October STAMPlorations CAS challenge - Mid-Month Reminder

Welcome to our mid-month STAMPlorations challenge reminder post. As you may have noted, this year we are not doing separate reminder posts for each challenge, but instead doing one inspiration filled reminder post. I hope this will inspire you to play along with our STAMPlorations challenges in case you haven't already (and if you have, the challenges allow you to link up multiple times if you happen to get inspired again!)

Our CAS challenge optional colour twist this month is black, and I thought a black background would be perfect to show off gold splatters and the blingtastic stamps from Sparkly. I stamped the jewels in Versamark and heat embossed in gold, coloured them with Faber Castell Polychromos pencils and added some details in white gel pen. I used an old Stampin' Up stamp to stamp the splatters in Versamark and heat embossed in gold. Last, I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of purple ombre card from my stash.

Card: Black 250 gsm card, scrap of purple ombre card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sparkly, Stampin' Up Gorgeous Grunge

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark and Memento Tuxedo Black, Faber Castell Polychromos pencils

Other: Gold 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.

October STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Black

After a summer break, the STAMPlorations CAS challenge is back! I'm so excited to get back to making CAS inspired creations and seeing what you create. The rules are the same as they always were, you can create using any product you want as long as you create a CAS card. Remeber to link back to the main challenge post on the STAMPlorations blog and to include the challenge graphic in your post to be eligible to win the monthly prizes. 

This year we are doing things a bit differently as we will no longer have a mid-month inspiration post, just the main post on the first Thursday of every month. Just as there has always been, you will find an optional colour twist which I love using just to push myself a bit.

This time the optional colour twist is black, and I thought why not change things up a bit and use black card. I have bought a small set of Faber Castell Polychromos pencils, inspired by all your fabulous pencil colouring out there on the Interwebs. I used to admire other people's beautiful colouring on black card, but the non-brand colouring pencils I had didn't really work on black card and I used to wonder what I was doing wrong. Well, I can tell you that using real artist's pencils is what made the difference! These work like a dream, although I still need to learn to use them... I'm already dreaming of a bigger set as I only have 12 colours at my disposal at the moment. But that is just about enough to colour the beautiful Blossom Sprays #1 stamp, and I heat embossed a sentiment from Noteworthy 2 in white.

Card: Black 200 gsm card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Dee's Artsy Impressions Blossom Sprays #1, Noteworthy 2

Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Faber Castell Polychromos

Other: Wow Opaque Bright White Super Fine 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.

Pencils on Black

What a gorgeous day it was today, first real day of spring. The spring is making itself known in the garden. Lots of yellow everywhere. 

Today's card is inspired by the "Pencils on dark card" theme over at House of Cards, the Sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the colours at Sunday Stamps. I stamped and heat embossed the gorgeous Elizabeth background stamp in white fine powder, and then filled in some of the spaces with my lovely scented pencils which I got as a Christmas present from my sister in law. I die cut the sentment from a leftover piece of green card I had inked up at some point as well as some yellow card. 

Card: Black 250 gsm card, scraps of yellow and lilac card

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth background

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, pencils

Other: CUTplorations Hugs Word die, Wow white fine embossing powder