Ingenious Inkling

From Your Closet Update

The Caardvarks Blog has been experiencing some technical difficulties with comments taking as much as a day to show up on the From Your Closet challenge post.  However, we think we've got it resolved, so if you've had trouble getting your fabulous creation comment to show up, you can link it here (where comments seem to be working just fine).

Remember, you have until midnight August 17th to link up your creations for a chance to win the August Kit from The Scrapbook Nook.  You can see the entire gallery of closet creations here.

Dressed Up Chandelier

JoLynn at Carpe Diem went through all of SCS gallery creations since 2005 and created a sketch resource from her cards called Seize the Sketch. 

What a fabulous idea ... and great resource.  If you make a card using one of her sketches, and link it up by August 15th, you'll have a chance for some great blog candy.

I used her STS16 sketch for my design.  I stamped the Heidi Swapp Chandelier and Michael's $1 sentiment on some glittery All Dressed Up DP from DCWV and clear embossed it. 

I added a few black jewels (the top one covered a smudge) and some sparkle pen for the candle flames to finish. 

Geometric Felt with Flowers

The idea for this background has been floating around in my head for a while now.  When I saw the Step Outside Your Box Saturdays challenge to make a card that focuses on one shape to really incorporate into your card design, I knew it was time to give it a try.

I punched a variety of word window shapes from all sorts of DP scraps.  II used kraft cardstock for my base & started at the bottom placing one punch on each row moving vertically to make sure I had the right spacing to end up even at the top.

Then I began moving from side to side to fill in the rows.  Finally, I trimmed off the overhanging pieces from the right and left sides.  I think I'll try this again with some stamping over the top (I'm thinking flourishes might look cool).

I also wanted to incorporate Sharon's Something Old challenge to use an old stamp from my collection.  This tiny geranium is from an unknown 1998 Stampin' Up set. I colored it with my Koor-i-noor pencils & highlighted the blooms with a sparkle pen. 

The finishing touch was some felt rick-rack for Allison's All Felt Up! Challenge.

Thanks to everyone for the fun challenges.

Weekend Recap

My sister and I had a wonderful long weekend in Kansas City to celebrate her birthday.

On Friday, we spent the day at Worlds of Fun riding roller coasters.  I held out for the morning, but after lunch, she rode the Mamba (her favorite), while I sat in the shade and did lots of people watching.  Even with my SPF 60 , my translucent skin got a little pink.  After 9 hours, we called it a day.

On Saturday, we started the day at Stamper's Ink.  They were having a tropical hot flash celebration and the entire store was 20% off for the day (bonus). 

If you are in the Kansas City area, it's a great place to stop.  The staff is very friendly and helpful and they have a large variety of stamps and other great products.  I picked up one of the new Cuttlebug embossing folders and a couple of other fun things.

We had a fabulous lunch buffet and fresh Mango Lassies at Paradise India in Overland Park and spent the rest of the day shopping.  If your a total glutton for punishment, you can see the entire trip photo album here.

I was also thrilled to see that my Vintage Children's Cards were chosen as the Reader Spotlight this week on Card Positioning Systems.

Worlds of Fun and Runner-Up

My sister and I truly did have worlds of fun at Worlds of Fun today ... the weather was perfect and the crowds were small ... we rode roller coasters until we couldn't ride them any more ... a very fun day indeed.  I'll have pictures when I return (no editing ability on this computer).

I was also thrilled to see that my Vintage Children's Cards were the Runner-Up on Card of the Week ... woo hoo.

Sweet Kazan Sketch

This card uses Kazan's Sketch #6 at 2 Sketches 4 You.  I have lots of new goodies that I wanted to try, so I used quite a few on this card.

The sentiment is a new set called Everyday Sentiments from Autumn Leaves.  I outlined the bird with a maroon glitter pen to define it a bit more.  The SEI Poppy DP is embossed with the new Floral Screen Cuttlebug folder.  The gold accents are Metal Frame Tape from Around the Block.  I used some fun Primas I got as some blog candy with a big gold brad to finish.

I'm heading off tomorrow for a long weekend with my sister to celebrate her birthday.  We've got lots of fun planned including an entire day of roller coaster riding.

Vote for me if You Think I Rock?

All of the cards are now up for Y.ou K.now Y.ou R.ock blog's first challenge ... to make a card inspired by the CD that was currently in your player.  You can see my card inspired by Dressy Bessy here.  Take a look at the entire gallery of fabulous entries, and if you think I rock, vote for me (the poll is on the side bar of the blog ... mine is Steph).  Everyone gets one anonymous vote and it ends at midnight on August 13th.

It's All About the Candy

When I went to the grocery store on Saturday, the entire Halloween candy aisle is already completely stocked.  I had to pick up some Brach's Mellowcremes, even though I only eat the chocolate ones.  My trip to the store inspired this Halloween card using Card Sketch #55 from Sketches! by Tamara.

I love these Stampin' Up Booglie-Eyed characters.  I colored them with Koor-i-Noor pencils with a little sparkle highlight.  Understanding Blue had some great tips today on blending these pencils (which she calls Crayons for Grown-ups).  The sentiment is from Northwoods Rubber Stamps ... because it really is all about the candy.

From Your Closet

For the August 5th Caardvarks Challenge, we're asking you to make cards inspired by things From Your Closet.  The challenge is being sponsored by The Scrapbook Nook & the winner will receive one of their fabulous August kits.  Link up your NEW From the Closet creations by midnight on August 17th.

Anyone who looks in my closet (and on the several shoe racks outside of my closet) will soon realize, I have a thing for shoes.  I am constantly on the quest for comfortable fun shoes, and I love having them in all sorts of colors.  I've owned at least one pair of orange shoes for as long as I can remember.

These fun shoes are mostly from Hero Arts (one shoes is from an unidentified source).  I stamped them in Maroon and Olive Pastel Chalk Ink and highlighted them with sparkle pen.  The sentiment is from PaperTreyInk's Green Thumb set.

Another thing you'll find a lot of in my closet are purses ... and I love making purse cards too.

For this purse, I started with a standard card and rounded all four corners.  I took a piece of red leather-like handmade paper and rubbed it with dark brown ink to bring out the lines and wrinkles.  Then I embossed it with the Cuttlebug Traffic Jam embossing folder for a bit more texture.

I used my finger to add copper metallic rub-on to bring out the depth of the embossing.

The handle is made with two punched circles with paper piercing around both sides and more metallic rub-on.  I added two copper brads and a vintage button for the purse closure to finish.  The inside says "All Dressed Up and No Where to Go".

Let us see your best creations From Your Closet.

Another Award

A big thanks to Susan from Random on Purpose who nominated me for this award.  Since I just tagged some of my favorite bloggers yesterday, you can check them out here.