National Coffee Day Blog Hop

To celebrate National Coffee Day, Coffee Loving Cardmakers are hosting a great big blog hop. If you usually participate in the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog hops you know they usually involve linking up cards, but this time the blog hop is a bit different. All you have to do this time is hop along and leave a comment for all the sponsors and you can win lots of great prizes. STAMPlorations is stop #15 in the hop and by commenting on the main post and the posts from the STAMPlorations designers you can win prizes! And if you don't win a prize, you can always stock up on your coffee themed crafty stash using the 15% discount in the STAMPlorations store (discount applied automatically).

For my coffee themed card, I started by stamping Trendy Leaves in Versafine Onyx Black around the edges of a piece of watercolour card. I coloured the panel with watercolours, and inked Vintage Photo Distress ink through the Leaf Prints Mini stencil. I stamped the big coffee mug from Anywhere There's Coffee on watercolour card, coloured the mug with watercolours, inked Vintage Photo through the very apt Dots n' Beans stencil and added a coffeelicious sentiment from Coffeeology.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Anywhere There's Coffee, Coffeeology, Trendy Leaves

Stencils: ARTplorations Dots n' Beans, Leaf Prints Mini

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, watercolours

STAMPlorations Christmas Release

Today I'm excited to share three projects I created for the Special Release of the new STAMPlorations Christmas Sentiment stamp sets Festive and Joy. I feel like I can never have enough different Christmas sentiments and I find these are a perfect size, both for use as the main focal point of cards as well as sentiments, combining them with other Christmas images.

As with all of our special releases, there are prizes for grabs. There are two prizes which will be randomly drawn from comments left on the Special Release post and the designer's blogs. One winner will receive a $15 gift code to the STAMPlorations store and one winner will receive their choice of any in-stock 4x6 Shery Russ Designs stamp set. Commenting is open until October 8 and the winners will be announced on October 10 in the September winners post.

For my first project, I stamped the sentiments from Joy in a criss-cross pattern, using both the solid and outline versions of the stamps. Then I added the reindeer horns from Yuletide Deer and mistletoe from Christmas Elf. 

For my second card, I used the merry and CHRISTMAS stamps from Joy to create the background using Distress Inks. I heat embossed the sleigh from Joyful in gold on vellum and watercoloured using Distress Inks. I stamped the sentiments onto vellum and inked around the edges with Distress Ink.

I also created a Christmas tag. I watercoloured using Distress Inks through the Retro Hearts stencil and heat embossed the lovely log cabin from Homespun Christmas in silver onto vellum. I die cut the tag using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, added the fussy cut cabin and doodled around the stamped sentiments.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy, Yuletide Deer, Christmas Elf, Joyful, Homespun Christmas
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies
Stencil: ARTplorations Retro Hearts
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Distress Inks

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Welcome to this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post! As usual, it's time for me and the rest of the Inpiration team to showcase some of our favourite STAMPlorations products. I was inspired by dragonflies today, probably because I'm already missing summer, although it's barely gone. So I inked up some summery colours and did some die-cutting to bring back some of that summer feel. As always, don't forget to leave a comment on the Inspiration post on the STAMPlorations blog for a chance to win a gift certificate!

For my card, I created a background using Distress Oxides and a stamp from Vignette: Celebrate Artsy. It's such a quick and easy way to create an impressive background. I then used the Dragonfly Layering Dies to die cut the dragonfly in vellum and white shimmer card. Last, I added a sentiment from Vignette: Celebrate Artsy in black.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Vignette: Celebrate Artsy

Dies: CUTplorations Dragonfly Layering Dies

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Oxides Mermaid Lagoon, Peacock Feathers, Wilted Violet

Don't forget you have a few more days to take advantage of the great

 End-of-summer sale in the STAMPlorations store.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Are you starting to feel autumn in the air? Actually, we have been enjoying a bit of Indian summer, the weekend was stunning. Hopefully, it will last a good while! Even better, it's also time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration projects. As always, the team have used STAMPlorations products they love to create amazing artworks to inspire you. Don't forget to leave a comment on the Inspiration projects post on the STAMPlorations blog as all commenters will be part of a draw to win a gift certificate to the STAMPlorations store. 

For today's project, I was inspired by the Faces: Lovely stencil. I used a foam applicator to add Distress Inks through the stencil creating a rainbow in her hair (side note - do you use those fancy new brushes everyone is using for inking these days? Do you like them? Should I try them? Do you need to clean them a lot between different colours?). I added a sentiment from Noteworthy 2 and splattered some diluted black ink over the card as a finishing touch. A true one layer quick card but that rainbow adds so much brightness to it, don't you think?

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by today, hope to see you soon again and I hope you are inspired to create something today.

I'm linking up with a bunch of ATG challenges

Brown Sugar

Arty Divas

Through The Craftroom Door

Love to Craft

The Creative Crafters

A Bit More Time To Craft

A Perfect Time to Craft

Stamps: STAMPlorations Noteworthy 2
Stencils: ARTplorations Faces: Lovely

Currently, there are several great promotions in the STAMPlorations store, including a great offer if you want to pre-order the new dies which will be available in October. You can find all the promotions summarised on the Promotions Page. You can also find great discounts on dies and stamps.

Pink Calla Lilies

Today's card was inspired by several challenges. I was inspired by the "Up to one third" theme over at AAA Cards and I also went with the inlaid die cut twist. I'm also excited to play along with the new Perfectly CAS challenge where the theme is Flowers. I used the colours from this week's Just Add Ink challenge and I'm also linking up over at The Flower Challenge where anything goes.

I used the STAMPlorations In Bloom: Classic Calla Lilies stamp which I heat embossed with clear powder before watercolouring with Distress Oxides on watercolour paper. I added a few splatters of green ink to the white space. I die cut the sentiment using the CUTplorations Hello word die. Last, I matted the card front onto dark green card.

Stamps: STAMPlorations In Bloom: Classic Calla Lilies
Dies: CUTplorations Hello word die
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Oxides Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Lucky Clover

Sunset Sympathy

I made this sympathy card as I wanted to play along with the "Special Thoughts" challenge over at Daring Cardmakers. I was also inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the Bling It On challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge.

I created the background by blending Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Candied Apple, Seedless Preserves and Black Soot Distress Oxides and splattered with water. I inked the flowers using the Bloom Silhouettes stencil in Black Soot. I added the beautiful sentiment from Lotus Love onto purple card and matted onto red card. It says "When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure". Last, I added a few sequins for a bit of bling.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Lotus Love
Stencil: ARTplorations Bloom Silhouettes
Ink: Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Candied Apple, Seedless Preserves and Black Soot Distress Oxides, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Tuesday has become my favourite day of the week as I get to share a new crafting project and see what the other ladies of the Inspiration team have created over on the STAMPlorations blog for our weekly Inspiration post. 

Today I wanted to share a card I made using the fun Zen Coffee Cup Layering dies. I started by Die cutting the mug from dark brown card, and then a second time from watercolour card. I coloured the watercolour version with Gansai Tambi watercolours and paper pieced them into the brown frame. I heat embossed the fun sentiment from Coffeeology in copper onto vellum and splattered some brown ink for added interest. 

Don't forget to comment on the  STAMPlorations Inspiration post for a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the STAMPlorations store.

I'm linking up my card with the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Galz - Vellum 

Allsorts Challenge - Autumn

Dream Valley Challenges - Autumn colours

Creativ Fusion - Autumn

Stamps: STAMPlorations Coffeeology 

Dies: CUTplorations Zen Coffee Cup Layering dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Gansai Tambi Watercolours

Also, don't forget to check out all the current STAMPlorations promotion here, including the End Of Summer Super Sale and so much more.

Fiery Birthday Mandala

Do you remember when you first started making cards and thought it would be such a great way to save money? Never having to buy any cards at Clintons ever again for a full two or three pounds? Before you realised that when you divide the thousands of pounds you have spent on craft stash by the number of cards you have made, you get a figure somewhere in the neighbourhood of £60 (purely fictional example, don't ask me where those numbers come from...)? Don't worry, we have all been there! This is a safe space where we can all admit we have a problem. And encourage each other to never get better!!

But sometimes it's great when you find exactly what you need in your stash to create just the card you need, not having to buy anything new and able to create just the card you imagined. It almost brings back that warm and fuzzy dream of saving money by making your own cards! 

I needed a birthday card for a colleague and I didn't have anything I deemed suitable in my stash (it's the same feeling as having a cupboard full of clothes but nothing to wear...). Quick and easy enough for a weeknight craft session. I think it turned out quite nice. I hope my colleague will like it too. I even made an envelope to match. The stamping is done using the faux watercolour technique. I coloured the Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background stamp with Distress Markers, spritzed with water and stamped. I added some splatters to the card, and used a sentiment die from Lawn Fawn.

I'm linking up with 
CAS on Friday - use die cut words
Fusion card challenge - I was inspired by the red and yellow colours and the wrought iron  handrail on the house, which I think looks a bit like the black die-cut letters
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Stamp It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Stamp It
Crafting Happiness - Birthday
Inkspirational - Crop (I took this to mean cropped off the edge of the card)

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love
Dies: Lawn Fawn Happy Birthday Line Border die
Colouring: Tim Holtz Distress markers Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Today is a special post for me, as I can reveal that I am now officially part of the STAMPlorations Inspiration team. I'm so excited to join the incredibly talented designers who have inspired me to start creating with STAMPlorations products many years ago and still blow my mind with every one of their gorgeous creations. I feel slightly out of place among them, but I'm so happy I get to share the projects I enjoy making using all the STAMPlorations products I have come to love so much over the years. On top of everything, all the ladies on the Inspiration team are super nice too!

For my first Inspiration project, I have used the Bloomtangled 2 Cover Plate Die. I find it so relaxing to assemble cards using the cover plate dies. I started by die cutting the cover plate in black to form the frame for the flowers. Then I die cut it a second time from watercolour paper and watercoloured that version using Distress Oxides. I then assembled them, piece by piece into the black frame. I find the process almost meditative. Just me, a cup of coffee, a good podcast and a pair of tweezers.

As always, you can win a gift certificate over on the STAMPlorations blog. If you comment on the Inspiration team blog posts, you are entering in a draw to win a $10 gift certificate.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Llama Tell You 

Dies: CUTplorations Bloomtangled 2 Cover Plate Die, Happy Word die

Colouring: Distress Oxides

Currently, there are several great promotions in the STAMPlorations store, including a great offer if you want to pre-order the new dies which will be available in October. You can find all the promotions summarised on the Promotions Page. You can also find great discounts on dies and stamps.

Birthday Mandala

I've enjoyed a week off work and am now approaching the Sunday night when I know I have to go back to work... I'm trying to spend some time in the craft room to take the edge off the anxiety. And nothing beats going back to work blues like a rainbow.

I used the gorgeous mandala stamp called Elizabeth Background Hey Love (there is a really great Pinterest board with some really gorgeous cards made with this stamp which make me swoon). I heat embossed the mandala in white and sponged Distress Ink on the card before die cutting it with the STAMPlorations Crazy Double Running Stitch die. I added a Lawn Fawn sentiment which I heat embossed in white on a strip of black card.

I'm also super excited to say that soon I'll be back to a more regular blogging schedule, more about that in a few days. 

I'm linking up with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - S is for... (sponging ink in my case)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Daring Cardmakers - Resist

Crafty Gals Corner - Emboss it!

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love, Lawn Fawn Holiday Party Animal
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies