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 :) 

Women's Day Blog Hop

 

Hello lovely crafters, and particularly all you wonderful women! I'm popping in today with a creation for the Women's Day Insta Hop, Blog Hop & Linky Party. STAMPlorations is one of the many wonderful sponsors for this hop and you should definitely check out the post over on the STAMPlorations blog as many of my fellow DT members have created projects to celebrate women. I feel very blessed to be part of this beautiful community of crafters, filled with wonderful people - so many of them women - who are supportive and leave comments filled with kindness and encouragement to each other all over social media. If you are a woman, I hope someone will spoil you today, and if you are not a woman, I hope you will consider spoiling the woman/women in your life :) 

 

I created a card inspired by the blog hop motto "Be your own kind of beautiful". I started by inking Distress ink through the Faces: Lovely stencil, blending as I went along. Then I stamped the sentiments from Woodland Friends and heat embossed them in white on black card. I fussy cut the sentiments and added them to the card. I hope you will join the hop and linky party and you can read all about the wonderful prizes of the hop over on Women's Day Insta Hop, Blog Hop & Linky Party and don't forget to pop over to the STAMPlorations blog to see all the lovely projects from the DT. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends

Stencil: ARTplorations Faces: Lovely

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks, 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 :) 

STAMPlorations October CAS Challenge Reminder

Hi CAS crafters! I'm here to tell you it's now mid-October. And yes, you know what that means, right? We are midway through the STAMPlorations October CAS challenge. And that, of course, means you still have a few more weeks to join in on our October CAS fun! 

For my card, I used one of the new fabulous Slimline Stencils called Trees and inked it with Hickory Smoke and Spiced Marmalade Distress inks. I then stamped some of the cute critters from Woodland Friends on white card, coloured them with Copics and fussy cut. Last, I added a sentiment from the same stamp set.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends

Stencil: ARTplorations Trees Slimline Stencil

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Hickory Smoke and Spiced Marmalade, Copics

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at the STAMPlorations store you can use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. This excludes some of the promotions, which specifically mention that additional discounts are not applicable.

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 :)

Don't forget to check out the sitewide sale in the STAMPlorations store for the month of October, and don't forget to use my code  STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout for an extra discount!

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday, how are you on this fine day? I'm here to show you my card for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. I thought some furry little friends are the perfect way to cheer us all up when we enter yet another strange week in this new reality which still seems like it's straight out of a science fiction novel. And at the same time other things are as normal as ever, there is way too much work and spring just keeps coming, the peonies are in full bloom in the garden. 

Today's card involved a bit of stamping, masking and no-line watercolouring. I absolutely love this stamp set and the adorable critters make such a cute card. I hope you feel inspired to create something today too!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends

Ink and colouring: Gansai Tambi watercolours, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Distress Ink Scattered Straw

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday crafty peeps! I hope you are ready for some crafting inspiration, as we are back with the ladies from the STAMPlorations DT over on the STAMPlorations blog for this week's Inspiration post. Comment to win - you know the drill by now, right? And don't forget our short winter break from the STAMPlorations challenges is almost over and we'll be back with the March instalment the day after tomorrow, all refreshed and rested!

For today's card, I combined one of my all-time favourite stencils, Sanna's gorgeous Evolution with my favourite cute critter set Woodland Friends. I used Distress Inks on the stencil, die-cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and inked Vintage Photo around the edges. I stamped the fox on white card, coloured him with Copics and fussy cut him. I attached him onto a panel of vellum I die cut using the smallest one of the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I heat embossed the sentiment in copper using Bold Sentiments: Fabulous and die cut the word fabulous from copper card using Fabulous Word die. Last, I added some Ice Stickles to the sentiment for that extra little bling! 

Don't forget, if you want to do some crafty shopping, you can use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout for 20% off normal priced products in the STAMPloration store. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends, Bold Sentiments: Fabulous

Stencil: ARTplorations Evolution

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Fabulous Word die

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Copics

Fairy Tale Deer

I've been creating and crafting quite a bit this new year but I have mostly spent my creative time on my bullet journal and on knitting so I haven't had time to create too many cards. Today when I saw the first ever challenge over at CAS Stencil Challenge I thought this would be perfect chance to play with one of my NBUS stencils from the latest release of Sanna Lippert stencils in the ARTplorations range. I'm also linking up over at CASology where the theme is Fresh, and I interpreted this to be fresh spring colours (a girl can dream of spring, right?). Last, but not least I'm using my new stencil as an excuse to link up over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is Something New.

I was utterly enchanted by Sanna's Fairy Tale Forest stencil and could not think of a better image to combine it with than my current favourite stamp, the super-cute deer from STAMPlorations Woodland Friends. To keep everything CAS, I only inked through a corner of the stencil using foam applicators and green, blue and pink Distress ink. Before inking, I stamped the deer, masked it and coloured it with watercolours. Last, I stamped a sentiment from the same stamp set and added a few tiny little adhesive rhinestones.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends
Stencil: STAMPlorations Fairy Tale Forest 
Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, Gansai Tambi watercolours

If you feel like doing some New Year's crafty shopping, hop over to the STAMPlorations store where the New Year Storewide sale (exluding New Release products) is continuing until January 15th!

January STAMPlorations TAG challenge - Winter

Happy New Year! I hope 2019 will be a very crafty year for you. Last year was full of things which kept me from my craft room. I hope 2019 will bring me more time to continue to develop my crafting skills and to simply enjoy creativity. 

On the first day of the year, we also launch of first STAMPlorations challenge of the year - January TAGplorations challenge. The theme is Winter, and there is an optional twist of using texture paste, which I didn't take this time. I wanted to create a wintery scene using the adorable fuzzies from Woodland Friends. I hope you are inspired by this wintery scene and share your creations with us!

I die cut my tag using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies and used the Oh My Stars Mini stencil with Distress Inks to create a monoprint to create the night sky. I then inked in yellow inks through the stencil to create the stars. I used a white gel pen to create the snowfall. I die cut the snowy landscape using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies and Stitched Winter Landscape. I stamped the cute critters from Woodland Friends, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends,
Dies: Stitched Snow Hills, Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Stitched Winter Landscape,
Stencils: Oh My Stars Mini stencil

Bliss Under Starry Skies

Just a super quick post today as I've been busy setting up my new laptop. Yes, after 9 years my trusty old Macbook Pro, which I bought when I first moved to the UK, now gets to retire. I decided that as I'm getting older, I no longer can lug around such a big and heavy brick. So it's basically health and safety to get a new computer, right? To be fair, the old brick has served me well and after 9 years of use, it's actually brilliant value for money. But the new one definitely has its benefits, like that it's about a third of the weight and all sleek and slim.

But on to more interesting things - today's card was inspired by the Starry Skies theme over at Daring Cardmakers. First I inked up the ARTplorations Oh My Stars! stencil with blue Distress Oxides and created a monoprint onto watercolour card to create the sky. After the ink had dried I inked Mustard Seed Distress Oxide through the stencil, and while the ink was still wet, added sparkly clear embossing powder to give the stars a pretty sparkle.

I smooshed green and brown Distress Oxides to create the ground, and die cut with Stitched Snow Hills. I stamped the cute critters from Woodland Friends, coloured with Copics and fussy cut. I drew a branch for the owl to sit on, and last I heat embossed a sentiment from Noteworthy 3 on a piece of dark blue card. 

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

Card: Daler Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper, Neenah Solar white card, scrap of dark blue card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends, Noteworthy 3
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Snow Hills, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies
Stencil: ARTplorations Oh My Stars! 
Ink: Tsukinko Versamark, Memento, Distress Oxides
Other: White and shimmer clear embossing powder 

Don't forget there is still a few days left to use my code STAMPGIRLKAROLA to get 20% off products in the NEW RELEASE and 5x7 STAMP CLUB categories and to get a free metal die with your order from theSTAMPlorations store.

Autumn Woodland Friends

Just realised we are hours away from the deadline for the current Sunday Stamps colour challenge, so had to hop on to publish this post so I could link up. I'm also linking up over at International Art and Soul where the theme is Wild Animals, Crafting by Design where the theme is Autumn Colours and Fab n' Funky where the theme is Animal.

The patterned paper is actually not "real" crafting stash but came with an order of (for me) very expensive cosmetics I placed a while ago. As soon as I saw the paper I knew it had to pair up with the super cute Woodland Friends from STAMPlorations. Talk about recycling!

Card: Light grey card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, scrap of beige card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Woodland Friends

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Other: STAMPlorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

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)!