A note from Leandra:
Initially .... waaaay back in the day .... Mini Stamp designs were created from images we lifted from the Ink and the Dog Stamp Collection. ATC's were popular at the time, and so Mini stamps seemed the logical thing to do. Since then we have regularly added to the 'Minis' range with quotes, textures, scripts and other useful elements that can stand alone or be part of a larger project. We have 8 new Mini Stamps to announce today, with a bit of an architecture vibe running through.
Initially .... waaaay back in the day .... Mini Stamp designs were created from images we lifted from the Ink and the Dog Stamp Collection. ATC's were popular at the time, and so Mini stamps seemed the logical thing to do. Since then we have regularly added to the 'Minis' range with quotes, textures, scripts and other useful elements that can stand alone or be part of a larger project. We have 8 new Mini Stamps to announce today, with a bit of an architecture vibe running through.
One of the nice things about mini stamps is their lower price point and we find they are good starting points for new crafters, or for gifts. Many of us are also still having lots of fun working small, be it mini books, tiny art and much more. Sometimes, having a small focal is exactly what you need; a frame, a window, a ticket or tag, and tiny patterns, like border strips, can be lined up to make larger patterns as you will see in the samples below.
We also have 6 new PaperArtsy Mini Stencils that are simply adorable - small and perfectly formed! You will no doubt notice that Dounia created the stencils in two parts, the frame and the center. You can use them together, apart or swap out the centres for even more combinations, options, design elements and so on.
Finally for today. we are excited to share with you a new product 'Printed Tissue'. Leandra used this across her mini book sample (below). Designed by Mark, we hope this is the first of a range of tissue. The beauty of these sheets is they totally disappear when glued into place creating an instant background. You can use the tissue with wax, or even adhere to fabric then sew over it. The ink will not bleed. These designs also originate from Hot Picks and Ink and the Dog stamps but on the tissue we have gone LARGE. For example the 7cm Mini Stamp Eiffel Tower (MN45) has become a 17cm tall Eiffel Tower on the tissue!
Leandra and Dounia will be along to share with you LIVE these new products and ideas over in our Facebook Group, PaperArtsy People shortly after this post publishes. Do drop by and come to say hello.
For the next 4 months, these products are available EXCLUSIVELY from our approved stockists. Please check the list at the foot of this post or the dedicated tab at the top of this blog post to find a retailer online or geographically near you, it makes sense to order within your country where possible.
Hi everyone, Dounia here to share a bit of insight into the design process behind the scenes at PaperArtsy for these new products.
The main themes of this release were architecture and small elements. I love architectural details. They are so full of character and will fire up your imagination, transporting you to another time and place. Here in the South West of France, we have the chance to be surrounded by beautiful old towns and castles. I am always taking pictures of buildings or masonry elements and collecting flyers from pretty places so I had quite a lot of material to work with and decided to do something with it! Leandra also wanted elements that could be used both as small accents and as building blocks for bigger creations so I mixed 'feature' stamps with more composite ones, for all your mini art needs!
Price: RRP €21.92 +VAT Size: 5" x 6" (13 x16.5cm)
All stamps are individually trimmed onto cling foam, with a laminated storage/index sheet.
PaperArtsy Mini 110 (MN110)
She was my first idea for a stamp and therefore the spark of inspiration for this release. I always knew she was going to have an 'architectural mask'. I then rediscovered a picture I took of a building in Budapest, Hungary. It didn't work for the mask but suddenly she had a crown!
Stamped onto fabric, with paint added, and a bit of colour to her face, the architectural features in her head dress, over her eyes and around her shoulders really stands out.
This has a peek-through overlay where one of the Stencil frames was used with Grunge paste, tapped for extra texture and layered with watery paint for an old stone effect. This also shows how well the mini stamps and mini stencils work together.
Dounia used the shoulder area of the dress to create a frame in this sample. It works perfectly here along 8 sides but can be easily made bigger or smaller.
The way she has coloured this highlights how all the building elements are used as clothing. Completing and extending the pattern to create a body is really easy with a fine line pen.
