Ingenious Inkling

Mondo Wildflower Birthday

I used Essentials by Ellen stamps for this week's TGIF Challenge Sketch.

 

I group of flowers and leaves reminded me of the Mondo Wildflower Stamp by Essentials by Ellen.    I stamped it in black ink & clear embossed on one of my pieces of hand-made marbled paper, positioning the largest bloom on the white space.

The background was embossed with a hexagon background and I finished with a Happy Birthday sentiment from Essentials by Ellen Totally Random Sayings.  I love being able to give flowers for a birthday.

Harmony Glitter Birthday

I've had Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge on my list of cards to make this month ... the theme is Flag You're It!, so I went with the USA Red, White & Blue.  When I saw this lovely Harmony Necklace from Ten Thousand Villages at this morning's SplitcoastStampers Inspiration Challenge, I decided to try my had at some of Gina's delicious Glitz Glitter Gel. 

When I returned from Junkiefest, I ordered several colors, and they just happened to be shades of Red, White & Blue (okay, Turquoise Seal isn't exactly true blue, but it's in that family).  I looked through my Gina K. Designs Stencils and decided that the Water Droplets Stencil was the closest to the design of the necklace.  I applied the Glitter Glitz Gel at an angle starting with white and then using the teal & red on each side.  Clearly my blending needs work (as does my patience because I had trouble not sticking my fingers in it while I waited for it to dry) ... but I'm calling it a more "rustic* look to go with the rustic feel of the jewelry (hey, whatever works).

 

I added some Love from Lizi Peel-Off Stickers down each side to frame it and then wanted a medallion-like sentiment like the pendant on the necklace.  I went with a vintage Gina K. Designs Birthday Go-Round Sentiment (they don't make this one anymore, but the Unity/Gina K. Designs Birthday Go Round would be a great substitute) die cut with the Small Stitched Circles Die.

My layout was inspired by the CAS Colours & Sketches layout.  I'm also joining CAS on Friday where the theme is Use a Stencil.

And I'm joining the MISTI Monday Challenge at SplitcoastStampers, which is to make a red, white and blue card that isn't patriotic.  

 

Birthday Butterflies & Blooms

I had the privilege of taking a class with the uber-talented Alexandra Renke at Junkiefest (and I gratefully used her free shipping code to place a large order from Germany ... as well as ordering the items that Ellen Hutson has in stock).  Her papers are so luscious and beautiful ... these cards feature her new Butterfly Paper Collection.

I detail cut several of the butterflies from one of the pieces of paper and then used foam tape to attach them so they look like they're landing on the flowers.  I added a few pearls to the center of their bodies.

 

I'm joining the Paper Craft Crew Challenges where the theme is designer's choice. 

 

 

I stamped Alexandra's Happy Birthday sentiment from her Best Wishes set on a scrap of pink cardstock and attaching it using one of her die cut Circle Clips.  I finished with a wrap of grey twine.

 

Here's one of the tiny cards I made during my Junkiefest class ... I loved the tiny card base & envelope she provided ... so perfect to tuck in with a little gift.  I detail cut another butterfly for this one too.

 

Can't wait to get my hands on more of her paper to create more projects.

Technique Junkies New July Stamps

It's the first ... which means another new stamp release from Technique Junkies.  Remember, they are all 15% off through the 8th ... and you can stack my discount code TJ10Stephanie for 25% off (and 10% off the rest of your order).

 

 

My first card features a super-fun stamp that combines images and a sentiment in a single stamp - Just Keep Swimming.

 

I started by using Rough Edge Circlezz Stencil by A Colorful Life Design with Salty Ocean & Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide Inks.  After applying the ink, I stamped Just Keep Swimming in Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.  I'm linking-up at the Country View Challenge where the theme is Blues & Greens.

Lots of watery images in this release ... perfect for lots of peaceful cards.  The Texture Nautilus was stamped in Fallen Leaves and clear embossed before I got my fingers dirty with two shades of Blue Pan Pastels to color the background.  I edged my image with a black marker before mounting on the black card base.

 

The sentiment is also from the new release - Dream Without Fear.  I'm linking this one up at the Rainbow Card Blue Breezes Challenge.

 

 

As I assembled my cards, I realized I leaned towards quite a bit of blues for my design samples ... it works so well for the nautical designs. 

I love sailing ... it is one of the most peaceful feelings I know.  This stamps is the new Sailing Panel stamped on Dark Blue Ink a background of white cardstock sprayed with several Shimmering Bliss Sprays.

 

The sentiment is another new one - Smooth Sailing also stamped on a piece of sprayed background paper.  I'm linking this one up at the Challenge Your Life where the theme is Vitamin Sea.

 

My final card combines the new Zen Shells background with one of my Bubbly Gel Press Prints ... I love the color combination of teal and purple. I used the versatile Happy Birthday from Let's Pawty! I'm linking-up at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge where the theme is All About Occasions.

 

 

Here are the links, so you can check out all the beautiful new designs:

• Technique Junkies Blog https://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-july-release-and.html
• Beth Norman-Roberts https://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca/blog/62682/technique-junkies-july-new-release/‎
• Ceal Pritchett https://simplybeautifulcreations.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-stamps-july-release.html
• Giovana Smith https://giovana-believe.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-july-release.html
• Holly Brown https://glitterstampsandink.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-july-2019-release.html
• Janelle Stollfus https://rainpuddlesdesign.blogspot.com/2019/07/july-brings-new-stamps-from-technique.html
• Janine Tinklenberg https://jantink.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-july-2019-release.html
• Jeanne Streiff: https://inkypaws.splitcoaststampers.com/2019/07/01/tj2019july/
• Jessie Banks https://jessiebanks.com/?p=9577
• Judy Jackson - https://judysstampart.blogspot.com/2019/07/yippee-new-stamps-for-july.html
• Kia Gibson-Clapper - https://kia-splace.ca/?p=8236
• Lee Ann Barrett https://greytpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-new-release-and-new.html
• Lynda Pleckan https://paperartscafe.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-july-stamp-release.html
• Pat Huntoon https://patstamps.blogspot.com/2019/07/july-2019-new-release-celebration.html
• Ro Donner https://rodonner.blogspot.com/2019/07/technique-junkies-stamps-new-release.html
• Stephanie Severin http://ingeniousinkling.typepad.com/ingenious_inkling/2019/07/technique-junkies-new-july-stamps.html

 

Sending Sunshine!

The theme at Impression Obsession is Sending Sunshine! 

 

No one needs sunshine more right now than Iowa Farmers ... it's been such a wet winter and spring, the planting is far behind schedule.  I used my MISTI to ink the corn stamps with a variety of ink colors.

 

Then I finished with a Birthday Wishes Die Cut sentiment.

Patriotic Birthday

The Mini Challenge at Unity Stamp Company is Independence Day.

 

Since I needed masculine birthday cards, I stretched the challenge a bit to make a Patriotic Birthday Card.  I inked the Unity Candles, Stars & Birthday Wishes with Red & Blue Ink on a white die cut tag.

 

I added a little bling, some denim ribbon and a wrap of red twine using a sketch from Just Add Ink.

 

 

It's also Anything Goes at Retro Rubber ... this stamp is well used from at least 2014 when I made this card.

 

Bursting with Joy

I've been on a Clean & Simple kick lately ... this one only uses one color of ink (Versafine Clair Monarch).

 

The Bouquet is Essentials by Ellen Mondo Wildflowers and sentiment is from Essentials by Ellen Lovely by Julie.  I should have used a smaller sentiment cover a bit less of the bouquet, but I still love the finished design using this week's CAS(E) this Sketch!

 

Inspired Textured Collage

The site for today's SplitcoastStampers Inspiration Challenge took me down a rabbit hole ... every piece inspired me and made me want to go make pretty things ... make sure you check out Brown Paper Bag.

I chose these amazing Abstract Embroidery Pieces as my inspiration ... I wanted to make a collage on a darker colored background (since i usually choose neutral colors).

 

I started with a dark teal cardstock and began building my collage with no plan in mind ... just adhering piece after piece of things that made me happy.  There are cloth buttons, flair (from A Flair for Buttons), lots of trading stamps and come vintage flowers.

 

I added some texty stickers and finished with a stamped sentiment from Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Background (a brilliant idea where you stamp once, cut once, and have a whole pile of sentiments ready for card making).

I love the lumpy bumpy texture ... and how licking those trading stamps immediately took me back to the couch in my Grandma's living room filling up those books.

Holy Cow

The theme for the Unity Stamp Company Challenge for June is Animals. 

My list of boy birthday cards I need in June is rather long, so I went with the Stamp & Sentiment from Holy Cow in brown ink on a Kraft Card Base.

 

I used the Sketch from CAS Colours & Sketches, so I added some polka dots using a partial stamp from Unity Stamp Company's Hello Beautiful.

 

 

 

Grab Life by the Beans

When I saw the Paper Smooches June Inspiration Challenge, I wasn't quite sure what I was going to make. 

 

 

However, as I looked through my stash, I realized there were several sets that would be perfect for a birthday card I needed to make.  I liked the tall thin pineapple in the middle of the pictures, so I decided to make a tall thin card.  I started with a Coffee Cup from Cyber Cafe at the bottom and began stacking images from that set and from Paper Smooches Beboppin and piled them to the top using the pink and yellow from the Inspiration Photo (the recipient is a connoisseur of coffee and albums).

When my stack was done, I went back and added the wish BIG sentiment from Paper Smooches Huge Hugs 2.  I love how this turned out ... and love that I never would have gotten the idea without the Photo Inspiration.

 

 

With my pink and my Album, I'm also linking-up at The Card Concept Challenge ... loved my little record player like this one.

This is also a Masculine Card, so I'm linking-up at Crafty Cardmakers.