STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Today is a special STAMPlorations Inspiration Post - it's the 300th Inspiration Post! What a great way to celebrate the end of the year. And because of this special occasion, we have an extra special prize to be won - by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post and the Design Team posts (including mine) you are entering the draw to win a $25 prize code to the STAMPlorations store. And with this card, I want to thank you all for stopping by to see my cards this year and wish you all a much improved 2021!

I created a colourful Birthday card to celebrate this special occasion. I started by stamping the beautiful florals from Sweetly in Black Versamark onto watercolour card and coloured them with Gansai Tambi watercolours. I also splattered some watercolour onto the background to create a bit of added interest. Next, I stamped the butterfly from the same stamp set onto vellum, heat embossed in gold and fussy cut it. Last, I added a die-cut sentiment using Everyday Sentiments and added some washi tape to the top and bottom of the card. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sweetly

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Gansai Tambi watercolours

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

 

And so we are here - it's almost Christmas! December has flown by, hasn't it? We are all facing a different and weird Christmas this year given the (sometimes rather last-minute) lockdowns we face. I hope whatever you do for Christmas you stay safe, wash your hands, keep a distance and all that. If you decided to not see family this Christmas to keep safe, I send you big hugs. And as always if you are one of the heroes keeping us safe or alive over the holidays, you have my big thanks for sacrificing your time for the benefit of us all.

This year I gave almost exclusively home-made presents (if you follow me on Instagram you will know I'm an avid knitter and struggling crocheter). Socks, hats, hand warmers, even a few crocheted blankets (never again, I'll tell you!). And this year all of my gifts had hand-made tags on them (probably a first!) as I was inspired by my exceedingly talented DT colleague Deepti of Dees Art Utopia and her amazing use of stencils and Distress Inks/Oxides. I tried (poorly) to imitate her genius and you already saw a batch of my tags last week and here are some more for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. Don't forget to leave a comment on the post to be entered into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code.

For my tags, I started by inking tags using Distress Inks and Distress Oxides and cutting the tags using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I then used various STAMPlortions stencils (there are so many amazing stencils to choose from!) and either sprayed them with water to make impressions of the stencil in the ink or inked through the stencil in the same colour as my background tag to make a subtle stencil pattern on the background of the tags. After letting the tags dry thoroughly, I stamped the wreath from Joyful in Versamark and heat embossed in gold. Last, I die cut a sentiment using Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies in shimmery card. I think these turned out quite nice!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful

Stencils: ARTplorations All Swirls Slimline Stencil, Burst Slimline Stencil, Flair Slimline Stencil, 

Placid Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies, Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Oxides, Tsukineko Versafine

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, how are you this fine Tuesday? I'm ok, excited about the upcoming holidays. I'm taking a bit of time away from work over the second half of December and I'm really looking forward to it after this ****show of a year.

As we can't have a Christmas party at work this year, we have been invited to take part in various online organised activities - there is a choice of 12 different activities, of which we can pick 2. I did mine last week, I did a wreath making session (we were sent a beautiful kit with wreath making supplies and then given an instructional Zoom session where we assembled our wreaths) and I also did cocktails and quiz where we were sent supplies to make our own cocktails and then we all had to prepare questions for the Christmas quiz. That was fun! Have you had any fun socially distanced Christmas activities?

For today's crafty activities, I continued to expand my Christmas tag stash to share with you as part of today's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. Don't forget to leave a comment on the STAMPlorations post for a chance to win a $15 prize code. I have been so inspired by all the beautiful inked backgrounds created by my DT teamie Deepti. She is amazing! so I took a stab at creating some inked and stencilled backgrounds too. 

I started by smooshing various colours of distress ink onto white card. That's always super fun and messy, my fingers looked like a rainbow! After the ink had dried well, I used the Stitched Tags Nesting Dies to cut my tags. Next, I took out a few of my STAMPlorations stencils and inked through them in a completely non-planned and random fashion on the tags. I used  All Swirls Slimline Stencil, Flair Slimline Stencil, 

Trees Slimline Stencil, Dots All Over Stencil and Honeycomb Delight Mini Stencil. I used my anti-static tool on the tags and then stamped the Yuletide Deer and heat embossed in dark grey. Last, I heat embossed sentiments from Joy in white on black card and added these to the tags. A bit more mixed media than I usually do, but fun none the less and the end product turned out quite ok. I can't wait to add these to my Christmas presents!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Yuletide Deer, Joy, 

Stencils: ARTplorations All Swirls Slimline Stencil, Flair Slimline Stencil, Trees Slimline Stencil, Dots All Over Stencil, Honeycomb Delight Mini Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine, Tim Holtz Distress Oxides and inks
 

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 :) 

Reminder STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge

 

Halfway through December! I can't believe where the time goes? And halfway through the month means it's time for the STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge reminder! You still have over two weeks to play along with our challenge and our optional colour twist is red and brow.

I was inspired to combine the colour twist with a green Christmas tree. I started by masking off a rectangle on my card front using Rectangles Flexi-Template. I then inked Vintage Photo Distress ink around the edges of the rectangle, fading towards the middle. Next, I added the Christmas Tree 1 Stencil and inked the trees. I stamped Sketchy Yule Trees on white card, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. The sentiment is from Simple Christmas Clear Stickers, I just attached the sticker to some red card and there we go! I have used these stickers so much for my Christmas makes this year, they are super quick and easy. I really can't recommend them enough.

Stamps: Sketchy Yule Trees, 
Stencil: Christmas Tree 1 Stencil, Rectangles Flexi-Template
Other: Simple Christmas Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Copics

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, how are you feeling about the impending festivities? Excited? Stressed? Strexcited (that's half stressed, half excited, with a bit of Brexit anxiety thrown in there...)? I got my international batch of cards and parcels shipped just over a week ago, and it felt good to tick all of those things off my to-do list. Now I only need to worry about domestic cards and wrapping the presents for my partner's family. And wrapping presents, of course, brings me to the need of having gift tags at the ready. I prefer to make a few batches of tags rather than make them as I wrap - it may be a bit industrialized, but if it works, don't question it. 

So from now until Christmas, for the STAMPlorations Inspiration posts, I will be sharing some Christmas tag designs from this year's batch with you, I hope they will inspire you in case you are in need of tags too. Today, I'm sharing some quick and easy poinsettia tags. I started by colouring the Framed Christmas (digi) three times with Copics. Then I ran white card through my Sizzix using the Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die and die cut the tags using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I attached the poinsettias and a sentiment I die cut using Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies in red. I added some red ribbon and a bit of bling as a finishing touch. These little cuties are now ready to be attached to any present as needed. As always, don't forget to leave a comment on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post to be entered into a draw of the monthly $15 prize code.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Framed Christmas (digi), 

Dies: CUTplorations Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die,  Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

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

 

Happy Tuesday, aka STAMPlorations Inspiration Post day! Any crafting these days is solely devoted to Christmas crafts, therefore I bring you another Christmas card today. I was going through my stash of Christmas craft supplies and picked out some I haven't played with for a while. I don't want them to feel forgotten about! I started by masking my card front using the Rectangles Flexi-Template (I really, really love this product, it is exactly what I have needed without knowing I need it, and I use it so often!). I then heat embossed sentiments from Joy and Festive in white, added the Placid Stencil and inked with Distress inks. Next, I stamped the present laden sledge from Warm Hands Warm Hearts stamp set, coloured with Copics and die cut with the matching die. Last, I stamped sentiments from Joy and Warm Hands Warm Hearts. Don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post you are entered into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy, Festive, Warm Hands Warm Hearts stamps and dies

Stencil: CUTplorations Placid Stencil, Rectangles Flexi-Template

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Ink, Copics 

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 December CAS Challenge

 

It's December!?!?! This strange, unusual, weird, unexpected year is coming to an end. For most of us, the holidays will not be as they usually are, we may not be able to meet up with all our loved ones and stick to all our traditions. It will be strange but at the same time this too shall pass and signs are that next year our lives will slowly start returning towards what we consider normal. For me, this year has also brought a lot of good things - I have really enjoyed working from home, not having to spend all those hours and hours commuting, and rather use them for things I love, like knitting and crafting. 

Talking of crafting, today is the start of the STAMPlorations December CAS challenge. Probably not a surprise that I have created a Christmas card - this is quite a quick make, so it would work well for mass production if you, like me, find yourself at this time of the year in the situation where you don't have enough Christmas cards available. I started by heat embossing the deer from Yuletide Deer in copper, then inked red Distress ink though the All Swirls Stencil. Next, I used brown Distress ink to pain the deer, and splattered some brown ink across the card front. Last, I added a sentiment from Simple Christmas Clear Stickers on red card and attached it to the card. I really like the Clear Stickers, they are super quick to add a sentiment to your cards. I hope you will feel inspired to play along with our December challenge!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Yuletide Deer

Stencil: ARTplorations All Swirls Stencil

Other: STAMPlorations Simple Christmas Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Ink

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

 

One month to Christmas! Are you ready? I have ticked a few things off my list - most Christmas presents are done although not yet wrapped, Christmas menus are planned and a few things are ready in the freezer. The first batch of Finnish Christmas pastries has been made and eaten. First gingerbread candle is almost burned out. One thing I definitely don't have enough of is gift tags, so I'll spend some time over the next few weeks creating tags, and I'll be sure to share my tags with you. Today is of course also the day for the STAMPlorations Inspiration post, hop over to the STAMPlorations blog to see what my incredibly talented DT teamies have created, and leave a comment for your chance to win a $15 prize code. 

Today I was inspired by a leftover piece of wrapping paper. It's a very pretty paper (from the exclusive Ikea store, have you ever heard of it?), brown kraft paper with fun white blobs. I started by running the paper throught my die cutting maching with the Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die to create texture, and then die cut a tag using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I used Distress Oxides and stamped Layered Holly all over the tag. Then I used Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges of the tag, and inked through the Snowflakes Stencil. Last, I added a sentiment by sticking Simple Christmas Clear Stickers on green and red card and added red ribbon.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Layered Holly
Stencil: ARTplorations Snowflakes Stencil
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die
Other: STAMPlorations Simple Christmas Clear Stickers
Ink and colouring: Distress Oxides, Distress Ink, 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 :) 

This month there are oodles of discounts, for which you can find codes here, including 30% off word/phrase dies, 25% off square stencils and 40% off clear stickers. There is also a Christmas Special Sale.

STAMPlorations Giving Thanks

 

Today I'm very excited to be joining my fellow STAMPlorations DT members for the 6th annual Giving Thanks Blog Hop and Giveaway. It's the time of year to count your blessings and think about all the wonderful things we are grateful for! One of the things you may be thankful for is that there are lots of prizes up for grabs, 3 winners of a $15 prize code will be randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations blog and designers' blogs. Also, 2 winners will receive their choice of STAMPlorations products with a combined MSRP value of up to $25 and the big one, 1 winner will receive their choice of STAMPlorations products with a combined MSRP value of up to $50! For more details about the blog, hop, giveaway and full rules, check out the 6th annual Giving Thanks Blog Hop on the STAMPlorations blog. 

For my thank you card, I started by masking off a rectangle using the Rectangles Flexi-Template and inking Distress Inks through the All Blooms stencil. I added a bit of water and ink splatters because - well, why not. Then I stamped the florals from Bloomfully: Sparkle, coloured with Copics and fussy cut them. Last, I added a sentiment from Everyday Sentiments which I inked with some distress ink.  

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloomfully: Sparkle

Stencils and masks: ARTplorations All Blooms, Rectangles Flexi-Template

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments

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 :) 

This month there are oodles of discounts, for which you can find codes here, including 30% off word/phrase dies, 25% off square stencils and 40% off clear stickers. There is also a Christmas Special Sale .

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Can you believe that we are less than six weeks from the big C? I have booked off a good two weeks from work around Christmas and I can't wait! Today is, of course, also the day for the STAMPlorations Inspiration post. 

For today's card, I created one more Christmas card for the stash. I started by inking various blue Distress Inks through the Snowflakes Stencil. Then I stamped the snowman from Winter Chill, fussy cut him and coloured his nose in the correct hue of carrot orange. Last, I heat embossed the Typografia Christmas Build a Snowman in gunmetal grey on vellum. I die cut the sentiment using Basic A2 Panels Nesting Dies and inked the edges of the panel with blue before adding it to the card. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Winter Chill, Build a Snowman

Stencil: ARTplorations Snowflakes Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Basic A2 Panels Nesting Dies

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 :) 

This month there are oodles of discounts, for which you can find codes here, including 30% off word/phrase dies, 25% off square stencils and 40% off clear stickers. There is also a Christmas Special Sale and Coffee Lovers Sale.

Reminder STAMPlorations November CAS Challenge

It's time for the mid-November STAMPlorations challenge reminder! If you were planning to play along with any of our November challenges, you still have two weeks to do so and there is a big bunch of inspiration from the whole DT over on the STAMPlorations blog. 

My card for the November CAS Challenge is using the optional colour twist of pink and black. I started by masking off a rectangle on my card using Rectangles Flexi-Template. Next, I added the Snowflakes Stencil and blended pink and grey Distress Ink through the stencil. Then I created the sentiment using a stamp from Joy and a die-cut from Christmas Sentiments Dies. Last, I added a few sequins for extra bling. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy

Stencils and masks: ARTploratios Snowflakes Stencil, Rectangles Flexi-Template

Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments Dies

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 :) 

This month there are oodles of discounts, for which you can find codes here, including 30% off word/phrase dies, 25% off square stencils and 40% off clear stickers. There is also a Christmas Special Sale and Coffee Lovers Sale.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Welcome to this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. I have entered November with hardly any Christmas cards made (I can hear you gasping all the way here...). I'm proud to say I have finished most of my (mainly knitted or crocheted) Christmas presents but cards... not so much this year. Last year was the total opposite - lots of cards, but hardly any presents. Luckily I have made a few cards during the year, but I think from now until Christmas, all my Inspiration projects will be Christmas themed to bulk up the Christmas card stash. 

I thought I would do something a bit different from my usual Christmas card by creating a slimline card. I started by inking brown and red Distress Ink through the Flair Slimline Stencil, I really love this stencil, it's super versatile and will adapt to so many different designs depending on colours and other elements. Here I combined it with the wreath from Joyful and the deer from Yuletide Deer, both heat embossed in copper on kraft card and coloured with Distress ink. Last, I attached a sentiment from Simple Christmas Clear Stickers. I think it turned out quite nice with a rustic feel.

As always, don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post you are entering into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code. And there are so many offers in the STAMPlorations store at the moment, check below for info, including a code which, in addition to a discount will also give you a freebie! 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Yuletide Deer, Joyful

Stencil: ARTplorations Flair Slimline Stencil

Other: Simple Christmas Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks Vintage Photo and Festive Berry, Tsukineko Versamark

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 :) 

This month there are oodles of discounts, for which you can find codes here, including 30% off word/phrase dies, 25% off square stencils and 40% off clear stickers. There is also a Christmas Special Sale and Coffee Lovers Sale.