STAMPlorations Inspiration

Can you believe you are now reading the last Inspiration post of the year? How did this happen? At least next year it should be easy to switch to write 2020 instead of 2019. 

To get us in the New Year mood, I decided to create a fun galaxy card. I started by stamping the gorgeous  Blossom Sprays #3 in Versamark and heat embossed in silver. I then used watercolours to create the galaxy around the flowers and splattered with white gouache paint. I coloured a scrap piece of card with distress markers and blended with water before die cutting using the fun Skinny Sentiments. I cut the other part of the sentiment in black and layered with the coloured letters. 

Thank you so much for following along, commenting, taking part in the STAMPlorations challenges and overall just being your amazing selves. Keep it up in 2020, I can't wait to see what the year has in store!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #3

Dies: CUTplorations Skinny Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Markers, Gansai Tambi Watercolours

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Merry Christmas! I hope you get some time to rest and relax and enjoy good food in good company. And if you are working this Christmas, thank you very much as you are probably someone keeping us safe or healthy or both. 

For our STAMPlorations Christmas Inspiration post I created a simple monochromatic card to match the tag I created a few weeks ago for the 25 Days of Christmas Tags event.

I stamped the parcel and wreath from Joyful and coloured some details with red watercolour. I then die cut the sentiment from red card using Christmas Sentiments and cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. Last I matted the panel onto red card and attached to a white card base.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Christmas Sentiments,  Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Festive Berries

Take advantage of our last sale of the year. Get 25% off nearly all products in the store*.

  

Use code DEC2019 on checkout.

No minimum order. Flat shipping rates apply.

Last Minute Inspiration

Every year I promise myself I won't leave Christmas things to the last minute, and every year that's how it turns out. This year I wouldn't even have sent out Christmas cards, but as my dearest set to write some cards, I thought that as a card crafter I simply cannot skip that duty. But to my shame, we did send out some shop-bought cards in addition to some handmade ones, and the majority of cards I had were from the stash I made inspired by our Christmas in July event over at STAMPlorations. Future me, please take note for next year...

I made a batch of snowflake tags for my presents this year. I used Stitched Tags Nesting dies on offcuts of kraft card which had been laying around in my UFO box forever. I stamped the lovely snowflakes using Stampin' Up Endless Wishes and heat embossed them in white. I added some of the small sentiments from the same stamp set which I stamped on a scrap piece of blue card. These were really quick to mass-produce and I think they matched the wrapping paper really well.

Anyhow, I have tried to be a bit more thoughtful about gift wrapping this year. I bought some recycled wrapping paper without any glitter or foil so it's compostable or recyclable. However, I had one very big gift and it would have used up the whole roll of that wrapping paper, so instead, I decided to use some of the brown paper that you get with your Amazon parcels. I simply smoothed out the paper and stamped the lovely images from Joyful in Distress Oxides. (sorry about the horrible pictures, this was literally last minute late in the evening...) 

I then added some nice festive ribbon, which can be re-used over and over (I already had tons of this in my stash, so no new ribbon was bought for any of the presents this year). I used a scrap of the store-bought wrapping paper, and die cut a tag using Stitched Tags Nesting dies, which I attached to a tag I had die cut from scrap cardboard from a chocolate bar! I used one of the Christmas Sentiments dies to cut the red sentiment. Super easy and super quick!

I also used some scraps of the store-bought wrapping paper (waste not, want not and all of that) which I die cut using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and added the same sentiment using Christmas Sentiments and adhered everything to a cardbase made from some beautiful handmade paper.

I created a variation on the theme using vellum as the card base and added a hand-lettered greeting inside the card. 

That is a wrap on all my Christmas presents this year (apart from something I ordered from a shop which said they would guarantee delivery by Christmas, but yesterday I got an email to say it won't make it after all. I'm really annoyed, but I guess there are bigger problems in the world after all).

