introducing STAMPlorations new spring ATCs

Are you a fan of the ATCs in the STAMPlorations shop? There are a few new spring-themed products (think floral, coffee, sweet little houses and some boss women!) and I've got a couple projects to share with you.

Let's start with the boss women, shall we? I loved this 70s looking leading lady, so paired her with some groovy stamps in the supporting role. I stamped with orange, yellow and brown inks of course ;)

Retro Femme ATC

Groovy Shoes stamp

For my next card the butterfly from the Color me Spring pack immediately spoke to me so I paired it with some watercolor PP and die cut Flutterby. The die cuts are nice and sparkly thanks to Wink of Stella but you can't see it in the photo. I distressed the edges of the ATC and PP on my card front. Seems like ages since I've done that!

Color me Spring ATC

Flutter Zen 1 die

World Birthday Cakes stamp

My last project today features an adorable birdhouse ATC and it immediately reminded me of one of Shery's older stamp sets so I paired the two. I also added some wispy leaves to the background and some washi.

Color me Spring ATC

Crazy Stitched Rectangle die

Country Rustic stamp

Life is Sweeter stamp

Be sure to stop by the STAMPlorations blog regularly to see what the other DT girls are making with the new ATCs as well as the recently released collage papers. Should you find yourself making a purchase from the STAMPlorations store, you can use my code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off. Have a lovely day.

STAMPlorations inspiration #331

Time for another summer Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls.

 

Today's card uses the inlaid die cut technique. And some hot ink colors.

Blossom Spray 6 stamp

So Loved stamp

Flutter Zen 1 die

Flutter Zen 2 die

 Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin, Picked Raspberry distress inks

gold and white embossing powder

First I gold heat embossed the floral spray all over an A2 panel. Then I die cut the butterflies from the panel, inked them and inlaid them back into the panel on my cardbase. A heat embossed sentiment on a black circle finished up the card. Voila!

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.  

STAMPlorations 8th birthday - day 3

Howdy peeps and welcome to day 3 of STAMPlorations' 8th birthday celebration! Have you been enjoying the new products?

Today I have two cards made with some of the new products. I decided to use kraft for my cards.

First up I did some fussy cutting. Plus some stenciling, die cutting, stamping and coloring ;)

Design Blox Template 7 stencil

Blossom Sprays 6

So Loved

Art Border 3 die

Altenew leaf die, white pigment ink, gray dye ink, Zig markers

And then I had the graphic stenciling be the focal point of my B/W card.

Design Blox Template 7 stencil

Party Mates

Prosit die

Numbers plate die

I live in German wine country. Need I say more?

A dear friend is having a birthday so this is her card. Don't you love that big circle? I totally love it in black and white.

I added the die cut sentiment and numbers when it was dry and they a few glasses of bubbly up top. Gotta love glitter glue ;)

Hope you've enjoyed our birthday celebration. And I hope you're celebrating with us. Shery's offering generous prizes - to see how you can win and also to see what the other gals have created check out this post.

cas cards challenge june

Welcome to the STAMPlorations June CAS Cards challenge, folks!

As always the challenge is to create any CAS card, with an optional color twist - this month the twist is light blue and cream.

Those colors would normally take me down the baby card road, but alas I need several sympathy cards right now so babies will have to wait. Here's my first card.

Beautiful You stamp

New Beginning stamp

Clouds stencil

distress inks, clear embossing powder

Revisited a standard sympathy card design of mine, just with some different products. Masking, inking, silhouette stamp and an appropriate sentiment.

CAS card tip: When you've added an area of interest to a portion of your CAS design, extend your image off the edge of it to create more interest.

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

I'm looking forward to your CAS card creations! Your project might be chosen as one of the prize winners. 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 I ever inspire you to do some shopping ;)  Thanks for stopping over today. See you in the gallery. 

STAMPlorations inspiration #312

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

I have a theme this month - white on white. 

Did you see my latest Spotlight tutorial over at STAMPlorations? I die cut some circles out of a cover plate die cut and couldn't just toss them so I used them on today's card to add additional interest (the pricked circles are interest, the adhered circles add even more!) to the white background.

 Circles all Over Cover Plate Texture die

Lotus Love stamp

alcohol markers, embossing powder

Do you like white on white?

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. Did you see the 30% off sale on Coffee/Tea related products going on right now in the store? 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 - at no extra cost to you, just with perks for me ;)

STAMPlorations release - life is sweeter

Welcome to day two! There's a new release in town over at STAMPlorations . Have you seen it?

Today we have a new set from Dee called Life is Sweeter. More fun solid images which lend themselves to fun techniques.

I had to have some fun with the fruits, my MISTI and multi-layer stamping. 

Life is Sweeter stamp

Distress inks, embossing powder

I started with Antique Linen and stamped the image. Added more ink to the stamp, spritzed lightly with water and stamped. Added another color ink to strategic areas, spritzed and stamped. Quite the rewarding process.

At the end I dabbed some Versamark onto the images with a Q-tipand heat embossed with the same gold as the sentiment, adding some glam to each fruit.

And what pairs better with silhouette leaves than an ink-blended sky, right?

Life is Sweeter stamp

Distress inks - Antique Linen, Bundled Sage, Stormy Sky

I masked my cardbase and blended the sky using makeup brushes. Then I stamped with Versafine black ink. I heat embossed the three main images with clear embossing powder to highlight them a bit. Love that it's basically a one layer card.

Tomorrow we have a new set from Shery.  Be sure to check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. And leave comments all around by March 17, there are prizes for two random winners - 1) a $25 prize code and 2) a stamp set from the release.

Use my STAMPGIRLMARIA code on any order to get an extra 20% off!

Appreciate your visit. Have a great day.

I'm playing over at:

Happy Little Stampers CAS - Three of a Kind (#1 I've got 3 different fruits)

SSS Monday Challenge - Use Something Green (#2)

 

STAMPlorations inspiration #306

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

I'm concentrating on shaker cards this month. Are you already a fan? If not, perhaps I can inspire you to try one of the versions I've done this month like a see-through-to-the inside shaker using recycled cellophane packaging.

Today I have a tulle shaker card for you.

 Blossom Spray #2 stamp

Skinny Sentiments die

Zig clean color brush pens, tulle, sequins, sewing machine

I stamped the floral spray twice and colored it with Zigs and a waterbrush. Fussy cut them. Stitched a piece of tulle (with flat sequins trapped behind it) to my cardbase. I adhered the sprays with foam tape; the sentiments with glue where they overlapped the sprays.

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 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 - at no extra cost to you, just with perks for me ;)

Have a lovely week.

I'm playing at:

Stamping Sensations - Color My World

We Love Chocolate Baroque - Flowers, Butterflies or Birds

AAA Birthday - Large Sentiment

STAMPlorations inspiration #304

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration posts from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

Remember this tissue box? Rescued from the trash to inspire my cards this month...

Here's my next idea to add color to B/W stamping...

Blossom Sprays #2 stamp

 Broken Glass stencil

Thanks Word die

clear embossing paste

Stamp Market inks

Know how sometime a card's gotta happen quick? Well, this one doesn't ;)

But it's so cool! Add color a different way this time. Stamp the floral images. Apply clear embossing paste through a geometric stencil. Let dry (thus, not quick). Add ink over the dried paste which creates the geometric pattern of color. End up with cool shine over the still-white areas surrounded by a geometric pattern of ombre color. Fun, eh?

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 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 ;)

Thanks mucho for visiting today. Have a happy day!

I'm visiting Simon Says Stamp Wednesday where it's about Make Your Own Background and We Love Chocolate Baroque where it's about For Ladies and Girls.

 

STAMPlorations inspiration #297

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

Getting closer to Christmas. Are you finding yourself less stressed this holiday season, "thanks" to Covid? Or is Covid stressing you out? Wonder how we'll look back on 2020 in 20 years?

Enough of that. Here's my card.

 Santa is Here stamp

Two Reindeer die

Altenew inks, embossing powder

Super easy. How I like 'em! Randomly stamped the chimney.  Added a few little stars. Die cut the deer from PP and cardboard and glued them together. A heat embossed sentiment snippet finished things off. The little touches of silver in the PP and sentiment add holiday cheer to my CAS card.

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 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 ;)

Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week.

I'm stopping over at:

Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes

Dies R Us - Christmas

Country View Challenges - Anything Christmas

STAMPlorations inspiration #296

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

Looooong time, no see.

Hope you and yours are staying healthy and happy. Here it is December already. In this crazy year. You may have noticed I went missing for a while. I was in the US with my Dad who unfortunately had some health issues and then passed away end of July. He was a great guy and was blessed with 93 pretty good years. As he said to me near the end "if this is the end of the road, it's been a good ride." Ahhh, this thing called life...

