GIVEAWAY: New Stamp Releases - Beautiful Courage & Fierce and Brave

 It's time for some happy dancing, and a stamp giveaway! My brand new set, Beautiful Courage, is being released over at STAMPlorations today! And a STUNNING set designed by Shery Russ called Fierce and Brave is also being released. Both of these sets were designed with Women's History Month in mind. 

I l-o-v-e the chic outlines and fierce phrases from the Fierce and Brave set: 

I thought they could be used for all sorts of occasions - add a little ribbon and viola! a wedding card! 

There is nothing like sending an encouraging cards to your lady friends and between these two sets, encouragement and uplifting sentiments are covered in droves! 

Here's the cards I designed for the Beautiful Courage set: 

Whether you're into one-layer cards or lots o' layers cardmaking, the beautiful profile image and warm sentiments are perfect! 

Which card is your fave? 

Want to win? Head on over to the STAMPlorations blog and leave a comment and you could take both sets home for free!

If you want to skip the contest and head right to the ordering, use code STAMPGIRLBECCA for 20% off your order. :) 

Color Burst Butterflies

Not everything is bad about this crisis. Hear me out. 

All over the world, people are coming together in unique ways. Zoom rooms, Skype chats, FaceTime - people of all ages are getting in on a real technological revolution. And we're finding out just how many of those meetings could have been emails after all. 

I'm so pleased to say that tonight, the technological revolution allowed me to "meet" one of my bloggy idols, Lauren Bergold of ...all the GOOD blog names were taken. I've followed her for years and gushed over all her amazing cards. Her instagram account is my absolute favorite because she's just a one-woman explorer of all things colorful. 

As I said on my last blog post, I've been playing along with some of the challenges Paper Anthology has released on their Facebook page. And they also also do nightly Zoom calls! So this North Dakota girl had fun crafting away in isolation, while getting to chat with some amazing crafters from New Jersey. 

I decided to play along with the You're not the Emboss of me challenge. 

Since I was feeling especially Springy (even though it definitely snowed today *facepalm*), I pulled out these gorgeous butterflies from the STAMPlorations Trendy Butterflies 2 set along with some classy gold embossing powder. 

I used mixed media paper with the sole intention of breaking out the vivid loveliness of Ken Oliver Color Bursts. 

I dipped my paintbrush into the water and wet the paper before sprinkling on the powders. 

Then I used a damp paintbrush to spread the powders. In order to create a gradient with watercolors, I rinsed out the paintbrush and then pulled out the color along the edge. Repeat the rinsing, and continue to pull the color out by running a wet brush along the edge. 

These are the colors I used for my creation and I think they're lovely. I was just going to use one, but the owner of Paper Anthology, Elizabeth, told me to use at least two colors, probably three. Boy, was she ever right. See? The magic of technology at work. 

I stamped the butterflies again on some vellum so I could do an overlay and add a little bit of dimension. 

Ta-daaaa! I finished this little lovely with a gold border and an embossed sentiment from Verve (now retired, sadly). 

I'm going to end this bliggity blog with a little PSA - support your local stamp and papercraft store right now because they absolutely need it in order to survive! Paper Anthology is a prime example. They are currently shut down now due to shelter in place mandates, and that has cut off all source of income. They've created some classes in a kit that they will mail right to you! 

Also linking this up to the current STAMPlorations Theme and Sketch Challenge, where I used their theme of Stamps and Flight. 

Clean and Simple Rainbow Watercolor Card + PRIZES

Water water everywhere - at least here in Grand Forks. We're getting some super high river crests and I'm very thankful for the flood wall our city built nearly 20 years ago because tomorrow they have to close down bridges! 

But spring is also a time for celebrating because this winter brought historic snowfalls - the 3rd snowiest winter on record! 

At STAMPlorations, we have a Spring Fling hop going on  and today we are giving away a stamp set of your choice from the Bee's Knees line.  For my card, I decided to make a rainbow in reminder of the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I stamped a rainbow from the Wonderful Life stamp set and colored it in with Dina Wakely Scribble Sticks. 

If you've never used Scribble Sticks - they are awesome! You can go over them with a little bit of water and they create these vibrant, gorgeous colors. 

I stamped a sentiment from the same set below it, and then also added three little rows of watercolored rainbow strips. 

Perfectly Springy - there are still 5 whole days of the Spring Fling with a brand new prize EVERY day! So come play along!!

I'm going to link this up to AAA Cards - Made in Minutes challenge (23 minutes! - a record for me!) and CAS on Sunday - Spring challenge.

Stenciling Techniques - Sanna Lippert New Release

It's a paaaaaarty! A new release party that is! Sanna Lipper, one of the fab-o designers at STAMPlorations has released a whole new line of stencils. And we got to have a crafty play. They are all so gorgeous and perfect for mixed media play.

Today I'm going to be showing you a cool stenciling technique using Distress Oxides. 

This technique is actually the reverse of stenciling because you're taking OFF the color with a stencil, instead of applying it. 

Step 1: Sponge on a healthy layer of Distress Oxide onto a dark piece of cardstock. Because oxides are highly pigmented, they are designed to sit on top of the dark color. I used Broken China Oxides over a navy blue paper. 

Step 2: Bust out your stencil and tape it down so it won't move. Dampen a piece of paper towel, using a small amount of water (you don't want it too wet or your cardstock will pill). Wipe wipe wipe wipe wipe. The color will start to lift right off.

Step 3: Remove stencil and oooh and aaaah... I love the pattern of this Cornflower stencil.

I also splattered it all over with Picket Fence Distress Spray Stains.

Next, I made a correlating embellishment - also with my stencil.

Check out all that texture! Basically I swiped a layer of texture paste through my stencil, then added a layer of blue embossing powder before heat setting.

I fussy cut it and BEHOLD!

Isn't it pretty? 

I also played around with Sanna's new Lupinus stencil, too.

This one is so pretty and would be perfect for either mixed media OR clean and simple cards. 

Pssst in honor of this new release, all ARTplorations stencils are 15% off. and you get a FREE stencil with every order. Plus you can use my code STAMPGIRLBECCA for an extra 20% off your order. :)

Now go get hopping and then get shopping. 

Joy Clair + Coffee Loving Papercrafters Blog Hop

I'm soooooo fleepin excited to share with you all that the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Design Team is teaming up with the Joy Clair DT to celebrate the release of their brand new stamp set "Coffee Love".

You should have arrived here from Robyn Jordan's blog on the hop list. You're definitely going to want to hop along because you could win a $25 Joy Clair gift card to buy all the lovely stamps you want! 

I just adore the sketchy coffee cups in this set and I know I'm going to be using it for all sorts of occasions because it has sentiments for thank you cards, valentine's day cards, and hello cards. 

My fave cup of the whole set is this little guy with the scribbly heart in the center. I raised him up  using some black Ranger embossing powder and then colored in the heart. 

I used some coffee-themed designer paper from American Crafts and stamped a coordinating sentiment from the Joy Clair Coffee Love stamp set. 

I took my inspiration for the layout from the sketch challenge over at Paper Craft Crew Challenges. 

Well that's all from me! Now get to hopping! 

Your next stop is Dana Warren! 

Visible Image + MISTI blog hop + PRIZES!

Hello Friendly Friends! I've got a blog post today that you're not going to want to miss out on. If you love Misti, or you love Visible Image stamps read til the end because there's 100 smackers worth of prizes up for grabs. *insert gasping noise here*

When the MISTI (short for most incredible stamping tool invented) came out, I definitely shelled out all my crafty savings to buy one because they are AMAZING. I use masking frequently as a technique, when I design cards and got so frustrated whenever I'd stamp an image that wouldn't be right on. The MISTI allows me to restamp the image in the exact same place every time. Believe me when I say that whatever I paid for the tool has been more than made up for in the cost of paper I would have had to chuck otherwise. haha.

A few months after they released the full MISTI, they dreamed up the mini MISTI and I'm so happy to get my hot little hands on one. I like the full size one because it's nice for using with large background stamps, but the mini appealed to me because it doesn't take up so much of my table space and I can keep it in arm's reach. And it's sooooo cuuuuuuuute. hehe

As you may know, if you're a regular reader of my blog (if not ->> hit the subscribe and I'll be forever grateful!) I am not a huge CAS fan. Mostly because if I even look at white space crosswise it somehow winds up with ink all over it. 

So rarely - if ever have I attempted the triple layer stamping technique. Since I had the handy dandy mini MISTI, I decided to give it a go. I cut 3 sheets of blank paper and stacked them atop each other, securing them in place with the magnet that comes along with the MISTI. 

I placed and inked my stamps - these moths come from the Glimmer of Light stamp set from Visible Image, which is freakin' gorrrrgeous. 

Check it! 

I stamped on the first layer, and then removed it, stamping again on the second layer, removing, and then repeated all the way until I only had the last layer to go. 

