STAMPlorations November CAS Challenge

 

Can you believe it's November? I'm in total denial. I'm still dreaming of the colourful autumn sunsets despite it getting dark early, so I decided to catch some of those sunset colours in my card for the STAMPorations November CAS challenge. I hope you feel inspired to play along, all the rules and the link-up can be found in November CAS challenge post on the STAMPlorations blog.

This was a really quick and easy card - I started by inking the corner of the card in pink and purple Distress Inks, and then I spritzed water through the Flair Slimline stencil placed across the corner. I also splattered some pink and purple ink across the card for added texture. Last I stamped the beautiful floral silhouettes and sentiment from the fabulous Beautiful You stamp set.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Beautiful You
Stencil: ARTplorations Flair Slimline stencil
Ink and colouring: Distress Inks, 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 May CAS Challenge

We have made it to May! My most favourite month of the year. Yes, I may be biased as it's my birthday month, but I also happen to think it's the most beautiful month as it's when spring turns into summer. The garden is at it's most beautiful, there are lots of colourful flowers everywhere and it's warm, sunny and wonderful. And here in the UK we get to enjoy two bank holidays (and I've actually used up two of my precious annual leave days too so I'm only working 4 days per week for the whole month). I'm going to spend the days in the garden, in the craft room and knitting while watching Mad Men on Netflix. Hope you will be able to enjoy May in whatever way you find most enjoyable.

Today is also the start of a brand new STAMPlorations May CAS Challenge. This time the colour twist is Baby Pink which of course was super hard for me as it's a colour I never use... NOT! I loved using the beautiful florals from Softly to create my pastel pink and grey bunch of flowers. All that was needed to finish off the card in style was a grey sentiment die cut using Everyday Sentiments and a few adhesive rhinestones from the bottom of my stash drawer. I hope you feel inspired to play along with the challenge!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Softly 

Dies: CUTplorations Everyday Sentiments

Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks 

Welcome Baby Girls

I created this card a while ago for a friend who was having twin baby girls. I have completely forgotten to blog about it and thought now is a good time with all the heart/love themed challenges.

I stamped the cute balloons from STAMPlorations Tweet Love and watercoloured with Distress Inks. I also splattered watercolours onto the panel for added interest. I added a sentiment from Lawn Fawn Critters Down Under. I die cut the second part of the sentiment using Lawn Fawn Cole's ABCs, using a piece of cardstock inked with the same colours I used for colouring the balloons. I die cut the panel using a Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Die. I die cut a piece of patterned paper from Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Spring using the Scalloped Rectangle dies for added colour.

I'm linking up with the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Love and/or Valentine's day

Simply Create Too - ATG/optional twist of hearts

Cute Card Thursday - ATG

Crafty Gals Corner - CAS

Unicorn Challenge - Include a Heart

Dragonfly Dreams - Include a Heart

Stamps: STAMPlorations Tweet Love, Lawn Fawn Critters Down Under

Dies: Lawn Fawn Scalloped Rectangle Stackables, Stitched Rectangle Stackables, Cole's ABCs

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks

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.

The Sisterhood Of Snarky Stampers - T is for Tissue

I am so excited to be guesting over at one of my favourite challenges - The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers. I had so much fun playing with Becca's llamas for their F is for Farm challenge that my llamas won me the coveted crown of Queen of Snark which I have been wearing with great pride the past week (just imagine the looks I get at work...). The bonus prize is that I get to guest design with the fabulous Sisters for their new challenge themed T is for Tissue. You can see poor Edna feeling a bit under the weather with one of the many winter bugs we have had going around, I hope she feels better soon. I took the liberty to interpret the challenge in a slightly different way and decided instead that T is for Tissue paper Tutu!

I started by stamping one of the Flamingos from Lawn Fawn's Flamingo Together, colouring with Copics and die cutting using the matching die. I then took a few small pieces of pink tissue paper, layering them, glueing them together and scrunching them up to look like a mini tutu. Then I fussy cut the wing of the flamingo so that I could attach the tutu to the back of the wing. I also die cut the crown using gold glitter card and a die from Critters Ever After, adding some adhesive gems to it. I didn't have a stamp with the sentiment I wanted to use so I printed most of it onto white shimmery card and then stamped the word Pigeons using Violet's ABCs in Versamark and heat embossed in silver. Then I splattered some Tim Holtz Picked Raspberry ink onto the card and die cut it with a Lawn Fawn stitched rectangle. Last, I added the card front to some ombre pink/purple card, adding the flaming to the card front and decorating the layers of the tutu with Ranger Ice Stickles.

