'Tis the Season to Be Thankful and Grateful -- New Gratitude-Themed Stamps and Dies Coming Soon to the Store + Comment to Win!

Well hello again, STAMPlorations friends! Wasn't it just a few days ago when you saw the graphic on the left in this post?

You're seeing her again because, well, we've got more new stamps...and dies...coming to the store soon -- like later this week!

I think of autumn/fall/November as the "Thankful/Grateful Season", not only because we in the US celebrate Thanksgiving in November, but as someone who lives in the valley where the temps go up to as high as 109F in the summer, I'm always very thankful when our average temps are finally in the 60s (high) and 40s (low). It means my little girls and I can spend more hours outside having fun :o)

Anyway, here's a preview of our upcoming gratitude-themed stamps and dies. They will be available in the store starting Thursday, October 25, and they will be 10% off until the end of November.

Make sure you read to the end of this post for a chance at winning our newest cover plate die and one of the new phrase dies!

{Mixed Media Tutorial} Melissa Does A Dragonfly Dance

[Shery's note: Less than a week before she passed away last October 2, Melissa had written this mixed media tutorial. She always worked ahead and had posts scheduled in advance. All of Melissa's mixed media tutorial can be found here. We are paying tribute to and celebrating her life in this post. I hope you can join us there after you've finished reading her last tutorial.]

Hi! Melissa here with a fun twist on a way to use a cover plate die. I used the CUTplorations Dragonfly Cover Plate Die for today's tutorial, but have used the Bloomtangled #1 Cover plate die in the same way previously. I used the die a sort of stencil/guide.

October Challenges Extra Projects -- Have You Played Yet?

Hey, guys! We're more than halfway through October. Have you played in our challenges yet? You have less than two weeks left to link up your projects.

Some of the STAMPgirls are sharing extra projects to give you a little nudge :o)

We have updated our challenge guidelines and are offering more prizes as well!

    

    

    

{SALE ALERT!} Coffee Lovers Weekend Sale -- Coffee-Themed Stamps, Stencils, and Dies are 30% Off!

Hey, STAMPlorations friends! We've got a weekend sale for all you coffee lovers out there!

For the next 3 days, coffee-themed stamps, stencils, and dies are 30% off*!

use code WEEKENDCOFFEE on checkout

no minimum purchase

current shipping rates apply

get free shipping when your order meets the minimum for your country

code WEEKENDCOFFEE can be used up to 3 times per customer/mailing address

code WEEKENDCOFFEE cannot be combined with other codes

If you're a stamp club subscriber, use code PREMIUM together with your personal discount coupon code for up to 40% off on all products, including stencils, stamp club sets, and new releases!

*Code PREMIUM will be active only from October 19-21 and cannot be used in conjunction with personal discount coupon codes outside of those dates.

GRAB COFFEE-THEMED PRODUCTS HERE

MELISSA LANE: A Tribute and Celebration of Life

Edited to add on 10/21: If you blog about your tribute card for Melissa, please DO NOT include my mailing address in your post. Link back to this post instead. It's because after October 31, I will remove my mailing address from this post + we may move eventually so I don't want this mailing address to be out there years later.

Thank you for being here and joining the STAMPlorations team in paying tribute to a talented cardmaker and crafter whose time here on earth was cut short last October 2. Melissa Lane was kind and giving; she was a devoted mother, a loving wife, and above all a servant of Jesus. 

Through this tribute, we would like Melissa's family to know how well-loved and admired and what an exceptional human being Melissa was. We hope that this tribute gives them some comfort and a little bit of joy amidst their huge loss.

Melissa created some of the most beautiful cards and mixed media projects in the two years that we were blessed to have her as part of our team. Below are only a few of what she made.

  

  

  

  

  

Melissa's projects were always full of color. They were vibrant, so full of life...and butterflies. She loved butterflies and so the team created butterfly cards in Melissa's memory. Melissa was part of another design team, AAA Cards, and the team is sharing their butterfly cards in this post.

SHERY
"Melissa was one of the few people I 'met' online whose love for Jesus was evident in everything she did. She was a blessing to me and my family. Many times she prayed on our behalf -- prayers that were heard and answered. I miss her and I'm saddened that she's no longer around to share her God-given talents. But I rejoice too because she's now resting in Jesus, His loving arms wrapped around her. I pray for comfort and peace for her husband Chris, their children, and all those who love Melissa."

JANE

"Sending love to Chris and family xx"

LAURAJANE

"Melissa was a blessing in so many ways and I often admired how easily she spoke about her faith. I thought of Melissa and her loved ones while worshiping the other day, singing Touch the Sky by Hillsong United."

KAROLA

"Melissa's gorgeous colourful creations have been a tremendous inspiration. Her art has brought joy and inspiration to so many people in the crafting community all over the world. I send this rainbow of butterflies along with my deepest condolences to Melissa's family."

DEEPTI

"Melissa, I miss you... Even though we never met or talked, you made an impact big enough in my life that I remember you every single day. Saying a little prayer for your family."

CRAFTY FIELD

"As a tribute to Melissa's life, I CASE'd one of her many beautiful cards. R.I.P Melissa, may you have Rainbow and Butterflies always with you."

JULIE

JERRIE

TANJA

MARIA

"An attempt to overcome the sadness that Melissa is no longer on this earth, but also to celebrate her love for this vibrant, colorful, blessed life."

ELAINE

MARILYNN

"I never got to meet with Melissa in this chapter of life but I know when I join her someday around the throne of Christ, I will recognize her. She was a wonderful artist and I enjoyed our online chats about God, family, music. Prayers for Melissa's friends and family. May God bring you comfort and joyful memories."

SANNA

HELEN

CAROL

"Just a note to say, Melissa, you are missed. Your creativity and sweet talents brought beautiful rainbows to many of my days. I wish I could have met you..."

SHIRLEY

CHRIS

INA

SUE

ASMAH

TENIA

"Melissa you were such an inspiration, Miss Lady. What a blessing you were to so many people. You will be missed. Much love."

GLORIA

LEE ANN

GWENDOLYN

MONIKA

Did you know Melissa? Perhaps you were on the same design team or you followed each other's blogs. Please join us in celebrating her life by creating a butterfly card in her memory. 

You may blog about the card you make as a tribute to her or not, but either way, please add your card to Melissa's Butterfly Gallery at the end of this tribute post. We'll keep the linky open until October 31.

Edited to add on 10/21: If you blog about your tribute card for Melissa, please DO NOT include my mailing address below in your post. Link back to this post instead. It's because after October 31, I will remove my mailing address from this post + we may move eventually so I don't want this mailing address to be out there years later.

(Current list of received cards are at the end of this post.)

Please also feel free to share how Melissa has touched your (crafting) life in some way in the comments.

Thank you again for being here to celebrate Melissa. The crafting community has lost a beautiful soul, and we are so glad that you could join us in paying tribute to one of our own.

MELISSA'S BUTTERFLY GALLERY

An InLinkz Link-up

Edited to add on 10/21: If you blog about your tribute card for Melissa, please DO NOT include my mailing address in your post. Link back to this post instead. It's because after October 31, I will remove my mailing address from this post + we may move eventually so I don't want this mailing address to be out there years later.

Edited to add on 10/30: I will be mailing the first batch of cards to Melissa's family on November 9. I will do a second mailing towards the end of November for other cards I'll receive after November 9.


Butterfly cards received as of 11/9:

1. L. B. from St. Louis, MO
2. S. H. from Renton, WA
3. L. G. from Surrey, UK
4. S. L. from Austria
5. D. M. from Broadview Heights, OH
6. E. A. from Greenbush, VA
7. M. D. from Memphis, MO
8. N. L. from Coos Bay, OR
9. J. M. from Cherry Hill, NJ
10. M. S. from Prenton, UK
11. P. K. from Alamogordo, NM
12. S. S. from Grand Rapids, MI
13. L. H. from Alhambra, IL
14. A. S. from Augusta, GA
15. L. T. from British Columbia, Canada
16. S. B. from Lancashire, UK
17. A. C. from McKinney, TX
18. B. Y. from Coconut Creek, FL
19. V. F. from Pottsboro, TX
20. No sender name on envelope from Germany
21. D. K. from Livermore, CA
22. L. M. from Newport News, VA
23. A. T. from Snoqualmie, WA
24. M. F. from Nierstein, Germany
25. G. S. from Clio, MI
26. B. H. from Jacksonville Beach, FL
27. S. S. from Mercersburg, PA
28. J. T. from Surrey, UK