Inkspirational #374 Word Prompt - Garden

 Today there's a new challenge up over at Inkspirational Challenge.  #374 Word Prompt - Garden

So I literally went out to my garden, picked some pansies and a few leaves from other plants to press for this card!

I laid the blossoms and leaves, face side down onto a panel of water color paper.  I folded a piece of computer paper in half and inserted the panel inside (to absorb moisture) and then ran it through my Big Shot.  I took the panel out, removed it from the folded computer paper, and scraped off the bits of pansies and leaves that were left on the card stock  - and a print was left.   I added orange gems, stamped the sentiment and ran along the edge of the panel with a gold Sharpie pen.  

Every time you press a panel it comes out different - depending on the blooms and the leaves used (some plant leaves don't leave any green so it's trial and error!)

The wetness of the fresh blooms pressed against the paper can make the cardstock damp and curl a bit. I laid the panels out overnight to dry and then laid heavy books on top of them to help flatten them.

Here are several more cards I made using geranium and pansy petals.  On many of these I didn't use any leaves.  I used plain white card stock on a couple of them.

So please join us and show us how "Garden" inspires you!  You'll find some lovely inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on Aug 28th

Also linking my first card to:

Word Art Wednesday

Anything Goes  ends 8/19

Everybody Art Challenge

Summer  ends 8/17

Try It on Tuesday

Make it Colorful  ends 8/18

Stamps:Beyond Basic Borders - PTI (retired)

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  Water Color Cardstock - Spellbinders, white - PTI, computer paper.

Other Supplies:  Pansy and Geranium blossoms, different green leaves from my garden, Candy Gems - Waffle Flower, Big Shot.

Sympathy Artwork

 I, unfortunately, needed some more sympathy cards for my stash.  So I took the opportunity take out a recently purchased, but not yet used, Postage Collage Picture Perfect Stencil Set and Picture Perfect Details Stamps to make my card.  

The stencil set has 6 different art work images that fit on the Postal Collage Die, so, since I had all the inks out, I stencilled 4 panels.  So, I have a lot of art work images ready to use when the inspiration hits!

  I framed the 'artwork' using a frame die in the Postage Collage Frame Dies set.

The framed artwork and sentiment are up on foam dots.

Sending my sympathy card to:

Just Us Girls

ends 8/12

Time Out Challenges

floral, geometric ends 8/18

Allsorts Challenge

Colors of Summer ends 8/14

NBUS

1st time using the Waffle Flower Picture Perfect stencils and stamps

Stamps:  Picture Perfect Details - Waffle Flower

Paper:  White, Sweet Blush - PTI, DP  6"x 6" Groovy GinghamPack - Unity

Ink:  Light Spruce - Gina K Designs, Sand Dunes, Mountain Mist, Misty Morning, Sweet Blush - PTI, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Postage Collage Picture Perfect Stencil, Postage Collage Die, Postage Collage Frames Die - Waffle Flower, Nested Stitched Scallop Frame dies - Amazon,  Ideal Moments Sentiments - Better Press plate and die set - Spellbinders.

Card Chain Challenge - July 2026 Reveal!

 Today's the day all of the cards exchanged world wide for the July Card Chain Challenge are revealed over at the blog!

This month I sent my card to Alice in Austria and I received a beautiful card from Greta in Oregon!

Twenty-six cards were exchanged in July.

Each month we are given options to inspire our card designs, colors, sketch, themes, product and technique options.   You only have to use one of the suggested ideas but you can use as many as inspire you!

I was inspired by the Theme - Cocktails this month!

I have had this wonderful cocktail die set Cheers to You by Elizabeth Craft Design for over a year and this challenge gave me the push to finally use it!

I die cut all the pieces out of Water Color Card from Spellbinders and sponged the color on using Ranger Distress Inks. (it's quicker than cutting each piece out of colored papers).  The water color paper adds nice texture to the drinks.  I pretty much copied the samples on the die packaging to help with colors and what goes with what. (!)  

I just love how they came out! 

Would you like to join in on this fun card exchange - you can try it out for August and decide?  You sign up each month so your not committed to do any more than you want to.  You send to the person in front of you on Mr. Linky and the person after you on Mr. Linky sends to you!  You'll find all the details on how to join in at the Card Chain Challenge blog here.

Sign up closes on August 6th

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using these fun cocktail dies!

Allsorts Challenge

Colors of Summer  ends Aug 14

Krafty Chicks  ends Aug 4

Cardz 4 Galz

Word Inspiration: Rainbow  ends 8/5

Stamps: Simple Strips: Background - Taylored Expressions.
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress - Saltwater Taffy, Fired Brick, Peeled Paint, Twisted Cintron and Tumbled Glass.
Paper: Water Color Card - Spellbinders, DP Bitty Big Smokey Shadow - Papertrey Ink.
Other Supplies: Cheers to You Die set - Elizabeth Craft Designs, Edge die - Unknown, Simple Strips - Straight Edge die - Taylored Expressions, foam dots, Mini ink blending tool and sponge daubers - Ranger, Copic R29 for the dot on the olive.

CAS Christmas - August 2026 - Santa's Sleigh

 I'm the DT Hostess for the August CAS Christmas Challenge! -  and I chose:

I stamped this beautiful sleigh from the Sleigh Bells Ring stamp set by Claire Brennan Design which is no longer in business -  she also designed and sold under Waltzingmouse. Unfortunately, the British small business taxes were too high and too many for her to stay in business. I was on her Design Team for both companies and so am fortunate to have most of the stamps she designed.

