Clematis Tower Challenge

Hi, it's Elaine here and I'm very excited today as Lynnda has asked me to be a Guest Blogger here on the Oak House Studio blog.

As all the talk recently has been about ONE STAMP and what you can do with that stamp in 24hrs (June 9th & 10th), I thought I'd show you a wall hanging using the CLEMATIS TOWER stamp.

The Clematis Tower was stamped onto some Ten Second Studio aluminium with black Stazon and then worked with tools to create the raised effect. For the label I wrote on a piece of paper and drew over this with a pointy tool. Both pieces were then stuck to card, the edges folded under and finished with a wheely tool.

I used black acrylic paint to create an aged effect and then coloured the metal with alcohol inks - Red Pepper, Cranberry and a bit of Black Soot. This was done for a wall display with a red, black and white colour theme, but you can use any colour you like for the clematis!!

Well thanks for looking and thank you Lynnda for inviting me here. I hope this post has stirred your interest to use the Clematis Tower stamp and join in the fun!!

Day in Nottinghamshire

I know it is only just over the border from Yorkshire but this part of the county was quite important to my family as I grew up, so a trip to Blyth is always special, but when you include a day at Blyth Craft Studio then the day is VERY special.
Martin and I did enjoy a lovely day out and it was probably the best weather we have had for weeks. We set off early then stopped to eat just before we got there, ready for the shop opening at 9:30am. I had, as usual put half the studio in the back of the van (in no particular order).
As we brought the gear in, Martin was recognised by one the customers who so pleased to see him, and then made a huge fuss following to the toilet etc. (I know it takes some believing for most of you but was a pretty special moment) Hence took a while to get in the stock and display it. I was ready to demo by 10am and was joined by a lovely group of ladies.
Lots of questions later and dashing off at random tangents hopefully kept them all entertained. To add to Martin's joy I kept sending him to the van to find treasure like cotton wool and glue spreaders only to find them whilst he was gone!! oh dear he kept smiling though and did a great job of doing all the washing up all day.

The afternoon workshop was scheduled to be a small group of 5 possibly six, it turned into ten cheerful ladies who seemed to thoroughly enjoy their afternoon.
They threw more questions at me and I did my best to answer them all. I am pretty sure they were amazed to see how easy to could be and the joy of being able to wash off the stamping you didn't like and start again was a new pleasure for them. However I am not sure they expected to spend so much time watching paint dry...and enjoying it!


Really LOVEd our day at Blyth as always and hope to be back real soon. And a big Thank You to Martin for treating me to breakfast out, drive there and back, washing up, taking the photos and looking for lots of wild geese! we all love you.

Wanted crafters who love to use stamps in their projects.

As soon as I started stamping I became fascinated with how versatile they were and how many different ways they could be used. No surprise that I went on to start to designing stamps and create my own stamp company. I am looking other crafters from a range of backgrounds and crafts to join a special design team for one special event. It may lead to other design team projects in the future but at the moment I am just asking for people who can commit to a one off project that will span 9^th and 10^th June 2012. I am particularly interested in those who use stamps in more unusual ways.

The details of this event can be found here and here

Requirements include:

1. The ability to produce 2-3 projects for the event.
2. Good photography skills for taking pictures of your projects
3. Projects posted with social media: Facebook, your personal blog, Oak House Studio Blog
4. Possible participation in our blog, including writing your own posts

Does that sound fun?  If it does, it’s about to get better.  Here’s what I’ll do for you in return:

1. The featured stamp plus inks and embossing powder sent to you in advance of the event.
2. BONUS product chosen by YOU to be sent following your successful completion of this project.
3. Link from our blog and Facebook page to your personal blog
4. My undying gratitude and amazement for your creations

What do you need to do to enter?  That’s easy too!

1.  Submit photos of 3 of your most favourite projects that highlight your own personal use of stamps, and links to your blog or gallery to oakhousestudio@gmail.com (Projects do not need to use Oak House Studio products, but we’d love it if they did!)
2. Submissions must be received NO LATER than Saturday 12^th May, 2012.
3. Write up a quick bio about yourself, mentioning why you’re interested in being on the DT, what experience (if any) you have with DTs, and why you love stamping.
4.  Wait impatiently as I collect the submissions and choose who I can use for this project.
5. I will keep your details on file and will contact you if I think you may be able to help us with design team work in the future.

You are Invited To Our Celebrations.

6^th May 2012.

10 am to 4 pm.

Come and join in the fun.

Free Demonstration and lots of crazy offers

Refreshments £1 in aid of Breast Cancer Care.

Sorry to be missing in action yet again! I have been through an unexpected move which came out of the blue but was full of uncertainty which made it difficult to share with you all. It started with an off the cuff remark from a fellow artist at the farm, when she commented how much she loved my room there. For my part I love her room and offered to swap on the spot. Many weeks later I am now in the "new room" but with still some work to do to getting exactly how I want my room to be. But I am certainly "getting there" the old room is empty and now awaiting a tidy up before ceramicist Alison Brice takes up residence, probably some time in May.
If you fancy a look for yourself then come along on 6th May for a major sale and warehouse clearance. Refreshments on sale for £1 in aid of Breast Cancer Care. Why not come along and see our latest stamp designs and find out about classes we have coming up?
I guess that means I better get on and get those jobs finished.

Just a few days away

How to describe my trip to my brother?....."where are you going?"
"the NEC it is work really"
" are you dragging Elaine with you again? I don't know how you dare!!"
" I think she enjoys it Peter"

He can't seem to understand that 3 days at the NEC, long days, with silly early starts, on your feet most of the day can be both work AND enjoyable!
I didn't take many photos but here are a couple.
And thanks to Elaine for taking the ones of me with Mario Rossi and Tim Holtz.

The beads are Polymer clay from a workshop we did with Linda Peterson. Yes we did 6 workshops with people like Leandra Franich and Lindsey Mason, Wyatt White and Fernando Da Silva.

And I made Elaine come with me to every one so cruel!

We did some shopping too, I bought card and paper on the way there and I bought ribbon and charms on the way back.

Needless to say my head is buzzing with new ideas and ways to develop old ideas. Why did I leave just 2 days to sort those ideas out before I was back to teaching?
Anyway if you live local to me I will be having a FREE open event at the studio Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd March. Which means I better get sort out the new products and the new stamp launch.
http://www.vip-stamping.co.uk/contact-us
will show you how to find the studio, if in doubt please ring.

measures of inkiness

In a facebook post Hels Sheridan of Sunday Stamper fame, commented about not getting inky today well maybe just a smudge. What a brilliant phrase to use to measure inkiness. So I challenged the multi talented Hels to come up with more measures of inkiness and she set the ball rolling , how great I thought so I am now challenging any one out there to come with other phrases to measure how inky you get. Your reward well I am offering 5 Oak House Studio COLOUR CHEMISTRY (see the post below) inks pads to the person who come up with the best phrases.

Post your answers on here or on my facebook wall to be in with a chance. GOOD LUCK.
I am going to Leeds for a Papercraft show this weekend so challenge will end 6pm on Monday. East Yorkshire time