Saturday, October 9, 2010

Having a go – Digital Stamps

Ok, I am a card maker way more than a scrap-booker but I am also more a 3d person in my creations than a simple card maker.  I enjoy things that have multi-uses, are stunningly beautiful and that really take your breath away when you look at them (you know those pretty little things you just want to touch but as your reading the big sign above it  you’re also saying it out loud to the children standing beside you  “No Touching!”

Many of my cards I have made in the past focus on the base or highlight paper or have been paper tole (I so love a good paper tole) and while I have “a few” stamps, I have never coloured them.  I have tried to colour stamps down at my local craft shop tutorials but I couldn’t stay in the lines, and while anyone else can go outside the lines and their finished work looks great, I just can’t.  Call it the perfectionist in me; my finished work just looks not good enough (I have politely tried to say CRAP). When I buy a stamp I also envision how it will look in one colour (the ink) or how it will look embossed witch I am thinking doesn’t help me either :$

So ... As I love to try new things and create I have sat down this weekend in an attempt to colour a stamp image.  I have done my research (good start, a girls got to love Google, but I didn’t have the right pens :( I also don’t believe or make habit of impulse spending, so into the garage I went and scrimmaged around in boxes till I found my Watercolour Derwent’s from single and ‘pre children’ days. 

Right ... now I have colour but I didn’t have any inspiring stamps to colour :( So back to the World Wide Web I went to find some free digital images.  I found quite a few in fact, and saved away to my desktop.

Happily a printing, colouring and painting I went :) Only to still not be yet satisfied with my results :(  As I am not one to turn away that easily, especially when I so want to be able do something (colour a stamp how hard can it be?)  I decided on baby steps first. 

I’ve never played with digital stamps.  I have always generally used what I have and if I don’t have it, then I have tried to make it using my own materials, ribbons, ect, right down to plain old Microsoft Word (MS and me have really created some beautiful things).

My first baby step has been if I cannot colour a Digi stamp to my liking, I am at least going to print on things and see what I come up with and hence today’s card. 

The ghost and spider web (on easel mount) are from Birdscards, well worth taking a peek at.  The site has some lovely hot air balloons that I am dying to try to colour and other pretty little images and best of all they are FREE yeppers FREE (one good tick from hubby lol).

My inspiration for this little card was a hard one.  I usually make a card or creation thinking about the person it is intended to.  But us Aussie’s don’t celebrate Halloween over here so this one was a challenge for me and as I seem to have developed a “blog challenge bug” most sites are all the buzz with Halloween at the moment.  So as one does (or as I do) when in need of thinking I get cleaning (don’t ask me :$ I think it is definitely something I have inherited off my mother as she does the same!)  Cleaning away and I must say it was a through clean as I swept the leaves and all outside and then my broom broke :(

I could not help but have a laugh to myself cause if hubby was here he would of instantly have said “well no flying for you tonight witchy dear” and then that was it, a card, an idea was forming in my little ticking brain and well ah ....

Boo Hoo! I seem to... 
Have broken my ...
BROOM


 

 

 


What I love about this creation –

* I love how well the silver embossed spider web came out (found a web on the www, printed it, cut it out and then embossed it silver. Time consuming but so worth the effort in the end.
* The groovy little spider – A styrofoam ball cut in half, coloured with black pen, added some sexy red pipe cleaners (from my extremely dusty and old paper flowers that need replacing) and some googly eyes.
* My little broom – A kebab stick cut in half (Shh don’t tell hubby I not only looked in his toolbox but I even used them!), took some snippets of my broken broom bristles and hot glue gunned them on and added a piece of ribbon around to neaten the look. 

Challenges I am entering this card in – (Yeppers I found a few and thought why not ... at least I will always have the links to check back on and have a few peaks and see if my latest could be in the running.) And I am sticking with the good old "Got to be in it to win it!" :)

* Cute Card Thursday - Make your own Embellishment ~I made my own web, spider, sign, broom! 
* Glitterbabe’s -Anything goes but it has to “SPARKLE” ~ I used black glitter paper, my emboss shines bright, and my hot sexy pipe cleaners also have a good glow.  Additionally I have ‘bling’ jewels on my easel mount spider webs. 
* The Crazy Challenge -Go Green Recycle ~ I recycled my broom and pipe cleaners.  
Paper Sundaes - Something from your stash ~My bling jewels and my emboss (I love and treasure my emboss powder) 
* Stamping Vacation -Animal Applause ~Spider as I just don’t like em! 
* Fab n' Funky Challenges -Use a digi image ~The ghost and spider web on the easel mount. 

