Mini Ornaments

Last week I spent an afternoon making these fun, fast (and how adorable are they?!) mini ornaments. I had a box full of the little charms in different shapes and sizes that I got from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. They pair perfectly with so many of the stamps from my RubberMoon collection!

They're easy to make and assemble. I began by stamping whatever image I wanted on white cardstock. I decorated the images and cut the cardstock to fit the charms. I glued the cardstock to the base of the charm and then glued on the top piece of the charm.

Next, I made a puddle of glue on my craft mat and dipped the top of the charm in it and then dipped it in glitter. Just like frosting a donut and putting sprinkles on top! (Mmmm.... donuts....)

Finally, I added Diamond Glaze to the inside to make it look shiny and glass. One thing to note is that I used StazOn ink for the stamping and coloring. I did this because the Diamond Glaze will make water based inks run.

When everything was dry, I added a little bow and a string for danglin'. Ta Da! Christmas magic. I'll use these to decorate my tiny 18" tree or to add to packages for a little extra present.

Here they are up close (but keep in mind that the largest is only about 1 1/4 x 1 3/4").

Supply List

RubberMoon Stamps

Tiny Elf
Eluvphant
Plain Tree
New Moon
Sprinkles Cube

Other Supplies

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Wooden Charms
StazOn Ink
Stickles Glitter Glue
Glitter
Judkins Diamond Glaze
Ribbon
Silver Cord

Bookmarks

I love to give books or certificates to book stores as gifts. However, I like to have something handmade in the mix as well. So, I make bookmarks, often customizing them to suit my intended Giftee. Bookmarks are simple and fast to make, and they're a little something that my loved ones can keep using long after the books have been read and shelved.

Bookmarks, since we're quickly coming up on that time, also make great stocking-stuffers.

Plus, they're an excellent way to remind someone, even when you're not there, that you care about them.

So, get out your cardstock and stamps and make a few bookmarks today!

Where will your imagination take you?

RubberMoon Stamps

Imagine

Tall Tree

Chubby Crow (sm)

Chubby Crow (lg)

Polaroid Type Alphabet

Library Card

Stars

To the Moon and Back

New Moon

Winter Magic Wall Hanging

Question: What's better than rubber stamps from RubberMoon?

Answer: Rubber stamps from RubberMoon and Art Squares from Inchie Arts!

I was cleaning up and about to put away my winter and Christmas stamps (Why?! I'm just going to use them again tomorrow!), when I glanced at my tiny collection of Art Squares and had a fit of inspiration. I decided to make a wall hanging. That's my excuse for not cooking dinner that time.

I began with the largest square, which is 4 x 4". I coated the background with a light blue ink and then stamped on the trees and snowflakes. I added the sentiment using StazOn jet black ink. I used irRESISTibles Shimmer to make dots of snow - I love the little bit of sparkle it adds. I made the snow under the trees using Amplify that I sprinkled with glitter before it dried.

For the snowflake panels, I first coated them in StazOn white Studio Glaze. Once that was dry, and it doesn't take long at all, I put the panels side by side and stamped the large snowflake. That way I didn't have to stamp it twice and try to guess at placement. I stamped the smaller snowflakes and then added dots of Stickles hologram for extra bling.

Last, but not least was my favorite little tree angel stamp. I colored her in and used my finger and ink to make swipes of blue for the sky. Then I used Stickles hologram again and smeared it across the panel with my finger. Yes, my hands usually end up looking like I got into a prize fight with an elf, but I get the job done.

The trickiest part of this project was lining things up and making sure I got the holes punched in the right place. The rest of it was just plain fun!

Where will your imagination take you? Forget cooking dinner... just go there.


RubberMoon stamps used:

There's Magic in the Air
Skinny Trees
Snowflake
6-sided Snowflake
Barbara

Thankful for RubberMoon

I know I gush about the RubberMoon Mail Club all the time, but only because it really is that great. Every month I look forward to whatever surprise is going to land in my mailbox. When my beloved comes home from work, he always stops to get the mail on the way in. Each month there comes a point that he walks through the door and announces, "You got something from RubberMoon." I will not confirm it as fact, but it is entirely possible that I emit a squeak of delight when I hear that.

I will, however, confirm that I emitted such a squeak this month upon actually opening my package. Because... Wow! What a great bunch of goodies! Just look - it felt like my birthday or Christmas or something.

This month, not only did I get the very cool, exclusive frame stamp from RubberMoon (which I used to make the card above) and art sample (inspiring as ever from our own Kae Pea), but a bunch of other goodies from other noteworthy companies that joined in the fun. There was an extra rubber stamp from 100 Proof Press, Art Squares from Inchie Arts, chip board die cuts from Gina's Designs, and an ink pad from Impress Cards & Crafts!

