Stamp Highlights...

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a fabulous week! It's time for some more stamp highlights from our new stamp release last week. Sit back and enjoy!

First up we have the March Hare by Steven Benson at the Freaks Factory.

This lovely lady is from Melia Newman. Her name is Steampunk Valentine.

These cuties are named Firey Friends and they come to us from Danika Lindsell in Australia!
Last but not least we have Pot of Luck by Joanna Bromley in England.

Start your St. Patrick's Day crafting now. We have lots of fun stamps in store for your rubber fix. Click here to visit Queen Kat Designs.

Happy Stamping,

Vicki

It's That Old Devil Moon in Your Eyes

Here's a card I made for Valentine's Day, using Queen Kat Designs "Fae of Hearts" stamp by Joanna Bromley.  As I colored her, I realized that I had been humming the song "Old Devil Moon" from Finian's Rainbow, so I borrowed a verse from the song for my inside sentiment:

    Just when I think, I'm
    Free as a dove.
    Old devil moon,
    Deep in your eyes,
    Blinds me with love.
When I was a teen and got my first job, I bought two tickets to the Arie Crown Theater in downtown Chicago for my parents to go see the live musical, Finian's Rainbow.  I was so proud of myself for getting such a great present, and knew my parents would enjoy their evening.

I have it on DVD now, and still like the story line and the music.  Who wouldn't like to go to "Glocca Morra" or find a pot of gold to wish upon?  My moon holds a fairy, not a devil, but the magic is still there, thanks to Joanna Bromley!

Stamp Highlights...

Wednesday was our February release day here at the Castle. We had a great time on Facebook. I'd like to share with you some stamps from the release here on our blog! So sit back and lets check out some new stamps!

This stamp is by Charles Bristow and her name is Calista.

Meet Cheeky Fairy by Christina Lynn Myers..

The Gentleman is in the house! Isn't this birdy cute? He's by Sandra Caldwell.

Isn't she just dreamy?? This is Dreamy Lashes by Maigan Lynn

We also had new releases from Steve Benson, Myka Jelina, Renee Lavoie, Coriander Shea Detwiler, Carla Morrow, Micah Carmichael, Joanna Bromley and more! Stop by the store and get your rubber fix today!

Our next release day is March 7th. Please come by our Facebook Fan Page and "Like" us today. We are having a giveaway when we reach 3200 fans!

Have a happy stampy day!

Vicki

January Fantasy Wedding

In the forest where fairies dwell, the foliage is lush and vibrant with colors.  Snow may glisten at the edges of this mysterious realm, but in the heart of the forest, where the magic is strongest, you will find perpetual spring.

Here is where the lovely Elf Bride finds herself, amongst her furry friends, her Mother Nature, and her soon-to-be husband.  For this fantasy, I created a card using "Elf Bride" by Monika Ptok Byard.  It's one of the January new releases here at Queen Kat Designs.
The sentiment inside reads: "Still the one I love" (title by Shania Twain), and is benchmarked for my hubby of 35 years (of course, I got married when i was thirteen...do you believe me?)
Anyway, she is a gorgeous image to color and I love her pose, as it is a great showcase for the shadows on her face.
You can get "Elf Bride" and more from Monika at the Shoppe.  Tell them Pat sent you!

Queen kat project GIVE AWAY!

I have been working on many projects this month for Queen Kat and have decided how much fun would it be to give away these great projects to you our dedicated customers and fans.

In an effort to get your creative juices flowing, I created Luna's Crystal ball using a snow globe I purchased on clearance after the Christmas Holidays. I used a 25 strand white light set also purchased on clearance, cut a small hole in the bottom and threaded the lights up.

Luna is stamped onto tissue paper and colored with my Copic markers. I then cut the image out carefully with very sharp scissors and applied the image to the snow globe using Crystal lacquer. You need to work quickly but delicately to keep the tissue from wrinkling and then seal the top over with another layer of the crystal lacquer.

I then applied various flowers and butterflies to the globe using both E6000 glue and hot glue. The hot glue just holds things in place while the E6000 glue dries. I also used some dangles/baubles and bling from my personal collection. The entire process took about 2 1/2 hours to complete. I hope you will give this a try, it is super easy and fun.

All you need to do is leave a comment on my blog here or the queen kat blog here. On Feb 7th I will announce the winner. Please note if you are not a US citizen, the package may take up to 4 weeks to reach you. I ship via US parcel post to try and save money. You will receive Luna, two stamped cards and the dream journal as part of this give away.  Loretta's blog.

 

Happy Stamping and Good luck!

Nothing Says I Love You Like a Box of Candy

Hi, crafters!  Pat here with another project using Secret Admirer by Danika Lindsell.  This time I decided to make a tag card with this cute, love-sick dragon. 
Since the patterned paper was a sea of dots, I cut out my colored image in a circle, framed it with dark red cardstock, and added a few embellies, namely a flower, a feather and some jute lace.
I glammed up the box of chocolates a bit with a few punched and Stickled hearts.
Check out the new January releases at the Shoppe, and tell them Pat sent you!

Queeen Kat on Tuesday from Designer Loretta Rodger

 Grace by Micah Carmichael and Luna by Kerry Swinamer

 Hi Friends!

  It is Tuesday and time for some more of the yummy Queen Kat stamps.

  The first project is using Luna on a dream journal.  Very simple.  I used a junior legal pad that was purchased from an office supply store and measured it.  I covered the journal with brown card stock.

  I taped the paper pad to the inside back cover, slit two holes for ribbon closure and covered the front with different patterned papers from Jillibean soup purchased from my local craft store.

  I attached Luna to the front with E6000 glue.  Then I attached the different "do dads" to the front with the same adhesive.  I used a sentiment from my personal stash and hand wrote out dream, love, faith,pray randomly over the cover.  The entire project took less than 10 minutes.

  For the Grace image, I kept things simple yet elegant.  She was stamped onto Copic card using memento tuxedo black ink. She was then colored with copic markers.  I trimmed the image out using scissors.

  Using card stock from my stash, I layered on different papers and flowers to give her a more finished look.

  I really like the way both projects turned out.  I hope you will give them a try!

  Visit Loretta's blog.

Secret Admirer Offers a Box of Chocolates

Do you realize Valentine's Day is only a month away?!  I know, I know, wew just finished celebrating December's holidays, but still, only one month to start and finish all those Valentine cards, candy pulls, goody bags, and other expressions of love!


Secret Admirer by Danika Lindsell

 Well, I just started my collection for the holiday made for sweethearts with this Ribbon Pull Candy Card.  This cute QKD image by Danika Lindsell is called Secret Admirer, and I think it will be a big hit with my friends.  I bought a package of sugarfree bubble gum packs and when each recipient pulls the ribbom up from the card, the gum comes out of its card!

I think I'll color the dragon as many colors as I have matching flowers & ribbon and make each one different in that little way.

So, half begun is half done (well, maybe not half, but at least I started).  Secret Admirer is brand new, one of many new QKD releases this month.  Get yours HERE and check out all the other new releases.  And tell them Patacake sent you!!

Crayola Model Magic

Queen Kat and her wonderful stamps

This video tutorial is for the visual learner, I hope you will give this a try. Crayola model magic is a wonderful product and so fun to use! See last Tuesday's post for the written step by step. Visit Loretta's personal blog here.
Enjoy! Stamp Happy be a blessing! For the visual learner:

January New Release! Elf Bride by Monika Ptok Byard

Ah, 2012.  A new year, a fresh start, an opportunity to open the floodgates of inspiration, explore new techniques, and challenge my creativity.
And what better project to start with than a new release stamp from Queen Kat Designs?  I made this card using a stamp called Elf Bride by Monika Ptok Byard .  I love the detail in this stamp.  She looks haunting as a bride, and I had fun coloring her. 
Since crafters tend to look forward to the next holiday on the calendar, I have hearts and love on my mind, so this image I framed with a paper doily heart.  Lace, stitching, pearls and a flourish finish off the card, and I hope you like it!
There are quite a few new releases this month, including Monika's Elf Bride.  Check them all out HERE.  And don't forget to check out the QKD BLOG and Facebook page for more inspiration

Thursday Thoughts

Back to blogging, not sure where my mind has been the last month, but I do have some cool cards to share with you this month. This stamp that that I used for the first card is by Kerry Swinamer. Click on her name to be taken to her section of the store.

Kerry's style is a little edgy but also soft at the same time. I know that doesn't seem to go together, but the image I used for this card is called BioHazard. She is intense but almost has a softness.























Thanks for stopping by; make sure you go see what all is new in the store.

Wadja get?

  Now that the holidays are over and the presents I received put in their places, I have a little time to play with the crafting toys that have found a home in my room.  I received a wax sealing kit, which I am still deciding if I should keep or not.  What can I do with it, looking with an eye toward my card making? 

  Meanwhile, I made this card today for those friends to whom I send New Year cards.  With December being so busy, I don't send a lot of Christmas cards, but I do send new year cards to them in January.  I used the stamp called "Bodice".  Would you believe that I won this as a blog prize and it was one of my very first stamps from QKD?  And I couldn't imagine how I was going to use it!  Now I find myself using it time and again.
  Here, I have a little after-Christmas theme going on.  I can't remember where I heard the sentiment, but I knew it was the perfect sentiment to go with my Christmas present corset.  Inside, the card reads. "And what did you get for Christmas?"
  So, whether you have been nice or naughty, what did you get for the holidays??

Extra Friday Means Extra Card

And I get to play with my newest addition to my growing collection of QKD stamps.  I fell in love with Che Gilson's Hot Chocolate Mouse stamp, and so I knew I had to have it before the year was out!  I took advantage of the December sales and snagged an early Christmas present for myself.


Hot Chocolate Mouse

 With all the Christmas cards I made this year, I had a lot of leftover pieces of paper, so I just pulled together some leftovers: a couple torn pieces of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye Christmas Paper Stack, a short piece of discolored lace, a lonely chipboard heart, a dark teal bow from martha Stewart, a single diecut snowflake, and some adhesive-backed pearls.
I made a 6x6 card for my girlfriend. We're getting together today to close out the old year and plan for the new one.  Then I'm off to Wisconsin for an overnight getaway with my teen daughter.  We are both in need of some quality time together, pampering and spa-ing while looking out over Lake Michigan.
Hope you enjoyed the year. I know I look forward to crafting in the New year, with lots of new stamp and tools and learning new techniques.  Don't forget to check out the QKD Facebook page, as well as the Shoppe for all your stamping needs!
Happy Crafting!

It's Time for a New Year...

...and with a New Year comes new releases, new inspiration, new techniques to try, new cards to make--the list is endless! I can't wait to show you what QKD has to offer in january!  Let's just say that whatever extra time I snag for crafting, you'll see the end result here  on the blog!
But until then, you have time to make your resolutions for a new crafting year.  Personally, I would like to make more time for myself, to craft, to create, to explore, to discover, to share, to give, to love.
Meanwhile, I do have some new-to-me stamps with which to play, so it's time to get crafty with a stamp from Jeanie Dickinson called Time Piece.
I thought it worked perfectly for my New Year's card.  Every year we get together for dinner and the evening with friends of ours--actually, I met my girlfriend in college, and our families have lived close by since. We've shared a lot of play dates with their son and my daughter.  Anyway, we usually start the evening off with a special dinner.  one year it was crab legs and lobster.  Another it was a turkey and a ham.  Another year we enjoyed finger foods and sweets all night long.
Do you like my little New Year's mouse,  scampering across the bottom, on his way to climbing up the clock?
Now for this year's resolution:

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest  (from thequotegarden.com)

Robin in Ivy

Chicago weather is confusing enough for us humans, but when it confuses the animals, you know it's bad.  We have geese flying north in December and south in February, squirrels looking for handouts at your front door when they should be snuggled somewhere in our bare trees, and skunks that go traipsing about our backyard when they should be sound asleep.

So this little robin decided to brave the Windy City winter, and is seen resting amongst the ivy.  The new QKD stamp set from Joanna Bromley is aptly called Robin in Ivy, and I love coloring this little guy over and over.  Today I set him against a blue sky twinkling with snowflakes, and gave him more color than is normally seen in the winter.  That's because I remember a poem/song from my childhood called "little Robin Red-breast" and wanted him to match the song lyrics.

The card is one of several I am making for Christmas showcasing this beautiful image. 
There are lots more beautiful stamp sets available at the shoppe. 

Eight More Crafting Days Until Christmas

...and I wanted to show you another card I made for friends and family this year.  I used Queen Kat Design's rubber stamp called Robin in Ivy by Joanna Bromley.  This little bird looks ready for the holidays--sure wish I were!  I have 25 people coming to my house for dinner (27 if the queen and her gram come), but the walls of my house stretch for family and friends.  I need to finish off a few more projects before I can breathe, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!  It helps that I love what I do, so it doesn't feel like work.  I just need some time in an alternate universe, so I can craft to my heart's content, finish my projects, catch a few zzz's, and return refreshed and at the very moment that I left (alternate time works that way---cool, huh?!).

Back to reality (as I know it):  I love this little robin so much, he is on quite a few of my cards this year.  I framed him with diecut ever-greenery, forming a wreath around him.  The diecut trees below are topped off with a little snow, and flakes are falling from the sky all around him.  Don't you love that Christmas song sheet patterned paper from My Mind's Eye?  I wish I had a few more stacks!!
Keep on crafting, all.  If you're in need of any last minute gifts for your crafty friends, you can find some beautiful stamps over at QKD. 

