STAMPlorations 13th birthday - day 1

Welcome to the STAMPlorations 13th Birthday Celebration! Be sure to visit the STAMPlorations blog to see all of today's gorgeous team projects AND to leave a comment letting us know which of the new featured products is your absolute favorite. You might just win it!

What better way to start a birthday celebration than with a fun birthday card? How about a Comic Pop Pocket Backdrop paired with a Big Birthday Cake Colorable (now that´s a mouthful!) Both can be found in the store here. And although that birthday cake certainly can be colored, I chose to keep it B/W since that backdrop had all the colors going on.

also used XOXO die

Next up I had some stenciling fun with Sanna`s new Profile 1 stencil. I first stenciled the profile in yellow. Then I used the leftover yellow ink on my dauber to tone down the stark white in the positive space. I laid the next stencil over the girl and stenciled the sentiment in orange. The last step was to ink the little squares (over the girl stencil) with pink. And it`s still a one layer card!

also used Hello and co and Just Squares mini stencils

There´s soooo much going on with this birthday celebration. Please head over to the STAMP blog to leave a comment for your chance to win. And FREE US SHIPPING on all orders $25 or more - wowzers, what a deal! Thanks for celebrating with us. CU tomorrow with more.

STAMPlorations new release - layered poppies

Hi again peeps! Back today with another beautiful set from the new release from Shirley B. over at the STAMPlorations shop. Today we're introducing Layered Poppies.

First I used my Altenew red inks to stamp the two layers of each of the three blooms onto sky blue PP. Then I stamped the outlines in black.

Layered Poppies stamp

Bloomdala Bliss stamp

Bloomdala Bliss: Felicity die

 inks, green embossing powder

To complete my design I did some tone-on-tone inking through a Felicity scrap paper die cut (using it like a stencil) to represent three clouds up top. Then I drew stems with a Versamark marker and added some texture by heat embossing them.

For my next card I went with more white space, and my fave, random stamping.  Hope you'll forgive me that I didn't use the set as a "layered" stamp here, but I have to tell you, when I first received the set the first thing that I saw was a butterfly. Do you see it too?

Layered Poppies stamp

Layered Watermelon stamp

 embossing powder

I considered adding pattern or at least antenna to the butterflies but then decided that the entire design was so abstract I'd leave it as is. The pops of color and texture make sure your eyes go to the images and I'm pretty sure your eye (brain?) sees a butterfly.

Don't you love Shirley's artistic designs? I just love her sketchy outlines, regardless the theme!

That's it from me today. Check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. Leave comments all around and you might be the lucky winner of one of Shirley's new stamp sets (to be announced on 6/29 on the STAMP blog.)

Thanks for coming by.  CU soon for the STAMPlorations 13th Birthday celebrations!

STAMPlorations new release - layered stars

Hi there peeps! Before we get to the 13th birthday celebrations over at STAMPlorations, there's a new release from Shirley B. debuting over at the STAMPlorations shop.  Today we're introducing Layered Stars.

Hope you'll forgive me that I didn't even use this set as a "layered" stamp, it was so much fun to use as... well, you'll see.

First off I inked up a distress ink BG (a la Robin C.) and heat embossed the sketchy stars, outline and solid, randomly all over it. Don't ya love it?

Layered Stars stamp

Distress Inks - Festive Berries, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Prize Ribbon

 platinum embossing powder, sequins

For my next card I went with more white space, but still lots of random stars. I heat embossed a few for more interest.

Layered Stars stamp

 circle die, embossing powder

That's it for today. Check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. Leave comments all around (at the STAMP blog and on the design team blogs) and you might be the lucky winner of one of Shirley's new stamp sets. Winner will be announced 6/29 on the STAMP blog.

This is such a fun set. Thanks for coming by today!  

easy peasy milestone birthday card

First off - Happy Memorial Day weekend to my US peeps.

OK, this one was easy. Like real easy. Needed an 80th bday card. Absolutely LOVE the Boho Landscapes card fronts. Just pulled out a couple dies and voila!

Boho Landscapes card front

Ellen Hutson Essential Rectangles die

MFT number die

washi

There. Easy peasy. Did I mention that this set of card fronts is absolutely my fave? 

Don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should I have convinced you to do some shopping ;) 

Speaking of shopping...  take a look at the Spring Cleaning Sale going on now. And instead of the monthly challenges, STAMPlorations is going back to the Never-ending Anything Goes using STAMP products as the focal point. Check out the deets here.

STAMPlorations anything goes may reminder

Joining in on the fun over at STAMPlorations monthly Anything Goes challenge over at the STAMPlorations blog? There's still time.

Anything goes. I went coffee and snark.

Retro Femme ATC

Coffee Happy stamp

Hot Mess stamp

I chose this beauty with an attitude and paired a coffee theme with her. The touch of red outlining the ATC really shows off her lipstick. And don't you love the snarky sentiment?

Check out the card creations this month! There will be prizes ;) a $25 prize code for a chosen card using STAMP products and two $10 prize codes chosen randomly from the entries (need not feature a STAMP product.) Please be sure to read all the challenge rules here.

Don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should I ever inspire you to do some shopping ;)  See you over at the gallery. 

STAMPlorations spring fling

Spring is in the air! Gotta love it. And gotta love how the newest ATCs over at STAMPlorations help celebrate that spring has finally arrived.

Join us for a hop and linky party with the chance to win some prizes!

I could not resist pairing Shirley B.'s tiny houses with this ATC.

Houses stamp

Whimsical Homes ATC

New Day clear stickers

distress ink, washi

Used an old technique to create the watercolored row of houses. Anytime you have a fairly symmetric stamp shape you can use the reverse (flat side) of it to stamp your color layer and then use the outline side of the stamp to stamp the crisp image. Added a spritz of water to the inked reverse side gives you the desired watercolor effect.

Other than that, the ATC is the dreamy star of the show. Added a sticker sentiment and a thin washi strip and called it good.

Get creative and be a part of the linky party. Or hop around and leave comments to win. Join us, won’t you?

STAMPlorations anything goes may challenge

Joining in on the fun over at STAMPlorations monthly Anything Goes challenge over at the STAMPlorations blog? Shery is so generous with prizes why not play along?

Anything goes. OK, how about I clean up my desk a bit. What do you think?

Color me Spring ATC

Analog Grunge collage paper

Feathery stamp

I love these ATCs with a spring-y feel, but more neutral colors. I chose the ATC with the basket of flowers and paired it with a torn scrap of the collage paper. Added a couple punched hearts and a heat embossed sentiment. Voila!

I'm looking forward to your seeing your card creations this month! There will be prizes ;) a $25 prize code for a chosen card using STAMP products and two $10 prize codes chosen randomly from the entries (need not feature a STAMP product.) Please be sure to read all the challenge rules here.

And watch the STAMP blog for our Spring Fling event coming up. Lots more ideas with these ATCs.

Don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should I ever inspire you to do some shopping ;)  See you over at the gallery.