Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #447

It's time for another Cupcake Inspirations Challenge, and STAMPlorations is the sponsor this time, so I'm excited to be one of the STAMPlorations designers guesting over at CIC. The theme is Food and Drink, my favourite! I could not resist inking up the delicious ice cream cone from STAMPlorations Sweet Cravings using Distress Markers. I stamped a sentiment from the same set in black and added Washi tape.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sweet Cravings

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Card kit using Clear Stickers

Today I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog, showing a card kit I made. This kit consists of four cards made using ARTplorations stencils and Distress Inks, with matching envelopes. However, I didn't add any sentiments to the cards, instead, I included card strips which the card kit recipient can use to add a custom sentiment. This is super easy using the new STAMPlorations Clear Stickers. For my kit, I used the Just Everyday Greetings, but you could use another set of stickers if you prefer. I like this set as it has a great all-round selection of sentiments. And during August you will get 30% off the Clear Stickers (see the end of the post for details).

I used the Abstract Oats stencil and Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Wild Honey and Vintage Photo. I added some ink splatters onto the card for added texture.

Next, I inked the card using Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire to ink the card and splattered it with water. Then I inked Black Soot through the Bloom Silhouettes stencil. 

I inked Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Worn Lipstick and Wilted Violet ink through the Lupinus stencil. 

For my last card, I inked Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Mermaid Lagoon and Blueprint Sketch through the Peacock Feathers stencil.

All of the cards have a strip of card which I haven't attached to the card. It has a strip of double-sided tape on the back. Any of the sentiment stickers can be added to the strips, the excess trimmed with scissors and then the strip can be adhered to the card. As the images on the cards would work with any of the sentiments, this will allow the recipient of the card kit to use the most appropriate sentiments based on their needs.

I also created a storage box for the cards and envelopes. I used some ombre orange card and stencilled the Abstract Oats on the top of the box.

I hope this inspired you to create something fun using the STAMPlorations Clear Stickers!

Stencils: ARTplorations Abstract Oats, Bloom Silhouettes, Lupinus, Peacock Feathers

Stickers: STAMPlorations Just Everyday Greetings Clear Stickers

Ink: Tim Holz Distress Ink

Clear Stickers are 30% off with code CLEAR30 Coloring Books are 25% off with code COLOR25 Clear Stamps* are 25% off with code STAMP25 *Excludes newly released stamps. Codes may be used multiple times per customer throughout promotion period. All 3 codes may be used together in one order. BYOCS/Stamp club subscribers: use your personal coupon code with the codes for 50% to 70% off on qualifying items + your free shipping code on your order of at least $30.

Put at least $25 worth of products in your cart then use code SHIPFREE25 on checkout.

*Free shipping offer to US addresses only. Code will take $5 off shipping to Canada and other countries. Code can be combined with current promotion codes. Free shipping code limited to 3 uses per customer/shipping address. Ends Saturday, August 31, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Colourful Swallowtail

The current challenge over at CAS Watercolour is Colourful Butterflies. My absolute favourite butterfly stamp is this old Swallowtail stamp from Stampin' Up which I feel I can use over and over and over, and constantly find new ways of using it. This time I decided to use the faux watercolour technique. 

I coloured the stamp with Tim Holtz Distress markers and spritzed it with water before stamping onto watercolour paper. The first time, I didn't quite manage to place the stamp as I wanted it, so I used that first attempt for my tag, die cutting it with Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I heat embossed a sentiment in white using STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2 to the tag. 

My second attempt at stamping the swallowtail turned out better as I was patient enough to ensure even pressure all across the stamp and really pressing it into the paper before removing it. I added a sentiment using STAMPlorations Happy Birthday and splattered some ink onto the white space for added interest.

I'm also linking up the card over at Cardz4Galz where the theme is Wings, Seize the Birthday where the theme is Butterflies and Stamping Sensations where the theme is Things with Wings.

Stamps: Stampin' Up Swallowtail, STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2, Happy Birthday

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine, Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

Colouring With Stamps

Happy Monday! Hope this will turn out to be a good week for you. I suffer from an issue that is surely troubling many of you - my day job keeps getting in the way of crafting... Anyhow, I'm blogging over on the STAMPlorations blog today showcasing a few cards I made using the "colouring with stamps" technique which Shery, the creative and talented owner of STAMPlorations has perfected to an art form. I thought I would try my hand at it, and hopefully, you will be inspired to try it too. It works best on images which don't have too many tiny and delicate details, although I love the look when the colour splotches extend a bit beyond the stamped image. If you like stamping, you will love this technique as you get to stamp a lot! If you don't have any suitable "splotchy" stamps, you can use the reverse of some small round-ish stamps, that works well too.

