Wednesday, October 31, 2012

OWLS sneak peek + giveaway!




Helooooooooooo Friends!
Today we have Jamie making us some very cute cards with our new OWL set that will be coming out on Friday (Whoooooooooooooooo's excited?  I AM!)!  The colorable words from this set are so much fun to match ANY card's colors that you are making!  Here's another one she used with one of our PERFECT SENTIMENTS:  CHRISTMAS set:
Thanks for some very cute cards, Jamie!!

LEAVE US A COMMENT about this set and your comment could be chosen to win a $10 store credit (winner announced Friday with the New Releases!).

Monday's winner of the THINKING OF YOU GIRL set is...
MB ISAAC wrote...very cute! I love the stamps. I don't have anything like these in my collection!
Congratulations!  Email us your mailing address at inspiredstamps@gmail.com and we'll get your set out to you on Friday!

Have a great day and don't forget to come back on THURSDAY for one of my favorite sets SNEAK PEEK!!  FRIDAY all the sets will be live in the online store for you to purchase!

Blessings,
Antoinette
www.inspiredstamps.com    COUPON EXPIRES MIDNIGHT OCT 31:

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

SNOWMEN sneak peek #6 + giveaway! 40% off coupon expires WED MIDNIGHT

Hello friends!

Time for a little WINTER INSPIRATION with the newest SNOWMEN release!  I can not wait for FRIDAY, NOV 2, for you to get to see this entire set, but until then, Belinda did a fabulous job of showcasing a couple of the snowmen and one of the colorable words in this set:
How cute is THAT?  I know this will be a very popular set...great job, Belinda!

LEAVE US A COMMENT for a chance to win a $10 store credit to the online store!  We'll draw our winner on Thursday's post!

Have you used your 40% off coupon code yet?  This expires WEDNESDAY MIDNIGHT:

Thanks so much for joining us today!  Be sure to come back tomorrow for ANOTHER new release Sneak Peek!!
Blessings,
Antoinette

Monday, October 29, 2012

Sneak Peak 5: thinking about you girl + giveaway

Hello and welcome to SNEAK PEEK # 5:  Thinking about you girl  which will be in the Inspired Stamps store THIS FRIDAY!  Chere did a FABULOUS job with this set!!  Here's her full card:
Leave us a COMMENT below and we'll choose one on WEDNESDAYS POST to win THIS SET!!

2 Winners of $10 store credit from last week's commenters are:
Very nice & of course the sentiment is perfect! :) ~Scrapclosetotheheart
and
Abigail reminds me of a big rag doll I once made. I used graph paper to enlarge the pattern. She was 36" tall. Your little darling will bring much joy. Giving thanks in everthing,
Carole Bisson

Congrats Scrapclosetotheheart AND Carole Bisson!!  Email me after you register in the online store!  I need your name and email you register under and I'll get those credits right in!  inspiredstamps@gmail.com

See you tomorrow for another sneak peek!
Antoinette
www.inspiredstamps.com

Friday, October 26, 2012

12 Days of Christmas Tutorials: Gaby's travel mug

Hello Friends!  Today is Week #4 of our 12 Weeks of Christmas Tutorials and GABY has created something anyone would love to receive as a gift!  Here's Gaby's tutorial...

OK, bloggers. I get a wee bit out of my comfort zone when I'm not making a card or scrapbook page, but here's my go at making a custom travel mug. Also, please excuse the blurriness of some of the photos, I have a three year old iPhone 3gs that desperately needs to be upgraded. lol My DSLR camera would have been too bulky in my tiny little craft nook. Also, photographing shiny cylindrical things is hard! ;)
I first ordered this travel mug from Amazon.com. It came with a black background for the customizable bit, but because I was using washi tape, I needed a white background. Also, they don't give you too much room for bulk, so I used thin printer paper. Card stock wouldn't be pliable enough and it also would have added too much bulk.


Here's a picture of me holding down the black paper that came with the mug because it was already bent into the shape of the mug from being inside it for so long. I held it down with one hand and with the other I used my trusty Hello Kitty pencil and traced its outline on the thin white printer paper. Once traced, I cut it out.
You're going to want to make sure your new paper fits after you've cut it, adjust as needed.
Then I lined the paper, starting in the center, with washi tape in a diagonal.
I stamped out Inspired Stamps' Christmas Poinsettia stamp and began coloring it with two different Copic colors. I use this line coloring (I have no idea if that's the official name) technique when coloring: it gives some dimension and depth.
Then I blend another lighter color (I used peach) to blend them all together. Later I go back and add some more dimension with a darker color, then blend again with the lightest color.
Here's the Poinsettia inside the mug acting as the seem holder.
The left side of the photo (my adorable husband and kitty), the Merry part of the sentiment at the bottom of the photo, and the Poinsettia.
The right side of the photo (me and our shiba inu), the Christmas part of the sentiment, and the other side of the Poinsettia. I hope you liked my tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. Please come check out next week's tutorial on Friday on the Inspired Stamps Blog. Also, there are a lot of giveaways this week and the next with the sneak peek of the new releases happening, be sure to check it out! AND there's a 40% off your most expensive item in your order, with no minimum purchase required. 
Thanks so much for visiting and be sure to check out and leave comments on all the SNEAK PEEK posts this week:  We'll have 2 winners drawn from them on MONDAY!!!

