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.

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

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.

 SSS Everyday Words on a Line die

SSS Apothecary Labels stamp and die

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.

SSS Everyday Words on a Line die

SSS Apothecary Labels stamp and die

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

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!

 SSS Everyday Wishes on a Line die

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

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.

STAMPlorations Winter Mug

STAMPlorations Joyful

Altenew watercolors

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

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.

STAMPlorations Layered Poinsettias stamp
STAMPlorations Succulently die
Altenew inks

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

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.

STAMPlorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die
STAMPlorations Merry Christmas Word Art die

STAMPlorations Christmas Baubles #1 die

STAMPlorations Trendy Spring Blooms die
STAMPlorations Gift Builder #2 die
thread
washi tape

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

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.

STAMPlorations Christmas Icon Angel die

STAMPlorations Christmas Icon Nativity die
Lil Inker Stitched Rectangles die
Winnie and Walter Comfort and Joy stamp

Altenew Lyrical Script stamp

We R Memory Keepers Geometric embossing folder

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