Warehouse Wednesday: Design Team Selected!

2012 Design Team Selected

It is with great pleasure that FranticStamper announces our selections for our new design team for the coming year. We were very excited by their submissions and their applications, and we are really looking forward to working with them in the coming year!

Kathy Berger from Livermore, California, will stay on as the Design Team Facilitator, and act as an occasional contributor. Here is the card she created with the skating Kritter electronic image:



Sharon Jeffs is from South Australia and a FranticStamper team member for the past two years. She has shared dozens of wonderful projects with us all during her tenure. We are thrilled that she will stay with the team in a full-time capacity. We think you will enjoy her submission for the electronic image portion of the application for which she chose to use the sunflower.



Jennifer Willis is from North Dakota, USA. She is a big fan of FranticStamper, and is looking forward to spreading the word as a full-time contributor! Here is her submission using the sunflower electronic image:



Linda Phinney is from California and is practically a neighbor to Kathy Berger! Not only were Linda's artwork submissions fabulous, her essay blew us all away with its creativity...she wrote us a song! She has been selected as a full-time contributor. She used the digital sunflower image in various sizes to create this wonderful piece...



Jane Larsson comes to the new team from Sweden, and has been selected as a full-time contributor. Recently Jane has been very active in posting comments to our Facebook Page, and in contributing fabulous cards to our Sunday Sketch challenges. Here is her terrific submission, also with our digital sunflower:



Isabelle Drouin-Vachon joins the team from her home in Quebec, Canada. Isabelle was the winner of our Easter Egg contest this past year, and has been active in posting comments to our blog all year. We look forward to her joining the team in a formal capacity! We just loved her take on the skating Kritter electronic image, and we hope you will, too.



And last, but definitely not least, Lis Whiting, a current team member, will be staying on as part of the team, but at a slightly reduced level. We are really thrilled that Lis will still be part of the team because she is always one of the first to jump in when something is needed, she is just a wonderful person to work with, and her artwork is wonderful, too! Here is her card using the sunflower electronic image...



We thank all of the people who applied for the team. We want you to know that we enjoyed each and every submission, and that it was a tough decision for us. But we are really sure we have made great choices and think you will agree as we move into the new year!

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Sketch Sunday: Card #15

Card #15

Today's sketch is for a card with a circle and a border element. I have tons of border punches and circle dies and find I seldom use them. I thought this sketch might get me to pull some of them out. I hope it does the same for you!



Design team member Sharon Jeffs used this layout to make a card for you. I hope you will enjoy it!



And I made a card, too. Unfortunately, this photo doesn't show the shimmer on the whole card from the shimmer mist I used on it...it really is a wonderful effect that gives the whole card the look of snow in sunlight.



If you make a card inspired by this sketch that you would like to share please just send a photo of it to
FranticStampersSketchPhotos@yahoo.com and I will try to upload it to the blog as soon as I can!

One of our readers took me up on sharing a card with us! Here is Jane Larsson's take on the sketch:

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"Christmas Tree" (Design Team Project)

by Debi Wind

Christmas Tree

Debi has had to step down from our team for personal reasons, but before she left she did provide us with some wonderful cards, one of which I would like to share with you today.



This card is made with Basic Grey Jovial patterned papers and a gorgeous stamp from Impression Obsession. The tree is stamped with Versamark ink, embossed with red tinsel embossing powder, and finally embellished with gold Stickles. Gold glitter brads finish off the project with just the right amount of glitz.

We all hope you are making good progress on your holiday cards (Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, New Years, etc.) We are all spending a good part of this weekend making ours.

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Technique Thursday:Hero Arts Wintery Videos

Hero Arts Wintery Videos

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers in the US!

Today we have a couple of videos from Hero Arts that we thought would be perfect for the winter holidays. We hope you will enjoy them. I know I will be making cards in my spare time today, and for the rest of the weekend. Got to get those holiday cards ready to mail!

Up first is using Stazon metallic silver ink on transparencies making some beautiful decorative and unique embellishments that could also be used as ornaments.



Next we have a wonderful Christmas tree made from buttons. Hope you will enjoy it!



And lastly we have a fun snowman card made without seasonal stamp images.

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Warehouse Wednesday: DT Call Update

DT Call Update

Our second FranticStamper Design Team Call has come to a close! We got a lot of wonderful applications and are busy sorting them and getting them ready for the selection team to access.

The next step will be to evaluate them based on several criteria (uniqueness, adherence to directions, quality of photos, quality of projects, use of materials, and then quality of written materials in both the application essay and the applicant's blog). We will narrow the applications down to a group of finalists, and then make our final decision. We hope to have offers out to the selected applicants as soon as possible, and then to make an announcement of the new team shortly after that.

