STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Hello fellow crafters! It's Tuesday, which of course means it's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post day, but what's more is that it's the last Tuesday of the month and I'm sticking to my 'New Year's resolution' of creating four Christmas cards for my stash to help future me be better prepared for Christmas than I was last year (although I think any failures to do absolutely anything in 2020 should just be automatically forgiven due to you-know-what reasons :). As always don't forget that by leaving a comment on the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post you automatically get entered into a monthly draw of a $15 prize code to the  STAMPlorations store

Today I decided to play with colours and do some layered stamping using Shirley's fun Layered Holly stamp set using non-traditional Christmas colours. I picked my colour combos for every card stamping the solid images in a lighter colour and the outlines in a darker shade of the same-ish general colour (for example the yellow-red combo is Mustard Seed for the solid leaves, Fossilized Amber for the leaf outline, Festive Berries for the solid berries and Aged Mahogany for the outline, and the purple-green combo is Twisted Citron for the solid leaves, Peeled Paint for the leaf outlines, Wilted Violet for the solid berries and Seedless Preserves for the outlines). I added a sentiment from the same set on a matching coloured piece of scrap card (excellent way to use up those little pieces you keep hold of because you can't throw away any scrap pieces. I'm not the only one doing that, surely?). Last, for some added interest I added the fun barcode-like strip at the bottom in a matching colour. It's from Mixed Media Grunge and a super fun way to add that final finishing touch to the edges of cards.

Here is another look at the cards in a bit more detail:

Stamps: STAMPlorations Layered Holly, Mixed Media Grunge

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks, 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 :) 

Silver Stag

I have spent the whole day trying to sort out the mess that is my digital photo library. Nothing like a new computer to find the motivation to try and sort things out and only move relevant bits and bobs over to the new computer. But boy oh boy is it hard work!! My new year's resolution for next year will be to do a monthly photo cleanout instead of having to go through thousands of photos. If you have any good tips on how you manage your photos, please share!!

About today's card - it's quite quick and easy, perfect for December crafting really. It's inspired by the colours over at Color Throwdown and the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches. I'm also linking up over at Make My Monday where the theme is Non-Traditional Christmas Colours and Christmas Crafts All Year Round where Anything Goes.

Card: White 200 gsm, Stampin' Up patterned paper from my stash

Stamps: STAMPlorations Yuletide Deer, Mixed Media Grunge

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies 

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Disterss Ink Smoky Slate

Other: Papermania Silver embossing powder, small adhesive rhinestones from my stash

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.

One Layer Christmas Card

It's been a bit of a crazy year. I guess it always feels like that, so I'm not sure if this year has indeed been any crazier than any other, objectively measured. But indulge me. 

To make a long story short, a crazy year leaves less time for crafting. It also seems to suck the mojo out of me, so even at times when I sat down in the craft room, I didn't manage to produce anything presentable. Today however, I got super inspired by a gorgeous card by the talented Shery of STAMPlorations fame. And luckily for me, over here in craft world, we have this wonderful thing of CASEing someone, rather than saying we just nicked their idea... So thank you Shery for the inspiration, I hope you don't mind! I was also inspired by the inspiration image over at Time Out Challenges and the Big Bold sentiment theme over at Just Add Ink. I'm also linking up over at Stamping Sensations where the theme is (appropriately) Get ready for Christmas and Happy Little Stampers Christmas challenge where the twist is CAS.

Card: white 200 gsm card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Merry Little Christmas Typografia Christmas, Layered Holly, Mixed Media Grunge
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Iced Spruce, Fired Brick, Forest Moss

Note that there is currently a 40% off sale in the STAMPlorations store which applies to previously released products. If you want to order from the NEW RELEASE and 5x7 STAMP CLUB categories, use my code above. As all NEW RELEASE products are already 10% off in the store (no code needed), using the code above you will actually get an extra 20% off on top of the standard discount, AND a free thin metal die to add (free die only if you order by November 30th)!  

October STAMPlorations TAG Challenge - Fall

I'm very excited to be blogging today about the October STAMPlorations TAG Challenge as I have been given a wonderful opportunity to join the design team. Hopefully you have a lot of pent-up TAG mojo in store after our summer break! I can't wait to hop around to all of your blogs and to be inspired by what you create. Our first challenge of the season is All About Fall with an optional twist of red, orange and gold. 

My tag is inspired by the colourful leaves and all the birds migrating to a warmer climate right now. I started by blotting Twisted Citron, Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber and Vintage Photo Distress Oxide onto a craft mat, spritzing and picking up several layers of ink onto white card. Then I used one of the Manila Tags Nesting Dies to cut the tag. I inked up the Trendy Leaves stamps in yellow, orange, red and brown Distress Oxide, spritzed with water before stamping and fussy cut them. I also die cut some leaves using the Trendy Spring Blooms dies. Then I randomly stamped various stamps from Mixed Media Grunge in red, orange and brown around the edges of the tag and added a sentiment from Noteworthy 2. Before attaching the leaves, I used Vintage Photo Distress Ink through the Some Birds stencil and last I stamped and heat embossed some dots in gold in the upper left corner of the tag and added some ribbon and twine.

There are very few rules - please follow the theme and your project has to have a tag in some form. You don't have to use STAMPlorations products but if you have any we would love to see how you were inspired to use them. Don't forget to link back to the challenge and add the challenge graphic to your post if you want to be eligible to win prizes.

I'm linking up my tag over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is Tag It.

Card: 200 gsm white card, Hobbycraft 190 gsm white card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves, Noteworthy 2, Mixed Media Grunge
Dies: CUTplorations Manila Tags Nesting Dies, Trendy Spring Blooms
Stencils: ARTplorations Some Birds
Ink: Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Distress Oxides Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Twisted Citron, Spiced Apple, Barn Door, Vintage Photo, Tsukineko Versamark
Other: gold embossing powder, ribbon, twine, sequin and an adhesive gem from my stash

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.

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Things With Wings

Welcome to the STAMPlorations CAS Challenge for May. Yes, we are back to the usual challenges after a few months - I hope you enjoyed playing along with the all singing, all dancing STAMPlorations super challenge over the last few months. Now we are back with a shared theme across all STAMPlorations challenges - Things With Wings. There will be plenty of prizes and lots of extra chances to win during the month, so don't forget to check back regularly over on the STAMPlorations blog. There are also some new fabulous Things With Wings in the STAMPlorations store!

As the name suggests, we are challenging you to create a CAS project including something with wings. You don't have to use STAMPlorations products but if you have any, we always love to see how you are inspired by them! 

For my card, I started by die cutting the birds using CUTplorations For The Birds Dies. I coloured them in ombre rainbow colours with my watercolours. While the watercolours were drying, I stamped some background stamps using Mixed Media Grunge in Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain distress ink behind where I was planning to attach the birds. I also splattered some Vintage Photo ink onto the card base. Last, I die cut the sentiment using the Hugs Word die in dark brown card and attached it with 3D foam dots.

Card: White 250 gsm card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour card, a scrap of dark brown card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Mixed Media Grunge
Dies: CUTplorations For The Birds Dies, Hugs Word die
Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo, Gansai Tambi watercolours

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.