One Stamp, Two Styles

Hello friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing a fun creative challenge I gave myself: one stamp, two completely different looks.

When I first saw The Crown from IndigoBlu, I immediately fell in love with the beautiful detail in the bird image. The elegant crown, the delicate feathers, and the whimsical feel made it the perfect stamp to experiment with.

 

So naturally, I couldn't stop at one card.

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✨ Card One: Clean, Simple & Elegant

Sometimes it's fun to let a beautiful image do all the work.

For my first card, I pulled out a page from the Craft Consortium Test of Time paper pad and trimmed it to fit my card base. The vintage background provided just enough interest while still allowing the focal image to shine.

 

To add a little movement, I lightly splattered the background with Lindy's Gang Tiffany Lou Blue Magicals. I love how a few splatters can instantly bring a background to life. Next, I stamped the bird image onto separate cardstock using Versafine Clair Twilight Ink, then fussy cut it out and added a touch of paint to bring out the details.

 

I finished the card with the sentiment included in the set, keeping everything clean, simple, and focused on the beautiful bird.

Sometimes less really is more.

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🎨 Card Two: A Little More Mixed Media

Of course, I couldn't resist taking the same stamp in a completely different direction.

For my second card, I stamped the bird onto a gel press print using the same Twilight ink and clear heat embossed the image. To make her feel a little more regal, I heat embossed her crown in gold.

As I looked around my desk, I spotted a leftover blue gel print from a previous project and knew it would be the perfect backdrop.

One of my favorite things about mixed media is letting scraps and leftovers inspire the next project.

I grabbed the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott PS519 stencil and traced portions of the design with a Posca pen, filling in the shapes to create bold leafy elements around the bird.

 

To add even more depth, I stamped the PaperArtsy Ink & Dog Mini 124 over the leaves. The script pattern added just the right amount of texture and interest.

Then came the sparkle. I heat embossed the script using WOW! Embossing Powder in Vintage Lace Gold, creating beautiful highlights that catch the light without overpowering the design.

To finish the background, I added:

• White gel pen highlights
• Soft ink blending around the edges
• Water splatters to lift some of the ink and create additional texture 

 

Finally, I added the included sentiment and clear heat embossed it to tie everything together.

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💡 Same Stamp, Different Story

This project was such a great reminder that you don't always need new supplies to create something fresh.

 

One stamp can feel completely different depending on:

• Your background
• Your color palette
• The amount of layering
• The techniques you use

The clean and simple version lets the artwork shine.

The mixed media version tells a completely different story with texture, shimmer, and layers.

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💛 Your Turn

I'd love to know...

Are you Team Clean & Simple or Team Mixed Media?

Leave a comment below and let me know which card is your favorite. I always love seeing how different styles speak to different makers.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope this inspires you to look at your stamps in a new way and maybe even challenge yourself to create two completely different cards with the same image.

Have a wonderful weekend and happy creating! ✨🐦💛

 

 Topflight Stamp Supplies

 

IndigoBlu - The Crown Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Ink and the Dog Mini 124 Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott PS519 Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at: TP
WOW! Embossing - Metallic Gold Rich Pale Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Tracy Scott Gold Vintage Lace Shop at: TP	Craft Consortium - Test of Time Shop at: TP	Tsukineko - VersaFine Clair - Nocturn Shop at: TP
Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP	Lindy's Gang - TiffanyLou's Blue Starburst Shimmer Spray Shop at: TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP

IndigoBlu Christmas Card

Hello!  You've got Colleen here for Topflight Stamps - and this week our focus is on the brand, IndigoBlu!  I used their Christmas Dictionary stamp - fabulous background.  Love the old font.  I stamped it in VersaFine Onyx Black on a neutral colored panel, and layered this panel on a red card base.  The focal point is a trio of holly leaf postage stamps from AALL & Create's Carols and Cancellations, carefully trimmed and colored with alcohol markers.  I created garlands with PaperArtsy Alison Bomber Mini 92 stamp, which features sprigs of mistletoe.  I trimmed out the mistletoe from four stamped images, then touched them with various shades of brown inks and added a touch of glimmer from Lindy's Stamp Gang Pixie Dust.

Hope you have a wonderful week! ~ Colleen

Supplies Used From Topflight Stamps:

IndigoBlu - Christmas Dictionary

PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber - Mini 92

AALL & Create - Carols and Cancellations

Lindy's Stamp Gang - Pixie Dust

VersaFine Onyx Black Ink

Winner 2026 Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

 

Hello everyone, just a quick post to announce the winner of the 2026 Spring/Summer Coffee Loveers Blog Hop. Sorry for the late notice things were a bit crazy as we were wrapping up the school year. Thank you to everyone who commented. I love reading them all! The winner of the $25 gift card to Topflight Store is VonMaire!

 

Thank you to everyone who participated! 

Steampunk Father's Day Card with IndigoBlu

Hello, Lisa Hoel here. This week at Topflight Stamps our brand focus is on IndigoBlu! I appreciate the variety of detailed stamp designs they have. I created this steampunk card to use as a Father's Day card. (It will be here before we know it!)

The base is a grungy Gel Press print from my stash. The focal image is the Steam Cottage stamp.

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 here on the Topflight Stamps blog. There is new inspiration posted often!

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

IndigoBlu stamp - Steam Cottage

IndigoBlu stamp - Wrapped

Lavinia stamp set - Light Bulbs

AALL & Create die set - Holey Fun

Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays - Industrial Chic

AALL & Create stamp set - Everyday Sentiments

Paper Rose die set - Cog Frame

VersaFine Clair ink pad - Nocturne

Gel Press print

watercolors

 

Happy Father's Day

 Greetings! It's Tuesday which means that you have Kathi here to share a project with you! This week's focus is on Indigo Blu and their wonderful products! 

