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June Challenge - "Underwater"

Hello and welcome to our brand new challenge for this month!

As usual there were awesome entries with our Altered Playing Cards challenge across the board, so choosing our Top3 will - as usual ;) - be a hard job, but we will announce them and the (randomly drawn) winner of the cool Redlead stencils soon!

This month we want you to create 

Underwater Steampunk!

This time we will have a 2D and 3D section again, so feel free to create "anything goes" as long as it sticks to our theme and pay attention to enter your project with the correct collection (at the bottom of this erhemm erhemm quite word and picture heavy post).

Our June Guest Designer is Drycha  from 3rd Eye, who also provides us with the prize for this month's challenge winner! Drycha designs (and offers) a lot of awesome stamps with her store - most of them usable in very versatile ways and great for art journaling or any other mixed media art! You will learn more about her in a few secs.

To show the versatility and range of her lovely stamps SanDee and I agreed to do our inspirational projects for this month's challenge using 3rd Eye stamps only! (Which definitely did not feel like being narrowed down with options for awesome designs ;)

SanDee1899

die amelie

And now, please, welcome Drycha and see what she created for us (and of course you) on this special  occasion ;)

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Hello!

I'm Karolina Stopyra but You can know me also as Drycha. I'm owner and designer of 3rd Eye.

I'm so happy to be here with You!

 Instead of typical "about me" description, SanDee&amelie asked me some questions. Here they're:

What does "being creative" mean to you? 

Creativity is inventing. Recycling is creative. Making cable storage from toilet paper tubes is creative, stamping grass from hair of stamp with man was creative (die amelie did it;), making shovel from old detergent bootle is creative, meaking memo game from bootle caps... Well, creativity is squeezing more potential than originally planned from things, from occurrences, from everyday life.

When did you start designing your own stamps (and why)? 

I started my own business 'cause I wanted to share my ideas. I haven't seen stamps with eyes, with anatomical hearts, skull stamps was only abroad and so expensive... So I did all I wanted on my own :) I wanted to make something different and something in my style... 

I don't want to tell that I have only super rare stamps - of course not. I have checkered board, arrows, flowers... ;) I wanna share something more practical too, for example stamp beams  - You can create your own radial backgrounds without big expensive stamps! ...and You can stamp different background patterns, You can use "beam" as petal... Many different ways!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

 Music and emotions. Clouds and light. Textures... just everything around.

What makes you go for a new art journaling page?

Inspiration or need for playing with paper, medias...

How does your working space have to be like to make your creativity flow? 

Tidy up! My place have to be tidy up when I'm starting. I don't like to dabble in stash from lately done project, so I have to clean up my space after creating. Every jars and bottles of medias and other stuff going to their place, paper scraps goes to folder with separators or to basket with las times scraps, crystals go to basket with crystals etc... By the way, tidying can be very inspirational, You can find interesting forgotten stuff ;)

What are your favourite stamps (which qualities should they have)?

You ask me about faves from stamps I designed? ;) TES-016 el bahia - it's pattern found in Morrocan palace named "el Bahia", I remake it into designs extremely comfortable to extend, i worked hard with it but I'm proud about effect. I like stamps with shading 'cause they're more realistic. I think that I usually use stamps for making backgrounds so everything is perfect ;) Try to check only few favorites from these ;)

      

Ok, You had long trip with my writing... Hope You're not bored! Here's my project designed specially for "Underwater" challenge :)

Despite visions about amazing underwater ship of Captain Nemo in steampunk style or something like that I decided to create something more funny :a Fishy card with cogs scales.

 My boyfriend told it's rather creepy than funny but I hope You like it ;)

 I stamped cogs on scrap paper and punch circles, then color edges of "scales"with Distress Stain and glued to base. I made some scales using lightbulb.
Lips and eyes are stamps too. Aaaaand I used more stamps ;) Anchors background and tulle on the head and fins. Oh, and lines on fins.


You can find here only paper, stamps, black pigment ink, few colors of Distress Stains and white Distress Marker.

I want to thank so much SanDee and Die Amelie for inviting me here!

I'm so happy to be Guest on this blog but I'm also Sponsor :)

So what's the prize for winner of that challenge?

Voucher to the 3rd Eye store!

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So, isn't that cool? 

Drycha also offers a 10% discount code for the first three persons who place an order in her 3rd Eye store. Just write the code underwater on the basket, during placing your order. 

(If the code is not valid - sorry, You're late... 3rdEye have PayPal and DotPay. They ship internationally. One discount code per person.)

