Creative Tip of the Day: Spot Coloring with Selective Die Cutting

Welcome back to our series where we revisit classic projects from our talented design team! Whether you're a long-time fan or a new follower, these bite-sized tips are designed to spark your creativity and help you get the most out of your STAMPlorations supplies.

Today, we're looking at a stunning clean and simple card by Monika Skinner. She demonstrates how a small focused area of color can make a massive impact against a black-and-white background.

The Technique: Spot Coloring on Die Cuts 

Creative Tip of the Day: Selective Coloring with Cover Plates

Today, we’re featuring a vibrant, graphic card by Deepti Malik. If you've ever looked at an intricate cover plate die and wondered how to make it the star of your card rather than just a background, this selective coloring technique is for you! 🌸✨

🌟 Selective Coloring with Cover Plates 🎨✨

Are your cover plate dies just collecting dust because you think they can only be used for one-dimensional backgrounds? Deepti is here to change your mind! Her Zen Doodled Birthday Cake card uses the intricate lines of the cover plate as a built-in coloring book. By selectively coloring through the die-cut, she created a bold, graphic focal point that is perfect for any celebration.

Creative Tip of the Day: Two Ways to Layer Clear Stickers

Today's creative tip features a card by Helen Gullett. She demonstrates how versatile clear stickers can be. Whether you want a seamless, flat border or a popped-up focal point, clear stickers are the ultimate multi-tasking tool for your stash. 🌸✨

🌟 Two Ways to Layer Clear Stickers 🎨✨

Clear stickers are a staple for a reason -- they offer a crisp, professional look with zero bulk. In her latest card, Helen shows us how to use them for both background texture and as a dimensional focal point on the very same project.

Creative Tip of the Day: Selective Inking with Geometric Stencils

We're back with another Creative Tip of the Day, where we take a closer look at the clever techniques the STAMPgirls use to bring their projects to life. Today, we’re revisiting a beautiful card by Monika that perfectly balances bold geometric patterns with delicate florals. Whether you're looking to refresh your layout skills or find new ways to use your favorite stencils, this "spotlight" technique is a wonderful one to have in your creative toolkit. 🌸✨

Coffee & Creativity: A Caffeinated Showcase with Monika Skinner

If you're a fan of cozy cafes and the rich aroma of freshly roasted beans, you’re going to love our featured projects today. STAMPgirl Monika Skinner has been busy in her craft room, and she'll share with us how versatile The Coffee House collage papers can be. From home decor pieces to elegant cards, these papers offer the perfect blend of watercolor illustrations and high-texture patterns to ground any design. ☕✨

Coffee Bean Heart Coaster

Beyond the Brush: Building Depth with Inks and Acrylics 🎨✨

Ever wonder how to build a vibrant, multi-layered background without losing that "artistic" edge? It’s all about the order of your mediums! Today Shery shares the process of building this high-contrast look using calligraphy inks and acrylics. 🌟

👉 [Watch the Process Video on Instagram Here]

🌟 Transparent to Opaque Layering

Monday Inspiration: April Challenge Reminder 🎨✨

The month is flying by, but there's still plenty of time to get your creative juices flowing and enter our April Anything Goes Challenge! Whether you’re into cardmaking, mixed media, or journaling, we’d love to see your makes!

To help spark some inspiration, the STAMPgirls have put together a gallery of projects. From vintage coffee vibes to bright botanical layers, there is something for everyone in this lineup.

Take a look at these stunning ideas and then head over to the challenge page to link up your own creation!

Jane created a vintage, layered look by pairing Faded Botanical collage papers with a beautifully colored cup of roses centerpiece. The die-cut sentiment adds a clean, elegant finish to this soft floral design.

Chris showcases the versatility of The Coffee House collage papers by fussy-cutting the images and adhering them to a paper bag. It's a quick and stylish way to add a custom touch to your packaging!

Tanja's cheerful card features a whimsical cupcake die-cut. Paired with a sentiment, it’s a perfectly sweet and playful celebratory layout.

