NEW 2017 Halloween Clear Sets! PLUS Challenge 216 Off Kilter!

Boo! Scare up some fun with our NEW Halloween and Thanksgiving clear stamp sets! Packed with fresh, unique images and inventive sentiments, these stamps are perfect for your autumn greeting cards! Happy Haunting features a spooky mansion and a gang of trick-or-treating animals, while Spooktacular offers a mash of monsters ready to party! For Thanksgiving, our Full of Thanks set sends a humorous message with over-stuffed tummies and fully dressed turkeys! Finally, our Holiday Mansion stamp and die sets allows you to customize your house with shutters, and a door that swings open and close! Pair it with our HM Accessories stamp and die set to decorate your house for Halloween or Christmas, with items such as ghosts, pumpkins, wreaths and Santa! 

   

 

Looking for inspiration? Check out not one but TWO videos from the Mixed Media Event to see these sets up close and personal! Plus, Karen is here to show a wonderful shadowbox tutorial and to join our new challenge!

Today I am literally stepping outside the box!  Halloween is definitely the occasion that is the most fun for me when it comes to cardmaking, and I knew that the Happy Haunting Set (Sku #4940) required something special.  This set is just screaming for you to make a scene!  I decided that I would learn how to make a shadow box card:

I started by cutting a circle mask from a post-it note, and used my Distress Inks to sponge a spooky night sky:

 I cut two pieces of black cardstock 5" x 7", scoring at 1/2" and 2".  On one of them I used a 4" square die to cut out a window:

 Using some lime green cardstock, I cut three hillsides in graduated heights, and scored each of them 1/2" from each side to attach them to the walls of the shadow box:

 I coloured up the haunted house and owls on a branch using my Copic markers (I'm all about bright and fun for Halloween, so that dictated my colour choices):

 I trimmed the background panel to 5" square, stamped the tree and bat, and trimmed the highest hillside piece to fit on it and glued it all down.  I joined the two black pieces together, folding on the score lines.  The house is attached to the middle piece, which sits 3/4" in front of the back:

 I glued it all together, added the owls and the lowest hillside to the front of the box, and here is the finished product:

I stamped one of the seven sentiments that is included with the set, and I (ahem) *may* be sneaking a peek of a not-yet-released product that will be available soon on the Ai website!  (shhh...)  I had a blast making my shadow box, it took a little longer than your typical card, but the end result was worth it - oh, and it folds perfectly flat for mailing!  Happy stamping!

Wow, Karen! Love this shadowbox card! Your rolling hills and beautiful colors makes for a perfect introduction to our new "Off Kilter" challenge!

This challenge is about turning your cards on its side! We want to see how you can mix things up by making cards that are a little off kilter, such as tilting your panels instead of using 90 degree angles. You can use curved lines like Karen or go for a more geometric look! Halloween images are not required, but we would love to see you show off your favorite Art Impressions stamps!

Here are the Challenge Rules:
✻ Please make a new card or creation. You can make any crafty item you wish; this is not limited to cards!
✻ Limit two submissions per person. You will receive extra votes if you use Art Impressions stamps!
✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!
✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!
✻ Share the Ai love by clicking and commenting your fellow crafters.
✻ Make sure to get your link up by Wednesday, September 13 at 5:00 p.m. PST to enter your creations.
✻ Good luck and happy stamping!

An InLinkz Link-up

Time to announce the winners from last week's Orange and Purple challenge!

Top Spot goes to...

Irene Rhodes!

Congrats, Irene! We love your clever card, using the die My Feet die cut to create a window to show your bright orange monster behind! Also, how fun to transform him from Halloween to birthday with sentiments from Birthday Wishes! Email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address to claim your prize pack!

Honorable Mentions go to...

EK Gorman!

Milene!

A post shared by Milene Tiberius (@milenetiberius) on Aug 22, 2017 at 4:11pm PDT

Congrats, you two! We love your orange and purple halloween cards, with such stunning coloring! EK, your clean and simple approach made your coloring POP in our Trick or Treat Set! And Milene, how did you create such a wonderfully spooky mood with your watercoloring on our Haunted House TF? Please email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address and let us know what stamp set you would like for your prize!

Thank you to everyone who entered! We hope you and your friends will join us with our new Off Kilter challenge! Happy Stamping!

Windy Day by Jil Lebel

Hello Ai fans!

For this weeks card I wanted to show you how to use your mini back and front stamps a bit different.  I used Cat & Dog Mini Set (SKU #4832). The set that I used has both a cat and a dog image included in it and includes the back & front of each animal.  I decided to use just the front of the cute cat because it fit just right into the hot air balloon die cut.

The greeting is stamped with Jet Black Archival ink using my Mini Misti.  I had to stamp it twice to get a really good impression on the watercolor paper. I used a greeting stamp from WC Sentiments Set (SKU# 4903)

The cat is colored with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers MB1, MB2, MB3.

Everything else is die cut from Canson 140 Lb Cold press watercolor paper and colored with several different colors of Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink pads.  I used Salty Ocean, Broken China, Cracked Pistachio, Spiced Marmalade, Frayed Burlap, Twisted Citron, Worn Lipstick & Antique Linen.

