March Stencil Sunday

Hello, Crafty Friends!

Welcome to another Stencil Sunday in March. May I take the opportunity to remind you of the current Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. As you know Anything Mixed Media Goes as long as it is not a card and you use at least one stencil.

My DT contribution for this Stencil Sunday are ... 3 love themed ATCs

I played with Brushos and ARTplorations Stencils, Hearts All Over and Zen Hearts, to make my ATCs. I wanted them to be bright and cheerful for a love themed swap I was planning on entering. 

I simply placed the stencils on my precut pieces of watercolour card, sprinkled with Brushos, spritzed with water, removed the stencils and allowed to dry.

Let's look at them in more detail. First up is the lovestruck Dino ...

I used the Hearts All Over background, stamped the script from the Mixed Media Elements sets inked up in red and yellow (Real Red, Daffodil Delight) all over and added a border from the same set in Chocolate Chip as grounding.
Next I stamped Dino from the Dino Things set on Mixed Media card, watercoloured and fuzzy cut it before attaching it in place.
To finish off, I stamped the sentiment from the same set, added a little punched heart and some doodles.

Next up are the Love Birds ...

Using the second of my Hearts All Over backgrounds, I stamped the script again, this time in Melon Mambo partially wiped off.
The birds from the Birds Of Paradise set were stamped on Mixed Media card, watercoloured with inks (Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo) and fuzzy cut.
To bring it all together, I doodled a border, stamped my sentiment, added a die-cut mesh heart, attached the birds, added two small punched hearts, added the white highlights and finished off with a bit of sparkly eyeliner and glossy accents on the birds' wings.

Last but not least the 'Love The Journey' ATC ...

For this one, I used the Zen Hearts background and added some doodles with a sparkly Gelly Roll Sakura Pen and a red marker pen before adding a little shading with grey Gelato.

To finish, I stamped my sentiment from the Trendy Butterflies set and added a little punched heart.

Here is another look at all three ...

I am entering my ATCs at:

UK Stampers Forum FB Group - March ATC Swap, theme: Love

I hope you feel inspired to create something different, maybe even do some up-cycling or re-purposing .... why not link it up with the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. The theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes except cards which means projects such as tags, ATCs, canvases, layouts, art journal pages etc,are perfect for entering, and you must have used at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. The challenge will close at the end of the month. You can find the full challenge details plus more Mixed Media inspiration here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

That's it from me for today. I shall be back soon with another project to share.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:

ARTplorations Stencils: Hearts All Over, Zen Hearts

 

STAMPlorations Stamps: 

Mixed Media Elements, Dino Things, Birds Of Paradise, Trendy Butterflies

   
*** Discount code works on sale items too

Fly

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. This week my treamies and I are showcasing stamps by Becca under her label 'Big Grins by Becca Cruger'.

I decided to work with the Dino Things and Strong Women sets to create a cute card with Washi plasters and humour. Here it is ...

Continuing with the Centura Pearl card theme, got quite a lot of it bought ages ago of course 😁, today's card was pretty straight forward:

• cut the small crazy stitched rectangle from ivory pearlised card
• stamp, colour and fuzzy cut this cute flying dinasour, as I like to refer to our wild 'pet' sparrows in the garden, using ivory pearlised card and Promarkers; seriously they are such good fun to watch at the feeder outside our back door
• stamp the Strong Women sentiment
• add Washi tape, layer up and add more plasters
• add button and sequins to finish

I am entering my card at:

Addicted to CAS Challenge #104 - Pets

New for this year, the STAMPlorations Inspiration DT are showcasing stamps from one designer. All the stamps by that designer will be reduced by 10% for that one week apart from one set which will have a 20% discount. No coupon is needed at check out, and you still can apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA -which doesn't expire, by the way- for an extra 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils!

As mentioned earlier, this week we are showcasing stamps designed by Becca under her label 'Big Grins by Becca Cruger'. All her sets will be reduced by 10% and the Caffeinated Christmas set will be 20% off.