I know tons has been happening over at STAMPlorations and in blogland. I'm looking forward to getting caught up.

Meet my inspiration card.

 Winter Mug stamp

Kathryn and Christmas stamp

Two Reindeer die

Art Edges die

Altenew inks, UTEE powder

I taped off the edges of my cardbase. Randomly stamped the tree. Removed the tape. Thought it looked weird. Added negative strips left over from a previous Art Edges die cut down the sides ;) Die cut the stag from cardstock and cardboard and glued them together. Added two coats of UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel) and voila!

UTEE embossed die cuts are just so cool! They'd even make great ornaments or additions to a garland.

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 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 ;)

Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week.

cas cards challenge june reminder

Hello there peeps! It's time to remind you to play along with us at STAMPlorations CAS card challenge for June if you haven't yet.

Here's the June CAS Cards challenge inspiration.

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

I personally love to create with purple. How about with four purples????

Wooded stamp
Sweet Kindness stamp
Altenew inks

So easy, folks. Grab a solid stamp. (or the reverse of a nearly solid stamp like this wood slice stamp) Stamp four of 'em. Stamp and fussy cut a B/W image and adhere it over your stamped "mat".

CAS card tip: After you've stamped, spritz the solid stamped areas 2-3 with a mini mister (from a distance) to soften the ink impressions a little bit.

For more inspiration with this stamp check out this post.

Have you played with us? 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.

CAS cards challenge march

Hello there! After our little break we're back at it over at STAMPlorations with our challenges. 

It's time for a new CAS Cards challenge and here's what I made. First, the inspiration.

As always it's anything goes. The optional color twist this month is light blue and my mind immediately went to baby boys.

STAMPlorations Tweet Love stamp
STAMPlorations Heaven Sent stamp

patterned paper

CAS card tip: Instead of just stamping an image or stamping and coloring an image, do some paper piecing. And take it up a notch by adding some color to the paper pieced image like I did here on the ear and tail.

Self explanatory me thinks. Stamp, stamp on PP, fussy cut, adhere, done. For more inspiration with this little ellie check out this card.

I'm looking forward to your CAS card creations this month! 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.

STAMPlorations release - leafy

There's a new release in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. Have you seen it?

We're inspiring you today with Leafy, another beautiful botanical from Dee's Artsy Impressions.

I wanted to incorporate a mix of those outline and solid images on my first creation.

Leafy stamp

Manila Tags die

Altenew inks

Using my MISTI, I stamped my cardbase in dark, another panel in middle and yet another panel in light blue ink. I die cut the tags from the middle and light blue panels, inked their edges and adhered them to my cardbase with foam adhesive. Added a heat embossed sentiment snippet and twine.

Come back on Friday to see what I did with those panels leftover after I die cut the tags ;)

For my second card I revisited a design on which I recently used another of Dee's sets.

Leafy stamp

embossing powder

Distress inks - Chipped Sapphire

So easy. On dark blue cardstock, stamp the images around the card edges. Heat emboss them. Lightly apply some dark blue ink around the outside edges only. This creates the halo effect around the sentiment in the middle.

Hope you enjoy today's post. Be sure to check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. And leave comments, there are prizes to be won - a $20 gift code and a stamp set from the release.

In addition, the four new stamp sets being released are 10% off automatically until February 19. If you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA designers' code you'll get an extra 20% off too!

Thanks for stopping by.

I'm stopping by at:
Addicted to CAS - Ombre

Bastel Traum - Monochromatic/Glitter

STAMPlorations inspiration #251

Time for another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

Hope you're enjoying my creations this month. I'm keeping it real simple. Easy to make. Easy to mass produce especially with a MISTI. Colored cardstock + heat embossing. Here's #3.

STAMPlorations Beautiful You stamp

My thought process on this simple design... I chose the stamp set because I wanted to make a card with the sentiment in the center and floral (in this case herbs/wildflowers) images coming in from the top and bottom. This set offered both the images and a sentiment with a bit more "weight".

The trick? Stamp the sentiment in the middle. Arrange the florals (I actually first aligned them along the top edge so they could extend off the card which was in the corner of my MISTI) and stamp. Then just flip the card over and stamp the florals again. So quick!

With such a simple design, I try to use colors that carry a lot of suggestive power. And go well together. So thinking "nature" I chose a deep green cardstock. And then paired platinum embossing powder with the deep green to soften it up a bit and add a feminine touch. I think it turned out quite elegant thanks to the stamp set style and colors I chose.

