Thursday, August 31, 2017

Seize The Birthday - Ocean Colours


It's Seize The Birthday time, and our new challenge is all about ocean colours - blues, greens, aquas - but it doesn't necessarily have to be ocean-themed.  Having said that, this pup looks like he's already been in the ocean and he's shaking all the water off ;)

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team and our surprise birthday guest, Lindsey from Bashful Blogging, and play along with us.

I'm adding my card to Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.


Saturday, August 26, 2017

Guest Designer at Inkspirational



Hellooo!  I'm thrilled to be guesting for Inkspirational for this great challenge - Oldie But Goodie.  The idea is to use a stamp from when you first started crafting.  I'm not sure that I could lay my hands on my very first stamp purchases, but this butterfly by DeNami dates back to my very early stamping days, and I still love it.


Back in the day, I would gold-emboss the image onto vellum.  Nowadays I hardly ever heat emboss, and hardly ever use vellum.  I'm much happier sloshing and splattering, as you can see ;)  I've brought it up to date with washi tape, a bit of stitching and some grunge stamps.

Time to dig out your oldest stamps and give them some love, and join me in playing along at Inkspirational, where you'll find some fabulous inspiration from the design team.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Happy Hibiscus

It's ages since I've played along with a challenge just for fun, and today I'm playing along at The Curtain Call, where the challenge is Hibiscus.


A little while ago - well, it was back in May, actually - I shared this card, which had been inspired by Michele's card.

 

Today's card was inspired by another similar card by Michele that she had posted on Instagram here.  I made it around the same time, but I wasn't really happy with that version, it was a bit wishy-washy, so I put it to one side, and it's been languishing in there ever since.  Here's a photo of it before I revamped it.


I had the brainwave of inking up the stamp with a darker colour, spritzed and stamped to give it more of a focal point.  I also added some Pickled Raspberry centres.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

STAMPlorations Release - Typografia Motivate


We've got a mini release at STAMPlorations today, with Shery's fabulous range of Typograpfia Motivate stamps.  I've made a couple of motivation hangings for my frame.


I used Distress Oxides for the background, with water bleaching, then stamped over the top.


For this one, I swirled Distress sponges loaded with Distress Oxides, stamped over the top but also stamped on white and cut out 'the best'.  I used a white pen to colour in the 'version' wording.


Here's a technique I've not done for a while - scoring card, smooshing Distress Inks across  to look like weatherboard, then stamping over the top.  The die cuts are from Trendy Spring Blooms Dies.

Leave a comment here, on the other designer's blogs, and on the main STAMPlorations blog for your chance to win your choice of 3 Typografia Motivate stamps.  You've gotta be in it to win it!

I'll be back on the STAMPlorations blog later today with my Spotlight post using the fab new Sweet Cravings stamps and coordinating dies.  Here's a peep:


Friday, August 18, 2017

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - CUTplorations Dies

It's the final day of the STAMPlorations Christmas release, and today we're showcasing the new dies. There are too many to show here, but you can see them all in the New Release section.

For my first card, I've used the Christmas Baubles #1 Layering Dies set.  I cut the base from a smooshy drippy Distress Ink background, and the detail from silver card.  I tied some yellow and blue cord together, then had to work out how to attach it to the top fold of my card.  Solution: threaded some fine thread through the knots and tied it inside the fold.  The sentiment is from Shery's Homespun Christmas set.


Another smooshy drippy Distress panel, this time using the Holiday Words Plate Die.  The black panel helps to accentuate the bright colours.


A more rustic one, using the Christmas Icons - Christmas Tree #1 die and some textured card, matted onto a kraft panel cut from the Crazy Double Running Stitch nesting die set.  A green twine bow and some Stickles on some of the bauble bumps, and it's done.


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team and don't forget to comment for your chance to win.  And if you feel like a spending spree, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils in the store.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes


Time for a new challenge at Seize The Birthday, and it's Anything Goes as long as it's birthday-themed.


Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team and our surprise birthday guest, Lindsey of Bashful Blogging, and play along with us.

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Shery Russ Designs

It's Day 4 of the STAMPlorations Christmas release, and today we're showcasing Shery's stamp set, Homespun Christmas.


Two great images, and lots of mixed-font sentiments.  Here's what I made:


I stencilled a background area on my card using the ARTplorations Crisscrossed stencil, stamped a sentiment, then adhered my image onto the card.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration, and don't forget to comment for your chance to win.  And if you're having a little spending spree, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

STAMPlorations Christmas Release -The Bee's Knees Stamps

It's day three of the STAMPlorations Christmas release week, and today we're showcasing my stamps.  I've got two sets for you, Christmas Elf and Three Kings.


