Ingenious Inkling

Happy OWLidays

Tonight I wanted to combine the sketch from the Fusion Critter Challenge with the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge For the Birds Challenge (because birds are critters too).

 

And, to make it a little more fun, I'm using three of the colors from the Just Add Ink Challenge ... I used Bermuda Bay, Lovely Lipstick & Call Me Clover.

 

I found a piece of Christmas designer paper that has those three colors, so that's where my design started ... and one of the cool things about Art, is that your reality can be any color you want, so why not have a Bermuda Bay Christmas Owl created from Lawn Fawn Winter Owl ... with a coordinating paper-pieced scarf (of course).

 

Sentiment is from Lawn Fawn's Simply Winter Sentiments.

 

One more holiday card ready to go.

Never Doubt Your Instinct

For some reason when I saw the forest of trees in the Fusion Winter Inspiration Photo, it reminded me of some Suminagasi - Japanese black and white hand-marbled paper I made several years ago.

 

I cut the half-circle from my marbled paper and attached it to a white card base.  I used a darker grey for the vertical piece in the sketch.

 

Next I wandered through my stamps looking for some trees ... but instead I found a Simon Says Stamp Picture Book Hippo Die that had never been opened.  Hippos are grey ... so I thought he would work perfectly.  I tried to get the contrast I wanted with different solid papers, but it wasn't working ... so instead, I die cut him from two colors of glitter paper.

 

Since he looked so wise, I thought the sentiment should be some bit of advice he might give ... and settled on this sticker sentiment.  I love where this card ended-up (and that I got to use some of my hand-made paper on a card).

I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Lotsa Love Flickr Challenge ... because this is truly advice I would give to every one I love ... trust your instinct (aka your heart).

Pumpkin Inspired Wedding

For some reason, when I saw the current Fusion Card Challenge I thought WEDDING (could be because all of my Halloween Cards are already done & in the mail).

 

Black and white make an elegant wedding card.  I started with the wedding cake sticker and built my card around it.

 

I used some Echo Park Wedding Bliss paper, some texty Prima Flowers and a vintage wood block A Muse Sentiment.  I attached my texty paper to my 6 1/2" black card base intending to cut off the black edges, but ended-up liking how they framed the design.

Coffee ... Priceless

A sneak peak of the card I'm sharing at the Technique Junkies Blog today for the Fusion Card Challenge.

 

 

Remember, you can get 10% off your Technique Junkies order with my discount code TJ10Stephanie.

 

Falling Leaves

Growing-up, we had a huge Maple Tree in our back yard with a tire swing.  I would spend hours looking at all of the different color variations when the leaves starting turning in the fall. 

Our City was the home of the annual Maple Leaf Festival every October, so needless to say, I had the chance to examine lots of Maple Leaves throughout my life.  They are my favorite leaf in the fall, because they turn the entire range of colors depending on the tree and the weather conditions (I once wrote a paper for my college technical writing class on how leaves change color).

The current challenge theme at Impression Obsession is Falling Leaves.

 

As I searched through my stamped, I found this gorgeous Never-Been-Inked Layering Maple Leaf Set by Dina Kowal ... for my card is used the solid and the two bottom layers in Pineapple, Orange Blossom & Vermillion inks.

I started with my paper bag light kraft paper on my table and used my MISTI to layer the leaves.

 

I wanted to use some of my new goodies from my recent Impression Obsession win, so I die cut the Plaid Tag from a Sunflower designer paper and coordinating gold cardstock.

 

Next I stamped three sentiments from my new There For You Set (isn't that a great set of sentiments) using the same three colors of inks from my leaf layering and attached them using foam tape for dimension.

 

This card will be going across the miles to my new Chemo Angel Patient ... I'm so grateful to be able to make cards that hopefully brighten a day and provide encouragement during a challenging time.

 

I'm also joining the Autumn Challenge at Fusion Card Challenge with a loose variation of the sketch and all of those falling leaves.

Nature is also the theme at the Dies R Us Challenge.

Happiness Today & Always

The current Stock Your Stash Challenge at Reverse Confetti is all about Weddings ... but no obvious wedding cards in my stamp stash, so I had to get creative.

 

 

I pulled out several stamp sets and decided to combine the floral spray from Something Wonderful with one of the stamps from Circle Wishes.  I also used some pink designer paper from Reverse Confetti's Pattern Play Collection.

 

I stamped the flowers multiple times using my MISTI in London Fog ink on a piece of pink cardstock that was flecked with grey.  The sketch is from the current Fusion Card Challenge where the theme was family (perfect for a wedding card design).

 

I finished with lots of tiny bling to add some elegance to the design.

Groovy Christmas

Click on over to the Technique Junkies Blog to see what I made for the current Fusion Card Challenge.

Text Me

The next prompt at Jingle Belles is to create a card featuring text ... You could use letter stickers, book pages, dictionary pages, texty patterned paper or just create a card where the sentiment is the star of the show ... just make sure you get TEXTY.

I decided to use some of my massive designer paper stash and went on a treasure hunt for text ... I found it in Shimelle's American Crafts Christmas Magic collection.

 

I took my sketch and design inspiration from the current Fusion Card Challenge ... instead of a hedgehog, I've got an adorable little Penguin from Essentials by Ellen's Arctic Pals paired with his own tiny little snowman friend from EBE Ugly Sweater Accessories.  The background is Essentials by Ellen Alpine Snowfall Die cut on light blue paper positioned over a white circle.  The sentiment is from Arctic Pals as well.

 

We hope you'll get texty and come join our Jingle Belles fun.

Turnabouts Turn Two

Concord & 9th is celebrating the 2nd birthday of their Turnabout Stamps, so I wanted to join the celebration.

 

I used my MISTI and the Concord & 9th Sprinkles Turnabout Stamp inspired by the colors, design & sketch from Fusion Butterfly Wreath Card Challenge.

 

I'm also joining the party at Seize the Birthday.

 

Easter Showers

While my Easter Stickers were still on my studio table, I decided to join the current Cheery Eggs Fusion Card Challenge.

 Love those happy Easter colors.

 

Sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Faith.