May STAMPlorations TAG challenge - All About Mom

It's time to get your tags ready for the May TAGplorations challenge! This month the theme is All About Mom. There is also an optional twist of vellum, which I decided not to use this time.

I started by cutting a tag from kraft card using the Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. I also die cut a piece of scrap card using the Bloomtangled #1 Cover Plate Die which I then used as a stencil. I coloured thought the makeshift stencil using Distress Crayons and used my fingers to smudge the colours. I then added some splatters by painting using gold watercolour through Dots All Over. I created the sentiment by die cutting using Thinking Of You Phrase Die from grey card, and fussy cut the "you" from that sentiment. I then stamped the LOVE from Trendy Butterflies onto a scrap of light blue card and doodled using a black marker. I added leftover blue and violet ribbon from my stash. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies

Dies: CUTplorations Bloomtangled #1 Cover Plate Die, Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Thinking Of You Phrase Die

Stencils: ARTplorations Dots All Over

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Crayons, Tsukineko Versamark Onyx Black, Gansai Tambi Starry Colours

Don't forget the Things With Wings sale in the STAMPlorations store, and my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA which will give you a 20% discount. Lots of good reasons to stock up on new crafty goodies for spring!

May STAMPlorations CAS Challenge - Lilac

Welcome May! May is my absolute favourite month of the year. It never disappoints! It's the time when beautiful spring turns to summer. I'm not going to lie, the fact that my birthday is in May probably has something to do with it too, but it's the combination of the garden starting to come around, evenings staying light for so much longer, and the weather turning sunny and beautiful. So much to do in the garden and perfect weather for weekend BBQs. 

A new month also means a new STAMPlorations CAS challenge where the optional colour twist this month is lilac. I wanted to celebrate the beautiful summer florals in my card so I used the beautiful French Marigold Large and watercoloured it with Gansai Tambi watercolours. I kept it very simple to let the flower shine and added a simple sentiment from  Noteworthy 4 and created a stitched border using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I hope you are inspired to play along with us over on the STAMPlorations blog.

Stamps: STAMPlorations French Marigold Large, Noteworthy 4, 

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink and Colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Antique Linen, Gansai Tambi watercolours, Tsukineko Versafine Onxy Black

Don't forget the STAMPlorations Spring Fling event on the blog and sale in the STAMPlorations store. And 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 Girl Thing Stamp Set Release

I'm here today to show you two cards I made using newly released STAMPlorations stamp sets It's A Girl Thing: Kindness and It's A Girl Thing: Sunshine. We are celebrating the release of these super fun stamp sets with a mini release over on the STAMPlorations blog. Of course, it wouldn't be a stamp release without prizes to be won! By commenting on my blog post, the main release blog post and the posts from our other designers (you can find the links in the main post) you are in the draw to win one of three $15 coupon codes. You have until January 31st to comment for a chance to win.

For my first project, I masked a rectangle using a piece of scrap paper and stamped an array of the fun doodle-y flowers around the mask, adding some leaves for good measure. I then coloured the flowers using Copics and added my favourite sentiment from the set. 

For my second card, I cut the front panel using Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. I stamped the flowers randomly and coloured with Copics. I then stamped several sentiments in Versamark ink onto black card and heat embossed them in white.

I love these stamps, they are so versatile, and I haven't even had a chance yet to explore those gorgeous border doodle stamps.

Don't forget to check out the  main release blog post on the STAMPlorations blog, and check in with the other designers on the hop and leave some comments along the way for a chance to win!

 

Mother's Day Flower for Grandma

May is my favourite month. I know I'm a bit biased as my birthday is at the end of the month - but I still think it's the best month of the year. The garden is gorgeous, nature is in full bloom, the weather is turning nicer with promises of summer. And of course, the two bank holidays! I couldn't have asked for better weather for the first one of the two. We had our first BBQ of the year, first pitcher(s) of Pimms, lots of gardening, lots of ice cream, sunshine and unfortunately also the first slight sunburn of the year (don't forget to add that SPF).

I also managed to find a little sliver of time in the craft room while hiding from the midday sun to try to avoid further sunburn to create a Mother's day card for my grandma. I was inspired by the gorgeous inspiration image over at Daring Cardmakers - I was inspired by the large flower, the pink ombre, hand lettering and gold stars. I was also inspired by the beautiful floral image over at Inspired by All the Little Things and the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch. Last but not least I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is ombre. 

I started by inking Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Abandoned Coral Distress Ink through the Peony Number Two ARTplorations stencil. I then splattered the card with water, and pink and yellow ink. I also inked a bit of Mowed Lawn ink around the edges of the card. I die cut three banners using a Lawn Fawn die and hand lettered the sentiment (it says Happy Mother's Day in Finnish). Last I die cut some stars from gold glitter paper for a finishing touch. 

Card: White card, scraps of rainbow card and glitter gold card

Ink: Mowed Lawn, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry and Abandoned Coral Distress Ink

Stencil: ARTplorations Peony Number Two 

Other: Lawn Fawn Extra Sentiment Banners dies, dies from Stitched Journaling card and Critters ever after die sets

Distress Oxide Watercoloured Flowers

When I saw the new STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #1 stamp I knew it would be perfect for watercolouring. And with all the Distress Oxides out on my craft desk after a few days of very intensive crafting, I thought why not use those. Although the selection of colours so far is quite limited (but yes, I did see the big reveal of the new colours the other day and oooh me oh my, me wants them all!!) you can still get quite a few colours by mixing them up. My favourites were the mix of Fossilized Amber with Cracked Pistachio, and Worn Lipstick with Fossilized Amber. 

