May STAMPlorations challenges - Mid-Month Reminder

Welcome to the STAMPlorations May Challenge Reminder. May is my favourite month of the year, but this year it has just disappeared on me. I can't believe it's already half gone. But I'm trying to be optimistic about it, that means there is still half of it left to experience and of course the long weekend coming up at the end of May which happens to fall on my birthday. Let's keep our fingers crossed for some gorgeous bank holiday weather!

My reminder card for the STAMPlorations May CAS challenge was created using Bloom Doodles, one of my favourite ever flower stamp sets. I stamped and masked the three large flowers and coloured them with Copics. I then die cut the sentiment using Happy Word die in lilac and black card and heat embossed the word Birthday from the hilarious Llama Tell You stamp set. Last, I fussy cut the front panel of the card along the outline of the flowers and added a piece of lilac patterned paper to the back panel.

For the May TAGplorations challenge, I created a tag using a Mixed Media background I have created sometime in the past using Distress Oxides and then stamped in Vintage Photo Distress ink using Mixed Media Grunge. Sometimes it's nice to just look through the box of various unwanted crafty things and find something you get inspired to use for a project. I die cut flowers from various colours of leftover cardstock using Trendy Spring Blooms dies and assembled a big bouquet of flowers on my tag, adding some leaf die cuts too. The sentiment consists of blue glitter card die cut using Hugs Word die and a white heat-embossed sentiment from Funny Kinda Love. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Bloom Doodles, Llama Tell You, Mixed Media Grunge
Dies: CUTplorations Happy Word die, Trendy Spring Blooms, Hugs Word die
Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Versamark and Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics, Distress Oxides, Distress Ink Vintage Photo

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at theSTAMPlorations 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 (but note that it combines with promotions such as the below Typografia and Things With Wings sale!!). The following two promotions are ongoing in the STAMPlorations store at the moment

CLICK HERE to see all Typografia stamps!

CLICK HERE to see all qualifying products. 

STAMPlorations Things with Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party

We hardly got to the end of our Spring Fling event over on the STAMPlorations blog and it's already time for the Things With Wings Blog Hop and Linky Party! Today I'm excited to be part of the second instalment of the month-long event. There are loads of prizes up for draw over on the STAMPlorations blog. 

• You can find the Things With Wings section in the STAMPlorations store here

https://stamplorations.auctivacommerce.com/Things-With-Wings-Instant-15-Off-C378666.aspx?sid=38054

Commenting and linking up is from today until Tuesday, June 4, 11:55 p.m. Pacific.


We'll be drawing EIGHT lucky crafters to win these prizes:

• FIVE (5) randomly drawn winners from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers blog will each receive a $10 gift code to the store
• THREE (3) randomly drawn participants in the Things with Wings Spring linky party will receive each receive a $15 gift certificate to the store
• Extra prizes: I love giving away surprise prizes so there are going to be at least 3 extra prizes in the form of gift certificates and products :o)

Done hopping and commenting? Share your own projects in the Things with Wings linky party!

• Create a new winged-themed project (any kind!).
• Post it on your blog (or Flickr, Instagram, SCS gallery, etc.) and then link up over on the STAMPlorations blog.
• Display our event graphic in your blog post and link back to this post to qualify for the prizes.
• You may enter as many projects as you want, but each project must be in its own post (1 project = 1 blog post = 1 entry) 
• Use whatever product(s) you have; STAMPlorations products are not required. 
• Link up by Tuesday, June 4, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-7). 

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.

April STAMPlorations challenges - Mid-Month Reminder

Welcome to the April STAMPlorations Mid-Month reminder post. We have once again sped through half of the month. We have had a cold start to April, it was really warm and lovely for one weekend in late March but then it turned cold again. As in having-to-scrape-your-windscreen-in-the-morning cold. I'm ready for lovely sun now, thank you and please. We really need to do some emergency work in the garden. Most of our neighbours are retired and spend a lot of time making their gardens so beautiful whereas we must be the house they all point at with disapproving looks... Anyhow, it's more important to have some quality crafting time than a pristine garden, don't you think?

I created a tag inspired by the recycling theme for our TAGplorations challenge. I started by using some tissue paper which was used to wrap my toilet paper (yes, that's right!). I covered some scrap card (left over from a failed experiment) with the tissue paper and die cut a tag using Stitched Tags Nesting Dies. The tissue paper was originally black and white striped, but I used Gansai Tambi pearlescent watercolours to colour the white bits, and splattered some silver and gold pearlescent watercolours onto the tag. I stamped the paint brushes from Life In Full Colour again onto a scrap piece of card (which had some failed stamping on the other side of the paper) and coloured with Copics. Last, I heat embossed a sentiment from the same stamp set in white and added a scrap piece of ribbon and some leftover wool to the tag.

My card for the CAS challenge was inspired by the Dark Navy optional colour twist. I smooshed Distress Paints onto watercolour paper, adding some white and yellow splatters to create a starry sky. I die cut the card using Crazy Double Running Stitch Nesting Dies. I stamped several houses from Houses and coloured them with Copics. Last, I added a simple dark navy strip for the sentiment which was heat embossed in white. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Life In Full Colour, Houses

Dies: Stitched Tags Nesting Dies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Nesting Dies

Ink and Colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Gansai Tambi Pearl Colours, Copics, Distress Paints

STAMPlorations discount code: If you want to save 20% when shopping at theSTAMPlorations 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.

STAMPlorations Spring Fling Reminder Post

I hope you enjoyed the STAMPlorations Spring Fling Event. Today on the STAMPlorations blog we have a reminder post for you. We had 12 days of spring-themed projects from the design team. Each day there was one prize to win by commenting on the Spring Fling posts on the STAMPlorations blog and the designer's blogs. And this is your reminder that commenting will close in two days, on April 19th so if you want to comment on any of the posts but haven't yet had a chance, please do so before it's too late! And of course, Shery couldn't resist throwing in a few extra prizes which you can win one of three $10 gift codes by commenting on the STAMPlorations post and the designer's posts (including mine!). 

Today's card is a super quick one, but it still looks really nice. Perfect, if you need a card in a hurry. I started by inking Tim Holtz Distress Inks through the Ethnic Flutter stencil and stamped the Just Be Better Typografia Motivate in Versafine Onyx Black. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Just Be Better Typografia Motivate
Stencil: ARTplorations Ethnic Flutter stencil
Ink and colouring: Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Versafine Onyx Black

Don't forget the Spring Fling April sale in the STAMPlorations store. You can also use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA for an additional discount off your order. 

STAMPlorations Spring Fling Day 10

Welcome to day 10 of the STAMPlorations Spring Fling, thank you for stopping by! I hope you have been inspired by the spring themed projects we have been showcasing over the last few weeks. Is it spring where you live yet? We had a really warm spell about a week ago, but then it turned grey and chilly again. I can't wait for more sun, as the asparagus has started to grow in the garden and now needs lots of sun to grow. 

Today is day 10 of the STAMPlorations Spring Fling, so only two more days to go. As usual, there is a prize to be won by commenting on the  STAMPlorations blog and the designer's blogs (including mine!). Today, the prize is a choice of any in stock 4x8 stamp set.

My project started by watercolouring the background using Gansai Tambi Pearl Colours, blending with lots of water to create a rainbow. I die cut the panel using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies, using the two smaller dies to cut a frame from black card. I then stamped Leave a Little Sparkle Typografia Motivate in Versamark and heat embossed in Gold. Last, I die cut the beautiful Flutter Zen 2 Layering Dies butterfly from gold glitter card. 

Stamps: STAMPlorations Leave a Little Sparkle Typografia Motivate

Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting dies, Flutter Zen 2 Layering Dies
Ink and colouring: Gansai Tambi Pearl Colours, Tsukineko Versamark

Don't forget the Spring Fling April sale in the STAMPlorations store. You can also use my discount code STAMPGIRLKAROLA for an additional discount off your order.