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3rd Eye also has a reveal of new designs today!

On the occasion of our "underwater" challenge Drycha created lovely seahorses (the same as on the voucher above).

Check 3rd Eye blog to look at all new designs and for a chance to win some of them!

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Wow! Thank you so much, Drycha, for your lovely visit, for the fab fab fab underwater project and for being our generous sponsor this month!

After this heavy load of inspiration and goodies on offer there's just one more thing to say to our dear readers old and new: we hope to see you soon with us, sharing your awesome and fun Underwater Steampunk projects! 

Hugs and happy crafting,

SanDee&amelie

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Second May Spotlight and Reminder

There is still one more week to join in our Altered Playing Cards challenge and thus maybe become the winner of the awesome Redlead stencils!

Even though I am writing this post, I asked SanDee to pick our second spotlight for this month and she did: Monique's awesome collection of APCs! (And I definitely agree with her on her choice ;)

What a beautiful collection, isn't it? We love the muted colours, the torn paper piecing that leaves some areas of the playing cards visible, which adds a lot of contrast to the design. The Fimo stamped embellishments... they are simply awesome!

Thank you, Monique, for sharing them with us! Please, feel free to grab our spotlight badge and display with your blog.

Hugs,
SanDee&amelie

May Spotlight

Time for a spotlight, isn't it?

I really struggle every time when it comes to choosing a project to spotlight as they are all special creations with a lot of thought put into and very creative pieces - which makes me very proud to feature with our challenge blog to be honest ;).

But choose I must - so I decided for Kati's awesome couple of APCs to showcase today.

I love that slight sheen of gold with the big gears and the wonderfully muted colours along with the contrasting white from the stamped images and the cards' corners, also the stamped script that adds beautiful depth - the parts all blend together so very well!

So - applause, applause for Mamapia aka Kati's brilliant make! Please, grab our "spotlighted badge" to display with your blog if you please, Kati, and thank you so much for sharing this creation with us "chez SanDee&amelie's"!

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There is still sufficient time to enter our challenge (which can be found over here)! And keep in mind the cool prize we have to give to our randomly drawn winner this month too! ;)

Hope to see your creations with us soon!

Hugs,

Claudia - die amelie x

Our generous Prize Sponsors for this month

...are Redlead PaperWorks, who specialize in rubber stamps (love 'em!), papers, trinkets and workshops.

Chris and Sharon, the owners, have generously sponsored us for this month's challenge with a package of three awesome 6x6 templates they sent me, so we can give them to this month's challenge winner! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I took a picture of them to show you (for that I had to unpack the one in the middle so you can see the whole template...I put it back immediately after taking the picture. Promise!) :

Redlead have a lot of ATC sized stamps, which I really love to use. Their on line shop is well worth a visit! (Remember the rusted tiny house I used with my seven dwarves image for the last challenge? It's from their shop too ;).

Still  more than two weeks to go for our "Altered Playing Cards" challenge to get the chance to be our prize winner!

See you (and your entries) and Happy Crafting!

Hugs,
die amelie x

TOP 3 (2D & 3D) and Price Winner for the April Challenge

Once again: WOW and a big THANK YOU !!!-  for entereing your amazing, outstanding Project to our Challenge Blog!

It is really a hard job choosing the Top3 of both the 2D and 3D sections, since all of them are so full of clever and artsy ideas and so well done .... but here they come in no particular order:

2D 

Gry Anita

Jolanda

Jag på Ekholmen

and 3D

Manu

Laurart




Elly

 

Huge congrats!!! So very very well done! Please, feel free to grab the "Top3" badge from the sidebar to display it on your blogs!

And there was a winner of a prize package for random.org to pick! Tusia from Mixed Media Place was again so generous to sponsor our challenge with the awesome "Love in the air - Collection!" from 7 Dots Studio.

Waldfrau Alexa !!! 

Congrats, Alexa! Have fun with your prize! Please, contact us for further details (see side bar "contact").

Our actual challenge "Steampunk APC" can be entered here!

We would love to see some more fabulous entries from you!!!

Hugs,

SanDee&amelie

May Steampunk Challenge - "Altered Playing Cards"

April has passed (too fast) - so it is time for a new challenge here with us at SanDee&amelie's. Again we had lots of awesome entries - so choosing Top3 will be a hard job .... but of course we will announce them - aaand the randomly drawn prize winner too! -  in about a week, so come back to check if you are one of them.

This month we want you to alter

 playing cards! 

(So there is no separate 3D collection this time due to the theme). 

All you have to know is: one corner of the card still has to be visible, showing the symbol of the playing card! Everything else is up to you and your imagination - and some good Steampunk of course!

Rosie from "Rosies Bastelwelt" luckily said "yes" to being once again our Guest Designer and she even suggested this month's challenge theme, which we really enjoyed trying out!

Go have a look at her wonderful series of altered playing cards and the projects of the DT! We hope you will find some inspiration for your own altered playing card projects!

Rosie

SanDee1899

die amelie

Last month we learned a bit more about Mark Perry.  (The Male Crafter). This month Rosie also was willing to do a little question and answering session with us so you get to know her better. (As she is a German native speaker, this time we also provide you with the German version of the interview alongside with the English translation). 

 1. Wie bist du zum Stempelhobby gekommen und wie lange machst du das schon?

Ich bin seit Anfang 2005 im Vorruhestand (war Bankangestellte) und bin nach etlichen Hobbies, wie z.B. Stricken und Holzverarbeitung an das Kartenbasteln gekommen, zuerst waren es 3D-Karten. Ich war in verschiedenen Bastelforen und mir gefielen die gestempelten Werke so gut, dass ich 2009 mit dem Stempeln angefangen habe. Es war sehr kostspielig zu Anfang. Aber es macht mir immer noch sehr viel Spaß.

1. How did you get around to stamping/crafting and for how long have you been doing it? 

I have been on early retirement since 2005 (having worked as a bank assistant) and trying out a lot of hobbies as knitting or wood working before I began making cards. Mainly 3D cards at the beginning. I was a member with some crafting forums and liked the shown stamped projects so much, that I started stamping in 2009. At that point it was quite costly I have to admit... I still enjoy stamping a lot! 

2. Welches ist/sind dein/e Lieblingsstempel? Welches waren deine ersten Stempel? 

Ich habe ein recht große Stempelsammlung. Kann nicht sagen, welches nun meine absoluten Lieblingsstempel sind. Mir gefällt das Collage- oder Szenestempeln sehr. Ich mag aber auch gerne Landschaften stempeln und kolorieren. Meine ersten Stempel waren Blumenstempel von La Blanche.

2. Tell us about your favourite stamp/s. Which were the first stamps you bought?

I own a rather large collection of stamps. I don't have any absolute favourites to be honest. I especially like collage- and scene-stamping. But I also like stamping and colouring landscapes.

My first stamps were some flower images from LaBlanche.

3. Welches war das unnötigste Teil, das du je für dein Hobby gekauft hast?

Eine elektrische Slice-Schneidemaschine mit verschiedenen Motiv-Karten, mit denen man z.B. Schnörkel, Tags etc. ausschneiden kann. Sie steht seit Jahren im Schrank. 

3. Which was the most unnecessary tool you ever bought for your stamping and crafting hobby? 

That was a Slice Cutting Machine for die cutting scrolls, tags and such. It has been standing in the cupboard unused for years now. 

4. Kannst du in Urlaub fahren ohne etwas zum Stempeln/Basteln mitzunehmen? 

Siehste: Deshalb fahre ich nicht in Urlaub *g*

4. Can you leave on a holiday without taking anything "crafty" with you?

See - that's why I don't go on vacation *g*

5. Steampunk: was macht für dich das Besondere an Steampunk aus?

Mir gefällt dieser romantische und metallische Steampunk. Ich meine, ein Zahnrad macht ja noch keinen Steampunk. Die Zusammenstellung von z.B. Dampfmaschinen, schönen Frauen und/oder Männern mit Schnauzbart sowie Blumen und/oder Metallembellies finde ich sehr reizvoll anzusehen und natürlich auch zu verbasteln. Es hat ja auch einen gewissen Vintagecharakter und deshalb liebe ich es zusätzlich.

5. Steampunk: what makes it special for you? 

I love romantic and metal Steampunk. I would say that one single cog does not make something Steampunk. It's the combination of steam engines for instance with beautiful women and/or men with moustaches, flowers or metal embellishments, I love and like to create with my projects. I also love Steampunk because of its vintage nature. 

Thank you once again, Rosie, for answering all our sneaky questions;)
I really enjoyed learning more about you ;)




As usual the challenge collection can be entered during the whole month (no extra 3D collection this time). We would love to see your projects here with us soon! 

Hugs,

SanDee&amelie


Add your projects to the link list below: