The Back Cover

Hi Crafty Friends!

Earlier today you were introduced to the front cover of a small scrapbook/journal. To ring in the weekend and to get your creative juices flowing, there is a second post today introducing you to the back cover of the scrapbook/journal from my earlier post. 

Here it is ...

I used an identical piece of patterned paper for the back cover to the one used for my front cover. Again I added some stamping, this time in speckled egg Distress ink using the large dogwood stamp (retired, but still available in digital format) and texture stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge and Mixed Media Elements sets.

The edges were blended with speckled egg and tea dye Distress inks. A small circle was punched to feed the ribbon through before attaching the paper to the back cover.

The Bloomtangled #2 cover plate die was cut twice from white card, layered and coloured using The Izink ink and Rich Cocoa Memento ink before attaching in place. I finished off with a die-cut sentiment, dotty doodles, die-cut hearts, cats and sequins.

I'm playing along at:

Addicted to Stamps & More challenge #510 - die-cuts and/or stencils

Creative Inspirations Challenge #35 - Anything Goes

That's it from me for today. Hope you were inspired to get creative this weekend.

Back soon.

hugs

Monika 💕

Here is what I used:

- from the STAMPlorations Shop

The links are for your convenience and are not affiliated links.

However, you're welcome to use my unique discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at the STAMPlorations Shop at checkout for a 20% discount on any item apart from the subscription offers.

Bloomtangled #2 Cover Plate Die

Dogwood Digital Stamp (sorry, the physical stamp, which I used in my project, has been retired, but the digital version can be very useful too) A smaller version of the physical stamp is still available in the Floral Bliss stamp set.

Mixed Media Elements

Mixed Media Grunge

Life Is Good Phrase Die

- from my stash:

kraft scrapbook from The Works

cats and hearts die-cuts, sorry not sure of the brand

small circle punch from Stampin'Up!

Classic Elegance 6x6 paper pad by Melissa Frances

white, black and craft card

sequins

brown and black fineliner pens

inks: speckled egg and tea dye Distress inks, The Izink ink, Rich Cocoa Memento ink

Create The Good Life

Hi Crafty Friends!

It's February already, how time flies...

Welcome to a new Anything Goes Challenge over at STAMPlorations. Here's my DT piece ...

I've made a cover for a mini scrapbook for which I used some patterned paper from my stash as my base and one of the Retro In Pink Card Fronts as my focal point.

I added a bit of stamping to the patterned paper for added interest and texture before blending the edges with tea dye Distress inks.

Bloom Border #1 was stamped down the left hand side in rosee Izink ink and one of the florals from the Bloom Factory set was stamped down the right hand side in London Fog Memento ink. Two of the corners were stamped in Rich Cocoa Memento ink with a texture stamp from the Mixed Media element set.

To finish I added a stamped sentiment (Bold Sentiments: Create and  Imagine), a die-cut flower (Trendy Spring Bloom Dies),lots of sequins, a couple of hearts from my desk and some dotty doodles.

Now it's over to you and, should you need a little tempting, there are 2 prizes up for grabs

- one $25 prize code, the winner will be chosen by one of us STAMPgirls from entries featuring STAMPlorations products as the main focal point

- two $10 prize code code, the winners will be chosen randomly from all entries including projects which don't feature STAMPlorations products

For a full explanation on prize codes and their Terms and Conditions click here.

There are some simple rules to follow. You can fund them here on the STAMPlorations Blog. Please make sure you read, understand and follow them before linking up your project to avoid being disqualified and have your entry removed

That's it from me for today. Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to check out the projects my teamies prepared and, of course, to link up your own project to the challenge.

I am entering my card at:

Creative Inspirations Challenge #35 - Anything Goes

I shall be back soon, until then

Hugs

Monika 💕

link to the STAMPlorations Challenge post- February Anything Goes Challenge 

Products I used: 

The links are for your convenience and are not affiliated. However, you're welcome to use my unique discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at the STAMPlorations Shop at checkout for a 20% discount on any item apart from the subscription offers.

Quick Cards #19 - Retro In Pink A2 Card Fronts

Bloom  Border #1 by Shery Russ Designs

Bloom Factory by Shery Russ Designs 

Mixed Media Elements for the corners

Bold Sentiments Create by Shery Russ Designs

Bold Sentiments Imagine by Shery Russ Designs

Trendy Spring Bloom Dies

So Loved

Hi Crafty Friends!

A little love themed card from me today as the Welsh are celebrating Saint Dwynwen's Day (Dydd Santes Dwynwen), the Welsh equivalent of Valentine's Day.

Whilst I am not Welsh, over the years I've spent rather a lot of time in beautiful North Wales. With Valentine's Day having become so commercialised, I've started to mark Saint Dwynwen's Day instead, hence this card made for my hubby.

The heart was stencilled using speckled egg and salty ocean distress inks leaving the stencil in place to stamp the leaves and line for the bunnies to sit on using black Versafine Clair ink. A few splatters were added before attaching the bunnies and hearts, stamping the sentiment and finishing off with a strategically placed sequin.

TIP: I didn't have a matching blue colour to stamp the sentiment with so I decided to use salty ocean distress ink and London Fog Memento ink to get as close a match as I could, first stamping my sentiment in salty ocean and then in London Fog using my stamping tool.