All of this makes it the perfect time to say how very thankful I am for RubberMoon and the constant inspiration I get from RubberMoon stamps, yes, but also for Kae Pea who tirelessly (I'm sure it only seems that way... she must be exhausted) runs the place all while making art of her own, and for the amazing, creative group of fine folks that make up the MoonMail Club. You may have noticed that when I end these blog posts, I always ask, "Where will your imagination take you?" I always hope that you'll take it both literally and figuratively. After years of playing with all kinds of different rubber stamps from nearly every company there is, my imagination took me to the doorstep of RubberMoon... and for that, I am truly thankful.

I used the frame stamp to make a quilted looking Christmas card because I was already in Christmas card making mode and had all my other Christmas stamps and colors out already. I used various other RubberMoon stamps to fill in the frames. Those stamps include:

FaLaLa
6-sided Snowflake - Small
Sprinkles Cube
Tiny Elf
Party Planning Penny (last month's MoonMail offering)
Reindeer Border
Christmas String o' Lights


Other Products Used:
StazOn Solvent Ink various colors
Stickles
Gold Gel Pen
Liquid Pearls
Water-based markers
StazOn Studio Glaze
Glossy cardstock

Snow Much Fun

I can't help it - I'm a freak for snow. So, that was me you heard cheering when the local forecasters began whispering about snow up in the mountains. I used to live up in those mountains (the Cascade range in Washington) and the snow was magical, fluffy, sparkly, peaceful, pretty... all the positive adjectives. Anyway, talk of snow is what inspired this card.

Want to know an easy way to make snow? Torn cardstock! For this I ripped a couple of scrap pieces of white cardstock. I ran glue along the edges and sprinkled them with glitter for that sparkly snow effect. I love how this makes the trees look like they're over the hills and off in the distance.

I may just have to drive up into those hills to where the magic is. Where will your imagination take you?


RubberMoon Stamps Used:

Skinny Trees
There's Magic In the Air
Barbara

Other Products Used:

StazOn Jet Black ink
Ranger Distress ink
White craft ink
White gel pen
Gold gel pen
Glue pen
Glitter
Stickles
Markers

Happy HalloWHAT?

I know, I know... Christmas cards! And we haven't even made it past Halloween yet! I swear, I'm not trying to be obnoxious, at least not this time. The thing is, RubberMoon is retiring some stamps and the stamps I used for these cards are just two of the many.

Why is that a big deal? Well, for one thing, they won't be around much longer. For another... *drum roll*... all of the retired stamps are on sale for 40% off! Click here to see everything that's available. There's all kinds of amazing stuff for every holiday and occasion. 

To get the discount, just use the coupon code: 

RETIREMENTSALE2015

The other nifty thing about all this is that RubberMoon will have all that empty space to fill... with NEW stamps! Who doesn't love new stamps? I wouldn't know. I don't associate with those dregs of society.

RubberMoon has already added the new line Holly Berry Hills Antique Dolls, and they are very cool.

Stop by and check out all the great stuff, and have a 

Happy Halloween!

Where will your imagination take you?

Penny For Your Thoughts

I'm in love with the latest stamp from the Rubbermoon Mail Club! Kae Pea named her Penny, The Party Planner, so I've titled this card Penny For Your Thoughts. The wonderful thing about Penny is that the banner is actually blank, so you can write in anything you want. She's a versatile gal, that Penny!

This was a pretty simple card to make. I used StazOn Jet Black ink to stamp everything on the white cardstock and colored it in with a blender pen and ink. I gave Penny a little extra sparkle by adding Stickles to her dress - after all, what's a Party Planner without some bling?!

I stamped an extra Penny on a piece of scrap paper and cut out the banner. Then I used my craft knife to make a slit in the bird's beak. I inserted the banner and put a bit of tape on the backside to secure it. Then I glued everything onto a piece of pink cardstock on which I had stamped a row of tiny flowers.

Now Penny is on her way to make someone's day!

Back to the Rubbermoon Mail Club... I can't say enough good things about it! I get a nifty new "surprise" stamp each month. For me, that element of surprise is great - I like being challenged by stuff that I might not necessarily pick out - and I've yet to be disappointed. Kae Pea also always adds fun extras from other companies. The best part of it is the online group and the support and inspiration I get from so many wonderful people.

Other RubberMoon Stamps Used: Sending Happy Thoughts, Sprinkles Cube, Lucy Bird

Where will your imagination take you?