Card: White shimmer card, Hobbycraft 190 gsm white card, gold glitter card, ombre pink card

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Flamingo Together and matching dies, Violet's ABCs

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Picked Raspberry, Copics

Other: Lawn Fawn Critters Ever After and Stitched Rectangles dies, Papermania silver embossing powder, adhesive gems from my stash, pink tissue paper from my stash, adhesive pink gems from my stash

Time Out 3 Year Celebration

I'm super excited to be part of this special post to celebrate the Time Out Challenge 3rd birthday. Happy Birthday Time Out, here's to many more! I love playing along with Time Out and would like to thank the amazing DT for their amazing inspiration and fun challenges. As Shery of STAMPlorations fame is on the Time Out DT, STAMPlorations is one of the sponsors of this special Time Out Challenge and therefore we are also celebrating over at the STAMPlorations blog. 

The theme for the new challenge over at Time Out is Love/Friendship with the optional twist of spotlight stamping. This means that you choose to only colour in a specific part of your stamped image. I went a slightly different direction but still with the same theme and stamped a lot of the yummy donuts from my favourite ever STAMPlorations stamp set called Sugar Rush, and then only coloured in one of pair of donuts to highlight them. I then added some Wink of Stella glitter to the donut glaze, it doesn't show very well in the main image but I tried to show the subtle shimmer in the spotlight image below. As a finishing touch I added a rain of pink sequins to the top of the card. 

Don't forget to hop over to Time Out to take part in this birthday challenge with lots of prizes, and to also visit STAMPlorations as there will be extra prizes to be won there. Now if you excuse me, I might just have to nip off to the shops to get me a donut as I suddenly had a craving for them... If you got a craving for STAMPlorations products, don't forget you will get 20% off if you use the code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout (more info at the end of the post). 

Card: 200 gsm white card, scrap of pink card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sugar Rush

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Other: Wink Of Stella glitter pen, small sequins from my stash

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!

Love TAGplorations Day 7

Welcome to the final day of STAMPlorations Love TAGplorations. I hope you have enjoyed the amazing inspiration over the last week and also have had fun creating your own Love themed crafts. I have certainly enjoyed all the inspiration both from my fellow DT sisters and especially from you. It's amazing to see all the different creations - proof that there are no limits to the human imagination. Today's tag is dedicated to my dear Culinary Consultant. He is not a very romantic soul - I have learned not to expect anything. To be fair, he did create a custom Valentine's day card the first year we were dating. That's a few years ago now... But that's ok, he has other ways of showing me he cares. We are all different and being in a relationship is all about accepting our differences, isn't it. So if you aren't in a relationship this Valentine's day don't think things would necessary be any different even if you were. I'm saying go out and buy yourself some chocolates (or wine, or whatever your favourite treat is). I will visit the chocolate shop in the weekend to see if they are selling their leftover Valentine's treats for half price, usually they do! If you are looking for a good deal on crafty stash, don't forget you get 20% off your purchase in the STAMPlorations store if you use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA. More info at the end of the post.

For my tag, which I die cut using the largest die from Luggage Tags Nesting Dies, I created a background using Distress ink and the Retro Circles stencil. Then I stamped the delicious looking sundae on white card coloured with Copics and fussy cut. After adhering it to my tag, I added some Crystal Effects to the glass bowl to make it look more glassy and although you cannot see it well in the picture, I added some embossing paste to make the whipped cream look more foamy. Then I stamped the letters onto white card, coloured them with Copics, fussy cut and adhered them to the tag, adding some Ice Stickles for extra bling. Last, I used words from various sentiments to make the second part of the sentiment, sponged some pink ink around the edges of the tag and added a cute little ribbon from my stash. 

Card: 250 gsm white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card

Stamps: STAMPlorations Sugar Rush, Sketchy Alphabet

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

Dies: CUTplorations Luggage Tags Nesting Dies

Stencils: ARTplorations Retro Circles

Other: ribbon from my stash, Ranger Ice Stickles, Stampin' Up Crystal Effects, Wendy Vecchi Embossing paste

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!

