full screen background image

Friday 30 December 2011

Recycle / Altering tutorial

This is ideal if you want to give money as a present and don't want to put it in a boring envelope....
Needed:
-A can with a pull lid
-Special can opener that doesn't leave sharp edges
-Bombshell stamps
-Stamping ink
-Colouring materials ( I used Copics)
-Glue
-Superglue
-Paper
1.Get a can with a pull ring lid.Do NOT open the can by pulling the lid,but open it with a special can opener.
2.Empty content ( I did eat it ...) and clean the can,and get the label off.
3.Measure the height and width of the can and cut out paper in a rectangle to stamp on.Make sure it overlaps when it goes around the can.
4. Stamp your paper and colour you images.
5.Glue the paper all around the can and make sure it overlaps.
6.Put a small present or money in the can.
7.Shut the lid with superglue and ready is your own made can!

Anything Goes...There's still time to enter!



Hello, my lovelies!  I thought I would just pop in for a brief moment to share a card and remind everyone that there is still time to enter the Anything Goes Challenge.  The deadline is December 31st.  Share your Anything Goes projects with us on the challenge post and you might randomly be selected to receive a gift certificate to spend in the shop.  How fab is that!

I'll poke your creativity bone and let you know that I already have Valentine's Day on the brain, so I created this card featuring Rose's Portrait.  She is crazy fun to color with all of that glorious skin and hair!  I also made a video on how I colored Rose's hair and you can find it on my blog.

So that's my Anything Goes creation, let's see yours!

Thursday 29 December 2011

Steampunk Box

The Bombshell Design Team was challenged this month to create a "Hot and Steamy" project, Steampunk that is, using Bombshell images by our guest designer, Ms. December,  Torrey.

     I chose to use the Mi Amor image to work with for my project and added loads of cogs and gears to create a box for all my steampunk embellishments. The rings around the images eyes reminded me of the goggles that seem to be very popular with the steampunkers right now.  I think my favorite part is the little watch stopper I used as a handle to open the box.





















      I didn't get a side view of this box, but I used a spiffy gear embossed paper to cover them and it came out super fantastic.   The wooden box came from the dollar store and was first covered with distress inks before I began adding layers and embellishments.  A number of the gears came from Michael's, where I used a coupon to get a small bag which contained quite a few gears in different shapes and metals.   The clock face actually came from an old alarm clock my son disassembled and I just went through my boxes of metal bits to find other parts and pieces.

Rebel without a cause

Stamps used  for this card:
Coloured with copics and Adirondack ink,silver pen and glaze.


Wednesday 28 December 2011

December Hump Day Hop: Give it to Me, Baby!

Welcome, welcome! It is the last Bombshell Stamps Hump Day Hop of 2011! This month, the theme was "Give it to Me, Baby!" What's that mean? You had to make a gift for someone using your Bombshell Stamps. Even if that someone is you! ;) This also means no cards! Unless of course, you are making a super snazzy gift card holder, but I wanted us to give it the old college try and try to make something else. I'm talking jewlery, altered art, mini canvases...anything that you could give to someone as a gift. The possibilites are endless! :D Also, Torrey had the great idea to turn this into a swap, so a few of us will actually be receiving some of the fabulous items you will be seeing today as an extra pressie! So without any further adieu, here is the full hop list. Please stop by everyone and leave them some love! I wish you all a wonderful New Years and hope you will be hoppiong along with us in January!

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Ms December's Mission POSSIBLE

You sit down to open that box of fruitcake your Aunt Zelda sent you AGAIN this year, like she always does. Every year it's the same, boring, fruitcake. But, upon closer inspection you determine one of the cherries doesn't look...quite right.

You notice there is a small, folded note laying in the box, tucked next to the fruitcake.

You unfold it. It reads "Press the cherry, dearie."

So, you do. I mean, after all...it's from Aunt Zelda and although she's known throughout the family as being...eccentric, she's harmless, right? It's not like it's a bomb or anything. *snicker, snicker*

Suddenly, a muffled voice emanates from deep within the cake...only it's not Aunt Zelda's voice. Your eyebrows raise as you listen, intently.

"Greetings and Salutations!! 'Tis I, Torrey--code name 'Ms. December'! I'm here to throw down the creative gauntlet (as it were) and issue the MONTHLY PIN-UP CHALLENGE! It is proving to be quite the HOT TOPIC around the Bombshell water cooler. Here is the 411.
CODE NAME: "Operation Radiator"
AKA
"Hot and Steamy--A Steampunk Challenge"

Operation Radiator (should you choose to accept it) requires you to don your super-duper-spifflicator-idea-helmet and conjure up a Steampunk-themed project using your Bombshell stamps!

If y'all have absolutely no idea what "Steampunk" is...then check out the forum HERE and read my very informative posting. It will enlighten you...and, in all hopes, inspire you.

Still not sure whether or not to accept the challenge? Well, let me sweeten the pot by dangling a virtual carrot. There is a prize to be had--a very NICE prize for one lucky participant! IT COULD BE YOU!

This fruitcake will self-destruct in 10 seconds, 9, 8, 7..."


(Uh OH...it actually WAS a bomb!)

So...join us in our Steampunk frenzy!! Be sure to link your project below using the LINKY tool. If you don't have a blog to link to...don't dismay...just post a photo of your entry in the forum on This Thread for a chance to WIN!

Now, LET'S GET STEAMY!

Here are some absolutely FaBuLoUs projects from the design team to get you MOTIVATED. I'll start things off with a couple of projects I did...one holiday-themed....one not.


Ms. December (Torrey's) projects
Punked Angel card using Bombshell Angel

Torrey's Steampunk extravaganza tri-fold card

OPEN


Mary G. used Bombshell Angel and Halloween Costume digi-images to create a wall-hanging:


Alaine made an outfit for Retro Cowgirls and added the hat from Halloween Costume Digi Stamps



GlitteryKatie transformed Rose's Portrait into a Steampunk style Cyborg Queen.




Submissions close on December 31st at midnight EST.



Sunday 18 December 2011

Flames to love

I adore Candles in all shapes and forms and especially at this time of year with Winter nights and the Solstice and the New Year - a time for cosy evenings and reflections on the year past and spending time with friend and families.

They can be personalized to suit the occasion or for the person you are sharing with - you can use ribbons, jewels and stamps!!

The easiest way to use stamps is the Tissue Paper method as this gives you control over the image and is a lot of fun. Tissue paper should be found cheap at any packaging store but I got mine with some crockery I purchased so maybe ask your local department store if you could have a sheet - it goes a long way :) even if its crumpled , just iron it flat.

You will need the following supplies:
Stamps & Ink, Tissue Paper, Candles, scrap paper and a Heat gun.
  • Cut the tissue paper to size to fit around the candle.
  • Stamp your image on the tissue paper - make sure you put scrap paper under the tissue paper as it seeps through.
  • Wrap the decorated tissue paper around the candle.

  • Heat the Candle with the heat gun so the wax melts a little and absorbs the tissue paper.
  • Roll the candle to ensure it is smooth. reheat any odd lumps so they go flat.
  • Decorate with ribbon etc if desired.
This one is decorated with the Koi from the "Lotus Garden" Red Rubber stamp set - just perfect for this relaxing candle - maybe for a lavender candle?

You can also stamp individual images and then cut them out and add them to the candle as desired, overlaying them as you want.
This time of year is also the time to remember those who have passed or who are too far away to be part of your celebrations. I make candles that show the part of them that I adore and light it during the festivities.

This was made with the "Vintage Motorcycle" Red Rubber Stamp set. The ability to add designs to the tank and fenders is important to me.
and the awesome thing about tissue paper is that it can be printed through an inkjet printer!! Just tape the tissue paper down on a sheet of printer paper. Then design your image, Print and colour it as you want and then add it to the candle.