Sanna builds incredible texture using Ephemeral Edges collage paper as a rugged foundation for her focal point. The bright pops of color bring a fresh, modern energy to the finished piece.

Maria featured a clever design by die-cutting Coffee Tiles ephemera with the frap-shaped die, placing three along the side of her Retro People ATC. Topped with a sentiment, it’s a perfectly coordinated vintage look.

Monika used a stencil to add movement to her background before layering a vibrant Color Me Spring ATC. The intricate Bloomdala Bliss Felicity die-cuts and the hugs die-cut create a striking, high-contrast focal point.

Vicki's card highlights the variety in the Retro Coffee Signs ATCs by arranging them in a clean, balanced grid. The addition of the Coffee Fix phrase die pulls the whole caffeinated theme together perfectly.

Sue used a stencil to create a rhythmic, colorful vertical border that anchors her design. A trio of stamped butterflies adds a sense of light and airy movement as they "climb" alongside the thoughtful sentiment.

CraftyField's card features an artsy abstract card front as a bold base, topped with a coordinated Color Me Spring ATC. A skinny sentiment die-cut provides a professional finish to this edgy layout.

🏆 Join the Fun & Win!

Ready to share your masterpiece? We can’t wait to see it! Entering is easy, and you could win some sweet STAMPlorations prizes. 🎁🎉

👉 [Click Here to Enter the
April Anything Goes Challenge]

Make sure to link up your projects before the end of the month. Happy crafting! ✂️💖

Creative Tip of the Day: Mixing Media with Coloring Pages

Last month, we started a new series of Creative Tip of the Day posts on Instagram featuring classic projects by our amazing STAMPgirls In that series, we break down a beautiful project into simple, actionable steps, providing that quick spark of inspiration you need to get creating! Starting today, we're bringing these tips to the blog so they have a permanent home for you to reference whenever you’re at your craft desk.

Today, we are diving into a vibrant, multi-layered masterpiece by STAMPgirl Maria Fischer. Maria shows us how to elevate a coloring book page by treating it as a piece of artistic patterned paper rather than just a canvas to be filled.

Monika Captures Coastal Memories with Botanical Beats 🌊🌸

Welcome back to the blog! Today, we're sharing a super-cool mini album project by Monika that perfectly blends travel memories with artistic layers. If you’ve been looking for a way to document your favorite getaways, this project is sure to inspire you! 🎨✨

A Look Into Monika’s Botanical Mini Album

Monika took us on a virtual trip to the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales through her beautiful handmade mini album. Using the bold blooms and butterfly imagery from the Botanical Beats collage paper pack, she created a vibrant backdrop for her personal photos. 🦋📸

Here are the highlights of her coastal-inspired creation:

Blooming with Inspiration: Quick & Easy Florals with Stephanie 🌸✨

Hello, STAMPfriends! We're happy to share more spring inspiration from our guest designer, Stephanie Severin. Today, Stephanie is showcasing how you can create professional-looking, art-focused cards in no time using our Quick Cards #3: Spring Florals A2 Card Fronts.

These card fronts are the perfect solution for when you want to send a handmade hug but are short on time. They are also the star of the show for our subscription services! Whether you're looking for a little monthly treat with our Card Fronts VIP Subscription (you pick 1 set every month) or you want the full creative buffet with the Paper Goods VIP Subscription (you pick any 4 paper goods like card fronts, ATCs, ephemera, collage papers, or colorables), we’ve got a plan to keep your stash stocked and your creativity flowing. 💌🎨

🌼 Wild and Free Florals

Subscription Ambassador Open Call: Join the STAMPlorations Team!

Hi, STAMPfriends! I'm so excited to announce an open call for Subscription Ambassadors at STAMPlorations! I'm looking for a handful of US-based creative storytellers to join us for a 3-month term to showcase our unique Pick-Your-Stash subscription model.

