Ingenious Inkling

Friends to the End!

This week my Facebook Memories have been filled with Junkiefest 2019 where I had one of the best crafty experiences of my lifetime. 

Little did I know that experience would also be what got me through the last year and a half.  Those friendships sustained me.  The group chats, the video calls, and the surprise gifts from across the miles (like when I couldn't find my favorite cereal or a soup I needed for a recipe).  I am so, so grateful for those friendships.

So tonight's card is to celebrate those experiences and those friends.  I pulled out the Sarcasti-Chick from Taylored Expressions, which I got at Junkiefest 2018, for my card with the face from Sarcasti-Chicklets.

 

 

Sisterhood of Snarky Stamps is all about Watercolor, so I pulled out one of the Shaving Cream Backgrounds that I created a few weeks ago with Mona (one of my Junkiefest crew) using Pineapple and Blue Raspberry Liquid Watercolor from Taylored Expressions.

 

 

The layout is the Sketch from Fab Friday Challenge.

 

Remember to cherish those people who make you feel better ... and do better.

Brayered Paper Silhouette

The current them of our lessons at Wonderlust is about Silhouettes with Kate Crane.  She started with several ways to create our vivid backgrounds.  The Brayer-to-Paper technique was one I had used several years ago at Art Camp with Lauren from watching a Paper Artsy Video, so I already had a stash of painted papers in my stash, so that is where I started.

 

 

I picked a vivid one and trimmed it down to attach in my Art Journal.  Next I stenciled paint and used a technique she showed about putting alcohol ink around lids to create circles & stamping with the lids and paint.  With my stamping using a soda pop bottle lid I'm joining the Sweet Stampin' Challenge to use something not normally used for crafting.  I also added some stenciling with Turquoise and Black paints.  I tried stenciling with the alcohol ink, but ended-up with that little purple blob at the bottom.

 

 

My silhouette was a die cut sun ray that I put on top to frame my painted background.

 

 

I finished with some sentiment stickers.  I want to go back and try her alcohol ink on gel press technique later this week, but yesterday I had fun creating with supplies in my stash.

Saturday Stamp Joy

Yesterday I spent all day hanging out with my Taylored Expressions friends at their virtual Stamp Joy event.  Lots of learning and making fun cards.

A fun Kaleidoscope stamp set and die were the star of the show.  This one was embossed with the die and then ombre ink blended.

 

 

Next we moved on to stamping & coloring (on the back) of a piece of vellum.  I loved how we framed it with the scallop die.

 

I also loved the stamping along the bottom, even thought it took me several tries to get it lined-up the way I wanted.  As I learned in later cards, I should have stamped it on my background paper first, and then lined-up my card where I wanted it to be.

 

Another fun event exclusive was this confetti stencil that allows you to use 4 ink colors to cover your paper.

 

 

Also since this was our mass produced card (we made 4) there were tips for stamping the present by stamping on the background paper in the MISTI and then aligning the negative over the image to place your die cuts.

I failed a bit on the next one by stamping one of my little guys too far from the edge of my die cut.  I fine tipped black marker to the rescue ... can you tell which one is taller than the others?

 

 

Using a mask and ink blending to highlight was another simple technique that really helps that middle penguin pop.

 

I absolutely loved the ombre shadow effect with this big hello.  Definitely trying that one again.

 

 

And the final card was interactive with spinning kaleidoscopes.

 

 

My favorite part was the vibrant rainbow blend I got with just four ink colors (not to mention the cool effect of using the die cut as a stencil).

 

Of all the virtual events I've attended during the last year, Taylored Expressions are by far my favorite.  The products is ready do go ... the teachers are fantastic ... the free product is unique and fun ... and I always learn new things.

Easter Sunrise

The March Monthly Mix Challenge at Gina K. Designs is to created a Masked & Ink Blended Sunrise.

 

 

I looked at a lot of Sunrise Pictures and decided to go with one that reminded me of Easter Candy Colors and make an Easter Card.  I blended Lemon Drop at the bottom for the sun, then Sea Glass at the top for the sky and then came in with Innocent Pink in the middle blending into each color.

 

 

I stamped the Gina K. Designs Bunny from Some Bunny in Stormy Sky Ink and detail cut it.  Then I used my Sky Colors for two of the Easter Eggs from the same set.   I detail cut all of the images before attaching them to my ink-blended sky.

 

I matted it in the same stormy grey and added it on top of one of my Gel Press Prints before finishing with a fluffy bunny tail.  The sentiment is a combination from Gina K. Designs Some Bunny and Happy Hearts.

I'm also linking-up at the Critter Challenge at The Paper Craft Crew Challenges.

 

 

My first ink blending tore when I removed the washi tape, so I trimmed it down to make a second card.  For this one I stamped the Bunny Outline together with another sentiment from the Gina K. Designs Some Bunny Set.

 

 

For this one, I flipped the color because I thought the Sea Glass grounded the bunny a bit more than the Lemon.

Hero Arts Flower Power

I'm thrilled to be Guest Designing at The Ink Pad Blog today featuring Hero Arts Flower Power Layering Stamp Set, which was one of the stamp set in the Hero Arts early ShopBox Release.

 

 

There are four layers for the floral hair ... and another four for the face.  For my first card, I only stamped three of the layering stamps for the hair, leaving the background flowers white.

 

 

 

I started with a soft pink for the flower insides.

 

 

Next I stamped a brighter pink for the flower centers and highlighted blooms.  For the face layers I only inked the lip portion of the face highlight stamp.  I used some pink pastel pencil to highlight her cheeks.

 

The current #staycraftywithhero challenge at the Hero Arts Blog is to create a gift card holder.

 

 

I found a super-easy gift card holder template at H Made Boutique made by scoring a 4 1/4" x 11" cardstock base

 

 

 

The card then opens at the top and the Gift Card slides into where you have scored & attached the middle (I used the Hero Arts Rounded Rectangle Infinity Dies for my opening).

 

 

 

I used the coordinating die to cut out my lovely lady.

 

The background is a brayer roll-off paper from my Gel Press topped with a paper I made by painting a paper bag with Gesso, Watercolor Paint and Salt.

 

Next I used yellows and orange to create her a sister ... I love the empowering sentiments in this set.

 

The background for this card was made by brayering acrylic paint on colored cardstock.

String Theory Sass

When I saw this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! I was immediately reminded of a String Art Tutorial from Understand Blue, so I went and found it.

 

 

I couldn't find a phone book or rubber globes, so I used an Encyclopedia and just got inky fingers.  I used Taylored Expressions Cookie Monster Ink and made these four String Theory pulls (first pull on the bottom and second pull on the top).

 

 

I used one of the first pulls because I thought it more closely resembled the sketch, and then because I was feeling a bit punchy tonight, I used stamps from The Ink Road Empower (thank you Tina Fey).

 

Golden Emboss Resist

When I made my first card for #staycraftywithhero CASE a Designer Challenge, I originally stamped & embossed the retired Leaf & Floral Background on White Cardstock (before realizing I would need to stamp it on watercolor paper for the technique I wanted to try).  Since it's been sitting on my studio table, I decided to use it to make a second CASE design ... this time inspired by Caly Person's emboss resist background.

 

 

This is Caly's card that I chose as my inspiration.

 

 

Rather than a rainbow, I chose three colors of Distress Oxide Ink (Iced Spruce, Speckled Egg and Cracked Pistachio) that I applied to my work at and the sprayed with water before dipping my embossed image into the ink.

 

 

Next I gave the wet paper an all-over spray of Nuvo Mica Mist in Aspen Gold.  This angle really shows the golden shimmer.

 

 

Rather than use vellum, I decided a solid ban of ivory watercolor paper framed with gold cardstock worked for my card front.  I used a sentiment from the Hero Arts May 2019 Crafty Hero Kit.

 

 

I also lowered my sentiment slightly from center.

 

Wild at Heart Tag

The December Challenge at Poppy Stamps is Anything But a Card. 

 

I thought the Poppy Stamps Wild at Heart Border Die would be perfect for a tag ... because it's time to start making valentines. 

 

 

I used it with one of my pieces of Alcohol Ink Glitter Paper (thanks again Jennifer for the tutorial) using Memory Box Delicate Pastel Glitter Paper.

 

 

I die cut the Heart Border from the Glitter paper and then positioned it to die cut a partial tag.  I die cut a full tag from white cardstock and attached it on top and stapled silver ribbon to the top of the tag.

I finished with a sentiment from Poppy Stamps Tidings of Joy.

Until Santa Checks the Naughty List

While the Alcohol Ink Paper was still on my studio table, I had to make a card with the other half from yesterday's design.

I started with the plan to join the E is for Elves Challenge at Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

 

 

I pulled out my Elf Grumplings from Taylored Expressions and then pulled more inspiration from the Fusion Card Challenge Merry, Cheer Joy replacing the gnome with an Elf and using the Sketch.

 

I pulled in the red from the photo for the border of my card using Playful Patterns Valentine paper from Taylored Expressions.

 

 

I colored my little elf and mounted him on a silver glitter foam circle with a sentiment from the same set.

I'm also linking-up at the TGIF Magical Christmas Challenge (because what's more magical than Santa's Elf).

 

And with the Silver Circle, I'm linking up at the Silver or Gold Challenge at Cute Card Tuesday.

Glittery Alcohol Ink Christmas

A new package of Memory Box Delicate Pastel Glitter Paper arrived this week from my Anniversary Sale Shopping at Paper Anthology, so I had to make some more Alcohol Ink Glitter Paper (following Jennifer Maguire's tutorial).  I just love the process and the end effect.

Here are the three color combinations I played with.  There are 7-8 inks on each page.

 

 

I used the top blue/green one for my holiday card for the Uniko Stamps Challenge which is 'Tis the Season with the optional theme of Sparkle ... I think I've got the sparkle covered.

 

I cut my inky glitter paper into a 3" strip and then stamped images from Uniko's Christmas Background Builders.

 

 

I added color to a single tree using a green Kirarina 2win marker and added shimmer with clear Wink of Stella on top ... and then I added a tiny gold gem at the top of the tree.  The finishing touch were a couple of Green Love from Lizi Peel Off strips to frame the stamping.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Allsorts Challenge where the theme is Christmas Flowers, Wreaths and Trees and the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes Challenge.

 

 

And I've got Tic-Tac-Toe with The Paper Players across the bottom with Green, my tree colored with a Kirarina Marker and Wink of Stella, and my tiny bling embellishment at the top of the tree.