STB - august 28 2023

Week 4 of August in my 2023 STB memory planner. Bye bye summer.

Eating and drinking and doctoring. Ugh.

Using up stash when working on my Heidi Swapp memory planner preserving memories like this ;) Alpha dies - love their large size. And Heidi's tiny stamps. And stickers. And one half sheet less patterned paper in my stash now!

 

more milestone cards

Seems like some of the only cards I actually sit down and create lately are for lovely ladies turning 70, 80 and 90.

 STAMPlorations Gift Builder 1 die

STAMPlorations Celebrate die

STAMPlorations Peony number 2 stencil

MFT numbers die

Papertrey hello die

Thanks for stopping by today.

support for shery

Hi there friends. I'm sharing a card I made with a couple challenges in mind. 

Over at Timeout Challenges they are having their cancer awareness challenge. And to quote:

"We want to give a special shout out to our friend Shery at STAMPlorations. She has been fighting a cancer battle this year and she has been heavy on our hearts here at Time Out. Thank you Shery for all the years of support and creativity.  We stand with you as you walk through this journey." 

My sentiments exactly. Of course I had to jump right in. Lots of virtual hugs and prayers headed Shery's way as she fights the fight. I know the quote is "hope is the thing with feathers" but in my head it always translates to "the thing with wings" and thus...

Ali Edwards stamp

 STAMPlorations Fluttery Zen and MFT label die

Altenew stencil

inks, embossing paste, embossing powder, foil, washi

I was following the sketch at FMS #557.

Super CAS over here.  Used the stenciled area to represent the large square and the butterfly cluster to represent the small square. Of course, a touch of washi is always a good idea. Did you notice it?

I tried  technique I'd seen Heidi Swapp do on my butterfly. I dabbed a glue pen around on it once I'd inked it. Let it get tacky and then rubbed a foil scrap over it with my finger. Ta da. No laminator. No Minc. But foiling!

Appreciate you stopping by. Enjoy your week.  

letting my scraps inspire me

Continuing with my summer programming...

Still on a roll using up scraps , I let the scraps inspire my card design for these cards.

This first one... pretty funny. Those darn raffia strips were another too-fun-to-toss-but-constantly-being-moved-from-left-to-right-and-back. The lantern halves were leftover pieces from a rainbow die cut many moons ago. I was finally inspired to combine the two, just needed a stenciled BG to pull them together.

STAMPlorations stencil

Studio Calico sentiment die

MFT Magical Rainbow die (negative pieces)

More die cut scrap next. Why not put it over some scrap paper from an inking session and then dress it up a little with washi and Nuvo drops?!?

Ellen Hutson Many Thanks die

Nuvo drops, washi

Another piece of scrap paper from an ink smooshing session ended up peeking out of the slats of a cover plate die cut and topped with a stylistic bloom from my scrap bowl.

MFT Dienamics Stripes cover die

Happy weekend! Have you had a go at your scrap pile yet?

valentines with scrap strips

I seem to find myself a theme when I make Valentines each year. I'm on a scrap strip adventure right now (avoiding the hard work of moving my craft room as I explained here) so that became my theme for this year.

Scrap strips, scrap cardstock and a glue stick. Made myself some "patterned paper" and then played with it.

Essentials by Ellen Nice of you stamp

Essentials by Ellen Folk Hearts die

Die cut a square of my "PP" with the love die and made cards with the negative and positive pieces. I'm entering the pink one into SSS Monday - Love is in the Air challenge.

Dienamics Love Centerpieces die

Then I rediscovered a flop card die (NBUS) so gave it a run in a card for DD. Used some 6x6 PP from my stash (which could last me 120 years). I'm hooking this Clean and Layered one up over at The Card Concept #168.

Dienamics Flop Card Heart die

Reverse Confetti Lovely Words die

SSS you die

Charlie and Paulchen Hohlsaumrahmen die

And while I had that heart die in my hand from the flop card heart die, I cut two of them and made this, personalized with the couple's initials. It's actually going to Americans who live in Germany so I'm joining in at Pinspirational February Challenge.

Dienamics Flop Card Heart die

Papertrey Bookprint Alpha die

 

STAMPlorations inspiration #324

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

Another colored digi coffee cup today. Let me tell you, these coffee cups are such fun to color!

Bloomdala Coffee Cup to Go digi stamp

Coffee and Mondays stamp

alcohol markers, patterned paper, washi, embossing powder

I colored and fussy cut the image. Heat embossed the fun sentiment (all three in the set fit perfectly on a die cut circle) and then added some PP from my stash and a strip of washi before adding the cup.

As always, 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. 

masculine birthday with birthday block die

I'm guest designing at Addicted to Stamps and More where the theme is Birthday.

For my guest designer project I made a card using the Birthday Block die. For this card I used the positive die cuts that were leftover and made a masculine birthday card. I recently picked up some more alcohol markers from the "dollar store" and wanted to have a play. I used various gray tones (warm, cool, blue gray) to color the Neenah white die cut letters.

