STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hello crafters! It's time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. I am continuing my theme of using up stuff from my UFO box. I think it's a really interesting challenge as it places some constraints and often the things in the UFO box have been put there as I couldn't quite find a way to make them work in the first place so it's really interesting to look at them again with a fresh perspective as some of the things have lingered in the UFO box for a really long time. 

This time I gravitated towards a panel I made using watercolour, the Shower of Flutters stencil and Trendy Butterflies stamp set which I had then die cut with the largest of the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I really love the artsy feel of the butterfly panel, but it just didn't work in whatever design I originally made it for. But I thought it would go so well with one of the gorgeous Watercolour ATC Journaling Cards so I used it to create a quick and easy card by stamping a sentiment on the ATC card using Bold Sentiments: Imagine. I think this was a great way to use up the butterfly panel and I now have a pretty card to send someone. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bold Sentiments: Imagine, Trendy Butterflies

Stencil: ARTplorations Shower of Flutters

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Other: STAMPlorations Watercolour ATC Journaling Cards

 

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

Hello crafters! For this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post I created a super colourful and quick birthday card. I started by using a Gelli print from my UFO box which I created with Distress Oxides and some bubble wrap. Next, I splattered Distress ink on the card base, and attached the Gelli print and a Watercolour ATC Journaling Card to which I attached one of the Birthday Word Art Clear Stickers. Super quick and easy!

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

Hi crafters! For this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post I'm doing some serious stash diving in my UFO box. I decided to create Christmas cards using as many different bits and bobs which I have already made for something else but didn't get used. It was a fun way to challenge myself and to give a new life to things. 

I started by selecting three tags I have created in the past using Distress Oxides and Inks and ARTplorations stencils. One of these already had the stag's head from Yuletide Deer heat embossed on it, so it was perfect to go as it was. I also found a stamped image of the Poinsettia Row which I had watercoloured and then abandoned, so I die cut the middle of the image into a fourth tag. I also found some stamped and heat embossed but not yet coloured images from Joyful which I watercoloured and fussy cut for the two other tags. Next, I used some leftover printouts from a friend's wedding invitation I made many years ago and used the reverse of those as the card backs (the kraft panels). To create some texture, I ran the panels through my die-cut machine using the Circles All Over Texture Cover Plate and inked some Vintage Photo Distress Ink around the edges. Last, I used a mix of sentiments I had pre-cut in the past and also die cut a few new sentiments using scrap pieces of coloured card to finish the cards. Not too bad for a pile of unfinished objects! Below you can see close-ups of the cards.

Stamps: STAMOplorations Joyful, Yuletide Deer, Poinsettia Row

Stencils: ARTplorations All Swirls Slimline Stencil, Flair Slimline Stencil, Tribal Triangles

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tag Nesting Dies, Circles All Over Texture Cover Plate, Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies

Ink and colouring: All the 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 :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi crafters! It's June... May went by so quickly, it's my favourite month of the year for many reasons but this year I have to say the weather really didn't conform with my usual expectation of beautiful, sunny and warm days. Oh well, let's hope the rest of the summer will make up for it.

I'm here to share my card for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post, which was inspired by flowers and watercolours. I have been playing a lot lately with the gorgeous Watercolour ATC Journaling Cards. I created a watercolour floral background to frame the ATC by inking up the Sweetly stamp with Distress Markers, spritzing the coloured stamp with water before stamping and then adding watercolours to the florals. I also added some Kitch Flamingo Distress Ink around the edges of the background panel. For the main panel, I simply stamped a sentiment from Beautiful Courage in black and added this to the background. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sweetly, Beautiful Courage

Other: STAMPlorations Watercolour ATC Journaling Cards

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

 

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 :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Happy Tuesday! Have you had a crafty week so far? If you are looking for inspiration, you should hop over to the STAMPlorations Inspiration post, as we are back again as we are every Tuesday, to share our crafts made with our stash of STAMPlorations goodies. Today. I used one of the gorgeous Watercolour Journaling ATC Cards as the focus on my cards, inking around it in Kitch Flamingo Distress Ink and stamping bloom silhouettes from Beautiful You. The background is die cut with the Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die and inked around the edges with the same Distress Ink. The sentiment is stamped on a small scrap from my UFO pile which fit into the colour scheme, and the sentiment is from Bloomdala Bliss. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Beautiful You, Bloomdala Bliss
Dies: CUTplorations  Wonky Stitched Grid Texture Cover Plate Die
ATCs: STAMPlorations Watercolour Journaling ATC Cards

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 Spring Coffee Kit Release

Hi all, today is an extra special edition of the weekly STAMPlorations Inspiration post as we are celebrating the launch of a brand new kit - the Spring Coffee Kit. This kit contains a gorgeous, big floral coffee cup stamp, a set of three sentiment stamps and four stencils. These stencils are two different designs and both come in both a regular and mini size. That's $37 worth of crafty goodness for just $19.99 (there is free shipping for the US and Canada and $6 shipping for anywhere else in the world). There is even a chance for you to enter a draw to win the kit (or the other STAMPlorations kit, Spring Florals which you will see next week) by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post and the designer's blogs this week and next week as we launch the Spring Florals kit. 

For my first card, I stamped the coffee cup on white card, watercoloured it with Distress Inks and fussy cut it. I also added a sentiment from  For the background, I inked Spun Sugar Distress ink throught the Curvy Large Stencil (included in the kit) and splattered lightly with the same ink. I then grabbed one of the gorgeous Watercolour ATC Journaling cards (not included in the kit) and inked Vintage photo Distress ink through the Curvy Small Stencil (included in the kit). Last, I just layered the ATC card and coffee cup onto the car base.

For my second card I again started by stampin the coffee cup, coloured this time with Copics, and fussy cut. I heat embossed a sentiment from the set in the coffee cup in white. To create the background, I masked off and and inked through select parts of the Patches Large stencil, moving the stencil as I went. I used Distress Ink for the stencilling.

Spring Blooms and Coffee - 4x4 stamp

Coffee and Monday 3x5 stamp set (sentiments fit inside the coffee)

 

Curvy (standard size and mini) | Patches (standard size and mini)

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 :) 

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 :) 

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 :) 

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 :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 It's Tuesday and more than that it's the last Tuesday of the month and I'm still sticking to the challenge I set myself at the beginning of the year to create four Christmas cards for the last STAMPlorations Inspirations post of the month. I'm quite proud I have managed to stick to this for a full quarter of a year!  As I have been playing with kraft card this month, I decided to do this for my Christmas cards too, just to stick with the theme!

I started by stamping the Poinsettia Row in Vintage photo onto kraft card. For two of the cards, I stamped the Poinsettia Row along the long edge of the card, and for the other two, I stamped it twice horizontally instead. Next, I splattered some Vintage photo across the panels and lightly sponged some ink around the edges. Then I heat embossed the poinsettia from Framed Christmas on white card in black embossing powder, watercoloured with Distress Inks and added to the cards. I finished by adding a black die cut sentiment from Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies, matted the panels onto black card and attached to kraft card bases. Below is a closer look at the cards.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Framed Christmas, Poinsettia Row (I have these as actual stamps but they are discontinued - still available as digi stamps though if you want to use them) 
Dies: CUTplorations Christmas Sentiments Phrase Dies
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress 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 :)