I used my Misti so all the stamps would be lined up neatly.  I cut a mask to put over the sleigh when stamping Santa's toy bag so it looks like the bag is inside the sleigh.

Once again, I made 4 of these cards while I had all the supplies out! 

Into my Christmas Box 2026 they go!

We hope you will join us over at CAS Christmas and show us your Santa's Sleigh cards!

This challenge ends on Aug 31st.

Also sending my card to:

Sparkles Christmas Challenge

Clean and Simple

Shopping Our Stash

What's the Good Word?

SLEIGH   ends Aug 10th

Merry Little Christmas Challenge

Anything Goes Christmas  ends Aug 15

Stamps:  Sleigh Bells Ring - Claire Brennan Design (retired).

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink: Nocturne, Strawberry, Sand Dune, Monarch - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Misti

Inkspirational #373 Visual Prompt - Beach Scenes

 Time for another Inkspirational Challenge!  #373 Visual Prompt - Beach Scene - a great challenge for the middle of August when we'd all probably like to be at the beach! (Unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere!)

I was inspired by the ocean waves!

First time using this wonderful Making Waves Stencil, Hey Honeycomb Fish Die and Hey Honeycomb Summer Sentiments all from The Greetery release in June.  Inside I stamped "You're FIN-tastic" from the same sentiment set.

I die cut the fish out of water color card and sponged with Ranger Distress Inks.  I punched the sentiment with a 1" circle, then punched a 5/8" and 1/2" circle to look like bubbles floating up.  I added an enamel dot for his eye. The fish and bubbles are popped up on foam dots.

We hope you'll join us and show us your inspired card design using our Visual Prompt!  You'll find inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at the Inkspirational Blog!

This challenge ends on Aug 14th.

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

1st time using the stencil, fish die and sentiment set!

Cardz 4 Guyz

Summer Theme  ends Aug 17

Time Out Challenges

ends Aug 5

Krafty Chicks

ends Aug 4th

Allsorts Challenge

Colors of Summer  ends Aug 14

Four Seasons Challenge

August - Summer  ends Aug 25th

Stamps:  Hey Honeycomb Summer Sentiments - The Greetery.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Carribean Sky, Persian Blue - Altenew, Peacock Feathers, Twisted Cintron - Ranger Distress.

Paper:  Water Color Card - Spellbinders, White - Papertrey Ink.

Other Supplies:  Making Waves Stencil, Hey Honeycomb Fish Die - The Greetery, 1", 5/8",1/2" circle punches, enamel dot - Altenew, foam dots, blender brushes.

Frankly, You're Great!

 I'm sharing a card today that I made for a few challenges.

I recently purchased these Hot Diggity Dog and Squeeze Bottle die sets from Hero Arts - as well as the coordinating sentiment stamp set - Many Franks!  I was happy to get them out and use them!

I die cut the pieces from colored card stock and sponged around the edges with Old Paper Distress Ink.  I cut two different pieces of DP from Gosh, I Love You from Unity for the background.

Inside I stamped:

It's Your Birthday

Have a Bun-derful Day

Challenges entered:

Featured Stamper Challenge - Splitcoaststampers

inspired by this card by MN_Stamper

Cardz 4 Guyz #388 Summer Theme

ends 8/17

NBUS

1st time using these dies and stamp set.

Stamps: Many Franks - Hero Arts
Paper: White, Summer sunrise, Kraft Card, Americana - PTI, DP Gosh I Love You - Unity
Ink: Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Old Paper - Ranger Distress
Accessories: Hot Diggity Dog Die, Squeeze Bottle Die - Hero Arts, finger dauber

Inkspirational Challenge #372 - Christmas in July

 What a great time for the newest challenge at Inkspirational #372 - we can all cool off from the summer heat with this one!  It's never too early to start working on our Christmas cards, right?!

And here's my DT card created for this challenge.

I used an older tag die from Papertrey Ink along with a brandy new to me Regency Bow #1 die from the Greetery. I brushed over the white tag with light blue ink. The image from Holiday Sketch Book from Stampers Anonymous is stamped and die cut.  I colored the popped up piece of the image with Copics and added Liquid Pearls to the stamped snow flake circles.  I looped a gold thread through the tag and adhered it to the back of the panel.  The sentiment and DP are from Waffle Flower. 

We hope you will cool off in your craft room and make a Christmas Card for this challenge!  You'll find some lovely inspiration from the rest of the team as well as Mr. Linky over at Inkspirational!

This challenge ends on July 31st

Also sending my card to:

NBUS

First time using this wonderful bow from the Greetery as well as this stamp and die from the Holiday Sketch Book stamp set from Stampers Anonymous

Christmas Kickstart Challenge

the gift of a Christmas Tree!  ends 7/31

Christmas Crafts All Year Round

M-N-O  -   O is for ornament  ends 7/31

Die Cut Divas

Christmas in July  ends 7/31

Lost Coast

ends 7/31

Stamps:  Holiday Sketch Book - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.

Paper:  White, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink, DP Seasons Greetings - Waffle Flower.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Claire, Misty Morning - Altenew.

Other Supplies:  Regency Bow #1 Die - The Greetery, Basic Cut Tag - Papertrey Ink (retired), Holiday Sketchbook Die set - Simon Says Stamp, Copics YG63, R29, Blender Brush, Liquid Pearls - Ranger, foam dots, gold thread - Amazon.