For my first card, I stamped the Radiant Roses in black and used stamps from Art Marks to colour in the roses using Distress Oxides. I also stamped some ink spots in the bottom part of the card, before adding the sentiment from Bold Sentiments: Hashtag Authentic.

For my second card, I stamped the French Marigold Large, and this time I used Distress Inks to colour the flower. I added a sentiment from Noteworthy 3 and splattered some green ink on the card front for added interest.

For my third card, I decided to go with pastel colours. I stamped the Classic Calla Lilies along the long side of the card, before again using the splotch stamps from Art Marks to colour the florals with Distress Inks. The sentiment is from Noteworthy 3.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Radiant Roses, Art Marks, Bold Sentiments: Hashtag Authentic, French Marigold Large, Noteworthy 3, Classic Calla Lilies
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Oxides and Inks

There are some fantastic offers in the STAMPlorations store in August. Don't forget to check them out if you are looking to extend your crafty stash.
Clear Stickers are 30% off with code CLEAR30 Coloring Books are 25% off with code COLOR25 Clear Stamps* are 25% off with code STAMP25
*Excludes newly released stamps. Codes may be used multiple times per customer throughout promotion period. All 3 codes may be used together in one order. BYOCS/Stamp club subscribers: use your personal coupon code with the codes for 50% to 70% off on qualifying items + your free shipping code on your order of at least $30.

CAS Cacti

Today's card is a one-layer card, my favourite kind! I was inspired by the desert theme over at Cupcake Inspirations to stamp these succulents which I hope are close enough to the theme? I was also inspired by the colours over at Color Throwdown and I'm linking up over at Just Add Ink where the challenge is "Just add C" (cactus in my case) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes. 

I stamped the cute little succulents from STAMPlorations Succulently, masking the first one before stamping the other one behind it. I coloured them with Copics and added a sentiment from the same set. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Succulently

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

National Colouring Book Day with STAMPlorations

Did you celebrate National Colouring Book Day on Friday? I have to admit I missed it, but the great news is that over on STAMPlorations we celebrate all month! Today I'm here to showcase some projects for the STAMPloraitons National Colouring Book Day linky party. I love colouring. Usually, I colour stamped images, but sometimes it's lovely to not have to think about creating an image to colour, but just pull out your pencils or markers and get going. I love it if I am in a creative slump and really can't get going at all. And a colouring book is great to take away when travelling, all you need is the book and a small number of pencils. Sometimes not having access to a large selection of colours can be really interesting too. Great entertainment on long flights!

If you want to join us for National Colouring Book Day, there is a free digital colouring page for you to download on the STAMPlorations blog. You can also win great prizes (including a colouring book!) if you comment on the post or join the linky party using the free digi.

Did you know that there are three STAMPlorations colouring books? They are perfect for cardmaking and other types of crafting, you could use them for art journals, tags, ATCs or just to colour for the joy of colouring! I created two projects using a colouring page from the Bloomtangled colouring book.

Just getting started...

I used Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils for colouring the page. I used the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies to cut a panel for my card from the coloured page, and matted it onto black card. I then found a perfect strip of vellum in my random stash box, and heat embossed a sentiment from Noteworthy 2 in black shimmery embossing powder to complete the card. 

I used Stitched Tags Nesting Dies to die cut a tag from the rest of the colouring page, and adhered it to a white card panel cut with the same die. This time I used some water to blend the colours. I think they become more vibrant this way. I used the leftover piece of the vellum to stamp the sentiment, again from Noteworthy 2. I hope these projects inspired you to colour something, and don't forget to download the free digi and join us for the linky party over on the STAMPlorations blog.

I'm linking up my card over at Fusion Card Challenges, Just Add Ink where the challenge is "Just add C" (my C is colour, colouring, colouring book and contrast) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything goes this week. I'm also linking up my tag over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is bright and cheerful.

Colouring book: STAMPlorations Bloomtangled

Stamps: STAMPlorations Noteworthy 2

Dies: CUTplorations Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

There are some great offers in the STAMPlorations store in August, including (of course!) a colouring book sale!!

Clear Stickers are 30% off with code CLEAR30 Coloring Books are 25% off with code COLOR25 Clear Stamps* are 25% off with code STAMP25