Ingenious Inkling

Faux Batik Wings

This is one of the first techniques I ever learned using alcohol inks, and I never tire of it because it turns out a little different every time.  In the class I took many years ago from Peg Robinson, she called if Faux Batik, but it's also called Faux Bleach.   Today I wanted to try a variation of the technique using my Spectrum Noir refills and markers.

I started with one of the lighter colored large tags from the Large Tag Package from Crafter's companion (love that you get two colors and lots of sizes).  I stamped the medium Feather from Falling Feathers multiple times using Versamark Ink and then clear embossed.

Next I took my Pale Pink #5 (PP5) Spectrum Noir marker and colored in the feathers ... no need to be neat ... I just want a bit more pink to show on the feathers when I'm finished.

I inked a felt pad using drops of Blue Turquoise #7 (BT&) and Flesh #6 (FS) reinkers and then added a few drops of blender solution.

I dabbed the ink around the tag, rotating it slightly with each dab, until the entire tag was covered.

Several companies I purchase products from use plain newsprint as packing paper, so I always save it for this technique.  If you want to stamp on your tag after ironing, make sure you don't have any wrinkles in your paper (so you get full removal of the embossing powder), but if you don't plan on stamping on it, wrinkles work fine.  You can also used cardstock or typing paper, but I learned with newsprint originally, so that's what I prefer.

I have an iron that I found at a yard sale for a $1.00 that I use solely for crafty techniques.  Since the embossing powder will melt through the paper, I fold it between several layers before ironing with the embossed side facing the iron.

Your first layer of paper should look something like this after ironing.  Make sure you remove it while it's still hot ... if it's sticking a bit, iron again to melt it again.

I love how those feathers pop once the embossing powder is removed.

For my final step, I put a few drops of Blender fluid on a dry baby wipe and went around the edges of the tag to fade out the colors a bit more for a softer effect.  I stamped the sentiment from Divine Inspiration on a smaller tag with India Ink and then clear embossed before trimming and attaching with foam tape.

I finished by attaching the entire tag to the card front with more foam tape and accenting with a few pink pearls and pink ribbon.  This will be a great card for my Chemo Angel volunteering.

Psychedelic Moxie Fab

For some reason the target image for this week's Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger reminded me of the psychedelic tie-dyed images of the 60's (ala Janis Joplin) ... so that's what I went with for my design.

I started with white cardstock & my Studio Calico Circle Graph Mask.  I posited the stencil and sponged fully around with orange ink.  Next I repositioned the stencil several more times using blue & purple (pulling colors from the target image), but not overlapping the sponging.

I finished by stamping my Guitar image from Darkroom Door in Artprint Brown ink.  The sentiment from Paper Source was stamped in the same brown ink on a scrap of the blue sponged paper ... Peace, Joy, Love ... Groovy.

You Measure Up

We're having a Biggest Loser Competition at the office ... and while unfortunately, I will not be the winner, I thought it would be fun to make cards for those who have done the best.  There's a Stampy Sunday Linky Party going on at The Alley Way Stamps, so I thought I'd join that fun too.

I used the scale & sentiment from Work It Out together with a sentiment & speech bubble from Talk to Me to create my CAS design.  I also used one of my favorite stamping on designer paper techniques for this week's CAS-ual Friday's Challenge (so perfect for paper piecing).  

I'm also joining the Masculine Card Challenge at The Paper Players.

Relax & Enjoy

It always feels so good to be back in my studio after traveling ... while I love expressing my creativity through photography while I'm away, nothing beats getting inky.

I used this week's Retro Sketch together with the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge to stamp on patterned paper to create a Father's day card.

I stamped Hero Arts Cloud Background on a piece of designer paper from Fancy Pants Park Bench Collection for the background ... I love the patterned clouds.  The Party Grill is a great die cut from Memory Box.  I finished with an SRM Sticker Summer Sentiment that seemed perfect for the occasion.

Thinking of Blue

This week's Unscripted Sketch has so many possibilities.  

