STAMPlorations Special Release - The Bee's Knees Pets Mini Hop

We've got a special release at STAMPlorations - extra-special to me, because it's one of my designs!  Meet The Bee's Knees Pets, a combination of images and tongue-in-cheek sentiments.  I've made a couple of cards for you, and you need to visit STAMPlorations blog to see some more wonderful creations.

For this first card, I used the cat image, colouring with Distress Markers.  I had a diecut frame on my desk begging to be used, so I stamped a background with the Distressed Damask background stamp to make it look like wallpaper to hang my cat portrait on, and added a sentiment from my set.

For this second card, I used the sheepdog image and just coloured it with Black Soot and a paintbrush, with a touch of tattered rose.  The stick is actually the string/twine for the jar in the Vignette: Eclectic Florals set.  You can see below where I got my inspiration for this image.  Florence isn't very good at catching sticks - I think she needs glasses!

Florence

Anyway, you need leave a comment on the STAMPlorations blog and the other hop stops to be in with a chance of winning this set.  Off you go!  If you're not the lucky winner, the set is available from the STAMPloraitons store at 10% discount until 16 September.

A Sprinkle of Imagination, and a Lot of Colour

Today is my debut over on A Sprinkle of Imagination blog where I made these two cards - pop on over if you want more details.

I'm entering this first card into Time Out, where the challenge is Make Your Mark.  (Drawn and squiggled border, handwritten sentiment.)

And I'm entering this second card into Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, Make It Colourful (yup!)

Craft Stamper Take It Make It -Take a Stamp

Hello all, time for a new challenge at Craft Stamper Take It, Make It.  This month, it's Take a Stamp (or two or three or more).

This month we're sponsored by STAMPlorations, and one lucky random winner will win this fabulous set, along with these two ARTplorations stencils:

STAMPlorations have been incredibly generous and have supplied a coupon code for Craft Stamper challenge players to take advantage of free shipping from the store! The code is: CSTAKEITMAKEIT and is good for free shipping on orders over $20 (£12.90). The coupon will work all through September, and can be combined with any other STAMPlorations coupon.

Now I happen to have this stamp set and the stencils, so I've used then on my tag so that you can see them in action.  I stamped the daisy image, coloured it with Distress Inks and mounted it onto black card, then stencilled the leaf pattern onto my tag with Twisted Citrus Distress Paint.  On a scrap of card, I stamped the 'you' and wrote the 'for'.

If yours is the winning entry is chosen by the design team, you'll get your entry published in the magazine (so hold on to your project!), a winner's profile two page spread, and a guest design spot in a future challenge.

So you've got two chances of winning - what are you waiting for?

Oh, have you seen the new-look magazine?  It's fabulous!  Trish has done a sterling job with the re-vamp - don't miss it!

The Mixed Media Card Challenge - Friendship

We've got a new challenge at The Mixed Media Card Challenge - Friendship, with an option of Ribbon.

I've got to confess, I enjoy ironing.  I don't have a permanent 'ironing basket' because it all gets ironed reasonably promptly, and there's never anything left in the bottom that I'm putting off doing.  (Am I normal?)

I also love using my craft iron to make encaustic wax scenes like this one.  A couple of swipes of wax onto the iron, and swoosh across some glossy card, and you have a unique vista every time.  I added a diecut flower which I'd waxed on the iron, then I drew borders with Neocolour II crayons which I diluted with water.  I stencilled some dots on the right-hand side, and I was surprised that the colour took on the wax, I thought it would just wipe off.  The sentiment is from Dee's Blooming Buds set.

Pop on over to the blog to see the fabulous inspiration from the rest of the Design Team, and play along with us.

I'm entering my card into Simon Says Wednesday Challenge, Anything Goes.

CASEplorations with Ionabunny

It's time for a new CASEplorations challenge, and this month we've got this fun and fabulous tag from Gail, aka Ionabunny:

So, what can we CASE?
Stencilling, tag, pink, diecut, fun, fibres, sequins, sentiment scraps.  Here's what I came up with:

And by sheer coincidence, it fits the bill at Tag, You're It, where Carol is providing the inspiration:

I love it when that happens!

If you want to CASE Gail's card, my card or any of the cards from the rest of the Design Team, join us here - prized to be had!