STAMPlorations inspiration #215

Welcome to this Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team. Are you joining the fun over at the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop? STAMPlorations is one of the super sponsors. The inspiration DT has created some coffee projects for your enjoyment today...
  

From May 3 to May 17, products in the Coffee Tea Lovers section of the store will be 20% off instantly + with my STAMPGIRLMARIA code you can get up to 40% off! You should check out the section if you haven't. Shery has tons of  fabulous coffee-themed products.

STAMPlorations Zen Coffee Cup die 

cardstock scraps

Have you ever dreamed of designing your own coffee cup? Well this set of dies let's you do just that. I admit, I was a bit intimidated at first. My spatial thinking leaves a lot to be desired. But I chose a Spring-y color palette, did some die cutting using the dryer sheet trick and then just started inlaying pieces.

I started with the decision to use royal blue for the mug and coral on those two "blooms". Then I decided I'd use the lighter pink for the top portions of the "blooms". A little bit of white here and there adds to the interest. Even if you (like me) can't see it at first, as you go along, the pattern you want to emphasize becomes apparent. Trust me ;) 

I cut an additional solid piece, scored it on the left edge and attached it to the inlaid piece, creating this sweet little shaped card. Yep, it took awhile. And yep, it makes me happy ;)

This is the first time I've used this die, but if you're interested in inlaid die cutting, you might like this project. It was a bit easier.

You could win yourself a $10 GC to the store by leaving a comment on today's inspiration posts. Check out today's post here. Thanks for visiting. Grab a cuppa and get creating!

I'm joining the fun over at the whopper 2019 Spring Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. Are you?

heart shaped card again

When I was making a heart-shaped card for the February challenge over at STAMPlorations CUTplorations, I actually made two cuz I had some many little die cut blooms to play with. You'll find instructions for the card in this post.

Here's the second. Same. But different.

STAMPlorations Trendy Spring Blooms die

STAMPlorations 5 Love Words die

Sizzix Heart die

I actually die cut leftovers from this card, so had some navy blue elements too. I decided to use a navy die cut sentiment to tie in.

Here's the February inspiration. If you haven't joined in yet I hope you will.

image source: Magrikie

CUTplorations february

One down, eleven to go! Welcome to February and to a new challenge over at STAMPlorations CUTplorations! Here's the inspiration for February. How could I not go with a heart, right?

image source: Magrikie

I hope there is something in this photo to inspire you. I could not help but go totally literal with my creation. (You'll see that several of the DT also chose a literal interpretation ;) But it was a great way to use up some of those gelli plate or inked pieces in my stash! 

STAMPlorations Trendy Spring Blooms die
STAMPlorations Hello Sunshine die
Sizzix Heart die

I started by die cutting the heart twice for my shaped card. Then I die cut a bunch of blooms. Took my heart and my pile of blooms and had fun arranging them on the heart. I let them overlap each other for additional dimension.  I used spray adhesive and trimmed the overhang off with scissors.

TIP: Trace around your shaped die with a pencil onto white CS. Adhere the blooms and then die cut the shape. This would yield a perfectly clean edge and press the blooms onto the white CS. I didn't do this cuz I first thought I'd leave some of the die cuts hanging over the edges. But I ended up not liking the look!

I hope you'll join us for some die cutting fun over at the CUTplorations challenge.  Create a project based on the inspiration using at least one die cut and at least one STAMPlorations product. Your project might be chosen as the winner of a $15 GC to the shop. Check out how the CUTplorations 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;)  Speaking of which, have you seen the new Bloomdala series??? Thanks for coming by. See you in the gallery.

I'm headed to the gallery at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - Anything Goes
Die Cut Divas - Love is in the Air
Challenge up your Life - Love

Bastel Traum - Die/Stencil
Allsorts - Love

pti november blog hop

It's the 25th of the month and it's time.

This month it's all about snow so this is what I did. I must tell you, I spent awhile at Tracey M.'s today, perusing all the tags she and her guests have made for her series 25 Tags of Christmas. My tag is a morph of several beauties I saw over there.

Used the Snowflake Flurries from PTI heat embossed with glitter powder to give the ornament some pep. Die cut a window to create a shaker which I filled with a medley of glittery sequins and backed with some PP.  Created an ornament topper with silver glitter CS and added fuzzy silver thread through a punched hole on the back layer to hang it with.

TIP: Instead of messing with foam adhesive, die cut a "frame" from craft foam and use that between your layers. See the shadow of mine? It's red foam. I use Matte Medium to glue it all together.

A close-up of all that sparkly embossing. I'm joining the ladies at Festive Friday for challenge #45. And Fusion for Sparkly Christmas. Yep! And lastly, Uniko Studio where it's Anything Goes.

Happy hopping. Happy turkey eating. And may you have snow only if you're not travelling this weekend!

sending warm wishes (shaped card)

Quick post to share this card.  Shaped card.  check. Sunshine. check.  Flowers.  check.  Favorite technique heat embossing and distress inking.  check.

That's why this slice of happiness sneaked in for the monthly Hero Arts challenge before the deadline.



And to the new challenge (couldn't even begin to get my head around the last one!) at CASual Fridays.


And there's an Emboss Resist challenge/blog hop at Blockhead Stamps.  Check out the tutorial Colleen D. did here.  And if you scroll down you will find the link to Blockhead and the challenge info.

Used my WMS doily to create a sun image.  IMO at least.

Folded yellow CS and die cut card base being careful to place the die above the fold so that the top would remain folded.  Duh.  Die cut white top piece and the window out of it then stamped the flowers and message.  Strange place for a button?  Three guesses and the first two don't count.
A smudge.

Attached the image to the card base and the white panel with foam adhesive.  That's it for now.  It will become either a birthday or get well card when it grows up :)

Have a bright and sunny weekend.

Supplies sending warm wishes:

Paper:Neenah,   CS American Crafts
Stamps: doily WMS, flowers and sentiment Hero Arts CL272
Ink: Distress Ink Ranger, black Versafine
Tools: die Spellbinders
Other: button Sew Sweet, twine