ARTplorations stencil blog hop - day 1

Welcome to the blog hop featuring some of the fantastic ARTplorations stencils from the shop over at STAMPlorations. Today is day number one, but there will be inspiration coming at you for the next week, so be sure to check it out.

If you're not hopping, but would like to, you can find all the info here. SOOO much inspiration. You really should check it out.

I used Stained Glass for today's project and let the name itself inspire me. On a side note, we have some gorgeous Marc Chagall stained glass windows in Mainz and I love them. If you come visit me, chances are good I'll take you there.  Just sayin'. They definitely influenced my project today.

This stencil has large open areas for a maximum burst of color. I took advantage of that. Inked with blues, turquoises and purples and then applied Versamark ink. Removed the stencil and applied clear embossing powder and heat set it. Then I applied Delicata gold pigment ink to color the remaining white spaces. Emboss resist, ya know? And did it look like stained glass? Not so much.

Not about to do it all again, I pulled out MFT black hybrid ink and sponged it on over the gold. Which didn't turn it black, but it toned down the yellow tint. Pure black from the get go might have yielded the best results, but I kinda like the pewter effect I achieved - even the "highlighted" areas where I applied less of the black. So meet my stained glass panel!

I chose the sentiment from Christmas Flower, keeping with the stained glass windows in a church feel of my project. Heat embossed it onto a black strip with WOW Metallic Gold Rich Ultra High. Amazing stuff as long as your image/sentiment isn't too detailed.

Adhered a tiny strip of gold foil CS below the sentiment strip and adhered the panel askew on my black cardbase. Because Chagall. Flying goats, ya know?

Thanks for visiting. I hope you'll check out more stencil inspiration over at STAMPlorations.

spotlight on stencils

I'm over at STAMPlorations with a spotlight post today using stencils for a quick and easy Christmas card. Check it out here.

STAMPlorations inspiration #110

There's a wonderful array of inspiration over at STAMPlorations from the inspiration DT. Well,tomorrow actually but here's my contribution.

Are you participating in the Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop? It's happening as we speak. Kudos to Amy T. and Chaitali N. who take on the mammoth job of organizing this hop which has become incredibly popular. Even if you aren't a coffee drinker - there is SO much eye candy in one place you must check it out.

I had to pull out my coffee supplies and make this card. I used STAMPlorations (Shery's a sponsor of the blog hop, BTW)

Coffee Cup Silhouette

Coffee Word

All you need is Coffee

I actually dumped the coffee grounds from our morning pot onto my cardbase and let it sit for a couple hours. Got a little warped, but looks cool. Then I used some Studio Calico Wonderland PP and a Colorbok epoxy sticker up top to support my silly sentiment.

I used the Freshly Made Sketch #266.

And the color scheme (including big brown letters) and cozy feel of The Card Concept #63. I'd call this card's style "freestyle collage".

Hope you likey. Thanks for visiting.

winter coffee lovers blog hop

It's the most wonderful time of the year... give me a warm drink and Christmas carols and I'm a happy camper. Now if I could just get my cookies baked.

I saw this pin. And I made this card. A clear case for the CASE, eh? 

I couldn't resist. The STAMPlorations Christmas Trees stencil just had to be used to make a cloud of steam! I used embossing paste through the stencil. Heat embossed and fussy cut my tea cup from glossy red CS. Added some washi and a punny sentiment and voila! BTW, can you spot my faux pas?

Those super sweet little coffee beans scattered at the bottom of my panel. Do they belong on a "Merry ChrisTEAmas" card? Not so much.

Happy hopping! And happy holidays! May Santa bring you lots of your favorite tea. Or coffee.

I'm joining the fun at:
Winter Coffee Lovers Hop - thanks for your hard work Amy T. and Chaitali N.
City Crafter - The Tree is Up (hope my tree/steam fits the bill)
Happy Little Stampers - Mixed Media

CAS Christmas

Having more fun with the newest addition to my stamp stash. Meet Klartext's Peer. Or is it Lasse?

Whatever his name, he's "dropping in" with some generic holiday wishes today. Hope your Christmas preparations are moving along nicely. I thought I was doing fine, especially since we Mainz 05 didn't play in Hamburg this December which meant we gained a weekend, but there are still way too many things on my to do list!

Anyhoo, stamped him in my new MFT hybrid black ink. Must say I still like my Versafine better. Did a tiny bit of Copic coloring on the star ornaments and added a strip of polka dot washi along the bottom of the cardbase. Ta daaa.

I'm sending Peer to:
The Card Concept #63 (the deer on the mantel and the letters hanging from it were my inspiration)

CASology - Space (as in, lots of white)

Addicted to Stamps and More - Holiday

AAA Cards - Christmas

and Basteltraum #47 - Christmas

Have a wonderful day! I appreciate your stopping by at this busy time.

totally fun shaker card for 3-year-old

I'm so excited - I made the "funnest" card! Saw this minialbum. Needing a card for a little one DD babysits, I immediately set about to recycle my own packaging and pom poms to make a totally fun shaker card for the little guy. (Can't stop shaking it myself ;)

I was inspired by the current CUTplorations challenge photo. Have you played yet?

image source: Print and Pattern

Well Lasse and Peer recently came to live at my house so the scarf-wearing polar bear dilemma was easily solved. I personalized the message with STAMPlorations Sketchy Alphabet. I went with stars rather than snowflakes but kept the blue sky by adding some light ink on the white cardbase. Added a die cut Tree line (recycled wallpaper) and some punched snowflakes and stars inside the shaker (recycled sequin packaging). See?

I'm hooking up at:
Craft Stamper Take it Make it - Snow and Ice

Danipeuss Kartenchallenge - Warm oder Kalt

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