I stamped the flowers in the foreground using WC Flower Set 2 (SKU#4868) with peeled paint & seedless preserves Distress Oxide ink pads.

Thanks for stopping by and Have a Great Day!

NEW VIDEO - Arch with Nearby Village Watercolor

Hello Ai Fans!

Welcome to another Watercolor Wednesday! This week, Bonnie creates a stunning, larger scene with a beautiful column arch and two structures inside. Bonnie starts by inking the arch from our WC EZ Project C in two different colors, African Violet and Sepia. She stamps the arch off a couple times so it's not too dark and then removes areas for vines, foliage and flowers before stamping on her watercolor paper. She then uses the Tuscan villa from our WC Series 9 Set 1 on the two different sides with our Stamp Positioner. After pulling the color from the lines, Bonnie adds vines and flowers to the arch and around the structures. To finish the image, Bonnie uses color from her palette to add color to the sky, hills or roofs.

We hope you enjoyed this week's video! If you like it, please give it a thumbs up on YouTube and don't forget to subscribe!

Happy Watercolor Wednesday!

View in HD on YouTube: https://youtu.be/32yUnWFFvtM

On the Bright Side by Dana Warren

Hello AI fans!!

Today I have a card that features the new Doggy Kisses clear stamp set! If you or your recipient loves dogs you're going to want this set!! 

I started by stamping the dog with the cone image on the white card base, then using my Spectrum Noir Markers. I used: EB5, EB6, IG1, IG2, IG4. Then I fussy cut the dog out.

From some pattern paper, I picked out a pattern and added it to a white card base. From a lighter pattern (it pretty much looks white in the photo!) I used a stitched rectangle die and then stamped the sentiment at the top left corner. 

I added the rectangle to the card and then cut a strip of different pattern paper and added it to the card. Then I added the dog with foam tape and lastly added a few black enamel dogs.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stamping!!

LinkDeli.com

Where will Art Impressions be? September 2017

September is on its way, and we are back with another preview for the month! The Art Impressions Team is visiting our friends at Mesa, Arizona and Denver, Colorado at Stamp & Scrapbook Expo! We hope to see you there!

Mesa, AZ Stamp & Scrapbook Expo September 15-16    *Classes Available
Denver, CO Stamp & Scrapbook Expo September 29-30    *Classes Available

Visit our booth and enjoy shopping our stamps, dies and accessories priced 15% lower than our website! You will also find all our newest releases, including new Halloween, Christmas, and hot new interactive stamp and die sets! Check out our free make & takes, as well as our watercolor demos to learn how to watercolor the Art Impressions way!

We still have plenty of seats in our Watercolor Workshop, so grab a friend and register for class!

You will create four beautiful watercolor images to mount on cards in our Watercolor Workshop!

Workshop Length: 120 Minutes
Difficulty Rating: Basic
Class Description: New for 2017! Learn to create beautiful watercolor paintings using rubber stamps, markers, and a brush! For several years, Art Impressions has introduced stampers all over the world to their exclusive technique that creates beautiful watercolor scenes. They are easy to use and versatile for all users. You will leave class with your own stunning scenes; no two designs are alike. In our watercolor class, you will create four card samples with our new Watercolor Mini Project Series. Our instructors will take you step by step through the basics of building scenes sharing helpful techniques with hands-on training. You will receive a free, exclusive stamp set, only available for 2017 class attendees (a $20 value)!

• What products will be highlighted: Watercolor stamping with water-based markers, watercolor paper and a damp brush.
• What will I learn or complete: Four hand-stamped watercolor scenes to mount on four cards and an exclusive stamp set ($20 value).
• What do I need to complete the project at home: Scissors or paper trimmer, foam tape, and tape runner. Optional: Corner rounder.

Last year we were selected as an Elite Workshop Presenter by Stamp & Scrapbook Expo for our 2016 Watercolor Workshop! We hope you can join us in our new 2017 Watercolor Workshop!

Sold out Watercolor Class in Anaheim, CA!

Mesa, AZ Watercolor Workshop, September 15-16, 8:30 AM  *Register Here for Class
Denver, CO Watercolor Workshop, September 29-30, 8:30 AM  *Register Here for Class

Print this coupon to bring to the show for 30% off one stamp item before noon (either day of the show)

To view our full show schedule, click here. Not in the area for one of our shows? Request our stamps at your local stamp store, and check out our Dealer Locator for a store near you! New releases are gradually posted on our website, so be sure you are signed up for our retail newsletter to be notified!

Happy Stamping!

Doggie Kisses Set by Karen Day

Hello Ai fans!

I have a couple of sweet Get Well cards today - using the Ai Funny Farm collection set: Doggie Kisses (Sku # AiCS38):

 These are the cutest images!  Quick and easy to colour, too.

 You can't see it too well in the photos, but I did some zigzag stitching with my sewing machine, using a metallic gold thread from Gutermann.  I fussy cut around my image, and used pop dots to mount him and the paw print.  I kept the next one fairly simple:

 Copics used - Browns - E57, E55, E53, E51, E50

Greys - C3, C1, C00

Pinks - R85, R83, R81, R22, R20

LinkDeli.com