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 here. And as in the past, I'd appreciate it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off your order from the store - at no extra cost to you, just perks for me ;)

Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week. I'm stopping over at Craft Stamper's Take it Make it January challenge and AAA Cards challenge where it's all about one layer cards.

STAMPlorations inspiration #243

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

I've got a Christmas card for you today, had some fun with a couple techniques.

 STAMPlorations Oh My Stars stencil

STAMPlorations Santa is Here stamp
Nuvo Glimmer paste

Copic markers

First up, glimmer paste through a stencil. But... can we talk? Have you looked at your glimmer paste (Nuvo Moonlight) lately? Mine was nearly dried up! Didn't expect that. And didn't want to accept that.

So I added water, mixed, repeat. The result is OK. Still sticks to the card. But there is a bit of a smear around the stars and I assume it's due to the excess water. Bummer.

So the other technique - spotlight stamping. Love this for a pop of color on a CAS card. And cuz it requires less coloring ;)

For other ideas with this stamp set check out this card. And this one.

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 here. And I'd love it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off if you're placing an order from the store.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

CAS cards challenge november

Hello there! Hope your Halloween was a good one. We got about 20 trick-or-treaters at our house. Happy to take part in this US tradition here in Germany. I give out full size candy bars ;)

So, did someone say cards. Did you join us for the STAMPlorations the CAS Cards challenge in October? Watch for the winners post on the 10th to see if you were a winner. Today we're introducing our November CAS Cards challenge and here's the inspiration.

So the brown twist is purely optional, but I chose to go with kraft this month and created this CAS get well card.

STAMPlorations Healing Herbs stamp

Altenew inks

colored pencils

I stamped the crate and masked it. Stamped the herbs in various green shades. Colored the crate with a white pencil and finished the card off with a punny sentiment.

CAS card tip: Add a bit of interest to your CAS design by using a bit of colored pencil with your stamping. Adds some texture to your CAS card.

I cannot wait to see what inspires you and your CAS card creations this month! Your project might be chosen as the winner of a GC to the shop. Check out how the CAS Cards 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:
SSS Wednesday - Anything Goes
Papercraft - Get Well

STAMPlorations special release - dee's artsy impressions part 2

There are a couple new stamp sets being released over at STAMPlorations. They're from our own Deepti Malik and here's the Beautiful You set I got to play with today.

For today's cards I paired my love of ink blending with the lovely silhouette stamps.

 STAMPlorations Beautiful You stamp

Distress oxides - Aged Mahogany, Spiced Marmelade, Fossilized Amber

You probably know the technique. First, ink blending from lightest to darkest color on Neenah CS. Then I cut a strip vertically for the first card and adhered the rest to the second card, trimming the excess from the sides. I think the color progression from left to right works for a summer sky too, don't you?

TIP: Used my MISTI to stamp the flower silhouettes, onto the strips and onto the cardbases - to prevent that little white space that happens at the edge of the inked panel when you stamp just once, trying to get the image onto the panel and card.

Dee has a second new set out  (both new sets are 10% off til August 24). Visit the STAMPlorations blog to see more inspiration. By commenting before August 22, you could possibly win yourself a prize! Thanks for coming by.

STAMPlorations special release - dee's artsy impressions

Today there are a couple new stamp sets being released over at STAMPlorations. They're from our own Deepti Malik and here's the Beautiful You set I got to play with today.

I test drove some new kids' markers I just picked up at Aldi to color those lovely silhouette stamps and made this one-layer card.

 STAMPlorations Beautiful You stamp

waterbased markers

You probably know the technique. Ink up the stamp by coloring its various parts with different colored markers, spritz with water and then stamp. Such a fun technique.

Then I used a similar design idea, but kept all the silhouettes black and added a spot of color with the die cut bird. I just love how that tiny "Hello" nestles in with the wildflowers.

 STAMPlorations Beautiful You stamp
STAMPlorations Perched Bird die
patterned paper

Dee has a second new set out today (both new sets are 10% off til August 24). Visit the STAMPlorations blog to see more inspiration. By commenting here and there before August 22, you could possibly win yourself a prize! Thanks for coming by.

I'll have more makes with these tomorrow.

I'm hooking up at:
AAA Card Challenge - Made in Minutes (stamps onto MISTI, run markers over them, spritz, stamp, voila!)

The Paper Players - B/W + one