Ingenious Inkling

Mint Green Washi Foliage

This gorgeous Vilit Design Mint Green Washi Tape arrived while I was traveling, so I had to immediately give it a try.

I used one of my favorite techniques, which is to create a washi tape background applying the tape slightly at an angle.

 

 

I thought it would look best with some contrasting white foliage for the Use Your Stuff Plants and Flowers Challenge, so I die cut the Gina K. Designs Foliage Fillers & Botanical Duo.

 

 

I finished with a THANK YOU sentiment from Gina K. Designs Stately Flowers 10 (which fit absolutely perfectly on the thin washi stripe).  I finished with a scattering of enamel dots.

Des Moines Art Week

I finally got the opportunity to be in Des Moines for Art Week.  We stayed at the Surety Hotel, which was the perfect location to access all of the activities (and a great stay).  I wore one of my new t-shirts, which got lots of positive comments & asks where others could purchase it.

 

 

We started by exploring the outdoor Des Moines Art Festival.  It was sensory overload for us - if it hadn't have been so hot, I would have wanted to walk through it all a second time to try to take it in.  Instead I just went back to the few shops I knew I wanted to buy some items.  We had thought we would go back and enjoy the music performances at night, but we ended-up just wanting to relax at the bar at our hotel or in our room.

I couldn't resist both a large and smaller coordinating CREEPS ((Curiously Random Emotionally Elusive Peculiar Specimens) by Artist Chris Cumbie and a Rainbow Wooden Popsicle (from an artist who didn't sign his work or include a card in his packaging unfortunately).

 

 

Next we enjoyed an amazing supper at the Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company.  The Pretzels made with the spent brewing grains were off the charts and served with three dipping sauces.  I also loved the house-brewed root beer float for dessert.

 

 

Saturday morning we finally got to experience the Des Moines Farmers Market.  I would love to come back a little later in the season when the vegetables would be more plentiful.  We did however get some fingerling potatoes, candy onions and green beans that I will be cooking-up later today.  Rod also enjoyed a Bratwurst on a Pretzel Roll for breakfast, and I got a Pretzel and some Honey Lemonade.

Next I took my cart and headed to the indoor Artfest Midwest for more Art Shopping.  I personally preferred the mix of Vendors at this event (more smaller items vs. mostly larger pieces of art at the outdoor show).  

My first purchase was a ramen bowl and spoon rest from Ron Netten Ceramics in Storm Lake, Iowa.

 

 

Next I enjoyed talking with and purchasing two purses from Ann Ringness Leather.  I love the amazing craftsmanship and all of the pockets.

 

 

After that, I got a lovely rope basket from Dew Drops Decor.  

 

 

My last stop was the amazing fused glass jewelry from Miss Olivia's Line - it totally made me want to get back into the glass studio again.  I particularly loved the pieces that she sandblasted after firing them ... they reminded me of amazing little pieces of complex sea glass.

 

 

It turned out to be a cooler afternoon after a morning rain, so we sat on the patio bar of our hotel and enjoyed some frosty beverages for a while.  I love when I tell a bartender to make me something sweet it Tequila and he nails it ... so delicious.

 

 

We enjoyed our final vacation breakfast at St. Kilda's Café.  Those Pineapple Preserves were off the chart with that hearty perfectly-toasted wheat bread.

 

 

It felt good to drive across Iowa again and see the corn swaying in the wind.  I'm already planning my next getaway in August ... can't wait.

Nebraska Art & Food Adventures

We just returned from a mini-vacation to Omaha and Des Moines, which involved lots of art and eats.  Today I'm sharing our Omaha stay.

Soon after landing at our hotel in Omaha, we ventured to Andersen O'Brian Fine Art, which was a gorgeously curated gallery filled with Nebraska artisans.  My favorite piece was Red Origin by Doug Johnson.  In researching the artist, a write-up talks about him discovering a quote that said “Find what you love, and then do it on evenings and weekends for the rest of your life.”  It was a revelation into his life as a painter of pictures, as that is what he had been doing for over three decades.  Another write-up described his work as Geometric Impressionism.   When you get close to the piece you can see the geometric shapes that make-up each piece of the design.  It was amazing.

 

 

We saw the work of Katrina Swanson in several local galleries including this one called Swirly Lollipops.  The bright colors and realistic images stole my heart.

 

 

We brought home two pieces by clay artist Sarah Hummel Jones - one of which you can see at the front right of the photograph (love those eyes and that there are designs on two sides that can be displayed both right-side-up and up-side-down).

 

 

For supper, we ventured to Maru Sushi Korean Grill.  My husband was stationed in Korea when he was in the military, and as we were dining he discussed how taste buds are tied to memories.  Both the service and the mail were top notch delicious.

We started with Mandu (Dumplings) and Kimchi Tempura, which was something we had never seen.  It was so good.

 

 

For our main course we had Beef Bulgogi, which was served with more Kimchi, Bean Sprouts and Potatoes.  All of the condiments gave the bites of beef and rice a different flavor and texture.

 

 

I also enjoyed a perfectly made Shrimp Tempura roll (I like the tempura to still be warm, so I can enjoy the crunch and contrast of textures and temperatures).

 

 

On our way out of Omaha the next morning, we stopped at Square Donut and enjoyed a few.  The Maple Bacon was quite delicious.

 

 

We had a wonderful time in Omaha.

Z is for Zombie

After my recent crowning as the Queen of Snark at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, I was invited to Guest Design for their Z is for Zombie Challenge.

 

Only one problem -  I have absolutely nothing zombie-like in my crafty stash, so had to get creative.  My husband suggested I turn one of my people stamps into a Zombie ... only one problem there, I don't really have people stamps.  Then I remembered a Paper Nest Dolls Doll Detectives set I recently purchased, and the birth of my Mystery Machine Velma Zombie card began (Velma was always my favorite ... I wanted to be her).

I stamped her in black ink (which for some reason decided to not cooperate with my alcohol markers) and colored her with colored pencils.  After that, I did some detail cutting and zombie-fying to put my card together.

 

 

I added a big more blood to the kraft background and a pair of spooky Doodlebug eyes peering out of the Mystery Machine.

I decided on a P!nk Song Lyric Sticker for my sentiment ... at least Velma has some shoes that are good for hopping around.

Here Comes Santa Claus

We're still creating with Santa Claus at Jingle Belles.  

I decided to start with this Vintage Santa journaling card from Prima.  The room at the top was the perfect space to stamp a sentiment from Taylored Expressions Handlettered Holiday 2.

 

 

I cut a texty strip from color coordinated designer paper and then found a candy cane striped paper that works with Santa's red coat.  I finished with a few sticker sentiments & some enamel dots.

 

 

Remember, if you link-up your Santa card by 6pm EST on Wednesday, you'll have a chance to win Gina K. Designs Christmas Magic Stamps & Coordinating Die Cuts.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of skipping through blogland:

• Sheet Pan Pancakes
• Things You Might Say Instead
• Crackle Top Fudge Brownies
• I feel like I should give improving Lymphatic Drainage a try
• Strawberry Doughnut Muffins
• photos of 90’s Malls
• Strawberry Broccoli Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
• homemade Chocolate Frosty
• The potential of Paper Art (one shown)
• Coconut Chicken
• Space Saving Kitchen Racks
• Pineapple Lime Virgin Margaritas

Have a tremendous Thursday!

There's Gnome One Like You

The newest challenge at Shopping Our Stash is Gnomes.

 

 

I started with the fun little Gnome & House Stamps from Reverse Confetti Holiday Gnomes.  I paired them with scraps of paper from Reverse Confetti Winter Wonder (and a bit of blue Gel Press Print on a map index) using the Layout from Sketch Saturday.

 

 

The sentiment is from Reverse Confetti OMG for the Reverse Confetti June Stock Your Stash Challenge to create a Hello / Just Because Card. 

 

 

I added an enamel star to the top of my Gnomies hat and a few more enamel dots for accents.

 

 

Go Shop Your Stash for your Gnomes and come join the fun.

You Goat This

I intended to make a Beaver card with a Wood joke on it (Wood is the last name of several family members, so that was the intended recipient), but instead I managed to drop my Poppy Stamps Whittle Beaver Die somewhere in my studio (I heard it hit the floor), and despite both me and my husband crawling around on the floor and using flashlights, we had no luck locating it (I know you feel my pain).

 

 

So instead for Poppy Stamps My Guy! card, I moved on to the Whittle Goat.  I die cut him three times from grey cardstock, stacked them, and then used a little grey ink for some shading.

 

 

I stamped the sentiment from Poppy Stamps Whittle Wild Animal Sentiments.

Laugh Till You Leak

I was feeling like a little CAS cardmaking this morning, so I decided to start with the CAS Mix Up Challenge to use a Stencil and Pastes or Gels.  I was thrilled that when I opened my jar of Fern Green Picket Fence Studios Paper Glaze, it was just as mixable as when it was new. 

 

 

I paired it with a Dina Wakley Dot Stencil for the Addicted to CAS Dots Challenge.

 

 

I stuck with Dina adding the Essentials Silhouette image.  I paired it with a sentiment from Dylusions Quote bubbles for a card that makes me snicker.  Taylored Expressions Cilantro Ink paired nicely with the Fern Green Glaze on a kraft cardstock base..

 

 

I'm also joining the Creatalicious Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes with an Option of using a Stencil.

Hope you laugh till you leak this week.

Christmas Cheer

The current theme at Jingle Belles is The Man with the Bag - creating cards that feature Old Saint Nick.

My background is some Santa Claus designer paper from Echo Park Jingle All the Way building on the Sketch from Try Stampin' (or Not) on Tuesday.

 

 

I used papers from the Carta Bella Christmas Cheer collection to build the rest of the Sketch Layout including some Plaid for the Double Trouble Challenge for my Masculine holiday card design.

 

 

I added some enamel dots and Carta Bella Christmas Cheer Stickers to finish my design.    I went with a Hot Cocoa theme since the Caffeinated Christmas Chard Challenge is also a Masculine theme.

 

 

I decided the card needed a bit more to tie in the kraft color, so I added a wrap of kraft twine around the left border element of the sketch.

 

 

We hope you'll break out your favorite Santa products and come join us at Jingle Belles.