I'd like to tell you about one of my favorite stamp companies, After Midnight Art Stamps. They have a wonderful line of stamps that are great fun to play with. These enjoyable images are great for coloring and also work well in a wide range of techniques. They have hundreds of images that will fit anyone's style. All their stamps come mounted or unmounted. But at $21 your best deal is a full sheet of rubber that has 10 or more images. Their stamps come in a full range of sizes from faux postage sizes to large card sizes and are made of deeply etched rubber. Their catalogue contains hundreds of images to meet every stamper's needs - Asian, Victorian, cutesy, artsy, scenic, weird, off-the-wall, verses and a lot in between. Be sure to see the great collection of Pirate images and beautiful Southwest Christmas images. They are an angel company. View their entire catalog online at www.amstamps.com

They have a wide range of must - see products, including metallic Fashion Flakes, beautiful art moulds from Kraft Lady, and Opals and Opalettes (which are coarse grained embossing powders with the look of real enamel).

Their website has a great gallery of artwork with lots of ideas and easy to follow tutorials on techniques you'll love! Be sure to join their yahoo group for lots of fun swaps, challenges, and all the news.

I adore Asian art and After Midnight has a great collection of images. On the next three cards I used a technique of Embossed Cut to make the faces stand out from the background. When you emboss an image on thin paper, cut it out along the embossing line and glue it on top on the same image embossed on another sheet of paper, it blends in perfectly.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Three Asian Ladies - After Midnight
  Sprig of Dogwood - After Midnight
• White cardstock 5 ½ x 11 folded, 2 5/8 x 3 ¾ - Fox River
• Text wt white paper 3 x 4
• Glossy cardstock 5 ¼ x 4
• Pattern paper -cut it up - 3 x 4
• Veramark inkpad -Tsukineko
• Black embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Pastel chalks
• Colored pencils
• Scissors
• Xyron or glue stick
• Adirondack inkpad - Eggplant - Ranger
• Cosmetic sponge
  
  Directions

1. Stamp Sprig of Dogwood in Veramark on two corners of glossy white cardstock. Sponge on eggplant ink over entire cardstock. Mount to folded card.
2. Stamp and emboss Three Asian Ladies in black on white text wt paper and printed-paper. Run the white paper through a Xyron and color with chalks and pencils. Cut the three faces out, trim carefully on the embossed line. Attach to embossed pattern paper. Mount on white cardstock, then to folded card.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Mother and Baby With Reflection - After Midnight
• Art mould - Asian Coin, Medium - After Midnight
• Text wt white paper - 3 x 4
• Glossy Gold cardstock - 3 x 4 ¼
• Pattern paper - Cut It Up - 3 x 4
• Mulberry paper - Black Ink -4 x 5 ¼
• Black cardstock - 11 x 5 ½ folded - Astrobrights
• Veramark inkpad -Tsukineko
• Black detail embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Pastel chalks
• Adirondack pens - Ranger
• Scissors
• Xyron or glue stick
• Black hot glue and glue gun
• Gold and silver Krylon leafing pen
  
  Directions

1. Attach mulberry paper to folded card.
2. Stamp and emboss Mother and Baby With Reflection in black on white text wt paper and printed-paper. Run white paper through Xyron and color with chalks. Cut the faces, hand and feet out, trim carefully on the embossed line. Attach to embossed pattern paper. Mount on gold cardstock, then to folded card.
3. Fill art mould with hot glue, remove when cool and color gold with leafing pen. Tie knot in looped fibers and attach with hot glue. Place coin on top of knot with hot glue.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Lady in Garden - After Midnight
  Sprig of Dogwood - After Midnight
  
• White cardstock 10 x 6 ½ folded - Fox River
• Text wt white paper 3 x 4
• Black cardstock 4 ½ x 5 ¾ - Astrobrights
• Pattern paper -Cut It Up - 4 ¼ x 5 ½
• Veramark inkpad -Tsukineko
• Black embossing powder- Embossing Candy Store
• Clear embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Pastel chalks
• Adirondack markers - Ranger
• Scissors
• Xyron or glue stick
• Adirondack inkpad - Eggplant - Ranger
• Krylon silver pen
• Cosmetic sponge
  
  Directions

1. Stamp Sprig of Dogwood in veramark and emboss with clear powder on white folded card. Sponge on eggplant ink over entire card.
2. Stamp and emboss Lady in the garden in black on white text wt paper and printed-paper. Run white paper through Xyron and color with chalks. Cut the face and the hand out, trim carefully on the embossed line. Attach to embossed pattern paper. Color flowers with Adirondack markers and hair sticks with silver pen. Mount on black cardstock, then to folded card.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Africa Collage -After Midnight
• Push Moulds-Witch Doctor -After Midnight
• White cardstock 8 x 11- Fox River
• Scrap of brown cardstock- KMA
• Color wash - espresso, butterscotch - Ranger
• Chalk pastels
• Versamark -Tsukineko
• Verafine - black -Tsukineko
• Black detail embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Black Hot glue
• Hot glue gun
• Metallic Rub-ons -Craf-T
• Mounting tape
  
  Directions

1. Spray white cardstock with color wash. Let dry. Cut a 5 ½ x 11 panel and fold.
2. Stamp and emboss image on the front of the card.
3. Stamp image again with black ink on remaining color washed cardstock and cut out image of the woman and mask. Color with chalks. Mount on card with mounting tape.
4. Stamp mask portion of image on brown paper and color with chalks. Mount on card with mounting tape.
5. Fill mould with hot glue, once cool remove and rub with gold rub-ons. Glue Witch Doctor embellishment to card.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Hawaiian Girl With Flower (AM card 5)
• Push Moulds- Oval Cabochon -After Midnight
• Opalettes embossing powder - Earth tones - After Midnight
• Brown cardstock 8 ½ x 5 ½ - folded - KMA
• White cardstock 8 ½ x 11 - Fox River
• Handmade decorative background paper 4 x 5 ¼
• Color wash - espresso, butterscotch - Ranger
• Chalk pastels
• Verafine - black -Tsukineko
• Fibers
• Double stick tape
• Melting pot - Ranger
• Hot glue gun
  
  Directions

1. Spray white cardstock with color wash. Let dry. Cut a 5 ½ x 4 panel.
2. Stamp Hawaiian girl with flower in black ink. Trim leaving a 1/4 " border. Color with chalks. Mount on decorative paper with eyelets, then to card with tape.
3. Create Oval Cabochon embellishment out of Opals (see: http://www.rubberstampsclub.com/tips/monthly-projects/november04/november04.html for details) Attach to card with fibers using hot glue.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Spring Mask - After Midnight
  Imagine - After Midnight
  
• White Cardstock 6 ½ x 10 - Folded - Fox River
• White Gloss cardstock 6 ¼ x4 ¾ & 3 x 4 ½
• Brayer
• Adirondack pens - butterscotch, red pepper, eggplant, steam, red pepper - Ranger
• Adirondack inkpads - noel, pitch black, bottle, stream, lettuce - Ranger
• Versamark -Tsukineko
• Clear embossing powder- Embossing Candy Store
• Heat gun
• Antistatic bag
• Double stick tape
  
  Directions

1. Apply Noel inkpad to both pieces of gloss cardstock using direct to paper. Heat set.
2. Apply antistatic powder to large cardstock. Emboss Imagine in clear three times on right hand side of large cardstock. Brayers over large cardstock with stream, wipe embossed words with paper towel. Mount on folded card.
3. Brayer over small gloss cardstock with lettuce then bottle. Highlight edges with Red Pepper. Stamp mask in black and color with pens. Mount to card.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Dancing Woman, Line - After Midnight
  Words stamps - Woman, Magic, Why?, Joy, Fate, Vision - After Midnight
  
• Red cardstock 8 ½ x 5 ½ - folded -Fox river
• White glossy cardstock 4 x 5 ¼ - unknown
• Acetate 4 ½ x 5 ½ - staples
• Veramark inkpad -Tsukineko
• Black detail embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Embossing buddy or dryer sheet
• Heat gun
• Glaze pens -Sakura
• Adirondack inkpads - butterscotch, stream - Ranger
• Cosmetic sponge
• Dimensional magic - Plaid
• Double stick tape
  
  Directions

1. Sponge butterscotch and stream Adirondack ink onto edges of glossy cardstock Stamp words in Stream around outside. Mount to folded card.
2. Apply a good amount of embossing buddy or dryer sheet or both to acetate. Stamp and emboss dancing woman on acetate. Color with Glaze pens --to blend colors outline with one color and while it's still wet color in center with another color. Let dry before coloring next area. When completely dry trim closely. Glue to glossy panel with dimensional magic.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Star Woman Rectangle - After Midnight
  Imagine - After Midnight
  Magic - After Midnight
  
• Black cardstock 8 ½ x 5 ½ folded - Astrobrights
• Gold cardstock- unknown
• Acetate - staples
• Stazon - black - Tsukineko
• Brilliance reinker - orchid - Tsukineko
• Ancient page reinker - Amethyst - Color Box
• Gold glitter
• Future Floor Finish
• Tissue paper
• Cosmetic sponge
• Versamark -Tsukineko
• Black detail embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Heat gun
• Mounting tape
• Double stick tape

Directions

1. Stamp Star Woman in black Stazon on acetate. Cover with orchid ink and sprinkle with glitter. Crumple up tissue paper and flatten, lay on top of acetate. Cover with a thin layer of Future Floor Finish. Apply a drop of amethyst reinker to cosmetic sponge and dab onto tissue, pressing it to the acetate. Let dry and cut out.
2. Emboss Imagine and Magic in black on gold cardstock. Attach to black folded card and mount Star Woman with mounting tape.

Supplies

• Rubber Stamps used:
  Star Woman Rectangle - After Midnight
• Eggplant cardstock -KMA
• Lavender cardstock -KMA
• Gold cardstock primitive star die cut - Sizzix
• Star Hole punch -Fiskars
• Fibers
• Gold vellum -KMA
• Clear embossing powder - Embossing Candy Store
• Heat gun
• Acetate - Staples
• Stazon - black
• Brilliance reinker - orchid - Tsukineko
• Ancient page reinker - Amethyst
• Gold glitter
• Future Floor Finish
• Tissue paper
• Cosmetic sponge
• Mounting tape
• Double stick tape
• Vellum tape

Directions

1. Mount focal photo on eggplant then lavender cardstock, Crop and mount remaining photos on lavender cardstock, arrange on page.
2. Punch hole in star die cuts and run fiber through hole & string fibers across page as shown.
3. Print Journaling in multiple fonts on gold vellum, while ink is still wet cover with clear embossing powder, and heat set. Mount on eggplant cardstock with vellum tape, then to page.
4. Stamp Star Woman in black Stazon on acetate. Cover with orchid ink and sprinkle with glitter. Crumple up tissue paper and flatten, lay on top of acetate. Cover with a thin layer of Future Floor Finish. Apply a drop of amethyst reinker to cosmetic sponge and dab onto tissue, pressing it to the acetate. Let dry and cut out. Mount with mounting tape to layout.