A mini release..

I've had some new images over the past week that I don't believe I've released yet. I thought I'd make them official. I know I really need to get an official release date for my images. It's just that that takes so much organization and if it's one thing I'm not, it's organized. LOL! I'll try to do better. I hope everyone gets some time in this week for their art, craft, hobby. Whatever you do that makes you shine.
Have a happy Monday friends.
Tracey

Birthday sale! All images are 25% off!

To celebrate our first birthday and tomorrow's digi-day, we're having a sale. All images in the store (including new images) are 25% off. The sale will last until Sunday August 15th at midnight!

2 More days until Digi-Day!

Only 2 more days until the big day at The Latte Lounge. Melissa and I have decided to make things more fun and offer the new "Happy Birthday to ME!" Princess Jennifer Latte image free to all party goers!
Saturday from 7-9 Central.

Sledding snowman!

HE's back and ready to go!
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone!

The Stamping Boutique's first birthday party!

The Stamping Boutique is celebrating it's first birthday and to celebrate we are having a Digi Day celebration over at The Latte Lounge! There will be fun challenges, chatting & prizes this Saturday, August 14th at The Latte Lounge from 7-9 Central.

Be sure to come play along as all participants will be entered into a drawing for the blog candy pictured below:

4 free Matroyshka dolls!

We're having a new challenge at PaperCraftPlanet. Participate each week and receive that week's doll. So easy! Collect all 4!

Digi-day for TSB 1st B-Day!

We are celebrating The Stamping Boutiques's first birthday in style at TLL!! We hope you'll join us in what promises to be an evening filled with fun,challenges,chatting and of course prizes!!!
Saturday the 14th atThe Latte Lounge
from 7-9 Central.
All participants will be entered into a drawing for the blog candy pictured!!!!

School Days Challenge with Paper Playtime!

The Stamping Boutique is sponsoring the challenge at Paper Playtime this week! The challenge is School Days and what a perfect opportunity to make those last minute back to school gifts for teachers/students. As always TSB has FREE images up for grabs for only lucky winner, but you have to enter! Don't forget to upload those projects using TSB images to our monthly contest also.

Now check out what the talented TSB designers have come up with for their projects and then head on over to check out what the Paper Playtime team has come up with as well!

A new Halloween Cynthia!

Are you ready for tea with Cynthia? This is my latest Cynthia the fairy image. I can't believe it's time to do Halloween/Holiday images, but here we are. My kids actually start school next week!!!! amazing!
Well, have a beautiful afternoon and enjoy this sunshine!
Tracey

When I Grow Up...

Good evening, everyone,
I wanted to post this little girl before I go make dinner. I worked my fingers off all day on her. My back even hurts. LOL! Poor me. I just thought she turned out kind of cute and wanted to share. Have a wonderful night!
Tracey

If the Shoe Fits...

Hi everyone,
This was a customer request for an image to go with the theme,"If the Shoe Fits..."
Well, this is what I came up with. I have a new Halloween Cynthia Digi and rubber stamp to be released soon, as well as a birthday Princess Jennifer Latte. Busy, busy, busy. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Bye for now!
Tracey

The Stamping Boutique is looking for 5 talented designers.

The Boutique is accepting applications for new designers from now until August 20.
Please e-mail your application to:
Tracey Malnofski at traceydawnn@msn.com and
Christy Dillman at micahzane@yahoo.com.

We will need your contact info. as well as a short bio. about yourself. Please let us know about your experience with digital images and any other DT's you are on.

The new designers will be announced on August 25. The term is from September1-November 30, 2010.


What is expected of Boutique designers:

1. Complete at least 1 project weekly, whether it be for challenges we are sponsoring or your own projects. (minimum requirement is 4 projects per month)

2. Post comments and photos on SNR/PCP/SCS and other social networking sites to promote TSB.

3. You will also be required to leave comments on blogs for TSB followers/fans that participate in our challenges and leave love on fellow DT gals/guys blogs.

4. Participate in TSB events (blogs, digi days, etc) where sufficient notice is given.

What you'll receive:

1. The exclusive TSB designers badge for your blog.

2. 4 digital images at no cost per month to use in your projects.

3. A 40% discount on all digital images the entire time you are a TSB designer.

We look forward to adding our new designers and are very excited about the months ahead!
The best of luck to everyone!

Tracey and Christy
Tracey Malnofski

The 12 Snowmen of Christmas are back!

