Barbara Washington: It's raining; it's pouring!

I thought I'd share my take on this month's Rebel Challenge, April Showers. How gallant he looks as he holds the umbrella over her head. What a handsome couple they make. These two lovely people are from the Just Sayin' stamp set, as is the sentiment. The old gent borrowed the umbrella from Tim Holtz's umbrella man die. I can't wait to see what you come up with for this month's challenge.

Helene Huber: It's Raining, It's Pouring...

The latest Rebel Challenge #22 April Showers has me thinking about combining products and techniques.

To create rain, I used the bubble wrap background stamp.  First I stamped with blue ink, then I turned the stamp around and stamped over the same area with gray ink.

Sometimes you don't have to color your stamped images.  I stamped the cat onto gray card stock.  Voila!  

 For added interest on my layout, I used some of my metal dies to cut a window and label. 

Rogue Redhead Stamp Plates Used:
Behind the Scenes (bubble wrap)
Just Sayin" (cat and sentiment)

Where I am, we actually are having flooding right now from all the rain.  While you're staying safe and dry indoors, I hope you have some time to enter this Rebel Challenge!

Vicki Robertson: Just Sayin' Canvas Mini Album

I am delighted and honored to be a new member of the Rogue Redhead Design Team.   When my stamps arrived,  I was truly inspired by the quality and design of each stamp.  I wanted my first project to be inspiring not only to you, but myself as well.

Mixed media projects have recently become an addiction of mine.  What better way to show the versatility of my Rogue Redhead Stamps than to combine them with a host of other mixed media crafting products.

So...here we go with my "Just Sayin" Canvas mini album featuring the following Rogue Redhead Stamps: Behind the Scenes, Milliner Misses and Just Sayin' .  The listed stamps are available for purchase in the Rogue Redhead Designs Store.  This mini album will be used to house some of my favorite quotes for future use on craft projects.

I created the cover of my mini album with two pieces of chipboard and  two pieces of self adhesive canvas. The chipboard dimensions are 5" x 5" and the canvas measures 5 1/2" x  5 1/2".   Cutting the canvas slightly larger allows for an overlap around the edges of the chipboard.

I stamped the canvas with the Behind the Scenes Handwriting Background Stamp.  Next, I used multiple distress inks to color the canvas.

Before adding any more texture to the canvas, I adhered it to the front and back chipboard pieces and added patterned paper to the inside of each cover.

 Using Versamark Ink, I stamped the Behind the Scenes Reverse Sequin Waste Stamp onto the front cover of the album, sprinkled it with clear ultra thick embossing powder and heated it. After the embossing powder cooled, I added more ink to grunge it up and misted the cover with two different spray mists to add some shimmer.

The pages in the mini album are made from craft paper layered with patterned paper.  I stamped the background on all of the pages with the Behind the Scenes Reverse Sequin Waste Stamp and the matted layer with the Behind the Scenes Handwriting Stamp.  Next, I used the flower from the Just Sayin' Set and stamped several flowers on each page in three different colors.  To add shimmer to the pages, I again misted with two different spray mists.  I used washi tape, buttons, twine, and tags to embellish each page differently.

A chipboard vintage telephone painted with acrylic, stamped with one of the Milliner Misses and misted with color was a perfect touch for my "Just Sayin" mini album theme.

I assembled the cover and pages and punched aligned holes through the entire thickness tying it together with hemp twine.  Using the Just Sayin' Stamp, I stamped and embossed the title tag.  I also stamped the different shapes from this set to embellish the cover.  A couple of buttons in the corner and my mini album is done!

Be sure to check out the Rogue Redhead Rebel Challenge #21 - Sentimental Focus.  Use a sentiment on your creation and link it to the blog post for a chance to win a $15 Voucher to the Rogue Redhead Designs Store.  See the Rebel Challenge link in the blog sidebar for details!

Sharon Briss: CAS Cats Two Ways

Using the same basic premise, I created two different but similar cards with some simple masking.

