STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

So was that a great STAMPlorations Belated 7th Birthday week or what? And don't forget that you still have time to play along with the festivities if you want to link up your projects or comment on the posts - the details are here.

I'm almost all crafted out after last week's projects, so for today's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post I'm sharing two relatively quick and easy cards while my mojo recovers :) These cards were made for a request I had for people moving into new homes. And it also highlighted a fatal flaw in my crafty stash as I don't seem to have a single "happy new home" sentiment stamp or die. But limitation only breeds creativity and I think they turned out quite well in any case!

For both of my cards, I used the fun Houses stamps, some watercolour splatters and Lawn Fawn rainbow patterned paper. I used the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Die to cut the panels for my cards from white paper and rainbow patterned paper. Then for my top card, I stamped the house, masked it and splattered a rainbow of watercolours. For the card below I splattered the watercolours first, then stamped the house on a scrap of the patterned paper and fussy cut it. I added a die-cut sentiment using Everyday Sentiments Dies to both of my cards.  

Note that all products (including the new release products) in the STAMPlorations store are 10% off instantly throughout October. BUT you can get 20% off by using my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout. If you use my discount code you will also receive the Just Plaid square stencil FOR FREE (see image below)!

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.

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 :) 

Products used

Stamps: STAMPlorations Houses

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Die, Everyday Sentiments Die

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

STAMPlorations Inspiration

 

Happy Tuesday! How are you doing? I'm not sure, I really feel a bit all over the place. I feel quite sentimental about the nights starting to come in earlier and earlier, but at the same time, it's great to be able to start wearing wool socks and light candles again. And of course, it's less than 100 days to Christmas and I'm really looking forward to my two-week Christmas break... a bit premature maybe but I feel a bit exhausted by work at the moment so I can't wait. In the meantime, I will be grateful for having a job, even if it sucks the life out of me from time to time. 

For today's STAMPlorations Inspiration post I have been playing with stencils and Distress Inks. I started by Sanna's new Rainbows stencil and inked a rainbow of Distress inks through it. I then added some clouds using Clouds. Last, I added the Be A Rainbow stamp in bold black ink and that's it! A super easy and fun card with just a few stencils and stamps. 

As always, don't forget to comment on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post as you will be in a monthly random draw for a $15 gift code to the STAMPlorations store. And don't forget you get 20% off regular priced items using my code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout, and in addition there are lots of great offers in the store at the moment.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Be A Rainbow

Stencils: ARTplorations Rainbows, Clouds

Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Tim Holtz Distress Inks

This month you get 25% off clear stamps using code STAMP25 and 15% off stencils with code STENCIL15  in the STAMPlorations store. Using my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA you get 20% off all non-discounted products! There is even a freebie of the month which you get totally free (as long as you pay for shipping). Take an extra 20% off items in the Outlet Store with code EXTRA20.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Today I'm bringing you a bit of sparkle as part of my project for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post. I had a week off work last week, which I had been looking forward to very much as I haven't really had much time off since our week of skiing in February. Doesn't that feel like another life? I was looking forward to a week of crafting and knitting but instead, we have been painting my partner's old home which we have been renting out for the last eight years. And it really was in need of a lick of paint - well, correct that, a few gallons of paint. But I have to admit, I am starting to feel my age, and a week of full-time DYIing has taken its toll. And as much as I love painting and colouring beautiful stamps, I really, really, really don't like painting walls! Oh well, it's all done now and I think I deserve some sparkles and I'm sure you do too!

Today's card combines a few fabulous STAMPlorations stamp sets. I started by stamping the beautiful horse from Deepti's Live Love Ride and turned it into a unicorn. I then added lots of rainbow colours flowing from the unicorn's mane out all over the card. I added the Leave a Little Sparkle sentiment and the diamonds from Sparkly. Next, I upped the bling factor by inking Versafine thorough the Dots All Over stencil and heat embossed in sparkly silver embossing powder. I also added 

Don't forget that by commenting on the STAMPlorations Inspiration post you enter into a monthly draw for $15 gift code. And if you feel like shopping, don't forget you get 20% off normal priced products in the STAMPlorations store by using my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA (if you use the affiliate links in this blog post I will get a small commission without any additional cost to you and you help feed my crafting addiction).

Stamps: STAMPlorations Live Love Ride, Leave a Little Sparkle, Sparkly
Stencil: ARTplorations Dots All Over
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Versafine, Gansai Tambi watercolours

This month you get 25% off clear stamps using code STAMP25 and 15% off stencils with code STENCIL15  in the STAMPlorations store. Using my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA you get 20% off all non-discounted products! There is even a freebie of the month which you get totally free (as long as you pay for shipping).

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Hi and welcome to this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration Post. I'm still inspired by the summer flowers in my garden. Today is also a sad day as one of my good friends will be moving far away. I wish her all the best in her new exciting adventures from the bottom of my heart, but I will also miss her. Luckily there is always a silver lining to every cloud, as she kindly gave me some plants from her garden which are now blooming in my garden! I once read that life will answer to the wishes you make. I have been wishing for more plants in large pots in my garden - and now I have been given a beautiful rose, hydrangea and two beautiful geraniums. How lucky am I?

But back to flowers of another kind - the paper kind. I started this card with a panel I made a while ago, adding strips of leftover card to create a rainbow which I die cut with Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies. Next, I stamped the flowers from Softly on vellum, heat embossed in gold and fussy cut them and added to the rainbow panel. Last, I die cut the sentiment from vellum and black card using Skinny Sentiments. I added everything to a white card base which I decorated with cherry blossom washi tape.

Also, the brand new fabulous STAMPlorations store is now open for all your crafting needs - stamps, stencils, dies, digi stamps and the outlet store are now all in one place!  And you can get 30% off your first order in the new store if you use the code RELAUNCH30 at checkout. If you use my affiliate link above I get a small commission on any purchases you make without any additional cost to you so you help me keep my stamping addiction going! For any future shopping sprees in the new shop I can offer you a discount code to use at checkout if you use code STAMPGIRLKAROLA you will get 20% off your purchase of normal price products in the main and digi store (but not the outlet store as the prices are already heavily discounted)!

Stamps: STAMPlorations Softly

Dies: CUTplorations Skinny Sentiments, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark

STAMPlorations Inspiration

It's Tuesday and you know what that means. It's time for a new STAMPlorations Inspiration post. Today I went for something slightly different as I thought you might be inspired to make some bookmarks for yourself or to give away to friends. A lot of people seem to be reading a lot more these days which is great! I have to admit I have been trying to read more but I haven't been able to concentrate very well due to... oh well, I bet you can imagine! I did read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo recently which was a really great read, I didn't want to put down the book at all. But apart from that, I have only been reading Moomin books before bed to ensure I'm thinking of something other than news in the evening. I warmly recommend the Moomin books if you haven't read them, great for children and adults alike and will take you to a magical and lovely world.

About my bookmarks, I used a regular card front and inked a rainbow of Distress inks through the Clouds Stencil. Then I split the card front into two bookmarks, shaped the corners and die-cut the hole using one of the dies from ATC Tag Builder. For one of the bookmarks, I added two suitable sentiments from Literary Caffeine-ations and the super cute coffee-drinking bunny from Bunnies 'N Beans. A bit of purple ribbon finishes off the bookmarks.

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bunnies 'N Beans, Literary Caffeine-ations

Stencil: ARTplorations Clouds Stencil

Dies: CUTplorations ATC Tag Builder

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

 

Stamps in the SPRING CLEARANCE section are 50% off

 

Use code SPRING50 on checkout.

 

Code cannot  be combined with other codes. Code is good for one-time use per customer/shipping address. Code expires 4/30.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy second Tuesday of the year! Are you getting into the habit of writing 2020 yet? I'm still struggling. Time flies so fast these days it seems like it's December before I get into the habit of writing the year correctly. Luckily crafting doesn't require adding any dates to anything! Anyhow, Tuesday means it's time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration post.

I created a card using the lovely Be A Rainbow Typografia Motivate sentiment and the beautiful horse from Deepti's Live Love Ride. I stamped everything in Versafine Onyx Black and coloured with Gansai Tambi Pearl colours for a rainbow with beautiful shimmery shine. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Be A Rainbow Typografia Motivate, Live Love Ride

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Gansai Tambi Pear Colours watercolours

Don't forget the STAMPlorations Winter Sale is still ongoing in the STAMPlorations Store should you feel like stocking up on your favourite crafty stash.

STAMPlorations Inspiration

Happy Tuesday! Are you starting to feel autumn in the air? Actually, we have been enjoying a bit of Indian summer, the weekend was stunning. Hopefully, it will last a good while! Even better, it's also time for this week's STAMPlorations Inspiration projects. As always, the team have used STAMPlorations products they love to create amazing artworks to inspire you. Don't forget to leave a comment on the Inspiration projects post on the STAMPlorations blog as all commenters will be part of a draw to win a gift certificate to the STAMPlorations store. 

For today's project, I was inspired by the Faces: Lovely stencil. I used a foam applicator to add Distress Inks through the stencil creating a rainbow in her hair (side note - do you use those fancy new brushes everyone is using for inking these days? Do you like them? Should I try them? Do you need to clean them a lot between different colours?). I added a sentiment from Noteworthy 2 and splattered some diluted black ink over the card as a finishing touch. A true one layer quick card but that rainbow adds so much brightness to it, don't you think?

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by today, hope to see you soon again and I hope you are inspired to create something today.

I'm linking up with a bunch of ATG challenges

Brown Sugar

Arty Divas

Through The Craftroom Door

Love to Craft

The Creative Crafters

A Bit More Time To Craft

A Perfect Time to Craft

Stamps: STAMPlorations Noteworthy 2
Stencils: ARTplorations Faces: Lovely

Currently, there are several great promotions in the STAMPlorations store, including a great offer if you want to pre-order the new dies which will be available in October. You can find all the promotions summarised on the Promotions Page. You can also find great discounts on dies and stamps.

Birthday Mandala

I've enjoyed a week off work and am now approaching the Sunday night when I know I have to go back to work... I'm trying to spend some time in the craft room to take the edge off the anxiety. And nothing beats going back to work blues like a rainbow.

I used the gorgeous mandala stamp called Elizabeth Background Hey Love (there is a really great Pinterest board with some really gorgeous cards made with this stamp which make me swoon). I heat embossed the mandala in white and sponged Distress Ink on the card before die cutting it with the STAMPlorations Crazy Double Running Stitch die. I added a Lawn Fawn sentiment which I heat embossed in white on a strip of black card.

I'm also super excited to say that soon I'll be back to a more regular blogging schedule, more about that in a few days. 

I'm linking up with the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday challenge - S is for... (sponging ink in my case)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - ATG

Daring Cardmakers - Resist

Crafty Gals Corner - Emboss it!

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Elizabeth Background Hey Love, Lawn Fawn Holiday Party Animal
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies

National Colouring Book Day with STAMPlorations

Did you celebrate National Colouring Book Day on Friday? I have to admit I missed it, but the great news is that over on STAMPlorations we celebrate all month! Today I'm here to showcase some projects for the STAMPloraitons National Colouring Book Day linky party. I love colouring. Usually, I colour stamped images, but sometimes it's lovely to not have to think about creating an image to colour, but just pull out your pencils or markers and get going. I love it if I am in a creative slump and really can't get going at all. And a colouring book is great to take away when travelling, all you need is the book and a small number of pencils. Sometimes not having access to a large selection of colours can be really interesting too. Great entertainment on long flights!

If you want to join us for National Colouring Book Day, there is a free digital colouring page for you to download on the STAMPlorations blog. You can also win great prizes (including a colouring book!) if you comment on the post or join the linky party using the free digi.

Did you know that there are three STAMPlorations colouring books? They are perfect for cardmaking and other types of crafting, you could use them for art journals, tags, ATCs or just to colour for the joy of colouring! I created two projects using a colouring page from the Bloomtangled colouring book.

Just getting started...

I used Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils for colouring the page. I used the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies to cut a panel for my card from the coloured page, and matted it onto black card. I then found a perfect strip of vellum in my random stash box, and heat embossed a sentiment from Noteworthy 2 in black shimmery embossing powder to complete the card. 

I used Stitched Tags Nesting Dies to die cut a tag from the rest of the colouring page, and adhered it to a white card panel cut with the same die. This time I used some water to blend the colours. I think they become more vibrant this way. I used the leftover piece of the vellum to stamp the sentiment, again from Noteworthy 2. I hope these projects inspired you to colour something, and don't forget to download the free digi and join us for the linky party over on the STAMPlorations blog.