Love TAGplorations Day 2

Welcome to day two of STAMPlorations Love TAGplorations, seven days of Valentine tag making fun. You can never have too many tags, can you? I hope you enjoyed the first day of the hop (if you missed it, you can find it here). I hope you will join us by commenting on the tags you see during the event and by linking up your own tags too which you can do between February 8th and 14th. And there are loads of prices:

• 3 randomly drawn winners from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers blog will each receive a $10 gift certificate to the store
• 1 randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive her choice of stamp set (Pocket Blooms, A Full Heart, or Two of Us)
• 1 randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive her choice of any 2 of the new love-themed dies (Love, Always, XOXO, Forever, You & Me, Clustered Hearts)
• 1 randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive her choice of tag set: Luggage Tags or ATC/Tag Builder

Also don't forget that you can use the discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA to get 20% off your purchase in the STAMPlorations store if you want to, see the end of this post for further details.

I started today's tag by stamping the adorable oliphant and balloons from the super-cute Tweet Love in a very light pink. I then used Tim Holtz Distress Inks to watercolour the image to give it a no-line appearance. Next, I used yellow and orange distress inks through the Dots All Over stencil to create a bit of colour in the background. I also used a foam applicator to add some pink around the edges of the tag. I used the Hugs Word Die on a piece of pink scrap card to die cut the sentiment, and stamped the second part of the sentiment using a stamp from Tweet Love. Last, I added some Ice Stickles to the sentiment and some ribbon from my stash. I can't wait to show you the matching card I created to this tag!

Card: 300 gsm Daler&Rowney watercolour paper, scrap of pink card
Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Inks Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick, Picked Raspberry, Abandoned Coral, Black Soot, Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black
Stamps: STAMPlorations Tweet Love
Dies: CUTplorations Hugs Word Die, Luggage Tags Nesting Dies
Stencils: ARTplorations Dots All Over 
Other: Ranger Ice Stickles, ribbon from my stash

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!

Think Pink

Today's card is dedicated to everyone whose life has been touched by breast cancer and particularly to all the brave men and women who have been through the long and rocky road of being diagnosed and treated for the disease. October is breast cancer awareness month as you probably know if you are playing along with any crafting challenge - there is pink all over the challenge-o-sphere (yes, of course that's a word, why are you looking at me like that?). In the last year, I have seen someone very close go through the harrowing journey of having a mastectomy and the tough follow-up treatments of chemo and radiation. I have seen how a positive attitude is so important when going though that rough journey and will probably make a big difference. I've also seen how important it is to have peer support, and it's fantastic to see how much info and peer support can be found online, it's everything from tips about the best skin care products and diet to help your body get through the ordeal to just sharing experiences and encouragement. All this has also made my work so much more meaningful to me - I'm working on a project which is aiming to help target cancer treatment based on patient's genetic make-up in the NHS (among other things). Hopefully in the not too distant future we will know what treatment works for a specific patient's cancer instead of giving everyone the strongest possible chemo which on the good side works on most things, but at the same time can come with really tough side effects. 

Today's card was inspired by quite a number of challenges, like I said there are a lot of challenges with a pink theme this month. Hopefully they will inspire you too to create something for someone who needs some pink thoughts right now. Fist, the colours for the card were inspired by Colour Q and the sketch is from CAS(E) This Sketch. I'm also linking up with the CAS Mix Up where the theme is Stamping+Ghosting+Your Choice (embossing), CASology where the Cue card this week is Support, Shopping Our Stash where the theme is Duck, Duck, Goose (use a bird or feathers), Time Out where the theme is Breast Cancer awareness with an optional twist of pink and/or embossing (used both), The Alphabet Challenge where P is for Pretty in Pink and Brown Sugar where the theme is Think Pink.

