My Sunday Shares

Hi Everyone! Hope you have been enjoying your weekend...mine has went too fast as usual :) I found a couple of the CUTEST cards to share with you today from two amazing artists!

The first of my favorites for this week is an adorable card created by Shelby Thomas. She has an incredible blog called Color Of Happy . I can tell you from first hand experience that her blog is appropriately named because she makes the most adorable cards AND she is amazing at copic coloring. Her cards just pop with bright colors and will leave a smile on your face. It did mine!

Here is one of her cards called Plant Kindness. She used one of my FAVORITE images from the newest company to join our product line, Crafty Sentiments Designs. I am proud to say that right now we are the only store in the United States that carry this line! The image that Shelby used on her card is a new Spring 2012 release called Primrose Garden Flowers . Take a look...

Doesn't this cutie just make you smile? Be sure to visit Shelby's Blog, Color Of Happy and see some more of her fabulous creations!

The next talented artist I came across is Eva and her blog is called, Crafting This and That. Her adorable card uses another of my favorite stamp lines, Wild Rose Studio. Her card uses the cutest elephant on the planet...BELLA! Bella is also the name of my Ja-Tese so of course anything named Bella is adorable :) Eva's card uses the stamp called Bella's Birthday and she used the matching 6x6 scrapbook paper called the Bella Paper Pack. Here is Eva's card, that is called Bella's Birthday ...

Another cutie that just makes me smile! Eva did an AWESOME job coloring her image. I love the soft colors and her white gel pen and stickles she used to add the bling to her balloon. Please be sure to visit Eva's blog and see some more of her eye candy!

I hope you enjoyed today's shares and they put a smile on your face as they did mine! These two ladies are very talented and I really appreciate them both allowing me to share their incredible designs with you! Thank you so much Shelby & Eva!

Hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

Happy Stamping - Laura

P.S. if you are wondering what my adorable Bella looks like here she is...she was being silly and wearing her glasses :)

Faux Patina....Sunflower!

Looking for this week's Loves Rubberstamps Blog Challenge? Go Here: April Showers

Hi Everyone! Hope your day has been a good one! Today's card was really fun for me to make! I used a technique that I had never tried before and thought it turned out really pretty!

The Technique I used on the background is called Faux Patina and I saw the tutorial on splitcoaststampers. I used different colors than in the tutorial so it would qualify for this weeks color challenge (CC372) on splitcoaststampers... using More Mustard, Pool Party, & Early Espresso. The thing about color challenges sometimes is that I would probably NEVER have chosen these on my own but after making this card - I love them together! This would be a great color combo for Fall projects too.

The colors I used to create the Faux Patina background on this card are: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Always Artichoke & Early Espresso

The stamp that I used is one of my favorite flowers... SUNFLOWERS! This sunflower is from the Paint Fushion Collection by Sheena Douglass from Crafter's Companion.

I colored my flower by sponging on ink. I used More Mustard on the petals, Early Espresso in the middle. I used pool party in the middle of my leaf and then always artichoke and sponged the edges with early espresso. I did two layers of the sunflower and popped them on dimensionals to give it more of a 3D look.

The layout for my card is this week's Mojo Monday Sketch #238

After making this card I played around with the Faux Patina Technique and tried using a few different color combos and thought they all turned out pretty neat in their own ways. Just remember to use:

1 - A light base color
2 - A blue color
3 - A green color
4 - A brown color
5 - then versamark random areas and gold emboss

Here are the other color combos I tried left to right:

1 - More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olove & Chocolate Chip
2 - Sahara Sand, Pool Party, Pear Pizazz & Soft Suede
3 - Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Always Artichoke, Early Espresso

Hope you will try this technique!
Happy Stamping! - Laura

Calm After The Storm

Hi Everyone! I am EXCITED to share my card with you today because I created it for inspiration for the new, re-vamped Loves Rubberstamps Blog Challenges! This weeks challenge is called APRIL SHOWERS and to play you just create a card, scrapbook page, or other papercrafting project that is ANYTHING shower related! See all the details including what you can win in this post here - Blog Challenge #1 - April Showers

Here is my card:

I sponged the entire background using a lot of different Stampin Up! Ink Pads and my Umbrella is the new release C.C. Designs Cutters Die - Umbrella. After running the die through my cuttlebug I added score lines for dimension to look like the umbrella panels and then "popped" it using dimensionals on my card. The photograph that I was inpired by reminded me of the peaceful, calm stillness after an April rainstorm on the beach which is what I wanted to capture in my card. I chose the sentiment as a reminder to cherish the simple, beautiful things in life like a gorgeous landscape picture.

The photograph was one that I saw on Pinterest and had pinned to my CARD INSPIRATIONS BOARD. I love doing scenery cards so you will see a lot of pretty landscape pictures on there. You will also see some pretty cakes because I am inspired by those too...LOL! And if you check a little further into my pinterest boards you will see I have a ton of desserts to try recipes...way more than my food food ones... *blush*

Here is the photograph that inspired my card today, it is called "Colourful Morning by Noval Nugraha"

Here is what I used on my card - items that can currently be purchased in our store, Loves Rubberstamps, will have the clickable links :)

C.C. Designs Cutters Umbrella Die
Cherish Stamp is from a set by Clear Art Stamps

Cardstock Used:
Stampin Up! - Whisper White & Pumpkin Pie

Stampin Up! Inks Used:
Peach Parfait
Calypso Coral
Summer Sun
Basic Gray
Pink Pirouette
Pretty In Pink
Melon Mambo
Lavender Lace
Elegant Eggplant
Basic Black
Night of Navy

I also used a Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Marker in True Black from the Essentials Set, sponges, Stampin Up! Dimensionals and lots and lots of post it notes :)

I hope you enjoy the card today and play along in this week's challenge! Happy Stamping! - Laura

My Sunday Shares - Favorite Blog Finds

Good Morning Everyone!

I have a super special treat for you today! As I have mentioned before, I am restructing this blog to be an inspiration blog for the many products we carry in the store. I have been busy coming up with ideas on providing the best inspiration for you and one of them is called My Sunday Shares. Every Sunday I am going to post (with the artist's permission) my favorite blog finds created using products from companies that we carry in our store. I will also post direct links to the artist's blog posts that talk about the project shown. So here is my first Sunday Shares favorite finds...

I would normally have multiple artists showcased but after you see my first "favorite" artist's work you will see why I am sharing just her projects today! I started coming across Mariska van der Veer's AMAZING projects when I added Whimsy Stamps to our product line. She is one of their very talented design team members. I started seeing more of her work and became even more "in awe" of her talent because not only is she on the design team for Whimsy stamps but also C.C. Designs and is a guest designer for Pink Cat Studios, both companies we also carry!

If you have not seen Mariska's work you are in for a treat! I love paper piecing and the way it can really make a stamp image "pop" so it looks 3D and Mariska is THE BEST at this technique! Check out this altered cigar box that she made using a Bildmalarna Stamp called Mimosa Is Coming...

Here is a Close Up:

Check out her blog post that shows all the itsy bitsy pieces that she used to create this awesome 3D image!

See what I mean about her being the best! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Every time I see one of her creations all I can saw is WOW! Then I see all the little bits that make up her image and am just in awe at her attention to detail and the hours it must take to create each image. Mariska was kind enough to tell me that I could share any of my favorite projects she has made with you so here are some more.

This was the first project of her's I saw that caught my eye. She used the Silver Fairy from the Wee Stamps Collection by Sylvia Zet for Whimsy Stamps

See Mariska's Blog Post for the Silver Fairy Altered Cigar Box

Here is one of her C.C. Designs Cards that was tucked into my favorites :) She uses the new release Umbrella Lula Swiss Pixie

See Mariska's Blog Post for Umbrella Lula

I will share one more of my favorite's because honestly there are many more... I could post her whole blog on here - LOL! This one is a card she created using the new Chloe Stamp from the Little Cottage Cuties designed by Elisabeth Bell for Whimsy Stamps. We just got these in and they will be in the store later today including the two new ones just released! I was super excited because Elisabeth Bell is one of my FAVORITE designers :)

Read how Mariska created this cutie in her blog post!

I know I said that Chloe would be my last "favorite" but I have to show you one more... AMY! I LOVE the way Mariska colored this little cutie and made her 3D looking with all her layers...

Isn't that incredible? You can see how she created her in this blog post.

