{Inspiration Project Post #20} Roundup!

May certainly passed by quickly! Before we say goodbye to May and hello to June, though, here's one more round of Inspiration Projects. If you missed any of the Inspiration Project posts this month, here's a handy dandy link list to help you easily see projects you can CASE.

May CASEplorations

May 8 Inspiration Project Post

May 11 Inspiration Project Post

May 22 Inspiration Project Post

May 25 Inspiration Project Post

When you CASE a project (or two, or however many you want -- there's no limit), make sure to link them up by June 5, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7) to get a shot at winning a $15 gift certificate or your choice 2 ARTplorations stencils.

{LAST CALL} ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop Extra + Link up to the Flash Stencil Project Linky Party!

Quick blog hop links:

DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
DAY 4 - Flash Stencil Project Linky Party | DAY 5 - Last Day!

Heads up, STAMPlorations friends! Today is the last day to hop and leave comments here on the blog and on the designers' blogs for the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop! Get to hopping by 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7) tonight to win some awesome prizes! We'll announce winners on Monday, June 1. Start the hop here.

Here's one last helping of projects featuring ARTplorations stencils.

An InLinkz Link-up

Did you make projects using stencils within the last 2 months (from April 1)? Link 'em up to our Flash Stencil Linky Party for extra chances to win more prizes! Link up by Sunday, May 31, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7). You'll find the details and linky here.

We're also having an ARTplorations stencil promo and a Memorial Day free worldwide shipping special.

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FREE STENCIL on all orders! 

Just for our stencil blog hop participants, place an order (no minimum amount) in the shop between today and June 5 and get a free ARTplorations stencil! Just add products to your cart, including the stencil you want for free, and when you're ready to check out, use coupon code MAYSTENCILHOP. $5 (the price of the stencil) will be deducted from your total amount. Limit 1 free stencil per customer.

Claim your free stencil here. 

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From now until May 31, all orders of $20 and up ship free worldwide! Just use the coupon code MEMORIALDAY on checkout.

If you're a stamp club subscriber, you get free worldwide shipping on orders of at least $15 + 15% off on all products on the shop! Simply use your personal discount coupon codes :o)

Have an awesome, inky, creative weekend, artsy friends!

{DAY 4} ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop EXTRA + Link up to the Flash Stencil Project Linky Party!

Quick blog hop links:

DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
DAY 4 - Flash Stencil Project Linky Party | DAY 5 - Last Day!

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! Did you enjoy the last 3 three days of the hop? Aren't stamps and stencils an awesome combo? The hop isn't really over yet, as you've got lots of time to hop and leave comments along the way to snag one of the prizes we've got. Comment by Friday, May 29, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7).

• SIX (6) winners (2 per day - May 25, 26, and 27) will be randomly drawn from comments left on the designers' blogs to each win their choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil.
• THREE (3) winners (1 per day - May 25, 26, and 27) will be randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations blog to each win a $10 gift certificate to the STAMPlorations shop.

We've also got a few more projects to share and hopefully they'll inspire you some more to take out your stencils:o)

An InLinkz Link-up

And we mentioned extra prizes for those who participate in the Flash Stencil Project Linky Party so now it's your turn! We want to see projects where you used stencils!

• Link up projects where you used stencils (any brand). It can be any type of project, even non-card ones. 
• No need to make a new project for this flash linky party -- although if you're inspired to create, be our guest! You may link past projects -- so long as you made them within the last 2 months (from April 1, 2015 to the present).
• To give everyone a fair shot at the prizes (winners will be randomly drawn), please link up a maximum of 3 projects.
• Link up your projects to the linky below by Sunday, May 31, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7).

We'll randomly draw THREE (3) winners:

• TWO (2) winners whose projects feature stencils (any brand) will each receive their choice of one (1) ARTplorations stencil
• ONE (1) winner whose project features an ARTplorations stencil will receive her choice of two (2) ARTplorations stencils OR a $15 gift certificate to the shop.

So will we see you in the linky party? We hope so! We'd love to see your take on the stencils and be inspired by YOU this time around!

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FREE STENCIL on all orders! 

Just for our stencil blog hop participants, place an order (no minimum amount) in the shop between today and June 5 and get a free ARTplorations stencil! Just add products to your cart, including the stencil you want for free, and when you're ready to check out, use coupon code MAYSTENCILHOP. $5 (the price of the stencil) will be deducted from your total amount. Limit 1 free stencil per customer.

Claim your free stencil here. 

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{DAY 3} ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop -- Final Day to Hop with the STAMPlorations Girls!

Quick blog hop links:

DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
DAY 4 - Flash Stencil Project Linky Party | DAY 5 - Last Day!

Hello, everyone! Welcome to DAY 3 of our stencil blog hop! If you missed DAY 1 of the hop (with all the info on how to hop + prizes), click here. You'll find Day 2 here.

Don't forget to comment on this post for the chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the shop!

Want to see what the STAMPlorations girls have to show this time around? Here you go!

(Note: There are 13 stops in the hop, including this blog. You're not required to visit every stop on the hop to be eligible to win, but commenting on all the stops will increase your chances of winning. In case you click on a designer's link and you get a page/post not found error, just go to her main blog and scroll down to find the post for the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop. You can also go back here to our main blog; we'll update the links throughout the day.)

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That wraps up DAYS 1 to 3 of the hop! We hope you had a great time. More importantly, we hope our projects have inspired you to creatively use the stencils in your stash...or if you don't have stencils yet (or wish to add more to your stash!), check out the shop -- we've got 50 designs to date and more will be added!

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FREE STENCIL on all orders! 

Just for our stencil blog hop participants, place an order (no minimum amount) in the shop between today and June 5 and get a free ARTplorations stencil! Just add products to your cart, including the stencil you want for free, and when you're ready to check out, use coupon code MAYSTENCILHOP. $5 (the price of the stencil) will be deducted from your total amount. Limit 1 free stencil per customer.

Claim your free stencil here. 

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The STAMPlorations girls have shared 35+ projects over 3 days -- that's plenty of ideas you can use in your own stencil adventure! Commenting here and on the designers' blogs closes on Friday, May 29, so you've got the rest of the week to leave comments for entries to our random drawing. We'll be drawing winners and announcing them on Monday, June 1.

Oh, and stay tuned for another post tomorrow for info on how you can win more prizes via our Flash Stencil Project Linky Party + a few more stencil projects from the STAMPlorations girls. If you have used stencils (any brand) in your projects and you shared those projects on your blog within the last 2 months, you're going to want to keep an eye out for that post :o) Even better, if you have ARTplorations stencils and you've used them in your projects, you're going to want to link up your projects!

Thank you so much for hopping along with us. We truly, truly appreciate your support!

{DAY 2} ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop with the STAMPlorations Girls!

Quick blog hop links:

DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
DAY 4 - Flash Stencil Project Linky Party | DAY 5 - Last Day!

Hello, everyone! Welcome to DAY 2 of our stencil blog hop! If you missed DAY 1 of the hop (with all the info on how to hop + prizes), click here.

Don't forget to comment on this post for the chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the shop!

(Note: There are 12 stops in the hop, including this blog. You're not required to visit every stop on the hop to be eligible to win, but commenting on all the stops will increase your chances of winning. In case you click on a designer's link and you get a page/post not found error, just go to her main blog and scroll down to find the post for the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop. You can also go back here to our main blog; we'll update the links throughout the day.)

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Thanks for hopping along! Don't forget to comment on this post for the chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the shop! Check back again tomorrow at 7 a.m. PDT (GMT-7) for DAY THREE of the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop!

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FREE STENCIL on all orders! 

Just for our stencil blog hop participants, place an order (no minimum amount) in the shop between today and June 5 and get a free ARTplorations stencil! Just add products to your cart, including the stencil you want for free, and when you're ready to check out, use coupon code MAYSTENCILHOP. $5 (the price of the stencil) will be deducted from your total amount. Limit 1 free stencil per customer.

