind my stamping.

Q:What kind of projects do you like creating the most?
A: I love making cards the most!  I have tried scrapbooking, but all that space intimidates me!
Q: Apart from stamps, what is the one product you wouldn’t be without when you craft?
A: Only one?  That’s a hard question, but I’d guess I’d have to say distress inks.  They are great for stamping a solid image, but I also use them often to watercolor in an outline stamp.

We also asked Lin to show us a couple of her favourite stamped creations,  and share why she likes them so much. Here are the gorgeous projects she has chosen:


"I love this one because it incorporates so many other elements that we have available to us: embossing folders, die-cut words, pretty design papers, and sequins.  It also shows off my fussy-cutting, which I find relaxing to do" - Lin


"This brings back memories of my quilting.  I always try to add texture to my quilt cards by using an embossing folder over the stamping" - Lin



Congratulations on being our April Design Winner Lin , 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 Stamp' is still open for a few more days! All the details can be found HERE.

See you on the 29th for the announcement of our May Winners! 

Friday 8 May 2015

Take It Make It May Challenge: Inspiration

Hello!
Our current Take It, Make It challenge is a 'Take A Stamp' challenge, which means it's

Anything Goes! 
(just remember you must use stamping on your project somewhere!) 


 We have had fun looking at the entries so far, you lot are very creative!
The DT have been having loads of fun creating some more 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 March Challenge: Karen Dunbrook


Elina Stromberg

 Elizabeth Robinson
Ellie Knol


Why not have a go, then enter your creation into our challenge?
We are sponsored this month by 

WOW! Embossing Powder

www.wowembossingpowders.co.uk


This months randomly chosen entry will win this set of gorgeous vintage embossing powders:


And also this fabulous stamp:


How wonderful is that?!


 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?
All the details can be found HERE....
Have fun!

Friday 1 May 2015

Take It Make It Challenge: May

Hello!
Welcome to the launch of our May Challenge!

As you might remember, this year our challenge is alternating between 'Take A Stamp', and 'Take A Technique'....and this month our challenge is 'Take A Stamp'!
Which means you have total creative freedom, it's a 'make anything as long as there are stamps used' month!

May Challenge:
'Take A Stamp' 
Anything Goes
(but remember you MUST use a stamp somewhere on your project!)

Show us how creative you can be...get your stamps out and share your cards, journal pages, layouts, 3D assemblage or whatever else takes your fancy!

*** Sadly, quite a few entries last month did not follow the guidelines, so they could not be considered for a prize. PLEASE remember to only include just the one project in your blog posts, we just want to see the project you are entering, no others! Full guidelines can be found underneath the banner at the top of the page.***

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 May is

WOW! Embossing Powders


WOW Embossing Powders are UK suppliers of a truly massive selection of embossing powders from fine detail through to ultra thick, from metallics to pearlescents and fluorescents! WOW also manufacture a fabulous selection of silicone moulds, perfect for creating 3D embellishments, and some great stamp designs too!

The prize for this months randomly chosen winner is this fabulous gift set of vintage powders:
(don't worry, yours will come with the lids firmly on!)
and also this gorgeous lace design stamp:




That stamp will look amazing embossed... actually, amazing without embossing as well! Our randomly drawn prize winner will be a very 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 inspiration!
We have three new DT members debuting today...please show them some love, their first projects are STUNNING! 









                                            Kymona Tracey


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

So, want to enter?!
All you need to do is have a quick look through all the essential rules and guidelines (on the right hand sidebar and a tab at the top of the page), and then link up using the Linky Tool below. We can't wait to see your creations!