Ingenious Inkling

Abstract Masculine Gift Card Set

I had fun using stamps, stencils & die cuts to create a masculine gift card set.  I used several trios of ink from the Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Ink Collection.

I started with the Ink Trio 18 together with Taylored Expressions Abstract Accents Stencils & Stamps together with stamps from Taylored Expressions Field Notes and Stroke of Genius 2 on Papertrey Ink Rustic White Cardstock (love that paper).

 

 

I topped my stamped collage with Gina K. Designs Botanical Duo and Foliage Fillers in Gold Cardstock.

 

 

For this one I topped it with navy cardstock dies.

 

 

This collage uses inks from Simon Says Stamp Pawsitively Saturated Trio 22 All the Joy with the dies in Paprika.

 

 

For the final card I went back to blues and gold with the Color Throwdown Hues.

Merry ChrisMoose

This morning, I wanted to make a card for the December #TEMakerChallenge at Taylored Expressions. 

The December challenge is a sketch that I decided to turn into a Tag.  I used the foil with double-sided tape technique that we used in last weeks Online Card Class, taking my inspiration from my Share Joy Pick-up Sticker for my MISTI Magnet.

 

 

I decided to bring in the Christmas Moose from Taylored Expressions Quick Critters-Winter using the colors from my stripes.

 

 

I did a little inking on my Moose and positioned him on a stitched circle.  I finished with a scarf and a little holiday holly.  The sentiment is from the same set.

For the background, I used Taylored Expressions Weathered Embossing Folder with their Plum Punch cardstock.

 

 

I'm also joining the Can You Handle the Pressure? Challenge with a Twist of Holly and the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to use Craft Dies (my moose, holly, scarf & stitched circle).

Let It Snow

It's been a week full of Christmas cheer at work. 

Tuesday night I helped the Networking Group make holiday cards for patients who will be spending the holidays at the hospital.

 

 

Yesterday we had our team holiday party where ugly sweaters were worn & reindeer games were played.  This year I went with the Aldi holiday sweater and matching socks.

Inspired by my attire, and putting away the things from our cardmaking event, I made a quick sweater card using this week's Freshly Made Sketch.  I love how the X's on my designer paper scrap repeat the X design in my holiday sweater.

 

 

I'm actually ready for a little snow.  We've only had one so far this year, which is behind what it feels like we usually have by now.  Maybe we'll get some white stuff for the holidays.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Winter Blues Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.  I'm also joining the Black, White & One Color Challenge at CAS on Friday.

Thursday Link Love

Another fine week of skipping through blogland:

• the importance of the Quality of Friendships
• Peanut Butter Buttercream Chocolate Snack Cake
• Boosting Happiness with Generosity
• Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Apple Cider
• Christmas Morning Orange Rolls (shown)
• Chewy Chocolate-Gingerbread Cookies
• Mantra for Life
• Glazed Apple Bundt Cake
• I love the gorgeous photos from this Adventurous Micro Wedding
• Flourless Ranger Cookies
• Why Don't We Dance More?
• I love really fudgy Brownies
• things that make Introverts happy ... yep
• Snickerdoodle Meltaways
• Wedding Photography Winners
• I love the look of these Sugar Cookies (I'd use some chunky sugar crystals on top vs. frosting

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Dashing Through the Snow

The December Memory Box Challenge is to use Patterned Paper. 

When I was looking through my product collection, I thought this adorable Memory Box Wonderland Snowman cut from white felt with a touch of glitter would look fabulous dressed in some Memory Box Patterned Paper from the Memory Box Garland paper collection.  I added a green Love from Lizi Peel Off for definition of the hat brim.

 

 

I positioned him on some snowy pattern paper from Memory Box Dashing Holiday collection.  The sentiment is from Memory Box Dashing with Reindeer ... because this cutie is ready for a snow ball fight and a cup of coffee (with an Eyelet Outlet Holiday Coffee Brad) for the Caffeinated Christmas Snowman & Coffee Challenge.  

