Topflight Stamps

Saturday, March 28, 2026

Still Hopping & Celebrating Topflight Stamps' 9th Birthday

Hello, Lisa Hoel here. This week at Topflight Stamps we're celebrating our 9th Birthday with two Hops and lots of birthday inspiration! You can comment on our blog hop post and Instagram Hop post until March 31st for a chance to win $50 to shop in the store.

Lisa Hoel for Topflight Stamps #creativejuicefreshsqueezed #topflightstamps

Here's a closer look at the cards I made for the Hops. The background was created using Lindy's Stamp Gang Magical Shakers – Under the Sea #2 set. I wet watercolor paper and then sprinkled on the powders. Very cool! The festive birthday washi tape is from AALL & Create as is the die set I used (Skycrossed Paradise).

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the Topflight Stamps store for a wide selection of different and hard to find stamps, stencils and other paper crafting supplies from all around the world! Also keep an eye on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted often!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

AALL & Create die set - Skycrosssed Paradise

AALL & Create washi tape - HBD2U

AALL & Create washi tape - Blush

Lindy's Stamp Gang Magical Shakers - Under the Sea #2

Creative Expressions Wordies Sentiment Sheets - Birthday

Friday, March 27, 2026

From Gel Prints to Gorgeous: A Bold Birthday Card for the Topflight Celebration

Hello! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and we’re keeping the party going with the Topflight Stamps Birthday Celebration 🎉

Today’s card is all about using what you already have—digging into your stash, layering prints, and turning them into something fresh and eye-catching.

I went back to one of my favorites: the Tracy Scott 105 from PaperArtsy.

What I love about this set is the flexibility:

You can build your own bold, layered flowers
Or use the smaller pre-designed elements for quicker projects

For this card, I kept it simple and let the color and texture do the work.

Start with Your Stash (Seriously)

Instead of starting from scratch, I pulled out gel prints I already had.

For the background, I used a print created with a texture plate (and quick tip—stencils give a very similar effect, so use what you have).

Then I found another print layered over printed paper and stamped my flower images right on top. This is one of my favorite ways to add instant complexity without extra steps.

✨ The Detail That Makes It Pop

Once everything was stamped, I grabbed my white gel pen and added:

Highlights to the petals
Small accents to break up the color
A little extra contrast to bring the flowers forward

It’s a small step, but it completely changes the look. Don’t skip it.

🎂 Finishing It Off

To pull everything together, I added:

A simple hand-drawn frame
A birthday sentiment to match the celebration

Done. Layered, colorful, and full of personality—without over complicating the process.

🎉 Don’t Miss the Celebration

We’re still celebrating over at Topflight Stamps, so make sure you:

Check out the full hop
Get inspired by the other designers
Grab your favorites while the birthday sale is happening

Thanks so much for stopping by and celebrating with us. Now go make something with what you already have. 💛

Topflight Stamp Supplies

PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott 105
Shop at:
TP

WOW! Embossing - Clear
Shop at:
TP

Tsukineko - VersaFine Clair - Nocturn
Shop at:
TP

Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate
Shop at:
TP

Speedball - 2" Brayer
Shop at:
TP

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Birthday Bunny

Hello! You've got Colleen Dietrich here today to continue celebrating Topflight Stamps' 9th birthday week! To keep up the birthday fun, I've got a card featuring a cute bunny from L'encre et L'image stamp set called The Long-Eared Family. This little guy is holding a bouquet of clover. I love him. 😊 I started with a background of patterned paper from Kaisercraft's Provincial paper pad. Then I stamped that bunny on a scrap of paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, colored him with alcohol markers and fussy-cut the image. The Provincial paper pad has not only patterned papers but also punch-out ephemera, like the two scalloped borders, clock and sentiment. So easy. I added some bakery twine for the bunny to stand on, along with some floral embroidery trim from my stash. Pearls from Hunkydory were the final touches. Hope you have a wonderful day! ~ Colleen

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps:

Hunkydory Precious Pearls

Kaisercraft "Provincial" paper pad

L'encre et L'image "The Long-Eared Family"

Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Eclipse Card Tutorial

Greetings! You've got Kathi here today! My blog post this week was pre-empted by Topflight Stamps 9th Birthday Blog Hop so I decided to share a tutorial showing how I created my Birthday Hop eclipse card!

