Art Declassified

Lounged at the Diva Craft Lounge today....

Diva Craft Lounge Interview

Thanks Danielle and Rayme for having me on your show!

Happy Mother's Day (a little early...)

Happy Mother's Day to you and yours! This post is a bit early, but I am excited to say that I will be out of town during the big day. My family and I are packing up next week and heading out to New Jersey for a family wedding. I am really excited because I get to see my sister and I believe the last time I saw her was over a 1.5 years ago. Sue...here we come! Are you ready for us?

The Happy Mother's Day card is stamped using the photographic Alias stamp "Devan" and "Happy Mother's Day" from the Pay Your Dues Holidays TWO set. The white flourishes are rubons from American Craft. It is all assembled on a transparency sheet that was converted into a card.

Besides playing with Mother's Day cards and packing for a long weekend to NJ, we've been working on lots of new stamp sets and ideas. We aren't sure when they will be released and they just may be realeased as we make them.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Stamper's Sampler and Just Cards for lots of fun cards featuring Art Declassified. We are also featured in the latest Crafts and Things - an article on stamping and crafting military items! On Wednesday, May 7th I will be chatting with Danielle and Rayme on the Diva Craft Lounge - be sure to listen in!

Have a wonderful week and Happy Mother's Day!

~Karen

How Stamps are Made...

I've been asked many times how exactly stamps are made. Well, I know the design process and I leave the actual vulcanizing to my 'rubber guy'. As far as the design process, I come up with a design, pictures, etc., create the stamp set and lay it out on a predetermined sized canvas within Photoshop. I print out my 'canvas' into  black and white (or greyscale) and send the new design to my rubber manufacturer. He then sends it onto an engraver who creates a magnesium plate of the design. From there the magnesium plate is sent back to my 'rubber guy'. What happens next....

I found this video on You Tube: Making Art Stamps that shows how stamps are then created. It isn't the most exciting 7 minutes, but it is interesting! Jackson Marking Products created the video. They are manufacturers of rubber stamp equiptment and materials. I am not sure if my rubber manufacturer uses these exact machines or materials from JMP, but I am sure the process is similar!

Once the rubber sheets are created, they are sent to Art Declassified. We adhere the EZ Mount Foam to the rubber sheets and trim out the stamp sets. Larger sets are trimmed into one piece, so additional trimming is needed by you to seperate the stamps. (Sometimes you may find a large set that has all images trimmed out...over anxious trimmers get carried away sometimes!) For the most part, smaller sets and single stamps are trimmed to the image. We have tested all the ways to do the best trimming and cutting of sets and I am happy to say that the sets are currently being trimmed much better than they have been in the past. We thank you for being patient with us while we ironed out all the kinks! Every single stamp is looked at and inspected before it is packaged in a CD case and sent off to a store or to a customer. We are very proud of our quality control!

I couldn't post a blog entry without a picture. Here is a container that actually holds pens that say Art Declassified. These pens are suppose to make it into the wholesale orders, but sometimes they don't! The container is a paper mache box by Walnut Hollow. I used the "Fred Loves Lottie" stamp as well as a few stamps from the Beautiful Bisous collection. The redish color is a "tintz" from Fiber Scraps. I love that stuff!

Ok, I stated a newsletter would come on the first...it didn't happen. Stay tuned for a mid month newsletter with a big tax day sale announcement! Yes, a SALE!! WOO HOO!!

One more bit of business:

Any orders (retail or wholesale) that are received this week (April 7th-11th) WILL NOT SHIP UNTIL the week of APRIL 14th. The office will be closed so we can take a little vacation (YAY).  We will have some access to our email, but if we don't get back to you right away, don't worry - we'll respond next week! Thanks for all of our support!  ~Karen

Easy and Inexpensive Giftwrap...

When I was a teenager I worked at a Hallmark store. I couldn't wait to buy the Hallmark wrapping paper, bags, ribbon, etc. to wrap birthday gifts and Christmas gifts. It was also at the Hallmark store that I learned how to use things in ways they weren't intended. I learned how to take a roll of wrapping paper, crinkle it and create beautiful bows and garlands around the diplays. I learned how to use out of the ordinary items for merchandising. There are many times I refer back to my "Matawan Card & Gift" (name of the store) days and I thank the owners for all that I learned - craft wise, business wise, customer service....so, John & Maryann..if you are out there: THANK YOU! :)  Now onto my frugal giftwrapping...no more Hallmark paper here!

Take regular lunch bags and stamp them! We found a package of 50 brown bags and a package of white bags for $1.75. That comes to 3.5 CENTS EACH! You can customize the bags to the item inside. You can fold down the top portion of the bag, add two holes to the bag and feed a piece of ribbon through it to close up the gift. If you would rather have an open bag, cut the bag down using a pair of deco scissors and fill with tissue! You can even roll the top of the bag down and stamp some white tissue to match!

Do you just need a flat bag? No need to worry, cut off the bottom of the bag and fold the bottom of the bag and adhere it to the back. You now have a flat bag - great for gift certificates!

I know, it is still a lunch bag - but you have to look past that! :)

Another inexpensive wrapping that I do...brown kraft paper (can be found in the office aisle along with shipping materials). You can stamp the paper, paint the paper, etc. I use my imagination and stamp/scrap stash and I go wild!

Stamps Used:

Apple Spice, Fete Days, Kewel Vine (All from Beautiful Bisous Collection)

Invoice, Check Please, Stich (from Pinch It set) and PYD Holidays TWO (All from the Componenets Collection)

French Script, Wire Tap (All from Background Checks Collection)

Ruth (Alias Collection)

Have a wonderful week!

~Karen

P.S. Check out Carol's project featuring Childhood and Lizabeth! Carol, THANK YOU for sharing!

Sharing your art....

I love getting mail. I love getting email. Everyday there is always something in my inbox/mailbox that catches my attention. Sometimes there are bills, but lately there have been cards and projects from YOU! It is so fun to see what YOU all have created from our stamps!Please keep the pictures and cards coming...we love to see them and maybe you will be featured on our blog!

This card was sent to us by Beth K. She bought her USUSAL SUSPECTS image at Articus Studio in Stoutsville, OH. Beth, thank you so much for sharing your card with us! We love this image and we are so happy you are enjoying it!

Robin Willis from the Worldwin Papers Design Team sent this card to me. It features DEVAN and images from the DING DONG set. Check out Robin's gallery...she creates BEAUTIFUL cards. You can also find more of her work on her Blog. THANK YOU ROBIN!

If you would like to send us your creation, please include the store in which you bought it at so we can give a shout out to our local stores and webstores!

Have a wonderful week! ~Karen

P.S. If you signed up for a newsletter and you havn't received one...it is because one hasn't been sent in a while! Starting April 1st a monthly newsletter will be sent out to customers and retailers. We hope you enjoy it!

Project: Gum Slider (Our CHA M&T)

This is by no means a new idea or technique, but it is a fun quick project that can be used as a store make and take, party giveaways, teacher gifts, etc. It can also be reconfigured to use candy bars, emergency sewing kit/card or anything that can be contained in a box like structure.

Materials:

Pack of Slider Gum

16 Inch Ribbon

Cardstock

Glossy panel cardstock (not pictured)

Stamps (stamps used here: Alice, Color Me Sync, Pay Your Dues Holidays TWO)

Ink (StazOn: Black Cherry, Ultramarine, Jet Black)

Hole Punch

Paper Cutter/Scissors

Scoring Tool (we used a Scor-It board)

The easiest thing to do when creating a gum slider is to take apart the original sleeve and trace the size of the sleeve and mark the areas that need scoring onto a piece of cardstock. **Not all gum packs are the same size...so keep that in mind if you make mulitiple gum packs!

Trim out the cardstock along the traced lines.

Using a scoring tool, score the areas that need to have a fold.

Now you are ready to stamp! With bigger sized stamps, I like to use the ink pad and stamp the ink pad onto the rubber image. This helps me get the best, most even ink coverage.

Stamp "Color Me Sync" on one half of the scored cardstock. This will be the front of the slider. Stamp "Alice" on a piece of glossy cardstock. (Photopaper can be used as well). The combination of glossy cardstock/photo paper and a solvent ink like Staz On creates a photo-like images when using one of our photographic stamp images. Also, ink and stamp a sentiment ("Just Because").

Trim out "Alice" and "Just Because". Set aside.

