Snazzys Annual Winter Sale 2015

We only have one sale each year, it's always a good one but this year's one is a real biggie!

We try to stock products and brands that are not available elsewhere locally so, whilst some lines are generic and will be stocked by any stamping store in the country, if we find that brands we carry are becoming more widely stocked then we tend to retire them and actively seek out interesting new ones. We have therefore decided to retire some brands we have previously stocked - nothing wrong with the brands, we just need to freshen up our product lines and make room for some exciting new lines for the New Year. In addition to this, there are always product lines which are retired by the manufacturers and brands which are no longer distributed in the UK so, from 11am on Tuesday 29 December you will find fantastic reductions on..........

Stamps from PaperArtsy with all A4 sheets reduced from £19.95 to £12.95 and all Minis from £4.80 to £2.95.

Stamps from Dylusions all reduced from £19.95 to £12.95.

Stamps by Tim Holtz all reduced from £24.95 to £17.95, £19.95 to £12.95, and £5.95 to £2.95.

Stamps by Teresa Collins all reduced from £4.75 to £2.50.

Chocolate Baroque stamps all A4 sheets reduced from £22.50 to £14.95, all A5 sheets from £16.75 to £9.95, DL sheets from£13.95 to £6.95 and all A6 sheets from £9.95 to £4.95. Selected sheets are even less!

 

Darkroom Door stamps no longer have a UK distributor so regretfully we are reducing their rubber sheets from £19.95 to £12.95, their background stamps from £15.20 to £7.60, the collage stamps from £13.25 to £6.95 and the photo stamps from £12.50 to £6.25. Some of the rubber sheets are in the iconic tins which are no longer available and all of them are beautifully detailed.

Hero Arts not in the current catalogue,or going forward to the 2016 one, from as little as £5.

Chapel Road Artstamps have two sale price points with A plates and all plates in retired packaging at £5 and all B plates in new packaging at £6.

All Artistic Stamper sheets are half price or less.

Now to papers, all 12x12 sale papers and Bazzill Canvas card stock are any 10 sheets for £3. All sale corner sticker sheets and specialist acetates and vellums now just 50p. All 6x6 paper pads and stacks by MME, 7Dots Studio, Bazzill, Teresa Collins, Simple Stories, Photoplay, Prima etc are reduced to £4.25.

In the inks, powders and paints aisle we have........

All full size inkpads from Tsukineko, Eco Green and Ranger (excluding Distress pads) are on buy 1 get one free for the duration of the sale - lowest price items free!

All Ranger Distress Stains are also on buy 1 get 1 free.

All Ranger Adirondack paints are £1.65 each, any four for £5 or any ten for £10 way less than half price!

All Ranger Crackle paints are half price too.

Sadly no UK distributor for these lovely creamy paints so all Eco Green paints, including the metallics are reduced to just £1.25.

Selected WOW Embossing Powders reduced from £2.50 to £1.50.

All Pan Pastels, including tools and accessories have 25% off and all Cosmic Shimmer Mixed Media bags will save you more than 50% from the original prices.

All Herma items are also half marked price....

....and finally, all our blanks, Tando, MDF, Creativ, Graphic45 plus all Grungeboard are half price too, with all Ideaology Configrations reduced by 25%!

There are the usual bargain baskets starting at just £1 and we have two Marvy Fingerguard Trimmers with all the fancy edge blades reduced from £47.95 to just £25. Sale ends on 2 January (we are closed on 1 January) so just four days to bag a bargain as when it is gone, it is gone!

We will be closed on New Year's Day but open on the other sale days from 11am to 3pm, hope to see you then x

 

 

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Moving on.....

Retirement comes along at some point for everyone and products are no different really.

We continually review all the products we have in store, and with the latest exciting releases always just on the horizon, we often have to make some tough decisions about which product lines need to move on over to make way for all the newest ranges.

