Update from the CHA

Hi Artlets!
I'm having lots of trouble posting to this blog.  I don't know if it's the slow wireless connection or what! So frustrating: Waaa!  If you want to see what's been going on at CHA, please check into our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/QuietfireDesign
See you there!
Oh, and reminder to those of you who wanted to take advantage of the Spellbinders 20% off pre-order, Tuesday, Jan 31 is the last day.
Thanks for reading! Suzanne

On the Road (again!)

Hi Artlets!
We're leaving a day early to celebrate my husband's birthday. Tonight we'll be in Santa Monica and then off to CHA in Anaheim on Saturday!

Keep your eye on our Facebook Page, where I'll try to upload photos and information from the conference.  As long as they don't want an arm and a leg for wifi....  Actually, if they want my first-born....

See you online!

Our Butterfly Blog Flutter Winners!

Congratulations!

 to the winners of our Blog Flutter!  All were randomly chosen.  Winners, please contact me with your snailmail address at suzanne @ quietfiredesign.com (take out the spaces!)

Once again, a huge round of applause to the designers who creative such beautiful pieces!

Artwork by Yogi Grunwald

Artwork by Wanda Hentges

Artwork by Robyn Josephs

Artwork by Monica Black

Artwork by Suzanne Cannon

And here are our winners.....

From Yogi's blog:
cindy  b.
Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us. Beautiful!! 

From Suzanne's blog:
ktfabianWhat a wonderful and unique idea! The clock is beautiful and it's obvious, even without reading the directions, that you worked very hard on this project!

From Robyn's blog:

CraftyJo

Fabulous projects - I love them both and will certainly try making a box or two, thanks

From Monica's Blog:

Karen
Stunning! What a lovely format to showcase the beautiful calligraphy. I love it!

From Wanda's Blog:

Nelda

Absolutely gorgeous, as usual! You continue to amaze me with your artistic abilitiy to apply ink to stamp and to cardstock!

Once again, thanks to everyone for commenting - we love your comments!! 

Keep your eyes open for more opportunities to win with Quietfire Design.  Thanks for stopping by today.  Happy creating! Suzanne

Spellbinders Winter 2012 Pre-orders

Since Quietfire Design is a Spellbinders Preferred Stamp Partner, we're particularly interested when they are releasing new items!

Today is the last day of their Blog Hop (and the last day of our Blog Flutter - see my previous post) and you can see all 50 of their new goodies on our Pre-order page here.

The Pre-orders have started coming in and we will leave these items on the web until January 29th when our order will be placed at Spellbinders. 

Spellbinders will be revealing some more new items the first day of the CHA conference (Craft and Hobby Association) beginning January 29th and we should have them on the web that day - in the Pre-order Category along with those just revealed.

Here is some information about our Pre-Orders:
The Pre-order dies are 20% off MSRP until January 29, 2012*. Payment reserves your order. Spellbinders are not shipping these items until the very end of February 2012, so you won't have them till after that! New items may be added daily until then. We will ship your order as soon as the dies arrive at Quietfire. If some dies are delayed, we will contact you letting you know the status.

Orders containing non-pre-order items will be held until the pre-order items are shipped to you, so it's best to do two separate orders!

*You don't see the sale price until the item is in your shopping cart.

Want to have another look at the Spellbinders Blog Hop?  Here is the list of designers and their blogs along with what new toy! tool each demonstrated.  I know it's hard sometimes to know what you want until you see it "in action"!

Congratulations to Spellbinders and all the Spellbinders' Designers for their fabulous creations!
 Note: Each link will open a new window.  The product links go to the Quietfire Design website Spellbinders Pre-order pages.

January 12, 2012

 ·         Debbie Olson http://www.debbiedesigns.typepad.com/

o   Elite

o   Labels Twenty-Five

·         Latisha Yoast http://crafteebee.blogspot.com/

o   Splendid Circles

·         Michelle Woerner http://stopandstamptheroses.blogspot.com/ 

o   Wavy Rectangles

o   Valor

January 13, 2012

 ·         Becca Feeken http://www.amazingpapergrace.com/

o   Persian Accents

o   Persian Motifs

·         Julianna Hudgins  http://juliannaproductions.tumblr.com/

o   Jewel Goddess

o   Jewel Treasures

o   Jewel Stones

·         Julie Overby www.joverby.blogspot.com 

o   Crosses Two 

o   Regal

January 14, 2012 

·         Shanna Vineyard  http://artmadewithheart.blogspot.com/

o   Layered Flowers  

o   Whimsy

·         Kazan Clark http://nunutoolies.blogspot.com/

o   Labels Twenty-Four 

o   Classic Edges Two

o   Decorative Inserts Three

·         Tonya Dirk  http://creativit-tonya.blogspot.com/  

o   Decorative Inserts One

o   Classic Edges One

January 15, 2012

 ·         Samantha Walker http://samanthaleewalker.blogspot.com/

o   Nautical Frame and Accents

o   Antique Frame and Accents

 ·         Christine Emberson http://hope-chances.blogspot.com/

o   Tea Service

o   Flower Fun

·         Lesley Langdon http://lesleylangdoncreative.blogspot.com/

o   Grand Dahlias

January 16, 2012

 ·         Holly Simoni www.hollysimoni.typepad.com

o   Damask Accents

o   Damask Motifs

 ·         Heidi Blankenship http://embellished-dreams.blogspot.com/

o   Floral Burst

o   Elegance

·         Judy Hayes http://judyhayesdesign.blogspot.com

o   Angle Approach

o   Decorative Inserts Six

January 17, 2012

·         Kimberly Crawford www.kimberly-crawford.blogspot.com

o   Square Swatches

o   Decorative Inserts Five

·         Donna Salazar  http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

o   Girlie Grunge Labels

o   Mix'd Media Playtime

o   Mix'd Media Elements

o   Bitty Blossoms

·         Ken Oliver  http://kensworldinprogress.blogspot.com/

o   Nobility

o   Ribbon Buckles

January 18, 2012

·         Linda Duke  http://lindaduke.typepad.com/

o   Romantic Rectangles 

 ·         Sherry Cheever  http://sherrycheever.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/

o   Moroccan Accents

o   Moroccan Motifs

·         AJ Otto  http://thewillowgarden.blogspot.com/

o   Imperial

January 19, 2012 

·         Gloria Stengel  www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com

o   Aster Flower Topper 

o   Decorative Inserts Four

·         Nina Bracket http://ninabdesigns.blogspot.com/

o   Sewing Elements 

o   Home Sweet Home

 ·         Tina McDonald  http://tinamcd-mysanity.blogspot.com/

o   Simplicity

o   Decorative Dress Forms

·         Windy Robinson http://windyrobinson.blogspot.com/

o   Spiral Blossom Three 

o   Splendid

Thanks for stopping by!
Suzanne

Welcome to the Quietfire Design Butterfly Blog Flutter!

Quietfire Design would like to introduce you to the new Butterfly Circles stamp set!  Here is my project using the new Butterfly Circles.

Just comment below and you will be eligible to win a grab bag of Quietfire Design rubber stamps valued at $50!   We will be giving away five grab bags in total and all the names will be drawn on Friday, January 20^th at midnight PST, one name from each blog, so you have lots of time to enter!  Tell your friends!

The Butterfly Circles rubber stamps will remain on special at 20% off throughout the Blog Flutter!

Here is our schedule:

Sunday, January 15th: Yogi   

Monday, January 16th: Suzanne  (You are here!)

Tuesday, January 17th: Robyn  

Wednesday, January 18th: Monica  

Thursday, January 19th: Wanda  

 Each Design Team member will randomly choose a winner from their list of comments, so make sure you’ve commented on each blog.

All winners will be posted on the Quietfire Style blog on Saturday January 21^st. If you are one of our lucky winners, please contact Suzanne privately with your snail mail address within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  (Email address is in the sidebar of the Quietfire Style blog) 

Happy Fluttering  and good luck!!

______

A Butterfly Counts - Walnut Hollow Clock(if you're going to be at the CHA conference, you will see this clock at the Walnut Hollow booth!)

Supplies

Walnut Hollow Round Clock, Small  Item #53212

Walnut Hollow Quartz Clock Movement for 19mm (3.4”) Surfaces  Item #TQ700P
http://www.walnuthollow.com/

Quietfire Design Butterfly Circles Stamp Set

Quietfire Design Butterflies/Dragonflies Stamp Set
FabScraps High Tea Cardstock
White Cardstock
Spellbinders Nestabilities:  Butterflies Two,  Grand Circles
VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea Ink
Jacquard Textile Super White Acrylic Paint
Ranger Distress Crackle Clear Rock Candy Paint
Ink Blending Tool
Distress Inks: Tattered Rose, Brushed Corduroy, DustyConcord
Adirondack Alcohol Ink - Eggplant
Be Creative Double-sided tape
Hole punch

Instructions:

Preparing the wood:

Paint the Round Clock with Neopaque White paint.  Allow to dry and give second coat.  Sand surface if needed or desired.  Apply a fairly thick coat of Distress Crackle around the edges of the clock as well as a couple of inches in from the top edge on the surface and allow to dry naturally.

Use the blending tool to rub on Brushed Corduroy and Dusty Concord to highlight the crackle.  Rub off the excess with a paper towel.

Preparing the paper:

Cut High Tea and white cardstocks to fit clock using Spellbinders Grand Circles as shown.

Stamp Quietfire Design quotation using VersaMagic Purple Hydrangea.  When dry use blending tool to shade in some Tattered Rose colour.

Stamp small butterfly using Purple Hydrangea ink, then cut the image out.

Layer the circles using Be Creative double-sided tape.  Find the center of the layered circles and punch a hole the same diameter as the clock hole.  Attach the cardstock layers to the clock surface. 

Cut four tiny butterflies from the Nestabilities Butterflies Two.  Leave the diecut in the die and using the die as a stencil, color the exposed paper with Purple Hydrangea ink.

 Color the hands of the clock movement with a few drops of Eggplant Alcohol Ink.  Leave the second hand uncolored.  Allow to dry.

Following the instructions on the package, assemble the clock movement with the clock.  Make sure the hanger is oriented so the quotation on the front reads correctly.  Punch a hole in the butterfly cut-out and slide it over the shaft of the movement.  Do not glue or tape it down.  Curl the wings slightly.

Attach the four diecut butterflies at the noon, three, six and nine positions on the clock face.

Add a battery and hang to enjoy!

Butterfly Circles teaser

Just something to keep you going till the Blog flutter.  No, this isn't my contribution to the blog hop, so your comments here won't be counted for a prize.  But I still love comments!!!

Reagents for the synthesis:

Quietfire Design's Butterfly Circles Stamp set

VersaMagic Dewdrops Jumbo Java

Kanban Paper, Farfalla - Coffee Brown Pearl Glaze

Spellbinders Butterfly Circles, Wonderful Wings

Core'dinations Elements Cardstock

Gold Vellum

Ink Blending Tool

Thanks for visiting!

Suzanne

The Quietfire Design Butterfly Blog Flutter

Quietfire Design would like to introduce you to our new Butterfly Circles stamp set!  Each day one of our designers will be posting brand new artwork they have created using this set.  Visit their blog on the day of their featured project, post a comment on their Blog Flutter project post and you will be eligible to win a grab bag of Quietfire Design rubber stamps valued at $50!   We will be giving away five grab bags in total and all the names will be drawn on Friday, January 20^th at midnight PST, one name from each blog, so you have lots of time to enter!  Tell your friends!

The Butterfly Circles rubber stamps will remain on special at 20% off throughout the Blog Flutter!

Each Design Team member will be randomly choosing a winner from their list of comments, so make sure you’ve commented on each blog.

All winners will be posted on the Quietfire Style blog on Saturday January 21^st. If you are one of our lucky winners, please contact Suzanne privately with your snail mail address within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.  (Her email address is in the sidebar of the Quietfire Style blog) 

Here is our schedule:

Sunday, January 15th: Yogi  

Monday, January 16th: Suzanne 

Tuesday, January 17th: Robyn  

Wednesday, January 18th: Monica  

Thursday, January 19th: Wanda  

 Happy Fluttering  and good luck!!

Conference Video from Celebration 2003

Thanks to Barb Qualley of the Warmland Calligraphers for passing on this link.  I hadn't seen this video and it's a very good representation of what goes on.  The conferences are eye candy overload!

Most of the instructors interviewed teach regularly and are the top of the calligraphic heap!  I loved Diane von Arx Anderson's comment at about 8:40 about style - I happens on its own when you're learning the traditional forms.  So true.  And my addition: Style is part of your genetic, cultural and historical makeup and is uniquely yours.

I had to look for the banner that has my lettering on it, but didn't see it!  I might not be able to go to the conferences, but my lettering does!
Enjoy!

Queen of Hearts 2012 Challenge Announcement

Two years ago byhandartist Judy Lawton suggested we should have a Valentine's challenge with a Queen of Hearts theme.  Now it's become an annual tradition!

Here is what you do:

1. Create a piece of artwork using the theme Queen of Hearts (just make sure it's got a heart somewhere!). It can be a card or an atc or a tip in for your altered book or a journal page or a canvas or whatever you are working on these days. You do not have to use Quietfire products to play (although I'd love to see your artwork using them!).
2. Post your creation on your blog.
3. Then come to the Quietfire Style blog (that's here!) on February 14. I'll create a special blog post just for it.
4. Add a link to your blog post displaying your Queen of Hearts artwork to the special Queen of Hearts blog post here! Easy peasy! Addition of links will be cut off at midnight (PST) on the 14th, so make sure you add it in so you can be eligible for the draw prizes.
5. Prizes, you say Suzanne? Yes! We'll have draws for bags of rubber stamps! Three randomly drawn lucky people will receive $50 worth of rubber stamps each! Spread the word to your friends! The more the merrier!

Don't have a blog? Come join us at Quietfire Creations, create a page and add your photo there! (but don't forget to come here to add your link back to your artwork.)

Create without Limits!

Feel free to right-click, save and add this smaller badge to your blog with a link back here to the instructions at
http://quietfirestyle.blogspot.com/2012/01/queen-of-hearts-2012-challenge.html

Have fun, my Valentines!