Banana Frog Blog

Featured Stamp :: Matryoshka Dolls

Today's featured stamps are the lovely matryoshka dolls!  They are perfect for adding to simple yet quirky-cute Christmas cards!  All you need is a card blank, a scrap of patterned paper, an ink pad and some pop dots to make this work!  Then write your greeting around the paper or stamp it if you prefer!

Members of the Frog Force have been putting the matryoshkas to the test quite a bit as of late!  Check out these matryoshka projects:

Cards by Lory
Layout by Kim
Jewelry by Michelle
and adorable ornaments by Kirsty!

If you have more ideas, show us!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle.~*

Featured stamp :: Super Dreamy

I have a new favourite stamp for all sorts of pages and projects - and it's in the new Super Dreamy set of Banana Frog stamps! This circle of graduated circles is just right for all sorts of embellishments. Three of the circles were just right for a sparkly title on this page. I can't wait to try layering it in stacks of circles and using them in titles with a letter in each stamped circle, just for starters!



What great ideas do you have for this stamp? You'll love this new set!

Have a happy scrappy weekend!
-Shimelle

Project of the Day :: {Retro} Christmas Card

Have a little time to get crafty?  It's that time of year when you might want to start getting ahead on your Christmas cards!  And of course the new Retro Christmas set from Banana Frog can help.

For this card, layer scalloped-edge cardstock, a scrap of patterned paper and some ric-rac on the front of a card blank.  Stamp a Christmas light several times on a scrap of red cardstock and emboss with white powder.  Cut out with a 1" circle punch and attach with pop dots.  Stamp the greeting with black ink on patterned paper and cut out, then attach to your card.  Presto!

More Retro Christmas projects coming soon to the Frog Blog!  What will you be making for this December?

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Retro Christmas

I felt super lucky yesterday when tucked in between the bills and junk mail there was a set of Retro Christmas stamps from Banana Frog!  I'm going to be sharing projects using this stamp throughout this month, and wanted to start with something you can finish in a flash -- because we all love fast Christmas projects, right?

To make hand-crafted gift tags in a hurry, stamp the Retro Christmas designs on book pages or patterned paper with Versamark or Clear Embossing Ink.  (Be sure to clean your stamps as you go, since embossing inks can make stamps sticky!) Cover with white or clear embossing powder (detail powders give the best clarity) and heat to melt.  Then add colour by spraying or painting over the top with a liquid ink like Glimmer Mist or a watercolour paint.  Tap away the excess with a clean baby wipe, and the embossed design will resist the paint.  Cut or tear the shapes in blocks and add to plain shipping tags.  Add stitches to hold them in place, then add your to: and from: and you're set!  If you have the time and desire you can embellish further with buttons, ribbons and more stamps -- but sometimes you want a quick project for gift wrapping since not everyone will take the time to save your handiwork when it's wrapped around a present! 

Check back on the 10th for another project with Retro Christmas!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Elegant Swirls

Today's featured stamp is a Banana Frog classic: Elegant Swirls.

Here are some of our favourite Elegant Swirl projects of all time:

A beautiful card by Anthea Peterson

Two lovely layouts by Morag Cutts

and the cleverest of clever hearts by Anne Parry.

Now it's your turn!  Show us what's in your gallery using Elegant Swirls.  We'd love to feature it here on the Frog Blog!

Happy stamping!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Circus Stories

A little tip for you today -- did you notice that Circus Stories has a build your own journaling stamp?

Not just boxes to write in, but also two line stamps -- thin or thick -- that you can stamp individually.  That way, you can stamp just the right number of lines for your journaling and stamp them at the exact distance you want for your handwriting or letter stamps. 

Try changing things up and stamp with white ink and journal with a white pen on dark cardstock.

And the white ink will stamp right over your photos too -- add a little heart or star for just a little sparkle!

Happy stamping!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Sewing Kit {and a giveaway!}

Today's featured stamp set?  Sewing Kit!  It's perfect for stamping stitches and buttons and no need to pick up a needle and thread!  But it's even more versatile than that. 

See those buttons?  They double as a handy set of circle stamps in a variety of sizes!  This layout doesn't have a sewing theme at all, but the buttons being stamped in that top picture became a layered background perfect for a title.
 