We currently have 25% off all our Darkroom Door stamps as sadly we will no longer be stocking this brand. This was a real toughie as I love all the beautiful detail in these stamps but it is time for something new. We do still have one or two designs in the iconic tins which are no longer available, online over at http://snazzysstore.com/.

Replacing Darkroom Door on our walls (and in our online store) we are proud to hang stamps from a home grown UK designer and manufacturer, the wonderful Chocolate Baroque which we will be adding to our stand at all Artstamps shows in future too. Thank you Glenda and Adrian.

In our new entryway photo above you may also catch a glimpse of the amazing JOFY stamps both the 2013 Spring Collection and the new Summer release designed by Jo Firth Young for Paperartsy, again in the UK, and now gracing our walls and online store. Much more to come from them as we gradually introduce the PaperArtsy range of products!

You may remember earlier this year we introduced the new Ranger Distress Paints, which I didn't want to like but.....

Focus on Distress Paints Workshop Sample Wednesday 24 July



...with my addiction to backgrounds they are absolutely here to stay and we will be adding the remaining colours just as soon as Ranger release them.

 

The downside is that the Headmaster said to make room for them I had to agree to let another paint range go so... 

 

.....bargain!

 

The other lines of product which we will be retiring are from Cosmic Shimmer.

 

We have stocked the full range of Cosmic Shimmer Embossing Powders - Aurora, Blaze, Lustre, Precious Metal, Ultra Thick Embossing Crystals, Sparkles etc - since we first opened, adding new colours and finishes as they were released. Similarly the Cosmic Shimmer Misters have been a fixture on our shelves for more years than I want to think about and we simply feel it is time for something new. So, stock up on these now.....

 

...... they won't last long at these prices and when they are gone, they are gone!

 

We have all the new Dylusions Ink Spray colours in stock so that makes 18 amazing colours all together.

 

We have held the price of these at £4.35 since they were first released by Ranger but with the current exchange rate and increased shipping costs we have had to increase the price to £4.75. We are holding the price of the stamps at £19.95 however and have the new ones in stock.

 

Monster Mash is my favourite...

 

..and I couldn't resist a little play with them - more details of this project coming over on my blog (http://inkyexploits.blogspot.com/) at the weekend so do stop by there too! 

 

I think that covers things for today, more news on new lines in store, the launch of our Monthly Challenge and some other interesting developments in Snazzys Studio early next week so do stop by then and catch up with all the gossip.

 

Thanks for stopping by xx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home and Dry

Hello there.

Thought you might like to see what we made in last Saturday's workshop. This was the 'for instance'.

 

 

Now, in my studio the workshop sample is known as the 'for instance' thanks to a lovely lady from the Gloucester Egg Craft group who, during a workshop I taught for them many moons ago when I was waffling on trying to explain to the group that they didn't have to make their version a copy of my sample, cut to the chase with 'Ladies, it is just a 'for instance'' and my workshop 'for instance' it has been ever since!

 

We started by adding a layer of colour to a 8" x 20" canvas, just a splodgy background using three or four colours - if you find it ends up brighter/darker than you planned just add a gesso layer to tone it down.

 

Then we stamped a 12x12 piece of white tissue, ours came between sheets of Bazzill Plastic Paper but you can use one layer of a tissue or packaging tissue too. The idea is to stamp in layers covering the whole piece. The piece I used on my 'for instance' is stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia but I have one done here with one layer in brown and one layer in black so the idea is clearer. The stamps are mostly from this month's DT kit from Prima's Engraver collection.

 

 

We then tore up our stamped tissue and added it to our canvas with matte medium....

 

 

I felt the sepia ink on mine was too dark so I just added a swipe or two of gesso on a baby wipe to knock it back a bit.

 

The houses were made using different paint techniques onto grunge board in plain and several textures, one with a embossed copper roof heated until the copper turned the colour we wanted. Everything was then assembled with Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue, embellished a bit with Prima Say it in Crystals, metal keys, Ideaology Hitch Fasteners etc and voila....

 

 

And here are a couple who didn't copy the 'for instance' lol!

 

 

 

Great colours, but I didn't manage to capture just how pink Victoria got her copper roof to go.

A good days work I think.

 

Now this Saturday, 2 March. I am doing my Steampunk Phantom for the very last time, for the ladies who missed it due to the terrible snow in January, including the lovely Lesley from Snazzys DT who I haven't seen for way too long. (Soo excited, but it is a bit daunting having one of your own DT coming to your workshop lol!)

 

 

 and on Sunday I have an Art Journaling style canvas project with lots of paint, ink, sprays, sticky back canvas, stamps and much more..

 

 

...including a sheet of 12x12 paper from my favourite Dreamer collection from 7 Dots Studio designed by the multi talented Anna Dabrowska aka Finnabair - more on that subject next week ;0).

 

Then on Wednesday 6 March I have a Clean & Simple card making class using beautiful neutrals from Studio Calico's Classic paper collection and Hero Arts Stamps.

 

Next Saturday 9 March in the morning I have a pretty hanging made again using Prima's stunning Engraver papers and embellishments - if you want some serious inspiration with this collection pop over here and have a drool.

 

 

and in the afternoon I have a Pan Pastel workshop using them to make stunning backgrounds with stamps, masks, stencils and texture paste.

 

 

Busy week in the workshop.

 

Back soon when I'll show you how the AJ style canvases turned out xx

 

 

 

 

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So where did the week go?

 

I know, I know but I have no idea where the last week disappeared to! So, to catch up, firstly here's last Tuesday evening's workshop project.

 

 

The triptych is an empress wood blank, painted with Eco Green Crafts Acrylic paint in Orchid and layered with Prima's Fairy Belle papers, distressed around the edges with my trusty Tim Holtz Distressing Tool.

 

 

I stapled some cotton lace to the layers of paper before I stuck them down, ( I borrowed Penny's stapler in the workshop and then forgot to give it back - drop me your address Penny and I will pop it in the post to you!), added a few roses, paper flowers and the frondy bit from TH Alterations Pinecone Die - I've done everything but make a pinecone with it but more of that later! I found an old broken Style Stone frame and some metal bits and bobs then misted the whole piece with Cosmic Shimmer Vintage Mist in Patina. The plan was to mist the finished piece with black ink a la Finnabair, but I lost my nerve. I quite like my subtle take on her work, but next time, courage lol!

 

This week also saw a visit from Nicky Cresswell aka Minxy to teach a couple of workshops for Snazzys. She, unlike yours truly, remembered to take photos during the workshop so here we go! 

 

 

This was her initial project, and here are all the variations

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fabulous aren't they?

 

On Sunday Nicky agreed to run a drop in session making roses from both stamped images and dies, and boy did I need her help, I am all fingers and thumbs with anything fiddly. She used the Studio 490 Accents for Art stamps and the TH Alterations Pinecone Die ( yes, to make roses) and some of her own Spellbinders dies. There was much hilarity, but Nicky was very patient, full of really useful tips and tricks, and a good time was had by all. I'm not sure that Wendy will still be planning a heart made with 40 handmade red roses for her parents Ruby Wedding Anniversay tho'!

 

 

So, a huge thank you to Nicky, who I'm hoping to talk into a repeat performance once she has recovered from an excess of Snazzy seniors and juniors, and I'll leave you with a little video tour of the store taken by Nicky before she left.

 

 

 

Thanks for dropping by. 

Back soon xx

 

PS The Christmas Dylusions stamps are up on Snazzys online store now with the stencils/masks on tomorrow and lots more to follow.

Steampunkery Embellishments

Hello again stampers, two days in a row eh? Whatever next!

Yesterday I showed you my Tuesday evening workshop 'for instances' at Snazzys and I'm back today to give you the lowdown on how I made the embellishments using Chocolate Baroque's Steampunkery stamps. Firstly the steampunk topper,

which was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black onto the smooth side of some Ideaology Grungeboard which gave a good, sturdy base for a coat of Eco Green Crafts black acrylic paint and three layers of Snazzys clear embossing powder. I then restamped the wings from the stamp three times onto Ideaology Grungepaper and the turnkey once - much easier to cut out the detail, painted them with Eco Green Crafts Aged Silver acrylic paint and when dry, restamped them all again. I find it simplest when stamping elements from a stamp onto pieces I have already cut out, to ink the stamp, leave it face up on the desk and position the pieces onto the inked surface using an acrylic block on top to apply pressure to the piece before carefully removing from the stamp. I added a couple of gears cut from Ideaology Grungeboard and black shrink plastic, coloured with Viva Inca Gold in Silver, and topped it with a watch face from a selection of Snazzys Steampunk Bitz Watch Faces. I attached the whole thing to the aperture with Snazzys Black Foam Pads.

Next the caged Flying Alarm Clock,

which was stamped with Versafine Onyx Black onto Ideaology Grungepaper with the wings and the watchface restamped onto Bazzill Smoothie cardstock in Blackberry Swirl and embossed with Snazzy's clear embossing powder. The cage was cut from Grungeboard with the Tim Holtz Alterations die, painted with Ranger Adirondack Paint Dabber in Copper with just a smattering of black acrylic sponged on top to add to the grungy look.

The alarm clock was also painted with copper dabber and then restamped with Onyx Black as described above and after a swipe with the Viva Inca Gold in Copper I assembled the embellishment with Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue and topped it with another of the watch faces from the Snazzys Steampunk Bitz set.

Lastly, my favourite embellishment, the Steampunk Beetle

stamped like the others with Versafine Onyx Black onto Ideaology Grungepaper with the watchface and the wings restamped onto Bazzill Blackberry Swirl cardstock and embossed with Snazzy's clear embossing powder. (I didn't bother painting and restamping this one as all of it was eventually covered with the restamped wing pieces and the UTEE beetle). Yes, I made a mould using Ranger's Mold-n-Pour and a lonely brass Steampunk Beetle from my stash - I could have overcome that it was the wrong colour for my project with some black acrylic paint and Inca Gold in Silver, but I couldn't get past it's weight, which was way too heavy for the piece. I melted 50/50 Ranger Melt Art clear and black UTEE in my Melt Pan and poured very slowly into my beetle mould. I was surprised how quickly it cooled and set, all ready with the extra wings and watchface for a (rather heavy handed) smidge of Silver Inca Gold and a good dollop of Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue to assemble. The hanger is another Tim Holtz Alterations die cut from Grungeboard and painted with the Aged Silver acrylic paint and the jump rings are Tim Holtz Ideaology too! 

I love the way the embossing on the black cardstock wings was highlighted by the Inca Gold, and I'm sure I'll find a way of using that beetle mould over and over.

Thanks for popping by, back soon xx

 

Steampunk Frame with Chocolate Baroque Stamps

Hello stampers, yesterday evening I ran a workshop at Snazzys showing a very simple faux metal, grungy finish on a simple wooden frame featuring images from Chocolate Baroque's Steampunkery stamp set.

The flat plywood frame is available as either a square with square aperture or in the rectangular version I have used. The cogs were all cut from the Tim Holtz Alterations full size and mini cogs, some from kraft card, some in Grungeboard and some in black shrink plastic giving a variety of sizes and depths to mix and match. All the pieces were arranged on the frame, including some scrim to give the effect of metal mesh, and once glued down, (with Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue of course), painted in black acrylic from Eco Green Crafts. The insert was simply black card embossed with Tim Holtz Texture Fades and both surfaces then had Viva Inca Gold applied as desired to highlight the textures and give the faux metal effect.

I had three workshop 'for instances', one using Inca Gold in Copper and two with Silver.

If you pop back tomorrow I will explain how I made each of the Steampunk embellishments using the clever Steampunkery stamps from Chocolate Baroque, some Bazzill black cardstock, Ideaology Grungepaper, Ranger's Mold-n-Pour and Melt Art UTEE.

Thanks for stopping by xx