Ingenious Inkling

The Monster at the End of this Book

When my sister was little, I read her lots of books ... but one of our absolute favorites was Grover in The Monster at the End of this Book.

 

 

I would do all of the voices and she would giggle and laugh ... such a precious memory ... just like the memory below of us on the beach at about the same age when I would have been reading this book to her.

 

 

So when I saw that was the book at the Once Upon a Time Challenge, I knew I had to make a card inspired by the book cover and memories of spending time with my sister.

I stamped the waving monster from Impression Obsession Monster Set in Grover Blue, die cut him out, and then added his red gem nose.

 

 

I inked my brick embossing folder with white pigment ink to get the look of the books on the cover.  I stamped words from Impression Obsession Express Yourself that reminded me of times with my sister and then finished with a sticker sentiment.

Here's a bit more recent picture of the two of us enjoying time together.

 

World Cardmaking Day with Unity

Unity Stamp Company had a fun inspiration challenge for World Cardmaking Day.

 

I stamped the Unity Stamp Company Joy to Go Coffee Cup in Navy Ink and clear heat embossed. 

Next I painted my cup using Catherine Pooler Sauna & Daydream inks and then used the same colors on the Unity Stamp Company / Brutus Monroe Vintage Burlap background stamp.

 

 

I finished by stamping the sentiment from Unity Stamp Company's Whit's Words in the Daydream Ink and covering the *Joy* on the Coffee Cup (since this is supposed to be an Autumn card).  I finished with coordinating Enamel Dots.

Thanks to Unity for a fun way to create on this annual day.

Making Spirits Bright

Pinkfresh Studio is having a great bit Anything Goes Challenge for World Cardmaking Day.  

I used lots of their paper products on my fun holiday card together with a Vertical Sketch from the Paper Craft Crew Challenges.

My background paper is from Pinkfresh Studio Keeping it Real.

 

 

 

I added a kraft paper strip to ground my tags from Pinkfresh Studio Oh What Fun! Journaling Bits.  

 

 

 

Then I decorated my tags with Pinkfresh Studio Dream On Rubber Chips (that adorable tiny house) and Pinkfresh Studio Christmas Wishes Acrylic Stickers.  

I'm so excited to be joining the Pinkfresh Studio Christmas Card classes next weekend ... the new stamps, die cuts and stencils are amazing.

Beers are Better

I was thrilled to be crowned the Queen of Snark at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, which means I'm guest designing for their newest challenge - D is for Drunk.

 

 

I decided to use my Hoppy Days Beer Stamps from Taylored Expressions.  I repeatedly stamped the two Hops images from ... to create my Kraft background.

 

 

Next I used the multi-layer stamping to create two perfectly bubbly beer mugs.  I finished with a sentiment from Taylored Expressions Hoppy Days and some enamel dots using the Sketch from Hand Stamped Sentiments.

 

 

 

Come get DRUNK with me and join the fun.

Here We Come a-SKETCH-ing

We're still getting SKETCH-y at Jingle Belles this week.  You have until 6pm EST on Wednesday to join the fun.

 

 

 

I started with this gorgeous coppery patinaed Gel Press Print that I accented with scraps of turquoise designer paper.  

 

 

I found a vintage image in my stash that I thought pulled together the colors nicely.  I finished with two sticker sentiments and some holly leaves for the corner elements.

I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Anything Goes Challenge.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland fun:

• Pumpkin Chai Crinkle Cookies
• History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
• Soups you should be making not buying
• Cute Dollar Tree Mop Pumpkins (shown)
• No Bake Puppy Chow Squares
• How to truly Enjoy Your Time Off
• Butterscotch Pudding Browned Butter Pumpkin Bread
• I always enjoy Honey Sriracha Salmon from our local Co-op but this week I made my own
• 10 Tiny Things to Get Rid Of this week
• Soft Ginger Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
• Meditation Retreat Practices to try at home
• one serving Cookie Baked Oatmeal
• a fabulous Rainbow Halloween Scene
• Magic Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Leaf Me Alone

The current challenge at Shopping Our Stash is Leaf Me Alone - creating projects with Leaves.

 

 

I started with Hero Arts Autumn Leaves die cut from Gel Printed Tags.  I also stamped Hero Arts Bare Branched Tree in white pigment ink, clear embossed, and blended lots of autumn ink colors for the card background.

 

 

I finished with some gems, wraps of gold cord, and a sentiment from Hero Arts Birthday Messages.

 

 

With my Leaf Dies, I'm joining the Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero Die-Lightful Challenge.

 

 

I also took my leafy inspiration from Just Us Girls.  And I'm linking-up at the Emboss It challenge at Simon Says Stamp & the Make My Monday Autumn Flora and Fauna.

Rainbow Birthday

The theme at the Cut It Up! Challenge is Rainbow. 

 

 

It was the perfect opportunity to break out one of my rainbow Gel Press prints that I made with Dylusions Shimmer Paints and pair it with a bold Die-Versions Happy Birthday Die Cut and some enamel Dots.

Oranges of Autumn

This card started with the Make the Cards Washi Tape Challenge.  I chose oranges and golden yellows because those are my favorite colors of autumn.  Icovered a scrap of paper at an angle for my background.

 

 

Next I die cut My Favorite Things Falling Leaves Die-namics from an Orange Gel Press print that I made using a straw.

 

 

I positioned the die cut leaves on top of the new 49th and Market orange filmstrips (love these in all of the colors).

 

 

I paired it with a friendship die cut & stamp from My Favorite Things for the Just Add Ink: Just Choose Two Challenge (Friend & Foliage).  I finished with a few black gems.

 

 

I'm also joining the Autumn Pick Three Color Challenge at My Time to Craft (Orange, Yellow & Black).

 

Healing Thoughts

My card started with wanting to use a a cut-out silhouette as the focal image for my design for the TGIF Cut It Out! Challenge.

 

 

I decided to take inspiration from the Double D Things that Fall Challenge and make that silhouette a leaf.

 

 

I used one of the leaves from Hero Arts Autumn Leaves and die cut it from a piece of paper from Carta Bella Autumn Collection.

 

 

I used the layout from the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge replacing the circle with an Acorn from the Hero Arts Autumn Leaves set.  I used more papers from the Carta Bella Autumn Collection together with some enamel dots and a sentiment from Hero Arts Florals Lavender Bunch.

 

 

I'm also linking up at the Hero Arts Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero DIE-lightful Challenge.