Ingenious Inkling

Grounded to Space

The newest Mini-Challenge at Unity Stamp Company is called Grounded to Space ... using an inky background to ground something that isn't on the ground (i.e. air or sea).  I don't remember every consciously doing this technique before, so I had to give it a try.

 

The only Unity Stamp I could find in my stash that fit the theme was this Airplane from For the Guys.  I decided to "ground" it by using white pigment ink on blue cloud stock to create a cloudy sky ... I used a triangle of sponge and a hand-cut curvy edge to create my sky.

When I stamped the plane on top of the clouds, the ink was lighter where it stamped over the pigment, making it look like it was trying flying through the clouds ... happy accident.

Count Your Blessings

The current Impression Obsession Challenge is Harvest Treats (aka Fruits & Vegetables).

 

The only produce stamp in my Impression Obsession Stamp was ... surprise ... Corn (what else would an Iowa girl have).

I used a variety of Ink Pads to *paint* the stamp applying ink to different sections and blending using my MISTI.  I finished with a sentiment from Impression Obsession Holiday Words (a very versatile set of sentiments)

Blitzened

We're still creating PINK holiday cards for a Cure at Jingle Belles.

 

 

I am always on the lookout for Pink Holiday paper, and on my travels last week, I picked up the fun Holly Jolly Collection from My Mind's Eye.  I wanted to pair it with a Santa, so I used the one from The Ink Road Stamps Happy Holla Days.

 

I paired him with a sentiment from My Favorite Things Sassy Pants Holiday and this week's Sketch Saturday.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at Addicted to Stamps and More where the theme is Holidays.  And the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up is Sensational Santa.

 

 

I'm also linking at Simon Says Stamp All Things Pink Challenge.

 

Baby Baby

Another baby card using the MFT Die-namics Baby Onesie Die and this week's MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge.

 

I die cut the Die-Namics Baby Onesie from adorable Rockin' Monkey Paper from the Basic Grey Oh Boy collection and Blueprints 33 Die-namics with coordinating cardstock.

 

Sentiment is from MFT More Essential Sentiments.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of skipping through blogland:

• a Mini Boston Cream Pie
• how pretty is this Tag Grid Layout
• Thai Curry Pumpkin Soup
• this Sock Gnome (shown) is adorable ... or maybe you like this Sock Gnome more
• Stamp Carving 101
• I'm a big fan of One Pot Dinners ... French Ratatouille sounds amazing
• love the paintings of Gary Petersen
• Pineapple Cream Cheese Bread Pudding ... I bet this would be yummy with Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
• love the Caribbean design of this NY Brown Stone
• how cool is this Submarine Crib
• this Caramel Apple Die is adorable (especially with googly eyes)

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Blessed

Tonight I needed a baby card, so I started with the current Paper Craft Crew Challenge Sketch.

 

I love the vintage Baby Carriage from Impression Obsession.  I didn't have any sentiment stamps that were the right proportion, so I used sentiment stickers.

 

Autumn Birthday

The current Mini-Challenge at Unity Stamp Company is this gorgeous Autumn Rainbow Color Palette.

 

 

I knew I wanted to ink blend those gorgeous colors, so I chose ...say it big from Unity.

 

Why yes, I did use some Christmas paper ... what can I say, it was the right shade of green and enough is covered-up, I don't think the recipient will notice ... besides, I like using unexpected papers in my designs.

Muggles

When I saw the Library Card Challenge was Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, I knew I had to break out my Expecto Stamp Set from The Ink Road.

 

 

I used this week's (CAS)e This Sketch! for my layout with Rust Ink on speckled kraft cardstock from Crafter's Companion.

 

Smell My Feet

After spending the weekend with Taylor, I wanted to make a Taylored Expressions card tonight ... the October theme at the Monthly Maker Challenge is Happy Halloween.

 

I pulled out a vintage set ... Fa-BOO-lous illustrated by Taylor herself ... even though it is discontinued, I just can't let all of those fun shoes go.

 

I used the colors from The Paper Players Challenge.

I'm also joining the Frame It! Challenge at Just Us Girls Trend Week.

 

And Cute Card Thursday is all about Halloween.

Stamp Joy 2019

I had the privilege of attending Taylored Expressions Stamp Joy 2019 in Ankeny, Iowa yesterday (about a 2 hour drive westward for me). Taylor puts on such a fabulous event that is so organized and professional.  

First thing, I found my tribe and got lots of hugs.  Sue Doherty from Therm-o-Web and I had to compare shoes (because we're all about the shoes) ... hers were super-cool rainbow foiled converse ... I went with my Neon New Balance with the easy-on-off toggle.

 

I only took one class, but it was a great one taught by Susan Block with four interactive card designs.   I loved each card we made, especially because interactive is so-outside-my-box ... but they were all easy with a super-cool moving element.

This one was a technique Susan developed where you stamped on acetate, placed a piece of vellum over the image and colored the blooms, and then placed the vellum behind the acetate for this color-changing effect.

 

 

This one was also super-fun because the balloon basket slides down beneath the clouds.

 

 

And the best part was that I got to take the class with my friend Mona and my new friend Vanna.

 

 

Then there were 10 make and take stations, so it was fun to try lots of different techniques.  I NEVER make shaker cards, so this one was super-fun (and super-easy with Taylored Expressions new Adhesive Strips).

 

Also not one for making slider-cards, so I love how this little guy sleds across the card.

 

One of my favorites was this card because the technique was so simple ... and produced such an amazing result.  I thought of all sorts of color combinations I wanted to try.  You stamped the background, placed the stencil on top, and blended ink ... easy peasy.  If course the stamp was out of stock at the store by the time I tried this one (because obviously everyone else thought it was super-cool too), so on to my wish list it goes.

 

My other favorite was this beauty I made with my friend Suzanne.  You ink blended while the stamp was on the MISTI before stamping ... very cool variation in green inks on the leaves.

 

 

We've already put the event on our calendars for next year.