Ingenious Inkling

Joy of the Season

This week at Jingle Belles we're celebrating one of our favorite things ... holiday tunes.  We're asking you to create a card (or gift card holder, or whatever else you'll be needing for the holidays) that incorporates music, that is inspired by a holiday song, or that includes a holiday song title.

I started by scanning some vintage sheet music I had in my collection and re-sizing it for my card front. 

Next I stamped Hero Arts Merriest Christmas Wishes in Blue Iris on the music-printed cardstock.  I intended to use the image stamped directly on the sheet music, but managed to flub my attempt at a hand-drawn frame, so I cut out the stamped image and placed it on top of a second piece of the printed music (I always print enough to cover a piece of cardstock) using a blue cardstock frame to cover the flub.  I added red colored pencil to my cardinal for a little pop.

The Hero Arts Sentiment looked a little lonely along the bottom, so I layered on some snowflakes (the smaller one was made by punching the same snowflake and trimming off the longer pieces).

Can't wait to see what you create.

Man-Tastic Drink Coffee

When I saw this week's Man-Tastic Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger, I hoped I could find a stamp in my collection with that same shape ... but no such luck.

So instead I went with the same loopy rounded shape found in the Hero Arts Artistic Circles (it reminds me of spirograph creations from my youth) and the great color combination of grey, brown, red & turquoise/teal.  I inked the background stamp with three colors of ink and stamped on light grey cardstock.

I created a tag using chevron paper from Lily Bee Design's Head over Heels collection (love the combination of patterns & colors in this collection..  I used this week's Retro Sketch, but since I was going for a masculine vibe, I replaced the ribbon with layers of washi tape, some punched circles & a laquered brad. I finished with a stickerz sentiment from EAD Designs & attached my tag with foam tape.

This will be a great Father's Day card for one of the many coffee-loving men in my family.

Washi Bright Bite

For some reason my tummy is craving sweets today, but instead of eating cookies ... I decided to make a card inspired by cookies ... Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger Bright Bite cookies to be exact.

I loved the stacking of the cookies and those bright fun colors, so I decided to create my card by stacking some fun new My Mind's Eye Indie Chic Washi Tape I picked-up this week.

Sentiment is Hero Arts Anytime Messages and butterfly embellishment was punched from the pink washi tape adhered to cardstock with two tiny adhesive pearls.  Hopefully this card will brighten someone's day.

They're also celebrating Masking Tape Day at Jellypark Challenges (using Washi Tape).

Embossing Around the Christmas Tree

We're celebrating all things embossed at Jingle Belles ... head embossing, dry embossing, even embossed designer papers.  

I decied to see what my metallic shelf paper would looke like with embossed texture. I attached the shelf paper to a scrap of cardstock before adding the texture, and then cut it into panels for this week's CPS Sketch ... love the effect ... all of the detail of embossed metal with none of the weight or sharp edges.

I also used clear heat embossing on my Hero Arts sentiment and a little more dry embossing on the edge of my larger die cut panel ... I do love my texture.

Can't wait to see what you create.

Enjoy the City

When I saw this week's Unscripted Sketch, I thought of buildings ... so I went with it.

I stamped Hero Arts Newspaper Skyline in black & purple ink (inked first with india ink and then with an old purple ink pad ... I save old ink pads for just such color mixing opportunities) on some cloud paper from Doodlebug design & clear embossed.  I trimmed off one of the buildings, so the tallest building would be on the left.

I added a thickers plane, two black pearls, and a sentiment from Hero Arts Live & Laugh.

Can't wait to see what you create.

Crafty Steals Guest Designer

I was thrilled to be chosen as the April Guest Designer for Crafty Steals.  I love a good bargain on my craft supplies, so this is one site I check out every day.  

I had a blast designing with the fabulous Crate Paper Random Collection Kit.  You can get all of these goodies for $14.99 (50% off).  I also used some beautiful Jenni Bowlin vellum butterflies (six packages of 5 each for a mere $11.99).

 

The first card uses both products together with the April Sketch For You to Try.  I combined three fun papers, a border sticker, and punched embellishments (the scalloped doily frames).  I removed the green center from the folded paper rosette embellishment sticker and replaced it with a grey  sticker to coordinate with my design.  The sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts Live & Laugh.

The next card Is all Crate goodness ... I love the border stickers and very cool dimensional butterfly sticker.  The layout is this month's Hero Arts Sketch together with a new sentiment from the Hero Arts Studio Calico Collection (tell me that song won't be stuck in your head all day).  Since this will be a Mother's Day card, I think all of that flowery goodness is perfect for the Get Your Girly On Challenge at the Southern Girls Challenge.

I also received some very cool Pebbles Chalk Pencils to play with.  I love the soft feel of chalk and ease of use of the pencils.  I stamped the Chevron & sentiment in Versamark and then colored over them with four colors of chalk pencils (all at the same diagonal angle) ... inspired by these lovely Tulips at the Inspired by Challenge.

I added another pretty Jenni Bowlin Vellum butterfly to embellish another ot this month's Hero Arts Sketch layouts.

I also love the fun fabric & ribbon trims that were included with the Crate Collection Kit.  This card features a large die cut flower together with yellow ribbon ruffle trip & another great sticker border.

And who doesn't love a bicycle.  I added a border sticker *road* and a heart die cut in the middle of the wheel.  I thought the sentiment from Paper Smooches Perpetual Bliss worked perfectly with the design.

I had such fun designing with these awesome products from Crafty Steals ... add them on Facebook and sign-up for e-mails so you don't miss any of the fabulous bargains.

Garden Silhouette

This card is inspired by the beautiful poppies at the Virginia's View Challenge.  The layout is one of this month's Hero Arts sketches.

I stamped the Garden Silhouette image in Warm Red ink on graph paper together with a sentiment from Be Happy in Warm Green.  The background is a scrap of Basic Grey and the Vellum Patterned Butterfly is from Jenni Bowlin.

This flowers & butterfly on this card also celebrate Earth Day with Sentiment Sundays.

Fabulous Flowers

One of the challenges at the Hero Arts Blog for April is to create a shaped card. 

I stamped the Hero Arts Large Flower Pattern in Berrylicious ink before die cutting it into my card base.

I used one of the Hero Arts Sketches for my design with a layered bloom and sentiment from Hero Arts Live & Laugh.

Happy Monday.

She Saw Her Soul

This card celebrates the Show Me Your Chevron Challenge at Paper Issues using my new Studio Calico / Hero Arts stamp and colors from this week's CR84FN Color Challenge.

The Sketch is from Retro Card Sketches & the sentiment is from Cosmo Cricket's Tiny Text Art stickers.  The Vellum Butterfly is Jenny Bowlin from Crafty Steals.

Balancing Owls

My card for this week's SCS Inspiration Challenge comes from this Three Owls Wall Sticker from Harabu House.

I stamped Hero Arts Balancing Owls in Deep Purple Ink together with sentiment from Guess What? and clear embossed.

Sketch is from The Sweet Stop & papers are Memory Box Viola.

It's also perfect for this week's Inspired By Challenge where they're celebrating another pile of animals.