Overall I am pleased with my card, I think there is plenty of room for improvement and that just comes with time and practice.  On that note ... I have creations to be making and stamps that need some colouring :)

Fair winds and following seas.

~~The Navy Wife~~

24 Treasured comments:

stitchy said...

Well I loved your little story and your cute little card, I think you did fantastic on it...Defiantly a 3D card lol and that broken broom..now I should think about doing that, when I loose my mojo and need some thoughts, clean - good idea lol, thanks for that and thanks for sharing your talent with us at OSAAT - good luck - hope to see you again with all those digi's you have to color haha..

stitchy xoxox

Stef H said...

well, i must you... you are one VERY creative young lady! i LOVE it! this is absolutely stunning! thank you so much for sharing it with us at glitterbabe's challenge!

hugs :)

Jeanette said...

OMG! What a great web. What a job cutting it out but totally worth it. This is a fabulous card. Thanks for joining us at I Did It Creations.

Ros said...

Love reading your blog ... love your very creative card too ... I could never have cut that web out ..phew!! Love my digital stamps though and no I don't colour (except in photoshop) but I like to paper piece ... Thanks for joining us at CCCB

Doreen said...

Wow what a story I think your work is very unique and artistic.Thanks for sharing this with us at Ooh La La.xxx

Unknown said...

What a great card you have here.. Thanks for joining us at CCCB!

Gina said...

Haha! Love the sentiments :D Thank you for joining us at Glitterbabes Challenge XXX

Chris said...

with such fabulous 3d creations you don't need to color images.
but when you want to do something, you want to do it. So can I sugggest you avoid markers for now, they're expensive and they can run or bleed depending on the paper you use which will make it frustrating for you. Try using Prisma pencils. I love them and they come in lots of colors and are much cheaper than markers. Added benefit, you can sharpen them so they're easier to stay in the lines.
With that said, love your card.
Thanks for playing with us at S2G. come back again.

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

You are so creative! That spider in that corner, oh so cute! Thanks for playing along with us at CCCB!

Unknown said...

Much to look at in this card, love how everything works so well together, Thanks for joining I did it creations challenge blog this time!

Cheryl said...

This is so cute! I love all the details.

Thank you for joining the Halloweeny challenge at Meljen’s Designs.

--Cheryl--

email: Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com said...

I love the "No Fly Zone" sign and the spider and broom!! Gorgeous work!!

Thanks so much for entering the Simon Says Stamp Challenge!!!

-Sarah

Tina said...

Gorgeous! I love all elements! :D Thanks for joining us at Glitterbabe's challenge!

Ann English said...

This is amazing-love all the elements!

Thank you for joining us for Twisted Thursday at Shirleys2Girls!

cnelson said...

oh so CUTE! Thank you for playing along at CCCB!

Deirdre said...

So fun, amazing elements. Thanks so much for playing along with Paperplay this week.

debby4000 said...

Fabulous card and brilliant halloween details.
This is link to my blog to a little tutorial I did when I used watercolour pencils.
http://debby4000.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-i-watercolour.html
Sorry its a bit basic but it was early in my blogging days
Thanks for joining us at Simon Says Stamps Challenge.
luv
Debby

ileana said...

What a great card! I love all the details you added to it! thanks for joining us at Glitterbabe´s challenge this week :-) Hugs!

She's a Color Queen said...

That's adorable, love the detail and the broken broom is a hoot! Thanks for playing with us at S2G, please come back again!!

Hannapanna said...

This is really spooky. Love the Halloween colours and the cute spider. Thanks for joining us over at By the Cute and Girly this month and good luck. Hugs Hanna

Stacie (craft-princess) said...

Cool!! Love that spiderweb!! Thanks for sharing at Glitterbabes!

Laurel said...

Wow, adorable, love that spider! Thanks so much for playing at S2G!

coldwaters2 said...

Fabulous card love all the spooky detail and I do not think you are alone not wanting spiders in your home thank you for joining our challenge at Stamping Vacation this month.
Hugs
Lorraine x

Sexier You said...

Those are cool digital stamps.

discounted digital board

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