Ingenious Inkling

Stitched Maple Thank Yous

I had a request for a large batch of fall-themed Thank You cards, so I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch and my collection of prints to make them all the same, but different.

 

 

I used the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles Die Cut for the inner panel on a white cardstock card base ... for this first one using an Alcohol Ink and foiled panel.  Next I die cut the Simon Says Stamp Large Stitched Maple from a Gel Printed Panel.  I finished with a sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp Grateful and Thankful Sentiment Strips.

I'm linking this one up at the Simon Says Fun with Foil Challenge.

 

 

This background was made using bleeding tissue paper squares ... I've got to play with them some more.  The Maple Leaf is from a Gel Press print.

 

 

This background is an Alcohol Ink roll-off paper with a leaf die cut from kraft cardstock that was sprayed with a combination of Ranger Mica Stain Sprays.

 

I love all of the different combinations I was able to make ... I'm grateful for an extra day to spend in the studio.

Snowflake Shaker

The November Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is to make a shaker card.

 

 

I believe I could count the number of shaker cards I've made on one hand (and most of those have been in classes), but for Gina, I'll give it a try on my own.

Thankfully my newly acquired Gina K. Designs Snowflake Circle Cover Plate was the perfect shaker base.  I die cut it from Silver Glitter paper and then attached acetate to the back.

 

 

I used adhesive strips and filled the snowflake well with several colors of purple sequins before attaching it to purple cardstock.

 

I mounted my shakes to a fuchsia card base and finished with a sentiment from Gina K. Designs Sparkle & Shine.

Thanks Gina for my Shaker Success!

Shadow Stenciled Sympathy

The September Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is to create a card with an offset or shadowed stencil design.

 

 

I created my background using Gina K. Designs Water Droplet Stencil with White Pigment Ink and Dark Spruce Ink on kraft cardstock.

 

 

I used the three shades of Gina K. Designs Spruce Ink with the Layered Eucalyptus stamp & die cut with the Double Stitched Oval Die Cut.

The Layered Eucalyptus sentiment was stamped in the Medium Spruce ink to finish the card.

More May Gel Printing

We're still having fun with the #birgitkoopsengelprintingchallenge.

The Stamp Challenge made me smile ... but the challenge to me was which stamp to use.  I decided on a vintage Three Ferns stamp from Hero Arts with two colors of Distress Oxide Ink.

 

 

Next up was Packaging Materials.  I sorted through things I had kept in my stash for future packing, and found this sheet of differently shaped bubble wrap that I tried.

 

 

 

You can barely see it on the second print on the left, but I loved that effect too.

Next was buttons.  I tried inserting the buttons in a rolled-out piece hand-exercise clay thinking I could stamp with that, but the buttons refused to stay embedded (I got it sort of done in the red print).  After that I used the individual buttons to stamp into the pink paint covered plate (and basically got my hands completely covered with both colors).

 

 

I was able to wash all of the paint off my buttons, so they can be used again.

Next Up was Feathers.  I decided to use my favorite Feather Stamp from Tyggereye (Gina).

 

 

I liked how they stamped off with the Acrylic Paint better than the prints itself, which was a reminder that I could cover the plate in medium and use it like a giant stamp pad (love thinking about different ways to use products I already have).  Still one of my favorite stamps.

Next up is using a Brush.  I used Dina Wakley's Media brush to apply the paint by swiping horizontally on the plate.

 

 

Love how the paint blended and the brush strokes (particularly in the second print).  The vibrant colors make me smile.

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.

Bunny Hugs

The new Challenge at Shopping Our Stash is Under the Weather - create a card that is weather related or a Get Well theme (and if you're an extra-points type of crafter, use both).

 

 

I decided to go with a super-cute Get Well theme featuring sweet little rabbit from Hello Bluebird First Snow (or in Iowa, Last Snow which hopefully happened last week - I'm ready to put the scarf & gloves away for the season).  I thought the Bunny looked like he was sending a get well hug from afar.

 

 

 

The background is a Gel Press Print that I created using Plastic Wrap for #marchprintingchallenge with Gelli Arts.  After die cutting the stitched rectangle, I sprayed it with Pixie Spray and then applied some gold foil.  You can see that more clearly in this photo.

 

 

I colored the bunny with my Graph'IT Markers and finished with two stamped sentiments from Hello Bluebird Typed Everyday.

Here's a look at the Gel Press print before die cutting.

 

Chalk Prints

When I saw this chalk printing video by Cassie Stephenz, I knew I didn't have the high pigment chalk she used, but I was curious if any of the chalks I had in my studio might produce a similar effect.

All I could find were these vintage Pebbles Shimmer Chalks, so I figured I would give it a try.  I used a blade to pull out the half-circles of chalk & shave them onto the top of the water.

 

 

I tried four different color combinations after my initial blues, and pulled these four prints ... not as vibrant as Cassie's, but still pretty cool.  I sprayed the paper with clear varnish spray to keep the chalk from rubbing off onto my fingers and everything else.

 

 

I used the yellow and coral print at the top right to make this card with the Simon Says Stamp CZ Design Love You Sending Sunshine Die Cut cut from coral cardstock & vellum..

 

National Geographic Cloisonné

When I saw Julia's Faux Cloisonné card for the CAS Mix Up Card Challenge, I had to give it a try.  The first time I followed Beate's SplitcoastStampers Tutorial was with a Land's End Catalog in November 2006 (pre-blog).  I was the very first stamping technique I tried, so I figured it was time to dust it off and try again.

 

 

This time I pulled out a vintage National Geographic Magazine and stamps from Essentials by Ellen.  I started with Essentials by Ellen You Should Know with Gold Wet Embossing on a page of orange tree leaves. 

 

I realized I didn't have a coordinating die cut, so I used the Mixed Media technique of Fussy Cutting (after I glued it down, I realized I missed one tiny bit ... oh well).  I also used Die Cutting with the Essentials by Ellen Nice of You Sentiment and coordinating die cuts.  Additionally, the black cardstock has dry embossing.  The final Mixed Media product was dimensional acrylic paint in the flower centers.

 

 

I had another pretty magazine page of a South American Mural from National Geographic that I wanted to use, so I paired it with the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Gerbera.

 

 

This time my Mixed Media techniques were Wet Embossing and Die Cutting and my product was an a gold glitter acrylic paint marker.

 

 

How fun to go back over 15 years and revisit a technique that was just as fun to do and looks just as cool today.

Ardyth Inspired Sakura

I was thrilled to see that one of my favorite inspirations is the Featured Stamper at Splitcoast Stampers today, so you know I had to join the celebration of Ardyth.

While I have a list of her recent techniques on my list to try (seriously, if you haven't subscribed to her YouTube Channel you should), I decided it would be more fun to wander back into her extensive gallery for my inspiration.  I chose this gorgeous card from March of 2017 as my Inspiration.

 

 

Ardyth developed a wonderful LIMES Technique to use when you're making a card inspired by another stamper, so I followed her technique for my card.

• LIST (things about the design that inspire you) - for me it was the large bloom, the four color inking technique, the layout and Mother's Day
• INCLUDE (things you want to include in your design).  I decided to keep 3 of the 4 (I passed on Mother's Day and went for an encouragement/birthday card instead)
• MODIFY - I decided to use a different Mondo Bloom from Ellen Hutson and to go with four different Distress Oxide Inks for my color.  I also added a mat to the white card base.
• EXCLUDE - I passed on the glitter on the flower
• SPIN - instead of glitter, I added gems that coordinated with my flower color; I also positioned my sentiment differently to work with my bloom; and used foam tape for dimension.  Additionally I added some spin to the inking technique that I'll talk about below.

 

 

I used these four colors of distress ink on my paper together with the Essentials by Ellen Mondo Sakura Stamp and Die.  The Distress Oxides combined together more than the contrast that Ardyth got with the Distress Inks she used.

 

 

 

I started by spraying it with Cosmic Shimmer Pearlescent Spray, which gave a slight reaction with the ink.  Then I went in with splattering of Gem Pink & Gem Violet from the Gansai Tambi Gem Color Paints which got me to the contrast I was hoping for in my design.

 

 

The sentiment is from Essentials by Ellen Besties with gems from Pinkfresh Studio Essentials Gems.

Thanks to Ardyth for Inspiration today & every day.

The Real Heroes

This card started with the Just Us Girls Challenge to use an Inked or Sprayed Background.  

 

 

I searched through my background drawers and found this piece of Black cardstock that was sprayed with white ink spray using what I think was the Rough Edge Circlezz Stencil from A Colorful Life Designs.  I think I sprayed with the stencil in place and then flipped it over on the cardstock to get a positive imprint from the sprayed ink on the stencil.

 

 

I used this week's Freshly Made Sketch by punching three 1 1/4" squares from the trimmed off edge of the sprayed paper and cutting two rectangles from my brand new Funky Fossil Don't Make Me Laugh stamp in black ink on white cardstock.  I'm linking-up at the Simon Says Stamp Something New Challenge.

 

 

I'm also joining the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes Stencil Challenge.  The sentiment is a Tim Holtz Big Talk Snarky Sticker attached with foam tape.

 

 

I finished with a scattering of black pearls.