I started with a vague notion of a cat sitting on a wall, so I stamped my fav cat from the Just Sayin' plate onto the card with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then masked off the cat and a section of card to become "the wall".  Once I had the section masked off, I sponged on some Antique Linen distress ink (Ranger).   Over that I stamped my sequin waste background from Behind the Scenes with the same ink.  I finished with my handwritten music background from the same collection, stamped using Vintage Photo distress ink.

Once this strip was completed, I removed the masks and colored the cat in with copic markers.  I stamped the sentiment, "Did You Hear" also from the Just Sayin' plate with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. 

Stamps: cat and sentiment from Just Sayin'; sequin waste and
handwritten music background from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

Don't ya love how his little tail dips into the "wall" of ink ever so slightly.

On the next card, I wanted to give the cat a different look so I stamped him on some cool textured patterned paper and paper pieced the image.  For the band of color, I sponged with Spun Sugar Distress ink and then overstamped the bubble wrap background from Behind the Scenes.  I then switched to Victorian Velvet distress ink and stamped the Handwriting background, also from Behind the Scenes, onto the color strip.  I added a little more color by adding some sponging Victorian Velvet along the masking line for some depth.  To finish, I added the layered flower and stamped the sentiment, Miss You from Relish Reading, onto the color band.
 

Stamps: cat and sentiment from Just Sayin'; sequin waste and
handwritten music background from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

I love this easy format and the quick way these cards went together.  While exactly the same design, I think they both have their own personality!

Behind the Scenes is a versatile collection that will quickly become one of your go-to sets.  As you see with the two cards above, it's already become one of mine!  I love the different ways you can layer the various backgrounds to create fabulous effects!  Behind the Scenes will be on sale for its introductory price of $17.60 only until the end of March!

Don't forget!  There's only a one day left to take advantage of the old postage rates.  As of February 15th, all our postal rates will reflect the changes implemented by the USPS in late January.

Simple Set Saturdays: Vintage Valentines

We're celebrating Valentine's Day on our Simple Set Saturday this month! I generally do not make traditional valentines and this year is no exception. I've gone quite simple using only standard cardstock, glossy paper and watercolor paper. I kept the color palette simple - 2 shades of pink and 3 shades of brown. Layering a backgrounds, one waterstamped and the other traditionally stamped gave teh backgrounds a lovely depth and complexity of texture.  I did not use any cupids or hearts and instead relied on vintage images and romantic sentiments.

To keep the required time to create these nice and tight, I organized my tasks. I started by cutting the glossy paper into 4 panels measuring 4.0" x 5.25". For the next step, I did each panel individually as I did not want the ink to by too dry. I used a direct-to-paper inking technique with some Victorian Velvet Distress Ink on the glossy panel and smoothed out the result with a cotton ball. I choose my first backgound and spritzed it with water. I pressed it onto the distress inked glossy panel and then removed the stamp. A lovely inverse of the background stamp appeared. I repeated this procedure with the other three panels, choosing a different background stamp each time. I set these aside to dry a bit.

You can see in this first card the layered background.  For this card, I waterstamped the Bubble Wrap background from the new Behind the Scenes collection and overstamped with the Sandy Beach background from Beach Babes.  The boat and sentiment are also from Beach Babes.

Stamps: boat, sentiment  and Sandy Beach background from Beach Babes;
Bubble Wrap background from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

Here you can see a detail of the two texture backgrounds layered together.

My next step was to stamp my desired vintage images onto the watercolor paper. I used Timber Brown StazOn ink so that I could immediately start watercoloring them with an aquabrush and my distress inks. I wanted to keep a minimal color palette so I chose to use the Victorian Velvet again with Spun Sugar, Tea Dye and Vintage Photo. The last two colors remain on my craft table as go-to colors. I usually stamp the inks I want to watercolor with onto an acrylic block so that I can pick them up easily and I don't damage my ink pads.

