Why not?

Steampunk is a look, a style and Celtic designs can fit right in. The upcoming summer issue of RubberStampMadness will feature Steampunk art, therefore, I decided to make my advertisement in a Steampunk style, something I hadn’t tried before.

I have a copy of Tim Holtz’ book A Compendium of Curiosities, so I turned to it for inspiration and used the Rusted Enamel technique.  It is really easy to do as I was able to get a great result the first time I tried it. The following is a variation of that technique.

Steampunk Victorian Piper steps a & b1

a)  First stamp ink pads directly to heavy white card stock or a tag, using Memories Turquoise and Baby blue. (This is a really large tag 3 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, as I wanted to show several images on it.) Make sure the card is completely dry before proceeding.

b)  Next stamp the card with the desired images:

1. #349 Victorian Piper with black pigment ink and detail black embossing powder and heat set it.
2. #304 Fleur de Lis  & #353 Epiphany Knot with Cherry Red Memories ink
3. #170 Long Thistle & #351 Square Knot with Pine Tree Green Memories ink

 

 

Steampunk Victorian Piper steps b2 through f

c)  Now ink directly onto the entire surface of the card using a clear embossing ink pad, apply clear embossing powder over all, tap off the excess and then tap it harder so the powder isn’t even over the whole surface, and heat set. Be careful to heat it just enough to melt and no more.

d)  Now apply the appearance of rust with one or more warm browns such as Memories Brown. A cosmetic sponge works well for this and gives you good control (although your fingers might get inky). Tap the sponge on the ink pad and then tap it on the card pressing harder at the edges where you might want the most rust. Excess ink may be wiped off the embossed surface with a cloth or paper towel..

e)  Optional: repeat step c, if desired, to achieve a more even glossy finish, and you won’t need to give the card an extra tap.

f) As all the inking and embossing may have wrinkled the card stock, mount card on another piece of dark color cardstock with gluestick or YES glue.

g)  Punch a hole and add a ribbon.

Steampunk Victorian Piper 349 Tag completed

I am working on some new designs for early in 2012 and  will want your feed back on which designs are of most interest to you. I will be sending out a request for voting before production soon after Christmas. I hope to be bringing on a new artist who draws the most darling little fairies. My latest art interest for potential stamps are crop circles and sacred geometry – both of which may be found in ancient Celtic art. For example, the Book of Kells is full of geometry in the creation of the designs, some of which are in the Highlander Celtic Stamps collection.

I hope you take advantage of the Holiday 25% off sale, and thank you for checking in.

Here is a Welsh Christmas card (which could have any greeting instead of the Welsh one) and a 10″ x 8″ collage piece featuring G300 Horses/Epona design.

G300 3 Horse Knot / Epona in a layered collage design

Rubber stamps used are S100, C438 and 047 with white embossing ink and powder

Paw Prints were introduced in the July 19th newsletter. Today I want to show you some more of the new stamps. All images are watermarked which is not part of the stamp image.

• Scottish Terriers / Scotties – 2 sided stamp

Scottish Terrier / Scottie Rubber Stamps

Scotties continue to be popular, especially since the Scottish Terrier, Sadie, won at Westminster twice in recent years. The new design is a 2-sided stamp with mirror image silhouettes. This will be a fun stamp to play with as the 2 dogs can be facing each other or have their backs turned or be lined up in a row like a parade.

UPDATE POST PRODUCTION: I goofed and made both the Scotties face the same direction. Laying out a new plate can be nerve wracking as once it is in production what you get is permanent! I will have to make the opposite Scottie on a future plate. I sincerely apologize for this mistake.

• Shetland Sheepdog / Shelties

Shetland Sheepdogs / Shelties showing both new rubber stamps

2 views for your stamping pleasure, sold separately.
I took care in studying show conformation to make these images correct.

• Cat in Clover

Cat in Clover Rubber Stamp

I drew this image from a photograph of one of our cats. She liked to lay down in green, shady, cool places on a hot day.

DISCOUNTS for our RETURN CUSTOMERS

YOU are the reason I make these stamps and I Thank You. To show my appreciation I will continue to offer special discounts to return customers on all new releases. These new dog and cat stamps will be available for purchase online about mid August, and will definitely be available in our vending booth at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco Scottish Highland Gathering, Alameda County Fairgrounds, September 3rd and 4th, 2011. In the next issue of my newsletter and blog I will show the other 3 new stamps.

Tips & Techniques – Reconditioning Rubber Stamps with Glycerin

Glycerin is an excellent product to keep handy for your stamps.  It moisturizes and protects the rubber from drying out making them last longer (expecially in dry climates like Arizona). You can get glycerin in most drug stores. Rub a little on with your finger or a soft cloth.Glycerin will not interfere with inking your stamp and can even help in cleaning.

These new Paw Print Rubber Stamps will be great fun for decorating envelopes, cards, business cards, scrapbooks, temporary tattoos and more. Use them for fund raisers for local pet societies, as hand stamps, give them as gifts, and use them in the classroom. Appealing to kids and adults alike.

The Mini Dog Paw Print rubber stamp and Mini Heart Paw Print rubber stamp were introduced last year and customers loved them. So this year I decided to add a Dog Paw medium size, a Heart Paw medium size AND Cat Paw Mini and medium sizes. These will all be available about mid August, from our website and our retailers.

Here is the line up of paw prints (these have a watermark on them and the approximate sizes shown at the bottom)

Dog, Heart (generic), and Cat Paw Prints Rubber Stamps

In addition to these Paw Prints will be more dogs and cats images. As I am just finishing up on designing the plate of rubber stamps for manufacturing, I will post more about the new images in a few days.

One of our own cats helped me get the Cat Paw designs. My husband and I used non-toxic water based ink to get the impression of her right front paw print. She didn’t mind helping us with the print but really didn’t like the foot bath afterward. I then scanned and traced the impression in Photoshop.

The Heart Paw designs seemed like a logical idea to me. We all love our pets and I wanted this to be a universal symbol for that. (This is my original artwork, as simple as it is, yet I felt it was important to make sure there weren’t any others out there as rubber stamps or otherwise, and I couldn’t find any. I am very sensitive to copyrights and want people to honor mine as well, so weartists need to look out for each other.) The Dog Paw is also my original design..

Please tell your friends and family about these new stamps.

Thanks a lot,
Kim

http://www.highlandercelticstamps.com/Sample%20Stamps%20Gallery%202011/index.html

plus others. Since then I have tried these techniques with more of my stamps which I offer to you for inspiration. Get all the instructions from the magazine http://www.rubberstampmadness.com/

It is really simple to do, just emboss an image with clear  powder on glossy card stock (pre-colored or left white), rub ink over the top with cosmetic sponges. Remove the embossing by laying absorbent paper over the image, pass a warm iron over the paper and lift quickly so it doesn’t stick. Then cut and layer as desired.

Happy stamping, Kim

Highlander stamps 201, 043, 044, 045 on glossy card stock, Memories Dye Ink, Tartan paper, ribbon

Highlander stamps 432 & 384 or 434, Memories Dye Ink, glossy card stock. I cut a slit in the fold to pass the ribbon through.

Thank you for visiting!
Blessings upon you,

Kim Victoria