Ingenious Inkling

You Are Loved

I've had a lot of losses this week ... some after living a full life ... and others way to soon. 

When I think about Valentine's Day, I think about telling the important people in your life that you love them ... never miss that chance.

My card tonight is inspired by those thoughts & this weeks Time Out Challenge picture.

 

I used Both Mean Something & Bitty Regards from Unity Stamp Company.

 

Instead of a gold heart, I used a gold pocket watch to coordinate with my clock background ... because you never know how much time you have to tell people you love them (I realize the gold may disqualify me for the Unity Challenge).

The layout is this week's Freshly Made Sketch.

Valentine Fun

Today I worked on a request for some custom valentines.  I will confess that since I don't have children, I'm a little out of the popular culture loop ... I didn't even know what Lego Ninjago was, but I figured it out.  I printed out pictures of two of his favorite characters and used this week's Tuesday Morning Sketch for my layout.

I finished with a stamped sentiment and since his favorite color is blue, I added some punched paper hearts for the Crazy 4 Challenges Heart Challenge.

Next I used a some Mickey Mouse Clip Art and paired it with the stamp stamped sentiment. 

I added a few matte finish enamel dots from Eyelet Outlet to finish the design.

The final one used a free printable Valentine from Living Locurto.

I added some Eyelet Outlet Video Game Brads to finish the design.  I'm linking this one up at The Paper Players Will you be my Valentine? Challenge.

And at Just Us Girls Challenge this week, it's all about LOVE.

I Love You More

Having grown-up in a house filled with an intense love of the Beatles, I am always drawn to their music and lyrics ... so when I saw this new In My Life Stamp (C14709) at Impression Obsession, I had to have it.

It was perfect for the current Impression Obsession Challenge ... I Adore You.  I used the remainder of my Gel Press Print from yesterday's card, together with a scrap of navy cardstock embossed with hearts.  I thought it made a nice masculine valentine card.

Splattered Ombre Watercolor

This month's Technique Challenge is Splattered Ombre Watercolor and I have a variation of the technique up on the Technique Junkies Blog (so click through and come visit me). 

Remember, if you go shopping, use my discount code TJ10Stephanie for 10% off your purchase.

 

I'm also linking-up my Technique Card at the Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers.

MISTI Valentine Love

Come visit me at the MISTI Blog today where I'm sharing a background tutorial using Technique Junkies Valentine Love & Love You More Set of 5 (both from the January release and 15% off until January 8th).

 

And for Technique Junkies stamps that aren't on sale, you can use my discount code.

Washi Tape Herringbone Valentine

This week I had fun creating a Herringbone Background using Washi Tape (you can find the Tutorial at Technique Junkies).

I combined lots of *love* themed tapes for a pretty Valentine's Day (or Anniversary) design.  This is my background after I trimmed the edges.

 

Next I mounted my panel on black cardstock for some contrast.

 

 

I stamped Technique Junkies Love Heart in Red and added it to the center of my design.

 

 

 

I'd love to see how you use this technique with your Washi Tape Collection

 

Eyelet Outlet Products Used:

• Blue/Red Heart Washi
• Heart Graph Washi Tape
• Love Washi Tape - Pink
• Skinny Heart Washi Tape
• Headphone Washi Tape
• Red Heart Washi Tape

I Love You

Have you been following along with the PaperTrey Ink 10th Anniversary Celebration.  Today's post is from 2011, and since I have one of the stamp sets (Tremendous Treats Valentine) I had to join the fun.

I took my inspiration from Wanda's fabulous design.

Instead of lemons, I chose a dinosaur to feature and flipped up the colors a bit.  I embellished with some Eyelet Outlet Bling & a Heart Gem.

Happiness

I couldn't resist joining the O is for Outrageous Challenge at the Sisterhood of the Snarky Stampers.

And since many of my outrageous stamps are from Stampotique, I decided to join their Love Bug Challenge too.

Since the Smile Guy had a heart on his shirt, he worked for the love part of the love bug challenge ... I found a little spider in my stash who looked like he might be his friend for the bug.  And this outrageous sentiment makes me smile.

Layout is this week's CAS(E) this Sketch.

TAGplorations Valentine Blog Hop

STAMPlorations is having an awesome TAGplorations Valentine Blog Hop, and I'm thrilled to be joining the fun (there will be 7 fabulous days of inspiration).

I started by die-cutting the largest of the Layered Luggage Tag Dies from CUTplorations using a scrap of lined designer paper.  Next used Candied Apple Distress Ink with the new Doodled Heart ARTplorations Stencil, spritzing it with water after I inked.

Since my designer paper was a bit flimsy, I die cut a second tag from red cardstock and attached it using a glue stick.  I attached the new You & Me Phrase Die from CUTplorations (love that it is a single die, but cuts three separate words, so you can position them where you want).

I finished with two stamped words from the Sentiment Builders - Love stamp set as well as paper flowers & Heart Jewel Bling from Eyelet Outlet.  I thought the tag really popped when I attached it to a black card base.

Commenting and linking will be open from February 8 to February 14, 11:55 p.m. Pacific.  Winners will be announced on March 10 in the February Challenges & Hops winners post.

And yes ... there will be awesome Prizes:

- (3) randomly drawn winners from all comments left on the STAMP blog and participating designers' blogs will each receive a $10 gift certificate to the store

- (1) randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive a choice of stamp set (Pocket Blooms, A Full Heart, or Two of Us)

- (1) randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive a choice of any 2 of the new love-themed dies (Love, Always, XOXO, Forever, You & Me, Clustered Hearts)

- (1) randomly drawn participant in the Love TAGplorations linky party will receive a choice of tag set: Luggage Tags or ATC/Tag Builder

 

Happy Mail

When I saw the current inspiration photo at Inspired by All the Little Things, I went hunting for a scrap of wood *paper* I knew I had in my stash.

The picture also reminded me of this week's Freshly Made Sketch, so that is what I used for my layout.

I found my scrap of wood and cut it into three equal pieces.  I thought I could dye the wood using some Distress Ink Refill, which worked fabulously ... except after dying, nothing at all would stick to either the front or the back of the wood.  I finally got some foam tape to stick, so that's what I went with.

The stamps are from a cute little Happy Mail set from Honey Bee Stamps.  The colors are from this week's Color Throwdown.

I'm also joining the Color of Love Challenge at Simon Says Stamp.