Monday we have MORE SNEAK PEEKS and GIVEAWAYS starting!!
Until then,
Blessings,
Antoinette

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Sneak Peek #4: Abigail's Gift + More Giveaways!

Hello friends and welcome to Sneak Peek 4:  Abigail's Gift!  She comes with several great phrases, some Christmas and some Birthday so she is multifunctional!   I am doing the sneak peek artwork for you today, so I thought I would share how I choose colors for my characters.  This will work with any type of coloring you do: markers, colored pencils, watercolors, even crayons!

I wanted to use a corrugated card I got in a set by Recollections, knew I wanted her to be in Christmas colors, but didn't plan to use any patterned paper on this card.  I STILL got out a few papers out of my stash that had the colors I felt went together.  The 6x6 sets from Bo Bunny work great (as do all the sets) because they have done the work already to have the papers coordinate.  So I pulled out 3 pages and matched them up with my Copics (again, get your crayon box and do the same thing, if you are using crayons instead!). 

I colored her and cut her out and put her on this great corrugated card base with a ribbon I got from Walmart (go figure!):
I sponged Tea Dye Distress Ink around the sentiment from this set as well as the edges of the corrugated card base.  I hope you like her!

GIVEAWAY:  Leave us a message to this post before Monday and we'll choose a comment to win a $10 credit to the online store! 

Tuesday's winner of a stamp set of their choice is:  Mandee!!
She is such a cute thing. I would love to have this stamp. Mandee

Mandee, email us next week after the new releases have all been revealed and are in the store and let us know which one you'd like us to send you:  inspiredstamps@gmail.com  CONGRATULATIONS!

Don't forget we have a 40% off coupon that expires early next week:
Don't forget we have another installation of our 12 Weeks of Christmas Creations here on the blog FRIDAY!   So come back and see us then!
Blessings,
Antoinette



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Sneak Peek #3: Abigail with leaves + giveaway!




 Hello friends and welcome to day 3 of 2 WEEKS of Sneak Peeks of our October/November new release stamps!!  Today Kary has done such a beautiful job with one of our newest characters:  Abigail!  And she is sitting in leaves Giving Thanks in everything!! 

Here is Kary's stunning card:
Great Job Kary!!

We are giving away another $10 store credit to a randomly chosen commenter of today's sneak peek!  Just leave us a comment to this post and let us know what you think about Abigail with Leaves!  We'll announce the winner of today's $10 store credit on MONDAY'S New Release!

We chose the following winner from Sneak Peek #1, who will win a $10 Credit from the Inspired Stamps online store.  Congratulations to...

Maureen Hayes wrote:
I just recently discovered your lovely stamps and am so excited to find some beautiful, faith-filled stamps! I would LOVE to win this and be able to start purchasing some of your wonderful products!

Maureen...register in the online store THEN email us at inspiredstamps@gmail.com with the name and email address you registered under and we'll get your $10 store Credit in there right away!!

Have a blessed day and don't forget to come back tomorrow when I will be sharing another NEW RELEASE with you!!
~Antoinette

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Sneak Peek #2: Elizabeth's Ornament

Hello friends and welcome to Sneak Peek #2 with Leesa who did such a beautiful job with our 2nd Sneak Peek of the October/November New Releases coming out next week!   I love the little details of snow on this card and the way she colored her Christmas outfit!

Leave us a comment below to be entered to win YOUR CHOICE of the new releases that are coming out next week!!  We will announce the winner in THURSDAY'S Sneak Peek post!
EVERY DAY M-R of this week and next week you will have a chance to win different things so be sure to comment each day to increase your chances!!
Until tomorrow's release,
Blessings!
~Antoinette

Monday, October 22, 2012

Sneak Peek #1: Abigail Dances + giveaway

Hi Friends!
It's time for 2 weeks of our OCTOBER/NOVEMBER Sneak Peeks of our NEW RELEASES which will all be available in early November! 

Today Patty has created the above card with our first Sneak Peek:  Abigail Dances!  This group of New Release has several new Characters which  have colorable eyes, for those of you who love to color the eyes on your characters!  She comes on a 3x4" acetate sheet and will fit perfectly on cards and Scrapbook pages!

We have a great coupon code running through October:

GIVEAWAY:  Leave us a comment here on today's post and we will choose one comment to win a $10 store credit.  Winner will be announced in WEDNESDAY'S post, so you have until then to leave us a comment here.  We will have giveaways each day for the next two weeks so be sure to come back here and leave a comment on each day's Sneak Peek post!!  

Blessings,
Antoinette

Friday, October 19, 2012

40%off coupon: Time to stock up on Christmas Stamps!

Head over to the online store and when you go to checkout, type in OCT40  when asked for the coupon code and you'll get 40% off the highest priced item in your cart!  Good from now-October 31st!!

Next week starts our biggest SNEAK PEEK WEEK of the year!!  Come back and see us each day for a chance to win!!
Blessings,
Antoinette
www.inspiredstamps.com 
We ship most orders out SAME DAY as they are placed!!

12 Weeks of Christmas Tutorials: Week #3 Coasters with Inspired Stamps!

Welcome to week 3 of Inspired Stamps 12 weeks of Christmas tutorial.  Today CHERE has made a set of coasters and a coffee wrap.  TAKE IT AWAY CHERE:
 This would make a great gift for any coffee or tea drinker in your life.  Here are the supplies you will need to gather: tiles from the local home improvement store ( I usually buy Rialto white but could not find this time so used Agora almond), Staz-On ink, Staz-On ink cleaner, felt pads, stamps, plain cup wrap, rubbing alcohol.
 I cleaned all the tiles with rubbing alcohol and let dry and then stamped the verse and image on the tile.  Tip:  it is a good idea to leave the rubbing alcohol and a rag (I use old socks) nearby in case the image does not stamp evenly on the tile.  If you move quickly you can "wash" it off and re-try.  After I stamped my set of coasters with Proverbs 3:5 verse and tree from Ask, Seek and Knock set. I baked in the oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.  I also seal the coasters with spray acrylic, since wet drinks will be set on them you do not want ink to come off.  I then add the felt pads to the bottom.  This allows them to sit on furniture without scratching.


 Here is the finished wrap and coaster.  You could add a gift card or chocolates or tea bags inside the cup and wrap in a cello bag.  Below you can see my finished set of coasters.  I have seen similar sets in "crafty" shops for much more than it will cost you to make them.  I do suggest that you clean your stamps with Staz-On cleaner as soon as you finish to prevent a build up.

 I also have a stash of chipboard coasters.  I bought them on clearance, thinking I could alter them someday.  So this was the day.  You can see what they looked like to begin with and the finished product. I used Be Still Silhouettes for this coaster and distressed with distress inks.
I cut a piece of 4X4 piece of cardstock and stamped images.
 I used matte and seal by Ranger to attach paper to chipboard and then used sharp scissors to cut off excess and round corners of cardstock.  I also covered the back in the brown striped dp.  I then coated the coasters with more matte and seal to waterproof.  Quick and easy.  Let me know what you think!!   Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Antoinette           Come shop our online store: We ship most orders SAME DAY they are placed:

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Wow...Check out these CARDS from the Inspired Stamps Design Team!!



Welcome back, Friends!
Today there is so much GORGEOUS ARTWORK I won't say too much so you can get to their inspiring artwork!  Don't forget FRIDAY is another tutorial in our 12 WEEKS OF CHRISTMAS TUTORIALS here on the Inspired Stamps blog!  Chere's inside of her card (above) is so precious and unexpected, I had to put it at the top...who wouldn't want to keep a card with such a surprise in the inside?
Chere:
 Kary made these GREAT CAS cards...stunning in their simplicity!:


Jamie outdid herself (again!) with these 2 GORGEOUS cards:

Anita made this BEAUTIFUL card (one of my favorites from her!):
DeNetra made this STUNNING card using her creative style:
I am SO THANKFUL for all their creativity and hard work!!  BEAUTIFUL work ladies...THANK YOU!!

Have a blessed day and don't forget to come see us FRIDAY for the newest tutorial!
~Antoinette
Shipping most orders SAME DAY they are placed!!


Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Inspired Stamps LOTS of Cards!!

Hello friends,
Today the Tuesday Design Team has some beautiful creations for you!  And ONE of them has a giveaway....be sure to go to all their blogs to find out WHO and sign up for the giveaway!!
Next week is SNEAK PEEK WEEK...I can't wait for you to see all the new sets coming your way!
Until then, let's enjoy these beautiful creations...starting with Gaby (also above)
Gaby:
Leesa:
Patty:
Belinda:
Jenn:
Thanks so much DT!!  What beautiful work!
We will be back soon with more to share!
Blessings,
Antoinette
                             Most orders shipping SAME DAY as they are placed!