Ingenious Inkling

but this mouth ...

For some unknown reason, I was feeling a bit snarky this afternoon.  I decided to channel the snark and join the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers O is for Ombre Challenge.

 

 

I used several colors of Catherine Pooler inks to attempt to create an Ombre Gelliprint for my card base.  I settled on blue (that I splattered with water to give the solid background a bit more interest, and used the Crushed Violet ombre print for my stripes, reversing the direction of the dark to light for a bit of contrast.

 

 

I stamped one of the women from Inky Antics Saucy & Sassy and used similar blue alcohol markers to color her hair.

 

 

 I used this week's Sketch from The Paper Players and finished with the perfect snarky sentiment sticker and some Pinkfresh Studio Jewels.

 

 

I'm also joining the Funny theme at the Time Out Challenges.

Gelli Printing Wrap-Up

I completed Birgit's Printing Challenge on Instagram for the month of May.

 

 

Day 21 was Triangle.  I used my Triple Play Foam Stamps by @natkalbach, @birgit_koopsen and #marshavalk.  My clean-up print on the right ended-up with such great color.

 

 

Day 22 was to use Inks.  I chose the soft blend of a trio of Distress Oxide Inks ... this will make a great card background.

 

 

I skipped Day 23, a tracing technique, because I don't really have any drawing skills.  I saw several examples later that weren't faces and looked like something I could try, so I may revisit it at some point.  I give myself grace and skip the days that don't feel like something I would use.

Day 24 is Feather.  I pulled out my favorite hand-carved feather stamp by my friend @ginaisarty and used it with a combination of Catherine Pooler inks.

 

 

Day 25 was Brush.  I tried printing with a Paint Brush ... not exactly something I can figure out how I will use on a card (maybe in a mixed media piece), but it was fun trying something new.

 

 

Day 26 was White.  I tried using Gina K. Designs white pigment ink (the best white ink in my opinion) and a stencil on black cardstock.  I like the ethereal snow-like effect.  The stencil is Holiday Foliage from Simon Says Stamp.

 

 

Day 27 was Tape.  I had fun printing on clear packing tape using Mini Textures Carabelle Studio Stamps by the challenge host Birgit Koopsen.    You can see the card I made with the tape here.

 

 

Day 28 was one of my favorites, PanPastel.  I loved using them as much as I did last year, so I broke down and bought more colors than the two I have in my supplies.  I used the two shades with the Taylored Expressions Mini Slim Cable Knit stencil.

 

 

 

Day 29 was Thread or Yarn, which is always a fun thing to play with on the GelliPress.

 

 

Day 30 was Frottage (basically a rubbing) was one I really wanted to work, but the various mediums I had in my studio did not yield the desired result.  I was bummed because I actually bought a box of plain crayons for this technique at the Create/Exchange several months ago, but of course I can't find them at the moment (if it's like most art supplies they'll show-up right after I publish this post.

And the final Day 31 was Button.  I found a big pearl button that was part of my step-mom's button collection and used it like a stamp into the paint (with the piece of wire that was already through the button, so it worked like a handle).

 

I hope you enjoyed traveling along with my monthly art experience.  For June & July, I'm joining Lauren (you can see her first round-up here) and a host of others on the Index Card a Day Challenge (I think making small art every day helps keep my brain happy).

Peace on Earth

This week at Jingle Belles we're still making cards with new products Santa brought us (who am I kidding, I'm my own Santa.

I combined a Gel Print, Distress Oxide Ink Blending and the brand new Taylored Expressions Peace on Earth Cutting Plate.  I finished with Iridescent Glitter Dust Spray & a sentiment from Taylored Expressions Simple Strips - Christmas.  

 

 

One of my resolutions for this year is to make more multiples of cards, so I have at least closer to the amount I need when December rolls around.   Since this card was so easy and I already had a few more Christmas sentiments in my stash, I pulled out two more Gel Press prints.

 

 

Die cut, ink blend, glitter spray, repeat.  I found a piece of embossed white cardstock in my scrap stash for this one.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says: Something New Challenge. 

And remember, there are some adorable stamps & coordinating dies for one participant.

 

Top 10 Favorites of 2022

Each year I like to go back and revisit all the art I made and choose my ten favorites from the group (You can see my Five Favorite Holiday Cards of 2022 here) ... here are my favorites in no particular order. 

1. My first card revisits a long-ago technique - Faux Cloisonné - which uses magazine pages and embossing.  This card used a page from my vintage collection of National Geographics.   I love being able to make old techniques new again (my first recorded use of it was with a Lands End Catalog page in 2006).

 

 

2.  I was sad to see the end of Reverse Confetti in 2022, but happy for Jen for following her heart.  This Valentine features some of my favorite Reverse Confetti stamps (perfect for Galentine Cards) and Confetti Cuts together with a favorite Gel Press Print.

 

 

3. I love the colors from this card made for an AlteNew Inspiration Challenge ... the dies can be a bit futzy to assemble, but I do love the end effect ... I also love how my Gel Press print incorporates into this design too.

 

 

4.  I miss Paper Smooches too, so it was fun to pull out lots of stamps in my collection for this Father's Day Card for Shopping Our Stash ... it was fun including so many elements that remind me of the recipient.  I have loved designing for SOS this year.

 

 

5.  I loved participating in Birgit's month-long Gel Printing Challenge.  My favorite was this cool print I made by stamping onto the plate with a lemon ... the creative magic of gel printing is still one of my favorite creative outlets.

 

 

6.  I had so much fun Guest Designing for the Funkie Junkie Boutique.  It was such a fun challenge to see how many elements from their store I could incorporate into my cards.  I loved exercising my mixed media muscles.

 

7.   I was so grateful that Lauren and I were able to resume our annual trip to NYC and for a few days of art camp.  We declared 2022 Collage Camp, and I had so much fun going through Lauren's pre-cut collage elements and putting together some cards.  This collage card coordinates perfectly with my Frida Khalo Inspired Monster that Lauren crocheted me for my birthday (she is on my desk at the office, so she can make me smile every day).

 

 

8.  This card that was inspired by a card made by my friend SkyPaperScissors who is an ink-blending aficionado.  It reminds me how grateful I am for long-distance friendships that have sustained me in 2022.  It also reminds me that I really want to spend more time ink blending in 2023.

 

 

9.  I had fun taking a Mixed Media Washi Tape Class with Donna Downey.  Years ago, attending Donna's first Inspired Event was a real game changer for me ... it was the first time I spent significant money to invest in growing my artistry (and first time I traveled to an event by myself).  It was a game changer, and the first time I really used the word artist to describe myself, so it was fun to revisit art with her and be able to thank her for the inspiration.  I had fun combining washi tape with other media.

 

 

10.  My final card was a winner at one of my favorite Challenge Blogs - the sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.  I first used Taylored Expressions Sarcasti-Chick at the first Junkiefest event, where I eventually met the members of my crafty crew.  It was such a relief to find others who I really "clicked with" in this paper crafting community.  And this card just makes me smile.

 

 

I always start down memory lane wondering if I will find 10 pieces I love enough to feature ... and then as usual, have narrow down the possibilities to get to just 10 creations.  I love the experience of revisiting my year of artsy creations.

Thanks for going on this artsy journey with me.

 

Snowflakes

I had fun joining Carissa Wiley's Snowflake Class at Pinkfresh Studio yesterday.

So many ideas from this card design that I plan to use again ... the embossed sentiments on Vellum are perfection.

 

 

More learning on card number two.  I love the purple ink blend with a bit of dark blue at the top ... and the Vellum snowflakes are magical.

 

 

Always grateful for some learning time in the studio.

Hey (h)Ombre Autumn

The newest Challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to create something with an ombre design.  

 

 

I decided to use Catherine Pooler Inks to create an Ombre background with Apricot, Ginger & Terracotta.

 

 

It took me several times to get one I loved, so I used the leftovers to die cut some leaves using Spellbinders Autumn Leaves & Mini Fall Blooms.  I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Die Cuts Challenge.

 

 

I arranged them in reverse Ombre order falling down the side of the card.  I finished with coordinating enamel dots from AlteNew and a sticker sentiment.  

I do love Autumn.

I hope you'll Shop Your Stash for some Ombre designs and come join the fun.

You Are Killing It!

This week's Just Us Girls Challenge is to CASE a Designer.  