Anyhow,  I started by stamping the flower stamp in Antique Linen Distress Ink onto watercolour paper and then watercolouring with the Distress Inks. I die cut the flowers using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die. I added a strip of my new super-cute cherry blossom washi tape to a white card base, and added the watercoloured image to the card. Last, I added a few strips of the washi tape onto a scrap piece of white card and die cut the sentiment using the Hugs word die. I also cut the sentiment in black card and layered these for contrast. I just love the chalky look of the Distress Oxides when used to watercolour, and the way they layer or blend depending on whether you add more colour to a wet or semi-dry base. So much fun!

I'm linking up my card over at CAS on Friday where the theme is Flowers, The Challenge (inspiration words below, I went for Flowers, Bright and Watercolour), Make My Monday where the theme is Summer Brights and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes this week. 

Card: 300 gsm white card, 350 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper, scrap of black card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Blossom Sprays #1 Dee's Artsy Impressions
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Hugs Word Die
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink Anique Linen, Distress Oxides Fossilized Amber, Worn Lipstick, Cracked Pistachio, Fired Brick, Broken China, Faded Jeans, Wilted Violet
Other: Washi tape from my stash

Don't forget today is the last day of the STAMPlorations 4th Birthday Hop and Wishlist Linky Party with lots of opportunities to win great prizes. Also, don't forget you can get 20% off when shopping at the STAMPlorations store by using the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. The discount applies to all normal priced and discounted stamps, stencils and dies. Together with the 15% birthday discount (which is applied automatically without any code) that adds up to a whopping 35% off your order!

Rainbow Flower Silhouette

I had a mighty play in the craft room yesterday - the arrival of Distress Oxides truly got my dormant mojo up and running again. And it reminded me of the fact that it's long overdue for a clean out in the craft room - there are so many crafty products I no longer use and want to find new homes for. Time for some serious eBaying... hoping that my long forgotten Stampin' Up punches and stamp sets will find new homes where they will be used more than they have in my stamp room. 

Anyhow, yesterday I played a bit with watercolouring and Distress Oxides, you can see the result here. Another thing about the Oxides is that they blend much easier than the regular distress inks, so if you have found it hard to produce blends you might have more success with the Oxides. I used almost every colour I have of the oxides to create a rainbow background, inspired again by the colourful tulips over at Inspired By All The Little Things (hey, if there is a rainbow colour scheme anywhere to be found I will find it and play with it over and over and over again...). I'm also linking up (yet again) with this month's CAS Mixup (hope it's ok, as the rules say you can enter as many times as you like...) - I'm just a huge fan of splattering so can't resist playing along yet again! The "my choice" is die cutting, ink blending, heat embossing, stencilling... I'm also linking up with the AAA Cards Embossing challenge.

Card: 250 gsm white card, 300 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Distress Ink Black Soot, Distress Oxides Fossilized Amber, Worn Lipstick Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio, Broken China, Faded Jeans

Stamps: STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2

Stencil: ARTplorations Bloom Silhouettes

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Other: Papermania Seafoam White 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. If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

Embrace the imperfections

I wasn't going to post this card, as I'm not sure if I like it or not. It has the wrong kind of white space... It's also the subtle colours, I think it looks a bit drained. I deal better with bright colours (something very pink is coming your way soon...). But it did grow on me a bit, so I thought what the heck, let's just put it out there. It's all about embracing the imperfections and finding something good in everything. I do like the colouring of the flower.

The inspiration for this card was the same sketch as yesterday's card over at Stampin' Royalty. As I already submitted one card over there, I won't submit this one. The colours are from the Colour Me...! challenge, I will submit the card for that challenge. 

Card: Leonardo Stationery 350 gsm smooth white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, Accessories Pastel Cropping Block
Stamps: Hero Arts Layered Flowers, Stampin' Up Chalk Talk
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics Y13, Y15, Y19, R20, R24, Stampin' Up Blushing Bride
Other: Daisy Embossing folder (free with an old issue of a crafting magazine)

One never before used stamp card in two colours

You know how sometimes things get a little out of hand when you start crafting... That's certainly the case with today's post of not one but two cards. It all started with a simple little colour challenge over at Stampin' Royalty.

I completely fell for the bright colour combo which is actually strange as I'm no big fan of yellows or oranges but for some reason this colour combo really hit home. I found a nice flower stamp from a set from Kanban that actually I have never used, despite owning the stamp for at long time. The challenge over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is Create Your Own Background so that's exactly what I did, and for that I used a Simon Says Stamp stencil and Tim Holtz distress inks. 

Colour scheme one: Festive Berries, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmelade

I stamped and coloured the image inside the card and on the envelope.

I have been running into the NBUS challenge lately on blogs I am following, and thought that's such a great idea. NBUS stands for never-before-used-schtuff. Guilty as charged, and happy to play with some of my untouched goodies. The stamp I used is completely virginal, and in fact the stencil I used for the background has never been used before. Or it has been used, but nothing I have created with it has so far made it to an actual finished card, so that's as good as unused. One of the options for the current NBUS challenge is to make two cards with the same stamp, so I decided that's what I'll do next. 

For my second card, I looked for colour inspiration and found that both Colour Me...! challenge and Just Add Ink have a palette of turquoise and yellow. So all in all, the card that started with one simple colour challenge ended up being two cards and five challenges in total! Now the only question is, which one is the prettier one?

Colour scheme two: Peacock Feathers and Mustard Seed

Some stamping inside the card as well

Cardstock: Leonardo Stationery 350 gsm Smooth White Card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm Three shades of Yellow and Three shades of green card, orange card from my stash, Coloured 240 gsm kraft card in teal and pillarbox red
Stamps: Kanban Flower stamp (only marked as Stamp06 on the packaging), Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler
Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz distress markers Festive Berries, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmelade
Other: Simon Says Stamp Large Moroccan stencil, Papermania adhesive gems Capsule Sunshine, Ranger super fine detail clear embossing powder