You can see on this next card that I kept the watercoloring merely a hint of color.  I just wanted to give some dimension to the images.  For this card, I had waterstamped my Handwritten background (Behind the Scenes)  and overstamped with the Handwritten Music from the same set.  The couple is from Just Sayin' and the sentiment is from Snow Hugs.

Stamps: old couple from Just Sayin', sentiment from Snow Hugs;
Bubble Wrap background from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

While my first round of painted ink was drying, I overstamped my second background images onto each of my four glossy panels using Victorian Velvet again. As the direct-to-paper and sponging had laid a light hue of color on the panels, the full strength version of the ink gave wonderful contrast.

The background below is the inverse of the one above.  I waterstamped the Handwritten Music and then overstamped the Handwriting background.

From here, I added a second layer of detail to my watercolored images. I like to let them dry and then apply my next layer of ink to give a little shading without having to use additional colors.

You can see the extra shading on my third card.  I used Dot and one of the sentiments from Milliner Misses.  To cut down the whiteness of the watercolor paper, I used a soft wash of Spun Sugar around the image.

Stamps: Dot and sentiment from Milliner Misses; Handwriting and Handwritten Music
backgrounds from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

To finish off the cards, I cut 4 card bases from burgundy cardstock. I used an additional sheet of cardstock to mat my images which I had cut into ovals and circles. When matting my images, I offset my images slightly for a little different look.

I especially liked the look for my final card, a simple floral valentine.  To create this card, I had waterstamped the Sequin Waste background (Behind the Scenes) and added the Almanac background from Relish Reading overtop. 

For my images, I chose the cosmos blossom and "Je t'aime" from Floriculture and added very minimal color. 

Stamps: Cosmos blossom and sentiment from Floriculture; Handwriting and Handwritten Music
backgrounds from Behind the Scenes (Rogue Redhead Designs)

Once assembled, I really liked the unified color and look. Hope you do as well!

Don't forget to check out our newest plate - Behind the Scenes - on sale for US$17.60 until February 28, 2013.

Helene Huber: Candy Card

I love to look through my stamps and interpret them in different ways.  Today this element from the Just Sayin' stamp plate reminded me of ribbon candy.  So I stamped it three times onto a plain white card with Ranger Festive Berries distress ink.

I took the sentiment and candy piece from the Candy Kisses stamp plate and used them to create a label which I adhered with foam dots onto the card.  I highlighted with a Sakura glitter pen for added sweetness. I was able to find in my stash some Colorbok card stock that matched the ink.

This is a busy time of year.  Simple yet festive cards still make it possible to give something hand crafted.

Stephanie Severin: Get My Drift?

I am having fun playing along with the 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist Challenge over at The Classroom.  When I saw Julie Ebersole's fun tag for day three featuring red mittens, I knew the perfect stamps to join the fun.

I used stamps from three different RRD Sets ... Snow Hugs (how cool does that hat looked stamped & embossed in white), Candy Kisses & Just Sayin' (for that fun striped background).   The background was created by stamping the background several times in Momento Love Letter ink on the blue textured cardstock & cutting one-inch strips to layer on the tag base.  I finished with lots of pearls (really love how the one looks on the end of the hat).

And isn't that playful Candy Kisses sentiment just perfect ... love it!

Designer: Stephanie Severin

Barbara Washington: Wish

I finally got a chance to play in my studio after the holiday excitement. I pulled out a tag and got to work. My tag background is wrinkle free distress, one of Tim Holtz's techniques. A little distress ink, a little water, and swish you've got a great background. I pulled out my RRD Just Sayin' stamps. They are so much fun to play with. Peaking behind the wreath (Tim Holtz/Sizzix die) is the old couple. Clear embossed on the background are several of  the flowers, or can we say snowflakes here (They do have six points). I took the border, stamped it in red, and cut it very close to the swirls. Then I embossed the whole piece with clear embossing powder. They look a lot like candy cane sticks. To finish off my tag I die cut an ornament with the word wish in it (Both Tim Holtz/Sizzix dies), put berries on the wreath using a Viva Decor pen, and added a red ribbon to the tag. Are we getting into the Christmas spirit yet?

Colleen Oxford: A Scrappy Day

GREAT FRIENDS, GREAT FOOD AND GREAT FUN!!!

I recently was able to spend a day scrappin' with some great ladies and shorten my stack of "to be scrapped" pictures, which seems to be a never ending pile :) I love using stamps to create backgrounds and add that special something to a LO that stickers just can't quite do.

Here are some of the pages I was able to complete...

                                                           

This LO is using the Ivy, Sentiment and Flourish from Nature Notes.  I stamped around the border with the ivy stamp in Stampin' Up's Always Artichoke ink pad then sponged to age it. The paper pack is from the Close to my Heart, Victory paper pack. I felt it needed something to anchor the page so I stamped the flourish in Early Espresso and punched them out using a circle punch. Then I stamped the sentiment, rounding the corners and distressing. Finishing it off by popping up the sentiment and flourishes.

                                                

For my second LO I took inspiration from the pennant in the Just Sayin' full plate. Again I used papers from the Close to my Heart Victory pack. I stamped the Swerving line, Pennant and Cluster of blocks from the Just sayin' full plate using Stampin' Ups Night of Navy ink pad.  I thought the swerving line was prefect for the "string" to hang the name pennant on writing the letters with a Maroon journaling pen and popping up every other one. The cluster of blocks I then stamped all over the background paper which made the page just a little more interesting.

And for my final LO I took inspiration from my son's Bruins shirt.  And what better stamps to use but the one's from Getting Grizzly, this is such a versatile set. I have made polar bears, grizzly bears and now bruins :) The papers and inks I used are from Stampin' Up. I began by stamping the Honey comb all around the border, Happy Birthday (from Nature Notes) and Bees in the middle making dots for the bee trails. But my favorite element on this page, other than my son of course, are the bears that I stamped on brown and colored in with a black marker, fussy cutting then popping up in the corner. I rounded out the page with Close to my Hearts durables square studs in each corner.

I hope you've enjoyed and been inspired to get stampin and scrappin :)

And don't forget to check out Rogue Redhead Designs to view the Fabulous stamps shown. 

Simple Set Saturday: Get Scrappy

If you are like me, you probably have a lot of little strips of designer paper hanging around that you have optimistically figured would be useful for some "future project".  Well, I decided to make that distant tomorrow, a reality today. 

Grab those little strips of paper and start creating some great note card sets!  The idea is very simple!

Stamps: Old Gent and Sentiment from Just Sayin' (Rogue Redhead Designs)

First, I cut strips into 3/4" to 1" strips of varying lengths.  I lined them up and then offset them.  I taped the strips together on the backside.  Then...and this is the easiest part...just stamp one of your favorite images onto the strips in black.  I added a sentiment on one of the longer strips.  Once the image was placed, I also did some strategic cutting to create more interest.  I put the whole thing on a plain white card, positioned the strips as desired and trimmed the bits sticking out the edges.  You don't even have to make things straight!  How easy is that?

Here are the other cards I created using the same method:

Stamps: Marie from Relish Reading and sentiment from Bits and Pieces (Rogue Redhead Designs)

Stamps: lily of the valley and sentiment from Floriculture (Rogue Redhead Designs)

If you try out this easy way to use up your scraps, please add a comment with a link!  We would love to see your fabulous cards!

Stephanie Severin: Soul Priority

I used stamps from two RRD sets for this collage card using this week's Retro Sketch.

Flower, pennant & wavy border are from Just Sayin' and sentiment from Nature Notes ... paper is 7Gypsies Postale.

Designer: Stephanie Severin

Barbara Washington: Just Sayin' Happy Birthday

Card Closed

Card Open

Here's a fun birthday card. I used several Rogue Redhead Designs stamp sets to create my card. I started with the image, the front sentiment and the inside flower design from the set Just Sayin'. The decorative corners are from Getting Grizzly. And I used the "Happy birthday" from the new Nature Notes.  I love how versatile these stamps are. In addition, I used a Sizzix flip it die to make the card (Don't you love how the center flips over from image to sentiment) and my cardstock is from Websters Pages.

