Charity Auction

Hi, I have a charity Auction for Cancer Research on ebay for the next 10 days.We commissioned Daphne Roberts (former editor of the now defunct Simply Stamping magazine), to make some multi media canvases for us for our trade show in Feb 2007.

As they would be gathering dust after the end of this year, we decided to auction them off on Ebay for Cancer Research. Both Mal and I have family and friends who have suffered from Cancer, and thought this an appropriate way to raise money for a cause close to our hearts.

I have set the minimum bids low, and hope that some of you will bid to raise money, and have a great piece of artwork too! They will make a fab Christmas present if you could bear to give them away!

This is the link to my shop on ebay where they are being auctioned.http://stores.ebay.co.uk/millionsofstamps


here is a taster of a couple of them

Grungy Jewelled Tin

Finally I got around to using the Tim Holtz Grungeboard...

Recipe:

Take one medium sliding tin,Alcohol inks , Distress inks, Grungeboard Dots elements, little jewels, Gold Krylon pen, and a lot of patience.

Method:

I alcohol inked the tin with red, and green inks from Kuretake, and gold from Ranger, and allowed to dry. Then I cut up some of the scrolls from the elements, and then inked them with spiced marmalade distress , spritzed them to cover scrolls, and highlighted with frayed burlap and a touch of gold pen.

I then glued them onto the lid and bottom of the tin, and attached coloured jewels around the edges and randomly on the top.

Charity Auction

Having not written my blog for ages, I thought I would mention that on Thursday I am starting an auction on Ebay for some of the canvases I commissioned from Daphne Roberts ( former editor of Simply Stamping magazine) .

As a taster I have posted one of them.

I shall be sad to see them go as they have travelled with me , and been displayed at the shows I have done this year, but we wanted to sell them to raise money for cancer, as both Mal and I have family and friends who have suffered from cancer. I wanted other people to be able to enjoy the artwork, and raise money for charity too. I hope you agree.

Spritzing!

Having suddenly realised I hadn't written my blog for weeks, I thought I would tell you about my workshops in the last month.

I taught 3 workshops to 30 people each time, 2 at Alexandra Palace Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show , and one to a group of lovely ladies from Happy Stampers North West.

What fun the workshops were!

I had asked a friend of mine , Debbie , to design a couple of canvases for each workshop and then between us we worked some more on them tp produce one I could teach in an hour, and one in 2 hours.

At Ally Pally we used an 8 x8 canvas , and at The other a 12 x 12 one.

Both used Kuretake "alcohol inks" or refill inks, in yellows and greens, alongside collage and stamping on tissue paper. I shall publish both on my website http://www.theartisticstamper.com/ if you would like to look.

One thing I did discover while preparing these canvases was that if you took a spritzer and filled it with ink, and a little bit of blender you could get a fabulous smooth blended finish on your surface. Use several colours of the same shade and you can blend and work backgrounds. Mix your own colours and have a unique look! I call it alcohol ink spritzing.. not a very unique name .. I know but if you have a better idea???

All the people who took the workshop seemed to have fun, and hopefully went home with a great project!

Absolutely Manic!

Is that the world or me?? I suddenly remembered that I ought to post a little bit more on my blog , when I was lying awake at about 5 this morning! ( one of those things that you get when you get to my age! more about all that in another blog...

and so I thought I would write down what I had been up to for the past few days. ( I quite like the idea that someone somewhere might read this and think oh yes that is what my days are like....

I have a upcoming retail show at Alexandra Palace tomorrow for 2 days , and as we manufacture or collect most of the "stuff" we sell, I have been busy making NEW rubberstamps..oriental, and also new single stamps which are less than half the price of my die sheets.

I have been collating vintage items for my bags and twills and all sorts of things... I seem to be permanently using my fabulous laser printer( pressie from DH last year) and also getting together the workshop for 60 lucky people!

If you are coming along drop by and see us on stand 49. Mal has decided to do a draw for an amazing amount of stuff. All you have to do is buy something to enter, and then collect your prize at the end of the day!

He also has discovered punches, so will be giving awaylittle dragonflies, and snowflakes at his whim! I will make a crafter of him yet!!!

Off now to pack the rest of the stuff......will let you know how it all goes..

My first Blog!

Guess it seems that you write about yourself and all that you do, so here goes....

51 years young, married for the 2nd time to Mal, a loving, toy boy! ( he is 5 months younger than me) with 5 grown up children between us!

For a living, I manufacture art rubberstamps, which I love, because I get to play with art all day! It is hard work, and often I wonder why I do it .....then I get an order and it is all worthwhile.

On Thursday I am demonstrating at a customer's shop in Kent, so I am getting all my bits and bobs ready , and working out what I am going to demo. Big right now and easy to make are ATC's ( Artist's Trading Cards). I love making them as they are quick ad small and I can give them away. You cannot sell ATC's. You have to trade them or give them away. I am experimenting all the time, and use alcohol inks and craft inks to make them.

Anyways, here I have written about a small part of my life.. so will come back tomorrow and write a bit more....