MFT Happy Birthday Block die

Action Deutschland Decotime alcohol markers

Pop over to the Addicted to Stamps and More blog for more birthday card inspiration. I'm hooking up at Always Fun Challenges where it's about Pastels.

make valentines with gelli prints

I've got a three-fer fer ya this two-fer weekend.

Huh?

Well, it's Valentine's weekend of course. And in my 'hood it's also Fastnacht weekend - Mardi Gras. Not much going on here compared to normal years, but I'm sure enjoying the live streams some of the different groups are putting on. It's kinda fun to sit on the couch in sweats and sing along with the Fastnacht hits without the costume/makeup/yelling across the table in filled-to-the-brim halls/hangovers stress of a normal Fastnacht! 

Fastnacht in a nutshell if you'd like a little taste...

And the three-fer? I've got three Valentines made using up some gelli prints. Thanks for the challenge, Birte. These were leftover after this cardmaking session. Better to use 'em than stash 'em away again, right?

First up, for DD. Fun fact... DD die cut and embossed that smaller pink heart when she was little. I saved it ;)

Sizzix Heart die

Charlie and Paulchen Hohlsaumrahmen die

This card is going to:

CAS on Friday - Love

Colorhues Challenge - red/pink

TimeOut Challenge - #181

MFT Lots of Heart Outline die

This card is joining the fun at:

Cut it Up - All You Need is Love

Daring Cardmakers - Share the Love

Sizzix Sentiment Words die

STAMPlorations Bubbles and Leaf Prints stencil

And this card goes to:

Happy Little Stampers - Stencil

So. As card front, as die cut shape or just leftover strips as your background... put your gelli prints to good use! And HELAU!!!!

source: Leonivo

making valentines - part 1

During the pandemic I've dropped some little gift packs of homemade cards into people's mailboxes. Cuz it's my way of doing something in these weird times and I hope maybe they do something and send them on to people who could use a smile.

I recently had the urge to put together some love cards for my girlfriends since Valentine's Day is approaching. It's not nearly as popular in Germany as in the US, but people know what it is. I'll be sharing some not-your-typical-valentine cards the next couple days.

I don't actually have much in the way of Valentine's Day supplies, though I do have lots of "love" themed items. For this first one I used a stencil (inked with Tattered Rose distress oxide, offset slightly and inked with Aged Mahogany distress oxide) and a loving sentiment.

STAMPlorations Zen Hearts stencil

STAMPlorations Bloomin Coffee and You stamp

Next up I die cut a heart from some gelli prints, 3D dry embossed them and added a sentiment. Voila!

MFT Heart Full of Love die

Clear and Simple Love Cupid stamp

These two actually read "Happy Valentine's Day" on the inside ;)

I'm playing at:

Happy Little Stampers - CAS

AAA Cards - One Layer

Inspired By - Krafty Love

SSS Monday Challenge - Love/Hearts

Double D - Valentine Love

 

simon says stamp - world of love sentiments

It's time for another release from the talented folks over at Simon Says Stamp and one of the products in the new release is the World of Love Sentiments stamp set. Gotta love this one, both the image and the sentiments.

Mind you, I had not seen the graphic when I created my projects, but I guess the image of the globe begs to be rainbowed ;)

 SSS World of Love Sentiments stamp

 MFT circle die

Distress Inks - Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry, Mermaid Lagoon

clear embossing powder

Pretty simple if you use a stamp positioner. I inked up the stamp with yellow in a few areas. Spritzed. Stamped. Repeated with pink and then with blue. Let the inks do their thing and you end up with rainbow!!!

I'm still missing Michigan (it's been a month now) so I gave it a heat embossed red heart :) I die cut the image with a circle die (like the globe) and added the "round" rounded sentiment.

Check out all the makes with the products from the Love You release in the gallery here. And don't miss the upcoming blog hops. I'll be back with another make for you tomorrow.

I'm adding my card to:

Alphabet Challenge - R for Rainbow

SSS Monday Challenge - Favorite Technique (let Distress Inks work their watercolory magic)

AAA Cards Challenge - Made in Minutes (stamp, die cut, heat emboss, done)

STAMPlorations inspiration #259

Back with  another Tuesday inspiration from the STAMPlorations inspiration team!

This month I'm creating cards all inspired by a card I saw last month that just took my breath away - the central design idea being "something framed on an inked background". Today I've got another take on it.

Sweet Cravings stamp

MFT Radial Stitched Circle die

Action Deutschland embossing folder

Zig clean color real brushes

Distress inks - Dried Marigold, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick

I thought an ice cream cone could grab the edge of the frame (this time a circle). The background was distress inked and then debossed with sprinkles. Then I added a heat embossed sentiment strip.

Oh and splatters (BTW I use Dylusions white spray ink)! Do you have a favorite product for making white splatters? I'd love to know.

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 you're placing an order at 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 ;)

For a different way of using this sweet set, check out this shaker card. Or this camoflaged one.

Thanks for stopping over today. Crazy how this cardmaking world of our remains a haven while the world around us rages out of control. I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe.

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