Seize The Birthday - CAS + Dies

Hello, time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday.  Glenda is hosting, and she's chosen CAS + Dies.

I went CAS/Mixed Media/Dies for this card.  Apart from the script background, which is a new-to-me Tim Holtz stamp, all the items are from my stash - my new year's resolution to actually start using what I'm stashing - hah!

The flower die is Penny Black Bashful, coloured with hot encaustic wax on an iron.  The snippets, I couldn't even tell you, they've been torn up in my stash for so long.  The happy birthday sentiment is from MFT.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see what the rest of the team and our surprise party guests have created, and play along.  If you're not a CAS/Dies person, you can still play along with our Anything Goes theme.

See you in the gallery!

STAMPlorations Anything Goes February Challenge

Hello and welcome to the February Anything Goes challenge at STAMPlorations!  For today's card I've used images from The Bee's Knees Little Monsters, and wording from Big Monsters, and sloshed some Distress Inks over them.

We do hope you'll play along with us - there are prizes!

- winner of $25 prize code chosen by a STAMPgirl from entries that use STAMPlorations products

- winner of $10 prize code randomly chosen from entries (need not feature a STAMP product)

Simple rules:

- Anything goes, any type of project, any style

- use of STAMPlorations products not a requirement

- link back to the challenge post (if blog entry) or tag @stamplorations if joining via IG

- multiple entries per crafter allowed

- challenge ends 28 February.

Please do check the updated full challenge rules, particularly in relation to what images can and can't be used, and we hope to see you in the gallery!

When you're shopping in the store, you can get 20% off by using my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY (doesn't apply to subscriptions).

Happy stamping!

Visible Image - Masculine Birthday

Hello!  My brief for today's post at Visible Image is Masculine Birthday.  I decided to use Grunge Birthday Words for my background and Rock Out for my main image.

I picked out a mop-up piece from my stash and stamped the large Grunge Birthday Words in Versafine Onyx Black.

Then I stamped the rock star straight onto the panel, again using Versafine Onyx Black.

I decided not to use a Happy Birthday sentiment - it's pretty obvious from the background that it's a birthday card, so to break up that background I stamped the 'Rock Out' sentiment on black card using Versamark Ink and Stampendous white embossing powder.

I wanted the hand coming in from the side, so I stamped that and watercoloured it with Tea Dye Distress Ink.

For the base card, I stamped the stars all the way round the edges to create a border.

Then it was a case of sticking everything down.  First, I adhered the hand at an angle.

Then I adhered the 'Rock Out' sentiment on an angle to resemble a 'sold out' label slapped on a poster.

That was all matted onto gold card, then onto the base card.

And there you have my funky masculine card.  Stamps available here at Visible Image - check out the full range!

Seize The Birthday - A Rainbow of Colours

Hello!  We've got a new challenge flor you at Seize The Birthday, and this time it's A Rainbow of Colours, chosen by Cathy.

I used Haven Girl by Unity Stamp Co, and coloured the image in using rainbow colours, then went one further by creating a rainbow background, swiping Distress Minis across the card.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog to see how the rest of the team and our surprise party guest Helen have created their rainbows, and join in the fun.

If rainbows aren't your thing, you can still play along with any birthday-themed project.

See you in the gallery!

Visible Image - Vibrant Colours

Hello!  My brief at Visible Image today is Vibrant Colours!  Well, a Tequila Sunrise is pretty vibrant, and I decided to give it a splash in keeping with the vibrant theme.

I've used Happy Hour and Fluid stamp sets, and Frosty stencil for the background.  I started off with the Fluid stamp, and inked it up with Distress Inks a couple of times.

Then I stamped the glass, orange slice and cherry with Versafine Onyx Black, then flooded them with colour using Distress Re-inkers.  The re-inkers give a much richer colour than you can achieve with the ink pads.

There is a die set to accompany these stamps, but I didn't want the white outline today, so I fussy cut the stamped images.  You can see a little smudge line at the top of the drink, which was totally accidental, but worked out perfectly for the design. 

I sponged some Salty Ocean around the top edges of the panel, and Tea Dye around the lower edges to indicate sky and sand.

Moving on to the base card, I slipped a sheet of copy paper between the folds of the card then sponged around the top third with orange and yellow distress inks.

Then I stencilled over with Salty Ocean Distress Oxide, and added a touch of Stickles in the unstencilled areas.

Here's a close-up of the cocktail - cheers!  That little smudge lines up perfectly with the Fluid image.

And here's a look at the finished card with the Visible Image products used.

You can find these and the rest of Visible Image's range of fabulous goodies here.

Seize The Birthday - Make Your Own Snowflake Background

Hello, and welcome to the first Seize The Birthday challenge of 2026!  Barbara is hosting, and she's asking us to make our own snowflake backgrounds.

I rollered an embossing folder with Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide then added my card panel and sent it through my Big Shot.  The cat and his accessories are by Tim Holtz, and the Happy Birthday is from The Stamp Market.

Pop along to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous snowflake inspiration from the rest of the team, and our Surprise Party Guests, Helen and Stephanie, and join in the fun. If you don't want to play along with the snowflakes theme you can still play along with our Anything Goes them as long as it's birthday-related.

STAMPlorations Card Fronts - Artsy Abstract 2

Hello, we've got some fab new products for you at STAMPlorations - sets of 4 pre-printed US-sized card fronts in loads of designs, from nostalgic to funky to retro to floral, there's something to suit all tastes.  They're great for those last-minute cards, and combining with what's already in your stash.

I've used the Artsy Abstract 2 set to make 4 cards, and combined them with coloured envelopes for an extra pop of colour.  

Two of the fronts have a good space for adding a sentiment, so for the first one I've added the big Congrats Word Art die cut in deep red.

For my second card, I've added 'thanks' from the Skinny Sentiments die set (one of my favourite die sets), which I cut from white with a silver mirri background.

For my third card I've used the Skinny Sentiments die set again, but this time I've used the negative of 'Celebrate" (keep your negatives, girls!), and added two die-cut balloons (Shaker Balloons No. 3 Oval).

My final card uses the Coffee Cup Large stamp, to which I added a touch of colour, and a sentiment from The Bee's Knees - Classic Shoes.

You can see all the Card Fronts in more detail here, and if you like what you see, you can either buy a selection or get all of them on a subscription plan.  Check here for this and other great plans.

If you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you can get 20% discount on your purchases (not available on subscriptions).

Happy stamping!