Sunday, July 31, 2016

Stencil Sunday #57


Hey there, fellow creatives! We've got a new edition of Stencil Sunday,  a weekly feature brought to you by the STAMPlorations girls in the Mixed Media design team. Every Sunday, they share their mixed media projects showcasing ARTplorations stencils and STAMPlorations stamps. Today, LynneAmyAsmah, and Sanna are sharing their mixed media projects. You'll find more information about their projects by visiting their blogs -- do check them out!

 

 

{Inspiration Project Post #88}

Hello Craft Friends! Today we are saying goodbye to July with a roundup of projects from the Inspiration team. Have a look and leave a comment for your entry to win a $10 gift certificate.

  

 







Friday, July 29, 2016

{Mixed Media Tutorial} Create without Fear tag by Sanna


Hello everyone, Sanna here today. I am very excited to share my first tutorial with you. Tags are so much fun to create and they make a great addition to a nicely wrapped present, for example. They are also very fast to create. So next time you prepare a present for someone, why not add a DIY, personalized tag to it, to give it a very special touch?


This is my tag, and here is what I did:


{PREVIEW} August/September 2016 Stamp Club Set - ARTSY TRIBAL DOODLES


And just like that, July is almost over! It seemed like it wasn't too long ago that I shared a preview of the latest stamp club stamp. Yet here I am, sharing the newest premium stamp club set: ARTSY TRIBAL DOODLES.

ARTSY TRIBAL DOODLES is a 5" by 7" stamp set with 26 images that have a sketchy, doodled tribal vibe. I was inspired by a tribal design I saw while I was out shopping for Kathryn's baby clothes earlier this year. When I got home, I began doodling some of my own "tribal" elements. This is a set that's different from anything out there.

You'll soon see the STAMPlorations girls feature Artsy Tribal Doodles in their spotlight projects. But here's something I made using one of my favorite techniques: stamping on Gelli plate and pulling prints. (I've got details on how I did it in my blog post here.)


ARTSY TRIBAL DOODLES will be available to non-stamp club subscribers starting August 8. Right now, it's available to current stamp club subscribers.

Want this stamp set now at a great price with a couple of ARTplorations stencils of your choice and free shipping? Just sign up for the stamp club here. Stamp club subscribers get to enjoy lots of perks, including free shipping, free stamps and even free CUTplorations thin metal dies! :o)

On a budget? We've got three additional club plans: Gold Stamp Club Plan, Basic Stamp Club Plan, and Stencil Club Plan. All plans are bi-monthly, include personal discount codes, come with incentives for every 3rd time renewing, and get free worldwide shipping. There is a plan to suit a crafter's budget. For the complete info, check out the plans by clicking the graphic below.



If you're already a premium stamp club subscriber, thanks so much for your support! If your subscription is set to renew in the next week or so (or it has already renewed), you can pick Artsy Tribal Doodles instead of the current set, Gone Postal -- it's up to you!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!




PS: Have you seen our first coloring book that's geared for cardmarkers, crafters, and mixed media artists? Check out our post introducing Color Blooms here. Next, check out Monika's spotlight project here because she shares how she used different mediums to color a page from Color Blooms -- find out which mediums work great with our coloring book and which ones work not-so-great.

PPS: Did you know that August 2 is National Coloring Book Day? No? Now you do! :o) Keep your eyes peeled because on Tuesday, we here at STAMPlorations will be celebrating it by hosting a coloring event and we'd like you to join us and show off your coloring mojo! One lucky participant (or perhaps two) will win a copy of Color Blooms :o)

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

{Spotlight Project} Monika Colors Color Blooms


Hello, crafty Friends! It's Monika here today putting a new addition to the STAMPlorations shop through its paces. Color Blooms is a colouring book designed by Shery for cardmakers, crafters, and mixed media artists. What a chance to dig out my hugely underused paints and get creating. First up are the projects I made using my coloured page: two cards and seven ATCs!




As you can see, there is lots of scope for using your coloured pages. I am sure you can think of even more than I did.

Color Blooms itself has 34 colouring pages featuring 6 beautifully drawn blooms in different variations. The paper quality compares well to other books I've seen around. Actually the slightly rougher finish provides a good key for chalks and crayons. In today's Spotlight Project, I am sharing my thoughts on how I found working with one of the pages from Color Blooms.


{Introducing} COLOR BLOOMS: Coloring Book for Cardmakers, Crafters, and Mixed Media Artists

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! I'm excited to reveal another new product we're adding to the STAMPlorations family. Say hello to COLOR BLOOMS, our first coloring book specifically designed for cardmakers, crafters, and mixed media artists!


