Ingenious Inkling

Jingle Half-Way

When I started making my card for our Jingle Belles Santa Baby Challenge, I thought I had chosen a reindeer stamp (that's what I get for trying to create without my reading glasses).  As I put on my glasses and started coloring his antlers, I realized I had a Christmas Moose.

I decided to stick with him because I figured there would be at least one grumpy moose at the North Pole ... and besides, he is already decorated for Christmas ... well, at least half-way decorated.

The layout is this week's Sketch from The Paper Players using Base Grey Evergreen Papers with color inspiration from The Christmas Card Challenge.

The stamp & sentiment (and coordinating die cut) are the Holiday Grumplings from Taylored Expressions.  It's also Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp.

Orchid-Inspired Mother's Day

We have another fabulous Fusion Card Challenge inspiration for you today.

I actually took both my sketch & design inspiration from the photograph.  I liked the contrast of the two shades of teal with white and a real pop of pink from the beautiful orchids.

I started with the gorgeous background paper, which is actually BasicGrey Christmas paper.  I added a scrap of darker teal and then applied two gorgeous Pink Bling Swirls from the Eyelet Outlet (I cut apart a smaller bling swirl to add some additional pieces in the middle to fill out my *flowers*).

I finished with two coordinating Colorful Butterfly Brads and a Mother's Day sentiment from Essentials by Ellen 12 Days Companion Greetings.  This will be a Mother's Day bouquet that will last for a long time.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• these Brown Butter Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies would be popular at the office
• do you know what a Calligram is?
• I like the idea of a Reverse Grocery List
• Thomas Lamadieu's amazing Sky Art (shown)
• I have always wanted a ladder in my home
• Turn leftover Easter Eggs into Happy Pineapples
• I never cease to be astounded by Paper Cuts
• Love this Rainbow Edged Stationery
• Can you do these Seven Stretches
• Guide to choosing White Gel Pens & Markers
• Dulce de Leche Snack Squares ... wow

Have a tremendous Thursday.

Coffee & a Birthday

My weeknight cards always seem particularly clean & simple ... it's pretty much all I can process after a full day of work.  This one combines the My Favorite Things Weekly Sketch Challenge with the MFT Color Challenge.

I love the fun coffee cup and a birthday sentiment in Steel Grey.

Such an easy sketch to assemble.

I'm also joining the Water Challenge at Seize the Birthday (because whatever is inside that cup ... in my case brewed chai tea with sugar-free creamer ... is made with water).

Instinct is Enough

When I saw the Game at AAA Cards was Stenciling, I knew it was time to have some Stamplorations fun.

The March theme at Stamplorations is to create a Clean & Simple Design using Yellow.

I also decided to incorporate the Stamplorations Sketch Challenge.

I started by sponging the Artsplorations Dots and Dashes Stencil using Wendy Vecchi's Buttercup with a little Orange Blossom.

I added a sentiment from Stamplorations ART Is in Black Ink.  I finished Eyelet Outlet Black Adhesive Pearls and a cute little Kitty brad, because cats have great Instinct.

 

PS - If you'd like to win a medium flat rate box filled with stamps, click on over here & leave me a comment.

Floral Sympathy

The talented Jenn Shurkus was the Featured Stamper at Splitcoast Stampers today.  I took my inspiration from this gorgeous Many Thanks Card.

I started with a hoarded piece of Pink Basic Grey solid designer paper (still the best solid papers ever made) and stamped it with multiple flowers from Essentials by Ellen Bohemian Garden using the Hero Arts Pink to Red Ombre Ink Pad.

After mounting on a black card base, I die cut Bold Blossom, leaves & With Sympathy sentiment from black glitter cardstock.  I usually wouldn't use glitter on a sympathy card, but the black seems to add a bit of elegance.

Thanks for the inspiration Jenn.

What's Kraken?

It's a beautiful Sunday ... Cardinals baseball is on the TV ... and I'm in my studio.  Love it.  

I wanted to use the new Lawn Fawn Lovable Legends set.  When I saw the sketch at the As You See It Challenge, an idea started forming.

 

I also decided to use the fun hues from this week's ColourQ Challenge.

 

 

When you cross these two, this is what you get.

 

I stamped the waves around the edges to form a boarder and popped the melon Kraken up with foam tape for a bit of dimension.  I finished with lots of fun sequins.  I just love these guys.

 

PS - Leave a comment here about where you'd like to travel to for a chance to win a medium flat rate box full of stamps.

Rock the World & a Giveaway

When I saw this week's CAS(E) this Sketch, I knew there were so many possibilities involving washi tape & brads.

I decided to start with the beautiful Paris Washi Tape from Eyelet Outlet, which pairs perfectly with the Eiffel Tower Brad.

I used Ivory cardstock on a gorgeous bronze/green metallic paper.  The Eiffel Tower Brads include both silver & the gorgeous brown bronze that I used on my card.

Sentiment is from Hero Arts Dare to Dream.

I did some recent stamp purging & have a medium size flat rate box packed full with stamps ... acrylic, cling and a few wood from Unity, Hero Arts, and many more companies.  All you have to do is leave me a comment and let me know somewhere in the world where you'd like to travel.  I'll pick one lucky winner next Saturday & send out a box of goodies.

Jolly Wishes

This week at Jingle Belles we're celebrating Jolly Old St. Nick (aka Santa Claus) or any other denizens of the North Pole.  I couldn't resist breaking out my favorite Jolly Santa Claus from Avery Elle.

 

I colored him with Spectrum Noir markers and then added some white sequin snow.  The sketch is this week's Retro Sketch.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland finds:

• this Reuben Boxty looks amazing
• these Paper Flowers are amazing
• Easy Watercolor Techniques
• Waffle S'Mores ... yes please
• how to make super-cute & super-yummy White Chocolate Pretzel Chicks (shown)
• tutorial for a pretty Faux Agate Necklace
• Crayon Tips & Tricks
• Stunning Quilts of Barbara Olson
• Faux Gelli Printing using a Silicone Mat (video)
• this Chicken Marsala looks delicious
• Things to make with Dresser Drawers

Happy Thursday!