Ingenious Inkling

Shimmer & Shine Wedding

I needed a Wedding card for my stash, so I thought the Shimmer & Shine Challenge at Let's Squash It! was just what I needed for inspiration.

 

 

I started by embossing a piece of grey Glitter Designer paper with a Cuttlebug Geometric Rings Embossing Folder.

Next I used the Red Gold Decobrush Metallic Karin Marker to color over the raised edges.  I trimmed down the panel and attached it to a copper chunky glitter card base.

 

Next I die cut the Concord & 9th Tall Type Alphabet dies from the same chunky glittery cardstock. I backed the AND with black cardstock for a bit more contrast.  For a bit more shine, I added some glittery Gumdrops from Your Next Stamp.

Could you bee any sweeter?

So many new stamps ... so little time.  This afternoon I decided to ink-up some of my new Ellen Hutson stamps.  This little cutie is from a new Essentials by Ellen set called Love Notes.  

 

 

I stamped the sentiment and bee image close enough together that I could punch it out with a 1 3/4" circle punch for the current sketch at the Inspire.Create.Challenge.

 

The color inspiration is from the current Just Us Girls Challenge using two pieces of designer paper from my stash.  I die cut the Hexagons to bring in a honeycomb element to the design using the Essentials by Ellen Essential Hexagon Dies and sponged on a little Catherine Pooler Tiara ink to give them some contrast against the background.  I love how a single cut gets you the hexagon & the frame.

 

Watercolored Floral

The July Unity Stamp Company Challenge is all about Florals.

My sister-in-law gifted me with a set of watercolor paper card bases, so I decided to break them in with some Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigments (in Orchid & Dahlia) and the big drippy bloom from Unity Stamp Company Hello Beautiful.

 

 

I accidentally splattered when I was painting, so I went all-in with the splatters.  It felt like they worked with the drippy bloom.  I finished with a sentiment from Unity Stamp Company Art & Possibility (by Donna Downey Studios).

I'm also joining the Florals Galore Challenge at Chocolate Baroque.

Hot Air Balloon Kitties

It's been a while since I joined the Inspiration Challenge at SplitcoastStampers, but when I saw Karen's Card and that it was inspired by Hot Air Balloons, I had to go take a gander.

I chose this Cat Balloon from the Plano Balloon Festival to inspire my design. 

 

I have been wanting to make a card with the Cute Cat Stickers from {a vintage girl} & her daughter (remember discount code GNOMIES gets you 20% off your order).

 

 

One of my favorite ways to use stickers is to cover my card front (sort of like creating your own designer paper).  I chose a blue background inspired by the blue sky in the inspiration photo and framed it in pink since that was the main color I saw when my background was complete.

 

I finished with two perfect stamped sentiments from Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Meow.

I also want to share some new Yellow Submarine art I put up in my studio yesterday drawn & colored by my uber-talented friend Michele.  

 

 

The Fab Four are even swimming in the water in their St. Pepper colors.

 

A Christmas Story

This week at Jingle Belles we're asking you to create a card inspired by the many holiday books or movies that we all adored in childhood (and likely still adore them today).

So whether you love “A Christmas Carol”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” or “It's a Wonderful Life” we're asking you to create a card inspired by your favorite holiday book or movie.

I started with a holiday movie classic - Christmas Vacation - and a classic line from Chevy Chase (the less appropriate following line is on the inside of the card).

 

The stamp from The Ink Road Are You Serious Clark? is in Catherine Pooler Deck the Halls ink on a kraft card base and added a glittery Peel-off from Love from Lizi.

 

 

I'm also joining the Christmas in July Challenge at Less is More.

 

 

And its all about occasions at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

 

And it's another Get Cracking on Christmas with Jenn Shurkus.

Summer Camp Gel Printed Botanicals

I'm back for another Summer Camp Gel Printing Challenge with GelliArts ... and today's theme is Botanicals.  I used to love to pick all of the wildflowers (and quite a few weeds) in the summer and create my own bouquets and wreaths.  I was so proud when my Grandma hung one that I made on her wall.

 

I was looking for stencils, when I found this unopened sheet of adhesive stencils I picked-up from a Chalk Couture Vendor three years ago.  I cut one of the flowers out and then used a cheap make-up sponge to apply paint to my Gel Press plate until it was covered with blooms.

 

 

They weren't perfectly neat, but that's the joy of Gel Press Printing and Mixed Media art.

 

With my Cadmium Orange Blooms, I decided they were perfect for the Color Challenge at Sunday Stamps ... wish I had a dress in those colors.

 

 

I also used the layout from Freshly Made Sketches together with a cupcake & birthday sentiment sticker.

 

 

I'm having a lot of fun just working on a single print with a theme.

 

And who doesn't love the fun of summer camp without all of the bug bites and sunburn.

 

Thursday Link Love

Another week of blogland discoveries:

• I was having a debate with myself this morning on the best way to fold shorts
• I'm intrigued by Moroccan Sweet and Savory Chicken Pita
• Do you need a Reason to Throw a Party?
• This Easy Bolognese Sauce looks close to my restaurant favorite
• I love the colors of this wedding ... the flowers are stunning (shown)
• How to Draw 3-D Letters of the Alphabet
• love the look of this beautiful Blueberry Buckle
• Printable Cassette Cards

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Starry Sky at Night

Trying another Summer Camp Challenge with Gelli Arts.  Day Three was Stars at Night.  I remember how bright the stars were at our Summer Camp out in the middle of now where with out the City bright lights shining all around.

 

 

I saw @marshavalk splatter Posca Paint Pen on her plate and pick it up with paint, so I thought I would do the same.  The Sapphire Blue Metallic Paint seemed like the right hue for a Summer Camp Sky.  It worked like a charm.  I'll certainly be trying this again with other colors.

 

Fusion Moons

When I saw the current Fusion Card Challenge, I thought about what round objects I had in my creative stash.

 

 

I decided to combine a Gel Press Print with round elements and the beautiful Aunt Yo's Moons stickers from {a vintage girl} & her daughter (remember, the discount code is GNOMIES for 20% off your order).

 

 

I layered them onto my background using the images from the photo as my inspiration.

 

 

And the perfect sentiment from Flora & Fauna Letterboard Set.

 

Bonfires

Gelli Arts is hosting a fun Summer Camp Gel Printing Challenge over the next few weeks.

 

 

I always loved summer camp despite the big bites, freezing cold showers, and sweltering heat at night when it was time to fall asleep.  What I remember are the joy of every afternoon in the pool, the friends, and the artistic endeavors we undertook.

I chose a group of prints from my stash that reminded me of a bonfire.  The idea of creating pictures from my prints means some of those that I have no idea what I would make with them suddenly become useful.

 

 

I used the deep blue for my background and the brown for my logs (using a cartoon pictures as my visual inspiration).

 

Next I hand cut lots of flames to form my bonfire and then searched for the perfect sentiment sticker to turn this into a card.

I'm also linking-up at the X is for Exposed Challenge at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers ... because if liar's pants really did catch fire, there would be a lot of exposing going on.

 

 

Hopefully I'll be able to play along with at least several more the next few weeks.