Jean Franks Beck: Another Take on the Rebel Color Challenge

Since lilac is one of my favorite colors (and flowers!), I couldn't resist having a go at this month's Rebel Challenge to use Lilac, Navy, and White.  The crisp white inspired me to go with a basically clean and simple card (but with a little shabby chic ribbon thrown in - couldn't resist).  I had lots of lilac patterned papers in my stash, and some StazOn ink in a most gorgeous Midnight Blue.  I stamped the bunting from Just Sayin' in navy on various lilac hued papers and glued them together in a breezy line across some embossed white cardstock.  I kept the dotty pattern going on the bottom, where I stamped the sentiment from Relish Reading in navy.  A bit of ribbon and this simple card was done in a flash. Stamping in navy is a refreshing change from basic black or brown, and is a great place to start for this color challenge - I hope you can join in!

Stephanie Severin: Master of My Fates

I just love this quote from Nature Notes ... I paper pieced her shirt & added some embellishment at the top using the wavy line from Just Sayin'.

Designer: Stephanie Severin

Barbara Washington: Captain of my Soul

My card today is a mixture of several stamp sets. I also thought it would be fun to create a card for this month's Rebel Shape Up Challenge: a recipe calling for a circle, a square, and a rectangle.
The focal image, sentiment, and frame backgrounds are all from the newest release, Nature Notes. The background was made using the Kraft Resist technique from the latest Technique Junkies newsletter. I first stamped the background stamp from Relish Reading. Then I stamped and embossed the background stamp from Just Sayin'.  I sponged on stream, caramel and rust inks for color (Ranger). I think the combination of stamps and color makes a striking background for the wonderful Nature Notes stamps.
Don't forget the RRD Sunsational Sale going on now thru August 31, 2012.

Rebel Challenge RC014: Shape Up

August brings to mind outdoor picnics, great barbecues and hot dogs over roaring fires.  We've cooked up a little recipe challenge to whet your creative appetite.

Stamps: Woman and sentment from Nature Notes

You'll have to think design and style for this one as we are asking you to:

Shape Up!
Use at least 1 Circle, 1 Square
and 1 Rectangle

PLEASE READ OUR RULES CAREFULLY.
We reserve the right to delete submissions that do not
follow our guidelines! 

Please check our FAQ for all the info on our challenges! Here's the short version.

1) You can use any products to participate in this challenge. You do not have to use Rogue Redhead Designs products but it would be fabulous if you did!

2) Your submission must include some stamping.

3) Please read the directions for the challenge. We like to add a twist here and there. Your submission must contain at least one circle, one square and one rectangle.

4) Only links that are to a single post (ie only to a general blog post) will be accepted.

5) All submission posts need to include a link back to this challenge to be eligible for the challenge prize.  Please note: the challenge must be named in your list and not simply listed by its URL.  Thank you.

6) You can submit up to 3 entries and you may combine this challenge with  only up to 5 other challenges, but more than that and you will disqualify yourself.

One challenge winner will be drawn randomly from the qualified submissions for a $15.00 US voucher at the Rogue Redhead Designs Store. This challenge will end on September 9, 2012. The winner will be announced on September 12, 2012 and will have until October 12, 2012 to claim their prize.

Here's some easy ideas to get you started!

You can use panels and mats with this recipe!

Stamps: Masquerade Couple from Carnival Dreams
and sentiment from Snow Hugs

You can go with a Clean and Simple look.  For this card, I used a circular mask to create a circle of color.  I added a rectangle to the bottom third of the card for the sentiment and framed the flower in a square mat.

Stamps: flower from Nature Notes
and sentiment from Bits and Pieces

Another idea would be to go with some simple paper piecing as I did with this old gent!

Stamps: Old Gent from Just Sayin'
and sentiment from Bits and Pieces

Come back and visit our blog over the next month to see some more distressed greens. 

Now, it's your turn! Find your creative rebel spirit!