STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hello! Thanks for stopping by here today. How are you holding up? I think I'm ok, except when I'm not. My coping strategy seems to consist mainly of baking. Lemon drizzle cake, jam cake, rolls, bread, chocolate brownies, cookies. You name it, I've baked it in the last six weeks. But I'm sure you didn't stop by for baking tips as today is also Tuesday which of course means a new STAMPlorations Inspiration post. 

My project today is a whole lot more mixed media than I usually do. I spent some time the other day creating a whole big bunch of backgrounds using Distress Oxides. I wasn't quite sure about colour combinations, so I just wrote down all colours I had on small slips of paper and randomly drew colours. It was quite fun to see how things turned out. I used various scrap pieces of card, the reverse sides of failed card fronts and other random stuff from my UFO box. 

For today's card, I picked one of the backgrounds I liked, stencilled the main image in black Distress Oxide using Faces: Lovely Stencil and die cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I then used a white Gel pen and the Hearts All Over Mini Stencil and a pink Sharpie to add the hearts to her hair. Last I added a sentiment which I think is quite timely right now, from Bloomdala Bliss onto a scrap piece of another Distress Oxide panel. I added a strip of washi tape to the card before attaching the panel. 

As always, if you feel like commenting on the main STAMPlorations Inspiration post and the designer's posts, you will be entered into a draw to win a $10 gift certificate. Hope you have a crafty day!

Stamps: STAMPlorations  Bloomdala Bliss

Stencils: ARTplorations Faces: Lovely Stencil, Hearts All Over Mini Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Oxides, White Gel pen, pink Sharpie

STAMPlorations Inspiration

It's Tuesday and you know what that means. It's time for a new STAMPlorations Inspiration post. Today I went for something slightly different as I thought you might be inspired to make some bookmarks for yourself or to give away to friends. A lot of people seem to be reading a lot more these days which is great! I have to admit I have been trying to read more but I haven't been able to concentrate very well due to... oh well, I bet you can imagine! I did read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo recently which was a really great read, I didn't want to put down the book at all. But apart from that, I have only been reading Moomin books before bed to ensure I'm thinking of something other than news in the evening. I warmly recommend the Moomin books if you haven't read them, great for children and adults alike and will take you to a magical and lovely world.

About my bookmarks, I used a regular card front and inked a rainbow of Distress inks through the Clouds Stencil. Then I split the card front into two bookmarks, shaped the corners and die-cut the hole using one of the dies from ATC Tag Builder. For one of the bookmarks, I added two suitable sentiments from Literary Caffeine-ations and the super cute coffee-drinking bunny from Bunnies 'N Beans. A bit of purple ribbon finishes off the bookmarks.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bunnies 'N Beans, Literary Caffeine-ations

Stencil: ARTplorations Clouds Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations ATC Tag Builder

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

 

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off

 

Use code SPRING50 on checkout.

 

Code cannot  be combined with other codes. Code is good for one-time use per customer/shipping address. Code expires 4/30.

STAMPlorations April CAS Challenge - Reminder

Hi all, have you had a chance to play along with the STAMPlorations April challenges yet? If the answer is no, fear not as we still have a good two weeks left of April. There is a lot of inspiration over on the STAMPlorations blog in the April Challenge reminder post. I made this card for the April CAS challenge where the optional colour twist is lemon yellow. I used the super fun Layered Citrus stamp set by Shirley.  I hope you are inspired to play along! 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Layered Citrus

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Fossilized Amber, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Squeezed Lemonade

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off

Use code SPRING50 on checkout.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi all, how are you holding on? Are you finding some good things in this new strangeness we are getting used to? I have to admit that I do not miss my commute, as I am fortunate enough to be able to work from home and now have an extra three hours every day not wasted with commuting. I can't say I always use those three hours very efficiently but I can say for certain I'm getting more sleep than I have in my entire adult life which is wonderful. We just had a four day holiday here in the UK which was fantastic. We did a lot of work in the garden, I did a lot of baking and we finally had some time to binge-watch Netflix too. 

But enough about non-crafty things, as I'm sure you are here because of today's  STAMPlorations Inspiration post. I was inspired by my lovely succulents which are now back in the conservatory after being evacuated in the house over the winter. They are very happy to be back in the light of the sun and seems like there weren't too many casualties this year. I stamped the cute succulents from Succulently in Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black and coloured with Copics. I stamped one of the sentiments from the same set onto yellow card and matted the sentiment onto green card. I think it turned out super fun!

Don't forget you can win a monthly prize by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post and designer's posts.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Succulently

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

 

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off

 

Use code SPRING50 on checkout.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi, how are you? No, really, how ARE you? I hope you are holding it together somehow. I'm definitely not the person who has cleaned the whole house, learned a new language and studied the ancient philosophers with all this "extra time". I'm working more hours than I have in a long time, and the rest of the time I feel completely overwhelmed. So if you are one of the former, good for you, what's your secret? If you are one of the latter - welcome to the club, you are not alone! 

Anyhow, the calendar says it's Tuesday and that means a new STAMPlorations Inspiration post over on the STAMPlorations blog. I made a card using a stencil monoprint I had hanging around that I made with Sanna's Evolution Stencil and Distress Inks. I die cut the monoprint with Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and added the Just Be Better - Typografia Motivate. Does eating 3 biscuits today mean I"m better than I was yesterday when I only ate 2?

Stamps: STAMPlorations Just Be Better - Typografia Motivate

Stencil: ARTplorations Evolution Stencil

Dies: CUTploratons Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Don't forget there are daily offers and great prizes to be won on the STAMPlorations blog for the 21 days of Spring (new post every day) as well as the big Spring Clearance Sale in the STAMPlorations Store.

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off

Use code SPRING50 on checkout.

Code cannot  be combined with other codes. Code is good for one-time use per customer/shipping address. Code expires 4/30.

STAMPlorations April CAS Challenge

Hi all, we got through March, officially the longest month in the history of the world! Happy April everyone and welcome to the April STAMPlorations CAS Challenge. Our optional colour twist this month is lemon yellow and I created some bright yellow flowers using the Happy Flowers stencil and Distress Inks. The sentiment is from Softly. I hope you feel inspired to play along, and check out the main blog post for the rules and prizes. Happy crafting!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Softly
Stencil: ARTplorations Happy Flowers
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Don't forget the Spring Clearance in the STAMPlorations store

 

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off