Stamps: Stampin' Up Endless Wishes, STAMPlorations Joyful

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Stitched Tags Nesting dies and Christmas Sentiments

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Just a quick post today to show you what I have created for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. A warm mug full of Christmas wishes! I started by inking Distress Ink through the ARTplorations Christmas Tree 1 stencil. I used the Zen Coffee Cup Layering Dies to die cut and paper piece the mug. I think it looks a bit like a poinsettia. To create the sentiment, I heat embossed words from Joyful in copper and die cut the Christmas in red card using Christmas Sentiments.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful
Stencil: ARTplorations Christmas Tree 1
Dies: CUTplorations  Christmas Sentiments, Zen Coffee Cup Layering Dies
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Shabby Shutters


Take advantage of our last sale of the year. Get 25% off nearly all products in the store*.

  

 

Use code DEC2019 on checkout.

No minimum order. Flat shipping rates apply.

STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge - Reminder

It's time to interrupt your pre-Holiday craziness for a quick reminder. Our December CAS Challenge is halfway through, people. Halfway through! Consider yourselves reminded :) I know you are busy with everything, but the whole point of CAS Cards is that they are quick and easy. So you will surely have time for a little crafty project.

I stamped Poinsettia Row and very quickly and messily watercoloured the stamp with Distress Inks and splattered the white space with a bit of yellow. I added a die-cut sentiment in red using Christmas Sentiments and that's it, Christmas card done! You certainly have enough time to create one of these, no matter how busy you are.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Poinsettia Row

Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Inks

If you are thinking of doing some STAMPlorations shopping, don't forget to visit the STAMPlorations store Promotions page for discount codes for stamp sets.

Take advantage of our last sale of the year. Get 25% off nearly all products in the store*.

  

 

Use code DEC2019 on checkout.

No minimum order. Flat shipping rates apply.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Not long to go now, 10 more days until my Christmas Break starts for real! Are you ready for the Holidays? Who am I kidding, of course, you aren't. And neither am I. But that's ok, it will all be ok. Never let the perfect be the enemy of the good. And everyone will have a lovely time, even if you never got around to baking that seventh batch of cookies or clean out every little corner of the house. So embrace the most important things, whatever those are for you and forget about the rest.

Oh, and it's Tuesday so it's time for another STAMPlorations Inspiration post, yay! I'm having so much fun every week sharing my creations with you. This week I created a Christmas Card using Sanna's lovely Fairytale Forest stencil. I started by masking a part of the card and inked it with light blue Distress Inks. I then inked through the stencil in darer blues. Next, I stamped the mandalas from Bloomdala Bliss in Versamark and heat embossed them in white. Last, I inked a scrap piece of card with the same blue inks and die cut with the new Christmas Sentiments dies.

Stamps: STAMPlorations  Bloomdala Bliss

Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments

Stencils: ARTplorations Fairytale Forest

If you are thinking of doing some STAMPlorations shopping, don't forget to visit the STAMPlorations store Promotions page for discount codes for stamp sets.

Take advantage of our last sale of the year. Get 25% off nearly all products in the store*.

  

 

Use code DEC2019 on checkout.

No minimum order. Flat shipping rates apply.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday and Happy STAMPlorations Inspiration Post day. December??? Whaaaat??? How did this happen? But I have to admit, I am looking forward to a long break over the holidays. Two glorious weeks off work. I can feel some craft room time coming up.

I made a very quick and easy Christmas card, which would be easy to mass-produce. I started by inking two shades of brown Distress Ink through the Christmas Reindeer stencil. While the ink was still fresh, I sprinkled some copper embossing powder on some parts of the deer and heat set. Then I inked Peeled Paint Distress Ink through the Christmas Tree 1 stencil and splattered some watered ink on the panel. Last, I cut the sentiment in copper card using my new favourite Christmas dies, Christmas Sentiments.

Stencils: ARTplorations Christmas Reindeer, Christmas Tree 1

Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments 
Ink: Distress Inks 


Talking of Christmas, don't forget you have a few more days to comment on the Christmas Dies Redux blog hop if you want to win some fabulous Christmas dies and the 25 Days of Christmas Tags blog post if you want to win a fabulous set of the new Christmas Sentiment dies. Last but not least, you have a few more days to link up with the big Giving Thanks Giveaway!

STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge

It's December. How did this happen? Are you freaking out about Christmas? We are having family over for Christmas and I'm already stressed about cooking. And don't even get me started on cleaning the house. It's a disgrace... 

