STAMPlorations retro femme beauties

I love CAS, but sometimes I love overload. And I certainly love these retro chicas from Retro Femme ATC pack. Aren't these girls just beautiful?

Retro Femme ATC

Patches stencil

Feeling very Rosie the Riveter, I went red/white and blue. With a touch of yellow. Embossing paste on the cardfront, mat for her and a little swatch of red/white gingham ribbon. Ta da!

If you ever decide to pick up a pack of these beautiful gals, please use my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off, ok? Have a good one.

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. 

 

support for shery

Hi there friends. I'm sharing a card I made with a couple challenges in mind. 

Over at Timeout Challenges they are having their cancer awareness challenge. And to quote:

"We want to give a special shout out to our friend Shery at STAMPlorations. She has been fighting a cancer battle this year and she has been heavy on our hearts here at Time Out. Thank you Shery for all the years of support and creativity.  We stand with you as you walk through this journey." 

My sentiments exactly. Of course I had to jump right in. Lots of virtual hugs and prayers headed Shery's way as she fights the fight. I know the quote is "hope is the thing with feathers" but in my head it always translates to "the thing with wings" and thus...

Ali Edwards stamp

 STAMPlorations Fluttery Zen and MFT label die

Altenew stencil

inks, embossing paste, embossing powder, foil, washi

I was following the sketch at FMS #557.

Super CAS over here.  Used the stenciled area to represent the large square and the butterfly cluster to represent the small square. Of course, a touch of washi is always a good idea. Did you notice it?

I tried  technique I'd seen Heidi Swapp do on my butterfly. I dabbed a glue pen around on it once I'd inked it. Let it get tacky and then rubbed a foil scrap over it with my finger. Ta da. No laminator. No Minc. But foiling!

Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your week.  

and more milestone birthday cards

Summer programming ...

First up some milestone birthday cards. 

For the younger crowd...

Papertrey Headline alpha die

Memory Box Parker number die

STAMPlorations tag and phrase dies 

Enjoy your weekend!

 

another spotlight on scrap strips

I'm doing more stripping - over at the STAMPlorations blog in my spotlight tutorial. This is the card I made. 

STAMPlorations inspiration #349

One last Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls for you this year!

And my last Christmas card made with ephemera pieces. 

Here's today's card.

Christmas Backgrounds ATC 1

Christmas Sentiments die

Oh My Stars stencil

 white and gold embossing pastes

Again I picked an ATC from the package and used a stencil to add some texture to my background. "Christmas" is stamped inside.

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.  Have a great day!    

STAMPlorations cas cards challenge december

Welcome to the STAMPlorations December CAS Cards challenge!

As always the challenge is to create any CAS card, with an optional color twist - this month the twist is metallic plus one color.

On the slim chance that you haven't started your Christmas cards yet, here's a super easy design for you.

Comfort and Joy stickers

Merry Go Round stencil

gold embossing paste, Festive Berries distress ink 

CAS card tip: Extend your image off the edge for more interest. Include 3 or 5 of something to please the eye (I've used four pinwheels + one good sized sentiment).

I'm looking forward to your CAS card creations this month! 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 #345

Welcome to today's inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

Lately I've been making Christmas cards with ephemera pieces. There are lots of ephemera options in the STAMP store. And lots you can do with them. I tend to like CAS designs.

Meet today's card. 

Christmas Ephemera 1

Comfort and Joy stickers

Oh My Stars stencil

 embossing paste, die cut stars

It's CAS that's for sure. The ephemera piece needs something to anchor it so I added some stenciled stars in the corner of my card front and added a couple gold die cut stars too to create a threesome with the ornament. Three is always a good design idea, right? 

A sticker sentiment made this card super quick.

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.  Have a great day!        

STAMPlorations inspiration #344

Welcome to today's inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

Lately I'm making Christmas cards with ephemera pieces. There are lots of ephemera options in the STAMP store.

Meet today's card. 

Christmas Ephemera 1

Festive stamp

Merry Go Round stencil

 embossing paste, glitter, washi

This card was not necessarily quick and easy, but I love the design elements. That VW bus is just the cutest darn thing. Picking up on the light green color I randomly stamped my background. Picking up on the hood ornament I chose my stencil. Masked off all but two of the "candies" and applied embossing paste, sprinkling glitter on them while they were still wet. A little strip of washi along the bottom upped the fun factor don't ya think?

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.  Have a great day!       

STAMPlorations inspiration #336

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

 

As we head towards autumn, I've got another heavy-loaded creation today. Again I pulled out some fall-ish patterned paper from my stash and let myself be inspired.

Patches stencil

Hello die

 Nuvo paste, bronze embossing powder, scrap, vellum

I chose a PP with leaves on it. Instead of inking over it through a stencil I opted to use my seen-better-days Nuvo paste to give the feel of morning frost on top of the leaves. I added water to the dried paste a while back and the consistency changed. As you can see, where it went on thick and clumpy I got snow instead of frost!

Anyhoo, I topped it off with a heat embossed stacked die cut. To differentiate from the busy background, I used a scrap frame, backed it with vellum and adhered the die cut on top of it. Artsy fartsy beauty. Kinda like autumn itself...

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.      

another spotlight on flexi templates

 Hi friends. Check out my tutorial over at STAMPlorations where I used the oval flexi templates as stencils to create a masterboard which I then used to make four cards! Here are the last two.

STAMPlorations inspiration #320

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

I recently picked up some Decotime Twinmarkers alcohol markers at the local "dollar store" and decided to play with them for my inspiration posts.

For today's card I used markers to add color, but not a stamped image. Rather I traced a portion of a stencil with a Copic fineline and then colored with my markers. For added interest in the white space, I applied pearlescent embossing paste through the brick stencil.

All Blooms stencil

Brick Wall stencil

Set of 5 Love Words die

alcohol markers, embossing paste

That purple flower... Aargh! I've still got a lot to learn!

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

STAMPlorations introducing spring coffee kit

There's a new product in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. Have you seen it? Shery is putting together kits at a great price point.

Today a few of my teamies and I are sharing our makes with the new Spring Coffee Kit. Ready?

The kit contains an image stamp, sentiment stamps and stencils (2 patterns each in large and mini). All you have to decide is...

Do you want to color? Then go for it. Color and fussy cut the image and pop it up on a background created by randomly stamping one of the sentiments.

Spring Coffee Kit

alcohol markers, washi tape

In case you're interested, I watched this video before coloring my coffee (yes I was intimidated by that big expanse of brown!) Easy peasy.

If you're not into coloring, use the mini stencil and a circle mask to "color" the coffee. I added some blue touches with alcohol markers but you wouldn't even have to. I heat embossed one of the kit sentiments in blue but didn't like it so I then stamped over it in black and clear embossed it.

Spring Coffee Kit

circle die, Distress Inks, alcohol markers, embossing powder

And then there's this method for getting color onto a B/W stamped image. Check out this post for the deets. Basically it involves stamping, applying embossing paste and then sponging ink.

Spring Coffee Kit

Just Caffeinate clear stickers

clear embossing paste, Distress Inks, enamel dots

So, that's a wrap. Are you a fan of kits? Be sure to check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. And be sure to leave a comment, Shery's giving away a kit.

Please remember to use my STAMPGIRLMARIA code if I inspire you to place an order. You'll get an extra 20% off!

Appreciate your visit. Have a great day. I'm hooking up card #1 over at SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.

STAMPlorations release - super hero

Welcome! It's been a little while but there's a new release in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. Have you seen it?

Today we have a new set from Shirley.Meet Super Hero.

It's been kinda stressy in our household lately and I was in the mood for some mindless coloring. I chose the graphic images, heat embossed them and then watercolored. Well I scribbled with watercolor pencils and then shoved the pigment around with a water brush!

Super Hero stamp

watercolor pencils, white embossing powder

So then apparently I did some mindless adhering... I actually intended for the starbursts to be darker at the bottom and get lighter as they went up, and they were, til I mounted the watercolored panel on my cardbase. Now I've got the reverse. And lightning bolts that point up! 

On to the next project. I like the solid silhouette of the buildings. I decided to create a Christmas card using it. Gotta love versatility, right?

Super Hero stamp

Houses Extra stamp

Christmas Reindeer stamp

snowfall stencil, embossing paste, vellum, embossing powder

I stamped some little trees, colored and masked them. Stamped the buildings and added some glow to their windows. Stenciled the snow and added the vellum strip with the sentiment.

So, that's it for today. We'll be back tomorrow with a new set from Dee.  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.

If you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA designers' code you'll get an extra 20% off too!

Appreciate your visit. Have a great day.

I'm playing over at Happy Little Stampers in the March AG Watercolor Challenge and March Christmas Challenge.

STAMPlorations inspiration #309

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

I have a theme this month - white on white. 

Today I've added interest to a big white card front by stenciling some glittery embossing paste through a stencil.

 A Ton of Fun stamp

Painted Scales stencil

Tags #1 die

Nuvo Moonstone embossing paste, metallic watercolors

This card kinda happened on a whim. I wanted to use the mermaid scales stencil... thought glitter paste, thought sea... thought whale. Ta daa!

I cut a mask with the tag die to limit the size of the stenciled area and then applied the paste. Stamped and fussy cut the the whale and added a touch of light blue metallic watercolor for even more shimmer.

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 ;)

Thanks for visiting. I'm visiting the folks at:

AAA Cards - Sketch with watercolor option

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.

 

playing with pinkfresh floral square frames

Hello. I'm joining the January challenge again, which is basically 2020 in review! There is a link in the post to a larger version of this photo if you want to see what strikes your fancy.

Nathalie's creation for the challenge post totally blew me away. Go check it out - hers is the first project in the post! She was inspired by the June Die Cuts and Cut Files challenge. So I guess I was too. Mostly I loved her color choices, keeping plenty of white too. And the cool stenciled texture in the BG. Hers is a LO. 

Mine is a card. Here's my first one.

Pinkfresh Folk Elements die (just $5 right now)

Pinkfresh Adore Alpha die

STAMPlorations X Marks Spot stencil

Distress Oxides, embossing paste

Well my intention was to have the white X pattern all over the card front to tone down the swipes of ink. What I got was embossing paste that picked up the color of the inks. Anyone know - was this cuz the ink wasn't totally dry or is that just a property of the oxides?

I went with it anyhoo. Die cut the little folk elements to match the ink swipes. Added the sentiment using those wonderful alphas. Voila.

But I was still intrigued. Wanted white X pattern all over the card front. So I created this slimline and stenciled white paint and got what I wanted!

See the white pattern all over the cardbase in this close-up?

Pinkfresh Floral Square Frame die

Pinkfresh Adore Alpha die

STAMPlorations X Marks Spot stencil

SSS You die

Distress Oxides, PP, sequins, acrylic paint

Otherwise pretty easy. Die cuts from ink-swiped CS. Little PP flags. Sequins. I pretended I was a scrapbooker and brought out all the embellies ;)

This card was not without an oopsie either though. Did you notice it???

I'm playing at:

Make my Monday - Hello (1st card)

Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies (1st card)

Die Cut Divas - Frame It (2nd card with those floral square frames)

Bastel Traum - #97 Love (2nd card)

Country View Challenges - Squares (2nd card)

 

introducing new ARTplorations stencils from Helen G

The Inspiration DT is up over at STAMPlorations today featuring some of the fantastic new ARTplorations stencils designed by Helen G. Be sure to check it out.

I have three cards for you so let's get started. First up I used Petals to ink up and embossing paste up a panel which I then proceeded to cut apart ;)

 STAMPlorations Petals 1 stencil

STAMPlorations You Word die

Distress inks - Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch

embossing powder

I wasn't really happy with the inked panel after I'd applied the embossing paste. This is dried up Nuvo paste I revived by adding water but it's changed some of its properties I fear and I didn't like how the center of the bloom looked. I thought I'd try cutting the image apart, adhering a few strips with dimensional adhesive and then covering the center with a nice, big die cut word! The inside reads "happy". I'm happy with the result.

Next up I figured I'd give two of the cool graphic stencils a go. I inked up a panel of Neenah CS with Twisted Citron, put down the Brick stencil and applied Cracked Pistachio and then put down the Rubber Bands and applied Mermaid Lagoon. Ta da!

  STAMPlorations Brick Wall stencil

STAMPlorationsRubber Bands stencil

STAMPlorations Sweetly stamp

STAMPlorations Manila Tags die

STAMPlorations Gratitude Trees die

Distress inks - Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon

I die cut the panel into three manila tags and added a whimsical die cut tree to each. Added the sentiment and will use this as a sympathy card.

For my last card today I started with a gelli plate background from my stash. Stenciled the lovely girl, made a mask to stencil some roses onto her hair and then used embossing paste colored with acrylic paint through the Petals stencil to add interest to the corners.

 STAMPlorations Petals 2 stencil

STAMPlorations Faces Pensive stencil

STAMPlorations Old Rose Prints mini stencil

STAMPlorations Layered Citrus stamp

Distress inks - Barn Door, Black Soot

aqua acrylic paint, embossing paste

Be sure check out the DT makes in the hop. Winners will be drawn randomly from all comments left on the STAMPlorations blog and designers blogs. One person will win all 6 new Helen G. Designs stencils, one person will win 3. Stay safe. Stay healthy. #flattenthecurve