2014 roc nicholas rubber stamp design team

i am so happy that i've been blessed with being a member of the stampotique family.  i adore the stampotique company and what they stand for, as well as, i love their high-quality mounted, red rubber stamps.  i used their stamps long before i became a rubber stamp designer for them.  if you've not checked out their awesome website, please do so by clicking here.

this all brings me to my big announcement: 

the 2014 roc nicholas rubber stamp design team.

here are the fabulous 2014 design team artists, in alphabetical order:

 cathy parmelee

cathy lives in california.  she will be bringing a sense of

creative whimsy in collage and mixed media.  

watch for cathy to bring a bit of the unexpected to her 

design team art work.

you can find more out about cathy at:

http://pureoneimpressions.blogspot.com

 corrie herriman

corrie lives in the netherlands.  she brings a

straightforward sense of style to the design team.  

watch for her to show you an overall ease in creating

clean, colorful and pleasing art.

you can find out more about corrie at:

 http://MadeByCHook.blogspot.com

 gez butterworth

gez lives in england.  she will be bringing her mixed media and

rubber stamping knowledge to the design team.  watch for her to

show you how to tweak my rubber stamp images into something

totally different, not only on cards but also in your journals.

you can find more out about gez at:

http://gezzybscraftybits.blogspot.co.uk 

 jane wetzel

jane lives in ohio.  she brings her love of stamping and mixed media

to the design team.  she has a great sense of color and composition

and i love when she adds stitching to her design element. 

watch for her to show you how to take my rubber stamps 

and make them come alive with humor and color in an amazing composition.

you can view more of jane's work at:

http://anythingbutplainjane.blogspot.com

 

renee stien

renee lives in minnesota.  she brings her sense of whimsy, humor, to her

art.  i love her painterly and mixed media approach when using 

my rubber stamps.  watch for her to show you how you can easily incorporate 

my rubber stamps into any of your mixed media and journaling projects.

you can see more of renee's work at:

http://thetingoat.blogspot.com

if you'd like to join in on the fun you can join the roc nicholas rubber stamp page on facebook.  click here to access that page.  hope to see you there!

last call for design team applications

today is the last day for your design team applications to be submitted.  click here for details. 

2014 design team call

tomorrow is the deadline for my 2014 design team call.  if you wanted to apply you have two more days to get your application in.  you can get all the details here.

only one week left......

..for my 2014 design team call.  if you've been meaning to apply but didn't actually submit your information yet, you still have one week until the deadline.  please click here for all the details.

...and the winner is.....

a few samples of some of the 14 christmas postcards i made

nkjohnston said...Ooh, this is soooooo my love. They're beautiful. I would LOVE a piece! Thank you so much for the inspiration as well.   Merry Christmas!

please send me an email with your address so i can send you one of the postcards. thank you.

design team call reminder for 2014

only 13 more days until the deadline for applications for my design team.  if you want to apply time is drawing near.  

to read all the details you can click here 

wednesday - what i'm working on AND a give away

here's a sampling of what i've been working on today.  i've been busy sewing bits on to at least half of a dozen or more christmas postcards.  i'm going to give one away to a lucky winner.  i'll select someone by random on sunday, december 15th.  i'll mail it on monday and you should receive it in time for christmas.   all you have to do is leave a comment.  good luck!

and the winner is.....

FloridaBird said...
I would LOVE to have your envelope so I can study it up close and personal!

please email me your address for the envelope give away!

let's sparkle

the theme over at tando is let's sparkle.  what could be nicer than a glittery ornament on the christmas tree?  i decided to make a few of them for my family and one special one for my oldest grandson.  he is three and will love seeing himself on the christmas tree.
i used tando's large baubles to create the ornament.  for frames for the photos i used their grab bag of stars. 
if you make an ornament for your tree please send me a link to see it.  happy holidays!

roc's design team call

                       DESIGN TEAM CALL

I am looking for enthusiastic, talented and friendly artists to join my 2014 creative Design Team.  You will be responsible for creating art that promotes my rubber stamp line which is sold through Stampotique.com.

This Design Team call is open to everyone, however,  the use of my rubber stamps is required, not only during your term, but also for your submissions to apply for the team. 

The call will be open until December 27, 2013.  The team will be announced before the end of the month.  Your photos and short biographies will be due for the announcement.  We will start creating in the beginning of 2014.

Design Team Requirements: 

1.  Must have a personal blog
2.  Must have a facebook account (other social media avenues are welcomed, too)
3.  A love of my rubber stamps (sold through stampotique)
4.  An ability to create artistic projects using my rubber stamps
5.  A willingness to commit for a 6 month term
6.  Ability to make project deadlines of up to two projects per month
7.  Must be able to take excellent project photos (clear and properly
     exposed photos).
8.  Must comment on other team members' projects
9. A willingness to participate in an occasional special assignment that coincide
     with newly released stamps and/or blog hops

If being part of this Design Team interests you, please follow the directions on how to apply.  I will looking forward to see reviewing your application.

How To Apply:

1.  Email me at rocnic23@gmail.com with the subject heading "DT Application".
2.  In your email please include your name, physical address and email address
     that you'd like me to use to contact you.  
3.  Include a short biography including previous publications you might have been
      in.  I want to know more about you and what you feel you can bring to the
     Design Team!  I am looking for out of the box thinkers and creative uses for my
     rubber stamps.
4.  Tell me why you'd like to be on my Design Team.
5.  Please send me up to 3 project photos (low resolution) that you consider to be
     your best work using my rubber stamps as your main image.
6.  Include a link to your blog and any other place you think you will be show casing
     your Design Team projects. 

If you are selected for my Design Team you will have the opportunity to have your work showcased on my blog.  I will also be doing feature articles on you and your art.  You will be part of a truly fabulous team of like minded artists.  I hope to see your application soon.

stampotique challenge and GIVE AWAY

it's stampotique challenge time.  kim has challenged us to what ever we would like to do.  that was an easy choice for me because i love making altered envelopes so much.

i used a few of my stamps to create this envelope.  on the front i used the steampunk border to create the border on the address label.  i also used the bottom of scooter girl to create the edging on the left side,  and of course the just be you is one of my rubber stamps, too!  on the back of the envelope i used my bird lady.  i adore that bird in her pocket.  it makes me smile every time i see it.  what a nice feeling.

if you'd like to have a chance to win this envelope and have it mailed to you,  all you have to do is leave a comment.  i will draw a name at random on december 11th.  

 if you would like to join in on the fun you can find all about the details by clicking the above link.  If you play you will have a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate towards Stampotique stamps, and really, who couldn't use more stamps?!

wednesday - what i'm working on

i finally am spending time with my watercolors. i bought an 11 x 14 bound journal at hobby lobby a few weeks ago. i love the bigger size and just wanted a thinner pound paper to do drawing and light watercolor in. this journal is meant to be my SLOPPY journal. i find i am always working so neat and tidy, paying attention to details, so i wanted to experiment with being messy. well no matter how i slop the paint onto the background,  i find i'm doing tiny lettering and lots of small details and feeling annoyed when i go outside of the lines, so i'm giving up the messy part and just making art.

a 2 page spread

now this journal is just a place to draw, doodle and write random thoughts.  i'm at peace with what ever gets created in it, messy or neat.  it's hardly worth doing art if i'm going to judge is as not messy enough.  i'm really enjoying working in it.  here is the first two page spread i did.  i keep going back and adding more doodles and color, so i'm not sure it is finished yet.

when i first started out working on this paper i did not like it because it was so thin and bled through easily, not to mention tore if it was damp and you tried to write on it.  but now i find those characteristics to be especially endearing and i love all the bleed throughs from front to back.  the randomness of the marks that comes through are amazing - like the circle around the girls eye.  i couldn't have planned that any better.

up close of the cabbages

i love bunnies just as much as cabbage.  i don't believe i've met a way cabbage can be prepared that i don't love it. 

my violets on the lanai - an ode to my gram

one day i sat on the lanai and admired the violets that were blooming in all of their glory.  i had to put their memory in my journal.  my gram was such a lover of violets and i'm sure, even though she has passed, she is taking care of them for me and helping them to blossom continually. 

i hope to share on a few wednesday here and there what i'm working on in this journal.  the spreads go slowly since i love a busy page, but i'm sure i can show snippets of parts of page at least.  i hope you'll stop back to see more of this journal as it progresses.

stampotique 2014 design team announcment

the time has come that i can finally announce i made the stampotique design team for 2014.  i am so excited!  it's no secret that i truly LOVE the stampotique company and the stampotique family that i've been blessed with over the past year.

that's my bird princess i used to create this announcement.  you can add her to your collection by clicking here.

i hope you will follow along this year on the stampotique blog where one of the two teams will blog daily.  i will posting on mondays and look forward to seeing you there!

Roc's Design Team Call for 2014

        

       Design Team Call for 2014

I am looking for enthusiastic, talented and friendly artists to join my 2014 creative Design Team.  You will be responsible for creating art that promotes my rubber stamp line which is sold through Stampotique.com.

This Design Team call is open to everyone, however,  the use of my rubber stamps is required, not only during your term, but also for your submissions to apply for the team. 

The call will be open until December 27, 2013.  The team will be announced before the end of the month.  Your photos and short biographies will be due for the announcement.  We will start creating in the beginning of 2014.

Design Team Requirements: 

1.  Must have a personal blog
2.  Must have a facebook account (other social media avenues are welcomed, too)
3.  A love of my rubber stamps (sold through stampotique)
4.  An ability to create artistic projects using my rubber stamps
5.  A willingness to commit for a 6 month term
6.  Ability to make project deadlines of up to two projects per month
7.  Must be able to take excellent project photos (clear and properly
     exposed photos).
8.  Must comment on other team members' projects
9. A willingness to participate in an occasional special assignment that coincide
     with newly released stamps and/or blog hops

If being part of this Design Team interests you, please follow the directions on how to apply.  I will looking forward to see reviewing your application.

How To Apply:

1.  Email me at rocnic23@gmail.com with the subject heading "DT Application".
2.  In your email please include your name, physical address and email address
     that you'd like me to use to contact you.  
3.  Include a short biography including previous publications you might have been
      in.  I want to know more about you and what you feel you can bring to the
     Design Team!  I am looking for out of the box thinkers and creative uses for my
     rubber stamps.
4.  Tell me why you'd like to be on my Design Team.
5.  Please send me up to 3 project photos (low resolution) that you consider to be
     your best work using my rubber stamps as your main image.
6.  Include a link to your blog and any other place you think you will be show casing
     your Design Team projects. 

If you are selected for my Design Team you will have the opportunity to have your work showcased on my blog.  I will also be doing feature articles on you and your art.  You will be part of a truly fabulous team of like minded artists.  I hope to see your application soon.

new release at deviant scrap

hidden vintage studios and tumble fish studios at deviant scrap have collaborated to release images that can be used together.  how fun is that!  they both do such incredible work.  hidden vintage studios has created sugar plum fairies and tumble fish studio has released holiday twinkle.  i used both of their kits to create this christmas atc. 

it's stampotique challenge time

it's stampotique challenge time once again. nellie has asked to create something for an early christmas challenge. i am always late in starting christmas cards, just like nellie said she was, so i thought i'd make a christmas card for this challenge. i used the design cube rubber stamp to create the background by dipping it in white paint to mimick snowflakes.  i used the rubber stamp great moon to create the main focal image. then i used one of the christmas balls to dangle from the moon. i stamped the sentiment wish for my "christmas wish".  it's all paper layered. 

if you would like to join in on the fun you can find all about the details by clicking the above link.  If you play you will have a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate towards Stampotique stamps, and really, who couldn't use more stamps?!

tando challenge - orange, pink and green

i used one of tando's little chipboard mini trio houses.  the challenge was to use orange, pink and green.  these are some of my favorite colors so it was an easy project to complete.  since my husband just retired and we moved from a place in pennsylvania (where we were born and raised our whole lives), to florida, some 1200 miles away, it is proof that where ever there is love, you will be at "home".  i used a door image and all paper from tumble fish studio.  the photo is from the photo shoot my friend, cassandra van curen,  a professional photographer, did for me. 

new release at deviant scrap

the 3D house i made - all images are from the kit

tumble fish studio has created the most darling little houses kit.  it has been released at deviant scrap.  hurry over there to get your kit today!

stampotique challenge time

it's stampotique challenge time once again.  sam has asked to create something that uses only one layer. i watercolor to create the background.  i used two rubber images from the design cube dipped in watercolor to add some visual texture.  i used my rubber stamp artiste to create the main focal image.  next i added doodling and used gel pens for extra color.

if you would like to join in on the fun you can find all about the details by clicking the above link.  If you play you will have a chance to win a $30.00 gift certificate towards Stampotique stamps, and really, who couldn't use more stamps?!

more florida living - part five

welcome back!  come on in to my kitchen.  i hope you brought your appetite with you because i just made some chicken bar b q, tossed salad with balsamic vinegrette and cranberry/apple/fig chutney.

have a seat.  i normally sit on the middle one, but i'm happy to share it with you if you prefer that one.  the stool on the left came with me from up north.  the middle one i found at some outdoor vintage mart. it was totally rusted, but nothing that a can of white spray paint can't fix.  the one on the left i found when shopping with a friend.  it was gray and i painted it, too.  my husband usually sits on that one.

we had the tile put on underneath the counter area this summer.  the man who did our tiling tried to talk me out of this tile saying it would look like a bathroom wall but he couldn't have been more wrong. i just love the crisp, clean look it has.  once he finished the job he admitted he was wrong.  i tried not to rub it in too much.

he also put up a tile backsplash for us.  i love subway tile.  that brightened up the room as well.  there is something about white i just love. 

this small table belonged to my aunt.  i really cherish it and am so glad i was able to have it.  i originally used it when i lived up north as my sewing machine table, but it has its own perfect space here in florida.  the rug under it, which is one of three i have in the house, my husband's grandmother made.

