update on STAMPlorations (2)

Howdy friends! 

As I mentioned in my last post, even in my less prolific days you could still count on me for my weekly inspiration posts using STAMPlorations products. I've been blessed to support Shery and the store since the beginning. Things have gotten quieter around here lately. And that's why I want to share the following with you.

You may or may not have seen the post over at STAMP regarding Shery's hiatus. "The energizer bunny," as I've always lovingly called her, has been forced to slow down. She has cancer and is going into battle to kick its butt. 

Basically, the store is closed for the time being since Shery needs all her energy for herself and her family. But she wouldn't be Shery without keeping a couple options open. Afterall, the store provides a portion of her family's income. 

First, digi stamps are still available since they require little physical effort to send to customers. Second, Shery has, as energy allows, created some product bundles at fabulous prices which she can pack up when she's feeling up to it and then just pop in the mail when people buy them. And third, she's offering mystery bundles at an amazing discount. If you'd like to check it out, here's a link to the store and the bundles.

I'm going to revisit a few projects from the past in case they might inspire you to pick up a couple digi stamps from STAMPlorations.

How about florals - who doesn't love to create with florals. For details check out my original blog post. I made the shaker by enlarging one of the frames from Blossom Frames.

For the next card I selectively colored with alcohol markers and then fussy cut the wings to make the butterflies from Fluttery Garden really pop.

I'll be back with more floral digi images next. Thanks for looking and maybe supporting Shery and the store.

 

STAMPlorations new release - some snark

Welcome peeps! There's a new release in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. And with a new line of snarky stamps from our own Chris Dring. Today we're introducing Some Snark (the set on the right).

I've paired Chris' snarky sentiments with some of STAMPlorations paper goods (ATC). The vibe couldn't be more perfect.

Some Snark stamp

Retro Fashionistas ATC

watercolors, Copic markers, white embossing powder, pearls

Actually have a friend who loves to "moon" people, so this card's headed her way :)

For my next card I recycled plastic packaging to make a fun shaker. Put an inked BG in it along with several heat embossed snarky sentiments cuz they're just all so good (and lots of sequins). I attached the shaker to a cardbase and adhered a B/W ATC to the front with my main sentiment.

Some Snark stamp

Retro Fashionistas ATC

Strung Lights stencil

Distress Inks, recycled packaging, sequins, white embossing powder

That's it for today. Be sure to check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. Leave comments all around and you might be the lucky winner of one of Chris' new stamp sets.

Thanks for stopping by.  

STAMPlorations new release - hot mess

Welcome peeps! There's a new release in town. Over at the STAMPlorations shop. And with a new line of snarky stamps from our own Chris Dring. Today we're introducing Hot Mess (the set on the left).

I've paired Chris' snarky sentiments with some of STAMPlorations paper goods (ATC). The vibe couldn't be more perfect.

Hot Mess stamp

Retro Fashionistas ATC

Art Border #3 die

watercolors, Copic markers, white embossing powder,pearls

Do you not love that sentiment? They're all great. A watercolored swatch, a Copic colored lady to match, a few pearls and a snarky sentiment. Oh, and a bit of die cut interest on the cream cardbase.

How about this next one. "I don't have mood swings. Darling, I own the playground." Just look at her admiring herself in the mirror.

Hot Mess stamp

Retro Fashionistas ATC

Spellbinders Rebel Rose die

Copics, PP, silver embossing powder

Layout's a bit different - PP mat and a fancy die cut to back the ATC - but the lady and the sentiment say it all.

So, that's it for today. Be sure to check out all the DT's creations over at the STAMP blog. And leave comments all around and you might win one of Chris' new stamp sets.

Hope you're having a nice day. 

STAMPlorations inspiration #320

Welcome to another Tuesday inspiration post from the STAMPlorations inspiration team girls. 

I recently picked up some Decotime Twinmarkers alcohol markers at the local "dollar store" and decided to play with them for my inspiration posts.

For today's card I used markers to add color, but not a stamped image. Rather I traced a portion of a stencil with a Copic fineline and then colored with my markers. For added interest in the white space, I applied pearlescent embossing paste through the brick stencil.

All Blooms stencil

Brick Wall stencil

Set of 5 Love Words die

alcohol markers, embossing paste

That purple flower... Aargh! I've still got a lot to learn!

You could win yourself a $15 prize code to the store by leaving a comment on this month's inspiration posts! Check out today's post over at STAMPlorations. And if I should ever inspire you to order something from the store, I'd appreciate it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off your order - at no extra cost to you, just with perks for me ;) 

simon says stamp - better together slimline friends

There's a new release from Simon Says Stamp called Love You, Too and there's lots to inspire cards to spread love around the world during these strange times. Check it out here.

One of the stamp sets in the new release is called Better Together Slimline Friends, although it's not just for slimline cards I must say. Had to think a bit on this one since I'm not a colorer. Here's what I did. First, a slimline.

 SSS Better Together Slimline Friends stamp

 SSS Holiday Shapes die

STAMPlorations Clouds stencil

distress ink, Copics, white embossing powder

Stamped the gang, colored small sections of each kid to bring in color, die cut matching balloons and heat embossed them with tiny sentiments and added "strings" and added a spot of distress ink to hint at grass and sky. Voila!

And since I've been bit by the pop up box card bug lately (check this out), I figured I'd make one with this gang.

 SSS Better Together Slimline Friends stamp

 SSS Holiday Shapes die

SSS Balloons die

SSS Dachshund die

SSS Love die

PP, Copics, herb scissors

Adds such a fun factor to card sending, don't you think?

Cut and scored white CS to make a 7x7x7 cm pop up box. Stamped it with a couple of the sentiments from the set. Added PP squares to the inside flaps, as well as a couple die cut elements to add to the love/fun factor.

Then on to the gang. I stamped and colored them like for my slimline card. Fussy cut them. Adhered them to plastic strips which I adhered to the inserts inside the box. Also added balloons with the tiny messages. And finally some "grass" (so glad I bought the herb scissors at Aldi last year! ;))

Check out all the makes with the products from the Love You, Too release in the gallery here. And don't miss the blog hops this weekend. Thanks for visiting.

I'm adding my card to:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Layer it Up 

Time Out - You (one thing about me... I'm really not afraid to try any technique, even though I'm not always the first on the bandwagon)

cas cards challenge june

Hello there peeps! Hey, wasn't it just May?

Hope you and yours are staying healthy and happy. I’m actually going to be taking a little break the next couple months cuz I’m in the US with my Dad who’s having some health problems. But it's time for a new CAS card challenge at STAMPlorations and I do have a card to share. 

Here's the June CAS Cards challenge inspiration.

As always the challenge is anything CAS goes with an optional color twist - this month is purple.

I know a lot of people have a problem with purple. I happen to love it. Paired with red and fuchsia. Or yellow. Or even green. Anyhoo. Here's my first CAS card for this month using purple.

Clouds stencil
5 Coffee Phrase die
Sweet Kindness stamp
Altenew inks

I knew I wanted to put that adorable little mug from the newly released Sweet Kindness set to use. So I decided to stamp a playful border and top it with a die cut sentiment. I liked the layout of this one from the set of five dies, so I cut and stacked it three times and then used 3 shades of purple ink to color the words. I decided a touch of yellow in the form of a sun was fitting for the sentiment.

CAS card tip: Add punch to your CAS design by using a multi-colored die cut sentiment.

For more inspiration with this stamp check out this post.

I'm looking forward to your CAS card creations this month! Your project might be chosen as the winner of a GC to the shop. Check out how the 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 ;)  Thanks for stopping over. See you in the gallery.

STAMPlorations inspiration #265

It's time for our last April Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

Here's my last masculine CAS card.

 Wonderful Life stamp
Copics and washi tape

Is it actually masculine? I think with the primary colors and the B/W it could be. I was thinking about my DS when making it and would definitely give it to him. But it could be for a gal too. Guess I can't stick to the masculine theme for too long ;)

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 over at STAMPlorations. And if I ever inspire you to order something from the store, I'd really appreciate it if you used my STAMPGIRLMARIA discount code for an additional 20% off your order - at no extra cost to you, just with perks for me ;)

Looking for more inspiration with this stamp set? Check out this post.

Thanks for stopping over today. Have a great week.

simon says stamp - united we craft 2

Have you checked out the United We Craft Party over at Simon Says Stamp. Lots of inspiration with some of the older products you might have in your stash as you get creative in your #stayathome and #flattenthecurve time.

In yesterday's post I did some die cutting with the Faberge Egg. Then I looked through my background stamps thinking it was due time for some therapeutic coloring. These two cards happened.

 SSS Kaleidoscope stamp

SSS Hello die
Papertrey Hello die
Action Deutschland banner die

Copics

Hope you are all doing OK with the home isolation. We're hanging in there. I believe that united we got this! Happy Sunday.

STAMPlorations digital stamps with patterned paper

I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog today with five digital stamp projects. You could win a $15 GC to the store for comments left here and there. Just sayin...

So as I mentioned in my last Digital Wednesday post, I'm a newbie to digital stamps, but there are definitely some benefits to digi stamps - no smudges, perfect coverage without a MISTI, image resizing, even layering images (though I've yet to give that a try).

My technology tools are limited to Microsoft Word and my Canon ink jet printer. I watched this video for a great intro to digi stamps.

For today's projects I used a pad of patterned paper from the dollar store. The pastel colors caught my eye. The paper is thin however, so to print on it I used cellophane tape to attach the 6x6 sheets to a normal sheet of copy paper. This went through my printer without any problem.

TIP: First I print the image onto copy paper and then hold that up to the light with my 6x6 PP in front of it to see where I would like the image to be. (See how I lined up the flower on the floral PP so that one of the red roses was in the center of the bloom?)

Here's a look at the PP pad and some of the images I printed.

Another TIP: I use Photoscape to edit photos. I'm no pro. But since I knew I was only using the bloom from the latte-cup-with-bloom image, I cropped the image to remove the top portion of the to-go cup. This was then what I printed to waste less PP. (As if I don't already have enough PP to last 300 years...)

Let's get to my cards, shall we? First up, I used a cup of blooms image and thought I was going to mix and match cup and blooms - paper piece just the mug from PP onto the image printed on white cardstock and then give the white blooms just a little dab of color. But I liked the look of the image on the watercolored-look PP so much I couldn't cut it apart! So these two cards happened.

For the first, I fussy cut the image printed on Neenah solar white, added dabs of color to the flowers and adhered it on a floral PP.

Cupful of Blooms digi stamp

Just Caffeinate clear stickers

alcohol markers

patterned paper

Then for the second card I added color to the centers of the flowers on the image fussy cut from the pretty watercolored-look PP and added it to a shimmery, linen texture cardbase.

TIP: Look for pencil colors fairly close to your PP colors to keep the contrast minimal. I used a pink, a purple, a blue, a gray and a green cuz they were closest to the tones of the watercolored-look PP.

Cupful of Blooms digi stamp

World Birthday Cakes stamp

Prismacolor colored pencils

patterned paper

embossing powder

For my next card I used an image that covers the front of an A2 card. I printed it once onto white cardstock and once onto PP. When fussy cutting the blooms from the PP to paper piece on the other panel, I carefully cut out the frame too.

TIP: When I fussy cut the flowers touching the frame on the PP panel, I made sure to leave the thick black line around the frame intact. This enabled me to use the frame for a second card. In general when paper piecing, fussy cut on the black line. Since you will be adhering the fussy cut piece to a stamped or printed image, those outlines will show.

I lightly applied some Spun Sugar and Squeezed Lemonade to the Neenah panel before adhering the PP flowers. Then I stamped the sentiment and added some sequins.

Coffee Blossoms digi stamp

Dream the Impossible stamp

Distress inks

PP, sequins

To accompany the fussy cut PP frame, I shrunk one of the other coffee cup images, printed it onto contrasting PP (twice so I could see which size I preferred) and fussy cut just the flowers to use to embellish the second card. (This was when it dawned on me to use Photoscape to crop the image so only the part I need would print and I wouldn't waste PP ;)

Added a sentiment in the form of a clear sticker to the frame. And colored the leaves of the flower spray and added gems too.

Coffee Blossoms digi stamp

Birthday Word Art clear stickers

This last card was such fun. I printed the image (sized to my liking) onto four different patterned papers, felt like I was back in kindergarten as I fussy cut the flowers and then arranged them on my cardbase.

TIP: Use the bits and pieces you trim off around the edges to fill some of the white space on your cardbase. I only had four flowers but it looks like I used seven.

I did not add adhesive to the outer edges of the petals so there's some dimension. I love how the sequins fit perfectly in the flower centers. Adds dimension. And that sentiment die with the drop shadow adds even more dimension.

Holiday Lattes digi stamp

Skinny Sentiments die

sequins

Whew. That was a lot. Don't forget to leave me a comment. And on my Digital Wednesday post here too, for another chance to win.

With card #1 I'm playing over at:
The Flower Challenge - Anything Goes
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Whatever the Weather (card's going to girlfriend who combats stress with coffee)

CAS cards challenge march reminder

Hope you're having a good day. I'm popping in today with a reminder about the STAMPlorations 

CAS Cards challenge. First, the inspiration.

It's anything goes with the optional color twist of light blue.  I though Vespa and this happened.

STAMPlorations Born to Roam stamp
MFT Radial Stitched Circle die

patterned paper
Copics

CAS card tip: "White space", so crucial to CAS designs, doesn't necessarily have to be white. Here I've used white for the circles but PP for the cardbase.

Stamped the image and sentiment. Die cut them and a PP circle. Adhered. Voila. I've also used this stamp set on this card.

I'm looking forward to your CAS card creations this month! Your project might be chosen as the winner of a GC to the shop. Check out how the 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 ;)  Thanks for stopping by.