While I love a good mystery surprise (like our $20 Mystery Grab Bags filled with at least $50 worth of STAMPlorations products), I believe that for a monthly subscription, the customer should be the designer. I'm looking for ambassadors who can show our community how fun it is to hand-pick a custom stash that fits their specific style.

Please note: While this is an ongoing open call, I may pause accepting applications once I have received a sufficient number of responses. If the form is closed, please check back at a later date, as I may re-open it as our team needs grow!

The Details

• Term: 3 Months (with the option to continue after the term ends).
  
  
• Creative Credit: You will receive 3 months’ worth of your chosen subscription plan (Paper Goods, Stencils, Slimline Stencils, or Clear Stickers).
  
  
• Bonus Stash: You’ll also get $30 in additional store credit to pick the stamps, dies, or paper packs that best complement your subscription projects.
  
  
• VIP Perk: A personal 50% discount code for your own shop use for a full 6 months.

Expectations

• Share the Process: Every two weeks, share 2-3 high-quality projects using the items you hand-picked for the month.
  
  
• Tell the Story: Help your audience understand why you chose those specific items and how they work together.
  
  
• Mail Day Magic: Share a quick "Mail Day" photo or story when your custom selection arrives!
  
  
• Branding: Add the provided STAMPlorations watermark to all project photos to help us maintain a consistent look.

Ready to Apply? 

Fill out the application form here: 

STAMPlorations Subscription Ambassador Application

I can't wait to see your "Pick-Your-Stash" style!

Sue Finds Her Creative Rhythm with Botanical Beats 🌸🎶

Hello, STAMPfriends! We're back with some stunning inspiration from the talented Sue Nagata. Today, Sue is taking us on a floral journey using one of our favorite collections: the Botanical Beats collage papers. This pack is a beautiful symphony of vintage music scores, delicate blooms, and fluttering butterflies -- the perfect foundation for cards that feel both artistic and soulful. Let’s take a look at how Sue used these papers in three different ways! 🎨✨

1. Grateful Blooms in Pink 🌷

🌸 Spring Cleaning Blowout: Help Us Clear the Studio!

 

STAMPlorations is officially doing some Spring Cleaning! I’ve been back in the studio since November, and while it’s been wonderful to see familiar names in my order list, I still have thousands of stamps and dies in inventory.

I need help clearing the shelves so I can bring you the new designs I've been working on. This is our biggest studio cleanup yet -- most of the clear stamps will be retired once they sell out!

A Quick Note on our Inventory

As many of you know, this inventory waited for me while I focused on my treatments and recovery. Because of that time in storage, some clear stamps have a slight cosmetic yellowing or may arrive in "bare" packaging (clear backing and cover without printed labels).

I’ve tested these sets personally: the stamped quality is still perfectly crisp. They are "imperfect" only in looks, but 100% perfect in performance. Thank you for helping me make room for a fresh start!

Spring Cleaning Deals (Applied Automatically!)

• 🔥 40% OFF | All 3x5 Stamp Sets

• ✨ BUY 3, GET 1 FREE | Word & Phrase Dies

• 🎨 BUY 3, GET 1 FREE | Stencils & Clear Stickers

• 📐 BUY 1, GET 1 50% OFF | All Other Dies (Cover Plates, Tags/Nesting, & Miscellaneous)

• 🌸 15% OFF | All Other In-Stock Clear Stamps (Studio Clearance)

The "Spring Cleaning" Checklist

Looking for the best way to bundle and save? Here are some of my top picks for this sale:

1. The Sentiment Stash: Grab 4 word dies like the Amazing word die, Celebrate Big phrase die, Grateful word die, and Merry and Bright phrase die -- you'll only pay for 3!

2. The Die-Cutting Duo: Put the Bloomtangled #1 and Bloomtangled #2 Cover Plates in your cart and one of them is 50% off! Or you can never have too many tag dies -- put the Stitched Tags Nesting Dies and the Manila Tags Nesting Dies and the latter is 50% off.

3. The Sticker Stock-Up: Use our Clear Sticker Packs for instant, mess-free spring journaling and card accents.

📸 Show Us Your Spring Haul!