The whole elimination process, though, is going to be tough to do because there were just so many really great samples submitted!

We would like to thank ALL of you who submitted samples and applications. We were thrilled with the response!

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Today we have a few tips for helping with that crafting budget. We know they can be a little tight, especially this time of year!

Tip #1
If you are looking for a great deal on stamping consider trading with fellow stampers. Have a swap meet. What maybe one’s trash may be another’s treasure.

Tip #2
When setting your monthly budget have an entry for stamping supplies. This will help you not to overspend on craft supplies by using a credit card. If you find your budget to constrictive start putting all your spare change in a jar. Before you know it you will have extra money to shop with.

Tip #3
Watch for inexpensive acrylic paints to be on sale. Cheap acrylic paint can be used on mixed media, altered art, and collage projects.

Tip #4
Use “natural” embellishments. Look around your environment for bits of twigs, feathers, beach glass, sea shells, flower petals, and birch bark. (In the US, though, be careful of feathers. Because of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is illegal to gather feathers of 836 species, including 58 legal game birds. Better just to buy feathers there!)

Tip #5
Make envelopes from wrapping paper, wallpaper, magazine pages, and old maps.

Tip #6
Paper bags, wallpaper, scrap paper, and parts of old greeting cards can be used to make cards.

Tip #7
Cut images from magazines, wallpaper, and fabric to use on cards and collages. It can change the entire look of the cards and collages.

Tip #8
Use a 5”X8” unlined index card and fold in half for an inexpensive card. Invitation envelopes are the right size for the folded card. Note: these are not acid free or archival!!

Tip #9
Buy inexpensive boxed cards at the Dollar store and "craft" them up by adding embellishments, glitter, and stamped elements. These cards are great for when you need a quick card.

Hope these tips are useful to you and to your wallet!

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FINAL CALL: Design Team Call Deadline TONIGHT!

FranticStamper is STILL looking for a few good stampers, like you, but the deadline to apply is almost here! We are going to be putting together our next design team, and we would love for you to apply, so don't let time run out. We hope you are busily prepping your application, because we would love to have YOU on our team! But you only have a few hours left! The deadline is TONIGHT, at midnight, Pacific Standard Time (That is the time zone of the west coast of the USA.)

How to do you apply?

Send an email with the following information to franticStamperDTCall@yahoo.com

• Your first initial and last name in the subject line of the email.
• Your name, address, blog address, and email address in the body of the email.
• 4 attached files as follows:
• A photograph of a card made with one of the the following two images (your choice), saved in jpg format, sized to less than 1 MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “1” as follows:
        FLast1.jpg
  
       
  
  Please make sure you are doing the kind of work you plan to do for FranticStamper each month when you make this card. If you spend 40 hours on this sample and you won't have 40 hours to spend on the cards you make as a design team member, the team will suffer!


• A photograph of a scrapbook page you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “2”as follows:
        FLast2.jpg


• A photograph of an altered item, home decor item, or wearable you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “3” as follows:
        FLast3.jpg


• A brief statement, 300 words or less, of why you would like to be part of the FranticStamper team, as a Microsoft word or Rich Text format file. Name the file with your first initial and last name as follows:
        FLast4.doc or FLast4.rtf

What will you get as a team member?

Each quarter you will receive a package containing:

• 8 to 10 Frantic Stamper cling mounted stamps of our choice
• Sample papers
• bonus embellishments

Plus, throughout your tenure as a team member, you will get

• a 15% discount on all orders from the Frantic Stamper site
• 40% off any Frantic Stamper stamps of your choice you wish to use for a DT project
• A logo for your blog
• The chance to work as part of a great team for a great store!

What do you have to do as a team member?

Weekly

• Make a post or comment on the FS facebook page

Monthly

• Make 2 cards using FranticStamper stamps as the main focus images with brief write-up
• Make 1 item from card sketch provided, using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Color 1 Frantic Stamper image (using Copics or other coloring media available at FranticStamper) and provide a list of colors used (this item can later be used in one of your cards or other projects)
• Share 1 item made from FranticStamper products at Splitcoast Stamper, to Facebook, and/or to your Blog (you MUST have a Blog!)

Quarterly

• Make 1 ATC, Tag or Altered Item using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Make 1 Wearable art or home dec item using any stamps carried at Frantic Stamper, and papers provided in your quarterly mailing
• Make 1 scrapbook layout using papers provided
• Provide 1 product review or technique write-up of a product carried by Frantic Stamper

Annually

• Participate in a FranticStamper blog hop (with an item made with a FranticStamper image and other products available at FranticStamper.) FranticStamper will provide blog candy.

