STAMPlorations art marks and markers

While I was having fun using up those gelli prints , I also had this cute little Mini Art Marks stamp set out. That little rainbow caught my eye and I had some fun with it, water based markers and a spray bottle.

Mini Art Marks stamp

water based markers

Hello Sunshine die

Time consuming, but worth it I think. Have a good day.

STAMPlorations paper goods bundle

Hi there friends. I'm sharing a few cards I made with a bundle being offered at a super price over at STAMPlorations right now. 

You're probably aware that STAMPlorations owner, Shery, is battling cancer at the moment. She's always been an inspiration with the energy she puts into her work and she's amazing in her battle now too. Her faith is amazing. Lots of virtual hugs and prayers headed Shery's way as she fights the fight.

To help bring a bit of revenue to her family while minimizing the amount of energy she has to put into packing and shipping, Shery has bundled some products and is offering them at great prices. You can check out all the bundles on offer here.

I've worked with some ephemera which just might be included in the Paper Goods grab bag - over 100 pieces for $15.

First up a hers and a his using some cool retro ATCs in a freestyle collage fashion.

STAMPlorations stamp and stencil

Funky Fossil stencil

STAMPlorations ATCs and ephemera

 patterned paper

inks, stickers, washi

Can you tell I'd been watching some Jamie P. videos? A bit of this. A bit of that. All the things ;)

Next up...

STAMPlorations ATCs and ephemera, border die and stickers

embossing powder

More inspiration from the memory planner world here... cut apart sentiments. And if you can cut apart sentiments, why not ATCs too? This time I've used the watercolor ATC pack.

I'm taking card #2 to Happy Little Stampers November Stencil challenge as well as Creative Friday's Masculine Cards challenge and  #4 to Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where it's a Thinking of You theme.

Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your weekend.  

forgotten but not gone (1)

Continuing with my summer programming even though it's September ;) I've got a few cards to share this month that seem to have been forgotten in my photo file. Oops.

Let's start with purple, shall we?

A closeup of that golden die cut cuz it's just so pretty combined with the splatters of gold ink.

STAMPlorations coffee stamp and sentiment die

Distress Inks

Simon Says Stamp Picked Just for You watercolor cards

Zig watercolor brushes

sewing machine, pearls

Happy weekend! 

letting my scraps inspire me

Continuing with my summer programming...

Still on a roll using up scraps , I let the scraps inspire my card design for these cards.

This first one... pretty funny. Those darn raffia strips were another too-fun-to-toss-but-constantly-being-moved-from-left-to-right-and-back. The lantern halves were leftover pieces from a rainbow die cut many moons ago. I was finally inspired to combine the two, just needed a stenciled BG to pull them together.

STAMPlorations stencil

Studio Calico sentiment die

MFT Magical Rainbow die (negative pieces)

More die cut scrap next. Why not put it over some scrap paper from an inking session and then dress it up a little with washi and Nuvo drops?!?

Ellen Hutson Many Thanks die

Nuvo drops, washi

Another piece of scrap paper from an ink smooshing session ended up peeking out of the slats of a cover plate die cut and topped with a stylistic bloom from my scrap bowl.

MFT Dienamics Stripes cover die

Happy weekend! Have you had a go at your scrap pile yet?

using scraps for mixed media cards

Continuing with my summer programming.

So I was on a roll using up scraps for mixed media cards after discovering Laura's fabulous feed over on IG. After watercoloring various swatches, these cards happened. (I actually used some swatches in these cards a while back too.)

watercolor paper, watercolors

Papertrey Ink Love Lives Here die

Simon Says Stamp Clustered Leaves die

Heidi Swapp sentiment stickers

Happy weekend!

STAMPlorations inspiration #366

Hi there STAMP friends. Time again for a Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration gals. 

One more make with the "chicks and carrots" Easter vibe ...

Fowl Play stamp

 Tweet Love die

Distress Oxides

Super CAS here. I wanted to use up the strips I'd used when masking this card, so I die cut some little chicks from it. Found a mama hen and a fitting sentiment in Fowl Play and voila. Of course, washi up top is always a good idea.

You could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should inspire you to order something from the store, if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code you receive an additional 20% off your order.  Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your Tuesday. 

STAMPlorations inspiration #364

Happy April friends. First time this month I'm popping in for a Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration gals. We had a lovely two weeks in South Tyrol in the snow and then apparently brought Covid home with us so it took me a while to get back into the swing of things. Hope you are well.

I'm feeling the "chicks and carrots" Easter vibe around here. That's reflected in my cards this month ;)

Circular Two stencil

Bloomdala Bliss Festive die

Skinny Sentiments die

Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die

Distress Oxides

Inspired by Nicole W, I'm having fun with stencils. Today I masked off portions of the stencil while inking to get the yellow and orange stripes through the design. Added a die cut and a negative die cut sentiment and called it busy enough ;)

You could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should inspire you to order something from the store, if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code you receive an additional 20% off your order.  Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your Tuesday. 

more scrap strips

Did you catch my tutorial yesterday at STAMPlorations? More strips. This time torn from scrap paper I used when swatching inks.

