New Release Life is Sweeter

 

Happy Tuesday fellow crafters! Today we have replaced the usual STAMPlorations Inspiration post with something extra special. We continue the new release introduction, which we began yesterday with Shirley's fun Super Hero (check it out here if you missed it). And today we are showing you Deepti's new stamp set Life is Sweeter - hop over to the STAMPlorations blog to see all the gorgeous projects the DT has created using this set. This is such a lovely stamp set to use if you want to send some love to friends and family who seem to be so very far away right now. Just a little note to cheer them up, and with the lovely stamps, it's really easy to create quick and easy cards, like the ones I have created here today.

For my first card, I used Distress Markers to colour directly on the stamps. Before stamping onto watercolour card, I spritzed the coloured stamp with a bit of water. I started by stamping the peach, masked it, stamped the pear, masked it too and then stamped the pineapple. Last, I added a sentiment and splattered some of the inks I used to colour the stamps.  

For my second card, I started by masking my card front using the Rectangles Flexi-Template and inked Cracked Pistachio and Spun Sugar Distress Ink in the bottom right and top left corners, fading as I went along. Next, I used Tim Holtz Distress Markes to colour the stamps, spritzed them wiht water and stamped then onto my card. I added a sentiment from the same set as a finishing touch. 

And of course, it wouldn't be a new stamp release without a chance to win some great prizes. Winners will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMPlorationa blog and designers' blogs (including mine!). One randomly drawn commenter will win a $25 prize code to the STAMPlorations store, and one randomly drawn commenter will win a stamp set of their choice from the new release. You have until March 17th to leave a comment, and the winners will be announced on March 19th.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Life is Sweeter 

Stencils: ARTplorations Rectangles Flexi-Template

Ink and colouring: Distress Inks, Distress Markers, 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 :) 

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Hi all, happy Tuesday! How is your February coming along? I feel there is definitely a bit more light now which helps in the mornings, and soon I hope there will be enough light in the afternoon as well so it doesn't feel like it's dark before the working day ends. I am already dreaming of spring but I think we have a cold front to deal with so I'm worried that my poor little daffodils which are already venturing out in the garden will freeze. Let's hope they make it and soon there will be pops of yellow in the flower beds.

My card for today's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post most certainly reflects my dreams of spring. I love the faux watercolour technique and I used the beautiful Blossom Sprays 1 stamps with Tim Holtz Distress Markers for this card. I used the markers to colour the stamp, then spritzed it generously with water before stamping onto watercolour paper for that lovely bleeding colours look. Then I just added a heat embossed sentiment from For the Birds for this simple almost-one-layer card. I hope you will have a chance to craft at some point this week. Also, don't forget there is a monthly random draw to win a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store and you can simply enter by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. Last but not least, see below for a discount code and check out info about the February offer in the STAMPlorations store

Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays 1, For the Birds

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Markers, 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 Inspiration

 

For today's STAMPlorations Inspiration post I got to play with one of my absolute favourite stamps sets, Beautiful You by the talented Dee of Dees Artsy Impressions. It's been sold out almost all the time, so I was super happy that I was able to get my hands on this stamp set! I made a card with it for the STAMPlorations November CAS challenge the other day and could not get enough so here we go, another card with the same stamp set but a really different vibe.

I coloured the stamps using Distress Markers in beautiful autumn colours, spritzed with water and stamped onto my card, using bolder colours in the front and lighter colours in the back. Then I splattered some ink to create more interest and added a bit of Vintage Photo around the edges of the card before adding a die-cut sentiment using Everyday Sentiments Dies. I love the way it turned out! I hope you feel inspired to create something today, and don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post you are entered into a draw for a $15 prize code to the STAMPlorations store.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Beautiful You

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments Dies

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress markers, Vintage Photo Distress ink

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! It's time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. This week I was inspired by the colours of the leaves, although we are getting to the end of leaf season, to be honest. Most trees are quite naked by now, and I even had to scrape my car windscreen a few times already so I guess it's time to admit that winter is truly coming.

I used the faux watercolour technique to create my leafy background. I used Distress Markers to colour the Trendy Leaves and spritzed with water before stamping. I used the super useful Basics A2 Panels Nesting Dies to cut the panels for the front. I die cut one of the Gratitude Trees in various autumnal colours. For the sentiment, I coloured a scrap piece of card with Distress Markers and blended with water before die cutting with the Skinny Sentiments.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves
Dies: CUTplorations Gratitude Trees Dies, Skinny Sentiments, Basics A2 Panels Nesting Dies
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Markers

You a few more days to take advantage of the STAMPlorations huge Thanksgiving sale. Also, don't forget to take part in the Giving Thanks Giveaway and you could win a year's supply of STAMPlorations products.

Order at least $50 worth of products then use code THANKS25 and pay just $37.50 + free shipping (US)

Order at least $100 worth of products then use code THANKS30 and pay just $70 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $150 worth of products then use code THANKS40 and pay just $90 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $200 worth of products then use code THANKS50 and pay just $100 + free worldwide shipping

Order at least $300 worth of product then use code THANKS60 and pay just $120 + free worldwide shipping

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Ends December 8.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

It's Tuesday and that means another instalment of the STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. It's starting to look a lot like autumn out there, so this week I was inspired by all the leaves which are starting to turn into those warm autumn colours. 

I used Distress markers in various hues of yellows, oranges, reds and browns to colour the beautiful leaves from Trendy Leaves, spritzed them with water and stamped around the edges of a watercolour paper card front. I also diluted a bit of ink with water and splattered on the card. I created the sentiment by colouring a scrap of watercolour paper with the markers and blended with water before die cutting using the Hello word die.

I'm linking up over at Make My Monday where the theme is Autumn and Crafty Gals Corner where the theme is Fall Colours.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves

Dies: CUTplorations Hello word die

Ink and colouring: Distress markers

Fiery Birthday Mandala

Do you remember when you first started making cards and thought it would be such a great way to save money? Never having to buy any cards at Clintons ever again for a full two or three pounds? Before you realised that when you divide the thousands of pounds you have spent on craft stash by the number of cards you have made, you get a figure somewhere in the neighbourhood of £60 (purely fictional example, don't ask me where those numbers come from...)? Don't worry, we have all been there! This is a safe space where we can all admit we have a problem. And encourage each other to never get better!!

But sometimes it's great when you find exactly what you need in your stash to create just the card you need, not having to buy anything new and able to create just the card you imagined. It almost brings back that warm and fuzzy dream of saving money by making your own cards! 

I needed a birthday card for a colleague and I didn't have anything I deemed suitable in my stash (it's the same feeling as having a cupboard full of clothes but nothing to wear...). Quick and easy enough for a weeknight craft session. I think it turned out quite nice. I hope my colleague will like it too. I even made an envelope to match. The stamping is done using the faux watercolour technique. I coloured the Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background stamp with Distress Markers, spritzed with water and stamped. I added some splatters to the card, and used a sentiment die from Lawn Fawn.

I'm linking up with 
CAS on Friday - use die cut words
Fusion card challenge - I was inspired by the red and yellow colours and the wrought iron  handrail on the house, which I think looks a bit like the black die-cut letters
Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - Stamp It
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - Stamp It
Crafting Happiness - Birthday
Inkspirational - Crop (I took this to mean cropped off the edge of the card)

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love
Dies: Lawn Fawn Happy Birthday Line Border die
Colouring: Tim Holtz Distress markers Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries

Colourful Swallowtail

The current challenge over at CAS Watercolour is Colourful Butterflies. My absolute favourite butterfly stamp is this old Swallowtail stamp from Stampin' Up which I feel I can use over and over and over, and constantly find new ways of using it. This time I decided to use the faux watercolour technique. 

I coloured the stamp with Tim Holtz Distress markers and spritzed it with water before stamping onto watercolour paper. The first time, I didn't quite manage to place the stamp as I wanted it, so I used that first attempt for my tag, die cutting it with Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I heat embossed a sentiment in white using STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2 to the tag. 

My second attempt at stamping the swallowtail turned out better as I was patient enough to ensure even pressure all across the stamp and really pressing it into the paper before removing it. I added a sentiment using STAMPlorations Happy Birthday and splattered some ink onto the white space for added interest.

I'm also linking up the card over at Cardz4Galz where the theme is Wings, Seize the Birthday where the theme is Butterflies and Stamping Sensations where the theme is Things with Wings.

Stamps: Stampin' Up Swallowtail, STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2, Happy Birthday

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine, Tim Holtz Distress Markers

Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

June STAMPlorations challenges - Mid-Month Reminder

The summer is rushing away in a hurry, how can we already be halfway through June? The silver lining is that we are only halfway thorough June, so there is still two more weeks to play along with the STAMPlorations challenges. Together with my fellow DT members, we were so inspired by the current challenges that we wanted to share some more projects with you over on the STAMPlorations blog. Hope you will join us if you haven't already!

I was super inspired by one of the CAS challenge entries from May, by the super talented Jane. She had used the faux watercolour technique for her beautiful card, and I immediately went into my craft room to create a card. I coloured the beautiful Blossom Sprays #3 stamp using Distress Markers, spritzed with water and stamped on watercolour card. I then lightly sprayed the stamped image to blend the inks just a little bit more. The colouring of the stamps can be a bit fiddly, but I absolutely love the look, so it's definitely worth the time. For a high impact sentiment, I heat embossed a Thank You from For the Birds in white on black card.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #3, For the Birds

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Markers, 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 discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.

Last but not least don't forget the 6th Birthday Summer Sale in the STAMPlorations store.

CLICK HERE to see all 250+ qualifying products!

Faux Watercolour Florals

Just a quick post today as I've spent most of the day doing meal-prep for next week. I just can't get around to cook anything sensible during the week. Either it's meal prep on Sunday or I only eat utter rubbish all week. Lunch salads are already prepped, as are quinoa-olive-feta-tomato-chestnut stuffed peppers. Now I just need to think of something for the other half.

Today's card is inspired by the adorable rainbow birdies over at Fusion. I was also inspired by the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the Nature theme over at Time Out.

I used the beautiful STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #1, coloured the stamp with pastel colours of Tim Holtz Distress Markers, spritzed with water and stamped on watercolour paper. I cut the panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I added strips of Lawn Fawn patterned paper and attached it onto a cardstock that I had inked up with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn Party Animal.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #1, Lawn Fawn Party Animal

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Markers, Spun Sugar Distress Ink, 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 discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. The code cannot be combined with other discount codes.