Ingenious Inkling

Thursday Link Love

Another week of fun finds from blogland:

• How to Style a Bookcase ... books become art
• Vintage McCall's Pattern Awesomeness
• Tutorial for turning a thrifted skirt into an awesome handbag
• Toasted Marshmallow Girl Scout Cookie Sandwiches (shown)... yes please
• Video Tutorial for using Dryer Sheets with Intricate Wafer Thin Dies
• Steps for Living a Bill Murray Life
• Rocky Road Cake Mix Cookies ... they look messy but oh-so-good
• Tutorial for Drawing on Black Paper
• Maud Vantours Fabulous Paper
• Video Tutorial for replacing all of your glue caps with silicone baby bottle nipples ... magic.
• Love this free Printable Wall Art ... take naps ... bring candy
• Love this Happy Birds Journal
• Tutorial for fun Kool Aid Dipped Stationary

Have a tremendous Thursday.

Merry Mix It Up

Did you see there's a new challenge at Ellen Hutson's CLASSroom?

The first challenge is to combine products from the Essentials by Ellen line wtih Hero Arts (did you see the cards Jennifer Maguire made ... stencil-magic)

When I see a sketch like this week's Retro Sketch, I'm always at a loss for what do do with that squiggly circle ... I've tried looping several types of cord, but it's always a messy failure ... but today I figured out what to do ... use the tangled string of lights from Tis the Season from Essentials by Ellen.

I stamped the string of lights multiple times and then cut them out with a circle cutter.  I used three different blue Spectrum Noir markers to color in most of the tiny lights.

Next I added the die cut Prize Stag from Essentials by Ellen and sentiment from Hero Arts Christmas Crystals.  I also stamped the tiny snowflake from the same Hero Arts set on the background before adding black enamel dots, teal sequins and lots of teal bling ... including a reindeer nose.  

I'm also joining the Cute Critter Challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Long because what is cuter than a reindeer with a teal bling nose?

Hint of Spring

Today we had a hint of Spring ... above freezing temperatures, melting snow and sunshine.  It's too early to believe Spring is here to stay, but it was nice to have a little taste.  

I made a card to celebrate Spring inspired by this elemental inspiration at Daring Cardmakers ... I incorporated the grass fringe; peach, pink and yellow blooms; and twine.

My card includes several punches ... paper airplanes from Lawn Fawn Flying By and a birthday sentiment from Avery Elle Party Animal.

The layout is this week's Freshly Made Sketch.

Card Playing Birthday

We played lots of cards when I was young ... Spades, Hearts, Solitaire, and my personal favorite, Dirty Neighbor ... I even learned how to play Pinochle in my Lifetime Sports class in high school. 

However, Euchre was not a card game I had ever played, so I had to look it up to make a Euchre-themed birthday card.

The Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge has moved to its own blog and to celebrate this week you can make a card using any past sketch.  I went way back into the archives to Sketch 95 for my layout.

I'm also joining Seize the Birthday where the *topping* theme is Masculine.

Birthday Blooms

I needed a birthday card for a special lady ... which was perfect for the Special Lady / Girly Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

I took my inspiration from this week's CAS(E) this Sketch and covered my focal panel with various shades of green paper flowers (... I was super-excited to see my card was a favorite for last week's sketch)

I added yellow as my accent color for this week's Green & Yellow Color Challenge at Less Is More.

Moroccan Mosque Muse

Today's Splitcoast Stampers Inspiration Challenge comes from the vast collection of art at Great Big Canvas.  I chose this piece that reflects the Interior Detail of Hassan Li Mosque to inspire my design.

Kelly Purkey's fun new designer papers for Hero Arts remind me of Moroccan tiles, so that is what I wanted to use to create my design.  When I saw Vicki's awesome card at the Muse Challenge, I knew exactly what I wanted to create.

Here's Vicki's Muse:

I loved the combination of designer paper patterns ... the bold sentiment ... and of course, the sequins.

I used three different patterns and a Hero Arts Wooden Block sentiment from a stamp set called Happy Thoughts.  I finished with some coordinating sequins in different sizes.

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 the 2015 Hero Arts release in stock.

Dreaming of a Bright Christmas

We're still taking our inspiration from this vibrant table setting at Jingle Belles.

This time I started with a purple glitter tree & built my card around it using this week's Sunday Stamps Sketch.

I used three different glitter papers and a glittery star sticker on the top of the tree.  I finished with three epoxy sentiment stickers ... an easy peasy card that is oh-so-sparkly.

Keep On Swimming

Click on over to the a2z Scrapbooking Blog where I'm featuring cards with lots of new Hero Arts Stamps.

Here's a peek-a-boo:

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 the 2015 Hero Arts release in stock.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of fun finds from blogland:

• Do you sleep with your feet outside the covers ... I usually go with an entire leg, especially in the summer
• What Successful People Wish They Knew at 22
• tutorial for Gold Lego Magnets
• I may have to try a few of these ideas for my cubicle
• this Banh Mi looks amazing
• 15 Things that Emotionally Strong People Don't Do
• What a house ... love the deck and the mirror on the porch (shown) ... and a fabulous studio
• Tutorial for Embossed Tin Foil ... it reminds me of the ceiling tiles in old buildings
• I want some Raw Crystal Magnets
• Makes me want to collect heart rocks ... and give them away

Have a terrific Thursday.

That's a Wrap

The inspiration at the Cure for the Monday Blues Challenge this week is That's a Wrap.

As I looked, I realized there were lots of different colors in the picture, yet they all seemed to work together ... so that is what I tried to accomplish in my design ... I've got kraft, pink, yellow, grey, peach, orange, gold, mint green, grey ... and even a little black washi tape.

The colored thank you image (Lockhart Spring Tulips) was included in one of my purchases from Ellen Hutson (she's generous like that).  The layout is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch.