Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps May Preview

Gosh how time fly by. Sorry for being absent from my blog space, been rather swamped with work!

Anyway, its time for Sparke Creations Rubber Stamps' monthly preview. For those who don't know I illustrate the rubber stamps for the SCRS store and each month Sparkle (the lovely owner) releases two new stamps. And her talented design team showcase their craft skills using the new stamps!

Today SCRS is previewing Expecting Emily stamp! Sparkle is giving away a stamp to one lucky winner so follow this link to find out how! All new stamps will be available to buy on Saturday 12th May 2012.
In the mean time check out some of the beautiful cards the design team has come up with!

Amber Hight

Danielle Lounds

Naomi Gong

Now I am feeling guilty as I have missed last months' preview! I hope it's not too late to showcase Ballerina Ruby and Baseball Oliver stamps! Both available from the SCRS store!

And check out some of these cards created by the talented craft makers! It so inspiring seeing how my black and white line drawings are transformed into colourful cards!
You can check out more at SCRS Facebook page!



Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps: March Release

Woo Hoo! Two new march releases are available now at Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps store. This month is all about engagement and wedding! I had so much fun illustration these images!

First up is Engaged Lucy. Sparkle asked for a second drat for this one, it ended up being better than the first :)

Check out all the wonderful work by the SCRS Design Team!

Amber Hight

Kim Yu

Margie Cortina

I drew Engaged Lucy during end of last November, and funnily enough my man proposed to me on the 25th! So it was such a nice coincidence and a surprise! :)

Naturally the second stamp is Mr. & Mrs. featuring Josh and Emily!

And again the design team has made some amazing cards using this stamp!

Danielle Lounds

Simonne Clay

Thanh Vo



Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps February releases!

Gosh! I have been so busy lately! Moved twice during the past three months! 

We have finally settled into our new flat now... still living amongst boxes but all the essentials are accessible. Except there's not enough power points at this new place and I have actually ran out of extension cords....so my PC is set up next to the freezer right now.

Also my laptop's charger has decided to die out on me. So no laptop... which means no scanner or printer, as my 15years old scanner and printer does not want to be compatible with my PC's Windows7. Hence I kept my laptop as Windows XP. Sucks, there's nothing wrong with my scanner and printer, yet Windows 7 decided to reject both. Feels wrong to buy new ones when the old ones are working fine... oh what to do...

Anyway, enough of me moaning. Here goes some belated announcement of February releases at the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps, starting with Leprechaun Oliver! St Patricks days aren't really celebrated in NZ so I am glad to get the opportunity to illustrate for this particular festive season.

 

I love how Kerri used this stamp to make this beautiful 

St Patrick's Gift Box! Isn't she just clever

 

Pam was SCRS's February guest designer.

 

And I looove the funkiness of Savannah's design!

Easter Bunny Ruby was the second stamp that was released this month. When Sparkle asked me to do a Easter Bunny Ruby I immediately wanted to put her in some fluffy bunny ears poncho and fluffy bunny feet! Glad she liked my rough!

Simonne fascinates me with her cute design!

Margie inspires me with her attention to detail!

 Also another little release... from January actually! Poor Tea Set Rin was ignored by me last month, I was totally overwhelmed with work, packing and moving. Better late than never though, here goes Tea Set Rin!

Another beautiful card by Simonne!

All these new stamps are all available from the Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps store so check them out!

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps: January 2012 preview 1

Hello everyone and welcome to the first day of Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps 2012 January previews!
For those who don't know I design the SCRS stamps (based on eight characters I have created). Each month Sparkle Smith, the owner of the store release new stamps which creative people purchase for card making, scrap booking, label making etc.

Today SCRS is previewing Nurse Lucy! All new stamps will be available to buy on Saturday, January 14th, 2012 from the online store. Sparkle will be giving away a Nurse Lucy rubber stamp to one lucky person! For a chance to WIN follow the instructions here.
 
In the mean while check out some beautiful creations by some of the designers from the SCRS design team! Loving all the different textures, colours and patterns!!!
 

Margie Cortina

 Amber Hight

December Release: Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps

Two new stamps have been added to the Sparkle Creations Rubber stamps store! The first is Hokey Oliver!

I didn't know until I have read Sparkle's blog, her hubby is a hokey player. Hope he approves of my illustration...

As expected Simonne has created a beautiful card with this new stamp! If you read her post you will see that she did a bit of research to make sure she got all the proportions right for the Union Jack Flag.

The second new stamp is Ice Skating Chloe! I wish I was as active as her... I was bought up in Nagano (a city where they held winter Olympic Sports some years ago...) During winter there would be ice skating classes at my old primary school. I think I was the only one who couldn't skate, even after two winter seasons! I guess I just suck at it...

Anyway, Chloe went through a couple to roughs to get things right!

Above is a very cute card made by Kim. Loving the colour combinations and the added ribbon!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I hope everyone is starting to enjoy the Xmas season now that we are well into the festive month! Here is a little illustration of Summer Santa in a wetsuit to help bring on the spirit (it's summer now here in NZ).

I remember the cold and cozy white Christmas when I was still living in Japan. We lived in a rural town called Nagano. It fell well below minus10 degrees Celsius during winter and we spent the Christmas making snow huts and eating snow with strawberry candies (tasted like strawberry slushies).
Now being living in New Zealand for over 20 years I'm really enjoying the summer Christmas here. People get very active during the summer break! Also we still get "white Christmas" at home as our garden has overgrown and we have white flowers (weed) everywhere! (not an ideal place for hay fever sufferers...)

Anyway Only a little left of 2011, will make the most f it! Back to work!

May preview: Relaxing Charlotte

Today Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps is showing sneak peeks of it's second new stamp of the month, Relaxing Charlotte! This is perfect for those who love spa days or just a nice bubble bath! 

Sparkle will be giving away this new stamp to one lucky person! For a chance to win click HERE and follow the blog hop! Sparkle has already announced the lucky winner of Shopping Emily from yesterday's hop! So don't miss your chance!

I'm not part of the blog hop, but as the illustrator for the company, I thought I could share the work process of the new stamp.

 

When Sparkle briefed me to do a bathing Charlotte I immediately thought that she would look so classy in a classic claw foot bathtub! I always wanted one of those in my house!

And here goes my version of the coloured up Charlotte!

I adore how Shaela Odd used the stamp! I love her use of mixed media!

May Preview! Shopping Emily!

Today Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps and the Design Team are showing sneak peeks of Shopping Emily! She's perfect for those hard core shoppers and fashionitas! All new stamps will be available on Saturday, May 14th.

Sparkle will be giving away a Shopping Emily to one lucky person! For a chance to win, you need join the blog hop to comment on all of the designer's blogs listed here!. Then head on back to the SCRS blog and comment on the Emily post. You have until midnight EST each day to comment. The lucky winner will be announced the following day!

I am not part of the blog hop but thought people might be interested in seeing the work process of this rubber stamp image! :)

 

 

And here goes my finished version of Emily. Couldn't resist leaving her as just a line drawing!

I hope everyone has fun with the stamp once it goes on sale. I love how Simonne Clay used the stamp! Lovely colours and patterns!

Sparkle Creations: Lucy, Josh and Mother's day.

I have been illustrating the designs for Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps store since it's launch last year. These stamps are ideal people who are into crafts, card making and scrap booking!
Sparkle Smith, the store owner, runs weekly and monthly challenges where people can upload their creations and win Sparkle Creations stamps!
Here goes my work process of Cafe Lucy stamp!

 When Sparkle initially briefed me for an image of Lucy with Coffee I came up with Lucy in a teacup rough (holding onto a sugar cube). But Sparkle suggested for a Cafe scenario and we ended up with a stylish Lucy!
When I do these I get the urge to colour them in... but it's more fun seeing how other designers incorporate the stamps into their crafts!

I love how Lisa Hjulberg used this stamp!

 

When I drew Cafe Lucy I also completed Street Corner Josh.

 

The initial rough started off as relaxing Josh on a rocking chair. I like how it turned out. Lisa Seabrook always inspires me with her creations!

Anyway for those who are stuck with ideas for Mother's Day gift why not check out Charlotte stamps. They are ideal for making a personal card! I love these ones made by Simonne Clay!

Dad's Birthday Card

May the 17th was dad's Birthday.

Oh dad, you have always worked so hard to support all of us!

Thank you dad. We are so grateful that you were born into this world. It is because of you that we are a such a carefree happy family!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

(I'm the one looking out the window with my 19year old cat, my sister and brothers are on the roof, mum is on the balcony. Dad's being himself and being happy knowing that his effort is making his family happy!)

Mothers Day Card

Happy Mothers Day!

"We know we are all ripe enough to be picked, but we just love you we don't wanna leave!

Thank you for bringing us into this world.

Thank you for feeding us.

Thank you for guiding us.

Thank you for inspiring us.

Thank you for LOVING us!"

Mum I just can't thank you enough for everything you have done. You're such a great person, as a mother, as dad's wife, as grandparents daughter, as a piano teacher, as a conductor, and as a person. I grew up thinking that you were the best mum in the whole world, now I not only continue to believe that but more- you are one of the most greatest people in the world. You inspire me so much, and the older I get this feeling only grows. Thank you for bringing me into this world, I am so happy to be your daughter.

This year's card is inspired by the idea of you mothering us five siblings, your gardens, and the countless animals and fish you have brought into our almost-zoo-like-family. (I couldn't fit our horse, sheep, cows and goats in the tree, or the pigeons, doves, quails etc etc)

 Even though we don't all live at home you keep watering us with love and our roots will forever connect us back to you as our HOME. Now that we are almost fully matured hopefully you will let us shelter you!

Note that I am right in the middle with my cat, Dorothy, given to me from Santa. She will be turning 19 this year! Since leaving home mum has been looking after her for me, sadly Dorothy doesn't not how to live in the city, she is much happier living on our farm with all the other animals. I do miss her so much!

Rabbit and the Ocean Fish

A illustration I started at 3am and managed to finish around 7am, shoved it through the printer with a message "Merry Xmas Mum and Dad". Me and my siblings quickly wrote some heart warming messages and we managed to slide it under the Xmas tree (along with a little clay-kodama, a Ghibli movie character, my sister made and a nice wood-piece carved by my brothers) before my parents got to the tree..... Im sure they're getting used to our last-minute-being-santas.. the card must've been stilll warm when they open it.