Operation Write Home Bloghop 2014 (giveaways+ online sale + a quick coloring tutorial)

Hello friends and welcome to the Inspired Stamps blog for OWH's annual Memorial Day Bloghop!! 
As a company, this is our 3rd year participating so I know people want to see the artwork, see the store specials, comment for a chance at our giveaway and move on!  So I will just take a quick second to say, the reason this is so dear to my heart as the owner of Inspired Stamps, is because my husband has been a US Army soldier since we were married 25 years ago this year (making our family a military family for a very long time)!  I so appreciate what OWH does in sending our soldiers cards that we all make to encourage them and help keep them in touch with their loved ones!  What a wonderful service!!

I did a very QUICK tutorial (and several of our Design Team members have signed up for the blog hop too, so you'll see more Inspired Stamps as you continue hopping!) on how to color and cut out a character stamp to give it dimension!

Here is a quick coloring guide for 3 of our best-selling military stamp sets first:

                              Military Soldier (3"x4"), HLO:Soldier Boy (2"x3"), and HLO: Sailor (2"x3")

Here is what I did to make my card:
 I started by stamping the Inspired Stamp: His Little Ones: Soldier Boy twice.  Then I colored using Copics and cut out the pieces I wanted to 'pop' in dimension:

Deciding what I wanted to be in back, I numbered to the side.  So after I color the uncolored stamped image of HLO: Soldier Boy ALL IN BLACK (so it just shows a silhouette of his shape), I glued each piece on the other colored sided down, using popdots starting with 1 and going to 5.  His pants were glued directly to the place where the pants are on the blacked out side. Then I used one pop dot to give some height to his jacket and one pop dot each to his shoes.  Then two pop dots to put his head on; Then 3 popdots so his hat would stand out a little more from his head.  MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THIN POP DOTS or you'll see too much of the white popdots (I like to color mine black on the sides to help with this):

I also use a black marker around the edges of each piece to make it look better:

 Here is the OWH card sketch I used followed by my card:

 GIVEAWAY:  We are giving away 10--$10 store credits to 10 randomly selected commenters from today's post. You have through Thursday, MAY 29th midnight EST to leave us a comment and be entered to win!  Come back FRIDAY to see if your comment was chosen and claim your prize!!

**WE ARE HAVING A STORE-WIDE SALE IN OUR ONLINE STORE NOW THROUGH FRIDAY!!  HEAD OVER AND CHECK OUT OUR CLEAR STAMPS**

WWW.INSPIREDSTAMPS.COM 

ALL ORDERS PLACED THIS WEEKEND WILL BE SHIPPED FIRST THING 

TUESDAY MORNING!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  We'd love to have you join us regularly by following our blog post, facebook page and pinterest boards!

CLICK THE OWH PHOTO BELOW TO GO ON HOPPING:

http://wp.me/p2kUr6-4o6 

 

Blessings,

Antoinette and the Inspired Stamps Team

Background Paper TUTORIAL: Operation WRITE HOME bloghop + SALE + Giveaway!!

Hello friends!  I am SO EXCITED it's the Operation Write Home BLOG HOP weekend!  Having been the very blessed wife to my Army husband for the past 24 years, and raised 2 children through several years worth of deployments, moved 18 times in 24 years of marriage, and been enriched through lots of travel and amazing friendships with other military families...I truly have a sweet spot in my heart for all military and their families! I love that OWH has stepped in and provided such a wonderful service.  And without further ado, we shall begin our celebration.

In honor of this weekend, the military, and this blog hop, all of the INSPIRED STAMPS military/Independence category stamps are ALREADY marked down for you!  You can shop at:  www.inspiredstamps.com this weekend and get these great deals to make your own cards to send off to our troops!  We will have ALL orders placed this weekend out the next business day in the mail!


We are also having a  Giveaway:

WIN THE 'More Perfect Sentiments' clear stamp set
 and our His Little Ones: Soldier Boy!  Just leave us a comment by Monday noon and we'll choose some winners for these stamp sets!!  Winner announced in Monday night's post here and on our FACEBOOK page (come like us!)
   

Here is the tutorial followed by the cards:
To make the background paper:
1.  RANDOMLY stamp your largest image, trying to make a 'triangle' each time you have your stamp down.  So here is the first set of 3 I stamped in a triangle manner using a stamp from the Psalm 91 Protection stamp set:

 Then using 2 of the 3 stars I stamped as my guide I add another stamped star (notice those 3 stars also make a 'triangle' shape)

 Keep stamping until you have your entire piece of paper (6x6 here) stamped.  It looks best if some of the stamps are partly off the paper:

 Next I took the 3 stars from the same stamp set and arranged them like so.  I again will stamp the paper using somewhat of a triangle stamping formation to keep it looking even:

 The 3rd stamp is your smallest and it gets to 'fill in' the areas that are left:

 2.  NEXT:  you will need sticky notes.  I use a triangle form, but you could use squares, circles, hexagons, whatever you like.  I use these as masks (meaning they are giving me a line I want and keeping the ink off the rest of the paper:

 I sponge tea dye first, then the walnut stain only on the edges of the sticky paper.  Start sponging on the sticky paper and move into your triangle to get a smoother sponging!

 When I remove the sticky notes, this is what I have:

Using one of the sides of the above inked triangle as my guide, I set up another triangle with sticky notes:

 Below I show you that the sticky note that is slightly raised leaves a little white off of the edge of the sticky note so that there will be some white lines in between each triangle:

I finished triangle #2 with the white line.  If you smudge (you can see one of mine in this shot below), no big deal, just make sure that gets ink when you set up the sticky note triangle that covers it:

 Here's an edge further into the inking:

 And the sides I put the sticky note off the paper so that it will get sponged too:

 Here is my handmade background paper using only Inspired Stamps and Distress Inks.  You can do this is ANY color (reds or greens at Christmas; pastels in spring; blues, etc):

 3.  Cut your paper based on what you need,  I made 2 cards using this 6x6 background piece and the OWH SKETCH #96 for this one ...INK THE EDGES OF EVERYTHING YOU CUT!! 

 (and Sketch #42 for the next one)

I used Copic Markers shown below for the His Little Ones Characters (HLO: Soldier with helmet and HLO: Soldier Boy): E 33 & 37 for the uniforms and one pair of boots, E 30, 34, 55, and YR17(not shown) for the hair;  E000, 01, and 02 for the skin; C8 & C2 for the 'black' boots (not shown) 

 The text on each is from the MORE PERFECT SENTIMENTS stamp set.

I created this guideline you can use for other soldier coloring:

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

May God bless you!
Antoinette and all of us at Inspired Stamps

www.inspiredstamps.com

Now be sure leave us a comment to be entered in our giveaway before you head over to see the rest of the amazing blog hop:
OPERATION WRITE HOME BLOG HOP...CLICK HERE

What's YOUR Card-making style? Giveaway +Intro new DT!!

Hello friends!
I am thrilled to introduce the 2012 Fall/Winter Design Team to you!  We have 4 new DT members we have added to the 7 DT members from Spring/Summer DT.  They were all asked to describe their cardmaking style, and we want to hear from YOU!  So be sure to share YOUR cardmaking style as you welcome our new FALL/WINTER Design Team in a comment...we'll choose someone to win a $10 store credit!  You have until Sunday midnight to leave your comment! (The DT links to their blogs can be found on the left side of the Inspired Stamps blog, or by clicking on the link I place with each DTs name)

Above is FABI's fabulous card!  She is one of our brand new members of our team!  She describes her style this way:  "This is completely my style, I love layers and layers of paper, flowers, anything I can put on my card I do it =0)"  How beautiful her style is!! WELCOME FABI!!

Next, I want to introduce you to:
DeNetra who describes her style this way:  My style is a "all or nothing, Shabby chic" kind of style. I love adding flowers and pearls. I love it, super dimensional and adding little surprise details...

 Gorgeous work, DeNetra!! WELCOME TO THE TEAM!!:

Our next introduction is for:
 Leesa who describes her style this way: My style would very much have to be shabby chic / vintage beautiful. I always like to try and include hand stitching, flowers, pearls, beads, posh pins, ribbon and lace and I just adore using sentiments.