If this sounds like something for you, get stamping and send us your application before the deadline (TONIGHT, at midnight, PST.) Team members will be announced on or before January 1, 2012. The first quarterly mailing will occur in early January 2012.

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Sketch Sunday: Card #14

Today I have a sketch for a long card intended to go into a business-sized envelope... perfect for inclusion with a printed holiday newsletter.



I am envisioning the little circles (which are really meant to be ANY repeated element) as jingle bells, or maybe wreaths. Or perhaps they could be stockings on a fireplace mantle...

Unfortunately, though, I haven't gotten to my stamping table in days so I haven't made a card yet. I hope to be able to get to one later today, and if I do, I'll be sure to add it to this post.

You, too, can have your card added to the blog! To do so, simply send a photo of it to FranticStamperSketchPhoto@yahoo.com and I will upload and share it!

Blog reader Jane Larsson made a WONDERFUL card with this sketch and is allowing me to share it with you!



Isn't it great?? I really love it! And I would LOVE it if YOU would send a photo of a card so I could share it, too!

Until later!

Smiles,
Kathy

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Auld Lang Syne (Design Team Project)

by Lis Whiting

Auld Lang Syne

It is getting to be time for finishing up and mailing holiday greetings to family and friends near and far. This season is one of my favorites as I get to send a piece of my heart to those I love by sending a card I have made with love.



This card uses silver glossy card-stock, blue glitter card-stock, and music-patterned card-stock to create a simple and elegant card. The rosette is made using the Tim Holtz rosette die. I used a line of silver Stickles on my strip of paper before folding it into the rosette to give that pretty touch bling. Notice that I placed the rosette on a silver die-cut scalloped circle just a little larger than the rosette to frame it. And I added a bow whose tails wrap around the card to finish things off in an elegant way. It is lovely, don't you agree?

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Today we have some heat embossing videos from Stampendous to share with you. First up is a basic embossing video, sharing how to heat emboss.



Next we have a couple of videos on a "painting" with embossing powder techniques. These are really unique and can be quite beautiful!





And last, we have a wonderful video of embossing on glass. Think of all the wonderful personalized gifts you could make using this technique!



Be sure to check out all the great products by Stampendous, including cling-mount stamps and embossing powders, available at Frantic Stamper!

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Warehouse Wednesday: Design Team Call Deadline Approaching!

Design Team Call

FranticStamper is STILL looking for a few good stampers, like you, but the deadline to apply is approaching! We are going to be putting together our next design team, and we would love for you to apply, so don't let time run out. We hope you are busily prepping your application, because we would love to have YOU on our team! But you only have a few days left! The deadline is November 20, 2011, at midnight, Pacific Standard Time (That is the time zone of the west coast of the USA.)

How to do you apply?

Send an email with the following information to franticStamperDTCall@yahoo.com

• Your first initial and last name in the subject line of the email.
• Your name, address, blog address, and email address in the body of the email.
• 4 attached files as follows:
• A photograph of a card made with one of the the following two images (your choice), saved in jpg format, sized to less than 1 MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “1” as follows:
        FLast1.jpg
  
       
  
  Please make sure you are doing the kind of work you plan to do for FranticStamper each month when you make this card. If you spend 40 hours on this sample and you won't have 40 hours to spend on the cards you make as a design team member, the team will suffer!


• A photograph of a scrapbook page you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “2”as follows:
        FLast2.jpg


• A photograph of an altered item, home decor item, or wearable you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “3” as follows:
        FLast3.jpg


• A brief statement, 300 words or less, of why you would like to be part of the FranticStamper team, as a Microsoft word or Rich Text format file. Name the file with your first initial and last name as follows:
        FLast4.doc or FLast4.rtf

What will you get as a team member?

Each quarter you will receive a package containing:

• 8 to 10 Frantic Stamper cling mounted stamps of our choice
• Sample papers
• bonus embellishments

Plus, throughout your tenure as a team member, you will get

• a 15% discount on all orders from the Frantic Stamper site
• 40% off any Frantic Stamper stamps of your choice you wish to use for a DT project
• A logo for your blog
• The chance to work as part of a great team for a great store!

What do you have to do as a team member?

Weekly

• Make a post or comment on the FS facebook page

Monthly

• Make 2 cards using FranticStamper stamps as the main focus images with brief write-up
• Make 1 item from card sketch provided, using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Color 1 Frantic Stamper image (using Copics or other coloring media available at FranticStamper) and provide a list of colors used (this item can later be used in one of your cards or other projects)
• Share 1 item made from FranticStamper products at Splitcoast Stamper, to Facebook, and/or to your Blog (you MUST have a Blog!)