Here's a Father's Day card created with the "Weird Is My Normal" Cling Mounted A6 Stamp Set by Indigo Blu.

Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp the Steampunk gentleman from the Weird Is My Normal Cling Mounted A6 Stamp Set by Indigo Blu twice — once onto white Copic-friendly cardstock and once onto repositionable sticker paper.

Use Copic markers to color the focal image. Place a strip of Bolted Layers Washi Tape 106 by AALL and Create under the colored image. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version of the Steampunk gentleman and place it over its counterpart on the image panel as a mask.

Place the small rectangle from the Snap Thoughts DI-90 Die Set by AALL and Create blades down on the image panel and secure with low-tack tape. Run the combination through your die-cut machine. 

Remove the image panel die-cut from the cutting die. Brush light grey dye ink over masked image and on a scrap of white cardstock. Use an Isopropyl Alcohol-filled Fine Spray Mister by Spectrum Noir to spray the image panel die-cut. This will add white speckles to the image panel die-cut and will blend the ink but won't pill the paper.

Remove the mask from the Steampunk gentleman. Use a dark grey marker to darken his pupils, then use a white gel pen to add catchlights. Use a fineliner and/or other Copic markers to touch up the image. Cut a piece of black cardstock so that it's slightly larger than the image panel die-cut and use this to mat the image panel. Set aside.

Select a piece of patterned paper from the Ink Drops - Midnight 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad by Craft Consortium Ltd. to use as a background panel. Trim it to 4.25" wide. Use a B39 Copic to edge the panel. 

Place the grey-inked cardstock scrap onto the base of a stamping platform. Place the "Happy Father's Day" sentiment stamp from the Classic Sentiments Clear Stamp Set by Heffy Doodle facedown on the scrap. Use Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to ink the sentiment stamp. Use a sentiment strip cutting die to cut the sentiment. 

Cut gold metallic cardstock with a Steampunk Corner Cutting Die and a Fancy Sentiment Label Die. Adhere the Steampunk Corner metallic gold die-cuts to the upper corners. Adhere the image panel die-cut as shown. Adhere the stamped sentiment to the Fancy Sentiment Label Die, then adhere them below the image panel die-cut as shown.

Adhere the completed background panel to a white-speckled navy A6 card.

Please pop over to my blog, Kat's Tales of Stamping, for step-by-step instructions and complete supply lists.

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

"Weird Is My Normal" Cling Mounted A6 Stamp Set by Indigo Blu

Snap Thoughts DI-90 Die Set by AALL and Create

Bolted Layers Washi Tape 106 by AALL and Create

Ink Drops - Midnight 6x6 Patterned Paper Pad by Craft Consortium Ltd.

Classic Sentiments Clear Stamp Set by Heffy Doodle *

(This set is on sale and is incredibly useful!)

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Medieval Blue VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Fine Spray Misters by Spectrum Noir

Thank you for visiting today!

Whimsical Wings & Magical Light

 

Hello friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing a whimsical fairy card featuring the beautiful Serene stamp from Lavinia. Whenever I pull out my Lavinia stamps, I can't help but imagine magical woodland scenes filled with light, wonder, and a touch of fairy dust.

For this card, I wanted to create a background that looked as though Serene was standing in a soft beam of enchanted light.

I started by creating a gel press print using soft pink paints to form the base of my background. Pinks always seem to bring a dreamy, magical feeling to a project, and I knew they would be the perfect backdrop for this fairy scene.

 

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🌟 Creating Magic with Cornstarch

One of my favorite ways to create unexpected texture on a gel print is with a simple kitchen staple, cornstarch! After pulling my pink background, I brayered a layer of blue paint onto my gel plate and lightly sprinkled cornstarch across the surface. When the print is pulled, the cornstarch reacts with the paint to create beautiful organic patterns that look almost like glowing mist, magical clouds, or distant fairy lights.

The best part? Every print is completely unique.

It's one of those techniques that reminds me why I love mixed media so much. Sometimes the most interesting effects happen when you let go of control and simply play.

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🧚 Bringing Serene to Life

Once my background was dry, I stamped the gorgeous Serene fairy and heat embossed her in gold.

The gold embossing instantly transformed the image, adding a warm glow that perfectly complemented the magical feel of the background. It catches the light beautifully and creates an elegant focal point against the soft colors.

To build my fairy garden scene, I added additional foliage using several Lavinia stamps and Lavinia Dye Ink. Layering these smaller elements around the fairy helps create depth and gives the impression that she is tucked away in an enchanted woodland.

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✨ Finishing Touches

No magical card is complete without a few special details!

I used white and gold gel pens to add tiny highlights and accents throughout the design. These little touches help draw the eye around the card and create the illusion of sparkling light. To finish everything off, I added one of my signature hand-drawn frames and a Lavinia sentiment to complete the scene.

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Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to pull out your gel plate, experiment with texture, and create your own little bit of magic.

Have a wonderful week filled with creativity, imagination, and plenty of crafty play!

 

 Topflight Stamp Supplies

Lavinia - Forest Moss Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Foliage Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Magic Around Us Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Serene Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at: TP
WOW! Embossing - Metallic Gold Rich Pale Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Sentiment Stickers - Uplifting Collection Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Blue Lagoon Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Dark Denim Shop at: TP
Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Pine Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Pixie Green Shop at: TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP