more of STAMPlorations perfect pairs

If you'd like to take the guesswork out of cardmaking, there's a new product over at STAMPlorations just for you. It has the perfect name - Perfect Pairs - and it makes creating a card super simple. Shery has paired a sentiment and small background stamp with some beautiful ephemera cuts and all you have to do is add them to a card.

My first couple cards made using only the Blooms and Sunshine pairing, you can see here.

Today's cards combine that same pairing with other STAMPlorations products from my stash. First up is this card to cheer someone up. Wanna know how my brain works? Sending you "sunshine" hmmmm... sunshine...rain...cloud...sun rays...and even though I was originally going very CAS with this I then thought why not add a gorgeous yellow flower and wispy frame too? I actually really love this card.

Blooms and Sunshine Perfect Pair

Almost Shattered stencil

Make Marks stencil

cloud die

Did somebody say coffee? Actually I think it might be tea on the piece of ephemera. (I realized that as I decided to match my splatters to the color of the beverage in the cup. Oh well, maybe one day there will be tea beans...)

A thank you card. For a coffee or tea drinker.

Blooms and Sunshine Perfect Pair

Dots and Beans stencil

Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle die

And then because I alway seem to be needing tags, I popped two of the ephemera pieces onto tags. One background I stamped with the sentiment stamp. The other with the splatter stamp.

Blooms and Sunshine Perfect Pair

Stitched Tag die

There are so many beautiful pieces of ephemera included in this Perfect Pair collection. Peruse the other fun collections here. I'm loving the holiday themed ones. Don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should you be ready to do some shopping ;) BTW... all dies in the store are 15% off during August!

 

die cut a card edge flap

Saw a cool technique over at Scrapbook.com which inspired me to give it a try.

I'm not a huge interactive card fan, but this level of interactivity I can handle. Turns your sentiment into a tri-fold card flap holder. (There must be a better name for this!)

One graduation and one get well version.

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!

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 inspiration #223

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Although things are quiet on the STAMP blog during the summer, the inspiration girls and I will continue to share projects with you throughout the summer and I have the first of my July theme- inking with stencils - for you today. BTW, did you see my Stencil Sunday post over at the STAMP blog. Check it out for more ideas. And you still have a couple days to leave a comment for a chance to win!
  

I love me some ink blending. It's so easy to create a one-layer card (my faves) with a stencil and some inks. Here's one inspired by the yellow peonies I saw on Instagram lately.

 STAMPlorations Peony One stencil
STAMPlorations Healing Herbs stamp

Distress inks
makeup brushes
white embossing powder

Love this stencil. Love this design - a bloom, lotsa white space and a heat embossed sentiment on a snippet.  Nothing original about it but it's always good.

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. Thanks for looking.

I'm playing at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - AG
AAA Cards - One Corner (+ flowers)

bloomdala blooms

Had a request from DD to make a get well card for one of her professors. Using the blue colors and the STAMPlorations Bloomdala Bliss stamp I created a field of blooms on my cardbase with a PC-generated sentiment. Apparently it got a thumbs up from her fellow students.

STAMPlorations Bloomdala Bliss stamp

STAMPlorations Folk Flowers stamp

I'm hooking up at:
AAA Card Challenges - Made in Minutes just stamped away, no masks no nothing

Addicted to Stamps - Layers Stamps or Papers

ATSAM - AG

simon says stamp - filigree heart card

There's a blog hop for the Fresh Bloom release happening right now over at SSS and there are some beautiful and innovative products. I was lucky to receive the Filigree Heart die to play with.

Did you see my post yesterday? I made a set of tags, and since I had one "practice" blue die cut left over, I turned it into an embellishment on this card.

 SSS Filigree Heart die

WPlus9 Heart die
Hero Arts Sentiment stamp
cardstock scraps
Studio Calico Snippets PP

Used an inked BG I found during my craft room cleanup to back the heart with. Fussy cut the BG and the heart.

Be sure to check out the release if you haven't, and all the makes with it in the gallery at Simon Says Stamp. I'm happy I got to have some "fun" with this new die. Thanks mucho, Simon.

I'm playing at:
Inkspirational - Use your Stash (cardstock snippets)

Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes

Freshly Made Sketches - #378

Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies March

STAMPlorations inspiration #202

Welcome to a Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team where the team members feature stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today we're showcasing The Bee's Knees stamps. All stamps in this category are automatically 10% off this week and you get an extra 20% off if you use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA when you order.

So this month I've challenged myself to incorporate stamps, dies and stencils on CAS cards. I'm also shooting for monochromatic, but you'll see that I didn't succeed with today's - just had to get some contrast in there... Meet my card.

STAMPlorations Birds of Paradise die
STAMPlorations Birds of Paradise stamp
STAMPlorations Just Squares stencil
alcohol inks
gilding flakes
embossing paste
white embossing powser

I wanted to use up some of the backgrounds I've created and decided to die cut this funny guy from an alcohol inked/gilded piece of yupo. I decided on a vertical orientation. Applied a light dusting of Tumbled Glass distress ink, a couple rows of wonky squares of embossing paste and then the bird. A heat embossed sentiment completed the CAS-yet-artsy design.

For more inspiration with this fabulous set, see this card.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on the February inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. So happy you stopped by :)

I'm stopping by at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Anything Goes
CAS Mix Up - February

Basteltraum - Die/Stencil

CUTplorations may - reminder

Popping in with a reminder that our celebration of Spring with a Things with Wings party over at the May CUTplorations challenge at STAMPlorations is still going on.  Have you linked up yet? Here's the inspiration graphic.

Did you see my first card? Well today's card used some leftovers from that card. Would you agree is somewhat of an optical illusion? It's busy, that's for sure.

STAMPlorations Bloomtangled #2 cover plate die

STAMPlorations Flutter Zen 1 die

distress inks

computer generated sentiment

So in my first card I mentioned that the solid white butterfly was actually inlaid into the cover plate die cut... Well that filigrane butterfly you see here is actually the portion I die cut out of the swiped-with-distress-ink cover plate die cut I used for my first card. It's glued onto a solid butterfly. Which is glued on top of the cover plate die cut. The PC-generated sentiment snippets are tucked beneath it. And some of the random little colorful bits that I couldn't bear to toss are inlaid into the plain white cover plate die cut (which I adhered with spray adhesive. First time I tried that and man does it save time!) Somehow the gradient colors and the hint of layers gives me an optical illusion feel...

Here are both my cards:

Hope you'll join us for some die cutting fun this month over at the CUTplorations challenge. Link up  a project based on our inspiration using at least one die cut. Your project might be chosen as a winner of a $15 GC to the shop. There's more inspiration from the CUTplorations DT here.

And don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off should you feel a shopping spree coming on ;)

I'm joining these challenges:
Twofer - Butterflies (probably not really what the ladies at Twofer are looking for, but I'm taking these over there anyhoo...)

TimeOut - #109 "blossom(s)"

CAS for CASe this Sketch

Quick. One post. Three cards. Thanks to a new die and a cool sketch!

Charlie und Paulchen Alles Liebe die

Charlie und Paulchen Summer Trio die

Paper Smooches Get Well die

Little B Words die

Basic Grey PP

sequins

Happy Monday! I'm playing at:
CASe this Sketch - #260

AAA Cards Challenge - Die Cuts Only

backgrounds and rainbows with winnie and walter

Yes another post. I'm having fun (like every year) with the WCMD challenges over at Winnie and Walter.

I love what this gal does with stamps so I had to give Mayuri's challenge to background build a go. I made it fairly easy on myself by pulling out Scenery Stripes 2  and Altenew ink cube sets. And my MISTI. I started with the two tone green chevron stripe and winged it from there for this get well card for a friend.

Camouflaged a Hugs die cut popped up on fun foam and added a secondary sentiment on a snippet. And two metal dots to draw the eye in toward the die cut...

Next a pet sympathy card, inspired by Julie E. for Lea's Rainbow Challenge.

Is this not the most beautiful dog you've ever seen? Just wanted to let my cousin know her sweet dog who's crossed the rainbow bridge will truly be missed. I brushed (cheap makeup brush from Target) Distress Inks onto Neenah white CS and sprinkled water onto the panel. Stamped sentiments from The Big, Bold and Friends series and added the die cut Precious. The dog images are from STAMPlorations Pets.

With #1 I'm playing at:
The Crafter's Cafe - Use Dies or Punches
Cards and More - Get Well
Stamps and Fun - #309 Non-Cute
Stampotique - #284 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Thinking of You
Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Die Cuts Oct

With #2 I'm playing at:
Stampotique - #284 Anything Goes
Dies R Us - Life Events
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Thinking of You

STAMPlorations inspiration #143

And welcome to Tuesday's inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team! You know the routine, we're all featuring stamps from one of our talented stamp designers.

Today we're using Becca's Big Grins stamps. From now until July 17 you can get Big Grins stamps at 10% off in the STAMPlorations store, Sweet and Sassy Mom is available at 20% off!

In keeping with my self-imposed constraint to use up PP this month, I grabbed me some buttercups and stamped on patterned paper, like I did here.

Here's a shot showing the beauty of the gold embossing with some sunshine on it!

Buttercups and Butterflies

So easy. Choose a paper that compliments your stamp image (in this case feminine stripes). I heat embossed in gold to add to the pretty factor. And added a crinkled seam binding (remember that stuff?) bow to up the feminine feel.

If you're interested, here is another card using the same stamp set.

I'd love it if you use my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount on top, if you decide to pick up any of Becca's stamps. Or anything on your wish list. You might win yourself a $10 GC to the store if you leave a comment on the inspiration post. Off you go...

I'm off to hookup at:
Craft Stamper - Take it Make it July (STAMPlorations is sponsoring this month!)
The Flower Challenge - Embossing

fall coffee lovers blog hop - take one

Sharing my first coffee card with you today. Joining the fun at the Fall Coffee Lovers Blog Hop along with a gazillion other coffee enthusiasts. Or cardmaking enthusiasts pretending to be coffee enthusiasts. At one cup per day, I kinda consider myself in the latter category. But don't tell Amy.

I had a marbling session a while back and this was the "plainest" specimen of the whole bunch. When I was looking at it I thought it looked like it could pass for steaming coffee. Enter the cup from STAMPlorations Sketchy Coffee Cups dressed up with a pattern from Artsy Border Maker and fussy cut. And then the sentiment from STAMPlorations Fond Expressions 2 caught my eye. Now, how perfect is that?

I adhered the mug with foam adhesive in the middle and matt medium around the edges. Gives it a nice curved dimension.

This card is on its way to one tough lady who has had one tough time. And to CAS Mix Up where this month it's about

I've got stamping, marbling, some die cutting and some heat embossing. Lots of beautiful projects in the gallery over there. Can't wait to see all the yummy fall coffee projects. See you in the lineup!