Ingenious Inkling

Thank You for Being My Friend

I like seeing if I can turn color challenges into ink-blending combinations.  For this card, I used the colors from the CAS Colours & Sketch Challenge.

 

I translated those colors into these Distress Oxide Ink colors - Speckled Egg, Stormy Sky & Peeled Paint.

 

I did my blend horizontal to work with the sketch, and since the colors reminded me of a landscape, I thought it was the perfect home for the adorable Peach and Paper from Picket Fence Studios.

 

 

I used a sentiment from the same set and finished with a sprinkling of sequins.

I'm also joining the Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

Make Today Count

There are lots of different ways to be inspired by The Card Concept Fanciful Fall Picture.

 

 

I took two dies from My Favorite Things Geometric Greenery that reminded me of the shapes in the picture and die cut leaves from one of the pieces I would have called a "reject" from my Dina Wakley Focus on Gloss Class (oops got called out for not specifically saying this is a Mixed Media Design ... I guess I thought it was obvious).

I used a white paint pen to doodle on the leaves.

 

 

I folded the leaves for dimension and attached them to one of my gloss backgrounds positioning them off the sides like the inspiration picture.

I finished with a sticker sentiment.

BOOYA

I used some new glittery designer paper from DCWV Halloween Garden for this week's CAS(e) this Sketch!

 

 

The sentiment is from a Simon Says Stamp Cathy Zielske Set Hollaween.  My embellishment is a 3-D Glittery Spider sticker.

 

Just Another Mojo Monday

I just love Julee's Mojo Monday Sketches ... the perfect amount of layers (and she even includes measurements if you want precision) ... me, I'm more of a cut-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of crafter.

Since I still had Amy Tangerine's Oh Happy Life Collection on my studio table, those are the papers I used.  I also had a die cut white tag from the collection that I cut to make the square piece of the sketch.

 

That color combination is just dreamy ... I finished with a Daffodil Sticker (from The Dollar Tree I believe ... aren't those flower centers the perfect color) and another sticker sentiment.  

 

 

I decided to forgo any more embellishments since this birthday card needs to go through the mail and shouldn't require extra postage without any bumps and lumps.

Autumnal Amber Blend

It's Sunday, so that means some Ink Blending Practice ... I decided to have my blend take its inspiration from the current Rainbow Card Color Challenge ... Autumnal Amber.

 

 

I chose four colors of Amber-toned Distress Oxide Ink ... but unfortunately all ink pads were pretty dry (and I couldn't find the re-inkers - that will be my next studio treasure hunt), so I didn't love the end result.

 

 

One way to save a not-so-great-blend is a cover plate die ... I used Birch Press Design Delfina Layer C, which I thought left plenty of the blend to show through ... much better result in my opinion.

 

I reached into my vintage paper flower bag and layered some amber blooms with a big bold brad center.

I finished with a sentiment from Birch Press Design You are Awesome.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Ink Blending Challenge at TGIF Challenges.

And the Allsorts Challenge is also celebrating Autumnal Colors.

Enjoy Today

I do love a good layered sketch, and the one at The Paper Players this week is a keeper.

 

 

I love the artistic meditative process of playing with patterns and colors of paper.  I started with my new Soccer Paper Pad from Authentique.  It had a perfect little vintage Soccer image for the focal point.

 

I did add some gold cardstock for a bit more contrast of colors, but the remainder are all papers from the collection.  The sticker sentiment seemed perfect for the theme.

I'm also linking-up at the SPORTS Challenge at Use Your Stuff.

I was having so much fun, I pulled out Amy Tangerine's Oh Happy Life for another happy card.

 

I used the same scrap of gold cardstock in this design and added a few stickers from the collection for a bit more fun ... love the happy play of all those patterns.   Another sticker sentiment completed the design.

Wine Alone

I loved this Alcohol-themed Challenge at The TIME OUT Challenge.

 

 

 

I used this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge for my Clean & Simple layout.  Instead of circles, I used the My Favorite Things Stitched Tag Corner STAX Rectangle Die-Namics.

 

 

 

I used the Wine Glass Brads from Eyelet Outlet paired with the absolute perfect sentiment from My Favorite Things Good Time to Wine.  I used the colors of the wine glasses in my card with dark maroon cardstock and shimmery silver cardstock for the band.

 

 

While I was on an alcohol-theme, I made a second card for the Less is More Challenge - One Layer Card with a theme of Cheers.

 

 

I stamped the Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Beer Blueprint Bottle together with the Essentialsby Ellen It's All Good sentiment.

 

 

Now to get these cards in the mail ... have you been mailing your cards?

Halloween Monsters

Today's Stay Crafty with Hero Arts theme is Halloween or Fall ... since I need about 20 more Halloween cards to get my list covered, that's the theme I chose.

 

 

I also wanted to incorporate the {PIN}spirational Challenge which is one of my favorites ... Monsters.  Don't you love that little guy??

 

 

I started with the Hero Arts Nesting Monster Fancy Dies and die cut the three tiny Monsters from one of my hand-marbled papers to get a similar color feel to the inspiration Monster.  Next I added a variety of eyeball stickers to bring them to life and matted my white strip of paper with more of my hand-marbled paper.

 

 

 

I finished with a sentiment from the extremely versatile Hero Arts stamp set Celebrate Everyday using the layout from Freshly Made Sketches.

 

Are you making Halloween card yet?

Dashing Through the Snow

For our next prompt at Jingle Belles we're asking you to create projects that celebrate the white fluffy flakes of snow … it might be snowmen, snowflakes or just snowfall, but include some snow on your cards.

 

I used my new Mini Swirly Snowflake Stamps and my MISTI to create a snowy background.

 

 

I found a left-over die cut background on my studio table, so I used it for this week's Sketch from Crazy 4 Challenges by adding some Snowflakes punched from glitter paper and topped with Eyelet Outlet Bling.

 

 

 

 

I finished with a tiny Peace on Earth sentiment.

Steampunk Heart Strong

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge is Steampunk, so I pulled out my Steampunk Stickers from {a vintage girl} & her daughter for some cards ... remember my code SMILYNSTEF gets you 15% off your order.

 

 

I just love the floral elements in these designs, so I used those colors for my card base.

 

I added a tiny epoxy heart and some enamel dots before finishing with a stamped sentiment from Simon Says Stamp You Got This.  This stamp set is at least 2 years old, so I'm also linking-up at the Anything Goes Challenge at Retro Rubber.

 

 

I used even more of these lovely Steampunk stickers on my second card with another perfect stamped sentiment from the same You Got This stamp set.

 

That butterfly is just so cool.