Ingenious Inkling

WCMD Holiday Memories

As I was cleaning my studio table, I found these leftover Die Cuts from Pinkfresh Studio Holiday Elements Washi Tape from my Holiday Wreath card.  It was exactly what I needed to make an Anything Goes Card for their World Cardmaking Day (WCMD) Challenge.

I paired the die cuts with some scraps of designer paper that were also on my studio table (yes, it's in serious need of cleaning ... but then again, sometimes the messes lead to serendipitous creativity).

 

I finished with a sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio Holiday Dreams Title Ephemera.

Sleeping Santa

We're still creating fun SKETCH cards at Jingle Belles this week. 

 

 

I found a fun die cut from Pretty Little Studio's Jolly Santa Die Cuts that worked perfectly with the layout.  I wonder which Reindeer get their own beds?

 

 

I kept it simple with dotted designer paper, cardstock banners and a few glittery enamel dots.  I used a sentiment that conveyed a good night's sleep.

We can't wait to see how you get Sketchy.  You have until 5pm EST on Wednesday to link-up.

Happy Holidays

We're getting Sketch-y at Jingle Belles this week.

 

 

I used a Doodlebug Tag for my focal element & paired it with another sentiment cut from one of their papers.

 

 

I can't wait to see what you make with my sketch.

Holiday Wreath

The September Challenge at Pinkfresh Studio is to use Wreaths and Leaves on your project.

 

 

I started with two wreaths cut from the Pinkfresh Studio Holiday Elements Washi Tape.  I cut one of the wreaths in half and positioned it over the second wreath.  Next I added the die cut poinsettia from the same Washi Tape and added some gold enamel dots.

 

 

I positioned my wreath on gorgeous paper from the Pinkfresh Studio / AlteNew Celebrate collaboration paper pad (which adds even more leaves to the overall design). 

I finished with a gold die cut sentiment from Pinkfresh Studio Holiday Sentiment Ephemera.

Designer Paper Christmas Trees

I'm not sure how I never realized there is a monthly Challenge in the Share Handmade Kindness Facebook Group.  It's based on one of Jennifer Maguire's past technique videos, and this month it is on using Designer Paper.

Since she used Memory Box papers in her video, I pulled out my papers and used them for this week's Freshly Made Sketch.  As she suggested, I inked around the edges of my trees and added foam tape for dimension and contrast.

 

 

The Memory Box Challenge for September is Foliage - Trees or Leaves, so it works both with my leafy papers from Memory Box Garland and my triangle Christmas Trees.  Sentiment is Memory Box Christmas Tiles.  I finished with a scattering of bling.

 

Merry Elfin' Christmas

We're still creating humorous, punny or snarky cards at Jingle Belles this week.

Another line of stamps I love for fun & snark are My Favorite Things Sassy Pants (this is Sassy Pants Holiday).  

 

 

I paired the sentiment with some fun puffy elf stickers I've had in my stash for longer than I remember ... aren't they laugh-out-loud perfect.  I've go an entire page of these adorable elves, so I just might have to make a few more.

 

I'm also linking-up at the Addicted to Stamps and More Christmas Challenge.

And remember, one lucky participant will win a brand new Hero Arts Ho Ho Ho Santa Faces Stamp Set.

 

Ho HA HA!

At Jingle Belles this week, the theme is Ho HA HA! - creating Humorous Holiday Cards ... you might choose funny, punny, snarky or silly but make sure they're something that will induce a smile, a chuckle or a laugh.

When I think of snarky, I think of the Grumplings from Taylored Expressions, so that's what I used this week.

I started by coloring Taylored Expressions Big Grumpy-Cat and adding a sentiment & reindeer antlers from Big Grumpy - Christmas.

He fit perfectly into a piece of Taylored Expressions Build a Scene Christmas.  I had a tiny smudge on the bottom of his sign (that you probably wouldn't have even noticed, but it was bugging me), so I positioned an epoxy holly leaf and berries of the spot (which also created a pleasing triangle of greens into the design and coordinated with that holly wreath in the paper).

 

 

And my Snarky Grumpling is also joining the Snarky Time Out Challenge.

We can't wait to see what you make that causes a holiday giggle.

Doodle-Pop Sticker Obsession

The newest challenge at Shopping Our Stash is a fun one ... I Don't Really Need Another One ... we're asking for confessions ... confessions about that your creative weakness.

 

 

Do you tend to by every butterfly or owl stamp you can or maybe all the paper pads from a particular line?  Or how about another roll of washi tape to go with the HUNDREDS you already have?

 

Whatever your weakness is, use it on your creation and tell us what it is! (make sure you give your confession together with uploading your card).

 

When I was recently at my local Scrapbooking Store Scrapmania.  I picked-up three more Doodlebug Designs Doodle-Pop 3D Stickers despite having a rather large collection already at home in my stash (yes, there are even a few duplicates).

 

 

So of course I had to use the one that is front and center - Doodle-Pops Christmas Cocoa - for the current Caffeinated Christmas Challenge to include Candy and/or Cookies (of course my cute little Santa Mug has both).

 

 

I added more cookies to the mix with the Doodlebug Designs Gingerbread Kisses Cookie paper as the card base and finished with a tiny typed Christmas sentiment.

 

 

 

 

Can't wait to here your crafty confession (and see the cards it inspires).

 

It Came Upon a Midnight CASE

At Jingle Belles, we're still CASEing (Copy And Selectively Editing) cards from the Jingle Belles (Lauren and me).

I chose to CASE Lauren's card from the Man with the Bag Challenge in June 2022.

 

 

 

First of all, my card has no stitching because I don't have Lauren's fabulous paper-sewing skills.  Secondly, I swapped the horizontal oval for a vertical one (I did use oval die cuts from Gina K. Designs that have faux stitching).  I swapped Lauren's Doodlebug Santa for the Doodlebug Doodle-Pops Sugarplum Street 3-D stickers.

 

 

I finished with some holly berries on the house roof to pull in a bit more green and a sticker sentiment positioned to ground my stickers.

We hope you'll find one of our cards to inspire your creations this week.

CASE-ing at Jingle Belles

The theme at Jingle Belles this week is Loves Labor Day Lost.  Since September 2nd will be Labor Day in the United States, we've decided to celebrate by giving you a bit of a head start with this week's card design.  

We're asking that you CASE (Copy and Selectively Edit) any of the cards that Lauren or I have made for any of the previous Jingle Belles prompts (yep, you've got 13 1/2 years of cards to choose from).  Make sure you link to the card that inspired you and share your selective edits.

For my inspiration, I chose this Masculine Card Lauren made in May 2022.

 

 

I used a different Penny Black Across the Miles Masterpieces Made Simple (mine is horizontal vs. vertical) and added different Eyelet Outlet Brads (a cardinal in the tree branch and a poinsettia by the sentiment for a bit more red in the design). 

 

 

 

 

I also chose to use a different color to frame my sentiment than the frame for my Masterpiece, and added a strip of white glitter paper for a vertical element.

 

And with the Poinsettia in my design, I'm also joining the Penny Black Saturday Challenge with its Anything Goes Theme with an Option of Flowers.

 

 

We can't wait to see which of our cards inspire your design.