STAMPlorations Inspiration #126

It's inspriation time at STAMPlorations.  I've been playing with some new CUTplorations dies, Trendy Spring Blooms Dies, which complement the new April/May STAMP Club stamp set, Trendy Spring Blooms.

I used a couple of Gelli plate prints from my stash, one for the background and one for the dies.  Added a bit of grunge stamping using a stamp from Scribbly Splattery Grunge and edged the panel with a Neocolour II crayon.

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.

And if you're thinking of spending your cash stash at STAMPlorations, why not use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils in the store.

I'm adding this to Simon Says Stamp National Craft Month.

Seize The Birthday - Vellum

Welcome to another Seize The Birthday challenge!  This time our optional theme is vellum.

I've used a Sizzix 3D embossing folder to emboss some pink vellum.  I read somewhere that a Zig 2-way glue pen is the best way to attach vellum, just adding a teensy bit along the edges.  So that's what I did!  The bird is from STAMPlorations Trendy Birds, and the medallion is from Craftwork Cards - been in my stash for years.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the team, and play along with us!

I'm entering this into Simon Says Monday Challenge - Things With Wings.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #125

It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and today we're featuring Shery's line of stamps.  For the next week there's 10% off all Shery's stamps except Big Greetings, which has 20% off.  And if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY, you'll get another 20% off these and any other stamps, stencils and dies in the store.

For my card I started off by placing a feather mask from ARTplorations Feathers and Arrows Large stencil onto a card panel, sprinkled some PaperArtsy Infusions around it, spritzed, then removed the mask.  The corresponding stamp from the Trendy Feathers 2 set fits perfectly into the negative space, leaving a bit of a halo around the stamped image.  I watercoloured it with corresponding Distress Ink colours.

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

Cupcake Inspirations 400th Challenge

Cupcake Inspirations Challenges are celebrating their 400th blog challenge, and STAMPlorations is helping them to celebrate today by being a sponsor.  So the challenge is to use a previous challenge as your inspiration.  I went for blush, ruby and gold from challenge 360.

The blush was Spun Sugar, the ruby was a mix of Candied Apple and Aged Mahogany, and the gold was some writing ink that I got from the Museum of London, watered down and splattered.

I used stamps from The Bee's Knees Party Dresses and City Girl, and added a little ribbon rose on the shoulder for a bit of glam.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and to the Cupcake Inspirations blog to join the party.

It's a Girl!

There's a very special blog hop going on today to welcome into the world a new addition to the Croghan family. Lesley, of Always Playing With Paper, is the brains behind several hugely successful blog challenges that many of us play along in, and this surprise hop has been organised by Lori Turner of Caffeinated Creativity.  We're all linking our cards up on Lori's blog here, so pop on over to see the full hop.

Here's the card that I've made, using Heaven Sent and Artsy Border Maker by STAMPlorations.

Many congratulations, Lesley and Corey!  Enjoy your new baby - and your surprise hop :)

Spring Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop

It's the Spring Coffee Lover's Blog Hop, and STAMPlorations is one of the super sponsors, so some of the STAMPlorations girls are playing along.  Who needs an excuse to create tea- and coffee-themed cards?

My first card has a hipster vibe using my new set, Brew-Tiful Day.  After stamping the image in black I stamped the sentiment, then added a dash of colour with a Sharpie.

I made this little gift card using Shery's Bloomin' Spring Coffee Basket, adding a touch of Distress watercolouring.

My final card uses my Tea Blend Word Art.  I trimmed the border off, then blended Salty Ocean Distress Ink around the edges.  I added a china teacup and saucer (from Shery's Always Tea Time), complete with gold rims

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and for all the details on the Spring Coffee Lovers' Blog Hop.

A Butterfly And A Night On The Tiles

Sometimes cards just make themselves.  (Well, not quite, but you know what I mean.)  I'd smooshed a greeny/yellowy panel, and it looked a bit like a butterfly, so the only thing to do was stamp a butterfly image over it!

I'm playing along at CAS Watercolour Challenge where the theme is Spring.