I'm stopping by:
CAS on Sunday - Boys and their Toys
ATCAS - Circles

ATSAM - #380

guest designing at time out #156 - reminder

Popping in today to remind you about the photo inspiration challenge over at Time Out . Lucky me, I get to guest design with the talented DT this fortnight. Here's the fabulous inspiration.

I just love how that fresh yellow pops off the aqua, especially with those touches of white. (BTW, you can see a larger version of the photo over at Time Out.)

This challenge is kindly being sponsored by Altenew. I can't help but think of florals when I think of Altenew. Agree? I headed to my stash (whistled... ;) inside joke for Darnell) and took a look at my florals. I discovered that I had some leftover blooms in with the die and wouldn't you know it, the colors fit the bill. They're the colors of those cute frames on the wall in the photo.

Altenew Rose Flurries 3D die

Amy Tangerine Love die

All I needed to do was adhere the blooms on the background, a piece from my BG stash made by cleaning up some metallic gelato-y messes awhile back. And then die cut a sentiment from lemon yellow CS to mimic the console.

Again, thanks to Sandie and the design team for having me. It's such fun to be part of the inspiration post for this month's photo challenge. Have you played yet? I'm looking foward to seeing your entries in the gallery.

I'm joining the fun at:
Die Cut Divas - Anything Goes
Love to Create - AG Mixed Media
SSS Wednesday Challenge - Something Feminine
The Flower Challenge - Anything Goes

STAMPlorations digital stamps four more ways

I'm over on the STAMPlorations blog today with four digital stamp projects. You could win a $15 GC to the store for comments left here and there. Just sayin...

So. I'm no pro with digital stamps. I love getting inky with actual stamps. And I'm a pro at ink smudges. But there are some benefits to digi stamps - no smudges, perfect coverage without a MISTI, image resizing, even layering images (though I've yet to give that a try). And no shipping!

I use Microsoft Word and my Canon ink jet printer. I recommend this post for a great intro to digi stamps. It's where I figured out how to print them using Word.

I've got four projects to share today. One image enlarged. One shrunk. One left as is. And one heat embossed. Let's get started.

First up, I wanted a really large image. I inserted the PNG file for the image (it's the rectangular frame with roses along its left edge) into a Word document. Then I clicked on the image and stretched it to enlarge it. It's got nice thick lines so this worked great. I trimmed the printed image down to the card front size I wanted and made a shaker card.

Blossom Frames digi stamp

Succulently die

Copic markers

Klartext Kartengruss stamp

sequins

Something about those thick black lines... I decided to go all dramatic on this one. Chose red tones and Copic colored only a piece I die cut from the printed panel and set it back behind the shaker. Added a heat embossed German sentiment since this will be a birthday card for DS's girlfriend.

For my second card I shrunk a digi stamp so it could be just an accent piece on my card.

Blossom Frames digi stamp

Manila Tag die

5 Love Words die

Altenew ink

Sweetly stamp

PP, washi, sequins

You can imagine my joy when I stumbled upon this PP in my stash. A perfect complement to the digi image. Thinking anniversary or wedding, I chose silver glitter for the die cut sentiment and the strip of washi. Sequins added more sparkle.

To eliminate some of the empty white space I masked and stamped some yellow blooms with the Sweetly stamp. On the cardbase and within the digi frame. BTW, I flipped the die and made a second cut to turn the manila tag into a rectangle!

So after enlarging and shrinking images on the previous cards, my next card uses an image just as it is (A2 size), I merely trimmed away the black lines of the frame.

Fluttery Garden digi stamp

Bloomful stamp

Copic markers

No need to color the entire image. I had fun coloring just the butterflies. Have you ever been to a garden where those gorgeous blue butterflies flutter about? They were my inspiration.

I added interest by cutting out parts of their wings with an exacto knife and backing the "holes" with yellow cardstock. Added white gel pen dots to the wings and some color to the background with dots of various yellow Copic markers.

My final card was the result of an aha moment I had when I was printing digi stamps on PP (for my March post!), and using cellophane tape to hold my PP in place on copy paper. I noticed the toner ink remained wet where it printed on the tape...Maybe that would also be the case on vellum, I thought. And it was! Which means if you're quick you can heat emboss a digi stamp printed onto vellum! 

Cupful of Blooms digi stamp

Birthday Bash stamp

PP, embossing powder, vellum

It may not be as perfect as with normal heat embossing, but I think it's pretty amazing! And quick. I chose to back it with floral PP and adhere the vellum with just a line of messy stitching up top.

That's it for today. Don't forget to leave a comment here.  And here too, for another chance to win.

I'm playing over at:

SSS Wednesday Challenge - Add a sentiment (card #3)

Die Cut Divas - Hearts or Flowers (card #1)

Creative with Stamps - Red (card #1)