Ingenious Inkling

Dashing through the Snow

The next Jingle Belles prompt is to create a card that features SNOW. 

I wanted to also join the Stay Crafty with Hero Arts Challenge #staycraftywithhero, which is stenciling ... but my only Hero Arts stencil wasn't the least bit Christmasy (Every Which Way), so I had to get creative.

 

 

I started by inking my stencil with Speckled Egg and Tumbled Glass on white cardstock.  Next I stamped Hero Arts Stacking Snowflakes in Black ink on the background.

 

 

I added a scrap of coordinating blue shimmer paper with Hero Arts  and then layered on a sentiment from the Stacking Snowflakes & a Snow Globe from Hero Arts Make Your Own Snow Globe stamp set (stamped in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink).

It's also an Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp this week.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of skipping through blogland:

• How to be More Spacious in your Day
• feels like the right time for Pumpkin Snickerdoodles ... or maybe Snickerdoodle Bars with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
• To me, these Color Block Card Designs are perfection
• lovely Coconut Macaroon Pie
• Rewilding urbanity with botanical metaphors - Mona Caron
• Everything Ranch Cheese & Pretzel Snack Mix
• I love a warming bowl of Hot & Sour Soup
• tutorial for a Flannel & Fleece Blanket
• Shoestring Fries ... yum
• NYC Origami Animal Art by Hacer (one shown ... more in the post)
• the joy of a Perfect Fit
• Perfect Pumpkin Cake
• love all of the vibrant colors of this wedding
• Iced Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• When we had a Greek Restaurant in town, I always ordered Pastitsio.

Here's to a tremendous Thursday!

Vintage Lemon Twist

I'm on a bit of a quest to use-up my Simple Stories Vintage Lemon Twist Collection (affiliate link at no cost to you).

Tonight I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch.

 

 

Two die cut circles, a horizontal sticker and two foam heart stickers.

 

 

 

Savage but Sweet Kind of Vibe

Today I'm using some gorgeous papers from Prima Marketing called Diamond (affiliate link ... no cost to you, but I may make a referral fee if you purchase).

My first card is inspired by both the photo & sketch at the Inspired by Challenge.  I combined multiple papers from the collection together with a sentiment from Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Background.

 

 

I finished with a few gold peel-off stickers.  I just love those flowers.

 

 

I rotated the sketch to work with my papers.

 

 

Next I used another paper from the collection together with a couple of journaling cards from my stash inspired by the TGIF Challenge.

 

 

I framed my flowery pumpkin with more of the gold border stickers & some Love from Lizi Peel Off Stickers.

 

Oh Happy Day!

Tonight I made a quick paper-crafted card using the Simple Stories Vintage Lemon Twist Collection (affiliate link ... costs you nothing to click on through).

I took my inspiration from The Card Concept making a card in the Clean and Layered Style.

 

 

I took my inspiration from the gingham ribbon (swapping black for gold), a black and white background (swapping woodgrain for polka dots) and multiple big bold blooms.

 

 

I used tow papers from the collection, some foam stickers for the focal image and two other stickers for the sentiments.  

 

 

The layout is from Try Stampin (or Not) on Tuesday.

It's Cupcake Time

I decided it was time to use some of those beautiful background papers I've been making for some masculine birthday cards.

I started with this week's Sketch Saturday and a piece of Alcohol Ink paper for my background.

 

 

I combined a journaling card, an SRM Happy Birthday Sticker and a Love from Lizi peel-off and this card was done in no time.

 

 

Next I combined another strip of that same Alcohol Inked background with a Gel Press print using the Sketch from The Paper Players.

 

 

I rotated the sketch, so I could make my balloon papers work and added a little party hat sticker on top of the Pin the Tail on the Donkey Game (I hated that game; any time I got spun in circles, I got sick ... add a blindfold and you're pretty likely to get to get thrown-up on).

I finished with an SRM Make a Wish sticker across the balloon panel and some Love from Lizi Peel-offs to frame the balloons.

 

Happily Ever After

The current Color Hues Challenge is a lovely one - Pink & Purple.

 

My sister is getting married and I was honored to create her wedding invitations.  I chose the Impression Obsession Heart Couple Frame as my focal image.  I die cut it from light purplish Pink and again from a gold glitter cardstock, which I offset.  I added a gold glitter sticker on the left side.

 

The sentiment is from Couture Creations Forever and Always.

When I completed that assembly, I attached it all to a gorgeous piece of hand-made paper I found at Artist & Craftsman Supply on our trip to Kansas City (I loved that I found the paper on a trip, since traveling with my sister is one of my favorite things & we have explored Kansas City together many times).

I couldn't be happier to be gaining a new brother-in-law.  

You're All Kinds of Wonderful

When I saw the inspiration photo at the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge, it reminded me of several painted panels I've had near my studio table for some time just waiting to become a card.

 

 

I had done a paint smooshing technique with Dylusions Shimmer Paint that I got from The Ink Pad in New York City (they are celebrating their 23rd birthday with 23% off your order if you use code 23YEARS at checkout). Sale applies to in-stock merchandise only and ends at 11:59pm on Sunday, September 26th.

 

 

I put drops of paint on a piece of parchment paper and then sprayed with water before dragging pieces of white cardstock through the colors.  I added more water until all of the paint was on paper.

 

Each one got a different mix of color.  I loved the shimmery effect.

For today's card, I embossed one panel with the Pinkfresh Studio Essentials: Slim Stitches Die (also at The Ink Pad).  I'm linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Stitch It Challenge.

 

 

One a second panel, I stamped the large flower from Pinkfresh Studio Friendship Blooms and fussy cut the bloom before attaching it to a circle cut with the Pinkfresh Studio Diagonal Stitched Circles together with leaves stamped & cut from a green/blue painted panel created using the same technique.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Seize the Birthday Stitching Challenge.

 

I stamped the sentiment & clear embossed on the same green/blue painted paper.  I finished with some green gems.

That makes a Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge horizontal across the top with Die Cut, Orange & Embossing.

 

More of the ABC's of Gel Printing

I've been having lots of fun working my way through the Alphabet with GelliArts.

T is for Texture.  I used the texture from a snowflake embossing folder to pick-up the manganese Blue paint from my plate and then picked-up the print on the left.

 

Next I embossed with the ink-covered folder and got the textured print on the right.  So much fun ... must paint/ink embossing folders again.

U is for Unity.  This one was tough for me, but then I realized that I could use a pattern (in this case Bubble Wrap) to create Unity among different colored stripes ... also must remember to save my bubble wrap somewhere in this studio mess for printing.

 

 

V is for Vertical.  I found this Arrow Stencil in my stash (sorry I searched but couldn't find the source ... I sure wish Stencil Makers put their name on the stencil) and used it to create Vertical Designs.  After learning I needed Opaque paints with contrast to do Gel Press Image Transfer, I went on a buying spree (and then inadvertently bought Open paints rather than the regular ones I usually use ... we'll see what I can do with that longer drying time).  I do love those colors.

 

 

And W is for Watercolor.  I decided to use my neglected Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigments in two Neon shades.

 

 

This is basically a modified Ink Smooshing Technique.  I played around with amount of ink (middle print had a lot of just the orangey pink) and how I applied it to the plate.

Next up is X is for X-designs.  I found an X-shaped foam stamp in my stash, so I used it to make a few prints.

 

 

I really love the grungy clean-up print.

Y is for Yarn.  I didn't have any regular yarn, but I had several skeins of this thin yarn I had picked-up after I saw people use it in a cool way on cards (and then of course I have yet to use it).

 

 

I strung it across my plate and did several layers and several layers on a clean-up print too ... I am still loving those greens.

Hope you've enjoying joining me for my ABC's of Gel Printing this month.

Let it Snow!

For our next Jingle Belles prompt is Dashing Through the Snow where we're asking you 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.

This Penny Black Snowman Joy is my favorite snow person.  I feel the same joy when I'm outside feeling snowflakes falling on my face.  I'm a full-on four-seasons gal, but Autumn and Winter are my favorites. 

 

 

I started with Core'dinations Cardstock that I embossed with Sizzix Winter Snowflakes 3D Embossing Folder and then sanded to expose the core.   I'm linking-up at the Let's Squash It! Challenge where the theme is Sand It.

 

 

I sprayed on some iridescent shimmer spray for over all sparkle and then splattered with white acrylic ink after I had attached my snowman and the Penny Black Merry Christmas Sentiment.  I'm also linking-up at the Saturday Penny Black Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes with an optional theme of Embossing.