New Release coming Soon and Clearly Cool Cards Reminder

Just a quick reminder that there are 4 days left to participate in our clearly cool challenge over on PCP. One participant will be chosen at random to win our sweet shoppe set and matching sentiments! (or substitution if you already have the set already!)

Here is the link to the details post:
http://starvingartistampsgallery.blogspot.com/2008/12/challenge-clearly-cool-cards.html

We have a low participation for this challenge so your odds of winning will be pretty good!

And its time to get excited!! Get ready for a WHOLE BUNCH of NEW STAMPS!! We will be posting several NEW images in the next few days.

Stay tuned!

Challenge, "Clear"ly Cool Cards!

Before we get to the challenge details... I wanted to thank you all for the comments about our missing cards! They were very nice to read and although our cards have not been returned we do appreciate the support!

So on to a new challenge...

We are overdue for a new challenge, I know the holidays are fast approaching but I want to sneak in one more challenge before we close out 2008 and before we say goodbye to our current holiday special
http://starvingartistamps.com/doodlefactory_santa_s_sweet_shoppe.html

As you might know two of our Designers (Donna D. and Donna B. AKA "The Donnas") host a (semi) weekly challenge in our group at Paper Craft Planet. http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/starvingartistamps

This weeks challenge is to design an incredibly cool CLEAR card.

Here are the details for those of you who wish to take a break from the holiday rush, get a little "me" time and make a fun card!

This weeks challenge is to make a clear card using acetate or transparency.
The theme is open to however you wish to interpret it.
It will be your choice as to what size and shape your card is.
As long as it contains a clear element it counts!

*Cards do not need to contain SA or DF images in them but... all cards using our images will be posted in our gallery. www.starvingartistampsgallery.blogspot.com

Everyone who participates will get entered into a drawing for a Santa's Sweet Shoppe set with matching Sweet Shoppe sentiments.
(Dont worry, if you really need to get your hands on a set you can get one now or if you already have one if you are the winner we will subsitute for other stamps of equal value!)

With the holiday fast approaching these are the final days to purchase your sweet shoppe set at the holiday special Buy Santa's Sweet Shoppe, get the Sweet Shoppe sentiments FREE (an 11.95 value!) The special ends 12/25/08. (Or win one by participating in our challenge!!!)


All you need to do is head on over to our group on Paper Craft Planet http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/starvingartistamps and post a reply to our thread, attach the photo or post a link to where your card can be found. If you can not post for some reason you can also email your card or blog/gallery link to strvingartistmp@aol.com

Here are a few more details:

-All cards must be submitted on or before December 30th

-The drawing winner will be randomly selected and posted no later than December 31st.

-The challenge tag code for PCP and/or SCS will be SADF1208

-All cards containing Starving Artistamps or DoodleFactory images will also use the company tag: SADF

Need some inspiration? Check our what Lisa, Lori, and Lydia did for their clear creations!
(no we didnt ask all the "L" girls to make cards, it just worked out that way... eerie huh?)

LOST..MISSING...HEARTBROKEN!

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE CARDS?!

We finished our last show of the season earlier this month on Long Island. Back in our own home state for our final show of 2008. Earlier in the week one of my most favorite of favorite customers surprised me with an incredible gift. It was a package sent all the way from Finland with three incredibly detailed, professionally designed cards from the internationally famous Swedish collage style rubber stamper Nina Aaslund. I didn't even have them for 5 days, but I wanted to show them off at the show.

If you have ever been to one of our shows you would know we set up a demonstration table where I demonstrate our NO Effort Mosaics all weekend. A couple of hours into the show I took a 5 minute bathroom break. Upon my return I was told by my husband to look for my seahorse card (the card I refer to in my demonstration as the "finished product" -a layered and embossed multi colored, multi patterned background of tiles. (we do not emboss or build finished cards at the booth due to time and mess). It was gone! He told me a customer had picked it up and was walking around with it. He could not leave the register and when I returned she was gone. Another customer was shopping and told me she was here and she also saw the woman walking around with the card.

That's when I noticed that not only was my most important demonstration card was gone but so was my beautiful Swedish collage cards I had displayed on the same table! I cant tell you how heartbroken I was to discover this theft. All the time and love that went into the making of theses cards far outweighs the price of the paper and ink. They had travel across an ocean and were loving shared with us by our generous friend. In addition to my cherished Nina cards we also had another card given to us by one of our designers Lori Tecler. It was a valentine card just in time for valentines day.

Perhaps the sticky fingered lady thought that walking off with samples is ok. Maybe she thinks its not stealing, but I assure you that taking other peoples property without asking is indeed theft.

All in all 4 cards were stolen from us.

We travel the country from state to state and I am sorry to say the only two times in all my years of doing shows that I have had projects stolen have been when I have been close to home. One of my previous designers Becky Oehlers made us a beautiful card box which was stolen in Pennsaulken, NJ and now these four cards taken not 20 minutes from where we live.

While I realize this is a little more personal than we normally are over here I wanted to post this for a few reasons. First to tell you that if you attend a show and think its OK to walk off with someone else's creative property I hope you think twice and second, I am hoping that whoever took our cards will have a change of heart and return them to us. (no questions asked)

These are our missing cards:

Published in Simply Sentiments Magazine
Square mosaic seahorse demonstration card:

Swedish Collage challenge card by Lori Tecler:

Nina Aaslund Swedish collage cards:

If found please return to:

Starving Artistamps

219 Feustal Street

West Babylon, NY 11704

BLOG CANDY WINNER ANNOUNCED!!

Congratulations goes to LORRAINE comment # 64 the winner of our blog candy Santa's Sweet Shoppe new release!! Lorraine please email us your information strvingartistmp@aol.com , you didnt leave your email address or any contact information!

NEW RELEASE AND SOME GOOD CANDY!

I confess this release is a wee bit tardy and this time it's all my fault. You see Irene sent me these designs almost 2 weeks ago but we were away at the stamp show in Indiana for several days. Once we got them in our hot little hands we realized that we really should put together some fun sentiments to match. And that's when time got away from us. So I take full responsibility for not showing you these until now.

In an effort to make nice we are are doing two very special things. First, we are going to put this set up at a great price and as an added bonus from now until Christmas we are going to give you all the matching sentiments for FREE when you buy the full set. (An 11.95 value!)

But since we don't like to force you to buy stuff you don't want, we are also going to offer these incredibly cool guys individually in both unmounted and mounted. You will also be able to purchase the sentiments separately if you feel the need to.

These will start shipping sometime around November 11th. The molds are on their way here already. If you have ever pre-ordered from us before you know that we are pretty good with our ship dates. (shipping ETA's are always posted on the home page if you haven't noticed)

So here it is... Brand spanking new from the DoodleFactory ....

We are pleased to introduce you to Santa's Sweet Shoppe!

This set retails for only $19.95 for the complete set of 25 unmounted stamps

(also available individually or in smaller sets in mounted and unmounted)

And here are the matching sentiments you will get for FREE when you purchase the set:

(size comparison: "warm thoughts" is approx. 1/2" x 3" across)

As I mentioned, we are doing TWO special things for you tonight... Well here is the second cool thing... We are giving away a set of Santa's sweet shoppe and the matching sentiments

as blog candy!

From now until November 11th post a comment on this post and agree to do THREE things.

• First and foremost you must SPREAD the WORD by telling every STAMPER you know about our new stamps and blog candy (yes, we do check!)
• Second you must stroke Irene's ego and tell her what you love most about her wonderful stamps. It would be especially helpful if you tell her why you love her artwork and why waiting for the newest release is so difficult!

• Lastly, you must agree that if you win the prize you will lovingly USE your stamps within 2 weeks of getting them and send us a photo of your project for us to show off on our gallery.

That's not too hard for the chance to win $32 bucks worth of stamps right!

To be fair to everyone we will only be accepting one comment per person.

The winner chosen by random number generator will be announced after November 11th, 2008. No purchase necessary.

If you have any questions you can always email us at: strvingartistmp@aol.com

Need some inspiration? We just loaded lots of new cards to the gallery tonight from some of our favorite designer and customers www.starvingartistampsgallery.blogspot.com

Don't forget, this new release will not begin shipping until approximately November 11th. But you can start ordering tonight, they are already posted on the website www.starvingartistamps.com We expect a big response to these so get your orders in early since we fill them first come first serve. Don't worry about waiting for the blog candy to be announced, if you order and you end up being the winner you will get your choice of any other DoodleFactory or Starving Artistamps stamp set/sheet you want!

Long Island, NY Stamp show this Saturday!!!

The 8th Annual Greater New York Art Stamp Show
will take place Saturday, November 1, 2008
show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (one day only!)
The show is being held at the Smithtown Sheraton in Smithtown, Long Island

The show is hosted by The Stampsmith and Stamping Ground,
more details can be found on the host website: http://stampsmith.net/newyorkshow.htm

If you are coming to the show stop by our booth and say hi!
Hope to see you there!

In other news... check back soon for our newest release!
We will be posting some delicious blog candy so it is not to be missed!!

we are off to indiana!

Please note all orders placed from now until October 21st will start shipping out on Wednesday October 22nd when we return from the stamp show.

The Rubber Stamp and Scrapbooking Paper Arts Festival
is heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana this weekend Oct 18 and 19th.
The show is being held at the Memorial Coliseum

hosted by Heirloom Productions. Here is the direct link to the show for more details:
http://www.heirloompro.com/shows-fort%20wayne-10-18-08.html

Here is the home page link http://www.heirloompro.com/

We will be there along with lots of other vendors.
We have several new products for you to check out!!

-New clear Inchies stamps for fast and easy inchie cards!!
-New clear Holiday stamps incluuding super cool cool Xmas tag labels
(and beautiful snowflakes and LOADS of fun stuff for Halloween)
-New clear Cats and Dogs stamps
-New Basic Grey 6x6 pads
(Ambrosia, Granola, Eva,Urban Prairie, Offbeat, Euphoria)
-Basic Grey matching buttons for all the new collections!
-As always, LOTS of copic marker sets and accessories!
-Acrylics and mounting supplies
-Unmounted storage binders in large and small (quantities limited)
-TONS of beautiful hologram stickers in every color and must have shape!
-LOTS AND LOTS OF STAMPS!
-Lots and lots of card samples!
-Lots of tsukineko stamp pads including the new Versamark Dazzles in Champagne and Frost!!

Did you know we have lots of show exclusive products that we do not carry in our online store?

We are coming with fully loaded displays and its going to be a great show.
If you can make it please stop by our booth and say hi!

Virtual Convention!

We are participating in the Virtual Convention over on http://www.rubberstampchat.net/ You need to be a member to read the forums (FREE TO JOIN) so head on over there and check it out. There are LOTS of vendors offering specials and discounts. Please check BOTH pages in the convention hall (we are on the second page).



here is the direct link to the "convention hall"

http://www.rubberstampchat.net/forumdisplay.php?f=39



PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD

We need participation to keep it going please post the convention to your blogs and message boards! It runs from today until Monday.


Some of the vendors participating:

• Starving Artistamps


• Purple Onion Designs


• Judikins


• Stamp Camp


• Lost Coast


• Queen Kat


• Beeswax


• Yankiwi


• And about 15 more vendors!

Another exciting thing happening over on RSC is the special guest section with Mary Jo McGraw Author and mixed media artist. You can find lots of Mary Jo's books and DVDs in all the major craft chains as well as online. Nows your opportunity to pick the brain of a pro (in the good way, not in the gross silence of the lambs way).

It's all worth checking out! Head on over to http://www.rubberstampchat.net/ and save lots of dough on some new rubber! I already started my shopping and picked up all the sets of those sick and twisted stamps from Yankiwi. If you do shop leave us a comment, Id love to know what you bought!

Swedish Collage Challenge Cards!

Today is the day!

Its time to share the Swedish collage challenge cards!

We are really happy to see the nice turnout from our challenge. Id first like to share with you all the cards our design team came up with. I found it interesting how much of a challenge we all felt it was. When I first proposed this idea to our team I thought it would be a simple project, but it turns out being a free spirit doesn't come as easily to us over here as it does in Sweden! I think we definitely pulled it off though.

Easy or not you have to admire the cards our team and customers came up with!

Design Team Cards:

DT member Juliana Swanson

DT member Lydia Fiedler

DT Member Lori Tecler

My card -Tracey B.

This first card was my attempt at the Swedish collage style. I went thru a couple of "drafts" of this card. Eventually settling on this final version. I thought this was going to be my "warm up" card but time got away from me getting ready for shows and filling orders so this has turned out to be my only challenge card but definitely not my last Swedish collage style card!

DT member- Maria Levine

DT Member - Natasha Trupp

DT Member- RoseAnn Reynolds

DT member -Andrea Cloutier

DT Member - Donna Baker

DT member- Donna Duquette #1

DT member- Donna Duquette #2

And here are cards from our friends and customers:

Hattifin

Tesa

Vanessa Yu

Rachel Henahan

Katie

Maureen Wong

Rebecca

Stephanie Severin

Susan Nilsson

Lauri Ingram (card closed)


Lauri Ingram

Linda


Linsey Rickett
Evelina

Dawn Saenz de Viteri

Jeanette Tettiz

Joan Hajak




Lauri Ingram

Elin


Ellen Smith

Ellinor Bergdahl

Emmy Brannstrom


Eva Andren

Erin Atkins
Allison
Carolina Buchting
Carolina Buchting
Carolina Buchting

Zarah

Even though this is a Starving Artistamps Company sponsored challenge we did open the challenge up to non-SA projects so everyone could play! Zarah's card features stamps designed by Nina! I thought it would be a fitting way to end this challenge in the same way the whole trend got started over here... With Nina Aslund, our first Swedish customer and pioneer of the Swedish collage style movement!

Nina's cards are such an inspiration to us. Her blog is wonderful (even if you do need a translator!) http://krumelurkonst.blogspot.com/ and this incredibly talented lady has also just finished her internship and is now a 100% full fledged DOCTOR! Everyone visit Nina's blog and congratulate her!!

We have had such a great turnout in both the states and over in Sweden including several friends who thought they would try out our challenge even though they do not own any Starving Artistamps stamps. Here are a whole bunch more cards and blogs for you to check out featuring other various company images:

Ribenaruby http://ribenaruby.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-09-19T00%3A49%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

Gunilla Molin http://pysseloprat.blogspot.com/2008/09/swedish-collage.html

Julia Lundmark http://zimla.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/tavlingsbidrag/

Lina Kinell http://www.linakinell.se/#post83

Johanna Berg http://miss-spring.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Love http://ohmycuppycake.blogspot.com/2008/09/not-really-my-stylethis-is-long.html

Jessica http://quick2blush.blogspot.com/2008/09/surfs-up-swedish-collage-style.html

Ruby http://ribenaruby.blogspot.com/

Ros http://stampandscrape.blogspot.com/2008/09/swedish-collage.html

melanie http://www.smartie-artie.blogspot.com/

I hope that I didnt leave anyone off who emailed us their cards, if we did please resend your projects to strvingartistmp@aol.com with a link to your blog post or gallery.

And now to announce the winner of our drawing chosen by random number generator......

Congratulations to Jeanette Tettiz!!!

Please email us your shipping information and which stamp sheet (or set) you would like!