love always

Hey! I'm not quite back to crafting just yet (still catching up on the business side of running a stamp company after the holidays) but I did manage to make this card using one of my illustrations that I turned into a digital stamp and am offering as a free download. (This digi will eventually be available as a clear stamp.) It's for the Hey, Love Blog Hop and Linky Party we're hosting over at the STAMPlorations blog.

The STAMPlorations girls and I are sharing love-themed projects and we'd love for you to join in by linking up yours! There are over $150 worth of prizes up for grabs + you can download 3 new love/spring themed digital stamps and use them in projects.

For my card, I used the Framed Love Always digital stamp. Printed it on mixed media paper and used Inktense pencils to color. Let it dry, cut it out, and mounted it on my card base and it's done. Pretty quick and easy :o)

I hope you'll join us and create your own love-themed projects -- all types of projects are welcome, as long as they follow the theme: LOVE. (Non-STAMPlorations products are okay as well, but if you do use our products, you get a shot at the bigger prizes.)

Commenting and linking up ends on February 8 so plenty of time to hop and create projects.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 461: Warm Hands, Warm Hearts

 

It's release time at STAMPlorations and this time around, we're doing the first CUTplorations Christmas release blog hop and linky party! For 3 days (starting yesterday), the STAMPlorations girls are sharing projects that showcase 2 brand new Christmas stamp sets with coordinating dies, 15 word/phrase dies, a set of border/edge dies, and an ATC/gift card holder die.

Yesterday, the spotlight was on Shirley's super fun Christmas Reindeer set in this post. Today' the spotlight is on the stamp set and coordinating dies that I designed, Warm Hands, Warm Hearts, in this post.

I went clean and simple for my two cards because I need Christmas cards that are easy and fast to reproduce. Christmas is right around the corner and I need to really get going on my Christmas card stash.

Meet easy and quick card #1. 

No guesswork on how I made this card. It's straightforward stamp, color, and done! It took me less than 3 minutes from start to finish. I know my MIL needs close to 100 Christmas cards every year so I figure I can easily squeeze in some cardmaking for her and create 20 to 25 of this design, and color the gifts on the sleigh while I watch Netflix with the hubby :o)

Meet easy and quick card #2.

This one took a bit longer than card #1 to make (about 7 minutes), but it's still relatively simple to do. I used the large Christmas gift to create my background and then stamped and colored one before die-cutting it and adhering to the card base. I added interest by stamping some splatters, coffee rings, and stars (from Art Marks) in Delicata gold. I left off the sentiment because I didn't think it needed one. But I'll probably stamp the "Ho! Ho! Ho!" sentiment in the batch of cards I'll make following this design.

I hope you'll check out the cards that Deepti, Shirley, Vicki, and Kim made using the Warm Hands, Warm Hearts stamps and dies. 

Leave a comment here, on the participating designers blogs, and on the STAMPlorations post here by Tuesday, September 20 at 11:55 p.m. for a shot at snagging one of 3 gift certificates. And if you create a project featuring diecuts/dies (any brand) and link it up to our flash stencil linky party, you get a chance to win one of 2 prizes: your choice of 3 holiday-themed word/phrase dies, or your choice of Christmas stamp set and coordinating dies. 

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 414: Welcome, precious little one!

Hello! I'm sharing a card for a special little guy (using stamps from the Heaven Sent and Mixed Media Grunge, and Hearts in Bubbles ARTplorations stencil). You see, STAMPlorations girl Deepti Malik gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Siddharth, on January 29. He is one super cute baby!

We at STAMPlorations are throwing a card shower for Deepti to congratulate her and her hubby and to welcome their precious baby. And we're inviting everyone who knows Deepti to come celebrate with us! Just pop on over the Deepti Popped! post and link up your cards. The linky is open until February 15.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 410: A trio of one layer cards featuring Big Greetings

It's stamp release week over at STAMPlorations! There are 4 fun stamps in this release and each day we are featuring one stamp set and cards made by each designer! Last Monday, the spotlight was on Becca and her Reindeer Games set. Yesterday, it was Deepti's turn with her set, New Beginning. Today's my turn with a versatile sentiment set, Big Greetings.

Here are cards I created with this versatile sentiment set. I kept the cards one layer and used simple techniques such as stenciling, sponging, masking, coloring with markers, and collage stamping.

(Other stamps used: Blossom Like a Butterfly, Mixed Media Elements)

(Other stamps used: Narcissus - Large, Mixed Media Elements)

(Other products used: Trendy Butterflies with coordinating ARTplorations Shower of Flutters stencil)

Hope you liked the cards and are inspired by them! Tomorrow, the spotlight will be on Shirley and her Winged Things set. Then on Friday, the Inspiration girls will be sharing their cards in one big mega blog hop post! Leave a comment here and on the STAMP blog here for your chance to win this set.

If you'd rather skip the hopping, this set and the other three are available in the shop at 10% off each until January 22. Buy all 4 as a bundle and get it at 20% off. See them here. 

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 402: Thankful for you one layer card

My one layer card today is for a special blog hop we're having over at STAMPlorations. The STAMPlorations girls and I have come together for the Giving Thanks blog hop. We're sharing projects that express our gratitude. If you visit and leave comments on the stops in the hop by Friday, November 27, you could win your choice of (4x6) stamp set from STAMPlorations.

I had fun creating my card using different sets (Hope Blooms, Holiday Expressions: Thankful for Autumn, Mixed Media Grunge, Mixed Media Elements, and Blossom Like a Butterfly) stamped in Hero Arts and Ranger archival inks. Nothing fancy -- just plain stamping with a little bit of masking.

I hope you'll check out what the rest of the team made. You can find links to all the Giving Thanks projects in this post.

Fun challenges:

• The Crazy Challenge #211 - Everything Goes
• Take It Make It November Challenge - Take A Stamp Anything Goes
• Crafting from the Heart #87 - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 392: Believe and shine one layer card

Hey, all. It's the third and last day of the STAMPlorations October stamp release blog hop and we are featuring FOLK FLOWERS, the really, really, really fun set that Shirley designed for her stamp line. If you like building flowers, this is the set! :o)

This is a card that took a few days to make because I was doing it in stages (re: when I managed to snatch 5 minutes here and there away from the little one). Lots of masking, coloring, and then doodling. I stamped the sentiment and then finished the card by drawing the border.

Check out what the rest of the STAMPlorations girls made! You'll find links to all our projects here. Comment on the projects and you could win one of several prizes.

Plus...we have a Flash Fall Flowers Linky Party! Link up a new project that has flowers in it and you could be one of the 3 winners of a stamp set from the October release! The linky is open until Sunday, October 25. For the details, click here.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 391: Bloom, hope, take flight one layer card

It's the second day of the STAMPlorations October stamp release blog hop and this time, we're showcasing the HOPE BLOOMS set I designed.

With a 7-week-old baby that demands 100% of my time, I have to be even faster with my crafting (when I do happen to have 10-15 minutes to spare -- and those spare minutes are very few and far in between) so I've had to stick to a minimal color palette, few supplies, and plain stamping. And this very orange-y one layer card is the result. Stamped the framed butterflies, loosely colored it with Japanese watercolor brush pens before masking it, stamped the background in a frenzy with stamps from the Mixed Media Elements set, and finally stamped the sentiments. Got the card done before the hubby finished feeding our little one, who always wants mommy right after :o)

Check out what the rest of the STAMPlorations girls made! You'll find links to all our projects here. Comment on the projects and you could win one of several prizes. 

Plus...we have a Flash Fall Flowers Linky Party! Link up a new project that has flowers in it and you could be one of the 3 winners of a stamp set from the October release! The linky is open until Sunday, October 25. For the details, click here.

Fun challenges:

• Addicted to Stamps and More #167 - Make Your Mark (I used brush pens for coloring)
• 613 Avenue Create #146 - Anything Goes
• Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
• Crafting with Friends #8 - Anything Goes
• Crafty Catz #297 - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 390: Thanks one layer card

Today is yet another fun day at the STAMPlorations blog because we've got the October Stamp Release Blog Hop happening over the next 3 days! To kick things off, we're featuring FRIENDS AND FLOWERS, a delightful set designed by Deepti for her stamp line. 