Claim your free stencil here. 

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{DAY 1} ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop with the STAMPlorations Girls!

Quick blog hop links:

DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3
DAY 4 - Flash Stencil Project Linky Party | DAY 5 - Last Day!

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! We're back with a second helping of the ARTplorations stencil blog hop! The hop starts right now and you're in for a whole lot of stencil goodness from the STAMPlorations girls! This week, we're sharing projects showcasing ARTplorations stencils and STAMPlorations stamps, of course!

For our second stencil blog hop, you'll see the STAMPlorations girls once again unleashing their creative stencil mojo. And what's a blog hop without prizes for those of you who hop along? Here are the deets:

• SIX (6) winners (2 per day - May 25, 26, and 27) will be randomly drawn from comments left on the designers' blogs to each win their choice of 1 ARTplorations stencil.
• THREE (3) winners (1 per day - May 25, 26, and 27) will be randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations blog to each win a $10 gift certificate to the STAMPlorations shop.
• We've got extra prizes for those who participate in the Flash Stencil Linky Party (linky opens on May 28 and closes May 31).
• A few surprise prizes along the way :o)
• Winners have one week to claim their prize. (Anyone who is drawn as a winner and fails to claim her prize within the allotted time forfeits her prize. We want to be fair to those who do keep up with our blog and claim prizes on time. So you don't miss any of our posts, follow our blog by email or follow us via Google Friend Connect -- you'll find links to both on the right side bar.)

Ready to hop? Simply leave a comment on this post and on the designers' blog hop posts between now and Friday, May 29, 11:55 p.m. PDT (GMT-7) for a chance to win. Only one comment per blog, please. We'll announce the winners on Monday, June 1, right here on the blog. Become a follower of our blog or follow us by email to receive updates when we post something here. How easy is that? Have fun!

(Note: There are 13 stops in the hop, including this blog. You're not required to visit every stop on the hop to be eligible to win, but commenting on all the stops will increase your chances of winning. In case you click on a designer's link and you get a page/post not found error, just go to her main blog and scroll down to find the post for the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop. You can also go back here to our main blog; we'll update the links throughout the day.)

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Thanks for hopping along! Don't forget to comment on this post for the chance to win a $10 gift certificate to the shop! Check back again tomorrow at 7 a.m. PDT (GMT-7) for DAY TWO of the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop!

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FREE STENCIL on all orders! 

Just for our stencil blog hop participants, place an order (no minimum amount) in the shop between today and June 5 and get a free ARTplorations stencil! Just add products to your cart, including the stencil you want for free, and when you're ready to check out, use coupon code MAYSTENCILHOP. $5 (the price of the stencil) will be deducted from your total amount. Limit 1 free stencil per customer.

Claim your free stencil here. 

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{Inspiration Project Post #19)

Happy Monday, everyone! It's a super-exciting day here at STAMPlorations HQ because we've got another fun blog hop starting shortly. But first, we've got a fresh batch of cards from the STAMPlorations girls. If you're at all inspired by these cards, go ahead and CASE and share it with us!

New to CASEing? Here's the post that shows how the Inspiration Team CASEd our fabulous guest designer this month, Kim Makortoff. You can CASE Kim's card, CASE the card made by the team (CASE the CASE), case the cards in the Inspiration Project Post #16, Inspiration Project Post #17, Inspiration Project Post #18, or CASE one (or all) of the cards below. You could win a $15 gift certificate or your choice of 2 ARTplorations stencils :o)

  

    

New STAMP Lab Stamps + Memorial Day Free Worldwide Shipping Special!

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! We've added several new stamps to the STAMP Lab! We're making available large versions of the stamps in The Birds and the Blooms set, as well as other images. These large single stamps are perfect for non-card projects...or even for your larger cards! The hummingbird stamp, for example, is 4 inches wide by 2 7/8 inches tall. Check them out :o)

     

    

  

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Plus we're celebrating Memorial Day with a free worldwide shipping special. From now until May 31, all orders of $20 and up ship free worldwide! Just use the coupon code MEMORIALDAY on checkout.

If you're a stamp club subscriber, you get free worldwide shipping on orders of at least $15 + 15% off on all products on the shop! Simply use your personal discount coupon codes :o)



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Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

PS: Deepti has picked the two winners of her first stamp set, Blooming Buds! See her winners post here. 

PPS: On Monday, May 25, a small quantity of Blooming Buds will be available to buy, so check the shop bright and early then if you want to be among the first ones to snag this gorgeous set. (We are awaiting the rest of the shipment and will stock up on Deepti's first stamp set as soon as the shipment arrives.)

{Inspiration Project Post #18)

Happy Friday, fellow creatives! Ready for the long Memorial Day weekend? It's a day to remember and be thankful to the men and women who died in any war or military action. Perhaps you can squeeze in some crafting time, too! And we've got projects you can CASE :o)

New to CASEing? Here's the post that shows how the Inspiration Team CASEd our fabulous guest designer this month, Kim Makortoff. You can CASE Kim's card, CASE the card made by the team (CASE the CASE), case the cards in the Inspiration Project Post #16 and Inspiration Project Post #17, or CASE one (or all) of the cards below. You could win a $15 gift certificate or your choice of 2 ARTplorations stencils :o)

  

  
  

{Spotlight Project} Monika Creates a Snowdrop Inspired Card

Hi, everyone. It's Monika with the promised spotlight post, the one inspired by Snowdrop. You might have been wondering what I meant with this. Well, Snowdrop is a Mersey Ferry operating between the Wirral, where I live, and the city of Liverpool. Earlier this year, she was given a make-over by Sir Peter Blake turning her into a Dazzle Ship. You can see pictures and read all about it here.

I first saw Snowdrop with her new look when she was featured in my local evening news around the time Shery had given us a little preview of the Mixed Media Grunge set. That's when the idea for this card was born.

{Spotlight Project} Shirley Transforms a Circle Stamp

Apart from the sentiments, there's only one stamp in these two cards - the circle from the Retro Mod Shapes set. See it in the centre of the pack there?

Sketch #33 Winner and Top Picks + Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge Winners

We've got winners and top picks! Here are the top entries for Sketch #33:

STAMPlorations Sketch Challenge #33 Winner

# 4 Melissa L.

Congratulations, Melissa! Please grab your winner badge to display on your blog! We're looking forward to having you as a Guest Designer for Sketch Challenge #36!

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STAMPlorations Sketch Challenge #33 Top Picks

#1 Irena

#7 InvisiblePinkCards

Congratulations, ladies! Please grab your top pick badge to display on your blog! We're also looking forward to having you as Guest Designers for Sketch Challenge #36! If you would like to guest design, please email sheryruss@gmail.com and we'll send you the sketch + your personalized STAMPlorations guest designer watermark and badge. If you have STAMPlorations stamps, we'd love it if you'd use them in your GD project. If you don't have our images to use, we'll be happy to provide you with a digi stamp!

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Have you checked out our Never-Ending Anything Goes Challenge gallery lately? Pure eye candy! You guys really know how to rock STAMPlorations stamps and stencils! There are now 309 projects linked up so it's time to draw our two winners!

Congratulations to these two ladies. They each win their choice of one (1) 3x5 stamp set (found here) or a $10 gift certificate to the shop.

Winner #1

(randomly drawn from entries #1 to #250)

#147 ionabunny

Winner #2

(randomly drawn from entries #251 to #309)

#301 Melissa L.

Congratulations again, ladies! Please claim your prize by Wednesday, May 27. Send an email to sheryruss@gmail.com with the subject "Anything Goes Challenge winner". [Note: it is important that you include the subject line, as it will be filtered to a special folder on my inbox. This will ensure that I get your email.] Include your preferred prize ($10 gift certificate or one 3" by 5" stamp set) in your email.

Thanks, everyone! I hope you'll keep creating with STAMPlorations stamps and/or stencils and linking them up to our Anything Goes Challenge. We'll draw two winners again when there are 350 projects in the gallery.

And here's a heads up! Monday is the start of our second ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop! If you enjoyed the first stencil hop we did back in March, you're going to enjoy this one even more -- I can't wait to share the projects that the STAMPlorations girls made...they are AWESOME and guaranteed to inspire you to use your stencils! Plus -- get ready with your stencils because we're going to want you to join in on the fun as well and win prizes!

Check out the ARTplorations stencils in the shop!

{Spotlight Project} Cornelia is Rocking the Horse

Hi, Cornelia here sharing a fun action card with you today:

I am using the new set, HEAVEN SENT.

That little rocking horse just rocks - don't you think so? You'll see later on it really does. So, how did this card come together? I'll show you all the steps - not too many.

Bi-weekly Sketch Challenge #34

Welcome to our 34th bi-weekly sketch challenge! The STAMPlorations girls are back with wonderful inspiration projects and joining us is a wonderful guest designer!

Below is the sketch for the next couple of weeks. It’s open to interpretation. Feel free to change the orientation of the sketch, use different shapes, add other elements to suit the type of paper craft you’re making, and so on — just make we will be able to recognize the sketch in your submission(s).

{Spotlight Project} Shery Creates a Monochromatic One Layer Card

In less than a week, Mr. STAMPlorations and I will be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary. It'll be the last anniversary we'll celebrate with just the two of us :o) I thought I'd make him a simple masculine card and so I went monochromatic on this one layer card.

Introducing the Mixed Media Design Team!

Thank you to everyone who responded to the STAMPlorations Mixed Media Design Team call we put out in April.

With so many applications to sift through (a whopping 114!), it wasn't an easy task to pick the design team members. In order to come to a fair decision, I did blind judging. That is, I asked applicants to submit project photos without any watermark or identifying information to tell me who they are.

I'm proud to reveal the 7 talented ladies joining STAMPlorations. They officially start their term as mixed media design team members in July, and I'm excited to have them sharing their creativity and talents here on the STAMPlorations blog. Here they are. Please welcome each one of them and I hope you can stop by their blogs!

{Spotlight Project} Deepti Turns Into a Mixed Media Girl!

Hello, STAMPlorations friends! Deepti here and welcome to another spotlight feature. Today I am showcasing a mixed media card. It might look complex, but it's pretty fun and easy to make :)

Here's the finished card:

{PREVIEW] June/July 2015 Stamp Club Set - THE BIRDS AND THE BLOOMS

The days are passing by so quickly and June will be here before we know it! This means it'll soon be time for a new stamp club set. I'm excited to share a preview of The Birds and the Blooms!

THE BIRDS AND THE BLOOMS is a 5" by 7" stamp set that features 6 images that I illustrated and 8 sentiments in a calligraphy style that can be used to create a variety of projects, including cards, tags, toppers, journal spots, ATCs, and more. 

You've seen me hint at this set in this card I made a couple of weeks ago, as well as in my card here. Last week, Deepti created this card using the stamps as well, and she will be showcasing this set in her spotlight project later today. And on Friday, I've got a spotlight project featuring these stamps. And wait until you see the STAMPlorations girls take on these stamps! You'll soon be seeing their projects and you'll be inspired :o)

   

The Birds and the Blooms will be available to non-stamp club subscribers starting June 1. In addition, larger versions of the birds and the flowers are going to be available as singles in the STAMP Lab category. The larger images are perfect for non-card projects.

Beginning today, however, this set is available to current stamp club members; they can pick this set and have it shipped right away when their subscription renews.

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. In June, we're introducing a few changes to the shop and stamp club subscribers are going to enjoy even more perks :o)

If you're already a stamp club subscriber, thanks so much for your support! If your subscription is set to renew sometime later this month, you can pick The Birds and the Blooms instead of the current set, Mixed Media Grunge -- it's up to you!

Hope you're all having a fantastic week!