Ingenious Inkling

What is Life Without Goals?

Tonight's cardmaking goal was very specific ... a Soccer-themed Thank You.  I started with a piece of Soccer-themed designer paper from the We R Memory Keepers Game Day Collection.  I searched through my stash and found several Gel Press Prints (the background & behind the sentiments) that coordinated.

Lastly, I used the Layout from Global Design Project and assembled my card.

 

I loved layering together all of those strips of paper. I used a vintage soccer picture and Goals Sentiment cut from Authentique Golf Papers.  I completed my design with a Thank You sentiment from Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Sentiment Strips Reverse Gratitude.

 

Clean & Simple Critters

Somehow I managed to lose my entire container of Brayers somewhere in my studio.  I packed them up a week before vacation, so I would have them to take along, and then subsequently lost them.  This loss has led to a massive scavenger hunt through my studio, which has led to the discovery my many things (like the adorable Doodlebug Fall Friends Critter Stickers I used on my card), but so far still no Brayers.

I wanted to use some of the cool gel press prints and roll-offs that I made last weekend in my card, so I chose the AAA Cards Critter + Sketch Challenge to inspire my design.

 

 

I used one of my Alcohol Ink Prints from last weekend along the top and one of my alcohol ink roll-off papers for the grass landscape inside my circles (cleaning my alcohol ink covered brayer using blending solution and rolling it onto paper produces the coolest effect).

 

 

I created my little Critter scene using mushrooms, a ladybug, a birdie and two little bees from Doodlebug Fall Friends stickers.

I finished with an Graphic 45 Birdwatcher Border Sticker and a typed sentiment from Taylored Expressions Sketchbook Florals.

Neutral Noel

At Jingle Belles prompt Neutral Noel we are still creating holiday cards which embrace only the neutral color palette – white, cream, ivory, ecru, black, gray, charcoal, obsidian, brown, tan, kraft, camel, oatmeal, sienna (you get the picture).

There's also burlap, jute, paper bags, cork, chalkboards, sandpaper or lace ... Use them all together or chose one hue and rock the monochromatic design … as long as it's NEUTRAL it's in.

I grabbed my scrap paper basket and created a college of neutral tons featuring those papers, some vintage sheet music, and a transparency that I attached with tiny attacher staples.

 

I finished with a wrap of gold thread, vintage picture from Tim Holtz ChristmasTime Ephemera, and some Idea-ology Christmas sentiment stickers.

Midwest Vacation 2021

We just returned from a lovely vacation circling through the Midwest. 

We started in Galena, Illinois where we had an amazing stay at the Jail Hill Inn.  I highly recommend the accommodations if you are ever in the area.  They have blocked-off a large portion of the downtown main street from traffic, so the restaurants could move dining into the street.

I bought lots of gifts and treats including these fun sandals, which are displayed on a piece of the original jail floor that was preserved under epoxy by the innkeeper.

 

 

We ended our day with a fantastic supper at Fritz & Frites.  We enjoyed both German and French cuisine that was so delicious.  I need to find that recipe for the sweet & sour purple cabbage ... it was divine.

 

 

The next morning we headed to Madison, Wisconsin to wander through the Olbrich Botanical Gardens ... one of our favorite getaways (I still marvel that it's free).  I thought there would be more in bloom, but we did enjoy a small selection of flowers.

 

 

I always love visiting the Tibetan Temple.

 

Next we headed to Ha Long Bay for lunch.  My husband had a delicious Crispy Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich.  I had some soup, cucumber salad and fresh rolls.

 

Our next stop was a stay with MyCraftyDreams and her family for some relaxation, awesome food, adult beverages (I can personally vouch that this Creamsicle Martini is da' bomb) and Art Camp.  

We started by playing with Shaving Cream & Liquid Watercolors ... look at those vibrant colors.  

 

 

It was fun to experiment with different marbling tools ... different ways to scrape off the shaving cream ... and first, second and third pulls.  The first time I did this was in 1999 and I think it was even more fun this time.

Day 2 of Art Camp was Gel Press Printing with acrylic paints.  I picked-up the Julie Balzer Tiny Circles Stencil by The Crafters Workshop from Artist & Craftsman Supplies in Madison, so that is what I used for mine.  My friend Karen pointed out that the bottom one reminded her of a honeycomb.

 

 

Mycraftydreams had fun with Quatrefoils and bigger dots.

 

 

We capped off day three of Art Camp with Alcohol Inks on our Gel Press Plates.  It was something neither of us had really tried, so the learning process was fun.  This was my first print framed by the roll-off prints from cleaning my brayer with blending solution & rolling it off onto cardstock (I just love how ethereal it feels).

 

 

The hardest part of this technique is waiting for the inks to dry, so we pulled out some smaller Gel Press plates, so we could be working on several at once.  These are a pair of my attempts at making rainbows.

 

 

The final leg of our journey was a stay at The Charmont Hotel in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  We were on the top floor and the patio off our room had a wonderful view of the river.

 

 

I am so grateful for artsy time with friends.

