STAMPlorations Inspiration - National Coffee Day

 

Happy Tuesday, aka STAMPlorations Inspiration post day. Today we have a special post as we are participating in the National Coffee Day hop hosted by the Coffee Loving Cardmarkers. As always, STAMPlorations is one of the supersponsors for the event. This time the hop is a bit different from waht you are used to if you usually play along - there is no linking up this time, just a hop to all the super sponsors. 

This year, STAMPlorations is giving away 2 prizes: a $20 gift code and  Zen Coffee 1 cover plate die. Winners will be drawn from all comments left on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post between September 29 and October 6. As an extra perk, select coffee themed products are 20% off in the STAMPlorations store BUT if you ALSO use my DT cupon code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout you get an EXTRA 20% off!! (note that if you use my code I will get a very small commission on the sales as I'm a STAMPlorations affiliate, but most importantly it will not be at any added cost to you).

For my card, I started by stencilling autumn colours through the Leaf Prints Mini stencil and splattered some ink on the card too for extra interest. Then I stamped, coloured and fussy cut the coffee cup and pot from What's Brewing, added them to the card and finished with a sentiment from the same set. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing

Stencil: ARTplorations Leaf Prints Mini

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

As mentioned above, select coffee-themed products will be 20% off from September 29 to October 6 in the STAMPlorations store. You can get an extra 20% off when you use my DT coupon code STAMPGIRLKAROLA. You also have a few more days to take advantage of the September offer 25% off clear stamps with code STAMP25 and 15% off stencils with code STENCIL15.

Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Today is the launch of the Spring/Summer 2020 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! As always, STAMPlorations is one of the sponsors of the event so along with the rest of the STAMPloratios Inspirations team we are sharing extra inspiration over on the STAMPlorations blog today. There are four STAMPlorations gift codes up for grabs over at Coffee Loving Card Makers as part of the main Blog Hop, but as usual, Shery is being very generous and there is an extra prize drawn from those leaving comments on the STAMPlorations blog post.

We also have another reason to celebrate over on the STAMPlorations blog as we have recently released two new coffee themed stamp set. You may have seen the release post earlier this week and here are two other projects I created with these fun new stamp set.

For my first card, I used the coffee stamp from Sweet Kindness which I stamped four times and coloured using Copics. I heat embossed sentiments from Coffee Happy in white on black card and added them to the card. 

For my second card I used the coffee cup from Bloomin' Coffee and You. I stamped it and coloured with Copics before fussy cutting the image. I die cut a background which I created with Distress Oxides using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, and added coffee beans using the Dots n' Beans stencil. Last, I added a sentiment from What's Brewing, matted everything on a piece of blue card which I attached to a card base decorated with Washi tape.

I hope you are inspired to create your own coffee themed projects!

  
Bloomin' Coffee and You | Sweet Kindness

Stamps: STAMPlorations Coffee Happy, What's Brewing

Stencil: ARTplorations Dots n' Beans

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Tsukinko Versamark and Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Distress Oxides, Distress Inks

 

Products in the COFFEE/TEA LOVERS section are 40% off with code COFFEE40.

Coffee Lovers Fall/Winter Blog Hop 2019

Today is the start of the 2019 Coffee Lovers Fall/Winter Blog Hop and STAMPlorations is again one of the super sponsors! So we are celebrating over at STAMPlorations by sharing lots of {insert your favourite hot drink} themed projects, and if you know anything about STAMPlorations you will know there is most certainly going to be some extra prizes to win too!

I have recently had a coffee revelation. I changed the milk in my latte (yes, I'm one of those people who want my coffee with more milk than coffee) from the cow stuff to oat milk and that has made my coffees so much more enjoyable. As the tub of milk says - oh wow, no cow! 

For my coffee card, I started by die cutting the Zen Coffee Cups Layering Dies using watercolour paper and coloured the die-cut using Gansai Tambi watercolours in autumnal hues. I attached the mug onto a panel I cut using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and finished the card with a heat embossed sentiment from What's Brewing.

I'm linking up over at The Card Concept.

Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing

Dies: CUTplorations Zen Coffee Cups Layering Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and colouring: Gansai Tambi Watercolours, Tsukineko Versamark

STAMPlorations November CAS Challenge - Brown

Happy November and welcome to the November STAMPlorations CAS challenge. This month our optional colour twist is Any Shade of Brown, which for me meant chocolate cake! I stamped the cake using Layered Cake Bake in Distress Ink and watercoloured with multiple shades of brown Distress Ink and added strawberry icing on top. I added the sentiment using the new  Everyday Sentiments dies. I die cut the sentiment in light brown card and inked darker browns around the edges of the die cuts. I love these new dies, as they are the perfect size for a card where you want to add a die-cut sentiment but don't want the sentiment to take centre stage. I have been looking for smaller sentiment dies which would be perfect for cards or smaller projects like tags and these are absolutely perfect! 

I'm linking up my card over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes this week.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Layered Cake Bake

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Vintage Photo, Ground Espresso, Gathered Twigs, Work Lipstick

November STAMPlorations challenges - Mid-Month Reminder

Halfway through the month already? Can you hear Christmas approaching? Have you already played along with our November challenges over at STAMPlorations? I can't help you with the first two dilemmas, but if your answer to the last question is no, fear not. You can find freshly added inspiration today for various November challenges on the STAMPlorations blog. My tag is for the November TAGplorations challenge, where the theme is about being thankful and with an optional twist of polka dots. I'm very thankful for coffee every morning and I thought it would probably be fun to drink it out of a pink polka-dot mug!

The background is created using Distress Oxide smooching. I stamped the coffee mug and pot and coloured using Copics, except for the coffee cup which I paper pieced. Last I heat embossed the sentiment using copper embossing powder. 

Card: 300 gsm watercolour card, Neenah Solar White card, Lawn Fawn Let's Polka, Mon Amie patterned paper
Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing, Coffeeology
Dies: CUTplorations Manila Tags Nesting Dies
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine, Distress Oxides, Copics
Other: Papermania Copper embossing powder

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. Note that if you order from the NEW RELEASE and 5x7 STAMP CLUB categories before the end of November you will also receive a free thin metal die with your order.

ARTplorations Stencil Hop

Today I'm excited to be part of the STAMPlorations Stencil Hop revealing new stencils from the talented Sanna Lippert. I got my hands on two fun stencils - A Whale's Tale and Dots 'n Beans. I created a few projects with each, mainly using my Gelli plate which was super fun although I'm still learning how to use it. 

If you want to hop along with us, and of course have a change to win some great prizes, you can visit all the designer's blogs and leave comments for a chance to win one of 4 prizes. You will find a list of all participating designers in the STAMPlorations Stencil Hop post. You don't have to comment on all the blogs, but the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win one $20 gift certificate, one $10 gift certificate, and 2 winners will get their choice of three (3) Sanna Lippert Designs stencils. Commenting closes October 21 and winners will be announced on November 10 in the October Winners post.

I started by creating some prints using A Whale's Tale and Dots 'n Beans stencils and Distress Oxides with my new Gelli Plate. For my first card I stamped images from What's Brewing onto kraft card and coloured them with Polychromos pencils. I used the Stitched Tags Nesting Dies to die cut a tag from the stencil print and stamped the With Coffee typografia stamp. I finished with splattering Vintage Photo ink on the tag.

For my second coffee card I used the Gelli print for the panel in the background, inking Vintage Photo distress ink around the edges of the die cut panel. I stamped Framed Coffee Pot in Versafine and watercoloured with Distress Inks. I finished by adding a sentiment from Coffee Happy. 

I used one of the prints of A Whale's Tale and matted it onto black card. I drew the happy little whale as I didn't have any appropriate stamps to match the fish tail pattern and custom created a sentiment. And before you say anything, I know a whale is not a fish, but my artistic talents are limited and I didn't think I could manage an actual fish! I think he turned out quite cute, fish or not.

For my last project, I used a watercolour background and inked grey Distress Ink through the A Whale's Tale and outlined the fishtails in white gel pen. I stamped the ship from Born to Roam, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. I stamped a sentiment from the same set, splitting it up over multiple lines and fussy cutting the last word. 

You can find all of Sanna's inspiring stencils in the STAMPlorations shop. Also note that from October 8 to 21, all stencils are 15% off - no coupon needed. The discount is automatically applied in the shopping cart. And if you use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA you can get an extra 20% off, so this is a great time to do some stencil shopping.

Card: 250 gsm white and kraft card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm card, black 250 gsm card, scrap of red card
Ink and colouring: Distress Oxide, Distress Ink, Faber Castell Polychromos, Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark, Copics, 
Dies: ARTplorations A Whale's Tale, Dots 'n Beans
Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing, With Coffee, Framed Coffee Pot, Coffee Happy, Born to Roam
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, 
Other: Gelli plate, white gel pen

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.

Brush Lettering Cards

One of my goals for this year is to do at least one Skillshare course every month, as I forgot to cancel my subscription before my free trial ran out. So as I'm now paying for a full year of Skillshare, I thought I might as well get some value out of it. I have to admit I haven't been doing very well with my creative education so far, but I used a few hours today to take a watercolour brush lettering course and created a few cards. 

I really need to get a better waterbrush as the ones I have are really bad, the bristles are all going in every direction and the water is leaking as soon as I squeeze the water container. 

First I did a bit of alphabet practice. I still haven't quite worked out what my alphabet looks like. Then I did some more alphabet practice. Then I moved on to make a few cards.

My first card was a bit of a hit and miss. It ended up being a bit of a mess. I tried to create an ombre look with red and purple. But we learn from our mistakes, right? 

The second card turned out better, I particularly liked the way the ombre background turned out. 

My third card was inspired by the 'N is for Need Coffee' theme over at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers and the colours over at Color Throwdown. I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes and Just Us Girls where the theme is CAS. 

Card: White card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour card

Ink and colouring: Brushos, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Spun Sugar, Spiced Marmalade, Worn Lipstick, Distress Oxide Vintage Photo, Signo silver and white pen

Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing, Lawn Fawn Bannerific

November STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Mid-Month Inspiration

Weeks are just flying by, I can't believe we are already in mid-November. Have you been playing along with our brown challenge this month? If not, you still have a few weeks to join in on the fun.  If you need some inspiration to get your mojo going, pop over to the see the mid-month reminder for the STAMPlorations November CAS challenge.

For my card, I decided to go for a one layer card with a coffee theme. I used markers in three shades of brown to colour up stamps from What's Brewing and Scribbly Splattery Grunge to create an ombre look. 

Card: 300 gsm white card

Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing, Scribbly Splattery Grunge

Ink and colouring: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso

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.

It's A Brew-tiful Day

Just popping in quickly for another card for the Fall Coffee Lover's Blog Hop, inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the colours over at Just Us Girls. I'm also linking up over at CAS Mix Up where the theme is stamping + watercolour wash + your choice (die cutting) and AAA Cards where the theme is Autumn Colours. I used a NBUS STAMPlorations set called What's Brewing. I absolutely adore the strong lines and graphic look of these stamps and they really came out great stamped in Distress Oxide ink. I added some water onto the stamped image with a watercolour brush to oxidise the ink. I also added just a little bit of shading to the coffee mug and the steam from the coffee pot using Distress Oxide, and then coloured the wrapper around the mug with the same orange and red Distress Ink I used for the background.

 

Card: 200 gsm white card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper, Neenah Solar white card, orange and yellow card from my stash, Dovecraft 110 gsm vellum

Stamps: STAMPlorations What's Brewing

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle dies, It's a Brew-tiful day phrase die

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Distress Oxide 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 discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.