STAMPlorations Inspiration

It's time for the STAMPlorations Inspiration post for April 2021. I'm once again creating four Christmas cards to celebrate the end of the month, and to build up my Christmas card stash as last year things didn't quite go to plan on the Christmas card front. Don't forget that by leaving a comment on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post you are entered into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store.

This time I used one of my most used STAMPlorations Christmas stamp sets, Joyful and very conveniently it has four beautiful stamps so perfect for today's set of cards. I have used these stamps so so much, and although the colour of the rubber has changed a bit over the years, they still stamp as great as they did at the beginning. 

I started by picking a range of Distress Inks and masking off random slivers of card fronts, inking to create geometric shapes with three different colours blended together. Next, I left the ink to dry for a while and then used an anti-static tool to make sure the heat embossing powder wouldn't randomly stick all over the inked regions. I stamped the images in Versafine and heat embossed in a gunmetal powder. Last, I sprinkled some Distress Ink I diluted with water across the card front and added a sentiment I created from leftover coloured card and Simple Christmas Clear Stickers. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful

Stickers: STAMPlorations Simple Christmas Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine, Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Ink

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

 

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are feeling crafty. We are here with the STAMPlorations DT, as usual, to play with our crafty goodies for the STAMPlorations Inspiration post. This time I decided to go a bit more mixed media than usual to challenge myself a bit. And I made some ATCs rather than cards, although I do think these could just be slapped onto a card front to make a card. As always, don't forget by leaving a comment on the  STAMPlorations Inspiration post you are entered into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store

I started with watercolour card which I die cut with Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and matted onto black card. I stamped and heat embossed in black using flowers from Big Dreamer and watercoloured them with Distress inks in a messy way, letting the colours bleed over the edges of the images. Next, I inked through Clouds Stencil and Burst Slimline Stencil in multiple colours to create some interest in the background, and I also stamped in black using Art Marks 3 for an additional layer and creating more interest. Last I splattered some ink and white acrylic paint and heat embossed the sentiments in white on strips of black card from It's A Girl Thing: Kindness. I don't usually like how my mixed media projects come out, but for some reason, I really like this little scene. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Art Marks 3, It's A Girl Thing: Kindness, Big Dreamer, 
Stencils: ARTplorations Clouds Stencil, Burst Slimline Stencil
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

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

Note that I have received some of the stamps and other craft supplies for free as a member of the STAMPlorations Design Team.

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 for April STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

Spring is speeding by, as soon as we enter March it zips past and soon it will be September. Oh well, I'll try to take it one day at a time and enjoy April although half of it is already gone. Or, maybe more appropriately, we still have half of April to enjoy. And that also means half of April to take part in the STAMPlorations April CAS challenge! I'm here along with the rest of the design team with more inspiration for all the challenges over at STAMPlorations. 

For my card, I started by inking pink Distress Inks through Barley Stencil. Then, I stamped the beautiful floral silhouettes from Beautiful You in dark blue Distress Oxides. I also splattered some ink on the card front and added a sentiment from Everyday Sentiments Dies.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Beautiful You

Stencils: ARTplorations Barley Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments Dies

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks and 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 :) 

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 :) 

Things With Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party

Hi all, and welcome to the STAMPlorations Things With Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party. If you have been following STAMPlorations for a few years you know this is an annual event where we celebrate all things with wings and get a chance to show off our butterflies, birds, dragonflies and more. 

And the great thing about this event is that you will have plenty of chances to play along for some great prizes - 3 winners of a $10 prize code randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations blog and designers' blogs. There will also be a linky where you can join by creating your own creations with things with wings and there will be 3 winners of their choice of STAMPlorations product (up to $15 value) and1 winner of a $25 prize code. And there may be some extra prizes too which are drawn from the STAMPlorations social media accounts to win some suprise prizes. The hop and linky are open until May 7 and winners will be announced on May 10 in the April winners post.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to go for a muted colour scheme or a bright rainbow and realised I don't have to choose so I made one of each :) For my white, bright and rainbow coloured card I started with three colours of Distress Ink - Squeezed Lemonade, Speckled Egg and Kitch Flamingo and blended them using foam applicators throught the Senecio 1 Stencil creating a mix of gorgeus colours where the inks blended. I stamped the butterfly from It's a Girl Thing: Kindness, coloured with Copics, fussy cut and attacehd to the card base. Last, I stamped the very apt Think Positive sentiment and little border from the same stamp set, splattering some black ink across the card. I am absolutely stunned by the lovely colours that came out where the inks blended, such a lovely pastel rainbow.

For the muted colour scheme I decided to make a tag, using a few different hues of orange and brown Distress Inks for the stencil work. I die cut the tag base using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies and used the same stamps as for my card, but the colour scheme gave the tag a very different and more natural look compared to the card. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations It's a Girl Thing: Kindness

Stencil: ARTplorations Senecio 1 Stencil 

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Copics, 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 :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Welcome to the first STAMPlorations Inspiration post for April 2021! Today I'm yet again inspired by spring and flowers (surprise surprise ;). I used the lovely bunch of roses from Bloomfully: Sparkle which I stamped in brown ink across the kraft card panel. I also stamped the same florals on white paper and coloured them with Copics, fussy cut and added to the card front. The sentiment is from the Bloomdala Bliss stamp set and I feel it's very reflective of our current life - things are starting to look up and eventually it will be ok, although I'm sure there are still very tough times ahead. But spring is coming, and then summer and that should mean if nothing else that there will be nice times to be enjoyed in the garden and on the walking paths.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloomfully: Sparkle, Bloomdala Bliss

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

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 :) 

April STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

It's April! Spring is here for real, flowers are in bloom, it's light in the mornings and evenings. Soon it will be my favourite time of the year,  that time when spring turns to summer.  I always feel hopeful at this time of year, particularly right now as the stay at home restriction has been eased slightly and things look like they are going in the right direction here in the UK.

So a new month means it's also time for a new CAS Challenge over at STAMPlorations. This month the optional colour twist is pale pink and navy blue. I was inspired by the colours to create a floral card (maybe I'm inspired by any colours to create a floral card... ;) I started by running a card front through my Sizzix using the Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die and then splattered some dark blue ink across the card front. I heat embossed the florals from Bloomfully: Sparkle in black, watercoloured with Distress ink and fussy cut, adding them to the card front along with a heat embossed sentiment from Bloomdala Bliss.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloomfully: Sparkle, Bloomdala Bliss
Dies: CUTplorations Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz 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 :)