SHIPPING BREAK COUNTDOWN
Order by 5 PM Pacific Time today to have your order shipped before our break!
00 DAYS 00 HRS 00 MIN 00 SEC

Friday, November 06, 2026

STAMPlorations and the Fall | Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop + Sale!

 

Hey, STAMPfriends! It's time for the Fall | Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop, and I'm excited to be joining the fun as one of this year's sponsors! A big thank-you to Amy for organizing this wonderful event and bringing the crafting community together.

Whether you're a coffee, tea, or cocoa lover, this is a great excuse to get creative! Make a new caffeinated-themed project, share it on your blog, and link it up on the [Coffee Loving Papercrafters blog].

Here's something to keep in mind: Your linked projects are your entries for the sponsor prizes. The more newly created projects you link up, the more chances you have to win! Comments are always appreciated, but it's the projects you link up that count.

Win STAMPlorations prizes!

I'm giving away three prizes during the hop:

  • One $25 STAMPlorations shopping code

  • Two flash prizes: Each winner gets their choice of a coffee-themed digital stamp

So get those creative juices flowing and link up your projects for a chance to win!

Coffee-themed inspiration from the STAMPlorations design team

Of course, we couldn't let a Coffee Lovers Blog Hop go by without sharing some crafty inspiration! The STAMPlorations design team has been busy creating, and I'm excited to share their coffee-themed projects with you.







I hope these creations inspire you to pull out your stamps, stencils, dies, and paper crafting supplies and make something fun!

Fall | Winter Coffee Lovers Sale!

And because no coffee-themed celebration would be complete without a little shopping fun, I'm having a special sale at the STAMPlorations store!

November 6-13, 2026

Enjoy 30% off select coffee-themed products! No coupon code is needed. The discount will be applied automatically at checkout.


Plus, enjoy these other shop perks:

  • Free US shipping on orders $45+

  • Free STAMPlorations product sampler bag on orders $45+

  • 2 free products of your choice on orders $75+

  • Freebie of the Month on orders $25+

  • Entry into the $25 monthly shop drawing

SHOP THE COFFEE LOVERS SALE

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you'll play along with the hop, check out all the wonderful inspiration from the participating sponsors and crafters, and maybe find a little something at STAMPlorations to add to your crafty stash.

Happy hopping and happy crafting!



P.S. Are you a coffee, tea, or cocoa crafter? I'd love to know which one inspires your favorite projects! Leave me a comment below. I'd love to hear from you!

Thursday, November 05, 2026

Holiday TAGplorations Blog Hop and Linky Party!

  

Hey, stamping friends! Welcome to the STAMPlorations Holiday TAGplorations event! It's a blog hop and linky party with plenty of inspiration and prizes to boot! In this post, we're sharing holiday tags that the STAMPlorations girls made.

You're in for a treat -- we've got holiday tags ranging from clean and simple, mixed media, and everything in between! The STAMPlorations girls pulled out all the stops for this hop. Then after hopping through the participating designers' blogs, we'd like you to create your own holiday tag or two and link up for a chance to win the prizes we have up for grabs. Holiday tags can be non-Christmas...it can be for any holiday you celebrate!

Commenting and linking up is from November 5 to November 30, 11:55 p.m. Pacific. We'll announce the winners on December 6 in the November winners post so be sure to follow our blog if you aren't already.

Take a look at the prizes:

  • $25 prize code to ONE (1) randomly drawn participant to the Holiday TAGplorations Challenge whose project features STAMPlorations product(s)
  • $15 prize code to ONE (1) randomly drawn participant to the Holiday TAGplorations challenge
  • Choice of Tag Dies to ONE (1) randomly drawn participant to the Holiday TAGplorations challenge
  • $7 prize code to THREE (3) randomly drawn commenters


***
Now have a look at the holiday tags the STAMPlorations girls made and be inspired!


***

Done hopping and commenting? Share your own holiday tags in the Holiday TAGplorations linky party!
  • Create a new holiday tag -- any holiday, any style. Cards are your jam? Simply add a holiday-themed tag element and you're good to go!
  • Post it on your blog (or Flickr, Instagram, SCS gallery, Facebook, etc.) and then link up below.
  • Display our event graphic in your blog post and link back to this post to qualify for the prizes. For Flickr/Instagram/SCS/Facebook, simply use the tag #holidaytagplorations and mention @stamplorations
  • You may enter up to 7 times, and each project must be in its own post (1 tag = 1 post) 
  • Use any product(s) you have; STAMPlorations products are not required, although you'd be in the running for the bigger prize if you do. We'd love to see projects made primarily to play in this challenge.
  • Link up by Monday, November 30, 11:55 p.m. Pacific (GMT-8). 


Flickr/Instagram/SCS/Facebook, use the tag #holidaytagplorations and mention @stamplorations


Holiday TAGplorations Linky Party

Edit: Link up closes on Monday, November 30, at 11:55 p.m. Pacific




Happy hopping and linking!




Wednesday, October 07, 2026

Paper Goods Showcase | Bold Layers and Bright Celebrations with Stephanie

Sometimes the easiest way to make a card your own is to start with paper goods that already have plenty of personality. STAMPgirl Stephanie shows two different ways to do that in these projects, combining bold backgrounds, focal elements, and coordinating products to create cards that are full of color and energy.


Layer Bold Patterns for a Strong Statement

Stephanie's first card is a colorful mix of geometric patterns and empowering words. She started with Memphis Cool Pocket Backdrops and Industrial Patchwork Collage Paper, layering the two patterned paper goods to create a dynamic background.

Rather than letting all those patterns compete, Stephanie chose a pocket backdrop sheet with a large white area, matted it over a solid color and adhered it over the center of the card. The clean space gives the eye somewhere to rest while allowing the colorful layers around it to remain part of the design.

For the focal message, she used a sentiment from Strong Women, stamping the sentiment "She Believed She Could, So She Did." The sentiment becomes the heart of the card while the surrounding patterns add energy and personality.

The bold red, yellow, blue, and black elements repeat throughout the layers, helping all the different patterns feel connected rather than random.

Creative Takeaway: Don't Be Afraid of Pattern

When you're working with bold paper goods, you don't necessarily have to choose just one pattern. The trick is to give those patterns different roles. In her card above, she used two different patterned papers to create visual interest. This is a great approach when you have several bold papers you love but aren't sure how to combine them. Let one pattern take the lead, use another to support it, and introduce a clean area where your main sentiment or image can shine.


Turn Colorful Paper Goods into a Celebration

For her second card, Stephanie took a different approach. She started with Mixed Media Card Fronts, choosing one of the colorful backgrounds as the foundation for a bright celebration card.

She layered the colorful candle image from Perfect Pairs: Party & Wishes onto vellum, allowing the lively mixed-media background to remain visible around it. The large Celebrate sentiment from the Skinny Sentiments dies then becomes the main focal point, sitting directly across the candles. The result is colorful, playful, and full of movement, with the large sentiment tying all the different colors and elements together.

Creative Takeaway: Let One Element Take the Lead

A busy background doesn't mean you need to simplify everything else. Instead, think about which element you want people to notice first. On Stephanie's second card, the colorful candles and oversized "Celebrate" sentiment work together as the focal point, while the Mixed Media card front provides all the energetic texture and color behind them.

A useful way to approach a card like this is to establish a visual hierarchy: choose your main focal point, make it larger or more prominent, and let the other elements support it rather than compete with it.


Paper Goods Give You a Place to Start

These two cards show just how differently paper goods can be used. Stephanie layered pocket backdrops and collage paper to create a bold, graphic foundation for one card, while a Mixed Media card front became the colorful backdrop for a completely different celebration design.

The creative takeaway is simple: don't feel like you have to start with a blank piece of cardstock. Start with a paper goods piece that already speaks to you, then build around it. Add a focal image, a sentiment, a few layers, or another pattern from your stash. Once you have that first piece in place, the rest of the card can start telling you what it needs.

Discover Pocket Backdrops, collage paper, card fronts, and more paper goods in the STAMPlorations store.

Until next time, keep creating with paper goods and see where your next combination takes you.


