STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hello crafters! For this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post I created a super colourful and quick birthday card. I started by using a Gelli print from my UFO box which I created with Distress Oxides and some bubble wrap. Next, I splattered Distress ink on the card base, and attached the Gelli print and a Watercolour ATC Journaling Card to which I attached one of the Birthday Word Art Clear Stickers. Super quick and easy!

Note that I have received some of the stamps and other craft supplies for free as a member of the STAMPlorations Design Team, therefore this blog post has to be identified as an ad. I have been using STAMPlorations products for years before joining the Desing Team at which time I paid for all my STAMPlorations products and I love them as much today as I did then. 

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. And if you use my code you also get to pick a freebie to the value of $7 (for details see the badge below).

Note that as a STAMPlorations affiliate, I get a small commission on any orders you place in the STAMPlorations store using the links in my blog post or my coupon code STAMPGIRLKAROLA. This is at no added cost to you. Thank you for your support to keep my craft addiction going :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Hi crafters! I hope your week has started in the best possible way whatever your circumstances. It's so lovely to watch the spring coming along, our little tomato seedlings in the conservatory are coming along and growing more leaves. I can't wait for this cold spell to go away and hopefully finally give away to real spring to come along.

For today's STAMPlorations Inspiration post I created a mixed media card, a bit out of my comfort zone but it's always nice to challenge yourself when crating just to see what happens. I used a few gelli plate prints from my UFO box which I had created with Distress Oxides and with Petals 1 Stencil. I then used one of the gelli prints and die cut it to a rectangle, cutting one of the edges with Art Edges Dies. I cut the other gelli print using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I stamped using the fun mixed media stamps from Art Marks 3 on both panels, adding florals from Life Is Sweeter to the focal panel. I added both panels to a black card base, and added a sentiment die cut using Everyday Sentiments Dies. I think it turned out quite nice and allowed me to do a lot of fun stamping! Don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post you are entered into a monthly drawing of a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Art Marks 3, Life Is Sweeter
Stencils: ARTplorations Petals 1 Stencil, 

Dies: CUTplorations Art Edges Dies, Everyday Sentiments Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Oxides

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. And if you use my code you also get to pick a freebie to the value of $7 (for details see the badge below).

Note that as a STAMPlorations affiliate, I get a small commission on any orders you place in the STAMPlorations store using the links in my blog post or my coupon code STAMPGIRLKAROLA. This is at no added cost to you. Thank you for your support to keep my craft addiction going :) 

New Release - Bonus project

 

It's been an exciting week over at STAMPlorations with the release of three new super-cool stamp sets. Today there is an extra post over on the STAMPlorations blog with more projects using the new stamp sets - we had so much fun creating with them that Shery had to add an extra blog post for all our cards :) 

For my extra card, I was inspired by Shery's Art Marks 3 stamp set. I started by creating a background by stamping the solid stamp from Art Marks 3 in Distress Oxide on kraft card. I also created a background using Distress Oxides and stamps from Art Marks 3 using my Gelli plate. I die-cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, stamped some more in black using another stamp from Art Marks 3 (they are so much fun, I just couldn't stop) and finally added a sentiment from Words of Gratitude.

And don't forget, there is a chance for you to win great prizes. Winners will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMPlorationa blog and designers' blogs (including mine!). One randomly drawn commenter will win a $25 prize code to the STAMPlorations store, and one randomly drawn commenter will win a stamp set of their choice from the new release. You have until March 17th to leave a comment, and the winners will be announced on March 19th.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Art Marks 3, Words of Gratitude

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Distress Oxides,  Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes. And if you use my code you also get to pick a freebie to the value of $7 (for details see the badge below).

Note that as a STAMPlorations affiliate, I get a small commission on any orders you place in the STAMPlorations store using the links in my blog post or my coupon code STAMPGIRLKAROLA. This is at no added cost to you. Thank you for your support to keep my craft addiction going :) 

ARTplorations Stencil Hop

Today I'm excited to be part of the STAMPlorations Stencil Hop revealing new stencils from the talented Sanna Lippert. I got my hands on two fun stencils - A Whale's Tale and Dots 'n Beans. I created a few projects with each, mainly using my Gelli plate which was super fun although I'm still learning how to use it. 

If you want to hop along with us, and of course have a change to win some great prizes, you can visit all the designer's blogs and leave comments for a chance to win one of 4 prizes. You will find a list of all participating designers in the STAMPlorations Stencil Hop post. You don't have to comment on all the blogs, but the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win one $20 gift certificate, one $10 gift certificate, and 2 winners will get their choice of three (3) Sanna Lippert Designs stencils. Commenting closes October 21 and winners will be announced on November 10 in the October Winners post.

I started by creating some prints using A Whale's Tale and Dots 'n Beans stencils and Distress Oxides with my new Gelli Plate. For my first card I stamped images from What's Brewing onto kraft card and coloured them with Polychromos pencils. I used the Stitched Tags Nesting Dies to die cut a tag from the stencil print and stamped the With Coffee typografia stamp. I finished with splattering Vintage Photo ink on the tag.

For my second coffee card I used the Gelli print for the panel in the background, inking Vintage Photo distress ink around the edges of the die cut panel. I stamped Framed Coffee Pot in Versafine and watercoloured with Distress Inks. I finished by adding a sentiment from Coffee Happy. 

I used one of the prints of A Whale's Tale and matted it onto black card. I drew the happy little whale as I didn't have any appropriate stamps to match the fish tail pattern and custom created a sentiment. And before you say anything, I know a whale is not a fish, but my artistic talents are limited and I didn't think I could manage an actual fish! I think he turned out quite cute, fish or not.

For my last project, I used a watercolour background and inked grey Distress Ink through the A Whale's Tale and outlined the fishtails in white gel pen. I stamped the ship from Born to Roam, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. I stamped a sentiment from the same set, splitting it up over multiple lines and fussy cutting the last word. 

You can find all of Sanna's inspiring stencils in the STAMPlorations shop. Also note that from October 8 to 21, all stencils are 15% off - no coupon needed. The discount is automatically applied in the shopping cart. And if you use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA you can get an extra 20% off, so this is a great time to do some stencil shopping.

Card: 250 gsm white and kraft card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm card, black 250 gsm card, scrap of red card
Ink and colouring: Distress Oxide, Distress Ink, Faber Castell Polychromos, Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Copics, 
Dies: ARTplorations A Whale's Tale, Dots 'n Beans
Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing, With Coffee, Framed Coffee Pot, Coffee Happy, Born to Roam
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, 
Other: Gelli plate, white gel pen

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.

Learning To Use The Gelli Plate

I recently bought a Gelli plate inspired by all the beautiful creations I've seen out in blogland. I'm still getting to grips with it, but this card was made with one of the prints I did. The colours were inspired by the image over at House of Cards and the layout by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. Last but not least I'm also linking up over at Time Out Challenges where the theme is Bright. 

I used Distress Oxides on my Gelli plate together with the ARTplorations Ethnic Organic One stencil to create the dramatic background. I die cut the sentiment using CUTplorations Hugs Word die from a scrap piece of green card. The flowers are using a NBUS STAMPlorations set called Big Dreamer which I stamped in Memento, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. I love the many different flowers in this set and they are so much fun to colour!

Card: Purple card from my stash, Hobbycraft 190 gsm white card, scrap of green ombre card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Big Dreamer
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Distress Oxides Wilted Violet, Faded Jeans, Picked Raspberry
Stencil: ARTplorations Ethnic Organic One
Dies: CUTplorations Hugs Word die

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.