The gentle curve of the 'tiara' makes it a very useful element. Inside the card it is used as corners and a frame to great effect.
PaperArtsy Mini 111 (MN111)
Inspiration comes and goes... He was a difficult birth! Finding an agreeable face was a challenge in itself but I knew I wanted to continue the long PaperArtsy tradition of men in to hats. His just happens to be a ionic column. He is also showing of some ironwork and a view of Paris Court House!
The detail on his jacket is in the same style as MN115 and MN117, love how the hat is a section of a building column. Instead of the writing behind him, Leandra used the clock from the Printed Tissue as a backdrop.
He also was positioned to be seen through another of the arch windows. This shape template was created from one of the new mini stencils (below).
Dounia's card-front utilises the 'column-hat' repeat stamped to create strips, there are gaps between the 'eye-strips' peeking through to the layer behind. Careful, you're being watched!
Onto crackle-effect printed card stock, Dounia used Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paints to create a dark zone for the man to sit upon. The column hat can also be used as a pedestal and is easy to extend. With both, he seems to e becomes a part of a column itself. I can see the headline now 'man trapped in column'...
On the facing page you can she how the other sections of the repeat strips were used.
PaperArtsy Mini 112 (MN112)
I love designs that intertwine things that normally do not mix, for a slightly absurd result. Here it is stone work and butterflies, sorts of opposites in movement. My idea is that the butterfly flew away from the stained glass window, leaving an empty shape behind. If you want to completed the window anew, both of the butterflies fit into the center space.
Everything about this design is gorgeous, so many of the elements can be used alone, for example the circular frame or the butterflies.
Leandra stamped the small butterflies onto a blank area of the Printed Tissue (yes there are some), added colour, then glued these to her painted card backdrop, and they melt right in.
Also on the crackle-printed-paper she previously used above, Dounia created a 'hole in the wall' effect with this fabulous mini where the window is a peek-through to the layer behind. So clever! Extra butterflies are stamped and added too.
Inside the card is another surprise where the peek-through reveal shows multiple round frames scattered across the page with and without their butterfly 'inner' section. Using the different elements of this mini separately is quite easy.
The facing page is yet another example of how the small butterflies can be arranged...this is a masterclass of fussy cutting and pattern arrangement.
PaperArtsy Mini 113 (MN113)
This is the first of the 'composite' stamps. You get it in one block and can use it as such, or you can cut apart the different sections. The two middle strips are perfect to add little touches, build borders or make your own masking tape. The pompoms are fun elements with great pattern play possibilities. I am also planning to use the top design to make eyes for striking characters!
There are 2 sections of border trim on this stamp set. To cut them apart, bend the rubber slightly so the gap between the designs becomes larger and easier to see. The lower design Leandra lined up on plastic grid ruler and repeat stamped across this page, then added colour to the triangular patterns to add depth and enhance the 3D nature of that design.
The 'one cent' ticket was stamped below the Top Hat dudes (MN03) to 'grow' the height of the image to fit the page. The postmark from the Eiffel Tower Mini (MN45) added another layer to the 'frame' with some blue fabric threads.
The other border strip from this mini was repeat-stamped across the page in black. It joins both horizontally and vertically!
PaperArtsy Mini114 (MN114)
Another one that can be used whole or separated. Lots of tickets, stamps and postmarks in the vintage PaperArtsy tradition. With a guest appearance from the Tour Eiffel! The block makes a great background pattern but the main idea was to be able to create our own little ephemera elements.
Leandra found so many ways to use these tickets from MN114. You of course can keep it whole and it makes a great page background, but you can also cut the stamps apart and use them individually as the perfect embellishment.
A little colour added to tie in with the page.
And you can see above that two of the ticket-stamps were used to create a border
Dounia also made an amazing Eiffel Tower tribute with flips and flaps to showing the multiple ways this smallest of stamp sets can be used, whole or in part.
This focal section is a flap hanging down over the darker blue background that uses the block whole for a nice geometric pattern.
And the inside cover is the tickets stamped onto vellum, like a postal sheet, with the front and the reverse sides both painted to allow different details to be seen.
PaperArtsy Mini 115 (MN115)
Back to mixing butterflies and architecture! This was also one of my first idea for a design. I love the idea of something as light and fragile as a butterfly carrying a city around! This species specializes in views of the Seine banks during the 1900 Universal Exposition, with a bright sun shining upon it. I am so happy with how sharp the details show up on that stamp!
Not just any butterfly, look closely and you will see the skyline from MN117 is repeated on the wings.
Leandra used MN117 as the backdrop for this butterfly, stamped onto painted fabric, then coloured with additional paint.
Dounia's card is also a window to a butterfly below. As you can see the frame on the front is one half-wing arranged as a pattern for the aperture.
Inside the card the large butterfly is a Printed Tissue backdrop, and again the focal, MN115, is stamped onto acetate and coloured from behind with white, rustic red and blue paint with a nice coat of Metallic Glaze for pizzazz!.
PaperArtsy Mini 116 (MN116)
For all your border needs! The frond is a ornamentation detail and joins perfectly and easily. The building is an remanence of a temporary building of the 1878 Universal Exposition in Paris. It provides a nice repeat pattern and opens countless pattern play opportunities.
Two borders are on this set. Leandra used the first as a focal above MN113, actually fussy cutting around it where it crossed the arch frame.
Here is the second border, lots of details, and a perfect design to add shade and colour to it too.
Which is what Dounia does here, showcasing the pattern potential, she overlaps strips of the border stamp geometrically, and the 'building' becomes an outer frame. Those pattern are quite detailed and do not need a lot of colouring to pop.
Inside the elements are used to create a clever focal. The cut up frond makes for beautiful leaves or feathers.
The facing page looks like basket weave with a black pen creating the shadow necessary to highlight the pattern.
PaperArtsy Mini 117 (MN117)
Leandra though it would be great to have another stamp with the view from the MN115 butterfly so it could also appear in the background. I run with the idea and added a ruler border (I love me a good ruler!), which had a corner. It is now a corner stamp! A few more Parisian buildings joined, for a very much non realistic skyline. Did you noticed that the bridge?
Here is MN117 white pen highlights and each roof is shaded. I love how Dounia has bent the skyline design around the corner.
Here you can see how the same stamp was used as structure for a backdrop.
It certainly has been all about the peek-through potential with all these cards! Dounia colours this detailed stamp with watercolour sky, sun and roofs.
The rulers to the edge of the stamp become floating frames. Such fine detail!
Mini Size: 3.5" x 3.75" (9 x 9.5cm) Price: RRP €2.92 + VAT
Each of these mini stencils have an outside frame and a interior section that can be snipped out at the tabs, used separately or swapped with the interior of its 'sister' design (round arch, circle, or pointy arch).
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 015 (PM015)
This arch is made to look like stone with Grunge Paste applied through the stencil, and then layers of watery paint over the top sink perfectly into the texture of the dried paste. To get that texture, just tap your finger onto the damp GP until you have the desired effect.
This is the same frame as above, but with a different paint effect - more like the typical building stone we see a lot in France. Very appropriate, as all these designs have links to French places, architecture or elements.
An example of how the interior of the stencil frame could be used. Leandra laid the stencil over the light background and then built up dark colour until the design popped sufficiently, making a back drop for the Mini Eiffel Tower stamp (MN45). The script, map ruler/measure all comes from the tissue paper (below). Such an easy way to finish a page.
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 016 (PM016)
This arch really looks like peeking into a brick house on a cold night where the occupants have a roaring fire on the go! You could easily doodle stained glass patterns into the windows for an even more gothic look.
The inside aperture is a great size for characters to peek through. Loving the white beard on Mr 'Hat Man' too. He also is from the Printed Tissue
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 017 (PM017)
The round window detail at the top is so beautiful on this stencil. Leandra used a different GP technique for this page. The paste was applied, dried then painted with a grey-blue paint, Space Cadet.
Once dry, Leandra used a sanding block to sand back the design until the frame is as flat and as smooth as the page - despite all that sanding, it still looks textured. This is a really good technique if you don't want lumpy pages in your journal, and Grunge paste is like clay, so it sands back to be super-smooth.
Using the stencil through an embossing machine makes great texture. Would you think of this? Port holes become goggles....
A little bit unnerving! But very funny... Could also showcase portraits, like medallions.
This frame correlates with the one in MN117. The inside part of the stencil (not the stones to the side) is used as a template for pattern play for an easy background.
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 018 (PM018)
The other round window stencil was made as a flap inside the back cover. The grunge paste was applied, painted to reveal the texture, and then Printed Tissue applied over the top. Once dry, the tissue was sanded back as well as the Grunge Paste to allow the frame to 'pop' a little.
Here is a close up of the peek through window to MN117, and the texture of the Grunge Paste frame.
The window design in the centre of this round frame is typical of a simple stained glass window.
The background is textured with (regular) tissue paper and coloured with Infusions. The window is then stenciled with gloss gel and the relief is revealed with dark paint, allowing it to both blend and stand out.
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 019 (PM019)
Leandra decided to use this frame around the cut-out arch stencilled with Taupe Fresco paint. She then nudged/offset the stencil, and used a black pen to trace the template design to make the pattern stand out more.
Dounia is clever at adding realistic dimension, and this Ellen Vargo stamp really gives a roof effect, making the windows look like they could be used as attic windows on a larger grand home, or perhaps they belong to an elaborate Victorian summer house?
Only a few hand drawn details are necessary to integrated the stenciled image to the scene. I can easily imagine women in long white gowns with their sun-umbrellas meandering among the columns.
PaperArtsy Mini Stencil 020 (PM020)
On this page part of the stencil design was masked off to just use the top section as a focal for the arch. The pattern was stencilled directly to the page with Inky Pool Paint, and then nudged and Grunge paste applied for a slight shadow effect.
Across the bottom of this page, the interior part of the stencil was used to create the look of a wrought iron fence. You could also use black and white pens to enhance the detail and shadows of the wrought iron.
Dounia added gold foil to wet Grunge Paste for this blinged-up window. the inside of the door shows the 'sister' inner part of PM019.
You can also have fun using only part of the designs and arranging them creatively. On this sample, repeating the upper section of the stencil creates an oval frame.
Sheet size: 30" x 20" (67 x 47cm) Price: RRP €4.00 + VAT
4 sheets per pack
Sometimes new products come about accidentally. We have always used tissue to go in the packages we send out on our retail website, and while hunting for a new supplier in Europe, rather than plain tissue, we decided to explore the option for printed tissue utilising designs from our Hot Picks and Ink & the Dog collections. People have always re-purposed the tissue we ship out, so we figured this would be a packaging upgrade and gift for customers, and a far more obvious product to re-use in multiple crafty ways for customers.
It caused a buzz immediately, emails have been coming in from customers and shops asking how they can buy more! So we figured out packaging, price, and here we are, a new product. Of course now our designers are thinking about how they might do some of their own tissue too...so watch this space! We do hope to offer more options to follow in due course.
As you have already seen peppered in the samples above, Leandra used the tissue over painted Smoothy card. Here is a quick look at the pages where the new Printed Tissue is a dominant feature.
Apart from the stamped image in the centre, the rest of this page uses tissue. You can see the warmth of the painted card come through easily as the tissue disappears once glued. Rather than cutting out images, it is easier to get a wet paint brush, dampen the line and then pull the image out, this gives nice feathered edges that melt into the background too.
Here's a close up. Notice how sharp the script is, we are really pleased with the quality of the product and the nice black print.
Here are the 'blokes' on the left. The vintage car on the right is applied over the texture of the round stone frame (before sanded back). The tissue is quite fine, so when glued it was super-easy to get it to press down into the dips of the Grunge paste and mould perfectly over all the texture of the 'stone' detail - a thicker tissue would not have managed that, so it really melts into position easily.
This is the front and back cover, Leandra decided to use the PaperArtsy HQ logo on there and it happily wrapped around the spine.
Script and checkerboard sections were added throughout.
We have always called this guy Alfred as he reminds us of Alfred Hitchcock. It was easy to paint on the tissue with translucent paints, watercolours etc.
The clock and script surrounding the clock face made a good focal for this guy MN111, the exterior of the cock was tinted softly with taupe paint to make the clock-face more of a focal.
Numbers also are a nice feature on the edges of pages, small sections go a long way.
Even when upside down!
Project: Mini stamp-Stencil Book
You have seen the individual pages of this Mini Book. Each spread is 5 3/4" tall x 8" wide (14.5 x 20.5cm) Blue and brown backgrounds were alternated.
The outside cover
Pages 1,2
Pages 3,4
Pages 5,6
Pages 7,8
Pages 9,10
Pages 11,12
Pages 13,14 and flap
If you made it to the end you deserve a medal, that was an unexpectedly long post, but we do like to share with you all the possibilities.
If you made it to the end of this post! Well done!
Dounia and Leandra
PaperArtsy Stockist List
Our stockists are your go-to source for all PaperArtsy products, and we suggest that you also use the PaperArtsy People Facebook group to source a retailer in your country. Many are members of our FB group and will happily share links to their online stores.
Australia
Bev's Cross Crafts, Spreyton, Tasmania https://www.bevscrosscrafts.com.au/
Crafters Cupboard, Berwick, Victoria www.crafterscupboard.com.au
Memories on the Murray, Murray Bridge, SA https://www.memoriesonthemurray.net/
Natalie May Scrapbooking, Dover Gardens, SA https://nataliemay.com.au/
Scrapbook Superstore & More, South Penrith, NSW https://www.scrapbooksuperstore.com.au/
The Scrapbooker's Confetti Box, Swansea, NSW https://thescrapbookersconfettibox.com/
The Scrapbook Store, North Perth,WA http://thescrapbookstore.com.au/
Time To Create, www.timetocreate.com.au
Time To Create, www.timetocreate.com.au
Belgium
Cart N Scrap Art, Antwerp, www.cartnscrapart.be
Créatelier Caracolle, Liège, www.createliercaracolle.be
Canada
Clipper Street Scrapbook Company, Langley, BC. www.clipperstreet.com
Paper Art Creations Inc, Leduc, Alberta, www.paperartcreations.com/
Scrapbook Centrale, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Quebec www.scrapbookcentrale.ca
Scrapbook Centrale, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Quebec www.scrapbookcentrale.ca
Scrap Addicts, Edmonton, Alberta www.scrapaddicts.ca/
Scrap and Bean, Edmonton, Alberta scrapandbean.com/
Scrapbooking Fairies, Drayton Valley, Alberta www.scrapbookingfairies.com/
The Paper & ink Boutique, Calgary, Alberta www.paperandinkboutique.com/
The Scrap Yard, Calgary, Alberta, www.thescrapyardcalgary.com/
The Scrap Yard, Calgary, Alberta, www.thescrapyardcalgary.com/
Denmark
Hobbyboden Scrapworld Samso www.hobbyboden.dk
France
Eirl Bancon Cartoscrap, Midi Pyrenees, www.cartoscrap.com
Fée Du Scrap, Saint Sébastien-Sur-Loire, www.feeduscrap.fr/
Horizon Créatif, Ste Jalle www.horizon-creatif.fr
Instant Créatif, La Possession, La Réunion, www.icreatif.re
Katzelkraft, Ingwiller www.katzelkraft.fr/en/
Kerudoc Creation, St Yvi www.kerudoccreation.com
Le Grenier des filles, Pierre Benite
Page de scrap, Saint Pavace, www.pagedescrap.fr/
Scrap Déco Home, Goutrens, www.scrapdecohome.fr/
Toutencolle, Dun sur Avon www.toutencolle.fr
Finland
Heidin Korttipaja, Istunmaki, www.korttipaja.fi/fi
Piia Paper, Kittilä, www.piiapaper.com/fi
Germany
Stempelbar, Berlin, www.stempelbar.de
Stempeloase Munich, Munich www.stempeloase.de
Stempelfee Shop, Hilden www.stempelfee-shop.de
Stempellaedle, Stuttgart, www.stempellaedle.de/shop
Greece
Scraps N Pieces, Kallithea www.scrapsnpieces.gr
Italy
Immagine SAS di Rapaccini, Rome, www.immaginelab.com
Il Negozio Della Mamma Di Cle, Torino, www.ilnegoziodellamammadicle.com
Marte Savona, Savona, www.martesavona.it
Pezze E Colori, Lissone, www.pezzeecolori.it/
Piccole Passioni, Siena, www.piccolepassioni.it
Piccole Passioni, Siena, www.piccolepassioni.it
Japan
La Wadao, Odawara, Kanagawa, www.lawadao.com
Tiny Dots, Funabashi-shi, Chiba www.tinydots.shop-pro.jp
Netherlands
De Hobbystudio, Genemuiden, www.dehobbystudio.nl/
Doe@ding,Spijkenisse doeading.nl/
Hobbycompleet de Duif, Leeuwarden www.hobbycompleet.nl
Stampingcorner, Capelle Aan Den Ijssel www.stampingcorner.nl
Norway
Hobbygarasjen, Kopervik, www.Hobbygarasjen.no
Spain
Cien por Cien Manualidades, Barcelona, www.100x100manualidades.es
Ideas 10 Manualidades Y Scrapbook, Bilbao ideas10manualidades.com/
Marakiscrap, Tarragona, www.marakiscrap.com
Scrap & Papers Experiences, Barcelona, www.scrappapersexperiences.com
The Paradise Corner, Barcelona, www.theparadisecorner.com
Sweden
Butik Elva, Staffanstorp, www.butikelva.se
Taiwan
Mandy's Cards, Taipei www.facebook.com/mandy.card.77
United Kingdom
Amelia's Creative Crafts, Studley, Warwickshire www.ameliascreativecrafts.co.uk
Art from the Heart, Harrogate, Yorkshire www.afth.co.uk
Blade Rubber Stamps, London www.bladerubberstamps.co.uk
Crafts at The Malthouse, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, www.themalthouse.co.uk/
Fave Rave, Stourbridge, West Midlands www.shabbychicstencils.co.uk
Loobi Crafts, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, www.loobicrafts.co.uk
Papermaze, Ipswich, Suffolk www.papermaze.co.uk/
Stampers Grove, Springbank, Lilliesleaf, Melrose,Scotland www.stampersgrove.co.uk
The Artistic Stamper Craft Store, Faversham, Kent www.theartisticstamper.com
The Forget me not Kraft Kabin, Rochford, Essex, www.TheForgetMeNotKraftKabin.co.uk
USA
Artistic Artifacts, Alexandria, VA www.artisticartifacts.com/
Artistic Studio Creations, Fayetteville, Georgia www.facebook.com/ASCbyCrystal
Craftiness, Chatsworth, CA, www.craftinessonline.com/
Ephemera Paducah, Paducah, Kentucky www.ephemerapaducah.com
Everything Scrapbook & Stamps, Lake Worth, Florida www.everythingscrapbook.com
Frantic Stamper, Oregon www.franticstamper.com
Free Heart LLC, Denver, Colarado, www.freeheartllc.com/
Golden Hills PaperCrafts, Fairfax Station, Virginia, www.goldenshillpapercrafts.com/
Joggles, West Warwick, Rhode Island, www.joggles.com
PaperCraft Clubhouse, Westbrook, Connecticut, papercraftclubhouse.com/
Qingquing's Stamp Shop, Portland, Oregon
Runaway, Art & Craft Studio, NE Salem, Oregon www.runawayart.com/
Simon Says Stamp, Columbus, Ohio www. simonsaysstamp.com
Topflight Stamps, Irmo, South Carolina topflightstamps.com/
Our brand is only available from established stockists who are VAT/ GST/ sales tax registered and for whom product education is a core principle. We would rather supply a few hand selected stockists, than the greater masses. If you would like to apply to be a stockist, you can find our more about our supply criteria here.
PaperArtsy Links
Facebook Group PaperArtsy People
Facebook Page PaperArtsy
Twitter twitter.com/paperartsy
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