I'm linking up my card over at Fusion Card Challenges, Just Add Ink where the challenge is "Just add C" (my C is colour, colouring, colouring book and contrast) and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where Anything goes this week. I'm also linking up my tag over at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is bright and cheerful.

Colouring book: STAMPlorations Bloomtangled

Stamps: STAMPlorations Noteworthy 2

Dies: CUTplorations Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Stitched Tags Nesting Dies

There are some great offers in the STAMPlorations store in August, including (of course!) a colouring book sale!!

Clear Stickers are 30% off with code CLEAR30 Coloring Books are 25% off with code COLOR25 Clear Stamps* are 25% off with code STAMP25

STAMPlorations Spring Fling

Welcome to the STAMPlorations Spring Fling event! Every spring, the lovely Shery, Mummy of STAMPlorations, does a grand big event with twelve days of giveaways. And I'm super excited that Shery always invites her design team (including yours truly!!) to join in on the fun. We are sharing spring themed projects which will hopefully inspire you to get creative too!

Every day there is a prize to be won by commenting on the STAMPlorations Spring Fling blog post and the designer's blog posts. You can comment until the 19th of April, and all winners will be announced in a big winner's post on April 22nd so don't forget to check in on the STAMPlorations blog to see if you are one of the lucky winners!

For my first Spring Fling project (yes, there are a few more to come in the next few days!!) I created a kraft tag using all the colours of the rainbow. I started by cutting a tag from kraft Card using CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. Then I inked Distress Oxides through the ARTplorations Peony Number Two stencil. I stamped the Be A Rainbow Typografia Motivate sentiment in Onyx Black ink on top of the peony. Last, I stamped two butterflies from Fluttery, coloured them with Copics in all the colours of the rainbow, fussy cut, adhered to the tag and liberally doused in Ice Stickles. I finished the tag with white ribbon and burlap twine from my stash.

Don't forget that during the Spring Fling, the Spring Fling section in the STAMPlorations store is 25% off (no code needed). However, if you use my code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout, you can get up to 45% off!! 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Be A Rainbow Typografia Motivate, Fluttery
Dies: CUTplorations Stitched Tags Nesting Dies
Stencil: ARTplorations Peony Number Two
Ink: Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black, Distress Oxides, Copics

Rainbows, Rainbows, Rainbows

Long time no see! How are you? Has spring caught up with you yet? The daffodils are already in bloom in the garden and the conservatory is nice and warm in the afternoon. And it's getting lighter in the mornings which is great, it's just that little bit easier to head off to work when it isn't completely pitch dark.  

I believe, from the bottom of my heart, that you can never have too many unicorns or rainbows in your life. So I thought I would send a few countless rainbows your way today.

Today's card is inspired by several challenges. Firstly, I cannot resist a good rainbow so I had to play along with the current Fusion challenge. I'm also linking up with Lawn Fawnatics where the theme is "What's the weather" and Just Us Girls where the theme is Birthday. 

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Winter Unicorn and matching die

Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangles, Rainbow, Puffy Cloud Border die, Simple Puffy Clouds, Simple Puffy Cloud Frames, Happy Birthday Line Border

Ink and Colouring: Distress Paints, Copics, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, gold and silver Sharpie

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka, Let's Polka in the Dark, Really Rainbow, silver glitter card

Baked With Love

It's been a while since I had time for relaxing fun in the craft room. Recently I spent time trying to clear out unused stuff as I had to downsize my storage to make room for a bigger vivarium for my not-so-little-anymore snake baby. But I decided to interrupt all the cleaning and clearing out to take time to just craft for fun.

When I saw the inspiration photos over at Just Add Ink and The Card Concept, I immediately knew which stamp set to reach for. I was also inspired by the "Up to One Third" theme over at AAA Cards, and I used quite a lot of masking to create the rows of cupcakes too. Last but not least I'm also linking up over at Lawn Fawnatics where the theme is "Lots of Love" and City Crafter Challenge Blog where the theme is "Cupcake(s)".

 

 

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Baked With Love

Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

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!