Inkspirational Challenge #371 - Visual Prompt

 The newest challenge is up over at Inkspirational.

As you can see -  I went with the lemons from the Visual Prompt!  

I'm not partial to lemons (too acidic for me) and so found that all I had in my craft room on the topic of lemons, was a stamp of a glass of lemonade (which will be have to wait to be used on another day)  and the Dried Citrus Slices die from the Greetery, which I die cut and inked with Distress Inks.  

They can be lemon slices or orange slices depending on the color you use!  The die cut leaves are Etched Laurel Leaves from Simon Says Stamp.  The background was embossed using Fallen Leaves EF from Sizzix.  One of the lemon slices is up on foam dots.  The sentiment strip and yellow gems are from Waffle Flower.

We'd love to see how this Visual Prompt inspires you!  Please link up your creations over at the Inkspirational Blog!

This challenge ends on 7/17.

Also sending my card to:

Double D Challenge

Potpourri (def: A mix of things)

lemons, green stems, sunshine  ends 7/12

Tic Tac Toe

Layers - Die Cut - Summer Colors 

ends 7/17

Just Us Girls

Forgotten Favorite - Citrus Slices dies from The Greetery

ends 7/8

Can You Handle the Pressure

Anything Goes  ends 7/8

Paper:  Bright Buttercup - Papertrey Ink, Water Color Paper - Canson Cold Press.

Ink:  Ranger Distress Mustard Seed and Fossilized Amber.

Other Supplies:  Dried Citrus Slices Die - The Greetery, Etched Laurel Leaves Die - Simon Says Stamp, Fallen Leaves 3D Textured Embossing Folder - Sizzix, Sentiment Strip  and Candy Dots - Waffle Flower, foam dots.

Inkspirational #366 - Word Prompt: Rain

 Today I'm sharing my DT card for the newest Inkspirational Challenge.

This could be an encouragement card or a get well card - I haven't stamped anything inside yet.

The stamp and die set are All Weather Friends from Colorado Craft. I colored the image with Copics

The frame and background was die cut using Emerald Cut Labels and Tag Dies by Spellbinders.

I put the outside frame up on foam strips and the bunny and umbrella up on foam dots.

I just happened to have these raindrop gems!  I found them on sale at Joann's before they closed.  

I knew I'd want them someday!

So please join us over at Inkspirational - and link up your card inspired by RAIN!

This challenge ends on May 8th.

Also sending my card to:

We Love Stamping - April Challenge - Spring

ends 4/30

NBUS

First time using the Emerald frame die and the rain gems

TIME OUT Challenges

Earth, Rain, Pastel, Hope  ends 4/29

Stamps:  All Weather Friends - Colorado Craft.

Paper:  Hammered White - Amazon, Blueberry Sky, White - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Morning Mist and Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  All Weather Friends Die - Colorado Craft, Emerald Cut Labels and Tag - Spellbinders.  Copics E00, B23, B37, foam strips and dots, Rain Drop Gems - Park Lane (JoAnn).

Inkspirational #358 - Shades of Blue

 There's a new challenge up at Inkspirational today - #358 Shades of Blue

I made a 3 1/4" x 4" encouragement card with a Knot Bird made from Yasutomo All Blue Orgami Paper - perfect for this challenge!  

I found a tutorial for making a Knot Bird on YouTube by

Karen Elaine and there are lots of samples by others on Pinterest.

I used Origami paper as it is thinner and easier to make a knot with it.

  

This Origami paper is one sided and the back is white, so the head on one side and the tail on the other side of the knot end up white. I used coordinating Copics to color the white ends.  You trim one end to be the head and you trim the other end to be the tail.

Cut a tiny triangle out of black card for the beak and glue it on - use a black marker to make the eye.

Your bird can be used facing either way as both sides work.

I made my birds with strips 5 7/8" x 3/4".  

My origami paper is 5/78" x 5 7/8" so that's why I made it that length.

I did later buy some Origami paper printed on both sides but haven't used it yet.

Here is the flock of birds I whipped up in a short time -  and some bird affirmation quotes I found by Google-ing.

I smooshed the panels and the card base on my craft mat using Ranger Distress Broken China spritzed with water.  It gives them a white cloud -  blue sky look!

I die cut the quotes with rectangle dies.

I adhered the quote to the card base, adhered the bird on a foam strip, drew her legs with a fine black marker and added 3 blue enamel dots!  

Please join us and show us how Shades of Blue inspired you to create!  Link up your creation over at the Inkspirational Blog where you will also find some lovely inspiration by the rest of the DT!

This challenge ends on Jan 30th!

Also sending my card to:

Love Those Pretty Papers

anything goes ends 1/31

Make My Monday

Use Paper with a Pattern  ends 1/25

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge

anything goes  ends 1/30

Creative Inspiration Challenges

Always anything Goes  ends 1/29

NBUS

First time using this Knot Bird pattern and this Origami paper

Color Hues

ends 1/29

Paper:  White, True Black - PTI, Yasutomo All Blue Origami Paper (I found it on Amazon, Blick also has it).