Halloween Coasters

What do you do when you need a fast and easy handmade gift? You grab the 3" art squares from Inchie Arts and make a set of coasters!

These are ridiculously simple to make. Yes, they'll (hopefully) get used and abused and eventually tossed, but for an inexpensive gift that shows some craft-y effort, it's worth it. Not everything we artsy-craftsy people make is mean to be a timeless heirloom.

I began with the art square and stamped both the pumpkin and the sentiment using StazOn black ink. I used StazOn because it is a solvent based ink and won't run when wet cups and glasses are set on the coasters. I colored in the pumpkin using Sharpies - again, I chose those because they don't run when they get wet either.

To finish them off, I sponge-swiped StazOn Pumpkin (of course, what else?) colored ink around the edges. All told, the whole project took me about 15 minutes. Of course, the pumpkin bread I made to accompany them took a little bit longer, but some things can't be rushed. Plus, the house smelled great while I was crafting.

Where will your imagination take you? Happy crafting!

RubberMoon Products Used:
Art Squares from Inchie Arts
Happy Halloween
Blue Ribbon Pumpkin

A Haunting Couple

Happy October!

As soon as I flipped the page on the calender to October, I kind of flipped too. I've been going crazy for Halloween! We don't get trick-or-treaters here (please don't ask my why we need a full bowl of candy regardless). I don't dress up in a costume or go to parties. It doesn't matter. I love Halloween - I always have and I always will.

Then I decided to use almost all of my RubberMoon Halloween stamps on a single card. I couldn't help it. It was a little like choosing a single piece of candy to eat. Translation: never gonna happen.

I fell in love with Frank & Mrs. Stein the minute I saw them. I colored them in, gave them a little bling, then cut them out and set them aside while I worked on the background. For Mrs. Stein's hair, I used Imagine Crafts Amplify. Cool stuff! Once it's dry, you hit it with the heat gun and it puffs up. So her hair really looks like an old fashioned puffy 'do!

For the background I used the Scary Neighbors stamp and black craft ink. I colored in the windows with glittery gel pens and gave the stars a little shimmer with some Stickles. I stamped the sentiment in the same ink. Then, using white craft ink, I stamped the crescent moon. I let it dry for a minute and then went over it with Stickles as well.

All that was left to do was to introduce Frank and the Mrs. to the 'hood.

Where will your imagination take you?

RubberMoon stamps used:

Frank
Mrs. Stein
Scary Neighbors
Happy Halloween
Dark Crescent

The Magic of Autumn

Happy Autumn Everyone!

Nothing gets my creativity flowing like that first chilly snap in the air. And the colors? Zowie! Endless inspiration is right outside the window.

One of my favorite mediums to work with is Alcohol Ink. If you've never played with them, get some! It's so easy to create marbled backgrounds or just splotchy fun backgrounds. Plus, it's fun to watch them mingle and spread and do their own thing. Although they come in dozens of colors, they definitely lend themselves well to that feeling of Fall.

I did all of the stamping on this card with StazOn Jet Black ink. I then colored in the tree and the stars with Sharpies (alcohol ink tends to repel and/or absorb water-based inks). To give the stars a little shimmer I dabbed on some Stickles.

That's all there was to it! Simple, yet tons of fun.

But, WAIT!!!

Kae Pea is currently on a road trip to Seattle and has authorized a sale! Through September 28th, get $15 off any order over $75.00 at RubberMoon. This sale is for stamps only (excludes art supplies, mounts, etc). The code to enter at checkout is: ROADTRIP2015

Where will your creativity take you?

RubberMoon Art Stamps used

Small Chubby Crow

Wishing Tree

There's Magic In The Air

The Moon Goddess Has Landed!

I was so excited when I opened this month's MoonMail package from RubberMoon! Why? Because, along with the Moon Goddess stamp by Claudia Rose, came the announcement that RubberMoon is once again carrying a huge line of Claudia Rose's designs!

I want all of them.

I'm not kidding. I would  never joke about something as serious as rubber stamps!

As it stands right now, I only have this one. So, I had to do at least a couple of different projects. I loved it so much on the card I made that I went right ahead and made a magnet to go with it. (Moments like this are why the laundry is always in the dryer and not folded and put away.)

For the card I simply stamped the image on glossy white paper with StazOn Jet Black ink. I added the "to the moon & back" sentiment in StazOn as well. I colored it in with ColourArte Twinkling H20s.

The magnet began as a credit card blank. I stamped it with StazOn also, but colored it in with sharpies.

Where will your imagination take you? Happy Crafting!

Impossible Things Happen

I didn't know it when I made these two cards for today's post, but yesterday marked the 3rd year anniversary of Kae Pea owning RubberMoon! Being an artist was never a question for her and building a rubber stamp business was a long-time dream. You can read a little more about her on last month's post at Artists Tell Their Stories.

I have people ask me all the time, "How did you get into this? What made you think you could...?" I fell into rubber stamping (and art itself, for that matter) quite by accident. I never thought I could. I certainly never thought I'd be selling my work or exchanging ideas and techniques with other artists! But, from the moment I picked up my first rubber stamp, I was hooked. My first pieces (some of which I still have) were fairly rudimentary and lacked a bit of finesse, but it was fun, so I kept going.

I guess that's the ticket. When you love something, love doing something, don't worry about where it's taking you, just participate in the journey. Because, I never would have expected it, much less thought it, but here I am, little more than a decade after I made my first card, designing and posting for one of the best rubber stamp companies ever. The real bonus has been all of the great friendships I've made in the art world.

And, you know what I have to say about that? That's just ducky! Here's to Kae Pea and the continued success of RubberMoon and Blue Luna Press!!

RubberMoon stamps used:

Paths Through the Woods
Impossible Things Happen
Margarita
That's Just Ducky
Wee Duck
Sprinkles Cube

Wanderlust

This time of year always finds me itchin' for a road trip and adventure. Basically, I'm looking for anything that will take my mind off the heat of August, something different than hiding out in my igloo (read: the one air conditioned room in the house).

That's where the inspiration for this week's card came from. I'd love nothing more than a long drive up into the mountains, top down on the car, music blasting... *sigh*

I began the background with a wash of Twinkling H2Os to give the sky and sun some sparkle. I used a Derwent watercolor pencil for the road and washed over that as well. I stamped the car using StazOn ink and colored that in with Twinkling H2Os as well. I used orange craft ink for the sun face and  Distress Ink for the trees. I topped the whole thing off with my sentiment of the month... "Wanderlust."

Then, just because I'm so desperate that I'm willing to take whatever mode of transportation is available, I did the following card.

Where will your imagination take you? Happy Crafting!!!

RubberMoon stamps used:

Moon Face
Go Bug
Wanderlust
Lone Pine
Eluvphant
Shasta Camper
New Moon

August Moon Mail Fun

I was, as usual, delighted to get my little package from the RubberMoon Mail Club this month. There are always extra fun little goodies included. This time, in addition to the fun little leafy stamp from RubberMoon, it included an extra stamp and faux postage paper from 100 Proof Press and new 2 x 4" pieces from inchie arts.

I was immediately inspired. Since I'm constantly digging for my mail box key - it always seems to find the most remote corner of my purse - I decided to make a special key chain for it. This was so easily done!

I began by punching a hole in the top of my inchie arts square. Then I used the beautiful leaf stamp that Kae Pea designed. By the way, this was one she designed back when RubberMoon was barely a dream, thinking that one day it would make a really cool stamp. That day has come, and it is a cool stamp!

I used StazOn ink to do all my stamping because it is a solvent ink and won't run if it gets wet. I used sharpies to color in everything for the same reason. Five minutes later, I had a nifty new key chain and my digging for the mail key days are over!

Then, because it was hot and humid and I was feeling surly about that, I used the stamp to make a snowflake. Yeah. I'm very much done with summer weather. Can you tell?

Where will your imagination take you? Happy crafting!

RubberMoon Art Stamps used
Exclusive Moon Mail stamp
New Moon

Other products used
inchie arts squares
StazOn ink
Sharpies

Wait! That's not all!!! 

Through Sunday, August 16th, RubberMoon is having a 15% off sale on Halloween and Christmas stamps! Check it out!!!

It's Always Sunny at RubberMoon!

Can I just say... I love Sunny Carvalho's line of stamps at RubberMoon! They are fun and whimsical, and I love fun and whimsical. It's rare that I send a serious card to anyone, so I'm always on the lookout for stamps that are different, but that mirror my... oh, let's call it quirky... my quirky sense of humor.

I read just last week that adult coloring books are all the rage now. For some of us, coloring has never stopped being all the rage. Maybe we should change "all the rage" to "all the happiness". Because what takes us back to happy childhood feelings the way that coloring a plain black and white image does? Maybe throwing a water balloon at some poor, unsuspecting soul, but they'll kick you out of the coffee shop for that.

*ahem*

Sunny's images are great fun to color in. The designs leave endless possibilities for color combinations and work well with colored pencils (which is what I used), watercolor, crayons, pens, sharpies, etc. I often use a blender pen dipped in ink when I work with some of these stamps.

