TMR 21st August - Flight

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 Wendy Grawunder, you can check out Wendy's wonderful makes here on her Instagram.

My DT project for the new challenge is ...

Each challenge, of course, has a different theme. As you can see, the theme for challenge #118 is Flight. Lots of scope there!

#118 Flight

I decided to play with one of my Woodware stamp sets which I've had for quite a while. I stamped the hot air balloon, clouds and birds and, after colouring, I decided to grunge it up a bit before finishing off with white gel pen doodles and stars.

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:
hot air balloon, birds and cloud stamps - Woodware
Mixed Media Grunge, Hope Blooms - STAMPlorations, feel free to use my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA for a 20% discount on their stamps, dies and stencils
Boldmere Brush markers for watercolouring - The Works
crumb cake card, smoky slate ink - Stampin' Up!
black Versafine ink, stars and white card - from my stash

Dragonfly Dance

Hi All,

It's Inspiration Time over at STAMPlorations. As my DT contribution I worked with one of the dragonflies from the Winged Things set, a sentiment from the Hope Blooms set and some added bits from the Mixed Media Elements and Mixed Media Grunge sets.

I did some all over stamping of the dragonfly in Smokey Slate, added my sentiment in black, added the circle and the dotty border in SS, doodled a border in black and finished off by adding two coloured, fuzzy cut and slightly shaped dragonflies and a couple of gems.

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for more inspiration and to leave a comment for your entry to win a $10 gift certificate.

That's it from me for today. I shall be back again soon with more makes.
Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

stamps I used:
Winged Things, Hope Blooms, Mixed Media Elements, Mixed Media Grunge
   

More Gelli Plate Experiments

Hi All,

back again with another helping of Inspiration. Today I have a card and video tutorial for you which I made as my DT projects for STAMPlorations. First up is my finished card using part of the print from the video tutorial ...

... which I sponged with Pumpkin Pie and Tangerine Tango inks before stamping 'Discover Who You Are' from the Bold Sentiments: Discover set into part of the background. Acrylic ink almost acts like a resist and your dye ink will wipe off it, leaving you with a faded image.
I then added some stamping around the edges using a stamp from the Mixed Media Elements set. Next I embossed my sentiment from the Hope Blooms set and my butterfly from the Blossom Like A Butterfly set in Early Espresso on news print paper, fuzzy cut and edged my pieces using the matching marker pen and attached them to my card.
I used the pen to doodle a partial border, edge an off-cut of the print paper which I attached to my card  before stamping some stitched lines (Patchwork Frenzy: Graphic Squares) across it and finishing off with a gem on my butterfly.

I would like to enter my card at:
Craft Stamper Make it Take It challenge - Text Me! must use script or news print

Below is a short video tutorial on how I created my original print with my Gelli Plate and the ARTplorations Stencil: Bloom Factory ...

For more inspiration pop over to the STAMPlorations blog where leaving a comment will get you an entry into their monthly random prize draw for a $10 gift certificate.

That's it from me for today. I shall be back soon with some more Gelli Plate experiments ... until then ...

Have a lovely day!
hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used in today's projects
Blossom Like A Butterfly, Hope Blooms, Bold Sentiments: Discover,
  

Patchwork Frenzy: Graphic Squares, ARTplorations Stencil: Bloom Factory
 

Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine tango inks, Early Espresso Stamp'n'write marker, Early Espresso embossing powder, news print paper - all Stampin'Up!
Acrylic Paints - The Works
Gelli Plate and roller - Amazon

Dreaming Big

Hi All!

It's Inspiration Time again over at the STAMPlorations Blog ... and I almost forgot to get my project done. Guessing indulging in Gluehwein at Liverpool's Christmas Market didn't help. LOL

Last night, when to my horror I finally remembered, I had to clear the desk and put an idea I had onto card. Here it is ...

I kept on seeing these loopy, bendy, springy things that were once quite fashionable gadgets and whose name elopes me, sitting in a semi circle on a desk ... I wondered how this could be translated into a card ... it had to be either different colours or generational stamping. A full semi circle was going to be too much so I decided to use a colour I could easily get a few generations of stamping with and simply create movement the eye could 'finish off'.

Out came the Hope Blooms set, post it note for masking, white base card, Concord Crush ink and off I went. Simply stamped, the card has still a lot of interest to keep the eye engaged, yet I wondered what it might look like with a few embellishments ...

Next up is a card I made using up a few bits I found when rooting through my 'keep for another time box' ...

... the negative of a flourish cut from Centura pearl card and a red embossed butterfly from the VIGNETTE:Artful Flutters set. The sentiment is from Hope Blooms, otherwise it's been fuzzy cutting, layering and doodling plus a few sequins.

I am entering my first card at:
Less is More - one layer and 'What's in my stocking?' - Well this year I'm hoping, it's the fulfillment of a big dream, one Nick and I've had for over 14 years, ... too big to fit a stocking. The foundations have been laid, and it will happen next year. I am hoping to reveal all on Christmas Eve.
Allsorts - Golden Days, a big dream becoming reality
Addicted to CAS - Joy, dreaming big creates feelings of joy and joyful anticipation

That's it from me for now. Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog for more inspiration, If you like CASEing one ore more of the inspiration projects, please link them up in the Playground, we love to see your makes.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used:
 
Concord Crush ink - Stampin'Up!
flourish cutting die - Britannia Dies

Be You

Hi Everyone!

It's inspiration time over at STAMPlorations. I thought I'd do something a little different today and opted for a slightly fussy card using the Hope Blooms stamp set and Retro Circles ARTplorations stencil with a hint of Mixed Media Elements. Sounds a bit like a cooking recipe ....

