Playtime

Hello Crafty Friends!

I had some playtime again making some masculine birthday cards. Here they are ...

I picked up this cool stamp by Uniko and only coloured bits of it, the rest is playing around with different types of borders to get away from a symmetrical frame type of border.

I am entering at:
CAS Colours & Sketches #304 Colours - 
I used Bashful Blue instead of Balmy Blue, this was the closest match

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely weekend!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
Background Blocks Equaliser - Uniko
Baa Baa - STAMPlorations, feel free to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA for a 20% discount of their stamps, dies and stencils
Real Read, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue Stamp'n'Write Markers, Real Red card - Stampin'Up!
black Versamark ink - local craft shop

January TAGplorations Reminder

Hello Crafty Friends!

Just a little reminder that January's TAGplorations Challenge is in full swing over at STAMPlorations. There is still time to enter.

The theme for January is: All About Winter

The optional twist is: to use Texture Paste

Well, as you can see, I've gone all out for the optional twist of texture paste with my trees.

I cut a tag from a piece of card I had used to mop up some ink from my craft mat. I then used some texture paste through the Christmas Tree 1 stencil and sprinkled it with glitter to make my trees sparkle.

Whilst the paste was drying, I did some stamping using the Winter Chill set, colouring and fuzzy cutting plus a bit of heat embossing and doodling before assembling my tag and finishing off with a few snowflake sequins and a bit of silver and black ribbons.

If you love tags, why not give it a go and play along? Your project can be anything as long as it features a tag. You can enter as many projects as you want, but one per blog post please, and you don't have to use STAMPlorations products, yet we'd be thrilled if you would. There is currently a free winter/holiday image to download at STAMPlorations Never ending Anything Goes Challenge here. Please check out the full revised challenge guidelines here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

One lucky winner, voted for by the DT, will win a $15 STAMPlorations gift certificate and 3 randomly picked players will win a $5 STAMPlorations gift certificate each.

Ready for more tagtastic inspiration? Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to see the gorgeous projects my teamies created and, of course, to link up your tag project/s too.

If you like challenges, check out January's Challenge Reminder Post over on the STAMPlorations blog too.

That's it from me for today. Have a lovely week.

hugs

Monika xx

here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, you can use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout for a 20% discount on their, stamps, dies and stencils

Christmas Tree 1 Stencil, Winter Chill, Manila Tags Nesting Dies

  

here is what else I used:

Versamark, Snowflake embossing powder, black Versafine ink, Tempting Turqoise ink, silver and black ribbon, glitter, white and black card, brush markers, snowflake sequins, black fine liner pens

Cup Of Tea

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations ... and what a special mile stone one it is ... it's their 200th Inspiration Post.

If that isn't worth celebrating, then I don't know what is. To mark the occasion, Shery will randomly draw one winner of a $20 coupon code from all the comments left on the STAMPlorations Blog and the Inspiration Team Designers' blogs.

I am certainly celebrating with a good brew and a good read hence my bookmark showcasing a set designed by Becca Cruger called Literary Caffeine-ations which I combined with stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge and Scribbly Splattery Grunge sets plus dies from the Tag O'Coffee and the Tags #1 Nesting Dies. Here it is, my DT piece ...

As you can see the colour scheme was somewhat inspired by the tea's colour, especially as I like mine dark with either no or very little milk depending on type. I used the red and white to liven it up with a couple of green sequins.

I went for grungy stamping which I added to the patterned paper tag, added an embossed sentiment, some die-cuts and finished off with white doodles.

My bookmark will be entered at:

Craft Stamper Take It Make It January - Anything Goes

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes, optional twist of watercolour (sorry didn't play it)
Crafter's Castle - Anything Goes, optional twist of fun technique (heat embossing for the sentiment)
Sisterhood Of Snarky Stampers - B is for Books

I am keeping it short and sweet today. For more inspiration and to comment on all the blog, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog where you can find all the links and, of course, admire the fabulous pieces my teamies created..

Enjoy your day!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop:
Literary Caffeine-ations, Mixed Media Grunge, Scribbly Splattery Grunge
  

Tag O'Coffee, Tags #1 Nesting Dies
 

for a 20% discount on their stamps, dies and stencils, feel free to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout.

January Release over at STAMPlorations

Hello Crafty Friends!