 

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland adventures:

• Do you buy Frozen Fruits & Vegetables?
• love this awesome Sideboard Makeover
• No Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (do you remember churning for hours as a child just to get that delicious homemade ice cream?)
• Funniest Town Names in all 50 States - can you guess yours?
• Creamy Fruit Popsicles
• I'm curious about these Odor Neutralizing Soaps
• Are you (like me with a tiny open condo kitchen) always looking for Kitchen Storage Solutions
• love this trip down memory lane with Summer Songs
• Typographic Book Cover Beauty
• How fun are these DIY Olive Stress Balls (shown)

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Neutral Layered Tag Holiday Gift Card Holder

For this week's card prompt at Jingle Belles is Neutral Noel where we're asking you to create holiday cards which embrace only the neutral color palette – white, cream, ivory, ecru, black, gray, charcoal, obsidian, brown, tan, kraft, camel, oatmeal, sienna (you get the picture). 

There's also burlap, jute, paper bags, cork, chalkboards, sandpaper or lace ... Use them all together or chose one hue and rock the monochromatic design … as long as it's NEUTRAL it's in.

My card was inspired by Ardyth's Layered Tag Card Tutorial that she recently shared on SplitcostStampers.  I used two Manila and one Kraft tag and tied them together using lots of non-holiday neutral items including three coordinated journaling cards, neutral hexagon tags and papers from Ciao Bella Blue Note Collection. 

 

I finished with three sizes of snowflake buttons, SRM Clear Stickers and Tim Holtz Holiday sentiment stickers.  

Here's the look when they are all aligned.  I knotted the ribbon loosely at the top, so the tags are easy to move around.

 

Here's the front card with a gift card in the pocket.  I used an old Spellbinders Die to trim the left edge of the journaling card & then attached it with thin foam tape on three sides to create a side-opening gift card pocket.

 

 

The middle card features a lovely vintage typewriter with a torn piece of paper leaving part of the kraft tag base visible.  I used Studio Calico Hexagon Stickers with music notes to tie into the musical themed background papers.

 

 

The back tag (that I left full-sized) features the darker journaling card.  I love how this design combines all of the neutral tones rather than being monochromatic.  

 

 

I hope you're inspired to use some of your non-holiday papers for lovely holiday designs.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• I want to try this Everything Ranch Cheese & Pretzel Snack Mix
• I adore this apartment (especially the shower/soaking tub)
• Must try the Tito's Colada (pretty much I'm there for any sweet drink that includes a cherry)
• Do you have a supply of Command Hooks?
• Step-by-Step Instructions (with photos) for making your own Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
• Intrigued by Novels told in a Single Day?
• Twisty Cinnamon Buns
• love the vintage look of these DIY Reusable Sponges
• I love Broccoli Salad ... I may try this recipe next (love the idea of apples, but wondering how they would hold up for multiple days ... may chop one into it when I scoop up my bowl)
• Covering Scars with Beautiful Tattoos
• Packaging Art that Inspires (shown)
• Marshmallow Buttercream ... yum
• Love the fabric on these Hidden Tab Curtains

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Botanical Hello

The June Reverse Confetti Stock Your Stash theme is Hello / Just Because. 

From a very early age I've been a Just Because card sender.  I know how good it makes me feel to get an e-mail or card in the mail from someone just because they were thinking of me ... so I love the thought of sending that message of joy through the mail every week.

 

 

I decided to use the hues from this week's Color Throwdown and the plant reminded me of the Reverse Confetti Botanical Stamp Set, so that is what I colored with those hues.

 

 

I love those dual shades of coral with the pop of green ... and that light tan is my favorite shade of kraft cardstock.

 

 

I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch for my layout and a sentiment from Reverse Confetti Best Sentiments.  I finished with some enamel dots and a tiny heart.

 

Have a Blast!

When I saw the current Atlantic Hearts Sketch, it made me want to go cut strips of paper from my cardstock scraps ... so I did, using the color inspiration from the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge.

 

 

It was the perfect opportunity  to break out my stash of 4th of July papers and have some good old papercrafting fun.

 

I miss the fireworks from my childhood (Iowa doesn't have the roadside fireworks stands where I used to spend my allowance).  I finished with a vintage SRM Sticker Sentiment.

 

Happy Happy Joy Joy

The June #TEMakerChallenge has the following elements:

 

As I hunted through my various holiday stamps, I saw the repeating Joy stencil in the Holiday Stencil Strips and immediately started singing Happy Happy, Joy Joy in my best Ren & Stimpy voices, and I knew what my card was going to be ... I just needed to find a coordinating Happy. 

I did some stamp surgery on the Happy Valentine's Sentiment from the Flip the Lace Stamp Set (a 2x Holiday repurpose) and stamped it four times with my MISTI moving my paper 2 squares on the MISTI platform each time, and then I blended using the same Carnival Color Palette.

 

And for the Letter D, I went with the Dancing Birthday Cake from the Party Pals Stamp set and finished with the birthday sentiment from the same set.  I colored the cake with the same colors and added some fun googly eyes to finish my card.