Of course Shery will still draw a winner at random from all the comments left on this month's Inspiration Posts over on the STAMPlorations Blog. Pop over to see what my teamies created and to leave a comment for your entry into their prize draw.

That's it from me for today. Wishing you all a Happy Valentien's Day! Have fun and allow yourseleves to be spoilt!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:
Dino Things, Strong Women, Literary Caffeine-ations, Clustered Hearts
   

Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, Stitched Snow Hills

STAMPlorations January Release Week Day 4

Hello Crafty Friends!

Welcome to Day 4 of the STAMPlorations January Release Blog Hop which today features A Snarky Birthday To You, a set of 4 image stamps and 6 snarky sentiments ....

This set was calling for a bold card ...

using the Square City ARTplorations Stencil coloured with Marvy Brush Markers and edged using one of the Art Edges CUTplorations Edge Dies.

As with every Blog Hop leaving comments along the way on all participating blogs increases your chance of winning one of these fabulous prizes:

• 2 winners of $25 gift certificates randomly drawn from comments left the STAMPlorations Blog and designer blogs links to which can be found here
• 1 winner of her choice of 1 stamp set from the new release randomly drawn from STAMPlorations' Facebook page
• 1 winner of her choice of CUTplorations die from the new release randomly drawn from STAMPlorations' Instagram page

To join the fun hop, leave a comment on my blog and pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for more commenting and all the links to the fabulous projects my teamies created.

Commenting closes on Tuesday 7th February and the winners will be announced in the January's Winners Post on Friday 10th February on the STAMPlorations Blog.

All four stamp sets and three CUTplorations die plates in this release are available at a 5% discount, no coupon needed, from the STAMPlorations Shop until Friday, 10th February. For an added 20% off enter the discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA at checkout.

That's it from me for now, I shall be back tomorrow with more Blog Hop Inspiration.
See You then ...

hugs
Monika xxx

links to previous days: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

here is what else I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on all their stamps, stencils and dies:
Square City ARTplorations Stencil, Art Edges CUTplorations Edge Dies
 

CUTplorations January Reminder

Hello Crafty Friends!

There is still time to play over at STAMPlorations. Their January CUTplorations Challenge is in full swing ... It's a monthly challenge requiring you to use die(s) and take inspiration from the monthly changing photo which for this month is ...

image source: Smashing Magazine

So what have we got ...

• New Year
• colours - black and gold with a touch of white
• Champagne glass
• holorgaphic texture
• fizz dots
• celebration
• festive
• new beginning

I went with black gold and fizz for a Happy Anniversary card ...

I spritzed a piece of white card with gold Artiste Spritzing ink and heat embossed the kissing couple from Funny Kinda Love using Gold Detail embossing powder. I then stamped the word Anniversary from the Sentiment Builder: Happy in black. Next I did some raised inlaid die cutting using the CUTplorations Word Die 'Happy', added a doodled border and layered on a black base card to finish ...

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to see how my teamies interpreted the photo, check ou the prizes and to link up your entry too.

A little birdie told me that STAMPlorations have another TAGplorations event coming up very soon ...

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


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:

CUTplorations Dies used: Happy Word Die

STAMPlorations Stamps used: Sentiment Builder: Happy, Funny Kinda Love
 

You're Tough

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. This week my treamies and I are showcasing stamps designed for STAMPlorations by Becca under her label 'Big Grins By Becca Cruger'. I decided to work with Reindeer Games and Buttercups And Butterflies. Here it is ...

It's pretty straight forward:

• using the middle die, die-cut a Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle
• stamp and colour the reindeer
• stamp sentiment
• add doodles and doodled flowers including extra message
• add white gel highlights
• layer on matching base card

New for this year, the STAMPlorations Inspiration DT are showcasing stamps from one designer. All the stamps by that designer will be reduced by 10% for that one week apart from one set which will have a 20% discount. No coupon is needed at check out, and you still can apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA -which doesn't expire, by the way- for an extra 20% off all stamps, dies and stencils!

As mentioned earlier, this week we are showcasing stamps designed by my friend Becca under her label 'Big Grins By Becca Cruger. All her sets will be reduced by 10% and the Bunnies 'N Beans set will be 20% off.

Of course Shery will still draw a winner at random from all the comments left on this month's Inspiration Posts over on the STAMPlorations Blog. Pop over to see what my teamies created and to leave a comment for your entry into their prize draw.

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


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:

Reindeer Games, Buttercups And Butterflies, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies
  

December Stencil Sunday

Hello, Crafty Friends!

Welcome to another Stencil Sunday in December. May I take the opportunity to remind you of the current Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. As you know Anything Mixed Media Goes as long as it is not a card and you use at least one stencil.

My DT contribution for this Stencil Sunday is ... gift wrapping

I had these bags for a while, and they came in very handy when I was looking to dress up handmade chocolate lollies for Nick's great nieces and nephew. Nope, I didn't make them myself, but I can certainly vouch for their quality as this is about the third lot we bought from our local corner shop. The others never made it as far ...

Using the large reindeer from Reindeer Games and Fuchsia Pink StazOn, I stamped the front of the bag being careful not to move to much as it is easy to 'slip' on a non-porous surface when stamping. Note to self: Try using MISTI

Next I created a tab to fold over the top. I cut a piece of kraft card and embossed it using my embossing mat and the Oh, My Stars! stencil in the correct Big Shot sandwich before lightly swiping it with white Craft Ink to pick out the stars.

I added some white faux stitching, a strip of Washi and a die-cut Art Edges border.

Next I dry embossed a gold pearlescent star using the Dots All Over stencil. This time, I decided to put my sandwich through the Big Shot twice going in the same direction and I ended up with a really cool 'shadow' double embossing effect. Due to the rubber mat stretching, my star got pulled along a little and the dots ended up either very close to each other or partially overlapping. It also made the dots look more random which was perfect for my use of the star.

I then edged my star with Versamark and sprinkled it with a mix of Snowflake (Heat It Up!) embossing powder and Primary Apple Red (WOW) embossing enamel which I was left over from my card here before heat setting and layering on my tab.

Next I stamped, coloured and fuzzy cut my reindeer and gave it some googly eyes, popped it up on 3D foam pads and finished off with the die-cut name, Stickles and gems .... perfectly girly ...

Here is a close-up of my tab ...

I hope you feel inspired to create something different, maybe even do some up-cycling or re-purposing .... why not link it up with the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. The theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes except cards which means projects such as tags, ATCs, canvases, layouts, art journal pages etc,are perfect for entering, and you must have used at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. The challenge will close at the end of the month. You can find the full challenge details plus more Mixed Media inspiration here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

You can also link your stencil make up with the ARTplorations Stencil Hop Linky Party, which closed at 11.55pm Pacific on Friday 23rd December (7.55am GMT Saturday 24th December)

That's it from me for today. I shall be back soon with another project to share.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:

ARTplorations Stencils: Oh, My Stars!, Dots All Over
 

STAMPlorations Stamps: Reindeer Games


CUTplorations Dies: Art Edges

I still Like You

Hello Crafty Friends!

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations, and I went all out CAS with my DT project using Becca's Funny Kinda Love set.

It was International Men's Day last week, and I needed a quick card as I only heard it on the late evening news the previous day. My inspiration came from blowing bubbles hence the colours and position of my hearts. The word 'huh' from the sentiment is the breath blowing the bubble in a bubble. A couple of years ago we were watching a 'professional' in Betws-y-coed visitor center's court yard creating the most enormous bubbles between two sticks ... we were mesmerized ...

I didn't have any matching card for my base card and used the darker one of the inks to brush the edges of a white card which gave this nice mottled look.

Here is another glance ....

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for more inspiration and to leave a comment for your entry into their monthly prize draw. There is always something fun going on on their blog ...

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


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:

Funny Kinda Love STAMPlortaions Stamp Set