I used the super sweet "Gingerbread Pinups" Digital stamps set to make this yummy candle for a sweet toothed friend. Pity they dont make a gingerbread scented candle though so she will have to do with vanilla :)

I hope you enjoy this creative craft and enjoy this time of year with those you love.
Anam

Friday 16 December 2011

Faux Metal Steampunk Tag Tutorial

Hey, lovely Bombshells!  Cheryl here with a tutorial for you!  We're going to make a faux metal steampunk tag today using a few meager materials.

Start by eating your favorite cereal.  When the box is empty, cut that cardboard up and make something cool with it.  Whom I kidding.  I couldn't wait to empty the box, so I have a naked bag of anonymous cereal in my cupboard now.  The square piece is actually thicker because I pulled it off the back of a sketch pad.  No cardboard is safe in my house.    
We'll need a couple of cool dies (I used TH's Tag and Bookplate, and Gadget Gears) , a handful of basic tools to do some burnishing, and the star of the show, a roll of aluminum foil tape.  I found it at my local hardware store.  
First, I cut out the gears using the thicker piece of cardboard 
Next, I glued them securely to the cardboard from the cereal box.
Then, I cut off strips of the aluminum foil tape and adhered them to the cardboard right over my gear dies.
I made sure to cover all of the gears with the tape.  
I burnished the tape to the cardboard using the eraser head on a mechanical pencil and a stylus.  The shape of the gears is really starting to show now.  
Next, I used a small wire brush type tool and dulled the surface of my tape by making small circles on the raised gears.  I could have used my sanding block, but I packed it in with supplies for an upcoming class and was too lazy to dig it out.  Sad, isn't it?
I die cut the foiled piece of cardboard and came up with this really cool tag.  
I refined the shapes of the gears with a slim paper stump to polish the edges a bit.  I'm thinking I'll add some alcohol inks later on to this to give it some color.   A few other embellishments and this will be ready to make its debut.  Pretty simple.   A variation on this is to cover the cardboard with the tape and die cut different faux metal shapes.   Wouldn't some cool faux metal hearts with gears be fun?  There are all sorts of possibilities!    
Have you entered the challenges this month?  We have lots of ways to win some Bombshell goodness!  Join the sketch going on right now by clicking here.  Kathi creates the sketch each month and she has something spectacular waiting for you!  Also, we have an Anything Goes challenge that lets you be the boss!  Yes, that's right!  You chose the theme and create whatever you want.  You don't even have to use Bombshell Stamps to enter.  This month only, we're allowing entries for the Anything Goes challenge using whatever images you want.  Of coarse, if you are our randomly selected winner and you did use a Bombshell image as your focal point on your creation, then your winnings increase dramatically.  Visit this link to read the details.   Don't you want to win some free stamps?  Then get your butt over there and enter!  Somebody has to win ;D  

Ciao, lovelies!  

Wednesday 14 December 2011

December's Sketch Challenge!

Here's my sketch for Bombshell for December: Why not play along? Link is below!

Here's my take on my sketch and for Ms. December's Steampunk Challenge!
Now that you've seen my take on the sketch, check out the fabulous work by the wonderful Bombshell Girls and Pin-ups!

HeyHeyPaula (Ms. October) using Pirate's Life & Holiday Accessories




Alaine using Koi Tattoo



Kelli using Gingerbread Pin-up



Alison using Gingerbread Pin-Up

 
Sparkly Mary using Till Death



Torrey  (Ms. December) using Bombshell Angel
Why not play along with the sketch challenge for a chance to win a free set of stamps? Simply post your take on the sketch on the Inlinkz below and/or on the Sketch Challenge in The Casino area of the forum. Each entry gets you another chance to win! The deadline is December 31st at midnight PST!