Getting Ready for Christmas

Okay, crafters, I hope you're more on schedule than I am! I have my cards finished and ready to mail out, but I still have quite a few projects to finish before the big day (did I say that there were only 15 more crafting days until Christmas???).  Here's one of the cards I'm sending out this week.  It uses the new stamp release by Joanna Bromley called Christmas Elf.  Now that's a guy who takes his work seriously, yet looks like he's having fun with it!

I colored him with Copics and added some sparkle (what's Christmas without some sparkle?) with a little Stickles applied here and there.  Some felt fusion to form a border for my card, a cardstock sentiment, and a few pieces of patterned paper finish off my festive card, along with a couple of well-placed jewels. 

I wonder how many ornaments this little fellow has to polish before his next coffee break?
Check out the wonderful holiday stamps available at The Shoppe, and remember to keep on crafting!

Twenty-two More Crafting Days Until Christmas

Today I wanted to show you a present I made for my bff.  She is the Queen of List Making, and I thought I'd gift her with more than just a card this year.  I altered a notebook so she can jot down all her New Year's Resolutions in it now, and laugh over the lists at next New Year's Eve!

I used Queen Kat Design's Christmas Elf by Joanna Bromley, who looks so happy at what she's doing that she inspired me to use the sentiment "Love What You Do; Do What You Love".  It's a shortened version of "Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life", but I didn't have enough room for that! LOL
I couldn't stop coloring my image, and then I couldn't choose which one to use on the cover, so I decided to go with them all!  Some Stickles added shine to the ornaments and the starry backgrounds, and some skittles glitzed up the patterned paper I used to cover the notebook.  I adhered a wide ribbon down the spine and cut the end in four, then braided it and attached some beads.
I already made my friend her card, so I'm finished with one person, except for wrapping it!  Only umpteen more for whom to craft!  I'm going to be busy this month, but I'm sure I'm not alone!

Love Boat

I hope everyone enjoyed the fabulous birthday bash at Queen Kat Designs on Facebook this month!  I know I did--I won some prizes, played some games, met some new friends, got some excellent deals on stamps and added to my wish list!!

Here's another card featuring the QKD release "Owl and the Pussycat" by Shona MacDonald.  This time I have the romantic couple sailing out to sea at night.  I colored the image with my Copics, and used Stickles and Liquid Glass to give the water and a few other details a little glitz.  I framed it on a piece of cardstock and placed it on my card with dimensional dots, after covering the bottom half of the card with some teal webbing.
The sentiment was stamped from another QKD set called Witch Sisters from Marlon T, and cut it out to give it the look of a moon with some ink distressing and Stickles.
Finally, I added some tiny seashells to the webbing, and my card is complete.  All the patterned paper and cardstock was taken from my leftover stash, which I have vowed to use up by end of year.  Meanwhile, check out the new releases QKD has released during its fifth birthday celebration, and make out your Christmas Wish List before its too late!!

Thanksgiving Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Queen Kat Designs readers and customers and everyone else. We hope that everyone is having a blessed day with their friends and family.

My card that I wanted to share with you today is Shona McDonald's Bedtime for Peasmore. I used the September Royal Kat Kit. As Peasmore is getting ready for bed, the sentiment that I used is perfect for this Thanksgiving Day, "What Would I Do Without You?"

















Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Happy, Happy, Happy

What a lot of fun going on at the birthday celebration on Facebook this month!!  So many new releases, so many giveaways, challenges, and laughs!!
And now, It's finally here!  After all the games, prizes, giveaways, new releases--this weekend is the BIG DAY!!  Queen Kat Designs celebrates FIVE YEARS! 
And here's another birthday card using Lisa Cree's Eat Cake Stamp Set to show how much fun we're having at the palace!  Don't miss the grand conclusion to the 19 day celebration!  Get your stamps while they're still in stock and on sale!
Remember, only 36 more crafting days until Christmas!!

Thursday Thoughts

The eyes have it again this week for Thursday Thoughts. While Nora Blansett's Purple Eyes are fabulous in purple, today, I decided to share them in another manner. I always want to use a more "art journal" approach to my cards, but I am also hesitant about putting too much stuff on a card. So, today, I wanted to share a vintage-style card using an art journal approach while still being somewhat clean and simple. (Did you get all that!?)
























