STAMPlorations anything goes challenge march

Well hello again STAMP friends! It's time for another monthly Anything Goes challenge - the 6th of every month over at the STAMPlorations blog. Did you join the fun last month? It's time to have some fun at the March ATG challenge.

This one has basically only two elements, but so much interest due to the complexity of the background.

Circles all Over cover plate die

Perched Bird die

Thinking of you die

patterned paper

The background was made by die cutting a card front from watercolor patterned paper and then mixing up the pieces when adhering them to my cardfront. I then ran the cardfront through my die cutting maching using the cover plate to add texture to it. The two elements - a bird and sentiment die cut and stacked and voila!

CAS card tip: Only two elements for your CAS design? Make the background more interesting by adding texture to it.

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 even a $10 prize code chosen randomly from the entries (need not feature a STAMP product.) Please be sure to read all the challenge rules here.

And 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. 

introducing collage papers - memory planner

If you caught my last two posts you know there's a new product over at the STAMPlorations shop - collage papers. Basically, it's a nice quality 70# patterned paper and who doesn't love patterned paper?  

There's an amazing pre-order deal being offered right now so please go check it out. But then come back to see my latest make using Analog Grunge, one of the new papers!

I decided to use the collage papers as PP in creating my latest spread in my Stop the Blur memory planner. The neutral tones worked well with my photos for this week, which were basically all over the color spectrum. I created pockets to hold a few more photos and my journaling.

Analog Grunge collage paper

Elizabeth Craft journal page die

Heidi Swapp stamps

alpha die, stickers, ticket ephemera

So if the pattern on these collage papers speaks to you, in addition to using them as an easy card front or background for a stamped/die cut image, you can make them work for you in other ways as well. 

Hope you're stopping by the STAMPlorations blog regularly to see what the other DT girls are making with the new collage papers - in addition to grungy there are botanical, coffee, travel, and bold texture themed papers.

And should you find yourself making a purchase from the STAMPlorations store, you can use my code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off. Have a great day.  

introducing collage papers - collage

Did you catch my last blog post? There's a new kid in town over at the STAMPlorations shop - collage papers. Basically, it's a nice quality 70# patterned paper and who doesn't love patterned paper?  It also might stretch your creative muscles ;)

There's an amazing pre-order deal being offered right now so please go check it out. But then come back to see my makes using Analog Grunge, one of the new papers!

To stretch my creative muscles I decided to actually make a collage. I found so much inspiration from Rebecca C. in this video.

Um, might it really have been 2019 when I last touched this art journal? Shame on me.  Anyhoo, I settled on this already-prepared two-page spread of khaki and beige tones.

And then I made some marks on my collage paper (the one with the coffee stains).

And pulled out an old gelli print and some old book pages. And then four hours later this collage spread in my art journal was complete!

I cut circles and glued them and some of their negatives down. Added some torn paper strips. Fussy cut some camera and clock images from the collage paper and added them like ephemera. I stamped with black ink and then white paint. I made marks with a toilet paper roll. I adhered some sticker negatives. And washi tape. And then my focal point, made with die cut alphas. 

I splattered too. With the leftover white and black acrylic paints. And metallic orange watercolor - can you see those shimmery blobs of goodness?

Analog Grunge collage paper

Art Marks 3 stamp

alphabet die

acrylic paint, washi tape

SUCH fun!!!!!

For my next project I remembered an idea from Nadine M. for a Christmas card and applied it to a masculine birthday card. This is a great way to use up other PP scraps at the same time. Just look for some that complement each other.

Analog Grunge collage paper

Skinny Sentiments die

So if the pattern on these collage papers speaks to you, in addition to using them as an easy card front or background for a stamped/die cut image, you can make them work for you in other ways as well. I'll be back with more ideas soon.

Be sure to stop by the STAMPlorations blog regularly to see what the other DT girls are making with the new collage papers - in addition to grungy there are botanical, coffee, travel, and bold texture themed papers.

And should you find yourself making a purchase from the STAMPlorations store, you can use my code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off. Have a fabulous day.