And did you catch that I'm in the process of moving my craft room? And rediscovering all the stuff I have? Who's been around cardmaking for a few years and can recognize the PP I found in my craft room and used on my card?!?

STAMPlorations Tag 1 die

chipboard stickers

So I adhered the stripped, die cut tag to two pieces of Tim Holtz Ideology paper (I think it's so old it just might be trendy again with its retro colors and images). Did you recognize it?

Then I pulled out various stickers I have and decide to pop a few onto my card to jazz it up. Oh, and a little punched butterfly from my stash too.

Let me tell you, this card is certainly not perfect, but it was FUN to make. I was inspired by watching Barbara just have fun pulling out supplies and scraps and put 'em all together. And boy do I have supplies and scraps...

STAMPlorations inspiration #359

Hello again. Time for a Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration gals.

Ready for some "go bold or go home"?

ATC Tag Builder die

Skinny Sentiments die

Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die

I die cut various scraps with the various edges of the ATC die and adhered them to a navy scrap. Added a yellow circle cuz it felt right! Die cut the panel with the rectangle die and added a sentiment. Done.

I was inspired by the style of Lagom. Organic graphic. Love it.

As always, you could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should ever inspire you to order something from the store, if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code you receive an additional 20% off your order.  Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your Tuesday.

the world needs more kindness

A little escapism from the craziness of this world in my craft room led to this play with distress inks and brushes. I was totally inspired by Robin W. who was a teacher in the recent Card Maker Success Summit.

Honey Bee Kindness stamp and die

Distress Inks- Candied Apple, Carved Pumpkin, Mustard Seed, Mowed Lawn, Prize Ribbon

I love the result. Water spots and white ink splatters added interest to the BG and the sentiment couldn't be more appropriate. Can we all just try to be a little nicer?

I'm joining the nice folks at SSS Wednesday - AG,  Papercraft Challenge #79 - AG and Happy Little Stampers AG with Dies February Challenge.

neutrals for sss etched dragonfly

If you saw my last post, I was having a play with more scraps, tearing them into strips. The scraps were actually the paper I had used when updating my ink swatches by swiping ink onto them (I used to just stamp an image onto the swatch).

Well there was a sheet of all the grays I swatched. Yes, I am addicted to inks. 

So first I made a tag out of gray strips. Then I die cut some dragonflies to populate the gray sky.

STAMPlorations Circles all Over Cover Plate

STAMPlorations Manila Tags Nesting die

STAMPlorations Skinny Sentiments die 

SSS Etched Dragonfly die

scraps, sequins, washi

I'm really digging the neutrals. What do you think? Thanks for visiting. 

STAMPlorations inspiration #351

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. I'm continuing on my mission to use created backgrounds.

Thinking of You die

Layered Poinsettias stamp

Bloom Happy die

Die cut four "rectangles" from two backgrounds, adhered them to my cardbase, heat embossed some stylistic leaves and added a gold die cut sentiment. Isn't this a great multi-purpose sentiment? 

As always, you could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should ever inspire you to order something from the store, if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code you receive an additional 20% off your order.  Have a great day! And let's all have a great year!     

STAMPlorations inspiration #350

Welcome to 2022! Hope your holidays were wonderful. Mine were spent quietly, with family.

It's time for our first Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls for you this year! Here's my card.

Coffee Cup Silhouette die

Just Caffeinate clear stickers

washi

 

On a mission to use up some backgrounds I've created over time, I pulled out a die, die cut it from three backgrounds and added a sticker sentiment. Easy peasy. Chose backgrounds with some shine (thanks to metallic watercolors and Perfect Pearls mist) to pep the design a bit.

As always, you could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should ever inspire you to order something from the store, if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code you receive an additional 20% off your order.  Have a great day! And let's all have a great year!    

altenew november inspiration - take 1 and 2

Sooo. I came back to Germany with some new craft goodies and some fun 3D embossed panels my cousin was kind enough to share with me when we got together for a cardmaking date.

It just so happens they were Altenew 3D folders.

And it just so happens that the November Altenew Inspiration Challenge is a beauty. 

Those colors! Those leaves! I was off to create...

My first thought was to use a dry embossed panel with some of my new distress oxides in yellow, pink and purple.

Altenew Flowers and Leaves embossing folder

Altenew Virginia Rose 3D die

distress oxides, Maggie Holmes chipboard

And then I decided to use the same oxide colors on a card for a friend who lost her mom a month ago. I went with "thinking of you" instead of "sympathy" since it's been a little while. Doesn't that layered bloom pair well with the lovely outline stamp? I'm hooking this one up at SSS Wednesday Challenge - Thinking of you.