STAMPlorations are releasing a few new stamp sets this week. Today is Day 1 of their blog hop celebrations, and I am up with Shirley showcasing her new Carved Flowers set.

I absolutely love this set, it offers so many possibilities of building flowers, bouquets and block printed borders.

Carved Flowers

Today I am sharing my first few ideas for quick and unusual cards.

First up is a simply stamped background with the larger flowers being inked up in tow tones of yellow (Aurore and Miel Izink inks) and the small ones being inked up in Miel and Cire (orange). I created some movement by stamping more or less diagonally across my front panel and finished off by adding a few contrasting sequins. 

Next up is a block printed border with splatters and bold die-cut sentiment.

The leaves from the set can also be used as buds. I simply inked them up with brush markers and added the stems with a watercolour brush. Framing one of my buds creates a bold focal point.

My last one is a bit more artsy. The flowers and leaves were inked up and spritzed with water before stamping for a loose watercoloured look. For a bit more dimension and interest, I die-cut a label and slightly raised it up by popping a couple of pieces of card underneath. A doodled border finished my card off.

These are my four projects. To check out how Shirley used her set and to join the fun, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog. Leave comments along the way for your chance to win one of four $15 coupon codes which will be randomly drawn from all the comments left during the release on the STAMPlorations Blog and the participating designer's blogs links to which can be found here on the STAMPlorations Blog. Commenting is open from today, January 14, until January 31.

All of the 4 new sets will be on sale at 10% off during the release until 31st January. You can use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout to get an added 20% off that sale price.

That's it from me for today. Have fun hopping!

hugs

Monika xxx

Here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop.

Carved Flowers, Congrats Word Art Die, Curly Labels/Tags Nesting Dies, Floral Bliss

   

Remember to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA for a 20% discount on their stamps, dies and stencils. This discount code works on SALE items too.

TMR 9th Jan

Hello Crafty Friends!

It is Wednesday and time for a new challenger over at The Male Room challenge blog where the bi-weekly challenge is all about making projects for the men in our lives. Our guest designer for the next fortnight is Vita, you can check out her fabulous creations on here on Vita's Instagram.

My DT project for the new challenge is CAS card for a coffee lover ...

Each challenge, of course, has a different theme. For challenge #102 it's Anything Goes with the optional twist of Beverages. Lots of scope there!

#102 Anything Goes with optional twist of Beverages

As you can see, I've gone for the optional twist.

Well, I wanted to spread a bit of joy, rooted through my stamps and came across this little critter. I thought his facial expression would be perfect for my sentiment ... simples ...

Fancy creating something for a male person in your life, pop over to The Male Room for more inspiration and to link up your masculine makes.

That's it from me for today
Have a lovely day!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
Woodland Friends, Gone Postal and What's Brewing stamps, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies - STAMPlorations, Feel free to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout for a 20% discount on their stamps, dies and stencils.
Aurore, Menthe and Reglisse (watercolouring) Izink Inks - Craft Stash
black Versafine and Memento inks, white card - stash

Not Old

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. Today I am showcasing a set designed by Becca Cruger called A Snarky Birthday To You which I combined with the Curly Labels/Tags Nesting Dies. Here it is my snarky DT piece ...



The one was an easy one to make, pretty straight forward, stamping, watercolouring and fuzzy cutting. Throw in a couple of die-cut labels, a piece of decorative tape and metal embellishment and your card is finished.

My card will be entered at:

Craft Stamper Take It Make It January - Anything Goes

Less Is More - Water, watercoloured my balloons



I am keeping it short and sweet today. For more inspiration, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to see the beautiful projects my teamies created and whilst there you can leave a comment for your chance to win a gift certificate redeemable at their store.

Enjoy the start to the new year!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop:
A Snarky Birthday To You, Curly Labels/Tags Nesting Dies
 

for a 20% discount on their stamps, dies and stencils, feel free to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout.

Re-discovering Aperture Cards - Part 1

Hello Crafty Friends!

My last project today is one I made for a tutorial over at STAMPlorations. I had this idea to try and give aperture cards a different twist to when I first made them a few years ago. Aperture cards are as much about the inside as they are about the card front with a cutout bit to allow you to peep through to what lies beneath.

Here is is, my last make for today ...

A few more photos and a step-by-step photo tutorial can be found here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

That's it from me for today. Enjoy a crafty and happy new year!
hugs
Monika xxx