Topflight Stamps

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Magicals Butterflies with AALL & Create

Hello, Lisa Hoel here. This week at Topflight Stamps our theme is "Outdoors". I love seeing butterflies in my garden this time of year so I was inspired to make a card focusing on them. I used the AALL & Create die set Starflight to cut out the butterflies and arch shape out of heavy duty cardstock. I glued the butterflies down first, then, when dry, I spritzed it with water and Lindy's Magicals powders. I really like how it pooled in the nooks and crannies for some intense mica gleam.

Lisa Hoel for Topflight Stamps #creativejuicefreshsqueezed #topflightstamps

The green background is colored with Emerald Isle PaperArtsy Infusions Dye crystals. I also used the Lavinia Laurel stencil to add the leafy texture.

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:

AALL & Create die set - Starflight

Lavinia stencil - Laurel

Lindy's Magicals Pigment Powders - Enchanted Forest

Lindy's Starburst Spray - Autumn Maple Crimson (Autumn Leaves set)

PaperArtsy Infusions Dye crystals - Emerald Isle

Hunkydory Precious Pearls

AALL & Create stamp set - Everyday Sentiments

Monday, August 17, 2026

Vacation! with Chou & Flowers

Happy Monday, friends! It's Walter on the blog with you today and this week's theme is the outdoors. We're now in the last weeks of summer and I thought it was fitting to use this theme to offer the last of the beach scenes for the year. I used some beautiful stamp sets from Chou & Flowers to create the scene. It's an overall simple card created with just stamping, a little fussy cutting, and a lot of coloring.

I began by stamping my A2 background panel using the Summer Souvenirs - Beach Huts stamp set and Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. The row of beach huts fits perfectly onto the panel to provide a perfect beach background. I then took the sand detail stamp from the View of Paradise stamp set and repeat stamped it around the sand area of the scene using a medium brown ink.

I colored my panel starting with the sand. I use Ohuhu alcohol markers as I find they blend nicely and are cost-effective alternative vs. other brands. I used a darker tan color called Khaki to go around the edges and then used a lighter tan color called Sand to fill in and blend it all together. I then used several shades warm gray, neutral gray, blue, and red to finish the scene. I went over the areas that I left white with a white gel pen to add some texture and make them pop.

I then stamped my beach umbrella, beach chair, and beach accessories using stamps from the View of Paradise stamp set using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.

I colored the images and then fussy cut them. I adhered the beach accessories directly to the sand area with glue and the umbrella & chair with some double-sided foam tape. Voila . . . a finished card to celebrate vacation! As I previously said, it's a very simple card. Sometimes it's fun to stick to the basics on just focus on scene rather than trying to incorporate lots of different techniques. I love the vibrancy of the colors and all of the little details that tie it all together.

I hope that you enjoy this card! Are you sad to see summer coming to an end or are you happy that fall is right around the corner? Let me know in the comments below! I'll see you again next week for some more creative fun. Until then . . . be well!

Topflight Products Used:

Chou & Flowers Summer Souvenirs - Beach Huts

Chou & Flowers View of Paradise

Versafine Clair Nocturne

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Postage Butterflies with Crafty Individuals

Hello, Lisa Hoel here. This week at Topflight Stamps our theme is again Anything Goes. This time I used a beautiful butterfly stamp from Crafty Individuals. I was also still having lots of fun making ink powder backgrounds so used the Lindy's Magicals Pigment Powders set Enchanted Forest to make this one.

Topflight Stamps Supplies Used:

Crafty Individuals - August XXXI Days

PaperArtsy Seth Apter stamp set - ESA08

AALL & Create die set - Quirky Post

AALL & Create washi tape - 114 Priority Dispatch

Lindy's Magicals Pigment Powders - Enchanted Forest

Lavinia Elements Ink - Sahara

Versafine Clair ink - Nocturne

AALL & Create stamp set - Everyday Sentiments

watercolors

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Gear Up - A Steampunk Card

It's Tuesday which means you've got Kathi here today to share a project with you. It's an "Anything Goes" week, so I created a Steampunk card with the Faceless Time Clear Stamp Set 1456, the Papillons Clear Stamp Set 1462, the Frise Pendentifs Clear Stamp Set 1461, and the Time Tinker Clear Stamp Set 1374 as well as the Cog Engine Die Set 125 and the Frayed Frames Die Set 26 — all by AALL and Create. The background panel and die-cuts were created with Steampunk Soiree Magical Pigment Powders by Lindy's Stamp Gang.

Here it is!

Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko to stamp the focal image from the Faceless Time Clear Stamps 1456 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create onto a panel of Bristol paper. Heat set the ink, then color the image with Copic markers. Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the hourglass.

Use the largest die from the Frayed Frames Die Set 26 by AALL and Create to cut the image panel, mat it with black cardstock, and set it aside.

Cut a piece of 9" x 12" Bristol paper to a 4.75" x 6.75" panel (for the background panel) and a 2" x 12" strip (for the border and sentiment die-cuts). Place the strip onto a craft mat. Use a small spatula to place a pile of Yesteryear Yellow Magical Powder from the Steampunk Soiree Magical Pigment Powder Set by Lindy's Stamp Gang onto the craft mat. Fold a baby wipe and press the top part of it into the pigment powder. Drag the baby wipe vertically onto the strip of Bristol paper to start to a apply the Magical Pigment Powder, working from the outside edges towards the center. Dip the wipe into the powder and apply it again. Continue until the powder pile is gone and your Bristol strip is colored. Clean your craft mat.

Use a spatula to place a smaller pile of Canna Lily Burnt Orange Magical Pigment Powder onto the craft mat. Using a new baby wipe, press the top of the wipe into the pigment powder, then drag the baby wipe down the strip of Bristol paper to fill in the gaps. Continue to dip the wipe and drag it down the strip until the powder is gone. Clean your craft mat.

Repeat the above process using an even smaller amount of Tophat Teal from the the Steampunk Soiree Magical Pigment Powder Set to add some verdigris colors to the Bristol Strip. When the colors and blend please you, thoroughly heat set the panel and trim it in half.

Use the both dies from the Cog Engine Die Set 125 by AALL and Create to cut the colored Bristol paper strip. Flip the die-cuts over and color the back with a black Copic marker or sponge them with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko. This step will edge the die-cuts from the back.

Place the 4.75" x 6.75" panel and a small scrap of Bristol paper onto a clean craft mat. Use a spatula to add a pile of Pocket Watch Pewter Magical Powder onto the clean craft mat. Press the top of a clean baby wipe onto the pigment powder, then drag the baby wipe onto the Bristol paper panel and scrap, working from the outer edges towards the center. Dip the wipe into the powder and continue to apply color to the panels. When done, heat set the panels thoroughly.

Pounce an anti-static tool/pouch onto the background panel then place it onto the base of a stamping platform. Position the corner gears stamp from the Papillons Clear Stamp Set 1462 by Azoline for AALL and Create facedown along the top left of the panel. Ink the stamp with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Remove the panel from the stamping platform, add Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW to the wet ink, dump the excess powder back into the container, and heat set.

Clean and dry the corner gears stamp. Place the background panel back onto the stamping platform and position the the corner gears stamp from the Papillons Clear Stamp Set 1462 along the lower right hand edge. Position the border gears stamp from the Frise Pendentifs Clear Stamp Set 1461 by Azoline for AALL and Create vertically along the bottom left hand edge. Ink the stamps with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp. Remove the panel from the stamping platform, add Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW to the wet ink, dump the excess powder back into the container, and heat set. Edge the background panel with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink.

Use a nameplate cutting die and a small gears die to cut the grey-colored scrap of Bristol paper. Place a piece of low-tack tape on the back of the Bristol paper scrap die-cut to keep it in place and secure the scrap onto the base of a stamping platform.

Position the "Gear Up" stamp from the Time Tinker Clear Stamp Set 1374 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create facedown onto the die-cut. Ink the stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and stamp.

Remove the die-cut piece from the stamping platform. Add Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW to the wet ink, dump the excess powder back into the container, and heat set.

Use the nameplate frame die and a small gears die to cut a leftover scrap from the tinted strip. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to edge both parts of the nameplate die-cuts, then adhere the sentiment die-cut onto the frame die-cut. Adhere the gears die-cuts to cover the holes of the nameplate.

Adhere the border die-cut to the right side of the background panel. Adhere the matted image panel onto the background panel as shown. Adhere the sentiment nameplate die-cut to the upper left of the background panel. Adhere the completed background panel to a 5" x 7" black 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:

Faceless Time Clear Stamps 1456 by Autour de Mwa for AALL and Create

Papillons Clear Stamp Set 1462 by Azoline for AALL and Create

Frise Pendentifs Clear Stamp Set 1461 by Azoline for AALL and Create

Time Tinker Clear Stamp Set 1374 by Janet Klein for AALL and Create

Cog Engine Die Set 125 by AALL and Create

Frayed Frames Die Set 26 by AALL and Create

Steampunk Soiree Magical Pigment Powders by Lindy's Stamp Gang

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Morning Mist and Nocturne VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Clear Gloss Embossing Powder by WOW

Thank you for visiting today!

Monday, August 10, 2026

Moments like This

Happy Monday, friends! It's Walter on the blog with you today and the theme this week is anything goes. I've had the scene in this card kicking around in my head for a while now and I finally decided to get it onto paper. This week I focused on Lavinia Stamps to create some fairy magic.

I began by deciding on the placement of the fairies, Lavinia Star Gazing, and stamping them using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink. I stamped it again on masking paper and then stamped Lavinia Fairy Bridge onto masking paper as well. I switched back to my card panel and stamped the fairy bridge using Versafine Clair Morning Mist ink. A little fussy cutting of the images and my masks were complete.

I applied the masks and began to ink blend my sky. I wanted an evening sunset just before the sky starts to darken. I began with red, moved into orange, and then yellow. I then used a pouncing brush with just a tad of white pigment ink on it and pounced the brush all around the blended colors. This helps to soften the sky and blur any blending lines you might have on your card panel.

The masks were removed and I started coloring the bridge and rocks with alcohol markers. I used four shades of Warm Gray, starting with the darkest and moving to the lightest, to color them. I then extended the rocky area out around the fairies. I used the fine tip end of my warm grey markers, again starting dark and then moving lighter, and placed random dots of color around. I went over the entire dotted area with the lightest shade's brush tip and colored in a circle pattern to blend it all together. I did the same with three shades of brown to create the sandy field area around the rocks.

I created the grassy area with three shades of dark green. I started with the darkest shades fine tip end and made a sweeping motion up from bottom of the card panel to create several lines. Some of the lines were longer than others and that's absolutely fine as it helps to create both a natural look and depth. I then moved onto the next shade and repeated the same motion and then completed it with the same motion and the lightest shade. It's an easy way to create the look of grass if you don't have a stamp to use for it! I used two shades of blue to color the water and then added water lines with a white gel pen.

I used the Lavinia Silversong Willow Left Stamp and Lavinia Silversong Willow Right Stamp along with Versafine Clair Fallen Leaves ink to create the trees along the sides and then colored in the little tree lights with a yellow glitter gel pen. A Lavinia Inspirational Word Sentiment Sticker completed the design and truly captures the magic of the scene!

I'm very happy with this design! It's quite tranquil and gives me a sense of peace. I hope that you enjoy it, too! I'll see you back here next Monday. Until then . . . be well!

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Lavinia Star Gazing

Lavinia Fairy Bridge

Lavinia Silversong Willow Left Stamp

Lavinia Silversong Willow Right Stamp

Lavinia Inspirational Word Sentiment Sticker

Versafine Clair Nocturne ink

Versafine Clair Morning Mist

Versafine Clair Fallen Leaves

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Layers of Color: Creating a Mixed Media Journal Page with Sprays & Infusions

Hello crafty friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm spending some time in my art journal, experimenting with two of my favorite mixed media products—Lindy's Gang Starburst Sprays and PaperArtsy Infusions.

Both of these products create incredible effects, but they each bring something completely different to a project. The Starburst Sprays add vibrant color and beautiful shimmer, while the Infusions introduce rich, moody tones and a touch of grunge. Combining the two is one of my favorite ways to create backgrounds full of depth and unexpected details.

✨ Why I Love These Products

One of the things I love most about Lindy's Gang Starburst Sprays is the incredible variety of colors and finishes available. Whether you choose the sprays or powders, the colors can be soft and dreamy or bright and sparkling, depending on the look you're after.

PaperArtsy Infusions bring something entirely different to the table. The combination of dye pigments and walnut crystals creates darker, more distressed effects that add beautiful contrast and texture to any background.

Together, they create the perfect balance between vibrant color and vintage grunge.

🎨 Building the Background

To begin my journal page, I taped off the edges and applied a layer of gesso.

While the gesso was still slightly wet, I sprayed Lindy's Gang Steampunk Sepia and Time Travel Teal from the Industrial Chic collection across the page. A light mist of water helped the colors blend and flow together, creating soft transitions and interesting patterns.

After setting the page aside to dry, I sprinkled on PaperArtsy Infusions in In the Navy with just a touch of Cerise. A quick spritz of water activated the pigments and walnut crystals, adding rich layers and a distressed look to the background.

One of my favorite things about working with sprays and Infusions is that no two pages ever turn out exactly the same.

🍃 Creating the Focal Elements

While the background dried, I created some coordinating embellishments on watercolor paper using the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott 226 stencil. For color, I reached for Rusty Lantern Lime and Shabby Turbine Teal sprays, allowing the vibrant shades to contrast against the darker journal background.

Once everything was dry, I carefully cut it out and arranged it on the page.

✍️ Finishing Touches

To complete the spread, I added:

Sentiments from AALL & Create's Motivation Station
Highlights with a gold pen
Extra layers to bring movement and balance to the page

Those final details tied everything together and added a little extra sparkle to the grungy background.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this journal page inspires you to pull out your sprays, embrace the unexpected, and spend some time experimenting in your art journal.