Saturday, July 31, 2010

Foam Correction Alert!!



Remember this fabulous picture courtesy of Mario Rossi? I wanted to make a quick correction... in order to make your own stamps using Tim Holtz Alterations Dies by Sizzix, you must use the thicker black fun foam that is available at your local craft and hobby store. You can make your own reusable stamps for just a few cents!

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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Dotty Dots!


Hellooo there! Check out what our talented Design Team did for this week's Simon Says Stamp Challenge!!! The theme is...wait for it...DOTS! Feel free to enter a creation of your own - you might even win the drawing for a $25.00 voucher to our store!

Christine used the Coral Reefweaver stamp by C.C. Designs. I love the fresh colors on this card!! Need a good teal color for a project you're working on? Might I recommend the Turquoise Twinkling Star Marker by Copic? It has glitter in it!

Chris made a nice choice with that polka dot red ribbon! It kinda leaves me feeling like I need some ribbon. I think I may have to made a decision...Red ribbon by May arts? Red crepe paper ribbon by Jenni Bowlin? Perhaps I'll stock up and buy the Polka Dots ribbon by Jillibean Soup?

Lols made yet another excellent card! This is a really sweet image. Lols chose the image from the Rain Snow Shine set by The Greeting Farm. This set is nice because it can be used for any time of year...aren't options wonderful? Want an Eiffel Tower image like Lols? Try the Mini Classics by Tim Holtz! It even comes with other stamps in the set -good stuff.

Heather used Ladybug Tilda for her image. I like the cursive writing behind the Tilda, too. It reminds me of the Le London Script stamp we have by Stampabilities. Warning though: this stamp may be as big as your head : )

Marcea used the Anya Mermaid stamp by The Greeting Farm. I am absolutely in love with The Greeting Farm stamps - they are easy to use and you get a fantastic image every time!! Perhaps you're a fan of purple flowers? Try Prima's Lilluput Roses in Iris.

Jo used the Ladybug Tilda stamp too! It really is a neat stamp : ) I love the flowers in the corner too!! Want some flowers that aren't too huge but aren't too small? Try Silk Road Flowers by Prima - they come in a pail so that you have a place to store them!

Domi's card has a lovely scalloped circle in the center. Like it? Check out Classic Scalloped Circles by Spellbinders. I love the edge punch she used on that pink paper too. It's called Scallop Dot by Martha Stewart. These are great to use because you can see where you're punching and it's easier to line it up for a professional look.

Debby used the Someone to Cheer You Up stamp by Whiff of Joy. That clown has some nice shoes, huh?

Made by Jane!
Jane used Mermaid Tilda! In case you are unaware, Mermaid Tilda is a new Magnolia stamp (you can preorder her and any others from the Bon Voyage Collection at simonsaysstamp.com though!!) Don't you love those flourishes in the background too? If you want a similar effect, try the Wave Flourish Punch by EK Success!

Martine used a great stamp by The Greeting Farm from the Miss Anya Set. Like the black looped paper? We've got a punch for that! Try Loops by Martha Stewart. Need cardstock? DCWV has a pack called La Creme Solid that has black, cream, and white papers. This is good stuff.

Ah, it's that time again where I've got to get going, but feel free to check out and/or enter the Simon Says Stamp Challenge!! You should become one of our crafty entrants too - I triple dog dare you. : )

Happy crafting!
-Sarah
sarah@simonsaysstamp.com

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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Art Parts by Wendy Vecchi!!!


Well, CHA is amazing as usual!!! We are so excited to get to see all the new stuff in person, to be able to play with new product in classes and make n takes, and to see the fabulous demonstrations from the talented artists themselves!

Do you want to know one of our favorite new products from Day 1??? It's ART PARTS by Wendy Vecchi! Please excuse me if my pictures are a little shaky...I was so excited, I couldn't hold my camera still at the booth!

Art Parts are a line of just that...Parts to Make Art! They are made of a superior quality, kraft colored, composite material that can be layered, inked, sanded, covered in paper, stamped, painted...anything you want to do to them! They will even work with Tim Holtz's Texture Fades!

Art Parts are available in square and circle bases and frames, rectangle bases and frames, pedestal pieces for home decor, scallop borders with and without holes, and flowers and flower stems! There will even be a sample pack that will include a little of everything! They are made in the USA, with love, and will be available shortly here at Simon Says Stamp. We can't wait for the new addition!

Wendy's lovely example shown above has the Rectangle Base and Frame and the Scallop with Holes Art Parts. Don't you just love how she put those cute little eyelets in the holes?!? I do!!!

The example to the right shows Pedestal Base Art Parts with a Circle Base on top. It is just perfect for displaying your ART in your home!

Please check out Wendy's Blog HERE! She is full of inspiration, ideas, and general sweetness - we LOVE HER!!!

Did I mention we have her new stamp line available too? Well, we carry all of Wendy's wood mounted stamps and cling mount stamp sets, including the newest release (available NOW for PREORDER)! We even went to the Carson show and bought a bunch up so we could bring them to you before anyone else!

I hope you enjoy! Like Wendy says....MAKE ART!!!
~TERRA

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Monday, July 26, 2010

Twinkling H2O Watercolors!













Order from left to right: Guatamalan, Lemondrop, Poppy Red, Olive Vine, Jasmine

Good afternoon! Maybe you didn't know this, but we at Simon Says Stamp just received a new product called Twinkling H2O Shimmering Watercolors. That's right - not just plain old watercolors - these shimmer. Now, don't tell me you're not even the slightest bit excited about them. They are SUPERB! And you know what...they come in lots of colors (the ones above are only 5 of 24 colors).

Q: How does one use these watercolor paints?
A: Spritz the paint directly, then apply with...

**brush (like Claudine Helmuth's Artist Brushes)
**sponge...like the Silky Stamping Sponge by Hero Arts (right)
**Fantastix (far right)
**Aqua Flo Brush Set by Hero Arts
**You can even use your fingers!
**Mini Misters (you can chip off some paint, put it in a mini mister and shake with water to make a watercolor spritz)



Still not convinced that you need these for your craft collection? Check out this video:


The woman in the video also used a few of these items to help enhance her project:
**Heat It Craft Tool
**Craft Pick
**Black Marker (like Copic's 0.1 Black Multiliner)
**White Pen (like Ranger's White Opaque Pen)

Hopefully this helps amp you up about these watercolors!!! I am dying to play with them so I'd better be going :)
-Sarah
sarah@simonsaysstamp.com

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Saturday, July 24, 2010

Spotlight on Simon Says Stamp Designer Debby!

We would love for you to meet our Simon Designer, Debby! Last week we introduced you to one of our original DT girls, Domi, and this week, we are so happy to introduce Debby!

Debby has been designing with us for about 2 years. We are honored to have her on our team! She married her hubby at 17 and has two grown up children, one of which as already flow the nest.

Not only is Debby an extremely talented card maker and paper artist, she has been a knitter and cross stitcher. She will turn as she calls it "Half century" this year and is thrilled that her kids are taking her to Las Vegas to celebrate!



Debby has been a very loyal member of our Simon family since the inception of our design team over 2 years ago. In fact, Debby's blog was the first blog I ever started following. (You should too:)

To the right is a beautiful card Debby made using Whiff Of Joy stamp SHY WILLOW.

This card reminds me of Debby, sweet and gentle. She has a beautiful spirit and describes herself as "I don't ask for much". and she really doesn't!











The card to the left uses a Sarah Kay Stamp called Picnic of Daisies. Debby's work is always clean, crisp and bright. Each of her cards is like a work of art. Her colors coordinate beautifully and her shading and color selections bring the characters to life!













Penny Black stamps are another favorite of Debby. The layering on the card to the right shows great deal and accentuates the image of Hedgy.





















Notice how Debby so very carefully cuts out an image and layers it for emphasis? This is signature for Debby! She used another Sarah Kay stamp on the card to the left. It's called Kiss for Chloe.

















Here again, Debby trimmed an image and layered for emphasis. I like how she doesn't forget a single detail in her work. The card to the right has Pirate Tilda sitting pretty in pink!

Won't you please join us in celebrating our Designer, Debby! Be sure to pop by her blog HERE and give her a hello! She would LOVE to hear from you!

Luv
Heidi

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PREORDER New Tim Holtz Alterations NOW!!!


Great News!! You can PREORDER the new Tim Holtz Sizzix Alterations Dies and Texture Fades NOW!! There are lots of Holiday Motifs - Halloween and Christmas so you will want to order yours now to be sure you get your dies before the holidays! Sizzix, with their infinite planning wisdom, will probably still run out before the end of the year and some dies won't be available again until they are rerun in January!

All pictures are courtesy of Tim Holtz's Blog - please make sure you check it out HERE! He gives great insight on the many uses of these outstanding dies and embossing folders!

I am completely blown away by this release, as I am sure you will be. There are so many new goodies, so many creative uses, and so much inspiration!

For example, the die to the left is a new Movers & Shapers die called Tag & Bookplates. At first glance...it is AWESOME!!! Look a little closer.......and it is EVEN MORE AWESOME!!! (awesomer, awesomest, the creme de la creme, ce magnifique, totally rad, etc etc.) You get the point;)

This die was designed by Tim to handle so many details. First of all, the Tag that it cuts out is a standard #8 size - the kind Tim uses for the 12 Tags of Christmas among various other projects. Now you can cut your own tags out of leftover manila folders, cardstock, cardboard, grungeboard, grungepaper, sticky-back canvas, cork, metal sheets, and even fabric! You will never run out of tags and the reinforcement cuts out too!!! The die set includes 2 Bookplates (oval and rectangle) which are beautiful. The bonus is, the leftover pieces from inside the bookplates fit perfectly in Tim's Ornate Plates!!! Now that is what I call attention to detail!

My favorites are the Paper Rosette, the Snow Flurries On the Edge Die, the Iron Gate On the Edge Die, the Chip Block Alphabet, Reindeer Flight, Tattered Leaves, Branch Tree & Tall Pines Texture Fades, the Photo Corners (Baroque and Ornamental), the Postcard & Sheet Music Texture Fades and the Merry Christmas & Vintage Holiday Texture Fades. Ok, Ok, so I have a little trouble narrowing down my favorites....oh well, I bought a lottery ticket today - wish me luck;)

See below for links to all the brand new PREORDERS for Tim Holtz's Sizzix Alterations Dies and Texture Fades. Don't forget...we are also taking preorders on all of Tim's new Unmounted Cling Stamp Sets! See them all HERE as well! What's on YOUR WISH LIST???

~TERRA

HOT TIP!! HOT TIP! HOT TIP!!!

YOU CAN MAKE your own custom stamps with the the thicker black fun foam available at your local craft store! Just use it with the dies like Tim Holtz did here! (Photo compliment of Mario Rossi)


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