Card: 250 gsm white card, black 300 gsm card, 300 gsm Daler&Rowney card

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick

Stamps: STAMPlorations Trendy Feathers 2 

Other: Papermania silver embossing powder, pink ribbon from my stash, pink rhinestone from my stash

Merry Christmas to a Deer Friend

This whole annual leave thing is good for my crafting but not so good for my diet. It's very hard to keep away from the chocolate biscuits is all I'm saying... But I love that I have time to be creative! Today I decided to use the new (to me) Toboggan Together stamp set. I was inspired by the image over at Merry Monday as well as the Geometric shapes over at Lawnscaping (circles for the snowflakes and the lines on both of the patterned papers. Lines are geographical shapes. I'm sure we had to learn to draw parallel lines in geometry). I'm also linking up with ABC Christmas Challenges where the theme is Sew What (real or faux stitching) and Sweet Stampin' Christmas where the theme is Christmas Die Cuts.

Last year I had all my Christmas cards made well in advance as I was on the DT for a Christmas card challenge. This year I can't say I'm quite as well prepared, but luckily there is still plenty of time. And I actually made enough cards last year to have quite a bit left over so I should be fine. But I love creating with the cute Lawn Fawn critters, so there will probably still be more to come. 

For this card I started by creating the snowy sky by stamping the snowfall from Snow Cool and heat embossing in clear powder. Then I inked using a light and bright pink distress ink. Next, I die cut the trees and snowy hills. I also stamped the cute reindeer and coloured them with Copics, adding some accents with my white Gel pen. Last, I arranged the scene and added a pink frame and the scalloped background paper. 

Card: 300 gsm white card, scrap of pink and grey card, Hobbycraft 160gsm white card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Toboggan Together and matching dies, Snow Cool
Dies: Lawn Fawn Scalloped Rectangles, Stitched Rectangle Frame, Forest Border, Stitched Hillside Border, Scripty Merry
Ink and Colouring: Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Stampin' Up Basic Grey, white gel pen
Paper: Stampin' Up Brights Designer Series Paper, Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Winter
Other: Ranger clear fine embossing powder

Stencil in soft pink

Happy Saturday folks! I had another crazy week, completely lost in work. So today I was going to just slouch - especially as I seem to have caught a bug from somewhere. Which is particularly vexing as I have tried to eat super healthily lately, and started to work out again. So much for a healthy lifestyle, eh? Anyhow, today has been devoted to a bit of spring cleaning. All that tedious stuff of dusting on top of the cupboard doors, wiping skirting boards, cleaning mirror and windows. I've only managed to do upstairs and the day is already gone, looks like downstairs will have to wait until tomorrow. I also managed a bit of a spring clean on my computer which has gotten slower and slower. I don't really want to splurge on a new computer right now, so I'm hoping that a little TLC will keep it running for a bit longer.

Before all this cleaning frenzy, I did manage to create a card first thing in the morning. It seems like my mojo is at it's best on a Saturday morning, and I enjoy a bit of crafting with my cup of green tea (even gave up coffee for this healthy life fad!). Today I was inspired by the sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the colours over at Color Throwdown. I was also inspired by the CASology cue card which is stencil and the challenge over at Time Out which this time is the phrase "May all your weeds be wild flowers" and was inspired by the flower theme.

I started by stamping the dogwood from STAMPlorations Floral Bliss in Milled Lavender and then watercoloured it with the no line technique in Stampin' Up Melon Mambo and Basic Grey. Then I masked the flower and inked some Blushing Bride through the ARTplorations Retro Circles stencil. Last, I picked some sentiment stamps from Blossom Overture and stamped them in a lighter and darker grey. I thought the card needed just a little something, so I added Ranger Ice Stickles to the flowers. 

Card: 300 gsm textured white card
Stamps: STAMPlorations Floral Bliss, Blossom Overture
Stencil: ARTplorations Retro Circles
Ink: Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, Basic Grey, Smokey Slate, Blushing Bride
Other: Ranger Ice Stickles

Adorable pink flower

We were finally able to do our first barbecue of the year today. A selection of sausages, burgers, sweetcorn and Jamie Oliver's mozzarella and bacon skewers all went down a treat along with some sweet potato wedges baked in the oven. And the best thing is that there are leftovers galore!

I'm very happy to have been able to spend some time in the craft room today while the Culianry Consultant took care of cooking. I managed to catch up on some DT assignments and created a few cards just for the fun of it, inspired by a few new purchases like the Paper Smooches Adorable Array die I used for this card. I was inspired by the card over at Muse. I'm also linking up with the following anything goes challenges: Tuesday Throwdown, Jade's Sparkling Butterflies and Crafting with Friends.  

