Inky Vacation

Hi Bombshell fans. Ms October here. I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in Maryland it's been a rainy, damp, dreary day. I was thinking how nice it would be to be in a warm tropical place, relaxing on the beach. Since that wasn't going to happen, I let my new stamps take me there. I inked up Hawaiian Girl and made this card  to cheer me up.

I also inked up A Pirates Life. Hmmm, a vacation with a pirate? "Captain" Jack Sparrow can "shiver me timbers" anytime!

Back to reality!! I used the October sketch challenge for my card. There's still time to join the sketch challenge. Scroll down to find the post with the directions. So ink up those Bombshell stamps and take a vacation. Where will you go?

Do you like mysteries and guessing games?

That's good because we've got a secret.

Do you want to know what it is?

Well, I'm feeling wicked and am not telling.

Yet...

You can bribe me though...

October's Sketch Challenge!

Here's October's Sketch:


Here's my take on the sketch using the Bombshell Angel Pin Up and the new Halloween Costume Dress Up set digital stamps.


Here are the Bombshell Girls and Pin-Ups takes on the sketch!

MiloLilja
using Sugar Daddy.

Stempelientje

using Retro Cowgirls.

Alaine using Ahoy Sailor

Alison used Harley Bikes

Kelli using Man's Ruin

Meredith using Mermaid Treasure and Banner Sayings

Celina using Mermaid Treasure

Bombshell Tutorial - Faux Letterpress

Greetings Glorious Bombshells!!  I'm here with you today to show you how to create a Faux Letterpress look to create your own coordinating background papers with any of your projects.  I must give credit to Jennifer McGuire as I recently learned this technique when I took her On-Line Card Class - Inspiration Showcase.  It's SO easy with a great end result!  

Let's begin!

First you need to gather just a few very basic supplies.  Paper, ink (any kind will do), any brand of plastic embossing folder and which ever die cut machine you use. 

 

I chose a dye ink as well as a chalk ink.  I like to play around and experiment with different inks.  Depending on where you want your ink will depend on which side of the embossing folder you rub your ink pad on.  If you want the ink in the recesses of the embossing you will rub the ink on one side of the embossing folder, like this:

You will then add your paper, quickly close the folder making sure to hold it closed so that the paper doesn't wiggle around (this will reduce smearing) and then run it through your die cutting machine using which ever "sandwich" works for your machine and embossing folders.

Here is the end result when you open your folder:

See how the ink is in the recesses of the image?  Super cool!  I went ahead and inked up the other side of my folder with my chalk ink:

and here is how it came out!

So in this example the script is inked up instead of the background.  This technique can be used in many ways and could easily be used to make super cool embellishments as well!  Here are a few more background examples that I did with a different folder using really bright inks.

 

And here is my finished example!  Clearly I have Halloween on the brain!  I kept my design VERY simple as I really wanted to show off that cool Faux Letterpress background. 

I hope you have enjoyed this technique!  

September's Random Winner!

Yoo hoo!  Prize Patrol Bombshell Cheryl here reminding you that's it time to announce last month's random winner!  We had lots of fabulous submissions, so let me start by saying a big "thank you" to everyone who joined one or more of the challenges.  I pulled entries from the challenge blog posts, the forum, and PCP.  Our random winner for September is...

N1ck15tan (Nicki)

Congratulations, Nicki!  Beginning this month Bombshell Stamps will be giving away a $20.00 gift certificate to the random winners each month.  Contact me via email here and I will fill you in on what you need to do to collect your prize.   

Take a gander at Nicki's gorgeous winning entry:

Stop by her blog and check out her amazing artwork.  Lots of inspiring eye-candy! 

Do you like free stamps?  Of course, you do!  We ALL do!  Throw your hat into the ring for an opportunity to win a $20.00 gift certificate to spend in the Bombshell Stamps Store by creating a card or project featuring our images and joining one or more of the monthly challenges.  Grab those Bombshells and get them INKY!!!  Submit your entries using the Linky at the end of the challenge blog posts, or post them in the forum under The Casino, or add them to the group on Paper Craft Planet.  Lots of ways to enter and lots of ways to win!  

I'll be back mid-month to make another announcement, but until then I'll leave you in suspense...***insert evil maniacal laugh here***!

October Hump Day Hop Theme: A Very Skelly Halloween!

Hello, Alison here. It's October! It's October! My very most favorite month of the year! Can you tell I'm excited??? So...what's this month's Bombhsell Hump Day Hop Theme? Let me start off by saying I was really happy to see that last month's hop had so many Halloween projects in it. This helped in my decision as to what the October hop would be. Without further adieu, this month's theme is...Halloween of course! But...it's with a twist. You must include skelletons or a skull or bones in/on it somewhere. You can use any of the numerous Bombshell Stamps skelletons, or you can create your own. Just make sure you get your Bombshell Stamps in there somewhere! You may also create a Day of the Dead project for this hop. Like last month, I encourage you to make a decoration as opposed to a card, but this is not mandatory.

This hop will be on October 26th (always the last Wednesday of the month). And all you need to do is sign up in THIS thread, make a project in accordance to the challenge I (Alison) give you, grab the hop list on the 25th, and post it on your blog on the 26th. Easy as pie!

You will need to sign up for the hop by Monday, October 24th. I will get a hop list together and post it in the thread on the 25th. You will be responsible to check the blogroll, and of course add it to your post. Please be obvious about your signup, and be sure to add your blog address to your signup. If you find you are having a tough time signing up in the forum (it's acting a bit wonky at the moment) you can sign up by leaving a comment in this post-but you must be sure to add your blog address. You will still need to check in the forum on the 25th to grab the entire blogroll. Thanks! I hope you will join in on this hop. I am really looking forward to seeing all of your projects! Have a spook-tacular day!

Meet Ms. October!

Our October Pin-Up, Hey Hey Paula, has fabulous coloring and design skills!

Shall we get to know her a bit better?

Here's her interview!

1. Brief info about yourself, including your name, where you live, your family (if you want), etc.
My name is Paula Riley. I am married to my college sweetheart, mom to a grown son, nana to twin eight-year old granddaughters, and a retired Reading Specialist. I'm loving retirement. There's more time for family and friends and my hobbies which are reading, knitting and stamping!

2. How long have you been stamping and/or crafting?
I have enjoyed crafts my entire life. I began seriously stamping about six years ago and now I'm addicted!

3. What are your favorite Bombshell sets and why?
Bombshell Angel is my favorite. I love her classic pin-up look. Mermaid Treasure is also a favorite because I love the sexy mermaid!

4. What kind of projects do you like to do?
Mostly cardmaking.

5. What are your favorite coloring mediums?
I love my Copics!


6. Describe your crafting "style".
I never really thought about it. I'm not sure that I have a style. It depends on the stamps I'm using and/or the project I'm working on.

7. Describe your crafting process. Do you start with a stamp set? A sketch? A technique you want to use?
All of the above!

8. Do you have any other hobbies?
When I'm not stamping, I enjoy knitting and reading on my Kindle.

9. Free for all including little facts, etc. about you.
I don't cook - I know how to, but my husband does all the cooking. He retired before me so he started doing the cooking while I was working. When I retired, I let him keep on doing it! We've been married for 42 years!

Here are three of Paula's favorite Bombshell cards!






Now that you've seen some of Paula's work, I know you'll want to see her Bombshell Gallery and visit her blog!

The Bombshell's Guide to Good Cooking

The Bombshell Design Team was recently challenged to use their Bombshell Stamps to create a recipe page. The only "rules" were that the page had to be 8 x 8" square and have a Bombshell image somewhere on it.

Here is my sample:

I made this page for my secret sister's reveal gift as part of this Bombshell desk set. I used Retro Cowgirl to go along with my Cowgirl Beans recipe.

Here are the pages that some of our fabulous design team members created:

Alison used Man's Ruin for her Dracula's Cocktail recipe:

Kelli used Retro Cowgirl for her page:

Kelli made a 2nd page using Sugar Daddy:


Sparkly Mary made this cherry recipe page using Cherry Bomb:


Alaine made this Western Yummy using Desert Background Digi Stamps.

Stempie made a Dutch-themed page using Bombshell Angel:

Please visit the Bombshell Forum thread HERE to vote on your favorite!

Blog Hop! World Card Making Day Bombshell Style!

The Bombshell Girls and Pin-Ups have decided to celebrate World Cardmaking Day by participating in Paper Craft Magazine's World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop. We decided that our theme would be "Friendship". After all, we've all come together united by our love of paper crafting!

Here's my Halloween card that I will be sending to a friend! I used Man's Ruin!


Kelli using Bombshell Angel and Digi costumes

Cheryl using Bombshell Angel and a digi costume

Anam used Hula Girl for this tone-on-tone card.

Be sure to visit Bombshell's forum where you can check out the challenges issued by the Bombshell Girls!!! Play along for a chance to win a fabulous prize!!!

Announcing our new Design Team!

We received so many wonderful applications for Bombshell Stamps Design Team. We were awed and inspired by the depth of talent and creativity.

After much deliberation and careful consideration, we're pleased to announce the new team.

Without further ado, please join me in congratulating our fabulous new team!

Full Time Designers, aka Bombshell Girls
Kathi Rerek– DT Captain
Katie Shanahan-Jones – Blog Captain
Alison Heikkila – Blog Hop Captain
Mary Griffiths - DT Contest Captain
Cheryl Valadez– Prize Patrol
Alaine Medio – Tutorial/Calendar Captain
Mary Harmon
Kelli Green
Meredith Winston
Milo Lilja
Stempelientje
Anam Stubbington

Guest Designers, aka Pin-ups
Ms.October – Paula Riley
Ms. November – Celina Anthony
Ms. December – Torrey Moseley
Ms. January – Laura Boyd
Mr. February – Freddie Toledo
Ms. March – Alex Lundgren