STAMPlorations inspiration #109

More inspiration for you today on the blog and over at STAMPlorations. I love making cards. How about you? I tell myself I enjoy being able to make a card that is a little more special. But today's card(s) prove that it may be more about cardmaker's magic ;)

Yes, magic... like the magic of heat embossing. Of dry embossing. Of blending Distress Inks. And then there's the magic of glitter and shimmer. Ah yes, the magic!

Hard to capture magic in a photo though, isn't it. These closeups show a bit more of the wonderful 3D detail of the embossing folders. And the shimmer of the Perfect Pearl/water spray. Be still my heart.

I've done the shimmery metallic look on this card before. Then I saw Kristina W.'s card with the 3D effect and had to try it. On both cards I used the Geometric embossing folders from We R Memory Keepers.

On the red card I used Victorian Velvet, Barn Door and Fired Brick inks and STAMPlorations Be Jolly Phrase die. I cut it from gold glitter CS and backed it with dark red as a drop shadow.

On the blue card I used Weathered Wood, Stormy Sky and Chipped Sapphire and STAMPlorations Peace on Earth Phrase die cut from silver and dark blue CS.

I'm joining these challenges:
Basteltraum - Weihnachten
Time Out - Christmas with the option of Glitter/Shimmer (check. check. check.)
Simon Says Stamp November Work it Wednesday - Use Dies
Danipeuss Kartenchallenge - Warm oder Kalt (ich habe beide Farbwelten)
Stempelkueche - Alles was Glitzert

CUTplorations December

image source: Print and Pattern

There's a new bear in town! Meet our inspiration photo for the December CUTplorations challenge. I did make a card with a bear which you'll see shortly, but today I'm sharing another use-up-some-of-that-PP-stash kinda card.

Easy peasy. Found some old October Afternoon PP with these ice skaters on it and thought Warm Winter Wishes phrase die in glossy red CS would look good smack dab in the midst of them. Added a few snowflakes for more interest and a strip of contrasting PP along the bottom!

Sure hope you'll find time to take a break at this busy time of year and join us for some die cutting fun! Any chance this winter will find you in ice skates?!?!?

I'm joining the Warm oder Kalt challenge over at Danipeuss. Got both on my card ;)

And at Dies R Us #62 where it's all about Christmas. This is going out as one of my Christmas cards this year. And at Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday for November - Use Dies.

congratulations with altenew

Did you see that Addicted to CAS is celebrating their 4th birthday? Well, congratulations are in order.

I pulled out Altenew's Dodecagram cuz I love that "congratulations" sentiment in it. And proceeded to make this card.

Some purple and pink inks. With Delicata gold touches for the outlines and center and a gem in the middle. I attached my stamped panel to a pink cardbase. I was inspired by the geometric nature of the March photo - top row, middle - (just switched out the green for gold for my colors). You can choose any of the 2016 Altenew challenges this month.

And I'm taking this CAS card with sparkle to Inkspirational and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge's Anything Goes too.

Happy Sunday!

MMCC #30

Here we are - December already! And time for a new theme at the Mixed Media Card Challenge. This month it's about another favorite - GOLD - with the optional element of "star".

I've got some funky gold goodness for you today.

This was basically an experiment. What do you get when you mix white glue with embossing powder? My card!

Dribbled the glue all over a panel of black CS. Sprinkled gold embossing powder over it. Poured the excess off. Let it set up for ten minutes and then heat embossed, being careful not to overheat it.

So what to do with it? I adhered a strip of washi down the edge of a cardbase. Did the same down a strip of vellum and then heat embossed a sentiment from Papertrey Shapes by Design onto it. Wrapped it around the back of the black panel, trimmed a curvy edge on the panel and then adhered it to the cardbase.

How's that for mixed media? Stamping and ink, plus texture, dimension and technique! I think it might make a nice anniversary card for a young-at-heart couple on their 50th! Why not create a mixed media card with GOLD and join us at the Mixed Media Card Challenge this month? Be sure to check out what the DT has created here.

let it snow on this sympathy card

Yes. I need another sympathy card. A friend lost her father on Thanksgiving. Now that sucks.

I had this card made but felt it was unfinished. It had just the stamping on it. So I decided to give it a wintery touch and now I'm happy with it. It's off on its way...

I used gray cardstock and Altenew Winter Cardinal with various red inks. The sentiment is Papertrey Botanical Silhouettes. I used Simon Says Stamp Snow stencil and embossing paste (tried to avoid the sentiment area) and then added a sheer black ribbon up top.

Thanks for visiting today. I am hooking up at Seven Hills Crafts because I've got "Let it Snow" going through my head now that we've got minus temps here in Germany. And at Creative with Stamps who want to see a bird! And at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where it's Anything Goes.

spotlight on background stamping

Check out my tutorial over at STAMPlorations to find out how I created the background for this card using one little stamp.

I'm hooking this card up at Cherrylana No. 26 where it's all about stamping backgrounds!
Gotta love it.

STAMPlorations inspiration #108

Welcome to the blog. In a post-turkey-day stupor? I've got a fun Christmas card for you today, totally inspired by this photo found over at Inspired by All the Little Things.

Chalkboard. Wood. Christmas. What's not to love? I pulled out this ARTplorations stencil and made a card.

Used a white gel pen to trace the stencil.  Used the other tree in the stencil to trace a few circles like ornaments hanging from the frame like in the inspiration photo. Drew in the white stripes and colored the area between with red colored pencil. Smeared some white pigment ink with my finger for the chalkboard look. Added washi along the bottom and a freehand-cut frame from woodgrain PP. A heat embossed sentiment from Oh Christmas Tree finished it off.

I'm also hooking up at AAA Cards where it's about circles. Those ornaments up top started off life as circles!

And Basteltraum #47 where it's all about Christmas!

Hope you enjoyed this easy card. If you haven't already, check out the 35% off sale going on at STAMPlorations through Nov 30th!