Another INSPIRATION STATION card featuring Hero Art's Autumn clear stamp set and Autumn Frame Cuts die set. Even though it's October, our September INSPIRATION STATION is still our focus until the Art 'n Soul Christmas Party on Sunday, October 18.

This INSPIRATION STATION card comes from me. I wanted to get away from the beautiful fall colors just to be different. I love to pair the color gray with anything, so this is what I did.

by Debbie Gaetz

• Hero Arts Autumn Clear Stamp Set CL882
• Hero Arts Autum Frame Cuts Die Set D156
• Memory Box Stitched Happy Holiday Square Frame 99265
• Ranger Distress Ink in Wilted Violet
• Grey adhesive-back pearls
• So Silk Card Stock in Shocking Green, Fashion Purple
• Stardream Metallic card stock in Zeus (gold) in text weight
• Prismatic card stock in grey (top panel)
• Conqueror 118# card stock in Diamond White (base card)

Continuing with Kristen Powers' RubberMoon classes at Art 'n Soul, I wanted to share more delights from the students with their "works in progress". I stress "work in progress" because there just wasn't enough time to finish anything because we were having so much fun learning new techniques, ideas and how to combine the various stamp designs.

These first projects are either the front or back cover to a small art journal we made from watercolor card stock. Kristen showed us how to take large tablet sheets, measure them, and tear the sheets to size with a "tear bar" . . . a new essential tool! Black gesso was a product that was very important to the outcome of this project as well!

work-in-progress by Janice Shineman

work-in-progress by Susie Tracy

work-in-progress by Sharon Wolvin

work-in-progress by Lori Wagner

work-in-progress by Lori Wagner

work-in-progress by Cindy Sharp

work-in-progress by Carolyn Gough

*if by chance I attributed an incorrect name to a photo, please let me know via email at debbie.bc@comcast.net! thank you.

Another class on Sunday was making a little keepsake with two Stampbord tiles, Peerless watercolor papers, and a small hinge. Most everyone finished one side, with the other side to do at home.

work-in-progress by Carolee Forsyth

work-in-progress by Sam Lee

work-in-progress by Ann Haller

work-in-progress by Susie Tracy

work-in-progress by Tamara Hyde

*if by chance I attributed an incorrect name to a photo, please let me know via email at debbie.bc@comcast.net! thank you.

We also took a pre-cut alphabet letter from RubberMoon, and traced that onto a squared watercolor card stock. Various RubberMoon stamps were used to further illustrate the letter, and colored in with colored pencils or watercolors.

work-in-progress by Carolee Forsyth

work-in-progress by Ann Haller

work-in-progress by Susie Mahoney

work-in-progress by Susie Tracy

work-in-progress by Cindy Sharp

work-in-progress by Gail Hesselholt

work-in-progress by Sam Lee

work-in-progress by Tamara Hyde

*if by chance I attributed an incorrect name to a photo, please let me know via email at debbie.bc@comcast.net! thank you.

Since I made the mistake of trying to keep track of who made what on my iPhone in the "notes", I hope that I remembered correctly. The base is colored with acrylic paints.

work-in-progress by Lori Wagner

work-in-progress by Janice Shineman

work-in-progress by Susie Tracy

work-in-progress by Ann Haller

work-in-progress by Cindy Sharp

*if by chance I attributed an incorrect name to a photo, please let me know via email at debbie.bc@comcast.net! thank you.

The Magenta blog has been full of wonderful colors using new stencil and stamp designs; and, in most cases, using the new Nuance powdered watercolors.

by Christine Gaudreault, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for the details:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/10/soleil-dautomne-autumn-sun.html

by Carole Dion, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for the details:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/10/nuance-avec-trefle-nuance-and-clover.html

by Bianca van Noort, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for the details:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/10/thank-you-merci.html

Months ago on the Memory Box blog, Bibiana posted a "fall" card. She created 3 variations of a base design using Memory Box dies. I didn't recall showing these, so here they are.

by Bibiana Martinez-Ziegler for Memory Box

Click on this link for the details:

http://davebrethauer.typepad.com/acrearsedijo/2015/10/hojas-otoñales.html

Marybeth Lopez has made a simple and gorgeous fall card using pear dies from PoppyStamps.

by Marybeth Lopez for PoppyStamps

Click on this link for her detailed how-to:

http://poppystamps.typepad.com/poppystamps/2015/10/fall-pears-by-marybeth-lopez.html

From Penny Black, Christine has used opaque white watercolor around the edges of the stamped image that makes the image glow.

by Christine Drogt for Penny Black

Click on this link for the posting:

https://pennyblacksimplicity.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/best-wishes-with-christine/

On the Impression Obsession blog, Jenny Gropp has answered this week's challenge, Fall Florals, with Copic Markers and these leaves from IO's Fall Leaf clear stamp set.

by Jenny Gropp for Impression Obsession

Click on this link for the detailed how-to:

http://www.onekraftykat.blogspot.com/2015/10/impression-obsession-fall-leaves.html

From the RubberMoon blog, Barb Black has made a Halloween card using several RubberMoon stamps.

by Barb Black for RubberMoon

Click on this link for the details:

http://rubbermoonarts.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-haunting-couple.html

Please remember that Art 'n Soul's Christmas Party is on Sunday, October 18, from 1:00 to 4:00. We hope the date is on your calendar and that you'll join us in the festivities. Memory Box will have a guest demonstrator and a trunk show at the party.


Thanks for stopping by!

Art 'n Soul's Recycled Rubber Sale continues today (Sunday); there is quite a lot, and I mean a LOT, of gently used stamp and craft items for you to look at and purchase. Please help us reduce this huge lot of Recycled Rubber this month because we just don't know where we're going to put it all. I personally looked at some of it in the mid-afternoon yesterday and saw a lot of treasures yet to be discovered!



September's INSPIRATION STATION at Art 'n Soul continues into this month with a beautiful card by Carolyn. The INSPIRATION STATION features the Autumn Stamp Set from Hero Arts, as well as their Autumn Frame Cuts die set.

by Carolyn Gough

• Apply alcohol inks to vellum with dauber (Bundled Sage; Barn Door; Red Mahogany)
• Stamp leaves with VersaFine onto card stock and color with colored pencils. Trim with scissors.
• Stamp sentiment onto card stock, cut out and distress with Bundled Sage Distress Ink.

While still thinking of fall, one of the Magenta Challenge Top Ten entrants for September was someone who used one of Dianne Johnson's zentangle stamp designs.

by Stephanie Severin for Magenta

Click on this link to Stephanie's blog for the how-to:

http://ingeniousinkling.typepad.com/ingenious_inkling/2015/09/magenta-zentangle-leaf.html

On the RubberMoon blog, check out Barb Rogers' cool looking card using alcohol inks.

by Barb Rogers for RubberMoon

Click on this link for the details:

http://rubbermoonarts.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-magic-of-autumn.html

On the Magenta blog, Bianca has made a lovely Christmas card using the new Magenta holiday templates, Nuance and a paste, i.e., Dreamweaver Stencil paste or IMAGINE Crafts' Creative Medium.

by Bianca van Noort, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link for the details:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/09/merry-christmas.html

Going back to Kristen Powers' RubberMoon classes at Art 'n Soul last weekend. Sunday's class included doing an alphabet letter on a 4-inch Art Square from Inchie Arts, as well as a hinged mini StampBord piece.

Whoops! Safari quit unexpectedly and wiped out a good portion of the posting, so I'm going to quit while I'm still ahead. I'll be back with what I was going to add.

Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

3-week old Corgi puppies

Wow! What a week it has been. I'm finally finished editing the RubberMoon pics . . . I've certainly edited a lot more in the past but this week, I kept nodding off! Seriously. So before I nod off again, here's some fun art for you to enjoy.


My week of RubberMoon wonderfulness started on Tuesday of last week. I've been a member of RubberMoon's Moon Mail Club and while Kristen was up here, she met with us "Moonies" from the greater Puget Sound area. We had a very nice potluck dinner and shared a project led by Kristen.

work in progress by Patricia Stein

work in progress by Sandra Clarke

work in progress by Tracy Kinkade

work in progress by Michele Storms

work in progress by Cindy Sharp

work in progress by Lisa Lee

work in progress by Debbie Gaetz

If you're not a Moonie yet, you might consider joining the RubberMoon Moon Mail Club.

Go to this link & click on "Moon Mail" on the left side . . . http://rubbermoon.com/pages/moonmail-club

Then Kristen boogied on down I-5, southbound, to stay with Dianne and teach at Art 'n Soul. In each of the 4 classes, we learned so much. Kristen shared fabulous tips and techniques that caught everyone's enthusiastic attention.

The first class brought new 'shrines' to make matching up stamps, chipboard die-cuts frames and shapes, and acrylic paints. For the framed pic, most everyone used Frida clip art that Kristen provided.

work-in-progress by Ann Haller

work-in-progress by Janice Shineman

work-in-progress by Carolee Forsyth

work-in-progress by Cindy Sharp

work-in-progress by Susie Tracy
*Susie did go home to continue working
on her shrine, and bling'd it up. Susie is
supposed to send me a photo that I can
share with all of you!

These are the shrine samples that Kristen had made, and we're so glad she shared them with us. You, too, will 'get the bug' because these little shrines will make the most wonderful keepsake gift.

by Kristen Powers, aka Kae Pea, of RubberMoon

by Kristen Powers, aka Kae Pea, of RubberMoon

by Kristen Powers, aka Kae Pea, of RubberMoon

by Kristen Powers, aka Kae Pea, of RubberMoon

Tomorrow, I'll share the works from the classes on Saturday and Sunday.

On the Magenta blog, check this beautiful card out! Carole has used Nuance in yellow and gray on watercolor paper.

by Carole Dion, Design Team Magenta

Click on this link to see Carole's posting:

http://www.magentastyle.com/2015/09/nuance-et-pochoir-nuances-and-stencil.html

With everyone's love for birds and clouds, you're going to like this very "clean and simple" card design from JJ on the PoppyStamps' blog.

by JJ Bolton for PoppyStamps

Click on this link for the details:

http://poppystamps.typepad.com/poppystamps/2015/09/winter-bird-frame-by-jj-bolton.html

This Saturday and Sunday is another HUMONGOUS Recycled Rubber sale at Art 'n Soul. There is soooooo much recycled treasures stored in back that we can hardly move around; it's stacked on the left wall and it's stacked on the right side. Thank goodness we have the wonderful volunteer assistance of Laurel Martin to help with it all. Be sure you're there at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday . . . I've peeked into a few of the boxes and you're not going to want that 'treasure' going to anyone else but you!

See you soon! Thank you for all of your indulgence and patience in awaiting a blog post this week . . . it's really appreciated.

YEP!