Ink:  Ranger Distress Broken China

Accessories:  Blue Copics to cordinate with the paper colors, computer generated Bird Quotes, Rectangle dies - Nestabilities, Stitched Mat Rectangles - Lil Inker Designs (retired), craft mat, water mister, enamel dots - Altenew, heat tool to dry the smooshed panels.

June Group of Seven Cardmakers - Second Generation Stamping

 Here is my 1st card for the June Group of Seven Cardmakers post.  

This month we are playing with Second Generation Stamping -  when you stamp an image fully inked then stamp it again without reinking either once or twice.  You'll find a link to Videos on the technique over at the GO7 Blog.

 It creates a wonderful depth to your card design.

I went very CAS with this card, simply stamping the image on the left fully inked with Portobello Versafine Clair Ink then stamping again to the right of that stamping and a bit higher, without reinking.

Next,  I stamped the image off the bottom and half off the right side fully inked - then stamped above it (only the left half of the stamp) again way over to the left off the edge with the right half of the stamp.

   My card base is watercolor paper and the sentiment is from Paper Artsy.

Trees seem to be the first thing I grab when I think of Generation Stamping (or off stamping) so I wanted to stretch myself and use other stamps and also add some color!

   

So this card was born (after about 5 aborted attempts using various Lavinia stamps!)

I started by stamping a text background - inking the stamp and stamping it off on paper before stamping on the card panel as I wanted it just to be a shadow.

Then I stamped the dandelion in black and off stamped it - repeating again and the same with the leaf.  And finally I stamped and off stamped the Orchard Grass along the bottom.

To add color (after I made sure the black ink was dry!) -  I sponged over the top with Distress Speckled Egg and over the bottom with Shabby Shutters.

I stamped the sentiment on white card and punched it with an oval punch.  I sponged the edges with the Speckled Egg and popped it up on the card with foam dots.

We hope you'll give this technique a try 

(you probably have done this already at some point in your stamping career?! but maybe not for a while?)

   

You'll find Mr. Linky and lovely inspiration from the rest of the GO7 team over at the blog.

We'd love to see how you use this technique!

Also sending my card to:

IDEAS Calendar

4th week - A - Anything Goes

We Love Stamping

Nature Inspired ends 7/1

AAA Cards

CAS  ends 7/5

Tree Card

Stamps:  Silhouette Trees #1 - Rubbernecker (retired), Sentiment from Paper Artsy Alison Bomber set EAB01.

Paper:  Water color paper - Canson Cold Press

Ink:  Portobello Versafine Clair

Dandelion Card

Stamps:  Background Script, Orchard Grass, Tall Dandelion - Lavinia, Dandelion Wishes Sentiment set - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink

Ink:  Nocturne, Morning Mist - Versafine Clair, Ranger Distress Speckled Egg and Shabby Shutters.

Other Supplies:  oval punch - SU, foam dots, blender brushes.

Inkspirational Challenge #338 - Word Prompt/Sentiments 2 or More

Today I'm sharing my DT card for Inkspirational Challenge #338

I used 2 sentiments as the 'fortune' in the two die cut fortune cookies.    

I made this card for a friend who lost her 34 yr old youngest daughter a few weeks ago.  She had no health issues but died in her sleep from a pulmonary embolism.   

I've been sending encouragement cards to my friend every week since, as she comes to terms with this sudden terrible loss.

So please join us and create a card with at least 2 sentiments on it!  You'll find creative inspiration from the rest of the Ink team as well as Mr. Linky over at the Inkspirational Blog! 

This challenge ends on April 11!

FYI -  I had surgery on my right shoulder for a torn rotator cuff on March 26th and I'm 6 weeks in a sling so can't stamp or leave lengthy comments on your blogs for a bit!  I've made all my DT posts for the next two months ahead of time so you will see me on the blog! 

Also sending my card to:

Cardz 4 Gals

Spring ends 4/1

Love those Pretty Papers

ends 3/31

Paper: Water Color Paper - Canson Cold Press, White, DP Bitty Big Soft Stone - PTI, CP Morning Memories 6x6 - Paper Rose
Ink: Antique Linen Ranger Distress
Other Supplies: Coaster Die - The Greetery, Fortune Cookie Die - Ellen Hutson (retired), Metallic Stickers:Quotations - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, foam dots.

June 2024 Card Chain Challenge Reveal - Be You Bravely

 Today's the reveal of all the cards sent and received for the June Card Chain Challenge.  This month I sent a card to Carol in the UK and I received a card from Dee in Kenya.

Each month there are options for colors, sketch, theme and product/techniques.  You can use as many options as you want but only have to use at least one.