I used a circle punch to make his mouth & two different sized googly eyes for a bit of a wonky look.

 

 

I'm also linking-up my cute little snowman wearing a hat & scarf at the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge, and I'm joining the We Love Stamping Winter Flowers or Foliage Challenge since my snowman is decked out in pretty holiday blooms.

 

 

Christmas Ornaments

The December Penny Black Saturday Challenge is Anything Goes with an optional theme of Christmas.

 

 

I die cut one of the Penny Black Masterpieces Christmas Reflections images with the Penny Black Stitches of Love Frame Die Cuts.  I got it slightly crooked, so I trimmed the edges to straighten the stitching & die cut a second rectangle to frame the image.

 

 

I die cut Penny Black Merry Christmas from Silver metallic cardstock & added two 1/2" strips on the left side using the Sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday, finishing with some blue bling.

 

 

I'm also joining Inpsire.Create.Challenge for their Christmas theme.

 

Tape Foiled Holiday

I'm resting & relaxing with Jennifer Maguire and Cathy Zielske this morning in the Online Card Classes Relax & Reward card class.  Jennifer shared a number of ways to use different adhesives with foil, so I did a twist on one of them for this card.

Rather than use cardstock, I used Pinkfresh Studios Happy Holidays designer paper for my base.

 

I used two widths of strong two-sided tape with two different foils - ThermoWeb Decofoil Green & ThermoWeb Gina K. Designs Glimmering Gold.  I found that burnishing the green foil with my teflon bone folder gave it a slightly burnished look, while it didn't seem to affect the gold foil.

I finished with a Pinkfresh Studios Happy Holidays Sticker Sentiment & Pinkfresh Studios Sparkle & Shine Ombre Glitter Drops.

 

 

I'm linking-up my card for the December Holiday Vibes Challenge at Pinkfresh Studios.

 

 

and I'm joining The Paper Players for their Christmas Challenge.

Spellbinders Advent Calendar - Day 2

My friend Beverly & I have been enjoying our Spellbinders Advent Calendars.  These were the two little stamps that were included behind door #2.  

I stamped them in Black Amalgam ink and colored with Alcohol Markers.  I looked and there aren't many grey flowers in real gardens, but the white seemed a bit stark, so I thought the grey provided a nice tone with the purples.  Only learning from this card, is that I should have conditioned my stamps first with a sand eraser, since I got a lot of ink blubbling when I stamped making it less crisp than I had hoped.

 

 

I'm linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge as well as Darnell's NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) Challenge.

Living Life in Peace

Amy T's Woodblock Wednesday Challenge is always a bit of a walk down memory lane for me. 

Today I went wandering through my winter stamps, and ultimately chose two of my very well-loved favorites for today's card.

 

 

I started by stamping the happy little Savvy Stamps Let It Snowman in black ink on pink cardstock & again on white cardstock to detail cut & paper piece it together (if I'm using vintage stamps, I figured I might as well throw in a vintage technique.  When I was done, I colored the scarf with pink and die cut with a stitched circle.

 

Since a snowfall that produces that type of smile is always one of the most peaceful moments to me, I paired it with a John Lennon lyric from Peddler's Pack.

I used a combination of silver & pink washi tapes on silver metallic card stock that was die cut with a stitched die cut, so I'm joining the Use More than One Die Challenge at the Cut It Up Challenge.

 

I used a layout from Sketch Saturday & the Pink and Silver color palette for the Color Hues Challenge.  I finished with some Silver embellishments.

 

 

Jingle Belles Wrapping Up 2023

We've once again come to the end of our Jingle Belles Season with all of our Christmas cards completed and ready to be mailed.

 

 

We hope you'll join us January 1st for our 14th Year of Christmas Mayhem where we help you take back your December one holiday card at a time (and if you're still making some holiday cards, we've included a link-up to share them).