Jane's Journal reviews Craft Stamper Magazine

I was delighted to have been one of 10 card makers selected to review the August edition of Craft Stamper. I occasionally buy craft/stamping magazines and I have always regarded Craft Stamper as the magazine for serious stampers. I have been given free reign as to how I review the magazine so this is my very personal opinion.

There is a free stamp on the cover, a little telephone and there are some great craft and card ideas inside as to how it can be used. The cover has a really bright summery appeal to it and vibrant colours are the theme for this issue. It is a very unique magazine as it is dedicated to all things stamping, not just card making.

There are regular features as well as projects in the index. Included in this month's projects are rainbow colours, a feature on making feathers using old book pages, a nautical themed table setting, a wire workshop and something which caught my eye...,Steam punk Romance. More about that later in this post.

All the projects have excellent clear instructions and photos, I really liked the step by step instructions.
There is also a double spread of freebies which can be won and it is useful that you can join in by post or on line. I shall certainly be putting my name in the hat.

There are a  good variety of projects in the magazine from clean and simple techniques to much more advanced ones. Every project has a "Materials" box at the end which includes the products used. The magazine is not the usual "photo book" of endless cards which some card/craft magazine are. There are whole projects to follow.
The price of £4.50 is reasonable and the quality of the paper used is very good. I am very impressed with the photography and found myself going back over many of the articles.
There is also an "Over to you" section showing artwork sent in by reader's which has been inspired by previous editions of Craft Stamper.

I decided that I would use some of the inspiration from the magazine to try a style that I have never previously used. I enjoy making backing papers using distress ink but I have never previously made a Steam punk card as I find them a little bleak/goth. However I was very
impressed by Liesbeth's Fidder's vibrant Steam punk "Romance"  project inside. It gave a softer side to steam punk. I also have not inked up some of my Lili of the Valley Pretty Vintage backgrounds yet, which are perfect for a Steam punk "romance" look. I also like the vintage feel to them.


I also liked the idea of  using book pages as featured by Gail Milburn's "Fine Feathered" article where she has used book pages for her paper feathers.

First I got inky and made some backing paper using my distress inks. This is always such fun and the end results are unique every single time. I added some Picket Fence distress ink to this sheet for the first time too.

Once the paper was dry I stamped my Lili of the Valley vintage backgrounds (Clocks and cogs sheet)  using Versafine ink in onyx black. I made a sheet of backing paper and cut off 3 smaller parts.

I also wanted to use the idea of using ripped pages from a  book. My Hb gave me an old copy of Dicken's A Tale of Two cities. I must admit ripping a page out of a book felt really odd.

I decided to make a square focal for my sentiment using some more text from the book.  I used Distress Ink to colour it yellow and then inked the edges with vintage photo as I don't have any of the
recommended Impress die inks suggested.  It worked well.  The tip I found very useful was to check which words you have visible .....it's a bit late to notice any inappropriate words when you have finished your card.

I then stamped a Birthday stamp (Lili of the Valley Statement stamps, set 43) with Versamark  and embossed with black embossing powder. I really liked the way this turned out. The embossed sheen works really well in contrast to the dull finish text.







So here is my finished card I really like the vintage feel to it too.

You will spot I have added some Frantage (I love this stuff, it is my newest buy). I have also added a couple of flourish die cuts both by Memory Box and also a fun clock face charm by The Hobby House which I bought at Ally Pally. The ribbon strip down the side of the focal is a Martha Stewart punch.

I would like to thank Craft Stamper for sending me a copy of their great magazine and if they ever want another review, especially of a Christmas edition (yes I am Mrs Christmas), I would be delighted. I am usually quite a "girlie"card maker and making a steam punk romance/vintage style card took me completely out of my comfort zone. I was really pleased with the result and I can see me using this style again for making my male cards now.

I would like to enter my card into the following card challenges;

A and T Emerald Faeries Birthdays
Visible Image Inspired by a song my song is Pink Floyd's "Time" from Dark Side of the Moon
Rhedd and Rosie's anything goes
The Hobby House Vintage I have used one of their fab clock face charms on my card.
Penny Black and More Dies and punches
Craft Room Challenge Vintage
Here come the Boys's Anything goes
4 Crafty Chicks Let's hear it for the boys
A Creative Romance No designer paper
A little bit Crafty Dying for it...use dies

I hope everyone in the UK is enjoying this wonderful summer weather. More blue skies and baking sunshine is in store for us at the weekend too....woop woop...it must be nearly Pimm's O' Clock ;0) Have a great weekend wherever you are and thanks for stopping by and for leaving all your kind comments.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x