Ingenious Inkling

Amazing Grace

I wanted to make a card using this Dina Kowal Amazing Grace stamp from Impression Obsession.  I started with a layout from Hand Stamped Sentiments and scraps of paper from the Fair Skies Collection by Farm House Paper Company.

For my next card, I used the same stamp & sketch, but changed the style to one inspired by the Cure for the Monday Blues.

I love the fun graphic feel of the bright colors on a white background.

I embossed white dots to capture the feel of the pegboard ... the papers are from Shimelle's collection by American Crafts.

You Make Me Smile

It's my final week as a Guest Designer at Just Us Girls, and I get to design based on this awesome inspiration photo.

I loved the bold letters across the burlap with the white frame, so that is what I incorporated into my design.

I die cut Memory Box Script Thanks from green glitter paper and attached it to a burlap background.  I added an SRM Sticker sentiment and yellow bloom.

Layout is from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Legendary Bow Ties

The current Fusion Card Challenge is a fun one.

I couldn't resist trying out my new Stampin' Up Bow Punch on lots of scrap paper ... once you start making bows it becomes almost addictive.

The stamps are from Casual Fridays Wait For It.  It's also time for a little Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of fun blogland finds:

• Keep the Channel Open ... a lesson I need to learn
• I'm excited for the final season of Mad Men ... love the period fashions
• It's been Hot Chocolate weather for much too long
• Love these fun Geometric Photo Mats
• The colors in this card make me Happy
• Fantastic pile of colored yarn balls
• great Kitchen Organization idea using a door (shown)
• Tutorial for gorgeous Origami Wall Art

Have a tremendous Thursday!

A Cupcake Makes Everything Better

For my win with Color Throwdown #329, I'm thrilled that I get to be the Guest Designer at the Color Throwdown Blog this week for color throwdown #331 ... I really love these colors.

I paper pieced my Sketched Cupcake from Stamplorations using a green cupcake wrapper & bright pink frosting ... in my mind it's a moist dark chocolate cupcake with rich raspberry frosting.

 My card was also inspired by this cutie by Julee Ebersole for CASEplorations February at Stamplorations.  I added sequins to decorate the frosting, a banner sentiment, and some tiny bokeh dots and gems.

The layout is the bi-weekly sketch challenge at Stamplorations

Floral Birthday

I used the current Cardabilities Sketch and lots of paper flowers to make a spring-filled birthday card.

It's pretty much the only spring we have in Iowa right now ... I usually don't mind winter, but it's been so cold lately it's painful to be outside.

Thank You x 3

Since my take-two process worked so well last night, I thought I would try it again tonight.  This time I kept the stamp and sketch constant and changed-up the papers.  The Layout is from a Challege Blog called Match the Sketch.

This sketch reminded me of one I would have used when I first started making cards.  My designs are simple ... but sometimes what you really need is a simple, mailable thank you card.

The Thank You Stamp is a favorite from Stampotique.  I'm also linking-up at the Anything Goes Challenge at The Pink Elephant.

When you stamp on patterned paper, clear embossing helps the ink pop.

Love the little coffee-spill on the musical patterned paper.

Awesome Adventure Birthday

My card is inspired by this week's Runway Inspired Challenge.

I put stripes on the top (pulling in the blue from the shoes) with a solid pattern on the lower portion of the card, both from Shimelle's Collection by American Crafts.  I framed it all in white to pull in the effect of the awesome white wedge on those shoes.

I added a lace sticker inspired by the model's necklace.  I finished with an SRM Sentiment sticker and a plastic flower using this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch (which also pulls in the angle of the shirt).

Inchie Fun x 2

When I saw the layout at Sketch Frenzy Friday, I knew it would be perfect to play with some of my neglected inchie stamps.

I pulled out my Dog's Life Inchies from Inkadinkado and decided to create with a monochromatic brown palette for this week's CASology Challenge.

The card came together quickly using scraps from my stash.

When I got ready to post my card, I realized there was a problem ... Sketch Frenzy Friday is a Stampin' Up only challenge blog.  Since my Stampin' Up stamps have also been neglected, I decided to see if I could create a second card using their images.

The images from Hello Sailor were small enough to work in an inchie-like design (my squares are actually 1 3/8" in this card).  This time I went with monochromatic blue in keeping with a nautical theme.

I should really challenge myself to do this more often to build my stash quicker ... it was fun using the same theme and design with different images.

Bright Birthday

There's still time to join the Embossing Challenge at a2z scrapbooking to win $25 to spend on Hero Arts goodies (free money ... all you have to do is use at least one Hero Arts product ... what are you waiting for?).

I used both dry embossing and heat embossing for this vibrant birthday card for the ShowCASe Your Style Birthday Card Challenge.

I dry embossed with my Hero Arts Tile Works stencil on watercolor paper; then I left the stencil attached to the paper while I added two shades of orange watercolor paint.

I used a bit more of the darker orange to paint a scrap of watercolor paper.  After it dried (with a little help from my heat gun), I stamped my birthday sentiment.  I stamped the tiny flower from the same Messages with Flourish set and then finished with some sunshine pearls.

I hope you’ll join us for our Embossing Challenge this month … and remember, you can use Coupon Code STEPH15 for 15% off your order of $25.00 or more (before tax and shipping) in the a2z Store … and the a2z Store has all of the 2015 Hero Arts release in stock (I can’t wait to play with those fun stamps).