Ingenious Inkling

Infinite Goodness

A group of fabulous souls are hosting a Virtual Stamping Weekend at SplitCoastStampers filled with all sorts of fun challenges to get your creative juices flowing.  The Theme is *What's Love Got To Do With It?*.

My card was created for two challenges: One True Love (to make a monochromatic card) and Bittersweet Love (to use a stamp set that you just 'had to have' but haven't used).  These stamps are from a Stampin' Up Hostess set called Infinite Goodness that I just 'had to have', but has never seen ink.

 

I'm making some simple cards to group as a set for a charity scholarship auction, and I think this one fits the bill.  The four shades of purple cardstock are from Core'dinations (love their colors).  I stamped the flower multiple times on the background and colored the centers with a Sakura sparkle pen.  The flower was stamped on the darker shade of purple, clear embossed, cut out and attached with glue dots to finish.

Flutter Butterfly Inspired

This week's SCS Inspiration Challenge comes from the fabulous creations found on Flutter - a website that describes itself as a delightful disarray of found objects and clutter.  My inspiration came from this fabulous Magenta Butterfly Pillow ... I love the fabulous vivid color combination.

The Hero Arts Heart Winged Butterflywas stamped in Dark Brown ColorBox Chalkand clear embossed on a Pacific Point card base and again on white cardstock.  The card base was then stamped twice with the Hero Arts Wavy Leaf Pattern DesignBlockin Prussian Blue ColorBox Chalk. 

The white cardstock butterfly was colored with Prismacolor Pencils, cut out, and adhered to the card base using glue dots along its body.  I finished with a sentiment from Hero Arts Anytime Messagesstamped on PaperTreyInk Raspberry Fizz cardstock, trimmed to a cute little flag (i used a square punch to get even tails), and adorned with four red adhesive gemstones.

I hope you find inspiration.

Getting Krafty

It's the 20th, and that means another fun challenge from the 'Vaarks Team ... this time we're asking you to get Krafty ... make your very best *new* Kraft cardstock creations for a chance to win one of two kits from Kraft Girl Kits.  Check out the Design Team creations, upload your card,and add a link on Mr. Linky at the bottom of the Caardvarks post by midnight on March 3rd for a chance to win.

My favorite Kraft cardstock comes from the 50 sheet packages at Hobby Lobby.  I love how the texture has variation like a grocery sack.  I stamped the Hero Arts Flower Wood Background in Dark Brown ColorBox Chalk Ink on Kraft cardstock and clear embossed.  I hand cut the shape and attached it to the card base framed with a piece of Memory Box Flirt DP.

 

The flowers were painted with Royal Red Shimmerz Glitter paint, and the leaves were colored with several shades of green prismacolor pencils with a coat of Gold Glimmer Blingz added to the top of the leaves and center of the flowers.  The sentiment is from Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages that was punched with the Stampin' Up tag punch, trimmed, and framed with a tap punch from chocolate brown cardstock.

Here's a close-up to see the wonderful sparkle of the Shimmerz Paint.  I used Ranger Matte Accents to adhere some tiny opalescent beads to the center of the flowers and under the sentiment.

I also love the look of Kraft with bright, spring colors.  My second card features three different butterflies (two Martha Stewart Punches and one small Marvy punch) punched from Basic Grey Urban Prairie DP.  I love mirrored designs, because you can line the punches up along the center and have each wing be identical.  I added Hero Arts clear adhesive bling to the bodies.

 

The sentiment is from a great new set from Hero Arts called Great Flourishes Messages.  The card is just under 4x5 1/4", so the butterflies could fly off the edges and still fit in a standard envelope.  The sentiment is stamped with PapterTreyInk's True Black Hybrid ink and clear embossed.  I used Sakura sparkle pens to color in the flowers and buds on the sentiment.

Both of these cards are also for the Friendship challenge going on this week at the Hero Arts Blog (pssst ... Hero Arts will be our host for the March 20th Caardvarks challenge ... you won't want to miss it). 

Now what are you waiting for ... go pull out that Kraft cardstock & get Krafty!

Bam Pop! Cogsmo

This card is for this week's CPS Sketch.  I combined several papers from the Cosmo Cricket Cogsmo collection with a fun parachuting robot from Bam Pop! stamped on DP, cut out, and attached with dimensional adhesive.  The heart on his chest was colored with a Sakura glaze pen.

Urban Prairie Kindness

This card is for Kazan's Sketch #20 at 2 Sketches 4 You.  I usually pick up the 6" pads of Basic Grey papers, because the smaller patterns are better for cardmaking.  However, I love how easy it is to make cards featuring the great designs from the 12" Urban Prairie Monarch paper.

 

I stamped an Autumn Leaves Jazzy Swirls in Aquamarine and Dark Moss in the upper right corner.  I finished with a Cloud 9 sentiment sticker and a few Hero Arts adhesive gems.  I love being able to make a flat mailable card with lost of visual interest.

Wisteria Flourish

On the 15th of each month, the Dirty Girls at SCS debut their new gallery (It's only viewable by SCS members ... and it's worth every penny to support all of that great inspiration).  This card uses this month's Dirty Girl sketch, Memory Box papers & lots of new Hero Arts stamps.  This card is also for the Favorites Challenge at the Hero Arts blog.

 

The Hero Arts Scallop Flourish and Printed Flower were stamped in Wisteria ColorBox Chalk and clear embossed on the same Memory Box DP as the card base and cut out.  The leaves are punched from Making Memories Chloe's Closet DP.  I finished with two tiny dragonflies from Hero Arts Thoughtful Messages.  The finished card is 4 1/4" square.

52Q ~ Would I change anything?

This week's mini art journal question is:

If I could do it all again, would I change anything?

 

My journaling is printed in Byington font on a vintage map and clear embossed (to keep the inkjet ink from smearing).  I added the peace sign from CatsLife Press to represent the fact that no matter where the roads take me, the important thing to remember is continuing to finding inner peace on the journey.

PS - Does any one else on Typepad have their Catagories back?  Typepad has listed this as an ongoing problem for several weeks, but I haven't found any solution.

Raspberry Fizz Outline Flowers

There's a contest at Nicole Heady's blog to make a card using one of the fabulous color combinations that Dawn used this week to introduce her new stamp set - Damask Designs.  I chose the combination of Raspberry Fizz, Dark Chocolate, Ivory and Kraft that she used for her Hello Friend card on Day 3. 

 

I inked up some of my new Hero Arts stamps for their Favorite Stamps Challenge going on this week.  Both the Outline Flowers Background and Thank You Card stamps were stamped in PaperTreyInk Dark Chocolate Hybrid ink and clear embossed.  I painted the hearts with Raspberry Fizz ink and covered them with a Sakura Glaze pen.  I finished with sheer chocolate ribbon.

PS - Remember you have until midnight PST on the 17th to upload your heart-filled cards for the Caardvarks We *Heart* You challenge.

PPS - Hero Arts will be hosting the March 20th Caardvarks challenge with an entire gallery of Hero Arts DT creations.

CPS Sketch Contest

I was so excited to see that my Thinking Happy Thoughts card was one of the winners of the CPS Sketch Contest.  My card is going to be published in the September 2009 issue of CardMarker Magazine ... and I win some cool prizes too ... Woo Hoo!

Super Hero Courage

This week's SCS Inspiration Challenge comes from the creative Quilters of South Carolina and their Artfull Bras Project.  They created an exhibit for Breast Cancer Awareness that features forty-nine one-of-a-kind works of art, which are unique, entertaining, humorous and beautiful.  The intention was to use art to make the public aware of breast cancer, to memorialize those lost to the disease, and to honor survivors. 

And while we're on the subject ... if you want to use the cards you make to encourage those going through chemotherapy, think about volunteering with Chemo Angels.  I've been doing it for several years, and I can tell you it is a wonderful experience.

My card was inspired by this super-cool Wonder Woman bra.  I used my favorite super hero - Super Grover - to save the day with some courage.  I also used this week's SCS Sketch.

 

The courage sentiment is from Rubber Soul & Super Grover Saves The Day is from Stampabilities.  Grover is colored with Prismacolor pencils that are blended with Gamsol.  I painted Shimmers Silver Bell Glitter Paint on the dust clouds, his helmet, and his cape for a wonderful glittery shimmer.  I finished with a few clear adhesive gems.

Also, I was featured on the cool Blog Carnival at Craft Critique ... make sure you check out all of the yummy Valentine's Day creations.

And, I had to share this adorable valentine I received from a friend at the office ... don't you love his fun googlie eyes and that cool wooden conversation heart.

 

Wishing you lots of smiles & love on Valentine's Day and always.