Well, 5 of them anyway. The other 7 need a little editing before being put back on the shelf. These 5 guys were itching to get out of the store room and back in the show room. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Copic Tutorial: Coloring Sand by Ashley Scheffler

Hello Everyone. Ready for part 2 of coloring Sunny Baby? This time the tutorial will be over coloring the sand. Next time we will finish the image and create a card!

Lets get started!

------------
STEP 1
Here is the image and how I left off from the last tutorial (coloring water). This time I am focusing on the sand part of the image. Gather up the colors you want for the sand. I decided to make the sand more brown and could pull in alot of different color familes to achieve the sandy look. I will be using colors : E51, E31, E33, E37, E57, E77. I also use a product called Mudd Puddles at the end as well for more detail.

STEP 2
Using the lightest color (E53..I know this seems odd since its a higher number, but it is the lightest one I am using out of the color choices) color the entire sand area.

STEP 3
Using E31 I wanted to start adding some shadows to the shells and sand toys in the sand.

STEP 4
Using E33, I just went over the entire sand area and did little dots of color. Just hold your marker upright and lightly press down. If you use too much pressure, the dots will expand as the ink soaks into the paper and become larger.

STEP 5
Repeat step 4 but with the colors E37 and E57.

STEP 6
Now it's time to blend and have the dots not stand out as much. I used E33 and colored over the area again. You could use a lighter brown for a lighter coverage.

STEP 7
I wanted to add back in those darker specks you see on a real beach, so I used E77 and did really small black dots randomly over the sand area to bring out the dots again.

STEP 8 (optional)
I really wanted the beack to appear as real life as I could so I used a product called Mudd Puddles. It comes in different colors and different textures. I used the type called Malibu and just put it on in different areas. It spread on so you can do a lot more coverage.

STEP 9
Here is a close-up of the Mudd Puddles!

There you go...
I hope you found this technique helpful. Next time I will be coloring in the rest of the image and making it into a card!! Please leave a comment if this helped you and what other techniques you would love to learn with Copics!

And the monthly contest winners are......

The winner of 5 free images from TSB as selected by www.random.org is: True Random Number Generator Min:1 Max:31 Result:5-Lorie S.

Our August guest designer also chosen by www.random.org is: True Random Number Generator Min:1 Max:31 Result:14-Amelia.

Last but not least we had 2 ladies that submitted the most projects this month with a total of 5 each so they will both be winning 5 images from TSB: Lori and Marilyn D!

Lorie S, Lori, and Marilyn D- please email at micahzane@yahoo.com with your 5 images choices! Amelia shoot me an email also so I can get your guest designer details!

Congrats to you all on winning and keep those projects coming, the new contest is up and running!

Back to School Blog Hop!!!!

The Stamping Boutique is have a "Back to School" blog hop and I'd love for you to see the beautiful projects my amazing team has worked so hard on. Start with Aletha. and hop along from there. This is my first look as well, so I'm super excited. So. let's get started!

Today's image...

I just finished these kiddos and wanted to get them posted before starting dinner. The baby sister has a look to her that reminds me of my niece, Madyson, when she was born. I can't explain it and I didn't do it on purpose. It just evolved. This is going to be one of my favorites, I think. I can't wait for my sister to see this. Have a wonderful evening, my friends. :D

A Delicious Challenge!

. How about a challenge? Make a card/project using the new "Bunny Birthday" image and post atPaperCraftPlanet and 2 more places (your blog, SCS etc...) then send me an e-mail so I know you've entered. traceydawnn@msn.com. I'll draw a name in one week on Thursday August 5 at at PCP. What should the prize be?? how about the winner's choice of 5 images from the store??? sound fun? ok, let's do it then!
-remember, you can get the image free by becoming a member at the Paper Craft Planet group. Have fun!

Don't forget about our Monthly Contest!

There's still plenty of time to get all those adorable projects using The Stamping Boutique images uploaded in our monthly contest, more info can be found here. Don't miss your chance at winning some FREE images!

More From Our Fabulous Guest Designer Collette.....

"Hi, my name is Collette and I'm married to a wonderfully supportive husband, and am mother to an even more wonderful 15 year old daughter (sorry, Scott, lol). I've been stamping and scrapbooking for about 10 years now and absolutely love the creative outlet. I've always been interested in art, and love the finished product I can come up with at the end of the day. I began with Stampin' Up (which I still thoroughly enjoy), and actually was a consultant for Creative Memories, but had to sign off because I just can't limit myself to one company. I still love many of their products, but couldn't NOT use all the other stuff out there.