I used the colors - but only on my blooms -  just couldn't get one of these colors to look good as stems!!??  So just partial credit for that!

And I used the themes of Friendship with the encouraging sentiment, and Summer with the flowers and little buzzing bee.

The flowers are Fresh Picked Anemones dies from Spell Binders, the bee is a firefly die from The Greetery (colored to look like a bee!), the sentiment is a Label Sticker Sentiment from 

Tim Holtz/Idea-ology.

Instead of an opening card - I added a die cut easel to the back of the panel so it stands up for display.

Would you like to send and receive a card to/from anywhere in the world?  

There have been over 4,360 cards exchanged by participants so far,  from 41 of the 50 United States and 33 countries.

    

Please join in for the July challenge - you have until July 6 to sign up.  All the details are posted on the blog.

Also linking my card to:

Allsorts Challenge

Way to Grow/flowers  Ends 7/5

Tic Tac Toe

Center horizontal row - Die cuts, flowers, Stripes (in honeycomb background)

ends 7/5

Paper:  White, Honey Nut, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening - Papertrey Ink, DP The Bees Knees - Honey Bee Stamps.

Accessories:  Fresh Picked Anemones dies - Spellbinders, Firefly Die - The Greetery, Small Easel Die - Sizzix, Label Stickers Sentiments - Tim Holt/Idea-ology, Copics black, orange, Gloss Simply White Drops - Nuvo, Black POSCA Pen.

Card Chain Challenge - May 2024 Reveal

 Today's the day all the cards exchanged in May over at the Card Chain Challenge are being revealed.  This month I sent a card to Mia in Greece and I received a lovely card from Jeanne in Minnesota!

This month I used the option of two of the themes: Men in Hats and Friendship and the sketch (sort of!)

Theme Options: Men in Hats / Cake / Friendship

Here's my card:

I purchased the elf/gnome die on Amazon, the sentiment is from Graduation Gnome from Unity, the DP is Forest by Stamperia.  I added black pearls for eyes and tuxedo hearts.

We hope you will join us for June - sign up to send and receive a card from someone anywhere in the world!   You'll find all the details on how to join in over at The Card Chain Challenge as well as seeing all the cards exchanged!   

You just sign up for one month at a time. You can join in whenever you like.  

You sign up on the Link - and you send to the person before you and the person signed up after you sends to you!

You have until June 6th to sign up for the June card exchange!

Linking my card to:

Krafty Chicks

ends 6/5

NBUS

First time using the gnome die and sentiment

Cut it Up

anything goes using dies  ends June 12

Stamps: sentiment from Graduation Gnome - Unity.

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair

Paper:  Cocoa Bean, True Black, Pine Feather, Soft Stone - Papertrey Ink, Hammered white - Amazon, Place Rose - Bazzill, DO Forest - Stamperia.

Accessories:  Elf/gnome die - Amazon, black pearls, Tuxedo Hearts - Honey Bee,  Copic W2.

Group of Seven April Technique - Coloring with an Elegant Writer Pen

 It's time for the April Group of Seven Cardmakers Post -  this month we are using an Elegant Writer Pen to color our images.

There are two YouTube Videos linked over at Group of Seven for techniques and I'm sure there are others available as well.

For my first try, I used 2 of the 4 floral images in the Bold Botanicals stamp set from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous.  I inked the stamps with Nocturne Ink and most of the image is black when you stamp it.  I wrote over most of the lines with the Elegant Writer then I started brushing water over the image, which pretty much, turns blue.  I like to have some pink, so I dab over the watery blue and, like magic, some of the area turns pinkish!  You can get a greenish tinge as well.

For my third try, I found this really large funky kind of floral image Doodle Bouquet from Lavinia and used the same process on this.  I then stenciled around the image with the Bubble Layering Stencil from Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous with Iceberg Ink.

I forgot the step of fine misting the panel from a distance to be sure that all of the Elegant write ink has been activated - I'm going back and doing it now!!

You can find the Elegant Writer pens at most craft stores and on Amazon.  They are not expensive.  I used a 2.0 mm because that's what I had, but the video recommends a 1.3 mm extra fine tip.

So check out the rest of the GO7 team over at the GO7 blog and then get your own Elegant Writer and try it out -  then link it up so we can see it!

I'm linking my cards to:

NBUS

first time using the both the Bold Botanicals and the Doodle Bouquet Stamp 

Linking my daisy card to:

We Love Stamping:  spring/garden ends 5/1

Linking my rose card to:

The Card Concept

CAS card  ends 5/13

a rose with subtle blue and pink

Stamps:  Bold Botanicals - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Doodle Bouquet - Altenew

Paper:  Water color paper - Canson Cold Press

Ink:  Nocturne - Versafine Clair, Iceberg - Altenew

Accessories:  Elegant Writer 2.0 mm, water, #3 paint brush, paper towel, Bubble Layering Stencil- Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, blender brush.