I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog tonight with a spotlight post on a set of four travertine tile coasters. Here's the orange one.  Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see what other colours I used.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #124

It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and this week we're focusing on Deepti's stamps.  I've used the watering can from Friends and Flowers for my card, along with the middle-sized Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle nesting die.

The background panel is a smooshing of Pickled Raspberry, Mustard Seed and Inka Gold paste.  I stamped the image over the background then watercoloured it with Distress Inks (Brushed Pewter for the watering can).

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team, and don't forget to leave a comment there for your chance to win a gift certificate to the store.

For the next week, Deepti's stamps are 10% off, apart from Power of Words, which is 20% off.  And if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get an extra 20% off any stamps, dies and stencils in the store.  Bargain!

I'm entering this into CAS Mix Up 1st Birthday Celebrations - Stamping + Smooshing + my choice of watercolouring.  And die-cutting.

And also CAS Watercolour Challenge, where the theme is Spring.

Seize The Birthday - Colour Splash

Hello, and welcome to another Seize The Birthday challenge!  This time it's Colour Splash (black, white and a splash of colour).

I've been crushing on this stamp set from Concord & 9th ever since I saw it, and I've finally succumbed.  And I made a mess with my first stamping of it.  The lines smudged on the two rightmost petals, but I couldn't bear to throw it away.  I know it's only card, and I've got a mountain of the stuff, but it's such a lovely image I just couldn't throw it.  So I used Black Soot Distress Ink to blend hide the smudging.  The splash of colour comes from a Tombow pen and a snippet of pink card (Memory Box Paintbrush Happy).

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and from our  lovely guest designer, Anita of Neet & Crafty, then play along with us.  You don't have to keep to the Colour Splash theme, as long as it's a birthday creation.

I'm entering this into The Flower Challenge, Anything Goes.

ETA:  I'm also playing along at Where Creativity Meets C9 - Case a Designer.

I've CASEd this card of Lynn's.  The single flower, watercoloured; the splash of pink; the angled sentiment.

CUTplorations Reminder

Are you playing along with our CUTplorations challenge?  You might win a gift certificate....
Just take your inspiration from the graphic above, and use die-cuts (preferably CUTplorations, but other makes are fine as long as you use STAMPlorations product somewhere in your creation as well).  Then link up to the challenge and display the graphic.  Simples!

This time I'm inspired by the dress on the left.  Again, I'm trying to make inroads into my paper mountain, one sheet at a time.

Crazy Double Running Stitch die
Rise and Grind
Birds of Paradise (Happy)
Birthday Word Die

STAMPlorations Inspiration #123

It's Inspiration Tuesday on the STAMPlorations blog, and today we're featuring Becca's range of stamps, Big Grins.  I made a get well card using the pterodactyl from Dino Things.  I smooshed the background with Distress Inks, then stamped, watercoloured and fussy-cut the pterodactyl.  I only adhered the lower body, then bent the wings away from the card for a bit of movement.

I'm entering this into the CAS Mix Up Challenge, where it's their first birthday - happy birthday, girls, and congratulations on a fantastic challenge blog!

I've gone for stamping, smooshing and fussy cutting (and watercolouring).

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration.  There's 10% off Becca's stamps all week, and 20% off Buttercups and Butterflies.  And if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get another 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store.

ETA:
I'm also playing along at Inkspirational, where the designer's choice is watercolour smooshing.  Thanks for the prompt, Carol!

Craft Stamper Take It Make It Reminder

Are you playing along at Craft Stamper Take It, Make It?  All you need is a rubber or polymer stamp or two, and you're in!

I've used a Tim Holtz stamp on two Distress Ink-smooshed backgrounds, with a Visible Image sentiment.

This month's challenge is sponsored by Dali Art, and they're giving away this fabulous package to one lucky randomly chosen winner:

The winner chosen by the Design Team will get a profile their winning entry published in Craft Stamper magazine, a profile post on the blog, and a guest design spot on a future challenge.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog to see some more fabulous reminder inspiration from the team, then play along to win!

Say Cheese!

I've made a couple of contrasting cards for my Spotlight post at STAMPlorations, and this is one of them.  Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see the other one.

While you're doing that, I'll just enter this one in The Heart Desires challenge.

I just went with the colour scheme (minus the gold) but there is another more tenuous link - the maps imply travel, and we all take snapshots when we're travelling ;)
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STAMPlorations Inspiration # 122

It's Inspiration Tuesday over at STAMPlorations, and today we're showcasing my stamp range, The Bee's Knees.

So I've used one of my new sets, Two of Us.  I stamped it in Antique Linen so that I could do some no-line colouring with Distress Inks.  The hearts and the sentiment are also from the same set.

We've got some fabulous inspiration for you on the blog, so pop on over to take a look, and don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win a gift certificate to the store.

For the next seven days there's 10% discount (no coupon needed) on all The Bee's Knees stamps except Faerie Door, which is 20% off.  And if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get another 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store any time you place an order.

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CUTplorations March Challenge

We've got a new challenge for you at CUTplorations, based on this gorgeous inspiration graphic.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I got the A Cup Of Roses stamp, but it didn't quite go to plan on account of I stamped the image askew on the card, so I had to fussy cut it.  But it all came good in the end, and in fact I like this version better than the one I had planned.

I think you can guess which of the three inspiration images caught my attention!  I'm trying to deplete my mountainous stash of patterned paper, and this piece happened to be on my desk, unused.  It makes the perfect background for the cup of roses.  I cut the panel using the middle-sized Crazy Double Running Stitched Rectangle die, then cut the happy in blue and maroon and offset layered them.  The birthday sentiment is stamped in Brilliance Moonlight White on black card.

Want to play along?  Use our inspiration photo (and include it in your blog post) and any brand of die cuts.  Just be sure to use at least one STAMPlorations product on your project. Cards, tags, scrapbook pages, mixed media projects ... all are welcome.  Don't have any STAMPlorations products yet?  You can always find a free digi here to use.

And when you're shopping at STAMPlorations, if you use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY you'll get 20% off any stamps, dies and stencils you buy.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous interpretations of the inspiration pic and play along.

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It

Fancy a brew, anyone?

It's time for a new challenge at Craft Stamper Take It, Make It with our new regular theme of Take A Stamp (basically anything goes as long as you've included stamping with polymer/rubber stamps).

I've used my new stamp set, Brew-tiful Day, to make this graphic card.  I stamped the image in Versafine Onyx Black then watercoloured it with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink, layered it onto copper card and then onto my base card.  The dotty washi tape finishes it off nicely.

This month's sponsor is Dali Art who are providing a stamp set plus two stencils for one randomly chosen winner.

The winner chosen by the design team will have their project published in the magazine, a profile post on the blog and a guest design slot in a future challenge.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog to see more fabulous inspiration from the rest of the design team and then play along with us.  Don't forget - only one project in your post, and maximum three entries.

Seize The Birthday - Anything Goes

It's time for a new Seize The Birthday challenge, and this time it's Anything Goes.

I've been doing a lot of stamping and colouring on kraft card lately, and here's one of the finished cards.  The image is from Stamping Bella and I've coloured it with pencils.

Pop on over to the Seize The Birthday blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and play along with us.

TIME OUT 3rd Birthday Bash

TIME OUT Challenge has turned three (where has the time gone?) and to celebrate, they are having a birthday party!  STAMPlorations is one of the sponsors, so some of the STAMPlorations Design Team are joining in the fun and playing along with the TIME OUT theme, which is Love/Friendship with the optional twist of spotlight stamping.

I've used one of my newest stamps, Two Of Us, to make an anniversary card.  I stamped the image on a white panel, and again on some scrap.  I punched out the spotlight area that I wanted, coloured it with Distress Inks and stuck it on top of the main image.  I added a little shading on the main image - hope that's not cheating ;)

I cut the panel using the Crazy Double Running Stitch die then added my sentiment.  On the kraft card base I stamped the hearts using Versamark.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog to see more fabulous inspiration from the team, and then pop to the TIME OUT blog to play along.