With all the above in mind, I have made a safe fortress in my craft room. I just craft and refuse to come out and face all the Christmas preparations. What an adult way to handle things, right? I created this card using the great new Christmas sentiment stamp set Joy. I stamped the solid words in various Christmas colours using Distress Inks, and then added the black outlines. I splattered some Distress Ink and that's it. Super quick and easy, a minimal amount of stash needed. Perfect for those last-minute cards, and perfect for mass production.

I hope you'll come and play along with our STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge. All you need to do is link up a CAS card, the rest of the rules are in the CAS Challenge post. The colour twist is optional but highly recommended!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! It's time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. This week I was inspired by the colours of the leaves, although we are getting to the end of leaf season, to be honest. Most trees are quite naked by now, and I even had to scrape my car windscreen a few times already so I guess it's time to admit that winter is truly coming.

I used the faux watercolour technique to create my leafy background. I used Distress Markers to colour the Trendy Leaves and spritzed with water before stamping. I used the super useful Basics A2 Panels Nesting Dies to cut the panels for the front. I die cut one of the Gratitude Trees in various autumnal colours. For the sentiment, I coloured a scrap piece of card with Distress Markers and blended with water before die cutting with the Skinny Sentiments.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves
Dies: CUTplorations Gratitude Trees Dies, Skinny Sentiments, Basics A2 Panels Nesting Dies
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Markers

You a few more days to take advantage of the STAMPlorations huge Thanksgiving sale. Also, don't forget to take part in the Giving Thanks Giveaway and you could win a year's supply of STAMPlorations products.

Order at least $50 worth of products then use code THANKS25 and pay just $37.50 + free shipping (US)

Order at least $100 worth of products then use code THANKS30 and pay just $70 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $150 worth of products then use code THANKS40 and pay just $90 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $200 worth of products then use code THANKS50 and pay just $100 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $300 worth of product then use code THANKS60 and pay just $120 + free worldwide shipping

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Ends December 8.

STAMPlorations Inspiration - Christmas Dies Redux

This week we have another fun blog hop for you as part of the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. Did you already play along with our Giving Thanks Giveaway? If you haven't you have to check it out, the prizes are fantastic!

This week we are getting ready for Christmas by creating Christmas crafts with CUTplorations dies. For my project, I used three dies - Stitched Winter Landscape for the snowy landscape, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies to die cut the front panel and Christmas Sentiments dies for the shimmery blue sentiment. I created the starry night sky using Distress Inks. I stamped the stars using a stamp from Art Marks and heat embossed in white before splattering the whole night sky with white gouache paint. Last, I couldn't resist adding some stickles to the landscape.

For your chance to win some Christmas dies, you can hop along to all the designer's blogs and leave comments. All the details you need are over on the STAMPloratios blog in today's Inspiration Post. You have until December 8th to comment!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Art Marks

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Winter Landscape, Christmas Sentiments, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Inks

There are so many different events going on over at STAMPlorations, Shery has kindly summarised them all at the top of the STAMPblog! They are:

Win a 1 year supply of STAMPlorations products (ends 12/8) 5th Giving Thanks Blog Hop (ends 12/8) 25 Days of Christmas Tags (ends 12/8) Christmas in the Air with Nancy and Monika + comment to win (ends 12/8) Sticker Monday with Terri Koszler + comment to win (ends 12/8) Stencil Sunday with Helen Gullett + comment to win (ends 12/8)
Last but not least, don't forget to use the discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout in the STAMPlorations store for a little extra discount!!

STAMPlorations November CAS Challenge - Reminder

How can it be mid-November? What happened? I am completely, 110%, sure the November challenge started maybe two or three days ago. Therefore I have to accept that someone has stolen at least a week from my November. Maybe instead of putting the clocks back one hour, someone forwarded a full week? 

Whatever the explanation is, I guess I better accept it's the 15th and therefore I'm happy to share my mid-month reminder and additional inspiration project for the STAMPlorations November CAS challenge. Our optional colour twist this month is brown and I used Sanna's gorgeous Barley stencil to create a fun one layer CAS card by inking Distress Inks through the stencil. I added a sentiment from Noteworthy 3.

I hope you feel inspired to play along with the challenge, you have until the end of the month to link up. You don't have to use STAMPlorations products, but if you have them we would love to see how you are inspired to use them. Don't forget to make it a CAS card!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Noteworthy 3

Stencil: ARTplorations Barley

Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Vintage Photo

25 Days of Christmas Tags

I'm excited to share with you my tag for the 8th annual 25 Days of Christmas Tags event. If you are part of the crafting community on the Interwebs you are probably already well familiar with this event but if you aren't, it's run by the amazing Tracey McNeely of In My Creative Opinion. Every year, Tracey brings together the paper crafting community for 25 days of amazing Christmas tag inspiration, and you can take part by hopping along, leaving comments and creating your own tags. 

And for an extra chance to win, hop over to the STAMPlorations blog extra 25 Days of Christmas Tags post and you can win a set of the fantastic new Christmas Sentiments dies I used for my tag!!

Today the sponsor of the day over at 25 Days of Christmas Tags is STAMPlorations and I was lucky to get to contribute to this event. I cut my tag using the STAMPlorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies and stamped the Christmas presents and wreath from Joyful in black ink, adding a bit of red watercolour to the images. I then die cut the sentiment using the new Christmas Sentiments dies, once in black and once in red and attached them to the tag. I love these dies, they are all you need for your Christmas card sentiments this year. There are several dies, they are a perfect size both for tags and cards and I absolutely love the beautiful lettering. I know this will be my forever love Christmas sentiment, and die-cutting the sentiment really makes it pop off the page.

Don't forget to follow along for the whole 25 days of Tags over at Tracey's blog and comment on the posts and create your own tags to get into the Christmas crafty mood! And after you have done that, hop over to the  STAMPlorations blog extra 25 Days of Christmas Tags post for a chance to win the Christmas Sentiments dies!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Christmas Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Festive Berries

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Welcome to this Tuesday's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. This week we have a little something extra for you - we are kicking off the 5th STAMPlorations Giving Thanks Blog Hop. And it's not just a blog hop, but a really incredible Giveaway too. Shery is giving away the most amazing prizes! 

I created a card using the new Gratitude Trees Dies. Of course, I couldn't resist a little bit of paper piecing for the trees. I created a background panel by inking with Distress Inks and die cut my inked panel using Stitched Spring Landscape. Last, I added a sentiment from Words of Gratitude using Distress Oxide.

For the full set of rules for the giveaway, as well as the prizes, hop over to the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. The main prize is a whopping one year's supply of STAMPlorations products, up to $180 combined MSRP value!! That is one huge prize, and there are other prizes too so I hope you will be inspired top Hop Along for the Giving Thanks Blog Hop and Giveaway.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Words of Gratitude, 

Dies: CUTplorations Gratitude Trees Dies, Stitched Spring Landscape, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies 

Ink and Colouring: Distress Inks and Oxides

Don't forget to check out all the current STAMPlorations offers over on the STAMPlorations store current promotions page. You can use my code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at check-out for 20% off non-reduced products.

Order at least $50 worth of products then use code THANKS25 and pay just $37.50 + free shipping (US)

Order at least $100 worth of products then use code THANKS30 and pay just $70 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $150 worth of products then use code THANKS40 and pay just $90 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $200 worth of products then use code THANKS50 and pay just $100 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $300 worth of product then use code THANKS60 and pay just $120 + free worldwide shipping

SHOP COFFEE HERE

More Coffee Lovers Fall/Winter 2019 Blog hop

I'm having so much fun creating with my STAMPlorations for the Zen Coffee Cups Layering Dies for the Coffee Lovers Fall/Winter Blog Hop that I couldn't stop at the one project I made the other day. I chose another die and paper pieced it using Tim Holtz Distress card. I find it so incredibly meditative to pick up those tiny little pieces of card and put them together into beautiful projects. A good cup of coffee, a few biscuits, a nice podcast and me and my tweezers. Saturday morning bliss is what it is! This time I added a sentiment from Coffee Happy and used the Dots n' Beans stencil to create the background for my card.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Coffee Happy

Dies: CUTplorations Zen Coffee Cups Layering Dies

Stencil: ARTplorations Dots n' Beans

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Tsukineko Versamark