 

 

I've always been amazed at my friend Seeka's Ink Blending prowess, so I chose this monochromatic ink blended card to inspire my design. 

 

 

Rather than limey greens, I went with the trio of yellow inks from Simon Says Stamp Saturated Ink Collection.  Seeka only used two colors (a light and heavy) and I went with three (but wished I had stuck with two due to the heavy contrast on the bottom fourth on my card).

 

 

My CZ Design Yay You sentiment didn't take up quite as much real estate as Seeka's, so I added a tiny one at the bottom.

I'm also joining the Crafty Friends Summer Color Challenge ... because nothing says summer like the color of the sun.

This card reminded me that the only way to get good at ink blending is to do it more often ... practice, practice, practice.  Thanks Seeka for the inspiration.

Ink Blended Timeless Poppies

The newest challenge at Shopping our Stash is Blending In - we're creating with Ink Blending.

 

 

I love ink blending, but it's also a technique that I know I could use a lot of practice to get better.  I went through several possible ideas and settled on ink blending Gina K. Designs large Timeless Poppies image.  I started by stamping it in white pigment ink on white cardstock and then I embossed with detail white embossing powder.

 

 

Next I blended Gina K. Designs' Red Hot and Red Velvet inks on the blooms and Blue Lagoon and Tranquil Teal on the leaves and out to the edges of the card.

 

 

When I have done similar techniques in the past, I used a baby wipe when I was done ink blending to brighten back the white embossed detail ... only one thing I forgot ... Gina's inks are reactive.   I ended up swiping up and down the entire surface with the  baby wipe to get an overall similar look across the entire surface (but it also lightened the inks a bit).  

I stamped the sentiment from Gina K. Designs Grand Greetings using both shades of red ink with the darker shade along the bottom and added some glittery enamel dots.

I'm also linking-up at the Color Hues Challenge where the shades are red & blue.

 

Ink Blended Peony Bouquet

The May Challenge at Poppy Stamps is Floral Fantasy.

 

 

I pulled out my Poppy Stamps Peony Bouquet and decided to revisit an inking technique from this inky card from two years ago.  I used my MISTI to stamp the Peony image with fade-out grey ink and then grabbed a combination of yellow and peach dye inks and my masking tape and went to work.

 

After adding the ink, I re-stamped in Jet Black Amalgam Ink (which is why the MISTI is so important).  I used the Happy Birthday sentiment from the same set, and then trimmed down my panel to mount with foam tape on a white card base.

Before I revisited the instructions (that reminded me to stamp in fade-out ink), I had already stamped the image with Jet Black Amalgam Ink, so I made a second floral fantasy design.

 

 

I cut the Easter Egg off the Poppy Stamps Decorated Egg Stitched Frame and attached it over my stamped Peony Bouquet with foam tape.  I used the same sentiment and finished with some Pink Fresh Studio bright pink jewels.

 

 

I'm also linking this card up at the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies Challenge & Springtime Challenge at Make My Monday.

Buggy Blended Birthday

I started my artsy day with some Ink Blending for the Stay Crafty with A Blog Named Hero April Ink Blend It Up Challenge.

 

 

I wanted to use my Hero Arts Bug You Stamps for a Masculine Birthday Card, so I chose what I thought were some "buggy" colors for my blend.

 

 

I wasn't particularly in love with my blend, so I decided to combine it with the Hero Arts Every Which Way Stencil and the Baby Wipe Technique.  You place the stencil on top of the ink-blended panel and the lay a baby wipe over the stencil.  I use a brayer to make sure the baby wipe comes into contact with the inked-paper as much as possible.  The baby wipe pulls up the ink leaving a pattern behind (very fun and easy).  I did it several times since I was trying to get the stencil to give the paper a grass-like effect for my bugs.

 

 

I stamped, die cut and colored my bugs using a combination of metallic Karin markers and a Green Stabilo Pencil that I blended with my fingers.  I ended-up cutting down my blended panel to work with the Sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch.

 

 

I added some scraps of alcohol ink blended & foiled paper to the band across the card and finished with a sentiment from Hero Arts Message Strips Stamp & Cut and a few enamel dots.

I'm also joining the Springtime Insects Challenge at My Time to Craft, the Masculine Challenge at Allsorts Challenge Blog & lastly the Simon Says Happy Birthday Challenge.