Tuesday, October 06, 2026

September Winners

It's time to announce last month's winners. Whether you placed an order, left a comment on the National Coffee Lovers blog hop post, commented on our Instagram and blog posts, or simply cheered STAMPlorations on, we greatly appreciate you!

And now...let’s see who won!

Winner of $25 SHOP & WIN Prize Code
Drawn from all paid orders placed in September:
Melanie (order #10058) - claimed

Winner of $10 Prize Code
Drawn from comments left on September Instagram and blog posts
Becca Yahrling - claimed

Winners of $10 Prize Code
Drawn from comments left on the National Coffee Lovers blog hop post
unclaimed
Christine - claimed

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you again to everyone who continue to support STAMPlorations.



đź’Ś How to Claim Your Prize

Winners, email stamplorations@gmail.com to claim your prize by October 21. Please whitelist stamplorations@gmail.com so our response doesn't get filtered by your email provider. Because Shery is on vacation, please give her a week or so to get back to you with your prize code.



And the fun continues in October!

Didn't win this time? There are still plenty of ways to save -- and win -- at STAMPlorations this month!
  • The Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge: Have projects featuring STAMPlorations products? Enter them in our challenge. There's no limit -- enter as many projects as you want as long as a STAMPlorations product is the star.

  • October Shop-to-Win: Every paid order placed in this month is automatically entered into the drawing for a $25 prize code. One paid order = one entry.

  • October Comment-to-Win: Share your thoughts on the STAMPlorations blog and Instagram throughout the month for a chance to win a $10 prize code. Every comment you leave on any blog post or Instagram post this month counts as an entry.

Thursday, October 01, 2026

Perfect Pairs, Expanded | Serene Winter with Monika

Perfect Pairs make it easy to create coordinated cards, but they can also be a great starting point for bringing other products from your stash into the mix. 

In these two winter cards, STAMPgirl Monika combines the Perfect Pairs: Serene Winter collection with stencils, dies, and an older favorite stamp set to create two very different looks.


Create a Retro-Inspired Winter Scene

Who doesn't love a good stew or hotpot? Monika thought the warm, cozy image from the Serene Winter ephemera was perfect for sending warm wishes during the colder months.

For her background, she went with a retro-inspired look, choosing colors that mirror the vegetables in the stew. She used the Tapestry stencil inside a framed oval created with the Ovals Flexi-Template. The template was used both as a mask and as a stencil, using one of the frames to mask the area and the neighboring frames to create the stenciled border. The result is a patterned background that feels like retro wallpaper without covering the entire card. 

Monika shortened the Warm Winter Wishes phrase die by simply snipping the die cut apart, then added die-cut hearts from the Clustered Hearts die to finish the design.


Build a Soft, Nostalgic Winter Card

For her second card, Monika wanted a soft, nostalgic feel without taking the design too far into vintage territory. She reached for an old favorite, the VIGNETTE Christmas Block, using its snowflakes to create the background. The snowflakes and the “Winter” stamp from the Serene Winter collection were stamped in Old Paper Distress Ink diagonally opposite each other, giving the card just enough background detail to support the focal point.

The focal point brings together three elements from the Serene Winter collection: the Felicity die-cut, the pine barrel, and the ice skates. Monika popped up the elements for dimension, then added an embossed sentiment and red gems for warmth and a little extra sparkle.


One Perfect Pair, More Possibilities

Monika's two cards are a great reminder that coordinating products don't mean you have to stop there. The Serene Winter Perfect Pairs work naturally with other STAMPlorations products, giving you plenty of room to bring your own style and favorite supplies into the design.

A background doesn't always have to cover the whole card. On the first card, the combination of the Ovals Flexi-Template and Tapestry Stencil creates just enough pattern to establish the retro feel and complement the stew. On the second, a few strategically stamped snowflakes and the “Winter” image provide enough background detail to help the focal elements stand out.

And don't overlook color when you're creating a background. Instead of choosing contrasting colors, Monika pulled two colors directly from the vegetables in the stew. That simple choice helps draw the eye toward the warm, cozy focal image.


Discover What’s Possible

The Perfect Pairs: Serene Winter collection gives you coordinating stamps and ephemera cuts that work beautifully on their own, but these projects show how easily you can take them in a different direction with products already in your stash.

Try framing a stenciled background instead of filling the entire card, repeat-stamping just a few images to ground your focal point, or pulling background colors directly from your main image. Sometimes a few carefully chosen elements are all you need to make your Perfect Pairs do even more.

Explore Serene Winter and the other Perfect Pairs collections in the STAMPlorations store.

Until next time, keep creating with confidence -- and let Perfect Pairs do the coordinating.


Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Paper Goods Showcase | Vintage Florals + Powerful Women with Angy

Paper goods can give you a beautiful place to start, whether you're building a layered card around a vintage image or creating a mixed-media design from an ATC and a sheet of collage paper. STAMPgirl Angy shows both approaches with these two projects, using different STAMPlorations paper goods as the foundation for each card.

Add Texture to a Vintage Card Front

For her first card, Angy started with a Vintage Flowers card front, letting the vintage floral artwork provide the main focal point. She added the Tapestry stencil over the background to bring in another layer of pattern and texture, then finished the card with a sentiment from the Faith Expressions stamp set.

The vintage artwork and stenciled texture work especially well together. The card front gives you an instant focal image, while the stencil lets you add your own creative touch without having to build the entire background from scratch.


Turn an ATC into the Focal Point

Angy's second card takes a different approach, starting with a Powerful Women ATC. She layered a Mixed Media Background clear sticker directly over the ATC, adding another visual element while still allowing the artwork underneath to remain part of the design. For the card base, she used a sheet from the Botanical Beats collage paper pack, which gives the ATC a soft, botanical setting and ties the different elements together.

I love this kind of layering because the ATC doesn't have to be used by itself. Adding a clear sticker over the artwork and pairing it with collage paper creates a finished composition with very little fuss.


Start with Paper Goods, Then Make It Your Own

Both of Angy's cards show why paper goods make such useful creative starting points. A card front can provide the artwork for an entire card, while an ATC can become the focal point of a layered collage. Add a stencil, stamp, clear sticker, or another sheet of paper goods, and you've got plenty of room to put your own spin on the design.

You don't always need to start with a blank piece of cardstock and figure everything out from there. Sometimes the right piece of paper is already waiting for you. From there, it's simply a matter of deciding what you want to add.

Until next time, keep creating and discovering what's possible with STAMPlorations Paper Goods.


National Coffee Day Blog Hop

 


We're delighted to be part of the National Coffee Day Blog Hop spearheaded by Coffee Loving Papercrafters! For this hop, there's no need to create and link-up coffee-themed creations -- simply hop along and comment on the stops in this hop for a chance at some really cool prizes! Lots of participating super sponsors so plenty of chances to win!

STAMPlorations is stop #9 in the hop (you'll find all participating companies below). For those of you who leave a comment on our post, you get a shot at our prizes. We'll randomly draw two (2) commenters to each win a $10 prize code to the store. If there are at least 75 comments left on this post, there will be three (3) winners drawn.

Commenting closes on October 3 at 11:59 pm Pacific, with the winners announced here on the blog on October 6 at 6 am Pacific -- make sure you follow our blog so you don't miss that post.

Have a look at the fabulous makes by the STAMPgirls!



SANNA
{Blooms & Sunshine}



-----

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Paper Goods Showcase | Botanical Beats + Flowers & Coffee with Stephanie

Need a card for encouragement? STAMPgirl Stephanie shows how a few coordinated paper goods can give you a beautiful starting ppint and make the rest of the card come together easily. For these two cards, she cut a sheet of Botanical Beats Collage Paper in half and paired each piece with coordinating elements from Flowers & Coffee Focal Fronts.


A Beautiful Starting Point for an Encouragement Card

For her first card, Stephanie went with a vertical orientation and let the rich greens and soft pastel colors do much of the work. She started with half of a sheet of Botanical Beats, then found a focal fronts element that coordinated beautifully with it. The floral coffee cup brings together the pinks, corals, and greens in the collage paper, creating a cohesive color palette without needing to build the background herself.

