Ingenious Inkling

Staples and a Sketch

An evening in my studio ... it doesn't get much better than that.

I wanted to keep up with Sarah & the Stampstar's weekly challenges.  This week it was another sketch challenge to make a thank you card with a piece of DP along the side inspiring the color palette for the creation.  I made my entire card using scraps of DP and cardstock.  The Inky Antics sentiment was stamped in white pigment ink and embossed with detail white embossing powder.  The flower is an epoxy two-sided Sweet by Making Memories.

Then I saw that today's Ways to Use It challenge was to add some staples to a design, so I knew I wanted to try another stapled heart creation.  This time I used double hearts.  I can't seem to stop making this fun card.

A Gift That Left Me Speechless

One of my absolute favorite things to do is give gifts.  I love finding or making something that I know will be absolutely perfect for the recipient.  It makes me so happy to see the smiles when they open it.

Well, today my smile could be seen across the miles.  I arrived home to a mysterious pizza box in the mail.  I saw the return address of my card-making sister from across the miles (aka Lauren) and grabbed my scissors to start opening it immediately.  I knew it would be awesome ... but I had no idea how awesome.  It left me speechless (which says a lot).

First was this amazing card ... the sentiment (which is partially covered by the butterfly) says "Friends are relatives you make for yourself." ... how very true.  You can see more details about how Lauren channeled her inner Martha to make this amazing creation.  It's impossible to capture how beautiful this is with a picture.

I often admire the interesting and quirky elements that Lauren uses in her creations.  She graciously gifted me with an entire box of "bits and bobs" for me to play with.  I'm more excited than a kid in a candy store ... heck, I'm more excited than me in a candy store.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Color Me Silly Mojo

When I saw Allison's Suggestive Sunday Challenge #2 to use Basic Grey in a design, I knew I was in.  And when she suggested that we dig out older Basic Grey collections, I knew it was time for some Color Me Silly ... one of my favorite papers for children's birthday cards.  Then, when I saw Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch #22, a card was born (in my brain at least).

All I needed to finish the creation were these adorable Pick a Celebration stamps from Penguin Pants Rubber Stamps.  Have you checked them out yet? They have some seriously adorable acrylic stamps.

To make my birthday cupcake I stamped it first on the blue DP and then again on orange and purple solid DP from the collection for the paper piecing.  I stamped the balloon on orange and cut a small slit in the cupcake frosting with my Xacto knife, so I could slip the balloon string right through.

This will be a perfect birthday card for one of my nieces or nephews ... thank you ladies for the inspiration.

Name Stamps & Happy Mail

I love coming home to find goodies in the mail.  I received this cute little thank you card from Kay at Stamping to Share (SpeedyStamper) together with a great picture of her adorable family.  I love being part of this larger community.

I also got these awesome name stamps in the mail from Onyx Xpressions.  I've been looking for some new name stamps to use on the back of my cards ... my favorite is the center one that also includes the web address for my blog. 

Something Beautiful Remains

I'm working on replenishing my sympathy card stash.  This one features a sentiment called Tide Recedes by Inky Antics (which I see is listed as one of their best selling stamps) and the sketch #3 from My Paper World.

I'm still using up leftover cardstock and DP from my work table.  I added a shell accent from a package of dimensional stickers my sister gave me (she finds the greatest goodies).  I trimmed the card base 1/2" shorter at the bottom, so I could attach the row of slot-punched scallops (Sharon's got me thinking about scalloped edges this week).

DCM ~ Foiled!

It's been a while since I played along at Daring Cardmakers.  This card combines their Foiled! challenge with their mid-week sketch.

I inked up a piece of Aluminum Foil using felt and three shades of blue Studio 2 alcohol inks.  I wrapped the foil around a piece of cardstock and then ran it through the Cuttlebug.  I turned the embossing folder upside down, so it embossed into the foil rather than producing a raised impression.

I added Rhonna Farrer DP & three 7Gypsies stickers for the sentiments.  I think I'll try the ink on foil again ... it was very fun and I love the cool effect.

Martha Inspired Leftovers

Today I was inspired by my friend Lauren who was channeling her "Inner Martha" (exactly which Martha is still open for debate).  I decided to check out the Martha Stewart website to see what inspiration I could find.  I loved the look of these Hand-Stitched Valentines, but immediately thought I knew an easier way to achieve a very similar effect.

I started with the leftovers on my work table from my Scenic Route Thanks card (Chocolate Chip cardstock and Scenic Route DP).  I used my Martha Stewart heart punch to punch four hearts from the DP, and rather than hand-stitch, I stapled each heart and then bent up the sides for a bit of dimension. 

What a quick and easy card. I love the the simple clean lines with a little touch of whimsy ... not to mention that I used up some leftovers.  Finished dimensions are 4 1/4" square to fit in a regular envelope.

Scenic Route Thanks

Today's featured stamper StamperPam has such a happy gallery filed with lots of bright colors and patterns ... just my style.  I've had her blog in my daily reads for some time.

My inspiration was her Present for Mom and MIL.  I changed up the color palette using my new Charlotte Scenic Route paper (from Frugalities).  I had to lengthen the design to fit the stickers I wanted to use (finished card is 4" x 8 1/2" for a business size envelope).

Another reason I liked this card is that it works for No Time To Stamp's Scalloped Edge challenge.  I love making scallops with my Stampin' Up slit punch.  To keep the scallops lined up evenly on each side of the card, I punch a strip an inch or so longer than what I need and then center it on the card and trim each side to match.  I didn't have a white pen, so I used a silver sharpie for the dots.

Thanks Pam for the inspiration.

Playing with Twinkling Paint

Sometimes I get so focused on completing challenges and producing cards, I don't stop to take time to just play.  This weekend I've been doing a lot of playing in my studio (which, also usually equates to making big messes), and I've been loving it.

In my blog surfing this week, I discovered the amazing art of printmaker Angie Lewin and recommended it for a SCS Inspiration Challenge.  Her Island with Teasels was today's inspiration piece.  You've got to check out the gallery of inspired cards ... there are some amazing works of art.

I thought this Floral Collage by Stamps Happen had a similar feel to the piece, so I stamped it in Ranger Archival Coffee Ink (great ink for water coloring with no smearing) on ivory cardstock and then started painting with my waterbrush trying to incorporate a similar color palette.  I used Twinkling H20s in Yellow Rose, Key Lime, Persimmon & Golden Opal.  I added some fibers that were tied in a knot around the spine of the card and then I tied on several more pieces of fiber to emulate the swirling lines in the print.

It was really fun to just get messy and play, and I love how watercoloring gives this collage stamp a completely different look.

Remember, you have until the end of January to link your Blue Moon creation to Caardvarks for a chance at the fabulous prize from Heart in Hand Scraps.  in February, there's going to be a fabulous Love-Fest at Caardvarks sponsored by Queen Kat Designs.   And a huge congrats to Stephanie, the winner of the Exclusive Caardvarks/PageMaps sketch challenge.  I hope you're having fun with your art today.

Misted Sparkly Tree of Hearts

I had fun watching this Serengeti Mists video at the Scrapbook Lounge.  I love playing with my Memories Mists, and it was great getting some new ideas to try.  I wanted to try it out using Card Positioning Systems Sketch #48.

I created the background for my tree of hearts by spraying water on a large shipping tag and then following with sprays of Strawberry Daiquiri, Orange Juice and Lavender Tea Memories Mists.  The water spray droplets create a resist resulting in the speckled effect.

I stamped the DeNami Bare Tree and Hero Arts sentiment in Black Staz-on.

I sprayed another tag with multiple coasts of Strawberry Daiquiri and Lavender Tea to get a deeper red and then punched out the hearts and adhered them to the tree.  To add a bit more glitz, I colored the hearts using a red Spica Glitter pen. 

The card base is a sheet of Flirt DP (from Memory Box) stamped with the Cornish Heritage Farms Scratched Grid Backgrounder in ColorBox Chalk Warm Red.  I added a knotted piece of black velvet ribbon to finish the design. 

I had so much fun making this card ... I can't wait to try spraying some more.