Ingenious Inkling

Giving & Sharing

One of the things I love most about making holiday cards all year long at Jingle Belles is the opportunity for play & creative exploration ... because if it doesn't work, it's no big deal ... I just try again.  A co-worker reminded me this week that often we can't achieve (or recognize) success until we've experienced failure ... so true.  

For this card, I decided to try some inky play.  At first it seemed like failure, but I kept playing and eventually turned it into success.  I started by stamping this Hero Arts Florintine Pattern background in Versamark ink on some red holly designer paper and clear embossing.  Next I sprayed with copper glimmer mist, thinking that the un-inked flourishes would have a metallic contrast against the red background ... wrong.  The red paper just soaked up the mist, but no contrast.  

After leaving it for a few days, I decided to play around with some inks.  I tried several with no success (wiping off with a baby wipe between inking) and finally found a winner with Chipped Sapphire Distress ink.  Here's the finished background (before I covered it up with my other design elements) ... the cool inky contrast I was hoping to achieve.

Next I wondered ... can you pressure emboss glitter paper?  Turns out the answer is a resounding *Yes*.  I used a new Stampin' uP embossing folder on a scrap of Gold Glitter paper ... such great texture.

I finished with some gold glitter jingle bells, a Crafty Secrets cardstock sentiment ... and an EAD Designs Rub-on sentiment (I also discovered that with patience and strong pressure, they will adhere to an ink embossed background ... another creative win).

The layout is from a new-to-me sketch blog ... 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.

We hope you're having fun embossing with us.  Remember, you have until Wednesday, May 16th at 5:00 pm EST to link-up your creations ... use keyword JB10-12 if you upload to galleries (including our Flickr Gallery).

Velveteen Blossoms

This card combines the Velveteen Stamping Technique featured at the Hero Arts Blog this month with the Moxie Fab World Cure for the Winter Blues Challenge.

I stamped the background with the same stamp Sherri used in her Video (the Leaf and Flower Background) and then inked the solid bloom from the Sweet Threads set and stamped it multiple times.  The solid petals provided a great resist for the pigment ink.   The font of With Sympathy sentiment is narrow, but close-up you can also see the pattern in the design.

I will admit it took me several tries to get it right.  The chalk ink gave the best contrast with the white pigment ink, but I couldn't wipe after stamping like Sherri did in the video or I just ended-up with a big smudgy mess.  Here's a close-up view of the blooms.  

 

The layout is this week's Unscripted Sketch ... perfect for this CAS, easy to mail design.

You Are a Blessing

For February, the Lily Pad is celebrating Kissing ... one of my favorite stamping technique.  I decided to try two background stamps ... Hero Arts Flourentine Pattern inked with Yellow Ochre kissed with Woodgrain Design inked with Chestnut Roan.

I then incorporated the colors and design elements from the Shopping Our Stash inspiration photo with a Fanciful Flourish from Cheery Lynn Designs, a K&Company 3-D Jubilee Butterfly sticker and some pink pearls. I love a reminder to use neglected die cuts and stamps from my own stash.

The sentiment is an EAD Designs rub-on.

Faux Leather Missing You

The Random Redhead Challenge at Gingersnap Creations is to create a project using a faux technique.  Since I had so much fun with masking tape last week, I decided to use it again to create a faux leather background.

I sponged ink onto green Tim Holtz DP and then die cut my leather label to form the background for my lonely little cat.  

Our Challenge is again sponsored by Rogue Redhead Design ... I used the cat from Just Sayin' and the sentiment from Relish Reading.  For the circle backing my sentiment, I added a second layer of ink and embossing powder to create a darker leather finish.

 

Christmas Owl

Hello and Welcome to the EAD Designs Blog Hop!

 

 

You should have arrived here from Amy T.

If not, you'll want to start at the beginning of the hop, which is the EAD Designs Blog.  Remember, every week there are free goodies for a random commenter!!

I had so much fun playing with Cuttlebug Wax Paper Resist last week, I used it again for this festive holiday card ... this time with the Ornament embossing folder.  I used Festive Berries & Seedless Preserves Distress ink for the background.

I add a a white vinyl frame from EAD Designs Baroque Frames that reminded me of a big holiday ornament.

I attached my Christmas Owl to white paper, and cut him out to attach him to my *ornament* with foam tape.
 

I finished with a Paper Smooches Co-Branded Christmas Sentiment sticker & glittery green bow.

Your next stop on the hop is Katie at Crafting with Katie.

Here's the full line-up in case you get lost.

• EAD Designs
• Jenn
• Joanna
• Lauren
• Liz
• Amy
• Stephanie <<------------ You're Here
• Katie

Ghosted Snowflakes

At Just Us Girls, they're trying the Ghosting Technique, which was new to me.  I've done a lot of emboss resist, but have never tried it without embossing.  

I thought this month's Hero Arts Color Challenge might be fun to try with the technique, but unofortunately, the hues weren't quite dark enough to get the full effect (and I'm sure it didn't help that my pool inkpad was almost dry).

I stamped the Hero Arts Stunning Snowflakes in White Pigment ink on White cardstock and heat set. Next I applied the Pink, Pool, and Green ink over the snowflakes ... it sort of reminds me of a wintery tie dye.

The resist was almost indistinguishable, so I inked the stamp a second time with white ink, rotated it, and stamped again to get a little more snowflake effect.

I finished with coordinating pearls for the Hero Arts Bling it up! Challenge and added a Creamy Brown Get Merry! sentiment on a scrap of inked paper.

Baby Wipe Baby Stroller

This month's theme at Gingersnap Creations is the Joy of Childhood ... and today's Spicy Supply Challenge is Baby Wipes.  This month's challenges are sponsored by The Stamping Boutique, and I was given the Little Girl with a Stroller digital Image to use in my design.

This image reminded me of my Holly Hobby bedroom I had when I was young, so I decided to use the same soft color palette for my design.

I layered two baby wipes and then added drops of Spun Sugar, Tumbled Glass and Milled Lavender Distress Re-inkers.  Next, I printed out my image on white card stock and then pressed it into the baby wipe repeatedly until I had good coverage over the entire design ... I love the ehtereal effect.

I finished with an SRM sticker sentiment and several cardstock mats.

Here are some tutorials to spark your baby wipe creativity:

• Beate's Baby Wipe Technique
• Gina's Baby Wipe Background (video)
• Laura's Baby Wipe Technique
• Lisa's Baby Wipe Technique (video)

Holiday Leftovers

One of my favorite things about the holidays are the holiday leftovers ... I love a ham sandwich with some cranberry sauce and stuffing ... almost better than the main meal.  So at Jingle Belles, we decided to celebrate Holiday Leftovers with our prompt this week ... to create a card with your leftover scraps of paper, ribbon, alphabet letters, and embellishments.

I decided to use Paper Bargello (photo tutorial) with my scraps of Basic Grey's Eskimo Kisses papers (I tuck all of my paper scraps into the 6" paper pad to keep them all together, so I had scraps of each design).

Once the background was done, all I had to do was add a glittery chipboard sticker with some pink ribbon, and the card was done.

Can't wait to see what you make with your leftover this week ... remember, it's never too late to start taking back December, one holiday card at a time.

Savor All of Life

After a week of quick papercrafty card making, I wanted to get inky today.  I decided to give the Background Stamping Color Trends Challenge at Embellish Magazine a try.   Since Hero Arts is sponsoring the challenge, I started by stamping their Fabulous Flourish stamp in Versamark on tan cardstock & clear embossing.

Next, I got out my sponges and started inking with Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint & Broken China Distress ink.  When I was finished, I used a baby wipe to remove the ink from my flourish.  Next, I used an old toothbrush to splatter water all over my card.

Since Hero Arts is celebrating watercoloring techniques, I used distress inks and water to watercolor my Petaloo Blooms.  

I started by getting them wet with a paint brush and then pressed them into the Spiced Marmalade ink pad.  Next I used my paint brush and more water to soften and blend the inks and added touches of blues and greens for a sort-of tie-dye effect that I thought worked well with the blended background.  Here's a close-up of one of the blooms.

I finished with a sentiment from Hero Arts Essential Messages stamped in India Ink.  The entire panel was mounted with a thin border of tan cardstock.

Isn't life always better after you've had fun getting inky?

Flashback Friday 12.0 ~ Spring Colors

The Flashback Friday challenge is to post the first card you blogged using Spring Colors (and there's awesome twine up for grabs for one lucky soul).  I went all the way back to August 12, 2007 for this Split Negative Shower Card.  

I think this design holds-up almost 4 years later ... I still love the happy spring pinks with the black accents and that awesome background paper.  

It's always so fun looking through those designs from my blogging beginnings.  Thanks Amy & Kathleen for the trip down memory lane.