Reminder for June STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

Hi crafters! Just a quick note to remind you that you still have two more weeks to play along with the June STAMPlorations CAS challenge. After the end of June the DT will take a few months to recharge over summer and then the challenges will be back again in October. If you want to join us but haven't quite ben inspired to do so yet, there is a lot of additional inspiration for all the STAMPlorations challenges over in the reminder post. 

My card is a quick and easy card involving stamping with Distress inks in light blue and cream which also happens to be the optional colour twist for the June CAS challenge. I stamped the beautiful bloomdalas from Bloomdala Bliss. I also stamped a sentiment from the same set on a scrap piece of light blue card which I fixed on top of a piece of light blue washi tape.

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 :) 

June STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

Hi all and welcome to the last STAMPlorations CAS Challenge of the 2021 Spring season. After the end of July, the DT will take a break over the summer and be back again in October. I have sadly decided to step down from the challenge design team to give me time for other hobbies but I'll still be around in the background, helping Shery with the challenge posts so I'll still see the fantastic work of all of you who participate.

The June CAS Challenge Twist colours are light blue and cream and I thought that would work great for a Christmas card (yes, Christmas is coming...). I started by inking Speckled Egg Distress ink through the Snowflakes Stencil, created texture using the Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die, and then die-cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. For the sentiment, I inked Antique Linen Distress Ink through the Snowflakes Stencil onto cream card and added a sentiment from Simple Christmas Clear Stickers (these stickers have become my go-to for all Christmas Cards as it's a super versatile mix of relatively standard Christmas sentiments which work well for any card).

I hope you feel inspired to play along in the STAMPlorations CAS Challenge!

Stencil: ARTplorations Snowflakes Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Stickers: STAMPlorations Simple Christmas Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Speckled Egg and Antique Linen

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 :) 

Reminder for May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

Happy mid-May! This month always speeds so quickly, I hope you have had a chance to enjoy it. I have enjoyed the blossoms in the garden, the slowly (way too slowly, if you ask me) warming weather and seeing my house plants spring back to being their best self and the herbs growing in their pots. 

I created a card for the STAMPlorations mid-month challenge inspiration post for the May CAS challenge. The optional colour twist for May is a fabulous Copper + Gold. I started by inking various shades of yellow, orange and brown Distress inks through the Barley Stencil and splattered some ink on the card for added interest. I then added a sentiment by attaching one of the Just Everyday Greetings Clear Stickers onto copper card. It's a really quick and easy card that packs a lot of punch in no time!

 

Stencil: ARTplorations Barley Stencil

Stickers: STAMPlorations Just Everyday Greetings Clear Stickers

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks

Note that I have received these crafting supplies 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 :) 

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

Hi fellow crafters! Happy best month of the year, May is finally here!! I love May. It's spring, there are flowers, TWO bank holidays in a month (if you are in the UK), nature is back to life, it's warm(er), and of course it's my birthday month so I may be a bit biased.

Anyhow, the first day of the month means the STAMPlorations challenges turn over a new leaf. The STAMPlorations May CAS challenge has a really great colour combo which I feel really challenged me - yellow and copper. How gorgeous are those roses in the challenge inspiration pic above? So I definitely wanted to create something with yellow roses myself. I started by stamping In Bloom: Radiant Roses in Versamark and heat embossing in copper. I then watercoloured the roses in Distress Inks and splattered some watercolour on the card front for good measure. Last, I matted the card front on copper card, and die cut a sentiment in the same copper card using  Everyday Sentiments Dies.

I hope you feel inspired to join the challenge, and as usual, there are great prizes to be won, a $20 prize code to the winner and three $7 prize codes to randomly picked entries.

Stamps: STAMPlorations In Bloom: Radiant Roses

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Ranger 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, 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 :) 

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 :) 

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 :) 

Reminder March STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

Happy Mid-March! Have you had a crafty month? I have learned a new craft this month - I have started to learn yarn dyeing and I love it. I love all the aspects of colour theory it involves, just like I love those aspects of crafting. Which colours to pick and how will they go together? But for today's card I didn't have to think about colours, as I went with the colour twist for the March STAMPlorations CAS challenge.

If you haven't had a chance to play along with the challenges yet this month there is more inspiration for all challenges from the design team over on the STAMPlorations blog today. For my card, I used the dark green and mint green colour twist for my CAS card. I stamped the leaves from Leafy in the two greens, die cut the panel with Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and sponged some ink around the edges of the panel. I stamped the cute little bunny from Woodland Friends, coloured him with Copics and fussy cut him. Last, I added a sentiment from the same stamp set. I hope you find all the Design Team's creations inspirational and find some time to play along with the challenges this month.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Leafy, Woodland Friends

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

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

March STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

March?!?! It's March?!?! March 13th (which incidentally last year happened to be Friday the 13th...) marks one year of working from home for me. I feel so very grateful that I have a job to go to every day but more than that, a job I can safely do from home. And if I'm totally honest, working from home has improved my quality of life a lot as I have a relatively long commute, so I'm saving loads of time and money. We have been told that we will not be expected to return to the office until September, so I will enjoy this spring and summer and the flexibility that working from home gives me for a little while longer. But I'm sure you didn't pop in to hear me talking about work but to see what is going on with the STAMPlorations CAS challenge, and I'm so glad you did.

The optional colour twist for the March CAS challenge is dark green and mint green. I decided to stamp some spring inspired leaves on my card using Deepti's beautiful Leafy stamp set. Sometimes I think it's nice to work with just one stamp set, and also if I'm thinking of buying a stamp set I like seeing examples of that stamp set used on its own to give me ideas of what I can do with it without having a ton of other stash at hand too. So I used two pieces of scrap paper to mask off a strip of my card front and lightly inked it with Cracked Pistachio Distress Ink. Then I stamped the leaves in Lucky Clover Distress Oxide and added a sentiment from the same stamp set. If that isn't CAS, I don't know what is :) 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Leafy

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Cracked Pistachio, Distress Oxide Lucky Clover, 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 :) 

Reminder STAMPlorations CAS January Challenge

 

We have already managed to get through half of the most depressing month of the year and to celebrate that it's time for more inspiration from the STAMPlorations challenge design teams in the challenge reminder post!

If you were planning to play along with our monthly challenges but haven't had time to do so yet, or if you haven't linked up the maximum allowed 3 projects, you can still play along. Our January CAS Challenge colour twist is pink, red and orange. I used these colours to ink up a background for my card using Distress Oxides. I heat embossed the beautiful Blossom Sprays #3 in white on the background and added a die-cut sentiment using Everyday Sentiment Dies.  

Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #3

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiment Dies

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, 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 :) 

January STAMPlorations CAS Challenge

 

Welcome to the first STAMPlorations CAS Challenge of 2021! 2020 was quite a year, but now it's time to turn a blank card and start creating again from scratch. I hope 2021 will be filled with good things for you, whatever form that will take. I also hope that you will continue to take time to play along with the STAMPlorations challenges! For me, I'm hoping my loved ones will continue to stay safe and healthy. I'm also hoping for lots of time to enjoy the things I like most, like creating cards, knitting and crocheting. 

The first STAMPlorations CAS Challenge of the year is all about pinks, reds and oranges. I created a card inspired by these colours. I started by inking pink, red and orange Distress Oxide through the Senecio 1 Stencil. I stamped the beautiful floral silhouettes from Beautiful You in black and added a sentiment which I die cut from black card using Everyday Sentiments. Last, I matted my card front on pink card before adding it to a white card blank.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Beautiful You

Stencil: ARTplorations Senecio 1

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments

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 :) 

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 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 :) 

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.