STAMPlorations Inspiration #136

It's inspiration time on the STAMPlorations blog, and today I've been playing with Distress Oxides.  Stencilling, sloshing, spritzing.  Good fun!

I used ARTplorations Happy Flowers stencil, and performed a bit of surgery on the 'choose happy' stamp from Noteworthy 2.  'Birthday' is from Sentiment Builders: Happy.

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 voucher to the store.

Urban Landscape

I'm playing along with a couple of challenges for fun today, and getting to use some NBUS.  My first bit of NBUS is the Tim Holtz Cityscape Skyline die set.  I cut them from mixed media paper and dipped and smooshed them in pools of Distress Oxides.  Once they'd dried I adhered them to my card and added a strip of my second bit of NBUS, this fabulous Tube washi tape.  Cool, eh?

I'm entering this into Inkspirational - Urban

and The Male Room - Die Cuts.

Seize The birthday - Something Sweet

Are you ready for something sweet at Seize The Birthday Challenge?  You can't get much sweeter than a ginormous sponge cake laden with fruit.  I've had this stamp for ages and never inked it up before.  I sloshed some Distress Inks on it for a bit of colour, keeping it a very simple one-layer card.

Our surprise party guest is Cathy of Cathy's Card Spot.  Pop on over to the Seize The birthday blog to see what sweetness Cathy and the rest of the Design Team have created for you, and join in the fun.  If you're sweet enough already, you could just create any birthday project.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #135

It's time for some more inspiration from the STAMPlorations team, and this week we're focusing on Shery's stamps.  For the next seven days, all of Shery's designs are 10% off, except for A Cup of Roses 4x4 set and Many Blessings coordinating stamp and die set, which are 20% off.

For my background I inked the Distressed Damask background stamp with Distress Oxides, spritzed and stamped, then cut out a panel using the Crazy Double Stitched Rectangle die.  I stamped the Sketched: Birthday Cake on spare white card, watercoloured with Distress Inks and fussy cut it out.  The happy die was cut from white card then dipped and smooshed into Distress Inks, and the birthday sentiment strip fixed over the top.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the design team, and don't forget to comment for a chance to win a gift certificate to the store.  And any time you feel like having a splurge in the store, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies.

This also serves as a reminder for the current CUTplorations challenge.  All you need to do to play along is use this inspiration photo, any STAMPlorations product and any make of diecut.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #134

It's Inspiration Tuesday at STAMPlorations, and we're focusing on Deepti's stamps.  For the next week, all Deepti's stamps are 10% off, except Rise and Grind and Power of Words, which are 20% off.  No codes needed for these savings.

I've used Deepti's Tweet Love and co-ordinating dies to create this little framed tableau.  Confession time: I'd been cutting giraffes from a strip of leftover card, and there wasn't quite enough to get a full giraffe out of the last bit of card, so I just got the maximum I could out of the space.  Then I had to decide what to do with half a giraffe!  Aha, peeping out of a frame (CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitched Rectangle).

It's not like I don't have much card, but I hate wasting any!  At least I'm one layer less on the Mt NBUS background paper mountain ;)

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win a gift certificate to the store.  And next time you'e shopping at STAMPlorations, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils, including already discounted prices.  Bargain!

CUTplorations Challenge Reminder

Are you playing along with the CUTplorations challenge?  All you need is some STAMPlorations product (there's always a digi on our never-ending Anything Goes challenge) and a die (can be any make), and inspiration from the photo above.

Here's where it took me today.

I did some no-line watercolouring with the single stem and leaves from my Rosebuds set, then fussy cut it and mounted it onto a panel which was heavily spritzed with PaperArtsy Infusions - Are You Cerise (hehe).  Added the Wonderful word die cut from silver card.

Play along with us for your chance to win.  And if next time you're shopping in the STAMPlorations store, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off any stamps, stencils and dies.
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Inspired by Michele

It all started when I saw this card by Michele...

credit: Michele Ferguson

... and another one she'd posted on Instagram (but more about that in another post).  And I said it had inspired me to get the Distress Inks out and start sloshing.  So that's what I did, and this the result.

I'd been wondering how best to use the solid floral shaped stamps in the Concord & 9th Hello Lovely, and as soon as I saw Michele's card, I knew!

I inked the stamps with Distress Inks, spritzed and stamped onto mixed media paper which I'd taped down.  The large leaf/petal works well for building up a camellia/rose-type flower (the pink one on the right) as well as for splodgy leaves.  To finish the panel I added some colour with a paintbrush up to the taped edges, then once it was dry, mounted it onto my card base.

I'm adding this to Where Creativity Meets Concord & 9th - Forals

and The Heart Desires Challenge 12.  Ooh, look - a nice big pink rose!

I may be back with a couple more over the next few days...

Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Reminder

Are you playing along with us at Craft Stamper Make It, Take It?  It's anything goes, as long as you've used polymer/rubber stamps in your creation.  I've used a gorgeous layering set from Uniko called Beautiful Blooms III.  I stamped the images with Distress Inks on mixed media paper, and spritzed so that the colours bled.

Our sponsor this month is Imagine Design Create who are providing these three stamp sets for one lucky random winner:

The winning entry chosen by the Design Team will get their project published in the magazine (so hold on to it, as you'll have to post it), along with a profile, and a guest design spot in a future challenge.

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more gorgeous inspiration from the team, and play along to win!

Seize The Birthday - Animals or Creatures

Welcome to a new challenge at Seize The Birthday!

Our theme is animals or creatures, but you can still play along with anything goes, as long as it's a birthday creation.  Here's my card:

The background is smooshed Distress Ink on mixed media paper, overstamped with the numbers stamp from Tim Holtz Perspective, using Distress Oxides.  The images are from Sizzix Framelits Big Top by Tim Holtz.

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

STAMPlorations Inspiration #133

It's Inspiration Tuesday on the STAMPlorations blog, and today we're featuring Becca's line of stamps, Big Grins By Becca Cruger.  For the next week, all of Becca's stamps are 10% off (no coupon needed), except A Full Heart and Buttercups and Butterflies, which are both 20% off (again, no coupon needed).  And if you think that's a bargain, try adding my code, STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY, to your order for an extra 20% off these and all other stamps, stencils and dies in the store.

I've used the large buttercup stamp from Buttercups and Butterflies to stamp a border on a strip of scrap card, then sprinkled it with my new Infusions colours, part of my haul from the Happy Stampers Festival at Port Sunlight on Saturday, where I caught up with STAMPlorations teamies Monika, Linda and Julie.

Here's a close-up of the strip:

The {thank you} sentiment is from Becca's Strong Women set.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team using Becca's stamps, and don't forget to leave a comment to be in with a chance of winning a gift voucher to the store.

I'm adding this to AAA Cards - Bright and Beautiful

CAS Watercolour Challenge - Flowers

The Flower Challenge - CASE a DT Member

I've CASEd Shona's card

STAMPlorations CUTplorations Challenge

We've got a new CUTplorations challenge for you at STAMPlorations, based on this gorgeous graphic.  Here's how it inspired me:

I used the Happy Flowers ARTplorations stencil along with Infusions powders (love that stuff!) and Distress Inks, and added a diecut Birthday.  I didn't want to trim down the panel, so I made it into a larger card - 5x7 inches.  It could always be framed after the birthday celebrations.  Here's a close-up.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous CUTplorations inspiration from the team, and join in for your chance to win.

I'm adding this to Simon Says Monday Challenge - The Great Outdoors.

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Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge

Welcome to a new Craft Stamper Take It, Make It Challenge!  As usual, it's Anything Goes provided you've used rubber/polymer stamping.

I've used the ringmaster from Sizzix Alterations Tim Holtz Big Top stamp/die set and the numbers background stamp from Perspective for my card.  I stamped the background with Distress Oxides then spritzed lightly to activate the ink.  Once dry, I sponged Distress Ink over the panel.

This month we're sponsored by Imagine Design Create, who are offering this prize of three stamp sets for one randomly chosen winner:

(You can see which three sets on the Craft Stamper blog)

Pop on over to the Craft Stamper blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the Design Team, and join in for your chance to win this prize.  If your entry is chosen by the the Design Team, it'll be published in the magazine, you'll get a winner's profile on the blog, and you'll get to guest design on a future challenge.  Just remember - only one project in your post please, and include stamping!

And The Winner Is...

Firstly, a huge thank-you to everyone who took the time to comment on my Winnie & Walter Leading Lady posts.  And an even bigger thank-you to Shay for inviting me to be Leading Lady for April.  Loved it!

So, down to business.  From the combined comments across my five posts during April, Mr Random Generator got to work and came up with the following:

But who was it?, I hear you ask.  Cue drum roll...

...

...

pregnant pause...

...

(beginning to feel like a TV show???)

...

...

Well, it came from Take Three, and it was Miriam Prantner with this comment:

Congratulations, Miriam!  Send me your email address (you'll find mine on my profile page), then I can pass it on to Shay at Winnie and Walter.  Enjoy your spending spree!

STAMPlorations Release

Hello, and welcome to STAMPlorations latest release!  We've got four fabulous stamp sets for you, so in no particular order (but starting with mine, lol!) here are the new sets:

Parfumerie

I've designed this set so that the labels are interchangeable and will fit on any bottle.  Here's today's card using the heart-shaped bottle and label:

I heat-embossed the bottle in gold, then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  Stamped the flowers in Antique Linen, watercoloured them then spritzed them so that the colours ran and dripped.

Next up is Deepti's set, Best Mom Ever:

I stamped the image in Versafine Onyx Black then watercoloured with Distress Inks.  The sentiment is part of one of the new spring dies, Sweet Spring Wishes.

Next, we have Becca's set, Sweet & Sassy Mom, which is filled with wacky sentiments as well as these flowers and leaves.  I sloshed on some watercolours for a sweet and sassy one-layer card.

And finally, we have Shery's set, One Cool Girl:

I've added a few mixed media marks using stamps from Scribbly Splattery Grunge and a bit of washi tape.

Pop on over to the STAMPlorations blog for some more fabulous inspiration from the team, and don't forget to leave us all a comment for your chance to win - there's a $15 certificate to the store or a stamp set of your choice up for grabs.

And if you feel like splurging at the store anyway, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for 20% off stamps, stencils and dies.

STAMPlorations Inspiration #132

It's inspiration time on the STAMPlorations blog, and today we're featuring my stamps, The Bee's Knees.  For the next week all of The Bee's Knees stamp sets will be 10% off, except Brew-Tiful Day and Faerie Door, both of which will be 20% off.  No codes needed.

I've used my latest set, Parfumerie, for this card.  Stamped the bottle on spare white card, watercoloured with Distress Inks, fussy cut, and did the same thing with a flower from Becca's new set, Sweet & Sassy Mom.  Added a strip of Art Deco-style washi tape to a smooshed background, adhered the images and stamped a sentiment, and it's done!  QACAS.

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 voucher to the store.

In the meantime, if you're thinking of increasing your STAMPlorations stash, use my code STAMPGIRLSHIRLEY for an extra 20% off all stamps, stencils and dies in the store.  Go on, treat yourself ;)