Ingenious Inkling

Taylored Expressions Earrings

When Dad comes to visit, one of my craft rooms becomes his bedroom, so I have limited access to my tools ... however I did still have my big shot, so I broke out my Taylored Expressions Earring Dies and went to town.

I started with Designer Dangles ... love this combination, especially the textured leathers.

I have all of Taylor's leathers, but I also stopped at the used craft store Create/Exchange and bought a small pile of leather scraps.  The bottom right one was made with a scrap of leather that was suede on one side, so that's the side I turned out.

Next I moved on to Designer Dangles - the Bigger the Better - using the two smallest dies on the bottom two and swapping out the more angled smaller piece from Designer Dangles for the top one.

 

On the bottom right I accidentally put the suede in with the die upside down, so it scored instead of cutting, so I did the same things for the other side to form a frame around the larger piece.

Two sets from the next trio are the smallest die from Designer Dangles - the Bigger the Better combined with the small die from Designer Dangles.  All but the gold were scraps of leather I picked up.

 

The bottom one is a single die from Designer Dangles - Shape Shifter that I used craft scissors to cut slightly shorter.

The final trio is Designer Dangles - Shape Shifter.

 

Things I learned is that if you have one of the open dies, you can cut from the front ... but if it's a closed die, cut from the back or you get little dimples in the leather from the holes to push out the die.  Also, you can reverse the die (cut one earring from the front & the second from the back) if you want reverse shapes on each side of your head.

After having so much fun this afternoon, I'm linking these dies up for the September #TEMakerChallenge to Feature my Favorite Product.

 

Celebrate You

I wanted to get at least one more card made for STAMPtember ... this time featuring the relatively new-to-me Stamp Market Mini Hellos.

 

I paired the party hat with a little piece of designer paper that was on my studio table.  Next I added Doodlebug Hot Cocoa Mug and smiling Marshmallow.  I finished with three rose gold sequins.

 

I think I still meet the requirements for the Creature Challenge at Addicted to CAS (with my white space being *pink space*).

Plaid Birthday RePlay

When I went to get the stamp link for my last card, I discovered that STAMPtember is giving away gift certificates from each of the companies participating, so I decided to make a second card to link-up using the same CAS(e) this Sketch! layout (because as my Grandma always said, you can't win if you don't play). 

I pulled out sentiments from Heffy Doodle Everyday Sentiment Duos to pair with another plaid background from Sweet 'n Sassy Texture Tiles 4 (that I decided was too dark of a green for my first card).

 

For my cake, I inked-up Lawn Fawn Year One.

 

 

Also linking-up at All About Occasions at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 

Plaid Autumn Birthday

I have so many new products on my studio table, it was a challenge to find room to create ... but I made it work. 

I saw the current CAS(E) this Sketch! and knew I wanted to use one of the plaid rectangles from Sweet 'n Sassy's Texture Tiles 4.  My original intention was to use a vertical orientation, so I inked the tile in ombre green colors from light to dark.

 

As I played with different elements from my new product collection, I settled on the new Linked Leaves Die from Paper Smooches and rotated my card to horizontal to make it work. 

I die cut it from white cardstock & then a second time from a scrap of Gel Press print on my studio table.  I finished with a sentiment from the Memory Box STAMPtember exclusive set from Simon Says Stamp (I love typewriter fonts).

 

 

It's also Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp.

I also took some inspiration from the Inspired By Tailgate Party Challenge (colors, plaid & leaves).

 

Hanukkah Song

Something that's pretty important to us ♥JINGLE BELLES♥ is to make sure our card-making festivities include EVERYONE who is special to us, whatever occasion or holiday in which they partake!

So this week we're making cards for our friends who don't necessarily celebrate Christmas. Hanukkah is the most famous of the other winter holidays, and it (plus our favorite Adam Sandler song!) inspired our title, but you could choose Kwanzaa, New Year, Hogmanay or Solstice; or you could go totally non-denominational with a general winter-themed card.

I started with this peaceful Penny Black Starry Night Stickeroo and built my Hanukkah card around it with a few more sticker sentiments and sticker letters too.  

 

Those Stickeroos have been in my stash for a very long time (and have been a titch neglected), so I'm linking-up at the Penny Black Anything Goes Challenge with an option of Old or Neglected.

I die cut some metallic silver into an oblong octagon and then die cut some Swirling Stars.  I finished with a wrap of ribbon and a few sprinkled gems."

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland wandering:

• 30-Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
• how to make fun Fall Leaf Masks
• Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake
• Disco Ball Jack-o-Lantern Garland (shown)
• Apple Cider Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream sounds like fall in a cupcake
• love Retro Furniture with Modern Living
• How to use a Stamp Map
• Peach Salad sounds like the perfect way to end Summer
• I wanted a pair of these Tassel Jeans
• Folded Newspaper Bag Tutorial
• Adorable No Sew Pac-Man Costume
• Abstract Watercolor Art Tutorial
• Ways to Brighten Someone's Day

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Coffee ... Priceless

A sneak peak of the card I'm sharing at the Technique Junkies Blog today for the Fusion Card Challenge.

 

 

Remember, you can get 10% off your Technique Junkies order with my discount code TJ10Stephanie.

 

Good Stuff

I love stamping and ink, but sometimes I just like to play with pretty papers.  This is the Indigo & Ivy Collection from Pink Paislee.

 

I added a bunch of sticker sentiments to the library card, and some clear gems.  This will be going across the miles to encourage someone battling cancer .. have you encouraged someone today?

Another Great Day in Washington DC

Yesterday was another full day of adventures.  We got up early and headed out to make a tour of the monuments before the day warmed-up.  We started at the World War II Memorial to have a moment of reflection for my husband Rod's Uncle Laurel Ebert whose body was finally identified and returned for burial in Iowa this week.

 

Next we headed to see the reflecting pool, which was under repair (and a big muddy mess) the last time we were here.

 

It's such a reward to see Lincoln looking over it all after you climb those steps.

 

The first time we toured the monuments, it was raining all day ... so it was wonderful to see the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue in the full sunlight ... the little guy at the base was smiling so big.

 

And I stopped by to say hello to Eleanor, but due to flooding of the pump station, none of the water was flowing in that monument (which is filled with falls and fountains), which made it a strangely somber experience.

 

Next stop was the Museum of the Daughters of the American Revolution for an Exhibit called A Piece of Her Mind - Culture & Technology in American Quilts.  

 

Next stop, the Smithsonian's Renwick American Art Museum.  First stop was a Virtual Reality Exhibit by Ginny Ruffner called Reforestation of the Imagination... you downloaded an app or used provided iPads to position over glass tree trunks that worked as “bar codes” to make 3D images of the artist’s fanciful flowers appear ... so fun.  This one blew a bubble out of the top that floated upward until it popped.

 

Next stop was the amazing clay works of Michael Sherrill. In addition to following his artistic evolution, I loved listening to the interviews about his creative process and the struggle to make art he enjoyed, but also that people wanted to buy, so he could support his children.

 

Next for lunch, we had one of the best Charcuterie spreads we've ever experienced at Opaline... the French meats and cheeses were amazing, as was the slightly crystalized honey, fig spread, and Marcona Almonds.  We added some fries and roasted asparagus to round out our feast.

 

And I always judge a restaurant by it's bread basket ... and this one was perfection with those soft spreadable cheeses.

 

 

I took advantage of Museum Day to get a free admission to the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  I loved this painting It Made Sense ... but Mostly in her MInd by Amy Sherald ... but I was more transfixed with how she created the background.

 

Here's a close-up of the amazing effect.

 

I also loved Varianto by Joana Vasconcelos.

 

Final stop of the day was supper at RPM Italian where I had the best Eggplant Parmesan that I remember tasting.

 

Another great day in the City.

Water Colored Inchie Birthday

The theme at CAS Mix Up Challenge is all about Inchies.

 

 

I stamped some of my favorite Inkadinkado Inchie Stamps ... and for my third component, I chose water coloring with Color Burst to create the vibrant blue background strip.

 

 

 

I added a wrap of this wonderful ITO Gima Yarn that I think works perfectly for masculine designs.

 

I'm also linking up at the Masculine Anything Goes Challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.