I hope that you've had the chance to hop, been inspired at each hop stop, and left lots of comments to improve your chance of winning a fabulous prize! However, not to worry, you have until midnight on March 31st to participate!

Here's my birthday eclipse card created with the Kate Crane 006 Cling Mounted Stamp Set, the Kate Crane Mini 004 Cling Mounted Stamp, the Kate Crane Mini 005 Cling Mounted Stamp —all by Kate Crane for PaperArtsy. PS322 Stencil by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy with VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko and the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set by Studio Light.

Instructions:

Step 1:

Use blending tool and foam to apply Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to a piece of Mixed Media Paper to begin your background panel. It's okay if it's a bit streaky. Heat set.

Step 2:

Use low-tack tape to secure the PS322 Stencil by Tracy Scott for PaperArtsy onto the background panel. Use a sponge dauber to apply Baby Pink VersaFine Clair Ink diagonally over the stencil onto the background panel.

Step 3:

Use another dauber to sponge Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil onto the background panel. This time you'll be adding blue areas to either side of the pink inked "x", slightly overlapping the inks. VersaFine Clair Inks blend beautifully with one another.

Step 4:

Using yet another dauber, sponge Lilac Bloom VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil onto the background panel, adding lilac/purple ink as shown above.

Step 5:

Use another dauber to apply Veri Peri VersaFine Clair Ink over the stencil to fill in the the remaining open areas of the background panel.

Step 6:

Remove the low-tack tape and the stencil from the background panel and heat set it. As VersaFine Clair Ink is pigment-based, the stencil should be cleaned immediately. I use a paper towel to apply Purell and then use another paper towel to dry the stencil.

Step 7:

Trim the background panel to 8.5" x 5.5". Place the Shadow Die from the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set by Studio Light facedown on the background panel and secure with low-tack tape which should overlap to the back of the panel.

Run the die/background panel sandwich through a die-cutting machine.

When done, remove the cutting die and low-tack tape from the background panel. Set the background panel and the sentiment shadow die-cut aside.

Step 8:

Use the same die to cut another piece of white Mixed Media Paper and edge the die-cut using Arctic VersaFine Clair Ink. Heat set the ink.

Step 9:

Sponge Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink onto a piece of Mixed Media Paper. Heat set the ink. Place the "Happy Birthday" sentiment from the Happy Birthday Essentials Cutting Die Set facedown onto the inked and heat-set cardstock. Run the sandwich through the die-cut machine, then use the same ink to edge the letters in the sentiment. Set the sentiment die-cut aside.

Step 10:

Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp the Queen from the Kate Crane 006 Cling Mounted Stamp Set, the bird from the Kate Crane Mini 004 Cling Mounted Stamp, and the other bird from the Kate Crane Mini 005 Cling Mounted Stamp onto Copic-friendly white cardstock. Fussy-cut all the images.

Step 11:

Use Copic markers to color the queen. Use a black pen to edge the image. Use a white gel pen to add catchlights to the pupils of her eyes and a purple glitter pen to add glitter to the gems in her crown.

Step 12:

Use Copic markers to color the birds. Use a black pen to edge the images. Use a white gel pen to add catchlights to their eyes and a purple glitter pen to add glitter to the gems in the crown.

Step 13:

Create an 8.5" x 5.5" card from white heavyweight cardstock. Adhere the background panel to the card then edge the card with Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink. Heat set.

Adhere the die-cut created in Step 8 into the opening in the card.