Where will your imagination take you? Happy Crafting!

RubberMoon Stamps Used

Lucy Bird
Lucy Bird 2
Cat's Eye
If Cats Could Talk They Would Lie
Lucy
Happy Thoughts
Heart Wand

Hamsa Earrings

Remember when we were kids and we used to play with Shrinky Dinks? They were those little plastic images that we'd put in the oven for a few minutes and watch them as they got smaller and smaller. I recently reconnected with my inner kid and played with stamping images on polyshrink (the same material that Shrinky Dinks were made of).

I decided to try and see what would happen to RubberMoon's Hamsa stamp. I was so delighted with the result that I just had to make a pair of earrings. 

Polyshrink shrinks to about 40% of its original size. You can see below the difference between the original size and the heated size. 

To make the earrings, I simply stamped the polyshrink with StazOn ink. Then I colored it in with colored pencils. Keep in mind when you do this that as the image shrinks, the colors intensify and darken.

Before shrinking the image, I punched a hole at the top to attach the earring findings. It's important to do this before heating, as it's impossible to do after.

All I had to do once the images were shrunk was to attach the earring findings. It took very little time, and now I have unique, lightweight earrings to wear! It's also a ridiculously inexpensive way to make fun jewelry.

Oh, and the gold Hamsa that I first experimented with? 

I turned that into a pin. 

Face It

I have been having so much fun playing with the latest offering from RubberMoon's Moon Mail Club! If you're a rubber stamp addict and you haven't signed up yet, you're missing out on a lot of fun and some really cool, exclusive stamps!

Here's the stamp I received in the mail last week.

For the card above, I stamped the face first, using StazOn Jet Black ink. I stamped it again on a piece of scrap paper and cut a mask out of that. I placed the mask on top of my main piece and then stamped right over it with the flower stamps. After that, I colored in the face using a blender pen and Distress Inks. A few dabs of Stickles, and I was done!

But... I'd barely begun to play.

I used the same masking technique for both of these as well.

I know this face has much more in store for me. There are so many possibilities that I'm almost dizzy with them. I can't wait to play some more!

RubberMoon Rubber Stamps Used

Imagine

Rosa

Tree of Life

Arrowheads

You Are My Sunshine

Star Within A Star

Other stamp used: Verbena Flower Head by 100 Proof Press

Flower Power

This week I decided to play with my new Mason Jar Flowers stamp from RubberMoon. It's so sweet and so much fun to color in!

For the card above, I began with a scrap of watercolor paper. Whenever I have left over ink, or paint, or anything like that from a project, I like to smear it onto cardstock to use later as a background. That's what I did here. It's a combination of Colourarte Twinkling H2O's left on a brush and a blob of Liquid Pearls that came out when I was trying to get the gunk unstuck.

Since my background was already in place, I simply stamped the image using StazOn Jet Black ink. I colored it in with Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils, using a combination of wet and dry.

For the card above, I again used StazOn Jet Black ink, but this time I stamped the image on glossy white cardstock. 

I painted it in with Twinkling H2O's. You can't tell from the scan, but the whole thing shimmers so prettily! It needed a little something extra, I thought, so I dipped my wet brush into my paint again and did a little splatter effect.

The little flowers were punched from orange cardstock using an old Marvy Uchida punch that I have. The "hello" sentiment is part of RubberMoon's Hello Sunshine stamp.

Once again, I've managed to create two completely different designs using one stamp. I tend to let the colors take me wherever they want to go.

Where do the colors take you?

It's Always Sunny Somewhere

From all of us RubberMoonbeams to all of you...

Have a safe, happy, fun, fantastic, sunny, spectacular

Independence Day celebration!

Happy 4th of July!!!

RubberMoon stamps used:

Creative Condo

New Moon

A Little Night Magic

Happy (belated) Summer Solstice!

It's difficult to imagine that we're already on the downward slope to Autumn. With the long days and hotter temperatures, Autumn seems very far away, indeed.

As dusk turned to twilight the other night, I sat and watched the colors of the sky deepen as the stars came twinkling into view. It was magical.

The next morning, I was still smiling over the beauty I'd witnessed the night before, and that's how this card came into being.

For the flying woman and the cosmic news, I stamped with Delicata gold ink on black cardstock. I filled in various bits with a white gel pen before adding Stickles to give it extra sparkle.

For this card, I used the following stamps from RubberMoon:

Cosmic News (sm)
Night Hair
There's Magic in the Air
Falling Star Corner
Sprinkles Cube