Ingenious Inkling

Soccer Birthday

This week is the 500th Sketch at Freshly Made Sketches. 

I thought I had been with them from the beginning, but the oldest card I could find was for Sketch #24 in March 2012, so almost the entire time.  I always love their layouts.

 

 

Since I've been watching Soccer all day (actually mostly listening to Soccer; my husband is watching), it seemed appropriate that I made a Soccer-themed birthday card for a fellow soccer fan.  

 

 

I'm also joining The Paper Players Challenge (Masculine - Die Cut - Birthday across the middle).  I die cut a Hexagon from Plaid paper from the Authentique Soccer Collection to coordinate with the shape on the Doodlebug Soccer Ball Paper.  The sentiment is a Simon Says Stamp Birthday Sentiment Strip.

 

That's Dreadful!

I'm ready to start stocking my Halloween card stash. 

I resisted buying any new Halloween products at Scrapmania this weekend (I bought plenty of other products), so instead I pulled out Authentique Mysterious papers from my large stash of vintage (aka retired) Halloween papers for this week's Paper Craft Crew Challenge Sketch.

 

 

I added a Boo Tag, some sticker sentiments, and a scattering of sequins to finish the design.

 

What is Life Without Goals?

Tonight's cardmaking goal was very specific ... a Soccer-themed Thank You.  I started with a piece of Soccer-themed designer paper from the We R Memory Keepers Game Day Collection.  I searched through my stash and found several Gel Press Prints (the background & behind the sentiments) that coordinated.

Lastly, I used the Layout from Global Design Project and assembled my card.

 

I loved layering together all of those strips of paper. I used a vintage soccer picture and Goals Sentiment cut from Authentique Golf Papers.  I completed my design with a Thank You sentiment from Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Sentiment Strips Reverse Gratitude.

 

Bird Watcher

I had fun playing with Authentique's new Bird Watcher Collection papers and stickers that I pre-ordered from The Funkie Junkie.

I started with the layout from TGIF Sketch Challenge.

 

 

I combined two stickers with some glittery enamel dots and a stamped sentiment from Impress Everyday Word.

 

 

For the next one I used the layout from Hand Stamped Sentiments Paper Crafting Challenges.

 

 

I love the monochromatic look with the pop of the color from the sweet little bird.

 

 

My third card uses the layout from Paper Craft Crew Vertical Sketch Challenge.

 

 

I used another sentiment from the Impress Everyday Word Sentiment Set together with some Swirl Bling Flourishes from Eyelet Outlet.

 

 

If you're a bird lover (or have bird lovers in your life) this is a lovely collection.

Draw Your Bow with all Your Might

I've said it before ... one of my favorite things about cardmaking is being able to make designs that are personalized for the recipient. 

This is a birthday card for someone who loves bow hunting with her Dad.  My only experience shooting a bow was in Lifetime Sports Gym class in high school, but have tremendous respect for individuals who can wield one effectively (I was more about learning how to skeet shoot with a rifle and my Dad tossing pears into the sky from our pear trees).

 

 

I used Authentique's Hunting Papers together with this week's Atlantic Heart's Sketch.

 

 

 

It's also Anything Goes at the House that Stamps Built.

 

 

While this card is perfect for either gender, I'm also linking-up at the Animals Challenge at The Male Room.

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.