Okay, first I pulled out the July Royal Kit (didn't get it when it was first released, there are still two left). I used the patterned paper in the kit and stamped directly onto it. Then I also used the cardstock included in the kit as my card. More patterned paper and the Eiffel Tower die cut were then added. The final touch was the use of jewels on the accent parts of the eyes. While these are not the jewels included in the kit, there are some in there that you could use.



















Quick and easy and fun!! Hope you stop by next week to see what I have to share.

Birthday Party in Full Swing

Birthday Set by Lisa Cree

And what would be more fitting than cupcakes baked for a queen!!  Mmm, piled high with ooey, gooey frosting, dripping down the sides, and a plump cherry on top!  This scrumptious cupcake image is from the Eat Cake Stamp Set by Lisa Cree, and the sentiment I snagged from The Quote Garden and printed out. That glorious flower was handmade by my crafting friend Shannon.
Sigh, I really love cupcakes, especially chocolate ones, but I can no longer have them.  Sugar and my body don't mix, so I can look, I can stamp, I can color, I can Stickle them, but nary a bite shall pass these lips, because I want to live!
Speaking about living, we are really living it up at the Queen's 5th Birthday Party!  Lots of games and fun have been enjoyed by party-goers, sales have been taken advantage of at the Shoppe, and prizes have already been given away!  The designers have been super busy with new stamps to die for (oh, dear, my shopping lists has grown to enormous proportions).  But there's still time to join in the fun, as Her Majesty celebrates her birthday on November 19th with this 19 day celebration. 
So what are you waiting for?!  Go pay your respects to the birthday girl and par-tay!!

Thursday Thoughts

With visions of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads . . . yes, it does seem a little bit early for Christmas but it really isn't.

Shona MacDonald's Bed Time for Peasmore is just a fabulous stamp that would be perfect for Christmas cards. While I didn't use it for Christmas, the more I look at it, the more I think I should!!!

















Peasmore is bundled up and ready for bed! Love the papers and embellishments that I used well you can pick them up. They are from a previous Royal Kit and are on sale right now!!

Love is a Voyage on the Sea of Life

The Owl and The Pussycat was recently voted England's favorite children’s poem. “Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils,” Edward Lear once wrote, and his joy in absurdity reflected his whole approach to “this ludicrously whirligig life which one suffers first & laughs at afterwards.”  (http://nonsenselit.wordpress.com/). 

When I saw the new QKD November release stamp "Owl & the Pussycat"by Shona MacDonald, it brought me back to my childhood days of reading poetry.  I was an avid reader, often hiding out on the back porch at my cousin's house because that's where he kept his Hardy Boys books.  (I had already read my Nancy Drew collection twice by then.)  I loved to read almost anything, latching onto Charles Dickens as often as I read Robert Heinlein, but my favorite read has always been poetry. To give you a little ambience to my card, let me introduce you to this unlikely couple: 
                  

                                 "The owl and the pussy-cat went to sea

                                         In a beautiful pea green boat

                                 They took some honey, and plenty of money

                                        Wrapped up in a five pound note.

                                 The Owl looked up to the stars above,
                                        And sang to a small guitar,
                                 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
                                       What a beautiful Pussy you are..."

After coloring my image with Copics too numerous to list, I glitzed it with a little Liquid Glass and some Stickles.  I couldn't decided on the background paper, so I pretty much tossed all my pieces onto the card until I was happy, cutting out some details from another piece of paper like the spoon (please don't ask me why) and the clock.  The image brought about  childhood memories so I added the vintage baby and kept adding embellishments until it was time to go to bed.

Since I discovered that Edward Lear left an unfinished sequel to his famous poem, about the many children this odd couple had had after getting married, I thought my sentiment fit well on the card.

Queen Kat Designs has so many lovely stamps that will bring out the child in you, too.  And don't forget that this month, until the 19th of november, they are having a birthday bash with fun, games, prizes and inspiration every day.  You can check out all the lovely events HERE.  Every Friday for the next three weeks we'll also offer up a challenge, so go check them out!

Thursday Thoughts

The eyes have it! Well, the purple eyes that is. . .

While I have always drooled over the fabulous eyes created by Nora Blansett, when I got these beauties in the mail, I was so intimidated.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I LOVE these stamps but always thought that I was not capable of doing them any justice (still wondering about that) so I shied away from them and was terrified of them as well.

So, after taking a breath and thinking and then thinking that I was over thinking, I just stamped with them! And here is one of the cards that I made with them.


After I finished, I realized that I could use these stamps and that I could use them the way that I normally stamp! So, don't just drool over stamps, grab them and use them. You might even like the way they turn out!!!