when you're swatching your new catherine pooler inks... part 4

So the other day I finally got around to swatching my new Spa Collection inks from Catherine Pooler. And I had some time on my hands so I had a play...

Meet the fifth and sixth card to emerge from this playtime.

Catherine Pooler Spa inks

This design is basically the same as yesterday's, just with different colors. I was aiming for a modern Christmas vibe. (DD doesn't think it'll fly, but oh well.)

I used an old solid square wooden stamp and a Stampamajig to create my backgrounds. Again, each square only has one layer of ink. Can't beat the coverage. I then stamped the little images with the same colors to get the tone-on-tone result.

I used solid images from various Christmas sets and sentiments from Technique Tuesday and Inkystamp.

Tomorrow's makes are CASEs of Lisa S. working with The Stamp Market hexagons.

Today I'm hooking up at:
Christmas at Sweet Stampin - June AG option non-traditional colors
Watercolor Wednesday - AG Feminine
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - AG
STAMPlorations - CAS Challenge

when you're swatching your new catherine pooler inks... part 3

So the other day I finally got around to swatching my new Spa inks from Catherine Pooler. And I had some time on my hands so I had a play...

Meet the third and fourth card to emerge from this playtime.

Flora and Fauna Thanks a Munch stamp

Catherine Pooler Spa inks

Now this Spa collection does not yield a "Picked Raspberry" vibrancy like Distress Inks would, but like I mentioned yesterday, that is exactly the reason I chose this collection to add to my ink collection. I like the muted tones. I chose four that reminded me of The Stamp Market or Winnie and Walter colors (why reinvent the wheel, right?) and played with them - Polished, Sauna, Green Tea, Skylight.

So... I'd recently done a tutorial for this card. And then there were also these two wooden stamps I'd decided to get rid of during my recent declutter action still lurking near my workspace...

They were what I used (with a Stampamajig) to create my backgrounds. I also like how the inks work with rubber stamps! Don't think I'm getting rid of these two yet ;)

On the first card I only stamped the solid block of color once cuz I didn't trust myself to get it right twice with the Stampamajig. Pretty good coverage, eh? Then I stamped the little images with the same color ink. Love that tone-on-tone result.

For the second card I used that stamp up top in the photo and inked it with all four colors. Since the ink pads are oval, you see the curves especially on the pink and blue areas. But I kinda like how that turned out. And I sure love how that caterpillar's "tatoo" makes for the perfect subtle sentiment!

Tomorrow I'll share two Christmas makes in a similar style.

I'm sharing my first card at:
Daring Cardmakers - Elemental Inspiration (colors, squares, leaves)

ATSAM - CAS

when you're swatching your new catherine pooler inks... part 2

So the other day I finally got around to swatching my new Spa inks from Catherine Pooler. And I had some time on my hands so I had a play...

Meet the second card to emerge from this playtime.

STAMPlorations Shine Say it Big stamp

Catherine Pooler Spa inks

star sequin

This newly acquired sentiment stamp with all its curlique goodness was also sitting out on my workspace so I put it into my MISTI and did some selective inking. First the black. Then each individual area of color - blue, green, yellow, orange, red.

Now this Spa collection does not yield a Salty-Ocean-to-Picked-Raspberry vibrant rainbow like Distress Inks would, but that is exactly the reason I chose this collection to add to my ink collection. I like the muted tones. I added a little gold star atop the "i" for some more "shine".

And I'd also like to say that although working with these ink pads takes some getting used to (they're kinda squishy like pigment ink pads, and super sticky too) they perform really well on clear stamps.

So... there was also this wooden stamp I'd pulled out to get rid of in my recent declutter action...
Stop by tomorrow to see how the inks work with rubber stamps!

when you're swatching your new catherine pooler inks... part 1

So the other day I finally got around to swatching my new Spa Collection inks from Catherine Pooler. And I had some time on my hands so I had a play...

Meet the first card to emerge from this playtime.

STAMPlorations Bloomdala Bliss stamp

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punch

Catherine Pooler Spa inks

While swatching, I usually stamp onto the label on the bottom of the ink pad once too so I can see the color when my inkpads are stored (upside down). Well these inks really don't dry on "glossy" paper, so I grabbed some CS snippets, used the reverse of a stamp I had out, stamped an area of the ink color and then punched out the center area to glue to the bottom of the ink pads. With me so far? So I had this strip of stamped and punched images and couldn't bear to just toss it!

So I swiped some ink onto skinny CS strips, mounted them left and right of the strip and added a sentiment in the dark blue Juniper Mist (what a great color) too. Voila!

Stop by tomorrow to see what a CP Spa ink rainbow looks like :)

spotlight on color blocking with stencils

I had a blast making a card for my latest Spotlight project over at STAMPlorations. Gotta love those Distress Oxides. Check it out.

STAMPlorations inspiration #219

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team. This is a pretty special month for us. Can you believe STAMPlorations is already turning 6 years old?!?!?

This month we would normally be celebrating that amazingness, but with the unexpected passing of Shery's father we are postponing the partying for a bit.

Nevertheless, Shery has put together a giant selection of products in the store for a 6th Birthday Sale. Throughout the month of June, products in the 6th Birthday section are 30% off instantly + with my STAMPGIRLMARIA code, you actually get up to 50% off!

  

So I've used a couple products from that sale section today. Ready?

 STAMPlorations Tropical Drink Large stamp

 STAMPlorations Prosit die
Altenew watercolors

I think June is a good time for blue skies and tropical drinks at the pool. Tequila Sunrise anyone?  Today's cardbase was first-generation stamped with Tumbled Glass DOX ink and an old multi-square rubber stamp I own. (It didn't really show the texture as I'd hoped so I second-generation stamped it and made this card you may have seen a few days ago.)

I wasn't sure about coloring over the DOX area. I heat embossed the cocktail and then using a wet brush tried to remove the blue color from within the glass image. Didn't work.

So instead I just watercolored over it. Used some white to tone down the blue at the top of the cocktail. Hope your brain sees the image and thinks "cocktail" without having to look too closely at it ;)

If you're interested, I've used the Prosit set in this post from our 4th Birthday too.

You could be one of 6 to win yourself a $25 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 joining the fun at:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Time Out  - Challenge (I just love this inspiration photo)

CUTplorations June

Howdy friends! It's time for a new challenge over at STAMPlorations CUTplorations! Here's the inspiration for the month of June.

image source: Cannypic

I just love the summer feel of the graphic. I hope there is something in this photo that makes you want to join us - sunshine, clouds, blue sky, picnic, family, red/white checks, heck even cake...

I did not go literal this time, but rather pulled out a cover plate and some patterned paper from my stash. Yay for using up PP!

STAMPlorations Butterfly Cover Plate die

STAMPlorations Hey Sunshine clear stickers 
patterned paper

Zig Clean Color Real Brushes

I was inspired by the sky and the picnic blanket. So I decided to add some red/white PP to the bottom area of the cover plate and to back the upper portion of the die cut with some cloud PP.

To bring in more of the primary color scheme I colored some portions of the butterfly with greens and blues and also that upper right corner with yellow to mimic the sun. Added a clear sticker sentiment on a strip of vellum and Voila!

I cannot wait to see what inspires you this month! 

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;) Be sure to check out the big sale section in the store in honor of our 6th Birthday. Thanks for coming by. See you in the gallery.

I'm heading to the gallery at:
SSS Wednesday - Anything Goes
Stempelkueche - Sunshine