I dry embossed and sponged the Retro Circles, die cut a swirl, stamped and coloured the butterflies, added a piece of burlap, stamped my sentiment, added some doodles, decided the base card needed a mixed media style border, layered everything up, added a few sequins and finished off with a touch of glossy accents on the sentiment.

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to see the fabulous creations my teamies are sharing there plus if you like challenges or CASEing, there is always some fun to be had. Check it out!

Keeping it short again today, Whilst my energy levels have improved, typing using my right hand is still a little challenging.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

what I used, links as ususal in the text above
  
swirls - Tim Holtz by Sizzix

STAMPlorations October Stamp Release Blog Hop

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to Day 2 of the STAMPlorations Stamp Release Blog Hop and Flash Fall Flowers Linky Party! Today we'll be shining the spotlight on HOPE BLOOMS by Shery Russ Designs.

Again I made two cards for you starting with another tall slim one. I recently discovered a pack of these base cards in my stash somewhere at the back of a cupboard. They are coming in very handy.

For my first card, I simply stamped the brush stroke from the Celebrate Artsy set in pale yellows and a greyish green before stamping my main image and sentiment (Friends and Flowers) in black and finishing off with a couple of sequins.

TIP!: When using stronger colours for the brush strokes, use the 2nd or 3rd generation images for your card. This helps to keep the focus on the flowers.

For my next card, I combined the Hope Blooms set with the Retro Circles ARTplorations stencil which is dry embossed as part of my background.

I simply stamped and coloured the butterflies using alcohol markers before adding some glossy accents to one of them. It slightly changed the colours which adds a little more interest. I then stamped my sentiment down one side of my base card, edged my panel using a gold leaf pen, another treasure I recently found, and layered everything as seen.

As always with a blog hop there are prizes to be won for commenting on the posts. Commenting will close on Sunday 25th October. You can also link up a floral themed project (one entry per person, you can use stamps from other companies) for an extra chance to win one of the sets from the release, the link up will close on the same day commenting closes, October 25th. The winners will be announced on October 27th.

Check out what the rest of the team made! You'll find links to all our projects here.

Prizes:

• SEVEN (7) commenters randomly drawn from the designers' blogs will each win a $10 gift certificate.
• ONE (1) commenter randomly drawn from the STAMPlorations blog will win a $25 gift certificate.
• THREE (3) players randomly drawn from the Fall Flower Flash Linky Party will each win a stamp set from the new release.

links to previous days: Day 1

That's it from me for today, back again tomorrow.

Have a lovely day!

hugs

Monika xxx

what else I used:

Celebrate Artsy and Friends and Flowers stamp sets and Retro Circles ARTplorations stencil, links in the above text

Take Flight

Hi Everyone!

It's inspiration time again over at STAMPlorations. For today's project I opted to make an ultra slim DL card, a shape I don't often work with yet I felt it would suit the stamps from the HOPE BLOOMS set very well. Hope Blooms is one of the new October release sets we'll be showcasing next week with a Blog Hop starting Tuesday 20th October.

I opted to keep things simple and adding only a splash of colour using the large butterfly from the Blossom Like A Butterfly set.

I stamped the boxed butterfly image several times in Smoky Slate directly on my slightly textured base card and added the border from the Mixed Media Elements set. I stamped the large butterfly and sentiment in Tuxedo Black Memento ink, coloured (Tinge Alcohol Markers) and fuzzy cut my large butterfly, layered my elements as shown and my card was finished.

I am entering my card at:
Allsorts - No design Papers

Pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to see the fabulous creations my teamies are sharing there plus if you like challenges or CASEing, there is always some fun to be had. Check it out!

I'm keeping it short and sweet today, work is a little busy at the moment. Back soon.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

here is what I used
sets from STAMPlorations, links are in the above text
  

Smoky Slate ink - Stampin'Up!
Tinge Alcohol Markers - The Works

More Purple Delight

Hi Everyone!

It's inspiration time over at STAMPlorations. I made another collage card which mainly uses stamping for the effect, her it is ...

Only using Elegant Eggplant ink for my card, I started off stamping the script from the Mixed Media Elements using 2nd generation stamping. Next I picked up the Hope Blooms set (due to be released later this month), chose a couple of sentiments and added them, one in 1st generation and the other ones in second generation stamping. I then stamped and fuzzy cut the flowers and from the Artful Flutters set one gold embossed butterfly on vellum. I die cut my flourish, blended the edges with my ink and placed my elements on my card. That's when I thought it needed a little extra which was easily done using the stamps and double circle stamps from the Mixed Media Elements and 2nd generation stamping and adding a matching pearl to finish.

I am linking my card with The Hop To Stop where it's all about raising awareness about Domestic Violence. The aim is to get people talking about DV which in turn may help someone to make the break and walk away. Help is out there.

How the hop works:

Anyone is eligible for a Super Sponsor prize if they link up a *newly created* papercraft project, no back-linking please. Random.org is used to draw for winners.


In order to be eligible you MUST:

>>Comment on the three entries before your linkup in order to be eligible for a prize (be a good bloggy neighbour!) (unless it's a site that requires a login)

>>Display the sponsor graphic!

>>Provide a direct link back to the hop

If you are not into hopping or want another chance of winning some goodies, pop over to the STAMPlorations Blog to join the fun or simply comment to win. There are challenges and tutorials for you to get your creative teeth into.

That's it from me for today. Back soon ...

Have a lovely weekend!

hugs

Monika xxx

The link for the Hope Blooms will go live Monday 12th October,
here are the sets from STAMPlorations I used, links are in the above text