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. 

introducing collage papers - analog grunge cards

There's another new kid in town over at the STAMPlorations shop and if you're a CAS cardmaker, you might be wondering if it's for you. Basically, it's 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 one batch, Analog Grunge, of the new papers!

My first love being cardmaking, I had to consider how to use this great paper (it's 70# quality). Some of the images lend themselves nicely to being fussy cut and used like ephemera. But I was feeling "torn into strips," especially because the motif is grungy.

So I considered which larger size die I could use as focal image on my card and settled on a bird. So I stamped some feathers and art marks on the collage paper before tearing it into strips and glueing the strips onto some scrap cardstock. 

Then I die cut the bird, backed it with a black shadow and decided to place it atop what was actually leftover after diecutting the bird from the scrap I had glued the strips onto. Kind of a hot mess but I think it works. Especially as a masculine belated birthday card.

Analog Grunge collage paper

Feathery stamp

Perched bird die

Double running stitch rectangle die

For my next card I contemplated what else to do with torn strips and remembered this fun card I'd made years ago. I thought Shirley's City Girl would work well with a nice taffeta skirt. I alternated torn book pages stamped with polka dots in between the collage paper strips. Did some coloring to make her top match her skirt. Cuz stylish ;)

Analog Grunge collage paper

City Girl stamp

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.

STAMPlorations anything goes february reminder

Stopping by with a quick reminder to join in over at STAMPlorations monthly Anything Goes challenge over at the STAMPlorations blog. 

Today's card warms my CAS-loving heart. What do you think?

Perched Bird die

World Birthday Cakes stamp

Design Blox stencil

Distress Inks

Die cut the bird from watercolor paper, watercolored it letting red, yellow and blue do the work of creating the oranges and greens. I stacked it on a couple layers of scrap cardstock for stability and dimension and adhered it to a cardfront I'd gussied up with some graphic images using the stencil. A classic sentiment in an unexpected location finished off my card.

CAS card tip: Rainbow + lotsa black and white = winner design every time.

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.

BTW, check out Shery's blog post about the new collage papers in the store. Can't wait to give this new product a try. How about you?

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 anything goes challenge february

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 in January? Here's my card for February.

I actually used some Christmas product for this card. I saw the die cut with the bloom and just felt like rainbow-ing it. 

Just Caffeinate clear stickers

Just Squares stencil

alcohol markers, embossing paste, Nuvo drops

Colored an image and added Nuvo drops to the berries, added some transparent paste through a stencil to the cardbase, added a sticker sentiment and voila!

CAS card tip: Think a black background is too dark? Try using a stencil to add paste or black ink to add interest to your black for your CAS design.

I'm looking forward to your seeing your card creations this month! There will be prizes ;) Please be sure to check out 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. 

 

STAMPlorations new release - card fronts

Welcome peeps! Perhaps you've been watching? There's a new release in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. There are 14 new sets of card fronts to make your cardmaking easier. There are even now several paper goods subscriptions available, including card fronts - a new pack every month. Sound enticing? Or pick up 4 packs of card fronts for the price of 3 in a special deal Shery is offering right now!

May I introduce Touch of Spring? 

I've used each of the card fronts (there are 2 of each design in a pack) - one even yielded a twofer.

First off I die cut a heart from it, heat embossed a few grunge marks in black onto it, took a black marker to the edges and then backed the heart negative with a PP scrap heat embossed with the word "love".  A bow finished off this valentine.

Mixed Media Elements stamp

Trendy Butterflies stamp

satin ribbon, heart die, embossing powder

I used a cover plate to die cut the next card front and get a twofer. In order to make placement of the strips easier I kept the pieces together, flipped it over and applied glue to the strips only. Flipped it back over and adhered only the strips to a card, carefully pulling the non-glued die cut up and off. Then I adhered the die cut strips with frame to a second card.

The strips with frame card first got some messy stamping on it to peek out from behind and then a vellum butterfly and die cut leaf to house my sentiment.

Flutter Zen 1 die

Trendy Leaves 2 die

Thank You Coffee stamp

Mixed Media Elements stamp

vellum, embossing powder

The twofer was this card using the strips. I added a giant sentiment and strip of washi along the bottom as well as lots of translucent Nuvo drops.

Happy Everything die

Nuvo drops, washi

For this next card I first applied pearl embossing paste through a stencil to the card front. Then I die cut a large heart from it and adhered a heat embossed sentiment on vellum to it. Both hearts were adhered to a card I inked using the same stencil. Pink overload? Blame it on those pink tulips ;)

Faerie Door stamp

These card fronts make it so easy. This one was so beautiful I just added a die cut butterfly and sentiment strip.

Flutter Zen 1 die

white embossing powder

That's it for today but I'd also like to mention there are a couple paper goods subscriptions being offered at the STAMPlorations store. Paper goods, card fronts and ATCs. Be sure to check out all the DT's creations with these new card fronts over at the STAMP blog. And should I ever inspire you to purchase some STAMPlorations products for your creations, please remember to use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for 20% off.

  

STB - november 4 2024

More November 2024 in my STB memory planner. 

Not many photos so a good chance to use larger alpha stamps to create titles. Love doing this. And how fun that the Lions were still doing well back then...

 

STB - october 28 2024

Moving on to November in my STB memory planner for 2024. 

Another transition week. Goodbye USA; hello Germany.

Used up some old die cuts that having been laying around. Some stickers. Some washi. How 'bout that vellum envelope with file card? Love it.

STAMPlorations anything goes challenge january

Well welcome back friends! It feels like it's been forever, doesn't it? STAMPlorations is back in business again and I'm creating cards again. There's going to be an Anything Goes challenge   the 6th of every month over at the STAMP blog so get ready to join in the fun.

Must admit, I kinda eased back into cardmaking slowly. Since I need a 90th birthday card for my MIL soon, this is what I came up with. 

Number plate die

Gift Builder 1 die

Art Marks 2 stamp

washi tape, nuvo drops

Stamped an image, die cut the gift and numbers, added some art marks and Nuvo drops for interest and voila!

CAS card tip: Add a strip of washi or cardstock along the bottom edge to ground your CAS design.

I'm looking forward to your seeing your card creations this month! There will be prizes ;) You can find 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 ;)  So nice to be back. See you over at the gallery.