I've just begun coloring with Copics these past few months and am now obsessed - well over 150 and still don't have ... well, a few, lol. I love the images that The Stamping Boutique has to offer - and can't wait for 'the next new one' to come out. They're absolutely perfect for coloring with Copics, prisma colored pencils and gamsol - and even watercolor techniques. I'm so glad that I won this guest designer spot for The Stamping Boutique. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share."

Check out my blog here!

Fun For Challenges Sponsor

This week we are sponsoring the Fun For Challenges site, it's a color challenge to use bright summer colors. Check out what fun cards the TSB gals have come up with this week and make sure to enter for your chance at FREE images from the Boutique!

Copic Tutorial- Coloring Water by Ashley Scheffler

Intro- Part 1 of coloring Sunny Baby With A Hat by Ashley Scheffler

Hello Everyone. This time I am doing something a little different. I won't have the image completely colored at the end, but instead next tutorial will be continuing with her since there are a lot of fun techniques you can do to the image! Today's technique is going to be about coloring water or ocean.

Lets get started!


STEP 1
Here is the image we will be coloring today. Perfect time to be coloring a beach image!! You will want to pick your color combos (blues or blue-greens). I use a lot of combos but I seem to always use this one for an ocean image where it is normally darker at the end of what your eye sees and lighter in the front where you first see the water. I will be using B97, B95, B93, and B12. A lot of times I will throw in BG10 as well. I will also be using a white gel pen for highlighting.

STEP 2
Take your darkest color (B97) and shade in the farthest away point and a few of the waves on the bottom where the light would not hit.

STEP 3
Now take your medium color (B95) and go over the darkest color and bring it down more into the front of the ocean.

STEP 4
Take your next lightest color (B93) and continue going over the last two colors and keep bringing it down closer to the beach.

STEP 5
This is where I used B12 and colored in the rest of the water area and went right back over the entire water area to help blend the colors together. I had to do this several times to get the look I wanted.

STEP 6
Of course when you bring your lightest color over your darkest, it will fade it. Repeat steps 1-5 over until you get your desired blending look and how dark you want your darkest color to be and what the contrast will look like.

STEP 7
This is optional but I really like the way it makes the water look and breaks up all the blues. Copic sells opaque paint but I just use my Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen. Just be sure to let it sit and dry for a minute so it does not smear and ruin your coloring you just did! The white resembles the foam that the waves usually make as they roll and hit the beach.

I hope you found this technique helpful. Next time I will be showing you how to color the sand area on this same image!! Please leave a comment if this helped you and what other techniques you would love to learn with Copics!

Don't forget the Copic kit at TLL!

There's blog candy still available at The Latte Lounge!Here's what Melissa had to say,
"Don't forget to spread the word about the blog candy you can win by becoming a follower. You have until August 8th to sign up as a follower for a chance to win!!

The prize includes:
Basic Grey "Max & Whiskers" page kit, 5 pages matching red cardstock, Making Memories puffy letter, Basic Grey "Woolies", Basic Grey "cozy pozies" (both Max & Whiskers)Piggy Tales barn door with hinges, and 8 Cioa,1 multliner specialty pastel kit."
There's still time...

A new/old friend...

It seems I've come a long way in a year. I was looking at a popular snowman image from 2009, "BlogHog snowmen" and really didn't like the quality and a few things about the image. So,I gave the old fellas a face lift and re-drew them, and re-scanned them from scratch. It took me pretty much all day, but I'm so happy I did it. In fact, if you purchased this image last year and would like to exchange it for this one, send it back to me at traceydawnn@msn.com and I'll be happy to send the updated version. If you'd like to purchase it new, it's in the store. I'd don't like sounding like a commercial so I'll stop that. Anyway, I think this one is much better. I think they're even smiling a little brighter. :D

We have a new store and a sale to celebrate!

We have a new store and to celebrate all images are discounted by one dollar!!! The sale will be valid all through digi day Friday. Have a great week everyone!

Blog candy winner!!!

Can you believe Random.org drew number 1 out of 936? Pretty weird! That gives us Fiona as our winner!!!! Please contact me to make arrangements for your prize! Congratulations!
Tracey