flowers from a friend and the little white pitcher was a gift from another friend

an  upclose snippet of my original art - i just love this little bird

this piece is very important to me in so many ways.  this was my husband's father's.  it was the original postal desk in a little town called kunkletown back in pennsylvania.  todd's dad was the post master there for many, many years and when they got rid of it he was able to take it.  he used it as his tool bench for the rest of his life. it was dark brown, but i was on a roll painting everything white, and i just love how it turned out.  the little hole on the front right was where he had power cords and there are three holes on the top right above it where he had his vice screwed down, but i love each mark.  it reminds of him everytime i see them.

i made the stained glass mirror and the bread basket many years ago

i found this old white bowl at a thrift store and it's perfect for my fruit

this photo requires more than a caption i think.  the yellow stained glass fish in the very back i made in church school when i was very small.  for some reason i've kept it all these years.  it's very meaningful to me most likely because my faith is of paramount importance to me.  i made the little manager scene for friends and family one year as gifts for christmas.  i'm so glad i kept one for myself.  the little white chicken belonged to my husband's mom.  i acquired it when she passed away.  it just makes me smile and i am truly grateful every time i see it.

a very old wooden plate that belonged to my grandmother

some refrigerator magnet art made by my friends and a few by me, too

i hope you enjoyed your stay and that you'll have time to come back and see what is back the hall.  you may want to bring your suitcase for this next part.  see you soon.

tando - tag you're it

over at tando there was a color scheme of pink, green and orange that i applied to my tag.  these type of challenges push me out of my comfort zone.  i find limiting colors to just a few are harder to get images to pop and stand out. 
i used one of tando's small bookplates and a few of tando's mini stars.  i also used the leaf mask in the background design.
i used my rubber stamp heart vine, scalloped lace border, part of i'm learning to fly and my flying bird.
i hope you will be inspired to work on a tag with your tando and stampotiquegoodies!

florida living - part four

welcome back everyone.  i'm so happy you sat for a spell until i tidied up the place.  come on in.

the first room you will be in is the dining room, but it is connected to the living room and kitchen. it is all one big area.  the ceilings are vaulted and i just love how open it feels.   when you come in you are in the left part of the dining room.  here is what you see to the right of you.

that big white cupboard made the move. it weighs a ton and my husband has told me he will never be lifting that to move again.  i told him i'd have to hire movers then.  above the white cupboard is a hand

 carved oak angel i bought many years ago when i was still in pennsylvania.  she just HAD to make the trip.   you can see something baskets and a tray on the top of that cupboard.  i painted the tray and although i never used it i really like it.  i had to keep it.  i also use to do basket weaving a long time

ago and a few of those baskets i made. i have many more stored at my mom's house and hopefully they will make their way here eventually.
the tiny high chair to the left of the white cupboard i got for a real bargain down here and it was purchased in high hopes i will get some grandchildren visits very soon. 

the chair you see in this photo was in my grandfather's family.   it's very old and i just love it.

my table centerpiece

the view out the glass sliders of my side patio

a special piece of art from a friend graces my indoor tree

 the living room adjoins the dining room. while this is not the best photo, you can make out the big white flowers on the sofa.  mostly everything i get is kind of plain, but i loved the bold print when i saw it and i think it adds a nice touch of whimsy to the space.

aside of the flowered sofa is a little bench i painted white.  the little coffee mat was made by an art friend.  her sewing is exceptional.  the coasters in the basket i made and they made the trip, too.

the coffee table came along, too.  it's just the perfect size.  the little table mat and the crock i found on

 an adventure with a friend.  i added the trim around the neck of the crock.  the little flower

adornment was a ring i made in a tim holtz class.  i love how it looks on there!  
the tv stand was brought down as well.  from the time i purchased that old dresser for $10.00 at a yard sale my husband disliked it.  i don't know why but every time he had to move it he'd say it was a piece of junk and we should throw it out.  i insisted we keep it around and turn it into a tv stand.  it took about 10 years, but finally he dismantled the second drawer, added hinges to the drawer front and that is where our dvd player is. 

the cupboard in the corner was given to me by a client from up north.  the man told me he had some junk he picked up on the street corner that would be perfect in my house.  i laughed out loud.  good thing i wasn't offended and went to see it.  it was missing the window in the top but i fixed that by making a stained glass window of a spider plant.  i really like how the little baby is 3 dimensional.

the tv stand and the corner cupboard were nearly identical in paint color.  i couldn't believe how well they went together.  that makes them even more special to me.  i think todd appreciates them more now.  at least he didn't complain when he moved them this time. 
thanks for stopping by today.  the next part i will be showing you my kitchen, so i'll get busy and bake something delicious for your next visit.