March 2005 - Géke M.
"Boxes Tile Card"

gekem@hotmail.com
Ijsselstein, Netherlands

(Click on picture for instructions)

How long have you been stamping?
Almost every year, I go back to the US to visit my in-laws and friends. About five years ago while I was there, I bought my first stamps and some stamping magazines. Back home I didn't know what to do with them. Then a year later, I visited Katie's Closet (closed now) in Glendale, Arizona and took a stamping class. They taught me the Polished Stone technique and I bought all the supplies I needed for this. That was the beginning. Later I took a basic stamping class here in Holland to learn all the fun of stamping.

What is your favorite technique?
I have a few: DTP, layering and heat embossing but I'm always in for learning new techniques. There is still a lot to learn.

Favorite stamp company?
I don't have a favorite one. I buy what I like. My mounted stamps come mainly from Limited Edition, My Stamps, PSX, Magenta. My unmounted from Non Sequitur. One of my last purchases of um's are from OnyxXpressions and Lasting Impressions with Panache. Recently, I bought a sheet from Paperbag Studios. These images are so different from what I usually make.

Favorite Asian stamps?
I use mostly geishas, dragonflies, fans and calligraphy; because that's what I have, but really I like all Asian images. Most of my Asian stamps are from Non Sequitur. When reading the Somerset Studio's "Passage to India" I was inspired by the stamps they used, which are also considered Asian, I guess. I have added these to my wish list.

Favorite stamping accessory?
Inkpads, heat gun, embossing powder, it just depends on what I'm making.

Favorite colors?
I love most of the colors but to be specific it would be earth colors, blue/green, purple, red/black/gold combination.

Your favorite embellishment to finish a card?
I still find it hard to use the right embellishment for a card. I do use fibers sometimes. I've collected quite a few charms, but haven't used them often because I like them so much that I want to keep them. LOL

What is the one tool you couldn't live without? (i.e. X-acto knife, heat gun, glue stick, sponge)
That would be my X-acto knife, cutting mat, glue and heat gun.

Any helpful tips for the group?
Stamping magazines were (and still are) very helpful for me to learn more about stamping and to learn/try-out a new technique. I also visit websites where you can find many tips, ideas and samples. Add them to your "favorites" and organize the folders for quick reference. And not to forget our OSA group. Don't be shy to ask any questions. There is always somebody out there who can give you the answer you are looking for.
Accept your mistakes. I still find this hard to do, but I'm working on that.

As a member of OSA, why do you like stamping in the Oriental theme?
I was drawn to the beautiful Oriental cards I saw on the Internet. It's so serene and timeless. The culture is so different. Later, I saw many samples on the Non Sequitur site and decided to buy a few oriental sheets. During that time, I discovered the OSA site and from that moment, I was hooked on Oriental card making.

Is there any one place or city you'd like to visit to find rubberstamps, supplies, or Asian art elements?
I would like to visit places like Thailand, Malaysia, India, China, Japan or any other Asian country. So far I have only been in Singapore (stop-over) but time was too short to look for Asian card making supplies. Although I did had a fantastic craft/stamp store tour with Faye !!! What I do regret now is that we have never put Japan on our dream sheet when my husband was in the Air Force but then I wasn't into card making….

What other stamping lists or local clubs do you belong to?
Besides OSA and some OSA sub-groups, I belong to two other stamping lists: Creative Cards and Papercrafts but not actively involved. I attend a local stamping class once a month where we not only make cards, but also small books. I have a friend who I introduced into the world of stamping. Sometimes we pick a date and stamp together.

What favorite Stamping magazines would you recommend?
Some of my favorites are Stamping & Papercraft, Australian Papercrafts, Expressions, Somerset Studios, Stamper's Sampler and not to forget our own Dutch stamping magazine Stamping Art.

Published in any magazines? If yes, please list.
No. I've never submitted any card to a stamping magazine yet.

Any other hobbies, talents or craft interests?
Over the years I did a lot of sewing, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching, doll making and every week I had a-cookie/cake/bread baking-and-yogurt-making- day. That is all past now. Although I picked up cross-stitching again when my first grandchild was born, five years ago. I made a birth panel and finished it perfectly in time. Last week I just finished the birth panel for my second grandchild, who is 3 ½ now!! But there is still one more birth panel to make, which is for my 20-month-old grandson. I think this one will be a 5 years project. LOL

At the moment I'm only into stamping. I did a bookbinding course and would like to bind all the Donald Duck comics from my son into books, but it looks like I have less time then when all the kids were still living at home.
I need to spend more time for myself because there are so many arts and crafts to learn.

