Ingenious Inkling

Alcohol Ink Gel Pressed Leaves

I had the pleasure of hanging out with crafty friends at the Scrapmania Retreat House.  I spent most of my time showing them how to Gel Press with Alcohol Inks.  I made several pages using different shades of oranges that I pulled with a super-fine gold paint. 

They reminded me of the glory of Autumn colors, so I couldn't resist die cutting some leaves with new Spellbinders Autumn Leaves Etched Dies and the Spellbinders Mini Fall Blooms Etched Dies.  I loved how the etched cuts on the inside of the leaves made them look so realistic.

 

 

I started with The Paper Players Tic Tac Toe with a vertical down the right side with die cuts, leaves & embellishments for my design.

 

 

Next I pulled in the colors from this week's Color Throwdown Challenge.

 

 

Finally I used the Layout from Freshly Made Sketches with 1 1/2" dark brown squares on my kraft card base to catch the falling leaves.

 

 

For my embellishments I added clusters of brown gems.  I finished with a sentiment from The Stamp Market Tons of Type.

 

A Glimpse of Heaven

This week's My Time to Craft Challenge is about A New Home. 

My sister and her fiancé just got a new home, and I am so thrilled for them after years of apartment living that they will have their own space for them and for their pets.

 

 

I die cut a green Gel Press Print with the House & Trees Die and positioned it on top of a blue Gel Press Print before die cutting them both with a rectangle die.  I framed them both with a purple frame cut from a third Gel Press Print.

I finished with a poem written with Tim Holtz Sticker Sentiments.

I'm also joining the CCEE Stampers where the theme is to Create a Scene.

Big Grumpy - Naughty or Nice?

We're still in the theme of Creature Feature at Jingle Belles where we're making cards featuring animals or other creatures.

I chose the ever-so-adorable Big Grumpy from Taylored Expressions for my card stamped on kraft cardstock with a bit of Spectrum Noir marker coloring and paper piecing for those eyes.

 

 

I paired him with sentiments from TE Spoiler Alert & TE Simple Strips Christmas. 

 

I'm also adding one more for the Taylored Expressions #TEMakerChallenge with S is for Sign & Spirits.

I added a holly sticker & Santa Hat sticker from my stash before finishing an Eyelet Outlet Enamel Heart to let you know which way he leans.

 

 

Addicted to Stamps and More is all about Christmas.

Thursday Link Love

Another week of skipping through blogland:

• Copycat Cracker Barrel Banana Pudding
• Polymer Clay Necklace Inspiration & Tutorials (one of 20 shown)
• Vanilla Chai Pumpkin Latte Cupcakes
• How cute are Rue's Bears
• I'm intrigued by Crockpot French Toast
• Antique vs. Vintage
• Chicken Parmesan Gnocchi
• I want to embroider snowflakes
• Havarti & Apple Stuffed Pork Chops
• I had no idea you Charged Crystals
• Marshmallow Brownies ... yes please
• how adorable are these Snow Squad Tags
• Sausage Gravy Breakfast Enchiladas
• Sweater Care Tips (because that time of year is just around the corner)
• Oooo ... Butterfinger Pie
• Weekend Home Projects (there's more than a few I need to add to my list)
• Baklava Bundt Cake
• One thing about Condo Living is that we don't have a Porch

Have a tremendous Thursday!

Purple Cheers!

My sister's favorite color is purple and in a few weeks I'll be joining her as Matron of Honor at her purple wedding ... I can't wait.

So of course, I had to join the Purple Challenge at Addicted to CAS. 

 

 

I paired the new Essentials by Ellen Cup of Cheer stamps with a sentiment from Essentials by Ellen Bear Ware Grand Tour to turn it into a Purple wedding celebration design.

 

 

I added a little marker coloring and decided to go all-in Purple with a purple card base.

I did a trial run of my nails for the wedding this weekend ... I love the glittery sparkle.

 

Live a Beautiful Life

When I was playing with my alcohol inks on Sunday night, I started on a piece of Ranger Black Alcohol Ink Blending paper, but I couldn't quite make it work, so I set it aside. 

Last night I tried again bringing out pearlescent and glitter inks together with some white and finally got a cool effect.  I came in at the end adding a touch of silver foil.

 

 

I decided with all of the silver to feature a vellum butterfly sticker on silver paper from my stash. I used the layout from the Inspire.Create.Challenge replacing the circle with the butterfly ... but looking at it now through the camera lens, I wish I would have angled it a bit (why are design facets always clearer when you photograph).

 

 

I stamped my Impression Obsession Words for Art Sentiment on vellum in black ink and clear embossed and backed it with silver metallic paper to stay with the theme.  I'm linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Thinking of You Challenge as this one goes in the mail.

 

 

Now to figure out more inks that will work on this black paper.

 

 

I'm linking-up at the TGIF Challenges Alcohol Ink Blending Challenge as well.

 

As Old As You Think You Are

I'm joining the Seize the Birthday theme to Use a Stencil.

 

 

I love the blue and green stenciled background of this Gel Press Print using one of the Joggles Klimt inspired stencils by Elizabeth St. Hilaire.

 

Love Your Guts

The current TGIF Challenge is Alcohol Blending, so I thought getting inky was the perfect way to end the weekend.  Alcohol Ink blending was one of the first techniques I learned using refills for alcohol ink markers.  I've always enjoyed the magic of it.

 

I decided to use the Ranger Silver Ink Blending Cardstock that has been unopened in my stash for much too long together with new Marabu Alcohol Inks.  I use a sprayer of Alcohol Ink and an air puffer to blow the around.

 

 

I also went in and added silver foil to the top of the almost dried inks.  I decided to use this as my background for the current Sketch at The Paper Players.

 

 

I decided to use the Love Your Guts Die by CZ Designs from Simon Says Stamp as my Sketch Shape die cut from Vellum & Silver Glitter Foam.  I'm also linking-up at Crazy 4 Challenges where the theme is Vellum.

 

 

I finished with a few clusters of silver glitter enamel dots.

 

Fox Friends Birthday

I've had these cute little fox stickers on my studio table for a while, just waiting for inspiration.  And along it came with the Just Us Girls Challenge Inspiration Photo.

 

 

My niece is having a baby soon, and her baby shower last weekend was filled with adorable little woodland creatures.  

 

I took my inspiration from the design and colors. I started by stamping a little banner from Taylored Expressions Party Streamers across the top, which works for the October #TEMakerChallenge to use something that starts with an S. 

 

 

I picked three pieces of designer paper inspired by the colors in the photograph for this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge and finished with a perfectly sized sticker sentiment and some tiny star stickers (for more S items).

 

 

I'm also joining the Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge to feature an Animal in your design.

Boo-ho Chic Pumpkins

We were given a paper mache pumpkin at work to decorate for a contest ... no theme.  I learned from the Damsel of Distressed to always start by painting a surface with Gesso, so that's what I did.  I also found a tiny pumpkin that I thought I would decorate as a partner.

 

 

Next I brought out my new ArtFoamies Stamps by Nathalie Kahlbach.  This idea actually came to me in a dream where I realized the foam stamp flexibility allowed me to stamp on the curve of the pumpkins.

 

 

the inky sprays to do a some drips.  I used some Distress Sprays and some vintage Memories Mists to add the Halloween Hues of orange, purple and gold to my pumpkins.

 

 

Next in the process was to paint paper flowers and buttons with white paint.  Once they dried, I attached them to my pumpkins.

 

 

Then I added some black vintage buttons from my stash, as well as some Tim Holtz Adornments Butterflies and Idea-ology Fanciful Buttons.  I also added Tim Holtz Halloween Clipping Sticker Sentiments.  I finished with a few cute skeletons, some 3-D spiders and a big black BOO.

Next up, some Gilding Polish and eye makeup to add some colors to the edges and texture of my pieces.

 

Next it was time to splatter some color to tie it all together.

 

 

I used Dina Wakley Gloss Sprays, Distress Mica Stain and some Heidi Swapp color Shine Spray in Black.  I used parchment paper for my painting and messes.

 

Here's a peek at the back of the big pumpkin.

 

 

 

Unfortunately when I sprayed with matte varnish to set all of the colors, it removed a bit of the white paint from my blue and red flowers ... but I decided to just leave it.

 

 

 

 

I think I achieved my Boo-ho Chic Goals for my design.  How adorably creepy is that little guy.

 

 

And of course the star of the show.

 

 

With my Halloween creations I'm linking-up at Simon Says Spooky/Halloween.