Cards wanted for Ready, Set, Stamp!

We are looking for submissions for our Ready, Set, Stamp feature on the following themes for the January and February issues of Craft Stamper. If you've always wanted to see YOUR card in print, now is your chance!!!

January

Warm ‘n’ Fuzzy – to warm you up when it’s cold outside! This can be anything from a nice log-fire to a warm-hearted message. Using red, orange and yellow.

Deadline for submissions = 3rd October 2014

February

Cross My Heart – stamped, punched or die-cut, your design should include at least one heart! Using violet, lilac and primrose yellow.

Deadline for submissions = 27th October 2014

· Please email your submissions to cs@traplet.com

· We are looking for new and unpublished work ONLY please

· Please put 'Ready Set Stamp' followed by the theme in the subject line

· Please note that due to the number of submissions it's not possible to contact every entrant individually - if you have not heard from us within one week of the closing date please try again next time

Guidelines:

· Please make cards only for this gallery

· Cards which are selected need to be posted to the Craft Stamper offices in the UK

· This call IS open internationally

· Note that we do choose artwork as it arrives, so please don't wait until the last minute to submit if your cards are ready

· Cards will be returned at our expense, along with a complimentary copy of the magazine in which your card features. Note this can take approx. three month

· All cards should be suitable for an intermediate crafter to complete in around 20 minutes including drying time. Please keep your cards simple and remember that you may be a quicker than average worker

· Please follow both the theme AND the colour scheme when creating your cards. The colour scheme is a guide only – you don’t have to be exact but try to be as close as possible. You can use the colours in any proportions to suit your design as long as all three are used. You can add black, white and metallics to any of the schemes

· Text for this article is required (don't worry - it is short!) and should be entered into the document provided – this will be sent to you if you are selected

Stamping Contrasts - Guest Designer

In our August issue our designers had the chance to get creative with these lovely, versatile sentiment stamps from Visible Image. This stamp set is perfect to brighten up someone's day and the flower is separated into flower-head and stem to make it even more adaptable for your own designs.

We gave one lucky reader the chance to play along with this month's stamping contrasts and here are the results. We love the original way in which Hellen Pearce has used this set!

Materials…
STAMPS: Visible Image – Thinking of You set. INKS: Adirondack; VersaFine - Black. OTHER: Memory Box Dies – Butterfly Vine and Kensington Border; DecoArt Glamour Dust; cardstock – black, white, pale blue, silver.

Because Every Cloud Should Have a Silver Lining
I felt that the sentiment stamp needed an understated background to ensure it was the main focus. I played around with a few techniques but in the end chose this one made by marbling ink and water as it gives a ‘floaty’ feel which I feel suits the sentiment’s reference to ‘skies’. I continued with this theme using silver card to create a ‘silver lining’. I stamped onto the dried background using black ink and arranged the matted and layered pieces onto a card base. I also added some die cut butterflies because when I watch butterflies in the garden they make me smile, and I would use these stamps for a card to cheer somebody up.

Butterfly Love

My tag was made to compliment the card. I used the same techniques but with a few different butterflies and a sprinkle of glitter. All the butterflies used on both the card and tag came from border dies which I cut up – I always try to buy products that are versatile and good value for money!

Thank you Hellen for these beautiful makes – visit Hellen's blog to see more of her work. If you haven't seen the article in our August issue, then grab a copy and get even more fabulous inspiration from Kim Bacon, Chris Dark, Chrissie Stokes and Joanne Allison! Available to buy from WHSmith, many craft shops or with free P&P for a limited time from our shop! Also available as a digital download here.

Visible Image Thinking of You set costs £8.99. To purchase this or to see other stamps from Visible Image  visit www.visibleimage.co.uk.