I repeated this on both sides of my card, before inking up a sentiment from the Shining Bright stamp set using VersaMark embossing ink. 

Shining Bright is another one of my fave sets. Visible Image always has the most unique sentiments and I love the slightly grungy feel to all their designs. 

I stamped a lightbulb and watercolored it, fading it out until the outer edges were a soft yellow. 

I added in some InkaGold to give the lightbulb some real life shimmer. and then speckled my card with flicks of yellows and golds. 

Once I had all my layers, I used mounting tape to give them a little lift in between. 

Taaaa-daaaaaa! I never would have attempted this technique without the MISTI. If you haven't invested in one, you neeeeeed to. Like not even a want. It's a need. You will never regret it.

Oh yeah - I mentioned prizes.

Both Visible Image and MISTI are offering a $50 shopping spree!!! Winning is pretty simple, just go have some inspirational fun along the hop with these folks: 

Veerle Moreels

Ilina Crouse

Lisa Taggart

Jeanne Streiff

Sharon Traynor

Kia Gibson-Clapper

Becca Cruger <--- YOU ARE HERE

Ceal Pritchett

Pauline Butcher

Giovana Smith

Josefine Fouarge

Chris Dayton

Jane Tyrrell

Stephanie Severin

Tenia Nelson

Janine Tinklenberg

Elisa Ablett

Dina Kowal

Heather Mitchell

Kyra Sanders

Lynn Good

Susan Wymer

Lanette Erickson

Joan Bardee

Aga Baraniak

Judy Rozema

Eileen Godwin

My Sweet Petunia

Leave a sweet comment on each post and two lucky commenters will win. :) 
Comments must be left by Monday, April 30 11:59 p.m. CST. Winners will be announced May 1st on the Visible Image and My Sweet Petunia blog. 

Happy Hopping, friends!

Romantic Expressions - New Release

Valentine's Day might be gone, but I just can't make myself stop with all things glittery and pink. 

Luckily there are some new releases over at STAMPlorations today that are making it easy for me to keep on with my love of... well... love. 

Hop on up to the STAMPlorations blog to see Romantic Expressions 1, Romantic Expressions 2, and Romantic Expressions 3 in action.

Because I wanted my design to be all full of elegance, I broke out the embossing gun and sprinkled on some platinum powder. 

I also used a sketch from Sunday Stamps. 

Some foiled papers brought the elegance to the forefront of the overall design. It's textured and lovely and I just want to keep running my hands over it and twisting it in the sunlight. That's not weird - right? 

Thanks for popping by!

STAMPlorations Christmas Release - Day 2

Ya'll know I love me some texture, and I'm going to show you how to do a little bit of faux texture today in my post.

I'm still jing-a-ling-a-linging my way along here on the blog, celebrating with STAMPlorations holiday stamp release. Each day this week, new products are being revealed on the STAMPlorations blog and there are TONS of prizes to be won. So you are gonna wanna go check it out.

 Today, we're showcasing Yuletide Deer by Dee's Artsy Impressions.

Just look at all those elegant deer! I fell in love with this set the second I got my hands on it. I love sets that can be used year-round and I am TOTALLY planning to double down on this one by using it for masculine birthday or father's day cards.

I also used this scrolly Merry Christmas Word Art Die from the new release, and here's where my faux texture comes in. That die might look all rusty, but in reality it's flat and smooth as can be. I used three shades of InkaGold (a light green, a gold and a copper) to create an aged look. 

I embossed the reindeer in gold on a sheet of pink vellum, and then added a teeny red sequin to turn him into Rudolph. 

I'm going to enter my card into the following challenges:

Sweet Stampin' Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Make sure you head on over the STAMPlorations blog because you're not going to want to miss this week-long party. Just look at all these prizes!!

Prizes:

**Winners will be randomly drawn from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers blogs

- THREE (3) winners of a $10 gift certificate to the store

- ONE (1) winner of her choice of 1 stamp set and 1 CUTplorations die from the new release

- ONE (1) winner of a $25 gift certificate to the store

**Extra prizes:

- TWO (2) winners of their choice of 1 CUTplorations die from the new release -- drawn from our Facebook page (for commenting, sharing, and tagging a friend)

- ONE (1) winner of her choice of 1 stamp set from the new release -- drawn from our Instagram post (commenting, liking, tagging a friend)

So what are you waiting for? Get to hopping already!  

Oh and double PPPSSSSTTT: You can get 20% off any stamp set in the STAMP shop by using code STAMPGIRLBECCA at checkout. Happy shopping!