There's also a line of stamped stitching at the top, right along that green scalloped edge.

Of course, you can also go a bit more obvious and stamp buttons to look like...buttons!

Add a cross-stitch-stamped border, a pretty straight pin and some pop dots to layer the buttons and everything falls into place before you could thread a needle.

Want to see more projects with Sewing Kit?  Check out Anthea's layout and Kirsty's line of menswear!

But wait -- how about a giveaway??  Comment on this post to be entered and one randomly chosen winner will receive a kit of supplies to make the layout above plus a set of Banana Frog stamps!  Entries close 11:59pm UK time on the 31st of July, so leave us a comment now!

Good luck!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Fireworks

Today's featured stamp seems a natural choice for this week -- Fireworks!  This set is a versatile classic that you can use again and again -- not just for firework-celebrated holidays.

This stamp is one of my favourites for creating the layered effect.  Because the set includes several sizes, there's always one that is just perfect for the layer you're working on.
{Click for full layout}

Use it with dye and distress inks to add subtle colour and texture to your layers, or emboss it with jewel tones to add shine and a punch of colour.  Definitely a stamp set that will help you get more from the rest of your stash, so get it in your collection and start stamping away!

And by the way...
are you following BananaFrog on Twitter?  If you love both the tweets and the bananas, you should definitely follow the frog for updates!

Happy stamping, Froglets!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle.~*

Featured Stamp :: It's All About Flourishes + GIVEAWAY!

Today's featured stamp is from the latest Banana Frog release - It's All About Flourishes!  This versatile set includes a journaling box, two corner pieces, one border and four additional swirl designs, all designed to be used together or on their own equally well.

Of course everyone is so busy, we often ask ourselves when we'll have time to craft!  So today, we're playing a little game of 5-15-30:  three projects you can make with this set with just five, fifteen or thirty minutes of crafting time.

For the super-last-minute card, pull this together in under five minutes:

Just stamp the border swirl at the top and bottom, stamp a smaller swirl on a large brad, then pull it all together with a large flower and some letter stickers.  Easy peasy and classy!

If you have a bit more time, put this card together with some scraps in under 15 minutes.  Use a border punch on some black cardstock, add a strip of patterned paper and stitch along the join.  Stamp the journaling box twice - once straight on the card and once on a third piece of patterned paper.  Cut out the box and stamp your greeting inside (this greeting is stamped with Dominique Upper and Lower).  Add the box with pop dots, following the image stamped straight on the card so the swirls appear beneath the box.  Add a row of brads for colour and dimension -- the swiss dot cardstock makes it easy to get the brads perfectly spaced in a straight line!

Or for thirty minutes of crafting fun, create a page like this.  Spray white cardstock with Tattered Angels spray ink, and stamp a flourish in black once the spray has dried.  Stamp a date or title with the Dominque letters and put the rest of the design together with layers of off-cut papers and die cuts.

And here's the GIVEAWAY!  I have a set of It's All About Flourishes to send to a lucky reader! 

To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us where you wish you could buy Banana Frog stamps!  Whether it's your favourite scrapbook store, craft shop or next to the Snickers bars at the petrol station, we want to know where you wish you could find some Banana Frog goodness!

Leave your comment on this post and one commenter will be chosen at random to win the stamp set.  Entries close at 11:59pm UK time next Tuesday 12th May.

International entries are welcome!!!

Happy stamping!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle

Featured Stamp :: Funky Paisley

This week's featured stamp set is Funky Paisley!  Here are a few fabulous cards to get you thinking crafty with this set!


I started this card with the paisley stamp, Versamark ink and clear embossing powder to make the tone-on-tone background.  The circle on the punched piece is from the Circus Stories set.


Hannah made two lush cards with paisley and Circus Stories too!  I love how she mixed all the paisley shapes to make this purple block.  And that's the Circus Stories journaling line down the right side.

WOW -- this flower is super cool!  Hannah used the paisley pieces and cut them apart to make petals with lots of bling!  I love the depth she added by stamping on patterned paper.

Have a very funky{paisley} weekend!  Happy stamping!

Love and glitter,
Shimelle