 SOOO beautiful!! WELCOME Leesa!

Our last new introduction is...
Patty!!  Patty describes her style as: Me Cardmaking style is very clean and simple, I love clear white base and bright colors on stamps use... not so much elements on cards!! I love simplicity but elegant!!

Absolutely GORGEOUS!  WELCOME PATTY!!!

Our next introductions are really reintroductions of 7 wonderful designers who have blessed us for months!!
Anita describes her style as: This fits my style of keeping it clean while adding some embellishments. HLO praying girl is one of my favorites because it reminds me of my daughter. It has two of my favorite things to add to cards which are glitter and ribbon...

So cute, Anita!  WELCOME BACK!

Belinda describes her style as: I would have to label my style "eclectic". I love it all:whimsy, shabby chic, elegant. I really try to tailor the card to the recipient, this one is for a teenage girl.

So sweet, Belinda!  WELCOME BACK! (Belinda has been with us since we started an Inspired Stamps Design Team! She is our longest serving Design Team member and we just want to give her a special THANK YOU today!!)

Chere describes her style as: My style is clean and simple. I love making feminine cards with ribbons and flowers. I love to color and I don't mind a bit of fussy cutting if that is what the card needs.

So LOVELY, Chere!!  WELCOME BACK!

Gaby describes her style as:  My style is natural. You'll be hard-pressed to find a card by me without Kraft paper or natural twine. I do dabble in the CAS style, but also enjoy layers with die cuts, too. And I love my Copics!

Stunning, Gaby! WELCOME BACK!

Jamie describes her style as:  This fits my style because I love bright colors, sparkle and candy.

 So FUN, Jamie!  WELCOME BACK!

Jenn describes her style as:  My style is eclectic, leaning toward clean & simple. my mood lately has been, quick & easy. These two cards display my simple cards. though the more I think about it I probably should also do a card with paper piecing & handmade flowers.

 Striking cards, Jenn!  WELCOME BACK!

And last, but CERTAINLY NOT LEAST...
Kary describes her style like this:  I love colouring images and flowers, and I love to use die-cuts on my cards and patterned papers...

Spectacular card, Kary!!  WELCOME BACK!!

I am humbled by the talent and the sweet hearts of the women on this Design Team!!  NEXT WEEK IS SNEAK PEEK WEEK, and you will not BELIEVE the GORGEOUS creations these talented ladies have prepared for you!!  Be sure to come back Monday to see our first Sneak Peek artwork!! There will be DAILY giveaways!

speaking of GIVEAWAYS...
Leave a comment welcoming the Design Team and share how you would describe YOUR card-making style...If you share about our new DT and Giveway, be sure anyone who comes from your blog or facebook page mentions YOU sent them here.  If THEIR post is chosen to win the prize, YOU will win it too!!  You have through midnight SUNDAY!!
Have a blessed weekend!
~Antoinette and the DT
www.inspiredstamps.com   We ship orders the SAME DAY most orders are placed!

Welcome Gaby and Anita!! February Favorites: Characters! + GIVEAWAY!

Hello friends!

We have 2 new Design Team members:  Please welcome Anita and Gaby to our design team!  We are blessed to have these two very talented lovers of Inspired Stamps creating for us! February is all about our February Favorites and today we are focusing on some of the favorite Characters!  Above, Kary has done a fabulous job showcasing HLO:  Girl Studying!  Look below to see more of the artwork done by the design team and be sure to LEAVE A COMMENT ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE INSPIRED CHARACTER STAMP USED TODAY...we will choose one of the comments at random to win the stamp they liked best in this post!

Kary's entire card:

Anita's first DT Post using HLO: Girl Studying!!:

 Gaby's first DT post using Mark's Present!!:

Belinda used HLO: Sailor!

Jamie used Mark's Present!

Chere used HLO: Girl Studying!

Don't forget to leave your comment on which of these favorite characters is YOUR favorite by Sunday midnight...we will choose a winner and announce them on Monday :o)

Have a great weekend!

Blessings,

Antoinette

www.inspiredstamps.com    Shipping most orders the same day they are placed!