Ingenious Inkling

Sponge & Shimmerz Windmill

I love the awesome art & challenges at the Gingersnap Creations blog.  Since March has five Wednesdays, today's challenge is a Blue Moon Challenge to create something using one of the many tutorials available on their blog.  I can't believe I never noticed they have an entire collection of tutorials ... so many possibilities. I chose the fabulous Sponge & Shimmerz technique.

I sponged white cardstock with blue and green inks (and a touch of purple in the sky) and then painted with Butter Cream Shimmerz to blend.  I stamped the Windmill from Artistic Outpost's Lovely Day in India ink and clear embossed.  I added a little twist to the technique by brushing a little Magenta Shimmerz over the flowers after stamping.

I also tried a sketch from a new blog I found on Allison's Daily Sketch post ~ Sketch Girl.  I used Memory Box paper on the background with scraps of DP.  Here's another view of the card that captures more of the wonderful shimmer from this technique ... so easy and fun.

 

She Who Believes in Herself

I knew I wanted to play along with the Everything Old is New Again challenge this week since it is to make a card featuring only a sentiment ... which is one of my favorite types of designs.  Sentiment stamps are my favorite and I'm always on the look-out for good ones.

This Suzy Toronto Believe stamp from PSX is one of the oldest in my collection.  I often use it on the inside of cards, but it's been a long time since I made a card that featured it as the main design element.  It's something that always inspires me when I read it.

I colored the flowers that are part of the stamp with glaze pens and added a flower cut from the Cosmo Cricket Material Girl DP.  The sketch is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch.  I tried several different papers for the horizontal elements in the sketch design, but couldn't find one that didn't seem too busy with the floral paper.  

I remembered the Everything But the Kitchen Sink challenge to use string in your design and added some ivory string.  After I photographed it, I realized I should have added some distress ink to the string to tone down the brightness, but didn't want to risk ruining the card to re-work it, so I'm leaving it as it is. 

Remember, everything in the Jacksonbelle Store is on sale 25% off now through March 31st.  Prices have all been discounted, so you don't need a promotional code.  All US orders over $85 ship free.

Feeling Blue ... 1, 2, 3

Today's Challenge at the Jacksonbelle Embellishments blog is a 1, 2, 3 challenge ... use 1 Black item, 2 Punched Items, and 3 Circle items (keyword JBE099).

To celebrate my win at the Unscripted Sketches blog last week, I decided to use this week's sketch for my design.  I also used the theme from Sue's 52-Card Pick-up Challenge this week ... Don't Quit.

 
My 1 black element is a corrugated piece of black cardstock behind my sentiment; my two punches are the red buttons; and my three circle items are at the top of the sketch (the clear center button was backed with Designer Paper).  Papers are the new Pink Paislee 365 Degrees; stamps are Inkadinkado and Stamping Bella. 

Remember, everything at the Jacksonbelle Embellishments store is 25% off through March 31st.

For more inspiration, be sure to check out the blogs of all of the Jacksonbelle Rockstars!

Dawn Lusk

Julie Lacey

Heather Pulvirenti

Windy Robinson

Amy Tsuruta

Pam Varnell

Lynda Benden

Tobi Crawford

Jill Dunn

Heather Lee-Reppen

Shemaine Smith

Lindsey Botkin

Hopscotch Birthday

I used Kazan's Sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You for a masculine birthday card I need to get in the mail soon.  I wanted to go with a basketball theme, since he enjoys the game, but didn't have a single basketball item in my stash.  So instead, I went with Hopscotch papers from K&Company, which reminded me of the colors of a basketball.

I wanted to incorporate my new Distress Frame from Hero Arts, so I stretched the sketch into a card that will fit into a standard business size envelope (4" x 8 1/2").  I love the look of the EK Success Wavy Dotted border punch on masculine designs.  I also added some ivory string and a sentiment from Sexy Little Number by Clear Art Stamps to finish the birthday design.

Halloween in March

I have no idea how I ended up making a Halloween card in March.  I saw this great piece of Pink Paislee Halloween paper in my paper scraps, and the card just sort of happened.

I added two punched bats, a $1 sentiment from Michaels, and three circles to finish this quick card.

I keep all of my "off-season" cards organized in a basket by theme, so I can pull them out when the holiday arrives. 

Extra Sunday Link Love

Since I'm doing some unanticipated traveling this weekend for my Grandma's funeral (a true celebration of a marvelous life and chance to reminisce with family) & haven't had access to my studio, I thought I'd share an extra post of favorite finds from my weekend wandering around the blogosphere:

• This Easter Egg Wreath card has so much amazing texture ... makes me want to get punchy.
• This Tutorial for an Under-Shelf Magnetic Spice Rack gives me ideas about ways to store embellishments, embossing powder, or other crafty items in jars.
• Love the look of using thrift store smocks for curtains.
• Who needs a sock monkey when you can have a sock bunny ... so cute for Easter.
• This recipe for White Bean and Sausage Soup sounds super-easy and oh-so-yummy.
• Enjoy these awesome Copyright Free Collage Images.
• Loving this tutorial for a card with a fun fabric flower & ruffle.
• It's always great to find different uses for stamps ... I love how she turned Japanese fans into Owl Feathers.

Enjoy the day.

Wild Ginger Thank You

This week's SCS Inspiration Challenge comes from the fabulous designs of scent company Thymes.  I chose their Wild Ginger Foaming Bath Envelope to inspire me.  I loved the colors, square shape, and overlapping images.

I started with white cardstock and PTI's Turning a New Leaf set.  I began by stamping the darkest shade (Olive Pastel) and clear embossed.  Next I stamped Aquamarine and Cadmium and clear embossed those as well. 

Finally I over-stamped with Versamark and clear embossed those leaves.  The final step was to sponge over the entire card with several shades of green to bring out the design.

I finished with SRM Sticker sentiments placed in a similar position as the design on the envelope.  The entire panel was then trimmed to 4" and attached to an aquamarine card base.

I hope you find Inspiration. 

Thursday Link Love

A week of fun finds from the world of blogs:

• I love giving mix CDs as gifts.  Here are a couple of very cool CD envelopes designed by Tomoko Suzuki for Canon for you can download & print for free.
• Awesome tutorial & free download for printing your own decorative tape
• This adorable Peep Bunting Banner made me smile.
• A fabululous tutorial for making yarn pom poms ... so retro & fun.
• Love this amazing wreath made of hand-painted butterflies on book pages.
• How to use your Cropadile to make your own cookie cutters.
• I want to try this Apple PIe Baked Oatmeal & these Momofuku Crack Pie Bars.
• I love fun postage stamps ... I'm going to have to get some of these new Abstract Expressionist images.
• Every once in a while I see a scrapbook page that makes me want to stop everything I'm doing & go pull out my photos ... and this is one of those pages ... love all of the different elements she combined ... lace, cardboard, flowers, curled butterfly wings ... gorgeous.

Happy Thursday.

DeNami Birthday

DeNami is holding their first sketch challenge for a chance to win some DeNami goodies.  DeNami was one of the first stamp companies I owned, and those original stamps are all still in my collection because they are classics.

 
This DeNami Birthday candle set is so versatile for lots of birthday designs.  I colored the flames with a glitter pen.  Sentiments are SRM Stickers and papers are new Pink Paislee Bayberry papers. 

Make sure you check out the Jacksonbelle Embellishments store where everything (including this awesome paper) is 25% off until March 31st.  Go forth and shop.

A Man Among Boys

The Time to Craft Challenge Blog has a Manly Challenge this week.  The SteamPunk set from Artistic Outpost is the perfect collection of images for fabulous manly designs.

 
I inked the circular label and stamped it multiple times on the background (Basic Grey Fruitcake paper) before re-inking again.  The rest of the stamps were stamped on the same DP and clear embossed.  I finished the design with some brown velvet ribbon.

Remember, to celebrate this release, Artistic Outpost is featuring 15% off just about everything in their store (**Coupon code not good on EZMount products).   Just use coupon code: spring2010_15 at checkout, but hurry, this Coupon Code is only valid through March 31, 2010.  You can check out an entire gallery for each Artistic Outpost plate on their website.

PS ~ I was excited to be chosen as a Ginger Gem at the Gingersnap Creations Blog.