Ingenious Inkling

Fusion Flowers

Love the flowers, butterfly and vibrant colors in this week's Fusion Card Challenge inspiration.

I really wanted to pull in those bright colors, but after a lengthy search through my stash, it just wasn't coming together for me ... so instead I decided to focus on the all-over floral background and used some papers from Basic Grey Herbs & Honey Collection.

I used the solids, a sticker strip, and a focal image from the same collection using the Fusion Sketch.  I finished with a punched chocolate butterfly for contrast.

 

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• This Chai-Tai sounds refreshing
• Seven Free Dingbat Fonts
• I love the beautiful paintings of Jessica Rohrer
• I would like a Mod Dress like this for me (shown)
• These Spicy Kimchi Noodles would be a hit at our house
• I want to try making my own Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Happy Thursday

Hybrid Father's Day

The theme at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is to use your favorite technique or product.  One of my favorite techniques is to create hybrid cards ... to combine digital images with rubber stamps.

I needed a B-17 Plane, but didn't have one in my stamp sets ... so I found a digital image and combined it with a stamped sentiment using this week's Freshly Made Sketch.

Congratulations

Tonight I needed to make a batch of Congratulations cards ... but I hate to mass produce ... so I decided to use the same sketch, but switch-up the colors.

I started using the colors from this week's Nacho Average Challenge.

The layout is the current sketch from My Favorite Things stamps.

The stamp is My Favorite Things Spotlight Sentiments.  Since I wanted masculine designs, I swapped the flower for some Die-Namics Stacking Stars.  They honey color seemed a bit *flat* against the slate background, so I added some embossed texture.

For the next card I swapped the honey for red, which I thought provided a better contrast with the slate.

Once you figure out your final design, the rest of the cards come together quickly by swapping the colors.

Ombre Favorites

They are playing favorites at A Blog Named Hero ... to create a card using anything that's favorite to you.

I started with the very first technique I ever learned ... and one that is still my favorite, embossing the Hero Arts Studio Calico Grid Pattern.

Next I added another favorite ... watercoloring in monochromatic ombre green (which was resisted by the embossed grid) for Virginia's View Challenge.

I finished with more favorites ... gems, a cute little owl, and a hand-written sentiment (both from my new Hero Arts stamps Friends by Lea ... because new stamps are a favorite too).

I'm also joining the Embossing Challenge at Make My Monday.

And I'm playing Tic-Tac-Toe for the current Hero Arts challenge with Circles, Background Stamp & Watercolor.

Wishing You Happy Birthday

I created this card using both the sketch & the colors from the Unity Be Inspired Challenge.

I combined steps from four sets ... Blossoming Thoughts & Wishes; Poppy Chevron; Distressed Criss/Cross; and Authentic Man.

I was able to incorporate all five colors into my design.

I stamped the wood grain star a second time in yellow and then used a smaller star punch.  Since I wanted this to be a masculine card, I covered the tiny flowers in the sentiment with green gems.

 

Masked Artsy Cupcakes

There is a reason I have a deep admiration for stampers who can create designs using masks ... and there is a reason I seldom try it myself.  I am a MESSY stamper ... I always end-up with ink on my work space, my acrylic blocks, my fingers, and of course my card ... and that does not work well with masking.

I started out trying to create a card inspired by this gorgeous creation by Kim Makortoff for the June Stamplorations Inspired by Challenge.

I won't lie ... it took five attempts and two masks (my first one was so covered in ink after four tries, it was creating its own mess).  My final one still wasn't perfect, but at least my smudges were positioned where I could cover them up with the sentiment banners.

Instead of using Distress Ink like Kim did, I used my Zig Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Paint.  The cupcake is from Sketched Cupcake and the sentiment is Sentiment Builders: Happy.  I matted my panel on a gold card front for a bit more pop.  I love the artsy feel of the design ... thanks for the inspiration Kim.

I'm also linking-up at Seize the Birthday for Anything Goes.

You Rock

When I saw my friend Leslie (aka The Crooked Stamper) was the designer at The Little Tangles Challenge, I had to join the fun.  Here's her sketch (you can link-up at her Challenge too).

I started with the vertical sentiment from Across the Card and then added two diamonds from Sparkle & Shine.

I used the colors from Colour Me Challenge and added some silver glitter pen to my diamonds for some sparkle.

Rockin' Stars & Stripes

I love the For the Record stamp set from Neat & Tangled.  I used it with the Fab Friday Sketch (which I rotated to work with my image).

I picked-up a fun Star Washi Tape this week and combined it with Memory Box Cosmic Star Set Die Cuts.

My record player is stamped on a striped designer paper for the Stars & Stripes Challenge at the Cut It Up! Challenge Blog.

You're a Limited Edition

When I've been away from my studio for an extended period of time, I always have to ease back into the creative process.  Today I did that by creating a card using this week's CAS(E) this Sketch ... four 1 1/2" squares and some fun Simple Stories Hey Pop Stickers.

A quick & easy Dad Day card for this week's Fun Day Friday Challenge.  Crazy 4 Challenges is also creating Masculine Cards.