A note from Leandra
We always LOVE an Alison Bomber release. She oooozes with the enjoyment of melting words, imagery and creativity into a beautiful, expressive, relaxing, arty process. This inspirations for her creativity is a blend of her day-job as a theatre coach with a specialism in Shakespeare and her love in her spare time of nature, sketching and papercraft inky splotching. Read on to find out about these specific designs, plus there is a special thing going on that she will tell you about before signing off.
Don't forget Alison will be along to share with you LIVE her new products and ideas over in our Facebook Group, PaperArtsy People shortly after this post publishes. I hope you can drop by for the live, or try to catch the replay. it's nice to hear direct from the designer about the new release and put the face to the name!
For the next 4 months, these new stamps are available EXCLUSIVELY from our approved stockists. Please check the list at the foot of this post to find a retailer online or geographically near you, it makes sense to order within your country where possible.
Hello all, Alison here from Words & Pictures, and I'm so thrilled to be sharing my newest release for PaperArtsy with you - three stamp sets celebrating Summer Botanicals. Yes, we've now completed all four seasons of botanical, herbal, theatrical stamps!
I love these three sets... I think they're full of the joys of summer, with just that hint that autumn is around the corner - the turning of the seasons as the berries ripen for harvest. I've been harvesting both strawberries and whitecurrants in abundance this summer, but sadly so far the cornflowers I planted in the garden haven't even come close to comparing with the thousands in all the meadows and along the sides of the roads here in rural South Bohemia.
I love these three sets... I think they're full of the joys of summer, with just that hint that autumn is around the corner - the turning of the seasons as the berries ripen for harvest. I've been harvesting both strawberries and whitecurrants in abundance this summer, but sadly so far the cornflowers I planted in the garden haven't even come close to comparing with the thousands in all the meadows and along the sides of the roads here in rural South Bohemia.
As always, I've been having a wonderful time playing with these stamps, so there's lots to share with you. I've got extravagant dimensional creations, simple minimal notecards, collaged tags, and a mini-journal which combines all three sets! I'll keep it fairly brief here, and I'll be sharing all of these projects in more detail on my blog and on Instagram in the days ahead. Let's dive in!
New Stamps
Price: RRP €23.00 +VAT Size:5" x 6" (13 x16.5cm)
All stamps are individually trimmed onto cling foam, with a laminated storage/index sheet.
All stamps are individually trimmed onto cling foam, with a laminated storage/index sheet.
Eclectica³ Alison Bomber 33 - Strawberry Edition (EAB33)
Nature Journal - Strawberries with EAB33 Strawberry Edition
As always, I started out by stamping the entire plate, as it is, on the display card, just to get a feel for the stamps. And then on the facing page, I had a play with the sketches to create my usual "sketchbook journal" spreads. Some time soon I'm doing to do a video flip through of all these pages - they make me so happy!
For these sketchy pages, I play with Distress Inks for a loose watercolour look, and it's always great fun seeing how freely I can apply the colour. You don't have to be precise... the stamp details do that for you!
I adore the musicians in the small ephemera piece on this plate... as well as the gorgeous font on the frontispiece for A Midsummer Night's Dream - it's already a new favourite background detail stamp. I know I'll be using both of them a lot!
Strawberry Patch with EAB33 Strawberry Edition
I simply couldn't resist trying to create a 3D strawberry patch with these delicious berries. I'm not sure why I'm so determined to challenge myself not just with fiddly making processes, but in creating something tricky to capture fully in photographs! Well, I do know why... because the results make me so very happy, especially when I'm combining my botanical stamps with real natural elements like the dried lavender (augmented with Lavender Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic paint, as it had faded slightly!) and poppy seed heads.
It's another Camembert box being upcycled (you may remember the Violets creation from the Spring Botanicals), this time removing the base altogether to create a frame for the strawberries. I had a lovely time watercolouring the stamped images, using the stamping platform so that I could re-stamp for detail if necessary.
And I stamped the Midsummer Night's Dream over the top of the wooden ring, before adding the Henry David Thoreau quote. I slightly altered the order of the phrases so that "taste the fruit" would be right in the middle.
Eclectica³ Alison Bomber 34 - Cornflower Edition (EAB34)
Nature Journal - Cornflowers with EAB34 Cornflower Edition
Here's the nature journal sketchbook spread again... the profusion of cornflowers in the wild here in rural Czech Republic is one of the great joys of living here. As I was playing on the loose side of the page, I really wanted to try to capture that feeling of them blowing in the wind in their thousands. In the "sketch" at the foot of the page, I added lots of extra brush strokes of grass to give it all even more energy.
The large ephemera on this plate takes us back into my family history again - it's another document from the school days of Martha Pollak, my grandfather's cousin. The ornate script is just wonderful - a far cry from the scrawl on most of my school reports growing up... and I expect it's all done on computers these days, no handwriting at all!
The small ephemera piece is fast becoming another favourite - it works as a wonderful little frame (as you'll see later on in the post), and I've just remembered I meant to frame one of those cornflower heads poking through it - they're just the right size... well, there's my next play day sorted! Here are those extra blades of grass, and if you look closely, you can see it's really not necessary to do perfect colouring-in!
Cornflower Candy Jars with EAB34 Cornflower Edition
The cornflowers are such a delight, and I knew they would work beautifully to create some summer garden lanterns in jam jars. This jar-upcycling is something I do quite often, but it never fails to lift my heart. You'll see the candles lit over on my IG and blog soon!
These are done with plain old tracing paper, trimmed to fit the jars. I stamped in Archival ink, just loosely adding the different colours direct to the stamp, and then watercolouring (and adding white spatter later) for the finished effect.
Here's that brilliant little circular frame, this time with its centre removed, and just down below it you can see the other adorable little ephemera piece, which hints at where PaperArtsy themselves are now based. See... everything connects!
Eclectica³ Alison Bomber 35 - Currants Edition (EAB35)
Nature Journal - Currants with EAB35 Currants Edition
Currants are such beautiful fruits - vivid and glossy, and yet translucent, capturing the light beautifully. The joy is that all three varieties look pretty much exactly the same, apart from the colours, so in one stamp set you've got blackcurrants, redcurrants and whitecurrants to play with, depending on the colour scheme you want to use - or you can, of course, just make them sky-blue-pink if you want - that's creativity!
I had a glorious time with the loose watercolouring side of the sketchbook, just letting clouds of pigment create that impression of profusion and ripeness.
I love the little series of four words on each of these new plates - they're going to be so good on so many vintage projects - but the ones on the Currants may be my favourite four. Botanist, Scientist, plus those number tables... apothecaries here we come! Oh, and I've made sure that you've got the Latin names for all three colours of currants, so you can just tape over the ones you don't need and label your botanical sketches correctly!
White Wood Whitecurrants Box with EAB35 Currants Edition
The subtle green and white translucence of the whitecurrants fascinates me. I posted a Reel as my "other self" on Instagram recently (that's @b0hem1anh0me if you don't know) of our very own whitecurrant harvest catching the sunlight, and as you peer into their depths you can see the seed structure and everything... it's beautiful. I wanted to celebrate that beauty with this little wooden trinket box.
The little ephemera pieces on this set are just perfect for creating frames - this is the corner piece stamped four times to create the square. I marked the edges of the stamp with where the lines ended to make lining it up a bit easier. It's not perfect, but as you know, I embrace that imperfection!
And I love how the currants look going round the corners on the simple Snowflake Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic-painted wood. I almost left them entirely unpainted because that also looked really, really good! There's just a little inking with Ground Espresso Archival ink on the edges, to give it that shabby chic look.
I'm going to share just a few more pictures of the fun I've been having making projects with these gorgeous new stamps. I honestly just find it hard to stop once I'm in the swing of things! And as I so often do, I've been playing with series and trios, so the projects coming up all showcase elements from all three sets.
Botanical Berry Book with EAB33, EAB34 and EAB35
Let's start with one which makes me about as happy as a project can! This tag book is actually based on one of the Fodder Challenge classes. Megan Quinlan's brilliantly simple construction makes it so easy to create a journal, and I couldn't resist making one to celebrate this trio of Summer Botanical stamp sets.
This little journal (Petit Journal!) really celebrates all the lovely ephemera pieces in these new sets as much as it does the botanicals. The beautiful Chapbook font of the Culpeper's prescriptions is layered into the backgrounds, along with tone-on-tone stampings of the smaller sketches, while the larger sketches are embossed in Earthtone Pepper by Wow Embossing Powders.
And each page spread has not only a full-scale version of the large ephemera stamps, but they and the Culpeper's prescriptions are also featured on the mini tags tucked inside the pockets.
The full prescription with its small sketch is on one side, and the large ephemera are stamped, dark on dark for a shadowy effect, on the backs.
Follow the Prescription with EAB33, EAB34 and EAB35
I also created this simple single layer tag trio, painted with the Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic paints you can see here, and foregrounding those Culpeper prescriptions which bring me so much delight. The smaller ephemera pieces from each set provide extra decorative detail.
Strawberry water (?!) is marvellous for the panting and beating of the heart apparently, and will comfort your fainting spirits.
And I'm sure you'll be happy to know that cornflowers are a remedy against the poison of the scorpion.
The Currants one is hilarious, pointing out how few people really like the taste of blackcurrants! Oh - disclaimer - I can't vouch for any of the medical remedies herein recommended!!
Simple Ephemeral Botanical Notecards
I promised you minimalist simple notecards... you probably didn't believe me! But here they are, and I couldn't love them more. These appeal to the monastic side of me.
It's really a very simple technique - I stamped the ephemera pieces on watercolour card, then used Titanium Gray Daniel Smith watercolour to paint in the "old paper" they are on.
Once that was fully dry, I stamped the large sketches over the top and embossed them in Wow Earthtone Pepper (one of my favourite powders). Then I added the respective quote from each set inside the cards. Done!
Botanist, Collector, Scientist with EAB33, EAB34 and EAB35
And finally, here are those botanists, collectors, naturalists and scientists I mentioned earlier on. This trio of tags really started from those four words on each set - no sketches on these! They also use ephemera stamps from all three sets.
The number tables - from EAB35 - are in the background, and the lovely circular Latin text from EAB34 is there too, background and foreground. In the foreground "labels", I've stamped the dates from EAB33 in the middle of it.
But really, it's all about those chaps (Tim Holtz Paper Dolls, of course), the Botanist, Collector, Naturalist and Scientist (EAB35) and their desire to Gather, Collect, Study and Cultivate (EAB34) the plants and herbs they see around them.
And then I expect they also keep whatever Botanical, Medicinal, Floral or Herbal (EAB33) concoctions they've distilled or powdered or otherwise prepared in those little bottles (Finnabair moulds) and follow the Culpeper's prescriptions to the letter!
So you can see I've been having quite a lot of fun with these. They do, of course, all mix and match perfectly with each other, but also with all the other Botanicals from these seasonal collections over the last year. I'm so happy to complete the year with this summery offering, and I hope you'll find as much delight and inspiration in them as I do. As always, please do tag me in if you're sharing anything you've made with my stamps on Instagram... I do love to see what people get up to with them.
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Bonus Stamp Set - Fodder School Edition!
If you watch the Live launch of these Summer Botanicals, you'll get to see a whole bonus stamp set - the Fodder Berry Edition. It's the result of a collaboration between PaperArtsy and Fodder School - and it's a beauty.
As you may know, I am one of the twelve teachers on Fodder School 3 and the stamp set is designed around the project I'll be sharing in my month of teaching. It's absolutely not necessary to have it to do the class, but it's there to help out anyone not comfortable with the sketching part of the lessons - and of course it's available for you to purchase too!
I've also curated three sets of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics - again designed around the Fodder School 3 project - but perfect for any botanical painting you might do, and for creating subtle backgrounds for those botanicals to pop against. I don't want to make this blogpost any longer than it already is, so you'll find more about all of that over on my blog Words & Pictures.
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| Botanical Basics Paint set |
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| Berrylicious Brights Paint set |
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| Background Blues Paint set |
You can also check out the stamps and paints here on the PaperArtsy website - and your local independent PaperArtsy stockists (worldwide!) should be able to help out if you'd like to get your hands on them. I'm really excited about the whole Fodder School adventure, and about these lovely new PaperArtsy/Fodder products, and so grateful for the collaboration that has brought them to life. I hope you will be too.
You can sign up for Fodder School 2023/2024 here
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But for now, thank you so, so much - as always - for making your way through this inordinately long launch post. I hope you've enjoyed it and found some inspiration along the way. I'm thrilled with ALL the new stamp sets I'm able to share with you today, thanks to the brilliant work and support of everyone at PaperArtsy. I'm really proud of the stamps we've made together, and I can't wait to see what all of you will create with them.
Happy crafting, all! Alison xx
Socials...
Instagram: @w0rdsandp1ctures and @b0hem1anh0me
Website: Words and Pictures
Blog: Words and Pictures
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Below is a list of the retailers who have already got these new releases in stock!
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/
Belgium
Cart N Scrap Art, Antwerp, www.cartnscrapart.be
Créatelier Caracolle, Liège, www.createliercaracolle.be
Canada
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 Auron 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
Crafts at The Malthouse, Herstmonceux, East Sussex, www.themalthouse.co.uk/
Loobi Crafts, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, www.loobicrafts.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/
Everything Scrapbook & Stamps, Lake Worth, Florida https://everythingmixedmedia.com/
Frantic Stamper, Oregon www.franticstamper.com
Free Heart LLC, Denver, Colarado, www.freeheartllc.com/
Joggles, Coventry, 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/
If you are interested in becoming a PaperArtsy stockist contact Dounia@paperartsy.com for more information
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