Ingenious Inkling

I'm LEAF-ing it Up to You

At Shopping Our Stash, the newest prompt - I'm LEAF-ing it Up to You - is all about creating with LEAVES.

 

 

I started by foiling the Gina K. Designs Thankful Leaves with Therm-o-Web Peach Princess Foil and cutting them with the coordinating Dies.  Next, I used the same Peach Princess Foil with a Black Toner Card Front to create my foil-covered metallic cardstock.  I'm also joining the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge to make your own metallic cardstock.

 

 

I attached the leaves (using foam tape for some to add dimension) and finished with a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Spring Tulips.

I used another Black Toner Card Front together with the negative of the leaves and die cut them with the coordinating dies for another Gina K. Designs #monthlymixchallenge card.

 

 

I mounted them on cardstock de-bossed with the Gina K. Designs Lattice Embossing Folder and finished with some gems and a different sentiment from Gina K. Designs Spring Tulips.

I'm also linking-up at the Cut It Up Colors of Fall/Autumn Challenge, and I'm joining Paperminutes Autumn Challenge.

Happy Hydrangea

Gina K. Designs' August #monthlymixchallenge is indeed a challenge for me ... to use Gel Pen Accents.  That is a skill I just don't have, but that didn't stop me from giving it a try.

First I stamped & colored the Gina K. Designs Happy Hydrangea Mini using Spectrum Noir Tri Blend Markers.

 

 

Once it dried for a bit, I came back in with a white gel pen and added some accents.  I don't love it, but I don't hate it, so that's progress for me (and I actually do like the leaves). 

Poppy Silhouette

I saw a card made by @lakebubbles yesterday and was inspired to make my own take on the design.

 

 

I masked and blended the colors from the current Color Throwdown Challenge (Squeezed Lemonade, Picked Raspberry & Prize Ribbon).

 

 

I stamped the flowers from Gina K. Designs Timeless Poppies and added a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Santana Rose Mini.  I finished with a few clear bubble embellishments.

Double Trouble Snowflake

It's the middle of July, which seems like an excellent time for the Jingle Belles to team up with our friends at The Double Trouble Challenge, so that you have a chance to participate in TWO challenges with ONE card! As our post title implies, for "Dashing Through the Snow" you need to make a card that features SNOW, whether it be snowflakes, snowmen or a snowy landscape for Jingle Belles.

As you may know, the "Double" in "Double Trouble" refers to the fact that there are several parts to their challenges, though the only requirement is to play along with Thing 1, which in this case is to make a window or aperture card. But the Double Trouble Gang encourage you to add some fun... try their options by participating in Twisted Sister's Thing 3 and/or Double Dare's Thing 2 to earn additional chances in their random drawing. This time, those twists are as follows:

 

 

Remember, you need only make a card featuring some sort of SNOW to enter at Jingle Belles; and the only requirement at Double Trouble is to make a window or aperture card. BUT... if your card has both SNOW and a WINDOW... you can link up on both blogs for a chance at two different prizes!

 

Of course, you know I had to go with the Double Dare.

 

This card started with my needing to clean & re-ink my gina k. designs white pigment ink pad.  I had accidentally transferred some red ink onto the pad with a dirty stamp, and when I tried to use the white ink last week for emboss resist, I kept getting pink instead of white.  To clean it, I rubbed the ink pad direct onto a piece of light blue cardstock until it stopped transferring pink (and then re-inked).  As I went to throw away the inky cardstock, I thought ... what if I embossed the ink with Hero Arts Iridescent Lavender Embossing Powder that was on my studio table ... and voila.

 

Next, I stenciled that clean white craft ink through the gina k. designs Snowflake Mandala Stencil and embossed with white detail embossing powder.  Then, I used the smallest of gina's double stitched circle die cut to create my window in the center of the snowflake and attached acetate to the window opening to create a shaker card.  When I assembled, I positioned the center cut portion of the snowflake at the back of the shaker.  I used adhesive craft foam to stack-up my shaker area.

 

 

 

The Pretty Pink Posh Winter Clay Snowflake Confetti fills the shaker, and I finished with a sentiment from gina k. designs Sparkle and Shine.

Orchid Embossed Holiday Tapestry

For this week's Jingle Bells My Sweet EMBOSS-ible You Prompt, I played with Emboss Resist.  I stamped gina k. designs Holiday Tapestry image twice on white cardstock with gina's White Pigment Ink and heat embossed with White Detail Embossing Powder.

