Ingenious Inkling

Gell(i)nktober Let's Par-TEE

Today I tried one of Birgit's techniques using Distress Oxide Ink and Stencils.  The first print is made by putting the Carabelle Studios Circle of Stars stencil down on the inked plate and doing the first print.  Then there is a second print after picking-up the stencil.

 

 

I used my first print for a masculine birthday card inspired by the Sports theme at the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge.

 

 

I chose the golf ball to inspire my design with Golf papers from Authentique.

 

 

The Happy Birthday sentiment is a clear sticker mounted on white cardstock.

Enjoy Today

I do love a good layered sketch, and the one at The Paper Players this week is a keeper.

 

 

I love the artistic meditative process of playing with patterns and colors of paper.  I started with my new Soccer Paper Pad from Authentique.  It had a perfect little vintage Soccer image for the focal point.

 

I did add some gold cardstock for a bit more contrast of colors, but the remainder are all papers from the collection.  The sticker sentiment seemed perfect for the theme.

I'm also linking-up at the SPORTS Challenge at Use Your Stuff.

I was having so much fun, I pulled out Amy Tangerine's Oh Happy Life for another happy card.

 

I used the same scrap of gold cardstock in this design and added a few stickers from the collection for a bit more fun ... love the happy play of all those patterns.   Another sticker sentiment completed the design.

Independence Day

I found a few sets of 4th of July stickers when I was cleaning out last week, so I decided to make a few cards today.  I keep all of my red, white and blue (or ivory, white and blue) paper collections in a 12" container, so I can pull them out this time of year.  It's amazing how they are all paper collections for the same holiday ... but how the colors are all so slightly different that they don't always work together very well.

For the first one I used a sketch from Crazy for Challenges.

I combined three different papers, a journaling cards and several of the stickers I found on my cleaning binge.

 

 

The next one I turned into a birthday card for my stash using the Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge.

 

The sentiment is a vintage Happy Birthday woodblock stamp from Hero Arts.

 

 

The third one used the rest of the polka dot paper together with pieces cut from another paper in the stack and an Independence Day sticker.

 

I took my inspiration for all of the layers from the table setting in The Card Concept.

 

I finished with some glittery star stickers and a few wraps of soft nubby yarn ...  and then I got them into the mail.  I wish I was seeing people in person for the long holiday weekend ... but hugs across the miles with have to do this year.

When There Are No Words

I used my last sympathy card today ... so I had to make some more.  Because we all know that when you need a sympathy card is not the time you want to be making one ... so I always make sure I have some in my stash.

I pulled out several Retro Wood Block favorites for tonight's cards.  The first is from Outlines Rubber Stamps and is good to have for so many occasions when you want to say something ... but there are no words.

I paired it with the bird from Unity Stamp Company's Sympathy & Sadness using this week's CAS(e) this Sketch!

 

The second one features Hero Arts In My Thoughts together with the Atlantic Hearts Sketch.

Papers are all from Authentique's Sea-Maiden Collection.

 

Be Good for Goodness Sake

For this week's Floral Card for Jingle Belles, I combined products from lots of different companies ... I also learned that photographing foiled designs is a bit of a challenge.

 

My background was made with Decofoil Transfer Gel, Brutus Monroe Tide Pool Foil & Carabelle Studios Accumulation De Ronds Stencil.  My flowers are from the lovely Little Birdie Handmade Flowers and the remaining elements are from Authentique Jingle Elements ... remember, you don't necessarily need *Christmas* flowers for a *Christmas* card.

 

We hope you'll break out your favorite blooms and join us.

 

Let there be PEACE on Earth

We're creating cards featuring PEACE at Jingle Belles ... could be the word Peace, a scene that evokes Peace, or the Peace symbol.

I started with a little Peace Flashcard and built my design around it.

I layered lots of Authentique papers and combined them with more flashcards, sticker sentiments and rub-on stars and snowflakes.

We hope you'll come join us.

Be Merry

I decided for this week's SHAPE-UP Card for Jingle Belles, I wanted to make a To Go Coffee Cup.

I sketched my cup on Authentique Nostalgia Paper (I adore those reindeer in scarves with that texty background) and then sketched the lid on the reverse of the same paper.  I used a Sharpie to outline the lid details.

I cut a top-fold card the same shape as my cup and attached to the back.  I finished by tracing my cup to create the sleeve out of Kraft Cardstock.  The Be Merry Die Cut Sentiment is from Spellbinders.

I'm also joining Christmas in August at My Time to Craft.

I hope you'll get creative and share your SHAPE-UP for the Holidays Cards with us at Jingle Belles.

Holly Jolly Christmas

I've really been trying to consciously use my collection of new products in my studio (sometimes I feel like I'm more of a collector than creator).  I'm also trying to kick-up the number of holiday cards I complete each week to make sure I have enough when November approaches (especially mailable ones).

This card features the new Authentique Jingle Collection (that I fell in love with because of these vintage images) and an adorable new stamp set called Typed Christmas from Hello Bluebird ... love that tiny font.

The layout is this week's Less is More Sketch.

I Feel So Lucky

I want to make some St. Patrick's Day cards this week, so I can get them in the mail.  The focal image of this card is from Authentique Emerald Six cut with Simon Says Stamp Stitched Oval Die.  I used a larger die from the same set to cut the metallic gold mat.

The layout is this week's CAS(e) this Sketch with golden sequins.  The sentiment is a Tim Holtz Small Talk Sticker.

I also incorporated Ombre Stamping on the background with Hero Arts new Wallpaper Bold Prints Backgrounder for the Just Add ... Ombre Challenge.

Seek Adventures

I love being able to make cards that feature specific things that my recipients like.  

The Spellbinder's Howling Wolf is die cut from a scrap of bronze metallic paper, so he has a little shimmer in the moonlight.

Using this week's Freshly Made Sketch, I was able to find homes for three paper scraps on my studio table.  The Authentique Sticker sentiments were perfect to finish the design.