What inspires you to be creative? i.e. do you listen to music while you stamp, or watch TV, keep an art journal?
Depends on my mood. Sometimes I listen to music and other times I like silence around me. I never watch TV when stamping. I don't keep an art journal but I do keep a folder where I keep an example of all the cards I make. Looking through stamping magazines inspires me. I find it difficult to get started. Looking through magazines or in my "favorites" I get ideas.

Any art background?
Not at all.

Have you used any unusual item in your stamping that wasn't necessarily meant for stamping? (i.e. found item or household item)
Shaving cream.

Any favorite books on stamping or art techniques that you would recommend? Any on Asian arts & crafts?
I mainly have magazines but my first two books on stamping were from MaryJo McGraw: Creative Rubber Stamping Techniques and Making Creative Cards with Creative Materials. I find them very helpful for beginners.

Another fun book is from Paper Crafts: Projects with Washi Papers.
Recently I bought The Essential Guide To Making Handmade Books by Gabrielle Fox.

Any favorite websites you would recommend for inspiration?
I have so many in my "favorites". I just picked these:

For card samples, ideas and inspirations: http://www.stampersmall.com/stamperscorner/gallery/
http://sisgallery.homestead.com/guidebook.html
http://netnet.net/~cloud9/

Do you have a day job when you're not stamping?
I have several volunteer jobs: library, asylum seekers center, International Dinner Project "Maal en Verhaal", African Promotion foundation, teaching Dutch to an illiterate Moroccan lady, babysitting my grandson every other weekend.

Tell us about your family and where you live.
I live in the Netherlands with my husband, Leroy, of 31 years. We have 4 children (3 daughters and a son) and 3 beautiful grandchildren. I met my hubby when he was stationed here at Soesterberg AFB in the Netherlands. He arrived here with 1 duffle bag and in 1983, after 10 years, he left with a wife and 4 children. LOL. We went to Gila Bend, AZ, where we lived 2 years. Oh my gosh it was hot!!!!… but we survived even though our car didn't have air conditioning. We moved to Torregon AFB, Spain for 4 years and back to Holloman AFB, NM. In 1991, when Leroy retired, we moved back to the Netherlands. Lived in Utrecht for 8 years before moving to IJsselstein, where we live now. It's a town 15 km. SW of Utrecht with a population of 34.000 in the center part of Holland. http://www.dsij.nl/toeristen/index.html (bottom right, click on "verder" for some pics of historic IJsselstein). Just browse around on this site for more pictures. I still miss the space and blue skies from AZ and NM, so mostly every year I try to go visit. Who knows maybe in the near future we will be the snowbirds from Holland…….

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BOXES TILE CARD
By Géke M.


Materials:

Tamp-a-Tile template: boxes
Stamps used:
Non Sequitur (http://www.nonsequiturstamps.com/)
Glossy Paper
Masking tape
Masking paper, like Post-it
Dye inks like Adirondack or Vivid, using 3 or 4 matching colors for sponging
(For the sample card I used Big and Juicy (Hydrangea))
StazOn ink for stamping the images

Instructions:

Cut an A-4 sheet of glossy paper into 4 pieces. This size will fit the Tamp-a-Tile template. To see what a Tamp-a-Tile is and how to use it, take a look on this website:
http://www.tamp-a-stamp.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=5593

- Place the Tamp-a-tile template on the glossy paper and secure tile and paper with masking tape.
- Stamp an image using StazOn ink in the center of the paper.

- Insert all the tile pieces in the template and secure each side of the tile with masking tape, so they can't move.
- Remove tile #1 . Color this space with a stipple brush or a cosmetic sponge choosing the lightest color first.
- When done, replace tile #1 and remove tile #2 to color this space. Continue doing this till all the spaces are colored with the lightest color.
- Remove the Tamp-a-Tile template and you see that there are white lines between the spaces. (When using the stipple brush the lines are not so white but still be seen)

- Place masking paper (post-it) all around the outside of the spaces. These will stay until completely finished.

- Mask the center image you stamped (only when it overlaps the space). In my sample the geisha.
- Now we are going to stamp images in the other 4 spaces, using StazOn ink. Doing this you need to mask every space separately. Start with space #1 and place masking paper (post-it) along the outside line of space #1, masking the other spaces.
- Stamp an image in space #1. Remove the post-it and repeat this with the next blank space. Go on until all spaces are stamped.

- Next step is to color each space using 2 more colors, working from light to dark. For this I use a cosmetic sponge. Again, you need to mask each individual space like you did above.
- Sponge along the edges. After that, sponge the next color. Apply a darker color in each corner to give it more depth.

- Remove all the post-it papers. If you desire you can color the image with, for example, Tombow pens.
- Cut around the tile card, leaving a few millimeters white border.
- Layer it on a few matching cardstock.

For sample cards look here: http://www.tamp-a-stamp.com/
Those cards are made from different templates.