Altenew Delicate Bouquet stamp

Garden Picks 3D die

distress oxides

I'm not done yet. The ideas just kept on coming.

And I totally love Autumn. Here's a peek of what I get to enjoy in my yard this time of year. No filters added ;) Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

STAMPlorations inspiration #334

Hi Friends! It's time for another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

 

Another fun CAS card today.

Folk Flowers stamp

So Loved stamp

Trendy Spring Blooms die

 Zig markers, washi

I revisited a previous card of mine for this design and pulled out Shirley's Folk Flowers. In contrast to the stark B/W I colored the die cut blooms with pink and orange and KAPOW! A strip of washi with some gold dots never hurts either. Do you prefer CAS or heavy-loaded designs? Which do you prefer to make?

As always, you could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should ever inspire you to order something from the store, I'd appreciate it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off your order.     

spring summer coffee lovers hop

Know how I've been playing with fantasy watercoloring this month? I kinda carried on with that inspiration for today's projects which are a part of the Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. STAMPlorations is a sponsor and in addition to the four STAMP prizes being given away on the hop, you could win a prize for leaving a comment over at the STAMP blog today too.

For my first project I used the new set, Sweet Kindness. This set arrived just in time as that floral spray (not coffee related, I know) was perfect for a tag to accompany a birthday present!

 Sweet Kindness stamp

Lowercase Alpha Plate dies
Tag #1 Nesting dies

Gansai Tambi watercolors

Watercolor paper.  Tag die cut. Water. Watercolors. Dabbing and voila! I love how those little half-embossed alphas fit perfectly to personalize the tag for my friend. Here's the tag in action ;)

And then I went all "fantasy watercolor" again. Made this next card with Bloomin Coffee and You.

Bloomin Coffee and You stamp
Just Caffeinate clear stickers

Gansai Tambi watercolors

I printed a digi version of the stamp (cuz my postman hasn't delivered this set to me yet) onto watercolor paper. FYI, my image is larger than the stamp in the set. But if you're interested in digi stamps, this collection of digi stamps has a similar image and many more.

So. Fantasy watercolor. Wet-on-wet technique. I wouldn't call it "sloshed" cuz only Shirley can do that. And it's sure not realistic. It's kinda dabbed. Kinda pushed around. But I stuck to a more limited color palette and even kept the coffee brown!

I fussy cut the image and adhered it to a cream colored cardbase since my watercolor paper is creamy. A sticker sentiment tops off the cup.

Hope you're enjoying the hop with a nice cuppa. Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week and remember to "Be kind, be calm and be safe."

I'm joining the fun at:
Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Hop
I pulled my colors from ATSAM - Photo Inspiration

CAS cards challenge may reminder

Hello peeps! Back with a reminder about this month's CAS card challenge at STAMPlorations. 

Here's the May CAS Cards challenge inspiration.

As always the challenge is anything goes with an optional color twist - this month is baby pink.

Today's card.

STAMPlorations Art Marks 2 stamp
STAMPlorations  New Day clear sticker
Altenew watercolor

I used pink watercolors for my first card this month. To use up the leftovers, I grabbed the Art Marks stamps and stamped with watercolors in a masked off rectangle on my card front. Added a couple orange rings of color too to warm up the pinks.

Then I added a few pops of black and a sticker sentiment and called it good and CAS.

CAS card tip: Mask off an area of the card and go crazy within that area only!

For more inspiration with this stamp set check out this post.

Have you joined us yet? Your project might be chosen as the winner of a GC to the shop. Check out how the 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 shopping ;)  Thanks for stopping over. See you in the gallery.

I'm heading to the gallery at:
ATSAM - CAS

STAMPlorations inspiration #265

It's time for our last April Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

Here's my last masculine CAS card.

 Wonderful Life stamp
Copics and washi tape

Is it actually masculine? I think with the primary colors and the B/W it could be. I was thinking about my DS when making it and would definitely give it to him. But it could be for a gal too. Guess I can't stick to the masculine theme for too long ;)

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I ever inspire you to order something from the store, I'd really appreciate it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off your order - at no extra cost to you, just with perks for me ;)

Looking for more inspiration with this stamp set? Check out this post.

Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week.

simon says stamp - united we craft 2

Have you checked out the United We Craft Party over at Simon Says Stamp. Lots of inspiration with some of the older products you might have in your stash as you get creative in your #stayathome and #flattenthecurve time.

In yesterday's post I did some die cutting with the Faberge Egg. Then I looked through my background stamps thinking it was due time for some therapeutic coloring. These two cards happened.

 SSS Kaleidoscope stamp

SSS Hello die
Papertrey Hello die
Action Deutschland banner die

Copics

Hope you are all doing OK with the home isolation. We're hanging in there. I believe that united we got this! Happy Sunday.