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 :) 

February STAMPlorations TAG challenge - Love

It's time to get geared up for a new month of great STAMPlorations challenges. Our February TAGplorations challenge is All About Love, with an optional twist of cupcakes. As you can see from my card, uncharacteristically I stayed true to my diet and stepped away from the cupcakes.

Can I confess something? I'm not really big on Valentine's day. Never been. I'm not a romantic, and neither is my dearest. Bless him, the first year we were together he did get me a Valentine's card, and he had even made it himself using photos from our first trip together. But no more cards after that. I usually make him one which he dutifully displays on his nightstand. But don't let that spoil your enthusiasm if you are a fan of Valentine's, this challenge will give you a great opportunity to flex those Valentine's muscles! If you are like me, there are plenty of other options for love, it doesn't have to be romantic love. I love (haha, pun intended) the sentiments in the Big Dreamer stamp set, and I felt there was a perfect one for the love theme while making the tag cheery and colourful.

I die cut the tag from a piece of card I had created a while back when I did a big batch of rainbow coloured backgrounds by smooshing Distress Inks onto watercolour paper. I stamped the flowers on white card, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. I stamped the sentiment in black and added some hearts and heart borders from It's a Girl Thing: Sunshine before attaching the coloured flowers. I think the colourful tag and flowers are just what we need while waiting for spring to arrive!

I'm linking up over at Just Us Girls where the theme is Love.  I'm also linking up over at Shopping Our Stash where the challenge is Ode to Jessie, a talented crafter who you might know from her design work on challenges such as Shopping Our Stash and Sisterhood of Snarky stampers. Sadly Jessie passed away late last year. I was inspired by the colourful watercolour background of Jessi's card here. Last, but not least I'm linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge where the theme is Add Some Red. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Big Dreamer, It's a Girl Thing: Sunshine

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

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

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at theSTAMPlorations 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.