COLOR BLOOMS is an 8" by 10" perfect bound book with 34 coloring pages featuring 6 illustrated flowers in different styles to suit a variety of projects. Color the pages with your medium of choice: crayons, colored pencils, markers, and even watercolor paints. When you're done, tear the pages and use them in your projects: handmade cards, ATCs, art journal pages, collages, mixed media artwork, and whatever else you create.

The flowers will look familiar to many of you. It's because they came out as clear stamps first! The STAMPlorations girls are busy testing the coloring book and you'll see their projects featuring Color Blooms through a special blog hop happening in a few weeks. And at noon today, STAMPlorations girl Monika has a spotlight project wherein she shares what coloring mediums play nice with Color Blooms and which don't. She made 9 -- nine! -- projects out of one coloring page alone! You won't want to miss that post :o)

I thought I'd share a card I made using one of the pages. I tore out the page with the zinnias:


And then I colored the upper right panel with Inktense pencils:



I cut out the panel and used gel medium to decoupage it onto cardstock (and seal it too). I grunged it up a bit more using stamps in the Mixed Media Grunge set. Then I diecut a tag using the medium Luggage Tags die. I also diecut a panel using the medium Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die out of the bottom part of the coloring page, added some spatters to it by flicking a wet brush against a black Inktense pencil, and then adhered the panel to my card base. Next I diecut the "hello" word 4 times and stacked them up. Here's the finished card:


COLOR BLOOMS is now available to buy on the shop -- it's here. If you live outside the US, you can buy Color Blooms from the Amazon site that is closest to you in order. (We offer a flat shipping rate but encourage you to buy your copy from an Amazon site if shipping is cheaper. Amazon links to 10 countries (UK, Canada, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, and Spain) where Color Blooms is available are found on the product page. If you have a group or are hosting a coloring book party, volume discounts are available for 10 copies or more.

Hope this inspires you to color!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

{Inspiration Project Post #87}

Hello Tuesday! The Inspiration team is back with more beautiful projects to inspire. Have a look and leave a comment for your entry to win a $10 gift certificate.

  

 

  


Monday, July 25, 2016

{Mixed Media Tutorial} Art from Garbage by Lynne


Happy Day Blog Land Peeps! Lynne here today excited to be sharing my first ARTplorations mixed media tutorial post featuring the Happy Flowers stencil and the Bubbles-mini stencil and the STAMPlorations word stamp - Bold Sentiments-Create (my new favorite!)


I am going to show you how I turned garbage into ART by repurposing this box I saved from the landfill into some really pretty storage to hold all my STAMPlorations stuff in one convenient place.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Stencil Sunday #56


Hey there, fellow creatives! We've got a new edition of Stencil Sunday,  a weekly feature brought to you by the STAMPlorations girls in the Mixed Media design team. Every Sunday, they share their mixed media projects showcasing ARTplorations stencils and STAMPlorations stamps. Today, Melissa Susanne and MariLynn are sharing their mixed media projects. You'll find more information about their projects by visiting their blogs -- do check them out!

  

Friday, July 22, 2016

{Mixed Media Tutorial} Easel ATC by MariLynn


Hello, everyone. MariLynn here with my first mixed media tutorial for STAMPlorations. I love creating projects and I love sharing how I made them. My hope is to encourage you create mixed media projects of your own.

Today I am going to share a project I call a mixed media easel ATC (Artist Trading Card).



July Challenge Mid-Month Reminder - More Inspiration

Hey all! Have you played in the July Challenge yet? We've combined the Theme and Sketch challenges so you can create a project based on the theme, sketch, or both, and link it up!

For July, our theme is STAMPS & STARS. If your project happens to be CAS, be sure to link it up to the July CAS Card ChallengeIf you were inspired by Elina Stromberg's card here, link it up in the July CASEplorations gallery. Or if you end up creating a non-card mixed media project and you used a stencil, link it up to our July Mixed Media Challenge. Yep, more chances for prizes we have up for grabs :o)


And here's our fun sketch to get inspired by as well.



Thursday, July 21, 2016

{Spotlight Project} Becca CAStencils


This week I've felt like getting a little bit artsy and having some messy play in my craft studio. I know when I hear the word messy I automatically think mixed media cards with LOTS of layers and textures. But I wanted to show that mixed media can have a softer, more clean and simple vibe, too!


And so, this little card was born.