Let's start off with a little laid-back number:


But he has been hard at work, honest!  Look, he's brought you a present:


On to the Three Kings set.  For this first card I used everything but the kings.  I stamped all the images, adding another hill line, then added the wash afterwards, then spritzed with water.  Once dried, I mounted the panel onto dark blue card.


I don't often make stepper cards, but this set lends itself to that style of card:


I stamped, coloured and fussy-cut the images, then adhered them to the different steps.  (I did some zen doodling on the Kings' clothing first.)  The embossed paper has been in my stash forever.  I think it was a sheet of wrapping paper originally.  I stamped the sentiment, then mounted the panel onto a kraft panel.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team, and don't forget to leave comments for your chance to win.

If you feel like having a spending spree, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Dee's Artsy Impressions

It's Day 2 of the STAMPlorations Christmas Release week, and today we're showcasing Deepti's new set, Yuletide Deer.


I stamped the image onto my card panel, and again onto scrap paper for a mask.  With the mask in place I stamped one of the Mixed Media Elements scribbles, stamping the grey ink off to get second generation stamping - except where I forgot in a couple of places ;) - to create a background wall.  I added a CUTplorations sentiment then offset the white panel onto my red base card.


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and don't forget to leave comments on the designers' blogs and the main blog for your chance to win prizes.

If you're planning a little spending spree, don't forget to use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils in the store.

Monday, August 14, 2017

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Big Grins by Becca Cruger

We've got a fantastic release week lined up for you at STAMPlorations, with Christmas stamps and dies.  Kicking it all off today is Becca with her fun Christmas Cookies and Cheer set.


Keeping this one quite CAS, with the tray stamped onto kraft card and cut out, then the star biscuits stamped onto the tray and iced with white pen.  I stamped the apron onto red card, stamped the candy sticks and stars onto the apron, added white pen detailing, then cut it out, and arranged both images and the sentiment in a snug little trio on the card.


Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see what the rest of the team have created with Becca's set, and don't forget to leave a comment on the designers' blogs and the main STAMPlorations blog for your chance to win.

If you're planning a little spending spree, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils in the store.

ETA:  Adding this to the Muse Christmas Visions challenge, which is being sponsored by STAMPlorations - there are some fabulous prizes on offer, so get playing along!
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Friday, August 11, 2017

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It

Are you playing along with Craft Stamper's Take It, Make It challenge?  It's Anything Goes, so all you need is rubber/polymer stamps and you can play along to win.


Although there's not much stamping on this card (the sentiment and the grungy lines) it's big enough and bold enough to make an impact without fighting the painted tulips.  Like them?  I just sloshed some Distress Reinkers onto smooth card with a broad-nibbed water brush, stamped with Versafine Onyx Black, then mounted the panel onto coral-coloured card.

Our sponsor this month is Keep On Crafting, who are generously offering this prize to one randomly chosen winner this prize of two stamps and two stencils:



Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and play along with us for your chance to win these goodies. And if your entry is chosen by the design team, it will be published in the mag along with a profile about you, and you'll get a guest design spot in a future challenge. What's not to like? Just remember to follow the rules to ensure your entry is eligible.

Friday, August 04, 2017

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge


Welcome to a new challenge for Craft Stamper Take It, Make It!  As usual, it's anything goes as long as you use real rubber/polymer stamps.

I've used this little monster from Elinazinski Art, from PaperArtsy.  The stencilled background was sitting in my stash, the die-cut letters are from Uppercase Alphabet Plate by STAMPlorations.

Our sponsor this month is Keep On Crafting, who are generously offering this prize to one randomly chosen winner this prize of two stamps and two stencils:

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and play along with us for your chance to win these goodies.  And if your entry is chosen by the design team, it will be published in the mag along with a profile about you, and you'll get a guest design spot in a future challenge.  What's not to like?  Just remember to follow the rules to ensure your entry is eligible.

Thursday, August 03, 2017

Seize The Birthday - Tie One On


We've got a new challenge for you at Seize The Birthday - Tie One On.  String, twine, ribbon, shoelaces, whatever you like.

I was asked to make a birthday card for a three-year old boy, so out came the STAMPlorations Dino Things stamp set.  I tied some gold thread around the balloon and tucked the end under Dino's paw.

If the theme doesn't float your boat, you can still play along with any birthday creation.  Check out the rest of the team's inspiration cards here, then play along with us!