How Does Your Garden Grow?

We’re Celebrating Flowers this Week!

Our April Catalog is just bursting with new blossoms of so many varieties for your Mother’s Day, Birthday, Get Well, Sympathy, and All Occasion stamping! Get ready to scrapbook your Spring Garden, or just enjoy a bouquet of gorgeous blooms. Our Design Team LOVES to stamp and color flowers, so you’ll see lots of terrific samples on their blogs this week! You can get yourself a whole garden full with our FREE Shipping offer! Add some of our new Digital Downloads, too! There’s a terrific set of sentiments perfect for all our new floral stamps – Flowery Phrases Digital Download

Among our new flowers are three brand new Jumbo Cling Flowers. We’re very excited to be able to continue to offer these with the FREE templates so that you can mask off the flower or it’s surroundings for all sorts of terrific effects. Here our own National Sales Manager  (and Decorative Painting guru) Tammie Wilson has created a fantastic wooden frame featuring the new Jumbo Bird of Paradise!

Jumbo Bird of Paradise Frame by Tammie Wilson

Jumbo Calla Lily Pail by Janelle Stollfuss

Jumbo Cling Rubber Peruvian Lily Scrapbook Page by Suzanne Czosek

BlogStar Tobi Crawford has created a fantastic tutorial today demonstrating a great use of the free template in each Jumbo Cling Rubber Flower set.  Check it out here:

Tobi Crawford

Then take a gander at these other great floral projects using new flowers from our April Catalog Release (be sure to leave some sweet comments on their blogs!)

Arty Carty 1

Arty Carty 2

Jennifer Dove

Kristine Reynolds

A bit of Housekeeping -

Did we mention FREE shipping? Enjoy FREE shipping on our website at www.stampendous.com on retail orders over $50 shipping to U.S. addresses until July 31! We can’t wait to see what you make with our products!! (be sure to share on our Facebook Page, Flickr Group, or email us at submissions@stampendous.com)

Winners – we’re still waiting for some winners of the Project Life event to contact us with mailing info. Hint: if you don’t want your prize, we know Barb Macaskill wants it!  Email your mailing info to submissions@stampendous.com so we can get your prizes on their way!

Remember tonight is the deadline to link to your Micro Glitter projects for our April Challenge. May’s Challenge is Fabulous Florals and starts Friday!

Mixed Media – NEW Stamps – Tobi Crawford

OK!! Here is something you are going to LOVE – along with a sneak peek at one of our NEWEST Jumbo Flowers, a mixed media canvas treat from the talented BlogStar Tobi Crawford !

Hello Stampendous! fans! It’s Tobi Crawford here with a mixed media project using some new stamps available at your favourite retailer very soon!!

1. I covered the 8.5×11 canvas with vintage dictionary paper and added some yellow orange paint on top. The blue paint splatters were done with a metallic paint by Lumiere (and the splatters are actually a stencil. Random but not!). Once the paint dried I stamped the images (Jumbo Calla Lilly) with Black Archival Ink.

2.   Paint in the image with watered-down acrylic paints. FYI, I watered down the paints so I could still see the stamped lines.

3.   Once the paint has dried, draw over the stamped lines with a black pen.

4.   Cover the images with the masks. (Templates are included FREE with the newest Jumbo Cling stamps!)

5.   Using a sponge dauber, go around the outside of the mask. This will add a shadow to the images.

Done! Doesn’t that look great with the shading??

My mind is reeling with ideas with the other jumbo stamps and I’ve got some fresh canvases ready and waiting! Thanks for joining me today!

[Just a quick Stampendous Note: You could also use the outside of the template and paint your flowers first. then stamp your flowers over the dry paint, and then mask them with the inside template before applying the background. This would save you having to trace the lines]

Jumbo Sunflower by Rhea Weigand

Hello, Rhea here again this week to share another Stampendous tutorial with you!  This week is packed with tips!  Learn how to use the new Jumbos Flowers with Template from Stampendous, Dry Brush with Distress Inks, a little tip Fran•táge, and I even included a card pattern.  You can visit my blog to join in to share favorite patterns as well…click here for more details.

I was inspired by a video posted by Scrapbooking Made Simple.  It was fun to watch Stacy and her giggles were contagious.  So here you go with my version.

You will need the Jumbo Sunflower by Stampendous which comes with it’s own templates.  Great tip from Stacey, and in Fran’s Video from CHA was to mark the templates this side up!!!

I also used Aged Gold, Clear Lemon and Nutmeg embossing powders with Crystal Micro Glitter.

I forgot to take a picture of using the sunflower frame template, so I will explain.  It’s easy, position the template and with VersaMark pat the area.  You can see it in the picture.  Then with my fingers I sprinkle a little of each of the above listed embossing powders AND micro glitter.  Then heat set with my heat tool. 

Next, take the inner template that is the shape of the sunflower and position it.  With a finger dauber and Walnut Stain and Mustard Seed lightly work the colors off all the edges of the template.  I started with Walnut stain and then mustard seed taking the mustard seed out farther to give depth.

Stamp the sunflower into the empty shape.  It’s easy to line up but don’t worry about being perfect!  Art isn’t perfect  Color wash the sunflower peddles  with Mustard seed first.  Next with wild honey.  For the flower centers I used Walnut Stain, Forest Moss and Wild Honey.

To apply the color you will lightly load your applicator with color.  Barely touch your image and brush from the inside of the petal out.  Do not go all the way to the tip of the pedal.  You just want to add a hint of color.  Next you will go to your wild honey.  With this color you will add just a smidge of color from the inside of the pedal out.  This is your shading color.  For the center of the flower do 3/4 with Walnut Stain then a circle with Forest Moss and then a smaller circle with Wild Honey leaving a small white circle as a highlight.

Remember, this is just like chalking and is only meant to add hints of color.

For the dry brushing/color washing I use mini sponge applicators and I feel these very important.  It looks like an eye make up applicator and there are 2 kinds that are perfect.  They can be found at JoAnn’s and Soft Art Sponges online.  These applicators have the same sponge tip as a finger dauber which allows the color washing to glide smoothly.  If you use a cheaper version such as one from the dollar store brand you will not be happy with your results as the color will skip and be uneven.  They are also the most cost effective applicators as well as I like to dedicate 1 per color.  I want to keep my colors “True.”

Here is the pattern.  If you double click on the picture you can enlarge it.

Cut a piece of patterned paper 6″x10″

With one long side at the top of the Scor-Pal

score @ 2″ and make it 2″ long

score @ 4″ and make it 4″ long

flip the card 180 degrees so the other long side is at the top

score @ 2″ and make it 2″ long

score @ 4″ and make it 4″ long

flip the card 90 degrees so one short side is at the top

make cut from the 2″ score line and make it a total of 4″ long

Flip the card 180 degrees so the other short side is at the top

make cut from the 2″ score line and make it a total of 4″ long

All top folds are mountains and all bottom folds are valley

The finished card will be a 6×6

Almost done….

Now, take the template that has then center cut out and position it around the stamped colored image. Cover it with Versa Mark then detailed clear embossing powder and heat.  Repeat with the other sunflower.

With Aleene’s paper glaze or glossy accents it time to make your centers.  I smeared my paper glaze where I wanted my centers.  Added my Fragments and crushed glass glitter with a dusting of crystal micro glitter.

Fragments and Elements used: Bronzed Mica Fragments, Hunter Fragment, Bronze Crushed Glass, Champagne Crushed Glass

Ok, now I decided to I wanted to add aged gold embossing powder.  I sprinkled it over my crusty goodness and heated it from underneath!  It bubbled and popped and the powder melted and it was AWESOME!!!!  The best part when it cooled the paper glaze was dry!  For Reals!!!  I was so excited I think I squealed.  I loved the effect of having just a dab of embossing aged gold on the top of all the elements.  I am going to have to do that again.

So there you have it my friends.  A long tutorial,  I know,  but I think it was worth it.  And I hope you did, too.

Stampendous Note:  Whew, Rhea and WOW!  If our readers have questions, please put them in the comments so that we can all learn. We’ll answer them right away. Also remember that using templates is the theme of this month’s stamping challenge!

Life Is Art – Tobi’s Butterfly Canvas

We have an amazing piece of “art journal” style art for you today! BlogStar Tobi Crawford joins us with a gorgeous canvas and a super tip on using Glass Glitter on your Mixed Media projects!

Hello! It’s Tobi Crawford here with a unique project using some great Stampendous! products. Namely:

• Champagne Glass Glitter
• Cling Life Is Art Stamp
• Cling Jumbo Butterfly Trio Stamps

Very Soon I will do a tutorial on how I do my mixed media canvases, but for now I want to show you a trick with the Stampendous Crushed Glass Glitter. This is the last step because the glitter needs to sit ON TOP OF the paint. You will need matte/gel medium (I used the thicker variety) that dries clear and a spatula.

1. Mix the medium and glass glitter with a spatula. I eye-balled it knowing that I wanted a fairly thick concentration of glitter on my project.

2. Smear/spread the mixture onto the canvas around the edges. If you’re using thicker medium you can allow the spread to be more dimensional. When it dries it will keep its shape.

3. Once the medium dries you will be left with the glass glitter. It’s there for good!

I hope you enjoyed my canvas and please let me know in the comments if you have any questions!

Check out the March Challenge

Remember to check out our March 2013 Challenge – Template Fun – celebrating the new FREE Template that comes in our Jumbo Cling Flower stamps.

Goodies Galore! Don’t miss these great Giveaways!

Two of our terrific partners in the paper crafts media are giving away Stampendous Goodies this week.

Canadian Scrapbooker Prize Giveaway

Canadian Scrapbooker has a Best of CHA review going on, giving away heaps of swag on their blog! Our terrific new Jumbo Flowers are featured HERE along with some yumminess from Graphic 45.  NOTE: You have to visit THEIR blog to win.

 

Color Fragments 5-Jar Kit

Crafts ‘N Things Magazine has a fantastic review of our Color Fragments products along with some gorgeous samples by Suzanne Czosek. They have 3 5-jar kits of Color Fragments to give away! Don’t miss this opportunity! Check it out on their blog HERE. Again NOTE: You have to comment on THEIR BLOG to win.

 

If you won both drawings you could create something amazing like these gorgeous samples!  Good Luck!

Stay Tuned for New Goodies Coming Soon!

We bet your local store ordered some new, delicious goodness at CHA last week! We’re processing orders like crazy! You are going to NEED some of this fabulousness, we can just tell.

Can we say 10 incredible colors of the super finest Micro Glitter?

Or what about  some HOT new Steampunk images? In Woodmounted AND Cling Rubber, of course!

W090 Click Heels and CRW090 Cling Click Heels

Or maybe you’ve got some travel planned, or travel to scrapbook! How about some new Perfectly Clear™ Stamps with a voyaging theme?

Bon Voyage!

Stay tuned for our Design Team Sneak Peeks this week. You won’t believe the amazing projects they’ve made with these great new products!

If you need to find a retailer near you, just use our online Dealer Locator. Or you can order from one of our terrific Online Retailers.

You’ll be able to see all our new items later this month on our website HERE.

Has Your Local Store Ordered New Stampendous?

Now that we’re all home from CHA, it’s time to stop in at your local stamping or scrapbooking store and find out if they’ve ordered the newest goodies from Stampendous yet!  Some of these will sell out fast, and you’re going to want them to reserve one for  you! For example, how about  5 new, yummy colors of Fran•táge Mica Fragments in the super sized jars? Ooooh la la !!

Brand new Stampendous colored Mica!

Or what about our dynamic new Jumbo Cling Flowers which now include a FREE 2-part template for masking your image or background?

New Jumbo Cling Daisy, Sunflower, Poppy

If you need to find a retailer near you, just use our online Dealer Locator. Or you can order from one of our terrific Online Retailers.

You’ll be able to see all our new items later this month on our website HERE. Our terrific Design Team will be blogging Sneak Peeks next week, and we’ll be sharing some of their best samples.

Loving Wishes

We have another great tutorial from Yana Smakula here today! She’s using our Jumbo Cling Rubber Butterfly Trio again to show how these super versatile stamps can even be a darling Valentine!  Butterflies are just such a multi-use image with so many possibilites! Here’s one more that makes this set even more irresistible!

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Hi everyone! BlogStar Yana Smakula here and today I have a quick and easy butterfly card using the new CRS5044 Jumbo Butterfly Trio stamp set and Black Glass Glitter.

I am honestly in love with these butterflies! They are so versatile, feels like I can use them over and over again on my cards.

As always, I made a few step by step images of how the card came together.

1. I first stamped the large butterfly twice on white cardstock and coloured with copic markers, cut the images out:

I wanted to layer one butterfly on top of another to give the card more dimension. I chose the orange one for the top and placed red one on the bottom.

2. I covered the middle part of orange butterfly with black crushed glass glitter. I used Zip Dry Paper Glue from Beacon Adhesives to hold the glitter:

3. Using a die from Spellbinder’s Paper Arts I cut a banner and stamped a sentiment from SSC1159 Rose Thoughts stamp set. Because my sentiment was straight and the banner had a curve to it I positioned acrylic block over the paper banner and placed the stamp on the block following the lines of the banner:

4. I adhered the banner to the butterfly and finished the card:

Supplies:

• CRS5044 Jumbo Butterfly Trio stamp set and SSC1159 Rose Thoughts stamp set;
• Black Crushed Glass Glitter;
• Zip Dry Paper Glue (Beacon Adhesives);
• White cardstock (Dovecraft), green cardstock (Coredinations);
• Pattern paper (Echo Park);
• Die cutting machine and die (Spellbinders Paper Arts – Grand Calibur and Ribbon Banner S4-324)
• Sewing machine (Dragonfly).

Butterfly Trio Sympathy Card

BlogStar Annette Witherspoon shares with us her last BlogStar post today! We’ve so enjoyed Annette’s art, and we sure hope she’ll visit us again soon with some of her terrific talent. Meanwhile we’ll hopefully see her commenting on our blog and playing along with our challenges! Congrats, Annnette! You’re eligible to win prizes again! Thanks so much for your sharing! This card, would, of course, be simple and easy to make lots of them for any occasion! Love the colors and the dynamic composition!

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None of us like making them, and we like sending them even less. Unfortunately, it’s part of life. I’m talking about sympathy cards. For this reason, I make a few to keep in my stash and pull out when necessary. I figure it’s easier than making one for someone specific.

This card uses all three images in the Jumbo Cling Butterfly Trio. I stamped the largest butterfly in orange first, then the middle-sized image in blue and the smallest in green. I used Distress Inks for all three.

Then I used some Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel to apply my new favorite technique – Fran•táge!! I stamped the sentiment from the Perfectly Clear Sincere Sentiments set, cut it out, distressed it, and placed a metallic frame around it. A little sparkly embroidery floss tied around the top puts the finishing touch on the card.