ARTFUL INKABLES is looking for new design team members! We need your help and enthusiasm promoting our products through your personal blog and online galleries. We are looking for team members who are excited about stamping, and would love being a part of a fun and friendly design environment. No prior design team experience is necessary. If you’ve never been published… Don't worry! We want to encourage you to show us your best, even if you have not been widely recognized as a designer. This call is open to everyone - even if you aren't in the US or Canada you are more than welcome to apply!!**
Application Process
All submissions must be received by 11:59pm MST, July 27, 2009. New design team members will be contacted by July 31, 2009.
Please send an email containing the following information to: artfullyinking@comcast.net
1. Name:
2. Address:
3. Email:
4. Phone number:
5. Blog or website address:
6. Links to any online galleries you may have:
7. Related forums/message boards that you like to visit and participate (we do NOT need your forum nickname):
8. Three (3) items, cards, or layouts using stamps as the main focus. Your submissions don't need to be brand new and do not need to have Artful INKables Stamps used, but should not have been published or submitted for publication for a printed or online magazine. Don’t forget we will be looking at both your work and your photographing abilities here.
9. Please note if you are a current or past design team member for any other companies. (We do not expect you to work solely for us).
10. Please tell us a few words about what you like about stamping, and what would be the most exciting part for you to become a design team member.
11. Want to really impress us? Mail us 1 or 2 pieces you are especially proud of to: 11582 Summerfield Cir. Sandy, UT 84092. Seeing art in person if often much more effective and awe inspiring. ;) This is not required, however.
General Requirements
• Participate for a term of 6 months and sign a contract with Artful Inkables. This Design Team’s Term will run from August 15, 2009 to January 15, 2010.
• You will need the ability to photograph or scan your art for submission to Artful INKables Rubber Stamps.
• You will need to have a blog or website with regular updates, and enjoy participating in online challenges in the stamping community. You should be willing to post card samples, contest announcements, challenges and new releases on your blog as well as display the Artful INKables logo on your blog.
• You'll also need to be ready to have some FUN, and enjoy your stamps!!!
Monthly Responsibilities
• You will receive two stamps sets per month and your design team commitment will require you to send back two cards per stamp set and one 3D item. I will require your photos ASAP, but you can snail mail the items at your leisure up until the end of your term.
• Contribute one (1) tutorial during your six month term to be posted on the company blog. This is a step by step guide to creating your favorite card or project. This can also be techniques, and include stamping tips and trends.
• Give feedback and suggestions to AI for new stamps, the blog and marketing ideas.
• Leave occasional comments on DT Member blogs and the company blog.
• Promote Artful INKables Rubber Stamps through your blog, and whenever you see an opportunity.
• Participate in AI challenges, Blog Hops and sponsorship challenges as they are presented.
What You'll Get From Us
• A great opportunity to work with a fun design team, learning fun, new things.
• Encouragement and monetary compensation for getting published in leading magazines.
• 2 New Artful INKables stamp sets every month and other goodies as they become available.
• 25% off on all store items, during your term!
• Your bio, artwork and gallery will be spotlighted on Artful INKables web site.
** Please note that, we pay shipping but cannot be responsible for customs or duty fees to Canada or if shipped internationally.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday Featured Stamper - Dina Kowal
When Dina emailed me a picture of this fabulous motorcycle card, I about fell out of my chair! I mean, it is beyond gorgeous...and the coloring is superb! So after gazing in wonder for a bit, I emailed back and asked if she would like to be featured on our weekly blog spot. So today I am proud to share her card made with our Road Rider stamp set and a little bit about the artist herself:
I'm Dina Kowal, but you may know me as dini on online forums, or from my blog, Mama Dini's Stamperia. I live with my family (DH and 4 kiddos) in Indonesia, where we serve as missionaries. I’ve been stamping since about 1993. My style has evolved over the years, but I enjoy coloring, and love colors! I couldn’t live without my Prismacolor pencils, but I also enjoy watercoloring. Some of my stamp ‘collections’ and favorite things include lighthouses, butterflies, teacups, beach scenes, Winnie the Pooh, and birds. I've had my own stamp designs 'rubberized' by several different companies...my stamped work has been published, and can also be found in several design team galleries. I stamp mainly for my own personal sanity and to stretch my creative limits, but also with the hope that I will be able to encourage others with the work and time that I put into a card just for them.
Details on this card:
I've had this set for a while - since the A.I. logo contest! How long ago was that? I recently got a set of Neopiko-2 markers, which are an alcohol-based marker, so I've been playing with those lately. I love being able to get an even base color on my image. I love my Prismacolor pencils, though, and really like the detail and texture I get by shading and highlighting with pencil over the areas colored with marker. On this card, I blended shades of dark grey in the background, then colored the motorcycle with a medium red and grey. Afterwards, I went back in and shaded with deeper shades of those colors, and added highlights with a white pencil. I chopped up the sentiment and popped each word up with foam tape. The ribbon and rhinestones were purchased locally, and the papers were from my stash.
As metioned above, Dina designed our logo over a year ago and we are still super thrilled with it. Thanks again for that, Dina, and for sharing your card today! Now everyone show her some love!!
I'm Dina Kowal, but you may know me as dini on online forums, or from my blog, Mama Dini's Stamperia. I live with my family (DH and 4 kiddos) in Indonesia, where we serve as missionaries. I’ve been stamping since about 1993. My style has evolved over the years, but I enjoy coloring, and love colors! I couldn’t live without my Prismacolor pencils, but I also enjoy watercoloring. Some of my stamp ‘collections’ and favorite things include lighthouses, butterflies, teacups, beach scenes, Winnie the Pooh, and birds. I've had my own stamp designs 'rubberized' by several different companies...my stamped work has been published, and can also be found in several design team galleries. I stamp mainly for my own personal sanity and to stretch my creative limits, but also with the hope that I will be able to encourage others with the work and time that I put into a card just for them.
Details on this card:
I've had this set for a while - since the A.I. logo contest! How long ago was that? I recently got a set of Neopiko-2 markers, which are an alcohol-based marker, so I've been playing with those lately. I love being able to get an even base color on my image. I love my Prismacolor pencils, though, and really like the detail and texture I get by shading and highlighting with pencil over the areas colored with marker. On this card, I blended shades of dark grey in the background, then colored the motorcycle with a medium red and grey. Afterwards, I went back in and shaded with deeper shades of those colors, and added highlights with a white pencil. I chopped up the sentiment and popped each word up with foam tape. The ribbon and rhinestones were purchased locally, and the papers were from my stash.
As metioned above, Dina designed our logo over a year ago and we are still super thrilled with it. Thanks again for that, Dina, and for sharing your card today! Now everyone show her some love!!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Do You Have a Twihard Teen?
I certainly do! My oldest Daughter is obsessed with the popular Vampire series and was an active participant in the creation of our latest sets, Into The Moonlight and Fictionally Inspired. In fact she has created some lovely cards of her own using these sets so I thought I'd share some of her hard work with you all.
For this card she colored the images with sharpie markers (my copics are off limits to my kids, lol) and used versamark and heat and stick powder to make her background sparkle with glitter.
This creation was made to follow a challenge over at www.Twilighttuesday.com that asked crafters to show the relationships between certain characters in the books. She used copper embossing powder to create the paw prints along the edge of her unusually cut card.
Here she used colored pencils for the image and a strip of redline tape to add glitter to the main card. She also made her own background paper by using some card stock with red ink dripped onto it to look like blood drops.
These last 2 cards use a little creativity and the previously released set, Think Big. She added the book titles to the stack of books and the book the girl is reading to incorporate her obsession into her creations.
Now anyone with teens knows they can be really stubborn and independent so don't think for a minute I had anything to do with how these came out...they were all my daughters ideas and she executed them beautifully. If you have a teen or a tween who loves this series, maybe she would enjoy a chance to create some cards or scrapbook pages of her own with these stamps. And the charms can be used to create great twi-themed bracelets or like my daughter did, use them to hang on a chain...for a new looking necklace everyday of the week.
And finally, don't forget to check out today's Twi-themed creations over at http://www.twilighttuesday.com/
For this card she colored the images with sharpie markers (my copics are off limits to my kids, lol) and used versamark and heat and stick powder to make her background sparkle with glitter.
This creation was made to follow a challenge over at www.Twilighttuesday.com that asked crafters to show the relationships between certain characters in the books. She used copper embossing powder to create the paw prints along the edge of her unusually cut card.
Here she used colored pencils for the image and a strip of redline tape to add glitter to the main card. She also made her own background paper by using some card stock with red ink dripped onto it to look like blood drops.
These last 2 cards use a little creativity and the previously released set, Think Big. She added the book titles to the stack of books and the book the girl is reading to incorporate her obsession into her creations.
Now anyone with teens knows they can be really stubborn and independent so don't think for a minute I had anything to do with how these came out...they were all my daughters ideas and she executed them beautifully. If you have a teen or a tween who loves this series, maybe she would enjoy a chance to create some cards or scrapbook pages of her own with these stamps. And the charms can be used to create great twi-themed bracelets or like my daughter did, use them to hang on a chain...for a new looking necklace everyday of the week.
And finally, don't forget to check out today's Twi-themed creations over at http://www.twilighttuesday.com/
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Blog Hop Candy Winners
Is it Wednesday already?? WOW, time seems to move a bit faster in the Summer. I had to pick 2 winners for the blog hop candy today, didn't I? Well it is a good thing the day isn't over yet! *grin* I collected all of the names of every person who commented on all 10 blogs last Friday, wrote them down and tossed them all in a hat...then my daughter drew 2 names. The winner of the tin of