I want to see what you’re making with these studio treasures! When your happy mail arrives, snap a photo and share it on Instagram.

• Post your haul or your finished project

• Tag @stamplorations

• Use the hashtag #STAMPlorationsSpringClean

Thank you for helping me tidy up the studio and start this new season with a clean slate. Happy crafting!

March Winners

It's time to announce winners of the March ATG challenge, as well as winners of the Spring Coffee Hop Collab with the Coffee Loving Papercrafters and winners drawn from blog posts and IG posts that were published throughout the month. All the winners were randomly chosen by Random.org.

🌟 Creative Tip of the Day: Happy Mail Savings 🎨✨

Ever feel like you’re waiting for a spark to start your next project? The best way to keep your creativity flowing is to have fresh supplies delivered right to your door! 📮💖

I’ve made it easier than ever to join our crafty family. I just added first-month-off codes to all our subscription plans -- you can find them right under the red "Subscribe" button!

How to Get Happy Mail

1️⃣ Visit STAMPlorations: Head to the Subscriptions section. 

2️⃣ Choose Your Spark: Pick from Stencils, Paper Goods, Clear Stickers, Card Fronts, or ATCs. 

3️⃣ Grab Your Code: Look for the text right under the subscribe button (like the one in the photo below). 

4️⃣ Save at Checkout: Enter your code and get ready for your first package of goodies. ✂️✨

Why We Love It

✨ Huge Value: For example, the Slimline Stencil sub gives you a $27 value + free shipping for just $17 your first month!

✨ Monthly Bonus: Every Slimline Stencil shipment includes a surprise mini stencil/mask. And that goes with the other subscriptions too -- there is an extra in every shipment! 🎁 

✨ Zero Stress: You pick the products you want from the collection each month.

Question of the Day

If you could only pick ONE for your next project, which product in our subscriptions would you use -- stencils, card fronts, ATCs, clear stickers, or collage paper? Let me know below! 👇

Retro Vibes & Bold Abstracts: Creating High-Impact Cards with Paper Goods 🌸🎨

Hello, STAMPfriends! Today we’re shining a spotlight on some vibrant, mixed-media inspiration from the talented Stephanie Severin. If you love the look of bold abstracts and vintage vibes but want to save time on the "messy" parts, you are going to love how Stephanie combined our pre-printed paper goods with classic stamps. These projects perfectly showcase how our Paper Goods Subscription can jumpstart your layout and let you get straight to the fun part -- assembling and embellishing! 🌸🎨

1. Be Creative Retro Camera Card

Springtime Inspiration: Beautiful New ATC Projects by Ina Grehan 🌸✨

Hello, STAMPfriends! We're back with more gorgeous inspiration, this time from the wonderful Ina Grehan. Ina has been working her magic with two of our newest releases: Color Me Spring and Whimsical Homes. These ATCs are so versatile, and Ina shows us exactly how to layer them with stencils, stamps, and dies to create cards with incredible depth and texture. Let’s take a closer look at her beautiful designs! 🎨💖

1. Bloom & Grow with Triple the Florals 🌷🌿

{APRIL 2026 CHALLENGE} Anything Goes

Welcome back to the blog, everyone! It’s officially a new month, which means it’s time to kick off our April Anything Goes Challenge. The gallery last month had an incredible variety and creativity, and we can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on as we head into the heart of spring.

Winners will be revealed on the 10th, so mark your calendars and check back to see if you’ve won.

As the name suggests, anything goes for this challenge -- whether you’re making cards, mixed media pieces, art journal pages, or ATCs, we want to see it! This is the perfect time to experiment with that new technique you’ve been eyeing or to finally ink up those stamps that have been waiting on your desk. There are no limits, just pure creative freedom.

To get your inspiration flowing, the STAMPgirls have put together some stunning projects to share with you. 

