Ingenious Inkling

Just Because

Did you know that August 27th is *National Just Because Day* ... and to celebrate, at Shopping Our Stash we're asking you to make Just Because cards ... you know, those ones you send Just Because you're thinking of someone (in my opinion, the best cards to receive).

For my card, I had fun revisiting an Alcohol Ink technique.  I stamped the Paper Smooches Box of Flowers on Vellem and embossed with white embossing powder.  Next I turned the vellum over and used three different hues of red and pink alcohol ink on the back of the vellum.  Once it dried, I die cut my image and piece of white cardstock using a stitched square die cut, and then attached the two layers

 

 

I attached the square panel to a kraft card base and finished with a tiny Woodblock Just Because Sentiment attached with foam tape for a bit of dimension.

Please come join us with your Just Because card (and even better, mail it to someone when you're done to make their day).

Seek Gather Create Mixed Media Card

I stumbled across a new-to-me Mixed Media Scavenger Hunt Challenge for the month of August #seekgathercreateAugust2024, and decided to join the fun.

 

I started by combining the first two elements (Gold Paint & Plastic Wrap) to create a GelliArts print.

 

 

I've honestly never tried burning anything to make a card before, so I was a bit apprehensive.  I tore a few pages out of a vintage repair manual and used water to draw a line down the paper (hoping it would stop the fire should it burn faster than I intended).  Thankfully, that worked out very well and I ended-up with two partially burned pages.  

I pulled out a kraft tag and attached the burned page and some of my gold Gelliarts Print.  Next, I added a few gold paint splatters, and then I used a gold Sharpie marker to add the handwriting element.  I just scribbled the alphabet on the tag portion between the two papers.  I used some gold thread through the whole at the top of the tag.

 

 

For the background I used my first attempt from GelliArts printing the gold paint onto a scrap of designer paper.  I distressed & curled one edge.  I added a scrap of Alcohol Ink paper that was on the floor leftover from this card, since it was too pretty not to add to the mix.

I finished with a sentiment and airplane from Kaiser Kraft as well as a few more scraps of the gold plastic wrap printed paper to tie the design together.

You Have to be Odd

I loved getting to create tonight with another one of my alcohol ink backgrounds. 

For this card, I used this week's Just Add Ink Sketch and cut it into four one-inch strips.

 

 

I added another Doodle-Pop Sticker ... this time a fun little Doodlebug Giggle Monster.

 

 

I finished with a Studio Light Sticky Quote sticker.

Sorry for Your Dog Loss

A friend lost a beloved dog this week, and I wanted to send a card to express my sympathy.

 

 

I started with inspiration from the Hero Arts Stay Crafty Challenge Color My World.  My coloring was one of the brown Alcohol Ink backgrounds I made with my friend Bev in Alabama.  

 

 

I cut the background into strips using this week's Freshly Made Sketch layout.

 

 

I added a gold metallic circle for the Cardz 4 Guyz Metallic Challenge.  The Buddy Doggone Cute Shaker-Pop from Doodlebug Designs is my Animal for The Male Room Challenge.

 

 

I finished with the paw prints from the Shaker-Pop and a Hero Arts Sentiment from Thinking of You.

 

Inky Hexagons

I laughed out loud when I saw the current Sketch Challenge at Just Add Ink. 

I have had two alcohol inked gelliprinted die cut hexagons on my studio table for weeks.  I almost threw them away twice, but decided I loved them too much not to find them a home .. and then viola ... a sketch with the answer to my dilemma.

 

 

I die cut a few more Hexagons from a piece of Dina Wakley Media Gloss Sprayed paper in my stash and played around trying to decide on positioning, and I ultimately used them both layered one on top of the other.

 

 

I cut the sentiment from a piece of DCWV Designer paper and added a scattering of Pinkfresh Studio lime green crystals on top of the Hexagons.

This card is going straight into the mail ... I challenge you to mail one of your cards this week to someone who would love to see a card in their mailbox.

March Gelliprinting Continues

I'm still making my way through the Gelliarts #marchprintingchallenge on Instagram (you can follow me at @SmilynStef).

 

 

Day 17 was Shamrock.  I used these paper shamrock masks printing several layers while moving them around the plate.

 

 

Day 18 is black & white (I need a more opaque black paint) using Julie Balzer's Rows of Lines Stencil from The Crafter's Workshop.

 

 

For Day 19 - Recycle - I recycled a paper overlay from a Hallmark greeting card and used it as a mask.  

 

 

For day 20 Geometry, I used the Large Betsy's Block stencil by Dylusions with Platinum and Red paints.  

 

 

Day 21 is curves.  I cut a large circle from a piece of typing paper and used it as a mask for applying PanPastel with a sponge.  I used three new colors I added to my stash (which in hindsight were the colors of our Junior High team, the Hornets).

 

 

Day 22 was Contrast.  I had intended to use black to pull these vibrant hues, but didn't get the results I was hoping for, so instead I just embraced the contrast between the neon yellow and vibrant pink.  The one on the left is on printer paper and on the right I used deli paper.

 

 

Day 23 was Alcohol Ink.  I had intended for the second print to be shades of blues, but because I didn't clean my stencil and the new ink activated the dried ink on the stencil, I ended-up with the cool happy accident mixing of colors.

 

 

Day 24 was monochromatic.  I fell in love with all of the shades of blue.

 

 

I hope you're enjoying my gelliprinting experiments as much as I am.

Green Geometric Birthday

I spent the afternoon trying to make art ... and failing.  However, now I know what not to do in the future.  

I decided to see if I could rescue anything from my failed attempts.  I chose the Code Word Geometric at Addicted to CAS for my inspiration and decided to make a masculine birthday card, since my stash needs restocked.

 

 

I die cut Hexagons from a piece of Alcohol Ink paper and another scrap of gelli printed paper - both in greens.  I positioned them on a white card base, adding foam tape to the overlapping one for dimension.

 

 

I debated between a stamped sentiment and a sticker, and ultimately went with the sticker because the color and font seemed just right.

 

 

I'm also joining the Time Out Challenges 10th Birthday Celebration.

New & Old Sympathy

The newest challenge at Stay Crafty with a Blog Named Hero is Everything Old is New Again.

 

 

I combined an old Hero Arts Through the Woods Window Die Cut with new stamps & die cuts from the With Sympathy Bundle (although I can't seem to find it in any store ... it was relatively new & unopened in my stash).

I die cut the window die from one of the Alcohol Ink Gel Prints I made last week, and then die cut around it with a large oval die cut.  I used the same large oval to die cut a metallic gold gelliprint for the opening.

 

 

I stamped the two branches from the With Sympathy set twice, and die cut them.  The Butterfly is from the same set.  I colored the blooms & butterfly with an orange marker before attaching to an orange designer paper base.  I finished with a with sympathy sentiment.

I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Something New Challenge.

Midnight Resolutions

The plan this morning was to sleep in, but my body had other ideas and woke up like it was a Monday morning work day.  I know when it does that, there's no fighting it, so I got out of bed.  Then mid-morning, it felt like I might be able to get a little nap, but it fought me on that effort too, so I got back-up and planned to clean-up my studio and do a little purging.

However, as soon as I found this gold foiled alcohol ink panel buried on my studio table, I took a sharp left and decided to make a card instead ... what's a girl to do when inspiration strikes.

I decided to join the December Unity Show & Tell Challenge, which is Anything Goes, and turn my lovely panel into a new year's card (yes, despite my best efforts, I failed to get a few Christmas cards mailed in time, so now it will be New Year's Cards).

I die cut the inky panel with a stitched square and used extra-strong tape to attach it to a glitter paper covered card base.  A tip for adhering to glitter ... after I attach the tape, I run the entire card through my Empress Embossing Machine to squish it all together nice and strong.

 

 

It only took three tries to find the right bright royal blue ink (cussing myself that I'm not more like SkyPaperScissors with all of my inks properly swatched) for the Unity New Year - Midnight Resolutions image (saving the other two with the stamp for another time).  I framed it in royal blue and gold paper before attaching with some foam tape and shimmery gold thread.

The finishing touch is a few Pinkfresh Studio Ombre Sparkle & Shine Glitter Drops.

I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Party Time Challenge.  I'm also joining the Cobalt Blue Challenge at The Dream Factory.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

The newest Challenge at Shopping our Stash is Hot, Hot Hot! - you could make it weather related, grilling or even spicy food.  We just want you to shop your stash for what says HOT to you.

 

 

 

Since I just returned from a vacation to visit my crafty friend Bev to enjoy time floating in her pool in the Hot, Hot, Hot southern weather, that's what inspired by card.

 

I chose a gelliprint from my stash that reminded me of the beautiful blues of a swimming pool.  Then I used an oval die on kraft cardstock to die cut my pool.

 

I found a scrap of alcohol ink paper in my stash and used it to stamp images from a Never Been Used Stamp Set (NBUS) from Ellen Hutson Essentials by Ellen - Everything's Beachy. 

 

 

 

 

I stamped my lady on white cardstock and used coordinating colored pencils to bring her to life.

 

 

 

I finished by attaching all of the pieces to my card base and adding a stamped sentiment on the pool bottom from Ellen Hutson's Essential by Ellen Summer of Stamping Soak it Up Combo by Avery Elle.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Summer Challenge at Inspire. Create. Stamping Challenge.