ARTplorations Blog Hop Featuring Sanna Lippert Designs

We've got a new designer in our midst at STAMPlorations, and it's our very own Sanna with her line of stencils!  To celebrate the launch we're having a little blog hop, and winners will be randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations blog and participating designers' blogs.  You could win a $20 gift certificate, or your choice of 3 Sanna Lippert Designs stencils.

For this first card I used Trees1 with Peeled Paint Distress Oxide.  On some separate card I sponged more Peeled Paint, and a bit of Forest Moss DI, then stamped two holly leaves from Layered Holly.  Added some Christmas washi tape and card candi berries, and mounted the whole thing onto dark red card.

This second card uses Senecio1, which is a stencil/mask set.  I placed the masks on my card, sprinkled PaperArtsy Infusions in the gaps, then spritzed with water, dabbing it with kitchen roll before it got too muddy, then removed the masks.  I wanted to add definition to the pretty flower circles, so I drew in all the circles first with a 0.8 fineliner, then drew in the stalks.  I couldn't decide what sentiment to add, but, to be honest, I like it as it is without a sentiment, with the pattern showing in all its glory.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see all the gorgeous creations from the team.  You have until Monday 4 December to comment!

STAMPlorations Inspiration #154

Time for some STAMPlorations Inspiration, and this week we're highlighting Shery's stamps.  I've used Typografia: Most Wonderful Time, stamped on black with Brilliance Pearlescent Ice Blue, which looks more like silver.  On the base card I sponged Tumbled Glass through the ARTplorations Crisscrossed stencil.  The holly leaves are from Layered Holly.

While the Giving Thanks blog hop is underway you can get 40% off stamps, dies and stencils by using the code BIGTHANKS (coupon can be used only once per customer/shipping address and doesn't apply to New Release and Retiring categories; colouring books or gift certificates).  You can use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY against stamps in the new release category.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration using Shery's stamps, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the store.

Stellar Christmas Cards

The stars have a aligned for a few cards.  It all started with this card of Michele's:

Michele's card

Those big, bold stripes.  The snowflakes, the sentiment.  That huge star.  When a Sizzix stars die came up for sale, it was meant to be!  It leapt into my basket :)

As luck would have it, the challenge at Less Is More is Let It Shine.

And the challenge at Simon Says Monday Challenge is Star Light, Star Bright.

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So then I made another version inspired by ...

this wooden star at Inspired By All The Little Things:

It's also going into Uniko's Christmas challenge, seeing as I've used their sentiment (the sentiment on the first card is also from Uniko).

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And here's my third stellar creation:

Closing the circle with another nod to Michele's card.

This one's headed for AAA Cards - Christmas

Seize The Birthday - Monochromatic

It's time for Seize The Birthday, and for this challenge our theme is Monochromatic (or you can just play along with the anything goes birthday theme).

I had this Distress Ink background lying around, which was mainly pinks (there's a bit of yellow in there, but shhhh) so I stamped the girl (Tim Holtz Runway) then sloshed some Pickled Raspberry on her, and added the fabulous 'fabulous' sentiment (STAMPlorations).

Pop on over to the Seize the Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and our surprise party guest Becca, and play along with us!

STAMPlorations Inspiration #153

We've got some more inspiration for you over at STAMPlorations, and today we're focusing on Deepti' stamps. I've used Frames And Flowers to make a Christmas wreath.

I started off by stamping the stitched circle in Mowed Lawn Distress Oxide, then stamped the leaf sprig using the circle as a guide, adding Candied Apple berries in the gaps.  I scored a piece of red card and added a die-cut bow (Shaker Balloons #1 Heart).  The sentiment is from Layered Holly.

While the Giving Thanks blog hop is underway you can get 40% off stamps, dies and stencils by using the code BIGTHANKS (coupon can be used only once per customer/shipping address and doesn't apply to New Release and Retiring categories; colouring books or gift certificates).  You can use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY against stamps in the new release category.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration using Dee's stamps, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the store.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #152

Time for some inspiration for you at STAMPlorations.  This week we're featuring Becca's line of stamps, Big Grins by Becca Cruger.

Because this week is Giving Thanks hop week, all STAMPlorations stamps, stencils, and dies are 40% off with the BIGTHANKS coupon starting 15 November.  (Coupon can be used only once per customer/shipping address; coupon does not apply to products in the New Release and Retiring categories; coloring books; and gift certificates). But you can still use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY an unlimited number of times to purchase stamps in the New Release category.

I made a background with Distress Oxides - they're just so creamy and easy to blend.  Spritzed some water on, then added Stitched Winter Landscape at the bottom.  I stamped my reindeer and watercoloured with Distress Inks before fussy cutting and adhering to the card and adding a sentiment (from Layered Snowman).

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 gift certificate to the store.

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Layered Stamps Spotlight Week - Layered Holly

It's Day 3 of the Layered Stamps launch at STAMPlorations, and today we're shining the spotlight on the Layered Holly set.

Again, these stamps aren't supposed to line up exactly, but to overlap so that you get the graphic artsy look.  You can see that there are four pairs of outline and solid leaf stamps, and the solid/outline berries.  The two smaller solid stamps can work with any of the larger leaves.  Or you can just use all of the images independently.  This set is fantastic for making QACAS (quick and clean and simple) cards, to quote Darnell.

For this first card I've stamped the three larger outline leaves and berries, then watercoloured them with Distress Inks, and layered onto red card.

For the next one, I've inked up the solid images with various Distress Inks and stamped onto mixed media paper.

Then I decided to make a background panel on a card, so I masked off the edges, sponged the centre and stamped the sentiment in Old Paper Distress Ink.  I stamped the outline images on coloured card, cut out and adhered to the card.

And finally, I've inked up the solid stamps with Distress Oxides and stamped them onto kraft card, then overstamped the line images in Versafine Onyx Black and added a sentiment.

If you missed my post last Tuesday, you can see more examples of this set there.

Comment to win

So, what's in it for you?  Comment here, on the main blog and on the other participating designers' blogs for your chance to win one of these prizes:

- ONE (1) winner of a $20 gift certificate to the store
- ONE (1) winner of her choice of Layered Stamp set.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday 14 November.

The layered stamps are 5% off instantly until 30 November but you can get them at an additional 20% off by using my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY.