Ingenious Inkling

Abstract Art Valentine

One of the current Exhibits at our Cedar Rapids Museum of Art is Beyond the Object: Women in Abstraction.  To honor that exhibit, the Museum's Education Director led an Abstract Art class at one of the local libraries.

I chose to focus on making abstract papers using paper bags and paint, and it was a lot of fun.

 

 

I cut the bottom paper into four rectangles using the current Sketch Saturday to make a valentine.

 

 

I topped my painted bag with some ArtChix Inchies that I rediscovered while reorganizing my studio.

 

 

And with all of the fabulous layers of painty texture of my paper, I'm also linking-up at the Simon Says Add Some Texture Challenge.  And Love is in the Air at the Creatalicious Challenge.

2025 the Year of the Snake

The theme for the Lunar New Year Challenge for 2025 is the Year of the Snake.  

 

I went in search of some snake stamp sets, and not surprisingly, there were only a few I could locate, including this adorable Party Snake (that comes with coordinating die cuts) from Trinity Stamps.  I stamped him in black and chose red & yellow for the balloon colors, since those are traditional Lunar New Year colors.

 

 

I used red & yellow designer papers together with the Sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketches.  I swapped the circle for a stitched oval die cut, since that shape worked better with my stamped image.  I finished with some enamel dot embellishments and a sentiment from Mama Elephant New Beginnings.

 

Woodblock Wednesday Thank You

It's time for another Woodblock Wednesday with Amy T.

 

 

What comes after Christmas Cards ... Thank you cards of course.  I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch together with FOUR different Woodblock Thank You stamps from (top to bottom on the card - the fourth one kept falling over when I tried to stack them) Stampabilities, Paper Source, Stampin' Up and Wordsworth by Rubber Soul.

 

 

I paired my stamps with four colors of Blue Versafine Clair Ink (I think it works best with woodblock stamps) and two Gelliarts Gel Press Prints.

 

Five Favorite Holiday Cards - 2024

Since Lauren & I started Jingle Belles in 2010, I've been recapping my five favorite Christmas cards of the year (you can find 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 here) ... I always enjoy revisiting my creations for the year. 

Here are my favorites for 2024 (in no particularly order).

1. This card was made for the Sweet EMBOSS-able You Prompt at Jingle Belles.  The texture, ink, shimmer spray and layered die cut sentiment all came together for a winner.

 

 

2.  This Snarky Little CAS Card for the Jingle Belles Humor Prompt still makes me giggle.

 

 

3.   This card was for the Jingle Belles Die Cutting prompt.  I love a card that really makes one of my gelliarts prints shine ... not to mention all of those lovely snowflakes with the white-on-white sentiment that really pop against those unexpected holiday colors.

 

 

4.  I love the simplicity of this Wonky Tree design for the Old and New Prompt at Jingle Belles.  I loved finding the perfect die cut to use with that gorgeous left-over water colored paper ... and how the variance of color came together in the trees feels nearly perfect to me.

 

 

5.  This was my other Die Cut Prompt card at Jingle Belles.  That little snowman with his cup of coffee just makes me smile ... not to mention that perfect holly embellishment for his fancy hat.

 

 

Remember, Lauren and I will be back for our 15th year of our Jingle Belles Mayhem to help you make at least one holiday card a week, so you can take back your December one holiday card at a time.

Congrats Cards

There have been a lot of card requests for the end of the year ... lots of milestones at work.

The first one is for a 20 year work anniversary.  I used the Sketch from Inspire.Create.Challenge together with one of the Ranger Archival Ink Embossed piece I made with Lauren in the fall.

 

 

I combined it with a woodblock Simple Pleasures image from Paper Bag Studios and a tiny typed congratulations.

 

 

I added a 20 for her 20 year anniversary milestone.

 

 

Next, I made a 30 year anniversary card for a fellow card maker.  I used a layout from Tuesday Morning Sketches together with a Bella-Pops For Mom sticker and one of my Gelliarts Prints.

 

 

I built the card around the sticker adding in those vibrant happy colors.

 

 

And for the final one of this post, I pulled out the Happy Headlines Stamp Set from Concord & 9th for a baseball themed retirement card.

 

Believe in the Magic

The newest Challenge at Shopping Our Stash is MY PRECIOUS - Use something on your card that you're been hoarding in your craft supplies for way too long ... it might be a piece of specialty paper, some vintage lace, a fancy embellishment.  We're asking you to be strong and give it a home on your card this week.

 

 

I knew exactly what I needed to use.  My crafty friend Leslie (aka The Crooked Stamper) gifted me with these lovely crocheted circles in a rainbow of colors.  I initially hoarded them, but after Leslie passed, they became even more precious to me.  I only have two left, so I pulled out the Red one for a holiday card.

 

 

I used the layout from Sunday Stamps Circlin' Around Sketch and three chipboard stockers from Echo Park Merry and Bright Collection together with the red sequins that were today's Spellbinders Advent Calendar Item.

 

 

I finished with a rub-on sentiment.  As I created, I thought about Leslie and the snark and laughs we shared.  I am so grateful for the friendships this creative community has blessed me with.

Be Merry

Day 2 of the Spellbinders Advent Calendar was a lovely stack of papers.  They were just perfect to use with this week's Sketch Saturday Layout.

 

 

I finished with the wonderful Be Merry Stamp from Kristina Werner with Concord & 9th ... love it.

 

 

I'm also joining the Christmas Anything Goes Challenge at Creatalicious Challenges.  Christmas Kickstart is also an Anything Goes theme.

Eighties Inspired Birthday

When I saw the colors from The Color Throwdown, I was immediately transported back to high school in the eighties where I layered my pink and green polo shirts with the collars up.  The pink and green color combination were a classic.

 

 

Since I was taking a walk back down memory lane, I pulled out a vintage Cuttlebug Happy Birthday Embossing folder and paired it with two woodblock stamps (Savvy & A Muse) and a layout from Paper Craft Crew Challenges.

 

 

I went with sparkly glitter paper for the gold and finished with some glittery enamel dots.

 

Citizenship Celebration

I had a request this week for a card celebrating a new US Citizen.  I remember helping my friend Mary study for her Citizenship test, and I'm not sure I would pass it without a lot of studying.

 

 

I chose some patriotic papers, a patriotic medallion, and a few glittery stars using the Sketch from CAS on Friday.  Sentiment is from Avery Elle Simple Sentiments (love the typed font).

 

Got Snow?

The newest challenge at Shopping Our Stash is to make a winter card that is NOT Christmas.

 

 

I built my card using the Winter Fun Paper Collection at Carta Bella by Carina Gardner.  I added two favorite wood mounted stamps from Savvy Stamps and A Muse with a layout from The Paper Craft Crew Challenge.

 

I love those colors for a winter card ... and I love paper banners.