Blooming Creativity: Sue’s Stunning Spring ATC Cards 🌸✨

Hello, crafty friends! We're excited to share some gorgeous inspiration from the talented Sue Nagata. Today, She's sharing projects using our new spring ATCs -- Retro Femme, Whimsical Homes, and Color Me Spring. Whether you love vintage vibes, cozy illustrations, or classic florals, these mini works of art are perfect for quick cards that pack a punch. Let’s dive into Sue’s stunning designs! 🎨💖

1. Believe in Retro Style 🕶️🦋

More Spring Inspiration with Shirley Featuring Our New ATC Packs 🌸✨

We have Shirley today sharing some more spring inspiration featuring our new spring-themed ATC packs. If you love quick yet stunning projects, you’re going to adore our new Artist Trading Card (ATC) paper goods: Whimsical Homes, Color Me Spring, and Retro Femme. 🎨

Shirley has perfectly demonstrated how these pre-printed ATC packs can be the star of the show with just a few simple stamped or die-cut additions. Let’s dive into her beautiful creations! ✂️

✨ Spring Into Creativity: Stunning New ATC Projects by Jane 🎨🌸

We're back to share another burst of spring inspiration on the blog today! The talented Jane Tyrrell has been busy at work with our brand-new spring ATC packs, and she has created three breathtaking cards that show just how versatile these mini pieces of art can be. From retro vibes to whimsical homes, these projects are sure to get your creative juices flowing! 🖌️✨

ARTplorations Stencils Are Back! Shop Stencils + Buy 3 Get 1 Free + A Giveaway! 🎨✨

I'm excited to announce that ARTplorations stencils are officially back in the store. I know many of you have been waiting to get your hands on your favorite patterns, and they are all ready for you to browse right now. 🖌️

You can find the full collection here: stamplorations.com/stencils

To celebrate their return, I'm running a special offer: Buy 3, Get 1 Free! 🎁 Just put any 4 ARTplorations stencils in your cart, and the lowest-priced one will automatically become $0. It's the perfect time to grab those designs you've had your eye on. 🛒✨

Never Miss a Design with Our Stencil Subscriptions 📅📬

If you love stencils as much as I do, you definitely want to check out our two subscription services. It’s the best way to grow your collection automatically:

• Stencil Subscription: Get a curated selection (yours -- because you pick what you want!) of our classic ARTplorations stencils delivered straight to your door. 🏠💌
  
  
• Slimline Stencil Subscription: Perfect for those of you who love the popular slimline card format! 📏🌸

Free Worldwide Shipping on Subscriptions! 🌍✈️

I want everyone, everywhere to be able to create with ARTplorations stencils. That’s why we offer free worldwide shipping on all our stencil subscription services. No matter where you are in the world, you can join the fun without worrying about extra shipping costs. 📮💖

🎉 APRIL GIVEAWAY: Win Your Favorite Stencil! 🎉

To make their return even more fun, I’m hosting a giveaway all through the month of April! I’ll be picking one winner every week to win their favorite ARTplorations stencils.

How to Enter:

1. Head over to the Stencils section in the store.
2. Pick out your absolute favorite in-stock stencil design.
3. Come back here (and to this Instagram post) and leave a comment telling me which ONE you picked! (Don't specify more than one stencil.)

The Details: I will draw one winner each week from all the comments left on the blog and on Instagram. Winners will be announced on 🗓️ April 8, 15, 22, and 29 in this post, so check back on those dates to see if your name was picked.

April 8 winner: TEE (blog comment)

April 15 winner: momnchickies (IG comment)

April 22 winner: robyntrimble (IG comment)

April 29 winner: [Your name could be here]

I can’t wait to see which designs are your favorites! Happy crafting! :o)

✨ Holiday Magic: Quick and Festive Cards with Stephanie 🎨🎄

Happy Wednesday! Today, we're thrilled to feature Stephanie Severin's awesome work of Stephanie Severin. 🌟 Stephanie is here to show us how to create stunning, high-impact holiday cards using STAMPlorations paper goods. Her projects are a perfect showcase for our three subscription clubs: Paper Goods, ATC, and Card Fronts. 📦✨