inspired one more time

Perhaps you saw my post where I was inspired by this amazing creation from Kristina W a couple weeks ago? I actually created 6 cards based on her design. Today I took that fabulous technique in a slightly different direction.

Hello die

Art Flowers stencil

First I masked/ink blended a card panel. Then I applied DO Hickory Smoke through the stencil. Added a die cut sentiment (one of my all time favorite word dies) with a white shadow to be sure it pops off that wild background.

Thanks for coming by today. Hope you're enjoying the approach of fall. I find I spend more time crafting in the cooler months. If you ever choose to shop the STAMP shop, I'd love it if you'd use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off your order. Happy crafting!   

inspired again

Did you see this amazing creation from the oh-so-talented Kristina W a couple weeks ago? This was one of those cards that made me run to my craft room and create. 

This technique is so fabulous. This card design gave me sympathy card vibes. I used an ancient Inkadinkado branch stamp from my stash although I'd love to get my hands on Kristina's new release too. And a variety of Pigment Craft Co (does anyone know what happened to Ivana and Pigment Craft Co?) and Distress inks. A couple hours later I'd added five sympathy cards to my stash.

It's been forever and a day since I've joined a challenge, but here we go:

Kulricke - Stempelfarbe mal anders!

Addicted to Stamps and More - #524 Any Occasion

Thanks for stopping by!

inspire

Perhaps you saw my post using the Simple Expressions - Inspire stamp with some paper goods from the STAMP shop? Easy peasy.

Well did you also see this amazing creation from Kristina W a couple weeks ago? This was one of those cards that made me run to my craft room and create. As in... VERY INSPIRED. This technique is so fabulous!  I used an ancient Inkadinkado branch stamp from my stash although I'd love to get my hands on Kristina's new release too.

I used the Simple Expressions - Inspire stamp in a nod to Kristina's INSPIRING me ;)

Simple Expressions - inspire stamp

Thanks for coming by today. Hope you're enjoying the end of summer and approach of fall. Have you checked out the Simple Expressions series? Maybe one speaks to you. If you choose to shop the STAMP shop, please use my discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off your order. Happy crafting!  

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.

cas cards challenge may reminder

Hi there! Have you played in the STAMPlorations May CAS Cards challenge yet? 

As always the challenge is to create any CAS card, with an optional color twist - this month it's an interesting one - copper and yellow!

Here's my second card.

See all that lovely sparkle and shine of the embossing?

Art Marks 3 stamp

Bloomin Coffee and You stamp

Catherine Pooler inks, copper embossing powder

Some masking, stamping and heat embossing, that's it!

CAS card tip: Go wild with stamping, but only stamp a portion of your card panel

For more inspiration with this stamp 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 #315

Welcome back for another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

I'm back with another card using my Flexi Template theme this month. These masks were designed by my teamie Monika S. and there is so much you can do with them. 

I used the oval templates today and by lining up three, taping them together, flipping them over and carefully pulling off the middle one you get a "masked channel" you can apply ink through. I used sponge daubers and distress oxides. (Check out my last Spotlight tutorial over at STAMPlorations for more deets.)

 Oval Flexi Templates

Flutter Zen 2 die

Life is Sweeter stamp

Distress Oxides - Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Abandoned Coral, Aged Mahogany

Intrigued by the Flexi Templates? Just keep watching...

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 ;)

I'm playing over at Bastel Traum - Butterfly. 

spotlight on flexi templates

I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog today having fun with some Flexi Templates to make this one layer card. Check it out. 

simon says stamp - all the feels part 2

Did you see my post yesterday? There's a new release at Simon Says Stamp called All the Feels and there are a lot of fun products for all styles of cardmakers. Check it out here.

I had more fun with the red rubber stamp, Halftone Circle Background, on a masculine slimline card. Did some stamping and masking and die cut stacking. The "happy" is half of "Happy Everything," another word/shadow die from CZ Design.

And since I'm loving this Catherine Pooler ink color combo lately, I used it with the new Painted Flowers Wreath stencil. This stencil is so simple yet so versatile.

 

SSS Halftone Circle Background stamp

SSS Happy Everything dies

SSS Painted Flowers Wreath stencil

SSS Hello You stamp

 SSS Big Scripty Greetings stamp

Check out all the makes with the products from the All the Feels release in the gallery here. And check out today and tomorrow's blog hops for more inspiration. Thanks for coming by my blog today.

simon says stamp - all the feels release

 
There's a new release at Simon Says Stamp called All the Feels and there are a lot of fun products for all styles of cardmakers. Check it out.

I started by playing with the Happy Meowther's Day stamp set. Are you a kitty lover? There are six kitties in this set, but this image is my favorite. (The heart and paws stamp are in the set too!)

With this next card you can probably tell that I'm not a cat person. Do they even make dark brown cats?!? ;)

 SSS Happy Meowther's Day stamp

SSS Halftone Circle Background stamp

Check out all the makes with the products from the All the Feels release in the gallery here. And watch for the upcoming blog hops for lots of inspiration. Thanks for visiting my blog today. 

I'm playing at The Paper Players where it's about CAS Animals.

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.

CAS cards challenge march

Welcome to the STAMPlorations March CAS Cards challenge. Ready to get your green on?

As always the challenge is to create any CAS card, with an optional color twist - this month it's dark green and mint.

Here's my card.

Facets stencil

Fowl Play stamp

Altenew inks

Perhaps not as simple as you'd think due to quite a bit of masking in order to get just the parts of the stencil that I wanted for each color. But I like the result. 

CAS card tip: Examine your stencils to find just a portion of one that you can ink or emboss onto a CAS card.

For more inspiration with this stamp set check out this post. These birdies are perfect for perching on something.

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. 

I'm joining in at:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Addicted to CAS - Animal

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

guest designing at craft stamper TIMI

I'm joining the very talented ladies over at Craft Stamper magazine for their October Take It Make It challenge where it's always anything goes.

I made a one-layer CAS card but did some ink blending, ghosting, stamping and heat embossing to step it up a bit.

 Altenew Leaf Clusters stamp

Stampin Up Fantastic Foliage stamp

STAMPlorations Words of Gratitude stamp

distress oxides

painter's tape

water

clear embossing powder

I ink blended Fossilized Amber, Carved Pumpkin and Candied Apple oxides. Stamped the solid Leaf Clusters with water to create the ghost images. Stamped the Fantastic Foliage images randomly with the three oxide colors. Stamped the sentiment in black and heat embossed it clear. Voila!

Fun and easy to do yet adds a lot of interest to the simple card. Hope you'll give it a try. Check out this post for a step-by-step on this design.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend (get out and enjoy the fall color if you can).

I'm going over to:
SSS Monday challenge - Fall/Autumn
Basteltraum - Autumn

AAA Cards - One Layer with option of Autumn

spotlight on masking, blending, ghosting and stamping

Lots going on to add interest to this CAS giving thanks card. Check out my tutorial over at STAMPlorations if you'd like to learn more.

CAS cards challenge october

Howdy friends! Things are getting back up to speed over at STAMPlorations and there are now three monthly challenges for you to play. I'm happy to be designing for the new CAS Cards challenge! I love the challenge of CAS cards. Hope you'll play along with us.  Here's the inspiration for the month of October.

The twists are always optional, so the orange twist is purely optional, but I picked up on the graphic feel of the inspiration and that led me to this...

STAMPlorations Beautiful You stamp

distress inks

embossing powder

I masked the triangle to create my vase (yes, that is supposed to be a flower in a vase not a carrot!) and inked with Dried Marigold, Wild Honey and Spiced Marmelade. While it was still masked I spritzed with a mini mister and sprinkled on a bit of bronze glitter embossing powder.

CAS TIP: Want to give your inked area extra punch? Add a bit of embossing powder for texture or shine. Use embossing ink or mist water and then sprinkle on the powder. Heat from underneath.

I cannot wait to see what inspires you and your CAS card creations this month!

Heads up - Prizes have been revamped: there will be a $15 gift certificate for the winner and $10 for the runner up (both chosen by a DT member) and a $5 gift certificate each to three randomly drawn players. STAMPlorations products are not required, but appreciated ;)  Check out how the talented CAS Cards DT was inspired by this month's photo here.

And please don't forget about my STAMPlorations discount code STAMPGIRLMARIA for 20% off your order should you find yourself shopping ;)  Thanks for stopping over. See you in the gallery.

I'm heading to the gallery at:
Stamping Sensations - Anything with Flowers
Always Fun - Anything Goes
Creative Friday - Autumn
AAA Cards - One layer and option of autumn

simon says stamp - celebrate you for her

Howdy! I'm back in my craft room playing with this versatile and snarky stamp set from the Simon Says Stamptember release. It's called Celebrate You.

OK. So next, let's celebrate her.

 SSS Celebrate You stamp
Spellbinders Scalloped edge die
white embossing powder

Distress oxides

So simple. Heat embossed the image and sentiment. Die cut a mask and masked the card front. Blended oxides (Tattered Rose, Worn Lipstick, Candied Apple). Removed the mask and smiled.

TIP: When blending, pull color in gently from the outside of the mask to avoid pushing the little scallops up and getting ink under them.

To make this version feminine (did you see yesterday's masculine version?) I opted for the colors, the scallops and the bow on top.

Check out the release if you haven't, and all the makes with it in the Stamptember gallery at Simon Says Stamp. I'll have more makes for you with this stamp set. Thanks mucho, Simon.

I'm playing at:
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Watercooler Wednesday - Occasions
Addicted to Stamps - For a Girl
Time Out Challenge - One layer with Pink