My card features the watering can, which I stamped and colored loosely with my Japanese watercolor brush pens. I masked it and then did some collage stamping using stamps from the Mixed Media Grunge and Mixed Media Elements.

Check out what the rest of the STAMPlorations girls made! You'll find links to all our projects here. Comment on the projects and you could win one of several prizes. 

Plus...we have a Flash Fall Flowers Linky Party! Link up a new project that has flowers in it and you could be one of the 3 winners of a stamp set from the October release! The linky is open until Sunday, October 25. For the details, click here.

Fun challenges:

• Crafting from the Heart #82 - Anything Goes
• Craft Your Passion #284 - Anything Goes
• Stempelgarten #42 - Stamping

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

Paper craft project no. 358: You are the best ever one layer card

Hey there! It's the last day of the STAMPlorations stamp spotlight week blog hop. Have you hopped all the previous days yet? According to a little birdie, 5 prizes have been added, so there are now 11 prizes instead of 6 up for grabs! You can read all about it here.

We're ending the blog hop with a super fun set: SmallBirds, designed by STAMPlorations girl Shirley Bampton!

For my happy one layer card, I used the two cute birds. I diecut a circle from a post-it note and used that to mask the center of the card base before stamping the birds all over. I flipped the birds and inked the backsides with dandelion Memento ink to color my birds. Then I stamped my customized sentiment (from the Boxed Blooms & Bold Sentiments, Sentiment Builders: Happy, Joyful, and Fond Expressions) and finished the card by defining the circle with a black gel pen. 

Do check out the fun projects that the STAMPlorations girls and our awesome guest designer Darnell made showcasing this super fun doodled birds stamps! The DAY 5 projects are here. Hop along and you can win one of 6 11 prizes we've got up for grabs! You have until Monday, April 27 to leave comments on the STAMPlorations blog and designers blogs.

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to smile :o)

~Shery

Paper craft project no. 357: You are heaven sent one layer card

Hi, everyone! My second pink/girly card in a week! Because my baby was my inspiration back in January when I was designing and illustrating Heaven Sent, the stamp set we're spotlighting today, I felt it fitting to make a card for her -- the first card she'll receive when DH and I welcome her into the world in August. I've started planning and making her baby memory book and this card from us will be in there. It reflects exactly what we think of her :o)

To create this one layer card, I cut out a scallop border from scrap paper, placed that on the card base, and stamped the grunge floral strip in rose red Memento ink. Then I moved the scallop border another inch for the second border and stamped the mixed media grunge floral in lulu lavender Memento ink. I stamped the teddy bear and newsprint in spun sugar Distress ink all over the remaining area, stamped the sentiment (the "you are" is from Sentiment Builders: Happy), and sponged a little spun sugar Distress ink. I finished the card by defining the scallop borders with black gel pen.

I hope you'll come check out the beautiful cards that the STAMPlorations girls and super wonderful guest designer Darnell made featuring this sweet baby set! You'll find links to all our projects here. Hop along and you can win one of the prizes we've got up for grabs :o)

See you tomorrow for the last day of the hop! Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to smile :o)

~Shery

Paper craft project no. 356: Embrace life one layer mixed media card

Hello! Thank you so much for the sweet messages you all left on my post yesterday! You all made this very pregger girl happy :o) We're now on DAY 3 of the STAMPlorations stamp spotlight week blog hop. Today, we're putting the spotlight on another sentiment set, Noteworthy.

To create my one layer mixed media card, I applied a thin coat of gesso on my card base, placed the happy flowers stencil over it, and applied Gelatos. I blended the colors by running a damp paint brush over the Gelatos. Then I watercolored the background with Sakura Koi watercolors. I randomly stamped the newsprint and postmark in coffee archival ink and finished the card by stamping the sentiment.

Hope you can hop today and check out the gorgeous makes by the STAMPlorations girls and our awesome guest designer Darnell! You'll find links to all our projects here. Hop along and you can win on of the prizes we've got up for grabs. 

See you tomorrow for DAY 4! Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to smile :o)

~Shery