Ingenious Inkling

Puppy Love

This is my final post as a Design Team Member at Unscripted Sketches ... I've truly enjoyed designing with such a talented group.  

When I saw this week's Sketch, it reminded me of Inchies, so that's what I used.

I wanted to make a *thinking of you* card for a friend who loves his four legged friends.

I stamped the four different Inkadinkado doggie inchies on the same whtie designer paper I used for the background of my card, and then used a sparkle pen to add a littel glitter to each one.  A few layers and a sticker sentiment, and this card is off in the mail.

Aquarius Cosmos

In February 2008, with Splicoast Stampers Inspiration challenge #115, I became the second hostess of that challenge.  After 5 1/2 years, I have decided that it's time for me to hand over the reigns to a new Hostess.  It has truly  been one of the best design experiences of my life ... it has pushed me to try so many new things, and made me a better artist ... and for that, I am eternally grateful to SCS.  I am also grateful for the many amazing friend I've made along the way.

My card for this week's Inspiration Challenge was inspired by the amazing Aquarius-Sapphire PRIMA Wallpaper from Eskayel ... just looking at it made me want to get inky, which is my favorite type of inspiration.

I started by coloring with gelatos down one side of a piece of thick watercolor paper.  I sprayed with water and used a paintbrush to spread the color across the card.  Next I sprayed with water again and tipped the paper so the color ran in streams down the card.   This is a perfect technique for this week's Mix-Ability Challenge ... Drip Drip Drip.

I layered on several other colors of gelatos repeating the process with my paintbrush and even some baby wipes to blend, until I got an effect I was happy with (it took several tries, but I had lot of fun just playing).

Once it dried, I stamped my River City Rubber Works sentiment in India Ink and clear embossed.  I finished with a black frame & a few black metal embellishments on the corners.

I hope you find Inspiration.

I Believe Christmas

We're thrilled to have the talented Allison Fillo joining us at Jingle Belles with one of her fantastic Sketches.

I cut into one of my favorite collections ... My Mind's Eye I Believe ... I just love that color combination.

I covered my card front with my focal paper (love the glittery berries) and then attached my panel to the top of the card.  Unfortunately, It wasn't until it was solidly taped down that I realized it was wider than I really wanted ... so rather than starting over, I just flipped the sketch and moved my sentiment (from Hero Arts' Very Merry Christmas) to the top.

I added with some fun little Bells from Die Versions (cut from a scrap of the border paper & inked with a bit more Maroon ink for contrast).  I finished with a white shimmery gem.

Watermelon Thanks

Summer means watermelon ... ice cold with salt for me.  I used this image of a vintage seed packet and this week's CAS(E) this Sketch to make a Thank You card.

This was a quick card to put together with a die cut sentiment and a few watermelon sequins for a little shimmer.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blog links to inspire:

• These Long Exposure Photos of Ferris Wheels are amazing
• A great video with tips on achieving Successful Image Transfer
• Tutorial for a fun Secret Hiding Place Monster
• If Shrimp & Grits are on the menu ... you know I'm ordering it (I actually ate it three meals in a row once when I was traveling in the south ... which included eating leftovers for breakfast)
• Paper Art by Owen Gildersleeve that will amaze
• Free Echo Park Gift Tags
• These Embossed Napkins would be fun to use on a card
• A fun Bike Makeover using Duct Tape (shown)
• S'Mores Bars ... I think I gained weight just looking at the pictures

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Purple Ombre Peace

My sister loves purple, so when I saw this week's Honor Ombre Tuesday Trigger, I knew I wanted to make a card for her.

When I saw this pretty layer cake, it also reminded me of the layers in this week's Retro Sketch.

So when I combined the two, together wtih some purple paper scraps & knitted designer paper (that also reminds me of my sister), this was the result.

I added a butterfly from Sheena's Flying Colors and a Peace sentiment from Dee Gruenig's Ah ... Christmas! (because we need peace all year long ... not just at Christmas).  I finished with some tiny purple pearls.

Motorcycle Anniversary

Tonight I needed to make an anniversary card with a motorcycle theme.  I decided to use the current Seize the Sketch again ... I say if you like something, try it again.  

Everything on the card is from my stash (perfect for the Shopping Our Stash masculine theme).  I stamped the motorcycle from Artistic Outpost's Route 66 on a scrap of designer paper (the pattern reminded me of tire tracks) using new Potting Soil Archival Ink.  I stamped an Anniversary Sentiment that was from the Dollar Bin at Michael's years ago (still love it) with a bit of red glitter pen added to the heart.

I trimmed a piece of Designer paper for my banner flag and then added two stickers (button & sentiment) from Pebbles.

Thanks

All of the credit for this card goes to the talented Lauren (who made the lovely digital Thanks tag).  If you like awesome vintage papers and doo dads, make sure you check out Lauren's Etsy Store ... just enough stuff.

The tag was so pretty, that when I opened the package to which it was attached ... I saved it.  When I was thumbing through my stash trying to find the perfect element for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch, I stumbled upon it ... and knew it would be perfect.

I filled the hole where the tag had been attached with a teeny tiny brad and flower ... then added some tiny seed pearls before mounting with foam tape on top of perfectly coordinated washi tape.

You Are In Our Thoughts

I love Jennifer Maguire's inspiration card from this week's CASE Study Challenge ... the rainbow of stripes, the clear embossing, and the overall design.

I decided to create something similar using the colors from this week's Color Throwdown Challenge.

I love when I can make an entire card using only paper scraps.  I cut my scraps into stripes and adhered them to my card front.  Next I used Versamark to stamp the Hero Arts Three Ferns on the cardstock.  Unfortunately, that didn't give me quite the resist I was hoping for, so I stamped a second time (you can see where I wasn't quite lined up, but I love the shadowy effect) and then clear embossed for more contrast.

I attached the ivory sentiment strip from Hero Arts With Sympathy using foam tape for a bit of dimension & finished with a few pearls.

You Are Too Kind

I've been having a lot of fun playing along with the Birthday Bash with Neat & Tangled Stamps ... I even won a guest designer spot (woot woot!)

Today I'm joining the Watercoloring Challenge ... which is to make a card using a technique (there's no mention that it has to be a birthday card, so hopefully any Neat & Tangled stamps will work).  

Last weekend during my Quilt Walk adventure, I discovered a children's toy store that had an entire rack of Faber Castell art supplies for kids.  I picked up a set of Gelatos in wonderful primary colors.  I decided to see how they would work with an emboss resist technique ... and the answer is ... fabulous!

I stamped the Sunburst in orange ink on watercolor paper and clear embossed.  Next I colored over the top of the Sunburst with yellow gelato, the sprayed with water, and blended with a paint brush.  

I then colored with my yellow gelato on the remaining scraps of watercolor paper and blended with water and a paintbrush.  I dried the paper with my heat gun and then stamped the Little Tangles Curlicues and Kindness Matters Sentiment in India ink and clear embossed for a bit more pop ... love the vibrant color.

The Sketch is from Paper Players.  I dyed a wooden arrow with India ink, and placed it more towards the top to work with the starburst design.  I finished with some orange gems to give the same feel as the pointing arrows in the sketch.