Quarterly

• Make 1 ATC, Tag or Altered Item using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Make 1 Wearable art or home dec item using any stamps carried at Frantic Stamper, and papers provided in your quarterly mailing
• Make 1 scrapbook layout using papers provided
• Provide 1 product review or technique write-up of a product carried by Frantic Stamper

Annually

• Participate in a FranticStamper blog hop (with an item made with a FranticStamper image and other products available at FranticStamper.) FranticStamper will provide blog candy.

If this sounds like something for you, get stamping and send us your application before the deadline (November 20, 2011, at midnight, PST.) Team members will be announced on or before January 1, 2012. The first quarterly mailing will occur in early January 2012.

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Tip Tuesday: Holiday Card Tips

Holiday Card Tips

We would like to share some tips for those cards you might be making and mailing this holiday season. When mass-producing and mass-mailing, there are a few things we like to do to make things a little easier and a little less expensive. Hope there will be something in these tips that you find useful.

To save money when mailing it helps to keep the card as light and as flat as possible. Here are a few ways we accomplish that.

Tip #1
Use lighter-weight papers for layering. Layers of card stock add weight and bulk, both of which will cost you when it comes to postage.

Tip #2
Use faux-buttons, punched or die cut from card-stock or thin chipboard, instead of the real thing. They are lighter and thinner...saving on bulk and weight.

Tip #3
Instead of using a layer of card stock under another layer, consider using a faux layer made by coloring a frame for the top layer (either on the top layer or the layer below it).

Tip #4
If you must layer card stock for your layers, consider cutting out the center part of a middle layer to reduce the weight of the total card. Doing this carefully also adds a bonus of a scrap of card stock to use on something else!

Tip #5
Consider adding glitter or glitter glue instead of rhinestones (less bulk) to add bling to your project.

Tip #6
Rectangular cards can be mailed for less than square cards. Consider that when you create your design. If you must make square cards, consider mailing them in rectangular envelopes.


And here are a few of our favorite tips for getting those holiday cards done in a jiffy.

Tip #1
Always complete a prototype card before cutting parts for multiple cards. Measure as you go along and write down those measurements so you can be sure to be able to replicate the card. Stick to simple measurements as much as you possibly can! And a simpler card design is really best, too!

Tip #2
Make sure you have all the materials for the number of cards you plan to make before you start cutting, and make sure you have some SPARE materials for those inevitable mistakes!

Tip #3
Cut ALL of the pieces you will need of one size before cutting another size. It will prevent confusion, and is faster!

Tip #4
Stamp all copies of one image before moving on and stamping another image. Much faster than alternating!

Tip #5
Once all materials have been cut, stamped, and colored, lay out as many copies of the card as you can fit on your stamping table. Attach layers to the cards in an assembly line manner... doing the first layer on all of the laid out cards first, then the second layer, etc., as opposed to fully assembling one card, then moving on to the next card. It is quicker and less error-prone!

Tip # 6 Mailing labels do make addressing the cards much quicker. If you insist on hand-addressing them, then address all the envelopes first, prior to inserting the signed cards. And sign all the cards at once, too. You will find it a lot faster than signing one card, inserting it, and addressing that one envelope. Repetition of a single task is quicker and less error prone!


We hope you will find our tips helpful. Now we are all off to make our holiday cards and get them in the mail!

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Sketch Sunday: Card #13

Card #13

Once again life has been too busy for me to get to stamp, but I did want to share a really simple sketch with you. Imagine the star as any shape at all (I am thinking of a triangular Christmas tree and will probably use it as one of my Christmas cards!)

Here is a wonderful card made by blog reader Jane Larsson!



If you, too, would like to share a photo of a card you've made, simply email it to FranticStamperSketchPhotos@yahoo.com and we will try to upload it to the blog or share it on Facebook.

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Something Special Saturday: Are you getting ready?

Are you getting ready?

We have a design team call out and are really looking forward to choosing the new stampers/scrappers/crafters who will represent Frantic Stamper for the next year on our Blog and on social media!

Don't be left out of a chance of a lifetime! The rewards are great; some are tangible like the quarterly packages of goodies and the store discounts, while others are intangible, like working with other wonderful designers and having the chance to have your work displayed throughout the year.

Check out the details of what is required for an application, as well as what the year's team membership will encompass. You can find all the details here.

We look forward to getting your application!

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Live In the Moment (Design Team Project)

By Kris Hankins

Live In the Moment

I personally love the colors on this card. I find fall and neutral colors very pleasing to the eye. Just because the colors are less vibrant doesn’t mean the card has to end up looking that way. This card uses neutrals with a blend of patterns (and a pop of color) to make it come alive.

