Ingenious Inkling

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.

Craft Table Clean-Up

This morning, my craft tables were so covered an product leftovers that I had to take a break from creating and do some serious clean-up. 

I challenged myself to see if I could make a few simple cards (I didn't want to get distracted from the task at hand) with products that were already stamped and/or die cut on my table.  Here were the results.

 

A scrap of Gel Press Print, two trimmed Shimmering Bliss end pieces, and a Gina K. Designs Stitched Circle die cut.  I added the deer from the Hero Arts Clear Deer Set that was on the table and finished with a few stray gems.  I chose the deer for the More Than Words Merry Mini-Challenge.

 

I'm also linking-up at the Christmas Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.

Next I used one of the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Film Strip Die Cuts together with stamps from Essentials By Ellen Bear Ware 2 and Lil' Inker Snarky Sentiments.

 

And while Essentials by Ellen Bear Ware 2 was out, I stamped a second card on a pre-folded kraft card base for the Christmas Tree Challenge at the Allsorts Challenge Blog.

 

My inspiration is also from the If You Give a Crafter a Cookie Blog.

 

Mission Accomplished ... tables cleaned & scraps put to good use.

Wishing You Peace

I still need a few more holiday cards, so I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch to make another one (and give myself a shot at their Design Team ... I love their sketches).

I started with the rectangles from Pretty Pink Posh's Stitched Film Strip in kraft cardstock die to create a window using white woodgrain cardstock as the background.

 

Next I die cut the Memory Box Tall Taper Candle from Bronze and Gold Glitter Cardstock to create my candle.  I finished with a bronze peace sticker and wishing you sentiment from Essentials by Ellen's Bear Ware 2 Stamp Set.

 

I'm also joining the Anything Christmas Challenge at Dies R Us Challenge.

O' HOLE-y Night

We're celebrating a HOLE-y Night at Jingle Belles ... making cards with an opening or aperture on the front.

Any card that requires any semblance of geometry is a challenge for me (as you will seen when you look at the inside of my card), but I was finally able to use the Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Film Strip Die Cut to make it work.  I used the die cut three times on Navy (card front), Light Blue (aperture frame) and White (inside).

I found these cute little Epoxy Owl Stickers that fit perfectly inside the three little windows.  I finished with a sticker sentiment.

You can see my alignment lacked precision despite my best efforts, but with a little trimming I made it work.

I'm also joining Addicted to Stamps and More where they're celebrating Holiday Cards.

Bear Hugs

This month's Mix-It-Up Challenge at Ellen Hutson is Pretty Pink Posh.  

I used the Stitched Film Strip from Pretty Pink Posh as my starting point, and then decided to incorporate it into this week's CAS(e) this Sketch.

I had every intention of using a flower, but then I saw the cute Bear from Essentials by Ellen All Inside (I love how the die cut cuts the arms too), and my brain took a left turn.  

Doesn't he look adorable hugging his friend the Skunk (which is a Woodland Animal Brad from the Eyelet Outlet ... there are raccoons & foxes too)

 

I finished with a sentiment from the same set and a few Pretty Pink Posh Mossy Green sequins & Essentials by Ellen Iridescent Dill Sequins.

Holiday Leftovers

One of our favorite things about a big Thanksgiving dinner ... are the leftovers (turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwich anyone?) ... so this week we're celebrating Holiday Leftovers at Jingle Belles.

We're asking you to make a card using scraps, offcuts, an image you colored but never used, the last sticker in the packet or... whatever "leftover" bits and bobs you have laying around.  Oh and be sure to *tell* us what your *leftovers* are so we can marvel at your cleverness!  

I have a container where I toss all of my *extra* die cut images.  I decided to see if I could make a card using only those *leftovers* as my focal image.  

I combined Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Filmstrip in Silver with the outline from Memory Box Tall Taper Candle in a silver flecked navy.  

I used this week's Retro Sketch incorporating scraps of paper for the rest of the design and a Tim Holtz Sticker for the sentiment.

I'm also joining the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is Christmas.

Be the Star of Your Own Life

I loved the colors in this week's Runway Inspired Challenge ... sort of a peachy rose to orange ombre with gold accents.

I inked my Unity Reversed Punchinella with Orange and Rose ink overlapping slightly in the middle.

I stamped a sentiment from Unity I am Woman in Delicata Golden Glitz Ink and embossed with Gold Detail Embossing Powder before framing with DCWV Glitter paper.  

I added a wrap of Lawn Fawn orange cord and lots of gold sequins using this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch.

White Winter Wonderland

One of the current challenges at the Hero Arts Blog is White-Out - to make a holiday card that is at least 60-70% white.

Hero Arts Snowy Winter Nights was stamped in Memento Luxe Gray Flannel with my sentiment from Naughty or Nice stamped in slightly darker Memento Luxe Espresso Truffle.

I added white Wink of Stella to the snowflakes in the sky and some marshmallow sequins for a bit of dimension.  My winter scene was framed in grey and attached to the white card base with foam tape.

Love my White Winter wonderland.