I started by randomly watercolouring the background using Distress Inks, finishing by flicking some splatters on the background. I die cut the flower from various leftover pieces of coloured card. I stamped a sentiment onto a banner and attached it to the card base before assembling all the tiny pieces of the die cut. For a finishing touch I added a few adhesive rhinestones.

Card: 300 gsm watercolour card, scraps of coloured card from my stash
Stamps: Paper Smooches Sentiment Sampler
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks Abandoned Coral, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick
Other: Paper Smooches die Adorable Array, Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banners, Stampin' Up Basic Adhesive Rhinestones

You are all I knead to get my mojo going

We are almost at the end of April, and I had to scrape my windscreen this morning. How unacceptable is that? And even worse, we are coming up to bank holiday Monday, and sadly it looks too cold to even get BBQ season started! I was dreaming of a long weekend in the garden, enjoying the sun and maybe sipping a big glass of Pimms. But no, I will probably be all wrapped up in my winter fleece robe and sip bucketfuls of tea. The silver lining on that cloud is that I can sip my tea in   my craft room, trying out all my new crafty goodies (and I still have one piece of happy mail making it's way across the ocean, maybe it will make it here on time for the weekend also!).

Anyhow, the craft room has been quiet and deserted. But nothing like some new crafty goodies to get the mojo going again. I have been meaning to play with the current sketch over at Lawnscaping, and today is the last day to do so! I could not resist using my brand new Baked With Love set paired with some coloured card I created with Tim Holtz Distress Paints and which has been hiding in my unused projects box for way too long. I'm also linking up over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge and Addicted to Stamps and More where Anything Goes and Cards und More where the focus is on Die cuts.

Card: 300 gsm hammered white card, 300 gsm watercolour card, Neenah Solar White card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Baked With Love and matching dies
Ink and colouring: Stampin' Up Regal Rose and Melon Mambo, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Tim Holtz Distress Paints Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Picket Fence, Vintage Photo
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Die

Happy birthday and the Poppy challenge

I have been looking at the current Poppy Sketch for quite a while, and it's almost the end of the challenge by the time I got this card finished. It's an interesting colour combination, again one I wouldn't choose myself, but that's why I love colour challenges as they make me use colours I wouldn't normally use. I do love bright colours, so I had decided I certainly wanted to contribute a card to the challenge. But I just couldn't get my head around the sketch. I kept humming and hamming, looking at the DT inspiration and browsing through my stamp stash. It was only when I came across the Clear it Out challenge where the theme is Birthday and the stash item is Glossy Accents of glitter when it all came together. I'm also participating in over at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything Goes and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is stamping or stencils.

I stamped the Tim Holtz Birthday BluePrint present onto the pink cardstock and then again on white cardstock where I coloured it, fussy cut it and adhered with dimensionals. Then I added a generous amount of Tim Holtz distress stickles to the bow. I die cut the letters for the sentiment and heat embossed with sparkling embossing powder that I have had for ages but not really used as I couldn't get it to stick properly. This time I used plenty of Versamark ink and had no problem with the glitter, and I heat embossed two layers of the sparkles. I finished off with a orange bow to match the present. 

Cardstock: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm white card, Coloured 240 gsm kraft card in Raspberry Pink and Purple Grape, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card, orange cardstock from my stash

Stamps: Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Birthday Blueprint

Ink: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Colouring: Copics V04, V09, Stampin' Write Pumpkin Pie

Other: Tim Holtz alterations Inside Out Alphabet die, Tim Holtz distress stickles Spiced Marmelade, Papermania Holographic embossing powder, orange ribbon from my stash

Welcome baby in pink

I love the cute little elephants in the Paper Smooches A Little Lovin set. They have seen their fair share of use already, and with a colour scheme like the one over at Just Us Girls, who could resist making another baby card. This time I use paper piecing for the little oliphants using the same papers as I used for the background. The layout is based on this week's My Favourite Things sketch challenge, which you can see I followed rather literally. I am also entering this card at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, where the theme is Tag it. 

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm white card, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card

Inks: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick

Stamps: Paper Smooches A Little Lovin

Paper: Docrafts Back to Basics III

Other: Stampin' Up Banner blast punch, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, Nellies MultiFrames MFD020 die, Stampin' Up buttons subtles collection