The Votes Are In--The Winner is Announced! Tree of Life Karen Steadman's Tree of  Life is the first prize winner. Congratulations Karen! "Simple and elegant . . . beautiful" was used most often to describe Karen's entry. " ". . . really lets the characteristics of the wood show." There was a four-way tie for second place: Yogi "It would make a great man's card. I especially like her combination of textures, " and "Tough to choose, but I kept going back to Yogi's 'Best Wishes' because of all the wonderful textures. It also included a bit of stamping, which I'm partial to, but it was the use of the cork that sealed the deal for me. It's a perfect compliment to the veneer! Nice layout, too.... "                                Two of Ida's entries tied for Second Place. "Not easy to find a favorite but there is one piece Ida Abshier did where she used the whole pigment stamp pad as her background color. . . It just works so wonderfully well here. . ." "Ida and the artsy woman image on the soft color block background. I think she achieved the 'less is more' look beautifully." Jeanette's "Floosey Red Magnet" also merited a second place mention even though, as hostess for the Challenge and Judge she wouldn't be eligible for a prize. Other comments included: "The Amen of Nature". It's simple and complex at the same time, and I love the colors chosen. The statement I say "Amen" to! Such a warm, welcoming card . . . It shines! Like the use of the wood for the guitar. . .so fitting somehow. Tough to choose. Very cute. I had a hard time [choosing] between three entries. There are so many lovely things here. Not easy to find a favorite. Lots of good entries with a nice mix of ideas. Hope it won't be . . . last. Bookmarks prove wood veneer can be delicate and feminine as well as masculine. Post-It Note holder such a good idea.   Thanks everyone for taking the time to vote and for leaving your comments for the artists.   New Challenge announced next weekend. Check back then.
Jeanette Waters Invites Us to "Give Wood Veneer a Try" Jeanette Waters is a familiar presence here at gg designs. She discovered us through Rubberstampchat and participated actively since then. She designed a sketch for the January Challenge this year and has participated in virtually every other challenge presented. In one email to gg designs, Jeanette said, "Your stamps are my favorites to use on the veneer. They just seem made for each other." With some encouragement (OK...begging and pleading!) Jeanette agreed to do a tutorial on using wood veneer. CHECK IT OUT >>> CLICK HERE The tutorial was presented in preparation for this September Challenge. The September Challenge Wasn't Even Announced Before.......                    Yogi sent us this: Click on the card to go to Yogi's Blogspot to see all the details and learn more about how she put this card together.                   Followed by two more cards:
			The design above would make an elegant box top for a gift of stationary and a good fountain pen! Does anyone still write letters? Or has email and text messaging made this a dying art?
Both of these cards are linked to Yogi's Blog where she gives you the construction details and some interesting insights into her experiences using wood veneer with her Cuttle Bug. Did you know that some of the cards you see here are available to purchase on Yogi's site? Check it out. Spend some time browsing there to see the wonderful variety of cards available.
		<<<<gg designs images Yogi used in the cards above.

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Bookmarks	Boxes
Postcard	Guitar Card
	Audrey Roseman is very familiar with the use of wood veneer, as shown by these examples she sends.

Ida Abshier is also no stranger to the use of wood veneer.....she writes: Hi . . . I have been stamping on veneer for a number of years, in fact, I guess you could say "vintage" veneer. When my son was in high school in 1976, he took a wood working class and I was so impressed with his skill that I ordered a large veneer sample package ( about 30 X 16 and 7 inches high). He built me a beautiful Grandfather clock but never used one piece of veneer. It just took up space in the garage for more than 12 years. One day I decided to either chunk it or cut it into 8 X 12 sheets. Well I had a ball with it. I ran it thru my Xyron machine and backed it with card stock so it wouldn't splinter, then I cut it with my paper chopper. I have made many cards over the years and I still have a few in my stash. . . . "Matisse Nude" was on Birch. For the background I used a Tsukineko Splendor multicolor pigment ink pad direct to wood technique. Stamped the image with Black Stazon and mounted it onto a gold mat, then attached it to a black card with gold brads. The [second] card was made with [gg designs] leaf stamp. I stamped it on an old dictionary page,* then cut out the image with my postage stamp paper shapers. I think I used a decoupage medium to seal it as it does have a shine. I made quite a few of these for the men in my family . . . Ida *ggd: Can't you just see a future Challenge......Use "found" backgrounds???
gg designs images>>>     Just a Note and Mini  Calla Lily
The watermark is very subtle and may    not show up on your monitor.
Ida: I used a watermark pad on the dk. brown paper. Only the daisy border and greeting are wood, stamped with a dk.brown chalk pad. ggd: This image is a "blast from the past." It was in the first on line Cyberstampers' (now defunct) Convention. The first on line event in which ggd ever participated. It is called "Daisy Medallion."  can be found in the Words and Phrases section of the catalog. ggd: Oh my gosh! Another Challenge idea......Make a card or other item using the first stamp and the most recent stamp you purchased.
"You are special" is in the Words and Phrases section of the catalog and the flower images are included in the teapot set.
ggd asked Ida if she had turned into some kind of Wood Veneer Factory: You could say that! I still have a bunch of pieces already preped. I find it difficult to find ink pads that show up well. I have found the chalk and dye pads work best. Pigments are okay if you emboss with clear powder. She went on to say: I am now going to clean up my mess and boy I do mean MESS !!! After all is straight, I am going to take my nap (happy hour, love that little stamp). . . . I may start up again! ----------------------- The "little stamp" she is referring to is this one:

From Sally Bowen:   I'm brand new to wood veneer. This is my first! ggd: Not only first time for wood veneer but, first time in a Gazette Challenge. Thanks for participating and making it more fun!

From Jeanette Waters: I made a pin from a piece of veneer that I was stamping for something else. I had ruined my piece by smudging it. I just cut off the bad part, did a little coloring with permanent marker and colored pencil, added a pin back and ta da....I've got a new pin to wear. One of your entrants might recognize the image. I was lucky enough to receive this very nice stamp in a request for veneer. I've already used it a couple of times. --------------------------- ggd: What a great "Oops" recovery! Proof a crafter cannot be undone by a smudge!!! There are no mistakes.....just opportunities to do something else.  Plus.....doesn't this too (Like Ida's "found" background) have the ring of yet another challenge?
	My Refrig Magnets   <<<<<<< I did a Floozy Red one. ggd--"Floosy?" We're not sure about that! "Pretty" certainly!
	This group of three uses things that I've picked up at the beach or in my yard. The natural items all had a bleach bath before bringing in the house.
Jeanette has shown us plenty of "other than cards" ideas....for veneer, certainly but useful with other materials as well.

	The Longest       Trip......  This book, from Maralee Garst took a side trip to Texas and got lost in the "Veneer Shuffle!"
But the lost is found and all is well. What a great "little gift" idea for the holidays. Make a couple to have on hand and you'll never get "caught" in that embarrassing predicament where someone brings you a "token" gift and you have nothing in return!

	Tree of Life
Directions: Composition Book Two sheets of wood veneer - I finished these with natural Minwax stain but acrylic spray would work too Designer paper Oval cutter (I used Creative Memories) Dreamweaver Tree of Life stencil Embossing paste, versamark, Judikins Sticky Powder, red gold leaf Paper for tree of life stencil Flourishes Flourish set Gold marker Gold sheer ribbon Encore gold ink Sparkle N Sprinkle brushable glue Red line or Miracle tape 1" punch Craft sandblock Step 1: Using Tree of Life stencil, created a red gold leaf tree of life (see instructions on Dreamweaver site) Step 2: Cut DP and wood veneer to size. Decided I wanted the entire inside of the comp book covered but wanted a portion of the black tape on the comp book to show. Step 3: Cut oval in front piece of veneer to outline the Tree of Life. Step 4: Using thin redline or Miracle tape, taped Tree of Life to front piece of veneer. Step 5: Pasted wood veneer back to comp book with brushable glue. I wanted to make sure I could 'wiggle' the piece into the correct place. Step 6: Pasted wood veneer with Tree of Life to the front. Step 7: Decided blue side of DP wouldn't work; decided to use the green side to match the green of the Tree of Life. Step 8: Cut gold ribbon and backed with Miracle tape. Taped to back and front over the veneer and the black binding so the end of the veneer wouldn't 'catch' and leaving about an inch top and bottom to be covered by DP later. Step 9: Needed a ribbon book mark. Taped ribbon to back inside cover. Created a wood veneer and DP 1" square end (ribbon would have frayed so this was a solution!) for the end of the ribbon. Stamped Flourishes flourish and punched, inked ends. Punched 1" square of DP and inked ends. Put lots of Miracle tape on wrong side DP and positioned as a diamond at the end of the ribbon. Put more tape where ribbon covered the original tape and taped the wood veneer flourish over the ribbon to the DP square. Step 10: Not enough gold on the edges of the diamond! Got out the gold marker and carefully edged the diamond. Used scrappaper masks on the points already on the ribbon - worked perfectly! Step 11: Glued DP to the back inside cover - perfect match. Step 12: Glued DP to the front inside cover, not so perfect. Used craft knife to fix - scan taken before I sanded the bottom edge. Looks perfect now. . . Step 13: Sand diamond edges of bookmark to remove any bumps, lumps of tape. --------------------------------------- Sample and comprehensive directions provided by RubberStampChat's "Pieces and Pom" AKA--Karen Steadman.
	Another from    Karen
Dreamweaver [stencil] Lily of the Valley with Ladybug charm mini notebook. I just used a piece of Pat's [The Wood Veneer Man] paper-backed veneer cut to go around the notebook making sure the grain of the veneer was vertical. I have pieces of very sticky tape on the hinge of the notebook as well as additional strips about an 1/8" away from the first tape on the front and back covers. It's holding up very well. A thin piece . . .was attached to the bottom of the 'little brown book' as an accent and thinner strips around the embossed Dreamweaver Lily of the Valley stencil. I had this ladybug charm and adhered it with Crystal Efffects. The scan doesn't show all the green chalk highlights due to the 'shimmer' off the wood veneer. Karen
More from Karen........ Wood Veneer Slider Box Top for Tea Light Candles Materials: 1 6 1/8” – 6 ¼” X 5” piece of veneer, grain going the length of the piece 4 ½” X 5” pieces of veneer 1 6” by 1 ¼” veneer for mat, cut up a postcard for this 1 3/8” punch or second circle in the large classic circle set of Nestabilities Crop-o-dile or 1/8” punch Tea lights Tissue paper Heat gun Stamps and ink for tissue paper Using directions for the template found on Paper Craft Plant I created a box bottom for 4 tea light candles out of Georgia Pacific 110 lb paper from Wal-Mart. You could use veneer, too, but I’m being frugal with my veneer right now. I stamped leaves from Rubber Stamp Tapestry’s “Fall Leaves and Acorns” set on about a 5” X 6” piece of tissue paper in various colors of inks. I then used my Nesties to cut 4 1 3/8” circles from the stamped tissue paper. Be sure to punch the tissue paper with cardstock so you get a clean cut or punch! Using my Crop-o-dile I punched a 1/8” hole in the middle of my tissue paper circles using a cardstock circle as a backing. I placed one tissue paper circle over the wick of each candle and using the heat gun ‘melted’ the tissue paper onto the top of each tea light candle. My tea light candles are scented and have a bump up in the middle – my tissue paper didn’t lay down completely smooth but they smell delicious! Once cooled, I adhered the ½” X 5” pieces of veneer around the sides of the tea light candles with red line tape. I found the 6 1/8” X 5” template length didn’t work for these candles. I increased the length to 6 ¼.” I scored the veneer per the directions for the slider box top going with the grain of the veneer. Going across the grain would cause breakage and possible splinters, yucky mess. So far I’ve decorated the red maple/ cherry slider box top with designer paper and another scrap piece of veneer. I decorated a mahogany/ walnut box top with a 1 ¼ “ X 6” piece of a birch or light maple postcard with Nestie square cut outs and some punched red mahogany/cherry and red maple/cherry Marvy punched leaves for embellishment. Hope you come up with lots more ideas – I’m thinking bigger leaf stamps, more stamping on the veneer before it’s scored for the box topper and dreaming about what veneer to use for Christmas tea light candles! Thanks to Lori, for letting me share her template and ideas as applied to a wood veneer project.
I've got so many more ideas for these - I hope they sell at the church fair in November 'cause they are so fun to make! Hope you come up with lots more ideas – I’m thinking bigger leaf stamps, more stamping on the veneer before it’s scored for the box topper and dreaming about what veneer to use for Christmas tea light candles!
Click here to visit: Lori's Blog Spot  and if you click on this link you will be able to download an Acrobat file with complete directions.  Paper Craft Planet

What is it about veneer cards? Kind of like peanuts....you can't do just one! And we're glad! Gives us so much more "eye candy" to enjoy and to learn from. (OK! OK! "from which to learn!" But somehow, correct or not, it sounds so stillted and stuffy!) Lurking is allowed but participation is applauded!!! Show us your stuff!                                      Remember to Vote!!! Give your reasons and vote. We will add your comments (anonymously) and will announce the winner on September 30. My Vote for the Wood Veneer Project Winner is:

Sketch Challenges and Throw Down Links : •  October 2008--Heather Presents The First Sketch Challenge •  January 2009--Jeanette Waters' Sketch Challenge •  February 2009--Valentine Challenges •  March/April 2009--Bonus Challenges •  May 09--Mother's Day Cards Don't forget...all participants are eligible for a prize! A stamp from any store in theMiniMall or three choices from the 99¢ Store •  Male Mail & Father's Day Cards--Gone but not forgotten...refer to this page when you get "stuck" for ideas for the men in your lives. •  July Slice ' Dice Samples continues until August 14. Winner announced August 15.

September STAMP OF THE MONTH $15.00  $13.00 This set is included here because it lends itself to wood veneer. The Stamp of the Month is also the prize for the September winner.

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	Check the INDEX page (link above) for alphabetical listings. or enter a name/phrase below: Please report broken links to: STAMPSggdesigns@aol.com gg designs no longer produces single images. All new designs are "sets" in three sizes. 2010 Prices:       • Quarter Sheet $8.00    • Half Sheet $15    • Full Sheet $28 Single images are sold if they are in stock or are specifically ordered, at the price listed in the catalog.