Not All Who Wander Are Lost

...I love this phrase, mostly because I am a wanderer, and love to get off the beaten path. That's how discoveries are made and knowledge is gained. I think it fits perfectly with the Stamper's Anonymous image of the directional map. I have not had a chance to use this stamp before or the quote stamp, so I was excited to use them for Our Creative Corner's challenge this week of "Over the Edge"  hosted by Tui Nathan. You are to create a card or paper craft item with a design element that flows off the edge of your card. If you have time, please visit the other OCC designers blogs and see their gorgeous creations as well on this theme.

Linda Coughlin- The Funkie Junkie

Vicki Burdick- It's a Stamp Thing

Sue Butler- Scrumplescrunch

Ann Marie Hile- Stampin' Anne

Wendy Janson-  It's All About Stamping
Marcy Kaminski - En Papillote Arts
Holly Kean- Kean On Paper
Irena Kowalczyk (aka Rudlis) - Love, Life and Crafts
Meihsia Liu- Simply Paper Crafts
Tui Nathan- Stampin Time
Lori Rider- The Diva Stamper
Kristin Tierney- Lilly Beth Boutique
Sharon Wheet- Designs by Sharon

I had not gotten to use this stamp before, and I see so many possibilities for it.

After I stamped the image on Grunge, I inked each arrow a different color, then stamped the wood grain image on the whole this in Pumice Stone.

For the background, I used Alcohol Ink on Glossy Cardstock to create an abstract looking sky and sun.

I stamped the foliage images in various colors of StazOn randomly, and added a few dots of red to mimic wild flowers. I used Artist Outpost's image of the pigeon, and stamped the flock of birds as well. I stamped the sentiment on cardstock and applied Rock Candy Distress Crackle to it, then adhered it to the post and added a mini fastener. I wanted to do something else with the ribbon besides the typical tie to the tag hole, and instead added brads with attached holes and added the ribbon to those, so the tag could still be hung.

As luck would have it, I am also participating in a tag swap at the Creative Block - Stamper's Anonymous Yahoo Group, where you have to create tag with a stamp you haven't used before and half images of other stamps. I think I managed to do both on this tag.

Supplies:
Stamper's Anonymous: Wood Post Sign Stamp
Uchida Marvy: Artist Pigmented Marker (red)
From My Stash: ribbon, eyelet brads, white cardstock

World Traveler Stamp Set	Wallpaper and Wood Stamp Set	Clear Lost & Found Stamp Set	Clear Mini Nature′s Elements Stamp Set	Gloss Finish Paper
Grunge Paper 6x12	London Elements Stamp Set	Snow Cap Mixative	Alcohol ink - Stream	Sail Boat Blue Alcohol Ink
Denim Alcohol Ink	Sunshine Yellow Alcohol Ink	Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool	Jet Black Archival Ink	Sepia Archival Ink
Pumice Stone Distress Ink	Walnut Stain - Distress Ink	Barn Door - Distress ink	Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink	Mustard Seed Distress Ink
Peeled Paint Distress Ink	Broken china - Distress ink	Ink blending tool	Cotton White Stazon	Cactus Green StazOn
Timber Brown StazOn	Saddle Brown StazOn	Idea-ology Mini Fasteners	Clear Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint	Glossy Accents

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

London In The Year Of The Dragon

Have you ever ran across a design on paper, and it wasn't really your cup of tea, but for some reason it lingered in your mind? Strange sounding? Maybe to some, but I know there are a few of you out there who understand what I mean. Well, this has happened to me a few times, and one of these times involved a dragon image on a 7 Gypsies Paper Stack. I have never been into the dragon theme. Sure I can appreciate it, but it just wasn't me, so when I saw a sheet of paper with a dragon on it, I thought instantly to tear it out and put it into my give away pile, but I didn't. My naggy inside voice said to leave it because I just might need it someday (maybe I should call it my hoarding voice). Then 2012 rolled around, which is considered the year of the dragon by Chinese horoscopes, if you believe in that sort of thing, but I thought it would be cool to use that paper in a new year project, but I just never got around to it, until Artistic Outpost. Huh??? Sounds crazy I know, but in their new stamp release London Elements, there is an image of a coat of arms with two dragons on it. So I did some research and found out the the dragon is a big thing in the UK, especially Wales, where it even resides on the flag. Bingo! My dragon paper was perfect for this new stamp set and not strange at all.
I am also submitting this tag to the "London, Paris, or NYC" challenge at Simon Says Stamp & Show.

This is a postcard advertisement I received in the mail that I cut up and used on this tag.

Supplies:
Close To My Heart: gold embossing powder
Uline: Jumbo Tag
From My Stash: postcard advertisement, ribbon, white cardstock

7 Gypsies Gypsy Market Paper	Uniball Signo Gold Pen	Uni-ball pen - White	Black Soot Distress Embossing Powder	Big & Bossy Empossing Ink Pad	Fired Brick Distress Embossing Powder
Fall 2011 Limited Edition Distress Ink Trio	Crackle Accents	Ink Blending Tool	Black Soot Distress Ink	Distress Embossing Ink	Jet Black Archival Ink
Glossy Accents	London Elements Stamp Set	Loverly London Stamp Set

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

12 Tags Of 2012 - February

As most of you know...because I am a week late in getting here...Tim has decided to retire the 12 Tags of Christmas, :0( and instead do a tag a month and call it 12 Tags of 2012 :0). I love this idea, although I will miss all the action at Christmastime, but maybe now I can finally get Christmas cards accomplished. I managed to get the February tag accomplished though, and that is saying something considering how I still feel...terrible! My sinus and cold problems tend to linger due to a nasty deviated septum...too much information? Sorry!!! I am looking forward to once again seeing tags from all over the world...thanks InLinkz, and thank you Tim!!!

I have the Cupid die and was just about to use it, but then the doorbell rang and the postman was delivering my new stamps. I opened them up immediately, and the second I saw the train, I started singing "Love Train", so I scratched the cupid and opted for the train. It puffs hearts instead of smoke! I love this stamp!!!

I stained the tag first with Spun Sugar. Since I like using a jumbo sized tag, I had to emboss this twice with the texture fade, but I left some space at the bottom to stamp my railroad tracks.

I gave the tag a few coats of Forever Red Perfect Pearl Mist for added contrast and shimmer, then ran the surface of a Walnut Stain pad over the tags raised images.

I did not have any honeycomb paper (on my list now) so I had to improvise. At first, I tried making my own from some instructions online, but I had no patience and gubbered it all up, so I had to make a new plan. I had a scrap piece of grunge of a not so perfect heart, so it was just right to cover up with tissue tape (shown below). I die cut 6 hearts with glittered paper.

I folded the hearts in half length wise and adhered them back to back. I inked the sides of all the pieces and then adhered the fanned heart onto the tissue taped heart. It's not even in the same field as Tim's, but it's 3D, and that is basically what I needed anyway.

Supplies:
Jolee's Boutique: Vintage Cupid
The Paper Studio: Christmas Glittered Cardstock
From My Stash: ribbon

On The Railroad Stamp Set	Walnut Stain - Distress Ink	Vintage Photo Distress Embossing Powder	Uniball Signo Gold Pen	Valentine Background & Borders Texture Fade
Forever Red Perfect Pearls Mist	Idea-ology Seasonal Salvage Stickers	Vintage Lace Die	Alterations Love Struck Bigz Die	Idea-ology Tissue Tape in Symphony
Philosophy Tags - Idea-ology

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!

Artistic Outpost's February Stamp Releases

Card Using AO London Elements, 7 Gypisies Journal Card, and Graphic 45 Embellishments

Card Using AO Diesel Punk & AO Industrial Chic, Graphic 45 Paper, Idea-ology Paper & Salvage Stickers

  Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep...This Just In From Artistic Outpost:

The wait is finally over.  Artistic Outpost is pleased to bring to you four brand new rubber stamp collections that are vintage, edgy, and extremely artful. We are happy to present: Diesel Punk, Charles & Amelia, Industrial Chic, and London Elements.

What is Diesel Punk? What happened to Steampunk?  We still very much love the Victorian magic that is the rage of Steampunk, however, we decided to advance the timeline and the trend to a more modern look.  It’s like Steampunk but with a combustion engine.  To us, Diesel Punk is a style that blends the “edge” of Steampunk with the art and culture of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. We think of motorcycles, roadsters, red lipstick, trench coats, jet packs, and jet engines.  Three of our new releases evoke our interpretation of this style.

Diesel Punk

Includes images of good looking guys, a beautiful dame, a kid ready to be a rocketeer, and fast machines to tempt their fates.

Charles & Amelia

Images featuring the king and queen of the skies when flying was more than transportation – it was an adventure.

 Industrial Chic

Backgrounds for any of your projects – steam, diesel, or any other kind of punk.

London Elements

More of our favorite images featuring the fun icons of London.

I will be showing you more projects using the new releases in the coming weeks, but in the meantime please visit the other AO Design Team members and be inspired by their awesome creations using the new stamps.

 Gerrie Johnnic   Lisa Somerville    Suzanne Czosek   Linda Coughlin   Tracy Evans   Yvonne Garner

I hope your hands get creatively dirty soon!