STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Can you believe it, January 2021 is almost done and dusted with. January is just one of those months... the holidays have just passed, it's cold and miserable and it seems like there is nothing to really look forward to, just the drudgery of work. But we are moving towards spring, then summer... and Christmas! I know, it's crazy to talk about Christmas when we have hardly recovered from the previous one. But last Christmas I learned a lesson. I had almost no handmade Christmas cards to send out, and I had to create some in a real hurry. And let's just say they didn't quite turn out as I had hoped, as I had so little time. Therefore, this year I will aim to create four Christmas cards every month for the last STAMPlorations Inspiration post of each month. That way, in theory by the end of November I should have 48 Chrismas cards done. To me, 4 Christmas cards per month sound achievable, no? When are you planning to start your Christmas cards?

For today's STAMPlorations Inspiration post I was inspired to create with the Warm Hands Warm Hearts stamp set and matching dies. I decided to create one card with each of the four images from the set and use two different layouts. I started by inking shades of red Distress Inks through the Rectangles Flexi-Template on two cards and creating a red stripe on the side of two other cards. I then stamped the images from Warm Hands Warm Hearts and coloured them with Copics before die cutting with the matching dies. I also created various sentiments by stamps from the Festive and Joy sets, stamping them in red and black inks on kraft card. Last, I created each of the layouts, also adding a small sliver of gold glitter card for added decoration. That's 4 down, 44 to go! Below is a closer look at the cards. Also, don't forget to leave a comment on the Inspiration post to enter into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Warm Hands Warm Hearts and matching dies, Festive, Joy
Other:  Rectangles Flexi-Template
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo black, Tim Holtz Distress inks, 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 Inspiration

 

Happy Tuesday, aka STAMPlorations Inspiration Post day! Any crafting these days is solely devoted to Christmas crafts, therefore I bring you another Christmas card today. I was going through my stash of Christmas craft supplies and picked out some I haven't played with for a while. I don't want them to feel forgotten about! I started by masking my card front using the Rectangles Flexi-Template (I really, really love this product, it is exactly what I have needed without knowing I need it, and I use it so often!). I then heat embossed sentiments from Joy and Festive in white, added the Placid Stencil and inked with Distress inks. Next, I stamped the present laden sledge from Warm Hands Warm Hearts stamp set, coloured with Copics and die cut with the matching die. Last, I stamped sentiments from Joy and Warm Hands Warm Hearts. Don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post you are entered into a monthly draw for a $15 prize code.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy, Festive, Warm Hands Warm Hearts stamps and dies

Stencil: CUTplorations Placid Stencil, Rectangles Flexi-Template

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black, 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 :) 

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.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi, happy Tuesday and happy STAMPlorations Inspiration day! We have a new Inspiration Post over on the STAMPlorations blog. Don't forget that by commenting on the post over on the STAMPlorations blog you will have a chance to win a  $15 gift code to the new fabulous STAMPlorations store.

I'm continuing my Christmas in July theme from last week. This time I did some white heat embossing in white on kraft using the wreath from Joyful which I watercoloured with Distress Oxides, and splattered with white watercolour. I cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and inked the edges of the panel with Vintage Photo. I used the sentiment stamps from Joy to create the sentiment. This was actually quite a quick card to make so I might make a batch of these to get seriously started with my Christmas card stash.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful, Joy 

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Oxides

If you feel like shopping in the STAMPlorations store, 

you will get 30% off all products in the main store!

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi and welcome to the first STAMPlorations Inspiration post for July. I am going to devote my July projects to some Christmas card ideas as I think July is a good time to start thinking about designs for Christmas cards so that once you get a bit closer to Christmas you have multiple cards and designs done and if needed, you can mass-produce one or a few of them. 

Another exciting thing for July is that the brand new STAMPlorations store is now open! All the STAMPlorations stamps, dies, digis and other crafting supplies are now available in one shop and you can also find the Outlet store in the same place. Don't forget to use the code RELAUNCH at checkout to get 30% off your first order in the new store and for subsequent orders, you can use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout for 20% off. And there is even a freebie you can get for FREE if you pay for shipping. And if you leave a comment on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post over on the main STAMPloratios blog you can win a $15 gift code to the STAMPlorations store!

For my first Christmas in July project involves one of my all-time favourite Christmas stamp sets, Joyful. I heat embossed the Christmas present image in gold on white card, watercoloured with Gansai Tambi watercolours and fussy cut the image. I used the Dream Flower stencil with Distress Inks to create the background for the card, which I think looks a bit like poinsettias. Last, I added a sentiment from Joy heat embossed onto kraft card. 

Note that if you use any of the affiliate links in this post I will get a small compensation from your order without any additional cost to you!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joyful, Joy

Stencil: ARTplorations Dream Flower 

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Ink, Gansai Tambi watercolours

STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge

It's December. How did this happen? Are you freaking out about Christmas? We are having family over for Christmas and I'm already stressed about cooking. And don't even get me started on cleaning the house. It's a disgrace... 

With all the above in mind, I have made a safe fortress in my craft room. I just craft and refuse to come out and face all the Christmas preparations. What an adult way to handle things, right? I created this card using the great new Christmas sentiment stamp set Joy. I stamped the solid words in various Christmas colours using Distress Inks, and then added the black outlines. I splattered some Distress Ink and that's it. Super quick and easy, a minimal amount of stash needed. Perfect for those last-minute cards, and perfect for mass production.

I hope you'll come and play along with our STAMPlorations December CAS Challenge. All you need to do is link up a CAS card, the rest of the rules are in the CAS Challenge post. The colour twist is optional but highly recommended!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Joy

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink