Sunday, December 30, 2018

here's to us, crafty friends

Hi, hello and how are you? It's been extremely quiet around here over the holidays. That will change soon, but before it does I'd like to thank you all for coming by and leaving lovely comments. I'm so  happy to hear I inspire you with my creations, as you inspire me.

Today I want to thank Craft Stamper mag for the feature they did on me as the winner of their November challenge. What an honor, especially since my card had a lot more white space than you usually see at Craft Stamper! You can find a tutorial for my project here, BTW. I'm looking forward to my upcoming guest design with those talented gals.


It was a fun and productive 2018. As the virtual world seems to take up more and more of people's time these days, I'm happy to be a part of a paper, ink and scissors community of artists who even manage to send their "real" creations around the world to brighten other people's days. Here's to us! And here's to an even more creative 2019!

Happy New Year, my friends.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

spotlight on positive vibes

A Spring-y project for you today over at the STAMPlorations blog in my spotlight. Feelin' groovy?


I'm joining the fun at:
Craft Stamper - Take it Make it December
AAA Card - Three




Thursday, December 6, 2018

spotlight on spotlight ink blending with DIY stencils

A couple more Christmas card ideas for you today over at the STAMPlorations blog in my spotlight. Embossing paste through a DIY stencil and then some ink blending. Not hard. And quite dramatic, don't you think?



See that sparkly embossing paste?!?


I'm joining the fun at:
Addicted to Stamps and More - AG
SSS Monday Challenge - B is for (Bold in my case)

simon says stamp - everday words on a line - thanks

I'm just now joining the party, the party called Diecember over at Simon Says Stamp! There was a blog hop you need to check out if you're in the market for cool new dies! And there's a great gallery of creations with the new dies here.



I was lucky to receive a sentiment die, Everday Words on a Line, from SSS to play with. Today's cards came about as I created a thank you card for my Dad's neighbors at the lake. I pulled out a Distress Ink BG from my stash that reminded me of the beach and woods and made this. Oh, and I pulled out an older stamp/die set from SSS that I thought supported my design perfectly.

So first up is this card. Spider? Or the earth/universe? What do you see? I saw earth/universe so even added some silver Nuvo Drops in a nod to the stars.

Hero Arts Alphabet Soup BG stamp
Distress Inks
Nuvo Drops

So. You know I let nothing go to waste. Enter the negatives from the "thanks" die cuts. Are you getting a can't-see-the-forest-for-the-trees vibe? I almost like this one better. May send it.

Distress Inks

Here are the phrases in the die. Thanks Simon!


I'm playing at:
Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Thank You Card
The Paper Girls - Die Cuts
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

simon says stamp - everyday words on a line - love

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm sure you've seen that Diecember is happening over at Simon Says Stamp? There was a blog hop you need to check out if you're in the market for cool new dies!



I was lucky to receive a sentiment die from SSS to play with. Today's card was a result of my first experiments. The strips are so dainty that when I was cutting them they reminded me of flowers on stems. So I picked some! And put them in a vase!


scoreboard
glitter washi tape

Die cut five of the love you from red CS. Die cut one you are amazing from black CS, but liked the boldness of the negative piece better to ground my vase. For the vase I scored a strip of CS and folded it to make it 3D before adhering it to the cardbase. The cool thing about this dimension is that you can flatten it by pushing it to the left or right so it's mailable. Added a bit of sparkle to the design with the strip of glitter washi.

Here are the phrases in the die. I'll be back with more later.

Thanks Simon!

I'm playing at:
Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge - Emboss (with a scoreboard)
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

fall/winter coffee lovers blog hop

cover photo, Image may contain: text

Our temps in Germany right now don't suggest winter so it's a good thing we can count on the amazing Amy T. and Chaitali N. to keep us on track. Yep, it's winter. And time for the Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop!

I had to play along since this is such an epic event. And since I loved that graphic from the get go. AND since I saw a card by the oh-so-talented Debby H. that I couldn't get outta my mind. Here's my card... does it remind you of one of hers? I don't have marshmallows, but I gave it my best shot with three lines of sparkly steam rising from the mug.


Twinkling H2Os
white embossing powder
vellum

Lousy photos (lousy light here these days), sorry. I used my Altenew Watercolors and patience. A  light layer, let it dry, repeat... Enjoyed the practice. Added a subtle sentiment embossed on vellum. I love the sentiments in the Joyful stamp set - the font and size. Perfect every time.

I'm heading to these fun challenges too:
Cards in Envy - Spirit of Christmas
Inkspirational - Anything Christmas
and I used the violet and gray from Addicted to Stamps and More


Tuesday, December 4, 2018

STAMPlorations inspiration #197

Welcome to a Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team where the team members feature stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today I'm showcasing one of The Bee's Knees stamps. Remember to get an extra 20% off when you place an order if you use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA.

Meet my Christmas card.


I wanted to use just the large layered poinsettia as a focal point, but decided to create some interest by stamping it off the edge of a white panel onto the base and also die cutting an area of it and popping it up a bit. A simple sentiment and Voila!


For more inspiration with this fabulous set, see this card.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on the December inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. So happy you stopped by :)

I'm stopping by at:
Penny Black and More - Traditional Christmas Colors
Hiding in My Craft Room - Christmas Colors
Inkspirational - Anything Goes Christmas

Monday, December 3, 2018

CUTplorations december

How'd that happen? It's time for a new CUTplorations challenge over at STAMPlorations. Here's our inspiration for December.

image source: 30smagazine
Can't wait to see how this image inspires you. I went with the colors and things strung up... There's something about that phrase die. I love to hang things from it.

I started with the woodgrain PP. Die cut the sentiment (2x) and stacked it, then strung some red thread through a few letters to hang my Christmas-y items from.


Hope you can find time this holiday season to join us for some die cutting fun over at the CUTplorations challenge. Just make a project based on our inspiration using at least one die cut and at least one STAMPlorations product. Your project might be chosen as the winner of a $15 GC to the shop. Check out how the CUTplorations DT was inspired by this month's photo here.

And don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should you find yourself with some extra Christmas money ;) Thanks for coming by. See you in the gallery.

I'm headed to the gallery at:
SSS Wednesday challenge - AG
SSS Work it Wednesday - Ho Ho Holiday
Cards in Envy - Spirit of Christmas
Inkspirational - Anything Christmas

Saturday, December 1, 2018

more faux metallic for christmas

Did you see my makes yesterday? I made a couple Christmas cards with an oldie but goodie technique. A great idea for adding a metallic touch to a project is Perfect Pearls. With the faux metal technique (a la Jennifer M.) you brush them onto a Distress Inked area while it is still damp. I thought I'd give the technique a try with Distress Oxides.

So the Oxides have a longer open time than the Inks. And therefore will pick up even more of the Perfect Pearls powder if you lay it on too heavily. Like I did. Got some mega streaks. Oh well.

But a positive side effect is that after using a water/Perfect Pearls mixture in a mini mister to lightly spray the finished area and set the Perfect Pearls, the oxidation droplets appeared where there were larger water droplets and that's kinda cool!

When the inked/pearlized panel was dry I die cut the rectangles and then dry embossed them. Die cut some iconic Christmas figures and heat embossed some sentiments and then assembled my cards.


Distress Oxides - Lucky Clover, Cracked Pistachio
Perfect Pearls

Still love this technique. And those embossing folders. I'm in the middle of Christmas cookie baking. How about you?

I'm playing at:
CAS on Friday - Make a holiday card
SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG
SSS Work it Wednesday - Ho Ho Holiday

Friday, November 30, 2018

faux metallic for christmas

Christmastime is sparkle time, right?

I made a few more Christmas cards with an oldie but goodie technique. A great idea for adding a metallic touch to a project is Perfect Pearls. With the faux metal technique (a la Jennifer M.) you brush them onto a Distress Inked area while it is still damp. I thought I'd give the technique a try with Distress Oxides.

So the Oxides have a longer open time than the Inks. And therefore will pick up even more of the Perfect Pearls powder if you lay it on too heavily. Like I did. Got some mega streaks. Oh well.

But a positive side effect is that after using a water/Perfect Pearls mixture in a mini mister to lightly spray the finished area and set the Perfect Pearls, the oxidation droplets appeared where there were larger water droplets and that's kinda cool!

When the inked/pearlized panel was dry I die cut the rectangles and then dry embossed them. Die cut some iconic Christmas figures and heat embossed some sentiments and then assembled my cards.



Distress Oxides - Lucky Clover, Cracked Pistachio
Perfect Pearls

Still love this technique. And those embossing folders. Come back tomorrow for the red versions.

I'm playing at:
SSS Wednesday Challenge - AG
SSS Work it Wednesday - Ho Ho Holiday






Tuesday, November 27, 2018

STAMPlorations inspiration #196

Welcome to a Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team where the team members feature stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today we're showcasing Shery Russ stamps. Shery's designs are 10%  From Nov 27 to Dec 3 (with an extra 20% off when you use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA).

Today again I was inspired by a pin to my favorite cards inspiration board. Meet my card.


Used painters' tape to mask off lines across the card front and applied Dried Marigold and Worn Lipstick with a brush. Spritzed with perfect pearl mix. Colored the cone with Copics and die cut it. Curved my sentiments. Voila!

For more inspiration with this fun set, see this card.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on the November inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. So happy you stopped by :) Hope you've enjoyed this month's series where I was inspired by great card designers out there. Thank you all for your constant inspiration!

I'm stopping by at:
Always Fun - Anything Goes

Friday, November 23, 2018

25 days of christmas tags 2018 - part 5

So while you're all enjoying leftovers, I'm back with the last of the sets of tags I'm making as neighbor gifts this year (14 of 'em)... thanks to Tracey's 25 days of Christmas tags.

Meet my last two sets. Who knows? Maybe there'll be more but for now I have to stop and clean up my craft room table cuz it needs to come up to the living room for our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday!

If this tag looks familiar to you, you're right. I decided to make a second set with the same design, just dressed it up with a chiffon bow and made some smaller tags to go with them.

I was inspired by Kim's tag for Day 11 with Winnie and Walter, but used one of my all-time fave Christmas sets from Technique Tuesday who was up on Day 13.



Reverse Confetti Gift Card Holder Tag die
Technique Tuesday Jingle all the Way stamp
Altenew inks

For my last set (actually made two sets of these cuz I was having fun coloring the cute images) I was totally inspired by Tracey's tag for Day 11 with Winnie and Walter.  Such a simple way to create a cute little scene, perfect for families with kiddos.


Love that extra irridescent sparkle the snow sequins add to the heat embossed falling snow.


Papertrey Tag Sale #2 die
Winnie and Walter So Tweet stamp and die
Winnie and Walter Sentimental Winter stamp
Create a Smile Schone Bescherung stamp
Copic markers
sequins

So I'm off. Have a date with a bird and all its trimmings...

I'm also joining in at:
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Baby it's Cold Outside (#2)
Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies November (#2)

Thursday, November 22, 2018

spotlight on the color wheel - part 2

Happy Turkey Day to ya! We're celebrating on Sunday since Thanksgiving isn't a German holiday.

I'm over at the STAMPlorations blog again with a spotlight talking about my color choices and my Copic coloring for this Thanksgiving card.


I'm joining the fun at:
Craft Stamper - November Take it Make it
The Flower Challenge - Special Occasion

25 days of christmas tags 2018 - part 4

Happy Turkey Day! I'm back with more of the sets of tags I'm making as neighbor gifts this year... thanks to Tracey's 25 days of Christmas tags.

Meet my next three sets.

I still couldn't get Day 7 with Birchpress (whose product I do not own unfortunately) and Desiree's color choices for her layered ornament out of my head. So I gave it another try with another new-to-me die. Die cut the layers from kraft, white, silver and gold. Easy peasy.



And made some smaller sticker tags too since I had some leftovers from my plays at which color to make which layer.

Spellbinders Ironworks Motifs die

Next I was inspired by Day 12 with Pretty Pink Posh and Angela's shaker ornament. I broke out this really intricate die and concocted a shaker ornament out of it with a variety of gem tone sequins behind vellum rather than acetate.



Decorated these smaller tags using a hole punch on the negative pieces of mirror and glitter CS!


Technique Tuesday Jingle all the Way stamp
Precious Remembrance Sketchy Christmas stamp

vellum,sequins

And then I actually pulled out some Winnie and Walter (Day 11) and kinda came up with my own designs although Shay's tags with the touch of woodgrain pushed me in the direction of one certain stamp set. Hope you likey.






Winnie and Walter Winter Woodland stamp
Winnie and Walter Sentimental Winter stamp
SSS Falling Snow stencil
embossing paste
Altenew inks
sparkle and gold embossing powders
Impression Obsession Birch Trees die
STAMPlorations Luggage Tag die
stag die

I'm joining in at:

SSS Wednesday - Baby it's Cold Outside (#3)
City Crafter - Tag (#3)
Die Cut Divas - AG (#1,2)
Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies November (#2)


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