Ingenious Inkling

Rainbow Supercalifragilistic

Today I got Happy Mail from The Paper Forest ... the prize from participating in one of their Challenges that included one of their pins (love it) and a card with a hand-written note (the best) ... and the travel theme was perfect since I just had to cancel our upcoming vacation plans.

 

So tonight I had some fun joining the new Challenge Tami she posted today (make sure you're doing everything you can to support the local stores that are closed) ... all about RAINBOWS.  I decided to create a Rainbow using circles punched from my collection of Gel Press Prints using the sketch from the TGIF Challenges.

 

I started with a card base of black & white striped paper from Paper Smooches Half Moon Collection ... then I played with the circles.  After I had them all positioned, I added some enamel dots in coordinating colors.

 

I wanted to send it as a card of encouragement, so I added a sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays Supercalifragilistic.

Makeover Monday - Spring

I thought it would be fun to go back to April 2001 for this week's Makeover Monday.  It was fun to look through that entire month of cardmaking and reflect on my cardmaking style at that time.  I loved BasicGrey and used lots of patterned paper in my designs ... the card I chose was one I made for a BasicGrey Challenge featuring their Euphoria Collection.

It also reminded me that pretty much my entire stamp collection in the beginning was Hero Arts ... loved that Hydrangea.

 

I decided to keep the layout and the floral theme.  I had fun picking out my papers to layer.  I stuck with pink, but paired it with teal instead of purple.

 

I initially stamped a different hydrangea, but didn't love it ... so since I have commented on several Facebook posts lately that I wished I had their seed packages to create with when they finished planting their garden, I cut out two seed packets for my focal image.

I used Heidi Swapp Art Walk Collection Photo Corners and Quotes for my sentiment and corner accents.  I finished with a tiny pink butterfly sticker on one of the seed packets.

I couldn't resist using the leftover papers to make a card for the Paper Anthology Tic Tac Toe Challenge.

 

I went diagonal from top left to bottom right ... flowers (on the paper and as embellishment); the papers are more than a year old in my stash ... and I finished with some Eyelet Outlet Bling.

 

I adore the Super-Sized Thank You set from Jaded Blossom ... so many perfect stamped in one set.  The big bold black is perfection with all the patterns.

I Am Here for You

I wanted to join the Use a Stencil Challenge at Paper Anthology. 

I started with a piece of watercolor paper that I had covered with Distress Oxide Sprays and a coating of Lindy's Pegleg Pete Purple Moon Shadow Mist (that lends an amazing shimmery glow).  I used the Gina K. Designs Watercolor Droplets Stencil and Milled Lavender Distress Ink.

 

I loved the background so much, I wanted to let it shine, so I added a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Be the Rainbow Stamp Set by Emily Loggins ... those seem like the perfect words to send out this week.

 

And these colors also speak to me of Spring ... the first purple crocus that push through the snow ... the red bud trees in bloom ... and the water droplets of the rain that make it all happen ... so I'm linking-up at the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge - Spring Fling!

Out of Focus Blooms

The theme at Less is More is Out of Focus ... so I did some Watercolor Stamping with Penny Black for their Anything Goes Challenge.

 

I inked the Penny Black Exquisite Envelope stamps with Distress Oxide Inks (Seedless Preserves & Mowed Lawn) and sprayed with water before stamping and die cutting.

 

 

I took my inspiration from Simon Says Stamp Spring Moodboard ... those blooms reminded me of the lovely purple crocus.

 

 

Sentiment is a sticker attached with foam for dimension ... and I embossed the white card base for a bit of texture, using the Tuesday Morning Sketch.

 

 

I love how there is a die for the envelope to tuck in the bouquet.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Flora or Fauna Challenge at Paper Anthology's Creation Staycation.

 

 

Self Care Neon Zoo

The current Stay Crafty with Hero Arts Challenge (#staycraftywithhero) is all about Self Care.

 

 

I made this card while I practiced mental and physical self care this afternoon on a video crafting call with friends ... even when we paused the conversation and were quiet because we were all focused on what we were making, being with my own self care community filled my heart ... I love seeing and hearing their pets, spouses and children ... and appreciating their creative processes ... and I am so grateful for this hobby and the friends I have made.

I also created a card for multiple card challenges, which makes my heart happy as well.  I started with the colors from the Color Throwdown ... bright vivid happy colors that you will see throughout my home.  I decided to use Rina K. Designs Electro-Pop Inks in these colors.

 

Next I decided to use Hero Arts Birthday Animals Silhouettes and Dies for the A Day at the Zoo! Challenge at The Paper Players.

 

After I finished stamping and die cutting my animals (with no real plan in mind), I remembered the Square within a Square Challenge at Just Us Girls, and my layout came together.

 

I positioned my various animals within the 2" black cardstock squares using foam tape ... and then made a cardstock sign with the perfect sentiment from Hero Arts Birthday Hugs and Kisses for the bear and kangaroo to hold in their paws.  I added a some tiny enamel hearts and some orange bling to finish the design.

 

 

And since both stamp sets i used are retro - Birthday Hugs & Kisses is from March 2018 and the Birthday Animal Silhouettes are at least March 2017 - I joined the Retro Rubber Challenge to Be There or Be Square!

 

 

I love how this turned out ... my self care afternoon left me feeling hopeful and peaceful ... and ready to mail more cards.

Paper Smooches Flutterby

Lauren's next challenge at Paper Anthology Creation Staycation is to make a card that features Things with Wings!. 

 

 

Lauren and I just had a discussion yesterday about how much she loves birds ... and how much I don't.  Living in the City, the birds build nests under our window awnings about 10 feet from my sleeping head ... they poop all over the glass and wake me up way too early.  Also, the Geese are just darn aggressive.  So needless to say, I didn't feature a bird on my card ... but instead Paper Smooches new Flutterby for the Paper Smooches Pastel Challenge.

 

I also discovered that apparently I don't like Pastel Inks either ... so very few of them in my stash ... but I finally found a color combination that worked with the Paper Smooches Rainbow Sherbet Paper.

 

My diamond for the Freshly Made Sketch is a bit more of an off-set Rhombus after I trimmed it down to fit the car, but I like it.  I added a sentiment from Paper Smooches Sympathy Sampler and a few enamel dots.

 

Another bit of happiness to go in the mail.

Fruit Snack Inspired Card

In continuing with the Creation Staycation at the Paper Anthology Store, I made a card inspired by a label in my Pantry.

 

 

I chose my favorite dried fruit snacks for inspiration.

 

I didn't have a Panda ... but I had a Picture Book Walrus Die, so I built my card around him ... I added a black pearl nose and googly eyes.

 

I originally die cut the Simon Says Stamp You da Best sentiment in Red, but it didn't have enough contrast, so I added white on top.  I finished with one of the Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strips.

 

 

I'm also joining the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies.

 

Earth Day Recycled Christmas

This week is one of our favorite prompts at Jingle Belles - the one where we celebrate Earth Day (April 22nd) by creating a holiday card that features re-cycled, re-used or up-cycled elements. 

 

 

It's time to use that stash of things that you saved because they were just too pretty to throw away ... break them out and create with them. 

We have been counting our quarantine time via various milestones ... including rolls of toilet paper used.  I had the last cardboard toilet paper roll sitting on my studio table to remind me to restock the bathroom, and I thought ... hmmm ... what could I make with the roll to make art to commemorate this unusual time.

I put a little Red Metallic Acrylic Paint on a paper plate, and then put a scrap of recycled kraft cardstock on top of an empty cereal box liner to protect my service from the paint off the edges. (My dear mother-in-law taught me that the plastic inside cereal boxes is some of the strongest, so you can use it as a cutting board or for other messy things and then just throw it away ... great for cubing tomatoes, because you can just pick-up the ends and funnel the chopped tomatoes into your dish).   I then used the toilet paper roll as a stamp to make an overlapping circle background, and set it aside to dry.

 

For some reason, it felt like a holiday card make from a toilet paper roll should have a slightly irreverent bent.

I pulled out my Taylored Expression Big Grumpy Stamp and Die and stamped it on a lighter kraft cardstock before Die Cutting.

 

Since Taylor hasn't yet released any holiday sentiments for this stamp, I used a sentiment from Cathy Zielske's Simon Says Stamp Ho Ho Postage Sentiment (because doesn't he just scream cheer).  I added some Spectrum Noir color to my Grumpy, paper pieced his eye balls, and finished with a few enamel stickers to complete the sign.

Happy Spring

I wanted to join more of the Creation Staycation at the Paper Anthology Facebook Page.

Of course I had to join Lauren's Color Palette Challenge.

 

 

I literally held my paper scraps up to the computer screen to get the right shades of each hue.

 

I was inspired by the Spring Fling Challenge at Memory Box to use the Memory Box Scribble Frond Outline Die together with the Memory Box Springtime Typewriter Sentiments.  I added some tiny epoxy hearts in three of the colors.

 

I used this week's CAS(E) this Sketch!

 

I also joined the Paper Anthology Plaid Challenge using a monochromatic yellow plaid to restock my masculine birthday card stash.

 

It's important that they be mailable, since I can't hand-deliver them for the time being.

 

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• free coloring pages
• I might try making some Granola for my morning yogurt
• A No-Sew Face Mask Tutorial (video)
• Hawaiian Oatmeal
• How to make a Book from One Sheet of Paper (video)
• pretty Paper Hyacinths (shown)
• Deep Dish Cookie Bowl
• Embossing Aluminum Foil
• making Paper Beads from Photos
• Mirror Stamping with the Media Mat (and an adorable card)
• What to Bake if you're Missing Key Ingredients
• clever Multi-Use Coffee Tables
• what a fun Surprise Wedding!
• Whoopie Pies make me happy
• this Maine House Tour makes me happy (and makes me want to collect Pears)

Have a Tremendous Thursday!