I used a Kraft card and papers from Basic Grey, some Bazzill in brown and orange, Tim Holtz's Tattered Florals die, and a bit of natural twine to make my autumn card, which is a little bigger than the standard quarter-fold card at 4 1/2" x 6".

Here are some photos of the steps along the way to a finished card. I hope you enjoy the card as much as I enjoyed making it!

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Technique Thursday: Smash!

Smash

It seems impossible that anyone hasn't seen or heard of the fabulous new scrapbooking craze known as "Smash." This line of products takes scrapbooking back to its roots while making it modern and totally fun at the same time. Check out a little bit of this scrapbooking phenomenon.



Here is the Orange Smash book:



Check out International Smash:



And here is the Green:





Next up is the Blue:



How about the Black Smash:



Time to share the Pink book:



And finally, here is the Red Smash:



So... which Smash is YOU? No matter which one suits you, FranticStamper has it and all the great accessories to go with it. Get Smashing!

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Warehouse Wednesday: Design Team Call in Progress!

Design Team Call

FranticStamper is STILL looking for a few good stampers, like you! We are going to be putting together our next design team, and we would love for you to apply. We hope you are busily prepping your application, because we would love to have YOU on our team!

How to do you apply?

Send an email with the following information to franticStamperDTCall@yahoo.com

• Your first initial and last name in the subject line of the email.
• Your name, address, blog address, and email address in the body of the email.
• 4 attached files as follows:
• A photograph of a card made with one of the the following two images (your choice), saved in jpg format, sized to less than 1 MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “1” as follows:
        FLast1.jpg
  
       
  
  Please make sure you are doing the kind of work you plan to do for FranticStamper each month when you make this card. If you spend 40 hours on this sample and you won't have 40 hours to spend on the cards you make as a design team member, the team will suffer!


• A photograph of a scrapbook page you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “2”as follows:
        FLast2.jpg


• A photograph of an altered item, home decor item, or wearable you have made in the past six months, in jpg format, sized to less than 1MB. Name the file with your first initial and last name and the number “3” as follows:
        FLast3.jpg


• A brief statement, 300 words or less, of why you would like to be part of the FranticStamper team, as a Microsoft word or Rich Text format file. Name the file with your first initial and last name as follows:
        FLast4.doc or FLast4.rtf

What will you get as a team member?

Each quarter you will receive a package containing:

• 8 to 10 Frantic Stamper cling mounted stamps of our choice
• Sample papers
• bonus embellishments

Plus, throughout your tenure as a team member, you will get

• a 15% discount on all orders from the Frantic Stamper site
• 40% off any Frantic Stamper stamps of your choice you wish to use for a DT project
• A logo for your blog
• The chance to work as part of a great team for a great store!

What do you have to do as a team member?

Weekly

• Make a post or comment on the FS facebook page

Monthly

• Make 2 cards using FranticStamper stamps as the main focus images with brief write-up
• Make 1 item from card sketch provided, using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Color 1 Frantic Stamper image (using Copics or other coloring media available at FranticStamper) and provide a list of colors used (this item can later be used in one of your cards or other projects)
• Share 1 item made from FranticStamper products at Splitcoast Stamper, to Facebook, and/or to your Blog (you MUST have a Blog!)

Quarterly

• Make 1 ATC, Tag or Altered Item using Frantic Stamper stamps
• Make 1 Wearable art or home dec item using any stamps carried at Frantic Stamper, and papers provided in your quarterly mailing
• Make 1 scrapbook layout using papers provided
• Provide 1 product review or technique write-up of a product carried by Frantic Stamper

Annually

• Participate in a FranticStamper blog hop (with an item made with a FranticStamper image and other products available at FranticStamper.) FranticStamper will provide blog candy.

If this sounds like something for you, get stamping and send us your application before November 20, 2011, at midnight, PST. Team members will be announced on or before January 1, 2012. The first quarterly mailing will occur in early January 2012.

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Tip Template Tuesday: Pop-up Gift Box Card

Pop-up Gift Box Card

Cut the pattern out of sturdy cardstock on solid lines. Score along dotted lines.

Stamp the inside image on the inside panel, below the score line.



Mountain fold both the inside and back panels on the score lines.


Draw a line down the front of the front panel to simulate the box's corner.
Attach the front of the card with strong tape or glue, just along the left, right, and bottom edges.



Attach lid to the trapezoidal part of inside panel that lies between the top edge and the fold line.



Adhere the lid lip to the lid. Embellish the package with ribbons, bows, gift tags, etc.

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