Carol Stamps

Challenge: Steampunk

3/25/2020

I'm not much of a steampunk fan but that is the subject of the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, March 23, 2020.

Now I know that, somewhere in my stash, is a stamp set that features insects with gears as a portion of their anatomy. Or at least I THINK there is one in my stash --- I know that I have seen these stamps somewhere*. But I searched every cling stamp I have yesterday and never found them. Maybe I had them in my shopping cart and then abandoned them before checkout. Anyway...

While searching, I found a lot of gear stamps, and one texture plate (intended for making resin molds) which I had purchased by mistake. I thought: "Self, why not try to use that texture plate as a stamp?" So I laid it texture side up on my work sheet, inked it up, placed a card on top and pressed the card into to get the ink to transfer. Not perfect but... maybe a passable background?

Needed more, though, so out came those gear stamps and black ink and a gold gel pen:

So, a background full of gears and the like. But it needs a steampunk focal point and, like I said, I'm not really a steampunk fan so I had only one stamp set that might pass as having "a historical setting and typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology" - Tim Holtz's "Professor"! After all, he has a handle-bar mustache (a historical feature) and is wearing a Victorian-style costume and those weird goggles (sort of odd-ball tech)... I stamped a circle (clock face?) from the set and embossed it in silver and stamped the Professor in Vintage Photo (historical???)... I fussy cut both images, toor the bottom of the Professor's costume, and attached both images with foam squares:

Sentiment anyone? I smeared Antiqued Bronze Distress Crayon on a Quote Chip (I had been watching Tim Holtz' tutorial/demo on Distress Crayons), adhered it and a Clipping Sticker to the card, outlining both with a black pen so set them off a little:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Deep Red “Gears Background” (3x504230) and “Steampunk Gears” (3x504244); Stampers Anonymous “The Professor” (CMS373); Ranger Melt Art Texture Plate "Graphic Gears" (SUT37927)
Inks: Distress Oxide “Hickory Smoke”; Distress Ink “Vintage Photo”; GInaK Amalgam “Jet Black”; Versamark; Sanford UniBall gel pen “gold”; Pigma Micron 05 pen “black”; Distress Crayon “Antiqued Bronze”
Embossing Powders: GInaK “Fine Detail Silver”
Papers: The Paper Studio A2 notecard “Ivory” (225219); Neena Solar White
Embellishments: Idea-ology “Quote Chips” (TH93563) and “Clipping Stickers - Halloween” (TH93619)
Adhesives: iCraft “Easy Tear Tape; Scrapbook Adhesives 3D foam squares; GInaK “Connect” glue

I'm also entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, March 25, 2020: Anything Goes

~~~~~
*Edited to add I did a search. It was a Stamperia stamp, or maybe more than one. Clearly, I didn't buy it/them!

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Challenge: Whatever the Weather

3/18/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge for March 18, 2020 is "Whatever the Weather":

"With the current pandemic there are quite a few of us feeling under the weather so with this challenge you can choose whether it is weather related or for someone feeling a bit poorly."

I'm sure this is not an uncommon phenomenon in other parts of the country (or the world, for that matter), but it's is commonly said around her: "If you don't like the weather, wit 15 minutes and it will change!" I decided to make three ATCs to reflect the changeability of the weather this week/month/year here in NW Ohio!

No photos of progress as these are simple stamped, inked and assembled ATCs:

I stamped the images in Amalgam Ink "Jet Black"on white card stock cut slightly smaller than an ATC, using stamps from magazine cover stamps and a set of alphabet stamps. I inked the images using Zig Clean Color markers (shades of grey and blue for "Rain", sun yellows for "Sending Sunshine" and "light violet for "snow") and edged the white card stock with Distress Oxide inks in coordinating colors ("Hickory Smoke" for "rain", "Squeezed MEonade" for "Sending Sunshine" and "Milled Lavender" for "Snow"). I mounted "Rain" on a striped silver ATC base (which doesn't show in this photo as striped)), "Sending Sunshine" on a holographic gold ATC base, and "Snow" on a speckled blue-grey base.

Products used in the making of these ATCs were:

Stamps: “Rainbow wishes” by Sally Mountain (a Quick Cards 2017 release); “Christmas 5-in-1 Set” by Jennifer Ellory (A Papercraft Inspirations 2017 release); Karen Foster Designs Snap-Stamps “Mini-Formal” (00377)
Inks: GinaK Amalgam “Jet Black”; Zig Clean Color Markers “Fog Gray” (904), “Lt. Blue” (036), “Pale Violet” (806), “Lemon Yellow” (051) and “Yellow” (050); Distress Oxide “Milled Lavender”, “Squeezed Lemonade” and “Hickory Smoke”
Papers: Neena Solar White; Marco’s Paper Artist Trading Card Color Assortment Pack
Adhesives: Ranger “Mini Multi Matte” (INK41411)

I'm also entering these ATCs in the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Challenge, for March 18, 2020: Little Things

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Challenge: Stencil Fun!

3/16/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge for March 16, 2020 is "Stencil Fun!": "Stencils are such a fabulous crafting tool! There are so many designs available, or you can make your own!"

I decided to pull one of my recent small StencilCLub stencils to make a card.

I blended three colors of Distress Oxide through the stencil to an A2 "ivory" card base. I then cut four thin strips from some Altenew "Gradient Card Stock" in "Cherry Blossom", embossed an sentiment in white on one and altered the four strips on the card:

The Altenew papers were "pinker" than the Distress Oxide Inks so I went about finding some paper flowers that would tie the two shades of pink together (Little Birdie flowers for the Altenew shade - although some petals were similar to the Distress Oxide shade - and Prima Flowers for the Distress Oxide Shade) and applied them to the finished card:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous "Tiny Text" (CMS394)
Stencils: Stencil Club 01-2020 by Mary Beth Shaw
Inks: Distress Oxide "Suun Sugar", "Worn Lipstick", and "Picked Raspberry"; Versamark
Embossing Powders: GinaK "Fine Detail White"
Papers: The Paper Studio A2 notecard "Ivory" (225219); ALtenew Gradient Card Stock Set "Cherry Blossom" (ALT3240)
Embellishments: Little Birdie "Lyon - Petals Pink" (CR35120; Prima Flowers #639808
Adhesives: iCraft "Easy Tear Tape"; Ranger "Multi Medium Matte" (INK41511)

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Challenge: Use Some Green

3/12/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Design Team is also in an Irish mood. Their challenge for March 11, 2020 was "Use Some Green".

Only a final photo on this one as the card came to gather quite quickly and I forgot to take interval photos!

I started by stamping some "Faded Type" in Versamark on an ivory A2 notecard and heat embossing it with fine detail white embossing powder. I then blended three shades of green Distress Oxide Ink over the embossed letters and wiped the excess ink from the embossing.

I had a scrap of water color paper that had been colored with Lindy's Magical "Leprechaun Laurel". I trimmed that scrap into two strips and applied them to the edge of the card with a thin strip of dark green rainbow tape between them.

I glued some silk leaves and white silk flowers to the top corner of the card, adding some green seed beads to the center of each flower.

Finally I attached quote chip to the card front.

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stampers Anonymous “Faded Type” (CMS397)
Inks: Versamark; Lindy’s Magicals “Lephrochaun Laurel”; Distress Oxides “Twisted Citron”, “Mowed Lawn” and “Lucky Clover”
Embossing Powders: GInaL “Fine Fetail White”
Papers: The Paper Studio A2 notecard “ivory” (225219); Ranger Watercolor Paper
Embelishemnts: silk flowers and leaves; Rainbow Tape; Idea-ology “Quote Chips” (TH93563); ArtBeads “Matte Opaque Avocado” seed beads (TBRD11-47F)
Adhesives: iCraft “Easy Tear Tape”; Ranger Multi Medium Matte (INK41511)

I'm also entering this in the Simon Say Stamp Monday Challenge, March 9, 2020: Bit O' Green.

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Challenge: Bit O' Green

3/10/2020

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The design team at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday must be in an Irish mood because their challenge for March 9, 2020 was "A Bit O' Green"!

And since I seem to be in a monochromatic mood of late, I made the following card...

I started by taping off a premade A2 ivory notecard and painted the open area with Lindy's Squirts ("Emerald Eh?!") diluted with water:

Using undiluted Squirt in the same color, I painted a Little Birdie paper flower (on the left is what the flower looked like before coloring it):

Once the card base was thoroughly dry, I stamped the Altenew "Dotted Diamonds" on the taped-off background in Versamark and heat embossed with fine detail gold embossing powder:

I found a small tag on which I stamped a sentiment from the Altenew stamp set, using GinaK's "Jelly Bean Green" ink. I edged the tag with the same green ink and added a glittery green ribbon before attaching tag and flower to the card face:

Just a tad more than "a bit" of green!

Products used in the making of this card ere:

Stamps: Altenew "Dotted Diamonds" (ALT3715)
Inks: Versamark; Lindy's Gang "Starburst Squirt "Emerald Eh?!"; GInaK "Jelly Bean Green"
Embossing Powders: GinaL "Fine Detail Gold"
Papers: The Paper Studio A2 notecard "ivory" (225219); small whit tag
Embellishments: Little Birdie "Floral Cafe - Grey" (CR35149); sparkly ribbon

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Challenge: Tag It

3/7/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, March 2, 2020, was to "Tag It"! But I had just returned from Indianapolis with a roaring case of the flu so time passed. Then the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, March 4, 2020 ("Something Feminine") and the Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Challenge, March 4, 2020 ("Aquamarine") were posted and I decided that if I fit better by the weekend, I could make one item that fit all three. So...

I started with a Distress tag, a new Impression Obsession stamp set, detail fine white embossing powder and Distress Oxide Inks in shades of blue-green. I stamped some gem shapes in Versamark and heat embossed with detail white embossing powder. I then layered Distress Oxide "Tumbled Glass" kissed with "Broken China" to color the gems in part of the range of aquamarine:

I then blended "Tumbled Glass" Distress Oxide on the background:

I added sentiments using Distress Oxide "Mermaid Lagoon":

I then realized that I had left out what was "left a little", so a tag title was created using Distress Oxide "Salty Ocean" and "Chipped Sapphire", heat embossed with detail fine clear embossing powder (and I added a touch of the same EP to each gem surface to add some shimmer). Three enamel dots formed an ellipsis between the title and the sentiment::

A Distress Stain-dyed seam allowance "crinkle-ribbon" and a scattering of sparkly Prima Flowers in aquamarine shades for a feminine touch finished the tag:

Products used in th making of this tag were:

Stamps: Impression obsession "Precious Gems" (WP884)
Inks: Versamark; Distress Oxide "Tumbled Glass", "Broken China", "Mermaid Lagoon", "Salty Ocean" and "Chipped Sapphire"
Embossing Powders: GinaK "Fine Detail White"; Ranger "Fine Detail Clear"
Papers: Ranger Distress Tag "TDA53828)
Embellishments: Altenew Enamel Dots "Cool Summer Night" (ALT2588); Prima Flowers "St Tropez" (596514); freebie (from Funkie Jnkie Boutique) dyed seam tape
AdhesivesL Ranger "Multi Matte Medium" (INK41511)

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Challenge: Inspired by Music

2/26/2020

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The theme for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, February 24, 2020 was "Inspired by Music"...

I started by searching for a bird stamp in my stash, as I find bird song most uplifting on spring and summer days. I finally located one of the right size and detail in a set by Stamperia's Cosmos Stamps. I stamped it in Versamark ink on a top-folded ivory card base and heat embossed with a coppery embossing powder. Next, I used musical notes and a quotation from a Honey Bee stamp set, stamped in black ink:

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Stamperia Cosmos Stamps "Cosmos Bird" (WTKCCR02) and Honey Bee "Music Speaks" (HBST-178)
Inks: Versamark; GinaK Amalgam "Jet Black"
Embossing Powders: Lindy's Gang "Midnight Copper"
Papers: ParkLane Paperie A2 notecard "ivory" (15919590)

I'm also entering this ins the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, February 26, 2020: Anything Goes

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Challenge: Add a Sentiment

2/19/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, February 19, 2020 was to "Add A Sentiment".

I started with an A2 notecard, stamped in black ink:

The bloom, stem and leaves were three separate stamps so I had to connect them to each other using a Pigma Micron black pen. I then colored the flower and leaves with Zig Clean Color Markers:

Clean, simple and quick!

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: GInaK "Colossal Cone Flower"
Inks: GinaK Amalgam "Jet Black"; Zig Clean Color Markers "Yellow" (050), "Lemon Yellow" ()51), "Oatmeal" (o64), "Brown" (060); May Green " (047) and "Green" (040); Pigma Micron 05 pen "black"
Papers: ParkLane Paperie A2 notecard "ivory" (15919590)

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Challenge: Frame It

2/19/2020

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The Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge, February 17, 2020, was "Frame It". I had a partial packet of Idea-ology adornments which I though would work so that is what I decided to use as my "games.

First, I searched my stash for a completed background and found one that I did back in June of 2018. I attached it to an A2 card base:

I took the three frames from the Idea-ology packet and three Photo Booth strips and cut "portraits" to fit each. I glued them to the back of the frame with Multi Medium Matte and then glued the three portraits to the card base along with a sentiment stamped on a coordinating color of cardstock:

Still seemed a little bland so I added some pearl stickers as accents to the frames and some matte black "Rainbow Tape" edging to the sentiment in lieu of a black mat:

This is a fantasy birthday card from me and my two brothers (we don't look a BIT like these photos, hence part of the fantasy) to someone we all know (not sure WHO that might be...)!

Products used in the making of this card were:

Stamps: Avery Elle "Sentimental" (ST-16-01) and "Sentimental Too" (ST-17-6); Hero Asts :Keep Calm" (CG512); Simon Says Stamp "Ornate Background" (sss101763)
Inks: Distress Inks "Fossilized Amber" and "Seedless Preserves"; GInaK Amalgam "Jet Black"
Papers: ParkLane Paperie A2 notecard "ivory" (15919590); Neena Solar White; scrap of mustard card
Embellishments: Idea-ology "Adornemnts - Frames" (TH93792) and "Photo Booth" (TH93207); Memory Box Pearl Stickers "Daffodil"; Rainbow Tape
Adhesives: iCraft "easy Tear Tape; Ranger Multi Medium Matte (INK41511)

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Challenge: Love is All Around Us

2/16/2020

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The Funky Junky Boutique Blog challenge for February 5, 2020 was "Love is All Around Us" and asks that hearts be incorporated in our makes.

Now I tend to avoid purchasing seasonal-specific products for holidays/events other than Christmas and Halloween (and I'm beginning to question my need for Halloween product...) so it was a real search to find something with heats involved. But I finally found two dies that would work in this challenge.

The first was a Lawn Fawn border die that came as a "favor" at Simon Says Stamp Create. I used it to cut a row of hears in a red A2 notecard base and then backed the cut-out area with a strip of textured silver mirror card from Tonic Studios:

I then searched my stamp/die collections and finally found a die from Simon Says Stamp that already had a pink die-cut made. I added a die cut from the silver card, layered it on the pink and glued that to the card front. I added three pink hearts from a set of Altenew enamel dots to finish:

Not very frilly or funky but it will have to do...

Products used in the making of this card were:

Dies: Lawn Fawn "Valentine Borders: (LF1299); Simon Says Stamp "Love You" (czd30)
Papers: Die Cut With a View Card Stack "Reds" (CM-92-00009); Tonic Craft Studio Speciality Card "Silver Silk" (9618E); scrap of pink
Embellishments: Altenew Enamel Dots "Red Cosmos" (ALT2591)
Adhesives: iCraft "Easy Tear Tape"; Ranger Multi Medium Matte (INK41511)

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Author

Born in New Jersey, I grew up in Southeastern Ohio. Attended university at Bowling Green State University (B.Sci in biological science, 1964), University of Southern California (M. Sci in biological science, 1967) and University of Florida (Ph. D in zoology, 1971).
Worked in environmental consulting for a little more than a decade and then seven years as an instructor in biological science at various community colleges in California and Texas. Moved to London in 1992, then Beijing (1996) and Saudi Arabia (1998), before returning to NW Ohio in 2002. I am currently living in NW Ohio with my husband and three Bombay cats. I love to read (mystery, science fiction, history) and stitch (have done crewel, currently experimenting with free embroidery and needlepoint but blackwork and cross stitch are my main genres); have been known to knit; and now I'm heavily into papercrafting!
Retired upon the return to the US so lots of time for our hobbies...