I hope you enjoyed my favorite finds for this week's Sunday Shares! I would like to extend a special thanks to Mariska for allowing me to share her incredible talent with all of you! Please visit her blog, Sending You a Little Smile and become a follower - besides her amazing creations she has some awesome tutorials on paper piecing to create your own 3D images! I hope this inspired you to try paper piecing your stamp images! If you do please put a comment with a link to your creation - I would LOVE to see it!

Thanks for stopping by! Laura

Club Kid...Life is what you make it

Hello everyone!

Today I have a card to share.... YAY! I made this last night while I was trying to find things to keep myself awake due to only having 2 1/2 hours of sleep in two days thanks to my outside job...but that is a whole other story that I won't bore you with here! After working 2 - 12 hour shifts (7am - 7pm Tuesday then... 3am to 3pm...Wednesday and 2 1/2 hrs of sleep in between) this is what I made....



It is an easel card that I made for the Whimsy Stamps Challenge Blog

Whimsy Stamps is one of my favorite companies (that is why I carry them in my store obviously - LOL) Their artist line up is AMAZING! Each has their own unique line with images that are so fun to create with.

One of my favorite lines is from the KennyK Collection...the Glam Gang Series! I used the Club Kid image for my card. I colored it using my Spectum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers on the Crafter's Companion Cardstock and then cut her out so she could be popped against the background to give it a more 3D look. I completed my easel card background and bottom of my card by stamping it with the Street Art Background from the Raindrop Echo Designs Sentiments Collection. This was just made for this series I swear :)

My ticket saying is also from the Raindrop Echo Designs Sentiments Collection and is called The Fun Life Tickets which I swear are also made for this series by KennyK!

After putting it together I felt the left side corner needed a subtle "pop" so I added the little red heart punchie. I really love how this card turned out!

Here is a close up of my Club Kid image that I colored:



I am still in the learning phase of coloring and shading with alcohol ink markers but I thought she turned out pretty good! There is an amazing and talented lady named Suzanne Dean who is my coloring hero! She has a great blog with some awesome tutorials on coloring with copics. Copics are still on my "wish list" so I just used what I have.

I hope you like the card today! I love the saying on the ticket because I needed some positive inspiration after having a stressful few days at my outside job! Makes me more determined to make my dream of turning Loves Rubberstamps into my only "job" because as the ticket says... Life is what you make it...

Happy Stamping Everyone!

Products Used: Bolded Blue products can be purchased in my store, Loves Rubberstamps

Stamps:
Club Kid - Whimsy Stamps KennyK Collection
Street Art Background - Whimsy Stamps Raindrop Echo Sentiments Collection
The Fun Life Tickets - Whimsy Stamps Raindrop Echo Sentiments Collection

Also Used:
Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Markers
Stampin Up! Pretty In Pink, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, & Real Red Cardstock
Stampin Up! Heart To Heart Punch
Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White Cardstock for Alcohol Markers
Stampin Up! Dimensionals
Stampin Up! Glitter Brads
Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen

Inks Used:
Momento Tuxedo Black
Stampin Up! Early Espresso, Pretty In Pink, Crumb Cake

Belles 'n Whistles now available!

Good morning everyone!

I just wanted to share a few happenings at Loves Rubberstamps with you!

First off... we have a new company that we have added - Belles 'n Whistles! They offer clear stamps designed by the fabulous artist Elisabeth Bell. Here is one stamp that we have available for purchase called A Pen Friend.



We have also added a new line from Crafter's Companion called Paintbox Poppets designed by artist Christine Haworth. These feature adorable images of children with a vintage, nostalgic feel to them. This one is called Father's Footsteps.



We have a new shipment of Bildmalarna stamps that have arrived and are ready for purchase too! These feature their new Spring release stamps and some customer favorite images so be sure and check those out too! This super cute image is called Your Birthday and is one of the new Spring release Little Winged Friends.



We are expecting LOTS of new products that will be arriving over the next few weeks and we will be adding two more new companies once their products arrive! You can see all of the new items that have been added to our store here!

If you haven't already... be sure to sign up for our newsletter that will keep you up to date on what's new and you will receive special offers once in awhile as well. Make sure when you subscribe that you list your birthday month in the comment and you will receive a special offer to use during the month of your birthday as well!

Hope you all have a safe and Happy Easter weekend with family!
Laura