Fold cardstock along scored lines. Run adhesive along the unstamped portion of cardstock (between the far right score and the outer edge). Complete the the construction of the sleeve by adhering the two ends of the cardstock together.

Attached stamped image and sentiment. Pinch top of sleeve together and punch a hole through both the front and back of the sleeve. Run ribbon through the two holes, keeping an even amount of ribbon on both the front and back of the sleeve.

Slide gum into the sleeve and tie a bow along the top.

Gently pull on the bow ribbon to pull out the gum!

Have fun and enjoy this easy and quick project!

Have a great day!

~Karen

Art Declassified - In Class!

There is a wonderful local store, My Craft Room, that I have been visiting since they opened for business 5 years ago. I'll always remember how old they are because I was very pregnant with my son when they first opened and I couldn't wait to get in there after my son was born. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years since I spent my first dollar there! I've met many talented local designers and artists through this store. One of them, Vicky Martindale, has been a local lifesaver for me! She has helped us out with Make and Takes at The Great Lakes Mega Meet and has done numerous make and takes and classes using Art Declassified Stamps at My Craft Room. Last week she did a class using Kewel Vine from The Beautiful Bisous line of stamps. These are the three cards she created. She also used Hero Mail One in the third card. The butterfly in the first card is another stamp and I have no idea which company produces it. It is very beautiful...if anyone knows who makes this stamp..let me know so I can give them credit!

I've seen the Kewel Vine stamp used in so many different ways and it is amazing how versatile it can be.

Thank you Vicky for all your beautiful work and thank you for all that attended the class. It was great meeting all of you and enjoy your new Art Declassified stamp!

This is the first of weekly updates. I will be trying to update every Monday/Tuesday with a little project or idea. Some entries will include instructions or step out pictures...others like this one will just be sharing some projects that have been made by stores and customers using Art Declassified stamps. If you have a project you would like featured, please contact me! ~Karen

P.S. The Store Locator is now update to date! Please visit your local scrap, stamp and craft stores! If you don't see your store listed and you carry Art Declassified products, please let me know. Stores with open orders (or orders not yet out for delivery) are not listed yet and will be updated upon processing.

Blogging from CHA didn't work all too well..

I had every intention of bringing you into our booth at CHA, but technology (and being pretty busy) got the best of me!

THANK YOU for everyone that came by our booth! Whether it was to do a make and take (a cool one...I'll post that shortly), grab a catalog, walk through the booth or just say "hi" - we appreciate your support and smiles!

I expect to be out of the pile of orders and post-CHA work within the next 10 days. The retailer locator will be updated when all the orders are out. Not only are we delivering stamps to US stores, but stamps will be arriving in Canada, UK, Austrailia, Singapore and the Netherlands!

I would like to thank JoNell and Teri, two friends and design team members who came out to California and helped in the booth. I couldn't have done it without them and they were so much fun to be with! (They even managed to get one night at the hotel given to us for free because they saved a man who was stuck on his balcony!!).

Thanks again to everyone for their support! Look for Art Declassified at your local store or favorite webstore. If you can't find our stamps - send them our way!

Stay tuned to this blog for cool projects, tips and techniques. If you have made something using our stamps that you would like to share...email us! (Email - upper left corner of blog!)

~karen

Busy, Busy, Busy at Booth 1687!

My idea of adding video/pictures and bringing you into our CHA booth isn't working! I am having a difficult time with the internet connection in our hotel. I do have this one picture of our booth taken right before the show opened. All the little 'things' hanging along the top edge of the booth and along the right side of the booth are all tags decorated by our design team. It is really a cool sight to see...tons of tags with really cool stamped art!

We have been very busy and have enjoyed meeting store owners and retailers from all over the world. Our make and take has also seen non stop action and I will post pictures and instructions from our make and take during the week. We have received lots of compliments on it!

If you are at CHA, please makes sure to stop by our booth and say hi!

More pictures to come in the next few days. Have a great evening! ~Karen

New Releases are Available Now!

2008 Winter New Releases

Due to CHA, orders will not start shipping until February 20th (at the latest) and all orders will be processed in the order in which they are received. Shipping confirmations with USPS tracking numbers are sent out via email when your order ships. Remember, free shipping  for domestic and apo/fpo for orders over $10. A $2 shipping fee will be charged for orders under $10.