This is it from me for today. Have a lovely Sunday.

Dydd Santes Dwynwen Hapus - Happy Saint Dwynwen's Day

hugs

Monika 💕

I am entering my card at:

Addicted to Stamps & More Challenge #509 - Any Occasion 

The links posted below are for your convenience. They are not affiliated links.

Here is what I used:

- from STAMPlorations (please note, I am on the design team for STAMPlorations. You're welcome to use my unique discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at the STAMPlorations Shop at checkout for a 20% discount on any item apart from the subscription offers.)

   So Loved 

Leaves Of Thanks

Mixed Media Elements

Sketched Hearts Stencil - currently not on sale

- from Charlie & Paulchen

   Cheeky Bunnies cutting dies 

- from Impression Obsession Dies

   DIE053-M (for the heart stems) - couldn't find a UK retailer, might be a retired design

Traveling Bunnies

Hi Crafty Friends!

I had a bit of playtime yesterday and ended up making a little card. Here it is ...

On my desk there were a few bits waiting to be used: a base card which had already been stamped with a border, an already coloured piece of a colouring book page and some die-cut bunnies.

I put it all together, added a stamped sentiment cut into pieces, another stamped border, tiny black half pearls and sequins to finish.

I am entering my card at:

Wordpower January 2026 Challenge - Anything goes with sentiment as focal point

That's it from me for today.

hugs

Monika 💕

The links posted below are for your convenience. They are not affiliated links.

Here is what I used:

- from STAMPlorations (please note, I am on the design team for STAMPlorations. You're welcome to use my unique discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at the STAMPlorations Shop at checkout for a 20% discount on any item apart from the subscription offers.)

   Color Blooms: coloring book for cardmakers, crafters and mixed media artists

Who Travels With You - Typografia Wanderlust

Artsy Border Maker

Mixed Media Grunge

- from Charlie & Paulchen

   Cheeky Bunnies cutting dies 

Retro In Pink - New Product Release at STAMPlorations

 Hi Crafty Friends!

Today is the day to introduce you to the Retro In Pink card fronts as part of the January Release over at STAMPlorations.

The Retro In Pink card fronts are perfect for quick and pretty girly cards and can be used as they are. You can also add your own touch by adding extra interest through stamping, die-cutting and adding some embellishments.

I used two of the 4 designs to make two cards, here they are ...

For my first card I simply added some stamping to the card front down the left hand side using one of the floral and two of the sentiment stamps from Bloomful. Inks used are Rosee and Brou de noix Izink inks.

For my second card I used the large stamp from Bloomful to stamp my base card and two sentiments from Hot Mess were stamped on the card front for added interest. Inks used are Rose Red Stampin' Up! ink and Brou de noix Izink ink.

Both cards were finished off with sequins.

These are all the 4 images from Retro in Pink, you get 2 of each in the set...

Retro In Pink

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to check out how Stephanie used the Junk Journal Collage card fronts which are showcased there today too.

You're welcome to use my unique discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at the STAMPlorations Shop at checkout for a 20% discount on any item apart from the subscription offers.

That's it for today.

Hugs

Monika 💕

Here is what else I used from the STAMPlorations Shop:

Bloomful

Hot Mess

Here is more information about:

all the card fronts which you can find here in the STAMPlorations Shop

subscription offers, please click on the individual photo to be taken to the corresponding page for detailed information.

   

Gift Set 1

Hi Crafty Friends!

Just sharing a little gift set of small cards I made.

 
Just simple stamping and a touch of colouring on the last card shown.

The script background stamp is from a Happy Little Stampers set. All the other stamps are by Crafty Roo Designs. 

These are all stamps I've had for a while and I still like using them. Sadly both companies are no longer trading.

The snowflake dies are from Memorybox and the texture plate for embossing the box lid by Sizzix.

Hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane. I shall be back tomorrow with a couple of cards showcasing some new STAMPlorations products.See you then.

hugs

Monika 💕

January Challenge at STAMPlorations - my DT piece

Hi Crafty Friends!

Shery has re-opened STAMPlorations and this month they're back with a challenge, theme Anything Goes.

Here is my DT piece ...

I kept it simple and used one of the Blossom Sprays stamps which I coloured with my metallic pencils. The golden splatters add a little luxury.

Now it's over to you and, should you need a little tempting, there are 2 prizes up for grabs

- one $25 prize code, the winner will be chosen by one of us STAMPgirls from entries featuring STAMPlorations products as the main focal point

- two $10 prize code code, the winners will be chosen randomly from all entries including projects which don't feature STAMPlorations products

For a full explanation on prize codes and their Terms and Conditions click here.

There are some simple rules to follow. You can fund them here on the STAMPlorations Blog. Please make sure you read, understand and follow them before linking up your project to avoid being disqualified and have your entry removed

That's it from me for today. Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to check out the projects my teamies prepared and, of course, to link up your own project to the challenge.

I am entering my card at:

Krafty Chicks Challenge #801 Birthday

I shall be back soon, until then

Hugs

Monika 💕

link to the STAMPlorations Challenge post- January Anything Goes Challenge 

Products I used:

Blossom Sprays 4 by Dee's Artsy Impressions

Baa Baa by The Bee's Knees for the sentiment