Published! + a Winner!

Hi all! Last year I was thrilled to be asked to join in the Ranger Designer Challenge. It was always a dream of mine to have that honor! The challenge product was the new Distress Paint collection that was released at the show.

At the time, I was pretty much in mad love with Tim Holtz's Jumbo Tattered Florals die from Sizzix and decided to use the paints to create some pretty, yet grungy, metal flowers. This piece was definitely a challenge for me and I was a little unsure of it when it was finished. I was in such a rush to finish it that I only had a chance to take this quick pic before I wrapped it up and shipped it off, hoping that it would show my love of the paints and measure up to the talent I knew I would be surrounded by at CHA.

So, imagine my surprise when I got an email from Somerset Studio saying they were going to use it in an article featuring a selection of the challenge canvases! I was beyond thrilled. It's a fantastic article and so inspiring to see how each artist interpreted the theme. This issue will be on newsstands July 1st and I highly recommend you grab a copy.

A friend of mine pointed out that the magazine had also used a portion of my canvas to create one of their free Artists' Papers. How cool is that?! They did a wonderful job with it too - the paper is beautiful.

Okay, now for the winner of the new Mini Distress Inks!

Comment #1 was from Bearcrazyman who said:

bearcrazymanJune 16, 2014 at 10:37 AM

Very cool thanks for the chance to win

Congratulations, Bear! I will be contacting you for your mailing info so I can get these little cuties to you asap!

I plan to do a tutorial soon for these painted metal flowers, but in the meantime, you can find the products I used to create them from Inspiration Emporium via the links below. Remember to use my coupon code - stamptramp - to save 10% on your order!

Sizzix Jumbo Tattered Florals Sizzix Tattered Florals Die Ranger Distress Paint Ranger Antiquities Weathered White Distress Embossing Powder - Vintage Photo Idea-ology Long Fasteners Stampers Anonymous Tall Text

InLinkz.com

Here is one more photo that Michelle over at Mixed Media Art was kind enough to let me share. Since I didn't get to attend this CHA show, it was really nice to find someone who had a pic so I could see how my canvas looked on display.

Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you all left on the giveaway post. I wish I had an ink set for every single person! Have a wonderful, arty week!

Pop 'n Cuts Winner + Cool News!

First, let me say thanks to all of you for leaving such wonderful comments on the Pop 'n Cuts giveaway post. I am so excited to see that you are all excited by these fantastic dies! I had 225 comments (wow!) and the random number generator chose:

 

Gail in Oklahoma, who said, "Shelly, Amazing as always! You probably know already how much I love your art. I told my daughter you probably think I am a stalker, lol, as I am always admiring your work. A stunning card and I love the deer jumping out from the woods."

Congratulations, Gail! And no, I don't think you're a stalker at all! You are so sweet. :) I will contact you right away and get your die to you so you can start creating!

Okay, here is my cool news - I've been published! I have a tutorial in the latest Handcrafted Jewelry Magazine featuring a charm bracelet I made using my Faux Crazed Porcelain technique. What a thrill! I haven't submitted in so long I've forgotten how fun it is.

A few months ago I was contacted by editor Debbie Blair who asked if I could create a bracelet using the technique. I wasn't sure - jewelry is not something I do a lot of - but I figured I'd give it a whirl! I love how the piece turned out. I used lots of idea-ology Baubles and Charms; stamps from Stampers Anonymous, Artistic Outpost, and Oxford Impressions; one of my all-time favorite Sizzix dies - Tiny Tabs and Tags; and the real star of the show - Ranger's Distress Crackle Paint and Ultra Thick Embossing enamel.

You can find the magazine on newsstands and directly from Interweave. There are also two projects from my Sizzix Design Teammate, Melonie Bradley - congrats to her! I highly recommend this magazine if you're into mixed media - it is packed with incredible step-by-step tutorials. I'm so excited to be featured with so many truly talented artists!

Published!

Last year, I was lucky enough to be asked by the wonderful Audrey Hernandez to participate in a 'With One Image' challenge for Somerset Memories. It had been so long since I'd submitted that I was a little rusty! Sometimes I feel like my blog has taken the place of being published - there is no deadline, no typing up instructions, and no letdown if your pieces don't get chosen. Instant gratification!

The cards appear in an article in the Autumn issue of the magazine. The other artists are Carlene Federer, Karen Brown, Dawn Rice and, of course, Audrey. Everyone's pieces came out so great - unique and different, yet all of them seem to complement each other. Here are mine:

The first card was created using the Wrinkle Free Distress technique (aka Watercolor Distress to Technique Junkies), which I have been in love with ever since I saw it on Robin Beam's blog. I thought the blue and brown looked really good togther. I made another one with pink and brown around this time - also very cool looking. I need to dig it out and make something with it.

This card was one of my favorites. Guess where that tag came from? The dump! Well, the Desoto County Rubbish Pit to be exact. No, it's not a nasty garbage dump, just where you take all your stuff when you're remodeling or cleaning out your shed. Once I saw a guy bring a boat that had two jet skis sitting on top of it! Since we've been remodeling our house for the past 6 years or so, I've had lots of opportunities to hang out at the dump. Some day I'll post pics of all the cool stuff I've found there. This tag was in a bundle that was held together with a rusty bulldog clip. I did let it sit out in the rain for a long time before I used them. I figure nature cleaned anything nasty off. :-)

This is the third card I made. Sadly, it didn't make it into the magazine. I thought that of all of the cards, this one would have made it! I like the simplicity of it. I think I was in a 'clean and uncluttered' mood when I made these.

Thanks so much to Audrey for inviting me to be part of this - I had a blast making these cards. Maybe I'll get my submission mojo back. Maybe.

Published!

I just found out I have something in the Feb/Mar Stampers' Sampler. I don't have the mag yet, but my buddy Suzanne said they used my Country Girl piece! This is one of my favorites so I was really glad to see they used it.

Huge Sale!

Lasting Impressions With Panache is having a HUGE grab bag sale! Click here for the details. They have a great variety of stamps - there is something for everyone! This is one of my cards that appears in the latest Take Ten. It was stamped with their Eiffel Tower and Paris postmark stamps. 'Bonjour' is stamped with their Bold Alphabet stamp set. This is a great size set, perfect for cards. Head over there before they run out!

Published!

I just got my comp issue of the Autumn Take Ten and there is a fabulous article about Suzanne at Oxford Impressions. She asked the DT to create artwork using the Country Girl plate (one of my all-time faves!) to go with the article. I was worried since it had been such a long time since I'd submitted anything - I was sure my poor cards would be left out! Well, they ended up using everything I sent! I am so excited. OI stamps were some of the first I'd ever used and they will always hold a special place in my heart, as well as my studio. Congratulations Suzanne!

Since I had to send the cards for the article, I included anything I'd recently done (or in some cases, cards I'd done ages ago but was too lazy to send!). They ended up using nearly everything I sent! I have two cards from Lasting Impressions With Panche, two cards from Innovative Stamp Creations, and two cards from Time to Stamp/I Brake For Stamps. All totaled I have 11 pieces - I think that's a record for me! It was fun to do and I think it's inspired me to get back into submitting. In addition, they've made a lot of changes to the magazine that I think have really improved it. In the past I'd usually just flip through it, this one I actually sat down and pored over.