I decided to go with a modified Inchie-like grid on the left size by cutting my Stamp-It Australia Butterfly Frame into six equal parts and attaching it to a kraft card base.

On the right side of the card I embossed navy cardstock with the Floral Frenzy Embossing Folder.  I finished with a sentiment from Sentiment Swirls and a Die Cut Kaleidoscope Butterfly embellished with pearls.

Vibrant Holiday

We're still celebrating Merry & Bright at Jingle Belles this week.  When I saw this dazzling Gelato Background by the talented Roxie, I knew it would be the perfect technique for this week's card.

I used Red, Orange and Yellow Gelatos on Watercolor Paper and blended with a baby wipe.  Once the Gelatos were dry, I stamped Fresh Squeezed Holiday Subway Art in India Ink and clear embossed.  All that was left to do was attach my panel to a white card base using foam tape.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of fun blog finds:

• 14 PhotoShop Shortcuts
• Tutorial for a Traveling White Board ... perfect for long trip entertainment
• Would love to try this Kung Pao Chicken Recipe that doesn't involved fried, breaded chicken.  
• Ever since making a Macrame Owl in Girl Scouts, I have loved rope & knots ... so this Ombre Rope Knot Necklace would be a perfect accesory
• Tutorial for gorgeous butterfly art (shown) ... but the free butterflies would also be perfect for cards
• Free downloadable scenes for your adorable Origami Animals
• S'Mores Bundt Cake ... why does every cake taste better when cooked in a Bundt pan?
• A fantastic Art Journal Page celebrating the rainbow (and the rain).
• Bacon S'mores ... and many more options ... and 50 more S'mores recipes here ... appararently it's a good week for S'mores on the internet.
• Lots of lovely triangle inspiration.
• Fabulous 3-D Paper Landscape

Have a terrific Thursday.

17 Mile Drive

Since we were staying in Carmel ... how could we not take the 17 Mile Drive.  It was a perfect morning with minimal traffic and limited fog ... near perfect. I could sit and watch the waves roll in for days.

I particularly love seeing the waves hit the rocky shoreline ... and trying to time my photos mid-splash.

A park ranger even let us use his binoculars to see some otters floating in the kelp forest.

There were lots of birds on Bird Rock

Glad to see the Lone Cyprus was still hanging in there (with the help of some chains and ropes).

What a marvelous morning.

Design Inspiration

On our walk around San Francisco this afternoon, I saw so much design inspiration ... it really made me miss my studio ... so instead I captured the inspiration in photographs, so I could take the inspiration with me.

This was the window display at the Tory Burch store ... loved all of the white with some pop of color ... and those amazing paper flowers.

There was also this wonderful quote (and lots of bold vibrant summer colors) at the Kate Spade store.

These sassy dresses were from Red Valentino.

I forgot to capture the name fo this store, but I loved the wonderful colors and textures of the leather ensambles ... and I love the reflections of the city in the store window.

This entire Farinelli storefront was inspiring ... there was a little scene in each window ... and what appeared to be lots of intricate glass plates lined-up above the doorway.

And of course after all of that inspiration, I had to stop at Melt for a little gelato ... Peanut Butter & Grape Jelly on top with a scoop of rich dark chocolate on the bottom ... yum.

Another great day in San Francisco.

More California Adventures

We've spent the last few days enjoying San Jose and Carmel, California ... and we've been told by the locals that thel weather has been exceptional (however after the recent snow in Iowa, it honestly wouldn't take much for us to consider sunny warm weather exceptional).

Today we explored Carmel and then took the drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur ... it was windy & foggy, but we had a few great moments to catch the view.

And it wouldn't be vacation if I didn't find some new shoes ... love my new orange driving moccasins.

The flowers are gorgeous ... so many in bloom.

The rose bushes are so large that they are trimmed like trees ... we saw them in almost every color.

They smelled wonderful too.

And I will confess that on my late afternoon shopping jaunt, more shoes were purchased ... these are from an Italian company called Wonders ... and so comfortable.

... and the fog cleared tonight, so we could see the sunset over the ocean in Carmel.