She added a rose-colored paper mat and attached the collage paper to a kraft card base. The coffee-and-flowers element was attached with foam tape, giving it dimension against the patterned background.

To finish the card, Stephanie added a sentiment from the Floral Magic clear sticker set and light lavender enamel dots that coordinate with the blooms. The result is a lovely encouragement card with a soft, welcoming feel.


Coffee, Flowers, and Warm Wishes

For her second card, Stephanie used the other half of the Botanical Beats collage paper, this time in a horizontal layout. She selected another coffee-themed focal front that coordinated with the paper, showing how the same sheet of collage paper can provide the foundation for two different designs.

As with the first card, she used a rose-colored mat and a kraft card base, then attached the focal image with foam tape. She also chose another sentiment from the Floral Magic clear sticker set, attaching it to a strip of watercolor paper to create a clean sentiment panel. Coordinating enamel dots complete the design.


Creative Takeaway: Let Your Paper Goods Guide the Design

Stephanie's two cards offer a simple idea worth trying: cut a sheet of collage paper in half, then look for coordinating focal images that work with each piece.

Rather than building two backgrounds from scratch, she let the Botanical Beats collage paper establish the colors and overall feel of each card. The Flowers & Coffee focal images provided the main visual interest, while the Floral Magic clear sticker sentiments added the encouraging messages.

Notice how the finishing details support the designs, too. The rose-colored mats bring warmth to both cards, while the enamel dots pick up colors from the floral imagery. It's a straightforward way to create two coordinated cards that still have their own personalities.


Discover What's Possible with Paper Goods

Botanical Beats collage paper, Flowers & Coffee focal fronts, and Floral Magic clear stickers make a lovely combination for encouragement cards, but there are plenty of other ways to mix and match them.

Try pairing a collage paper with a focal image that shares its colors, or use a clear sticker sentiment on a separate strip of paper to give the message its own space. A few coordinating embellishments can be all you need to finish the design.

Explore these products and more in the STAMPlorations store, and see what combinations you can create with your favorite paper goods.

Until next time, keep creating with paper goods and see where your next combination takes you.


Friday, September 25, 2026

STAMPlorations Shipping Break Is Here

Our shipping break is officially underway! The Russ family is getting ready to go on vacation, so shipping is now paused through October 25, 2026.

The good news is that the shop remains open, so you can still browse, shop, and place your orders while we're away. Orders placed after our September 25, 5 PM cutoff will be held and will begin shipping when regular shipping resumes on October 26.

A Little Holiday Surprise

Since you'll have to wait a little longer for your order, we're making the wait a little more fun!

Every paid order placed during the shipping break will receive a FREE holiday surprise, while supplies last.

For U.S. orders, the surprise includes:

  • 1 retired holiday/Christmas stamp
  • 1 not-yet-released holiday stencil
  • 1 glassine bag with 7+ assorted holiday paper goods

International orders will receive 1 free not-yet-released holiday stencil.

The exact stamp, stencil, and holiday paper goods assortment will be a surprise. The retired stamps are designs that are no longer available in the shop, so we're happy to give them a little second life as a special extra for those who shop while we're away.

Save $5 on Your Order

We're also giving you a little extra reason to shop while we're away.

Get $5 off orders of $35 or more with code 5OFF35

The code can be used once per customer.

So if you've been eyeing something from the shop, you can shop while we're away, save $5 on a $35+ order, and get a little holiday surprise with your paid order.

We'll start packing and shipping shipping-break orders when regular shipping resumes on October 26.

Thank you, as always, for your patience and for continuing to support STAMPlorations. We hope you enjoy the little holiday surprise we're putting together for you, and we'll look forward to getting your orders on their way when we return!

Shop STAMPlorations →

Thursday, September 24, 2026

A Heads-Up: STAMPlorations Shipping Break Starts Tomorrow

Just a quick heads-up for our STAMPlorations friends...the Russ family is getting ready for a much-needed vacation, and our shipping break starts tomorrow, September 25, at 5 PM Pacific.

If you'd like your order to ship before the break, please make sure to place it by 5 PM Pacific time on September 25. Orders placed by that cutoff are being packaged and will ship by September 29.

Orders placed after 5 PM Pacific time on September 25 will be held and will begin shipping when regular shipping resumes on October 26.

The shop will remain open throughout the shipping break, so you can still browse, shop, and place your orders while we're away. Just keep in mind that orders placed after the cutoff will have to wait a little longer to make their way to you.

A Little Holiday Surprise

Since you'll be waiting a little longer for your order, we're making the wait a little more fun!

Every paid order placed during the shipping break will receive a FREE holiday surprise, while supplies last.

For U.S. orders, the surprise includes:

  • 1 retired holiday/Christmas stamp
  • 1 holiday stencil
  • 1 glassine bag with 7+ assorted holiday paper goods

International orders will receive 1 free holiday stencil.

The exact stamp, stencil, and holiday paper goods assortment will be a surprise. The retired stamps are designs that are no longer available in the shop, so we're happy to give them a little second life as a special extra for those who shop while we're away.

We'll start packing and shipping these orders when regular shipping resumes on October 26.

Thank you, as always, for your patience and for continuing to support STAMPlorations. We're looking forward to our time away and to coming home, getting back to packing orders, and sending all those holiday surprises your way!

Shop STAMPlorations →

Paper Goods in Action | A Fall Thank-You Card with Walter

Sometimes a card starts with one product, and sometimes you find yourself pulling a little bit from everything. STAMPfella Walter took that second approach with this sweet autumn card, combining elements from four different STAMPlorations paper goods products to create a layered scene with a story to tell.


Let the Paper Goods Tell the Story

For this card, Walter used elements from Thank You Card Fronts, Hello Fall Journaling Cards, Newsprint Autumn Ephemera, and Framed Autumn #1 Colorables. He also added a Retro Gratitude STAMPcut as the sentiment.

The couple is clearly the focal point, surrounded by autumn details that help tell their story. Walter did quite a bit of fussy cutting to bring the different elements together, and he used foam tape to build dimension throughout the scene.

I especially like the way he handled the pumpkins and apples in the background. He wanted those elements to bring in more of that autumn feeling, but didn't want them competing with the couple, so he left them black and white. That keeps the colorful figures in the foreground while still giving the scene plenty of seasonal detail.


Hide, Layer, and Rearrange

Walter also used his paper goods in a very intentional way. He didn't want the cut-off torsos of the figures to show, so he fussy cut pumpkins and florals and layered them over those areas. That also created the perfect spot for the Retro Gratitude STAMPcut to sit.

It's a great example of why you don't have to use paper goods exactly as they come. You can cut out individual elements, layer them over one another, use one piece to conceal another, and rearrange everything until the scene works the way you want it to.

And while this card does involve quite a bit of fussy cutting, Walter happens to enjoy that part of the process. His attention to those little details is what makes the finished scene feel so cohesive.


Four Paper Goods, One Story

What makes this card especially fun is how naturally all four paper goods products work together. The Thank You Card Front establishes the setting, the Hello Fall Journaling Cards, Hello Fall Journaling Cards, Newsprint Autumn Ephemera, and Framed Autumn #1 Colorablesprovide pieces to build the scene, and the Retro Gratitude STAMPcut delivers the message.

The result feels like more than a collection of pretty pieces. It tells a little story about gratitude, togetherness, and appreciating what you have. And that makes it a perfect card for this time of year, whether you're sending a thank-you or simply letting someone know how much they mean to you.


Discover What’s Possible with Paper Goods

Walter's card is a great reminder to look at your paper goods as a collection of creative building blocks. You don't have to choose just one product or use every piece exactly as it was designed. Mix and match, fussy cut the elements you love, layer pieces together, and let your own story guide the design.

Explore Thank You Card Fronts, Hello Fall Journaling Cards, Newsprint Autumn Ephemera, Framed Autumn #1 Colorables, and Retro Gratitude STAMPcuts  in the STAMPlorations store.

If you enjoy having different types of paper goods to mix and match, check out our Paper Goods VIP Subscription. You choose any four paper goods products every four weeks, so you can build your stash around the products that inspire you most.

Until next time, keep creating and discovering what's possible with STAMPlorations Paper Goods.