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.

simon says stamp - marie snowflake

Of course as I was typing the title of my post I typed "Maria Snowflake" by mistake ;)

Imagine my delight when I received the "Marie Snowflake" (just misspelled it again!) to play with for the Cheer and Joy release over at Simon Says Stamp.

I'm gonna share my design process with you for the cards I created using this snowflake die. Using it only as die cuts. I'd planned to die cut it from foam and do some stamping with it too, but the interrupted-by-rainy-days grape harvest got in the way.

So, needing to jumpstart my mojo, I googled Christmas trends for 2019. This site provided all the inspiration I needed ;)

First up. Pastel Christmas.

source: Christmas365greetings.com

SSS Marie Snowflake die

SSS Joy to the World stamp

Winnie and Walter Audrey die

vellum, sequins

distress inks

I watercolored a panel of watercolor paper, die cut it and adhered vellum die cut snowflakes loosely all over the panel. Added some sequins and a heat embossed sentiment.

And then... Modern Christmas.

source: Christmas365greetings.com

 SSS Marie Snowflake die

SSS Fa La La die

This design was super easy. Die cut the snowflake in bright colors and adhered them around the edge of the cardbase. Trimmed off the excess (actually made a second card with them) and added the "fa la la" die cut from white with a silver mirror card shadow.

Thanks for looking. You can check out all the new products in the Cheer and Joy release here and all the lovely makes with the products in this gallery.

I'll be back on Saturday with three more cards with this die. Hope to see you then.

I'm popping by:
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Christmas
Happy Little Stampers - AG with Dies

simon says stamp - celebrate you with drinks

Howdy! One good thing about the rain in our area slowing down the grape harvest is that I have time to be in my craft room playing again with this great stamp set from the Simon Says Stamptember release. It's called Celebrate You. You may have seen this series of birthday cards I made with it.

So this time I've moved on to the alcohol themed offerings in the set ;) It truly is a very versatile set.

I've been asked to make a couple 60th birthday cards. So I started with this CAS masculine version. I love the sense of movement you can achieve with the images in the set.

 SSS Celebrate You stamp

MFT High Rise Numbers die
Liquid Platinum embossing powder

Liking the look of the embossing on creme, I created this card. I love the simple flow of the elements. And I say "cheers to you" all the time. Fun having it as a sentiment now.

 SSS Celebrate You stamp

Liquid Platinum embossing powder

Chose the "This calls for drinks" sentiment and lined up a few drinks on a super CAS card. Decided to add spots of color using the little filler images in the set. How fun!

SSS Celebrate You stamp

Catherine Pooler Spa inks

Looking at that martini, I decided to rainbow some olives! Opted for Catherine Pooler inks so the rainbow became a bit subdued and definitely feminine, but fitting for a fall birthday. I can imagine this in stark white with bright rainbow tones too. I like the fun touch of the tri-color sentiment (thanks to my MISTI).

SSS Celebrate You stamp

Catherine Pooler Spa inks
patterned paper

Whew! Thanks for coming by. Hope you liked what you saw.  Check out the release if you haven't, and all the makes with it in the Stamptember gallery at Simon Says Stamp. Thanks mucho, Simon. I really like this set.

I'm dropping by a couple challenges:

AAA Cards - One Layer with option of Autumn

Addicted to Stamps - For a Girl

CAS on Friday - Masculine card

The Paper Girls - Birthday

STAMPlorations inspiration #237

Time for another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

Like I said last week, I've accepted that summer is over and I'm loving Autumn (except for the rain that's delaying our harvest of the Riesling on the steep slopes). I had pulled out a gelli print background for last week's card and used a part of it for today's too. Also pulled out some PP ;)

 STAMPlorations Hello die

STAMPlorations Trendy Leaves 2 die
Lil Inker Stitched Circle die
patterned paper

After I die cut the circle from the gelli print I die cut the leaf out of it. Backed it with a larger circle cut from green PP. Adhered both circles to a panel of PP and then topped it off with the gold "hello". I really love that die.

For other ideas with this die check out this card. And this one.

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. And I'd love it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off if you're placing an order from the store.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm stopping by at:
Die Cut Divas - Fall or Fall Colors
Creative Friday - Autumn
Basteltraum - Autumn

STAMPlorations inspiration #236

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team.

I've accepted that summer is over and I'm actually loving nature's autumnal decorations each day as I take the dog for a walk. Seems no other season yields so much color and beauty. IMO at least.

I decided to pull out a gelli background from my stash and have some fun with it this month. Here's my first make.

 STAMPlorations Stitched Spring Landscape die

STAMPlorations 5 Love Words die
STAMPlorations Rosebuds stamp

white embossing powder

Must admit I was in the CAS mode (have you seen the October CAS Cards challenge - the optional twist is orange ;) I die cut the landscape and the word and then added the heat embossed sentiment.

TIP: For a simple, pure die cut design like this, use a textured CS for your base to take it up a notch.

For other ideas with this die check out this card.

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. And I'd love it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off if you're placing an order from the store.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm stopping by:
Creative Friday - Autumn
Always Fun - Anything Goes
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

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 theirs

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.

So after celebrating him and her how about one for the kids? No snark this time.

 SSS Celebrate You stamp
Distress oxides

So very simple thanks to the great stamp designs. Stamped the balloons randomly. Stamped the candles. Stamped the sentiment. Voila! 

Briefly contemplated adding strings to the balloons but decided agains it thinking it might distract from the candles too much.

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

I'm playing at:
Sweet Stampers - Use a Sentiment
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Watercooler Wednesday - Occasions