Designer Spotlight - Karolyn Loncon

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Hello, sweet friends!  It's Judy here with my next installment of "Designer Spotlight!"

This time around I have the honor of spotlighting a very well-know card artist...Karolyn Loncon of My Paper Therapy!  You must check out her blog because once you do you will fall in love with her work and immediately sign on to follow her (if you haven't already)! You might want to check out this recent feature at Paper Crafter's Library where you can learn a bit more about her and see her awesome work. This marvelously inspiring lady is on the current design team for Paper Smooches (and has even designed some of their stamps and dies), and has a list of accomplishments that are sure to amaze!  Karolyn has many wins at the various Moxie Fab World challenges and has been on a variety of design teams. She has also been published multiple times in a variety of card magazines...and if you happen to read Paper Crafts Magazine you likely saw her adorable red typewriter card on the cover of the November/December issue! Oh, and did I mention that she was named in Paper Crafts Magazine Stamping Royalty in 2011 and Paper Crafts Magazine Gallery Idol Top 10 in 2013? Yeah, I don't want to leave those tidbits of information out!

So, Karolyn was willing to play along with some Sweet Stamp Shop goodies and answer some pressing questions for our readers.  Let's get to it, shall we?

First up, Karolyn's amazing card. 

Happy New Year indeed!  What a cheerful, colorful card!

Karolyn played with the Happy Hour set from our recent October release.



Be sure to check out my blog HERE  to see a card I made using my Sweet Stamp Shop goodies -- totally inspired by one of Karolyn's amazing cards!

And now for the question and answer portion of our spotlight!

Q:  About how many cards do you make in a week?

A:  On average I make about three to four cards a week. However, I was planning my daughter’s wedding all summer, so my crafty life has been pretty quiet lately. I’ve only had time to create for my design teams, and that’s it! Now that the wedding is over, I hope to get back to my normal routine. In fact, my goal is to make that happen starting this week!


Q:  What is your favorite card-making technique?

A:  Techniques scare me. LOL I’m really a pretty clean and simple kind of girl – throw in some fun and cute, and you’ve got me in a nutshell. But paper piecing is one technique I turn to again and again, mostly because I’m not a great colorer.  Although, I’ve recently discovered a love of watercoloring . . . oh my gravy, that’s fun stuff!


Q:  What advice do you have for beginner stampers?

A:  My advice for beginners is to search for and study designers whose work you admire. Pinterest, Flickr, Splitcoast Stampers – all are loaded with amazing designs and projects! Pay attention to the details in their projects and identify what it is that you like about their work. Then be inspired by what they do and create something that’s “you.”  I follow over 300 blogs, and love sitting down with my cuppa every morning and seeing what amazingness my crafty heroes have created each day. Most days, that’s what inspires me to get into my craft room!

And that, my friends, is why we wanted to spotlight this super talented, crafty lady...such words of wisdom!  A big sweet thank you to Karolyn for allowing us to spotlight her this time around.  Be sure to check out her blog Paper Therapy and leave her some love!


How about YOU?  Are you playing with your Sweet Stamp Shop goodies?  Maybe you bought some new stamps during the October stamp release?  Maybe some fun new flair?  Be sure to upload your creations to our Flickr group, and consider playing along with the current "Use What You Have" challenge...we'd love to see what you're up to!  Hey, maybe you'd even consider applying for the next Design Team...check out THIS post for more information.

Thank for stopping by...have a sweet day!
Judy     Pin It

Designer Spotlight #3

Hello, my sweet friends!  It's Judy here with my next installment of "Designer Spotlight!"

Today I have the pleasure of introducing Kim Singdahlsen and her blog, Joyful Creations with Kim.  Welcome to the Sweet Stamp Shop, Kim!  I have admired Kim's amazing card-making skills for some time, and I'm guessing many of you are familiar with her work, too.  After all, she currently serves on three Design Teams including CAS(E) This Sketch, Curtain Call, and Catered Crop.  She has served on many other design teams at some point as well, and I can't even count how many Guest Designer spots she has done!  (Today we add another one to her list!)  You really need to check out her blog HERE...you'll see why I admire her so much!

So, Kim was not only willing to share some cards with us today but she also entertained a few questions for all of our readers.

First up...her amazing cards!  Kim had two sets to play with (seen below) and she really displays her skills in making amazingly clean and simple designs...check it out!

But wait, there is more!

And yet another!  (My guess is that somebody had a very busy World Card Making Day!!!)

All this amazingness with two sets of stamps!  Here is what Kim had to play with when making her cards:

Starts Here

Triangle Style

Amazing, right?!  Next up...my interview with Kim.  Here is what I thought we all might like to know:

Q:  On average, how many cards do you make in one week?

A:  Currently, I average 7 cards a week.  I try to create a card and post it each and every day mainly to force myself to sit down and unwind at my craft table even on busy days.  In my real life, I am surrounded by men and boys, and I am a full-time college student getting my second degree in accounting.  Being surrounded by men and by numbers, there is nothing better than spending some time surrounded by stamps and patterns and sequins!!

Q:  What is your favorite stamping technique?

A:  There are many techniques that I love and use regularly - as long as they fit into a clean and simple style!  I love to color.  I am by no means an artist, but coloring with my Copics does take me back to my childhood!!  I love the look of paper-piecing and it can often add a special touch to a clean card.  I love white heat-embossed images on colored paper. And I'm not at all against using heat-and-stick powder and glitter all over a panel or an image!  Just due to my style, there are a number of techniques and coloring mediums that I don't tend to use - but I certainly admire them on other crafter's cards!

Q:  Do you have any advice for beginning stampers?

A:   I have two pieces of advice for beginning stampers.  (1) Play along with challenge blogs even if you are not sure you are ready.  They are the best place to learn and to grow in your own crafting.  You get ideas for color combinations.  You see new ways to lay out your card.  Be sure to study the design team cards to see how they have used the challenge in creative ways.  I've been doing this for well over a decade and I still learn from studying other cards!  (2) If you like a certain companies' products, stick with them.  It's very tempting to buy every stamp that you see and like, but it is so much easier in the long run to build a collection from a few companies.  Their stamps will work together so it's very easy to use a border from one set, an image from another and a sentiment from a third.

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I have to agree with that advice, Kim.  (And might I suggest that Sweet Stamp Shop stamps would be a great company to go to in order to build your stamp collection?!)

So, my sweet friends, let's give Kim a big shout out of THANKS for letting us spotlight her as one amazing designer!  Be sure to visit her blog for some amazing inspiration, and stop by my blog for a flat-out CASE of one of Kim's cards using my Sweet Stamp Shop stamps!

We are preparing for our October stamp release coming on October 16th...be sure to check it out, I promise you will not be disappointed!  Details can be found at our Facebook Events Page.  

Have a sweet day, friends!

Judy

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Designer Spotlight #2

Hello, sweet friends!  It's Judy and I'm back again with my second segment of "Designer Spotlight" at the Sweet Stamp Shop! 

This time I have the honor of spotlighting the super talented queen of clean and simple: Maureen Merritt!  Maureen's blog, Mama Mo's Stamps, is one of my favorite stops in blog land...it reads like a favorite magazine and is always full of inspiration!  Not only has she been a winner in pretty much EVERY card challenge known to stampers, but she has also been published multiple times in both CARDS and Paper Crafts Magazine.  This past August, Maureen was featured as a Moxie Fabber of the Week because, indeed, she is moxie fab!  You can check out those details HERE. 

Maureen graciously agreed to share her talents with us here at the Sweet Stamp Shop.  Her card demonstrates exactly why she deserves to be in the spotlight...check it out!

Wow, this IS amazing, indeed!

Here are the stamp sets Maureen used:

Starts Here

Triangle Style



Maureen was also gracious enough to answer a few questions for me and the readers here at the Sweet Stamp Shop.  Here is what inquiring minds wanted to know:

Q:  On average, how many cards do you make in a week?

A:  I'd say that I make about 5-7 cards per week. I'd love to make more and get inky every day, but sometimes life just gets in the way! Apparently my family prefers to wear clean clothes and eat dinner rather than have me stamp daily :)   If I get in a card a day, I'm happy.

Q:  How do you approach the card-making process...do you wing it or do you like to follow sketches, color cues, challenges, etc.?

A:  Each stamp session is different. There are times that I head to my desk with a specific challenge in mind, other times I wing it. I mostly have an idea about a stamp set I'd like to use or a color combo, but it doesn't always work out.  My beginning point is always so much different than my end result!

Q: Do you have any bits of advice for beginner stampers?

A:  You don't need to have it all. There are so many products out there that it gets overwhelming. I know, I've been there. You really only need the basics...paper, ink, stamps and a paper trimmer. I find that my favorite cards are the ones that just use just stamps and ink. Play with different techniques to make the most of the supplies you have!

And THAT, my friends, is the best advice...ever!  Her card above is proof of that...a one-layer masterpiece using nothing but stamps and ink!

Thank you, Maureen, for sharing your time and talents with us...you are so sweet!

Hop on over to my blog HERE to see the card I made inspired by one of Maureen's cards.  Here's a little sneak peek!

Remember...the September release stamps are still available at the Sweet Stamp SHOP.  Be sure to follow us at our Facebook page, too! 

Have a sweet day!
Judy

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