Monday, October 31, 2016

STAMPlorations Inspiration #103


Still playing with Brushos and The Bee's Knees Party Dresses.  This time I've used the frilly dress, leaving the edges partially un-inked to help with the visual flow of the colours.   The sentiment comes from The Bee's Knees Groovy Shoes.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team.  Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Oh, Christmas Tree!


I've been playing along with PaperArtsy Infusions.  Don't tell my Brushos, but I think I love these more!  It's that added walnut stain that makes all the difference.

The stencil is from Imagination Crafts, and the sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set.

I'm playing along with Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, Anything Goes

and Christmas Card Challenges, Anything Goes.


Here's another similar one I made in the same session:


Friday, October 28, 2016

STAMPlorations Release Week - Day 5


It's Day 5 in the STAMPlorations release week, and today all of the Inspiration Team get to play with all four of the sets, yay!

Here's another card from my new set, Faerie Door.  Click here for my post yesterday showcasing more cards.


Becca's new set, Funny Kinda Love.  Click here for more.



Deepti's new set, Power of Words.  Click here for more.



and Shery's new set, Faith Expressions.  Click here for more.



Did someone say prizes?
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and designers' blogs (Days 1 to 5 posts) wins her choice of stamp set from the new release
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and designers' blogs (Days 1 to 5 posts) wins a $20 gift certificate to the shop
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from our Facebook page will win a $10 gift certificate for herself and a $10 gift certificate for one friend she tags in her comment
  • ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from our Instagram account will win her choice of stamp set from the new release.
Just for our blog followers and October stamp spotlight week blog hop participants, from October 24 to November 1: All orders of at least $12 ship free worldwide! Use code OCTSTAMPWEEK.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

STAMPlorations Release Week - Day 4


It's release week at STAMPlorations, and today we're showcasing my new set in The Bee's Knees range - Faerie Door.

The first door appears in an enchanted garden, filled with Infusions foliage.  And if you look closely, you'll see the fairy wings drying on the bushes ;)


Now that her wings are dry, she's off to sprinkle some faerie dust....


... and to visit her friends ...


... and sprinkle more faerie dust!


For your chance to win a $20 gift certificate or one of the new stamp sets, leave me a comment here, and also on the STAMPlorations blog post.

I'll be back tomorrow with another card using this set, and I'll be using Deepti's, Becca's and Shery's sets as well.




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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

STAMPlorations Inspiration #102


It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and today I've made all-die-no-stamp shaker card.  I've used the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Dies to make the frame, Stitched Snow Hills for the, er, snow hills, and my beloved little Christmas Reindeer die.  The Let It Snow sentiment is adhered to the base card.

I've used a mixture of sequins and confetti for the filling.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate.

Monday, October 24, 2016

More Purple


I'm playing along with Becca's Hop to Stop, which is highlighting awareness about domestic violence.

Becca's managed to gather some fabulous hop prizes, so don't forget to pop on over and play along.


I  made these two cards from flower pressings that had been sitting in my stash for four years.  I thought they had a delicate elegance to them until I looked back at the original post where I'd used the other half of the sheet, and they look dowdy by comparison!  But nature is still beautiful, even when it's fading.

In this photo you can see the mirror effect from the pressing.  The sentiments are from STAMPlorations Noteworthy and Strong Women.


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Seize The Birthday - Lots of Leaves


Time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday, and this week our topping is Lots of Leaves.

I had used Brusho powders through the leaf stencil to create a panel for another card, and there was plenty of colour left on the stencil after spritzing, so I turned it over and laid it onto mixed media paper to soak up all the colours and got this negative image with gorgeously blended purples and greens as a background.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some fabulous inspiration from the Design Team and our Surprise Party Guest, Sherrie K, and play along with us.

I'm entering this into CAS Watercolour - Autumn


Tuesday, October 18, 2016

STAMPlorations Inspiration #101 and Mixed Media Card Challenge


It's Inspiration Tuesday over at STAMPlorations.  When I was making this card for the Fall Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop I pulled out this purple Gelli print and made both cards at the same time.

The Gelli print is made with acrylic paints, and the circular marks were created by a cardboard tube.  I stamped the coffee cup directly onto the panel, then pierced through the card at the sides of the wrap, threaded purple jute through and tied it at the centre.  I added some white highlights around the lid with a white gel pen, and double stacked the Oh Frap! diecut.  The sentiment comes from The Bee's Knees Pets stamp set.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team.

This card also serves as a reminder for The Mixed Media Card Challenge, where the theme is Black and Purple with an option of twine.


ETA: Adding this to Becca's Hop to Stop :)


Monday, October 17, 2016

The Hop To Stop


I'm playing along at The Hop To Stop where Becca, the inimitable Damsel of Distressed, is raising awareness for victims of domestic violence.

I sprinkled Paper Artsy Infusions through a Donna Downey Donna's Blossom 3 stencil on mixed media paper and spritzed to activate the Infusions.  I removed the stencil and once everything was dry I added a colour washed background, stamped a sentiment and added some Walnut Stain Distress Stickles in the centre.

Then I turned the stencil over and laid it on a fresh piece of mixed media paper to soak up all the colour.  Once it was dry I replaced the stencil and sponged Wilted Violet Distress Ink to define the outline of the flower, and added some tiny dots with a fineliner to further emphasise the outline.


Pop on over to Becca's hop and play along - she's got some fabulous sponsors!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Craft Stamper Take It Make It Reminder


Are you playing along with Craft Stamper Take It Make It?  This month, we want you to take a theme - anything autumnal (or Fall).

Our sponsor this month is That's Crafty and the prize is all eight of these stamp sets designed by Donna Gray of Inky and Quirky Designs:


I've used my new The Bee's Knees stamp set, Fairie Door.  It's not launched until w/c 24 October, but I couldn't wait to play with it :)

I stamped the faerie door on a separate piece of card then watercoloured it with Distress Inks, fussy cut it and adhered it over the stamped foliage image.  The card is slightly larger than my usual at 5x7 inches.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team, and play along for your chance to win.  All guidelines can be found on the blog.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

STAMPlorations Inspiration #100


It's our 100th STAMPlorations Inspiration post, and to mark the occasion, Shery has organised a little giveaway.  One lucky commenter, chosen randomly, will get their choice of any of the 4x6 stamp sets that the design team have used.

My card was totally inspired by the illustrations of Jaesukkim, so I thought I'd have a go using my Party Dresses stamps and Brusho powders.  This was the first attempt.  Second attempt wasn't as good - ended up in the bin, third attempt ok.  But that's the thing with Brushos, it might turn out really well, it might not.

I stamped the tailor's dummy, then inked the dress, but not the hemline, and stamped.  Painted the bodice with water, sprinkled Brushos, painted the skirt, sprinkled Brushos, spritzed.  Voila!

The sentiment is from CityGirl.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for more serious eye candy, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a 4x6 stamp set.


Friday, October 07, 2016

Craft Stamper Take It Make It - Take A Theme


Welcome to a new Craft Stamper Take It Make It challenge!  This month, it's Take a Theme, and our theme is anything autumnal (or Fall!).  Our sponsor this month is That's Crafty and the prize is all eight of these stamp sets designed by Donna Gray of Inky and Quirky Designs:



For my card, I used a new stamp set from Uniko Studio, part of my haul from Port Sunlight on Saturday.  I added some foiling, and it's soooooo difficult to photograph!  Here's an angled shot so you can see it better:


Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and add your creation to the gallery.  You could win the stamps, or your creation might be chosen by the design team, in which case you get a profile on the blog and in the mag, and the opportunity to be a guest designer on the challenge.  Yay!

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Thursday, October 06, 2016

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes


Time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday and this week there's no topping, so as long as it's a birthday project, anything goes!


I found this panel in my stash (I'm trying to use up all my half-started/half-finished bits and pieces). Watercoloured background, colour bleached from the centres of the images.  All I had to do was add a bit of colour.  It was twice as big as you see, which was a bit too big to do anything sensible with it, so I cut it in half, and got two cards out of it.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and from our guest designer, Sherrie Koning of Sherrie Scraps With Passion and play along with us.

Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Focal Point


I've had a bit of a run on sympathy cards lately so I needed to replenish my stash.  I smooshed some Distress Inks on mixed media paper, stamped the flower (Artemis) and sentiment (Clearly Besotted) then added some text in the background, then mounted the panel onto coordinating card.

I'm playing along with Virginia's View challenge, Focal Point,


and a new challenge, The Flower Challenge, where the first theme is Anything Goes.


I'm over at STAMPlorations tonight with a set of ATCs using the new STAMP Club set.  Here's a peek, but pop on over for a proper look.


CUTplorations October Challenge


We've got a new challenge for you at STAMPlorations.  Instead of CASEplorations, it's now CUTplorations where we want you to play along by using dies (can be any manufacturer) but your creation must include STAMPlorations product, whether it's dies, stamps or stencils.  If you don't own any STAMPlorations stuff, get spending! you can use a digi image from our never-ending Anything Goes challenge.

So, here's our first inspiration photo:


I went in for a bit of finger painting, swooshing my colours across the card panel.  I diluted some of the red (it's Barn Door Distress Paint, but it's looking decidedly pink with age!) and splattered it over the panel.  Once dry I adhered the Magical Word Diecut then stamped the rest of my sentiment around it.

Pop on over to the CUTplorations challenge to see how the rest of the design team interpreted this photo, and play along for the chance to win your choice of two of the word/phrase dies that we've used in our inspiration projects.