Next I used gina's trio of Orchid Inks to ink blend over the stamped image.   I used a baby wipe to remove most of the purple ink, but it tinged the white embossed image the lightest orchid shade.

 

 

 

I stamped the poinsettia from gina k. designs Winter Flower Mini in white ink on light blue cardstock and embossed with white embossing powder before die cutting with the coordinating die.  Next I blended orchid inks into the center of the bloom using a dark orchid marker to add a bit more contrast.

I finished with some blue sequins and a sentiment from gina k. designs Sparkle and Shine.

I'm also linking-up at Gina K. Designs' July #monthlymixchallenge - Christmas in July.

 

 

I'm also joining the Christmas Challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More.

Wreath Builder Birthday

The June #monthlymixchallenge at Gina K. Designs is to create a wreath ... the perfect opportunity to break out my neglected Wreath Builder Stamps.

I started with Gina K. Designs Mandala Maker 2 and her three shades of Orchid Inks.

 

 

I used branches from Gina K. Designs Autumn Wreath Builder and Original Wreath Builder using all four shades of Gina's Sage Ink.. 

I finished with an assortment of bling on the flowers and a sentiment from Gina K. Designs It's All YOU Mini stamp set.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Fabulous Florals Challenge at We Love Stamping.

 

 

With my Birthday Occasion, I'm also linking-up at Addicted to Stamps and More.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

The newest Challenge at Shopping Our Stash is - How Does Your Garden Grow?  We're asking you to shop your stash and create a card featuring something that grows in a garden or make a card with a gardening theme.  This time of year, I always think about my Grandma and her rainbow garden that bloomed all summer long, so I chose to make a card with flowers.

I decided to use the Letterpress Technique for my card for the Gina K. Designs Monthly Mix Challenge. 

I applied four colors of Gina K's brown ink (Kraft, Warm Cocoa, Sandy Beach & Dark Chocolate) to the Gina K. Designs Tapestry Embossing Folder that is filled with garden leaves & blooms before embossing a piece of white cardstock.

 

 

Next I die cut the blooms & bow from the Gina K. Designs Playful Posies and added a Thank You sentiment from Gina K. Designs Bold Bloom Mini, stamps in Warm Cocoa Ink.  I finished with a few light brown pearls in the middle of the Posies.

While I was at it, I went ahead and made a second version of the design.  This time I omitted the more orangey Warm Cocoa ink and used Ivory cardstock.

 

I hope you will shop your stash and share your garden-themed cards with us.

Orchid Tapestry

The April Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is to do Multi-Color Inking. 

I chose the large Holiday Tapestry Stamp (that is not just for holidays) and inked it with three shades of Gina K. Designs Orchid Ink ... I love how you can really see the ink-blend on those larger leaves.  My MISTI makes this technique so easy.

 

 

I needed a sympathy card, so I trimmed down the panel and paired it with the sentiment from Gina K. Designs Bitty Backgrounds stamp set.

 

 

It seemed a little naked with that large pattern and such a tiny sentiment, so I added a few Gina K. Designs dies from Botanical Duos and Foliage Fillers.

My first practice panel had a few blips, but I cut it down using Gina K. Designs Master Layouts and turned it into a Birthday Card with a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Go To Greetings.  I also used ink-blending on the sentiment with the two darker colors and used the Master Layouts again for the circles.

 

 

I finished with a sprinkle of sequins I had in my stash.

Do What Makes You Happy

The February Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is Strip Card Making - to make a card that features at least three strips of something.  Since I still had some of my Lindy's Gang Magicals paper on my studio table, I cut three strips from it to build my card around.

When I saw the layout at Hand Stamped Sentiments, I knew where my design was headed.

I positioned the three strips on a white card base, and then I used the Gina K. Designs Floral Banner Die (that was free with purchase) for the horizontal banner element.

 

 

I die cut three stitched circles and finished with a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Hygge Time and some glitter gems.

 

You Are Loved

The January Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is All You Need is Love.  

 

 

I created a bit of a non-traditional valentine using one of my Gelliarts Prints with the current Freshly Made Sketch.  I layered the Gina K. Designs Botanical Duo die cut from gold cardstock.

 

 

I finished with some gold pearls and a "love" sentiment from Gina K. Designs Tropical Tidings.